Title: Blessed Sacrifices

Author: Nicky

Rating: PG

Keywords: J/MP, MP/B, Angst

Summary: Miss Parker makes a choice that forever changes the lives of those around her. Sequel to Temporary Fixes.

Disclaimer: As much as I'd like it, these characters don't belong to me. I'm just using them for fun. Although, I don't think they have much fun in this story :-) I'll be sure to send them to therapy before returning them.

Choices

By Nicky

Blessed Sacrifices

This is really in poor taste. I mean, this is probably the worst time to bring something like this up. She's in the hospital, for crying out loud. But if I don't do this now, I don't think I'll ever get up the nerve to. I look down at the manila envelope in my hand and take a deep breath. It's now or never. I paste a tentative smile on my face and push open the hospital door.

"Up for a little company?" I call softly into the room. She looks over at me and her face lights up in probably the first real smile I've seen since this whole mess started. It just confirms to me that this is the right thing to do.

"My husband's always welcome here. Come in." She smiles again at me. Another real smile. Two in less than a minute. She really is beautiful. Okay, I'm starting to have second thoughts now.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling," she answers me after a moment's pause.

"Care to elaborate?" I ask her with what I'm sure is my confused face staring at her.

"I'm feeling," she repeats. "For the first time in months, I'm actually feeling . . . something. Anything. It's good. I feel alive again."

I still don't get it. But she really does look a lot better than she did when I first brought her in, so I guess that's good. I take a seat in the empty chair next to her bed.

"I know you probably don't understand," she says. "But I'm going to do my best to explain it to you. First let me start by thanking you. Broots, if it weren't for you, I know I wouldn't be here today. And neither would by babies. We owe you our lives. And to repay you, I want to give you back yours." She leans over and pulls something out of the desk next to the bed. I hold my hand out for the package and stare curiously at her.

"What's this?"

"Just open it," she says, biting her lip. I can see that she's nervous, so I open it without any more questions. Pulling the contents out, I almost laugh at the irony of it all.

"Marisa, these look like . . . "

"They're divorce papers," she interrupts me. "Don't take it the wrong way, but I can't stay married to you. Oh, that didn't come out right. What I'm trying to say is that I don't need you anymore. Not that I was using you or anything, it's just . . . "

"It's okay," I smile, stopping her rambling. It's time to put her out of her misery. "I understand what you mean. Because I came here today to bring these to you."

I give her my own set of divorce papers and watch as her shoulder start to shake. A few seconds later, I hear the most beautiful sound come out of her mouth - laughter. I can't help but join her and we laugh until tears roll down our cheeks.

"I guess great minds think alike," she says when she calms down. "What made you decide on this?"

"Having to watch you die right before my eyes," I tell her. "I love you, Marisa. But I think it's more like an infatuation. I wanted to be with you and it was such an honor to marry you. But I don't think I'm in love with you. Not the way I thought I was. And although I love our family, I realize this isn't what you need. I thought about it and I realized that even though I might not want to, I could live without you. But I can see that you’re dying without Jarod. I can't let that happen."

"I'm sorry," she says, shaking her head. "I made so many mistakes. I shouldn't have . . . "

"Don't," I stop her. "I don't regret anything. I do believe the Centre would have harmed you and your children if they knew Jarod's the father. I'm glad I was able to help. But staying married to me isn't going to help you any longer."

"I still owe you," she tells me. "Read the last page of the divorce papers." I look at her strangely for a second before flipping through the pages, skimming the last one quickly.

"You had me fired?" I ask incredulously.

"Let go is a better term, Broots," she chuckles. "And I arranged for a severance pay that you and Debbie can live off of for years with enough left over to send her to whatever college she wants to go to. Not many people can leave the Centre. Alive, that is. I thought this was your chance to make that escape. To be free. You saved my life. I figured I owed you yours."

"Marisa, this is . . . I can't believe this. Thank you." I'm just about speechless. She really has given me my life back. This is such a miracle. If she thought she owed me anything, this has more than paid her debt in full. I lean over her and pull her into my arms, holding her close to my body. "Thank you so much."

"Just don't be a stranger, okay?" she says, tears flowing down her face. "Promise me this won't be good-bye."

"Of course not. I'll always be here for you. No matter where you go. No matter where life may take you." I smile at her and place a gentle kiss on her lips, probably the last I'll get as her husband. I wonder if she'll be okay, but then I look at her one last time. No longer did I see the hopelessness and despair. She was almost back to her old self. And I knew at that instant she'd be fine. I pull a pen out of my pocket and sign the divorce papers, setting them back on the bedside table.

"Good-bye Broots," she says, the cool confidence seeping back into her voice. I missed that voice. I missed her. I'm glad she's back.

I get to the door and stop, smiling briefly to myself.

"Good-bye . . . Miss Parker." She meets my smile with one of her own as I ease out of the door.

Miss Parker. I smile. Broots is right. Miss Parker is back. There's nothing wrong with being Marisa. There's nothing wrong with being Broots' wife or Debbie's mother. But Miss Parker is who I am meant to be. And Jarod is who I am meant to be with. Thanks to Broots, we have a chance. One of these days, I'll see Jarod again. And on that day, I'll be able to present him with our beautiful, perfect children who wouldn't be had it not been for the blessed sacrifices we all made.

I lean over and try to reach the signed divorce papers to put them back in envelope. I need to get them mailed as soon as possible. It's time for all of us to have our lives back. In my haste, I knock the ink pen onto the floor and it rolls under the bed. With a muffled curse, I reach underneath and try to grab it with my hand. But I lose my balance and almost fall out of the bed.

"Need some help?"

I gasp, sitting straight up in the bed. That voice is undeniable. I know that voice like I know my own. But I won't believe it until I see the face with my own eyes.

"Jarod?" I stare at him, a shaky hand rising to cover my open mouth.

"It's me," he says, standing tentatively by the door. I hold my arms out to him and he wastes no time running to me, scooping my light body into his lap. I can't help it. I start to cry. After not feeling anything for so long, all the emotion of the past few days are a bit overwhelming.

"Are you real? Are you really here?" I ask as I sob onto his shoulder.

"I'm here for as long as you'll have me," he says, stroking my back gently with is hand. He begins to place tiny kisses on my face, brushing away the tears with his lips. "I missed you so much. Do you think Broots would mind if I kissed his wife?"

I just grin at him and pull his head to me, crushing his mouth with my own. I take my time and thoroughly explore, getting to know his kiss once again. I missed this so much. I missed him. I try to mumble that between our kisses.

"Missed you," I groan. "Love you."

"I love you, too," he says, pulling away from me. I try to kiss him again, but he holds me steady. "We can't do this. What about Broots?"

"The bum divorced me not 5 minutes before you got here," I say with a smile.

"What?"

"Just kidding," I laugh. "Actually, I divorced him." I show him the divorce papers and wait until he absorbs the news before I continue. "I was dying without you, Jarod. I tried to be a wife to him, but I lost more and more of myself each day I wasn't with you."

"I can see that," he says sadly, bringing one of my bony hands to his lips and kissing it gently. "You look . . . "

"Terrible," I finish for him, knowing he wouldn't have said it. "You don't have to say it. I know it's true. But I finally saw what I was doing to myself and these babies. What I was doing to Broots and Debbie. I had to make some changes. Divorcing Broots was the first thing. I didn't want to ruin his life anymore than I did. I owed him more than that. Then I vowed to get better. And finally . . . "

"What?"

I look at him and sigh, pulling him into my arms. I hold him tightly for a few minutes before releasing him.

"And finally what, Parker?"

"And finally this," I say. "You. Me. Our kids. I knew it would happen one day. You promised we'd be together. I'm just glad the day came sooner rather than later."

"We'll be safe," he says. "I found a way to take down the Centre. Once the babies are born, we'll take care of the Centre once and for all. But for right now, we'll have to go away and stay hidden for a while. Is that okay?"

"Okay? Jarod, I don't care. Just as long as we're together, I'll be fine."

"Together forever, Parker. Promise me. I can't bear to be apart from you again."

"Then I guess you're stuck with me," I say. "Because I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again."

I run my hands over his face, still not believing that he's really here. That I'm really in his arms. And right now, there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

The End.

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