In the night by Sammy Automatic
Disclaimer: I don't own the Pretender; I write for the enjoyment of it and not for monetary profit.
Written: 29/8/2006
Harmony (yes, that was her name) but she couldn't remember who she'd been, after the amnesia. Nothing at all. She didn't know who she was. First it had been weeks, then months, till the years rolled by and still she couldn't remember who she was. Absolutely nothing. Maybe she'd never find out who she was. Maybe she'd never remember. However, she wanted to know. What if she was married? What if she had children? What if…
One day, she started hearing voices, hushed and muffled at first, but soon they became much clearer and louder. She decided to tell her friend Maggie as she wanted help. She didn't want to go crazy. They both went to see the doctor who prescribed anti-psychotics. So, now, in the morning and at night she took a bunch of pills. They plagued her. She couldn't remember a thing, not even her dreams. How she wished she could remember something. However, she wouldn't dream. Like all the other dreamless nights.
~*~*~
Harmony sat on another couch (meaningless couch) in some house in a town she just couldn't remember the name of. She sat watching the TV shopping channel in the early hours of the morning. She just stared at it blankly, not really seeing it, evidently off elsewhere reminiscing about her evident loss. She pulled the cushion closer to her chest to keep warm and pulled the throw rug over her body and laid down her head on another cushion. She shut her eyes slowly and a blue glow lit her face gloomily.
~*~*~
Earlier that day, Maggie had been informed that the infamous Centre had found Jarod and they needed to move again before they were found. In fact, it had been the Major who'd informed them of the Centre's presence. The famous trio, no doubt. That huntress, Miss Parker, whom Jarod rung just to torment or tease. Then there was the head doctor, Green, who Jarod rung when he had troubles. Maggie had told Harmony that 'Green' was the man who stole Jarod from them and had also later become his mentor. Then there was a tech. That wasn't mentioned much. So that's how Harmony found herself in the SUV with the rest of the kids.
Maggie had been in such a rush to get out of there that she'd let Harmony's medication behind. Harmony doubted that it would matter much, while Maggie told her that the next place they stayed at she'd go to the doctor and get some. Harmony didn't care either way, and watched the kids play in the mirror. Ethan and Geronimo sat next to one another; behind them was Emily. The Major was with Jarod and his girlfriend Zoë. So they were off to another town on the run. It was all they ever did. Run.
Like frightened little animals.
Run.
To another town and house, that Harmony finally just lost total track of where she was anymore. What was worse, she didn't care anymore; all she felt was a deep, dark sadness within her. Ethan had named it the 'happy sadness'. He was right about one thing, ever since she lost her memory she'd had the happy sadness as though a part of her was missing. But it wasn't just her memory; it was much, much more. She just couldn't explain it. Never could. Probably never would.
Sometimes, she got so sick and tired of running and was willing to meet them head to head for a real fight; instead of shrinking back, losing ground and stepping back into the dark of the night.
~*~*~
Flashes… suddenly the flashes hit her and left her reeling. This time she wouldn't tell Maggie. This time, she'd face her fear head on. After all, all it could do was kill her. And at this moment in time she really couldn't give a toss. She wanted to know who she was, about her past and what she was desperately missing. Suddenly the influx slowed till it came to one specific memory…
~*~*~
She was in some sort of lab that was evidently underground as there were no windows. Wearing a white lab-coat over a summery dress she was wearing. She looked down at her lipstick red heels absentmindedly. She walked across her lab slowly, her heels clicking on the cement floor loudly. She found a stereo and put it on, playing the tape. When the music came on it was quiet so she turned it up. By then it was quite loud.
She wandered back over to her work. It was a report she had to write up about her lab results. She stared at it bleakly and decided to dance to the music instead. She needed to rest anyway. She felt really stressed about her new field assignment.
She danced to the music happily and closed her eyes, spinning around happily. She seemed too pre-occupied to notice the door open. She heard faint footsteps and when her eyes snapped open it was to find a young man standing in front of her. She'd nearly crashed into him. Her blue eyes meet his brown ones and neither of them said a thing to one another, just stared at one another. He smiled slightly, biting his lower lip nervously. A new song called 'Let's Do It' sung by Eartha Kitt started to play. He took her hands and she found herself dancing with the handsome young man. She had delightful fun, just dancing with the man, though neither of them spoke the entire time, and looked into one another's eyes.
Those chocolate eyes seemed to capture her heart that day. His smooth movement kept perfect rhythm as they danced across the room. Then, as soon as he'd come, he was gone. She missed his warmth and hold already. Afterall, no one had ever made her feel that way before. So happy and so very safe. She felt as though she didn't have to pretend around him. She could be just herself. Be Catherine. She smiled at the door and leaned in the doorway, giggling to herself. Boy was he absolutely gorgeous.
~*~*~
Harmony sat up suddenly. She'd remembered something. And he was more than she'd expected. She was attracted to him. She wondered who he was. She was in love. He was so very sexy. Suddenly she found herself in a really happy mood. She'd never felt this good before. She practically jumped off the couch and spun around with her arms out in the air, laughing. She started singing the song 'Let's Do It' in a seductive tone. She also knew her name. She was Catherine. She had a name!
She lost herself in her very happy moment, clicking in rhythm. She'd found the missing part of her. It was him. He was missing in her life. Now she had something to live for. Something to live for…
Sydney sat in the car with Miss Parker driving at about three o'clock. When they'd got to Jarod's latest lair, they found him long gone. He'd left clues all over the unit he'd been staying at. Including a photo for Sydney of him and Zoë smiling happily in one another's arms on a patch of grass in the park. Miss Parker was oddly quiet and buried herself in her work. Sydney knew it probably upset her, but she hid it so well on the exterior, though more than likely a war was being waged inside. She was more like Catherine than she'd ever know.
Sydney smiled at that one; she even looked like her. Miss Parker pulled her Bluetooth microphone off and tossed it in the box between the seats. She then reached over and flicked the stereo on and jumped a few tracks on the CDs till she got to number three. It some very up-beat dance music and she tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. Broots was sleeping with a pillow against the window, while Miss Parker's two sweepers sat behind him. Oddly Sam was still awake. He stared out the window and watched the dark landscape slide by in a grey blur.
~*~*~
Miss Parker put her foot on the brakes suddenly and came to a standstill in the middle of the road. Sydney and Sam's eyes fell on her. Sam moved up the row of seats so he was sitting next to Broots to watch what his boss was up to. She pressed the eject button on the CD player and virtually tossed the CD. She pulled up another and put it in the player before she took off again. She shook her dark cascading hair out of her face slowly. The music started playing and Sydney recognised it as Eartha Kitt singing 'I Want To Be Evil'. Sydney smiled; he'd always liked Eartha Kitt.
The next song that came on was called 'Let's Do It', and as soon as he heard it he knew he wouldn't be able to help himself. He was going to sing to it. But oddly he found Miss Parker singing along with him. He looked at her, she glanced at him and giggled, smiling warmly. He smiled back and she looked back at the road still singing with Sydney. Sam looked somewhat shocked by his boss singing with Dr. Green, but a slight smile slid across his lips; apparently he'd never seen this side of Miss Parker and it intrigued him. She didn't seem to note what effect she could have on him and now her voice had a seductive tone to it.
"Syd?" Miss Parker asked, looking at Sydney a moment then back at the road.
"Mmm, Miss Parker?" Sydney asked looking at her for an answer.
"Will you be my daddy?" Miss Parker asked shyly, as though expecting to be rejected.
"If you so wish me to be," Sydney responded simply and calmly.
"Not just Jarod's?" Miss Parker asked quietly.
"I was never just Jarod's. You were always my daughter, Miss Parker," Sydney responded again, this time looking at her to show that he really meant it.
"You're the only family I had till Jarod found Michelle and Nick."
"Mmm, probably leave us now…" Miss Parker trailed off, sniffing.
"I would never leave you. Like I promised your mother. And as if the Centre will let either of us just walk out the front door," Sydney laughed.
"So you're stuck with me," Sydney joked.
"Betta then bein' stuck without you. Syd, you're all I've got left," Miss Parker said seriously, "Syd, I would kill to protect you. An' I am serious, Sydney," she said again.