See part 1 ("Another Woman") for disclaimer.
The Friendship Cycle Ten: Getting It Right
By Ginger
Parker opened her eyes and smiled. She knew he was there, downstairs, waiting for her. She could feel him. Hell, she'd always been able to feel him. Lucky for him, her stubborn denial of that fact had kept him free for years... until she was ready... ready to let him in... ready to...
* * * *
"Hey," she said with a warm smile as she entered the room tying the belt to her robe.
"Hey," he returned softly, blinking up at her through his thick, dark eyelashes.
He offered his hand; she took it and joined him on the sofa. They sat in companionable silence for a time as he continued to hold her hand, stroking his thumb tenderly across her skin. After a while, a sad smile appeared on his lips and Jarod spoke.
"I don't suppose you'd even consider..."
Her equally sad smile cut him off and he cast his eyes downward. Tenderly caressing his cheek, she ran her thumb lovingly over the mole under his right eye then tilted his face to gaze into his moist eyes. She stole a quick glance around the room then met his eyes again and observed,
"I know it doesn't look like much." Shrugging, she continued, "But it's mine. It's my life, Jarod, and I'm not done here, not yet anyway. There are too many things I couldn't leave behind - too many unresolved questions. I know you understand because you're the one who encouraged me to ask those questions in the first place."
He nodded and closed his eyes. She took in every inch of his handsome face, every crease and shadow then went on,
"Besides, I think it's safe to say that your family has had their fill of Parkers for one lifetime, probably two."
His eyes snapped open and he protested, "But I haven't. There is one Parker I'll never have my fill of."
"Maybe not, but you've got to think of them now." Grinning, she added, "You're all going to be together as a family."
Shaking his head, Jarod sighed and remarked wryly, "It just figures that you'd pick this moment to be rational and good natured."
"Maddening, isn't it?" she teased.
Turning serious, he reflected, "This should be the happiest day of my life and yet I'm miserable and you're smiling. Maybe you're not so sorry to be rid of me."
"Oh yeah, that's *got* to be it." She rolled her eyes.
"Well," he muttered. "You seem just fine."
"That's because I am."
That is, if fine were defined as crying oneself to sleep every night then crying a little more in the morning for good measure, just enough to ensure puffy eyelids and a stuffy, red nose. Hell, if fine meant brow beating a hapless but devoted coworker and friend into going out after work, and getting so drunk that the poor man had to literally carry her home then sit with her as she again cried herself to sleep, then she was absolutely fabulous.
"And so are you. This is a *good* thing Jarod. And I want good things for you because I love you."
Of all the priceless looks he'd given her over the years, this one had to take the cake. It was a combination of shock, awe, joy and pain so beautiful that it momentarily took her breath away. When the moment was over she looked around and quipped,
"Hey, who said that?"
"You did," he replied with heartbreaking sincerity, a tear rolling down his cheek.
"Oh, baby," Parker whispered then threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"I... I..." he choked against her skin as he buried his face in her neck.
"Shhh..." she soothed. "I didn't say it to hear it. I didn't even say it for you. I said it because I needed to. Do you understand?"
He nodded against her then pulled back. Rubbing tears out of his eyes, he regained a measure of composure and stated, "There's no telling how they'll react once they realize I'm gone. They may hold you and Sydney responsible, maybe even Mr. Broots."
"I'd like to see them try."
"I'm serious Parker," he warned looking miserable. "You'll have to be extremely careful and if there's any trouble, even the slightest hint, I want you to..."
Clasping his head in her hands, she looked intently into his eyes and said, "I'll handle it, Jarod. I'll be just fine, we all will, I promise. You do believe I'm capable, that I can handle it, don't you?"
He nodded slowly then brought one of her hands to his lips to kiss her palm. Sliding down to rest his head in Parker's lap, Jarod closed his eyes, squeezing out more tears as she tenderly stroked his hair.
"I don't want to leave you," he whispered.
"Damn right, you don't," she teased softly. He smiled and nestled into her warmth.
"It's all going to be okay, baby," she cooed. "You're going to see your mother. She'll be so happy to see you. She's waited a lifetime for this. You both have." Again he nodded, tightening his hold on her.
Glancing heavenward, Parker took a deep, fortifying breath and repeated, "It's all going to be okay."
* * * *
"I appreciate your joining me for dinner, Syd," Parker offered then took a sip of her water before continuing, "I just didn't feel like being alone tonight."
"It is my pleasure, Miss Parker," he replied with a kind smile then turned his attention to the menu.
"Oh, Sydney," she sighed, setting aside her menu. "It is okay to resent them... just a little, isn't it?"
Smiling wistfully, he replied, "What it is, is fundamentally human."
"You sound as though you know of what I speak," she observed, quirking an eyebrow.
He shrugged then stated, "I am very proud of you, Miss Parker. You have done a marvelous thing for Jarod, and his family. And I know it is difficult for you."
"At least, this time, I wasn't saying goodbye in a funeral home or at a cemetery. And, let's face it, the longer he and I continued to see each other, the greater the likelihood of that eventuality. He's safe and he's free and that's all that matters."
"You love him very much."
Shaking her head, Parker smirked and responded, "It's not as though the little pain-in-the-ass left me any choice. Once we discovered Ethan and necessity dictated that I stop fighting him tooth and nail, I guess it was inevitable. And I think I'd always known that deep down, right from the beginning, which is why I tried so hard to hate him. I was trying to hold off the inevitable. But you know Jarod; he always took such delight in thwarting me."
Chuckling, Sydney confessed, "Sometimes I feared he would actually make you angry enough to kill him, but I always knew there was real affection underlying his actions. In so many ways, he was still a child. I was often reminded of a schoolboy with a crush on a classmate, seeking to get her attention by placing a spider in her desk."
"Or placing hundreds of phone calls with her phone card, or gluing her to the floor, or having her strip searched in Vegas," she said, rolling her eyes. Then her expression turned serious and she commented,
"But at least I had the opportunity to tell him how I feel. How come you never told him... about the box of treasures you keep... about the Father's Day card? I still don't think he quite gets it, Syd, what he really means to you. I did my best to gently enlighten him but I never thought it my place to, you know, intervene."
Smiling wistfully, Sydney glanced at the table and replied, "While he was at the Centre, it was simply out of the question. If they saw our relationship as anything deeper than what they dictated it be, I would have lost him. Once he was out... well, I never wanted him to feel *obliged* in any way. I never wanted anything to stand between him and his freedom."
Nodding thoughtfully, she commented, "No kidding, as evidenced by all those little tricks you played behind my back."
"Miss Parker, I do not delude myself that I would have gotten away with any of it if you hadn't let me."
They exchanged a warm, knowing smile then were interrupted by the waiter coming over to take their order. When he departed, Parker began,
"Last year, when we were sent to interrogate Zoe, she predicted that I'd blow it. It really irritated me at the time because I figured she was right. But I didn't blow it, did I?"
"No, Miss Parker, you did not," Sydney assured, smiling affectionately as he reached across the table to place his hand over hers.
"For once in my life, I think I actually got it right. I can hardly believe it."
"I am not at all surprised for I believe you to be capable of truly wonderful things."
"*We* did right by him, Syd."
He gave her a quick nod then cast his eyes down modestly. Squeezing his hand, she added, "And knowing that will make it easier to tolerate missing him... well, it might make it *possible* to tolerate, anyway, and face whatever comes next."
Meeting her eyes, he inquired, "How much trouble do you think we'll be in when they realize he's gone for good?"
Shrugging she replied, "Who can predict when it comes to that place? But I think the record will show that, while we never succeeded in capturing Jarod..."
She grinned and stated, "We got closer than anyone."
# # # #
Tbc... nor not... I'm feeling pretty darn cranky today so I'm having a hard time giving a damn. For all I care, Jarod can reunite with Zoe and produce a bunch of sub-literate children. At least they wouldn't need to worry; the Centre wouldn't want anything to do with those mutants.
The Friendship Cycle Ten: Getting It Right
By Ginger
Parker opened her eyes and smiled. She knew he was there, downstairs, waiting for her. She could feel him. Hell, she'd always been able to feel him. Lucky for him, her stubborn denial of that fact had kept him free for years... until she was ready... ready to let him in... ready to...
* * * *
"Hey," she said with a warm smile as she entered the room tying the belt to her robe.
"Hey," he returned softly, blinking up at her through his thick, dark eyelashes.
He offered his hand; she took it and joined him on the sofa. They sat in companionable silence for a time as he continued to hold her hand, stroking his thumb tenderly across her skin. After a while, a sad smile appeared on his lips and Jarod spoke.
"I don't suppose you'd even consider..."
Her equally sad smile cut him off and he cast his eyes downward. Tenderly caressing his cheek, she ran her thumb lovingly over the mole under his right eye then tilted his face to gaze into his moist eyes. She stole a quick glance around the room then met his eyes again and observed,
"I know it doesn't look like much." Shrugging, she continued, "But it's mine. It's my life, Jarod, and I'm not done here, not yet anyway. There are too many things I couldn't leave behind - too many unresolved questions. I know you understand because you're the one who encouraged me to ask those questions in the first place."
He nodded and closed his eyes. She took in every inch of his handsome face, every crease and shadow then went on,
"Besides, I think it's safe to say that your family has had their fill of Parkers for one lifetime, probably two."
His eyes snapped open and he protested, "But I haven't. There is one Parker I'll never have my fill of."
"Maybe not, but you've got to think of them now." Grinning, she added, "You're all going to be together as a family."
Shaking his head, Jarod sighed and remarked wryly, "It just figures that you'd pick this moment to be rational and good natured."
"Maddening, isn't it?" she teased.
Turning serious, he reflected, "This should be the happiest day of my life and yet I'm miserable and you're smiling. Maybe you're not so sorry to be rid of me."
"Oh yeah, that's *got* to be it." She rolled her eyes.
"Well," he muttered. "You seem just fine."
"That's because I am."
That is, if fine were defined as crying oneself to sleep every night then crying a little more in the morning for good measure, just enough to ensure puffy eyelids and a stuffy, red nose. Hell, if fine meant brow beating a hapless but devoted coworker and friend into going out after work, and getting so drunk that the poor man had to literally carry her home then sit with her as she again cried herself to sleep, then she was absolutely fabulous.
"And so are you. This is a *good* thing Jarod. And I want good things for you because I love you."
Of all the priceless looks he'd given her over the years, this one had to take the cake. It was a combination of shock, awe, joy and pain so beautiful that it momentarily took her breath away. When the moment was over she looked around and quipped,
"Hey, who said that?"
"You did," he replied with heartbreaking sincerity, a tear rolling down his cheek.
"Oh, baby," Parker whispered then threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"I... I..." he choked against her skin as he buried his face in her neck.
"Shhh..." she soothed. "I didn't say it to hear it. I didn't even say it for you. I said it because I needed to. Do you understand?"
He nodded against her then pulled back. Rubbing tears out of his eyes, he regained a measure of composure and stated, "There's no telling how they'll react once they realize I'm gone. They may hold you and Sydney responsible, maybe even Mr. Broots."
"I'd like to see them try."
"I'm serious Parker," he warned looking miserable. "You'll have to be extremely careful and if there's any trouble, even the slightest hint, I want you to..."
Clasping his head in her hands, she looked intently into his eyes and said, "I'll handle it, Jarod. I'll be just fine, we all will, I promise. You do believe I'm capable, that I can handle it, don't you?"
He nodded slowly then brought one of her hands to his lips to kiss her palm. Sliding down to rest his head in Parker's lap, Jarod closed his eyes, squeezing out more tears as she tenderly stroked his hair.
"I don't want to leave you," he whispered.
"Damn right, you don't," she teased softly. He smiled and nestled into her warmth.
"It's all going to be okay, baby," she cooed. "You're going to see your mother. She'll be so happy to see you. She's waited a lifetime for this. You both have." Again he nodded, tightening his hold on her.
Glancing heavenward, Parker took a deep, fortifying breath and repeated, "It's all going to be okay."
* * * *
"I appreciate your joining me for dinner, Syd," Parker offered then took a sip of her water before continuing, "I just didn't feel like being alone tonight."
"It is my pleasure, Miss Parker," he replied with a kind smile then turned his attention to the menu.
"Oh, Sydney," she sighed, setting aside her menu. "It is okay to resent them... just a little, isn't it?"
Smiling wistfully, he replied, "What it is, is fundamentally human."
"You sound as though you know of what I speak," she observed, quirking an eyebrow.
He shrugged then stated, "I am very proud of you, Miss Parker. You have done a marvelous thing for Jarod, and his family. And I know it is difficult for you."
"At least, this time, I wasn't saying goodbye in a funeral home or at a cemetery. And, let's face it, the longer he and I continued to see each other, the greater the likelihood of that eventuality. He's safe and he's free and that's all that matters."
"You love him very much."
Shaking her head, Parker smirked and responded, "It's not as though the little pain-in-the-ass left me any choice. Once we discovered Ethan and necessity dictated that I stop fighting him tooth and nail, I guess it was inevitable. And I think I'd always known that deep down, right from the beginning, which is why I tried so hard to hate him. I was trying to hold off the inevitable. But you know Jarod; he always took such delight in thwarting me."
Chuckling, Sydney confessed, "Sometimes I feared he would actually make you angry enough to kill him, but I always knew there was real affection underlying his actions. In so many ways, he was still a child. I was often reminded of a schoolboy with a crush on a classmate, seeking to get her attention by placing a spider in her desk."
"Or placing hundreds of phone calls with her phone card, or gluing her to the floor, or having her strip searched in Vegas," she said, rolling her eyes. Then her expression turned serious and she commented,
"But at least I had the opportunity to tell him how I feel. How come you never told him... about the box of treasures you keep... about the Father's Day card? I still don't think he quite gets it, Syd, what he really means to you. I did my best to gently enlighten him but I never thought it my place to, you know, intervene."
Smiling wistfully, Sydney glanced at the table and replied, "While he was at the Centre, it was simply out of the question. If they saw our relationship as anything deeper than what they dictated it be, I would have lost him. Once he was out... well, I never wanted him to feel *obliged* in any way. I never wanted anything to stand between him and his freedom."
Nodding thoughtfully, she commented, "No kidding, as evidenced by all those little tricks you played behind my back."
"Miss Parker, I do not delude myself that I would have gotten away with any of it if you hadn't let me."
They exchanged a warm, knowing smile then were interrupted by the waiter coming over to take their order. When he departed, Parker began,
"Last year, when we were sent to interrogate Zoe, she predicted that I'd blow it. It really irritated me at the time because I figured she was right. But I didn't blow it, did I?"
"No, Miss Parker, you did not," Sydney assured, smiling affectionately as he reached across the table to place his hand over hers.
"For once in my life, I think I actually got it right. I can hardly believe it."
"I am not at all surprised for I believe you to be capable of truly wonderful things."
"*We* did right by him, Syd."
He gave her a quick nod then cast his eyes down modestly. Squeezing his hand, she added, "And knowing that will make it easier to tolerate missing him... well, it might make it *possible* to tolerate, anyway, and face whatever comes next."
Meeting her eyes, he inquired, "How much trouble do you think we'll be in when they realize he's gone for good?"
Shrugging she replied, "Who can predict when it comes to that place? But I think the record will show that, while we never succeeded in capturing Jarod..."
She grinned and stated, "We got closer than anyone."
# # # #
Tbc... nor not... I'm feeling pretty darn cranky today so I'm having a hard time giving a damn. For all I care, Jarod can reunite with Zoe and produce a bunch of sub-literate children. At least they wouldn't need to worry; the Centre wouldn't want anything to do with those mutants.