I do not own Leverage.
1
1992, June
She is four years old when her parents die in a car crash. It's a day in June, the twins' fourth birthday. The twins wear crowns and they're parents call them prince and princess. All four of them go to see a movie, the twins' first visit at a cinema.
She is a little dreamer. When her mother calls her princess that day, she believes she truly is a princess. She wears a white dress and red shoes, her blonde hair in pigtails. She begged for the shoes, wanted to have red shoes like Dorothy so that she could go and visit Oz. Unfortunately, the shoes don't work. She still loves them.
Her brother Nick doesn't walk around with his head in the clouds like she does. He suffered a sickness as a toddler and lost his left leg. She never had this sickness. Five months ago he got his first plastic leg. She doesn't know if it is called plastic leg or anything else. The twins simply call it plastic leg. Nick had a lot to catch up since he lost his leg. For example, his sister had learned how to ride a bike at age three. After Nick learned how to walk again she taught him how to ride a bike.
Nick is actually older than her by five minutes, but since he got sick that doesn't really matter anymore. She feels like a big sister to Nick. She feels like she has to protect him. Four year olds can be quite sensible when it comes to their most beloved friends. Her best friend is her twin brother, Nick.
They took the bikes today. The cinema was not close enough to walk, but it was warm, and they didn't care to take the car. It was exciting for the twins even though they weren't allowed to ride on the streets. Right now they're waiting for the traffic lights to turn green. They mustn't cross the street when they're red, she knows this. Her Daddy had told her.
The lights turn green and the twins start to cross the street. There's no car except one that still drives. The little girl knows it will stop at the traffic lights, because it is supposed to stop. Nick needs some time to get the rhythm of riding after he stopped so they're quite slow. The little girl is on top as the car comes closer and still doesn't stop.
It hits their mother first. Their father is the second, who collides with the car. Everything happens so fast Parker doesn't even recognize Nick is the third one. She is hit at the middle of her bike. The bike falls and Parker is flying just like Peter Pan. Her arms hit the ground first. She cries out in pain as bones of hers break, but no one replies to her suffering.
The car doesn't stop after it has already hit them.
She turns, looking for her parents. Usually, when she is in pain someone comes to help her. Once, her Daddy even took her to the hospital, because her fever was so high. The little girl in the red shoes screams when she finally finds her Daddy. His back is open and as red as her shoes and his eyes are like her dolls. They stare directly and blankly into her direction.
The little girl doesn't know yet, but she'll never forget the look in his eyes.
Her dress isn't really white anymore.