Ooh.. I feel so hard for everyone in this one. It's hard. I can see her drinking heavily like this... she did when she learned her mother's body was missing from the coffin. I love that Stella gives Parker a mental health day to cure that hangover and cry it all out. It did her good. She was able to meet Jarod hours later in the AM hours ... still hungover though? Because Jarod could tell she was ill. I love how they didn't care about the almost nudity and that Parker is entering and leaving his life like he once did to her. Showing up and vanishing. You're brilliant and your fiction is addicting as fuck. They are more in character than I've ever seen them and real enough to touch. Thanks for writing, for continuing to update for this poor little fandom. You keep resuscitating it. Please don't let it die. Please. More?

Impressive Mirage. The internal war that Parker is holding within herself is reminiscent of what we see during the tv series and therefore plausible. You write these characters and define them exquisitely making them more real than they've ever been. In true Jarod fashion he remains candid, telling her that any apology would be dishonest. He's not sorry that he was able to provide her with the thing she sought. He gave her some enjoyment dancing with her. I don't think the twenty and thirty year olds would be attuned to her the way he is.

He also bluntly explains his pain to her, that she disappeared first. He leaves her with food for thought, getting in the last word as he did so many times during the series letting his emotions be known but not being unkind to her. It is painful that they are so obviously attracted to each other, that he knows what she wants. He can please her but she is so repulsed by him through not fault of his own because a part of him was stolen by the Centre and used to hurt her. It's a sort of paradox that is in line with the orginal story. She was attracted on the tv series but confused by her father's lies. It continues. The Pretender Still Lives. I thank you for that.

You already know you're amazing so ... what is there to say? I love it. Just when I think you can't shock me or get any better you do this. Bowing to you. I need more.

That last line. Mirage. You just get better and I keep wanting more and more. I love every word of this. I love the way Jarod turns it around. She left him first. He never ordered her out of his sight afterwards either. Cries! He still wants to believe her promise. I'm so devastated. Shout out to twitter readers. I'd never know you updated if they hadn't gone nutty with the tweets. Don't get too mad at them. ;) Keep updating please. I understand if life gets busy. You don't have to go fast but please don't stop.

I wish 'the Pretender' still existed as a TV show and that you were the head writer. Steven and Craig have failed to give us an ending but it doesn't matter because YOU are keeping the characters alive.

I love the way they dance around each other in this. They've been connected to each other since childhood and remain so like it or not.

I've stated this before but I really do appreciate how you write. Miss Parker and Jarod seem so real in your stories. So vivid. So complex. 

Thank you for updating so quickly!

Beautifully done Mirage. You are the master of the craft and your original characters are so fleshed out and wonderful. You always leave me craving more. Please make it soon.

More please? OMG!! I love the way you talk about music. It's so true. The honsesty and empathy when you describe music as a uniter. I love how you write these characters too it's so true to their natures and canon. Stella is the best!! More Stellas in the world please!!

Thank you!

I love this. I mean I really love this. I love how well thought and well written it is. I love the writing, characterizations, dialog, how in character all of the characters are, the way the story itself pulls me in just like the old episodes of the pretender, how eloquent you write, how your stories never have that dreaded lag and are never weighed down with dialog.. I don't know how you do it... hope you didn't pitch a deal to the creature downstairs if you catch my drift... You work is consistent too and has that certain something I can find only in your writing... and the pretender dvds.  Please keep going. You're a treasure m'dear. Can I say that I'm Sydney's biggest fan ever ever ever (ever lol) and that Parker would say "Sydney snitched" in this postSydney pretendverse is a stroke of genius. Even though your Muse seems to be sailing the Jarod Parker ship I can tell you have an appreciation for Sydney and Broots. They are central to any story in any pretendverse and I'm glad you know that.

Holy Mother! To all of those who wondered if you could write Jarodnormal and not just Jaroddark and Jarodevil and Jarodbroken... here we are. Again. Jarod is all of those things all of the time, some traits come out to play at different times with different people. but he's always dark, broken, and a little evil and a little normal. He's matured in this and seems prepared to accept responsibility. Mirage Mirage you write them so perfectly. I don't even miss the tv series anymore. It feels like I"m watching it every time I read you. More of this please?

I've been checking ten times a day for an update from you!! I love this. I'm glad you didn't go away for too long. If all you did was write for us, I wouldn't have to wait. I want more of this. I take refuge in your writing. Please more?

OMG, it's so weird that the story notes tell us that you were thinking of rewriting when things about Russia and real life started appearing in the news... and in your story the "leader" cancels already approved funding and process and operations in other countries to find and arrest the Triumvirate .....because today that rapist, racist pig in the white house just canceled already approved funding for children's health care...7 million of billion & so OMG...  start writing that like I don't know...like a tornado destroyed the white house and all the GOPigs in it and the "leader". Because damn... if real life is going to keep copying your work...you know... you should help us out Mirage. Have a special prosecutor like totally take him out... and Pence too because we don't religious freaks up in the house either.

Funny thing, Michael T. Weiss in an interview said he'd like to play Dick Cheney, a machevellian ... and now I think he could totally play RapistTrump. He's already played rapists so you know.. it's all good. 

So anyway loving the story.. all of them. I want more. It's such a relief to have you here always.

Mirage,

Your stories are the best, after years without Pretender, your stories are a blessing and you're always there(with new stories) when I am back on the website.

Thank you !