Room 234/236 : Saturday night, very very late

[mparkerceo]

After Caritas, Parker went back to her room, changed into pajamas, and started working on new T-shirt and poster designs, as well as listening to the tape of the night's performance. When the phone rang, she was too distracted to think to check the Caller I.D.

Mistake. "Parker."

Comments

[anextimeagent]

Under the watchful eye of the plant, Jack had tried to sleep, finally giving it up as a waste of time, and pulling on a pair of old jeans, he'd padded silently down the hall to Parker's room.

He arrived in time to hear the tail end of the conversation. "Parker?" he asked carefully, staying in the doorway as the phone thumped onto the bed. "Who's a coward, and what should they have told you?"

[mparkerceo]

Parker whirled around, and M made a bee-line for him, twining around Jack's ankles. She sighed, pushing both hands through her hair, and said, "Hi. Come on in. And Sydney." She made grousing noises as she stomped over to the mini-fridge for a drink.

[anextimeagent]

Jack smiled at M and scooped her up, scratching her behind the ears. "You okay?" he asked as he followed Parker to the fridge and touched her shoulder with one cautious hand. "What did he want?"

[mparkerceo]

Parker leaned into it for a second, but didn't turn around. "He was headed home from work, which tells you something about the Centre right there. He said he just wanted to confirm that he'd be here next weekend, but I think he was checking up on me." She snarled at the interior of the fridge, then fished out a bag of shrimp for M and some carrots for Esme.

[anextimeagent]

Jack thought about that for a minute, stroking M while he watched Parker closely, the cat squirming in his hands as she stretched a paw towards the bag Parker was pulling out of the fridge.

"He heard from Jarod?" he finally asked, because it was the only reason he could think of for someone to be checking up on Parker. A short spike of guilt flashed through him, because that was something he should have been doing.

[mparkerceo]

"Mmmm." Parker slapped the fridge shut after grabbing a diet cola for herself, then got up to settle into the LoveSac chair, spreading the shrimp out on a paper towel, and picking up Esme, who was peeking in the connecting door. "He didn't give any details, but he knows Jarod's not here any more. And then the conversation deteriorated when he avoided answering my questions." She muttered to herself, giving Esme a carrot to nibble. "Freakin' psychiatric nursemaid."

[anextimeagent]

M launched herself out of Jack's arms, landing on the floor and trotting over to the shrimp. "I'm less attractive than crustaceans," he said sadly, then leaned against the wall and looked intently at Parker. "What wouldn't he tell you? And I thought no one was supposed to know Jarod was here," and he was pointedly not thinking about all the ways that piece of information could be put to use, "why does Sydney?"

[mparkerceo]

"M's priorities are beyond mere affection. Food, sleep, warmth, cuddles." Parker reached over and scratched behind the calico's ears. She looked up, and gave his shirtless torso an appreciative once-over. "And you might be attractive to crustaceans like that, you know."

She sighed, putting her head down on top of Esme's. "Sydney's the one that got him out. And evidently has been making sure that he's not missed. And neither of them *told* me. Bastard."

[anextimeagent]

Jack smiled, and decided to take the compliment as an invitation to join her. "Attractive to everybody like this. Except the cat. I'm just glad she decided to forego claws."

He settled next to Parker, nudging her with his hip to get her to make room for him, then wrapped one hand around the nape of her neck, stroking the line of her spine with his thumb. "Which? Or both?"

[mparkerceo]

Parker smirked as M dug into the shrimp, pouncing, tearing into it, chewing and then repeating herself. "She's deadly. Killer of shoes. Hunger of pigeons. She'll like you again in a minute, when she wants her ears scratched."

"The keeping it a secret part. Syd's doing something-- well, I have no idea what. But evidently Jarod's been safe here because no one missed him. Gah." She sighed. "Which puts Sydney at risk, damnit. He put me off with 'la la la limo's here, gotta go', but he's not getting out of explaining it next time." Parker scowled. "And he's not going to make me tell him how I feel, either."

[anextimeagent]

"Story of my life," Jack muttered, watching M while he worked through what she'd said. "If he's coming next weekend, you can corner him," he decided. "And I can help." He paused, then asked, palm flat against her neck so he could gauge her response, "How do you feel?"

[mparkerceo]

"Definitely." Parker looked grimly happy. "'Cause he has some explaining to do, oh yes he does." She sighed, closing her eyes, leaning into Jack's hand, then opened one to look at him. "I'm okay. Seriously. I'm so busy, most of the time it's no big deal."

[anextimeagent]

"Parker," he said softly, not believing her for a second. "This is me. Tell me to butt out if you don't want to talk about it, but please don't lie to me."

[mparkerceo]

Parker sighed, and shook her head. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I... don't want to talk about it." She reached over to pet M, holding Esme close. "It's two weeks. I'm not as lonely or upset. What else is there to say?"

[anextimeagent]

"Okay." Jack settled his arms comfortably around Parker, holding her in much the same way she was holding Esme. "Now tell me you're not smoking," he said, not mentioning that he could smell the faintest hint of it in her hair.

[mparkerceo]

"I'm not smoking... as much?" She closed her eyes, enjoying being held because it's Jack, and it's nice, and it makes the loneliness fade to the background a little easier. "I have a nicotine patch. And lollipops to snitch. And Janet helped me figure out a schedule." Parker snuggled back into him, too tired to fight him. "I'll be off them after Halloween, I think."