Disclaimer: see part one

Author's Note: Want'a Christmas present? Have you been good that you deserve it? Some poem please for good ole Santa! Ok, dear… so here it goes… your present: unwrap it and enjoy reading!

!!!Happy Christmas to all of you!!!

Thanks to:

pretender fan: Will Jarod arrive before something happens? Read on and find out. Thanks for your review and here's your next shot!

Jar-Par Fan: Sam… hmm, now here I never thought about. Glad that you will be with me anyway! Thanks for reviewing and now enjoy the new chapter.

Parker's Pretender: Let's see who will be kicking whose ass here #lol#. Thanks for your review and now enjoy the Christmas chapter.

ka-mia2286: Yep, I agree; that would have been creepy… but not such a bad idea. Anyway, here's the next chapter… enjoy!

gemini006007: Survived the last week of suspense? Hope so. Thanks for reviewing and now have fun with this chapter.

Mfkngst: Parker alone with Seth… well, it will not be good but it will get interesting. Thanks for your review and now go on reading and enjoy the Christmas chapter.

Leochick: Glad that you like the way the story is taking and thanks a lot for the compliment. I like it as well if the stories aren't too predictable so I'm trying to write like that myself… obviously I'm doing ok. Anyway, thanks for the review and now enjoy the Christmas chapter.

x x x x x x x

Shadows Part 10

Rescue and night time-conversations

„Miss Parker? ... Miss Parker?" Jarod called loudly into the phone and when she didn't answer, he called her name again. "Damn," he swore softly and threw the cell phone onto the passenger's seat while pushing the accelerator down further.

He made the journey in record time and with tar-melting speed.

Jumping out of the car the moment it came to a halt, he raced up the steps to her door and burst into the hall and from there on into the living room.

He had drawn his gun and the flashlight illuminated his way.

He entered the living room just in time to see a figure bending down over another that was lying on the floor. "Freeze," he snarled loudly.

The other one winced and then broad shoulders straightened. He raised his head and looked at Jarod.

Their eyes met and then the man bolted from the room. Jarod swore softly. He ran over to Miss Parker and crouched down next to her for a second to check for a pulse. It was steady. He quickly contemplated his options and then set after the intruder.

"Freeze, Seth," he screamed when he dashed through the backdoor after the man. He could see the sketchy outline of the man running to the forest and he followed him. Knowing the surroundings of Miss Parker's house as well as he did, Jarod hoped to catch up with Seth.

x x x x x x x

Twenty minutes later Jarod stumbled back into Miss Parker's living room.

He had been wrong.

Seth obviously knew the area as well as he did and he was fast. Jarod had been able to keep him in sight and sometimes even gain on him, but in the end Seth had vanished in the darkness of the woods.

Miss Parker was still lying on the floor, motionless.

"Damn," Jarod muttered and then crouched down next to her again, checking her pulse once more. It was still strong and steady.

He got up and walked over to the door and switched on the light.

Nothing happened.

Jarod rubbed a hand over his eyes and then set off to the fuse box. Just as he had anticipated, it had been tempered with. Quickly putting it back to work, he sighed when he saw the lights coming back on in the living room.

Back at her side, Jarod could see a bruise forming on her cheek but apart from that she seemed to be fine. He lifted her up and carried her over to the couch.

After covering her with a light blanket, he walked to the front and back doors, closing and locking them tightly.

He would have to stay on his guard tonight. There would be no sleep for him. He couldn't risk Seth coming back.

When he gently caressed her cheek, Miss Parker stirred slightly and blinked her eyes open.

Jarod sighed once more, this time in relief. "Hey," he smiled reassuringly.

"Hey," Miss Parker mumbled back.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in your room?" he asked, his head tilted to the side.

"Yes, I did at first but," she trailed off.

"That was stupid," he scolded her.

Miss Parker drew a shuddering breath. "I know," she whispered and tried to sit up. She groaned and a hand flew up to her head.

"I told you it was no time for heroism. Be glad that you only have a headache," he said, shaking his head. "In a way, you deserve it," he added and then chuckled silently, trying to get rid of the tension.

"I know that but could you bring me some aspirin nonetheless," Miss Parker asked, a light smile tugging on her lips. Her voice had the calmness of shock. The reality of what had happened had not yet tripped her into anger or fear. But soon, Jarod realized, she might suffer both.

He nodded and then calmly got up from his seat to retrieve the aspirin. When he came back into the room, she looked up startled but relaxed when she recognized him. "Jarod?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled and helped her sit up and handed the pills and water to her.

"Can you… I mean. Are the doors locked?" she asked in a soft voice, looking down and evading eye contact.

"Yes, they are," Jarod replied earnestly and caressed her cheek.

She gladly accepted the gesture of consolation and leaned into him.

"I'm glad that you came in time," she whispered.

Jarod nodded and drew her towards him, hugging her. "I am too. You had me worried, Miss Parker. Don't ever do that again," he said and swallowed back his own fear and closed his eyes.

She merely nodded against his chest.

x x x x x x x

Two emerald green eyes watched the pair through the window.

He growled darkly.

Who was this guy? He'd had a hard time outrunning him. The man knew the area around her house as well as he did, if not better. He had chased him mercilessly and, even more worrying, he had had a gun.

Eventually the man had given up on trying to catch him and returned to her house.

He had followed later.

And now he was forced to watch this stranger tending his girl.

Who was this guy?

She seemed to feel safe in the stranger's arms - but she belonged to him alone, and she would be safer in his arms.

'She was afraid when you stood in front of her,' a voice inside his head whispered.

"Don't be ridiculous. She was just astonished to see me there. She hadn't thought I would be home that early," he scolded aloud.

'She was afraid and you hit her.' the voice seemed to get louder, more pressing and more hostile.

He shook his head in denial. "No I didn't. She ran into me," he snarled back.

'No, she was afraid and she had a gun trained on you,' it whispered cruelly.

"No, no, no," he shook his head and covered his ears with his hands. "No, she was afraid that some stranger could come. She just didn't recognize me at first."

'Don't lie. I know when you are lying so don't even try or you will be punished,' another voice stepped in; a voice that was wheezing slightly as if trying to get more oxygen.

He cringed slightly. "I didn't lie. Really, I'm telling the truth," he nearly pleaded, cowering on the ground and not daring to look up.

'I don't believe you,' a new voice whispered urgently.

"Please, I'm telling the truth," he whined.

'Prove it,' another voice commanded.

He looked up at the person that was speaking to him, looking down on him, watching him, ruling him. The person that had created him, moulded him into what he was and had the power to destroy him with a flick of his finger. A few other people were standing next to that person, looking down at him with hard eyes.

"How?" he whispered awed.

'Prove yourself worthy to me,' the voice whispered urgently.

"How?" he asked again, his voice pleading.

'Take what is yours to take. She's yours. Not his,' the person in front of him pointed into the living room where the man still sat with his girl, 'nor anyone else's. She's yours so take your prize.'

He nodded and got up from his crouched position to walk up to the door but the person moved to stand in front of him swiftly in a fleeting motion as if blurring by.

'Not right now, without preparation. Think first, then move,' one of the other's scolded, suddenly very angry.

He cowered down again, refusing to meet the person's eyes and nodded.

'Good boy. Now go and think about what you can do,' the one in front of him ordered firmly.

Nodding again, he looked up to see the person vanishing in front of his eyes. He swivelled around and the other people were gone as well. "I'll prove myself worthy," he vowed. "Tomorrow, I'll prove myself worth to you."

With that, he got up from his crouched position and shot one last, hard glance at the two inmates of the room.

To be continued…

That was my present… where is yours? Waiting for reviews #lol#

Author's Note II: I have another Christmas present for you.
There is hope after all!!!!
Many of you might already know it but I will say it nonetheless for those who don't know. The Pretender movies' DVD just came out in France and there was an interview with the producers Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle. What is interesting about this is: They hope that they can make a third movie. They are searching for new founds but the actors would make the cast and the storyboard is obviously written as well.

If you want to read the interview, I've got most of it put up on my homepage. Thanks to Lily and Cassandra for providing it!!!