THIS KISS

I don't want another heartbreak.......

For some unknown reason Marlena was thinking back in time, to a period when she thought she'd lost him forever. It was the night he was in the church praying about his feelings for her and his commitment to that.... witch. She didn't want to be hurt again and he'd sworn ever since that he truly loved her all along....

I don't need another turn to cry.......

And now... what was he doing? Was he focused on her, on them, on their future? No. He was obsessing about his past, that damn past of his. What did it matter anymore anyway? she was asking herself. That was the woman talking.

No, I don't want to learn the hard way.....

The psychiatrist in her understood it very well. It was essential to his sense of self, to anyone's actually. To know about one's background, to have a heritage and a lifetime of memories; those were fundamental aspects of the human condition. John didn't have that and never had. His entire host of memories covered about one fourth of his life, and a great deal of them belonged to another man. John had no idea how his basic personality was formed, who shaped him, who influenced him, who he looked up to or admired, and most important of all who loved him, if anyone. These were elemental issues, things most people, including herself often took for granted.

Baby hello, oh no, goodbye......

With all that as a backdrop, they'd just had their first major argument as a reunited couple. It was about something stupid and she couldn't even remember what had initially sparked her ire, or his either, for that matter. Then they'd argued about the issue of priorities and the way they were spending their time, which of course was the root of the problem.

He couldn't believe he'd yelled at her. 'What's wrong with you, Black... what's gotten into you lately? First you spend all that time helping Hope and then you get jealous of Roman.. Jeez! Of course she's concerned about Sami... and she's spending time with Roman talking about what to do for her. He sighed heavily. It was time for an apology. Shaking his head at his pettiness, he went back inside to talk to her.

But you got me like a rocket

Shooting straight across the sky......

When he stepped in to the kitchen, his eyes fell upon an angelic vision, and he was caught off guard. She was standing there in one of her prettiest, most sexy nightgowns, one he'd purchased while they were in New Orleans. "Woah... Doc... you look.. amazing..." he said, his heart racing, unable to focus on anything but his visceral response to her beauty.

It's the way you love me

It's a feeling like this........

She smiled in spite of her frustration with him. How could she resist him when he looked at her like that, his breathing obviously quickening at the mere sight of her. Still she waited for him to say the rest of it, "Doc.. I'm really sorry I blew up at you.. can you please forgive me? I acted like an idiot.."

Her smile indicated the answer before the words left her mouth. "Of course I can. John, honey... you have to know by now that I love you... Roman and I are only spending time together to try and help Sami... you know that, don't you? Just like you're spending time with Hope to help her with her past."

It's centrifugal motion

It's perpetual bliss........

The more he thought about it, the more foolish he felt about his jealous reaction. She was right, he should have known. "Yea... I'm sorry... I guess I've just been missing you, that's all. I love you and I want us to spend more time together, but I do understand... I was being selfish...and I'm really sorry."

It's that pivotal moment........

But... the way he made up with her, a woman was putty in his hands. Oh, and the way he kissed her. There were no words.

John moved slowly closer, his eyes fixed on the beauty before him, "Marlena... I don't have the right to ask... but will you let me make it up to you?"

"Maybe... it depends on what you had in mind, dear," she said, trying to sound non-committal, but failing miserably. Her eyes gave her away every time. He was irresistible...

It's.. ah.. impossible.....

Besides... how could she really be mad at him? Or...rather, how could she *stay* mad at him? He wasn't really neglecting her, any more than she was doing to him with all the time she'd been spending helping Sami, and they were both concerned about Hope and Vivian, and what Stefano was up to lately.

This kiss, this kiss...

She was thinking of that last time they were together intimately. He had loved her so sweetly, so tenderly helping her to forget about everyone else's problems for just a little while. He had a way about him, a way of making her dizzy with desire, and she gave in to his charms, allowing herself to be caught up in the enticing whirlwind of his love.

Unstoppable........

It was a game they decided to play, to keep things new, fresh, exciting. 'You should have thought of something a little more difficult to answer honey,' she was thinking, as his question came to mind, "What was the one thing about him she couldn't do without when they were apart?" That was a cinch.

This kiss, this kiss....

John was sitting at a red light, caught in traffic thinking of her and the last kiss before he left for the evening. As the scene played over and over in his head, he could almost feel her lips on his. 'Oh, the way she kisses,' he was saying to himself, wishing he was with her now. But not tonight, they both had other plans... something that seemed to be happening *much* too often, of late. She was going to spend the evening with Sami and he was seeing Vivian and then stopping by Bo's place; it sounded like something big was happening with his *brother* and Hope. She'd urged him to go and he didn't want to discourage her from being with her daughter. After all, who knew how many more evenings they might be privileged to share?

Cinderella said to Snow White

How does love get so off course.....

Marlena was reading a bed time story to Belle; she always loved the ones that had a Princess and the White Knight. Once again it was John's face Marlena saw when she pictured the Knight dressed in armor, prepared to slay dragons, sitting high and proud on a gleaming White steed. 'Oh, John... when will it be our turn to ride off together?' she pondered, oblivious to the insistent tugging on her sleeve.

"Mommy... why did you stop reading? The story's not over yet. You forgot about the part where the Knight falls in love with the Princess and they get married and live happily ever after! That's the best part, Mommy... isn't it?" her little princess asked innocently, wondering why her mother was so preoccupied this evening.

With a wistful sigh, Marlena finally came to attention and replied softly, taking her tiny daughter into a warm embrace, "Yes... honey, that's the very best part of all."

It was quiet for a moment and then both Belle and Brady, who was playing with a couple matchbox cars and only half listening, were silent, contemplative. Then Belle said in her sweetest, most heartfelt manner, "Mommy... is Daddy your White Knight?"

All I wanted was a White Knight

With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse.......

Her eyes sparkled and her face lit up with a smile, as she thought of him again, "Yes... honey... Daddy is my White Knight... and he always will be, forever and ever," Marlena answered affirmatively.

"Well then... when does the happily ever after part begin?" asked Brady, who was so often wise beyond his years.

To that there was no answer. Who knew why they hadn't yet married; there was no good reason, they just hadn't and she was left to wonder whether it would ever happen. "I don't know," she said, a hint of sadness sneaking out before she quickly added, "But I'm sure it will be pretty soon, sweety."

Ride me off into the sunset

Baby, I'm forever yours....

All he had to do was name the place and time and she would be there. Didn't he realize that? ‘Well, you haven't exactly mentioned it lately either, lady... what's your problem... why didn't we get married this summer? We could have planned something... heck, we could have eloped like we joked about. So, why didn't we?'

It's the way you love me

It's a feeling like this

It's centrifugal motion

It's perpetual bliss........

What *was* the one thing he couldn't do without when they were apart; it had been his question, but he needed to answer it too. That was easy, that moment of looking into her glistening hazel eyes, knowing what was to come; it was the anticipation of that most incredible bliss.

It's that pivotal moment

It's (ah) unthinkable......

This kiss, this kiss.. unsinkable...

This kiss, this kiss.......

The way she looked at him in those moments, his brain was instantly clouded over in a lovesick fog, all thoughts other than her and his body responses, missing in action. She took his breath away when she kissed him and there was nothing else in the entire universe.

You can kiss me in the moonlight

On the rooftop under the sky.. (oh)

He thought of a time he'd wanted to kiss her. They were up on the rooftop of the loft having a party; the moon shone down on her golden hair, casting glimmering highlights all around, almost like a halo. He recalled that it was all he could do to fight off the urge to take her right then and there with blatant disregard for the presence of a crowd of people standing nearby.

You can kiss me with the windows open

While the rain comes pouring inside (oh)

They looked at her and they *knew* she was doing it again, staring out the window thinking of their Daddy, and it made them feel confidant that what she was trying to tell them was indeed true, that the someday would be soon. Their Daddy got the same look in his eyes sometimes and it made them smile at each other. Someday there *would* be a wedding and they would get to play the roles of ring bearer and flower girl. "Mommy... do you wish Daddy was here right now, so he could give you a kiss goodnight?" asked Belle, not quite so innocently.

"Oh... yes, I do sweety... I love to kiss your Daddy goodnight... almost as much as I love kissing your sweet faces..." she said, planting a moist one on each of them.

Brady knew better and said so, "Ah... Mommy... we know it's different when you kiss us... but that's okay... We like it when you and Daddy kiss each other... cause that means you love each other and you're going to be together... for always."

Thinking of their goodbye kiss earlier in the evening, she sighed again and agreed with her young son, "Always.... yes, we are... and you're right.. it is different. You're getting to be so grown up... I forget that sometimes."

"That's okay Mommy... we don't mind, do we Belle?" His little sister only smiled and nodded her head. She was growing tired, ready to lay her head on the pillow. She too, however was happy when she saw her parents kissing. "It's romantic... that's why I like it," she finally managed to say.

Kiss me in sweet slow motion

Let's let everything slide

You got me floating, you got me flying.......

'Romantic. I've got to do something romantic... We need to get out of our routine... Come on, Black... think of something different... surprise her...' Suddenly, it hit him, what was the best kiss, the most intense one they ever shared? It was right there in his memory, a night he'd never forget as long as he was living, as long as he was breathing.

It's the way you love me

It's a feeling like this.......

"Yes, sweety... it is romantic... but.. enough of all that. It's time for you two to close your eyes and fall asleep. Tomorrow is a school day... it's important for you to get some rest so you'll have a good day."

"Okay, Mommy... we'll go to sleep. When he gets home can you tell Daddy to come in and give us a kiss?"

It's centrifugal motion

It's perpetual bliss........

'Not until he kisses me first,' she was thinking, anticipating the moment of close contact and what usually followed.

It's that pivotal moment

It's (ah) subliminal...

This kiss, this kiss... it's criminal..

This kiss, this kiss....

It's the way you love me baby

It's the way you love me darlin'

The truth be told, he knew in his heart and soul that Marlena was his angel, given to him by a Lord who knew all he was set to endure. Marlena had saved him from a lonely existence on planet earth. Her love and friendship were what gave him hope when all seemed lost. When he was empty inside, she filled him up.

It's the way you love me

It's a feeling like this......

There was nothing she wanted more than to kiss him and make love to him upon his arrival, but she was becoming weary, her talk with Sami finished, the children tucked safely in bed, her book read. Still, she wanted to wait up for him. Marlena snuggled up under a blanket and laid down on the couch, hoping he'd wake her when he returned.

It's centrifugal motion

It's perpetual bliss.........

What a long night. First his Aunt Viv-her moods were so unpredictable and she wouldn't listen to him when he tried to warn her about Dimera. What's wrong with her anyway? And then there was Hope-she too was on a dangerous intercept course with the man, and the monster wasn't going to let her investigate her past without some kind of resistance from him. The questions of how to help those two women, about whom he cared very deeply, swirled around in his head until it throbbed with pain.

It's that pivotal moment

It's (ah) subliminal...

However, in the moment he opened the front door to his home, his safe haven, those concerns disappeared in favor of the lovely vision before him. Marlena was asleep on the couch, her robe having fallen open to reveal a tasteful, but very flattering pink nightgown, and all he could think of was holding her in his arms and making sweet passionate love to her, losing himself in that indescribable intimacy. As his mind and body remembered all too well what it felt like, more than anything, he wanted to kiss her.

This kiss, this kiss... it's criminal...

She was stirring... "Mmm.... oh, John.... kiss me again... " she murmured, moaning with pleasure. He didn't know if it were real or only in her dream, but then again, what did it matter? He knew she was dreaming about the same thing he was wishing for. He smiled and sighed with excited anticipation as he sat down next to her sexy sleeping form, admiring her as he leaned down to comply with her request. After all, what else could he do?

This kiss, this kiss.....

It's the way you love me baby

It's the way you love me darlin'........