Could this really be her life? Could this really be happening?

She sat there with the man she loved and respected as a father while he broke down completely in front of her. Despair, anger, utter loss being some of the many emotions she saw battling inside the eyes of the man behind the bottle.

She didn't know how long she sat there holding Sydney's hand. All she knew was they way he looked only drove her deeper and deeper into hopelessness. So what words would comfort her dear friend? How could she comfort him? What words would comfort her?

None.

No words could comfort her.

But she couldn't dwell on why she had this feeling now. She would not grieve for his loss. Not here. Not now, when they could be wrong. Jarod could have arranged this whole thing. It had to be that. Jarod needed to get into The Centre and staged it all.

But the moment she would look up and see Sydney's eyes. She would be brought back to reality. Nothing could be done to undo what was happening. And it was all because of her.

Then an anger and rage so strong radiated from her body that even Sydney felt. He turned to look her directly in the eyes from the intensity of it. The look he saw there…he had not seen this look in her eyes before. He had seen her when angry, when depressed beyond words, but this………this look was one he hoped to never see in her eyes. It was the look of death, a look of blood lust.

"Miss Parker…don't do it!" Sydney whispered.

But as the thought continued in her brain the more and more rage she felt. To think, that she had said the words to him. She had given him a privilege that Jarod had not even known.

She had trusted him.

And with that trust had gained her love.

He had betrayed her in a way that she swore no man would ever have the courtesy of having. And with his betrayal…he had taken something that she could not replace.

Jarod.

She felt so empty now. As if with Broots' words came the removal of her very being. It was an odd feeling for her. But there was another time for her. She had answers to find…and when one was at the Centre…one had little time to find them. It was this lesson that she learned from her mother. Live life to the fullest, for tomorrow we might not live. And it was this that drove her.

And now it was a lesson she had to relearn. And what a high cost she had to pay to relearn it.

And the man that caused this, which she had taken to her bed, and had openly trusted…he was the cause of it all.

It was his fault. It was his fault. He wasn't the man she loved. He was a murderer, an accomplice of Bridgette. He had taken Jarod's trust and used it against all of them. He had killed her best friend.

Thought had left her. Only the lust for revenge permeated her mind.

"Miss Parker, where are you going?" Sydney asked as she was walking at a brisk speed out of the lab.

She wasn't thinking. Something inside of her was driving her. She had never been this out of control. As if nothing made sense any more. Nothing mattered anymore. The need for justice threading through every breath she took.

She climbed into the elevator and kept her back to the doors as they closed behind her. She crossed her arms in a protective stance. She shivered. She felt so cold. She felt so hollow. But the anger that consumed her made her not take note.

As she made the climb to the floor she quickly turned and soon exited as the doors opened. Everyone had been chattering about the most recent events, but when they saw her all fell quite as she crossed the floor to her father's office. Unfortunately, one sweeper had his back turned to the elevators and was recounting the story to a fellow sweeper, not noting the absurd quite that had fallen on the floor.

"….and he was all weeping all over….oh boo hoo…(chuckle) and he's trying to press down on the bullet wounds as if it was going to help him….the old man was stupid enough to think he could save that stupid pretender….oh and get this I heard the reason they caught him was over that hot chick Miss Parker….(laugh laugh laugh) can you believe it…the 'genius' got caught because of that crazy bitch…"

Miss Parker's blood boiled and before she knew what she was doing, she was behind the man. She grabbed him by his hair and threw his face into the marble pillar beside where he stood. The man cried out as the contact broke his nose and blood spilled down his face to the floor. She proceeded to bang his head against the pillar again.

The anger inside her had risen to unknown levels. Miss Parker brought her face not a millimeter away from his ear and with clenched teeth whispered into the sweeper's ear…

"That……………..genius…………has………a name. And if you ever speak of him again…….which you are unworthy enough to even speak of him…I will make sure…you know how crazy I am…and I assure you...you will beg to be punished by Raines…….and not me."

With that she thrust his head back into the pillar as hard as she could. The man sank to the ground in pain.

Miss Parker stood there and with squinted eyes stared at those who had looked on. Slowly she turned and walked to her father's office.

She threw open the doors. The laughing and chattering that had been occurring behind the closed doors suddenly stopped.

Miss Parker looked straight to her father…who had turned at the sudden intrusion.

"Sweet heart, so glad you joined us. Come in, have some champagne." Mr. Parker instructed.

"Daddy we need to talk." She said staring at Thomas who was next to Bridgette.

Thomas looked as though his heart was breaking. Tears were in his eyes. But Miss Parker felt no pity for him. Funnily enough…she felt nothing for him now.

She walked straight up to Tommy. She held out her hand.

"Give me the key to my house." She whispered out. The deadness in her voice made it clear that she was serious.

"Parker I can…" Thomas began

"DON'T EVEN TRY!" She screamed back getting closer to his face.

"Parker it was a big…" Thomas tried again.

"I DON'T CARE!" Parker screamed louder than before.

Then she whispered with barely controlled rage. "We're through."

She leaned into Thomas and with barely contained anger whispered out…

"You………….are half the man he was………you didn't deserve his trust……and you don't deserve my love"

"Angel, try to be reasonable." Mr. Parker tried.

Miss Parker spun back around and walked back to Mr. Parker.

"Daddy, why isn't Jarod having a burial?" Miss Parker asked in a whisper.

"Angel…" Mr. Parker started exasperated, "I already went through this with Sydney."

"But Daddy, I don't understand. Why can't we bury him? He deserves a burial Daddy. After spending a lifetime here couldn't we just give him that?"

"Angel, he was just a pretender, owned by the Centre, we can't make him into more than what he really was."

"Then WHY hire me to bring him back…Daddy you're making no sense. I want him to have a burial Daddy. I want him to have a plot…I'll buy it out of my own pocket Daddy."

Mr. Parker looked at her with raging eyes.

"Did you or did you not hear me. I said no. He is to be burned tonight."

"Daddy…I have never begged from you….I have never begged….I am begging you Daddy…give him this…just bury him. Momma would have wanted it this way."

"No." Mr. Parker said in a low voice.

But Miss Parker couldn't take this answer. This answer was the wrong one. She just had to make him understand.

"Daddy…he served us for over 25 years…he lived here…and he died here……at least give him his name…he's already dead Daddy….just give him his name. At least he'll have it in death." She said in a venomous whisper

Mr. Parker put down the glass of champagne he had been holding and put both hands on her upper arms.

"Angel, Jarod was property of the Centre. And all Centre assets are mind to be dealt with, and I say no. He is to be burned tonight."

Miss Parker stepped away from him and looked at him with lost eyes.

Without looking at anyone else…she quickly turned at left her father's office.

She strode back into Sydney's lab and found him in still the same position but oddly enough, Lyle was in the room. He wasn't near Sydney; he was just standing looking at Sydney.

Miss Parker was in defense mode. She walked behind Lyle.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Lyle smirked before turning around and looking at his sister.

"Sis you should learn to not attack everyone you come in contact with…it totally puts a damper on one's social life."

Miss Parker rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here Lyle?"

Lyle's smirk turned into a grimace. He turned back around and found Sydney looking at him.

"Just came to give my condolences. That's all."

Miss Parker chuckled. Lyle turned back to her with eyebrows furrowed.

"Is there……..something funny…that I'm missing?"

"Lyle I doubt you give a damn about anyone but yourself."

"That's not true Parker, whether you believe me or not."

Miss Parker stalked up to him and came a millimeter from his face with a maniacal smile on her lips.

"Lyle, Lyle, Lyle. Don't you know there's no point in trying to convince me your human don't you? Don't bother with your pathetic lies."

Lyle smirked at her.

"Oh don't get me wrong sis, I would have loved to torture Jarod for what pain he caused me……but that's it. I would never have killed him."

Miss Parker's eyes showed moisture as he looked at her.

"Were you there? Were you there when they killed him?" She ground out angrily as tears threatened to consume her.

"No. I would love to say that it was all me, but it was Daddy who was running the show."

"If I find out that you're…"

"I wouldn't lie about this sis, at least not this. It would be a waste of energy."

Miss Parker kept her eyes locked on his.

"Get out Lyle!"

Lyle's grin faded again.

"Tell Sydney…"

"Tell Sydney what?" Parker interrupted

Lyle whispered.

"Tell him I'm sorry."

Miss Parker was taken back by the sympathetic apology.

"Why do you think we could believe you actually felt such an emotion?"

Lyle glared at her angrily.

"Believe what you want Parker. All I know is……a parent should never out live their children."

Miss Parker was shocked into silence.

"Just give him my condolences Parker…and be quiet about it."

Lyle then left, briskly walking out of the lab.

Parker stood their not believing what had just occurred. Five minutes might have passed maybe more. But she did not budge. She did not move.

The fact that Lyle had come in here only confirmed to her that Jarod was indeed dead. It made her want to cry more.

"Miss Parker….everything is ready to go…we need to get moving if you want….if you want to…"

Miss Parker was broken out of her revere by Broots' words.

"Get Sydney something to put on…he's coming with us…were not leaving him alone."

Broots scurried away to find clothes for their friend, as Miss Parker prepared herself for the inevitable.

The bowels of the Centre were nothing new to her, but as she descended into the depths of hell...she could not help but feel her anger subside. How many people in her life was she to lose to this hell?

Her sadness was reflected in the eyes of her companions. Sydney still looked as though his soul had been torn from his body, and Broots...well Broots looked as if he hadn't slept a wink. Which come to think of it, he really hadn't.

He was a good friend.

She really didn't deserve his loyalty. But for some odd reason...she had it.

The elevator stopped on SL-26.

"We're here." Broots announced.

He stopped the elevator. He took out his lap top computer and started to remove one of the panels in the elevator.

"What are you doing?" Miss Parker asked.

Broots turned to look at her. He quickly turned back to the panel.

"Believe me Miss Parker, by the time I explain it I could be done."

Miss Parker smirked at the reply. Smartass Geek.

Her smartass geek!

Suddenly alarms started sounding. On the other side of the elevator doors she heard voices erupting as the Sweepers tried to find the reason why the alarms were sounding. Soon she heard the commotion die down as the one of the Sweeper yelled to the rest to take the stairs. Soon almost all noise on the other side was gone.

"We have a half hour at most Miss Parker." Broots stated.

"Then let's make it count boys."

Broots pressed a button on the laptop and the elevator doors opened. He disengaged his laptop and they all exited the elevator.

This level where Jarod was kept was not the morgue, but because Jarod was to be cremated as soon as possible...he was kept down here. The level was not accessible by elevator. It was accessed by a manhole. As they approached the hole...they found no one near the opening.

Parker sighed in relief.

As she lowered herself into the opening she was caught by the irony of the situation. That Jarod had always been kept down here. Not necessarily this level. But he was always kept in the dark. Jarod would rather be outside surrounded by the night sky, than be kept in the dark within these closed walls. But it was within these closed walls that he had been imprisoned. Forever kept by the dark cold of the Centre.

It wasn't right. It wasn't right for it to end this way.

As they all settled on the floor all noted that the level was engulfed in light. No sweepers were in sight. All had scattered to find the elusive problem that was caused by the alarms that still rung. The noise was bringing back her anger. She turned to look at Broots. He had obviously anticipated her reaction and was facing her.

"Don't ask." He stated simply.

She turned back to face the hallway. The lights that illuminated the corridor with nothing compared to light at the end of the hall. One room was entirely lit.

Miss Parker walked down the hallway as if in trance. This was too familiar, this feeling that she had.

Miss Parker was the first to enter the room. She was assaulted by the image that was before her.

There was a white tent with an opening at the front.

Her body started to tremble as the lowered temperature in the room began to crawl and lace itself upon her skin.

And the memory of a dead friend entered her mind

Faith.

She approached the opening, and it was though she was transported back in time almost 30 years, but the image before her was all wrong.

Jarod's body lay still as stone on the examiners table. He was still clothed in the blood stained clothes that he died in. His eyes were shut. Miss Parker approached the table, this sudden reality too new to accept. She placed her hand on his chest.

No motion.

No breath.

No heartbeat.

No more.

Anger and sadness melded within her. She grabbed him by the jacket he wore.

"WAKE UP!" She yelled.

Startled by this development, both Broots and Sydney approached.

"PARKER!" Screamed Sydney.

"Miss Parker!" Screeched out a scared and horrified Broots.

But she couldn't hear them. She couldn't hear anything. Everything was gone now. The breath that she breathed into her body: Gone. The existence of the world around her: Gone. The beating of her heart: Gone.

It was all over.

She was too late.

"WAKE UP DAMN YOU! DON'T YOU DARE THINK THAT I'M FALLING FOR THIS!" She shook the lifeless body as she yelled.

"YOU'RE A LIAR!YOU LIED TO ME! I KNEW YOU LIED TO ME! I KNEW IT!" She screamed while shaking the corpse.

"DON'T LIE TO ME JAROD! DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME! DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME! DON'T YOU DARE!"

She spoke of the promise he made to her as children. It was this promise that she had held tight to in her darkest days.

That she was never alone. That he was there for her whenever she needed. He promised her he would be.

He had lied.

As she had begun to pull on the jacket that held the body, she had begun to pull it closer to her body, and she in turn slowly sank down on the table. The shaking of the man's dead body had caused another wave of blood to drain out; covering the jacket and table, as well as the clothes Miss Parker wore. Seeing this made the anger leave her in a second.

She had hurt him.

"I'm sorry. I'm soo sorry Jar. I ddiiddn't mean to. I sweeearrr I ddin't!" The once angry voice was now turning into a crying, stuttering whisper.

"Don't leave me Jar. Dooon't leave me." She whimpered out.

At the change of attitude, the two men that had sat by now began to cry along with her. The emotions displayed had touched Broots. Sydney looked on with complete horror. Nothing could have prepared them for this tragedy. Nothing.

"I pproommiiiisee! ...no more Centre adventures. No more Jar. I'll do anything you ask Jar! Anything! Just don't leave me Jar. Dooon't Go." She choked out.

She had long since rested her forehead against his, her mouth brushing the once warm lips.

Warm.

And soft.

These two words completely defined the man that he had been. And now...he was soo cold!

Her tears had fallen onto his lips and were spilling into his mouth. She tracked their path with her eyes. She looked at his lips. The first lips she had ever kissed. The one's that had filled her life with such hope, and warmth, and sadness, these lips before her did all that to her. She slowly descended and kissed those lips.

Soo cold.

She cried harder at the coldness. She kissed them again and again, hoping to feel his breath. Hoping is was all a horrible mistake. But there was no escaping the proof.

The proof that she held in her very arms.

She began to slowly rock the now lifeless man, slowly easing the body into her lap allowing the head to rest upon her chest, causing more blood to cover her.

She slowly whispered words that the world was not meant to hear. She began repeating them over and over to the man that once was. With these words she caused the two men that looked on to turn away.

This was their private moment. One never granted to them by the Centre. This was the moment they had now. Broots exited the room with teardrops running down his face. Sydney followed close behind with teardrops marking paths down his death white face.

Sydney knew what was occurring. He knew the significance of what was happening. For years he had watched her grow into the woman she had become. For years he wondered where the little girl he knew went. And on this day, he now saw what he had hoped one way to see again.

He saw the little girl again.

He looked back to watch as Miss Parker stroked his face and rocked him gently in her lap.

She was broken now.

The death of Jarod had broken her.

The little girl he once knew was back. And at what high a cost!

Sydney turned towards the door. It is with this thought...he let them have their moment.