Title: Knocking Down Walls

Author: AnitaB

Author's Notes: This has been sitting in a notebook for awhile. But hey, happy, smutty Pretender fic deserves a chance to be read. Miss Parker and Jarod have pointed guns at each other dozens of times, but when someone else almost manages the shot, it breaks down a few walls. Oh, and remember, I am the queen of romantic smut.

I own nothing from Pretender and nothing I do own would be worth the lawyer's fees of suing me. No money is made and no infringement is intended.

Knocking Down Walls

By AnitaB

Chapter one: A few bricks crumbling

She was going to beat that look off his face. She was seriously going to enjoy the sight of his smile cracking as all the air rushed out of his lungs and his stomach muscles tightened.

Of course, trying to hit him right now could be fatal. Bullets flew in the big window between them, hitting the far wall with audible thumps. That knowledge didn't manage to uncurl Miss Parker's fists.

/Must be those anger issues my doctor's always talking about.\\ As the slap of lead into the brick wall slowed, she pushed to her feet against a nearby pillar. /Damn you, Jarod, for leading me here.\\ A glance across the room showed that the lab rat wasn't smiling anymore. Jarod was kidding behind his own pillar, watching her with a trade-marked look of worry. /How fuckin' dare he worry…\\ The urge to cross the room and smack that look off his face was ten times stronger than it had been with his smile. Her fingers itched, sweeping back the edge of her jacket to wrap around the butt of her gun. The touch of the metal alone made Miss Parker feel just a little bit better. More of her violent tendencies. /Daddy would be so proud.\\ A glance around the edge of the pillar showed the car outside. The one two men with 9 mils were hiding behind. The gas tank would be… about three inches… behind that spot in her sights.

A breath in. Hold for the slow squeeze of the trigger.

"Fuck, Jarod!" A hard body slammed into hers, forcing her breath out in a rush. One of his hands pushed her gun up as he pinned her against the pole. Now he was angry, leaning in with a low growl.

"Damnit, Parker!" Fingers along her jaw forcibly turned her head until her eyes focused on a crater in the wall. A crater in direct line with the exact spot she'd been standing in before wonderboy had jumped her. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

She should be struggling, shouldn't she? Not just standing there with the lab rat pressing himself against her, touching her. /Do something, Parker.\\ "Shouldn't you be relieved, Jarod? One less person trying to put you back in your cage, huh, lab rat?"

Pain flashed across that face, leaving Miss Parker to stare at it in shock. Every little emotion was painted all over him and it froze her in her shoes. /Jarod…\\

"Milagros," Miss Parker had just enough time for her eyes to widen and her breath to catch in her throat before breathing at all became impossible. Jarod was kissing her. Jarod, lab rat and escape pretender, was holding her close and gently stroking her lips over hers. And Miss Parker knew she should push him away. Curling her arms around his neck like this, opening to the hesitant exploration of his tongue could get them both killed. And not just by the two gun-toting jerks outside. The center, her father, Mr. Lyle, and the triumvirate. The list went on. But the way it felt to finally have Jarod's arms around her…

Every cell in her body would cry out in protest if she even thought about pushing him away. "Jarod," Her fingers slid into his hair, angling to deepen this forbidden taste. Parker groaned against the smooth stroke of his tongue. Jarod was kissing her, all hesitation gone. The groan turned into a gasp as he flattened a hand in the small of her back and pulled her flush against his chest.

Every single strong, hard line of his body imprinted itself against hers as his tongue eagerly explored her mouth. This was a simply terrible idea but the instant he started to pull back, Park dug nails into his skin. "Parker…" His hand left her skin, sweeping back under the edge of his leather jacket. "You should go…" The hand reappeared holding a gun. Jarod brushed a quick kiss over her lips and slowly pulled out of her hands. "I'll cover you." His fingers caught hers, sliding the heavy silver ring off and into a pocket. "Go, Mia, be careful."

Parker tried to speak as Jarod leaned around her to expertly put a round into one the tires. But the words just wouldn't come. Closing her mouth, she ran one hand along his jaw before sliding out of his arms. Fingers tight on her gun, she forced herself to walk out the door without looking back.

/What the hell have you done to me, Jarod?\\

000

She'd always been able to push his buttons, since he'd first seen prim little Miss Parker walk into his sim lab. And now his little Milagros had pushed him again. Right into her arms. A small part of his brain was staring at this with shock, but most of him was obsessed. Obsessed with the taste and feel of her lips under his. Jarod simply adored the way her fingers slid into his hair. He loved every aggressive little inch of her body pressing closer. Jarod had dreamed of this…

"Jarod,"

Her voice… /My Milagros…\\ He needed more, now. Closer. Mindless, Jarod found his hand on her back, dragging her flush against his chest. Drinking her groan, he lost himself in her kiss, fingers cupping her jaw.

The world disappeared, buried under the feel of Milagros Parker finally holding him, finally having her arms around him. There was no broken glass, no flying lead. No one shooting at Milagros…

Wait… /Pull back, now. Keep her safe…\\ With a breathless sound, Jarod tried to pull back. It only got harder to do as her nails dragged along his skin and her lips clung to his. /Oh, honey, please…\\ "Parker…" Weakly dragging his fingers off the heat of her skin, Jarod reached for his gun. "You should go…" He had to let her go, now. He just needed one more taste of her. A hairs-breadth from losing himself again, Jarod forced himself to pull back, out of the precious grip of her hand. /Let her go…\\ "I'll cover you." He couldn't let her go, not just yet and slipped her ring into his pocket. "Go, Mia, be careful."

Knowing her voice would shatter his restraint, he didn't wait for her to find words. Instead leaning around her to aim shakily at the car outside. If he flattened the tires, they wouldn't be able to follow Miss Parker out. First shot done, Jarod shifted for the second before Milagros cupped his jaw and stopped every muscle in his body with the heat of her touch. /Please, Mia, go…\\

Jarod stayed frozen until a chill covered his cheek and chest. She'd pulled away. Letting out a shuddering breath, he focused down the sights at the second tire. A breath in, hold for the slow squeeze. Second tire gone, he aimed again, this time for the steering column. Wiring and fuses were so fragile.

In the distance, Jarod heard a car flare to life and burn rubber. /That's my Mia Parker.\\ He knew he was smiling as he holstered his gun. He was still marveling over Miss Parker as he stepped in his front door.

/Milagros,\\ The taste of her was still on his lips. Her heat still covered his skin. All his nerves begged him for more of her. Jarod needed to see her. Touch her.

Hear her voice. On their own, his fingers found and dialed his cell phone. It was the way most of their talks started she was on his mind and suddenly his phone was at his ear. But today… today his mind, his skin, every nerve and fiber of his body were directing the motion of those fingers. "Milagros,"

Three rings, a breathless silence, then a soft, "Yes?"

Hesitant, careful. As Miss Parker always was when she was confused. He could see her. Her hair was wet and her favorite robe was synched tight at her waist and tucked high against her throat. She was in bed with a glass of hard liquor and her phone. Waiting for the call.

For his call. And Jarod would give his right foot to be in that room right now, to pull her into his arms, to cradle her against his chest. He rubbed her ring, now on his pinkie, across his lips. "Parker,"

"Jarod," The relief in her voice made his hands clench. He could be on her doorstep in thirty-five give or take five. And get them both killed.

Or her killed and himself recaptured. /Focus, Jarod.\\ "Are you… alright, Mia?" Her breath shuddered and hesitated in his ear. He wanted, no needed to hold her. And he couldn't. "Milagros?"

"I… I'm okay, Jarod." He heard the ice clink in her glass as she took a sip. Probably whiskey, bracing herself with alcohol. Running her fingers through her hair. Hair he'd finally gotten to touch today. Milagros was probably chewing on her bottom lip like she did only when she was alone. The lips he'd finally been able to kiss. /Mia…\\ "What happened… today?"

"I ran, they chased." Jarod sat down on his bed. "But without you, they didn't have a chance."

"I meant…" The glass chinked against her nightstand. He could almost hear her hug the robe closer, maybe the blanket too. "Before, Jarod. In the warehouse… what happened?"

She knew exactly what had happened. Every cell of her body had been there, pressing closer into his arms, Miss Parker had held him tight, had kissed him with equal passion and need. He was still wearing the faint mark of her nails on his neck. Mia knew what had happened in that warehouse. "We touched, Milagros. Really touched for the first time in far, far too long." Jarod pressed the phone tighter to his ear like he could reach her through the plastic and metal. "We kissed, Mia, like we both have wanted to for a long time." He paused, listening to her breathing. "Unless I read you wrong." /Please, Mia.\\

"You…" The glass clinked, her throat cleared and Jarod could feel her searching for the words to answer. Maybe searching for the safe answer, a lie. His grip on the phone loosened, but only slightly at the sound of her sigh. "You've always read me too well, Jarod."

Relief stole his breath and the tension in his spine. His shoulders sank into the pillow as he held the phone closer. "Mia,"

000

Her normal skills at lying fled at the sound of his voice. Jarod… Jarod was the one person who she couldn't lie to. "Unless I read you wrong."

The memory of how well he'd read her brought a helpless sigh and a moan to her throat. His touch, his kiss. The feel of his body finally so close along her own. Parker was helpless against her own reactions to him. She'd *needed* him, needed his warmth and his strength. "You always read me too well, Jarod."

His breathless groan made her fingers clench around her phone. She'd felt that sound now, pressed against her ribs as his lips had finally explored hers. /Fuck, Jarod.\\ "Mia," The way he said her name… not even Sydney used her real name. Broots would tremble himself to death with fear at the thought of using her name. And Jarod made her shiver by turning that sound into something like a prayer. "I… I can't go back… to before." The way he could tighten her nerves with just his voice.

/Damnit, Jarod.\\ "It's impossible. You run, I chase. Anything else could get us both killed." It was the safe thing to say. The responsible thing. It was the only thing that would keep their world from shattering and collapsing around them in fatal little shards. Damage control had always been her specialty. Sweeper history and all. Though the safe answer had never hurt this badly before. "Nothing can change, Jarod."

"It's already changed, Milagros." Her nails dug deeper into her skin at the heat of his voice. Jarod wasn't going to let this be easy, damn him. "I will never forget how you fit in my arms." His voice deepened, roughened in her ear, reminding her of the sound of his groan. "I won't lose the heat of your skin against mine, Milagros. Not once I've touched you. Don't try to tell me you didn't feel it too, how right it was."

Any tighter and her robe would become a ligature. Like she could lie to him. Parker knew exactly how she'd responded to him. And so did he. She wanted to just admit it. To get his ass over here and hold her. "Jarod…"

"You felt it, Mia. I know you did." A strained silence filled the line between them and Milagros Parker could feel control slipping through her fingers. "Please tell me the truth."

She could feel him waiting impatiently, could almost feel his arms curling around her, his hands on her skin. "I… I felt it, Jarod." Parker swallowed at the relieved sound of his breathing. "How could I not."

"I miss you, Mia. I need to hold you."

His voice did nothing to calm the shivering of her nerves. If anything, it was worse. Parker wanted to be held in his arms, knowing the heat would soak into her skin. She'd stop shivering… until they killed him. And then it would only get worse, much, much worse. "It's impossible, Jarod."

"No, Mia, it's not impossible." His voice trembled through her fingers. "Two of the best minds the Centre ever touched, we will figure it out, Mia. I can't not touch you again." The low groan he made stroked nerves from her ear to her toes. "Soon, Milagros, wait for my call."

The things he could do to her… "It better be soon, Jarod." Unfisting her fingers, Parker let the collar of her robe loosen. "Be careful,"

"You too, Mia. Soon."

The click of the phone made her hands automatically put the cell away even as the logical part of her brain cursed her stupidity. /Damnit, Jarod. What have you done to me?\\

Three days and he still hadn't called. She could have killed him. After she'd kissed him senseless and pinned him to a wall.

Her skin itself missed him, had been arguing with her for days. It have been one kiss, one time with his arms around her and her body wouldn't let her think about anything else.

Frankly, it was starting to piss her off.

"Parker," Long fingers waved in front of her eyes. Sydney, Sydney was talking to her. "Are you alright, Parker?"

Flicking the ash build up from the end of her cigarette, Milagros Parker tried to focus on Syd's face. "I'm still here, Syd."

"Are you really, Parker?" Insightful old coot. "You seem… rather distracted of late."

All wonderboy's fault, of course. But she couldn't tell Sydney that.

He'd never stop smiling.

"Sydney," Parker took a long drag on the cigarette, blowing the smoke towards her pet psychologist. "You keep tellin' me to get a hobby, Sydney. Now you complain that I'm distracted. You of all people should know how to make up a mind." She smiled, patting his shoulder. "Maybe you should keep an eye on Broots."

"And where is it that you're going, Parker?"

The smile widened as she turned in the doorway. "Out." With one more puff of smoke, Mia grinned at both speechless men and left.

She was halfway to her car when her heart leapt and her fingers clenched. Now he had her jumping at the sound of her own cell phone. Whoever was calling was going to lose an ear. Maybe even Jarod…

"What." /Jarod?\\

"Such a temper, Milagros Parker. How is your ulcer doing under the stress?" Parker forced trembling knees to keep walking towards the car. Breathing needed encouragement as well. /Damn you, Jarod.\\

"What can you expect, wonderboy, when you don't call a girl for three days." She clucked a scolding at him, knowing she hadn't quite managed her normal sardonic tone. "Makes a girl nervous." Sliding into the driver's seat, Parker cuddled the phone closer. Damn his voice. And the way his laugh made her nerves tighten.

"Why, Mia, you must allow me to apologize in person." He sighed and dropped the teasing act. His voice took on the tight, slightly pained tone she hadn't erased from her own. "I've missed you, Milagros. I need to see you, hold you. Please."

It wasn't safe. It wasn't smart. It was a horrible idea that might get them both killed. She absolutely should tell him no. "When and where?"

"Twenty minutes, south west corner of Park and 8th avenue." The relief poured off his voice and she could almost see him smiling and touching her ring. "Be careful, Mia, make sure you're not followed." His teasing and flirting returned for a moment. "And don't you dare change out of that skirt, Mia."

Milagros Parker couldn't help a smile and a short laugh. Jarod wasn't as innocent or pure as he sometimes seemed. Smart enough to watch her unseen, voyeur enough to appreciate her legs. "See you soon, Jarod. Don't be late."

"Never, Milagros."

000