Decisions Made
Chapter 1: Confrontations of the heart
By Mickey mickey2384@aol.com & Paula paula_pern@yahoo.com
Beta read by Dianne
Disclaimer: I don't own The Pretender. If I did, it would never have been canceled and well... I guess that's the main thing. No money is being made from this. The song, I love you is performed by CELINE DION & as lovely as a song as it is it sadly does not belong to me either.
Summary: When Jarod shows up with an invitation to freedom and the promise of love, can Miss Parker overcome her demons and follow her heart? Story takes place a few months after IOTH, which took place in early December.
Rated: PG/NC-17 (Some curse words, & violence etc.)
Feedback: If you enjoyed it, say so! We LOVE feedback!
Jarod slipped in through the door, suddenly realizing that he hadn't eaten since before starting the drive here. He checked the refrigerator and smiled. As expected, it was empty except for ice, vodka and some questionable milk.
He gave the milk a taste test and discovered it was at least two days away from being undrinkable so he poured himself a glass, found a box of crackers in the cupboard and sat down at the table to wait. An hour passed then finally, he heard the door open and sounds from the other side of the wall. Jarod pulled out his cellular phone and hit speed dial.
Miss Parker walked into her house; it was late as usual and dark outside. The streetlight that normally illuminated her front door was out and it felt as though the darkness followed her in. At least the electricity was on in the house; the automatic lights were on, a lamp by the front window and a small light in the kitchen. She dropped her shoes and laid her gun on the side table then lowered herself onto the couch.
She knew she should be upstairs packing. She, Sydney and a sweeper team were leaving in the morning to check out Jarod's latest pretend and lair. A sigh escaped as she thought about her last conversation with Jarod.
She had come close, so close to helping Jarod escape at the Inverness Airport after they left the Island. She saw the turning point he wanted her to take. His eyes had begged her to escape with him and it broke her heart, but she could not do it. Her father, if he was indeed her father, had been standing right outside the car and she would have had to betray him. She'd come to her senses, kept her weakness to herself and survived. Tears formed in her eyes again as she stared at the phone. Suddenly it rang.
Parker raised the receiver to her ear. "WHAT?" She felt too tired for any conversation.
A familiar deep voice asked, "If I walked through your door right now, would you shoot me?"
Silence.
"Weeellllll?" Jarod asked in his best taunting tone.
"I don't have the energy to play your little game, Jarod." Parker replied, holding back another sigh.
"Just answer yes or no and I promise you, Miss Parker, I will hang up."
"My door is locked, Jarod." Her gaze fell to the pistol on the table beside the phone.
"Is that a yes or a no?" he asked again.
"It's a possible maybe," she admitted against her will. She quickly added, "Let me check to see if my gun is loaded."
Jarod shot back, "Maybe I'm just gonna have to take a chance."
Click.
Parker stared at the receiver before returning it to its cradle. What does he want now? She wondered. She considered an empty glass on the liquor cabinet for a moment then decided to restore it to its proper condition. As she stood, she caught movement at the edge of her vision. Her gaze locked on Jarod, silhouetted by the night-light in the kitchen. Surprised and slightly disgusted because he'd gotten the drop on her, Parker just stared at him. Jarod folded his phone and slipped it into his coat pocket.
"I guess this means you're not going to shoot me."
"And ruin a perfectly good paint job? Not worth the cleanup." She continued to the liquor cabinet.
"Good." He said as he walked the rest of the way into the room.
Parker turned toward him. "What do you want, Jarod?" she asked loudly.
"You," Jarod said softly. He held his hands out slightly.
Parker laughed, short and bitter. "Sorry. Haven't you heard? I belong to The Centre. Bought and paid for with innocent blood."
Jarod took a step toward her. "They don't own you, Miss Parker; they can only make you believe they do."
"I DO believe it, Jarod." Parker turned to the liquor cabinet and poured herself double bourbon. "I tried for a happy ending and as you recall, Jarod, Tommy paid the price."
She started back toward the couch and away from him. Jarod crossed the distance between them in a few steps. He gently removed the glass from her hand and placed it on the table. Parker's eyes followed the glass to her gun. Of its own will, her hand reached for the gun and held it at her side.
Jarod saw, but was unperturbed. He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. Parker pulled back. Dropping her eyes, she avoided looking at him.
Jarod moved his hands to her shoulders. "We've all paid the price, Parker. I know that you were willing to start a new life with Thomas. I think you can find that kind of turning point again. I know I'm not him, but I'm willing to take my chances." He said then tried to kiss her again.
Parker felt a thrill run up her spine. It had been so long since she had allowed a man, any man, to come this close. He was offering her not only a turning point, but also somewhere to turn. Still, she could not do it. She did not fight him, but turned her head. "We've had this conversation, Jarod. Remember? I thought I made it clear that I'm not going to take any turns, especially not with you."
"I'm not willing to give up on you."
Parker tried to raise her gun, but he put his hand over hers and held it down. Her face was still turned away from his and a tear made its way down her cheek. Jarod kissed it away then lightly kissed her neck.
"Jarod, if you don't stop, I am going to shoot you." It was all the resistance she could muster.
He stopped, but did not release her. Parker wrenched herself free. She returned the gun to the table and collapsed onto the couch, putting her hands over her face for a moment. Then she looked up at him.
Jarod held her in his gaze and she could not move. They stayed like that for a minute, forever. Tears formed in Parker's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She tried to shake her head, to negate what she felt, but she could not break his stare.
Finally, Jarod reached out to touch her face. Parker batted his hand away.
"Don't, Jarod." She turned away. "Just... don't." Parker snatched her drink off the table and downed it in one gulp. "You have no idea what you're doing to me, do you? I've made my decision; we both have to live with it."
Jarod took a step back, his expression wavering between disappointment and anger. "Inertia is not a decision, Miss Parker. You can choose to stop paying for your family's sins; you can decide how you live your life."
On to chapter 2