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Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: Only Madeline and the idea that makes up this story belong to me, everything else belongs to NBC.
Note: You might want to grab a hankie or two before reading, because it is *all* angst!
Echoes
by Danielle : - )
10/8/99
Revised 4-23-01
Version II Part 4 of the Madeline Series
Mr. Parker and Madeline speed-walked their way to the Medical Wing. Mr. Parker led the way to his daughter's room. He had the consideration to hang back while Madeline slowly entered the room. Entering this hospital room brought back memories of visiting her parents in their hospital rooms- the same rooms they both died in. Then she mentally yelled at herself, trying to convince herself that Miss Parker wasn't going to die.
Despite Miss Parker's initial reluctance when it came to Madeline, they had gotten extremely close in the past few years. Miss Parker was able to take her mask off in front of Madeline, who did the same. They often stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking about everything- happy memories from their childhoods, as well as the most painful; fond recollections of their mothers, hopes for the future, even how they thought their past experiences had and would affect their relationships, especially with men.
Seeing Miss Parker in a similar position to her parents scared Madeline more than anything had in years. After she got over her momentary shock and déjà vû, Madeline made her way to the side of the bed. Miss Parker was frighteningly pale and had machines surrounding her that were helping her breath and monitoring her heartbeat.
Madeline gently took Miss Parker's ice-cold hand, being careful not to disturb the iv drip.
"Park." She whispered with a gentle squeeze of her hand, all done in hopes that she'd get a response, that it wasn't too late. "Come on Park! Wake up!" She cried urgently.
"Thank you!" She whispered fervently as Miss Parker stirred.
"Madeline..." Parker spoke slowly, like every syllable hurt, and Madeline had to lean in to hear the barely audible words.
"It's okay, Park, I'm here." She whispered back, "You're going to be okay."
At that Miss Parker shook her head 'no', "I'm dying, Madeline."
"NO!" The distraught teen cried out.
"Let me finish." Park commanded gently, "Soon I'll be with," She grimaced as pain laced through her back, "my mother, and.. Tommy." She paused for a few shaky breaths which echoed through the room. When she continued it was obvious she was getting tired, "Take care of Bunny... and don't let them.. take the cottage.. from you. It's.. yours, now."
Madeline moaned quietly as her tears flowed freely.
"Tell Jarod..." Miss Parker continued, but was interrupted by a voice from the shadows,
"It's okay, Parker, I'm here." Jarod moved to her other side.
"Jarod." Miss Parker smiled briefly as she felt a little of her pain disappear at the sight of him, "Jarod... I love you."
Madeline could see that love radiating on her guardian's face, and cried harder that it was only surfacing near her death.
Jarod's face lit up despite his tears and he fondly repeated the words in her ear before kissing her gently on the cheek.
"I'll say hi to Kyle for you," she gasped, "and your parents." She said to Madeline.
"Thanks. I love you Park." Madeline sobbed.
Parker didn't have to answer, even if she could have. It was getting harder for her to breathe and she could feel Thomas and her mother nearby, waiting for her.
She closed her eyes and smiled as she saw them eagerly walking towards her. Seconds later she flat lined. Mr. Parker came running in at the sound, not even noticing Jarod.
"No, Park. Please don't leave me!" Madeline begged.
Mr. Parker looked like he was in shock, oblivious to the grief around him or the doctor recording the time of death, offering awkward condolences, and quietly leaving the room. When Brigitte came in and put her arms around her husband, he still didn't move. Lyle looked truly shocked that his sister had actually died. As Madeline glanced around at everyone, her tear blurred eyes came to rest upon Raines.
Figuring he was unobserved with all the grief occupying the others, the sick old man had let a pleased smile cross his features. As Madeline watched him grin at Park's body, Mr. Parker's earlier glare made sense, everything suddenly made sense to her.
"YOU BASTARD!!!" She yelled in fury as she charged towards him, "You killed her!" She flung herself upon his unsuspecting frame, landing a few good blows before yanking his oxygen tank away from him. She pushed him to the floor as she ran out of the room crying uncontrollably.
Everyone stood in shock for a moment, then Jarod ran after Madeline. Mr. Lyle and Brigitte led Mr. Parker out of the room, stepping around Raines as he gasped and started to turn blue on the floor.
The doctor had heard the commotion and rushed in in time to save Raines' sorry life (unfortunately).
Madeline, meanwhile, ran, pushing startled people out of her way. She headed into a ladies' room. Jarod followed her, afraid for her safety. The restroom was empty when he got there, but he climbed in the air vent she had just climbed through.
He couldn't see her and her sobs echoed through the mazelike ventilation shafts confusingly, so he gave up his pursuit and settled into a secluded corner to grieve.
Madeline made it to her destination, the highest place in the ventilation system. It was an open area with plenty of room to stand up. About half a dozen vent pathways came together here. Madeline stood briefly to make her way to the center of the open area, then collapsed to her knees.
"WHY?!" She sobbed loudly, "Why'd you have to take her?"
People all over the Centre abruptly stopped what they were doing as they heard the eerie echoes coming out of the vents. It sent chills up their spines, and they knew that Miss Parker was dead. People on every floor jumped up from their desks in an attempt to find a place where the anguished questions could not be heard. But such a place was hard to find as Madeline continued to question God.
"WHY did you take her?!" She screamed, "Just when we were starting to get through to her! She was starting to SEE!! *WHY*?!"
The words finally ended, but her inconsolable sobs still echoed throughout the somber building for hours.
Note: You might want to grab a hankie or two before reading, because it is *all* angst!
Echoes
by Danielle : - )
10/8/99
Revised 4-23-01
Version II Part 4 of the Madeline Series
Mr. Parker and Madeline speed-walked their way to the Medical Wing. Mr. Parker led the way to his daughter's room. He had the consideration to hang back while Madeline slowly entered the room. Entering this hospital room brought back memories of visiting her parents in their hospital rooms- the same rooms they both died in. Then she mentally yelled at herself, trying to convince herself that Miss Parker wasn't going to die.
Despite Miss Parker's initial reluctance when it came to Madeline, they had gotten extremely close in the past few years. Miss Parker was able to take her mask off in front of Madeline, who did the same. They often stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking about everything- happy memories from their childhoods, as well as the most painful; fond recollections of their mothers, hopes for the future, even how they thought their past experiences had and would affect their relationships, especially with men.
Seeing Miss Parker in a similar position to her parents scared Madeline more than anything had in years. After she got over her momentary shock and déjà vû, Madeline made her way to the side of the bed. Miss Parker was frighteningly pale and had machines surrounding her that were helping her breath and monitoring her heartbeat.
Madeline gently took Miss Parker's ice-cold hand, being careful not to disturb the iv drip.
"Park." She whispered with a gentle squeeze of her hand, all done in hopes that she'd get a response, that it wasn't too late. "Come on Park! Wake up!" She cried urgently.
"Thank you!" She whispered fervently as Miss Parker stirred.
"Madeline..." Parker spoke slowly, like every syllable hurt, and Madeline had to lean in to hear the barely audible words.
"It's okay, Park, I'm here." She whispered back, "You're going to be okay."
At that Miss Parker shook her head 'no', "I'm dying, Madeline."
"NO!" The distraught teen cried out.
"Let me finish." Park commanded gently, "Soon I'll be with," She grimaced as pain laced through her back, "my mother, and.. Tommy." She paused for a few shaky breaths which echoed through the room. When she continued it was obvious she was getting tired, "Take care of Bunny... and don't let them.. take the cottage.. from you. It's.. yours, now."
Madeline moaned quietly as her tears flowed freely.
"Tell Jarod..." Miss Parker continued, but was interrupted by a voice from the shadows,
"It's okay, Parker, I'm here." Jarod moved to her other side.
"Jarod." Miss Parker smiled briefly as she felt a little of her pain disappear at the sight of him, "Jarod... I love you."
Madeline could see that love radiating on her guardian's face, and cried harder that it was only surfacing near her death.
Jarod's face lit up despite his tears and he fondly repeated the words in her ear before kissing her gently on the cheek.
"I'll say hi to Kyle for you," she gasped, "and your parents." She said to Madeline.
"Thanks. I love you Park." Madeline sobbed.
Parker didn't have to answer, even if she could have. It was getting harder for her to breathe and she could feel Thomas and her mother nearby, waiting for her.
She closed her eyes and smiled as she saw them eagerly walking towards her. Seconds later she flat lined. Mr. Parker came running in at the sound, not even noticing Jarod.
"No, Park. Please don't leave me!" Madeline begged.
Mr. Parker looked like he was in shock, oblivious to the grief around him or the doctor recording the time of death, offering awkward condolences, and quietly leaving the room. When Brigitte came in and put her arms around her husband, he still didn't move. Lyle looked truly shocked that his sister had actually died. As Madeline glanced around at everyone, her tear blurred eyes came to rest upon Raines.
Figuring he was unobserved with all the grief occupying the others, the sick old man had let a pleased smile cross his features. As Madeline watched him grin at Park's body, Mr. Parker's earlier glare made sense, everything suddenly made sense to her.
"YOU BASTARD!!!" She yelled in fury as she charged towards him, "You killed her!" She flung herself upon his unsuspecting frame, landing a few good blows before yanking his oxygen tank away from him. She pushed him to the floor as she ran out of the room crying uncontrollably.
Everyone stood in shock for a moment, then Jarod ran after Madeline. Mr. Lyle and Brigitte led Mr. Parker out of the room, stepping around Raines as he gasped and started to turn blue on the floor.
The doctor had heard the commotion and rushed in in time to save Raines' sorry life (unfortunately).
Madeline, meanwhile, ran, pushing startled people out of her way. She headed into a ladies' room. Jarod followed her, afraid for her safety. The restroom was empty when he got there, but he climbed in the air vent she had just climbed through.
He couldn't see her and her sobs echoed through the mazelike ventilation shafts confusingly, so he gave up his pursuit and settled into a secluded corner to grieve.
Madeline made it to her destination, the highest place in the ventilation system. It was an open area with plenty of room to stand up. About half a dozen vent pathways came together here. Madeline stood briefly to make her way to the center of the open area, then collapsed to her knees.
"WHY?!" She sobbed loudly, "Why'd you have to take her?"
People all over the Centre abruptly stopped what they were doing as they heard the eerie echoes coming out of the vents. It sent chills up their spines, and they knew that Miss Parker was dead. People on every floor jumped up from their desks in an attempt to find a place where the anguished questions could not be heard. But such a place was hard to find as Madeline continued to question God.
"WHY did you take her?!" She screamed, "Just when we were starting to get through to her! She was starting to SEE!! *WHY*?!"
The words finally ended, but her inconsolable sobs still echoed throughout the somber building for hours.
