"Good morning sleepyhead." Jenny smiled leaning over her bed to kiss Eric. "DId you sleep well?"
"Too well." he said pulling her down onto the blanket with him. "I forgot where I was for a moment."
"Really?" she questioned looking him over. "How often do you find yourself falling asleep at women's apartments?"
"Let's see." Eric replied thinking it over and raising his hand to pretend to count on his fingers. "Including your place, I'd say it was about fifteen times this week alone."
"You stud you." Jenny muttered sarcastically picking up a pillow and hitting him in the head as she attempted to get up.
"Hey, but your place is my favorite." he insisted tugging at her arm. "Why don't you come back here and join me for a while?"
"I'd love to Romeo," she insisted kissing his nose as she stood up, "but some of us have to work today."
"Come on Jenny." Eric insisted sitting up. "Call in sick or something."
"Eric, it's my second day of work." she said throwing his sweater at him. "Besides, you need to get up, take a shower, and then help take your dad home today from the hospital. Remember?"
"I'm trying to forget." Eric said laying back down and pulling a pillow over his head. "I'd just like to go for a day without my family being around."
"Well, unfortunately for you," she began taking the pillow off of his head, "you're Eric Brady, and you wouldn't turn down an opportunity to spend time with your family."
"I would if you stayed here." he suggested to her.
"Get your butt out of bed." she said pulling him up. "Come on if you hurry up and take your shower, then you can take me to work when you go see your dad."
"Now why would I do that?" Eric asked looking her over. "What's in it for me?"
"You can come back again." she smiled walking towards the door. "Now get up."
Marlena opened her eyes as she felt the crisp winter morning air creeping up through her blankets. She turned her head and saw John standing over by the open window looking out into the day.
"It's cold. Close that and get back in bed would you?" Marlena muttered shutting her eyes again as she pulled the blankets over her head.
"Come on Doc," John began walking over to her, "you promised the kids that we would make pancakes this morning."
"Can't they wait another hour or so John?" Marlena whined as she curled up underneath the blankets.
"Doc, they've been coming in here every hour on the hour for the past three hours." John explained ripping the blankets off of her. "I don't think that they can wait any longer."
"John, I'm not ready to get out of bed yet." she explained pulling her pillow over her head. "Let's turn on cartoons for them or something."
"Doc," he laughed removing the pillow off of her head as she opened her eyes, "you promised them."
"I know." she gave in reluctantly sitting up. "I have to keep my word."
"That's what I love about you." John smiled giving her a kiss. "I have something for you."
"What?" she questioned as she felt herself slowly waking up.
"This." he said pulling a single red rose out from behind his back. "Good morning pretty lady."
"Oh John." she smiled hugging him and pulling him down into bed with her. "I love you so much. It's so beautiful."
"Just like you." he added as she rolled on top of him and began planting playful kisses on his lips. "You know Doc, if you keep this up then we aren't going to be able to get out of bed today."
"Too late for that." Marlena laughed as she heard footsteps thumping up the stairs. "The hungry army has arrived."
"Mom!!!! Dad!!! We're hungry." Belle and Brady shouted busting through the door to find them kissing.
"Oh, so that's why you haven't started breakfast yet." Brady said with a knowing smile.
"I knew that they would be up here kissing Brady." Belle announced hitting him on the shoulder.
"Ouch that hurt you little brat." Brady yelled raising his fist to hit her back.
"Brady." John called out stopping his son.
"But she hit me dad." Brady began pouting.
"You deserved it." Belle explained.
"Belle." Marlena called out giving her daughter 'the look'.
"Yes mom." Belle said changing the tone of her voice and turning to Brady. "I'm sorry that I hit you."
"It's okay squirt." Brady smiled looking at her.
"That's more like it." John smiled watching the two of them.
"Dad, we're starving!!!" Belle explained to her father.
"Now Belle, you had a huge dinner last night and you want me to believe that you're going to starve if you have to wait any longer for breakfast." John said looking at her.
"Yep." she said smiling. "If I don't eat soon, then I'm going to shrivel up into a little nothing like a flower does when it doesn't get enough water."
"If we watered you, then you could return to yourself again. Right?" Marlena asked smiling.
"I guess so." she said thinking it over. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm starving!!!"
"Me too!!!" Brady agreed. "Can we eat now?"
"I'll tell you what." John said standing up. "I'll come down right now and start making the pancakes."
"Yippie!!!" both children cheered jumping up and down.
"You make the best pancakes dad!" Brady informed him.
"He's right daddy, yours are the best." Belle agreed.
"Well, then I guess it's time for me to get started then." John smiled turning to Marlena. "I hope to have you join us soon."
"Well, I really could go for another hour of sleep," she began teasing as he gave her a disapproving look, "but pancakes sound wonderful."
"Did you have a nice sleep Roman?" Kristen asked walking into his hospital room carrying a bag.
"Not really Kristen." Roman explained picking at his ham and eggs. "I'll have better nights when I'm home again with Doc."
"You will be soon." Kristen smiled sitting down next to him.
"Did John come home last night?" Roman asked taking a bite of his eggs. "This food is awful."
"Here have a muffin." she insisted taking one out of her bag. "This is much better."
"Thanks Kristen." Roman smiled accepting it.
"No he didn't come home." she sighed looking sad. "I think that he stayed at hotel or something since we were fighting."
"That's too bad." Roman said thinking it over. "We are going to have to find a way to bring you two together again."
"We will Roman." Kristen smiled hopefully. "Did you take another one of those pills that I gave you before your blood work this morning?"
"Yep I sure did. Hopefully they will still work like a charm." he said hopefully.
"Oh they will Roman. I guarantee it." Kristen smiled happily. "Soon you and Marlena will be together again and this time it will be forever."
"Jenny, you know I would really like you to meet my parents." Eric said as they got off the elevator.
"I will soon." she assured him checking her watch.
"Hey, you know my mom works at the hospital," Eric began thinking about it, "but she's off today."
"Well, most of the doctors are considering that it was Christmas yesterday." Jenny informed him. "I just decided that I would come in today so that I could get the hang of things around the office for when my boss comes in tomorrow."
"That's a good idea I guess," Eric said pulling her aside and kissing her lightly, "but I would've much rather had you stay home and spend the day with me."
"Eric, you can take me out to dinner." she smiled giving him a quick kiss and checking the time. "I really should start heading to work."
"Hey," Eric said suddenly, "I've got an idea."
"What?" she asked.
"You've got a few minutes before you have to get to the office. Why don't you come and meet my dad?" he suggested to her.
"Eric, I don't want to be late." she began to protest.
"Come on. He's right down the hall." He begged flashing a smile at her.
"Fine." she sighed giving in as Eric led her down the hall towards his father's room.
Eric opened the door to Roman's room and entered with Jenny at his side. He smiled brightly as he was about to introduce Jenny to his father. Suddenly he felt his body tense up.
"What's wrong?" Jenny whispered seeing his father laying in the hospital bed talking to a blonde woman.
"What the hell are you doing here Kristen?" Eric asked growing angry.
