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Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: The characters etc. of the Pretender don't belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended & I'm not making any money from this so please (pretty please, with a cherry on top) don't sue me.
The Baby Series
Nowhere Man
Melanie-Anne
Lyle looked down at Raines' body. Closing his office door behind him he left, walking quickly down the hallway. All he could think was that he had to get away from the Centre before the Triumvirate found out what he'd done. He climbed into his car and just drove, heading out of Blue Cove, heading nowhere.
*
Parker sat on Jarod's lap, her whole body shaking. He held her close to him, wanting so desperately to comfort her but knowing that nothing he could say would do anything to help. The tears streaming down her cheeks surprised him; it took a lot to make her cry. With unsteady hands Parker dialed Lyle's number, praying that he'd answer the phone.
She looked helplessly at Jarod as her hand fell to her side and the phone slipped out of her grasp.
Surrounded by a rapidly growing pool of Raines' blood, Lyle's phone rang and rang.
*
Three hours later, Lyle checked into a motel. It was only then that he realized that he didn't have his phone on him. The pay phone in the hall was broken. He swore; he had no way to contact Parker.
At the same time, Sydney and Angelo were saying goodbye to Parker, Jarod and Tommy. They were going to join Michelle and Nicholas.
"Daughter smile," Angelo insisted, taking hold of Parker's hand.
She gave a weak smile, reminding herself to be thankful for what she had. "Goodbye, Angelo."
He smiled. She didn't have to say anything else; he knew exactly what she was feeling. "Daughter look after babies. Friend look after Daughter."
"I will," Jarod assured him.
"Bye, Syd." Parker hugged her old friend. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
He nodded. "You'll visit?"
"Of course."
"Goodbye, Jarod."
Jarod wasn't sure how to bid farewell to the man who had been a father figure for most of his life. In the end he didn't say anything and settled for a hug.
When they were alone again, Parker turned to Jarod. "Can you hack into the Centre mainframe? I want to know what happened."
He nodded. "I still think we should have let Sydney know that something's up."
"And if we're worrying for nothing?"
"I'll check," he sighed.
*
Jarod frowned, tapping on the keyboard. He groaned.
"What is it?" Parker called from the bathroom where she was bathing Tommy.
"Lyle and Raines had a meeting with the Triumvirate this morning. It must have just ended when you called. There's nothing in here about any termination orders- wait!"
"What?"
"Raines-" Parker's phone started ringing.
"Can you get it? I'm up to my elbows in water?" Parker asked.
"Jarod here," he answered, sitting on the bed.
"Can I speak to Parker?"
"Lyle?!"
"Yeah, look-"
"Hang on!" Jarod appeared in the bathroom doorway, holding out the phone. Parker glanced up.
"It's for you."
"Could you-?"
"Sure."
Jarod took Parker's place bathing Tommy as she took the phone. Tommy grinned and kicked his legs, splashing the water with his hands.
"Hey, kiddo, we're a family now. What do you think about that?"
Tommy's eyes widened and he began babbling. Jarod could swear that he understood.
"I like it too."
He picked Tommy up and wrapped him in a towel. He smelled so clean and fresh, it never ceased to amaze Jarod that only babies had that unique smell. They went into the bedroom. Parker was still on the phone. She stood at the window, looking out. Hearing Jarod enter, she turned around and smiled, radiating happiness.
Jarod returned her smile and gently laid Tommy on the bed, toweling him dry. Parker hung up and sat on the bed.
"Lyle's alive."
"So I gather."
"Raines is no longer among the living." She laughed and impulsively reached out and grabbed Jarod's hand. "One ghoul down, only a few more to go!"
"Parker," his tone was light, "that's not very nice."
"I know." She laughed again. Jarod pulled her against him and kissed her. She stiffened briefly, and then responded with equal fervor. It was only when Tommy reminded them with a wail that it was feeding time that they broke apart.
Parker turned away and started dressing Tommy. She couldn't help stealing glances at Jarod who had moved to the window. She caught him looking at her and smiled, holding his gaze.
"Let's go out for dinner tonight," he said as the idea suddenly occurred to him. "As a family. What do you think?"
She nodded. "Let me give Tommy his bottle first, otherwise he'll cry all evening."
*
"This is nice," Parker commented as the waitress led them to their table.
"Mmm, it is, isn't it?"
Parker smiled at the waitress who was helping her buckle Tommy into the baby seat. "Thanks, uh," she looked at the girl's name tag, "Natalie."
"My pleasure," Natalie smiled back. "I love kids. How old is he?"
"Seven months," Parker said proudly.
"He's adorable. Uh, can I get you folks anything to drink?"
When Natalie had taken their order, Jarod turned to Parker with a puzzled frown on his forehead. "Seven months?"
"Yes."
"But he's started speaking-"
"Who are his parents?"
"Oh, right. It makes sense that he'd develop faster than normal children." Jarod looked at his son proudly.
"I want to raise him as normally as possible," Parker said.
"Of course." Jarod placed his hand over hers reassuringly and she pulled her hand away, unused to their new relationship.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"No, no, it's okay…. So, what else did Lyle have to say?"
Parker brightened. "He's safe. Somehow he managed to just walk out of the Centre and drive away." She laughed. "He's going to lie low for a while."
"And then?"
She shrugged, not saying anything as Natalie brought them their drinks.
"He doesn't know. It wasn't something he'd ever thought about."
Jarod stared at her in fascination as she continued speaking, noting each movement she made, the way she tucked her hair behind her ears and fiddled with her mother's ring, the way she attended to Tommy as he wriggled in his seat.
"You're amazing, you know that?" he said, out of the blue.
She paused mid-sentence. Taking a deep breath she lay her hand over his and smiled. "You're not so bad either."
"You really think that?" He was hypnotized by the patterns her fingers were tracing on his wrist.
She nodded shyly, her eyes locked with his.
"We're going to be alright, aren't we, Parker? We're going to make this work, right?"
"Yeah, we will."
*
Lyle returned from a clothing shop and changed into his new clothes. He stared at himself in the mirror, not used to wearing casual clothes. He'd bought the jeans and casual shirts in an attempt to blend in but wasn't quite sure whether or not he'd be successful. Living in a normal society was not something he was used to. Leaving the shirt untucked, he slipped his wallet into his back pocket and opened the motel room door. He looked back at the bed where his gun lay half-buried by his discarded suit jacket, and decided to leave it behind.
Just down the road was a MacDonalds. One thing Lyle shared with Parker was her taste for the finer things in life. Neither of them liked fast food and Lyle was tempted to pass it by. But his hunger got the better of him and he walked through the glass doors.
"Can I help you?"
Lyle smiled at the teenager behind the counter. "Yes, I'm not sure what I should eat. Would you believe I've never had MacDonalds food before?"
The boy looked at him, his eyebrows raised. "Really?"
"Really. So what do you recommend?"
The boy, his nametag read Kevin, looked up at the menu. "You're not a vegetarian or anything, are you?"
Lyle shook his head.
"Well, maybe you should have a Big Mac McMeal."
"What exactly is that?"
Kevin's eyes widened. He explained the concept of the Big Mac McMeal to Lyle, who listened carefully. Lyle shrugged, thought 'to hell with it' and ordered one.
*
"Is he asleep?" Jarod asked in a whisper.
"Yes," Parker replied, standing and stretching. Her top rose a little, baring a tiny flash of skin.
Jarod stepped closer, touching her stomach with his fingers, lightly at first, but eventually his hand lay flat on her belly. He closed his eyes while she looked at him, smiling faintly.
"Jarod?"
"Mmm?"
"Are you okay?" He could tell she was amused by the tone of her voice.
"It's us in there."
"Yes."
"It's amazing, Parker. I mean, I know you're not going to show for a couple of months still, but she's in there, and it's just…."
"I know," she said softly. She placed her hand over his and pushed her fingers between his, holding his hand against her.
His eyes flew open. He smiled.
"Say my name," she whispered, leaning into him. "I don't want to be a Parker anymore."
"Miranda," he breathed, lowering his head to kiss her.
*
Lyle lay on his stomach on the motel bed, watching television. This wasn't something he was used to either. He very rarely watched TV, spending most of his time at the Centre. He usually only went home to sleep.
Flicking through channels, he wondered what his sister was doing. He hoped that things were still going well for her and Jarod. When he'd called her earlier she had told him of her and Jarod's decision to stay together and raise the children together. There had been something in her tone that he hadn't heard before. Thinking about it now, he realized that it was happiness.
If being with Jarod made her happy then he wanted them to stay together always. He hoped, too, that there was room in their happiness to include him.
He felt so alone, here in his motel room in the middle of nowhere. He wanted to be happy too.
With a sigh, he switched the TV off and crawled under the covers, hoping he'd fall asleep soon.
***
The Baby Series
Nowhere Man
Melanie-Anne
Lyle looked down at Raines' body. Closing his office door behind him he left, walking quickly down the hallway. All he could think was that he had to get away from the Centre before the Triumvirate found out what he'd done. He climbed into his car and just drove, heading out of Blue Cove, heading nowhere.
*
Parker sat on Jarod's lap, her whole body shaking. He held her close to him, wanting so desperately to comfort her but knowing that nothing he could say would do anything to help. The tears streaming down her cheeks surprised him; it took a lot to make her cry. With unsteady hands Parker dialed Lyle's number, praying that he'd answer the phone.
She looked helplessly at Jarod as her hand fell to her side and the phone slipped out of her grasp.
Surrounded by a rapidly growing pool of Raines' blood, Lyle's phone rang and rang.
*
Three hours later, Lyle checked into a motel. It was only then that he realized that he didn't have his phone on him. The pay phone in the hall was broken. He swore; he had no way to contact Parker.
At the same time, Sydney and Angelo were saying goodbye to Parker, Jarod and Tommy. They were going to join Michelle and Nicholas.
"Daughter smile," Angelo insisted, taking hold of Parker's hand.
She gave a weak smile, reminding herself to be thankful for what she had. "Goodbye, Angelo."
He smiled. She didn't have to say anything else; he knew exactly what she was feeling. "Daughter look after babies. Friend look after Daughter."
"I will," Jarod assured him.
"Bye, Syd." Parker hugged her old friend. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
He nodded. "You'll visit?"
"Of course."
"Goodbye, Jarod."
Jarod wasn't sure how to bid farewell to the man who had been a father figure for most of his life. In the end he didn't say anything and settled for a hug.
When they were alone again, Parker turned to Jarod. "Can you hack into the Centre mainframe? I want to know what happened."
He nodded. "I still think we should have let Sydney know that something's up."
"And if we're worrying for nothing?"
"I'll check," he sighed.
*
Jarod frowned, tapping on the keyboard. He groaned.
"What is it?" Parker called from the bathroom where she was bathing Tommy.
"Lyle and Raines had a meeting with the Triumvirate this morning. It must have just ended when you called. There's nothing in here about any termination orders- wait!"
"What?"
"Raines-" Parker's phone started ringing.
"Can you get it? I'm up to my elbows in water?" Parker asked.
"Jarod here," he answered, sitting on the bed.
"Can I speak to Parker?"
"Lyle?!"
"Yeah, look-"
"Hang on!" Jarod appeared in the bathroom doorway, holding out the phone. Parker glanced up.
"It's for you."
"Could you-?"
"Sure."
Jarod took Parker's place bathing Tommy as she took the phone. Tommy grinned and kicked his legs, splashing the water with his hands.
"Hey, kiddo, we're a family now. What do you think about that?"
Tommy's eyes widened and he began babbling. Jarod could swear that he understood.
"I like it too."
He picked Tommy up and wrapped him in a towel. He smelled so clean and fresh, it never ceased to amaze Jarod that only babies had that unique smell. They went into the bedroom. Parker was still on the phone. She stood at the window, looking out. Hearing Jarod enter, she turned around and smiled, radiating happiness.
Jarod returned her smile and gently laid Tommy on the bed, toweling him dry. Parker hung up and sat on the bed.
"Lyle's alive."
"So I gather."
"Raines is no longer among the living." She laughed and impulsively reached out and grabbed Jarod's hand. "One ghoul down, only a few more to go!"
"Parker," his tone was light, "that's not very nice."
"I know." She laughed again. Jarod pulled her against him and kissed her. She stiffened briefly, and then responded with equal fervor. It was only when Tommy reminded them with a wail that it was feeding time that they broke apart.
Parker turned away and started dressing Tommy. She couldn't help stealing glances at Jarod who had moved to the window. She caught him looking at her and smiled, holding his gaze.
"Let's go out for dinner tonight," he said as the idea suddenly occurred to him. "As a family. What do you think?"
She nodded. "Let me give Tommy his bottle first, otherwise he'll cry all evening."
*
"This is nice," Parker commented as the waitress led them to their table.
"Mmm, it is, isn't it?"
Parker smiled at the waitress who was helping her buckle Tommy into the baby seat. "Thanks, uh," she looked at the girl's name tag, "Natalie."
"My pleasure," Natalie smiled back. "I love kids. How old is he?"
"Seven months," Parker said proudly.
"He's adorable. Uh, can I get you folks anything to drink?"
When Natalie had taken their order, Jarod turned to Parker with a puzzled frown on his forehead. "Seven months?"
"Yes."
"But he's started speaking-"
"Who are his parents?"
"Oh, right. It makes sense that he'd develop faster than normal children." Jarod looked at his son proudly.
"I want to raise him as normally as possible," Parker said.
"Of course." Jarod placed his hand over hers reassuringly and she pulled her hand away, unused to their new relationship.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"No, no, it's okay…. So, what else did Lyle have to say?"
Parker brightened. "He's safe. Somehow he managed to just walk out of the Centre and drive away." She laughed. "He's going to lie low for a while."
"And then?"
She shrugged, not saying anything as Natalie brought them their drinks.
"He doesn't know. It wasn't something he'd ever thought about."
Jarod stared at her in fascination as she continued speaking, noting each movement she made, the way she tucked her hair behind her ears and fiddled with her mother's ring, the way she attended to Tommy as he wriggled in his seat.
"You're amazing, you know that?" he said, out of the blue.
She paused mid-sentence. Taking a deep breath she lay her hand over his and smiled. "You're not so bad either."
"You really think that?" He was hypnotized by the patterns her fingers were tracing on his wrist.
She nodded shyly, her eyes locked with his.
"We're going to be alright, aren't we, Parker? We're going to make this work, right?"
"Yeah, we will."
*
Lyle returned from a clothing shop and changed into his new clothes. He stared at himself in the mirror, not used to wearing casual clothes. He'd bought the jeans and casual shirts in an attempt to blend in but wasn't quite sure whether or not he'd be successful. Living in a normal society was not something he was used to. Leaving the shirt untucked, he slipped his wallet into his back pocket and opened the motel room door. He looked back at the bed where his gun lay half-buried by his discarded suit jacket, and decided to leave it behind.
Just down the road was a MacDonalds. One thing Lyle shared with Parker was her taste for the finer things in life. Neither of them liked fast food and Lyle was tempted to pass it by. But his hunger got the better of him and he walked through the glass doors.
"Can I help you?"
Lyle smiled at the teenager behind the counter. "Yes, I'm not sure what I should eat. Would you believe I've never had MacDonalds food before?"
The boy looked at him, his eyebrows raised. "Really?"
"Really. So what do you recommend?"
The boy, his nametag read Kevin, looked up at the menu. "You're not a vegetarian or anything, are you?"
Lyle shook his head.
"Well, maybe you should have a Big Mac McMeal."
"What exactly is that?"
Kevin's eyes widened. He explained the concept of the Big Mac McMeal to Lyle, who listened carefully. Lyle shrugged, thought 'to hell with it' and ordered one.
*
"Is he asleep?" Jarod asked in a whisper.
"Yes," Parker replied, standing and stretching. Her top rose a little, baring a tiny flash of skin.
Jarod stepped closer, touching her stomach with his fingers, lightly at first, but eventually his hand lay flat on her belly. He closed his eyes while she looked at him, smiling faintly.
"Jarod?"
"Mmm?"
"Are you okay?" He could tell she was amused by the tone of her voice.
"It's us in there."
"Yes."
"It's amazing, Parker. I mean, I know you're not going to show for a couple of months still, but she's in there, and it's just…."
"I know," she said softly. She placed her hand over his and pushed her fingers between his, holding his hand against her.
His eyes flew open. He smiled.
"Say my name," she whispered, leaning into him. "I don't want to be a Parker anymore."
"Miranda," he breathed, lowering his head to kiss her.
*
Lyle lay on his stomach on the motel bed, watching television. This wasn't something he was used to either. He very rarely watched TV, spending most of his time at the Centre. He usually only went home to sleep.
Flicking through channels, he wondered what his sister was doing. He hoped that things were still going well for her and Jarod. When he'd called her earlier she had told him of her and Jarod's decision to stay together and raise the children together. There had been something in her tone that he hadn't heard before. Thinking about it now, he realized that it was happiness.
If being with Jarod made her happy then he wanted them to stay together always. He hoped, too, that there was room in their happiness to include him.
He felt so alone, here in his motel room in the middle of nowhere. He wanted to be happy too.
With a sigh, he switched the TV off and crawled under the covers, hoping he'd fall asleep soon.
***
