"Well, atleast one wedding turned out good John.  It looks like Austin and Carrie won't have to worry about Sami anymore.", said Marlena.
          It had been a really rough day learning that Sami was faking her amnesia.  It was also horrible now that Roman knew the truth of John and Marlena's relationship.  Sami just had to ruin it for them.
          "I agree with you Doc.", said John as he held her in his arms.  Marlena always felt safe in his arms.  She loved how he was always there for her.
          "Why did Sami have to tell Roman John?  Now he is in worse condition than he was.", said Marlena as she began to cry.
          Then all of a sudden the phone rang.  Marlena got out of John's arms to answer it.
          "Hello?", asked Marlena.
          "Is this Marlena Evans?", asked the person.
          "Yes it is.", she answered.  She then looked at John.
          "Miss Evans I'm Dr. Jones, and I'm sorry to inform you that Roman Brady has died.", she said.
          Marlena's face went ghost white and then she dropped the phone to the floor.  She then turned to John and said, "He's dead John.  He's dead."  The tears just started to pour out of Marlena and John's eyes both.  John then went to Marlena and pulled her to him.  There they stayed in each others arms, mourning over Roman's death.

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

          "Well Kristen, what do you want now?", asked Stefano from his cell.
          Kristen then went up to the window and said, "You better wipe that smile off your face cause your plan just blew up."
          "What?!  What happened?!", asked Stefano angrily.
          Then Kristen said, "Sami showed up at Austin and Carrie's wedding reception and told Roman that John and Marlena were together.  He had a severe heart attack right on the spot."
          Stefano was furious.  "Damn!  Is he still alive?!", asked Stefano impatiently.
          Then Kristen replied, "No, he isn't Stefano.  Roman Brady is dead.  There is no way you are gonna get out of here to take Marlena away!  And there is no way I'm gonna get John back!"
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

          "Marlena.", cried Carrie.  Marlena took Carrie in her arms and comforted her.
          "Oh Marlena!  How could Sami do it?!  How could she?!", cried Carrie.
          Then Marlena replied with tears in her eyes, "I don't know sweetie.  I don't know."
          Carrie then released herself from Marlena's embrace.  "She killed our father Marlena.  She lead that heart attack on."
          "I know.  And when I see her I'm gonna let her know it too.  I wonder what this is doing to Eric though.  He must be so heartbroken.  I have to find him.", said Marlena, looking around the hospital corridors incase he was there.
          "He's so sad Marlena.  It's hurting him most of all.", said Carrie, trying to hold back her tears and sobs.
          Then Marlena asked, "Where is Austin?  Isn't he here?"
          "Yeah, he's here.  He just needed a break from all this tension.  He just needs to be alone right now.  After finding out Will isn't his son and now my dad dead, it's alot to juggle in one day.", said Carrie.
          Marlena nodded.  "John is talking with the doctor.  Today has been a bad one Carrie.  But atleast you and Austin finally got married.", said Marlena, trying to cheer Carrie up atleast a little bit.
          Carrie smiled a bit at that.  But she was just to heartbroken over Roman's death.
          "Come on Carrie.  Let's go find your brother.", said Marlena.  Marlena then put her arm over Carrie's shoulder and then they walked together to go find Eric.

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

          "We just couldn't save him Mr. Black, there was nothing we could do.  Now if you will excuse me, I have other patients to tend to.", said Dr. Jones, and then he jogged away hurryingly.
          John then sighed and sat down on one of the chairs and put his face in his hands.
          "I'm sorry Roman.  I'm sorry for what Sami did.", said John sadly.
          Then John felt someone touch him and he looked up.
          "Doc.  It's you.", said John.
          "Yeah.", said Marlena.  She sat down beside him and put her arm over his shoulders.
          "So did you find Eric and Carrie?", asked John.
          Then Marlena replied sadly, "Yes I did.  They're devastated John.  Eric especially.  I'm just so mad at what Sami did.  And I'm tired of this Kristen and Stefano charade!"
          "Hello guys.", said a woman.
          Marlena and John looked up and were shocked at who they saw.
          "Kristen!  What the hell are you doing here?!", asked Marlena meanly.
          Kristen said nicely, "I just wanted to come and pay my respects for Roman's death."
          Marlena then jumped up and got right in her face and said, "You lying bitch!  The only reason you came here for was to cause John and I trouble.  And plus your little plan for getting Stefano out of jail back fired.  So guess what Kristen, here's a gift from me to you!"
          Then Marlena slammed her fist right into Kristen's face, sending her right down on the floor.  Everyone from the hospital staff looked in shock.  John then held Marlena in his arms while she cried.
          Kristen got off the floor with a bloody lip and nose and stormed out of the hospital.
          "Don't worry Marlena.  Stefano will get you, and I will have John!", muttered Kristen as she headed back to the DiMera Mansion.

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

Chapter 2
By Kat Watson
 

         Marlena and John stood together in the rain with the others mourning over Roman's death.  The funeral was nice, although nobody wished it would've had to happen.  Marlena held on to John tight.  She needed him now, probably more than she ever did.  Even though she didn't love Roman anymore, he was always in her thoughts.
          Marlena didn't even know the funeral service was finished until she heard someone screaming.
          "I didn't kill him!  I didn't kill my daddy!", Sami screamed at everyone.  Marlena and John were shocked to even see her there after what she did.
          Marlena went up to Sami calmly and said, "After what you've done Samantha I think you should keep your mouth shut!  You lead that heart attack on to your father!  You have caused this family so much pain it hurts me to even think about it!  You have alot of growing up to do Samantha, cause if you don't, you're gonna be lost forever and no one is gonna be able to trust you!"
          Sami looked at Marlena meanly.  The way she looked at Marlena made Marlena's eyes swell up with even more tears.
          "If you're gonna be like this Sami I suggest that you leave now.", Marlena said.
          Sami looked around at everyone.  Everyone was so sad.  Sami was just making things worse.  So, without a word, Sami stormed away.

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

          "So how does it feel Stefano?  Knowing that you'll have to spend the rest of your life in prison.  Now that your plan didn't go through you can say goodbye about gettin' out of here, cause it ain't gonna happen.", said Kristen.
          Stefano couldn't stand being around her anymore.  All she did was cut him down and try to belittle him because his plan with Roman didn't work.
          "Well Kristen.  If you plan to be a little sarcastic bitch for the rest of your life, I won't tell you my plans then.", replied Stefano with a sly grin.  He was playing chess as usual, which was getting on Kristen's nerves.
          Kristen's eyes lit up though when she heard him say that.  "What, you mean you got a plan already?!  What is it?!  Damn it tell me!!!", raged Kristen while she slammed her fists on the bullet proof glass.
          Stefano looked at her like she was severely stupid.  "You think I'll tell you my plans to get Marlena back after the way you have treated me!!!!  You have wronged me Kristen Blake!!!!  You have wronged me!!!  And if I were you I'd be running like hell right now!!!", screamed Stefano as he charged towards the glass.
          Kristen jumped back in fear and ran.  She was really frightened by Stefano that time.
          When Stefano saw Kristen run he laughed to himself.
          "Oh Kristen, my plan is so simple it would make your head spin!", he said.

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

          "Doc you need to relax.", John said to Marlena.  Marlena was making tea for herself and John back at the penthouse.  Ever since the funeral she has been on edge.
          "I know John.  But if I sit down and relax all I will do is think of Roman, and how devilish Sami is.", cried Marlena.
          John then grabbed her in his arms and hugged her tenderly.  Marlena welcomed the embrace.  She loved it when he wrapped his arms around her, trying everything he could to make her feel better.  Then John lowered his lips down to hers and kissed her tenderly.  It was a long beautiful kiss between them.  They haven't been able to be this close since Roman returned in July.
          When their lips came apart, all they could do was stare at each other.
          "I missed this so much John.  I couldn't stand not being with you!", she said.
          John smiled as he caressed her cheek.  Then, he kissed her again.  And again.  Then John swept her up into his arms and carried her to the stairs.
          "Are you sure we should do this today?", Marlena asked.
          John smiled and said, "Doc, I have waited to long to be with you.  I need to be with you."
          Marlena smiled back lovingly, and then he carried her up the stairs, and to the bedroom.

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

          "Oh my goodness!", cried Celeste.
          Lexie looked in concern at her mother and asked, "Mom, what is it?"
          Celeste looked with a terrified expression and said, "I fear for Marlena darling!  She is in grave danger!"
          "Why mom?  What's wrong?!", Lexie asked in a alarmed tone.
          "It's Stefano darling!  He's going to get her!  I don't know how darling, but he will!  But he does it with someone's help!", cried Celeste.
          Lexie frowned and asked, "Who mom?!  Who's gonna help Stefano get Marlena?!"
          "I don't know Alexandra, but I feel he does it with someone's help!", Celeste shrieked.
          Lexie looked at her mom and wondered if there was any truth to what she was saying.  Lexie decided she'd have to go find out from Stefano himself.
 
 

9-8-97
KAT WATSON
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3
By Kat Watson
 

          "Stefano, I need to talk to you.", Lexie said.
          Stefano turned around, and was surprised to see Lexie standing there.  "Lexie darling!  You came to visit me!  I knew you would eventually want to get to know your father.", Stefano said surely.
           "Yes, that's part of the reason I'm here.", Lexie admitted, "But I'm also here to ask you something?  God I hope you aren't!"
           Stefano looked puzzled as he looked at her.  "What do you hope I'm not gonna do?", he asked curiously.
           "Are you planning to get out of prison to wisk Marlena away?", Lexie asked.
           Stefano smiled at the idea.  "Now what makes you think I'll get out of here Lexie?  No one will help me get out of here.  There is no hope for me to even get close to Marlena.", he replied.
           Lexie hesitated for a moment and said, "Maybe...I..could...help you..."
           Stefano looked at her in amazement.  Lexie was actually willing to help him get out of prison!
           "What?!  Are you serious?!", he asked.
           "Yes, I am.  But only on one condition.  If you will leave Marlena alone.", Lexie ordered.
           Stefano thought in his mind how stupid Lexie actually was by saying that!  But it was his ticket out of here, so he might as well lie.
           "Of course I'll leave Marlena alone Lexie.  Just for you my lovely daughter, I will follow your order.", Stefano said nicely.
           Lexie nodded with a smile and ran off.  Stefano laughed to himself.
           "Oh Lexie, I knew you just couldn't forget me.", Stefano said to himself with a chuckle.

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

           "Okay Belle and Brady, you, Maggie, and Mickey are gonna have a lot of fun today.  Don't forget to call me when you get there.", Marlena reminded them.
           "Okay mommy!", they both said in unison.
           Marlena then turned to Mickey and Maggie and thanked them for taking them on the trip with them.
           "No problem Marlena.  They'll have fun camping with us up in Salem Camp.  But we better get going before noon.  It gets really crowded and we might not get the good tents.", Mickey replied.
           "Okay then.  Well you guys have a fun time and don't forget to call!  And I love you guys!", Marlena cried while they walked down the hall to the elevator.
           Marlena then closed the door and went to sit down on the couch to drink her morning tea and to watch the news.  John was upstairs sleeping like a baby and she didn't have the heart to wake him up.  But all Marlena could think of was Sami's actions yesterday at Roman's funeral.  Marlena kept wondering how Sami could be so vicious and cruel.
           Marlena then turned on the television to watch the morning news.  She was suddenly shocked by what she was hearing:
           "Late last night Stefano DiMera found his way out of the law's clutches again!  Somehow the criminal got someone to get the access code to open the door to his holding cell to set him free!  There is no sign of DiMera or the unidentified person who helped him out."
           Marlena was in shock.  How could Stefano get out?!  How could he?!  And with all that security there!
           Then Marlena heard a loud bang and she screamed at what she saw!!

KAT WATSON

9-8-97
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 4
By Kat Watson
 

         "John!  John!  Honey wake up!  Please wake up sweetie!", Marlena said nervously as she tried to shake John out of dreamland.  Then John's eyes opened slowly and he gave Marlena the most beautiful smile.
          "Oh Doc.  It's great to see your lovely face as soon as I wake up.", John said.
          Marlena smiled and said, "Me too John.  I feel the same about you.  But I have some bad news John."
          John looked at Marlena with a confused expression. "What's wrong Doc?  Tell me.", John replied while he reached for Marlena's hand.
          Marlena's eyes swelled up with tears and she choked out the words, "Stefano escaped out of jail John."
          John then sat up and said in disbelief, "What?!"
          Marlena nodded.  She knew now Stefano was gonna do everything in his power to break them up.
          "Someone helped him John.  They don't know who yet.", Marlena said.  Marlena then got up off the bed and walked over to the window and said, "You know what he's gonna do John.  He's gonna come after me.  He's gonna try and break us up like before."
          John then got up and went to her.  He put his arms around her from behind and whispered into her ear, "We won't let him win Doc.  We have to stay strong.  No one can ever take away the love we share for each other.  No one."
          Marlena turned around and looked at him in the face and said, "That's not all John.  When Maggie and Mickey came to pick up Belle and Brady, I heard a big noise downstairs.  What if it was him John?  What if Stefano was in our house?!"
          As Marlena began to cry John held her tight, and he never wanted to let her go.  Marlena felt so secure in John's arms, so safe.  She never wanted him to let her go, fearing Stefano's next move.
          Then Marlena said in a low whisper, "John...I wannna marry you.  I wanna marry you as soon as possible.  I want to be married to you unless Stefano tries to pull anything."
          John then held her face in his hands and carressed her cheeks and said, "Okay.  We'll get married as soon as possible."
          Marlena then said, "No.  I mean now John.  Now that Stefano is out of jail I fear what he will do.  We have to get married today."
          John looked at Marlena for a few moments and then smiled, and then her lips and his met in a passionate kiss.

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

          Stefano walked around Salem Place cautiously in his disguise.  He was lucky he didn't get caught at Marlena and John's earlier today!
          "That was a close one, but next time, I will be successfull Marlena.  And it will be very soon.", Stefano thought in his mind.

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

          "Kate I'd like to thank you for letting me and John use your house to get married.  St. Luke's is way to booked for us to get married.  Thanks.", Marlena said to Kate.
          Then Kate replied, "Hey, don't think anything of it.  I can understand why you and John wanna get married so quickly.  And besides, that's what friends are for anyways."
          Marlena smiled and then her and Kate hugged a nice friendly hug.
          "Well, did you invite everyone you wanted to invite?", Kate asked.
          Marlena then sighed and said, "Yes.  It took such a long time to call everyone.  Mickey and Maggie decided they would come back for the wedding.  They said they wouldn't miss it for the world."
          Then Kate said, "Well, I guess we're gonna all use the same gowns we were gonna use for the other wedding.  Carrie and the others should be here anytime now."
          Marlena nodded and smiled.  Her dreams were coming true.  She would be marrying John later that day.  It was on very short notice, but they didn't want to take a chance with Stefano.

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

          "I'll take those rings there.", John said to the jeweler.  The jewler took the rings out of their cases to show to John.  They were beautiful, normal gold bands.  John smiled and thought of Marlena, and that they would finally be married in a few hours.
          "So, it looks like you and Ms. Evans are gonna finally tie the not.", the jeweler said.
          John smiled and said, "Yep.  At 3 pm the wedding will begin."
          "Oh my God.", Stefano thought, "John's gonna marry Marlena today!"  Stefano was following John all over this morning in his disguise, and now he was hearing about the wedding.
          "So where is it gonna be?", asked the jeweler.
          "Oh, we're gonna get married at the Kiriakis estate.  It's kind of a last minute wedding so we couldn't get into St. Luke's.", John said.  "But thanks for helping with the rings.  I gotta get going now.  I don't want my bride to have to wait for me."
          The jeweler laughed and said, "Okay John.  See you around."  When John was out of the door the jeweler approached Stefano in disguise and asked, "Do you need help with anything?"
          Stefano was still in shock.  He had to do something before it was to late.
          "No, I've changed my mind.", Stefano replied blankly, and then he left.
          Stefano was furious while walking out of Salem Place.  He was so angry that he wanted to kill someone right there and now!
          "You will not marry Marlena John!  I am certain of that!", Stefano roared as he jumped into his car, and within seconds, he was gone.
 

Kat Watson
9-9-97
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 5
By Kat Watson
 

       "Oh, you look beautiful Marlena.", Laura said to Marlena.  Marlena got all dressed up back in her little, yellow wedding gown.  Marlena was so happy.
          "Thank you Laura.  Thank you so much, for just being here and being my friend.", Marlena said with tears in her eyes.  Marlena and Laura then hugged a nice, friendly hug.
          "I'm so glad you are going to be my matron of honor.", Marlena replied.
          Laura smiled and said, "The pleasure is all mine sweetie.  But it's a shame Carrie can't be in the wedding."
          Marlena nodded.  Carrie was on her way over to the wedding but ran into some trouble and had to stay home.  It broke Marlena's heart that Carrie wouldn't be able to make it to the wedding.
          "Yes, but we're having it video taped so her and Austin will be able to see it.", Marlena said, while fixing her hair.
          "Well, I think I should let you go now so you can do your own little touch ups.  I'll go see if the groom will be ready soon.", Laura said with a smile.
          Marlena giggled a little and turned back to the mirror to finish up her hair.
          "We will be husband and wife soon John.  We will be together, married happily, for the rest of the days of our lives.", Marlena said outloud with a warm smile that could warm up any place.
          Marlena then saw the closet door opening slowly through the reflection in the mirror.  Marlena put down her curling iron in aggravation and walked over to close it, but she gasped at what she saw there.

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

          "She should be ready soon John.  The last time I checked on her she was almost finished with fixing herself up.", Laura said.
          John was all ready, waiting for Marlena to start walking down the aisle, with Belle as the little flower girl.  Kate's reception area in her house was crowded with everyone they knew, and they all were getting a little antsy here to.
          John looked worried, but then he brushed it off and said, "She probably just wants to look her best today."
          Laura nodded a bit, but couldn't help but worry if something was wrong.
          Then Eric said, "Laura, maybe you should go back and check on her.  We don't want to put anything past Stefano."
          Laura took Eric's advice and started to head back to where Marlena was getting ready, until Sami barged in.
          "You bastard!", Sami raged as she marched to John, "You will not marry my mother!  I will make sure to that!  It's enough you and her ruined my family, and now you want it to be a constant reminder to me!  How dare you!"  Then Sami slapped John right in the face.
          Kate then walked up to Sami with fire in her eyes and said, "It's enough you tried to ruin my son and Carrie's life, but how dare you come in here and deny happiness to your mother and John!"
          Sami then said, "Well Kate, you think you know it all don't you, well guess what sweetie?!  I'm gonna expose you for the lying, conniving witch you are!"
          Kate shrunk back in fear, knowing that she set Sami off, and then Sami began her tale about Kate, and Laura forgot about Marlena, to hear the goods Sami had on Kate.

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

          "Stefano!  How did you get in here!", Marlena said, with eyes wide open and her face white as snow.  She was in shock.  How could he get in here, she thought in her mind.  How could he?
          "Oh Marlena, I've come of course to stop this nonsense of a wedding between you and John.  You will not marry him Marlena.  You will not.", Stefano said promisinlgly.
          "No, you are dilussional!  I will marry John today, and there is nothing you can do about it!", Marlena declared angrily, and then she tried to run for the door, but Stefano yanked her arm and pulled her back.  Then Marlena tried to scream and then Stefano grabbed her tight and put his hand over her mouth.
          "Now if you scream Marlena, there is no telling what I may do.  But I'll tell you this.  You will be mine Marlena.  There is no other way about it.  You will be mine.", he said, scaring Marlena out of her wits.  Then she from the corner of her eye a hyperdermic needle in his hand.  Marlena then tried to scream through his hand, but then she felt the sharp pain of the needle breaking into her skin, and then a few moments later, she was knocked out....

Kat Watson
9-10-97
 
 
 
 

                                                                NEXT