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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
*Disclaimer: I don't own "The Pretender" or any of its characters. Thanx for not suing! ~Oriana
~~~~~~~~~
To Dance In An English Garden
Part IV
by Orinana
They hadn't spoken in two days. Parker had purposely avoided him -not difficult, as he hardly left his room- in hopes of giving him space to figure things out. Obviously, pressing the matter hadn't worked. Still, she'd taken care of him, making sure that food was sent up to his room, and, more importantly, that unwelcome visits by concerned employees like Mary didn't happen.
As for Jarod, things had gotten worse. His issues weren't getting solved, only tangled up in his mind so badly that he wasn't sure what to think or feel or believe anymore. All he was sure of was anger, horrible anger towards everyone and everything that had led to this moment.
That night, the end of Parker's fourth day in England, she tossed about restlessly in her bed. Well past two, but even the three sleeping pills she'd taken were working. Damn things. Parker knew she should've brought her own doctor-prescribed ones along with her. Never trust over-the-counter.
Giving up on rest with a sigh, she got up, flicked on a lamp, and picked up the gun that sat on her bedside table, looking at it numbly. It was Jarod's. She hadn't even realized she still had it until she'd come back to her room that afternoon. As she looked down at it, muffled murmurs from the room next to her caught Parker's attention. Placing the gun on the bed, she leaned over and pressed an ear
against the wall. It was Jarod's voice, all right, but it seemed more like agitated moans than actual words. Concerned that something serious was wrong, she hopped off the bed, slipped into a bathrobe, and walked out of her own room.
His door was locked, but she'd gotten a key from Mary earlier, and so -after hearing another moan from inside- slid it into the lock, turned it, and pushed open the door.
Only the lights outside in the garden illuminated the room, but it was enough to spot him in bed, tossing and turning, as a scared whimpering continued to escape his mouth. She slid the door shut, relocked it, and hurried to his side.
Just as Parker reached Jarod, he gave a choked cry, and shot up in bed. She was at his side in a second, sitting on the middle of the bed, but not daring to touch him. For a moment, he just sat, shaking, staring at her. Then, without warning, he broke out into tears, falling against her, resting his head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, held onto him for all she was worth, feeling her own eyes water as he continued to sob.
"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" she whispered. His shaking increased, and his cries grew louder; she didn't say another word, just sat, holding him, brushing a comforting hand through his hair.
It was a long while before the cries stopped. For even longer he remained in her arms, silent tears falling, the trembling slow in stopping.
Parker tried not to move much; hell, she was afraid even breathing would break him, he seemed so fragile. Still, exhaustion -finally, the sleeping pills were taking effect-and leg cramps were forcing her to see that staying like this all night was not an option. He'd actually fallen asleep, cradled in her arms like a child. Reluctantly, she glanced over at the alarm clock, and frowned at the time glowing patiently: 4:34.
She considered lying him down on the bed, but stopped as soon as the first small whimper came from his lips. Parker looked around the room with a sigh. This wasn't the place to be right now. He'd experienced too many emotions in this small room--it'd given the place a sort of ominous feel.
An idea sparked in her mind. Biting her lip, praying she wouldn't regret it, Parker gave Jarod a gently shake.
"Jarod, wake up. I need to talk to you." His eyelids slowly parted, and he looked at her sleepily. "I have to go to my room, just for a moment."
"Please don't leave me." His voice was tiny, lost. She felt her throat tighten.
"I'll be right back. I promise." He lie back hesitantly on the bed. "I swear, I'm coming right back." His eyes closed. Silently, she left the room, returned to her own, and changed into fresh clothes as quickly as possible, then grabbed her jacket, cell phone and a set of keys, and walked back to Jarod's room.
He was asleep when she entered, and for once she wasn't happy to see him rest. This meant she'd have to wake him up again, to get him downstairs.
Actually, it didn't take much. Another gentle shake, and his eyes shot open. When he sat up, she wrapped an arm around his back to support him, and got Jarod to his feet. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and pants, and though it was hardly the appropriate attire for dinner with the queen, Parker figured it was fine for their destination. Slowly, she led an exhausted Jarod down the stairs and out a side door of the inn, and out into the parking lot into the car she'd rented.
After easing him into the passenger seat, where he promptly fell back asleep, Parker got behind the wheel, and started the car. Soon, they were leaving the town limits of Lavenham.
~~~~~~~~~
Jarod slowly came to, and looked around him groggily. After realizing that he was in a car, he turned to look at Parker with a sleepy, confused look. "Where are we?"
"About 70 miles from Lavenham," Parker replied, keeping her eyes on the road. She was still having trouble getting used to driving on the other side of the road. He stared at her for a moment, then realized she was serious. God, she looks tired, he thought. "Feel free to go back to sleep. We've got about 10 more miles to go."
"To?" he asked tiredly. She just smiled. Jarod didn't really think about it. He was too weary to think about anything right now--the last few days had been too draining. Soon, he'd nodded off again.
15 minutes later, Parker woke him up, and he looked around him expectantly, but couldn't see anything more than a bunch of hills and trees. "What are we doing here?"
"Come on." Not bothering to ask anything else, he slowly got out of the car, and followed her on a trail up a hill. He froze as they reached the top.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He could only nod, as his fuzzy mind tried to grasp the picture before him: on the next hill, between them and the ocean, lie an expansive mass of ruins, just barely visible in the dim light before dawn. They walked on in silence, until they reached the mount. The highest point of the hill, and -after a short climb- the highest point of the crumbling stone towers. They sat, looking out into the coast.
"This is Hastings Castle," she finally said after a long, thoughtful silence. "The first Norman castle ever in England. It was built back in the 11th century." She looked over at him. "All of this was here long before either of us was born, and it'll still be standing long after we're both dead." She looked back to the ocean. "I was six when my mother first told me about this place, of how she'd come here when she was a little girl. I didn't come here until I was 20, on the anniversary of her death. You know, it's amazing how far away from everything this place seems. It's almost too easy to believe that the rest of the world doesn't even exist..." She turned a little, to face him, and he finally looked back at her. "This place has seen a lot--conquerors, battles. It's not unfamiliar with troubled minds..." He gave no reply. "Makes it a good place to bare your soul. I should know. It's age, the massiveness of it; it gives you sense of security. Makes you feel that your secrets are safe, no matter what."
Jarod's eyes moistened, and he averted them back to the ocean. Parker didn't say a word more, but waited for him to make the next move.
~~~~~~~~~
Part IV
by Orinana
They hadn't spoken in two days. Parker had purposely avoided him -not difficult, as he hardly left his room- in hopes of giving him space to figure things out. Obviously, pressing the matter hadn't worked. Still, she'd taken care of him, making sure that food was sent up to his room, and, more importantly, that unwelcome visits by concerned employees like Mary didn't happen.
As for Jarod, things had gotten worse. His issues weren't getting solved, only tangled up in his mind so badly that he wasn't sure what to think or feel or believe anymore. All he was sure of was anger, horrible anger towards everyone and everything that had led to this moment.
That night, the end of Parker's fourth day in England, she tossed about restlessly in her bed. Well past two, but even the three sleeping pills she'd taken were working. Damn things. Parker knew she should've brought her own doctor-prescribed ones along with her. Never trust over-the-counter.
Giving up on rest with a sigh, she got up, flicked on a lamp, and picked up the gun that sat on her bedside table, looking at it numbly. It was Jarod's. She hadn't even realized she still had it until she'd come back to her room that afternoon. As she looked down at it, muffled murmurs from the room next to her caught Parker's attention. Placing the gun on the bed, she leaned over and pressed an ear
against the wall. It was Jarod's voice, all right, but it seemed more like agitated moans than actual words. Concerned that something serious was wrong, she hopped off the bed, slipped into a bathrobe, and walked out of her own room.
His door was locked, but she'd gotten a key from Mary earlier, and so -after hearing another moan from inside- slid it into the lock, turned it, and pushed open the door.
Only the lights outside in the garden illuminated the room, but it was enough to spot him in bed, tossing and turning, as a scared whimpering continued to escape his mouth. She slid the door shut, relocked it, and hurried to his side.
Just as Parker reached Jarod, he gave a choked cry, and shot up in bed. She was at his side in a second, sitting on the middle of the bed, but not daring to touch him. For a moment, he just sat, shaking, staring at her. Then, without warning, he broke out into tears, falling against her, resting his head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, held onto him for all she was worth, feeling her own eyes water as he continued to sob.
"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" she whispered. His shaking increased, and his cries grew louder; she didn't say another word, just sat, holding him, brushing a comforting hand through his hair.
It was a long while before the cries stopped. For even longer he remained in her arms, silent tears falling, the trembling slow in stopping.
Parker tried not to move much; hell, she was afraid even breathing would break him, he seemed so fragile. Still, exhaustion -finally, the sleeping pills were taking effect-and leg cramps were forcing her to see that staying like this all night was not an option. He'd actually fallen asleep, cradled in her arms like a child. Reluctantly, she glanced over at the alarm clock, and frowned at the time glowing patiently: 4:34.
She considered lying him down on the bed, but stopped as soon as the first small whimper came from his lips. Parker looked around the room with a sigh. This wasn't the place to be right now. He'd experienced too many emotions in this small room--it'd given the place a sort of ominous feel.
An idea sparked in her mind. Biting her lip, praying she wouldn't regret it, Parker gave Jarod a gently shake.
"Jarod, wake up. I need to talk to you." His eyelids slowly parted, and he looked at her sleepily. "I have to go to my room, just for a moment."
"Please don't leave me." His voice was tiny, lost. She felt her throat tighten.
"I'll be right back. I promise." He lie back hesitantly on the bed. "I swear, I'm coming right back." His eyes closed. Silently, she left the room, returned to her own, and changed into fresh clothes as quickly as possible, then grabbed her jacket, cell phone and a set of keys, and walked back to Jarod's room.
He was asleep when she entered, and for once she wasn't happy to see him rest. This meant she'd have to wake him up again, to get him downstairs.
Actually, it didn't take much. Another gentle shake, and his eyes shot open. When he sat up, she wrapped an arm around his back to support him, and got Jarod to his feet. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and pants, and though it was hardly the appropriate attire for dinner with the queen, Parker figured it was fine for their destination. Slowly, she led an exhausted Jarod down the stairs and out a side door of the inn, and out into the parking lot into the car she'd rented.
After easing him into the passenger seat, where he promptly fell back asleep, Parker got behind the wheel, and started the car. Soon, they were leaving the town limits of Lavenham.
~~~~~~~~~
Jarod slowly came to, and looked around him groggily. After realizing that he was in a car, he turned to look at Parker with a sleepy, confused look. "Where are we?"
"About 70 miles from Lavenham," Parker replied, keeping her eyes on the road. She was still having trouble getting used to driving on the other side of the road. He stared at her for a moment, then realized she was serious. God, she looks tired, he thought. "Feel free to go back to sleep. We've got about 10 more miles to go."
"To?" he asked tiredly. She just smiled. Jarod didn't really think about it. He was too weary to think about anything right now--the last few days had been too draining. Soon, he'd nodded off again.
15 minutes later, Parker woke him up, and he looked around him expectantly, but couldn't see anything more than a bunch of hills and trees. "What are we doing here?"
"Come on." Not bothering to ask anything else, he slowly got out of the car, and followed her on a trail up a hill. He froze as they reached the top.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He could only nod, as his fuzzy mind tried to grasp the picture before him: on the next hill, between them and the ocean, lie an expansive mass of ruins, just barely visible in the dim light before dawn. They walked on in silence, until they reached the mount. The highest point of the hill, and -after a short climb- the highest point of the crumbling stone towers. They sat, looking out into the coast.
"This is Hastings Castle," she finally said after a long, thoughtful silence. "The first Norman castle ever in England. It was built back in the 11th century." She looked over at him. "All of this was here long before either of us was born, and it'll still be standing long after we're both dead." She looked back to the ocean. "I was six when my mother first told me about this place, of how she'd come here when she was a little girl. I didn't come here until I was 20, on the anniversary of her death. You know, it's amazing how far away from everything this place seems. It's almost too easy to believe that the rest of the world doesn't even exist..." She turned a little, to face him, and he finally looked back at her. "This place has seen a lot--conquerors, battles. It's not unfamiliar with troubled minds..." He gave no reply. "Makes it a good place to bare your soul. I should know. It's age, the massiveness of it; it gives you sense of security. Makes you feel that your secrets are safe, no matter what."
Jarod's eyes moistened, and he averted them back to the ocean. Parker didn't say a word more, but waited for him to make the next move.
