Emily and Corey pulled apart in time to see Margaret entered the room, following closely by Jarod who was still holding on tightly to her hand. Margaret's eyes immediately fell to the two latest additions of the room, and Ethan's face looked familiar somehow. Major Charles introduced Ethan as his son, telling her he'd later explain whom his mother was and then he introduced her to Corey.
Margaret released Jarod's hand so that she could hug the teenager. Jarod felt a little envy pass through him as he watched his mother hug the boy. He smiled when he saw the look of happiness on Corey's face, he felt happy for the boy too, knowing that he would get to have both the love of a father and a mother while he was still a boy. It was something Jarod knew he could only dream about but would never regain. . .
After a moment, they all decided to sit down to talk. Jarod sat down on the couch with his parents, not wanting to be very far away from either of them. Corey sat on the floor close by as Ethan and Emily took the chairs in the room. Silence ruled the room as each of them was stunned over the reality of the situation-- their family was finally together again after over 30 years of separation.
"I can't believe that this is happening, after all this time. I dreamed about this for as long as I could remember, and now that it's happening it doesn't quite like reality. It feels more like a simulation," Jarod finally spoke, breaking the silence.
Margaret reached for Jarod's hand, both of them aching for physical the contact they'd been denied so long. "I feel like I am dreaming because both my long lost husband and son have come home to me and to my daughter," she paused looking to Ethan and Corey, "And God has blessed us with two more special additions to our family." She touched Corey's shoulder with her free hand, and the boy smiled at her, tears in his eyes.
"Will you be my mother?" Corey asked, suddenly his tears spilled down his face.
Margaret nodded, freeing her hand from Jarod's grasp to take Corey's face in both of her hands. "Yes, honey, I will," Margaret's voice cracked with emotions. She looked at the faces of each of her children, "I want to be a mother to all of you." She looked to Ethan. "Your mother was Catherine Parker, right?"
"Yes."
"She's dead isn't she?"
Ethan nodded. "She died soon after I was born."
Margaret stood up, careful not to step on Corey; she made her way to in front of Ethan. "I'm sorry about your mother, Ethan, and I am even more sorry that you never had the chance to know her, but if you want or need to know what it's like to have a mother again, I am more than willing to share a mother's love with you."
*************************
As he rubbed the replacement thumb he'd so recently
acquired from Raines, Mr. Lyle smiled. . .
Everything was going according to plan as soon Lyle would take Jarod back to the Centre, along with Gemini, as well as the means to control the Pretender. By sunrise, Jarod and his family would be on their way back to the Centre and Lyle would suddenly find himself back to where he had wanted to be for a long time.
He would be the head rat in the cheese factory again!
The timing of the fulfillment of this plan that he'd set into motion several weeks ago when they'd kidnapped Jarod's girlfriend couldn't have been better. Mr. Parker was lying unconscious in the Centre's ICU section, and by all accounts he was in a light coma but in a coma none the less. Dear old Dad was at death's door and Lyle intended on seizing the position of Chairman of the Centre if he actually did finally take his last breath.
This is where the capture of Jarod along with his family came into play. After he succeeded where his sister had failed for five years, the Triumvirate would hand him the Centre on a silver platter.
Mr. Lyle smiled as he continued to stare out of the car's window. . .
*************************
"Zoey!"
Zoey jumped at the sound of Emily's voice, and putting an irritated expression on her face she turned to face Jarod's sister. "What were you doing outside just now?" Emily questioned. After ending the call earlier, Zoey had dressed, and quietly left the house out the back door, careful not to attract the attention of any of the family members in the living room. Now she returned a few minutes later, her cheeks flushed from the cold outside.
"I went out to get some fresh air. Do you mind?" Zoey asked a little more harshly than she meant to.
Emily stared at her for a moment before nodding no. She moved towards the cabinets to get out some mugs for coffee. Zoey huffed before she left the kitchen, leaving Emily alone to finish getting the coffee started and to her thoughts.
"Is something wrong?"
Emily turned to see her father entered the kitchen, a look of concern on his face. Emily shrugged. "I don't know, Dad." //Dad.... Oh how wonderful it felt to say that word!// "It's Zoey."
"What about her?" Major Charles moved closer to his daughter.
Emily spoke in hushed tones. "Oh I don't know, Dad. There's something not right about her. Every time I'm in the same room with her I feel like she's up to something. Dad, I just don't trust her."
Charles nodded. "But Jarod does."
"I know, and that's what worries me. Maybe I am just being a paranoid, but there is something not right about her," Emily shrugged again. "I'm sorry I can't be more specific."
"Don't take this the wrong way but I hope you're wrong about her, Em, I really do," Major Charles replied. "I really don't want to see Jarod hurt."
"I hope I'm wrong too, Dad."
*************************
"Lyle."
"How much longer until you get here?"
"We'll be there in a little over three hours. Why, is there a problem?"
"Little sister is starting to get suspicious of me. She nearly caught me outside just now."
"But she didn't, which is a good thing for YOUR sister. I would hate to have to hurt her now that we're so close to catching the prize."
"Don't hurt my sister."
"I won't so as long as Jarod and his family are there, waiting for us."
"You'll let my sister go after you've gotten...them?"
"Wasn't that the deal?" Lyle replied. "Yes, your sister will be released as soon as Jarod and his family are on a flight back to the Centre."
"Then they'll be here and waiting for you, Mr. Lyle."
To Be Continued...
AN: If you want any more of this fic, PLEASE give me some feedback!