Disclaimer: I don’t own the pretender or the song “To Make You Feel My Love by Garth Brooks. This is all for good fun. No money is being made from this.

A/N: This story is another repost/re-edit story. I took out chapter 2 because I just didn't think it really fit with this story, so this is a stand alone.

Decisions

Dry Creek,

Indiana Early February

“Well, here we go again,” Jarod said to himself as he seen two black sedans pull up to the curb. Jarod stayed in the shadows as he watched who got out of the cars. The first car had three sweepers step out. The second car had Sam and Miss Parker. He could hear Miss Parker shouting instructions to the sweepers to find him. When they all left he stood there and watched Miss Parker.

The first thing that came to his mind is how beautiful she is. He feels that her beauty alone could kill him. He could feel all the air in his lungs escape and has to remind himself to breathe again. He takes in a deep breath. He continues to watch her, as she pushes a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear. She slumps against the car not even bothering with the search. Could this be a good sign? Maybe. He contemplates stepping out of the shadows, but decides against it as he hears the sweepers coming back. She says something to the sweepers. All four sweepers get into one car and drive off. The only one left is Miss Parker.

She starts walking down the small town street, obviously to the winter festival that’s being held in the small town square. Jarod slowly creeps out of the shadows and starts to follow her making sure not to alert her of his presence. He sees her go to a food booth and gets either a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. She takes her drink and sits down on a park bench watching everyone. Jarod knows something is wrong. She looks so sad and miserable. It’s like the fight in her is gone. All Jarod wants to do is go to her and just hold her and take all her pain away, but instead he stays where he is. He wants to wait for the perfect time for his plan to take action.

XXXXX

Miss parker told the sweepers to go ahead and leave since this was another one of Jarod’s wild goose chases. Once they left she decided to go to this winter festival that was in town. Maybe it will help cheer her up. She takes her hot chocolate and sits on the park bench and watches everyone. She has a strange feeling that someone is watching her, but she just tells herself that she’s overreacting.

She looks at her surroundings. The square is decorated with snowmen, snowflakes, snow, ice sculptures, and an ice rink. She looks at all these happy families and couples, and can’t help but feel a bit jealous. All she ever wanted in life was to be truly happy. But she knew that even happiness was a dream. As long as she worked at the Centre she would never have that dream.

There would be very few times when she would have pleasant dreams. In those dreams her mother would still be alive. She would be far away from the Centre. She would be living the good life with her husband and children. There would be laughter and joy instead of heartache and lies. Whenever she would wake from these dreams she would get angry and scream that it’s not fair. She shouldn’t be thinking about this, but she can’t help it. She can already feel the tears slowly building up in her eyes, but she won’t let them fall. Not for anybody.

XXXXXX

Jarod decided it was time for his plan. He went up to the D.J. and asked him to play a song. He told him who to dedicate it too. For the D.J.’s troubles he slipped him a 50. Then Jarod walked away and stood against a tree to see how Miss Parker would react.

“Hi folks, we have a special request for someone. This song is dedicated to Madison from J. He just wants you to know that no matter what, he’ll always be there for you.”

Did Miss Parker just hear the D.J. right? Did he say her name? He said the song was from someone named J. So, the great pretender is here. She was already dreading this. No telling what this song is about. She started to move her head around to see where Jarod was, but he was nowhere to be found. But he was here, she could feel it. So she wasn’t overreacting earlier when she felt someone watching her. Then she started listening to the song.

When the rain is blowing in your face…
And the whole world is on your case…
I would offer you a warm embrace…
To make you feel my love…

It was weird, as if on cue the crowd parted and standing twenty feet from her was Jarod. Even though she knew he was here, she still felt blindsided by his presence. She knew she should get him and take him back to the Centre, but she didn’t. Instead she watched him as he came walking up to her. He stopped in front of her. He didn’t say anything. All he did was offer his hand in an attempt to ask her for this dance. What was even more shocking was that she put her hand in his and followed him to the dance floor.

When evening shadows and the stars appear…
And there is no one there to dry your tears…
I could hold you for a million years…
To make you feel my love…

Once they reached the spot, Jarod took her in his arms and just held her and slowly started swaying to the music.

I know you haven’t made your mind up yet…
But I would never do you wrong…
I’ve known it from the moment that we met…
No doubt in my mind where you belong…

Jarod placed his right hand on her lower back and took her right hand in his left and placed it over his heart. Jarod could see the tears building in her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall. He wished that she would just cry to let all the pain out. It was killing him seeing her like this. He knew he was doing all he could to help her, but she also had to help herself. There were some demons that only she could defeat.

I’d go hungry, I’d go black and blue…
I’d go crawling down the avenue…
There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do…
To make you feel my love…

It felt as if someone took over Miss Parker’s body. Her mind was telling her to stop this, it was wrong. Her heart on the other hand was telling her mind to basically shut up and keep dancing. For once she listened to her heart and just kept dancing, and listening to the music. All she knew was that she truly felt safe in Jarod’s arms. She could slowly feel the tension easing from her body. A tear slowly fell from her eye. Before she could wipe it away Jarod wiped it away for her. Then he placed a kiss on her forehead and looked at her with those soulful brown eyes of his, but all she could do was turn her head away and rest it on his shoulders.

The storms are raging on the rollin’ sea…
And on the highway of regret…
The winds of change are blowing wild and free…
You ain’t seen nothing like me yet…

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true…
Nothing that I wouldn’t do…
Go to the ends of the earth for you…
To make you feel my love…

The song soon ended. Jarod stood there with Miss Parker still in his arms. She lifted her head and met his eyes. She was crying. Tears were streaming down her face. Her lips were quivering. Jarod took her face in his hands and kissed her eyes and then he did something that took all the courage he had, he tilted his head and kissed her.

Miss Parker didn’t fight Jarod’s kiss. By now all Miss Parker was listening to was her heart, but her mind was slowly powering its way back.

Jarod couldn’t believe Miss Parker was letting him kiss her. It felt as if his heart would beat out of his chest. He took his hands from her face and slid them around her back, but this last only for a second as Miss Parker pushed him away. Jarod couldn’t understand. He thought everything was changing for the better.

“Jarod, this is wrong,” said Miss Parker.

“Why is this wrong? Why are you so scared?” Jarod said pleadingly.

“I’m not scared of nothing,” she said harshly.

“Please, everyone is scared of something. You’re scared of the one thing you crave.”

“Okay, O’Great one, what am I so scared of then,” she said sarcastically.

“Love. You don’t like how it makes you vulnerable, which you find as a sign of weakness,” he said matter of factly.

Miss Parker just stood there. He was right. She was afraid to let anyone in or to love someone back. She was more afraid of loving someone else, because the Centre would always use that love to get what they want from her. She felt that her love was a deadly disease. Anyone who came in contact with it would eventually die and be taken from her.

“Your right Jarod,” she simply said.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of it. Yes, it can bring pain but it also can bring you such joy and happiness.”

“So, what are you saying Jarod.”

Jarod paused. He was trying to think of the best way to put it. “Ah, what the hell,” he thought I’m just going to say it.

“I love you Madison. Can’t you see that? It’s obvious to everyone but you.”

“Jarod I don’t love you,” she said sadly because she knew what she saying wasn’t true. “Haven’t you noticed people who come from the Centre don’t have dreams that come true?”

“Miss Parker you can deny it all you want, but I know you love me too,” Jarod said. Jarod stepped towards her but Parker pushed him away.

Parker pushed him away. She seen the hurt in his eyes when she did this, but it was for his good. She loved Jarod too much. She didn’t want him affected by her love. She knew her love for him would only bring misery and eventually death to him. Then she would just have to chalk up another love lost to her disease.

“Jarod I have to go,” she said very quietly.

“Parker, please don’t do this. Don’t run from us,” he said tears forming in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said. She turned around and walked away. It was the hardest thing she ever did. She let the tears come rushing down her cheeks. She had to give up her dream, her happiness for the Centre.

The End