Chapter Three

For disclaimer, see Chapter One. On with the story…

The Centre

Blue Cove, Delaware

Miss Parker entered her father's office, to find him talking to Lyle. He immediately stopped his conversation with Lyle and smiled at her.

"Angel." He said, "Any luck on catching Jarod?"

She shook her head. "No, daddy. I need to talk to you."

"What about? Are you alright?"

"I need a vacation, daddy. Just for a few days."

Mr. Parker looked thoughtful. "Of course you do. You're a hard worker. You're a Parker. When do you want to start your vacation?"

"Tonight. Is that alright with you?"

That answer seemed to surprise him. "Sure, Angel. What ever you want."

"Thank you, daddy." She kissed his cheek and left his office.

"She's up to something." Lyle said, gazing at the doors she had just walked out of.

Mr. Parker sighed and nodded. "Follow her."

*

It was dark by the time Miss Parker pulled into the dirt driveway of Jarod's cottage. She shut off the engine and got out of the car. She walked to the trunk and opened it. Taking out her suitcase, she shut the trunk and walked to the front door. Smiling, she opened the door and went inside. The cottage was dark, but Parker found her way to the stairs easily.

When she entered Jarod's room, she found him lying in bed. The TV was on and was casting a blue glow around the room. She put down her suitcase and walked to his bedside. He was sleeping peacefully. She smiled and touched his face. With surprising speed, his hand flew up and grabbed her wrist tightly.

"Hey!" Parker cried with a laugh.

Jarod, who was fully awake and alert, opened his eyes and grinned at her.

"Faker!" she said as he pulled her down to him.

"I'm a great pretender, aren't I?"

That got a laugh out of both of them. With his free hand, Jarod entangled his hand in her hair, and brought her head down. They kissed passionately, finally freeing themselves to their feelings for each other. When they broke apart, Parker smiled.

"I've had a very, very long day. And I think I need a nice, long bath." She said in his ear, her voice holding a hint of seduction.

Jarod smiled as she got up off him. She then grabbed his hand got him off the bed and pulled him into the bathroom with her.

A while later

Parker and Jarod lay with a sheet around their bodies, on the rug in front of the now burning fire in the fireplace. Parker's head rest on his chest, her ear to his heart. The steady beat calmed her completely. She hadn't felt this calm, this whole, this free since Thomas. She prayed to God that the Centre would never catch him, she wouldn't be able to handle it if she lost another lover. Jarod seemed to sense where her thoughts were.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

Parker raised her eyes to his. "Yes." She said, "It's just…"

"Just what?"

"I don't want to lose you…to lose this. I would die if something happened to you."

The Pretender smiled at her. "Nothing's going to happen to me. Ever. I'm never going to let you get hurt and I'm never going to leave you." He kissed the top of her head and held her closer.

After a few minutes, they had moved upstairs. Parker had put on one of Jarod's button down stair, while Jarod had put on a pair of black pajama pants. They were sleeping peacefully, wrapped up in a spooning cuddle. Suddenly the peace was shattered by the sounds of the fire alarm going off from downstairs. Jarod bolt awake immediately while Parker continued to sleep undisturbed by the noise. He shook her hard.

"Michealina! Wake up! The house is on fire!"

Parker sat up. "Huh?"

"The house is on fire!"

Alarm spread over her features. They quickly got out of bed and went down stairs to find the living room and the way to the door completely ablaze. Jarod grabbed her hand and they ran to the back porch door. Exiting the house, they stood on the cold grass. Both of them were wondering how the fire started, since Jarod had extinguished the fire in the fireplace before they hard went upstairs.

A sudden noise to the left startled them. In the darkness, they could barely make out the figure. But when the security light went on, the person could be clearly be seen. Parker gasped at she recognized the person.

"Lyle!" she cried, fear in her voice.

He twin shook his head in disgust. "You've stooped to a real low, sis."

"Get the hell outta here, Lyle." She growled.

"As you know," He said, raising his arm, a gun in his hand. "I can't do that."

Parker eyed the gun. It was directly level with Jarod's head. I am not going to let Lyle kill him. She thought.

"Jarod. Get out of here." She said softly, so only Jarod could hear.

"I'm not leaving you." He answered in the same tone.

"Just do it. I don't want you getting caught. They'll do worse to you then they'll do to me."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Said Lyle, upon hearing that statement.

Growling in frustration, Parker whirled around and faced Jarod. "Run!" she hissed.

"Michealina." Growled the Pretender.

"Do it." It was her final command.

As Jarod took off, Lyle fired, and missed.

"Damn it." He cursed.

Parker stood still, her head held high. Her brother glared and raised his gun.

"Do it." She said, "Or don't you have the balls to?"

"You really are a spoiled little bitch, aren't you?" he asked, his finger on the trigger.

"It's better then being a no thumbed psychopath."

In the span of 1.5 seconds, Lyle had pulled the trigger. This time, his bullet hit his target. Parker fell to the ground, blinding pain running through her body, blood pouring from the wound on her abdomen. Oh, god please let Jarod escape. She thought as the darkness consumed her.