Fear
©2006
Summery: Days after the tidal wave took everyone under its massive volume; Roman and Marlena relive the events that led them to where they are now. This is the prequel to "Little Things."
Marlena woke up on the bed next to Roman. At first she didn't realize it was him she only thought it was a dream. She reached over, tapping Roman on the shoulder. He woke almost immediately, slowly looking around the room.
"Roman are you alright?"
"I'm fine Doc, a little woozy but other then that just fine. How are you?"
Marlena looked around the room and pulled her fingers through her hair. With a deep breath, she simply answered…
"I'm okay; do you have any idea where we are?"
Roman studied the room more closely climbing off the bed. The chains from the shackles hit the cement floor with a crash. Marlena jumped at the sound of the crash. Roman looked down at his ankles and followed the chains to a post on the wall. Soon Marlena did the same her chains didn't hit the cement as hard as Roman's did. The both studied their interlocking chains and soon they knew where they were.
"DiMera, he couldn't keep up on that damn island of his so he brings us to his father castle. When will they give up, just because we are chained together doesn't mean he can keep us prisoner here."
Roman angrily kicked his heavy chains aside while both explored the castle walls. They searched for some type of imperfections in the wall some way they could get out. Both were determined to go home to their loved ones. They escaped Tony's captivity once and they would be damned if they were going to be held prisoner again by that maniac. Roman put his fist into the wall not even cracking it learning t there were no imperfections. Marlena sighed, as she too could not find a way out.
"What are we going to do Roman? I can't handle being held prisoner again I want to be home with John. I do not know how he is. I tied him to the raft and told him I'd be okay just before the tidal wave pulled me under the surf. When I finally surfaced, I could not see the raft any longer all I could see were pieces of the raft. What if John didn't make it, what if that wave pulled him under too. With his injuries he could never have reached the surface."
Roman walked slowly over to Marlena as she held her face in her hands. He placed a loving arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a friendly embrace. He took Marlena over to the bed as they took a seat. Her sobbing gasps softened with Roman's jumpsuit.
"Doc I know John and I know that he will be just fine. Have you ever seen that man give up a fight? John could be bleeding to death and still find his way to the surface and most importantly, back to you."
Roman takes Marlena's chin in his hands and smiles…
"John is alright. He would never let a DiMera bring him down. You and the kids are the most important things in his life. I know that he wouldn't just let you all go. You and the kids are everything to him, you are all he has and trust me he's probably already home looking for you."
"Do you really think so Roman?"
"I don't think so Marlena I know."
Roman wiped her tears dry and gave her a loving hug. Marlena's sobbing gasps became quiet and they both lay down on the bed. Marlena closed her eyes and softly fell asleep. While Roman stayed awake trying to find a way out of there, he hated to see Marlena in so much pain and he'll be damned if he lets Tony get his way again. Time passed and soon Roman himself was asleep.
The next morning Roman was up early as he continued his mission to find a way out of the castle. He gently moved his arm from under Marlena's head. She stirred slightly but didn't wake up. He pulled the covers off him and placed the blanket on Marlena. Trying not to make much noise with the shackles, he stepped off the bed. Tony always made mistakes and he was determined to find a way out of here. Not only for him but so Marlena could be home with John and he with Kate. It angered him that he never shared a honeymoon with Kate and he promised that day that when he got home to Kate they would go on a proper honeymoon. The way they had always planned to do. Meanwhile Marlena herself was having a disturbing dream that caused her to toss and turn uncomfortably on the bed. Roman heard the covers and quickly turned to see Marlena in the middle of a disturbing dream. As he was approaching her to wake her from the nightmare, she quieted her sleep. Once Roman saw she had quieted he went back to find a way out of that hellhole they were in.
The crashing of the waves pulled Marlena' attention to John as he struggled to reach the raft and she quickly swam over to him. Bullheaded as John was he complained when Marlena pulled him to safety and back to the raft. Roman was already there and assisted her with John. John held back the painful cries from his injuries, he didn't want Marlena to worry he just wanted her to be safe. Once all three were safely on the raft again Marlena reached down and kissed her husband on the forehead. She was holding back her tears as she said…
"I was so worried when I didn't see you behind me. I called your name so many times but you never answered. I don't know what it was but I could tell you were nearby. I turned around and there you were I saw you struggle and I got so worried. John I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you."
"John are you okay? Are you in any pain?"
Roman asked as he approached John with caution. The raft was beginning to break down and Roman didn't want it to fall apart. John placed his hand on his wife's cheeks and smiled.
"I'm fine now that I know Marlena is safe. Oh Doc I don't think I could have made it as far as I had if I couldn't hear your call."
Marlena immediately smiled and began to check John for injuries. When she reached his legs, he couldn't feel anything. Panic filled his face. When Marlena took her gaze off his injury, John put a very brave face on. He couldn't let her know that he was having some difficultly feeling his legs. That was the last thing she needed to know so he lied.
"Roman, I'm okay just a little water logged. I think I swallowed more salt water then I thought. If Marlena hadn't come when she did, I would probably be gone. Thank you so much Doc for saving me. I owe you one."
"Owe me one? John how many times have you saved me in the last 20 years? You don't owe me anything, I'm just glad you're okay."
Marlena smiled as she rested her hand on John's head.
"I better go see how the other's are I will be right back."
"Roman please be careful the waters are still rough."
"I'll be just fine."
Roman dove into the water without a thought leaving Marlena alone with John. She lay down next to him and stroked his cheeks. John on the other hand was more concerned when the feeling from his legs still didn't return. A short time later Roman came back to the raft and pulled himself up gently. Marlena sat up when she heard Roman call her name.
"Roman is everyone accounted for?"
"Yes, everyone is safe. Doug and Abe got Alice to safety she is just fine, a little shaken but just fine."
"What about the others? Cassie, Jack, Jennifer, the baby, Maggie and Hope are the okay?"
"All are accounted for, Jack pulled Cassie from the waters before she could panic enough to drown. We couldn't find Tony but if he's gone that would be fine with me. That man has caused enough pain it would be a suitable death for a man like that."
"Are you sure that everyone is okay?"
"Doc relax everyone is fine there were no injuries we all made in back in one piece."
"Roman, those skies, a storm is on the way I want you to get Doc to another raft. I'll stay here and try to keep this raft in once piece."
"John, there isn't any room on any of the other rafts. Marlena is going to have to stay here, and I agree with you, those skies are threatening."
"Then we need to find some land Roman"
Marlena said as she went back to tend to John.
"If there is a storm on its way no one is safe on the water. The sooner we get to some land the better our chances."
Roman agreed and began to look around for some type of land. When that was nowhere it sight he tried to find a ship or the Coast Guard. Neither of which he could see. John knew that they were in the middle of the ocean and there wouldn't be any land. He just begged that the storm would pass over them.
A few hours later, the waters calmed and the groups managed to get a few hours of shuteye before the days ahead. During those few hours, Marlena worry for John increased as the color from his face slowly drained. He was sleeping but she often wondered if he was telling the truth about his injuries. She knew something wasn't right with him. Marlena looked into the early morning sky and prayed that someone would find them before it was too late. John woke abruptly when Marlena lies next to him. The movement of the raft woke Roman up as well.
"Doc you okay?"
She sat up and nodded her head lightly.
"John, are you sure that you are okay? I have this terrible feeling that you are keeping something from me."
John chuckled lightly and looked at Roman and Marlena.
"I never could keep anything from you could I Doc?"
Panic filled Marlena's eyes as John cried out in pain when he tried to sit up. Roman quickly came to John and sighed as he saw the look on his face.
"I don't think I'm okay. I mean I thought I was okay but now something is different. At first I thought it was from my battle with Tony but now I don't know."
"What's the matter John?"
"Doc I don't want you to worry, it could be temporary."
"John please!"
"My legs, something is wrong with my legs. I cannot feel them anymore. They feel like they're asleep."
"John when did this happen?"
Roman asked with concern for his friend.
"Just after the first tidal wave hit; that's why I was struggling to get to the raft. Thank God you were close by Doc or I wouldn't have made it."
"I can't believe that you kept that from us John, we could have done permanent damage when we pulled you onto the raft."
"Roman I don't care about the "what ifs" all that matters now is that everyone is fine."
"Speaking of everyone I'm going to check on everyone. They are not to far away Marlena I want you to stay here and take care of John. We can't risk further injuries."
Marlena nodded soon after another wave formed a few miles away and quickly made its way to the rafts. Marlena panicked as the wave came closer. She saw Roman reach the other rafts and managed to cry out to him…
"Roman!"
He turned at the sound of her voice and saw the wave quickly approaching Marlena frantically was pulling the belt off her pants and then John's. With them, she secured John safely to the raft.
"Doc no, let me go you have to save yourself!"
"John I lost you before and I refuse to loose you again. We will see each other soon."
She kissed him tenderly on the lips as the wave stood just above her head. John called out to Marlena as the wave came crashing down on her leaving the raft intact and John still safely secured with their belts.
Marlena bolted up in bed gasping for air. Roman rushed over to her and comforted her.
"Marlena relax it's just a bad dream."
"No it wasn't it was a nightmare. We were back on the raft and a wave came crashing down on me. I looked for John, I cried out for John, and he did not answer. Roman he didn't answer, what if it's true? What if that wave took John to the bottom of the ocean? What if I will never see him again?"
"Doc don't' think about the "What ifs" it will only make you crazy. You need to calm down before your make yourself sick. I promise you John is alive, everyone is alive we just need to find out where they are so we all can get the hell out of here."
"I'm just so scared Roman."
"I know Doc, I know."
Roman took her once again into his arms and comforted him the way John would if it were he there instead of Roman.
"We are going to get out of here if I have to die trying."
Roman thought as Marlena continued to sob for John and the others.
TBC…."Little Things"