Because You Love Me
"Jarod?, Jarod is that you son?, oh thank god that I finally got a hold of you," the major blurted out all at once.
"Dad, is that really you?, I haven’t heard from you in a while. Is everything o.k.?"Jarod asked.
"No Jarod, everything is not O.K., J.J. is ill," the major explained.
"J.J.?" Jarod asked confused.
"The boy, I named him J.J., you know for Jarod junior because he’s your clone," the major explained.
"Oh," Jarod said still not completely clear on the name. "What is wrong with the boy dad?" Jarod asked.
"He got sick about a month ago. I just thought it was the flu but he never got better so I took him to see a doctor and..." the major couldn’t finish.
"Dad, what is wrong with the boy?" Jarod demanded.
"He has a rare form of leukemia. He could, he could die Jarod," the major finally said. There was a long silence between the two before the major spoke again. "He’s been at St. Catherine’s hospital for several weeks now. I was afraid to stay because of the Centre but he’s very sick and I didn’t know what else to do. You need to come as soon as you can, we need your help. please son," the major pleaded.
"I’ll be there as soon as I can dad," Jarod said.
"I love you son, come quickly," the major said.
"I love you to dad," Jarod said as he hung up the phone. He was only a few hours away by plane and had just finished up a pretend as a pilot so he caught the first flight that would take him to his family.
-------
"I’m sorry miss but I’m afraid you missed him by a few days. He was a great pilot. It was a shame to see him go in such a hurry," the older man said.
"Did he leave anything?" Miss Parker asked.
"Well, nothing specific but I haven’t had a chance to clear out his quarters yet. Is there something he was supposed to leave you?" the man asked.
"Yes, his body all tied up and ready for us to return to the Centre," Miss Parker said to herself as she followed the man to Jarod’s quarters.
Sydney and Broots followed closely behind them. Upon entering Jarod’s latest lair they found the usual, an empty place with nothing telling them about Jarod’s whereabouts. She did notice, however, that there was no cute little message for her either and there were still drawers full on cloths as well as clothes thrown all over the floor.
"It looks like he left in a hurry," Broots observed
"Then maybe we were very close this time," Sydney said.
"Oh, no, like I said before Jarod left almost two days ago," the man told them.
"Strange that he left us no clues and left in such a hurry if we were so far behind him," miss Parker said to no one in particular. "Well, there is nothing else to keep us here," she said as she turned to leave wondering just what was going on with Jarod.
-------
It had been two days now and the doctors still wouldn’t tell them much. Jarod had wanted to pretend to a doctor at the hospital to speed things up but his father said that he was to close to the situation and Jarod had to admit that he was probably correct.
"Here son, I brought you some hot cocoa," the major said to a tired looking Jarod.
"Thanks dad." he replied. "I hate not knowing what is going on," Jarod said with a sigh. Just then a doctor walked into the boys room.
"Hello, my name is Dr. Johnson and I’m a specialist in this kind of leukemia," the tall slender man said in good spirits.
Jarod stood up and shook the mans hand. "My name is Jarod, what can we do to help?" Jarod asked with concern.
"Well, the best thing, in young J.J.’s case, would be a bone marrow transplant," the doctor explained. "A parent or sibling would be his best bet," the doctor concluded.
"Well I’m his father," Jarod said without thinking. " and I should be a match," he concluded. ‘I have to be a match we are the same person,’ Jarod thought to himself.
"All right, we’ll get you tested," the doctor said. " Are there any other members of the family who could be tested?" the doctor asked.
"Well, I’m the boys grandfather," the major said hesitantly.
"Yes, that’s good but a parent or sibling really would be best. What about the boys mother?" the doctor asked.
"She’s not around right know," Jarod covered.
"Well, if you know how to contact her, I suggest that you do so quickly. For now we’ll test you and your father for a match," he concluded.
-------
"It’s been several hours, they should know something by now," Jarod said as he paced around J.J.’s room.
"They are doing their best son, just try and calm down," the major said trying to get him to settle down.
"I have to be a match dad, why can’t we just get this over with?" Jarod asked. Before the major could respond the doctor walked in.
"I have the results here," he said. "I’m afraid neither one of you is a match for the boy," the man said sadly.
"That’s not possible. There must be some mistake. I have to be a match, I have to be," Jarod yelled.
"Sir, I know that you must love your son very much but parent’s are not always a match. I’m sorry," the doctor said. "I think you need to consider locating the boys mother," he added. "I’ll be back latter to check on J.J.," he concluded and left the room.
"Dad, I don’t understand, I have to be a match. there has to be some mistake," Jarod said. "Maybe I’ll do the test myself, there has to be a mistake," he said to himself.
-------
Several hours latter, Jarod had broken into the hospital lab and began to run the test himself. He studied the data carefully. The results came out negative again.
"How is this possible, I have to be a match," Jarod said out loud to himself. He ran the test again. The same negative results came up.
"We have the same blood type, the same DNA strands...." he trailed off as he looked closer. "They’re not all the same," he gasped. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. They were not the same.
"He’s not my clone," Jarod said stunned by the realization. Then he looked again at the screen.
"He really is my son!" Jarod whispered.
Jarod came back to the room very confused. He sat down in a chair next to the one his father was sitting in.
"Jarod, is that you?" major Charles asked having been awoken by his son’s entrance. "Jarod are you O.K.?" the major asked. Jarod was unresponsive. " Son, did you redo the tests yourself?" the major asked, more concerned now.
"Yes, I did," Jarod said finally.
"And you were right, they made a mistake?" the major asked.
"No, they were right. We are not a match," Jarod said quietly.
"But how is that possible son, the boy is your clone. Everything should be the same right?"
Jarod turned his head to look at his father now. " That’s just it dad, he’s not my clone after all. He’s my son," Jarod said flatly. The major was stunned and couldn’t say anything in response to what his son had just told him.
-------
"So, Jarod left several days ago and he hasn’t left us any leads?" Miss Parker asked Broots.
Broots was trying to keep his eyes on his computer screen so that he didn’t have to look her in the eye. He knew having no solid lead on Jarod was upsetting her. "Uh, no, nothing," he finally responded. "It’s like he just disappeared," Broots added.
"Jarod doesn’t just disappear, he likes playing this twisted little game of his," she spat at him.
"Maybe he is finally ready to cut his ties to the Centre," Sydney suggested as he walked into the lab. "Perhaps he has enough of a lead on his family that he doesn’t need us anymore," he said calmly.
Miss Parker looked confused. She never thought that Jarod would just up and leave completely. She wanted him caught and back at the Centre but she kind of enjoyed the game at times because he was still around. She always knew , in the back of her mind, that he had the ability to disappear but she was glad that he chose to stay around and bug her, them, she thought. Geez Parker get a grip, this Jarod your thinking about. He’s not a friend. Well, he was a friend once, she thought.
-------
"Jarod, are you sure son?," the major asked.
"Yes dad, the tests don’t lie and I ran them several times to be sure," Jarod said.
"Well, I just can’t believe it, I mean how could they?" he asked.
"I don’t know dad, but they stole his life from me just like they took me from you and mom," Jarod said.
"At least we got J.J. back before he spent another twenty years in that place," the major said.
"Dad, I have to find out how they did this. I need to find out if they did it more than once and I need to find out who J.J.’s mother is," Jarod finished.
"Do you have any idea who it could be, I mean are there any female pretenders?" the major asked.
"Yes, I know of at least one potential female Pretender," Jarod said, "but would they really have taken such a risk?" Jarod asked out loud.
"What son, who did you have in mind as the mother of your child?" the major asked.
"Oh, I think you’ve met her. She goes by the name of Miss Parker," Jarod said with a small smile.
Major Charles smiled even bigger. "I had a felling that’s who you were going to say".
"How did you know?" Jarod asked.
"Well, I talked to Catherine Parker a few times when we were trying to rescue you. She told me that she was scared for her daughters safety. She was afraid of what they might do to her if they knew the truth about her daughters special gift," the major explained.
"What special gift?" Jarod asked.
"That I don’t know but I can only imagine that she has talents similar to your own," the major concluded.
"I really need to talk to her but I don’t know how to approach her," Jarod said.
"I don’t care how you go about in son, but I suggest that you don’t waste any time because J.J. needs medical treatment soon," the major finished.
-------
"Parker, are you still here?" Sydney called out as he peeked into her office.
"Yes Syd, I’m over here," she said for the darkened corner of her office. She was sitting on her couch looking at the picture of her mother and herself. "Did you want something?" she asked.
He walked in further and closed the door. "Well, you just seemed a little distracted today and I was wondering if everything was all right?" he asked.
"I’m fine!" she snapped at him.
"I’m sorry I interrupted then," Sydney said calmly and moved toward the door. He was just reaching for the handle when she stopped him.
"Syd, I’m the one who should apologize. I would like to talk to you," she explained.
Sydney smiled and walked back to where she was sitting.
"I’ve been thinking about Jarod," she said in a softer voice.
"Really, what exactly where you thinking about him?" he asked.
"Well, I was wondering if he might ever really leave, you know, hide from the Centre for good. Without making any kind of contact," she finished.
"I think that’s very possible once he finds out all that he can about his family. Why do you ask?" he added.
"I just wonder what will become of us when he does decide to drop off the face of the planet," she said.
"I’m sure you’ll figure that out Miss Parker," Sydney said as he got up to leave.
"Hey Syd, thanks for listening," she said. Sydney just smiled as he turned and walked out the door.
"I thought he’d never leave," a voice from behind her said.
Miss Parker jumped from her seat and turned to see a familiar face looking back at her. "Jarod, what the hell are you doing here?!" she demanded.
"Shhh.."’ he said putting his finger to his lips. "Parker, you need to be quiet. I managed to disconnect all the cameras and bugs in your office but if you keep yelling someone will here us," Jarod said softly.
"And why exactly should I keep quiet?" she asked in an annoyed tone.
"Because several lives depend on it," he said with desperation apparent in his voice.
She noticed the sad look that came across his face as he spoke the words and she wondered what was wrong. She suddenly didn’t care that he had broken into her office any more. She looked at him again and she could no longer see the man she was supposed to capture and bring back to the Centre, besides she hadn’t really thought of him as that since he told her about how he had been responsible for setting her and Thomas up. No, instead she saw the face of a long lost friend and she was worried about his well being. She was just about to speak when the door to her office opened suddenly.
"Miss Parker, I know that you said earlier that your car was in the shop so, I thought I might give you a lift home," Sydney said before seeing the person standing in front of her. He closed the door quickly as Jarod turned in Sydney’s direction.
"Hello Sydney," Jarod said politely but with little inflection in his voice.
"Jarod, what are you doing here?," Sydney asked quietly.
"I need some answers," Jarod replied.
"It’s not safe for you to be here," Sydney said urgently.
"Sydney’s right, you should leave Jarod," Miss Parker agreed.
Both Sydney and Jarod turned to look at her. They couldn’t believe what she just said, she was going to let Jarod go.
A voice from the air vent broke the silence. " Friend hurry, must go," Angelo said from above.
"Go Jarod," Sydney encouraged.
Jarod made his way to the vent and turned back to look at Miss Parker.
"Go Jarod," she said. "I’ll be at home," she added.
A slight smile came over his face then he climbed into the vent and followed after Angelo.
"I’d like that ride, if the offer still stands," Miss Parker said looking back at Sydney.
Sydney was very confused by all that had just transpired but managed to compose himself. "Of course Miss Parker, shall we go then," he said opening the door for her.
She grabbed her coat and followed Sydney out the door, forgetting that her gun was still safely locked in the top drawer of her desk.
They were almost to the elevator when they were stopped by Mr. Lyle. "Where are we all off to?" Lyle asked, grinning.
"I’m going home and Sydney is giving me a ride," she said as she pushed her way past him and made it to the elevator.
"I could give you a ride, I am your brother after all," Lyle said.
"Sydney is taking me," she said as the door slid open and they stepped in.
"See you later," Lyle said to them as the doors slid shut. He couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on with his sister as he walked back to his office.
Sydney pulled into Miss Parker’s driveway and stopped the car. He turned to look at her and noticed this distant look in her eyes. They had been silent for the entire trip but he wanted so badly to know what was going on with her and why she let Jarod leave her office earlier. He was about to say something but she spoke up first.
"I think there is something bothering Jarod," she said as she turned to look at Sydney for the first time In a while. " He looked sad," she added.
"Are you worried about Jarod?" he asked.
"He was my friend once Sydney, I miss that friendship sometimes," she admitted.
Now Sydney was completely thrown by what she had just said. He always knew about their friendship and how close they had been but he figured that she had completely buried those feelings. This revelation gave him a renewed sense of hope for all of them. He knew he should say something but for once he thought she should figure her feelings out for herself without his interference. If he was right, she was on a path of great importance in her life, one that just might set her free finally.
"Sydney, would you like to come inside, I have a feeling I might have a visitor who would be interested in seeing you," she said with a small smile.
Yes, he was definitely very confused now because he was fairly certain that she was talking about Jarod when she flashed that smile.
-------
They walked into the dark house and Miss Parker turned on the lights. Sure enough there was Jarod, sitting on her couch.
"Hello," Jarod said.
"Jarod what is going on with you? It’s not like you to take such risks for no reason," Sydney said concerned.
"I told you, I need some answers," Jarod said his focus now on miss Parker. "What kind of gift do you have?" Jarod asked her.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked back suddenly alarmed and trying to avoid his question.
"You’re a red file Miss Parker. What kind of talents do you have that would make them keep a file on you?" Jarod asked.
"I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about," she said as she looked away from him. She couldn’t answer that question, her mother had made her swear to keep it a secret even from Jarod.
Jarod got up and walked over to her. He turned her around to face him again. He looked into her eyes and saw his answer there. "It is true isn’t it?" he asked.
She wouldn’t answer him and tried to get free from his grip. "let me go Jarod," she demanded.
"I can’t believe it Parker, all these years. You’re an amazing Pretender," he said still not truly believing what was so clear now.
"No!," she yelled finally getting away from him.
"Parker, you don’t have to lie to me. I know she made you keep it a secret because she was scared for your safety but they knew any way, they’ve always known," Jarod said.
Sydney just watched the scene unfolding in front of him. He knew what they were talking about, her gift, the same one her mother carried around with her. He remained silent though because the reason he knew he could still not bring himself to tell them.
A singe tear slid down her face now. She stood there silently.
"Of course they knew, that’s why they created J.J.," Jarod said to himself. "They knew he would be the perfect Pretender," he concluded.
"What are you talking about and who is J.J.?" miss Parker asked trying to compose herself.
"The boy," Jarod said.
"Your clone?" she asked.
"No, he’s my son," Jarod said not caring if was being too direct, she had to know the truth finally and maybe now she would open her eyes to the real activities of the Centre.
"Your son?" Sydney asked not being able to keep quiet after that revelation.
"Yes, Sydney," Jarod said looking at the older mans shocked expression. Now for the big one, Jarod thought. "Our son, if I’m right," he said now facing miss Parker.
Sydney’s mouth dropped open, he was afraid that was coming next.
Miss Parker looked as though she had just seen a ghost. "You have got to be kidding," she practically laughed as she said it. "He can’t be my son Jarod. In case you haven’t noticed but I’ve never had a child, besides he looks just like you," she concluded.
"Yes, and you look just like your mother," he countered. "Have you ever heard of surrogate mothers Parker, of course they would never allow you to carry the child," he said.
"My father runs the Centre, Jarod and he would never allow the things you are suggesting," she said anger filling her voice.
"Look Parker I’m not going to argue with you about this now, I don’t have time and neither does J.J.," Jarod said as his voice trembled slightly.
Parker heard this and was concerned. "What’s wrong Jarod?" she asked.
"He’s sick, and he could die if he doesn’t get a bone marrow transplant soon," Jarod explained as a small tear now slid down his cheek. "If he is your son, you have to help him," Jarod said as his eyes pleaded with her.
"He can’t be my son, he can’t be," she said almost as if it was a chant and if she repeated it enough it would be true.
"Please just let me test you and if you’re not his mother I promise to leave you alone for good," Jarod tried to deal with her.
"And if I am?" she asked quietly.
"Then we’ll deal with that when if comes up," Jarod suggested trying not to pressure her.
"O.K.," she said in an almost whisper of a voice. "I’ll do it," she gave in finally.
Miss Parker paced around the tiny room, she really hated hospitals. She had agreed to go along with Jarod but now she was regretting that decision. She was having so many conflicting feelings about the events of the last few hours that she was having trouble putting her ice queen mask back on. She didn’t like feeling helpless, hell, she didn’t like feeling. She had been very good at hiding the truth but over the last few years, since Jarod’s escape, she had seen to much of the truth not to feel any more. After Jarod had taken her blood sample and headed to the lab, she went to talk to J.J. He had been very happy to see her again but was to weak to talk much and so now she found herself alone in the waiting room just down the hall. Before she could do any more thinking, Jarod walked through the doors with a file in his hands.
"So wonder boy, do I have a new baby boy?" she asked with as much Miss Parker charm as she could.
"Parker, can you please be serious for a minute?" Jarod asked.
"I am being serious Jarod, by now you know that there is no way for me to possibly be that boys mother so why don’t you just let me go?" she argued.
He just frowned at her and handed her the file that he had been holding.
"What is this?" she asked already knowing what it was.
"Just open it," Jarod said calmly.
She opened the file and started reading. There was a lot of medical information that she didn’t understand but the statement at the bottom was clear to her. She looked up slowly staring into his dark brown eyes and she knew it was true but didn’t want to believe it.
"It’s true Parker, he is your son, our son," he stated.
"Damn it Jarod!" she exclaimed as she threw the file at him. "That is not possible Jarod, it’s not, it can’t be," she said.
He grabbed her shoulders and made her look up at him. "It is possible Parker, the Centre did this, they created him, our child and they took him from us. They stole his life from us just like they did mine and yours!" he yelled at her trying to get his point across.
"I don’t believe it Jarod, I don’t. Daddy would never allow it. It’s a lie, a lie!" she yelled as she broke free from him and ran toward the exit.
Jarod decided to let her go. He knew she was just as confused as he was and just needed some time to be alone. Jarod sat quietly for a minute before the door opened. He hoped it was Parker but saw that it was the doctor instead. "The bone marrow tests results on the boys’ mother are back," the doctor said as he handed the folder to Jarod.
Jarod read the contents carefully. "No," he said shaking his head, "She was his last chance," he cried.
"I’m sorry Mr. Russell but I’m afraid she is not a match either," the doctor said as he left the room.
Jarod sat with his head in his hands as the tears began to streak down his face.
"Is he going to die then?" a small voice asked from behind him.
"Parker?" he asked lifting his head to see her standing in the doorway.
"I heard the doctor tell you I wasn’t a match," she said slowly walking toward him. "What does that mean for J.J.?" she asked.
"I don’t know," he answered honestly. "I don’t know and I feel so useless. I’m supposed to be this genius who helps people but I can’t even save my own son’s life," he cried.
She walked over and sat down next to him. She hesitated slightly before placing her hand on his shoulder. She knew it was an inadequate gesture but it was all she could do for now.
Jarod looked up suddenly when he felt the warmth of her touch. He was startled by the gesture but didn’t wish to scare her by pulling away so he tried to relax a little. Finally, he stood up quickly and walked around the room not being able to be so close to her. She was silent so he decided to make the first move.
"Why did you come back?" he finally asked.
"Because he’s my son," she said in a low voice.
"Really?, because ten minutes ago that wasn’t possible," he said challenging her to admit her real feelings.
"I was scared Jarod!" she yelled as she stood up from the chair. "I was scared to believe that it was true and I was scared because I wanted it to be true," she admitted.
"What?" Jarod asked her confused now.
"When I first saw him I had strong feelings for him and I thought it was because he reminded me of you. Then I talked to him in his room one day and I saw you in him but I also something else, some unique personality, but mostly I saw how scared he was and I wanted to help him," she explained. she paused and returned to the chair she was sitting in before. "At that moment I would have done whatever I could have to save his life, including risking my own, because I felt a strong connection with him," she finished.
"I know you feel things very deeply miss Parker, it’s part of your gift, just like Angelo," he concluded. She didn’t try to protest this time and he was glad. Maybe she was finally going to let him into her life again, like she had when they were children.
"Except Raines didn’t have to make mush out of my brain for it to occur," she said. "I guess I was the lucky one," she added.
"None of us deserve what has happened to us. They used all of us in one way or another. Some of us were locked up in cells and forced to perform sims, some of us were locked up in other ways," Jarod explained looking at her more closely. He could see the tears filling her eyes, threatening to over flow. He walked over to her and sat down. It was him who made the first comforting gesture this time. He gently wrapped his arms around her and she didn’t pull away.
Suddenly she felt a swelling of emotions in her heart and when she felt his arms wrap around her she couldn’t hold back any longer. The tears were flowing freely now and she held onto him like she had remembered doing as a child. He felt the same as he had all those years ago, safe and strong.
"What’s wrong?" he asked gently whipping away her tears.
"He’s my son, our son," she finally said for the first time. She tried to compose herself a little. "I felt it but I truly believed that Raines and my father wouldn’t take such a risk. Cloning is one thing and I don’t condone that either but to create a child from two people and keep that from them is just cruel," she said.
"They kept me from my parents and my family," Jarod said.
"I know and I accept that J.J.’s my son now because I know you did the tests yourself and I know that, no matter what we’ve been through, you’ve never lied to me," she explained.
Jarod smiled at her but worry covered his face again. "We just found him Parker, what if we lose him again?" he asked softly.
"You’re not giving up are you Jarod?" she asked
"We were his last chance," he said desperately.
"We’ll find a way to save him Jarod, we will." she said reassuringly. "If you can survive thirty years in the Centre and J.J. thirteen, then we can get through this too," she explained.
"You’re amazing Parker. One minute you’re desperate to bring me in at any cost and then suddenly you’re sitting here telling me not to give up," he said as he looked at her.
She got a very serious look on her face. "Family has always been the most important thing to you Jarod, from the moment you left the Centre you’ve been looking for your family and you would do what ever you could to protect them. Well, family has always been important to me too. After my mother died, I did whatever I could to try to hold together what I had left of my family. I did whatever I could to please my father even if that meant hurting my best friend," she admitted.
"Now you have J.J., he is part of your family now," Jarod said.
"I know and I will love him and I won’t give up until he is better," she said, "So what can we do?" she asked.
"He needs a bone marrow transplant and since neither one of us is a match and he has no siblings, I guess they check with the national registry of donators," Jarod explained.
"But that could be a long shot?" she asked the question he was afraid to suggest.
"Yes," he admitted.
They both sat there for a while silently going over their options. A large smile spread across Miss Parker’s face and Jarod noticed it immediately.
"What are you thinking Parker?" he asked.
"That we are really stupid for a couple of pretenders," she said. Jarod just starred at her.
"The Centre lies about everything Jarod, they told us that J.J. was the only successful clone but he wasn’t even a clone. It would be a lot easier for them to just create another child who could potentially have the abilities of both his parents," she concluded.
"So you think there could be another child of ours somewhere in the Centre?" Jarod asked stunned by the real possibility.
"I don’t see why not," she replied.
"Then we have to find out, this could be J.J.’s best chance," Jarod said excitedly.
"Certainly better than the chances of you and I having a baby the old fashioned way," she said with a smile as she walked toward the door.
Jarod was suddenly at a loss for words and simply followed her out the door.
"What is it exactly that you wanted me to look for?" Broots asked.
"Pay attention Broots, I need any information you can get regarding the boy and any other projects related to how he was created," she explained again.
"That’s what I thought you said, are you sure Miss Parker, that kind of information could get someone in a lot of trouble," he insisted, not wanting to risk his own life.
"Just do it!" she yelled.
Sydney pulled her aside, allowing Broots to start his search. "Is it true Parker, is he your son?" Sydney asked.
She smiled a little. "I can’t discuss that here, why don’t you meet me at the hospital," she suggested. She turned around toward Broots and noticed that he started typing faster as she approached him.
"Broots!" she snapped and saw him jump. "Call me if you find anything out," she said as she walked out the door, closely followed by Sydney.
-------
"So, he is your son?" Sydney asked.
"Yes, he is," she answered with pride.
"You seem happy about this," Sydney observed.
"It’s hard to explain all the feelings I’m having but yes, I’m very happy." she replied.
"How is J.J., are you a match for him?" Sydney asked.
She got a sad look on her face and simply shook her head no.
"I’m sorry," he said honestly, "What is that you’re having Broots look for?" he asked.
"I want to find out if J.J. has a sibling. It makes sense that they’ve created more than one child of ours," she concluded.
"I hope that everything works out for you all," Sydney said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
This simple gesture was something that she had gotten used to from Sydney and it made her hopeful. "Thank you," she said quietly.
-------
Broots arrived at the hospital only a few hours after he had called to tell Miss Parker that he had found some important information. Now he wished that he wasn’t here because he didn’t think he had the strength to tell her what he had found out.
"Well Broots, what do you have?, it better be good," she said approaching him with Sydney and Jarod following behind her.
Broots was shocked to see Jarod there.
"Pay attention Broots," she said snapping her fingers in front of his face.
"Oh, well, I found out that the boy wasn’t a clone after all," he explained.
"We already knew that Mr. Broots," Jarod said politely.
"Uh, O.K., well, they created embryos using all of the pretenders. Angelo, Kyle, Jarod and even... ," he couldn’t say it.
"I know that J.J. is my son," Miss Parker said. "Were there any others?" she asked.
"Yes, but most of them died," Broots said softly. "When Mr. Raines was unsuccessful with the clones, he tried to alter the DNA of the pretender prodigies. This usually resulted in serious birth defects but the two he didn’t alter, are still alive," he concluded.
"Two?" Jarod asked.
"Yes, there is another child in the Centre and both of you are his parents," Broots said gesturing to Miss Parker and Jarod.
"So, J.J. does have a sibling," Miss Parker sighed.
Jarod walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "You said he was in the Centre?" Jarod asked.
"Yes, he’s only a few months old," Broots said in a low voice.
"There is something else you’re not telling us isn’t there Broots?" Miss Parker asked.
"Yes, but she didn’t know the truth either, I mean they used her too because they knew she would die," Broots tried to explain.
"What are you talking about?" Jarod asked confused.
"Brigitte, but she didn’t know that it wasn’t her child," Broots said.
"Oh my God!" Miss Parker exclaimed as she turned to look at Jarod.
Jarod was just as shocked as she was but couldn’t seem to form any words. He didn’t need to because she spoke out suddenly.
"I helped bring that baby into this world," she cried. " I held him in my arms and then watched my father place him in some strangers hands!" she yelled.
"Calm down Parker," Jarod said.
"Calm down?" she yelled. "I’ll kill him!" she screamed. "I’ll fucking kill him, father or not," she said.
"Please Parker, we need to be rational if we are going to save the lives of both of our children." Jarod said reassuringly.
"I just want him back Jarod, I want both of them to be safe," she said with tears in her eyes.
"I know Parker, I know, so do I," he said wrapping his arms tightly around her.
-------
"Where is Miss Parker?" Sydney asked Jarod, who was sitting on a bench out in the hallway.
"She’s sitting in with J.J.," he said. "I tried to get her to rest but that was impossible so at least she’s sitting still for a while," Jarod explained.
"I’m sorry Jarod, for everything that has happened to you at the hands of the Centre," Sydney said.
"It’s not your fault Sydney," Jarod said.
"Yes it is. We are all responsible. I sat by and never did anything to help, I wasn’t strong like Catherine and Jacob," Sydney said.
"Catherine Parker and your brother are dead for what they did and you’re wrong about doing nothing. You cared for me and Miss Parker. You did your best to keep me safe while I couldn’t be with my parents," Jarod explained.
"I wasn’t always successful," Sydney said.
"You did the best you could," Jarod replied.
"Thank you," Sydney said quietly. "Jarod, how are you going to get the child out of the Centre?" Sydney asked.
"I’m not sure yet, I need a plan and I suppose it should include Parker because I don’t think It’s likely she’ll sit back and let me do all the work," Jarod said.
"No," Sydney laughed. "I don’t think that is very likely." he agreed.
-------
Jarod entered J.J.’s room. "Parker, I’ve been thinking about this plan..." his voice trailed off when he didn’t see her where he had left her. "Parker, where are you?" he called out.
"Jarod, what are you yelling about?" Major Charles asked as he entered the room.
"Have you seen Miss Parker?" he asked his father.
"No son, but she can’t have gone far, she was just here," the major said.
"Damn it, I never should have left her, I knew how upset she was," Jarod said.
" It’s not your fault son, you do have other things to worry about," major Charles said.
"I want to worry about her dad, she is my friend and the mother of my children," Jarod explained.
"Just what feelings do you have for her, son?" his father asked.
"I care about her and I need to stop her from doing something she’ll regret." he said.
"O.K. son, just tell me what I can do to help," his father said.
"Just stay here with J.J. dad, I need to handle Parker on my own," Jarod said.
"Be careful son," the major said as he watched his son head toward the door.
"I will dad, thank you."
-------
Miss Parker stormed into her fathers office with her gun in her hand.
"Angel, what are you doing here?" Mr. Parker asked innocently.
"I’m here to do something that I should have done a long time ago," she said as she raised her weapon. "To think, all those times I saved your life and now I’ll be the one to take it away," she said as she started to pull the trigger.
"Parker, what the hell are you doing?" Lyle screamed as he ran into the room. He reached for the gun, trying to stop her.
"Stay out of my way Lyle, this is between me and my lousy excuse for a father," she said as she struggled free from Lyle.
She started to pull the trigger again but was stopped by an entire team of sweepers this time.
"Angel, just what is going on with you?" her father asked.
"You stole my family from me. My mother, Thomas and now my children!" she yelled at him angrily.
"What are you talking about Angel, you don’t have any children," he said calmly.
"Yes I do, Jarod’s clone and that baby that Brigitte gave birth to, they are both my sons but you already knew that, didn’t you?" she asked. "Well, I want him back. I’m taking him away from the Centre," she informed him.
"You’ve been listening to Jarod’s lies again, haven’t you?" he asked.
"He’s not the liar, you are. You have been lying all your life but I just recently realized that!" she yelled.
"You will not take that child, he’s the future of this place, my legacy," Mr. Parker said. He glanced over at the sweepers who were holding her, "Take her away, I don’t care what you do with her. I don’t need her anymore," he finished.
Those words hurt her more than she had wished but she wouldn’t give in. "Jarod knows the truth too and he won’t be stopped as easily as me. He won’t stop until he has his family back!" she yelled as the sweepers drug her away.
"Dad, what are you going to do with her now?" Lyle asked.
"I said I don’t care," the mans voice said loudly. "Now leave me alone," he added.
Lyle left the office and smiled as he went in search of his sister.
"Well, I figured you’d be showing up sometime soon," Mr. Parker said upon Jarod’s entrance to his office.
"Were is your daughter?" Jarod demanded.
"I really don’t know. The last time I saw her she was being carried away by some sweepers but she did mention that you would be showing up and wanting your son," Mr. Parker explained.
"You son of a bitch, I’m going to take my son back and Parker too," Jarod said defiantly.
"Really? because I don’t think you’re in any position to dictate the way things will go," Mr. Parker countered. "What’s to stop me from locking you back up right now?" he asked.
"I’ll make you a deal," Jarod said. "I will come back to the Centre of my own free will if you let the child go," Jarod suggested.
"How touching, that you would give up you freedom for you son but why would I make such a deal if I can have both of you?" He asked.
"I will run away again, you know that but if you give me the child and I can take him to safety, then I will stay as long as you leave both of the boys alone," Jarod explained.
"Why should I even consider such a deal?" Mr. Parker asked.
"Redemption," Jarod said. "I know that you still love you daughter but this place and the power has changed the person you used to be. You will never be able to get back any kind of relationship with your daughter but you can still do something honorable. You can make sure that your grandchildren never have to know the pain of this place," Jarod finished. He hoped he had been right and that there was some shred of a decent human being left in the man.
-------
Several hours later, Jarod walked into the hospital carrying the little boy in his arms.
"Jarod, you got the baby out, but how?" his father asked
"I walked in and took him back," Jarod said.
"Jarod, where is Miss Parker, did you see her?" Sydney asked.
"I didn’t see her but her father told me that she was there." Jarod said.
"You didn’t try to find her son?" the major asked.
"No, but I have to go back, I made a deal with Mr. Parker," Jarod informed them.
"What kind of a deal Jarod?" Sydney asked with concern apparent in his voice.
"I agreed to go back if the Centre leaves both of the boys alone," Jarod explained. "When I know for sure that the baby is a match for his brother and that J.J. is O.K. then I will return to the Centre for good," he finished.
"Son, you can’t be serious, what about your children?" the major asked.
"They will be free and they won’t have to know the life I had," Jarod said as he walked off to meet with the doctor to have the baby tested.
-------
"He’s definitely a match," said the doctor triumphantly as he walked into J.J.’s room a little while latter. The man was still not sure how people kept showing up, that Jarod had said never existed, like the boys mother and now a little brother. What mattered the most now was that J.J. would get better
"That’s wonderful news doctor," Jarod said relieved.
"When will you do the transplant?" Sydney asked.
"Well, normally I don’t like to use a child this young but J.J. is not doing well and can’t wait so we’ll do it first thing tomorrow," the doctor concluded.
-------
The waiting was torture. He wanted to know that his boys would be O.K. but this morning seemed like it would never end. Finally the doctor entered with a huge smile on his face.
"The removal of bone marrow went really well. We’re going to watch the little guy for a while but he’s doing fine," the doctor said. "We’ve started the transplant and things look real good. You have two very strong sons there, Mr. Russell," the doctor finished.
"Thank you so much for everything doctor," Jarod said shaking the mans hand. The doctor left and there were a lot of hugs shared by the group.
------
"Dad, I need to go now," Jarod said as he handed the small baby to his father. "His name is Charlie, please take good care of him and his big brother. Tell them that I love them," Jarod finished.
"Son, I know your a man of your word but please think about your children," the major said.
"I am thinking about them, they will never be safe if they’re always on the run with me. I have to go dad, I need to find Parker and tell her that our children are safe and I need to tell her how I really feel about her," Jarod said.
Major Charles saw that there was nothing he could do to change his sons mind. "Please be careful son, I love you," the major said.
"I love you too dad," Jarod said as he turned and walked away from the family he had fought so hard to find.
-------
"Well, well, well, I can’t believe that you actually came back. Your even more stupid than I gave you credit for," Lyle said upon Jarod’s entrance back to the Centre.
"Were is your father?, I made a deal with him," Jarod said.
"Yes, I know but I’m afraid the triumvirate was not pleased with him for letting the child go," Lyle informed him. "Oh, but don’t worry, they left me in charge and I think you’ll be quite pleased with the accommodations I’ve made for you," Lyle said. "Take him," Lyle said motioning to the sweepers that were near by. "You know the place," he added.
Jarod was taken to an elevator. Upon entering the elevator, one of the sweepers started to hit Jarod. The next sweeper started in on him and before he knew it his world turned to black and he was out cold.
"Jarod?, Jarod come on wake up, please wake up Jarod," she pleaded with the man who was laid out on the hard concrete floor. They had just thrown him down in here with her, that had been almost five hours ago and he still hadn’t woken up. She was really worried now.
"Jarod wake up!" she said one last time before she started to see him move slightly.
"Oh, what happened?" he asked groggily as he tried to lift his body up from the ground.
"They beat the crap out of you Jarod," she explained. "What did you expect, this is the Centre," she finished.
"Cayla, is that you?" Jarod asked still confused about his whereabouts.
"Geez Jarod, you haven’t called me that since we were kids," miss Parker said with a small smile. She always liked his nickname for her rather than her given name but it had been so long since someone had actually said it out loud. Now it seemed almost foreign to her.
"Are you all right Cayla?" he asked.
"I’m just peachy," she quipped. "Oh, except for the fact that I’m now the prisoner of my evil twin and my father doesn’t seem to care what happens to me and they’ve created children that are mine and failed to ever mention it to me," she said all in one breath. "Am I leaving anything out?" she asked.
"J.J. and Charlie are safe," Jarod said.
"What?" she asked stunned.
"Our sons, they are both safe," Jarod said sitting up on his own now. "J.J. got his transplant thanks to his baby brother," Jarod added.
"You got the baby out?" she asked surprised but relieved.
"Yes, he’s fine and with Sydney and my father right now," Jarod said. He paused for a minute before he told her the rest. "I made a deal with your father. I traded my freedom for theirs," he said softly.
She starred at the floor for a while wondering why her father would agree to such a deal after discarding her without a second glance. She looked back up at Jarod now. "You named the baby Charlie?" she finally asked.
"Yes, after my father,’ he explained.
"Why do they both get to be named after your side of the family?" she asked honestly upset with him.
Jarod just laughed at her until It hurt his ribs to much. He grabbed his side trying to ease the pain. "That’s all you’re worried about is his name?, not the fact that you will probably never see him again or J.J.?" he asked a little more harshly than he had expected.
She walked away from him now hurt by what he had said. She backed herself up against the wall and slowly slid down it, tears forming in her eyes.
Jarod slowly walked over to her and sat down next to her as easily as his body would allow. "I’m sorry Parker, please don’t cry," he said. He wrapped his arms around her trying to comfort her. "I can endure almost anything but the sight of you crying always breaks my heart," he said.
"I have two children Jarod," she cried. "I just learned that I have two sons. I’ve already missed so much of their lives and now I’ll probably miss the rest," she said as more tears slid down her cheeks.
Jarod slowly wiped them away. "It’s going to be all right," he said. "I promise you that every thing will be all right."
"All right?" she asked as she pushed him away. "Nothing is ever going to be all right again," she yelled. "Lyle will never let us go Jarod, he has plans for us. God, our sons may be safe but what about the others Jarod?" she asked.
"What others?" Jarod asked innocently.
"The other children Lyle plans on creating," she explained. "Lyle told me you were coming back here and I prayed that you wouldn’t. I don’t pray Jarod, but I begged God not to let you come back," she said shaking her head. "You should have just left, you should have taken the boys and took off Jarod," she cried. "Why didn’t you just leave?" she sobbed.
He went to her again and held her in his arms. "Because I couldn’t leave you behind again," he said as he looked her in the eyes. "I couldn’t leave you because that would mean leaving my heart behind," he said. "And I can’t live without my heart Cayla," he explained as tears filled his own eyes now. "I love you Michaela, I have for a very long time and I can’t live without you any longer," he finally confessed.
There was only silence in the room now. Miss Parker buried her head deeper into her hands. She couldn’t bring herself to face him yet.
He held on to her and waited for her to say something, anything. He realized that he had probably really scarred her by his words. When he realized he wasn’t going to get any kind of response he decided to speak again.
"Are you O.K.?" he asked quietly.
She lifted her head knowing that she would have to say something to him after what he had confessed. Her tear stained eyes looked into his and she felt like she was going to melt in his arms.
"I don’t know what to say to you Jarod," she started. "I have so many things going on in my head and so many feelings that I’m trying to deal with," she continued. "I just finished sorting out my feelings for Thomas and your involvement in that a few months ago," she explained. She made the mistake of looking at him again and felt so bad for what she was saying. "God, Jarod, you say that you love me and I know how hard that must have been for you but I just can’t say those things in return right now," she admitted honestly.
Jarod looked at her with a hurt expression that he was trying to hide but he was failing miserably.
She looked him in the eyes again. " You have been my friend for so long and you’ve never given up on me, no matter what. My going away to school, working for the Centre, even chasing you, but you never gave up Jarod," she paused. "I know I have no right to ask, but please don’t give up now, I just need time to think about all that has happened," she said finally.
Jarod just looked at her and smiled. "I came back here for you Parker, I could have just taken J.J. and Charlie and never looked back but I couldn’t. I will never give up on you because they need you," he said, " and I need you," he whispered. "You kept me alive when I thought there was nothing to live for Parker. I would sit in a room, very much like this one, and just wish that I was dead because I didn’t want to spend one more day in this place," he explained
"I’m sorry I could never help you back then Jarod," she said softly next to him.
He faced her again. "But you did," he said. "Don’t you understand? You were my friend in a place where such things were not supposed to exist. You made me happy, you saved me just by being my friend," Jarod told her as he touched her cheek gently.
When he touched her she felt so many memories flood back. "You saved my life too Jarod, you were the only one who held me and let me cry after my mother died. Not even my father would do that," she said as tears streamed down her face.
"We were there for each other and never realized how much it meant to the other person," Jarod laughed softly.
"It would appear that way," she agreed as she started to laugh with him.
Laughter through tears was the emotion shared by them for the next few minutes.
"Who do you think he looks like?" she asked suddenly.
"who?" Jarod asked in return.
"Charlie. I know that J.J. looks just like you so I wondered who you think Charlie looks like. I held him a few times but I never really thought about who he looked like. Mostly I just saw how sad he was and I wanted to make that pain go away for him," she said.
"I think he looks like both of us," Jarod said. "But he has his mothers beautiful blue eyes," he added.
"Thank you Jarod, for letting me see our son through your eyes," she whispered softly to him.
"We will see him again, I promise," Jarod said as he held her in his arms.
-------
"Well, isn’t that just the cutest thing you’re ever seen?" Lyle asked sarcastically as he watched the two on his monitor.
"Do we need to implement the plan or do you think they will proceed on their own?" Rains asked from the corner of the office.
"You heard her, she knows too much. She will never let anything happen on it’s own," Lyle concluded.
"Good, then we begin our work tomorrow," Raines said with an evil grin as he walked out the door.
"I always knew all that religious stuff was a bunch of crap," Lyle said to himself as he watched the old man go.
-------
The major had taken both boys out of the hospital much earlier than the doctors would have liked but he feared that the Centre would be closing in on them because of Jarod’s latest stunt.
He took the boys to a small Inn in Maine run by a man named Ben. Jarod had told him about this place and said it would be safe. He was doing his best to take care of the boys but it had been a while since he had cared for a baby or a teenager. He hadn’t seen Emily since she was only a little older than J.J. was now. He just hoped that the boys’ parents would be able to take care of them soon.
"Grandpa?" J.J. asked.
"Yes, son, what is it?" the major asked with concern.
"I’m sorry, it’s just weird to call you that," J.J. said.
"I know son."
"Is it really true that I’m Jarod’s son and not his clone?" the boy asked.
"Yes, it’s true. I know it seems strange right now but you’ll get used to the idea," the major assured him.
"It’s just that, I finally have a family but I can’t be with them. Now I know how Jarod must have felt, I mean my dad," J.J. said.
"Well we have little Charlie here and I promise you we will get your dad back again," the major said.
"And my mom?" J.J. asked tentatively.
"Yes, I suppose she is with your father and we’ll get her back too."
"She was really nice to me at the Centre. She talked to me like a real person and she was going to help me but Raines stopped her. She looked so sad," J.J. said.
"Well, when she was a little girl she lost her mother, the only person who ever gave her the kind of love she needed. Her father was never there for her and so her life was lived in sadness and pain. Her mother, Catherine Parker, tried to help me get Jarod out of the Centre when he was still very young but she was killed for her involvement. From what little time I spent with her, I observed that she was a kind woman who would do anything for her child and I think Miss Parker is a lot like her, you know she looks just like her mother," the major told the young man.
"Like I look just like my dad?" J.J. asked.
"Yes, just like that," the major agreed.
"Who do you think Charlie looks like?" the boy asked.
"Well, he looks a lot like your father when he was that age but he has his mama’s blue eyes."
"I want my whole family back grandpa," J.J. said.
"I know you do son, I know," the major said comforting the boy as he wrapped his arms around him. Moments latter and ear piercing cry rang out from the crib in the corner of the room. "Now, I just wonder where he gets that cry from?" the major asked as he went to see what was bothering the little one.
"Let go of her you bastards!" Jarod yelled as he watched two sweepers drag Parker from him. They had fallen asleep in each others arms and were then rudely awakened by these two intruders.
"Now, now Jarod, you really should learn to be more respectful or we may have to teach you a lesson," Lyle said and then motioned for another sweeper. "Hit him if he tries to interfere again," Lyle said. "And take her away!" he demanded of the two sweepers holding Parker, who had stopped at the door. The sweepers obeyed quickly and carried her out.
"It really is hard to find good help these days," Lyle mused.
"Were are you taking her Lyle?" Jarod asked.
"Well, you see, someone keeps stealing all of our projects," Lyle said. "So, it’s up to me to start over. You see, we need to replace you because we realize that you will never be as beneficial to us as you used to be. We will use you until we can train a new pretender but after that you will be of no use to us any longer. I know it’s quite a risk using Parker to carry the child but time is of the essence. The triumvirate has had just about enough of our failures and is ready to pull the plug on our entire branch. It seems their facility in Africa is getting better results these days. Well, I don’t plan on becoming "reeducated" any time soon. I’m going to run this place from now on and progress will be made," Lyle finally finished.
"You son of a bitch, she’s your sister. How could you do this to her?" Jarod asked. "Even your father showed some remorse," he added.
"My father is weak, just like our mother was," Lyle spat.
"Your mother was a wonderful person. I’m so glad she never had to know what a lousy son she had," Jarod said as he took a swing at Lyle. The sweepers were on him before he could connect with the mans face.
"Oh Jarod, will you never learn?" Lyle laughed. "I told you to behave yourself!" Lyle snapped. " Leave him alone," Lyle instructed the sweeper and they both walked out the door leaving Jarod on the ground with only a bloody lip this time.
"You won’t win Lyle, I will find a way to get out. I swear I will," Jarod said under his breath when Lyle was out of ear shot.
-------
"Parker?" Jarod asked as he gently tried to wake her. "It’s time to wake up now," he whispered in her ear.
"No," he heard her mutter. "No, Lyle please don’t let them do this," she said as her head tossed back and forth.
"Parker wake up, it’s just a dream. Lyle’s not here, you’re safe now," he insisted.
She opened her eyes and saw Jarod looking down at her. "it’s not over Jarod, it will never be over," she said weakly.
He didn’t say anything because he knew there were no words. He just held her tightly in his arms because he knew she was right. It would never be over, even if they managed to get out and destroy the Centre some how . It would be with them forever and they would just have to learn to live with that and go on with their lives.
------
Two weeks had past and they left her pretty much alone. She still shared the same room with Jarod but every morning they took him away to perform their sims. He would be gone when she woke up and they usually kept him away so long that she was asleep when he returned. So, he didn’t know yet.
She laid on the bed trying to think of something else, anything, but she kept coming back to the sick feeling in her stomach, the truth. She tried to deny it but she couldn’t any longer.
She got up and ran to the bathroom. She hated throwing up, it was one of the worst feeling for her, other than having her heart ripped out of her chest and stomped on, she thought.
She made her way back to the bed, if you could call it that. It was far to small and hard as a rock. You’d think they would give better accommodations to the mother of their newest lab rat, she thought. Lad rat, this was her child but she wouldn’t let herself get attached, it would be easier that way. If she didn’t allow herself to feel anything then she couldn’t be hurt. The one flaw in her plan was that not feeling anything was impossible. She already loved this baby so much. She would dream at night that she held the baby in her arms and that she and Jarod were happy and living together with J.J. and Charlie.
"Please Jarod, please get us out of here," she cried out softly as she curled up on the bed. She cried into the pillow until she finally fell asleep.
-------
She heard the door close shut and opened her eyes slowly. She saw that it was Jarod. He was back earlier than usual today.
Jarod saw her lying on the bed all curled up and was worried when he saw that her eyes were all red and tear stained. "Have you been crying?" he asked. stupid question, he thought. She was clearly upset. "Parker, what’s wrong? please tell me," he begged.
"They’ve won," she whispered in a voice he had never heard her use before.
"Won?" . "Who and what have they won?" he asked confused.
"In eight and a half months they’ll have their new pretender," she said as silent tears slid down her cheeks.
"Oh god, Parker, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry," it was such a stupid thing to say but he couldn’t think of anything else.
-------
"Sydney, It’s good to see you again," the major said as he shook the mans hand.
"Yes, it’s been a few months hasn’t it?" Sydney replied. "How are the boys doing," Syd asked.
"J.J. is doing very well. He’s up and around, though I’ve had to keep him away from that basketball hoop," the major said with a smile.
"Kids always seem to bounce back rather quickly," Sydney observed. "And how is little Charlie," he asked.
"Well, I know that he’s just a baby but he’s hurting Sydney. He cries sometimes and theirs nothing I can do. It’s like there’s something that he’s asking for but I can’t figure it out," the major said.
"Babies are aware of a lot more than we think but I’m sure he’ll be fine," Sydney reassured the man.
"Have you spoken to Jarod or Miss Parker at all?" the Major asked.
"No, Lyle has them under lock and key. They haven’t let me anywhere near them and I’m really worried about how Parker is handling all of this," Sydney said .
"What about Jarod?" the major asked.
"Of course I’m worried about him as well but he is used to those conditions, of being locked up. I don’t think Parker will be dealing with it as well," Sydney explained himself.
"We have to get them out of there Sydney, they have a family to raise. Those boys are growing up so fast and they’re missing it," the major said.
"I know and I think I might be able to help. I just need a little more time," Sydney said.
"Oh, god," she moaned as another wave of nausea hit her. She carefully pulled herself out of bed and made her way to the bathroom just in time.
Jarod was still there on this particular morning and got up as soon as he saw her head to the bathroom. He went to her side and knelt down to take her in his arms. He could see the tears threatening to flow from her eyes as he looked at her. "It’s going to be all right," he said.
"I can’t do this anymore Jarod, this place is driving me crazy," she cried.
"Parker it’s going to O.K., I promise," he said trying to sound reassuring.
"No! I can’t stay here anymore. I can’t have a baby here, I won’t. I need to leave this place now!" she yelled as she got up and walked out of the bathroom. She walked to the door of their room and started to yell out. "Lyle! Lyle, you bastard, let me out of here damn it!" she screamed as her body slid down the door.
She was sobbing uncontrollably now as Jarod came and took her in his arms again. "You need to calm down Parker. This is not good for you or the baby. I know you love this baby and I know you wouldn’t want to hurt him would you?" he asked.
"No," she finally said through sobs.
Lyle burst into their room. "What the hell is wrong with you Parker?" he demanded.
She couldn’t answer him through her tears. She hated to show weakness in front of anyone but especially Lyle. She tried her best to calm herself down.
"Geez Lyle, don’t you see what your doing here, she can’t handle being locked up like this. It’s not healthy for her," Jarod explained.
"I don’t care what her problem is but it’s not going to get in the way of my plans. I’m going to run this place someday because of that child," he said pointing his finger at his sister.
"If you don’t do something Lyle, that baby will never be born," Jarod said. "She’ll lose that baby if she doesn’t calm down," he concluded.
"Well, I was hoping that allowing her to be with you would make her more cooperative. I see now that that won’t work so, maybe she’ll be more responsive if I take her away from you," Lyle said.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jarod asked.
"Before you started to fill her head with lies, she was loyal to the Centre and with and luck, she will be again," Lyle explained. He told the sweepers to take her away.
"Lyle, don’t do this, it will only make things worse!" Jarod yelled as he watched them drag the woman he loved away. He tried to stop them from taking her but was stopped by Lyle.
"You just never learn do you Jarod?" he asked before he pushed Jarod hard against the wall.
Jarod fell backwards and couldn’t get back up before Lyle was out the door and Parker gone along with him.
-------
The next day after Jarod’s sim was over, Sydney was finally allowed a moment to talk to the pretender.
"Sydney, how are the boys?" was the first thing out of Jarod’s mouth.
"Well they are doing as well as can be expected. How are you doing?" Sydney asked.
"What does that mean Sydney?" Jarod asked without addressing the mans other question.
"J.J. was a little confused about everything when the major explained it to him but now he just wants you to come back and miss Parker too. Have you seen her?" Sydney asked.
"We were together but she wasn’t doing well and Lyle took her away," Jarod explained.
"What do you mean, not doing well?" Sydney asked with concern.
"She’s pregnant Sydney," Jarod said.
"I was afraid of that," Sydney replied.
"She was going crazy being locked up so Lyle thought it would be best if she didn’t have contact with me. What she really needs is to leave this place all together Sydney," Jarod explained.
"I understand Jarod. We’re working on it," Sydney said as the door opened and Lyle strolled in.
"Your time with "daddy" is up. Let’s go Jarod," Lyle snarled.
"Take care Jarod," Sydney said. Jarod nodded and followed Lyle out of the room.
-------
"Sydney! Thank god your back. You wont believe what I found out about miss Parker," Broots said in a rush of words.
"I know that she’s pregnant, Jarod told me," Sydney replied.
"She’s pregnant?!" Broots asked in a shocked tone as he turned and faced the other man now.
"Yes, isn’t that what you found?" Sydney asked.
"Ah, no. I found this recording that Lyle made of her room last night," he said. "She’s not in good shape Syd," he added before loading the disk in the player.
The scene showed Lyle crouched down by the side of her bed. "Jarod is dead," he told her. "We had to do away with him because he has become more of a burden than an asset to us," he explained. "Now, I suggest that you be more cooperative and we wont have to hurt the boys too," Lyle said.
"You have the boys?" she asked in a hushed voice.
"Of course we do and they’ll be safe as long as you cooperate. Do you understand?" Lyle asked.
"Yes Lyle, I’ll do what ever you want," she agreed.
"Good, now try and get some sleep," he said as he left the room.
Broots turned off the machine. "It’s not true is it, any of it?" Broots asked.
"I saw the boys yesterday and I was allowed to visit Jarod this morning. Lyle is just trying to brainwash her like he tried with Jarod several months ago. I just hope she is able to avoid such things as Jarod was able to," Sydney said. He turned toward Broots. "We need to implement our plan sooner than we had agreed," Sydney explained.
Broots nodded. "O.K. Syd, I’ll do what ever you say as long as you get Miss Parker out of here," he said as he got up to make some arrangements with another helper.
-------
"Miss Parker confused, scared. Friend help," said Angelo’s voice from the vent above Jarod’s bed.
A small piece of paper fell from the vent and Angelo hurried off the way he had come from.
Jarod opened the paper being careful to keep it out of camera view. He read the note:
Your door will open at 2am.
Go to room 3 on SL- 8 then,
follow the vents to the parking garage.
Jarod tucked the note safely in his pocket and waited quietly in his room. "Soon Parker, very soon," he whispered to himself.
It was 1:59 a.m. and Jarod noticed that the light on the camera in his room went out.
He looked down at his watch and it read 2 a.m. so he slowly turned the handle of his door and sure enough it opened.
It looked like he was on SL-16 so he had a few floors to go down to get to SL-8. He quickly found the vent that would lead him there.
After what seemed like forever he jumped out of the vent on SL-8. He looked around for a minute and soon knew what direction he needed to head.
He wasn’t certain but pretty sure that room three was were he would find Parker. He just hoped he could get to her before someone figured out he was gone. He wasn’t to worried, he knew the guards had a tendency to fall asleep on the night watches.
He came to door number three and prayed that it would open as easily as his had. He figured that Broots and Sydney were the ones behind the doors and security cameras and was extremely thankful for the help. The last time Lyle had him locked up in the Centre he had been tricked into thinking he was escaping. He hoped that this wasn’t another of Lyle’s tricks. He figured he would risk it anyway.
He entered the room and saw Parker sitting on the floor against the wall with her head in her hands. He had expected her to be asleep.
He rushed to her side. "Parker? Parker, it’s me Jarod," he said.
She didn’t look up. "Come on Parker we have to get out of here," he said.
"You’re not Jarod," she finally said still not lifting her head.
"Yes I am, of course I am. Who else would I be?" he asked.
"A ghost," she replied.
"Parker what is wrong with you? I’m Jarod, I’m right here," he said lifting her head to look in her eyes. He had never seen such sadness before.
"You can’t be Jarod, he’s dead," she said. "Lyle told me he was dead and that if I don’t cooperate he will hurt the boys too," she explained.
"No, Parker, I’m not dead. Lyle lied to you. Look, I don’t have time to explain, we need to get out of here now," he said urgently as he pulled her up off the ground.
He walked her out the room, down the hall and into the vents. They crawled for a long time until they came to the passage that would lead them to the parking garage. At the end of the passage Jarod found a note and a key.
‘The white van on aisle 23’ was all the note said.
Jarod led Parker to the vehicle and got her inside. He started up the van and drove out right past the guards without a glance back at the place that had been his prison more times than he cared to remember.
-------
"Broots, come on we need to get out of here," Sydney said to the younger man.
"I’m just downloading some last information," Broots replied. "O.K., I’m ready now," he finished.
"Good, we need to pick up Debbie," Sydney said.
"Debbie? Why?" Broots asked.
"We are not coming back here. It’s to much of a risk that Mr. Lyle will figure out we had something to do with the escape," Sydney explained as they made their way to the car. "Did you want to come back?" he asked.
"Oh, no. It’s just that , well, what about Angelo? He deserves to be free just as much as Jarod and Miss Parker," Broots explained.
"Damn it, I completely forgot about Angelo, what was I thinking," Sydney admonished himself.
"Friends safe, Angelo free too," said a voice from behind them.
"Yes Angelo, you are free too, now get in the car," Sydney said as he opened the door for the man.
"Now let’s get out of here," Sydney said as he started the car. They took off down the road not seeing the car that followed at a distance.
-------
Jarod glanced over and saw that Parker was sleeping finally. He knew exactly where his father and the boys were but he figured that they were safe and right now the best thing to do would be to take care of Miss Parker.
He stopped at a hotel and carried Parker into the room. He laid her down gently on the bed and wrapped some blankets around her. He laid down beside her and safety cradled her in his arms. He tried to sleep but knew he wouldn’t be able to for a long time.
-------
"No, Jarod, No! Please don’t leave me, not you too, please. Jarod!" she yelled as her eyes opened.
"Shhh, Parker, it’s only a dream," Jarod explained.
"Oh god, you feel so real," she sighed.
"I am real," he said. "Look at me Parker, I am real."
"But Lyle..." she said.
"He lied to you but that shouldn’t be such a surprise," he said.
She sat up and looked at him closer. "You’re really real?" she asked.
"Yes, would you like to pinch me?" he asked jokingly.
"Ouch!" he yelled a second latter. "I wasn’t serious," he said as he rubbed his arm.
"I’m sorry, just checking," she explained. She looked around. "Where are we Jarod?" she asked confused.
"We’re in a hotel just outside of Delaware," he told her.
"When did we leave the Centre?" she asked.
"Last night. We crawled through the vents, don’t you remember?" he asked.
"No, I guess I don’t," she admitted.
"That’s O.K. you must have been more out of it than I thought," he said. He propped himself up on one side and looked down at her.
"Are you hungry?" he asked her.
"Actually, yes, now that you mention it," she said. "I really want some pancakes," she added.
"Pancakes?" he questioned.
"Yeah, I don’t know why, I never really liked them before. It must be the baby and you know what they feed you at the Centre," she said as her face fell at the mention of the place.
"Hey, you don’t have to worry about them any more, I promise," he said as he jumped out of bed and put his shirt on.
"Now, if it’s pancakes you want, it’s pancakes you shall have," he said as he reached for her hand to lift her up.
-------
A half hour latter they were sitting at a table in a small diner with a large stack of pancakes between them.
"Will you still let me eat pancakes when I can’t see my feet anymore?" she asked looking up at him.
"Well, as long as you want to eat pancakes, who am I to stop you?" he asked as shrugged his shoulders.
"Thank you Jarod, for everything," she said.
"You never have to thank me Parker," he said as he squeezed her hand and then went on eating his own food.
She just smiled at him. ‘Soon Jarod, soon’ she thought to herself.
"Syd, hey Sydney," Broots said trying to get the mans attention. He had noticed the vehicle shortly after they left the Centre but didn’t think much of it. They had been on the road for a few hours now since their brief rest at a local truck stop and Broots noticed the same car following them.
"What is it Mr. Broots?" Sydney asked in return.
"Ah, I think there is a car behind us," Broots said.
"Yes, I think there is too," Sydney said nonchalantly.
"Well, Ah, what I mean is that I think someone has been following us," he explained in a low voice so as not to wake up his daughter and Angelo, in the back seat.
"I wouldn’t put it past the Centre to try and follow us," Sydney said as he glanced out the rearview mirror. "Let’s see if they are really following us," he said as he speed up a little.
------
"Oh, Jarod, I think I’m going to be sick," Parker moaned.
"What’s wrong, is it the baby?" he asked with concern.
"No, I just ate way to much," she groaned as she pushed the plate away from her.
"Oh," Jarod laughed. " Well, you know I would like to have someone examine you soon. The Centre put way to much stress on you and I’m a little worried about the baby," he explained.
"Well I’m worried about J.J. and Charlie. I want to see them again, please," she pleaded.
"I want to see them too but they are safe and right now you and that baby are more important. I have a friend who runs a small clinic not far from here. After I know that your all right, we will go get our boys back, I promise," he said with a smile.
"O.K. doctor Jarod, I suppose your right but I don’t have to like it," she pouted.
"You will be just fine, I won’t let anything bad happen to you ever again," he said as he gently touched her cheek with his fingers.
She loved the feel of his touch, it made her feel safe. She almost believed what he said but knew that no matter how hard he tried, he could never truly protect her from the evils of the Centre.
He got up quickly from the table. "I’ll go pay the check and then we can get out of here," he said as he started to leave.
"Jarod, wait," she called out.
"What?" he asked startled as he turned around.
"Ah, could you buy me a doughnut?" she asked. "Please?" she added.
"Parker, you just told me you were stuffed," he replied.
"Well, I might get hungry on the way to this clinic of yours," she explained herself.
"Fine," he said as he shook his head and walked off to pay the bill.
-------
"Wow Syd, I didn’t know you could drive like that," Broots said from the passengers seat.
"Yes, well I learned a few things by watching Miss Parker, I’m just thankful we were able to get rid of that car," Sydney said.
"Yeah, me too," Broots agreed.
"Now we just need to make our way to Ben’s Inn and make sure that Jarod and Miss Parker are safe," Sydney said as he drove on.
------
"Hello Malcolm," Jarod greeted his friend with Parker behind him.
"Jarod! hey man, I didn’t think I’d see you back here any time soon," the young man replied. He was dressed in jeans and a blue T-shirt with a baseball cap on his head.
"He is a doctor?" Parker asked disbelieving.
Jarod turned toward her. "Yeah and a very good one," Jarod defended.
"Yeah, I’m one of those inner city kids that tried to make a difference," Malcolm explained.
"Tried and succeeded," Jarod added.
"Well, I couldn’t have done it with out you man."
"I helped him out with a few drug dealers who tried to ruin his reputation," Jarod explained to Parker. "Oh, I’m sorry," Jarod said. "Malcolm this is my friend Parker," Jarod introduced her.
"Any friend of Jarod’s is a friend of mine," the man said politely as he shook her hand.
"It’s nice to meet you," Parker said sincerely. She was unsure about his appearance but he seemed to be a decent fellow.
After the pleasantries, Jarod explained their situation and why they had come. Malcolm, along with Jarod’s help, ran some blood work and tests.
"Well everything appears to be in order. You’re relatively healthy for all that you’ve been through. I’d just like to do a sonogram to make sure that baby of yours is doing O.K.," Malcolm explained.
Malcolm ran the machine and Jarod stayed right by Parker’s side after seeing how worried she looked.
"Hey, look at that," Malcolm said pointing to the screen as an image of the baby appeared.
Both Parker and Jarod looked at the picture with awe.
"He looks really good, strong heartbeat too," Malcolm said.
"Can you tell if it’s a boy or a girl?" Parker asked.
"Well it’s still a little early to be certain of that," he explained.
Jarod had walked over to take a closer look at the monitor while the two were talking. "What is that?" he asked in a whisper.
"What?, is something wrong?" Parker asked with concern.
Jarod took the machine out of Malcolm’s hands and moved it around a bit. "There, do you see it?" he asked.
"Hey!" Malcolm exclaimed. He faced Parker now. "Do you have a history of twins in your family?" he asked casually.
Parker’s face fell and then she looked over at Jarod. "Twins?" she asked.
He just nodded his head in affirmation.
"Are you serious Jarod?" she asked.
"Oh yeah, there are definitely two babies in that stomach of yours," he informed her uncertain how she would take the news.
She looked back at the screen and then back at Jarod. A huge grin came over her face. "No wonder I was so hungry," she said.
Malcolm looked at the two of them not sure what was going on as the two of them started laughing uncontrollably.
"Wow Sydney, I’m glad we finally made it here," Broots sighed as they pulled into the drive way of the Inn.
"I just hope that Jarod and Miss Parker have made it here safely as well," Sydney said as he exited the vehicle.
"Me too," Broots said as he lifted his sleeping daughter from the back seat.
"Sydney gently woke Angelo up and got him out of the car. They slowly made their way up the walk when the front door opened and two older men exited.
"Hello, Major," Sydney said extending his hand to the man.
"Please call me Charles," he replied as he shook the man’s hand. "I’m glad you made it here," he added.
"Are Jarod and Miss Parker here yet?" Sydney asked.
"No, we haven’t seen them," Ben spoke up.
"But they did make it out all right?" the major asked.
"Yes, they left a little before we did, I expected them to be here by now," Sydney said with concern.
"Jarod knows where we all are. I’m sure he’ll get here just as soon as he can," the major said as he lead the way inside carrying some luggage.
Ben lead them upstairs. "I have some rooms set up, I hope you don’t mind sleeping two to a room, I do have a few quests this time of year," the man explained politely.
"That’s fine, I don’t mind sharing with Angelo and I’m sure Mr. Broots and his daughter will be more than happy to share," Sydney said.
"Oh yeah, what ever you have to offer is just fine," Broots added.
Ben showed them to the rooms. "When you get settled I’ve had some food made up for you in the dinning room. I’m sure you all must be hungry," the man informed them.
------
After a while, Sydney, Broots, Angelo and Debbie joined Major Charles and Ben in the dinning room. A few minutes latter J.J. entered carrying his brother with him.
"Grandpa, he won’t stop crying again," J.J. exclaimed before he saw all the people that were gathered there. "Oh, hi," he said.
"J.J. I want you to meet some people. You remember Sydney of course, and this is Broots, Angelo and Debbie," his grandfather introduced to him.
"It’s nice to meet you all," he said politely as he smiled at Debbie. He was pleased to see someone closer to his own age.
"Do you like ice cream?" J.J. asked her.
"Yeah, who doesn’t?" she replied.
"Can we go and have some?" the boy pleaded with his grandfather.
"O.K. but not to much and please get a bottle for your brother," the major shouted after the boy who had already taken off, dragging Debbie behind him.
"Sure!" he yelled out as they disappeared into the kitchen.
------
"Are you really miss Parker’s son?" Debbie asked.
"Yes," J.J. replied as he grabbed two bowls, some spoons and the carton of ice cream. "Do you know her very well?" he asked as he remembered the bottle for Charlie.
"Well, not real well but she took care of me once when my dad was gone. She was kind of weird at first but then she was nice. I think she’s just sad a lot because of her mother and where she works. Dad says it’s not a very nice place," she finished.
"Yeah, that’s what my grandpa always says, that she’s sad," he said as he finished scooping the ice cream. "Will you carry the bowls for me?, I have to get Charlie’s bottle," the boy explained.
"Sure," she said and they both walked back into the dinning area.
"Here grandpa," J.J. said as he handed over the bottle. "Can we go watch TV?" he asked.
"Sure, but not to long, it’s almost bed time," the major informed him as he placed the bottle into Charlie’s waiting mouth.
"He seems to be doing very well," Sydney observed as the two young teenagers walked off.
"Yes, he is doing a lot better," the major confirmed as he watched Charlie chug on his bottle.
Angelo placed a hand on the baby’s head fascinated by the infant. "Baby sad," Angelo said. "Sad like daughter," he added.
"What do you mean, sad like daughter?" Sydney asked.
"Both miss mother," Angelo concluded. "Angelo, tired," he added as he removed his hand from the boy.
"Yes, Angelo, so is Sydney. I’ll take you upstairs," he said as he excused himself.
"Well, I should probably go get Debbie, It’s getting late," Broots said.
"Could you please tell J.J. to get himself up to bed as well," the major asked.
"Sure thing," Broots replied as he left in search of his daughter.
"Now, if I can just get you to sleep," the major said as he looked into the wide eyed infant in his arms.
-------
"Jarod?" she asked, "when are we going to get there?"
He sighed heavily and glanced over at her. "You just asked that five minutes ago," he said a little annoyed.
"Well, this seat is uncomfortable and I’m hungry and tired," she complained.
"You can not be hungry, we just ate!" he said.
"That was two hours ago," she whined.
"Geez, at this rate you will weigh 500lbs in eight months," he said jokingly.
"Oh please, this coming from the man who thinks ice cream, P.E.Z., pop tarts and twinkies are the four major food groups. I am having twins,’ she reminded him.
"God, I hope taking care of four kids is easier than taking care of you," he said under his breath. "Oww!" he yelled out as she hit him hard in the shoulder.
"You deserved it," she said.
"You should never hit someone while they are driving," he admonished.
"I’m sorry," she said teasingly. "Jarod?" she asked.
"What!" he snapped. "Oh, great, now I’m beginning to sound like you," he said shaking his head. "Sorry, what were you about to ask?"
"Oh, nothing important, I was just wondering when we were going to get there?" she asked and started to laugh out loud.
"I’m going to kill you, or I’m going to crazy. what was I thinking," he asked himself.
"I heard that," she said.
"Good!" he said a bit harshly.
She just kept on laughing and he tried his best to ignore her. God, she was being annoying he thought but he was so in love it almost made him sick.
-------
It was 5:30 a.m. by the time they finally made it to Ben’s Inn. Jarod looked over and saw that Parker had finally fallen asleep. He went to open the passenger door and he lifted her up gently hoping not to wake her. He carried her to the entrance of the Inn and hoped that the door was unlocked. As he made his way up the last steep the door opened revealing an older man who he recognized to be Ben. The man smiled at him as he showed him in.
"You’re up early," Jarod observed.
"Oh, no I get up at this time every morning to watch the sun rise and someone has to make the coffee," he explained.
"Do you have any hot chocolate?" Jarod asked.
"Sure, but why don’t we get her to bed first," Ben suggested.
"Of course," Jarod said as he followed the man upstairs.
Ben opened the door to a large room with a queen sized bed and beautiful white lace curtains.
"It was Catherine’s favorite, I never let anyone else use it," Ben explained as Jarod gently laid Parker down. He covered her with a quilt that was at the end of the bed.
"Why don’t we go have that hot chocolate?" Ben asked as he placed a hand on Jarod’s shoulder.
"O.K., I’m coming," Jarod said as he looked at the sleeping Parker. Her father had been right about one thing, she was an angel, at least while she slept Jarod thought. He closed the door and followed Ben.
"How are the boys?" Jarod asked.
"They seem to be adjusting all right," Ben said. "They are sleeping in that room right there," he said pointing to the room across from where they had just left Parker.
"Could I just see them for a minute?" Jarod asked.
"They are your children, you may do what you like," Ben replied.
"Oh yeah, I forgot," Jarod said as he slowly opened the door. He saw J.J. all curled up under a bunch of blankets in a bed by the window. His eyes slowly made their way to a crib in the corner of the room. He could see baby Charlie sleeping soundly. Satisfied that they were O.K. he closed the door as slowly as he had opened it.
"I’d like that hot chocolate now," he said as he turned toward Ben. He followed Ben to the kitchen knowing that the most important people to him were safe.
She was sitting on a blanket out in a field under a large oak tree. She remembered being here with her mother several times before. There was a picnic basket near by and she could hear the laughter of J.J. and Charlie in the distance. She looked up and saw that Jarod was sitting next to her and playing with two little babies that smiled up at her. Then she Heard the sound of a gun being fired and saw Lyle standing over her and laughing , he had killed everyone she loved. They were all dead and she felt completely alone.
She sat up in the bed suddenly and looked around. She was in a beautifully decorated room that reminded her of her mother. "I guess this means we’re there," she said with a smile as she remembered her conversation with Jarod in the car.
The sound of a baby’s cries soon filled the room and for a second she wondered why anyone would take an infant on their vacation. She finally realized that it must be Charlie who was crying and she quickly walked to the door of her own room and opened it. Out in the hall the cries were even louder and she was fairly certain that they were coming from the room across from hers.
She carefully opened the door and her eyes instantly fell on the sleeping form of J.J., her son, she thought with a smile. "And what a sound sleeper," she whispered as she turned toward the source of the noise.
She walked to the crib and looked down at the red faced baby who laid inside. She bent down closer to him. "Hey, what’s the big idea, can’t anyone get any sleep around here?" she whispered in a low baby talk voice.
He stopped crying the instant he heard her voice and opened his eyes to look at the source. He knew it was her, the first voice he had heard upon entering the world.
She smiled at his tear stained baby face for a second and then lifted him out of the crib and cradled him in her arms. She walked over to the chair in the corner of the room and gently rocked him back and forth.
He just kept on staring at her with his big blue eyes. He was afraid that if he closed his eyes again she would be gone just like the other times.
Parker sensed this and spoke to him again in a soft tone. "I’m never going to leave you again baby, I promise," she said and then gently kissed him on the forehead.
"Well, it looks like all this time he just needed his mother," major Charles said from the doorway.
Parker jumped slightly and turned to see him.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you," he apologized. "I was just in my room debating whether or not to come in here because my attempts to calm the little guy never seem to help," he explained. "Well, when I heard him stop suddenly, I just had to come and see what had caused it," he finished his explanation.
Parker didn’t say anything. "So, I guess he just needed you," he nodded in her direction but she still didn’t say anything. He walked over and bent down to look at her. He saw that she was crying.
"Miss Parker are you O.K.?" he asked.
"He’s my son," she said finally. "And so is J.J. and I haven’t been there for them and....." she couldn’t finish as she continued crying.
"I know," the major said. "Believe me, I understand completely," he said as he wrapped his arms around her.
She wiped away her tears. "Thank you for keeping them safe," she said as she looked up at him for the first time.
"It was my pleasure," he replied as he looked down at Charlie who was smiling for the first time that he could remember. "I think he’s probably hungry, would you like to help me get his bottle?"
"Yes, I would like that a lot," she answered.
------
She followed the major carrying Charlie safely in her arms. The major observed that they would not be able to separate those two for quite some time. They walked into the kitchen and were greeted by Jarod and Ben.
"Dad!" Jarod yelled as he embraced the man.
His father returned the hug gratefully. "Jarod, I’m so glad that you’re all right," his father said.
"It’s so good to see you again too dad," Jarod said as he pulled back. He looked over and saw Parker standing there holding Charlie.
"I just put you to bed, what are you doing up?" he asked as he walked over to her and kissed Charlie on the cheek.
"I had a bad dream and so did someone else," she said looking down at the little boy in her arms.
"Are you O.K.?" he asked.
"Yeah, I’ll be fine," she replied and then looked up at him. "I am a little hungry," she said with a big grin.
"Oh, noooo!" Jarod wailed.
"Son, what’s wrong?" the major asked with concern.
"Nothing, it’s just that woman is going to drive me crazy," Jarod explained.
"Oh, I see. Well, women will do that to you son, but it’s worth it," the major whispered to his son. He then faced Parker and handed her the bottle.
"Thanks, I think I’ll take him back upstairs and see if I can get him to go back to sleep," she said as she turned to leave.
------
She was back in J.J. and Charlie’s room now watching the boy drink his bottle quickly. His eyes were still wide open as he starred at her.
"It’s O.K. little guy, I’ll still be here when you wake up," she whispered.
His eye lids started to droop and soon he was fast asleep. Parker just sat there for a moment and watched him sleep. She suddenly looked up and saw J.J. sitting on the edge of his bed staring at her. "Hi," she said quietly.
"Are you a dream?" he asked.
"No, I’m real," she said with a reassuring smile.
"You got him to sleep," he observed as he saw his sleeping brother.
"Yeah, he fought it for a while but I promised I’d still be here when he woke up," she explained as she looked down at Charlie. She looked back up at J.J. now.
"I’m not ever going to leave you again," she said as she looked him in the eyes.
"It’s not your fault," he said. "You didn’t know who we were," he explained.
"I should have," she said. "I should have stopped them, I should have been there for you," she said with tears in her eyes.
"You were, you were the only one who talked to me like a real person. You asked me what I wanted and were willing to help me," J.J. said. "I knew that you cared, I could see it in your eyes," he finished.
"Thank you J.J., thank you," she said. "I love you, do you know that I love you?" she asked.
"I think I knew that the first time I ever saw you," he replied.
She reached out and gently touched his cheek. He liked being with her finally, it made him feel safe. He felt that he would now have the family he had dreamed of for a long time.
"I’m hungry, can we go eat breakfast?" he asked suddenly.
She just smiled. "I thought you’d never ask," she replied as she placed Charlie gently in the crib. She turned back toward J.J.
"Let’s go see what Jarod has made us to eat," she said.
"O.K., here," he said as he handed her a baby monitor. "You don’t want him to wake up and not be there, you promised," J.J. said.
"Yes, you are correct and I never break one of my promises, especially not to one of my favorite guys," she said as she smiled at her son. "Let’s go, I’m starving," she added.
------
Parker walked into the kitchen holding J.J.‘s hand. "Look who I found," she said.
Jarod turned around to see his son. "Hello, J.J.," he said with a smile. He was pleased to see the young man looking so well.
"Hi," the boy replied with an equal smile. "I’m hungry, what’s for breakfast?" he asked.
" You’ve been coaching him haven’t you Parker?" Jarod accused.
"No, I’ve done no such thing," she replied as she looked over his shoulder to see what he was cooking. She saw bacon and eggs frying.
"That looks good," she said.
"Yeah, well you’ll be having oatmeal this morning," he replied.
"Excuse me?, are you punishing me for the way I behaved yesterday?" she asked.
"No, I’m not trying to punish you but if you keep eating doughnuts and ice cream at the rate you have been, not only will you weigh 500 lb. but you’ll die of a heart attack before those babies are born. Oatmeal is good for you and them," he said as he gently placed his hand on her stomach.
"Did I hear someone say something about ice cream?" J.J. asked as he walked up behind them.
"Yes, your mother wanted to have some for breakfast," Jarod said.
"I did not, you liar," she said as she hit him playfully.
"It sounds good to me," J.J. said as he watched the interaction of his parents.
"You will both be having oatmeal this morning!" Jarod exclaimed.
J.J. was a little frightened and steeped back slightly. Parker put her arms around the boy.
"It’s O.K., he’s just trying to protect us," she whispered.
"How does making us eat oatmeal protect us?" he boy asked innocently.
"He just feels guilty about the stuff that has happened and not being able to protect us so, making us eat oatmeal is sort of his way of making sure that we are O.K.," she explained. "Do you understand?" she asked.
"I think so," he said as he walked back over toward Jarod. The boy put his arms around the man he recently found out was his father and hugged him.
"It’s O.K., I’ll eat the oatmeal," J.J. said with a smile.
Jarod was shocked by the sudden embrace but was very happy to have his son safely in his arms. They were interrupted by Sydney, Broots, Angelo and Debbie who walked in.
"Jarod, Miss Parker!" Sydney exclaimed as he hugged the two people he considered his own children.
Many hugs were exchanged as everyone greeted each other. They all sat for a while catching up and eating breakfast when a loud cry filtered through the baby monitor. Parker took off instantly up the stairs.
"Parker?" Jarod called out after her. J.J. placed his hand on his fathers arm.
"It’s O.K. she just promised that she would be there when he woke up," the boy explained calmly.
Parker returned a few minutes latter carrying a very happy Charlie in her arms. She sat back down next to Jarod and started to finish her meal when J.J. spoke up.
"Mom, can I go out and play basketball for a while? I know grandpa says that I still need to recover but playing will be good for me and I’m sick of being stuck inside. So, can I?" he asked. "Please," he added.
Parker just stared at him for a minute. "Well, sure, I guess," she said. "But not for too long," she added.
"Thanks!" he exclaimed and ran out dragging Debbie with him.
Parker looked over at Jarod. "Did you here that?" she asked.
"Yes, you just let our son go out and play when he’s still sick," he replied.
"No, Jarod, he called me mom," she said with a big smile.
-------
Miss Parker was still holding Charlie, who had fallen asleep, as she stood by the window and watched J.J. and Debbie playing outside. Jarod came up behind her.
"You’re going to spoil him you know," he said looking out at his son.
"Who?" she asked.
"Well, actually both of them," he said as looked down at his other son. "You do know that are these things called cribs that babies sleep in," he said looking up at her now.
"I know Jarod but I just need to hold him right now," she explained.
"I understand but maybe you could let some other people hold him once in a while," he said.
"Oh Jarod, I’m sorry, I never realized, I mean he is your son too," she said as she placed the sleeping infant in his fathers arms. "I’m sorry," she said again.
"It’s O.K. we are all trying to adjust," he said.
"I just wish it could be as easy as it is for them," Parker said nodding in the direction of Debbie and J.J.
"Yeah, kids seem to be able to adjust easier than adults to new situations," he commented.
"Jarod, what’s going to happen now?" she asked quietly.
"I don’t really know," he admitted.
"Well, we have these two great kids and more on the way and I know that we both want to be with them and would do anything in the world to protect them," she said.
"What are you trying to say Parker?" he asked.
"I’m trying to say that I don’t think I could ever be anywhere else but with you and the boys. We need to be a family Jarod," she said. "For them and for you and me," she concluded.
"Does this mean you want to be with me?" he asked.
"Look, I know what I said to you at the Centre, I was confused but being with you again and laughing with you, it made me remember what it was like when we were kids. I cared about you then. I loved you because you were my best friend and I realize now that, even after all the shit we’ve been through, I still feel that way about you and I can’t imagine not being with you or the boys. We need to be together Jarod, forever," she said finally.
"You love me?" he asked unbelieving.
"Yes, I guess that is what I’m trying to say," she said.
"You guess?" he questioned her.
"Look, this is hard for me Jarod, I don’t tell a lot of people that I love them. I loved my mother and Thomas and they were taken away from me and I’m scared as hell that I’ll lose you and the boys too but I can’t go around shutting people out any more," she said. "Yes Jarod, I do Love you," she said finally.
He just stared at her for the longest time and then he kissed her. It was something he had wanted to do for a very long time and something she had wanted to do again since they were children. This kiss was different though. It was so much more than the innocent kiss they had shared as children. This kiss held passion, love, strength and permanence. She knew that no matter what happened from this moment on, she would always love and be with this man.
"So, do you want to marry me?" Jarod asked a little timidly.
"What?" she asked surprised by the sudden question, she hadn’t quite expected this.
"Well, Isn’t that what people do when they decide to spend the rest of their lives together?" he asked.
"Well, sometimes yes, but some people spend their entire lives without any such ceremony," she explained.
"So, you don’t want to marry me?" he asked a little confused.
"That’s not what I’m saying Jarod, it’s just a little more complicated than that," she said. "The Centre destroyed your birth certificate so that no one would know you existed and it’s kind of hard to get a marriage license with out that," she explained.
"I’m a genius, I’ve made plenty of fake I.D.’s, how hard can it be to make a birth certificate?" he asked.
"Well, wouldn’t the Centre be able to track it back to you?" she asked.
"Maybe, but I think you’re just trying to make up excuses for not marrying me," he said rather upset now.
"No Jarod, I do want to be with you I just don’t want to risk our safety and I sure don’t need a legal document telling me that you belong to me or that I’m yours," she explained.
"I think I understand," he said.
"I do love you Jarod," she reminded him as she kissed him again.
"I love you too Parker," he said kissing her back with equal passion.
-------
She found herself waking up again to the sound of crying. She really didn’t mind so much because it reminded her that everything that had happened in the last few days were not just a dream. She had put Charlie down for his nap and laid down herself not realizing how tired she had been.
She got up now and went to pick up Charlie from his crib, which she had Jarod move into their room so he could be close if he needed them. Jarod wasn’t to happy about this last night when he had wanted to spend his first night with the woman he loved.
"What’s wrong, are you hungry?" she asked the little boy. That was the only reason she knew him to really cry about any more. He was such a good baby that she almost looking forward to having the next two, almost. She was also scared as hell of taking care of four children.
She kissed Charlie’s cheek and watched him smile then walked off to feed him.
------
"Hello, Syd," she said as she entered the kitchen. "Would you like to hold Charlie for me while I get his bottle?" she asked.
"I would be honored." he replied as he took the little boy in his arms.
"Have you seen Jarod," she asked as she went to the fridge.
"Yes, he and J.J. went into town," he told her as he played with little Charlie’s feet making the boy smile.
"What are they doing?" she asked a little upset that he hadn’t taken her with him, she could really use some new cloths.
"He wouldn’t tell me, he said it was a surprise," he replied with a grin.
"Well, you’ve been a big help," she said as she went to take Charlie back.
"Uh, may I?" he asked.
"Sure," she said handing him the bottle. She sat down in the chair across the table.
"You know, I never got to do this with Nicholas," he said looking down at the boy.
"I know, that’s how I feel about J.J.," she replied. The Centre has taken so much from all of us," she said.
More than you know, he thought as he looked at her. "Don’t let them take any thing else," he said.
"I don’t plan on it Syd, I’m going to be with my family, no matter what," she informed him.
"Does that include Jarod?" he inquired.
She smiled at him. "Yes, Mr. know it all, it does include Jarod," she told him.
"Good, I always hoped that you two would figure out that what you had was special," he said. "Never let go of that Parker, no matter what they may do to you or promise you, it’s not worth missing this," he concluded as he watched the little boy finish his meal.
She looked at him for a moment. "Sydney, you should go," she said. He looked very confused.
"Go and be with your family, Sydney," she said. "I know you’ve missed so much but don’t miss any more," she concluded.
He smiled at her and wondered how he could ever tell her how much she meant to him. "I think I will," he said. "Thank you," he added.
-------
Parker had just gotten out of the shower and was looking in the mirror. "I’m really going to miss my body in about seven months," she said to herself.
"So will I," a voice said from the doorway of the bathroom.
"Jarod!" she yelled as she turned to see him.
"I’m just kidding," he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. "I can’t wait to see your big pregnant belly," he whispered.
She smiled and kissed him. "We’ll see about that when I can’t ever sit down with out help," she said.
"I’d love your body no matter what might happen to it," he said. "But for now I think it needs to be covered," he added.
"Excuse me!" she exclaimed.
"It’s not that I don’t like to look at it but I have a surprise for you," he explained as he walked over to a package that was on the bed. "Open it," he said.
She opened it and saw that there was a beautiful pale blue silk dress inside. "It’s lovely but what is it for?" she asked.
"You’ll see," he said as he kissed her hand.
"Is this my surprise?" she inquired.
"Part of it," he smiled. "Just put it on and meet me in the garden," he said as he lifted Charlie from his crib and took him out of the room with him leaving Parker to wonder what he was up to.
------
A half hour latter she was dressed and had her hair fixed. She made her way down stairs and was greeted by Ben at the end of the stairway.
"I’ve been told to escort you to the gardens," he informed her.
"O.K., do you know what is going on?" she asked.
"I’m sorry dear but I’ve been sworn to secrecy," he replied as he took her arm and guided her toward the door.
-------
They entered the garden and she found all the people that she cared about most in the world gathered there.
Sydney and Broots were standing off to one corner talking to J.J. and Debbie. Angelo was sitting on the ground playing with baby Charlie and Jarod and his father were talking to some man that she didn’t recognize.
It was a lovely sunny day. The birds were chirping and tulips of every color were planted all around.
Jarod watched her approach and realized that he had done a good job of picking out that dress. It fit her just right and the color made her eyes sparkle even brighter. He walked over and took her hand.
"I know that we agreed we don’t need a legal document to be together but I figured that we could at least have an informal ceremony to pledge our love to one another," he said as he kissed her hand.
She smiled and realized that the man she hadn’t recognized before was a priest.
"It will be legal in the eyes of god and you friends and family," the man informed them. He nodded toward Jarod to begin.
"I just want you to know that I love you Cayla and that I will always be with you. What ever the Centre may throw at us and what ever disagreements we may have about child rearing or whose turn it is to do the dishes. I will always be right by your side. We have waited so long to be together like this and I don’t plan on letting anything interfere with our happiness. I will love you and protect you until my last breath but even that will not break the bond that we share," he said.
He took out a small velvet box and opened it. Inside was a beautiful silver ring. He gently slipped it on her finger.
"This ring is a symbol for everything I cherish in this world," he said.
"This is for you," he said pointing to the larger center diamond. "The center of my world," he said.
"These four smaller ones are for the children that we share. J.J., Charlie and these two," he said resting his hand on her stomach.
"I promise to you today, that we will always be a family. I love you Michaela Catherine Parker," he said finally as he kissed her hand again.
She had to wipe the tears from her eyes before she could speak. "I don’t know if I can top that," she said . "I didn’t have much notice," she added with a little smile.
"I don’t think I could ever find the words to truly let you know how much you mean to me," she said as more tears started to fall.
"A long time ago I met a little boy who changed my life," she started. "He never had anything handed to him or anybody to truly love and protect him yet he was still able to completely forget his hopeless situation to make a sad little girl happy," she said.
"You are the one person who was always there for me even when I gave you reason not to be and you are the only person on this earth who has never lied to me. You have never given up on me and never let me give up on myself. I will love you all the days of my life and beyond that we will have eternity," she said.
"I don’t have a ring to give you but know that I love you completely and care that with you when you need a reminder," she said placing her hand on his chest.
" Forever can not even begin to explain how long our love will endure," she finished.
He cupped her face with his hands and pulled her in slowly to kiss him. It was a long slow kiss that conveyed their love for each other. They pulled away gently and turned to see the smiling faces of all the people they cared about the most, minnus for a few.
Jarod laid there in bed staring at the most beautiful woman he had ever known and she was his wife now, at least in the most important ways. He had been watching her sleep for hours noticing every breath she took and watching the rise and fall of her chest. He loved her so completely and never wanted this time together to end.
Her eyes fluttered open and it took her a moment to focus. She looked up and say Jarod staring at her. She smiled sweetly back at him and he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.
"I never want this to end Jarod," she said to him.
He was a little surprised to hear her say the exact words that he had just been thinking. He then remembered that he was still not certain of what exactly her pretender gifts were. For all he knew she could have been reading those thoughts from his mind.
"It does have to end though, doesn’t it?" she asked bringing him back to the present.
"Yes, unfortunately, it does have to end," he answered as he kissed her again.
"So, what is going to happen now, to us and to the Centre?" she asked with concern.
"Well, I have a few plans but I’d rather wait and share them with the entire group," he said holding her tighter. "For now, I just want to hold you a little longer," he said.
"You wont get any argument out of me," she replied as she was the one to initiate the kiss this time.
-------
A few hours had passed and after the woke up for real and showered, they went downstairs to join everyone for breakfast. As breakfast was being finished, Jarod thought that this would be as good a time as any to bring up the subject of leaving.
"I just want to thank all of you and let you know how grateful we are for all the love and support you have given us the last few months. I don’t think we would all be together like this if it weren’t for the cooperation on everyone’s part," he explained.
"With that in mind, I’m afraid it’s time that we go our separate ways," he said sadly. "It will be harder for the Centre to look for us if we separate. I’ve taken the liberty of setting up jobs and places to live," he explained as he handed out three files. One to Sydney, another to Broots and the last one he gave to Parker.
"California?" Broots asked as he read the file.
"Yes, it’s big state which makes it harder to locate someone," Jarod explained. "I found you a good job with a much better retirement plan than the Centre was offering," he said with a smile.
"Twin research at a small corporation in Colorado. That sounds vaguely like what the Centre was advertising when I went to work for them," Sydney said.
"Don’t worry, it’s completely legit. I worked there myself for a while," Jarod said.
"Well, thank you Jarod but...." he was cut off by Jarod.
"It seems that Michelle and Nicholas decided to move to Colorado recently," Jarod informed the man.
"Thank you," Sydney replied.
"I hope you don’t mind Angelo tagging along with you. I didn’t want to put him in some home and I don’t think Parker and I will be able to watch out for him," Jarod explained.
"That’s fine, I feel responsible for him anyway after taking him from the Centre," Sydney acknowledged.
"Where will you be going Jarod?" the major asked.
Jarod looked over at Parker. "Some nowhere town in Washington State?’ she questioned. "Sounds like fun," she added sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.
"We need to keep as low a profile as we can until those babies are born, then we can figure out where to go from there," he explained.
"Dad, I’m assuming that you will be out looking for mom and Emily," Jarod said.
"You assume correctly. I’m not going to rest until I find my entire family and know that they are safe," he informed his son.
"I will help you out as much as I can," Jarod said.
"And you will always have a room to stay at when you need a break," Parker added.
-------
The next morning everyone was packed up and ready to leave. Broots and Debbie left first but not before J.J. and his new best friend could play one last game of basketball. They were sure to exchange addresses and promised to writ e and call each other. Broots thanked Miss Parker for every thing she had done for Debbie and Parker thanked him back. After all the hugs they were gone but not without the promise of visiting soon.
Saying good bye to Sydney was very hard for both Jarod and Miss Parker. They both regarded him as a father figure in their lives.
"This isn’t good bye," Sydney told them. "I wouldn’t let those babies be born with out their uncle Sydney or Angelo," he told them as he hugged each of them. He and Angelo got into their own car and headed down the road.
Jarod stood with his arms around Parker as they watched them go. There own car was packed and ready for the trip ahead. Jarod planned on driving them there himself.
"What is a road trip?" J.J. asked his father.
"Well, it’s when you eat a bunch of junk food and drive a long way," Jarod did his best to explain to the young boy.
"Where did you learn about road trips?" Parker inquired.
"A friend taught me, maybe we can stop and see her along the way," he said.
"Her?" Parker questioned.
Jarod just laughed as he saw the jealousy in her eyes. He turned toward his father now.
"I’ll see you soon son," the major said. "And with any luck I’ll have your mother and sister with me," he added.
"That would be nice," Jarod said.
"I’m going to stay with Ben a few days to make sure the Centre doesn’t find out about his involvement," the major explained.
"Thank you dad, I’ll miss you," Jarod said as he hugged the man.
"Charles, I don’t know how to think you for everything that you have done for us," Parker said.
"You don’t have to thank me dear, It was my pleasure," he said as he embraced her.
She was grateful for the hug and kissed him gently on the cheek as she pulled away.
"Bye grandpa, thanks for taking care of me," J.J. said as he hugged the man.
"Any time kiddo, take care of Charlie for me O.K.," his grandfather said.
They all thanked Ben for his help and then took off for there new home and life together.
"Parker, Parker," Jarod called out as he nudged the sleeping form next to him in the car.
"Wake up," he said with a final push.
"What?" she asked as she sat up straight in the seat now.
"I’m sorry I woke you up," he said feeling sorry now.
"What’s wrong?" she asked as she turned to look at the boys in the back. They were both sound asleep. She turned back around.
"Jarod, what?" she asked aggravated now for having been woken up.
"Well, it’s just that we’re close to where a friend of mine lives and I’ve just been wondering how she’s doing," he explained.
"Would this be the friend who taught you about road trips?" she inquired.
"Yes, her name is Zoe and I helped out during a bad time in her life," he said.
"Just what kind of friend was she exactly?" Parker asked.
"You’re jealous." he accused.
"No, I’m not!" she protested.
"Yes, I think you are," he said. She didn’t respond and looked out the window now.
"Look, she and I were together for a brief time," he admitted.
"Did you love her?" she asked turning back around.
"Well, I cared for her a great deal but I’m not sure if it was ever love," he explained.
"Oh," she said.
"Parker.." he started.
"No Jarod, you have nothing to explain because I loved Thomas. I know that I did and I would probably be with him if things had been different," she explained.
"I love you Parker," he said reaching for her hand.
"I love you too," she replied. "So, when do I get to meet this Zoe girl?" she asked.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Well, she’s your friend right, and you’re worried about her?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
"Then you should go see her, besides I’m hungry, hot and my legs are getting cramped in this car," she said.
"You are always hungry," Jarod reminded her.
"Hey, I’m just trying to feed your children," she replied.
"I’m going to have a lot to explain to Zoe," Jarod said as he kissed her hand and returned his own to the steering wheel.
-------
An hour latter they pulled up to a farm house with large porch in the front. Jarod stopped the car.
"This is it," he sighed as he looked over at her.
"So, go Jarod. I’ll wait here," she said.
"O.K. I love you, " he said as he kissed her. He got out of the car and walked up to the front door.
Parker watched him approach the house. She looked in the back seat and saw that J.J. was still asleep but Charlie was wide awake and playing with his feet.
"You sure are being quiet," she said as she pulled him out of his car seat to join her up front. She kissed the little boy and then turned to watch Jarod knock on the door.
------
"Jarod, is that you?" Zoe’s grandmother asked as she opened the screen door to let him in.
"Hello, is Zoe here?" he asked politely.
"Jarod?" he heard her voice before see could see him.
"Jarod, I can’t believe you came back!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Your looking well," he said pulling away from her.
"I’m doing all right," she replied. "Are you going to stand in the doorway all day or what?" she asked.
"Ah, Zoe, I have some things that I need to explain to you," he informed her.
"O.K.," she said hesitantly.
"Well, it’s just that their are some people out in the car that are a part of that explanation," he said.
"You left people out in the car in this weather, are you crazy Jarod?" she asked as she walked passed him and down the stairs.
-------
Parker had not been the least bit pleased as she watched this woman hugging Jarod. Now she was walking down the path and coming straight toward the car. She shifted Charlie to her shoulder and slowly exited the car.
"I can’t believe I ever agreed to this," she said under her breath and shut the car door.
"This should be interesting," she mumbled as the woman approached her. She was moving so fast that Parker feared she would knock her over.
"Hi, my name is Zoe," the red head greeted her with her hand extended. "I can’t believe Jarod left you out here in this heat," she added.
"Um, hi," Parker said feeling flustered by the woman’s energy.
"Do you have a name?" Zoe asked.
"Uh, yes, it’s um, Parker," she finally said sounding a lot like Broots.
"Well, it’s nice to meet you, and who is this?" she asked looking at Charlie.
Parker turned the little boy around to face Zoe. "This is Charlie," Parker said proudly.
"Wow, he looks like Jarod except for the eyes," Zoe said and then looked up at Parker. "They’re your eyes," she realized.
Jarod came walking up behind them and was quickly rewarded with a punch to his gut.
"Damn it Jarod, you lied to me. You were married!" she exclaimed.
"No, I’m not, I mean I wasn’t," he struggled.
"Well she had to have been carrying that baby when we were together," Zoe said upset.
"Look, like I said, I have a lot to explain but I would like to have the chance to do so," he pleaded. "You were a good friend and I just want to be honest with you finally," he added.
"Well, I suppose my grandmother could find some lemonade for you all," Zoe said.
"Mom, where are we?" J.J. asked from behind the group.
"Oh, J.J. come here I want you to meet a friend," Parker told the boy.
"Hi, are you the one who taught my dad about road trips?" he asked innocently.
"Your dad?" Zoe asked looking at Jarod. "I know, I know, you have a lot to explain," she said as she led the way to the house.
"Well Jarod, that’s one hell of a story," Zoe said finally. She had sat and listened for almost an hour to what he was saying. It was completely unbelievable, she thought.
"You don’t believe me do you?" Jarod asked shaking his head. He had wanted her to believe him because he really did care about her opinion. He considered her the best friend he had made out of all his pretends. Not just because they had been together. He knew nothing real could have ever come from that relationship but because she treated him like a real person.
"From anyone else but you Jarod, I would say they were completely crazy," she said bringing him out of the train of thought he had been in.
"Thank you," was all he could say. He noticed Parker had been very quite and had eaten quite her fair share of cookies, that Zoe’s grandmother had supplied. He reached over now and playfully swatted her hand away as she reached for another.
"You don’t need any more of those," he said placing her hand on his knee instead.
"I’m hungry," she replied.
"Parker, I swear if you say that one more time," he warned as he glared at her.
"It’s going to be a long seven months," she mumbled under her breath.
"I heard that," he said. " We’re going to get some real food soon," he added.
"They certainly sound like they’re married," Zoe whispered to J.J. who was sitting next to her. J.J. chuckled softly until his mother glared at him.
Parker turned to face Jarod now. "Real food?" she questioned. "This from the man who bought five bags of junk food for this little road trip to go and visit his girlfriend!" she erupted suddenly.
"Where the hell did that come from?" Jarod asked shocked by her sudden out burst.
"Maybe we should leave them alone for a while," Zoe suggested to J.J. They got up and exited the room quietly.
"Maybe we shouldn’t argue while being quests in someone’s house," Jarod suggested.
"I’m not arguing," Parker replied as she folded her arms across her chest in a defensive motion.
"Oh, please Parker, every chance you get you start up this banter between us about food or whatever other trivial thing you can think of," he said. "Are you jealous of Zoe?" he asked her.
She looked away and wouldn’t answer him.
"Parker, I’m sorry but I want to know what’s going on," he pleaded trying to turn her around.
"It’s just.." she started but didn’t finish the thought.
"What Parker?, tell me," he encouraged.
"Oh, forget it, this is stupid," she said.
"No Parker, tell me what is on your mind," he demanded finally forcing her to turn around.
"O.K., I am jealous," she said. "I’m just so afraid Jarod," she said.
"Afraid of what?" he asked with concern now.
"This, all of this," she said. "You, the children, I’m afraid that it’s all just a dream and that if I let myself get to comfortable it will all go away, or be taken away. So, I try to keep my distance the only way I know how," she finally admitted. She looked away again, this time in shame.
He turned her head back with his hand and looked her in the eye. "I am never going to leave you, I promise," he said.
"You can’t make that promise Jarod," she said. "Other people have promised me that and they wound up dead," she cried.
He pulled her in to his arms and held her tightly. "You’re right, I can’t honestly make that promise but I will promise you that I will do everything in my power to stay with you. I would never intentionally leave you and you have no reason to be jealous of Zoe or any other woman because I love you," he said as he kissed her.
--------
Jarod and Parker entered the kitchen and found Zoe’s grandmother feeding Charlie.
"He’s going to get spoiled if we stay her to much longer," Parker remarked.
"Yeah, like he’s not already spoiled by his mother?" Jarod asked sarcastically.
J.J. and Zoe came running into the kitchen from outside.
"Dad, did you know that they have a pond here?" the excited boy asked his father.
"No, I didn’t," Jarod replied.
"Can we go swimming?" the boy asked. "Please it’s so hot out and it will be fun!" he said enthusiastically.
"I’m afraid you don’t have any swimming trunks young man," his mother informed him.
"We could go skinny dipping," Jarod suggested.
"When did you learn about skinny dipping?" Parker asked him. She noticed the glance Jarod gave to Zoe. "Never mind, forget I even asked," Parker said picking up baby Charlie and grabbing Jarod’s hand.
"We can all go skinny dipping but she is wearing a suit!" Parker said pointing at Zoe.
Zoe just laughed. "Actually, I think I can probably find you something of mine to were and we have extra shorts of my brother’s," she suggested.
------
Parker had tried really hard not to like this Zoe girl but found it almost impossible. They were different as night and day but she was just so damn friendly and Parker hadn’t had a real girl friend in a long time. While the boys got their fill of swimming, she and Zoe had talked a lot about various things. Mostly they talked about Zoe’s sister and Parker’s mother.
Zoe’s grandmother, who insisted they call her Hattie, had also insisted that they stay for dinner and spend the night. She didn’t get any protests.
-------
The next morning Jarod woke up and looked over at the sleeping form of the woman he loved. He kissed her softly on the forehead. She didn’t stir at all so he got up and went to shower. He came back fifteen minutes and saw that she was still asleep so he decided to down stairs.
He walked into the kitchen were he could smell eggs, bacon and pancakes cooking. He saw J.J. was awake and sitting next to Zoe hurriedly eating a stack of pancakes.
"Hello Jarod, pull up a chair," Zoe called out to him. "I was just telling J.J. here about how my sister Katie and I used to have a contest to see how many pancakes we could eat," she said. "It usually ended up with who had the biggest stomach ache," she finished.
"Dad, do you want to have a pancake eating contest?" J.J. asked.
"I don’t think so son, we still have a lot of driving to do and I don’t think your mother would appreciate you puking in the car," Jarod said.
"I guess you’re right," the boy lamented. "But do we have to leave today? I like it here and I’m having fun," J.J. told his father.
"I’m afraid so, there are some people expecting me in Washington," he explained to the boy.
"Oh," he said. The boy’s shoulders slumped a bit as he returned to his breakfast.
"It really has been nice having you here, all of you," Zoe said. "I’ll miss you when your gone."
"Zoe, I..." he started to say something but was cut off.
"It’s O.K. Jarod, I know you have a family now but I don’t regret what we had even if it was for only a short time," she explained.
"Thank you Zoe, that means a lot to me," Jarod smiled.
Parker and Charlie joined them shortly after and after breakfast they had to be on their way. They said their good byes to Hattie and Zoe and were on the road again.
------
They had been on the road only a short time when she turned in her seat to look at him.
"I feel like all I ever do any more is say good bye," she said. "To old friends and new ones."
Jarod looked over at her and saw a single tear trace down her face. He gently brushed it away with his hand.
"I know it’s hard," he said. She nodded and he turned his focus back toward the road.
It was late and all the occupants of the car, besides Jarod, were asleep when they pulled up to their new house. He didn’t want to wake them but knew that he had to. He gently shock Parker who opened her eyes.
"Were are we?" she asked sleepily.
"We’re home," he informed her. "Come on, lets get the boys and show them their new house," he said excitedly but tired.
Parker grabbed Charlie from his seat while Jarod woke J.J. up. They all walked in together. It was a nice two story farmhouse. It had an older charm to it but had clearly been updated. There were new windows and furniture as well as refinished floors and cupboards.
"Did you decorate it your self?" Parker asked.
"Yes, I bought it almost two years ago and fixed it up with the help of a friend," he said.
"Thomas," she realized.
"Yes, do you like it? because if not we can redecorate again," he suggested.
"It’s fine Jarod, I just wish that I had some of my own things," she explained.
"I know but it was just to dangerous to go back there," he said. "But you can buy whatever you want, the Centre’s paying," he added with a small smile.
"Thanks Jarod but all I want right now is a bed," she said resting her head against his shoulder.
"O.K. we can inspect the place further tomorrow and go shopping," he said leading everyone upstairs.
Jarod showed J.J. to a room at the end of the hall. The boy didn’t even say good night, he was so tired.
He then took Parker and Charlie to the bigger bedroom down the hall. "I don’t have a crib for Charlie, I hope you don’t mind if he sleeps with us tonight," Jarod said as he walked over to a dresser.
"Of course I don’t mind she said kissing the little boy as she placed him on the bed.
Jarod walked over and handed her a large T-shirt. "You can wear this until you go shopping.
"Thanks, it seems we need to go shopping for a lot of things," she said as she changed.
"All that can wait until tomorrow," he sighed as they crawled into bed with Charlie safely between them.
-------
It had been a few days now since they arrived at their new house. They had settled in fairly well and purchased everything they would need for a while with the last of the money Jarod had most recently taken from the Centre.
Charlie’s cries could be head this particular morning coming through the baby monitor. He had his own room now much to the delight of his parents. They were finally able to spend a little time alone together. They were woken up but now heard another voice through the monitor.
"Come on Charlie, why don’t we let mom and dad get some extra sleep while you and I get some breakfast?" J.J. suggested to the little boy.
Jarod turned to look at Parker. "It still seems weird ever time he calls us mom and dad," Jarod said.
"I know, but I don’t intend to waste this extra time we have together by talking and I don’t mean by sleeping either," she said seductively as she planted small kisses on his chest.
--------
They finally got out of bed and went to join the boys for breakfast. J.J. had made oatmeal for all of them.
"You certainly have him trained well," Parker told Jarod.
"Yes, that’s why I feel safe leaving you in his capable hands," he said. "I’m going to be late," he added glancing at his watch.
"Late for what, you’re leaving?" she asked.
"I have to go to work, someone has to pay for all this stuff," he said looking at all the things that still needed to be put away.
"I thought the Centre was paying?" she questioned.
"If we are going to stay clear of that place we need to cut all our ties from them," he explained.
"Easier said than done," she replied.
"Hey we will get through this. Now, I really need to go," he said getting up to leave.
"Wait, I don’t even know where you are going," she called after him.
"I’m working at a little clinic just a few blocks away, the number is on the fridge," he said as he kissed her. "I’ll be home for lunch," he added.
"I love you," she said as he went out the door.
"I suppose we should get this place in order," she said to J.J.
-------
"Oh, you cheat just like your father!" she yelled at her son who sat across from the board game.
"I don’t cheat, I’m just a genius, I can’t help it, it’s in my genes," he protested.
"Oh, never mind, it’s my turn," she said as she rolled a six.
"Ahh, not Boardwalk again," she moaned.
"With three hotels, you owe me, well more than you have in you stack there," J.J. informed her.
"Thank you very much, how does it feel to bankrupt your poor mother?" she asked as she threw the fake money at the boy.
"I’m sorry," he said.
"Ha!, I just bet you are," she mumbled. A song she recognized came on the radio. "Would you turn that up, I love this song."
"Oh mom, it’s old music," J.J. whined in much the same way she had.
"Excuse me, but it’s not old, it’s classic," she explained. "Now, come here and I’ll teach you how to dance to it," she said.
Before to long they were gliding across the floor and laughing uncontrollably. Charlie giggled along with them from his play pen. She went to pick him up.
"Do you want to dance too little guy?" she asked in her baby voice. She danced around now holding Charlie with one arm and holding onto J.J.’s hand.
Unaware to them, Jarod walked in. He stood there for a moment loving watching his three favorite people in the world having so much fun. Finally he went into the living room completely.
"Is this a private party or can anyone join?" he asked as he took Parker’s hand and led her and Charlie around the room. They danced a little longer until Parker was to tired to go on.
"Oh god, I’ve never had so much fun," she said as she tried to catch her breath.
Jarod took Charlie and put him back in his play pen while Parker sat down.
"That was fun!" J.J. exclaimed.
"Yes, but weren’t the two of you going to put this stuff away?" Jarod asked.
"We got as far as the games and mom wanted to play," J.J. admitted.
"A mistake I don’t intend to make again now that I remember what it’s like to play against a genius," she replied.
"Oh, did he beat you?" Jarod asked mockingly.
"Just like you always did when we played one of the games I would sneak into the Centre," she explained.
"Well, If you would just release that hold you have on your mind, maybe you could win once in a while," he suggested. She just glared at him.
"Well, what did you make for lunch?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, between losing at Monopoly and dancing I managed to whip up something wonderful," she said jokingly.
"Hey, no need to get all bent out of shape," Jarod said. "I’ll make peanut butter and jelly."
"Make me two, please," she said.
"O.K. but only if you give me two kisses," he replied as he kissed her.
"Eww, Charlie close your eyes this is the gross part," J.J. told his little brother.
"One of these days you’re going to like kissing," Jarod informed the boy.
"I don’t mind kissing, it’s just not cool to see your parents do it," the boy replied.
"And just were did you come to that conclusion?" his father asked.
"From TV," J.J. said.
"Well, no more TV for you," Jarod said as he kissed Parker again.
"What?!" the boy asked shocked.
"He is just kidding," his mother said.
"Oh," the boy said relieved.
Jarod stole a few more kisses form Parker.
"Hey Mr. Kissy face, where are my sandwiches?" she asked.
He pulled away from her. "Gee, I go to work all day and then you expect me to come home and cook too," Jarod pouted as he walked into the kitchen.
"You’ve only been at work a few hours you drama queen!" she yelled after him.
Parker was in the kitchen making dinner, cooking was something Jarod had been teaching her. Truthfully she had already been a decent cook but had always chosen to eat out for convenience purposes. Her life at the Centre had been very different and she tended to be some what of a workaholic. Cooking for her family now made her happy, something she couldn’t have imagined a year ago. She never saw herself as the wife and mother type until Thomas came into her life but when he died so did all her dreams of a family of her own. Now, she had an instant family and was still trying desperately to adjust to the situation but for the most part she was enjoying herself.
"Mom!" J.J. called out.
That part was still the weirdest, hearing someone call her mom. It still took her a moment sometimes to realize that he was addressing her.
"I’m in the kitchen," she yelled back to the teenager.
J.J. came around the corner suddenly. "Oh, hi," he said.
"Hi, yourself," she replied with a smile and returned to the stove.
"Um, mom?" he hesitated.
"What is it hon.?"
"Well, I was just wondering if maybe I could.." he struggled to find the words.
"What’s wrong J.J.?" she asked now, a little concerned.
"Oh, it’s nothing bad, I was just wondering if I could go to school?" he inquired.
"You want to go to school?" she asked back, a little surprised.
"Yeah, on TV I see these kids that are about my age and they go to high school so, I thought I could go."
"Well, J.J. you are probably a lot smarter than any of those kids and you really wouldn’t learn anything," his mother explained.
"I could learn how to be a teenager," he said. "And I could play basketball with kids my own age, maybe even be on a team," he suggested.
"You seem to have this all planned out," she observed.
"Please, you’re the one who said I should be able to do what other kids do," he pleaded.
That was a dirty trick, throwing her own words back at her but she was all ready go to let him go so she didn’t mind so much. "Of course you can go J.J., if that is what you really want," she told the boy.
"I can go, really?" he asked to be sure.
"It’s fine with me but you might want to ask your father when he gets home," she said.
"Cool!" he yelled as he jumped up and kissed her and ran out of the kitchen excitedly.
"Cool," she said to herself as she went back to cooking.
-------
J.J. came rushing downstairs when he heard his father come home an hour latter. He ran into the kitchen and found his parents kissing again. He didn’t mind so much any more but he was impatient.
"Dad?" he said trying to get his fathers attention.
"What is it J.J.?" Jarod asked, still holding on to Parker.
"I want to go to high school and mom said it was O.K. so, can I ?" he asked in a hurry.
"High school huh?, I don’t think is much for you to learn there," Jarod replied.
"I already had this conversation with mom O.K. I want to go," he said more forcefully.
"Well, I don’t see why not," Jarod gave in finally.
"Cool!" J.J. yelled again excitedly.
Jarod looked at Parker with a confused look on his face.
"I got the same response," she said shrugging her shoulders.
"I think we should regulate his TV viewing a little more," Jarod said as he kissed her again.
"So, when can I go to school?" the boy asked eagerly.
"Well, I’ll go talk to the school officials tomorrow and maybe by the beginning of next week you can start," Jarod suggested.
"Cool!" the boy yelled and raced out of the room.
"Hey, dinner is almost ready!" Parker called out after the boy. "Teenagers," she said shaking her head.
"Yeah, can’t you wait until Charlie and the twins are that age?" Jarod asked.
"Yes, I think I can."
-------
A few nights latter they were all sitting quietly eating their dessert. J.J. had been very patient not bothering his father about the school issue but he just couldn’t take it any longer.
"Dad?" he said looking up from his food.
Before he could say another word, Jarod pulled out a file and handed it to the boy.
"I’m surprised you were able to hold off as long as you did," Jarod commented. The boy had about as much restraint and patients as his mother, Jarod thought.
The boy looked at the papers. "This means I can go?" he asked.
"Yes, I just need to return those to the school and you can start Monday. I had to forge some old school records for you. Oh, and you need to fill out your name on your birth certificate there," Jarod pointed out. "I know we call you J.J. but I figured if you wanted a different name you could decide. I’ll leave that up to you," Jarod said.
The boy jumped up and grabbed a pen from the drawer. He quickly wrote down a name and handed it back to his father.
"Jarod Parker Russell," he read proudly and smiled at Parker.
"You can still call me J.J.," the boy said as he went back to eating his ice cream.
"I also made a birth certificate for Charlie, in case we ever need it," Jarod explained.
"I suppose we need to give him a full name as well," Parker said.
"Well, I’ve taken the liberty, I hope you don’t mind." he said passing her the document.
"Charles Sydney Russell," she read. "I like it," she agreed. "But I get to name the next two," she added.
J.J. had been in school for a few months now and he had made the basketball team. He couldn’t be more excited about everything that was going on but then one of his teachers gave him a note to give to his parents. He had seen other kids receive notes similar to this one and they usually were not good news. He thought about opening it but knew his parents would be upset so he took it in and handed it to his mother as soon as he got home.
"What is this?" she asked.
"It’s a note from one of my teachers," he explained.
She read the note. It informed her that his teacher wished to have a conference with Mr. and Mrs. Russell. She loved that people just assumed that they were married. The note had not specified any reason for the visit.
"What is this about J.J.?" she asked the boy.
"I don’t know, I’ve been doing really well in class and I always behave myself," he replied.
"I’m sure you do," she said. "That’s why I can’t imagine why she would want to see us."
-------
Latter that week, Jarod and Parker walked into J.J.’s class. A nice looking woman in her mid thirties greeted them.
"Hello, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Russell. My name is Mrs. Novak, but please call me Julia. I’m J.J.’s Math teacher," she said finally.
"Well, it’s nice to meet you, and you can call me Jarod," he said extending his hand.
"You can just call me Parker," she said shaking the woman’s hand as well.
"Wow, when are you due?" Julia asked the very pregnant woman.
"Believe it or not, not for another three months," she replied.
"Yes, J.J. told me you were having twins, that must be exciting," the woman said. "Please have a seat," she added.
"Is this your daughter?" Parker asked, looking at the picture on the woman’s desk.
"Yes, that’s Ruth. She’ll be five in a few months," she replied. "Are you having girls this time?" she asked.
"We don’t know. We’ve decided to wait," Jarod said.
"That’s brave of you, most people want to know right away."
"Well, we’ve had so few good surprises in our life," Parker informed the woman.
"I’m sure what ever you have they will turn out to be a great joy just like J.J. He is an amazing young man," she informed them.
"Thank you," Parker replied.
"Is there a problem with his school work or his performance in class?" Jarod asked.
"Oh, heavens no, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to worry you. You must know how smart your son is, he always has his hand up before I even finish the question," she explained.
"So, why exactly did you ask us here?" Parker asked.
"Well, I’m just wondering if J.J. wouldn’t be better suited in a school for advanced children, I mean he all ready seems to know everything he could learn here," she said. "I think he needs a more rewarding environment," she finished.
"I don’t agree," Jarod said rather abruptly. "I don’t mean to be rude, It’s just J.J. has never been to a real school before," he explained. "You see, he grew up in a school that only let him concentrate on learning. It wasn’t the best experience for him so we decided that he should be allowed to attend a regular school and just be a kid," he finished leaving out the parts about the Centre.
"Well, I didn’t know that," Julia said. "He seems to be doing fine here, I love having him in my class and I hear that he is a great basketball player. I guess I just wanted to make sure that he wasn’t bored but I see that you must know what is best for your son," she said.
"We’re still learning," Parker commented.
"Well, you must be doing a great job because J.J. talks about how his little brother can walk and talks so much at ten months," Julia said.
"Well, they get it from their father," Parker said.
"I don’t know about that, J.J talks about you all the time," she said indicating Parker. "He says you really make an effort to spend time with him and his brother," Julia explained.
"Thank you, I really appreciate you saying that," Parker said.
"I’m really sorry I dragged you all the way out here especially when you have other things to be worrying about," she said indicating the twins’ impending birth. "If you ever need anything just give me a call.
"I just might do that," Parker replied.
-------
So, do you have any plans for today my lovely wife?" Jarod asked as he kissed her.
"Jarod, I’m not really your wife," she replied.
"Sure you are, at least in every way that counts, besides everyone else seems to think so. So, why not just go with it," he said kissing her some more.
"Well, that’s fine by me," she replied as she poured herself a bowl of cereal.
"So, about today?" he asked.
"Actually I invited Julia and her daughter over for lunch," Parker informed him.
"Really, J.J.’s teacher?" he asked.
"Yes, it would be kind of nice to have a friend in town," she said.
"That sounds great, I have to go into the clinic for a while anyway," he replied.
"On a Saturday?" she asked.
"Yes, but only for a few hours."
"When do you have to leave?" she asked.
"In about an hour."
"An hour, huh?" she said seductively.
"What exactly did you have in mind?" he asked.
"Well, if you’re not completely disgusted by your wife’s body, maybe," she leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"What about your cereal?" he asked.
"It can wait," she said as she led him upstairs to their bedroom.
The door bell rang and J.J. picked up Charlie on his way to answer it.
"Hi, Sydney!" the boy said excitedly as he greeted his guests.
"Sydney!" Charlie said, repeating his brother which had become a favorite hobby of the little boy.
"Oh my, this can’t be baby Charlie," Sydney said as he entered the house with Michelle and Nicholas trailing behind him.
"I no baby," Charlie replied defiantly.
"No, you most certainly are not Mr. birthday boy," Sydney said as he reached out to take the little boy in his arms. "Charlie, I’d like you to meet Nicholas and Michelle," Sydney introduced.
"Hi!" the boy yelled as he tried to wiggle himself free of Sydney’s hold. Sydney let the anxious boy go and watched him disappear into the living room.
"I’m sorry, he’s just a little bit excited about today. I’m also sorry mom and dad aren’t here to greet you, they went to pick up Charlie’s present," J.J. explained as he led them all into the other room.
"Please have a seat, can I get you something to drink?" J.J. asked his guest.
"Yes, that would be nice," Michelle replied.
J.J. went to get some refreshments and was followed closely by Charlie.
They returned a minute latter. J.J. with their drinks and Charlie with a cookie in each hand.
The doorbell rang again and J.J. went to see who it was this time.
"Debbie!" the teenager called out excitedly as he went up and hugged her immediately. They had kept in touch by e-mail and the phone but had not seen each other since Maine.
He finally pulled away and noticed Broots staring at the two of them.
"Hello Broots," the boy said, politely shacking the man’s hand.
Broots and Debbie were introduced to Michelle and Nicholas and everyone was talking when the door bell rang for a third time.
J.J. once again went to open it. This time he saw his grandfather staring back at him. "Grandpa, it’s so good to see you again!" he said as he embraced the man.
"It’s good to see you too," Charles replied as J.J. stepped back.
J.J. noticed two women standing next to his grandfather that he hadn’t realized were there before. They all entered the house and Sydney got up to greet them when he realized who the women were.
"J.J., I’d like you to meet your grandmother and your aunt Emily," the major said.
"Wow, you’re me my grandma? That is so cool," J.J. said as he hugged the woman.
"It’s very nice to meet you too," Margaret replied as she held the boy tightly.
"I hadn’t realized that you had found the rest of your family," Sydney addressed the major as he shook Emily’s hand and then Margaret’s.
"Well, it was meant to be a surprise, Jarod doesn’t even know yet," the major explained.
"Is he here?" Emily asked.
"No, he and mom should be back soon," J.J. informed them as they all moved into the living room and were introduced to everyone else.
"Is this Charlie?" the major asked. "It can’t be, he’s to big," the man said as he lifted the little boy high above his head. Charlie giggled loudly.
"Mama!" the little boy called out when he saw who walked through the door.
"Gee, you go into town for an hour and your house is invaded," Parker said upon seeing all the people who had gathered.
Jarod’s eyes immediately feel on the two women who stood close to his father. Parker recognized them as well.
"Mom?" Jarod asked cautiously as he walked closer.
"Yes, son, it’s really me," she replied as she moved closer to the son she hadn’t seen in over thirty years.
Jarod quickly wrapped his arms around her and threatened to break every bone in her body by the way he held on.
Meanwhile, Charlie had managed to get himself free from his grandfather and ran to his own mother. "Up, mama! up!" he said.
She carefully picked him up, maneuvering him around her very large mid section as she gave him a big kiss on the cheek.
She walked further into the room and was greeted first by Broots.
"Miss Parker, you look.."
"Say fat and you lose an arm," she snapped but then quickly smiled at him.
"I was going to say beautiful," Broots finished.
"Nice save Broots," Sydney said as he came to give the woman a hug.
Jarod had still not let go of his mother and now had his arms around his sister as well.
"When did all this happen, you finding mom and Emily?" Jarod asked his father as he hugged him now.
"I just found them a few days ago, they had been pretty good at avoiding me for several months but I finally out smarted them," the major explained.
"Emily left her journal at one of the Hotels we were staying at and we were afraid of the Centre finding it so we had to back track and that’s how he found us, there was no out smarting," Margaret explained as she playfully slapped her husband on the shoulder.
"I’m just so glad that you are here now," Jarod said as he hugged them all again.
"Um, excuse me," Parker said as she nudged Jarod in the side.
"Oww, oh hi," he said as he turned to see her and Charlie.
"Jarod," she said impatiently.
"Oh Parker, I’m sorry, this is my mom and Emily," he introduced.
"It’s nice to finally meet you," Parker said as she hugged them both as well as major Charles.
"Mama, my birthday!" Charlie said excitedly.
"Yes, baby, I know it’s your birthday," she replied.
"Present mama, present!" he chanted.
"Now what makes you think that little boys get presents on their birthdays?" she asked her son.
"Parker, stop teasing the poor boy," Jarod said.
"O.K. but daddy has to go out and bring it in," she told the little boy.
Jarod really didn’t want to leave his mother and Emily but he couldn’t let his son down either. "J.J. , would you come and help me please?" Jarod asked.
They went out to retrieve the gift and they brought it in and set it down on the floor. It was a large object and was still covered by a sheet. Jarod finally removed the cover and revealed a blue and white child’s race car bed.
"My bed!" Charlie shouted as he leaped from his mothers arms and ran to the bed. "My big boy bed," he said as he laid down on it.
"Yes, that’s your big boy bed. Do you like it?" his mother asked.
" Me like it mama, me go to sleep now," he said.
"Charlie, it’s only two o’clock baby," Parker informed the little boy.
"Me sleep mama," he said as he closed his eyes.
"How can I argue with a one year old that wants to go to sleep," she pondered. "O.K. Charlie," she said. "But I guess you don’t get any cake then," she informed him as she started to walk away.
Charlie’s eyes popped open and he jumped up. "No!" he exclaimed as he ran to his mother. "Cake mama, please," he pleaded.
"O.K. silly boy, I will get your cake," she said as she kissed him, feeling only slightly guilty for tricking him.
She brought the cake out and they all sang happy birthday to the little boy.
Everyone ate and talked for several hours and Jarod’s parents and sister stayed for a few more hours after everyone else had left. They just kept on talking until it was quite late. His mother finally told him that they should be going but only managed to get away by promising him that they would be back first thing tomorrow morning.
-------
"Jarod?" she whispered in his ear. He didn’t respond. "Jarod, wake up!" she said more forcefully.
"What’s wrong?" he asked not opening his eyes.
"My water just broke," she said softly.
"What?" he asked, still half asleep.
"Jarod, I think I’m in labor."
"Labor!" Jarod shouted as he jumped out of bed. "It’s to early," he said.
"Well, I really don’t think that they care about that Jarod because they want out," she explained as another contraction hit her.
"O.K., O.K.," he said as he put some clothes on and walked out the door to J.J.’s room.
"Dad, what’s going on, it’s 4 o’clock in the morning," the boy said as he struggled to open his eyes.
"Your mother is in labor and we are going to the hospital, I’ll call you a little latter O.K.?" Jarod said. The boy just nodded and laid his head back down.
Jarod and Parker made their way to the hospital and got settled in for their next great journey into the unknown.
------
"I want mama!" the little boy yelled as he threw his spoon to the floor.
"Charlie, you need to eat your cereal, it’s good for you," J.J. explained to the upset little boy.
"Want mama! want mama!" Charlie cried.
"Charlie mom had to go to the hospital," J.J. tried to tell him.
"Why?" the boy pouted.
"Because she’s going to have the babies," J.J. replied.
"Me mama’s baby," the boy protested.
"Charlie, mom still loves you very much but she’s going to have two new babies and you will get to be a big brother just like me," J.J. explained.
"Me big brother?" the smaller boy asked.
"Yes, you can teach them things and they will look up to you and do what you say, so, why don’t you eat your breakfast and you can see mom soon."
"O.K., I eat," the little boy finally agreed, much to the delight of his brother.
The doorbell rang and J.J. went to open it.
"Do you live here, or are you just the door man?" his grandfather asked teasingly as he entered the house, closely followed by Margaret and Emily.
"Hi, grandpa," J.J. replied.
"We promised your father that we would be back today, It’s the only way we could get him to get some sleep," Margaret informed the boy.
"Well, he didn’t end up getting much sleep, he and mom went to the hospital at 4 a.m. this morning," J.J. explained.
"The twins?" Emily asked.
"Yep," he replied.
"Well, we should all be there for them," Margaret said to her husband.
---------
They were all gathered at the hospital a few hours latter and had also been joined by Sydney, Broots and their respected family members. Now, they just waited for some news from Jarod.
-------
"Come on Parker, you are so close, just one more push and that first baby will be out," Jarod said as he held her hand.
"Congratulations," the doctor said. "It’s a boy," he added as he suctioned the baby’s nose and mouth. Soon a loud cry filled the room as the little boy made his presence known.
The doctor handed the boy off to a nurse and concentrated on the next baby. "Just a few more pushes now," he told her.
"Oh, god Jarod, I can’t do that again, I can’t," Parker moaned, shaking her head.
"Yes you can, you can do anything," he encouraged. "You have a beautiful little boy over there and he want’s to see his little brother or sister."
She barred down again, giving it everything she could.
"You have a beautiful baby girl," the doctor informed them as another tiny cry entered the room.
"She’s amazing," Jarod said as he turned to look at his wife. She had her eyes closed and Jarod was concerned.
"It’s O.K. sir, she just feel asleep," the nurse informed him. "She seems to have worn herself out."
He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you," he whispered.
"Doctor could you come over here for a minute?" one of the nurses, tending to the twins, called the man over.
Jarod followed him over. "What’s wrong?" Jarod asked as he watched the doctor check the little girls heart beat.
"I’m sure it’s nothing. They were born a little early so, I’d like to take them upstairs and have them examined more thoroughly," the man informed him.
Jarod watched with concern as they took his children away.
Jarod walked to the waiting room to see all of his family. He was still a little concerned about the twins but knew that the doctors could handle everything without his interference.
"Daddy!" Charlie called out as he ran into his fathers arms. "Where is mama?" he asked.
"Well, mama is really tired and she is resting now," Jarod explained.
"And?" J.J. asked.
"You have a new baby brother," he said. "And a sister," he added.
"That’s wonderful news son," his father said.
"Are they all right ?" his mother asked, noticing that her son didn’t seem quite as excited as he should have been.
"They are just took them away before I could hold them. They want to make sure there are no problems since they were born early," he replied.
"I’m sure that they will be all right," Emily tried to reassure him.
-------
"Jarod?" she asked as she woke up. The last thing she remembered, before falling asleep, was hearing the doctor tell them that the second baby was a girl.
"Hey, you’re finally awake," he said as he kissed her.
"Where are the babies?" she asked, looking around at the empty, quiet room.
"The doctor wanted to examine them," he told her.
"What’s wrong?" she asked, knowing that he was leaving something out.
"Nothing is wrong," he replied.
"Jarod.." she started to say something when the door opened.
The doctor walked in carrying a small blue bundle in his arms. He walked over and placed the tiny baby in his mothers arms. "It’s good to see you’re awake," he said as he sat down and watched the two of them examine their new baby. After a moment he spoke up again. "I need to talk to you about your daughter," he said.
"What is wrong with her, why didn’t you bring her too?" Parker demanded.
"She was a little smaller than her brother and she has a problem with her heart," the doctor informed them.
"What kind of problem?" Jarod asked as his concern grew.
"It’s only a small defect and it should be easily fixed by a simple procedure," he said.
"You’re going to operate on her?" Parker asked.
"Well, no, at least not for a while. We want her to get a little bigger and gain some strength before we proceed."
"When can I see her?" Parker asked, trying to be strong herself.
"I’d say tomorrow morning, we would like to watch her over night," the doctor said as he got up to leave.
"She’ll be fine," Jarod said as the doctor left the room. He was trying to be reassuring but he could see the tears forming in her eyes.
"I want to hold her," she cried now.
"You will Parker, you will," he said as he sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her and the new little boy.
-------
"Mama!" Charlie cried out as he entered the room the next morning. He was happy to finally see his mother again. He had to make sure that she still loved him. "I missed you mama," he said as he climbed into the bed with her and kissed her.
"I missed you too, baby," she said kissing him in return.
J.J. also walked over and kissed his mother. He then watched his father bring the new baby over so that they could see him.
"He’s so small," J.J. observed as his father placed the boy in his older brothers arms.
"Where the other baby, mama?" Charlie asked.
She was about to explain when a nurse walked in carrying a baby all wrapped in pink. "Someone wanted to meet the rest of her family," the woman informed them all as she placed the little girl in her mother’s arms.
Parker couldn’t help but cry as she looked down at the little girl in her arms.
"She pretty, like mama," Charlie said as he saw his little sister.
"Yes, she is," Jarod agreed as he kissed Parker and then his daughter.
"So, what are their names?" J.J. asked.
"I believe I left that decision up to your mother," Jarod said, looking over at her.
"Catherine and Kyle," she informed them.
Jarod smiled, he figured she would name the girl after her mother but he was touched that she named the boy after his brother.
"They are both great names," he said kissing her again.
Several months had passed in the Russell household since the birth of the twins. Kyle and Catie were adored by everyone and Catie was watched closely by both her parents but especially by Charlie. The first thing he did every morning was to check on his little sister and he was a big help to his mother as was J.J. Jarod stayed a lot closer to home as well.
Margaret and Charles had found a place close to their son’s home as well as Emily. They enjoyed being able to watch their grandchildren, It almost made up for not being there for their own children.
Parker was an amazing mother, managing to keep everything under control, most of the time at least.
Today she had chosen an art project for all the children as well as herself. They were making molds of their hands using plaster. J.J. and Charlie had finished theirs and were waiting for them to dry so that they could paint them. Parker was just placing little Catie’s hands in the plaster when Jarod walked in.
"Parker, what are you doing to those poor kids?" he asked her.
"We’re making hands, daddy!" Charlie shouted as he ran to his father and hugged him.
Jarod walked over and kissed his wife as she put Catie down and picked up Kyle.
"Can you write her name under her hands for me before they dry?" she asked him as he sat down next to them on the floor.
"Why are you putting their hand prints in plaster?" Jarod asked as he wrote Catie’s name.
"Because then we can have their little hands even when they are all grown up and away at college or have families of their own," she explained as she wrote Kyle’s name under his hands.
"Oh," Jarod replied.
They waited for them all to dry and then painted them using bright colors. J.J. painted his red and white. He then helped Charlie who used yellow and green. Parker painted Kyle’s blue and white and Jarod used Pink and yellow for Catie’s. When they were all finished, Jarod and J.J. hung them in the family room next to a group picture that Major Charles had taken the day they brought the twins home from the hospital.
-------
It was nearly two a.m. now, a whole five minutes from the last time she had checked. She had been having trouble sleeping ever since the twins came home over four months ago. It wasn’t just because they woke up frequently but it had to due with the fact that she was very concerned about the health and safety of her daughter.
This night was especially difficult and she wasn’t sure why. Every time she closed her eyes she saw her mother or a ghost of her mother. She was surrounded by a bright light and she was trying to tell her something but she couldn’t quite make out the words.
She suddenly got out of bed, being careful not to wake Jarod up. For some reason she wanted to check on her children and quickly moved toward the door. Out in the hallway she felt a chill come over her body and a tightening in her chest.
She walked to J.J.’s room and found him snoring as loudly as his father had been known to snore. She then found Charlie had kicked all of his covers off when she entered his room. It wasn’t until she entered the nursery that all her fears were realized.
A strange sound coming from her daughter’s crib sent her running. The little girls eyes were wide open and she was gasping for breath.
"Jarodddd!" she screamed as she picked up the little girl. She could feel her tiny body shaking with every gasp.
"Jaroddd!" she yelled again as he ran into the room.
He knew something was terribly wrong the minute he heard her screams and realized that she wasn’t lying next to him.
"We need to get her to a hospital immediately," he said as he grabbed the baby.
J.J. and Charlie rushed into the room, having been awoken by their mothers screams.
"Take care of your brothers," was all his mother said as she ran out after Jarod.
--------
Charles and Margaret entered the house latter that morning. They were there for their traditional Sunday, pancake breakfast but were greeted by a very quiet house.
"This doesn’t feel right, there is usually some little guy running around or a baby crying," Charles said , turning toward his wife.
"I agree," she replied.
J.J. walked down the stairs with Charlie and Kyle when he noticed his grandparents.
"Were are your parents?" Charles asked.
"They took Catie to the hospital," J.J. managed to say before he let the tears fall that he had tried so bravely to hide.
-------
"Where is my daughter?" Parker shouted at the nurse behind the desk.
"I’m sorry, but I don’t know," the woman replied.
"Where is she!" Parker demanded, slamming her fists down on the counter top.
"Parker, you need to calm down," Jarod said , placing his hands on her shoulders.
"No," she said, shrugging him off. "I need to know where she is," she replied, sounding more desperate than before.
"Mr. and Mrs. Russell?" a doctor asked.
"Yes," Jarod answered.
"I’d like to take you to your daughter now," the doctor said.
"It’s about damn time," she said, glaring at the nurse as they walked by.
-------
The doctor led them to a room where they saw Catherine hooked up to several machines as the entered.
Parker walked over to her and gently stroked her cheek.
"I’m afraid that your daughters condition has worsened over the last few months," the man informed them. "The tissue around the hole in your daughters heart has deteriorated considerably," he said.
"So, you need to perform the procedure right away?" Parker asked.
"I’m afraid that procedure will not benefit your daughter any more. What she needs now is an entirely new heart," he informed them.
"So, you’ll find one, right?" Jarod asked.
"It’s not that simple. You’re daughters blood and tissue type is fairly rare and to get a heart with in a few hours would not be very likely," he said.
"A few hours?" Parker questioned.
"If your daughter doesn’t get that heart today, it’s not likely she will survive through the night," he informed them. "I’m sorry," he said as he left the family to be alone for a while.
Tears feel from Jarod’s eyes as he looked back down at his daughter.
"He’s lying," Parker said.
"What?" Jarod asked as he wiped some of the tears away.
"He’s lying, she’s not going to die Jarod," she said.
"Parker."
"No, Jarod, she can’t die. She is only four months old, she has her whole life to live. She can’t die and she won’t," she declared.
Jarod wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. He couldn’t figure out a way to make her understand something that he didn’t understand himself.
Jarod had walked down the hall to talk to his family and let them know about Catie’s condition. He was being as brave as he could for his children as well as Parker but inside his heart was breaking. He tried to reassure them that everything would be all right when he knew for a fact that his daughter’s chances were slim to none.
"Mr. Russell, I think you should return to your daughters room at once," a nurse said as she rushed into the waiting room area.
He knew that it was probably not a good sign that she used such an urgent tone so, he took off toward his little girls room in an instant.
--------
Jarod entered the room a few minutes latter and found Parker holding the little girl as she sat in a chair to the left of the bed.
He noticed that she was still hooked up to several machines but there was only one nurse in the room.
"She can’t hold on for much longer," the woman informed him as he walked over.
Jarod knelt down next to the chair that his wife and daughter were in. He put his arms around both of them and spoke softly to the little girl.
"It’s O.K. princess, you can let go now," he whispered, not wanting to see her suffer any longer.
The little girls body suddenly stopped as if she had been given the gift to move on by her father. Jarod didn’t need to see the flat line on the monitor to tell him that his precious baby girl was gone.
The nurse carefully removed the tubes that were hooked the girls body and slipped out of the room, giving her parents some time alone with their daughter.
The three of them stayed that way for what seemed like forever until Jarod finally lifted the girl from her mother’s arms and gently laid her down in the hospital crib. He kissed her on the forehead once before he guided Parker out of the room.
As soon as they had exited the room, Parker collapsed to her knees and finally released the pain that she had held inside with a desperate cry of loss that only a parent could know.
-------
Kyle had started to cry a few minutes earlier and Emily could not seem to calm him at all. Large wails escaped his tiny mouth and he cried real tears.
J.J. was startled by another loud noise down the hall. He knew instantly that it was his mother. He closed his eyes in an attempt to stop his tears from falling but he only managed to tap into his mothers pain as well. He could feel everything she was felling in that moment, something that he had never experienced before even during his most intense pretends.
Charlie could feel her as well but was confused by what was happening to him because he had never been exposed to a pretend before.
There abilities to comprehend what was going on varied in depth but all three of the boys knew without a doubt that their little sister was gone.
------
Jarod had taken her upstairs to lay down for a while but she knew that she would not be able to sleep so, she got up and soon found herself in the twins’ nursery.
She walked over to her daughters crib and picked up the little pink blanket that laid inside. She sat down and gently stroked the blanket and ran her fingers over the tiny embroidered bunnies that were grouped in one corner. She leaned back and closed her eyes for a second. Then they snapped open again and she noticed something she hadn’t before. She rushed over to the dresser and quickly picked it up.
-------
Margaret had made some food and was trying to get the boys and Jarod to eat a little when Parker came running down the stairs.
"J.J.!" she shouted, startling the boy.
"Did you or Charlie touch this after we went to the hospital last night?" she demanded as she waved the object in the air.
It took the boy a second to realize that it was the baby monitor that she had in her hand. "No, we just went back to sleep," he answered.
"Parker, what’s wrong?" Jarod asked.
"It wasn’t on," she said as tears fell from her eyes. "I forgot to turn it on," she cried. "Catie was suffering and I didn’t know because I forgot to turn the damn thing on!" she shouted as she threw the object across the room and watched it shatter.
"No, Parker, no," Jarod said as he went to hold her. "You are not to blame for this," he told her.
"But, if I would have heard her sooner, she might still be here," she cried.
"No, this was not your fault. You did hear her, you went to her anyway because you knew she was hurting. You helped her Parker, this is not your fault," he said again.
"Then why is she gone?" she asked desperately. "Why?"
"That, I do not know," he replied.
-------
She was finally sleeping but only because Jarod had slipped her a mild sedative. He held her in his arms now as her body moved slightly against him. He could see the tears in her eyes even while she slept and wished there was some way to take away her pain.
He closed his eyes and his mind drifted back to everything that had happened to them in the last year and a half. Finding out about J.J. and Charlie, finally declaring his love for the only woman he ever really loved. The joy of realizing that they were having twins and their birth. He remembered how surprised he was at what an amazing mother she was and memories of dancing in the living room with the boys and capturing their little hands in plaster, all came flooding back.
"Why was she given to us for such a short time?" he heard her ask an opened his eyes to look at her.
"What was the purpose of her short life?" she added.
"I don’t know if I can answer that," he replied. He paused for a moment.
"All I know for sure, is that for a few months that little girl brought a kind of joy to our lives that we had never known. She touched all our lives in a special way and maybe that was her only purpose in this world, to teach us about unconditional love," he explained.
"I will always love her, Jarod," she replied.
"So will I," he said as he pulled her closer.
A few weeks had passed and things were going rather well considering the trauma they had all been trough but Parker was simply trying to bury her feelings rather than face them head on.
"Charlie, you need to eat your breakfast now!" she shouted at the little boy. She was trying to calm Kyle down at the same time and was failing miserably.
J.J. ran into the room in a hurry. "Mom, have you seen my favorite basketball jersey?" he asked anxiously.
"Yeah, it’s in the dirty laundry," she said loudly over Kyle’s crying.
"But I wanted to wear that one today, it’s my favorite," he whined.
"Well, you’ll just have to wear another one," she replied as he walked off in a huff.
A loud crashing sound drew her attention back around.
"Damn it Charlie, I told you to eat that!" she screamed as she saw his entire bowl of oatmeal on the floor.
"I want pop tarts!" he demanded.
"Well, we don’t have any right now," she argued.
"Then I won’t eat anything!" he screamed.
"Fine, I hope you starve!" she yelled back.
"Parker!" Jarod yelled at her as he walked into the room. He had been able to hear them all the way upstairs.
"What is going on down here?" he asked in a lower tone.
Charlie had buried his head in his arms now and was crying. Kyle was still crying as she walked over and placed him in the play pen.
"I can’t do this anymore," she said turning to face Jarod now.
"What Parker, what is going on?" he asked her.
"This," she said gesturing toward the air.
"I can’t keep going on pretending like she never existed, I can’t go on," she said.
Parker, no one is asking you to forget her, it hasn’t been easy for any of us," he explained, walking toward her.
"No, I just can’t do it any more," she said.
"Parker,.."
"No!" she yelled, causing him to stop moving toward her.
"I’m sorry," she said as she walked out the front door.
He watched her go knowing that she probably just needed some space.
-------
Jarod had managed to get things some what under control. He washed J.J.’s uniform and drove the boy to practice. He was finally able to get Charlie to eat some toast and put Kyle down for a nap. He did all of this as he patiently waited for his wife to return but when she was still not back by dinner time, he really started to worry.
-------
Days passed and there was still no word from the woman he loved more than his own life. He had called the local police but there was not much for them to go on since she left of her own free will.
He had managed to fall asleep after days of worrying, when the phone woke him up suddenly. He ran to it, hoping it would be Parker, instead, the voice of an older man spoke to him from the other side of the line.
"Is there a Mr. Russell there?" the man asked.
"Yes, who is this? Do you realize that it’s 4a.m.?" Jarod asked.
"I’m terribly sorry, I always forget about that pesky time difference," the man said.
"What do you want?" Jarod asked again, about ready to hang up on the man.
"My name is Jake Benson and I work as grounds keeper at the Blue Cove Cemetery," the man explained.
This immediately got Jarod’s attention.
"You see I found this woman and she was just lying next to one of the tombstones here, someone named Catherine Parker I believe," he said. "Well, I took her in because she looked cold and I could tell she had been crying but I wasn’t able to get her to talk. So, I decided to look through her purse. Now I’m a respectful old man, mind you, but I figured that there must be someone who was worried about her and so, I called you," he finished.
"Is she still there with you?" Jarod asked urgently.
"Yeah, I made her some tea and she fell asleep," the man informed him.
"Listen to me, can you make sure that she stays there with you? I’m going to be there in about five hours but you can’t tell anyone that she is there with you, O.K.?" he asked.
"Well, sure. Is she in some kind of trouble?" Jake asked.
"No, but she could be if you let anyone know that she is there," Jarod explained.
Jarod disconnected the line and quickly dialed his parent’s number. He explained the situation and his father agreed to fly over with him while his mother and Emily kept an eye on the boys.
-------
"Don’t you ever do that to me again," Jarod said as he embraced Parker.
"I’m so sorry," she cried.
"Shhh, it’s O.K.," he told her. "It’s O.K."
"I didn’t know what I was doing," she said. "I just kept driving and I ended up here. I really wanted to talk to my mother," she explained.
"I know Parker but it’s to dangerous being this close to the Centre," he informed her.
"I’m sorry," she said again.
"It’s O.K. but we need to leave now," he said, pulling her to her feet.
Major Charles thanked Jake for his help in keeping her safe and they left as quickly as they could.
------
Jarod was holding on to Parker as they sat on the plane and his father was piloting the craft.
"I saw her Jarod," she said looking up at him.
"Who?" he asked.
"Catie," she replied. They were both quiet for a moment.
"I woke up that morning because I had seen my mother," she said. "She was trying to tell me something but I couldn’t hear her and that’s when I woke up to check on the kids," she explained.
Jarod just looked at her, slightly shocked by what she was telling him.
"When I went to my mothers grave, I saw both of them. My mother was holding Catie and when she spoke to me this time I could hear what she was saying. She told me that Catie was sent to us sort of as a way to say good bye," Parker said.
"She said that Catie was sent so that we could remember the love that my mother had for both of us and so that we could know how sorry she was that she wasn’t able to help us. She wanted to finally say good bye to us," she explained.
"Is that crazy?" she asked him.
"No, I don’t think it’s crazy at all," he replied as he kissed her.
------
"She was here, in Blue Cove?" the man asked.
"Yes sir, she was spotted near the cemetery," Willie replied.
"And why haven’t you returned her," the other man demanded.
"I’m afraid she wasn’t there when we went to investigate further," he explained. "And that grounds keeper swears that there was no one there matching her description," Willie said.
"Well, he must have been lying. Now go and find out more, I want those children back!" the man yelled.
"Yes sir, of course," Willie said as he exited the office.
"I will get them back," Lyle said as he watched the man go. "And nothing will stop me this time."
-------
"I’m sorry I was bad mama," Charlie said when he saw his mother again.
"Oh, no baby, mama is the one who should be sorry. I never should have left you like that," she said as she smothered him with hugs and kisses.
"J.J. and Kyle were greeted in much the same way with many hugs and kisses.
-------
The following day, Jarod, Parker and the boys all went to visit the little girls grave. The head stone had just been placed and they all placed their brightly colored flowers next to the plaque.
Parker knelt down and ran her fingers over the stone which read: Catherine Emily Russell, beloved daughter and sister. Under the name and date there was a small carving of an angel and a poem by Edgar Guest entitled, ‘To All Parents’ and read:
"I’ll lend you for a little time a
child of mine," he said,
"For you to love the while she lives
and morn for when she’s dead.
"It may be six or seven years, or
twenty-two or three,
"But will you, till I call her back,
take care of her for me?
"She’ll bring her charms to gladden
you, and shall her stay be brief,
"You’ll have her lovely memories
as solace for your grief.
"I can not promise she will stay,
since all from earth return,
"But there are lessons taught
down there I want this child to
learn.
"I’ve looked the world over
in search for teachers true
"And from the throngs that
crowd life’s lanes I have selected
you.
"Now will you give her all your
love, nor think the labor vain,
"Nor hate me when I come to call
to take her back again?"
I fancied that I heard them say:
"Dear lord, Thy will be done!
"For all the joy thy child shall
bring, the risk of grief we’ll run.
"We’ll shelter her with tenderness,
we’ll love her while we may;
"But shall the angels call for her
much sooner than we’ve planned,
"We’ll brave the bitter grief that
comes and try to understand."
Parker kissed her hand and gently rested it on the headstone. "Sweet dreams, my angel," she said.
"Mama, mama, mama!" Charlie shouted as he rushed into the kitchen.
"Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!" she chanted back to the little boy.
"What day is it Mama?" he asked.
"It’s the day after yesterday," she replied.
"Mama, what day?" he asked again.
"Well, I think that today is Tuesday," she said, knowing exactly what he really meant.
"Mama!" he whined.
"O.K., I’m sorry, It’s the 24th of December, also know as Christmas eve," she said as she tickled the little boy. He was giggling uncontrollably now.
"Tomorrow is Christmas, Yeah!" the little boy sang as he ran out of the room.
Parker finished feeding Kyle and washed his hands and face before she let him loose. The ten month old was walking now but didn’t talk nearly as much as Charlie did at that age.
Kyle went walking out to the living room and joined his brother who was playing with his Lego’s.
"Hello!" Margaret and Emily called out as they entered the house. They made their way to the kitchen.
"Are you ready to bake cookies my dear?" the older woman asked.
"Yes, Charlie can’t wait, he thinks that Christmas cookies will taste better than regular cookies because they are for a special occasion," Parker explained.
"Well, sometimes even geniuses are just little kids," Emily said.
"Yeah, well Jarod is the biggest little kid I know," Parker informed them. "I think he is more excited about Christmas than the boys," she added.
"Well, I am just happy that we finally get to spend the holiday with all of our loved ones," Margaret said before she realized what she had implied.
"I’m so sorry dear, I didn’t mean that to come out the way it did. We all still miss Catie very much," she said as she hugged Parker.
"It’s O.K., I just miss her so much still and it would have been her first Christmas as well as Kyle’s. But I will get through it with all of you here," she said as she smiled and wiped away a stray tear that had fallen down her cheek.
"So, how about those cookies?" Emily asked.
-------
Charles and Jarod had put up the tree and the house was bustling now with several people decorating the tree. Strings of popcorn and cranberries as well as tinsel was used.
Charlie’s favorite part was the tinsel but he liked to put it on everything except the tree. His favorite target was his little brother.
"Mommy," Kyle cried out.
She went to her youngest son and pulled the tinsel out of his hair. She scolded Charlie and instructed him to only put decorations on the tree or she would take it away from him.
She picked up the very tired Kyle and was on her way to take him upstairs when the door bell rang.
"Hi Debbie, Broots," she greeted.
Debbie gave her a big hug and then kissed Kyle on the cheek. "Hi, Kyle, you’ve gotten so big," she told him.
The little boy didn’t respond as he buried his head in his mother’s shoulder.
"He’s really tired," Parker explained.
"Is J.J. here?" Debbie asked.
"Yes, he’s upstairs. Jarod bought him a new computer for Christmas and it was delivered early. You can follow me up, I’m going to lay Kyle down for his nap," Parker told the girl.
Debbie helped her put Kyle down and then they walked to J.J.’s room.
"Debbie!" he shouted, excited to see her. He hugged the girl and kissed her on the cheek.
"I will leave you two alone but I want this door to stay opened," she said as she smiled at the two of them and then walked out.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she was greeted by Jarod.
"It would appear that you are standing under the mistletoe and that means you must kiss the closest man," he said playfully.
"Well, O.K. but don’t tell my husband," she said and then kissed him softly on the lips. She started to pull away.
"That’s it?" he asked with sad puppy eyes.
"Meet me back here tonight after everyone has gone home and I will consider more," she said teasingly.
"And what about your husband?" he asked.
"I’ll take care of him," she said as she walked off, leaving him with a big grin on his face.
-------
Sydney and Michelle showed up along with Angelo and Nicholas and Parker invited her friend Julia over as well for the Christmas eve celebration.
"Were is Ruth tonight?" Parker asked the woman.
"She is spending the holiday with her father this year. This divorce has been really had on her. She hates not being with both of us on holidays," Julia explained.
"Well, there is someone here that I would like you to meet," Parker said as she drug her off by the arm.
"Broots, I would like you to meet my friend Julia," Parker said, introducing the two.
"Parker, can I see you for a minute?" Jarod asked as he pushed her into the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" he asked her.
"What do you mean?" she asked as she went to peak her head out the door. Broots and Julia were still talking and she smiled to herself.
Jarod turned her around to face him. "You’re trying to set them up, aren’t you?" he asked.
"So, what if I am?" she said.
"That’s not nice Parker," he replied.
"Well, I can’t help it if I want everyone to be as happy as I am," she said.
"I can’t argue with you there," he said as he kissed her. "You don’t play fare," he said through kisses.
"We should go out and be with our guests," she told him.
"Yes, I suppose," he relented. "We will finish this tonight," he added with one last kiss.
------
She woke up the next morning and looked over at Jarod. She kissed him and went to get out of bed when he grabbed her.
"You are not getting away that easily," he said as he kissed her passionately.
"You were an animal last night, Jarod," she said as she kissed him back.
"Well, I guess it’s the Christmas season that brings it out in me," he said.
"Then I declare every night to be Christmas eve," she said with a smile.
"You would like that wouldn’t you?" he asked, kissing her again. They were suddenly interrupted by a little boy who ran in and jumped on their bed.
"It’s Christmas!" Charlie shouted. "Let’s go open presents," he said, jumping up and down.
"We have to wait for everyone else to wake up," his mother informed him.
"He hopped down and ran out into the hall. "Wake up everybody, it’s Christmas!" the boy yelled as loudly as he could.
Parker buried her head in Jarod’s chest. "That is not what I meant," she sighed.
Broots had made several trips back up to Washington over the last two months and not to visit the Russell family. He was spending a great deal of time with Julia as their relationship got more intense. It was mid February now and Broots had decided to move Debbie and himself up to Washington.
-------
"Mama, I don’t want to share my birthday with Kyle," Charlie complained as he walked into the kitchen were his mother was busy baking cake.
"Charlie you don’t have to share your birthday, Kyle’s is the day after yours," she said.
"But we are only having one party," he wined.
"Well, it’s just a lot easier for Mommy to do one party," she said. "But you will have different cakes and separate presents and I promise that we will sing Happy Birthday to both of you, separately.
"You promise?" he asked.
"Yes, I promise, now what kind of frosting do you want on your cake?" she asked.
"Vanilla!" he said.
"And what kind do you think Kyle wants?" she asked.
"Chocolate!" he shouted.
"Oh, course, how silly of me," she said. Kyle always wanted chocolate and Charlie always wanted Vanilla. She laughed at how much Charlie took after her and Kyle after Jarod. It was almost kind of scary.
"Would you like to help me?" she asked the little boy.
"Yeah!" he said excitedly and pulled up a chair to stand on next to her at the counter.
------
Jarod walked up and wrapped his arms around Parker as he dipped his finger in the frosting.
"Hey!" she yelled, swiping his hand away.
"Mum, it’s very good," he said.
"Thanks," she replied.
"Are you feeling better today?" he asked her.
"Yes, I think I’ve finally kicked that flu bug," she told him.
"Good, then I’m going to take you out tonight," he said.
"I don’t know Jarod, we have a lot to do for the boys’ birthday," she informed him.
"The cakes are almost finished and mom and Emily are doing all the decorations," he said. "Besides, you need some time off," he said as he kissed her neck.
She turned and kissed him on the lips.
"Is that a yes?" he asked hopefully.
"Oh, all right, I will go with you," she gave in.
"Well that wasn’t so hard," he replied.
"Yes, your powers of persuasion are irresistible," she said kissing him again.
-------
She walked down the stairs in the same blue dress she had worn for their wedding ceremony. She looked even more beautiful to him than she had that day, he thought.
"Your carriage awaits my dear," he said as took her arm in his.
She stopped to kiss the boys good bye. "Make sure they get to bed at a reasonable hour," she told J.J. "And no I-c-e c-r-e-a-m," she spelled out, they were smart but they hadn’t learned to read yet.
"Yeah, they’ll get enough of that tomorrow," Jarod added as he pulled his wife out the door.
"Bye mama," Charlie said.
"Love you Mommy," Kyle said.
"See you latter," J.J. said as they walked down the path to their car.
------
"Wow, that dinner was delicious," she said.
"Yeah, I don’t think I’ve seen you eat that much since you were carrying the twins," Jarod remarked.
"Don’t remind me, but I didn’t mind so much for them," she explained as she remembered back to those days and the day that they were born. It made her a little sad to think they would be celebrating Kyle’s birthday but not Catie’s.
"I miss her too," Jarod said, bringing her out of the memories. "Dance?" he asked as he kissed her hand.
O.K. but only if it’s a slow one," she agreed.
They danced for a while until he started to kiss her a little more urgently.
"Maybe we should go home," she suggested.
-------
Do you think you would like to have another baby?" he asked suddenly from the drivers seat of the vehicle.
"What?" she asked, slightly shocked by the question.
"Wouldn’t you like to have another little girl, I mean you are quite out numbered as it stands," he said.
"I guess I haven’t thought about it much," she said. " if we did it wouldn’t be for a while, the boys are still but really small," she explained.
"I know, but I’d really like to have a little girl," he said.
"So would I," she finally admitted. She knew that she could never replace Catie, but having another little girl would be special for her.
"I love you Jarod," she said out of the blue.
"I love you too,"
------
Jarod kissed her as they made their way upstairs. They were outside their bedroom door now.
"I want to check on the boys first," she said pulling away from him.
"They are fine, they’re asleep Parker," he said kissing her again.
"I just want to check," she said again.
"O.K., I’ll be waiting," Jarod said.
She walked down the hall and opened the door to Charlie and Kyle’s room to find their bed’s empty. She was a little shocked but not to worried. Sometimes J.J. would let them camp out on his floor when he couldn’t get them to sleep so, she walked to his room.
She opened up his door carefully and her heart stopped when she didn’t see J.J. or the other two little boys. Jarod walked up behind her and caused her to jump.
"Are they all right?" he asked. She turned around and she noticed her face was white.
"Parker what’s wrong?" he asked as he steeped into the room further. He didn’t see J.J. and he turned back around.
"They’re gone," she whispered.
-------
"Do you have them?" the man asked.
"Yes, sir," Willie replied.
"All three of them?"
"Of course sir," the man answered.
"Very good, bring them to me immediately!" Lyle said as he disconnected the line.
"Are you sure that it was the Centre and Mr. Lyle that took the boys?" his father asked.
"Dad, the place was spotless and believe me, that has never been the case with two young boys and a teenager," Jarod explained.
"Cleaners," his father observed. "But how did they find you, we’ve been so careful," he said.
"We got to comfortable," Parker said as she walked slowly down the stairs. She hadn’t been able too sleep at all and now had large circles forming under her eyes. She walked over and sat down on the couch next to Jarod.
Jarod wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"What do you mean, too comfortable?’’ Margaret spoke up now.
"We started to believe that the Centre didn’t exist anymore. We let our guard down and got comfortable just being a family," she explained.
"Well, you shouldn’t blame yourself for wanting to live a normal life," Emily said as she entered from the kitchen with a tray of coffee.
" We should have known that they would never stop looking for us and that we could never have a normal life but instead we intentionally put our children in harms way. They just waited for the perfect moment to swoop down and destroy it all," Parker said as silent tears ran down her cheeks.
"I think we should all stop playing the blame game and focus our attention to the issue of getting the boys back," Jarod said, realizing that Parker would never stop blaming herself, but he hadn’t expected any different from her especially if he couldn’t stop blaming himself.
"So, what do we do?" Margaret asked.
"I go and take my children back," Parker said instantly.
"No," Jarod said. "We will do it together this time."
"It’s Kyle’s birthday you know," Parker said as she packed her bag.
"I know," Jarod said.
"And yesterday was Charlie’s, I hate that they have to be in that place Jarod," she cried.
"Hey, I’m sure that they are fine. They are to important to the Centre, Lyle will not hurt them," he assured her.
"But they must be so scared."
"J.J. will take care of them until we get to them and he will reassure them that we are coming."
"Do you think the plan will work?" she asked.
"It’s not the greatest plan but we get in, we grab them and we leave," he explained.
"And we just let Lyle go, so that some day he can come back and do the same thing again?" she asked.
"I know how much you hate him and lord knows that I would love to put an end to his evil doings but I will not kill him," Jarod explained.
"He killed your brother, how can you just walk away?" she asked.
"I walk away knowing that I am a better person. I have already taken to many innocent lives and in a way Lyle is just as innocent as all the rest of us," he explained.
"How the hell can you say that?" she asked.
"Because we were all used, even Lyle. No one knows all what Raines did to him, being taken away from his family must have been hard enough but he lived his life without any kind of real love. He has had to live his own kind of hell and for that reason I can not take his life."
"Jarod, I love you, truly I do but I just can’t let it go like that,"
she said.
They were inside the Centre now and they had decided to do this without any other kind of back up. They didn’t want to put anyone else lives in danger even though they were all eager to help. Only Major Charles had come with them and he was waiting at the airstrip with the plane.
"Were are we going Jarod?" she asked.
"The sim lab, it’s our best chance of finding the boys quickly. If we went around to every room they’d catch us for sure," he said.
"And they would want to train the boys as soon as possible. To break them," she guessed.
"Don’t worry, we will get to them first. Besides, you know how stubborn your children are, it will take a lot to get to them," Jarod assured her.
"But they are still small children, no matter how smart they are," she
reminded him.
"J.J. concentrate on what you are doing!" Lyle yelled at the boy.
"No! I won’t do any thing that you say," the boy exclaimed.
"Come on now, it’s already been three days and I haven’t seen your parents anywhere. Do you still believe that they are alive after all the evidence I have given you to the contrary?" Lyle asked.
"Yes, I do," he relied, defiantly.
"And what about your brothers over there," Lyle said gesturing to where Raines was trying to test the boys abilities.
"Would you be more cooperative if I threatened their lives?" Lyle asked.
"They are too valuable to you, you wouldn’t hurt them," J.J. said.
"I couldn’t give a damn about those two, you are the trained pretender. Don’t think for a second that I wouldn’t kill one or both of them to keep you in line," Lyle growled at the boy.
J.J. hated to admit it but he was actually very afraid of this man and he had no idea how his mother and this man could ever be related.
"Fine, I will do what ever you want just don’t hurt them," J.J. finally relented.
"Just like your father, god this is to easy," Lyle said under his breath.
"Parker look," Jarod whispered.
She carefully looked through the window and pulled back quickly. "This is to easy. Lyle, Raines and all the boys in the same room," she said.
"I agree it seems like a trap."
"You think Lyle is setting us up?" she asked.
"I certainly wouldn’t put it past him, I’m sure he’s been waiting for us," Jarod concluded.
"So, what do we do?" she asked.
"We risk it, to save our children," he said as he opened the door.
She simply nodded and followed him in.
They both had their guns raised as they ran into the room. Jarod made his way to the boys and knocked Raines unconscious with the end of his gun, having the element of surprise on his side.
"Daddy!" the little boys yelled in unison as their father picked them both up in his strong arms.
Parker had her gun trained on Lyle as J.J. moved to stand closely behind her.
"Well, would you look at this, its mom and dad to the rescue," Lyle laughed.
"Shut up Lyle!" Parked screamed at the man.
"I knew you were lying. I knew they were not dead," J.J. said.
"Yes, you are quite the genius. To bad your parents were not as smart. You should have know I would set a trap for you," he said in Parker’s direction.
"It’s a risk we were willing to take," she replied.
"You should know that you are surrounded," Lyle explained.
"Afraid not, I took care of that little problem," Major Charles said from behind them.
"Dad!" Jarod called out as they all turned to see him.
Lyle saw his opportunity and wasted no time while they were all temporarily distracted. He grabbed Parker’s wrist and twisted it until she screamed and let go of the weapon. Lyle picked up the gun and held it to his sister’s head now as he held her tightly with his other arm around her neck.
"It would appear that I now have the advantage," Lyle smiled as he said the words.
Jarod put the boys down and they ran to where J.J. and their grandfather were now standing.
"Lyle let her go," Jarod said as he walked closer, keeping his gun aimed at the man.
"I suggest that you don’t come any closer," Lyle said, tightening his grip on his sister.
Jarod kept on walking.
"Jarod don’t!" Parker called out to him.
"I won’t leave you," he said firmly and continued forward.
"Just take the boys and go," she pleaded as she could feel the weight
of the gun against her temple.
"No," Jarod replied.
"Stupid, really stupid," Lyle said as he moved the gun down toward her shoulder and pulled the trigger.
"Parker!" Jarod yelled as he heard her scream out in pain. He ran toward her and Lyle and was rewarded with a shot to his left leg that sent him falling.
"Now, it’s really time for us to be going," Lyle said as he dragged
Parker with him as a shield.
"Hold still son, that bullet went clean through but you lost a lot of blood," his father explained.
"Where is Parker?" Jarod asked sitting up now.
"I’m sorry but there was no way to get to her. We had to leave," the older man explained.
"Leave, where are we?" he asked.
"I’d say somewhere over Oklahoma by now. On our way home."
"The boys?" he asked.
"They are fine, a little shaken up but J.J. is giving them a flying lesson," Charles explained.
"I have to get her back dad," Jarod said.
"I know, we will son, I promise."
"Your wife should be fine sir, the bullet didn’t do any permanent damage. Her arm will be a little sore for a while," the nurse explained.
"Thank you, may I see her now?" Lyle asked.
"Sure," the woman replied as she showed him into the room.
Parker looked up and saw Lyle enter the room.
"Honey, I was so worried about you, don’t you ever scare me like that again," Lyle said as he walked over and kissed her cheek.
She pulled away instantly but her grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him again.
"Play along or next time it won’t be your shoulder that I shoot," he whispered.
"When can I take my wife home doctor?" he asked politely.
"You can take her home now just be sure to sign the release papers on your way out."
"Thank you doctor," Lyle replied as he went to help his sister up.
"You’re welcome but please try and be a little more careful cleaning you weapon next time. Your wife doesn’t need any more undue stress in her condition."
"Condition?" Lyle asked, looking back toward the man.
"Well, she’s pregnant," he said.
"Pregnant!" Parker said shocked.
"I’m sorry, I assumed you knew," the doctor said.
"No, but that is certainly wonderful news, isn’t it darling?" Lyle asked
with an evil grin on his face as he walked her out the room.
"When we went to get the boys back I explained to her that I would not kill Lyle but if he has hurt her, I swear I won’t be able to keep that promise," Jarod said, looking over at his father who was now flying the plane.
"Lyle left the Centre with her, how are we going to find her now," his father asked.
"Lyle thinks he is a lot smarter than he is, he’ll go back there eventually because that is were he always returns to," Jarod said.
"And if you are wrong?" his father asked.
"Let’s just hope I am not."
They were in a car now on there way to god knows where, she thought. She was pregnant, she should be happy. She should be with Jarod sharing the news with him. Their child, the only one they had been able to create themselves. This thought made her smile. Lyle’s voice suddenly replaced that tiny smile with a frown.
"I can’t believe this, I don’t even have to try any more," he said glancing over at her. "Things are definitely looking my way, I couldn’t have planned this more perfectly," Lyle said.
"Jarod will not leave you alone as long as you have me," Parker informed her brother.
"I suppose you are correct. We will just have to rectify that situation," he said
"What does that mean Lyle?" she asked.
"You will see, and when my plan is complete, I take you back to the Centre and regain power once again."
"Don’t get too comfortable Lyle," she warned but he ignored her and kept on driving.
He glared at her for that comment. He wasn’t sure what she meant by that.
"Lyle watch were you are going!" she yelled as she saw him run a red light.
A large truck was now headed straight for them. He swerved and slid
off the road.
Margaret and Emily as well as Broots, Debbie and Julia welcomed Jarod and the boy’s home. The boys kept asking when their mother was coming home and he wasn’t sure what to tell them. He tried to keep their spirits up by having a belated birthday party for them but it just wasn’t the same with out her.
After a few weeks his leg was finally felling normal again and he was ready to prepare his plan to get the woman he loved back but a phone call interrupted him.
"Mr. Russell, I’m officer Morgan from the Delaware state patrol. I’m calling to inform you that the remains of two victims in an automobile accident, a few weeks ago, have been identified as your wife and her brother," the man said abruptly.
"Remains?"’’ Jarod asked as his face turned white.
"Yes sir, I’m very sorry. I know it’s no way to learn about a death, over the phone and all but we figured you would want to know right away. The bodies were burned beyond recognition but we were finally able to identify them by dental records.
"You must have made some mistake, my wife can’t be dead," Jarod replied.
"Again sir, I apologize but I assure you that no mistake was made. We will be sending you a formal letter in the mail and detailed record of the event."
"Thank you," Jarod said as he slowly hung up the phone.
Parker woke up in the same room again. She had been back for almost two weeks she figured. The Centre, some things never changed, she thought. The same gray walls and that smell like a nursing home or hospital. It had all been the same since the first day she remembered her mother bringing her to this horrible place.
She remembered the car accident and Lyle’s brilliant plan to fake their deaths. She had to admit that it was pretty good. Jarod wouldn’t look for her any more if he figured she was dead. At least he and the boys can have some kind of a decent life, she thought. She just couldn’t imagine living with out them.
Being in this room again and knowing that she was pregnant brought a sense of déjà vu. It didn’t seem like to long ago it was she and Jarod stuck in this cell, Lyle’s prisoners.
I just have to be strong, she thought, for this baby and so that one-day we will be reunited with our family.
Lyle entered the small room suddenly.
"Well, sleeping beauty, it seems that the kings men believe you to be well enough to do a little work around here," he informed her.
"I won’t help you Lyle, I may be your prisoner but I won’t help you," she told him.
"You will do as I wish and it seems that Mr. Raines would like to test your pretending abilities," he said as he grabbed her arm and forced her up.
"You must be kidding me, I’m not a pretender," she said trying to get out of his grip.
"Please Parker, you can’t deny it. The Centre has known for years what
you are and now you will prove your worth," he said and showed her out
the door.
"I think you should consider leaving son," Charles said as he sat down next to Jarod on the sofa.
"What?" Jarod asked surprised as he looked over at his father.
"This is where they got to the boys. Just because Lyle is dead doesn’t mean the Centre will stop looking for you," his father explained.
"I won’t leave. This is our home," Jarod said as he played with the object in his hand. Her ring the only thing they had been able to find in the wreckage. It had been sent to him along with the report.
"Jarod," his father said.
"No! I just had to tell my children that their mother is dead. That is the hardest thing I have ever had to do and I wont run away now. This is the only home they have ever known. This is were their mother danced with them and took care of them and made them do stupid art projects," he said now as tears feel from his eyes.
"I can’t take them away from those memories," he said.
"Those memories will be with them where ever they are," his father explained.
"I won’t leave," Jarod said again. "I will make sure they are safe," he added.
"You can’t watch them all the time. Don’t put your children in harms way because you can’t let go."
"That’s right, my children! and I will decide what is best for them,"
he declared.
"She’s performing the sim?" Lyle asked in disbelief.
"Yes," Raines wheezed. "Your father was a fool not to use her earlier," the old man said as he watched her.
"My father knew all along about her abilities?"
"Yes, but his wife convinced him not to use her. She knew before the two of you were ever born that you would have special abilities because you inherited them from your mother," the old man explained.
"My mother was a pretender?" Lyle asked.
"Well, her gift was different, like that of your sister. You see Jarod can actually become someone. Catherine and your sister do not have that ability," he told Lyle.
"But you said she was performing the sim," Lyle replied, confused now.
"She is but she doesn’t know the answers because she has taken on a different personality. She knows because she can sense things that others can’t, she can see into their mind and pull things out. She is quite amazing but a little rusty, she hasn’t used her talents much since your mothers death."
"So, you’re telling me that she’s psychic? That’s why you put her in charge of finding Jarod except that it backfired on you didn’t it," Lyle said.
"We failed to ever notice the strong emotional connection that they shared. We figured it was purely a childish infatuation that would pass in time."
Lyle looked at his sister now. "Very impressive Parker, you seem to
have fooled everyone," Lyle said under his breath.
She was in her room again so she figured she had finished the sim but she couldn’t make the voices stop, her mind was flooded by them. Screaming, crying, laughing. They wouldn’t leave her alone.
They were all around her now, above, below. She realized they were the voices of the others trapped here inside the Centre with her. She hadn’t used her power for over twenty years and now she was having difficulty getting it back under control. She had spent so many years building the wall very carefully and she had sensed that it had started to come down slightly during her time with Jarod. To have it broken down all at once, today, was more than she could handle.
There was pain now associated with the voices. She could feel everything they had suffered, all the hurting endured.
"Please make it stop!" she cried out to no one in particular as she curled up on the bed.
"Please, please," she sobbed into her hands.
He watched her on the video screen and he could hardly hide the rage he felt. He had seen and done a lot of terrible things in his time here but he didn’t think he could stand by now and remain quiet.
A friend had told him about this great job in security work for a private company. Being a cop made his wife nervous every time he left the house so he decided it couldn’t hurt to look into it. The pay was even better than his current salary and so he had decided to take the job. He figured the extra money would help immensely when it came to his daughters’ college education one day.
That had all been over ten years ago, and now some one that he had worked with and respected was being made to suffer terribly. She had definitely intimidated him the first time he had met her but over the years he had come to realize that she was really a good person. She had been born into this life and he had unknowingly chosen it but they were both victims of this place.
He thought about his wife and his two daughters now. He knew he would never be able to look them in the eye again if he didn’t help this woman. He still had a few connections at the old precinct. He could at least try. He knew several people had lost their lives in this place for their loyalty to this woman but he figured it was a risk he was willing to take.
"Sam, come on we have a visitor who won’t take no for an answer," another sweeper called out to the man.
"I’m coming," he said as turned away from the screen.
"Emily, what the hell are you doing?" Jarod yelled as he saw his sister in his room.
She was packing up Parker’s stuff. "I’m sorry, I didn’t think you would be home this early," she explained.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked, picking up one of his wife’s dresses.
"It’s been two months Jarod, you need to let her go," Emily said.
"I will never let her go!" he shouted at his sister.
"I’m sorry," she said.
"Leave please," he instructed.
She walked out and Jarod started to unpack some things before the tears filled his eyes and he sat on the edge of his bed now with his head in his hands.
"Don’t cry daddy, mommy’s not really dead," a small voice said.
Jarod lifted his head and saw Charlie looking up at him.
"Charlie, mommy’s gone," he said to the little boy.
"I saw her daddy," he replied.
"What do you mean?"
"She was in a little room and she was sad."
"Why do say that?" his father asked.
"Because she was crying," the boy said.
"You know it was just a dream, don’t you?" Jarod asked.
"No, she’s alive, I can feel her," Charlie said and then turned and walked out of the room.
"He can’t let go until you do," Emily said from the doorway.
"Dad, what are you doing back here?" Lyle asked as Mr. Parker entered his office.
"It seems you are having some difficulties," his father said as he walked in further.
"Nothing that I can’t handle," Lyle replied.
"Lyle, you have got unexpected health inspections, IRS audits and the FBI breathing down your neck. Are you still going to tell me you don’t have a problem?" the man asked.
"Like I said, nothing I can’t handle," Lyle insisted.
"Well, just in case, we are having your sister transferred. She is to valuable to have you screw up again," Mr. Parker informed him.
"You can’t do that, she is mine, I brought her back," he said.
"Yes, and I am grateful but she will be moved in two weeks and that
is final," his voice boomed.
"Jarod," Emily said.
"No!" he yelled at her.
"Three months Jarod, I know that it’s been hard for you so why don’t you just go, it could be fun," she insisted.
"Three months Emily, do you realize what a short time that is compared to the lifetime that I knew her?" he asked. "I am not going out with some other woman," he told her.
"I’m sorry Jarod, I know how much you loved her, and I loved her too. We got pretty close in that year we knew each other; she was the closest thing I had to a sister. It’s just.."
"What?" he asked, seeing that something was bothering her.
"When I was a little girl mom and dad would tell me stories about you and Kyle. They always told me what a happy boy you had been, how you would entertain them and make them laugh. I dreamed of the day that I would finally get to meet you and see that kind of happiness. When times were bad and we had to move again, that is how I always pictured you, smiling or laughing and it made me feel safe. When I met you for the first time that is how you were but now you are so sad and I just want to do what ever I can to put that smile back on your face," she finished.
"Emily, I’m so sorry, I guess I never realized what it must have been like for you all those years," he said as he hugged her.
"I’m sorry too, because I never realized that she was your smile."
She placed her hand on her growing stomach and could feel the very active child that grew inside her. She thought about Jarod and wondered if he and the boys were all right.
She had been in the Centre now for nearly three months and she was able to control her emotions fairly well but it was still painful at times, the things they made her do.
The Centre had become quite active over the last few months she observed but her daily routine was the same until her father walked into the sim lab that is.
"Angel, it’s so good to see you again," he said.
She didn’t respond to his presence at all.
"We are going to be moving you soon, this place isn’t safe any longer," he said.
She still remained quiet. She had decided to put her renewed talents to work and tried to read her father but Lyle walked in with Raines and broke her concentration.
"We should be going now," Raines said.
"None of you will be going anywhere," Sam said as he entered with two other FBI agents, all with their guns pulled.
"Lyle take care of them," Mr. Parker said as he pulled his daughter away with him.
Lyle pulled his gun and aimed at one agent but was stopped by a bullet from another officer who entered the lab.
The bullet ripped through his chest and he felt himself fall, the life being sucked from his chest.
"Oh, god!" she screamed as she felt the wave of emotions emanating from her brother. It sent her to her knees.
Every one he had ever hurt, she could see them so clearly. She could hear their pleas for help and their screams of agony.
She heard more shots and saw her father fall and then Raines.
"Mama?" she called out as she saw the woman in the elevator. She called out to her again and then heard the gunshots and saw her mother fall. She turned now and saw the face of her mother’s killer.
"Daddy?" she cried out.
"I’m so sorry Angel, I tried to save her, I tried to save you too but they wouldn’t let me," he sobbed. "I did love her. I have always loved her," her fathers voice said as it faded out.
"Noooo!" she screamed as her mind went blank and the light slowly left
her eyes.
"Jarod!" the Major shouted as he entered his son’s house.
"Dad, what’s wrong?" Jarod asked as he came out of the kitchen and into the living room.
"Have you seen this?" his father asked waving a newspaper in the mans face.
Jarod read the front-page headline. "Secret Delaware Corporation Destroyed"
He looked up at his father and then looked back down at the paper, where he saw another smaller section. "Ex-cop and Employee of the Centre Essential in Bringing Down Corporation"
"Sam?" Jarod asked looking at the picture.
"It’s true he helped destroy that place," his father said. "But that’s not the only thing,"
His father turned to an inside page and showed Jarod.
The pictures of Mr. Parker, Raines and Lyle stared back at him. Under the picture read: "Three victims of the take down"
"But Lyle was already dead," Jarod said.
"Or so he would have us believe."
"Parker," Jarod whispered.
"There was no mention of her in any of the articles but if Lyle didn’t die in that car…"
"I’m going to Delaware tonight!" Jarod yelled as he ran up the stairs
to pack a bag.
She woke up and could hear some voices in the background. She fought to open her eyes further.
"Miss Parker, can you hear me?" a voice asked.
It sounded familiar but she wasn’t quite able to identify it.
"Where am I?" she barely managed to form the words.
"You are in a hospital," Sam said.
"The Centre?" she asked as the memories began to return.
"You don’t have to worry about that place any more," he assured her.
Jarod caught the first flight he could and he instructed his parents not to tell the boys where he had gone. He didn’t want to get their hopes up.
The idea that she could actually be alive flooded his mind and he smiled.
Now if this plane would just hurry up, he thought.
He arrived a few hours latter and headed to the hospital that he prayed held the woman he loved.
He had contacted one of the police officers working on the case and was informed of where he could find Sam.
Entering the hospital, he quickly made his way to the reception desk. He was just about to ask the nurse at the station a question when he heard someone call his name.
"Jarod, what are you doing here?" the man asked. "How did you know where to find us, did someone contact you?" Sam asked.
"No, I saw it in the paper, Sam is she here?" he asked.
"You thought she died in a car accident, didn’t you?" the man asked.
"Sam, is she alive?" Jarod asked.
"Yes."
He entered the room slowly. She was sleeping but he could clearly see the rise and fall of her chest and he knew that she was really alive.
He rushed to her side and kissed her.
Her eyes opened but she figured she was still dreaming when she saw him. "Jarod?" she asked.
"I’m right here Parker," he said through the tears that fell down his face.
It wasn’t until he wiped the tears from his eyes and really looked at her that he noticed something different about her.
"Parker, are you pregnant?" he asked, reaching out to touch her stomach.
"Yes," she said through a mixture of laughter and tears.
"I love you," he said and kissed her on the lips.
"The doctor said all I have to do is sign some papers and you will be all mine,"’ Jarod informed her.
"Sounds good to me, but I’m already yours" she said.
Jarod opened the door to leave and saw Sam standing there. "Thank you for everything Sam," Jarod said shaking the man’s hand as he walked out.
"Well, you look much better," Sam, said as he walked over closer to the chair she was now sitting in.
"Thank you," she replied.
"I just wanted to say goodbye and to give you this," he said, handing her a book.
It was red and had her mother’s initials engraved in gold on the front.
"I found it and thought that you should have it," he said as he turned to leave.
"We’re all set," Jarod said as he walked back in the room.
"Let’s go," she said as she placed the book safely in her bag.
The plane ride seemed to last forever and Jarod had fallen sleep so; she decided to read part of her mother’s journal.
"Jacob and Sydney think I’m getting to close being involved with Robert Parker but that’s what the plan was, to get in good with these people so we can figure out what their true goals are. Besides, Robert is a good person I can sense that about him."
"I think my older brothers worry about me to much, I can take care of myself. They think being twins is so great, well, I have my own special gifts."
She read one section of it over to herself. "Older brothers?" she asked.
" Jacob and Sydney?"
"Hey, Parker?" he asked. "Parker, are you all right?" he asked with more concern now.
"What?" she finally said.
"I’ve been trying to get your attention for about five minutes, you were just staring at nothing," he said. "Are you okay?"’ he asked.
"Yeah, sure," she replied.
"Well, the plane landed ten minutes ago, are you ready to go?" he asked.
She nodded and followed him off the plane.
It was nearly 1a.m. when they finally got home and Parker had fallen asleep on the ride home from the airport so Jarod carried her up to their room and gently laid her down on the bed.
He sat down next to her and watched as she slept. He didn’t ever want
to leave her side again. Wrapping his arms around her he kissed her gently
on the lips and then closed his eyes as well.
"J.J.!" Charlie yelled, running into his brother’s room. The boy jumped on his bed until his brother’s eyes opened.
"Charlie, it’s Sunday morning, why don’t you go back to sleep?" he asked as he closed his eyes again.
"Daddy’s home and he brought Mama with him!" the little boy said happily.
J.J. tried his best to sit up now. He looked at his little brother. "Charlie, you know that mom is not home and grandpa said dad wouldn’t be home for another few days," he tried to explain to his brother.
"Nope, daddy’s here, come and see," Charlie said dragging his brother out of bed and guiding him to the window.
J.J. looked out and sure enough, there was his father’s car parked in the driveway.
"Well, it looks like you were right, dad is home but…"
"Let’s go see Mama!" Charlie yelled as he ran down the hall.
"Daddy! Daddy, wake up!" the little boy yelled outside his father’s room now.
"I almost forgot what it’s like to be woken up at 6 a.m. by Charlie," Parker said as she rolled over to see Jarod looking down at her.
"I haven’t told them anything about finding you yet," Jarod explained. "It will be quite a shock for them," he added.
"Daddy!"
"I think you better go out there and see what he wants," she said.
"Okay but don’t go anywhere," he said.
"Where am I going to go?"’ she asked as he pulled on his pants and went
out into the hall, careful not to open the door to wide.
"Daddy!" Charlie yelled as he jumped into his father’s arms.
J.J. and Kyle walked up to meet them in the hall.
"I’m glad you’re home dad," J.J. said.
"I’m happy to be back home," Jarod said as he picked Kyle up and kissed him now.
"There is something I need to tell you guys about why I went away for a few days," Jarod explained.
"You went to get Mama?" Charlie asked.
Jarod was a little surprised by the boy’s question. "Well," he said.
"You did! I knew it, I knew Mama was coming home!" the boy yelled as he ran and opened the door to his parent’s room.
Parker was sitting on the edge of the bed now with her bathrobe on. She saw the smiling face of her little boy come running through the door.
"Mama!" he yelled and jumped onto the bed, kissing and hugging her eagerly.
J.J. and Kyle walked in followed closely by their father. They were
more shocked than Charlie was to see their mother but happy just the same.
Later that day Jarod’s parents and Emily came over and were reunited with Parker as well and then Broots and his family came over after J.J. had called. They informed everyone about their upcoming wedding.
"Congratulations Broots," Parker said giving the man a hug.
"Thanks, I can’t believe all this is happening and when Sydney gets here it will be like our whole family is back together," Broots explained.
"Sydney is coming here?" she asked.
"Yeah, I invited him last week because we were going to announce our engagement. He should be here this afternoon; he’ll be really surprised to see you. He was very upset over your death, he said there was so much he still needed to tell you," Broots said.
"I don’t doubt that," she said as she walked out of the room.
Jarod noticed that she seemed a little upset and followed her out to the porch.
"Parker, what’s going on with you?" he asked.
"Sydney," she said.
"I know you wish he was here too, but he’ll be here soon," he said as he kissed her.
"No, I don’t know if I do want too see him," she said turning away from him.
"Parker something is bothering you, now are you going to tell me what it is?" he asked her.
"Jarod, the Centre made me perform Sims just like the ones you used to," she explained.
"I’m sorry," he said.
"They opened my mind and made me do things that I never imagined were possible. They made me rediscover something that I had lost but it hurt Jarod. It hurt," she said.
"I wish I would have been able to stop them, I’m so sorry," he said again.
"There was nothing you could have done, I had to face this some day I just wasn’t pre pared for what I would see," she explained.
"We don’t have to discus it now, you need time to recover," he said.
"There is something else," she said.
"What?" he asked with concern.
"Sydney," she said. "When I was in the hospital in Delaware, Sam gave me something. It was my mother’s journal," she said as a tear fell down her cheek.
"Parker, this isn’t good for you to get upset like this," Jarod said holding her tightly.
"I’m sorry," she said.
"We should go inside," he told her and led her into the house to rest.
She was asleep when Sydney, Michelle and Angelo arrived but she walked down the stairs now hearing their voices from below. She wanted to see him but was scared that she wouldn’t get the answers she so desperately needed.
"Parker, I can’t believe it’s true," Sydney said as he embraced her.
Jarod noticed that she was not quite herself and walked over to take her hand in his. He kissed it softly. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"No, I’m not," she told him. She turned to face Sydney again.
"Why, Sydney?" she asked him. "Why didn’t you ever tell me?"
"You know?" he asked in return.
"Why didn’t you ever tell me you were my Uncle?" she asked finally.
Jarod looked shocked as well as everyone else in the room but they all decided it best to let the two of them work this out themselves.
"Did you hate me?" she asked in a small voice.
"No! God, no, I love you Parker, I have always loved you but you have to understand the position I was in," he tried to explain.
"Your mother and Jacob and I found out about what the Centre did and we tried to stop them but your mother got too involved, she fell in love with your father even after Jacob and I warned her against it."
"By the time she realized what kind of person he really was, she already had you and she wouldn’t leave and neither would Jacob or myself."
"After her death and Jacob’s, I was too afraid to leave. I figured the best way to help you and Jarod was to stay and try to protect you the best I could," he explained.
"Well, you did a hell of a job didn’t you Syd? I grew up in the finest boarding schools and learned how to become hard and controlling, just like my father. I became the perfect tool for his evil’s."
"God, I almost killed Jacob because my father told me to, ordered me. I was there latter when he really passed away, never knowing that he was my uncle."
"You think that was best for me, do you know what pain that place has caused me? Do you know what I am, what they made me do?" she asked.
"I tried so hard not to fell them but I couldn’t block it out. They opened my mind and I couldn’t close it enough to escape the suffering caused by their pain."
"I watched Lyle and my father die Sydney. I felt them, the pain, and the blood. I saw everything they lived and all the people that they hurt."
"I watched that man pull a gun on his own wife and not even blink. I watched my father murder my mother. Do you think that was best for me?" she screamed at him too upset to control the sobs that had taken over her body.
Jarod ran to her as she fell to her knees. "Parker you need to calm down," he whispered to her and brought her back to her feet.
"I’m sorry," was all Sydney could think to say as he watched Jarod take
her upstairs.
Sydney had walked outside to get some fresh air. He had wanted to tell her so many times but was so afraid that she would hate him. As it turned out he was fairly certain of that fact now.
"She’s upset, she just needs some time," Jarod said walking toward the man.
"I’m sorry I couldn’t do more," Sydney replied.
"You did your best, you helped keep us safe. I see that and she does too, she just needs some time to recover from all of this," he explained.
"Thank you Jarod."
"I’m just glad you are finally a part of my family for real, Even though
I’ve always felt that way about you," Jarod admitted.
She walked down stairs again latter that afternoon. She noticed that there was no one in the living room and she feared that she had caused them all to leave. She felt bad for her outburst earlier but was still having difficulties getting her emotions under control.
She loved Sydney, no matter what had happened between them. She walked out side now and saw Him and Jarod talking on the porch.
"I hope I’m not interrupting," she said getting their attention.
"Parker you should be resting," Jarod said.
"I’m sick of you sending me off to bed every time I get a little upset," she said.
"I can’t help it if I worry about you," he replied.
"I should go," Sydney said as he stood up.
"Please don’t," Parker told him. "I’m sorry for the way I behaved earlier," she admitted.
"I’m sorry too, for everything. I tried my best but I guess that was inadequate," he said in shame.
"No, you did what you could. If you had tried to leave they would have killed you as well. You protected Jarod and me," she observed.
"I love you," Sydney told her.
"I love you too Sydney, will you tell me about my mother?" she asked.
"Sure, I actually didn’t meet her until she was almost twenty years old. She was just a baby when the war started and my parents managed to get her a fake passport and some friends of ours took her out of the country before we were sent to the camps," he told her as they sat down on the bench.
Jarod watched the two as Sydney wrapped his arms around her and told
her stories about her mother.
Several hours latter all of their family and friends were laughing and talking in groups. They all ate dinner and rejoiced in the fact that they were all together once again.
"Here Mama, I made this for you because it’s mother’s day," Charlie said as he climbed into his mother’s lap.
"He’s right, I had almost forgotten," Jarod said as he handed her something.
"My ring," she said as he placed it back on her finger and kissed her.
She then opened the folded piece of paper that Charlie had given her and saw a drawing of their family.
"See, you and daddy and J.J., Kyle and me," the boy pointed out to her.
"That’s a very nice picture sweetie but why does mommy have to circles on her tummy?" she asked him.
"Those are the new babies!" he shouted.
She looked over at Jarod. "Why did he say that in plural form?’ she asked.
Jarod just shrugged his shoulders as the room filled with laughter.
Five Years Later
"Charlie, why don’t you have your shoes on? We need to leave in five minutes," she told the boy.
"I can’t find them," he said.
"Well, where did you see them last?" she asked a little impatiently now. He was seven years old now and even though he had inherited most of her good qualities, he seemed to have his father’s organizational skills, or lack there of.
"Why don’t you go back into you closet, they have to be in there somewhere," she told the boy.
"But mom," he whined.
"I don’t want to hear it, now go," she said more forcefully.
The boy stomped up the stairs nearly knocking his little brother over in the process.
"Kyle, thank god someone is ready around here," she said as she kissed the six year old on his cheek.
"Mommy," the little boy laughed.
She loved that he still called her mommy. Charlie was only a year older and had taken to calling her mom. It was not cool for a second grader to call his mother Mama. But she still had Kyle to baby and the twins.
"Go and get your coat," she told Kyle.
The boy turned and ran toward the hall closet as Parker heard load giggles from behind her.
She turned to see Jarod carrying two happy four-year-old girls in his hands.
"Hi, mommy!" they both yelled in unison.
Parker smiled at them and kissed them as Jarod put them down.
"It just freaks me out when they do that, say things at the exact same time," she told him.
"I know it’s like they share the same brain," he joked as he tickled the little girls again and they squirmed around on the floor.
"Jarod, do you know how long it took me to get them dressed? I will not have you mess them up now," Parker said to him.
"I’m sorry," he apologized and kissed her on the lips.
"Jarod can you try and help Charlie find his shoes, I really don’t want to be late," she said.
"Why don’t you take Kyle and the girls and I’ll meet you there with Charlie once we solve the mystery of the missing shoes," he said as he walked up the stairs.
"Just please don’t be late," she called after him. She looked down at her little girls now and smiled.
Maggie and Zoey, named after their grandmother and a good friend who passed away, were identical in every way and every bit their father.
They had long dark brown hair and the eyes to match. Only their closest family and friends could ever tell them apart and at four years old they were all ready masters at pretending, usually being each other to confuse the hell out of their parents.
Today, however, Parker decided to fix their hair differently. Maggie’s was in one long braid down her back and Zoey’s in two thinner braids that fell over her shoulders. It would just be easier to keep track of them at this family event.
She got the girl’s coats and piled the three of them in the car, hoping
that Jarod and Charlie would not be far behind.
They arrived at the church a half hour latter and the girl’s ran up the steps to greet their favorite person in the world.
"J.J.!" the both yelled out to their brother as he scoped them up in his arms.
He kissed them both and then set them down to hug his mother.
"You look very handsome, just like your father," she told him.
"Yeah, well I’m so nervous I think I might pass out," he admitted.
"All of that will go away the minute you watch her walk down the aisle," his mother assured him.
"Thank you so much for everything mom," J.J. said as he kissed her.
She opened the door to the small room and slowly exhaled as she saw the girl who stood before her now.
"You look beautiful," Parker said as she walked in further and carefully hugged her.
"Thank you," Debbie said as she pulled away.
"I have something I would like you to have," Parker said as she pulled out a small box. She opened it to reveal a silver chain with a small blue stone at the end.
"It’s old and blue," she said as she pulled it out of the box. "It was one of my mother’s favorites."
"I can’t," Debbie said. "You should give it to one of the girls when they are older," she insisted.
"No, this is yours. I have other things to give them. I picked this one especially for you because you are my daughter too, at least you will be soon enough," she said as she put the necklace on for the girl.
"It’s beautiful. Thank you, mom,’ Debbie replied.
A tear slid down Parker’s cheek. "That’s not fare, I promised I wouldn’t cry today,’ she said.
"Yeah, right!" Debbie laughed as they hugged again.
The ceremony was lovely, short and simple. Jarod had managed to arrive just in time to fulfill his best man duties and the girls had happily walked down the aisle throwing flowers all around.
She was dancing with Jarod now after a short dance with her son who now danced with his own wife. She couldn’t quite believe that he was married now but what scared her most is that she could be a grandmother in a few years. She didn’t really mind so much as long as they were all happy and she couldn’t imagine being more happy than she was at this very moment.
"I love you," she whispered to Jarod.
"I love you too," he said as he held her closer.
They continued to dance around the floor as a song played in the background.
"I don’t know how I survived,
In this cold and empty world for all this time,
I only know that I’m alive,
Because you love me."
"When I recall what I’ve been through,
There’s some things that I wish I didn’t do,
But now I do the thing I do,
Because you love me"
"And now that you’re in my life,
I’m so glad I’m alive,
Because you showed me the way,
And I know now how good it can be,
Because you love me"
"I believe in things unseen,
I believe in the message of a dream,
And I believe in what you are,
Because you love me"
"With all my heart and all my soul,
I’m loving you and I never will let go,
And everyday I’ll let it show,
Because you love me,
Because you love me"
THE END!
The song ‘Because You Love Me’ was written by John Scott Sherill and Kostas. Sung by country singer, Jo Dee Messina on her album, ‘I’m alright’ which is property of Curb Records. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks to all of you who took the time to read my first venture into fan fiction and for all of the wonderful feedback that was given, I really appreciate it. Maybe I’ll write another some day! Bye-Bye. [email protected]