Chapter 2 - The Offer Everyone May Not Be Able To Refuse


John arrives at the police station. He enters the area where Stefano's being held. He pauses. "Okay John keep your cool. Don't let him get the best of you. Jack's life depends on it. John takes a deep breath and comes up to the cell. Stefano's staring at his chessboard. John taps on the glass. "You've got company." "Why John. How good it is to see you. What is it that I can do for you?" "You can tell me where Peter is." "Peter is dead." "I know that he's alive. Now tell me where he is." "I have nothing to say." "Give it up old man! You're never going to get out of here unless you co-operate." "Never say never John." "I'm going to take great pleasure in watching you rot in jail." John turns to leave. "John, I have an offer I would like to extend to you." John pauses and turns back to Stefano. "This should be good. All right what's your offer?" "You drop all of the charges against me and I will give you the cure for Roman." "What kind of sick game are you playing old man?" John turns away from Stefano. "I am not interested in being your pawn again." "Oh John, this is no game. Some of my special doctors have come up with a cure." John turns back to Stefano and bangs on the glass. "This is just a trick and I am not falling for it." John starts to walk away. "What if it isn't a trick John?" John pauses. "Can you really take that chance? Will you be able to forgive yourself if Roman dies and it was you who let him? What will Marlena think?" "You leave Marlena out of this. You hear me. You will never hurt us again. Consider your offer rejected." John leaves the police station, but before he does he calls Marlena to gather the entire family at the DiMera mansion.

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At Carrie's apartment
Eric and Jesse sit on the couch and begin to talk. "Ok, first things first. Do you want me to stay in Salem?" "Yes of course I do I need you now more than ever." "All right I'll call into work tomorrow. Next do we want Maddie here with us? I really can't stand being away from her. I know that she might be in the way if she does come here." "No, she could never be in the way. I want her here." "Where are the three of us going to live?" "We could stay here." "This place is only big enough for two people, Eric. What if Carrie's roommate comes back? We need to find a place to stay." "How about the DiMera mansion?" "You're joking right." "No, I'm serious. I can be close to my dad, Maddie can play with Belle and Brady, and there would be no rent to pay." "Are you sure about that?" "We'll talk to mom and John about it and see what they say." "Finally, I need to find a job. I guess there are always jobs available for social workers it's not like it is the most glamorous job there is." "Well there is The Horton Center. They're always looking for social workers down there. The Hortons are family friends so I think I can pull a few strings to get you in."

"Why don't we call Maddie?" Jesse dials the Evanses phone number. Madison picks up the phone on the first ring. "Hello, Who is dis?" "Maddie, sweetheart it's Mommy!" "Hi ya mommy! Is daddy there?" "Maddie what did I tell you about calling Eric daddy?" "Not Daddy until after weddin." "Are you being a good girl for grandma and grandpa?" "Yes me being berry good mommy." "Can I talk to grandma or grandpa?' "Sure, I go find them." Martha walks into the living room and she notices that the phone is off the hook. "Hello?" "Martha, its Jesse." "Oh Jesse! I didn't even hear the phone ring. I swear that child of yours has radar when it comes to knowing when a call is coming in. How is everything there in Salem?" "It is crazy as you would expect, but we're taking it one step at a time. I've decided that I am going to be staying in Salem." "What are you going to do with Maddie?" "Well I need a few days to get settled, but I would appreciate it if you book a flight for her this weekend." "We're going to miss her, but she does need to be with her mother." "And I need her. Could you put her on the phone again? Take care Martha and thanks again for taking care of Maddie." "Hi Mommy! I miss you! When you comin' home?" "Well sweetheart I am going to see you very soon! You're going to ride in a big airplane to see mommy." "I am!" "Yes you are honey." "Is daddy Eric going to be there too." "Yes he is and some very nice people here can't wait to meet you. So I want you to be a very good girl and mommy will see you very soon. I love you baby." "I wuv you too mommy! Goodbye." "Goodbye my angel." Tears are streaming down Jesse's face as she hangs up the phone. Eric takes her into his arms. "She's going to be fine. Just think in a couple of days she will be right here with us."

The phone rings, its Marlena. "Eric I want you and Jesse to come over to the mansion as soon as possible." "Is dad all right?" "He's fine John says he has something important to tell the entire family. I am assuming it has something to do with Stefano." "Can you come over now?" "Sure, we'll be right over."

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At the DiMera mansion
Marlena, Roman, Caroline, and Shawn are in the living room when Jesse and Eric arrive. "Hi grandma, grandpa I would like for you to meet my fiancée Jesse Hayes." "Yes, Marlena told us all about her." "It's nice to meet both of you. I've heard so much about you that I feel like I already know you." Caroline says, "I wish we could say the same about you dear. Tell me do you have any brothers or sisters?" "No none that I know of." Caroline has a confused look on her face. "I should explain. I was adopted. I always wondered if I might have some biological brothers or sisters out there."

Sami and Austin walk into the room. "We have some wonderful news for everyone. Austin asked me to renew our wedding vows." Sami sits down on the couch next to her father. "So daddy you are going to get your wish, you're going to be able to walk me down the aisle of St. Luke's. We're going to do it tomorrow." Roman hugs Sami. "That's wonderful Peanut. Now only Carrie and Mike are left to get married." "What are you talking about", Sami asks. "Eric's getting married too." Sami finally notices Jesse. Jesse speaks first. "Hello SAMI." Sami puts on that fake smile. "Hello JESSE." Everyone in the room could see the tension between these two girls. "So you finally landed my brother." "Yes, after all those years of chasing him, I finally caught him. I see that you finally trapped I mean caught a man as well." Just as things were about to get ugly John walks into the room.

Eric is the first to speak. "John, what's going on?" "Why doesn't everyone sit down and I'll tell you." John sits down on the coffee table in front of Roman. "Stefano has made me an offer." "What's the offer?" "He says that he knows of a cure for Roman and all I have to do is drop all of the charges against him. Roman I have no idea if he is telling the truth. My gut says not to trust him, but I do know that if it's our only chance to save you we have to take it. Roman it's your call." Just as Roman is about to speak Carrie and Mike walk in. "Wow everyone's here. We have some wonderful news dad. A doctor Banning from the convention thinks he can help you dad. He is heading to the ISA clinic in the Caribbean to consult with your doctors and as soon as they come up with the proper treatment they will let us know. Dad it looks really promising." Roman hugs his daughter. "John you can tell Stefano to go to hell. I would never accept any help from him whether I was dying or not."

Sami pulls Carrie aside. "Carrie I have some wonderful news for you." "Oh really?" "Yes, Austin and I are going to renew our wedding vows tomorrow. I would like for you to be my maid of honor." Carrie's dying inside, but she knows that she has to act happy for her father's sake. "Yes, I will be your maid of honor." "I am going to be wearing the dress I wore for our first wedding in Paris. Carrie you could wear the dress from mom's wedding." "Whatever you want Sami. Please excuse me I really need some air."

Carrie heads to the garden with tears in her eyes. Carrie bumps into Eric. "Carrie, what's wrong?" "The man I love is once again marrying another woman." "Sami told you about her and Austin renewing their vows." "Yes, she couldn't wait. She had the nerve to ask me to be the maid of honor." "What did you say?" "What could I say? I had no choice I had to say yes. Why is she doing this?" "Dad said that he wanted to walk one of his daughters down the isle before he dies. I think you should talk to Austin." "I've tried. When I was in LA I left a message for him on his machine and he never got back to me. I just have to accept that we will never be together." Jesse speaks up. "Well if you ask me Sami is up to something." "Carrie this is my fiancée Jesse Hayes." "I remember Eric telling me about you, but you never mentioned being engaged." Carrie hugs Eric. "You weren't the only one." Mike comes out to the garden to comfort Carrie. "Are you going to be all right?" "I'll be fine Mike. It's not like I haven't been through this before." "I'm going to the hospital to check in. If you need me just call my beeper." "Thanks Mike! I don't know what I would do without you." Mike gives her a peck on the cheek and leaves. "He seems like a really nice guy." "He sure is. I think I am going to go back to my place. Are you guys going?" "Yeah, we'll all ride together."

To be continued…

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