Author: ParkerMCarter

Title: Little Miss Parker

Category: Drama/Angst

Pairing: MP/J

Rating: PG13 for language and adult situations

Status: Complete

Summary: If you lose something, you never knew you had, is it still a loss?

Disclaimer: Only unrecognized characters belong to me.

Author's Notes: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was so tired of running, so tired of , running from place to place, looking for answers to questions where there were none. Looking for names to faces where names had been long forgotten. For so long it had just been him and he could run whenever and wherever. Now, he wasn't alone any longer.

Jarod stood at the doorway of the bedroom, watching the petite form of his Miss Parker. She was so small, but boy could she talk big. Her dark hair fell in waves on the bright pillows as she writhed to find a more comfortable position.

'She is so beautiful. Just like her mother,' he thought fondly.

She whimpered in her sleep and started to thrash wildly as if she was fighting. He walked over to the bed and got on his knees. He took her hand in his. ' God, her hand is so small compared to mine. It's at least three times smaller.' He leaned down and kissed her forehead softly. " It's okay, sweetie, I'm here. Go back to sleep my little Miss Parker." She relaxed. A smile tugged at her lips. She loved when he called her that. He was the only one who could get away with it.

As another dream was to start, she tensed. He immediately pulled her into his arms. She didn't struggle, but gave in, knowing she was safe in the real world. Then, he too succumbed to the soft sound of her deep breathing.

The next thing he knew he was being shaken by cold hands. His eyes cracked open to adjust to the light pouring through the bedroom window. He looked up and into the bleary eyes of his little Miss Parker.

" Hey, Sweetie. You up, huh?" She gave him a 'duh' look." Forgive me, I'm sleepy." She gave him a forgiving look.

" I'm hungry, what's for breakfast?" He smiled a little.

" I don't know. Whatcha want?"

" Denny's," she squealed. 'That's my Ella Catherine. My little Miss Parker, my daughter.

"Okay, Denny's it is. But only on one condition."

"What?"

"Get dressed and ready in the next hour and you get Denny's."

"Okay, Daddy."

"All right on your mark, get set, go!" 'I could swear she was off before I said go, but what the hell?'