A New Life.
She stood by the grave, not caring about the rain. It hid her tears. The man that they had just buried was like a father to her. If she was totally honest with herself, he had been more of a father than the one she had grown up with and definitely more than the freak who was her actual father. She had expected to see him here. It had been a few years since she had actually seen him, he had just disappeared. She slowly lifted her head and glanced around the cemetery. Now that the rest of the mourners had left maybe he would make an appearance. As strange as his life had been, she knew that he had loved him as much as she had.
She stood still, waiting, but an hour passed and she still couldn't see him or feel him. She was actually bitterly disappointed that he hadn't shown up. As she walked slowly to her car she felt it. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she quickly walked behind one of the bigger trees that lined the drive. Looking around the trunk, she watched as he laid some flowers on the freshly hewn ground. She could tell, even from this distance that he was crying. His shoulders shook with emotion and she could feel her heart breaking for him. She quickly and quietly walked back to the grave, sure that he wouldn't sense her approach. When she stood behind him, she debated about how to start the conversation that she needed to him with him. She reached out her hand but didn't actually touch him before she withdrew her hand.
"Hello Miss Parker." He said without looking up.
"Hello Jarod. How are you holding up?"
"Not well, truth be told. Thank you for letting me know about the service today."
"I wasn't sure if you got my message."
"Clearly I did but I did debate if it was real. What happened to him Miss Parker?"
"It was a heart attack. And yes, I checked, it was a natural attack. Not something brought on by The Centre."
"I don't know if I will ever believe that but thank you for checking."
Miss Parker watched as Jarod continued to mourn for his lost friend. He looked the same; she could hardly believe that 5 years had passed since she had last seen him. Five long years since she had actually spoken to him. She regretted that she hadn't run away with him then. That last phone call could have ended so differently and she could have been happy with him.
She watched as Jarod stood up and turned to face the woman who had haunted his dreams for the last 5 years, actually ever since she had given him his first kiss all those years ago. She looked exactly the same except that there was more sadness in her eyes.
"Why are you still there Miss Parker? You know that it's destroying you."
"Where would I go Jarod? The Centre, as twisted as it is, is my home. It's all I've known."
"I meant what I said all those years ago, there is something between us and it always will be I think. Come with me; leave The Centre, today, now."
"Jarod I can't. You know that they won't leave me, us, alone."
"For the last five years I've managed to avoid you all. I even found my mother. We are a family again. You and I could start our own family. If Sydney ever taught me anything, it was that as long as there is love we can create a life. Come and live your life with me Miss Parker."
Miss Parker stood and looked at this man. A man, who by all rights should detest the sight of her, who was asking her to spend her life with him. She had loved Thomas but what she felt for Jarod had been with her since she was a child, he filled her heart but she had always pushed those feelings away but not any longer. She wanted to live her life, not just watch it pass her by.
"You know what Jarod? The last time we spoke about this, I shut you down but I can't spend any more time alone."
"I promise that I will look after you, you will be safe and you'll be loved."
"What about your family?"
Jarod looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes. His family had come to accept how he felt about her. He had told them about his life at The Centre while he was growing up. How Miss Parker, even back then, had been his guiding light. When they pointed out that she had been chasing him across the country for years, he had defended her. Telling them that, yes, she had been chasing him but it was only because that was all she had known. Her life had been controlled by her father and The Centre. It had taken them a while but they eventually understood how much he cared for her.
"Trust me, they will be fine. They understand that you didn't have a choice and they know that many times you let me go when you could have gotten me. Come on Miss Parker, come and live your life with me."
He took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb against her hand sending chills up her arm. Looking intently at him, she slowly smiled and then nodded her head. His own smile was like bright sunshine breaking through the rain that continued to fall around them. Leaning down, Jarod placed his lips on hers and returned the kiss that she had given him all those years ago.