Chapter seven.

EARLY NEXT MORNING

Jarod still had a hard time understanding what he'd just found out. He had talked to Sydney a couple of hours ago and he and Broots had been sneaking around in Raines' office. Jarod slowly shook his head as he thought of it, it was almost fun! They were meant to track him down and take him back to the Centre, but secretly, they did everything they could to help him. Jarod once again thought of the surprising news. Apparently, the only Lydia Weston they could find died three years ago, the exact same date as Miss Parker did. Jarod frowned, was it possible that the Centre had done something with the twins, and Miss Parker's wasn't really dead? It sounded unbelievable. But as he thought of it, the Centre did the most crazy things; even switching the twins was an easy treat for a corporation like that. A small smile suddenly crept to his face. If this was true, Miss Parker was alive, and with him!

His thoughts were interrupted by light footsteps on the floor. He looked up and saw Lydia walk up to him. She carefully sat down next to him in the couch.

"Slept well?" she asked in a soft voice.

Jarod smiled. He nodded.

"Are you going to leave today?" Lydia continued. Jarod could see the sad look in her face. He thought about it for a while.

"No, there is something I have to find out, and I need you to help me. I think Miss Parker is alive... I think the Centre did something that wiped away her memory..." Jarod paused as he realized he couldn't tell her he thought she actually was Miss Parker. How would he be able to tell something like that?

There was a silence.

"Why do you think that?!"

Jarod sighed. He had to tell her. It was the only way to find out the truth, to help her trigger her memory.

"I asked Sydney and Broots to do some research... on you... and... the only Lydia Weston matching you... died three years ago," he explained.

Lydia stared at him as if he was nuts. Was he saying that she actually was dead? That was just too much!

"Are you out of your mind!? How can you say that!?" she exclaimed upset.

Jarod sighed. He explained everything a second time. Lydia didn't know what to say. She was silent a long time.

"So are you saying that I am Miss Parker?" she finally asked.

Jarod nodded slowly. "Maybe," he mumbled.

"But I have memories from my childhood, of my parents and my jobs... how is that possible? Are you telling me that's all a lie?" she asked.

"No, it's Lydia's memories... the Centre replaced Parker's... yours... with hers..."

"Jarod are you sure?"

"No... but it's the only thing that makes sense... the things Syd found, and that you remember the Centre... you couldn't have if you were Lydia... the real Lydia."

"Jarod... if I'm really her... do you think I will ever be back to normal? Or will I always be my sister?" she asked. She just couldn't believe what she had heard. Her whole life was turned upside down. First she had found out she had a twin, then she found out she had died. And now Jarod told her she was dead herself and that she actually was her sister, with a memory loss. This was really too much! She turned her head to look at Jarod. She felt a little better as he gave her a warm comforting smile. Suddenly a thought struck her, if she ever got her true self back, would she still love him? Was Miss Parker in love with him or was it just her? And would Jarod share her feelings now? She prayed he would. She was Miss Parker after all! The one he loved with all his heart! Lydia couldn't help but smile as she thought of it. Her heart did small flip-flops and she got butterflies in her stomach. Maybe this wasn't a bad thing after all? She had to ask him.

"Jarod... do you love me now? When I'm Parker?" she immediately regretted the way she put it. God! How stupid it had sounded!

But Jarod just smiled. "If you're her, we'll be together for ever!" he said. Silently he thought it would never be that easy. If she ever got her memory back, she would fight her feelings for him, just like she always do.

His thoughts were interrupted as Lydia hugged him. Laughing, he hugged her back! Maybe things could work out after all!

TBC