i) Thanks to every one who had a kind word to say. This is the end, my friends!
Walking Away
Chapter Three ~ Hello's
Miss Parker glanced at the warm bundle in her arms and smiled to herself. The little boy had slept soundly since he'd crawled into that position an hour or so ago and showed no sign of stirring just yet. It was warm out, early signs of spring present all around. A new season, a new start. Sitting there, in the back yard of her new home, she felt as though she was being reborn, the dark winter that had battered her for over five years had finally passed.
She felt relaxed, even though she knew she was being observed. She hadn't seen him yet but she just knew he was close; that strange tingle she used to get whilst she was chasing him was present. Whatever his intentions she would wait for him to make his move, she certainly wasn't chasing him anymore. That part of her life was over. She turned her attention back to the small boy in her arms, content to remain patient for once. She didn't have to wait too long.
"You look great Parker."
She smiled at his gentle tone and that familiar feeling washed over her. "Hello Jarod," she whispered softly, looking up to see the familiar outline of her missing pretender. They stared at one another for a long while and she let her eyes travel across his person, taking in every detail; it had been so long since she'd actually set eyes on him. 'Short telephone conversations really were no replacement,' she decided.
"Mind if I take a seat?," Jarod asked, buoyed by her welcome and breaking the comfortable silence between them. When he had begun to track her down he'd had his own 'moment of weakness'; doubts that she did actually want to be found by him. She'd covered her tracks well - he'd expected no less - and in the process he'd had to expend a lot of time and energy to locate her. Time enough to wonder if he was now redundant in her life.
She shook her head in reply and watched him take a position next to her on the bench, carelessly slinging the bag that had been on his shoulder down beside him. The abruptness of the bench meant he had to sit quite close to her and she felt those feelings wash over her once more at his proximity. They both stared ahead silently. From the corner of her eye she saw Jarod finally turn his attention back to her. She waited for his questions with bated breath, feeling sure he would have plenty.
"He looks very comfortable," Jarod uttered, looking longingly at the toddler in her lap. The boy had one arm slung across Parker's chest, a podgy hand grasping at the thin material of her t-shirt. His head rested at an angle just under her shoulder, the other arm hanging loosely out of Jarod's sight. The boy's legs were occupying most of her lap, Parker's arms half supporting him, half embracing him. If the news that she had left The Centre had pleased him then Sydney's revelation, a week or so later when the dust had begun to settle, that she had took her little brother with her positively thrilled him. As did the sight of her now.
She smiled at his comment, instinctively holding the child closer and wondering if there was the slightest hint of jealousy in Jarod's voice. "He sleeps like the dead, for want of a better expression," she explained as she turned to look at Jarod, "I don't know what, if anything, happened to him at The Centre but he's settled very well to his new way of life." She felt him shift a little in her arms as if he knew he was the topic of conversation. She'd been surprised at how easy it was to fall in love with the boy, how easily he reciprocated.
"So have you." Jarod shot her a crooked smile. Questions that had been at the forefront of his mind all the time he'd been looking for her suddenly struggled for his attention, they no longer seemed so important; but there was one thing he wanted to know. There was a long silence before he spoke again. "Why did you finally decide to leave?" It was the question that had plagued him the most and he suspected the answer lay in whatever Mr Parker had left for her. But what was so abhorrant to her as to make her finally leave?
"It was time," she whispered honestly. She knew there'd never be a perfect time to leave that place, but it was as close to that as she'd wanted to get. She looked back to the child and traced her hand along his brow, "When I decided to go I knew I couldn't leave this one behind, lose another soul to The Centre." She was unwilling to condemn another innocent to a life that, at best, would be like hers or, at worst, would be like Jarod's. Or should that be the other way around?
"Shocked you, huh?" Miss Parker smiled as she turned back to him.
Jarod smiled widely in return. "I have to admit to being somewhat surprised," he agreed. The past year had been a roller coaster ride, one that had reached a nadir on his return from the island; being so close to his mother, and even closer to Parker, only to lose them both, had saddened him. In his following conversations with Parker he had allowed himself to think that he was on the way back up - only to be thrown completely off track when she had upped and left.
She continued to smile at him, her eyes roaming over every inch of his face now that she had the opportunity, and freedom, of a closer view. If he felt her scrutiny he never let it show.
"I thought we were in for the long haul, Parker," Jarod whispered.
"Would you have persevered that long?" she asked coyly.
He smiled again. "I think, in all probability, I would have." He studied her features intently as he spoke, searching for his own answers there, for one particular answer.
She felt her stomach flip when he said that; she wasn't sure what she had done to deserve having him in her life but she was determined to keep him there - if she could. There was a swirling of emotions present in his eyes, mirroring the motions of her stomach, but she found it difficult to distinguish anything specific in those deep pools. "And now?" she asked a little apprehensively.
"And now things have changed," he said softly with a cautious smile. "Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked trying to turn the conversation back towards her desertion, and away from the delicious thoughts about her that were churning in his head; she looked so beautiful right then. He'd observed her with the child for more than an hour before he'd approached and had been awestruck by her gentleness with the little boy. He'd been confused about his feelings for her for a long time now. There were times, at the start of their 'game', when he really did come close to hating her and the things that she did. But those feelings never lasted long, wiped away by something more consistent. Something he'd only recently become to understand.
She shrugged her shoulders slightly, "Not exactly. I found me." It had been a surprise to her really, she'd been running from herself for so long. She had followed the clues to a safety deposit box, the irony of her father's choice not going amiss on her, to find another letter and a file. The letter had been disappointing; a recap of everything he had taught her, of how her place was at The Centre, how it was her time to shine. She'd slumped down in the vault there and then, thankful she was alone, hurt that her father could not use his last opportunity to 'speak' to her to tell her the only thing she ever really wanted to hear from him: that he loved her. The file, well that was her key to The Centre. The notes that her great grandfather had made over a century ago, words that had set The Centre on a path to it's present glory. Words that had made her life so miserable. She knew it wasn't as simple as that, there was always free will. She didn't have to stay at The Centre, she didn't have to chase Jarod. Those things were done to please someone else.
Jarod smiled weakly at the frown on her face, a small part of him wishing he didn't have to be so damn inquisitive. He always seemed to hurt her, even if it was unintentional. "Parker..." Jarod began, desperately wanting to reach out to her but mindful of past rejections and still unsure as to where he stood.
"I found the lock that key opened," she said evenly, preventing Jarod from elaborating any further.
He heeded her change of subject. "Not what you wanted to hear?" he asked softly.
"No," she gave him a brief outline of the contents of the box, of how her future was 'supposed' to be until she finally found the strength to walk away. She'd always known she was on the wrong path, it was acting upon those thoughts that was the hard part. How many people continue along a road they don't particularly care for just because it's the easiest option. Well, she wouldn't do that any longer.
Outwardly Jarod didn't smile, but inwardly he was beaming. She'd chosen a different path. It was all he'd ever wanted for her, to realise what The Centre entailed and to be as free as he was. As he almost was. His freedom was continually impinged by his reluctance to cut all ties to The Centre and with those people he cared about. She, however, had found the courage to do just that and he couldn't help but admire her all the more for it. "What did you do with the file?" Jarod asked curiously.
"It's somewhere safe," she replied. She wasn't sure what she should do with it, burning it had sprung to mind initially but she felt she should hang on to it as a precaution - or as a bargaining chip. She couldn't be certain that they wouldn't find her. "I think it's only an inkling of the scrolls anyway," she whispered softly. It had been something her father had said just before he jumped, 'The new Parker legacy begins with you'. She'd wanted desperately to believe that he had jumped for the right reasons but her 'inheritance' only proved to her that he had jumped for The Centre.
"He wouldn't have been able to write everything word for word, just the profitable highlights," Jarod agreed, not entirely following, "Details of myself, and the other pretenders." There was short silence between them before he spoke again, "Have you read the file?"
"No," she shook her head as she answered. "My father took the scrolls to the bottom of the ocean and in doing so tried to ensure that things would continue as they were. I don't want that reality," she said determinedly. It was a calculated decision; Mr Parker had read the scrolls before he leapt - he obviously didn't want anyone else to know what the scrolls said. But he knew that his 'daughter' would find her inheritance. He'd been training her for most of her life to take over at The Centre, and that way she would have the means to. Or she would have. Six years ago she'd have grabbed the opportunity with both hands; three years ago she'd have accepted it less enthusiastically, but gone along with it anyway. But not now. There was nothing left for her.
When that realisation hit home she'd begun to make plans to leave with a stubborn determination. Everytime she'd spoken to Sydney she'd almost caved in, thinking she could do more if she stayed at The Centre. But Sydney was an adult, he could take care of himself and had been doing so for some time - it was his decision to stay. The same probably couldn't be applied to Broots, he'd been bailed out of a few sticky moments before, but she figured that Sydney would look out for him, the psychiatrist had a paternal streak that would be suddenly lacking a surrogate child when she left.
Jarod frowned slightly, "I have a confession to make," he began slowly, "I've been looking for the scrolls."
"Somewhere hot," she uttered with a smile, remembering his cryptic comment. She shook the smile off. "I thought you had misgivings about their authenticity?"
"I do," he replied. He'd gone looking for them because he thought she would be interested in reading them, in finding out about their future. That's what she'd said anyway; if they could find the scrolls maybe they'd find their future. Now she'd walked away from all that and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to.
"Have you read them?" She didn't doubt for a moment that he'd found them; she knew both Raines and the Triumverate had been unsuccessful in their attempts to locate the missing scrolls. But not Jarod.
Jarod grinned at her assumption that he'd found the files. She was right - though it wasn't as easy as he'd planned. "No, I called you." He'd tried her cell, home, and then office - there had been no answer. "Sydney told me you were 'missing'; at that point it wasn't clear that you'd left of your own jurisdiction." He'd dropped everything, fearing the worst.
"You haven't read them?" she asked increduously.
"No," Jarod reiterated, "I always thought we'd read them together." His unanswered phone calls had been to suggest just that. "Finish what we started on that island." He suddenly realised that the scrolls were not as important to him as he thought, if they had been he'd have read them with or without her.
Her eyes strayed to the bag he had brought with him, he probably had the scrolls right there. She'd resisted looking at the file, certain she'd be reading a scaled down version. Yet, not long ago, she'd been determined to read the scrolls, and now here was her chance. She shook her head slightly, making her decision and looked Jarod in the eye. "I'm not interested in the scrolls Jarod. I decide how I live my life; not my father, not The Centre, and certainly not some words scribbled down long before I was born." She waited for him to argue a case for reading the scrolls but he did no such thing.
He nodded silently. He understood her reluctance, even agreed with her. He wished the scrolls never existed having, indirectly, been the reason his life, and the others lives, had been stolen. "And our future, Miss Parker?" he asked with a deep voice. He'd asked a similar question not so long ago and had felt the sting of rejection. He held his breath for her answer.
"I'm done chasing Jarod, are you through running?"
He stared into the depths of her eyes, finally being allowed to see further into her soul than ever before. Her question was not just about running and chasing, it went deeper than that. "I'm tired of running," he replied seriously.
She smiled at his answer, "I seem to remember starting something a hell of a lot more interesting than the scrolls on that damn island."
Her smile reached her eyes, lighting up her face and making her appear even more beautiful, if that was possible. At that moment he felt he'd finally found his home, and it was with her. Since he'd escaped it was all he'd been searching for and he willingy surrendered to it. He leant forward slowly, eyes locked on hers as she mirrored his movements as best she could with her arms full. They were almost as close to kissing as they had been on that island. Almost.
A small hand reached between them, stilling their movements and coming to rest on Parker's shoulder. She smiled apolegitically as the small body in her lap began to move again, this time bringing his other arm up to her other shoulder.
Jarod leant back slightly, holding her eyes he promised to return her kiss someday.
She laughed softly at his words, "I'll hold you to that." She felt two little hands snake around her neck and she turned her attention to the youngest person present as he leant sleepily against her. She was acutely aware that Jarod was observing them both keenly and she suddenly felt quite apprehensive. Small eyelashes fluttered softly as he came to life. "Hey, sweetie," she murmured to him as his eyes adjusted to the light. She kept her arms around him as he began to shift in her lap so he could stand and face her. She held her breath, awaiting his reaction to the man beside them but the child remained focussed upon her. She brushed her hand through his dark hair trying to settle down his sleep tussled locks. "There's someone I want you to meet," she spoke softly, "He's come a long way to see us." The toddler followed her eyes to Jarod.
The first thing that struck Jarod was the boy's smile; the wide grin that had spread across his face when he'd become aware of Jarod's presence.
"I named him Jay," she whispered as she struggled to hold onto the boy. Jay had relinquished his hold on her, stretching out his arms towards Jarod, trying to toddle over to him. No one at The Centre had bothered to give the child a name.
Jarod's eyes flickered briefly to hers, seeking permission to take the child. He swung Jay onto his lap, letting the child stand upright but kept both of his hands securely around him, so that they were face to face. "He has your eyes Parker," Jarod whispered as he looked into familiar blue grey orbs.
"I know," she replied quietly. She watched them closely, wondering if Jarod would recognise the same features she had. Jay was running his hands intently over Jarod's face, she could almost see both of their minds working overdrive trying to figure each other out. Once they had been safely away from The Centre she had finally allowed herself to study Jay's feaures and she suspected her initial suspicions were correct. She'd probably always subconsciously suspected it.
He stared at Jay, looking past those beautiful eyes and finally getting a closer look at the child. Jay, having finished exploring Jarod's face with his hands, grinned again. "Hello Jay," he whispered softly as a thought struck him. "Is Jay..." he began to ask Parker, still staring at the boy. Her boy. Quite possibly his boy.
"Mine? Ours?" she finished for him.
He dragged his eyes away from Jay to meet hers.
She smiled weakly, "I believe he is."
He nodded, silently agreeing with her before two small hands grabbed at his face, seeking attention. With a smile Jarod lifted Jay up into the air, causing him to giggle, then drew him closer, wrapping his arms around him as an indescribable feeling washed over him. He glanced over at Parker, who was still studying them both, and caught her eyes. She brought one hand across to rest on the back of his, lacing her fingers with his own. He was finally home.
Walking Away
Chapter Three ~ Hello's
Miss Parker glanced at the warm bundle in her arms and smiled to herself. The little boy had slept soundly since he'd crawled into that position an hour or so ago and showed no sign of stirring just yet. It was warm out, early signs of spring present all around. A new season, a new start. Sitting there, in the back yard of her new home, she felt as though she was being reborn, the dark winter that had battered her for over five years had finally passed.
She felt relaxed, even though she knew she was being observed. She hadn't seen him yet but she just knew he was close; that strange tingle she used to get whilst she was chasing him was present. Whatever his intentions she would wait for him to make his move, she certainly wasn't chasing him anymore. That part of her life was over. She turned her attention back to the small boy in her arms, content to remain patient for once. She didn't have to wait too long.
"You look great Parker."
She smiled at his gentle tone and that familiar feeling washed over her. "Hello Jarod," she whispered softly, looking up to see the familiar outline of her missing pretender. They stared at one another for a long while and she let her eyes travel across his person, taking in every detail; it had been so long since she'd actually set eyes on him. 'Short telephone conversations really were no replacement,' she decided.
"Mind if I take a seat?," Jarod asked, buoyed by her welcome and breaking the comfortable silence between them. When he had begun to track her down he'd had his own 'moment of weakness'; doubts that she did actually want to be found by him. She'd covered her tracks well - he'd expected no less - and in the process he'd had to expend a lot of time and energy to locate her. Time enough to wonder if he was now redundant in her life.
She shook her head in reply and watched him take a position next to her on the bench, carelessly slinging the bag that had been on his shoulder down beside him. The abruptness of the bench meant he had to sit quite close to her and she felt those feelings wash over her once more at his proximity. They both stared ahead silently. From the corner of her eye she saw Jarod finally turn his attention back to her. She waited for his questions with bated breath, feeling sure he would have plenty.
"He looks very comfortable," Jarod uttered, looking longingly at the toddler in her lap. The boy had one arm slung across Parker's chest, a podgy hand grasping at the thin material of her t-shirt. His head rested at an angle just under her shoulder, the other arm hanging loosely out of Jarod's sight. The boy's legs were occupying most of her lap, Parker's arms half supporting him, half embracing him. If the news that she had left The Centre had pleased him then Sydney's revelation, a week or so later when the dust had begun to settle, that she had took her little brother with her positively thrilled him. As did the sight of her now.
She smiled at his comment, instinctively holding the child closer and wondering if there was the slightest hint of jealousy in Jarod's voice. "He sleeps like the dead, for want of a better expression," she explained as she turned to look at Jarod, "I don't know what, if anything, happened to him at The Centre but he's settled very well to his new way of life." She felt him shift a little in her arms as if he knew he was the topic of conversation. She'd been surprised at how easy it was to fall in love with the boy, how easily he reciprocated.
"So have you." Jarod shot her a crooked smile. Questions that had been at the forefront of his mind all the time he'd been looking for her suddenly struggled for his attention, they no longer seemed so important; but there was one thing he wanted to know. There was a long silence before he spoke again. "Why did you finally decide to leave?" It was the question that had plagued him the most and he suspected the answer lay in whatever Mr Parker had left for her. But what was so abhorrant to her as to make her finally leave?
"It was time," she whispered honestly. She knew there'd never be a perfect time to leave that place, but it was as close to that as she'd wanted to get. She looked back to the child and traced her hand along his brow, "When I decided to go I knew I couldn't leave this one behind, lose another soul to The Centre." She was unwilling to condemn another innocent to a life that, at best, would be like hers or, at worst, would be like Jarod's. Or should that be the other way around?
"Shocked you, huh?" Miss Parker smiled as she turned back to him.
Jarod smiled widely in return. "I have to admit to being somewhat surprised," he agreed. The past year had been a roller coaster ride, one that had reached a nadir on his return from the island; being so close to his mother, and even closer to Parker, only to lose them both, had saddened him. In his following conversations with Parker he had allowed himself to think that he was on the way back up - only to be thrown completely off track when she had upped and left.
She continued to smile at him, her eyes roaming over every inch of his face now that she had the opportunity, and freedom, of a closer view. If he felt her scrutiny he never let it show.
"I thought we were in for the long haul, Parker," Jarod whispered.
"Would you have persevered that long?" she asked coyly.
He smiled again. "I think, in all probability, I would have." He studied her features intently as he spoke, searching for his own answers there, for one particular answer.
She felt her stomach flip when he said that; she wasn't sure what she had done to deserve having him in her life but she was determined to keep him there - if she could. There was a swirling of emotions present in his eyes, mirroring the motions of her stomach, but she found it difficult to distinguish anything specific in those deep pools. "And now?" she asked a little apprehensively.
"And now things have changed," he said softly with a cautious smile. "Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked trying to turn the conversation back towards her desertion, and away from the delicious thoughts about her that were churning in his head; she looked so beautiful right then. He'd observed her with the child for more than an hour before he'd approached and had been awestruck by her gentleness with the little boy. He'd been confused about his feelings for her for a long time now. There were times, at the start of their 'game', when he really did come close to hating her and the things that she did. But those feelings never lasted long, wiped away by something more consistent. Something he'd only recently become to understand.
She shrugged her shoulders slightly, "Not exactly. I found me." It had been a surprise to her really, she'd been running from herself for so long. She had followed the clues to a safety deposit box, the irony of her father's choice not going amiss on her, to find another letter and a file. The letter had been disappointing; a recap of everything he had taught her, of how her place was at The Centre, how it was her time to shine. She'd slumped down in the vault there and then, thankful she was alone, hurt that her father could not use his last opportunity to 'speak' to her to tell her the only thing she ever really wanted to hear from him: that he loved her. The file, well that was her key to The Centre. The notes that her great grandfather had made over a century ago, words that had set The Centre on a path to it's present glory. Words that had made her life so miserable. She knew it wasn't as simple as that, there was always free will. She didn't have to stay at The Centre, she didn't have to chase Jarod. Those things were done to please someone else.
Jarod smiled weakly at the frown on her face, a small part of him wishing he didn't have to be so damn inquisitive. He always seemed to hurt her, even if it was unintentional. "Parker..." Jarod began, desperately wanting to reach out to her but mindful of past rejections and still unsure as to where he stood.
"I found the lock that key opened," she said evenly, preventing Jarod from elaborating any further.
He heeded her change of subject. "Not what you wanted to hear?" he asked softly.
"No," she gave him a brief outline of the contents of the box, of how her future was 'supposed' to be until she finally found the strength to walk away. She'd always known she was on the wrong path, it was acting upon those thoughts that was the hard part. How many people continue along a road they don't particularly care for just because it's the easiest option. Well, she wouldn't do that any longer.
Outwardly Jarod didn't smile, but inwardly he was beaming. She'd chosen a different path. It was all he'd ever wanted for her, to realise what The Centre entailed and to be as free as he was. As he almost was. His freedom was continually impinged by his reluctance to cut all ties to The Centre and with those people he cared about. She, however, had found the courage to do just that and he couldn't help but admire her all the more for it. "What did you do with the file?" Jarod asked curiously.
"It's somewhere safe," she replied. She wasn't sure what she should do with it, burning it had sprung to mind initially but she felt she should hang on to it as a precaution - or as a bargaining chip. She couldn't be certain that they wouldn't find her. "I think it's only an inkling of the scrolls anyway," she whispered softly. It had been something her father had said just before he jumped, 'The new Parker legacy begins with you'. She'd wanted desperately to believe that he had jumped for the right reasons but her 'inheritance' only proved to her that he had jumped for The Centre.
"He wouldn't have been able to write everything word for word, just the profitable highlights," Jarod agreed, not entirely following, "Details of myself, and the other pretenders." There was short silence between them before he spoke again, "Have you read the file?"
"No," she shook her head as she answered. "My father took the scrolls to the bottom of the ocean and in doing so tried to ensure that things would continue as they were. I don't want that reality," she said determinedly. It was a calculated decision; Mr Parker had read the scrolls before he leapt - he obviously didn't want anyone else to know what the scrolls said. But he knew that his 'daughter' would find her inheritance. He'd been training her for most of her life to take over at The Centre, and that way she would have the means to. Or she would have. Six years ago she'd have grabbed the opportunity with both hands; three years ago she'd have accepted it less enthusiastically, but gone along with it anyway. But not now. There was nothing left for her.
When that realisation hit home she'd begun to make plans to leave with a stubborn determination. Everytime she'd spoken to Sydney she'd almost caved in, thinking she could do more if she stayed at The Centre. But Sydney was an adult, he could take care of himself and had been doing so for some time - it was his decision to stay. The same probably couldn't be applied to Broots, he'd been bailed out of a few sticky moments before, but she figured that Sydney would look out for him, the psychiatrist had a paternal streak that would be suddenly lacking a surrogate child when she left.
Jarod frowned slightly, "I have a confession to make," he began slowly, "I've been looking for the scrolls."
"Somewhere hot," she uttered with a smile, remembering his cryptic comment. She shook the smile off. "I thought you had misgivings about their authenticity?"
"I do," he replied. He'd gone looking for them because he thought she would be interested in reading them, in finding out about their future. That's what she'd said anyway; if they could find the scrolls maybe they'd find their future. Now she'd walked away from all that and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to.
"Have you read them?" She didn't doubt for a moment that he'd found them; she knew both Raines and the Triumverate had been unsuccessful in their attempts to locate the missing scrolls. But not Jarod.
Jarod grinned at her assumption that he'd found the files. She was right - though it wasn't as easy as he'd planned. "No, I called you." He'd tried her cell, home, and then office - there had been no answer. "Sydney told me you were 'missing'; at that point it wasn't clear that you'd left of your own jurisdiction." He'd dropped everything, fearing the worst.
"You haven't read them?" she asked increduously.
"No," Jarod reiterated, "I always thought we'd read them together." His unanswered phone calls had been to suggest just that. "Finish what we started on that island." He suddenly realised that the scrolls were not as important to him as he thought, if they had been he'd have read them with or without her.
Her eyes strayed to the bag he had brought with him, he probably had the scrolls right there. She'd resisted looking at the file, certain she'd be reading a scaled down version. Yet, not long ago, she'd been determined to read the scrolls, and now here was her chance. She shook her head slightly, making her decision and looked Jarod in the eye. "I'm not interested in the scrolls Jarod. I decide how I live my life; not my father, not The Centre, and certainly not some words scribbled down long before I was born." She waited for him to argue a case for reading the scrolls but he did no such thing.
He nodded silently. He understood her reluctance, even agreed with her. He wished the scrolls never existed having, indirectly, been the reason his life, and the others lives, had been stolen. "And our future, Miss Parker?" he asked with a deep voice. He'd asked a similar question not so long ago and had felt the sting of rejection. He held his breath for her answer.
"I'm done chasing Jarod, are you through running?"
He stared into the depths of her eyes, finally being allowed to see further into her soul than ever before. Her question was not just about running and chasing, it went deeper than that. "I'm tired of running," he replied seriously.
She smiled at his answer, "I seem to remember starting something a hell of a lot more interesting than the scrolls on that damn island."
Her smile reached her eyes, lighting up her face and making her appear even more beautiful, if that was possible. At that moment he felt he'd finally found his home, and it was with her. Since he'd escaped it was all he'd been searching for and he willingy surrendered to it. He leant forward slowly, eyes locked on hers as she mirrored his movements as best she could with her arms full. They were almost as close to kissing as they had been on that island. Almost.
A small hand reached between them, stilling their movements and coming to rest on Parker's shoulder. She smiled apolegitically as the small body in her lap began to move again, this time bringing his other arm up to her other shoulder.
Jarod leant back slightly, holding her eyes he promised to return her kiss someday.
She laughed softly at his words, "I'll hold you to that." She felt two little hands snake around her neck and she turned her attention to the youngest person present as he leant sleepily against her. She was acutely aware that Jarod was observing them both keenly and she suddenly felt quite apprehensive. Small eyelashes fluttered softly as he came to life. "Hey, sweetie," she murmured to him as his eyes adjusted to the light. She kept her arms around him as he began to shift in her lap so he could stand and face her. She held her breath, awaiting his reaction to the man beside them but the child remained focussed upon her. She brushed her hand through his dark hair trying to settle down his sleep tussled locks. "There's someone I want you to meet," she spoke softly, "He's come a long way to see us." The toddler followed her eyes to Jarod.
The first thing that struck Jarod was the boy's smile; the wide grin that had spread across his face when he'd become aware of Jarod's presence.
"I named him Jay," she whispered as she struggled to hold onto the boy. Jay had relinquished his hold on her, stretching out his arms towards Jarod, trying to toddle over to him. No one at The Centre had bothered to give the child a name.
Jarod's eyes flickered briefly to hers, seeking permission to take the child. He swung Jay onto his lap, letting the child stand upright but kept both of his hands securely around him, so that they were face to face. "He has your eyes Parker," Jarod whispered as he looked into familiar blue grey orbs.
"I know," she replied quietly. She watched them closely, wondering if Jarod would recognise the same features she had. Jay was running his hands intently over Jarod's face, she could almost see both of their minds working overdrive trying to figure each other out. Once they had been safely away from The Centre she had finally allowed herself to study Jay's feaures and she suspected her initial suspicions were correct. She'd probably always subconsciously suspected it.
He stared at Jay, looking past those beautiful eyes and finally getting a closer look at the child. Jay, having finished exploring Jarod's face with his hands, grinned again. "Hello Jay," he whispered softly as a thought struck him. "Is Jay..." he began to ask Parker, still staring at the boy. Her boy. Quite possibly his boy.
"Mine? Ours?" she finished for him.
He dragged his eyes away from Jay to meet hers.
She smiled weakly, "I believe he is."
He nodded, silently agreeing with her before two small hands grabbed at his face, seeking attention. With a smile Jarod lifted Jay up into the air, causing him to giggle, then drew him closer, wrapping his arms around him as an indescribable feeling washed over him. He glanced over at Parker, who was still studying them both, and caught her eyes. She brought one hand across to rest on the back of his, lacing her fingers with his own. He was finally home.
