LIFE OR DEATH
Part 11: Let It Snow
Disclaimer: Pretender is property of NBC, or TNT, or whatever. I own nothing except for some no-bake cookies and a sticky note pad.
Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews! I'm currently procrastinating from either A: doing homework, B: getting ready for interpreting my chapel service on Tuesday, and/or C: finding a job (granted, it's midnight, but who cares!) So, here's the next chapter. And it's soon, I know, but I don't expect any complaints. ;~P ~~ Samantha
Jarod walked calmly into the cabin, covered in a thick, white powder. He shook his head as he got past the door in an attempt to get the snow out of his dark hair. After taking his coat and shoes off, he headed into the kitchen to make himself some hot chocolate. When he realized that Sydney and Broots hadn't returned yet, he knew that they wouldn't get a chance to until after the storm had calmed. The blizzard was in full swing, snowing Jarod in the cabin. With Parker.
He didn't know if he could handle it. He realized that they had gotten along civilly for the majority of the day, but how would they manage in close quarters under an urgent situation? To be honest, Jarod really didn't want to find out. He poured the powder into his steaming jug of milk and sat down at the table.
"Looks like we're snowed in," he mused out loud while gazing out the window after he'd felt the presence of someone behind him. He heard the expected sigh of frustration and the stomp as Parker walked away. He slightly smiled to himself. Score one for Jarod.
Parker groaned as she flopped onto her bed. She had known that it was likely for a blizzard to happen, but she never expected to be trapped with. . . with that thing! That lab rat! And what's worse, she didn't have Sydney to keep her sane.
She threw her arms over her face and absentmindedly massaged her scalp with her fingertips. -Oh well, Parker,- her mind reasoned, - life never promised to be fair. You'll just have to live with it.- She sighed as she decided to follow her brain. She let her arms fall to the sides of her head while she twirled a strand of hair in between her pointer and middle fingers.
-Why are you so indignant about being stuck with him? Especially with how far you let things proceed earlier today,- her brain continued. Parker rolled her eyes at the thought. Then, she pondered more deeply on the subject. Why did she let things go as far as they did? The hand that wasn't playing with her hair drifted to her lips as she recalled the event.
One could say she'd been asking for it. She'd been flirting with Jarod all day, despite the vehement protests her insides made. And then. . .she'd slipped on the ice. She could feel his breath on her lips. He was that close. She shivered inwardly as she remembered the sensation it had caused. She'd never felt that way before, not even with Tommy. Her fingertips lightly traced her lips while she was lost in thought.
Then she shook her head. -What's wrong with me? I never act like some silly schoolgirl! - the Ice Queen in her protested. She rubbed her eyes as she stood up. She realized that she would just have to bear with it. She set a course for the kitchen. She passed Jarod on her way, but she didn't say anything. She busied herself making a sandwich, all the while giving Jarod the silent treatment.
He watched her go about her way before commenting, "I know this is gonna be difficult for us, Parker. But we at least have to be civil towards each other if we want to survive," he ended with a light chuckle to show he was joking. Parker paused for a moment, set down her butter knife, then looked at him.
"Know what? You're right, Jarod. I'll be civil." She pasted on a saccharine smile, grabbed her plate, and walked quietly into the den. Jarod looked up at the ceiling and waited a few moments before following her. He sat down at the opposite end of the couch. Not saying a word, he just folded his hands and twiddled his thumbs.
His movement set Parker on edge. After viciously chewing a bite of her sandwich, she yelled, "Stop it!! That irritates the crap out of me!"
"Since you asked so nicely," he retorted with a sly grin on his face. He really had no idea what he was doing. He was just making it up as he went along. He watched as Parker's face registered anger, then mere annoyance.
"Well, maybe if you'd do something, oh I don't know, PRODUCTIVE, then perhaps I wouldn't have to be so testy!" she spat out before taking another bite.
"No, I think the real solution to your testiness is a good dose of Midol," he mused. Parker's sandwich dropped to the plate as she slowly turned her head toward him.
"And what would you know about P.M.S.? Did you sim it?" she harped relentlessly. "I'll bet that was rich! Raines probably pumped you so full of estrogen that you could tell the difference between violet-blue and blue- violet," she whispered gratingly. Her statement did not have the desired effect, however. At the mention of Raines, Jarod retreated inwardly and stood up. What Parker didn't know was that he had been having horrible nightmares about Dr. Emphysema himself. He worked his jaw as he fought to keep his emotions in check.
He lost that fight.
"Don't you dare mention that name to me ever again unless you're planning on taking me back to that hell! Do you hear me? Don't. Ever. Say. His. Name. Again," he exploded, pointing his finger at her with the last six words as he enunciated them clearly and separately. Parker jumped at his outburst and blinked once while taking on a deer-in-the-headlights look.
"I--I'm sorry, Jarod," she whispered hoarsely after swallowing. "I didn't-- I didn't know that you would react that way to--to it." She sat ramrod straight as she gave him a wide-eyed stare; her chin quivering with the effort of not tearing up.
After the fog of anger had left his eyes, he saw what his outburst had done to her. His shoulders slumped slightly as he sat down once more. He whispered, "No, it's me who should be apologizing. Not you. You didn't deserve what I said, or how I said it. You risked your life to get me out of there. Why would you take me back? How could you possibly know about the dreams?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he slapped a hand to his lips. He hadn't intended for her to hear about his nightmares.
"What--what dreams, Jarod?" she asked concernedly, "What do you mean about 'the dreams'?" They held each other's gaze for what seemed like the longest time. Then Jarod sighed and rubbed his face.
"Ever since I came out of it, I've been having these nightmares. In them, Raines is even more demented than in real life, if you can imagine that. What's worse is, they usually involve death," he remarked. Parker looked at him curiously.
"Who dies, Jarod?"
"Sydney, Broots, Angelo, Emily. You."
"What about you, Jarod? Do you live?" His grim face expressed the answer before he even told her.
"Yes. I see you all die. Then I'm forced to live on. It's the worst kind of torture you can imagine." Parker looked at him.
"I can understand. I've been through it several times. Mom and Tommy. Then you," she ended with a mirthless chuckle. Jarod arched an eyebrow questioningly.
"But I was never dead," he commented.
"We--we were told that you had died. You'd been shot in the head. I'd seen how you'd looked. Of course, I believed them when they said you were dead. Jarod. . .it was horrible. I'd never felt such despair in all my life."
"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," he murmured.
"Jarod, it was torture. I'd lost one of my oldest friends. I. . .there were times when I seriously thought that I couldn't go on. Only Syd and Broots kept me alive. The fact that they were going through the same experience at the same time I was, was oddly comforting." She smiled slightly. The look of sadness in her eyes was almost Jarod's undoing. He reached out his arm and rested his hand on her knee.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he whispered. "I never wanted that. . .I never wanted it that way for you." On impulse, Parker reached across the space between them and embraced Jarod. A few moments later, he returned the embrace, lightly moving his hands against her back. Then they parted slightly, looking into each other's eyes. Parker could feel his breath on her lips again. The look in his eyes made her heart race even faster.
He looked down at her lips, then moved his head downward. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they kissed. Their lips began an intricate dance of exploration and discovery. Almost too soon, they parted and gazed into each other's eyes again. One salty tear hit Parker's lips, causing her to smile slightly. Jarod placed a palm at the spot where her head met her neck. He smiled as well.
"So. . .what now?" he asked in his deep timbre.
"You freeze, that's what happens!" ordered a tall man with a gun. The couple turned their heads to see who the intruders were.
"Willie?!" Parker exclaimed. She stood up, despite Jarod begging her to stay seated. She put her fists at her hips in a stance of defiance. Jarod saw the Sweeper take aim, and he knew he had to do something. So, before he could think fully, he rushed Willie, knocking him to the ground. Jarod repeatedly tried to grab the gun from his hands, but the Sweeper would not give it up. During the struggle, the gun went off. Jarod rolled away, but grasped his thigh. He'd been hit! And Willie knew it.
Willie immediately apprehended Jarod, placing the cuffs mercilessly on his wrists. Parker, who had been fighting the other Sweepers, saw this and cried out, "Jarod! No!" Her shouts caught Willie's attention. He shoved Jarod to another Sweeper and pulled his gun out again while she was rushing him. Without even blinking, he took aim and fired, sending the bullet into the left side of her chest. Jarod let out a strangled cry before the Sweeper restraining him began to move him out of the cabin. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Parker trying to stand up. There was still hope!
As he was being shoved into a black, unmarked car, a final shot rang through the silent afternoon.
Part 11: Let It Snow
Disclaimer: Pretender is property of NBC, or TNT, or whatever. I own nothing except for some no-bake cookies and a sticky note pad.
Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews! I'm currently procrastinating from either A: doing homework, B: getting ready for interpreting my chapel service on Tuesday, and/or C: finding a job (granted, it's midnight, but who cares!) So, here's the next chapter. And it's soon, I know, but I don't expect any complaints. ;~P ~~ Samantha
Jarod walked calmly into the cabin, covered in a thick, white powder. He shook his head as he got past the door in an attempt to get the snow out of his dark hair. After taking his coat and shoes off, he headed into the kitchen to make himself some hot chocolate. When he realized that Sydney and Broots hadn't returned yet, he knew that they wouldn't get a chance to until after the storm had calmed. The blizzard was in full swing, snowing Jarod in the cabin. With Parker.
He didn't know if he could handle it. He realized that they had gotten along civilly for the majority of the day, but how would they manage in close quarters under an urgent situation? To be honest, Jarod really didn't want to find out. He poured the powder into his steaming jug of milk and sat down at the table.
"Looks like we're snowed in," he mused out loud while gazing out the window after he'd felt the presence of someone behind him. He heard the expected sigh of frustration and the stomp as Parker walked away. He slightly smiled to himself. Score one for Jarod.
Parker groaned as she flopped onto her bed. She had known that it was likely for a blizzard to happen, but she never expected to be trapped with. . . with that thing! That lab rat! And what's worse, she didn't have Sydney to keep her sane.
She threw her arms over her face and absentmindedly massaged her scalp with her fingertips. -Oh well, Parker,- her mind reasoned, - life never promised to be fair. You'll just have to live with it.- She sighed as she decided to follow her brain. She let her arms fall to the sides of her head while she twirled a strand of hair in between her pointer and middle fingers.
-Why are you so indignant about being stuck with him? Especially with how far you let things proceed earlier today,- her brain continued. Parker rolled her eyes at the thought. Then, she pondered more deeply on the subject. Why did she let things go as far as they did? The hand that wasn't playing with her hair drifted to her lips as she recalled the event.
One could say she'd been asking for it. She'd been flirting with Jarod all day, despite the vehement protests her insides made. And then. . .she'd slipped on the ice. She could feel his breath on her lips. He was that close. She shivered inwardly as she remembered the sensation it had caused. She'd never felt that way before, not even with Tommy. Her fingertips lightly traced her lips while she was lost in thought.
Then she shook her head. -What's wrong with me? I never act like some silly schoolgirl! - the Ice Queen in her protested. She rubbed her eyes as she stood up. She realized that she would just have to bear with it. She set a course for the kitchen. She passed Jarod on her way, but she didn't say anything. She busied herself making a sandwich, all the while giving Jarod the silent treatment.
He watched her go about her way before commenting, "I know this is gonna be difficult for us, Parker. But we at least have to be civil towards each other if we want to survive," he ended with a light chuckle to show he was joking. Parker paused for a moment, set down her butter knife, then looked at him.
"Know what? You're right, Jarod. I'll be civil." She pasted on a saccharine smile, grabbed her plate, and walked quietly into the den. Jarod looked up at the ceiling and waited a few moments before following her. He sat down at the opposite end of the couch. Not saying a word, he just folded his hands and twiddled his thumbs.
His movement set Parker on edge. After viciously chewing a bite of her sandwich, she yelled, "Stop it!! That irritates the crap out of me!"
"Since you asked so nicely," he retorted with a sly grin on his face. He really had no idea what he was doing. He was just making it up as he went along. He watched as Parker's face registered anger, then mere annoyance.
"Well, maybe if you'd do something, oh I don't know, PRODUCTIVE, then perhaps I wouldn't have to be so testy!" she spat out before taking another bite.
"No, I think the real solution to your testiness is a good dose of Midol," he mused. Parker's sandwich dropped to the plate as she slowly turned her head toward him.
"And what would you know about P.M.S.? Did you sim it?" she harped relentlessly. "I'll bet that was rich! Raines probably pumped you so full of estrogen that you could tell the difference between violet-blue and blue- violet," she whispered gratingly. Her statement did not have the desired effect, however. At the mention of Raines, Jarod retreated inwardly and stood up. What Parker didn't know was that he had been having horrible nightmares about Dr. Emphysema himself. He worked his jaw as he fought to keep his emotions in check.
He lost that fight.
"Don't you dare mention that name to me ever again unless you're planning on taking me back to that hell! Do you hear me? Don't. Ever. Say. His. Name. Again," he exploded, pointing his finger at her with the last six words as he enunciated them clearly and separately. Parker jumped at his outburst and blinked once while taking on a deer-in-the-headlights look.
"I--I'm sorry, Jarod," she whispered hoarsely after swallowing. "I didn't-- I didn't know that you would react that way to--to it." She sat ramrod straight as she gave him a wide-eyed stare; her chin quivering with the effort of not tearing up.
After the fog of anger had left his eyes, he saw what his outburst had done to her. His shoulders slumped slightly as he sat down once more. He whispered, "No, it's me who should be apologizing. Not you. You didn't deserve what I said, or how I said it. You risked your life to get me out of there. Why would you take me back? How could you possibly know about the dreams?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he slapped a hand to his lips. He hadn't intended for her to hear about his nightmares.
"What--what dreams, Jarod?" she asked concernedly, "What do you mean about 'the dreams'?" They held each other's gaze for what seemed like the longest time. Then Jarod sighed and rubbed his face.
"Ever since I came out of it, I've been having these nightmares. In them, Raines is even more demented than in real life, if you can imagine that. What's worse is, they usually involve death," he remarked. Parker looked at him curiously.
"Who dies, Jarod?"
"Sydney, Broots, Angelo, Emily. You."
"What about you, Jarod? Do you live?" His grim face expressed the answer before he even told her.
"Yes. I see you all die. Then I'm forced to live on. It's the worst kind of torture you can imagine." Parker looked at him.
"I can understand. I've been through it several times. Mom and Tommy. Then you," she ended with a mirthless chuckle. Jarod arched an eyebrow questioningly.
"But I was never dead," he commented.
"We--we were told that you had died. You'd been shot in the head. I'd seen how you'd looked. Of course, I believed them when they said you were dead. Jarod. . .it was horrible. I'd never felt such despair in all my life."
"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," he murmured.
"Jarod, it was torture. I'd lost one of my oldest friends. I. . .there were times when I seriously thought that I couldn't go on. Only Syd and Broots kept me alive. The fact that they were going through the same experience at the same time I was, was oddly comforting." She smiled slightly. The look of sadness in her eyes was almost Jarod's undoing. He reached out his arm and rested his hand on her knee.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he whispered. "I never wanted that. . .I never wanted it that way for you." On impulse, Parker reached across the space between them and embraced Jarod. A few moments later, he returned the embrace, lightly moving his hands against her back. Then they parted slightly, looking into each other's eyes. Parker could feel his breath on her lips again. The look in his eyes made her heart race even faster.
He looked down at her lips, then moved his head downward. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they kissed. Their lips began an intricate dance of exploration and discovery. Almost too soon, they parted and gazed into each other's eyes again. One salty tear hit Parker's lips, causing her to smile slightly. Jarod placed a palm at the spot where her head met her neck. He smiled as well.
"So. . .what now?" he asked in his deep timbre.
"You freeze, that's what happens!" ordered a tall man with a gun. The couple turned their heads to see who the intruders were.
"Willie?!" Parker exclaimed. She stood up, despite Jarod begging her to stay seated. She put her fists at her hips in a stance of defiance. Jarod saw the Sweeper take aim, and he knew he had to do something. So, before he could think fully, he rushed Willie, knocking him to the ground. Jarod repeatedly tried to grab the gun from his hands, but the Sweeper would not give it up. During the struggle, the gun went off. Jarod rolled away, but grasped his thigh. He'd been hit! And Willie knew it.
Willie immediately apprehended Jarod, placing the cuffs mercilessly on his wrists. Parker, who had been fighting the other Sweepers, saw this and cried out, "Jarod! No!" Her shouts caught Willie's attention. He shoved Jarod to another Sweeper and pulled his gun out again while she was rushing him. Without even blinking, he took aim and fired, sending the bullet into the left side of her chest. Jarod let out a strangled cry before the Sweeper restraining him began to move him out of the cabin. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Parker trying to stand up. There was still hope!
As he was being shoved into a black, unmarked car, a final shot rang through the silent afternoon.