Place: Salem USA
Time: March 1985

Marlena Evans-Brady hung up the telephone with a slightly apprehensive sigh, glancing at the large calendar on her desk, the date circled in black. "Four months," she said out loud, wondering how she'd survived thus far without the man she loved so deeply. Could it have been that long already? Was she ready for the opportunity just presented to her? She was pleased to have been given the chance to do something important and meaningful in her chosen profession of Psychiatry. Unfortunately, it meant leaving her young children and flying over the Atlantic Ocean to land on foreign soil, where she would stay for at least two full weeks and probably more, if the Selection Committee had anything to say about it. She got the distinct feeling that they wanted her to serve a term as President of the International Traumatic Stress Consortium which was based in Paris. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she knew if they did ask, as they were hinting they might, she would be compelled to seriously consider it.

Glancing at the framed picture sitting on her desk, she sighed again and spoke to the image of her beloved husband, "Oh, Roman.... What should I do? Would you want me to go to Paris.. so soon? Do you want me to further my career or does it feel like I'm betraying your memory? Oh, how I wish you were here...my love.. I miss you so.." she said quietly, as the tears welled up for what seemed like the one thousandth time.

She was distracted by the sound of someone knocking on her door, and looked up to see one of her dearest friends, Maggie Horton... "Well, hello... What's this I hear about a trip to Paris?" the red haired beauty asked with enthusiasm, not looking closely enough to see the tears.

Her reply was less than subdued, "Oh, that... "

Sensing the reason, Maggie was gentle in pointing out the difference in the reports she'd been getting from others, "My... you don't sound nearly as excited as everybody else around here seems to be. What's going on? Don't you want to Chair that Symposium?" she asked her friend, taking a seat in one of the chairs near the desk.

Blowing out a long breath, Marlena shared her ambivalence, "Oh, it's not that I don't welcome the opportunity, Maggie... but there are other considerations. For one thing... I don't want to leave the children and to be honest.." She glanced at the photograph again, her voice quavering with mixed emotions as she finished, "I feel like... well, like... I'm ...betraying Roman by going off like this... Maybe it's too soon, Maggie...."

Her good friend reached out to brush Marlena's right hand with hers and encouraged the lady to consider another perspective, "Oh, Marlena... you know better than that... My goodness, how would you respond if this were a patient saying these things?

Again, Marlena was being confronted with the illogic of her reactions, but in a gentle caring manner. She sighed, thankful to be known so well and at the same time her facial expression indicated that she was slightly irritated, "Oh... I guess I'd say, go... it'll be good for you to have a change of scenery... you might meet some new people, get involved in positive aspects of life again... It'll give you something to focus on besides your grief for awhile....things like that..."

"Mmm hmm... So..." Maggie said with a nod and a knowing grin, not telling her friend what to do, but hoping the good doctor could take her own advice.

With another tired sigh, Marlena nodded, rose from behind her desk, and confirmed the unspoken conclusion to her thought processes, "So...you're right, I should just go... and try to enjoy it. The kids will be fine with Shawn and Caroline. And if I end up staying longer than the two weeks, I can always come back and get them, or bring someone over with them."

Maggie, who had risen at the same time, leaned in to give her best friend a much needed hug, saying in an upbeat tone, "Well then.... When do you leave?"

The plane leaves on Wednesday at 7:00."

"Good.... Do you want some help packing?" Maggie said with a cheerful smile, truly wanting to be a supportive force in Marlena's life during the worst kind of pain life could bring, the death of a spouse being one of the toughest losses.

That brought out a dormant smile... "No.. I'll be fine, thank you.. you don't need to worry, I won't change my mind. I'm committed to giving the keynote address. I can't back out now anyway."

"Oh... so you just wanted to talk about your misgivings with an old friend who knows you too well, is that what you're saying?"

Another smile... and a light chuckle... "Yes... that's about the size of it... Thank you, Maggie.. I don't know how I would have made it through this horrible time without your support. It means more than I can say.. You're such an incredible friend to me."

"Well, I seem to remember a time or two when I said those same words to you, young lady."

She nodded and leaned in for another hug, agreeing, "Yes, I guess that's true... we've been through the best and the worst of times together and I'm so glad to have you in my life, Maggie."

"The feeling is mutual my friend...Now, let's go give everyone the good news..."

It truly was a lifelong friendship, one she was coming to value more and more as each day passed. She knew that she wouldn't have survived the overwhelming grief of losing Roman without friends like Mickey and Maggie, the entire Brady clan, Tom and Alice Horton, Eugene and Calliope, Abe Carver and Kris Kositchek, one of her best male friends. They had all been there for her, even in her worst moments of bitter anger and frustration about being left alone to raise three children.

It was late March...and had been about four months now and some days she felt like she was back at the beginning. Her professional background and knowledge of the grief process told her that wasn't true, but her heart couldn't believe it. Some mornings she was dragging herself out of bed, staring at his picture then crying for nearly an hour and wishing she could climb back under the covers to hide from the world. She knew she couldn't do that, she had patients to see who needed her skills as a therapist. And even more importantly, she had children who needed her to be there for them, to love and nurture and take care of them.

Therefore, in spite of the sometimes crippling feelings of loss and the unbearable heartache of longing for the man she loved, Dr. Marlena Evans-Brady arose each day and faced it with uncommon courage, or so said her family, friends and co-workers. She sometimes wondered what they'd say if they caught a glimpse of her at 3:00am, when she cursed at God and cried out with rage those silent screams in the night. What would they think if they knew she was almost ready to sell her soul to the devil himself if she could have Roman back again, even for a moment or two.

If only she'd had a chance to say goodbye to him, to make sure he knew just how much she loved him, if only she could know for certain that he was okay in the next phase of existence, that he was happy and free from pain. There were so many questions unanswered, so many of those 'what if' and 'if only' scenarios rolling around inside her fertile mind, that she sometimes felt she would 'go crazy' as her patients were want to say. She knew it wasn't the case, but it didn't stop her from questioning herself and her sanity from time to time.

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Paris, France

Across the wide expanse of waters that separated the continents, there were escape plans of a different sort being hatched. In a distinctly American style hotel with a California flair, on the Rue de Berri in the heart of the American Quarter of the City of Lights, a devastatingly handsome dark haired man with the most brilliant of blue eyes was speaking animatedly to his beautiful partner in crime. " I just know this is going to work... He'll never suspect a thing and we'll be long gone before he figures out what we did. It's foolproof, Gina... there's no way Stefano will know what we're planning. We're going to be free of him, baby... in less than a week!" he said excitedly, tugging her into a powerful embrace, wishing there were more time to celebrate before the fact.

"Oh, John... I cannot wait to be with you and Greta.... It's going to be such a glorious life together... no more hiding, no more dark alleys, no more smoky nightspots."

Grasping her slender body firmly, he pulled her to him and began to kiss her neck, then nibbled on her ear lobes as he spoke what it meant to him to be free of the bastard who had controlled his life for far too long. "No more sneaking around... I can't wait to love you out in the open, Gina.. It's hell pretending that we're no more than friends... I hate it! What I wouldn't give to see the look on Dimera's face when he figures out that we've been in love when all the while he thought he had us right where he wanted us....under his fat grimy thumb, doing his dirty work."

She laughed... "So would I darling... he actually fancies me, John... he thinks that I'm falling in love with *him*... ha ha... You know... I really should be an actress... I've been quite convincing with him."

A hint of jealousy crept out in his tone as he yanked her toward his exposed chest, saying with an air of possessiveness, "Well, your acting days are over, honey... The man you really love is going to take you to our own private island. We'll be free to love each other and live out the rest of our lives in peace... in a place where he can never find us. Just one more heist, Gina... that's all and then we're home free," he said, his hands cupping her face, staring into her dark eyes, prepared for a fierce kiss. He was feeling high and he wanted to make love with the sexy woman in his arms... Unfortunately, there wasn't time, they had to plan their escape down to the most insignificant detail. But, that didn't mean he couldn't kiss her first, and he did... capturing her mouth with the strength of the lust he always felt for her. Unexpectedly, a question came to mind: Was it love he felt for her, or only lust which played itself off as love? With a slight shake of his head to clear it, John dismissed the troubling thought... He wanted her badly...and that was all that mattered.

When the moment was over, Gina's vanity kicked in and she was adjusting her makeup, opening her compact, flashing a blinding light in his eyes. Instantly, he was almost on the ground with another one of those killer headaches he kept getting lately. She caught him and eased him onto the couch nearby. "Oh, John... you really do need to see someone about these dreadful headaches... I'm starting to become quite worried about you," she said, rubbing at his temples instinctively. They didn't know why, but it seemed to work and the pain began to recede.

He shrugged and then shook his head cautiously, saying, "Mmm... sorry, but I can't... not until we're free, baby... in another country with new identities... No paper trails, remember?"

"I do, but John... this could be serious. They're becoming more frequent... I'm afraid of what they mean," she said, watching him do what he always did, pretending they weren't as bad as they appeared to be.

They'd had this conversation half a dozen times before and it was making him angry. He didn't want to believe it could happen to him.. not again. "You mean you think it's Dimera... you think he's been messing with my head again... Look, Gina.. I told you.. I would know... I remember what he did to me... before... I have to believe that I would... feel something... a difference..."

"How, John? You've said it yourself... he's so.. evil.. and he told me over and over again that he wanted to have absolute control over you, to prove that it's possible to completely transform someone into another person through brainwashing. Remember that conversation I overheard part of... how he was planning to send you off to some small city in the States as some other man... John, what if he's been preparing you for that all these months? Who knows what he's been doing to you when you've stayed with him at the compound... His scientists... they have techniques and new drugs we don't even know about... What if they..."

He shuddered, almost imperceptibly. It terrified him to think it was possible, as in the back of his mind he knew all too well that it was. At a time when he felt threatened, when he believed John had betrayed him, Dimera had nearly broken him... crushed his fighting spirit, driving him almost to the point of lunacy, primarily to prove that he was the Master and that John was in essence his slave. She was massaging his shoulders and running her fingers through his hair and he suddenly felt controlled by her too. Pulling away, he raised his voice to emphasize his point, "Stop it, Gina... just stop it! This isn't doing any good." He sighed when he saw her tear up, and softened his tone, "Look, baby if it'll make you feel better... when this is over.. I promise.. if the headaches don't go away, I'll see a doctor, okay?"

"Okay... thank you for making that promise... I happen to care very much about you... and these headaches frighten me, John... a lot."

His frustration was increasing... his ability to tolerate conflict or disharmony fading, "Enough!... I said I would get them checked out... now please... drop it!" he yelled, wincing for the pain his raised voice caused him, his right hand at his temple.

"Alright... " she said with an exasperated sigh and changed the subject, pointing to the map that was stretched out on the table in their ample suite. "So tell me then... what happens after we're finished with the job... review the drop and the rendezvous again."

"Okay.. this is how it's going to go down. After you get the diamonds, that's when you go for the painting. Then meet me in the alleyway at two am... the one at the corner of Champs Elysee and Rue de Charron.. here..."

"Yes.... I know it...Then I pass the diamonds to you... and I take the painting to Stefano.. then I meet up with you at that quaint little Inn outside of Venice."

Right... it's going to be perfect, Gina... he'll never know what we've got going on the side. We'll take off from there and be long gone before he figures out what happened. I've got reservations booked to Capri as a back up. By the time he traces us, we'll be so far ahead of him he'll never find us."

"Oh, John... you've thought of everything... it's the perfect plan."

"Yea... in less than a week, we'll be completely free of that lousy bastard... forever!" John said excitedly, taking the cork out of the champagne bottle. In some moments, he wished he could find a way to take Stefano Dimera out permanently, so there would be no lingering fears of being hunted down. But, he knew in his heart that he couldn't kill the man, not unless there was no other choice. Stefano had taken him in when he had no one and nothing to call his own... when he was alone and living a vagabond existence. John believed he'd be dead by now, had it not been for the place he'd been given in the Dimera Empire. All in all it had been a good life, better than he had a right to expect. But now.... he yearned for more... there was a strange uneasiness in his soul. It wasn't something he could readily identify or explain... but it left him feeling restless and unsettled.

Shaking off that sense of discomfiture to focus on the present, John poured the drinks, handing one to Gina as he said, smiling, "Here's to our freedom.."

"To freedom!" she repeated, as they toasted the future, more than happy at the prospects of sharing a relatively normal life with the man she loved. There had been a plethora of other suitors throughout the years, but none that affected her like the man who went by the name of John Black. There was so much to tell him, so many secrets she'd kept at Stefano's command, fearing for her safety, indeed her life as well as that of her lover. Once she was assured that they were liberated from that evil madman's hold over them, she would tell John everything she knew, and pray that it wouldn't change things between them.