Roman watched silently as Belle, Brady, and Marlena embraced and cried over John and he began to realize that this was a family he was seeing, a family he hadn't wanted to acknowledge, either in his mind or his heart. He made a noise, clearing his throat and Marlena turned swiftly toward the sound. Seeing the look on his face, she knew he wanted to talk with her and it was painfully clear what it was about. She whispered to the children, "Mommy will be right back, allright sweethearts? You stay with Daddy."

"Okay, Momma," said Belle, but Brady was silent. He was holding John's hand as if he could will his father to awaken and get well. As Marlena stood up, he asked fearfully with tears still flowing, "Momma...I'm scared for my Daddy.. why won't he wake up? Doesn't he know that Santa Claus came last night... I want to give him my present..I made in preschool... Oh... Momma, what's wrong with my Daddy?"

Tears came back to Marlena's eyes as she took the little boy into her loving arms and said, "Oh, Brady, I'm so sorry... Daddy is very sick sweety, but I hope he will get well soon."

Turning his full attention back to his father, Brady said, "I do too, momma. I'm going to pray to Jesus to give us a miracle..and make my Daddy well for Christmas!" He folded his little hands together and knelt down next to his father's bed. Belle, who had been crying quietly, joined him and imitated his hand folding gesture. Brady started in, "Dear Jesus... my Daddy is very sick and he won't wake up...please Jesus.... give us a miracle...make my Daddy all better!"

Belle was crying, but she said, "Pwease God....do what my big brodder said and give us a Chwistmas miwacle...make our Daddy wake up!"

Marlena went to the sobbing children and picked them up in her arms. She wiped their tears and hugged them for several minutes, until they began to calm down again. Roman stood in the doorway, quietly watching the scene unfold. Seeing them pray and cry together again cemented his resolve to do what he had intended.

"We'll keep an eye on them, Marlena," offered Lexie, supportively, after noticing that Roman was becoming slightly impatient.

Marlena squeezed her hand and said a quiet, "Thank you," to her friend.

The others watched nervously as Roman ushered her toward a quiet spot in the hospital, wondering what would be the result of this conversation that was long in the making. Once assured of their privacy, Roman took a deep breath and said, "Marlena...I have something to say to you and it's not going to be easy for me, so bear with me..okay?"

"Of course, Roman...you know I will," she said, wiping away the remaining moisture from her face and wondering what he would say, hoping the bitterness and anger hadn't been rekindled as his love was. She didn't think she could handle that plus John's unexpected life-threatening sickness.

"Doc... Seeing you with John and Belle and Brady just now, made me realize something, that you are a family with them, that you...truly love him with all your heart ...not me." Roman was fighting his strong desire to take her in his arms, to steal away with her... to make her love him and he hesitated before telling her the next part. "You know..that I love you and that I was working hard to win your heart and I'm..ashamed to say that I...faked my symptoms the other night." He was more animated as he went on and Marlena had an idea of the direction he was headed, her heart was breaking for him. "After I learned the truth about you and John, I...don't know..what happened. I guess it just reminded me of the affair and I... wanted to win you back, I wanted to take you away from him. I wanted John to feel the pain that I felt when it all happened before, Doc!" Sadly, he admitted, "I know that it was wrong and I want you to know that I..won't do anything like that ever again. I've decided that I'm going to let you go. I meant what I said in those letters I wrote to both of you and I don't really hold a grudge against you and John." With tears of loss in his eyes, he finished giving her and John his blessing, "All I ever really wanted was for you to be happy...and if John...makes you happy, I want you...to be with him. So....go to him, make your life with him. " His tears were starting to slip slowly from the corners of his wounded eyes.

She was overcome with emotion. "Oh, Roman....thank you... thank you so much! This is...the best gift you could have ever given me." Tears of regret mixed with joy rushed to her eyes and began to spill out as she continued. Wiping her tears with the back of her fingertips as she often did, Marlena expressed what she felt toward Roman, "You know that I will..carry our love in a very special part of my..heart, for the rest of my..life. I did love you....and I'm sorry for the pain I put you through. Your blessing and your forgiveness mean...everything to me. Thank you so much, Roman!"

Roman leaned in and pulled her close, it was a warm embrace, filled with the love of dear friendship, forgiveness, and the willingness to let go of the past. "Oh, Doc.. I'll always love you..but as hard as it is to let go, I'm going to move on... I won't do...anything to interfere in your relationship with John, I promise, I promise." When he finished, he spoke in a tearful whisper. Then he added one last thing, "Now...go on, go in there and make that foolish man wake up for you. I mean...doesn't he realize that it's Christmas and there are presents to be opened, and food to be eaten? Go in there and get him back on his feet!" he said with a slowly growing smile. He wanted to get Marlena thinking positively and it was working, she didn't seem so frightened for the other man.

She kissed him on the cheek and said excitedly, "Oh, I will, Roman, I will!" Turning away from him, she ran back to sit at John's bedside where the children were snuggled up next to his still sleeping form. Taking his right hand in both of hers, she said, "John...I have a Christmas present that you have to wake up for. Honey....Roman has given us his blessing, he just told me that he realized how much we love each other and how you and I and Belle and Brady are a family. He said he wants me to be happy, John and that if you make me happy, I should be with you. Isn't that wonderful news, John?"

For a few agonizing minutes there was nothing, no movement, no indication that John had heard her or that he might respond to her words. She prayed, imploring the King of Kings to grant her heartfelt request, "Dear Lord...please heal John of this illness, bring him back to me and all the people who love him. Please, God...make him whole and healthy and let us finally share our lives together in love and marriage the way we were meant to do. That would be the greatest gift you could ever give me."

While she was praying, she thought she felt something...but kept on going. Then it was more obvious, John had squeezed her hand. "John...honey?" He was coming out of it, "Oh thank God!" she cried joyfully.

He squeezed it harder and his eyelids began to flutter and then after a moment or two, he opened his eyes, a dazed expression on his face. "Hi...Doc... what.. happened to me? Where am I?" he asked anxiously, feeling disoriented. Then it hit him and he tried to sit up, not aware of the two warm bodies next to him. Fearfully he exclaimed, "Brady! Where's Brady...we were together at the Salem Inn. Is he okay?" John asked worriedly.

"Daddy...I'm right here, you silly goof," answered his son, not quite sure why his father didn't realize it.

"Me too, Daddy," said Belle sitting up to look at him.

"Oh....everybody's here.... John said, feeling only slightly more awake and alert. "So...what am I doing here, what happened?" he asked groggily. He couldn't remember anything about the night before.

Marlena answered quietly, while still holding his hand and watching him closely, "John....honey..you've been very sick. Brady found you collapsed on the floor of the hotel room this morning. How do you feel?"

It took a moment for John to answer, as if he had to take inventory. "Tired...kinda tired...but...okay I guess. Did I miss Christmas?" he asked, having no idea of the passage of time.

Marlena hugged him tight and said, "No....John...it's Christmas morning... you didn't miss anything... except a very scary time. Listen, sweety, I have some good news for you."

"You do...what's that?" he asked, working hard to sit up in the bed, while still clearing the cobwebs from his mind. The concerned observers took that as their cue to give the couple even more privacy, scooping up the mildly protesting Belle and Brady with them for a few minutes. Abe and Lexie explained to them that their Mommy and Daddy needed a few minutes to talk and that the kids could join them very soon. They were content to watch through the open doorway, while the others walked across the hall to the waiting area.

Marlena's eyes were suddenly a little brighter and she said to her love, "Hold on one second, I have to get something and I'm pretty sure it's here with us." She stepped across the room to the closet and reached in to find his leather jacket, then slid her hand into the special little zippered pocket inside. She found the item which she hoped would be there. "Ah....just like I thought," she said quietly. Without tipping him off, she palmed it and moved to his side, sitting quietly for a minute.

"Doc...what's going on here... I don't understand," John said with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Well, John...I was just given a Christmas miracle and a Christmas gift, now it's time for me to give you your Christmas wish. Would you like it now?"

He smiled...wondering, hoping, but not feeling certain about what she was referring to, so he said, "Yes... please pretty lady.. I would like to have my wish come true. What is it Doc?"

She took his hand and placed the ring in his palm, saying at the same time, "John.... Roman has given us his blessing.. he said that he wants me to be happy and he still means what he wrote in those letters. Roman told me that he forgives us and he wants us to be happy together, he's letting me go, John. We're free to love and marry... isn't that wonderful news?"

Tears formed in his eyes, while she was speaking... "Oh, Marlena... you're right! This is my Christmas wish come true. I love you so much!" John pulled her into a warm hug and held her for a long time.

Marlena was the one who somewhat reluctantly ended the embrace, saying, "Now..I believe I made you a promise that I intend to keep. I told you that when you put that ring back on my finger it would be forever. So....my love, would you please put that gorgeous engagement ring back on my finger?" Her face was glowing with the joy of anticipation and his expression mirrored hers.

"Oh... Doc....Yes I will!" he said with glee. With slightly trembling hands, John gently placed the ring on her finger and said, "Marlena...love of my life, woman of my dreams....this time it's forever. I want us to be married as soon as possible... What do you say to a New Year's Eve Wedding?"

Her heart melted at his romanticism as she answered, "Oh...honey, I can't think of a thing I want more in this whole world. I just love you so....Oh, I love you, I love you!!" Marlena kissed him with such passion that he felt his breath leave him.

"Woah....Doc.. I'm so glad you did that!" John repaid the favor and she swooned, "I've missed your kisses.... oh, have I missed your kisses." she whispered, her voice filled with smoldering desire they wished they could act upon this very moment.

Not certain how much their voices would carry, John whispered a reply in her ear, "Later, Doc...just a little later...and I'll do much more than kiss you...baby."

"Ooh, is that a promise?" she asked, thrilled to be able to love him openly.

"Yes, that's a promise..."He stopped and corrected himself, gazing at her with a wide grin on his face, "No, actually, that's a fact!"

They both laughed heartily at that one... "Oh, John....you are so silly...and I love you so, I can't wait to be your wife!" Marlena said with joy, hugging him again, still recovering from the rapid turn of events.

"And you know that I can't wait to be your husband! How many days is it till New Year's?" he asked teasingly.

Marlena smiled at his pretense of impatience as she answered, "It's one week John..that's all, just one...little...week. Can you handle it?"

"Oh, I guess so...as long as we can all be together as a family until then. Is it a deal, Doc?" John asked, looking out at the kids, who were standing somewhat impatiently in the doorway.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, John. I wouldn't have it any other way," she said convincingly as she embraced him once again.

That was all the kids could take and both Belle and Brady came rushing into the room, and jumped up on the bed. Brady said, "Dr. Mike said it really is a miracle, the tests say Daddy is going to be all better real soon and he might get to go home today sometime...as long as he gets lots of rest. Yeah!!"

"Yeah... we're going to be a famiwy!!" exclaimed little Belle. "Allright, I can't wait!" agreed Brady happily.

"Oh boy! cried Marlena with glee. John's eyes sparkled with happiness as he said, "Well, now it's a sure thing...this is going to be the best Christmas ever!"

"Oh yes it is...my love, yes it is!" agreed Marlena, as John hugged his family close to his body.

John spoke with passionate excitement, "I love you guys so much and we are going to be a real family. Our wish is finally coming true!" John tilted his head back and tossed up a quick prayer, "Thank you, God," as Marlena did the same, saying, "Yes Lord, thank you for giving us our Christmas miracle."