Shaddyr's Eclectic Collection > Pretender Fanfiction > Trading Places


Trading Places
Part 6, by Ce'Nedra

Disclaimer: "The Pretender" and all that goes with it do not belong to me but to NBC. So don’t go calling a lawyer to sue me ‘cause I got no money. I use the characters for plain and simple entertainment.

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Parker stood in the elevator watching the level indicator flash as she ascended from the Centre sub levels. The bell sounded signaling that she had reached her floor. She straightened her jacket and composed herself as the doors opened.

Stepping out of the elevator she was greeted with an empty hall. Her brow creased.

Odd, she thought. There are always people here.

She glanced at her watch. It was 12 PM. Shrugging her shoulders, she made her way to her office.

As she walked, the silence around her seemed to get thicker. The click of her heels became soft thudding on the cold, hard floor. She ran a finger along her hairline to discover she was perspiring, yet her arms were covered with goose flesh. She stopped, resting one hand on the wall and massaged her temple with the other.

"What the hell is going on?"

Taking a deep breath, she pushed away from the wall, when out of nowhere someone slammed into her. Before she could recover from the body slam and regain her bearings, she heard herself screaming.

"Get up, dammit, He’s coming! Get if you wanna live!!!"

She screamed again, felt someone grab her hand and drag her to her feet.

"Run! He’s coming!"

Parker found herself running back towards the hall, her hand caught in death grip of the woman in front of her.

"Mariska!!!"

A voice yelled out some distance behind her and Parker glanced back to find a man in a suit running towards them. She would have recognized that form anywhere. It was Jarod.

"What the hell?" Her world was turning on its ear.

Parker pulled her gaze forward again just in time to meet the cold, steel elevator doors with her face. A moment later the pain subsided and she ripped her hand out of the woman's vice-like grasp.

"Who the hell are you?" Parker demanded.

The stranger turned to her

"No time! He’s coming..."

Parker's head snapped back as if some one just landed an upper cut on her chin. She was looking at herself. Mariska in the mean time was jabbing the elevator button.

"Open, dammit!!!" Mariska pleaded with the door.

"What the hell is going on here?" Parker demanded, panic creeping into the usually cool ice princess.

"I'll be happy to tell you."

Both women turned to see Jarod standing on the other side of the hall with his S & W trained in their general direction.

"Oh, shit. Parker, please don't do this. Let me go please," Mariska pleaded, her finger continuing to press the elevator button frantically.

Miss Parker stared at Mariska, confusion and disbelief warring for dominance. This couldn’t be happening.

"You belong here, Mariska. Don't make me come after you again." Jarod said.

"Please, Jarod, let me go!"

Jarod turned his attention on Miss Parker, pointing the gun at her.

"You are pretty quiet lady. Who are you?"

"The name is Parker, you Neanderthal, and you'd better not be pointing that gun at me," she snapped out.

Jarod just grinned.

"Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?" she asked again, the hard edge in her voice bordering on hysteria.

Mariska burst out laughing. "Oh, Miss Parker, you surprise me. This is your dream and you don't know what's going on?"

"Dream?" Parker asked

"Oh yeah... see, Jarod over there is you, or you are him and me, I'm Jarod and you. I don't really know if you can get that part."

"Okay, labrat, while she figures it out, you put these on."

Jarod tossed a pair of handcuffs her way, but they landed at Miss Parker's feet.

"Put them on, Mariska," Jarod instructed. "Now. Make it quick."

She bent to pick up the cuffs.

"Don't." Parker spoke.

"What?" Jarod asked, incredulous, with a laugh in his voice.

"Don't put them on," Parker said again.

"Mariska, if you want a bullet in your head, go ahead and listen to her."

Parker turned and walked toward Jarod.

"He won't shoot you Mariska."

"Oh, now she is the expert," Jarod remarked sarcastically.

Parker was still walking toward him. "I know you, Jarod. I know you well. You won't shoot her."

The bell sounded and the elevator doors opened.

"Get in Mariska," Parker directed the other woman.

Jarod tightened his grip on his gun. "You get on that elevator, Mariska, and I'll put a bullet in Miss Parker here so fast she will be dead before the doors close."

Parker saw his aim was on Mariska and drew her own gun and aimed at him.

"Not if I can help it." Parker deadpanned.

Jarod shifted his aim back to Parker.

"Why are you doing this?” Jarod demanded. “I'm not the bad guy here."

"Really? You spend your life trying to get her back here, and all she wants is a life of her own."

"My, my this is interesting," Mariska's voice interrupted them.

She walked up to Parker and stood next to her.

"I told you to go Mariska." Parker said.

"Yeah you did - and now you’re pointing a gun at yourself. Is this what the Center has done to you, Parker? Have they pushed you so far that you have to defend yourself from yourself?"

"Get out now Mariska!" Parker ordered.

"Fine."

As Mariska turned and started back to the elevator, Parker saw Jarod shift his aim back to the other woman. She reacted instinctively and threw her body between Jarod and his prey. A shot rang out and a woman screamed.



Parker felt a strong set of hands on her arms and a familiar voice calling out to her. She heard the gunshot and her eyes flew open.

"Parker, are you okay?"

She blinked twice and found Jarod sitting on the bed, holding her down.

"Oh, shit!"

Parker pushed at his chest and managed to get away from him and off the other side of the bed.

"You shot me!" she gasped in shock. As she stood up, she instinctively reached to her stomach.

"What are you talking about?" he asked confused.

She looked down at her shaking hands.

"You… you..."

Parker covered her face and slowly slumped down to the ground. Jarod was at her side instantly.

"Parker, what's going on with you?"

She shook her head and tried to get up, to escape from him, but he was right there and wouldn’t let her walk away.

"Talk to me, Parker. You always could."

"I don't want your help Jarod."

"I don't care what you want right now. Sit down."

His tone was commanding and Parker looked at him, somewhat shocked, but mostly angry.

"Jarod, don't be a smart ass."

"Parker, I can help you. It doesn't have to be this way."

"Okay, Jarod..." She flashed him a mocking smile and sat down on the bed. "Tell me how it's got to be. Seeing that you have all the answers wonder boy, I'm all ears"

Jarod shook his head, frustration and anger coloring his features. "I can't talk to you when you’re like this."

He walked past her, heading for the door. He was about to step through it when she spoke again.

"Why did you come here?"

He stopped, back still facing her as he answered. "I heard your conversation with Sydney."

"What?" her head snapped up, blue eyes flashing at that.

"I was coming to him to ask him how you were doing, instead I found you there… and heard your conversation."

"You eavesdropped," she corrected him, still annoyed with his invasion of her privacy.

At that, he turned back towards her, concern, worry and anger playing across his face. "What was I supposed to do, walk away? You know that I care about you!"

She stood up from the bed and ran her hands through her hair.

"Dammit, Jarod, how many times have I asked you not to give a damn? I'd be better off knowing no one cares for me."

He smiled.

"Can't help it Parker… you are one of the few people who is real in my life. I can't help but care."

She took a deep breath and dropped down on the bed, lying back in one smooth motion. Jarod stood rooted on the spot, not sure if he should stay or go. Parker looked up and fixed him with a glare.

"You're still here," she commented as she dropped her head back down.

He walk over and sat down on the bed, making sure he left ample space between them.

"So… you want to tell me what your dream was all about?"

She sat up. "You shot me… technically, I shot myself - trying to save you." She looked at him and smiled wanly. "Figure that out genius. I stood there telling myself that what I was doing to you was wrong, but also telling myself that I was not the bad guy. I don't know anymore, Jarod."

"Do you want to leave the Center?"

"I know a part of me wants to go, but I don't know if I can. The Center is all I know."

"The Center was all I knew too, but think I turned out alright."

"No, you did not. You still have that special, pain-in-the-butt quality that drives me fucking nuts."

He laughed. "Okay besides that part."

"What will I do Jarod? I don't see myself in the big yellow house with the white picket fence and kids in the back yard."

"You don't have to do that"

"I can't pretend like you, Jarod, and if I were to leave, they would come after me - and I sure as hell can’t run like you."

"If you leave the Feragamo's you can."

"Never." She laughed and her eye fell on the picture of her mom. "Seriously, Jarod. Running from the Center will be as big a prison as working for it."

"Hey." He placed a finger under her chin and made her look his way. "I'm not saying run…leave. Cut all ties completely."

"Jarod, it's impossible. The only way you do that is to die, and I don't intend doing that... yet." He slid off the bed to kneel down in front of her, then took both of her hands in his.

"Parker, don't let your life be taken away by that place. Come with me and I promise you, you won't regret it."

She shook her head. "Jarod, I c- ”

"Don't say you can't! Nothing is impossible. And I will be with you every step of the way, for as long as you want me there."

Parker looked down at him, tears welling in her eyes. "How can you even want to help me? Why do you want to do this for me after all I've said and done?"

"It doesn't matter to me. I know you, and I don't want to be the only person to have said that in your life"

"But…" He put his fingers up to her lips to stop her.

"No buts, Parker. You were willing to leave for Thomas' sake because you loved him. I'm asking you to leave for your own sake."

She removed his fingers from her lips "Because?"

He smiled again. "I will leave that open for you to decide."





The End?