“Look at that young couple,” an older woman whispered to her husband and gestured across the aisle of the plane. “They remind me of us when we were young and first falling in love.”

In his seat a few feet away, Eric hesitantly pulled away from Greta’s kisses. As wonderful as they were, he didn’t know how many more “awws” he could stand to hear from the old woman in the seat across from them.

“I think…we are…being watched again,” he whispered in between placing light, feathery kisses along her jaw line.

Greta giggled and snuggled close to him. She couldn’t believe how good she felt at this moment. Regardless of the fact that she had found out her mother was really dead, she and Eric had developed a special bond in Paris. For the first time in her life, she could honestly say she knew what it felt like to be in love.

“You know, I was thinking…why did we wait so long to do this?” he asked and pulled her closer.

“Because…you weren’t really over – “

“Shhh…don’t say it,” he instructed, and silenced her by gently placing his finger over her lips. “What happened in the past is just that – the past. All that matters, is now.”

He got a rush just from saying those words. In one month, he had gone from being hurt, confused, and depressed to head-over-heels in love. He had almost forgotten Nicole until Greta had almost said her name. But that was a good sign. He had big plans for his future, and he wasn’t about to let bad memories get in the way.

It was almost noon, Salem time, when Eric awoke the next day. He opened his eyes and looked around,almost expecting to see Greta pop into the room, teasing him about his late sleeping habits.

“No…that was yesterday,” he reminded himself.

He would have to get used to not seeing her first thing in the morning from now on. That would certainly take some time. He already missed her infectious laugh, her sweet smile…

“I just miss…everything about her,” he said and sighed. He felt like pulling the covers back over his head and blocking out the rest of the world. However, he had at least two dozen things he needed to take care of. He grumbled as he rolled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom.

He needed to get a shower so he could find Bo and talk to him. Next to Eric, he knew Greta better than anyone. Yes, Bo would know what to do in a situation like this.

An hour later, Eric was admiring the beautiful fall scenery as he walked to Salem Place. Mrs. H had told him on the phone that Bo was there with his son. If he was lucky, he might catch them at the Java Café, she had said. Sure enough, Eric spotted Bo’s Harley parked right in front of the shopping center.

“Eric!” Bo greeted him enthusiastically. “How was the rest of your trip?”

“Uh, I hate to miss a reunion, but I gotta be getting back to school. We only get an hour for lunch, ya know,” Shawn said and got left.

Eric looked at Bo quizzically. “What’s up with him?” he asked.

“I wish I knew! Ever since I got home from Europe, he’s been really cold and distant,” Bo said. “I think it’s just one of those teenager phases, but I sure wish he’d hurry up and get over it. But enough about my problems; you look like you could use somebody to talk to. What’s up, man?”

“You know, you never cease to amaze me,” Eric said and laughed. “Why weren’t you a psychiatrist? You can always tell when someone needs to talk. Even my mother can’t do that.”

“Because…I think I make a much better cop. I’m good at solving things. What can I do to help?”

“Well, it’s about Greta,” Eric began hesitantly.

“Ah hah! I knew it!” Bo said triumphantly. “I saw the way you acted in Paris. So, are you two an item now?”

“Well, it’s more complicated than that,” Eric said nervously. “I’m totally in love with her, Bo. She’s all I think about, twenty four hours a day.”

“That’s great news. Greta really deserves someone special in her life.”

“Well…I want to be in her life permanently,” Eric said and looked at Bo for some sort of reaction.

“What do you mean, man?”

“I want to ask Greta to marry me.”

Later that evening, Eric smiled happily as he walked to Mrs. H’s house. He had talked to his entire family, and everyone was so thrilled about him and Greta. Marlena was a little nervous that they had only spent one month together and that her son was making such a serious decision already, but she could see that Eric was the happiest he had been in long, long time.

As he got to the front door, he reached in his jacket pocket one more time to make sure the box was there. The butterflies in his stomach were working overtime, but he couldn’t lose his nerve now.

“Ask her before your mind blows the whistle,” Bo had told him. He thought about that bit of advice as he knocked on the door. However, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when it opened. His breath caught in his throat when he first saw her.

Greta smiled shyly and turned around so Eric could admire her dress. It was a floor-length, black evening gown with a slit up the side. The v-neck collar accentuated the heart-shaped locket he had picked out for her in France. She was so beautiful, he couldn’t manage a coherent thought.

“Well…say something!” she said nervously.

Instinct took over, and instead of telling her with words, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on the lips. The kiss began to intensify, but then he heard someone clear their throat behind her.

“Hey, Bo,” he said as he broke away from Greta reluctantly.

“I just wanted to tell you to have a good time tonight,” Bo said and winked, giving him the signal.

“Good, that means everything is set up,” Eric thought to himself.

“Well, off you kids go,” Bo urged them. “And don’t worry about a curfew…Greta’s a big girl; she can stay out as long as she acts responsibly,” he teased them.

As he shut the door behind them, Greta turned to Eric expectantly.

“Where’s your car?”

“Well, I thought we’d do a little walking,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind, do you?”

“That’s a secret I’m afraid I can’t reveal,” he whispered in her ear as he pulled a blindfold out of his pocket and wrapped it around her eyes.

“Just hold on to my hand and walk with me,” he instructed.

Greta was dying of curiosity, but she did as he said. After about twenty minutes, they stopped. Greta could feel Eric move behind her and slowly undo the blindfold.

“Keep your eyes closed,” he warned her jokingly. “Ok…now…open them.”

Greta gasped as she observed her surroundings. They were standing on the deck of the Fancy Face II, and Eric had a table all set up with dinner, wine, candles, and roses. There were even rose petals scattered all over the boat.

“Oh Eric, I don’t know what to say,” she whispered. She could feel a lump in her throat and tears forming in her eyes as the happiness overcame her.

“You don’t have to say anything at all,” he said and turned on the radio. Greta Von Amberg, may I have this dance?”

She was laughing and crying at the same time as she laid her head on his shoulder and let him lead the way. Later, after they had danced several times and eaten their meal, she wished the night didn’t have to end.

“Oh, do you think this is as good as it gets?” Eric asked her teasingly. “Princess, I have much more in store for you,” he said and blindfolded her again.

Her curiosity got the best of her as she sat down and felt the boat sway under her. Where was he taking her?

Eric’s hair blew gently in the cool breeze as the boat drifted lazily on autopilot. He took his jacket off and wrapped it around Greta’s shoulders.

“We’re almost there,” he said. “Are you cold? Bo left some blankets in the cabin downstairs.”

“No thanks, I’m fine,” she said and smiled at his thoughtfulness.

They sat in content silence for a few minutes, and then Eric got up to steer the boat.

“Ok…we have arrived at our destination. Allow me,” he said and once again took the blindfold off of her.

“Where are we?”

“We’re at a lake about fifteen miles out of Salem,” he said and gently pushed her back into her seat. “Allow me,” he said and gently pulled her shoes off her feet. “We are going for another walk, and I don’t want you to get sand in your shoes.”

Once again, he held her hand as they walked. He led the way for her not just physically, but also emotionally. She didn’t know what she would do without him. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she didn’t even really notice when Eric stopped walking.”

“Look,” he said and pointed up ahead.

She looked up and saw that the sand seemed to be glowing just around the bend. As they got closer, it appeared that there were candles, maybe a hundred of them, all set up by the water’s edge.

“Well…” he began nervously.

She looked at him questioningly, then back at the candles. It was then that she realized they spelled something out. Letting go of his hand, she walked about ten yards and stopped. Now, she was right in front of them, and there was no denying what they said:

GRETA VON AMBERG, WILL YOU MARRY ME?

She turned around to see Eric down on one knee, holding a small open box in his hand.

“Greta, I love you so much. Will you be my wife?”

The moment was magical, until a shrill scream cut through the night like a knife.

“Over my dead body!,” it said. That voice was unmistakable.

This couldn’t be happening now. Not when things were so perfect.

Eric turned around, shielding Greta behind him.

“Get away from her Eric! You get away from her and come to me. I mean it! NOW!”

Greta’s face was frozen in terror. Nicole had a gun pointed straight at her head. Eric stood protectively in front of her, unwilling to budge.

“Eric, I WILL shoot her if you don’t come to me.” Nicole’s speech was slurred, but she held her finger firmly on the trigger.

Eric didn’t know what to do. For the first time in his life, he felt absolutely helpless. If he went to Nicole, would it guarantee Greta’s safety? He didn’t know, but the slim chance was better than no chance at all. He looked into Greta’s eyes, trying to reassure her without words that everything would be ok. She nodded to him that she understood. Then reluctantly, he walked away from her slowly, his arms held up in the air.

All the while, Nicole kept the gun aimed squarely at Greta. As soon as Eric was by her side, she fixated it on him.

“Now, Greta, I want you to leave. Go on back to Salem. It wont matter if you tell the cops because you won’t get back until tomorrow – I have the keys to the boat,” she said with a satisfied sneer on her face.

Greta stood in fear, not wanting to leave Eric, even if it meant her own life was at risk.

“I MEAN IT GRETA! Walk away, or lover boy gets it,” she said and cocked the trigger of the gun. At that sound, Greta’s eyes met Eric’s one last time. He seemed to be silently pleading with her to leave. Without hesitation, she did.

She ran as fast as her legs would carry her and didn’t stop until she came to the boat. Falling to the sand, she laid there sobbing. “Dear God, she prayed, “Please don’t take Eric away from me now!”

“Nicole, you aren’t going to get away with this. Bo knew we were coming out here tonight, and he’s expecting us back soon. When we don’t show up, he WILL come looking for us,” Eric said calmly.

“SHUT UP!” she screamed at him. “Just do what I say and walk!”

She kept the gun aimed at him. He knew that they were headed in the direction of the nearest highway. He figured she probably had a car all waiting to make her escape.

“Nicole, you’re drunk,” he told her bitterly. “If you try to drive in that condition, you’re going to get noticed for sure. Just give me the gun and don’t do anything stupid.”

“I swear, one more word out of you, and I will shoot.”

He tried to think. The only thing he could do was to play along with her and to see what she wanted from him.

“So, what are you going to do with me? Can you at least tell me that? I mean, it’s not like there’s anyone around for miles that’s going to hear you.”

She smiled at him. It was an evil, almost sinister smile; nothing like the woman he used to love.

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you? Well, guess what Eric Brady – I’m not telling you anything! All I can say is that we’re going to live happily ever after, just me and you,” she said and put her arm around him.

It was all he could do to keep from getting sick just from her touch. “Just keep your mind on Greta,” he told himself. He had to get through this for her.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the lake, Greta tried to think. She had to get herself together and try not to panic. She got up and ran to the boat, only to discover that Nicole had locked the door to the cabin. Her mind raced. What could she do now?

“Think Greta, think,” she told herself. She walked around the deck. There was only one window to the cabin, and that was locked, too. She looked around for something heavy, but came up empty-handed. Sighing, she sat down on the seat that Eric had occupied only a short time ago. As she did so, she felt the seat move a little.

“Hmmm…it seems like some kind of storage underneath,” she said to herself. Carefully, she pulled the seat up. Underneath was an emergency kit.

“Bandages…tourniquets…slings…a compass…a penknife…flare rockets…that’s it!” she thought excitedly, turning the flares over in her hand to read the directions. WARNING: DO NOT LIGHT NEAR GLASS! WILL SHATTER! LIGHT AT LEAST 5 FEET FROM THE BODY.

“Now, all I need are some matches.” Digging further into the kit, she found a half pack of matches. “Perfect!” she thought.

With shaking hands, she tried once…twice…three times to light a match until at last she was successful. “Well, here goes nothing,” she thought, holding the flare away from her body and lighting the end. Then, she threw it across the boat towards the window, praying her idea would work.

Eric and Nicole had finally arrived at their destination. Just as Eric had predicted, Nicole had a getaway car all prepared, stocked up with food and clothing in the trunk. On one of the windows were the words “Just Married” in white paint. It was becoming more apparent every second that she was definitely in need of psychological help.

Nicole opened the back with one hand and took out a piece of rope, all the while keeping the gun pointed at Eric. After she had tied his wrists together, she shoved him in the backseat and slammed the door shut.

“He’s all mine…at last,” she said with a self-satisfied smirk. Throwing the rest of the rope into the passenger seat, she made her way around to the driver’s side of the car. Suddenly, a figure that had been lurking in the shadows came out of nowhere. Then Nicole’s whole world went black…

The sound of glass shattering broke the eerie silence that seemed to surround Greta. Huddled in the corner of the boat, she peered between the fingers that were covering her face. The flares had broken the window – her plan had worked!

She jumped up and grabbed the fire extinguisher, just in case. When it appeared as if the flare had died out, she gingerly stepped over the glass that was now scattered on the deck of the Fancy Face II. She felt horrible about the damage, especially since Bo and Shawn had just rebuilt the boat for Hope. But if this was going to get help for Eric, she knew Bo would understand.

From inside the car, Eric watched as Nicole slumped to the ground. He couldn’t quite make out the shadowy figure that was looming over her. Was it Greta? “No…the hair is much shorter,” he thought to himself.

The driver’s side door opened. Someone’s arm reached across the seat to grab the rope. He watched as they turned their back and tied up Nicole, then carried her around to the other side of the car. The passenger door opened, and they threw Nicole, who was still unconscious, into the car. Eric still couldn’t make out a face. Who had come to his rescue?

Greta carefully picked at the remaining shards of glass lining the window frame. When the last one was out, she used a sharp piece to cut part of her dress off at the bottom. She tied the fabric around her hand and then slid through the tiny window.

What she hadn’t realized was, it was a seven-foot drop from the window to the floor of the cabin. Greta cried out in pain as she landed heavily on her left ankle. She prayed to God it wasn’t broken, then fumbled around for a light.

After crawling around for several minutes, her hand finally came to rest on a light switch. Flipping it, she looked around and realized that there was a phone over on the small wooden table. Hobbling across the room as quickly as she could, she only hoped that Bo would answer.

She picked up the receiver and listened for a dial tone. Thankfully, there was one. She had been so afraid that Nicole had cut the telephone wire up on deck. Quickly, she dialed the number for Mrs. Horton’s house. One ring…two…three. “C’mon Bo, please pick up,” she silently willed.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, she heard his familiar voice. “Yeah, Brady,” he answered nonchalantly. “Bo! Please, you’ve gotta come quick! Nicole has Eric…she has a gun!”

“Greta, slow down. Now, where are you?”

“Um…I’m on the boat at a lake just outside of Salem….”

Bo cut her off. He knew exactly where to go because he had helped Eric with the whole plan. “What had gone wrong?” he wondered. “Greta, sit tight. I’ll call for backup and we’ll be there as soon as possible,” he told her. With that, he hung up. Now all she could do was wait.

Eric watched as the figure came around to the driver’s side again. The person entered the car with their back to him, but it didn’t take him more than a split second to figure out who it was.

“Hope?! What are you doing here?!”

She turned around and looked at him, not saying a word. “It’s not Hope, it’s Gina, dear,” she told him calmly. He looked into her eyes. There was no trace there of the woman he knew as Hope Williams. But she wasn’t Gina…even he knew that. He was there when the exhumed the body. Princess Gina was dead.

“Hope, just tell me…what are you doing here?” he asked calmly.

Now she smiled at him. “I told you dear Eric, the name is Gina,” she said with a slight accent. “Now, we need to find my daughter.”

He looked at her with wide eyes. Surely she couldn’t mean Greta.

“Hope, you need to stop this. You’re not Gina, and Greta isn’t your daughter,” he told her.

“Well then, tell me how I know this…you and Greta were at the castle. There was a storm and the power went out…you and Greta fell asleep in each other’s arms. One night she screamed and you came running into her room. John came and you exhumed a body. Not just any body…Princess Gina’s body. Shall I continue?”

Eric was dumbfounded. How could she possibly know all of that?

“You see,” she continued, “Princess Gina is very much alive and well. And Hope Williams is locked up in that castle as we speak. She stole my life. But, I’ll be willing to let her out on one condition…that I get my daughter back.”

Eric didn’t know what to say. Was this Hope or Gina? One thing was for sure…they did need to get to Greta. He nodded to her and motioned for her to untie him. Without a word, she got out of the car and opened the back door. Unknotting his wrists, she handed him the keys to the car and then got in the back with Nicole.

Eric glanced in the rearview mirror at the woman who had saved his life. What would he tell Greta – that the body they exhumed hadn’t been her mother and that she was here in Salem, pretending to be Hope? He couldn’t just throw something so serious at her right after they had almost lost each other. He wasn’t even sure if this was Gina or not.

“I shouldn’t be worried about that now…I just need to get to Greta,” he thought, and headed off in the direction of the boat.

Bo and Abe were at the head of a string of police cars rushing to the lake. They also sent out another squad of cars to block off the nearest highway that way Nicole couldn’t get away with Eric.

Bo prayed that they weren’t too late. He knew how much Greta and Eric had come to mean to each other. He knew how he had felt all those times Hope was in danger. For some reason, at that exact moment, he suddenly felt that Hope was in danger. Shrugging to himself, he brushed it off. Hope was at a therapy session with Marlena tonight. Surely she couldn’t be in danger.

Finally, after about ten long minutes, they saw the sign for the road that led to the lake. Now, they turned off the sirens and headlights, afraid of attracting unnecessary attention. Coming around the bend in the road, they saw the moonlight hitting the water just beside the Fancy Face II. When Greta saw them coming, she ran off the boat and into Bo’s arms.

Their embrace lasted only a split second, as both were focused on the task at hand – getting Eric back.

“Now Greta, I want you to take us to the spot where the abduction occurred,” Abe told her calmly. She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. As they walked along the edge of the water, her eyes glistened with tears as she thought about what had taken place there just an hour before. She had never even gotten to give Eric her answer. Looking up at the stars, she prayed to God that she would get that opportunity.

Suddenly, the team of officers ordered Greta to stop. “Were those headlights driving along the water up in the distance?” one of them asked quietly. The others strained to see. Sure enough, it looked like headlights getting closer.

“Everyone, move to the side and get down,” Commander Carver ordered. The men, and Greta, did as they were told. The car was getting closer now. Abe and Bo nodded to each other, then each shot up from their hiding places in the dunes. Pointing their guns directly at the windsheild, they were astonished…Eric was sitting in the driver’s seat!

Greta didn’t know who looked more surprised- Eric, Bo, Abe, or maybe even herself. The last thing she expected was to see Eric driving the car with Nicole in the backseat. The last thing Eric expected was to see about a dozen guns pointed at his head. And the last thing Bo expected was to see “Hope” sitting in the backseat as well.

Eric stopped the car and got out. Without a word to anyone, he and Greta ran straight into each other’s arms, just savoring the feeling of being able to hold one another again. However, their happiness was short-lived. Bo wanted details of how Eric had ended up in the driver’s seat, and also how “Hope” had gotten involved.

Before Eric could say a thing, though, “Hope” ran into Bo’s arms, telling him she was so glad he was there. Eric, with his arms still around Greta, watched the scene unfold. Why did Hope tell him she was Gina, and now she was pretending to be Hope? Or was she really Hope and she was still having Gina’s memories?

Bo released himself from “Hope’s” embrace and held her at arm’s length. “Hope, Eric, Greta, let’s get you all to the station and then you can tell me what happened, ok?” he asked. They all nodded their agreement and began walking back to the boat. Then Eric noticed that Greta was limping.

“Greta, you’re hurt,” he said tenderly, worry evident in his eyes.

“Uh…yeah,” she began, embarrassed. “I had to break a window on the boat and jump in to the cabin to call for help. I just landed hard on it. I’ll be ok,” she said, trying to reassure him. The truth was, she had forgotten about the pain the moment she had seen him drive up.

“I’m not taking any chances,” he said, and carefully picked her up to carry her.

“Eric! Put me down, I’m fine, really!” she said, clearly embarrassed. She didn’t want to look like the helpless little woman, but it did feel so good to be back in his arms.

“Hey, we wouldn’t want you to have to hobble down the aisle on crutches,” he said with a smile. At this comment, Abe and most of the officers looked at Eric in surprise.

“Well, why don’t you tell them the good news?” he said and smiled at his bride-to-be.

“Eric and I…are engaged!” she said happily, holding out her hand for everyone to see the ring. There were plenty of “oohs” and “aahs”, but none were louder than those coming from “Hope”, who looked like she was happier than Eric or Greta.

Greta began to get that weird feeling again, that somehow, her mother was near. She looked at Hope, who was still acting so overjoyed for the happy couple. “I wonder what’s going on with her,” she thought to herself.

Eric noticed her reaction. If only he could tell her what “Hope” had said earlier…

Greta had waiting outside of the interrogation room at the police station for quite some time before she saw Abe and Bo emerge. They had Nicole handcuffed and ordered another officer to take her to a cell.

“Bo, where’s Eric?” Greta asked. Bo looked in the door of the interrogation room and saw that Eric and Hope were in deep conversation.

“Oh, they’re probably still discussing the case. I can’t believe Hope decided to head to the lake, tonight of all nights. Talk about pure luck!” Bo said proudly. Greta smiled at him and peered in the door. Eric didn’t look too happy, and she wondered why. What were Hope and Eric saying to each other?

“Ok, so who are you – Hope, or Gina?” Eric asked angrily. Gina shut the door and then turned to him.

“I told you, it’s Gina now…Her Royal Highness, Princess Gina Von Amberg,” she said and did a little curtsy. “Now, you have to keep my secret if you want your fiancée to be happy, at least until I break the news to Bo. I’ll tell him that the real Hope is locked up and that I’ll bring her back to Salem as soon as possible. But, he must let me stay here with my daughter or else he’ll never see his precious Hope again.”

Eric just stood there, shocked. How could she demand him to keep something like this from Greta and at the same time, to risk Hope’s life? How could she be so cruel as to manipulate Bo, pretending she was the woman he loved?

Gina seemed to read his mind. “What choice do you have?” she asked him. “You can’t very well walk out there right now in front of everyone and tell them that I am Princess Gina, now can you? I tell you, I will break the news to Bo gently and then if he will agree not to hand me over to the authorities, I will bring Hope home and then tell my daughter that her mother is indeed alive. Nobody will ever know that you knew,” she said.

He wasn’t sure what to do. He couldn’t stand losing Greta if she knew he had kept this from her.

“You have my word,” she told him calmly. Finally, after much hesitation, he nodded his approval. Then he turned around and left, slamming the door behind him.

Greta jumped at the sound of the door slamming. When she looked up to see who was venting their frustration, she was surprised to see it was Eric.

“Is something wrong?” she asked worriedly. He looked up and greeted her with a warm smile, the smile that was meant only for her. “Hey you,” he said and scooped her up into his arms. He held her so tight, she felt like she would burst.

“Eric, what’s wrong?” she asked again. He was holding on to her as if she would leave if he let her go.

“Nothing…I guess after everything that’s happened, I’m just so glad to be able to be with you again,” he said and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Accepting his answer, she kissed him back and then pulled away. “Can we get out of here now?” she asked. “I just want to go home and fall asleep!” He looked around and saw Bo heading into Abe’s office. “Yeah, just give me one minute to talk to Bo, and we’re outta here,” he said. She nodded and sat down to wait for him.

“Greta! I’m so glad you’re alright!” she heard a familiar voice say. She looked up to see ‘Hope’ rushing towards her, arms outstretched. Hope embraced her and then pulled away when she noticed Greta’s perplexed expression.

“What’s the matter, dear?”

“Nothing…I guess you just still remind me of my mother so much…” Greta trailed off. Gina smiled and sat down next to her daughter. “I understand…sometimes I still have some of her memories. But we’ve both been through such horrible ordeals recently, I guess it’s only natural to try to cling to whatever makes you feel comfortable,” she said in her best ‘Hope’ imitation. Greta just smiled at her nervously.

“Hope, why were you at the lake tonight?” Greta asked her. She still hadn’t gotten the whole story.

“Well, that was one of Bo and mine’s special places. He used to take me sailing there on the boat. I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d just take a drive to the lake. Being there always makes me feel so peaceful,” Gina said and prayed her answer would work. The truth was, she had followed Greta and Eric the whole night, from the time they were with Bo until Nicole came.

“So when you saw Eric and Nicole, you just came to Eric’s rescue? How?”

“Well, I found a huge rock laying by the water. At first, I didn’t think I could pick it up, but I knew I had to find something to defend myself with. Luckily, I mustered up my strength and then Nicole turned her back, giving me a chance to knock her unconscious,” Gina said triumphantly.

“Well, thank you….for saving Eric’s life,” Greta said in a near-whisper. “I don’t know what I would have done if I would have lost him.”

“Nonsense! I’m just glad the two of you are ok,” Gina said and then gave Greta another hug. Just then, Eric walked back into the room. When his eyes met Gina’s he glared at her until she let Greta go.

“Ready to go?” he asked Greta. He took her hand as they left the station. Gina watched them leave.

“I will be a part of your life soon Mon Petite Choux,” she whispered to herself as the door shut behind them. “Just you wait and see.”

The sun shone brightly through the window of Eric’s apartment, awakening Greta from a deep slumber. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and then stretched, trying to work out the kinks in her neck from sleeping on the couch. She couldn’t even remember falling asleep after she and Eric had come back from the police station, but she noticed that he had placed a blanket over her and removed her shoes. She smiled to herself as she looked at the diamond on her ring finger. She couldn’t believe how incredibly lucky she was to have a guy like him.

She got up and walked over to his room. When she got there, she saw a note tacked to the door:

Hey, you beautiful sleepyhead. You looked so peaceful; I didn’t want to wake you. Went to Java Café to get breakfast. Be back soon. I love you. Love, Eric

Greta glanced at the clock. It was already 10:30 am. She didn’t know when Eric had left, but she wanted to run in and take a quick shower before he came back.

Eric walked in a short time later to hear the faint spray of water coming from the bathroom. As he placed a fresh assortment of bagels, muffins, and fruit on the table, he hummed softly to himself, thinking about how much he loved having Greta at his place.

“If this is what married life is going to be like, I’m the world’s luckiest guy,” he thought to himself. Thinking that he needed just one more special touch, he left another quick note for Greta and then ran out again.

Across town, Bo was also pretty happy. He and “Hope” were having brunch together at the Salem Hotel. He wondered why she still insisted on living here away from him and Shawn, but at least he felt like they were moving forward since last night.

“You know Fancy Face, last night at the station felt like the old days, didn’t it,” he said and smiled at her.

Gina just grinned at him and nodded again, hoping this would make him happy. All he talked about was the damn “old days”.

“I really miss you being there with me,” he offered, hoping to make conversation with her.

She had no idea what he was talking about. “Well…that was a long time ago,” she said, hoping this answer would satisfy him. Quickly, she looked down at her plate.

He looked at her for a second. She seemed so distant to him. “It’s not that I don’t like working with Abe…it’s just that, we made quite a team, didn’t we?” he said.

“The best,” she said pleasantly and smiled a big smile at him. This seemed to make him happy.

“But,” she thought to herself, “how much longer can I keep this up?”

Greta towel-dried her hair and then slipped into a comfortable pair of jeans and one of Eric’s pullover sweaters. Opening the bathroom door, she still heard only silence. But then she glanced at the table, and saw that he had been back, because there was all sorts of food there. Looking closer, she saw yet another note:

Greta, I forgot one tiny thing. Be back in a flash. Love, Eric

No sooner had she read the note then she heard the door opening behind her. When their eyes met, Eric smiled the biggest smile. With his hands behind his back, he kicked the door shut behind him and made his way over to her.

“What do you have behind your back?” she asked, trying to run behind him and look. He laughed and moved away, coaxing her to come and get it.

“Eric Brady, you are so going to get it!” she shrieked, literally tackling him as they both fell back on the couch. When she fell into his lap, he stopped laughing and looked into her eyes. There, he saw his future. She noticed his intense stare.

“What is it, Eric?”

In answer, he gently cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly at first, but then more firmly. When he finally pulled away, he started laughing again. Greta, for the life of her, couldn’t figure out why. She looked at him quizzically. Reaching behind his back, he produced a bouquet of now-crumpled flowers.

“I went out again to get these for you…but I think they were much prettier when they weren’t flat,” he said with mock sadness. He knew she could never resist his puppy-dog face.

“They’re very beautiful, but you know what…it’s your fault they got smushed,” she said jokingly. “You forced me to tackle you; I had no other option.”

“Oh yeah? Well, we’ll see about smushed!” he said, and flung a pillow at her. She looked at him with wide eyes, and then grabbed one and flung it back at him. Pretty soon, they were running around his apartment like a bunch of kids, throwing pillows at each other and laughing hysterically. Finally, exhausted, he collapsed on the couch, pulling her down with him.

“You know, I want every day to begin like this,” he said and hugged her tight. She got quiet for a moment as she realized that pretty soon, every day really would be beginning like this.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked quietly.

She turned to him and smiled. “I’m going to be Mrs. Eric Brady,” she said happily. “And you know what that means…we’ve got to tell everybody! We’ve got a wedding to plan!”

Later that afternoon, Bo drove through Salem thinking about Hope’s strange behavior earlier in the day. He knew she was having a hard time shaking the memories of Princess Gina, but he thought being with him and their son would help her.

As he climbed off his bike and went down into the boat, he saw that there was a message on the answering machine. He pressed the button and listened:

*Beep* “Hi Bo, it’s Eric. Look, Greta and I are having a small get-together tonight to announce our engagement. We’re hoping you and Hope can make it. Be at Tuscany around 7:30 if you can.”

“That’s just what Hope needs,” Bo thought to himself. “She needs to be with her whole family. Tonight is going to be perfect.”

Quickly, he hurried off to find her.

Greta walked happily through Salem Place with a bounce in her step. She wanted to pick out a perfect dress for the evening. She was so nervous about announcing to Eric’s whole family that they were getting married. Just as she rounded the corner to go into the store, she almost ran right into “Hope”.

“Greta! It is so wonderful to see you!”

Greta smiled uneasily, remembering Hope’s strange behavior the night before. But she knew she owed her more than she could ever repay her…she had saved Eric’s life. So, she smiled in return.

“What brings you to Salem Place?” Hope asked pleasantly. She noticed how radiant her daughter looked.

“I’m picking out a dress for tonight. Did you get our message? Eric and I are announcing our engagement at Tuscany, and you and Bo are invited.”

“Really! Of course we’ll be there!” Hope said, almost too ecstatically. She had to catch herself to keep from hugging her daughter. “Well, if you need any help in picking out a dress, I can give you a little friendly advice,” Hope said, and hoped she didn’t appear too overeager.

Greta was a little taken aback, but she did need someone to give her some opinions. She wanted to look beautiful for Eric.

“Okay, that would be great. Let’s go.”

Meanwhile, Eric was calling the list of people they wanted to invite to the announcement. The only ones who actually knew were his mom and John, and Bo and Hope.

“Well, Abe and about half the police department, too,” he thought to himself as he glanced at the burn marks on his wrists from the rope Nicole had tied him up with. He couldn’t believe everything had almost been ruined because of her. From now on, he vowed to protect Greta every day for the rest of his life, and it started with the official announcement tonight.

He couldn’t stop smiling as he reviewed the list. The next ones he had to call were Sami and Austin. He hoped that soon, his twin would be as happy as he was.

The phone rang at the Kiriakis guest house several times before anyone answered.

“Hello?”

Eric paused. That voice was so familiar, and yet so not familiar…

“Hello?” came the voice again on the other line.

“Carrie? Is that you?”

“Eric! I’m so glad to hear from you! Mike and I are back in town because we needed to get some more supplies. We just stopped to visit with Sami and Austin, and the three of them are over at the mansion getting Will.”

“I can’t believe this…this is perfect timing! Look, can the four of you meet me at Tuscany tonight at 7:30? We’re having a little um…family gathering.”

Carrie grinned at the thought of seeing her family again, even though it had only been a few months since she had left Salem.

“We’d love to come! I’ll tell the others. But you have to promise one thing…that you don’t tell anyone else Mike and I are back. I want it to be a surprise,” she said happily.

“Ok then, my lips are sealed. I’ll see you tonight then,” he said, and hung up the phone.

He couldn’t believe the pure luck that Carrie and Mike just happened to be in town. It really would be the first time the whole family was together in what seemed like ages.

He sat back and sighed contentedly. Right now, life couldn’t possibly get any better.

Greta was becoming so frustrated. So far, she and Hope had been through about six racks of dresses, and she couldn’t pick one that she thought would be perfect for that evening.

“Here, I found some by some one of my favorite French designers” Hope said, as she pushed them over the top of the door to the dressing room that Greta was in. Greta looked at them and wrinkled her nose. She was grateful that Hope was trying to help her, but her choice in clothing had suddenly gone from conservative and comfortable to flashy and extravagant. Sighing, she got dressed again and pushed her way back out of the dressing room.

“Hope, I really do appreciate you trying to help me out, but these just…they aren’t me,” she said, handing the whole pile of clothes back to a flabbergasted Gina.

“If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to ask one of the salesladies for a little help,” Greta said apologetically.

“It’s quite all right, dear. I understand that we simply have differing opinions when it comes to fashion,” Gina said and plastered on a fake smile. As she watched Greta consult with one of the women behind the desk, she was secretly fuming inside.

“We used to be so close, we would share everything. What happened to that, Mon Petite Choux?” she thought to herself. “You used to idolize your mother, and now you are so independent.”

Gina was so wrapped up in her memories; she didn’t notice when Greta approached her again several minutes later.

“I really don’t want to keep you waiting, Hope. Why don’t you go over to Bo’s and see if he needs help getting ready?” Greta suggested.

The last thing Gina wanted was to see Bo, but she put on her best imitation smile and told Greta she would do just that. She hugged her daughter quickly and walked out, leaving a baffled Greta staring after her again.

“Excuse me, Miss Von Amberg? I found that dress you liked in your size,” the friendly saleslady said, snapping Greta back to reality.

Greta pushed Hope’s behavior out of the back of her mind, thinking about the special evening ahead and how she didn’t have much time to pick out a dress and get ready.

“So, what’s the special occasion,” the saleswoman asked as she led the way back into the dressing rooms.

Greta put her hand up to the locket Eric had given her in France. “My boyfriend and I…I mean, my fiancée and I…we’re announcing our engagement,” she said brightly.

“Ah, so that’s why you have the jitters,” the lady said and chuckled. “I can remember announcing my engagement to my family. I was never so nervous before in my life! That is, until I actually said the words ‘I do’ at the wedding ceremony.”

Greta smiled nervously. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to saying the words ‘my fiancee’!”

“Just think…pretty soon, you can call him your husband!” the woman replied dryly as she hung up the dresses for Greta. “All I can tell you is, good luck! If he’s anything like my husband, you’re going to need it!”

Greta thought about her last comment when she was finally alone. Would she need “luck”?

Eric looked in the mirror for what seemed like the hundredth time and fidgeted with his tie. Somehow, it still didn’t look right.

“If Greta was here, she’d fix it for me. But we agreed not to see each other before we meet at Tuscany…” he said aloud to his reflection. Then he smiled at himself. “Stop being so high-strung, Eric,” he lectured to his mirror double. “Your tie is fine…your life is good…no, make that great…my life is great. And it’s going to be even better when I’m married to Greta.”

He grinned reassuringly at himself one last time before he grabbed his jacket to leave.

“We’re here with the Brady – Von Amberg party,” John said politely to the maitre’d at Tuscany.

“Of course. Right this way, Mr.and Mrs. Black,” he replied, leading them to a private room at the back of the restaurant.

When they arrived at the table, they were greeted right away by Bo and Hope, Sami and Austin, Mickey and Maggie, Shawn and Caroline, Roman, and Alice Horton.

“So, to what do we owe the honor of the whole family gathering together this evening?” Caroline asked jokingly.

“Hey, you better count those family members again…you’re missing two people,” a familiar voice said from the doorway.

The entire dinner party turned around at the sound of Mike’s voice. Suddenly, everyone became so engrossed in welcoming Mike and Carrie back that they didn’t even notice when Eric walked in.

“Well, well, it looks like the guests of honor are going to be upstaged tonight,” he said laughingly while he made the round of the table, stopping to give his half-sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law a quick hug of congratulations.

“So, where’s Greta?” Marlena asked her son. Eric glanced at his watch worriedly. “I don’t know, she should have been here by now.”

“I’m sure she’s probably just stuck in traffic or something,” Roman offered.

“Well, while everyone waits, may I be excused?” Sami asked. “I just want to go freshen up.”

“Go ahead, I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” Eric said and kept watching the door.

Sami kept an eye out for Greta as she made her way through the crowded restaurant. When she didn’t see her, she went into the powder room. But just as she shut the door behind her, she heard the sound of someone quietly crying in one of the stalls.

“Excuse me, but are you ok in there?” Sami asked and gently tapped on the door. Greta froze when she realized it was Eric’s sister talking to her.

“I…I’m fine Sami, I just need a minute to myself,” she said, trying to gather herself together.

“Greta? What’s wrong, what are you doing in here?”

Greta put her head down as she came out, trying not to let Sami see how emotional she was. But Sami saw her reflection in the mirror.

“Greta, you’ve been crying! What’s wrong?” she asked as she locked the door for privacy.

“I don’t want to ruin the surprise…” Greta started, but stopped herself.

“What are you talking about?”

“Um…Eric and I wanted to tell you along with everybody else…”

“Greta, if something is bothering you, I hope that you would tell me before you go out there,” Sami said.

“Eric and I planned the dinner tonight to announce our engagement,” Greta finally said. “But now I don’t know if I can go through with it.”

“Why not?”

Greta looked at Sami hesitantly. She knew that Eric’s twin had a reputation for having one of the biggest mouths in Salem, and she didn’t exactly seem like the best person to go to for marriage advice, either.

“You can trust me,” Sami said honestly. Whatever you say to me in here stays just between us.”

Greta took a deep breath and then swallowed hard. “It’s just that…when I was at Salem Place earlier today, the saleswomen at the boutique were all talking about how I would need “luck” and how marriage is such a hassle. And I thought…what if I regretted getting married so soon? Eric and I haven’t been together that long.”

“I can see that it’s time for a little soon-to-be sister-in-law advice,” Sami said and patted the seat next to her. “There’s only one question that you need to ask yourself, and that is, do you really love Eric?”

“Of course I do,” Greta answered confidently. “I can’t imagine my life without him.”

“Then in your heart, you know this is the right thing to do. Don’t listen to what you hear other women say. Maybe they didn’t marry the man of their dreams, but that doesn’t mean yours can’t come true. I never thought I’d be with Austin one day, but look at us now. Through everything that’s happened, I held out hope. And I truly believe that Mike and Carrie were meant to be together so that Austin and I could be together, too. Fate has a way of planning things out, and I know that fate meant for Eric to be with you.”

Greta smiled and wiped her tears away. “Eric never told me he had such a smart twin,” she said as she gave Sami a small hug.

“C’mon now, let’s fix your makeup so that you can go announce yourself as the future Mrs. Eric Brady,” Sami said and helped her up.

After a few minutes, they were ready to go.

“Hey Greta?” Sami said on the way out.

“Yeah?”

“I just want to say how happy I am that you’re marrying my brother. There isn’t anyone else I’d rather see him with,” Sami said honestly.

“Maybe I should just go look for her…,” Eric said for the hundredth time, wondering where Greta could be.

“Hey, I think I found what you’re looking for,” Sami said as she walked into the room with Greta right behind her.

“Greta, thank God…you had me worried half to death,” Eric said as he rushed over to take her in his arms. He held her for a moment before he stepped back to admire her attire. She sparked from head to toe in a dazzling strapless burgundy chiffon dress.

“You look so beautiful,” he said and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. “And…after the close call we had last night, don’t ever scare me like that again,” he said, prompting a little laughter from his family to lighten the mood a bit.

He held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as he led her to the table. She felt every eye on her, and she knew he was trying to help her to be not so nervous. When they were seated, the maitre’ d asked if they would like to order drinks.

“We’ll take the best wine you’ve got,” Eric said, which raised quite a few eyebrows around the table.

“I hope you just won the lottery,” Roman said jokingly.

Eric caught his mother’s eye and then stood up. He urged Greta to do the same, and then he slipped an arm protectively around her waist.

“Actually dad, it’s better than that,” he started, and then handed Greta her ring, which he had been keeping so that nobody guessed the surprise ahead of time.

The whole family looked on in surprise as he dropped down on one knee.

“Greta, I know I already asked you this once and you said yes, but our evening didn’t quite go as planned last night. So, I want things to be perfect this time around…will you make me the happiest man alive and do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Greta’s eyes filled with tears as she watched his display of undying love for her. “Yes, yes…a thousand times yes!” she said happily as he slipped the ring on her finger. The entire family applauded as he stood up straight and gave her a gentle kiss.

“For this,” the maitre’ d said, “our best wine is on the house!”

Everyone laughed at this, and then Roman offered a toast.

“To my son…and my future daughter-in law,” he said, and caught Greta’s eye. “I can’t say how thrilled I am that you two have found each other. I wish you all the love and happiness in the world.”

“Here, here,” ‘Hope’ echoed, and then she looked directly at Eric. He noticed, but chose to ignore her gesture. When she couldn’t get her point across to him this way, she turned her attention to Greta. “Greta, I must say what a lovely dress that is. Doesn’t she look like a *princess* Eric?”

Eric gritted his teeth and then put on a fake smile as he turned to ‘Hope’. “Yes, she looks absolutely perfect,” he said, and then turned back to Greta before anyone noticed anything peculiar about the exchange between him and Hope.

Marlena, however, made a mental note of Hope’s tone of voice. She sensed that something wasn’t quite right, although she tried to move the thought to the back of her mind and enjoy the evening, for her son’s sake.

“So, have you thought about wedding plans yet, dear?” Caroline asked Greta as their orders were being taken.

“Actually, Mrs. Brady, we haven’t really had time to discuss that yet,” she began. “Although, I do know who I would like to have as my maids of honor. But before I say anything, I have a confession I want to make…to Eric and to everyone else.”

Eric looked at Greta questioningly. Memories of Nicole’s confessions of her past lifestyle were running through his head as he heard Greta say those words.

“Eric, I want our relationship and our marriage to be based on complete honesty,” she began, and then she looked at Sami, who suddenly had an idea of what Greta was going to say.

“When I came here tonight, I was very unsure that I wanted to go through with this. It had nothing to do with the way I felt about you…I think it was more apprehension than it was anything else. I had heard some women talking today about how difficult marriage is, and I wondered if maybe we weren’t rushing things. But then, Sami came in the ladies’ room and found me there, and we talked everything over. She made me see that I should just follow my heart…and my heart, Eric, is with you.”

Eric let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and engulfed Greta in a hug. “Well, if that’s the worst secret you’re ever going to keep from me, I’m a pretty lucky guy,” he said jokingly. Over Greta’s shoulder, he winked knowingly at his twin sister, who smiled in return.

“So, uh…you were saying something about bridesmaids,” Eric said after he had released his hold on Greta.

“I hadn’t thought about it much before tonight…I don’t have a lot of close female friends in Salem. But your sisters, especially Sami, have been so kind to me tonight. So, I would be more than honored to have them stand up for me at the wedding,” Greta said, looking directly at a shocked Carrie and Sami. “Will you be my bridesmaids?”

“Oh Greta, of course we will, right Carrie?” Sami said, and looked at her half-sister questioningly.

“I’d be delighted to stand up for you, if Mike doesn’t mind flying back to Salem for the big day,” Carrie said.

“Well, we’ll have to see what’s going on at the clinic, but I think we’ll be able to come back for a couple of days,” said Mike. “Have you thought about a date yet?”

Eric and Greta looked at each other and smiled. They had been so excited about the announcement, they hadn’t had any time to think about setting a date.

“I was thinking that we should set a date when it’s not too hot, but not too cold,” Greta said. “Maybe early spring?”

“That would give us about…oh…3 months,” Eric said and then looked around at his family. “Do you think we could pull it off in such a short amount of time?”

“Eric, you do realize this is me you’re talking to, don’t you?” said Marlena with a laugh. “I could probably put this wedding together in about a week, but then again, I think that would be rushing things a bit.”

“Dr. Evans, I would love for you to help me out. The same goes for Carrie, Sami, Caroline, and Mrs. Horton as well,” Greta told the delighted family.

As everyone fussed over Greta and talked about wedding preparations, Gina was silently fuming on the inside. “How can she not include me in her wedding?” she thought to herself. “I will have to speak with Eric about this and tell him to make sure I am included in the wedding plans.”

“Hope, is something wrong, dear?” Alice asked her granddaughter. She had seen the angry look flash across Hope’s face.

“I’m fine, Gran,” Gina tried to say in her best ‘Hope’ imitation. For extra emphasis, she put an arm around Alice and gave her an affectionate squeeze.

Alice could feel the tension coming from ‘Hope’, but she decided to put it out of her mind for the rest of the evening, and concentrate on being happy for Eric and Greta.

“I don’t know about you, but my feet are killing me!” Greta declared as Eric opened the door to her apartment.

“You’re just jealous you couldn’t keep up with me on the dance floor,” Eric said jokingly. “You better get some practice before the wedding, because I want to dance all night with my beautiful bride.”

Greta laughed and sat down on the couch to give her feet a much-needed rest. Eric positioned himself at the other end and pulled her feet into his lap, massaging them as he talked to her.

“You know, I want to thank you for getting my family involved with the preparations, especially my mother,” Eric said genuinely. “She’s really excited about this because it looks like Carrie and Mike are going to have to get married overseas, and we probably won’t be able to be there.”

“I’m just glad that your mother is going to get so much joy out of seeing her oldest son get married,” Greta said, but then her tone turned somber. “I wish my mother would be here to see it.”

Eric tensed up as Greta said this. He thought back to the other night when Hope told him she was really Gina. Could it be possible that Greta’s mother was right here in Salem?

“I know it’s hard for you to not have your mother here for this, but I believe she’ll be here in spirit,” he said and then scooped her up into a hug. She nestled herself safely in his arms and they sat there like this for a few moments, taking advantage of each second they could share together.

As Eric held Greta, he decided that he would speak with ‘Hope’ and get to the truth ~ was she really Hope, or was she Princess Gina…Greta’s mother?

“What are you thinking about?” she asked, noticing how quiet he was. He snapped back to reality as he heard her voice.

“Oh…just some things I have to do for the wedding,” he said and kissed the tip of her nose, causing her to giggle. “There are so many preparations to take care of! Why don’t we just forget about all the hoopla and elope?” she said jokingly.

“Because…I want you to have the best wedding Salem has ever seen,” he said and kissed her hand.

They talked about the wedding for the rest of the night, but Greta was secretly thinking about something else as Eric held her tight…

“Oh mother…you’ll never get to see your little girl walk down the aisle.”

Eric paced the lobby of the Salem Inn, wondering what was taking “Hope” so long. He had rung her up nearly ten minutes ago, and she said she ring back down when it was alright for him to come up to her suite.

He had decided earlier that morning as he watched Greta sleeping that she deserved to know the truth if that really was her mother. He couldn’t bear the thought of her finding out from someone else, or not finding out at all.

“When the time is right, I’ll let Bo down gently…” The words “Hope” had spoken to him a few nights ago rang in his head. She had told him Hope was locked up in the castle…

“That’s it!” he thought to himself. “I’ll tell Bo…he can pretend that everything is fine…and then we can sneak off to Europe, free Hope, then come back and confront Gina.”

Forgetting all about talking to (who he was now very sure was) Gina, Eric ran out of the Inn and to his car. He floored it and turned it in the direction towards Mrs. Horton’s house, where he knew Bo was.

Bo stared straight ahead, like he didn’t even see Eric in front of him. His mind was racing, thinking a million different thoughts at once.

“So, what you’re trying to tell me is, this woman who looks and sounds like Hope is really Gina? She’s supposed to be a lot older than Hope. How can I possibly begin to believe that?”

“Uncle Bo, I know that it sounds crazy…but she seemed like she meant it. I don’t think it was Hope playing some sick game with me because she’s having Gina’s memories. Somehow, you’ve got to find a way to find out the truth without Gina catching on to you. Does Hope have any kind of birthmarks or scars or anything that would tell you it’s not Hope we’re dealing with here?”

“Uh…yeah…Hope has a couple of small scars, and she has one birthmark…” Bo trailed off and ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. “The only problem is, how am I going to be able to see if these marks are there?”

Eric looked at his uncle and nodded. “You know what you’ll have to do…if you want to find out it’s Hope…for your sake, and for Shawn’s and Greta’s, we’ve got to do this.”

Bo shook his head, still not quite believing all of this. But one thing was for sure…if it wasn’t his Fancy Face here in Salem, he would walk across the earth and back again to get to Hope. There was no place far enough away where he wouldn’t go to find her.

He looked up at Eric with determination in his eyes. “Let’s do it.”

Gina drug out a long puff of smoke and then quickly put out the cigarette she had been smoking. Next she opened a window, then dumped all of the ashes out and then shoved the ashtray in a drawer. Grabbing a bottle of her favorite perfume, she sprayed it around the room to get rid of the smoky smell.

“Now, just to make sure he is completely positive that I am Hope…” she stated out loud, and then pulled out several framed pictures of Shawn, Alice Horton, and Bo. One by one, she placed them around the room so that it looked like she was a devoted family woman. For extra emphasis, she put a picture of Bo and Hope on their wedding day right next to her bed.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Checking her hair in the mirror one final time, she opened the door to see Bo on the other side, a dozen red roses in hand.

“These…are for my Fancy Face,” he said, and placed a long, lingering kiss on her surprised lips. Little did she know, he was testing her to see if he could feel Hope somewhere inside of her.

He felt his blood run cold as he suddenly began to realize that Eric was right…he wasn’t getting the same vibes from the woman that he got when he kissed Hope. But he needed more proof than gut instinct, even though his instinct was usually right.

Kicking the door shut behind him, he focused on the main task at hand…getting intimate with a woman who could end up not being the only woman he’s ever loved.

Gina was surprised at the sudden display of emotions Bo was showing for her. He had told her numerous times that he loved her, but he had seemed somewhat hesitant until now to act on those feelings. She was becoming swept up in a sensual haze as his lips ran over hers again and again. She had not known what this had felt like since being with John so very long ago.

Bo felt like he was going to be sick to his stomach as he continued on his quest to find some kind of clue that would tell him this was Gina.

“But this is the only way,” he thought grimly to himself as Gina’s hands began to remove his shirt. “The only way.”

Eric sat by the phone and waited on Bo’s call. It had been hours since Bo had left to see “Hope”, and there was still no word. Suddenly, the door behind him opened, and he smiled widely as Greta walked in, her arms full of shopping bags.

“Hey you…here, let me help,” he said tenderly as he took an armful of bags off of her hands. When they were finally free, he locked his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a long kiss. Finally breaking it off, he stepped back and held her face gently in his hands.

“I missed you today,” he said simply, but honestly. “I’m sorry, I got so busy that I just lost track of time. I know we usually have lunch together…”

“Eric, it’s ok, really!” she said and laughed. “I missed you, too. Your mother had us running around all day, looking in different stores for dresses and cakes and flowers…and all we did was just look! We didn’t even buy anything!”

“So…uh…what’s in all those bags, then?” Eric asked and motioned towards the load she had just walked in with.

“Oh…those! Those are all books…can you believe that? Just books and books of things we need to look through. Your mother and sisters said that we need to decide what colors we want, and you need to decide on tuxedos, and all that fun stuff.”

He crinkled his nose at her and then pulled her into a gentle hug. “Couldn’t you have just…oh, I don’t know…surprised me?”

She punched him playfully. “Cut it out! We are both going to be equals here, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember…didn’t we decide that you would make all the decisions and I’d ok them? That’s equal.”

“Oh, ha ha, very funny. That’s equal from a guy’s point of view!” Just to get on his nerves, she started playing with his hair, and then she deliberately messed it all up.

“Ok, you know you can do anything you want to me…but you can’t touch the hair,” he said and picked her up. Swinging her around, he threatened to hold her upside down and tickle her until she was red in the face.

“Okay, mercy, mercy!” she said and laughed as he pulled her upright again. Placing her gently on the couch, he smoothed back her hair and kissed her gently on the forehead.

To him, it was amazing how they could go from being so playful to so serious…all in a matter of seconds. It was the simple things like her touch, her laugh, and the smell of her hair that could bring him back down to earth or even send his head up in the clouds.

This power they had…the power of love…got him thinking again about Bo and Hope’s situation. He decided that as much as he hated lying to Greta, he knew he would have to tell her the story he and Bo had made up now, just in case things turned out the way he expected them to. This way, he could leave for Europe without her being suspicious.

“Greta, I need to talk to you about something,” he began. “Something you’re not going to like very much, but it’s something I have to do.”

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