spades and clubs

by laurensnana

Samantha and EJ struggle to reunite. Old loves, old family disputes, old enemies make the journey that much harder for them.

1. Chapter 1

Spades and Clubs

Prologue: EJ Wells is now facing the biggest challenge of his life. The woman he has loved with a passion that could never be quenched is now questioning their life together. So much has been taken from her, but he must show her how much has been given as well.

Chapter 1

A week of Samantha sleeping in the guest room had not improved the mood of EJ in any way shape or form. Then at breakfast that morning she had reminded him of something that he had let slip his mind.

"I have to go to Chigago to meet with Mildred about the new book, and the screenplay writer as well. Nanny is aware of everything on the kids schedules, so while I am gone it should be no problem to you at all. My flight is leaving at four o'clock, so I won't be here when they come home from school.. Please make sure you check their homework after dinner."

Her voice in front of the children was calm and polite, but they all noticed the difference in the way their parents were acting. . Justin was used to having to choke back his embarrassment at the way his parents kissed or hugged each other. He often averted his eyes when he saw his dad's hand pat his mother's bottom. It just did not seem right that parents could behave that way! Now, though, he found himself missing it.

Jessica of course, always egged them on! She loved it when Dad made Mom giggle! Ace could sense the distance between them, and all his old insecurities surfaced as his behavior turned back to the dark side. Kacie took the brunt of it from him, as he had three times that morning been scolded for hitting her, finally being sent to a long time out by Nanny.

EJ had taken Samantha's news with little expression showing on his face. Afterwards, he called to cancel the reservations he had made at the Salem Inn, the bank of roses he had arranged were sent to a local hospital, and the violin players were told to forget it, he would send them their check anyway. He said nothing to Samantha, figuring his big apology and begging for her forgiveness would wait for a few days. However, the people who worked for him were going to be in for a very bad day!

As Sami was packing up, Kacie came to stand in the doorway, her little face pensive. She twirled one of her hated pigtails around her finger as she watched her mother gather up things for the case.

"Mommy..the pool fairy is gonna come home soon. Daddy is gonna bring her home. I dreamed it last night. So when the pool fairy comes back, you won't be mad at Daddy anymore huh?"Kacie had never quite got the connection of Marlena being the pool fairy..to her, they were separate entities. One was the distant grandmother she faintly remembered from a different life, and the other was the winsome lady of the pool, who was so happy to be set free!

"Oh..baby, listen..no matter what you see, your Daddy and I love all of you so much! After I get back from my business trip, I promise you, Daddy and I are going to work on what has been worrying you! In fact, I am going to make some arrangements right now!"

Sami had been preoccupied enough that she really did not zero in on what Kacie had said about Daddy bringing the pool fairy home..later, as she was landing at O'Hare, she

"Hello, reservations please..yes, I would like to reserve a room with a fireplace, for next Friday, the fifteenth..a outdoor hottub with the room would be great! I will fax you over the dinner I want sent in, with the wines and champagnes..This is Samantha Brady Wells..and please, I want this to be a surprise, so contact me at this number. I am going to be out of town for a few days" as she closed her cell phone, she smiled at Kacie.

"Honey, Mommy and Daddy just need a little time to talk to each other, privately"

"Yeah, Mommy, you talk to Daddy in the hot tub..I dreamed it all too!"

Rather than pursue what was in the dream, Sami decided to quickly change that subject. Kacie and her dreams were sometimes too much on the mark. She decided instead to call EJ, and maybe show him a softer side. Sleeping in the guest room had not given her any joy either.

"I am sorry Mrs. Wells, Mr. Wells is out of the office for a couple of hours. He had a luncheon engagement."

"Never mind, I will call him on his cell" as she punched in his auto dial code, she wondered if he would answer. He didn't the voice mail came on. She did not leave a message, she would call him later from Chicago.

"Well, sweetie, I will have to call Daddy later, you tell him I tried to call him before I left ok?"

"Sure Mommy, now can you tell Ace he needs to come out of the closet? He been hiding in there all day long, not playing nice with me at all!"

Wiping her hands on her skirt, Sami headed for the closet that Ace liked to hole up in when he was having one of his "days". It was the same closet she had long ago used as a sanctuary to think about Will. His things were still in there, but she no longer regarded them as shrines, that were not to be disturbed. She found she enjoyed seeing his action figures played with, lined up in their feights of derring do by Justin and Ace. It made the memory of Will more real, so it did not fade away to a distant part of her mind. When she opened the door, she found Ace huddled in the corner, and as she pulled him away, he did not fight her as he sometimes did, but clutched at her in a sort of desperate way.

"Ace, honey..what is the matter?"

"I don't want you to leave us". He was simple and direct, Ace was not given to complicated reasoning. He usually just wanted what he wanted.

"Ace, come on, you know I would never leave you..I would never leave any of you at all!"

His blue eyes so much like her own and Jessica's were extracting a promise from her. Without saying a word, he was letting her know, he wanted her back in every way with his father. He wanted them to sleep in the same room, kiss and hug in the morning in front of all of them until they turned away in embarrassment...in short he wanted things the way he was used to and secure in.

Now Sami saw the harm she had done her family in not working things out in private with EJ. This trip had to happen, but she promised herself and Ace when she got back she would begin to mend the fence that her family wanted to protect them.

Chapter II

The cab ride into the Loop found Sami looking out the window, trying to avoid the presence of her ever steady bodyguard. His job was to protect her, but she also knew it was to report on her every move back to EJ, and that was sometimes a suffocating prospect. She jumped out when the cab stopped at the building on Roosevelt Avenue facing Lake Michigan, running in, leaving Earl to pay the fare, and try to catch up.

Earl was not having a great day either. His stomach was beginning to rumble, the result of a very bad hot dog he had scarfed at the airport. Mrs. Wells had arranged a late evening meeting and dinner with her agent, and he would be expected to tag along, but be invisible. He was worried about the invisible part if he would be heading to the bathroom every ten minutes.

"Have a seat here Earl, man you don't look so good..listen..just go across the street to the hotel. Nothing is going to happen, we are having the meeting here, then will go to the hotel restaurant for dinner. You are sick.."Sami was so concerned about Earl, she placed her palm against his forehead.

"You are burning up! You need to get to bed right away!" She was taking no argument from him, and he was almost too weak to give her any, but he still tried.

"Mr. Wells will.."

"He will hear from me, and I will explain how ill you are! Now go! You look as if you are about to...ahhhhhhhh nooooo!..." but it was too late, as his churning stomach decided it could no longer keep the contents inside. He looked ashamed, but a bit relieved when he had finished, and Mildred was on the phone calling the janitorial service.

"Don't say another word, Mrs. Wells, I am so sorry..but you're right, I do need to be in bed. Now please, promise me you are just gonna have dinner and go right up to bed..you know EJ will have my hide if he thinks I didn't do my job with you!" trembling hands reached for the water being held out to him by Mildred, and he looked beseechingly at Sami, as if to get her word that she would not make his job any more difficult.

"Don't be silly, Earl, get to bed. Mildred and I will finish up here, then go to dinner, after that, I will be straight to bed..promise!" and at the time Sami meant every word.

The waiter brought the two laughing women two more of the glasses of Chardonnay they were drinking, but since neither of them had ordered another they had a question in their eyes. He smiled and pointed to the gentleman standing at the bar, and when she saw him, Sami had the gasp and shock of recognition. Brandon Walker was at the bar, tipping his glass to her, and giving that killer smile she had once melted in. He was with several friends who seemed to be guffawing at him and his efforts to catch the beautiful blondes eye.

Now he was walking towards her, and Mildred was trying to read the look on Sami's face. She did look pleased to see the young man, and when the introduction to her was made, she knew immediately this was Wyatt Brinkley, the character in the book that Sabrina had loved at one time, but had never really been in love with.

He took Samis hand in his, and when he used the familiar name "Samantha", she wondered why it sounded strange to hear this from any mans lips except EJ's. He bent down to kiss her cheek, then turned to await his being introduced to the dignified, and handsome woman sitting with Samantha.

"Mildred Wallace, this is Brandon Walker, a very old ..uh friend".

"Mr. Walker, charmed ..actually, I have heard so much about you from Sami, I feel as if I know all about you already!" as she eyed him up and down, remembering how Sami had described all his physical attributes in her book, she was not being untruthful.

"Yes, well, I have read some of her books, so I can see how you might see things that way" Brandon smiled and winked, but all Sami could do was blush prettily, then invite him to join them.

"Well, I can stay for a drink, but I have to make it home, it looks like quite a thunderstorm brewing up outside!"

The flashes of lightning over the lake were illuminating the water, with the boom and rumble coming close behind. The storm was just gearing up, but with the next flash, the entire thirty floors of the building were thrown into complete blackness!

"This is not good, " Brandon was taking out his cell phone to make a call, but found he had no service.

"Sometimes these lake storms do this to the cell service, may I borrow yours?" Sami reached into her purse and handed over her phone, thinking when he was finished, she would try and call EJ.

Mildred took a sip of the wine, and surveyed the developing situation. Sami was talking to Brandon like an old friend, but Brandon was looking at Sami like she was a very special old friend. One he had sorely missed.

His demeanor did not even change when Sami brought out the wallet pictures of her children. Brandon wore a gold band on his left ring finger, but he did not seem to want to bring out any reciprocal pictures. He just looked at hers, occasionally asking a question about one of them. The small snap shot of her and EJ and their wedding was the one he gazed at the longest.

"So this is the famous EJ Wells, race driver, man of the world, and seemingly now, the one controlling the entire DiMera Organization. You have done well for yourself Samantha!"but the look in his eyes said it all. You did well but did you do good?

Brandon felt he was still in a position to judge her. However, now she was not in the same position she had been in all those years ago. . There was a definite power exchange now. He was still involved in his social work, but she was now a millionaire in her own right. It was not EJ's money or position or power that gave the air of confidence. It was knowing she had accomplished all of this on her own.

Mildred took all of this in, amused at the way Brandon seemed to assume to know Sami so well. Maybe one time that was so, but now he was speaking with a woman who had taken on a master criminal organization to rescue her child, and the infant of a close friend, created an international incident involving a prison break of a spy,

Sami herself had begun to grow impatient with how Brandon was speaking to her, the more wine he drank, the more condescending he became. This was reminiscent of the way he had seemed to her on the day he had demanded their marriage be annulled. Once again, she had disappointed a man she loved, and he had deserted her.

"So Samantha..how did you get one of the top literary agents in the Chicago publishing field to look at your work?"his voice let it be known he felt she had used the pull of the DiMera power machine.

"She wrote a good story, Mr. Walker, it had all the elements that catch a modern womans eye for romance and mystery!"with that, Mildred decided it was time for her to go. She had a short walk to her apartment, but since it was so dark, she wanted to leave before the crowds milling about dissappated and she was walking alone. Sami protested that she should not go out in this weather alone, but Mildred simply reached into her bag, pulling out the fold up umbrella she kept in there for situations like these.

"Don't be silly, I walk home from the office many many nights on my own..it is a great neighborhood, and there are lots of police patrolling on foot out there. You two stay on here and finish up your visit."and Mildred picked up her purse, kissed Sami's cheek and walked out.

Seeing the older woman walk out was the signal Brandons friends had waited on, and they both came to join them at the table. Now Sami was just a bit uncomfortable, having a drink with Brandon while Mildred sat with them seemed quite proper. But to be having a third glass of wine with Brandon, along with a couple more males who seemed to be close to sloshed on the drunkenness scale did not feel proper.

Just as she was about to give her regrets and her goodbye, the friend known by the name of Frank knocked into her, and the purse in her lap spilled on the floor. She bent down to retrieve it, and as she did, Frank opened the small capsule into her drink. Brandon was helping her with the purse, and was quite unaware of what his friend had done.

Frank slapped Brandon on the back, gave a sly smile to the other friend George, and then they stood up to leave together.

"Brandon, you just enjoy the rest of the night..George and I will just take the train..you come on when you feel like it. The trains are back on schedule, so I'll just have Mary pick us up at the Willamette Station. You drive back when you and the little lady are finished up with..." He winked slyly, then added "your unfinished business".

Chapter III

EJ had tried four times to reach Sami on her phone. Finally, he had tried Earls, irritated at how long it had taken the man to answer.

"Mr. Wells..yes..um..I am sorry, Sami is not with me now".Earl waited a moment for what he knew was coming, but what happened was a surprise to him.

"Earl..do I pay you to stay with Samantha at all times when she is out of town?"

"Yes sir, and I would be with her right now, except I am dying from ptomaine poisoning, and she made me come up to bed. She is down in the restaurant having dinner with Mrs. Wallace..and she promised to come right up to bed when she finished."

"I see, you are sick. You should have called me, I would have sent out a replacement"

"I know Mr. Wells, but I just felt so bad..oh god.."Earl ran once again to the toiliet carrying the phone with him and EJ was treated to the delightful sounds of Earl retching into the commode once again.

"Why didn't you just call me?"EJ was thumping his forefinger on his knee in impatience.

"Mr. Wells, did you check your office messages?"

"No, did you leave one?"

"Six, and I called your cell phone too..did you check those messages?"

EJ looked at his phone, seeing it had no bars indicating any service.

"Earl, I am landing at O'Hare in forty minutes, I am planning on surprising Samantha! And I will send in some security right now..I have a couple of contacts in Chicago! Go on back to bed..I will have this arranged within a half hour. Do you have a card key to Samanthas room?"

"Of course I do Boss!" Earl was glad he had done something correctly."I will call down to the desk and have someone come up and get it for you. I will put it in an envelope and let them know you will be picking it up!"

It would be midnight before he landed, but it should only be fifteen minutes to the hotel. His make up gift was in his briefcase, and he pulled it out to look at it once again. The luster of the pearl necklace was going to be even more beautiful against the neck of Samantha. The earrings in her jewel case would go perfect with these, and he had brought along a little something else he wanted her to wear.

He pulled it out of the Victoria Secrets bag, and shook it out to look at it once more time. The camisole and panty set was white lace, with only a pale yellow ribbon that tied it together at the bustline. Wanting to see it full length, he stood and placed it against his chest.

When Harris came out of the galley where he had been fixing himself a sandwich, the sight of EJ with the wisp of a piece of material laid against the wide expanse of chest, and the little panty dangling from the end of his forefinger, Harris shook his head in disbelief.

"EJ, I really don't think you are gonna fit in that, no matter how many of those cleansing fasts you go on!"

"Shut up, I want an honest opinion, do you think she will like it?"

"Do you like it is what is important EJ, she ain't wearing it for other people to appraise."

"Yes, you're right..and yes, I do rather like it..can't wait to see it on her, and off."

"Now you're making me blush, EJ, but I wish you well" Harris had already done his groveling to Chandler, promising to never ever keep secrets from her as long as she promised never to ask him anything. It seemed like an equitable way to make up, and he gave a smile as he remembered their ETA sex.

"We had a terrible argument Harris, this one was not like anything else we have ever disagreed on. She blamed me for the way Stefano let all of this stuff we have been through happen..but you and I both know there was nothing I could do to stop any of it. All I want to do is hold onto my family, whatever it takes!"

EJ had it worked out, he was going to demand that Samantha listen to him, he was going to force her to be still while he told her what she meant to him. If it took going down on his knees she was going to hear him out! Then he would make love to her, whatever pain she had, he was going to use his body to heal her with. He would give her back the peace she had thought stolen. In other ways too. but first he had to know they were together again.

The whine of the engine hitting the reverse was what brought EJ out of his brief nap. He had given Harris a couple of days to check on things in Canada. Specifically Abe Carver. Now that the council was out of the picture, it may be time to let Abe come up..he hoped so. He knew Theo was missing the influence of a father, even one as spineless as Abe. But it might not be as bad as it seemed. There were some elements of programming that had been done to help Abe regain what was now laughingly called a man badge in the organization.

Once the plane landed, EJ quickly took his garment bag, and his briefcase, and headed out to where his limo awaited. Checking his watch he saw that it was a quarter to one, so he was just about on the timeline he had worked out. The Sheraton Hotel was nice, but he wanted the best, so he had called ahead to get a different room. The suite featured a hot tub that looked out on the lake. He had been in luck, as it was free for the night, and only eleven hundred dollars! He planned on collecting the key to Samantha's room, then surprising her as he carried her from the room to the elevator, to the top floor and a night and morning filled with romance!

Chapter IV

Brandon and Sami faced each other across the table as she nervously sipped the wine. Once his friends had gone Brandon seemed to change once again back to the kind friend he had once been to her. When he no longer had a need to impress anyone he relaxed, talking about his mom, his dads present condition, and asking about Salem.

When he brought up the subject of Will, to say how sorry he had been when he heard, she was genuinely glad they had run into each other. He had helped her in her fight for Will so long ago, not just in Italy, but when Lucas had tried to turn the small boy against her. It was easy to remember why she had loved him. The time started to fly then, as they reminisced. up to and including the day when they had woken up together in bed with Lucas pounding on the door.

"You know, Samantha, I knew we had been set up, and I probably could have proved it..but you know what? Honestly I wanted you and Lucas to stop..I wanted you to give me another look..but I suppose I had already blown that with you, right?"

" That is water under the bridge, and maybe everything just works out for the best anyway..I am very happy..in fact I am going to call EJ when I get back to the room and have him come join me for the night tomorrow!" Why wait until Green Mountain Lodge she figured..there was bound to be a room with a hot tub at the Sheraton!

"I see you are also wearing a wedding band Brandon, how long have you been married? Who is she? Any kids?" smiling, she now wanted to know what had gone on in his life, and was eager to do the catching up as she sipped a little more wine. It seemed to have gotten warmer in the room, and she found concentrating a little difficult.

"Samantha, I was married, six years. Her name was Adrianna. She died a year ago, ovarian cancer" Brandon got the words out, not choking as he had any other time he had to give this information out. With Sami he was feeling comfortable enough to know he could tear up if he felt the need.

"Brandon, oh, how awful for you.."Sami choked at the thought of ever losing EJ to death, she would die herself.

"Yes, it was awful, it still is. We have a son," Brandon fished out his wallet to show a pixture of a dark haired boy of about three. "His name is Spencer. Right now he is with Adrianna's mother. My job involves a lot of travel now, so he needs a stable home. I go there every weekend and stay with him. It is great, cuts down on my social life, but he has to come first!"

"He..he's oh my..I feel dizzy..I better not have any more of that wine!" Sami was slurring her words, which concerned Brandon.

"You don't look well Samantha..let me help you up to your room, I would like to maybe have lunch with you tomorrow..I'll leave you my number,,"

"Brandon, thanks, yes I am feeling bad..my ..uh assistant had to go to bed ill, I wonder if he had something contagious..oh god, I really feel dizzy!" Her face was both pale and flushed

The two men who had entered the restaurant on the orders of EJ Wells quickly spotted the woman they had been ordered to surveil. Not really being privy to any inside information on who she was, or why Mr. Wells wanted her under watch, they simply did their job the way they knew how. The camera phone recorded both the stills and the video of her and the good looking man with her as they talked intimately. When the twof them left the table, the camera recorded her staggering gate, and the giggle she let out as she passed them made it clear what was on her mind. The one recording the pictures got up to follow as the other took care of their bill. He managed to get on the elevator with them, and recorded the conversation.

"Samantha, do you have your room key?" Brandon asked, and waited as she fished it from her purse.

"Thank you for this Brandon, I needed you with me tonight!" Sami was acknowledging both their conversation, and the fact that he was helping her stagger back to the room. Whatever poor Earl had was horrid! The button on his pen recorder had been set, and the conversation was duly put on tape for Mr. Wells. The professionalism of the man was evident, as he was so unobtrusive, Sami was not even trying to hide the fact that she was totally leaning on Brandon for all her support.

When they reached the floor, Brandon was practically holding her up, and leading her down the hall. The camera phone recorded as Brandon opened the door, then bent to just pick Sami up and carry her into the room. The camera did not record the fact that her eyes were completely closed, and Brandon had a worried look on his face.

Once he had her in the room, and laid on the bed he picked up her cell phone to call George.

"What the hell did you do George?" Brandon was sure he knew, but he was waiting to hear if maybe, just maybe this so called friend had not done what he had jokingly suggested Brandon do earlier!

"Hey Bran,,come on, you wanted her..I could tel, it just took the one baby.. I slipped it in and you are home free!"

Brandon cursed him, then hung up the phone, looking down worriedly at the way Samantha looked on the bed. She seemed to be breathing well enough, but Brandon knew rophy's could have different effects on different people. As a social worker he dealt with the aftermath of women who were slipped these drugs when he talked with them at the police station after the assaults.

This was a situation he was having a hard time with. Debating on calling the police, and giving up George..which meant he would be explaining why he was up here with her while she was under the influence..He could leave her here to sleep off the effects, but what if she had a bad reaction to it?

George was most times an okay guy, married to a wonderful wife, two great kids..Brandon decided he would not go that way. Taking off his shirt, and shoes, he made the decision to just stay here with her and see that she woke up alright. He would sit up in the chair all night, check her breathing, and when she seemed to be fully awake he would just leave.

Chapter V

"Damn, what is the problem now?" EJ used the phone to ask his driver why the hold up in the traffic!

"There was a blackout due to the storm, and the traffic lights are not functioning, so traffic is being controlled by police officers sir."

Another thing added to his frustration for this day, but EJ decided to make some use of the time by checking in with Samantha's security detail.

"Grayson here", was the reply when EJ phoned to check with his men.

"Hello Grayson, thank you for getting over there so quickly. Have you got new for me on my wife?"

The silence on the line when EJ had asked that question made EJ think his call had dropped. "Grayson! Are you still there?"

Grayson was still there, and really was wishing now he had not been on call when the request was made for this detail. He did not want to be the one to break the news he had to EJ Wells, so he decided on another tack.

"Yes sir, I am still here, but I think maybe Masterson should be the one to give you the report. Do you want it now?"

"No, just save it, I will look it over when I get there, the bar should still be open, so meet me in there. She will probably be asleep already, I imagine she is exhausted after all she has been through today!" EJ pictured Samantha, lying in her bed, the pale golden tresses of her hair spread out on the pillow. Actual pain clutched at his groin as he thought of how badly he wanted her. Soon, he told himself, soon.

Masterson furrowed his brow after Grayson had hung up. "Cripes, that little tart upstairs is his wife?"

"Yeah..who knew?" As he spoke, Grayson was uploading the phone camera images and video to his laptop to hand over to EJ Wells when he came in. Signaling to the waitress, he ordered two more bourbon and waters to fortify themselves with. They had heard of the cold fury of the man they had been contracted out to. Now they had to make sure it was deflected onto his cheating wife and the man who was now with her.

"How much further?" EJ was now furious with the scope of the delay.

"Only about a mile sir, but we just aren't moving at all." The driver was also frustrated but there was nothing to be done.

EJ then took matters into his own hands, opening the door, he grabbed his garment bag along with his briefcase and headed on foot to the Sheraton. With his long strides he knew he could walk it within ten minutes. Ten steps up the sidewalk, came what seemed to be a message from God on how bad things were going to be, the sky was lit up with another lightning display, and a torrential rain began pelting him. His three thousand dollar suit was soaked through and plastering the three hundred dollar shirt to his skin. The only thing that kept him plodding on without just throwing his things over the side to the river below was the picture of Samantha in his mind.

He knew how it would feel when he lay down next to her, pulling her warmth against himself. She would feel he was chilly, and would use her arms and legs to entwine with his until she felt the warmth returning to his skin. Once he was no longer shivering, she would put her hands about his neck, and pull his lips onto hers for a kiss of welcome. He would use his hands then to remove her nightgown, caressing her as he did so. In turn, her hands would be kneading the muscles of his back and shoulders, pulling at him to cover her with his body and then he would find the solace he so desperately needed from her!

Now EJ found he had to walk with the briefcase in front of his trousers, and he berated himself for thinking instead of just walking!

It was just ten minutes before the last call was announced, but EJ made it into the lounge at the Sheraton in time to order up a scotch on the rocks as he sat down with Grayson and Masterson. The waiter brought him over several towels which he used to wipe the worst of the storm from his face and suit jacket. The shoes since they were of fine grade Italian leather he figured were salvageable.

Taking a sip from his drink, allowing the warmth of the liquor to take a bit of the chill off he leaned forward to inquire of the two men.

"I take it Samantha was well looked after by you two, and she is now resting comfortably in her room..no problems with autograph seekers invading her privacy?" EJ had long ago fixed the problem with the paparazzi. They had all been warned that it was not a good idea to bother Mrs. Wells, but autograph seekers were another matter. Samantha became annoyed with her body guards if they interfered with them.

"These are the people who buy my books, not intruders! Do not bother them!" and when the bodyguards would relay this to EJ, he had agreed..as long as the autograph seekers behaved respectfully he said her wishes should be complied with.

"Uh, well Mr. Wells, it was definitely not an autograph seeker that she was with".

"No, she would have been with Mildred Wallace, her literary agent" EJ downed the drink, wanting to hurry up with this report so he could go up to be with Samantha.

"Well, the older lady left some time before we even made it here, she must have wanted to get home before the other storm headed in..no this was someone else she was with".

Now, EJ caught the tone in their voice, and rather than sit and feel like he was pulling teeth, he reached over and turned the lap top screen towards him to see what they had been discussing when he sat down.

When he saw the face of the man on the screen, he did not have to be told who it was. There was nothing of Samantha's past he was not aware of. Brandon Walker and Samantha had been engaged, even married for a short period. He knew Kate had sabotaged the wedding of her son and Samantha by using this man as a dupe. But he also saw the look in the photo that Brandon was giving Samantha. It was a look of adoration, and wanting. A look he knew and wore himself so often.

"Where are they now"? EJ had a deathlike coldness to his voice. The braver of the two men simply gestured with an upward nod, then showed the video of Brandon carrying Sami into the room she was registered in.

"He's a dead man" Masterson told his partner as EJ had stomped over to the front desk to demand the key left for him by Earl.

"I think we better follow him up in case clean up is needed!"

Chapter VI

Brandon looked down on Samantha, reaching to take a wisp of her hair out of her eyes. Her dream of EJ was becoming real was all she could think, as she raised up on the bed, grasped him by the neck and pulled him down into a kiss that he could not stop himself from responding to. Even the click of the room door opening did not break his enjoyment of the kiss, until the feel of his neck being in the grasp of a man bent on killing him brought him back to his senses. As he was pulled back, she released her grip on his neck and flopped back onto the pillow, now snoring lightly.

One hit of his fist knocked Brandon over the chair, and the two men who had come in with this crazed maniac grabbed him up, holding him just in case the boss wanted another go. Brandon, however was well versed in his own self defense, and he quickly broke the hold, using his elbows and knees to deliver some crippling blows to the men trying to make a standstill target of him.

"You are a dead man!" EJ whispered, before turning once again to Samantha. "You are dead to me as well!" But his words fell on the deaf ears of a once again sleeping Samantha.

EJ had clenched his fists to take Brandon on again, gesturing to the men to release him, and let him get what he had coming to him.

"Wait, damnit, it was not what you think..for God's sake, take a look at her, she is passed out cold, can't you see that?" Brandon was wiping the blood from the corner of his eye, hoping to get some vision back in it before he was called on to defend himself again.

"Mr. Wells, he may be right, I mean she isn't stirring with all the noise we are making..look at her!"

In the moment it took EJ to look on her sleeping form, something else became clear to him, and now he was really ready to kill this creep!

"You son of a bitch! You slipped her a rophy!"Now EJ had him by the throat, choking him, not caring that his two men were trying to make him let go..if he was gonna kill the guy, they wanted it to be someplace more discreet! Finally, they got EJ to stop for a moment, and Brandon took the opportunity to plead his case.

"Listen to me, please, stop, it is not what you think" Brandon was gasping, but trying to make this madman listen to him. "Look at her, she is fully dressed under the covers there, I just put her to bed..yes she was drugged, but I did not realize it until an hour ago..I was afraid to leave her in case she had a reaction."

EJ glanced over at Sami, she was sleeping through the entire commotion, a slight smile on her face. Seeing that she had slipped away from the pillow, he took a moment to replace it under her head. Her hand found his and she pressed a light kiss to it before burrowing her head beneath the blanket.

"I think she was dreaming, she thought I was you. man..she talked about you and your kids all night."

"Do you know how close you came to dying tonight?"

"I can guess..I know you are a DiMera".Brandon was waiting for what he knew was the next question.

"Who gave her the drug?" The question was to be answered, EJ was giving him a chance now to walk out alive, but he wanted to know everything that had happened.

"Look, I am an old friend of Samantha's"

"Please do not call her that, you may call her Mrs. Wells or Sami, but do not use the name Samantha on her, I alone call her that!"once again, EJ's voice held a hiss that was snakelike and his eyes fixed on the throat of Brandon again.

"Sorry, that is what I used to call her too. I loved her very much at one time."

"And that is why you slept with Lexie, then deserted Samantha to the likes of Lucas Roberts? Now that is what you call deeply held devotion!"EJ was scornful now.

"Yeah, well, I was wrong..if I had not been so sanctimonious we would have married. You are a lucky man, Wells, a very lucky man".

"I think I asked you a question, and I am still waiting for the answer."

"Ok. Well, I did have a couple of drinks here earlier with some buddies, and I saw Saman...Sami come in with her agent. I joined them and later my buddies joined us..I think one of them thought it would help me out with her if he slipped something in her drink..I swear, I would never do that to any woman, least of all Samantha..sorry, Sami I mean. I want you to know when I see my friend again, it will be to give him a little of what you gave me tonight. I am so sorry, honestly!"

"And of course, you had no intention of taking advantage of her present state..do you expect me to believe that?"

"Hey, when she kissed me I sort of got into it, I admit, hell, look at her..would you stop kissing that?"

EJ remembered a time, years ago when he had kissed Samantha on her wedding day to Austin. He had known it was not going anywhere, but he had wanted it and taken what she had offered all the same. When he considered everything, he could not hold it against Brandon, except for his choice of friends, he may have actually helped Samantha, making sure she did not get any drug reactions.

Grayson and Masterson escorted him to his car, telling him as he got in, "You are one lucky s.o.b, when we got in that room and saw you and her doing the tongue tango, we figured he was gonna toss you right out the window!"

Brandon looked at them, then at the window of the room he had been in. He knew if they had not walked in, he would be making love to Samantha this very minute. He wanted her then, and he wanted her now. Maybe it was not too late after all!

Chapter VII

EJ had taken some time to look up the drug on his laptop, and saw that the drugs effects took effect about fifteen to twenty minutes after being given and would begin to wear off in two to four hours. Rophynol was not legally prescribed in the United States, but was readily obtained in Mexico. It was used as a very strong sedative, but one of its main uses was to be administered prior to surgeries to keep patients from remembering events in case they should wake up while being operated on. This was what made it such a popular date rape drug..victims did not recall clearly what had happened, and for that reason seldom reported incidents.

Looking at his still sleeping wife, EJ felt a wave of tenderness, as well as an equal wave of guilt at how he had almost believed she had been unfaithful. He knew that was the one sin she found hardest to forgive in others, and would have found the hardest to forgive in herself. With a smile on his lips, he decided he would give her a wonderful surprise when she finally woke up.

"Yes, this is EJ Wells, I am with my wife in her room, but I rented the honeymoon suite starting today, so I would like some help moving please..send someone up!"

The hotel ran quite efficiently, and soon EJ was carrying the sleeping body of Sami across the threshold, and laying her gently on the bed. After telling the bell hop to bring up Samantha's luggage the next morning and collecting all the bags, he tipped him generously, then sent him on his way. He began to rummage through his bag for the Victoria Secrets bag and his special present for Samantha.

She was still a dead weight, and he looked quite comical trying to remove her business suit from her uncooperative limbs. Placing the jacket and skirt in the bag for the hotel dry cleaning service, he pulled out the lingerie he wanted to see her in.

He took his time getting the camisole on, as the view was a bit distracting, but putting on the wisp of panty proved easier. He then laid her back, fluffing the pillow beneath her head, shssing her when she began to stir, since he wanted her fully awake before he let her know he was with her. The clothes he had worn now were dry but still clammy against his skin and he picked up the robe left by the hotel and headed to take a long and relaxing shower.

A foggy mist was keeping Sami from herself, and she was now fighting her way up through it. Her eyes opened, then shut, for the light from the moon was so bright through the window. She stood shakily, and walked to look out, seeing that most of the city was still blacked out. She shivered, then looked down at what she was wearing..the camisole was not tied, the panties to it were sheer, and no more than an a half inch wide at the hip area!

These were not something she had brought! "What in the hell?" Her deepening confusion grew with each second, and the fear she has done something she would forever regret grew with it. She saw the white terry robe folded neatly on the chair and quickly covered herself up with it.

Her other clothes were not evident in the room, and her bags were not anywhere to be seen. Fear intensified in her when she heard the sound of the shower through the double French doors to the bathroom. Peeking through the door, the glass of the shower enclosure was steamed up, and all she made out was the figure of a well built male, his back to her, but the outlines of a trim and toned body that brought a sharp pang of memory of the night.

"Brandon!!" her hand flew to her mouth as she realized what she must have done with him, and the shame hit her in waves that threatened to bring her to her knees! Her camisole was untied, and she knew her breasts had been exposed in the bed when she got up. All she could remember of what had happened before was feeling slightly dizzy at the table. The rest of the time since then was gone from her memory.

Now she was sure he had cheated on EJ. There was no other explanation, and she had not excuse at all. Fighting with your husband was not a reason to go into a bar and decide to have a cheap and tawdry night of sex with...even with an old flame. At this moment, Sami hated herself as she had never hated herself before. Tears stung her eyes, and she knew she had to just get out, get away before Brandon came out of the shower wanting a repeat of whatever had gone on between them!

Her purse was not even in the room, and by now she knew this was not her room! The hot tub in the corner overlooking the city made her even sadder. She had wanted to have EJ meet her in Chicago for a romantic couple of days, away and in private where they could have talked over what seemed to be wrong between them! All she could think of now was getting away, and getting away quickly!

Mildred's apartment was close by, so she put on the hotel slippers and opened the door. If anyone saw her, they would assume she was on her way to the spa. Once she made it down, she would just rush out the doors and run quickly the three blocks to Mildreds town home. It was the only thing she could think of to do, but her mind was still partially in the drug induced fog. That was why she did not see the cab bearing down on her as she headed across Euclid, The sickening crunch as she was hit brought people running to the scene.

By the time EJ had finished his shower, the ambulance had already arrived to take the seriously injured woman to Rush Medical Center. The hotels monogrammed robe had been removed, and the woman presenting to the emergency room was wearing only the skimpy camisole set. For a time, her dress and lack of identification made many of the personnel there think she might be a lady of the evening, until someone noticed the unique wedding ring she wore.

"Check the guest list at the Sheraton..she may have been staying there, and had some kind of lovers quarrel!" the doctor doing the examination wanted some one who knew this woman to come quickly..

Chapter VIII

Mommy and Daddy were laughing together, Kacie saw it all so clearly at first. Then the dark curtain dropped, and Kacie was afraid. She could not see what was happening, but her dream told her it was bad. Nanny came running into her room and found her sitting up in bed screaming,"Mommy..watch out!" The child was staring out into space, in the throes of a dream that was real enough to her that she too could hear the thud of the impact of the red and white checkered car hitting her mother.

When the dream stopped suddenly, Kacie held the image in her mind, and clutched at Nanny trying to make her understand.

"Hey dearie, come now, child, twas only a bad dream.."her comforting words were having no effect at all as Kacie began to struggle in earnest..

"Kace, what is it? What happened to Mom?" Jessica had been awakened, and she knew her sisters dreams well enough by now to know they had meanings unto themselves. They were not to be ignored if Kacie felt this strongly, something was going on.

"Nanny, call Daddy, call Daddy now!" now it was Justin who was standing in the doorway of his sister's room, a worried look on his face. Ace stood next to him, almost giving in to the urge to put the thumb up to his mouth, but pulling it away at the last second.

Nanny looked at the bedside clock..it showed the time as being three thirty in the morning...but she too had come to believe in the sight as it were called where she was from that resided in the sweetness of the child Kacie. She picked up the phone and began to dial Mr. EJ's cell phone.

EJ had set the phone on the bathroom vanity, not wanting any rings to disturb Sami until the moment he planned to wake her with his kisses, and now as he heard it from the shower, he congratulated himself on his good planning. When he saw the i.d he had a moments panic, what would Nanny be calling him for now..had something happened to one of the kids?"

"Sir, excuse me for this but little Kacie has had a bad dream about her mum, can you please tell her that things is aright with you two..I am sure twill make her sleep better.."

"She is having a bad dream, is that all? She isn't ill or anything?" EJ worried about Kacie, always afraid some lingering after effect of her illness would manifest itself, and he knew he tended to baby her a bit.

"Nah suh, she is foine, I think if you just reassure her you and the missus is good and well, she will settle back down" Nanny was sure of it, but Jessica, Justin, and Ace were not of the same mind. Kacie did not appear to be settling down at all, but getting more agitated and tearful by the second.

"Put her on, please..it's quite alright, I was not in bed yet anyway..."He waited a few seconds then could hear the hiccupping sobs of his little girl as she came onto the phone. It took her a bit to be able to speak, and the way she sounded told her father she was extremely upset.

"Hey, chicken..what are you worrying Nanny like this for? Mommy is sound asleep in the room, I am just out of the shower, about to go lay down with her and sleep for a bit..so how about this? When she wakes up, I will have her call you herself ok? She can tell you she is fine all by herself, how does that sound?"

"Daddy, let me talk to her now! I hafta tell her to look both ways when she crosses the streets..like she tells us we hafta look both ways! So take the phone to her, let me tell her, and then I will go back to sleep, and you can both go back to sleep". Kacie was willing to bargain, as long as she got her end of the deal upheld as well.

Knowing the only way to get her back to bed and to give Nanny any peace was to give in, EJ laughed softly, "Ok, chicken, you win. I will wake her up..hold on," he slipped the robe back on and walked out into the suite. When he saw the empty bed, and the empty expanse of the room he choked a bit.

"Listen Chicken, I think Mommy is really tired, I cannot get her to wake up. So I want you to go on back to bed, and Mommy and I will call you back in a few minutes..ok?"

It was not ok, Kacie now knew her dream was the truth as it was!

"Daddy, go stop her from going into the street..the car is gonna hit her!" the only thing untrue about the dream Kacie had was the timing. Her dream was six minutes late.

Looking down the forty three floors, EJ could see the gathering of the emergency vehicles. He threw on his trousers, a shirt, and slipped on his shoes without even bothering for socks before he ran out the door to the elevator. The revolving door at the lobby gave a whoosh as he pushed through it, getting to the sidewalk in time to hear the siren start on the ambulance that was taking his wife to the emergency department.

After being given the directions, EJ realized he had not even put his wallet in the pocket of his pants, but having the bellman remember the one hundred dollar tip had been bread upon the waters, and the bellman re loaned it to him to pay the cab fare to the hospital.

It was one of those paragon of efficiency nurses who he had the misfortune to run into when he demanded to know where his wife had been taken.

"Who is your wife?" as she opened up a fresh screen on the computer screen.

"Samantha Brady Wells!"

"The authoress? The one who wrote "Our Lives, Our Days? I loved her books"

"Holy Christ, she was hit by a cab, now where the hell is she?"

"Oh the cab hit, yes, the one who was almost naked..yes, she is on the fourth floor,

X-ray" before she had the words out, EJ was at the elevator, pushing aside an old man in a walker to get to the opening door.

"Pushy bastard!, Just wait til you get old and have to use one of these!"

"Dreadfully sorry, here let me help you.."EJ picked the man up, walker and all to set him down gently in the elevator. When the man reached to push to go to the third floor, EJ stopped his hand..."No, we are going to fourth floor first, then you may go to the third."

"Pushy bastard! I say I am going to the third floor and nothing you can do to stop me from it!"

When the elevator door stopped on the fourth floor, EJ got off quickly, leaving the old man sitting on the floor with his walker bent halfway around his neck.

Chapter IX

"Daddy! Daddy! Come see what Granma made us! Blueberry pancakes!" the dark eyes of the little boy as he tugged at the covers of his dad, trying to get him up for this special unaccustomed treat!

"Whoa there Spenc, Daddy had a pretty late night, but blueberry pancakes? Yum! Give me a minute and I will be right there!" Brandon swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and slipped on pj bottoms, and a t-shirt to head down to breakfast.

"Morning Lucy, wow! This looks great!" Brandon surveyed the spread before him, the pancakes were fragrant, crispy bacon, orange juice, and best of all, hot coffee! His mother in law had been a godsend, but she would have said it was the other way around. Losing her daughter, Adrianna, had been the worst moment of her life, and if not for being able to care for her grandson, she would have gone insane.

Now she was in her element. The small boy with the dark curly hair, and the almost coal dark eyes was smacking a bit as he downed the pancakes, smiling, and making that little humming noise he made when he was especially pleased with his meal. Spencer was the image of Brandon, until he smiled..then the dimples in his cheek marked him as a child of Adrianna. Spencer was making sure his Dad was enjoying it, looking over to him and saying, "Hey Dad, maybe we can have blueberry pancakes on Sunday too, and you can take me to the park to sail my boat ok?"

"Well, son, that sounds like the best idea I have heard all week! I bet we can get that boat out on that lake and make it beat all the rest of them in a race! You just make sure to get it all polished up so it looks real pretty for Sunday..can you do that?" since his wife had died, only Spencer had the means of really making Brandon smile..except for the woman he had been with for a few hours last night. He remembered he had actually smiled and been happy for a time when they had been talking. Samantha had been a love of a lifetime, and if he had only given her a chance..he shook the thought from his mind. He had been happily married, and life gives you no guarantees. He also knew Samantha was happy with her life. She had glowed when showing him her families pictures. It had been good to see her, and as for the rest of the night, well, he did not regret the kiss at all, but he knew why her husband had reacted the way he did, he would have done the same.

Lucy noticed his pensive look as his eating slowed. "Here is the paper, now you better eat up if you are gonna be worth a damn at work today! It was late when you got in, and you need some fuel!" She handed him the paper to read, and when he opened to the front page and saw the headline and picture, he stopped in mid bite.

"Authoress, Samantha Brady Wells Hit by Cab'

He scanned the article, and noting the time, he saw it happened an hour after he had left her! "What did that bastard do to you?' He said this aloud as he read, making both Lucy and Spencer look at him curiously. The only information about her condition was that it was serious, and she had been in surgery that morning.

"Damn, she is at Rush!" Brandon spent a lot of time there, as his specialty was counseling families and children who had been involved in traumatic events. If there was a shooting at a school, he was there to offer as someone to talk to. He was often the one who families turned to if a loved one had been seriously injured.

'Lucy, I have to get into work now! Can you get Spence off to pre school" he knew she would be disappointed about the breakfast, but he had to get to Samantha. If she needed his help, he wanted to be there for her!

He found EJ sitting in the waiting room outside of the operating theatre. Gone was the self assured powerful man who could have ordered him killed and disposed of without a second thought. This man sitting here was afraid. Brandon knew that look well. He saw it on countless family members waiting to see if someone they loved was going to still be with them after all the medical teams had finished what they could do.

"I am sorry, I just heard. If you like, I will see what I can find out about what is going on..I know the worst thing about being in this situation is not knowing what is happening." Brandons voice was low and soft, but not condescending.

EJ looked at him coldly. In his mind, Brandon's decision to go out drinking with friends who would better fit on the evolutionary scale as pond scum had been the cause of Samantha's accident.

"If you have any pull with these imbeciles, I would appreciate it. Right now I have some experts flying in to give their opinions as well."though he thought Brandon was a friend of pond scum, he would use whatever help he could offer right now.

"Give me a minute, but I should tell you, the doctors here at Rush are top caliber..Samanth..Sami is in very capable hands, and they will do everything they can to see she makes a complete recovery.

"Thank you, and her complete recovery will be a good thing for your friend George as well" EJ knew his meaning was clear when Brandon cleared his throat but said nothing.

"Ok, I understand what you must be going through, but the guy is just an ordinary family man, except he had a few too many drinks last night, please, can you give him a little break?"

"Yes, I think I may be able to do that". EJ then decided he would only have one arm and one leg broken. That would probably teach him all the lesson he needed to learn. "Now, you said you were going to see what you can find out about her condition..can you do that now please, I am counting on you to help me here." The threat implied was not lost again on Brandon, but he really did want to find out her condition anyway, more for himself than for this thug who had begun to really annoy him,

He walked over to the nurses station, and began to shamelessly flirt with the attractive nurse working the desk. Soon, she was leaning over the counter top, opening up the file, and then checking on the computer logs to dig up whatever else was available.

'The patient presented in an unconscious state, dressed only in a flimsy piece of lingerie,

Paramedic workers said they had cut off the remains of a terry robe with the monogram from the Sheraton Hotel indicated. Worst injuries appear to be orthopedic, with a compound fracture appearing in X-ray of her right femur. Multiple contusions were found on her body after removal of clothing.

Scan shows no brain damages, but several ribs have been cracked. Prognosis after surgery to pin and reset leg appears to be good."

Nothing in the file was earth shattering, she had been coded as serious due to being unconscious when she was brought in. Brandon knew this was all good news though, and he walked back to EJ, a slight smile on his face.

"It looks ok from the chart..when they bring her down from surgery I will talk to the doctor with you. But it looks good..she was lucky!"

The white look EJ had sported before now was flooding back with color. He reached for Brandons hand and shook it in gratitude.

"I have to call the kids before they hear it from someone else.."EJ already could see the press that would now be stationed outside his estate. He need Matthew on the job to protect them right away!

Chapter X

Sami woke from the nap she had been taking, surprised at how little her right leg was hurting now. Her IV unit included a little push button operated system that allowed her to dispense whatever amount of pain medication she needed. Up until this moment she had hit the button any time she found herself waking up, as the discomfort was too much too bear. Now she was willing to stay afloat for a few minutes, and she saw once again, EJ was sitting in the chair next to her bed. His head was thrown back a bit, and his eyes were closed as he slept. She could see he was sporting at least two days growth of beard, and she knew that was about the amount of time she had been in the hospital. Her memory of how and why she was there was fuzzy. The last thing she recalled totally was walking out of the hotel. What had made her walk out was something she did not remember until she looked up to the doorway and saw Brandon Walker standing there, a small bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"I thought you might be feeling a little less under the weather today, the worst of the surgery pain should be easing up now..am I right?" his voice was concerned and tender, and EJ woke immediately upon hearing him.

"Hello Brandon, what a surprise to see you here" EJ was not rude, but his voice was tempered with a tone that said this visit was unwelcome.

Sami, though, was looking at Brandon with a plea in her eyes. The plea was for him to just stay quiet, give her the flowers and leave before the guilt in her eyes told EJ everything she did not want him to know! Knowing she had been in a hotel room with Brandon, half naked, and Brandon showering probably after having made love to her made her want to escape again. Reaching over, she gave the button two pushes, waiting in blessed relief for the medication to take over her mind. It started quickly, and she smiled as she felt the slide into oblivion begin.

"Damn! She must still be in pain, I was hoping she would stay awake long enough to talk with her."EJ had been by her side for two days, no shower, no change of clothes, and he was starting to be decidedly unfresh.

"Look EJ, why don't you go back to the hotel and freshen up. I will stay here with her, and if she wakes up I will make sure she calls you. I mean, when she does come up for air, you don't want her seeing you looking like that..right?"

EJ was loathe to leave her, but he was feeling in need of a clean up. If only Harris was not still in the middle of Canada operations, he would have much preferred that he be there with her, not Brandon. He checked his watch, calculating he could be finished and back at the hospital in less than an hour..when she punched in the dosage, it usually took effect for two to three hours. Brandon would sit with her, so if she should wake she would not be completely alone. His real hope was that she would remain asleep.

EJ made it back to the hotel, shaved and showered, changed into fresh clothes within thirty minutes. He saw the message light flash on his phone and picked it up to check his voice mails. One was from Matthew, just a simple one word message which told EJ that the fellow George had met with an unfortunate accident.

"Done". EJ wrote on his notebook that Matthew was to be given a bonus for efficiency. Now he decided to give a call to home to speak with the children. He planned on flying Samantha home within two days, and had been arranging to have a room set up downstairs for the two of them to share. It would be two beds of course, as he knew the cast would need to be defended against accidental bumping. The six weeks or so of healing would be another period added to his celibacy, and he clenched his fists while thinking of it.

"Hey Chicken, How are you sweetie?"His youngest daughter had begged Nanny to take the phone first.

"Daddy, I am making Mommy a present! It will be done by the time you bring her home! Bring her home like you said, two days ok?"

"Yes I will Chicken..now let me talk to the others ok, I have to get back to the hospital so Mommy is not by herself!"

"Hey Dad, Mom is coming home in two days? Super! I want her to be able to come to the football game next week? Do you think she can come?" Justin was going to be playing in his first tag football game, and having his mom at his games was always a source of embarrassed pride to him. She tended to yell the loudest of all the moms!

"Please tell her how much we all miss her..and I have a beautiful purple marker that I want to autograph her cast with ok?" EJ smiled at his "Trouble" who was turning into the little "mother" of all his and Samantha's children. He knew she had taken Ace under her wing, knowing he was the least equipped of all of them to cope with missing his Mother. He was a fiercely brave boy, but when it came to his mother, he found it hard to cope with separation from him.

"Daddy, can I come to Chick-kago to see Mommy now?"This was Aces demand, and EJ thought for a moment.

"Ok, Ace, I think I can arrange that, maybe all of you can come! Let me speak with Nanny!" he could think of no greater gift for either Samantha or the children than to have them with her when she was taken home!

"Samantha..Samantha..look I know you hear me, and while EJ is gone I wanted to tell you how wonderful it was to be with you the other night. I only wish I had been smart enough to keep you with me when I had the chance, but thank you anyway for the other night. It is a memory I will cherish forever!" Brandon took her hand, kissed it lightly, then bent to kiss her forehead.

The words did get through to Sami in the drug induced haze, and they were like shards of glass piercing her heart. Brandon was here, telling her how he would cherish the night they had spent, and she could only feel a burning shame and regret. Willing herself to not respond to his words, she stayed in the haze, there was nothing he could say to her to make her want to acknowledge him being there. How would EJ ever be able to forgive her? How would she be able to forgive herself?

Chapter XI

"Samantha, this leg looks right as rain..you have done everything right in taking care of it..you too EJ, your wife can probably walk out of here with just a crutch, but in a week or so, even the crutch won't be needed.' Doctor Lelands words to EJ and Samantha had two reactions.

Sami Wells had grown quiet and pensive. Once the cast had been sawed off, and the exam showed she was healed perfectly, the smile she had been wearing since coming into the office was replaced by a worried look with a furrowed brow.

EJ, on the other hand was like a kid with a new puppy! This was working out so perfectly now. He had called Tippin to bring down the suitcases he had already packed, and the reservation at Green Mountain Lodge was all set. They would be getting the room they had shared on their honeymoon, with the fireplace and the redwood hot tub that was on the veranda under the stars. The time that had passed while she had healed had been quietly companionable between them, but he missed the passion that was so much a part of their life together. Since the night of the quarrel, til now had been the longest eight weeks of his life!

"Now, we will want you back for some physical therapy to make sure the muscles in the leg build up, but for now, most activities are fine"..

Having caught the question in EJ's eyes, the doctor winked and said "Yes, even that!"

Sami knew she could not keep her secret much longer now. EJ had been so kind to her, carrying her about the house, not letting anyone disturb her. All the while she knew she had betrayed him in the worst way a wife could betray a husband. She knew before he took her to his bed, he had to know what she had done. If he could forgive her they could go forward, but she could not revert to being the person she had been before EJ. He always told her true love listens, and true love forgives. She was going to find out if he meant it.

Thinking back to that night, she still did not know why she would have done such a thing. All she could come up with was that her anger at EJ was still bubbling, and this was how she had taken her revenge. Except now she was so sorry..so very sorry. His forgiveness was all that could make it right, but to get that, she would have to confess what she had done to him, and that was going to be the hardest thing she had ever attempted to do.

"EJ, where are we going? You missed the turnoff!" As the car sped up, heading out to the countryside she saw his smile spread until it was an open mouthed grin showing all the even white teeth in that lovely mouth.

"I thought we needed that couple of days away you had set up for us, back before the accident". EJ had taken the call on her cell phone and was told of her original surprise plans for him. He had been touched, and vowed they would do it as soon as she was released from the Doctors care.

"I have the original menu you wanted. Except it is all of my favorites, so I put in a couple of items for you too darling. The wines and champagnes are the ones you wanted, but I took the liberty of ordering the flowers for you. I am going to shower you with attention, affection, and tender loving care my sweet!"

Normally she would have thought it was the most wonderful surprise in the world, but now it only added to her inner turmoil. When she told him, and she knew she had to tell him, would he walk out of that room..turning his back on her? All these weeks she had lain in the narrow bed downstairs, next to his. There had been times she had wanted to ask him to move her into his bed so she would be able to spoon herself against him, but besides the awkwardness of the cast, was the awkwardness of how she felt with the knowledge she was holding from him.

Now she wished she had told him during that time. At least she would have held the higher ground with the sympathy factor, but with the cast removed, she had ceded that ground.

He waited for her to say something, and she could not keep the strained silence any longer without making him ask her what was wrong.

"Green Mountain Lodge, that sounds wonderful..just wonderful.." her words and her eyes did not match in emotion, and he noticed right away.

"Look, if you don't think you feel up to it, I know the cast just got off, but I thought a little time alone together would be so good for us. We have not had much of a chance to talk, much less anything else. I wanted to talk to you in Chicago, but..you kind of messed that idea up love!" his voice kidded her, but she tensed at the mention of Chicago.

"Hey, what's wrong? Relax, take a nap. Let me wake you when we get there ok?"

Sami nodded, then closed her eyes. She did not want him to ask her any more questions or to mention Chicago again. She would have to find the right time to tell him, and in an automobile going eighty miles an hour on a twisted road was not the time or place.

"Hey, we're here", EJ was gently shaking her knee then leaning across the car to kiss her lips. When she opened her eyes to return the kiss, she saw how happy he looked, and again she felt the waves of remorse and guilt.

The bell man helped take the bags to the honeymoon suite, and when he had entered with the bags, he turned to take his tip from the hand of EJ. Sami had been swept up in his arms to cross over the threshold, and EJ had put the bill between his teeth for her to hand over to the laughing hotel worker.

"I think you both are gonna have a wonderful stay, and if you need anything else, my name is Oliver, and all you gotta do is ring!"

EJ let his eyes sweep the room. The serving cart with the silver hooded tray was in the room, buckets of ice with four bottles of champagne, a nice red bottle of red wine, lilacs and roses strewn about the room, and the four poster bed which had rose and lilac petals spread over the satiny sheets.

"Here, darling, I want you to put this on..I have always wanted to see you in something like this!"as he pulled it out of the bag, he gave a low sexy growl...

When Sami saw the flimsy camisole with the yellow ribbon that tied it together at the top, along with the tiny thong panty that it matched, her hand went to her mouth, and the room began to sway.

"Samantha!" EJ rushed to catch her as she fainted!

Chapter XII

Her eyelids fluttered as she became aware of lying down in a bed fragrant of lavender and roses. EJ was bent over her, his face a mass of concern as he wiped her cheeks and forehead with the damp cloth.

'Hey, glad to see you back..I guess the long ride kind of did you in..I am so sorry, maybe I should have waited a few days" he was looking at her with such a tender expression it brought the first tear to her eyes. Tears she had been holding back since he had come into the hospital room with all four kids, and the souped up wheelchair he had surprised her with years ago in Salem.

"No, EJ, I am glad you did not wait. We do need to talk about some things..maybe after we eat, I am a little hungry."Truth was, she did not really have an appetite, but she did need something to fortify herself with, and looking at the table with the champagne, she knew she wanted a drink quickly! Her hands took up the bottle of champagne, and she gave it over to him to open.

"Of course, darling, but first things first," and once again he handed her the lingerie to put on. "There is a robe here that matches it", and he let her have the satin pale yellow robe to cover up with. "I have dreamed of seeing you wearing this for me!"

His eyes were warm, and loving as he looked at her, and she could not find it in her to protest at all. Taking the feathery sheer scraps of material, she headed into the bathroom.

A few minutes later she emerged and she heard his intake of breath.

"You look like an angel"His eyes traveled from her feet encased in the pale yellow mule slippers to the satin robe that skimmed just at mid thigh. Even though she had it tied at the waist, the v of the neckline only emphasized the thrust of her proud breasts. He could make out the outline of the hip strap of the panty, but when she turned to show him the whole outfit, he grinned to see the panty line was non existent. The ribbon tying the camisole together beckoned for him to loosen it up, but he knew he must feed her first! He wanted her to have all her strength for the night to come!

"Let me get a little more comfortable too..I have served the oysters up, just the way you like them..the sauce is there too. And of course, champagne!" he handed her over a glass, and smiled in approval as she took a healthy gulp.

Sami watched in trepidation as he stripped in front of her down to his black satin boxer briefs. She knew the moment of truth was coming closer and closer and she still did not know how she was going to find the words to tell him of her sin. To want him so badly while fearing so much what he would do or say once she confesses was killing her. Then he turned back to her, and began to walk to her with a slow, almost hypnotic pace. He never took his eyes off hers, and she felt her knees go weak once more!

"Easy, sweet, easy!" His arms reached out to bring her to his chest, steadying her hand with the champagne glass.."Why are you so nervous? What is wrong love?'

Her face screwed up then, and he saw with alarm she was going to cry..oh no..this was not what he wanted the night to end up as..another fight or guilt trip on him or her!

"EJ, I have done something awful and I am so sooooooorrrreeeeee"..her voice stretched out on the last word as the tears came in torrents!

Now he was worried,"Hey, Samantha, please , don't cry, tell me, you know you can tell me anything..what is is darling?"

He fished a handkerchief from his suit coat, and wiped at her eyes, but the tears soon soaked it, and she still was weeping. Finally, gulping for a bit of air, she began her tale.

"EJ, the night I was hurt in Chicago, I did something..I don't know why, or how, but I..I..oh God, EJ I cheated on you with Brandon Walker!"

His look of perplexity to her was just his way of not being willing to believe what she was saying. So she began to blurt out more of the story.

"I woke up, and I found I was almost naked EJ..and I heard the shower running. I went to the door and I looked in and I saw him showering in there. I wasn't even in my own room, my clothes were gone and I was wearing practically nothing! I swear, I don't know how it happened. I knew I had to get out of there before he came out of the shower. I was so ashamed, I still am. I must have had too much to drink or something. That is why I left the hotel, I was going to go stay with Mildred until my head cleared up! I must have been so upset I didn't pay attention and I got hit by the cab! EJ, please, can you forgive me for this..I swear, I will never do anything like that again, oh please, just don't leave me!"

EJ grew very quiet and very still before he began to speak, "You know Samantha, I suppose I should have let you know everything that happened that night, and you would not be suffering like this. Then there is also the fact you have suffered with this on your mind when you did not have to. I wish you had confessed to me at first, instead of worrying yourself like this all these weeks".

He went to her, and pulled her to him by the belt of her robe, and began to untie it. "I know everything that happened with you and Brandon"

.Once the robe was untied, he began to kiss her neck, then swirled light kisses at the whorl of her ears. His hand spread the robe apart, and he looked down at her, drinking in the sight of the camisole, liking the sight of the ribbons slight trembling.

"You were given a drug, commonly known as a Rophy by one of his friends..Brandon did not know about it" he now was undoing the yellow ribbon which held the camisole together with his mouth as he mumbled on.

"It was not Brandon in the shower, it was me. Kacie made Nanny call me on my cell as she was trying to warn me you might be in trouble."

Sami was listening to him, wanting to believe him, but waiting for him to show anger for her other betrayal. The betrayal of not trusting him, but her only reassurance was his drugging kisses that stilled her fears.

The ribbon was now untied, and he sent his hand in to hold a second over her heart, reveling in the strong steady beat that was there now. He used his palms to stroke her, until she thrust herself at him, in the age old way of womanhood to urge him on.

He picked her up, carrying her quickly to the bed and lying her down on the fragrance of the petals. This need was too urgent to be a relaxed session of lovemaking, and he bent to use his teeth and mouth to lift the straps of the skimpy panties and pull them down, then coming onto her as her legs opened up in welcome to him.

"Are you still awake?" her whisper came to him as he held her in the cage of his arms, stroking her face with a gentle restrained power.

'Yes, what is it"? he leaned up to look down upon her.

"I love you, and I know you would never do anything to harm me or the kids..I know that..but would it be possible."She hesitated, and he waited for her to finish.

"I want to find Mom, and make sure Stefano is what she wants"

EJ knew soon Samantha would ask for that, and he knew he could not say no to her, though it would be better if he could have.

Chapter XIII

EJ tried the gentler way of waking her up, but Sami was determined not to respond to ear and neck nibbles by him. His penchant for rising before seven a.m had been the one thing in the marriage that she would have listed in a grounds for divorce paper if she had been forced to name the worst fault he had.

"Wake up, wake up, I have a surprise for you."his whispers and light kisses in her ear, while his hands began to caress her bare tummy and sides were starting to have the desired effect as she began to squirm and moan slightly at his touch.

"EJ, please, I will be just as surprised in an hour, now let me sleep..you wore me out last night!"

"Samantha, I waited for two months to make love to you, I really think I should get a pass for that...but I will let you know, that myth about cold showers is just that, a silly myth. All it took to teach me that was one...then I decided no use torturing myself with chills as well as horni...well you know!"

Giving up, she turned to his embrace with her eyes open and smiling with delight. "Okay then, surprise me!"

Throwing the covers off of them both, he picked her up and carried her out onto the veranda of the room. The entire patio area was fenced, and festooned in the most fragrant star jasmine cascading down the brick walls. . In the center sat the huge redwood hot tub, with the jets were running full blast, the steam rising up in rolling clouds with the chilly morning air. He carried her up the stairs, then just put one long leg down into the water, carrying her in with him then seating them both in the warmth of the water.

"Ummm,,,this does feel good..I was a little sore after last.." she did not finish the sentence as EJ was bending down to cover her mouth with a deep and urgent kiss. When he stopped, he was looking into her eyes, searching for something there that he was hoping to see from her once again.

"It feels so good to be with you again like this EJ, I can't even bear to think about what I said to you when we quarreled..I know you have no control over how Stefano thinks, or why Doctor LaDierma and John would do what they did to my mother."

With those words, EJ saw the trust and love he had worried had been lost from their union. He knew they would always have passion, but for it to be lasting, the mortar holding their wall together had to be based on trust and love.

"Samantha, I promise you, we will find Marlena and see what her choice is, but no matter what her choice is, I love you, I will stand by you, I will fight your fight! All I need to know is you feel the same about me..."his hand captured hers, bringing her fingers to his lips, as he stroked the soft inside of her wrist and arm.

She shivered from the sensations, but used her hands to hold his face between them, as she looked deeply into the warm velvet brown tones of his eyes.

"You are the only person who has ever accepted me for who and what I am. Some of it is good, some bad, some in between, but you have loved it all. So yes, I love you also, and I will fight your fight by your side, no matter what happens, I know you are the one who will always stand by me. You will protect me, you will protect the children. I should have known you would for you always have!" then her lips found his , and she pressed her body to his, offering more than just words now!

His groan of wanting her excited her as much as his usual endearments of love. This was raw and powerful, as he lifted her in the water and settled her down astride his lap. Her arms encircled his neck and he pulled her to him, as closely as was possible, and when the age old dance of love took hold of the two of them, Sami's head was thrown back with her neck offered up to his kisses, while her senses reeled to the rhythm of his lovemaking. Both of them demanded and gave to the other what they asked for, both in words and body language, until the moment came that they both felt the release of the tension and ecstasy they sought!

He took the towel to dry her back, and offered her the robe he had left out earlier. She reciprocated and followed as he went back into the room. Room service had been with breakfast, and the table was set with fresh coffee, pastries, fruit, bagels, too much food really, but Sami ran to it, taking a strawberry in her mouth and turning to EJ with a teasing look. Of course he took the other half from her mouth, both of them laughing as the juice dribbled down their face. It was then a race to see who would lick it off the other first, but EJ cheated a bit. Since he was stronger, he just had to hold her face still, and let his height advantage take over. There was also the fact that she soon just gave over to the rush of her senses with EJ, wanting the feel of him doing what he was doing just because it felt so good!

Breakfast took a bit longer than EJ had scheduled for, since the strawberry caper soon ended up with the fruits being used for unintended purposes.

"My love, you are just too inventive! However, since most of this does usually end up on the pages of your book, I should say we could probably write this whole weekend off as research!" EJ lay back on the floor, laughing at the way she had just made him into a sexual fruit salad!

"EJ, I always use fictitious names to protect the guilty, but yes, I think I will inform the accountant that all our out of town invoices involve research expense! Good thinking!"

When they finally had the energy to stand, they dressed and went out to walk the grounds. This was the place they had shared the short honeymoon. It was also where the first salvo had been fired in the Kirakis-DiMera wars..the war was on hold for a bit, but EJ and Sami knew so much was still in the pot. Old wounds would now reopen, new wounds would come. And once again, they would be facing and fighting enemies as one!

(authors note: ok I gave you the romance (aka sex) ..now I have to get back to the original plot line of this story.. I have to ask is "was it good for you?"

Chapter XIV

The library in the medical center was a hive of information, and Brandon knew how to access all of it. It took him only a few minutes to look up all information accessible for Doctor Antonia LaDierma, and less time than that to figure out that she was nothing but an impostor. It was obvious to anyone that looked close enough that her credentials were simply copied and pasted over other peoples, the letters of reference were done the same way. So if he could figure this out, why was Salem University Hospital so easily taken in? They must have wanted to be, and was it not convenient that both Victor Kirakis and EJ Wells had prominent positions on the board of that institution.

He looked over the offer of employment he had obtained from Salem University Hospital over six months ago. It seemed to him then it might be good to get back to Salem, and take Spencer with him. He thought Lucy might be willing to go with him, and maybe a change would be good for her too. Too many memories of Adrianna were here in this town, but he still wanted someplace familiar. His mind having been made up, he called the department head in Salem to ask if the position was still open. It was, and from that moment, it was only a matter of tying up some loose ends. Once in Salem, he also planned to help Samantha. The story of her mother and what had gone in the hospital was legendary now in the mental health fields. So many articles were being written on security issues, and the ability of a patient to decide for or against any treatment.

Either she would find her husband was an innocent DiMera, or she would come to see his true colors. To Brandon this was a way of atonement for what she had done to her and the pain he had caused her in the past. He remembered his demand for an annulment to the marriage and how she had begged for another chance. His pride and anger had made him decide in haste, then when he had second thoughts it was too late again, and she was in love with Lucas. He knew that would never last, but he needed to get on with his life. Adrianna came at just the right time, but she had died at the most wrong time. He had been happy, they had a son..and plans to buy the house in the suburbs. Perfection, and it had all gone to hell with one doctors visit over a slight back ache and some stomach pains. Six months later, she had died in his arms.

"And just why do you think it would be a good idea to go back to Salem now?"Lucy was looking at Brandon over the rim of her coffee cup. She was not against the idea, just wanted more reasons than he had given for uprooting them to the small town he had resisted going back to before.

"I want to know more about what happened to my father, I want to see Lexie, and Theo again, he is my brother, and Spencers uncle. My Mom is there, and she is getting up in years, so I should be there for her since Nicole is not. Lots of reasons, Lucy, lots of reasons."

"None of them having to do with that Sami person I hope!"Lucy had heard the story too.

"Samantha is an old friend now, one I would like to see again. But no, she is very much in love with EJ Wells. He may not be good enough for her by half, but for whatever reason, she does love him."

"Just see you don't get too friendly, but yes, it would be nice to see your mother again, I could use the friendship too!"

With the help of Lucy, Brandon began to get the ball rolling for the move back to Salem.

Antonia LaDierma was quite settled into her post as Clinic Director. She had stepped into Marlenas shoes quite easily, even finding that some on staff had more respect for her than had ever been given to Doctor Evans. The Womens Empowerment Program Marlena had campaigned for but never got off the ground enough to get funding for was now meeting twice weekly, with an evening and daytime session, going so well it had a waiting list for both classes. Antonia had gotten it off the ground within a month of Marlena leaving town with Stefano DiMera.

John, though was starting to be a problem. Giving him more drugs was not the answer, and he balked now at the hypno therapy. Sex was now the only weapon she had for controlling him, and it was getting tiresome to her. Raphael was now openly scornful of John, but with his present state, John was no longer the man he had once been. Kristen felt badly about that actually, she had wanted him so badly she had changed him so he would love her, but she did not love the changes she had made. The old John who had fought for her was the one she wanted, but she knew that John would want Marlena. The old adage of be careful what you wish for had come true for her.

"How long Kristen, how long?"

"What are you talking about Raphael, don't talk in riddles, you know it annoys me!" Kristen was hanging an expensive oil painting by a promising new artist in her living room. It was an abstract done by Lyonsfame, a work so complicated and intricate, Kristen had debated for a week before deciding she had to have it!

When John had seen it, his only reaction had been to ask why the center was bright yellow. Raphael had looked at it and saw at once why it appealed to her.

"The confusion is your inner turmoil now isn't it?..You have everything you thought you ever wanted, and you still feel empty inside. I know how that can eat at you, as I have the same feelings at times." Raphael leaned back into the chair, sipping his scotch and soda.

"He can be taught you know, none of us appreciate the finer things until we learn about them. I can be his teacher!"

He looked at her, up and down, finally settling his gaze on her finely planed cheekbones, which he then took between his thumb and forefinger. "No..my dear..that is not what you long for, you want someone who commands you, and John will never be that man!"

The opera music playing from the stateroom down the hall was all it took to bring a sublime smile to Marlenas sleeping countenance. He was awake, she knew, and was waiting on her to come to him. She sat up on the side of the bed, taking the satin robe from the bed post and slipping it on to tie around her. Then she slipped down the hall to the room where Bart was entering the codes to bring Stefano to full alertness.

"Good morning my dear, did you sleep well?"

"Oh yes" she said in that breathless voice he had dreamt about and was so fond of. She moved to sit by him, stroking his face with a tender motion. It had taken so long to finally realize this was what she had wanted all this time. To be with the one man in the world who saw every flaw in her, and wanted to uncover more of them. Living a life as a virtual saint had left many vulnerabilities in her psyche. They had been exploited at one time by Stefano, Tony, and not so long ago, Alex North. Now she was here with the one who appreciated her for who and what she was, with no pretenses, no walls. All she wanted to be was the cotton candy doll who only wanted to live in the moment of perfection created by Stefano. Now that is what she was.

"Boss..uh..you know..I had a thought" Bart was always nervous around Stefano first thing in the morning..but since Marlena was here, things had been much easier.

"You had a thought? Tell me, was it painful?" Stefano laughed at his little jest, before gesturing to Bart to finish his speech.

"I think we should let the other one go back to Salem now..Marlena seems happy enough here with us, and she is cured! She would really be able to live a normal life now!"

"You know, Bart, that is a most splendid idea. That one has never wronged a DiMera, but it would surely give old Kirakis a jolt!" Stefano smiled and went into his best imitation of his old evil laugh he could manage. Even Marlena laughed at it, as it seemed such a parody now. This man was as gentle as a spring breeze, and he would never hurt anyone!