the look of love
Well-Known Member
I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next chapter!!
By night, stars; by day, family - alternate reality story
- Thread starter Little-Sweetness
- Start date
Noel
Well-Known Member
Great chapter LS!
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
CHAPTER 22
A
Dr. Rolf regarded the rag-tag group of vigilantes calmly; his cold eyes settling on A in an almost pleasing sort of recognition, like he’d just won a bet with himself.
A cursed under her breath. It had been too easy. Why hadn’t she seen that?
“Well well, I see that news of my hospitality has spread so far, that I have several new inmates practically clawing their way into my facility. How flattering,” the doctor purred.
By his side, the guards leveled their artillery — definitely not tranquilizers loaded in these suckers — at the group, freezing them in their tracks. Slowly, they raised their hands in surrender.
“Dr. Rolf, what is this? Why are you doing this?” Jack asked the doctor, who tittered in response.
“Jack Deveraux, my dear lost little lamb. You had such promise back in the day, didn’t you? A rebel all on your own, causing your dear brother far more harm than I ever could.”
Jack caught a curious look from his brother, and he cast his eyes downward like a scolded puppy.
Jennifer was by his side instantly, dropping her hands to wrap them around Jack.
“Bull. Jack has done more than repent for everything that happened in the past; but you? You ripped Steve and Hope away from our family. You tried to make us all believe they were dead. You blocked their memories and robbed them of who they are!”
Jennifer’s eyes narrowed and she spat, “You’re nothing but a monster; so don’t you DARE lay judgment on my husband, you sick *bleep*.”
Rolf laughed in response, and snapped his fingers, launching the guards forward. Moments later, the members of the group were seized, guns trained against their temples. Most of them were too stunned to breathe, save for A, whose mind was racing through every possibility for escape.
“My my, Jack, your little spouse has quite the mouth on her. I wonder if she’ll be so quick to talk back once she’s had one of my treatments, hmm?” Rolf growled.
“You didn’t answer our question. Why are you doing this?” Bo choked out, his eyes flitting from Rolf to Hope, who was mere feet away and trembling in a masked guard’s grip. He was consumed by fear of the real possibility of having to watch not only his friends die, but his wife die right in front of him, again.
“Mr. Brady, I am a man of science. It is, after all, my job.” Rolf answered. He stepped closer, making his way towards where A stood trapped by one of the guards. “It is a real pity to see humanity in such a state,” he continued. “We are all running around with our own selfish agendas, making such a mess out of the world around us in order to find happiness. Most of us waste our lives instead of dedicating ourselves to something bigger than ourselves.”
“Dude, what are you talking about?” Steve asked.
Dr. Rolf turned to him. “Steve, Steve, Steve… why did you and your little friend here have to fight me, so? Your lives were meaningless. You lived only for yourself and for a family who betrayed Stefano DiMera, a brilliant mind who is simply misunderstood. I was doing you a favor. I took you away from our enemies, gave you a name. I made you and all of them, MY prodigies, perfectly obedient! You could have had it all, if only you’d given into what is right and true!”
The doctor’s smile was maniacal. “If you think about it, what we’ve done here is truly beautiful. You were all a part of it, too, yes. With your help, I’ve been able to manipulate life and death. I’ve created a true paradise here. Everyone thinks the same, worries about nothing, fights for the same side. There are no emotions or family ties or anything to stand in their way. They are all perfect, beautiful warriors in the making.”
Rolf pointed a finger at Steve, Hope, and finally, A. “You three, would have been magnificent. But your stubborn resolve just refused to let that happen. And now you’ve truly made a mess of everything!”
He roared the last word, making Jennifer and Hope jump.
A had been silent up until this point, but she had a final card hidden up her sleeve. She’d not used her time after her escape unwisely; she’d done her research.
“And what of Stefano DiMera?” She asked. “Why are you working for him, of all people? You’re such a brilliant mind, after all?”
The doctor pursed his lips, and he paused. “Stefano DiMera believes in my work. He has backed my operations generously, provided me with adequate facilities, and a capable team. In return, he only asked that I provide him with my services. He had a need for my work here. As far as why, I don’t ask questions. He pays me, and I deliver.”
A cocked her eyebrow. “Ah, and so there’s nothing else left in it for you?”
The silence stretched between them, and she continued. “Not even, perhaps, something he owes you…?”
The color drained from the doctor’s face, and he stammered. “M-my dear, I’m not sure what you’re on about. Perhaps you need one of my treatments sooner than I thought,” she said.
“Right,” A smiled. “Well, at least now we know that the treatment works… unlike patient #1. Isn’t that right, Dr. Rolf?”
“SILENCE!” Dr. Rolf roared; and A merely cackled in response.
“No, Doctor. Hear me out here… because I think you’re going to want to hear about this.”
A could still feel the cold steel of the gun pressed against her temple. She gestured with her eyes, and the doctor looked confused. He finally waved the guard off, and he stood down.
A came forward and reached under her cloak. The group heard a snapping noise, and saw her bring out a chain with a small ring dangling from it. The doctor opened his hand, and she dropped it into his palm.
“W-where… did you get this?” Rolf said in a near-whisper.
A stared at him coldly. “Don’t you recognize it, doctor?” she spat.
“Wha-WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?”
“From YOUR SAFE, in YOUR PRIVATE OFFICE. It was right on top of your precious little diary, Dr. Rolf. I know all about it!”
“YOU KNOW NOTHING!” Dr. Rolf roared; and A found herself back in the grip of her captor.
“I know that you’re not just doing all of this out of the goodness of your heart. Stefano promised you something, didn’t he?” A spat.
“And he will deliver her!” Rolf argued back; and then froze when he saw the look in A’s eyes. He hesitated, and then forced himself to ask his next question: “Where is she?”
“Who, doctor? Your lover? We both know you’re very much aware of where she is.”
“No. Where is my daughter?”
The group remained frozen, confused. A knew something big, and she’d waited for the perfect moment to use the trump card against their captor. But the last thing they’d expected from someone as cold and heartless as Dr. Wilhelm Rolf was some big revelation about family.
“You’d love to know, wouldn’t you?” A teased ruthlessly. “Did you really think that I’d never figure it out? Guards whisper, and so did the patients, at least back before you perfected your little serums. I came back after you declared me dead, Dr. Rolf. I came back and I found out all about your family. I know all about Gina, and from there it wasn’t difficult to figure out the rest.
A’s eyes darted back to the group, and she continued. “Princess Gina VonAmberg wasn’t just a royal; she was a thief, and she worked for Stefano DiMera. She met Rolf during her employment with him, and they ran away together.
“It wasn’t long before the two of them conceived a child. But then something terrible happened, didn’t it, doctor?”
“Silence…” the doctor growled out a warning, which went ignored.
“It didn’t go according to plan, did it? Under your capable hands, your princess died in childbirth. But you just couldn’t let her go.”
“I SAID, SILENCE!” Dr. Rolf roared, bringing the back of his hand across A’s face. She hit the ground and brought her hand up to her cheek, wincing slightly.
But she still continued.
“Not only did the doctor fail to save Gina, but in his incapable hands, their daughter was horribly mangled during childbirth. But by then, the good doctor had no need for fatherhood. No, instead he has been doting on a lifeless corpse, trying to bring his wife back.”
A heard a click, and looked back to see Rolf aiming a gun between her eyes.
“My daughter needed the best medical care I could give her. I was a good father. I gave her everything she wanted; and I’ve been trying to give her what every little girl needs: a mother.”
To their astonishment, Rolf choked on his words. He braved a glance at Hope, who froze as their eyes locked. A could see the pieces fitting together in Hope’s mind — the images the doctors had been showing her under hypnosis. Photos of a wedding she’d never experienced, a child she’d never birthed, and a funeral she’d never had, because she wasn’t Princess Gina. But if A hadn’t intervened, she might have been.
No, the real princess was still dead, but she was trapped and preserved somewhere in this very facility. The doctor had never given up on somehow reviving Gina and bringing his family back together. But Hope had looked so much like his dead lover that his crazed mind had formed another plan in recent years. In his diary, he’d scrawled on about implanting their memories and their experiences, and bringing the princess back to life through the vessel of a very much alive new body. After all, what was the real difference? Once Stefano was finished with whatever tasks he needed her for, Gina would be his, finally.
And Steve… the poor man still didn’t know how much he’d resembled Prince Philip. Rolf had kept him for vengeance, plain and simple. His plan had been to turn the two friends into bitter enemies, ultimately resulting in the murder of his rival, at the hands of his newly revived “bride.”
They would all learn the sordid tale eventually; but now was not the time for further revelation. Now was the time for action.
A seized the opportunity and lunged for Rolf’s weapon while he was distracted. They struggled, and then the gun fired.
A
Dr. Rolf regarded the rag-tag group of vigilantes calmly; his cold eyes settling on A in an almost pleasing sort of recognition, like he’d just won a bet with himself.
A cursed under her breath. It had been too easy. Why hadn’t she seen that?
“Well well, I see that news of my hospitality has spread so far, that I have several new inmates practically clawing their way into my facility. How flattering,” the doctor purred.
By his side, the guards leveled their artillery — definitely not tranquilizers loaded in these suckers — at the group, freezing them in their tracks. Slowly, they raised their hands in surrender.
“Dr. Rolf, what is this? Why are you doing this?” Jack asked the doctor, who tittered in response.
“Jack Deveraux, my dear lost little lamb. You had such promise back in the day, didn’t you? A rebel all on your own, causing your dear brother far more harm than I ever could.”
Jack caught a curious look from his brother, and he cast his eyes downward like a scolded puppy.
Jennifer was by his side instantly, dropping her hands to wrap them around Jack.
“Bull. Jack has done more than repent for everything that happened in the past; but you? You ripped Steve and Hope away from our family. You tried to make us all believe they were dead. You blocked their memories and robbed them of who they are!”
Jennifer’s eyes narrowed and she spat, “You’re nothing but a monster; so don’t you DARE lay judgment on my husband, you sick *bleep*.”
Rolf laughed in response, and snapped his fingers, launching the guards forward. Moments later, the members of the group were seized, guns trained against their temples. Most of them were too stunned to breathe, save for A, whose mind was racing through every possibility for escape.
“My my, Jack, your little spouse has quite the mouth on her. I wonder if she’ll be so quick to talk back once she’s had one of my treatments, hmm?” Rolf growled.
“You didn’t answer our question. Why are you doing this?” Bo choked out, his eyes flitting from Rolf to Hope, who was mere feet away and trembling in a masked guard’s grip. He was consumed by fear of the real possibility of having to watch not only his friends die, but his wife die right in front of him, again.
“Mr. Brady, I am a man of science. It is, after all, my job.” Rolf answered. He stepped closer, making his way towards where A stood trapped by one of the guards. “It is a real pity to see humanity in such a state,” he continued. “We are all running around with our own selfish agendas, making such a mess out of the world around us in order to find happiness. Most of us waste our lives instead of dedicating ourselves to something bigger than ourselves.”
“Dude, what are you talking about?” Steve asked.
Dr. Rolf turned to him. “Steve, Steve, Steve… why did you and your little friend here have to fight me, so? Your lives were meaningless. You lived only for yourself and for a family who betrayed Stefano DiMera, a brilliant mind who is simply misunderstood. I was doing you a favor. I took you away from our enemies, gave you a name. I made you and all of them, MY prodigies, perfectly obedient! You could have had it all, if only you’d given into what is right and true!”
The doctor’s smile was maniacal. “If you think about it, what we’ve done here is truly beautiful. You were all a part of it, too, yes. With your help, I’ve been able to manipulate life and death. I’ve created a true paradise here. Everyone thinks the same, worries about nothing, fights for the same side. There are no emotions or family ties or anything to stand in their way. They are all perfect, beautiful warriors in the making.”
Rolf pointed a finger at Steve, Hope, and finally, A. “You three, would have been magnificent. But your stubborn resolve just refused to let that happen. And now you’ve truly made a mess of everything!”
He roared the last word, making Jennifer and Hope jump.
A had been silent up until this point, but she had a final card hidden up her sleeve. She’d not used her time after her escape unwisely; she’d done her research.
“And what of Stefano DiMera?” She asked. “Why are you working for him, of all people? You’re such a brilliant mind, after all?”
The doctor pursed his lips, and he paused. “Stefano DiMera believes in my work. He has backed my operations generously, provided me with adequate facilities, and a capable team. In return, he only asked that I provide him with my services. He had a need for my work here. As far as why, I don’t ask questions. He pays me, and I deliver.”
A cocked her eyebrow. “Ah, and so there’s nothing else left in it for you?”
The silence stretched between them, and she continued. “Not even, perhaps, something he owes you…?”
The color drained from the doctor’s face, and he stammered. “M-my dear, I’m not sure what you’re on about. Perhaps you need one of my treatments sooner than I thought,” she said.
“Right,” A smiled. “Well, at least now we know that the treatment works… unlike patient #1. Isn’t that right, Dr. Rolf?”
“SILENCE!” Dr. Rolf roared; and A merely cackled in response.
“No, Doctor. Hear me out here… because I think you’re going to want to hear about this.”
A could still feel the cold steel of the gun pressed against her temple. She gestured with her eyes, and the doctor looked confused. He finally waved the guard off, and he stood down.
A came forward and reached under her cloak. The group heard a snapping noise, and saw her bring out a chain with a small ring dangling from it. The doctor opened his hand, and she dropped it into his palm.
“W-where… did you get this?” Rolf said in a near-whisper.
A stared at him coldly. “Don’t you recognize it, doctor?” she spat.
“Wha-WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?”
“From YOUR SAFE, in YOUR PRIVATE OFFICE. It was right on top of your precious little diary, Dr. Rolf. I know all about it!”
“YOU KNOW NOTHING!” Dr. Rolf roared; and A found herself back in the grip of her captor.
“I know that you’re not just doing all of this out of the goodness of your heart. Stefano promised you something, didn’t he?” A spat.
“And he will deliver her!” Rolf argued back; and then froze when he saw the look in A’s eyes. He hesitated, and then forced himself to ask his next question: “Where is she?”
“Who, doctor? Your lover? We both know you’re very much aware of where she is.”
“No. Where is my daughter?”
The group remained frozen, confused. A knew something big, and she’d waited for the perfect moment to use the trump card against their captor. But the last thing they’d expected from someone as cold and heartless as Dr. Wilhelm Rolf was some big revelation about family.
“You’d love to know, wouldn’t you?” A teased ruthlessly. “Did you really think that I’d never figure it out? Guards whisper, and so did the patients, at least back before you perfected your little serums. I came back after you declared me dead, Dr. Rolf. I came back and I found out all about your family. I know all about Gina, and from there it wasn’t difficult to figure out the rest.
A’s eyes darted back to the group, and she continued. “Princess Gina VonAmberg wasn’t just a royal; she was a thief, and she worked for Stefano DiMera. She met Rolf during her employment with him, and they ran away together.
“It wasn’t long before the two of them conceived a child. But then something terrible happened, didn’t it, doctor?”
“Silence…” the doctor growled out a warning, which went ignored.
“It didn’t go according to plan, did it? Under your capable hands, your princess died in childbirth. But you just couldn’t let her go.”
“I SAID, SILENCE!” Dr. Rolf roared, bringing the back of his hand across A’s face. She hit the ground and brought her hand up to her cheek, wincing slightly.
But she still continued.
“Not only did the doctor fail to save Gina, but in his incapable hands, their daughter was horribly mangled during childbirth. But by then, the good doctor had no need for fatherhood. No, instead he has been doting on a lifeless corpse, trying to bring his wife back.”
A heard a click, and looked back to see Rolf aiming a gun between her eyes.
“My daughter needed the best medical care I could give her. I was a good father. I gave her everything she wanted; and I’ve been trying to give her what every little girl needs: a mother.”
To their astonishment, Rolf choked on his words. He braved a glance at Hope, who froze as their eyes locked. A could see the pieces fitting together in Hope’s mind — the images the doctors had been showing her under hypnosis. Photos of a wedding she’d never experienced, a child she’d never birthed, and a funeral she’d never had, because she wasn’t Princess Gina. But if A hadn’t intervened, she might have been.
No, the real princess was still dead, but she was trapped and preserved somewhere in this very facility. The doctor had never given up on somehow reviving Gina and bringing his family back together. But Hope had looked so much like his dead lover that his crazed mind had formed another plan in recent years. In his diary, he’d scrawled on about implanting their memories and their experiences, and bringing the princess back to life through the vessel of a very much alive new body. After all, what was the real difference? Once Stefano was finished with whatever tasks he needed her for, Gina would be his, finally.
And Steve… the poor man still didn’t know how much he’d resembled Prince Philip. Rolf had kept him for vengeance, plain and simple. His plan had been to turn the two friends into bitter enemies, ultimately resulting in the murder of his rival, at the hands of his newly revived “bride.”
They would all learn the sordid tale eventually; but now was not the time for further revelation. Now was the time for action.
A seized the opportunity and lunged for Rolf’s weapon while he was distracted. They struggled, and then the gun fired.
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
Writer's note: Just a warning, this one might make you guys hate me.
At the same time, the doors to the storage room burst open and Shane was leading in a platoon. They advanced towards the captive audience; and the room devolved into pandemonium as the team members rushed behind defensive lines. Their enemies were taken over easily, many of them shot, with a few down on the ground with their hands up in surrender.
Dr. Rolf was one of them.
On the floor lay A, blood seeping from a gunshot wound in her chest. Without thinking, Hope was at her side, removing the scarf that covered her face.
A was beautiful. She was older, in her late 40s or early 50s at the most. Her red hair was streaked with several gray tendrils, and her smile was warm even as her skin cooled from the loss of blood.
Hope reached down and took her hand, holding it to her cheek. Through teary eyes she screamed out for help, and several members of the ISA were at her side, trying fruitlessly to stop the bleeding.
A waved them away, focusing on Hope. “None of that… I know you don’t remember, sweet one, but I want you to know how happy I am in the knowledge that you will live a good life.”
A coughed. Hope tried to speak but A held up her hand before addressing the guards. “Get them out of here, now.”
“No, wait!” Hope cried. Her mind was practically searing as something urged itself forward. She looked wildly at Shane. “The hypnosis. Did anyone figure it out?”
There was a second of silence, save for Shane mumbling into his mouthpiece for any updates from Kayla. Hope urged. “Now! I need to remember right now!”
Shane hesitated for a moment, listening intently with his earpiece, and then he ripped it from his ear, handing it to Hope.
The group looked on as Hope listened, her eyebrows furrowing as she concentrated, and then her eyes closed.
Moments that felt like hours passed before Hope was suddenly choking on her sobs. Bo rushed forward, but Steve held him back, shaking his head sadly. Hope lunged forward and covered A, wrapping her arms around her.
“No… please, no…”
“Go, my sweet girl… I love you.”
Minutes passed, and Hope held on. Her body shook as her sobs overtook her; and eventually it took Bo, Steve and Jack together to pull Hope away from Addie. As soon as Hope let go, her mother let out her final breath, her smile frozen on her peaceful face.
At the same time, the doors to the storage room burst open and Shane was leading in a platoon. They advanced towards the captive audience; and the room devolved into pandemonium as the team members rushed behind defensive lines. Their enemies were taken over easily, many of them shot, with a few down on the ground with their hands up in surrender.
Dr. Rolf was one of them.
On the floor lay A, blood seeping from a gunshot wound in her chest. Without thinking, Hope was at her side, removing the scarf that covered her face.
A was beautiful. She was older, in her late 40s or early 50s at the most. Her red hair was streaked with several gray tendrils, and her smile was warm even as her skin cooled from the loss of blood.
Hope reached down and took her hand, holding it to her cheek. Through teary eyes she screamed out for help, and several members of the ISA were at her side, trying fruitlessly to stop the bleeding.
A waved them away, focusing on Hope. “None of that… I know you don’t remember, sweet one, but I want you to know how happy I am in the knowledge that you will live a good life.”
A coughed. Hope tried to speak but A held up her hand before addressing the guards. “Get them out of here, now.”
“No, wait!” Hope cried. Her mind was practically searing as something urged itself forward. She looked wildly at Shane. “The hypnosis. Did anyone figure it out?”
There was a second of silence, save for Shane mumbling into his mouthpiece for any updates from Kayla. Hope urged. “Now! I need to remember right now!”
Shane hesitated for a moment, listening intently with his earpiece, and then he ripped it from his ear, handing it to Hope.
The group looked on as Hope listened, her eyebrows furrowing as she concentrated, and then her eyes closed.
Moments that felt like hours passed before Hope was suddenly choking on her sobs. Bo rushed forward, but Steve held him back, shaking his head sadly. Hope lunged forward and covered A, wrapping her arms around her.
“No… please, no…”
“Go, my sweet girl… I love you.”
Minutes passed, and Hope held on. Her body shook as her sobs overtook her; and eventually it took Bo, Steve and Jack together to pull Hope away from Addie. As soon as Hope let go, her mother let out her final breath, her smile frozen on her peaceful face.
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
CHAPTER 23
STEVE
Steve had fantasized about escaping from the Aremid Penitentiary for years; but in all of the heroic scenarios he’d pictured, none of them had been like this.
They’d led Hope out of the prison in silence, Bo’s arms around her, Jennifer doting on her by taking her bags, and finding a blanket to wrap around her before they stepped out into the cold air. In spite of their shared grief, Steve and Hope couldn’t help but take in a grateful breath of fresh air, gazing up into the sky and catching the first rays of the sun peeking over the horizon. A few stars still glinted in the sky, and a tattered memory from Steve’s mind tugged incessantly.
A short ride later, the group separated; Shane, Roman and the ISA platoon loading inmates into a larger jet, along with several guards they’d hauled in for questioning. Dr. Rolf was last, his heavily chained form flanked by a watch team of six. Later, on a smaller plane piloted by John were Steve, Bo, Hope, Jack and Jennifer.
Gina’s body was found and transported back to her family for a proper burial. Addie was cremated; and Bo had taken charge of her ashes, requesting that they be put out of Hope’s sight until she’d had some time to mourn.
Now safe and bound for Salem. Hope fell asleep the moment their plane had taken off, leaving everyone else in an uncomfortable silence.
Steve’s thoughts felt selfish. Hope had spoken to Kayla inside the facility. She had her memories returned to her, painful as they’d been in that moment. But all the same, his very being thirsted for the same thing. He just didn’t know how to ask.
Thankfully, less than a beat passed before Jack was leading him to the back of the plane.
“I know it’s a sensitive time right now, big brother, but I think I know something that will cheer you up a bit.”
His younger brother held out his ear and mouth pieces, which Steve fitted to himself. He could hear white noise though the earpiece turn to a steady silence, and then a voice spoke to him.
“Steve?”
He was frozen. What could he say? The voice was beautiful, but he didn’t remember it.
“… Kayla?”
He heard her breath hitch, and they were silent for a moment before she continued. “Steve, I know that you’re probably very confused right now, but I want you know that I understand. I want to help you; but to do that I'm going to need you to trust me and listen. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes… I can,” he replied.
What came next were a jumble of words in a strange language. She spoke carefully, winding through the reversed sonnet she’d performed on Hope. Steve recognized a few words, and gasped as he felt something give in his mind.
He heard the name “Jo” and could see her face clearly, smiling as he’d hugged her as a child, wiping away her tears with his small hand after she’d had yet another fight with Duke.
He heard “Adrienne” and felt his shock at her revelation that she was his long-lost sister all over again. He remembered her desperation to reunite their family, and his hesitance and confusion over the fact that this smart, scrappy kid idolized HIM, of all people.
“Jack” brought in a flood of emotions, and he practically winced as the details of their rocky foundation were slapped back into place.
“Stephanie.”
His daughter’s name brought back the joy he’d felt the day she was born, her tiny face smiling at him from the pile of blankets. He couldn’t believe he’d had a hand in creating something so perfect. She’d been the light of his life.
The rest of the picture was coming together, and one final name locked everything into place.
“Kayla.”
He was overcome then, his eye slamming shut as their past together overwhelmed his senses. His resistance to every feeling he’d had for her from the beginning; the twinge of hope he’d felt every time she’d given him that look, a silent reminder that she trusted him; the ecstasy he’d felt the first time they’d kissed and every time after that, along with the first time and every other time they’d made love; the sorrow in what he’d believed were his final moments, grinding out every testament of love for her he could with every breath left in his body.
"I was... nothing... before you..."
He could see her face clearly in his mind now, and couldn’t understand how any drug or any hypnosis could have ever ripped something so beautiful away from him. He’d been living for all of these years without his other half; and now it had all come back to him. The two of them had been through hell together; from his dark past, to conspiracies and henchmen out for their blood, to a cold-blooded serial killer setting his sights on Kayla, to fighting past the loss of her very senses in order to communicate. They’d even beaten death together now, with this.
Kayla.
His eye opened again, and he was finally the man he was three years ago. He was Steven Earl Johnson.
STEVE
Steve had fantasized about escaping from the Aremid Penitentiary for years; but in all of the heroic scenarios he’d pictured, none of them had been like this.
They’d led Hope out of the prison in silence, Bo’s arms around her, Jennifer doting on her by taking her bags, and finding a blanket to wrap around her before they stepped out into the cold air. In spite of their shared grief, Steve and Hope couldn’t help but take in a grateful breath of fresh air, gazing up into the sky and catching the first rays of the sun peeking over the horizon. A few stars still glinted in the sky, and a tattered memory from Steve’s mind tugged incessantly.
A short ride later, the group separated; Shane, Roman and the ISA platoon loading inmates into a larger jet, along with several guards they’d hauled in for questioning. Dr. Rolf was last, his heavily chained form flanked by a watch team of six. Later, on a smaller plane piloted by John were Steve, Bo, Hope, Jack and Jennifer.
Gina’s body was found and transported back to her family for a proper burial. Addie was cremated; and Bo had taken charge of her ashes, requesting that they be put out of Hope’s sight until she’d had some time to mourn.
Now safe and bound for Salem. Hope fell asleep the moment their plane had taken off, leaving everyone else in an uncomfortable silence.
Steve’s thoughts felt selfish. Hope had spoken to Kayla inside the facility. She had her memories returned to her, painful as they’d been in that moment. But all the same, his very being thirsted for the same thing. He just didn’t know how to ask.
Thankfully, less than a beat passed before Jack was leading him to the back of the plane.
“I know it’s a sensitive time right now, big brother, but I think I know something that will cheer you up a bit.”
His younger brother held out his ear and mouth pieces, which Steve fitted to himself. He could hear white noise though the earpiece turn to a steady silence, and then a voice spoke to him.
“Steve?”
He was frozen. What could he say? The voice was beautiful, but he didn’t remember it.
“… Kayla?”
He heard her breath hitch, and they were silent for a moment before she continued. “Steve, I know that you’re probably very confused right now, but I want you know that I understand. I want to help you; but to do that I'm going to need you to trust me and listen. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes… I can,” he replied.
What came next were a jumble of words in a strange language. She spoke carefully, winding through the reversed sonnet she’d performed on Hope. Steve recognized a few words, and gasped as he felt something give in his mind.
He heard the name “Jo” and could see her face clearly, smiling as he’d hugged her as a child, wiping away her tears with his small hand after she’d had yet another fight with Duke.
He heard “Adrienne” and felt his shock at her revelation that she was his long-lost sister all over again. He remembered her desperation to reunite their family, and his hesitance and confusion over the fact that this smart, scrappy kid idolized HIM, of all people.
“Jack” brought in a flood of emotions, and he practically winced as the details of their rocky foundation were slapped back into place.
“Stephanie.”
His daughter’s name brought back the joy he’d felt the day she was born, her tiny face smiling at him from the pile of blankets. He couldn’t believe he’d had a hand in creating something so perfect. She’d been the light of his life.
The rest of the picture was coming together, and one final name locked everything into place.
“Kayla.”
He was overcome then, his eye slamming shut as their past together overwhelmed his senses. His resistance to every feeling he’d had for her from the beginning; the twinge of hope he’d felt every time she’d given him that look, a silent reminder that she trusted him; the ecstasy he’d felt the first time they’d kissed and every time after that, along with the first time and every other time they’d made love; the sorrow in what he’d believed were his final moments, grinding out every testament of love for her he could with every breath left in his body.
"I was... nothing... before you..."
He could see her face clearly in his mind now, and couldn’t understand how any drug or any hypnosis could have ever ripped something so beautiful away from him. He’d been living for all of these years without his other half; and now it had all come back to him. The two of them had been through hell together; from his dark past, to conspiracies and henchmen out for their blood, to a cold-blooded serial killer setting his sights on Kayla, to fighting past the loss of her very senses in order to communicate. They’d even beaten death together now, with this.
Kayla.
His eye opened again, and he was finally the man he was three years ago. He was Steven Earl Johnson.
Last edited:
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
KAYLA
Through the radio, Steve’s sobs racked Kayla to the core. She heard him whisper her name, and suddenly she was crying with him.
“Sweetness… I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry? No, don’t you say that to me, Steve. This wasn’t your fault. Do you hear me?”
“It’s been so long… how could you possibly not have given up on me after all this time?”
Kayla smiled through her tears. “Would you have?”
Steve’s laugh warmed her heart. “No, baby, you know I wouldn’t.”
A small voice interrupted her then: “Mama?”
Kayla whirled around, wiping her tears away hastily. “Baby girl! What are you doing here?”
But Stephanie wasn’t listening. Her eyes were trained on the radio, and she whispered hesitantly, “… Papa?”
A fresh set of tears burst forth from Kayla then, and she beckoned their daughter over.
Perched on her lap, Stephanie listened as Steve spoke again. “… Stephanie? Kayla, is that…?”
Kayla angled the microphone towards Stephanie.
“Papa… is that really you?”
Steve’s voice came back in a mixture of disbelief and elation. “Little sweetness?”
Kayla watched Stephanie’s mouth break into a wide smile, as she leaned forward pressing her tiny arms against the desk in front of them.
“I knew it. Mama told me you were coming home,” Stephanie said.
Steve laughed. “Yeah, baby. And it’s about time.”
“How soon?” their daughter pressed.
“I’m on a plane headed there right now. And your uncle Jack and aunt Jennifer, and uncle Shane and uncle Roman, and uncle Bo…”
“And aunt Hope? Shawn told me that they found his mama there too?”
“Yes baby, aunt Hope too. Won’t that be great?”
“Yeah,” Stephanie said. She paused, and added, “This means Mama won’t be sad anymore. She’s missed you a lot, Papa. I hear her crying sometimes.”
Kayla was speechless. She had always been so careful to keep her tears silent when she fell asleep at night. She knew she couldn’t always hide her grief from her daughter, but she hoped that wasn’t the only thing Stephanie was reminded of when she thought about her mother.
“It’s okay. I’ve cried too, Papa. But we never gave up. We knew you’d find us again.”
Kayla leaned forward and hugged Stephanie, letting a few tears fall into her hair. She felt her daughter’s small hand squeeze her arm reassuringly, and for a moment she wondered who the real grown up in the room was.
“Papa, do you remember our poem?” Stephanie suddenly asked.
“Of course, baby. I used to tell it to you every night before you went to sleep,” came Steve’s reply.
“I know it by heart now. Mama and I say it together every night,” Stephanie said proudly.
“Do you want to say it for him now, Stephanie?” Kayla asked.
Stephanie turned to her mother. “But Mama, he can’t see it!”
More disbelief came in Steve’s reply: “Kayla… does she sign?”
Before she could answer, Stephanie piped up: “Uh-huh! You can’t see me, but Mama can tell you if I do okay.”
Steve and Kayla were silent while Stephanie began rehearsing their goodnight ritual from memory, like she’d done countless nights leading up to this moment. Kayla smiled as Stephanie went through the signs perfectly. Halfway through, Kayla laughed happily when Steve joined her.
“For all the stars that twinkle in the sky so far above; Take all the light that’s in our hearts and shine bright with our love. I will not fear the darkness, for they always are with me; By night, in dreams, they are the stars; by day, they’re family.”
Kayla and Stephanie could hear Steve clapping, and Stephanie grinned triumphantly.
“She did beautifully, Steve,” Kayla said.
“I don’t have a doubt in my mind, Sweetness,” Steve said.
Speaking to both of them, he added, “How about we all make a deal; when it’s time to tuck this little one into bed tonight, we say it again together. How does that sound?”
Kayla’s heart soared when the word “together” hit her ears. This was finally real. “It sounds perfect,” she said.
Through the radio, Steve’s sobs racked Kayla to the core. She heard him whisper her name, and suddenly she was crying with him.
“Sweetness… I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry? No, don’t you say that to me, Steve. This wasn’t your fault. Do you hear me?”
“It’s been so long… how could you possibly not have given up on me after all this time?”
Kayla smiled through her tears. “Would you have?”
Steve’s laugh warmed her heart. “No, baby, you know I wouldn’t.”
A small voice interrupted her then: “Mama?”
Kayla whirled around, wiping her tears away hastily. “Baby girl! What are you doing here?”
But Stephanie wasn’t listening. Her eyes were trained on the radio, and she whispered hesitantly, “… Papa?”
A fresh set of tears burst forth from Kayla then, and she beckoned their daughter over.
Perched on her lap, Stephanie listened as Steve spoke again. “… Stephanie? Kayla, is that…?”
Kayla angled the microphone towards Stephanie.
“Papa… is that really you?”
Steve’s voice came back in a mixture of disbelief and elation. “Little sweetness?”
Kayla watched Stephanie’s mouth break into a wide smile, as she leaned forward pressing her tiny arms against the desk in front of them.
“I knew it. Mama told me you were coming home,” Stephanie said.
Steve laughed. “Yeah, baby. And it’s about time.”
“How soon?” their daughter pressed.
“I’m on a plane headed there right now. And your uncle Jack and aunt Jennifer, and uncle Shane and uncle Roman, and uncle Bo…”
“And aunt Hope? Shawn told me that they found his mama there too?”
“Yes baby, aunt Hope too. Won’t that be great?”
“Yeah,” Stephanie said. She paused, and added, “This means Mama won’t be sad anymore. She’s missed you a lot, Papa. I hear her crying sometimes.”
Kayla was speechless. She had always been so careful to keep her tears silent when she fell asleep at night. She knew she couldn’t always hide her grief from her daughter, but she hoped that wasn’t the only thing Stephanie was reminded of when she thought about her mother.
“It’s okay. I’ve cried too, Papa. But we never gave up. We knew you’d find us again.”
Kayla leaned forward and hugged Stephanie, letting a few tears fall into her hair. She felt her daughter’s small hand squeeze her arm reassuringly, and for a moment she wondered who the real grown up in the room was.
“Papa, do you remember our poem?” Stephanie suddenly asked.
“Of course, baby. I used to tell it to you every night before you went to sleep,” came Steve’s reply.
“I know it by heart now. Mama and I say it together every night,” Stephanie said proudly.
“Do you want to say it for him now, Stephanie?” Kayla asked.
Stephanie turned to her mother. “But Mama, he can’t see it!”
More disbelief came in Steve’s reply: “Kayla… does she sign?”
Before she could answer, Stephanie piped up: “Uh-huh! You can’t see me, but Mama can tell you if I do okay.”
Steve and Kayla were silent while Stephanie began rehearsing their goodnight ritual from memory, like she’d done countless nights leading up to this moment. Kayla smiled as Stephanie went through the signs perfectly. Halfway through, Kayla laughed happily when Steve joined her.
“For all the stars that twinkle in the sky so far above; Take all the light that’s in our hearts and shine bright with our love. I will not fear the darkness, for they always are with me; By night, in dreams, they are the stars; by day, they’re family.”
Kayla and Stephanie could hear Steve clapping, and Stephanie grinned triumphantly.
“She did beautifully, Steve,” Kayla said.
“I don’t have a doubt in my mind, Sweetness,” Steve said.
Speaking to both of them, he added, “How about we all make a deal; when it’s time to tuck this little one into bed tonight, we say it again together. How does that sound?”
Kayla’s heart soared when the word “together” hit her ears. This was finally real. “It sounds perfect,” she said.
Last edited:
the look of love
Well-Known Member
YOU ARE AMAZING!! I was crying , then smiling through my tears.
Noel
Well-Known Member
Great stories! 
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
A small bit of fluff before the story's conclusion... it may take a while for me to finish so please bear with me.
CHAPTER 24
STEVE
The plane had taken off in the late afternoon following their final night inside the penitentiary. They’d been in the air for several hours and the sun was beginning to set. The plane sliced through thin clouds, opening a galaxy of stars above them for Steve to stare at through the window. Were it not for the barrier of glass, he felt like he could have reached out and plucked one from the darkening canopy.
“By night, in dreams, they are the stars; by day, they’re family…”
In just a few hours, Steve would be home. He would hug his mother and his sister again. He would pick his daughter up and marvel at how much she’d grown. He’d kiss his wife again and wrap his arms around her, promising never to let go. In some ways, the hours were passing like thick syrup as he anticipated finally being back where he belonged. But dread settled in his stomach like a wet stone as he wondered how much about life in Salem had changed since he’d been gone.
Stephanie was four years old now; old enough to be in school. He’d not only missed her first steps; but he’d missed the first time she’d set off on her own to board her school bus. He’d missed the first drawing she’d brought home from art class. He’d missed the first time she’d sneaked into his and Kayla’s bedroom to sleep because she’d had a nightmare.
And Kayla… Sweetness… she’d had to do all of it by herself. She’d had to play good cop and bad cop. She’d had to keep up with the daily grind of finances, their home, her job, and motherhood, without rest, for three years. He wasn’t as naive as he’d been in the past. He knew Kayla was right and that this hadn’t been his doing. But all the same, he felt such a tremendous amount of guilt and remorse over all of the moments, big and small, that he hadn’t been there to share with them.
“Yo, Steve.”
Steve’s head snapped in the direction of a voice directly beside him, and then he exhaled, his shoulders relaxed. Bo.
His best friend stepped back. “Whoa… sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Steve chuckled and used his right fist to rap on the seat beside of him. “Don’t worry about it, dude. Just a little jumpier than you remember me is all.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Bo replied, sitting down.
Steve turned back toward the window, pointing out two stars blinking next to one another, just above a cluster of others near the Big Dipper. “You see those stars? Those two are special… they belong to me and Kayla. We picked them out together once, after the Riverfront Knifer… well, you know,” he said.
The corners of Bo’s mouth turned up. “Yeah… Hope and I have our little signs, too. They always helped me after the two of us were separated.”
They stared out the window for about half a minute, before Steve couldn’t help himself any longer.
“How is she?”
Bo sighed. “About as well as can be expected, I guess. I think she’s in a lot of shock; but she’s happy to be going home.”
Steve smiled. “After everything that’s happened, home is probably the only thought that’s been keeping her sane all this time.”
“Yeah… I guess you’d know about that.”
“Yeah… I guess I would.”
Another quiet pause passed between them, and Steve was surprised at how comfortable it felt. During their time in the Merchant Marines together, silence was about as awkward as it got. Of course with Britta around, every second of silence had been easy to fill; mainly because she hardly ever shut up.
Then again, silence had become an old confidante of Steve’s over the years; and for Bo too, he could safely assume.
Bo finally spoke, first digging into his pocket and pulling out his wallet, flipping it open.
“So hey, um… earlier, I thought I’d try to cheer Hope up a little by showing her a few pictures of Shawn D. You know, let her see how he’s grown up over the years.”
“Yeah? Well don’t hold out on me, man! Let me see!” Steve replied, snatching the wallet out of Bo’s hand. The photos were sleeved in a clear mini-flipbook, showing the age progression of the baby boy Steve remembered from three years ago, now a scrawny pre-teen. The latest photo in the bunch showed Shawn D. grinning wide, a missing tooth leaving a sizable gap in his mouth. His hair slightly messy, like Bo’s used to be; and his eyes were still like Hope’s.
“Would you look at that…” Steve was grinning as he flipped through the pictures, in awe of how much the kid had changed.
“Yeah, he’s growing like a weed. By the time we get home I’m expecting he’ll have shot up another foot,” Bo joked. He took the wallet back and dug behind a pocket at the back. He smiled to himself, before handing it over to Steve.
“Anyway, we found this one… I thought you might like to hold onto it. I forgot that Kayla had given me a copy of it last month,” Bo said.
Steve looked at the picture. In it, Kayla looked exactly like he’d remembered her; only her hair was a bit longer and styled in soft waves instead of the curls he was used to. Her smile was wide and she was crouched low, her arms folding around their daughter in a tight bear hug. Stephanie was laughing, her eyes scrunched almost shut and her left hand covering her mouth. Her hair was in two pigtails, the dark blonde ringlets barely brushing her tiny shoulders.
“They’re so beautiful,” Steve whispered, his right eye misting. He brought the image closer, drinking in every detail, his other hand curling in his hair as he tried to staunch another oncoming row of emotion.
“You have a beautiful family there, Steve. And I’m not just saying that because they’re my sister and my niece.” Bo paused before adding, “You’ve still got a lot of good ahead of you, Steve.”
Steve managed a nod, shifting in his seat and placing the photo on the seat next to him. He tried to focus on Bo again; but he found his gaze drawn back to the image of his family over and over again.
“Bo, I don’t know what I ever did to deserve Kayla; but I’m never going to let her or Stephanie wonder about how much I love them. I have a lot to make up for, and I plan on starting just as soon as we get home.”
Bo clapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Look, man, just take it easy on yourself, okay? You and Hope have been through a lot together. But we’re all family here. If you need us, you know we’re just a phone call and a short ride away.”
“Yeah,” Steve choked out. He picked up the photo and nodded to Bo. “Thanks, dude.”
“Anytime,” Bo said, standing up. “Gonna go check on Fancy-Face. Try to get some sleep, okay Steve?”
“You got it… sand man’s coming… and he’s only got half a job to do.”
Bo punched his shoulder, and they both laughed.
As Bo made his way back towards the cockpit, Steve settled back into his chair and forced his eye closed, his right hand clutching the photograph of Kayla and Stephanie to his chest.
CHAPTER 24
STEVE
The plane had taken off in the late afternoon following their final night inside the penitentiary. They’d been in the air for several hours and the sun was beginning to set. The plane sliced through thin clouds, opening a galaxy of stars above them for Steve to stare at through the window. Were it not for the barrier of glass, he felt like he could have reached out and plucked one from the darkening canopy.
“By night, in dreams, they are the stars; by day, they’re family…”
In just a few hours, Steve would be home. He would hug his mother and his sister again. He would pick his daughter up and marvel at how much she’d grown. He’d kiss his wife again and wrap his arms around her, promising never to let go. In some ways, the hours were passing like thick syrup as he anticipated finally being back where he belonged. But dread settled in his stomach like a wet stone as he wondered how much about life in Salem had changed since he’d been gone.
Stephanie was four years old now; old enough to be in school. He’d not only missed her first steps; but he’d missed the first time she’d set off on her own to board her school bus. He’d missed the first drawing she’d brought home from art class. He’d missed the first time she’d sneaked into his and Kayla’s bedroom to sleep because she’d had a nightmare.
And Kayla… Sweetness… she’d had to do all of it by herself. She’d had to play good cop and bad cop. She’d had to keep up with the daily grind of finances, their home, her job, and motherhood, without rest, for three years. He wasn’t as naive as he’d been in the past. He knew Kayla was right and that this hadn’t been his doing. But all the same, he felt such a tremendous amount of guilt and remorse over all of the moments, big and small, that he hadn’t been there to share with them.
“Yo, Steve.”
Steve’s head snapped in the direction of a voice directly beside him, and then he exhaled, his shoulders relaxed. Bo.
His best friend stepped back. “Whoa… sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Steve chuckled and used his right fist to rap on the seat beside of him. “Don’t worry about it, dude. Just a little jumpier than you remember me is all.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Bo replied, sitting down.
Steve turned back toward the window, pointing out two stars blinking next to one another, just above a cluster of others near the Big Dipper. “You see those stars? Those two are special… they belong to me and Kayla. We picked them out together once, after the Riverfront Knifer… well, you know,” he said.
The corners of Bo’s mouth turned up. “Yeah… Hope and I have our little signs, too. They always helped me after the two of us were separated.”
They stared out the window for about half a minute, before Steve couldn’t help himself any longer.
“How is she?”
Bo sighed. “About as well as can be expected, I guess. I think she’s in a lot of shock; but she’s happy to be going home.”
Steve smiled. “After everything that’s happened, home is probably the only thought that’s been keeping her sane all this time.”
“Yeah… I guess you’d know about that.”
“Yeah… I guess I would.”
Another quiet pause passed between them, and Steve was surprised at how comfortable it felt. During their time in the Merchant Marines together, silence was about as awkward as it got. Of course with Britta around, every second of silence had been easy to fill; mainly because she hardly ever shut up.
Then again, silence had become an old confidante of Steve’s over the years; and for Bo too, he could safely assume.
Bo finally spoke, first digging into his pocket and pulling out his wallet, flipping it open.
“So hey, um… earlier, I thought I’d try to cheer Hope up a little by showing her a few pictures of Shawn D. You know, let her see how he’s grown up over the years.”
“Yeah? Well don’t hold out on me, man! Let me see!” Steve replied, snatching the wallet out of Bo’s hand. The photos were sleeved in a clear mini-flipbook, showing the age progression of the baby boy Steve remembered from three years ago, now a scrawny pre-teen. The latest photo in the bunch showed Shawn D. grinning wide, a missing tooth leaving a sizable gap in his mouth. His hair slightly messy, like Bo’s used to be; and his eyes were still like Hope’s.
“Would you look at that…” Steve was grinning as he flipped through the pictures, in awe of how much the kid had changed.
“Yeah, he’s growing like a weed. By the time we get home I’m expecting he’ll have shot up another foot,” Bo joked. He took the wallet back and dug behind a pocket at the back. He smiled to himself, before handing it over to Steve.
“Anyway, we found this one… I thought you might like to hold onto it. I forgot that Kayla had given me a copy of it last month,” Bo said.
Steve looked at the picture. In it, Kayla looked exactly like he’d remembered her; only her hair was a bit longer and styled in soft waves instead of the curls he was used to. Her smile was wide and she was crouched low, her arms folding around their daughter in a tight bear hug. Stephanie was laughing, her eyes scrunched almost shut and her left hand covering her mouth. Her hair was in two pigtails, the dark blonde ringlets barely brushing her tiny shoulders.
“They’re so beautiful,” Steve whispered, his right eye misting. He brought the image closer, drinking in every detail, his other hand curling in his hair as he tried to staunch another oncoming row of emotion.
“You have a beautiful family there, Steve. And I’m not just saying that because they’re my sister and my niece.” Bo paused before adding, “You’ve still got a lot of good ahead of you, Steve.”
Steve managed a nod, shifting in his seat and placing the photo on the seat next to him. He tried to focus on Bo again; but he found his gaze drawn back to the image of his family over and over again.
“Bo, I don’t know what I ever did to deserve Kayla; but I’m never going to let her or Stephanie wonder about how much I love them. I have a lot to make up for, and I plan on starting just as soon as we get home.”
Bo clapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Look, man, just take it easy on yourself, okay? You and Hope have been through a lot together. But we’re all family here. If you need us, you know we’re just a phone call and a short ride away.”
“Yeah,” Steve choked out. He picked up the photo and nodded to Bo. “Thanks, dude.”
“Anytime,” Bo said, standing up. “Gonna go check on Fancy-Face. Try to get some sleep, okay Steve?”
“You got it… sand man’s coming… and he’s only got half a job to do.”
Bo punched his shoulder, and they both laughed.
As Bo made his way back towards the cockpit, Steve settled back into his chair and forced his eye closed, his right hand clutching the photograph of Kayla and Stephanie to his chest.
Last edited:
Noel
Well-Known Member
More please.
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
CHAPTER 25 (FINALE, PART ONE)
ROLF
Dr. Rolf sat in silence at the back of the plane, secluded in a dark corner and surrounded by enough eyes to anticipate any sudden movements, so he didn’t dare make any. Instead, his mind raced with any and all possibilities of getting himself out of this mess.
His thoughts flitted between his predicament and the impact of what had come out during his confrontation with Addie at the facility. When the states were finished with him, he’d be sent back to deal with Prince Philip directly; and he was almost afraid of what fate would befall him then, if he made it that far.
He’d ignored his wounded heart’s feeble attempts to lure him into a sinking whirlpool of depression, at least for a while. But the logical — at least, as he perceived it — area of his brain was beginning to give way now. Gina was lost to him forever - her body buried, the last of her memories stagnant in a perfect vessel that had slipped through his fingers. He could have had her back, at least enough of her that perhaps they could someday forget how they’d gotten there in the first place. Perhaps after enough years had passed, the memory of Hope would have been less than a speck in their existence. Together they could have worked miracles, raising their daughter in a world where death was only as real as you believed it was; where your sense of self could simply transfer into another body when yours becomes too tired to go on. Perhaps Greta herself could have transcended this barrier, a precise and flawless copy of her mind and soul seamlessly floating into a perfect, rejuvenated form with a flawless face, devoid of any scars or memories that anything bad had ever happened to her.
He could have made it right; but that was then. Now, he must think only of how to save himself. The rest would follow. But he had no deus ex machina to save him, no means of communicating with Stefano or even Lawrence Alamain. And he certainly had no way to obtain one without someone noticing.
No; even his calculating mind couldn’t help him come up with a solution to this problem; at least, not in the same way that most others would think to escape. But he did, in a sense, have a way of stopping what would come next. Not the trial, the imprisonment, or coming face to face with his nemesis once again, mind you, but his failing efforts to silence the dark cloud that was threatening to choke him. His grief was becoming too much for him to bear, but he had one final weapon that we was ready to use.
The doctor took a deep breath; and a guard coughed, reminding Rolf that he was still under close surveillance. But Rolf didn’t care. Let them see.
He exhaled. His paperwork was in order. His formulas were safe, his own memories had been copied into a safe space in the event anything happened before he could finish his work. He would live again, perhaps better next time.
Loosening the cyanide pill from behind his back tooth, he readied himself for whatever came next. If his prodigy proved as promised, perhaps he could somehow remember what happens after death when he was resurrected in another place and time. That would be an interesting discovery, indeed. Closing his eyes, the doctor bit down, tasting nothing but victory as his final medicine immediately set to work.
Unbeknownst to the doctor, a silent device, almost too small to be visible, tracked the doctor’s location back to Alamain. He’d been tagged without his knowledge before he left for the new Aremid Penitentiary, an order from Stefano DiMera. A deus ex machina that arrived, but too late for Dr. Wilhelm Rolf to witness… at least, in this lifetime.
THE LANDING
Unfortunately for the rest, another device had also been planted, but this time on a different plane. Stefano couldn’t let this happy little reunion take place, and he had a plan…
The sky was black now, and past the hour of wakefulness for most of the inhabitants of Salem; but John had already been warned of the welcoming party waiting for them at the private jet’s designated landing zone located just half a mile from the pier.
Forgetting the tragedy that had befallen the group for a short while, everyone clustered towards the front of the plane; Hope and Jennifer peered out the window and let out whoops and cheers whenever they saw a familiar landmark that let them know they were getting closer to home.
It was when they were in sight of the pier when a loud noise rumbled underneath them, and a sharp alarm rang out, signaling big trouble.
“Uh-oh,” came John’s voice, throwing everyone into panic mode.
“UH-OH?!?! What in the hell do you mean, UH-OH?!?!” Jack screeched. He clutched Jennifer to his side as the plane shook and the lights in the main cabin flickered.
“I-I don’t know. Everything was fine, and now I can’t steer.”
He tried a few buttons, and spat out a sharp expletive, before adding, ”Not just steering, folks. I can’t do anything.”
“Oh God,” Hope grabbed the collar of Bo’s shirt and buried her face against his shoulder, letting the implication sink in. She’d let herself become too complacent, too sure it was all over. This was their punishment. She looked up again briefly to see a molotov cocktail of grief and defeat slash across Steve's face, and his hand reach into his pocket to bring out the photo they'd given him of Kayla and Stephanie.
Bo put his arms around Hope, forcing himself to swallow down his own rising panic before croaking out, “Okay, everybody. Let’s calm down for two seconds. John, can you still use the radio, at least?”
John rapped his finger against the button, followed by his fist. “Nope. Nothing. We’re completely cut off.”
On the ground, Shane was in a panic of his own. His communicator was blasting white noise. Their plane had landed an hour ago; and while members of the ISA were in the midst of their own chaos with Dr. Rolf’s apparent suicide — during the flight under heavy guard, no less — Shane's duty had been to bring the other plane in for a safe landing.
Kimberly, who had been at his side from the moment they landed, tugged on his sleeve. “What is going on?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“I don’t know, Kim. I’ve completely lost them.”
Scanning the sky, Kim suddenly pointed. “Is that them? Right there?”
Shane followed the direction of her finger, and gulped. “Yeah, Kim… that’s them, and it looks like they’re coming in for a crash landing.”
Back on board, the team was ripping the plane apart from the inside, searching for any means of escape. It seemed like an eternity before Steve emerged from the back.
“Got ‘em! We have parachutes, inflatable raft, everything we need. Let’s suit up, NOW!”
Precise movement was difficult, but the crowd managed to crawl to the back of the plane to its emergency exit as the nose curved down, straight towards the ocean beneath them. One by one, they strapped the parachutes to their back.
First out was Bo, followed by Hope, Hope jumped through the emergency exit with a terrified screech after watching Bo’s demonstration. Then there was John, who leaped out of the plane like he was cannon-balling into a swimming pool. Next was Jennifer, who gave Jack’s hand a loving squeeze before diving into the night.
Steve reached over for the next parachute before his heart dropped into his stomach: there was only one left.
Glancing again to be sure, he quickly composed himself before he handed the parachute off to Jack. He tried to look natural while Jack hurriedly strapped himself into the device.
It wasn’t until time to jump when Jack knew something was wrong.
“Steve… put on your chute! We’re running out of time!”
Jack’s desperate stare grew cold when he locked eyes with his brother.
“… Steve…?”
Steve blinked back tears, and offered a pitiful shrug as a response.
“Steve… no…” Jack froze, unwilling to move. “We’ve come too far for this. You have to make it back with us!”
Without thinking, Jack started clawing at the vest, trying to tear it from him to hand to Steve instead. But Steve reached out and calmly placed his hands over his brother’s, stopping him.
Jack froze again, his eyes locked with Steve’s. He knew what was going to happen seconds before it did, and he was powerless to stop it.
“I love you, little brother. Take care of them for me.”
Jack had made a promise before. The memory of it ripped him apart when he pictured Kayla waiting at the landing zone for her husband. He had no time to object, no time to even say “I love you” back. Jack’s shock turned to horror when Steve summoned all of the strength he had left to shove Jack through the emergency exit....
ROLF
Dr. Rolf sat in silence at the back of the plane, secluded in a dark corner and surrounded by enough eyes to anticipate any sudden movements, so he didn’t dare make any. Instead, his mind raced with any and all possibilities of getting himself out of this mess.
His thoughts flitted between his predicament and the impact of what had come out during his confrontation with Addie at the facility. When the states were finished with him, he’d be sent back to deal with Prince Philip directly; and he was almost afraid of what fate would befall him then, if he made it that far.
He’d ignored his wounded heart’s feeble attempts to lure him into a sinking whirlpool of depression, at least for a while. But the logical — at least, as he perceived it — area of his brain was beginning to give way now. Gina was lost to him forever - her body buried, the last of her memories stagnant in a perfect vessel that had slipped through his fingers. He could have had her back, at least enough of her that perhaps they could someday forget how they’d gotten there in the first place. Perhaps after enough years had passed, the memory of Hope would have been less than a speck in their existence. Together they could have worked miracles, raising their daughter in a world where death was only as real as you believed it was; where your sense of self could simply transfer into another body when yours becomes too tired to go on. Perhaps Greta herself could have transcended this barrier, a precise and flawless copy of her mind and soul seamlessly floating into a perfect, rejuvenated form with a flawless face, devoid of any scars or memories that anything bad had ever happened to her.
He could have made it right; but that was then. Now, he must think only of how to save himself. The rest would follow. But he had no deus ex machina to save him, no means of communicating with Stefano or even Lawrence Alamain. And he certainly had no way to obtain one without someone noticing.
No; even his calculating mind couldn’t help him come up with a solution to this problem; at least, not in the same way that most others would think to escape. But he did, in a sense, have a way of stopping what would come next. Not the trial, the imprisonment, or coming face to face with his nemesis once again, mind you, but his failing efforts to silence the dark cloud that was threatening to choke him. His grief was becoming too much for him to bear, but he had one final weapon that we was ready to use.
The doctor took a deep breath; and a guard coughed, reminding Rolf that he was still under close surveillance. But Rolf didn’t care. Let them see.
He exhaled. His paperwork was in order. His formulas were safe, his own memories had been copied into a safe space in the event anything happened before he could finish his work. He would live again, perhaps better next time.
Loosening the cyanide pill from behind his back tooth, he readied himself for whatever came next. If his prodigy proved as promised, perhaps he could somehow remember what happens after death when he was resurrected in another place and time. That would be an interesting discovery, indeed. Closing his eyes, the doctor bit down, tasting nothing but victory as his final medicine immediately set to work.
Unbeknownst to the doctor, a silent device, almost too small to be visible, tracked the doctor’s location back to Alamain. He’d been tagged without his knowledge before he left for the new Aremid Penitentiary, an order from Stefano DiMera. A deus ex machina that arrived, but too late for Dr. Wilhelm Rolf to witness… at least, in this lifetime.
THE LANDING
Unfortunately for the rest, another device had also been planted, but this time on a different plane. Stefano couldn’t let this happy little reunion take place, and he had a plan…
The sky was black now, and past the hour of wakefulness for most of the inhabitants of Salem; but John had already been warned of the welcoming party waiting for them at the private jet’s designated landing zone located just half a mile from the pier.
Forgetting the tragedy that had befallen the group for a short while, everyone clustered towards the front of the plane; Hope and Jennifer peered out the window and let out whoops and cheers whenever they saw a familiar landmark that let them know they were getting closer to home.
It was when they were in sight of the pier when a loud noise rumbled underneath them, and a sharp alarm rang out, signaling big trouble.
“Uh-oh,” came John’s voice, throwing everyone into panic mode.
“UH-OH?!?! What in the hell do you mean, UH-OH?!?!” Jack screeched. He clutched Jennifer to his side as the plane shook and the lights in the main cabin flickered.
“I-I don’t know. Everything was fine, and now I can’t steer.”
He tried a few buttons, and spat out a sharp expletive, before adding, ”Not just steering, folks. I can’t do anything.”
“Oh God,” Hope grabbed the collar of Bo’s shirt and buried her face against his shoulder, letting the implication sink in. She’d let herself become too complacent, too sure it was all over. This was their punishment. She looked up again briefly to see a molotov cocktail of grief and defeat slash across Steve's face, and his hand reach into his pocket to bring out the photo they'd given him of Kayla and Stephanie.
Bo put his arms around Hope, forcing himself to swallow down his own rising panic before croaking out, “Okay, everybody. Let’s calm down for two seconds. John, can you still use the radio, at least?”
John rapped his finger against the button, followed by his fist. “Nope. Nothing. We’re completely cut off.”
On the ground, Shane was in a panic of his own. His communicator was blasting white noise. Their plane had landed an hour ago; and while members of the ISA were in the midst of their own chaos with Dr. Rolf’s apparent suicide — during the flight under heavy guard, no less — Shane's duty had been to bring the other plane in for a safe landing.
Kimberly, who had been at his side from the moment they landed, tugged on his sleeve. “What is going on?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“I don’t know, Kim. I’ve completely lost them.”
Scanning the sky, Kim suddenly pointed. “Is that them? Right there?”
Shane followed the direction of her finger, and gulped. “Yeah, Kim… that’s them, and it looks like they’re coming in for a crash landing.”
Back on board, the team was ripping the plane apart from the inside, searching for any means of escape. It seemed like an eternity before Steve emerged from the back.
“Got ‘em! We have parachutes, inflatable raft, everything we need. Let’s suit up, NOW!”
Precise movement was difficult, but the crowd managed to crawl to the back of the plane to its emergency exit as the nose curved down, straight towards the ocean beneath them. One by one, they strapped the parachutes to their back.
First out was Bo, followed by Hope, Hope jumped through the emergency exit with a terrified screech after watching Bo’s demonstration. Then there was John, who leaped out of the plane like he was cannon-balling into a swimming pool. Next was Jennifer, who gave Jack’s hand a loving squeeze before diving into the night.
Steve reached over for the next parachute before his heart dropped into his stomach: there was only one left.
Glancing again to be sure, he quickly composed himself before he handed the parachute off to Jack. He tried to look natural while Jack hurriedly strapped himself into the device.
It wasn’t until time to jump when Jack knew something was wrong.
“Steve… put on your chute! We’re running out of time!”
Jack’s desperate stare grew cold when he locked eyes with his brother.
“… Steve…?”
Steve blinked back tears, and offered a pitiful shrug as a response.
“Steve… no…” Jack froze, unwilling to move. “We’ve come too far for this. You have to make it back with us!”
Without thinking, Jack started clawing at the vest, trying to tear it from him to hand to Steve instead. But Steve reached out and calmly placed his hands over his brother’s, stopping him.
Jack froze again, his eyes locked with Steve’s. He knew what was going to happen seconds before it did, and he was powerless to stop it.
“I love you, little brother. Take care of them for me.”
Jack had made a promise before. The memory of it ripped him apart when he pictured Kayla waiting at the landing zone for her husband. He had no time to object, no time to even say “I love you” back. Jack’s shock turned to horror when Steve summoned all of the strength he had left to shove Jack through the emergency exit....
the look of love
Well-Known Member
Steve can't go! Not like that, Don't leave me in suspense for to long. Next chapter please!
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
I really thought the story would end here; but after writing it I had an idea for a bit of an epilogue, so check back soon for that.
CHAPTER 26 (FINALE, PART TWO)
When I lay under the moon, and close my eyes at night….
Kayla thought that the last three years had been long, until she lived through the hours following what she’d thought would be the reunion she’d been dreaming of since Steve’s supposed “death.”
The plane had gone down into the ocean, about 10 miles out from the pier. The welcoming party had rushed there from the landing zone; and rescue teams launched into the water to scour the wreckage.
They found Bo, Hope, Jennifer and John immediately. The crews rowed them safely to shore, where emergency medical personnel were on hand to see to any injuries they’d suffered.
Shawn Douglas ignored the orders from EMS volunteers to stay back until they were finished, and jumped into Hope’s arms the moment he saw her. She embraced him tightly, tears of happiness and grief mixed as they streamed down the sides of her face. He didn’t leave his parents’ side from then on; instead, the team had recruited him as an honorary member, putting him to work running medical supplies back and forth, and draping everyone with thick blankets to combat hypothermia.
A few bruises and scratches were tended to; but everyone seemed more or less okay… except for Jennifer. Practically catatonic, she sat staring blankly out at the wreckage in the ocean.
The rescue teams were out again, but it was taking longer this time. She’d heard someone say that they’d found one other parachute; but no other sign of life out at sea.
I know the stars are shining up above me, strong and bright…
It was darker now, and the rescue teams had returned, empty-handed. Kayla was so numb that she barely registered her parents capturing her in a tight embrace. She blocked out the sobs and the anguished screams from Jennifer; and she couldn’t bring herself to meet Stephanie’s or Abigail’s terrified gazes as their family fell apart around them. Abigail ran to her mother, who drew her close and rocked her back and forth as they stared back into the ocean, helpless.
Stephanie stood silently for a moment, gazing at her mother with a matched aura of shock and denial, before turning on her heels and racing towards the end of the pier.
And through the night they will stand watch until the morning light…
Kayla’s trance broke at this, and she ran after Stephanie, who was standing at the edge of the pier, still as a statue. Kayla reached out to place a shaking hand on her shoulder; and Stephanie looked up at her mother.
“Mama, why is everyone giving up?” she asked Kayla.
Kayla put on a brave face — something she’d have to get used to doing all over again — and answered her daughter’s question with a question. “What do you mean, baby girl?”
Stephanie looked determined. “Papa promised us he was coming home. We looked for him all this time. Why would you give up on him now?”
Kayla didn’t know how to answer. She’d seen the plane go down. She knew logically that all hope was lost here tonight. But she’d known that before in the hospital, when the monitor registered his heart stopping.
All this time, almost everyone had thought she’d gone crazy for not giving up on Steve. But the explanation she’d always given was that, if Steve really was gone, she’d feel it. She’d know it in her soul.
So, was he gone this time? Did she not feel him with her anymore; and was hope really lost this time?
Reaching deep down, past the shock of the moment, she realized that Stephanie was right. Now wasn’t the time to give up on Steve. Not yet.
Kayla bent down and wrapped her arms around Stephanie, lifting her up. Together, they looked towards the horizon, where the wreckage still burned. Above them, the sky almost seemed to brighten as the clouds overhead cleared, leaving a canopy of stars above them accompanied by a bright crescent moon.
“Come on, Steve… come on…” Kayla whispered, steeled and ready to stand there forever if she had to.
She expected someone to come after them; to tell her that she was being cruel, not only to herself but to Stephanie. But when Jennifer and Abigail walked up behind them, she felt Jennifer’s hand slip onto her shoulder and give a supportive squeeze.
Moments later, Bo, Hope and Shawn Douglas were at their side as well.
Behind them, their family waited, and prayed.
While in my dreams I sail the seas and spread my wings in flight…
No one was sure how long they stayed like that; and no one cared. They turned all of their grief, all of their doubt and all of their fears over to whatever power was higher than them all in that moment. They let themselves feel their bond to each other as a family, and together they reached out with it. They didn’t just hope for the night not to end this way; they believed it wouldn’t.
Hope heard the horn blast first. She turned and spotted an old fishing boat nearing the harbor. She knew who she’d see before she even picked them out from the rest of the crew.
Kayla and Jennifer knew it, too. Their heads turned and their eyes were immediately drawn to them, perched on the bow and waving with triumphant smiles.
Soaring on a cloud of victory, Kayla smiled as their daughter whispered, “Papa…”
For all the stars that twinkle in the sky so far above…
Steve had been ready to sacrifice it all for the sake of his brother; but he’d underestimated Jack’s determination to get them both home. When Steve pushed him, Jack had grabbed him and held on, hauling both of them out of the plane together. Holding onto each other tightly, Jack had deployed the chute.
The chute rocketed them into the air so suddenly, the motion dislocated one of Steve’s shoulders. Jack had held Steve above the water after they’d landed, until the fishing boat arrived. The crew had hauled them on board; and one crew member took the liberty of snapping Steve's shoulder back into the socket like he’d done it a hundred times before — Steve had joked with the man that he should talk to his wife when they docked, because he’d make a good doctor.
The ride back to shore had been torture for both of them, imagining what their families were going through. But somehow, neither of them were surprised to see their families there, waiting for them. They smiled from the bow as they drew close, and motioned for the crew to make some noise.
Jack’s eyes met with Jennifer's; Steve’s with Kayla’s; and all was right again.
Take all the light that’s in our hearts and shine bright with our love…
Jack and Steve barely waited for the boat to dock before they jumped onto the pier, racing towards their families. Jack reached Jennifer in no time, sweeping her into his arms and spinning her around. Abigail launched herself at them both after Jennifer’s feet were back on the ground, throwing her arms around their legs and hugging them tightly.
Stephanie scrambled out of her mother’s arms and tore down the length of the pier, meeting her father halfway. He knelt down just in time for her to crash into him, locking her tiny arms around his neck in a bear hug she’d prepared her entire life to give.
Kayla reached them seconds later, and stood still for a moment, taking in the sight before her. Stephanie was crying, unleashing a small lifetime of pent up emotion upon meeting her father for the first time, face to face. She'd been so brave for so long, Kayla couldn't remember the last time she'd seen their daughter shed a tear. Steve gently soothed her, standing and lifting her so that her weight was being carried by his unhurt shoulder.
Stephanie turned her head and smiled through her tears at Kayla, wiping them away with the back of her hand. Steve met his wife's gaze, and he reached out his other hand towards her.
“Sweetness,” he called out, and Kayla ran to them.
I will not fear the darkness, for they always are with me…
By night, in dreams, they are the stars; by day, they’re family.
CHAPTER 26 (FINALE, PART TWO)
When I lay under the moon, and close my eyes at night….
Kayla thought that the last three years had been long, until she lived through the hours following what she’d thought would be the reunion she’d been dreaming of since Steve’s supposed “death.”
The plane had gone down into the ocean, about 10 miles out from the pier. The welcoming party had rushed there from the landing zone; and rescue teams launched into the water to scour the wreckage.
They found Bo, Hope, Jennifer and John immediately. The crews rowed them safely to shore, where emergency medical personnel were on hand to see to any injuries they’d suffered.
Shawn Douglas ignored the orders from EMS volunteers to stay back until they were finished, and jumped into Hope’s arms the moment he saw her. She embraced him tightly, tears of happiness and grief mixed as they streamed down the sides of her face. He didn’t leave his parents’ side from then on; instead, the team had recruited him as an honorary member, putting him to work running medical supplies back and forth, and draping everyone with thick blankets to combat hypothermia.
A few bruises and scratches were tended to; but everyone seemed more or less okay… except for Jennifer. Practically catatonic, she sat staring blankly out at the wreckage in the ocean.
The rescue teams were out again, but it was taking longer this time. She’d heard someone say that they’d found one other parachute; but no other sign of life out at sea.
I know the stars are shining up above me, strong and bright…
It was darker now, and the rescue teams had returned, empty-handed. Kayla was so numb that she barely registered her parents capturing her in a tight embrace. She blocked out the sobs and the anguished screams from Jennifer; and she couldn’t bring herself to meet Stephanie’s or Abigail’s terrified gazes as their family fell apart around them. Abigail ran to her mother, who drew her close and rocked her back and forth as they stared back into the ocean, helpless.
Stephanie stood silently for a moment, gazing at her mother with a matched aura of shock and denial, before turning on her heels and racing towards the end of the pier.
And through the night they will stand watch until the morning light…
Kayla’s trance broke at this, and she ran after Stephanie, who was standing at the edge of the pier, still as a statue. Kayla reached out to place a shaking hand on her shoulder; and Stephanie looked up at her mother.
“Mama, why is everyone giving up?” she asked Kayla.
Kayla put on a brave face — something she’d have to get used to doing all over again — and answered her daughter’s question with a question. “What do you mean, baby girl?”
Stephanie looked determined. “Papa promised us he was coming home. We looked for him all this time. Why would you give up on him now?”
Kayla didn’t know how to answer. She’d seen the plane go down. She knew logically that all hope was lost here tonight. But she’d known that before in the hospital, when the monitor registered his heart stopping.
All this time, almost everyone had thought she’d gone crazy for not giving up on Steve. But the explanation she’d always given was that, if Steve really was gone, she’d feel it. She’d know it in her soul.
So, was he gone this time? Did she not feel him with her anymore; and was hope really lost this time?
Reaching deep down, past the shock of the moment, she realized that Stephanie was right. Now wasn’t the time to give up on Steve. Not yet.
Kayla bent down and wrapped her arms around Stephanie, lifting her up. Together, they looked towards the horizon, where the wreckage still burned. Above them, the sky almost seemed to brighten as the clouds overhead cleared, leaving a canopy of stars above them accompanied by a bright crescent moon.
“Come on, Steve… come on…” Kayla whispered, steeled and ready to stand there forever if she had to.
She expected someone to come after them; to tell her that she was being cruel, not only to herself but to Stephanie. But when Jennifer and Abigail walked up behind them, she felt Jennifer’s hand slip onto her shoulder and give a supportive squeeze.
Moments later, Bo, Hope and Shawn Douglas were at their side as well.
Behind them, their family waited, and prayed.
While in my dreams I sail the seas and spread my wings in flight…
No one was sure how long they stayed like that; and no one cared. They turned all of their grief, all of their doubt and all of their fears over to whatever power was higher than them all in that moment. They let themselves feel their bond to each other as a family, and together they reached out with it. They didn’t just hope for the night not to end this way; they believed it wouldn’t.
Hope heard the horn blast first. She turned and spotted an old fishing boat nearing the harbor. She knew who she’d see before she even picked them out from the rest of the crew.
Kayla and Jennifer knew it, too. Their heads turned and their eyes were immediately drawn to them, perched on the bow and waving with triumphant smiles.
Soaring on a cloud of victory, Kayla smiled as their daughter whispered, “Papa…”
For all the stars that twinkle in the sky so far above…
Steve had been ready to sacrifice it all for the sake of his brother; but he’d underestimated Jack’s determination to get them both home. When Steve pushed him, Jack had grabbed him and held on, hauling both of them out of the plane together. Holding onto each other tightly, Jack had deployed the chute.
The chute rocketed them into the air so suddenly, the motion dislocated one of Steve’s shoulders. Jack had held Steve above the water after they’d landed, until the fishing boat arrived. The crew had hauled them on board; and one crew member took the liberty of snapping Steve's shoulder back into the socket like he’d done it a hundred times before — Steve had joked with the man that he should talk to his wife when they docked, because he’d make a good doctor.
The ride back to shore had been torture for both of them, imagining what their families were going through. But somehow, neither of them were surprised to see their families there, waiting for them. They smiled from the bow as they drew close, and motioned for the crew to make some noise.
Jack’s eyes met with Jennifer's; Steve’s with Kayla’s; and all was right again.
Take all the light that’s in our hearts and shine bright with our love…
Jack and Steve barely waited for the boat to dock before they jumped onto the pier, racing towards their families. Jack reached Jennifer in no time, sweeping her into his arms and spinning her around. Abigail launched herself at them both after Jennifer’s feet were back on the ground, throwing her arms around their legs and hugging them tightly.
Stephanie scrambled out of her mother’s arms and tore down the length of the pier, meeting her father halfway. He knelt down just in time for her to crash into him, locking her tiny arms around his neck in a bear hug she’d prepared her entire life to give.
Kayla reached them seconds later, and stood still for a moment, taking in the sight before her. Stephanie was crying, unleashing a small lifetime of pent up emotion upon meeting her father for the first time, face to face. She'd been so brave for so long, Kayla couldn't remember the last time she'd seen their daughter shed a tear. Steve gently soothed her, standing and lifting her so that her weight was being carried by his unhurt shoulder.
Stephanie turned her head and smiled through her tears at Kayla, wiping them away with the back of her hand. Steve met his wife's gaze, and he reached out his other hand towards her.
“Sweetness,” he called out, and Kayla ran to them.
I will not fear the darkness, for they always are with me…
By night, in dreams, they are the stars; by day, they’re family.
Last edited:
the look of love
Well-Known Member
Thank You for the tears of joy! I will have a good day now.
redsquirrel
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2008
- Messages
- 10,508
- Reaction score
- 38,225
Fantastic!!! This is how Days used to be written.
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
EPILOGUE
The crew’s first night back in Salem went far into the wee hours of the next morning at the Brady Pub. Caroline whipped up a triple batch of her famous chowder, and the kids swarmed a makeshift dance floor Caroline had cleared towards the back of the establishment while the grown-ups chatted in between hugs and tears.
A few hours into the celebration, Steve had grown tired of mingling and was lounged against the end of one of the booths, his arm draped around Kayla. She’d fussed over his shoulder for what felt like an eternity before he’d finally convinced her that he was okay. Still, she insisted on sitting on his left side where he hadn’t been injured. She’d snuggled close, her head resting just under his chin. He twirled her hair around his fingers, breathing in the scent of her perfume and kissing the top of her head.
Shane and Kimberly slid into the booth opposite the two lovebirds, passing them two bowls of piping hot chowder.
“We figured you hadn’t had a decent meal in a while,” Kim offered, her smile wide. Steve and Kayla perked up, and Kayla regretfully sat up so they could scoot forward and tuck in some dinner. She didn’t realize how hungry she was until her stomach growled at the scent wafting from the bowl in front of her.
Steve shoveled in spoonfuls without regard for any manners. He’d always loved Caroline’s chowder recipe; but after countless nights of bread scraps and mystery meat, it tasted better than it ever had. After devouring more than half the bowl, he communicated this to the rest of the group, who nodded in understanding.
“I can’t imagine how horrible these last few years have been for you,” Kayla said. She rested her right hand on Steve’s back and rubbed slow circles between his shoulder blades.
“It’s all behind us now, Sweetness,” he spoke, reminding himself just as much as her that the nightmare was finally over. No more thin and lumpy cot, no more isolation, no more drug-induced stupors. He had a warm meal in front of him and a home with no bars or locks waiting for him; and a beautiful family to share it with. That was all that mattered.
Shane cleared his throat, his expression slightly pained. “We do have a bit of troubling news… we have enough statements from the prisoners we liberated from the facility to charge Lawrence Alamain and Stefano DiMera with kidnapping, medical malpractice and a number of other charges; but they’ve both gone missing. Our team is taking advantage of every resource we have to track them down, but I thought you should be aware.”
Steve and Kayla traded worried glances before turning their attention back to Shane and Kimberly.
“Is there anything we can do?” Kayla asked.
“Not at the moment, no. But Steve, when you’re feeling better, I would like to talk with you about possibly joining our team again. I think you’d make a fantastic asset.”
Kayla prayed silently for Steve to say no; but she was still shocked when he did just that.
“Thanks for the offer, Shane, but after everything that’s happened, I don’t want anything to do with a job that will take me away from my family.”
Steve reached out to trace Kayla’s cheek, marveling at the exquisite beauty of the wide smile she was flashing him.
Shane nodded. “I understand, Steve. Have you considered what type of employment you’ll be seeking?”
Before Steve could answer, a warm but gruff voice piped up from behind them. “Actually, I was thinking maybe Steve could work here with us.”
They turned to face Shawn, who stood behind the booth. “We’ve been doing alright with the pub, but Caroline and I have been talking about hiring a few folks to relieve us so we can spend more time with the grandkids, maybe travel a bit. What do you think, Steve?”
“Yeah, I could see myself here,” Steve replied gratefully. “You know, the fish market wasn’t a bad place to hang out, Pop, but I’m really liking the change.”
Shawn laughed. “Yeah, I figured you might!” He gestured for Steve to follow him, and he stood, sliding past Kayla and walking towards the back of the building. Shawn pointed to a spot and commented, “I’ve been thinking about putting a pool table here in the back. I figured it would draw in some folks who like to play.”
“Trust me, that is a great idea. Just promise me we’ll have the first game when it gets here, alright?” Steve said.
“You’re on,” Shawn replied, capturing Steve’s hand in a firm shake to seal the deal.
The crew’s first night back in Salem went far into the wee hours of the next morning at the Brady Pub. Caroline whipped up a triple batch of her famous chowder, and the kids swarmed a makeshift dance floor Caroline had cleared towards the back of the establishment while the grown-ups chatted in between hugs and tears.
A few hours into the celebration, Steve had grown tired of mingling and was lounged against the end of one of the booths, his arm draped around Kayla. She’d fussed over his shoulder for what felt like an eternity before he’d finally convinced her that he was okay. Still, she insisted on sitting on his left side where he hadn’t been injured. She’d snuggled close, her head resting just under his chin. He twirled her hair around his fingers, breathing in the scent of her perfume and kissing the top of her head.
Shane and Kimberly slid into the booth opposite the two lovebirds, passing them two bowls of piping hot chowder.
“We figured you hadn’t had a decent meal in a while,” Kim offered, her smile wide. Steve and Kayla perked up, and Kayla regretfully sat up so they could scoot forward and tuck in some dinner. She didn’t realize how hungry she was until her stomach growled at the scent wafting from the bowl in front of her.
Steve shoveled in spoonfuls without regard for any manners. He’d always loved Caroline’s chowder recipe; but after countless nights of bread scraps and mystery meat, it tasted better than it ever had. After devouring more than half the bowl, he communicated this to the rest of the group, who nodded in understanding.
“I can’t imagine how horrible these last few years have been for you,” Kayla said. She rested her right hand on Steve’s back and rubbed slow circles between his shoulder blades.
“It’s all behind us now, Sweetness,” he spoke, reminding himself just as much as her that the nightmare was finally over. No more thin and lumpy cot, no more isolation, no more drug-induced stupors. He had a warm meal in front of him and a home with no bars or locks waiting for him; and a beautiful family to share it with. That was all that mattered.
Shane cleared his throat, his expression slightly pained. “We do have a bit of troubling news… we have enough statements from the prisoners we liberated from the facility to charge Lawrence Alamain and Stefano DiMera with kidnapping, medical malpractice and a number of other charges; but they’ve both gone missing. Our team is taking advantage of every resource we have to track them down, but I thought you should be aware.”
Steve and Kayla traded worried glances before turning their attention back to Shane and Kimberly.
“Is there anything we can do?” Kayla asked.
“Not at the moment, no. But Steve, when you’re feeling better, I would like to talk with you about possibly joining our team again. I think you’d make a fantastic asset.”
Kayla prayed silently for Steve to say no; but she was still shocked when he did just that.
“Thanks for the offer, Shane, but after everything that’s happened, I don’t want anything to do with a job that will take me away from my family.”
Steve reached out to trace Kayla’s cheek, marveling at the exquisite beauty of the wide smile she was flashing him.
Shane nodded. “I understand, Steve. Have you considered what type of employment you’ll be seeking?”
Before Steve could answer, a warm but gruff voice piped up from behind them. “Actually, I was thinking maybe Steve could work here with us.”
They turned to face Shawn, who stood behind the booth. “We’ve been doing alright with the pub, but Caroline and I have been talking about hiring a few folks to relieve us so we can spend more time with the grandkids, maybe travel a bit. What do you think, Steve?”
“Yeah, I could see myself here,” Steve replied gratefully. “You know, the fish market wasn’t a bad place to hang out, Pop, but I’m really liking the change.”
Shawn laughed. “Yeah, I figured you might!” He gestured for Steve to follow him, and he stood, sliding past Kayla and walking towards the back of the building. Shawn pointed to a spot and commented, “I’ve been thinking about putting a pool table here in the back. I figured it would draw in some folks who like to play.”
“Trust me, that is a great idea. Just promise me we’ll have the first game when it gets here, alright?” Steve said.
“You’re on,” Shawn replied, capturing Steve’s hand in a firm shake to seal the deal.
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
Back at their table, Kimberly and Shane had left Kayla at the booth to go chat with some other guests; and Kayla’s eyes were drawn to Stephanie and Abigail capturing Jack’s full attention out on the dance floor. Someone (Kayla guessed Mike) had turned the station to a mash-up of Billboard Top 100 hits; and Stephanie and Abigail were rocking out to The Proclaimers “500 Miles.” Jack followed along, displaying a wacky set of dance moves that solicited a chorus of giggles from the girls while they strutted around the floor.
Jennifer spotted Kayla and made her way over to the table, sliding into her side of the booth. From the peanut gallery, the duo laughed when Jack’s attempt at Michael Jackson’s lean almost ended with him crashing through a table.
“You know, Kayla, for a few minutes there I lived through the pain you’ve been shouldering all this time. I don’t know how you ever managed it,” Jennifer admitted. She propped her elbows on the table and laced her fingers together. She rested her chin against them and exhaled sharply.
“Well, I wouldn’t say that I really managed it, Jen. Those years were laced with a lot of denial,” Kayla said.
Jennifer shook her head. “No… it wasn’t denial, Kayla. You had faith. I lost mine almost immediately. And I’m ashamed of it.”
“Jen, no,” Kayla admonished softly. “What you did was react. I did the same thing three years ago; and again tonight. You were just in shock, that’s all.”
“But, Abigail —“ Jennifer recalled her daughter’s look of horror when she’d lost it on the pier earlier that night.
“Jennifer Rose Horton Deveraux, not another word. Just look at them. She’s just fine,” Kayla assured her.
They watched Jack and the girls for a little while longer. Steve returned to the booth and slid into the empty seat across from them, a mysterious smile flitting across his face.
Kayla caught his eye and winked, before asking, “I know that look, Steve Johnson. What are you up to?”
Wordlessly, Steve held his hand out to Kayla; and she wasted no time in grabbing it.
Jennifer smiled and slid out of the booth so the couple could skip out on the floor to join the party. Shaking off the night’s earlier events, she followed suit, sneaking up behind Jack and tapping him on the shoulder.
“Care to show me some of those sweet moves, rock star?” she teased.
Jack chuckled and pulled her close as the song switched over to Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes.” From behind them, Abigail and Stephanie teased by making retching noises at their display of affection. Jennifer stuck her tongue out at them and grinned, before burying her face against the side of Jack’s neck and losing herself in the music.
After the kids had run off to play a game with Max, Jack coaxed Jennifer to pull away enough so he could look her in the eye.
“You okay?” he asked her.
She nodded, her expression betraying her. “I’m fine.” She faltered under his unconvinced stare and added, “Okay, I wasn’t, but I am now.”
Jack broke their rhythm long enough to envelop her in a warm hug. “Jen, I’m so sorry I scared you. I just couldn’t leave him there.”
Jennifer nodded. “No, I understand that. I’m glad you did what you did; and I’m glad both of you are okay.”
They resumed dancing; and Jennifer nodded towards Steve and Kayla, who were lost in each other in a slow dance just a few feet from them. From over Jack’s shoulder, Kayla eyed the two of them dancing, and mouthed a sincere “Thank you” at Jack.
Jack’s heart warmed as an ancient wound shared by himself and Kayla finally closed for good.
“Just seeing the two of them like that makes it all worth it, doesn’t it, Jack?” Jennifer asked him.
Jack grinned and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, seeing us all together like this just reminds me of how lucky we are.”
Jennifer suddenly slapped a hand against Jack’s chest, her eyes widening. “And we have an amazing story to write!” she exclaimed.
Jack laughed. “Easy, Nellie Bly,” he teased, grabbing her hand and placing a soft kiss against the back of her knuckles. “I’m not finished dancing with you yet.”
Jennifer spotted Kayla and made her way over to the table, sliding into her side of the booth. From the peanut gallery, the duo laughed when Jack’s attempt at Michael Jackson’s lean almost ended with him crashing through a table.
“You know, Kayla, for a few minutes there I lived through the pain you’ve been shouldering all this time. I don’t know how you ever managed it,” Jennifer admitted. She propped her elbows on the table and laced her fingers together. She rested her chin against them and exhaled sharply.
“Well, I wouldn’t say that I really managed it, Jen. Those years were laced with a lot of denial,” Kayla said.
Jennifer shook her head. “No… it wasn’t denial, Kayla. You had faith. I lost mine almost immediately. And I’m ashamed of it.”
“Jen, no,” Kayla admonished softly. “What you did was react. I did the same thing three years ago; and again tonight. You were just in shock, that’s all.”
“But, Abigail —“ Jennifer recalled her daughter’s look of horror when she’d lost it on the pier earlier that night.
“Jennifer Rose Horton Deveraux, not another word. Just look at them. She’s just fine,” Kayla assured her.
They watched Jack and the girls for a little while longer. Steve returned to the booth and slid into the empty seat across from them, a mysterious smile flitting across his face.
Kayla caught his eye and winked, before asking, “I know that look, Steve Johnson. What are you up to?”
Wordlessly, Steve held his hand out to Kayla; and she wasted no time in grabbing it.
Jennifer smiled and slid out of the booth so the couple could skip out on the floor to join the party. Shaking off the night’s earlier events, she followed suit, sneaking up behind Jack and tapping him on the shoulder.
“Care to show me some of those sweet moves, rock star?” she teased.
Jack chuckled and pulled her close as the song switched over to Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes.” From behind them, Abigail and Stephanie teased by making retching noises at their display of affection. Jennifer stuck her tongue out at them and grinned, before burying her face against the side of Jack’s neck and losing herself in the music.
After the kids had run off to play a game with Max, Jack coaxed Jennifer to pull away enough so he could look her in the eye.
“You okay?” he asked her.
She nodded, her expression betraying her. “I’m fine.” She faltered under his unconvinced stare and added, “Okay, I wasn’t, but I am now.”
Jack broke their rhythm long enough to envelop her in a warm hug. “Jen, I’m so sorry I scared you. I just couldn’t leave him there.”
Jennifer nodded. “No, I understand that. I’m glad you did what you did; and I’m glad both of you are okay.”
They resumed dancing; and Jennifer nodded towards Steve and Kayla, who were lost in each other in a slow dance just a few feet from them. From over Jack’s shoulder, Kayla eyed the two of them dancing, and mouthed a sincere “Thank you” at Jack.
Jack’s heart warmed as an ancient wound shared by himself and Kayla finally closed for good.
“Just seeing the two of them like that makes it all worth it, doesn’t it, Jack?” Jennifer asked him.
Jack grinned and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, seeing us all together like this just reminds me of how lucky we are.”
Jennifer suddenly slapped a hand against Jack’s chest, her eyes widening. “And we have an amazing story to write!” she exclaimed.
Jack laughed. “Easy, Nellie Bly,” he teased, grabbing her hand and placing a soft kiss against the back of her knuckles. “I’m not finished dancing with you yet.”
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
Also lost in the rhythm of the music, Bo and Hope hadn’t left each other’s sides all night. They’d commandeered a table towards the back of the pub with Shawn D., answering his generous peppering of questions; only taking breaks long enough to capture every slow song that played over the radio.
Holding Hope close, Bo brought his hands up from her waist to the back of her neck, angling her face up towards his and kissing her softly.
“I can’t tell you how good it is to finally have you home with us, Fancy Face,” he breathed.
Hope grinned, pulling his head back down so her lips could brush his again before she rested her head on his shoulder. “And I can’t tell you how good it is to be back, Bo. I thought we’d never have this again.”
The station changed to another slow song, and they continued dancing silently while Bo’s thoughts wandered back to the events that had unfolded around them over the past several days.
Bo hesitated for a moment, afraid to spoil the moment by bringing up a sad subject; but his curiosity got the better of him.
“Hope… um… have you thought about what we’re going to tell everyone about… you know?”
Hope frowned against his shoulder, and sighed. Her heart ached when she thought about Addie; but she had considered the best course of action to take, and in spite of her guilt over the decision, she was adamant. She looked across the pub to where Doug and Julie sat at the bar, nursing their glasses of wine and laughing at something Alice was saying. They were completely oblivious to the pain she was going through over her mother’s death; but she liked it that way.
“I can’t do it, Bo. I can’t tell you how much it pains me to keep this to ourselves. My mother was so brave, and we wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for her. But telling Dad and Julie about this would hurt them so much. Dad has moved on with Julie and they are so happy. It wouldn’t be fair.”
She heard Bo exhale slowly, and braced herself for a lecture about honesty and honoring Addie for the sacrifices she’d made. But it didn’t come.
“Actually, I was kind of hoping you would say that.”
Hope pulled back, her eyes locking with Bo’s. “Really?” she said.
Bo nodded. “Yeah… we all know that your mother was a hero in that facility. And something tells me that this is what she’d want you to do, too.”
“I agree,” Hope said, a wave of emotion choking at her words. “She told me that she wanted me to be happy. And I think that she’d want that for Dad, too.”
Bo thought for a moment, and offered, “Maybe we could get everyone who was at the facility together later on, you know, for sort of a private memorial. Something nice to honor her.”
Hope smiled. “That sounds perfect,” she said.
As they continued dancing, Hope suddenly asked, “Bo… where do you think Greta is now? Mom told Rolf that she’d taken her somewhere safe. Shouldn’t we try to find her?”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too. I’m going to talk to Shane about opening a missing persons case when things settle down.”
“She must be so confused, and so scared. I hope she isn’t alone,” Hope said.
“I don’t doubt for a minute that she’s somewhere safe,” Bo said. “Your mother left her in good hands. I’d stake a lot on that.”
Bo saw the conflict in Hope’s eyes as they continued dancing, and he cupped her chin in his hand. “Hey, I know it’s been a rough couple of days. But for tonight let’s put all of this aside and focus on what’s in front of us right now. We’ll deal with the rest of it tomorrow, together. Okay?”
Hope nodded. “Okay.”
Holding Hope close, Bo brought his hands up from her waist to the back of her neck, angling her face up towards his and kissing her softly.
“I can’t tell you how good it is to finally have you home with us, Fancy Face,” he breathed.
Hope grinned, pulling his head back down so her lips could brush his again before she rested her head on his shoulder. “And I can’t tell you how good it is to be back, Bo. I thought we’d never have this again.”
The station changed to another slow song, and they continued dancing silently while Bo’s thoughts wandered back to the events that had unfolded around them over the past several days.
Bo hesitated for a moment, afraid to spoil the moment by bringing up a sad subject; but his curiosity got the better of him.
“Hope… um… have you thought about what we’re going to tell everyone about… you know?”
Hope frowned against his shoulder, and sighed. Her heart ached when she thought about Addie; but she had considered the best course of action to take, and in spite of her guilt over the decision, she was adamant. She looked across the pub to where Doug and Julie sat at the bar, nursing their glasses of wine and laughing at something Alice was saying. They were completely oblivious to the pain she was going through over her mother’s death; but she liked it that way.
“I can’t do it, Bo. I can’t tell you how much it pains me to keep this to ourselves. My mother was so brave, and we wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for her. But telling Dad and Julie about this would hurt them so much. Dad has moved on with Julie and they are so happy. It wouldn’t be fair.”
She heard Bo exhale slowly, and braced herself for a lecture about honesty and honoring Addie for the sacrifices she’d made. But it didn’t come.
“Actually, I was kind of hoping you would say that.”
Hope pulled back, her eyes locking with Bo’s. “Really?” she said.
Bo nodded. “Yeah… we all know that your mother was a hero in that facility. And something tells me that this is what she’d want you to do, too.”
“I agree,” Hope said, a wave of emotion choking at her words. “She told me that she wanted me to be happy. And I think that she’d want that for Dad, too.”
Bo thought for a moment, and offered, “Maybe we could get everyone who was at the facility together later on, you know, for sort of a private memorial. Something nice to honor her.”
Hope smiled. “That sounds perfect,” she said.
As they continued dancing, Hope suddenly asked, “Bo… where do you think Greta is now? Mom told Rolf that she’d taken her somewhere safe. Shouldn’t we try to find her?”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too. I’m going to talk to Shane about opening a missing persons case when things settle down.”
“She must be so confused, and so scared. I hope she isn’t alone,” Hope said.
“I don’t doubt for a minute that she’s somewhere safe,” Bo said. “Your mother left her in good hands. I’d stake a lot on that.”
Bo saw the conflict in Hope’s eyes as they continued dancing, and he cupped her chin in his hand. “Hey, I know it’s been a rough couple of days. But for tonight let’s put all of this aside and focus on what’s in front of us right now. We’ll deal with the rest of it tomorrow, together. Okay?”
Hope nodded. “Okay.”
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
Deep in the Louisiana bayou, a cloaked stranger darted through clumps of reeds on the outskirts of a small yard, quickly ushering a terrified little girl inside a small cottage with a single light illuminating the front window. Once inside, the mysterious figure removed her hood, and extended a friendly hand out to the girl.
“Hi there… I know you’re really confused about what’s going on right now, but I promise you no one will hurt you here,” the stranger spoke softly.
The girl stared at her new keeper with suspicion and recoiled from her extended hand, her own hands attempting to hide the scars on her face.
The stranger knelt down and shook her head, reaching out slowly and gently prying the girl’s hands away, before smoothing away a lock of the girl’s short hair.
“No no no… I promise you, sweetheart, you don’t have to hide your face from me. Trust me, I’ve seen scars before.”
The girl finally spoke. “Who… are you? Why would A send me here to you?”
The stranger sighed, a sad frown playing across her shadowed features. “A was a friend of mine. She reached out to me and asked me to take care of you if anything happened to her.”
The child’s eyebrows furrowed with concern. “So… something has happened to A?”
The stranger nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
The girl turns and shuffles to a small upholstered chair and angling her head down.
“What’s going to happen to me now?” she finally asked, her vision blurring as tears escaped down her cheeks.
The stranger perched on another chair opposite the girl, threading her fingers together under her chin and looking at the girl thoughtfully.
“Now, we’re going to keep you safe, and we’re going to figure things out together.”
“But… why do you want to help me?” the girl asked, braving a glance towards her strange new host.
“Like I said… I’m a friend.”
The stranger stretched out her hand again, palm-up. “My name is Billie Reed. I’m a member of a special team of agents who are working to put away some very bad people. I want to find out exactly what happened to you while you were in the Aremid Penitentiary; and I want to make the people who were involved pay for what they did to you.”
She smiled warmly, continuing. “There are others helping me. They know you are here and they are working around the clock to keep you safe. But to do that I need you to try to trust me. Do you think we can try?”
The girl hesitated, before reaching her smaller hand out to grasp Billie’s. “My name is Greta Von-Amberg, Patient #11. And I’ll try.”
Billie corrected softly, “Not anymore, sweetheart. You’re not a patient. You are a person. And we will get you through this. Okay?”
Greta nodded hesitantly, answering simply, “Okay.”
“Hi there… I know you’re really confused about what’s going on right now, but I promise you no one will hurt you here,” the stranger spoke softly.
The girl stared at her new keeper with suspicion and recoiled from her extended hand, her own hands attempting to hide the scars on her face.
The stranger knelt down and shook her head, reaching out slowly and gently prying the girl’s hands away, before smoothing away a lock of the girl’s short hair.
“No no no… I promise you, sweetheart, you don’t have to hide your face from me. Trust me, I’ve seen scars before.”
The girl finally spoke. “Who… are you? Why would A send me here to you?”
The stranger sighed, a sad frown playing across her shadowed features. “A was a friend of mine. She reached out to me and asked me to take care of you if anything happened to her.”
The child’s eyebrows furrowed with concern. “So… something has happened to A?”
The stranger nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
The girl turns and shuffles to a small upholstered chair and angling her head down.
“What’s going to happen to me now?” she finally asked, her vision blurring as tears escaped down her cheeks.
The stranger perched on another chair opposite the girl, threading her fingers together under her chin and looking at the girl thoughtfully.
“Now, we’re going to keep you safe, and we’re going to figure things out together.”
“But… why do you want to help me?” the girl asked, braving a glance towards her strange new host.
“Like I said… I’m a friend.”
The stranger stretched out her hand again, palm-up. “My name is Billie Reed. I’m a member of a special team of agents who are working to put away some very bad people. I want to find out exactly what happened to you while you were in the Aremid Penitentiary; and I want to make the people who were involved pay for what they did to you.”
She smiled warmly, continuing. “There are others helping me. They know you are here and they are working around the clock to keep you safe. But to do that I need you to try to trust me. Do you think we can try?”
The girl hesitated, before reaching her smaller hand out to grasp Billie’s. “My name is Greta Von-Amberg, Patient #11. And I’ll try.”
Billie corrected softly, “Not anymore, sweetheart. You’re not a patient. You are a person. And we will get you through this. Okay?”
Greta nodded hesitantly, answering simply, “Okay.”
Little-Sweetness
Well-Known Member
It took months for the town of Salem to regain any sense of normalcy; but before long, it was like Steve and Hope had never left Salem.
Steve divided his hours between the Brady Pub and the Community Center; boxing with the local youth by day and whipping strangers’ butts at pool by night. The days grew shorter and colder, sweeping a joyous holiday season into the Johnson family’s lap.
Steve took Stephanie trick-or-treating, confused at his daughter's insistence on dressing up as a race car driver; but after Kayla informed him about Max’s obsession with racing, it started to make sense.
Before the fall season gave way into winter, Steve and Kayla surprised Stephanie with a day trip to a nearby go-cart track. The three of them piled into a single cart; Stephanie perched on her father’s lap so she could command the wheel. For years, Steve was convinced that Stephanie’s obsession with racing had been spurred on by her friendship with Max; but little did he know, the family trip had been the true beginning of her love of the track. For Stephanie, the trip was a milestone: the first trip they’d all taken together as a family.
The crew involved in the penitentiary bust eventually reunited for a quiet service for Addie. Hope’s first idea had been to scatter Addie’s ashes where she was supposedly buried; but later she opted for the service to be held at sea. Tipping the contents of the urn into the calm water, she’d whispered, “We’re both free now, Mom. Thank you.”
Around Thanksgiving, Bo and Hope opted to take another trip with Shawn Douglas out on the Fancy Face. The family objected at first, but Bo was adamant, explaining that he wanted to spend the holiday with the two people on this earth that he was most thankful for.
Little did they know, they’d be leaving the harbor a family of three; and returning from their journey at Christmas as a soon-to-be family of four.
Christmas was held around the Horton family tree, a tradition that drew them all together for a night of singing, feasting on an elaborate dinner and way too many of Alice’s homemade donuts, and ending with the annual hanging of the family ornaments.
Steve happily stepped aside when he learned that Jack had assumed the role of Santa Claus in his absence the past three years. Following his track record with chimneys, Tom had insisted that Jack use the front door to visit the children before taking the show on to the Community Center, where he’d deliver surprises to children who otherwise wouldn’t have had a Christmas. Later on Christmas Day, the Johnson family hosted a holiday party at the center, where the entire town was invited to join in.
The new year brought a promise of peace and a lifetime of memories ahead for the citizens of Salem and their extended family and friends. When the clock struck midnight, loved ones celebrated with kisses, toasts and cheers to the future. And though the future would be anything but peaceful for some of the residents of Salem; they found comfort in the knowledge that any obstacles from then on would be faced together.
Steve divided his hours between the Brady Pub and the Community Center; boxing with the local youth by day and whipping strangers’ butts at pool by night. The days grew shorter and colder, sweeping a joyous holiday season into the Johnson family’s lap.
Steve took Stephanie trick-or-treating, confused at his daughter's insistence on dressing up as a race car driver; but after Kayla informed him about Max’s obsession with racing, it started to make sense.
Before the fall season gave way into winter, Steve and Kayla surprised Stephanie with a day trip to a nearby go-cart track. The three of them piled into a single cart; Stephanie perched on her father’s lap so she could command the wheel. For years, Steve was convinced that Stephanie’s obsession with racing had been spurred on by her friendship with Max; but little did he know, the family trip had been the true beginning of her love of the track. For Stephanie, the trip was a milestone: the first trip they’d all taken together as a family.
The crew involved in the penitentiary bust eventually reunited for a quiet service for Addie. Hope’s first idea had been to scatter Addie’s ashes where she was supposedly buried; but later she opted for the service to be held at sea. Tipping the contents of the urn into the calm water, she’d whispered, “We’re both free now, Mom. Thank you.”
Around Thanksgiving, Bo and Hope opted to take another trip with Shawn Douglas out on the Fancy Face. The family objected at first, but Bo was adamant, explaining that he wanted to spend the holiday with the two people on this earth that he was most thankful for.
Little did they know, they’d be leaving the harbor a family of three; and returning from their journey at Christmas as a soon-to-be family of four.
Christmas was held around the Horton family tree, a tradition that drew them all together for a night of singing, feasting on an elaborate dinner and way too many of Alice’s homemade donuts, and ending with the annual hanging of the family ornaments.
Steve happily stepped aside when he learned that Jack had assumed the role of Santa Claus in his absence the past three years. Following his track record with chimneys, Tom had insisted that Jack use the front door to visit the children before taking the show on to the Community Center, where he’d deliver surprises to children who otherwise wouldn’t have had a Christmas. Later on Christmas Day, the Johnson family hosted a holiday party at the center, where the entire town was invited to join in.
The new year brought a promise of peace and a lifetime of memories ahead for the citizens of Salem and their extended family and friends. When the clock struck midnight, loved ones celebrated with kisses, toasts and cheers to the future. And though the future would be anything but peaceful for some of the residents of Salem; they found comfort in the knowledge that any obstacles from then on would be faced together.
Last edited: