Chapter 14
Ej and Samantha were enjoying a nice dinner at the villa on the day of their arrival and everything was perfect. There were flowers on the table that Samantha picked from the grounds and a four star dinner that Ej had cooked by a chef from one of the local restaurants. The house had been in his family for years, going back to his Grandfather. Ej just looked across the table and into Samantha's eyes and couldn't imagine how he lived a day with out her. Those five years away were torture and just now he was realizing what it was like to live again.
"Tell me what my surprise is?" Samantha asked, wondering why Ej kept glancing towards the foyer with every noise.
"It's a surprise, this is one I have been waiting to give to you for a while and I will not let you spoil it. Just be patient, I know you will love it."
"Fine." She said and started pushing around the food on her plate while pouting.
"Don't do that! You know that I give in every time you do that. Please just let me surprise you for once." He said, but he could feel her eyes on him and knew that if she kept this up he would never be able to keep the surprise he had for her. Then finally the doorbell rang and he ran to answer it, he wanted to give it to her, not the delivery guy. But as soon as he opened the door, he didn't find anyone there. "That's strange." He said, looking around to see if there was anyone in the driveway, then he heard it.
Samantha screamed from the kitchen and it pierced his heart. The doorbell had been a set up, he went running through the house and into the kitchen, but she was gone. Her chair was overturned and the food was thrown on the floor. He was in shock and didn't notice the note that was left behind. He just stood there trying to understand what was going on, after a couple of minutes his mind registered the note on the table and picked it up to read it.
"IT'S TIME YOU PAY FOR YOUR SINS AND THE SINS YOUR FAMILY HAS COMMITED ON OTHERS. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO BE THE ONE CRYING!"
He read the note again before understanding what it said, he knew he was not a saint and that his family has done horrible things, but that had nothing to do with Samantha. He grabbed for the table to stay upright, he felt like he couldn't breath. After coming to terms with what was happening, he called Roberto, the long time friend of his and of his family. He knew that if he said it was important that he would come running and that was what he needed. When Roberto arrived, he found the kitchen a mess and Ej sitting on the floor on the verge of tears.
"What's the matter? Where's Samantha?"
"Gone, she's gone. I just got her back and now she's gone again!" He kept repeating the word gone and Roberto had thought the worst, that she left him like she did all those years ago.
"She left you?"
"No, they took her. They took her because of me!"
"What?"
"They took her." He said again and handed over the note, he had yet to get off the floor, unable to find the strength to move.
"Ej, who would want to hurt you?"
"I don't know but it doesn't matter, I want her back, I need her back and I will get her back if it kills me. I can't lose her again, I won't survive it this time."
"We will find her, do you think we should call anyone?"
"Ya, her parents, as if they don't hate me enough."
"Why would they hate you?"
"Did I mention she's a Brady?" He said and got ready to dial John.
"Oh, that would explain it. Are you sure you want to call them?" He said, knowing of the long-standing vendetta between the families and the war that has been going on for decades. It cannot be good that Samantha married a Dimera and then was kidnapped, and they would never forgive Ej.
"I know they can help and I will do anything to get her back." He said and finally dialed the last number, taking a deep breath and then calling. While on the phone with John, Ej was surprised, he never yelled or told him it was his fault. Just asked what had happened and what he knew, it seemed that John didn't believe it was Ej's fault at all, or at least he never said it. John was thinking that it must have taken a lot of courage to call and he was glad he did, it meant that he knew what was best for Samantha.
"I will tell Marlena and head over as soon as I can, we will find her."
"Thank you, you know I would trade places with her in a minute, I still cant believe she's gone."
"I know, because I would do the same thing for my wife. Stay calm and call me if you hear anything else."
"I will, thank you." He said and hung up. He heard a knock at the door and ran to it, hoping it was news about Samantha. It was only the delivery he expected earlier, the one that was a surprise for his wife. He came back and put the box on the table, just starring at it for a minute before looking at Roberto.
"We have to get her fack, we have kids and she has a family."
"Kids?"
"Ya, twin girls that are five, they're my daughters, our daughters."
"We will find her, think her family will help, I mean now that she married into your family?"
"Ya, they love her and she's not just any Brady, but Marlena and Roman's daughter, John's stepdaughter. They can help!"
"I hope so you don't look too good."
"I just need to now she's ok, even if that means having her entire family scream at me along the way. If she's fine then it will all be worth it." He said and started to rub his temples, there was that headache again, but this time it wasn't her fault, it was because she was in danger and he couldn't handle it. "I just need to know that she's ok. I cannot be the reason they hurt her, they will never forgive me and I will never forgive me."
"Just stay calm, I know you and you have that look in your eyes."
"The Dimera look that frightens people, it never scared Samantha. She would walk right up in my face and put me in my place, but when she looked at me like that, I was scared." He said and a smile crossed his face for the first time. Then he continued, "But your'e right, that look can be scary, it's the only true sign that I am Stephano's son and the heir to the Dimera legacy."
"That's why I'm worried, not as much for you as for the kidnappers."
"Ya, well then they shouldn't have taken my wife!" Ej said and went to think of who would hurt him, but before he could even take a seat his phone was ringing.
"Ej help me."
"Samantha, where are you?"
"I don't know, on a boat."
"I will find you, how are you calling me?"
"My phone, they never checked my pockets before they threw me in the room."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, I got a scrap when I was dragged out of the house but I'm ok."
"Good, just leave your phone on, I called John andhe's coming to help. I will find you and I love you."
"I love you too, but I have to go." She said and hung up before he could say another word.
"No, don't go." He said and closed the phone and punched the wall. He had so much anger and nothing to do with it, there was no one to take it out on and he was so upset that he wasn't sure it would be good if there was. He immediately called John to tell him about the phone and hoped it could help them find her.
"I will call someone at the ISA and see if we can trace it, I am about to take off now."
"Ok, I will have you picked up at the airport and brought to my house, who is all coming with you."
"You know, Marlena, Roman, Bo and Hope. The usual gang to save Samantha."
"Great, I will be dead by the time I get my wife back."
"No, hurt yes, but not dead."
"Thanks for the encouragement but it will be worth it if she's ok." He said and they hung up, John got a hold of Shane at the ISA and within an hour he had a trace on her phone, but it was fuzzy and they needed more time before it would be clear. When everyone arrived in the morning, Ej had yet to get off the kitchen floor, he sat there all night starring at the note, trying to understand what was going on.
"He's pretty messed up just so you know and he hasn't moved all night. He just sits and stares at his phone hoping she'll get a chance to call him back. I know you hate him, but he really loves her." Roberto said as he showed them into the house. Everyone was angry with him except for Hope, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him, he was destroyed and on the floor, not his usual smart ass of a self she was use to.
"We will find her." She said as she put her hand on his shoulder, hoping it would remove some of the pain from his eyes.
"We have to, her kids need her and her family needs her. I need her!" He said and got up to give John the note, Roman and Bo just kept staring him down while Marlena stayed in the background.
"She call you again?"
"No, I've been afraid to call thinking someone might find the phone and hurt her."
"That's probably a good idea, the signal is getting clearer, got a boat?"
"Ya, down at the harbor waiting for us. Your last call mentioned water, I figured just in case." He said and tore at his tie from the previous night.
Everyone headed to the harbor and followed the signal, but it was no use, as soon as they got close it would keep moving. They finally thought they were closing in when they seen an island, Ej took one look at it and got real right.
"Wait a second, I know that island. My grandfather use to bring flowers here when I was a kid, he never told me why but got really sad when he did it." He stared at the island, just trying to remember more.
"What was it called?" Marlena asked, knowing it had to do with her missing daughter, no matter how much it upset her to think about it.
"I don't know, he only ever called it Anam Cara."
"That's not the name of an island, it's a lot more then that." Hope said, knowing she heard it somewhere else.
"That sounds like something I heard dad say." Bo said looking at Roman hoping he would be able to fill in what he was forgetting.
"Ya it does, I think he said it to mom." Roman said and then called his father, hoping to clarify the situation.
"Pop, what does Anam Cara mean?"
"Why?"
"Just tell me."
"Soul mate, you heard me say it to your mum. What is this about?"
"Samantha's missing and there seems to be a connection to an island Ej's grandfather use to go to and he called it Anam Cara."
"It was said in Ireland when I was a kid, did you find her yet?"
"No, we'll let you know when we find anything out, thanks pop." Roman said and then hung up and looked at Ej.
"I think it's time I called my father, he has to know something." Ej said and went below deck to hear better.
"Ej, what's going on, shouldn't you be on your honeymoon?"
"Samantha's been kidnapped, I thought Roberto called to tell you?"
"No, what do you mean kidnapped!"
"Last night when we were having dinner, but I think it has something to do with our grandfather."
"Santo?"
"Ya, remember him going to an island off the coast of Italy."
"He use to take flowers, but I never knew why. Stephano does though, I asked him once and he said he couldn't talk about it."
"Well he's going to talk now, it has something to do with Samantha being missing and I will not let her die because he's stubborn."
"All I know is that it has something to do with a girl, I got that much out of him once."
"Wait, wouldn't' he have been married?"
"Ya, he had an affair!"
"Find anything from Santo I will need it if I'm going to get my wife back."
"I will do the best I can, but you know our father is stubborn."
"Ya, put him on the phone."
"He's pretty upset with you for getting married to Samantha and taking off when he's sick, I doubt he will talk to you."
"She's my wife put him on the phone NOW!" He yelled just as Hope came down to check on things. "Sorry Hope, I wasn't yelling at you, just dealing with my family, my father is going to tell me what I need to know." Ej said and then went back to the phone.
"Elvis, what's the matter?"
"I need to know about Anam Cara, your father use to go there, why?"
"There's nothing to tell."
"Father, Samantha is missing and I have a feeling it has something to do with this island, now tell me what I need to know, or so help me I will put you in a casket! Illness will not kill you."
"What does the island have to do with Samantha?"
"I'm not sure, but I neeed to know all there is about it in order to figure out why someone would take her. Don't make me have to come home, trust me it will only be worse for you."
"Elvis, you are finally sounding like a Dimera." Stephano said with a chuckle.
"You don't want to see how much of a Dimera I can be, trust me! I want my wife back." He said and there was no laughing in his voice. Stephano hung up and Ej knew he knew more then he was letting on. He immediately called Tony back.
"What happened?"
"I'm coming back home to deal with him and to find my wife! He is the only way to find her and he will tell me what I need to know."
"Are you sure you should come home?"
"Face to face is the only way I will ever get him to tell me what I need to know."
"Stay there Ej, you are needed there, I will find anything connected to Santo and will put Stephano on the jet and we will come there. I called the pilot and he already left for home this morning. So within a couple of hours he should be here and we'll be ready to leave. Just stay calm." Tony said and hung up, but Ej wasn't feeling calm. Instead he walked over and punched the wall.
"Now I see why she married you."
"What do you mean?"
"You love her, but more then that you need her and therefore will give up everything for her."
"I need her more then she will ever know. But I do have a question; did Bo really kidnap you from a wedding? Because apparently that was her plan b if stopping the wedding didn't work." Hope just smiled and nodded.
"Wearing a leather jacket on a police motorcycle. I kept punching him while he tried to drive and then ran away from him when we finally got off the bike. Actually, you and Sami are a lot like me and Bo were."
"What do you mean?"
'Well, you and Bo are both head strong and tend to do things without always thinking them through, me and Sami, well we think with our hearts and will do anything to get the guy we love. She stopped your wedding; I manipulated Bo into a weekend with Shawn when he was getting ready to marry Billie. See, she pushed your buttons and it makes you completely crazy, and there are times when you just want to strangle her. But, at the same time you cant imagine a day without her, your life is better with her in it."
"That's about it, she makes me feel whole."
"Ej, if Samantha is the one that makes you feel complete, then why marry someone else?"
"I was just tired of being lonely, and I did care about Brandy. I just figured that maybe I would grow to love her."
"I guess that makes since, but once we find her you know she is going to be pushing your buttons more then ever."
"I will be more then happy to have her yell at me and tell me I'm an idiot or coward, as long as she's home safe."
"She will be, Samantha is a fighter and she won't go down without a fight."
"That is true, she always stood up to me, thank you Hope."
"No problem, you're family now."