Disclaimer: see part one

Author's Note: Promise is promise. Here's the update... chapter 17.

Thank you:

Parker's Pretender: Sorry, that was not my intend. But you are right that Jarod is a bit annoying but on the other hand one has to keep in mind what he just went through. Anyway, here's the new chapter.

Mfkngst: Yes, he is! He will call her… right now, so read on and enjoy. Thank you for the review.

pretender fan: No problem, you are welcome. I was bugged that long from more people than just you and to be honest, that was how I wanted the story to go as well. Thank you for reviewing and now have fun with chapter 17.

Winnievbt: Yes he is! He'll call. Thank you for the review and now enjoy the next chapter.

gemini006007: I got at least a bit of sleep now… thanks. And yes, Jarod will place another call to his past… in this chapter. So read on and enjoy. Thank you for reviewing, Mercy.

Nancy: A good character analysis! You got the insights right and that, I would think, means that I got them described rather good so that you were able to discern them. But now, we have a phone call to make. Thank you for reviewing and now go on and enjoy!

Brandy: Yes, they will talk! What the conversation brings… read on and enjoy. Thanks for reviewing.

Leochick: Glad that you are still with me and that you are now content with the story again. I know that I postponed Parker's view for a long time. Maybe that was wrong #shrugs# but you know that I sometimes need more time to get to a certain thing (mostly I do it with purpose). Anyway, thank you for sending a review and now enjoy part 17.

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The Call Part 17

A call out of nowhere

The phone rang.

„What?" Parker asked tiredly into the receiver after picking it up.

"I don't know why I am doing this. Maybe it's just to stop pondering and to stop my conscience from battling against me. You wanted to talk to me. So you have two minutes", Jarod's tightly controlled voice came over the line.

"Jarod?" Parker breathed. She sat up on the couch where she had fallen asleep.

"You have two minutes. Use them well, Miss Parker. What do you want?" He snapped.

"Jarod, I'm so glad that you finally called", she sighed.

"Two minutes, Miss Parker", he reminded her again rather harshly.

Parker heard the slight irritation and impatience in his voice. "Jarod, I had no part in the trap", she said, now coming directly to the point. She shook her head as if he would be able to see that.

"Yeah, sure", he drawled, clearly communicating that he was not believing her.

"Honestly, Jarod! I didn't do it. Can we meet? I need to talk to you", she asked.

"Then talk", he prompted.

"No, I mean, I need to talk to you personally, not over the phone. Can't we meet?" She clarified her former statement.

"Yeah! What a great idea! I give you some more time so you can call your friends and let them accompany you. No way, Parker", he snarled, anger clearly showing in his voice.

"Please Jarod, I don't want to harm you", Parker huffed.

"No, you just want me locked away in the bowls of the Centre", he shot back and shook his head. Breathing deeply he tried to calm himself. By now he was already starting to regret that he had let his feelings convince him to place that call.

"Please, I won't bring you in or bring anyone along", Parker stated, trying to put all the honesty she could in her voice to convince Jarod.

"Do you think I'm dumb? I made a big mistake when I stepped right into your trap but I'm not that naïve anymore. I don't have the desire to walk into one of your traps again", Jarod said, somewhere between being irritated and infuriated.

"Don't you listen? I had no part in that", she said, getting angry herself. She too, breathed deeply in an effort to calm down so that she wouldn't say anything she would regret later.

"Yeah, right. And the Centre is the nice organization from next door that won't bring harm to anybody", Jarod replied sarcastically.

"Please Jarod, trust me", Parker nearly begged, afraid that she wouldn't be able to make him believe her.

She had always thought that once he called her, she would be able to make everything alright, that he would believe her at once. He had always believed her. She never really had to earn that trust. It had been there for as long as she could remember.

But now she had lost his trust and she would have to try very hard to regain it; if she even could regain it.

Jarod scoffed. "Trust you? Are you kidding?"

"No", she nearly whined.

"Then maybe you can tell me how to do that when every time I place my trust in you, I end up hurt, rejected and betrayed?" Jarod asked, his voice a harsh whisper.

"Please, Jarod", Parker closed her eyes.

"You don't know what you are asking for", Jarod whispered. He shook his head sadly.

"I'm asking for a second chance", Parker whispered back, while a single tear escaped her closed eyes.

She was only greeted with silence.

"Jarod?" She asked some long moments later.

Nothing.

"Jarod?" She asked again, a little more forcefully and desperate.

There was a distinct click.

"Jarod? No, come on. Don't hang up on me", she begged but she was only rewarded with the dial tone ringing in her ears.

Parker let the phone drop and put her face in her hands, sobbing silently.

She had lost him. She had lost the only real friend she had ever had.

And this time she hadn't even done anything wrong. She knew that she had rejected him often and had turned away when she knew that he needed her.

She clearly hadn't been there for him very often, unlike him.

But this time she hadn't done anything wrong. She had had no part in what had happened. She had tried to prevent it and yet she had no way in making him see that.

This time, he didn't believe her and that was hard – unbelievably hard.

She had never wanted anyone to believe her so desperately. Normally, she didn't care if anyone believed her or not. It had been important for her that Jarod believed her; yes. It hadn't only been important this time but every other time as well.

But she had always taken his trust for granted. He had never doubted her before, always believing what she said and trusting in her words.

That the only person she could trust and secretly rely on had turned away from her hurt more than anything else.

Parker sobbed and let the tears fall.

She had lost him for real. The Centre had once again tempered with their lives and prevented them from coming closer to each other.

They had once again shown them both what they were capable of.

They had scared away her only friend, the only person that ever truly cared about her.

To be continued…

Ugh-ugh, well, where will it go from here? He called her but it didn't look like she had been able to convince him, had it?