Title - Saying The Words (14/?)
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG
Category - JMPR
Summary - Jarod tries to say good-bye, but ends up coming back to 
rescue Miss Parker and finds her in a surprising predicament.
Disclaimer - The characters aren't mine.  I'm just using them for 
my own entertainment purposes.

* * * * * * * * * *

Miss Parker wakes to the feeling of being surrounded by warmth 
from head to toe.  A flush rises to her face as she remembers the 
events leading up to her falling asleep in Jarod's arms.  He had 
kissed her so tenderly, yet passionately for the longest time.  
Then he gently held her until they fell asleep.  She looks over 
her shoulder to see if she can catch a peek at the sleeping 
pretender and is surprised to see his eyes open.

"Good morning," she smiles.

"Good morning, Sunshine."  He leans down to give her a kiss.  "I 
think I like waking up like this with two of my favorite people 
in my arms."

"I still find it so hard to believe there's someone in there."  
She places her own hand over the hand he has protectively 
covering her stomach.  They rub the small bump in unison.

"He or she won't be in there for much longer," Jarod says.  "We 
don't have much time to get away from the Centre and get settled.  
We won't be able to stay here after I wrap up this pretend.  
It'll draw too much attention and possibly lead Lyle this way."

"You sound like you've been thinking about this.  About where 
we're going," she whispers, hoping he hears the double meaning 
behind her words.  It's obvious that his main goal is to find 
some place safe for her and the baby.  But she can't help 
wondering where he sees himself in this scenario.

"I've been thinking about that . . . and much more.  Miss Parker, 
I mentioned two words last night that seemed to have surprised 
you."

"What two words?"

"Love . . . and marriage."

"Oh.  Jarod, I . . . uh, I mean . . this is . . ."

"You don't have to say anything," he interrupts her.  "I told you 
I loved you last night, and I meant it.  But I wasn't saying it 
to have you say it back.  Or to make you feel uncomfortable.  I 
just wanted you to know."

"Oh," she sighs, not knowing what else to say.  The silence 
stretches and starts to become uncomfortable for her.

"You want to get married?" he blurts out suddenly.

"Do you mean in general or is this a proposal?"  Her heart is 
racing.  And although she wants to scream out 'yes, I'll marry 
you.  Just pick the time and place.', her mind was holding her 
back for some reason.

"I don't know.  Maybe I meant a little of both.  I do love you.  
I've always loved you.  And when I think of the future, I see us 
together.  So yes, I want to marry you.  But have you ever 
thought about it?  Getting married in general?"

"Every girl dreams of her wedding day, Jarod," she tells him.

"Tell me about your dreams," he whispers, pulling her even 
closer, if that's even possible.  "Did they have me in them?"

"Yes," she admits.  "You were only the ever one I could see 
myself marrying."

"So, do you want to get married?" he asks again, this time 
clarifying his meaning.  "To me?"

She rolls over in his embrace, being careful not to fall off the 
couch.  She looks up at him and sees the fear in his eyes.  But 
she can also see the true love shining in there as well.  A look 
that she's only seen one time before.  Tommy used to look at her 
like that.  But she could never love him that way.  And she knows 
now it's because of Jarod.  It's always been Jarod for as long as 
she's known him.  The realization of that brings a smile to her 
face and clarity to her mind.  She gives him a gentle kiss and 
then says the sweetest words he's ever heard.

"I do," she smiles.  "I do want to marry you.  Any time.  Any 
place."

His face lights up with an equally bright smile.  In his 
excitement, he jumps off the couch, pulling her up as well.

"You said yes?" he asks to be sure.

"I said yes," she nods, enjoying the happiness she sees on his 
face.  "I know you might not be clear on this, Jarod.  I mean, I 
think I just truly realized it myself.  But I love you.  I love 
you so much."

Tears fill both their eyes and they meet again for one more sweet 
kiss.

"Okay, I've got to go," he says, pulling away from her suddenly 
and causing her to giggle.

"Jarod, we were in the middle of something," she says, pulling 
him back into her arms.  "We were just getting to the good part."

"I think that comes after the wedding," he laughs, trying still 
to get out of her embrace.  "But before we get to that, I have to 
wrap up this pretend.  So I really have to get going."

"Okay," she relents.  "But when this is over, I get to have my 
way with you anytime I want."

"Looking forward to it," he says with a wink.  He gives her one 
last kiss before dashing up the stairs to shower and change.  The 
sooner he can get out of here, the sooner he can finish this 
pretend.  And when this pretend is over, then his life can begin.  
Finally, after all these years out of the Centre, his life was 
about to become reality.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nurse Simpson looks into Dr. Jacobs' office and huffs in 
irritation.  The man was such a slob.  She really didn't 
understand how someone like him had such a successful practice.  
Everything was always thrown everywhere, especially when he 
returned from one of his mysterious trips.  The trips he seems to 
be taking more and more often.  He hardly had time to practice 
medicine anymore and it was a wonder the practice was still 
thriving.  Luckily they were able to find and hire Dr. Jarod 
Wilkes.  He's only been there for about a week, but he's been 
seeing the patients more than Dr. Jacobs has.

Nurse Simpson tries to straighten the place up a bit to get it 
ready for the patient sitting outside waiting.  She went over to 
the desk and started gathering the files into stacks for him to 
sort through later.

"What are you doing?" Dr. Jacobs snaps as he suddenly enters the 
office.  "Get away from my things."

"I was just trying to get this place cleaned up," she snaps back.  
She drops the stack of folders back onto the desk.  If he was 
going to be so touchy about the files, he should take better care 
to put them away.  "You have someone waiting for you."

"This early?  Helen, you know I don't take patients this early in 
the morning," the doctor complains.

"She's just a consult.  She said she just wanted to talk," Nurse 
Simpson explains.

"Well, you're right about this place being a dump.  Show her into 
Jarod's office and I'll meet with her in there."  He watches her 
leave before he picks up the stack of folders the nurse was 
bothering and quickly shoves them into the bottom drawer of his 
desk, locking it with a key.  That was too close.  He was too 
careless this time.  Nurse Simpson is not a nosy woman by nature, 
so he doesn't believe she was snooping.  But, he still needed to 
be careful at what she could possibly discover.  He's come too 
far to have some nurse to stop him now.  Taking one quick look 
into the mirror, he heads down the hall towards Jarod's office.

"Dr. Jacobs," the nurse calls to him as he walks by.  "She's 
waiting for you in Dr. Wilkes' office."

"Thank you, Nurse Simpson.  And listen, I'm sorry about before.  
I guess I'm a still a little jet lagged.  I shouldn't have 
snapped at you."

"I understand, Doctor," she says sweetly.  "It was no big deal."

"Good," he smiles a toothy grin at her.  "So, what's the 
patient's name?"

"Alexander," she says, looking down at the sign in sheet.  "Grace 
Alexander.  She said she wanted to talk to you about her 
daughter, Destiny."

The doctor's heart almost stops right there in his chest.  This 
was not what he needed to be dealing with at this point in time.  
He knew this woman was going to be trouble.  It's been two weeks 
and he thought she had given up, but that's apparently not the 
case.

"Doctor?  Are you alright?  You're looking a bit pale."

"I'm fine," he says hoarsely, trying to recover his senses.  "Jet 
lag, remember?"

"Okay," she nods dubiously.

"Listen, Helen.  I haven't eaten at all today.  I know it's not 
in your job description, but you think you could . . . "

"Of course, Dr. Jacobs."  She turns to get her coat and swings it 
over her shoulders, preparing to go out and get him some 
breakfast.  "You want anything special?"

"Anything is fine.  Take your time."

She smiles once more at him before walking out the door.  He 
watches until she gets into her car and drive away.  He had 
something important to take care of.  And he didn't want any 
witnesses for what he was about to do.

To be continued . . .