John went to Marlena, looking at her like "what next" and put his arm around her as Roman handed him a coffee. Roman then went to the door of the pub and locked it and dimmed the lights.
"I'm undercover on a mission with the ISA to nail DiMera once and for all. Doc figured out who I was. I coughed," he said throwing his hands up in the air. "And you know Doc, she gave me a look that would have burst me into flames so I couldn't lie and she refused to lie to you even though I asked her to. I understand why she wouldn't want to do that. It seems like Kristen really put you two through the ringer - at least that's the impression I got from little things I've gathered here and there. I guess I can't say I'm much better," he laughed at the irony, "but I assure you that my motives are honorable."
"I wouldn't doubt it for a minute Roman," John offered. Roman just nodded and continued.
"I've been trailing him since Paris, since you rescued Doc and the explosion occurred. I knew he was alive." He then narrowed his eyes, penetrating John's and his voice became very intense, "We are going to nail him this time, but when it happens we want to blow him out of the water. He can't have any idea what is about to hit him."
"Is he still in Salem?" Marlena asked him anxiously.
"Nope he left earlier this evening, but he'll be back. We know where he's going so don't worry Doc, we'll get Laura and this Susan character and her baby back soon. He's not going to hurt them. We've got him under our thumb."
So, I'm curious about something, was it DiMera that taped your funeral?" John asked.
"No, that was ISA trying to give you a hint that Stefano was alive. I didn't authorize the damn thing and so while it did what it was supposed to do, Stefano also suspected something was up so we've had to push things back. We knew he was coming back to Salem because Kristen was getting in over her head, but it was a mistake."
"So you knew Kristen had me in that secret room?" Marlena asked.
"No, to be perfectly honest I couldn't figure out what the hell happened to you Doc. I knew Stefano didn't have you because he was coming to get you. I figured Kristen was responsible but I wasn't sure and I was under strict instructions to only concern myself with one DiMera at a time so my hands were tied. I knew John would find you, I knew you had to be in that house somewhere and he didn't disappoint me. There's one question I've got for you though. Why would Stefano take Laura?"
"Because she's been saying all along that he is alive and that Peter is alive too. Jack is in jail for his murder."
"Very interesting. This is all news to me. I don't know how we missed that and it makes me awfully nervous. If Peter Blake is alive, Stefano has been unusually discreet. There's no sign of Peter anywhere but I stumbled across something very interesting tonight, very interesting indeed." He was lost in thought for a moment and John and Marlena looked at him like they were expecting an explanation but he didn't give one.
"I guess I have to say this. No one, no one is to know that I am alive. Not Abe, not Carrie, not Sami - no one. You two are not to get involved in this at all. I know John that you want DiMera as much as I do but you just concentrate on keeping Doc safe. That should be your number one priority. He wants her and he'll stop at nothing to get her and you have got to do anything and everything to make sure that doesn't happen. If something happens to me, you are not to get involved. You are to protect Doc, period. I'll have to tell Shane that you know, so if you sense danger or if something does happen to me, you can contact him, but don't talk to me about it anymore. As far as you are concerned I am the dear old friend of Caroline and Shawn Brady, Nellie Washburn. I am not here to disrupt your lives. I still love Doc, I won't lie to you John. I would give anything in this world to have her back, but she makes her own decisions and I'm not going to try an influence her other than by telling her how I feel. I meant what I wrote in those letters. I understand. It's time for us all to get on with our lives."
"How are we supposed to get on with our lives when Stefano will stop at nothing to destroy them. Look what he has already done to us. Is this ever going to end? Is this madness ever going to end? Marlena asked as much to the air as Roman and John. She turned away from them and went to the window and looked out into the night.
"I hope so Doc. I hope so for all of us." Roman offered looking at John.
"It's good to see you alive and well Roman," John said. The two men shook hands vigorously.
"You just take care of her. She needs you John."
"Don't you worry about Doc, I'll make sure she's safe. You just get DiMera so you can come on home to your family. They need you."
"And I need them," Roman said looking at Marlena who was still looking out the window. Despite the fact that the two men loved the same woman, and had since they'd known each other, any animosity or bad feelings were not present. In fact there was an air of mutual respect born as much from their own understanding of one another as from the fact that Doc had loved them both, perhaps not always equally, but to be worthy of that love was really something in their eyes and it would have been difficult for them not to have tremendous respect and admiration for one another in light of that fact. They both knew that Marlena would have to make her own decision and that they would have to live with it, a task that would ultimately be easier for one than the other. They had both been in this position before and they knew this time it would be written in stone. Doc would not make the same mistake twice. She had suffered too much and had caused too much suffering for that.
"You two should get out of here. It's late," Roman offered.
"Yeah, I guess he's right Doc."
Marlena turned towards them and walked to Roman and took his hand in hers. He kissed it very sweetly and her eyes teared up again.
"Well, we'll be praying that you catch Stefano."
"I will Doc. Look I know this isn't easy on you but you've got John, he'll help you through it. I don't want to hurt you anymore."
"You're alive! You aren't hurting me but the children, they need you so much," she said touching his cheek with her hand and giving him that look that was once reserved only for him. His heart was melting because, if he was honest with himself, he knew she was lost to him forever.
"Goodnight Doc. I'll make sure Belle and Brady are safe," he said putting his hand over hers and pulling it down to his mouth where he kissed it again. She could see the love in his eyes and it was killing her. She had to look away, and he could see that he was hurting her.
"Goodnight," she said quietly. John was by the door and she turned to him. He looked beyond her at Roman and nodded his goodbye and Roman watched them go. He locked the door and went upstairs to talk to his parents who were anxiously awaiting an explanation and a report on how things had gone with Marlena. Caroline feared it would not be good news.
John and Marlena walked to the car in silence. He opened the door for her and then walked around to his side and got in, starting the engine but not moving the car from its space. Marlena looked over at him and he seemed deep in thought, concerned. She reached out and ran her fingers through his hair and he leaned into her touch. He looked at her like a worried child.
"Doc, I don't want to lose you."
"You won't." His features relaxed as she smiled at him and then she repeated herself. "You won't." He nodded in his cool John way and pulled the car out of its space and headed for the hotel. No words passed between them as they drove and that was how Marlena knew that she was definitely telling the truth. She and John fit so perfectly. There was no need for words in light of everything that had happened. They were finally where they belonged and the silence was not only comfortable, it was comforting. They had so much to talk about and discuss, but their silence said more than any words could have at that moment. When they reached the hotel, Marlena took his hand in hers and repeated the words he'd said earlier, "This is the beginning of our life together and nothing and no one is going to stop us. Stefano and Kristen are still out there plotting to destroy our lives, but we aren't going to let them hurt us anymore. Roman is back and I won't lie, there are feelings there that I didn't expect, that I can't help and I was very confused, a little torn. But when we are alone together like this, I am reminded in the most wonderful way that you, only you, are the man that I want and need to share my life with. Roman knows that. You see, I love you John Black more than I have ever loved any man in my life. So don't you worry, you are not going to lose me. You're stuck with me."
"Well then I think I must be the happiest and the luckiest man in the world because despite everything that has happened, if it means I can be with you Doc, then it was worth it. We'll just have to wash all that pain away together" he said, holding her face tenderly in his hands, gently caressing her skin and the hair around her face
"This is like a dream. Everything that has happened today has been like a dream. Just think, tomorrow when we wake up, we'll be in each other's arms. I can't believe it. I have waited so long for you to be in my life again and here you are."
"And I'll always be here Doc. God help anyone who tries to come between us again."
"Let's go in." John said after a light kiss that wasn't enough, not nearly enough and so they walked arm and arm to the hotel room where a guard was positioned outside.
"Dr. Evans and I have a lot to talk about and need some rest so we are not to be disturbed under any circumstances other than an emergency."
Yessir, Mr. Black, and everything is all set inside sir," the guard replied opening the door for them and quietly closing it behind them as they entered. Marlena looked at John with surprise and then she looked around the room. There were varieties of bright flowers all over the room and the lights were dim. Then she noticed that John had taken pictures from the penthouse and placed them all over the room - of them, of the children.
"Well, I know you wanted to go home and I thought you might enjoy the flowers after being cooped up in that room for such a long time and look at this, this is the best part," he said leading her to a door which led to adjoining room.
"What is all this?"
"Well, this is for Belle and Brady. I know you want to be with them so tomorrow we'll get them and they will sleep in here."
"You are amazing, do you know that?"
"Only because you love me Doc," he replied.
"I don't see though why we can't just go to the penthouse."
"Stefano knows that place too well. This is just temporary until we figure out something else, but you know what? I don't want to think about that right now. Okay?"
"Okay. You don't have to tell me twice," she said as she allowed him to lead her by the hand back to the other room.
"In fact, Doc. I don't want to talk about anything at all," he said looking at her seductively, holding her arms and pulling her a little closer to him. She smiled at him and looked away, like she was shy or worried about something.
"It's up to you Doc. A lot has happened. I don't want to rush you. We can just sleep." He pulled her chin up with his finger so that their eyes met again and he saw the tears in her eyes so he automatically pulled her to him, holding her in a hug, his lips brushing her ear. He lowered his voice when he spoke and the feel of his breath on her ear and the words he was saying and the quiet, tender way he said them sent chills up her spine.
"It's been a long time for you, I know. It's just that I've had such a hard time being in the same room with you at times knowing how your skin feels against mine, knowing every curve and line of your body and wishing that I could hold you and touch you and love you. My most beautiful dreams have been of you Doc. I love you so much and I've needed you, desired you for as long as I can remember. I've been fighting these feelings for so long, so long." She was leaning into him, his words as much as the feel of them on her skin. Her eyes were closed and her neck slightly tilted back as if in surrender, so he kissed her neck then pulled away, just slightly, to read the reaction on her face but her eyes were still closed, her neck still exposed to his lips. His eyes twinkled and she pulled her head upright slowly, opening her eyes as they met his and they sparkled too and she nodded, a slight gesture that was only recognizable because they were so close but which meant "your words mirror my thoughts". She pulled him in for a kiss - tentative little kisses at first, the last of which grew into a slow, long passionate embrace filled with love and tenderness but also an uncontrollable sort of hunger. To be in each other's arms again was sweet reward for all the years they'd denied their love, and once they'd started they could not stop. When they pulled away from the kiss, breathless, Marlena slowly untucked John's shirt and pulled it over his head, her eyes never averting from his except when the shirt passed over them. He then expertly unbuttoned each button on her blouse and slowly pulled it away from her body. He traced his finger around the exposed skin at the top of her lace bra, devouring her with his eyes while she kicked off her shoes one at a time. She undid her skirt and it fell to the floor and he picked her up and carried her to the bed where he placed her gently down. Stepping back, never taking his eyes from her, he removed his remaining clothing and she smiled watching him. She turned on her side and he joined her, facing her, and in what can only be called a slow burn, they proceeded to unhurriedly ravish one another, committing every detail to memory, until they were exhausted with pleasure.
Meanwhile, Roman made a call to find out if his men were following the details of the coffin he'd seen being dug up. They were on the job and were on their way back to the lab to test the hair strands they'd managed to acquire from the corpse. Roman was assured that Stefano would be none the wiser.
Stefano and all in his care were landing at a remote island on the Pacific, totally unaware that someone was already there, someone uninvited who wished to remain undetected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When John and Marlena were finally through with their love making, they fell away from each other and both of them could have easily fallen asleep. It had been a long day, but they were just so happy to be together, that it didn't seem right to let it end in sleep. Marlena sighed audibly from pleasure and contentment. John was far and away the best lover she'd ever had and he felt the same way about her - they were a perfect fit in this respect too and it only served to enhance their love for one another.
"I've missed you Doc."
"Not half as much as I've missed you. I think I'd forgotten how wonderful it is to be with you like this, it's been such a long time."
"Well, you certainly didn't forget how," John mused playfully.
"No, I didn't did I," she said smiling widely, pleased with her own capacity to give and receive pleasure. John turned on his side towards her and ran his fingers through her hair while they gazed at one another in mutual admiration.
"Even though being with you was burned into my memory Doc, I'm glad I don't have to live on memories anymore. I was so afraid that I wasn't going to be able to hide these feelings from you, that you would see how much I loved you and wanted you."
"Shh. You don't have to hide them anymore because I love you and want you as much as you want and love me. It's so wonderful isn't it? I thought this was never going to happen and that thought made me so unhappy. Now whenever we feel like it we can say I love you, we can kiss, we can make love," she said as her voice trailed off into a whisper that made him want her all over again.
"You are so sexy," he said kissing her again.
"I'm also starving," she said getting up and walking to the closet to find something to put on. He sat up as if to keep her from leaving but she was too quick for him, having taken him off guard, and so his eyes followed her until she was out of sight, and then he just allowed himself to collapse back onto the bed in exasperation.
"I can just order room service Doc. There's a phone right here by the bed. We don't have to get out of bed." She laughed and came walking back in, still without her clothes, holding up a negligee he'd packed and he sat up, drinking her in and smiling at himself.
"I'm just wondering what you had in mind when you packed this John. Are these the only bed clothes you packed for me?'
"Aren't you proud of me that I remembered that?"
"Any red-blooded male would have remembered this," she said, rolling her eyes and smiling.
" I was very honored when I found that negligee in your wardrobe. It holds tremendous sentimental value."
"Yes it does, but it is also completely see through."
"I know but I did pack you a robe. It's in there somewhere and it's not see through, and I packed you some very conservative pajamas. They're in the top drawer, but you don't have to put on anything Doc, unless of course you want to," he said devilishly. "Come back to bed and we'll order room service. Come on now."
"You know, I've been in that room for so long. I know you are as tired as I am but do you think you could arrange for us to have dinner on the terrace off the dining room downstairs? I'm sure they'd accommodate you. I would just like to get some fresh air and have something really good to eat." She smiled questionably. John wanted to groan but he also understood and would never deny her anything especially not such a simple thing as dinner on the terrace, even if it were going on midnight.
"Anything for you."
"Thank you. I'll be waiting for you in the shower," she said and was gone. John smiled and picked up the phone, getting into several slight arguments with various members of the hotel staff before everything was settled and then he went to join his precious Doc in the shower.
Roman stood pacing the floor in his room over the pub. Shane hadn't called and he was getting worried. Maybe they were wrong about DiMera's destination. Then what? Just then the cell phone rang.
"Roman, it's Shane. You were right. They landed an hour ago, just like you thought. He has four women and the baby with him - Laura, a woman in a nursing outfit - her name is Lynn, Susan and Kristen. Peter Blake isn't here though that I've been able to determine and strangely enough there is very little security here. There seems to be only four of Stefano's goons on the island and one of them is taking the plane out of here tomorrow. I'm thinking maybe we should nail him here, screw waiting for him to return to Salem."
"You want me to come to the island?"
"Call Major Dodd and tell him to get you out here. We'll stay in touch by phone until it's settled. We'll need backup. You'll have to arrange that. Just leave tonight. Don't say a word to anyone."
"See you tomorrow then, and Shane, let's just play it by ear, okay. Nothing written in stone. It might be a trap."
"I don't think so and I'm usually right about these things but we'll ere on the side of caution for now."
The two men hung up and Roman rubbed his hands together. He could taste DiMera's blood on his tongue. Shane, took one last look around the compound where DiMera was hiding out and headed back into the hills to the cave on the north face of the island where he could get some much needed rest.
Get your own Free Home Page