"John," Marlena whispered, "you're here, you're actually here"

John took a few steps closer and reached for her hand with his heart beating so loudly he was afraid she'd hear it. "Doc, there isn't anywhere else I'd be. If I tried to stay away from you, it would be....well....it would be like trying to live without my soul. You fill a place in my heart that is protected by the strength of our love. This love has survived thru more than one nightmare and i knew inside that all I needed to do was trust in that love.

"John, my love, how much did you hear me say when you walked in?," Marlena asked thru her tears.

"All I needed to hear was you say that you were lost without me, because God knows I couldn't face another day without you," John replied as he lifted his hands to her face and gently began to wipe away her tears. "No more tears, Doc. I plan on making my mission in life to guarantee that you never spend another day crying."

"I don't think that's possible, John. Every morning when I wake up in your arms, I'm not sure I'll be able to hold back my tears of joy." All of a sudden Marlena pulled away from John and turned towards the fireplace, "John, there is something I have to tell you.....and this may be difficult for you to hear, but I don't think we can move forward until I say this."

John stood there speechless...agonizing over what Marlena may say to him.....

Roman continued his drive to the Horton Cabin with a fierce determination. John was not going to beat him this time. In his mind Roman knew that Marlena didn't return his feelings, but his heart held on to the hope that he could convince her that she needed him as much as he needed her.

"We has a great love, Doc. That kind of love never dies, I know that somewhere deep down, you still have those old feelings for me," Roman sighed.

Roman's thoughts began to wander and he thought about what he was doing last year on his and Marlena's anniversary....stuck in a hospital bed in the middle of nowhere. "Gee, and I thought this year was going to be better. That's a joke"

This little conversation that was going on in his head worried Roman, "Marlena must never find out *how* I ended up in that hospital. No one can ever know."

Kristen paced around the DiMera mansion anticipating word on Peter's whereabouts. If he was caught she was in BIG trouble. "I still have charges pending from last summer," Kristen muttered, "thanks to that idiot Susan. If anyone finds out I helped Peter, I can kiss everything goodbye, not that I have much left."

Thinking of Susan planted a thought in Kristen's head. She was desperate to get her son back and needed to do it quickly before Marlena went running back to John.

"Damn you Marlena. You may have John, for now, but you will never can't take my son away from me," Kristen hollered with the fury of a thousand men.

More determined than ever to find her son, Kristen grabbed her coat and headed off into the night with a new plan....one that would no doubt succeed.

"Doc, whatever it is, you don't have to say it. All I need to hear from you lips is that you love me"

"No John, I have to tell you this. I couldn't live with myself if this went unsaid. Please let me finish," Marlena spoke softly as she took John hand's in hers and let him to the couch.

With a wash of emotion flooding over her, Marlena finally opened up and let her heart do the talking. She slowly began to speak all the while gripping John's hands the way a child grasps it's favortie toy.

"John, we've come so far to be together I don't even know where to begin. I know that we've both made mistakes in the past, but none can compare to the mistake I almost made."

John looked at Marlena with confusion, "What mistake? Doc, I don't understand."

"Please let me explain," Marlena pleaded, "I realized tonight how lucky I am to have you and how foolish I was to take a chance with our future. I never realized that I could have lost you because of all of this. The pain you must have felt because of me must have torn you up inside. Honey, I never meant for any of this to happen. I just wanted to spare Roman's feelings, while all I did was disregard yours"

"Marlena how can you even try to apologize to me for your actions? You did what you did for Roman out of the goodness of your heart and I love you for that. I could never hold that against you. You were so patient while I was with Kristen, I never would have been able to watch you with another man the way you had to see me with Krisen. Never once did you criticize or question me about my motives during that time. I think I'm the one who owes you the apology."

A smile formed across Marlena's face, "Do you realize how ridiculous this conversation is? Here we are, both apologizing for hurting each other's feelings while I'm sure there are plenty of other things we could be doing."

"Maybe we should just call it even, Dr.Evans," John rationalized while he slid his arm around Marlena's waist, "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Why yes you have," Marlena teased, "but I'd love to hear it again and again and again. Right now though, I'd prefer we didn't talk."

"Kiss me," Marlena whispered as John gently lay her down on the bed, I need you, I want you...."

"I love you, Doc," John moaned as their bodies finally became one, joining their hearts and souls in that sacred place leading them towards the beginning of forever.

Roman muttered with digust as he watched the ferry pull away from the dock, "I missed the boat. Damn it. Now I have to wait another hour before I get to Doc and when I do, nothing will ever be the same, she can't deny our love, she just can't."

The rage in Roman's eyes was becomeing more and more apparent. He could feel his blood rising and his temper flare as he worried John had beat him to her, "If you have Black, you will live to regret it. I don't care how many people tell me, I need to hear it from Marlena. This will end tonight."

Little did Roman know.........his ship has sailed in more ways than one........