Life Or Death
By Samantha
Part 21: Epilogue Part One
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Author's Note: HA! You all thought it was over, didn'tcha? Well, you're wrong! :P Haha. It's not quite over yet. We still have the epilogue to get through *grins wickedly*. Anywho, let's not delay any longer. ~~Bethe
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"Jarod, we're in the middle of the God-forsaken desert. I don't think this is right." Parker flipped through the various maps of cities in New Mexico in the front seat of their van.
"I don't know," Jarod replied, looking out all the windows carefully. "This seems right." Parker sighed as she stopped at a page and searched it.
"Horses," she mumbled. "The name had something to do with horses. . ." She paused briefly. "Aha!" she shouted, causing her two year old daughter in the back seat to awaken. Parker looked back at the cry of indignance. "Sorry, Libby," she added quietly. "Stallion's Gate. You were right, dearest. We're on the right track," she directed to Jarod. He looked over at the woman he loved and winked almost imperceptibly. She chuckled deeply before turning her attention to the landscape passing by.
"Jarod?" asked a sleepy Broots, who had woken up when Libby did.
"Yes, Eddie?" Jarod replied, now using the more familiar first name. Broots had practically become one of the family. Surprisingly, Jarod had developed a strong bond with the man. And Eddie was making progress himself; he had improved his self-esteem. He no longer stuttered. While he still cowered at times, he seemed more confident, to say the least.
"Are we there yet?" he asked, looking directly into the rearview mirror, meeting Jarod's eyes, his expression a somber one. Jarod maintained the gaze for a few moments, then shook his head and laughed. Broots cracked a smile of his own and looked down at his daughter, who was using his chest as a pillow. She had grown so much over the past two years, yet she had remained the same loving Debbie. In the fall, she would be going off to college. He was determined to enjoy her presence while she was still around. Therefore, he brought her along on this trip.
Broots then looked up and asked seriously, "So, this Sam guy, he was Jarod during those rough two weeks?"
"Yeah," Jarod replied, cocking his head slightly. Broots wrinkled his brow.
"I'm not sure I fully understand," he remarked.
"Don't worry. We don't understand either," Parker tossed over her shoulder.
"Don't understand what?" Debbie asked in a voice rusty from sleep.
"What we talked about before," Eddie whispered. Debbie formed an "o" with her mouth and nodded silently.
"Mama," called Libby. Parker turned around and looked her daughter in the eyes.
"What is it, sweetie?"
"Look-a!" the toddler exclaimed, pointing a finger out the window.
There it stood: Project Quantum Leap.
----------
Jarod helped everyone out of the van before closing the sliding door. Before addressing them, he briefly looked at each member of the group. First, his beloved wife and their beautiful daughter. As always, his heart soared with joy whenever he looked at either of them. Today was special in his heart, because being in close proximity to PQL reminded him that probably neither one of them would be alive had it not been for one man-- no, two men. Al was just as instrumental as Sam in keeping Parker from committing suicide so many years ago.
Next, he took in Broots and Debbie. The two had become very cherished friends and allies. As had Lyle, who stood about a half a foot behind them. It seemed very strange, yet somewhat normal to befriend his brother's killer. What had been an even bigger surprise was that his family, when he had found them, had welcomed Lyle into their family with open arms.
Finally, Jarod's eyes rested on Sydney. His mentor had taken ill about two months after his and Parker's wedding. As a result of the sickness, Syd was now profoundly deaf. However, he accepted the blow ever so gracefully, seeing it as a way of life, not a disability. Jarod, Parker, and Lyle all proved to be quick studies, and taught Sydney American Sign Language so they all could communicate. In fact, because of this, Libby was born bilingual. Technically, ASL was her first language, because she could sign before she could speak.
This was his eclectic family away from family. Whenever he found himself missing his mother, father, Emily, Ethan, or Jimmy, all he had to do was look at any one person of his makeshift family and he felt home was all the more closer.
"Okay," he said, pausing while Parker stepped up to interpret for Sydney. He fought to keep a small smile from his face as he noticed Libby's eyes go straight to her mother, completely tuning everyone else out. His wife looked at him and her eyes urged him to go on. I wanted to say thanks for making this long trip with us. I know you may not understand now what this place means to us, hopefully you will, when you meet the men who saved our lives." After he had finished, he stepped back.
"I also wanted to add a quick thanks. Okay, let's go," Parker spoke and signed at the same time. With an excited smile, she joined hands with Jarod, picked up her daughter, and they were off.
----------
Within moments, they were in. Memories immediately came rushing back over him, memories of a darker time in his life. He had felt so helpless during his stay here, but it all turned out for the better.
"Hey! How did you get in here?" called out a gravelly voice from Jarod's left side. He turned and smiled.
"I know a guy," he replied. Al Calavicci glared at him while their "guide" moved forward.
"Sorry, Admiral, but I owe all of these guys my life," explained Sam, the former Sweeper for the Centre. Ever since its downfall, Sam had needed a job. The previous year, PQL was needing security, so Sam joined the crew and hadn't regretted it since.
Al moved forward to look at the invading group. As he came closer, recognition glimmered in his eyes. "Jarod!" he called out.
"In the flesh. Well, my flesh, this time," he chuckled. The older man gave Jarod a big hug and slapped him on the back. Then, Al stepped back and took in the variety of the group.
"This your family?" he asked, raising a cigar to his lips. Jarod nodded slightly and turned to introduce them.
"Well, Al, first, this is my wife, Michaela Parker." Parker extended her hand with a quizzical look on her face.
"Al? You're Al?" Calavicci's eyes softened as he smiled and shook her hand.
"Sure thing, sweetie," he replied in pure Calavicci fashion.
"You're younger than I imagined you," she murmured with a twinkle in her eye. Al winked as Jarod moved on to the little girl by Parker's side.
"This is our daughter, Libby Parker."
"Hiya, cutie," Al greeted her while bending down to look her in the eyes.
"Next we have Parker's twin brother, Lyle. Then, we have Eddie and Debbie Broots. You remember them, surely."
"Yes, I do," Al replied solemnly as he took in the beautiful woman that Debbie had become. "You almost died, young lady," he remarked softly. Understanding dawned in Debbie's eyes as she recalled the time a Centre operative had tried to assassinate her, but Jarod had uncannily stopped him before a shot rang out. Now, she knew that it wasn't Jarod, but the Sam person that they had been discussing on the drive to New Mexico.
"Finally, we have Sydney. He's like my second father. Practically the only father-figure I ever knew." Al took in the whole group one more time and nodded his welcome.
"Where's Sam?" asked Parker. "I'd like to finally see his face." Al took a long drag on his cigar, then exhaled the smoke in a big puff before answering.
"He's still being leaped," Al replied. "Right now, he's somewhere in Boulder, in the year 1972."
To Be Continued. . .
By Samantha
Part 21: Epilogue Part One
----------
Author's Note: HA! You all thought it was over, didn'tcha? Well, you're wrong! :P Haha. It's not quite over yet. We still have the epilogue to get through *grins wickedly*. Anywho, let's not delay any longer. ~~Bethe
----------
"Jarod, we're in the middle of the God-forsaken desert. I don't think this is right." Parker flipped through the various maps of cities in New Mexico in the front seat of their van.
"I don't know," Jarod replied, looking out all the windows carefully. "This seems right." Parker sighed as she stopped at a page and searched it.
"Horses," she mumbled. "The name had something to do with horses. . ." She paused briefly. "Aha!" she shouted, causing her two year old daughter in the back seat to awaken. Parker looked back at the cry of indignance. "Sorry, Libby," she added quietly. "Stallion's Gate. You were right, dearest. We're on the right track," she directed to Jarod. He looked over at the woman he loved and winked almost imperceptibly. She chuckled deeply before turning her attention to the landscape passing by.
"Jarod?" asked a sleepy Broots, who had woken up when Libby did.
"Yes, Eddie?" Jarod replied, now using the more familiar first name. Broots had practically become one of the family. Surprisingly, Jarod had developed a strong bond with the man. And Eddie was making progress himself; he had improved his self-esteem. He no longer stuttered. While he still cowered at times, he seemed more confident, to say the least.
"Are we there yet?" he asked, looking directly into the rearview mirror, meeting Jarod's eyes, his expression a somber one. Jarod maintained the gaze for a few moments, then shook his head and laughed. Broots cracked a smile of his own and looked down at his daughter, who was using his chest as a pillow. She had grown so much over the past two years, yet she had remained the same loving Debbie. In the fall, she would be going off to college. He was determined to enjoy her presence while she was still around. Therefore, he brought her along on this trip.
Broots then looked up and asked seriously, "So, this Sam guy, he was Jarod during those rough two weeks?"
"Yeah," Jarod replied, cocking his head slightly. Broots wrinkled his brow.
"I'm not sure I fully understand," he remarked.
"Don't worry. We don't understand either," Parker tossed over her shoulder.
"Don't understand what?" Debbie asked in a voice rusty from sleep.
"What we talked about before," Eddie whispered. Debbie formed an "o" with her mouth and nodded silently.
"Mama," called Libby. Parker turned around and looked her daughter in the eyes.
"What is it, sweetie?"
"Look-a!" the toddler exclaimed, pointing a finger out the window.
There it stood: Project Quantum Leap.
----------
Jarod helped everyone out of the van before closing the sliding door. Before addressing them, he briefly looked at each member of the group. First, his beloved wife and their beautiful daughter. As always, his heart soared with joy whenever he looked at either of them. Today was special in his heart, because being in close proximity to PQL reminded him that probably neither one of them would be alive had it not been for one man-- no, two men. Al was just as instrumental as Sam in keeping Parker from committing suicide so many years ago.
Next, he took in Broots and Debbie. The two had become very cherished friends and allies. As had Lyle, who stood about a half a foot behind them. It seemed very strange, yet somewhat normal to befriend his brother's killer. What had been an even bigger surprise was that his family, when he had found them, had welcomed Lyle into their family with open arms.
Finally, Jarod's eyes rested on Sydney. His mentor had taken ill about two months after his and Parker's wedding. As a result of the sickness, Syd was now profoundly deaf. However, he accepted the blow ever so gracefully, seeing it as a way of life, not a disability. Jarod, Parker, and Lyle all proved to be quick studies, and taught Sydney American Sign Language so they all could communicate. In fact, because of this, Libby was born bilingual. Technically, ASL was her first language, because she could sign before she could speak.
This was his eclectic family away from family. Whenever he found himself missing his mother, father, Emily, Ethan, or Jimmy, all he had to do was look at any one person of his makeshift family and he felt home was all the more closer.
"Okay," he said, pausing while Parker stepped up to interpret for Sydney. He fought to keep a small smile from his face as he noticed Libby's eyes go straight to her mother, completely tuning everyone else out. His wife looked at him and her eyes urged him to go on. I wanted to say thanks for making this long trip with us. I know you may not understand now what this place means to us, hopefully you will, when you meet the men who saved our lives." After he had finished, he stepped back.
"I also wanted to add a quick thanks. Okay, let's go," Parker spoke and signed at the same time. With an excited smile, she joined hands with Jarod, picked up her daughter, and they were off.
----------
Within moments, they were in. Memories immediately came rushing back over him, memories of a darker time in his life. He had felt so helpless during his stay here, but it all turned out for the better.
"Hey! How did you get in here?" called out a gravelly voice from Jarod's left side. He turned and smiled.
"I know a guy," he replied. Al Calavicci glared at him while their "guide" moved forward.
"Sorry, Admiral, but I owe all of these guys my life," explained Sam, the former Sweeper for the Centre. Ever since its downfall, Sam had needed a job. The previous year, PQL was needing security, so Sam joined the crew and hadn't regretted it since.
Al moved forward to look at the invading group. As he came closer, recognition glimmered in his eyes. "Jarod!" he called out.
"In the flesh. Well, my flesh, this time," he chuckled. The older man gave Jarod a big hug and slapped him on the back. Then, Al stepped back and took in the variety of the group.
"This your family?" he asked, raising a cigar to his lips. Jarod nodded slightly and turned to introduce them.
"Well, Al, first, this is my wife, Michaela Parker." Parker extended her hand with a quizzical look on her face.
"Al? You're Al?" Calavicci's eyes softened as he smiled and shook her hand.
"Sure thing, sweetie," he replied in pure Calavicci fashion.
"You're younger than I imagined you," she murmured with a twinkle in her eye. Al winked as Jarod moved on to the little girl by Parker's side.
"This is our daughter, Libby Parker."
"Hiya, cutie," Al greeted her while bending down to look her in the eyes.
"Next we have Parker's twin brother, Lyle. Then, we have Eddie and Debbie Broots. You remember them, surely."
"Yes, I do," Al replied solemnly as he took in the beautiful woman that Debbie had become. "You almost died, young lady," he remarked softly. Understanding dawned in Debbie's eyes as she recalled the time a Centre operative had tried to assassinate her, but Jarod had uncannily stopped him before a shot rang out. Now, she knew that it wasn't Jarod, but the Sam person that they had been discussing on the drive to New Mexico.
"Finally, we have Sydney. He's like my second father. Practically the only father-figure I ever knew." Al took in the whole group one more time and nodded his welcome.
"Where's Sam?" asked Parker. "I'd like to finally see his face." Al took a long drag on his cigar, then exhaled the smoke in a big puff before answering.
"He's still being leaped," Al replied. "Right now, he's somewhere in Boulder, in the year 1972."
To Be Continued. . .