From:  lukerulzgh@a... 
Date:  Fri Sep 27, 2002  10:10 pm
Subject:  Xmas Challenge Response

 

 
 

Ok everyone. I've bitten the bullet and I'm going to post my very first
Pretender Fan Fic (round of applause). This is in reponse to the Christmas
challenge. Now, once I started writing, this little story turned into quite
the epic and will be emailed out in three parts since it's so darned long! 
Here is part I. II and III will come out tomorrow (I'm nearly done with
III!!!!)

Please keep in mind that I'm not sure that *I* like the story so please let me
know what you think - I'm my own worst critic. I've taken enough Xanex so I
can take the comments...good and bad.

Enough out of me...you're hear to read the story.

--Lisa Q

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Pretender, any of the characters portrayed
herein, etc. For if I did, there would be a third movie.

~~~~~~~~

Title: *~*What a Difference a Year Makes*~*


She didn’t even look up from her paperwork. Didn’t have to. She could
hear his annoying wheeze before he even entered her office. That and the
incessant squeaking of the wheels on his rolling oxygen tank. 

“What?” She growled when she sensed him stop before her desk.

He snarled at her irritated tone. “Have you located him yet?”

Miss Parker let out a loud sigh to let Raines know she was not amused before
finally looking at the pale man standing in front of her. “Located who?” 
She asked, mock innocent. 

Raines eyes widened and he took a long, labored breath. “You know EXACTLY who
I am talking about!” He hissed, his voice rising with each word. 

Parker gave him a small smile. She knew who he meant; he only asked her the
same question every day for the last year. But she liked to irritate him
whenever she could. It was one of the small pleasures in life.

She rose slowly from her chair, taking her sweet time in rounding the desk to
stand before Raines. Her eyes gave him the once over and she made a point to
shoot him a look of disgust.

“No, I haven’t.” Parker finally said. 

“It has been nearly a year, Miss Parker.” Raines snarled, repeating
himself, slowly moving away. “Nearly one full year and not one trace of
where he has gone.”

If he says ‘one year’ one more time, Parker was going to squeeze the life
out of him. She folded her arms across her chest as Raines and his noisy tank
crossed the room. Her eyes darted to the wheels on the tank and she made a
mental note to buy him a can of WD-40. After all, Christmas was only a couple
days away. But she quickly dismissed the idea; it was better if she could hear
him coming down the hall. That way, he couldn’t sneak up on her. 

“Well?”

Raines loud tone snapped Parker back to reality. “W-what?” She asked.

Raines let out a long wheeze. “Your focus is slipping once again, Miss
Parker.” He stated, his eyes narrowing. “Just like before.”

Parker clenched her teeth together and counted to ten, the anger growing inside
her.

“And just what do you mean by that?” She hissed.

Raines sneered, feeling triumphant in the fact that he hit a nerve.
“Before.” He repeated. “As in with Thomas…”

“Leave Thomas out of this!” Parker interrupted, pointing a finger at him.

“…and then last year when the prisoner escaped.” Raines finished. 

“Are you saying that was MY fault?”

“You weren’t exactly focused with the shooting still fresh on your mind.”
Raines hissed. “He did get away on YOUR watch, Miss Parker. The Centre
hasn’t forgotten that!”

“Do you have a point to this little visit?” Parker asked, wanting to change
the subject. “Or are you here just to annoy me?”

Raines smiled, knowing his presence was not making her happy. “Orders have
come down from the highest level of the Centre.” He began. “As I stated,
it has been nearly a year since he disappeared and the orders are that he be
found ASAP.”

“That’s not breaking news.” Parker said dryly.

The door suddenly opened and Lyle sauntered in. “Good morning everyone!” He
said cheerfully.

“Was until you walked in.” Parker muttered under her breath.

Lyle let out a laugh. “PMS’ing today?” He asked nonchalantly. 

“Drop dead.”

“I see you’re already in a mood.” Lyle looked around the office. “Do
you have a cup of tea? I’m thirsty.”

Parker grabbed a few quarters off the dish on her desk and tossed them at him
“Coffee shop not too far away.” She stated. “You know the way out.”

“Can we please get back to business?” Raines asked. He glanced between the
siblings and when they nodded, he continued. “The Centre has made this search
the number one priority. All other projects will cease until he is found.”

“And?” Parker asked, her gaze shifting between Raines and Lyle.

Raines moved closer to where she stood. “Find him.” He ordered. 

“I’ve tried.” Parker replied icily.

Raines sighed. “Try harder.” He insisted. “He can’t stay out of sight
forever. He’s not adept at laying low.”

“Apparently, he is much better at it then you have given him credit for.”
Parker pointed out lightly. “After all, as you said, it’s been nearly a
year.”

“You know him better then anyone else here.” Raines continued, ignoring
Parker’s pot shot. “Find him and…”

Parker stood right in front of him and her face was mere inches from Raines’.
“And what?”

Raines wheezed loudly. “Kill him.” He hissed.

Parker swallowed hard at the order and Raines backed up, motioning for Lyle to
come with him as he headed toward the office door.

“I…I….can’t do that.” Parker stated, her voice cracking at the mere
thought.

“You have no choice.” Raines stated. “Your father issued the order and
he insists…”

“My father?” Parker couldn’t believe her ears. “Why?”

“Because he is worried about what would happen if the prisoner recovers from
his breakdown.” Lyle told her. “He knows too much; information that could
cripple the Centre if he decided to use it against us. Dad figures its only a
matter of time and considering we are coming up on the one year anniversary
of….”

“The murder?” Parker hissed.

Lyle ignored her. “…Dad thinks now would be the perfect time for him to
make our lives a living hell." He sighed. “You know, timing is
everything.” 

Raines nodded in agreement. “You see, Miss Parker. There is no choice but to
find him and eliminate him.” He stated. 

“No one knows where he is.” Parker repeated.

Lyle grinned his famous ‘cat ate the canary’ smile. “Not necessarily.”
He glanced between Raines, who was thoroughly confused, and Parker, who seemed
to pale under his intense gaze. “We have a tip that he’s holed up in a
secluded location.” He turned to Raines, noticing the mans’ surprise. 
“It just came in.” He said in his best innocent tone, answering the older
man’s silent question.

“So why not send a team of sweepers there and bring him back?” Parker
asked, her mind racing. “He may still be….ill.”

“Dad doesn’t want to take any chances. Orders are to shoot on sight.”

Parker closed her eyes in disgust. “God no.” She muttered under her breath.

Luke didn’t seem to hear her. “Two sweepers have been sent ahead to scout
out the location, no more. You will go alone and take him out.” Lyle
explained. “Keep in mind, Dad wants this over and done with. With very few
people involved as possible.” 

“Time is of the essence, Miss Parker!” Raines wheezed. He reached for the
door handle. “I suggest you get moving and take care of this problem once
and for all.” 

Parker tried to maintain her composure, tried to keep her cool, but she felt as
if she was failing…wait, she knew she was failing. She just hoped the men
didn’t notice. It would be disastrous for everyone involved. “But…”
She squeaked out.

“Grow a pair, Parker.” Lyle interrupted her. “You’re getting soft.” 
He shoved his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a slip of paper.
“Here’s the information on his possible location.” He relayed.

Parker reluctantly took the paper from Lyle and she glared at them both,
looking deep in the eyes; they were deadly serious. They wanted him dead.
“I’m not an assassin.” Parker whispered, her heart racing in her chest.

Lyle turned as Raines threw the door open. “Your job is to protect the
Centre.” He told her. “Whatever it costs.” He leaned his head to one
side and smiled. “You don’t want to disappoint Dad, now do you?”

With that, the two men were gone, leaving Parker standing in the middle of her
office, shell shocked. It took her a moment to regain her composure and then
she glanced down at the paper Lyle had given her. Her hand flew to her mouth
as she gasped. The information was wrong. Lyle had the WRONG location! 

He was still safe! But it was only a matter of time before Lyle figured out his
tip was bogus and got on the right track. She had to get to him before Lyle. 

Parker immediately sprung into action. She quickly shut the computer off and
grabbed her coat. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she began to mentally
calculate the time it would take for her to get to her destination. She
figured she had better hurry; there was a storm approaching and she wanted to
make it up the mountain before the snowfall got too bad. She could get him
moved and safe before heading south and pretending that they missed him once
again.

She smiled as she headed out the door. Poor Lyle; just when he thinks he’s
won, he gets fooled once again.

*~*~*~*

“Jarod!”

Jarod turned his head slightly, not wanting to take his eyes off Lyle for one
second. “Sydney, get out of here!” He shouted back as the older man
entered the area. “You don’t want to be witness when I blow Lyle’s head
off!”

“Killing Lyle will not bring her back!” Sydney retorted, slowly moving
closer.

Lyle held his hands up, his eyes never straying from his own gun, which was now
shaking in Jarod’s hand. “Look, Jarod.” He began nervously. 

“Shut up!” Jarod yelled, his eyes blazing with anger. “Just shut the
hell up!” The tears streamed down his cheeks and his body shook. “Sydney,
I told you to leave. So go!”

“I cannot do that Jarod.” Sydney said softly. “Please put the gun
down.”

“Lyle is going to pay for what he did!” Jarod screamed.

Sydney stepped closer and closer until he was a few yards away. His eyes
darted from the gun in Jarod’s hand, to Lyle kneeling on the floor, to the
woman’s body lying nearby in a pool of blood. It was eerily silent, save for
the sounds of the Christmas carolers singing in a nearby church.

*Silent night….holy night*


“You are not a murderer, Jarod.” He whispered.

“He killed my mother!” Jarod shouted through sobs, his eyes briefly darting
to his mother’s body on the ground. “He shot her in the back just as she
was going to tell me….” His voice cracked as the emotions overtook him.
“Just as she was going to tell me….…”

* all is calm, all is bright*


“Tell you what?” Sydney whispered before glaring at Lyle. “More secrets
of the Centre?”

Lyle let out a chuckle. “Maybe she was going to wish him a Merry
Christmas.” He cracked.

*Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child*

Jarod opened his mouth to retort but his body was wracked with sobs. His head
dropped, his chin hit his chest as the emotions overtook him. It was that
moment that Lyle saw his chance.

*Holy infant so tender and mild*

Sydney didn’t have an opportunity to react as Lyle reached forward, batting
the gun from Jarod’s grasp. The gun flew from Jarod’s hand and landed on
the cement, skittering away from the both of them. Lyle stood and reached
behind him, pulling his spare gun from his waistband and Jarod’s eyes grew
wide when he saw the gun, the barrel moving in his direction.

*Sleep in heavenly peace….*

“NO!” Sydney yelled, rushing forward. He quickly reached Jarod and threw
himself between the two men, shoving Jarod backward toward the wall. They lost
their balance and fell to the floor, their bodies spiraling together as Lyle
fired his weapon.

*Sleep in heavenly peace. *

{{{{{{FLASH}}}}}}}

He bolted straight up in bed, the sweat streaming down his face, the images of
the nightmare slowly fading from his mind. He closed his eyes, trying to will
them to go away quicker.

He hadn’t had this nightmare in months and he figured with Christmas a couple
days away, the holiday was reminding him of the tragedy he so desperately
wanted to forget 

He sat still on the bed, listening to the silence around him. The house was
lonely. Empty. Devoid of life. Well, not always. The only times he felt
happy and secure was when Miss Parker would visit, but he had not seen or heard
from her in nearly three months. He knew that getting away from the Centre was
difficult, but she had never stayed away this long without a visit or at least
a call. He really needed her, especially during this time of year. She always
helped him through the tough times and he was lost without her.

He slipped out of bed and walked to the window, looking out onto the moonlit
landscape below.

“Where the hell are you, Miss Parker?” He whispered to himself.

*~*~*~*

Parker must have looked at her watch about two dozen times in the past half
hour. She was almost there. And she was glad too. The fresh snow had been
coming down for the last hour, lightly at first, but as the car climbed further
up the twisted, snowy mountain road, the snow fell harder. Thank goodness she
brought chains.

The snow was making it hard for her to see the road. Anyone not familiar with
the area could have quite possibly driven off the side, down one of the steep
cliffs, never to be seen again until the Spring thaw. But Parker knew the road
well; she could drive it blindfolded if necessary. 

When she first brought him there, she visited every weekend; checking his
progress, meeting with the doctors, trying to help him become the man she once
remembered and not the tortured sole who blamed himself for the tragedy that
Christmas Eve. 

But as he healed, when he really needed her the most, her trips became less
frequent and it killed her. Her father was starting to get suspicious of her
absences – leaving early on Friday, not reappearing back in Blue Cove until
late on Sunday nights. She didn’t want him to have her followed so for a
while, she only made monthly treks. Her father was still unconvinced that her
forays were nothing more then mini vacations so for the past three months, she
hadn’t gotten back up there at all.

Parker turned off the ignition in the car and grabbed her bag off the passenger
seat. Bracing herself against the cold, she pushed the door open, feeling the
wet snow and wind hit her face. She quickly got out of the car, shoved the
door closed and trudged her way to the porch stairs. She made it to the top
when the door opened in front of her.

He smiled broadly. “This is an unexpected surprise.” He said after a
moment, sincerely happy to see her. “I was hoping you would come visit
soon.”

Parker brushed the snow from her shoulders and shook her head to get the flakes
from her hair. “We have to get you out of here.” She stated firmly, quickly
glancing around.

He folded his arms in front of him. “Why I’m fine, Miss Parker.” He said
with a slight laugh. “And how are you?”

“This isn’t a time for humor!” She shot back. She dropped her bag on the
porch. “Lyle is on your trail and I don’t think it’s safe here much
longer.”

His smile dropped. “Does he know where I am?” He asked.

Parker shook her head. “He thinks he does, but he looking in the wrong
direction.” She told him. “He is following an old trail I laid a while
back.”

He smiled once again. “Then we have nothing to worry about.” 

She let out a sigh. “Maybe. Still, I think I should move you.” Parker
insisted. “And quickly.”

He stepped further out onto the porch and looked up at the sky as the snow fell
harder. “Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this storm doesn’t
look like it will be letting up anytime soon.” He said, turning back to her.
“We cannot get off this mountain until it does.” He pointed to her sedan.
“Unless your car is four wheel drive.”

“Great.” Parker breathed. “We’re sitting ducks.”

“Not necessarily, my dear.” He grinned. “We cannot get out, which means
Lyle cannot get here…so…”

“We wait until the storm lets up then beat it out of here before he
arrives?” Parker asked, finishing his thought.

He nodded. “Looks that way.” A smile spread across his face. The prospect
of being stranded alone with her was somewhat appealing. “Would you like some
hot chocolate? I just made some.”

Parker sighed. “You sure are all cheery knowing Lyle is nipping at your
heels.” She said dryly.

He laughed. “If I’ve learned one thing over the last several months, it’s
to try and find the positive of any situation.” He told her.

Parker narrowed her eyes. “Did I just step into an alternate universe?” She
asked warily.

He stepped toward her and laughed. “No. I’m just glad you’re here.” 
He placed his palms on both sides of her face. “I’ve missed you,
Parker.” He said softly before kissing her forehead. “You have been away
too long.”

Her hands moved to his shoulders. “I’ve missed you too, Sydney.” She
replied, drawing him into a hug.

Sydney inhaled deeply, the scent of her perfume so familiar, so comforting.
“Its cold out here. Let’s go inside.” He said, reluctantly pulling away.
“And get some of that hot chocolate.” 

Parker grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
~*~*~*

Part II will be sent out tomorrow, but that's only if no one says they hate
it!!! LOL