Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I'm only playing with them & when I'm done I'll put them back exactly as I found them, scout's honor!
The Baby Series
And Baby Makes... Four
Melanie-Anne
Where did it all go wrong? Jarod wondered, cradling Parker's body in his arms. It was such a simple plan: go in, get her, get out. What went wrong?
Sydney put his hand on Jarod's shoulder, his heart breaking. "We'd better get out of here."
"I'm not leaving her," Jarod said firmly, pulling her closer.
"Jarod, she's gone. Tommy needs you now."
"You don't get it, Syd. It's not supposed to be like this."
"There's nothing you can do for her. If you stay here they'll kill you, too."
Jarod gazed tenderly down at Parker. Her body was still warm. She still looked alive. Except that when she was alive she had never looked so at peace.
"Jarod! Jarod!"
Jarod blinked slowly and shook his head, snapping out of SIM-mode. He looked around him, seeing the three curious gazes of Sydney, Broots and Lyle, and remembered that it was only a SIM. He leaned back in his chair and sighed with relief.
"Well?" Sydney asked.
"We can't do it on a shift change. Even though the guards will be distracted there'll be more of them. That means more guns. People" - Parker - "will get hurt," Jarod said, unable to shake the image of Parker dead from his mind.
"We'll have guns too," Lyle said.
"I don't want to take any chances. If she dies while we're rescuing her then what's the point in rescuing her at all?"
Jarod couldn't figure out why the SIM was affecting him so much. He didn't think it was the SIM so much as how he had felt when he saw Parker get shot. It didn't matter that it wasn't real. It had felt real.
Why had he felt that the world had ended?
*
Lyle entered Parker's cell carrying a book. "How's the mother-to-be?"
"Just fine, Lyle. Thanks for your concern," she said sarcastically.
"Here's a book on baby care. Wouldn't want you to have a baby without knowing how to take care of it."
"You know I'll never see the child."
"I know," he said with a smile.
She reminded herself that he didn't mean what he was saying. Still, it was hard to fight the urge to throw something at him. He dropped the book on her bed and left. She opened it, skimming through the first few pages until she came across Jarod's message.
Tonight. Be ready. Tommy misses his mother. J.
Jarod knows? How can he possibly know?
I'm getting out tonight!
Parker started tearing up the pages from the book, making sure that the one with the message was destroyed first. Lyle watched this on a monitor in the control room.
"Looks like she doesn't approve of your gift," Raines wheezed.
"I guess not."
*
Debbie looked at her father nervously. "But what if something happens?"
"Then I want you to go next door to Mrs. Samuels."
She bit her lip nervously.
"You'll be fine, Debbie," Jarod laughed. "If he wakes up, give him a bottle. If he won't stop crying let him hold this photo." He handed the young girl the photograph of Parker.
"Hey! That's Miss P! You and Miss Parker had a baby?"
Jarod nodded.
"That's so cool! Why isn't she here?"
"She'll be with us when we pick Tommy up."
"Okay. Cool. I haven't seen her in ages."
"Uh, shouldn't we going?" Broots asked, looking at his watch.
*
Parker was too excited to sleep. She lay on the bed, tossing and turning. Eventually she found a semi-comfortable position and lay still, forcing herself to calm down.
*
Broots walked into the control room and handed the technician on duty a cup of coffee. "Here you go, Steve. This'll help you stay awake."
"Thanks, man. I don't know what I did to get stuck with the graveyard shift."
"We've all got to start somewhere," Broots said, giving Steve a sympathetic smile.
Within five minutes Steve was asleep and Broots quickly looped the video feed so that there would be a continuous image of Parker sleeping. His job done, he went home to pick up Debbie and Tommy.
*
Jarod left Sydney waiting in the car and hurried to his meeting place with Angelo. He pried the grate open and crawled into the air vent.
"Almost time," Angelo said.
Even though Jarod had expected him to be waiting, he still got a fright and banged his head on the roof. "Ouch."
Angelo laughed softly.
"That's not funny."
"This way," Angelo said and Jarod followed, crawling on his hands and knees. He knew one thing for certain and that was that Parker, who hated being dirty, was not going to be impressed.
*
Lyle went into the Renewal Wing one last time before going home.
"How was she after she tore the book up?" he asked Raines.
"Restless. She's not used to being cooped up." Raines was taking great delight in Parker's misery.
"And now?"
"Look for yourself. She's asleep."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."
*
When Jarod unscrewed the grate, Parker thought she was hearing things and kept quiet. It was only when Jarod asked Angelo if he was sure that they had come to the right room that Parker allowed herself to react.
"Jarod?" she sat up, throwing the blanket off.
"Parker! Give me your arms, I need to pull you up."
Happily, she complied. Once in the ventilation system, she hugged Jarod tightly.
"You're supposed to be in hiding," she scolded as Jarod refastened the grate.
"See what thanks I get, Angelo?" Jarod teased.
Angelo laughed again. He could feel the happiness radiating from both his childhood friends. Parker hugged him too and he cautiously hugged her back.
Jarod had been right about Parker not liking the escape route. She grumbled the entire way out. When they were outside she couldn't keep her laughter in. Jarod and Angelo were both covered in dust from head to toe and she could only imagine what she looked like. Too happy at being free to care, she hugged Jarod again and planted a kiss on his cheek. Then realizing what she'd just done, she broke away.
"Umm…."
"Time to go," Angelo urged and the three of them ran to where Sydney was waiting with the car.
*
Broots checked the time for what felt like the thousandth time since he had checked into the motel.
"What's the matter?" Debbie asked.
"Why aren't you asleep?"
"'Cause I'm not tired."
"Right." Broots looked out the window again, wondering where they were and what was taking them so long. He saw a pair of headlights and then a car pulled up next to where he had parked. He held his breath, waiting to see who got out.
Sydney.
Jarod.
Angelo.
Miss Parker.
"Thank you," he breathed.
"Hmm?" came Debbie's sleepy voice.
"Nothing, honey."
There was a knock on the door and Broots opened up for the four fugitives. Parker went straight to Tommy, kneeling beside his makeshift bed.
"I missed you so much," she whispered.
Jarod knelt beside her. "We need to talk."
"Not now."
"Parker, please. I need to know. It's true, right?"
She nodded. "Can we talk in he morning?"
*
Tommy woke up first. His loud cries woke up everybody except Debbie. Parker picked him up and rocked him gently while Jarod heated a bottle. Sydney nodded in approval, thinking they'd be great parents together before he went back to sleep.
"What happens now?" Jarod asked, handing Parker the bottle.
She avoided his gaze.
"Parker?"
"It's more complicated than you think," she said.
"What do you mean?"
"When Tommy…disappeared they had to come up with some sort of…backup plan."
"I don't understand."
"Sit down."
Confused, he did as she asked and gave a nervous half-smile when she moved in front of him. "What are you doing?"
Holding Tommy against her chest with one arm, she handed Jarod the bottle. Then she took his free hand and gently placed it on her stomach.
"Wha-"
"They did it again. Only this time with the real mother."
All he could do was stare up at her, his mouth open.
"Meet your daughter," Parker whispered.
"A…a daughter?"
"Her name's Sara."
"How do you- You're sure?"
She nodded, suddenly very conscious of his hand on her stomach. She stepped back, breaking their contact.
"Are you okay, Parker?"
"Yeah." Her mouth was suddenly dry.
He stood, stepping closer to her. "I meant, are you okay with this?" He touched her stomach again. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"I could use some coffee, though."
"Okay."
When he had gone she sat on the bed, wondering what had just happened. Never in her entire life had Jarod's touch affected her so strongly. She tried to tell herself it was just because she was carrying his child, but that thought brought up a whole batch of different feelings that she wasn't ready to deal with.
She turned her attention back to Tommy, deciding to focus on one thing at a time. For now, she was just glad to be out of the Centre and back with her child.
~*~
The Baby Series
And Baby Makes... Four
Melanie-Anne
Where did it all go wrong? Jarod wondered, cradling Parker's body in his arms. It was such a simple plan: go in, get her, get out. What went wrong?
Sydney put his hand on Jarod's shoulder, his heart breaking. "We'd better get out of here."
"I'm not leaving her," Jarod said firmly, pulling her closer.
"Jarod, she's gone. Tommy needs you now."
"You don't get it, Syd. It's not supposed to be like this."
"There's nothing you can do for her. If you stay here they'll kill you, too."
Jarod gazed tenderly down at Parker. Her body was still warm. She still looked alive. Except that when she was alive she had never looked so at peace.
"Jarod! Jarod!"
Jarod blinked slowly and shook his head, snapping out of SIM-mode. He looked around him, seeing the three curious gazes of Sydney, Broots and Lyle, and remembered that it was only a SIM. He leaned back in his chair and sighed with relief.
"Well?" Sydney asked.
"We can't do it on a shift change. Even though the guards will be distracted there'll be more of them. That means more guns. People" - Parker - "will get hurt," Jarod said, unable to shake the image of Parker dead from his mind.
"We'll have guns too," Lyle said.
"I don't want to take any chances. If she dies while we're rescuing her then what's the point in rescuing her at all?"
Jarod couldn't figure out why the SIM was affecting him so much. He didn't think it was the SIM so much as how he had felt when he saw Parker get shot. It didn't matter that it wasn't real. It had felt real.
Why had he felt that the world had ended?
*
Lyle entered Parker's cell carrying a book. "How's the mother-to-be?"
"Just fine, Lyle. Thanks for your concern," she said sarcastically.
"Here's a book on baby care. Wouldn't want you to have a baby without knowing how to take care of it."
"You know I'll never see the child."
"I know," he said with a smile.
She reminded herself that he didn't mean what he was saying. Still, it was hard to fight the urge to throw something at him. He dropped the book on her bed and left. She opened it, skimming through the first few pages until she came across Jarod's message.
Tonight. Be ready. Tommy misses his mother. J.
Jarod knows? How can he possibly know?
I'm getting out tonight!
Parker started tearing up the pages from the book, making sure that the one with the message was destroyed first. Lyle watched this on a monitor in the control room.
"Looks like she doesn't approve of your gift," Raines wheezed.
"I guess not."
*
Debbie looked at her father nervously. "But what if something happens?"
"Then I want you to go next door to Mrs. Samuels."
She bit her lip nervously.
"You'll be fine, Debbie," Jarod laughed. "If he wakes up, give him a bottle. If he won't stop crying let him hold this photo." He handed the young girl the photograph of Parker.
"Hey! That's Miss P! You and Miss Parker had a baby?"
Jarod nodded.
"That's so cool! Why isn't she here?"
"She'll be with us when we pick Tommy up."
"Okay. Cool. I haven't seen her in ages."
"Uh, shouldn't we going?" Broots asked, looking at his watch.
*
Parker was too excited to sleep. She lay on the bed, tossing and turning. Eventually she found a semi-comfortable position and lay still, forcing herself to calm down.
*
Broots walked into the control room and handed the technician on duty a cup of coffee. "Here you go, Steve. This'll help you stay awake."
"Thanks, man. I don't know what I did to get stuck with the graveyard shift."
"We've all got to start somewhere," Broots said, giving Steve a sympathetic smile.
Within five minutes Steve was asleep and Broots quickly looped the video feed so that there would be a continuous image of Parker sleeping. His job done, he went home to pick up Debbie and Tommy.
*
Jarod left Sydney waiting in the car and hurried to his meeting place with Angelo. He pried the grate open and crawled into the air vent.
"Almost time," Angelo said.
Even though Jarod had expected him to be waiting, he still got a fright and banged his head on the roof. "Ouch."
Angelo laughed softly.
"That's not funny."
"This way," Angelo said and Jarod followed, crawling on his hands and knees. He knew one thing for certain and that was that Parker, who hated being dirty, was not going to be impressed.
*
Lyle went into the Renewal Wing one last time before going home.
"How was she after she tore the book up?" he asked Raines.
"Restless. She's not used to being cooped up." Raines was taking great delight in Parker's misery.
"And now?"
"Look for yourself. She's asleep."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."
*
When Jarod unscrewed the grate, Parker thought she was hearing things and kept quiet. It was only when Jarod asked Angelo if he was sure that they had come to the right room that Parker allowed herself to react.
"Jarod?" she sat up, throwing the blanket off.
"Parker! Give me your arms, I need to pull you up."
Happily, she complied. Once in the ventilation system, she hugged Jarod tightly.
"You're supposed to be in hiding," she scolded as Jarod refastened the grate.
"See what thanks I get, Angelo?" Jarod teased.
Angelo laughed again. He could feel the happiness radiating from both his childhood friends. Parker hugged him too and he cautiously hugged her back.
Jarod had been right about Parker not liking the escape route. She grumbled the entire way out. When they were outside she couldn't keep her laughter in. Jarod and Angelo were both covered in dust from head to toe and she could only imagine what she looked like. Too happy at being free to care, she hugged Jarod again and planted a kiss on his cheek. Then realizing what she'd just done, she broke away.
"Umm…."
"Time to go," Angelo urged and the three of them ran to where Sydney was waiting with the car.
*
Broots checked the time for what felt like the thousandth time since he had checked into the motel.
"What's the matter?" Debbie asked.
"Why aren't you asleep?"
"'Cause I'm not tired."
"Right." Broots looked out the window again, wondering where they were and what was taking them so long. He saw a pair of headlights and then a car pulled up next to where he had parked. He held his breath, waiting to see who got out.
Sydney.
Jarod.
Angelo.
Miss Parker.
"Thank you," he breathed.
"Hmm?" came Debbie's sleepy voice.
"Nothing, honey."
There was a knock on the door and Broots opened up for the four fugitives. Parker went straight to Tommy, kneeling beside his makeshift bed.
"I missed you so much," she whispered.
Jarod knelt beside her. "We need to talk."
"Not now."
"Parker, please. I need to know. It's true, right?"
She nodded. "Can we talk in he morning?"
*
Tommy woke up first. His loud cries woke up everybody except Debbie. Parker picked him up and rocked him gently while Jarod heated a bottle. Sydney nodded in approval, thinking they'd be great parents together before he went back to sleep.
"What happens now?" Jarod asked, handing Parker the bottle.
She avoided his gaze.
"Parker?"
"It's more complicated than you think," she said.
"What do you mean?"
"When Tommy…disappeared they had to come up with some sort of…backup plan."
"I don't understand."
"Sit down."
Confused, he did as she asked and gave a nervous half-smile when she moved in front of him. "What are you doing?"
Holding Tommy against her chest with one arm, she handed Jarod the bottle. Then she took his free hand and gently placed it on her stomach.
"Wha-"
"They did it again. Only this time with the real mother."
All he could do was stare up at her, his mouth open.
"Meet your daughter," Parker whispered.
"A…a daughter?"
"Her name's Sara."
"How do you- You're sure?"
She nodded, suddenly very conscious of his hand on her stomach. She stepped back, breaking their contact.
"Are you okay, Parker?"
"Yeah." Her mouth was suddenly dry.
He stood, stepping closer to her. "I meant, are you okay with this?" He touched her stomach again. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"I could use some coffee, though."
"Okay."
When he had gone she sat on the bed, wondering what had just happened. Never in her entire life had Jarod's touch affected her so strongly. She tried to tell herself it was just because she was carrying his child, but that thought brought up a whole batch of different feelings that she wasn't ready to deal with.
She turned her attention back to Tommy, deciding to focus on one thing at a time. For now, she was just glad to be out of the Centre and back with her child.
~*~
