The Unexpected Guest

Chapter 23

Rated: PG

Spoilers: Season 4

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. You know the drill.

 

 

The Unexpected Guest

By Nicky

 

Chapter 23

 

 

 

Miss Parker stares out the window at the heavily falling rain.  The clouds were so thick and black that they made the day seem as dark as night.  Not that it mattered much anyway.  She'd been in that room for so long, she could no longer tell the night from the day.

 

It's been twelve long days since the shooting.  Twelve days since her father fired that fateful bullet into Jarod's chest.  But twelve days that he was miraculously holding on.  Twelve more days that she was thankful she still had with him.  She walks over to his bed and kisses him lightly on the lips before sitting down in the chair that's been her home since he was first brought in.

 

"Good morning, sunshine," she says to her unconscious husband with as much cheer as she could muster up.  The doctors said that talking to him would help tremendously with any chances of recovery.

 

"I'm doing fine.  And so is the baby.  I just saw my OB/GYN and he says everything is progressing nicely.  He said the morning sickness should end in a couple of weeks once I'm out of my first trimester.  My blood pressure was a little high, but it's better than it was the last time he saw me.  And I even gained two pounds.  Two pounds in a week and a half.  I hope this isn't a pattern my weight will follow throughout this whole pregnancy," she says with a little smile.  But she's actually really grateful that her baby was strong enough to survive.  It was rough for her after Jarod got shot.  She went into shock and almost had a miscarriage.  But somehow, the baby pulled through. 

 

"I talked to Lyle just a little while ago.  He says it's official.  The Centre has been shut down.  All the information that the auditor uncovered has finally been sorted out.  There was an investigation, but of course none of the Triumvirate could be found.  So Daddy and Raines ended up taking the wrap for everything.  And to make sure they didn't talk . . . . well, let's just say they won't be saying much of anything anymore.  Somebody made sure of that.  Probably the Triumvirate, but we'll never know for sure."  She pauses a moment to let the words echo around her head.  Her father was gone.  But she didn't feel bad about it.  She probably could have killed him herself if Jarod had died in his office that day.

 

"Now that there's no more Centre, poor Sydney is beside himself.  Early retirement does not suit him.  Him, Broots, Lyle, and Angelo are starting to drive Kara crazy.  It's like a movie around that house.  Four men and a baby.  You should see them with her.  It's hilarious," she laughs out loud.

 

"They need something to do.  So, Lyle and I have been talking.  We're going to start the Centre up again.  But this time, we're going to make sure it stays true to the Parker legacy.  We're going to make it a place that our children will be proud of.  People like Angelo will be able to get the help they need.  And special children with talents like you had will be able to go there for support, not to be exploited.  It's going to be called The Catherine House.  What do you think?" she asks, though not expecting an answer from him.  She gives his hand one last squeeze before standing up to leave.  She grabs her coat from the chair by the door and is about to walk out the door when she's stopped by a noise.

 

"Perfect," a voice whispers from behind her.

 

"Jarod?" she says, turning around and quickly running back to his bedside.  Tears of joy fill her eyes when she sees him start to blink his own.

 

"Perfect name," he says again.  "She would be proud."

 

"You're awake!" she almost screams.  "How are you?  Do you need anything?  Don't try to talk.  Just rest."  She sits on the edge of the bed and curls up next to him.  She holds him in her arms, much like she did that day in her father's office.  But this time, she wasn't begging him to live.  She was thanking God that he was alive.  Grateful that he came back to her.  And to their family.  "I love you so much," she whispers.

 

"I know you do," he tells her, holding her as tightly as he could in his weakened condition.  "Your love is what kept me alive.  I kept seeing your face and hearing you telling me not to leave you.  I knew I had to come back.  So I could tell you over and over how much I love you."

 

"I was so scared.  I thought those dreams were coming true.  That I was going to lose you," she sighs.  "After all the Centre put us through.  It just seemed like a cruel twist of fate that you would die with it.  But, you didn't die.  You're still here," she says, smiling at him.

 

"So much of our life was tied up in the Centre.  So many answers are now buried with it."

 

"I'm sorry, Jarod," she apologizes.  "About all the questions you still have.  About your family.  I'm so sorry."

 

"Don't be sorry," he reassures her.  "I know my family is out there.  And now that the Centre is gone, they'll be safe.  I'll find them one day."

 

"We still don't know where they are.  I had Lyle and Broots searching your father and the boy for a week now.  But there's just not enough information anymore.  We're probably going to have to start over."  She looks at him as he tries to hide his disappointment.  As much as he tries to cover it up, she can tell how there's still an empty place in his heart from the loss of his family.  She had to get his mind off of things.  "I think I know somebody who can cheer you up," she says optimistically, slowly getting up off the bed.  She goes over to the door and motions for someone to come in.

 

Jarod looks towards the door and sees two little feet toddling his way.  Kara runs across the room and stops by his bedside, giggling joyously at seeing her father.

 

"She's walking?" he asks incredulously, a huge smile starting to spread across his face.  "When did she start?"

 

"A couple days ago.  One minute she was crawling.  And the next thing I knew it, she's running around the house.  And she hasn't stopped yet," Miss Parker says with a laugh.

 

"Hey there, Princess," Jarod says sweetly to his daughter.  "Daddy missed you so much.  Wait a minute.  How did she get here?" he asks when he realizes she seemed to suddenly appear from out of nowhere.  "Was she out there alone?"

 

"No, somebody came with me and was watching her for me out in the hall," Miss Parker says with a smile.  She walks to the door again and opens it, revealing the mystery babysitter out in the hall still.

 

Jarod looks in shock at the person standing in the doorway.  It was a person that he's seen every night in his dreams all his life.  And probably the only person he loved as much as his Allie.

 

"Mom?"  Tears fill his eyes and he blinks several times to make sure he's not seeing things.  "Is that really you?"

 

"Yes, Baby.  It's me.  It's really me," the red haired lady standing in the door says.  She's wiping the tears away from her own eyes while crossing to room to his side.  "Oh, Jarod, I'm so glad you're okay."

 

"Mom.  It is you," he repeats, not able to say anything else.

 

It was a shock for him, but a good shock, Miss Parker decides.  She was going to wait until he was stronger before she told him how his mother found them.  But now seemed like the perfect moment.  It made him so happy.  So complete in a way.

 

She walks over and scoops up Kara in her arms, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek before slipping out the door.  He didn't even notice she was gone, but that didn't bother her.  He just woke up from being unconscious for twelve days, but she didn't mind leaving.  They had a lifetime together already. And they'd have the rest of their lives to be together.  He had a lot of time to make up for with his mom.  Time that the Centre had stolen.  But time that she was giving back to him.  She smiles in at them one last time before quietly closing the door.  It was truly an extraordinary day.  Just the beginning of an extraordinary life.

 

 

The End.

 

 

Feedback PLEASE!!!  Let me know what y'all think.  Liked it?  Hated it?  Too sappy?  Too 'fairy tale'?  Just right? 

 

I worked really hard on this.  And I just want to know if everyone felt about it, or if anyone even read it. 

 

Thanks to all my faithful feedbackers.  Your words of encourgagement were much appreciated.  And at times, gave me the kick I needed to go ahead and finish this.  I'll be looking forward to reading some of your stuff in the future.

 

 

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