Reaching out to touch his face, she gasped at the heat it radiated. He was running a fever again, this one higher than the last. "Oh, no... now what are we going to do?" she was asking herself as she carefully washed his face, dabbing gently around the entry point of the second gun shot. 'We... what's with this we stuff?' asked the voice in the back of her head, the voice of reason. 'You should have taken the chance to walk away!'

She summarily ignored it in favor of tending his wounds. "I've got to get you some emergency medical care, John... more than I can provide. You need fluids and antibiotics, proper sutures, and you need blood, John.... I have to take you to the hospital..."

How he could respond in his condition, she had no idea, but besides his protestations, between ragged breaths, John was able to tell her something important, his eyelids flickering, willing his blurry vision to clear to further impart his message. His left hand reaching out for hers, he said, "No...no hospital....my friend...a Priest... his name is...Father Romanowski.... he'll help us....he knows people.."

John was becoming agitated... and the sharp movements could only make things worse. She put her hands on his shoulders and spoke softly to calm him, "Okay.... okay.. no hospital... now please lie still and tell me.. how do I reach him?"

Barely coherent enough to think, he whispered the answer, "Wallet.... back pocket..." In another second his head lolled to the side and he was out, fading swiftly into the darkness, hoping the man was still in his corner. There was no telling with Dimera... he could have been turned against his friend by the promise of favors or threats from the Old Man himself. But John knew he had no choice, he had to seek help from someone and Alexie was his best chance.

Turning him onto his side as gently as possible, she found the wallet, removing it without further disturbing him. While rifling through it, Marlena was shocked to find out his real name...or rather several others. He had a number of driver's licenses, each with a different name, one of them John Stevens.

Two hours later, despite her growing misgivings about staying with him, she was inside a hidden apartment in the bowels of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, helping the good Father bathe her patient and reapply bandages while awaiting the arrival of a doctor the Priest had called.

As they rolled John onto his left side in order to tape a new bandage over the wound in his side, she gasped and flinched noticeably as her eyes landed upon his bare right shoulder blade. It bore the unmistakable mark of the Phoenix, a tattoo of the mythical bird which rose from the ashes. It was the symbol of Stefano Dimera and his ostensibly everlasting reign of evil. Its presence could only mean one thing. John Stevens, or whomever, was an important part of that monster's empire. Her heart sank. She should have let the policeman discover him and she would be free, but now she feared her own fate was sealed. Marlena was once again a prisoner.

Backing away from the injured man, the ugly truth overwhelmed her. She had truly believed the Bastard who took her husband and the father of her children was dead. Learning that he apparently wasn't was beyond shocking. It was utterly terrifying and she couldn't hide her instinctive reaction to the news, though she realized from looking at Father Romanowski that he too was a part of it.

The older gentleman reached for her wrist, his strength much greater than it appeared upon first glance, saying quietly as he glanced at the unconscious man lying on the couch, "It's alright, you need not be afraid. We will not hurt you, but I cannot let you leave right now. You must understand the delicate position I am in here."

"Oh, of course I do.... It's perfectly clear to me. You are not a real Priest and the two of you are a part of Stefano Dimera's criminal empire. And you just can't have me revealing the fact that he's still alive and continuing to terrorize the free world."

Finishing up with the dressing change, the light skinned, brown haired man nodded and said, "Essentially correct. And since we have nothing but time on our hands, why don't you sit down and tell me the story of how you came to be associated with my...friend here." He gestured for her to take a seat on the chair nearest the couch on which John lay, while he sat on the arm of it.

"Your friend... I noticed you hesitated when you said the word. Is he or isn't he?" she asked, her gaze scrutinizing as she complied.

"I have known him as a friend, yes but there are... how shall I say.. circumstances which might lead me to believe otherwise."

"Oh... how interesting.. he wasn't quite what I thought either. I had no idea he was working for Stefano Dimera... the man who killed my husband!"

Again he reached out for her hand, as he looked her up and down for the first time since she'd arrived with the injured fugitive, "So you are Marlena... ah, yes... I've heard him speak of you often... his descriptions did not do justice to your exquisite beauty." There was a look in his eyes she didn't like...

She snatched her hand away, shuddering at the thought of Stefano talking about her to another man. Suddenly, she was wishing for John's comforting touch, the one he used after eliminating the intended rapist. She glanced at him sleeping...wondering if it had been genuine. He seemed to care... and later.... when he looked at her.. there was something there... a hidden warmth. Was it all an act? Watching as he settled down into a relatively restful slumber, she decided to play along for now and talk to the Priest.

Reluctantly, she told the story of how John had come to her hotel room and demanded she provide care. Thinking it was better left unsaid, she did not include the near rape incident at the hotel nor the one with the policeman in the park. She needed to know more about this man before she would trust him in the slightest.

Having listened closely to the content and the underlying sentiment, the man said in conclusion, "Well, he certainly made the right choice in you... it sounds as though you could have abandoned him any number of times. You are a credit to your profession, Doctor Evans. I admire your dedication and commitment to the cause of helping the injured and infirm. It is most admirable, to say the least."

Seeing right through his attempt at charm, she did not respond endearingly, "Thank you... but that kind of praise is not necessary. Anyone else in my position would have done the same. It's part of the oath we take as physicians."

He smiled benignly. This was a woman to be reckoned with, of that he was certain.... Stefano had only shared a fraction of her magnificence. "Well, you acted compassionately under conditions of great duress and I commend you nonetheless. "

With a slight nod, she expressed appreciation, saying the words again, then quickly changed the subject, "Thank you... so when did you say that doctor will be here? John doesn't look too good at this point. He's shocky... and that concerns me."

"You...care for him, don't you?" Alexie asked, wishing he could allow the younger man to go free. Memories came rushing past him....good times they'd shared, John learning about he Priesthood, demonstrating a penchant for the work of the church, despite his protestations and the reason for his indoctrination. Especially when it came to the children; his affection and his gentle way with them were no act.

Shaking her head, Marlena missed the look of regret and discounted his guess, "No, I am merely concerned about him as my patient, nothing more."

The man nodded, giving it up for the moment, as he stood up. "Ah, I see... well, it shouldn't be too much longer. He said he had to gather some supplies and medications and then he would come straight over here... about another half hour or so I would guess."

Sensing the man's impatience, Marlena made an offer she hoped he would take, "Good... I'll be glad to sit with him, that is, if you have other things to do Father."

With an odd smile, he replied positively, "Of course... I have some... calls to make... if you'll excuse me..."

"Certainly... I'll just try to... relax then..."

"Yes... there are some magazines in the rack near the smaller couch there... if you like," he said, pointing to them.

She put on a polite smile and said as she stood to cross the room, "Yes, thank you... I would like to take a look at the Paris fashions.. they always... surprise me..."

"We definitely do things differently over here... no doubt about that."

"Yes... I find it.. fascinating... " she said as she picked up one of the magazines that looked interesting and then sat down on the leather chair, situated at a right angle to the large matching couch on which John lay.

It seemed an eternity before the physician arrived to examine and treat John. Marlena observed his actions very closely and he did appear to know emergency medicine. He came prepared with IV fluids, medications, sutures and bandages. In short order, John was looking a little better, the fluids, blood and antibiotics combating the infection and replenishing his system. She breathed a sigh of relief as the man left, having just given them instructions on how to continue John's care.

How strange... she'd just learned that John was part of Stefano's dark world, and still she was concerned about him. Why should she even care? For all she knew, he was a cold blooded killer, or worse. She already knew he was a thief and had used any number of aliases in his life of crime, but what else did he do while under Stefano's employ? Why hadn't he contacted the man directly for help? And what did he have planned for her when her usefulness was finished? Would he let her go as he maintained, or would he deliver her to Stefano as some sort of peace offering? Did he even know who she was to Stefano, as this Priest did? There were so many questions to be answered and she wished she could talk to him... Then she would know what she had to do.

Although he was acting strangely and she feared what was to come, Marlena was so exhausted from the physically and emotionally draining ordeal that she settled down on the cot the Priest had placed near John's makeshift bed on the couch. As much as she feared falling asleep while in a stranger's place, and hard as she tried to stay awake, Marlena found her eyelids growing weary and her eyes finally went closed. A short time later, she was asleep, confident that at least her patient was getting the proper treatment and would soon come around. Hopefully, everything would seem a little brighter with the light of a new day dawning.

She awakened in the darkest part of the night to find a hand clamped tightly over her mouth. A voice whispered at the same time, "We have to leave here now..."

After recovering slightly from the startle response, she sat up and replied with a question, "John.. you scared me.. why, what's going on?"

There was no time for long explanations. He didn't know why, but he wanted this woman with him, and not just because she was a doctor. There was more to it, for both of them, but God only knew there was no time for figuring that out. "Alexie called Stefano... if he comes here.. I'm a dead man... and it won't be as quick or as simple as a bullet to the brain..."

There was fear in his voice for the first time. Whatever he had done in the past, she concluded that he'd been trying to break away and something had gone terribly wrong. "I thought you said Alexie was your friend."

"Was being the operative word there... looks like he sold me out, either for money or because of fear. The short version of the story is that Dimera doesn't tolerate betrayal.. Now, if you value your freedom and your life, you'll come with me."

She barely stifled a sardonic laugh at the irony of that one.... "Seems to me I'm exchanging one form of captivity for another...."

Understanding her hesitation, but wanting no delays, he wasted no time on defending himself or trying to convince her his was the better option. "Make your choice, lady... but be quick about it, because I'm leaving, with or without you. Stefano won't wait long, his men will be all over this place in a few more minutes."

She briefly considered what might happen if she stayed and then said, rather anxiously, "Okay... okay.. I'll go with you.."

"Good choice, lady... " He was standing up at her bedside, taking her hand when without warning, he wavered for a second or two... and went down fast, almost hitting the floor. Fortunately, her reaction time was fast enough to avert total disaster. Marlena grasped him around the chest, just beneath the shoulders and barely kept him from a hard landing that would both cause him pain and alert the man who had informed Dimera of John's whereabouts.

Next, she managed to lean his body weight toward the bed, gently shaking him about the shoulders.. "John...oh, please John... stay with me here... we have to leave.."

He was almost out on his feet again, for the change in blood pressure and the fact that he had just ripped out all his IV's at once. It was catching up with him. "Yea...gotta leave now.... Stefano is coming..."

With strength she didn't know she had, she tugged hard on both arms and got him to his feet and held him upright. "John... please... you have to walk... you can do it... just think of what might happen if he catches us here."

A haunting image of one of Stefano's men who had fallen in love and subsequently tried to leave the organization flashed in his mind. The man's bloody tortured body, his cries of agony near the end, and his tear streaked face would be forever etched in John's memory...

He forced down the bile the images stimulated and snapped to attention... "Yea... yea... I can make it... Come on... we have to go down the back stairwell... is the Range Rover still right outside?" he asked, trying to steady himself and praying that was the case, because he knew he couldn't manage a long distance. He was dizzy and nauseated and on the verge of passing out again.

"Yes.... but he moved it....it's in a garage out back. I don't think he locked it."

"Good..... thank God for small favors, eh?" John said, trying to paste on a smile. He didn't know if it were for her benefit or his own. They would need more than luck to escape the extensive tendrils of the Network.

"Yes... let's go... I'll....help you."

"No... no, I can make it... " She smiled, impressed with his determination. Suddenly it occurred to him, he was wearing fresh clothes. He patted himself up and down, not finding the object he sought. "Where's my gun?" he asked, grasping her shoulders firmly and looking around the room in a near state of panic. Without it he might as well be naked.

Taken aback by his sudden intensity, she stammered in response, "I... I left it in the truck."

Relief surged through his veins... and he sighed audibly, "Oh... good... I thought you were going to tell me that Alexie took it... Now, all we have to do is make it there, " John added, wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead.

Marlena noticed that the shaking had started. Shock was waiting in the wings. He needed more time to begin the healing process in earnest. "John... we have to hurry.... the trauma... it's catching up with you... you need more rest..."

His grim expression and pale face told her he was already well aware of that fact... his head throbbing unmercifully as a result of the second bullet, "Yea.... when we get somewhere safe, that's when I'll rest.. but until then... you gotta do whatever you can to keep me going, Doc... including drugs... "

She had managed to hold on to some of the sample packets, after taking instructions from the physician who had paid a visit earlier, "Yes... I'll do whatever it takes... "

"Alright then... let's go..." he said, urging her to step out of the room in front of him... cursing himself for taking as long as he had to explain their situation. They had less than minutes at this point, and if Alexie awakened....

Standing next to John in the frame of the rear entrance, she hesitated again, even knowing she had only a second or two to make her final decision. Now that she'd seen the tattoo on his shoulder, the mark of the Phoenix, she had an even more difficult choice to make. Its presence meant that he worked for Stefano Dimera, a thoroughly evil man everyone back home in Salem believed was dead, at her hand. The only kind of men who worked for him were amoral killers, ruthlessly destroying lives for their own selfish gain. Images flashed inside her mind, Roman's funeral, Bo's anguished story of how his brother died, memories of herself shooting the bastard down....

The mere thought of him sent her into a state of sheer panic, 'Oh my God! What am I doing? I can't go with him, but if I stay... and Stefano IS alive...'

She was jarred out of her unpleasant reverie by the dull thud of a body hitting the ground, followed closely by John's insistent voice, as he passed by her, "Stay here... this isn't over.. I have to go back."