"What's this?" Marlena asked opening her eyes to see Eric and John
hugging alongside of her hospital bed. "This has to be a dream because it's not every day I
wake up to find my two favorite men standing before me."
"Hi mom." Eric smiled kissing her forehead.
"Sweety," Marlena replied sitting up and touching the lump on his head, "what
happened?"
"Just a small accident mom." Eric replied exchanging glances with John. "It's
nothing to worry about."
"It looks bad Eric." she insisted trying to take a closer look. "You should get it
checked out."
"Doc, he's okay." John insisted grabbing her hand and kissing it. "Mike looked at
him and he's going to be just fine."
"How are you mom?" Eric asked looking at her.
"I've had better days," Marlena answered smiling at him, "but having you here
makes me feel a lot better."
"I love you mom." Eric replied giving her a hug as
tears filled up in his eyes.
"I love you too." she responded looking at John happily.
"I heard the good news about the baby." Eric smiled at her.
"You did?" Marlena asked confused.
"Yeah, it's wonderful mom." Eric replied giving her another kiss. "I can't wait to
have another brother or sister running around."
"Really?" Marlena asked amazed to hear those words out of Eric's
mouth.
"Hi everyone." Mike said interrupting them and walking over to Marlena. "How's
the patient doing?"
"Mike," Marlena smiled looking at John and Eric standing next to each other
happily, "I'm feeling much better."
"Good." Mike said checking her blood pressure and turning to Eric. "Shouldn't
you be resting?"
"I can't sleep." Eric replied softly.
"Well, then I'll have the nurse bring you something to help you with that problem."
Mike insisted seriously.
"I'm fine Mike." Eric declared again.
"Eric, I'd prefer that you rest." Mike explained to him.
"Honey, why don't you go back to your room and get some rest?" Marlena
suggested grabbing her son's hand. "We will have plenty of time to talk later."
"Alright mom." he said giving in as he kissed her goodbye. "I love you."
"I love you too." she smiled back at him.
"I'll walk you back to your room Eric." Mike suggested to Eric.
"Okay," Eric agreed giving John a hug and leaving Marlena touched by his gesture.
"I'll see you later."
"How long have I been out?" Marlena asked John after Eric left the
room.
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
"Dimera, the day that I fall for another one of your manipulations, is the day that
they start building igloos in hell!!" Roman yelled gripping his head.
"What's going on in here you two?" Kristen asked returning with the tea in hand.
"I'm trying to convince Roman that he should stay here and be our guest for a
while...at least until he's recovered." Stephano lied to Kristen as he continued to look at
Roman. "What do you say Roman?"
"Over my dead body Dimera." Roman shouted at him in anger. "The day that I
accept charity from you...."
"Calm down Roman." Kristen insisted setting the tray of tea down. "I don't need
the neighbors to hear you shouting. There's no need for you to get so worked
up."
"Kristen, both you and your father can go to h...." Roman began as he collapsed on
the floor.
"Oh God, is he alright?" Kristen asked as Stephano rushed over to Roman's
side.
"He's still breathing." Stephano announced taking out his cell phone.
"What are you doing Stephano?" Kristen asked worried.
"I'm calling for help." he insisted to her.
"You can't do that." she insisted looking at him. "If anyone finds out that Roman
came here and collapsed on my floor, then this whole town will find a way to pin this on
me. Everyone already hates me, I don't need any more hassle."
"Relax Kristen! I'm calling some of my people over here to take care of him."
Stephano explained dialing the phone.
"What if Roman dies?" Kristen asked paranoid.
"Kristen, I'm going to see to it that Roman lives." Stephano said with a smile. "My
entire plan depends on it."
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
"I must look terrible right now John." Marlena said glancing at her nightgown as
pain shot up her leg.
"Doc, you're the most beautiful woman in the world at this moment." John replied
tenderly kissing her lips. "I love you so much."
"John, you don't have to flatter me." she responded as she imagined what her face
must've looked like. "You can be honest with me about how I look."
"Doc, I'm telling you the truth. You look fabulous." he insisted taking her hand in
his.
"Oh John," she smiled looking at him, "you're crazy."
"Crazy about you." he grinned sheepishly at her. "Doc, we need to talk."
"About what?" she asked looking him over.
"Well, I know that I seem to have the worst timing with things lately, but I've been
thinking...." he began softly as he held her hand tighter.
"Uh-oh that could be dangerous." she teased him lightly.
"Doc, I'm trying to be serious right now. Okay?" he insisted looking into her eyes
as his heart began to race.
"Okay," she replied feeling the pain in her leg melt away as she returned his tender
gaze.
"What I'm trying to say is that tonight when I almost lost you and the baby, I
realized how precious our time together is and I don't want any more of it wasted Doc.
We've been through too much for too long to spend another minute apart." he explained
pulling a small box out of his pocket and opening it to reveal her engagement ring inside
of it. "I know that we agreed that the next time you wore this ring it would be forever
Doc."
"John....." she interrupted with tears in her eyes as he took the engagement ring
out of it's box and held it up in the air.
"Doc, what I'm trying to say is that I can't wait to put this ring back on your finger
and make this official." John insisted taking hold of her delicate hand. "Doc, I love you
and I'm ready for forever. What do you say Doc?"
