His heart pounds as his feet alternate on the worn hiking trail. He pushes harder than he has in weeks as he runs the trail from memory rather than paying attention to his route. His peripheral vision warns him of obstacles and he dodges them deftly. Luckily, he seems to be the only person on the path this morning so he hasn't had to acknowledge or interact with another human just yet. He left a note for Sydney just before dawn so his mentor wouldn't worry if he woke to find him gone, but that was as far as his consideration went this morning after a sleepless night.
He was restless, confused.
Mixed signals from Parker kept him awake. Jarod tried to reconcile her reasoning, he really did. He understands her trepidation, he does. He also knows how he feels and, at times, he's certain can see those feelings reflected in her. The connection between them goes deeper than their roles of hunted and huntress. The Centre defined their cat and mouse game when they were children. Now that it's gone, it should have no bearing on their relationship. Not anymore.
Jarod isn't naïve. He knows the Centre still casts its shadow over their past and they've been conditioned to react to one another – since Jarod escaped her father pushed her to question Jarod and the revelations they discovered about their truth. He's certain Mr Parker only allowed their initial introduction because he wanted to create a connection, an anchor, to keep Jarod at the Centre.
Mr Parker didn't have to volunteer his daughter; the girl in the experiment could've been any girl in any one of the research programs the Centre was running at the time. No, it would have to have been someone who would be forever linked to the Centre. Miss Parker was the ideal candidate – even as a child, an only child at the time, she was being groomed for her father's position once he retired.
Mr Parker was looking at every eventuality, even back then. If Jarod ever ran away, she would be used to draw him back. Though he never found evidence, Jarod is certain Mr Parker only sent her away to finish her education abroad because he couldn't control their friendship. They were lonely children who latched onto each other through shared grief of lost family members.
It was no coincidence that she was put in charge of retrieving him. The Centre was banking on any residual feelings they initiated to lure Jarod back. In a way it worked, their lives and lies surrounding their intrinsically woven past will forever connect them.
Jarod doubts she was unaware of their connection or that she could use it to benefit her mission.
She never used it to her advantage though, proving to Jarod the girl he grew up with was still inside of her somewhere. Whether it was stubbornness to prove herself worthy without stooping so low to use their past against him, Jarod wasn't sure.
Reminding her of it was twofold for Jarod. He wanted to see his friend from years ago again, he also wanted to give her the freedom which came with the truths he uncovered. He would never leave her wondering about a secret he uncovered. He might send her on a little journey of self-discovery, but he'd always make sure she'd find out for herself. She'd never believe half of what he uncovered if he simply told her – she was trained to distrust him, it was ingrained in her after her father separated them.
That was part of the issue Jarod had with his connection to her. The Centre created it with that initial introduction. Could he ever trust anything the Centre created? Could she?
No.
He knows there's more to their relationship, he's certain of it. As children, they were united by loneliness and fostered it for themselves by gravitating towards one another trying to make sense of the environment they were being raised in. Their friendship and playing around in the vents were the nearest either of them came to a normal childhood. Even after he escaped and she was charged with bringing him, he strived to redefine their game of 'you run, I chase' to something more. At first, she'd been reluctant and lashed back at him, but she listened to him no matter how she snarled. Their honesty and begrudging trust became one of the few things he could rely on.
Jarod is attracted to her. She is beautiful. His attraction goes deeper than her physical features, though; her duality strength and vulnerability draw him to her. He can't help it. Especially when her façade drops and she lets him close. Their connection overwhelms him more than he can comprehend at times. He's fairly certain she feels the same way, too, to the point where neither knows what to do about it.
And that's the crux of the matter.
He has no idea what to do about it now.
Parker made herself very clear in Scotland and in the conversation, they had after she returned to the Centre. Her recent allusion that she may have responded differently if they weren't surrounded by sweepers had thrown him for a loop, hence his sleepless night. He tried to push his feelings for her aside following, what he now concedes as necessary given the situation at the time, her rejection and the soft admission of hope she offered him when they returned to the States.
Jarod slows to a jog as he nears the small stream that flows along the path towards the rear of Parker's property. He's been taking this route every morning since he arrived in Blue Cove, he gives the back fence a cursory glance and the surrounding plant life. Satisfied there are no signs of anyone approaching the back of the house, he continues at a slower pace down the side of the garden, while making the same observations, to bring him out to the side of the front deck. He looks around for anything or anyone who isn't supposed to be there. He's alone as far as he can gather.
He stops at the sidewalk, torn between knocking on her door and making his way back to Sydney's house. Though he's never told her about his early morning habit of making a round of her property, he's fairly certain she knows. It's either this or he'd insist they stay under one roof. He doubts Parker would let that happen considering the walls she is determined to keep between.
Besides, if he did knock, she'd shoo him away today. He's got a lot to accomplish before his family and Zoe arrive.
Jarod cares for Zoe. He has trouble comparing his feelings towards Zoe and his feelings toward Parker.
They have different roles in his life.
Zoe showed him how to appreciate certain experiences which he hadn't focused on since he escaped the Centre. He never stopped. There were plenty of new foods, activities and social interactions, yet they were under the guise of being someone else. She helped him to appreciate it as himself. Even if she didn't know the whole truth of who he is. She still doesn't. He protects her from the darker part of himself that Parker knows and understands so well.
Parker knows him; instinct is born from shared experience and upbringing. Even if they didn't have the genes they do, the abilities, they would know each other just as well.
He's caught between two women and he has no idea what to do about it. And, as Parker would say, he doesn't have the balls to figure out what to do about it.
Jarod doesn't want to hurt Zoe. He's ashamed about thinking of another woman when he's with her; he would be lying if he didn't feel a sting of jealousy when Tommy spoke about Parker. Of course, Jarod had been happy for her and his friend yet there was a sadness that overcame him as he couldn't offer her the same kind of relationship or confidence that came so easily between her and Tommy.
He only realises he's staring at her front door when it opens and the woman herself appears wearing a robe over her pyjamas. He notes a sleepy Gabriel at her heels.
"A little early for a visit, Rat?"
"I was just going for a jog, Parker," Jarod says, smiling at the little boy who gives him a wave while yawning. "What are you two up to?"
"Collecting the paper," Gabriel tells him, pointing a finger at the mailbox as Parker pulls the newspaper out. "Angelo is making breakfast. Are you having breakfast with us?"
Parker colours slightly as her baby brother issues the invitation, completely unaware of the tension between the adults. Jarod sends her an apologetic look as he understands the invitation is his to turn down as gently as he can.
"Sydney is making my breakfast, Gabriel. I've got a lot to do today, I can't stay."
"Are you coming back later?" The boy asks hopefully.
Parker breathes in, resolutely looking away. Understanding overcomes Jarod as he realises this is what Parker wants to avoid. Jarod steps towards Gabriel, dropping down so he's at eye level with the boy.
"My family is coming to see me, remember?"
Gabriel frowns at him. "Can they see me, too?"
"Not today." Jarod isn't sure how to convey the reasoning to a three-year-old. "They haven't seen me for a while so it might be a little chaotic, maybe tomorrow we can do something together."
"With your family?"
Jarod's heart wrenches as Gabriel struggles to understand the concept of family. He doesn't mind delaying the introduction by a day or two at Parker's behest, reunions will be emotional, but he won't deny the introduction entirely. He wants Gabriel, and Parker, to know his family.
"We can arrange something," Jarod promises.
"Okay," Gabriel answers simply, deciding his time is better spent hopping about the porch.
Jarod breathes out in relief.
"Hop in the general direction of the house Gabe, you don't like cold toast," Parker tells him fondly, stroking his hair as he hops past her. "I'll be in soon."
Gabriel throws them a wave over his shoulder and hops over the threshold into the house.
"I didn't realise it would be that difficult to have that conversation with him," Jarod tells her when they're alone.
"Yeah, I don't like disappointing him either but he needs to know you're not always going to be around." She pauses. "Being here when we check for the paper doesn't help by the way." A beat. "Have you found anything on your morning runs?"
Ah, so she does know. She isn't telling him to stop.
Jarod shakes his head. "You usually check for the paper later, by the way."
Parker rolls her eyes, sighing. "Don't even try to pin this one on me, genius."
He smirks at her. "Wouldn't dream of it, Parker."
"When does everyone arrive?" She sobers.
"In a couple of hours, they started driving last night to get here early." It's his turn to pause. "I meant what I said to Gabriel, I'd like to arrange something so you all can meet my family, not just Ethan."
"I know you'd never say something to him you didn't mean to follow through on, Jarod. And I know I said it would help them know you, but they have a say in meeting me. It's understandable if they don't want to."
"My family are eager to see you as well, Parker." Countless phone calls since he returned to Blue Cove convinced him of his family's concern for Parker and the others with them. His mother asked after her, Ethan rang her as often as he rang Jarod. "My father wants to get to know you, now you know he had nothing to do with Catherine's death and Jordan never shuts up about the woman who tried to rescue him before I did."
Parker glances away, refusing to meet his eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't," Jarod drawls smiling at her.
"Look, I wanted to apologise for the other day," Parker starts, screwing up her face. "I have no problem telling you to back off, so I should say that rather than dragging anyone else into it." She waits for his response. There is none. "What?"
"I'm processing your apology," Jarod says with a straight face.
"Asshole," Parker says, shaking her head. She clears her throat. "When your family arrive, we can organise something. I'd like to meet your mom."
Jarod takes it as the truce she wants it to be. "I should get going."
"Yeah, I better go supervise breakfast before Gabriel asks Angelo to let him have pudding," Parker says pointedly.
"He's a growing boy, Parker," Jarod smirks as he starts walking backwards towards the trail. He keeps watching until she disappears into the house and shuts the door behind her. He sighs softly as he turns away.
"How are you, son?" Major Charles asks as he envelopes Jarod in a hug as the rest of the family mull around just outside Sydney's entranceway.
"I'm good, Dad, really good." Jarod pats his back before releasing him to engulf Emily in a bear hug. "Hi Em."
"Hi big brother," Emily says, pulling back to move past him.
Zoe cocks her head to the side, smiling slightly as she holds out her arms. "Come here, stranger," she orders playfully.
Jarod walks into her arms and tightens his embrace to lift her slightly off the ground. Her laughter fills his ears and his throat tightens as his eyes scan his family around them. He feels his mouth widen in reflex; his teeth expose themselves without conscious effort.
Jarod relies on his senses as the noise drops to an echo around him, muffling out the chatter, he focuses on the noise beyond. The sound of the car turning at the corner of the street, the light screech of the brakes as the chassis rounds in a U-turn, wheels barely missing the curb as it rights itself to drive straight down their side of the street.
Jarod instinctively pulls Zoe aside, placing her down on the ground as the car window rolls down and it slows to a crawl. Jarod sees the barrel before it takes aim and his hands reach out to his father's and Ethan's collars as they're on the edge of the group, blocking the line of sight to the car, to drag them out of the way.
The shot is loud and even though it feels as though time crawls, Jarod can't react fast enough as the bullet finds a target in Ethan's back. Jarod can't hear his scream even though he knows he does. Jarod starts forward as Ethan's expression stills as he falters from the impact before his body goes slack and he slumps to the ground, blood tainting his lips.
Charles lurches towards his fallen son to pull him into his lap, roughly turning him over to shield him from any other bullets. Jarod barely registers the rest of the family ducking for cover as his eyes follow the car as it speeds off out of sight. The only person who doesn't duck is Sydney as he hobbles down to the curb to see if he can catch the registration plate.
A glancing look at his father and Ethan, Jarod races to the curb to get a better look at the driver, at the car, to drag Sydney away if necessary. The car is too far gone, speeding through a quiet intersection at the end of the cul de sac and screeching off into the distance.
"Jarod!" His mother's voice breaks through the white noise and compels Jarod and Sydney into action as they run back to the family.
Jarod drops to his knees beside his father cradling Ethan's limp body. Emily is at Ethan's head, her hand angling under his body to press her cardigan to the bullet hole in his back. Jordan stands at the edge of the group, phone to his ear speaking with emergency services.
His family rallies around Ethan, worried they might have lost another son. Jarod barely hears them as the sirens sound in the distance drawing closer. This is all his fault.
888
AN
First time in nearly three months, I'm feeling better and a bit more relaxed about real-life worries. Or I have gotten to the point where what happens, happens. I will do what I can, I can't do more than that so I am trying not to let it affect my life more than necessary.
Leading me to this week. I was missing this story and had written half of the chapter when I had the urge to shake this up. Please forgive and have faith in me. I like Ethan, I do. I would have loved seeing how his involvement in the series would have played out, especially the effect on Parker and Jarod. Thank you for reading, I love reading your thoughts so if you have time, let me know.