"Of course it's me you half-wit," Marlena replies impatiently. "Would you like to tell me what is going on -" She pulls up as she sees the look on his face. "Stefano?" Her back straightens almost imperceptibly. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."
"Grace." He repeats the name with a shake of his head. He blinks several times, trying to rein in the tenuous grasp on his emotions. And then a smile curls across his lips. "Grace." The name is now silky and sensuous on his tongue as he releases his grip on the bedclothes.
"Stefano, what is going on?" Her self-assurance has been replaced by a modicum of uncertainty as she sees the utter shock on his face. However it is soon replaced by what looks like elation. It makes little sense... unless... "Stefano?"
"My darling Grace," he takes her hand in his and those hazel eyes narrow once again.
"Stefano," her lips curve into a sensual smile as she turns her whole body to him. "Would you care to let me in on the joke?"
"No joke my dear," he takes a deep breath and then nods. "Of course you wish to know what is going on. I'm afraid you will not like what I have to tell you."
"Stefano darling," she reaches out her free hand and touches warm fingers to the new lines that are etched on his familiar face. "This accident... It wasn't the job, was it?"
Stefano looks thoughtful as he considers what to tell her. "No." He shakes his head. "Not this time my dear. We are no longer in Europe. I am afraid that was quite a time ago."
"How long?" she demands, a little fear in her eyes. He is not used to seeing fear in Grace's eyes and it takes him aback a little. But then, he is not sure he can blame her.
"It is the year two thousand," he tells her quietly.
She processes the information silently, turning the implications over in her mind as she chews on her lip. Then, she nods her head. "So tell me. Tell me what happened."
"Oh my Grace," he cannot stifle the laugh which comes to his throat. He has almost forgotten how stunning she can be. "Grace, you have been living in Salem for the past nine years. You have been living as Dr. Marlena Evans."
"Oh *God*," she looks immediately disgusted. "You *are* joking? Please tell me you're joking."
"I am afraid, no I am not joking," Stefano shrugs easily. "There was nothing I could do. I tried to get you back... but..." He shakes his head again, his eyes falling to her hand, which is still in his.
"I've been living as that boring do-gooder bitch for *nine* years?" She seems stunned and more than a little contemptuous. "Oh God, *Stefano*?!"
"Marlena is not a *bitch*," Stefano answers harshly, the curse awkward on his tongue.
"Ah, but she's nowhere as much fun as I am, is she?" Grace fixes him with a sensual smile and he feels a tremor travel his spine. Not only has he forgotten how stunning she is, he has forgotten how much he desires her. And how she plays with him.
"I thought not." Her fingers trace circles in the palm of his hand and he finds it hard to breathe. "So what happened that I went back to life as June Cleaver?"
"You had an accident my dear," Stefano pulls his hand away from hers, unwilling to let her see the effect she is having on him. Of course, it is pointless because she knows it anyway. She always has, and she flaunts it. "You, ah, you had a fall. And when you awoke in San Cristobal... well..." he shrugs again.
"If you had me in *that* hovel, no wonder I didn't want to remember," she crosses her arms petulantly.
"Grace, I had no choice, they were looking for you." He raises his thick brows again. "I couldn't take the chance that they might find you. I couldn't risk losing you."
"It sounds rather like you did anyway," Grace raises only a single fine eyebrow in return. "So Marlena found her way back to Salem I presume?"
"You did."
Grace regards him with an expressionless face and he remembers again why they made such a successful team. Gina had been such a failure after his beautiful Grace.
Grace looks away from him and then her eyes are drawn to the closed door. Beyond the entrance, the other man stands uncomfortably alone. She had not recognized him at first, but as her mind clears, the memories start to slip back into her consciousness.
"And him?" she nods in that direction, unsure that she wants to hear the answer. She already knows it though and it comes as no surprise when Stefano answers.
"Your husband. He's your husband, Grace."
~
John leans on the desk outside the hospital room, his head in his hands. He doesn't understand how things have gotten so out of control so fast. Just this morning, things were fine... Well no, they weren't fine. He has been lying to his wife for months now. He has no-one to blame for these events but himself. Well, that's not quite right either. He can blame Stefano. Stefano, who is in with Marlena even now...
He groans miserably. She hates him. He can see it in her eyes. She would rather talk to *Stefano* than hear his explanation. She would rather hear what that *bastard* has to say than to give the time to her own husband. Her own husband who betrayed her. Who lied to her over and over...
He looks up in the direction of the room. Her expression is one of disgust and then she looks up. Her eyes fix onto his and for a moment, he feels a chill travel through him. Then she looks back at Stefano, and to John's complete surprise, she laughs.
~
"Him?" Grace laughs derisively. "Oh please, Stefano. You *must* be joking. She's still married to *him*?"
"No," he shakes his head. "Although he no longer goes by the name of Roman Brady. The world knows him as John Black now. But I will tell you *that* story some other time." He purses his lips and regards her carefully before looking towards the door where John stands, desolate. "I've always wondered what you see in him."
"Oh no," the laugh is scornful. "Not *me*, Stefano. *She* is obviously as boring as he is. That might well be the attraction." She looks thoughtful as she remembers John's words from earlier. "What was he blathering about a submarine?"
"Ah," Stefano nods, "it is a long story, but ultimately, that is the reason *you* are here my dear, and Marlena isn't."
"Maybe I should thank him," Grace returns, the irony thick in her smooth voice. "So when do we get out of here?"
"Get out?" Stefano isn't quite sure he understands.
"Stefano I've been in this dreary little town for five minutes and I already feel like I'm suffocating." Grace rolled her eyes. "When do we go back to Europe?"
"We don't my beautiful Grace," Stefano shakes his head. "I'm sorry my dear, but I have things I need to take care of in Salem." He eyes her speculatively. "Besides, now that you have re-joined me, there are a plethora of options open to us."
"But these people think I'm Saint Marlena," Grace glares at him. "Stefano, you must be going mad."
"No, no, no," Stefano waves his finger in the air. "Grace, you must understand. These people are certainly less sophisticated than those in your usual circles. But they are interesting, nonetheless. And they provide amusement that you could not dream of finding in the finest European houses."
Grace stares at him from under long lashes. She is less than enthralled by what she thinks he is suggesting.
"The fact that they think you are still Marlena simply makes the avenues of interest all the more tempting." He smiles at her and she returns his look with a bored one of her own.
"Stefano, don't you think there are bigger fish to fry than these backwater imbeciles?" she asks hopefully.
"Maybe so my dear, but this is where we are and this is where we are staying for now. I have work for you to do."
"You'd better come up with a better incentive than you have so far," Grace remains unconvinced. "Or I'll find my own way back to Europe." She reaches out her hand and draws one finger down over Stefano's jaw, trailing it down his neck to where his shirt meets in a vee above the top button. Her voice is thick and husky as she speaks. "And don't think that I can't."
Stefano swallows, his pulse suddenly racing again as he tears himself away from her tawny eyes. "I simply ask you to trust me Grace. I will explain everything to you when we have time. Right now, we don't have the luxury of much of that." He grasps her hand in his. "John must be getting impatient out there by now and he is bound to interrupt sooner rather than later."
"Great." Grace rolls her eyes.
"I want you to pretend to be Marlena, at least until we work out what to do," Stefano insists. "You and I both know you are more than capable."
Grace is silent for long moments as she eyes Stefano and then raises her gaze to the door. "He cheated on her didn't he? That was why he was so pathetic earlier."
"Yes," Stefano nods. "He is weak and he is a fool. He believes that his indiscretion can be excused because he does not remember the time in question."'
"Oh Stefano," a smile spreads steadily across her face. "What have you been doing?"
"What I always do my dear, throwing a little spice in the mix and seeing what develops."
"I assume since I am in this," she looks around distastefully, "quaint little hospital, that Marlena did not take the news well?"
"You assume well, Grace." Stefano nods. "She was distraught, both by the fact that her husband betrayed her trust on their honeymoon, and by the fact that he has been lying to her ever since."
Grace chuckles slightly. "Their honeymoon?" It is a double-edged question. She looks up to the doorway where she finds John watching her and she bites back her amusement. If she is to go along with Stefano's plan, it will not do to be seen being too friendly with him. "Goodness Stefano, she can't even keep him interested *that* long?"
"I told you," Stefano's voice is gruff as he stands, "he is a fool. Maybe it will take you, Grace, to teach him what a fool he really is."
Grace raises one eyebrow lazily as she lies back against the pillows. "Maybe it will," she sighs languidly. "At least it might serve as a diversion until you're done here."
"Ah, don't worry my dear. There will be plenty of diversions." Stefano's laugh is fluid and full of promise and Grace feels a tremor of pleasure filter through her consciousness.
Maybe this won't be so bad after all.