Powerless
It was two in the morning and Sydney was on his sofa.existing somewhere between sleep and awareness. The events of the past few days had only serve to trouble him. He hadn't heard from Miss Parker in two days. Raines was irate, wheezing up and down every hallway of the centre, cracking skulls as best he could. Lyle was nowhere to be found. Sydney, aware of Miss Parker's probable trip had prompted him to go to her home to say goodbye. Instead he found an empty house, lights ablaze...nothing was taken, not an item disturbed, her car was parked in the driveway, her Gucci purse and her keys were on the kitchen counter. She was gone. Centre goons were already asking questions. Broots, becoming downright panicky over the situation had packed off with his daughter in the middle of the night, where they went...it wasn't safe to tell anyone. He had anticipated Miss Parker's departure, but not like this.
"Come with me Sydney." She had told him.
"Oh darling," Sydney whispered, shaking his head sadly.
"If only I could."
****************************************************
Life seems suddenly sweeter when you awake in a feverish sweat and realize that it was all just a bad dream. Marianne did not have such pleasure. She groaned as her eyes fluttered open, remembering the nightmare, moaning even louder as she remembered last night. Brushing her hair back with sweaty palms, she rolled over, closing her eyes once more. She had seen him in her nightmare. She knew it was him. But she couldn't make out his face, no matter how desperately she tried. It was the boy, the baby brother she never knew. He had been crying out to her and she was powerless to stop whoever was causing his cries. He was in danger. Real danger. She knew the moment she was roused from her dream, her eyes moist with tears. She didn't recognize the hot rush across her face at first. It was shame. A life hung in the balance and here she was, playing lip-lock with wonderboy. How embarrassing. Had her twin been here to see her now, he would have hurt himself, laughing that wicked laugh of his. She had begun to feel a sincere of pang of pity for him, seeing him there, bleeding to death. That was before Ethan had dragged her out the door. It had proven to be a very eventful morning. She didn't remember how she made it upstairs after the kiss. It must have been just minutes after Jarod had left. Marianne closed her eyes and slightly shuddered. Just what was she doing? Genius had turned out to be an amazing kisser. Quickly brushing the swirling thoughts of her mind, she sat up in bed. Her luggage was beside the bed. She reached in and felt for her gun. "Good ol' Ethan" She said to herself with a bitter smile as she realized that her brother had indeed packed guns in her luggage. She swung off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes and took a glance at the small mirror on the bathroom wall. Her reflection was familiar but not at all pleasing. But it wasn't the smeared mascara or the wrinkles or even her hair.sticking out in every direction. It was the face of a woman who cut her own heart out long ago. Miss Parker sighed. She had to believe that there was more to her life then this. Well she would make things right, wouldn't she. She was done pleasing the wrong people for the wrong reasons. She stumbled into the shower, and sought to cleanse all her sins away.
**************************************** Jarod had tossed and turned the rest of the night, with each passing moment, growing more remorseful about what he had said. He had forced himself to walk up the stairs, willing himself forward and not allowing himself to look back. He supposed that it was pride that pushed him. He felt silly about the advances he had made upon her, yet she had returned his kiss. It made him hopeful.yet confused him even more all the same. A man who is desperately in love with a woman often tortures himself with memory. Jarod was no exception. He replayed the events of the past night, over and over again in his mind, hanging upon on her every word, letting them hurt him further. He would never forget the look on her face just before he took her. " A woman like her is dangerous," Jarod muttered to himself as he walked down the stairs towards the kitchen. She was tender one moment, and lashing out at him in icy rage the next. But could he blame her? For the past six years he had teased her, taunted her, and humiliated her and probably confused the hell out her. It was years before he realized why he had taken so much pleasure in treating her this way. It was just foolish schoolboy behavior. Or perhaps it was because he sought desperately to make her feel anything, even if it wasn't the reaction he was after. Not to mention the fact she had incessantly hunted him, never letting him forget for even a moment just where he really stood with her. He was beneath her. It was always then that she surprised him. The Gardenia perfume that she wore, the fleeting moments of compassion that she had given him. She was still that little girl inside. But how could he break through that icy façade, when she was so intent on holding her own heart for an impossible ransom?
***********************************************
Margaret was tense. So much for a happy breakfast together, she thought to herself as she cleared the dishes. Charles had gone out on a walk. Emily had not yet arrived. Ethan was still in a coma from playing video games with JJ the entire night. Upstairs was the former future of the centre, she had yet to come down. And downstairs in the kitchen, staring blankly into an open refrigerator was what would have made it all possible. She sighed. Jarod had been moping around all morning. It had to be Marianne's unannounced appearance. She had seen her son's reaction, first surprise.sadness, and then something else. She approached her son and gingerly placed her hand on his broad shoulder.
"You look lost." Margaret began, with a rueful smile.
"I'm not anymore." Jarod replied, smiling back as he shut the door.
Margaret sighed. Jarod was indeed her son. His smile could not hide the deep sadness in his eyes. His eyes were so beautiful. Ethan, JJ and her husband all shared those eyes with him.
"She's difficult, isn't she?" Margaret asked her son pointedly.
Jarod tried to look unmoved, but finally settled for a gruff, "Tell me about it."
Margaret laughed. " A woman with demons is no easy task, just ask your father."
********************************************** When you haven't seen your family in years, most of the time, you have plenty to say. Margaret had wanted to wait however, for everyone to arrive so she could begin. Everyone gathered around the room, everyone, except for Marianne. Her absence was felt. They sat in expectant silence for a few moments, unsure of what to do. It was now three in the afternoon. Margaret had assumed that she was tired from her long trip and would not want to be disturbed. She now regretted her assumption. She had not heard a peep and it gave her a bad feeling, one that she could not shake.
"Jarod, go check on Marianne," Margaret said, finally breaking the silence.
Jarod looked at his mother with a sardonic expression on his face. "I'm the last person she wants to see." "Well, then.I'll go with you."
Jarod walked up the stairs with his mother behind him. Once they reached the end of the corridor he knocked on her door and called out, "Marianne?" There was no answer. He placed his hand on the knob and discovered that the door was open. He looked at his mother, hesitant. His mother waved at him to continue. He turned the knob and swung the door open. The room was empty, the bed was made and everything was gone. He turned towards his mother, unable to disguise the anguished look on his face.
"Well how appropriate," He began bitterly, as his hopes had come crashing down.
"She's turned the tables on me again. She runs and I chase."
tbc
It was two in the morning and Sydney was on his sofa.existing somewhere between sleep and awareness. The events of the past few days had only serve to trouble him. He hadn't heard from Miss Parker in two days. Raines was irate, wheezing up and down every hallway of the centre, cracking skulls as best he could. Lyle was nowhere to be found. Sydney, aware of Miss Parker's probable trip had prompted him to go to her home to say goodbye. Instead he found an empty house, lights ablaze...nothing was taken, not an item disturbed, her car was parked in the driveway, her Gucci purse and her keys were on the kitchen counter. She was gone. Centre goons were already asking questions. Broots, becoming downright panicky over the situation had packed off with his daughter in the middle of the night, where they went...it wasn't safe to tell anyone. He had anticipated Miss Parker's departure, but not like this.
"Come with me Sydney." She had told him.
"Oh darling," Sydney whispered, shaking his head sadly.
"If only I could."
****************************************************
Life seems suddenly sweeter when you awake in a feverish sweat and realize that it was all just a bad dream. Marianne did not have such pleasure. She groaned as her eyes fluttered open, remembering the nightmare, moaning even louder as she remembered last night. Brushing her hair back with sweaty palms, she rolled over, closing her eyes once more. She had seen him in her nightmare. She knew it was him. But she couldn't make out his face, no matter how desperately she tried. It was the boy, the baby brother she never knew. He had been crying out to her and she was powerless to stop whoever was causing his cries. He was in danger. Real danger. She knew the moment she was roused from her dream, her eyes moist with tears. She didn't recognize the hot rush across her face at first. It was shame. A life hung in the balance and here she was, playing lip-lock with wonderboy. How embarrassing. Had her twin been here to see her now, he would have hurt himself, laughing that wicked laugh of his. She had begun to feel a sincere of pang of pity for him, seeing him there, bleeding to death. That was before Ethan had dragged her out the door. It had proven to be a very eventful morning. She didn't remember how she made it upstairs after the kiss. It must have been just minutes after Jarod had left. Marianne closed her eyes and slightly shuddered. Just what was she doing? Genius had turned out to be an amazing kisser. Quickly brushing the swirling thoughts of her mind, she sat up in bed. Her luggage was beside the bed. She reached in and felt for her gun. "Good ol' Ethan" She said to herself with a bitter smile as she realized that her brother had indeed packed guns in her luggage. She swung off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes and took a glance at the small mirror on the bathroom wall. Her reflection was familiar but not at all pleasing. But it wasn't the smeared mascara or the wrinkles or even her hair.sticking out in every direction. It was the face of a woman who cut her own heart out long ago. Miss Parker sighed. She had to believe that there was more to her life then this. Well she would make things right, wouldn't she. She was done pleasing the wrong people for the wrong reasons. She stumbled into the shower, and sought to cleanse all her sins away.
**************************************** Jarod had tossed and turned the rest of the night, with each passing moment, growing more remorseful about what he had said. He had forced himself to walk up the stairs, willing himself forward and not allowing himself to look back. He supposed that it was pride that pushed him. He felt silly about the advances he had made upon her, yet she had returned his kiss. It made him hopeful.yet confused him even more all the same. A man who is desperately in love with a woman often tortures himself with memory. Jarod was no exception. He replayed the events of the past night, over and over again in his mind, hanging upon on her every word, letting them hurt him further. He would never forget the look on her face just before he took her. " A woman like her is dangerous," Jarod muttered to himself as he walked down the stairs towards the kitchen. She was tender one moment, and lashing out at him in icy rage the next. But could he blame her? For the past six years he had teased her, taunted her, and humiliated her and probably confused the hell out her. It was years before he realized why he had taken so much pleasure in treating her this way. It was just foolish schoolboy behavior. Or perhaps it was because he sought desperately to make her feel anything, even if it wasn't the reaction he was after. Not to mention the fact she had incessantly hunted him, never letting him forget for even a moment just where he really stood with her. He was beneath her. It was always then that she surprised him. The Gardenia perfume that she wore, the fleeting moments of compassion that she had given him. She was still that little girl inside. But how could he break through that icy façade, when she was so intent on holding her own heart for an impossible ransom?
***********************************************
Margaret was tense. So much for a happy breakfast together, she thought to herself as she cleared the dishes. Charles had gone out on a walk. Emily had not yet arrived. Ethan was still in a coma from playing video games with JJ the entire night. Upstairs was the former future of the centre, she had yet to come down. And downstairs in the kitchen, staring blankly into an open refrigerator was what would have made it all possible. She sighed. Jarod had been moping around all morning. It had to be Marianne's unannounced appearance. She had seen her son's reaction, first surprise.sadness, and then something else. She approached her son and gingerly placed her hand on his broad shoulder.
"You look lost." Margaret began, with a rueful smile.
"I'm not anymore." Jarod replied, smiling back as he shut the door.
Margaret sighed. Jarod was indeed her son. His smile could not hide the deep sadness in his eyes. His eyes were so beautiful. Ethan, JJ and her husband all shared those eyes with him.
"She's difficult, isn't she?" Margaret asked her son pointedly.
Jarod tried to look unmoved, but finally settled for a gruff, "Tell me about it."
Margaret laughed. " A woman with demons is no easy task, just ask your father."
********************************************** When you haven't seen your family in years, most of the time, you have plenty to say. Margaret had wanted to wait however, for everyone to arrive so she could begin. Everyone gathered around the room, everyone, except for Marianne. Her absence was felt. They sat in expectant silence for a few moments, unsure of what to do. It was now three in the afternoon. Margaret had assumed that she was tired from her long trip and would not want to be disturbed. She now regretted her assumption. She had not heard a peep and it gave her a bad feeling, one that she could not shake.
"Jarod, go check on Marianne," Margaret said, finally breaking the silence.
Jarod looked at his mother with a sardonic expression on his face. "I'm the last person she wants to see." "Well, then.I'll go with you."
Jarod walked up the stairs with his mother behind him. Once they reached the end of the corridor he knocked on her door and called out, "Marianne?" There was no answer. He placed his hand on the knob and discovered that the door was open. He looked at his mother, hesitant. His mother waved at him to continue. He turned the knob and swung the door open. The room was empty, the bed was made and everything was gone. He turned towards his mother, unable to disguise the anguished look on his face.
"Well how appropriate," He began bitterly, as his hopes had come crashing down.
"She's turned the tables on me again. She runs and I chase."
tbc