Romance In Chains by Andrea, admin

1. Part 1 by Andrea

2. Part 2 by Andrea

3. Part 3 by Andrea

Part 1 by Andrea
Disclaimer: VanSickle & Mitchell own the premesis, I own the words.
Author's Note: Special thanks to Schuyler & Cheryl



Romance In Chains 1/3
by Andrea




I.

*****
June 1st
*****


The young woman stepped off the airplane, looking for the driver. Turning her head a sign caught her eye. 'Miss Parker,' it read.

She walked to the black luxurious limo. "The luggage is under the same name," she told the man who opened the door for her. He scurried off to collect it.

Parker leaned back against the smooth black leather seat, taking a deep breath. Deciding she was thirsty she reached for a bottle of Evian.

The gopher came back with her bags; he tossed them into the trunk. Then he tapped the window and the driver pulled away...

*****

Jarod was pacing in the SIM Lab, waiting for Sydney to come in with his newest project. The sound of shouting voices drew on Jarod's curiosity; he crept silently towards the door. He heard Sydney and Mr Parker aruging. Jarod's ears perked at the subject of their disagreement: Miss Parker. Sydney believed that the Chairman should have brought the girl back to the Centre for her vacation, instead of sending her off to New York.

Jarod's heart raced. His longing to see Parker almost consumed him...He had to see her!

More shouts woke Jarod from his thoughts. Sydney and Mr Parker were still arguing, but this time it was about Sydney going to a weeklong pysch convention in Australia. Syd didn't want to go; he didn't want to leave Jarod. But Mr Parker ordered him to go anyway.

Almost jumping with happiness, Jarod heard the sound of footsteps, and he knew that Sydney would be in the Lab in a minute. He raced across the room and dropped into a chair just as Sydney entered. His last thoughts before he started the SIM were of Parker...

*****

The words 'What took you so long,' greeted Parker as she walked into the suite.

"The plane was late, and the traffic was horrible."

"Well, I'm happy to see you; I still can't believe I'm in New York with you!" Heidi squealed.

"Better believe it! I'm getting a shower, then we'll go pick up some guys."

"Isn't it the other way around?" Heidi asked.

"Not when you're with me!"

*****
June 3rd
*****

Jarod smiled; his plan was going along smoothly. Sydney was gone, and Jarod was under the supervision of the Chairman. Who had promptly stuck him with Sweepers. Who, in turn, had turned him over to the techs. Jarod had spent hours infron of a laptop, reasearching routes to NYC.

When he found what he wanted, Jarod deleted the record of his searches. He then turned his attention to creating a false trail of cyber footprints.

Later that night, when he'd been returned to his room, Jarod knocked on the vent. He waited a few minutes, then popped the screws that he'd already loosened. Jarod jumped up, into the small square dark hole. He crawled forward a few feet, then turned and replaced the grate.

Ahead of him, Angelo's eyes shown like beacons in the inky darkness...

*****

Jarod dropped out of the tunnel. A chainlink fence was in front of him. It was his last obstacle to overcome before he was free. He looked up at Angelo, who was sitting in the tunnel. 'Thank you, Angelo. Goodbye," Jarod told the empath. "You'd better go back so you don't get into trouble."

Jarod started toward the fence, while Angelo turned back.

He climbed the fence, the chains making foot and hand holds. Once he reached the top he jumped down and managed to land on his feet.

Jarod allowed himself one last look at the Centre. Angelo was already gone, the grate back in place. "Goodbye," he whispered again, to Angelo, to Sydney...

*****
June 5th
*****

"Thanks!" Jarod called to the truck driver who dropped him off in front of the Hilton. He'd thumbed rides into NYC. Many truck drivers had been sympathetic when he told them that he was after his girlfriend. They'd given him a ride, advice, luck; some had given him money. One woman had even given him clothes of her sons'.

Jarod hoisted the backpack onto his shoulders. He hoped he looked just like any other kid...

*****

Parker and Heidi had spent four of the best days in their lives. Until Heidi had gone home to her family, sick, both of them had been at the clubs every night, picking up guys.

Parker wished Heidi hadn't left, because she would have to spend the rest of her vacation, almost a month, alone. Oh well, there was no use in self-pity. Might as well do something.

The mall sounds pretty good, she thought. Pulling on a pair LEVI jeans and a tank, she grabbed her keys and left the room.

Once on the streets, Parker felt a bit better. She decided not to take a cab; it was a nice day. She could take a cut through Central Park.

Standing at the gates of Central Park was a ghost from her past. It couldn't be...Jarod?

*****

Jarod couldn't believe his eyes...it was Parker. The very reason why he was here...and they'd found each other. He took a closer look; she was shocked to see him...

"Parker!" He called out. "It's Jarod."

"I know who it is. What are you doing here?"

Jarod gulped. "I came to see you."

"The Centre let you go?" She asked.

"Uhm… Not exactly."

Her eyes hardened. "You escaped? I can't believe it!"

Jarod smiled. "Yes, I escaped." This conversation wasn't going the right way at all! He'd better change the subject. "Are you happy to see me?

"Jarod...I was just surprised to see you." She paused, giving him an inspecting glance. "Well, you could use some better clothes. You look like a rat. Comon, we're goin to the mall."

Grinning, Jarod said, "Lead on."

*****

Later that night, the two went back to Parker's motel. Jarod had had the best day of his life; they'd gone to the mall, a carnival, and then they had walked back to Central Park, to catch up on the years they had missed.

Jarod had been amazed at the different things Parker told him, they opened up to each other. Something they hadn't done for years, since Parker had left.

She told him how she had hated her father for sending her away; how she herself had wanted to escape. But, in time, Parker had adapted to being away. She'd come to like the freedom of living alone, the freedom of being away from the Centre.

Only one thing had been wrong. She missed Jarod.

Parker had thrown herself into everything, trying to lessen the ache she'd felt. She had almost succeeded. Almost. Jarod still occupied a part of her mind, something she could never block out totally.

When summer had come, and school had ended she'd fully expected to spend the time in the Centre, seeing her father seldomly. Instead Mr. Parker had sent her away again, to France.

It became a cycle. Parker spent fall, winter, and spring in one boarding school or another; the summer in a foreign country with a friend.

In turn, Jarod told her everything that had happened to him since she had left, which wasn't much. Simulations weren't that exciting.

*****
JUNE 6th
*****

At first, Jarod couldn't remember where he was. His surroundings were unfamiliar. Then he looked across the room and saw Parker lying on a bed, asleep. I still can't believe I'm here, with her. She's the one I love...I've loved her since that first day we met. But she was always kept away from me. Now though, she isn't...

He rose and smoothed back the royal blue comforter. Jarod crept silently towards the bathroom, not wanting to wake her. He closed the door and stepped into the shower.

*****

The faint sounds of water awoke her fully; she'd just been dozing. Used to getting up early, she found it hard to sleep in for the first few days. The habit was slowly breaking itself, though.

Reaching for the phone, Parker dialed for room service. Flipping idly through the menu while waiting, she heard the water shut off. Jarod's muffled curse followed a few minutes later.

*****

Jarod turned off the stream of water and reached for the towel. After drying himself off, he realized that he didn't have any clothes. "Damnit," he muttered. How could I have been so stupid? I can't believe I forgot to bring some clothes in with me... There was nothing he could do. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he left the bathroom and prepared himself for the laughter sure to come...

"I thought you were a genius." Parker said, giggling.

He didn't reply, though his face turned bright red. He only looked through the shopping bags that were the result of yesterday. Finding a blue shirt, boxers, and jeans he headed back to the bathroom to get dressed.

"Wait a second." Parker's horrified glance stopped him. "You aren't thinking of wearing that?"

How much of this could a guy take? First cracks about his mind, then his taste in clothes. "Yes I was," Jarod replied sharply.

"Not if you wanna go out with me today." Getting up, she walked over to the bags. Digging around, she came up with a pair of jeans. She handed them to Jarod. "Go put these on, and come back."

"With this shirt?" He asked, pointing to the blue shirt he'd found.

Rolling her eyes, she answered, "No. You need some help with style, Jar."

He walked to the bathroom; Parker continued to search. When Jarod came back she tossed him a bundle.

When he walked out for the third time, Jar was dressed in jeans, and an overly large teal shirt over a white muscle tank. "You are a dunce," Parker told him. "You aren't supposed to button the shirt!"

"Why is it so important about how I look?" He asked impatiently.

"Because," she said, fixing his shirt, "I like nice looking guys. There." Done for the moment with his clothes she kissed him...

Finding himself leaning into the kiss, Jarod felt as if he would never be happier. Everything was perfect...



06.11.00
Part 2 by Andrea
Disclaimer: VanSickle & Mitchell own the premesis, I own the words.
Author's Note: Special thanks to Schuyler & Cheryl



Romance In Chains 2/3
by Andrea








II.

Twenty seconds later their perfect world was shattered...

Mr Parker burst into the room, Sweepers backing him up. "Get the hell away from my daughter!" He screamed at the terrified Jarod.

Jarod backed away, his arms up. Sweepers quickly surrounded him like an honor guard; an unwanted honor. They quickly dragged him out the door, leaving Miss Parker with her father.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?!?!" He roared.

Frightened, Parker slipped into the innocence of childhood, though she was no child. "Daddy," she began.

He shook his head. "No, I don't want to hear it." He grabbed her arm and forced her to face him. "Either you are staying here, or I'm going to send you back to the school for the summer."

He never even gave me a chance to explain; even though I couldn't have explained it! "I'll stay here, Daddy."

"That's good, Angel, because I don't have time for you right now." He puffed out his chest. "I'm warning you though, if Jarod makes his way back here, you'll both pay..."

He swept out, leaving his Angel alone with her thoughts...

*****

"Get you goddamn hands of me!" Jarod cried, tired of the Sweepers insistent pulling and pushing. "Where are you taking me, anyway?"

Luke, the one who was pulling the most answered his question. "To where Mr Parker told us to take you." Big and burly, he had never been very smart. That's why he was such a good Sweeper. He had the qualities: obedience to follow orders without questions, and muscle. No wonder the Centre had an excess of them, Jarod thought.

They tossed him in a cell on SL-22, a dark and dingy place. Jarod had been there once or twice before for no special reason. Sweeper Kyle was left to guard him, another bulky and ignorant man.

Jarod paced in the small enclosed space, his fear growing with every moment. He wasn't scared of what would happen to him; no he was worried about what would happen to Parker. How much he wished he'd never left the Centre...

It seemed like a long time before he was sent for, but in reality it was only twenty minutes. Yet another Sweeper unlocked the door to the cell. He escorted him to the Chairman's office and left him there.

The aging man entered and indicated that Jarod was to have a seat. Jarod did so, sitting in one of the slippery leather chairs in front of the desk. Mr Parker took his seat behind the desk and asked the Pretender, "Just what do you think you were doing?"

Jarod didn't answer.

Parker tried again. "Just what did you think you were doing with my daughter?" He shouted, each word getting progressively louder.

Once again, Jarod sat silently. He had nothing to say. He was guilty for his actions, and nothing he could say would undermine that. He lifted his head and met the older man's gaze.

*****
ONE YEAR LATER
*****

Jarod had settled back into his routine quickly, and he could almost believe that his brief time in the outside world had been a dream, nothing more.

But now, a year later, he felt the need to see his love again. For he loved her, and would always love her, even if she didn't love him...

Jarod had to find a way to escape again...

*****

Parker dropped her duffel on the bed and walked to the window to enjoy the view. A year after her short time with Jarod, she was once again in a foreign country, this time it was the Bahamas. One of her favorite places. She hadn't brought much with her, figuring that it would be easier to buy whatever she wanted here than to cart it around.

This time there was no friend with her, for once she preferred to spend the time alone. For a couple of days before the last term had ended, she had hoped to spend the summer in Blue Cove. But her father had turned her down, saying that he would be too busy to spend time with his only child.

It had taken her time...but she had become used to his indifference towards her.

*****

Everything reminded Jarod of last year.

It was happening the same way....

Now he was a stowaway on a plane headed for the Bahamas. He didn't take the time to wonder why it was so easy to escape again...
Part 3 by Andrea
Disclaimer: VanSickle & Mitchell own the premesis, I own the words.
Author's Note: Special thanks to Schuyler & Cheryl



Romance In Chains 3/3
by Andrea








III.

Laying back on the warm beach the young woman reflected on her life.... I have everything I could want...Almost everything. I wish that Jarod would find me again, we could have our own private paradise... Why did her thoughts always center on Jarod? Why?

Looking out into the choppy waves, she felt hands on her shoulders. They moved over her neck to cover her eyes. A mouth captured her's, delivering a passionate kiss. "Jarod," she gasped when he stopped.

"Did you miss me, baby?" Jarod asked huskily as he pulled her up to face him. Parker's pale blue eyes bored into his, the icy core melting in his deep brown eyes…

*****

The future Huntress and her Prey lay entwined in each other, her eyes still locked onto his; but the cold exterior of her had melted under Jarod. Together, they had given up everything for love...

*****

"I'll love you forever…"

*****

Outside the abode of his daughter, Mr Parker gathered the Sweepers he'd brought along. "When you get in there, take Jarod; leave my daughter for me…"

The whisper of 'Yes, Sir' ran through the accumulated group.

"When you get him, immediately head back to Blue Cove and give him to Mr Raines; he knows what to do with the brat.

*****

"Well, look what I've found. An escaped fugitive from the Centre. We'll have to fix that right away!" The men moved in and grabbed Jarod, pulling him to stand.

"Bastard."

Mr Parker looked at his still sleeping Angel. "Wake up, bitch." He said emotionlessly. When she made no move, he reached out with his hand and slapped her on the face.

Miss Parker sat up, pulling the sheet around her. "You're a little bitch. A goddamn slut." Her beloved father began hitting her.

Jarod couldn't stand it. He wrenched loose of the Sweepers holding him captive. "Don't call her that!" He screamed, throwing himself at the older man.

He turned to Jarod. "Oh? Why shouldn't I? She's my goddamn daughter. I'll do whatever the hell I want with her. Whatever.

"No, no you won't do whatever the damn hell you want with her." Jarod suddenly launched himself at the man, kicking with his feet and smacking with his hands. Mr Parker fought back.

*****

Raines looked at the bruised and battered Pretender. "He was an idiot to get involved with the Chairman's bitch. He was even dumb enough to get in a fight with Mr Parker. This is the second time Jarod has escaped," he said, to no one in particular. "His memory will be wiped, and Sydney will never know of this incident, or last year's. Luke, take him to my lab…"

"Yes, Sir." Luke scooped up the unconscious Jarod, still knocked out from the sedative he'd been injected with and carried him to Raines' lab.

"You won't remember a thing…" Raines said maliciously.

*****

"How the hell could you? How the hell could you dishonor the Parker name like that?"

His outrage was directed at his Angel, sitting in front of his desk in the same spot Jarod had been the year before. She too was silent, her arms crossed defiantly.

Mr Parker's anger grew with each second of silence till he finally burst. His controlled anger was gone, replaced with a barely held back beast. He grabbed Parker by the shoulders and shook her, hard. "You're a goddamn little bitch. Just like your damn mother. Offer yourself to any fucking man. What the fucking hell did you think you were doing?" Between words he was hitting and screaming.

Outward, Miss Parker was composed, not affected by her father's actions. Inside, she was shaking. The only sign of her fright, though, were her eyes. The one feature she couldn't control perfectly. "Answer me, dammit!" Her father's voice broke into her thoughts.

The maiden could no longer hide behind innocence…but she could keep her silence, for as long as possible.

"When I talk to you, you answer me! Now what the hell do you have to say?"

At last she spoke. "I made a mistake…That wasn't supposed to happen…"

"Of course it wasn't supposed to happen. That's what mistakes are. But, my dear, what you made wasn't not a mistake. It was a conscious decision to have sex with Jarod." He said the name with obvious disgust.

"Daddy…" He ignored her. When he took up the conversation again, his words had a certain softness to them.

"You need to learn Angel, learn about men. Most are creatures who prey on women, looking for their weakness. So they can exploit them, get them into their bed. But, not all men are like that. Some are compassionate, caring. They'll do anything for you…"

"But it's almost impossible to find those kind of men."

"Yes, Daddy."

"I suppose this is partly my fault," The Chairman mused. "Mothers usually tell their daughters these sorts of things; but you only have me. I should have told you, but I thought you would know. Apparently, I was mistaken."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Shaking his head, he said, "You shouldn't be. It was my fault, and I'm glad that we had this talk. Before anything disastrous happened."

Mr Parker stood up from his desk. "I love you Angel." He held his arms out for a hug.

Accepting her father's embrace, she heard seven words whispered in her ear, "I'm the only person you can trust."

*****
June 11th
*****

She walked through the cold and sterile halls of the Centre, searching for Jarod. Even after her father's talk, she still had to see him. She had to know…

Taking a minute to compose herself mentally and physically, Parker pushed open the door to Jarod's room.

Her gaze fell on Jarod, seated at his ebony desk in the leftmost corner of the room. His face was towards her; she could see the green system characters reflected in his deep brown eyes. "Jarod," she said tentatively.

"What," he snapped. Parker, of all people, should know not to interrupt him while he was doing a Simulation.

"Jarod, can you stop working for a second and talk to me?"

Grumbling, Jarod came to stand next to her. "What did you want to talk about?" He asked, his voice a little nicer.

"Last week. The time we spent together in the cabin."

"Last week?" He repeated.

Nodding, Parker said, "Yes, last week. You met me in the Bahamas, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Parker. I've never been out of the Centre, you know that." His eyes traveled her face, searching for the truth. Could this be a joke? No. She was too sincere for it to be a jest.

Noticing the bruises on her face, the black eye almost concealed with makeup, he asked, "Where'd you get those bruises at?"

"From my father. Because of you." She told him, her voice turning hard suddenly.

"What did I do?"

But his question went ignored. "You told me you'd always love me!" She screamed.

"Parker, I don't know what you're talking about."

Jarod didn't see her hand raise, but he felt the impact on his face. He decided to ignore it. "Do you want to continue this another time? You are obviously too distraught to carry on a civil conversation." He told her, patronizing her.

"No, I don't. Daddy was right, all men are the same," she shot back, and left.


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