Opening her eyes, she blinked away the blurry vision. The hot air that was rustling her hair made her twist her neck up to find the face of Jarod as he slowly breathed in and out as he continued to sleep. The huge bandage around his head making one would think that he was fine.

She knew better.

Jarod must have had a damn good reason to do what he did.

Not wanting to think about it she slowly scanned his face. Images flashed in her mind of how he had looked when his blood had covered his body. How she had dropped her hostility towards him as well as her gun as she rushed over to him. How she felt her own heart stop at the sight of him.

Why did it hurt more then Thomas' death? Why did she ache in a way that she had never experience before?

Because you love him……because you were born to love him.

She held back her tears as she heard her mother's voice whisper the reason to her.

It was the sad truth that she couldn't deny to her mother's voice. Denying to herself had become impossible.

Broots throwing the statement out into the open had shocked her into acknowledging the fact that she indeed loved him.

None of that mattered though.

Putting all emotions aside for Jarod, she had to help him heal.

Gazing at him with the true emotions she felt for this man……she knew in that moment that she would do whatever she had to, to keep him safe.

Slipping out of his grasp slowly, she lifted herself from the bed.

Jarod slowly woke to the sounds of a machine beeping. Slowly, like his eyes were so heavy he couldn't budge them, he opened his eyes groggily.

Where am I?

The first thing he saw was the light streaming in from the huge window.

Staring out the windows his mind tried to put together what had happened.

Memories flashed in his mind. The newspaper article……the guilt……the drinking……the decision.

Crying quietly to himself his mind returned to the thoughts that had plagued him for days.

How could he possibly still be alive? Why wasn't he dead?

He couldn't even control when and how he died! That's how pathetic he had become!

He began to shake with the sobs that were wracking him once more.

Suddenly the bed dipped and arms wrapped around him.

"Shhhh……it's ok Jar. Shhhhhh."

He recognized the voice. Yet he couldn't put a name to it.

All he knew was that he felt safe in the person's arms.

"Everything's going to be ok now."

Jarod squeezed his eyes shut as the person began to rock him in a comforting way.

Within a few minutes Jarod pulled back and looked up at the bluest shade of eyes that he had ever seen.

He whispered her first name like a question.

Her eyes widened and slowly went back to normal as she heard her name from his lips.

With her name came the instant knowledge that Jarod was indeed not well. He had never used her name.

Not even in their most private of moments together. It had been a way to always keep him at a distance.

She nodded her head.

"It's me." She whispered.

Jarod didn't even have the energy to even look around him to see if there were sweepers in the room or not.

In the end he really didn't care.

He didn't care anymore if they captured him. He didn't care anymore if he lived or died.

All he wanted to do was stop feeling. Stop thinking.

Why couldn't he just stop breathing?

Parker didn't know the thoughts running through Jarod's mind. She didn't even know the thoughts running through hers.

Ever since she had found him dead in his 'apartment'.

Reality and 'sanity' had left her. She really didn't know what possessed her actions. All she knew was that it had been something deep within her that had caused her to act.

At the moment the only thing guiding her actions was the sound of Jarod crying. The sound caused pain in her……and she just couldn't do anything but hold him.

He fell asleep again in her arms with the sound of her breathing and heartbeat accompanying him to the realms of the dream land.

He would dream of her. Of when they were children and her eyes were so wide with innocence. His dream would turn into a nightmare as he re-watches the day Catherine Parker 'died' on the elevator. Feels his body struggle against Sydney's as he tried to break free from the mans hold to reach Miss Parker's mother. He can't help the guilt that washes over him at the screams of Miss Parker as she tries to reach her mother.

Her death was his fault. One way or another it was his fault.

How much innocent blood was spilt because he existed? Why was he even born?

Death had been the only reasonable solution. To end his existence so that the death of Catherine Parker was paid for with his own.

Miss Parker could lead a normal life if he didn't exist. He could do with his death what he couldn't in life…………….he could set her free.

Parker pulled back and stared at his sleeping face. Even in sleep she could see the horrors that the Centre inflicted upon him.

She understood all to well what he went through.

Always having denied the fact, but now more then willing to admit, that they were more alike then anyone would venture to guess.

Parker knew him better then anyone on this planet. Better then Sydney, the Centre……she knew Jarod………she knew the kind of person he was. But Sydney knew the Pretender……the part of Jarod that would always out wit the Centre and save the lives of the people that he deemed to be innocent.

Sometimes she wished that she too was a pretender……though technically she was according to the unveiling of buried secrets. She wished that she had the ability to become anyone she wants to be………and not know who she herself was. Because she already knew who she was, and that was why she wanted to escape the life she lived.

Never would she admit that though!

Especially to Jarod or Sydney.

It didn't matter though. Wishes were just that………wishes. Reality had a way of destroying any sliver or hope or dream that she had in her life.

Yet here. Now. With Jarod's arms wrapped around since when he comforted her with Faith's death………she knew that her hope was beating along with Jarod's heart.

She wasn't alone. He was with her……probably the only soul that could ever really understand her.

And she had almost lost him with out knowing it.

She didn't know when she began to cry. All she knew was that her lips brushed his softly……not really kissing him……something was still holding her back.

When was she going to be able………to break free?