Well I just could not stay away from this Naked Pretender Challenge. Sorry guys.....here's my submission!!! Enjoy! BTW this is the first time I have ever submited a fanficiton to this kind of Challenge so be nice to me.......*grin* Steph (some might call me evil.....but its with complete innocents I tell you!)

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Author: Stephearth
Rating: PG-13, Adult situations, Brief nudity
Catagory: Drama, Spoof, Extremely mild angst (J/MP)
Timeline: Mid-season four, New Year's eve 1999
Spoilers: None
Summary: A private party ;-)

Author's Notes: Length is 998 words, Do Not Archive without Permission, except for at the Pretender Fanfic Archive were this challenge is being hosted. And Please know that it was EXTREMELY hard to kept it under 1000 words!!!! *winks*

Disclaimer: The characters portrayed in this fan fiction belong to NBC and any other copyright holders. No infringement is intended.

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He watched her from across the room as she entered the steam room. Jarod’s eyes ran down her form. He waited a minute before walking to the door. Miss Parker was laying on the bench, wrapped in a towel and a washcloth lay across her eyes.

Jarod entered quietly. Miss Parker must have been dozing, she did not react to the chilly air that rushed into the moist and steamy room.

Jarod closed the door, poured a generous amount of water on the rocks. The loud sizzling noise shattering the silence of the room. Satisfied Jarod turned to face Miss Parker, who was now sitting upright. Miss Parker was furious, "Jarod! What the . . ."

Miss Parker was cut off in mid sentence, by Jarod’s cheerful cry, "Happy New Year, Miss Parker!!!!" Jarod was wearing a grin, from ear to ear, and the angry glare he received from the woman did not effect him at all. "Oh and a very Happy Birthday too!"

Miss Parker got to her feet, ready to walk out of the room, her gun was in her bag, along with a pair of handcuffs.

Jarod quickly sat the bottle and glasses down on the bench and grabbed her arm before she could get to the door. "Miss Parker don’t go. I thought we could bring in the new year together."

Miss Parker stopped when Jarod grabbed her arm. For a moment she just looked at his hand. As the anger at the invasion of her privacy began to leave, she recognized the gentleness of his voice. Miss Parker looked up into his face, she felt her insides twist at the sight of him. He wore a towel around his waist, she suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

The sound of his voice brought her out of a very vivid fantasy. "I figured since you and I were both alone this year that we could be together." She searched his eyes for any malice or trickery, but found none. He was there as a friend. She hated to admit that they were "friends." In the twisted, insane world of the Centre they had each other to relay on, to tell each other at least some truth.

Jarod watched her face, she was fighting it, but he knew that she was lonely too, they needed each other. Even if it was only to celebrate a new year. Amazing and terrifying things could happen in a year’s time. Besides, he thought, isn’t it a new century too? A chance to start over? To tight up some loose ends? He smiled at that thought, looked into her eyes and gave her arm a little tug.

Miss Parker slowly returned his smile, letting him pull her to the bench, handing her a flute. Miss Parker examined the label, very expensive champaign, the smile grew. "Ok, wonderboy. You win," she watched him pull the cork from the bottle and fill the glasses. She realized that he was wearing a watch on his left wrist. Of course, she thought, he was always prepared.

Jarod looked at his watch and announced, "We’ve got five minutes until midnight." Smiling up at her, he continued, "I would like to propose a toast," Miss Parker leaned closer and lifted her glass to his. "To the best looking huntress," Jarod looked down Miss Parker’s half exposed flesh, "in a towel," Jarod added with a sly smile, "May the new year bring you happiness and joy."

Miss Parker glared at him for the comment, but with no malice in her eyes, and took a drink. Raising her own glass for a toast she spoke, "To a year of change . . . for both of us," she smiled at him and they both took another sip.

"Hey Parker? Would you kill me if I gave you a kiss?" Jarod didn’t look at her while he asked. Hearing the sound of choking erupt from the woman beside him, he turned to look at her, concern on his face.

After a moment of choking on the champaign, she looked up at him, eyes wild, gasping, "What?"

"You know. A kiss for New Year’s," Jarod smiled, looking at his watch again, "thirty seconds until the new year, Miss Parker."

"Alright, Jarod, one kiss," Miss Parker took a sip.

Jarod filled their glasses. "I make this toast to friendship. In all its forms," He smiled at her again. Miss Parker returned the smile and slowly sipped at her glass. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One," Jarod counted. They both cheered, "Happy New Year!"

Without warning Jarod leaned over to kiss Miss Parker. Their lips met at an awkward angle but Jarod was surprised to find that she did not pull away, so he pushed harder. As the kiss became more passionate, Miss Parker felt dizzy and pulled away. Before Jarod had opened his eyes, she jumped to her feet, but did not go far as she realized her current state.

Jarod opened his eyes, greeted with the sight of a completely naked Parker. The towel that had wrapped her body had been pulled free by Jarod’s resting hand, when she rose to her feet to escape the kiss. Jarod could not help but look at her lean form for a second, before diverting his eyes to the floor and holding up the towel.

Miss Parker stood there stunned for what felt to her like hours before quickly grabbing the towel. "Not ONE word to anyone about this," she ground out, wrapping the towel around her body, "and wipe that stupid grin off your face, NOW!"

Jarod tried hard to slacken his cheeks, with little success. Before he looked at her he gathered up the bottle and glasses and rose to his feet. As he left he could feel her eyes on him, and he never did manage to stop smiling. "Have a Happy New Year, Miss Parker, and a wonderful Birthday." With that he closed the door and left her standing there stunned.

The End