Is This Love?

Author: Danni ;)

Rating: R

Disclaimer: No money making here! And no character stealing.

Summary: I can't summarize it. You have to read it to find out about it.

Note: People with weak constitutions are advised not to read.

Jarod's Old Lair
Mid Afternoon

As with many other of Jarod's old lairs, the one that the trio stood in right now was pointless and a complete waste of time. Except, it was different somehow.

Parker looked from Broots to Sydney and back again. As usual Broots was jittery. Sydney looked around the room thoughtfully, then turned his gaze toward Parker. He had on his look of "I think I might know the reason for this". How she hated it!

She threw up her arms in mock surrender. "I give up Freud. What do you know that I don't?"

"It seems as though Jarod is trying to establish his place in this life. Either in body or mind is beyond me. But I think that this," he said pointing to a painting of Broots, Sydney and Miss Parker running, "represents his interpretation of our relationship to him." Sydney explained.

"What relationship? You may have one with wonder boy, but I don't." Parker said promptly. "And can't you ever have a normal conversation with anyone?"

"Sydney, Miss Parker. I think you should see this." Broots yelled from a room off to the left of Sydney. Parker threw Sydney a look, which was returned, and ventured in.

Upon entering it she cringed. It was dark and musty. And in the corner was a table that looked ancient. On it was a box.

"What did you-" Parker coughed, "want?"

Broots replied by pointing to the table in the corner. And when she looked at it more closely her heart stopped.

The box was covered in what looked like red paint. Blood red. Together with what was inside it had to be blood. Inside was a heart. Presumably a human heart.

"Broots?" Parker asked.

"Yes?" Broots squeaked. "Wait a minute, let me think. You want me to pick it up. And then you want me to see who's it is."

"Well, I just wanted you to take a sample of blood, then find out who it is. But since you're so excited about the whole nine yards, I'll be glad to let you." Parker responded. "Look, just take a sample and leave it here. Who ever it is, I don't give a hoot about until we find out who it is."

******

Back at the Centre, Broots took the sample to the lab and Sydney went to his office. Parker took off for home, after she tied up some loose ends.

As Broots was going to the Tech Room, he ran into her.

"Did you find out who it was?" Parker asked.

"Not yet. It's going to take at least till tomorrow. Have you seen Sydney? Well, never mind. I guess with all that's going on now. With your brother missing and all that. I'm sure your worried. Besides that, Jarod-"

He stopped as Parker walked away.

While she was on her way out, she decided to stop and say goodbye to her father. When she knocked, there was no response. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. When she stepped into the office, there was no sign of her father.

In the process of looking around, the phone rang. She chose to answer it, but only to take a message. But, like everything else in her life, the unexpected happened. On the other line was the voice of Jared.

"Hello, Parker." He said. "Where is daddy? You don't want him to end up being hurt, now do you?"

"Jarod I don't know what sick game you're playing, but it's grating on my nerves." Parker ground out. "And who is your little friend you left so thoughtfully behind for me to find?"

"Oh, come now Miss Parker. It wouldn't be fun if I just told you. I rather like sending you on a goose hunt. Besides your bound to know who he is sooner or later." Jarod replied. Parker knew he was going to hang up, so she tried to stall him.

"Is that all this is for you? A goose hunt?" Parker asked.

"No, it's not. And if you want your loved ones to live, you'd better make sure to protect them." He answered, his voice taking on a steely tone. And then he hung up. Once again Parker was left alone to dwell on her thoughts. Thoughts that harbored pain. And that pain was more than she could bear alone. She needed someone who understood her.

Sydney. He was always there. Even when she was being her usual self.

Since it was eleven-thirty p.m., she figured that she could talk to him in the morning. For now she wanted to go home and sleep.

When she got home, she immediately went to the kitchen to get something to drink. She had a bottle of wine saved for a special occasion, but you never know if there will be a tommorrow, now do you?. She poured some into a glass, then just drank from the bottle.

"Very attractive", she thought out loud to herself.

On her way to the den, she picked up the copy of "Little Women" her mother left her.

When she finally put the book down at half past midnight; her eyelids started to feel heavy.

When she realized how late it was, she started for her room. When she stumbled into her room she stripped, then put on her pajamas. Next she brushed her teeth and hair. Before long she was snuggled comfortably under her fluffy coverlet.

Although she was exhausted, she lay awake. She kept turning Jarod's words over and over again in her head.

No it's not. And if you want your loved ones to live, you'd better make sure to protect them.

She thought of the hatred in his voice. What happened to him? Why and how could he do that? He's Jarod. He's the one who was supposed to help others. And she, Parker, was the one who was not supposed to help others.

After what seemed hours, she fell into a fitful sleep.

Broots wasn't so lucky.

Broots ambled through his door around two in the morning. He went to a poetry reading with Sydney. After that they went to a local diner and talked about the reading.

The only light on in his house was the hallway light on the landing of the stairs.

He heard a rustling sound coming from the living room. After which appeared the babysitter.

"Mr. Broots? Is that you?" She asked. She clicked on the lamp and the room was flooded in light.

"Um, yeah Emily. Did anyone call?" Broots was opening the refrigerator when she came to stand by the counter. He turned to find her looking at a notepad.

"Yeah. You had at least twenty." She replied. "And all of them were from someone named..." she paused a moment to check it on the pad. "Parker. And a package arrived for you."

His head pounding, his heart stopped, he asked, "What did she want?"

"She wouldn't say." replied Melanie. "But, like, she sounded urgent. You know, like she couldn't wait to get hold of you."

Could it be about the heart they found? Or maybe she just wanted to talk to him. Upon pondering this last thought for several seconds, he decided that it was impossibility.

All at once Broots remembered what she said about the package he received.

"You said something about a package. Where is it?"

She pointed to the entrance closet. At that she turned toward the living room to tidy up a bit.

When Broots opened the closet door, he knew something was definitely wrong.

It was the same size box Jared left behind. This one however didn't have blood on it. And to make it weirder this didn't have any address or writing on it. Which meant it had to have been dropped off.

He cautiously picked it up and brought it to the island in the kitchen. He had started to open it when he heard the babysitter ask, "Do you mind if I just stay the night? That way I can take Debbie to school, then drop myself off too."

Broots had forgotten all about her being there. Living alone took its toll. He answered, "Yeah. That would work. Look I'm going up to my room now. You can make yourself at home. The couch folds out. Good night." After several steps, he turned around. "This doesn't have my address. That means it was dropped off. Did you happen to see who dropped it off?"

"He was hot alright. Oh, sorry." At that she turned beat red. "He had black hair, his right ear was pierced. He was a little taller than you are. That's about all. I hope I helped." After a mumbled thank you, he went up upstairs.

When he was safely in his room, he took scissors to cut the tape from the box. When that was done he carefully opened it flap by flap. One look inside and he was off to the bathroom to regurgitate all he had eaten that night. Finally, after all was out, he brushed his teeth, and stepped bravely out of the bathroom. He heard the handle on his door turn, and then Debbie walked into the room.

"Debbie! What are you doing up? It's three in the morning, and you have school tomorrow." Broots scolded softly. He couldn't very well just yell at her.

"I heard your voice downstairs, and I wanted a hug. I missed you." Debbie replied truthfully. She could see her father's worried expression, and she wanted to help him.

"I missed you too. Come here." Broots motioned her with his arms open. "Then you have to go back to bed."

When she left he went back to the box. When he looked inside to make sure he really saw what he saw, he picked it up and started for his car. He needed to talk to Miss Parker. She might want to see this. But would she care?

As he pulled out of his drive, his thoughts roamed to Debbie. Hopefully he would be back at home in time to see her off to school.

Nearing Miss Parker's house, Broots started to have second thoughts about coming so late. But he couldn't just leave her in the dark.

On the second ring of the doorbell, Broots resigned himself as an intruder. And when he saw Miss Parker's angry face, he was dead on.

"What!?" Parker exclaimed sharply.

"I-I um-I um..." Broots muttered.

"Spit it out, Broots." Parker replied placidly. "And this had better not be a visit for a good night mint." She threatened dangerously.

Broots was so taken aback by her outfit that he couldn't rightly remember what he came here for.

Parker noticed that his gaze had traveled down to her low cut p.j.'s. Which were silk, baggy, and not what she wanted Broots to see her in. She coughed to get his attention. That accomplished, she pierced him with a look.

"Here." Was all he could get out.

She is so beautiful. What a women.

His thoughts were interrupted by Parker's "Well, come on in!"

Once she was sitting cross-legged on her couch, she carelessly opened the box.

A disturbed look came and went on her placid face.

"I guess he wasn't able to thumb his way through this one." Parker stated.

"I noticed that the box is the same size and shape that was in Jared's last lair." Broots declared apprehensively.

Twenty minutes later they were on their way to Chicago.

When they arrived they found the box was missing.

"Something feels wrong." Broots stated nervously.

"Everything to do with Jared is wrong. But yes, I feel it too. Let's get back to the Centre, find Sydney, and figure this whole damn thing out." Parker stated wearily. Why did Jared have to make everything in her life so complicated? He could have just…just…left her alone.

Broots cleared his throat nervously. "So, what was it you wanted to know when you called?"

Parker looked at Broots tiredly. "Broots, I didn't call you."

Broots immediately knew something was clearly wrong."Miss Parker? I need to get home, and I mean right now. I just remembered that when I got the package, I asked the babysitter who had dropped it off. And she sad you'd called a few times." He finished with a worried look.

Parker tilted her head slightly to the left and raised her eyebrows to show she had no idea what he was getting at.

"I think she described Jarod." That was all the encouragement she needed. Broots soon found out that when Miss Parker wanted to get somewhere she got there fast.

In what seemed like no time, they were at his house.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Parker placed her hand on Broots' shoulder.

At his hesitation she went on, "I will if you want me to. I won't think you an any lesser man."

With a perturbed sigh he courageously accepted her help.

******

It was all too easy.

Jarod found the perfect pawn in his little game of chess. The hapless babysitter. He had an easy enough job of convincing her to help him. All he had to do was show his undying affection for her.

That all accomplished, he made his move.

He had to fight down giggles of happiness thinking of his brilliant plan.

Ten minutes after Broots left for Parker's house, he parked behind the house, and slipped in through the back door.

He found Emily eagerly awaiting him. He smiled knowingly.

After an hour he walked to the fridge. He brought out two beers he had cooling. Broots didn't drink, but after tonight he would.

"What are you smiling about? I hope it's respectable like." Emily asked as she took the beer.

"You and this charade we're playing."

"What do you mean charades? I thought our love was genuine." Emily replied indignantly, after taking a long drink of beer.

Jarod choked on his beer. He couldn't stand it any longer.

"What love? I only used you to get to this family. I'm going to forget all about you after this is all over with."

She looked horror stricken. But only for a moment, after that she was bent over throwing up buckets of vomit.

When she had a breath, she managed to ask, "What did you do to me?"

"I slipped a bit of poison in your beer. You know you shouldn't take drinks from a man who's only going to use you."

She just kept throwing up, and he couldn't stand it anymore. So he cut her throat with a butcher knife he found in the kitchen.

The sound of her choking on her own blood was the most invigorating sound he had ever heard. Now he understood why people killed for pleasure.

He inched his way up the stairs to Debbie's room very slowly. Once he got the knife clean of all blood he held in the moonlight streaming in through an open window.

It looked so angelic. He felt shivers of apprehension go up and down his spine.

He didn't know which room was Debbie's, so he decided to check every door.

Lady Luck was with him tonight. The first door on the left was Debbie's. He first took inventory of his surroundings. Then he sat down at a wicker chair in a corner of the room.

After what seemed an hour or two of figuring out how to kill her, he heard a car pull up.

Instead of getting angry Jarod altered his plans, slightly.

******

Broots stepped out of the car and instantly knew something was wrong. There were no lights on.

Parker told him not to acknowledge her presence. That way if Jarod were inside the house then he wouldn't know she was there.

When he stepped into the house, he was engulfed with the smell of vomit. And blood.

Parker motioned to the stairs, and that she was going to go first.

Broots mouthed which door was Debbie's room. But she didn't get it. She was already turned around and headed up the stairs.

As she rounded the corner of the stairwell, she came face to face with her image. Her blood started to race. Now was the time to be grateful for the calm face in danger.

All the doors were closed, so she opened the first one to the left.

Jarod watched, amazed as the Miss Parker walked through the door.

She stopped when she saw what had to have been bloodstains all over Debbie's bed. The worst was that she knew Debbie was in the bed. She walked over to it and tried to think of a way to tell Broots his daughter was dead.

She reached out and pulled back the sheets and found pillows staged to look like a small body. She jumped as the door slammed shut behind her. As she jumped she grabbed her gun from its holster.

"Drop the gun Miss Parker. Or do you want innocent blood on your hands." It was Jared.

The son-of-a-bitch.

"You're too damned smart for your own good Jarod." Parker thought out loud.

"You forgot clever, witty and down right gorgeous. Now be a good girl and put the gun down."

Parker did as he said, but not before seeing he had Debbie in front of him.

"What, you're too wimpy to face me without the aid of a human block?" Parker snarled.

"I didn't expect to have you walk through that door. I thought it was going to be little 'ol Broots. But now that you're here, I can kill you too." He took a tentative step toward her.

"Why?" Parker asked, her voice full of dread.

"Why what? Anything that I have done?" You see I had to kill Lyle because he just deserved it." Jarod replied.

"Why did you send his head to Broots? Why not just send it to me?" Parker questioned.

"You see, it was all part of my plan. I knew he would skip to your house. Then I used that poor babysitter to get in. And now I will kill you and her," Jared said motioning to Debbie. Who was by now huddled in a corner, unable to move from fear. "And then I will-"

As reason took hold of her, Parker blurted, "Blame it on Broots. The poor single father couldn't take it anymore." Parker almost cried as Jared nodded.

"I think you're getting too smart for your own good, Parker. You know, me and you would make a good team. What do you say?"

"Nothing. Well, actually I would say to take that offer, bend over and take it up your ass. Because that is the only place it's going."

Jarod reached out and took hold of her arm. The pressure of it bruised.

"Too bad. We could have been great." Parker saw the glint of silver and immediately reacted.

Just as she heard the crinkling of Jared's leather jacket, indicating he was poised and ready, she kicked him in the shins, and rolled away.

Fortunately she rolled right in front of Debbie.

"Are you alright?" Parker asked hurriedly.

"I'm scared." Came Debbie's voice. "Watch out!" she screamed as Jarod advanced toward them.

Parker pushed Debbie out of the way, also pushing herself the other way.

Jarod missed them both, and in doing so getting the knife stuck in the wall.

Parker saw her chance and took it. She rolled over Jarod's bent back, her back to his, and landed facing him.

As she knew he would, Jarod straightened up.

Seizing her only chance, Parker grabbed his shoulders, bent her knee, and brought it up with all the strength she had into his groin.

Jarod doubled over with pain. She then bent down and retrieved her fallen gun. Grabbing it by the handle she brought it smashing down on the back of Jared's head.

"That should keep you down for a while." Parker spat at the fallen Pretender.

She heard a board creak behind her. She whirled to find Debbie inching her way toward the door.

"Broots!" Parker yelled weakly. "Broots!" This time louder.

Muffled footsteps sounded on the stairwell.

After several seconds Broots turned on the hallway light. Debbie ran to him, and Broots scooped his daughter up in his arms.

"Where's Jared? He's not here." Parker's hawk-like eyes scanned the room and found it Jarodless.

She turned to face Broots, and just as soon she jerked around her gun pointed in the darkness.

Just as she was sure it was on impulse, the gun was wrenched from her hands. Then a stinging blow was dealt to her left cheek, which landed her a visit with the floor.

"Oh, Mr. Broots? I think you might want to come in here." Jarod's leering voice called out into the hall.

Broots slowly stepped into the room. Debbie in tow.

White-hot pain tore through her scalp as Jarod dragged her up by her hair. And pushed her a couple of feet from him.

Parker had an iron will, so she managed not to cry out.

"Miss Parker are you alright?" Broots asked.

"I'm fine. Just as long as psycho boy stays away from me." Parker never took her eyes off Jarod.

At that Jarod stepped closer. Parker stayed rooted to the spot determined to show she was not intimidated.

"You have spunk." Jarod observed before he crushed her mouth with his. His arm coming to encircle her waist. Parker tried to end the kiss, but the more she fought, the more Jared's arms tightened about her waist. Finally she bit down hard on his tongue. She could taste his blood, and she knew he had to be hurting. But she didn't know that in a moment Jared would bite her back.

The pain shot Parker into shock.

This can't be happening, she thought.

Much too fast anger set in. And in the next instant she made a fatal error. She again tried to kick him in the groin.

Jarod anticipated she would do this, so he jerked to the right, and she landed with her back to the floor. This presently knocked the wind out of her.

Debbie ran and threw her arms around her. Cradling her head in her lap all the while.

Debbie was oblivious to Broots yelling at her to stay where she was. And since Broots couldn't win, he joined the two ladies in the middle of the room.

"I'm hurting inside, but I really need to get on with killing you ladies. You see I have to get going on blaming Broots. Sorry Miss Parker." At that he pointed her gun at her and pulled the trigger without a second thought.

Debbie screamed, and Broots sank to the ground.

The bullet entered just below her right lung, but it was still a wound that could kill. Parker forced herself to stay conscious. The scene kept fading out and fading in again. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to think of Jarod pulling the trigger.

She knew she was dying when Sydney ran into the room, aimed a gun at Jared and fired. Jared first fell to his knees, looked at Parker with glossy eyes, and fell face forward to the blood soaked carpet.

She had to have died and gone to heaven to watch as Jarod walked into the room unharmed and back to normal.

As he neared her, Parker tried to ward him off, but couldn't move, so she settled with a terrified moan.

Jarod stopped dead.

She was hurt. His heart seemed to disintegrate inside his chest. And worse yet, if it could get worse, she looked at him with horror filled eyes.

Only Sydney knew the truth of Jarod being cloned when he was first brought to the Centre. And it was Sydney who was now trying to explain that to the three other persons in the room.

Debbie looked right at Jarod and then ran to her father.

"Parker, Jarod didn't have anything to do with the death of those people. His clone was evil and tormented by demons. You must believe me." Sydney pleaded with Miss Parker.

She wanted to believe but she was too tired to think much less say something. Yet she knew that Sydney was telling the truth.

As she looked at Jarod he looked as though the world crashed down upon him. He looked like he wanted to hold her. As God is her witness, she wanted him too. As that thought took root in her mind, her eyes transmitted it to Jarod.

He rushed and picked up the brunette in the middle of the room.

"I'll do much more than this. We're getting you to a hospital." Jarod said. "Broots, can we use your car?"

"I don't have mine here, but I'm sure Miss Parker won't mind if you use hers."

"Great. Look, I'll call you from the hospital with what to do with this mess." Jarod said as his gaze traveled to the dead clone in the middle of the room.

*~*

A Miss Parker was wheeled into the Blue Cove Hospital emergency room at five o'clock in the morning July 4, 2000. She was snatched from death, and recuperated slowly, all the while learning about the man she gradually grew to love. Learning all the details of his life that she missed out on.

The elusive Centre had discovered of their Pretender's death by a call from an anonymous neighbor. The call also told of Miss Parker's death. Mr. Parker never did mourn her death, only the loss of the money making Pretender.

So by the time the cleaner team showed up at the given address, Broots and Debbie were soaking up the sun in Southern Florida.

It was the man Parker loved that stated it was perfect that the day she became independent that the country had.

And as Parker was lying on her hospital bed, she was wondering what true love was. And discovered it was a man that went by the name of Jarod, who happened to walk into the room. She had a moments doubt about her situation, And she asked herself, "Is this love?" And as Jarod held her she knew that this was love, true love. And nothing could go wrong with love on your side.

THE END!!!