Place: DiMera Compound

Time: Tony's Memory of 1991 continued

His eyes refused to open. Not that he truly felt the inclination because just thinking about it made the pounding in the back of his head that much worse which in turn made him more aware of the rest of body, most of which ached fiercely but refused to cooperate. He couldn't even move his hand, and then as he was straining to make just his fingers twitch, something cool wrapped itself across his forehead.

Soon, he felt an arm reach around his back, lifting him and a glass was at his lips. "Just a little now…" but when he tasted the water he realized how thirsty he was, the terrible dryness in his throat consuming him, and he gulped down too much before it vanished and he was forced to suck in needles of air between hacking coughs. After several long drawn out painful moments of this, it subsided and he could breathe normally again, and then the glass reappeared. "Slowly," a deep raspy voice soothed in his ear.

Tony hadn't thought water could taste so incredibly delicious. The last occasion he'd even savored a glass of champagne this much was beyond recall but he did follow the advice murmured so gently and took it slow and steady until every last drop was gone.

"More?"

He tried to nod his head but didn't seem to have any control over that either though the person asking apparently wasn't expecting an answer because he eased Tony back down and disappeared. In vain, Tony made another effort to flex his fingers, to open his eyes. Neither worked, so he satisfied himself with concentrating on the sections that hurt the worst, since he was pretty certain that those were parts that still existed.

He thought back to the last few seconds he could remember, hearing the gun go off just as he lost consciousness. Stefano…where was he?

A cool cloth replaced the one already on his head. Giving it another try, Tony pried his eyes open enough to have to squint as dazzling light immediately flooded in and relieved, he pushed his way up onto one elbow.

"For heaven's sake man, take it slow."

He recognized the voice now. "Sebastian," he croaked in a horse whisper, dreading the news he'd have to give his friend, and wondering…praying he'd removed the threat hanging over both of them. "Is he…"

But Sebastian shushed him.

That only convinced Tony of the worst, making him more agitated. "Damn it, the bastard's alive, isn't he?"

"Tony please…" Sebastian had his hand on Tony's shoulder, pressing down though in the condition he was in, Tony was hardly capable of getting very far.

"What did he do to Marlena?"

Sebastian's head shook once, regretfully. "I don't know for certain. They separated us, though they weren't anywhere near as rough with her…"

Tony reached to grab his friend's arm and began to apologize but the glassy and tortured expression in Sebastian's eyes stopped him.

"Rolf couldn't wait to tell me about my son's unfortunate…" his straight line of his mouth thinned even further, "adventure." He glanced down and then squeezed his eyes shut. "And the worst part is that you…"

"No, I was wrong. It wouldn't have mattered because he played us Sebastian," said Tony, cutting in, "played both of us."

Several deep lines creased Sebastian's forehead. "How?"

"Stefano's objective was for me to find Marlena here and he expected that if he used you as her caretaker, that is what would happen eventually."

"But why? Surely, he had to realize you'd send her home."

A feeling of disgust washed over Tony though it was difficult to ascertain whether it was aimed as much at Stefano as it was at himself. "Stefano knows me rather…well, he assumes"

Sebastian laughed but also shook his head in disbelief. "That still doesn't explain why."

"Marlena didn't tell you about John?" There'd been so little time when Tony and Marlena returned to the compound. Part of him worried that if he dallied, she would change her mind and refuse to leave without the twins and so as soon as he'd gotten Rolf's location from Sebastian, he'd sent them on their way, without disclosing to Sebastian what he and Marlena learned on their excursion.

"Tell me what?"

"The man he sent to impersonate Marlena's husband is Daphne's son, Sebastian, my…" Tony almost choked on the word, "brother."

Sebastian didn't respond to this news immediately but let he gaze drift up the empty bed and then out the window where the morning light was growing stronger, and Tony could see his face tighten as the implications of what Stefano had done began to sink in, especially the utter disregard for Sebastian and his family and his willingness to use anyone just to destroy his son and the man unlucky enough to be born on the wrong side of the sheets to his wife. "All of this insanity is because of your mother?"

Tony signed. "Not entirely. He…" gritting his teeth, Tony sucked in a ragged breath. "wanted to prove a point, make me admit I'd been wrong when I chose someone else instead of the woman he'd chosen for me."

"Marlena?" Sebastian looked at though he wasn't sure how to react.

"It was years ago…hell, a whole other lifetime ago it seems now."

"But if that's what he wanted, why not allow you to find her and then have nature take its course? Why all this nonsense with Rolf?"

But Tony's smile in return was rueful. "That may have been the idea to begin with, though I doubt it… as perverse as it sounds, I think he's no more willing to for me to end up with Marlena at this point than John."

"Or Roman obviously."

Dark, soulful eyes met Sebastian's, eyes full of memories that haunted Tony even after all the years which had passed since his own imprisonment. "If Roman is alive," said Tony in a hard voice, "I shudder to think the hell he's been through because knowing my father, I'm certain the poor man has been forced to watch as someone else convinced all the people who Roman loved that he was actually Roman Brady."

"Just as you were forced to watch your cousin do the same to you."

Tony didn't nod or answer, he didn't need to. Any illusions Sebastian had harbored in regards to Stefano were gone by now. Stefano's behavior was too self-evident. "I fear for Marlena…no matter who she chooses, Roman or my brother, she'll never be allowed a normal life because I suspect Stefano has developed a fancy of his own for her and I can't see her accepting him, or Stefano ever letting go."

To Tony's surprise, and decided unease, Sebastian didn't argue with him and Tony bit his lip.

"So you've noticed it as well."

Sebastian shrugged. "I've noticed that he's…how shall I say…solicitous but why bother with someone who isn't about to come willingly. Your father has never had any trouble when it comes to the ladies…"

"Ah, but it's the untouchable ones that spark his interest," Tony interrupted again, "especially for Stefano. It must be a challenge or his attention will wane, very quickly."

"And it doesn't hurt that she's also beautiful and intelligent."

Cautiously, Tony dragged his body up to lean against the wall and with his hand, motioned towards the glass of water Sebastian had brought but set down on the floor and forgotten. Now he handed it to Tony, who finished it in one leisurely swallow and gestured with the empty glass to emphasize his words as he spoke. "My father wouldn't have clue how to keep a woman like Marlena happy and her clever mind and intelligence, while it may be intriguing to him now, would be his undoing, and the most fascinating part of this situation is I think he knows that better than anyone else."

"Part of the attraction?" guessed Sebastian.

Tony handed the glass back to him. "No doubt." Closing he eyes, he waited as his friend took the glass with him into the bathroom and filled it once more, listening as the water ran in the sink and then the footsteps on the marble floor as Sebastian made his way back around the bed to the window.

"Here."

Though the water wasn't iced, the glass was cool to the touch in the sticky morning humidity. He drank only half of it and then took a deep breath. "You need to get out of here…"

"Tony, you're not in any shape…"

Shutting his eyes and biting his tongue to prevent himself from snapping impatiently at his friend, Tony did his best to keep his voice even. "Okay, I'm not, but you don't need to worry about me, Stefano is angry but he's not going to hurt me physically and I know how to deal with him. You, on the other hand, I'm…" Tony swallowed the words as though not saying them would keep it from happening. "You need to go, now."

Sebastian hesitated.

"Jesus man, what the bloody hell are you waiting for? GO."

"I'm not going to just leave you here…"

But Tony grabbed onto his arm and yanked it hard. "You are the one in danger of getting shot here. Don't you know what Stefano will do if we give him enough time? Please, my friend, get out of here before he sends someone to drag you out in a body bag, you know this island better than anyone else and I know for a fact you have a way off you've kept for Mia and the boy in the event of an emergency. It's time to use it."

He didn't look happy about it but knew that Tony was right. Still, he swallowed uneasily as he asked, "If I make it?"

"Deliver that note," said Tony giving a pointed stare to the top pocket of Sebastian's shirt where he could see the folded bit of paper he'd given Sebastian the night before as he was climbing into the cockpit next to Marlena. "To my brother…" his wry smile turned lopsided, "in Salem."

A tiny, fleeting grin hovered at the corner of Sebastian's mouth but it didn't reach his eyes which met Tony's briefly and then he was gone, out the open window that stood three stories above the garden, on his way up to the roof. Tony had no qualms that he'd make it through the ring of Stefano's men, most of who had never been on the island and didn't know its secrets as well as Sebastian. Making it off this rock however, and to the nearest port was an entirely different matter. He'd have to wait until nightfall and then make it to one of the other islands before morning and hide out till Stefano gave up the search; weeks or even months from now, if they were lucky.

And by then the twins could be anywhere in the world.

Tony cursed under his breath and as he lifted the glass in his hand to drink what was left, he heard the lock click and looking up, nearly choked on the water he'd drunk.

Standing in the doorway was Marlena.

He shot a glance over her shoulder, half expecting to find Stefano shadowing her in the darkness of the passageway. Instead he encountered Rolf's cold, measuring stare.

The doctor offered no news, though for a moment, he seemed to hesitate as though waiting to see if Tony would inquire about his father's health and when the question wasn't forthcoming, he reached to shut the door with a bit more force than was absolutely necessary in Tony's opinion.

"Thank God," breathed Marlena, bounding down the stairs. "I was so afraid when I heard about Stefano…"

Tony considered trying to get up but quickly nixed the idea as he was certain he'd fall flat on his ass, an even less desirable position than the one he was in already. "Well, I haven't heard a thing…other than the fact the bastard is still alive."

She'd reached his side now and Tony swore there was approval gleaming in her expression though it quickly vanished beneath the professional air she assumed, checking his pulse and then his forehead for a temperature presumably.

"I'm fine Marlena. No one roughed me up…"

"But Rolf drugged you, didn't he?" Her tone left little room for argument and she seemed intent on giving him a thorough examination. If he hadn't been in such a lousy mood, the prospect would have amused him mostly likely and it took more self-control that it normally did to keep himself from snapping at her.

After several more endless minutes of begin poked and prodded, primarily near his eye that was swollen and probably bruised, she sat back on her knees, apparently satisfied.

"You didn't check my heart."

She arched one manicured eyebrow.

"To see if it was broken," he told her, wearing a lazy ghost of a smile.

Marlena's own smile was positively wicked and seductive all that same time. "Over me…or Stefano?"

"Oh please, you can't possibly imagine that Stefano would be competition for you."

"No, but if your heart is broken, it has nothing to do with me in any event, does it?"

Tony's smile widened pleasurably. "I'm going to miss that I think more than anything else around here when you're gone."

"What?"

"That bare faced honesty of yours…you never play games."

Her laughter was chiding. "Tony, you enjoy games immensely and are exceedingly accomplished at them too, I might add."

"Not Stefano's variety."

"No."

He might as well have suggested they were both about to get shot from the change in her attitude, or perhaps she suddenly remembered that she had a reason to hate him. "Have you spoken to him?" he asked and when she shook her head in confusion, he clarified for her, "Stefano."

A piece of her smile returned. "From what I understand, he's not in any condition to speak at the moment."

Both of Tony's eyebrows shot up encouragingly. "Oh?"

"I suspect you came closer to your objective than Rolf would like either of us to know about because I'm telling you, when we got back here last night, the entire compound was in one hell of an uproar and I'm afraid most of the men took it out on Sebastian…" Her voice trailed off and she bit her bottom lip, afraid he'd demand more details but he didn't want to talk about Sebastian. A faint ray of hope took hold. His friend's chances were greatly improved as long as Rolf was in charge. The man might be clever but he didn't have Stefano's wits and he had too many other matters weighing on his mind to give hunting down Sebastian the time and attention it would require in order to succeed.

"I want you to promise me something," he said

She didn't look surprised but he could tell her suspicious were aroused.

"You mustn't give Rolf any reason to do something he…and I will both regret."

"Such as?"

"Such as your last encounter," said Tony more impatiently than he meant to, "and you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"You expect me to just stand by as they…"

"Yes, I do," he told her, a harsh edge grating in his voice now, determined to make her realize the danger she was in as long as Stefano was incapacitated. "Rolf has had a rough couple of days thanks to Sebastian and I, and you for that matter, and he'll take it out the first one who gives him an excuse, so please, don't do anything that will give him one." He didn't add his other fear. If Rolf was in control and in cahoots with Andre, god knew what the hell he was capable of…it was entirely possible that Stefano could die, due to the gunshot or Rolf's deliberate negligence, and then Rolf would help Andre take over. Just the idea made Tony's blood run cold and it was possible that Rolf's decision could be riding on nothing more than who was in better shape at this moment, Stefano or Andre.

"Tony, I can't…"

"You can do anything that will get you home in one piece to Carrie and Samantha and Eric." His fingers brushed her cheek gently. "Now promise me."

"But, he going to hurt you…"

"No, he's not," lied Tony.

"You don't believe that anymore than I do, especially now."

He felt a sudden urge to hurl the glass that was still in his grasp across the room, he was so infuriated at her stubbornness, but with an effort, controlled himself. "Are you ever wrong?'

And to his astonishment, she turned away, but not before he caught a glimpse of the tear that slid down one cheek. "Anna was right about you it seems." Her voice was shaky and barely above a whisper. "You do have a cruel streak."

The words stung, but only because he knew she had no idea how he'd risked the twins' lives the previous night but her opinion of his shortcomings was a waste of time considering the current situation. He had to find a way to get through to her, and make her understand that she could very well be on her own soon. Neither Rolf nor Andre would treat her with as much respect as Stefano. To them, she'd be nothing more than a liability and they'd happily dispose of her without even a second thought. "Marlena…" Gently, his hand nudged her chin back around so she was facing him. "Our children need a parent, preferably one who's still alive and sane. That is the only thing left I have to ask of you…"

"She looked shocked for just a moment and then her eyes lit up angrily. "Tony DiMera, so help me," and reached to grab the front of his shirt. "don't you dare give up on me now. We are both getting out of here…"

"That wasn't the deal," he reminded her.

"I don't care."

"But you will eventually."

"No…"

He slipped a finger under her chin to raise it slightly so that her eyes, hard and bright with unshed tears met his. "This is my home, not yours."

"You're not talking about this being your home, and we both know it."

"Whatever it turns out to be," he told her carefully, his eyes narrowing, "you don't belong here." He gave each word an emphasis that she couldn't miss.

"Damn you." The words exploded from between her teeth and her hand squeezed his shirt into a knot curled around her white knuckled fist. "If you make me visit your grave here, you'll be sorry, I promise you."

He couldn't hold back that grin that worked its way up the side of his mouth at her threat. "Well, you're getting the idea my dear."

Though infuriated with him, Marlena was too clever to miss the irony in his statement and her hand froze and slowly loosened it's grip and then suddenly she had his face in between her palms and her whisper was low, a throaty hiss he could barely understand. "You have my word, I'll do whatever it takes to stay alive here, but you had better damn well do the same." She didn't wait for his answer, at least not verbally. Instead she kissed him, the same way she had only a few short weeks ago in this same room and it was a kiss left no room for arguments, indecision or lies.