Post by Angela on Jul 22, 2006 16:54:10 GMT -5
(This was co-written with Marsha, a writing partner of mine. At this time in the plot, Danil had been attacked by schoolmates, and is now in a catatonic state... This shows a flashback to the year 2000, when Danil's mother, Anna, was brutally murdered. The following scene is violently graphic with some strong language.)
It was hard to believe that only three days had passed, because it seemed like an eternity.
Andrei sighed and closed his Bible for the day. He leaned down and kissed Danil's forehead, and looked at Parker. "It's late, we should get some sleep," he said gently.
"I agree," Parker said. "He has more color in his face today," he looked down at Danil. "That has to be a good sign. "
Andrei sighed. "We can only hope," he said shaking his head.
"Well, good night," he said gently, hugging him. Then he wheeled himself to his room.
"I know you'll be better," Parker said to Danil. "You just need time." He sighed, and stared into the blank face of the young man. "Goodnight," he said, and turned to go to his room.
What Parker saw when he stepped into his bedroom gave him a shock. It wasn't his bed, but two beds, and the room was smaller too, and much different. One bed was clearly a little girl's, with a girlish white lacy bedspread, and stuffed animals on the pillow, and some dolls as well. On the other side of the bed near the wall, a bookshelf with some little-girl-type makeup, doll's clothes and accessories, and other things like that. The other bed had a blue bedspread, with stuffed animals on it as well, but not as many. Near the wall on the opposite side of this bed was another bookshelf. This one was filled with figure skating trophies and medals from all eras of a skater's career. It can be assumed that the owner was a young man, perhaps Danil's age, perhaps younger. Most everything was from novice and junior level, with a few minor senior medals and trophies, mainly bronze. There were quite a lot of gold medals in the novice level. Nearly every competition known to a Russian novice had been won by this man. The junior medals were gold and silver, but there weren't as many as the novice. In between both beds, a small white nightstand sat, with pictures on it and a single lamp. The pictures were of Zhenya and Nadya, though they both looked much younger than the present.
The scent of potato pancakes filled Parker's nose. As he crept towards the entrance to the small room, he heard voices. Despite the fact that the voices were in Russian, somehow he was able to understand it completely.
"Anna?" He said out loud, but quickly covered his mouth. They didn't ever stir. "Can you hear me?" No. He walked closer, trying to better hear the conversation.
When Parker got closer, he saws that in a nearby kitchen, Anna Andropova and Alexei Potemerenko were just finishing lunch. Of course, he only recognized Anna.
Sighing, Anna said, "I wish things could be better for you and the kids, Lyosha."
Alexei nodded with a sigh of his own, leaning back in the small wooden chair. "It's hard. I thought after 1998 she would be all right, but now there's a bit of a relapse thanks to Tanya's death. At least all she does is cry, but believe me, that's enough sometimes."
"I know it is hard," she said gently, walking over to him and putting her arms around him. "I wish I could lessen the burden, my eagle."
Alexei smiled and kissed her gently. "You do, my love." The two smiled, then Alexei turned serious. "Anya… I've been thinking… about us. Will you marry me?"
"She's married," Parker said disapprovingly. But he couldn't blame Alexei, Anna was a warm and wonderful woman.
Anna stared at him. "Alyoshka, I am already married," she said once she got over her shock.
"And you're totally miserable, like I am with Maria," he pointed out. "We're only happy when we're with our children, or together. So let's divorce Andrei and Maria and get married."
Anna moved away from him, shaking her head. "I can't do that," she said quietly. "I am not entirely miserable; Andrei is a good man, he supports me, and Danil. I can't just tell him that I want a divorce… and what would happen with Danilka if I do?"
"Take him with you... What am I saying," Parker said to himself.
Of course, neither person noticed Parker at all, even though Anna was facing Parker directly. Alexei bowed his head guiltily. "I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking about that. I know I should have been but it was the furthest from my mind."
Anna couldn't help folding her arms. "What about Zhenya, and Nadya?"
"They would be better off away from her," he said with a sigh. "Besides, maybe it is time we told them the truth about them."
Anna shook her head. "Danil would never forgive me! Don't you understand, if we tell Danil he would probably never want to see me again!" The thought was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
"That sounds like Danil," Parker said, remembering Danil's reaction to Lily.
Indeed, the two were very much alike. Anna's mannerisms, gestures, even her posture was nearly identical to her son's.
"Anya, Anya, shhh," Alexei said gently, taking her in his arms. "Shh… I promise, he won't hate you. It just has to come out in a certain way, it'll be fine."
"I can't do it," she said simply, pulling away slowly. "I won't do it. I'm sorry. I don't want them to know." She sighed. "I have to get home."
Alexei looked down guiltily. "All right," he said quietly. "I'll see you soon." They kissed, and Anya left, while Alexei sat back down and sighed.
"What did I just say?" he asked as the door closed.
Parker walked behind Anna as she went home. It was as if he were being pulled along by some invisible cord.
He followed her into a subway, and then to another apartment building. They went into another apartment, which was slightly smaller than the one he had been in previously. The living room had two soft chairs, a small old-fashioned television, most likely black and white, two tables, and pictures on the wall. The kitchen smelled of vanilla, and had a gas stove and oven, small refrigerator, sink and cabinets of course, and a wooden table with a floral tablecloth and four wooden chairs. Andrei was at the stove, pulling a cake out of the oven.
"I'm home," Anya said quietly.
Andrei smiled and set the cake down, then went to her and kissed her. "How was your day?"
Parker smiled, they seemed to love one another, but then why?
"It was well… how was yours?"
"Well, it was the same old thing, you know. Lots of cleaning as always." Of course Andrei was never happy with the job of janitor, but it paid the bills.
Anna sighed. "I know," she said, putting her arm around him. "Sit down, I'll make dinner."
"Already made," he said gently. "I wanted to do something special for some reason." He shrugged. "I love you." He kissed her. He had a surprise he couldn't wait to give her, but he wanted to wait for Danil to get home before giving it to her.
Parker began to wonder why he was here, seeing all this. He knew of Anna's affair, he knew that she loved Andrei...
The answer would not come yet. The conversation continued. Parker was unable to interfere even if he tried. "You're wonderful, Andrei…" Anna returned the kiss, then sighed guiltily. "Andrei, we need to talk."
Andrei smiled. "What's wrong, love?"
They sat down and Anna was quiet for a while before finally saying, "I love you. I know we've had our rough times but we've always stuck together. But I have to say… well… you know I was not entirely happy… with you…" She bowed her head.
"Don't tell him now," Parker said, but of course she didn't hear him. He knew how Andrei would react.
Andrei sighed softly. "I try, Anya. I try to support us so we can live at least a little comfortably. I know I'm not much… Just there aren't many good jobs out there."
"No, Andrei, I am content with you," Anya insisted, "at least now. But before I wasn't, and-" She broke off. How could she say this? "Andrei, I've been having an affair." There.
Parker cringed as she said those words. How would any man react? He wanted Andrei to take a deep breath and for once keep a cool head.
Andrei bowed his head, then looked up to the ceiling, trying to think. "Anya… I can't say I blame you," he said quietly. "I haven't been very kind to you."
"Yes, you have," she insisted.
"Then why?" Andrei exclaimed quietly. "If you were happy, then why? Who was it, how long did it last? Is it still going on?"
"It was-" She stopped. He'd kill her if he knew who it was. But her conscience would kill her if she didn't. With a sigh, she continued reluctantly. "It was with Alyosha. When I saw him again it was like… I discovered how much I still loved him. Five years ago, we started the affair, and it ended today."
Suddenly Parker knew what was happening. "No, no," he said, fear building in his voice. "No."
Parker knew where he was and what would happen, he knew he was right, he just didn't know why. Why was he seeing all this, why did he have to know, when would he be back?
Through tears, Andrei narrowed his eyes. He slammed his fist on the table. "Well… why did it end?" he asked quietly. "If you two loved each other so much."
"He wanted me to do something I didn't want to do," she said gently, taking his hand. "I couldn't do it."
Andrei removed his hand and stood up, turning his back to her.
"Don't leave her! You fool she chose you!" Parker yelled. "You can't leave!" He screamed until his throat felt raw.
Neither of them heard Parker's futile cries. "Andrei…" Anna begged softly, standing up, "please forgive me…"
Andrei looked at her, sighed, shook his head, and started walking to the bedroom. Anna followed.
"Andrei, I'm sorry," she said through her tears.
"It's too late for that," he said pulling out a suitcase.
"It isn't," Parker spat, bitterly. "How can you claim to love her and not give her any understanding?" he asked himself.
"Where are you going…" she asked, putting her hand on his arm.
"I'm leaving," he exclaimed, and threw her off him, causing her to be knocked into the wall. Clearly understanding was blocked from his mind.
"Andrei! Please!" she begged, sobbing as he hurriedly packed. "Danil, what about Danil?!"
Parker was outraged, and this man was now living a good life in his home. How could someone say I love you, then turn so cold, so malicious? "You leave now, and you're hands aren't clean in this."
"You should have thought of that before you had an affair, slut. Tell me, is Alexei the only one, or are there others? Any other illegitimate children you might have had? Is Danil even my son?" Andrei snapped.
"Of course he is!" she exclaimed. "How could you ever think that he isn't?"
Andrei glared at her. "How could I think that? Does the name Evgeny Alexeievich ring a bell?" He slapped her, slammed his suitcase shut, and stormed out.
"Don't be stupid man," Parker growled. "Anna, get Danil, leave, don't stay, please!"
Anna sobbed, lying on the floor. I'm alone, she thought. She stood up slowly, and sat on the bed. She reached over to the nightstand and clutched her rosary, given to her by her mother who got it from her church in Bratislava, Slovakia, years ago.
She did not hear or see Parker at all.
Suddenly, Parker appeared inside a car. He saw Yuri looking over some papers.
"So her name is what, Andropova now?"
The driver, Nikolai Taratov, nodded. "Yes, Anna Andropova, and she lives at that address. We'll ask if she has the rosary, if she would sell it, and we'll see how that goes."
"Stay away from her!" Parker took a swipe at Taratov's head.
The punch went right through Nikolai, "the confessor's" head.
"What if she gave it away?" one of the others asked.
"Then we'll see if we can track down the new owner, and the whole process begins again," Taratov replied annoyed.
Suddenly Parker found himself in the apartment again.
After a few minutes, the door opened.
"I'm home!" called the 12-year-old Danil, walking inside. He looked around at the empty living room. "Mama? Papa?" He walked to the kitchen. He smiled happily and went directly to the cake. "Cake! What's the occasion?" he wondered aloud. It wasn't a birthday or any other special day… Maybe it was for Nadya? Her birthday was the next day…
Parker smiled at the sight of Danil, he looked so different than when Parker had first met him. He looked happy.
Despite his great temptation, he decided to wait until he could eat it with his dear parents before he ate any of it, besides it might have been for Nadya. He walked to the bedroom and saw his mother sobbing. "Mama?" he asked in shock. "What's wrong? Where's Papa?" He sat next to her, and she looked at him and put her arms around him.
"Oh, dorogoy. I'm sorry." She sighed, drying her tears. "Lapushka, your papa and I had a fight. It's nothing, I promise, but I think things will be pretty strained for a while between us."
"You have no idea," Parker replied bitterly.
Danil looked at her carefully, and nodded. "It's okay, Mama. Everything will be fine, don't worry." He kissed her head, and hugged her. He tried to comfort her as best he could. He took her rosary and prayed with her, then set it in the nightstand drawer.
Danil went and took his mother to the kitchen. "Do you maybe want some cake?" he asked hesitantly. "Or is it for Nadya's birthday?"
Anna smiled sadly. "Why not. No, it's for us, but let's have dinner first, hm? I'll get it-"
"Nyet, Mama, you sit," he said gently. "I'll get it." He kissed her cheek. "I just have a feeling everything is going to be all right. Do you want to work on my short program choreography while we wait for him to come back?"
Anna smiled. "Well, we'll see. I don't think he'll be back tonight. Maybe tomorrow. But that's no reason why we can't work on it." Danil handed her a plate of cake and a sandwich, and went to get his. "Thank you," she said.
Parker's hand lightly shook, it would be happening soon. He didn't want to think about it. He wouldn't be able to change anything, so why was he here? He wanted to return to his home.
"You're welcome, Mama," Danil said as he sat down. Of course, neither of them knew Parker was there, or even who he was at that time.
After they finished the cake, Anna stood up. "All right, Danilka, let's get started." She hurriedly pulled her hair up into a tight bun, and waited for Danil to take his pose. "Okay, let's start with 'The Duel.' First we want to be looking down, then suddenly you look up on the bell tone there, and you fight!"
She demonstrated the footwork sequence, and Danil observed and mimicked her, making the hand movements his own.
Parker closed his eyes and wished himself home. "Show me no more," he said. But he was still there.
It didn't work for Scrooge, and didn't work for Parker.
A knock on the door disrupted the lesson.
"Who is it?" Anna called as she adjusted Danil's leg position. "Straighten your back, dear, maybe- no, arch it backwards, that's better. Who's there?" she called again.
"Excuse me, is Anna Andropova there?" Taratov asked in a friendly tone.
She went to the door, and opened it. "I am Anna Andropova." She looked at the four strange men, confused. "Is something wrong?"
Nikolai smiled. What a pretty young woman, in more ways than one. "Might we come in, Madame?"
"Certainly," she said, puzzled. "What is it that you want?"
"Get out of here!" Parker yelled, he swung at all of the men, and tried to push them out of the home, but none of it worked.
The man smiled and he and his three friends came in. He smiled at the boy, who stared at him in curiosity. "We're seeking a rosary that was… my father's," he lied. "He lost it, long ago, and all of a sudden it was at a church in Bratislava, and the priest there gave it to Martina Timchek, who gave it to her daughter, you."
Anna stared at him. "You've gone through a lot of trouble to find this out, it must be very serious. Is your father ill?"
"Do you still have the rosary, ma'am?" Nikolai asked gently.
"Yes," she replied.
"Where is it?" he asked looking at her expectantly. His friends snickered greedily.
"I'll go get it," Danil offered, going to his mother's room.
Parker watched, fearful of what could happen and any moment. "Just give them the rosary," he pleaded with Anna.
"Why do you want it?" was a question from Anna that made Danil pause in his tracks. Why did they go through all this trouble to find a simple rosary?
"My father left a will, he died not long ago, he wants to be buried with it," Nikolai replied.
Anna frowned. "Danilka, nyet," she said. "Sir, I'm sorry, but that sounds rather strange."
Danil stopped in the hallway and looked at them.
"Please, it is important to us," Nikolai said gently, trying to reason with her.
"I'm sorry, it's too dear to me," she insisted.
"Just give it to them," again Parker yelled. "Your life is more important."
Of course, poor Anna did not know that she would be murdered because she didn't give it to them. Nikolai and Yuri exchanged glances, and Yuri stood up and went to her. He looked at her for a moment, then slugged her.
"Mama!" Danil exclaimed rushing to her. Yuri was holding her. Nikolai's friendly demeanor was mostly gone.
"No!" Parker yelled. He wished someone would hear him. He wished he could do something. But he was helpless.
Parker could not possibly fathom the horror he was about to see unleashed on just one person.
"Where is the rosary?" he asked. "Give it to us."
"No!" she insisted fearfully. She received a punch in the stomach.
"What are you doing?! Let her go, please! I'll give it to you!" Danil insisted, and ran back to the hallway.
"Danilka, no!" Anna commanded. "They won't get it." A kick in the back of the knee was next, and she cried out in pain.
"Stop it!" Danil exclaimed, starting to cry. "Why are you doing this?"
Parker yelled, but no sound came from his lips.
"Hey, kid, get us the rosary and we'll leave you alone," Taratov said.
"Danil, no, please," Anya begged. She received a slap in the face. "They'll probably just kill us both anyway!" she exclaimed desperately.
"Get the rosary, boy," Yuri said, as one of their companions went into the kitchen and returned with a knife.
"Stop it," Danil cried softly, on his knees.
"No," Parker watched as Anna's face began to swell, and Danil watched hopelessly as his mother was beaten.
"Where's the rosary?" Taratov asked, taking the knife from his friend and showing it to Danil and Anna.
Danil thought fast. He couldn't remember what he did with it, in the heat of this moment. "It's in her room-"
"No!" Anna sobbed.
One of the men went past Danil, to look in the bedrooms. He came back a few minutes later. "It's not there," he said with a sneer.
"What?" Taratov glared at the woman, then at Danil. He stabbed Anna with the knife, and she cried out in pain.
"It's there! I swear," Danil exclaimed. "Stop it, let her go, leave us alone!"
Parker fell back against the wall when they stabbed Anna. Just like that, no care or concern. What did he think they were going to do? "No."
"You're sure it's not there?" Taratov asked the others.
"We looked everywhere-"
"Look again!" Nikolai ordered.
The other man went and looked, they turned the room practically upside-down, then looked in every other room, finding nothing. "It's not there," they said as they walked back. One of them grabbed Danil by the arm, who let out a terrified scream.
"Please, don't hurt me!" he begged as he was pulled to Taratov.
"Don't touch him!" Parker roared and swung his arms wildly. If he had connected he would have taken Taratov's head off.
"Stop!" Anna wailed. "You can have it, it is on the nightstand," she sobbed. "Just let my son go."
"It wasn't there!" Taratov screamed, stabbing her again, causing her and Danil to cry out. "Where is it?" he demanded.
"If it's not there, I don't know where it is," she managed to choke out. Yuri then threw her to the ground in frustration. The woman sobbed and cried out softly, but did not move.
Parker felt tears fall from his eyes. "WHY AM I SEEING THIS?" he cried. He wanted to heal Anna, protect Danil, and kill these men, but he couldn't do any of this.
"I'll look for it," Danil insisted. "It can't be far from there!"
Taratov looked at him, and nodded. "Go then."
Danil hurried to his mother's room, grabbed the matchbox on top of the nightstand, and looked inside… it was gone. Hearing his mother's screams of pain, he hurried to the phone and called Alexander Ugarov, and said simply, "Call the police, hurry," then hung up.
He rushed out to the hall, to find his mother lying motionless. He screamed in horror. "What did you do?!" he cried out, lunging at them.
"No, Danil!" He couldn't take much more of this. It was just to hard to watch, and not be able to save her.
Taratov grabbed the child by the hair, and Danil screamed. "You just killed her, boy. You weren't fast enough. Now, give us the rosary, and we'll let you live… maybe."
"I- I- I don't have it," he whispered. Taratov narrowed his eyes and slapped him hard. For Danil, it was harder than Shotsky had ever slapped him. Danil screamed once more and sobbed, fearfully looking up at the ceiling. Father in Heaven! He thought, Mama was right! They were going to kill him!
Parker's rage was boiling over, but there was nothing he could do.
Yuri picked up the knife and held it up to strike him. Danil's eyes widened in dread and terror, then shut tight and he braced himself to endure the pain of being stabbed.
Anna wailed and tried to get up, begging for them to leave her son alone.
"Take care of that bitch!" Taratov exclaimed.
Danil screamed, begged, and sobbed as the other two men went to his mother, and laid into her with knives and beating her. The shaking boy started praying softly. He shut his eyes as his mother was stabbed over and over, yet she continued fighting and begging for mercy on Danil. Danil tried to run to them to stop them, but Taratov grabbed his arm, lifting him off the ground.
"Nikolai, what do we do? She won't die!" Yuri exclaimed in horror. "Should we let her live?"
"YES!" Parker screamed. The horror was all to much for him. The screams in pain, Danil sobs, the blood.
"Oh, for God's sake," Taratov exclaimed, rolling his eyes. He threw Danil to the ground and went to the bloody woman. He put his hands over her nose and mouth, and smothered her, while Danil lay on the floor, shaking in shock.
"No!" he wailed as his precious mother's body sank to the floor. "Leave her alone!"
Parker screamed, unable to shield his eyes from the sight of them killing her. Unable to block out the sound of her begging for her son's life with her final breath, or the the sound of Danil's screams.
After a second or two, there was silence. "Is she dead?" one of them asked finally.
"I wouldn't take chances if I were you," Yuri said, and stabbed her three more times before Taratov halted him.
"Look, no clotting. She's dead." Everyone except Danil breathed a collective sigh of relief and exhaustion.
"She's dead," Parker cried, as he sank to the floor. Of course he knew Anna was dead, but this wasn't any easier to witness.
Yuri went to the boy, who was sobbing and trying to talk at the same time.
"You- you- k- kill- killed my m- m- m- mother," the child whispered, on the verge of hyperventilating. "W- w- w- w- why?" Of course he received no answer or sign of any kind. He lay there, trying to make sense of it all.
Even though he knew Danil would not feel it, Parker walked over to the boy and tried to comfort him.
Yuri reached back his hand, clutching the knife. Danil gasped and shut his eyes. He braced himself again, and committed himself to Heaven.
"Let's finish this, so we can search the place in peace."
Parker stood between the boy and the man with the knife. He doesn't die here, Parker was sure of this, but still.
"Don't," Taratov said, placing his hand on Yuri's. "Leave him be. You can go-" Police sirens were heard nearby, though they still sounded far enough off for them to get away. One of them rushed to the door and went outside the door for a few moments. He came running back immediately.
"Militia!"
"Damn!" Taratov said. "We'd better go. Come on, let's hurry!"
"What about the brat?" Yuri asked.
Parker took no comfort in knowing that their fate was sealed.
Taratov stepped on Danil's chest so he could not get up.
Danil gasped and sobbed in fear. He looked up at his mother's killers, and whispered, "Please don't hurt me…"
Taratov sneered. "We have not seen the last of each other. We'll be back, and we'll get the rosary. One way… or another. Let's hurry!" he cried, rushing out the door with his friends.
Parker stared in shock at Anna's lifeless body.
It was hard to believe that only three days had passed, because it seemed like an eternity.
Andrei sighed and closed his Bible for the day. He leaned down and kissed Danil's forehead, and looked at Parker. "It's late, we should get some sleep," he said gently.
"I agree," Parker said. "He has more color in his face today," he looked down at Danil. "That has to be a good sign. "
Andrei sighed. "We can only hope," he said shaking his head.
"Well, good night," he said gently, hugging him. Then he wheeled himself to his room.
"I know you'll be better," Parker said to Danil. "You just need time." He sighed, and stared into the blank face of the young man. "Goodnight," he said, and turned to go to his room.
What Parker saw when he stepped into his bedroom gave him a shock. It wasn't his bed, but two beds, and the room was smaller too, and much different. One bed was clearly a little girl's, with a girlish white lacy bedspread, and stuffed animals on the pillow, and some dolls as well. On the other side of the bed near the wall, a bookshelf with some little-girl-type makeup, doll's clothes and accessories, and other things like that. The other bed had a blue bedspread, with stuffed animals on it as well, but not as many. Near the wall on the opposite side of this bed was another bookshelf. This one was filled with figure skating trophies and medals from all eras of a skater's career. It can be assumed that the owner was a young man, perhaps Danil's age, perhaps younger. Most everything was from novice and junior level, with a few minor senior medals and trophies, mainly bronze. There were quite a lot of gold medals in the novice level. Nearly every competition known to a Russian novice had been won by this man. The junior medals were gold and silver, but there weren't as many as the novice. In between both beds, a small white nightstand sat, with pictures on it and a single lamp. The pictures were of Zhenya and Nadya, though they both looked much younger than the present.
The scent of potato pancakes filled Parker's nose. As he crept towards the entrance to the small room, he heard voices. Despite the fact that the voices were in Russian, somehow he was able to understand it completely.
"Anna?" He said out loud, but quickly covered his mouth. They didn't ever stir. "Can you hear me?" No. He walked closer, trying to better hear the conversation.
When Parker got closer, he saws that in a nearby kitchen, Anna Andropova and Alexei Potemerenko were just finishing lunch. Of course, he only recognized Anna.
Sighing, Anna said, "I wish things could be better for you and the kids, Lyosha."
Alexei nodded with a sigh of his own, leaning back in the small wooden chair. "It's hard. I thought after 1998 she would be all right, but now there's a bit of a relapse thanks to Tanya's death. At least all she does is cry, but believe me, that's enough sometimes."
"I know it is hard," she said gently, walking over to him and putting her arms around him. "I wish I could lessen the burden, my eagle."
Alexei smiled and kissed her gently. "You do, my love." The two smiled, then Alexei turned serious. "Anya… I've been thinking… about us. Will you marry me?"
"She's married," Parker said disapprovingly. But he couldn't blame Alexei, Anna was a warm and wonderful woman.
Anna stared at him. "Alyoshka, I am already married," she said once she got over her shock.
"And you're totally miserable, like I am with Maria," he pointed out. "We're only happy when we're with our children, or together. So let's divorce Andrei and Maria and get married."
Anna moved away from him, shaking her head. "I can't do that," she said quietly. "I am not entirely miserable; Andrei is a good man, he supports me, and Danil. I can't just tell him that I want a divorce… and what would happen with Danilka if I do?"
"Take him with you... What am I saying," Parker said to himself.
Of course, neither person noticed Parker at all, even though Anna was facing Parker directly. Alexei bowed his head guiltily. "I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking about that. I know I should have been but it was the furthest from my mind."
Anna couldn't help folding her arms. "What about Zhenya, and Nadya?"
"They would be better off away from her," he said with a sigh. "Besides, maybe it is time we told them the truth about them."
Anna shook her head. "Danil would never forgive me! Don't you understand, if we tell Danil he would probably never want to see me again!" The thought was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
"That sounds like Danil," Parker said, remembering Danil's reaction to Lily.
Indeed, the two were very much alike. Anna's mannerisms, gestures, even her posture was nearly identical to her son's.
"Anya, Anya, shhh," Alexei said gently, taking her in his arms. "Shh… I promise, he won't hate you. It just has to come out in a certain way, it'll be fine."
"I can't do it," she said simply, pulling away slowly. "I won't do it. I'm sorry. I don't want them to know." She sighed. "I have to get home."
Alexei looked down guiltily. "All right," he said quietly. "I'll see you soon." They kissed, and Anya left, while Alexei sat back down and sighed.
"What did I just say?" he asked as the door closed.
Parker walked behind Anna as she went home. It was as if he were being pulled along by some invisible cord.
He followed her into a subway, and then to another apartment building. They went into another apartment, which was slightly smaller than the one he had been in previously. The living room had two soft chairs, a small old-fashioned television, most likely black and white, two tables, and pictures on the wall. The kitchen smelled of vanilla, and had a gas stove and oven, small refrigerator, sink and cabinets of course, and a wooden table with a floral tablecloth and four wooden chairs. Andrei was at the stove, pulling a cake out of the oven.
"I'm home," Anya said quietly.
Andrei smiled and set the cake down, then went to her and kissed her. "How was your day?"
Parker smiled, they seemed to love one another, but then why?
"It was well… how was yours?"
"Well, it was the same old thing, you know. Lots of cleaning as always." Of course Andrei was never happy with the job of janitor, but it paid the bills.
Anna sighed. "I know," she said, putting her arm around him. "Sit down, I'll make dinner."
"Already made," he said gently. "I wanted to do something special for some reason." He shrugged. "I love you." He kissed her. He had a surprise he couldn't wait to give her, but he wanted to wait for Danil to get home before giving it to her.
Parker began to wonder why he was here, seeing all this. He knew of Anna's affair, he knew that she loved Andrei...
The answer would not come yet. The conversation continued. Parker was unable to interfere even if he tried. "You're wonderful, Andrei…" Anna returned the kiss, then sighed guiltily. "Andrei, we need to talk."
Andrei smiled. "What's wrong, love?"
They sat down and Anna was quiet for a while before finally saying, "I love you. I know we've had our rough times but we've always stuck together. But I have to say… well… you know I was not entirely happy… with you…" She bowed her head.
"Don't tell him now," Parker said, but of course she didn't hear him. He knew how Andrei would react.
Andrei sighed softly. "I try, Anya. I try to support us so we can live at least a little comfortably. I know I'm not much… Just there aren't many good jobs out there."
"No, Andrei, I am content with you," Anya insisted, "at least now. But before I wasn't, and-" She broke off. How could she say this? "Andrei, I've been having an affair." There.
Parker cringed as she said those words. How would any man react? He wanted Andrei to take a deep breath and for once keep a cool head.
Andrei bowed his head, then looked up to the ceiling, trying to think. "Anya… I can't say I blame you," he said quietly. "I haven't been very kind to you."
"Yes, you have," she insisted.
"Then why?" Andrei exclaimed quietly. "If you were happy, then why? Who was it, how long did it last? Is it still going on?"
"It was-" She stopped. He'd kill her if he knew who it was. But her conscience would kill her if she didn't. With a sigh, she continued reluctantly. "It was with Alyosha. When I saw him again it was like… I discovered how much I still loved him. Five years ago, we started the affair, and it ended today."
Suddenly Parker knew what was happening. "No, no," he said, fear building in his voice. "No."
Parker knew where he was and what would happen, he knew he was right, he just didn't know why. Why was he seeing all this, why did he have to know, when would he be back?
Through tears, Andrei narrowed his eyes. He slammed his fist on the table. "Well… why did it end?" he asked quietly. "If you two loved each other so much."
"He wanted me to do something I didn't want to do," she said gently, taking his hand. "I couldn't do it."
Andrei removed his hand and stood up, turning his back to her.
"Don't leave her! You fool she chose you!" Parker yelled. "You can't leave!" He screamed until his throat felt raw.
Neither of them heard Parker's futile cries. "Andrei…" Anna begged softly, standing up, "please forgive me…"
Andrei looked at her, sighed, shook his head, and started walking to the bedroom. Anna followed.
"Andrei, I'm sorry," she said through her tears.
"It's too late for that," he said pulling out a suitcase.
"It isn't," Parker spat, bitterly. "How can you claim to love her and not give her any understanding?" he asked himself.
"Where are you going…" she asked, putting her hand on his arm.
"I'm leaving," he exclaimed, and threw her off him, causing her to be knocked into the wall. Clearly understanding was blocked from his mind.
"Andrei! Please!" she begged, sobbing as he hurriedly packed. "Danil, what about Danil?!"
Parker was outraged, and this man was now living a good life in his home. How could someone say I love you, then turn so cold, so malicious? "You leave now, and you're hands aren't clean in this."
"You should have thought of that before you had an affair, slut. Tell me, is Alexei the only one, or are there others? Any other illegitimate children you might have had? Is Danil even my son?" Andrei snapped.
"Of course he is!" she exclaimed. "How could you ever think that he isn't?"
Andrei glared at her. "How could I think that? Does the name Evgeny Alexeievich ring a bell?" He slapped her, slammed his suitcase shut, and stormed out.
"Don't be stupid man," Parker growled. "Anna, get Danil, leave, don't stay, please!"
Anna sobbed, lying on the floor. I'm alone, she thought. She stood up slowly, and sat on the bed. She reached over to the nightstand and clutched her rosary, given to her by her mother who got it from her church in Bratislava, Slovakia, years ago.
She did not hear or see Parker at all.
Suddenly, Parker appeared inside a car. He saw Yuri looking over some papers.
"So her name is what, Andropova now?"
The driver, Nikolai Taratov, nodded. "Yes, Anna Andropova, and she lives at that address. We'll ask if she has the rosary, if she would sell it, and we'll see how that goes."
"Stay away from her!" Parker took a swipe at Taratov's head.
The punch went right through Nikolai, "the confessor's" head.
"What if she gave it away?" one of the others asked.
"Then we'll see if we can track down the new owner, and the whole process begins again," Taratov replied annoyed.
Suddenly Parker found himself in the apartment again.
After a few minutes, the door opened.
"I'm home!" called the 12-year-old Danil, walking inside. He looked around at the empty living room. "Mama? Papa?" He walked to the kitchen. He smiled happily and went directly to the cake. "Cake! What's the occasion?" he wondered aloud. It wasn't a birthday or any other special day… Maybe it was for Nadya? Her birthday was the next day…
Parker smiled at the sight of Danil, he looked so different than when Parker had first met him. He looked happy.
Despite his great temptation, he decided to wait until he could eat it with his dear parents before he ate any of it, besides it might have been for Nadya. He walked to the bedroom and saw his mother sobbing. "Mama?" he asked in shock. "What's wrong? Where's Papa?" He sat next to her, and she looked at him and put her arms around him.
"Oh, dorogoy. I'm sorry." She sighed, drying her tears. "Lapushka, your papa and I had a fight. It's nothing, I promise, but I think things will be pretty strained for a while between us."
"You have no idea," Parker replied bitterly.
Danil looked at her carefully, and nodded. "It's okay, Mama. Everything will be fine, don't worry." He kissed her head, and hugged her. He tried to comfort her as best he could. He took her rosary and prayed with her, then set it in the nightstand drawer.
Danil went and took his mother to the kitchen. "Do you maybe want some cake?" he asked hesitantly. "Or is it for Nadya's birthday?"
Anna smiled sadly. "Why not. No, it's for us, but let's have dinner first, hm? I'll get it-"
"Nyet, Mama, you sit," he said gently. "I'll get it." He kissed her cheek. "I just have a feeling everything is going to be all right. Do you want to work on my short program choreography while we wait for him to come back?"
Anna smiled. "Well, we'll see. I don't think he'll be back tonight. Maybe tomorrow. But that's no reason why we can't work on it." Danil handed her a plate of cake and a sandwich, and went to get his. "Thank you," she said.
Parker's hand lightly shook, it would be happening soon. He didn't want to think about it. He wouldn't be able to change anything, so why was he here? He wanted to return to his home.
"You're welcome, Mama," Danil said as he sat down. Of course, neither of them knew Parker was there, or even who he was at that time.
After they finished the cake, Anna stood up. "All right, Danilka, let's get started." She hurriedly pulled her hair up into a tight bun, and waited for Danil to take his pose. "Okay, let's start with 'The Duel.' First we want to be looking down, then suddenly you look up on the bell tone there, and you fight!"
She demonstrated the footwork sequence, and Danil observed and mimicked her, making the hand movements his own.
Parker closed his eyes and wished himself home. "Show me no more," he said. But he was still there.
It didn't work for Scrooge, and didn't work for Parker.
A knock on the door disrupted the lesson.
"Who is it?" Anna called as she adjusted Danil's leg position. "Straighten your back, dear, maybe- no, arch it backwards, that's better. Who's there?" she called again.
"Excuse me, is Anna Andropova there?" Taratov asked in a friendly tone.
She went to the door, and opened it. "I am Anna Andropova." She looked at the four strange men, confused. "Is something wrong?"
Nikolai smiled. What a pretty young woman, in more ways than one. "Might we come in, Madame?"
"Certainly," she said, puzzled. "What is it that you want?"
"Get out of here!" Parker yelled, he swung at all of the men, and tried to push them out of the home, but none of it worked.
The man smiled and he and his three friends came in. He smiled at the boy, who stared at him in curiosity. "We're seeking a rosary that was… my father's," he lied. "He lost it, long ago, and all of a sudden it was at a church in Bratislava, and the priest there gave it to Martina Timchek, who gave it to her daughter, you."
Anna stared at him. "You've gone through a lot of trouble to find this out, it must be very serious. Is your father ill?"
"Do you still have the rosary, ma'am?" Nikolai asked gently.
"Yes," she replied.
"Where is it?" he asked looking at her expectantly. His friends snickered greedily.
"I'll go get it," Danil offered, going to his mother's room.
Parker watched, fearful of what could happen and any moment. "Just give them the rosary," he pleaded with Anna.
"Why do you want it?" was a question from Anna that made Danil pause in his tracks. Why did they go through all this trouble to find a simple rosary?
"My father left a will, he died not long ago, he wants to be buried with it," Nikolai replied.
Anna frowned. "Danilka, nyet," she said. "Sir, I'm sorry, but that sounds rather strange."
Danil stopped in the hallway and looked at them.
"Please, it is important to us," Nikolai said gently, trying to reason with her.
"I'm sorry, it's too dear to me," she insisted.
"Just give it to them," again Parker yelled. "Your life is more important."
Of course, poor Anna did not know that she would be murdered because she didn't give it to them. Nikolai and Yuri exchanged glances, and Yuri stood up and went to her. He looked at her for a moment, then slugged her.
"Mama!" Danil exclaimed rushing to her. Yuri was holding her. Nikolai's friendly demeanor was mostly gone.
"No!" Parker yelled. He wished someone would hear him. He wished he could do something. But he was helpless.
Parker could not possibly fathom the horror he was about to see unleashed on just one person.
"Where is the rosary?" he asked. "Give it to us."
"No!" she insisted fearfully. She received a punch in the stomach.
"What are you doing?! Let her go, please! I'll give it to you!" Danil insisted, and ran back to the hallway.
"Danilka, no!" Anna commanded. "They won't get it." A kick in the back of the knee was next, and she cried out in pain.
"Stop it!" Danil exclaimed, starting to cry. "Why are you doing this?"
Parker yelled, but no sound came from his lips.
"Hey, kid, get us the rosary and we'll leave you alone," Taratov said.
"Danil, no, please," Anya begged. She received a slap in the face. "They'll probably just kill us both anyway!" she exclaimed desperately.
"Get the rosary, boy," Yuri said, as one of their companions went into the kitchen and returned with a knife.
"Stop it," Danil cried softly, on his knees.
"No," Parker watched as Anna's face began to swell, and Danil watched hopelessly as his mother was beaten.
"Where's the rosary?" Taratov asked, taking the knife from his friend and showing it to Danil and Anna.
Danil thought fast. He couldn't remember what he did with it, in the heat of this moment. "It's in her room-"
"No!" Anna sobbed.
One of the men went past Danil, to look in the bedrooms. He came back a few minutes later. "It's not there," he said with a sneer.
"What?" Taratov glared at the woman, then at Danil. He stabbed Anna with the knife, and she cried out in pain.
"It's there! I swear," Danil exclaimed. "Stop it, let her go, leave us alone!"
Parker fell back against the wall when they stabbed Anna. Just like that, no care or concern. What did he think they were going to do? "No."
"You're sure it's not there?" Taratov asked the others.
"We looked everywhere-"
"Look again!" Nikolai ordered.
The other man went and looked, they turned the room practically upside-down, then looked in every other room, finding nothing. "It's not there," they said as they walked back. One of them grabbed Danil by the arm, who let out a terrified scream.
"Please, don't hurt me!" he begged as he was pulled to Taratov.
"Don't touch him!" Parker roared and swung his arms wildly. If he had connected he would have taken Taratov's head off.
"Stop!" Anna wailed. "You can have it, it is on the nightstand," she sobbed. "Just let my son go."
"It wasn't there!" Taratov screamed, stabbing her again, causing her and Danil to cry out. "Where is it?" he demanded.
"If it's not there, I don't know where it is," she managed to choke out. Yuri then threw her to the ground in frustration. The woman sobbed and cried out softly, but did not move.
Parker felt tears fall from his eyes. "WHY AM I SEEING THIS?" he cried. He wanted to heal Anna, protect Danil, and kill these men, but he couldn't do any of this.
"I'll look for it," Danil insisted. "It can't be far from there!"
Taratov looked at him, and nodded. "Go then."
Danil hurried to his mother's room, grabbed the matchbox on top of the nightstand, and looked inside… it was gone. Hearing his mother's screams of pain, he hurried to the phone and called Alexander Ugarov, and said simply, "Call the police, hurry," then hung up.
He rushed out to the hall, to find his mother lying motionless. He screamed in horror. "What did you do?!" he cried out, lunging at them.
"No, Danil!" He couldn't take much more of this. It was just to hard to watch, and not be able to save her.
Taratov grabbed the child by the hair, and Danil screamed. "You just killed her, boy. You weren't fast enough. Now, give us the rosary, and we'll let you live… maybe."
"I- I- I don't have it," he whispered. Taratov narrowed his eyes and slapped him hard. For Danil, it was harder than Shotsky had ever slapped him. Danil screamed once more and sobbed, fearfully looking up at the ceiling. Father in Heaven! He thought, Mama was right! They were going to kill him!
Parker's rage was boiling over, but there was nothing he could do.
Yuri picked up the knife and held it up to strike him. Danil's eyes widened in dread and terror, then shut tight and he braced himself to endure the pain of being stabbed.
Anna wailed and tried to get up, begging for them to leave her son alone.
"Take care of that bitch!" Taratov exclaimed.
Danil screamed, begged, and sobbed as the other two men went to his mother, and laid into her with knives and beating her. The shaking boy started praying softly. He shut his eyes as his mother was stabbed over and over, yet she continued fighting and begging for mercy on Danil. Danil tried to run to them to stop them, but Taratov grabbed his arm, lifting him off the ground.
"Nikolai, what do we do? She won't die!" Yuri exclaimed in horror. "Should we let her live?"
"YES!" Parker screamed. The horror was all to much for him. The screams in pain, Danil sobs, the blood.
"Oh, for God's sake," Taratov exclaimed, rolling his eyes. He threw Danil to the ground and went to the bloody woman. He put his hands over her nose and mouth, and smothered her, while Danil lay on the floor, shaking in shock.
"No!" he wailed as his precious mother's body sank to the floor. "Leave her alone!"
Parker screamed, unable to shield his eyes from the sight of them killing her. Unable to block out the sound of her begging for her son's life with her final breath, or the the sound of Danil's screams.
After a second or two, there was silence. "Is she dead?" one of them asked finally.
"I wouldn't take chances if I were you," Yuri said, and stabbed her three more times before Taratov halted him.
"Look, no clotting. She's dead." Everyone except Danil breathed a collective sigh of relief and exhaustion.
"She's dead," Parker cried, as he sank to the floor. Of course he knew Anna was dead, but this wasn't any easier to witness.
Yuri went to the boy, who was sobbing and trying to talk at the same time.
"You- you- k- kill- killed my m- m- m- mother," the child whispered, on the verge of hyperventilating. "W- w- w- w- why?" Of course he received no answer or sign of any kind. He lay there, trying to make sense of it all.
Even though he knew Danil would not feel it, Parker walked over to the boy and tried to comfort him.
Yuri reached back his hand, clutching the knife. Danil gasped and shut his eyes. He braced himself again, and committed himself to Heaven.
"Let's finish this, so we can search the place in peace."
Parker stood between the boy and the man with the knife. He doesn't die here, Parker was sure of this, but still.
"Don't," Taratov said, placing his hand on Yuri's. "Leave him be. You can go-" Police sirens were heard nearby, though they still sounded far enough off for them to get away. One of them rushed to the door and went outside the door for a few moments. He came running back immediately.
"Militia!"
"Damn!" Taratov said. "We'd better go. Come on, let's hurry!"
"What about the brat?" Yuri asked.
Parker took no comfort in knowing that their fate was sealed.
Taratov stepped on Danil's chest so he could not get up.
Danil gasped and sobbed in fear. He looked up at his mother's killers, and whispered, "Please don't hurt me…"
Taratov sneered. "We have not seen the last of each other. We'll be back, and we'll get the rosary. One way… or another. Let's hurry!" he cried, rushing out the door with his friends.
Parker stared in shock at Anna's lifeless body.
