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In the early hours of the morning the party began to wind down, people bidding their farewells in noisy tones, the band retiring to their own rooms. Still laughing Miss Parker and Jarod stumbled into the bedroom together, their arms round each other for fear of falling over. Miss Parker collapsed onto the bed in a fit of giggles, surprised into silence when Jarod plopped down beside her.

"You can go to your room now Jarod." She slurred, and Jarod giggled.

"This IS my room!" he yelped, and broke down laughing again. Miss Parker sat up awkwardly, staring at him with concentration.

"Jarod I am NOT going to sleep in the same bed as you!" she muttered fiercely, and Jarod turned to stare foggily at her.

"Then where are you going to sleep?" he asked, and bent to attempt to undo his shoelaces.

"Here!" she hollered, and Jarod kicked off one shoe and threw himself back onto the bed.

"Me too! I figure; we are grown adolescents, I mean adults, we can share a bed without any problems. AND, the band is convinced we're already fucki- ...uh, together, so they would expect us to do it. I mean, sleep together. I mean! Oh wait..." Jarod trailed off in confusion as Miss Parker sighed in resignation, rising to stand waveringly beside the bed.

"Have you got something I can sleep in?" she asked, and Jarod nodded pointing to his suitcase where she found a baggy t-shirt and some boxers. Miss Parker headed into the bathroom to change as Jarod once again attempted to remove his shoes.

When she returned, Parker giggled to see Jarod, staring forlornly down at his still shoed foot.

"The rooms spinning and I can take off my shoes." He moaned unhappily, and Miss Parker knelt before him, taking off his shoe for him.

"You've never been drunk before, have you Jarod?" she murmured, feeling more and more sober by the minute. Jarod shook his head, standing up and fumbling with his pants as Miss Parker froze in shock. To her relief he dropped his pants to reveal a pair of boxer shorts, characters from 'South Park' emblazoned across them. Jarod hauled himself up the bed so all of his long body was on it and promptly passed out, leaving Miss Parker to stare down at him with mixed emotions. If anyone at the Centre ever knew...Miss Parker cut off the thought before it got any further, lying down beside Jarod and closing her eyes.

Within moments of lying down Miss Parker was surrounded by Jarod, he seemed to be drawn to her warmth as he curled around her in one fluid motion. She could feel him pressing against her entire left side, his face buried in her hair and his hands tucked into fists under his chin. He wasn't actually holding her down in any way, and she knew if she wanted to, she could simply shift over away from him. If she wanted to. Which she didn't.

There was something very childlike and endearing about the way he had gravitated towards her, and Miss Parker could not help but be touched.

"Parker!" Jarod mumbled in his sleep, a soft smile creeping across his face as he said it, and it quickly dispelled any doubts she may have had about Jarod cuddling up to anyone he lay next to, not just her. In the darkness she smiled at his sleeping for, trailing a finger down his muscular arm on impulse. I must be still drunk or crazy, she thought to herself as she touched his cheek, and her smiled broadened when Jarod mumbled her name, her first name this time, and snuggled his face into the light touch of her hand. Perhaps both, she mused, and pulled the blanket over them so she could get some sleep.

The next morning Parker lay awake studying Jarod for a long time before she got up. But finally it was her need for coffee and her rumbling stomach that forced her out of bed. Jarod, still deeply asleep, uttered a little cry of protest when she was gone, instantly spreading his limbs into the warmth she had left behind, resting his hand where her head had lain.

He was in a room with no doors or windows, the warmth it had once held fading away slowly, the faint fragrance of roses reminding him of what he had lost. He called her name over and over again, beating futilely against the hard walls which seemed to creep forever closer. His despair at losing her seemed to overwhelm him, and every where he turned he saw images of her, her eyes flat and lifeless, her body scarred and mutilated. Pain built within him, a searing fury at her loss, and finally he could hold it in no longer, a scream being ripped from his body.

Jarod awoke still screaming, his body soaked in sweat and trembling. Hastily he threw himself out of bed, dashing into the other rooms of the suite as he searched for her, but she was gone. Still trembling, he made his way into the small kitchen that came with the suite, staring out the windows, over the city, as a blanket of depression settled on him. She was gone.

She had left him, just like she had all those years ago...

Hearing the door open, Jarod spun around to see Parker entering, her arms loaded with some groceries. "I looked in your fridge and all you had was junk Jarod, you should really learn the meaning of healthy eating...are you okay?" she entered the room slowly, dumping her bags on the bench as she stared curiously at him. He was coated with a fine sheen of sweat, his body trembling and his eyes wild as he stood before her, the strangest expression on his face.

"I thought...I thought you'd gone." He whispered, stretching out a hand as if to touch her, then pulling it swiftly away as he turned to stare back out the window. "I thought you'd gone...like last time." Miss Parker pulled him back to face her, gazing up at him and placing a hand on his cheek.

"But I didn't. I'm here." She whispered urgently, and Jarod nodded slowly, his face still worried. Miss Parker withdrew slowly, searching through the bags as she continued.

"I...I bought you a present." She said almost shyly, handing him an object she had found in one of the bags.

"What is it?" he asked curiously as he held it up before his face, which now shone with delight.

"It's a piggy bank. You put money in the slot there, and it's supposed to help you save up for things. And I know you have a bit more money than would fit in that but...every kid had one and I thought..." she trailed off in embarrassment, and Jarod smiled at her, a smile of pure happiness.

"Parker I don't know what to say...thank you!" he cried happily, and shyly Miss Parker returned his smile, a bit surprised when he suddenly lifted her off her feet in a giant bear hug, twirling her around a few times before gently setting her on her feet.

"We need to go shopping, you need clothes for tonight." Jarod said an hour later, and Miss Parker raised one arched eyebrow at him.

"What's wrong with what I've got?" she asked, cleaning up their breakfast dishes, and Jarod stared critically at her simple black skirt and white blouse.

"Well it's just not...slutty enough." He replied, and Miss Parker tried not to choke on her mouthful of coffee.

"What?!?!" she cried, and Jarod looked puzzled at her outrage.

"Well everyone assumes you're some sort of groupie, and those clothes are just too...professional. They just scream money and class..." he said, and she nodded reluctantly.

"Fine...let's go shopping."

It took Jarod over twenty minutes to convince Miss Parker to come out of the change room, and when she did he caught his breath in shock. She was wearing skin-tight black shorts that sat low on her hips and barely covered her butt, showing off her long legs to their full advantage. Her top, a tight singlet, bared her midriff, starting just below her breasts, a plunging V-neck exposing her breasts almost to her nipples, a push-up bra giving Jarod a wondrous view of perfect cleavage. Around her neck she wore a thin black collar, setting off the graceful curve of her shoulders and neck, she wore a similar band on one arm. Her feet were encased in knee high lace-up boots, giving her extra height so she was almost as tall as Jarod.

Jarod was speechless for a long time as she glared impatiently at him, fidgeting nervously and trying to pull her top up, unsuccessfully. Finally he spoke, his voice hoarse as he tried to drag his eyes off her body.

"It's, uh, it's perfect. You look...amazing."

To be continued....