That’s What Friends Are For – By Unknown Author

Chapter 1 – Unsettling Feeling
Marlena was at the hospital, going over her patients files. But she couldn’t concentrate , every time she tried her mind kept on going back to the same thing, *John*. She didn’t know why she was feeling like this today. She had been worried sick about something since this morning; so much so that she had called and checked on Bell five times in the last two hours. The last time John had picked the phone up. She remembered with a touch of laughter on her face.

 

“Hello, John Black here.” as if she couldn’t recognize the voice that could touch her soul.
“Hi John, It’s Marlena” she remembered that lately she couldn’t help the way her voice changed when she was talking to John.
“ Hi Doc, Are you OK?”
“Yes, I’m just fine. I just wanted to check on Belle.”
“Didn’t you check on her ten minutes ago??”
“I did but…”
“Are you sure you are OK, You don’t sound like yourself.” She had smiled at that remark.
“I’m just fine. It’s just this uneasy feeling I’ve been having today. Like something terrible is about to happen that will take away my chance at happiness and L…; Like the time when you …” She had trailed of there, thinking she was saying too much.
“Time when I was what, Doc??”
“Oh, Nothing. No point in talking about ancient history” even though it was like it happened yesterday for her. “ John, you didn’t tell me how Belle is doing?”
“Oh, she is just fine, like she was 10 minutes ago, but if you want to talk to her I can put her on.”
“Yes, please do so, Maybe she can make me feel better.”
“OK” John had said as he put Belle on the phone.
“Hi. Mommy. Coming home?”
“ No Honey, I’ve a lot of work to do I’ll be home at 8.”
“At 8”
“Yes baby, I miss you”
“I miss you too Mommy, Love you”
“I love you too”
“Wan’ Talk to Daddy?” and then without waiting for an answer she had given the phone to John.
“Yes, Doc.”

“Oh,” she laughed “I didn’t tell her I wanted to talk to you. See you tonight John And I’ll try not to call again.”
“See you Doc.” she had hung up the phone then.

 

But that unsettling feeling was still there like…

 

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John had said the last three words with pain in his voice. He had lied to Doc and was regretting it with all his soul. Why did Kristin had to keep this whole thing a secret, he couldn’t understand. This thing should be one of the happiest days of his life, but instead he felt like someone was choking the life right out of him. He reached for the collar of his shirt, it was few inched loose around his neck but still he couldn’t breathe properly. He thought about his conversation with Marlena. For a moment he had thought he heard the LOVE in her voice, but again he had been imagining too much latelythe way she looked at him, the beautiful seductive smile, the Christmas Kisses. He was even sure for a moment that Doc was about to say “ like the time you were leaving Salem”, but again that would be a wishful thinking, *wouldn’t it*.

 

He was lost in his thoughts when Belle came running “Hi, Daddy. Belle Ready.”
“Hi baby, you look beautiful.”
“ Where’re we goin’ Daddy?”

 

John thought for a moment but couldn’t remember where they were going, at this moment Kristin walked in to the room. The sight of her brought everything back. He had been thinking about Marlena and for a moment had forgotten Kristin even existed.If it were that easy, she never lets me forget she is hereJohn thought while giving a wary smile to Kristin and then scooping Belle up in his arms thinking she is just like her mother, breathtakingly beautiful. At this moment Belle gave him a heart melting smile and then put her head on his shoulders. “If there was only a way to get out of this” John said as he walked toward the car in the driveway….

 

 

Chapter 2 – Execution Night
Marlena was trying very hard to keep busy so she won’t call home again. She decided to arrange her filling cabinet, since lately she didn’t seem to be able to find what she wanted fast enough. As she was moving towards the cabinet a picture of the four of them at the Santa Village drew her attention. She picked the picture up and looked at it lovingly, with that beautiful smile on her face; but suddenly her heart ached at the fact that it was only a picture, but it could have fooled any outsider into thinking that they are a happy family. She smiled again remembering how the elf had thought they were a family, she had even wondered if John was the one who told them to ask for the kiss when he went to get the Santa hats for the kids. Well she could dream couldn’t she, that seemed to be all she had left of him. She thought about that day again and how wonderful it had been, well as long as John wasn’t mentioning Kristin that was. Then the Christmas day and the way John had leaped over the couch just to kiss her, She didn’t even know she was standing under the mistletoe until John had told her. She smiled again while trying to convince herself that THIS KISS WAS REAL, not a dream.

She went to the file cabinet and opened it up, but the first thing her fingers touched wasn’t a file but a ….

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Kristin watched until John left the house. She wanted to make sure Marlena finds out what they were up to before they come back from their trip. She wanted Marlena to take her miserable life out of Kristin’s and back into her penthouse. Since Kristen wanted the house all to herself, and JOHN of course. Kristen moved towards the living room, went over to the couch and took out this HUGE cupboard from under it. She looked that it with that clown like grin of hers and said “This will do just great. Hope you like it DOC. Oh, I would pay anything to see your face when you read this, but again anything but John. So I guess I have to be happy with the fact that I WIN, and you LOSE Doc . What the stupid nick name that is anyway.” She was about to leave the room when John called out to her from the foyer.

 

“Kristen Where are you. We’ll be late.”
“ I’m coming honey, just checking to see everything was OK”
“OK, but please harry up.”

 

Kristin thought ‘see DOC he can’t wait to marry me. Then as she was living the room she said “ And yes, John everything is just perfect.”

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John didn’t really care what Kristin was doing. The point was he wanted to get it over with. He thought how this reminded him of the time he was about to be executed. He tried to give himself a mental boost Come on John, this is nothing like that. This is a happy event, a road to the bright futureThen why didn’t he believe any of these. He remembered the night before his execution , all he could think about was Marlena. He had remembered every small detail about her, everything that made her who she was. He had wanted to savor every memory to take with him to eternity. But that night he didn’t feel like it was the end but now…; Why did he feel like this!! He started thinking about Marlena again, her smiles that were just for him, her hair, her perfume, the way she felt in his arms, the way her kisses made his whole body and soul melt in a heavenly bliss. And this, this memory was only two days old. A smile touched his face as he remembered how he acted like he was surprised that they wanted them to kiss for the picture, and the fact that he was hopping with his whole heart Marlena wouldn’t say no. He just wanted to kiss her for her not because he thought she was Kristin, than then the REAL kiss under the mistletoe, he still couldn’t believe it really had happened….
“Hi, honey. I’m ready” Kristin said as she sat in the car.
“Great.” John responded as he was thinking she won’t even let me enjoy couple of minutes with Doc in my mind. As the engine roared he murmured under his breath “Oh, God. I know this is a wrong thing to say; but I feel like this is my execution night again. All I can think about is how much I love MARLENA except this time it feels like this is the end of me.” He finished as they took off ….

 

 

Chapter 3 – Best Friends

 

Marlena took the hard covered Diary out of the drawer. The sight of it brought back all the pain, sorrow and lost she felt in that gilded cage all those months ago. “ THE CAGE!” “First by the father, NOW by the daughter.” she said as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. She did feel like she was still trapped in a *cage*, and this one was more unbearable than the golden one. This one had no way out, not until the baby was born, and even then…

 

As the days went by Marlena felt that the lock on this cage was becoming permanent. She didn’t have the hope that JOHN will rescue her, *not this time*. It felt like when she was in that cage and thought John was dead, that she was all alone. Now John was alive and *near* and yet *so far away*.

 

Marlena tried to shake off the feeling that she was losing John, but couldn’t. She opened up the book and read the first entry. One sentence caught her attention and she read it again “….I hope, I prey you see the evil in her before too long.”She smiled, a bitter, painful smile. It has been 7 months since she wrote that and Kristin still could fool John and every one else. She kept on reading, one entry after the other. These thought weren’t true for *this cage*she was in now. She wasn’t sure John LOVED her anymore, she wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

 

Marlena closed her eyes; and suddenly the walls started closing in on her….

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John took the kids to Caroline’s but she wasn’t there. He was happy.

 

“Well, Kristin, we can’t leave the kids alone so I guess our plans have to wait for another time.”
Kristin looked at him with horror no way John, I’m not giving this golden opportunity upshe thought. “John, honey. Why don’t you ask Abe and Lexie to look after them for couple of hours; I’m sure they won’t mind”
“ I don’t think….”
“Oh, common John. For me and OUR baby.” constantly rubbing her *puff-baby*with her hands.

 

John finally agreed, even though he wasn’t sure why he was agreeing with her. He picked up his cell phone and dialed….

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Abe was at the house, having dinner with Lexie when his cell phone rang.

 

“Abe Carver here.”
“Hi, Abe it’s John. I have to go out of the town with Kristin and I took the kids to Caroline’s but they weren’t there. I was wondering if you and Lexie would mind looking after them for a while,” John said the whole thing in one breath, “ ‘Till DOC comes home.” he added with love evident in his voice.
“ Not at all, We’ll be happy to have them.”
“Thanks Abe. Kristin is bringing them over.”
“Where are you calling from then?”
“I’m in the plane now.”
“Plane!!! Where are you going John? Isn’t it a bit late for Kristin to fly?”
“No, the doctor said it’s OK.”
“You didn’t say where you are going. Does Marlena Know?” This question made John pause No DOC didn’t know because I had LIED to her. “John are you there??”
“Oh, Yeah, I’m here. No Doc doesn’t know, nobody knows.”
“What is all this secrecy is for? And from Marlena, It isn’t like you John.”
“I know, and I hate the fact that I can’t tell Doc; But it’s…” He trailed off.
Abe added matter of factly “What Kristin wants.” Oh god, he never liked Kristin.

“Yeah.”
“What if something happens to the kids, How will Marlena reach you then??”

“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that. Why don’t I tell you where I’ll be staying and the phone number in case my cell wasn’t working.”

Abe took the information from John, then asked “Do you know when Marlena will be home?”

“She said around 8.”

“OK then I’ll take the kids there before she comes back; so she doesn’t start worrying about them TOO.”

Abe emphasized on too and John knew what he meant “Abe. I have thought this through. I LOVE DOC, but at the moment I don’t have any other options. Kristin is having my child and my future is with her.”

“Just because she is having your child. John you also have a child with Marlena, or have you forgotten about that?”

“How can you say that. She is the most precious gift I have ever gotten…” now his voice breaking “She is the only thing I have left of Marlena’s Love for me.”

“I’m sorry John. But I think you should reconsider marrying Kristin.”

“What is the use. Doc only loves me as a friend and as much as that pains me I have to accept it. And if you are going to say that I should tell her how I feel, Don’t. Because there is no way I’m going to jeopardize my friendship with her, and I might lose her if she doesn’t return my feelings. And you know Abe, I can’t imagine a day without seeing her face in the morning.”

“Is that why you asked her to stay?”

“At the moment I thought it was for Kristin. But honestly I think it was for me, I couldn’t bear being away from her, specially after S…..” John broke down in tears.

“OK, John. Good luck. And if you ever need someone to talk to call me.”

“Thanks Abe, you are a real friend” he hung up then.

Abe thought No if I was a real friend I would find a way to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life.

 

At this moment the door bell rang. Lexie opened the door and Kristin dropped Belle and Brady off. Kristin’s face showed such a excitement that Lexie guessed what the secrete trip was about. She smiled, but it soon faded as she remembered her friend Marlena….

 

 

Chapter 4- Broken Hearts
Marlena opened her eyes, the feeling was just too real. She stood up and went to the open window, even the cool fresh air didn’t help. She decided to call and check on Belle again. She called but no one answered; she had decided to leave a massage but the minute Kristin’s voice came on she hung up. “I am not going to listen to that voice unless I have to.” she said, but the fact that no one was home still bothered her. John hadn’t tell her they were going out; but again lately Marlena had sensed that there are a lot of thing John doesn’t tell her. Suddenly, she grabbed her coat and purse and ran out of her office. She told the nurse that there was a family emergency and that she had to leave early. Then headed for the elevator…

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John was alone on the plane, *THE PLANE*. Everywhere he looked he could see Marlena’s face, the look of fear she had on her face that night. The way she felt in his arms. He sat on the couch, silently wishing DOC would come through that door once again and save him. He also needed rescuing, not from Stefano but from himself; from the prison he has made with his own hands by not telling Marlena how he felt, and now it was too late. With out realizing it he was looking at the door of the plane waiting, waiting for his True love, but to his horror Kristin walked in. Oh God, he was feeling guilty for feeling like this, but he couldn’t help it.

 

“Hi honey. The kids are with Abe and Lexie. When are we going to take off?”
“In a few minutes.” John answered and then his eyes traveled toward the door again. To his misery the plane took off but Marlena didn’t come….

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It took Marlena longer than usual to get home. The traffic was overwhelming. Now apart form that uneasy feeling she had earlier, she had a headache too. She opened the door and walked in. The headache was so bad she decided the best medicine for it would be a nap. She went straight to bed. By the time I wake up, John and the kids will be homeshe thought as she pulled the cover over her head.

 

Marlena tossed and turned in the bed. The sleep just wouldn’t come and the headache was excruciating. She got up and took the diary with John’s pictures in it and left the room. “I go get couple of Aspirins and then wait for them in the living room,” she whispered, as descended the stairs.

 

Marlena walked into the living room and turned on the lights. Then suddenly her legs gave away and the diary slipped out of her hand, the pictures scattered all around her. Tears began rolling down her beautiful face like precious pearls, and her heart shattered into million pieces….

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Kristin was resting her head on John’s shoulder while talking to him. But John wasn’t really there. He was reliving everything that had happened to him and Marlena on this Plane; specially the good warm memories. Suddenly he grabbed his heart, it felt like someone just stabbed him right through it. It hurt, the pain was so great that he gave out a cry, a soul bearing painful cry.
Kristin jumped up looking at him in horror, “What is it John?”
“Nothing.” he lied. But the pain and sorrow he felt was so great it hurt his whole being…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marlena couldn’t believe her eyes, but knew it was true. That was why she was feeling so uneasy ever since this morning. The big sign in the middle of the room read:

“HI YOU B****. I GUESS I WIN AND YOU LOSE. BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS JOHN AND I WILL BE MARRIED AND THERE ISN’T A DAMB THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. BY THE WAY IF YOU ARE GETTING ANY IDEAS ABOUT CALLING HIM, DON’T BOTHER. HIS PHONE’S RINGER IS OFF. NOW, GET YOUR MISSERABLE SELF OUT OF MY HOUSE AND LEAVE; AND YEAH, TAKE THAT LITTLE BRAT OF YOURS TOO AND NEVER COME BACK. I WISH I COULD SEE YOUR FACE RIGHT NOW. NOW I HAVE EVERYTHING AND YOU HAVE WHAT YOU DESERVE YOU, NOTHING.”

 

Marlena still holding the open diary in her hand, felt like her whole world was collapsing around her. The tears streamed down her face and onto the paper, timing yet another heart brake. She couldn’t stand in that house anymore, she grabbed her coat and ran out…..

 

 

Chapter 5- Am I That Easy To Forget
Marlena sat behind her car, and speeded off towards Brady’s Pub. The radio was on and the song was being sung just for her…

 

They say you found somebody new
But that won’t stop my loving you
I just can’t let you walk away
forget the love I have for you…

Tears streamed down her beautiful face….

Guess I could find somebody new
But I don’t want no one but you
How can you leave without regret
Am I that easy to forget…

She had to keep on wiping the tears away, but they were falling like a water-fall…

Before you leave be sure you find
You want her love much more than mine
‘Cause I just say we never met
IF I AM THAT EASY TO FORGET…

 

The tears were blurring her vision, and she almost missed the turn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the door of Brady’s Pub, she tried her best to compose herself. She wiped away the tears, closed the front of her long overcoat – since she was wearing a nightgown underneath – and put a smile on her face. Then she opened the door and walked in.

The minute Marlena walked in, Caroline knew something was wrong. She went towards Marlena, took her hand and asked, “Marlena dear, are you all right?”
Marlena gave her a *not at all convincing* smile “I’m just fine. Are Belle and Brady here? I really need to see them now,” her voice breaking down.
“No dear. John was bringing them here but….”
Marlena didn’t let Caroline finish her sentence, hearing John’s name was just too painful to bear. She broke down again, tears falling down uncontrollably and then with out looking at either Shawn or Caroline, she ran upstairs.

 

Marlena opened the door of the room where Belle and Brady always stayed in, walked in, threw herself on the bed, and started sobbing. A painful cry that could be heard all the way down….

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Caroline looked at Shawn with a worried expression.
“There is something very wrong with Marlena and she just won’t admit to it.”
“I think that’s obvious from the way she is crying.”
“I know, through all the years we have known her have you ever seen her cry like this?” Caroline’s voice cracked; she could feel the pain Marlena was in from her sobs. “I wish John was here, he could make her calm down….” now she was crying as well.
Shawn took Caroline in his arms,”I think everything will be OK. We don’t know where John is, but we know where Belle and Brady are and since she was asking for them maybe we should call Abe and ask him to bring them over.”
“Yes, that’s a great idea. Maybe the kids can make her feel better.”

 

Shawn picked the phone up and dialed….

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Lexie walked into the living room where Belle and Brady were playing. She found Belle on the verge of tears and Brady on the phone.

 

“Who are you calling Brady?”
“Mommy.”
This response puzzled Lexie. She knew John had told Brady about Isabella being an angel. “You can’t call your Mom honey, she is an angel remember?”
Before Brady could answer Belle jumped in “Call Mommy”
“Oh, your Mommy. Sure.” Lexie took the phone from Brady and called Marlena. The nurse said she had left on some business. ‘Well, she is probably out with a patient.’ Lexie thought. “Well Belle, I can’t reach your Mom now, but we’ll try later OK?” She moved toward the little girl as she said that.
Belle ran to Brady and started crying on his shoulder. Brady put his arms around his sister and said “Mommy needs us.We want to see her.”
Lexie looked at the kids and said “I’ll be right back.”

 

Brady told Belle, “It’s OK. We’ll go to Mommy soon.” Belle looked up at her brother, wiped her tears and smiled, knowing he was right….

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Abe was thinking. He had never heard John cry like that, or seen anyone love somebody so strongly. He was considering going to Marlena and telling her how John felt and seeing if she returns his feelings. He couldn’t shake the feeling that John was marrying the WRONG woman. Marlena was the one for him and Abe just wouldn’t believe that a love so right had gone so wrong. “There must be some misunderstanding. I could swear sometimes I sense Marlena does love John.” Abe said out loud as Lexie walked in.

 

Lexie who heard him say that asked, “Why would you think Marlena is still in love with John? And what does it matter anyway. John has moved on?!” knowing how hurt Marlena would be about the elopement.
“It matter’s a lot. And John hasn’t moved on yet.”
“What do you mean he hasn’t moved on, he is marring Kristin isn’t he??” Lexie said angrily.
“Yes, he is marring Kristen but only because he thinks Marlena just wants to be friends.”
“What in the world has given him that idea? Even a blind man can see the way Marlena reacts to him.”
“What are you saying Lexie?”
Lexie who couldn’t keep the secret any more, not when her friend’s happiness was on the line, decided to tell Abe everything. “I am saying Marlena still Loves John.”
“Are you sure?” Abe said with a trace of hope in his voice.
“Yes. Remember that night at the Salem club when Marlena and John danced?”
“Yes I do. For a moment I’d forgotten they are not a couple.”
“Well. When we were leaving Marlena had this misty look in her eyes. I asked her if she still loves John and she said she always will.”
“You knew that all along and you didn’t tell me?”
“Why should I have? It was a secret.”
Abe remembered he hadn’t told her about John’s feelings either. Well, there was no point in dwelling on the past; but they could help, and make it a bright future. “Let’s go Lexie.”
“Where are we going?”
“We are going to meet Marlena at her office.”
“We can’t. I’ve already called she isn’t there.” As the words left her mouth, she remembered the elopement. “Oh God. Abe. We have to get to the house before Marlena does. I don’t want her to find out about the elopement alone.”
“She won’t have to if we can reach John first.” He took out his Cell phone and dialed…

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The pilot told John and Kristen that they would be landing in about 10 minutes. Kristen was so happy she could clap with one hand; but John was feeling drained, miserable, and unhappy. Oh God, he was unhappy. He could still feel the pain in his heart. It wasn’t like any normal pain, it was as if his whole soul was bleeding. He could swear he was hearing Marlena cry; but he thought that it was probably his imagination again.

 

The plane came to stop. Kristen was so happy that she almost forgot to hold onto her puff-baby, but John was in too much pain to notice. Kristen called out to him “Honey. Are you going to stand there forever? Come on. I’ll call the limousine.” and with that she took John’s phone and left the cabin. John was trying, he really was; but he could feel his feet nailed to the floor. They felt like two stone blocks. Then the cries began again, Marlena’s; and as they got louder and louder, his feet became heavier and heavier and the soul reaching pain unbearable. So much so that John gave out another cry from the bottom of his heart…

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Abe slammed the phone closed. “It’s busy.”
“Then lets get to Marlena first.”
“OK.” They all got into the car and left for the Dimera Mansion They parked the car in the driveway and started towards the house. As they walked up, they realized the door was open. That made both of them panic.
“Oh, No. Not Stefano!”
“Don’t say that Abe. John might have left the door open, or even Kristen. Why do you always assume a DIMERA is involved?”
“I’m sorry honey; but just to be on the safe side, why don’t you take the kids back to the car.”
“OK.” She said as she was praying that Marlena was all right and that Abe was wrong.

Abe went up the stairs and through the open door, not knowing what he was walking into…

 

 

Chapter 6- After You
Marlena’s sobs had reduced to a soundless cry. Caroline looked at Shawn who was still trying Abe’s phone.
“Well, he isn’t home and I don’t know his cell number, Do you Caroline?”
“No I don’t. Have you tried John’s phone?”
“Yeah, but no answer.”
“That’s strange John always has his phone with him, specially when he is out of town.”

 

At this moment Marlena, who has been trying to compose herself, was on her way down the stairs but the minute she heard John’s name again she ran back to her room and started another long heartfelt painful cry….

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Abe walked into the hallway. The living room lights were on so he just walked right in. The minute his feet was in the living room, he saw that hideous big sign which said “You B****….”; he couldn’t read it anymore. Then his gaze fell upon the mess on the floor. The pictures of John and Marlena and the kids were all scattered around him and a hard covered book lied open on the floor. He picked the book up, looked through it fast and was sure this was the same Diary John had seen Marlena keep in the cage. The entry where the Dairy was left open on was almost unreadable. The ink had ran down the page. He touched the running words. It was still wet. “Marlena!!” was all he could say. He took his phone out and started calling John.

 

Lexie walked into the living room. Her mouth dropped open as she read the massage on that huge sign. She couldn’t believe her eyes.Kristin, that wonderful, kind, caring person then she gave herself a mental shake well this proves that it doesn’t matter what your blood ties are, if you are raised by a Dimera you are onethat made her smile through the tears. She wasn’t raised by one, so she was safe.

 

At this moment Lexie noticed Abe calling someone. “Abe, who are you calling? Are you looking for Marlena?”
“No. I was trying to call John on his Cell phone…”
“You can’t. Didn’t you read that thing? Kristin has turned His ringer off.”
“No I didn’t. I couldn’t, not after she had called Marlena a …” he couldn’t even say it. It was true that he was John’s best friend, but he was also Marlena’s friend and he cared for her very much. John probably wouldn’t even be alive today if it wasn’t for Marlena’s selfless attempts to find the truth. Abe was Roman’s friend too, but quite frankly, he couldn’t remember Marlena being any happier than 1986 when she & John were living as a married couple. “I just have to find John” with that remark he started dialing again…

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John was alone in the Hotel room. Kristin had said earlier “We don’t want to jinx are wedding; Do we honey? So I’m afraid there will be no me for the next two hours.”
John who was down emotionally had replied “OK. Then see you at the alter.” Kristin who had obviously thought the sad face was for her, had given him a wet kiss and left.

Now John was sitting on the bed, looking at the face in the picture. He was glad the didn’t have to see or hear Kristin for the next two hours. The radio was on. Actually he had put it on, maybe this crying he kept on hearing would somehow stop. As he was starting to get up and go to wash-up and change something stopped him on his tracks; his heart started to ache as the words reached his soul…

 

After you, Nothing new,
Anyone I meet, Seems so incomplete
After you
When you are gone,
Life goes on, But I much prefer,
Feelings that occur
, When you’re touching me…*

Oh, how he needed Marlena now. He went to turn the radio off but the next words mesmerized him…

You’re my once in a life time lover,
I prayed so hard to find,
Can’t believe you were mine…

 

The tears started running down his face. He clenched the picture to his chest. Before, when the this had happened, Doc was always there to wipe them away , but now…

 

The sound of cries started again; this time he was sure it was Marlena’s. He started pacing the room, wondering if there was something wrong with Doc; if so, why hasn’t anyone called him? His thoughts took him back in his own world, the only place where everything was as it should be as the last words of the song filled the empty room…

 

Every believe would die,
If you say goodbye,
Don’t know what I’ll do,
What would I become,
There could be no one,
After you, AFTER YOU….

 

 

Chapter 7
With This Tear

 

Abe tried John’s hotel room but the receptionist told him that no one answered the call. Abe didn’t know what else to do except keep on trying John’s hotel room; hoping by the time he reaches him it won’t be too late…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kristen, who had guessed John might have given the hotel’s number to Abe,had disconnected the phone right before leaving John’s room. She couldn’t believe she was getting married and nothing had stopped her. Well, she had done everything in her power to make sure there would be no interruptions. She wondered if Marlena had seen the poster yet. Then she looked at her watch “No, she said to Belle she’ll be home at 8, and it is still 7. One more hour to complete victory,” and, with her usual MONKEY grin, she went to get ready.

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John couldn’t stand it anymore. He knew with his whole heart that something was wrong and whatever that was it involved Marlena. He picked up the phone, but there was no dial tone. “What the hell is wrong with this?” he shouted as he slammed the receiver down and went across the room to use his cell phone. He called Kristen but there was no answer. He looked at his watch. It was 7:15. “She is not home yet.” He then called her office, and again no answer. “Come on Doc, where are you? I am going to make one more call before I start panicking,”he said, trying to assure himself.

 

He called the nurse’s station. “University Hospital,” they answered.
“Yes, This is John Black. I wanted to speak to Dr. Marlena Evans please.”
“She left two hours ago, Mr. Black.”
“Two hours ago?!! Do you know why?”
“She said she had a family emergency.”
“Thanks.” He hung up. “Something is wrong. Oh, God let her be OK. She is everything to me.” He then tried both Caroline and Abe but the phones were busy. He even tried Bo’s, but his was busy too.
“That’s it. I’m coming Doc,” he said as he ran out, leaving for the airport.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lexie had driven Belle and Brady to Caroline’s to leave them there and then went to find Marlena. She was now blaming herself for what Marlena was going through. And Abe, why hadn’t he told her John still loved Marlena? Why hadn’t she told him about Marlena’s feelings? Wasn’t that what married couples did, talk about their best friends?

She got out of the car, took each kid’s hand in hers and headed for Brady’s Pub. As she walked in Caroline sighed with relief.
“Oh, God. Lexie where have you guys been? We were going crazy not being able to find you.”
“Oh, we were just riding around.” Lexie lied.
Caroline was so happy the kids were there that she didn’t notice Lexie’s tear stricken face. At this moment Shawn came over.
“Thank goodness you’re here. Marlena has been asking about Belle and Brady and we couldn’t find you.”
“Marlena?! She’s here?”
“Go see Mommy,” Belle and Brady said, a bit hurried to get to Marlena.
“Lets go kids.”
“Wait Caroline, let me please; I need to talk to her,” Lexie pleaded.
“I don’t think she is in a talking mood,” her voice was shaking, and that’s when she noticed Lexie’s tears. “What’s wrong Lexie?”
“Oh, nothing with me. But a lot with Marlena,” she said as tears threatened to fall again. “I’ll tell you after I take the kids to her.” And with that Lexie started up the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marlena was quiet now, sobbing inbetween the silent tears. She felt like she had just lost…no like a wolf had just ripped her heart out. She could feel the emptiness, the loneliness, the sorrow that was building up into an unbreakable mountain.

 

The radio was on loud. Actually, she had turned it on earlier so the people downstairs couldn’t hear her cry. She wanted to free herself of this despair that was consuming her. “If only Belle and Brady were here,” she said as the tears started burning her eyes. She was not going to cry again. Feeling like this wouldn’t change anything. She had to accept she had lost John forever. She still had her family, and friends, and the twins, Carrie, Belle, and Brady…. No she only had Belle: the twins hardly ever talk to her anymore, and Carrie has her own life, and Brady…he wasn’t hers. “Now Kristen will be his mother, she will raise him together with John, and I’ll hardly see him anymore.” Until this moment she hadn’t realized how much that little boy meant to her. The words from the radio started filling the room…

 

With this tear, I thee want,
I long 4 U 2 talk 2 me like you did,
That night on the pier…

 

Tears that were being held back pushed their way through flowing from her beautiful eyes…

 

U spoke of love so openly,
And again and again U promised me,
that U’d never leave, But now U’re gone…

 

She remembered four years ago, on the pier, and John was telling her…No she didn’t want to think about it. The rain started falling down outside the window. It was like even mother nature was crying with her. For her…

 

With this voice, I thee call,
I catch myself, Calling your name,
When you’re not there at all…

 

She lost all of the resolve she was gathering; Why was she always trying to act like a superhuman, like she could get through anything, like it didn’t hurt…

 

Please tell me what I did wrong,
Why must I hear your voice inside my head,
All day and all night long,
It’s not FAIR…

 

No it wasn’t fair.The tear drops were now falling like a water fall; Marking the time with their yet another pain-filled story..

 

With this arms, I held U,
When you told me U were dying,
I had less courage it’s true,
And U wrote everyday, about the things that we could do,
When your pain went away,
But all that went away was U…

 

With the last words leaving the speaker Marlena trailed off into her own dream world, unaware of what was going on around her…

 

With this tear, I thee want,
I long 4 U 2 talk 2 me like U did,
That night on the pier,
You spoke of love so openly,
and again and again U promised me,
That U’d never leave,
But now you are gone, WITH THIS TEAR….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lexie opened the door and quietly let the kids in. Brady saw Marlena sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, and he could hear her muffled cries. He walked slowly towards the bed. Belle followed her brother. Both their small faces filled with worry and love. He climbed up the bed, quietly placed himself next to Marlena. Now, sure she was crying, tears gathered in his eyes. He put both his arms around Marlena’s neck and through his tears whispered “Oh, Mommy, Don’t cry,” and then started crying himself. Belle who had followed her brother, also gave her Mom a gentle hug and then kissed her cheek saying “I love you Mommy.”

 

Lexie now sure Marlena was in good hands, closed the door and walked away…

 

 

Chapter 8- Angels To The Rescue
The feel of those warm small hands brought Marlena back to this world. She looked at her two little angels with all the affection in the world, put an arm around each child and asked “Why are you crying?”
Brady looked at her with those brilliant blue eyes that always reminded her of John. “Because you are crying, Mommy!” Then as if he had just said something he shouldn’t have, he comes close, wipes Marlena’s tears with his small fingers and while his lower lip was quivering, he said, “I’m sorry.”
Marlena looked at him with so much love, “Why honey?”
“Because I called you Mommy; I know you’re not my Mamma, but..,” he started sobbing.
Before Marlena could show any reaction, Belle interrupted, “I said he can share you with me so we both have one Mommy just like we have one Daddy.”
Marlena kissed Belle’s forehead and told her, “You did the right thing, Sweetheart.” As the words left Marlena’s lips, Belle jumped down out of the bed and headed for the door. “Where are you going, sweety?”
“Belle go call Daddy,” and with that sheleft the room. Marlena kneeled on the ground in front of Brady, and held out two welcoming open arms, but Brady didn’t move. She put one hand on his shoulder, “Honey, what made you think I’d be angry at you for calling me…Mommy?”
“Kristen!”
“Kristen!! What do you mean?” she asked while thinking if you have done anything to upset my little boy, you are going to pay for it
. “She heard me talking to Belle and she got angry and shouted that she will be my Mommy and that you’re not mine and you don’t want to be…” He started sobbing again.
Marlena was boiling mad. She would havestrangled Kristen if she could’ve. She went toward the little boy, enveloped him in her arms and whispered in his ear, “Brady, honey. I love you, just as much as I love Belle. And I am honored, and thrilled, and happy-as-a-bee that you want me to be your Mommy.”
“You are?”
“Yes, sweety, I am, more than you will ever know.”
Brady smiled, wiped his tears and then hers and wrapped his arms around her neck, “I love you Mommy, and I’ll protect you and be here for you, always. I promise. You won’t cry anymore, will you?”
Marlena, touched by his words said “No I won’t and I love you too. Very much.” Then she got up and said “Why don’t we wash up and then go out and celebrate me being your new Mommy?”
“Yeah. What are we going to do?”
“How about ice-cream?”
At this moment Belle, who was obviously disappointed that she couldn’t talk to her Daddy, came in. Hearing the word “Ice-cream” made her smile. “Yeah Mommy. Go ice-cream.”
Marlena smiled at the two little angels who had come to her rescue. She vowed to herself that she would never let Kristen be Brady’s Mom, even if she had to fight John over the custody. She might have John but she is not going to turn my little ange into another Stefano, she thought as she took the children’s hands and went to freshen up…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carrie and Sami arrived at the pub. They were both very concerned about Marlena. Sami spoke first, “How is my mom?”
“She is better. She is upstairs with the children now.”
“Do you know what has happened?” Carrie asked.
“No honey. She just came in here looking like her world had just burst.”
“Did you call John? He can always make Mom feel better.” This remark from Sami took everyone including Lexie who had just walked into the room by surprise.
“We tried, but he doesn’t answer his phone,” Caroline said as she turned towards Lexie “How is she? Did you talk to her?”
“No. But she is in good hands.”
“You said you knew what is wrong with her. What is it?”
“Well, I…” Lexie didn’t finish.
Sami caught Lexie off guard, and with tears in her eyes said, “It’s John isn’t it? Where is he?”
“He is out of town with Kristen,” Caroline answered more puzzled than before at Sami’s actions.
“That witch. She knows Mom still loves John. Even a alien can see that, and she knows John loves Mom; I have seen the way she eyes them when Mom and John are together. What is she planning now? I bet she is eloping with John and Mom has found out. I can kill her for hurting my Mom like this!” She started crying, but remained determined and angry.
Everyone in the pub was so surprised that it took them couple of minutes to respond. “I’m sure you are wrong about that Sami. Kristen isn’t like that,” Caroline said.
Carrie who had just gotten half over the shock Sami had just given her said, “Yes she is. She is actually far worse than that. But Sami is right about one thing, Marlena and John still love each other and Kristen knows it.”
Caroline not being able to take everything in at once asked, “Are you sure Carrie?”
Lexie caught in, “Yes Caroline. You’ve should seen how Kristen informed Marlena of the elopement.”
Sami wiped her tears, “Then I was right. I never liked her. What right does she have to keep my Mom and Dad away from each other?”
Before anybody could react to that comment, the sound of foot steps descending the stairs caught their attention. They all turned around in time to see Marlena and the kids coming towards them…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John was in so much of a hurry that he bumped into someone. He was just going to apologize ’till he saw the person’s face. He was a guy about his own age, dirty and hungry and alone. John stared at him for a moment and then pictured himself in his place. “That would’ve been me, if not for Marlena,” he said. The homeless guy was about to leave when John stopped him. “What is you name?”
“None of your business.”
“I know. I am sorry. I was just wondering if you would like to use my hotel room for a week, since I’m leaving town?”
“You’re going to give me your room?!!”
“Yes. It’s already paid for. Come with me.” John directed the man to the hotel. Then he turned to the receptionist and said, “This is my best friend. He is working undercover, so don’t ask him any personal questions because he won’t be able to answer them. I want you to give him the best service around here.” The receptionist was puzzled but said, “Sure, Mr. Black.”
The guy said, “Why are you doing this for me?”
“Because I know how it feels to be in your shoes and if someone hadn’t done this for me, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”
“He must have been a very special person.”
“Actually It’s a she; And yes she doesn’t have a match on this earth. She is a complete angel.”
“You sound like you are in love with her.”
“As a matter of fact I am and I was just… Well, I have to go. Enjoy your stay.”
“Can I use the bath?”
“You can use anything you want and actually take all my belongings at the room. I won’t be coming back for them.”
“Everything??”
“Yes, everything.”
“God bless you, and I pray that you and your angel will be together soon.”
“Thanks.”
“By the way, I am Brad.”
“John Black, and it was nice meeting you,” John said as he got into the limousine….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad couldn’t believe what had just happened to him. He went into the fancy room and looked around. He thanked God again for this fortune that had just fallen on his lap. “God, I know that this will be a turning point for me. Please let that wonderful man find his true happiness. He might be rich, but he sure isn’t happy.” Then he walked towards the bathroom, for a long hot bath…

 

 

Chapter 9- His, Yours, and Ours

 

Marlena and the kids came down the stairs. Every eye in the room was fixed on them. “Hi, What’s everyone doing here?,” Marlena asked.
“We were worried about you, Marlena,” Carrie said.
“Are you OK Mom?,” Sami added.
“Yes, I am just fine. I guess I gave everyone a scare, didn’t I? I am sorry,” Marlena said, with her usual warm smile on her face.
“Don’t be honey. Are you going to tell us why you were so upset?”
“It doesn’t really matter Caroline. I am fine now.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. I know how upset you must be because of…” Sami trailed off and tears gathered in her blue eyes.
Marlena looked at her daughter, the daughter only moments ago she thought she had lost forever, “Why are you sorry Sami? It wasn’t your fault.”
“Yes, in a way it is my fault. I was the one who took away your chance at happiness by switching the test results.”
Now understanding what Sami was talking about, Marlena said, “Oh, sweety.You mean John and Kristen.”
“That’s why you were crying, wasn’t it?” Sami asked.
“No…I was cleaning up my office and I found the journal I kept while I was in the Cage and I read it and it just brought back so many memories…” the tears were threatening to fall again.
No one really believed that was the whole thing, but it certainly was part of her pain. Carrie went towards Marlena and put a hand on her shoulder, “We are all really sorry for what you went through last summer.”
“I know you are.”
At this moment Brady tugged at Marlena’s coat, “You promised not to cry anymore, Mommy.” This startled everyone.
“Yes I did and I am not going to,” Marlena said, while a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
Caroline who had noticed the effect the conversation was having on Marlena said, “Where were you guys going?”
“Ice-cream!” Belle answered enthusiastically.
“To ‘elebrate my Mom,” Brady added.
“Brady started calling me Mom today, so we decided to go out and celebrate,” Marlena said, with a smile that brightened up the room. “You can join us, if you want to,” she added.
They all knew she wanted to be alone with the children, so they agree to take a rain-check on that.
Marlena gave one final hug to Sami, “Don’t be sad for me honey, life is to short and time to precious to spend it being miserable. I am fine now, and thrilled that you care about me. Now give me a smile before I leave.” Sami smiles at her Mother, and hugs her tightly one more time. Then Marlena turned to Carrie who was also on the verge of tears, “That goes for you too. Stop worrying about me. And be happy. Live your life; do and say what ever you want to, because believe me later you will regret the things you didn’t do or say, more than the ones you did.” Carrie gave her a smile. Marlena smiled back at her daughters and grabbed the hands of her two angels and left the pub. As she was leaving, both Carrie and Sami said in union, “Mom, remember we love you.”….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John was on the plane, pacing and wearing out the carpet. He had tried Abe again, but the phone was still busy. He was on his way back to Salem, but he couldn’t stand the suspense and waiting; the cries had stopped but the pain was still there. “Why isn’t anyone calling me?” he asked. Then he looked at his watch; it was 8:00. “Oh, She’s home by now,” so he tried Kristen’s number. As he was about to hang up, someone at the other end picked the phone up…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad was having the time of his life. He had finished cleaning up, had shaved and was now looking for something to wear. He walked into the bedroom and saw the tuxedo on the bed, “Well, John did say I can have everything.” He put the tuxedo on and looked at himself in the mirror. “If I hadn’t seen me right now, I wouldn’t believe it,” he said, smiling. Then he moved around the room and saw a suit case. He opened it up. Inside he finds a book and in it a picture of a blond woman…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Brady’s Pub, everyone was still silent after Marlena had left. Sami was the one to speak first, “Why does she always act like she is OK? Did you see the pain in her face and eyes? But she still smiled and tried to make us feel better. Why?”
“Well Sami. She is your mother and that’s what mothers do; reassure their children that everything is just fine,” Caroline said, touched and still puzzled about Sami.
“I know that, grandma. But she overdoes it. She never acknowledges she is hurting, or heartbroken; she always says she is sorry even when she isn’t really responsible for what has happened. She never holds a grudge against anyone. She is an angel and now she is hurting and it’s all my fault.” After saying that Sami started crying. Carrie moved towards her and hesitantly wrapped her arms around her sister’s shoulders. Sami accepted the loving arms, and melted into them crying. Caroline couldn’t believe her eyes or ears.
Lexie broke the silence with, “She was glowing at the fact that Brady called her Mommy.”
Carrie now letting go of Sami said, “Yes, she was.”
Sami wiped her tears and looked at Carrie, “Well, she has been there for him all his life. She is his mother and yours, as much as she is mine and Belle’s.”
“Thanks Sami. You are right, she is my Mom.”
“Just like John is our Dad. He has been there for us all the time, even after we, specially I, hurt him so bad; he was still there. He helped find Will like he was his own grandson, While Da…Roman didn’t even bother to call,” Sami said, wiping her tears again. “Kristen has no right to keep my…no our Mom and Dad apart, and she is going to pay for hurting Mom like this.” With that, Sami moved towards the Pub’s door. Then she stopped, looked back at Carrie and said, “I’m sorry for acting like a bitch and hurting you so much Carrie. Call Austin and ask him to bring the annulment papers over. I’ll sign them as soon as I come back,” Sami said, and walked out leaving behind her a room full of stunned people…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kristen was ready now. She looked beautiful (like that’s even a possibility), or so she thought. “Marlena can never look as beautiful as I do,” she said, while looking at her watch. There was still an hour left till the wedding. She went to call John but she remembered what she had done to the phones. “Well, not talking to him for an hour is worth marrying him.” Then she sat down and tried to picture Marlena’s face with tears striking her cheeks. She wished she could just appear in the Dimera living room and take a look at that ugly face. “Who am I kidding, she looks beautiful even when she’s crying.” Hence, she rose and went to touch up her makeup. Maybe she could look a little more like Marlena (Yeah, right!)

 

 

Chapter 10- Discoveries
Abe was getting frustrated. He had been trying John’s hotel room for the past hour and still no answer. “Oh, God. Please don’t let it be too late.” At this moment the phone at the DiMera’s rang. Abe first hesitated to answer, “But what if it’s Lexie with news about Marlena,” with that thought he picked up the phone…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John didn’t wait for the person on the other end to answer. “Marlena! Thank, God you are home.”
“It’s not Marlena John. It’s Abe.”
“What are you doing there, and where is Doc??”
“It’s a long story, but I’m glad you called. I’ve been trying to reach you for more than two hours.”
“No, you haven’t. No one called me. Not at my hotel or my cell phone.”
“Yes we did. Your cell phone’s ringer is off and there is no answer at your hotel room.”
“My ringer is off?!” he checked the phone and was shocked, “How did you know that?!!!”
“Someone, left a note for Marlena.”
“About my ringer being off? That doesn’t make sense.”
“I told you it was a long story. Where are you calling from?,” Abe asked, hoping he wouldn’t say church.
“I’m calling from the plane. I’m on my way back to Salem.”
Oh no. It is too late,’Abe thought . Then asked, “Why are you coming back home so soon? I thought…”
“I’m coming back because I’ve this feeling that something is wrong and whatever it is, it has to do with Doc. She is OK, isn’t she Abe?”
“I don’t know. But I’m glad you are coming back. When are you guys landing?”
“I’m landing there in about an hour.”
“I’ll pick you up.”
“OK,” John said, as he hung up. From Abe’s voice he could feel something was happening. He was just wishing with his whole being that Marlena be all right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abe hung up the phone. He was going to bring John here, before telling him anything. He knew John would not believe it until he had seen it with his own eyes. Abe picked up the tear-stained diary and headed for the airport.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad took the picture out of the book. It was a picture of a blond woman, with hazel eyes and a smile that could just brighten up anyone’s day. He turned the picture over and all it said in the back was “I love you Doc,”Then he started reading the page where the picture was. The book was actually a journal or a diary, and the entry said:

 

“My dearest Doc,

You know you have always been the sun of my life as long as I can remember. I might not remember my past because of Stefano, but I do not for one moment regret this life I have as a result of that. The only thing I regret is not having your love the way I used to; not holding you in my arms or feeling your heart beat next to mine at night. I don’t know where I would be today if not for your help, support and love; and I don’t know what I would do if you ever left my life. This is why I’ll keep my love for you a secret because I vowed to myself that I’ll never hurt you the way I did before, again. I’d rather have you in my life as a friend than not at all. You are my moon in the dark sky, my sun on a freezing winter day, my shelter in a storm. You and I are like shore and sea; we’ll always have the connection and continuity they have. No one and nothing in this world can or will ever be able to break the bond that we have. Our emotions and feelings are beyond friendship and love; they are soul deep and eternal. I think you feel this too. I know that I’ll be spending the rest of my life with Kristen, but you’ll always be the one who possesses my heart and soul. Kristen can take away the physical loneliness I feel, but never the internal one. All she can really offer me is money of which I have plenty. What I need is love, not just anyone’s love but yours and only yours. I love you; I always have and I always will. I’d die for you if I ever had to, in a heart beat. I know I should be happy about Kristen and the baby, but I’m not. Sometimes I even wish that the baby didn’t…. The only time that I really wanted a baby to be mine, was when you were pregnant with Belle. Oh God, how I wanted her to be mine, and then I found out that she was. You can’t even begin to imagine how happy I was! She was God’s most precious gift to me. You know, the happiest day of my life would’ve been the day you said you love me too, but I know now that will never happen. So I’m about to start this new phase in my life, but I am still totally and completely yours.

Love,
John “

 

Tears were burning Brad’s eyes by the end of the letter. He could see from the picture what a loving woman this ‘Doc’ was and he could see from the letter how much John loved her. Brad was also feeling sorry for whoever this Kristen was, because she was marring a man who was completely in love with another woman.
He looked at himself in the mirror again, then he put his hand in his pocket and suddenly…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kristen looked at her watch, it was 9:30 and John hadn’t shown up yet. “This can’t possibly be happening. Where is he?,” she said, as she adjusted her padding into the right position. She started pacing; she didn’t know what to think. “I can’t lose now. Not after all the trouble I went through to get him away from his precious Doc.” Then suddenly, she realized what a fool she had been leaving John alone, “Stupid! You made sure no one would call him, but what if he has called Marlena. What then?” With panic building up in her, she ran out of the church, got a taxi, and went to the hotel wishing she hadn’t left John alone.

 

 

Chapter 11- Leaving My Heart Behind

 

Marlena took the kids to the ice-cream bar. They all sat there eating seven different kinds of ice-cream. She looked at Belle and Brady and the mess they were making. Then her thoughts went back to John and what had happened today.
Come to think about it, she wasn’t just crying for her loss, but mostly for what John would gain after today. She couldn’t bear the way that creature manipulated John, or the unavoidable heartbreak and pain John would be in once Kristen slipped up.
“Mommy, have ice-cream,” Belle’s voice cut off Marlena’s trail of thought.
“What sweety?”
“She asked if you like some ice-cream Mom?” Brady said, holding out a full spoon in front of Marlena’s face and before she could answer, she had a bit of ice-cream in her mouth and the rest all over her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…,” Brady was about to cry when Marlena’s laughter made him and Belle laugh as well.
“Oh, it’s OK honey. It was delicious. Thank you,” Marlena managed to get out the word through her laughter.
“You’re not mad at me?”
“Why should I be?”
“I don’t know. Once I spilled milk on Kristen and she was mad.”
“Forget Kristen.You are going to live with me and Belle. That’s if you want to?”
“Really? With you and Belle?!”
“Yes. Just the three of us.”
“What ’bout Daddy?” Belle asked.
Marlena paused for a moment then, with a shaking voice said, “Oh, honey. He can’t live with us. He has his own family now.”
“With Kristen and the baby?” Brady asked.
“Yes. But if you want to live with your Dad Brady, you can.”
Brady thought about that, then asked, “Where will you and Belle be?”
Marlena thought she can’t possibly live in Salem after this. She had to leave. That was the only way of survival, even if she had to leave her heart behind. “Well, we’re going to visit my parents in Colorado first and then we’ll move to SanFrancisco.”
“Is that far away?”
“Yes it is Brady.”
Brady went deep into thought again, then asked, “Can daddy call us there?”
“Yes, he can. He can even come for a visit if he wants to.”
“Then I want to live with you and Belle. I don’t want to call Kristen Mommy.”
“And you don’t have to,” Marlena said, while thinking and that’s a promise.
Later when the kids finished up their ice cream, Marlena took them back to the penthouse. First she called the airport, got reservations for the next flight out, then called Laura.
“Hi Laura. It’s Marlena.”
“Hi, Marlena. Are you OK? You don’t sound so good.”
“I’m fine. I was going to visit my parents in Colorado and I am taking Belle and Brady with me. I thought I’d call and see if you need me for anything before I leave.”
“No. Go on your trip. There’s nothing more you can do for me, here.”
“Thanks, Laura. I’ll be in touch.”
“Sure. And have a nice trip.”
“I will. Please don’t tell anyone where I went unless there is an emergency.”
“Why?”
“I just need some time alone with the kids.”
“OK. I won’t.”
“Bye, Laura. And I hope you get your memories back soon.”
“Me too.”
Marlena hung up the phone, and went to pack. Half an hour later they were on their way to the airport….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sami went straight to Austin’s apartment. She asked Wendy if she would mind looking after Will for the night. Then she grabbed the car keys and left for the library…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone in the Brady’s Pub was still quite. Not even one of them could believe what they had just heard. At this moment the phone rang. Shawn picked it up, “Brady’s Pub.” “Sure, wait a minute.” “Lexie it’s Abe. It sounds important.”
“Thanks Shawn,” Lexie said, taking the phone from him. “Hi Abe. Did you reach John?” “He did!!! That’s amazing! Actually it’s normal for him.” “OK, bye Abe. See you here in a while.” When she hung up, everyone was looking at her with questioning expressions.
“Did Abe reach John?,” Carrie asked, at last.
“Oh. no. John called Abe.”
“He did? Why?,” Caroline asked, as the door of the Pub opened and Bo and Hope walked in.
“What is going on here? I have been trying to reach you in the past hour or so,” Bo said, then noticing the expression on everyone’s face asked, “What is wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. John is or has already eloped with Kristen,” Shawn answered.
“Oh, no. Does Marlena know?” Hope asked concern.
“Yes she does. Even though she didn’t mention it.”
“Then how do you know that she knows?” Bo asked.
“If you had seen her earlier, you wouldn’t be asking that question,” Caroline said.
“I can only imagine what she feels right now. Specially since she still loves John with all her heart,” Hope said, on the verge of tears.
“She does??” Bo asked a bit puzzled and then he answered his own question, “Of course she does. She always has, even when she thought he was Stefano.”
“That’s true. Lexie, you were telling us about John. Why did he call Abe?,” Carrie asked.
“Because he felt something is wrong with Marlena. He is on his way back to Salem. Abe is going to take him to Dimera Mansion first before bringing him here.”
“That’s a good idea. He should know about Kristen’s deceptions before facing Marlena,” Caroline commented.
“What deceptions? You’re losing us again,” Hope felt lost at what was going on.
“We’ll tell you everything later. Carrie did you call Austin about the annulment papers?”
“No I haven’t. I still can’t believe Sami said that, do you? But again, she has been full of surprises tonight, hasn’t she?” with that remark, Carrie went to make a phone call.
“What surprises? What did Sami do this time?,” Bo asked.
“Oh, nothing like Sami. First she asked for John being here to comfort Marlena. Then she called him her Dad and later said Kristen will pay for hurting her parents like this.”
“She did?” they asked, in unison. “That’s not all. When she was leaving she apologized to Carrie and said she’d sign the annulment papers tonight.”
“Really,” was all they could manage to say since they too were stunned.
Carrie put the phone down and came towards the crowd. “Lets hope..”
“Hope for what Carrie?”
“I don’t know. I guess a miracle. I don’t see Kristen giving John up after marrying him.

Do you?”
That question hung in the air. Everyone knew the answer…

 

 

Chapter 12- I’ll Always Be There

 

Marlena boarded the plane with Belle and Brady, looking back for one last time to a city where her true love had walked in and out of her life. She fastened the seat-belts on Belle and Brady and then with a lone tear rolling down her cheek whispered, “Goodbye, John,” as the plane took off…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sami arrived at the library. She knew she had to think like Kristen and who knew how to do that better than her. After thinking a bit, she figured out that a marriage that fast can really only happen in LasVegas. So she started to look up all the chapels in that city, and then narrowed it down to the ones which were suited for two money-loaded people. Then she started to call each one, with her tenth try panning out.
“Chapel of Eternal happiness, how may I help you?” This made Sami smile.
“Yes, I was wondering, do you have a John Black or Kristen Blake scheduled to marry there tonight?”
“Let me check, Yes we do. Why?”
“I’m Kristen’s best friend from LA and she gave me the address and time but I lost it and I really don’t want to miss my best friend’s wedding,” Sami said, while thinking ‘I much rather it was her funeral.
“OK, she was scheduled to get married here half an hour ago, but the groom didn’t show up so she went to get him,” the receptionist was laughing quietly.
“Thanks!” After Sami got the information about the place, she hung up. Then she got into her car and started towards Brady’s Pub. “I have to tell them John isn’t married, YET!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John was getting restless. The trip back seemed endless. He looked at his watch again and figured he should be landing in about 10 minutes. He looked around the plane again, and Marlena’s tear stricken face appeared in front of his eyes. Like she was standing there. He could still feel the love and pain she was feeling almost four years ago, when he was leaving her forever. Why did he feel the same thing tonight? What could have possibly happened to Marlena?
He was wondering why he was on this plane in the first place. Why wasn’t he in Salem with Marlena? He couldn’t remember. Actually he couldn’t think about anything but Marlena. “Doc, if I ever hold you in my arms again, I will never let you go. I’m going to live with you and the kids and take care of you, protect you, cherish you, and love you till the end of time. Even if you do love me only as a friend. I’ll be everything to you a man can possibly be except your lover; and this time I don’t care. I just can’t bear seeing the pain in your eyes. Any sacrifice is worthy if it will make you smile, because when you smile the whole world smiles with you.” Then with confidence and determination he adds, “And that’s a promise!” He put the small picture back in his wallet and the wallet next to his heart. He fastened his seat-belt ready to land…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abe was at the airport. He was holding the diary in his hand determined to give it to John to read. But then a thought came to him, What if he is already married?, with that thought he put the diary back in the glove compartment and sat there and waited…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Sami pulled up her car in front of the Pub, so did Austin. They both got out at the same time.
“Hi, Austin. How are you?”
“I’m fine Sami,” he said, coldly.
“I’m glad you are fine. Do you have the papers with you?”
“Yes, I do. Why?”
“Can I see them please?”
“Sure, here,” he hands her the papers waiting for her to pull something.
Sami took them and then told Austin, “Do you mind if I use you as a desk?”
“What??”
“Nothing, just turn around and bend over a bit.” Austin did as he was told. Sami signed the papers and handed them back to him. “I hope you have a happy and bright future with Carrie. I understand if you don’t invite me to your wedding, but I really would love to be there,” with that she left an opened mouth, completely stunned and shocked Austin and entered the Pub.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Sami entered the Pub, all the heads turned around assuming it was John. Sami walked right in, “Hi, everybody. I have some news about John. He isn’t married yet. I just called and he has stood Kristen up at the alter. Now I need some ideas to stop him marrying her.”
Carrie was the first to speak, “John didn’t show up for his own wedding!” and then she started to laugh and so did everyone else.
Sami got angry, “Mom’s happiness is on the line here and all you guys do is laugh. I said he hasn’t married her yet, but if we don’t do something soon, he might in couple of minutes.”
“No he won’t,” Carrie said.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Sami asked furious.
“Because he is landing in Salem (looking at her watch) about now,” Carrie said.
“He is landing in Salem!! He is coming back? Why?” Sami asked, now puzzled.
“Because he felt something was wrong with Mar… Mom and he headed back here right away.”
“He stood Kristen up at the alter because he just FELT something MIGHT be wrong with Mom! I hope I’m present when that witch hears this,” Sami said, laughing. “Then we have to think of a way to get Mom and Dad back together, as soon as possible. Anybody have a plan?”
At this moment the door opened and Austin walked in. Carrie went to him and gave him a kiss, “Austin are you OK? You look….”
Bo added, “Stunned.”
Caroline asked, “Did you bring the papers with you?”
“Yes, I did. Here they are,” Austin said, half recovered from the shock.
Carrie took the papers and said in disbelief, “They are signed!!!”
“Signed???” Every said, surprised.
“Oh, did I forgot to tell you that I saw Austin before I came in. I signed them right there. Now we can plan a double wedding. That is after we figure out a way to get Mom and Dad admit they still love each other,” Sami said, enthusiasticly.
Shawn who has been only listening to the conversations so far broke the silence Sami’s actions had caused and suggested they all get to work. “Do you have any ideas Sami?”
“Well, Kristen hasn’t called yet and that means she doesn’t know where John is. We…no, I can take care of her if she finds out. She needs someone who can be as devious as she is and that’s me all right. As for Mom and John, they will never admit they love each other, or act on it even if they do know, unless…”
“Unless what, Sami?” Carrie question.
“Unless they know it will not hurt anyone else,” Sami replied.
“How do we tell them that?” Caroline asked.
“Well, first we have to get them in the same place. Then I have some major apologizing to do. Then we say what we know about the other’s feelings and leave them there to sort it out,” Sami suggested.
“It sounds good. But how do we do that? And you forgot, Kristen is having John’s baby…that will complicate things,” Lexie put in.
“Well, nobody knows it better than me that having someone’s child doesn’t mean they’ll stay with you, or that it will make them love their true love any less. So Kristen has to just learn to leave with it,” Sami said, confident but some what ashamed.
“How are we going to get them in the same place without alarming them and letting them come up with a lot of excuses and explanations they usually come up with when their feelings are about to be revealed?” Caroline asked.
“It will have to be sudden and the atmosphere too emotional for them to be able to hide their feelings,” Carrie said.
Lexie and Hope agreed. Then Hope added, “We have to remind them of the time when they were living together as husband and wife…” she trailed off, waiting for Sami to storm in.
But Sami smiled and said, “Great idea. I have a lot of home videos of that time, you know before Mom was believed dead.” Pain covers her face at the thought of losing Marlena forever, “Does anyone have a tape of their wedding? We had one but Dad burned it.”
“I have one,” Caroline said.
“Great. That will remind them of the good and happy times they shared, not the painful ones of the affair. Any more ideas?” Sami said, remembering how hurt Marlena was after the affair and how everyone turned their backs on her, and how so much of the pain was inflicted on Marlena by Sami.
“Music, we need something that will touch their souls and say exactly what they feel for each other. How about “Unchained Melodies”? Hope suggested.
“Wasn’t that playing when John paid $100,000 to dance with Marlena?” Caroline asked.
“Yes it was. Then that would be perfect, it counts for how much she means to him,” Bo said looking at Hope.
Carrie was deep in thought when Austin suddenly jumps into the conversation, “Has anyone heard the song “My Valentine”? It would be perfect, especially since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.”
Carrie agreed with him, and so did Sami, “That is beautiful, and exactly right for Mom and Dad. How else could he have known Mom was in pain?! But that’s good for after they reunite. I know some songs that will start them off on revealing their feelings for each other.”
“How about any special meals or desserts?” Hope asked.
“Strawberries and cream,” Carrie replies with a smile.
“I don’t think we should know the story behind that,” Bo said, chuckling.
“Now, if we could only get them together by tomorrow,” Lexie said.
“We will. But first let’s see if Mom is home,” Sami said, and with that she went to call Marlena…

 

 

Chapter 13- Unchained Melodies

 

While Sami was calling Marlena, Carrie was thinking about John and Marlena, ecpecially Marlena. She knew how selfless Marlena was and that if John found out about Kristen’s deceptions before admitting his love to Marlena….

 

Sami broke Carrie’s trail of thought, “She’s left town with Belle and Brady.”
Every one asked in unison, “What??”
“I said, Mom has left town.”
“We heard that. How do you know?” Hope said, not believing her ears.
“She has left a message on the answering machine saying she has left town and doesn’t know when she’ll be back,” Sami answered.
“Oh, great! Where did she go? Why didn’t she tell us she was leaving town?” Caroline asked, worry written all over her face.
Carrie said, “Would you be able to stay in the same town if the love of your life had just married your biggest enemy in the world? And you knew she is going to throw it in your face every chance she gets?”
“I guess not. But why not tell us?” Caroline said.
“So we can’t tell John,” Sami suggested. “But I am sure she has told someone. Who would you tell, if you knew your family will contact that person in an emergency, but not just to know where you are?”
Carrie flashed a smile, “Laura Horton. She’s Mom’s best friend.”
“Then we should call her,” Hope suggested.
Carrie asked if she could do it and then she went to contact Laura.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laura was thinking about Marlena. She was sure there was more to her going to Colorado than met the eye. At this moment the phone rang, “Laura Horton here.”
“Hi, Laura. It’s Carrie.”
“Hi Carrie, what can I do for you? No, let me guess, you want to know where Marlena is?”
“Yes I do. Then I was right she did tell you.”
“Yes she did. She also asked me specifically not to tell anyone. So why don’t you tell me what you need her for?”
“Well, do you know how Marlena feels about John?” Carrie didn’t want to give anything away.
“Yes I do, she loves him a lot and I also happen to know that he loves her too, she is just keeping quiet…” Now Laura didn’t want to give anymore away.
“Yes that’s right. Well, Marlena found out that Kristen and John were eloping today and….”
“Don’t say anymore. So that’s why she left town. Oh God, I hate that creature, and I was more than sure she had something to do with my kidnapping.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past her. The point is, John hasn’t eloped. Actually he stood Kristen up. He’s landing in Salem as we speak.”
“He is?”
“Yes, and were all trying to reunite John and Marlena before Kristen finds out where John is, but we can’t do that without Marlena.”
“Well, honey. This is a huge emergency,” Laura laughed softly, “She is in Colorado visiting her parents. Can I do anything else for you?”
“No thanks.”
“Call me if you need any help…”
“I will, bye.”

 

Laura was happy now, and suddenly the memories started coming back…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carrie put the phone down, “She is in Colorado.”
“Well, who better to comfort Marlena than her parents,” Shawn said.
“John!” Was the response he got from everyone.
“Then we should get Eric in on our quest,” Sami suggested.
“Good idea,” Caroline said.
Carrie hesitantly said, “I think John shouldn’t know about Kristen until after we get them together. You all know how Marlena is and she will never…”
“You are right,” Hope added, “Lexie why don’t you call Abe and tell him to take John on a goose chase for a while.” Everyone let out a laugh.
“Sure,” Lexie said, and then went to call Abe.
Carrie was thinking again, then finally she said, “We need to find a way to get Mom back here without making her suspicious. I have a plan but I want to hear what everyone else thinks first.” Sami was in deep in her own thoughts, so she didn’t hear Carrie say, “Sami are you still here?”
“What Carrie?” Sami said, still in her thoughts.
“Where are you?” Carrie asked, shaking Sami’s shoulder.
“Oh, I was just thinking. John should know about Kristen keeping him and Mom apart or he might not tell Mom how he feels, and Mom most definitely won’t tell him how she feels until the baby is born,” Sami said, matter of factly.
“You’re right. So maybe Abe should take him to see the message Kristen has left. But leave it at that for now,” Carrie said.
Everyone agreed and they walked over to tell Lexie. Lexie was on the phone with Abe, “Is John there?”
“No, his plane just landed.”
“Good, we want you to take him on a goose chase and don’t tell him about what Kristen has done.”
“Why? I thought he should know, that and the fact that Marlena loves him.”
“Well, Marlena has left town and we are planing to bring her back and reunite them, by tonight if possible. You are right John should know but not before he tells Marlena he loves her.”
“Knowing Marlena, I won’t argue with that. I’ll call you later.”
“OK, Bye… No wait…”
“What is it Lexie?”
“They think you should take him to the house, but don’t tell him about the diary.”
“OK. Anything else?”
“No. That’s all. See you.” She hung up and went to join in the planning….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad brought the object out. It was a wedding ring, “I wonder why it’s in here?!” Before he could come up with any explanations, the door of the hotel room opened. He jumped and hid in the bathroom, behind the shower curtain. Then he heard a lady’s voice. A very harsh, annoying, angry voice.

“John, Where are you?” Kristen said, panicked. “John? John?” still no answer. “Oh, great. I plan this whole thing perfectly without Marlena, his precious Doc knowing, and John goes and ruins everything. I’m not letting you have him Marlena! He is mine! I just have to find him!” with that she adjusted her puffy and went out to check with the front desk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So what is the plan?” Lexie asked as she joined the small group of friends.
“I can’t think of anything,” Sami said, furious at herself.
“Carrie why don’t you tell us your idea,” Bo suggested and everyone agreed.
“OK. But Sami won’t like it.”
“What are you planning to do to her?” Caroline asked with a smile.
“Me? I’m not going to do anything to her, she is!” Carrie said with a mischievous smile.
“I am? What?” Sami asked, puzzled.
“You are about to commit suicide, so to speak,”
“What??” was the answer she got from everyone.
“Are you crazy?! Why would I do that?” Sami was now hysterical.
“Because when we tell Mom that you’re about to do it, she will move heaven and earth to get to you; and since it has to do with you, she won’t suspect that John might be involved,” Carrie answered calmly.
“Do you have to keep reminding me of what I did to her and John?” Sami said, grim.
“No, that’s not what I meant; but it will work,” Carrie replied, apologetically.
“Yes it will,” Hope said, “But it’s very cruel and she’ll be worried sick about Sami ’till she gets here.”
“I know, but the payoff will make her forget what we put her through,” Carrie said, hopeful.
“Well, I don’t like it,” Sami commented.
“Sami think about it. You are her daughter and you mean the world to her. She’ll do anything to get to you,” Carrie said, trying to convince Sami to go along with the plan.
“That’s true,” Caroline said.
“What next?” Hope asked curious.
“Well, we’ll ask Grandma Alice to give us her cabin for a few days. I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to help. Then we all go there and fix the place up with everything we talked about earlier, I go to the airport and bring Marlena over as soon as she lands”
“That sounds good so far, but what about John?” Bo asked.
“Oh. After Marlena lands in Salem, Lexie can call Abe and Abe will bring John to the island telling him he thinks Marlena is there.”
“I’m liking this more, every minute,” Caroline said, excited.
“What then?” Sami asked.
“Then we’ll take them both in, leave them there and lock the door behind them,” Carrie laughed, “We have to program the VCR and CD player so they start playing on cue, and when they finally let their guards down and admit they love each other, we’ll go in and tell them everything we know about Kristen, make any apologies needed and then leave them there for couple on days.”
“Great idea,” everyone said in unsion.
“But What if there are no planes back to Salem tonight, How are we going to get Marlena back here?” Hope asked.
Austin who has kept out of this family business got up from the chair and said, “No problem. Mom said I can use Titan’s jet anytime I want to; So we can just send her the jet.”
“Thanks Austin. Then you better start calling Kate and tell her about it. We want Marlena here tonight,” Carrie said.

 

And then everyone went to start executing the plan to reunite two lonely souls in love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad came out of his hiding place, “So this must be Kristen, pretending to be pregnant… Marlena must be the lady in the picture, the one John wrote the letter too.” Brad wasn’t feeling sorry for Kristen anymore. He thought for a while, “John Buddy I’m going to give you an early wedding present. To both you and your beautiful bride to be.” He went to call the front desk but the phone was out, then he looked around and plugged the phone back in, “Oh, Kristen. You think you have it all figured out don’t you?!” with a devious smile on his face he dialed the front desk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone rang in the Evans’ household. Eric picked it up, “Evans residence…”
“Hi Eric. It’s Sami. Is mom there?”
“Hi Sami. And I hope you’re fine too,” Eric said, laughing, “What do you mean, Is Mom is here?”
“She should be there soon.”
“Wow, that’s great. I miss her a lot. I hope she stays a while.”
“Well, that’s it. You have to send her back to Salem in about two hours,” Sami said, while she was suppressing a laugh.
“Why?”
“Because I am about to kill myself in exactly 2 hours. Carrie will inform you and in exactly 4 hours Mom should be here to stop me!” Now Sami was laughing hard.
“Oh Sami! What are you up to?” Eric asked, an amused smile touching his face. Sami told him everything. “I’ll be more than glad to bring John and Mom back together. I always think of John as my Dad you know. I don’t even know Dad. He isn’t here even when he could be,” Eric said, sadly.
“Great!I was counting on your help. When Carrie calls try to keep Mom calm and don’t forget to send the kids back to Salem with her. We don’t want them to disappear from the face of the earth like you did, now do we?” Sami, couldn’t hide the sarcasm in her voice.
“OK! I get the point. And I’ll do my best with Mom. I might even come with her.”
“Oh please do, Eric. I miss you a lot and you have to see Will….”
At this moment the door bell rang. Eric told Sami, “I think Mom is here, I better go,”
“Eric wait… Act surprised OK?”
“I will. See you,” and with that he went to see his mother after a very long time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John’s plane arrived at the airport. He didn’t know how to get off the plane fast enough.
“Hey buddy, slow down,” Abe said to him.
“Hi Abe. Any news?”
“No, not much. Where is Kristen?” Abe asked, when he didn’t see Kristen leave the plane.
“Who?!!!”
“Kristen? You know, your fiancee!”
“Oh my God. I totally forgot about her. Oh Abe I stood her up at the alter. I should call and apologize and tell her…”
Abe cut John off, “It’s OK John. I am sure she’ll understand. Why don’t you get in the car and I call her.”
“Thanks, Abe.” John walked towards the car.

 

Abe thanked god that not only John wasn’t married but Kristen didn’t know he was back in Salem. Then he put his cell phone back in his pocket, “I’ll call her sometime in the very distant future,” he couldn’t help but smile as he went to join John in the car.

 

 

Chapter 14- Why I’m Not The One?
Abe took John to Kristen’s. John couldn’t believe his eyes, “How can she call Marlena that and Belle? How can she be so cruel? — This is a mistake, it couldn’t possibly have been Kristen,” but deep down in his heart he knew it was.
“John, I know this is hard to believe but sometimes people are not what they seem to be.”
“I have to find Doc. I can’t even imagine how she must feel. Her friend telling her all those things. Why would Kristen think Marlena would want to stop the elopement? Doc Has always wanted what is best for me,” John said, knowing what was best for him was Marlena herself.
“Well, John maybe Marlena knew something,” Abe didn’t want to give so much away.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. I guess you better find her and ask her yourself. And please this time tell her how you feel,” Abe was trying to get to John without tipping him off.
“I plan on that Abe. You know tonight I realized that my life means nothing without her, and this time I don’t care if she only wants me as a friend. No matter who she gives her heart to, mine will always belong to her,” John said, sad that hers wasn’t his anymore.
Abe gave a secret smile, thinking Don’t worry John, a few more hours and both of your souls will be complete once again, then he said, “What are we waiting for, lets go find her?”
“You mean you don’t know where she is?”
“No. The last time I heard she had taken the kids out for ice-cream. Therefore I think the best place to start is all the ice-cream bars and restaurants in Salem.”
“But that will take hours.”
Abe couldn’t help the smile that crawled across his face, well John that’s the pointhe said, “Do you want to find her or not?”
“Yes. I do!”
“Then lets go,” and with that they left to search Salem…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile at Brady’s Pub everyone was ready to put the plan into action. Caroline had called Alice and she was thrilled to be able to help and lend her cabin to such a good cause. “Everything is ready, lets get it moving guys,” Caroline said.
“I think I better stay here in case John shows up,” Shawn said.
“That is a good idea. He might get suspicious if none of us is around,” Caroline said.
“Is everybody carrying their cell phones in case he calls to ask if we know where Marlena is?” Carrie asked.
Everyone checked and then said, “Yes, we are.”
“I think I better stay too. He’ll probably want me to help him search,” Bo said chuckling.
“Sure Bo. We girls can do what ever else is necessary,” Hope said, giving Bo a kiss, “And when this mission is accomplished, we might have a triple wedding planned.”
Bo smiled, his heart warming, “I’m going to hold you to that, and I have witnesses,” he said, pointing at the crowd around them.
“I’m counting on it,” Hope replied with a smile.

 

A few minutes later all the ladies were on their way to Smith island.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Marlena arrived in Colorado, her parents were out of town. Eric opened the door, “Mom!! What a great surprise. What are you doing here?” he said, as he gave her a big bear hug.
“I just came for a visit, honey. Oh my, you’ve grown into a handsome man,” Marlena said, with the affection of a proud mother.
“Mom!! Stop embarrassing me,” Eric said, blushing from the comment his mother made, but thrilled that she made it.
“Where are you grandparents?”
“Out of town for a few days. Surely you’ll stay long enough to see them,” he said, with a smile, knowing very well that she wouldn’t.
“Sure, I will. Now can we come in please?” Marlena said, with a bright smile.
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry, I guess I was so happy to see you I forgot to invite you in. Come on in,” he said, pointing at the living room.
“How are you two munchkins doing?” Eric asked Belle and Brady.
“We are not munchkins, we’re big,” Brady said to Eric, and then asked Marlena, “Mommy, who is he?” Belle followed with, “Yeah, who are you?”
Marlena smiled a sad smile, “He is your big brother,” she said looking at Eric, waiting for him to attack her about John.
But Eric smiled and said, “Yes I am,” he squeezed Marlena’s hand and then said to the kids, “What do you think. Do you want me to be your brother?”
“Can you buy ice cream?” Belle asked.
“Yes I can. Actually I think I have some in the fridge. Who wants some?” The kids yelled they did, and Eric took them to the kitchen for some ice cream. Later they all sat down and talked. Eric and Marlena tried to catch up on the past few years in less than an hour. After dinner, the kids fell asleep in front of the TV.

 

Marlena had changed into a nightgown, she put on her robe and came to take Belle and Brady to bed when the phone rang. Eric got up and picked up the phone. “Evans’ residence,”
“Eric. hi. It’s Carrie. The plane is at the airport waiting for Mom. Take her there as soon as you can. Don’t forget Sami is about to do something foolish. And please try not to frighten her that much.”
“Oh, Carrie. Sure, right away. Is there anything else we can do?” Eric asked, with a panicked worried voice.
“Oh God. You’re good,” Carrie laughed, “It would be nice if you come along.”
“Sure, I will. Bye Carrie. See you,” Eric hung up.
Marlena who was listening to this side of the conversation asked, “Issomething wrong?”
“It was Carrie. She’s sent a jet to take us back to Salem. Apparently Samiis about to do something foolish and Carrie thinks you are the only one who can stop her.”
Marlena panicked, “What foolish thing? She isn’t going to…” Now she was scared.
“I don’t know Mom. Lets go!” Eric picked Belle and Brady up and took them to the car. Marlena grabbed her suitcase and followed him out. They were on their way to the airport five minutes later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad called the front desk. “Hi, this is John Black. Have you heard from my fiancee?”
“Yes Mr. Black. She is here and very angry.”
“Can I talk to her?”
“Sure,” the receptionist said in relief, this woman was getting on hisnerves.
Kristen took the phone, “Who is this?”
“It’s John, Kristen.”
“John where have you been? You know you stood me up? You know how foolish I felt?” she said, angry, trying to make him feel guilty.
Brad tried to control himself, he couldn’t possibly burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. I had something important to take care of and any way, you forgot to give me the name and address of the chapel,” he said, trying to distract Kristen.
“I did?” she couldn’t really remember. She was just happy that John was still here and not with Marlena, “I’m sorry. Why don’t you come down and we can go there together.”
“Are you sure Kristen? Wouldn’t that jinx the wedding?”
“I don’t care.”
“OK. I’ll be right down.”
Kristen, relieved, waited in the lobby for John.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at Smith island the ladies were all smiles. They were all too excited for words. Everything looked perfect.
“This just has to work,” Carrie said, a little bit worried.
“It will. I am sure of it,” Sami said, reassuring everyone including herself.

 

Hope and Lexie finished programming the VCR and CD player. Caroline checked the food and decorations. Sami was thinking about what to say to Marlena when she came, and Carrie was checking all the locks to make sure they worked.

Everything was just perfect….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John was tired of going from one restaurant to the next. “Why don’t we call the family, Abe? Maybe they know where she is. I don’t think she’d keep the kids up so late.”
“Sure, John. Call them.”
John called Carrie first, “Hi, Carrie. It’s John. Do you by any chance know where Marlena is?”
Carrie suppressed her laughter, “No I don’t. Why John? Is something wrong? She is not missing again is she?” she asked, in a worried voice.
“Oh no pumpkin. I just wanted to talk to her,” he said, trying not to alarm the girl he once called his own.
“OK, John. Bye”
“Bye,” disappointed he dialed another number.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carrie looked at Hope and Lexie, “I think you’ll all get a phone call in a few minutes”, then both of their phones rang. They all laughed as they answered the calls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No one knows where she is Abe. Let’s ask Bo to help us search for her. I am really worried now,” John said, feeling that if anything has happened to Doc, he will never forgive himself.
“OK John. I’ll call Bo. Why don’t you sit down and relax for a moment,” Abe suggested. While Abe was calling Bo, John remembered he hadn’t tried the penthouse yet. So he called. Then he ran out of the place, leaving Abe behind.

 

Abe looked over his shoulder to tell John that Bo was coming when he realized John was gone. He ran out to look, but there was no sign of him. He figured that he might have gone to the penthouse. When Abe got there, the housekeeper told Abe that John had just left. Abe first called Bo again telling him that John is missing and that he should meet Abe at the airport. Abe thought that John might have figured out where Marlena has gone, and was probably going after her.

 

He tried John’s phone but no one answered, so he just went up into the plane. There he found John sitting on the couch clenching a picture to his chest and crying.
“John what are you doing here? Are you OK buddy?” Abe asked, concerned.
John looked up at Abe, pain covering his face, “No Abe. I am not OK. She is gone Abe, and I don’t know where, or for how long, and what if I never see her again? Why didn’t she tell me where she was going? Doesn’t she know how much it hurts not knowing where she is or if she is OK or not?” he couldn’t help but cry. He had never felt so helpless in his life, not even when Stefano had kidnapped her. But now, there was nothing he could do.
“John, did you ask yourself those questions when you left without telling her tonight?” Abe was going to use this to indirectly tell John how Marlena feels about him, so he continued, “Can you imagine how it feels to find out your best friend, someone you love very much, the person who has been and still is the greatest love of your life, has left to elope without giving you a hint, and finding out about it the way Marlena did?”
“You are right Abe. I did hurt her and now she is getting back at me. I deserve every bit of it, but….” he put his head in his hands and started to cry again. He was feeling like an empty shell and was breaking slowly into a thousand pieces. It was like when Marlena wasn’t near him, he was nothing.
Abe put a hand on his shoulder, “Hey John, lets go home. You need some rest and I’m sure Marlena will call or we’ll find her before morning.”
“I can’t sleep Abe. Not now!”
“Well try. For Marlena. I am sure she’ll need you once she comes back.”
“OK Abe. You win. I’m not in a mood to argue.” John and Abe left for John’s loft.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abe left John alone. John changed into his pajamas and wrapped his robe around him. He sat in the living room, listening to the “Night Light” on the radio. The DJ was talking about love and dreams, since tomorrow was Valentine’s Day. John was listening to the DJ’s every word, “Now for all you lonely souls out there, I’m going to play a song about lost love and dreams. Here is a hope that you’ll find them again,” and with that he played the song:

 

She had a dream,
Of walking in a park,
With all the butterflies,
With sunshine that made her cry,
She had a dream,
Of flying in the dark,
And being the only light,
She would shine, oh so bright

 

The tears gathered in his eyes again, he tried to push them aside in vain. He got up and went across the room, picked up Marlena’s picture from the mantle. Her smiling face and loving eyes looking at him lovingly. He started remembering everything they ever shared…..

 

The wind would take her tiny tears away,
And she would be the way,
She wants herself to be,
Her life would be a dream one day,
And she would be free,
True love would fly to her someday,
With open arms, she’d kiss him tenderly,
And they would walk to heaven,
And I would pray,
That he would be me.

 

Oh, God, how this song was true. He touched the teardrops that had fallen on her face in the picture. He could feel her through it, like she was really there…

 

She had a dream,
Of lying in the sand,
So warm and believing,
The life would never end,
She had a dream,
Of loving and sharing her heart away,

 

John sat down on the sofa. He buried his face in the picture and while the tears were falling wished he had never let her go, when she was truly his…

 

The wind would take her tiny tears away,
And she would be the way,
She wants herself to be,
Her life would be a dream one day,
And she would be free,
True love would fly to her someday,
With open arms, she’d kiss him tenderly,
And they would walk to heaven,
I would pray,
That he would be me.
…She had a dream,
I wish it was for me.

 

John reached up and turned the radio off, closing his eyes, he said, ” Doc, Why I am not the one?”expecting an answer. But there was none…

 

 

Chapter 15- Valentine Present
Marlena, Eric and the kids arrived at the airport. Carrie was already there waiting for them, “Hi Marlena. I’m glad you’re here. Hi Eric. It’s nice seeing you.”
“Carrie! Is Sami allright? What happened?” Marlena asked frantic.
“We don’t really know. Austin got the annulment today and Sami was really upset. She has left for Smith island and she has locked herself in grandma Alice’s cabin. We are afraid of what she might do.”
“Who is with her?” Eric asked.
“Grandma and Hope and Lexie are trying to talk to her but she wants you,” Carrie said, knowing that there should be an explanation as to why they were all on the island.
“OK. Lets go,” Marlena said, as she carried Belle to the car. Eric followed her with Brady asleep in his arms.

 

Carrie stayed behind and called Lexie, “Lexie, we are on our way. Call Abe,” then with a satisfied smile she joined her brother and true mother in the car and headed for the island.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abe who had been sitting in the car with Bo in front of John’s loft, went up and knocked at the door. John got up, wiped his cheeks and went to the door, “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Abe.”
John opened the door, “Any news Abe?”
“Yeah. I just had a call from one of my officers, he thinks someone is at Horton’s cabin. Do you want to check and see if it’s Marlena. Since Alice said no one is suppose to be there and I don’t think that Marlena and the kids should be there alone.”
“Yes. Lets go,” John said, leaving the loft and going to the car.

 

Abe and Bo exchanged amused glances, noticing John forgot to change first, then they both smiled and joined him in the car. Knowing for sure that the reunion was near.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Half an hour later Marlena arrives at the Cabin, “Sami. Sweetheart. It’s Mom. Why don’t you let me in?”
Sami wanted to know if John had arrived or not so she asked, “Who else is there with you, Mom?”
“It’s just us: Sami and Marlena and Eric,” Carrie answered. “Oh wait uncle Bo and Abe are just coming too,” she added, not mentioning John.
“Sami, honey. See how many people love you. Please let me in,” Marlena was pleading now, afraid of what her daughter might do.
“OK. Mom,” and with that Sami opened the door and Marlena walked in.
“Sami. Sweetheart. Why don’t we talk? OK?” Marlena said, noticing the candles and the table for two. “Sweetie, I know how much you love Austin, but please don’t put yourself through this.”
Meanwhile John who had just arrived asked where Marlena was, and when they told him in the cabin, he headed for the door.
“Sami, Honey, Lets talk,” Marlena said, feeling helpless.

 

Sami who had seen John coming towards the door smiled and said, “You’re right Mom. You need to talk but not with me,” without waiting for a response, Sami headed for the door. Marlena didn’t have time to ask Sami any more questions, because John walked in “Doc!”
Marlena turned around stunned, “John!!”

 

Sami turned the CD player on and said, “I’m outa here,” and before either one could react she left and locked the door behind her. The song began to play:

 

With thses eyes,
I’ve held you in my arms,
Your love was all I had,
But you had to end it all,
With these eyes,
You’re everything to me,
Without your love,
I’d wind up down upon my knees.
With these eyes,
I’ve learned from my mistakes,
That a sad song doesn’t care,
Whose heart it breaks.

 

Marlena tried to get out, but the doors were locked, “Sami! Open the door! Please,” she pleaded. She couldn’t stay in this room.
“No Mom. You two need to talk and you’re going to stay locked up ’till you do. There is no point in shouting or pleading since we’re all leaving now. We’ll be back in the morning. Bye,” Sami said.
“Carrie, Eric, Caroline. Please don’t do this to me,” Marlena said, but there was no answer. .

 

With these eyes,
I’m feeling out of touch,
I’ve waited patiently,
For you whose love I miss so much,
With these eyes,
I’ve watched you turn away,
With nothing left to give,
Nothing more to say

 

Marlena moved towards the window. There was no one out there. She wrapped her arms around her waist and stared out into the night. The tears were building up in her eyes, she couldn’t believe they had done this to her. How could they, when John was married?

 

You know my love for you, Runs so deep,
It doesn’t mean that you and I,
Are sharing the same dream,
If only I could listen to,
Your word and not my heart,
You try to spare my feeling,
But you’re tearing me apart

 

“Oh just wonderful. Why would they do this to me?” Marlena said, frustrated.
“Well, they want us to talk. So lets talk Doc.”
“Forget it John.”

 

With these eyes,
You’re everything to me,
Without your love,
I’d wind up down upon my knees,
With these eyes,
I’ve learned from my mistakes….

 

Oh, God, She hated this song, and what it was doing to her.
“Come on Doc,” John said pleading.
“Don’t call me that,” Marlena didn’t know why she said that, maybe to try …
“Marlena, Please talk to me,” he said, with a shaking voice.
“OK. You want to talk. Then I’ll start. What are you doing here, John Black?”
“I came looking for you. I was worried. Why didn’t you tell anybody where you were going?” he said, sad but calmly.
“Like you did! What does it matter anyway? You have your own life now, so try to stay out of mine!” Marlena said, angry at the tears threatening to fall.
“Doc, don’t say that. I’m sorry. I never meant to leave you out of my life. I can’t live if you’re out of my life.”
“What are you doing here? Aren’t you suppose to be some where on you honeymoon, with that…,” Marlena said, trying to change the conversation that was killing her. She couldn’t live with him out of her life either..

 

John had moved closer to Marlena, but she stepped back and fell back onto the bed. She sat up quickly, “Stay right there John. And don’t touch me!” she said, defensively. She knew if he touched her, she’d melt and she couldn’t do that, not when he was married. .

 

John took a couple of steps backward, “I’m sorry. But you’re wrong. I’m not married. I was…” he was interrupted by the voices coming from behind him. John could see Marlena staring at the wall behind him, he turned around to see what had caught her attention. There was their wedding video playing on the movie screen. His heart ached, how happy he was that day, how full of hopes and dreams, plans for his future with his beautiful bride..

 

Marlena was having the same thoughts, tears were now rolling down their faces freely. Then they both said in unison, “That was the happiest day of my life.” They both turned towards each other, each looking at the other’s eyes. Eyes that were drowning in Love. The love that they both shared. Then they both looked back at the screen. This time, it was a tape of them with Carrie, and the twins. They both remembered the good, happy, carefree days they shared as a family. How they wanted it to be like that again. Back then, everything seemed possible as long as they were together. At this moment another song started to play….

 

In the world of Fantasy,
Wanting to fill her heart desires,
She has traveled in her dreams,
Places she hoped to find,
But you have all the answers,
In simple words that say “I LOVE YOU”,
Shed a light on her life,
Tell her you’ll be there,
Show her you really care,
Love her with all your might,
Hold her close while you can,
Tell her you’ll be her man,
Cast away your childish dreams,
‘Cause love like hers is hard to find,
Promise her you’ll never leave,
Let her know you’re not that BLIND,
And you will mend the pieces,
Whenever she’s broken hearted….

 

The song made John think hard and come to one and only conclusion possible. He broke the silence, “You know Doc, I was on the plane today, getting ready to marry Kristen and all I could think about was You,” he looked at Marlena who was still sitting on the bed, her hands in two tight fists, and tears rolling down her beautiful face. He thought How I love her, need her, want her. Why can’t I say this to her?, he moved closer to Marlena and continued, “I also thought about our marriage, how magical it was, and how I wish it had never ended.” John paused, looking for any reaction from Marlena but she just sat there crying. He couldn’t stand seeing her cry anymore, he walked towards her and kneeled down in front of her taking her hands in his own. He looked into her dreamy eyes and said, “You know what? Ever since this afternoon I started feeling this enormous pain in my heart and I could hear you cry. It didn’t go away no matter how hard I tried. I knew something was wrong so I came back,” he paused then added, “I even forgot who Kristen was until Abe told me!”
This made Marlena smile, “You really forgot about her?”
“Yes I did. Don’t you know that you’re the most important person in my life?”
“I am?!” she said still smiling, which made John’s heart melt, “Did you really hear me cry?”
“Yes I did. But I don’t know why. Were you crying?”
“Yes I was,” she said while she was looking straight into his eyes.
“Why sweetheart?” John said with so much love in his voice and concern and desire in his eyes that she couldn’t stay away anymore. She locked her arms around his waist and buried her face in his neck and started to sob, “It doesn’t matter why, not anymore.”
John took her into his arms, “Honey. What is it? Please don’t cry. It breaks my heart to see you so sad.” He pulled her closer to him and held on to her tighter, like she might slip away. He put his lips next to her ear and said, “Marlena. I promised myself something today and I’m going to keep it.”
She raised her head up a bit and whispered to his ear in between the tears, “What was that?”
“That I’m going to take care of you, adore you, cherish you and …”
“And what, John?” she stepped back near the bed, looking at his face in the candle light. Oh how beautiful he was.
“And love you ’till the end of time. No matter who your heart belongs to, mine will always be yours alone, and no one else’s. Believe me I’ve tried, but every time my heart just keeps on coming back to you.”
“Oh, John,” she said, and started crying again, but this time they were tears of Joy. He loved her..

 

“I know I’ve hurt you….”She put her fingers on his lips to stop him from regretting what he had just said, or the love that they have shared. Looking deep into those brilliant blue eyes, she tried to come up with words to say what she wanted him to know. but she couldn’t think of a word that could, at this moment the next song came to her rescue, “John, this is what I want to say to you, just listen,”.

 

I have been missing you beside me,
Waiting for your voice to heal me,
Will you keep this heart from breaking?
Will you one more time?
‘Cause all I know, All I know,
Is everything you are,
It’s in my heart, It’s in my soul,
It’s tearing me apart,
With out you I’m half alive,
That’s all I know.
If words could say,
How much I need you near me,
But words get in the way,
They do every time,
Will you keep this song from ending,
When we’re caught between the rhymes?
‘Cause all I know, All I know,
Is everything you are,
It’s in my heart,It’s in my soul,
It’s tearing me apart,
Without you I’m half alive,
That’s all I know.
On this never ending road,
Don’t know what tomorrow holds,
But you’re the light that guides me home,
Everywhere I go.
‘Cause all I know, All I know,
Is everything you are,
It’s in my heart, It’s in my soul,
It’s tearing me apart,
Without you I’m half alive,
That’s all I know.

 

Marlena could feel John’s breath light on her face, and it made her heart jump with desire. *He loved her*. The silence fell upon them. John gazed at her quietly, passing his eyes over her again and again, drinking the sight of her to quench some endless thirst. The look on her face, the glow in those brilliant hazel eyes were saying *She loves him*. He reached toward her with one hand, palm turned in unspoken appeal. His arm moved slowly, her breath stopped for a moment when he first touched her, his fingers light on her cheek. She longed to bury herself in John’s arms. She was ready to embrace him, hold him as close as possible, and never let him go. But John held her off with a look, still tracing her face with his fingers. At this moment a song began to play, filling the room with words they both wanted to say….

 

I was nothing before,
Still I stand here today,
As a keeper of dreams,
‘Till the night fades away,
Je t’aime a mourir.
You can tell me again,
All the reasons to leave,
But with a touch of your hand,
You can make me believe,
That I belong here,
Yes I belong here,
Je t’aime a mourir.

 

It seemed John had to explore every inch of her face with his fingers, making sure she was real. He explored her cheek, her chin, the sensitive skin beneath her ears and behind her neck. He traced a light line around her lips, down her nose, and across each finely arched eyebrows. John leaned toward her at last, standing just inches from her, his loose robe caressing her limbs like a soft ocean breeze, he bent his head toward hers. Her mouth ached to feel his against it, but he did not offer his lips to her. Instead he used them to follow the path his fingers had blazed onto her skin. With soft kisses he traced the route of his fingers from her cheek to her ear and back to her eyebrows, down to her eyes, then to her nose. Marlena inhaled sharply as his breath caressed her mouth, but his lips skimmed over her willing ones to move to her chin and down her neck. “John,” she breathed, pleading with him in a single word..

 

Not a moment ago,
I was only a man,
But you fill me with more,
In a way no one can,
Je t’aime a mourir.
When you catch my eye,
All the light from the sun,
Seems to wither and die,
Next to all you become,
I am without fear,
And I would die here,
Je t’aime a mourir.

 

John leaned back from Marlena for a moment, his eyes locked to hers with a question hers answered all too willingly. Her body trembled with a depth of desire she hadn’t known she could feel. Her nerves were on fire and her whole body was alight with sensations she hadn’t known were possible. Lowering his mouth to hers, he claimed her lips with a passion he had never before revealed; except that night on the plane, but this was different. His once gentle kisses were hard and demanding, his mouth tense against her own. But she met the hunger of his lips with an equal hunger, and she could feel the effect her reaction was having on him. John’s lips explored Marlena’s, demandingly, with ever increasing passion, Marlena raised her arms to reach beyond his neck. Her hands moved slowly down his back, feeling his muscles rippling beneath the protection of his robe. The heat rose from John’s skin in waves as she touched him, her hands as soft and exploring on his back as his fingers had been on her face. Her hands moved convulsively, tightening still further behind him as she unconsciously sought an ever closer embrace. Their kiss did not end. It seemed it could never end. The more he demanded of her with his restless hands and probing lips, the more she longed to yield herself to him, to melt into him in absolute surrender..

 

You’re all I’ve become,
You’re all that I need,
And you make me feel one,
With the air that I breathe,
Je t’aime a mourir.
Though sometimes we’re apart,
Though sometimes I’m astray,
It’s a beat of your heart,
In the music I play,
That kept me sincere,
Through all these long years,
Je t’aime a mourir.
I could cry for your eyes,
Like a child in the cold,
And I will live by your side,
‘Till the day I am old,
Je t’aime a mourir.

 

The more Marlena demanded of John with her soft lips, the more he leaned into her, yielding himself to her aroused desire. Neither could think, or breathe, or sense themselves apart from the other. They felt outside themselves, beyond themselves, transported to some alien and fantastic world, all their own. John’s hands moved restlessly on her body, kneading the muscles of her back, then soothing the skin through the light fabric of her gown. Then they moved, slowly, questioningly, from her back. In spite of the rapid heartbeat she could feel against her own, in spite of his uneven and rapid breathing, John moved his hands with careful control. He reached up with one hand to the single knot that clasped her robe to her waist, while exploring her mouth with his own. In one swift movement he undid the knot, then slid his hands inside the robe to her bare shoulders. Her skin welcomed his touch though his hand left a burning path wherever it moved. At last he broke off their seemingly endless kiss, but it was only to free his lips so that they might follow his restless fingers. Slowly he bent his head to her neck, brushing her flaming skin with his tender lips. His mouth moved delicately over her neck and shoulders, down to the line of her low-cut gown..

 

When you find someone strong,
Someone inside your heart,
And when she takes you beyond,
“UNTIL DEATH DO US PART”,
You’ll know what I mean,
Why I would die here,
Je l’aime a mourir.
It isn’t fair you know,
Why should I care?
There are a million just like me,
It isn’t fair you know,
Why should she care?
And live to be, The world to me.

 

John reached toward Marlena with both his arms and scooped her up in the air. Silently asking her a question which her eyes answered hesitantly, but willingly. He took her toward the bed, both knowing this would be a Valentine’s Day marking a bright future. A day that neither will ever forget….

 

I was nothing before,
Still I stand here today,
As a keeper of dreams,
‘Till the night fades away,
Je t’aime a mourir.
You can tell me again,
All the reasons to leave,
But with a touch of your hand,
You can make me believe ,
That I belong here,
And I will die here,
JE T’AIME A MOURIR

 

 

Chapter 16- While They Were Talking

 

Sami smiled at Carrie and the rest of the family and friends, “Phase one is complete. They are stuck in there and sooner or later have to start talking.”
“Lets hope they do,” Bo said.
“I have to go and peek inside so I know exactly when to play what,” Sami said, as she moved towards the window.
“Are they talking yet?” Hope asked.
“No, not yet.”
“Why don’t I take Belle and Brady back to the Pub with me. It is late,” Caroline suggested.
“That’s a good idea. Actually why don’t all of you go home. We’ll all gather here first thing in the morning, say around 11,” Carrie said.
“You call that first thing in the morning?” Eric asked.
“It will be if everything goes as planned,” Carrie said.
Everyone blushed and gave a knowing smile, then they all said good bye and left. Eric wanted to stay with his sisters but Belle wouldn’t let him go, so he left with the rest of the gang.

 

Carrie looked at Sami, “Anything yet?”
“Yeah. Now they are fighting!”
“Do something. Play the wedding video!”
“Good idea,” Sami pressed the play and the tapes of their wedding and times together as a family began to play. Carrie also moved to the window, she wanted to see for herself how their plan was working. Marlena was crying, so was John. “This is working,”

Carrie said, smiling.
“Do you think so? They don’t look that happy to me,” Sami said, somewhat disappointed.
“Be patient Sami! Play a song,” Carrie suggested. Sami started playing *Shed a light on her life*, she had chosen this and the result it gave was better than they had expected.
“Wow, this is great. John has started to admit his love for Mom,” Carrie said.
“Yeah. If only Mom would do the same.”

 

When there was silence in the room again, Sami knew that her mother couldn’t find words to respond so she played *All I Know*. She knew this is how her mother must be feeling towards John and to her surprise it resulted to more than she was looking for. Sami pressed the repeat bottom on the CD player’s remote and moved away from the window. Carrie who had come down a few minutes before her asked, “Why did you come down?”
“Because mission is accomplished. I don’t think either one will say another word ’till morning. So lets go home. We have to be here tomorrow before they start talking and jump to all the wrong conclusions.”
“You are right Sami. Well, sis, it is nice having you back on the team.”

 

They both smiled, looked back at the cabin for one last time, then headed for the Brady’s Pub.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad came down and was happy when Kristen approached him, since he hadn’t seen her face clearly earlier and couldn’t recognize her.
“Hi John. Am I glad you are still here!”
“Where else would I be?” Brad asked smiling, knowing John was exactly where Kristen didn’t want him to be.
“Oh, nowhere. Let’s go get married.”
“Well, first I have to stop by a courier service,” Brad said.
“Why?” Kristen asked, annoyed, as if her plans hadn’t been ruined enough already.
“Just because,” He said harshly, so Kristen wouldn’t ask anymore questions.

 

Brad went to the courier service. He put the picture back in the journal and then placed it in the package. He wrote the address of the Brady’s Pub on the back of it and address it to Marlena Evans. He was glad, he had found all the information he needed in John’s journal and address book. Then he wrote a note and put it in the package with the rest and sent it on the rush delivery to Salem. He came out and got into the car with Kristen.
“Did you finish your Job?” Kristen asked, suspiciously.
“No, not yet. We have another stop to make.”
“We do? What?” Kristen asked, frustrated. This wasn’t going as she had planned.
“I want you to sign a premarital agreement,” Brad said matter of factly.
“What?! Why?!” Kristen couldn’t believe her ears.
“You know, you ask a lot of questions. It’s getting annoying!”
Kristen couldn’t believe the tone John has just spoken to her with, “John, don’t talk to me like that! How can you?”
“Very easily. You talk too much and ask too many questions. You have been getting on my nerves! I don’t know for how many months! You know what? I sometimes wonder why I ever stay with you!” Brad said. He had guessed what kind of a woman she was, but this was something else. Kristen was an spoiled rich brat.
“Don’t say that. I’ll sign what ever you want,” Kristen whispered.
“Good,” he said, as he got out of the car and took her to the lawyers office.

Kristen reluctantly walked in, not knowing she was turning the wheels on herself…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laura couldn’t sleep. She kept on getting images of Stefano and Peter and Kristen in the Blake house. This wasn’t making any sense and she was getting frustrated. Why couldn’t she just remember what happened?

 

She started going back in her mind, reviewing everything that had happened the morning of the funeral. She remembered talking to Marlena about Kristen’s pregnancy, then they left for the hospital to talk to Dr. Robbins. He was busy, so they went to the funeral. She remembered Kristen’s speech and how she too thought Kristen was hiding something. Then they left the church. Marlena said she was going to see the kids and then Dr. Robins, and Laura had promised to call her later. Then something happened. What was it? She is sure that whatever happened next started the whole disappearance. She remembered hearing shouts: a woman’s and Jack’s. It was Kristen accusing Jack of murder. No that can’t be, Peter is alive! Why did she think that? Then she remembered the shouting stopped, suddenly; just like someone had turned of a radio or TV. Then she saw it, as clear as if it was happening right there again, in front of her eyes. She saw Kristen adjusting her baby to the right position. No wait, this doesn’t make sense! Then it hit her, Kristen wasn’t pregnant! As soon as Laura remembered this, everything else started flowing to the surface– her going to the church… seeing Stefano and Peter, and DANIEL….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad took Kristen to the lawyer to sign the premarital agreement. Kristen, wanting to get this over with before Marlena could find out where they were, signed the papers without reading them, and then said, “Here! Can we get married now?”
“Yes, we can. That will make me the most *Fortunate* man in the world,” Brad said, with a devious smile. He watched Kristen as she was gloating in what she thought was a victory.

 

 

Chapter 17- The Truth

 

The next morning, everyone is at the Brady Pub. They had decided to meet at 7:00 so they can plan on what to say to John and Marlena. Abe starts the conversation, “I think we should talk to them separately. Telling each what we know about the ordeal the other has gone through. This way we spare them the pain of reliving it, especially Marlena and her kidnapping.”
“I agree. She did say that the memories of the cage were too painful to think about,” Caroline said.
“What if I tell John what I know about Marlena; what she went through, why she kept silent and then give him the diary to read, and Abe you tell Marlena about John and the fact that he has been lost without her. I wish we had some proof of his feelings from John himself but your….” Carrie was interrupted by the sound of the bells at the pub’s door.
Shawn asked, “We are not open yet, but may I help you in anyway?” “Yes, I have a package here. It says to give it to Marlena Evans or Caroline Brady,” The courier said. “I’m Caroline Brady.” She took the package from him and signed for it. Caroline looked at the package and said, “The return address says, Brad Gilmor. Do you know anyone by that name?”
Everyone said, “No.” Then Bo added, “We don’t, but he obviously knows you and Marlena. Why don’t you open it Mom?”
Caroline opened the box carefully and took out the journal and a letter. She looked at it puzzled, so Carrie came to her rescue, “Open and see what it says Grandma,”
“Do you think I should?”
Sami said, “Yes. Who ever this Brad is he wanted you or Mom to read this, which to me looks like a diary. If you are not going to open it I will!”
“Sure Sami, here. Open up and read it,” Caroline said as she gave the diary to Sami.
Sami opened it and from it fell out a picture. She picked it up and looked at it. Seeing a picture of her mother made her curious as to what the diary beheld. So she started reading. She stopped after the first page, went fast through the rest ’till she came to the last entry. Her eyes welled up in tears as she closed the diary and gave it to Caroline.
“What is it Sami?” Her grandma asked concern.
“That just made me realize how much I have hurt the two people I love the most. Oh grandma, how am I ever going to make it up to them?”
“What are you saying Sami? You didn’t do anything wrong, except staying angry at them for too long,” Hope said trying to soothe Sami who was sobbing now.
Sami became angry, she was tired of everyone always making excuses for her behavior and said, “You call switching blood tests nothing? How about kidnapping Belle? I practically killed my own Mom by doing that, and then putting her through that humiliation at the baptism. That was my fault too you know…If I hadn’t kept that diary…” She was crying again.
“That wasn’t your fault Sami,” Carrie said, as she put an arm around her sister’s shoulder.
“What’s in the diary?” Abe asked, wanting to change the conversation.
“It’s John’s. It’s his feelings on the paper and that was Mom’s picture with us in her lap. Don’t you see? He didn’t just regret losing Mom, he regretted losing us too. And you know he didn’t have to… He wouldn’t have had to if we–I mean all of us–would have tried for once to look at it from his point of view or even Mom’s. We all were too quick to judge and blamed them and turned our backs on them because of the affair and not once did we stop then and ask ourselves, Why did it really happened!” Sami said, angry at herself and everyone else.
“You are right Sami. We didn’t and we are sorry but there is nothing we can do about the past; but we can make it a bright future for them. So let’s focus on that,” Carrie said, unable to hold her own tears back.

 

Everyone knew Sami was right. They had judged too fast and too harshly putting John and Marlena in such a position that they had decided to hide their feeling for each other and live in pain because they had both sworn that they would never hurt their loved ones like that again. Now was the time to right the past mistakes. Lexie asked “What does the letter say?”
Sami who had the letter, handed it to Carrie and said, “Why don’t you read it, I don’t think I can handle more?”
Carrie took the letter and opened it, “It is from Brad. Maybe I should read it out loud.” Then she began reading it:

 

Dear Marlena,

You don’t know me. Actually I just met John Black a few hours ago, here in LosVegas. I think he was coming to see you. The point is, he helped me in a big way because you had done it for him years ago. I know I had no right to, but after seeing Kristen I just had to. I have read his diary and know your history together. He loves you so, and from what I read I think you do too. Because I know I would never die for someone I don’t love more than life itself and you have jeopardized yours for John on more than one occasion. I decided to repay his and your good deed by giving you two an early wedding present. I know about Kristin and her schemes. She gave them up while talking aloud to herself. Well, apart from keeping you and John apart, she is keeping a big secret. *She is not pregnant*. I know this will devastate John but I also know it is this that has kept him at her side. I will keep Kristen busy and believe me she won’t know what hit her ’till it’s too late.

I wish you and John all the happiness in the world because true love always triumphs, and deserves happiness.

Your humbled friend,
Brad Gilmor

 

Before the shock of the news could settle in Carrie’s, phone rang. “Carrie Brady here,” “Yes I know. Really! Sure. See you,” was all Carrie said.

 

“Who was that?” Sami asked.
“Laura, she just remembered what happened to her and she is going to Smith Island. We are suppose to meet her there in half an hour.”
“We better start going. It’s 9:00 and they will start waking and we should be there before they do,” Sami said.

 

And they all headed for the island, knowing this would be one of the hardest things they ever had to do….

 

 

Chapter 18- The Morning After

 

Marlena didn’t want to wake up. She’d had the most wonderful dream last night, and didn’t want to face the reality, not yet. She forced her eyes closed not wanting to open them to her empty bedroom, like so many nights before, if she could she would stay asleep forever. Dreams were the only place her dreams came true. This was when she felt a warm welcoming feeling of a kiss on her lips. Not any kiss, she knew those lips, their soft texture, their warmth, and their moisture. I am still asleepshe thought and then a voice said, “Good morning, pretty lady!” Her ears became sharp like a cat’s. She opened her eyes thinking she was still dreaming. She was in the Horton cabin with John sitting on the bed next to her, half dressed, smiling down at her. She tried to wipe the sleep away from her eyes but it didn’t work, he was still there. I must have liked this dream a bit too much. This thought made her smile that sweet heartwarming one John could never resist. John leaned on one arm, lowered his face to hers, and gave her a warm tantalizing kiss on her soft lips. She responded to that kiss with all the passion she felt for him, then as John broke the kiss to get some air, she pinched him hard. “Ouch”, he said rubbing his arm, “What was that for Doc? I thought you enjoyed that kiss!”
“Well, I did.” she said with that mischievous smile and that glimmer in her eyes that reminded John of Belle when she had just done something wrong and was trying to come up with a very good explanation.
“Then what did you pinch me for?”
“I wanted to see if you were really here, or if I was dreaming,” she said innocently, unable to hide the curling up of her lips.
“You are supposed to pinch yourself honey not me!” He said, chuckling. He was enjoying this a lot. He really had missed this part of Marlena, the playful, mischievous, childlike side, that always brightened up his days then they were married.
“Well, if I was awake, which I was, then it would have hurt,” she said, while giving John an innocent look.
John pulled her into his arms for another soul shattering kiss, then he held her back, looking into her beautiful eyes, “I, for sure, am awake,” he said then he suddenly got up and extended his hand. “I think I need to be more sure this is really real. How about a dance to welcome this beautiful Valentine’s Day.” Marlena smiled at him and gave him her hand, she got up and put her hands around his neck, they molded together perfectly, as the music played in the back ground, humming the words they both wanted to say…

 

If there were no words
No way to speak
I would still
Hear you.

If there were no tears
No way to feel inside
I would still
Feel for you.

 

Marlena took her head off John’s shoulder and looked deeply into his eyes, showing him all the love in the world. John smiled at her, and did the same in return. Then he tightened his hold on her as if she might slip from his arms, and when he was sure she would remain in his arms, he slowly softened his grip on her and started to dance again…

 

And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You’ll still have my heart
Until the end of time
You’re all I need
My love, my Valentine.

 

John couldn’t help the tears that started to slide down his face, Oh he was blessed to have this wonderful perfect person in his life, and thinking he almost let her slip away, be out of his life forever. He silently thanked God from the depths of his heart for giving him a second chance to make it right with her…

 

All of my life
I have been waiting for
All you give to me.

You opened my eyes
And showed me how to
Love unselfishly.

 

Marlena was thinking the same thing. Only last night she thought she lost him forever. She was touched, honored, and amazed at the bond she and John shared, it was something more that having a child together. It was even more that having been married once, or being friends. It was something that might take her all her life to figure out, but she was glad it was there. She couldn’t imagine her life without John and she was glad she didn’t have to. She sure couldn’t love this guy anymore, or maybe she could…

 

I dreamed of this
A thousand times before
In my dreams
I couldn’t love you more.

I would give you my heart
Until the end of time
You’re all I need
My love, my Valentine.

 

They both slowed down until they were almost motionless, in each others arms, both looking at the others eyes, no into the other’s soul. Then they both melted into this heavenly kiss that took them to the place all their own in the clouds…

 

Even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You’d still have my heart
Until the end of time
‘Cause all I need
Is you my Valentine
You’re all I need
My love, my Valentine.

 

When the song stopped, they broke the kiss, and John, still looking into her glimmering eyes said, “You know that song is so right. You are all I need, all I have ever needed in my life, and all I will ever need until my dying day. I love you Angel, and I always will, don’t you ever doubt that, not for a second.” Marlena looked him right in the eyes and just said, “Me too.”

 

Then John turned her in his arms, holding her back against him, and said, “You know I couldn’t believe this either, ‘till I watched you sleep and when I looked around this room.”
Marlena looked around the Cabin and for the first time noticed the decorations, and food. The music was still playing softly and the room was filled with flowers. “We’ve been set up,” John said smiling.
Marlena smiled back and said, “Yeah, and by Sami!” She looked at John as the shock covered his face, “SAMI??!!”
“Yes that’s why I am here. Carrie called Eric, and said Sami is about to do something foolish, and then Eric and the kids and I came back in the privet jet…Kate sent us.” As Marlena was telling John what happened it seemed more and more like everyone had a hand in this.
“Wow. I decided to come back when I kept on hearing you crying but…Did you say Carrie called you in Colorado?”
“Yes. Why?”
“She told me she didn’t know where you were. Come to think of it so did everyone else,” then laughing, “So that’s why Abe took me to every single restaurant in town tonight,” John said kind of talking to himself.
“John. Why would you do that?” Marlena asked puzzled.
“Well, I asked everyone where you were and no one knew- or didn’t tell me- then Abe said the last time he heard you were taking the kids out for an ice-cream.”
“I did.”
“I know you did. But he said he didn’t know where you took them. So he took me to every single ice-cream bar, shop and restaurant in Salem. Do you know how many places there are here where you can buy ice-cream?” He asked half laughing. But Marlena was past laughing, she was out of control, so much so that she couldn’t sit up anymore and lay flat on her back on the bed holding her stomach. John’s heart just took a leap to see and hear her laugh again from the depth of her soul. The tears were gathering in Marlena’s eyes and when finally she calmed down enough to say a few words, she told him, “Remind me to thank Abe for that laugh!”
John was laughing himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her so happy, oh she looks radiant when she is happyhe thought, Come to think of it, I don’t remember me being this happy either. John came out of his thoughts when suddenly Marlena’s laughter stopped. He looked at her and could see the concern and worry in her eyes. “What is it sweetheart?”
Marlena looked up at him and said, “What are you going to do about Kristen?”
This question took John by surprise. He hadn’t thought about that, actually he had completely forgotten Kristen. “Well, Marlena I…” Before he could say anything there came a knock at the door, “…better get that,” John said as he gave Marlena a quick kiss on the lips.
Marlena smiled and said, “You better put on your robe before you do that.” John nodded yes and put his robe on and went to get the door.

 

He opened the door and was greeted by the smiling, and concerned face of Carrie. “Hi Pumpkin. How are you?”
“Hi. I am just fine. How are things with you? You certainly look happier than I’ve seen you for a long time,” Carrie said smiling at him and Marlena who was now standing behind John. It pained her to know that in a few minutes neither one would be this happy, but at least they’ll have each other to get through it., “Hi Mom, you too. You look radiant this morning. I didn’t wake you up did I?”
“No honey you didn’t”, Marlena said, “But we were just about to discuss something important…”
Marlena was cut off by Carrie, “Oh, I am sorry. I really needed to talk to John about something, but I guess it can wait,” Carrie said, glad she had come in time, and hoping they’ll go for her disappointment act.
“Oh sweetie. Our conversation can wait. Can’t it John?”
“Yes it can. Do you want to talk to me here or outside,” John asked Carrie, his love for his *once* daughter evident in his voice.
Carrie smiled at John and said “Out here if it is OK with you,”
“Sure Pumpkin. See you in a minute, Doc,” he gave Marlena another tender kiss as he left the cabin.

 

Outside he met Abe and Laura. “Hi. What are you doing here Abe?” John asked.
Abe didn’t know what exactly to say. He had to think fast “I…I came here to talk to Marlena. There is this case I am working on and I want her input on it, psychologically speaking I mean.”
“Can’t it wait?”
“No it can’t. People’s futures and happiness are depending on it. See you later John.” Abe headed for the cabin.
Laura gave John a smile and said, “I need to see her too. About my memory and all. You know what I mean, right?”
“Sure Laura. I hope it comes back to you soon, I know how it feels not knowing what has happened to you in some period of your life.”
“I know you do. And thanks,” with that, Laura also went into the cabin.

 

Carrie took John’s hand and guided him to the bench outside, “John, you better sit down for what I am going to tell you…”

 

 

Chapter 19- Maybe I’m Just What You Need!

 

She sat down on the ledge of the window, looking out. She was happy, because John loved her, not anyone else but her. And she has finally had what she deserved, and whom was rightfully hers. Last night has been wonderful, better than any fantasy she has ever had. She couldn’t have picture the events better than they had been; actually all except one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Are we there yet?” Kristen asked for the hundredth times.
Brad was losing his patience with her, she was acting like a two year old, and not a very adoring one either. “Will be there in a few minutes honey, be patient!”
“I can’t John. I just Love you so much. I can’t wait to marry you,” Kristen said, as she looked at her watch, anxious to tie the knot before Marlena catches her breaking her promise.
After a few more minutes of listening to that annoying sound of hers, Brad was happy to announce that they were at the chapel finally. They got out and just before they walk in, Brad saw a small artificial water-fall, and an idea popped into his head. I better get this on the camera,he thought. So he excused himself and went to the shop in the Hotel, and bought himself a camcorder.
“Why did you buy that John?” Kristen asked, puzzled.
“Well, honey. I want to have everything that happens between us, on tape from now on,” Brad said thinking, And I mean *everything*, “Don’t you think it is a good idea? I mean then we can show it to everyone back in Salem what a wonderful time we had together. I am sure Doc, will love to see it!” Brad knew if he said Marlena’s name Kristen would definitely want everything on tape and he was right. All of the sudden she became too enthusiastic about taping everything. So they did. Brad took her, for a walk before going into the chapel. He took her hand and sat near the water, telling her how magical this night has been how wonderful, it will be to spend it with her. How much he is looking forward to marrying her. And all of the sudden this teenager bumps into Brad, which in turn bumps into Kristen and she falls into the water. The next scene is too much for Brad, to keep the straight face…

 

Brad can’t help but chuckle as he remembers this. And to think he has everything on tape on its way to Salem as he is taking his morning shower. He silently thanks god for giving him a chance to right a wrong, to help a friend and in process become one of the richest people in the world. As he gets out of the shower he remembers another surprise he had in store for Kristen last night…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, everything last night was wonderful. She thinks but not that humiliating event in front of the chapel. Kristen remembers having a wonderful time, listening to how much John loves her–and then suddenly she was in the water, soaking wet. Her make up ruined, her dress sticking to her body, but the worst part was the BABY. The purple satin pillow was wet and heavy, pulled down by the weight and ending up somewhere between her stomach and her knees. The dress had become transparent and it showed right through it. She stood up, while John laughed like he had just seen the funniest movie ever. She thought her life was over. But that wasn’t all, her life was over in the most public place with at least 100 people staring at her. But no one said a thing. Until this little girl, who amazingly, looked like Belle, shouted, “Mommy why is that lady wearing a pillow ?” And this was all the crowd needed. They all started to laugh, and she felt helpless. But somehow was glad Marlena hadn’t seen it happening. Then John said something which surprised her.
“I see you wore our son tonight honey. But I told you I want a girl. So what do you say you come out of there, we get married and then you can go home and put the pink satin pillow in the place of this one. And honey this time get shoulder straps for it, then it won’t end up on your knees when it gets wet.”

 

Kristen remembers being so shocked she couldn’t speak. and John didn’t ask her to. He took her hand guiding her out, and then took her straight to the chapel. She wanted to change but there was no time so she walked in like that in front of the justice of the peace. She didn’t remember what happened after that, she was too embarrassed to listen or look. She knew everyone was eyeing her, and it made her uncomfortable. But then it came, the blow…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Would you take this man, Brad Gilmor, to be your….”
“What????? WHO????” Kristen asked, shocked.

 

“Brad Gilmor.” the minister said.
“This is a joke, right? John what is going on here?” She was about to explode. That was it, she had had it tonight. She couldn’t take anymore misfortunes.
“Honey, calm down. This is the surprise I had for you. I thought it will make you happy.” Brad said unable to hide his enjoyment of this whole night.
“HAPPY? Are you nuts. You better have a very good explanation for this JOHN!”
“I do. I married Marlena when I thought I was Roman. That life ended when I found out I wasn’t. Then I changed my name to John Black and married Isabella, but that ended tragically too. So I thought I would change my name this time *willingly*, to put both lives behind me and start the new one, fresh with you. And since I changed it this time, as a choice not a MUST, it might bring me good luck with you, my beautiful bride.” Brad said everything so tenderly, and seeing the expression on Kristen’s face he knew he had sold the story.
“You’d do all that for me, even thought I lied to you about being pregnant?” Kristen said, half in tears, and touched.
“Of course. I didn’t really wanted the child you know. You are the one who wanted one so bad. And I am sorry you lost it honey. But maybe we can have one after we get married. What do you say?”

 

Brad opened the door and came out of the bathroom, seeing Kristen in front of the window. As he walked out, Kristen turned around to face him. She smiled, and walked towards him. She gave him a kiss, which he returned.
“How are you today?” Brad asked.
“I am great. I haven’t felt like this…” she stopped mid-sentence, her eyes tear-filled.
“Since when honey?” Brad couldn’t help the little compassion he felt towards her.
“Since I was five and my Mom was alive. Oh god J–Brad I killed my Mom as well as my child,” Then she started crying again. Brad walked towards her and said, “How about a nice honeymoon in Australia to get you mind off everything that happened to you in Salem, and Paris?”
Kristen just nodded her head. Somehow, Brad’s incredible kindness and understanding towards her, had made her realize how *Evil* she had become in the past year.
Brad thought keeping Kristen away from Salem would give John and Marlena enough time to get over the pain–as much as was possible– and get married. But there was another reason he wanted her away, from everyone she knew, and alone with him. He was starting to see that Kristen was a woman who has not seen *love* to know what it meant. She had always seen possession and obsession and had mistook it for *love*. She was a lonely soul who didn’t have one true friend in the world, and that made him sad. Everyone deserves to be loved, and Kristen hasn’t been loved since her mother died–the first time. He knew her mother’s story from John’s diary, and how she has been brought up by Stefano. Even Brad knew who Stefano DiMera was. And then her obsession with John. He had never loved her either. He had been kind and supporting but his heart had belonged to someone else. Suddenly Brad decided to show K what real love can be, what it can do, and what it can mean. Maybe, he can show her how wrong she has been to keep Marlena and John apart for so long, and to deny herself to be loved. We have both lacked real love in our lives. It has made us both bitter in some way. Maybe we are each others remedy for *love*, this was the last thought in Brad’s head before he wrapped his arms around Kristen and let her lean against him, still quietly crying for her losses– her mother and her child, who she has practically killed.

 

 

Chapter 20- Whose Heart Is It?

 

Marlena was stunned from what Brad had wrote and what Laura had confirmed–Kristen was not pregnant. She was angry and hurt. Angry because she had been fooled by Kristen after promising herself that she won’t ever be again. But more than that, she was hurt– not for herself but for John. He was going to be devastated and she had to be the one to tell him. Abe and Laura both gave Marlena a reassuring hug and promised it would be OK.
Marlena wiped her tears and said, “I wish I could believe that.”
Laura held her friend close and comforted her, “You still love him don’t you?”
Marlena nodded her head, “Oh yes I do. With all my heart.”
Laura smiled, “Then it will be OK, with the love you two share, you can survive anything. Just believe in that.”
Marlena held her friend tightly, “Oh Laura what would I ever do without you. How am I going to ever thank you for all you have done for me?”
Laura wiped her friend’s tears and handed her the Kleenex, “To answer your first question, You’re never going to find out, ‘cause I’ll always be here for you. And the second one, Just be happy, enjoy your life and laugh–that’s all the thanks I need.” Then Laura said more seriously, “Are you sure you won’t need me here with you, when you tell John?”
“No Laura thanks. We’ll be OK.”

 

Laura left the cabin then and joined Abe who had left a few minutes ago giving Laura and Marlena some time alone.

 

Carrie was in tears as she watched John’s reaction to the entries in the diary. She knew he loved Marlena so much but never imagined a love could be this strong. He was experiencing every pain and sorrow and loneliness Marlena had felt when she wrote them. And then his tears started to roll down, “I swear I never hurt her, and that’s exactly what I have done. Oh, Carrie. What am I going to do now? She must hate me for what I put her through. How could I have been so blind? We were suppose to have a bond like no one else has, and yet I didn’t even know she was in pain.”
John was moving down the despair path and Carrie knew it. So she quietly said, “John don’t do that. Don’t go there. She does love you. She said so in there. And you did feel her pains and fears. You are the reason she refused Stefano’s offer of freedom. She loves you so much she was ready to die for you in Paris rather than see you die. She loves you more than she has ever loved anyone. And I know you love her too. Because I remember how devastated you were when we thought she’d died… how happy you were when she came back to us again…and how you were ready to give your life for hers…you are the reason she is alive and with us today…I know you blamed yourself for hurting her and Roman because of the affair…But that was inevitable…I understood then after I gave it some thought, but I understand it better now…When two people love like you two do…there is no separating them. Believe in her love, and your love, and you’ll be just fine. She needs you even if you think she doesn’t. She does, I know because she told me so herself. Just go in there, and give her a big hug, maybe a kiss, and wipe her pain away.”
John was overwhelmed by all Carrie had told him. This was his little girl and now she was all grown up and was giving him advice. He just held her tightly in his arms, “I love you pumpkin.”
“ I love you too, Daddy.”
“Daddy?!!!”
“Yeah, I missed calling you that. I always felt it though.”
John started to cry again. Abe who was silently watching this scene, came forward and said, “Well buddy. Why don’t you get up and do what your daughter told you to do?!”
John wiped his tears and got up, “I am going too.”

 

As he walked towards the cabin door, Laura came out, gave him an understanding look as he went into the cabin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once inside, Marlena –with love-filled eyes that were flooding with tears for John’s Inevitable pain, and a voice that was aromatized with empathy for him–slowly took his hand in hers and did the hardest thing she ever had to do…Telling him his child was lost to him many months before and watch his heart ache with sorrow.

 

John still couldn’t believe the information he’d just read, and heard…. No that wasn’t true. He believed them the minute he saw it was Marlena’s handwriting, and he believed everything she told him…he would even believe *snow* was black if she told him it was so!!! He just didn’t want to believe it. If he did, it meant that not only that he had stayed with Kristen for a baby that was probably lost in Paris several month ago…He had also done what he swore on his life he would never ever do again–hurt Marlena. The tears were stinging his eyes, and the fact that Marlena was right there, holding his hand, and whispering words of comfort in his ear, increased his pain. ‘How can she look at me after all I have done? How can she still love me?’ These were the questions he couldn’t dismiss, and yet in his heart he knew she did love him and he was more grateful for her love that he could ever express.

 

Marlena asked the question she has been asking him for the last half an hour again, “Honey? Are you OK? Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
And he gave her the same answer as before, “Doc! I am fine.”

 

Marlena looked at him with all the adoration in the world, “You are not. And you don’t have to pretend with me. I can read your mind, hear your thoughts, and feel everything you are–so why don’t you stop shutting me out, and talk to me, Please?”

 

John was in awe. He took a step towards her, so their bodies were only inches apart; he took her beautiful face in between his shaking hands, and wiped the tears that were glistening on her cheeks, with a delicate motion of his thumbs. Looking into the eyes, that were mirrors of love, he said, “Sweetheart, I will never shut you out. I will never keep anything ever from you again. You’re such a vital part of me–My heart and soul. And you know a man can’t live without his heart, and he can’t be happy without his soul…without you honey, I will never see another dawn. I love you angel, and I am, OK, honestly? I do feel like a fool, and I’m sad because I lost my child. But what gives me the most pain is knowing I have caused you lots of pain. I can’t even think of one reason you’re still here with me, after all I have put you through. But I am forever grateful that you are,” his tears were falling down now as well, in time with hers. As his fingers wiped the tears of her face, her delicate hands wiped away his. She held his face in between her hands and just looked into the blue oceans of love that were all hers to sail in. With her eyes, she admired every small detail on his face, then without warning, she leaned closer, standing on her tip-toes. With her lips she slowly met his warm ones, and as she did, she felt them tremble under hers. Her tears started to roll down again, but she didn’t stop. She tenderly kissed his trembling lips, and then more passionately, wiping any fragments of doubt from his mind…’cause she knew there weren’t any in his heart.

John burst into tears, and kissed her hungrily. Then wrapped his arms around his angel, and pulled her as close to him as he possibly could. He needed to feel one with her, and he was ready to give up breathing if it would make that happen.

 

Marlena accepted the warm embrace, and held him close. As she rested her head on the base of his neck, she could feel his face being buried in hers, and the tears that were tinkeling her skin. She could hear his heart beat with hers as if their were one–One–and they were. In every way that it counted…they completed each other and she knew at that moment that she’d never loved him more than she does this very moment, and that no matter what she was never ever going to give up on the love they shared again. He was her destiny. She promised herself she’d do all that she can to help him deal and accept the pain of losing a child. She knew how hard it could be to let go–the thought of DJ broke a dam that she had built during the years that had gone by.

 

Marlena being in his arms, feeling her close, gave John the power to heal. He promised he’ll make everything up to her. Then, and only then he’ll ask her to do him the ultimate honor of becoming his wife–now and forever. He knew for doing that he has to accept his faults, admit them, ask for forgiveness…then Romance, spoil and shower her with all she deserves. He decided his mission in life will be to keep that special smile on her face, and her melodical laughter always in the air. She was his destiny and he couldn’t have asked for a better one. At this moment he felt her sobbing quietly in his arms, and he knew why.

 

Now it was his turn to comfort her, and he loved nothing better to do, “Sweetheart. I know…It’s hard, and it will never be forgotten. But you know what?!! I bet he’s up there in heaven looking down at you right this very moment. Now you wouldn’t want him to see his mother crying would you?!!” He held her in his arms but in a way that he could look into her eyes. She shook her head ‘No’. He continued in a love filled whisper, “Great. Now why don’t you give him that heart-warming, radiant, magical smile of yours, so he can be sure that you’re OK?” She smiled then, and so did he. Then silently they both merged back into one, in each others arms again, and once nested in that warm blanket of love, Marlena whispered in his ear for the first time in years, “I love you.”

 

At this moment a cabin door opened quietly and a person at the other end looked upon this couple. She was ashamed at how wrong she had been and knew how much she had to make up for…

 

 

Chapter 21- Real Confessions
Sami was about to turn around and leave when Marlena saw her in the doorway. She raised her head from John’s shoulder and slowly came out of his embrace, “What is it sweetie?”
“Oh, nothing Mom. It can wait.”
At this time a young man’s voice said, “No it can’t.”
John, surprised said, “ERIC!!!!”
Eric gave a sheepish grin, “Yep…finally decided to reappear.”
John practically ran to Eric’s side then stopped before he reached him. He didn’t know what Eric’s reaction would be to him. He might want his Mother happy but that didn’t mean he liked John. Eric who saw him struggle with the idea, approached John and pulled him into a father/son hug, “It is great to see you again *Dad*!”

 

And before either one of them could react to *dad*, Sami found her voice, “Eric is right…it can’t wait…I have been denying this for so long… that I think if I don’t say it all now.. then I might never do it and I really want you two to know…”
Marlena, who felt another *affair* discussion coming on, was pained but still eager to hear. “Sure honey. What is it?”
Sami saw the look on both her Mom’s and John’s faces, and knew what they were thinking, “Oh. No. Not that…I don’t know where to start though..”
John a bit confused, “Start at the beginning Sami…whatever it is…it is always good to start at the beginning.”

 

“OK…” She couldn’t find the words, ‘Where is the beginning of this?’she asked herself.
Eric came and put a hand on his sisters shoulder, “You can do it Sami. *We* can do it. And we have to. It is way overdue, don’t you think so?” Sami shook her head in agreement, as both John and Marlena just looked on still not understanding what was going on, and afraid to use each other for support when the twins were in the room.

So Marlena walked to the bed and sat down. John pulled a chair and sat next to the table absently playing with the strawberries and dipping it into the whipped cream, wiping it off with his lips and doing it again. Marlena’s eyes divert to the table and seeing John sitting there and holding a berry brings about so many passionate memories, she mindlessly licks her lips, John turns his head around and seeing Marlena wetting her lips in that sensual way, send shivers of desire up his spine. He also feels his lips with his tongue and as their *eyes* meet across the room, they start to get lost in the depth of their love when the two young adults in the room, cough to get their attention.

Marlena and John both snap out of the trance the other was putting them under and look up towards Sami and Eric.
The young ones smile and Sami says, “Sorry about that. But I have a lot of apologizing and explaining to do…and I really need to tell you all now…But I want one thing from you two.”
Marlena and John both say, “Sure”, while they’re wondering what the apologies for.
“great, then let me finish before you tell me what you think OK?”
“Sure sweetie,” with that John moved next to Marlena on the bed and they both look at her waiting for her to start.

 

Sami paced the room for a while longer before looking at both of them and then at Eric, when Eric nodded his head in approval, she started what she should have done a *long* time ago.

 

“Well I think it all started when Dad died.” Marlena looked at Sami marveling what this was leading to, she wanted to ask something but remembered their promise to her so she just looked at John who had the same expression on his face as she did, and the look he gave Marlena said he didn’t understand this any more that she did. They both looked back at Sami who starts to continue, “Well you know how I always say how much I miss the times we spent with Dad when we were kids. How I remember him being there for me and tucking me in at night, and how I miss having those times,” she waited for them to nod and when they did she started again, “well the truth is I *don’t* remember Dad at all. I mean not from when I was a kid. How can I — I was only a few months old when he supposedly died. And even then he was on assignments so I don’t remember him at all.”

 

Marlena and John, who were not expecting this conversion both started at the same time, “Sami he…”
She gave them a deadly stare, “you promised not to interrupt.”
“Sorry” they both said in unison and then Sami resumed her conversation, or actually her side of it, “Well and then when I was about 1.5 John came into my life…What I am trying to say is…all those times that I say I miss, when we were all together. It isn’t with Dad. They are all with You and John and me and Carrie and Eric. I thought about it last night, and just let the memories flow in without trying to stop them or change them somehow. And you know what…all the memories I thought I have of Dad are of you, John. You are the one who always laughed and played with us and just pretended to be silly. You and Mom are what I remember as good old days of my life. I remember how happy we all were. The house was always joyous. It felt like everyday was Christmas. And I couldn’t wait for the next day to start. We were really happy then weren’t we?! It was like those families on TV…always happy… having silly arguments and then reconciling later.”

 

She stopped for a moment to wipe the tears that had formed from the memories. She really missed those days. But she wasn’t the only one in tears. Marlena was looking over at John and then Eric, while her own tears were rolling down her face. Both guys were crying as well, with painful smiles on their faces. “Those were the happy days”, Eric whispered.

 

They all nodded their heads, and Sami took a deep breath, “Well, but they didn’t last did they? Mom was kidnapped and then the house wasn’t the same but John never changed…He tried his best to make us feel loved and happy. He was there when I cried at nights, reading me a story, tucking me in bed, making sure I know he loved me. But I also remember when Eric and I would get up at night and Daddy was sitting in the living room, holding a picture of you, Mom, and crying. And then we would just run back upstairs and cry because we knew we weren’t the only ones who missed you.”

 

Sami was now sobbing but she didn’t want to stop, she looked at the tear stricken faces of her parents and Eric and continued, “John, remember when we made you promise you’ll never go like Mom did. And you said, ‘Mom would have loved to be here and see us grow up…that she is still watching us from heaven”, but we told you we want you with us here. And you promised you’d *never* leave us and go.”

 

John shook his head, trying to get rid of the tears that wouldn’t stop falling. Sami was right–he promised them that, but he had no choice, “Sami I didn’t…”
“John let me finish please..”
”Sorry peanut…”
”It’s OK…Then Mom came back…we were thrilled to have her home again…I remember telling Eric, and Carrie ‘we are going to have our family back again.’I was looking forward to being that joyful little family we were before Mom was kidnapped…But then this new *man* walked into our lives and said he was our Dad…that you weren’t our Daddy…And Mom said it’s true…and you left.”

 

Eric who had been sitting in a corner and just listening to the words that were just what he wanted to say came closer to Sami put a hand on her sobbing shoulders, and pulled her into his arms, then looked at the two people he loved more than anything and anyone in this world, “And then our family was torn apart…It is true Roman was our father…but John was our Dad…But everyone just pretended like that wasn’t so…and they all wanted us to forget who brought us up…who stayed up all night trying to make us feel better about losing our mother…Everyone…And when John left us and said Roman is our Dad and we have to live with him now…I hated both of you for so long…Roman for taking my family away…and you, John for giving us up without a fight.”

John wanted to say something, but decided to let them finish first…he looked over at Marlena who was now crying uncontrollably…she also looked at John and said, “They are right John…I didn’t have a choice–he was my husband…But why didn’t *you* fight for us.”
John, filled with pain, sorrow and regret looked at *his* children , then at Marlena, “I thought I was doing what was best for all of you. It killed me to let you all go…but I didn’t have a choice..”
“Yes you did. You could have fought…Mom loved you even I could see that…she was crushed when you just left and went back to Isabella…But she is right she didn’t have a choice and you really didn’t let her know you loved her before Roman came; did you John?”
John didn’t have any defense for that one.
“See even you can’t deny that. I still remember your birthday…the year she came back…Oh yeah you guys didn’t know that do you…I had come home from Grandma’s to get my baseball glove…and I saw her standing in front of the door and crying after you left her right there…I didn’t know who she was…well I mean I didn’t dare hope for who I thought she was…but I saw how hurt she was…You just *left her* like you did us a few months later…”

 

Sami decided to take over seeing Eric was really blowing up with all this. He was keeping to himself for all these years. “Well, we are not blaming you really…but you *could* have done all that…the truth is it was hard seeing the man I loved more than any other in the world leave me and a stranger telling me he was my dad now…Don’t get me wrong I love Dad…I *learned* to love him over the few years he was

here…Anyway…you left and had your own life…and we started having ours…But it didn’t make us stop loving you as much I wanted to…Then I saw you two at Titan.”

 

She looks at both who suddenly became filled with guilt again. “You know what made me so angry at both of you…but specially John?”
Marlena with a shaking voice said, “Hurting Roman?”

 

“No That’s what I made it sound like…or actually I think I *believed* it to be true…but after last night and all of the soul searching I did…It isn’t…It was because John still loved you the same way before Dad came back…but he didn’t’ love us that way anymore…You still had him…well that made me resent him even more than letting us go…and you for still holding the key to his heart…”

 

The next thing was going to be hard to admit but she had to say it, “And when I found out John was Belle’s father…I didn’t change the blood results for Roman…I did it for *me*…”
Marlena and John looked at her in confusion, “For you? I don’t understand.”
“Well…because I didn’t want your child to have John as Dad…If we couldn’t why should the baby?…and I was afraid I lost you too…then we had to leave with our new Dad…I know it was a very childish and stupid thing to do…but more than any I know now that I practically killed you by stealing Belle… I know how that feels and I am sorry Mom.. And John you too…But knowing she’ll always have you two–who in my opinion were the best parents on earth– and *nothing* would ever change that just didn’t seem fair…”

 

She was sobbing again, Marlena came over and took her in her arms as she tried to soothe her daughter…and John came over too, his tears freely rolling down his face, “I am sorry Sami, Eric, Marlena…oh god I am sorry for it all…I never thought about it this way…And I really thought I was doing the right thing by stepping back.”
Sami raised her head from her mother’s shoulder and looked at John, “I understand it all now…but I didn’t then…I am sorry for all you two went through just because of me.” then she came out of her mother’s arms and walked towards John, “But you always were there for us weren’t you…you never stopped loving us… it is hard when you lose people you love…I know you know that…But what I am more sorry about is losing so many good times I could have had with you in the last four years….Forgive me Daddy…”
Hearing Sami call him Daddy was like the sun rising in the middle of the night…He pulled her into his arms and sobbed with her, “Oh sweetie girl, I do. I hope you forgive me too.”
“I already have. I love you Daddy, more than I can express.”

 

Marlena watched the scene she never thought would ever happen, then a hand wrapped itself around her shoulder, she turned around and smiled at Eric. Eric hugged his mother, and said, “What do you say if I move back home…Now that I have my *family* back?”
Marlena started giggling like she hadn’t in 10 long years, “I would love it.”
John and Sami came over and joined the moment they have all been preying for but never imagined it would.

 

Then John without any alarm, said,”Ready to get Mom kids?”…Eric and Sami exchanged a very mischevous looks and then looked at Marlena who had already started to back away, “Come on guys!” Eric and Sami put their hands up disclaiming any attempt in tickling her but John started walking towards her, “Come on what Doc?” The look he gave her made her double over in laughter before John had even reached her yet. When she came down enough to speak she said, “I deal with you later John.” Eric grinned and looked at Sami, then they both said in unison, “We think he is counting on that.” Marlena smiled from the deapth of her soul thinking, ‘I have my family back’, at that moment Belle and Brady with Carrie walked in , and she added , “All of them.”

 

 

Chapter 22- Beginning Of Forever

 

Awake, but enjoying the feel of the warm bed too much to get up, she snuggled into her covers and kept her eyes closed. Thinking of how her life had changed one glorious Valentine’s Day. She smiled and buried her face under the covers, that night she had gotten her family back.

 

She lied on her back and opened her eyes, looking at the ceiling in her bedroom, relishing the sound of the children coming from down stairs; now all her kids lived with her. Of course the penthouse wasn’t big enough for all of them so John had bought the adjacent penthouse, opened the wall separating the two so the boys were actually in his half of the house and the girls in her half. They had joked over ladies and gentlemen’s quarters. But the truth was it was delightful living together like that.

 

One thing bothered her though, John after that day had been sweet, attentive and incredibly loving; but he had done everything in his power to not get involved with her in a very intimate way; actually he had even avoided *really* kissing her. She remembered he showed up at her penthouse wearing a shirt….an ordinary sweat shirt with a very unusual logo…she had been consumed with mirth seeing it but when he showed up in the different shirt next day but the same logo she knew it wasn’t a joke. She remembered he started doing that the day after they watched that humiliating video of Kristen being exposed for not being pregnant, he hadn’t forgiven himself for that, and she hated it. She knew he was punishing himself, and she had thought he would get over it after a week or two, but it had been 8 months and still he wore those shirts with print at the front that said, “I ‘m the dumbest man alive…” and on the back concluding, “…‘Cause I didn’t cherish the greatest love I had”.

 

A cool breeze made her snuggle more into the warm covers. Until the sound of two.. she smiled…no three small kids jumping on her bed made her bring her head out and peep at them. They all laughed at her expression and rolling eyes and then joined her in the tackle game. Sami opened the French door of her balcony and Eric walked in, a full tray of food in his hands, “Hi Mom, glad to see you so happy,” he said lowering the tray onto the night stand, trying to pick Will up from her mother’s lap.
“It feels great to wake up seeing your smiling faces,” she said beaming at them, “What is this all about?”
They all looked at each other with a secret twinkle in their eyes, “Oh no. You don’t all want something from me do you?” When all she got was just laughter, she rolled her eyes and said, “OK, don’t tell.” Then looked at Belle who was playing with the hem of her dress and smiled, “Belle sweetie, why are your brother and sister being so *nice* to Mommy today?”
The question made a painful stab at Sami and Eric hearts. Thinking they should have given her breakfast in bed everyday of her life…once or twice a year would have been nice too, but instead they had treated her so bad that she actually thought they were up to something. Sami wiped the tears away from her eyes, and looked at her Mom, “We – Eric and I – thought you deserved a full, restful, peaceful day in bed. So I made the breakfast, and Eric helped dressing up the kids,” then smiled and added, “As you see,” pointing at the three nicely dressed children with one having a very bad hair day.
“Yes I do. I think Eric needs to work on his braiding. Poor Belle looks like she’s been in a war.” Marlena and Sami giggled as Eric blushed. “Oh sweetie, you look so adorable when you blush.”
“Mom!!!” Eric said, touched and embarrassed, “Thank you, I think. And It was my first braid, I will get better at it with practice,” he said, handing Will to Sami and stretching his arms to pick up Belle, “Come on sis, lets show them I can do it.”
Belle covered her head with her small hands and snuggled to her mother, “Eric no touch Belle’s Hair”.
Brady who was the quiet one laughed and said, “He doesn’t know how to tie my shoes ‘ther.”
“What is this? Lets gang up on Eric day?” Eric said, unable to stop the smile forming on his face.

 

Marlena took the brush braiding Belle’s hair, as she listened to their elaborate plans to spend the day together, what Sami called a “Brady-Black holiday”. Marlena listened to all their excitement and programs with utmost interest, a smile radiating from within at seeing them all together. They all kissed her and left, wishing her an unforgettable, joyful day.

 

Now sitting on her bed a few moments later, she was deep in thought about how having Sami and Eric back and agreeable felt wonderful and how she had enjoyed seeing that wonderful father/child relationship they once had with John return to some extent. They now truly felt like a happy family if only she could get John….

 

A soft knock on the door, made Marlena gather her attention back to the here and now, without turning around to see who it is she said, “Yes, come in sweetie”.
The door slowly opened and John peeked inside the room: she was sitting on her bed with sunshine setting off her golden hair, she was covered with a quilt up to her neck with her arms circling around her legs.. looking outside her window. He took a deep breath and said, “I thought that was what you called Belle and Brady.”
The sudden graceful turn of her head, made her hair shimmer like golden waves of the sea, and a smile that transpired on her face brought a shining warmth that was radiating from within her; her gaze locked his to hers, and held it. Then she quietly said, “You’re right. Sweetheart fits you much better.”
His heart did a dance at her use of that endearment, but his head said not to rush, “May I come in?”
“Oh… yes, of course”
“You look radiant madam, may I be as forward as to inquire what has you in such high spirits?”
She let out a giggle at his formal question, then sobered her face, and replied, “Yes you may. Unfortunately you may not receive an answer until you honor me with your presence upon my humble….” she thought for a moment to what to call her bed, while he was trying very hard not to burst out laughing. “…oh well, just get over here and help me finish this, then I’ll tell you.”

 

He did it then he let out a laugh that warmed her heart to the core. She loved seeing him carefree, and happy. She scooted aside on the bed, patting the space beside her and smiled.

 

The warmth that her smile signified in him told his head to back away, “I think I better sit over here instead.”
“John,” she said, with a very hurt voice and the innocent look of a child.

 

He surrendered to the plea in her eyes and sat next to her on the bed, and the closeness made his body stiffen with pleasure, and as her hand touched his shoulders, an electric wave went through his body making him tremble. “I am so glad you came by,” she whispered, then took her hand off and said “Guess what is under that lid on my tray?”
“I have no idea. why don’t you tell me,” he grinned at her and the sudden change of the glitter in her eyes, told him he just made a bad move.
“I rather show it to you,” she replied, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, then playfully added, “Close your eyes, and open wide,”
“I’d much rather keep them open if you don’t mind,” he said, something telling him to bolt out of the room if he wanted this day to work the way he had planned it.
She put on the saddest expression on her face, and with her best imitation of Belle said, “you no fun play wif.”

 

He smiled then and obeyed. Seeing his closed eyes and open, inviting mouth, her fingers unconsciously traced his soft lips, and felt the tremor that went thought his body all the way to hers. His heart picked up in beat, his body was on fire, “Doc…” he said huskily, “I …thought…you were going…to show me,” he couldn’t finish when her fingers went another round across his lips, caressing them so softly, his eyes flew open and the smoky look in her eyes, and the slow trembling of her lips were his undoing.

 

He controlled himself and started to get up, but she put her hand on his arm, “don’t go,” she whispered, then more playfully added, “I was just measuring to see if they’ll fit in your mouth.”

 

The image that went through John’s mind made him become crimson in color and she blushed in return, realizing what he was thinking. “I know how *they* fit in your mouth,” she said, a bit embarrassed, but more teasing. Then she broke the gaze that told her he remembered very well, how well she remembers, “Now seriously, close your eyes and open your mouth. I promise you’ll like it,” she added that last part in a throaty seductive voice; but his heart was hammering against his chest too hard for him to hear it.

 

A moment later he felt the cold, gliding, sweet, creamy feeling of something in his mouth and before he could register what it was, a jolt of electricity shot through him burning away all his senses and giving birth to new ones, inflaming him in the warmth of love compared to no other.

 

She had leaned forward capturing his lips with hers, tracing the soft delicate curves of them, adding her own sweetness to the combination of the strawberry and cream combo she had just put in his mouth.

 

She needed him, she needed to feel close to him, she needed his warmth, she needed his love, she needed all of him; and she was going to break down his silly wall of*I’m not worthy of you*, he’d been building around himself for the past eight months.

Her lips moved slowly, tenderly, deliberately over his, then the kiss deepened as her hand wove through his think dark hair, and pulled him closer to her… letting him feel her heart that was beating with his, fast, steady, and out of control. Her breath came in broken, sharp intakes, her tongue slid into the warmth within his lips and he was lost.

She let out a moan as his hand moved up her waist and that brought him back to his senses, a voice repeating over and over,‘you’re not worthy of her love. Yet!’

He pulled back, but her hurt, disappointed voice calling “John,” made him open his eyes and look down at the beauty in his arms. Her eyes were filled with love and confusion, and they were flowing with passion, the color of leaves in summer, a vivid rich green…with a touch of amber that sparkled next to her silky gold hair. She said nothing more, just kept her eyes locked to his.

 

The love in them pulled him in, his hands moved up from her waist to her ribs, causing her to catch her breath, then up her shoulders tracing, caressing and worshipping every inch of her body in a slow sensual movement sending shivers of pleasure up her spine, he delicately caressed the soft skin underneath her ear lobes with each thumb on both sides of her face, and then tangled his fingers in her shiny, honey rich hair, pulling her close.

 

As their lips came into a soft contact….his watches’ alarm went off.

 

Both startled, they let go, then he got up and looking at her stunned face, and thinking he couldn’t possibly want her more than this, said, “Sorry.”
Marlena looked at him, still not understanding why he let go, “Don’t be,”
“But….”
“But nothing. Wanna stay here for lunch?” she asked trying to keep him near.
“I’d love to but…” as she was about to object to his ‘but’ again, he put his finger on her lips, “*We* are due somewhere in half an hour and we’re going to be late because I lost my head seeing you look at me like that. Now get ready. I’ll wait for you down stairs. Wear something dressy but casual.” He turned to leave.

 

She called after him. “John.” He turned around and the sight of her in her creamy silk nightgown, standing in the sun took his breath away. She didn’t notice that; she opened her mouth to ask him something, decided against it and started to walk towards the bathroom, then changed her mind again and as he was leaving asked, “Wanna join me in the shower?”
The question took him so much by surprise that his mouth fell open, then the desire to say yes shook his body and he strolled towards her, took her in his arms, and fiercely and passionately kissed her. When he finally let go, his voice was husky and his breathing shallow and broken, and she was lost in a dream. He said, “If I stay here another minute, we’ll never make it out of here.”
She smiled seductively and said, “Great, cause I happen to have the whole house to myself and I would love to…”
He silenced her with a tender kiss then walked toward the door, saying over his shoulder, “You have 20 minutes to shower and change.”

 

The giggle she let out, was rich, soft, and heart warming; he turned around to look at her. She was happy, smiling, laughing and he was the reason. That knowledge warmed his soul. After catching her breath, but still laughing she managed, “While you are at it, why don’t you ask me to grow wings too?”
The look he gave her was one of complete admiration, adoration, and sincerity, “You are already an angel,” he added and left her to bathe herself in the love that was weaved so tenderly into each letter that left his lips.

 

She felt an almost childish excitement bobble up within her, as she started getting ready, wondering all along what was he up to this time?