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Disclaimer: Don't own them, NBC does. Author's note: Warning could be a shipper story, no real plot. Ok I warned you, if you continue it's at your own risk.
Damn Elevators
Krystal McDermott
Good Friday 2000
11:15am
The basement of a building
Somewhere in Salt Lake City, Utah
Miss Parker's face beamed with pride as she slapped the cold, steel cuffs around Jarod's wrists, her knee digging into the pretender's back.
"Well, well, well" she cooed "Daddy will be pleased, bringing you in myself, with no help from Sydney or Broots and not a single sweeper in sight. Hell he'll probably throw me a ticatac parade and it'll be goodbye Centre, hello freedom for me" She said smugly as she stood up, roughly dragging Jarod up with her.
"I don't see what you're getting so excited about" Jarod replied coolly "You of all people should know by now that I won't be staying in that hell hole for long. You'll see, in a weeks time it'll be like old times again, just you and me and the wide yonder between us"
"You really are too cocky sometimes for your own good, besides I couldn't give a damn if you did escape again wonder-boy, by that time, I'll be long gone and it'll be quite comforting, not to mention entertaining, knowing that my schitzo, dumb-ass of a brother Lyle will be responsible for bringing you back" she said mockingly as she shoved him towards the elevator.
"You know, you really need a hobby" retorted Jarod "Something to get rid of all that built up tension. I taught yoga once, perhaps I could help you out"
"Enough chit chat Frakenboy, save you voice for the screams of pain and agony while they torture you at the Centre" Miss Parker replied dryly as she punched in the ground floor on the elevator key pad. The elevator ride began in silence. They hadn't even made it past the first sub-level when there was an enormous clunk from above them and the elevator halted between the basement and sub-level one.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me" Miss Parker growled, pounding the elevator control panel "This is not happening!"
Jarod let out a muffled laugh at her frustration. Miss Parker turned sharply on her heels to face him, her face a blaze with fury
"Oh I don't see why you find this so amusing. It just means that you are going to be stuck in here with me as your only companion until someone comes and rescues us and then I don't care how exhausted I am, I'm still going to drag your sorry ass back to the Centre!"
Jarod's smile beamed even wider as her frustration grew until he remembered..........
"Oh damn!" he cursed. "Oh, there is no way, there has got to be a mi..."
"What?!" Miss Parker cut him off sharply, trying to hide the fact that she was feeling slightly claustrophobic being stuck in an elevator. Let's face it, her family and elevators did not exactly have a user friendly relationship.
Jarod started to pace around the confined space. How could this of happened he thought. He had simmed the entire situation, worked out every possible out come. Although he had not anticipated for Miss Parker to figure out his last set of clues so quickly. He at least should of had another hour, perhaps he underestimated her. Oh hell how was he supposed to know that she'd caught last weeks airing of the Cantonese nightly news on cable, or that she even understood it for that matter.
"Are you going to answer me Labrat?" her icy voice cut through Jarod's thoughts. A smile briefly played upon Jarod's lips as he anticipated Miss Parker's reaction to the news he was going to give her, but then he remembered he was the only one here whom she could take out all her frustration on, and the smile quickly disappeared.
"You see, this building is currently under construction" he began
"Yeah.....so?"
"It's Good Friday today, everyone's on holidays and because of the long weekend nobody will be returning to work until Tuesday" Jarod stated, while trying to figure out a way to escape. He could always send someone in to get her out afterwards.........maybe on Sunday.
"I'm in hell" she relied dryly. "I'm stuck in this musty, little death trap of an elevator, with YOU"
"Look on the bright side" he chirped "At least Lyle's not here" Miss Parker glared at him, her icy blue eyes piercing his innocent, childlike, brown ones.
"You" she growled "You planned this didn't you. You just wanted to torture me. So come on where is, where's the snide remarks about my twisted family, my mothers death, hell I'm surprised you managed to keep a comment about that in for so long considering we are stuck in an elevator!" she pounded the wall in her frustration. Was it just her or was the air starting to get really thin in here, she wondered.
"Are you OK?" Jarod asked concerned. Her face had started to drain of it's colour slightly and she seemed to be having difficulties breathing.
"Just peachy" she whispered, sinking down the wall to sit on the floor. Oh damn was it getting hard to breathe in here, and she kept hearing all these voices, so many voices, children screaming, gun shots, her momma calling out. The pictures, they flooded her mind, horrible pictures of her mom of Tommy, of the children.
"Momma!"
**************
12:15 pm
Still somewhere in Salt Lake City, Utah.....
Miss Parker shook her head, trying to rid her mind of all the vivid memories that had come flooding back. Where the hell had that come from? She wondered. Everyday she rode the elevator at the Centre, why should this be any different? Hell it isn't the first time she's been stuck in an elevator. Of course last time she had been stuck with Broots while Bridgette was running around trying to kill her father, now that has to be more stressful than being stuck in an elevator with Frakenboy, she could handle this.
"Pez?" Jarod offered, holding out a Marvin the Martian pez dispenser.
"Kill me now" Miss Parker pleaded, throwing her head back to gaze at the ceiling. She still didn't feel the best and some how she knew that it was Jarod's fault. How exactly, she wasn't quite sure, but he's behind everything bad that happens to her. Slowly she closed her eyes and then suddenly flung them open. "The man hole! We can climb out the man hole in the ceiling!" she exclaimed, half impressing herself by finding a way out of this hell hole, yet half annoyed at the fact that it took her an hour to figure it out.
"Already thought of that" Jarod stated casually. "But with me in handcuffs and you sick, I wasn't sure that we could manage it".
"Manage it! Manage it! I've been chasing you from one side of the country to the other for the past four years, leapt of buildings, been shot God knows how many times, strip searched, locked in a shipping container with LYLE, had ulcer after ul.........what makes you think I'm sick?"
"Oh nothing" Jarod said lightly, tugging on his cuffs.
"Don't give me that Jarod, tell me now"
"You just don't look the best that's all"
"Fu....."
"Uh, uh, uh, watch my sensitive ears now Miss Parker. After being locked up in the Centre for so long, I'm not used to hearing such crude language" Jarod cut her off, mockingly.
"Crude. I'll give you crude you son of a....."
"Miss Parker, is that any way to talk to your old friend Jarod. When I said you didn't look well I was merely concerned for your well being." his voice was deliberately layered in sweetness, to hide the concern he was feeling inside. Her breathing was laboured and her face was pale. It was only his doctors instincts that were making him so worried he told himself. She was a person in pain, and he was just someone who felt the need to ease that pain, simply because of his medical training, no other reason. Although, why should it matter that he's worried for her, she did used to be his best friend after all and deep down he knows she's not the Ice Queen she pretends to be. So yes he has every right to feel concerned, it's only natural. It's not like he's in love with her or was...
"Jarod. Earth to Jarod. Time to wake up now" Miss Parker called out
"Huh" Jarod replied, confused.
"You were talking and being a pain in the ass, as usual when you kinda drifted off and went into la la land. I think all this freedom has affected a couple of those brain cells of yours. Care to enlighten me as to what was so fascinating that for once in your life you took time out from annoying me."
"Ummm I.....I was just thinking that we could use your cellular phone to call for help" Jarod rushed out, taking a short while to recover from the thought that had very, nearly, almost entered his thoughts just a moment ago.
"And you call yourself a genius" Miss Parker shook her head in disgust. "I thought of that the very moment this damn thing stopped, but then I realised that I'd thrown it down on the ground when Lyle had called me and I spotted you running through the parking lot. And once again this is all your fault!" She snapped. She was tired of being stuck in here with him of all people.
"And how do you figure that?" he argued.
"It's always your fault! If you hadn't of suddenly came down with a case of a concience and stayed in the Centre where you belong, I would never have been dragged out of corporate to chase your sorry ass around and would never have become stuck in this God forsaken elevator!" she yelled and damn did it feel good to yell. "Even as kids you always dragged me into dangerous situations all because you wanted to see the snow!" Yeah, it definitely felt good to get all this off her chest, she thought.
"Oh that's rich! As I remember it, it was you who always dragged us into dangerous situations 'Jarod, there's a dead body in the Centre, what are you scared, come check it out with me" Jarod yelled back, imitating a young Miss Parker. "Oh and lets not forget my favourite one 'Oh come Jarod, I'm sure Mr
Rains won't notice if we sneak into his office, besides 'Daddy' will protect us'. And didn't that go down well. I spent that entire summer with a broken leg, while you were simply reminded that exploring the Centre was not a thing for young children to do, it's a place of work not play. You were always the one getting us into trouble, not me!" He shouted back at her, she was really starting to get on his nerves. How dare she blame him. But damn did she look great when she was mad and where the hell did that thought come from. She's a beautiful woman, he knows that and he's a guy, it's only natural he notice how incredible she looks. Only natural, it doesn't mean anything.
"You, you got me in trouble the first day we ever met". She was really starting to get infuriated now. He knew it was his fault, why couldn't he just except it? Why was he getting so frustrated? Sweat was starting to appear on his shirt, making it cling to his chest and my what a muscle bound chest it was, she thought. He'd obviously been working out a lot in the past four years and he looked absolutely.........what the hell was she doing? Stay focused, she cursed herself. He is the enemy.
"And how do you figure that" Jarod asked, frustrated.
"You, with your whole 'what's your first name Miss Parker?' My dad nearly had me shot. I was told never to allow myself to get too close to you never"
"What are you talking about you were the one that told me your name the next day, and in case you've forgotten you were the one that kissed me!" And damn I wish she'd do it again, he thought. Hang on. No. No I don't. She is the hunter, daughter of the Chairman. You'd have to be crazy.
"Yes. OK. I was the one that kissed you, but that was only because you led me on to start with. What with that whole placing our hands together thing, while you were putting together a nude figure, I might add. Besides you wanted me to kiss you. I only did what you didn't have the guts to do!" Although I wish you had the guts to do it now, she thought. What? Get that thought out of your head.
"I did so have the guts to kiss you. I was just taking the more subtle approach, unlike you I don't just walk up and kiss someone." I don't want to kiss her, I don't want to kiss her, I don't want to kiss her, I don't want to kiss her, Jarod chanted over and over in his head.
"Yeah, well some people like spontaneity, it makes the kiss more romantic. Not that you'd know anything about that, Mr take the more subtle approach." I don't want him to kiss me, I don't want him to kiss me, I don't want him to kiss me, I don't want him to kiss me, Miss Parker chanted to herself.
"Are you saying I can't be spontaneous?" I don't want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her. Ooopps wrong chant.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying" Please kiss me, please kiss me, plea.....Hmmm I guess I better kiss back hey.
*******************
Good Friday
12.37 pm
Yes we are still somewhere in Salt Lake City, Utah
"Are you saying I can't be spontaneous?" I don't want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her. Ooopps wrong chant.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying" Please kiss me, please kiss me, plea.....Hmmm I guess I better kiss back hey.
Their tongues danced about wildly, exploring each others mouths, and damn did it feel good. Jarod slid his hands up his huntress' back, and into her dark hair. While Miss Parker ran hers up along the inside of his shirt. Yeah, I was right, she thought. He has been working out. After kissing each other passionately for what seemed like ages, slowly and reluctantly they each began to pull away, both breathless. Jarod was trying to analyse exactly what had just transpired between them, while Miss Parker quickly composed herself, making sure she replaced her ice queen mask.
"Yes, well, you proved you could be spontaneous, good for you" she retorted dryly, retreating back to her little corner in the elevator. She could still feels Jarod's lips upon hers and it was taking all her strength and will power to stop herself from rushing over and kissing him again, maybe even rip off that black, silk shirt she thought..........only because it's hot, no other reason.
Jarod was totally speechless. He'd kissed her. What the hell had he been thinking? I'll tell you what you were thinking, you were thinking about that time you broke into her house to leave a 'present' and accidentally caught a glimpse of her in the bedroom getting changed. Remembering that moment made him want to rush over and kiss her again. Think of the Centre, he thought.
"It's kind of hot in here" she stated. "Any new plans yet as to how we're going to get out?" she asked, well more like demanded. It was the perfect way to get over what had happened, she reasoned with herself. You simply pretend it didn't happen. Maybe it didn't. She was feeling claustrophobic, perhaps it had all been a hallucination. Yes that was it, it was a hallucination. Although, she could still feel his hands running up her back, sliding through her hair and then............"Stop it"
"Stop what?" Jarod asked, totally confused by her sudden outburst. Although he was sure he had heard her yell out to her mom earlier.
Did I say that out loud? She wondered, I really am going crazy. She looked up to see Jarod looking at her, totally bewildered.
"Nothing. I was just thinking out loud that's all." Please don't ask any more questions she hoped silently. Especially about what I was thinking about.
"So what were you thinking about?" Jarod asked.
Damn, she cursed. Why does he have to be so nosy all the time, can't he stay out of my business.
"Your mom?" Jarod prompted
My mom. Yes I was thinking about my mom. Brilliant. It's not a lie. Well yes it is actually, but since when have I ever had a problem with lying. Besides I was thinking about her earlier, about the day she.....
"What makes you say that Jarod?" she said, trying her best to sound like the ice queen, trying hard to stop thinking about that fatal day in the elevator and trying even harder to keep her eyes focused on Jarod's face, not his chest. His face really was very interesting, she could see the little stubble on his chin, a slight cut on his cheek from where he'd slipped with the raiser, and his lips, his lips on her lips, his hands running along her back and I've gone off track again she thought.
"Miss Parker?"
"Huh?" she looked up from her day dream
"I was just saying that I thought I'd heard you call out to your mom earlier........before....well before the you know....the.."
"The thing that should 'never' of happened" she placed much emphasis on the word never and immediately regretted it, for she could see the hurt in his eyes. Hang on, she is the Ice Princess, she doesn't regret anything, except maybe not putting a bullet between Mr Rains' eyes when she had the chance last year.
Jarod sat down in the opposite corner of the elevator. He could take a hint, she obviously did not want to talk about it or whatever else was obviously bothering her. It hurt him that she could just brush off a kiss like that, so easily. A kiss full of so much passion, and desire that he had to literally stop himself from rushing over to her, scooping her up in his arms and kissing her again and again and again, and this time not necessarily on the lips.
Miss Parker stared at the wall, dreading the fact that she'd given up smoking. So what if it gives you cancer, she thought. I'm going to die anyway, it's just a matter of when and by who's order. She closed her eyes trying to block out thoughts of the Centre and her mother, only to find that they were replaced with thoughts of Jarod. Jarod in handcuffs, Jarod in his black, silk shirt which clings to his muscle bound chest, Jarod kissing her, his hands running up her back, Jarod in handcuffs, Ja..............Wait a second.
"Jarod, what happened to your handcuffs?" she demanded, angrily.
"Handcuffs?" he asked, innocently.
"Oh don't give me that. Where are they Labrat?"
Jarod swung the open handcuffs out in front of him. "Oh you mean these handcuffs. Yeah I have my own key"
"You what" Miss Parker growled
"Really Miss Parker, I visit your house all the time, you should really find a better hiding place for the spare key"
"And you planning on telling me this when?" she asked icily.
"Never" Jarod said matter of factly "But seeing as I'm out of these cuffs and you appear to be feeling better, although you still look a little pale, what do you say you and I try and climb out of this thing? That is if you're up to it."
"You better watch it Jarod. You amy be out of those cuffs but, I still have my gun, don't you forget that." she warned him.
"Oh I wouldn't be so sure of that" Jarod replied coolly, as Miss Parker raised her eye brows at him and began to feel her holster for her gun.
"Great! When the hell did you get my gun?!" she yelled.
"Aww, now if I told you that, it wouldn't be any fun now would it" Jarod said in mock, sympathy. "Well come on now, let's get on outta here" Jarod said as he took off his black shirt. It really was starting to get hot in there.
Miss Parker couldn't help it she had to divert her eyes, it was the only way she could stop herself from helping him take off his shirt faster, not to mention the rest of his close and.....No! Think of Broots she said to herself. Think of Broots. There, that's better.
**********
1:00 pm
"So, Jarod how exactly are we going to reach the man hole?" Miss Parker asked, impatiently.
Jarod looked up at the man hole and then back down at her.
"Well for starters, you're going to have to take off those stiletto heels of yours"
"What, why?.........no way Jarod" she stated as his plan dawned on her.
"Fine you want to stay in here for three and a half days, go ahead" he shrugged. "I have some pez left and a couple of candy bars, we won't stave"
"I'll do it" she mumbled
"What was that? I didn't quite catch it" Jarod said revelling in her displeasure. He could always shoot out the lock, but he preferred this plan much better, it may take longer, but he'd enjoy it more. Hey, what could he say, he still hadn't been able to get that kiss out of his mind.
"I'll do it!" she yelled. If I only I had my gun she thought. Not to mention the handcuffs. Immediately she had to push the thought of handcuffs out of her head, for some reason that bought images of Jarod and her bedroom to mind.
Grumbling she took off her shoes as Jarod knelt down beside her. Now the things I could do with him in this position, she thought. After pushing that thought aside, she climbed up on Jarods shoulders as he slowly began to stand up.
"You drop me, I'll kill you with my bare hands" she warned.
Jarod barely even noticed that she had spoken. He was too busy trying to concentrate on the floor and not the fact that she was on top of his shoulders.
Miss Parker began to fiddle with lock, thanking God that she wasn't wearing one of her skirts today.
"Can you stop moving about so much up there?" Jarod asked, after nearly loosing his balance.
"I can't help it, it's stuck" she called back "I think it's locked"
"I was afraid of that. Well we're going to have to shoot the lock. You can climb down now" Jarod replied as he began to lower himself to the floor so as she could climb off his shoulders. He went down a little too fast, however for Miss Parker and she lost her balance, toppling down off his shoulders knocking Jarod over as she did so. Both of them fell on the floor in a heap.
Jarod looked up at Miss Parker and burst out laughing. Miss Parker who at first was rather annoyed couldn't help but laugh at herself and Jarod. They stayed there for sometime the pair of them, trying time and time again to compose themselves, but each time they looked at each other they would start up again, louder than before .
Eventually the laughter died down, but still they stayed their Miss Parker laying on top of Jarod. She made a move to get up, but as she did their eyes met. This time it wasn't a sudden and spontaneous move, they both knew it was going to happen, but neither of them did anything to stop it. Slowly they moved inwards and their lips met.
"We're doing....... it... again" Miss Parker murmured in between kisses.
"Do you........think we.......should stop" Jarod replied breathlessly.
Miss Parker didn't reply, but simply pulled him closer to her and kissed him more passionately.
**********
Easter Sunday
10:09 pm
The Centre, Blue Cove, Delaware
"Enjoy your stay in Utah, Miss Parker?" Sydney asked, an amused smile playing upon his lips.
"Oh it was just peachy" she relied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Trapped alone in an elevator for two days, how could I not enjoy myself?"
"It's interesting though isn't it?"
"What?" she says icily
"That those same two days, Jarod never called me once and he never showed up to his next pretend in Boston" Sydney said barely unable to stop his smile from spreading across his entire face.
"So...... perhaps he was busy"
"Hmmm, and also how the cleaner team found an empty pez wrapper inside the elevator. I had no idea you ate pez Miss Parker?" Sydney was finding it so difficult to keep a straight face he knew he couldn't stay in the room much longer.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me Syd" Miss Parker said mysteriously. She was totally aware to the fact that Sydney knew she had not been alone in that elevator, but she wasn't going to let him in on all the details.
"Ring, ring........ring, ring" the shrill sound of the phone echoed throughout the room. Sydney eyed Miss Parker, daring her to answer it. He knew exactly who it was going to be on the other end.
"What" Miss Parker barked her usual response into the phone. Her ice queen
mask faltered momentarily when she realised who it was on the other end, but
was quickly replaced for Sydney's sake.
"Don't you have a mush head to visit Syd" Miss Parker said coldly.
Sydney cleared his throat before leaving the room, he had to remind himself to walk and not run as a sudden fit of laughter threatened to explode. He had barely made it out of her office, before he could contain himself no longer and let out a loud, hearty laugh.
From inside her office Miss Parker could hear Sydney laughing, but chose to ignore it, she was much more interested in what the person on the phone had to say.
"So Jarod, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"
"Well this may or may not interest you, but I've got inside information that says that an elevator at the Empire State building is going to have a little technical difficulties this Wednesday, at approximately 2:30pm" Jarod said playfully
"I'll have to look into that then, won't I" she replied mischievously. "In the mean time, I've been having a little trouble with my TV in my bedroom. Know any good TV repair men?"
"Oh I have one in mind" Jarod smiled
"Great, well tell him to drop by, oh around 11pm"
Krystal
Feedback is definately welcome and much wanted
Krystal McDermott
Good Friday 2000
11:15am
The basement of a building
Somewhere in Salt Lake City, Utah
Miss Parker's face beamed with pride as she slapped the cold, steel cuffs around Jarod's wrists, her knee digging into the pretender's back.
"Well, well, well" she cooed "Daddy will be pleased, bringing you in myself, with no help from Sydney or Broots and not a single sweeper in sight. Hell he'll probably throw me a ticatac parade and it'll be goodbye Centre, hello freedom for me" She said smugly as she stood up, roughly dragging Jarod up with her.
"I don't see what you're getting so excited about" Jarod replied coolly "You of all people should know by now that I won't be staying in that hell hole for long. You'll see, in a weeks time it'll be like old times again, just you and me and the wide yonder between us"
"You really are too cocky sometimes for your own good, besides I couldn't give a damn if you did escape again wonder-boy, by that time, I'll be long gone and it'll be quite comforting, not to mention entertaining, knowing that my schitzo, dumb-ass of a brother Lyle will be responsible for bringing you back" she said mockingly as she shoved him towards the elevator.
"You know, you really need a hobby" retorted Jarod "Something to get rid of all that built up tension. I taught yoga once, perhaps I could help you out"
"Enough chit chat Frakenboy, save you voice for the screams of pain and agony while they torture you at the Centre" Miss Parker replied dryly as she punched in the ground floor on the elevator key pad. The elevator ride began in silence. They hadn't even made it past the first sub-level when there was an enormous clunk from above them and the elevator halted between the basement and sub-level one.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me" Miss Parker growled, pounding the elevator control panel "This is not happening!"
Jarod let out a muffled laugh at her frustration. Miss Parker turned sharply on her heels to face him, her face a blaze with fury
"Oh I don't see why you find this so amusing. It just means that you are going to be stuck in here with me as your only companion until someone comes and rescues us and then I don't care how exhausted I am, I'm still going to drag your sorry ass back to the Centre!"
Jarod's smile beamed even wider as her frustration grew until he remembered..........
"Oh damn!" he cursed. "Oh, there is no way, there has got to be a mi..."
"What?!" Miss Parker cut him off sharply, trying to hide the fact that she was feeling slightly claustrophobic being stuck in an elevator. Let's face it, her family and elevators did not exactly have a user friendly relationship.
Jarod started to pace around the confined space. How could this of happened he thought. He had simmed the entire situation, worked out every possible out come. Although he had not anticipated for Miss Parker to figure out his last set of clues so quickly. He at least should of had another hour, perhaps he underestimated her. Oh hell how was he supposed to know that she'd caught last weeks airing of the Cantonese nightly news on cable, or that she even understood it for that matter.
"Are you going to answer me Labrat?" her icy voice cut through Jarod's thoughts. A smile briefly played upon Jarod's lips as he anticipated Miss Parker's reaction to the news he was going to give her, but then he remembered he was the only one here whom she could take out all her frustration on, and the smile quickly disappeared.
"You see, this building is currently under construction" he began
"Yeah.....so?"
"It's Good Friday today, everyone's on holidays and because of the long weekend nobody will be returning to work until Tuesday" Jarod stated, while trying to figure out a way to escape. He could always send someone in to get her out afterwards.........maybe on Sunday.
"I'm in hell" she relied dryly. "I'm stuck in this musty, little death trap of an elevator, with YOU"
"Look on the bright side" he chirped "At least Lyle's not here" Miss Parker glared at him, her icy blue eyes piercing his innocent, childlike, brown ones.
"You" she growled "You planned this didn't you. You just wanted to torture me. So come on where is, where's the snide remarks about my twisted family, my mothers death, hell I'm surprised you managed to keep a comment about that in for so long considering we are stuck in an elevator!" she pounded the wall in her frustration. Was it just her or was the air starting to get really thin in here, she wondered.
"Are you OK?" Jarod asked concerned. Her face had started to drain of it's colour slightly and she seemed to be having difficulties breathing.
"Just peachy" she whispered, sinking down the wall to sit on the floor. Oh damn was it getting hard to breathe in here, and she kept hearing all these voices, so many voices, children screaming, gun shots, her momma calling out. The pictures, they flooded her mind, horrible pictures of her mom of Tommy, of the children.
"Momma!"
**************
12:15 pm
Still somewhere in Salt Lake City, Utah.....
Miss Parker shook her head, trying to rid her mind of all the vivid memories that had come flooding back. Where the hell had that come from? She wondered. Everyday she rode the elevator at the Centre, why should this be any different? Hell it isn't the first time she's been stuck in an elevator. Of course last time she had been stuck with Broots while Bridgette was running around trying to kill her father, now that has to be more stressful than being stuck in an elevator with Frakenboy, she could handle this.
"Pez?" Jarod offered, holding out a Marvin the Martian pez dispenser.
"Kill me now" Miss Parker pleaded, throwing her head back to gaze at the ceiling. She still didn't feel the best and some how she knew that it was Jarod's fault. How exactly, she wasn't quite sure, but he's behind everything bad that happens to her. Slowly she closed her eyes and then suddenly flung them open. "The man hole! We can climb out the man hole in the ceiling!" she exclaimed, half impressing herself by finding a way out of this hell hole, yet half annoyed at the fact that it took her an hour to figure it out.
"Already thought of that" Jarod stated casually. "But with me in handcuffs and you sick, I wasn't sure that we could manage it".
"Manage it! Manage it! I've been chasing you from one side of the country to the other for the past four years, leapt of buildings, been shot God knows how many times, strip searched, locked in a shipping container with LYLE, had ulcer after ul.........what makes you think I'm sick?"
"Oh nothing" Jarod said lightly, tugging on his cuffs.
"Don't give me that Jarod, tell me now"
"You just don't look the best that's all"
"Fu....."
"Uh, uh, uh, watch my sensitive ears now Miss Parker. After being locked up in the Centre for so long, I'm not used to hearing such crude language" Jarod cut her off, mockingly.
"Crude. I'll give you crude you son of a....."
"Miss Parker, is that any way to talk to your old friend Jarod. When I said you didn't look well I was merely concerned for your well being." his voice was deliberately layered in sweetness, to hide the concern he was feeling inside. Her breathing was laboured and her face was pale. It was only his doctors instincts that were making him so worried he told himself. She was a person in pain, and he was just someone who felt the need to ease that pain, simply because of his medical training, no other reason. Although, why should it matter that he's worried for her, she did used to be his best friend after all and deep down he knows she's not the Ice Queen she pretends to be. So yes he has every right to feel concerned, it's only natural. It's not like he's in love with her or was...
"Jarod. Earth to Jarod. Time to wake up now" Miss Parker called out
"Huh" Jarod replied, confused.
"You were talking and being a pain in the ass, as usual when you kinda drifted off and went into la la land. I think all this freedom has affected a couple of those brain cells of yours. Care to enlighten me as to what was so fascinating that for once in your life you took time out from annoying me."
"Ummm I.....I was just thinking that we could use your cellular phone to call for help" Jarod rushed out, taking a short while to recover from the thought that had very, nearly, almost entered his thoughts just a moment ago.
"And you call yourself a genius" Miss Parker shook her head in disgust. "I thought of that the very moment this damn thing stopped, but then I realised that I'd thrown it down on the ground when Lyle had called me and I spotted you running through the parking lot. And once again this is all your fault!" She snapped. She was tired of being stuck in here with him of all people.
"And how do you figure that?" he argued.
"It's always your fault! If you hadn't of suddenly came down with a case of a concience and stayed in the Centre where you belong, I would never have been dragged out of corporate to chase your sorry ass around and would never have become stuck in this God forsaken elevator!" she yelled and damn did it feel good to yell. "Even as kids you always dragged me into dangerous situations all because you wanted to see the snow!" Yeah, it definitely felt good to get all this off her chest, she thought.
"Oh that's rich! As I remember it, it was you who always dragged us into dangerous situations 'Jarod, there's a dead body in the Centre, what are you scared, come check it out with me" Jarod yelled back, imitating a young Miss Parker. "Oh and lets not forget my favourite one 'Oh come Jarod, I'm sure Mr
Rains won't notice if we sneak into his office, besides 'Daddy' will protect us'. And didn't that go down well. I spent that entire summer with a broken leg, while you were simply reminded that exploring the Centre was not a thing for young children to do, it's a place of work not play. You were always the one getting us into trouble, not me!" He shouted back at her, she was really starting to get on his nerves. How dare she blame him. But damn did she look great when she was mad and where the hell did that thought come from. She's a beautiful woman, he knows that and he's a guy, it's only natural he notice how incredible she looks. Only natural, it doesn't mean anything.
"You, you got me in trouble the first day we ever met". She was really starting to get infuriated now. He knew it was his fault, why couldn't he just except it? Why was he getting so frustrated? Sweat was starting to appear on his shirt, making it cling to his chest and my what a muscle bound chest it was, she thought. He'd obviously been working out a lot in the past four years and he looked absolutely.........what the hell was she doing? Stay focused, she cursed herself. He is the enemy.
"And how do you figure that" Jarod asked, frustrated.
"You, with your whole 'what's your first name Miss Parker?' My dad nearly had me shot. I was told never to allow myself to get too close to you never"
"What are you talking about you were the one that told me your name the next day, and in case you've forgotten you were the one that kissed me!" And damn I wish she'd do it again, he thought. Hang on. No. No I don't. She is the hunter, daughter of the Chairman. You'd have to be crazy.
"Yes. OK. I was the one that kissed you, but that was only because you led me on to start with. What with that whole placing our hands together thing, while you were putting together a nude figure, I might add. Besides you wanted me to kiss you. I only did what you didn't have the guts to do!" Although I wish you had the guts to do it now, she thought. What? Get that thought out of your head.
"I did so have the guts to kiss you. I was just taking the more subtle approach, unlike you I don't just walk up and kiss someone." I don't want to kiss her, I don't want to kiss her, I don't want to kiss her, I don't want to kiss her, Jarod chanted over and over in his head.
"Yeah, well some people like spontaneity, it makes the kiss more romantic. Not that you'd know anything about that, Mr take the more subtle approach." I don't want him to kiss me, I don't want him to kiss me, I don't want him to kiss me, I don't want him to kiss me, Miss Parker chanted to herself.
"Are you saying I can't be spontaneous?" I don't want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her. Ooopps wrong chant.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying" Please kiss me, please kiss me, plea.....Hmmm I guess I better kiss back hey.
*******************
Good Friday
12.37 pm
Yes we are still somewhere in Salt Lake City, Utah
"Are you saying I can't be spontaneous?" I don't want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her, I do want to kiss her. Ooopps wrong chant.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying" Please kiss me, please kiss me, plea.....Hmmm I guess I better kiss back hey.
Their tongues danced about wildly, exploring each others mouths, and damn did it feel good. Jarod slid his hands up his huntress' back, and into her dark hair. While Miss Parker ran hers up along the inside of his shirt. Yeah, I was right, she thought. He has been working out. After kissing each other passionately for what seemed like ages, slowly and reluctantly they each began to pull away, both breathless. Jarod was trying to analyse exactly what had just transpired between them, while Miss Parker quickly composed herself, making sure she replaced her ice queen mask.
"Yes, well, you proved you could be spontaneous, good for you" she retorted dryly, retreating back to her little corner in the elevator. She could still feels Jarod's lips upon hers and it was taking all her strength and will power to stop herself from rushing over and kissing him again, maybe even rip off that black, silk shirt she thought..........only because it's hot, no other reason.
Jarod was totally speechless. He'd kissed her. What the hell had he been thinking? I'll tell you what you were thinking, you were thinking about that time you broke into her house to leave a 'present' and accidentally caught a glimpse of her in the bedroom getting changed. Remembering that moment made him want to rush over and kiss her again. Think of the Centre, he thought.
"It's kind of hot in here" she stated. "Any new plans yet as to how we're going to get out?" she asked, well more like demanded. It was the perfect way to get over what had happened, she reasoned with herself. You simply pretend it didn't happen. Maybe it didn't. She was feeling claustrophobic, perhaps it had all been a hallucination. Yes that was it, it was a hallucination. Although, she could still feel his hands running up her back, sliding through her hair and then............"Stop it"
"Stop what?" Jarod asked, totally confused by her sudden outburst. Although he was sure he had heard her yell out to her mom earlier.
Did I say that out loud? She wondered, I really am going crazy. She looked up to see Jarod looking at her, totally bewildered.
"Nothing. I was just thinking out loud that's all." Please don't ask any more questions she hoped silently. Especially about what I was thinking about.
"So what were you thinking about?" Jarod asked.
Damn, she cursed. Why does he have to be so nosy all the time, can't he stay out of my business.
"Your mom?" Jarod prompted
My mom. Yes I was thinking about my mom. Brilliant. It's not a lie. Well yes it is actually, but since when have I ever had a problem with lying. Besides I was thinking about her earlier, about the day she.....
"What makes you say that Jarod?" she said, trying her best to sound like the ice queen, trying hard to stop thinking about that fatal day in the elevator and trying even harder to keep her eyes focused on Jarod's face, not his chest. His face really was very interesting, she could see the little stubble on his chin, a slight cut on his cheek from where he'd slipped with the raiser, and his lips, his lips on her lips, his hands running along her back and I've gone off track again she thought.
"Miss Parker?"
"Huh?" she looked up from her day dream
"I was just saying that I thought I'd heard you call out to your mom earlier........before....well before the you know....the.."
"The thing that should 'never' of happened" she placed much emphasis on the word never and immediately regretted it, for she could see the hurt in his eyes. Hang on, she is the Ice Princess, she doesn't regret anything, except maybe not putting a bullet between Mr Rains' eyes when she had the chance last year.
Jarod sat down in the opposite corner of the elevator. He could take a hint, she obviously did not want to talk about it or whatever else was obviously bothering her. It hurt him that she could just brush off a kiss like that, so easily. A kiss full of so much passion, and desire that he had to literally stop himself from rushing over to her, scooping her up in his arms and kissing her again and again and again, and this time not necessarily on the lips.
Miss Parker stared at the wall, dreading the fact that she'd given up smoking. So what if it gives you cancer, she thought. I'm going to die anyway, it's just a matter of when and by who's order. She closed her eyes trying to block out thoughts of the Centre and her mother, only to find that they were replaced with thoughts of Jarod. Jarod in handcuffs, Jarod in his black, silk shirt which clings to his muscle bound chest, Jarod kissing her, his hands running up her back, Jarod in handcuffs, Ja..............Wait a second.
"Jarod, what happened to your handcuffs?" she demanded, angrily.
"Handcuffs?" he asked, innocently.
"Oh don't give me that. Where are they Labrat?"
Jarod swung the open handcuffs out in front of him. "Oh you mean these handcuffs. Yeah I have my own key"
"You what" Miss Parker growled
"Really Miss Parker, I visit your house all the time, you should really find a better hiding place for the spare key"
"And you planning on telling me this when?" she asked icily.
"Never" Jarod said matter of factly "But seeing as I'm out of these cuffs and you appear to be feeling better, although you still look a little pale, what do you say you and I try and climb out of this thing? That is if you're up to it."
"You better watch it Jarod. You amy be out of those cuffs but, I still have my gun, don't you forget that." she warned him.
"Oh I wouldn't be so sure of that" Jarod replied coolly, as Miss Parker raised her eye brows at him and began to feel her holster for her gun.
"Great! When the hell did you get my gun?!" she yelled.
"Aww, now if I told you that, it wouldn't be any fun now would it" Jarod said in mock, sympathy. "Well come on now, let's get on outta here" Jarod said as he took off his black shirt. It really was starting to get hot in there.
Miss Parker couldn't help it she had to divert her eyes, it was the only way she could stop herself from helping him take off his shirt faster, not to mention the rest of his close and.....No! Think of Broots she said to herself. Think of Broots. There, that's better.
**********
1:00 pm
"So, Jarod how exactly are we going to reach the man hole?" Miss Parker asked, impatiently.
Jarod looked up at the man hole and then back down at her.
"Well for starters, you're going to have to take off those stiletto heels of yours"
"What, why?.........no way Jarod" she stated as his plan dawned on her.
"Fine you want to stay in here for three and a half days, go ahead" he shrugged. "I have some pez left and a couple of candy bars, we won't stave"
"I'll do it" she mumbled
"What was that? I didn't quite catch it" Jarod said revelling in her displeasure. He could always shoot out the lock, but he preferred this plan much better, it may take longer, but he'd enjoy it more. Hey, what could he say, he still hadn't been able to get that kiss out of his mind.
"I'll do it!" she yelled. If I only I had my gun she thought. Not to mention the handcuffs. Immediately she had to push the thought of handcuffs out of her head, for some reason that bought images of Jarod and her bedroom to mind.
Grumbling she took off her shoes as Jarod knelt down beside her. Now the things I could do with him in this position, she thought. After pushing that thought aside, she climbed up on Jarods shoulders as he slowly began to stand up.
"You drop me, I'll kill you with my bare hands" she warned.
Jarod barely even noticed that she had spoken. He was too busy trying to concentrate on the floor and not the fact that she was on top of his shoulders.
Miss Parker began to fiddle with lock, thanking God that she wasn't wearing one of her skirts today.
"Can you stop moving about so much up there?" Jarod asked, after nearly loosing his balance.
"I can't help it, it's stuck" she called back "I think it's locked"
"I was afraid of that. Well we're going to have to shoot the lock. You can climb down now" Jarod replied as he began to lower himself to the floor so as she could climb off his shoulders. He went down a little too fast, however for Miss Parker and she lost her balance, toppling down off his shoulders knocking Jarod over as she did so. Both of them fell on the floor in a heap.
Jarod looked up at Miss Parker and burst out laughing. Miss Parker who at first was rather annoyed couldn't help but laugh at herself and Jarod. They stayed there for sometime the pair of them, trying time and time again to compose themselves, but each time they looked at each other they would start up again, louder than before .
Eventually the laughter died down, but still they stayed their Miss Parker laying on top of Jarod. She made a move to get up, but as she did their eyes met. This time it wasn't a sudden and spontaneous move, they both knew it was going to happen, but neither of them did anything to stop it. Slowly they moved inwards and their lips met.
"We're doing....... it... again" Miss Parker murmured in between kisses.
"Do you........think we.......should stop" Jarod replied breathlessly.
Miss Parker didn't reply, but simply pulled him closer to her and kissed him more passionately.
**********
Easter Sunday
10:09 pm
The Centre, Blue Cove, Delaware
"Enjoy your stay in Utah, Miss Parker?" Sydney asked, an amused smile playing upon his lips.
"Oh it was just peachy" she relied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Trapped alone in an elevator for two days, how could I not enjoy myself?"
"It's interesting though isn't it?"
"What?" she says icily
"That those same two days, Jarod never called me once and he never showed up to his next pretend in Boston" Sydney said barely unable to stop his smile from spreading across his entire face.
"So...... perhaps he was busy"
"Hmmm, and also how the cleaner team found an empty pez wrapper inside the elevator. I had no idea you ate pez Miss Parker?" Sydney was finding it so difficult to keep a straight face he knew he couldn't stay in the room much longer.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me Syd" Miss Parker said mysteriously. She was totally aware to the fact that Sydney knew she had not been alone in that elevator, but she wasn't going to let him in on all the details.
"Ring, ring........ring, ring" the shrill sound of the phone echoed throughout the room. Sydney eyed Miss Parker, daring her to answer it. He knew exactly who it was going to be on the other end.
"What" Miss Parker barked her usual response into the phone. Her ice queen
mask faltered momentarily when she realised who it was on the other end, but
was quickly replaced for Sydney's sake.
"Don't you have a mush head to visit Syd" Miss Parker said coldly.
Sydney cleared his throat before leaving the room, he had to remind himself to walk and not run as a sudden fit of laughter threatened to explode. He had barely made it out of her office, before he could contain himself no longer and let out a loud, hearty laugh.
From inside her office Miss Parker could hear Sydney laughing, but chose to ignore it, she was much more interested in what the person on the phone had to say.
"So Jarod, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"
"Well this may or may not interest you, but I've got inside information that says that an elevator at the Empire State building is going to have a little technical difficulties this Wednesday, at approximately 2:30pm" Jarod said playfully
"I'll have to look into that then, won't I" she replied mischievously. "In the mean time, I've been having a little trouble with my TV in my bedroom. Know any good TV repair men?"
"Oh I have one in mind" Jarod smiled
"Great, well tell him to drop by, oh around 11pm"
Krystal
Feedback is definately welcome and much wanted
