Disclaimer:  The characters are not my own, I'm only borrowing them to put them into situations of my own imagining.

Finding Family

Part Twelve: En route to Reunion

Rating: G

Category: S

Timeline: Sometime in the middle of the series

Spoilers: None

Keywords: MPJF, JOF

Summary:  Miss Parker accidentally shoots Jarod, which forces her to confront her feelings towards him.  Meanwhile, a seriously injured Jarod has to learn to trust someone to help him and finds out a little about his family history.

The Centre, Blue Cove, Delaware

Sydney stared down at the research reports without actually seeing them.  He was tired from trying to sleep on his office couch again.  He always kept extra clothes and toiletries at the Centre in case he needed to leave at a moments notice but he rarely used them on a day to day basis.  He had freshened up at dawn and had gone down to the Centre cafeteria for a muffin and a big mug of coffee.  They sat only half eaten on the side of his desk, right next to the phone that remained silent.  He sighed.  Years ago he had had quarters assigned to him at the Centre so he could oversee Jarod.  But he had grown accustomed to leaving every evening for the refuge of his home.  He had bought a place fifty miles away, so that the drive always provided him a time to unwind before he brought the tension of the Centre into his home.  He was getting old and set in his habits.  He wanted his own bed and the cup of tea he had the habit of making every morning, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the Centre last night.  He stared at the phone again, willing it to ring.  It sat there obstinately silent.

The brooding silence was broken by Broots pushing open his office door and peeking in.  "Sydney, you're here already," he said in surprise.

"You're here early yourself," rejoined Sydney.

Broots glanced over his shoulder and skittered into the office nervously, letting the door close softly behind him.  He came close to Sydney's desk being sure to keep his back to the camera he knew was tucked up in the corner and leaned toward Sydney holding out a scrap of paper with a short note scrawled on it.  "I was going to slip this in your desk," he whispered.  Then he straightened and said in a louder voice, "I'm just dropping in to get some work to take home.  Debbie is sick and I need to keep her home from school today.  Do you think you can handle everything by yourself today?" and he arched an eyebrow at Sydney to let him know to play along for the camera.

"Of course," returned Sydney smoothly, "With Miss Parker home sick as well, I have a chance to work on my other research projects."

"I'll see you Monday then," replied Broots and turned to leave.

Sydney picked up the coffee mug and with a distracting flourish raised it like a toast before bringing it to his lips, while he discretely dropped the note face up in his lap.  "I hope everyone is feeling better soon."  He nodded goodbye as Broots quickly left and then pretended to look in his desk drawer while he read the note. 

'Sydney, I'm meeting Miss Parker in Houston.  She has a lead on both Jarod and Eleanor Black.  See if you can find any old records about a project called Leukogenesis from the sixties.  Keep it quiet.  Broots'

Sydney felt an flash of irrational anger and was tempted to phone Miss Parker.  Had she heard from Jarod and not called to tell him that Jarod was all right.  He had a right to know if his former protégé was alive or dead.  Why would Jarod call her and not him anyway?  Miss Parker shot him in the first place.  She was always belittling his abilities and calling him names.  On the other hand, he had covered for Jarod on many occasions.  He had to admit that he was secretly afraid that Jarod hated him because of his role in holding Jarod in the Centre almost his entire life.  Sydney had to admit he despised himself for his lack of moral character all those years.  He had chosen not to see the wrongs.  Overlooked any hints of impropriety and continued on with his training and guidance of Jarod.  He missed the daily intellectual challenge that he and Jarod had enjoyed together while working on simulations.  Truth be told, he was really experiencing the empty nest syndrome, although he would never admit to Jarod that he thought of him like a son. 

Sydney took a deep shuddering breath crumpling the paper in his hand fiercely and stuffed it in his pocket while he stood up and pushed the desk drawer closed.  He needed a distraction.  A brisk walk down the halls to the Centre library was in order.  He would do what he could in finding any references to the Leukogenesis project.

Continental Airlines Flight 1734, from Raleigh, N.C. to Houston, TX

Amanda studied Miss Parker's profile thoughtfully.  Last night she had left Miss Parker in an elated mood having found a clue to where her own mother might be.  But when she met Miss Parker again at the airport in Raleigh the next morning, then she had seemed much more subdued.  She had barely spoken with her as they purchased tickets and proceeded through the security checks to their gate.  As soon as they had boarded the airplane, Miss Parker had leaned her head back into the seat and closed her eyes with a sigh.  Amanda had been afraid to disturb her ever since.

The stewardess finally made to their row with the beverage cart and Amanda touched Miss Parker's arm gently to see if she wanted to order something.  Parker sat straight up right startled by the touch.  "Do you want something to drink this morning?" the stewardess asked.

Parker nodded as she forced herself to lean back.  The adrenaline should have been enough, but the aroma begged her to order caffeine as well, "Coffee, black," she answered.

"I'll have orange juice, please," said Amanda brightly.

They were handed their drinks and sipped them in silence as the stewardess moved on to the next row.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," began Amanda hesitantly, "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Obviously not," Parker growled who really wasn't much of a morning person.  She saw the crestfallen look on Amanda's face and regretted her sarcastic comment.  "It's not your fault.  That couch was too short and had a bad spring," she finished in a softer tone.

"Couch?  Why didn't you sleep in the bedroom?  No one else was there," Amanda asked curiously.

"Ghosts," muttered Parker.

"Excuse me," Amanda hadn't heard her clearly.

"My mind was too full of thoughts and questions about what we had found out last night.  About your mother working at the Centre and being involved in the nursing care of my adopted sister.  Wondering whether we can find her and if she can tell me about my own mother.  Whether we'll find…" Parker stopped herself.  I really must be tired, she thought, I almost said Jarod.

Unlike Parker, Amanda was a morning person and had had a good night's sleep.  She was intelligent, astute and had met Jarod herself.  She knew what Parker was thinking.  "You're worried about Jarod aren't you?"

Parker nodded tiredly, "I hope he's found a clinic or something to stitch him up."

Amanda sat up straight in surprise and leaned towards Parker with her eyes slightly narrowed, "What do you mean, stitches?"

Parker raised her own eyebrows and assumed her best Ice Queen demeanor.  God!  She had really messed up and let that slip.  She found herself relaxing around this girl and knew that she shouldn't her guard down.  As much as she liked Amanda and wanted to help her find her mother, Parker had no delusions that they would be best friends ever afterwards.  Chances were that they would never see each again.  Why did that make her feel so sad?  She was a Parker.  She didn't need anyone and she didn't let feelings get in the way of her job.  Right?

Amanda sensed her hesitation.  "Please, I'm worried too.  You know more than you told me before don't you?"

Parker stared down at her coffee cup and then took a long sip of the hot liquid willing it to clear her mind.

"Please," Amanda begged.

Parker looked over slowly at Amanda.  The young woman's bright blue eyes and earnest face made her wish she could be young again.  But the years of life at the Centre had hardened her and her heart.  It would be easier to treat Amanda like a pawn if Amanda didn't like her.  If she confessed, then it would be that much easier to break their budding friendship.  "I shot him," Parker answered in a low, cold voice.

"What?!" exclaimed Amanda, "I thought you were friends."

"Were, is the operative word."

"Why?"

"We grew up together as kids, but then," Parker hesitated, she couldn't bring herself to say her own father, "fate separated us and we have very different lives as adults."

"No, why did you shoot him?"

Parker swallowed and brushed her hair back absently from her face as the vision from the incident three nights ago played over in her mind again.  "It was an accident," she said more to herself than to Amanda.

"Why didn't you take him to an emergency room right away?"

"He got up and ran away before we could catch him," Parker found herself explaining.

"Catch him!  He's not a criminal," Amanda said in Jarod's defense.  "All he wanted to do was help people like me find their family while he was finding his own.  What did he ever do to you?" she demanded hotly.

Parker thought to herself, he didn't run away with me when we had the chance as kids.  But then she focused on the words that Amanda had been saying and found her anchor.  "Exactly, he's looking for his parents and I'm looking for his father too.  If I follow Jarod, then he will lead me to his father."  Parker felt her belly fill with cold anger and was actually glad to feel its familiar clutch on her.  "Jarod was right there when Mr. Fenegor told me that his father killed my mother.  I want to know why and I want revenge," she ended with a bitter voice.  Her transformation back into the Ice Queen was complete.  She didn't just act it, she felt it.

Amanda pulled back in shock.  Her first impression of Miss Parker had been true.  She had started to like the woman, but now she was scared of her.  She gritted her teeth together.  Well, maybe she was being used, but she could use Miss Parker herself in order to find her mother.  She just hoped her misplaced trust would actually result in finding her mother.  If not, she was going to do what ever she could to keep Miss Parker from finding Jarod.

The Centre, Blue Cove, Delaware

Sydney had been surprised to easily find a set of research notebooks in the library concerning the Leukogenesis project.  Apparently much of the work had been even been peer reviewed and published in medical journals.  It was from the good old days when Catherine had played a big role in guiding the Centre in doing beneficial and altruistic work.  After scanning through the set of notebooks, he had checked out the last one to read the summary and conclusions of the two year project back in his office.  They had experimented with different dosages and regimens of cellular growth factors to control the division rate of the various types of blood cells.  Sydney was impressed at the significant progress they had made in not only understanding the differentiation process, but also the ability to control and cure when it went awry in certain kinds of cancer.  He was totally engrossed in the document when his phone finally rang.  He was actually startled and stared at it as it rang a second time.  He muttered, "A watched pot…" as he reached out to pick up the receiver and gave his usual greeting, "This is Sydney."

"You sound distracted this morning," a rich low voice told him.

"Jarod," Sydney breathed with relief as he recognized the voice.  "Are you all right?"

"Sure, now that I've patched the ventilation holes," Jarod replied in a mildly sarcastic voice.

"I've been worried ever since Miss Parker returned with the blood samples to confirm it was you.  Why haven't you called me sooner," Sydney's stifled worry turned into a parental guilt trip.

"Now that I've had a day of antibiotics to bring down my fever, I find I'm able to think more clearly," Jarod replied dryly.  "Speaking of Miss Parker, is she there with you?"

Sydney glanced up at the camera in the upper corner of his office.  Any minute now they would know he was on the phone with Jarod.  He couldn't give away anything and yet he had to help Jarod before the young man would have to hang up on him to prevent them from tracing his call.  He just hoped the clues he gave to Jarod would be too difficult for the powers that be in the tower to decipher.  "No, actually she's been out sick the last few days.  I understand she's going to go to the Medical Center to get checked out.  Even Broots had to stay home with his sick daughter.  It's too bad too.  She just loves NASA and he was going to take her to see that movie about Apollo 13 that they filmed in Houston."

"Ah, I see," said Jarod as all the extraneous information was filtered through his brain.  He was briefly amazed at the risk Sydney was taking telling him so much even if it was in a kind of code.  "Well, I just wanted to let you know I was better.  Maybe we can all take the weekend off to rest and resume the chase bright and early Monday morning?" he asked knowing that no such thing was possible.

Sydney chuckled softly and then pulled the phone closer to talk softly into the handset, "Jarod, take care of yourself," he said sincerely.

"Thanks," Jarod replied and hung up.

Sydney sighed and leaned back in his chair with relief.  He hadn't been willing to admit to himself just how worried he had become.  Now that he knew Jarod wasn't dead, he could allow himself to go home again.  He'd work a while longer on this interesting research report and then go home early this afternoon for a good night's sleep.

Houston, Texas, Friday Morning

Jarod hung up the phone and thoughtfully disconnected the wires to a small signal scrambler that he had devised to keep the Centre from tracking his calls.  So Miss Parker and Broots were on their way to Houston, but without the knowledge of the Centre.  He smiled pleased with the thought that he was right about Miss Parker having a good heart hidden down inside of her, but then he shook his head with a scowl.  She had found and figured out the clues in the research papers he'd left behind faster than he thought she would.  She was getting better at this little game he played with her of leaving clues as he led her on their game of chase.  Never in the three years that he had been free had he found so worthy an adversary as Miss Parker.  No woman came close to the perfect bundle of brains, bravery and beauty that she possessed.  He was half tempted to call her just to hear her voice again, but he needed to stay a step ahead of her and time was running thin.

"Emily," he called out as he stepped out of the small office and bedroom into the short hallway, "we have to go do this right away."

She stepped out of her daughter's bedroom holding the little girl's hand and hefting the baby on her hip.  They all had on shoes and coats and were ready to go.  "Just let me grab the diaper bag and we'll be all set," she answered.

"Mom, will you drive my car with the kids?" she asked turning to Mary.  "I want to talk to Jarod about what we need to do before we get there and I don't want to scare Kimie."

"Sure, honey," agreed the older woman as she helped buckle the children into their cars seats.  "Y'all want to sing songs with Nanny?" she asked the little girl rhetorically.

It was a short fifteen minute ride to the sprawling Houston medical center complex.  Five major hospitals, two medical schools, dozens of specialty clinics, and dozens of buildings filled with doctors offices were packed into an area only about one mile square.  It almost took longer to find parking spaces in the high rise garage than it had to drive to the complex.  Jarod and Emily had discussed the experimental protocols that they needed to use in order to determine the degree of genetic similarity that they shared.  Emily enjoyed talking medicine again and not just mothering tips that she had been immersed in lately.  Jarod was pleased at how easily she followed his train of thought.  She had clearly done medical research before as she had anticipated several of the problems that he had been concerned with in terms of actually performing the DNA screening.  As much as his heart believed all that Mary had told him about his parents and being his aunt, his mind still wanted definitive proof that he belonged to her family.

Emily led their little group into the main entrance of the MD Anderson Cancer Center.  She nodded pleasantly at the bored security guard and led them confidently past all the streams of patients and medical workers through a series of maze like corridors.  They turned down a long hallway and into a large waiting room with a check in desk at one end.  "Hi, I'm Dr. Brooks.  Did Dr. White call down to make us an appointment?"

"Yes, she told us it was a priority analysis.  Yvonne is almost finished with a patient now and I'll send you right in as soon as she is done," replied the nurse with a concerned smile.  Clearly curious, but too well trained to ask what was so important.

Before they could even get settled in seats to wait, they were being beckoned back to a small room where the technician sat ready with her supplies to draw their blood samples.  They had decided to have Emily and her mother Mary have their blood drawn first, so they would be able to comfort the children after their blood was drawn.  Jarod found himself holding the baby with his good left arm and trying to keep him from wiggling away.  "Hey little man," Jarod said softly getting his attention, "Do you know how lucky you are to be growing up with a Mama who loves you?"

The child looked up at Jarod with big eyes and gave him a toothy grin.  Reaching a chubby hand up, the baby first patted his face and then fingered the mustache.  Jarod had almost forgotten the hair cut and old fashioned grooming that his cousin had playfully given him that morning.  It seemed like a lifetime ago.  Now he had a family to belong to and best yet, a name to really call his own.  His confidence level had never been higher as he felt assured that he would find his own parents soon as well.

Emily stepped out of the room and took the baby from him, "Here, you shouldn't strain your shoulder with Mr. Chubby," she said as she tickled the little boys tummy. 

The technician, Yvonne, finished drawing Mary's blood and then pointed to the little girl, Kimie.  "Let her sit in her grandma's lap.  I'll need you to help hold her arm still," she said to Mary.  Kimie scooted solemnly into her grandmother's lap having watched both her mother and grandmother getting their blood drawn.  Bravely she threw her arm out and turned her head the other way with her eyes squeezed shut.  Mary murmured softly to her and the technician quickly drew the sample saying, "My, you're braver than a lot of the grownups I get in here."

Mary took Kimie back out into the waiting room and Emily sat down with the baby.  He of course didn't like having his arm held down tightly and immediately began to howl when the needle punctured his little arm.  Unfortunately, the vein seemed to roll away and no blood was coming out.  The technician tried again, and again missed the small veins of the child.  Jarod stepped in and knelt down next to the technician placing a hand on her arm to stop her from poking him again.  "He's too small to draw from his arm, use his leg veins," he advised.

"I've never done that," she replied.

Neither have I, thought Jarod, but he said, "I can show you how."

Yvonne stared into his dark brown eyes and could see his sincerity, "I'm not supposed to, but if you really need to get his blood sample, I think you should do it."

She put the prepared band-aid on the baby's arm while Jarod rolled up his little pants leg.  Emily patted and tried to soothe the baby but he howled in anger now that his arm hurt and they were holding his leg out on the chair arm.  Deftly, Jarod inserted the needle and quickly drew the necessary vial of blood, then handing the tube to the nurse, he put the band-aid on the baby himself, "Sorry, little man, we're all done now."

Emily stood up cuddling the crying infant, "I'm going to go nurse him while you get your blood drawn," and she walked back to the waiting room herself.

Jarod now took the chair and looked over at the last empty vial she had waiting.  "You'll need to get three more vials in order for us to get a big enough sample from me."

The young black woman looked at him curiously, but went ahead and pulled three more vials from her supplies cart, pulled on a fresh pair of gloves and reached for his left arm.

"I already have a bad right shoulder, use that arm," he said twisting sideways in the chair and presenting his right arm to her.

"You're just full of special requests today, aren't you," Yvonne joked as she rubbed the inside of his elbow with alcohol.  She filled with first two vials quickly, but the blood flow slowed down when she attached the third tube.  He reached down himself and resettled the needle at a sharper angle and the vial began filling again.  "Are you a doctor?" she asked.

"Today I'm a researcher," he replied smiling with a little crooked smile.

Emily poked her head in the door, "I'm going to…What are you doing?  How many vials of blood have you taken?" she demanded the technician in a worried tone.

"I told her to take three more," Jarod answered.

"That's almost half a pint!  You can't give that much blood," she insisted.

"We need to make a probe from my DNA," he reminded her.  "I'll be fine."

Emily clenched her teeth and glared at him for a moment, "I'm still your doctor.  You should have consulted with me."

"It wouldn't have made any difference.  We need that much."

Emily realized that dealing with Jarod when he was sick was a totally different experience than dealing with him now that he was better.  He would do whatever he wanted to do without her consent, and really she had no claim on him to require it.  They locked eyes and Jarod gave her a smug smile.  She nodded slowly and took a deep breath, "As I was saying, I'm going to walk mother back to the car and send her home with the kids.  Then I'll stop at the cafeteria and get you," she pointed sternly at Jarod, "some food to keep your strength up.  Meanwhile, you can watch them prepare the DNA from the blood samples."

Jarod nodded in acquiescence and Emily turned away satisfied with the plan.

The technician finished filling the last vial and placed a large cotton ball over the needle as she pulled it out to help stop the blood flow.  Jarod bent his elbow and helped hold up his arm with his other hand.  "My doctor ordered me to watch you prepare the samples," he said in an innocent sounding voice.

She laughed lightly, "I'll take you over to the lab right now.  Dr. White said to help you expedite this genetic analysis today."

Jarod started to stand up and immediately gray spots swam before his eyes.  He swayed forward reaching out to steady himself on the chair.  Yvonne reacted quickly and grabbed his right arm to catch him which caused him to gasp in pain.  She pushed him back down into the chair and leaned over him in concern, "I'm sorry.  I forgot you told me you have a bad shoulder.  Maybe Dr. Brooks was right about you giving too much blood.  Let me give you some apple juice, we keep it here for the patients who donate blood."  She stepped out of the room, leaving Jarod taking deep breaths.

Jarod nodded, his head clearing now that he was sitting again.  Emily was right.  He'd probably lost too much blood from being shot, but they really did need to get enough of his white blood cells in order to prepare enough DNA to both analyze and make a probe.  He was mad at his body for betraying him.  He needed to be ready to fight or run, but he was still too weak from the wound and his infection.  He was going to have to keep trusting people around him, as vulnerable as that made him feel.

The Centre, Blue Cove, Delaware

Lyle impatiently stood outside of Mr. Raines' office glaring at Willie, Raines' personal body guard.  "He left strict instructions not to be disturbed," declared Willie.

"This is urgent.  I have a fresh lead on Jarod," insisted Lyle loudly.  Loud enough, he hoped, to be heard through the door.

"Shouldn't you pass it on to Miss Parker then," Willie said snidely.

"She's home 'sick'," Lyle snorted.  "Besides, its from my own sources."

They both heard the click of the lock and the door swung open to reveal the emaciated form of Mr. Raines.  "I'm ready for visitors now, Willie," wheezed Raines.

Lyle pushed past Willie brusquely and up close into Raines' personal space, "I need your authorization to go after Jarod again, and approval for a $10,000 reward," Lyle said in a low urgent voice.

Raines turned away as if Lyle wasn't even there and shuffled slowly back to his desk and lowered himself to his chair.  "Mr. Lyle," he drawled as if just seeing him for the first time, "You were clearly less than successful earlier this week and just as obviously damaged the goods we've been trying to recover.  Why should I give you another chance?"

"Because I have a fresh lead from a credible source," Lyle said trying to restrain the impatience in his voice.  He crossed to the desk and laid a fax page on the desk.  It was a blurry image of Jarod taken from a security camera with the time and date stamp showing to have been taken only 45 minutes earlier.  "Right after Jarod was shot, I alerted a number of security people I've recruited around the country who work at major hospitals to be on the look out for him.  We knew he would require medical attention.  I had to offer a reward to make it worth their time to pay attention.  Well, someone sent this in from Houston to claim that reward.  I want permission to take the jet and go after Jarod right away," demanded Lyle.

Raines picked up the fax and studied the picture.  His hair was parted unusually and he had a mustache but his disguise was old fashioned not effective.  It was definitely Jarod.  Raines gave his version of a smile that came off more like a grimace, "Fine, but I'm coming with you this time," he growled.

TBC