Disclaimer: Jarod, Parker, Broots...Own them? I wish! That ingeniusness goes to NBC, though. Also, the song's by Sarah MacLauchlan. Thanx for not suing.


History Repeats, Love Endures
Part I
by Oriana Lemke


1/7

The Centre
Blue Cove, DE

A small child sat on the small gray cot, staring blankly at the drab stone walls. The young girl's blue eyes were reddened from crying, and her one-shiny blonde hair now hung limply. She wanted to cry, to yell, to beg to see her mommy and daddy, but she was simply too weak. They had been doing those awful tests on her again--it seemed like each day grew longer and longer.

A thin smile appeared on the child's face as she heard a familiar scraping in the air vent above her. When a man crawled out of the vent into her cell, the smile grew into a large grin. Giggling, she eagerly hugged Angelo.

~~~~~~~~~

Sydney and Broots stood chatting in his office. They both were laughing at some joke, but the familiar sound of heels clicking wiped the smiles off their faces. The door opened, and Miss Parker entered the office. Knowing what his boss would want, Broots automatically reached for box wrapped in brown paper.

"Another gift, another chance for him to rub it in my face that he got away. Again," Miss Parker muttered. She snatched the package from the balding man, impatiently undoing the wrapping. Empty.

"What kind of moronic joke is this?"

"What's inside?" Broots asked, reaching for the box. Parker grabbed the box off the desk and threw it at Broots, but missed entirely. Somehow, this just made things worse.

"Why in the hell would Wonder Boy send us an empty box?!"

"Calm down, Miss Parker. You know Jarod--he'll put clues anywhere. My guess would be the box is our clue." Sydney had a point, as usual.

"Broots, find out whatever the hell you can on the box." Parker ordered. Broots nodded agreement, and walked out. Parker leaned against Sydney's desk, and began to rub her temples. It was obvious that this was just going to be one of those days.

~~~~~~~~~

The little girl sat in the middle of her cot, staring forlornly at the air vent. She wished Angelo didn't always have to go so quickly. At least this time he had brought her a gift. The girl looked down at the small box in her hands--she could already read, but the little cartoon boy and dog on the front were familiar enough. Cracker Jacks were her favorite snack.

She turned around on the small bed, so that her back was to the door and camera, and opened the box. She was greeted by the scent of the food, but ignored it and immediately started to dig for the prize. She always looked for her prize before eating. After a moment, her small hand came upon the feel of paper, and she lifted out the tiny package. A small lump was visible in the middle, and the girl eagerly tore off the top of the papery envelope. Inside was a thin gold metal ring, with a plastic crystal-looking heart attached. Her face lighted up at her new treasure.

As she looked at her ring, the girl began to hear a low buzzing in her ears. Confused, she looked around. Her vision started to blur and she felt even weaker than before. She tried to stand, and immediately fell to the floor, unconscious.

~~~~~~~~~

Her headache refused to go away. Miss Parker sat in her office with every light off, but she still couldn't shake the pain. Parker's doctor had given her some pills to help with these ridiculous migraines, but she'd downed the last of them just last night, while finishing up some work at home.

Miss Parker vaguely recalled a bottle of aspirin in her desk, and eagerly reached for the top drawer. Compared to the meds she was used to, aspirin seemed a little primitive, but at this point she really didn't care. Unwilling to suffer the increased pain that came with lights, Parker opted to grope around the drawer blindly instead. She soon had a grasp on the plastic container, and lifted it out. The moment she felt the light weight of the bottle, she knew she was doomed. Sure enough, no sound came when Miss Parker shook the bottle.

"For the love of..." Sighing in self-pity, Parker pushed herself away from the desk and headed for the door. They did, after all, have an infirmary at the Centre, and this was an emergency, as far as she was concerned.

~~~~~~~~~

The surgical room was alive with sound. A dozen doctors were busy hooking up machines and shouting orders. At the center of their attention was a small blonde child lying on an examination table.

For a moment, she managed to open her eyes. She was very tired, and people were running around. It was confusing. She was too tired to try to comprehend what was happening. Holding her eyes open made her feel even weaker. She was just so tired...

"We're losing her!" The heart monitored began its shrill warning, and the doctors began to swarm around her.

~~~~~~~~~

Miss Parker made her way into the infirmary, ready to shoot out the glaring ceiling lights. Looking around, the place seemed deserted, but at this point Parker didn't feel like dealing with some imbecile doctor, so it didn't really matter. She headed straight to the back, in search of relief for her migraine.

She had just spotted a glass cabinet of small boxes and bottles when a man dressed in hospital scrubs came speeding out of a nearby door, nearly knocking Parker down. He raced on, oblivious of the near-collision, and quickly touched the code into a panel next to a set of tinted glass doors. They slowly slid apart, as the doctor impatiently squeezed through. Before she even realized what she was doing, Parker ran through the doors just before they closed. She stood, in shock from the scene she faced and unable to say a word. All color drained from her face.

Half a dozen monitors were blaring, while doctors ran around, filling syringes and screaming orders to each other.

What had caught Parker's eye was the patient. Lying limply on the surgical table was a small girl, no older than five. Her face was flushed, and her moist hair stuck to her face. The tubes and wires stuck to her made Parker sick. She had no idea how long she stood there, just staring in disbelief. The same question was running through her mind over and over: What was a child doing here, so close to death? The answer flew through her head once, but just once, before she pushed it away, because she wouldn't -couldn't- believe that the even the Centre was capable of such evil.

For the first time since her mother's death, Parker was faced with a situation she knew she couldn't handle. She stared at the poor girl as tears welled. Unable to take anymore, Parker ran out, through the infirmary and into the elevator. As the doors closed behind her, Parker clutched her hands, bit her lip and pushed away the tears. She had to stay in control. She had to.

~~~~~~~~~

With childlike curiousity, Jarod looked eagerly into the candy shop window. The scent of fudge was like a magnet, and his brown eyes reflected the colorful display of lollipops and hard candy. At first, not even the promise of prowling the counters was enough to tear Jarod away the window. Then, he spotted the bin of PEZ dispensers...

That night, Jarod lay on his bed, eagerly sampling the different sugary treats he'd bought at the candy store. The TV was on, now tuned into the news. The reporter was standing outside an abandoned warehouse, filling viewers in on what had occurred earlier that day.

"...no one has step forward, Dr. Hillen claims he was forced into his confession, which was recorded and sent to the police. As we mentioned earlier, the warehouse where Dr. Hillen had allegedly killed his partner from the medical center, is the building behind us. Dr. Aheim, who found out about the falsified birth records being stored here, left behind a wife and two young children. It's unlikely Dr. Hillen will have the option of bail..." A proud grin spread across Jarod's face, and he triumphantly bit off half of a Twinkie. He gave one last look to the red notebook on the bedside table, then reached for the remote control. "Channel surfing," as he had learned to term it, had become one of Jarod's favorite activities. It never ceased to amaze him the number of different shows one could find on any given night.

"And now, back to our "I Love Lucy" marathon." With a feeling of satisfaction, Jarod relaxed, ready for a night of junk food and red-headed antics.

~~~~~~~~

Miss Parker glanced to the grandfather clock in her living room, and glared at the time. It was nearly one o'clock, and she still couldn't bring herself to go up to bed, despite how weary she was. The thought of sleeping... the dreams, nightmares really, she knew would come... grimacing, Parker reached for the silver cigarette case always within reach. She lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag, allowing the the calming effect of the nicotine to settle her nerves. After a few more inhales, she smashed the remains into an ashtray, and reluctantly got up from the couch. Miss Parker walked to her room, grateful for the numbness that came with sleepiness. At this point, the less she thought, the better.

The empty peace of mind didn't last long. The dream came, like it did every night.

She was a young again, and in the Centre. Her ears stung from the loud gunshot. Mama was dead.. .there was blood, she was screaming, and were men pulling her away. She could hear Jarod somewhere, yelling at someone to let him go... Daddy's voice was echoing, coming down on her like a death sentence, "It's time for my angel to shine."...Flashes of memories...

Tonight, however, the nightmare didn't end there.

Parker stood in the surgical room, now so hollow without the doctors and noise and chaos. The little girl was there, her face no longer flushed with fever. She was crying, though, and looking to Parker for help...then silence, suddenly pierced by the sound of a heart monitor flatlining.

She woke up with a start. The sheets were twisted around her legs, and her body was covered in a cold sweat. Throwing back the covers, Miss Parker went to her closet, taking out the first outfit her hand came upon.

Ten minutes later, at three in the morning, Parker was on the road, driving to the Centre

~~~~~~~~~

There was no sign of the girl. Miss Parker had looked through a dozen rooms, but each was as empty of life as the last. What was she doing here at this time of night?

"I'm getting as nuts as Jarod," she muttered. Nonetheless, she continued down the hall, the clicking of her heels echoing down the hall. Soon, her eyes caught a small sliver of light outside of a closed door up ahead to her left. Parker sped up but, reaching the door, she hesitated. Once she walked through that door, Parker knew she would become involved in whatever new terror the Centre had dreamed up. Holding her breath, she turned the knob, pushed open the door and walked inside.

The room was lighted by a small lamp, placed next to the hospital bed. A small form was visible under the blanket. The only sound was the periodic beeping of the monitor next to the bed. Parker stood next to the bed for a moment, trying to fight her conscience. Finally, she slowly and carefully pulled back the blanket a few inches, revealing the rest of a face Parker recognized instantly.

A small moan escaped the child's lips as her sleep was disturbed. Blonde bangs were still pasted to her forehead and her lips were chapped, but her face had settled from red to a light pink. Parker was relieved to see that the girl was better, if only a little. She felt unsure of what to do, but anything seemed better than just standing there, so she knelt down beside the bed. It turned out to be a difficult balancing task with her heels, so Parker impatiently slipped off the shoes. For a moment, she just watched the girl sleep, then reached for the tiny hand with a looked of uncertainty. The small hand was warm to the touch and locked in a tight fist. Miss Parker felt tears rising in her eyes again, but forced them back. This wasn't the time to lose control.

The girl slowly opened her eyes. A pretty lady was next to her. Her hand felt soft and cool. The girl managed a small smile. Miss Parker's eyes met the child's, and she smiled back.

"Hi," Miss Parker whispered. The girl didn't respond, but Parker hadn't expected her to. As sick as this poor girl was, even waking up seemed miraculous.

Disclaimer: Jarod, Parker, Broots...Own them? I wish! That ingeniusness goes to NBC, though. Also, the song's by Sarah MacLauchlan. Thanx for not suing.


History Repeats, Love Endures
Part II
by Oriana Lemke


2/7


She felt so happy, so peaceful. She was sitting in the sand, with her eyes closed and her alert ears echoing the calming lap of the ocean. She had rested her head on someone's shoulder...she felt her hand being clasped by the person next to her, and their fingers entwined. She released a small sigh of contentment...

"M-Miss Parker?" someone whispered nervously.

She lifted her head off the shoulder...

"Miss Parker, y-you really need to w-wake up," Broots was practically begging. He needed to wake her up, but he was certain that shaking Miss Parker awake was a suicide mission--even if you succeeded, you were gonna get hurt.

She opened her eyes to see who this man was. Who it was offering her such a feeling of love and strength...

Already wincing at the pain he knew he was about to endure, Broots reached out a hesitant hand, and shook Parker's shoulder.

Snapping awake, Miss Parker fought down the momentary sense of alarm she felt--this definitely was not her bedroom. Soon, however, the memories of what she had done that night -or rather, early morning- came to her. Looking around, Parker soon realized that she was still in the room of that little girl, who was sleeping peacefully. Now aware of where she was, Parker could feel anger and annoyment rush over her--of all the dreams to miss...

"I'm s-sorry to wake you up, Miss Parker, but this probably isn't a place you should be." Broots said from behind Parker. She felt indignant at once, but when she turned to look at him, Parker noted the concerned look on his face and found herself deciding whether to snap at him for telling her where she could and could not go, or thank him for retrieving her from an area she had no business in, before she was caught. Not liking either choice, Parker opted for the best emotionless look she could muster.

"I'll be out in a minute," Parker replied coolly, turning back to the girl before Broots could answer. He walked out to wait for her in the hall, but couldn't resisting peaking back inside. He grinned at what he saw: Miss Parker was tucking the covers in around the girl and smiling lightly. Broots knew that smile well enough; it was the same one he had on his face whenever he tucked Debbie in for the night. Closing the door to give them some privacy, Broots was still grinning; maybe Jarod wasn't the only seeing that the Ice Queen had a heart of gold.

~~~~~~~~~

"So how did you know where I was, Broots?"

"Melanie," Broots answered simply. They were standing in Miss Parker's office, waiting for Sydney.

"Melanie? In Security?" Parker knew Broots had a thing for the petite redhead. She hadn't known the feeling was mutual.

"Well, yeah, you know...s-she was just being helpful. She spotted you on one of the cameras, asleep next to that girl, and called me. I'd say you were only out an hour by the time I got here." Broots avoided Parker's unwavering gaze; she hadn't even said thank you, but instead brushed past him and gone home. Now here she was, during business hours, finally asking for an explanation. Parker opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off from Syd hurrying into the room.

"We've got a lead on Jarod."

~~~~~~~~~

"The box was produced here, about 3 years. The company boomed, and bought a larger warehouse. More recently, this building was part of a very interesting investigation centering around a doctor falsifying records. Needless to say, it didn't take a genius to realize that the doctor's apprehension was due to Jarod." As Syd finished his thorough report, Miss Parker continued to snoop around the office they stood in. Everything seemed to be as it should be for a place abandoned three years ago. In fact, if it weren't for the red notebook lying on the floor next to a pile of empty candy wrappers, Parker would be snorting about yet another false lead in a long series of dead ends.

Parker knelt down and picked up the red notebook. Flipping it open, she was greeted by the usual collection of newspaper clippings. As she flipped through the articles with a look of infinite boredom, something fell from the notebook and fell soundlessly to the floor. Her interest piqued, Parker reached down and plucked up what turned out to be a photo. It showed an older nurse holding a young girl. Parker's eyes narrowed as she looked closer at the girl, but soon grew wide in recognition. It was the same blond child now in a recovery unit inside the Centre. Turning the photograph around, Parker found a short message written in Jarod's familiar penmanship:
Thanks to the Centre security cams, I see that you've met my little friend.
She was stolen from her parents a year ago. Angello's been keeping her company.
Her name is Emily. I thought you might want a permanent keepsake of her.
At this rate, she'll die soon.

Parker felt her heart clench. She knew that Jarod was right, Emily wouldn't make it much longer. Glancing up, Parker noted that Syd still had his back to her, and Broots was still in another room. Quietly, Parker tucked the photo into the inside pocket of her form-fitting black business jacket. The photo wasn't really necessary, Parker knew, but she had this strong need to keep some piece of Emily near her.

~~~~~~~~~

"Syd, we need to talk." It was late, and only a few dimmed lights illuminated the inside of one of the Centre's private jets. Broots was curled up, fast asleep and softly snoring. Sydney had been typing something up on his laptop, while Parker looked out her window without really noticing the clouds or stars. The words had popped out of her mouth before even Parker knew what she was doing. Still, once the words were out, the urge she felt to talk to Syd about this overwhelmed her. Sydney glanced up, and politely awaited whatever was on Miss Parker's mind.

"What do you know about the Endeavor project?" It was blunt, and straight to the point. After all, at this point it wasn't a question of if, but how much Syd knew. All projects that included child experimentation had him involved in some way. A look of mild surprise came across his face, but lasted only a second. Of course Miss Parker would know something about the Endeavor project. Even in a place like the Centre, rumors were bound to start, and Parker was a great investigator. It was one of the many things that made up the strong woman he was so proud of.

"What would you like to know?"

"I know that it's started. It's not just a proposal anymore. And I know that at least one innocent child is being hurt because of it," Parker could hear the anger in her own voice, but didn't care. "What is the Endeavor project, Syd? What are they trying to accomplish?" Sighing, Sydney typed a few commands on his laptop, and turned the computer so that the screen was facing Parker. The light of the machine cast an eerie glow across her face, and accented ever angle of her face. As Parker read on, Syd could see her face change from disgust to anger. It was the exact look Parker had worn upon learning that Brigitte was going to marry her father.

"I've got to get Emily out of there." Sydney looked at Parker with a look of shock and concern. How could she know about Emily? And what did she mean, get Emily out?

"Miss Parker-" Sydney started gently.

"I'm getting her out, Syd. Either help me, or stay the hell out of my way."

"Even if he won't, I will." Broots volunteered quietly. Parker and Sydney glanced over to the man who had just spoken. "You'd be surprised, the kind of stuff that comes across my desk sometimes. I read the original proposal when it first came up. I didn't think even the Centre was capable of such a thing. I mean, everyone's got limits, right? But here we are. What they're doing is wrong. It makes me sick. I'll do whatever it takes to help get her out of that place."

~~~~~~~~~

It had been two in the morning when they arrived back in Blue Cove. After quietly agreeing to meet at her place at seven the next night to discuss their plan of action, everyone had gone their separate ways.

Miss Parker sat on her couch, wearing silk pajamas and staring at the photo of Emily. There was a small, but determined, voice in the back of her head still insisting that she ignore this whole mess, and just go on with her so-called life. Her mind was made up though. Parker knew firsthand what it was like to grow up in the Centre.

"I'll be damned if I'll let them raise you like they tried to raise me," she whispered to the photograph.

"At least one of us is able to hope that she'll live long enough for them to raise her." The dry comment, hinting at anger, startled Parker, but her well-trained mind forbid her to jump or shriek. Instead she simply turned her head towards Jarod's voice. He stood in the shadows in a corner of her living room, calmly regarding Parker while noting with interest that she didn't reach for her gun.

Miss Parker stood and walked over to Jarod, stopping only a foot or so away. She looked him straight in the eye, and as Jarod met her gaze he saw in those blue eyes -somehow not as icy anymore- the intelligence and vehemence he remembered so clearly from their shared childhood moments. She only stared for a moment, obviously debating whether this was even a safe idea, telling him their plans. The voice at the back of her head was screaming, 'Are you insane?! Go for your gun, take him down, do your duty and get your freedom!!'

Despite the mental turmoil, she spoke, her voice much more steady than she felt. Even as the words came out, Parker was impressing herself at their smooth flow, each word certain and determined, but obviously spoken with care: "The Endeavor Project is headed by Mr. Raines. A scientist in England, Dr. Hewllin, was paid millions to find a way to change a child without as many genetic requirements into a Pretender. He succeeded. All information, research and such, is kept in SL26 at the Centre. As long as the child is no older than four when they start, it's believed to work without a glitch. The procedure is expensive and takes three years to form a full-fledged Pretender. Or so they think. Emily is the first human test subject. She's four, and gone through a year so far at the Centre. She handled it well until about two months ago, when they increased the speed of the procedure. Mr. Raines got impatient, and wanted results sooner. Mentally, speeding it up worked at first--she went from understanding Mrs. PiggleWiggle to reading Moby Dick in a week. Physically, though, it was too much of a strain. At-" Parker's voice tightened a little, but she forced herself to go on. "At 4:30 Thursday, Emily lost consciousness in her cell. She was rushed to the infirmary, where they confirmed that she was suffering from brain inflamation and heart failure. Mr. Raines inten-" Her voice choked for a moment with unshed tears, but she pushed herself to speak. "He intends to continue the procedure with Emily, despite reports from the doctors and scientists that continuing will mean that she'll die within a matter of days." Despite her control, a single warm tear slid down her cheek.

"I know," Jarod whispered. He was just as pained as she was, but he could tell how difficult it was for her to accept this side of the Centre, a place she had been taught to protect. He would have to be strong for them both. They had been separated as children, forced to become enemies, but right now all that was important was helping Emily. Together. They were stronger as a group of four, then as two separate rescue missions.

"We will get her out of there," Parker insisted softly. She sounded certain, but her blue eyes were silently imploring Jarod to promise her that it was true.

"Yes. We're going to free her. Together. I swear it. We will succeed."

They stood staring, finding silent comfort in each other's gaze. Each offering the other refuge. They stood there in the shadows, the hunter and her prey.

Disclaimer: Jarod, Parker, Broots...Own them? I wish! That ingeniusness goes to NBC, though. Also, the song's by Sarah MacLauchlan. Thanx for not suing.


History Repeats, Love Endures
Part III
by Oriana Lemke


3/7


It was no wonder her father called her Angel.

She slept, tucked under warm covers with her head rested lightly on a pillow... absolutely amazing. Her soft lips weren't forced into some fake smirk or evil grin.Her features were softened, not hard and defensive. She seemed so gentle, innocent...angelic.

Jarod and Parker had sat facing each other on the couch, quietly laying out their plan of action. Jarod had gone into the kitchen to fetch a cup of coffee, returning only to find Miss Parker stretched out on the sofa fast asleep. He hadn't thought, just put down the mug and lifted up Parker into his arms, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He had felt a smile spread across his face as he carried her into the bedroom, found himself reveling at the sense of contentment her nearness brought. It wasn't until he was about to place Parker on the bed that it hit Jarod--this was Parker he was holding. Even more confusing, he really didn't care. As carefully as he could, Jarod tucked Parker in. He stopped at the door, and looked back at her for a moment, allowing himself a deep sigh before walking back out into the livingroom.

Try as he might, to concentrate on anything else, his mind kept slipping back to Emily and Parker. He felt so protective of them both. With Emily it was understandable; defending the innocent was a part of him. But with Parker... perhaps, in a way, she was innocent, but hid such a weakness well under a facade of invincibility...

It was as Jarod was finishing this thought that he realized he was right back in Parker's room. He shook his head in mild disbelief, smiling at his own lack of self control. When it came to her, he just couldn't seem to resist.

And so here he was, watching her. Jarod sat on the edge of a chair pulled close to the bed, his hands folded under his chin and his eyes fixated on the still form under the covers. A glance at the clock confirmed his fear--it was nearly six. Soon Parker would awaken, and this moment would be over.

~~~~~~~~~

Miss Parker was notorious for her lead foot. Her driving today was the epitome of that personality trait--the last stretch of road leading to the Centre had a fairly high speed limit, but any limit was asking too much of the impatient Parker. She needed to get back near Emily, she needed to know for herself that the girl had her nearby for protection. Then Emily would be safe.

Safe. At the Centre. Parker didn't even notice the worried frown forming on her face. Yeah, right. As safe as leaving a lamb in the lion's den.

~~~~~~~~~

It had been one hell of a day. Sydney had been called into meetings all day, and Miss Parker had growled at anyone who dared to enter the domain of her office. Broots couldn't believe how well they were playing their parts, each acting as thought tonight meant nothing at all. As for himself, Broots was scared out of his wits. He knew it was right. He knew this had to be done. But that didn't help quench the fear swirling in his stomach like a dozen butterflies. And Debbie... Miss Parker had warned Broots that nothing could seem out of place, despite how much they wanted to keep everyone out of danger. Everyone had to behave just as they normally would. So Broots had been close to ecstasy, knowing that Debbie had flown out that morning to visit an aunt in Rhode Island for a long week. Longer, if Broots saw the need.

"Anything new on Jarod?" Broots' head snapped up from his computer screen, using some bit of strength he didn't even know he had left to keep from yelping in fright. Parker and Sydney may seem completely unphased, but Broots' nerves were frayed to their very ends.

"Broots, relax." Parker's voice emphasized her statement--she was ordering him.

"Right, s-sorry. Just t-too much coffee, I guess."

"Well, snap out of it! Now, any news on Jarod?"

"Not really."

"Wonderful," Parker muttered. "Nice to see you're earning your paycheck." She leaned over Broots' desk, slipping a bit of paper into his palm.

"I better get going. Let me know if anything new comes up." She turned on her heels and walked out the door.

Broots turned his chair away from the security camera, and quickly unfolded the note.

Change in plans.
Jade Dragon, 9:40


Parker navigated herself through the halls and elevators of the Centre with the same cool, nonchalant exterior she always had. Inside, though, she was thoroughly lost. Emily was still hooked up to an IV, and Parker knew she couldn't visit the girl without drawing much-unwanted attention. And Jarod, the lab experiment with morals, had popped up at her home last night, only to be missing once again when Parker found herself in her own bed this morning.

When had her life become so much more different than the one Daddy had insisted upon? When had she started to need to protect everyone, to befriend clear enemies of the Centre?

When had she started to prefer it that way?

~~~~~~~~~

Sydney glanced with amusement over at Broots. Since the younger man had walked into the Jade Dragon, a local Chinese restaurant, he had been glancing nervously over his shoulder continuously. When a waiter had approached to take their order, Broots had managed to scare him off with a highly suspicious look.

A small bell tinkled as the glass door opened. Sydney caught a glance of Miss Parker entering the restaurant, and nodded his head to let Broots know of the final arrival before looking back down to his menu. Broots looked up expectantly--

"Jeez!"--and promptly dropped his glass of water, spilling chilled water and ice across the table. Standing behind Miss Parker, with his hands folded behind his back and a look of mock innocence and humor on his face was Jarod. Parker turned to look at Jarod, but didn't seem at all surprised to see him, unlike Broots.

"Easy, Broots. We need everyone heart-attack free for this mission."

"But, Miss Parker, he's--"

"--The fourth person on our little adventure." Parker finished for him. The waiter quickly came to wipe the counter, then walked away once again. Realization dawned in Broots' eyes, and he stared at Jarod for a moment before an actual grin spread across his face.

"And to think, I thought there wasn't anything we could possibly do to make the Centre any angrier if we were caught."

"Working with me tends to make people popular--you'd be surprised how many people suddenly become eager to have little 'chats' with me. Of course, their preference is that I talk from a cement cell, but I always did prefer my own terms. By the way, sorry about the change in meeting places, but homes are more obvious--public places allow you to blend in better."

"Enough chit chat. Let's get down to business." Miss Parker, with as much impatience as ever, took control of the situation.

Everyone sat, quickly ordering just to get a new, hovering waiter away from their secluded, dimly lit table. They set to work on finalizing plans, pointing out possible trouble and discussing the best routes of entry and exit.

Customers entering the restaurant didn't notice the murmuring group in the back immediately, but once recognized, every one of them was struck by what a mixed bag of people were seated back there, and wondered just what seemed so secretive.

~~~~~~~~~

Broots glanced at the digital face of his watch, just to be sure.

1:37

It was time. Broots typed a command into his computer, and waited for the expected result. A moment later, the lights above him flickered momentarily, before returning back to normal. Broots couldn't help but smile at his own handiwork. The slight power outage he'd designed on his laptop was enough to cut the security measures for three minutes. Long enough to allow for the guards' confused search of the building for the source of the problem. And just long enough, hopefully, to get Emily out. He'd done his part. Now it was up to the others.

1:38

Miss Parker walked confidently down the Recovery Wing to Emily's room, and walked in. The girl was asleep, probably thanks to one drug or another. Carefully as possible, Parker turned off the monitors and removed the wires from the child's arms and chest. She heard the door click open behind her, and turned, knowing she'd see Jarod.

He moved without sound, stopping next to Emily's bed. Leaning over, he picked her up, and carried her out the door with him, not once glancing at Parker.

It took every bit of willpower Jarod had to stop himself from checking Miss Parker, seeing with his own eyes that she was, beyond a doubt, prepared for what was up ahead. Instead, he just picked up Emily, and walked back out the way he had come, retracing his steps to where Sydney would be waiting, in a small unsecured area, to check Emily over before Jarod attempted to sneak her out.

He hadn't approved of her plan whatsoever, but, as she herself had pointed out at the restaurant earlier, he knew the makeshift "exits" better than anyone else and if need be, she wouldn't be as hesitant to shoot her way out. When it came down to it, Parker was a distraction to assure that Emily could be snuck out, should anyone catch onto their plans.

Jarod didn't look at Parker because he knew that if he did, he wouldn't be able to leave her there.

1:39

That was it. Emily was finally on her way out. Parker allowed herself one deep breath, before stepping outside into the hall. She walked quickly over to the elevator, knowing that in about 30 seconds all security measures would be up and running again. The metal doors slid open, and Parker slipped in.

The same rush of sadness came to her as she looked around the familiar elevator, but she pushed it down and concentrated on the problem at hand. It had been too easy getting Emily out of here, Parker was sure of that. She absentmindedly brushed her gun, hidden beneath her jacket.

"We've gotten this far," she murmered. "I'll be damned if I'll let either of them get hurt."

The doors slid open silently and Parker walked out, her stance confident and the clicking of her heels strong and echoing. She had nearly reached the doors heading outside, when a masculine voice stopped her:

"Miss Parker, I'm going to need you to turn around." Parker did as she was told, and turned to find a muscular security guard pointing a weapon at her.

"You mind telling me what's going on? It's late, I'm tired and I'd like to go home." Her eyes narrowed, and her voice was demanding. Nonetheless, she could feel her legs grow weak, and she felt fear like she hadn't known for a long time. Oh god, what if they'd gotten Jarod and Emily? That one thought was enough to push her into action. Parker whipped out her gun and aimed it point blank at his head, in one fluid movement.

"Where are they?"

~~~~~~~~~

"Where is she?"

"Jarod, you saw her less than 3 minutes ago," Sydney pointed out. "She's fine." His voice was less than convincing.

"She should be here by now," Jarod insisted. He reached for the 9mm Baretta Parker had forced on him at the Jade Dragon. "Take Emily to the car. If I'm not back in 15 minutes, I want you to get Emily away from here."

"Jarod, I can't let you do this--"

"I'm not giving you a choice. I have to go back for her, Syd. I have to."

~~~~~~~~~

The standoff between the guard and Parker hadn't lasted long. One swift blow to the head with her firearm knock him to the floor, unconscious. Parker headed back to the elevator. No doubt there would be more guards along her planned route, so it seemed the quickest way out would probably be from the emergency exit just past the elevators. No doubt the fire alarms would go off, but at this point it wasn't as if she was still working in secret, anyhow.

The doors to the elevator quietly slid open just as Parker passed them. She swung her weapon around to face whatever was about to exit the elevator.

Nothing.

She took a step closer, her body now half way through the doors. It was only as the black-clad figure shot down into the elevator from the trap door to the shaft above, that Parker realized her mistake. A pair of booted feet kicked her square in the chest, sending her sprawling backwards and her gun flying. She landed with a grunt, but immediately sprang back up onto her feet, grabbing her gun from a few feet away. Parker scanned the area around her, but to no avail.

"No way that's it," she muttered. She peered down a darkened hallway, squinting into the shadows. A blackened form shifted, just slightly.

"Gotcha."

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod ran into the Centre as fast as his legs would carry him. The closer he'd gotten, the worse the feeling of dread in his heart had grown. He'd run into two guards already, obviously newly posted, and found himself not the least hesitant in knocking them both unconscious with the butt of his gun.

He raced around another corner, only to come face-to-face with the barrel of a gun.

"You can't imagine how much I'm enjoying this," Mr. Lyle smirked.

~~~~~~~~~

"I'm not in the mood for games," Parker finally spoke up, training her gun on the form only a shade darker than the shadows it stood in. She was so concentrated on that form, that she didn't even hear the person approaching her from behind. A gun aimed at her head...

~~~~~~~~~

A single gunshot echoed through the near-empty halls, and shook Jarod down to his soul. A sly grin spread across Lyle's face.

"Looks like it's just you and me now."

What Lyle said was just too real a possibility for Jarod to handle. He was unnerved, and pure hatred filled his eyes.

"She's your sister," Jarod said in disbelief.

"Not anymore."

With those two small worlds, all of Jarod's fear and panic melted into pure anger. He could hear his heart pounding, and feel his fists clench. With all the force he could muster, Jarod hit the side of Lyle's head with one fist, careful to duck out of the way of Lyle's gun. With a groan of pain, Lyle slumped to the floor.

Not wasting any time, Jarod rounded one corner, then the last...and skidded to a stop as his mind fought to grasp the picture in front of him.

Parker lay facedown on the ground, just outside the open elevator.

He felt numb. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. Weakly, he slid down against the wall, memories flashing before him of the last time a Parker woman had been shot at this elevator. Had been killed. He felt tears rush to his eyes, but fought them down, as if crying was a sign that she was truly gone. One limp hand reached a few inches to her hair-covered face, brushing away a few strands. A warm feeling spread over two of his fingers, and Jarod withdrew his hand to find blood. Her blood.

And his tears fell. Through the anger, and the pain, and the uncomprehension, he cried, unsure of what else to do, unable to move, barely capable of breathing. He curled up against the wall, crying and shaking uncontrollably.

~~~~~~~~~
"Eight minutes, Jarod. Where the hell are you?" Syd had carried little Emily to the car Jarod had rented, and rested her on the backseat, tucked beneath a warm afghan. She was sleeping peacefully, with the fever all but gone from her system. Sydney stood next to the car, contemplating the keys in his hand. Broots had left directly after cutting the alarms, upon the insistance of both Parker and Jarod, and was now waiting in the car, watching over Emily with his fatherly instinct.

Syd cautiously opened the car door, not wanting to awaken Emily, and glanced over at Broots. Unlike the older man, Broots hadn't learned to hide emotions so well. Concern was clearly etched on his face.

"Just 5 more minutes," Syd insisted. "We can only wait 5 more minutes, and then we must leave."

~~~~~~~~~

It was the quietest of moans.

Jarod's sensitive ears picked up the sound, but at first refused to acknowledge anything...Nothing mattered, not now...

But there it was again, slightly louder, a bit stronger this time. He couldn't resist--hope filled him as he glanced over at Parker. He stared at her, his eyes straining for even the tiniest sign that she was alive.

Not a sound.

Unwilling to give up, Jarod reached out and placed his fingers close to her mouth, ignoring the warmth he knew was her blood. Time ceased--nothing was important, except the hard concentration he forced into sensing something, anything.

And then he felt it.

Across his fingers spread the wonderful, glorious, comforting feel of her breath. A weak breath, but one nonetheless. With a gentleness beyond necessity, he brushed the rest of the dark hair away, and was rewarded with the face that was truly angelic. Heavy eyelids slowly raised, long eyelashes separating. Her blue eyes slowly focused on his brown ones, and Jarod's face formed an expression of utter tenderness and hope and pure joy.

"We did it," Jarod whispered. "We saved Emily."

Even in her weakened state, Parker's sharp mind went to work, and quickly came across the recent events. Emily was free, but the Centre had discovered her part in the mission.

Parker opened her mouth to speak, a tedious process with such an energy drain as hers. She could only manage two words: "What now?"

Disclaimer: Jarod, Parker, Broots...Own them? I wish! That ingeniusness goes to NBC, though. Also, the song's by Sarah MacLauchlan. Thanx for not suing.



History Repeats, Love Endures
Part IV
by Oriana Lemke


4/7


"You realize, of course, that you just passed our exit?"

"I know, I know. I'm turning around up here."

"You know, that billboard is starting to look awfully familiar."

"Well, they say third time's a charm, but in our case, let's just hope it's the fifth."

"Broots, are you sure you don't want me to drive?"

"Nah, I'm fine, Syd. Besides, you've been driving longer than I have. I'm sure I'll catch the right exit this time, then it's only about 20 minutes to that resort Jarod mentioned." At the sound of his name, Jarod shifted slightly, but didn't wake up. While Broots and Sydney took up the two front seats, Jarod and Miss Parker slept in the back, with Emily tucked snugly between them. Syd turned slightly in his seat to look back at the dozing three, and smiled at the sight.

"How're they doing back there?"

"Fine. We'll have to stop soon, though. Miss Parker hasn't changed her bandage in over four hours. She has to rest, but that wound needs constant tending."

"All I know is, you're gonna be the one to wake her. She's still got a gun," Broots said determinedly. Syd shook his head, smiling.

"I'll wake her," came a soft voice from the back seat. Syd glanced back at Jarod. "Once we get to the resort. For now, just let her sleep."

"How's Emily?" Syd asked quietly. Jarod placed a hand gently on the young girl's forehead, and smiled.

"She's not nearly as warm as she was a few hours ago. I think she's gonna be okay. Hey, wasn't that our exit just now?"

"Damn."

~~~~~~~~~

Miss Parker was vaguely aware of someone lifting her, but she was far too tired to oppose to being carried. It took too much energy just to open her eyes. Her only thought, a rather foggy and far-off one, was that whoever this was, was warm and rather comfortable.

Jarod glanced down at his precious bundle. Broots, with fatherly insistance, had gathered up Emily and headed for the elevator that led to their rented penthouse. Syd had followed with the luggage, filling up the open space of the elevator. So Jarod waited for the elevator to come back down.

It was late, nearly two in the morning. They had driven a day to reach this beachfront spot in Virginia, careful to stop only in secluded areas. Parker had insisted that bandages weren't necessary, but a dizzy spell that left her near-faint around six this morning had only made Jarod more determined. He glanced down again at Parker, cradled securely in his arms, then let his gaze wonder to her wound. Jarod's heart skipped a beat as he thought back to finding her, unconscious and bleeding on the floor. Finding that the shot had only grazed her brow had sent an undescribable surge of relief through him, but he hadn't lost the need to stay close to her. Jarod had this fear that if he let her out of his sight for just a moment, she would be gone forever..

Parker sighed slightly, and cuddled closer to Jarod, getting a small grasp on his black t-shirt, exposed beneath a black leather jacket. The elevator doors slowly opened, and Jarod entered, pressing the appropriate button before replacing his arm underneath Parker's shoulders.

~~~~~~~~~

It had been a glorious sunrise, with yellow and pink reflecting on the blue ocean. The crashing waves and cries of seagulls were music to Sydney and Broots' ears, as they sat on the large balcony sipping coffee. Upon waking, Emily hadn't spoken a word, but climbed into one of the patio chairs, reached for a small plate of Mickey Mouse pancakes and fruit -ordered by Broots especially for her- and ate, stopping once and awhile to watch a nearby seagull. She did, however, reward both Broots and Syd with a bright grin when they passed her a fork and a cup of orange juice. Having her fill, Emily pushed the plate back a little, and scooted out of her chair, heading inside the main room. She stopped at a plush love seat and sat, cross-legged with one hand propped under her chin. Syd followed the girl's line of sight from his place out on the balcony, realizing that she glancing back and forth between the doors leading to Jarod and Miss Parker's rooms. She's watching over them, Syd realized.

A door clicked open, and Jarod entered the room, rubbing his eyes and the back of his neck. He had been exhausted last night-- after tucking Parker into a large bed inside the master bedroom, he'd stopped only to collect his own duffel bag from a small pile of luggage before retreating to the closest bedroom. It wasn't until he'd slipped under the covers that Jarod realized he'd picked the room right next to Parker's. Better yet, they were adjoining.

Emily's position didn't change, but her eyes lit up when she saw Jarod. He grinned back, and sat down next to her.

"Waiting for Miss Parker?" Emily nodded, her eyes moving back to the bedroom door.

"Want some company?" She smiled in response, but kept her eyes locked on the door. Jarod realized that Parker may not be up for another few hours. He also realized that Emily would probably stay here waiting that entire time.

"How about we look at the comics while we wait." He didn't wait for an answer, but got up and walked out to the patio table. Jarod exchanged 'Good morning' greetings with Broots and Syd as he dug through the paper, then walked back inside. He spread open the comics section and laid down on the floor. Emily contemplated for a moment, then crawled down from the love seat to a spot near Jarod. He picked something up from a nearby coffee table.

"Pez?"

~~~~~~~~~

Parker groggily came to. Her head was throbbing. She sat up in bed, amid the tangle of comforter and sheets, and glanced around her room. A hotel room, obviously, but a nice one. Much more like she was used to, not the dirty rat traps her race for Jarod often left her in. Sunlight was streaming in through a set of balcony doors, illuminating Parker's face and warming her skin. She sat up in bed and stretch her arms, sighing in contentment. This was great.

The rustle of a newspaper from another room caught her attention. Jarod and the others. Judging from the sun outside it was around eight in the morning. Between last night and most of yesterday's car ride, she'd certainly had enough sleep. It was time to face the others--they still had to figure out where to go from here. Parker moved reluctantly out of bed, finding a pair of slippers left conveniently next to the bed and a robe hanging from a hook on the closet door. As she headed to the door leading to the main room, Parker spotted another door to her far right. Adjoining rooms, Parker thought. I wonder who's sleeping so close to me? Close...that word brought up some interesting thoughts. Like whoever had carried her up here last night. And Jarod.

"Jarod," Parker murmered in slight amazement. "Why is it everything in my life has to do with him?" She stood, paused at the door, not really sure why she was so hesitant. "What is the matter with me? I've got to be losing my mind." Parker opened the door vehemently, and walked out into the main room.

At the sound of her door opening, Jarod and Emily looked up, and Parker was greeted with two bright, grinning faces. She wasn't sure which was happier to see her.

Jarod was pleased to see the new-born excitement bubbling across the young girl's features. She climbed eagerly over the sprawled-out figure of Jarod, and reached for a small plastic toy placed on carpet near the coffee table.

"Pez?"

"Jarod, you've brainwashed her."

~~~~~~~~~

"Jarod, you look exhausted. Pull over, I'll drive."

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. Now would you pull over?"

"No."

"Yes."

"Not gonna happen."

"Wanna bet?"

"It's odds I'd take in Vegas."

"You need to relax."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do," Jarod insisted. They continued their bickering, neither really caring about who won but both having too much fun to give in.

"Jeez," Broots muttered from the back seat, "You'd think they were married."

"What?!" Both Jarod and Parker cried in surprise at the same time. Emily just smiled.

"Uh...you know, in a good way." Broots stuttered.

"Nice save," Syd whispered when Parker and Jarod had turned their attention back to the road. Up front, Jarod glanced at Parker from the corner of his. She was gazing out the window, oblivious to Jarod's attention. He looked back at the road in front of him, and smiled.

~~~~~~~~~

Two more hours of driving found the group pulling up to an old factory at the edge of Charlotte, just as the sun was setting. The jolts of the car as it drove along the gravel road brought Emily and Parker out of their naps.

"Not exactly another penthouse, I know," Jarod apologized, noting the unhappy look that crossed Parker's face, although he was happy to see that she wasn't obnoxiously pointing out the fact that she was displeased. "Since this place closed down, no one even drives down the connecting road anymore, so we should be safe here for a few days. Plenty of time for you to heal," he couldn't help adding, not even aware of how strong the concerned glance he shot Parker was.

"I don't need to heal," Parker insisted, "but Emily deserves a few consecutive hours of sleep." Parker stopped talking, watching as the young girl climbed out of the car. "Besides," she continued once Emily was inside the factory, "Staying in one place for a few days can't hurt. Closest thing to stability we can offer her now."

"Unfortunately, we can't get relaxed right away. I've got to point out the escapte routes," Jarod reasoned. Parker frowned, and glanced out her window to where Emily had entered the factory. "I know, I don't like it anymore than you do. But we have to keep this real to her."

"They nearly killed her," Parker snapped. "We're dragging her around the East Coast. She doesn't even know where her parents are. Damn it, Jarod, her childhood's been screwed beyond repair. This is as real as it gets."

Disclaimer: Jarod, Parker, Broots...Own them? I wish! That ingeniusness goes to NBC, though. Also, the song's by Sarah MacLauchlan. Thanx for not suing.


History Repeats, Love Endures
Part V
by Oriana Lemke


5/7

Their first night at the factory, Jarod had disappeared sometime around six, giving no more explanation than 'going out for air.' When Broots returned with dinner an hour later, Syd set off in search of him.

He finally found him, sitting on the roof of the building, staring out at the stars. Sydney sat down next to him, allowing Jarod a few more moments of solitude before speaking.

"How are you, Jarod?"

"I'm fine."

"I don't think so. You've saved a girl from near death. That's not easy on anyone. And finding Miss Parker like that... " Syd took a deep breath to steady himself. Seeing Jarod carrying Parker away from the Centre had numbed his mind. "...Well, it would be hard on anyone."

"I really don't want to talk about this."

"Not now, but eventually you will, and... " Syd hesitated, unsure if he was crossing the line. Awkwardly, he placed a hand on Jarod's back. "This isn't the Centre. No one's here to judge you. To analyze your every move. It's just me, ready to listen...whenever. I'm here for you."

"Now. Where were you when I was young, Syd. Where was this fatherly attention then?" It was a low blow, he knew, but Jarod just wanted Syd to leave him alone.

"I deserved that. But it doesn't change matters, Jarod. I'm here for you. We all are." Syd stood up, and walked away.

Jarod sat for a few more minutes, lost in his thoughts. Finally, he got up with a slight sigh, and headed down to the others, slowly making his way down the stairs connected to the side of the building. He stopped, however, at the last metal step, and sat down. A foreign sound echoed in Jarod's ear: the beautiful music of Parker's laugh.

"Parker...the one mess I can't pretend my way out of." A rather silly grin spread across Jarod's face. "The one mess I don't want to pretend my way out of." He stood up, and headed inside.

In the makeshift kitchen, boxes of Chinese food had been spread out. At the table sat Broots, Syd, Parker and Emily, all joking and teasing.

Like a family, Jarod thought. He leaned on the doorframe, with his arms folded and still wearing the same grin.

~~~~~~~~~

"Do you think Jarod will like the gift I got for him?"

"Are you kidding? Anyone that gets Jarod a Pez dispenser he doesn't have yet, is guaranteed to be a friend for life." Emily gave Parker a happy smile, then began to eagerly look out the window at the approaching factory. The shopping excursion had been a good idea, Parker decided as she pulled up the old building. Not only had they gotten Emily some desperately needed new clothes -Debbie's things were a bit too big for her- but the few hours away from dark, serious atmosphere of the factory seemed to do the girl a lot of good.

"Okay," Parker said cheerfully as she pulled the car up the entrance, "Let's get your stuff, so we can go show Jarod his surprise." Emily grabbed a shopping bag from the back seat, then jumped out of the car and ran inside. Parker shook her head in amusement before getting the other bags and heading for the large metal door. Struggling with keeping the bags balanced, she managed to get the door open and slip inside.

"Hey, where is everybody?" Emily called from the middle of the large, empty room. She was looking around her in confusion, not understanding where Jarod and the others could have gone without a car. As for Parker, alarms were going off in her head. She moved protectively next to Emily, quietly taking her .9mm Baretta from its place beneath her business suit. Spotting the weapon, Emily's eyes grew wide in fright, but she didn't say a word. Parker silently thanked the young girl for being smart enough not to make any noise. Something wasn't right, and the last thing they needed to do was attract attention to themselves. With her gun in one hand, and Emily's hand in the other, Parker cautiously made her way through the all-too-quiet corridors of the factory, searching the rooms that had been arranged as living quarters for the five.

Nothing.

Parker's well-trained mind calmed the fear stirring in her thoughts, but she kept Emily right next to her side, just to be safe.

It was then that she spotted the shadows of three, obviously armed, men through a nearby wall-length window. Parker pressed Emily against the wall, and clicked the safety off her gun. She was no idiot--Parker knew that those sweepers would have taken care of the car by now. There was no escape, at least not without gunfire, which definitely wasn't an option; she had a young girl with her, and as for Jarod, Syd and Broots... Parker's heart crumbled as she realized that if they had been captured, they probably weren't alive.

Parker knelt down, so that she was eye-to-eye with Emily. The young girl was trying her best to brave, but she couldn't keep her chin from quivering. Parker could feel her own eyes water, but she forced her voice to remain strong and certain.

"Okay, Emily, listen to me. In a few seconds, we're going to go back outside and down into the ditch next to the road. It's very important that when I tell you to, you run as quickly and quietly as you can, okay? Do you understand?" Emily nodded, her eyes still wide with fright.

"Okay...now!" Not letting go of the child's hand, they raced down the corridor to the big metal door. Barely slowing down, Parker thrust open the door and continued to move on.

Within seconds they were hidden in the deep ditch next to the gravel road. Parker checked behind them, but the sweepers seemed to be unaware of their escape. At least, there weren't any armed men in sight. Turning around, she kneeled back down to Emily's height, glancing her over once to be sure that the girl was all right. Now came the hard part. A lump formed in Parker's throat, and for a moment all she could was look at the innocent child in front of her.

It was then that Parker realized she couldn't leave. Now without knowing what had happened to the others. To Sydney and Broots. To Jarod. If they were still in there, if they were still, somehow, alive...Words were coming out of Parker's mouth before she was even aware of them.

"Emily, do you remember Jarod's friend? The one that lives in the blue house, three blocks from the end of this dirt road?" Emily nodded, thinking back to what Jarod had told her the night before, when he had driven her up the same house: 'If anything goes wrong, if we're hurt or you're in trouble, you come right here, Emily. My friend Mr. Crawford knows we're in town, so he'll be expecting you. Day or night, if anything happens, you come straight here, understand?'

"Emily--" Parker's voice choked for a minute, as her tears began to slip down her cheeks. God, this was too much for one girl! "Emily, now I want you to listen to me, okay? I want you to run there. I want you to run there as fast as you can, and don't stop, no matter what." Parker thought of the horrible scene the sweepers could make with a target like herself. "You keep running, and no matter what you see, no matter what you hear, don't ever look back, do you understand?" She grabbed Emily's shoulders to emphasize. "You never stop running!" Emily nodded again, her eyes welling but not shedding tears. She made herself be strong, like Miss Parker.

"Go!" And she was off, going as fast as her legs would carry her, through the ditch, down the long stretch to the end of the dirt road. Parker could only stand there and watch. She watched Emily, until the young girl was a small dot nearing the end of the ditch. Then Parker turned back to face the factory, and forced herself to take a deep breath. She slipped into her Take No Prisoners/I Am Invincible attitude, and walked back to the building vehemently.

"I swear," she muttered under her breath, "If any of them have been hurt, someone's going to pay." With a firm grasp on her gun, Parker moved alongside the stone wall, in search of the nearest sweeper.

~~~~~~~~~

His head was spinning. Pain was shooting through his left arm, and blood had made its way from the bullet wound -a small graze, but still pretty damn painful- down to the tips of his fingers. And lying on the cold cement floor wasn't doing much for his aching back. Just how many times did that guy hit me with his gun, Jarod wondered.

Weakly, he sat up, causing even more pain to radiate through his battered body. He tried to ignore it, instead focusing on checking Sydney and Broots. The latter was propped up against the nearby wall, rubbing a bruised spot on his head and muttering. As for Sydney, he was actually standing, staring out a window carefully, as if searching for something.

"It would seem I'm the only one they took the pleasure of beating senseless," Jarod half-heartedly joked. He stood, refusing to wince, and headed over to Syd. Realizing that they should probably be forming a plan, now that their own personal genius was up and walking on his own, Broots joined the others.

"They've locked the door, and we're six stories up," Sydney informed the others. "There are two cars parked down there, which means a sweeper team of about ten."

"W-why haven't they taken us anywhere yet?" Broots spoke up. "Please don't say we've conveniently let them catch us in a place where no one would find us."

"There is that possibility," Jarod mused, "But if that were the case, they would have killed us already. My guess would be, they're keeping us alive because we're the only ones that know where Emily and Miss Parker are."

"I saw a sweeper earlier, checking the grounds. They must believe that we've hidden the two somewhere close."

"S-so, what's the plan?" Broots asked the two. "We do have a plan, right?" Sydney and Jarod looked at each other, and Broots could practically hear their minds at work.

"If we're lucky, Parker won't be back with Emily for awhile," Syd pointed out.

"If we were lucky, they wouldn't have found us in the first place," Jarod said. He began glancing around, examing first the door, then the windows. "We need to get out of here. We know which mall they're at, so all we need to do is get them, then leave town." He paused at the farthest window, and slid it open. "We're going to have to climb out."

"Cl-climb? As in, down six floors?" Broots stuttered. There was no way he'd make it even one story.

"The stairs leading to the roof pass us, about four feet below the window. I'll go first. Broots, you follow, and Syd can go last."

"When we get out of here," Broots said to Syd, as Jarod went through the open windowframe, "remind me to never agree to a hideout with more than one floor."

~~~~~~~~~

Parker could hear the sweeper, as she moved slowly along the north wall. She peered around the corner, and spotted a door closing. Parker also noticed two black cars parked in front of the east side of the building.

"One against ten," she murmured. "I'd say the odds are in my favor."

"Four against ten would be better," pointed out a familiar voice from behind her. Stunned, Parker spun around, keeping her gun level.

"Lyle," Parker said through clenched teeth.

"As I was saying," Lyle said, pausing to smile at her gun, as if humored by the fact that she was ready to shoot him, "Your chances would be much better, if you were with your friends. Actually, I suppose three against ten would be more accurate. I doubt your Wonder Boy has regained consciousness yet." Parker's eyes narrowed as her blood began to boil.

"What did you do to him?" Lyle only smiled, and walked a few feet closer to his sister.

"Just following orders. Though I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it."

~~~~~~~~~

While Parker was occupied with Lyle on the north side of the factory, Jarod and the others were making their way, as quietly as they could, down the stairs on the far side of the east wall.

They leaned against the brick wall, listening for any nearby sweepers. Jarod studied the two cars for a moment, before turning to face Sydney and Broots.

"Time to put to use one of the greatest talents I've gained since I got free."

"What's that?" Broots whispered.

"Hot-wiring a car."

~~~~~~~~~

"Where is he?" Parker hissed.

"If I were you, I'd be worrying about myself. You're not exactly the Centre's most valued employee right now. In fact, you've managed to tick off quite a few important people."

"My heart's breaking," Parker bit back sarcastically.

"Our dear old dad was positive that you'd been brainwashed or something. Though you must admit, it's rather ironic how you turned out so much like our mother--you free the little tike, and get shot in front of the same elevator. Personally, I found that little scene a stroke of sheer genius--Brigitte just couldn't pass up the chance to kick your butt--"

"You mean to tell me that I was shot by that blond bitch?" Of all the insults, that had to be the worst.

"Well, yes, while I kept Jarod busy and you were distracted by a sweeper in black getup. But let's just keep that our little secret, shall we? Can't have the head of the Parker clan thinking his own wife isn't trustworthy."

"I've had enough of this. I'll deal with Brigitte later. Now, where is Jarod?"

"I'll make a deal with you. You tell me where Emily is, and I let you slip away with lover boy."

"Here's a better deal--you tell me where Jarod is," Parker took a step closer to Lyle, "and I don't shoot you." Lyle just smiled, that arrogrant grin that always got to her.

"Come now. We both know you could never shoot your own brother."

~~~~~~~~~

A single shot rang in Jarod's ears, as the three ducked down instinctively. They glanced around, trying to determine it's origin, and Jarod fought down a feeling of panic. What if the sweepers had gotten Parker, he wondered frantically. Emily was too valuable to the Centre, but Parker was expendable.

Jarod was up and running before Sydney and Broots could gather their wits. He forced his legs to move as quickly as they could, covering the long track of space making up the east wall in a matter of seconds...

And nearly ran into Parker, who had turned to head in his direction. For a moment, neither spoke, instead choosing to revel in each other's presence. A groan broke Jarod out of his reverie, and he peered around Parker's shoulder to see Lyle sprawled out on the ground. With a bullet in his leg, he wouldn't be getting anywhere very quickly.

"We've got to get out of here," Parker said, already hurrying to the nearest car. "You heard that shot, there's no doubt that the sweepers did too." She slid into the driver's seat, and reached down. When the other three had gotten inside the car, they watched as she quickly and expertly hot-wired the car. She turned to look at Jarod in the passenger's seat, smiling at his impressed expression.

"Buckle your seatbelts, boys. I'm driving."

~~~~~~~~~

The squeal of tires brought a few curses to Lyle's lips. A sweeper came running around the corner, in search of the source of the gunshot.

"She shot me!" Lyle seemed to be in complete shock.

"Where is she, sir?"

"They've already escaped."

"They, sir? How?"

"Does it really matter?!" Scowling, Lyle struggled to his feet, limping towards the nearest door. He reached for the doorknob--only to be struck square in the head as the metal door swung open, resulting in a string of curses. Another sweeper stepped out into the sun.

"Sorry, sir. You okay?"

~~~~~~~~~

"Are you all right?" Jarod asked, as they sped down the gravel road towards Mr. Crawford's house.

"Fine. That half-wit couldn't hurt me if he wanted to," Parker smiled. "What about you?"

"Fine."

"You're not fine, Jarod," came Sydney's voice. Parker's brow creased in concern as she checked Jarod over with her eyes. For the first time, she saw the dried blood on his hands.

"Jarod?"

"I'm fine," Jarod reassured her. "It's just a flesh wound." Her concerned look didn't budge. "I'm fine."

"I'll argue with you later. Right now, we need to get Emily and get out of here."

~~~~~~~~~

Outside, crickets were chirping in the night. A lone car was making its way down the two-lane highway leading to Chicago. Inside, three of the five passengers were sound asleep; Sydney and Broots were managing to doze in the backseat, while Emily lay nestled in Parker's lap up front.

Jarod allowed his eyes to sneak over to the passenger's seat for a moment, pleased with the picture he saw--the two had begun to bond, he was happy to note. It was amazing Emily had even let herself sleep, Jarod realized. Since they had retrieved her from Mr. Crawford, the young girl hadn't once let go of Parker's hand.

Parker felt someone's eyes on her, and turned her head to catch a glimpse of Jarod watching her, before he quickly returned his sight to the road. She allowed herself a tiny smile Jarod didn't even notice, but made no mention of catching his eyes on her.

"I gather from the road signs," Parker whispered, not wishing to awaken Emily, "that we're heading for Chicago." Jarod nodded in confirmation.

"I have a friend that lives there. He's on his honeymoon right now, in Cancun, and won't be returning for another week or so. He's planning on leasing his apartment then, since his wife has a house in the suburbs, so he offered it to me." Jarod grinned as he realized that he was finally returning Parker to the city, where she would no doubt be much happier than some grimy old factory. "I think you'll approve--it's large, furnished tastefully, and has a great view of the city, especially at night." He himself stifled a yawn, then added, "Did I mention the wonderfully large and comfortable beds he has?"

"It should be like a family trip," Parker said a few minutes later, when the thought came to her.

"What?"

"Emily's been through a lot--hell, we all have. And Debbie would be much safer with us than her aunt, as long as we figure out a good way to get her here without being seen. We could take the girls to a few museums, the movies, out to dinner... Shopping would be an absolute must, of course... I'd say we've all earned a little fun, and what would make a better cover than a regular family on vacation?" She really is getting attached to Emily, Jarod thought. She actually sounds excited about this family trip idea. Happy to see Parker so eager about something, Jarod was more than willing to go along.

"Sure," he said, smiling at Parker. "It sounds great."

~~~~~~~~~

When they finally arrived in Chicago early the next evening, Parker -who hadn't had the time for a wink of sleep since the factory incident- was beyond exhaustion. Her mind was fuzzy, and it took everything she had just to stay awake. She was vaguely aware of Jarod parking in front of a building, and seeing Sydney and Broots lead Emily inside. Jarod must have known how weary she was, because he chose to ignore the bags for the time being, instead holding the door open and beckoning her inside. She gratefully headed for the door.

A slight giggle caught Jarod's attention as he held the door, and he glanced behind him to notice a family of three walking down the sidewalk. The child, a girl about 5 years old with red pigtails, was giggling has she tugged a helium balloon behind her. The parents, a couple around the same age as Parker and himself, were holding hands and smiling lovingly at the child, then each other. Realizing that Parker was probably already waiting for him at the elevator, and in her light-headed state probably hadn't heard him mention the apartment number earlier, Jarod walked into the building. Sure enough, Parker stood outside the elevator doors.

As Jarod reached Parker, he heard cheerful whistling, and noticed a man carrying a basket of laundry down the hall. Wanting to give the right impression, he thought back to the couple outside, and reached down for Parker's hand. The man walked by, smiling at the couple. As he carried his laundry basket towards his own apartment, he marveled at how happy the young man at the elevator had seemed. Of course, the man thought as he chuckled, having a girl with looks like that would put a smile on any man's face.

Back at the elevator, Parker slowly realized that she wasn't dreaming, that someone really was grasping her hand. She glanced in confusion at Jarod, who immediately wiped the happy grin off his face.

Neither said a word about it, but neither bothered to will their hand loose.

After all, they both justified in their minds at the same time, the more realistic the better. They were doing this because they had to keep cover. Really.

~~~~~~~~~

They had separated hands quickly enough when the elevator doors slid open to reveal Broots waiting out in the hall. He'd had his back turned to them, but both had guilty looks nonetheless.

The moment she got inside, Parker headed for the nearest bedroom. She didn't say a word to anyone, instead saving what energy she didn't even know she had left to make it under the covers. Unbeknownst to her, Jarod followed.

She was already falling asleep when she was positive she heard someone whisper, "Sleep well. If you need anything...well, I'm in the room right next to you." The door clicked shut, and Parker surrendered to her dreams.

~~~~~~~~~

"Just what the hell were you thinking?"

"Daddy, please, try to understand, I--"

"You betrayed us, that's what you did."

"Daddy, I didn't betray you. I was protecting--"

"Jarod. You were protecting Jarod. What did you think, that I would just let this slide? That I would be leniant, merely because you're my daughter?" A picture was forming, to mix with the words: Jarod, on the ground and barely conscious. Blood everywhere. God, what had they done to him?

"Daddy, if you would just listen to me--"

"No more listening. It's time for this to come to an end."

She saw the gun. She saw it aimed towards Jarod. She couldn't think, just act. Parker raced across the room, hoping to come between Jarod and the bullet she knew would be shot.

"Jarod, run!" The panicked scream of a sleeping Parker echoed through all the rooms, jolting Jarod out of his own dreams. While the others were still waking up and looking around their rooms with bleary eyes, confused about the noise, he was already in the bedroom next to his, sitting on the edge of the bed close to Parker, who was whimpering.

"Parker," Jarod whispered into her ear. "Parker, come on, wake up." A pair of eyes shot open, blue met brown, and Parker burst into tears. She leaned into him, and he wrapped his arms around her; with every sob his chest muffled, Jarod could feel his heart break even more.

It was a sign of weakness, she knew, and her pride would feel the blow later, no doubt, but at that moment all that mattered was being near him.

"You were gone," Parker managed in a quivering voice, the sound of a gunshot still echoing in her mind. "He killed you."

"I'm here. I'm right here," he assured her in a soothing voice. She wrapped her arms tightly around Jarod, not wanting to ever let go. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise me."

"I swear it."

Broots and Syd exchanged a glance that said it all: Space. They definently need space. So they gathered up Emily, who was still rubbing her eyes, and headed towards the door.

"We'll just go get some breakfast," Syd clarified in a low voice. Jarod, who sat facing them, nodded while he continued to hold Parker. He began to rub her hair, and slowly rock back and forth.

Disclaimer: Jarod, Parker, Broots...Own them? I wish! That ingeniusness goes to NBC, though. Also, the song's by Sarah MacLauchlan. Thanx for not suing.


History Repeats, Love Endures
Part VI
by Oriana Lemke


6/7


Parker's sobs slowed, and eventually stopped altogether. She remained in Jarod's arms, tired from her breakdown and feeling safer, near him, than she'd felt since her mother died. He sat on her bed, keeping one hand on the small of her back while the other slowly moved up and down; it was all that Jarod could think to do. In the silence that had fallen between them, Parker could here Jarod's heart beating. The slow, rhythmic sound was comforting; her tense muscles began to relax.

"Parker?" Jarod said quietly, not wanting to ruin the peace but feeling an urgent need to clarify something.

"Mmm?" Parker murmured contentedly.

"I meant what I said."

"I know." Parker slowly raised her head to look at him as a smile spread across her face. There's nothing I'd rather do than stare into those brown eyes, she realized. Jarod reflected her smile as his eyes grew quizzical, wondering why she was staring at him.

"What's on your mind?" Parker's smile broadened at his question. If you only knew, she thought. But instead of giving a reply, she pulled away from Jarod a bit, keeping one hand rested gently on the back of his neck, to get a better look at him.

"Do you have any idea..." Parker began, then stopped, and found a better approach. "You are amazing. And no matter what happens from this point on, I just want you to know...Oh, hell with it!" She pulled Jarod forward, and pressed her lips against his. For a split second Jarod's eyes were wide in shock, but he quickly came to his senses, joining in the kiss. When they both pulled back, slightly out of breath, all they could see were the amazing depths of each other's eyes. A tender smile spread across Jarod's face as they leaned forward once again. Their lips were barely apart--

--When the front door swung open, banging as it hit a wall. Jarod and Parker pulled themselves away from each other, quickly but unwillingly. With an unhappy sigh Jarod walked to the bedroom door, looking for just who had interrupted a moment he'd been dreaming about for a good long time now. He found Broots struggling under the weight of two heavily laden groceries bags. Jarod rushed over to help the overwhelmed man, grabbing one of the bags just before it toppled over, and carefully placing it on the floor.

"Thanks," Broots grinned. His face grew concerned as he looked past Jarod to Parker's room. He moved closer to Jarod and whispered confidentially, "How is she?"

"Fine now. That dream really shook her up, though."

"Yeah," Broots agreed, thinking back to the panicked screams he'd heard earlier. "It was great of you to be there for her like that. I mean, I wouldn't have known what to do. I've never seen her vulnerable like that. Anyhow, as you can see, we got more food than just for breakfast. Syd and Emily will be up in a second with the rest. We figured since we'll probably be here for awhile..." Broots continued to talk as he began to unload the groceries in the kitchen, but Jarod didn't hear him. He was still caught on what Broots had said about Miss Parker being vulnerable. Would she still have kissed me, Jarod worried, if I hadn't comforted her earlier? He hadn't really had enough experience to know what a woman's reasons for the first kiss were.

He snapped to attention when he noticed Parker close her door. Might as well ask her now, he realized. Jarod walked back to the bedroom door, and knocked politely.

"Yeah?"

"It's me," Jarod said. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, it's unlocked." Jarod walked in, closing the door behind him. He considered for a moment, then locked it. He didn't want any interruptions while he talked to Parker about this. A rustle of clothes caught Jarod's attention; he turned to face the room, and noticed a shirt being tossed from behind a silk changing screen placed in the far corner. Suddenly, Jarod wasn't so sure that now was the right time to talk to Parker about this. It certainly wouldn't make things easy, knowing that the woman he had just kissed was undressing herself. Jarod cleared his throat.

"Um...I think we should probably talk...about what happened." Behind the screen, Parker stopped just as she was reaching for a sweater. She stood there, scantily clad in black underwear and a bra, suddenly oblivious to her state of undress. He can't possibly be having doubts, Parker thought to herself. Could he? It wasn't a thought she wanted to entertain, that was for sure. After everything that had happened, after that kiss -which I initiated, Parker berated herself-, there was no way she could behave like everything was just as it had been.

Not hearing anything, Jarod hesitated before continuing. Just how the hell did one go about something as awkward as this?

"If you...if things happened just because...I mean, if you have any doubts about it...I would never push the issue..." Parker's concerned look softened as she heard his uncertain tone. She walked to stand a few feet from the screen, her lack of clothes completely gone from her thoughts. Obviously the first thing to register with Jarod wasn't the fact that Parker was laughing, but it soon sunk in.

"What's so funny?" He, for one, was completely lost.

"We were both so worried about how the other felt about it," Parker managed. "Do you realize how far that kiss could have gone, if Broots hadn't walked in the apartment just then. We certainly weren't giving any hints that we were at all hesitant."

"So, you don't regret what happened?" Jarod clarified in relief, a happy grin coming across his face. Parker shook her head, then walked over and -for the second time that morning- took matters into her own hands. When their lips finally parted, Parker rested her forehead against Jarod's, and smiled.

"If that didn't make things crystal clear, there's probably only one other thing that will. Unfortunately, there are other people here at the moment, so a kiss will just have to do." She added a soft, tender kiss on Jarod's temple for good measure, still smiling and experiencing a sort of happy warmth unfamiliar to her. Parker walked back behind the screen. "Why don't you go make sure Broots got coffee? I'll be out in a second."

Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, Jarod unlocked the door and walked to the kitchen. He made coffee, sought out mugs, and dug through the refrigerator for cream, all with the same happy face that left Syd and Broots sharing mystified looks.

~~~~~~~~~

The laughter of children mixed with barking dogs and other assorted sunny-afternoon-in-the-park noises to create a beautiful -if not somewhat chaotic- picture. This park, Jarod concluded, had to be one of the best spots in the world for a kid to play. It had caught his eye as he and Emily, in search of the perfect teddy bear to keep the little girl company at night, had dragged Parker -who didn't manage to put up an act of boredom for much longer, and would soon relax enough in the company of the other two to show her own enjoyment of the shopping excursion- down the sidewalk to a third toy store.

This particular Saturday, their third day in the city, had provided the perfect just-warm-enough-and-not-a-cloud-in-the-sky weather for families to flock to the enormous park, with its antique carousel and duck-inhabited pond. That morning, when everyone had begun to voice ideas of what exactly to do, Jarod had quickly brought up the park. No one caught her, since Parker was curled up in an overstuffed chair a bit apart from everyone else, but she allowed herself a little grin at Jarod's eagerness. His childlike behavior and open excitement were two of the things she loved most about him.

Emily was sitting on the grass with a dozen other young children, awestruck by a clown's magic show, while Broots and Sydney took advantage of a walking path to talk about this and that, though it never ceased to amaze Parker just how much those two managed to find in common.

And as for Parker, she was seated on a wooden bench near the lake, watching -a little jealously- all the happy couples walking along hand-in-hand, enjoying the great sights of the park together. Just as Broots and Sydney were walking off, something caught Jarod's attention and he hurried off, with an assurance of returning soon, and a curious gleam in his eye not unlike Emily's when she had spotted the clown.

Parker sighed and glanced down at her watch. The magic show would probably end soon, and then she'd at least have Emily to keep her company. Maybe they could feed the ducks or something.

"Hungry?" Came a cheery voice from behind her. The delicious scent of junk food wafted towards Parker's nose as she turned to look back at Jarod. One glance at him, and she cracked up. Jarod had a hot dog and soda carefully arranged in a small carrying box, while his other hand struggled to hold onto a bag of popcorn and a monstrous cloud of pink and blue cotton candy. Placed upon his dark hair was a green balloon hat, and a purple helium balloon was tied to his wrist with silver ribbon.

"You wouldn't believe the number of vendors around here!"

About 10 minutes later Emily appeared at the bench, her attention now on the ball of spun sugar and shiny balloon tied to the bench. She squirmed up onto the bench between the couple, and began to munch her way into the mass of cotton candy. Jarod's fashion choice had her absolute approval.

Jarod's large appetite was not to be ignored, and though he quickly inhaled everything but Emily's cotton candy, it seemed dessert was missing, so he soon left the girls in search of an icecream vendor, promising to soon return with three chocolate cones. A sort of comfortable silence came between Parker and Emily; as Parker watched the splashing games of a few nearby ducks, Emily was busy tugging her balloon by it's silver cord to make it dance about. The young child stopped, however, when she noticed a single swan slowly making his way across the pond. It caught Parker's eye too, and they both sat for a moment, entranced by the elegant animal.

"My mommy likes swans," Emily quietly informed Parker.

"So did my mother."

"I miss my mommy," Emily whispered sadly. She leaned against Parker, her head resting on the older woman's arm.

"Me too," Parker whispered after a moment.

"I miss my daddy a lot, too," Emily confided. Well, Parker thought, she's got me beat there. What followed was a lengthy, sad silence during which each thought of their mothers, and happier times. After a few minutes, Emily tilted her head up and a pair of large eyes met Parker's own blue ones.

"Miss Parker, I really like you. And Jarod. And Broots and Sydney too. And I'm really, really happy you took me away from the Centre. But, Miss Parker...I want to go home." Parker kept her eyes locked on her small charge, and let out a small sigh. She leaned down and wrapped Emily in her arms, giving her the warm hug Parker herself had desired a hundred times after her mother died.

"I know. We're working on it. I promise, you'll be back home with your mommy and daddy before you know it."

~~~~~~~~~

Her hands were wrapped around a mug of hot coffee, and she was tucked beneath a woolly comforter, staring out into a starry oblivion without the least of breezes nipping her nose and cheeks. None of these helped the chill, however, that formed when she had thought once again about just what Raines had been doing. Just what the Endeavor Project was. The chill was sadness and fear; but above everything else, it was disgust and pity.

It would never end.

The horrors of the Centre, all -her father had assured her- in the name of a greater good--it would never end, Parker realized. For a moment, she couldn't breathe or think; it was as if her mind had frozen with the sudden epiphany. Surely she had known always, deep down, this sickening truth. But years of loneliness and betrayal, a lifetime of yearning for love from a man who screwed with the mind of his own daughter, had taught Parker to hide any understanding that would break apart whatever peace of mind that may still exist.

But with this painful realization, the fragile world Parker had erected with so many years of lies, the only way she knew to live with the Centre's actions and her own, came crashing down around her.

Walking through the darkened apartment, Jarod made his way to the kitchen in search of a midnight snack. His glance happened to wander to the open glass doors leading to the balcony, and his eyes fell upon a still figure huddled upon a chair. His hunger forgotten, Jarod walked to the doorway, silently observing Parker, with her knees drawn up to her chin, and her unmoving body illuminated by the city lights and beams of a full moon. He stood watching, saddened as he noticed a single tear escape her moist eyes and slowly make a trail down her cheek.

After a moment, he turned to walk away, believing that whatever troubled her was something that must be dealt with alone. Parker caught the slight sound Jarod's footsteps created on the thick carpet.

"Jarod," Parker whispered. Jarod turned and walked out onto the balcony. Parker still sat with her head tilted up towards the stars, but her gazing eyes were no longer on the verge of shedding tears. Uncertain of what to do or say, Jarod stood only a foot or so from Parker, quietly awaiting whatever she felt she had to say. Concern was clearly written across his face, and dark brown eyes reflected sadness at seeing someone he cared about so dearly in such pain.

"If, somehow," Parker spoke up, her voice low but controlled, "you and your father were given the chance to meet again... you would have that amazing bond you two had when you first found him, and he would be so grateful to have you back. I mean, think about it: all the years that he spent searching for you, and now, taking care of the younger Jarod..." She sighed, and stretched out her legs as her gaze moved to another patch of stars. "My father, on the other hand, has probably dismissed me, knowing that I've helped you free Emily. I've been discarded and forgotten, having been used up to my full potential and no longer worth the trouble... Just like my mother. And, if one day we were reunited, he wouldn't welcome me with open arms, but probably demand why I had't brought you back with me." For the first time, she moved her head to look at Jarod. "Let's face it--your father would move heaven and earth to protect you. Mine just doesn't give a damn." Parker stood and took one step towards him.

"I know I can never go back. I know my father won't even feel sorry. But somehow, I just don't care." Touched by her admission, Jarod pulled Parker into the warmth of his arms.

"The sooner we get Emily back to her parents, the better... Broots will have to retrieve Debbie soon, get them settled in someplace new and safe... Syd'll have to find his own way, too... And you... you have an entire family to find, and you're closer now than ever."

She clung even tighter to Jarod, and he felt his heart pull. He wanted to protect her from this hurt, to make all the wounds she'd gotten over the years better. He wanted to hold her like this forever, safe in his arms and far from those that wished to harm her. Parker moved back enough to be able to see straight into his eyes. Tears welled once again, but her voice remained steady.

"Where do I go from here?"

"I don't know," Jarod answered honestly in a soft voice. "That's a choice you have to make on your own. But whatever you decide, I'm going to be there, holding your hand the whole way."

~~~~~~~~~

The group would spend five more days in the Chicago apartment. Parker and Jarod spent the days with Emily, visiting every site a child could possibly find interesting; the nights, however, were another matter. As soon as Emily had fallen asleep in her bed, the group would get to work in the living room, Syd assisting Jarod and Parker in searching for Emily's family, while Broots went about the process of rebuilding the lives of his child and himself.

A police report Jarod came upon while checking out the records of the Albany police department would prove to be the key to finding Emily's family. The report described a child exactly like Emily, who disappeared around the time that Emily appeared at the Centre. Everyone gathered around Jarod's laptop eagerly as a picture of the missing child downloaded. Indeed, the picture was of Emily, dressed in a blue velvet dress and smiling sweetly for the camera. The parents, Paul and Constance Simms, had offered a reward of $650,000. Now that a name had been put to the faces of Emily's parents, it was time to find an address. Parker came across this, as well as a disturbing piece of information, the next night.

As the picture of a document appeared on her computer screen, Parker grew pale. Jarod happened to glance up, and seeing her sudden change in appearance, he moved over next to her on the couch.

"I don't want to believe it," Parker managed. Jarod looked down at her screen, and as he realized what he was seeing, his heart fell.

"It's a death certificate," Jarod sadly informed Syd and Broots. "Paul Simms died in a head-on collision last month." Silence fell upon the room.

"I have the address," Parker spoke up over an hour later, the first to speak since the discovery of the death certificate. "It seems Constance Simms sold the house after her husband died. She owns a smaller place in Albany now--at 263 Powell Circle. She must've caught onto the fact that some very powerful people had her daughter, somehow--she's changed her name twice, and hasn't updated the reward poster since Paul died, but has gotten quite a few notices posted on the internet." She looked over at Jarod and smiled. "We've found her."

~~~~~~~~~

"Has she started talking yet, Syd?"

"They've just sat down on a bench... Now Parker's speaking..."

"How's Emily taking it?"

"I doubt Miss Parker's even had a chance to tell her, Broots. This isn't exactly something you tell someone as quickly as possible."

It was the following day, their last in Chicago. Everyone had agreed that it would best for Emily to learn of her father before being given back to her mother, but that upon learning such news a speedy return to the comfort of her mother would undoubtedly be best. There had been no discussion over who would break the news to Emily--Parker had quietly volunteered before anyone could bring it up. She felt, because of the impact her mother's death had had on her, that she would be most understanding about Emily's position.

The park was nowhere near as crowded this Thursday as it had been last weekend. In fact, the quiet secluded area around the duck pond was perfect for the scene about to take place. Parker had insisted on telling Emily alone, but Syd and Broots sat watching carefully over the two girls they had grown so protective of. Jarod had opted to sit apart, in a private spot on the opposite side of the small pond; it was close enough for the concerned man to observe clearly, while not being so close as to draw attention to himself.

He watched as Emily bowed her head, saying nothing as far as Jarod could tell. For awhile Parker sat quietly, allowing the girl time to sort her thoughts. Then, in a cautious but caring move, Parker leaned over and hugged the little girl. In his hidden spot, Jarod let out a heavy, unhappy sigh.

In a sad sort of irony, Parker was probably suffering more right now, Jarod realized. It must be like reliving all the horrible memories connected to Catherine Parker's death, and yet she had to look strong and be the stone for Emily to lean on, not showing all the pain she was experiencing. And Emily, of course, still had her mother there to see her through this sad time. Mr. Parker had never really been much of a father to Miss Parker, before or after Catherine's death.

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod was the one to contact Mrs. Simms, anonymously, guaranteeing some very promising information on her daughter's location should she meet him at Grand Central Station in New York the next day. She had agreed, quickly promising to come alone and without informing anyone of the meeting.

Under an assumed name, Parker booked the entire group a red-eye flight to New York that night, choosing to reward everything that they'd been through by getting first class tickets. Their residence was chosen with Parker's high standards as well--a large suite at the Ritz. No one had been able to sleep on the plane, but Syd and Broots managed to grab a few hours once they arrived. Emily, no doubt exhausted from her latest ordeal, had fallen asleep curled up next to Parker on a cushy love seat. Gently, Jarod picked up the child as Parker opened the door to the closest bedroom.

Sydney was headed to the bathroom for a drink of water when he stopped in the doorway of Emily's room, the touching scene that was taking place catching his eye. He smiled lovingly at the picture laid out before him: Parker was tucking the covers up under a sleeping Emily's chin while Jarod plucked Ruggles, Emily's new stuffed bear, from his spot on the nightstand and placed him under the covers next to the girl. Sydney felt the pride of a doting father as he looked on. He thought back over the past two weeks, and wondered if Parker and Jarod realized just how special their bond was.

~~~~~~~~~

Grand Central Station on a Friday morning barely offers breathing space for anyone, let alone a clear view of everyone else. This was why the group was perched in a well-hidden spot upstairs, with blinded windows that offered a good view of everything going on down below. Their eyes were carefully watching the same island of chairs near a vending machine, the appointed meeting place where Constance Simms should be arriving any moment.

Jarod, Parker and Emily all peered occasionally through the blinds, each time searching hopefully for a certain young blonde woman.

At exactly 7:40, the appointed time, a thin blonde woman wearing a black flowered skirt and black top appeared next to the vending machine, clearly trying to appear calm and nonchalant, though her quick eyes and pacing showed impatience.

"Emily," Jarod spoke up, spotting the lady. "Do you recognize that woman down there?" Emily eagerly looked out the window.

"That's my mommy!" Emily squealed. Brushing past Jarod, she raced out the door before anyone could sort out what had happened. Her eyes wide with fright, Parker whipped out her gun and ran to the door.

"Emily! Come back, we don't know if the area's secure!" That stopped the girl in her tracks, halfway down the stairs. Her experience back at the old factory had proven just how dangerous this situation was. She made her way back up the stairs, but glanced with longing down at her mother.

With extreme caution, everyone glanced out through the blinds to be absolutely sure no one familiar or out of place was visible. Finally, Parker looked to Jarod, who nodded his confirmation. She walked over to Emily, and reached down for her hand.

"Come on. Let's go meet this mom of yours." Giggling, Emily led Parker down the stairs and over the main floor to where her mother stood, with Jarod, Sydney and Broots following just behind.

"Emily!"

"Mommy!" The mother and daughter ran to each other, both laughing -though Mrs. Simms's eyes quickly began to well- and talking at once.

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too, baby. How are you? Are you hurt?"

"Nope, I'm fine." Emily pointed back to where Jarod and the others stood, watching the reunion with proud smiles. "These are my friends: Miss Parker, Jarod, Sydney and Broots. They helped me get away from the bad people."

"I don't know how to thank you," Mrs. Simms told the others with a quavering voice. "I never dreamed she would actually be here. My daughter is the world to me... You don't know how much this means to me."

"I think we do," Miss Parker smiled. But as she looked over to Jarod, the smile disappeared. She turned to where Emily was standing by her mother. "Emily, why don't we go get Ruggles, and give your mommy and the others a few minutes to talk, okay?" Emily's eyes fell a little, but she nodded and took Parker's hand as they made their way back to the stairs. Noting the uncomfortable looks on the men's faces, Mrs. Simms immediately grew concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"Mrs. Simms...There are a few unhappy things we have to discuss," Jarod said. He led her to the island of chairs, and they all sat. "First, you should know that Emily is aware of her father's death. We came across the death certificate while searching for you, and... Miss Parker felt it was only right to tell her as soon as possible." He paused, allowing her to absorb this information, then continued. "Also... the people that took Emily will probably go to a lot of trouble to find her again. We know that you've changed your name and moved, but I'm afraid you'll have to do it again, for Emily's sake. Take her someplace far away, start over completely. I'll help in any way I can..." His face grew concerned as she remained quiet. "Mrs. Simms, you have no idea how sorry we are for this."

"I have my daughter back, Jarod. That's all that matters."

"Of course." Everyone grew silent, thinking of everything ahead of them still. Just then, Emily and Miss Parker returned, with Ruggles in hand.

"Darling, why don't you say goodbye? We need to get going."

The men stood, and Jarod walked over to be next to Parker. He knew she would need support to do this. His hand moved slowly to hers, and laced their fingers together. She looked at him, and Jarod smiled warmly back.

"Goodbye, Sydney," Emily said, hugging the older man. She moved on to Broots, hugging him as well. "Goodbye, Broots." She then walked over to Jarod, who let go of Parker to wrap his arms around the little girl. "Goodbye, Jarod. Thank you for finding my mommy."

"Goodbye, Emily."

Now came the hardest part of all. Emily stepped over to Miss Parker slowly, and when Parker kneeled down the little girl threw her arms around her.

"I'll miss you," Emily whispered.

"Not as much as I'll miss you," Parker whispered back, squeezing even tighter. "But you're gonna be fine now."

"When will I get to see you again?" Parker felt as if her heart would break when she heard that question.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "But we'll see each other again one day."

"Promise?"

"Promise." A final squeeze and Emily walked back over to her mother, keeping a tight grip on Ruggles.

"Goodbye, everyone," Mrs. Simms called back as the two headed out the doors outside, into the busy streets of New York. "And again, thank you." For a moment, Jarod and the others merely stood there, watching the door through which Emily and her mother had stepped through. Then, as if on a whim, Parker ran out the door, with the others following slowly behind. Miss Parker stood there, on the busy sidewalk, staring as a yellow cab pulled away. Just as Jarod walked up to Miss Parker, a familiar face appeared in the back window. Emily didn't turn back around until the cab turned a corner, and Miss Parker was out of sight.

"We should get back to the hotel," Sydney finally spoke up.

"Yes," Parker murmured. "Let's go."

~~~~~~~~~

"How about rural Kansas?" Jarod suggested with a grin.

"Oh, yeah, I can just picture us: you wearing overalls and bumping along atop a tractor, while I sit in the kitchen churning butter. What a lovely thought," Parker laughed. She picked up her glass from the small glass table just ahead of their wicker love seat, and took a sip of her white wine as she gazed out at the buildings visible from the balcony of their suite near the top of the Ritz. "Seriously, though, I think somewhere a tad bigger would be better, don't you? I mean, think about it...San Francisco, Boston, Seattle...you know, someplace big."

"Yeah, I guess that would be safer," Jarod remarked.

"Safer?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, the middle of nowhere...You, miles from the nearest salon or Starbucks. You'd go insane in no time." They both burst out laughing.

Inside, Sydney and Broots quietly observed the happy couple. Beside their feet were placed Broots' carry-on and Sydney's briefcase. Goodbyes had been said over six hours ago, at JFK International Airport, where Sydney and Broots were taking the same plane to Richmond.

Debbie's aunt had taken her to Virginia for a few days to visit a cousin; Broots was going to pick up his daughter there. He had chosen Houston as their new home--it had plenty of safe suburbs with good schools, and Jarod's connections had landed him a well-paying position as a computer analyst. Their last name was now Garner.

Sydney had opted to stay in Richmond long enough to get his affairs in order. He would then head to his new job in Manchester, England, working as a child psychologist; Sydney was determined to help as many young lives as possible. As soon as he had settled, he intended to contact his son, as well as someone else very close to him, to see just how his new life would affect these relationships.

Jarod and Parker had left the airport in search of a taxi as soon as Sydney and Broots had boarded; besides goodbyes, they made a sort of pact to keeep in touch, no matter what. It was only right before the plane was about to take off that an engine problem had occured. Nothing major, but enough for the flight to be canceled. All flights were booked solid; it would 10 hours before another plane with available seat left for Richmond. They had intended to drop by the suite for a little while; after all, who knew how long it would be before they were all together like this again? But when they had walked in, it hadn't been difficult to see that Jarod and Parker were perfectly okay by themselves.

"You know, Syd, I think they're going to be just fine." They turned back in unison for one last look--Jarod had one arm wrapped lightly around Parker's waist, and she had rested her head on his shoulder.

"I hope so, Broots," Sydney said as they walked out the door. "No one deserves some happiness more than those two."

~~~~~~~~~

"We've circled in a plane over Savannah for half an hour, I was undressed with the eyes of practically every man we've crossed -including a cab driver with 13 letters but absolutely no vowels in his name-, and now we finally arrive here at the beautiful Magnolia Breeze Bed & Breakfast, only to be told to listen for flash flood warnings because of a hurricane," Miss Parker whined as she flopped down on the canopy bed. "I know it was my idea to come here in the first place, but now I can't for the life of me remember why!"

"Come on, Parker, it's not that bad," Jarod smiled as he tossed their bags in a corner of the room, then parted the curtains to let in some sunlight. "Hey, why don't we go for a walk, look around the town a bit? It's still hours until dusk."

"All right," Parker agreed, pushing herself up from the bed. "But can we stop somewhere? I'm hungry!"

"Sure. Oh, yeah, I need a pez refill, too," Jarod remembered. He smiled sheepishly at Parker. "Besides, I bet there's some awesome homemade candy around here I've never even had before." Parker laughed, a wonderful sound that warmed Jarod's heart.

"You know, when we made that deal yesterday in New York, out on the patio, I should've had you give up something too, say... a certain small, squarish candy."

"Not a chance!" Jarod laughed, but there was a small tinge of panic in his voice. "Besides, it's dangerous enough with one of us going through withdrawal, but if I try to get over pez while you're getting past cigarettes..." -Jarod pretended to shudder in fright- "That wouldn't be a pretty sight."

"Let's go!" Parker insisted, grinning as she grabbed Jarod's hand and led him to the door. "I'm starving!"

~~~~~~~~~

The park was full of blooming flowers and chirping birds, with waves crashing in the background. On the horizon, the sun was setting, tinting the ocean red and orange. This had to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, Jarod thought. And with Parker at his side, walking with him hand-in-hand, he knew there was nowhere else he would rather be.

Suddenly, the birds went silent. Everything seemed to be still.

Parker and Jarod looked at each other, and their eyes said it all. Releasing each other's hands, they began to run to the opposite side of the park, where their rental car was parked. Instinct alone sent Parker's hand reaching for her gun, only to realize it wasn't there. Shit, she thought, my gun! Jarod had me give up my gun! She shot Jarod a panicked look.

A single shot went off, missing Parker by inches but instead shattering the bark of a nearby tree. Running even faster now, Parker whipped her head around to try and locate the shooter. She spotted a black car parked nearby, and an open window revealed a hand gun, held by a man unclear to her.

Two more shots rang out--a bush to one side of her shook as it lost a shower of leaves and small branches.

Another bullet passed Parker, grazing her neck. She gasped at the sudden sting, but ignored the pain, instead concentrating on their car, now so close. Only about 30 feet from it, Jarod started to move faster, and yanked the keys out of his jacket pocket as he crossed Parker's running direction, aiming for the driver's side of the car.

A shot echoed, and Jarod let out a startled yelp of pain. Parker turned her head as they reached their rental car, and looked over at Jarod. He was still moving, which was enough for her at the moment. Jumping into the front seats, Jarod jammed the key into the ignition and pushed the accelerator to the floor.

Parker looked out through the back window until the park was well out of sight. She turned around in her seat, buckled her seatbelt in reaction to Jarod's speeding, then turned her attention to him, concerned over his earlier shout of pain. Her eyes widened in shock and fear as she noticed the large red spot growing on the shoulder of his white shirt.

"God, Jarod, you've been hit. How bad is it?"

"I'm fine. What about you--is the wound deep?" It was only then that Parker felt the cool, wet sensation of blood trailing down her neck. She placed one finger over the cut, and when she brought the finger up, it was colored by a single drop of blood. A little uncomfortable to know that a bullet had gotten that close, but she'd live.

"I'll be alright," Parker assured him. She look worriedly at his blood-stained shirt. Jesus, how deep was that wound, for him to be losing that much blood? "Jarod, are sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Jarod insisted through clenched teeth. But Parker could tell from the beads of sweat already forming on his forehead, and the way he winced every time he had to turn the steering wheel, that Jarod was far from fine.

"The hell you are! Pull over up here--I'm driving."

"We can't stop."

"Jarod, you're bleeding like crazy. Now pull the damn car over!" Realizing she was right, Jarod turned the car into a nearby alley. He slid into the passenger's seat while Parker went around the car to the driver's seat. As he reclined the seat, she grabbed her cardigan from the back seat and wrapped it around his arm to help stop the bleeding.

"That's the best we can do for now. A better nursing job will have to wait until we can stop at a hotel somewhere," Parker fretted, glancing in concern at the paling man.

"What are my chances of getting you to include a sponge bath?" Jarod joked, grinning weakly.

~~~~~~~~~

She finally stopped, at well past midnight, when they reached Atlanta. Parker had driven vaguely in the direction of the city, but taken a longer route through as many backroads as she could properly follow on the map. It had only been half an hour or so when Jarod fell asleep, tucked under his leather jacket and much more pale than Parker cared for.

Their room was, admittedly, not as luxurious as the suite back in New York, but it was near the center of the city and was crowded enough for them to blend in easily. It was a sort of family resort in the city, with a couple of pools, an ice cream parlor, an arcade, and a few other novelties that would no doubt pique Jarod's interest once he was well enough. For now, however, he was limited to the room, mostly the bed, as Parker insisted.

The bed...Parker hadn't realized how insinuating it would be, in a room with just one bed and two of them. So far, they hadn't done anything serious, and with Jarod wounded, it wasn't as if she was going to seduce him their first night in Atlanta; still, Parker was a little pleased to see the disappointed glance Jarod shot her when he thought she wasn't looking, as she placed a blanket and pillow on the couch.

"So," Parker was saying as she picked up the telephone, "what's it going to be from room service?"

"Whatever it is, make it a lot of it," Jarod said from bed. "How about a cheeseburger, fries and a strawberry shake. Hey, why don't we split a pizza, too?"

"Well, it's good to see that a gunshot wound, not to mention severe blood loss, has hindered your appetite," Parker joked. Jarod was about to respond, but she put up a hand to quiet him as she talked to the hotel employee on the other end. "Yes, hello... Right, I need a cheeseburger with fries, a strawberry milkshake, a chicken ceasar salad, and an iced tea, please..." -she noticed Jarod give her a fake pout- "...And I guess we're going to need a pepperoni pizza... A small should be fine... Great... Yeah, room number 734... Okay, thanks. Bye." She hung up the phone.

Two hours later, a very full Jarod had fallen asleep on the bed, an empty pizza box at his feet, while Parker stood in the bathroom, carefully replacing the bandage on her neck. She stared at her reflection as she thoughtlessly fingered the gauze; her eyes slowly closed and her thoughts began to wander back to the park...

The ocean waves...a calm walk...their sudden race to the car...five gunshots...Jarod's shout of pain.

Parker's eyes shot open with sudden realization. Her blue eyes grew moist, and she turned from her reflection, the bandaged wound a reminder of what had happened that day.

"My god, they were shooting at me. Jarod was shot because he got in the way."

~~~~~~~~~

They'd remained in Atlanta for a week. Jarod had healed quickly and well, but he was more concerned with Parker than his own health. She didn't seem ill or withdrawn, but by her quiet manner, he could tell that something was upsetting her. Instead of confronting her, Jarod simply enjoyed her company and acted as though nothing were wrong, knowing she'd come to him in her own good time.

Early in the morning, Jarod was packing his bags. He'd awoken two hours ago to find Parker had already packed and left the hotel room. He figured he might as well get his own stuff together while she was gone.

He heard the door open while he was in the bathroom gathering his toothbrush and things.

"Great, you're back," Jarod said as he walked to the bed, his back to the door. "Listen, just let me finish up here and we can going. We've got four hours before the plane to San Francisco leaves." He turned to face Parker. He couldn't help but notice that the light colors and comfortable clothing she'd been wearing recently were replaced with a black business suit.

Parker walked over to the bed, picking up her black leather bag without one word. She moved back to the door, and stopped; she took a deep breath, then turned to face Jarod.

"I'm not going."

Disclaimer: Jarod, Parker, Broots...Own them? I wish! That ingeniusness goes to NBC, though. Also, the song's by Sarah MacLauchlan. Thanx for not suing.


History Repeats, Love Endures
Part VII
by Oriana Lemke


7/7


Not going.

She wasn't going with him. That one sentence she'd said was running through his mind over and over. He hadn't replied. Hell, he couldn't have moved, if he'd tried. Jarod just stood there, trying to absorb her words. Already ideas were popping into his head: It was a bad joke... He'd done something wrong... Something was scaring her away. The only thing that seemed clear to Jarod was that this was just a mistake, her leaving, an awful mistake. Something had gone wrong, obviously, but he was sure it wasn't something that couldn't be fixed.

All of these thoughts came in and went in a matter of seconds. A few seconds, however, was all it took for Parker to walk out the door, and head down the hall towards the nearest elevator. Jarod ran out the door, mentally hitting himself for not stopping her immediately, and looked both ways down the hall. He spotted her, with her back facing him, just as the elevator doors were sliding together. He dashed down the hall.

"Parker, wait! Please--" He reached the doors just as they finished closing. "Damn it!" Not wanting to wait for the next elevator, Jarod ran back down the hall, passed their room to the end, to where the stairs were located.

Parker stood in the elevator, staring at the shiny metal wall. This was so unfair-- she was running away from the one place she wanted to be most. The Centre always won in the end, Parker thought. This was proof. She felt her eyes begin to well, but she forced herself to remain in contral, clenching her jaw and straightening her posture. Then she noticed her reflection on the elevator's metal side, and the tears fell anyhow. Not the angry tears that she felt like shedding, the kind always accompanied by a few satisfying cries of pain and anger. No, the composed woman permitted herself just two tears, two warm moist drops that slowly made their way down her cheek. As the doors slid open, Parker impatiently wiped them away as she turned and walked out into the hotel lobby.

Jarod pushed through the doors at the bottom of the stairwell, finding himself in the hotel lobby. He silently cursed the size of this bottom level, the waves of parents and children heading in a hundred directions, and the numerous shops that could be searched, all the while making his way quickly through the crowd, desperately searching for Parker.

Then he spotted her, just entering the revolving glass doors leading outside, and his heart lifted.

"Parker! Parker, wait! Parker!" Jarod shouted over and over as he impatiently pushed his way through the crowd.

Parker heard, and it ripped her heart apart. She debating forgeting her rental car and just grabbing a taxi, but it was obvious there wasn't one in sight, so she began to walk faster, determined to lose Jarod. Despite the fact that she was outside, she could still hear Jarod's shouts from inside the hotel.

"God, why does he have to make this any harder?" Parker asked in a quaivering voice.

"Parker!" Jarod could see her just entering the large park across the street, as he finally made it out of the building. He resumed full-speed running, though he was slowed by the cars he had to weave around in the street. As he made it to the park, he could see her nearing the large marble fountain.

She was close enough to feel the cool mist of the approaching fountain, but her steps didn't slow. Parker had no intention of slowing down until she was out of Atlanta, and far enough away that Jarod would no longer be in danger.

At last, he reached her, just in front of the fountain. She sensed him behind her. The thought casually came and went, of just how long she'd had that sixth sense when it came to him. Forever, she realized was the answer. Since they were children, since that first meeting, she'd always had that instinct about him.

"Parker, would you stop?" And she did. Everything inside of her was screaming for Parker to keep going, to protect him. Yet she stopped, simply because he had asked her. She didn't turn to face him, though. That would just be too hard.

Jarod reached out to touch her, his hand brushing the small of her back. He was surprised to feel the solid form of her gun. The dark suit, her gun... He heard her reach for something in her coat jacket, and the sound of her working a lighter was like the final puzzle piece. She was returning to the way she used to be, Jarod realized. To the protective shell of the Ice Queen that nobody screwed with, let alone got close to.

"Parker, please," Jarod whispered. "Talk to me. Tell me what's going on." Immediately, Parker tensed.

"Go away," Parker insisted.

"I know you don't want that."

"I don't give a damn what you think you know," she snapped, hoping her old attitude would come in handy. "Jesus, I've packed my bags, I've told you straight out that I wasn't going with you--what the hell do you need to get the hint? I want nothing to do with you!" Silence. Complete and painful silence. She closed her eyes tight, wishing for it all to be over.

"I know you're hurting," Jarod whispered after a moment. "I don't know what's going on...but please, just let me help."

"Would you just leave?!" Parker shouted.

"Can't we at least try to work this out together?" No answer. "Is there a reason you won't let me help you?" Still nothing. Parker didn't trust her own voice, and besides, what was there left to say that would make him leave?

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?" There was a sad tinge of acceptance in his low voice. "I don't want to lose you, but you... you really want me to leave, don't you?" A single tear slipped through Parker's still-closed eye.

Neither one spoke. There was no need.

Jarod reached out.

It would take everything he had to stop his fingers from touching her.

He turned around and walked back to the hotel. He had two plane tickets to cancel. California just didn't offer the same interest for him anymore.

It took her awhile to realize that he wasn't coming back. It took her even longer to accept it. But she wouldn't cry. She wouldn't allow herself to lose control like that. After all, the old Miss Parker was back, and the old Miss Parker never cried. She silently slid her sunglasses on, and took a final puff of her cigarette before snuffing it out with her heel. She walked the rest of the way across the park to her rented car, her face emotionless and her footsteps certain.

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod drove along the busy highway, his mind nowhere near the road in front of him. He didn't even know where he was going. As long as it was away from Atlanta, he supposed it didn't really matter. Deciding he needed something to distract him, Jarod reached over and turned on the radio. A song he hadn't heard before was just beginning.

I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

I'm so tired but I can't sleep
Standin' on the edge of something much too deep
It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word
We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard

"Great," Jarod muttered as he turned the radio off. "Like I really need to hear something like that right now."

~~~~~~~~~

Parker drove aimlessly, completely oblivious to her surroundings. She hadn't touched the lit cigarette resting in the ashtray, which was now burned all the way to the butt, and cutting and passes that usually drew a line of profanities out of her mouth now occured without notice.

A car blared it horn as it passed her, snapping Parker out of her reverie. She glared at the car, but the truth was that she was grateful for the distraction. A distraction from thoughts of beautiful brown eyes, that adorable smile...

"I am truly pathetic," Parker remarked. She pressed a button to turn on the stereo, positive that music was just the thing to keep her from thinking of a certain man. The song that filled her car had already begun, but the background music had a sort of sad note to it that caught Parker's attention.

And I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

"Oh, yeah, this'll really help me get Jarod out of my head," Parker muttered as she pressed the tuning button a couple times, switching to the only other station she remembered as having decent music. There was a slight pause as the radio changed, then the same tune resumed.

I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to lose
Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose
Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night
You gave me everything you had, oh, you gave me light

"Fate's having a hayday with my misery," Parker murmured, pressing the on/off button hard with one well-manicured finger.

~~~~~~~~~

"Sir? Excuse me, sir, but you forgot your briefcase," the flight attendant said, pointing back to a black leather case placed in one of the hard blue plastic chairs of the airport terminal. Jarod, dressed in a navy blue Armani suit, looked down at his hand, realizing that she was right--all he had in his hand was his laptop carrying case.

"Thank you," Jarod smiled politely. He walked back to his chair and picked up the briefcase, only to have it open on him. Papers spilled out onto the floor.

"Oh, no," the attendant said as she walked back to him. "Here, let me help you with that." She bent down and picked up a few folders; from between two of them fluttered down a polaroid picture. She caught the picture, and smiled at it as she handed the folders back to Jarod.

"What a lovely picture. Your family?" Glancing up from his briefcase, a sad sort of smile grew on his face as he saw what she was talking about.

"No, they're not. But they're both very dear to me," Jarod said as he took the picture from her, tucking it into the breast pocket of his suit. "Um, thank you for helping with my papers, but my plane's about to leave, so I'd better get going." He made his way past the flight attendant and boarded the plane.

The airplane wasn't at all crowded, which was best, since it'd give Jarod a chance to rest. This last pretend, in a Chicago law firm, had been exhausting, with horrible hours and a very detailed trap to be set for a kidnapper. It would feel good to get home for a few days, before he left again.

Home... It had taken awhile for him to find the perfect spot, but he'd finally done it: a cozy two-story house, white with blue trimming, in a picture-perfect neighborhood overflowing with families. Best of all, he was right on the beach. Cape Cod was certainly his favorite out of all the places he'd visited. The house was his home now, the place he belonged, and knew would always be there when a pretend was over. He felt comfortable there, safe. The realtor had described it as the perfect family home, a chief attraction for Jarod.

Families. The thought led his hand into the breast pocket. Jarod was staring at the polaroid before he even realized it. He was standing with an arm around Parker, with Emily in between, all beaming; a happy moment frozen in time. He remembered when the picture had been taken: back in Chicago, while they were looking around a mall, Parker had spotted a photo booth. Emily and she had each grabbed one of his hands and tugged him over, giggling as they nudged him inside and closed the curtain. He'd been blinded by the flash, but it had been worth it, knowing that Parker had that picture of him. Then Emily had insisted on having a picture of he and Parker together, which neither had argued to. And, in the end, he got the picture of them all together.

"Three months," Jarod thought with a sigh. "Seems more like an eternity." He looked out the window, lost in his thoughts, as his hand -still holding the picture- came to rest on his chest. He eventually nodded off into a sleep filled with happy memories, from their childhood, to their time in Chicago. Even the white rabbit he'd given her.

When the plane landed over three hours later in Cape Cod, Jarod silently gathered his laptop and briefcase, left the plane, and walked out to where his car had waited for nearly two weeks, without once returning the smiles of friendly strangers.

Jarod drove slowly towards home, unconsciously using the streets crowded with specialty shops, a much longer route. It was as he was waiting for a light to turn green that a small store on the corner caught his eye. Placed in the window, amidst stuffed animals and cribs, was an oak rocking chair with a baby blue afghan hanging over one armrest. He could almost picture Parker slowly rocking in that chair, with a baby held snug in her arms... She would turn, and smile at him, her blue eyes sparkling... He'd bend down, kiss the forehead of their precious child, then kiss her on lips... Everything would be perfect...

A car horn snapped Jarod out of his reverie, and he glanced up to see that the light had changed. Without a second thought, he turned the corner, driving until he reached a parking garage a few blocks away. He impatiently unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of his car, not bothering to stop long enough to lock it. He hurried back to the baby shop, and entered, heading straight for the nearest salesperson.

"Hello, sir," the young brunette said. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yes," Jarod smiled. "I'd like to have you deliver something to my house."

"Of course. What is it you want?"

"I'd like to buy that chair in the window."

~~~~~~~~~

Parker wasn't driving in her usual speed-demon manner. In fact, though she wasn't aware of it, she was driving nearly 10 miles beneath the posted limit of 35. And it wasn't as if there was traffic to slow her down; in fact, with it nearing dusk, it seemed everyone had opted to stay home tonight, leaving the streets empty save for a rare few cars or joggers. No one to actually notice the woman lost in her troubled thoughts.

He'd be in danger again, if she stayed.

It wasn't the only sign of her nervous and hesistant condition. In fact, anyone observing Parker would immediately notice that something was up: she was clicking her nails on the steering wheels, and constantly chewing on her lower lip. She'd attempted to smoke two cigarettes already, but each would nearly burn her fingers before she even remembered lighting them.

But going on without him was just too hard. Impossible.

Her mind was so completely full with other thoughts that she didn't even register the red light until she'd practically run it. Natural reaction sent her foot slamming against the brake. She bent forward a little from the sudden momentum, and it was as she was settling back in her seat that a store window caught her eye. It was closed, but lights illuminated the displays. She smiled wistfully at the cute stuffed animals, tiny baby clothes, and all the furniture a child could ever need. She especially liked the oak rocking chair set in the middle of the display--it was absolutely perfect.

The light had turned green, but there were no cars behind her to make Parker aware of this fact. She finally glanced up to the light and, with a sigh, released the break peddle. She continued down the deserted streets, heading for the beachfront of Cape Cod.

Maybe they could find a way. Together, they always had seemed stronger. Even as children.

She'd found a public parking lot six blocks or so from his place. Somehow going straight up his driveway seemed too... abrupt. It made things real and immediate. And suddenly, despite the long hours she'd already spent debating this decision, Parker needed time to sort out some thoughts.

She got out of the car, and took off her shoes, tossing them inside. They'd made her pink sweater set and black skirt more business-like, but heels seemed like an unnecessary nuisance for a walk on the beach. The shoes landed on the passenger's side seat, next to her polaroid of Jarod. She permitted herself only a quick glance at his happy grin before slamming the door shut.

She headed straight down to the water, slowly walking along, enjoying the feel of moist sand under her bare feet. At first she just walked quietly along, occassionally looking back at her footprints in the sand. Then, she saw the amazing colors that dusk was reflecting on the water, and she just stopped, and sat down.

In the distance, thunder began. Thick, dark clouds were quickly making their way to the ocean. It didn't take long for the rain to start, foregoing the traditional sprinkles to begin with a sudden rush of water. The downfall drenched Parker within moments, but she continued to just stare out at the remains of the sunset.

And with the hundreds of raindrops came her hundreds of doubts and concerns, all overflowing in her mind until finally they burst through in tears.

Parker sat, in the pouring rain, her face dripping with raindrops and tears, watching the sun disappear and the sky be overtaken by the dark, menacing storm, feeling more alone than ever.

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod stood in his bedroom, near the doors leading out onto the balcony, watching the storm. No lights on, just the last beams of dusk filling the room. It was all so mesmerizing, the way the waves clashed against the sand, the patterns lightning cut in the sky, even the paths raindrops made down the glass. Usually these storms, so frequent in this area, calmed him; tonight, however, nothing could keep his unhappy thoughts at bay.

He looked over at the rocking chair, and sighed. He'd bought it without any hesitation. At the time it'd made sense--the image that seeing that rocking chair had brought forth had been great. He'd had this incredible need to own that chair, to have it in that one certain spot on the balcony. Not that it had been a bad purchase; the rocking chair seemed to be made for the house, like the finishing touch to make it feel like home. He'd brought it inside a few hours ago, to protect it from the rain.

Jarod walked over to it, his figure barely illuminated, and ran his fingers over the smooth wood. He'd really bought it for her. It seemed to fit her so well, or at least the Miss Parker that he knew, not the persona she used to protect herself from being hurt.

He shook his head. It wasn't as if it really mattered. She'd never see it anyway.

Jarod walked out of the room, and headed to the staircase, stopping to glance back into the room. He stared at the chair, his face brightened by the lights turned on downstairs. He knew it was a gift he'd never be able to give her. Still, he just couldn't bring himself to get rid of it.

He walked down the stairs, and went into the kitchen to make some hot cocoa. From the window above the sink he could see the houses across the street, their windows glowing from lights within. He always liked to wonder what the families were doing inside. Then, as always, came the question that ruined the moment: Would he ever know firsthand?

It was as he was pouring the steaming liquid that he heard -barely- a knock on the front door. There was a short pause, followed by another knock, as short and quiet -almost hesitant- as the first.

"Who could possibly be out in this weather?" Jarod mused. He made his way through the kitchen and living room to the front door. He set down the mug of hot cocoa, and opened the door.

There stood Parker. Her head had risen immediately as the door opened, and she seemed startled to actually see Jarod. She'd been staring at her bare feet, on the verge of walking away while there was still time. Now, as she saw him, Parker knew there was nowhere else she could be.

Jarod was speechless. He could only stand, and stare at her. She was soaked; her clothes were clinging to her skin, and her dark hair was dripping, with stray strands dangling around her cheeks. Her blue eyes -a little moist with a few remaining tears- glistened as they reflected the warm light coming from inside the house. She was here. She was really here.

For a moment, for a brief, breath-stopping moment, she just stood, absorbing every detail about him, trying to freeze the moment in time. It wasn't as if she could speak--were there words to fit what she feeling? She was soaked, she was freezing, but Parker felt safe and warm and content, just being this close to him.

"Parker," Jarod breathed, an ecstatic smile instantly appearing on his face. That was all she needed. She took the one step between them, and threw her arms around him, nestling her head next to his neck. His arms went around her, enclosing her in a tight hug, unable to do anything but smile joyously, reveling in the sensation of having her so near to him. A single set of tears escaped her eyes, but they were -for the first time in a long while- tears of happiness and relief. She tightened her hold on him, not wanting to ever let go.

They remained that way, in the doorway, in each other's arms, for a long while, as a starry night replaced the storm. They were together, finally, and home.

~~~~~~~~

A man walked through that same doorway, but long after that night. He stopped first, by the mantle over the fireplace, to stare at mementos and photographs collected to reflect so many happy memories. He then headed up the stairs, and entered the nearest room with an open door. It was a lovely bedroom, decorated in the same warm spirit as the rest of the house. A white antique canopy bed took up some of the space, but it was the balcony that really caught your eye.

An ocean breeze lazily billowed through white curtains as the man made his way, through the open balcony doors, outside. He stood, enjoying the salty sent and bright sunlight. He glanced over at a rocking chair placed close to the edge, a teddy bear resting in its seat. He smiled, then headed back inside. The bedside tables were neatly kept, but the large dresser and mirror placed near the center of the wall showed signs of a busy family. The mirror's frame had snapshots stuck into it, and a variety of seashells and postcards were lying all over the top of the dresser, along with a few PEZ dispensers.

It was the three pictures, the only ones framed, in the middle of the souveniers that caught his attention. To one side was an older photo, Miss Parker's favorite, that contained her mother. To the other side was a polaroid of three people, taken over six years ago. And, in the middle, was a photo from a wedding. In a beautiful white gown was Parker, and looking rather handsome in a black suit was Jarod; it was a picture of their first dance at the reception, and it was obvious from the way they held each other close and stared into each other's eyes, how much in love they were.

"Hey, Sydney!" called a familiar voice from the bottom of the stairs. "The others are here!" Sydney looked up from the photos, and smiled as he heard the ruckus downstairs as a small mass of people greeted each other.

"Coming, Broots!" Sydney assured him. He walked out of the bedroom, and down to meet with everyone else. Everyone was beaming as they made the introductions, which were plenty. Sydney had brought his wife, Michelle, and his son, Nicholas, who had ended up bringing his own wife and three children along. Emily and Constance were there as well, along with Debbie and Broots. When it finally seemed that introductions were finished, and being replaced with the chatter of catching up, Emily spoke what was on everyone's minds.

"So where are our hosts? You'd think they'd be here to greet us!"

"Yeah," Debbie agreed. "They should be here, celebrating the big day, shouldn't they?"

"Actually, I found a note from them in the kitchen," Sydney explained. "They want us all to make ourselves comfortable. The note said they'd be back by noon, so it shouldn't be too much longer." Nodding, everyone went back to their own little conversations.

"Wasn't this idea of hers great?" Debbie asked Emily. "Our first official reunion -with everybody together for the first time- here in Cape Cod. It's gonna be wonderful--a whole week together. And that barbecue Jarod has planned on the beach tomorrow sounds like a blast!"

"Yeah, it'll be nice to be around you guys again. I mean, we all stay in touch, and we've gotten together in smaller numbers a lot--"

"Especially Sydney and Jarod's clone. They're really close," Debbie interrupted.

"Right. But everyone together at once, now that's the best part. And isn't it wonderful, how we're starting this whole reunion today, on their 5th wedding anniversary?"

"I know. It's so romantic," Debbie sighed, "those two finally getting together, after everything they'd been through. I learned a lot more about them after daddy moved us out to Texas. I always thought those two had something going on."

"Yes, it was quite obvious to everyone, at one point or another," Sydney agreed, joining in their conversation. "I always wondered how things would have turned out between those two, if everything with the Centre had never happened."

"I don't think it matters, really," Debbie said confidently. "They're meant to be, simple as that. They'd have found a way to find each other. That's just the way they are."

"Hey!" Nicholas shouted from the doorway. "Two more cars are pulling up--it's Jarod's family!"

"About time!" Debbie laughed as a new group of people flooded into the house. The first one inside was the younger Jarod, though he really wasn't that young anymore.

"Sydney!" Jarod called out, moving over to the older man. "We finally made it!"

~~~~~~~~~

Across town, inside a building with the sign "Capeside Photo Studio", sat a happy family of four. Already they'd had a few shots taken of each child, but it was the family pictures that were more important to the parents, so they were waiting while the photographer changed frames.

Jarod sat with their boy, Sydney, in his lap. It never ceased to amaze Jarod just how quickly their children were growing up. They had turned four just last week.

"Daddy," Sydney said as he looked up to his father with large blue eyes, "I'm bored. I wanna go home and see Uncle Broots and everyone. Are we almost done?"

"Almost. Just one more, a family portrait, and we're done." Jarod smiled, ruffling the boy's dark hair. His son huffed impatiently. He had to admit, the boy had his mother's looks and personality. He was quick-witted like her too.

Parker smiled over at the two most important guys in her life, then down at the small brunette sitting next to her. Catherine was Sydney's twin; they were the same in practically every way: their favorite food was PEZ (Parker blamed that one on Jarod), if that could be considered a food, their favorite color was green, and so on. They were both smart as a whip, too. In fact, the only real difference between the two was that Catherine tended to be much more calm than her brother.

Parker knelt down, and began to tickle her daughter. Catherine giggled uncontrollably, her brown eyes sparkling. Jarod soon joined in, tickling Sydney. Everyone was laughing.

The photographer saw her opportunity, and quickly snapped an impromptu picture.

"That one's on the house," she said as the family finally began to calm down. "And now, why don't we try for a more serious pose?" The kids moved next to each other, sitting between their parents. Everyone smiled, and looked into the camera. Right before the photographer could shoot the photo, Jarod whispered, "I love you." Parker's smile grew even wider just before the bulb flashed.

A computer set up at the back of the room was already showing a digital picture of their first family picture. The screen was filled with the shot of the family, a laughing mass of parents and children playing with each other, caught in the perfect moment of joy, that seemed to hold promise for a wonderful future.


End.