Part 3
By Oriana
Disclaimer: I don't own "The Pretender"
or any of its characters. Thanx for not suing! ~Oriana
~~~~~~~~~
The rain was coming down in sheets. The sides of the streets were flooding,
overfilling drains unable to hold anymore water. The drops were falling so hard
they stung when they hit his face. He stood in the middle of the deserted
street, soaked, with the pouring rain roaring in his ears.
A hand grabbed him from behind, forced him to spin around.
"What have you done?!"
Earlier that day...
She paced back and forth in his
living room, the clicking of her heels against the hardwood floor echoing
through the empty house. The sound of a key in the lock caught her attention;
she stopped so suddenly that momentum nearly tripped her forward.
As a tired Sydney walked through his front door, coming home from a night of
paperwork at the office, Parker rushed forward to meet him. He was startled,
but as he realized it was her, his expression changed from surprise to a stony
grimace. He brushed past her, placed his briefcase on the floor and moved on to
the kitchen. "Mind telling me just what the hell you're doing in my home,
Miss Parker?"
She followed him. "I need to talk to you."
"Is that a request, or an order?" he muttered, still not looking at
her as he grabbed a bottle of water.
"Syd--" Her voice faltered, returned as a whisper.
"Please."
He felt his defenses weaken. Despite the choices she'd made, the woman was
still like a daughter to him. Reluctantly, he turned, really looked at her for
the first time in nearly three months, and felt his heart crumble at the sight.
She looked pale, tired, and her eyes were dull despite the tears filling them
up. All his anger for her melted away. "We can talk." He thought of
the bugs probably planted in the house. The Centre liked to keep an eye on
their people. "Not here, though. I know a place."
She nodded, and followed him obediently.
The drive was made in complete silence. Somehow, playing the radio right now,
even classical music, seemed inappropriate. Sydney kept his eyes studiously
forward, while Parker leaned against the window and stared out listlessly.
He turned onto a gravel road, and moments later the forest disappeared,
revealing a rock edge, and the ocean beyond. Parker lifted her head, feeling a
stab of recognition.
They got out of the car, and walked together to the largest cliff. Looking
down, the ocean roared as it crashed against sharp rocks.
"Whenever there were difficult times at home, your mother would come here
to contemplate things."
"I know."
"Being so high above the ocean, almost as if you're on top of the world.
Catherine said that she found strength here, and answers."
"Thank you."
He leaned against a boulder, and she followed suit. "So, what did
you wish to speak to me about?"
She stared out to the horizon, as the warm ocean breeze played with her hair.
"Everything's different, Syd... A year ago, I was just another Centre
employee; but not just an employee. I was as much a daughter of the
Centre as I am of my father. Last Christmas, I was given a real look at lives
that Jarod changes, and nothing's been the same since."
"Surely it's not just Jarod's doing."
"No. No, it was more. It was the Centre continuing to throw problems at
me, one after the other, without a chance to breathe. It was living through the
anniversary of Thomas' death. It was bringing my little brother into this
world, and realizing that daddy didn't give a damn. It was standing in the
middle of the room that my mother painted in, and wondering if she would even
recognize me. It's just too much."
She sprang up and began to pace back and forth, hands behind her back. Like a
caged animal.Sydney just observed her quietly, and had the serious idea of
throwing her in the car and getting her the hell away from Blue Cove. She
stopped, inches from the edge, with her back to the ocean, and began with an
uncertain smile, "But now, think I might be okay."
"What's happened?"
She laughed, a real laugh that echoed through the open space, and Syd's heart
swelled. It was her mother's laugh, one he hadn't heard in years. "The
most incredible thing. Look at me, Syd." He did, and realized that compared
to how she'd appeared just 20 minutes ago in his kitchen, there was a world of
difference. She still looked tired, and a little uncertain, but she was
radiant, and her eyes were sparkling. "I don't eat, I barely sleep. I
haven't had a drink in days, taken any pills for even longer. My house is a
wreck, and I don't even care. What does that tell you?"
Ideas clicked together in his mind, and he smiled broadly, understanding.
"Well, normally, I'd say you'd become completely certifiable. But given
the circumstances, I'd say you're in love."
She laughed again, and stepped close to him. "You're absolutely
right." Her voice lowered. "And that's why I need your help."
"My help?"
"Syd, I'm going insane. Like I said, my house is a wreck. It was all just
too much the other night, and smashing everything in sight seemed like the
perfect solution. Until a few days ago, I kept thinking that I was seeing him
out of the corner of my eye, or I'd feel him, almost as if he were just feet
away. The worst part, though, is that it's stopped. I can't feel him anymore,
Syd, and it terrifies me."
"What do you want from me?"
"I had all these reasons when I left; I can't remember any of them
anymore. I've begun to see things at the Centre through his eyes, and it's too
much for me to bare. And every time I see another horror, my mind yells at me
to just run away, and the next thought, always, is, run to him."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're right, Syd. I am in
love. And I can't ignore it, I can't run from it. No more than I could stand
one more day in that place--I'll die if I do." She looked him desperately
in the eyes. "We haven't heard a word from him since I left. I know I've
already betrayed him too many times, he's had enough of the games. But you...
Until he finds his family, you're the only one he's got. He wouldn't disappear
without at least telling you."
"You're saying to me, you want me to tell you where he is."
"I'm asking you, Sydney, yes. Please, I need to find him."
"Miss Parker." He looked her straight in the eye. "Do you
realize what this means?"
"It means that I'm leaving. Tonight."
He nodded; a debate that had been continuing in his mind for years came to a
screeching halt, his decision made. "I'm coming with you."
Parker ran inside her house, for the first time in a long while completely free
of any foreboding feelings, and tossed her keys on the table. Running into her
bedroom, she pulled a suitcase out from the closet, and began throwing in
random clothes from her closet and drawers. Three minutes later, she ran back
out of the room, paused at the mantle to grab a framed photo and throw it in
her purse, retrieved her keys, and raced back out the door.
Soon after she pulled up to
Sydney's house, and she'd just hit the brake when he appeared in the door. He
hurried to the car, threw his duffel bag into the trunk, and hopped in.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," he
grinned.
It was noon, but you couldn't tell it. The sky was a single mass of gray
clouds, hanging low and threatening rain with their rumbling thunder.
"We're driving right into a
storm," Sydney noted with raised eyebrows.
Parker, behind the wheel, smiled.
"Make you nervous?"
"At this point, Miss Parker,
nothing in the world could bother me."
She laughed, and turned on the
wipers as the first fat drops splattered on the windshield. Glancing at the map
next to her, she looked ahead for the next on-ramp, for the interstate that
would take them to Washington DC. "So what's Jarod doing in DC,
anyhow?"
"Samantha's father is
handling some corporate takeover, and Jarod offered to help."
"Why? All that legal
mumbo-jumbo doesn't seem like his kind of thing."
"One of the corporation's
contracts is with the government, concerning centers for abandoned children and
run-aways. Mr. Lansing thinks they can do some real good once they got control,
and figured Jarod would love that kind of opportunity."
Parker looked over at Sydney.
"I wonder if Sam will be there when I see Jarod."
"You don't seem too pleased
at the prospect."
"Jarod wasn't the only one I
left without saying goodbye. Poor thing probably felt like I'd deserted
her."
"Don't worry about
Samantha," he reassured her. "She's resilient. Besides, she's been so
determined to see you two together, everything else will be completely
forgotten."
"That's his place?" she smiled, observing with great approval the
building in front of her.
"Yes. He has the corner
apartment on the fourth floor. I think he's grown a real liking for the
area."
"I'm beginning to like it
myself," she laughed. She peered again out the car window. They'd switched
seats so that she'd have an unobstructed view. She turned in her seat to look
at him. "I know we have to find a parking garage for the car, but..."
"You want to see him
now?" he nodded knowingly. "Sure. This is a private moment, anyhow.
I'll meet you upstairs." She thanked him, and got out of the car, waving
as he pulled away.
For a moment, she just stood in
the rain on the sidewalk, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach. The
entire area was abandoned; the news warned of a bad storm. A few more minutes,
she thought, and the streets would start to flood. She looked down at her
outfit critically: a dark gray form-fitting turtleneck and tailored black
pants. She smiled at her heeled boots, something Jarod had once mentioned he
preferred to her normal footwear. "No heels," she murmured.
"This must be love." She impatiently brushed a few strands of hair
from her face; she'd put her hair up with a black clasp, but a few clumps had
escaped to frame her face, a slightly messy look she loved.
One deep breath. Another. Then,
closing her eyes, she bit her lip and thrust her finger forward, pressing the
intercom button next to his name.
"Yes?"
Her eyes flew open and her heart
swelled at the sound of his voice. "Um, hi."
A pause. "Parker?"
"Yeah, it's me."
Another pause. "Hang
on."
She took a step back, and waited.
Upstairs, little Samantha wriggled up to a window and looked down impatiently.
Seconds later, the building door opened, and Jarod joined her on the steps. She
gave a weak smile; he walked slowly past her, stopped, studied her closely.
"I don't believe this,"
he sighed as, running a restless hand through his dark hair, he walked on into
the street, clearly lost in his thoughts. Puzzled, but too happy to really
care, she followed him into the rain. He turned, looked at her. "What are
you doing here?"
"Syd's parking the car; we
agreed that I should do this on my own."
"What?"
"Talk to you. About us."
He frowned uncomfortably, and
avoided her eyes. "Parker--"
"No," she hurried to cut
him off, "just let me say this. I... What I did in Seattle was
probably--no, no it was definitely the stupidest thing I have ever done.
I made a mistake, I admit that... And I have never been more sorry." She
stepped closer to him, completely soaked and dripping, and smiled. "But
everything's okay now. I know what I want, I know what I need. And both ways,
it's you... That's why I came here. To look into your eyes, and to tell
you that I love you. I always have, in a way, and I always will. Nothing can
change that." She was growing nervous as his uneasy attitude remained; she
took his hand. "Jarod, we can do this."
"No," His tone was firm;
he pulled his hand away and backed off.
"What?" she whispered in
disbelief.
"No." He shook his head
slowly, like at a young child who doesn't know any better. "No more."
"But, Jarod--"
"It's too late,
Parker. I can't take any more; you and the Centre and the lies and
backstabbing--I've had enough." He looked up into the rain, as if seeking
an explanation. "My life is changing." His eyes moved back to her,
but still didn't meet her own. "Yesterday, for the first time since this
all began, I started work on a new pretend. You're still the first thing I
think of every morning, but at least now you're not everything."
Finally, finally, he met her eyes. "I love you, Parker. But
my heart just can't bear any more of this."
Tears mixed with the raindrops on
her face. For what seemed like an eternity, she just stood, staring in
crestfallen shock. Then, the full reality of it all hit her, and staggering
under the weight of the truth, she turned and ran.
Sydney, who had watched the whole
conversation at the corner, hidden from view, stepped into the street as Parker
ran by. "Parker! Parker!" Continuing to call after her, he ran in
pursuit. She turned the corner, he followed.
"Parker, stop!"
No answer, just choked sobs and
heels hitting wet concrete.
"Parker, wait! He's just
upset!"
She spun around. "He's upset?
He's upset?! Whatever fragments remaining of my life were hanging by one
very thin thread--and he just goes and snaps it in two!"
"He still loves you."
"How can you possibly
still believe that?!" she cried miserably.
"How can you not?" She
stared at the water.
Silence, with only the pouring
rain to fill it. Then, she lifted her head, and whispered just loud enough for
him to hear, "Even after we realize the truth, we still hurt each other.
Why is that, Syd?" She turned, and ran.
The rain was coming down in sheets. The sides of the streets were flooding,
overfilling drains unable to hold any more water. The drops were falling so
hard they stung when they hit his face. He stood in the middle of the deserted
street, soaked, with the pouring rain roaring in his ears.
A hand grabbed him from behind, forced him to spin around.
"What have you done?!"
Jarod stared at Syd dumbly.
"What the hell do you
think you've done?"
"Back off," he warned.
"Oh, screw you, Jarod! Do you
have any idea what that woman has gone through?!"
"Of course I do!" he
yelled right back. "Do you think I like hurting her?!"
Sydney laughed sarcastically.
"You fool. You damn fool! You don't even see it, do you? Do you
have any idea how rare what you two have is? How many people spend their
entire lives searching for just one chance at what you two have thrown
away time and time again?!"
"I don't have to
listen to this!"
"Oh, yes, you do,"
he snarled. "You will stand here and listen to every damn word I
have to say. She has beaten herself up every moment since she left, and
I defended you, treated her like the criminal because of what
happened. In last few months, she has been through hell and back, and
yet somehow she finds the strength to come here, look you in the face, and tell
you she loves you. And what do you do? You burn her to the ground--just like
every other person in her life has."
"That's enough!"
"I should hope so, because it
was enough for her. There's nothing left--you've destroyed her. You have
been like a son to me, but I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in
you than this moment. I damn near hate you; but more importantly, I pity you,
Jarod, because I don't care where you go or who you meet... You don't stand a
chance of ever having anything near what you just threw away."
Sydney turned and walked away,
leaving Jarod in the rain.
Upstairs, Samantha wiped her red
eyes, sniffled, and left the window.
A lone car sped down the slick highway, the headlights shining into the
storm-darkened road ahead.
Engraged, Parker's eyes narrowed
to a glare, and her hands clenched the wheel tighter until her knuckles turned
white.
"Their fault. All their
fault."
The door swung open, hit the wall with an echoing bang. She
walked in with long, confident strides; her face had a set, grim look. Taking
off her jacket and rolling up her sleeves, Parker got to work. A single
suitcase in the trunk was the result of her first shot at a packing job; this
time she intended to do it decently.
An hour later, the house was noticeably bare. All pictures
and personal momentos were gone, leaving a hollow feel to the place. In the
middle of the living room sat Sydney's duffel bag; he could pick it up when he
got back.
In her bedroom, Parker stood in front of her bed, carefully
packing a small leather case. She'd moved the photo of her mother here from her
purse, and was now sliding in a thin white box, containing a set of paper
snowflakes. She zipped it shut, picked it up, and walked out.
Outside, the sun had just set. The car was running, and
headlights illuminated the front yard. Parker made one last check to make sure
that everything was in place--the trunk was filled with heavy suitcases, and
nestled in the foot area of the passenger's seat was a large metal cage,
holding a white rabbit. Satisfied that she hadn't forgotten anything, Parker
hurried inside to the fireplace mantle, where she'd carefully placed a small
wooden case. Sitting on the sofa, she nestled it on her lap, and opened it with
a small exhale. Resting inside was a gun. The same gun that had killed her
mother.
Moments later, Parker walked out the front door without a
single look back. A car engine revved, and with a squeal of tires she was gone.
Inside, lying open on the sofa, was the empty case.
The parking garage was all but empty. It was Friday, the
rain was finally subsiding, and everyone wanted nothing more than to just go
home.
She pulled up into her customary spot, patted the pocket of
her trench coat, and got out. Almost out of instinct, the usual Ice Queen face
appeared, and she walked in the don't-screw-with-me attitude that everyone in
the Centre knew well. Security guards, oblivious to what was about to take
place, merely nodded politely as she passed.
She got into the elevator without the slightest twinge, and
pressed the button to go up. The metal doors slid shut, and she was on her way.
The reflection in the doors caught her attention; she frowned and looked it
straight in the eyes. No fear.
The doors slid open and she walked down the hallway of the
executive level, heading purposely to her father's office. The fact that he'd
let a newborn stay in his office was disgusting enough; knowing Raines and Lyle
had access to him at any time only completed the insulted.
Her hand was on the door when an all-too-familiar voice
called out from behind, "What do you think you're doing, Parker?" She
turned. A few feet ahead stood Lyle, an eyebrow raised in question.
"Well?"
"Lyle, you're not that much of an idiot. I came to see
my brother."
"Right," he said, rolling his eyes. "Which
explains the car seat in your Porsche."
"I'm not in the mood for this tonight," she
warned, turning back around. "Go away."
The click of a gun froze her in her tracks. "Step away
from the door, Parker."
She faced him, and smirked at the gun. "You're joking,
right? Put that away."
He took a step closer, aimed the gun at her chest. "I
don't take orders from you."
"Bite me, Lyle."
He continued to move towards her. "I mean it, Parker.
You've pushed things too far--you think we don't know where you went today? Or
this summer? Or who you spent Christmas with? Now step away from the goddamn
door!"
"You know, if there's one thing I can't stand--"
She whipped the gun out from her pocket, and ducked as he shot, hitting the
door and sending splinters everywhere. "--it's someone trying to boss me
around."
"How quaint," he grinned mirthlessly. "A
stand-off."
"Yes, about damn time, isn't it?" They both kept
their guns aimed steadily at each other. "Most people, discovering some
unknown sibling, would be thrilled. But us, we just innately hated each other.
I have to admit, I've dreamed of this chance."
"What makes you think you have a chance?"
She laughed coldly. Her gun didn't move. "Talent, dear
brother, talent. I figure it's genetic--all Parkers are naturals when it comes
to killing." She lifted the gun a little, so that it now pointed at his
head. "Now it's all about circumstances."
"How so?"
"We both have perfect aim, an extreme detest for each
other, and loaded weapons. The way I see it, it's all a matter of the
opponents. So, the question is, who's more likely to win--the cold-blooded
serial killer, or the desperate sister with nothing to lose?"
A faint cry came from beyond the office door; baby Parker
had been frightened by the gunshot. Lyle took advantage of the distraction, and
immediately aimed his gun at her head, but she noticed the movement.
Two gunshots rang out simultaneously. The small cries from
the office grew stronger; the door opened, and soon the cries faded.
The office was empty a minute later. Outside in the hallway,
a limp form was on the floor, slouched against the wall, blood pooling. A few
drops of crimson blood dripped onto the floor of the elevator, as the doors
slid shut. When the doors reopened on the main level, there was more blood than
before.
Carrying the baby wrapped in a small, blue blanket, Parker
ignored the scorching pain of the wound on her shoulder, where the bullet had
gone clean through. Her little brother, calm now that he was in her arms, was
rested against her other shoulder.
There were no security guards around--that was when her
first suspicions rose. Even knowing that shots had been fired, one guard was
always appointed to stay put. She ignored the feeling though, concentrating
only on the small child in her arms.
Parker turned the last corner, felt relief flood through her
at the sight of the exit doors, and hurried towards them. Her palm was pressed
on the handle, when a single form appeared behind her. She saw his reflection
in the glass, and turned.
"I'm afraid I can't let you go," Sam informed her,
aiming his weapon. "Mr. Parker's been called, and I'm to hold you until he
arrives."
"Sam..."
He studied the small bundle she held with both hands,
realized that she wouldn't reach for her weapon even if she could. He nodded.
"Take good care of that little boy, Miss Parker."
She smiled in relief. "I will. Thank you."
"Goodbye." She turned and rushed outside, ignoring
the gunshot that echoed behind her as Sam shot himself in the arm. No excuse
worked with Mr. Parker, unless you had proof to back it up.
Parker tucked her brother into the car seat, shook off a
dizzy feeling as blood continued to ooze out beneath her jacket and turtleneck,
and drove off.
~~~~~~~~~
They were going as far above the speed limit as Parker was
willing to risk with the baby in the car. She wanted to be far from that place
as quickly as possible. The pavement was slick from the rainstorm that had just
ended, and her headlights -on high beam- were reflecting the water. She turned
the steering wheel one way, then the other, as the winding road demanded, and
clenched her teeth at the pain shooting through her drained body. She looked at
the radio just long enough to find a classical station to soothe the baby.
Parker glanced back up, her eyes widened in shock, her foot slammed down on the
brake--
--and the car screeched to a halt, just feet from the parked
car in the middle of the road. Her headlights illuminated the figure of Mr.
Parker.
She took a deep breath, kissed her brother on the forehead,
and got out of the car.
Her father shook his head, obviously angry.
"Angel--"
She pulled her gun out again, and took aim. "Move your
car."
"Angel, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
he hissed.
"I said, move your car!" She took two steps
forward. "Do it!"
"Put that thing away," he ordered. "You two
are coming back with me to the Centre."
"Oh, the hell we are," she snapped. "You're never
telling me what to do again, and he's not going anywhere with you."
"I'm warning you--"
"You're warning me?" she echoed
bitterly. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm the one armed here. And if you
think I'll even hesitate to shoot you..."
"You won't get away with this."
"I already have!" Her shoulder was aching from the
weight of the gun, but it only added to her adrenaline. "There's no one to
stop me."
"I'm stopping you."
"You? You?! You're the weakest of them
all!"
"How dare you--"
"What? Tell the truth? You know I'm right. You're too
obsessed with your own life--nothing else matters to you. You do whatever the
Centre tells you to, like some obedient little puppy, because you're so
power-hungry. Hell, you even have a son just to preserve your precious
legacy."
"He is my son."
"Not anymore. I'm his sister, and from now on, that's
the only family from this god-forsaken place he'll ever know."
"Angel, this is your last chance. Give him to me."
"Why? So you can kill him like you killed my mother? He
is the only one of us left with a soul. I will not let the Centre destroy that.
They can't stop me, and you won't stop me. Not now. Your
life, and your power mean too much to you. I could kill you now if I had to,
and we both know that I could ruin your career at the Centre with a single
phone call, thanks to all the secret deals you've made."
Mr. Parker could literally see his control crumbling.
"This. Is. Over." She walked back to her
car, but paused. Her eyes moved to the woods next to her, not knowing that it
was the exact spot Jarod had run out of a few years earlier, when he'd first
escaped. "You once told me that we were the same." She turned back,
stared him straight in the eye. "I may be a monster, but at least I don't
pretend to be a saint."
She got back into the car, and drove off, swerving around
Mr. Parker and his car.
They were free.
"I'm so glad you like the house. I was hoping that
someone like you would take interest," the elderly lady confided, walking
alongside Parker through the large dining room. "When our neighbors left,
Leonard and I knew that if we bought it, we could find a wonderful family to
move in. College couples are fine and all, but we do adore little
children."
Parker smiled in response, and stopped in front of the open
patio doors. "How could I not like this place? A park across the street,
this wonderful view of the bay, and that amazing preschool just blocks away.
Plus, the house is large enough to really become a home."
"Yes, yes, not cramped at all. You could turn the extra
bedrooms into an office and guest room."
"Or a play room. He'd love that when he got
older."
"Your son is such a lovely baby. Cute as a
button."
Parker walked into a second bathroom, looked around with
interest. "Oh, he's not my son. He's my brother."
"Oh..." The elderly woman looked guilty.
"Sorry, dear, I didn't realize."
"Don't be," she assured, walking back to the
patio. "His mother died in childbirth, and we were really never that
close."
"If you don't mind me asking, where's the father?"
Parker looked out into the bay. "Our father is
dead." She turned, and smiled brightly at her. "So, it was $180,000,
right?"
"That's right."