LIFE OR DEATH
Part 8: Abre Los Ojos
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Never claimed to. 'Nuff said.
Author's Note: Sorry that it took so long to get an update for this fic, but I got a sudden burst of inspiration for my other Pretender fic, called "Fragile As a Leaf In Autumn, Strong As the Tree Carrying the Leaf", which is the sequel to my "Breakdown" series. *censor comes out and clobbers her over the head with a club and says "No shameless plugging!!!" Um.sorry about that. Oh well, enjoy!
AN2: Oh yeah, the title came from a Spanish movie by the same name. I've never seen that movie, but I have seen Vanilla Sky, which was inspired by that movie. K, now, enjoy!
. . . . . Abre Los Ojos . . . . .
The faint scent of vanilla drifted to his nose, pulling him out of the darkness. Forcing his eyes open, he squinted against the sudden change of light. He blinked a few times and swallowed before taking in his surroundings. He froze when he felt someone's warm breath being exhaled onto his hand. He slowly and carefully turned his head to see who was in the room with him. His heart nearly stopped upon seeing none other than the dark head of Miss Parker laying right beside his hand.
Jarod scrambled to collect his thoughts. He closed his eyes while wondering what to do. He heard her sniffle, and he opened his eyes to look at her. She didn't awaken, but she sniffled again and nuzzled her nose against the side of his hand. The rising sun caught the auburn glints in her hair and cast a golden glow onto her creamy skin. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. His breath caught in his throat when she nuzzled his hand again and murmured something.
"Open your eyes," she murmured louder. The hand that wasn't resting on Jarod's began to flutter on the bedspread. Her face screwed up with emotion as a few tears somehow squeezed their way through her tightly shut lids. She whispered, "No. No, no!" Her face relaxed as her lips began to tremble. Her brow furrowed as her voice became a crescendo shouting, "Open your eyes!"
As if she intended the command for herself, she opened her own eyes and panted for breath. She kept her head on the mattress, trying to bring herself out of the nightmare, when she felt something stroking the back of her hand. Her gaze shifted to see Jarod's thumb moving back and forth over her hand in a soothing gesture.
She sat straight up, still resting her hand on his, and found his warm brown eyes looking upon her with concern. Her breathing settled down as she relaxed.
"Jarod," she whispered, "you're awake." He nodded as much as his still- injured head would allow. She murmured breathlessly, "We. . . . I was so worried that you would never open your eyes again."
"You don't have to worry about that anymore, do you?" he asked, his voice weak from lack of use. She smiled and shook her head.
"No, you're okay. I was becoming afraid that you wouldn't wake up before the three of us had to go back," she remarked, causing Jarod's face to take on a look of panic. She caught his expression and quickly commented, "You're not going anywhere. Syd, Broots, and I will return to the Centre without you. Since you're awake, you can stay here without supervision. We have, however, hired a nurse to come and take care of you until you're fully healed. Then you're free to go," she ended with a whisper, looking at her feet.
He couldn't believe it! Ice Queen Parker was letting him go free? After a momentary elation, his mood dropped when he realized exactly what that would mean. He could see on Parker's face that she knew as well: no further contact. With any of them. The man who had been his mentor, the very man who Jarod had considered like a father, could no longer be a part of his life. He couldn't drop obvious clues to the stuttering and balding techie who had gained a soft spot in his heart. And he would no longer be chased by a woman who, as a little girl, had given him his first kiss. The bonds he had developed with "the three stooges", as he so affectionately called them, had to be broken, for the common good.
"Parker, why are you letting me go? It's not what you were trained to do. It's not what you were raised to do," he whispered, almost half-hoping that she'd change her mind.
"Open your eyes, Jarod," she scoffed, "it's getting ridiculous. You don't belong at the Centre."
"Neither do you," he retorted, "you should be able to spread your wings and fly. But instead, you're kept there in that horrific cage. Parker, when was the last time you experienced pure and simple joy?" he croaked. Silent for a moment, Parker's eyes met his before falling to the floor again. She stood up, extracting her hand from Jarod's hold.
"It's too late, Jarod. I wouldn't know what to do in that big outside world. I can't leave. It's the only home I've ever known. But you're out. Thank me, and get on with life." She cleared her throat and exited the room silently, closing the door behind her.
Jarod let his resolve falter momentarily after she'd left. Then, he smiled to himself and whispered, "Maybe it's time for you to open your eyes, Parker. You never know what you'll see." Fatigue washed over him as he slowly succumbed to the bliss of slumber while the day proceeded all around him.
Part 8: Abre Los Ojos
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Never claimed to. 'Nuff said.
Author's Note: Sorry that it took so long to get an update for this fic, but I got a sudden burst of inspiration for my other Pretender fic, called "Fragile As a Leaf In Autumn, Strong As the Tree Carrying the Leaf", which is the sequel to my "Breakdown" series. *censor comes out and clobbers her over the head with a club and says "No shameless plugging!!!" Um.sorry about that. Oh well, enjoy!
AN2: Oh yeah, the title came from a Spanish movie by the same name. I've never seen that movie, but I have seen Vanilla Sky, which was inspired by that movie. K, now, enjoy!
. . . . . Abre Los Ojos . . . . .
The faint scent of vanilla drifted to his nose, pulling him out of the darkness. Forcing his eyes open, he squinted against the sudden change of light. He blinked a few times and swallowed before taking in his surroundings. He froze when he felt someone's warm breath being exhaled onto his hand. He slowly and carefully turned his head to see who was in the room with him. His heart nearly stopped upon seeing none other than the dark head of Miss Parker laying right beside his hand.
Jarod scrambled to collect his thoughts. He closed his eyes while wondering what to do. He heard her sniffle, and he opened his eyes to look at her. She didn't awaken, but she sniffled again and nuzzled her nose against the side of his hand. The rising sun caught the auburn glints in her hair and cast a golden glow onto her creamy skin. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. His breath caught in his throat when she nuzzled his hand again and murmured something.
"Open your eyes," she murmured louder. The hand that wasn't resting on Jarod's began to flutter on the bedspread. Her face screwed up with emotion as a few tears somehow squeezed their way through her tightly shut lids. She whispered, "No. No, no!" Her face relaxed as her lips began to tremble. Her brow furrowed as her voice became a crescendo shouting, "Open your eyes!"
As if she intended the command for herself, she opened her own eyes and panted for breath. She kept her head on the mattress, trying to bring herself out of the nightmare, when she felt something stroking the back of her hand. Her gaze shifted to see Jarod's thumb moving back and forth over her hand in a soothing gesture.
She sat straight up, still resting her hand on his, and found his warm brown eyes looking upon her with concern. Her breathing settled down as she relaxed.
"Jarod," she whispered, "you're awake." He nodded as much as his still- injured head would allow. She murmured breathlessly, "We. . . . I was so worried that you would never open your eyes again."
"You don't have to worry about that anymore, do you?" he asked, his voice weak from lack of use. She smiled and shook her head.
"No, you're okay. I was becoming afraid that you wouldn't wake up before the three of us had to go back," she remarked, causing Jarod's face to take on a look of panic. She caught his expression and quickly commented, "You're not going anywhere. Syd, Broots, and I will return to the Centre without you. Since you're awake, you can stay here without supervision. We have, however, hired a nurse to come and take care of you until you're fully healed. Then you're free to go," she ended with a whisper, looking at her feet.
He couldn't believe it! Ice Queen Parker was letting him go free? After a momentary elation, his mood dropped when he realized exactly what that would mean. He could see on Parker's face that she knew as well: no further contact. With any of them. The man who had been his mentor, the very man who Jarod had considered like a father, could no longer be a part of his life. He couldn't drop obvious clues to the stuttering and balding techie who had gained a soft spot in his heart. And he would no longer be chased by a woman who, as a little girl, had given him his first kiss. The bonds he had developed with "the three stooges", as he so affectionately called them, had to be broken, for the common good.
"Parker, why are you letting me go? It's not what you were trained to do. It's not what you were raised to do," he whispered, almost half-hoping that she'd change her mind.
"Open your eyes, Jarod," she scoffed, "it's getting ridiculous. You don't belong at the Centre."
"Neither do you," he retorted, "you should be able to spread your wings and fly. But instead, you're kept there in that horrific cage. Parker, when was the last time you experienced pure and simple joy?" he croaked. Silent for a moment, Parker's eyes met his before falling to the floor again. She stood up, extracting her hand from Jarod's hold.
"It's too late, Jarod. I wouldn't know what to do in that big outside world. I can't leave. It's the only home I've ever known. But you're out. Thank me, and get on with life." She cleared her throat and exited the room silently, closing the door behind her.
Jarod let his resolve falter momentarily after she'd left. Then, he smiled to himself and whispered, "Maybe it's time for you to open your eyes, Parker. You never know what you'll see." Fatigue washed over him as he slowly succumbed to the bliss of slumber while the day proceeded all around him.