[EMOTIONLESS]

[parkermeryton]

HEY DAD,
i'm writing to you, not to tell you that i still hate you,



BUT JUST TO ASK YOU HOW YOU FEEL,
and how we fell apart, how this fell apart...
||FORTY TWO || RESISTANCE || INVALESKINESIS ||

James Dunlap wasn't expecting to be a dad when he became one. At age nineteen, finding out his girlfriend was pregnant wasn't exactly the easiest of things to cope with. But, as he had no objection to being a dad- though he'd hoped to put it off at least a few more years- he stuck with the lovely Crissa Meryton. They were already living together, and he was more than happy to help her through her pregnancy- he found he was actually rather excited for the birth of his child. Crissa and James, not seeing the necessity of it, decided to put off their wedding until their baby was big enough to be a part of it, either as a ringbearer or a flower girl. When Parker was born, James fell in love instantly. She was his baby girl. He spoiled her from the moment she came into the world, and spent as much time as he could with her. All in all, it seemed perfect.

ARE YOU HAPPY OUT THERE IN THIS GREAT WIDE WORLD?
do you think about your son, do you miss your little girl?

After much consideration, the wedding was scheduled to be shortly after Parker's seventh birthday, but lo and behold, another unexpected pregnancy jumbled their plans again. Still as patient and loving as the first time, James agreed to postpone the wedding until their second child was at least a toddler. This pregnancy, however, was not as easy as the first. With harsher mood swings, more frequent fighting, and another mouth to feed, stress was rising in the Dunlap-Meryton household. Nearly as fond of his second child, and more than thrilled to have a son, James' affections toward his children were unwavering, but towards his fiancee- that was a different story. It was growing plainer to see that they just couldn't handle each other. As much love as there had been in the early days of their romance, one would be hard pressed to see the doting affection which had marked their relationship. In the heat of a fight, James left, only months after his son, Chase's first birthday.

WHEN YOU LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN, HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT?
do you even wonder if we're alright?

It wasn't long after his leaving that he realized his mistake. He missed his children painfully, and he found that despite their differences, he still loved Crissa as much as he ever had. But, ashamed of his actions, and realizing that until he went to school and got himself a profession, he could only be a burden on his beloved family. So he settled for birthday and christmas visits, and increasingly infrequent calls from his children, while resolving to get into a better situation, so he could actually support his family. Working for years to earn money enough to both send child support and live off of, while having some to save for going to school, he finally attended in 2008, and in his second year, he was asked to partake in a clinical study of a drug that was in its early stages of development, in exchange for a large monetary reward. He hesitantly signed up, and before he knew it, was being injected with the Cure itself, which was, in two years, to become instantly famous.

IT'S BEEN A LONG HARD ROAD WITHOUT YOU BY MY SIDE,
why weren't you there all the nights that we cried?

Shortly after being signed off as a successful test subject, and graduating from college, both in the summer 2012, James realized that, somehow, he was able to exert nearly superhuman amounts of strength without so much as breaking a sweat. Dutifully reporting in to the clinic, they told him that such symptoms were popping up in test subjects around the country, and a company by the name of Alticor was taking in test subjects who experienced such strange side effects, and testing them further to see if they could determine the cause. Willingly giving his phone number and home address, he returned home, expecting a phone call and a doctor's appointment- a short delay before returning to his family. He was packing up his apartment, eager to see his children again, and more than ready to properly propose to their mother, when he heard a knock on his door. No sooner had he opened it that he was gassed, not regaining consciousness until he was strapped to a lab table. Two years of torturous experimentation elapsed before he managed to break free of Alticor, stumbling, entirely accidentally, on the encampment of a group of people who, like him, had remarkable abilities, and were trying to prevent Alticor from further harming any of their kind. After a long talk with the two women in charge of the operation, he was more than convinced that joining them was a fantastic idea. However, there was still the issue of the family he longed to return to.

YOU BROKE MY MOTHER'S HEART, YOU BROKE YOUR CHILDREN FOR LIFE,
it's not okay, but we're alright.

He felt a little odd, researching and watching his own family from a distance, but after attending one of his daughter's plays, and one of his son's sporting events, after watching his would-be-wife from a safe distance and determining they were happy and moved on, he realized, they really didn't need him. As heartbreaking as it was, several other revelations prevented him from making contact with them. The first was the realization that Alticor would undoubtedlt be searching for him, and he couldn't risk endangering his family. The second was that over the course of watching her, he'd come to realize that his baby girl had also acquired an ability, and by fighting against Alticor, he would be doing her much more than by being part of her life. And his son too, if he were to develop an ability. So, as much as it pained him to turn away, he left, returning to the Resistance. Though he refuses to make contact, for fear of unnecessary involvement, he keeps an eye on his family, always making sure they're safe.

I REMEMBER THE DAY YOU WERE A HERO IN MY EYES,
but those are just a long lost memory of mine,

Both Parker and Chase harbor more than a little resentment toward their father, though in their hearts, they still love him, and after their initial anger, would be thrilled if he came back into their lives. They try not to bring him up or dwell on his leaving, and especially try not to attempt to understand why they haven't heard from him in such a long time. It's a touchy subject all around.

NOW I'M WRITING JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I'M STILL ALIVE,
yeah, i'm still alive.

Personally, I would love to have a run-in with Parker and her father at some public place, like a grocery store or something once both their characters are a bit more established. Any questions, comments, concerns, etc. can be pm-ed, and everything on here is totally open for discussion if you want to change it. Currently, Crissa and Chase are unplayed, but relationships with them, as well as future plans with them, are totally up to you lovely folks. Thanks so much for reading this! It means a lot, and I hope you like James enough to take him!

ALL LYRICS FROM EMOTIONLESS BY GOOD CHARLOTTE. LAYOUT AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF BY YOURS TRULY.