The Pretender and its characters as well as those of Prey that appear in this story, are copyright by NBC, the originator of the plot, TNT, and whatever network shows it, etc.

The other characters are mine.

This takes place between MARKED and DEAD BEAT. Since Jarod has his son (Baby Parker) back and he and Miss Parker have most of their children which ARE NOT ALL GIRLS BY THE WAY, I figured they should at least have a Christmas together and Jarod should get some presents. Do you know that all the time he was on the run, he never got any himself?

A PRETENDER FIRST CHRISTMAS

PART ONE

The Centre had fallen. Well not fallen exactly, it was just starting to collapse, not the building itself, but its own concept. The Supreme Chosen and his family were staying at Lambournis until they returned to California and as Jarod looked out of the house, the snow fell like shimmering lights in the night sky.

"The curse has been removed from The Centre," said Miss Parker.

"What do you mean?"

She picked up Patricia who was getting into something and carried her over to a safer place.

"Want," said the baby.

"No. Bad very bad." She turned to Jarod. "It seldom snowed this heavy here in Blue Cove."

"It did once when I went onto the roof."

"That's strange. It snowed every year, I remember until you escaped, then it got warmer. Oh we'd have a few sprinkles but not anything real substantial."

Jarod never noticed. In all the excitement with Raines and Lyle's executions and Mr. Parker's fatal heart attack, he never took stock of the weather. But then, when he realized it, things were a little odd. For instance, it must have taken considerable strength to put the Ceremonial Post in the hard ground and yet, it appeared that winter had not happened.

The Scientific report was that it was due to the explosion of 911. The dust particles that extended into the sky as a result had warmed the atmosphere so that Blue Cove appeared warmer than usual and there were sporadic periods of cold wet rain.

And now it started to snow.

"We're going to have a White Christmas," said Miss Parker and then looked at the calendar. "And we don't even have a tree."

"A tree?"

"A real Christmas tree. Oh and we have to attend Mass."

"We did it when we baptized the children." He couldn't understand Miss Parker's glow. It was almost like the time they went through the Official Joining or marriage between unequals

"Well I haven't much time. Do you know that when I was a little girl, mother and I would make Irish Cream and Rosettes? We're to have them on Christmas eve and wait for Santa?"

"Seems strange."

"Well my mother was part Swedish and part Irish. And don't worry Jarod, she didn't put in any liquor in my batch."

"I was wondering about that. And what did your father contribute?"

"He'd have the staff make some plum pudding and Christmas cake." She thought for a moment. "There's something else I felt strange. One time mother said we had to go to a Madame Colette's, that's a little store in New York, to get it. She said that Daddy's mother made it for him when he was small."

Jarod could never imagine Mr. Parker being a little boy. It seemed so out of place. He turned off the laptop, temporarily giving up the information on the man who ran out on his wife and sick little girl. This Christmas thing was getting most interesting and Miss Parker had a look on her. Whatever she got at Madame Colette's, she was going to duplicate it. "I suppose if I started getting the ingredients — and what about you?"

"I have no idea of my family history only that we came from Europe and Major Charles was in the Air force, not whether we're from England or Scotland."

"Well knowing The Centre since my family came from Scotland, it wouldn't look for Pretenders there, too many questions. Anyway what did everyone thing about Lambourni, our son, that he's part Dutch?"

Jarod put his right thumb and first finger together. "Just a little bit."

She shrugged. "Until we find the rest, we're going to add a Dutch tradition to Christmas."

"Well I hope he's part English, French, or Swedish or you would have had to start the preparations last June."

"Don't be silly. Now get on your lap top and start searching for Dutch Christmas recipes."