John sat on one of the couches of the jet sideways looking out the window into the night. Marlena looked at Abe and walked over, sat behind John and placed a hand on his shoulder. Abe got up and headed to one of the private rooms in the back of the plane so John and Marlena could be alone. Marlena's eyes thanked him as he passed. With Abe gone maybe she could get John to talk.
"Tell me how you are sweetie."
"I'm ok Doc. I'm just worried about him. I mean he is out there somewhere without us to protect him. I can only pray that IzzyB is watching over him."
"I'm sure she is John. I feel responsible for this. I should have known that she was Kristen and not Susan. I should have brought the children with me."
"Don't do this to yourself Marlena. Kristen fooled everyone."
"Yeah, but, she lived in my house for six months. You'd think she would have slipped up and hinted that she wasn't Susan. I do think Belle knew though. She kept calling her "mean girl" but I just thought she was confused."
"I don't get it Doc. Why did Kristen take Brady and not Belle? Why not take them both?"
"I think this note answers that question." Marlena picked up the piece of paper. The day Kristen took Brady she had volunteered to take he and Belle to school so Chelsea could go to the market. Chelsea, thinking she was Susan and that it would be ok, agreed. Kristen had dropped Belle off at school and gave the note to her telling her to give it to John. Brady never made it to school. Abe had found the note in Belle's lunchbox.
"What do you mean Doc?"
"Well John she has made it clear you are supposed to come to get Brady alone. My guess is that she took Brady to lure you to her and then once you came she was going to try winning you back. She probably figured having Belle around would remind you to much of me."
"You are the smartest person I know Doc." John smiled and kissed Marlena. "We have to get him back Doc. We just have to."
"Don't worry baby, we will. I promise."
Kristen fell back on her bed in the room across from Brady's exhausted. She had finally convinced him to eat after an hour of begging and then spent two hours trying to get him to stop crying about how much he missed John and that damn woman and her daughter.
"Forget about her Kristen." she said outloud. "The longer you hang on to her memory the longer John and Brady will. If you forget about her eventually they will too. Someday you will be the only mother and the only lover Brady or John remembers. And dear ole Doc will be gone forever."
Marlena had carried a sleeping Belle upstairs to her bed. She had insisted that they go get her from the Pub just so she could make sure for herself that her baby was ok. John had stepped out on the balcony and Abe took the opportunity to talk to him without Marlena around.
"Hey partner, what are you planning on doing about all of this?"
"What choice do I have Abe?"
"Well you could go up there by yourself and walk right into the trap we all know Kristen has set for you. Or you could take Marlena with you to put a wrench in her plans but then you put not only yourself in potential danger but Marlena and Brady also. Finally, you could do the smart thing and leave this up to my guys."
"Normally I would agree with you Abe, but I don't even know what Kristen is capable of anymore. I thank I had better follow Kristen's orders and meet her in Toronto alone. I need you to do me a favor while I'm gone though."
"Anything you say."
"Take care of Doc and Belle for me. I can't let anything happen to them. Please promise me."
"Sure thing buddy. With my life. Now I better go to the station to implement a plant for protecting them. Good luck and be careful."
John thanked his best friend, aside from Marlena, as he walked him to the front door. After he was gone John leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. When he opened them a few moments later he saw Marlena struggling to carry a large duffel bag downstairs. He reached her quickly and helped her carry it down.
"What's this for Doc?" he asked.
"I'm going with you to get our boy back."
"No Doc. You can't come with me."
"Why not John are you afraid I'll hold you back?"
"No Doc, I don't. In all honesty I wish you could go with me but Kristen left specific instructions for me to come alone. I don't know what she might do if you showed up. Besides someone needs to be here for Belle."
"John, I'm scared. What if you never come back? What if I never see you again?"
John wiped the tears from her face gently and kissed her lips tenderly. "Doc, I don't care if I have to walk on hot coals or swim in hot tar I will be coming back to you. We have waited to long to be together to let Kristen tear us apart again. I will bring Brady home safely, I promise. We have just discovered each other again and we will not let anything deny our love again."
To Chapter Six (Coming Soon)
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