Fanfictionfan63: Thanks so much for reviewing my story. I already have the whole outline for my story completed, so it is just a matter of writing it to completion. And sorry, I think I'll be sticking to normal point of view from now on. It's just easier to write in :)


Chapter 4

Gwen had phoned Alfred the moment Parker left the room. She knew Alfred would be worried. Alfred did nothing but worry about her.

Alfred was his usual demanding self, wanting to know when he could come and visit his darling little Gwen at her home. When Gwen said she could pop over for the night and stay with him, Alfred called her on her nerves. Alfred, being 74 years of age, and living through a war, had enough life experience to realize that Gwen was being a coward and wanted to back out of going home with her husband. Alfred told Gwen that her home was with Parker and that she needn't worry so much as Parker adored her. This did nothing to reassure Gwen's nerves as her head kept telling her that she was going to a house with a man who was basically a stranger, yet everyone kept telling her that Parker loved her.

The car ride was silent. Gwen kept looking out the window to see if she would recognize anything. She knew that something was going to jog her memory and all she would have to do is wait. But the waiting was hard.

When Parker pulled up to his house, Gwen was disappointed, but tried very hard not to show the disappointment on her face. Parker's home was much smaller than her home with Alfred. The thought caused her to stop a moment as she realized the implication behind the thought. Gwen wasn't trying to be a snob, but she had a perfectly good home that Alfred was living in, and Parker's home, while nice enough, was not her idea of a perfectly good home.

Parker opened the car door for her and helped her out. Gwen thought Parker might be old fashioned, but then she thought he might be helping her so that she wouldn't fell woozy and fall over with the sudden movement. Together they walked up the steps to the front door. Gwen was glad that Parker did not hold her hand or attempt to guide her to the front door. She didn't feel like she could handle the smothering.

Gwen heard the jingle of keys and knew that Parker was opening the door. She hesitated when the door swung open and Parker stepped aside. He motioned for Gwen to enter, but Gwen wasn't sure if she actually wanted to. Part of her wanted to turn around and walk away, while the other part of her was telling her that she was being ridiculous. Both her brother and her best friend had told her that Parker was not some crazy loon and that she entered the marriage with him because she loved him. She obviously lived in this house with her so called husband, so something inside might trigger her memory. Gwen took one step forward, and then another, until she was standing inside a home she didn't recognize from the outside or in.

Parker observed Gwen's posture as she stepped by him, one foot at a time. Her hands were locked around her body and she stood very rigid. Her eyes, however, were darting around, trying to absorb as much as she could. Parker knew this night was going to be difficult for Gwen.

"Sweetheart, would you like me to show you around?"

Gwen looked at Parker. He seemed to like calling her 'sweetheart', and Gwen wasn't sure how she felt about it. It felt strange when a man called you 'sweetheart', especially when he said it so sincerely and you had no feelings for him.

"No, that's okay. I think I just want to look around myself. Sometimes the smallest thing can jog a person's memory."

Parker nodded. "I'll order a pizza."

Gwen went to say something but Parker continued. "I know…no pepperoni. I'll just order chicken, bacon, broccoli on one half for you and steak, ham, and chicken on the other half. Would you like a salad?"

Gwen nodded in agreement and Parker shuffled off.

Gwen took her time looking around. When she entered, she briefly scanned the room, but nothing seemed to jump out at her. It seemed like an ordinary room.

Gwen had thought about what she needed to remember part of the last 10 months in the car ride to Parker's house – a computer. Her emails would be there and she would have access to at least some written notes. They wouldn't be able to tell her all the information she would need, but they would be able some things at least.

Gwen looked for a computer on the main floor, and finding none, she glanced at the staircase that led to the upper level. Deciding that a computer was most likely in one of the rooms on the second floor, Gwen quickly climbed them. She found a small netbook in the master bedroom on a side table. She opened it, but didn't recognize the netbook and wondered if it was hers or if it was Parker's.

A password prompt came up. Gwen entered 'buggerthepassword'. It didn't work. She tried 'passwordsarestupid'. It didn't work. Gwen couldn't think what the password might be, so she thought that maybe the netbook was Parker's.

"Gwendolyn?"

Gwen had forgotten about Parker until she heard his voice from the door.

At first Parker had thought that Gwen had left the house when he entered the living room and found her missing. A quick glance at the door provided Parker with the knowledge that Gwen had not left the house. Parker did a quick run through downstairs before realizing that Gwen was most likely on the second level. As he reached the second landing, Parker saw the light on in their bedroom and figured that Gwen had simply found her way to their bedroom.

Now he stood looking at his wife from the doorway.

Gwen looked up and felt like she was guilty for something. "I'm sorry, I thought this was mine. I don't remember…"

Parker held both his hands up in a 'please don't shoot me' kind of way. Gwen thought this might be a residual cop thing creeping into real life situation. "The netbook is yours Gwendolyn."

"Oh…do you know the password?"

"No."

"I didn't tell you the password for my computer?"

"You just bought it a couple of days ago. Spike helped you set everything up. I could ask him to break your password tomorrow."

"Spike? I know a Spike?"

"He works with me, at the SRU."

Whether she was aware of it or not, Gwen nodded her head. "Right, the SRU. Do you work with Ed or Roy?"

"Ed. He's my lead sniper."

Gwen's face fell. Ed was a sniper. She knew he was a police officer but didn't know much else.

"Ed's a…sniper? Oh. He…shoots people?"

Parker's lips visibly flinched. He'd forgotten how much Gwen didn't like anything dealing with tactics or firearms. It was like starting his relationship with her all over again.

"Sometimes he has no choice and sometimes he's given the order to take someone out. But that is only after every option is exhausted."

Gwen really didn't want to ask the next question that formed in her head, but the words were out so fast that she couldn't take them back. "Who gives the orders?"

Parker suspected that he would have to answer this question sooner or later. He just thought that it would be a lot later than 10 minutes upon entering their home together. "I give the order, Gwendolyn. I'm the Team Sergeant."

Gwen placed the netbook carefully on the bed before pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. The image was not lost on Parker, and he knew that his wife was physically trying to protect herself from the answers he had provided.

"Oh. Why would you want to do that job?" Realizing what she had just said, Gwen backtracked, "I mean, I know it's your job, but…wow…I couldn't. I mean, I don't even like guns. They're cold and they cause a lot of damage. I've operated on the damage they do, and it's not…"

"I know the damage they do Gwendolyn. My team and I, we make decisions everyday that can change a situation from bad to better or worse. But I also know what it's like to keep the peace and get people home to their families. That is always what we want, sweetheart, to get people home safe to their families. And that is why I wake up every morning and go to work."

"Have I ever asked you to quit?"

Parker was a little taken back by Gwen's question. He had just gone through this situation with Ed and Sophie. "No, you've never asked me to quit."

Gwen released her arms from around her body and let them hang beside her on the bed. "I didn't think I would. I just wanted to be sure though. I hate this feeling of not remembering."

"I can't imagine what you are going through Gwendolyn, but I do know that you're trying, and that's making a difference. I'll answer anything you want. Don't feel like you've got to tip toe around questions with me."

"Thanks, Parker. Um, do I, um, we, do we have a main computer around?"

"Yes. It's in your office."

"I have an office?" Gwen's face lit up, and Parker couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes, it was the one thing you insisted on when you moved in. You wanted a place for all of your research and, for lack of a better term, stuff."

Gwen jumped off the bed. "When is dinner?"

Parker smiled. At least some things never changed – His wife could always be sidetracked with food.