Means to an End

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Parker smiled at Chris slightly, patting him on the shoulder. "For what it's worth... I'm sorry too. I was so obsessed with finding Alex... I didn't stop to see the signs. I should have found out Jill was pregnant... Had I known that..." He paused and ran his fingers through his hair. "I do blame myself for what happened to her."

Chris never responded to this. As soon as they were inside the building he muttered something about needing to get Parker certified and left the other man to navigate the holding cells alone.
Jessica, it seemed, had been waiting all day and half the night for him. She visibly brightened when he was let into her cell. "Parker!" She gushed, leaping to her feet to throw her arms around him. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!"

"Wesker won't get anything, even if he is alive." Chris said firmly. "Do you hear me, kiddo? I won't ever let him hurt you and your mother again!"

"You're doing everyone more harm than good. I hope you realize that." Rebecca muttered, turning her face away from him. "Parker, I love you, but I swear if you do this I'll never speak to you again."

"You can't make that promise." Violet whispered, truly wishing Chris could promise Wesker would never come near any of them ever again.

"If that's the cost of keeping you safe..." Parker whispered, staring ahead of him again.

"I can and I do." Chris said firmly. "Listen to me, Violet. We are safe now. We're together and that's all that matters. All we have is each other, kiddo. It's enough. At least it is for me."

"That's not good enough!" Rebecca shouted, yanking her hand away and turning to face Parker. "You see? This is exactly why I didn't want to get too close! You're willing to sacrifice yourself and that's not what I wanted! I told you that you had a death wish!"

"Then stop making mom cry alone in the dark." Violet breathed. "Please dad... She needs you, just like she always has."

"I won't appologise for wanting to protect you!" Parker shot back. "Yes, maybe I do have a death wish, but you, and our family, are the only ones I would die for!"

"You start talking to her period and maybe we can work something out." Chris said with a sigh, resting a hand on his stomach.

"Parker, we can't afford to lose you. Especially not now." Rebecca whispered, glancing down at the soft rise to her stomach. She'd been hiding it for over a month now. She was glad she didn't have to any more. "I screwed everything up, didn't I?"

"You need to go home." Violet stated when she saw her father press his hand to his stomach. "Go back to mom, and take her home with you. I'll catch a ride with Rebecca."

"You did nothing wrong, lovely." Prker breathedm sliding his arm around Rebecca and pulling her closer. "You were perfect, as always. It was the rest of us that screwed up."

"I don't think that's such a good idea right now." Chris said, shaking his head. "Violet, you're going to have to understand that I'm your father and right now, I know what's best for you. We're all going home together. Do you hear me?"

Rebecca rested her head on Parker's shoulder, inward chastising herself for letting herself get caught up in him. She should never have let her guard down. Now Parker was going to be the one to suffer.

Violet's expression darkened and she took a step back. "how can you know what's best for me, when your own life is such a giant fucking mess?" She growled, already turning to flee again.

"So... Let's talk baby names, okay?" Parker breathed, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

"Because I'm your father." Chris said firmly, catching her arm before she could run away from him again. "Violet, don't go. Stay and talk to your mother."

"No." Rebecca said darkly, warm tears sliding down her cheeks. "I don't want to talk anymore. I just want to go to bed."

"Why? Because you're too afraid to be alone with her?" Violet shot back, glaring at her father when he grabbed her arm.

"I'll find Alex, then we'll leave, okay?" Parker breathed, blaming himself entirely for Rebecca's misery.

"I could ask you the same question." Chris shot back, giving his daughter a dark frown.

"Okay." Rebecca whispered, wiping at her eyes. "Just...hurry. Please?"

"Rebecca told me stories abut how nothing could ever come between you and mom, and she hoped that was the same for her and Parker." Violet told her father. "I guess she was wrong... If I wasn't here, your life would still be perfect."

Parker was returning in the direction of the restaurant, calling his son's name as he went. He wanted to get Rebecca home as soon as possible, and away from the stress this evening had caused

"Violet...one thing you need to learn is that life has never been and never will be perfect." Chris told his daughter, all but forcing her to look at him. "Jill and I are happy together and that's all we could ever really hope for. There are days when things don't look so good but eventually they're over and it's fine again. Life isn't about perfect. It's about being with the ones you love."

Alex was standing some feet away from his father, his entire body tense. His head was raised as if he were waiting for something. He certainly didn't answer.

"And do you? Love her?" Violet asked bluntly. "How do you even know if you love someone?" She added, for reasons she didn't yet understand, her thoughts drifting to Alex.

"Alex?" Parker's voice was somewhat uncertain as he approached his son. "Your mom isn't feeling so good, we have to go now." He added, cautiously resting a hand on the young boy's shoulder.

Chris nodded without a moment of hesitation. "I do. And I love you too." He told her firmly. "You guys are my life and I wish you would get along better."

Alex turned his head and grabbed Parker's wrist, nearly tossing him to the ground. "Don't do that." He hissed, breathing heavily. I hate it when people do that."

"And I wish you and mom would be happy." Violet countered. "Do t hate her for what happened to you, please."

Parker frowned with both the force and speed which Alex had just reacted to his touch. "Alex, what's wrong?" He asked, his voice careful, not wishing to somehow accidentally offend the boy. "What were you looking at?"