Disclaimer: I don't own Jarod, Miss Parker, or "Pretender." Thanx for not suing!
_____


When The Past Comes Back To Haunt You
(1/5)
by Oriana Lemke


The cellphone sitting on her nightstand began to ring, waking her up. Moaning, Parker grabbed the pillow next to her and pressed it against her face. It was late, she'd had one hell of a long day, and she certainly didn't feel like having a conversation with anyone -at this hour, one guess who it was, she thought wryly- when she should be blissfully sleeping. She lay like that for another minute.

The phone continued to ring.

"Damn he's being persistent tonight," she remarked tiredly, finally giving in and reaching for the phone. The time on her alarm clock caught Parker's eye, and she gave a self-pitying sigh as she pressed a button on the cellphone. "This had better be good," she warned, waiting for Jarod's smart-ass reply. But on the other end, there was nothing but silence. No, not complete silence. As Parker listened closely, she could barely make out the sound of breathing.

"Look, I'm not in the mood for games. Speak up already!" More silence. Parker actually felt herself grow concerned. What if he was hurt, and couldn't answer?

"Listen," she said, her voice noticeably softer, "what's going on? I know it's you, Jarod--" At the mention of his name, the line went dead. Confused at his reaction, but far too tired to clearly think about it, she just sighed, placing the phone back on the nightstand before turning over and trying to get back to sleep. Five minutes later, the peaceful silence was cut by the cellphone's shrill ringing.

"I swear," she muttered as she reached for the phone, "the next time he's within shooting range..." She activated the cellphone with her index finger. "What?"

Silence.

"I know it's you. Who else would have the nerve to call this late at night?" A deep chuckle came from the other end. Well, she thought, it's better than nothing. Still, the sound was a little unnerving, not to mention that it definitely wasn't Jarod's laughter.

"I don't know who this is," she said, trying to keep that slightly annoyed tinge to her voice, "but if you think you can just--" The caller hung up again. Parker tried to ignore the uncomfortable knot forming in her stomach, as she put the cellphone back on the nightstand. Her hand froze--something soft had brushed her fingers, and Parker knew perfectly well that there was nothing on that nightstand but a lamp, the cellphone and her gun. The knot tightened as she reached over and turned the lamp on.

Her gun was gone. In its place lie a single red rose.

Centre training took control of her. Keeping her face completely emotionless, she got up out of bed and walked over to her dresser, pulling another .9mm Baretta from her underwear drawer. Parker wrapped herself in a silk bathrobe, and grabbed the cellphone, placing it in the robe's pocket. Aiming the weapon steadily in front of her, she headed out of the room.

She switched a light on in all the rooms, checking every nook and cranny before moving on. Parker had just finished with the kitchen, and was heading for the living room when her cellphone rang again. She nearly jumped, but managed to keep herself composed. She pulled the phone from her pocket, turning it on and holding it with her left hand as her right continued to hold the gun.

"What, not brave enough to show yourself?" she snapped as she walked on into the living room, flicking a light switch on. Everything seemed normal enough.

"You shouldn't have gotten up," a strange voice said on the other end. Whoever it was actually sounded disappointed.

"Oh, yeah? And why is that?" Parker asked as she continued to check behind furniture.

"Well, I wanted you to have a little surprise when you got up in the morning. Now, you'll just have to get it yourself."

"Too much of a coward to deliver it in person?"

"It's nice to know that you're so eager to see me." He actually sounds pleased, Parker thought in disgust. "I'm afraid that would ruin everything, however. Go to your door. I know you'll love it." The line went dead. She tossed the phone onto the couch, but the gun stayed firmly in her hand.

She walked over to the front door and swung it open. She was looking into the darkness for anyone so intently, that it took a moment for her to even notice the large gift-wrapped box at her feet. One last scan for anybody outside, then she picked up the box and went back into the living room, slamming and re-locking the door in a purposeful manner.

For awhile, Parker just sat on the couch, looking at the box. It had an odd decorating job: the wrapping paper was white with plenty of large black hearts, and held in place with thick red ribbon that became a huge bow on top. She wasn't sure of what to do with it. The box certainly didn't hold a bomb--after all, why would anyone go to so much trouble to kill her? Still, it didn't seem right opening the gift; Parker felt as if she would be playing right into this guy's hand. Surely the best thing to do was dump the box in trash, without a second thought.

She debated for a few more moments, then finally reached one hand out and grabbed a stray piece of ribbon in the bow. Her tug brought the entire mess of ribbon into her hands; the gift-wrapped cardboard sides that the ribbon had been holding up fell down, revealing a metal cage. Inside lay two white rabbits, completely still. Parker prayed that they were just sleeping. Dangling from the top of the cage, by a piece of red ribbon, was a rolled up piece of paper. She slowly undid a latch on top of the cage, and pulled open the small metal door. The noise woke up the rabbits, which she was grateful for. Parker slowly pulled the paper from its ribbon and unrolled it.

Friends for Jarod's gift.

The ink was deep red, and the writing was an old-fashioned cursive. Parker's brow creased in confusion--the gift mentioned in the note had to be the white rabbit Jarod had given her, but how was that possible? No one knew she'd kept it; Jarod himself probably thought that she'd left it in the woods somewhere.

Her cellphone rang. Parker reached over and picked it up, stabbing a button with her thumb. She was angry, no, furious at this person who was invading her privacy.

"I told you you'd like it," the same deep voice said before Parker had a chance to speak. "Although I do wish I could have been there when you opened it." She got up and began to pace, a habit developed for times when she had too much nervous energy and no one to take it out on. "Now don't start pacing--you'll be exhausted, and we both know how cranky you get." Parker froze. He could see her. She glanced around the room, but knew it was a waste of time. She'd checked the house out, and there wasn't anyone there. Parker scowled.

"Why do you seem so angry?"

"I don't like mind games," Parker snapped.

"Unless, of course, Jarod is the one playing with you," the voice growled. "You never really seem to mind whenever he's the one teasing you, leaving you gifts." That stunned her into silence. "But don't worry, I know you'll come around." His voice had grown gentle. "While you're up, you really should put that rose in some water." And with that, he hung up.

Angry with the amount of control he had over the situation, Parker threw the cellphone onto the couch, then began to look around her living room, wondering just where the hell a camera could be hidden.

>From the couch, the cellphone's shrill ringing began again. Parker stomped over and grabbed her phone.

"Listen, you gutless son of a bitch--"

"Woah, Parker, settle down," Jarod managed over her yelling. "I know it's late, but you never minded that much before. Bad day?"

"I thought you were someone else. Someone's been calling me, trying to freak me out. He left me a couple of...presents. He even mentioned your name, though how he knows about you is beyond me."

"Are you okay?" Jarod couldn't help feeling a little concerned.

"I'm fine. Just some weak jackass, not worth talking about."

"I'd say he is. He knows who I am," Jarod pointed out.

"He knows more than just who you are," Parker clarified. "He gave me...there were two white rabbits, at my front door."

"At least he didn't get inside." Silence. Parker didn't really want to admit to this stranger being in her home. "Parker? He didn't get inside, right?"

"He...placed a rose, next to my bed. He left it where my gun had been. I know my gun was there when I went to bed, I know it was. He must have been in my room after I fell asleep."

"Wait a minute, he took your gun?" Jarod definitely wasn't liking this. She was in that house alone, and unprotected.

"Don't worry, I have another. Besides, I don't think he'll come back inside. It's not like he needs to." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Parker wished she could take them back.

"What are you talking about? Parker, why doesn't he?" The more he heard, the worse Jarod felt. Who was this psycho?

"He could tell...what I was doing. How I was moving, behaving..."

"He was watching you?"

"The curtains were shut, and I checked the house out. He must have cameras hidden in the house." Jarod's eyes narrowed in anger, and his grip on the cellphone he held tightened.

"Parker, you need to get out of that house. Are you listening? Pack up a few things, go to a hotel."

"What are you talking about? Jarod, you should know better. I'm not going anywhere. This creep doesn't scare me, and I won't let
him think that I'm intimidated."

"Don't do this, Parker. This isn't the time--"

"Jarod, you know me. Jesus, you know me better than anyone else. You don't really expect me to leave, do you?"

"Parker, I know you've got a thing about people trying to help you--"

"I'm hanging up now, Jarod."

"If you would just please--" Parker jabbed the off button, and threw the cellphone back on the couch. She checked on the rabbits,
who seemed to have enough water, before picking up the cage and carrying it with her into a small guest room, where a much larger cage was. This cage held the white rabbit Jarod had given her. She placed the cage next to the larger one.

"Let's give you guys have some company tonight. I'll figure out what to do with you two tomorrow." Parker turned the light off, and walked back into her own room.

Outward, Parker knew she appeared completely calm. She walked purposefully through the room to her bed. She glanced at the rose as though it were an afterthought, and picked it up and tossed it into the nearby wastebasket. Inside, Parker was a little more unnerved than she'd like to admit. She didn't take her robe off until the last minute, when the lamp was off and she was sitting on the bed. Parker didn't put her gun down until she was under the covers.

She never did fall back asleep. She lie there the rest of the night, staring out into her darkened room. She wondered how long he'd been watching her, and if he was watching her right now.

Parker wouldn't admit it, but she wished she had never hung up on Jarod. The sound of his voice had calmed her. Even more, she wished he was actually with her now, to hold her hand and promise that everything would be okay.

~~~~~~~~~

Parker glanced into the mirror one more time before heading out the door. Her hair and clothing were immaculate, as usual, just like her makeup job. Thanks to the late hours required from all employees of the Centre, she'd learned a few tricks with concealer, and good thing too, because the rings under her eyes were unbelievable. Sighing, she walked out the door to her car.

For awhile, everything felt normal again. Her drive to work was the same, with no surprises. The guards posted throughout her walk from the car to her office were the same all-muscles-and-no-brains fellas, and the coffee she sipped from her mug was too bitter and too hot, as usual. Feeling better around the normalcy of the Centre -if such a thing were possible here- Parker walked with that same old confident saunter to her office. She turned the handle, pushed the door open, flicked the lightswitch on...

Her mug fell to the floor, the handle breaking off and coffee spilling everywhere. Parker felt numb--she couldn't breath or move, she couldn't think. That same knot of fear formed in her stomach.

On the desk lie a bouquet of red roses.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jarod, Miss Parker, or "Pretender." Thanx for not suing!
_____


When The Past Comes Back To Haunt You
(2/5)
by Oriana Lemke


Jarod had no trouble getting into Parker's house. After all, it wasn't like this was the first time he'd picked her locks.

He made his way through her home, just as he always did, slowly walking through the rooms, absorbing that sense of Parker he always got from the place. He never really understood why this place meant so much to him. Whenever he'd gone through a difficult pretend, or found out that Sydney or one of the others had been hurt, he'd come here, while she was away, to be comforted. It was so healing, to come and just look. Jarod would wander aimlessly, like a man visiting his childhood home; the one stop he made every time was the mantle, to look at the pictures of Parker's mother.

He stopped inside one small room, intending to say hello to a certain white rabbit. Jarod remembered how pleased he had been, during one visit, to discover that Parker had kept it as a pet. Now, as he looked at the two cages, side by side, Jarod didn't feel happy at all. Those two rabbits were like physical proof of what had happened last night, and only made the situation even more real to him. He could feel anger rushing up in him, anger towards the creep frightening Parker, and anger at himself for not being there when she needed him.

~~~~~~~~~

Sydney felt immediate concern as he neared Miss Parker's office. The door was ajar, there was a broken mug and spilled coffee on the floor, and though the lights were off, he could sense that Parker was inside. Sydney walked slowly inside, not wanting to startle her but needing to be sure that she was all right.

As he walked inside towards the desk, Sydney noticed flowers scattered on the floor near the far wall. Just another question for Parker to answer. The chair behind her desk was turned away from him, but he could hear something that sounded vaguely like crying.

"Miss Parker?" He made his way around the chair. Sydney could barely make her out in the darkness, but he could tell by the tilt of her head, that she was looking over at the fallen flowers. Wanting to get a better look at her, he walked back over to the door, and reached for the light switch.

"Please, Syd, don't turn on the lights." Her words were clear enough, but Sydney couldn't help but notice how weak she sounded, which certainly didn't comfort him. He'd watched this girl grow up, and the one word he'd never associated with her was weak.

"Miss Parker, what's happened here?"

"Nothing, Syd. It's nothing, really. I just...I have a headache, is all. The bright lights only seem to make it worse." She was less than convincing, and they both knew it, but Sydney decided not to force the issue. He knew her well enough to know that pushing would only make her withdraw completely.

"All right, then. Is there anything I can get you? A cold compress, some aspirin perhaps?"

"No, Syd, really. I'm fine. Go ahead to your own office. I'll, um, I'll be there in an hour for our meeting, okay?"

"Right, see you in an hour." Sydney walked out, quietly closing the door behind him. Parker sat in the dark for nearly half an hour, using it as a shield against any cameras, and hoping that any one of three wishes were reality: the roses would simply be gone when the lights were turned on, that Jarod would soon call, or -at the very least- that this stranger wasn't watching her now. Finally, Parker stood from her chair and walked to the door. She jumped slightly at the sound of ceramic shards crunching under her thick heel. With a hand shaking a bit more than she liked, she flicked the light switch on.

There, at the far end of her office, were scattered on the floor a dozen roses and a bit of baby's breath, laying exactly as they had after she'd thrown the bouquet against the wall. Forcing herself to be strong, Parker walked over to the floral mess, and picked up a small white enveloped hidden beneath red petals. She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath before opening the envelope and reading the small white card.

Not much longer now.

The same deep red ink, the same penmanship. Suddenly the headache she'd pleaded earlier was much more real, and it seemed her nerves decided to throw in a queasy stomach for good measure. Parker moved around the room, trying to spot any cameras. She couldn't help herself. She didn't like feeling so out of control.

Eventually, Parker stopped. She went to her desk, and picked up her cellphone, intending to call Westmoore Inn, the only decent hotel in the area, to make a reservation. She was just giving herself some breathing space away from prying eyes, she defended herself. She wasn't running away, like Jarod had suggested.

Jarod...Much as Parker hated to admit it, she did wish that he would call. She'd felt more at ease last night, while she was on the phone with him. It was nice knowing someone was worried about her, even if it was a constant teaser like Jarod. Parker stared at the phone, wishing she had a number to reach him at. Where was he now, she wondered. What innocent people was he -as always- trying to protect?

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod left the rabbits behind, choosing the living room as the first for him to search for cameras and wires. A small scroll on the floor near the couch caught his eye, and he bent down to grab it. He unrolled it, already knowing what it was. Jarod found the ink more odd than the note itself. His eyes narrowed as he peered closer. It couldn't possibly be...

"Blood," Jarod muttered. The man was actually using blood as ink. Who was this freak? Grimacing, Jarod crumpled the note in his hand, then walked into the kitchen and threw it in the trash. The last thing Parker needed was to come home and find that note, to remind her of last night's events. Jarod was thankful that she'd gone into work today. Not only did it give him a chance to check the house out, but he felt better knowing that she was someplace as well-guarded as the Centre.

~~~~~~~~~

Parker had never gotten around to making her reservation at the inn. By the time she'd thought to look at the time, Parker was already 20 minutes late for her usual meeting with Broots and Sydney. She sighed, and placed her cellphone in her pocket. She felt ridiculous, waiting for Jarod to call her like that. Considering her behavior earlier, Parker knew that Syd would be concerned of her tardiness, so she made her way down the halls of the Centre at a speedy rate. Still, she tried not to look rushed, but in control. Parker, after all, had an image to uphold.

Sydney didn't say anything, though relief was written clearly on his face upon her arrival. The meeting was nothing new, just the same old information Broots would drone on about as Syd added some input once and awhile. It felt nice, being back in the swing of things, and Parker soon was adding her own views, as well as arguing Broots' opinions with that bitchy manner she was so proud of.

Broots was downloading some pictures he'd found of Jarod in a Georgia newspaper -already a week old, and no doubt by now a stale lead- for the others to see. While he typed commands into his laptop, Syd and Parker tried to put a dent in the mountain of paperwork that had accumulated over their latest travels after Jarod. She was so busy keeping up with signing all the papers Sydney were handing her, that when her cellphone rang she didn't even think before answering.

"What?" she snapped, then froze. What if it was him? Sure enough, there was nothing but heavy breathing on the other end. Parker got up from her seat and walked to the other side of the room, facing a corner before beginning to speak again.

"This is you, isn't it?" No answer, just the same heavy breathing.

"Mind telling me just how the hell you got into my office?" she asked in a harsh whisper. There was that familiar chuckle, then silence again. Parker didn't say anything more, but waited for him to make the next move. Finally, he spoke.

"He doesn't know how to mind his own business, does he?" Confused, Parker just shook her head. Who was he talking about? "You know, he doesn't care about your happiness. Not really. Not like I do. He just keeps sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong." His voice sounded angry, almost jealous. "For a genius, he can truly be moronic sometimes. He believes he needs to protect you from me." Then it struck her, like a bolt of lightning. Jarod. He was talking about Jarod.

"Not a very big fan of Jarod, are we?" she hissed.

"Oh, don't worry about that. He'll be out of our way, soon enough." Parker's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?" Her voice was tense.

"You know, I can almost picture him now: wandering around your home, searching for clues to my whereabouts. The knight in shining armor, coming to your rescue."

"You're watching him, aren't you?" she breathed. "You're using the cameras you've set up in my house." Another chuckled echoed in her ear.

"My dear, I don't need cameras to see him. Not from where I'm standing." Parker's face reddened with instant fear and anger. Without another word, she ended the call, then dialed in her home phone number.

Back at Parker's house, the phone began to ring. Jarod walked over to it, wondering if this creep would have the audacity to leave a message. He glanced over at the answering machine as it clicked on. Meanwhile, at the Centre, Parker had already grabbed her jacket from her chair and thrown it around her on her way to the elevator, leaving a startled and completely lost Broots and Sydney behind. The machine hadn't picked up until she was in the elevator and on her way to the main level. Now, she was running out the door and to her car, digging for her keys in the deep pockets of her jacket.

"Jarod!" Parker's voice came shouting over the speaker. "Jarod, I know you're there. Pick up!" Confused by how she knew this, but pushed by the urgency in her voice, Jarod picked up the cordless phone and activated it.

"Parker? What's--"

"There's no time for that!" she yelled. She was already far from the Centre, where her screeching tires had left black marks on the paved parking lot.

"Parker, what are you talking about?" Her tense voice was beginning to make him nervous. What she in some kind of trouble? Jarod was so engrossed in her words that he didn't even hear the slow, cautious footsteps behind him.

"Jarod, listen to me. You have to get out of that house right now. I mean it, you need to leave now!"

"What are you--" As he tried to fit in a word or two, a hand covered in a black leather glove lifted a gun.

"Damn it, don't argue, just leave! Jarod, he called me. He's in the house, he was watching you. Do you understand? Jarod, answer me! Jarod, please!" But Jarod was no longer listening. His attention was entirely concentrated on the slow, deep breaths he heard behind him. His muscles tensed, and his mind jumped to work, figuring out an escape route while still deciding whether to leave this psycho's grasp or try to take down the person hurting Parker. In a moment, a list of things this mad man had done to Parker flashed through his mind, as well as a mental picture of Parker as a little girl, helpless and innocent. He felt anger rise in him.

Suddenly, fighting this guy seemed like a great idea.

Jarod spun around, prepared to kick some serious ass. Unfortunately the other guy was just as fast, and they were soon ducking each other's fists. Jarod's first impression of this person was that he was strong, and a good fighter. Whoever it was, was clad in black, complete with a black ski mask and black leather gloves. He saw that, and the silver glint of a weapon.

That was all he had a chance to notice, before a single gunshot echoed throughout the house.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jarod, Miss Parker, or "Pretender." Thanx for not suing!
_____


When The Past Comes Back To Haunt You
(3/5)
by Oriana Lemke


A shower of plaster came down on Jarod and his assailant, whose flailing hand had accidentally pulled the trigger. Jarod coughed and squinted through the powdery white cloud, searching for the black-clad man. The gunshot, however, had distracted him long enough for his attacker to move behind him. With one swift kick to the back of his knees, Jarod fell to the hardwood floor. He spun around, only to come face-to-face with the barrel of a gun. Through the eye holes of the ski mask, Jarod could see the man's hazel eyes narrow with menacing pleasure, as his finger wrapped around the trigger...

The screeching of tires startled the man, who turned his head to glance out the front window. Outside, Parker was jumping out of her car and running towards the door. Before Jarod could take advantage of the stranger's distraction, however, the man's attention was back on him.

The attacker raised his hand high above him, then brought the gun down with a powerful thrust. Everything went black.

~~~~~~~~~

A thick, warm comforter was tucked around him. His head, which was nestled in a large cushy pillow, was throbbing. He felt a great sense of urgency come over him, but why, he didn't know. His only, barely-solid thought was that he should get back up, to fight someone...The idea, however, required too much concentration to hold onto, and he continually felt it slipping away. Besides, he didn't want to get up. This felt safe, and the gentle hands that were doing something to his head gave him a kind of reassurance.

At first, Jarod thought these sensations were just another dream, but slowly, he became more aware of just how real everything was. Reluctantly, he opened his heavy eyelids, and was immediately welcomed back to the land of the conscious by the blinding light of a nearby lamp. A small groan escaped Jarod's lips as he tried to lift his head. It would seem that even worse head pains had awakened with him.

"Shh," a gentle voice whispered. "I wouldn't move if I were you. You've got quite a nasty bump on your head. Just try to relax awhile." The voice was familiar, but when Jarod tried to move his head towards its origin, a sharp shock of pain shot through his skull, emphasizing the "don't move" suggestion. He wasn't completely sure it was her until he actually saw Parker's face, as she leaned over him to tend to patting his head with a nice cool towel. She finished up, then smiled at him and walked away. Jarod glanced around the room, and realized he was in Parker's bedroom. A moment later she returned, holding a cup of water and two medication bottles.

"You need to take these," she said, holding up the bottles. "Here, let me help you up." Parker carefully slid a hand under his head, and helped keep it elevated while he popped the three pills she'd given him, and drank down the water in two quick gulps. So much movement made him wince, and it was nice to lie his head back down on the pillow.

"What did you give me?"

"The two red pills were for pain," she explained as she straightened the comforter around him, "and the blue one will make you sleep." She sat down in a chair drawn up next to the bed, and turned off the lamp, leaving them in the dark.

"Parker, is it a good idea to stay--"

"We don't have any choice," Parker interrupted. "I don't think you've got a concussion, but I didn't want to risk moving you. Now sleep. We'll discuss this whole thing in the morning." Jarod didn't need to ask her--he knew that Parker wouldn't be sleeping tonight. He didn't know whether to feel honored or guilty that she was keeping watch over him.

~~~~~~~~~

Parker didn't leave that chair until about six the next morning. She stood, stretched, picked her gun up from the bedside table, and went to make coffee. She made a triple search of the house, but nothing seemed to be missing or out of place. In fact, if it weren't for the hole in her living room ceiling, it would appear as if nothing at all had happened.

Jarod woke up at ten, just as Parker was bringing in a breakfast tray. He looked over the layout with appreciation, taking special note of the slightly burnt bacon. He grinned at her.

"Aw, honey, you cooked."

"I'm not exactly Betty Crocker," she admitted, "but I'd eat if I were you. You need the energy." Jarod reached for his glass of orange juice, and spotted two red capsules. He looked at her in dismay.

"I don't like the idea of taking so many drugs."

"Don't worry, they don't have any serious side effects. Besides, I'd take advantage of them while you still can. With the way things are going, who knows when you'll have time to take some more."

"Good point," Jarod said, quickly downing the pills. "Now, while we eat, it'd probably be a good idea to go over our plans. Where do you think we should go from here?"

"Well," Parker said between bites of toast, "I've called Sydney, and told him that I had a lead on you, but that there was a chance you would still be there, so I'd be going under an alias. I told him you were in this small town in Oklahoma, helping out an orphanage."

"Good thinking," Jarod praised her. "Since it's a small town, groups of people coming through would be noticed--"

"--While one business woman just stopping over for a night wouldn't be. Exactly. Good thing Syd agreed with me. Anyhow, I told him I'd call in three or four days, depending on how things went, so I'm Centre-free, for a little while at least."

"Well that takes care of the Centre. Now, what are we going to do about our lunatic friend?"

"Simple," Parker shrugged as she sipped her coffee. "We bait him. Make a very obvious trail for him to follow, then grab him when he's gotten careless."

"Yeah, but it could take quite awhile for him to get careless. I mean, stalkers can go for years without slipping up once."

"Which is exactly why we have to push all the right buttons."

"And which buttons would those be?"

"The ones with your adorable mug plastered all over them. Let's face it, the guy doesn't like you. I say, we do a little pretend of our own, and catch this creep."

"And what kind of pretend do you propose?" Jarod grinned. He already knew what she was going to say, but hearing her say it would just make it all the better.

"A little romantic getaway; just you, me, and the open road."

"We'll have to be convincing," Jarod warned her. He may have been wrong, but Jarod could've sworn he saw a light blush bloom on Parker's cheeks.

"Of course," she said in her best bored-with-this-topic tone as she picked up the tray and sauntered out. Jarod chuckled. This was certainly going to be one of his more interesting pretends.

~~~~~~~~~

While Jarod was inside giving the rabbits plenty of water and food, as well as clean cages, Parker was out at the car, packing a few bags into the car. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was always someone behind her, but whenever she turned around, there was no one. Parker tried to ignore it, sure that it was just this lunatic getting to her. Still, she couldn't help the wave of relief that came over her as Jarod walked out the door, locking it behind him and smiling at her as he got into the car.

"Ready?" Jarod asked as they drove away from the house. He had this crazy grin on his face, as he thought of the adventure they were embarking on, and no matter what he did, the grin stuck. Parker looked over at him and smiled back. Jarod realized -not for the first time- just how wonderful a smile she had.

"You don't have to look so excited," Parker smiled, even though she had to admit she was looking forward to this as much as he was. She wasn't quite sure why, though. Probably just the promise of a vacation.

Back at the house, a man stretched around a corner and grabbed a couple more zoomed-in shots with his camera of Parker in the car. As she turned and smiled at Jarod, he got a perfect photo of her. He waited until they were out of sight, before he walked down the road to where his car was hidden. He got inside, and placed the camera down in the passenger's seat, next to a small pile of black and white photographs of Parker, in her home, at work, in town, hunting Jarod down in a dozen cities... A look of delight came across his face, with his mouth twisting into a sickening grin. His eyes, however, were still as cold and calculating.

He reached up onto the dashboard, and took hold of a single red rose placed there, the rose he'd left on her nightstand. It was already brown and withering; he should have taken better care of it, he thought sadly. Still, once Parker came to him, she would remind him of little things like that. After all, didn't people in love always take care of each other like this? He took the time to inhale its fragrance; the scent wasn't of a rose, but of a delicate perfume. It was the perfume Catherine Parker had always worn, the perfume that Miss Parker kept a bottle of on her dresser. He had placed a drop of it on the rose, when he'd gone in the house earlier. That fool Jarod hadn't even heard him.

With a content sigh, he put the rose back on the dashboard, then retrieved something from the backseat. He looked at the black metal device in his hand, and smiled as he turned it on. He watched the tracking system, and waited to see which way they were headed.

"Well," he said after he tossed the device into the passenger's seat, and was starting up the car, "it seems we're going south. Good, I could use a tan."

~~~~~~~~~

"So, where are we headed first?" Jarod asked as he fiddled with the radio dials.

"Must we really make a plan? I'd rather just drive, see where the roads take us."

"I never knew you to be the adventurous type."

"Trust me, this is about as unpredictable as I get."

"I'll bet," Jarod smiled. He spotted a billboard mentioning a Dairy Queen on the next exit. He turned to ask Parker, just to find she had already switched on the turning signal. "How'd you guess?"

"Come on. We are talking about you, after all."

"Good point." Jarod's smile widened as they approached the icecream place. "I'll get it," he volunteered, as they stepped out of the car, "while you find us a table. What do you want?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Aw, come on, Parker. This is supposed to be a vacation--well, sort of, so try loosening up a bit."

"Well..."

"I promise, one cone isn't going to lessen my opinion of your hard, suspicious attitude in the least." Parker allowed herself a grin like Jarod's.

"All right then, but just a small vanilla cone, got it?"

"Gotcha." Jarod walked over to the cashier and gave his order. There were only a few tables open; apparently this was a popular hangout for junior high and high school kids. Two minutes later he returned, holding a large chocolate cone in one hand, and a monstrous banana split in the other. He handed Parker the cone.

"Do the words "small" and "vanilla" ring any bells?" Parker asked as she quickly began to lick the chocolate ice cream, which was on the verge of dripping.

"Live a little. Besides, that's nothing compared to mine." As if to prove his point, he stuck the huge banana spit right under her face. "Check it out: the three best toppings, plus nuts, whipped cream and a cherry on top."

"And I suppose you justify it all by the nutritional value of the banana," Parker said as she pushed the plastic bowl away from her.

"Of course. Here, have a bite," Jarod offered, scooping plenty of ice cream and toppings onto his red plastic spoon. He waved the spoon in front of her, as she shook her head and tried to dodge it.

"Jarod, no. Really, thanks, but I--" Her face and the spoon collided. The tip of her nose and all of her upper lip were covered in the desert. For a moment, they both just sat there, both taken by surprise by what had happened. Then, unable to fight the urge, Jarod burst out laughing. Parker could feel her cheeks getting red, but found herself more in a state of playful vengefulness that anger.

"I'm sorry, Parker," Jarod continued to laugh as he reached over to the napkin dispenser, "but you have to admit, that was pretty funny." He held out some napkins to her. "Here." Her nose was now dripping, and he could feel another roll of laughter coming out of him, which he didn't see as such a problem, since Parker was grinning now, too. Parker, however, wasn't grinning at her own condition, but at the mess she knew she about to create.

Parker picked up her cone, and pressed it right into Jarod's face, twisting the cone to make sure ice cream smeared as much as possible. Jarod's widened in surprise, but it didn't take long for him to react.

"Oh, you're gonna pay for that one," Jarod warned her. He took the icecream dish up in one hand, and grinned at Parker.

"You wouldn't dare!" she laughed nervously, jumping up out of her seat. Jarod got up too, and slowly began to advance. Parker edged backward, grinning as much as Jarod but still not too crazy about the idea of having more ice cream plastered on her face. The teens all stopped talking and quietly observed the two, nudging each other as they watched the adults -both with ice cream dripping from their noses and chins- walk down the aisle.

"Jarod, now, I'm serious," she said. "Come on, put the ice cream down."

"No way," Jarod said, and jumped before Parker could think. Her face was now entirely covered with the makings of a banana split.

"I can't believe you--"

"Food fight!" some guy at the back of the room cried, cutting her off. Jarod and Parker shared a look of alarm and ducked simultaneously, just in time to avoid a pair of flying cones.

"That was close!" Parker laughed as she stood back up, right before a milkshake flew into her face. Jarod laughed, but it was short lived, because the front of his shirt was soon covered in a strawberry sundae. Before they even realized what they were doing, the two were caught up in the action, grabbing sodas, ice cream and whatever else they could get their hands on, and throwing it at people they didn't even know.

When their arsenal ran out, and the last of the air-born sundaes had landed, everyone -except for the actual employees- was laughing as hard as they could, but no one was having a better time than Jarod and Miss Parker. Every time the laughter began to simmer, someone would catch someone else's eye, and burst out laughing again.

By the time Jarod and Parker finally left Dairy Queen, it was nearly six. Though they had managed to clean up a little bit in the Dairy Queen restrooms, they agreed that showers were definitely necessary, and the sooner the better. So it was decided that they'd stay here -the town's name turned out to be Lancaster- for the night, and continue with their "romantic getaway" the next day. There was a Ramada only a few blocks away, where they chose to check in for the night. It was while Parker was parking the car that she realized something.

"Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "Jarod, what are we going to do about the sleeping arrangements? I mean, it's going to take a few days to tick this guy off enough for him to slip up, but until then, we don't know when he's watching. Hell, he could be right now and we wouldn't know it."

"You've got a good point," he agreed. "If he sees us getting trying to be so romantic during the day, and every night we sleep in separate beds, he's gonna know something's up."

"Okay, so I guess one bed is the solution," Parker said a little uncomfortably.

"Right," Jarod said, feeling uncomfortable as he noticed her own reaction. "But...I mean, it's not as if...you know, we're going to take it any further." He looked at her curiously. "Right?"

"Absolutely," Parker agreed quickly. Maybe a little too quickly, she thought to herself. "I mean, I would never expect you to...and anyhow, it shouldn't be too hard to think of an excuse, right? I mean, we're going to pretend that this getaway was to get far from all the hassles of our lives, and with you being hurt yesterday and all...well, I mean, we'll just act like we don't want to put any pressure on each other, okay?"

"Okay," Jarod agreed. He quickly got out of the car. "Come on, let's go get a room and get cleaned up. All that exercise back there left me starving!" Parker was a little slower getting out of the car. She didn't know why, but that conversation had left her a little unsettled. And maybe...a little disappointed. Jeez, she thought to herself as they walked to the doors, get ahold of yourself. I mean, this is Jarod. Still, she felt a little tug at her heart when he held the door open for her and smiled warmly at her. She managed to smile back -I can't believe I nearly blushed, she thought- as she walked past him.

Once Parker had walked past him, Jarod let out a breath he didn't even know that he was holding. He had no idea what was going on with him. Parker had smiled at him as she walked by, and it took everything he had not to just grin and laugh like an idiot. This is going to be a lot more of a challenge than I expected, he thought. This is an completely unfair test of my willpower.

They went to the front desk, and Parker requested a room. One bed, she specified, and a balcony if possible. The clerk assured them that their requests were easy enough, and handed them a key to room 326. Parker and Jarod headed over to the elevator, and when the doors slid open, Jarod slipped his hand into hers before they entered. Both smiled at each other as Parker pushed the appropriate button.

The happy couple had caught the attention of many people sitting in the lounge across from the elevator, and some murmured to each other how sweet they looked together. Even the clerk was impressed. He turned his warm smile from the elevator to his newest guest, a man dressed in dark colors who had just walked around a corner close to where Parker had been standing.

"Don't you think they make a handsome couple?" the clerk couldn't resist asking.

The man snorted. "The lady was a looker, no question, but what she's doing with a guy like that is beyond me." The clerk's smile only faulted for a second.

"So, how may I help you, sir?"

"I'd like a room for tonight," the man informed him. "And, if you don't mind, there's a specific room I would prefer. I come through here every year on my way to a convention, you see, and it's a sort of tradition that I stay at this hotel." The man smiled at the clerk, and though the smile appeared earnest, the clerk couldn't help thinking that there seemed to be no warmth behind it. Still, repeat customers always earned a little bit of special treatment.

"Of course, sir. And which would you like?"

"Room 328."

Disclaimer: I don't own Jarod, Miss Parker, or "Pretender." Thanx for not suing!
_____


When The Past Comes Back To Haunt You
(4/5)
by Oriana Lemke


Jarod sat on the bed, aimlessly flipping through TV channels. He had to admit, he was a bit distracted by the knowledge that Parker was in the bathroom showering, but he eventually settled on a station. They were showing some cartoon called "The Simpsons."

He was thoroughly enjoying the show, especially the overweight bald man they called Homer. Jarod was laughing at something Homer had said, when Parker walked out of the bathroom. As he caught of glimpse of her, he stopped mid-laugh. All she was wearing was a rather suggestive terry cloth robe. At first, she wasn't even aware of him watching her, but as she stood brushing out her damp hair, Parker got a sense of someone watching her, and turned to find Jarod's gaze on her.

"What?" Jarod snapped out of his stare.

"You know, I don't think anyone would mind if you didn't bother changing before we went down to eat," he teased.

"Dream on, Wonderboy," she laughed, but when she was finished sorting through her clothes, Jarod couldn't help noticing the outfit she had chosen. Sure enough, when she walked out, he had to admit that the slim black dress she'd chosen was rather impressive.

"Well?" Parker asked, turning in a circle to show off the long dress's high slits and scooping back. "What do you think?"

"Very...nice," Jarod managed. It was taking way too much willpower to keep his tongue from dangling.

~~~~~~~~~

As the Jarod and Parker walked, arm in arm, into the hotel's restaurant, a few people actually stopped talking to look at them. A couple of guys sitting at the bar observed Parker appreciatively, and gave Jarod a look of congratulations and respect. One woman, on a date with a very dull man, let her eyes wander to the man with the dark eyes, and as he turned to smile at his date, the woman nearly fainted at his gorgeous grin.

Parker and Jarod weren't oblivious to the reactions each other were causing, and both unconsciously tightened their hold on the other. Once they reached their table, Jarod pulled Parker's chair out for her, and she smiled in return. Once they had ordered and the waiter had left them with red wine, the two relaxed and began to talk.

"This is great," Parker sighed as she sipped her wine. "No work, no hassles, just you and me."

"I know," Jarod agreed. "I can't think of a better place to be right now, than here with you." Parker smiled.

Across the room, in a darkened corner of the room, sat a man by himself. He glared at the happy couple, and quickly made his way through his second glass of wine. He reached over for the bottle set on the table, and poured himself another glass

Next to the dancefloor, a small band began to play as a young lady walked up to the microphone and sang softly. A few men and women got up and began to dance. Over at their table, Jarod stood and walked around the table to Parker's seat.

"May I have this dance?" Smiling, Parker gave him her hand, and he led her onto the dancefloor. Without any hesitation, they put their arms around each other and slowly danced. Jarod found himself completely enthralled by the woman he held, her soft hands wrapped around his neck. Parker felt herself melting into his arms; she closed her eyes and concentrated on the sensation of his breath on her neck.

"Hard to believe this is real. It almost seems too perfect," Parker murmured.

"Want me to step on your toes?"

"You already did," she laughed.

In his corner, the man looked at the two in disgust. He saw how Jarod was holding Parker. It was sickening. Who did he think he was? She belonged to him. Then Parker's face came into view, and he was shocked to see her smiling contently. His grip on the wine glass tightened, and he distantly heard the sound of breaking glass. He looked down at the broken wine glass in his hands, calmly pulling a large, sharp piece out of his palm. Blood was slowly oozing from his hand. Without another thought, he wrapped a napkin around his wounded hand, tossed a few bills on the table, and walked out of the restaurant.

He stood in the elevator, staring at his reflection in the metal doors. The cut didn't bother him, but Parker's ridiculous behavior had left him steaming. He tried to calm down, reminding himself that this was all Jarod's doing. After all, it was he that was trying to pull the lovely Parker away from him.

This attraction to Jarod was puzzling, but he had taken advantage of it. He had to admit, the guy knew a few things about winning a girl over. So he'd copied him, outdid him, in his own creative way. He'd left gifts for Parker to find, a few notes to reassure her. Hell, he'd even adopted what he had to admit was Jarod's rather handsome style.

Using the metal doors as a mirror, he straightened his dark blue jacket. His outfit was the same as Jarods: navy blue pants and jacket over a deep blue shirt. He'd used the same gel in his hair.

He smiled, and his reflection smiled right back. No question, he looked better than the genuine article.

~~~~~~~~~

As he slowly awakened, an instinct in Jarod told him to remain absolutely still. He became aware of a warmth on his chest. A hand, he realized. He opened his eyes, and found himself face to face with Parker.

They had turned the lights off and crawled into bed, hesitantly bidding each other goodnight before falling asleep, both with their backs to the other and as near to the edge of the bed as possible. Jarod had even offered to sleep above the covers, but Parker had pointed out how odd that would seem to her stalker. Besides, she had added, why should he have to freeze all night? After all, they were two adults, perfectly capable of handling the situation, right?

Now, while they had been asleep, it seems their bodies had betrayed them. Both had moved to the center of the bed, and Parker had curled up beside him, with one hand resting on his chest. She had a gentle smile on her face. He liked being this close to her, Jarod decided. It was nice, safe. It felt like it was just natural for them to be like this. Jarod nearly laughed as he thought of Parker's reaction in the morning, when she found herself cuddled up next to him like this.

Jarod felt his eyes growing heavy. He was enjoying this, but was just too tired to do anything now but sleep. Soon, he was drifting off. He was barely conscious of moving into a more comfortable position.

>From his post, a man growled as he saw Jarod turn onto his side and wrap one arm around Parker's waist. This guy was really starting to get on his nerves. He got up from his chair and kicked it aside. He went to the bed and sat, not taking his eyes off of the small black and white screen in front of him. He had gone into their room, while they had been down in the restaurant, and hidden a small camera in the painting hanging on the wall opposite the bed. It blended in perfectly with the picture's black background.

He sat for many hours, watching what belonged to him sleep in the arms of another man, feeling rage grow inside him.

~~~~~~~~~

Parker and Jarod woke up simultaneously, finding her wrapped in both his arms, and their faces only inches apart. There were blushes and apologies on both sides, as they squirmed over to opposite sides of the bed. Parker quickly excused herself, and headed into the bathroom to shower. Jarod flopped back down onto the bed and smiled.

"Jarod," Parker called, "you'd better come take a look at this." Curious, he got up and went into the bathroom. There, on the mirror, was a message:

We'll be together again soon
Away from your too-eager Pretender

It was scrawled in the handwriting so familiar to them by now, and had been written with Parker's deep red lipstick. Jarod felt anger and fear and guilt all at once.

"Pack your bags," he growled. "We're leaving." His behavior was concerning Parker, since getting this guy's attention was the point, but she did as he said, quickly throwing everything she had into her bags. Within 15 minutes, they were packed and checked out. Jarod's mouth was set in a straight, determined line, and he didn't say anything the entire time. They pulled out of the hotel parking lot and onto the freeway, only to be greeted by stand-still traffic.

"Great," he muttered. "This is just great."

"Jarod, what is the matter with you?"

"What's the matter with me?" Jarod looked at Parker in disbelief. "Are you serious? That monster came into our room last night. I never even knew...What if something had happened to you?" Her face softened at his concern. "I should never have agreed to this. Pissing off a stalker is just stupid."

"Hey, this was my idea, remember?"

"Still, to think he was that close..." Parker sighed and reached over, taking hold of his chin with her hand, to guarantee that their eyes would meet.

"Listen to me," she said softly. "I am going to be fine. I promise. You and I have been through worse than this. Hell, we've survived years of each other. This is nothing." They laughed, but as the laughter slowly died away they found themselves staring at each other. Parker moved her hand, spreading it out across his cheek. He cupped her chin with one hand, and slowly moved forward. She tilted her head, and moved forward as well. Slowly, but without hesitation, their lips met in the perfect moment of bliss.

A car horn sounded from behind them, breaking the moment. They reluctantly pulled away from each other, and Jarod shifted the car into drive, moving their car forward along with the now-moving traffic. There was no uncomfortable silence between them, or hasty apologies. It never occured to either one. Instead, they began behaving like a normal couple, cheerfully bantering over which radio station to listen to, which exit was right for Bluewater Bay -their next stop- and what to do once they reached their destination.

Once and awhile, when they thought the other wasn't looking, Parker or Jarod would glance over and feel a silly grin spread across their face.

~~~~~~~~~

The community of Bluewater Bay was amazing. It was absolutely picturesque, with clear waters and long, warm beaches, and plenty of small specialty shops along the beach. Best of all, there were just enough tourists for Jarod and Parker to feel like they blended, just another couple out on a romantic getaway.

They had a great time. They took full advantage of the reward given to them, the reward of normalcy. For the entire day, they got to behave like a regular couple, without any worries of sweepers or shooting sprees. They held hands nearly the entire time, and were constantly surprising each other with sudden kisses.

Jarod and Parker rented a beachfront condo for four nights. They went through dinner, dancing and a moonlit walk on the beach with ease. They talked and held hands and kissed throughout the night, enjoying how natural it felt to be together. Neither one ever mentioned what would happen in bed that night. It was some sort of unspoken understanding, that anything besides sleep was out of the question. On Jarod's part, he couldn't stand the thought of some madman watching something so intimate, something that Jarod himself had waited a long time for.

They arrived at the condo around midnight. Exhausted from the day's events, but completely satisfied with how the night had gone, they tossed their coats on the couch and dug through their bags for something to sleep in.

"I can't believe I only packed one nightgown," she sighed, shaking her head at her own bad last-minute planning. Truth was, it was her favorite, the long navy blue one, and she had no problem with wearing it two nights in a row, but she was hoping Jarod would get the hint. She was happy to find that he did.

"Here, wear one of my shirts," he offered, tossing one to her. She smiled and unzipped her dress, letting it fall around her feet. Parker slipped Jarod's shirt over her lace underwear and bra, and crawled into bed. While she fluffed her pillow, Jarod finished undressing, leaving nothing on but a pair of black silk boxers. He got into bed, and switched off the light. Parker moved over next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist and relaxing her head to one side of his chest.

"Sweet dreams," Jarod whispered, kissing her gently on the forehead.

~~~~~~~~~

This day seemed to be going just as well as the last. They'd agreed to get an early start, and spend the day checking out the local shopping area and boardwalk, before hitting the beach in the afternoon.

>From his vigil, always just a few feet behind them, blended in with the rest of the crowd, Parker's stalker watched the scenes with growing fury. They constantly kissed in public, they had a passerby take a photo of them in front of a fountain, Jarod surprised her with a bouquet of flowers, they rode the ferris wheel, he even convinced her to try fishing on the pier...he saw it all, how Jarod was using his Parker like some kind of trophy, and each event pushed him a little further.

There was a line of small shops overlooking the ocean, and it was here that a dress store caught Parker's eye. She told Jarod that she wanted a new dress for dinner that night. He offered to come along, but Parker insisted that she wanted to surprise him with what she bought. He agreed, and they parted, deciding to meet in an hour at a nearby outdoor cafe for lunch. Jarod hadn't really minded the separation, since he had some shopping plans of his own. He continued on until he found a jewelry store, which he entered.

"Hi, I was wondering if you could help me," Jarod said to the clerk.

"Of course, sir," the man smiled.

"Well," Jarod began, unsure of how to explain exactly what he wanted, "I was looking for something, um, special. You see, I want something that would symbolize commitment, but I don't want an engagement ring. I mean," he hurried on, not wanting the man to get the wrong impression, "I would love to be married to her. But now's not the time to, you know, propose."

"I see. Actually, I believe I have just the thing for you." The clerk walked over to a glass showroom case, unlocked it, and retrieved a tray of rings. "These are called promise rings. Rather popular lately. They're used for the exact purpose you described--commitment without an immediate wedding."

"Wonderful." He looked at the rings with a careful eye, and smiled as he noticed one in particular. "This one. It's perfect."

An hour later, Parker was sitting at a table outside, sipping iced tea and enjoying the view. She closed her eyes and gave a happy sigh, enjoying the feel of the warm smile on her skin. Jarod approached the cafe, and smiled as he spotted Parker. She felt something block her sun, and opened her eyes to see Jarod in front of her, with one hand behind his back.

"What've you got there?" she asked, trying to peer around him.

"I bought you something," he said with a proud grin, revealing a small white gift bag. She stood and took it from him, and pulled out a red square jewelry box.

"What are you up to?" she asked suspiciously.

"Open it," Jarod said, his eyes twinkling. Parker undid the tiny metal clasp and lifted the lid. Inside, on a bed of dark blue silk, was a ring. She glanced at Jarod and smiled before picking up the ring. It was beautiful, a thin silver band decorated with a simple, round stone; sapphire, she would guess, from the look of it. She was about to slip it on when Jarod stopped her.

"Look on the inside," he suggested. Curious, she tilted the ring and looked. There, a single word had been engraved: refuge. She could feel her eyes tear up a little, but ignored them, looking at Jarod with a wide smile.

"It's a promise ring," he explained. "I wanted you to have something, as a reminder."

"A reminder?"

"No matter where we will go," he said, taking the ring from her, "no matter what either of us may do or say, you'll know I'll be here to protect you. You can look at this ring and remember that I'll always love you." Parker looked at him with surprise. It was the first time either of them had said the words.

"I love you too," she whispered. Jarod leaned over and kissed her. Then, he took the ring and slipped it on her wedding finger. She laughed and threw her arms around him, and they kissed, much longer and deeper this time.

Their special moment wasn't very private. Sitting at the other end of the cafe was the stalker. Behind his sunglasses were glaring eyes, and he was grinding his teeth. He couldn't hear them, with the waves crashing and all these people, but he could pretty much guess from that ring and her reaction. That damn bastard. He'd proposed to her. Jarod was trying to steal what was his.

"Well," he murmured, his glaring eyes narrowing even more, "we'll just see how far he gets."

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod and Parker entered the condo, laughing and holding hands. They'd been smiling the whole day, mostly because of all the compliments Parker was getting from her ring.

"I'm gonna go open the patio doors, let some of that ocean air in," Jarod said, walking into the livingroom.

"Great," Parker said, heading for the kitchen. "I'll open the champagne we bought, and get some glasses." She walked over to a cupboard, retrieving two champagne glasses and a corkscrew, then humming as she popped open the bottle. She heard the floor squeak behind her.

"We should have let this chill," she said without turning around, "but I suppose we're both having too much fun to wait." No reply. "Jarod?" She turned around, and opened her mouth to scream, but a leather glove-covered hand wrapped around her mouth. Before she could do anything, Parker felt a needle breaking the skin on her arm. Almost immediately, everything faded to black.

Jarod finally managed to get the doors open, after fiddling with the lock for a second. He took a deep breath of the salty scent before heading to the kitchen. She wasn't in there. Confused, he turned to go look in the bedroom, when the butt of a gun came down hard and swift, immediately knocking him unconscious.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jarod, Miss Parker, or "Pretender." Thanx for not suing!
_____


When The Past Comes Back To Haunt You
(5/5)
by Oriana Lemke


He was coming to. At first all he could make out were blurry red spots in the black, but as his eyes focused he realized they were images of the same red light bulb, dangling from the ceiling. Only one clear thought was able to stick in his mind: These blows to the head were getting old, and damn annoying.

"So, you've finally decided to wake up, hmm?" The voice was deep, hoarse. Jarod wasn't sure where it was coming from; it seemed to be echoing from everywhere. "I must admit I was getting impatient, having to wait so long. And it wasn't as if you were originally going to be invited to this blessed occasion as it was." Blessed occasion? What the hell was he talking about? Jarod tried to move, only to find that he was constrained. He tilted his head up, and saw that he was handcuffed to the headboard of the bed he was lying on.

"Oh, please, don't get up. Rest."

"Where's Parker?" Jarod growled. "What have you done with her?"

"Nothing. Not yet, anyhow. But tonight...well, let's just say I'll be one satisfied man."

"Where is she, you son of a bitch?"

"It's my job to keep tabs on her," the voice shouted. "A job I've done well. So you just stop worrying about her. If I were you, I'd start worrying about myself."

"Don't you get it? I don't care what happens to me. Parker is all that matters."

"Finally, something we agree on." Footsteps echoed, and Jarod heard the squeak of a door opening. The door closed, and he was alone.

~~~~~~~~~

Three hours later, the stalker was finished with his preparations. He walked out of a room, carrying a single white rose with him, and carefully locked the door behind him. Everything inside was perfect, and he couldn't have anyone messing anything up.

He moved down the dimly lit hallway to a door, different than the others in that it was painted a beautiful blue, the color of her eyes. He opened the door -the only one unlocked in this place, because why would Parker run?- and stepped inside. He looked over at his beloved, and smiled. She was so beautiful, so perfect. And his. All his.

Parker was still asleep. He'd injected her with a rather heavy sedative, a much gentler method than the rough one he'd used on Jarod. He had to admit, he liked hitting the arrogant pretender.

He had brought her to this room especially. He wanted her to get a feel of it, before tonight. It was a fine decorating job he had done in here, if he did say so himself. Perhaps even better than that of the room he'd just left.

He walked over to where Parker lie, and brushed the rose across her face. She took a deep breath, and gave the light groan of someone waking up when they're still exhausted. As her eyes slowly fluttered open, he took a step back into the shadows, wanting to see her reaction to the room before showing himself.

Her first reaction, once her mind was clear enough to develop one, was to get up and run. She didn't get very far, however. Parker felt a soft, but solid, pull on her wrists, and she looked up to see that both wrists were tied to the wrought-iron bed with deep red silk scarves. She gave a few more pulls, but the scarves didn't give. Parker, realizing she wouldn't be going anywhere, decided to check out the room she was in, for possible exits and weapons.

She was lying on an iron bed, with a canopy and pulled-back curtains of light, see-through black fabric. The sheets underneath her were deep red satin. Scattered everywhere, on the bed and the floor, were red rose petals. And her outfit...it took Parker a moment to realize she was wearing the very dress that she'd bought in town, especially for her dinner with Jarod. Scattered on the floor, and filling various shelves on the walls, were hundreds of white lit candles. And the air stank of her perfume, her mother's perfume, a scent she normally liked, but not this strong and certainly not in an environment like this.

One corner of the room caught her eye, and Parker gasped in shock and disgust. Dozens of blue candles surrounded a shrine, decorated with black-and-white photos of her. Someone had taken a red marker and drawn hearts all over them. Dead roses were strewn everywhere. In the very center, among the chaos of photos, was a large framed picture. It had probably been a real wedding picture originally, or perhaps a full page from a bridal magazine, but the heads had been replaced. The bride's face was her own, evidently cut from some photograph, and the groom's new face was...Parker peered closer. She didn't recognize the man at all, but it was probably her stalker.

"I knew you'd like it," a deep voice said happily at her side, from the dark shadows. She jerked her head in the direction of the voice, and froze as a man appeared. He walked towards her, at a steady, assured pace. His smile was one of ecstasy and pride, but Parker found his hazel eyes cold and calculating, enough so to send a chill down her back. He was wearing a tuxedo, and his dark hair was styled just like Jarod's.

He towered over her -a good six feet tall, she thought, if not better- in such a way that she almost shrank back.

"I put such work, and such detail into this room," he continued. "But it was all worth it. I knew if anyone would appreciate my hard work, it would be you." Parker didn't say anything. She couldn't. It was as if she had frozen completely. She could only look up at him, confused with everything that was happening, and this stranger acting like she knew him. He noticed, and hesitated, momentarily unsure.

"Darling, you recognize me, of course." It was more of a question that a statement. "My love, what's wrong?" He reached a hand out to her tied one. Parker jerked out of his grasp.

"Don't touch me!" He pulled back, shocked by her words. What was wrong with her? Surely she thought he was someone else, to be acting like this.

"Everything's fine," he tried to assure her, sitting on the edge of the bed. She sat up, and scooted a bit away, as much as her restraints would allow. "It's me, darling. It's Ethan. Everything is going to be okay now." He reached out, intending to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. Parker finally managed to move by will, and kicked his hand away with angry force and no hesitation.

"Don't come near me," she warned. "I don't even know anybody named Ethan. Where's Jarod?" That certainly hit a sore spot with him. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth twisted in fury.

"Jarod?! I do all of this, go through everything to bring you here, and you ask about Jarod?!" His screams were echoing through the room, and his face had turned red, with veins on his forehead bulging out. Maybe he'll do us all a favor, Parker thought, and drop dead with a stroke. He stopped yelling, and turned his back to her. He stood for a moment, with his head in his hands, trying to calm his nerves. When he turned back to her, he was completely calm again, no signs of his sudden fit of rage. Jeckyl and Hyde, she thought with a shudder.

"I'm sorry, my love," he said soothingly. "Really, I know I should be patient. After spending so much time with a man like Jarod, I should have expected this. He's brainwashed you against me, I can understand that. But it doesn't matter what he does. You're mine, and he was a fool for trying to take you. True love always wins out in the end."

"Why am I here?" she asked, barely able to keep her voice steady.

"I've planned everything. Right down to the smallest detail. Granted, Jarod was an unexpected addition, but that's a problem easily solved." He smiled down at her. "Soon my love. Soon, everything will be as it's meant to be." Well, Parker thought, that really answered my question. Ethan reached over, and Parker tried to scoot back, but he simply smiled reassurance and took hold of the silk scarves, undoing the knots. She looked at him in surprise. He was letting her loose?

"Come," he said, gesturing for her to follow. "I think it's time for a little walk down memory lane, before we get too caught up in the excitement." Excitement of what? she wondered. Parker followed him to the door. He opened it and stepped back, but shot an arm out to block the doorway before she could walk out.

"Just in case you decided to do something besides what you're told, it's probably best to warn you, I've locked all the doors. There's no way of getting out, without me by your side." He lowered his arm, and she walked out into the hallway. It was lit by a single hanging light, a red bulb that hurt her eyes after the bright glow of the candles back in the room. Ethan took the lead, beckoning for her to follow him. They stopped at the end, before a door decorated with paper doves and confetti. He unlocked the door, opened it, and gestured her in. Parker entered, uneasy with the fact that he was behind her, where she couldn't see. Then, she took one glance at the room before her, and nearly fainted. Her mind was spinning, and her stomach twisted into knots.

The room looked like a chapel before a wedding.

The carpeting and walls were a deep red. At the other end of the room, facing her, was an altar, an old wooden one covered in red lace. There were short wooden pews, six altogether, in two rows, decorated with white streamers, bows and flowers. Candles were everywhere, in the pews, along the aisle, and in a large semi-circle around the altar. Glass doves hung from the ceiling, reflecting the candlelight in strange ways and making Parker dizzy when she attempted to look up. Classical music played softly in the background.

Something warm pressed against her foot, and Parker jumped before she looked down. It was the two white rabbits, she realized, that had been left at her front door. Something caught her eye, and she bent down, picking up one of the rabbits. Looking closer, she saw that white ribbon had been tied around it's neck, and under the pet's chin, hooked to the ribbon, was a gold ring. A wedding ring, she realized. That thought reminded her of something else, and she glanced down at her hands. The square silver ring was still on her right hand, but her left hand was missing one very significant piece of jewelry. It was gone, she saw with sadness. Her promise ring, that wonderful gift from Jarod, had been taken by Ethan. God only knew what he had done with it.

"I had something engraved on yours," he said, breaking into her thoughts. "You know, to make it even more romantic." Ethan picked up the other rabbit, and yanked a second ring loose. "Here, look." That was the last thing she wanted to do, but for now, playing into his delusion was the only thing that Parker could think of. So she took the ring from him, and read the engraving: Mine forever.

"A special reminder," he said proudly, "of the bond we share." It was so close to the sweet, wonderful thing that Jarod had done, and yet so sick and twisted a version of it, that Parker truly felt like she would collapse at any moment. She felt ill, plain and simple. Ethan saw her reaction, and decided that she was just overwhelmed with all the excitement of today's impending events. He took the ring, which she let go of with all willingness, and placed it in his pocket for safe keeping.

"Come on," he said softly, taking her hand. She wanted to yank it away, but her mind felt so fuzzy and far away from all of this, that anything Ethan did really didn't feel as if it was real anymore. "We still have a little time before the ceremony. Why not spend it going down memory lane, eh, honey?" They walked down to the front left pew, the only one without candles everywhere, and sat.

From his side, Ethan took hold of a photo album, the lacey white kind used for wedding memories, and handed it to Parker. She took it obediently, and opened it up to the first page. Despite her state of shock, the picture did catch her attention.

It was a black and white photograph, clearly taken from one of the Centre's security cameras. In the picture, two children were kneeling next to a mess of odds and ends on the floor. The girl, she could tell, was herself, and from the similar appearance, she'd bet anything that the boy was Ethan.

"The first time we met," he murmured lovingly. "Wasn't that a great day?" He turned the page, and the same type of picture appeared, only this one showed the two of them -same age as in the first, and in the same room- hugging. "But this, this was the day I truly fell in love with you." Ethan's voice grew deeper, as if it were trying to control some fury. "Even when others caused you to stray, I remained loyal." The things he was telling her were beginning to come together, like pieces of a puzzle. Still, there were things she didn't understand. Much as she detested the thought of pretending to like this guy, she knew that it was the only option.

"Tell me," she said in a sweet, dreamy voice, "about it. How we met, the first time and the second time, all of it. I do enjoy looking back over our love story." Ethan's smile spread into a satisfied grin, as he saw her more eager to talk about the two of them.

"Of course," he said, settling down in the pew. "I suppose we have enough time before the ceremony...I can almost see you now, as you were,back then. As pretty as an angel, almost as beautiful as you are today. I can remember walking through that room, so carefully, so I wouldn't drop the model I'd been working on all morning. Of course I always made little mistakes, stupid things like forgetting stuff...but I was concentrating so hard on carrying that model, that when I tripped and it fell out of my hands, well, of course you understand why I was so upset. There I was, on the floor, trying to pick the pieces up, when you walked in. You must've heard the noise. Anyhow, you got right down on the floor and helped me clear up the mess. The first nice thing anybody had ever done for me...When we finished clearing things up, you patted me on the back and told me, 'We all make mistakes once and awhile. Don't worry, everything will be fine.' Then you walked away. I was so happy...I couldn't get you out of my mind. I'd heard that your father called you 'Angel,' and now I knew why...It was such a great honor, seeing you a second time...a week later, when I'd just been chewed out by that asshole Raines...I remember standing there, crying, when you came in and gave me hug...It was the best feeling I'd ever felt...It was at that very moment that I'd known I loved you. And it didn't seem to matter what happened to me in that place, because in the end we would be together." Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Then, Jarod had to come and ruin everything. Tried to steal you away, make you forget." A thought hit Parker, and she glanced down at the date on the security camera photo. Sure enough, it was taken only a week or so before she and Jarod had exchanged that memorable childhood kiss.

Ethan continued. "He tried to take what was mine...but I showed him, didn't I? Once they sent me to that hospital, the one with the really cushy room,--" A mental hospital, Parker realized right away, and no wonder. "--I knew it wouldn't take me long to get out, to you...soon, I knew, we'd be together again. Only this time, people like Jarod could never come between us." His eyes became a little glazed, as if he were seeing something else entirely. "At first, I was afraid that he had gotten to you, with those ridiculous gifts of his and those phone calls to tease you...But I saw how you behaved, in front of the cameras, doing everything I loved to see you do, and I knew everything would be fine." That really caught Parker's attention.

"The cameras?" she murmured, trying not to seem too interested.

"Yeah...It was great, watching you. You knew, and you played with me all the time...brushing your soft hair in front of the mirror at night, those long bubbles baths after rough trips, sleeping in those amazing nightgowns...and those men that you brought home. I knew, when you were making love to them, that you were really thinking of me." That nauseous feeling was returning. Parker grew weak as she thought of him watching her, believing that every little thing she did was for him. She couldn't hold it in anymore. Parker had to speak the thoughts she had, hoping it could help to clarify things for at least one of them.

"You sad, weak person," she whispered, staring at him in disbelief.

"What?" Ethan was surprised to see her behavior change so quickly. What had he done?

"Two times. That's what this is about? All of the panic, and the pain, and the trouble you've caused, all of this because of two damn run-ins we had as children?!" He stared at her blankly, obviously not getting the point of any of this. "You based a lifetime obsession on something that happened when we were just children!" She stood, towering above him with clenched fists and a furious fist, and glared at him in spite. "I don't even remember this happening, you half-wit! And that's because, it meant nothing! Absolutely nothing! And as for those cameras--if I had known that you were watching me, I would have had that house demolished in minutes." Ethan was shaking his head, not wanting to hear what she said, but Parker had no intention of stopping. "Now get this straight. I never loved you, and I never will. I don't love you, you sick bastard!" Ethan's head shot up, and Parker knew that she had hit a nerve. The thing was, she didn't care. She had been scared, terrorized and stalked. She was god-only-knew where, and worst, she had absolutely no idea where Jarod was. And all because of yet another bad product of the Centre. She'd had enough.

Ethan stood up, one quick, fluid motion that Parker hadn't expected. Before she could back up, his hand shot out and grabbed her by the elbow. His grip was hurting her. Parker gasped in pain, and she felt her eyes tearing at the thought of not knowing where Jarod was, but she refused to stand down. As he stared at her with hurt, angry eyes, she glared right back.

"I want you to stop telling me these lies!" Ethan shouted. He threw her down onto the pew, but didn't let go of her.

"They're not lies, they're the truth!" she shot right back. Ethan looked down at his hand, holding her reddening arm, as if only now seeing her painful situation for the first time. He dropped her arm, and took a step back, a look of guilt flashing across his place before being replaced with anger once again.

"I'm sorry. I have no right to take this out on you." His voice was calm, accepting. But Parker wasn't about to fall for the mood switch; she knew he'd be pissed again in a moment. Sure enough, his face began to redden and his eyes narrowed. "This is all Jarod's fault," he angrily realized. "He's the one making you tell these lies, trying to turn you against me!" He reached inside his tux, and withdrew a gun. "I'll take care of that meddling fool once and for all." Parker jumped from her seat.

"No!" She tried to reach for the gun, but he held it out of her reach. "Damn it, no! I will not let you hurt him!"

"Enough!" he screamed. With a sudden surge of anger, he swung his arm at her, sending Parker flying into the wall. She landed with a sickening thud. Concern surfacing, and mixing with the fury written so clearly on his face, Ethan ran over to her. Parker was unconscious, but probably wouldn't have anything worse than one hell of a headache when she woke up. Certain that she would be fine, Ethan straightened and moved to the aisle.

"Now see what you made me do?" he muttered as he swiftly made his way down the aisle and through the door, leaving Parker behind.

~~~~~~~~~

A stinging slap to the face woke Jarod up, which he had to admit he didn't appreciate. Given the choice between his dismal surroundings, and dreams filled with Parker and PEZ, he couldn't help but desire the latter.

"You know," Jarod muttered as he opened his eyes, "you and I really need to talk. I mean, even you have to admit, this hitting thing is getting really old."

"I agree," snarled the same deep voice.

"Oh, well then, lovely," he replied. "Just get these cuffs off, lead me to Parker, point the way out, and we'll call it even."

"I was thinking of something a bit more...permanent." The click of a cartridge being loaded echoed through the dark room.

"That can't be good," Jarod remarked to himself.

"Not really. At least, not for you. Parker and I, on the other hand, will be able to go on with our life together, without pathetic interferences like you."

"I'm sorry, but did you just call me pathetic? Man, someone's in big time denial."

"Oh, shut up, smart ass. I could make this much, much worse, you know. I chose a gun because it would be quick and painless. No need upsetting the fiancée with gruesome details of your death."

"Fiancée? Wow, you're in a deeper delusion than I thought." Out of nowhere, a hand came flying at his face, it's strike immediately turning Jarod's cheek red.

"That'll leave a mark. But seriously, what ever made you even dream that Parker could possibly give a damn about you, Mr. Lunatic Extraordinaire?" Another slap to the cheek.

"Would you shut up?" Ethan demanded.

"And while we're on the topic of wishful thinking," Jarod continued, "that's exactly what believing this to be a good interior decorating job is--wishful thinking."

"You think you can just mock me? I don't take crap from anybody! I'm better than you in every way imaginable."

"Prove it," Jarod laughed with mocking disbelief.

"Your life," Ethan shrugged. He reached over, about to unlock the cuffs.

"Now, that would be your first mistake," Jarod pointed out, punching him in the nose before jumping to the other side of the bed. Ethan rubbed his nose to make sure it wasn't broken, then stared in shock down at the already-undone handcuffs. How the hell had this guy gotten loose?

"Please," Jarod laughed. "That wasn't even challenging. I've broken out of, and snuck back into, the Centre more times than you can count." Already, he was feeling a bit weary. He felt a little woozy, but he'd be fine. He had to be. This guy seemed to be in great shape, and it's difficult to fight a muscle man when you're about faint.

"A nice parlor trick," Ethan muttered, raising the gun, "but I'm willing to guess even you get hurt by bullets." Jarod grinned knowingly, and suddenly dropped from view. Cursing, Ethan made his way around the bed. Nothing. He peered under the bed expectantly. Again, nothing. Irritated, and becoming a little intimidated, Ethan peered into the darkness around him, for the first time damning his dim choice in atmosphere.

"Come on, Jarod," he called into the shadows. "This game is quickly growing dull. Face it, I've got the gun. I win."

"I wouldn't be sure," came a voice from his right. Ethan swung his gun over to aim, only to have it kicked out of his hand. The weapon went flying through the air, landing with a loud clatter near the open door.

"Well that's just great," Ethan called into the dark. "What, it gives you some pleasure, knowing that I'll have to kick your ass at hand-to-hand, instead of a simple bullet to the brain?" He sighed, and headed to the center of the room, where a red light illuminated him. "Come on, come on, let's get this over with."

"Fine by me," Jarod muttered from behind him. Ethan spun around, and grinned evilly.

There was a moment where the tension hung thick in the room, and neither moved a muscle. Then, at the same moment, they both sprung forward, moving immediately into a flurry of fighting moves. Jarod and Ethan were both good fighters, but each had a weakness: Jarod was quickly using up what little energy he'd managed to conjure up, and Ethan's anger was blurring his judgement, causing stupid mistakes.

"You know," Jarod managed in a hoarse voice as he avoided a swing, "this is really pointless. Even if you do kill me -which, by the way, there's no chance in hell of-, you still have to deal with--," he dodged another blow, "--the fact that Parker actually has a brain. She's too damn smart to stay put. And she's definitely too smart to actually marry a psychopath like you." With a growl of anger, Ethan swung hard, the momentum tripping him a bit. The fight continued.

"You know nothing!" Ethan yelled.

"I know Parker," Jarod answered honestly, delivering a swift kick to his chest that threw the man a few feet. "And Parker would never let some heartless man without a conscience like you into her life. That's what her father's for." Ethan jumped up, and moved in for another attack. Unlike Jarod, he seemed to have plenty of energy, mostly drawn from adrenaline.

~~~~~~~~~

In Ethan's makeshift chapel, Parker was coming to. She didn't see Ethan anywhere, but as much as she would have liked to get the hell out of this disturbing room, her head was pounding and the floor was spinning. She'd decided to just sit, much as she hated the thought, and wait until the roller coaster in her mind stopped, when she heard grunts and yelling in the distance.

Just the thought that Jarod could may be be part of whatever commotion was going on, gave her the energy to move, if not slowly. Parker wasn't even going to attempt standing. She opted to crawl, worry for Jarod erasing any cringing at ruining a new, $1300 dress. Besides, it wasn't like she was going to ever wear it again. Nope, after this whole ordeal, burning it seemed appropriate.

Parker finally made it to the door, and willed her eyes to focus long enough to determine which door she needed. She just wanted to find Jarod and get the hell out of here. She remembered Ethan warning her that all the doors were locked, but she didn't give a damn. She'd just find the energy, somehow, to break down any doors in their way.

"Bingo," she whispered. There, at the end of the hall, was the only open door, and it was from there that the sounds were coming. "Well, I know where to go. Now, it's just the matter of getting there." She sighed, and continued to weakly crawl.

Something caught her eye, on the edge of an air vent on the floor. Looking closer, her eyes widened in happy surprise. It was her ring. Ethan had probably been aiming for the vent, and missed. Barely, but the ring was still there and that was all that mattered. Parker reached over and picked it up, careful not to knock it down the vent. Smiling, she slipped it on her wedding ring finger before moving on.

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod couldn't hold up much longer. He was just too exhausted. His own energy had drained long ago; at this point, he was going on sheer will power. Ethan didn't know it, but he was helping--every time he opened his mouth, the man managed to say something about Parker that ticked Jarod off even more, helping to keep his adrenaline up.

And so they fought on, each getting in a few direct hits and both bleeding. Of the two, Ethan was the worse for wear; his nose and lip were wet with blood, and his arms and legs -hidden underneath the tuxedo- were covered in large painful red areas, the result of Jarod's swift blows to his limbs.

"Why are you still fighting?" Ethan demanded. "Surely you know by now just how futile it all is. You're defending a girl that doesn't need to be protected." He swung hard, and heard the satisfying sound of his fist meeting Jarod's stomach. The pretender doubled over in pain, the wind blown out of him.

"As long as you're after her," Jarod gasped, "she'll need my protection." Ethan shook his head at this man's stupidity.

"Why would I hurt her?" Ethan laughed. "Parker is mine. I wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"Parker isn't yours," Jarod said in disgust. "She's a human being, not some inanimate object. You can't own her."

"Parker is mine," Ethan shouted in anger, delivering another blow to Jarod's stomach. He groaned as he collapsed on the floor, the latest blow too much for him to take. Jarod couldn't handle anymore; he was seeing in triples, and there wasn't a muscle that didn't scream in pain. He wanted to fight against this monster hurting Parker, wanted to fight with every fiber in his being, but he was simply too tired.

"I told you I'd win," Ethan cackled, slowly circling him like a vulture moving in on its prey. He kicked Jarod directly on the chest, but was disappointed not to hear any ribs crack. Jarod groaned, but made no move to fight back. Ethan saw it as submission, Jarod knew it was exhaustion. He continued to circle the weakened pretender.

"Parker is mine, Jarod!" Ethan shouted in pleasure. "She always was--," he knelt down and picked Jarod's head up by the hair, forcing them to look eye to eye, "--and she always will be." With a wicked grin of victory, Ethan grasped Jarod's neck with his other hand, slowly clenching it tighter and tighter. Jarod gasped as he struggled to breathe.

"I've won the game, my friend," Ethan sneered. "This over."

"You're right." Startled, Ethan looked up, seeing Parker on the floor, leaning against the doorframe and trying to aim his dropped gun. "It is." A gunshot echoed through the room. He looked down in shock, at the deep red blood quickly staining his shirt. His heart. She had shot him in the heart. Ethan stared at her, in fear and shock and betrayal, before toppling over, dead.

Unlike Jarod, Parker had actually gained a little strength on her way here. She stood, weakly, and made her way over to where Jarod lie on the floor. She sat down on the ground beside him, and for a moment just sat there, silently running her fingers through his hair and allowing them both a little bit of peace. Jarod's eyelids felt like they were held down with metal weights, but he managed to open them, to look up at her. She was all right, he realized, and smiled.

"Come on," Parker finally whispered. "Let's go." She helped Jarod to his feet, and he winced at the effort. Parker wasn't even sure how he was managing to stay conscious. She wrapped one arm around his waist, and used the other to help brace his back. They moved out the door and down the hall, Parker helping Jarod every step of the way.

Neither mentioned Ethan. Parker knew she'd tell Jarod the whole story behind that lunatic eventually. Someday. Maybe.

~~~~~~~~~

Refuge.

One simple word. And yet, every time she read the ring's engraving, Parker's heart would pull and her mind spun through every doubt and what-if once again. She would sigh, knowing her decision was the right one, and slide the silver band back onto her right ring finger. Then, of course, she'd look over at Jarod, sleeping peacefully on the bed next to her, and mindlessly play with the ring. Soon, before she even realized it, she'd be staring at the engraving again, thus beginning the unhappy cycle once more.

"You're going back," came a sad, tired voice, "aren't you?" Parker's head jerked up, as her mind finally processed the thought that Jarod was speaking to her.

"What are you doing up?" She glanced over at the clock. "It's late, and you need to rest."

"Forget that." Jarod insisted as he sat up. "I can sleep anytime. This needs to be resolved right now."

"Nothing to resolve."

"The hell there isn't," he said bluntly. He cocked his head to once side as he tried to see her face in the moonlight, hoping to get some idea of what was going on in her mind. "You've obviously made a decision, but did you really think I'd not bother to fight for you?"

"And what makes you so sure I'm going, Wonderboy?" Parker smiled.

"I know you, Parker. Just as well as you know me." Her smile faltered. She didn't say anything for a moment, but finally got up with a sigh and walked over to the bed, sliding under the covers next to Jarod. She rested her head on his shoulder. He took her hand, and their fingers laced together.

"If that's true, then you know arguing about it is a waste of time," she pointed out.

"Yes, but that's never stopped me before." They both chuckled at the reality of that remark, but eventually grew quiet. It was too perfect, in the cover of night, being close and safe like this. They reveled in the sensation, knowing it wouldn't last.

"I don't want to go back," Parker confessed after awhile. "And yet, at the same time, I need to. It's the right thing to do."

"Us staying together is the right thing to do," Jarod argued.

"Yeah, it is. But not right now. It couldn't hurt for you to have a real ally in the Centre for a few years. And there are still some answers I need, we both need, that can only be found at the Centre."

"It's going to be hard," he whispered. "It took us too long to get this far. I don't want to wait anymore."

"Me neither." She turned, wrapping her arms around his middle and cuddling close. "But not for too long. I promise. In a couple of years, we'll pick up right from here." Parker tilted her head to look up into his eyes. "That is, if the offer that came along with this ring is still good."

"It'll last for as long as you need it to," Jarod guaranteed her. She smiled, and gently kissed him.

"Good. Then we won't say goodbye. Just...see you soon." Jarod kissed her back, and they both moved closer as the kiss grew deeper.

"I'd say we've earned the right to use appropriate 'see you soon' behavior, wouldn't you?"

"At this rate," she laughed as he began kissing her neck, "I'll only make it back at the Centre a year." Jarod made his way back up to her mouth, and delivered a passionate kiss. She sighed contentedly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Or...maybe six months. Tops."


The End