I already had this chapter written when I posted the last chapter, but was going to hold off on posting it. However, due to the overwhelming amount of begging y'all did for this chapter, I will post it now so that you will not have to wait any longer.

Chapter Seventeen

Sark picked up a framed photo of Chloe in a beautiful sky blue prom dress and stared at it intently, memorizing the smile on her lips and the twinkle in her eyes as she stared up at the boy who had his arm wrapped around her waist. His thumb traced the outline of her face, remembering how it felt to hold her in his own arms and kiss her lips.

"I'm turning into a sentimental idiot." He thought, placing the photo back on the fireplace mantel. He turned around and watched Sydney pace the floor. She bit the pad of her thumb in a show of nervousness. After the first loud, earsplitting scream, Chloe had fallen silent. It had been nearly thirty minutes, and still there was no word on how Chloe was doing. Sark felt as if he were in a hospital waiting room the tension was so thick. Sydney sat on the couch and buried her face in her trembling hands. Sark felt he should do something to soothe her raw nerves, but what do you say to comfort the woman who is like your arch nemesis?
Footsteps sounded down the hall, and soon Jack and Vaughn emerged, haggard looking, but triumphant. Sydney stood hurriedly and walked over to her husband and father.

"Is she okay?" She asked, wrapping her arms around Vaughn's waist and looking up at him with earnest eyes. Sark felt as if he was an intruder in the family's suffering.

"She passed out as soon as we stuck the knife in. The bullet was wedged in close to the bone, but Jack was able to get it out without too much trouble." Vaughn said, pulling his wife close. "Chloe will be alright. She just needs to get some rest."
Sark desperately wanted to go and see for himself that Chloe was all right, but he knew it was not his place to demand to see her.
Sydney pulled away from her husband and headed for the hall. She paused right at the doorway and turned around.

"Don't kill him." she said, looking from Jack to Vaughn than back at Jack. "He really does care about her." Sark knew it must have taken a lot for Sydney to say that, and to stand up for him, even if it was just a little bit. He could feel the eyes of both men on him, and he met them straight on. There was no way he would show his emotions around them. Jack stared Sark down, looking as if he would punch the Englishman out at any moment.

"Why are you here?" Vaughn asked him as Sark leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms across his chest. What was Sark supposed to tell him? Was he supposed to say that he abducted Chloe, beat her, threatened to kill her, pumped her full of truth serum, fled from the Covenant with her, nearly lost all control of his body and raped her, almost got her killed, and cared about her so much that he believed himself to almost be in love with her? Was that something you said to the man who you had nearly killed so many times?

"It's a long story." He said after a pause.

"We've got a lot of time." Jack said, crossing his arms in a threatening pose. Sark sighed, did he really have to get into this right then when all he wanted to do was hold Chloe close to him and assure himself that was fine?
It was a miracle to Sark when Sydney came back into the room. He wanted to hug her right then, she had saved him from getting into the story he did not want to tell. She looked at Sark, her eyes red rimmed and confused.

"Chloe wants to see you." those words were like music to his ears. Sark nodded solemnly and walked past the family. Jack caught his arm in a vice like grip.

"Hurt her, and I'll tear you limb from limb." He threatened Sark.

"I assure you sir," Sark replied, prying Jack's hand from his arm, "that I would do nothing to harm Chloe." Jack continued to glare at him as he headed down the hallway. He didn't know which room he was going to, but thankfully, there were only three doors. Two of the doors were open, one a bathroom, the other an empty bedroom, and the last door was closed. He knocked on that one lightly before opening it and walking inside.
The beside lamp was on and cast a soft glow through the room, showing off the teen style room. Posters hung on the soft lilac purple walls, showing off bands and movies, and various guys that Chloe obviously had found attractive at some time. There was a desk by door. It was covered in framed photos of Chloe and her friends and family and old textbooks and notebooks. The dresser was also covered with photos and little trinkets. The vanity that sat beside it held a sparse variety of make-up, some hair accessories, and a large jewelry box that lay open revealing a large variety of friendship bracelets. Finally, Sark's eyes landed on the bed that sat in front of him, and the woman that lay under the bright pink sheets.
Chloe was still pale, but the color was slowly seeping back into her face. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was slow and steady. It seemed for all the world as if she were asleep. Her eyes fluttered open as Sark shut the door behind him, and a smile lit her face.

"Hey," she said, her voice had regained some of its strength. Sark sat down on the side of the bed and took the hand that rested on top of the sheets in his. His gaze traveled up her arm, over her bare shoulder, to her face. He could see her black bra strap and thought of how easily it would be to simply take the covers off Chloe and touch her body.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, looking into her eyes, keeping his eyes off the bra strap.

"Okay." She replied, her smile waning as she glanced over at the clean, white bandage that was wrapped tightly around her arm. Sark reached out and touched it gently. His fingers traced slow, sensual circles over the bandage and her skin. Chloe's eyes met his and Sark's hand traveled up her arm, briefly played with the bra strap that teased him, and finally cupped Chloe's face gently. Her eyes closed slowly as Sark moved closer. The sheets rose and fell with each breath she took, and they slowly slipped down until the top of her bra was showing. Sark's heart was hammering inside his chest, and his pulse was running wild. His lips touched hers gently, and he lost all control.



Chloe felt as if she would faint once again as soon as Sark's lips touched her own. There was something different about his kiss, something that hadn't been there before. She opened her mouth as his tongue ran across her lower lip and couldn't help but moan as it brushed against her own. His hand ran down her neck and stopped at the base of her throat, his thumb resting on her pulse, which was running rampant. She felt his weight settle lightly atop her, his heat traveling through the sheets that covered her and permeating her body. His weight was settled on his hand that rested beside Chloe's head, gently clutching her hair. His other hand continued its journey. It lifted from her throat, and ran softly over her breast.
Shocked, Chloe broke away from the kiss. Her eyes opened and she stared up at Sark uncertainly. So many emotions played across them that it made her want to cry. She bit her bottom lip and gently pushed Sark off her.

"We can't do this," she said, pulling the sheet back up to cover her, "not here, not now." Sark's hand entwined with her own and he kissed her knuckles, his eyes never leaving her own. Chloe felt her resistance fading. With great effort, she pulled her hand out of his grasp. "You should go." She looked at the wall in front of her, afraid to meet his eyes, afraid that she would give in. The mattress shifted as Sark stood, and it wasn't until her bedroom door had closed that Chloe could breathe.



Numb, Sark walked down the hallway, his mind still back with Chloe in her bedroom. Things had gotten out of hand. There was no way he could expect Chloe to let him go so far with her in her parents' home. He had allowed his emotions and his hormones to rule over him. He hadn't thought about where they were, or what Chloe thought. He had to sustain the need his body had. Her refusal to go further had been like a bucket of water on the fire that burned within him.

"He's bee in there too long." Michael Vaughn's voice made Sark pause where he was in the hall. He was out of sight of the living room, but within clear range of hearing everything the three CIA agents said.

"It'll be alright Vaughn," Sydney reassured her husband, "Chloe's not stupid enough to do anything with Sark."

"How can you be so sure Syd?" Vaughn asked, "This is Sark we're talking about. Chloe doesn't have to give her consent for anything." Sark fumed at Vaughn's attack on his character.

"Dixon's on his way with a team." Jack's voice joined those of Chloe's parents. Sark stiffened at the words he spoke. So they had called the CIA while he was in with Chloe. They planned to turn him in. Well Julian Sark did not, and would not stand for such things. He turned on his heel quickly and walked into Chloe's room without knocking. Chloe stood with her back to him, pulling out the drawers of her dresser. Her bra strap falling off her right shoulder. His eyes traveled down her bare back, taking in every inch of milky white skin. His hands itched to touch her, but he knew he had to get out of there, he could not linger. He cleared his throat, she turned around startled, and Sark saw more of her than he ever had. He couldn't tear his eyes from her, or the lacy bra she wore. Her eyes widened and she quickly pulled on the shirt that she held in her hands.

"What is it?" She must have sensed that something was happening because she walked over to him and laid her hand on his arm.

"I've got to get out of here." He said, brushing off her touch, though it pained him to do so.

"Why?" Her eyes sought his, but for some reason Sark could not meet them.

"Your grandfather called the CIA." He spat out, looking at her quickly, than turning away.

"Why would he do that?" Chloe's tone let Sark know that she was questioning herself, not him. However, Sark could not remain quiet.

"Because I'm an enemy of the United States," he replied gruffly, "remember Chloe, I'm a terrorist."

"No you're not Julian," Chloe said, "You're not a terrorist. You're..."

"Would you shut the hell up?" Sark cried, he couldn't take what she was saying. Couldn't understand why she was saying these things about him. Hadn't he been cruel to her, beaten her, why was she being kind to him now?

As soon as the words left his mouth, Sark wished that he could take them back. Chloe's eyes filled with tears, and she turned away from him.

"I'm sorry Chloe," he reached out and touched her shoulder gently, but she shrugged off his hand forcefully. But Sark would not be brushed off so easily. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him. "You've got to come with me." he said, "We have to figure out what the Covenant wants with you."

"I can't," Chloe said, "I'm home Sark, I can't leave my parents again. Do you know the toll my disappearance took on them? I can't do that to them again." She shook her head forcefully. "No, I'm not going with you."

"If you don't come the Covenant is gonna track you down. And when they find you they won't show your family any mercy." Sark said, "Coming with me is your only hope." Chloe glanced towards the bedroom door. Sark could clearly see the battle raging within her, and he knew what to say to win. "I love you."



Wasn't that a beautiful cliffhanger? Lol. I love leaving you all hanging. It guarantees y'all coming back for more. Lol. Please review and tell me what you thought.

csk8-20: You are too a loyal reader, though I will admit you are obsessive. Lol. Everytime I check my email I look for a review from you. Keep reviewing, because I love reading what you have to say.

RedRose121: I thought people would be dissapointed there wasn't a big fight scene between Chloe's parents and Sark. Your review assured me that I wrote the right thing.

JunIonyra, wicked-sista, Illyria04, Sarks-Girl89, Eyghon, and poe-baby: Thank you all for reviewing, and I hope you will continue to review as this story continues.