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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and used
without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
Life Is Not A Game Anymore
part 2
by Gemini
"I should have known you'll show up! I should have known!" Sarah didn't wait for an invitation, but stepped into the hotelroom filled with anger.
"Sarah, it's been a long time," said Sean quietly and closed the door behind her.
The hotelroom was small and filled with cheap furniture. Sarah folded her arms and stood next to a red couch.
"Why in the world did you come back here?" she asked when she calmed down a little.
"Sarah...I came back becuase of her," answered Sean. He moved closer to Sarah.
"Figures! You've been gone for eight years, you left us behind because you wanted to fallow your dreams or something and now, now you come back! You really think that you can just show up here and I'll agree with that? In that case you're a bigger fool than I thought. I want you to stay away from Chelsea! Do you understand that?"
"Chelsea?" Sean smiled. "Her name is Chelsea?"
Sarah smiled too "You don't even know you daughter's name!"
"Sarah, you have to hear me out. I didn't come back expecting you'de be ok with it right away. Chelsea..." he enjoyed the way that name sounded "doesn't have to know I'm her father if that's what you want, but I did come back because of her. I did come back with a hope...even if it's a small one...that maybe there's a way I can make up just a little of the things I've done to you and to her," he spoke from his heart, but he realised that it was going to be hard to persuade Sarah.
"That's not the way it works...why now?" Sarah sat on the couch. She had lost her strenght.
"Because two weeks ago something happened to me that made me realise my mistakes. The biggest one of them all was how I ran out on you and left you alone with a baby not to mention how I left Chelsea without a father."
"The plane crash...I heard about it in the news," said Sarah and she knew she was right.
"Look, I hate the way it came out, but I won't give up so easily this time," Sean almost whispered those words, but he ment it. He was not going to give up.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker rushed to SL 23. She had heard from Daniel that Marie was awake and she had to talk to her. She didn't know why, she didn't imagine how she could be any help to her because she couldn't control or understand her own inner sense, but she knew she had to talk to her.
She entered the white room. Daniel and two other men stood by Marie's bed. Daniel told the others to leave and they did.
"Marie, I want you to meet somebody," said Daniel and turned to Parker. "This is Miss Parker."
Miss Parker went closer. She smiled "Hello Marie."
"Hello." The girl's voice was weak and tired. She was still pale and looked even worse then last time.
"How are you feeling," asked Parker as she stepped closer.
Daniel went over to the couch and took a seat. He didn't want to disturb them.
"Is there anything I can do for you? Get you anything?" Parker felt uncomfortable around little children and this girl was no exception.
"Water..." whispered Marie.
Miss Parker noticed a bottle of water on the table next to the couch and went for it. She filled a glass and returned to the girl. Marie rose her head a little and took a small sip. She had to gather for the next one.
Miss Parker's heart ached when she looked at the girl.
"Marie, I came here to talk to you about these voices you hear inside. Do you know what I'm talking about?"
The girl nodded. Her face lightened up a little. "They don't want me to be alone, I'm never alone."
"Do you know whose voices they are? Do you know who's talking to you?"
"No," said Marie weakly.
"You know what Marie? Can I tell you a secret?" Getting a nod from the girl Miss Parker continued "I can hear voices too."
"You can?"
"Yes. It is my mother's voice. She talks to me sometimes."
"Sometimes I don't understand what they're saying," said the girl. "Sometimes I wish they'd go away."
Now it was Miss Parker's turn to nod.
Daniel had been right, she did understand her.
"I wish I could hear my mother's voice," said Marie.
Miss Parker knew that the girls parents thought she was already dead. Maybe that was good, because they didn't have to see her suffering like that.
"What does your mother tell you?" continued the girl.
"She wants to protect me and to take care of me," Parker answered. "You said that you are never alone, do you hear them only when no one else is around? When they think you're alone?"
Now the girl shook her head. "Sometimes...I don't know why they come when they come."
Marie closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, she was tired.
"I'm sorry, but Marie has to get some rest now," said Daniel and stood up from the couch and went to the bed. "she's not used to talk so much and we don't want her to...get some rest now, Marie." Daniel caressed her cheek and then walked out.
Parker went with him. She felt so bad. She had never seen anyone suffering like that right before her eyes.
They stepped into the elivator. Neither of them said a word for couple minutes.
It was Daniel who broke the silence. "I know it was very little, but she's doing worse and we have to be patient about it."
"How can I help her?" Parker asked quietly
"The truth is that you weren't included to this assignment to help her, but to explore her these voices she hears. Unfortunatly we don't have much time. I'm afraid that we have failed in every way. We couldn't find anything about the disease, we couldn't find the cure and I doubt we can find anything related to these voices."
He was talking about her like she was already gone and Parker wanted to object to that, but deep down she knew that he was right.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney was sitting behind his desk when the phone rang.
"This is Sydney."
"So how is New York at this time of the year?"
"Jarod?" Sydney wasn't suprised to hear from him. He knew why he was calling, but he didn't know the answer to his question.
"What can you tell me about Miss Parker?" Jarod's voice sounded concerned though he tried to hide it.
"Not much, Jarod. Her father said that she's busy with another project. I don't know what kind of a project. I haven't seen her in two days. I tried to call her at her house, but I don't think she slept there last night."
"No, she didn't," said Jarod. He had waited for he.
"Do you think it's something we should worry about?" Sydney knew that in the Centre everything was worth worring about.
"Can you and Broots find out more about that project? What ever it is."
"I'll try Jarod," Sydney said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jarod put down his phone. He heard that the door opened and went to the hall. He was still staying with Sarah and Chelsea. Since he hadn't left any clues to the Centre he had had no trouble with them and didn't have to worry about running.
"How did it go?" Jarod asked.
"Where's Chelsea?" Sarah didn't want her to hear.
"She's upstairs at her room, she's drawing. Are you ok?"
"No I'm not ok!" Sarah was still upset. "That man who was here, the one I went to see...is Chelsea's father."
Jarod didn't know much about Sarah's past, but he understood that it was something she was not comfortable with.
"After eight years, Jarod...why does he do that! He's the most selfish person I know!" Sarah went to the kitchen and Jarod fallowed her. She poured herself a glass of cold water and drank it to calm down.
"Can I ask what happened?" Jarod sat down.
"You mean eight years ago?"
Jarod nodded. Sarah took a seat next to him. He had done so much for her and she trusted him completely.
"We were only 18 then. We...we knew each other for many years before we started dating. We were everybody's favorite couple. We were...in love." She smiled to her memories, but turned quickly back to serious. "One night we slept together and that was all it took. That night...about a month later I found out that I was pregnant. My parents promised to help me out in any way, but he didn't. He got scared and said that he wanted to explore the world and fallow his dreams. He didn't care about me or Chelsea. He walked out on us to become a big star."
"Why did he come back?" Jarod had heard stories like that many times before and he never understood those men who left their families.
"Two weeks ago a there was a plane crash and Sean was in that plane. It was all over the news. Sean survived, but many others didn't. He said that it got him thinking."
For couple of moments they both sat there in silence.
"I understand that you are upset and you have every right to be, but I think that you should least consider giving him another chance."
Sarah looked at Jarod with a suprised look. She thought he was on her side, how could he defend Sean?
"I'm just saying that if he really has changed then maybe...Chelsea could still know her father." Jarod wanted to belive that. For him having a family was very important. He knew that Sarah was hurting, but there was still a way that it could work out.
"Mom, when did you come back?"
Sarah turned around and saw her little girl standing at the kitchen door. She looked at her and the thought of telling her the truth seemed less painfull. She had the right to know, but did Sean have the right to know her?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker finally made it to her house. She had slept at the Centre last night. She wasn't sure why, but she had felt that she couldn't go home. She was tired. She was emotionally tired. Her head was full of thoughts about voices, Marie and even Daniel. She still hadn't figured him out, but that had to wait.
She took off her shoes and went to the livingroom. She poured herself a drink and sat on the couch. She hadn't turned on the lights, she liked darkness. She closed her eyes as she remembered her talk with the little girl. She wished she could help her more. She wished that she could control her own inner sense, she wished that someone would help her.
She tried to concentrate. She started talking to her mother in her thoughts. She hoped to reach to her. She neede her more then ever.
All the questions, all the answers, the past, the future, people, discoveries - all of them went through Parker's mind, but nothing more. She couldn't control it and it made her angry.
Suddenly Parker realised that she had lost her usual strenght, she had got herself too involved and she had become weak. That had to change. In the Centre, weakness ment death.
Parker put the empty glass on the table and put on the lights. She had to stop thinking. She decided to go to bed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
It wasn't the first time Jarod was back in the Centre since he had escaped. He had sneaked out from Sarah's house in the middle of the night and about an hour later he arrived there. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he knew that the answers would be there.
This time it wasn't about him, it was about her. Jarod hated the way she pushed him away. He wanted to help. Didn't she know that? Of course she didn't. She had grown up with lies just like him, but she hadn't seen through them. She didn't see herself as a victom of the Centre, but she did see him.
Jarod walked forward. He was restless. It was the last place on Earth he wanted to be, but he was there, because he had to find out what was going on. The fear of being back, the feeling of helplessness and the fear for her - it was hell, but he kept walking ahead. He didn't stop untill he was in Parker's office. There had to be clues about the new project there. Something...anything.
After quietly going through her papers Jarod found a memo of Parker's meeting with Daniel Gallagher. He memorised the name, it was the first clue he was going to fallow.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
Life Is Not A Game Anymore
part 2
by Gemini
"I should have known you'll show up! I should have known!" Sarah didn't wait for an invitation, but stepped into the hotelroom filled with anger.
"Sarah, it's been a long time," said Sean quietly and closed the door behind her.
The hotelroom was small and filled with cheap furniture. Sarah folded her arms and stood next to a red couch.
"Why in the world did you come back here?" she asked when she calmed down a little.
"Sarah...I came back becuase of her," answered Sean. He moved closer to Sarah.
"Figures! You've been gone for eight years, you left us behind because you wanted to fallow your dreams or something and now, now you come back! You really think that you can just show up here and I'll agree with that? In that case you're a bigger fool than I thought. I want you to stay away from Chelsea! Do you understand that?"
"Chelsea?" Sean smiled. "Her name is Chelsea?"
Sarah smiled too "You don't even know you daughter's name!"
"Sarah, you have to hear me out. I didn't come back expecting you'de be ok with it right away. Chelsea..." he enjoyed the way that name sounded "doesn't have to know I'm her father if that's what you want, but I did come back because of her. I did come back with a hope...even if it's a small one...that maybe there's a way I can make up just a little of the things I've done to you and to her," he spoke from his heart, but he realised that it was going to be hard to persuade Sarah.
"That's not the way it works...why now?" Sarah sat on the couch. She had lost her strenght.
"Because two weeks ago something happened to me that made me realise my mistakes. The biggest one of them all was how I ran out on you and left you alone with a baby not to mention how I left Chelsea without a father."
"The plane crash...I heard about it in the news," said Sarah and she knew she was right.
"Look, I hate the way it came out, but I won't give up so easily this time," Sean almost whispered those words, but he ment it. He was not going to give up.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker rushed to SL 23. She had heard from Daniel that Marie was awake and she had to talk to her. She didn't know why, she didn't imagine how she could be any help to her because she couldn't control or understand her own inner sense, but she knew she had to talk to her.
She entered the white room. Daniel and two other men stood by Marie's bed. Daniel told the others to leave and they did.
"Marie, I want you to meet somebody," said Daniel and turned to Parker. "This is Miss Parker."
Miss Parker went closer. She smiled "Hello Marie."
"Hello." The girl's voice was weak and tired. She was still pale and looked even worse then last time.
"How are you feeling," asked Parker as she stepped closer.
Daniel went over to the couch and took a seat. He didn't want to disturb them.
"Is there anything I can do for you? Get you anything?" Parker felt uncomfortable around little children and this girl was no exception.
"Water..." whispered Marie.
Miss Parker noticed a bottle of water on the table next to the couch and went for it. She filled a glass and returned to the girl. Marie rose her head a little and took a small sip. She had to gather for the next one.
Miss Parker's heart ached when she looked at the girl.
"Marie, I came here to talk to you about these voices you hear inside. Do you know what I'm talking about?"
The girl nodded. Her face lightened up a little. "They don't want me to be alone, I'm never alone."
"Do you know whose voices they are? Do you know who's talking to you?"
"No," said Marie weakly.
"You know what Marie? Can I tell you a secret?" Getting a nod from the girl Miss Parker continued "I can hear voices too."
"You can?"
"Yes. It is my mother's voice. She talks to me sometimes."
"Sometimes I don't understand what they're saying," said the girl. "Sometimes I wish they'd go away."
Now it was Miss Parker's turn to nod.
Daniel had been right, she did understand her.
"I wish I could hear my mother's voice," said Marie.
Miss Parker knew that the girls parents thought she was already dead. Maybe that was good, because they didn't have to see her suffering like that.
"What does your mother tell you?" continued the girl.
"She wants to protect me and to take care of me," Parker answered. "You said that you are never alone, do you hear them only when no one else is around? When they think you're alone?"
Now the girl shook her head. "Sometimes...I don't know why they come when they come."
Marie closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, she was tired.
"I'm sorry, but Marie has to get some rest now," said Daniel and stood up from the couch and went to the bed. "she's not used to talk so much and we don't want her to...get some rest now, Marie." Daniel caressed her cheek and then walked out.
Parker went with him. She felt so bad. She had never seen anyone suffering like that right before her eyes.
They stepped into the elivator. Neither of them said a word for couple minutes.
It was Daniel who broke the silence. "I know it was very little, but she's doing worse and we have to be patient about it."
"How can I help her?" Parker asked quietly
"The truth is that you weren't included to this assignment to help her, but to explore her these voices she hears. Unfortunatly we don't have much time. I'm afraid that we have failed in every way. We couldn't find anything about the disease, we couldn't find the cure and I doubt we can find anything related to these voices."
He was talking about her like she was already gone and Parker wanted to object to that, but deep down she knew that he was right.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney was sitting behind his desk when the phone rang.
"This is Sydney."
"So how is New York at this time of the year?"
"Jarod?" Sydney wasn't suprised to hear from him. He knew why he was calling, but he didn't know the answer to his question.
"What can you tell me about Miss Parker?" Jarod's voice sounded concerned though he tried to hide it.
"Not much, Jarod. Her father said that she's busy with another project. I don't know what kind of a project. I haven't seen her in two days. I tried to call her at her house, but I don't think she slept there last night."
"No, she didn't," said Jarod. He had waited for he.
"Do you think it's something we should worry about?" Sydney knew that in the Centre everything was worth worring about.
"Can you and Broots find out more about that project? What ever it is."
"I'll try Jarod," Sydney said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jarod put down his phone. He heard that the door opened and went to the hall. He was still staying with Sarah and Chelsea. Since he hadn't left any clues to the Centre he had had no trouble with them and didn't have to worry about running.
"How did it go?" Jarod asked.
"Where's Chelsea?" Sarah didn't want her to hear.
"She's upstairs at her room, she's drawing. Are you ok?"
"No I'm not ok!" Sarah was still upset. "That man who was here, the one I went to see...is Chelsea's father."
Jarod didn't know much about Sarah's past, but he understood that it was something she was not comfortable with.
"After eight years, Jarod...why does he do that! He's the most selfish person I know!" Sarah went to the kitchen and Jarod fallowed her. She poured herself a glass of cold water and drank it to calm down.
"Can I ask what happened?" Jarod sat down.
"You mean eight years ago?"
Jarod nodded. Sarah took a seat next to him. He had done so much for her and she trusted him completely.
"We were only 18 then. We...we knew each other for many years before we started dating. We were everybody's favorite couple. We were...in love." She smiled to her memories, but turned quickly back to serious. "One night we slept together and that was all it took. That night...about a month later I found out that I was pregnant. My parents promised to help me out in any way, but he didn't. He got scared and said that he wanted to explore the world and fallow his dreams. He didn't care about me or Chelsea. He walked out on us to become a big star."
"Why did he come back?" Jarod had heard stories like that many times before and he never understood those men who left their families.
"Two weeks ago a there was a plane crash and Sean was in that plane. It was all over the news. Sean survived, but many others didn't. He said that it got him thinking."
For couple of moments they both sat there in silence.
"I understand that you are upset and you have every right to be, but I think that you should least consider giving him another chance."
Sarah looked at Jarod with a suprised look. She thought he was on her side, how could he defend Sean?
"I'm just saying that if he really has changed then maybe...Chelsea could still know her father." Jarod wanted to belive that. For him having a family was very important. He knew that Sarah was hurting, but there was still a way that it could work out.
"Mom, when did you come back?"
Sarah turned around and saw her little girl standing at the kitchen door. She looked at her and the thought of telling her the truth seemed less painfull. She had the right to know, but did Sean have the right to know her?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker finally made it to her house. She had slept at the Centre last night. She wasn't sure why, but she had felt that she couldn't go home. She was tired. She was emotionally tired. Her head was full of thoughts about voices, Marie and even Daniel. She still hadn't figured him out, but that had to wait.
She took off her shoes and went to the livingroom. She poured herself a drink and sat on the couch. She hadn't turned on the lights, she liked darkness. She closed her eyes as she remembered her talk with the little girl. She wished she could help her more. She wished that she could control her own inner sense, she wished that someone would help her.
She tried to concentrate. She started talking to her mother in her thoughts. She hoped to reach to her. She neede her more then ever.
All the questions, all the answers, the past, the future, people, discoveries - all of them went through Parker's mind, but nothing more. She couldn't control it and it made her angry.
Suddenly Parker realised that she had lost her usual strenght, she had got herself too involved and she had become weak. That had to change. In the Centre, weakness ment death.
Parker put the empty glass on the table and put on the lights. She had to stop thinking. She decided to go to bed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
It wasn't the first time Jarod was back in the Centre since he had escaped. He had sneaked out from Sarah's house in the middle of the night and about an hour later he arrived there. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he knew that the answers would be there.
This time it wasn't about him, it was about her. Jarod hated the way she pushed him away. He wanted to help. Didn't she know that? Of course she didn't. She had grown up with lies just like him, but she hadn't seen through them. She didn't see herself as a victom of the Centre, but she did see him.
Jarod walked forward. He was restless. It was the last place on Earth he wanted to be, but he was there, because he had to find out what was going on. The fear of being back, the feeling of helplessness and the fear for her - it was hell, but he kept walking ahead. He didn't stop untill he was in Parker's office. There had to be clues about the new project there. Something...anything.
After quietly going through her papers Jarod found a memo of Parker's meeting with Daniel Gallagher. He memorised the name, it was the first clue he was going to fallow.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
