She sat in the car, watching as he silently approached the house he'd been renting for the last three weeks. He was dressed in his customary black clothes, and it made it difficult to pick him out in the dark night, yet pick him out she did. Her eyes stayed fixed as he moved carefully, his eyes checking to see if anyone dangerous was nearby. Part of her wanted to laugh at him -- danger was so near, and he had no idea. But she didn't laugh. Tonight wasn't about laughing, it was about mking a choice, and the choice would decide both of their futures.

She gently kneaded the steering wheel with her hands, waiting impatiently for him to enter the house so that she could go in as well. Great justice, to scare him like he'd managed to do to her so often. But she needed to talk to him. Now. And he had to know about her concerns. After all, he had helped to cause them. Besides which, she needed a way to escape, and she knew that he was the best person to help her. He knew her better than anyone. After all, they'd grown up together, hadn't they?

When he finally disappeared behind the heavy door, she sighed and exited her car quietly. As she moved through the darkness, it suddenly seemed to her that all of nature's sounds at been silenced. Miss Parker felt for the gun at the small of her back out of instinct. He might need some convincing to listen to her, and her 9mm was the best method of persuasion she knew. It bothered her, to some exent, that she would probably need to force a man who was once her friend to listen to what she had to say. But, it had to be done. She avoided the second stair, which she learned squeaked, as she entered. She realized that he had not turned on a single light in the front room, yet she heard water running. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she didn't see the dark shadow in the corner, who watched the lithe, strikingly beautiful woman, her stride familiar. He had the same thoughts he always did; he cared for her. He felt himself shift. No amount of pretending had prepared him.

He stood there in the shadows, watching her glance around the room. As she moved toward the closed door at the far end, he stepped out.

"Jarod!" she murmured, surprise written on her features. Her brow wrinkled, and Jarod could tell she was waging an internal war with herself. He wondered if she knew something he didn't and was weighing the consequences if she told him. Jarod decided to help her make the right decision. So he stepped closer to her, slipping his hand inside her jacket and around her waist, his fingers wrapping around her gun. The contact of his hand on her flesh electrifing.

"Parker. . . " he whispered in her ear, "Looking for me?"

She froze in place for a split second, but in that short time she remembered all the moments in which Jarod had bested her, the times he had disarmed her or distracted her long enough to get away. She couldn't let him get away, not tonight. In a flash, Parker stepped from him, spinning so as to jerk his hand away from hers. When she stopped moving, her arm was extended forward, the gun held securely in her grasp. She watched as his hands raised up. Then her eyes found his. No, she thought, she couldn't let him get away and she couldn't let him stop her. Tonight she had to win. It was the only way to help both of them.

For a heartbeat he almost despaired until he saw the corners of her mouth turn upwards, slightly triumphant.

"They don't know that I found you," she said keeping her voice low,"I'm alone, Jarod. There are no sweeper teams with me." Jarod's head came up a bit."So, why are you holding your gun on me, I thought we were past that?" he said softly as he lowered his arms.

"Are we? You did try to take it from me just moments ago," she replied,"I figured with me pointing my gun in your face, you'll listen," Parker's voice gained volume.

Jarod laughed silently for a moment. "Point taken."

She huffed quietly and stared at him for a moment.

The heavy silence lasted longer than either of them had intended, each staring at the other, daring them to make a move. Finally, she motioned toward the chair in the corner of the room with her gun and told him to sit down. Without argument, Jarod did as he was told and looked up at her, his hands in his lap.

"Okay, so what is it that's brought you here, Parker?" he asked, when she moved to the seat next to him. She had practiced what she was going to say a hundred times during the long drive, yet, now she was speechless. Instead of sitting, she began pacing in front of him, "You are not going to like what I'm about to say," she told him, "But, you have to hear it and it's best it came from me. The Pretender Project has been terminated Jarod, it's been costing too much money with far too little results, especially because of the hunt for you." Parker told him, and Jarod's face registered surprise."But...but that's wonderful!" he exclaimed, and Parker shook her head.

"In a last ditch effort to get you Jarod, the Centre is hiring over two hundred operatives to check out any 'Pretends' you may get involved in..." Jarod looked up at her in confusion.

"But I'll avoid them or get away, I always do..."

"Not this time Jarod. Every one of those operatives has had special training... the Pretender project has been terminated, yet you remain a loose end..." Miss Parker bit her lip, looking Jarod straight in the eye as she delivered the final part of what she had to tell him,"There is a ten million dollar reward for the person who kills you."

"I don't know whether to be insulted at the paltry reward, or at the fact that you seem to be winning at the moment," he responded, his eyes darker than normal, "Granted, I'm still breathing."

"That's uncalled for and you know it, Jarod," she snapped her blue eyes blazing with anger.

"Is it? As far as I see it, you're the one standing in front of me with the gun," he pointed out rather sarcastically.

"Damn it, Jarod. I'm not here because of the reward," she replied, lowering the gun to her side.

"So why are you here, then?"

"I left and took something rather important with me. They want him back, so you see you're not the only one with a bounty on their head."

"Parker, what did you do?" He suddenly leaned forward, his liquid chocolate eyes boring into her brilliant blue ones. "I took what was mine."

Jarod attempted to say something several times, but couldn't find the words. Parker glanced over at him, setting her lips in a thin, pale line, before taking a seat in the chair next to him.

"You've gone to a lot of trouble to find me, so I want to hear it all, Parker.We have time, there's a major storm system coming. An hour later, you would have missed me," Jarod narrowed his eyes.

She squeezed her eyes shut, then glanced sidelong at him. "Let's just say when Daddy," with scorn in her voice, "issued the order to end the 'Pretender Project', I was relieved."

"You thought that you were free," it was a statement, not a question. "Yes, then Broots found something in the mainframe. I couldn't believe it, I should have but. . . . I was still valuable to the Centre" she said. "What your old position in Corporate?"

She blinked her blue eyes in astonishment. "I wish. He used me. . .." she looked away from Jarod, only to gather her emotions, "I will not let what happen to my mother, happen to me. Ethan, the baby. . .." "What about your baby brother?"

"Not. . . ." she shook her head.

"MY GOD!" he exclaimed.

Jarod could only piece together what Miss Parker was trying to say. There was silence in the room as both minds turned around on a flimsy rubberband before snapping. Jarod looked at the woman in front of him, her gun lowered in a show of peace and goodwill. This woman was his friend. His childhood, first friend.

"What..." Jarod stopped unable to finish his words. "What are you implying, Parker?"

Miss Parker turned her blue gaze upwards to meet his eyes. "I think you know what I'm talking about, Jarod," she said defensively, a bit of testy sarcasm coming into her speech. "Use that *brilliant* mind of yours..." He moved from the chair, and grabbed her by both arms, his dark eyes almost glowing in the dim light, "Damn it, Parker. Spit it out." She grinned a small, humorless grin, "He's not my brother because the Chairman is not my father."

He released his grip on her arms and stepped back. The idea had crossed his mind several times, and he had tried to prepare her for the idea. But, it was a hard theory to push, because even he had trouble accepting Catherine Parker in the light he was trying to show on her. "He's not your father?"

She shook her head, and met his eyes again with a dark gaze, "Surprised?"

"No," he said softly. She glanced at him sharply, Jarod gave her wry grimace.

"I know. You did try to prepare me for it by sending me to Lake Catherine," she averted her eyes and sighed.

"You deserve better anyway!" He closed his eyes and turned his face away, head drooping onto his chest as the breath caught in his throat. Only after a long moment did he find his voice.

"There is something else that you haven't told me yet. Isn't there?"

She stiffened and a strangled little gasp told him of the pain that statement inflicted. And there was nothing he could do to prevent it. He let a heavy sigh escape his lips and closed his eyes against the sight of her, knowing, even in his anger, that the Centre had betrayed her again, and in knowing that, she made a choice for her and . . .

"Parker, you took the baby? Didn't you?"

As the silence between them deepened, she dared to touch a hesitant hand to his, every fiber of her being screaming within, "Yes, I told you I took what was mine," she said very softly, blinking back the tears as she drew herself up from the chair.

He sighed and got wearily to his feet, not wanting to vocalize what she was telling him. He took a deep breath, then spoke softly as if worried that he change his mind.

"There's a reason that you took him. . . .right?" he stopped as Parker's hand came to rest over his tightly clenched one.

"He's my son. I brought him in about ten minutes before you arrived home, that's how I knew the second stair on the front porch squeaks. She smiled. "I heard on the radio the storm was coming in faster than they expected," she said, waiting. His eyes widened.

"Alone, you left him alone" he said sharply.

"I had this," she replied as she pulled out a small monitor from her pocket,"It was starting to grow cold because of the storm, bringing him inside was for his safety. If they found me...."

"You trust me with your son....Parker." he questioned, tilting his head. "Ours.....and I do," she whispered, gently setting her hand in his shoulder. He shook his head, all his tight-reined anger and frustration suddenly erupting.

"Like they haven't had enough say in my life or yours."

As suddenly as the emotional storm had surfaced, it abated, leaving the pretender looking weary and old beyond his years. Parker's hand slid up Jarod's neck to settle gently on the side of his face, her thumb brushing his cheek. She stood there, gazing into his eyes, amazed. After four years of pursuit, here she was with her arch-nemisis. And in the midst of yet another betrayal by her so-called-father, by the Centre, the heart wrenching agony of discovering her 'brother' was her son - their son - she realized that despite all they had put each other through, she felt really and truly safe for the first time she could remember.

"I happen to think that they have had far too much say, Jarod," she informed him with the beginnings of a smile. "that's why I'm here. It's time for us to do something about it. Are you game?"

The tension was unbearable, as she waited for him to answer her. When it suddenly dawned on her that after everything she had done in the name of the almighty Centre that this could not be easy for him. A part of her wondered if he would be able to do it, to look beyond the past.

"I know it's unfair of me to ask," she said as she broke the silence," They don't care about me, you. They want to take everything away." Tears filled her eyes as she spoke." Your family, my mother, our life's blood. Don't you understand?" He understood and in truth, he was relieved that she sought him out after discovering this latest betrayal.

"I understand," his reply quiet. He knew that she was extremely brave and that she would have gone it alone but there was someone else to think about. He also had to admit that there was no one else but him to help her. His eyes pierced into her's like darts and he didn't mince words.

"I"d would never have let you do this alone anyways." Then he grinned, that insipid grin of his.

"Oh. . . .you. . . ." she couldn't even speak.

Just as she finally found some idea of the words she wanted to say, a loud and lusty cry rang out from down the hall. Before Jarod, who was not used to the sound, could even react, Parker was gone, and by the time he realized where she'd disappeared to, she was standing in front of him again, a small, beautiful baby boy nestled against her chest, his tiny face just barely reaching her shoulder. Suddenly, the reality of what was happening, what had been revealed to him tonight took hold, and Jarod realized that he was looking at his son -- at Parker and their son. Before he knew it, his eyes filled with tears, and he reached out to touch his son's cheek.

"Parker... He's beautiful," Jarod breathed, looking from the boy's blue eyes to Parker's own set. Letting the situation rush through his head, Jarod asked fearfully, a slight choke in his voice, "Can I... Can I hold him?"

Miss Parker, who was lovingly kissing the top of the boy's head, looked up at Jarod, almost startled by the idea. Her mind, not fully caught up to what was going on, suddenly realized, for the thousandth time, that Jarod was her baby's father. She nodded and moved closer to Jarod. He extended his arms and received the tiny bundle with great care, ignoring the classic "Watch his head" remark that quietly escaped Miss Parker's lips. Looking down at his son, Jarod looked up at Miss Parker with teary eyes. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head away.

"Don't," she said calmly, voice devoid of emotion, her eyes averted from his gaze.

There was no denying her single word had wounded him a bit, but the squirming baby he held quickly commanded his attention again.

"He's so incredible Parker." Jarod started down through eyes pooling with tears, utterly besotted with his son. *Their* son, he reminded himself, and had to smile. His gaze seemed to be caught and held by the large eyes (infancy dictated such proportion) and found that he could do no more than marvel. Had he not wished, secretly, for this to be true? "And he's ours?" At Parker's smiled, Jarod was struck by the look of love that crossed her face, closely companioned by a look of pain. "Yes, he's ours." Her faced clouded over further. "I just couldn't leave him; I could not let them have him, hurt him, destroy him." She glanced over at father and son then repeated, "I took what's mine."

Voice husky, Jarod let voice to the question demanding to be asked, "What is his name?"

"Benjamin," Parker voice whispered and then looked up at both of them and smiled. His forefinger stroked the petal softness of the baby's cheek, who's eyes opened and gravely he looked at the pretender, then his lower lip began to quiver.

"Can you manage? I have to get him a bottle," Parker said as she watched the baby nestle into the crook of Jarod's arm. Jarod settled back into the chair and examined the little boy that had a rather tight hold of his finger and was eagerly trying to pull it into his tiny mouth. The soft down of reddish hair, the tiny rosebud lips, and those wide eyes. Parker's eyes, vivid blue which gave no hint of changing. Parker returned, bottle in hand.

"So how were you planning on protecting Ben?" Jarod looked up at her, his hand outstretched for the bottle.

"That just it, I don't know. There really is no one, other than. . . ." she replied and shook her head," I can't involve him in this . . .not yet."

He didn't know what to say to her, for this was a side of her he had never seen. So instead he handed her the empty bottle, sat the baby upright on his knee, facing him slightly bent toward his chest, and rhythmicallly rubbed his back. Parker stared at him, speechless.

"This keeps more formula in his stomach and let's the gas escape," he said, his eyes never leaving Parker's. Then as if to prove him right, Ben gave several loud burps, at that was all. Jarod laughed, rubbed again and when nothing further happened settled his son comfortably in his arm again.

"I'm not even going to ask," Parker ran a hand through her hair and placed the empty bottle on the table, before taking a seat next to Jarod, "Seriously, we need someplace to leave Ben, as much as I want to run to Maine. The Centre probably has the place watched."

"I agree. There is a place that will take wonderful care of him for you.The Sisters of St.Catherine's. They helped me when Emily was nearly killed." Parker nodded.

"We'll leave after the storm," Jarod said, and it was at that moment that Parker realized that rain was lashing the windows," Gives us time to talk."

"Talk? About what?"

"Everything, Parker. Everything."

A knot jumped from the pit of her stomach straight up to her throat, making it suddenly difficult to breath. And impossible to speak. Why was she so surprised? This is, after all, what she came here for. To talk to Jarod. But now that the moment is upon her, she finds herself very hesitant to hear what he had to say. Terrified even. Her eyes dash nervously around the dim house and she practically gave a joyous shout when they land on the empty baby bottle on the table.

"I should go wash this," she said, quietly. Not so much because she notices the baby's tired eyes slowly closing. But because that's all she can manage through the stubborn lump that still refuses to move. She grabs the bottle and runs to the kitchen, only letting out the breath she was holding when she's behind the closed door. Jarod tries to say something to stop her, but she's up and into the kitchen before he could get a word out. He sits there for a second with his mouth still open, a confused look on his face. Why was she so suddenly afraid? This is what she came for, right? To talk? He shakes his head and tries to put Miss Parker out of his mind for a minute. His attention turns back to his son nestled so comfortably in his arms. The little boy looks up at him with so much love in his eyes, as though he had instantly known Jarod was his father. There was so much of his mother in his eyes. The same bright blue pools staring up at Jarod with complete trust and love. It was a look he had seen in Miss Parker's eyes long ago. And he saw a glimpse of it a few minutes ago when she introduced him to his son. He just hopes that one day, he'll see it again.

******

Blue Cove, Same Time

The Centre was in panic. Well, not the Centre Centre. The Centre Centre was fine: running business as usual. But, lower, deeper into the bowels of the large buildings, a full scale look-under-every-rock search was taking place. Sweepers were searching the entire building: the sub-levels being handled with regular suit and tie Sweepers, while the top levels were being given to more suave, subtle operatives who could get the job done without being noticed. But among this mass of chaos, there was one character who was calm and collected. He knew that Miss Parker and 07 wouldn't be found in, or anywhere around the Centre. He adjusted the black, leather glove that covered his missing thumb and quietly executed his worldwide search. He would find them. She wasn't that smart. He dare not linger, for his sake, his duties called for him, as the always did; and the trail would be lost all to swiftly. After ordering the worldwide search of his MIA sister and baby brother, the thumbless one made his way to the Chairman's office and caught the tail end of a private conversation.

". . . .Difficult times, Mr. Parker," the voice was Cox's.

"I am profoundly disturbed that such treachery could have surfaced here in the bosom of the Centre," Mr. Parker said. The chairman looked up and caught sight the intruder and gestured for him to sit. Lyle took the statement at face value, for it merely stated the obvious. His sister, a traitor.

"I am stunned, and can not fathom why she did what she did," Lyle replied.

"You well knew that this is the primary concern not only of the Centre but also the triumvirate," the chairman murmured.

"Do they know?" Lyle intoned, breathing out in a long, tempering sigh.

"Not at this time. After all, how hard will it be to find one very striking woman and a baby?" Cox asked.

"I'm telling you, both, that she's not alone in this," Lyle said.

The lift of eyebrows said all that was needed. Mr. Parker found himself suppressing a shiver of dread.

"You think," Cox countered.

"I know," Lyle replied.

******

Jarod's Retreat

The storm raged outside and the thunder and lightning cause the baby to fuss and whimper. Concern for the baby caused Parker to emerge from the kitchen, even though she was still aware of the fact that Jarod wanted to talk. Parker told him that she could handle the baby, she'd been doing it since he was born; yet Jarod insisted on helping put Benjamin to bed. So when the baby spit up on his shirt, Jarod carelessly pulled it over his head without bothering to unbutton it and then tossed it across the chair. Parker just stood to the one side and watched him bathe and change Benjamin, the muscles rippling in his arms each time he moved. Then when he reached across the bed, she actually jumped.

"Hand me his diaper, Parker," he smiled," You haven't talked since I asked you to."

Miss Parker, despite the allure of the situation --a man without his shirt, her sitting on the egde of the bed -- wanted no more than to get away from him. She looked down at the baby, and slowly, ever so slowly began to pull away into a far, safe corner of her mind.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked, tonelessly.

Jarod looked up at her. "Where were they keeping him?" Jarod asked.

"Your room. Refurnished." Miss Parker stated.

Jarod stiffened. "My room?" Jarod asked, looking down at the giggling cherub in his arms. He sighed, and looked at Parker, noticing her silence. "Parker? What's wrong?"

"When is this going to end, Jarod?" her eyes searching his," Look at him, what did he do to deserve that kind of life?"

Jarod had been able to keep thoughts of the Centre at bay in face of the focus of the past few hours, but his own fears and sorrows now began to intrude, as fatigue and releif made him start winding down.

"He isn't going to live the life we did Parker. You saw to that the minute you discovered he was your son and took him away. Parker?" He said softly, reaching across to lightly brush the back of one of her hands. She started at his touch, but very gently he laid his hand next to hers, touching it but not clasping it, his fingertips barely brushing her little finger.

"I wonder if you're prepared to put up with me," she said.

"Of course I am, I'm feeling rather brave," he replied, looking down at her," God knows the circumstances have changed."

"You really do mean that, don't you!" she said, amazed at the sincerity that shone in his eyes.

"Of course I do."

He felt a smile beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth, and placed his hand in hers to lightly clasp it as well. She turned her face full to toward him, her own fingers curling more bodly around his as she whispered," I hope that you understand that it may take a little while to rebuild our relationship."

"As long as you need, Parker. In the meantime, someone's sleeping," his head indicated the slumbering infant in his arm, "And we have some serious plans to make. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" she replied.

Together, they made their way down the hall, and Parker led Jarod to the portable crib she had set up earlier. Carefully, and with the skill of a veteran father, Jarod lay Benjamin down, then he pulled the soft cashmere blanket that was in the bed over the little boy. Parker bent down and kissed her son's head, then she rested her chin on the edge of the crib, sighing heavily.

"When he was born and I held him, I knew I would do anything to protect him. Now that I know the truth...." Parker's voice faded out, but Jarod knew what she would have said without the words.

"Thank you, Parker. Thank you for watching over our son."

As he finished speaking, Jarod caught Parker's eyes, and he saw again that flicker of emotion he had seen earlier. Taking his chance, he reached over and slowly set his hand down so that it rested on hers. This time, she did not move it away.

Jarod leaned forward, and there was a sparkle of amusement in his eyes. There was silence for a long moment, and then Parker finally spoke her first words to the man who used to be her childhood friend, her prey and because of the Centre's need for prefection, the father of her son.

"What?" she tilted her head slightly.

He laughed as he looked at her, but stifled it quickly when the baby in the crib began to squirm.

"If you wake him up, you can stay up with him," she looked at him, her words not lost on him,"Understand!"

"Okay, okay. . . I understand," then he smiled, leaned in closer and . . .

Sighing, Miss Parker took a step away from him. With her head down and gaze firmly fixed on the floor she avoided his eyes.

"I'm sorry Jarod. But I told you... I need time. This whole thing will take time." Her whispered words were loud and clear to him and Jarod backed off.

"I understand Parker," he murmured. "You can have all the time you need."

Looking up and meeting his eyes, Parker felt the corners of her lips twitch. "Besides, don't we have some planning to do without being distracted?" Turning, she headed back to the living room, leaving Jarod to shake his head in her wake and smile down at his son.

"Quite a mother you've got there," he whispered before following Parker out.

He found her staring out the french windows, rivulets of rain running races down the glass, her mood pensive. Taking a position behind her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, gingerly. She didn't flinch, in fact she leaned into him.

"Are you sure about this, Parker?"

"Oh, yes," she said, as they watched the cold hard rain, driven by a relentless wind pound the windows, "We take Benjamin to the safehouse and then. . . ." She watched his reflection the glass as he walked away from her, and opened a drawer on a small table taking out a mobile phone.

"Latest model, satellite-linked and untraceable. We can't stay here, we need to become invisible, so to speak."

"So were do we go?"

"There's an old factory just outside of Blue Cove," he said as he punched in Sydney's number at the Centre. The response was almost immediate.

"Syndey. They're safe. Is it as bad as it sounds?"

"To sound cliche, your worst nightmare, but Broots and I will meet you, tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night then, Syd." Jarod switched off the phone.

"My God, you are serious," she turned to look at him.

"Let's leave him out of it for now, okay. How about some tea and we'll finalize the rest of the plans," he smiled as he put the phone down.

Writers: Niceole
KB
Lisa
Trish
Shannon
Niceole
Trish
Lisa
Mandy
Shannon
Michele
Monica
Lisa
Shannon
Trish
Shaddyr
Michele
Niceole
Monica
Myra
Trish
Shannon
Nicky
Monica
Michele
Trish
Monica
Shannon
Niceole
Trish
The Princess
Shannon

Part 2