Title: Difficult Moments
Author: Kathea
Rating: PG
Pairing: J/MP
Spoilers: post-IOTH
Summary: "Why then is the person I've been trained to distrust, to hate, is always there in my most difficult moments?"
AN: I managed to catch Island of the Haunted on TV yesterday morning and tape most of it. I forgot how much I loved that movie. Anyway, so I was inspired to write a one-shot set immediately after Parker and Jarod hang up from their phone call.
Parker felt the tears slide silently down her cheeks as she was enveloped by the quiet of her house. It wouldn't be long before morning would come and everything would be back to normal or as normal as life at the Centre could get. There were no turning points, despite what Jarod believed. Life didn't suddenly offer you a chance to change everything. You had to make that decision without any prompting. It would be so easy to go to bed and wake up in the morning ready for work and hunting Jarod. It would be so easy to fall back into that routine. It was the only one she knew. There is a point, though, where familiarity breeds contempt. The voices in her head were whispering for her to do something, to make a choice. Her feet were moving before her mind gave the command to do so. Unconsciously, Parker retrieved both of her guns and ammo in the house, packed a change of clothes, and walked out the door. Heaven only knew where Jarod was right now or where she was going.
Her feet carried her down the dark road. It was four miles between Blue Cove and the next closest town, Point of Mercy. The distance passed in a blur and Parker was crossing the town limits when the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon. On the outskirts was a slummy motel. Twenty rundown rooms encircling a gravel parking lot with a lone late model sedan parked in front of one room. Her feet made a sharp right hand turn into the parking lot and stopped in front of the last door. The zero on the door was hanging by a nail and the two was no where to be seen. Her gloved fist lightly tapped the door and she stepped back to wait, not sure what to expect. The curtains on the windows didn't move but she knew she was being watched and then the lock clicked.
With a shaking hand, Parker turned the door handle and pushed the door open. A hand shot out of the dark and pulled her into the room and shut the door behind her. Knowing he was somewhere in the room didn't help since she couldn't see a thing. Then his strong hands were cupping her face and his lips were crushed against her own and the world was spinning faster than Newton said it did. Her hands pushed ineffectually at his broad shoulders. He finally stepped away when he had run out of breath.
"Jarod." Parker whispered.
"You found your turning point." He acknowledged.
"No. I made my choice." Parker returned and gripped his hands tightly in hers.
"I'm glad." Parker reached up to capture his lips in another kiss, a different kiss. This wasn't filled with years of pent up frustration. It was all passion and heat and a yearning for wholeness.
"Jarod, I.." Parker started but exhaled her breath.
"I know." Jarod led her over to the edge of the rickety bed and pulled her slender body onto his lap. She curled around him, her arms locked securely about his shoulders. Her lips were next to his ear, her warm breath rushing over his neck. In a tiny, frightened voice, devoid of the chill of the Ice Queen she whispered.
"I love you."
The End.