Please forgive the quirkiness of this post as it is an homage to the late, great Jack Lemmon.

[Slowly approaching the camp, Laura's dull cloudy eyes blindly scan the area.]

Bob: Laura? [Turning towards him, she leans against the supply crate as the haze begins to dissipate but says nothing.] Are you all right? I was kind of concerned...after you left last night Stephano just seemed to disappear--I thought you might be in some kind of trouble.

[Wearily], I'm fine.

Bob: [Unconvinced], You don't look fine...you look like Hell.

[Chuckling], Well, nobody's perfect...[Her eyes darken.] Okay, maybe not fine, but I'll survive. [Smiling weakly, her tone is flat and emotionless.] Besides Stephano is nothing more that a paper tiger these days.

Bob: [Bob's eyes follow Laura's over to Stephano and Reilly in the midst of a heated discussion.] Maybe he's trying to save the tiger.

[Watching the scene intently, Laura's eyes narrow.] Perhaps...[Stephano angrily huffs away.] but to me it looks more like two grumpy old men sitting around debating their glory days.

Bob: Are you sure?

[Turning, glassy eyes demand Bob's undivided attention.] If I've learned nothing else, I've learned that where Stephano is concerned one can never be sure of anything. [Pausing], But I can't live my life in limbo...trying to plan for every possible contingency. That's doomed to fail from the outset. [Out of the corner of her eye, Laura sees Susan, clad only in her nauseating blue suede bikini, approaching Reilly. Offering him a sultry, buck-toothed grin, she sits in his lap. Mumbling, Laura visibly shudders.] Ugh...talk about your odd couple.

Kim: [Dumping yet another container of Brady Chowder into a kettle, Kim glances around for a spoon.] Laura, can you hand me that spoon?

[Peevishly, she casts her eyes into the crate beside her.] Spoon...[picking it up], you dumb ignoramus. [Jabs it in Kim's chest.] It's a ladle.

Kim: [Rolling her eyes.] Fine...[Sarcastically], Can you hand me the ladle? [Taking it from Laura's hand], You know just because you and Marlena are at each other's throats doesn't mean the rest of us want to see your psycho routine.

[Sighs heavily], You're right. I'm sorry. [Picking up a deck of cards, Laura slides to the ground and sits beside Bob.]

Bob: You wanna talk about it? [Confronted with Laura's blank expression, he presses forward.] What happened between you and Marlena I mean. [Laura shifts uncomfortably.] Does it have something to do with Shane?

[Laura's troubled eyes glow as she smiles tightly and hands him the cards.] Shut up and deal.

[After a couple of games, the silence grows heavy.] Bob, has there been any word on Jennifer?

Bob: [Shrugs awkwardly], None but the obvious...Missing...

[Closing her eyes, Laura lets her head falls back as she sighs exhaustedly. Tilting slightly to the side, her eyes slit open and fasten on Bob--black and haunted. Her raspy whisper pierces him.] I think I'm gonna go lay down for a while...I didn't get much rest last night. [Without further comment, she leaves.]

~~~

[Stretching out on top of the sleeping bags, Laura gives into the emotional unrest of the last few days. Quietly], I just want to love something...a dog, a cat...something. [Her reverie is broken by the sounds of someone else entering the tent. Thinking that it's Marlena, she tiredly curls herself into a ball.]

Shane: Laura? [With uneasy eyes, he waits for her to look at him. Forgetting about his fork wound, Shane sits the medical bag down and reaches tentatively to touch Laura's shoulder. Her small cry his call to action. Gently he turns her towards him. Her honeyed eyes steal his breath.] Darling...what is it?

[Saying nothing, she allows her desperation to take control and kisses him longingly. Wrapping her arms securely around his neck, her lips make a path across his jaw over to his ear. Her insistent whisper sends a shiver down his spine.] Hold me...just hold me...[pulling herself closer], don't ever let go.

Shane: [Smiling], Never. [Rolling over onto his back, he takes her with him. His hands trail down her spine to settle in the small of her back. His eyes seer into her flesh.] Magic time. [Laura's lips curl playfully as she descends to meet him and he smothers her breathy moan.]

Grace: [Walking into the tent, Grace can't stifle her amused chuckle.] Well, who knew I was interrupting the days of wine and roses? [Laura rolls away from Shane and turns her fuming glare upon Grace's inquiring smirk.] Don't fret, Dear...it's becoming quite apparent that while some like it hot, [Arching her eyebrow, she shifts her eyes towards Shane.] others like it neurotic and psychotic.
confessed by Laura at 8:00 PM

*Time for the Next Vote!*

(wading out of bubble wrap and dusting off packing peanuts)

Time for the next vote! If I don't mortally wound myself hauling big ass boxes down stairs tomorrow, voting will stay open until 5 p.m. ET tomorrow (that would be Saturday). I already have some votes, so if you've already voted, then know that your vote has already been counted.

BEHAVE yourselves....
confessed by Your Host, The Big BadAss at 4:15 PM

Roman Brady *Confessional*

Roman walks out from his tent and walks over to his favorite tree stump and thinks to himself that something is really wrong with Doc. I can't believe Shane hasn't discovered anything to help us in all the reports I gave him. Maybe he's spending way too much time with Laura and forgetting what the hell his job is on this island. I know DiMera is behind all this but I just can't put my finger on what he's done to Doc. Maybe it's the fork. Maybe it's that whore of a sister-in-law, Hope, that's making Doc act so strange. She (Hope) blames everything on DiMera but I know she had the fork. I know she loves being Giner and screwing John. Why should I care if Hope and John hook up? Maybe Doc will see John for what he really is, a pecker happy baby maker, and finally realize that he's not the man she thinks he is. I know Doc's in big trouble and I've got to get it through John's head. Where the hell has John been? I guess I'll have to go find Marlena and see if I can trick her into telling me who is doing what to her. Should be pretty easy since Doc is now just a wussy pod with no backbone. Maybe she'll come clean with me and I can get to the bottom of this before this island washes away with the tide or I'm washed away by all these sickos here.
confessed by Roman Brady at 7:57 AM

Explain what Stefano? I don't see where I have anything to explain. Whereas I'd quite like to know how the hell Hope Brady thinks she's some two-bit Princess. Princess my ass.

Stefano: [Looking peevish.] Pah, that imbecile? She is quite crazy, but she is of some use. [Looks at Grace speculatively.] My dear, why did you not come straight to me?

[Raises her eyebrows with a wicked grin.] I've been a little busy.

Stefano: [Face darkens.] You aren't being terribly discreet.

[Laughs, a cold hard edge to her voice.] Why on earth would I want to be discreet? What would that accomplish?

Stefano: If they discover that you are not Marlena, they will do everything to bring Marlena back, don't you understand that? [Slides his fingers across her shoulder.] I have been without you too long Grace to give you up now.

They won't figure it out. [She rolls her eyes.] They're idiots.

Stefano: Laura Horton is not an idiot and yet you seem to delight in pushing every one of her buttons.

[Chuckles as she catches his hand in hers.] It's just too easy to get under Laura's skin. I can't help myself; those buttons are just sitting there, begging to be pushed. [Narrows her eyes with a speculative air.] There's something about her.... [her lips curl into a sensual smile] ... given a push in the right direction I have the feeling our dear sweet Laura the shrink could be a borderline psychopath. [Laughs.] Sometimes, despite my best efforts, I really like that woman.

Stefano: [Can't help but smile himself] Grace, I have missed you. But be careful. Of Laura. Of the dashing Mr. Donovan. [he raises one bushy brow] Most importantly, if John Black ever makes it back to camp, stay out of his way. He will know immediately that you are not Marlena and he will not rest until he has her back.

Well, he seems *so* very worried about her at the moment, doesn't he? [Voice drips with sarcasm.] Don't worry Stefano, I know what I'm doing. I can handle John Black. [Turns and saunters back towards the camp...]
confessed by Marlena at 5:27 AM