"Make love to her?" John repeated feeling his throat tighten.
"Well, you know Doc. She has to be going crazy from not being able to have someone to make love to. I can't believe that she's been alone so long." Roman insisted.
"I'm sure she's just fine Roman." John replied thinking about the morning's turn of events. "She's a very strong woman and she is preoccupied with other things in her life right now."
"I know and that's the problem John." Roman agreed. "I just think that it's about time for me to make things like they used to be when we lived as husband and wife. I figured that I would see what you thought about this, since you've been around Doc while I was gone."
"What does that have to do with anything?" John asked wondering why Roman would bring the subject up with him.
"It's just that you're the closest thing to a best friend that Doc has had for a while and I just thought that you would know how she feels about certain things, like why she hasn't been with anyone since I left. I thought that maybe you could shed some light onto why someone like Doc has been alone for so long." Roman explained starting to blush. "I'm sorry to put you on the spot like this man, but you're one of the few people that I can talk to about this. I know that you'll tell me the truth about everything."
"I'm ready." Marlena shouted coming down the stairs wearing a blue dress suit.
"You look beautiful Doc." Roman insisted looking her over.
"Thank you." she smiled at the complement as her gaze shifted to John.
"Are you ready to leave?" John asked feeling his pulse quicken at the sight of her.
"Yep." she said turning to Roman. "If you need anything, just call me."
"I will Doc." Roman smiled walking over to her. "I'll miss you while you're gone."
"I'll meet you at your appointment with Mike when I get out of work." she explained picking up her briefcase.
"Okay," Roman agreed pulling her toward him for a kiss. "I love you."
"I'll see you later." Marlena said turning her face so that he kissed her cheek.
"Is something wrong Doc?" Roman asked as she turned away.
"No why?" she asked looking at him.
"You just don't seem like you wanted me to kiss you. That's all." Roman explained pulling her close to him.
"I've got a cold Roman." she lied smiling. "I just don't want you to catch anything from me."
"Doc, honey, I don't care." he said planting a strong kiss on her lips leaving John staring blankly at the two of them.
"I'm late Roman." Marlena insisted pulling away from him. "Tell Eric I said goodbye."
"Okay Doc." Roman smiled turning to John. "You take care of her."
"I will." John said through gritted teeth. "Goodbye."
Roman watched John and Marlena walk out of the door and he started to think about Marlena's strange behavior lately. She seemed to have something bothering her, but he couldn't figure it out. He decided that he would talk to her after work and see what the problem was.
John and Marlena drove in silence most of the way to the hospital. Marlena could feel the tension in the air between them and she began to worry. She looked at John and she realized that he appeared to be miles away from her even though he was sitting right next to her.
"John, honey are you okay?" she questioned him waiting for a response. He remained silent, so she tried again to talk to him. "Hello, are you there?"
"Huh?" he asked snapping back into reality. "What did you say Doc?"
"I asked if you were alright honey. You haven't said one word since we left the penthouse." she explained watching his face tighten. "What is it?"
"I don't want to talk about this." he replied stubbornly.
"About what?" she asked confused. "What is on your mind John?"
"Nothing." he lied remembering his talk with Roman.
"Don't lie to me." she insisted realizing that it was going to take some work on her part to get the truth out of him. "Our relationship has always been built on honesty John Black, and I don't want that to change now."
"Is that how it was with Roman too?" he asked irritated.
"Roman?" she replied. "What about Roman?"
"Nevermind." he said facing her.
"No! I want to talk about this." she insisted as he pulled into the hospital parking lot.
"Doc, you're going to be late for work if we talk now." he said looking at the clock.
"I want to talk about this now." she insisted as he pulled his Jeep into the parking structure.
"Fine." he reluctantly agreed pulling into a spot on the fourth floor of the empty parking structure and shutting off the ignition. "We're here so talk."
"I'm sorry about what took place back there." she said realizing that he was hurting. "Eric had no right to go off on you like that."
"He's young Marlena..." John began taking a deep breath.
"Oh know," she thought to herself, "he's calling me Marlena. He must be really upset about something."
"...he just wants to see his family back together and it appears that he's not the only one." John finished closing his eyes. "I know that you and Roman have been spending a lot of time together lately and I'm sure that it's got you thinking about the old times between the two of you..."
"...but that doesn't change the way I feel about you." she finished realizing where he was going with the conversation. "When Roman gets better, we are going to tell him the truth about everything. It will all work out."
"What if it doesn't Doc?" he asked seriously looking into her eyes. "What if you realize that you really want to be with Roman?"
"John, I love you and nothing will ever change that." she insisted noticing the tears in his eyes. "Baby, you have to believe me."
"I want to." he said looking at her worried face. "I just don't want to lose you again Doc."
"I know that." she said feeling her own eyes fill with tears as she touched his smooth face.
"Doc, I just don't want this to blow up in our faces." he informed her as he tried to dismiss the memory of his conversation with Roman from his head.
"It won't." she smiled moving in to kiss his lips softly. "I love you."
"I love you too." he said taking her in his arms. "I don't know what I would do without you."
"You'll never have to worry about that." she said snuggling into his chest knowing that their problems were far from over.
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