The sunlight scattered in playful freckles across the crumpled sheets. It danced across the peaceful bodies as it glittered through the raindrops on the window-pane. A smooth slim leg slowly twined around a larger, more hairy one and the sound of a contented sigh filled the room.

The doorbell chimed again and the housekeeper muttered as she wiped her hands on her apron on the way to the door. It opened to reveal Shawn and Caroline Brady. With her usual dignity Caroline explained that they had come to pick up Sami's bag. Illeanna nodded and led them into the living room. The room had suffered quite badly from the events of the previous night. Several bloodstains marred the green carpet and one of the brocade sofas. The french door had been boarded up but the curtains surrounding it hung in soggy swathes. Shards of broken glass littered the saturated carpet at the foot of the door.

Shawn quickly located and gathered up Sami's bag. With a quick nod and thank-you to Illeanna, the Brady's left the DiMera mansion. It occurred to them only when they reached the hospital that Illeanna had not bothered to even ask after her employer.

Marlena slowly resurfaced from her deep sleep feeling slightly disoriented. Her subconscious mind was weaving snatches of reality into the fabric of her dreams and in the half world between slumber and waking she was unsure exactly what was real and what was not. She suddenly woke with a start as she realized that the warm body lying next to her actually existed. To be sure that he wasn't just another trick that her mind was pulling on her, she gently lay her hand over his one that rested on her belly. She smiled as the warm roughness of it assured her that he was indeed an indisputable fact.

Slowly the trickle of images from the previous night became a torrent and her eyes shone softly as she relived the evening in her mind. That familiar warmth suffused through her as she recalled their impassioned lovemaking and a smile touched her lips as she remembered the pillow fight that had led to yet more lovemaking. All the while, John's soft, regular breaths blew reassuringly against the nape of her neck and his strong but gentle arms enfolded her.

Carefully, taking care not to wake him, Marlena turned over so that she was facing him. She froze as he twitched and mumbled but then relaxed as he pulled her closer in his contented sleep. Freeing her arm, she brushed back the fine blonde hair that covered her face. Her hand automatically found its way back down to John's chest and she lay back, content just to watch him sleep.

With Will on one hip, Carrie opened the door. Holding him tightly, she crouched down to get the morning paper. She fell back with a muffled gasp as a pair of heavy boot clad feet appeared in front of her.

"Hi." She almost overbalanced as she stood up, not taking into consideration Will's weight, and the stranger put a hand out to steady her. Carrie instinctively backed away and he held out his hands to signify that he meant no harm. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." He smiled and Carrie's suspicion lessened.

"Can I help you?" she asked, shifting a restless Will onto the other hip.
"Ah, I'm looking for a friend. I don't suppose you're Carrie by any chance?"
"Yes I am." Carrie was taken aback. "I'm sorry...do I know you?"
"No." He smiled and shook his head. "I'm actually an old friend of your husband's. Austin and I went to school together. My name is Grant. Grant Whittaker"
"Oh, I see." Carrie's serious face broke into a delighted grin. "Nice to meet you Grant. I don't know many of Austin's friends, so it's always great to get to know one." She freed her hand from Will's clutches and proffered it to the young man. He shook it, seeming to notice Will for the first time.
"Goodness." He took the baby's hand in his. "Don't tell me Austin has a son as well? I thought a wife was surprise enough." Carrie paused for a moment but decided that it wasn't her place to tell Austin's friend the whole sorry saga.
"Yeah, he has...."

Q emerged from the bathroom with a scowl on his face. He was never going to get used to the business of being mortal. Dropping his towel on the floor of the spare room, he looked in the mirror and drew his hair back with a comb. His serious expression softened as the closed door across the hallway caught his eye. If all went well he wouldn't be mortal much longer anyway.

He flung the comb down on the dresser and walked to the doorway. He contemplated unlocking the wooden door to Marlena's bedroom for a moment but decided that they could do with some more time to themselves and he stalked down the corridor.

He swept down the wide stairs and into the kitchen. A quick creative effort resulted in a spread that effectively satisfied his appetite. He hummed softly to himself as her exited the penthouse, totally oblivious to the red light which blinked ominously on the answer machine.

Realizing they were still standing in the doorway of the apartment, Carrie asked Grant if he would like to come inside. He followed her in and sat down on the couch as she put Will in the playpen. A few minutes in the kitchen produced a pot of tea and a plate of biscuits.
"Sorry I'm here so early." Grant apologized. "Once I found out where Austin was I wanted to catch up with him as soon as possible."
"Well, he's just in the shower at the moment. He should be out soon." Carrie poured him a cup of tea and then poured one for herself and one for Austin. "So how long is it since you last saw Austin?"
"Ah, quite a long time." Grant looked up in thought as he tried to calculate . "I think the last time I saw Austin, he was nineteen."
"Oh." Carrie's eyes widened. "Well, he's changed quite a bit since then." The room was silent as they both contemplated this information.

Carrie took a sip of her tea and then looked up "How did you know that Austin was married then?"
?Well I actually didn?t until I got into town. By a wonderful stroke of chance I happened to meet a young lady who told me where you lived." His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
?Who was that?" A look of confusion swept over Carrie?s face.
?Your sister Sami." Grant raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his tea. Carrie coughed convulsively as she inhaled a mouthful of tea. Grant stood up to help her but she waved her hands at him as she regained control.
"Thanks, I'm fine." She cleared her throat and cast her eye across at Will who was playing happily with his spinning top. "So you met Sami?"
"Yeah, Nice girl." He looked at Carrie appraisingly. "I can see the resemblance. You're both very attractive."

A slight blush stained Carrie's cheeks and she was thankful that she was saved any further comment by sounds from the bedroom. The door opened and Austin froze as he saw the visitor.
"Hi bud! How are ya?" Grant grinned widely. Austin looked from Grant to Carrie uncertainly and then back again. Several seconds later he composed himself and smiled widely.
"Grant! Wow, how long has it been?"

The grumbling of Marlena's stomach roused her from her doze. Counting back, she realized that she hadn't eaten for almost a whole day. More than likely neither had John. She extricated herself from John's arms with the utmost of care and rolled over to the edge of the bed, untangling herself from the sheet in the process.

Yawning, she slipped out of the bed and picked up her peach robe from the floor. She wrapped it around herself in a futile attempt to insulate herself from the cool morning air, and knotted the tie around her waist. She peered into the mirror and made a face as she quickly pulled the brush through her tousled hair.

Unconsciously holding her breath she moved to the door and tried the handle. It was still stuck fast and Marlena closed her eyes in frustration.
"Eugene Bradford," she shook her head, "when I eventually get out of here, you are going to have some serious explaining to do." She muttered the threat under her breath.

Still, she couldn't be entirely angry with him. If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't be here now with John in her bed. John is in my bed! Every so often it seemed to hit her and she felt as if she couldn't contain her joy. She wanted to dance and sing and tell the whole world that she was back where she belonged.

She sat on the edge of the bed and watched his beloved face for a moment. Aside from her children, she loved this man more than anyone or anything else in this whole world and she could hardly believe he was here with her now. She sat for a long moment, just watching him sleep. Dancing and singing were not on the agenda right now. A hot shower would have to suffice. Her eyes wandered over his body. His chest and his arms were exposed, the rest of him covered lightly by the sheet. A slow, sexy smile spread across her face. Maybe a cold shower would be more appropriate.

Sami's face lit up as Shawn and Caroline appeared around the door and came into the room.
"Thanks goodness you're here!" she greeted them with a brilliant smile. "I've been going mad with boredom." Caroline kissed her granddaughter on the cheek.
"Well you're certainly looking better dear."
"I'm feeling much better." Sami replied. "Now if you could just go and tell Dr. Horton that, maybe we can get out of here."
"Not so fast Sami." Mike stood at the door, an amused expression on his face. "You?ll go home when I 'm satisfied that you're well enough to go home. And when I know that you have some help.

Sami pursed her lips in an effort to look annoyed, and laughter chased the frown away. Mike turned to Caroline. "I want someone to stay with Sami while she's recovering. She's not going to be able to do much with that injured arm, so she's going to need a lot of help. Especially with Will." Caroline nodded and patted Mike's arm in a motherly fashion.
"She can stay with us at the pub Mike. There's always plenty of people willing to lend a hand there." He nodded and walked over to the end of the bed.

He picked up the chart and flicked through it.
"That sounds good. I'll probably keep you in here for one more night Sami. Just to be on the safe side. You should be able to go tomorrow morning." Sami's shoulder's slumped slightly but she graciously nodded her head.
"Thanks Dr. Horton." He put the chart back on the end of the bed and looked at his watch.
"Well I have rounds. I'll see you all later. Not too much excitement for the patient please." He winked at Sami and left the room.

Sami turned her attention back to her grandparents, her eyes alighting on the bag that Shawn held at his side.
"You got it!" she exclaimed with relief. "Oh thank you *so* much." Shawn handed the bag to her and she quickly flicked through the contents, assuring herself that everything was still there. Caroline loked at Shawn. They had been tempted to sneak a look in Sami's bag to find out what was so important, but neither of them had been willing to break her trust. Shawn turned to Sami.
"So what's so important then?" he asked lightly. Sami's demeanor became serious.
"It actually belongs to someone else and it's kind of private" She ineffectively tried to cover the guilt she felt but her grandparents either didn't see it to they chose to ignore it.

"So have you managed to locate Mom or John yet?" she asked brightly, attempting to change the subject.
"No." Caroline perched on the side of the hospital bed. "I called the penthouse again this morning, but there was still no answer."
"Well, the two of them can't have just vanished into thin air!" Sami exclaimed. "If you ask me, it seems more and more likely that the two of them are together. Wherever they are."
"Well actually..." Caroline said slowly, "Belle and Brady told us this morning that they think that John was at the penthouse before Eugene brought them to us."
"I told you this morning' Caroline. Those kiddies will say what they think you want to hear." Shawn shook his head, not ready to believe it unless he saw it with his own eyes.
"And I told you Shawn Brady. I think they were telling the truth."
"Well if they were, where are Mom and John now?" Sami asked curiously.

Marlena slipped the silky robe off her shoulders, letting it fall in a languid pile at her feet.. She opened the shower door a fraction and tested the water with her fingers as clouds of steam billowed into the room. She adjusted the tap until she judged it right and opened the door up fully. She stepped into the shower, her body tingling as the spikes of hot water collided with her skin.

She luxuriated in the hot water, feeling it run through her hair and slither down her body. It washed away the tension that she felt in her shoulder and soothed the stiff muscles that she had developed from the previous evening's exertions. Stepping out of the hot jet of water, she wiped her eyes and reached for the liquid body-wash that hang from the shower head. She started as a hand reached past her and took the body-wash.
"Why don't you let me do that for you?" John's hand slipped around Marlena's waist and he pulled her round. There was a thud as the bottle hit the bottom of the shower.

Q kicked the door shut behind him. He had thought about going to the Brady's to pick up the children, but without doubt there would have been more questioning and he really couldn't be bothered. Besides which, a children-free afternoon might be quite nice for the lovers upstairs. Q tripped over a toy truck on the way to the couch. He booted the offending article out of the way and slumped down on the couch with a bag of salt and vinegar chips.

The real truth of the matter was that Q wasn't terribly keen on children. He couldn't really see the point of them. They just got in the way. Still, Marlena and John seemed to like them. And when they want them back, they can go and get them. He smiled. Then *they* can do the explaining.
"Speaking of which..." he said to himself. He looked at the window, gauging the height of the sun. Then, his fingers pressed together, he looked at his wristwatch. The click of his fingers coincided with a click in the door handle mechanism upstairs.

Marlena and John were oblivious to the fact that the door was unlocked. They were oblivious to everything else but themselves. John found Marlena's tongue with his as he pulled her slippery body tight against his. She melted into his kiss with a fervour that surprised both of them. He stepped back to look at her and she quickly snaked her arms round his neck, pulling his head forward with the back of her hand. John stroked his hands down her back and squeezed her buttocks lightly as he explored the inside of her mouth. One hand made it's way up her body, lingering at her breast for a moment before burrowing its way into the hair at the top of her neck.

Hungrily Marlena kissed him again, wanting to possess him more than ever. She moaned as he pulled her head away from his, but sighed as he transferred his attentions to her throat. His licks and kisses mingled with the rivulets of water which ran down the exposed flesh, driving Marlena wild with desire. Digging her fingernails into his shoulders, she hooked one leg high around his waist, feeling his hardness against her.

"Not yet." He whispered in her ear before taking her earlobe in his mouth and coating it in saliva with his tongue. Marlena's breaths were coming in short hard bursts and she molded her palms around his perfect buttocks, pulling her against him rhythmically. John groaned and pushed her away from him. She gasped with shock as he pushed her back up against the white tiles of the shower. The coolness of the tiles invaded the contact points of her skin and she tried to move away but John's strong arm kept her against the wall.

Keeping his eyes locked on hers and his hand firmly on her stomach, he leant down to get the body-wash. He flicked the top open and poured some into the palm of his hand. Dropping the bottle again, he rubbed his hands together, creating a creamy foam. Applying his hands to Marlena's body, he began to rub his hands in small circular motions. First he applied it to her neck and shoulders, then over her arms, soaping right down to her fingertips. All the while looking at her eyes, he replenished his supply and began to massage her breasts. Marlena arched her back as he found her most sensitive spots. Gliding his hands down her waist he bathed her stomach and the soft curve of her hips. His hands slid smoothly to her rear and over to the curves to the top of her legs.

Marlena closed her eyes and reveled in the feeling of John's expert hands on her body. He knelt down on the shower floor and used two hands to soap each smooth leg. With one smooth stroke he slid his hands up the inside of her soapy legs. She gasped as he reached the top of her thighs and succumbed to their pressure, adjusting her position. She gripped the soap tray with one hand as he moved in with his tongue and began to explore her.

John used his mouth and fingers alternately to drive Marlena crazy. A scream emanated from somewhere within her as he began to suck insistently on her most sensitive spot.
"Oh God!" she sobbed. "John.." Another harsh pant escaped her as she became overwhelmed again. Gaining some semblance of control, she moved her hands down to his shoulders and pushed him away. John was just as ready as she was and he happily acquiesced.

Working his mouth up over her body, he pulled himself upright and gathered her into his arms. He brushed the hair from her face and covering her rear with his large hands, he lifted her up against him. In the same movement, Marlena lifted her legs and crossed them tightly around his hips, the soap washed from her thighs by the hot stream of water. She folded her arms firmly around John?s neck running her fingers through his soaking hair. Supporting her against the wall, John couldn?t help but close his eyes as he slid slowly into her. It took all his control not to come straight away as her warm wetness enveloped him.

Feeling him enter her, Marlena cried out his name and leant back against the wall, all her concentration on the feeling of his thrusts.
"Oh *God*!" John?s exclamation was muffled as he buried his face in her breasts. Never slackening his pace, he took one of her nipples in his mouth and began to suck on it, softly at first, then a little harder.
"Oh!" Marlena pulled herself against John harder, quickening the rhythm. "Oh John. Don't stop." John drew his head back and shook it with wide eyes.
"I'm not about to Doc!" A laugh escaped Marlena's reddened lips and she bent her head to meet his. A passionate kiss later the pace renewed, becoming more and more frantic.

Marlena reached her orgasm first, emitting a scream as she sank her face into John?s dripping hair. John felt her muscles go tense but he held on as the waves of her climax subsided. Sustaining a slightly slower rhythm he set about arousing her again, using his tongue to further inflame her already swollen nipples. Marlena, astounded at his stamina, quickly lost her surprise as she was swept away by the currents racing through her body. Every stroke, every taste compounded her ecstasy, her breaths coming in gasps now.

When she was almost sobbing, John quickened the pace again, thrusting into her, needing to possess her completely. Marlena raked her fingernails up his back, so totally lost in her desire that she left deep scratches in his dark skin. John hardly felt the pain as he concentrated every bit of his consciousness on bringing Marlena to the brink of another orgasm. As she reached it and he felt her go rigid, he finally gave in to the demands of his body and let the waves sweep him away.

Exhausted, Marlena lay her head on John/s shoulder. A chill in the water finally brought an awareness of their surroundings and John gently lowered Marlena to the floor. Opening the door, he turned off the tap and stepped out onto the bath mat. Taking a big fluffy white towel from the heated rail, he wrapped it around a shivering Marlena. Another one fitted snugly around his waist. Wiping the water off her face with his fingers, he smiled at her.
"Now what did you think you were doing taking a shower without me?"

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