I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Prologue

Ice-blue eyes carefully swept over the stranger at the front door. Jackson Robertson frowned at the psychiatrist.

He just couldn’t see how a shrink would help his adopted daughter talk again. His wife, Lisa, had tried—and failed—to explain it to him multiple times. Sure, talking to a shrink had helped her conquer her fears slightly, but how was talking to someone going to help when Kim refused to talk even all these months later?

"She doesn't like doctors," Jackson warned, still looking at the man suspiciously. He still couldn’t find it in himself to trust shrinks after what Dr. Donovan had planned to do with Katherine several years before.

The psychiatrist peered through his eyeglasses. They had the same light colored eyes, slender build, and dark hair. Except Dr. Jason Carr’s hair was black.

In fact, they could pass for brothers…maybe even twins.

“Many of my patients are resistant to treatment in the beginning,” Dr. Carr said matter-of-factly. “I have had a high success rate, even though some might argue and say it is unconventional.”

Jackson just stared at him. He still wasn’t convinced.

“Now, your daughter… her name is Kimberly, correct?”

“Kim.”

“Kim. Okay. Where is Kim?”

“Her room,” he said stiffly, still not moving. He was seriously considering sending Carr on his way.

“May I see her?”

“She hates doctors,” Jackson repeated. "I'm pretty sure she's going to hate you."

Carr eyed him strangely. “It’s okay. I’m not worried about it.”

“Dr. Carr?” Lisa’s gentle voice called from behind Jackson.

“Mrs. Robertson, I presume?” Carr responded, smiling at the red-haired woman.

“Come in, come in,” she invited, pulling Jackson back away from the front door. “How are you doing today?”

“Quite well.”

Lisa grinned back. “That’s good news. Now, I assume Jackson’s told you about Kim’s condition?”

Dr. Carr nodded as he stepped further into the Robertson mansion. Lisa was leading both men towards the stairs as she chatted politely. That was his wife for you—she was kind to everyone, even strangers.

“I’ve been told that she doesn’t talk.”

“Yes,” she said, nodding her head. “Kim has barely spoken since, well, since her accident.”

“That’s a shame.”

“I really do home you can help her.” Lisa paused in front of a bedroom near the stairs. “She’s one of my daughters and I really do worry about her. She’s been through so much…”

“You shouldn’t worry, Mrs. Robertson. I can help her,” Dr. Carr promised.

Half-smiling, Lisa opened the door. Jackson narrowed his blue eyes, his arms crossed firmly over his chest as he watched the psychiatrist enter the room.

Lying on her bed, Kim concentrated on the piece of paper in front of her as she slowly sketched out the figure of a man.

Jackson walked over to the young woman, bending down beside her. “Kim, how are you doing today? Are you okay?” he asked her softly, trying to ignore Carr’s presence at the moment. The last thing he needed was Kim freaking out before they introduced her new doctor.

Kim nodded, but leaned away from him to avoid being touched. Her golden eyes remained focused on her paper, her concentration unbroken.

Jackson noticed her avoidance maneuver. He frowned. "Kim, there's someone here that your mother and I want you to meet."

Kim stopped drawing and set down her pencil to glance up at Jackson.

"Your mother and I went to a lot of trouble to find you a good doctor. His name is Dr. Carr," he said slowly, lying as he looked directly into her golden eyes. Lisa had gone to the trouble of selecting a doctor. He was merely the messenger. "He's going to help you get better."

Kim's eyes darted away, uncomfortable with the eye contact.

Her eyes fell on Jason Carr and she pressed her lips into a thin line, shaking her head to show her distaste for the doctor.

I can’t blame you. I hate him too… Jackson thought.

Carr froze for a moment. He blinked his eyes, trying to make sure she was indeed real. A smile crossed his lips. No wonder the Johnson family wanted her.

"Hello Kim," he said softly. He couldn't believe that Jackson Robertson wanted him to treat her. What good luck.

Kim waved sheepishly. She shifted from foot to foot as if she were trying to find a way that she might be able to avoid this whole meeting all together. She was clearly uncomfortable around him.

"Kim, honey, are you okay? Is something bothering you?" Jackson tried, looking at her worriedly, the carefully look of an overprotective parent.

Carr rolled his eyes. She's perfectly fine, you idiot. She's just shy...

Kim shook her head at Jackson and thrust her hands into the back pocket of her jeans, giving them something to do other then fiddle.

Jason moved closer, not even bothering to hide his smile. She was so beautiful—so perfect. He couldn’t believe that he was here—that his job was to fix her, one of the reclusive Robertson daughters.

"Kim, do you mind talking with me?" he said, trying to remain professional.

Kim nodded, stepped closer to Jackson.

Her father smiled at her. "Do you want me to stay with you, Kim?" Jackson offered. Carr had a feeling that Jackson didn’t trust anyone with his daughter.

Kim thought for a moment and then shook her head.

"Okay. I'll leave you two alone." Jackson glanced at Kim one last time, trying to read her emotions, as he left the room. Lisa had already disappeared.

Kim chewed on the inside of her lip nervously, her eyes back on Jason now.

"Why don't you have a seat?" Dr. Carr suggested, his eyes locked on her. He could feel his heart thudding in his chest.

Kim sat down on the edge of the bed.

"So, Jackson is your... father?" Carr asked, wondering what the relationship between Carter and the girl was.

She nodded.

"Interesting..." he muttered, already planning how to kill the other man. "Do you want to tell me why he's so worried about you?"

She shook her head, her fingers starting to twitch.

Nervous? he wondered, watching her reactions.

Jason moved closer. "Are you afraid of me?"

Kim shifted away from him as if to answer.

"Why?" He sat down beside her. He didn’t consider himself frightening. Most of his patients thought him harmless and were easily charmed into revealing their secrets. Kim obviously wasn’t his usual patient.

Her breathing started to quicken and she looked like she was going to bolt.

Dr. Carr placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her hip. "Is something wrong, Kim?"

Kim jumped from the bed and tried to run for the door.

He took a deep breath. Okay, let’s try this your way…

He seized her hair and jerked her backwards. "Kim, you can't leave in the middle of a session. What kind of doctor would I be if I let you walk out early?"

A squeak escaped her lips as she fell backwards into his lap.

Carr smiled, his hands running across her skin as he pressed her back into the bed. "You're very soft, you know. So breakable..."

Kim shook her head, trying to struggle against him.

"Do you have something to say to me, Kim?" he asked, one hand touching her chest as he maneuvered his body on top of hers to pin her to the bed.

Are you going to talk or are you too afraid? How far will this go before you snap? What is it going to take to get you out of your shell?

She closed her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her face as she trembled against him.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," he teased, letting his other hand drift lower to fiddle with her jeans.

Kim whimpered and looked at him, her eyes silently pleading with him to stop.

"I don't hear you saying anything, so I'm just going to continue." He smiled up at her as he unfastened her jeans.

She squeezed her thighs together.

Carr frowned at the scars on her pale skin. Someone had spent their time making careful incisions. "Someone had a little fun, didn't they?" he mocked, trying to get a reaction. Trying to shock her into speech.

He touched the marks with his fingertips.

She jumped at his touch, whimpering loudly.

He looked at her strangely. "Do you have something to tell me?"

She looked at him pleadingly again. She still didn’t say a word.

"Your daddy can't protect you when you don't talk," he taunted, stroking her hair with one hand.

She shuddered, whimpered and closed her eyes tightly burying her head in the pillow.

Jason moved closer. "What's wrong... pet?"

Her entire body cringed and she shrank away.

"That's fine. I'll just tell your father there was no progress.”

Her golden eyes looked up at his cold ones. Kim was shaking uncontrollably as he slipped closer, his hands skimming her bare skin.

“Don’t even think about fighting me, Kim. Do you think I would really let a pretty girl like you get away from me?” Jason threatened.

Kim shook her head. He could picture her begging him to let her go.

She was so wrong. No matter what she did or said, he would never let her go. She was his project, but she also belonged to him. Kim was perfect.

She was a keeper. A Christmas gift.

Merry Christmas to me…

Authors’ Notes:

I’ll Be Home For Christmas takes place following The Purpose of Pain, another one of our collaborative stories.

Here’s a little character background: Kim, who first appears in My Brighter Darkness’s PET, has just survived torture at the hands of a former employer of Jackson Robertson’s. She’s been adopted into the Robertson family and has two “sisters”—Katherine Murphy and Lea Robertson. Kat, who married her longtime boyfriend in BregoBeauty’s Kill Zone, has a young daughter and works as a security consultant for J. Carter and Associates, an espionage company owned by Jackson Robertson. Jackson has two identities—one as a multi-millionaire who owns Robertson Technologies and the other as Jim Carter, the shadowy owner of J. Carter and Associates. Lisa is his high school sweetheart who he married and had two children with.

Hopefully that helps this story make sense. If you have any questions, please mention them. We’ll glad answer them

Please read and review! Constructive crit is welcome.

Thanks to Skyler for the story idea!