Title:     Pieces of a Memory

Author:  Nicky

Rating: PG

Keywords: JOR, JMPR

Spoilers: anything up through season 4 finale is fair game

Summary:  Miss Parker recovers from the explosion with help from Jarod.  She has amnesia and as she attempts to piece together her past, she also needs his help to cope with the memories.

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. Well, some of them are. But the important ones are all property of MTM and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this.  It’s all just for fun.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Pieces of a Memory

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

The small bottle was cold and lifeless as she played with it between her fingers.  Much

like the hand she now held, blowing gently on the fingertips.  She manages to screw the

cap on the bottle of polish with one hand while admiring her work at the same time.

 

"Not bad," she comments out loud to no one in particular.  No one who could hear her, at

least.  "There you go, Miss Parker.  All done," Zoë says.  She felt kind of weird talking to

her, but the doctor said the more voices Miss Parker heard, the better it would be if she

ever woke up.  Zoë didn't know the woman.  Jarod hadn't told her much about her, but

they all seemed to care a lot about her - Jarod, Ethan, Jay, even the Major.  It's like this

woman had them all under a spell.  And from the bits of conversation she heard from

them, she really couldn't understand why.  She seemed like a horrible person who

destroyed Jarod's life and stole his family from him.  Despite that, Jarod seemed

determined to help her.  And if Jarod was going to help her, then Zoë decided she would

too.  But she didn't really know how.  She didn't really know what to do.  Painting her

nails was the only thing she could think to do to stop from feeling useless.  Even though

Miss Parker was still unconscious, there was no reason for her not to still look nice, Zoë

reasoned. 

 

She gently places Miss Parker's hand across her chest so that the polish could dry without

getting smudged.  "Stay right there.  I'll be back," Zoë tells the unconscious woman,

almost laughing out loud at the absurdity of the statement.  Where would she go?  It's

been a month since the explosion and she hasn't moved since.  Zoë goes to the bathroom

to wash off the specks of polish that ended up on her own fingers before returning to the

room.  Where she immediately notices the change.

 

"Jarod!  Jay!" she yells in complete shock.  They were the only ones there that day. 

Ethan and the Major had gone on a trip and would be back later in the week.  Screaming

their names like that might have been a bit much and she didn't mean to scare them, but

this was important.

 

"Zoë, what happened?" Jay asked, out of breath at having raced up the stairs. 

 

"Sh - she moved," Zoë stutters.  "I stepped out of the room for a minute and she moved

her hand."

 

"Slow down and explain what happened," Jarod says as he enters the room.  Swiftly he

moves to Miss Parker's bedside and switches to doctor mode as he begins a quick

examination of her.

 

"Okay, I was painting her nails," Zoë starts.  "I left her hand across her chest so the polish

could dry without smudging.  Then I went to the bathroom to put the polish away.  When

I got back, her hand had fallen over the edge of the bed."

 

"Maybe it's like you said," Jay theorizes.  "Maybe her hand just fell on it's own."

 

"I don't think so.  I've done this before and it's never fallen on it's own.  She never moves

unless I move her.  That's why I called you guys."

 

"Well, it's hard to tell," Jarod says.  "She'll need a more thorough examination that what I

can give her here.  Maybe there's been a change in her brain activity."  He sighs and looks

hopefully at the woman.

 

"Miss Parker?  Can you hear me," Jay whispers in her ear.  He didn't know Miss Parker

for very long.  But he knows that she tried to help him once.  He just wants to return the

favor.  "Miss Parker, please wake up," he pleads.

 

"Ummm . . . Jarod," a creaky voice whispers. 

 

Everyone looks at the form on the bed with astonishment.  She was waking up.  Miss

 

Parker was finally waking up.

 

"I'm here, Parker," Jarod says, grabbing one of her hands.  Jay grabs the other one and

they both try to wake her further.  "Come on.  Open those gorgeous eyes of yours," Jarod

pleads, not even noticing the strange look from Zoë.

 

She blinks tentatively a few times before looking around the unfamiliar room.  A look of

terror crosses her face as she doesn't recognize anything.

 

"Who are you?" she whispers, snatching her hand away from Jarod's.  "Where am I?" 

She cringes away from Jarod and Zoë and pulls herself closer to Jay.  She turns to look at

him, her eyes full of fear and confusion.  "Jarod, get them out of here.  I'm scared."

 

"It's okay, Miss Parker," Jay says gently, trying to calm the nearly hysterical woman. He

thinks quickly of something to say to soothe her.  "That's the doctor and nurse.  They're

here to help."

 

"Make them go.  Please, Jar," she begs the boy.

 

"Okay," he relents.  "You try to calm down.  I need to talk to them out in the hall for a

minute.

 

She nods her head and lets out a sigh of relief.  Jay follows Jarod and Zoë out into the hall

and they all stare at each other in silence for a minute.

 

"What's wrong with her Jarod?" Zoë asks, totally confused.  "Why didn't she know you? 

And why did she think that Jay was you?"  She looks and can see that Jarod and Jay have

figured it all out.

 

"She must have amnesia.  That would be my guess," Jarod says.  "That's why she just

recognized the child version of me, and not the adult.  She must be stuck back when we

were teenagers.  That was quick thinking in there, Jay.  I don't know what it would do to

her right now if we had to explain who we really were."

 

"But she'll have to find out sooner or later.  Especially when she sees herself," Jay tells

them.   Suddenly, the halls are filled with the sound of a shrill scream from the room

followed by a shattering glass.  "Which is what I'm guessing just happened," Jay says as

they all rush back into the room.

 

"Don't move," Jarod orders gently.  "You'll cut yourself."  He goes to Miss Parker and

lifts her up from the sea of mirror shards surrounding her on the floor, placing her gently

on the bed. 

 

"What happened?" Jay asks her.

 

"I broke the mirror," she mumbles.  She turns to Jay and stares at him for a long minute

before saying anything else.  "You're not Jarod, are you?" she asks him with a trembling

voice.

 

"No," he replies.  "How did you know?"

 

"I look like my mother," she says quietly.  "So I know that I'm not 15 anymore.  You

can't be either."  She looks back to where Jarod and Zoë are standing.  "Jarod?"

 

"Right here," he smiles.  "How are you feeling?"

 

"Scared.  Confused," she admits.  "Jarod, what's happened over the past 20 years?  Why

don't I remember growing up?  Where are we?  This isn't the Centre, is it?"

 

"Whoa, calm down," Jarod says with a chuckle at her eagerness.  "That's a lot of

questions.  And I know you're confused.  But right now, you need to rest.  Just know this. 

We're not at the Centre.  You'll never have to go back there again.  You're safe.  You go

to sleep and we can talk more later."

 

"Safe," she sighs, her eyes slipping closed before she can stop them.  She reaches her

hand out to grab Jarod's before they close all the way.  "Always safe with you, Jar."

 

Jay and Zoë tip out of the room.  There was nothing they could do for her.  There was

nothing anyone could do for her until she got back her memory.  After that, they'd decide

what to do next.

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

Miss Parker awakens the next morning to the sound of a gentle tapping on the door.  She

struggles to open her eyes just as a person comes into the room.

 

"Good morning, Miss Parker," Zoë chirps.  "Jarod sent me in here to see if you wanted

any help washing up.  He figured you'd want to get up and around as soon as possible."

 

"That's nice of you," Miss Parker whispers as she slowly raises herself to a sitting

position.  Just as slowly, she swings her legs over the edge of the bed and pauses a minute

to catch her breath.  She looks down at her feet and notices the bright colors peeking

between the soft carpet.  "I take it I have you to thank for the pedicure."

 

"I felt pretty helpless," Zoë says sheepishly.  "I thought you'd want them to look nice.  It

was stupid."

 

"No, it's nice.  I really do appreciate it," Miss Parker smiles.  Zoë was perky and

enthusiastic, but sweet.  And Miss Parker couldn't help but like her.  There was just one

thing she needed to find out from her first . . .

 

"Zoë, how close are you and Jarod?  Are you two married?  Is that boy your son?"

 

"It's nothing like that," Zoë says quickly, hiding a blush.  She immediately changes the

subject.  "How about we get you washed up?  Jarod wants to take you to the doctor

today."

 

Miss Parker pushes herself off the bed, noticing the flush on Zoë’s face.  She decided it

was best to leave the matter alone for now.  They weren't married.  That was a relief.  But

there was something going on with them.  And for some reason, that bothered Miss

Parker.  For as long as she's known Jarod, or at least as long as she can remember

knowing him, she's never had any competition for his attention.  They had been so close

when they were kids, but Miss Parker had a feeling that things have changed.  What

seems like only yesterday to her was over 20 years ago for him.  He seemed kind of

distant and almost a little afraid of her.  But at the same time, she could still see that little

something in his eyes.  She couldn't explain what that 'something' was, but she knows it

when she sees it.  It's all in the way he looks at her.  He looks at her in a way no one had

ever looked at her before.  It's a look filled with respect, admiration, joy, delight, and

happiness.  It's a look that makes her heart pound ever time she sees it.  It made her go

weak in the knees whenever he was around.  And it made her doodle his name all over

her school notebooks.

 

"Miss Parker?  Are you okay?" she hears Zoë’s voice calling to her, breaking her from her

thoughts of the past.  She realizes she must have zoned out for a few seconds.

 

"Yeah, I was just thinking.  Zoë, I think I'd like a bath, please," Miss Parker says politely,

trying to remember all of her manners.  "With bubbles," she adds at the end with a little

smile. 

 

"Bubbles it is," Zoë smiles back.  Miss Parker sounds like a little girl.  But Zoë has to

remind herself that she essentially is a little girl.  She doesn't remember anything from the

past 20 years.  She doesn't remember being an adult.

 

Zoë runs the bath for Miss Parker and makes sure she'll be okay before leaving her alone. 

She goes to the kitchen to try to find Jarod.  He was in there cooking breakfast for

everybody.

 

"How is she this morning?" he asks, trying to be nonchalant, but Zoë could see that he

was really concerned about the woman.

 

"Fine, I guess.  I don't really know how she was before all of this, but I guess she's okay. 

In a lot of ways, she acts like a little girl.  But I guess that's what she is until she can

remember growing up," Zoë tells him.

 

"Hopefully she'll check out alright physically at the doctor's today.  Then, I'll start telling

her stuff about her past to see if I can jog her memory."  He moves the frying pan in

which he was scrambling the eggs off to the side in order to focus his attention on the

bacon.

 

"Yeah, hopefully," Zoë sighs, making her way over towards Jarod until she's just behind

him.  She wraps her arms around his waist and he turns around in her embrace, placing

his hands on her shoulders.  "You're such a good person, Jarod.  Miss Parker is lucky to

have you as a friend."  She emphasizes the word friend slightly to see if she can catch a

reaction from Jarod.  If there was one, she didn't notice it.  Feeling a little more secure

that Miss Parker was just a friend, she tilts her head up, preparing to give him a kiss when

she suddenly feels him pushing her away.

 

"Miss Parker," he says with some surprise.  "I thought you were getting washed up."  He

takes a step away from Zoë and folds his arms across his chest, not noticing the hurt

expression that crossed her face at his sudden distance - physical and emotional.

 

"My bath water was a little too hot.  I need to let it cool down some.  I came down

because I'm starving.  That bacon smells so good.  Did you cook, Zoë?" Miss Parker asks.

 

"No.  That was Jarod.  He makes my breakfast every morning.  I think he just wants to

fatten me up," Zoë jokes.  But the look in her eye was far from jovial.  She was trying not

to be so possessive, so jealous of this woman's intrusion in her and Jarod's life.  But she

couldn't help notice their reactions to each other.  Jarod seemed to light up in Miss

Parker's presence.  His face shone with a youthful jubilance.  And when their eyes met,

he'd give her this look.  Zoë couldn't quite explain what it was about the way he looked at

Miss Parker, but she knew that he never looked at her that way.

 

"Why don't you have a seat, Miss Parker."  He goes to the table and pulls out a chair for

her, helping her ease down into it.  He crosses the kitchen again back to the stove, almost

knocking Zoë down in the process, to fix her a hearty plate of food.

 

"Jarod!  You know I won't be able to eat all of that.  I usually just have coffee for

breakfast."  She stops abruptly, surprised at what she just said, at what she just

remembered.  "Sometimes I splurge and get half a bagel, but I mostly just do coffee in the

mornings.  There's a little cafe on my way to work," she adds excitedly as more pieces of

her past comes back to her.  "It's called . . . it's called . ." she stops again, but this time it's

because the memories stop.  "I don't know what it's called."  Her eyes get moist and she

lays her head down on the table to hide her tears.  Jarod kneels down next to her and

gently strokes the back of her head.

 

"Hey, it's okay," he says, trying to soothe her.  "It'll come back soon.  And until it does,

I'll be right here to help you."

 

"But I want to know now," she sobs.  "Jarod, tell me something.  Anything.  It's driving

me crazy not knowing who . . ."

 

"Don't worry about it so much," he interjects.  "Your memories will come back when

you're ready for them to.  It's going to be all right.  I promise."

 

"I believe you," she whispers.  "You've always there for me before and things turned out

fine.  I trust you.  I always have and I always will."  She notices his eyes darken slightly

when she says this and that look of fear comes back to him.  He tries to cover it quickly,

but it's too late to hide it from her.  "What is it, Jarod?" she asks gently.  "Why does it

look like you don't believe me?  Why do you look afraid of me?"

 

"Eat your breakfast," he says, lifting his body to a standing position and trying to avoid

her gaze.  "Then go finish your bath.  The doctor is waiting on us."  He turns and quickly

makes his way out of the kitchen, leaving the two women in stunned silence wondering

what just happened with him.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Jarod silently holds the door open as Miss Parker walks in.  She shrugs out of the jacket

Zoë loaned to her and goes to hang it in the closet.

 

"Let me get that," Jarod mumbles, snatching the jacket from her hand, but still not

making any contact.  The whole trip to the doctor's and back had been that way, she

notices.  No kind of contact at all.  It was like he was going out of his way to avoid her.

 

"You've been so quiet, Jarod.  Are you okay?" Miss Parker asks him.  The fact is, he

hasn't even spoken to her since breakfast that morning.  When he did speak, he mumbled

small phrases at her, but mostly he directed his comments towards the doctor or Jay.  He

didn't even look in her direction.

 

"Why don't you go get some rest," he suggests in a tone that came across more like an

order.  "I'll go help Zoë with lunch and then we can talk."

 

She sighs, and turns away.  She slowly makes her way through the living room and to the

stairs.  She doesn't know what she could have done to make Jarod act the way that he's

acting.  And no matter what he says, she knows something is wrong with him.  The way

he nervously nibbles on the left corner of his bottom lip.  He would always do that

whenever he couldn't shake a particularly grueling SIM or when something else would

happen to upset him.  And she knew that he just needed time to work through whatever it

was on his own.  But hopefully that's one way he's changed.  Hopefully, whatever was

bothering him will come out when they talk after lunch.  She wanted to be there for him

as much as he'd been there for her before.  She starts to make her way up the stairs when

the sound of voice stops her in her tracks. Instead, she turns around and sits quietly at the

bottom of the stairs, out of the view of anyone.

 

"You look tense," Zoë says, running her hands up Jarod's chest.  "I think I know a way to

help you relax," she purrs seductively.

 

"Not now, Zoë," Jarod snaps.  Zoë stares at him with a look of confusion and anger before

recoiling from him, almost as if she were burned.

 

"If not now, then when, Jarod?" she yells.   "Why don't you even want to touch me

anymore?  What did I do to deserve this?"

 

"Zoë, keep your voice down . . . "

 

"You want me to be quiet?  Why Jarod?  So your precious Miss Parker won't hear that

you already have a girlfriend?  That I've been the one in your bed?"

 

"Zoë, this isn't the time . . . "

 

"No, Jarod.  It's way past time," she says in a normal tone, finally seeming to calm down. 

"You need to let me know what's going on here.  Because I can't live like this anymore."

 

"Live like what, Zoë?  Like you said, we share a bed . . . "

 

"Jarod, that's all we share," she snaps.  She takes a deep breath to calm down again before

she continues.  "After the explosion, I could understand.  You were hurt.  Physically and

emotionally.  You had to take care of yourself and Ethan.  Your sister was still recovering

and your Dad was trying to keep you all safe.  I completely understood that we didn't

have any time to be alone.  Just sleeping next to you was enough.  I would hold you in

my arms and dream about the last time we were together.  In that hot tub, making plans

for our romantic vacation.

 

"But your dreams were of something else.  You had horrible nightmares and no matter

what I did, I couldn't calm you down.  I wasn't who you needed.  And for some reason,

I'm starting to think that I never was that person.  And that I'm never going to be that

person."

 

"Zoë, who is it you think I need?" he asks quietly.

 

"I can't answer that for you.  But you need to be honest with me.  And honest with

yourself.  And the truth is that we both know you don't need me.  Or love me."

 

"Zoë . . . "

 

"It's okay, Jarod.  We had some good times.  But I always could tell there was a part of

you I couldn't reach.  I just assumed it was because you opened your heart to every person

with a sad story.  And I didn't mind sharing you with them.  You help people.  And that's

what I love so much about you.  From what you tell me, you weren't shown much love

when you were growing up.  So I thought that you were doing the best you could with

what you knew about love.  I thought you'd learn to love me.  And for awhile, we were

fine.  And I accepted what you gave me.  But I see now that you can give so much more."

 

"Zoë, of course I love my family . . . "

 

"I'm not talking about them, Jarod," she whispers.  Silence falls in the room and she

watches as he grows a sudden fascination with his shoe laces.  She silently begs him to

look up at her and deny what she just implied.  But she knew that he wouldn't.  Because

she knew that she was right.

 

"Zoë, you've got to understand how it was back then for Miss Parker and me.  She was my

best friend.  My only friend, really.   We trusted and depended on each other.  Living in

that place was like living in a nightmare.  Complete darkness.  She was the only ray of

light.  She kept me sane, Zoë.   Remember this morning when she said I was always there

for her?  Well, she was the one always there for me.  Not the other way around.  I let her

down, Zoë.  When she needed me the most.  And she's never forgiven me.  And I really

can't blame her."

 

"Jarod, you were just a little boy back then.  How could you have let her down?" Zoë

asks.

 

"I let them take her.  She didn't want to go, but they took her anyway.  And I didn't stop

them," he says quietly.  Zoë could hear a little quiver in his voice as if he were about to

cry.  "She came back after a few years, but they had already killed her.  Not physically,

but they killed who she used to be.  They killed that little girl who was my best friend. 

The first girl I ever saw.  The first girl I ever kissed.  The first girl I ever . . . "

 

"Loved?"  Zoë finishes for him.  "The first and ONLY girl you ever loved."

 

Miss Parker couldn't hear anything after that.  Not even the sounds of their breathing. 

She can only assume that from the silence, Jarod wasn't denying what Zoë just said.  She

closes her eyes and thinks back to that time.  Back to a time that seemed like only

yesterday for her.  She remembers the first time she saw him.  When they brought her to

him as an experiment.  Before then, boys were a minor irritation, hardly registering in her

mind.  But Jarod was different.  Jarod made her heart take notice.  She loved him

instantly.  She remembers taking him by surprise one day and kissing him.  And everyday

after that, she wished for another chance to feel her lips against his.  She remembers

sneaking around the Centre, spending any time she could with Jarod.  There were so

many halls, vents, and hiding places for the two of them.  Their meetings went undetected

for years.  But eventually, all good things come to an end.  She remembers that last time

they were together.  The day they got caught.

 

<'Did you have fun at the party, Miss Parker?' Jarod asked.>

 

<'It was okay.  We danced a lot.  And played some games,' she told him.  'I'll have to

show you some of the dance moves one of these days if I can sneak a radio down here.'>

 

<'That'll be fun,' he said with a smile.  'And you could teach me the games too.  Sydney’s

not too big on fun around here,' he laughed.>

 

<'I didn't play the games,' she said quietly.>

 

<'Why not?' he asked her, puzzled that she would sit out of the fun.>

 

<'I just didn't, okay?' she snapped.  But she changed her tone when she noticed the hurt

expression on his face.  'I'm sorry, Jar.  I didn't play any of those games because I didn't

want to.  Have you ever heard of a make out party?  That's the kind of party this was.'>

 

<'What's a make out party?' he asked innocently.  She rolled her eyes and sighed

exasperatingly.  But she should have known he wouldn't have understood.>

 

<'Well, for one of the games, a boy takes a girl into a closet and they'll be in there alone

together for awhile,' she explained.>

 

<'What kind of game is that?  That doesn't sound like much fun,' Jarod frowned.  'What

do they do in the closet for all that time?'>

 

<'Jarod,' she giggled.  'You really have no clue, do you?  It could be lots of fun if you're

in there with the right person.  Like I am now.'  She slides closer to him and places a hand

on his cheek.  With a shy smile, she leans closer to him until their lips meet in a long, but

innocent kiss.>

 

<'Wow,' he gasped after pulling away slightly.  His eyes were closed and his cheeks were

flushed.  'I see now how enjoyable this game could be.'  He opened his eyes and looked

into her face with a love filled smile.  'And I'm glad you didn't play it at that party with

anyone else.'  He moved his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her to him again,

claiming her mouth in a more passionate kiss.  The kiss went on for as long as either of

them could stand it before they were desperately gasping for air.  They'd separate, refill

their lungs, and start in again, unable to notice anything except for each other.  They

didn't notice the voices in the hall.  They didn't notice the door to the closet slowly

opening.  And they didn't notice angry look on Mr. Parker's face staring at their display of

affection, hands and mouths trying to be everywhere at once.

 

<'Get your hands off my daughter,' the Chairman growled.  'Angel, you should be

ashamed of yourself.'>

 

<After that, everything was pretty much a blur.  A group of sweepers moved in and

pulled Jarod in one direction and Miss Parker in another.  Their hands were still clasped,

neither of them willing to let the other go.>

 

<'Angel, your behavior with the Pretender is unacceptable.  I won't allow it.  I warned you

about spending so much time with him.  I have no choice but to send you away to

boarding school.'>

 

<'No, Daddy,' she screamed.  But it didn't matter.  His mind was made up.  The sweepers

pulled harder and were finally able to separate the two children.  'Jarod, help.  Don't let

them take me.  Please don't let them take me.'>

 

Miss Parker leans her head in her lap and sobs quietly at the memory.  With each tear

comes a memory, flowing back to her mind as if a dam had been opened.  That was the

day.   The first day of a life she wanted to forget.  A life she refused to remember until

now.  Jarod was right.  For some reason, she allowed herself to be convinced that he was

to blame for them taking her away.  And when she was able to return to the Centre, she

was her father's daughter.  Cold.  Cruel.  Heartless.  No longer the little girl  who loved

Jarod.  No longer the little girl who he loved.

 

"I'm so sorry," she sobs, wandering back into the living room with Jarod and Zoë.  "Jarod,

I'm so sorry.  I blamed you, but it wasn't your fault.  I let them turn me into a monster. 

I've been awful to you these past few years.  No wonder you seemed afraid of me," she

cries.

 

"You remember?" he asks shakily.

 

"I remember everything.  It all just came back to me.  I wanted to forget that life.  How I

was.  The way I treated you.  Jarod, I'm so sorry."  She continues to sob, watching his

face through her tear blurred eyes.  Waiting for a sign of forgiveness.  His expression

seemed pained, but unreadable.  Forgiveness was what she hoped for, but knew she didn't

deserve it.

 

"Jarod.  Zoë.  I think I've disrupted your life enough," she says when she finally gets a

grasp on her feelings.  She wipes away the tears and puts on her Ice Princess mask.  "Tell Ethan

where to find me if he wants to get to know me.  I won't take you in, Jarod.  You deserve your freedom.  It's

the least I can do for you after you saved my life."

 

"Wait.  You're going back to Blue Cove?  To the Centre?" Jarod asks.

 

"I don't have a choice," she tells him.  "I can't stay here.  It's not fair to you.  Or to Zoë. 

I'm sorry," she apologizes once more before running out of the house, leaving the room

shrouded in a heavier blanket of silence than before.

 

"You should go after her," Zoë whispers finally.

 

"She's confused.  I need to bring her back.  And we all need to talk.  Will you be here

when I get back?" Jarod asks.

 

"Would it make a difference if I said that I wouldn't?"  Zoë looks at him and laughs a

little at the answer he was trying hard to hide.  "Jarod, you don't want to let her get away."

 

"I know that if we all talked about this, we can straighten it out," he insists.

 

"Talk about what, Jarod?  Talk about how your eyes light up every time she's in the room? 

Talk about how you've never looked at me like that?  Talk about how you'd never be able

to love me like you love her because in all these years of chasing you, there was one thing

she was able to capture - your heart.  She's always had your heart, Jarod.  And there isn't

room in there for anyone else.  Certainly not me."

 

"Zoë . . "

 

"Just go," she cries, turning her back to him to save herself at least a little dignity.  "Go before it's too late."

 

Jarod sighs and drops his head.  He realizes Zoë is right.  He can't let Miss Parker get away.  He looks up to

say good-bye, but thinks better of it when he sees her shoulders shaking.  With a stealth he's perfected over

the years, he slips out of the house silently, not looking back at the woman he was leaving behind.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Miss Parker slows her run down to a jog and then eventually to a walk.  She looks around, kicking herself

for running off in a huff like that.  She had no idea where she was or where she was heading.  She doesn't

even know how long she's been outside.  At least an hour, she guesses.  Maybe two.  It was starting to get

cool.  She didn't even know what part of the country she was in or what time of year it was.  She didn't know

what kind of weather to expect.  She really should have thought this 'running away' plan all the way through.

 

She brings her walking to a stop, closing her eyes in frustration.  In the distance she can hear something. 

Sounds like cars rushing by.  She must have reached a main road.  She starts walking again towards the car

sounds and jumps for joy when she sees that she was right.  Now, she just needed someone to be nice

enough and pick her up.  And to her surprise, the next car rolling by actually stops.  The window rolls down

and she tries to come up with a logical story to tell the driver.

 

"Miss Parker?" the driver asks, stunned to see the woman.

 

"Zoë?"  Great.  The very person she was running from is her only hope for salvation.

 

"Get in," Zoë says with a sigh.  She rolls her eyes when Miss Parker defiantly crosses her arms and

straightens her back.  A sure sign that she wasn't moving.  "Just get in the car, Miss Parker.  I'm not going to

leave you standing by the edge of the road all night."

 

Miss Parker blows breath out of her mouth and prays fervently for another car to stop.  But for the next two

minutes, not even another drives by.  She would have to take Zoë’s ride.

 

"Okay.  Just drop me off at the nearest bus or train station and point me in the direction of Blue Cove.  I

won't disturb you and Jarod any longer."  Miss Parker looks in the back seat and sees Zoë’s belongings

barely stuffed inside of a suitcase.  The stuff that didn't fit in the suitcase were shoved into plastic shopping

bags. "Going somewhere?"

 

"Yes.  I'm dropping you back to the house and then I'm going to live the rest of my life," she says in a

clipped tone.

 

"With Jarod?" Miss Parker asks gingerly, not sure if she wants to hear the answer.

 

"Jarod?  My ex Jarod?  The one who failed the tell me that I was playing nursemaid to the love of his life

and  that when she recovered he planned to picking things back up with her?"

 

Miss Parker cringes in her seat at the woman's outburst.

 

"I'm sorry," Zoë apologizes, seeing the fear on the other woman's face.  "I didn't mean to yell at you."

 

"This is not what I want," Miss Parker says quietly.  "I didn't want to disturb your life.  Just let me go back

to Blue Cove and . . . "

 

"And what?  You and Jarod will go back to playing your cat and mouse games?  I know that neither of you

want that."

 

"I don't know what I want, Zoë.  I'm sorry that my presence has hurt you," Miss Parker apologizes again.

 

"It's not your fault," she says, shaking her head.  "It's not Jarod's fault, either.  It's just the way things are. 

Yes, I'm hurt.  And yes he should have warned me how he felt about you.  But I'd be crazy to stand between

the two of you."

 

"How he feels about me?"

 

"Miss Parker, you have to know he loves you.  He's been in love with you his life."

 

"No," she denies it.  "We were close as kids.  That's all.  I destroyed anything that was between us."

 

"I don't believe that," Zoë says.  "I can see the way you two look at each other.  I can practically feel the

vibe when you two are in the same room.  From what I've heard, that Centre place tore you apart.  He

doesn't blame you.  But he blames himself for not protecting you."

 

Miss Parker silently watches the scenery fly past, thinking about what Zoë was telling her.  She realizes this

is another one of those moments.  One of those moments that can dramatically change her life.  A moment

like her mother's death.  A moment like when her father decided to send her to boarding school.  Meeting

Thomas.  She is literally at crossroads and can choose her destiny.

 

"Tell me one thing," Zoë interrupts her thoughts.  "Are you in love with him?  Right now, I think he's a jerk. 

But he really is a decent guy.  Really vulnerable and sensitive.  I don't want to see him hurt."

 

Miss Parker thinks carefully before answering her.  She bites her lip and the question bounces around her

mind.  But her heart already knows the answer.  It's always known.  She just needed her brain to believe it

too.

 

"I won't hurt him," Miss Parker promises, a huge smile growing on her face at the realization what she was

admitting.  Not only to Zoë, but also to herself.  "I do love him, Zoë.  I always have.  And I always will." 

She laughs at how liberating it was saying it out loud.  She yells it again just because she can.  "I love

him!!!!"

 

"Okay, okay," Zoë laughs.  "You should tell him, though."

 

"You're right."  She looks around and realizes the car was still moving.  "I should get back to the house."

 

"We're almost there," Zoë smiles.  "See?"  She turns the car into the driveway leading to the house.  They

barely stop before Miss Parker is pulling off her seatbelt, trying to jump out.  She stops suddenly, as if

remembering something else she needed to say.

 

"Zoë, I . . . I'm sorry things are happening like this for you."

 

"I'm not," she says assuringly.  "I'm a romantic at heart.  I can't stand in the way of true love.  Just do me

one favor."

 

"Anything."

 

"Make each other happy.  Maybe I'll get a few extra karma points for single handedly reuniting you two." 

They both laugh for a moment, before Miss Parker looks anxiously towards the house.  "Get in there, Miss

Parker.  And make our guy know he's the luckiest man in the universe."

 

"Thank you, Zoë," Miss Parker says, leaning over to give her a hug.  She gets out of the car and looks back

into the window.  "Thank you for everything."

 

"No problem.  Name your first child after me and we'll be even."  She laughs one more time before backing

out the driveway, leaving Miss Parker standing in her dust.  She feels surprisingly good after just having

been through a break up.  But in her heart, she knew Jarod was never hers.  Miss Parker always owned his

heart.  This was the right thing to do.

 

She reaches down to change the radio station.  She could use some happy tunes to cheer her up.  She didn't

know where she was going.  She was just going to drive and see where she ended up.  After finding a

suitable song, she looks back up and has to slam on her brakes to avoid hitting someone in the road.  She

jumps out to be sure she didn't injure him.

 

"Jarod?" she asks incredulously when she sees who it is.  She rolls her eyes and lets out a deep laugh at the

situation.  "I swear the two of you deserve each other."

 

"What?"  He's surprised by her unexpected good mood.

 

"She's back at the house, Jarod.  I just dropped her off," Zoë tells him, chuckling when his mouth falls wide

open.  She steps close to him and stands on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek.  "Don't keep her waiting. 

Take care of each other."

 

"You're just giving up on this?  On us?" he asks when she turns to go back to the car.

 

"Oh Jarod," she sighs, smiling at his cluelessness.  "There never really was an us.  She's such a big part of

you that there never was any room for me.  I realize that now.  And I accept it.  So go to her.  Go and be

happy with her.  Besides, she owes me.  And to pay me back, she's going to need you," she says cryptically,

giving him one last knowing grin before stepping back into the car and speeding off.  

 

Jarod watches the car until it disappears, trying to figure out what just happened.  No answers seem to be

forthcoming, so he shakes his head and starts to walk back towards the house.  He gets just inside the fence

when he sees her sitting on the porch, staring off into the distance.  She was beautiful, he notes.  So much of

the innocence of years past was back.  But added to it was wisdom from what she had gone through.  She

looked like a woman who knew exactly what she wanted.  That prospect thrilled and frightened him at the

same time.

 

"Miss Parker," he calls out, scaring her a little.  She jumps, putting her hand on her heart to calm it down.

 

"You scared me, Jarod," she gasps.  "I thought you were inside."

 

"Is that why you're sitting out here?"

 

"Sort of.  I needed to think about some things before I went to see you."

 

"You were coming to see me?" he asks, hope dancing in his voice.

 

"Yeah," she nods.  "I shouldn't have run away.  From this.  From . . . us."

 

"Is there an us?" he whispers.  He's afraid to look at her, but at the same time, he can't seem to look away. 

The fear melts away to confusion when he sees her stand up and walk towards him.  As if they had a mind

of their own, his feet begin to move him towards her as well.

 

"There's always been an us," she tells him.  "And I've always run from it."

 

"Funny," he chuckles.  "I thought *I* was the one doing the running."

 

"No more.  We can run anymore," she whispers in a breath he feels across his lips.  He didn't realize how

close they had gotten until that very moment.

 

"No more running," he promises, taking the final step and crushing his lips to her own.  He pulls her closer

and fully takes over her mouth, plunging inside and exploring her depths.  She joins the exploring for

several long moments before they both pull away, gasping desperately for air.  He plants tiny kisses all over

her face that soon leave her trembling in his arm.

 

"So," he says, brushing his lips across her eyelids.  He couldn't seem to stop touching her, worshipping her

face.  "Where do we go from here?"

 

"I'll go wherever you take me," she moans, leaning her head to the side to expose the neglected skin on her

neck.  He takes the hint and with a smile, gives her neck the attention she was craving.  He moves up to take

her ear in his mouth and nibbles lightly on it.  Giving her one last kiss, he pulls away and grabs her hand,

leading her back to sit on the steps of the porch.

 

"Seriously, Miss Parker," he says, kissing the back of her hand. "This is too important a decision for us to

make in the heat of the moment."

 

"Seriously, Jarod," she says, turning his face towards her and kissing his lips.  "I can't go back to how things

were with us.  Wherever you go, that's where I'll be.  For now and forever."

 

"What about the Centre?  Your father?"

 

"Not my problem any more."  She pulls his bottom lip into her mouth and gives it the same treatment he

gave her earlobe earlier, alternating between light biting and soothing licking.

 

"So it's just me and you against the world?"

 

"For now," she nods.  "But eventually, I'm going to make good on my promise to Zoë."

 

"Promise?  Oh yeah.  She mentioned something about you owing her," he smiles. " What exactly did she say

to you?"

 

Miss Parker looks at him, her heart bursting with the love she was feeling.  The first part of the promise to

Zoë would be easy.  Jarod's already made her the happiest woman on the planet.  She knows they'll be fine

if he's only feeling a tenth of the happiness she's feeling.  The second part . . . well, that would take some

work.  But she sure would have fun trying.

 

"Nothing I didn't already know."  She smiles at him and strokes his cheek with the back of her hand. 

"You're my life now, Jarod.  My heart.  And my happiness.  Just love me.  That's all she wants for us."

 

"I think I can handle that."  He winks at her and pulls him onto his lap, attacking her neck again.

 

"Oh, and she wants one more thing," she mentions casually.  "She wants us to name our first born after her."

 

He throws his head back and laughs heartily, amused at the apparent friendship that blossomed between

these two women who couldn't be more different.

 

"Well," he says between chuckles.  "I *was* working on seducing you, my dear.  I think that's a step in the

right direction."

 

"Then shut up and kiss me."

 

"My pleasure, Miss Parker," he says.  "My pleasure."

 

And he does just that.

 

The End.

 

 

 

    HOME