fandomtownies | The Fourth Sin--OPEN (Tuesday)

*ring*

"Hey. Did you get my e-mail?"

He grinned and balanced the phone against his shoulder. She'd never learn to say hello like a normal person. "I'm reading it now. Should I be worried?"

"Someone should be." She smirked. "I told Miho and Becky too. And gave them free reign if they show up at the Sin."

"I'm not sure that was a good idea, Parker," he frowned, thinking of GOB, "they don't always aim to miss, you know."

"In Angel's case, that won't matter. And I told Miho that suspending Logan from the roof would be good for his character. She might be intrigued enough to try it." She grinned out the window in the direction of the Sin. "Serve them right if they do show up there. And the sanctuary spell at Caritas will take care of any stupid impulses Wings has if he shows up there."

"Parker?" He was a bit alarmed now. "Exactly what kind of thing are they going to be asking me? And I'm a bit out of practice with my martial arts."

"They were asking me if we planned to adopt, and if you were going to make an honest woman out of me." Parker made a face. "But that was probably just to drive me nuts. I think."

Jarod was speechless. "I...see."

"I tried to tell them you weren't interested in just sex." She paused. "There may have been a comment that provoked the nose-strike after that."

Yeah, that probably wasn't helping.

Jarod was beginning to get a headache. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "What comment was that?"

"Something about turtlenecks and not giving it away and some guys like subtlety. I don't know, I was in retaliation mode by then." Parker took a breath. "Um. Anyway...."

"I think we've had enough subtlety, don't you?" He chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "So..."

"So." She grinned, good mood coming back. "I miss you. And it's not fair you're not allowed on campus. Otherwise, how is your life?"

"I'm not a student. It's fair enough--they're just looking out for your safety," he acknowledged. "And it's the same as it was two days ago--no more news on your mom. No word from Angelo or Sydney."

He paused, strangely reluctant to mention this next part; his mother wouldn't be just his anymore. "And, I, er, posted a picture of my mother on the internet."

Parker blinked. "You-- wait, you have a photo of your mom? When did that happen?"

"Sydney gave her to me. My Christmas present from him."

"Oh." Parker's a little hurt that he never showed it to her, but then again, this is so personal to him. And she gets possessive over her mom's memory too. So.... "Can I see it, sometime?" He can always say no.

"She's online, if you're near a computer," he said, quietly. "I'm hoping someone will recognize her and contact me. I'd like to know her name."

He sighed. "I barely remember her, Parker. If Sydney hadn't told me it was my mother, I could have looked at that picture every day for years and never known."

Parker got on to her computer, and booted up the search engine. "What should I type in?" She sat down, wishing she could say something comforting. Or that she was there. "I'm sorry, Jarod. I'm glad Sydney got this for you. I'm glad he found it, and gave you a place to start."

"Me too." He rattled off a URL. "The ISP shifts after each hit, so don't worry about it being traced."

"Oooof course it does." She shook her head, mildly amused that his OCD tendencies were now being put to such good use thwarting the Centre. They created their own monster... heh. She'd have to remember to metion her ACJ assignment to him. The website booted up, and the picture came up.

She stared at it, trying to see Jarod in her face, but not really sure. "She's pretty. And looks nice. I think, maybe? You have the same nose?"

"Isn't she pretty?" Jarod smiled as he pulled the original picture out of his pocket. No reason to tempt fate, after all. "I think I was surprised by the red hair. I must...look like my father, I guess? That's how it works, right?"

But he tried to study his nose in reflection of the computer monitor, just the same.

"Not everyone looks like a clone of their birth parents, Jarod." She rolled her eyes. "Despite my own example." She stared at the background of the photo. "Does anything in the photo behind her look familiar, maybe?"

Jarod traced a finger down the side of his mother's face. "No."

"Someone, somewhere, will have to recognize this. It's only been--" Fifteen years. "--a while. They had to have friends, relatives..."

Who the Centre might have done God-knew-what to. Parker stared at the photo. "You're sure this can't be traced?"

"I wouldn't have put her in harm's way as much as I have if there was any other way, Parker." He said, thinking about how he was now endangering Parker, as well.

Parker nodded, subdued. "I hope it works. And soon." If at all. If there was anyone left to find.

Jarod might as well have heard what she didn't say. "I will find her, Parker, one way or the other."

"I know." She just didn't want him to find a gravestone after all this. She knew how much that hurt, she'd never wish that on him. "You can do anything, right?"

"That's the rumor."

"So you'll do this." She can put all the certainty she has in her voice, and leave aside the doubts about what it'll do to him. "And if you need me to help, you know you've got that."

"I do." And this wasn't exactly the conversation he'd expected to have with Parker. "How was your day?"

"Busy. Tuesday is hell day. I ended up passing notes to Zero in two classes." She twined the phone cord around her fingers. "Stopped by the book shop." Parker smiled. "Talked to Rory about you. And wondered about the Easter eggs."

"What'd you do at the book shop?" He was dying to know what had been said about him to Rory, so he knew better than to mention it. "The eggs? You'll see."

Parker grinned. She was never mentioning the chess, but if he didn't ask about the rest, he'd just have to be surprised to get dominos as a gift. "Got copies of Pushkin in Russian and English, on Liz's recommendation. Fairy tales. I haven't started them yet. And talked Mr. Giles into loaning me a tape of Xander in a bad talent show production of Oedipus Rex about two years ago. I think a common room screening has to happen sometime soon."

"Can't you give me a hint? A little hint? Or even tell me how soon I'll find out?" Parker wheedled.

"I'm sorry I'll miss it," he chuckled, "And no. You'll find out at Easter."

Parker glared out the window. "That light on, at the dorms? That's me, scowling at you with righteous wrath. Also? I'll be by Caritas tomorrow, I think. With stuff to drop off. And maybe a surprise."

"I'm glad you've got something to keep you occupied, then," he smirked at the phone, crossing his legs at the ankles. "And Caritas is fine. What kind of surprise?"

"You'll seeeeee." She grinned. "Something to distract you. Since I can't stay at your place every night." Parker curled up on her bed. "Much as I'd like the idea, if you were living anywhere else."

"Oh? It's not that bad, now, is it?" Jarod frowned and tapped his fingers against his thigh. "Becky and Miho like you."

"Do they? Is that why they teased the living hell out of me on my way out the door on Sunday? 'It's nice that you're quiet.'" Parker face-palmed. "Among other things."

Jarod stifled the laughter, hoping she didn't hear it over the phone. "They're teasing you because they l...don't hate you. It's a sign of affection."

He almost took Parker being quiet as a challenge, once he figured out what they'd meant and his ears stopped being purple.

"Jarod, I am now so self-conscious about anything we might do and the audience we evidently have, that there is no way our first time together is going to be at that brothel. Comprende? Which means we have to figure out something else." She growled. "Fast."

Jarod dropped his feet to the floor and sat up, mind scrambled at the thought. "How fast are we talking about here?"

Then, because he was incapable of leaving himself partway out of the hole where Parker was concerned, said, "Because, you know, I've been thinking, and doing some reading, and it looks like slow's got a lot to recommend it." It wasn't like he worked weekends, after all.

Torn, Parker said, "You have?" Because Jarod with time to do anything he wanted, with all of his attention, was-- pretty damn appealing.

Then she parsed that response, and palmed her face. "I meant, soon. As in, within the next week, damnit. I've been wanting you for two months, I'm going to snap! I'll probably take out a bank or a major institution when it happens!" Sighing, she muttered, "It doesn't even have to be the whole ballgame, damnit, just more than kisses and cuddles and getting more and more worked up..."

"The next week?" Jarod glanced around the empty lobby, wondering if anyone was listening and would know ~~or was listening in from some shrubbery or on an extension~~. He chuckled. "Don't commit a felony, Parker. We'll figure something out."

"Wait, ballgame?"

"Um." Oh, karma is such a bitch. "It's a metaphor." And one she took such glee in explaining, once. "Anyway. I should go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow at Caritas. With your surprise."

"Night, Parker."

The Fourth Sin--OPEN (Tuesday)

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