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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Part 6
Jarod got up off the sofa and began to go up the stairs. As he was about to go into her room, Bronwyn stirred in his arms.
"Daddy?"
"What's up, honey bee?"
"Mommy wants to talk to you."
He looked down at her, but her eyes remained closed. "How, Bronwyn? How will she talk to me?"
"Same as b'fore." The little girl snuggled closer and then relaxed again. A look of understanding crossed Jarod's face as he put her down on the bed, and, after covering her and checking that the heater was working, left the room.
"All right, Maria. You're the boss."
Picking up the computer, he put it under his arm and then headed back down the stairs, setting it up on the table before filling his mug from the jug that Sydney had just put on the table.
"What's going on, Jarod?"
He looked over at Miss Parker, a hint of a smile on his face. "Ready to hear the message?"
"You mean you've got it?"
"No." He nodded towards the machine as it started. "But we're about to."
The Pretender saw Sydney's eyebrow’s lift when the machine announced an email, and his mouth open slightly when he saw the sender. The dead woman smiled as her image appeared on the screen.
"Hello, Jarod. How's the hand?"
"Not bad." He sat back against the sofa and grinned. "A little warning wouldn't have gone astray, though. I would’ve made sure that Bronwyn wasn't there."
"It will help to build the bond between the two of you. That was why she had to be there. Don't worry, though, she won't suffer nightmares about it. I won't let her. If you want something for your hand, there are painkillers in Sam's cupboard that you didn't know were there before. I'm sure Miss Parker will get them for you."
"And that's the other thing that a little warning would have been useful for, Maria."
"Why, Jarod? It all worked out, like I knew it would."
"Okay, okay." He glanced up to see the shocked expression on Miss Parker's face and grinned. "What's so important that you made a second video and put a sending delay on it?"
"It doesn't relate to you."
"I figured that much. Do I get to hear it or would you rather I left the room?"
"No, you can stay." She smiled. "Miss Parker, can you hear me?"
The woman dropped into the seat beside Jarod. "I'd have a hard time not hearing you."
Maria Taylor laughed. "I'm glad. You got Catherine's message?"
"Yes, but I don't see..."
"Will you give me a chance to explain or get carried away like you usually do?"
Miss Parker stared down at the face, which smiled back at her. Jarod fought to hide his amusement as Sydney moved over to sit on his other side, looking down at the screen, his voice quiet but firm.
"Go ahead, Maria."
"Thank you, Sydney." She smiled in the psychiatrist’s direction, before returning her gaze to the other woman. "Miss Parker, although this won't be a shock, or particularly upsetting for you, Lyle is long dead by now. The poison in the dart, although only a small amount, was more than enough. As your father has just found out, though, the person who did it wasn't just after your brother."
"You mean…Daddy…"
"I'm afraid so, Miss Parker. The same type of poison entered his body about an hour ago and he's breathing his last right now."
"Who?" the woman hissed.
"Mr. Raines. He and Cox have formed an alliance and have been planning this for some time. If you still believe in luck the way you did on Monday, it was that which kept the three of you safe. The 'mess' that Mr. Parker referred to was the plan he had to find and destroy his son's assassin, suspecting it was the start of a coup attempt. He never got the chance to complete that plan."
"So what happens now?" Sydney asked, seeing that Miss Parker was seemingly unable to speak.
"This is where you have to trust me and what I'm about to say next. They're after you both, and Mr. Broots and those with him also."
Jarod tensed, glancing over to the table where both guns were locked away.
"I keep my promises, Jarod," Maria scolded.
"Okay, sorry."
"So what do we do?" Sydney asked.
"Stay where you are, for the moment. The whole situation will be over in exactly a week and both assassination attempts that are currently being planned will be successful." Maria attempted to hide her amusement and then became serious as she looked up again. "If any of you were to return to the Centre, you wouldn't survive for twelve hours. As soon as this discussion is over, you need to call Mr. Broots and tell him to stay where he is. Then he and his daughter will be safe."
"And...after that?"
"Whatever you would like to. Although it seems a strange thing to say, the Tower would be happy to have you back, not working for them but giving them direction, as Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines have been doing for years." She leaned forward, a smile curling the corners of her mouth. "It will be a surprise but the order of power at the Centre is not exactly the way you ever imagined it. In fact, it's almost the exact opposite. The Tower and Triumvirate have been convenient 'scapegoats' almost since the Centre's inception. Your other option is to close the place down entirely. Either option is possible and would work. It all comes down to what you both want." Maria paused. "I'm not sure, though, whether you should count on Jarod's help."
"Not a chance," the Pretender growled.
"There's no danger, Jarod. Or there won't be."
"I don't care, Maria. I'm keeping both of those children a long way from Blue Cove, no matter who's in charge."
"All right, it's your choice." She smiled. "My boy's growing up, isn't he?"
Jarod nodded sadly. "Very fast."
"And my girl is, too." She turned her head slightly to the left. "Hi, baby."
"Mommy!"
Jarod turned and saw the little girl standing beside the sofa. Carefully reaching past Sydney, he picked her up and put her on his knee, smiling at her. "You like getting out of bed, don't you sweetheart?"
"Mommy told me to."
"Maria, these children are supposed to sleep at night!" the man exclaimed.
"Jarod, stop repeating other people's lines. You've got enough imagination. Make up your own."
"I would, but she said it so well..."
She laughed softly. "Is there anything that Sydney or Miss Parker want to ask me before this becomes a parental discussion?"
"You've explained it all pretty clearly," Sydney responded.
"Except… it will be okay?" the other woman offered hesitantly. "You aren't sending us back there only to end up in the same state as my brother, so that Jarod and your children will be safe?"
"Miss Parker, I trust you both. Believe me, if I didn't then I would have dropped a hint to Jarod and there wouldn't have been anyone in this house for you to find on Monday night. You need to trust me - like your mother told you to."
Miss Parker nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face, and got up off the sofa. Jarod watched her for a moment and then looked down to find that Bronwyn was asleep again in his arms. He smiled at the woman on the screen.
"Do I have any more of these 'beyond the grave' discussions to look forward to in the future, Maria, or is this the last?"
"Well, there might be one or two more, just in case. And maybe a couple for my children, so they don't forget me."
"Birthday messages and that sort of thing?"
The woman nodded, her eyes suddenly full of tears. "You don't mind, Jarod?"
"You know I don't. You're their mother." He held the little girl tighter, his own eyes glistening. "I'm just grateful you gave me the chance to be their father."
"Broots!" the woman snapped as soon as the call was answered.
"Miss Parker, where are you? I've been waiting to hear from you all week!"
"Don't worry about us. What are you doing?"
"Well, Debbie and I were about go back to Blue Cove..."
"Don't. And that's an order, clear?"
"Y… yes, Miss Parker. A… are you going to tell me what this is all about?"
"Not right now. Just stay where you are and don't contact anyone from the Centre. I'll call you again when it's safe to come back."
"And is Sydney...?"
"Sydney's fine. We both are. But, if any of us go anywhere near the Centre, we won't be. Understand?"
"Yes, Miss Parker. Uh, there's someone else here who wants to talk to you."
"Who?"
"Miss Parker?" a deeper voice stated.
"Sam? What are you doing there?"
"I got a message from a woman a few days ago, telling me to go and stay with Mr. Broots and his daughter until you called."
Miss Parker turned and eyed the computer. "Did this woman have a name?"
"Maria Taylor."
Hearing the man's voice over the speakerphone, Jarod grinned and then leaned forward. He silently activated the video again, forwarding it to a certain point and pausing it as Miss Parker continued.
"Fine, Sam. Stay there and, when I call again, go back to the Centre with Broots and Debbie."
"Yes, ma'am. But you do know about Lyle, don't you?"
"And my father, yes." She spoke again, interrupting the question he had started to ask her. "I'll call you, Sam."
She hung up and then turned to the other men, fixing her gazes on Jarod when she saw the knowing look in his eyes.
"Okay, did she really contact him?"
Jarod activated the sound and then started the video.
"...Mr. Broots and those with him..."
"She knew and arranged for it." He sat back, his bandaged hand stroking the back of his sleeping daughter's head. "I can only assume that she sent him a time-delayed email in the same way she did with me."
"Fine, I believe it. Can we stop the supernatural bit now?"
Jarod chuckled softly. "In a week, Miss Parker. Then you can go to the Centre and do whatever you want, out of reach of all supernatural powers."
"Actually, Jarod, no, she can't," the psychiatrist put in quietly.
"Oh?" Miss Parker raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"
Sydney smiled. "Your Inner Sense, Miss Parker. That's just as supernatural as Bronwyn's 'room' or her mother's abilities. And I don't think you'll want to get rid of that, just as you finally learn how to use it."
"In other words, I'm in too deep."
"We all are." Jarod laughed. "I was told that the first day I found out that these children were mine and it's only got deeper as time's gone on. You two played with fire by turning up here and now you're involved as well."
"You make it sound like we did it by choice."
He shrugged carefully. "While I believe in psychic powers, I've never had a great deal of confidence in the idea that our destinies are planned out before we're born or anything like that. I think that the decisions we make affect what happens and people like Maria and Bronwyn only have a better idea of what we'll do when it comes time to make the decisions than we know ourselves. After all, I could have decided to use the steriliser and then I wouldn't have burned myself. But I didn't, and look what happened as a result. See what I mean?"
Sydney nodded slowly and then looked up. "Can you put us up for a week?"
"What choice do I have?" Jarod smiled. "It's fine. I'll put Bronwyn in Jamie's room and Miss Parker can sleep in that bed as of tomorrow, as long as you can cope with the sofa for that long."
"I told you, Jarod, it's perfectly comfortable."
"Good." He stood up, cradling his daughter. "And now, if you’ll excuse me, I think it's more than time she was in bed again."
"Sam!" Bronwyn exclaimed as the door opened and a cold draft blew into the room.
The little girl jumped from her chair and ran over to the door, throwing herself at the woman's legs as she walked in through the door. Jamie leaned over, his arms outstretched, until Jarod lifted him out of the highchair and put him down on the floor as he grinned at the woman.
"You could at least have given us a chance to go outside and start building in the snow before you reappeared."
"I didn't want to wait." She unwound the scarf and took off her jacket before she bent down to hug Bronwyn and then pick up the little boy. "I've got a couple of days off to make up for my enforced stay and I left as soon as the streets were clear enough to drive."
"You want breakfast?"
"If you're cooking."
"Oh, well, if you want something extravagant..."
Jarod laughed and got up, about to go into the kitchen when she grabbed his arm, looking at the hand.
"You weren't kidding about that, were you?"
He laughed again, pulling it away. "It's fine. Hardly hurts this morning."
"Can I trust you cooking or will you burn the other hand too, just so that you have matching scars?"
As he chuckled, she turned, putting Jamie into the high chair and walking around the table, holding out one hand. "Sydney, I'm Sam Childs. Nice to meet you."
"It's a pl...how did you know?"
Jarod laughed from the kitchen. "She left you a message, didn't she?"
Sam giggled and sat down, looking up at Jarod. "Is it that obvious?"
"Yes."
"As soon as we got off the phone, an email arrived. Nice little video, like the one you got, telling me who had turned up and giving me a complete run-down of the situation." She lowered her voice. "Your gun's secure, isn't it?"
"Very. You know I wouldn't leave anything lying around that could hurt them."
"Okay." She looked down to where Bronwyn was watching her. "Sweetie, can you get my mug for me?"
"Sure." The girl danced into the kitchen and opened the cupboard, at which point Jarod looked up, a twinkle in his eye.
"I was considering putting locks on those doors, just in case. I mean, with two rapidly growing children..."
"That reminds me." She leaned across and tickled Jamie's stomach, making him giggle. "Who am I, baby?"
"Sam!" the boy declared, beaming and reaching out for her.
"Very good!" The woman scooped him up and hugged him. "You're such a clever boy, Jamie. Just like your Daddy."
Looking around, Sam smiled at the woman who was coming down the stairs. "And, at a wild guess, this would be Miss Parker." She offered her hand then sat down again. "I'm sure we'll get time to know each other over the next week."
"So she told you about that as well?"
"Hey, I had to know about the interlopers."
Jarod grinned. "Funnily enough, that was the exact description which came into my mind on Monday."
"She mentioned that, too."
"How long did you guys chat for?"
"I don't know, but it was a huge file. Took up masses of room in my computer."
"And did you lose power at the hospital, too?"
"Jarod, haven't you been listening to the radio? The entire city has been without power." She rolled her eyes. "So I guess you were right."
He tried not to smirk. "I did tell you..."
"Oh, stop it!" She groaned and then looked down at the plate he placed in front of her and smiled. "Now this almost makes the days of hospital food worth the wait."
"I'll do you something really special for lunch, too."
She nodded and then reached into her pocket, tossing a small bag of things over to him. Picking it up, he looked at her. "What's this?"
"Cream for your burn and, on the off-chance that you still needed it, painkiller."
He smiled. "Thanks, Sam."
Jarod shut the door of the car and walked into the building, feeling the heat hit him as the doors closed.
"Well, the absent one returns!" a passing nurse declared.
"Hey, Ruth. How've you been?"
"Probably not as well as you, lounging around at him for five days."
He held up his right hand with a laugh. "Yeah, relaxation galore!"
"Was either one of your kids involved in that?"
Jarod tried to look hurt. "Why is it that nobody's ever concerned about me?"
"If you can't take care of yourself then you don't have a hope of taking care of two young children."
"So what are you suggesting, that I hand them over to you? Nice idea but no thanks." He laughed. "Besides, didn't your kids give you a huge welcome when you got home yesterday?"
"Now that you mention it, yes they did." She laughed. "So how come you decided to actually turn up? Your patient went home yesterday."
"What, you don't have anyone else for me to treat? How disappointing!"
"Want some treatment yourself?"
"It's fine." Jarod walked into his office and Ruth followed. "Actually, my daughter was asking when she was going to see you again, so I thought I'd see if you felt like visiting."
"Bronwyn's missing me?"
"Jamie asked when Ruth was coming, too. See what an impression you made on our kids!" Jarod rolled his eyes. "They'll never be satisfied with the two of us ever again."
It was a week after the blizzard had finished, and that morning Sydney and Miss Parker had left. Jarod had gone to work once they had departed. Now he pulled the car into the driveway and got out, catching up the child who ran towards him and hugging her.
"How's my girl?"
"Good, Daddy." She kissed him on the cheek and he grinned.
"Did you dig in the snow or wash yourself with it?"
"You're silly!"
"Oh, am I?" He tickled her and she giggled, wriggling in his arms as he began to walk towards the house. "So, if I'm silly, why are you the one with the cold nose?"
"'Cos I knew you'd kiss it and warm it up."
He laughed and did as he was told, opening the door and letting her slip down as he walked inside.
"Close the door, Jarod. It's freezing out there!"
"Yes," he mused as he took off his jacket. "You can see that well from in here."
Sam laughed and got up off the sofa. "Hey, you aren't the only one who's been out in it. We've been in the back yard all day, running around."
"Oh, you poor thing." Jarod came over with a look of sympathy on his face. "Shall I run you a hot bath and let you go to bed early to get over the stress?"
"Listen, do you want dinner or should I send you upstairs without it?"
"Oh, so you're cooking? I'm impressed!" Jarod leaned against the bench, arms folded, and grinned at her. She laughed and lifted the lid on the pot, allowing him to smell the contents. "Hmm, not bad."
"Not bad?" As Bronwyn giggled, she walked over to the bottom of the stairs and stood there, one hand pointing in the direction of his room. "Right, that's it, young man, bed with no dinner for you tonight!"
Jarod came softly downstairs to find the front door of the house open and green branches appearing through the doorway. Going over with a grin, he took some of the weight. "Hey, I thought I was going to help you with that!"
Sam's face appeared, flushed from effort. "You were taking so long that I thought I might as well start on my own. What were you reading anyway?"
He chuckled. "Surely there's only one story I could read to them tonight."
"The Night Before Christmas?"
"Of course."
"Did you talk to Maria about trying to keep the presents a secret?" Sam queried as they set the tree onto the stand and secured it.
"Earlier this afternoon. Bronwyn said Mommy wasn't there when she went into the picture room, so I think she's going to play along. In fact Bronwyn said it was really dark in there after she woke up from her nap." He laughed softly and pushed the tree into the corner of the room.
"And did you buy the wrapping paper?" Sam went on as she eased a bowl under the sawn-off trunk, filling it with warm, sweetened water.
Jarod walked over to the coat rack and lifted down his jacket, revealing the bag containing the rolls of brightly colored paper.
Sam smiled and went over to the cellar door, disappearing to reappear with her arms full of bags that she put on the sofa. "Who's doing what?"
Grinning, Jarod stood back and his eyes traveled from the tree that overtopped him by almost a foot to the figure of the woman who was at least seven inches shorter than he was. "Would you like to pick a job or shall I do it for you?"
"Okay, okay." She sat down and began to get things out of the bags, placing them on the table while Jarod went down the stairs to reappear carrying various boxes and bags.
Placing the last package under the heavily decorated tree, Sam stood back and watched as Jarod carefully set the star on the very top, climbing down the short stepladder and folding it away.
"Good job."
"You, too."
Jarod walked into the kitchen and turned on the kettle, glancing at his watch and then back at her. "What time are they getting here?"
Sam shrugged. "When they can. I talked to them this afternoon and she said they hoped to leave sometime early today, meaning that they should, at best, be here soon."
"And at worst we could be waiting all night," Jarod gave a mock-grumble as he got down the jar. "And we'll get woken at all hours tomorrow morning, I have no doubt."
"On Christmas morning, Jarod? Of course." She laughed. "And even though we haven't said anything, the fact that Bronwyn's sleeping in Jamie's room should be enough to make her suspect something."
"Oh, she does." He filled the jug with coffee and the two walked back to sit on the sofa. "In fact she asked me after her nap if somebody was coming."
"What did you tell her?"
"That her heater wasn't working and I didn't want her to get cold tonight."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "And she believed you?"
"Hey, what can I say?" He shrugged. "I can be very convincing."
Jarod glanced at his watch. "They're doing better for making us stay up than on the night they both showed up unannounced."
"You could extend the same courtesy of that night and keep them standing out in the cold for hours while you point a gun at them."
He grinned. "It was less than ten minutes. And what gun? I sold it last month."
Sam sighed. "I'm glad. I'd hate to think that..."
"I know. I thought the same. And I went scrabbling in the snow for the bullets that I tossed out of the window and got rid of them, too." He remained silent for a moment before looking up at her. "Sam."
She smiled up at him. "Yes?"
"Being twelve thirty, it's now officially Christmas Day and I'm sure I won't get time to give you this later." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I hope you like it."
Taking it from him, she eased it open, her eyes fixed on the open locket showing the children’s photos, miniature versions of the pictures Jarod had in his room. She smiled and slipped it on. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Sam reached into her pocket and pulled out a package. "I had the same thought, actually, about not finding time later." Laughing, she put it in the palm of his hand. "Great minds..."
He opened the box to find a silver bookmark, the faces of the children, updated photos, inlaid into the object, and he smiled. "Thanks. It's beautiful."
"I thought something useful would be better than something decorative, for you anyway." She picked up the locket. "Although I always liked decorative."
She gently picked up the box and was about to close it when a slip of paper fell out and drifted down to the floor.
"What the...?" Jarod reached forward and picked it up, glancing at the few words that it contained before glancing at her, grinning. "Guess who?"
"I'm sure I can." She reached forward and opened his computer, typing in the password and then sitting back as the mail was announced. Jarod filled their mugs with hot coffee from the jug and then opened the message.
"Merry Christmas."
"To you, too, Maria." Jarod grinned and held up the slip. "So how'd you manage that?"
"A magician never reveals her secrets."
"Magic too?" Sam rolled her eyes. "So we've got that to look forward to when they get a little older?"
"Not quite. I'm sure the psychic thing will be enough."
"I am, too." Jarod smiled. "Did you hear the letter that Bronwyn wrote to you last night?"
"Yes, Jarod." Maria smiled somewhat sadly. "We heard it."
"Good." He grinned. "She was a little astonished to find that you weren't in the picture room this afternoon."
"I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. Oh, and they'll be here soon. You won't have to stay up much longer."
"Want to tell me what time Bronwyn's going to creep into my bed tomorrow… I mean this morning?"
"Like I said, Jarod, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." She laughed. "But I can tell you that you'll get some sleep."
"Great." He rolled his eyes. "Very comforting."
"She'll go to sleep early tonight, though, so that will help."
"Funnily enough, Maria, we both guessed that." Sam laughed. "Maybe your skills aren't inherited after all. Perhaps they're contagious."
The dead woman laughed. "Very clever, Sam. Contact someone at the hospital in the contagious diseases ward and see if they can find a cure for it."
"We'll do that, Maria."
"I hope you both have a good day."
"And I hope you keep an eye on it, too, Maria," the man suggested. "I know Bronwyn will want to talk about it with you later."
"I will, Jarod." She smiled. "Wish the others Merry Christmas for me too."
Jarod smiled back as the screen faded to black and then turned towards the door. "If they don't get here soon, I'm going to bed and they can freeze on the doorstep."
Sam grinned. "Now that's just nasty."
"Why? I'm willing to bet that I'll be wakened at four or something." He smiled. "It's okay for you. Jamie's too young to crawl into your bed but Bronwyn's getting very good at it with me."
She was about to answer when there was a knock at the door and Jarod got up.
"At long last!"
He walked over and turned on the light above his head, turning his left hand so that he could see his watch and opening the door with his right as he tapped one foot impatiently on the floor.
"Well, this is very impressive of you both, I must say."
"Daddy!"
Jarod rolled over and moaned, not opening his eyes, but, as he turned away from the little girl, a grin appeared on his face and just as quickly vanished.
"Daddy!" The small hands shook him hard and the girl climbed up onto the bed, forcing open first one eyelid and then the other. He groaned again at the sight of the small flashlight he had given her to prevent her falling over, which she was shining into his eyes.
"What is it, Bronwyn?"
"Are you awake?"
"If I say no, will you go and get into bed with Sam instead?"
"No." The girl burrowed under the covers and then into the arms that he wrapped around her. "Daddy, why is it so dark downstairs?"
"It's early, baby." He glanced at the clock. "It's only three thirty. The sun won't be up for hours yet."
"But it's even darker than that. And the door of my room's closed, too. And the fire's still burning. And the gate's on the stairs. And..."
"Okay, enough. I don't need a list." He closed his eyes again and then looked up as she moved to sit on his chest. "Sweetie, it's too early to get up yet."
"Please, Daddy!"
"No, Bronwyn." He moved her so that she was lying on top of him. "Try to go back to sleep."
"I can't!" She sat up again and bounced on his chest. "Something's happening today, I can just tell!"
"Did Mommy tell you that?"
The girl shook her head vigorously and Jarod smiled inwardly.
"Did you see it in your picture room?"
"No, Daddy. I just feel it."
She bounced again and he groaned. "You're really too heavy for that."
"You let Jamie do it."
"Jamie's a lot smaller than you." He gently pulled her off and held her in his arms, stroking her hair with one hand while he began to tell her a story. After ten minutes the story stopped as Jarod looked down to see that she was asleep and, a tender smile on his face, he held her closer and tried to sleep again himself.
He yawned widely, opening his eyes to find his daughter once more lying on his chest and looking down at him.
"Daddy, are you awake prop'ly now?"
"I was awake properly before, sweetheart." He kissed the tip of her nose. "But it was too early to stay awake."
She giggled. "Is it still too early?"
"Six thirty?" Jarod shrugged as he looked at the clock and then back at her. "It's still pretty early."
"But Sam gets up to go to work now, and you get up then lots, too."
Jarod pulled himself up in bed, yawning again, and then grinned at her. "You're too smart for your own good. You know that, don't you?"
She giggled. "You are, too, Daddy. I remember Miss Parker saying it before she and Sydney went away."
He laughed and got up, wrapping his bathrobe around himself and then picking up the girl who held out her hands to him. Going out of the room, they were in time to see Sam coming out of her room also.
"Good morning, sweetheart." She came over and kissed the little girl. "We're all up early this morning, aren't we?"
"I was up much earlier b'fore!"
"Oh, really?" Sam went into the other bedroom and came out with the little boy in her arms. "What time?"
Jarod rolled his eyes. "How does half past three sound to you?"
"Well, I'm glad you didn't come in to see me then."
"Daddy said I should."
"Next time, tell Daddy that I'm quite happy for you to stay there with him."
The two of them began to descend the stairs, children in their arms, and Jarod could hear the almost inaudible sound of footsteps descending behind them, but he was careful not to turn around. As they got to the bottom of the stairs, the lights in the room were suddenly turned on.
There was a moment of silence, during which time Jarod, his brown eyes full of laughter, glanced at the smiling man who was leaning against the wall beside the light switch. Finally the girl he was holding gave a delighted squeal and wriggled until he put her down, grabbing his hand and dragging him over to the large tree in the corner. Sam followed with Jamie, whose eyes were wide as he looked at the tinsel-covered tree, and Miss Parker went over to the kitchen to put on the kettle.
"Merry Christmas, Jarod."
"To you, too, Sydney." He smiled and was about to say more when his daughter put a large parcel on his lap.
"Daddy, help."
"Santa gave it to you, baby."
"It's too big. I can't do it on my own."
"Okay." Jarod placed his hand over that of his daughter and helped her to tear off the tape, finally pulling the paper free to reveal the first of many presents that had been wrapped the night before.
"Happy with what Santa gave you, sweetheart?" Jarod looked down at the little girl who sat in his lap and then glanced over at the pile of papers that littered the corner of the room. Bronwyn beamed up at him, her mouth full, for the moment, of the toast she had been eating and he laughed, handing her the mug that sat on the table in front of him.
"Broots said that he and Debbie would be here in time for lunch," Sydney remarked.
"Why didn't they come for the night?" Jarod asked, an expression of avid curiosity on his face, and Miss Parker laughed.
"Where would you have put them? Sydney's on the sofa, I'm in Bronwyn's room, and she's either in her brother's room or, I suspect, sleeping in your bed, so where, exactly, would you fit Broots and Debbie?"
"You don't believe that I could have knocked up an extension overnight?" Jarod tried to look hurt. "Nobody has faith in me anymore."
Miss Parker laughed. "I have complete faith in your abilities as a father, but even you would have a hard time putting up a warm, weather-proof extension in eight hours."
"Well, if you're going to start putting conditions on it…" He sipped his coffee. "So you don't have faith in any of my other abilities?"
"If you like," Sydney teased him from the other end of the table, "we could run a short simulation, just to make sure you aren't losing your touch."
Miss Parker grabbed the little girl’s hand and pulled her up onto her lap, glancing at Debbie who immediately got up and went out of the front door.
"I've got a present for you too, Bronwyn?"
"Really?" The little girl looked up, her eyes wide. "Mommy didn't tell me."
"Did Mommy tell you anything about today?"
"No." Bronwyn looked puzzled but eventually grinned. "I think Daddy told her not to so it would be a s'prise."
"Well, I think this will be a surprise for your Daddy too."
Jarod raised an eyebrow. "Parker, what are you playing at?"
"Be patient, Wonderboy. You'll see when she does."
He grinned. "I never thought I'd hear that nickname again."
"What's my present?" the girl demanded as she bounced in excitement, and the adults laughed.
"You've obviously been imbuing your daughter with your own brand of patience, Jarod," the psychiatrist smiled.
"The only patients I like are the medical kind, Sydney. I've left that branch of her education and development to Sam."
"To me?" Sam looked horrified. "I thought you were doing it."
"Well, that explains why she looks so eager." Miss Parker laughed and then looked up at the door. "Okay, Debbie. Bring it in."
The girl reappeared carrying a large basket and came over to the chair, putting in down on the floor. Smiling, she looked up. "Want to help me open it, Bronwyn?"
Nodding, the child slipped off Miss Parker's knee and sat down on the floor, putting one hand on Debbie's and the two of them lifted the lid. There was a short gasp of delight from Bronwyn, before Broots' daughter reached in and picked up the small brown bundle, placing it on Bronwyn's lap and stroking the long ears. Seeing the animal, Jamie crawled over and gently touched it before looking up at his father and beaming.
"Bunny."
Nodding, Jarod picked him up, turning back to stare at both the rabbit and the giver. "Parker, what on earth…?"
"I remembered what she said about the present you gave me a few years back and thought this might be nice." The woman smiled. "Besides, every child should have a pet so that they can learn about responsibility and everything else."
"And you can always knock up a cage for it tonight, Jarod." Sydney smiled. "It doesn't have to be warm or weather-proof because it can stay in here."
A grin on his face and handing the boy to Broots, Jarod went over and opened the door that led to the cellar, descending into the darkness, and there was a loud banging for several moments before he re-emerged with a substantial hutch in his arms, which he put down beside his daughter. Glancing over at Sydney, he winked. "Bet you didn't think I was that quick, huh?"
"Okay, how did you know?" Miss Parker demanded.
"I didn't." He walked over to a box that Sam had been holding in her hands for several moments and reached into it to pull out a small animal that squeaked in dismay until he carried it over and put it into the structure, watching as it buried itself in the straw. "But you aren't the only one who thought that kids should have pets."
Jarod picked up the drowsy little girl and cuddled her to him, smiling as she put her head down on his shoulder and went to sleep before looking at his former mentor.
"You were lucky, Sydney."
"Oh," the psychiatrist looked up, interested. "Why?"
"Well, let's just say that when I got woken up at three thirty this morning, my daughter was all for coming downstairs."
"Three thirty? Considering that we didn't get here until one, I'm glad she didn't."
"Why on earth didn't you leave Blue Cove before you did?"
"Well," Miss Parker resettled herself. "Some of us do have work to do."
Glancing over at Sam, Jarod laughed. "I think we were just insulted." He stood up and walked over to the stairs. "Tell you what, Miss Parker. When my daughter wakes me up at three thirty tomorrow morning to find out if Santa's coming then too, I'll send her in to you and you can tell her stories." With a grin, he looked at Sydney. "Are you going to bring my son up to bed as well or will he spend the night down here with you?"
Sydney placed the small boy into the cot and then looked over to where Jarod was slowly rocking in the chair, his daughter in his arms. Leaning against the closed door, Sydney smiled. "So, at the end of your fifth year out of the Centre after your original escape, you have no fear of it anymore, two children, a rabbit, a guinea pig, a house..."
"And contact with my family again." Jarod smiled. "I got a call yesterday and they're coming to visit tomorrow. You'll hopefully see them before you leave. That is if you really are leaving, and you're welcome to stay."
"I don't suppose there's anything else you're not telling me?"
"Like what?"
"No romance?"
"When?" He looked up. "When would I fit it in, among all the other things that you just listed?"
"You've got someone, living here…"
"Sam?" Jarod laughed so loudly that his daughter wriggled slightly. Calming, he rocked her until she was still again. "She's a good friend, but there's probably about as much chance of that as of Parker and me."
Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Maria did leave them to both of you."
Getting up, Jarod placed the sleeping body of his daughter on the small folding bed that took up a lot of the space in the room and then covered her. "Okay, I probably shouldn't say definitely one way or the other, but I've always been described as a permanent force in the lives of these kids, whereas Maria's only ever suggested that Sam was here 'long-term', if you want to put it that way. For that reason only, it would make it hard if we ever got involved in a relationship." He shrugged. "But I'm not going to prophesy. You ask my daughter tomorrow morning. She might tell you something she's not telling me."
"I like your Dad, Jarod." Sam looked up at him as they sat on the sofa, finishing the last of the coffee, having watched the car drive away down the street.
"I'm just still trying to come to terms with my mother being there." He grinned. "It was certainly the best Christmas present I could have got." Jarod glanced over at the girl who lay in Sam's arms. "Except for these two, of course."
"You count them as Christmas presents?"
"No." Jarod shook his head. "I count them as life presents." He smiled down at the small boy he held. "I think my parents were a little surprised."
"And they thought we..."
"So did Sydney. Not that we'd thought about it yet, but that it was possible."
"What did you say to him?"
"I suggested that Maria's ideas about you maybe not always being there for the kids was scaring me away from the suggestion, but, not being psychic, I couldn't really tell."
Sam leaned back against the arm that he had spread out along the back of the sofa and looked up at him. "Should we tell them?"
He shook his head, grinning as he bent down to kiss her. "Not yet." He reached down and placed his free hand on her stomach. "Not until August, anyway."
