Marlena was so relieved that the storm was over as she ran across the island at nearly five in the morning.  She just had to get off this island before sunrise!  But how?!
          "I got to get off this island, before Stefano finds me!", Marlena said to herself, and then she continued to run to the beach.

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

          "Stefano, Stefano!  What happened!"
          Stefano looked up at the person and said, "Don't ask anything.  Just get me my robe for now!"
          Stefano then got up off the bed and went to the mirror.  Marlena bit so hard into his nose that it looked like it popped alot of blood vessels.
          "Here you go.", said the man walking back into the room.
          "Thank you Peter.", Stefano replied.  Stefano put on his robe and went and sat down on the chair near the bedroom window.
          Peter tried to avoid all of the glass on the floor and then just sat down on the bed.
          "What happened?", Peter asked.
          "Marlena happened Peter!  I tried to make love to her but she refused, so I got a little rough with her and she got away!", Stefano hollered.
          "Well why aren't you going after her?!", Peter asked.
          Stefano looked at him like an idiot and said, "Peter I am in pain.  I can't go after her now.  Plus, I'd be afraid I would kill her if I saw her now."

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

          Abe and Jennifer remained asleep on the flight to Rico Island.  Laura and John stayed up and talked for awhile about what they were gonna do.
          "When we get to Rico Island we'll rent a boat and sail out to Diamond Island.  Hopefully they are still there.  I'm gonna make Stefano pay for this Laura.  He will not get away with this again.  It's all my fault he has her.", John said as he went to look out the porthole.
          "It isn't your fault that Stefano has Marlena.  If it's anyone's fault it's mine.", Laura said with guilt.
          John turned around and said, "No Laura.  It isn't your fault that you fainted.  There was nothing you could do.  I would never blame you for this."
          Laura had tears in her eyes when John said that to her.  John and Laura then held each other for a long time.
          "I've known Marlena since Jennifer was a baby John, and that's close to twenty seven years.  If I was a friend to her at all I shouldn't of let myself react like that.", Laura said while crying.
          John said while they were comforting each other, "No Laura.  It isn't your fault.  Really it is no one's fault. But we oweit to Doc to find her and bring her home safely."
          Laura smiled and then they heard an explosion on the plane, and it woke Abe and Jenn up very quicky!
          "What the hell was that?!", John yelled.  Then they all fell over when the plane started to fly downwards.

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

           "How am I gonna get out of here?!", Marlena asked herself in her mind, and then she said outloud, "Stefano's boat!"
           Marlena then started her journey to Stefano's port, which was in eye distance from where she was.
           Marlena was out of breath when she reached the port.  She then ran down the pier and she could see Stefano's little motor boat from there.  Marlena jumped inside and was glad to see that Stefano left the keys in it!
           "You are an idiot Stefano!", Marlena said outloud, and then she turned the key, and the boat started.  Then a few moments later Marlena looked at the fuel gauge and saw that there was a full gallon.
           "Boy Stefano, you made this easy for me.", Marlena said, and then she pushed up the gas bar (or whatever they are), and she sped off into the ocean.

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

           Stefano heard the motor of his boat and he turned around and looked out the window.
           "Oh my God!  It's Marlena!  I gotta stop her!", Stefano growled.  Then he charged out of
the room.

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Chapter 13
By Kat Watson

          Everyone slid downwards while the plane started it's course down to the ground!  Jennifer clinged to a chair that was bolted to the floor, but her grasp let go and she slid downwards and smashed right into the closet.  Laura was knocked unconscious, and Abe and John struggled to keep from sliding like the others.  Then, BANG!
          They crashed....

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

          Marlena sped as fast as she could away from the island.  Then she started to hear these loud sirens blowing off.  She looked back and screamed at what she saw!  Stefano had a huge pack of men on get ready to get on jet skies and chase Marlena!  Marlena knew it would be hard to hide since the sun was rising.
          "What am I gonna do?!  Damn it!", screamed Marlena as she made the boat go to it's full speed.  She looked back and then saw that they were after her.  There were atleast thirty of them.
          "You wanna play rough you bastard!  Then we'll play rough!", Marlena shouted.  She kept on as fast as she could, looking back to see if they were gaining on her.  Alot of them were lacking speed, but there were a few that weren't even six hundred feet from the boat!
          "Go faster!  Go faster!  Come on!  We're talking about my life here!", Marlena screamed.  But of course the boat didn't go faster.  Marlena didn't know if she would out chase Stefano's men, but so far she was in the lead.
          "Oh Lord, please help me out of this.  You have helped me with so much already.  Please, oh please Lord, don't let Stefano take me away from John and my children.  I'm begging you Lord.", Marlena prayed as she made the boat fly over the water.  Then all of a sudden she heard an explosion!  She turned around and saw the two men who jet skies that weren't to far from her, on fire!
          Marlena screamed, "Hurray!  Thank you God!  Thank you!"  Then she flew off, away from Diamond Island.

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

          John got up a few minutes after the crash.  He was injured, but it wasn't that bad.  He looked around and was glad to see that the plane wasn't blown apart, or they would all be dead.  But he knew it was in bad enough condition that he wouldn't be able to fly it.
          Laura got hurt most of all.  Her leg got twisted around when the plane landed on the island.  Thank God they landed on the island!  If they would've landed out in the ocean they surely would've been finished!
          "You okay Laura?  Is there anything else you need?", John asked Laura.  Laura was obviously in alot of pain, but she just smiled it off, trying to remain brave.
          "Don't worry about me John.  We have to worry about Marlena.  All I gotta do is make a brace out of tree branches and I'll be fine.  And there is enough trees on this island.", Laura said, and then she moaned because of the pain.
          John wished he could do more for her but he couldn't.  The island seemed to have no one living on it, and that means no medical assistance.
          "Okay then.  Abe and I will go out and look for wood to make the brace.  You and Jenn just stay here and relax.  We'll be back shortly.", John said, then he walked over to Abe.  He was sitting on the beach, looking over the clear water.
          "Partner, we have to go find some wood so we can make a leg brace for Laura.", John said.  Abe looked very down, and John knew why.  It was Lexie, and her betrayal.  But John didn't dare say anything about it.  It would just cause tension and they didn't need that right now.
          "If it doesn't bother you John, I just wanna stay here for a while.", Abe said as he looked up at him.  John smiled and patted his back.
          "Sure.  Just watch over the women.  And don't tell them about the pilot.  They don't need to know about it.  They think he's out looking for fresh water.", John said.
          Abe nodded.  John then walked out into the forest.

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

          Marlena looked back after a while of riding at full speed, and she could no longer see Diamond Island.  But she could see an island up ahead.  A small island with a tiny mountain on it.
          "Looks like that will be where I'm staying for now.", Marlena said, then she drove the boat up quite aways and landed right on the beach.  Marlena jumped off the boat and smiled.
          "Stefano can look all he wants but he won't find me here.  There are to many places to hide.  He'll never find me.", Marlena said with a smile.  She looked around at the beautiful forest and at the small mountain not that far away.
           Then...flashbacks of John came into her mind.  She recalled the day they revealed their love for each other, and the day Marlena finally got out of that damn room and exposed Kristen.
           She remembered his warm embrace and his tender kisses.  When they would make love passionately through the night.  When they were playing with Belle and Brady.  All these thoughts ran into her mind, and it killed not being able to be with them.
            "We'll be together again John.  You'll see.", Marlena said with a smile, and then she walked into the forest.

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

            "Mr. DiMera, I'm sorry that we didn't catch her.  But her boat was to fast for out jet skies.", the jet skie leader said.
            Stefano pounded his hand on his desk and shouted, "You have failed me man!  I want you to find her!  And if you don't, then I will kill you!  Don't even think of running, cause I will find you!"
            The man was sweating bullets and he just stood there, perfectly still.
            "Well, what are you waiting for?!  Move it you stupid ass!!!  FIND HER!!!", Stefano roared.
            The man then jumped and ran out of Stefano's office.  Stefano then sat down in his chair and twiddled his pen in his hand.
            "You won't get far Marlena.  And when I get you, you will pay for what you have done.", Stefano said evily.

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Chapter 14
By Kat Watson
 

         John laid down on the beach, thinking of how long they've been on the island so far.  Four days!  Four days wasted!  Heck, they could've possibly gotten Marlena back and home by then!
          John's mood started to change for the worse on the island, so he kept some distance between him and the others.  He didn't want to lash out on them.  They were kind enough to help him in the first place.
          "I'm sorry I've failed you Doc.  I am so sorry.", John said, while he looked up at the starry sky.  He wondered if he would ever see her again...if he would ever feel her soft skin with his hands...if he would ever kiss her again...if he would ever be intimate with her again.  It was killing him not to be with her!!!!  He needed her!!  The children needed her!!!
          Back at the camp, Laura sat by the fire, tending to her leg.  She felt so bad for John and Marlena.  Nothing but constant problems for them.  But of course knew about troubles in relationships.
          "Jennifer, it breaks my heart to see John like that.  Oh I hope that damn Stefano rots in hell for all the terror he's caused!", Laura declared.  Jennifer nodded in agreement as she laid down on the warm, soft sand.
          "I know mom.  Stefano, Peter, Kristen, and now Lexie have caused so much pain to everyone.  They are always obsessed with people who do not want them.  It makes me sick.", Jennifer said, and then she yawned.  She was exhausted.  Then, Abe came up with a couple of jugs of water.
          "Okay girls.  I got us some fresh water from the spring back there.  But now, I'm gonna hit the sack.  This heat is really getting to me.", Abe said.  Then he put the jugs of water down and headed for the wrecked plane.
          Jennifer fell asleep within minutes, but Laura remained awake, and went to go see John.
          "Hey bud.  You want any company?", Laura asked.  John looked up at her and smiled in agreement.  Laura then sat down next to John, and for a couple of minutes they didn't speak a word.  They just stared over the rippling waves of the ocean.
          "Laura, I'm sorry about this mess I got you into.  I shouldn't of let you and Jennifer come along.", John said.
          Laura shook her head in protest and replied, "No John.  Don't pin this on yourself.  Jennifer and I came on our own free will.  You didn't make us.  If we didn't want to come, we wouldn't of.  So don't blame yourself for anything that concerns us."
          John then nodded, and Laura saw tears swelling in his eyes.
          "I just want her back Laura.  That's all.  I just want her back.", John cried.  Laura then took John into her arms and comforted him.
          "We'll get out of here John.  And when we do, we'll get Marlena back.", Laura said confidently as she held a crying John in her arms.

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

          Marlena walked through the forest cautiously through the dark.  Even after four days time, she didn't want any chance of Stefano finding her.  She wanted to remain in the deepest, darkest part of the forest.
          "Stefano won't find me here.", Marlena said, "But for now, I guess I'll get ready to rest."
          Marlena then began to pick up leaves and pulled up grass to make a little bed for herself for the night.  She made it nice and fluffy.  She then began to think of John...and the times they would just lay together and cuddle.  Would she ever have that again?  Would she ever be with John and her family again?
          "I have to think positive.", Marlena said to herself, "John will find me."
          Marlena then laid down on the bed of grass and leaves and then began to fell asleep.  Then, Marlena felt this burning pinch on her leg.  She let out a little scream and then she screamed even louder than she did the first time.  A big scorpion was stinging her in the leg!
          Marlena then panicked and grabbed a branch from nearby and pealed the poisonous creature off of her.
          Marlena then got up and didn't know what to do.
          "I'm going to die!  I'm going to die!", Marlena thought in her mind, and then she began to run, while the poison started to take effect in her body.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 15
By Kat Watson

      Marlena could hardly see as she stumbled through the forest.  The poison was taking effect in her body rather quickly.  She was already getting nauseated, already having blurry vision, and bad muscle coordination.
          "I have....I have...I....gotta...get....he....help.", Marlena said with a struggle, and then she moved on.  But who would help her?  The island is deserted!
          Marlena walked on for about an another hundred feet until she fell right over. The poison was slowly taking over in her blood stream, and Marlena struggled to keep conscious.
          Marlena then pushed out of her throat, "Help me!  He....lp me....."  Then, Marlena's head lowered to the ground, and she started to fall into the sleep of death.

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

          The man looked up with a puzzled expression.  Did he really hear someone else on the island?!
          "No, I'm hearing things.", the man said to himself, but then he thought for a second.
          "What if there is a chance if there is someone else here on the island?!  I better go check!", the man said to himself.  He walked out of his little hut made of leaves and branches and headed to the direction where he heard the noise.
          The man walked through the area where he thought he heard the noise from.  He then had to push bushes and branches out of the way so he could get through, since it was so overgrown.  But when he got through, he was surprised at what he saw!  A woman!  A beautiful woman!  But she looked deathly ill!
          "Oh my God, I wasn't hearing voices!", the man said to himself.  He then walked over to the woman and scooped her up into his arms, and carried her back to his hut.

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

          The man lowered the woman down onto his bed and examined her to see what was wrong with her.  He immediately saw what it was.  He could tell by the pinch mark on her leg.  She had been stung by a scorpion.  He then checked her pulse to see what state she was in.
          "Your pulse is week miss, but not for long.", the man said, and then he went over to his little black bag and dug through it.  He pulled out a hyperdermic needle and an antibody to bring you back from a scorpion bite.
          The man stuck the needle into the antibody and got it ready for injecting.  He then went over to the woman, and pierced the needle into her upper arm, and injected the liquid in.  Within a minutes time, the woman started to come to.
          "Hurray.  You're gonna be okay.", said the man as he smiled down at the beautiful woman.  He had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life.
          The woman then opened her eyes, and when she looked around she screamed with fright!  The man tried to calm her but she was to rowdy for him to stop her!
          "Who the hell are you?!", the woman hollered.
          The man gulped and said, "Ma'am.  I found you in the forest...and you were sick....and I brought you here to get you better."
          The woman remained tense for a few moments, and then calmed down.
          "Oh my God, I'm so sorry.  I didn't mean to flip out like that.  It's just waking up in a place I've never seen and having a man I've never met looking at me just kind of freaked me out after all I've been through.", the woman said with a sigh.
          The man smiled and said, "That's okay.  I heard you yelling in the forest, so I went to find you.  And when I saw you there sick, I just had to help you."
          The woman smiled and said, "Thank you very much for saving my life.  I don't know how I could ever repay you.  I'm Marlena Evans."  They shook hands, and it looked like Marlena wouldn't be alone on the island after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 

Chapter 16
by Kat Watson
 

          "So, what is your name?  Where are you from?", Marlena asked the mystery man.  She thought he was very attractive.  He stood at about six foot, had beautiful blonde hair, dark blue eyes, a good looking face, and was in very good shape.
          The man smiled and said, "My name is Cory Carter.  And I'm originally from Chicago, Illinois."  His face went down when he said that.
          Marlena wondered how this man got to be on this island.  She looked around the hut and noticed that it wasn't that new.
          "How long have you been out here?", Marlena asked.
         Cory looked at her uneasily and said, "I was forced to be here.  I've been on this island for close to six years now.  I don't want to be here, but I have never been able to find a way off of it."
         Cory then turned and walked over to his little desk, and there were a bunch of pictures in frames on it.
         "I had a life back in Chicago.  But now it's gone.  It's been gone for along time.", Cory said with sadness.
         "Were you married?", Marlena asked curiously, "I don't mean to pry."
         Cory smiled and said, "Yes, I was.  But I haven't been with her for close to eighteen years.  We would've been married twenty seven years ago this year."
         Marlena couldn't believe that he was that old!  He didn't even look a day over thirty five or thirty six!  But other than that, she knew how he felt.
         "I was a doctor in Chicago.  I spent ten years in medical school and I was already married to Ashley for about five years.  Things were going smooth until my half brother came to visit me.  I haven't seen him for years.  I would've liked it better that way.  He kept pestering Ashley for the longest time, and then, one day, he snuck into our house one night while was on call, and killed her and my children.", Cory explained with a lot of emotion.
         Marlena had tears in her eyes.  It was horrible what happened to him.
         "I'm so sorry.", Marlena said to him.
         He nodded and said, "My brother then left town and headed wherever we went.  Him and I are totally different.  We only share the same mother.  His father was from somewhere over in Europe.  I don't know exactly where.  But my mother and his father were together along time before I was born.  Then, they had Stefano, and she left shortly after that, and left him with his father."
         Marlena said with shock, "You are Stefano DiMera's brother?!"
         Cory nodded and then said, "You said that like as if you know him or something."
         Then Marlena replied, "I'm sorry but yes I do.  He's been trying to "make me love him" for the last few years."
         "I haven't seen him for the longest time.  He left right after murdering my family, and then a few years ago, he came back and took me away, and tortured me for a few years in a dungeon, and then put me on this island.  I haven't seen him since.  But I don't know much that has ever happened with Stefano.  I alway kept my distance from him.", Cory said.
         Marlena then said, "Just like you Cory, he's tried to steal my life away so many times.  He practically destroyed mine and my first husband's lives, and now he's trying to keep me and the man I love and our children apart.  Just so he can have me."
         Cory then walked to the door and looked out and then said, "I have tried to find a way out of here for the past seven years Marlena, and I have never found away.  Stefano makes sure I never leave.  But he never comes personally.  He always sends someone to monitor me every now and then."
         Marlena then got up and went to him and said, "We are gonna find a way out of here Cory, you and me together.  We can both have our lives back.  But we have to act now, cause Stefano is out searching for me, and I don't want to be caught."
         Cory looked at Marlena.  He didn't know what to say, after so many attempts to get off the island.
         "Okay, let's do it Marlena.", Cory said confidently.
         Marlena smiled and said, "Now let's make our plan."
 

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Chapter 17
By Kat Watson
 

         John woke up early the next morning to see the sun rise.  It was now day five since the plane went down, and almost a week since Marlena's disappearance.  It was also a week ago today that Roman died.
          "I'm sorry Roman for the pain I caused you.", John said to himself as he looked over the ocean.  John then felt his face and suddenly noticed he was growing a beard.  He hadn't shaved at all since the accident, but that was the least of his worries.  What mattered to him was finding Marlena.
          "I'll find you Doc.  I swear to God I will.", John said to himself.

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

          Marlena watched Cory fish in the ocean from the ocean out on Marlena's boat.  She smiled when she saw him catch a real big one.
          "Way to go Cory!", Marlena yelled across the ocean.  He waved back to her with a smile.
          Marlena thought in her mind how easy it could be to get to Rico Island on the boat, but she knew they wouldn't make it.  They would run out of fuel, and most of the fuel was already gone.
          Marlena and Cory stayed awake all through the night, and they could not think of anyway to get off the island.
          "There has got to be a way to get off of this island.", Marlena said with frustration.  Then she added, "But we gotta hurry soon, because Stefano is probably not that far behind from here."

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

          Stefano smiled when he looked through the binoculars.  He saw what he exactly wanted to see.
          "Ahhh, there is my precious Marlena.", Stefano said.  He then threw the binoculars down.
          He then turned his binoculars the other direction and said disgustingly, "And there is my pathetic brother."
          Stefano then threw the binoculars down to the ground.  Then he yelled to the driver of the boat, "Head to that island down there aways.  That's where she is."
          The driver of the little motor boat nodded and put the boat in full speed and headed towards the island.

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

          Jennifer and Abe went into the forest to go get some more spring water for everyone to drink.  John and Laura decided to go for a walk around the island, just to explore.
         "John I want you to remain positive.  We will find Marlena.  You'll see.", Laura said to John.
         John nodded and said, "I know Laura.  But it's just a matter of when till I find her.  Now that we're stuck on this damn island, we may never find her."
        Laura then stopped and scolded John.  "Never say never John Black!  You hear me?  Don't ever say it!"
        John nodded and said, "I know Laura, but I----Hey look!  Is that what I think it is!"  John pointed to what he saw and Laura turned to look and screamed for joy.  She then hugged John.
        "Yes it is John.  Now let's go!", Laura said, and they ran to the thing they saw.

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

        Marlena laid down on the beach, trying to recoop for the rest she lost the night before.  She was so tired, but she still couldn't stop thinking of John and the children.
        Marlena had a flashback of when she returned to Salem after Stefano held her for all those years.  When she first saw John, when she thought he was Roman, on the pier.
        "I love you John...", Marlena said lightly as she laid on the beach with her eyes closed.
        Then Marlena heard hauntingly wicked familiar laugh.  She opened her eyes and screamed in horror.  It was Stefano!
        Marlena got up and attempted to run, but Stefano was to quick and he grabbed her.
        He then screamed at her, "Don't ever, ever, ever try to escape from me again!  Do you hear me?!  Do you hear me?!?!"
        Marlena then screamed and tried to get out of his evil clutch.
        "John...HELP ME!  OH GOD!  HELP ME!", cried Marlena, as Stefano held her painfully tight....
 

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Chapter 18
By Kat Watson

        Cory could see all that was taking place on the island.  He was horrified to see what Stefano was doing.
          "I gotta help her.", Cory said to himself.  Then in a split second, Cory dived off the boat and into the water.

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

          Marlena tried to get herself out of Stefano's grasp, but it was no use.  He was to strong.
          "Please, Stefano...let me go.  I'm begging!  Just let me go home!", Marlena cried to him.
          Stefano only frowned at Marlena and replied, "Your home is with me Marlena.  You do not belong in Salem my dear.  We both belong to each other, and this is where we are meant to be."
          "You're sick!  You're dilussional!", Marlena spat at him.  She was fuming.  She hated him so much for keeping her and John apart, and keeping her away from her children.
          "You'll see Marlena.", Stefano said.  Then he yelled to the driver of the boat, "Go and get my crazy brother!  We're taking him back to the island with us!"
          The driver of the boat nodded his head in response and headed off to get Cory.  Stefano then turned around at Marlena and stared at her.
          "I see you have gotten to know my half brother Marlena.  I never did get to know him much.  He is close to fifteen years younger than I, and I was over in Italy with my father for most of my childhood.", Stefano said, as he held Marlena tightly.
          Marlena then said disgustingly, "It's amazing how you could kill his family Stefano.  How could you do that?"
          Stefano sighed and said, "Marlena we don't need to drag up the past.  What happened between my brother and I does not concern you.  That was long before I came to Salem."
          Then Marlena shot back ignorantly, "Well I think being away from you is the best thing that ever happened to Cory.  He's kind, handsome, caring, all the things you aren't Stefano."
          Stefano laughed and said, "I admire your humor Marlena."
          "That was no humor!  That's the damn truth!", Marlena hollered meanly.
          Then Stefano's meanstreak came back and he screamed, "Don't try to piss me off again Marlena!  Don't do it!"  Then Stefano whacked Marlena right across her face, and she went flying to the ground.  Marlena moaned in pain as Stefano just stared at her with anger.

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

          Laura and John stared in awe at what they saw.  It was a rescue helicopter, and they were there obviously looking for John, Laura, Abe, and Jennifer.
          Laura and John ran as fast as they could to the rescue helicopter.  The man turned around and saw Laura and John running.
          "There they are Jones.", the rescue man said to the pilot, who was sitting inside the copter.
          "Oh thank God!  We've been saved!", Laura said as her and John got the copter.
          The rescue man came up to them and said, "You must be the people we've been looking for .  Are you John Black?"
          John nodded and said, "Yes.  I am."
          The rescue man smiled and said, "Okay.  You are the ones.  My name is Dermott.  We've been looking for you and your party on practically every island for the past week.  Thank God we found you."
          "Yes.  Thank God you did.  But we have others with us.  We'll have to go get them.", John said.
          "Okay then.", Dermott said.  He then went to the pilot and explained that they were going to get the others, and then they would head home.
          "I explained the strategy to him so we can go ahead now.", Dermott said.
          "Great.", John said.  They all then headed back to the camp to get Abe and Jenn.

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

          "How could you hit me?!  How dare you hit me again?!", Marlena yelled at Stefano.
          Stefano stared down at Marlena and said, "Shut up.  If you knew what was good for you then you would shut your big ass mouth."
          Marlena took the threat seriously and shut up.
          "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!", Cory yelled as he backed up on Stefano.  Cory jumped on Stefano and made him collapse to the ground.  Marlena ran back to watch from a distance, so she wouldn't get caught in it.  Cory sat on top of Stefano, choking him.
          "I'm gonna kill you for destroying my family Stefano!", Cory screamed at the top of his lungs.
          Stefano tried to release himself from Cory, but he was to strong for him.  Stefano's face then started to turn purple, and then he was gone.
          Cory then got off of Stefano, and ran over to Marlena.
          "Are you okay?", Cory asked Marlena.  Marlena nodded.
          "You were very brave there Cory.  You saved me from that monster.", Marlena said gratefully.
          Cory smiled and said, "It's over."  Marlena and Cory then embraced, knowing now, that the war with Stefano was finally over.
          "Okay, now let's get out of here.", Cory said.
          "Where are we going?", Marlena asked in bewilderment.
          "Stefano's driver of his boat is somewhere out there, so we better hide for now.", Cory said.
          Marlena then said, "Good thinking."  They both turned around and Marlena screamed at what she saw.  Stefano's body disappeared!
 

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Chapter 19
By Kat Watson

           Everyone was so thrilled that they were finally rescued from that island.  Now they would be able to start up the search for Marlena again.
          "We'll have to head back to Rico first before you start to look for Ms. Evans first.  All your families are worried sick about you, and they would love to hear from you.", Dermott said.
          While John was looking out the window, down at the island and at his trashed plane, he said, "Okay.  But let's hurry.  I wanna get Doc as soon as possible."
          Jennifer then said, "I'm gonna call Abby and Jack when we get to Rico.  I want to put an end to their worries.  Then we can all get back on track."
          "No.  Jenn, Laura, Abe, you guys are not coming with me.  I don't want to put you guys through anymore danger than I already have.", John protested.
          Then Laura shot out, "Bull shit John!  We've been with you this far, and we're gonna stay with you all the way!"
          "Laura.  Please try and understand.", John said.
          Laura shook her head and said, "No John.  I'm gonna help you find Marlena, we all are!"
          John then said, "I give up.  I know if I keep going on saying you can't you'll do it anyways.  So okay then."
          Laura smiled in triumph, and sat back in her seat.

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          "Help me up!", Marlena said to Cory.  They decided to climb up a very tall tree for safety.  Cory grabbed Marlena's hand and helped her up.
          "There you go.", Cory said when Marlena made it.  They both sat on the very large branch, scared out of their wits.
          Marlena then said nervously, "Cory, this is just a little to high for me."  Cory then put his arm around Marlena to hold her.
          "Don't worry Marlena.  I won't let you fall.  Besides, this is the safest place to hide from Stefano.  There are so many leaves on this tree that Stefano wouldn't even be able to see us.", Cory said reassuringly.
          Marlena finally nodded in agreement, but she hated being up there.  They had to be atleast eighty feet up.
          Marlena then told Cory, "I'd be on my honeymoon right now, with John."
          Cory just sat their and listened.
          "After years of being apart, we finally got what we wanted.  Each other.  But then Stefano pulled his tricks and he succeeded.  Now I don't have my family, or John.", Marlena said sadly.
          "You can't think like that Marlena.  You have to believe that you will be with John, and your children.  You have to remain positive.", Cory said.
          "I know Cory, but John and I have been torn apart so many times!  I'm starting to think that I will never be with him.", Marlena said, with tears filling in her eyes.
          "Marlena, I know what it is like.  Stefano murdered my wife and children.  I loved them all so much.  Stefano just couldn't be happy as long as I was happy.  And now I can never be with them again.  But Marlena, you have a chance to get the one you love.", Cory said.  He seemed a little jealous when he said it, but Marlena didn't dare say anything.
          "I suppose you're right Cory.  But the big question is, "when?".", Marlena said, and then she turned her head to look the other way to hide her tears from Cory.

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          John and the others spent a very short time on Rico, and were soon in the air again.
          John and everyone sat in the back of the little tiny plane in silence.  They knew soon that a major battle would be fought, and they all were a little afraid.
          John then began to have flashbacks of him and Marlena......
          He remembered when Marlena and him took the children to the mall to see Santa.  Then, the elf made them kiss in the picture!  John tried to keep it from being intimate, since he thought Marlena didn't love him.
          Then, he recalled that night when he was going to leave Salem, and Marlena came to see him off on the plane.  One thing lead to another and they made love.  It was beautiful, and magical.
          Then, John felt someone shaking him and he came out of his daze.
          "John?  Are you okay?", Laura asked him with concern.
          John said, "Yeah I am.  What's up?"
          Laura then said, "There is an island right out that window.  Take a look."
          John looked out the window and saw the island, but then he noticed a boat floating out in the water, and someone driving a boat nearby.
          "I think we should land there.  That isn't Diamond Island, but who else would be down at that damn island.", John said.
          "I agree John.", Abe said.  "Diamond Island isn't even five miles from here.  We should check out that island first."
          Laura and Jenn nodded, and then John said, "Okay, let's go!"