Chapter 27 - Tears and Heartache

John and Marlena arrive home to see the mansion surrounded by guards. They enter the house to find Abe on the phone. John walks up to one of the officers. "Is there any word on Stefano?" "No, not yet." Abe hangs up the phone. John and Marlena approach Abe. "Any news yet?" "I just got a tip that the transport van was spotted out by the air port. I'm going out there personally to check it out." "Thanks partner. I'd like…" John suddenly stops in mid sentence. "John, go. We'll be fine." "Are you sure?" "Yes." The three of them head to the door. Abe tries to reassure John and Marlena. "There are guards both inside and outside this house. There's no way Stefano can get in." "Thanks Abe." Abe walks out the door. John follows him but stops. "I want you to rest while I'm gone. I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you." "I love you too. You be careful." "I always am Doc." John kisses Marlena and leaves.

Marlena closes the door and walks into the living room. There are two guards keeping watch. Marlena walks over to the window, as she stares out the window she tries to act as though the guards aren't there. Megan walks into the room. "Mom? Mom, what's going on?" "Oh! Honey, did uncle Abe tell you anything when he picked you up from school?" "No, he just said that I had to go home with him. What's wrong?" "I don't know where to begin. Honey, Stefano has escaped." Marlena can see the fear on her daughter's face. She turns to the guards. "Would you mind leaving us alone?" "No. Dr. Evans we'll be right outside if you need us." "Thank you." Marlena closes the doors. "How can this be? Dad said that there was no way that Stefano could escape from his cell." "It happened while they were moving him to a maximum security prison." "What if he's coming for you and me? What if he wants to take us away? What if…" "Megan sit down." "No, I don't want to sit." "Megan sit down." Megan sits down on the couch. "Stefano is never going to take either one of us. I won't let him." "Where's dad?" "He and Abe are following up on a lead." "Do you think they'll find him?" Before Marlena can answer there's a very loud knock at the door. "You can't go in there." "THE HELL I CAN'T!" Sami comes barging into the room. "I WANT TO TALK TO YOU MOTHER!" She looks a Megan. "ALONE!" Megan gets up from the couch and walks right over to Sami. "Nice to see you again, sis." Megan leaves the room and closes the door behind her. "I don't ever want to hear you talk to your sister like that again! Do you hear me? Now what's wrong?" "I received these papers today." Sami holds an envelope up. "What are they for?" "YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT THEY'RE FOR!" "Don't speak to me like that! NO, I don't know what those papers are for." "Lucas is suing me for sole custody of Will." "I can't believe he was able to get a court date so soon." "You knew! You knew and you didn't tell me?!" "Sami!" "NO, as if it's not bad enough that I just found out about this today but then I read the papers and I see that my own mother is going to testify against me. How could you do this to me mother?" "I'm doing this for Will." "Taking a child away from it's mother is what's best for him? Do you remember that I grew up without a mother and everyone keeps telling me how screwed up I am. Do you really want that for Will?" "No I don't want Will to grow up without his mother but you have gone too far too many times with your schemes to get Austin. Your schemes always include little Will and he always ends up in danger. Do I need to remind you about Mary? Sami, you almost lost Will for good. You are so obsessed with getting Austin for yourself that you will use anyone including your own son to get him. You're obsessed with him and that's not healthy. You need help." "I'm fine. I don't need anyone's help! Least of all your help! Go ahead and testify for Lucas because as far as I'm concerned my mother died eleven years ago!" Tears fill in Marlena's eyes. Sami's words cut like a knife through Marlena's heart. Sami storms out of the room. Marlena runs after her. "Samantha Gene! Sami, come back!" Suddenly Marlena gets a sharp pain in her stomach. It lasts for a couple of seconds. When the pain passes Marlena continues to go after Sami. She catches up to her just outside the door. "Sami! Wait!" "I have nothing more to say to you. Do what you want. I just don't care anymore." Sami walks away. Marlena cries in the doorway. She falls to the ground. "How can I do this to her?" Marlena continues to sob. One of the guards comes to the door. "Dr. Evans? Are you all right?" The guard helps her up. Marlena wipes the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine." "Do you want me to call your doctor or Mr. Black?" "No, no, no! I'm fine. Really I am. I'm going up to my room to lie down." "I'll be down here if you need me Dr. Evans." "Thank you." The guard leaves. Marlena goes up the stairs. Halfway up she stops and she sits down. Marlena wipes the tears away from her eyes. "Your doing what's best for Will. Your doing what's best for Sami and Will."

John enters the bedroom to see Marlena sound asleep on top of the covers. John sits down on the edge of the bed. Marlena roll on to her other side to see John sitting there. "Hi. How long have you been sitting there?" "Not long." "Did you find Stefano?" "No, but we did find the transport van." "At the air port?" "Yes." "Let me guess there was a plane that left and there was no flight plan or passenger list registered for that flight?" "Give the lady her prize." "So do think he really left?" "I have no idea. I don't know what to think." "I do. I think that we should send away all of those guards down there and we should go on with our lives." "Doc, I'm not going to take the chance that he'll come here and take you or the kids. The guards stay." "John, I'm not going to live my life in fear. I'm not going to let him win." "Keeping you and the kids safe is not letting him win." "You're not going to change your mind." "No." "Well neither am I." "Now what do we do?" "Why don't we keep one guard for the children and one for me? Does that sound reasonable?" "Alright, I guess I can live with that. Now scoot over, I want to join you." Marlena makes room for John. Marlena rests her head on John's chest. "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "Doc, I know you better than that. I know something's wrong, now tell me." "Sami was here earlier." "What happened?" "She was served the papers for the custody hearing today and she also found out that I'm testifying for Lucas." "I'm assuming that she didn't take the news well." "No, we had one heck of an argument." "Doc, are you sure you want to do this?" "John her obsession with Austin is out of control. She needs help and this may be the only way she will get it is if she looses Will. Do I want to do this? No. But I have to do this. I have no other choice but to testify against her. It's not going to be easy but I have to do it."

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Stefano's pacing around the living room in the farmhouse. "Come on Bart! Why the hell haven't you called yet?" Stefano smacks his hand off the couch and dust begins to fly. He coughs. "Damn this old place." Stefano's cell phone begins to ring. "Hello?" "Mr. DiMera, it's Bart." "Yes, did you find it?" "No sir I couldn't find it." "Why not?!" "The servants said that Peter took it. I'm sorry Mr. DiMera." "Do you want me to call Peter and see where it is?" "No…No. I'll handle it myself." "Yes boss. Do you want me to come back to Salem?" "No. You had better stay where you are and lie low for a while. I want everyone in town to think I'm gone. If they see you in town people might get suspicious so I want you to stay where you are. I'll contact you when I need you." Stefano hangs up the phone. What in the hell would Peter need that mirror for? It doesn't matter. I'll just call him and find out where it is. Stefano dials his phone. "Hello. DiMera residence." "Yes Nigel it's Mr. DiMera. Is my son there?" "Yes Mr. DiMera he's right here." Nigel hands Peter the phone. "Father, it's good to hear from you. I assume that you were able to break out of jail." "Yes…yes I was but that's not why I called you. I sent Bart to get the hypnotic mirror that I had and my servants tell me that you took it. I need to know where you have it because I need it for the next part of my plan." "Well I assume that it's still in Paris." "Paris? Why would it be in Paris?" "Kristen and I hung it in her room in Paris. She used it to get John to make love to her so she could get pregnant again right after the miscarriage." "So the mirror is still in Paris?" "I guess so. I don't know." "You don't know! Have I taught you nothing? If that mirror falls into the wrong hands the consequences could be disastrous." "The only person it could affect is John. So why are you so worried?" "I need that mirror. It's a very intrical part of my plan to separate John from Marlena forever! I have to go." Stefano hangs up and immediately calls Bart. "Bart." "Yes Mr. DiMera." "I need you to go to the hotel where John and Kristen stayed in Paris. The mirror is in the bathroom. Get it Bart! I need that mirror to complete the next phase of my plan. Don't let me down!" "I won't Mr. DiMera."

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It's early morning at the Black mansion. John's putting on his suit for the hearing today. Marlena is finally sleeping after a night of tossing and turning. John hates to wake her but he knows he has to. John leans over Marlena and kisses her. Marlena opens her eyes. "Good morning." Marlena smoothes John's tie. "My don't you look handsome?" John smiles. "Thank you. Are you ready for today?" Marlena sits up. "As ready as I'll ever be." John helps Marlena up from the bed and he takes her into his arms. "Are you positive you want to do this?" Marlena pulls away from John. "I'm positive. I have to do this." "If you're sure." "Yes I'm sure. Why don't you check on the kids while I get dressed?" A sharp pain rushes through Marlena's stomach. Marlena sits down on the bed. "Doc, are you all right?" Marlena takes a deep breath. "I'm fine. The babies just kicked that's all." "Are you sure?" "Yes, I am." John puts his hand on Marlena's very round stomach. "I don't feel anything." "That's because they stopped. Now why don't you go check on the kids huh?" "Sure. Are you sure you're all right?" "Yes now go." John leaves the room. Marlena takes another deep breath and goes over to the closet to find something to wear.

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Back at the farmhouse Stefano is anxiously awaiting news from Bart. Stefano's cell phone rings. "Hello!" "Mr. DiMera, it wasn't easy but I got the mirror." "Excellent Bart! I want you to hire a private jet to bring you back. Be very careful, I don't want anything to happen to that mirror. Your life depends on it!" "Yes sir. Should I go straight for the farmhouse?" "No. I want you to plant the mirror in Roman's room at the Pub." "At the Brady Pub?" "Yes. Do you have a problem with that?" "Well Mr. DiMera, how am I going to do that?" "You are a very clever guy Bart you should be able to find a way." "If you say so boss." Stefano hangs up the phone. "Ahh my plan is falling right into place. Soon Marlena I will have gotten rid of John and Roman for good and you will be all mine. All mine my beautiful Queen of the Night!"

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Jesse and Sam enter Marlena's room. A sudden chill comes over Marlena while she's finishing getting dressed. Jesse walks over to Marlena. "Does she know that we're here?" "No but I do think can sense that something's different." "She's all dressed up. What's going on?" "She's testifying for Lucas at the custody hearing today." "I can't believe it. So Lucas finally decided to sue for custody." "Not just custody, he's suing for sole custody of Will." "Marlena is going to testify for Lucas?" "Yes." "This is going to get really ugly." Sam shakes her head. "Yes I'm afraid it is." "Those pains she was having they weren't just the babies kicking were they?" "No they weren't." Jesse goes over to Marlena. She grabs a hold of Marlena. "We have to do something…We have to stop her!" Sam pulls Jesse away from Marlena. "Listen to me. There's nothing we can do." "What do you mean? There has to be something we can do." "Don't you think that I would do something if I could? She's my sister and I don't want to see her hurting for one single second but I have no choice." "From that look on your face it seems as though something terrible is going to happen. Tell me what it is." "Jesse I can't tell you." "Is she going to be okay?" "Everything is going to work out as it's meant to be." John enters the room. "Doc, are you ready to go?" "Yes."

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John and Marlena arrive at the courthouse to see Mickey waiting for them. "John…Marlena." "Hi Mickey." "I want to talk to the two of you alone before we go into the courtroom." Mickey looks around. "Let's go in here so we can talk." Mickey opens the door to one of the conference rooms. John and Marlena enter the room and sit down. Mickey closes the door behind him. "I just wanted to prepare the two of you for what's going to happen today." "Why?" "Marlena, custody hearings are usually messy but I'm afraid that this one is going to be the messiest. No one is going to be spared." "What do you mean?" "Sami has hired the dirtiest lawyer in town, Bruce Addison. He will stop at nothing to win a case. I just want you to be aware that anything might be brought up in court." "You mean my affair with John." "Yes, among other things. I just want you to know what you'll be in for. Marlena, you don't have to do this." "I know I don't have to but I want to. I want to do this for my grandson. I'm a strong woman and I can take anything." "All right. I'm going to put you on the stand first. I want this to be over for you right away." "Fine, whatever you think is best."

The three of them head into the courtroom. Sami is talking to her lawyer. Marlena and Sami's eyes meet. Tears fill Marlena's eyes while Sami's eyes are filled with fire. Sami leans over to her lawyer. "I want you to show no mercy with my mother." "I told you before that I'm not going to grill a pregnant woman. Even I have my limits." "You'll do it or you can kiss your big fat retainer good-bye." "All rise. Salem county court is now in progress the Honorable Judge Hawthorne presiding." "Please be seated." The judge bangs his gavel. "We are here today to hear the case of Lucas Roberts vs. Sami Brady-Reed. Mr. Roberts is suing for sole custody of their minor child William Austin Reed. Is this correct?" Mickey stands up. "Yes sir it is." "Okay counselor you m

ay proceed with your opening remarks." "Thank you your honor. Today I will prove to you that Sami Reed is incapable of taking care of her son William Reed. Your honor Sami is obsessed with the plaintiff's brother and she will stop at nothing to try and win his love. On several occasions Sami has used the child in question to try and gain the love of Austin Reed and every time the child is placed in danger. Why until recently Lucas Roberts didn't even know that Will was his son and he wouldn't have ever found out unless Sami's latest scheme to win Austin hadn't failed. Through character witnesses I will prove to you today that it is in William Reed's best interest if he stays in the sole custody of his father, Lucas Roberts. Thank you your Honor." Sami's lawyer gets up. He buttons his sport coat. "Your honor, yes Ms. Reed has in the past schemed to win the love of Austin Reed. Today we will prove to you that not only did Mr. Roberts know about these schemes but he encouraged Ms. Reed so that he could win the love of Ms. Carrie Brady. Your honor Ms. Reed is trying to move on with her life and we will prove today that it is not in the child's best interest to take it away from its mother. Thank you."

"Okay Mr. Horton. Call your first witness." "I call Dr. Marlena Evans-Black to the stand." Marlena gets up from her seat. She glances over at Sami but she looks right past her. "Please place your right hand on the Bible. Do you promise to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you god." "I do." "Please be seated." "Please state your name and occupation for the record." "I'm Dr. Marlena Evans-Black. I'm a psychiatrist at University Hospital." "Dr. Evans-Black tell me are you a respected psychiatrist and member of this community?" "I like to think so, yes." "How are you related to the defendant?" "I'm her mother." "You're her mother and you are testifying against her? Why?" "I don't think she can take care of my grandson." "Why is that?" "She's obsessed with winning Austin Reeds love. On several occasions she has put my grandson in danger with one of her schemes to win Austin." "Marlena could you tell us about some of those situations." "Well when Will was just an infant she ran away. She hitched a ride with a trucker. The trucker wanted to sleep with Sami to return the favor for the ride and when Sami refused the driver he tried to rape her. Fortunately she was able to escape with the baby." "Do you know what happened next?" "She told us that she sought shelter in a barn. She lit a gas lamp. During the night the lamp was knocked over and the barn caught fire. Luckily Sami's sister Carrie and Austin found them in time." Marlena's in tears. Mickey hands her a tissue. "Could you site another incident in which one of Sami's schemes endangered the life of your grandson?" "Sami moved into a rat infested apartment so that Austin would beg her to move back in with him." "Now how did this scheme endanger the life of your grandson?" "One of Sami's neighbors abducted Will because she thought that Sami was an unfit mother. She sold him on the black market in Paris. The only way that they could get Will back was if Sami and Austin wed." "What was Sami's final scheme?" "Austin had hit Sami with his car. She almost died. She was in a coma for a while but when she woke up she had amnesia." "What happened next?" "She eventually recovered her memory but she didn't tell anyone else. She came across Will's blood type in some medical papers she received and she found out that Austin couldn't possibly be the father that Lucas was Will's father." "What did she do with this information?" "She kept it from everyone. She even went so far as to try and change Will's blood type in the hospital computers." "Was she successful?" "No." "Why was that?" "The hospital had to change its computer system because Sami had switched her sister's blood type in the computer system a few years earlier." "Dr. Evans-Black what could happen if Sami was successful in changing the blood types and Will needed blood for some reason?" "Well if he would be given the wrong type of blood he could die." "So once again your daughter put her child's life at risk all in the name of love." Marlena wipes the tears away from her eyes. "Yes." "Marlena tell us once again why you are here?" "I love my daughter. She may tell you otherwise but I do love her no matter what she's done. She thinks that I hate her, I don't. I just hate the things that you do. You hurt people Sami and worst part is that you don't even care. You are so obsessed that you will do anything to try and win Austin's love even if that means hurting your own son in the process. I'm sorry but you need to realize that you need help and if taking Will is the only way to get through to you well I just hope that one day you can forgive me." "Thank you Dr. Evans-Black."

Sami leans over to her lawyer. "NAIL HER TO THE WALL!" "Dr. Evans that's a very touching speech. You are a character witness for the plaintiff are you not?" "Yes I am." "Well Dr. Evans let's talk about your character?" Mickey stands up. "I object your honor. Dr. Evans' character is not on trial. She's giving testimony on the character of the parents involved." "Your honor if Dr. Evans is making judgements on my client's character then we should be able to question her character?" "I'll allow it." Marlena looks at Sami as if to say stop this now but Sami just turns her head. "Dr. Evans is it true that you had an affair while married to Ms. Reed's father Roman Brady?" "Yes but there were extenuating circumstances." "A simple yes or no would suffice." "Did you or did you not have and affair while married to Ms. Reed's father Roman Brady?" "Yes." "Is it also true that your daughter caught you making love to your lover on a conference room table at Titan? Tears are streaming down Marlena's face. She's crying so hard that she's having trouble catching her breath. There is a pain rushing through her abdomen. "Yes." "I can't hear you. Speak up." "YES! Sami saw John and I making love." "Is it true that your daughter developed an eating disorder because of what she saw?" "Yes." "Is it also true that your youngest child Isabella was the product of that affair?" "Yes." Marlena wipes away the tears from her eyes. "Now let's move on to your relationship with your grandson such that it is. Dr. Evans-Black how many times in the past year have you seen your grandson?" She once again wipes the tears from her eyes. "I don't know." "Less than twenty times." "I don't know." "Less than 15 times?" "I don't know." "Less than 10 times?" "I don't know." "Less than five times?" "I don't know." "Let's move on to something you do know. Dr. Evans is it true that you could have prevented Will's being sold on the black baby market?" Marlena's in shock. "What?" The pain is becoming more intense. "Dr. Evans could you have prevented Will's being sold on the black market?" "I don't understand." "You saw Will and the woman who kidnapped him at the air port in Paris did you not?" "Sami how can you sit there and let him do this to me?" "Dr. Evans direct your responses to my questions and my questions only. Did you see Will and the woman who kidnapped him at the air port in Paris yes or no?" "Sami I told you if I had known it was Will I would have fought anyone to get him back you know that. How can you let him do this to me?" "Dr. Evans please just answer the question." "Yes but." "Just answer yes or no." "YES!" Marlena's once again crying uncontrollably. "Your grandson is right in front of you and yet you don't recognize him and you want to tell this court what's best for him? No further questions your honor."

Mickey stands up. "I would like to redirect your honor." Mickey hands Marlena a glass of water. "Do you need some time?" Marlena takes a sip of water. "No I'm fine." "Marlena you said that there were extenuating circumstances surrounding your affair could you please elaborate?" "I had an affair with John Black. At one time we thought John was my dead husband Roman. We lived as husband and wife for many years before I was kidnapped and held captive for 5 years. Eventually I made my way back home to Salem only to find out that John was not Roman and that my husband was held prisoner by the same man who held me prisoner. John and I parted. We never really resolved our feelings for each other and that eventually led to our affair. We both know that our affair was wrong and we ended not long after it began." "Mr. Addison pointed out that you saw your grandson at the airport in Paris. Could you tell us why you didn't recognize your grandson?" "She had told me that it was a girl so I wasn't suspecting that it could be my grandson. He also had on a hat and those little kiddie sunglasses, which made it hard to see his face. If I had known it was him I would have done anything to get him back." "Thank you Dr. Evans." John goes up to the witness box to help Marlena. Marlena goes to get out of the chair but she collapses in pain. She falls to the floor. "Marlena!" "MOM!"

To be continued…

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