Author's Note: This is the final chapter. Sorry, it took me so long to finish this story. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews.

Flashback

"Lower your voice, Parker. Sydney may have had a stroke, but, he can clearly hear you from across the room."

"The hell with you, Jarod! He remembers you, the man of many faces, his "pretender"! And that goofy, nervous computer tech, he remembers! Why can't he remember me? He seems to forget who I am the very next minute! Am I that forgettable?"

"And like I said before, if you weren't such an "ice queen"..."

"If I hear those words again, I'll bloody kill you! Who the hell gave me that name, anyway?"

"I don't know! But, it sure fits you perfectly lately!"

"Oh, now we're talking about your bedroom problems!"

"It's been awhile! And I have no problems! You're the one with a problem!"

"Look, loverboy! I'm just not feeling quite myself. I've been tired, I have no appetite..."

"Yes! And not to mention irritable! What's wrong with you, anyway?"

"Nothing's wrong! I'll be fine!"

"I sure hope so."

"Aww...is your manhood being neglected lately?"

"You should know! Sometimes, Parker, sometimes you're a little bit too much to handle. And right now, you're just down right annoying."

"Well, that's good! That will keep your damn pawing hands off of me tonight!"

End Of Flashback

Miss Parker stopped at the entrance of the door, she saw the gentleman tidying up his hospital room. She smiled, knowing that he was definitely back on the road to recovery. With her hissing and snapping at everyone, she triggered his thoughts back into his memory bank.

"Where is Jarod, dear?" The old man asked.

"He's signing your release papers." Miss Parker replied as she helped Sydney with his coat. "And then you'll be coming home with us."

"I'll be fine, Miss Parker. I'll be able to take care of myself. I won't be a bother to the both of you. You can take me home to my place." The old man insisted.

"Sydney," she snarled. "No. Maybe when you get a bit stronger, we'll let you go home. Jarod and I don't mind you staying with us indefinitely."

"No, no. Take me to my own house. I promise you I'll take my medication everyday."

"Sydney," she argued. "I said no! We almost lost you and we are not sending you to live all alone."

"You and Jarod could visit me anytime. It's an open invitation." The psychiatrist argued back.

"And again, no! Do you not understand? No is no. You're coming home with us."

He sighed. Reluctantly, he agreed. "Very well, if you insist, Miss Parker.

She smiled.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I like the way you said my name. There was a time I thought you'd never remember me."

"I'm sorry. It was so frustrating. I knew who you were at times, but, Catherine's name came to mind."

"I'm glad that's all fixed now."

"Hope you're eating well. How are you feeling, dear?"

"Fine. Why do you ask?"

"It's perfectly alright, Miss Parker. You'll tell me when you feel the time is right, but, do please tell Jarod very soon."

"Tell him what?" She queried.

Jarod rushed into the hospital room. "Are we all ready to go? I signed your release papers, Sydney. And Broots and Debbie are waiting for us at our house. We'll just have a little welcome home luncheon. But, you will be on a strict diet. You need to watch your salt intake. You need to exercise and..."

Sydney stroked his chin. "I'll be perfectly alright, Jarod. I was just telling Miss Parker that I can take care of myself, but she insisted I go home with you."

"You belong with us, Sydney. You can stay with us forever, if it's what you decide ."

"I won't be a burden to the both of you."

"Sydney," Jarod said. "You'll never be a burden to us. You belong to us. So, what were you two talking about when I walked in?" He looked to his old mentor and then to Parker.

"Nothing," Miss Parker answered. "Nothing at all."

JMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMP

Jarod folded the newspaper neatly and laid it down on the coffee table. A little figure gazed upon him. She had been perfect in every way, flawless. There were no imperfection whatsoever on her beautiful face. Climbing onto the sofa and on his lap, with her chestnut colored eyes which she inherited from him, she stared into his, then fluttered her long eyelashes. Laying her head against her father's chest, she sighed.

"Tired, sweetheart?" He asked his five year old.

She shook her head.

"You just want to sit here with daddy?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"You want me to tell you a story?"

"No. Mommy's just being an "ice queen" again," she said as she straightened up.

"Catherine," Jarod paused, long enough to examine his daughter. He frowned. "Where'd you hear that from?"

"What?" She asked innocently.

"Ice queen."

"Daddy, you." Her pointer finger poked his chest. "Remember? Mommy got mad at you and you told her to quit being an "ice queen". I was listening."

"Well, it's not a nice thing to say," he scolded.

"But, you said it."

"I shouldn't have. And don't go repeating it anymore or your mommy will really get angry at you."

"I learnt it from you."

"Alright. Mommy will get angry at us."

"Are you afraid of mommy?" Catherine rubbed his cheek.

"Certainly not. Just promise me you'll never say that again."

The brown haired little girl placed her hand on her hips. "Okay. What's an "ice princess"?"

Jarod chuckled. "Why?"

"Mommy said that's what I am."

"You're her little princess, that's all," he said with a straight face.

"Oh. I poked Sydney. And he woke up. Mommy got mad at me. She said he needed his sleep."

"He does, sweetheart. He needs a lot more sleep than you do and he needs to be taken care of. He's in such a fragile state and needs extra care."

"How come Sydney had to live with us?" She asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

Jarod rolled his eyes. His daughter at times reminded him of a "Little Miss Parker". "Where else would he live?"

"With Uncle Broots and Debbie! Three of us here and three of them way over there." Catherine pointed out the window.

"Catherine, do you really want Sydney to go away?"

She shrugged as she twirled her ponytail around her finger.

"Do you, young lady?"

"Let me think."

"Catherine?"

"No. You and mommy will be sad. Maybe I'll be sad, too."

"You'll miss him terribly if we give him to Uncle Broots and Debbie."

"Okay, I guess we can keep him." Wrapping her tiny arms around his neck, she kissed her father on the cheek.

"Well, thank you."

"Daddy?"

"What, sweetheart?

"Can you tell Sydney not to drool when he eats? Mommy says I'm helping her a lot when I wipe his mouth. But, I don't like to do that. And he keeps kicking off his blanket," she squeaked.

"He can't help it. And you were such a messier baby than your brother," Jarod said.

Catherine laughed. "Not!"

"Yes, you were."

"I said not!" The little girl giggled.

Parker entered the living room as she held onto the newest addition to their family and smiled. "Can we join in on the fun?"

"Mommy!"

Jarod rose from the sofa, carefully Parker laid the baby in his arms.

"I'll carry him, daddy. Let me." Turning to her mommy, she asked cheerfully. "Can I, mommy? I'll be real careful."

"Sure, sweetheart. Alright, sit down and daddy will lay your brother on you."

Catherine cuddled little Sydney, gently she caressed his cheek. "Nice and soft. Babies are like that. Yes, they are."

Jarod wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed the back of her head. "See? And you were worried, hon. Catherine will be a great big sister to Sydney."

"I was named after Grandma Catherine. And you after Grandpa Sydney." The little five year old told her brother. "And when we get another baby, we'll name him after Uncle Broots! Right, mommy?"

As they listened to their daughter, Parker and Jarod laughed.

"Well, we'll see about that, sweetheart," Jarod said.

"Catherine, why don't daddy take your brother while you and I get dress. Uncle Broots and Debbie are picking up Grandpa Sydney and they're all coming over for dinner."

While growing up "Parker", grief was always within her reach. How could she have made very good decisions when her heart was always broken? After a hard day of the game of "you run, I chase", the "Ice Queen" of "The Centre" had no love to warm her heart at the end of each night.

Loneliness frightened her. As she walked hand in hand with her daughter, Parker stopped, turned back to her husband as he cradled their baby, then looked down at her little girl. She felt the warmth of her heart for the love of her family and it frightened her at times, though, that she'd eventually one morning wake up from a dream of make believe.

"Mommy!"

"Yes, sweetie." She glanced down at her daughter. No, she told herself, this was not a dream. It was a reality of her life. She was no longer the "Ice Queen". She was definitely "Married With Children".

The End