Title - Tears of Yesterday III
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG-13
Category - JMPR, MP/L, MSR
Spoilers: Pretender Season 4, X-Files Season 8 Finale
Summary - Jarod and Miss Parker make some unexpected friends and discover some unexpected ties.
Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and used without permission. Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and Fox. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
* * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 11
* * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker paces around the living room, hiding the wince that
accompanies each step. She's still sore, but she needs to think.
And pacing helps her to think.
"Honey, you should sit down," Jarod suggests. But he instantly
shuts his mouth when she shoots an icy glare his way.
"Sit down? You think I should just sit here and let you all go
blazing in there and play the heroes?" she says through tightly
clenched teeth.
"You didn't even consult us on this," Scully adds, her anger
rivaling Miss Parker's. "You just made the plans and figured
we'd be content to just sit here and play the good little wives."
"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not going either," Jarod
says. But once again, he's given the glare and decides to just
stop talking.
"For obvious reasons, Jarod can't go into the Centre with us.
And Parker, you know that you can't go either. For some reason,
our father wants you and Serena. This will be my chance to find
out why. You need to be as far away from that place as you can,"
Lyle pleads with her to understand.
"I don't like this, Lyle," she says. "I can fight my own
battles."
"I know you can. Parker, you are the strongest person I know.
But this just isn't your battle anymore. It's also mine."
"But . . . " she starts.
"I'll stick with the plan. I promise. I find out whatever it is
Dad wanted me to do, turn over that information to the Feds that
Mulder called, and then get Broots to start the download. We'll
be in and out within an hour," he assures her.
"Why is it you have to go, Mulder?" Scully asks. "Wouldn't it be
easier if I went, since I'm still active with the bureau?"
"Scully, you're needed here. William needs you," Mulder says.
"Don't start that sexist crap with me, Fox Mulder . . . "
"I'm not being sexist," he interjects. "Parker also needs you
and your medical expertise. You promised the doctors you'd keep
an eye on her. What would I do if there were a medical
emergency? You're better equipped to deal with it."
"Arghhh!!" Scully growls in frustration before storming out the
house. Miss Parker follows suit and stomps into the bedroom.
"Are they going to be alright?" Lyle asks, suddenly very afraid
to cross the two women. He thought his sister was scary. But he
sees now that Scully is running a close second.
"Parker's fine. She knows that we're right," Jarod sighs. "She
just needs to cool off. Mulder, what about Dana?"
"She's not happy," he frowns. "I'm going to go talk to her. And
hope she doesn't have her gun. She's a remarkable shot, even
when angry," he chuckles slightly, raising a hand to an old scar
on his shoulder. Lyle and Jarod look at each other, puzzled at
the private joke. Mulder gives them a 'pray for me' look and goes
outside to calm his irate wife.
"Scully . . . "
"Don't start with me, Mulder. I thought the days of you ditching
me were over. But as soon as an adventure drops in your lap,
you're off and running," she accuses.
"It's not like that." He gently puts a hand on her shoulder and
turns her around to face him.
"Then what is it like?"
"It's Lyle. He has issues with trust as you can probably
imagine. I think he's just barely beginning to trust me. He's
trying to change, Scully, and do the right thing. And I promised
to be there for him," Mulder explains.
"I guess I can understand that," she sighs, finally beginning to
understand him. "I just wish you had spoken with us about this
first. Instead of waiting for Parker and I to leave the room for
10 minutes. But, I suppose the plan is solid. So long as you
stick with it," she admonishes him, giving him a peek at the
arched eyebrow.
"Don't worry, Honey. You know me," he smiles.
"That's what I'm afraid of." She falls into his arms, rolling her
eyes at how much of a pushover she's become.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Parker," Lyle calls through the closed bedroom door. He knows
she's angry about being excluded from the plan, but it's
something that has to be done. And if she's honest with
herself, she'd realize she isn't up to participating anyway.
"Go away, Lyle," she says.
"I am. That's what I came to tell you." He leans his head up
against the door and is surprised when it opens, causing him to
fall forward into the room. "It's time for us to go. I just
wanted to say good-bye."
She looks down at her feet and nods her head.
"I know. And I understand why I can't be a part of this. And
that's what makes me angry. Being limited. Having to depend on
others."
"But look at what you've gotten out of the deal," he tells her,
peeking into the crib at Serena. "You have a beautiful little
girl, Parker. Who's going to want to depend on you for the rest
of her life. You owe it to her to be there. Blazing into the
Centre with Mulder and me won't guarantee that. She deserves
more than what you, me, and Jarod had."
"I know that," she says emphatically. "I do, Lyle. I realize
that. She's the most important thing to me. I'd do anything for
her. And that includes facing our father at the Centre. That
includes hunting her father down and giving him exactly what he
deserves."
"But you don't have to. I'm going to take care of Dad. And I'm
going to take care of Carson. He's not her father, anyway. Not
in the sense that counts. Her father is sitting right out there
in the living room. The man that loves her and her mother with
everything he has. The man who's giving up everything to keep
you two safe."
"What do you mean?" she gasps.
"All these years, Parker. You don't think Jarod's had the power
to shut that place down a thousand times over? But he hasn't.
And why is that? Because that's the only place he can go for
answers. Answers to questions haunting you both all your lives.
You've gotten your answers, Parker. But what about Jarod? What
about *his* mother? The truth about *his* family? They're still
locked inside the Centre. But for you and Serena, he's given up
the chance of ever finding those answers. He's the one who gave
us the information we needed to take that place down for good."
"Jarod did that?" A tear streams down her face and she hastily
wipes it away.
"He said that you and Serena were his family now. That you two
were all that mattered." Lyle moves next to her and tentatively
places his arm around her shoulder. "Listen, Sis. I'm not trying
to make you feel guilty. I just want you to realize how lucky
you are. You have things I never realized I always wanted."
She looks up at him and smiles before pulling him into a hug.
"You'll have it one day," she whispers to him, kissing him on the
cheek. "You deserve this kind of happiness too."
"Well, I'm not so sure about that. Happiness might be a bit
much," he chuckles. "But as long as you're happy, that'll be
reward enough for me."
"Don't give up on it, Lyle. You never know what the future will
bring," she says with a cryptic smile. "I'm sure your happiness
is just around the corner."
"What makes you say that?"
"Let's just say . . . it's something a little birdie told me."
She gives him a full fledged smile, amused at his obvious
confusion. She knows he has the gift like she does. But it's
just a matter of him listening to the voices.
'One day he'll hear,' a voice whispers to her. 'And then he'll
understand.'
To be continued . . .
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG-13
Category - JMPR, MP/L, MSR
Spoilers: Pretender Season 4, X-Files Season 8 Finale
Summary - Jarod and Miss Parker make some unexpected friends and discover some unexpected ties.
Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and used without permission. Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and Fox. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
* * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 11
* * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker paces around the living room, hiding the wince that
accompanies each step. She's still sore, but she needs to think.
And pacing helps her to think.
"Honey, you should sit down," Jarod suggests. But he instantly
shuts his mouth when she shoots an icy glare his way.
"Sit down? You think I should just sit here and let you all go
blazing in there and play the heroes?" she says through tightly
clenched teeth.
"You didn't even consult us on this," Scully adds, her anger
rivaling Miss Parker's. "You just made the plans and figured
we'd be content to just sit here and play the good little wives."
"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not going either," Jarod
says. But once again, he's given the glare and decides to just
stop talking.
"For obvious reasons, Jarod can't go into the Centre with us.
And Parker, you know that you can't go either. For some reason,
our father wants you and Serena. This will be my chance to find
out why. You need to be as far away from that place as you can,"
Lyle pleads with her to understand.
"I don't like this, Lyle," she says. "I can fight my own
battles."
"I know you can. Parker, you are the strongest person I know.
But this just isn't your battle anymore. It's also mine."
"But . . . " she starts.
"I'll stick with the plan. I promise. I find out whatever it is
Dad wanted me to do, turn over that information to the Feds that
Mulder called, and then get Broots to start the download. We'll
be in and out within an hour," he assures her.
"Why is it you have to go, Mulder?" Scully asks. "Wouldn't it be
easier if I went, since I'm still active with the bureau?"
"Scully, you're needed here. William needs you," Mulder says.
"Don't start that sexist crap with me, Fox Mulder . . . "
"I'm not being sexist," he interjects. "Parker also needs you
and your medical expertise. You promised the doctors you'd keep
an eye on her. What would I do if there were a medical
emergency? You're better equipped to deal with it."
"Arghhh!!" Scully growls in frustration before storming out the
house. Miss Parker follows suit and stomps into the bedroom.
"Are they going to be alright?" Lyle asks, suddenly very afraid
to cross the two women. He thought his sister was scary. But he
sees now that Scully is running a close second.
"Parker's fine. She knows that we're right," Jarod sighs. "She
just needs to cool off. Mulder, what about Dana?"
"She's not happy," he frowns. "I'm going to go talk to her. And
hope she doesn't have her gun. She's a remarkable shot, even
when angry," he chuckles slightly, raising a hand to an old scar
on his shoulder. Lyle and Jarod look at each other, puzzled at
the private joke. Mulder gives them a 'pray for me' look and goes
outside to calm his irate wife.
"Scully . . . "
"Don't start with me, Mulder. I thought the days of you ditching
me were over. But as soon as an adventure drops in your lap,
you're off and running," she accuses.
"It's not like that." He gently puts a hand on her shoulder and
turns her around to face him.
"Then what is it like?"
"It's Lyle. He has issues with trust as you can probably
imagine. I think he's just barely beginning to trust me. He's
trying to change, Scully, and do the right thing. And I promised
to be there for him," Mulder explains.
"I guess I can understand that," she sighs, finally beginning to
understand him. "I just wish you had spoken with us about this
first. Instead of waiting for Parker and I to leave the room for
10 minutes. But, I suppose the plan is solid. So long as you
stick with it," she admonishes him, giving him a peek at the
arched eyebrow.
"Don't worry, Honey. You know me," he smiles.
"That's what I'm afraid of." She falls into his arms, rolling her
eyes at how much of a pushover she's become.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Parker," Lyle calls through the closed bedroom door. He knows
she's angry about being excluded from the plan, but it's
something that has to be done. And if she's honest with
herself, she'd realize she isn't up to participating anyway.
"Go away, Lyle," she says.
"I am. That's what I came to tell you." He leans his head up
against the door and is surprised when it opens, causing him to
fall forward into the room. "It's time for us to go. I just
wanted to say good-bye."
She looks down at her feet and nods her head.
"I know. And I understand why I can't be a part of this. And
that's what makes me angry. Being limited. Having to depend on
others."
"But look at what you've gotten out of the deal," he tells her,
peeking into the crib at Serena. "You have a beautiful little
girl, Parker. Who's going to want to depend on you for the rest
of her life. You owe it to her to be there. Blazing into the
Centre with Mulder and me won't guarantee that. She deserves
more than what you, me, and Jarod had."
"I know that," she says emphatically. "I do, Lyle. I realize
that. She's the most important thing to me. I'd do anything for
her. And that includes facing our father at the Centre. That
includes hunting her father down and giving him exactly what he
deserves."
"But you don't have to. I'm going to take care of Dad. And I'm
going to take care of Carson. He's not her father, anyway. Not
in the sense that counts. Her father is sitting right out there
in the living room. The man that loves her and her mother with
everything he has. The man who's giving up everything to keep
you two safe."
"What do you mean?" she gasps.
"All these years, Parker. You don't think Jarod's had the power
to shut that place down a thousand times over? But he hasn't.
And why is that? Because that's the only place he can go for
answers. Answers to questions haunting you both all your lives.
You've gotten your answers, Parker. But what about Jarod? What
about *his* mother? The truth about *his* family? They're still
locked inside the Centre. But for you and Serena, he's given up
the chance of ever finding those answers. He's the one who gave
us the information we needed to take that place down for good."
"Jarod did that?" A tear streams down her face and she hastily
wipes it away.
"He said that you and Serena were his family now. That you two
were all that mattered." Lyle moves next to her and tentatively
places his arm around her shoulder. "Listen, Sis. I'm not trying
to make you feel guilty. I just want you to realize how lucky
you are. You have things I never realized I always wanted."
She looks up at him and smiles before pulling him into a hug.
"You'll have it one day," she whispers to him, kissing him on the
cheek. "You deserve this kind of happiness too."
"Well, I'm not so sure about that. Happiness might be a bit
much," he chuckles. "But as long as you're happy, that'll be
reward enough for me."
"Don't give up on it, Lyle. You never know what the future will
bring," she says with a cryptic smile. "I'm sure your happiness
is just around the corner."
"What makes you say that?"
"Let's just say . . . it's something a little birdie told me."
She gives him a full fledged smile, amused at his obvious
confusion. She knows he has the gift like she does. But it's
just a matter of him listening to the voices.
'One day he'll hear,' a voice whispers to her. 'And then he'll
understand.'
To be continued . . .