They're settling quite nicely (for Parker and Jarod at least) into being a couple.  And who'd expect less than stellar sex from two obsessive, hyper-intelligent Pretenders? I love that you brought up the tatto, too.  It's not like he'd overlook it after all.  Beaten/whipped with hot barbed metal - poor Parker!  It amuses me how Jarod (very characteristically smug, IMO) thinks Parker should be worn out physically and sleeping off their exhausting sexual exploits, but he of course is up bright and early.  :)  

I wonder if Jarod realizes that Parker really out-Pretendered him, at least until the horrifying conclusion.  Granted, he did manage to capture her eventually, but it was pretty well established that he eluded the Centre on several occasions only with Parker's direct or indirect help.   At the very least, she was as good at it as he was.

The picture of Jarod's work attire as his 'costume' is very apt, and also his thoughts about his former fantasies about her (cuffs, guns, etc)... We see a lot of those in Pretender-fic, very understandably, and it's sweet how Jarod pushes those aside to focus on their actual relationship.

And I'm dying to know how the rest of the family is reacting!  :)  At the very least Nick and Oliva should be noticing their condom supply shrinking rapidly... LOL.  Always looking forward to the next chapter...

This gets better and better. Please keep it on!!!

Author's Response: Thank you, pretenderoxx. I will hopefully finish, can't guarantee anything.

I really like this! More please:)

Author's Response: Thank you, Anna. The next chapter is in the works.

The title scared me at first. I thought they were going to revert to the status quo. Thankfully, not! I thought you were coming to the end of this tale? But there seems like a lot left to reveal. Michael Patrick's interogation; who is behind all of this; the box on Sl whatever containing the baby parker info, miss parker being cleared... Not that I'm complaining. I love reading it. And I'm grateful that you are updating on a regular basis. Thank you for that.

Author's Response:

Thanks for reading and reviewing, twisted. "Coming to the end?" You just can't wait to be rid of me, haha, and I know you have some company there but the fact is, the story will end when the story ends and I suppose I've been coming to the end since I first picked up the pencil but I'm not there yet.

There are still a few things to reveal, however, baby Parker wasn't the info on SL14 (or "whatever", hehe) and like life, Mirage guarantees nothing - as I've stated again and again.

Hey Mirage - your vacation sounds lovely!  And I beg to differ on your disclaimer for this chapter - I think Jarod & MP would be quite (ahem) satisfied!

9 hours of a therapy session sounds like torture, but I get Jarod's reasoning.  Parker's no average patient, and they've both been exposed to Sydney all their lives.  Although he clearly wants the best for her, Jarod (in total keeping with the show) can sure come across as smug and condescending sometimes.  Of course, Parker can be her own worst enemy, so neither's close to perfect.

A couple of lines that really resonated:  He'd been willing to lay down his life for her since the day she'd walked into his.  And:  She didn't want that to be the last memory she had of him, she didn't want to grow older and colder with the memory of him issuing that final warning to her.    Both excellent.

I'm glad she was able to come clean about a few things with Sydney, and he reacted well.  Hopefully, between he & Jarod, they can convince her she was absolutely forced and coerced by Lyle and none of that was her fault.  But now we have a secret villain on the horizon!  I'd almost forgotten someone had to set MP up, and am very curious who will pop out of the wood work next!

And of course, my favorite part - teh lovin'!  Very well done, and very them. Parker opening herself physically (and later emotionally) was scortchingly hot.  Bravo!

I was wondering:  about how old do you picture J/MP in this story?  If we're 6-7 years after Carthis, I'm guessing MP is in her late 30's and Jarod early 40's?  In my mind's eye, I picture the characters more or less as we last saw them, although I know I've aged since then, so presumably they would have also.  I think the show made J a little older than they should have at the beginning, not knowing of course there would still be fans writing and reading years later.  

I'm looking forward to seeing how a coupled-up Jarod & MP tackle this unknown foe (and have lots of sex in the process, because goodness knows it's been a looong time for them both).  Thanks again for writing!  :)

I have been reading your story on a regular basis although I don't think I have reviewed it before. I have to say that at the beginning and even up to around chapter sixteen I was hoping that at the finish Jarod would tell Miss Parker to 'Piss off!' for all the angst she's put him through. But 'Lucidity' was an amazing chapter. Very hot! So now I find myself hoping that they do stand a chance. Kudos!

Author's Response:

Hello and thank you, twisted. Very hot? Nice! I didn't want it too sugar coated but not too brutal either, not yet anyway. *grins* And yes, I believe they do stand a chance. Maybe.

What a wonderful chapter:)! I love how long it is 

Author's Response: Thank you, Anna. Lovely words.

I'm loving this story, each chapter gets better and better and is worth the wait!! This is such a wonderful plot and a definite favorite. I haven't seen the first typo!!! Great to see Miss Parker in character and Jarod just as he was toward the end of the series, more mature and a bit darker. Love it! Am wondering where Broots is up to but I'm sure you'll let us know...I know you are on holiday...hope you're having fun and even writing maybe ..if not that's cool, it's your holiday after all but post more when you can.

Author's Response:

Thanks, Jen, ah yes, the wait - I can't do anything about that unfortunately and I'm content with the pacing thus far. No excuses.

You haven't seen a typo? That's a relief and it's cool of you to not notice them. They're everywhere! Yes, I agree, J seemed to be getting darker and more brazen.

Absolutely, I could use some more Broots in this thing too, actually, haha, love him.

Right, I was on holiday and it was great to unplug and unwind. I had an absurdly fantastic time, but my muse was MIA, with the expection of the flight (there and back) and a few brief minutes of sunrise during which I wrote "hope on the horizon" and sipped espresso. I think the muse ran away with the waiter, who incidentally, bore a startling resemblance to MTW (circa IOTH), haha. Just my damn luck.

Perhaps I should have waited and reviewed once instead of doing it one after another. This review is much like the others... no surprise in this. I'm going to wait for the reason Jarod is pouting but I'm sure you will answer it.

The other creep out there with the power to endanger someone is a bit of a real ass so that too will be a chapter to look forward to, although I hate pain in our favorite characters, and have lived through Parkers, mostly because of the way in which you enlighted me, which was quite engenius! 

Thank you!

I apologize again for being so late, but on the other hand I was so happy to see all that I had to read! Thank you!

How frightening Parker's ordeal was! and how much we have yet to know, Jarod's empathy was well written and very interesting. Those two share more than they know.... so far!

You have written an amazing chapter that just goes with the amazing story. Well done. Please Please continue (well I see that you have and I'm anxious to dig into it as soon as possible). 

You are doing a great job with the characters and the plot line keep it coming. 

thank you!

Awesome:)

Author's Response: Thank you, Anna.