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Chapter or Story
Epilogue: House of Cards
(AN: some images in this little piece were inspired yet again by a song by Bruce. It’s called ‘Missing’ and it spoke to my heart!)
Eleven people were gathered around the freshly covered grave. Mourning the death of a colleague, a friend, a sister - and a quarry. Some of them hadn't even met her, but mourned just the same. Because they knew why she had died, and they knew how much they owed her for it.
Even Margaret, who had been so suspicious of her until the very end, had tears in her eyes. She never had wanted her to die. Not like that. The older woman sent a prayer heavenwards, that God would forgive her of not trusting the woman who had sacrificed herself at the end.
She prayed, that Catherine would be expecting her daughter and they could be happy now in God’s graceful arms. And Margaret, prayed that Jarod could forgive her for all the things she had said to him about the woman now dead. The woman he seemed to love so much.
One of the mourners did not stand, he was crouched on his knees aside the gravestone. He looked at the inscription with tears falling unchecked. He hardly realized the people around him, all he could see through his watery eyes, was her name on the cold gray stone. Cold as death. Dead as she was.
Ethan had tried twice to approach his brother, but hesitated both times just before he had reached him. It was no use. His own feelings were so difficult to bear with, but on some level he felt not as empty as his brother did. Because with her death, Ethan was also relieved of the eternal pain in his head. Three days ago, at the very moment of her death - though then unknown to him - he had heard his mother's voice for the last time. Ever since that, he had experienced a silence and a sort of peace that he had not known before.
"I'll have her now. My love is with me, she is safe now, and so will you, my sweet boy." Those were the last words Ethan heard.
When he had told his brother about it, Jarod had immediately run out of the house and jumped into the car, with his cell phone in hand desperately trying to call her. But her phone was answered by an unknown man who allegedly was an agent by the name of Martins. Agent Martins refused to answer his questions until the desperate pretender had yelled at him, threatened him and then pleaded with him to tell him where Miss Parker was.
Jarod had been still on the driveway, steering the car down to the main road. He had been just about to put his foot on the accelerator, when the words of the officer had settled in. The shock had run through him so unexpectedly, that he had pushed on the breaks hard enough that his whole body had jolted forward and his chest hit the wheel. It didn't need much and the airbag would have come off.
The sky had gone black in front of his eyes, his arms had turned to stone. He had been waiting for her so long to walk with him and now she was gone.
His eyes were still on her name on the grave. Jarod had still trouble to grasp what had happened. There had been two things he had worked on all his life. All of it meant nothing now. He had found his family; they had found a way to bring down the Centre. Now one thing was certain: the price for his freedom had been too high.
She had paid the price, for all of them.
An emptiness filled his whole being, his body as well as his soul and mind. Jarod felt a void in his soul that seemed to drown him. Everything had become meaningless. Everything he had ever said and done in his life had lost its purpose. Even everything he had said to her. Even his love for her because now it felt as empty and meaningless as anything else, because now she was dead.
It all had come tumbling down. The Centre had fallen. His family was looking for his guidance into the free but unknown future but he felt unable to do it, incapable of leading his loved ones without her. Even though he had never really had her on his side, he missed her up to the point of physical pain. Everything was in place now, everything was all right, but she was missing.
The day had been sunny and bright. To Jarod it felt like God was smiling brightly at the world instead of crying for the loss his world had to face. He felt like he had to throw up at this cruelty. Jarod gazed down at the small lines that had formed on his dusty and dirty shoes . Lines that were drawn by his endlessly falling teardrops.
How would he go on? Without her in his life, without her sweet kiss that he had only experienced twice?
He didn't know how to begin again.
And then he looked around, looking for something in the faces of his family and friends. He saw the tears and loss and pain in each and every face. And though he missed the one face he most wanted to see, he also saw faith, trust and love in them. He looked at Broots and Debbie and felt their sorrow. Then he looked into the sad and teary eyes of his mentor and her supporter and friend. Jarod's eyes moved to Ryan and finally to Ethan. His half-brother gave him a sad but supportive smile and nod.
In this brief moment of silent exchange, Jarod suddenly remembered - as if transported through his brother’s gaze - the bits and pieces of their last few conversations: "I promise Jarod I won’t betray you. ...Just live the life you have been searching for so long. ....I care because I also like the man this little boy has become. All of him. …It's all essentially YOU. .... Promise me Jarod....go back and take care of Ethan and your family and end the game."
Jarod rose with a last look at her grave. And with all determination he could muster, he choked out his last words to her: "You ended the game and I will keep the promise."
The End
I killed her, I know! The thing is any 'happily ever after' for them both was simply impossible for me to do in this story. She went down - her way - doing as much damage as possible and taking the Centre down with her. My idea has always been that MP would be the one responsible for their final downturn - no matter what those damn scrolls say! *grin* At least I let him help her a bit along the way! *smiles evilly*
Last feedback and review? I’m expecting quite some now! Even if you think that was crap, tell me!
So all’s left for me to say here are some last words of gratitude!
Zsazsa: Köszönöm szépen! It’s been always a joy and helpful to hear your words on this one! You know i luv ya madly! Cassy, millie grazie e molti bacci! Mi hai aiutato moltissimo! (the surprise didn’t work lol) Lisa, danke und bussi!
All of you gave me advice and comments that helped me a lot!
And many hugs and kisses over the two oceans that separate me from my two beta-angels! One is sent Westwards and one Down Under to Kat! You guys are great, thanks for all the work, the comments and advice!
(AN: some images in this little piece were inspired yet again by a song by Bruce. It’s called ‘Missing’ and it spoke to my heart!)
Eleven people were gathered around the freshly covered grave. Mourning the death of a colleague, a friend, a sister - and a quarry. Some of them hadn't even met her, but mourned just the same. Because they knew why she had died, and they knew how much they owed her for it.
Even Margaret, who had been so suspicious of her until the very end, had tears in her eyes. She never had wanted her to die. Not like that. The older woman sent a prayer heavenwards, that God would forgive her of not trusting the woman who had sacrificed herself at the end.
She prayed, that Catherine would be expecting her daughter and they could be happy now in God’s graceful arms. And Margaret, prayed that Jarod could forgive her for all the things she had said to him about the woman now dead. The woman he seemed to love so much.
One of the mourners did not stand, he was crouched on his knees aside the gravestone. He looked at the inscription with tears falling unchecked. He hardly realized the people around him, all he could see through his watery eyes, was her name on the cold gray stone. Cold as death. Dead as she was.
Ethan had tried twice to approach his brother, but hesitated both times just before he had reached him. It was no use. His own feelings were so difficult to bear with, but on some level he felt not as empty as his brother did. Because with her death, Ethan was also relieved of the eternal pain in his head. Three days ago, at the very moment of her death - though then unknown to him - he had heard his mother's voice for the last time. Ever since that, he had experienced a silence and a sort of peace that he had not known before.
"I'll have her now. My love is with me, she is safe now, and so will you, my sweet boy." Those were the last words Ethan heard.
When he had told his brother about it, Jarod had immediately run out of the house and jumped into the car, with his cell phone in hand desperately trying to call her. But her phone was answered by an unknown man who allegedly was an agent by the name of Martins. Agent Martins refused to answer his questions until the desperate pretender had yelled at him, threatened him and then pleaded with him to tell him where Miss Parker was.
Jarod had been still on the driveway, steering the car down to the main road. He had been just about to put his foot on the accelerator, when the words of the officer had settled in. The shock had run through him so unexpectedly, that he had pushed on the breaks hard enough that his whole body had jolted forward and his chest hit the wheel. It didn't need much and the airbag would have come off.
The sky had gone black in front of his eyes, his arms had turned to stone. He had been waiting for her so long to walk with him and now she was gone.
His eyes were still on her name on the grave. Jarod had still trouble to grasp what had happened. There had been two things he had worked on all his life. All of it meant nothing now. He had found his family; they had found a way to bring down the Centre. Now one thing was certain: the price for his freedom had been too high.
She had paid the price, for all of them.
An emptiness filled his whole being, his body as well as his soul and mind. Jarod felt a void in his soul that seemed to drown him. Everything had become meaningless. Everything he had ever said and done in his life had lost its purpose. Even everything he had said to her. Even his love for her because now it felt as empty and meaningless as anything else, because now she was dead.
It all had come tumbling down. The Centre had fallen. His family was looking for his guidance into the free but unknown future but he felt unable to do it, incapable of leading his loved ones without her. Even though he had never really had her on his side, he missed her up to the point of physical pain. Everything was in place now, everything was all right, but she was missing.
The day had been sunny and bright. To Jarod it felt like God was smiling brightly at the world instead of crying for the loss his world had to face. He felt like he had to throw up at this cruelty. Jarod gazed down at the small lines that had formed on his dusty and dirty shoes . Lines that were drawn by his endlessly falling teardrops.
How would he go on? Without her in his life, without her sweet kiss that he had only experienced twice?
He didn't know how to begin again.
And then he looked around, looking for something in the faces of his family and friends. He saw the tears and loss and pain in each and every face. And though he missed the one face he most wanted to see, he also saw faith, trust and love in them. He looked at Broots and Debbie and felt their sorrow. Then he looked into the sad and teary eyes of his mentor and her supporter and friend. Jarod's eyes moved to Ryan and finally to Ethan. His half-brother gave him a sad but supportive smile and nod.
In this brief moment of silent exchange, Jarod suddenly remembered - as if transported through his brother’s gaze - the bits and pieces of their last few conversations: "I promise Jarod I won’t betray you. ...Just live the life you have been searching for so long. ....I care because I also like the man this little boy has become. All of him. …It's all essentially YOU. .... Promise me Jarod....go back and take care of Ethan and your family and end the game."
Jarod rose with a last look at her grave. And with all determination he could muster, he choked out his last words to her: "You ended the game and I will keep the promise."
The End
I killed her, I know! The thing is any 'happily ever after' for them both was simply impossible for me to do in this story. She went down - her way - doing as much damage as possible and taking the Centre down with her. My idea has always been that MP would be the one responsible for their final downturn - no matter what those damn scrolls say! *grin* At least I let him help her a bit along the way! *smiles evilly*
Last feedback and review? I’m expecting quite some now! Even if you think that was crap, tell me!
So all’s left for me to say here are some last words of gratitude!
Zsazsa: Köszönöm szépen! It’s been always a joy and helpful to hear your words on this one! You know i luv ya madly! Cassy, millie grazie e molti bacci! Mi hai aiutato moltissimo! (the surprise didn’t work lol) Lisa, danke und bussi!
All of you gave me advice and comments that helped me a lot!
And many hugs and kisses over the two oceans that separate me from my two beta-angels! One is sent Westwards and one Down Under to Kat! You guys are great, thanks for all the work, the comments and advice!
