Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

A/N:  I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but some of the dialogue from Maurice and Lyda from this story does come from this X file episode, especially the last part of this chapter.

Chapter 6

Face softening; the older woman took a step closer to Miss Parker, clearly unfazed by her threats.  “Lady, I’m warning you, stay the hell back or else…” Miss Parker growled out, taking a step back as she kept her gun trained on the woman before her.

“Oh, you poor, poor child,” the woman stated sympathetically, “You must have an awful small life.  Here you are, chasing after someone that you feel shouldn’t be locked up against his will just because of who he is.”

“What?” Miss Parker said with exasperation.  “Lady, you don’t know me, so don’t stand there and try to psychoanalyze my life.  My patience is running very, very thin at the moment.”  Keeping her gun pointed at the woman she demanded, “Now, tell me where my friend is?”

The woman smirked at Miss Parker.  “Oh, so he’s a friend now, I see.  My, my, my, what will your employers say if they found out about this recent development?”

“The relationship between me and Jarod has always been status quo.  Nothing has changed over the years.  He’s still the same pain in the ass that he’s always been since the day he escaped from the Centre.”  Miss Parker remained silent for a moment as an eerie realization dawned on her.  “How do you know about the Centre?’

Smile never fading the woman answered back, “Well, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on you and your ‘friend’s’ private discussion in the foyer.  I must say, that was a very…intimate moment between the two of you if I do say so myself”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but what you saw was a figment of your imagination,” Miss Parker spat out, glowering at the woman. 

The woman gave Miss Parker a disapproving look as she walked around her.  “I’m surprised you didn’t say a ‘moment of weakness’, since that’s the excuse you usually fall back on, am I right?”

Miss Parker stood motionless as her eyes remained fixated on the older woman’s face.  It was eerie how well this unknown woman knew her inner most thoughts, as if she was reading her mind, which drove Miss Parker crazy for she knew she was losing control of the situation.  Something she was never accustomed too.  Anger running through her veins, Miss Parker stalked over to the woman, ready to lash out.  “Lady, you don’t know one thing about me!”

When the woman turned, Miss Parker was surprised to see that the woman was very calm, and didn’t seem the least bit distressed over Parker’s attitude.  What was with this woman, Miss Parker wondered as she stood before the woman, her gun now hanging limply by her side.

“You know, you remind of this woman who visited us a few years back,” said the woman, taking a step closer to Miss Parker.  “When it came to matters of the heart, she was in denial just like you.”

Absently taking a step back, Miss Parker quickly shot back, “I’m not in denial.”

Smiling sadly at Miss Parker, the woman took another step towards her and continued, “I can see it in your face, the fear, the conflicted yearnings.  The subconscious desires to find fulfillment through another.  Intimacy through co-dependency.”

“What?” said Miss Parker with annoyance as she took another step back from the woman.

Smile never faltering the woman continued.  “Maybe you suppress the truth to why you’re really here, pretending it’s out of duty or loyalty, unable to admit your dirty little secret…”

Backing against the wall beside the door, Miss Parker interjected sarcastically, “And what, pray tell, is my dirty little secret, Dr. Phil.”

The woman just ignored Miss Parker’s snide remark as she stopped walking, standing toe to toe with Miss Parker.  “Your only joy in life is proving him wrong.”

There was a moment of silence before Miss Parker let out a sardonic chuckle.  “Oh, that’s rich coming from the likes of you, lady.”  Smirking at her Miss Parker added, “Hate to burst your bubble, but I’m afraid that’s not my dirty little secret.”

The woman raised an eyebrow at her.  “So…you do have a dirty little secret?” the woman inquired, smiling at the surprised look on the tall, brunette’s face.

Miss Parker quickly tried to find her voice, but it was nowhere to be found.  However, her response was soon forgotten when the door beside her swung open.  Quickly bringing up her gun, she pointed it at the doorway.

She was hoping it was Jarod, but it wasn’t.  Instead it was an older, stocky gentleman.  He was a few inches shorter than Miss Parker.  He was dressed in a pair of navy colored slacks, a bluish-gray wool sweater with a button down blue shirt underneath.  On top of his head was a dark colored hat that fisherman seemed to wear to hang their hooks on when they went fishing.  In short, the man looked like a typical grandfather.

Becoming more wary by the second, Miss Parker motioned her gun towards the fireplace.  “Over there, now,” she ordered, doing her best to keep the fear out of her voice.

Putting up his hands, the man looked over at his wife.  “We really attract them, don’t we?” He chuckled.  The woman smirked back as she still kept a firm grip on her robe.

“Where’s Jarod?” Miss Parker asked urgently, staring at the man.

“So, that’s his name,” the man commented, smiling.  “Don’t worry, he’ll be around shortly.”

Keeping her gun trained on the older couple Miss Parker ordered them to put their hands up.  Reluctantly, they followed her orders.  When the woman’s robe fell open, Miss Parker was shocked at what she saw. 

The older woman before her had a large, gaping shotgun blast in the middle of her abdomen.  It was obviously a clean shot for Miss Parker could see all the way through to the other side of the room through the large hole. 

Miss Parker’s fear seemed to multiply ten fold as she stared back and forth between the two, before her eyes finally settled on the man’s hat.  Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Miss Parker reached out with a trembling hand and ripped off the man’s hat.  “Shit!” she cursed as she saw a smaller gunshot hole that clearly went through the man’s head. 

Dropping the hat, Miss Parker turned to run.  However, she didn’t get far when she tripped over her own feet, smacking her head against the corner of the table, knocking herself out.

Putting their hands down, Maurice looked down at Miss Parker and stated to his wife, “You see what we’ve resorted too, gimmicks and cheap parlor tricks.”  Reaching down to get his hat, he put it back on an added, “We used to be so good at this.”

Closing her robe, Lyda folded her arms across her chest and said evenly, “We used to have years to drive them mad, now we get one night”

“This pop psychology stuff is crap,” Maurice said irritably.  “All it does is annoy them.  When was the last time we actually haunted anyone?”

“When was the last time we had a good double murder?  Not since the house was condemned,” Lyda shot back.

“This is embarrassing, amateur kid stuff,” commented Maurice, shaking his head.

Turning to Maurice, Lyda leaned closer and said, “Look, this is our last year to pull this off.  If we don’t, then they’ll take us off the tourist’s literature.”

“Oh, if only we were successful with those FBI agents all those years ago, then we wouldn’t be worrying about this,” stated Maurice.  Looking over at Lyda he said accusingly, “Out of all days, why did you pick Christmas, why not Halloween?”

Letting out a disbelieving chuckle, Lyda grabbed Maurice by the lapels of his sweater and pulled him closer.  “Now, who is filled with hopelessness and futility on Halloween?  Christmas comes but once a year,” she told him in a low, soothing voice.

Maurice stared at her a few moments before a grin broke out on his face.  Looking down at Miss Parker, he smiled slyly and said, “You’re right. These two do seem pretty miserable.  We need to show them just how lonely Christmas can be.”

Pulling Maurice closer, Lyda leaned towards Maurice.  “Now, that’s the old yuletide spirit.”   Lightening flashed within the room as Maurice kissed Lyda on the lips, knowing that soon, their Christmas wish could finally come true.

XXXXX

To Be Continued…