Post by Mimi on Aug 18, 2006 10:15:43 GMT -5
The flight from Green Mountain took less than twenty minutes by John’s helicopter. Marlena wanted to go by car, but John had insisted that they fly. He didn’t want to take time to drive. In reality, he wanted to get a head start on Alex North for John had refused to let Alex fly back with them in the helicopter. Marlena had predictably thrown a fit, saying that she needed Alex and trusted him. Alex tried to convince Marlena and John that he knew what was best for her treatment and that he should be there when Marlena talked to Roman. Marlena refused to talk to Roman and proclaimed that everything was fine and that there was no need. John didn’t give either one of them a choice. He carried Marlena into the helicopter, fastened her seatbelt and started up the helicopter.
Ten minutes into the flight John noticed that Marlena had dozed off. He turned the heat up a little hoping that she wouldn’t get too cold. In his haste to leave, neither of them dressed appropriately for the elements. Glancing behind him to make sure that Marlena was asleep, John called a clothes order in to his executive assistant Cat. He quickly glanced at his watch hoping that she could make it in time before he placed another phone call to his pilot instructing him to have his leer jet fueled, stocked with food and ready for take-off. His last phone call was the most difficult to make. “Roman, it’s John. I need a huge favor from you,” John said into his cell phone as he grimaced. He hoped that Roman could find it in himself to help him out. “This is a surprise John. You made it clear last time we spoke that you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore.” John breathed deeply before he answered. “Something’s come up and I need your help.” Roman laughed, “The great John Black needs my help…Seriously, why did you call?” “Look pal. I’d just as soon never see you again but Marlena needs your help…We need your help.” Roman’s curiosity was piqued. “Is something wrong with Marlena?” “Yeah, you could say that.” “Care to elaborate?” “I don’t have a lot of time. Can you meet us at the airfield in about 15 minutes?” “I’m at Pop’s right now. If I leave now I’d be cutting it close. What’s the rush?” “Dr. North…” “Enough said. I’m on my way.” “Oh and Roman…bring your passport.” John said as he hung up the phone, not waiting for a reaction from Roman.
“Roman, thanks for getting here so soon,” John said as he approached Roman’s Jeep Cherokee. “Sure John, care to tell me what the big hurry is,” Roman said as he opened up the back of the jeep and took out his black overnight case. A light mist was in the air. “Once my plane is in the air I’ll tell you all that you want to know,” John said as he led Roman onto the jet. “Take a seat, while I do a few last minute checks,” John said as he motioned to one of the vacant seats. “In case you’re wondering where Marlena is…she’s in the back bedroom sleeping.” John gestured toward the back of the plane, before shutting and securing the airline door. “Could I see her,” Roman asked. “Sure, please don’t wake her though…she’s had a rough couple of days.”
Roman made his way to the bedroom, slowly opening the door. Marlena lay in the middle of the king-sized bed, underneath the plush burgundy bedspread. The shades were drawn on the windows, the small room eerily dark except for the glow of small alarm clock on the bedside table. Roman slowly approached Marlena, sitting next to her on the bed. She looked so peaceful lying on her side, hands tucked underneath her head. As Roman reached out to touch Marlena’s face, he felt the engines of the small plane start up and the plane slowly move down the runway. Moments later John entered the room and sat on the bed on the other side of Marlena. Roman felt the slight shake of the plane as it descended into the air. “She looks so peaceful, doesn’t she?” John asked as he stroked the side of Marlena’s face. “I would do anything for Doc to experience peace like this while awake…she has been through soooo much…. I don’t know how to stop her pain, though I desperately want to.” Roman looked on, jealous that in the years since he dissolved his marriage to Marlena, he had been unable to find and experience that type of love. “John, what’s going on? You’re phone call was rather cryptic and caught me off guard,” Roman whispered. “Let’s go into the main cabin…Doc needs her rest and I don’t want to disturb her.” John got up off the bed and went into the cabin, Roman following him. “Would you like something to drink?” “I’ll take whatever you’re having,” Roman said as he sat down in one of the plush chairs. John returned with a glass of brandy a couple of minutes later. As Roman reached up to take the glass from John he asked, “Care to tell me where we’re going and what the big hurry is?” “North is up to no good…I don’t trust that man.” John sat down across from Roman and leaned back in the chair. Everything was so complicated. “I told you when I met him that you shouldn’t trust him. I couldn’t believe that you of all people would just blindly trust Doc with someone you didn’t know.” Roman found it ironic that John was finally seeing what he had known all along. “I know…I know…should have listened to you.” “But you never will when it comes to Marlena.” “No, I won’t…I’m sorry, I can’t be objective when it comes to her…she means too much to me…it’s my job to protect her…I don’t trust her with anyone.” “John, from the beginning it was obvious to me that Dr. North was less than legitimate…. You were just too blind to see it John…your issue of trust has less to do with Dr. North than with me…it’s me that you don’t trust with Marlena, isn’t it…. Wait you don’t have to answer that, I can see it on your face…. You would rather have followed the advice of some shady psychiatrist that a Dimera recommended to you than to follow my advice…that’s what it always comes back to…you’re terrified that I will pursue Marlena and that you will lose her in the end. That’s it, isn’t it?” John looked away; knowing that there was some truth to what Roman was saying, just not sure as to how to respond. “John, I’m not trying to steal her from you…Hell I’ve thought about it in the past, I just wouldn’t do that…” “Then what would you call your little encounter with her at the castle? She’s my wife…how could you do that?” John took a sip of his brandy, welcoming the burn of the alcohol as it slid down his throat. Roman took a rather large sip of his brandy before answering John. Every conversation with John always came back to this issue. “As I told you before, it was something that just happened…I was incredibly lonely, having given up hope that I would ever see Kate again…How could you have moved on with my wife?” “So predictable Roman…I had a feeling that you would bring that up.” “I will always bring it up when you accuse me of seducing Marlena.” “Well you did, didn’t you?” “Did you seduce my wife?” Roman asked. “No.” “Then I didn’t seduce Marlena…look we’re never going to see eye to eye on this issue…it’s pointless to even talk about it. Why can’t we both accept that it happened and move on?” “Fine, truce,” John asked as he held out his hand and offered it to Roman. Roman shook his hand. He still wanted to cause Roman great pain for that indiscretion. “Roman, I asked you here because Marlena needs your help.” “My help?” “Yes, yours…something happened last night…she kind of freaked out and went all hysterical…it was if she is fighting some kind of demon.” “You think she’s possessed again?” “God I hope not…no, this was different…she was remembering something from her past that was obviously quite painful for her…she wouldn’t let me touch her or go near her.” “What do I have to do with this?” “I need to know about her past, what is she remembering.” Roman was astounded, “Look John, even if I knew what you were talking about, there is no way in hell I would ever betray her trust in me…Ask me what you want, but do not ask me to divulge any personal details I know about her. That is off limits.” John got up from his chair and went to the back to check on Marlena before responding. “Fair enough, I hate it that there are parts of her past that I know nothing about…parts of her past that she refuses to talk about or become very vague about when I mention it.” “That’s Marlena, you know that…by trade she has the ability to internalize so much. When we were married it used to drive me crazy. She’d come home after a long day of work and you could tell that something was bothering her, but she never would tell me.” “But that’s work and understandable…this is personal…she’s my wife…we don’t keep secrets from each other.” “John, everyone has secrets…it’s only natural.” “Everyone else, not us…we don’t keep secrets.” “Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do…maybe you’re seeing and believing what you want to see.” “Doc wouldn’t do that.” “John, she’s a person, she’s fallible…she’s not some kind of saint…maybe that’s part of the problem…you have this idealized vision of who she is and what she will and will not do…how could anyone ever live up to that.” “I’d believe that of a lesser woman, but never her.” “God you’re so macho and self assured…how to hell does she put up with you?” “It’s part of my charm…. Look, if you don’t want to tell me about her past and what she could be remembering could you at least talk to her about it?” “I’ll try…what makes you think she would want to talk to me about it?” “She was asking for you.” Roman was shocked, “She’s asked for me?” “Yep.” John took a sip of his brandy and sat back down. “John, what’s going on with her?” “Regarding her memory?” Roman nodded his head. “She’s starting to remember bits and pieces of her past…events and things of that sort that occurred before 1993 appear to be rather clear in her mind.” “And memories since 1993?” “Who knows…seems kind of spotty…she does remember the last couple of months, but before that I’m not sure.” “Not sure? What exactly does she know?” “She knows about the circumstances surrounding her amnesia…she knows about the baby and about you and her…I don’t know if she’s remembered the actual events or if she knows because North told her…. It’s all so confusing…sometimes when talking to her I get the feeling that I am talking to the old Marlena and at other times its like I am talking to a stranger.” “John, what does Dr. North have to do with this, besides the obvious?” “Roman, were you aware that North apparently knew Marlena in the past?” “What?” Roman said as he sat up in the chair, not knowing if he heard John correctly. “I take that as a no?” “Dr. North, knew Marlena? But when?” “I was hoping that you would be able to help me out with some of those details. From comments that have been made I gather that they knew each other back in medical school.” “I’ve never heard her mention him before…maybe they were just colleagues.” “That’s what I thought…” “You think that they were involved?” “That’s what I’m beginning to think…it just doesn’t make sense for them just to be friends…why would be go out of his way to come to Salem and treat her if they were just colleagues or former friends…the way he looks at her sometimes, I don’t know, it’s kind of creepy…like he wants her of something…I don’t trust the man.” “How is Doc with him?” “That’s the other strange part…at times she’s okay with him being there, other times she’s insistent that she talk to him and there have been times when she seems to have gone out of her way to try to get away from him…I just don’t get it…maybe I’m reading too much into her behavior.” “Trust your instincts when it comes that that man John…so where are we going and why?” “I don’t trust North…he is too insistent on immersing himself in her recovery…I just don’t trust him…she’s too emotionally fragile right now…you’ll see when she wakes up…I believe that she may be close to remembering, and am terrified that Dr. North will just screw it up or prevent it.” “Thus the need to rescue the damsel in distress,” Roman laughed. “It’s not funny Roman. This is my life…I cannot lose that woman in that bed.” “I know it’s not funny…I just find it incredibly ironic…after everything that has happened in the past, here we are.” “No one sees the irony in the situation more than me.” “Who would have thought that after everything that has happened between the three of us in the last fourteen years, that you and I would be sitting on a plane, having a civil conversation, with Marlena quietly sleeping ten feet away.” “It’s not what I consider the ideal situation, but in order for Marlena to heal, I have to find a way to put aside my differences and issues with you and you need to find a way to do the same with me.” “I can’t promise you that John, I’ll try, but a part of me will never forgive you for taking her away from me.” “I appreciate your honesty Roman…there is a part of me that will never forgive you for taking everything in my life away…Marlena and the kids…when you returned.” “It was never your life to live…they never belonged to you John, they were mine.” “On an intellectual level I know that…but on an emotional level, I’ll never accept it…I loved those kids, I raised them, they may as well have been my own flesh and blood because they were mine…and Marlena...god, she was everything to me, she was my life and to lose it all so suddenly, being told that what I felt for her was wrong, fabricated, not real…. No, I’ll never accept that…what we had was the most real thing that I have ever felt and experienced…fourteen years later and that still hasn’t changed.” “I had the same connection with her John, until it was taken away…look, I know it wasn’t your fault that you were brought to Salem and given my memories…but I do blame you for pursing her when I came back…that was wrong…she wasn’t yours to take away…she was my wife.” “In retrospect, I realize that…we realize that…but at the time I was blinded by my pure passion for her…I couldn’t suddenly stop loving her and wanting her, because you came back…society told us that what we felt for each other was wrong…it wasn’t, it was then and still is the most right thing I have and ever will feel…I can’t turn on and off my love for her, connection and feeling for her…she’s a part of me.” Roman laughed, “She said the same thing to me about you a couple months ago…you two are really made for each other aren’t you? Two obsessive people that can’t seem to get enough of each other.” “She said that about me? When” “At the castle…Marlena and I had lots of time to talk about the past…you know the affair and subsequent events…we managed to come to an understanding…Look, I love her dearly…I would do anything for her…. She’s someone who will always have a place in my heart...A part of me will always love her, just not the way that you do.” “Are you saying that you’re no longer in love with her and don’t want her back?” “Exactly, I’ve been trying to tell you that for months, you just never wanted to listen.” “So the events at the castle...” John started, taking another sip of his brandy. Roman interrupted, “You can’t say it can you…why can’t you just say when Marlena and I made love or had sex?” “Because when I put those words together in a sentence I want to beat the hell out of you for touching my wife,” John admitted. Roman laughed, “Dude, you have some serious issues you need to deal with…hell you both do…when Marlena and I were intimate at the castle it was all about comforting each other and nothing to do with romantic love or lust…we share a past…I needed the comfort of being with someone who was familiar, non-judgmental and accepting…I knew that no strings would be attached…we’d get what we each needed from the moment.” “I so do not want to hear this,” John said as he put his hands over his ears. “John, you need to hear this…she made it clear to me that she was looking for the same thing…comfort sex with someone familiar with no strings attached.” “So why didn’t you just masturbate? Did you have to do it with my wife.” John still couldn’t say the word. “Can you see Marlena masturbating? I don’t think so?” John burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” Roman asked clueless as to what he said that was so funny. “You couldn’t convince her to masturbate in front of you?” John asked, a slight smirk on his face. He couldn’t fucking believe this little gem that had fallen into his lap. “Never would, even when we were married…I always thought it was because of her strict Catholic upbringing…I always wished that she would have been a little more uninhibited in the bedroom.” John couldn’t believe this, his Marlena was quite the opposite from the picture that Roman painted of her. “Pal, that’s my wife you’re talking about…Don’t even go there or I might hit you.” “Sorry.” “You know, for the first time in years, I actually believe you.” John did believe him. Roman didn’t want Marlena back, he just wanted to be her friend and make sure that she was happy, loved and protected. “You don’t want her back, do you?” “No, I’ve been trying to tell you that for years…I don’t love her that way…What I once found exciting and alluring now drives me nuts…the two of you are made for each other.” “Thanks Roman…I feel at ease for once,” “At ease about what,” Marlena said as she came out of the bedroom. He hair was disheveled, make-up smeared. She was wearing John’s black V-neck T-shirt and nothing more. Roman looked over at her bare legs. She was still as sexy as ever. He watched as she sauntered over to John and climbed in his lap. She looked at Roman and smiled. John grabbed a blanket and covered her legs. He didn’t care of Roman was no longer interested in her romantically…he didn’t need to see any parts of her body. “So which one of you is going to tell me where we are and what’s going on?”
Ten minutes into the flight John noticed that Marlena had dozed off. He turned the heat up a little hoping that she wouldn’t get too cold. In his haste to leave, neither of them dressed appropriately for the elements. Glancing behind him to make sure that Marlena was asleep, John called a clothes order in to his executive assistant Cat. He quickly glanced at his watch hoping that she could make it in time before he placed another phone call to his pilot instructing him to have his leer jet fueled, stocked with food and ready for take-off. His last phone call was the most difficult to make. “Roman, it’s John. I need a huge favor from you,” John said into his cell phone as he grimaced. He hoped that Roman could find it in himself to help him out. “This is a surprise John. You made it clear last time we spoke that you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore.” John breathed deeply before he answered. “Something’s come up and I need your help.” Roman laughed, “The great John Black needs my help…Seriously, why did you call?” “Look pal. I’d just as soon never see you again but Marlena needs your help…We need your help.” Roman’s curiosity was piqued. “Is something wrong with Marlena?” “Yeah, you could say that.” “Care to elaborate?” “I don’t have a lot of time. Can you meet us at the airfield in about 15 minutes?” “I’m at Pop’s right now. If I leave now I’d be cutting it close. What’s the rush?” “Dr. North…” “Enough said. I’m on my way.” “Oh and Roman…bring your passport.” John said as he hung up the phone, not waiting for a reaction from Roman.
“Roman, thanks for getting here so soon,” John said as he approached Roman’s Jeep Cherokee. “Sure John, care to tell me what the big hurry is,” Roman said as he opened up the back of the jeep and took out his black overnight case. A light mist was in the air. “Once my plane is in the air I’ll tell you all that you want to know,” John said as he led Roman onto the jet. “Take a seat, while I do a few last minute checks,” John said as he motioned to one of the vacant seats. “In case you’re wondering where Marlena is…she’s in the back bedroom sleeping.” John gestured toward the back of the plane, before shutting and securing the airline door. “Could I see her,” Roman asked. “Sure, please don’t wake her though…she’s had a rough couple of days.”
Roman made his way to the bedroom, slowly opening the door. Marlena lay in the middle of the king-sized bed, underneath the plush burgundy bedspread. The shades were drawn on the windows, the small room eerily dark except for the glow of small alarm clock on the bedside table. Roman slowly approached Marlena, sitting next to her on the bed. She looked so peaceful lying on her side, hands tucked underneath her head. As Roman reached out to touch Marlena’s face, he felt the engines of the small plane start up and the plane slowly move down the runway. Moments later John entered the room and sat on the bed on the other side of Marlena. Roman felt the slight shake of the plane as it descended into the air. “She looks so peaceful, doesn’t she?” John asked as he stroked the side of Marlena’s face. “I would do anything for Doc to experience peace like this while awake…she has been through soooo much…. I don’t know how to stop her pain, though I desperately want to.” Roman looked on, jealous that in the years since he dissolved his marriage to Marlena, he had been unable to find and experience that type of love. “John, what’s going on? You’re phone call was rather cryptic and caught me off guard,” Roman whispered. “Let’s go into the main cabin…Doc needs her rest and I don’t want to disturb her.” John got up off the bed and went into the cabin, Roman following him. “Would you like something to drink?” “I’ll take whatever you’re having,” Roman said as he sat down in one of the plush chairs. John returned with a glass of brandy a couple of minutes later. As Roman reached up to take the glass from John he asked, “Care to tell me where we’re going and what the big hurry is?” “North is up to no good…I don’t trust that man.” John sat down across from Roman and leaned back in the chair. Everything was so complicated. “I told you when I met him that you shouldn’t trust him. I couldn’t believe that you of all people would just blindly trust Doc with someone you didn’t know.” Roman found it ironic that John was finally seeing what he had known all along. “I know…I know…should have listened to you.” “But you never will when it comes to Marlena.” “No, I won’t…I’m sorry, I can’t be objective when it comes to her…she means too much to me…it’s my job to protect her…I don’t trust her with anyone.” “John, from the beginning it was obvious to me that Dr. North was less than legitimate…. You were just too blind to see it John…your issue of trust has less to do with Dr. North than with me…it’s me that you don’t trust with Marlena, isn’t it…. Wait you don’t have to answer that, I can see it on your face…. You would rather have followed the advice of some shady psychiatrist that a Dimera recommended to you than to follow my advice…that’s what it always comes back to…you’re terrified that I will pursue Marlena and that you will lose her in the end. That’s it, isn’t it?” John looked away; knowing that there was some truth to what Roman was saying, just not sure as to how to respond. “John, I’m not trying to steal her from you…Hell I’ve thought about it in the past, I just wouldn’t do that…” “Then what would you call your little encounter with her at the castle? She’s my wife…how could you do that?” John took a sip of his brandy, welcoming the burn of the alcohol as it slid down his throat. Roman took a rather large sip of his brandy before answering John. Every conversation with John always came back to this issue. “As I told you before, it was something that just happened…I was incredibly lonely, having given up hope that I would ever see Kate again…How could you have moved on with my wife?” “So predictable Roman…I had a feeling that you would bring that up.” “I will always bring it up when you accuse me of seducing Marlena.” “Well you did, didn’t you?” “Did you seduce my wife?” Roman asked. “No.” “Then I didn’t seduce Marlena…look we’re never going to see eye to eye on this issue…it’s pointless to even talk about it. Why can’t we both accept that it happened and move on?” “Fine, truce,” John asked as he held out his hand and offered it to Roman. Roman shook his hand. He still wanted to cause Roman great pain for that indiscretion. “Roman, I asked you here because Marlena needs your help.” “My help?” “Yes, yours…something happened last night…she kind of freaked out and went all hysterical…it was if she is fighting some kind of demon.” “You think she’s possessed again?” “God I hope not…no, this was different…she was remembering something from her past that was obviously quite painful for her…she wouldn’t let me touch her or go near her.” “What do I have to do with this?” “I need to know about her past, what is she remembering.” Roman was astounded, “Look John, even if I knew what you were talking about, there is no way in hell I would ever betray her trust in me…Ask me what you want, but do not ask me to divulge any personal details I know about her. That is off limits.” John got up from his chair and went to the back to check on Marlena before responding. “Fair enough, I hate it that there are parts of her past that I know nothing about…parts of her past that she refuses to talk about or become very vague about when I mention it.” “That’s Marlena, you know that…by trade she has the ability to internalize so much. When we were married it used to drive me crazy. She’d come home after a long day of work and you could tell that something was bothering her, but she never would tell me.” “But that’s work and understandable…this is personal…she’s my wife…we don’t keep secrets from each other.” “John, everyone has secrets…it’s only natural.” “Everyone else, not us…we don’t keep secrets.” “Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do…maybe you’re seeing and believing what you want to see.” “Doc wouldn’t do that.” “John, she’s a person, she’s fallible…she’s not some kind of saint…maybe that’s part of the problem…you have this idealized vision of who she is and what she will and will not do…how could anyone ever live up to that.” “I’d believe that of a lesser woman, but never her.” “God you’re so macho and self assured…how to hell does she put up with you?” “It’s part of my charm…. Look, if you don’t want to tell me about her past and what she could be remembering could you at least talk to her about it?” “I’ll try…what makes you think she would want to talk to me about it?” “She was asking for you.” Roman was shocked, “She’s asked for me?” “Yep.” John took a sip of his brandy and sat back down. “John, what’s going on with her?” “Regarding her memory?” Roman nodded his head. “She’s starting to remember bits and pieces of her past…events and things of that sort that occurred before 1993 appear to be rather clear in her mind.” “And memories since 1993?” “Who knows…seems kind of spotty…she does remember the last couple of months, but before that I’m not sure.” “Not sure? What exactly does she know?” “She knows about the circumstances surrounding her amnesia…she knows about the baby and about you and her…I don’t know if she’s remembered the actual events or if she knows because North told her…. It’s all so confusing…sometimes when talking to her I get the feeling that I am talking to the old Marlena and at other times its like I am talking to a stranger.” “John, what does Dr. North have to do with this, besides the obvious?” “Roman, were you aware that North apparently knew Marlena in the past?” “What?” Roman said as he sat up in the chair, not knowing if he heard John correctly. “I take that as a no?” “Dr. North, knew Marlena? But when?” “I was hoping that you would be able to help me out with some of those details. From comments that have been made I gather that they knew each other back in medical school.” “I’ve never heard her mention him before…maybe they were just colleagues.” “That’s what I thought…” “You think that they were involved?” “That’s what I’m beginning to think…it just doesn’t make sense for them just to be friends…why would be go out of his way to come to Salem and treat her if they were just colleagues or former friends…the way he looks at her sometimes, I don’t know, it’s kind of creepy…like he wants her of something…I don’t trust the man.” “How is Doc with him?” “That’s the other strange part…at times she’s okay with him being there, other times she’s insistent that she talk to him and there have been times when she seems to have gone out of her way to try to get away from him…I just don’t get it…maybe I’m reading too much into her behavior.” “Trust your instincts when it comes that that man John…so where are we going and why?” “I don’t trust North…he is too insistent on immersing himself in her recovery…I just don’t trust him…she’s too emotionally fragile right now…you’ll see when she wakes up…I believe that she may be close to remembering, and am terrified that Dr. North will just screw it up or prevent it.” “Thus the need to rescue the damsel in distress,” Roman laughed. “It’s not funny Roman. This is my life…I cannot lose that woman in that bed.” “I know it’s not funny…I just find it incredibly ironic…after everything that has happened in the past, here we are.” “No one sees the irony in the situation more than me.” “Who would have thought that after everything that has happened between the three of us in the last fourteen years, that you and I would be sitting on a plane, having a civil conversation, with Marlena quietly sleeping ten feet away.” “It’s not what I consider the ideal situation, but in order for Marlena to heal, I have to find a way to put aside my differences and issues with you and you need to find a way to do the same with me.” “I can’t promise you that John, I’ll try, but a part of me will never forgive you for taking her away from me.” “I appreciate your honesty Roman…there is a part of me that will never forgive you for taking everything in my life away…Marlena and the kids…when you returned.” “It was never your life to live…they never belonged to you John, they were mine.” “On an intellectual level I know that…but on an emotional level, I’ll never accept it…I loved those kids, I raised them, they may as well have been my own flesh and blood because they were mine…and Marlena...god, she was everything to me, she was my life and to lose it all so suddenly, being told that what I felt for her was wrong, fabricated, not real…. No, I’ll never accept that…what we had was the most real thing that I have ever felt and experienced…fourteen years later and that still hasn’t changed.” “I had the same connection with her John, until it was taken away…look, I know it wasn’t your fault that you were brought to Salem and given my memories…but I do blame you for pursing her when I came back…that was wrong…she wasn’t yours to take away…she was my wife.” “In retrospect, I realize that…we realize that…but at the time I was blinded by my pure passion for her…I couldn’t suddenly stop loving her and wanting her, because you came back…society told us that what we felt for each other was wrong…it wasn’t, it was then and still is the most right thing I have and ever will feel…I can’t turn on and off my love for her, connection and feeling for her…she’s a part of me.” Roman laughed, “She said the same thing to me about you a couple months ago…you two are really made for each other aren’t you? Two obsessive people that can’t seem to get enough of each other.” “She said that about me? When” “At the castle…Marlena and I had lots of time to talk about the past…you know the affair and subsequent events…we managed to come to an understanding…Look, I love her dearly…I would do anything for her…. She’s someone who will always have a place in my heart...A part of me will always love her, just not the way that you do.” “Are you saying that you’re no longer in love with her and don’t want her back?” “Exactly, I’ve been trying to tell you that for months, you just never wanted to listen.” “So the events at the castle...” John started, taking another sip of his brandy. Roman interrupted, “You can’t say it can you…why can’t you just say when Marlena and I made love or had sex?” “Because when I put those words together in a sentence I want to beat the hell out of you for touching my wife,” John admitted. Roman laughed, “Dude, you have some serious issues you need to deal with…hell you both do…when Marlena and I were intimate at the castle it was all about comforting each other and nothing to do with romantic love or lust…we share a past…I needed the comfort of being with someone who was familiar, non-judgmental and accepting…I knew that no strings would be attached…we’d get what we each needed from the moment.” “I so do not want to hear this,” John said as he put his hands over his ears. “John, you need to hear this…she made it clear to me that she was looking for the same thing…comfort sex with someone familiar with no strings attached.” “So why didn’t you just masturbate? Did you have to do it with my wife.” John still couldn’t say the word. “Can you see Marlena masturbating? I don’t think so?” John burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” Roman asked clueless as to what he said that was so funny. “You couldn’t convince her to masturbate in front of you?” John asked, a slight smirk on his face. He couldn’t fucking believe this little gem that had fallen into his lap. “Never would, even when we were married…I always thought it was because of her strict Catholic upbringing…I always wished that she would have been a little more uninhibited in the bedroom.” John couldn’t believe this, his Marlena was quite the opposite from the picture that Roman painted of her. “Pal, that’s my wife you’re talking about…Don’t even go there or I might hit you.” “Sorry.” “You know, for the first time in years, I actually believe you.” John did believe him. Roman didn’t want Marlena back, he just wanted to be her friend and make sure that she was happy, loved and protected. “You don’t want her back, do you?” “No, I’ve been trying to tell you that for years…I don’t love her that way…What I once found exciting and alluring now drives me nuts…the two of you are made for each other.” “Thanks Roman…I feel at ease for once,” “At ease about what,” Marlena said as she came out of the bedroom. He hair was disheveled, make-up smeared. She was wearing John’s black V-neck T-shirt and nothing more. Roman looked over at her bare legs. She was still as sexy as ever. He watched as she sauntered over to John and climbed in his lap. She looked at Roman and smiled. John grabbed a blanket and covered her legs. He didn’t care of Roman was no longer interested in her romantically…he didn’t need to see any parts of her body. “So which one of you is going to tell me where we are and what’s going on?”
