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 . . . . Blah, blah, blah. You know the drill.

 

Note:  This story is the second in what has become my ‘Reflection’ series.  It is the sequel to True Reflection of Love.

 

 

The Trust Game

By Nicky

 

Chapter 4

 

 

"Married?  Jarod are you crazy?  We can't get married!  Do you know what my father or Lyle would do . . . "

 

"I warned you they wouldn't like this plan very much," Jarod smirks.

 

"Plan?  This is just part of the plan?" she asks, somewhat disappointed.  As crazy as the idea of marrying Jarod sounded, her heart was ready to convince her to rush to the nearest justice of the peace with him.

 

"You sound disappointed," he realizes.

 

"Never mind about that," she says quickly, trying to hide her conflicting emotions.  "Just tell me about this plan.  And maybe, I'll consider if I want to take any part in it."  She sits on the sofa and he sits next to her.

 

"I can't run from the Centre the rest of my life.  I can't run from you anymore, either," he sighs.  "But I can't just take Imani and disappear.  It wouldn't be fair to her.  I need to do something about the Centre that'll allow Imani and I to lead a normal life.  I've been digging pretty deep into the records, trying to come up with some area of vulnerability.  But the more digging I did, the less anything made any sense."

 

"What do you mean by things not making any sense?"

 

"Just little things," he tries to explain.  "I'm not really sure what to make of it all.  For example, I don't understand why Raines and your father are so intent on getting me back to the Centre.  The other pretenders they have are far more productive than I ever was.  From what I can see, it's costing them more to try to find me than if they'd just invest in the other pretenders.  It just doesn't add up."

 

"That is odd," she admits.  "But maybe it's a matter of pride.  Or what they think you know that could incriminate them somehow.  Okay, so that's one mystery we'll have to solve.  But how does our getting married help anything?"

 

"Something else strange that I've seen in my research," he starts.  "I've found a few DSA's that were sent to be destroyed.  Most of the tracks were unreadable, but I found a few sections that I could watch.  Not enough to really understand what's going on.  But a couple of places mentioned us."

 

"You and me?"

 

"Yeah.  And about the power we'd have together," he finishes.  "One of the DSA's mentioned this contract or something, sort of committing us to an arranged marriage or something.  I'm sorry I'm being so vague, but I'm getting most of this information in bits and pieces.  It's like a puzzle, almost.  Actually, it's like a couple of different puzzles, and all of the pieces are in one big box. I'm having to sort things out and piece them together."

 

"What do you think it all means?" she wonders.

 

"I don't know.  None of it really makes any sense, but in a way, it does.  For some reason, someone at the Centre needs us to be there together.  Why is it you think they've kept you trapped at that place all these years?  Why is it they want me back so badly when they have several Pretenders just as good or better than I ever was?  There's something about the two of us and this arranged marriage contract that's out there.  We need to find out who arranged for it and that'll tell us who's going to benefit from it.  Then we'll be able to find out what they plan to accomplish."

 

"That could take forever.  Secrets are a pretty hard thing to dig up at the Centre," she tells him knowingly.  "We've been trying to find out things for years.  What makes you think we'll be able to find these answers?"

 

"To be perfectly honest with you, I don't think we'll find out those answers.  My guess is that your father is involved in a big way.  I have no idea who the other party could be or why they'd have the power to bargain with my life.  I don't think we'll get any answers from your father.  So I figure we could beat them to the punch.  Get married on our own and go to the triumvirate ourselves.  That may be the only way we find out what we need to know.  For some reason, they didn't tell us about this marriage.  And I don't think anyone else knows about it.  It's probably supposed to be a secret.  The element of surprise must be crucial to this succeeding."

 

She thinks it over.  And finds that a lot of Jarod's theory is making more and more sense.  Why else would her father had been so against any of her relationships she had when she was in college?  And why else would her father go so far as to have Thomas killed, just when things were getting really serious? 

 

"You idea has merit, Jarod.  I must admit it," she says.  "But, what about Imani? What does she think about all of this?  You being married to someone other than her mother"

 

"She loves you," he smiles, pleased that she's considering Imani's well being.  "I'm not sure if she really understands everything, though.  She just thinks you want to be her new mom.  And she's happy about that.  She even put in an order for her Christmas gift this year."

 

"What?" she asks with a bit of trepidation.

 

"A baby sister," he reveals with a big laugh that Miss Parker joins in on.  They laugh so hard until they're breathless and fall into each other's arms for support.  He holds her close, enjoying the feel of her warm breath on his neck.  They pull apart just far enough to be joined again in a short kiss.

 

"Before I tell you my answer," she starts, pulling out of his embrace to face him.  "I want you to do me a favor."

 

"Anything," he promises.

 

"Can you ask me?"

 

"Huh?" He's confused.  "I don't get it."

 

"Ask me.  To marry you.  You know, propose.  This is my first marriage proposal.  You better make it good," she teases.

 

"Oh, you mean the down on one knee with a ring thing?" he smiles.  "Okay, I think I can do that."

 

He gets down on his knee and grabs her hand with his own, afraid that his sweaty palms would give away his unexpected nervousness.

 

"I don't have a ring, but I'll do my best," he starts.  But when he looks up at her and stares into her eyes, all nervousness or fear melt away. The laughing and joking stop, because suddenly this wasn't funny to him anymore.   His heart almost stops beating and his breath catches in his throat as he feels a wave of love sweep over him.  Down on one knee, holding her hand, staring at her eyes, he opens his mouth to say the only thing echoing in his mind at that very moment. 

 

"I love you," escapes his lips.  He sounds about as surprised as she looks.  But  he feels it.  He feels what he's always known deep down in his heart, but would never admit it.  He knew that he loved her that first time he met her, but nothing like this.  This was a feeling of everything finally falling into place.  He felt as if he were waiting his whole life for this very moment when he'd be able to look this woman in the eyes and tell her how he feels.

 

"I love you," he repeats, sounding suddenly confident and sure of his feelings.  Sounding as if suddenly, everything made sense.  "I've loved you all my life.  Even when I didn't know you, I loved you, if that's even possible. I knew that the day would come that I would meet you.  And when  that day came, I gave you my heart.  You've had it ever since. Because I didn't need it anymore.  You became my heart.  

 

"All these years, I've felt an aching in my chest and wondered what was missing.  Imani is my everything, but  I realized at this moment that my heart was missing.  You were missing.  I need my heart.  I need you, Victoria Parker.  Be my wife.  Not just for today or tomorrow.  But forever.  For the rest of our lives.  I want to live with you and love you.  I want you to be my everything.  My friend.  My lover.  My soul mate.  The mother of my children."

 

"Well, when you put it like that, how can a girl refuse," she laughs, trying to make light of the situation.  But despite her efforts, she can't contain her tears.  Looking into his soulful eyes, she sees that they full of so much love that it's almost overwhelming.  She kneels down with him and throws her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder.  "I will marry you."

 

"You will?" He lifts her head and wipes away her tears, the joy in his eyes impossible to hide.

 

"Yes.  I will.  I'll be your wife.  Your friend.  You lover.  And the best mother to Imani that I can be.  And to any other children you give me," she says with a smile.  "Because I love you.  I always have and I know now that I always will."

 

"Are you sure?  This is for keeps.  Not just for my plan.  I don't intend on ever letting you go, Parker."

 

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life.  I've missed out on so much not listening to my heart.  But my heart is telling me this is right.  And for once, I'm listening."

 

They fall into another kiss, deep and passionate.  And full of promise for the future.

 

 

"Okay.  We're married.  So now what?" Miss Parker asks Jarod as they enter her house later that evening. 

 

"The honeymoon," he says jokingly, raising his eyebrows suggestively.  "You get to have your way with me, Dear Wife."  He leans over and gives her a quick kiss before taking a sleeping Imani up to bed.  The process takes a few minutes and by the time he gets back downstairs, he sees that Miss Parker is settled quite comfortably on the couch, stretched out almost the whole length of it.  He goes to join her, sitting at the end where her feet are and props them up on his lap. 

 

"Honeymoon? That's later tonight," she promises with a seductive smile.  "But I meant what do we do now about the Centre. And your plan."

 

"As for right now, nothing happens.  We still need to do a little more research and try to figure out a few more pieces of the puzzle.  I don't want to go to the triumvirate completely blind.  It'll be too dangerous.  I need to have an idea of all the risks so that I can know how to protect you."

 

"I can take care of myself, Jarod," she reminds him.

 

"I know.  But you're my wife now," he admits. "I feel responsible for you."

 

"That's really sweet," she says, obviously touched by the sentiment. "But our first concern needs to be Imani and taking care of her.  Making sure she's safe.  Which reminds me, how am I going to explain her being with me?  Somebody's bound to notice that I have a child now.  What do I tell them?"

 

"Don't worry about that.  I'll take care of it," he assures her.  "I'll have to set up a cover story for you.  Monday, call in and tell them that a friend from school died and that you'll be gone for a few days.  When you get back, tell them that Imani is your friend's daughter.  She didn't have any other family and you couldn't bear to leave the child motherless, knowing what it feels like to grow up without a mother."

 

"And they'll buy that?" she asks incredulously.

 

"Probably not initially.  They'll check it out for themselves and find that what you're telling them is true.  I'll make sure they stumble upon it.  It's better not to tell them much of anything and have them go searching.  They'll believe what they find themselves.  They just won't know that it's all part of our plan."

 

"A few days, huh?" she purrs, rubbing her foot up his chest seductively.  "They think I'm going to be gone a few days."  She pulls herself to a sitting position and starts to slide towards him.  "That means we have a few days to . . . get to know each other."  She climbs in his lap and starts to plant tiny kisses on his neck.

 

"Yeah," he agrees breathlessly.  "I think that's exactly what it means," he mumbles between the kisses he's returning.

 

"Well then.  What are you waiting for, you big stud?"  She moves the kisses to his mouth.  "Take me to bed . . . or lose me forever."

 

"What?" he asks, suddenly very confused.  His confusion only eliciting a deep, throaty laugh from her.

 

"Don't tell me you've never seen Top Gun.  Tom Cruise?  Navy Pilot?"  She laughs even harder when she sees him shake his head no.  "Well that's a movie we'll have to catch another time.  Because right now, we've got other things to do." 

 

She captures his lips again in a deep, searing kiss that literally takes his breath away, letting him up for air only when she turns her attentions back to his neck.  The kisses lead down to his chest and precede her fingers as they unfasten each button on his shirt in a teasingly slow fashion.

 

His hands work their way up to her shirt and he tries to undo her buttons, with much less success than she was having.

 

"Why don't I help you with that," she whispers, sliding off his lap and standing in front of him.  She deliberately undoes each button, maintaining eye contact with him the whole time.  Finally, all the buttons are undone, but he sees that she's out of his reach now.  She takes the shirt off and drops it on the floor beside her, while slowly making her way up the stairs.  By the time he realizes what she's doing, she's halfway up the stairs and halfway undressed, a trail of her clothes between them.

 

He does the same, following her up the stairs and into the bedroom.  He closes the door and turns to his expectant bride, taking her up in his arms and carrying her to the bed.  He plants kisses of his own all over her body, trying desperately to discover every inch of her.  He wraps his arms around her, wanting so badly to hold her so close that it's almost as if they were one person. His hands travel her body up and down until he's touched every possible section of skin, getting to know her body like his own.

 

"I love you," he whispers softly into her ear as they finally join and become one.  Mind, body, and soul.

 

The End.

 

 

To be continued in Keys From the Past.