"The problem," Miss Parker said, "is I wrecked my car in the middle of nowhere and I'm now sitting in a cabin in the woods in the middle of a cell phone dead zone." Miss Parker sweep her hair back out of her face with one hand and looked over at Jarod as Kiki came back over the CB.

"Are you injured, hun? Over."

"I'll live," she told Kiki. "Over."

"Would you like me to send Sheriff Banks or one of the medics from town?" Kiki asked. "Over." Parker glanced into the bedroom, then slumped back on the couch.

"No, neither. I just need to get a call to me people. Over."

"That's not a problem, sweetheart," Kiki told Parker. "What's the phone number? Over." Parker gave her the number and could hear a line ringing. After a moment, someone answered.

"Centre Archives." Miss Parker sat up.

"Broots. Is that you, you loveable moron?"

"Y-yes," Broots replied. "Miss Parker?"

"Yes, Broots, it's me." She ran her hand over her eyes. "I want you to go find Sydney, or wake him or whatever and I want you two with Sam and Willie on the jet and on you're way down to wherever you sent me."

"Did you…did you find Jarod?" Parker looked over at Jarod and pushed the button, then release it and turned away. Sydney's voice came over the CB.

"Is that Miss Parker?" he asked and she closed her eyes.

"Yeah, Syd, it's me."

"We were beginning to worry, Miss Parker," Sydney said and she nodded, slumping back again. "We haven't been able to reach you for a few hours."

"It's been a rough night, Syd," Parker told him.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll live."

"Did you find the cabin Jarod was staying in?" Sydney asked. Miss Parker smiled.

"Yeah, I found it. I'm still here."

"Where are you calling from?"

"A damn CB radio, Syd. Just get down here."

"We'll be there as soon as we can, Miss Parker." She heard the line click, then Kiki came back on.

"Was there anything else you needed, hun? Over."

"I don't think so," Parker said. "Over."

"Alright, then. Kiki, over and out." Jarod could hear the hollow silence and Miss Parker flipped the main switch down. The CB radio powered off and Miss Parker tossed the receiver next to the box.

"Why didn't you tell Sydney?" Jarod asked and Parker looked over at him.

"About what?" she asked as she turned away. Jarod looked at the fire.

"Me."

"Because I didn't feel like it," Parker said. Jarod smiled.

"I think we should talk." Miss Parker stood up and turned toward him.

"I told you we were not talking," she said and grabbed the piece of tape off the table.

"We can't change what happened, Miss Parker," Jarod told her, and she smiled.

"Maybe not, but we can repress it."

"Like everything else in your life?" he asked and Parker frowned.

"This little night of hell is not going to turn into a discussion session about my past."

"Then what has it turned into?" Jarod asked. Miss Parker walked over and stared down at him, the piece of tape still held out. Jarod looked at it, then rolled his eyes up to her. "Can you tell me you felt nothing when we kissed?"

"Yes."

"You're lying." Parker arched her eyebrows.

"You don't know everything, Jarod," Miss Parker said.

"I know that," Jarod replied. Parker frowned, then slowly wadded up the tape and tossed it aside. Jarod watched the tape bounce across the cabin floor. He turned back and Parker leaned down, pressing her mouth against his.

Jarod closed his eyes as Miss Parker kissed him. Her hand cupped the side of his face and when Parker finally pulled back, Jarod's lips tingled with a rush of sensation.

"See," Parker whispered. "Nothing." Jarod opened his eyes and looked up at Miss Parker. She stared down at him, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes cold.

"Nothing," Jarod repeated and his voice was as empty as he felt as Parker nodded. Jarod clenched his teeth. A noise and movement in the bedroom made Jarod look past Parker. Karl was awake on the floor, trying to sit up, but the duct tape prevented it. Miss Parker looked over her shoulder.

"Sorry, Sport," Miss Parker told him and she went over and shut the bedroom door. She stood leaning against the door for a moment, then she came back into the living room and picked up the knife off the table before turning back to Jarod. She put the point of the knife against Jarod's chest moving it slowly over and up onto his shoulder. Jarod watched her silently until she stepped behind him.

"What are you doing?" Jarod asked and Miss Parker pulled on the rope.

"I'm still not sure," she said and the top rope went slack, sliding off of Jarod.

Miss Parker caught the end of the rope, slowly unwinding it from around Jarod. He held his breath as she unwound it from his shoulders, his waist and his legs. Parker stood next to Jarod and he didn't moved until the last piece of rope slid away from his hands. Jarod started to stand, but Miss Parker stopped him with the knife. She stepped in front of him and grabbed the links between the handcuffs. As Miss Parker lifted Jarod's hands up and back she stepped forward, straddling Jarod's legs. Parker sat down on his thighs and Jarod could feel her fingers brushing the back of his neck.

"What happened?" Parker asked and Jarod realized she was looking down at his chest and stomach. He looked down and saw the rope burns on his skin.

"I struggled." Parker turned the knife blade away from Jarod and brushed one long finger across one of the pale red marks.

"Why?" she asked. Jarod took a shaking breath and rolled his eyes up as Miss Parker's finger continued to move across the slightly roughed skin.

"Because I was trying to get loose," he said. Miss Parker hummed.

"Why?" Jarod looked back down at her.

"Because I didn't want Bill to hurt you." Parker looked at him, then turned the knife over and held it up between them.

"You should know I can take care of myself," she whispered. Jarod glanced at the knife, then looked back at Parker. Her forehead had blossomed into a colorful bruise and she had a small cut high on one cheek, just below her eye. Jarod could see the blood still smeared at the corner of Parker's mouth from the first time Bill hit her. There was also a two inch bloody cut in the shoulder of Parker's white t-shirt. Jarod clenched his fists and pulled out against the handcuffs that Parker still held behind his head. He finally looked back at Miss Parker's face

"I know," Jarod said, searching her eyes. Parker stared back, unblinking. After a moment, she lowered the knife, then glanced down. Jarod heard the knife clatter to the floor and Miss Parker started to slide her fingers up Jarod's stomach.