With Time

1/3

By RRP


Lyle turned the key in the lock, and entered the foyer of his house, Emily and kids trailing behind him. He sucked in a breath, and cringed. It wasn't too bad- but it was messier than Emily managed to keep it. Legos on the floor, doll clothes, GI Joes- and he knew the kid's rooms couldn't look much better.

They had left without more than ten hours warning- and nine of those were spent sleeping. They hadn't had a chance to clean, or arrange for a maid to stop by, and it had been two stressful months they had been gone. He sneaked a glance over his shoulder at Emily, who looked around and smiled.

"We'll have to clean tomorrow. Meanwhile, I was hoping..."

"What, Mommy?" Spider asked, struggling with his coat.

"That we could pop some popcorn, make some hot cocoa, and play some board games. As a family." Lyle sensed excitement growing among the children at the mention of popcorn, and it only grew with each added idea. Emily smiled, and Lyle grinned, at the four kids tugging their coats off and kicking their shoes off, and rushing for the stairs.

"Junior Monopoly!" Maddy was shouting, climbing the stairs right behind Charlie.

"Oh Rats!" Spider added, pausing to jump on the stairs. Lyle and Emily stepped forward at the same time, and let out sighs of relief when the little boy continued on without falling.

"Lego Creator!" Charlie announced.

"Pajamas!" Lyle yelled up the stairs. "Pajamas first. Mommy and I will pick a few games." The frantic scuffling continued, and Lyle and Emily entered the kitchen- which, thanks to the insistence of Charlie before departure, was clean and sparkling. Emily opened the pantry door to look for popcorn, and leaned back against him when Lyle came up and put his arms around her.

"Good idea." He murmured.

"I love you." She returned. "Where's the popcorn?"

"And I love you. Look down a shelf."

"You have to let go of me first."

"Kiss me, then I'll let you go."

"Is that a threat?" Emily asked playfully.

"Nope. Ransom."

"Deal." She spun around, and kissed him, then turned back to get the popcorn. There was a shout from upstairs, a squeal, a door slammed, and then the sound of running feet. Then, a shout.

"Mommeeeeeeeeeeee! Daddeeeeeeeeee! Spider's going into the girl's room, again!"

"I'll handle it." Lyle said with a laugh. "And life goes on."

---

Aric Joel bounced on the bed, cartoons blaring from the TV, occasionally jumping off to take a bite of pizza and a sip of his soda. He laughed when Jarod returned to the hotel room with a bucket of ice, and joined him. They both bounced until Miss Parker came out of the bathroom, freshly showered, with a towel on her head, and told them to stop before they broke the bed frame. They obeyed, but not without protest, and quickly surrendered themselves to the one-eyed god of moving picture.

It wasn't until Miss Parker turned the TV off from the other bed, holding the remote in her hand with a mock sinister grin. The bright image on the screen died and zapped out of existence, and both man and child groaned.

"Hey!"

"Enough TV." Miss Parker replied. "Your brains are going to rot." There was a moment of silence as the two processed the comment, and Miss Parker held her hands up to the ceiling. "Good lord! It's already happened." They sat instead, eating half-warmed pizza in companionable silence. At least, Jarod and Aric Joel ate pizza- Miss Parker simply sipped a soda.

"Jarod." Aric Joel broke the silence with an inquisitive tone. "Where did everyone go, again?"

"Well, Ben went back to his house. You've been there before, right? Lyle and Emily went home with their kids. Jon Rand and Debbie went to Washington DC, and Jack Ryan went with them. My parents and Patrick went to their house in New Jersey. Ethan found an apartment a couple miles from here, before we left the Runway house, and Angelo went with him. Sydney went to Blue Cove to get some stuff, and then he's going to move to Maine and take care of the Runway house for us. Sam's in the hotel room across from ours, and I'm not sure what he's going to do. We're buying a house in Lyle and Emily's neighborhood, so your sister and I can be close to our siblings, and you can be close to Charlie."

"I was thinking about that." Miss Parker announced, when Jarod finished.

"Bout what?" Aric Joel inquired. Miss Parker looked at Jarod to see what he would say, and continued.

"Well, the house we're buying has a garage apartment. Why not ask Sam to move in there?" Aric Joel let out a whoop, and bounced over to Jarod.

"Please, Jarod? Please?" Jarod thought for a second, then nodded.

"I'll ask him tomorrow." Aric Joel whooped again, and Miss Parker laughed.

"Enough. Bed time, sport. No sugar tomorrow."

"Aww..." Aric Joel moaned, but obediently bounced across the bed and slid under the covers before either adult could blink. He squinched his eyes shut, and Jarod flicked off the main light so only the hall light was on.

"Night, Parker." He whispered, kissing her on the cheek. She kissed him back, making a funny face when her soft lips brushed the bit of stubble on his face. Miss Parker crawled under the covers next to Aric Joel, and Jarod took the second bed- both of them had previously decided that it would be better for Aric Joel if they didn't sleep together when he was in the room.

"G'night, Jarod. G'night sis." Aric Joel mumbled.

"Night, AJ." Both of them replied. All was silent.

---

Jack Ryan sat at a desk loaned to him by Micah Daniels, filling out a form that would change his life. Jon Rand had been pacing back and forth next to the desk, talking to James Frank the whole time. Ryan found this surprisingly unsettling, as he had always known James Frank as Mr. Cox. He tried to ignore their heated discussion, and complete the form.

Several minutes later, he was a few more lines down the page, Frank and Rand had calmed down, and the door flew open. Lloyd, Simon, Allen, Aaron, and Daniels all pour into the room with cups of coffee. Lloyd and Simon handed cups to Frank and Rand, while Daniels set one down on his desk, for Ryan.

"Hey, Clancy!" Several of the Agents called out, and Ryan attempted to glare at them. He was unsuccessful. He found to his surprise, that when the name wasn't used to spar, he didn't actually mind that much.

The room was soon filled with the sound of the Agents going over paperwork, and Daniels sat, perched, on the edge of his desk, reading a file while Ryan continued filling the form out. Occasionally, one of the men would glance towards the back room, and then to Frank and Rand, and then return to their paperwork.

"Rand," Simon finally asked to settle everyone's curiosity. "When are you going to question him?" Rand and Frank shot each other mutual indecisive looks, and Rand replied,

"Soon. The Tower's being questioned by some hot shots at the Pent, and we're waiting to hear what they say."

Speechless noise reclaimed the room, the sound instead being that of turning pages, scribbling pencils and pens, and sips of coffee. Ryan finished the form, and nudged Daniels.

"Who do I give this to?"

"Rand." Daniels replied, nodding. Ryan stood up, and tapped Ryan on the shoulder.

"Here, sir." He held out the form, and Rand accepted it, and dropped it on the desk.

"I'll take care of that. Thanks, Ryan."

"Is there anything you want me to do?" Ryan asked, unsure of where to go next.

"Find an apartment." Rand returned with a grin. "Daniels!"

"Yeah?"

"Help Clancy here find a crib." Rand ordered. Daniels nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, sir! Come on Clancy, let's blow this popsicle stand." Daniels grabbed his jacket, and Ryan followed him with a growing smile.

---

Sam had declined the offer to go out for breakfast nearly an hour ago, instead opting to stay at the hotel, take a shower, and indulge in something that had become a habit. It was ridiculous, and what's worse is he knew it was insane. But someone had been channel surfing in the Sweeper's cafeteria on SL-1 once, and had happened on a certain show. Ever since then, the Sweepers that frequented that particular cafeteria had brought their friends, until it had almost become a cult in the morning. It was a welcome break from the harsh world of the Centre, and if anyone had found out, they'd be as good as dead. Suicide would be the final measure, for the teasing they would receive would be unbearable.

Yes, at ten-o-clock, Spongebob Squarepants came on.

Sam was, to say the least, hooked.

He was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed, a cup of crummy hotel coffee in his hand, eyes glued to the one-eyed-god. A knock on the door startled him, and he stood up and backed towards it, thinking it was room service. He opened the door without thinking to change the channel, and Jarod stepped in with Aric Joel.

Sam was, to say the least, embarrassed.

But Jarod seemed not to notice Sam's embarrassment. All it took was one yell from Aric Joel, who had found the world of Bikini Bottom through a highly reliable source (his nephew Charlie).

"Spongebob!" Aric Joel darted across the room, and sat on the bed, in front of the TV. Jarod, who had never heard of such a beast, found himself watching as well. Sam wasn't exactly comfortable for a few minutes, expecting to hear a word of scorn come out of Jarod's mouth any minute about the stupidity of the show. But when Jarod and Aric Joel started laughing at something Spongebob did, Sam had the sinking feeling that he had just pulled someone else into the cult.

So he did the only reasonable thing. He sat down and watched it with them.

That's how Miss Parker found them ten minutes later- her fiancé, ex-Sweeper, and little brother- in front of the TV, watching a cartoon. And seemingly enthralled. She watched with them for a few minutes, in awe of the complete and utter idiocy of the entire thing. She finally cleared her throat, catching their attention.

"Come on, AJ. Let's gather your stuff." She said, signaling to Jarod that it was time for 'the talk'. Aric Joel moaned, and Jarod had to turn the TV off so he would go with her. Jarod and Sam sat in silence for a moment after she left, unable to explain to each other why they found the show so entertaining, and a bit too embarrassed to say anything else.

"Um," It was Jarod who broke the silence. "About living arrangements."

"I was thinking about going back to Blue Cove for a while." Sam replied, thinking he had saved Jarod the dirty job of kicking someone out. That someone being him. He knew that he couldn't just follow them around- that would be rude. And to ask to move in with them was completely out of the question. Sam just didn't want to impose.

"Actually, Parker and I were talking about it last night, and we both wanted to ask you if you'd move in with us. There's an apartment above our garage, and we definitely wouldn't mind, not to mention AJ. He'd be thrilled. In case you hadn't noticed, he seems to hold you in pretty high regard."

"I kinda noticed that." Sam replied with a small grin. It was kind of impossible not to notice. At the Runway house, everyone seemed to be wary of the Sweeper, while with Aric Joel it was always, 'Sam! Look at this!' or 'Sam, come with me!'.

"You can think about it for a while, if you like. You don't have to give us an answer now." Jarod added, referring to the offer. Jarod stood up, and Sam stood as well.

"I will think about it, Jarod. I really don't know what to say right now. It is kind of awkward, you have to admit."

"Yeah, it is." Jarod nodded, and chuckled. "But, so far, you've saved my sister, landed a plane without aid, nearly died for Miss Parker, and brightened up my soon to be brother-in-law's world. Not to mention, saved the marriage of the other one. I think it's safe to count you one of the family."

"Thanks, Jarod. That means a lot to me." Sam smiled, and Jarod returned the gesture as he turned to leave. He stopped halfway out of the door, and turned back.

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

"What was that show? The one we were watching before Parker came in." Sam couldn't help but laugh.

"Spongebob Squarepants."

"Thanks." As Jarod shut the door, Sam could have sworn he heard the Pretender whispering, "Just use your imagination..."

---

Mr. Parker sat in the back room of an FBI office, in the Washington, D.C. building. Broots, his daughter's techie, had brought him in, saying he was an FBI agent named Jon Rand. FBI? Mr. Parker inwardly laughed. Try FIB. But so far, no one seemed to be contradicting Broots' story, and that was beginning to worry him.

He also could have sworn that he heard Cox yelling something a while ago- Mr. Cox had a rather distinct voice. So Mr. Parker sat and worried. And then worried some more. The FBI being at the Centre at all was mind-blowing, and as he had been hurried out as soon as the shooting stopped, he didn't know the extent to which the Centre had been purged. The files had been destroyed, presumably by Jarod, to protect Miss Parker, Sydney, and whoever else Jarod felt compelled to 'save'.

Mr. Parker knew that Jarod's DSAs, and the weight of vocal testimony alone, would be strong enough to bring the Centre down. There would be those to testify against in court, and Mr. Parker didn't even have a decent lawyer. He had had one once, but the man had been employed by the Centre, which didn't give him much of a chance as a successful lawyer with this particular case.

Mr. Parker sighed, and leaned back in his chair. He had been faced with T-Boards before, and had easily lied all the way through them. He could manage a couple FBI Agents.

He just didn't realize how tough those Agents would be.

---

Two hours later...

"Listen, Mr. Parker. We can cut a deal." Jon Rand was offering a stoic Mr. Parker. "You give us the information we want, and I can get you ten to twenty off your sentence." At that, Mr. Parker perked up. Ten to twenty was a lot of time, prison wise.

"What do you need?" He asked eagerly. Forget the Tower. They were already beyond help- they had sealed their fate a long time ago. He was going to spend as little time in prison as he could.

"We have reason to believe that you have more documents, stored in another location. I want the location and the key or code to get them." Rand was lying, pulling some strings, to see if there was a possibility. Mr. Parker, however, was surprised that they knew about his stash of reports related to projects that carried a personal meaning.

"A bank, in New York. Houghton General Trust Fund and Savings. Safebox 12-90-27. The key is in my office at the Centre, in the bottom drawer. There's a false bottom, the break is at the back." Jon Rand blinked, and then quickly hid his surprise.

"Okay, we're done here for now. A guard will come and take you back to your holding cell. I'm going to go ahead and read you the building transfer guidelines. You have the right to refuse media contact. You do not have the right to request the driver to stop on the way. You do not have the right to attempt to injure any guard, officer, or possible fellow occupant of the vehicle in any way. Refusal to follow these guidelines can and will add to your sentence." As Jon Rand left the room, Mr. Parker spoke up.

"Broots?"

"It's Rand, Mr. Parker."

"Rand then. With the ten to twenty dropped, how long do you think my sentence will be?" Mr. Parker asked. Rand gave him a smirk.

"Well, I'm not quite sure sir. If you can figure out how to take ten to twenty off three lifetime sentences, then you probably didn't need Jarod after all." Rand left the room, leaving Mr. Parker stunned and speechless.

---

It was late, or early rather, the clock reading two in the morning. Jon Rand had not moved from his desk since the safebox of reports had been delivered to his office at about seven in the evening the day before. He was continuing to pour over the large, thick stack. His face was stiff, and his skin felt strange- the residue of dried tears. He hadn't lied to Miss Parker when he told her he still cared, and he knew this would kill them all. And therefore, it hurt him too.

He picked up another report, noting that it was the last one, and rushed through it, the contents making him gasp in surprise and slam the desk in anger.

"Damn them." He muttered, closing the report. He sat in silence for a moment, fighting back tears again. He stood, gathered the reports, and put them in his desk. He could wait until after the first few trials to tell them what he had found.

He looked at the clock, yawned, and grabbed his jacket to head home. Debbie was probably already worried sick, and he was exhausted.

---

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" The voice asked, holding out a book. Jarod took a deep breath, and replied.

"I do."

"Proceed!" Jarod waited for the first question, and looked around the room. Everyone who had been at the Runway house was there- all twenty people. The past two weeks had been hard. Awaiting the trials, for him and Parker, decorating the house and learning to live together. Sam had decided to move in above the garage, and Aric Joel was constantly inviting Charlie over. Emily and Miss Parker had talked a lot, watching the girls play together. Spider had celebrated a fourth birthday, and was now hanging out with the 'big boys'.

Miss Parker had been ill a lot too, and Jarod was worried. Jon Rand seemed to be avoiding them for some reason, and the first trial was the first time Jarod had seen either Ethan or Angelo since they left the Runway house. Jack Ryan had announced his acceptance into the FBI, due to Frank and Rand's referral letters, and was beginning at Quantico soon.

Jarod had had time to talk to his Mom, and ended up having several conversations with his Father. Sydney and Patrick spent a surprising amount of time together, and Ben had talked to Miss Parker several times.

"Mr. Charles." The attorney spoke with an annoyed tone, and Jarod realized that she must have addressed him more than once before he heard her.

"I'm sorry," Jarod hastily acknowledged her. "Please, go on."

"To the best of your knowledge, how long were you a resident of the Centre." Jarod cringed at the lightness of title.

"Please, could you change that to prisoner?" He asked. She nodded, and made a note, as well as several others in the room. "I was four when I was brought to the Centre. They had selected me in 1961, and I was taken in 1964. I escaped in 1996."

"In your exact words, escaped? They did not release you?"

"No. I escaped. I crawled out of an air duct, and fled. A man by the name of Todd Baxter picked me up on the road- I told him my car had broken down."

"And did they pursue you, in an attempt to bring you back?"

"Yes. They did."

"Who was in charge of your, if I may put it this way, recapture?" The attorney asked. There was an awkward silence. Jarod shot an helpless look to Miss Parker, and she stood up.

"I was, your honor." Parker spoke.

"I see. Do we have a trial date arranged for her? Why is she not in custody?" Someone slipped over to whisper something in the Judge's ear, and he nodded.

"No. There is no wish to prosecute the said subject at this time." The Judge announced. Miss Parker slowly sat back down.

"Objection!" Mr. Parker's lawyer shouted, slamming a hand down on a table. "You can't exclude one, and prosecute the other. Court law forbids selective trial." The gavel cracked down on hard wood, ringing throughout the room and bringing silence.

"Objection overruled." The Judge said thickly. He nodded to the other attorney. "Continue." The attorney made a note on her legal pad, and spoke in hushed whispers to another man near her vacant seat. She walked back over to Jarod.

"Why do you not chose to prosecute Miss Parker?"

"She was a product of the circumstances." Jarod replied crisply. "Mr. Parker's decisions were all for personal gain- hers were for survival."

"And you agree with, abide by, and/or uphold these methods of survival?"

"Not entirely. But I understand why she made the choices she made, now."

"Your Honor, I'm through with the witness." The attorney announced, reclaiming her seat. Mr. Parker's lawyer stalked over to Jarod.

"Do you have a personal relationship with Miss Parker?" He fired the first question. Jarod's attorney's voice rang out firmly.

"Objection! Mr. Parker is currently on trial. Personal relationships with those other than the current plaintiff are unnecessary and considered unlawful."

"I concur." The Judge nodded. "Another question, or call the next witness to the stand."

Jarod sighed as Mr. Parker's lawyer opened his mouth to asked the next question- it was going to be a decidedly long day.

With Time

2/3

By RRP


It was the third day in court for the Charles and Parker families, as well as the other assorted characters in the group. Nearly everyone had been called to the stand, including Aric Joel. Excluding Lyle's children, who were currently considered a non-factor by the court, only Angelo hadn't been called to the stand yet.

Sydney and Debbie both winced when the gavel cracked and Angelo's name was called. Sydney stood up as Angelo stood.

"Request permission to act as an interpreter."

"Does he not speak English?" The Judge asked, brow furrowing as he studied Angelo, was looking aimlessly around the room.

"He's gifted." Sydney struggled to explain.

"He's similar to an autistic child, your Honor. He can display irrational behavior." Debbie was standing now, speaking firmly and calmly.

"And who might you be young lady?" The Judge asked, peering over the top of his glasses.

"Deborah Rand, sir. Daughter of Special Agent Jon Rand. I was on the stand yesterday morning, sir."

"Ahh, yes. The psychology major. Very well. Please, bring the witness forward. Dr. Beauparc, you may accompany him if you wish."

Both Angelo and Sydney made their way to the stand, and after a few minutes of whispered explanation, Angelo was sworn in. They swore Sydney in as well, and the attorney stepped forward.

"How long as Angelo been a resident, or prisoner, of the Centre?" Sydney's brow creased in thought, as he tried to remember the exact dates.

"Thirty seven years." A surprisingly clear voice behind him answered. Sydney's heart skipped a beat, and he turned to face the source of the voice. Many jaws dropped in the rows of people behind him. The voice continued. "I was five when they took me to the Centre. I remained a prisoner for thirty-seven years." The attorney, not realizing that anything was wrong, was about to continue, when eight or nine voices all chimed at the same time.

"Good god..." There was a heavy silence in the room for several minutes, before the attorney cleared her thought and continued.

"And what did you witness?"

"If I were to list everything they've done, we'd be here for months. I can assure you, however, that every single day held or began an illegal activity. Simulations, tests performed to judge the outcome of a activity, were sold to everyone from the American Government to the Iraqi Terrorist Network, and Lebanon Drug Lords, as well as International Crime Ring. Murder was a daily, petty task to them, bombings, druggings, and kidnappings were common events. Life has never held any meaning to them, unless it was their own. For thirty-six years, they believed I was no more than an empath. I was believed to have lost all ability to communicate on a normal level."

"Please, for the court, can you define empath?" Angelo smiled a bit.

"As long as I can be assured that my words, and whatever happens in the next ten minutes will never reach the ears of anyone but those present right now." The gavel slammed down on the wood block.

"The Court binds all Witnesses to silence, under penalty of law. Proceed."

"I'm an empath, and a rather strong one at that. I believe, at one time or another, those present may have watch a show known as Star Trek: The Next Generation?" There was a general murmur of agreement. "A character on the show, Consoulor Troi, claims to be able to read people's feelings. That is my ability. Even from a distance, I can read people quite easily. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

The Judge and Attorney nodded in sync. Angelo stood up, and spoke again.

"Your Honor, you feel disbelief, curiosity, you were a bit bored before I came to the stand, and you miss your wife. Miss Clemens," He addressed the Attorney. "You're worried about this case, and share the feelings of disbelief and curiosity. Both of you are beginning to be frightened. My friends, if they'll still allow me to call them that, are angry that I kept this from them, scared at what it could mean, and amazed. Mr. Parker is furious that he was lied to, angry with himself for not seeing this sooner, and frustrated with the whole event." He paused, and sat back down. "It's like reading minds," He finished. "But instead I read hearts and souls."

For the first time in three days, there was complete and utter silence in the courtroom.

---

Major Charles sat on the porch swing, holding a cup of tea. Margaret came out to join him, and sat down with a smile. He wrapped an arm around her, and they leaned back to watch the sun set. He knew it was childish, but he had been jealous of Jarod at the Runway house. His eldest son and Margaret were virtually inseparable. For the last several days they had been there, all they did was talk.

Major Charles knew they deserved to talk- they had years and years to catch up on, but he couldn't help feeling a bit jealous of Jarod. She had been his Maggie first. But now, Patrick was asleep, and they were alone. Patrick had gone to bed early, complaining that Angelo's revelation was too much for someone to deal with and still live out twelve hours. So he had slipped off to his room, cutting that awake span to ten hours. Major Charles suspected it really had something to do with Patrick worrying himself to death the past few days, and finally letting himself relax.

So Major Charles and Margaret were alone, bundled in warm sweaters to fight the crisp, biting late October breeze. There were things to be talked about, discussed, such as Thanksgiving plans, Christmas arrangements, and other various little things. Halloween had already been decided- they were all skipping it. There had been too much Pretending lately for the kids to go out and make fun of it.

But Major Charles figured those things could wait until morning. Or the next day. Meanwhile, he was alone with his Maggie, and they were together. Instead of talking though, there was silence. When they were finally alone, they found that words were too much and not enough- the quiet company of each other was better. They felt content and safe.

And safe was indeed a very good thing to feel.

---

Sydney set out places for three, and filled the tall glasses with water. The noodles were cooked, and the Alfredo sauce was simmering on the stove. A freshly tossed salad sat on the counter, and a store-bought cheesecake was in the fridge. The doorbell rang, and Sydney calmly went over to answer the door- taking everything slowly as he always did.

He swung the door open, and Angelo and Ethan stepped inside, laughing about something. Sydney shook hands with both of them, and hung their coats up, as the laughter quieted. Ethan looked at the already set table, and Angelo peered into the kitchen.

"Aww, Sydney." Ethan sighed and shook his head. "We would have helped, you know, if you had waited." Sydney shrugged, and Angelo clapped Ethan on the back.

"We'll do the dishes, Ethan. Don't worry."

"I already am." Ethan muttered. He shot Sydney what could only be called a desperate look. "You've spoiled him! I've cleaned and cooked and done the dishes, while he watches cartoons and reads, claiming that he needs to catch up with the world. I swear, I don't know how watching reruns of Superfriends and eating CrackerJacks improves his world view."

"Preservation of natural resources- I recycle the CrackerJack boxes; gaining a sense of American loyalty- Superfriends; staying healthy and preventing a large drain on American health funds- CrackerJacks have nuts." Angelo ticked off things, counting on his fingers as he listed them, and Sydney and Ethan blinked at him. "Come on, you two. I knew Jarod when he was a kid. He's worse than me. Ever hear of a show called Spongebob Squarepants? Offers no educational value at all, and I hear Jarod's a big fan."

"Mmhmm. And Superfriends is a wealth of education."

"Of course! You've got the Martian Manhunter, from which you learn multi-planet racial acceptance; Aquaman, from whom you learn appreciation of sea-life; and-" Ethan cut him off.

"Has it ever occurred to you that we haven't actually made contact with an alien life form?" Angelo looked at him blankly. Ethan sighed, and explained to Sydney. "He's been watching Star Trek and X-Files too. I apologize. This is all he's talked about for a week. He finally lets out his biggest secret, and we come for a quiet dinner to talk about the future and everything, and all he can think about is Cartoon Network and the Sci-Fi Channel." Sydney laughed, and shook his head.

"It's okay, Ethan. It's just nice to know he's normal."

"Will you two stop talking about me like I'm not here?" Angelo protested. "And we can eat. Dinner sounds good. I'm starving."

"Yep. Starving, I tell you." Ethan nodded solemnly. "We haven't," He paused to whack Angelo playfully in the ribs, "Eaten anything since we stopped at McDonald's five hours ago."

"Then let's eat!" Sydney smiled at them, and led the way to the table.

---

Miss Parker hugged the toilet, stomach rebelling and chest aching. Jarod knelt next to her, holding her hair out of the way, and rubbing her back. She was horribly embarrassed, and was sure her face was beet red. But the thought barely had time to flicker in her mind- she was preoccupied.

Miss Parker's stomach finally calmed, and she leaned back with a ragged breath. Jarod flushed the toilet, then pulled her close, so she was leaning against him. He stroked her hair, and simply held her. She felt like crying.

"Parker," He spoke after several minutes, "We're going to have to take you to see a doctor. This isn't normal."

"I don't want to-"

"I know. But we need to. I'll be there, I'll even run the exams if you want me to."

"If you'll do it. What about AJ?"

"Sam would watch him if we asked. And Lyle and Emmy are just up on the hill. We can drop him off there. I'll take care of it. You get dressed." She nodded, and he helped her to her feet. Jarod leaned over, and kissed her on the forehead, before leaving the bathroom. Miss Parker walked over to the window, and pulled the curtain aside, to see the sun pushing it's way into the eastern sky. Jarod's footsteps sounded as thumps above her as he clambered up the stairs to Aric Joel's bedroom.

The footsteps abruptly stopped, and she crept out of the bathroom, and up the stairs, to investigate. On the way up, she thought about Jarod's prognosis. It definitely wasn't normal, but it was just morning sickness. She was already feeling better.

Jarod wasn't in the hall, and the door to Aric Joel's room was cracked open. Miss Parker tiptoed forward, and peered through the crack. Jarod was leaning over the bed, face hovering inches from Aric Joel's, and he whispered one word.

"Boo." Aric Joel's eyes snapped open, and he jumped, groggily trying to determine the source of the noise. He peered up at Jarod, and a grin slowly crossed his face. Jarod tickled the boy, and Aric Joel squirmed as he shook with laughter. Jarod stopped, and they stared at each other for a moment. After a pause, Aric Joel sat up, flung his arms around Jarod's neck, and whispered so softly that Miss Parker almost didn't hear it.

"Sam's a good friend, but I wish you were my Dad." Jarod's eyes grew moist, and he hugged the little boy in return.

"You'd make a great son, Squirt." Jarod replied. "Aric Joel let go, and sat back on the bed. Jarod tickled him once more, then spoke. "Let's go get some breakfast. Your sis isn't feeling very well, and I'm going to take her to the doctor. What do you say we call Lyle and see if it's alright if you spend the day with Charlie?"

"Is Miss Parker okay?" When a concerned, unsure look crossed Jarod's face, Miss Parker stepped into the room.

"I'll be fine, AJ. I've just been feeling a bit queasy in the morning." Aric Joel bounced on the bed.

"Oh." Aric Joel frowned at the floor, then he looked up suddenly, as if he had remembered something. "Can Charlie come here first?"

"Well," Jarod replied slowly. "You were going there because we wouldn't be here to watch you. It doesn't make much sense to let you and Charlie have the house to yourselves."

"Well," Aric Joel did a perfect mimication of Jarod, without even meaning to. "Sam got his TV in yesterday, and he said Charlie and I could watch Spongebob Squarepants with him..." Miss Parker rolled her eyes.

"Garbage. I can't believe you find that entertaining. Jarod, you're even worse."

"Why?" Jarod asked, sounding offended.

"Because you're the adult! The genius! Sam's almost as bad!"

"We were going to have a 'marathon' today. Sam has-" Aric Joel clapped a hand over his mouth, and looked at them sheepishly as he removed it. "Sorry. I'm not supposed to tell."

"Tell what?" Miss Parker crossed her arms, and gave Aric Joel 'the look'. Aric Joel cringed.

"Umm...that, um...Sam has...the first, second, and third seasons on DVD." Miss Parker let out something that sounded like a 'harrumph', and left the room, arms upraised. But Jarod could hear her laughing as she descended the stairs. Jarod turned to Aric Joel with disbelief clear in his eyes.

"He really has the DVDs?" Aric Joel nodded solemnly. There was silence for a few minutes. Then Jarod swung Aric Joel over his shoulder, and bounded out of the room and down the stairs, causing both of them to laugh.

---

Jon Rand sat at his desk, fiddling with his pencil, feet propped up on the desk top. He was trying to decide what to do about the files, and when to tell Miss Parker and Jarod what he had found. The court trials had lasted a daunting three weeks- which wasn't actually bad as far as the American Court System went, but three weeks of hard witnessing would be tough on anyone. They hadn't even been required to attend most of the trials- there were plenty of other witnesses to testify on the more minor cases.

But his current dilemma was the wedding- he had found just a short week ago that they had set their wedding date for a Saturday- that particular Saturday just so happened to be two days from the present. There was a rumor that the sudden wedding date had something to do with Miss Parker being pregnant- something that was merely a rumor until Jarod and Miss Parker officially announced it. Rand already knew the truth- he just hoped they hadn't figured it out yet. It was better for them to think the children were natural. He guessed they only thought it was one child- but the reports in the bottom of his desk clearly said twins.

The door was knocked on twice, and then opened. Jack Ryan poked his head in, and Rand swung his feet off the desk and onto the floor, leaning forward in his chair. Ryan stepped in the room, and blinked as he shook his head and muttered,

"Rand not Mulder."

"Something wrong, Clancy?" Rand asked, using the new nickname for Ryan.

"X-Files flashbacks. Too many reruns last night."

"What?" Rand questioned, not understanding. Ryan motioned to the desk and the pencil.

"Mulder. On the show. He does the same thing. Sits at his desk like that, and plays with his pencils."

"Oh." Rand dropped the pencil on the desk, and looked up at Ryan. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. Just wanted you to be the first to see, since you pulled all those strings for me and everything." Ryan slipped across the room with a grin on his face, and dropped a framed piece of paper on the desk. Rand looked over it, a smile spreading.

"Certificate from Quantico. You're moving fast. We can even call you Agent now. Congrats, Clancy. I'll get Simon and Daniels to pull a desk into the main office for you." Rand stood, and walked past Ryan into the main office, where the other six Agents sat, sipping coffee, browsing reports, attempting to look busy. Ryan followed him, and Rand stopped at Frank's desk.

"Hey, Frank." He addressed the man who had masqueraded as Cox, and grabbed the cup of coffee off James Frank's desk. "This cold?" Frank nodded, not giving it much thought. Rand grabbed the certificate out of Ryan's hands, and held it up. "Attention." He cleared his throat and tried to sound serious. "Clancy here is now legal. Quantico graduate everybody. We're in the presence of a genius!" And with that, he threw the cup of coffee into Ryan's face. "Agent Jackson Hilary Ryan."

"I see why he doesn't go by his middle name." Allen muttered to Aaron. Aaron nodded.

Ryan sputtered, and wiped the liquid away from his eyes, as everyone clapped. Daniels and Lloyd cheered, and Ryan grinned at them. Daniels threw an arm around Ryan's now-light brown shirt.

"My friend, you've just been christened."

"With coffee?"

"No. With a cold, extra creamer, two shots of espresso, double double latte."

---

"Do you, Jarod Matthew Charles, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to honor and to cherish, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, until death do you part?" Jarod was grinning like an idiot, and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. And he didn't care.

"I do." He nodded.

"Do you, Margaret Andrea Parker, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to honor and to obey, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, until death do you part?" Miss Parker, soon to be Miss Parker no longer, nodded, a smile gracing her own face, eyes moist with tears.

"I do."

"The rings!" The priest called. Aric Joel, in a tuxedo and Oxfords, held up the pillow to Jarod, and he took the small gold ring, and slid it onto Miss Parker's finger. Miss Parker slid Jarod's onto his finger, and the priest smiled.

"You may kiss the bride." And with that, she was in Jarod's arms. They kissed, and the priest held up his hands. "I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jarod Matthew Charles!"

Jarod looked at his new wife, and knew in his soul that he was looking at the love of his life. Once inside the handsome limo, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"So," He murmured. "What do I call you now?"

"Andi. You've already got a Maggie in your life." She replied, looking at him with that same, soft smile. "Andi is fine."

Later on, the wedding pictures would show Patrick as Jarod's best man, Emily as the bridesmaid, Aric Joel as the ring bearer, and Maddy and Cat as the flower girls. Lyle proudly walking the now Andi Charles down the aisle to give her away, and a small crowd of twelve bystanders.

They would also show two people, looking as if they had finally found the missing piece of their soul.

---

"Hey, Wonderboy." Andi Charles whispered, as her husband climbed into bed. Jarod grinned at her, and rubbed her slightly swollen stomach.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, looking up into her eyes. "And how are the munchkins doing?" She laughed, and nodded.

"Fine. And don't use the plural form like that. It scares me."

"I think they're are two of them though!" Jarod protested. He laid his head on the pillow, and pulled the covers up. "Wanna talk about names?" Andi turned over, and leaned into him, and he put an arm around her, setting his chin onto the top of her head.

"Mmhmm. Boys or girls?"

"Two for each. Just in case." Jarod replied.

"Well, Lyle and Emily have pretty much exhausted the family names, so we can be creative. Or use Matthew. I like the name Matthew."

"And Sydney hasn't been used yet. Or Jacob. And then there's always Timothy."

"How about Matthew Sydney and Timothy Jacob for boys?" Andi said decidedly. Jarod tried out the names, and smiled.

"Matt and Timmy."

"Girls.." Andi replied, trying to further the conversation.

"I've already got names for girls." Jarod replied. "Jamison Hope and Faith Andrea. Jamie and Faith."

"I like those, Jar. But what if it's a boy and a girl?"

"Then we use Faith Andrea and Timothy Jacob."

"That sounds good." Andi murmured, feeling drowsy. The phone rang, and Jarod ignored it. The answering machine clicked on a few rings later, but he couldn't hear the message. Jarod guessed it could wait until morning, and quickly fell asleep.

---

Jon Rand was waiting by the phone at six AM. He was pretty sure Jarod wouldn't call that early, but he didn't want to take any chances. It was nearly nine when Jarod did call, and he sounded rather non-chalant.

"Morning, Rand. You needed to talk to me?" Jarod greeted. Rand took a deep breath.

"Yeah. I found some documents that belonged to Mr. Parker. They were copies of original project reports."

"And?" Now Jarod sounded a bit uneasy.

"I didn't want to say this over the phone, but sue me, I admittedly don't have the guts to say it to your face. Jarod, AJ and Patrick- they're not your brothers- they're your sons. Yours and P- I mean Andi's."

"How is that possible?" Jarod demanded, not ready to believe until he had a plausible reason.

"Well, Brigitte was just a carrier mother for AJ. And the same thing happened with Patrick."

"But Patrick's an adult!" Jarod protested. "I can't be his father!"

"Do the math, Jarod. If Patrick's twenty one, and you're forty-five, then you're twenty three years older than him."

"I'm...their father...and she's their mother." Jarod repeated in a daze, the information not quite sinking all the way in. The phone clicked off really fast, and Rand nearly yelled.

"Jarod?"

"I'm right here."

"Then who was that?" The door slammed, and Jarod spoke.

"Gotta go. That was Aric Joel." Rand realized with a sickening lurch that the little boy had heard the entire conversation. Today just wasn't looking like his day.

---

Sam was in the middle of pouring a cup of coffee when his front door flew open, and Aric Joel tumbled in, with a look back over his shoulder to make sure no one was following. The little boy was breathing heavily, and had tears in his eyes, so Sam was immediately concerned.

“AJ?” The coffee was forgotten, as Sam walked across the main room to meet Aric Joel. Aric Joel sniffled, and shuffled across the room to fling himself down on Sam’s couch. Sam sat down on the coffee table, so he was across from Aric Joel, and waited for an explanation.

“My sister’s not my sister, she’s my mom. And Jarod’s my dad. I heard him talking about it with Rand on the phone." Sam blinked, and sighed. He had had a feeling that something like this was going to surface sooner or later. Aric Joel continued with a moan. "I don't want her to be my mom. I don't want a mom. Charlie's mom is always worried about him, and doesn't let him do all the fun stuff." Aric Joel barely finished speaking when Sam had a firm grip on his shoulders, and was looking straight at him, fire in his eyes.

"Don't you ever wish something like that again, you understand? I don't ever want to hear you say that." Aric Joel nodded, lower lip trembling. Sam let go of Aric Joel's shoulders, and sighed again. "Sorry kiddo. That was a little rough. But remember when I told you about real moms and birth moms?" Aric Joel nodded again. Sam ran a hand through his own hair, and continued. "Well, the problem with having a sister for a real mom is that you can't call her mom. She doesn't really seem like a mom for a long, long time. And my birth mom, who was supposed to be my real mom, left when I was five."

"She left?" Aric Joel asked, brow furrowing. Sam nodded.

"It was my fifth birthday, and she was mad at me."

"Did you do something wrong?"

"No. I just asked if my friend could come over."

"Like Charlie." Aric Joel made the association, and his picture became clearer.

"Like Charlie," Sam confirmed. "So, she was mad at me, and hit me. I screamed at her, and to this day, I regret ever saying those words."

"What did you say?"

"I told her I hated her. That I didn't want a mom anymore. She hit me again, put me in the corner, and packed her stuff. I tried to tell her I was sorry, but she wasn't listening. She told me she'd rather take care of a dog, and walked out. I never saw her again."

"Never?"

"Never. And if your sister really is your mom, I'll bet you ten bucks that she's looking for you right now, and worried about you, and that no matter what you say to her, she'll still love you."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"I don't have ten dollars." Aric Joel said with a small smile. He flung his arms around the Sweeper's neck, and whispered. "Thanks, Sam."

"No problem, kid." Sam replied, as Aric Joel stepped back. There was a frantic knocking on Sam's door, and Sam yelled, "Come in."

"Sam, have you-" Andi stopped short, and looked at a suddenly blushing Aric Joel. "AJ! We've been looking all over for you!" She bent down, and Aric Joel flew into her open arms.

"I love you, Mommy." Aric Joel whispered, trying out the new word. From her reaction, Sam guessed Jarod hadn't had the chance to relay the news. Andi looked at her 'new' son in surprise, and then hugged him again.

"I love you too, AJ. Let's go tell Jarod I found you." Aric Joel bounded out of the apartment, and Andi looked back to mouth 'thank you' to Sam. Sam nodded, and simply went back to his coffee.

---

Patrick pulled into Jarod and Andi's driveway, and stopped the car. Jarod had asked him to come over, and said that it was rather important. Patrick had hurried over, and had been wondering what was so urgent. He knocked on the front door, and Jarod opened it.

"Master-Copy!" Patrick exclaimed, hugging Jarod. Jarod led him back to the kitchen, where Andi and Aric Joel sat at the table. Patrick sat down, and shot Jarod and Andi an uneasy look. "What's going on?"

"Patrick," Jarod took a deep breath. "I talked to Jon Rand this morning, who seems to have found some files that Mr. Parker kept hidden. And one of them said that," Jarod shot a desperate glance to Andi, who looked down at the table with tears in her eyes. "You're not my clone. You're my son. Our son." Patrick laughed uneasily, and looked back and forth from one adult to the other.

"This is a joke right?" Jarod shook his head. Patrick stood up, and backed away. "This isn't funny, you two. You're scaring me." But Patrick knew deep within that it was the truth- and that scared him even more.

He turned, and fled.

---

Angelo looked out the window, while Ethan drove. The past two hours had been spent looking for Patrick, who had left two days ago and hadn't been heard from since. The revelation about Jarod and Andi's sons was indeed surprising, but Aric Joel was adapting amazingly well. Patrick hadn't taken it well at all, though.

Angelo knew this better than anyone. He could sense the helplessness, the fear- but he couldn't figure out where Patrick had headed, no matter how hard he tried. So now, Angelo's own feelings of frustration with himself were clouding his ability to understand Patrick. He sighed, and let his forehead drop against the cold window pane, as a light snow started to drift down from the gray skies.

"Let's head back, Angelo. It's getting late." Ethan suggested softly. Angelo nodded, but said nothing. They drove back to their apartment in silence, and climbed the stairs in the same state. Angelo dropped himself on the couch once inside, and Ethan joined him. "You know," Ethan began, "He'll be okay. He's old enough to take care of himself."

"I know, I know. It's just...I feel like we need some closure. So much has happened in the past few months, and so many secrets have come out into the open. We've survived so much, and now we might not even be intact for Thanksgiving." Angelo replied, running a hand through his hair. Ethan stared at the floor, and Angelo joined him in the thrilling sport of watching the carpet stand still.

"He just needs time." Ethan murmured.

"Don't we all," Angelo agreed. "Don't we all."

---

Thanksgiving passed smoothly, the only downfall to an otherwise happy day was an empty chair at the end of the table. Christmas came and went, and the New Year was celebrated. Jarod took Andi out to dinner for her birthday, and Lyle awoke to eight little hands all extending carefully drawn pictures of the family to him.

Angelo and Ethan frequented the Runway house, still in Sydney's care, and a silent vigil was kept by the entire group- candles in the window of each home, for Patrick. Mr. Parker received several life sentences, as Jon Rand had predicted, and the Tower wasn't handled with any more mercy than Mr. Parker had received.

Major Charles and Margaret spent all their time together, making up for years lost. Debbie became resident babysitter to Aric Joel, Charlie, Maddy, Cat, and Spider. Sam, much to her delight, still had trouble beating her at checkers. But she tended to avoid him on a chess board.

The family was calm, quiet, and for the most part happy. That is, until one early summer day. The fine June day awoke to the sound of birds singing, and the sun rising, promises of lemonade and a trip to the pool. At least until the silence was shattered...

---

"Jarod! My water broke!" The hysterical, half-frightened half-joyous yell made Jarod vacate his seat at the kitchen table faster that he previously believed humanly possible. Aric Joel sat before his cereal, not quite sure what was going on, and confused.

Jarod dashed upstairs, into the bathroom, where Andi stood, looking down at the dark, wet spot on the front of her pajama's with a near-horrified expression on her face. "How long have you been having contractions?" He demanded, leading her to the bed. Her grip on his hand tightened, and she made a strange face, before answering.

"Since last night. I thought they were just false, though." She replied. He grabbed a bag of her stuff, preprepared, and took her by the arm. "I'm in pajamas!" Andi protested irrationally. Jarod rolled his eyes, and knelt down in front of her, so he was eye level with her taunt and large stomach.

"Hey, babies. Mommy wants to put a business suit on before you come out. Can you wait a few minutes?" He looked up at her, and she nodded.

"Good point." Jarod led Andi out to the car, and tossed the bag in the back. He kissed her on the forehead, and put the keys in the ignition.

"I'm going to take care of AJ, then we'll leave."

"Okay. And Jarod?"

"What?"

"Hurry." Andi ground out between clenched teeth. He nodded, and ran back inside the house to grab Aric Joel. It wasn't quite eight thirty, and Jarod prayed that Sam would be awake. The Ex-Sweeper had a habit of sleeping in when not needed, and Jarod didn't want to have to make the detour to drop Aric Joel off at Lyle and Emily's.

Aric Joel was dragged off, protesting at leaving his cereal behind, out of the house and up the stairs to the garage apartment. Jarod pounded on the door, and yelled.

"Sam!" The door opened a second later, a groggy looking Sam standing before him.

"What?" Jarod shoved Aric Joel inside the apartment.

"Thanks, Broom Man." Jarod turned to go, and Sam called after him.

"Wait a sec. What did I just agree to do, Labrat?"

"Watch Aric Joel." Jarod said, matter-of-factly, turning to face him. "I'm taking Andi to the hospital." Sam's eyes widened, and he nodded.

"Sure. Keep in touch." The door shut, and Jarod nearly flew down the steps and back to the car. They left the driveway with a squeal of tires, and the murmured prayers of Jarod that they would make it in time.

---

"Jarod, you are so dead!" Andi was screaming at him between a contraction, as Jarod held her hand and a doctor told her to push. "You're never-" At that point, she made a crude, vulgar reference to having sex, and the doctor looked up and mildly commented,

"I hope you don't plan on kissing your children with that mouth." Andi simply growled at him.

"You better be praying, Wonderboy, that Sam doesn't actually bring my gun like I told him to." Jarod looked panicked for a brief moment, and questioned.

"When did you tell him that?"

"Three years ago." Jarod decided not to ask, and Andi finally listened to the doctor's order to push. There was a wordless scream, then the broken cries of a newborn child.

"Boy!" The nurse exclaimed. Jarod's face lit up, and he turned to Andi.

"Only one more!"

"Only one more?" She replied. Andi grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulled him close to her face, and snapped, "If you want more kids, you better plan on getting pregnant yourself, cause there is no way in Hell that I'm doing this again."

"Push!" The doctor commanded fiercely. Andi obeyed, and after fifteen more minutes of threats and screams, another cry filled the room.

"Girl!" The nurse announced. Jarod kissed Andi on the forehead, and smiled at her.

"You did perfect." He murmured. Andi, too exhausted to threaten any more, smiled back at him and closed her eyes.

"I did okay, Wonderboy. And you weren't half-bad yourself." It seemed like an eternity later, in reality only five minutes, when the nurses set two very healthy little twins into the arms of astounded, and proud parents. Jarod looked down into the face of his baby girl, and could have sworn he was never more scared in his life. Andi was looking into her newborn son's face, and felt the same way.

"Names?" A nurse questioned a while later, holding a clipboard.

"Faith Andrea and Timothy Jacob." Jarod replied without pausing. He whispered softly, to the baby in his arms. "You're Faith." He leaned over to look at the boy, and added. "And you, little rascal, are Timmy."

"Welcome to the world." Andi spoke softly as well, eyes wide in awe. Jarod kissed her on the head again.

"Love you."

"I love you, too."

---

Andi was feeling well rested when they finally allowed her visitors, and the room was flooded with people. Lyle was teasing Jarod about early mornings and late nights, and not enough sleep. Emily was promising to give her tips, and help out. Margaret and Major Charles had come in, wished them well, and wandered off to see the babies through the nursery viewing glass.

Angelo and Ethan had been serious for a record seven minutes- together, whole new sides of them emerged. Jarod had aptly nicknamed the Dynamic Duo, and they were currently searching Andi's TV for something good to watch (both cheered when a certain episode of Star Trek Voyager came on- Andi froze when she caught one line of the show that echoed her doctor's own comment about mouths).

Sydney had whispered something to her in French, and received a playfully warning glare from Jarod, and was now sitting in a chair by the window, watching everything with a silent joy. Jon Rand had stopped by with Jack Ryan, but had left claiming that there was a security problem on the main floor of the hospital. Debbie had gone with Major Charles and Margaret to see Timmy and Faith, and Ben was supposedly with them.

The only two people Andi hadn't seen were Sam, and her eight year old son. Patrick was missed, but no one had really been expecting him to show up, so it wasn't a huge blow albeit a slightly painful one.

Aric Joel entered the room, shyly clutching a bouquet of flowers, several minutes later. He handed them to her, and whispered.

"Hey, Mommy. I saw Timmy and Faith. They're all red and wrinkly." Andi smiled at him, and replied that that was generally how babies looked. Jarod swung Aric Joel up into his arms, and laughed with the boy about something. Sam silently appeared by the door a brief second later, and made his way to the bed. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, then slipped Miss Parker a cold, metal object.

"You had better actually need that," He spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "They nearly kicked me out for trying to bring it up here." He straightened, and stepped back against the wall with a wink. Andi laughed, and made sure the gun safety was still on, before aiming it at Jarod.

"Wonderboy!" She barked. He whirled around, and everything in the room suddenly became still and silent. Jarod shot Sam a horrified look, and Sam simply shrugged. Lyle stepped between Jarod and the gun, the playful twinkle in her eye mirrored in his own.

"Come on, Sis. This isn't exactly the best way to tell him to use condoms, and don't you think it's a little late for that?" Andi blushed a little, but quickly recovered.

"It took someone a while to figure that out." Emily muttered, and Lyle pretended to look hurt. Andi tossed the gun, and Jarod caught in, and set it on top of the TV. The tension in the room broke, and laughter started rippling through the small crowd.

Jarod whispered something into Andi's ear, and she nodded. The whisper's subject was one they had discussed in depth for quite some time. Jarod stood, set Aric Joel down next to the bed to watch TV with Ethan and Angelo, and motioned to Sydney. Sydney stood, and met Jarod at the doorway, a questioning look on his face.

Jarod then motioned to Sam, who immediately followed them out of the room. Once in the hallway, Jarod took a deep breath.

"Andi and I have been talking about this for a while, and we're both absolutely sure about this. Sydney, we'd like you to be Timothy and Faith's Godfather." There was a speechless silence for a few minutes, as the weight of the request sunk in.

"I'm not sure what to say, Jarod." Sydney admitted, an incredulous look on his face. "Are you sure?"

"I told you we were." Jarod replied with a smile. Sydney nodded.

"Then I'd be honored." Sydney nodded, with a small bow of his head. "If you'll excuse me," He walked down the hall towards the nursery, and Jarod's eyes followed him until he was out of sight. Jarod turned to Sam, who's eyebrows were slightly raised, unsure of why he had been called out of the room as well.

"Sam, we'd like you to be AJ's Godfather." Sam's initial response was a deer-caught-in-the-headlights stare. Then, he swallowed. There was another moment of silence. Then, Aric Joel stuck his head out of the door.

"Will you say yes, already?" He demanded hopefully, eyes darting back and forth from one man to the other. Jarod attempted to scowl at the boy, but wasn't very successful.

"Sure." Sam answered with a smile. Aric Joel cheered, and nearly knocked Sam down with the force of his hug.

"Alright!" Aric Joel stepped back, and tugged on Sam's sleeve. "Come on, let's go see Timmy and Faith again." Sam nodded, but didn't move.

"I'll catch up with you, kid." Aric Joel started down the hall, and Sam turned to Jarod.

"Thanks, Labrat. For letting me know I'm trusted."

"No problem, Broom Man. No problem." Jarod clapped Sam on the back, and leaned over to whisper. "This also means Andi and I have unlimited kidsitter minutes." Sam grinned.

"You'd like to think so, wouldn't you?"

With Time

3/3

By RRP


The crying went on for five minutes before it woke Andi from a deep sleep, and she rolled over with a sigh. She looked over at the clock; the blinking numbers read just past midnight. She closed her eyes, and prayed for a brief second that the crying would stop. And by some miracle, her prayer was answered. This turn of events startled her so much that she was compelled to investigate, and make sure the twins were alright.

Jarod's spot on the bed was abandoned, but there was a simple explanation for that. After the twins turned a month old, he had gone looking for Patrick, scouting the east coast, and had said something about contacting Argyle. He had been gone for five days now, and was due back in five more.

So Andi wandered down the empty hall, bathrobe over her silk pajamas, which she could finally wear again. She ducked into the twin's room, looking into Faith's crib first. Faith was in the crib, sleeping soundly, as usual. Everything looking fine, she peered into Timmy's crib.

It was empty. Panic struck her, and she hurried out of the room. Despite the growing since of panic, she could think clearly enough to check in Aric Joel's room. The eight-year-old was snoring away, body twisted in one of the strange positions so common among young, sleeping boys.

Andi was hurrying down the stairs, when she heard a laugh from the living room, followed by a baby gurgling. She slowed, still worried, but immensely curious, and crept towards the room. She poked her head around the corner, so she would be almost invisible to anyone in the room. The sight that met her eyes made her smile, and wonder at the same time.

Sam, who had been appointed Baby Sitter Extraordinaire by Aric Joel, was sitting on the couch, Timmy in his arms. Timmy was greedily sucking on a bottle, and his eyes were locked with Sam's. Except for the sound of breathing, all other sounds were now absent from the room. Timmy was usually the twin that cooked up the most noise, and he was rarely ever quiet. Andi wasn't sure if she was witnessing a miracle, or intruding on a startling moment of revelation. So she stood, watching silently.

It could have been half-an-hour later, or a mere five minutes later, when Sam realized someone else was there, and looked up. His met her gaze, and a mix of emotions fluttered across his face. Andi tiptoed across the room, trying not to disturb the almost sleeping Timmy. Sam wordlessly slid over on the sofa, allowing her to sit down.

"My window was open, and I heard him crying. I didn't want you to have to get up." Sam whispered, looking back down into Timmy's half-shut eyes. Andi joined him in the sport of watching Timmy struggle to stay awake.

"Thanks." Was her answer. Timmy finally lost the battle, and he squirmed as he fell asleep. Andi brushed back a stray lock of her hair, and smiled at her youngest son. "How'd you keep him so quiet?"

"I dunno." Sam whispered back. There was a pause, then Sam added. "He reminds me of Justin." Andi's mouth twisted into a frown, not recognizing the name.

"Who?"

"Justin." Sam repeated, looking up at her with a sad smile. "Little J. Vin." Sam's eyes darkened with memory, and he went on in a low, quiet voice. "Where I grew up, girlfriends were a status symbol. Things didn't always go as planned, though. When I was sixteen, my girlfriend got pregnant. When I was seventeen, I became a father. We named him Justin Vincent."

"What happened?" Andi asked, sensing that there was more to the story. Sam looked back down at Timmy, before continuing.

"Caley, my girlfriend, had always been wild. One night, when Justin was eight months old, I went to the store to grab some things and was gone longer than I expected. Caley and her friends got drunk, and she dropped Justin off the second story balcony. He died the next day, due to excessive brain damage."

"Oh, god..." Andi's hand flew to her mouth. Sam sighed, and continued watching Timmy sleep. "I had no idea." Sam turned to her once more, and smiled uneasily.

"I've never really told anyone since I left Chicago. No need to." Andi nodding, understanding the unspoken request.

"It'll stay with me, Sam."

"Thanks." The relief in his eyes was evident. "You wanna put him to bed?" She nodded, and extended her arms to take Timmy.

"I should. You want some coffee, or are you just going to go to bed?"

"No thanks. I think I'll just catch some sleep." Sam yawned, and stood the same time she did. Timmy stretched a tiny fist, and both Andi and Sam froze, releasing grateful lungs of air when Timmy stayed asleep.

"Night, Sam."

"Night, Andi." Andi turned towards the stairs, and Sam left the main house for the garage apartment, pulling the door closed behind him. Andi climbed up the stairs, and into the twin's room. She set Timmy down, and watched both of her babies sleep, simply being thankful for their existence.

Faith was the quiet one, always ready to let anyone hold her, and she rarely cried. Timmy was the noise maker- he didn't seem upset, he just loved to make noise. It was unusual for anyone but Jarod or Andi to be able to hold him. Aric Joel loved both of them to death, and spent a lot of time asking questions about them. He wanted to know everything about babies, how to make a bottle, how to hold it when he fed them, how to change a diaper.

Jarod loved the twins, and was always holding one of them when he was home. Andi suspected that Timmy was crying even more, simply because he missed his Daddy. Jarod had gone to find Patrick, and Andi had let him go with an understanding heart- both of them felt the absence of their eldest son as a great gap.

Despite that fact, it was truly one of the best summers of Andi's life. Filled with the twins, Aric Joel, Lyle, Emily, and their kids, there was never a dull moment. From trips to the park, to campouts (the twins stayed inside with an adult, of course) and lazy, rainy afternoons spent inside with lemonade, books and movies.

Andi could hardly believe it had been an entire year since she had refound Lyle. Each of the kids had celebrated a birthday, Aric Joel moving up to eight, Charlie to seven, Maddy to six, Cat to five, and Spider was a nearly unbelievable four. Everyone seemed to be adjusting well, finally able to accept the fact that the Centre was indeed gone. She didn't believe they would ever stop looking over their shoulders, or studying the occupants with immense concern when a Lincoln passed by on the street, but the real threat was gone.

Andi was about to turn around, and go back to her room, when the sound of a car pulling into the driveway startled her. She walked over to the window, and her eyes widened in surprise. She flew back down the stairs, and opened the door just as Jarod was reaching for the handle. He blinked in surprise, then pulled her into a hug.

"I thought you weren't coming back for another five days." She murmured in his ear. He shrugged, and grinned as she stepped back.

"I couldn't stay away. I missed you, and AJ and the twins. What are you still doing up?"

"Timmy was awake." She replied simply. He stepped inside the house, but didn't close the door. A warm breeze drifted into the house, wifts of summer on it's wing. "Well, are you tired?"

"Are you kidding?" Jarod laughed. "I drank four espressos just to stay awake." Andi noticed his awkward fidgeting, and grinned.

"Go on, use the bathroom, Wonderboy. I'll get some iced tea and we can sit out on the porch." Jarod nodded, and rushed past her with a relieved grin gracing his face. Andi laughed, and pushed the door near-closed, going next into the kitchen. As she pulled two glasses out of the cabinet, and the tea out of the fridge, her thoughts wondered again.

When Jarod returned from the bathroom, she was ready and waiting by the door with two tall glasses. She handed him one, and together they walked out and sat down on the porch swing, his arm around her shoulders.

"Comfy?" Jarod asked. She nodded.

"Very. What did you find?"

"Nothing much. Even what I found I'm not sure about."

"Hmm. I wonder where he went."

"Me too." Jarod answered. "I'll keep looking. How have the twins been?"

"Good. A little noisier, without you, but good."

"AJ?"

"He missed you, but he's still thrilled about being a big brother." Andi said with a smile. They sat in silence, enjoying each other's company, for a while before Andi mused. "It's so hard to believe that just over a year ago, we would have never thought we'd be here, together like this."

"Yeah. I just glad we found out it was possible." Jarod responded heartily.

"I guess anything's possible with time." Andi's last musing seemed to end the conversation, and they simply sat together, in silence as before, until Andi drifted off to dream land against Jarod's shoulder. He noticed after a few minutes, and nudged her.

"Come on. Bed." She mumbled, and stood up yawning. Jarod grabbed her glass, and his, and took them to the kitchen as she trudged up the stairs. Timmy began crying again, and he heard her mumble something about decent quiet, and he couldn't help laughing.

"I'll get him, Andi." He called up after her, taking the stairs two at a time to get Timmy.

---

Aric Joel sat in the back of the van, next to the window. Charlie was sitting next to him, and Spider next to Charlie. The twins were in car seats in the middle row, and Jarod was leaning over the wheel while Andi studied a map. Aric Joel twisted around so he could see behind them, to Lyle and Emily's van, Maddy and Cat inside with Ethan and Angelo.

Daddy had called it a vacation, Mommy called it a word that Aric Joel wasn't allowed to say. The twins were finally asleep, and Spider was sleeping soundly as well. Charlie was looking at a book, and Aric Joel was simply being hungry.

They were looking for somewhere to eat before checking in at a hotel. They weren't, in truth, that far from home- just Washington, D.C. The trip had been planned for Jarod and Lyle to wrap up some final things at Jon Rand's office, and everyone else to see the Smithsonian museums.

"There. That looks nice. "Andi was pointing to a small bookstore with a cafe, the newer wooden sign proudly proclaiming, 'The Lonely Latte'. "We'll have to stop there later." Jarod nodded, and continued down the street.

Aric Joel sighed with relief when Jarod finally pulled into the parking lot of Denny's a block away from the bookstore, and was unbuckled before car even stopped. Charlie dropped the book, and shook Spider awake. Andi turned around, and put a finger to her lips.

"Don't wake up the twins." She mouthed, and they nodded, motions slowing as they struggled to stay quiet. Jarod opened the door, and the three boys piled out of the back, stretched their limbs gratefully. Spider ran over to Lyle, and was immediately swung up into his father's arms.

Aric Joel watched his parents talk in low tones, and then talk to the other adults. Jarod took Aric Joel's hand after a couple minutes, and Charlie's hand with the other. Cat was being clingy with Ethan, and was clutching her young Uncle's hand, while Maddy quietly stood with her small hand in Angelo's larger one. Spider was in Lyle's arm, and Jarod grabbed Charlie's hand. Aric Joel looked up at his dad, questioning look on his face.

"What about the twins?"

"Your Mom and Aunt Emily are going to go back to that bookstore we saw, and get some sandwiches there instead. They're taking the twins with them."

"It'll be quieter there." Aric Joel deduced with a nod. Jarod looked down at him with a lopsided grin.

"Yeah."

Emily picked up Timmy's car seat, being careful not to jar the sleeping baby, and Andi unstrapped Faith's seat. Together, the two women started back down the sidewalk towards the bookstore as the guys took the kids into Denny's.

"Real coffee, and books." Emily commented, stressing the 'and'. Andi nodded with a small laugh, and Emily grinned. "I only fear what the men are going to give to the kids. Knowing Jarod, they'll probably get double servings of ice cream."

"If so, then they get to put the kids to bed." Andi returned.

"Or try to," Emily said in reply. Both ladies smiled at each other, the wisdom of experienced moms in their eyes, glinting mischievously. They entered the bookstore a few minutes later, looking around and taking in the modern, well decorated room. The walls were painted a brass, copper color, complimented by sleek, high black tables and stools. Framed pictures of various coffee oriented paintings covered the walls, and one side of the room was full of oak shelving, packed full of books. A small children's section was in the far corner, with small chairs and benches- complete with it's own shelf of books.

Andi walked over to the counter, Emily next to her, and they both set the child-carriers down on the floor next to them as they studied the menu. A door closed in the back, and a man backed up from the employee door, into the counter enclosed area. He spun around, and froze.

Andi froze as well, and they stared at each other for a full sixty seconds before she could speak.

"Patrick?" She exclaimed, at the same time he sputtered, "Andi!"

"How'd you find me?" He demanded.

"By accident!" She replied defensively. There was another moment of silence, then the door to the shop opened with a tinkling of bells. Andi turned briefly, to glance and see who had intruded upon her moment of reunion. Angelo stood there, looking at them and breathing hard as if he had been running.

"I felt..." He seemed at a loss for words. He shook his head, then started again. "I knew something was happening."

"Out." The word was snapped, and held unmistakable anger in it. "Out." Patrick growled again when they didn't move. Then, Angelo moved, but not towards the door. He flipped the counter piece up, and joined Patrick behind the counter. Andi and Emily watched in speechless silence, wincing as the sound of slap echoed in the small store. Patrick held the left side of his face, and glared at Patrick.

"It wasn't them who lied to you, so stop blaming and punishing them for it." Angelo said evenly, though his hands were trembling. Patrick glanced over at Andi and Emily, who were watching him with wide eyes. He took a deep breath, and straightened.

"I'm sorry. What would you like?" He asked.

"I wanted a latte, but I think I'm okay with Dennys now. Join us?" Andi spoke, struggling to keep the tremor out of her voice. Patrick looked at the door, around the empty shop, and nodded.

"I can close early today. Give me five minutes." Andi picked up Faith's carrier, and led the way outside, Angelo and Emily following. All three adults inhaled shuddering breaths once outside on the sidewalk, faces drained of any color at all. The twins had miraculously slept through the whole thing, and were still asleep. Patrick joined them five minutes later, as promised, and they began walking to Dennys.

"Patrick!" A voice exclaimed from behind them, and Patrick whirled around to face a man a bit older than himself, who stood looking at the 'CLOSED' sign on the door of 'The Lonely Latte'. "You opening again tonight?"

"Probably not, Gregory. I'll be open tomorrow."

"Ah, well. I'll bring the guys by then, instead." Gregory turned and walked away, and they continued towards Dennys, Patrick not offering an explanation.

They walked into Dennys holding their breath, and the table that seated Ethan, Jarod, Lyle and the kids, noticed them standing there, and slowly froze. The rest of the restaurant noticed that something important was going on, and all talk and chatter stopped. All eyes were locked on the group, waiting for something to happen.

It was Jarod who moved first. He backed his chair away from the table, and walked over in front of Patrick. Patrick started to speak, an apology of some sort, suddenly guilty and feeling as if he had committed a horrible sin- but Jarod pulled him into a tight hug. Patrick hesitated, then returned the hug, unchecked tears slipping down his face.

"Welcome back, Patrick." Jarod whispered, voice raw with emotion.

"I'm sorry, Dad." Was the tearful response. Jarod pulled away, and offered Patrick a seat. Patrick accepted it, and seats were found for Emily and Andi, as Angelo returned to his original seat. The crowd returned to their meals, although a few were wiping away tears.

---

James Frank was one of those few that had proved you didn't have to be a genius to pretend- simply a good actor. And based on recent opinion, he could act pretty damn well. Which is what he was trying to explain in one of the many reports he had to fill out. He leaned back in his chair, the only person left in the now-quiet office.

His computer had already gone to screensaver, and one of the double double lattes he was infamous for was growing cold. He was struggling to find a way to put onto paper exactly what he had done, and what he had witnessed. He had gone in on an undercover mission, nothing more. It had become his life for nearly nine years.

Frank had everything covered, from the nice up style apartment to the unlisted phone number. The business cards with 'Cox' on them, and the fancy car registered to a one R.S. Cox. The clothes, the sunglasses, the attitude. He had at some times, nearly lost himself in becoming his character.

He had blown up cabins, kidnapped people, been known in the undercurrent as the 'Executioner'. Frank himself hadn't thought it was very funny, but Jon Rand had relayed in no uncertain terms that he had barely managed to look horrified and not burst out laughing when they had gotten the 'message' from Jarod.

Frank mused that, in a way, he hadn't always been acting. He really was a quiet, take charge when needed, kinda guy. The accent was real; he had grown up in London with a Special Service American Ambassador for a father. He enjoyed finer foods, and expensive clothes.

He sighed, and dropped his head on the desk with a thud. There was a soft moan, as it occurred to him that meeting a solid object with such force was bound to cause a slight amount of discomfort. But he didn't move, instead letting his forehead rest on the cool surface. The phone rang, and he growled as he snatched it up.

"Hello?"

"Is Agent Rand there?"

"No. This is Agent Frank. Is there a problem?" Frank replied a bit snappily, tone cool and crisp. There was a pause.

"Well, um...can you get a hold of him?"

"Later. What's the message?"

"It appears that...um, well...Mr. Parker and some others escaped in transit."

"What?" Frank was instantly alert and worried- as well as astounded and angry.

"We just got the news. Can you please tell Agent Rand? We've got an ATPB out on them, but no one thinks we'll have much success."

"You'd better find them, and fast." Frank growled, hanging up the phone. He glanced at the clock, rolled his eyes, then dialed Jon Rand's number. As soon as there was an answer, he sighed.

"Rand, we've got a problem."

---

Jarod paced in the living room, occasionally casting a glance at Aric Joel, Andi, and the twins, who were sitting on the couch. Well, Andi and Aric Joel were sitting. Faith was asleep on a blanket, and Andi had Timmy against her shoulder. Faith started fussing, and Jarod picked her up, and sat down on the couch.

They sat in absolute silence for several minutes, before Andi spoke.

"Where do they think he's headed?"

"Africa." Was Jarod's reply. "We don't know how much power he still has, so we've got to be extra careful for a while."

"Meanwhile, it's ridiculous for us to just sit here." Andi stood up, and readjusted Timmy. "Come on, AJ. Bedtime." The little boy moaned, and shuffled after her. Jarod followed with Faith a bit more slowly.

They had gotten a phone call from Jon Rand less than twenty minutes ago, and Jarod had immediately assembled everyone on the couch. There was nothing really to say, so he had simply paced. Now, his actions seemed silly. He had just panicked. Over-reacted. He couldn't ever remember panicking before, but he had never had children before. Jon Rand said he had called Patrick with the news, and that Jarod's eldest son was okay, fine, and surrounded by people. By what Rand had said, Jarod had gathered there was some type of party at the bookstore cafe Patrick owned.

Jarod set Faith in her crib, and turned to leave the room. Out in the hall, he heard a little voice, and smiled.

"Daddy? Can you tuck me in?" Aric Joel stood in his doorway, leaning on one foot, and then the other. Jarod nodded, and held out his arms. Aric Joel ran into the open, welcoming arms and hugged Jarod, clinging tightly to his father's neck as they entered Aric Joel's room.

Once snuggled safely under the covers, Aric Joel peered up with sleepy eyes at Jarod, who perched on the edge of the bed. Andi appeared at the door, and smiled at them.

"Come on, you two." She spoke softly, and motioned to them. Jarod and Aric Joel gave her identical looks of confusion, and she grinned. "Just come." So Jarod stood, and Aric Joel wriggled out from beneath the covers he had just slid under. They followed her to the bedroom she shared with Jarod, and she climbed into bed. She patted the covers next to her, and spoke. "Come on, AJ. We'll sandwich tonight."

Aric Joel grinned, and hopped into the bed. Jarod climbed into the bed on his customary side, Aric Joel effectively tucked in between them. And together, they all fell asleep.

---

Lyle held the warm cup of tea in his hands, and watched the still night sky. The canvas black of the night was splattered with drops of silver starry paint, forming patterns and shapes barely discernable to the human eye. Crickets chirruped and the wind whistled through the trees, creating a harmonic near-silence.

The door behind him creaked open, and he didn't have to turn to know it was Emily, but he turned all the same. She sat next to him on the top porch step, and looked up at the stars before questioning,

"You couldn't sleep either?" He shook his head, and handed her the cup of tea. She took a sip and let it warm her hands before handing it back to him. A brief second later, Lyle felt her set her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not sure what to think, Em. Every time I think it's over, it seems like the beginning again."

"I guess this is what they call the middle." She replied humorously. He grinned at her, then looked back to the sky.

"I don't think they'll bother with us anymore. We've all caused too much trouble for Africa to care. And they know we've got the FBI all over us."

"You think so? I hope you're right." Emily sighed, and deftly took the cup of tea again.

"I dunno. Maybe it is just the beginning." Lyle mused, watching her sip his tea. "Then again, maybe it's the end. I guess we'll know with time."

"It can't be the beginning. We've already been through so much. And I have a feeling that it's not the end." Emily returned the nearly empty cup of tea, and looked at him earnestly. He gave her the same studying gaze, and then pulled her into a familiar hug, her head resting once again on his shoulder. Lyle used his free arm to raise the cup of tea to the sky.

"To the middle."

"To the middle." Emily echoed. "May it be safer than the beginning."

"Indeed." Lyle nodded. "Indeed."

---

Mr. Parker strode down the hall of a huge building in Africa, stopping at a glass window, looking into a room. The African next to him motioned to the occupant of the room, and spoke, no emotion whatsoever in his voice.

"He's been doing well."

"Good." Mr. Parker replied sharply.

Within the room, a baby kicked at the air and cried out.

Mr. Parker smiled sardonically. There was no way to stop him, or the Triumvirate, the Tower, or the Centre. The legacy lived on.

It was merely the beginning.