Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. Well, some of them are. But the important ones are all property of MTM and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this . . . . Blah, blah, blah. You know the drill.

 

 

Final Countdown

By Nicky

 

Epilogue

 

 

Jarod and Miss Parker's residence

6 months after the explosion

 

Miss Parker cringes at the sound of the knocks on the door.  Getting around wasn't very easy for her these days.  Especially since she looked like what resembled a beached whale.  And felt like one too.

 

"Come in," she yells breathlessly from the sofa, after trying unsuccessfully to get up.  She gets downright annoyed when whoever's at the door continues to knock anyway.  She tries to get up one last time, but fails, just as the door bursts open.

 

"Honey, we were out there knocking for like 5 minutes.  Our hands were full and we couldn't get in.  Why didn't you open the door for us?" Jarod asks innocently.  Then he looks at her angry face with a little bit of amusement.  When he realizes why she couldn't get the door, he begins to chuckle.  "Did you get stuck in the couch again."

 

His companions also start to laugh a little at the thought, but quickly stop when she flashes them a glare.  They try to make themselves look busy putting down the packages they were carrying.

 

"Oh, is this funny to you?" she asks, obvious to everyone that she's getting angry.  Everyone but Jarod, that is, who continues to enjoy the humor in her little predicament.

 

"I'm sorry, Tori," he says, trying to wipe the grin off his face.  "Let me help you up."  He reaches a hand to grab on to her, but she just swats it out of the way.

 

"Don't touch me," she growls, her eyes narrowing into tiny slits.  "That's how I got into this mess anyway.  I should never have let you touch me.  Lyle, Willie.  Could one of you please help me up."  They quickly oblige, not wanting to risk angering the woman any further.  She glares at Jarod one more time before waddling as best she could to the bathroom.

 

"Whoa.  Is she always like that?" Lyle wonders, suddenly feeling very sorry for the man married to his sister.

 

"Not always," Jarod says.  "Only when she's awake." He laughs when he sees the horror stricken expression on the men's faces.  "Welcome to my world, fellas.  Hormones and mood swings."

 

"Yeah, remind me to make my appointment for that vasectomy I'd been putting off," Willie jokes.

 

"I'll come with you," Lyle laughs with him.

 

"Glad to see I'm still amusing you," Miss Parker snaps when she reenters the room.

 

"I'm sorry, Honey," Jarod says sweetly, trying to sooth her a little.  He carefully puts his arm around her shoulder and gives her a gentle kiss.  "I love you.  Every last inch of your nine month pregnant body."  He tries to kiss her again, but she shoves him away.

 

"Nine AND A HALF months, Jarod," she yells.  "I've been pregnant for so long.  I swear this child is beginning to think she's an elephant and has a year long gestational period."

 

"You're a little overdue . . . "

 

"Two weeks overdue.  That's more than a little," she interrupts him.  "This little girl is about as stubborn as you are."

 

"Girl?  What makes you think HE's a girl?" Jarod teases.  "And if anyone's the stubborn one, it's you."

 

"Because SHE is a girl," she says positively.  "I just know it."

 

"Well, whoever's in there, it won't be much longer before we meet him - or her.  The doctor said she'd induce labor in two days if you hadn't had HIM by then," Jarod reminds her.  He attempts to approach her once more, but again gets the cold shoulder.

 

"It doesn't look like you're quite out of the dog house, Jarod," Willie whispers to him.

 

"I know. I'd probably be better off if you had just left me in that fire," Jarod smiles.

 

"Don't say that," Miss Parker gasps, her mood suddenly going from angry to solemn. Her lips begin to tremble and tears start to pour down her face.  "I do love you.  I just get a little cranky sometimes.  I can't believe we almost lost each other back then."  She leans into Jarod's arms and sobs quietly into his shoulder.

 

"We're here.  And we're fine, Tori," he reminds her while gently stroking her back.  He stares at Lyle and Willie, trying to prompt them to also reassure her.

 

"Yeah, we're fine," Willie chimes in.  "I even had my last appointment with the doctor last week.  He said that I was in great health for someone who'd been in a coma for 3 months."  He flashes her 'the smile' with about as much skill as Jarod's and she can't help but smile back.

 

Jarod smiles at his brother standing before him.  It truly was a miracle he came out of the coma.  The happiness at that thought warms him all over and he can hardly contain himself.  He pulls Miss Parker closer to him - as close as he can, anyway, with that stomach in the way - and wraps his arms tightly around her, sharing with her the happiness he's feeling.  But when she gives a muffled groan, he quickly drops his arms.

 

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" he anxiously questions.

 

"No, it's not that.  It's just my back.  It's been killing me all day."  She takes a step away from him, gently rubbing the ache as best she could.  Her eyes suddenly open in shock when she notices a wet puddle around her feet that wasn't there a second before.

 

"Um, Sis.  I think you sprung a leak," Lyle stutters.

 

"My water just broke," she says, almost in shock that it happened.

 

"That means it's time to go have this baby," Jarod tells her excitedly.  "Those back aches you've been having all day could have been a sign you were in labor."

 

"My water just broke," she mumbles again, still in shock.

 

"Honey, it's time," he smiles.

 

"No, it can't be. I changed my mind.  I'm not ready," she says, sitting down on the couch, refusing to get up.  "And I'm not going.  This baby's just going to have to wait."  She crosses her arms to show her defiance.  All that lasts for about 20 seconds, though, until a searing pain shoots through her abdomen.  "Ouch," she groans.

 

"Contraction?" he asks.  She can only nod, the sharpness of the pain momentarily taking away her breath.  "Okay, I want you to just look at me and focus on your breathing.  Just like they taught us in the class."  He breathes with her until he sees her face relax.  "Now do you believe me?  We have to get going."

 

She just nods again, wiping away a few tears from her eyes.  She sits patiently while Jarod, Lyle and Willie rush around the house getting the things she needed.  One contraction later, everything that needed to be done was finished and they're finally able to make their way to the hospital.

 

 

Blue Cove Women's Health Clinic

4 hours later

 

"Okay, Victoria.  I can see the head," the doctor says enthusiastically.  "A couple more pushes and you'll meet your baby."

 

"That's what you said . . . ahhhh . . .  a couple of pushes ago," she screams.  "Jarod, just shoot me.  Go get my gun and shoot me now.  Make this pain go away."

 

"Come on, Honey. We're almost there.   Just breath," he coaches her, having to duck when her fist flies towards his head.

 

"What do you mean we?  AHHHH!  I'm the one doing all the work."  She closes her eyes in agony and leans her head back against Jarod's chest.  She allows herself to be comforted by the gentleness of his hand stroking her hair.  However, the reprieve only lasts a minute as another pain rips through her.

 

"Victoria," the doctor calls her.  "I want you to bear down as hard and as long as you can with this contraction.  Keep pushing until I tell you to stop."

 

Miss Parker nods her head, and begins pushing with all her might.  I can do this.  I can do this, she chants to herself, all the while pushing.  She pushes back for all the times in the past she's been pushed down.  She pushes back for all the things in her life that almost took her completely out of the game.  She pushes for her mother.  She pushes for Tommy.  And she pushes for her new family.  How they almost took them away, too.  But they prevailed.  She keeps pushing and pushing until soon, her own cries are covered by louder, shriller ones.

 

"Congratulations.  It's a girl," the doctor says.   After quickly wiping her down and wrapping her up, the doctor hands her over to her mother's anxiously awaiting arms.

 

"She's beautiful," Jarod whispers, unable to hold back his own tears.  "Just like you."

 

"She's so perfect," Miss Parker cries, taking a moment to count her fingers.  Jarod lifts a foot and counts the toes.  Together they sit with their tears and enjoy the first moments of their daughter's life.

 

 

Jarod and Miss Parker's residence

2 days later

 

"Are they here yet?" Imani asks her grandmother for what must be the twelfth time.  Luckily for them, this would be the last time.  A car pulls up seconds later with the long overdue visitors.

 

"They're here!" she screams, throwing the door wide open for Jarod, Miss Parker, and Lyle.  Miss Parker enters first, walking gingerly with some help from Lyle.  Jarod follows them, carrying little pink bundle.

 

"Congratulations, you guys," comes from several of the guests in the house.

 

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Tracee asks Miss Parker quietly.  "You just had her a couple of days ago."

 

"Positive," Miss Parker smiles.  "I think it's fitting for you all to be here to welcome her home."  She hugs Tracee warmly before taking a seat on the couch.  Jarod sets the baby in her arms and looks around at all the guests.

 

"I want to thank you all for being here," he starts, deciding to make an impromptu speech.  "But I know you all didn't come to see me.  Two days ago, a new member to this family was born.  A family that spans generations, backgrounds, and color lines.  A family that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

 

"I've spent the better part of my life searching for a family that I may never find.  Not realizing that I had family here in front of me the whole time.  And I know and trust that you'll not only be there for Tori and I, but also for our daughters.  Imani, you all know.  But now it's time to introduce you to our newest addition."  He smiles and looks down at Miss Parker.  She unwraps the baby and holds her up for them all to see.

 

"Weighing in at a whopping 8 pounds 11 ounces and 22 inches long.  May I present Miss Halle Jordyn Parker."  Jarod finishes his introduction with a big smile on a proud father's face.  He steps back and lets his new baby girl take Centre stage.  She's passed from person to person and handles the attention like a professional until her hunger gets the better of her.  A shrill wail escapes the baby's lips.

 

"She's hungry," Miss Parker announces.

 

All the visitors smile and realize it's time to go.  But not before one last congratulations to the family.  Five minutes later, the house is empty and Miss Parker settles down to begin nursing Halle.  Jarod sits next to her with Imani on his lap and just stares at them all.

 

"You're amazing, you know that?" he whispers after a long silence, trying not to wake up both the girls who have managed to fall asleep.

 

"Thanks," she smiles.  "You're not so bad yourself.  Look at her," she says, motioning to the sleeping baby.  "We did good, didn't we?"

 

"No.  You did good."  He looks at her again and can't manage to hold in his emotions any longer.  Tears of happiness spill down his face.  "I love you."

 

"I love you too."  She smiles at him and wipes away the tears.  "No more tears.  Not ever again.  From now on, it's only going to be joy."

 

She holds the baby close to her chest and snuggles deeper into Jarod's arms.  The place where she's always where found safety, strength, and love.  The place she knows will always be her joy - no matter what is thrown their way.

 

The End.

 

 

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