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Disclaimer: "The Pretender" and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don't sue because I have no money.
Wishes.
By: 24
He watched as the escorted the young man away in the police car. He turned around and saw that there was someone staring at him. He didn't know this person and didn't know if they were from the Centre or not. He quickly left the scene and went to his latest lair. As he walked he looked behind him, but didn't see anyone following him. He gathered his things. He wasn't finished his pretend yet, but he didn't want to take the chance that this person was from the Centre and told them where he was.
Taking his things to his car he looked around once more and got in. While he drove away he looked in behind him to see if there was a car following him, but there was not.
Passing the next town he kept on going. He wasn't stopping until he put some distance between the last towns he was at.
Finally, at one of the towns he stopped and went to register in a hotel. Gathering his things from the car he made his way to his room. At dinnertime he went to the local restaurant and went in. As he was eating he was watching the door. Old habits die-hard when you're being hunted. He wished so many times that he could have a normal life. He wanted to be with his parents his sister and brother. He wanted to have Miss Parker in his life because she was the only girl that he's ever seen since he was at the Centre. He wanted to find somewhere where he can stay in one place where he can just stay and not run, but that was not possible.
He paid for his dinner and walked out of the restaurant. Sensing that there was someone watching him again he turned and saw that it was the same man. He quickly got into his car and ran to his room. He would have to go now. He didn't know how the person found him, but he knew that he had to leave. He couldn't take the chance that this person was from the Centre or not.
He looked around one more time just to make sure that there was no one watching him. He got into his car and backed out of his parking space. He quickly made it to the highway glancing at the rearview mirror to see if anyone was following him.
He drove until the next day and stopped at another little town. He went to the local restaurant for breakfast and went to his latest lair. He closed the door and walked into his room. There was the man that was following him. He turned to run, but was held fast.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not from the Centre and I'm not taking you back there."
"Who are you?"
"I am the man that's going to grant you your wishes."
"My wishes?"
"Yes. What do you wish? I already know, but they need to be spoken."
"How many do I get?"
"Three."
"I wish that the Centre has never kidnapped me and my brother Kyle. That we got to know our parents and our sister. I wish that Miss Parker and Sydney were in my life. I still view Sydney as a father, the only father that I've ever known. The third one is that Mrs. Parker is still in Miss Parker's life."
Jarod was sitting in his girlfriend's house. He was an attractive teenager. He had been Miss Parker's boyfriend ever since they started high school together. They had been friends when they were both younger. Mrs. Parker had baked cookies for the two teenagers and they were both munching on them while they watched the movie together.
After the movie they talked some more and took a walk. The phone rang when they got back into the house.
"Jarod, that was for you. Your parents said that it was time to come home. Tell Lyle it's time to come home too."
"Ok. Mrs. Parker."
He went home and went to the living room. In there was Kyle and Miss Parker's twin brother Lyle they were both playing a video game on the computer.
"Lyle, your mom wants you back home."
"Ok. Thanks Jarod."
*****
29-year-old Jarod stood in the hospital room where his son Jason was hanging on for dear life. His wife Miss Parker was sitting in the chair next to him watching their son.
He got up and started to pace. He had to do something; he couldn't let this unknown disease take his five-year-old son away from him.
He fell asleep at his son's side that night. Tired from all the pacing he finally fell asleep. He dreamt while he was sleeping. He dreamt that there was another life and this guy had granted him three wishes.
"Jarod."
"It's you."
"Of course."
"What are you doing in my dream? And why was I dreaming of a different life?"
"You were living a different life. When you were four years old you were kidnapped by this place called the Centre. They wanted you because you were a pretender, a genius who can become anyone you want to be. You escaped when you were around 30 years old when you found out what they were doing with your simulations. Miss Parker was the chairman's daughter and she was put on the hunt to bring you back to the Centre along with Sydney."
"You granted me three wishes didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Am I allowed another wish or what?"
"You are allowed one more wish even though I have let you already have three. You have done so much for other people in your lifetime. This time it wasn't because the simulations that you did hurt and killed people. It's because that's who you are."
"I wish that you could cure my son."
"Done." The man said as he disappeared.
Jarod woke up at that and saw that his son was slowly waking up. He grinned at his five year old son, suddenly very happy.
The next day the doctor's did some more tests and proved the disease that he had was gone. The man really did grant him his wish.
****
Five years passed and they were a happy family. Jason was now a healthy ten year old and was the big brother of a six-year-old girl named Mary. Jarod loved his children and his wife so much.
Their families were gathered in the Parker's backyard. Lyle was sitting next to his wife watching their children play with
Jarod and Parker's children and also Kyle and his wife Natalie and also Emily and Tim's children. Jarod watched as the children played together. He truly was a happy man.
"I am truly a lucky man. I have you as a wife and we have our children."
"I was so glad that you asked me to marry you. We were friends for so long. Finally we got wise and decided that we loved each other. Now we have two healthy kids. I have a wonderful, smart husband. What else could I want?"
Jarod kissed his wife.
The End.