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*~*~* Daniel *~*~*

I slept restlessly. My body ached distantly, my dreams were haunted by dark shadows and I could no longer feel Darren�s presence. When I woke, someone new to me was in the room. New, yet he seemed somehow familiar. I looked at him with wide eyes.

�You don�t need to worry, Daniel.� He said. �I just came in to check on you. I�m not going to hurt you. I just helped you and Darren escape.�

�He what?� �Why?� I asked. �Why would you do that?�

�Darren� Darren is my son. When I found out what had happened to his mother, I began trying to plan how to get him back. It was luck that I was the pilot who brought him to the island. I shudder to think what might have happened to him if I hadn�t been there to rescue him� to rescue you.�

�But� why?� It was all I could think of to ask. �I�why me?�

�Daniel, no one deserves to be treated like you have. Not even that god damned bastard Hayes.� He said ruthlessly. �But even without you needing my help, there�s another reason I would have rescued you.�

�Why?� I whispered.

�Because I believe Darren loves you.�

�Loves me?� �He�he loves me?� Was it possible? Could anyone love me? �But�but how? My own parents didn�t love me� why would he?� Confusion filled my thoughts.

Before he could answer me Darren appeared, his eyes wide with fear. Moments later I knew why. My master, William Hayes the third, came in behind him, holding a gun to his head.

�Daniel! So good to see you again. I was devastated when I learned that Anton had stolen you and Darren from me. I�ve missed your body, Daniel. I�ll make good use of it before we leave today.�

A shiver ran up my spine from the sound of his voice and I�m sure my eyes betrayed my fear, because his cackling laughter brought a chill to my very soul.

�And Anton. I owe you for so much� I�ll be sure to pay you in full today.�

�No, please! Don�t hurt them. I�ll come with you. I�I�ll be whatever you want me to be� willingly! Just, please� don�t hurt them.� Darren begged, tears glistened in his eyes as he looked at me.

�Willingly?� Hayes sneered. �Then tie Anton up while I avail myself of Daniel�s services one last time.� He rubbed the gun along my temple. �Better yet, you come here, and take Daniel first!� He yanked the needle from my arm and roughly pulled me
around on the bed. I grit my teeth as he ran his hands over my arse and tore off the boxers Darren had put on me when the doctor had finished.

�He�s really a very good fuck, Darren. Perhaps I�ll let you bring him back with us� I might even consider sharing him with you.�

I shivered but remained quiet. How many times had he done this in the last five years? I never knew what he�d do and I�d never seen him quite like this.

�You know, Daniel�. I just might fuck you with this gun��

�Father,� I heard Darren say from behind me.

�Yes, son?�

�I�I was hoping we�d take Daniel with us� that he could be mine, please?�

I began to tremble from the sound of Darren�s voice. It was so suggestive, so depraved.

�Show me! Prove to me you can do it, that you�re not just saying what I want to hear.�

I began to shake as another set of hands touched me. I�m not sure what happened next, but I heard the sound of air being harshly expelled and stumbling footsteps.

�You ungrateful little bastard!� I heard Hayes scream.

I moaned as hands pulled me from my uncomfortable position on the bed. �Darren.� I whimpered but he held me to him as scuffling sounds filled the room, assured me he would never, ever hurt me like he wanted.
 

*~*~* Anton Caplan *~*~*

William Hayes. The bastard must have known about us all along. How else could he have found us so quickly?

Why had I ever thought this place safe? I watched as he marched Darren in and I felt a chill settle in the pit of my stomach. Silently I observed the interaction between him and Hayes.

I moved aside a step or two when Hayes motioned with the gun. I felt for Daniel when he began to shiver as Darren ran his hands over now bared flesh. He nearly had me believing he was going to follow through with it.

Suddenly Darren jabbed his elbow into Hayes� considerable gut. He put all his weight into it. Air whooshed out of his lungs in a startled gasp as he stumbled back.

�You ungrateful little bastard!� Hayes screamed and struggled to regain his balance as he brought the gun to bear on my son.

Darren pulled Daniel�s vulnerable body from the bed and drew him into an embrace, his own body turned to shield Daniel from his father�s considerable wrath.

I lunged for Hayes� right arm, throwing off his aim. The bullet hit the ceiling somewhere over our heads. We wrestled for control of the gun, another shot going off as we did so. I prayed it missed the boys. For a man who�d lived a soft, indulgent life, he was surprisingly strong.

�I�ll make you pay, Anton!� he promised, spittle flying from his lips as the gun went off again. The concussion surprised us both this time. Our struggles paused in that same way they always do in fights between good and evil, and his rictus grin sent shivers through me.

He fell to his knees. I kept my hands on his, pressing the gun down and away, trying to determine if I had been injured and he was simply tired, or�

The gun fell from his limp fingers as he toppled over onto the floor. I looked around myself. Darren was looking at us, wide-eyed. Daniel cowered between him and the bed from their position on the floor.

�Darren, I�m sorry you had to see this� I�m so sorry��
 

*~*~* William Hayes III *~*~*

That strange feeling that I had on the plane returned to me. The world seemed to move slowly around me. Darren�s face appeared above me, lips moving but the sound distorted. There were tears glistening on his cheeks. Tears for me? Then Anton�s face appeared�what Darren would no doubt look like years from now. Hate rushed through me and I tried to make a grab for him but the air rushed from my chest and my hand feel feebly at my side. Oh God the pain in my chest was relentless! A dull throbbing that seemed to course through my body. It�s your penance. A voice in my head whispered. For the pain you inflicted on those you claimed to love, Darren and your wife. For the pain you caused countless slaves, for Daniel. For your evil.  I knew that voice it was her!

�I�m not evil!� I tried to shout but it came out a groan. Darren rooted for my hand and said something. His words were lost by the buzzing noise in my head. The taste of iron filled my mouth, I felt it spurt out onto my lips. Blood!

He did this to me! I�d make him pay. He took my wife, my son, and my slaves. My free hand searched for the gun that I�d lost. �I�ll kill you!� I slurred as Anton looked on, an almost bemused pity in his eyes.

�Try not to talk.� His voice reached through the buzzing. �You�re dying.� There was no emotion at this, just matter-of-factly.

�Darren? Darren?� My eyes searched for him and I felt self-loathing for my whimpering tones.

�I�m here.� He squeezed my hand and then looked back at Daniel.

�Don�t send him your loving looks! He�s nothing more then a slave!� I hissed through the pain. �Don�t throw your life away, Darren. You could be so powerful��

�Like you?� He sneered. �I love Daniel. I won�t let you hurt him anymore.� His eyes shone with tears.

�Just like your mother. Christ, a family of lunatics.�

�Maybe even a little bit of his father too?� Anton interjected and I shot him a blood stained snarl.

�The Doctor�s coming�� Darren�s voice continued but I wasn�t interested.

�You think she loved you, Pilot?� I spat, glaring at Anton.

�I know she did, more then she ever loved you. That�s why you killed her. If I had my way I�d leave you to die. But that would make me as low as you.�

�You know nothing. I never killed her.� I tried to laugh but intense pain stopped me. I had to tell them now, there would be no later. �That night, the night she died. She was leaving me�for you. I wouldn�t let her go. Darren was mine godamnit!� I groaned from the pain.

�He�s not up to this. You have to stop talking William.� Anton warned.

�No�Please, I need to know.� I turned to face Darren and smiled bitterly.

�And you will know,� I sneered. �She said she was leaving me. Just like that, for some fly in the pan affair.�

�One that lasted twelve years.� Anton muttered.

�She got hysterical, got my gun from the study. I didn�t care, there was no way she�d kill me and I told her so. Told her the punishments for disobeying. The punishments for those she loved.� I froze as the pain seemed to dim. �She said �I pray to God that Darren never learns what a evil horror of a man you are.� She raised the gun to her temple and ended her life. With the gun you just used to end mine.� Anton shook his head at my words, tears flowing.

�She� killed herself?� Darren asked, his voice anguished.

�Her last words Darren. They were for you �Tell him I love him.�� I gripped his hand and stared into his eyes.

�You never told me.� He whispered.

�I�m telling you now. It�s not too late for you, Darren! Don�t go down this path. You could be so much! So powerful!�

�I don�t want to be you!� He sobbed. In the distance I heard sirens.

�I�ve made mistakes which I can�t atone for, but I regret nothing. Except, perhaps, that I never got to be your father�or the
father you wanted me to be.� I was fading fast. �Your mother loved you, Darren. And so do I.� I closed my eyes and the pain seemed to die for a moment and then out of the blackness she came. Annabel-Lee. She motioned to me, smiling gently. Rising in the blackness I went to her, taking her hand in mine.

I see the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee


Her hand slipped from mine. I stared at her in confusion. A wind seemed to grow all around me as I stared into her beautiful eyes. She smiled sadly, pitifully and then she faded. �Annabel? Where are you?� She�d left me alone! Alone in this infinite black.  A scream built in my throat and as I fell to my knees in that black void, I unleashed it.

Somewhere in the darkness I heard Darren�s voice say, �Is it finished?�


*~*~* Darren *~*~*

 
�It�s finished.� Anton replied. I stumbled as I tried to rise. My emotions were too much to bear, I had to get out!
 
�Let me by Anton, let me by!� He gripped me by my shoulders and my knees gave way. Clutching my head to his belly he repeated my name over and over as he caressed my hair.

�Darren, you mustn�t feel guilty for your actions. William was an evil man but you grew up believing he was your father. No matter what his failings you still loved him. It�s your right to grieve.�

�Whether I loved him or not, it wasn�t enough, was it? Look at what he did to all of us? Just look at Daniel.� I glanced at him and was hurt by the accusation and confusion in his eyes. He dropped his gaze respectively, almost fearfully. Flinching, I remembered the feel of his shaking frame under my palms as I touched him. No wonder he hated me! When he looked at me he�d remember all the pain William had caused him and wonder whether that evil lurked in me. How could I ever repay the crimes that my father and his henchmen done to him?
 
�Daniel?� I whispered, tears running down my face. He continued to stare at the floor and I closed my eyes in defeat.
 
�The ambulance is here. They�ll want to take away the body.� Anton announced.

The body? That�s all that remained of the monster. The monster who had served for twenty-one years as my father. I felt numb all over thinking about it. It pained me to believe my mother's death was self-inflicted, that her hate for him was so strong that she couldn�t live with him. Couldn�t live for me. My own mother hadn�t wanted me. Anton, my real father, had been in hiding for nine years! Why would Daniel want me? I was a constant reminder of all those years of pain.

I watched as the paramedics zipped up the body bag my father lay in. I felt dizzy, a nausea in my stomach overcoming me.

 
�The police will want statements Darren, Daniel are you both up to it?� Anton asked.

�We were here on vacation. William, my father broke in. He was crazy. He beat up Daniel and kept us hostage here all night. He tried to shoot me and I managed to pry the gun from his hands, inadvertently shooting him in the process. That�s our story. Understood?� I looked back at Daniel. �Understood?� I repeated. He nodded his ascent and I tore my gaze away.

�Darren you can�t take the blame��Anton began.

�You don�t seem to understand, Anton. My father, a multi-millionaire just died. And I�m the only heir. I can do anything I want.� I turned to Daniel again and this time he meet my eyes. �Excuse me.� I left them there, gaping after me.

Reaching the bathroom I slammed the door shut and sank to my knees. Better this way, better they hate me. I can break off contact and they can go on with their lives. I�d only bring them pain, it was all I was good for. Sobbing, I bit on my fist in an effort to conceal my pain.

It�s better this way.

�You�re not fooling anyone, Darren.� Anton�s voice through the wood.

�Go away, Anton. Please.� I whispered my request afraid my voice would break.

�You�re not William, Darren. You never will be. It�s not in your blood. Let me in now.� Almost against my will I opened the door and met his worried eyes. He sat down beside me and smiled sadly.

�There�s a young man on the other side of that door that needs your help Darren.�

�What help could I bring? I�m a Hayes, that�s the last thing he could want.�

�Darren, you were prepared to risk everything for him, even death. I saw how you covered his body with your own when the bullets started flying. Right now he�s lost and afraid and alone. I was able to rescue you and him from the island, but only physically. Mentally? Emotionally? He�s still there. You need to show him he�s not a slave any more, but a man. A man you love.� He stared down at me solemnly and my mouth grew dry.

�I don�t know if��

�Oh Darren, please,� he interrupted. �I saw the way you looked at him. I used to look at your mother like that. Atrocities were done to him on that island, don�t commit another by leaving him now.�

�I know what he�s been through��

�How can you? You were there barely a week; and yes it was hard and soul destroying, but imagine how long he has had to endure it? My God, Darren did you see those scars? Never mind the emotional ones.� He shook his head in sorrow. �Be there for him.�

�I want to. More than anything. I love him�I can�t explain it but I really do.�

�Give up this idea of turning yourself in to the police. How will that look? A wealthy father murdered by his heir? We tell the truth. About everything.�

�No, not about the island.� I insisted.

�Darren you can�t let that place continue. It�s evil!�

We sat silently a moment.

�Here is what I think we should do. Tell them most of the truth. That Hayes beat Daniel terribly and we helped him to escape, but Hayes followed and tried to kill us.�

�But why? What�s his motive? And there are a few on that island who don�t deserve to be punished like him. What about them?�

�We tell them he beat Daniel because he loves you. His love took you away from your father. Then we radio the island before the police have a chance to get there. I�m the only pilot on this island. I�ll tell them we took storm damage. They�ll have to get authorities from the mainland. Bureaucracy takes time. That will give whoever a chance to get away.�

We looked at each other.

�Mr. Caplan?� An officer called from the door. �We�re ready for your statement now.� Anton nodded and let go of my hand.

�Go to Daniel.� He said quietly before leaving me.

Standing up I did as he instructed. Daniel cowered on the bed, terrified of the policeman trying to question him. Dr. Inaki had arrived behind the ambulance and had restarted the IV.

�I�ve given him a mild sedative to help calm him.� He said, as he looked me over. �Anyone else injured?�

I shook my head and walked to the bed. I reached for him and to my surprise he didn�t flinch. �Daniel?� He gazed up at me frightened and bewildered. I gently sat next to him, but before I could speak he threw his arms around me. �It�s okay,� I murmured my assurance gently. �It�s over.�

�Are you sure?� He stared up at me, eyes large and shimmering. �Wh�what do I do now? I�ve been there so long I barely know who I am anymore.� I hugged him tight.

�We have all the time in the world to find out.� I whispered, lightly brushing his lips with my own as he stared at me with disbelief. �We�re free.�