A Love Beyond Compare by Sandra Bondelier

Chapter 2
The Essence of Love

A beautiful golden-haired woman wandered through the streets of Salem, the town she had called home for most all of her adult life. She wanted to walk it, to feel the pavement under her feet, to make it seem real. She was home at last. After five long years of unwanted separation from everyone and everything she loved, she was home. If only it were so easy to reacquaint herself with the people as it was the geography, especially with the man she loved, Roman Brady. He was in love with another woman now, she knew that for certain, having seen the announcement of their engagement in a discarded newspaper she had read in the park. It only made sense that he might have moved on by now; after all, five years had passed for him too. Roman had grieved the loss and found new love. Yet, it caused such soul-piercing pain to imagine him in someone else's arms, sharing himself intimately with some other woman. Still, he had loved her so deeply, surely he would want her in his life again. Maybe.... he would choose to be with her if he knew she was alive, but what if he didn't choose her, how would she live without him? Oh, Roman, what's going to happen when we meet....who will you decide to share your life with? I know you loved me with all of your heart.....then, but what about now? Is your love for me dead and buried as you thought I was? The questions swirled about in her head causing a splitting headache and she sat down at a park bench for awhile. She pondered whether she should go back to the house and take the initiative to simply walk right back into his life. She was hesitant, timid actually which was so unlike her, but she couldn't deny the anxiety that threatened to overwhelm her when she thought of entering a houseful of people the first time she saw her greatest love. Instead of going back there, she felt the need to go down by the river's edge; it was always such a mystical, magical place, it was special to them when they were together. Because she had been in some kind of a coma-like state in her absence, their life together seemed to her like it was just yesterday. Maybe.....he would come to her there. Did he still feel the undefinable connection between them as she did? 'Well, Marlena there is only one way to find the answers to all your questions, go to the pier and see what happens,' she said to herself.

As she made her way down to the pier, she remembered the best times of their life together after he had returned to her under similar circumstances. She thought he had perished at the hands of Stefano Dimera, a vile evil man, who hated Roman for his attempt to take down the man's criminal empire. And, then one day a mysterious stranger came into her life and a connection was born or reborn actually. From the moment she met the man she felt a bond stretching out between them, though she had to admit he could be infuriating at times, especially when his gallant overprotectiveness toward women was involved. Before long, however, she found herself falling under the spell of his sometimes impish charms, his dancing brilliant blue eyes and his infectious ear to ear grin.

Marlena remembered running up the hill with a picture in her hand, the moment in which she told him she believed he was Roman Brady. She recalled with pleasure, what it felt like to be in his arms in that instance, hearing him say, "I love you, Doc!" in a way that sounded as if a lost soul had finally found his way home again. She remembered the first time they made love after that, his sweet boyish smile, the nervous tension between them, the wonderful tender love they made that night. Then came the honeymoon, their day in the park, summer breezes blowing gently through their hair as they celebrated their love. 'Oh, Roman will it ever be like that again for us, or is our love only in the past for you?' she asked herself as she imagined those scenes in her mind. As she stood on the pier, looking out at the water through the fog, two more memories came to mind, the day he proposed a renewal of vows and their wedding day. Those were the two happiest days of her life. What they shared then was a love beyond compare; it was pure, deep and abiding. It was simply unshakable and she prayed that they could recapture it, wondering once more how she would ever survive without him if they couldn't.

Roman made his way to the pier through the fog as well, his head telling him he should be at home with Isabella and his family and friends, celebrating. But, this objective cop, who always searched for evidence and facts was listening to his heart for the moment and so he went as he was compelled to do. As he stood there in the fog, waiting, wondering what was to follow, his head began to take over as a young uniformed policeman recognized him and asked why he was out on a night such as this. Having no ready answer, he decided he should quit chasing after a ghost and go on home. Just as he turned to leave, he sensed a familiar presence and then he thought he heard his name, that voice....No, it couldn't be, she's dead, Roman, keep going.....

"Roman!" she said and he turned toward her. He couldn't make out the face in the fog, but when she walked several steps closer and said, "It's Marlena," the sound of her voice was unmistakable. He had to face her and approach her, No.....he shook his head, not believing, needing desperately to make sure.

Roman stepped closer himself, for a better look and he said, "No.." His jaw dropped in disbelief. She was like a vision from heaven appearing out of the mist, it simply couldn't be real.

She nodded and said, "Yes" He edged closer, trying to say her name while still shaking his head slightly, but was unable to make the word go from his mind to his mouth. Instead, he reached out a trembling hand to touch her cheek and make sure she was real and not some creation of his imagination he was seeing. She gasped at the contact and he knew, "Oh, God Doc, it's you...it's you.. Oh my God Doc, it's you! He pulled her tight to his body and stroked her silky hair as if worshipping her, trying to convince himself she was actually back in his arms." Oh my God.. Oh my God..." he repeated the phrase, feeling completely overwhelmed by powerful emotions, while gently running his fingers through her radiant silky hair.

She melted into his blissful embrace with tears in her eyes, she was overjoyed to be held in his strong muscular arms again, for that was the safest, warmest place she had ever known. They held each other for a long time and finally they pulled back to gaze into each other's moist eyes. "Roman," she asked tentatively, seeing that he must be in shock. "Are you allright?"

His mouth was still wide open, an expression of numb surprise on his face as he stared, making sure he could believe what his eyes were telling him. "You're real," he said incredulously.

Marlena nodded and smiled with joyful tears running down her face, confirming his uncertain statement.

"When you were gone, I thought I'd never see you again," he said, his heart beginning to believe, his mind still wondering how it was possible. His breathing was ragged with the rush of joyful adrenaline that was coursing through his veins.

"Roman I know this is really hard to believe..." she said wanting to help him accept the reality of her reappearance.

Almost muttering he stared into her eyes saying, "It was a dream, I thought it was a dream..." Then more firmly he responded to her, "I'm not questioning it, Doc, you're real, you're here!" Nuzzling her face, he rested his forehead on hers and rubbed his cheek against the soft smooth skin of her face, savoring every second of the contact between them. The impossible had happened, his greatest love, his soulmate had returned from the dead after five agonizing years.

"Oh Roman," she sighed, relishing the feeling of just being near him again.

"You're here," he repeated in amazement. Cupping her face and neck in his gentle grasp, he engaged her in a lingering, caressing, almost worshipful kiss which mesmerized them both.

"Get closer, get closer!" she cried, almost desperately. She had longed for an embrace like this one and her dream was coming true. Roman clearly loved her and was thrilled to have her back again. They alternated between holding each other in an intense clinch and staring deeply into each other's eyes, feeling elated to be reunited after so long.

The reality of what was happening began to sink in and Roman started putting together the bits and pieces of his day. As he pulled out of the embrace he started talking about it, "There was a note from someone, it said to meet me at the Continental Bar, that was you, wasn't it?" he asked confidantly.

"Yes," she answered calmly, understanding his need to make sense out it all.

"But when I showed up late, you went to the house?"

"Yes," she said, a little less comfortably.

"But you left the house," he said feeling confused by her actions, his puzzled expression making her uncomfortable. His hands were still in the same position, the way they had been, in front of him at chest level.

Marlena pulled away, feeling apprehensive, she tried to explain her thinking, "Roman there were so many people there and I just had to be alone with you." Not wanting to look at his questioning gaze, she turned her back, starting an explanation for his benefit. With a trembling voice she said, "I thought if...well I just had the feeling that maybe..."

Still confused, but concerned for her feelings, he approached her, touching her on the upper part of her left arm. Turning her to him, he asked warmly, "What?"

"Look, I was so confused...I was so desperate.." Her voice broke as she told him why she came to the pier. Taking his hands again she said, "This place was always so special for us I thought that perhaps if I came here....you'd know. That sounds crazy doesn't it?"

With growing understanding he said, "No, no I did know, I've been fighting it all day, I've been fighting it all day..." Roman released her and started walking around, working his brain to make sense out of the events of the day. "I've been telling myself I'm so damn rational, so smart....a note from a woman for Captain Brady...wouldn't leave a message. That's what was messing with my mind all day...:" Roman put his hands to his head, wanting to fit the pieces together and mesh his emotional and spiritual experience with his rational thinking processes which didn't come easily.

Apologetically she said, "I wasn't trying to be mysterious about it, I was just... I was trying to..."

Standing close again, taking her hands in his again, he said with passion, "I knew...what you meant, I knew and even though I kept trying to tell myself it couldn't be, something inside of me, Doc, that died five years ago was alive again!"

Tears still flowing she cried, "Oh Roman..God.." feeling his angst about the experience.

Holding their hands up toward her face, he spoke passionately again with a throaty voice, as the tears that had filled his eyes started trickling out, "I don't even know, I can't even explain it, I just knew that you were out here and something was drawing me to find you!"

"Oh, you must be in shock," she said, almost whispering as she gazed deeply into his slightly bewildered eyes.

"Yea.....I think you could say that," he said nodding his head and agreeing as he held and kissed her hands, a confused expression appearing on his face.

Recognizing that it was quite stressful for him, she said, "You just need some time, we just need some time."

Roman didn't want to waste any time, and had forgotten all about the people at his house, all thoughts other than the miracle of Marlena's return gone for the moment. "What about now? I'm talking right this second!"

There was so much for them to handle, "We need to talk," she told him, wondering what would happen next, but overjoyed to have him with her.

Roman was obviously overcome with emotion and spoke in broken phrases as he parted from her grasp and then returned to her quickly, "Yea... we gotta talk...we can't talk here, though...we..can't..we gotta go someplace.. where...do..." Slapping his hands to his head he said rather anxiously, "I can't even think!" Then he looked into her eyes again and she realized she needed to take the lead, it was all a little too much for Roman to deal with immediately.

Reassuringly she said, "It's allright... I know where we can go." Marlena took his hands in hers and guided her love, whose gaze was fixed on her and who was clearly still in shock, over to the stairs. She would take him to the motel room in which she had stayed for a day or so, while trying to get her bearings. Trusting her implicitly, Roman put his arms around her and followed her lead, incredibly grateful to have her back again, but still wondering how it was possible. Roman and Marlena were ecstatic to be together. They refused to let their minds ask all the questions about what was to come in the days and weeks ahead, content for the time being to allow their incomprehensible bond of love to envelop them like a soft blanket surrounding them with its warmth and comfort.