Disclaimer: He he. Almost forgot to do this. Ahem, All characters and events in this story are purely fictitious, therefore, all and any similarity to a real person, living or dead is entirely coincidental and unintended by she wrote this. Absolutely no connection to anyone involved in the TV show, especially since they had the bright idea to end the show as they did. Heh.

His body covered hers, enveloping her in the long-lost warmth that only a man's body could bring, his lips seeking along her neck while she ran her hands over the steely contours of his back. She arched upwards as his lips moved downwards and his hands guided her hips as she began to move sinuously against him. Her eyes drifting shut, she whispered his name..

"Jarod."

Miss Parker jerked awake, sitting up in her bed, her dark maroon bedspread clutched in her fists and her breath sawing through her lungs. Dimly, the incessant ringing began to filter and she threw her hand towards the side-table, groping for the cordless phone she had left there after leaving Broots a message about the meeting she had arranged early the next day..well, today now.

"What?"

"Ah, Miss Parker, lifeless as always. If nothing else, you bring a certain order to the universe."

"Why don't you tell me that face to face and I will show you how I would bring a certain order to MY universe." Running a hand through her hair, Miss Parker kicked off the sheets and got out of bed.

"Now, now. Let's at least be done with the pleasantries before we resume with our usual threats."

Sinking onto the window seat, Parker drew her knees to her chest and let out a small sigh.

"What do you want, Jarod? Is tonight 'Go-Fish' for Miss Parker's conscience or are we going to take another of your delightful trips down memory lane?" Reaching for the pack of cigarettes she had left on the windowsill, a picture of Mr-Wheeze-himself came to her mind and her longing faltered.

"Don't," was softly said, a whisper between confidantes, or lovers..Miss Parker knew that

Jarod's attention was now solely focused on her, he wasn't puttering away at another of his projects or watching a DSA in the background, she could practically feel him sitting in the dark, brown eyes gazing into the shadows as he devoted his time to her. Most of all, Miss Parker remembered how during college she had missed that, how even now she knew that no one had ever cared as much, even as misplaced as his compassion was.

"Don't what, Pez-boy?"

"Don't light up, each time you do I feel like I am losing a little more of that little girl I once knew. The little girl who would sneak away to feed the rabbits, who cared enough for a scared little boy named Angelo even in the midst of her own grieve to try to get him to leave a vent and be among those who wouldn't hurt him as Raines once did." Jarod spoke this with emotion, his throat closing with the sorrow he felt as his heart melting at the memory of the only girl he had loved.

"I have told you a million times, Jarod, that girl is gone."

"She isn't. Leaving The Centre would give her a chance. Why won't you do that?" He asked that question every time he called, if only to maintain a link, a thread of hope to that little girl.

"You escaped to search your family, Jarod. You preach to me the importance of family and yet you would ask me to leave my own, to dismiss them so uncaringly?"

Jarod lunged off the bed, angry and frustrated, pacing across his latest lair.

"Sydney and Broots, they are your family. And the only reason they have not left is because of you. Raines and Lyle are not worthy to call you family and we both know that"

Parker sighed, laying her head in the vee made between her knees, a vice clutching at her heart as she tried to banish the tears, the pain and most of all, the desire to give in, to tell him what he wanted to hear, if only to feel clean again after all these time.

"Miss Parker, are you there?"

She kept silent, listening to the tone, the cadence and most of all the love in his voice.

"Parker, please.."

Covering a moan with the palm of her hand, Miss Parker swallowed hard before laying her head against the wall behind her, steeling her heart and more importantly her soul against his plea.

"Keep running Jarod. My hell is nothing compared to what they would put you through. I will be a step behind." Not giving him a chance to respond, Miss Parker pressed the 'end' button, the moonlight gleaming off her dark red nails and eyes gleaming with pooled tears.

"Keep running."