CHAPTER 50

Olivia opened her eyes when she felt someone kissing her forehead. This time, it was Nathan's handsome face hovering over hers, smiling. 'Hey, you.'

'Well hello,' she smiled back, sitting up. 'I wondered when you'll come and see me.'

'I came by earlier but Caroline and Ciara were with you, I didn't want to interrupt.' He held up an ice-cream container. 'Brought you a little contraband. Strawberry.'

'Smashing.'

Nathan opened it for her, handing her a plastic spoon. 'I thought I'd take this chance before the rest of the family showed up. Caroline and Ciara left already?'

'No, they went to see Ma. Poor Ciara... she climbed up on the bed, covering me with kisses and kept asking when I'm coming home.'

'You can't blame her for missing you so much.'

'I don't, I've missed the little cherub too.' Olivia smiled. 'She told me how she and Theo have been taking care of Phoebe. I have to make it up to her... Grandy said she's been so worried.'

'She's not the only one,' Nathan said, brushing back her hair. Olivia met his eyes steadfastly but had no words to say.

'The whole time you were in a coma and what almost happened to you last night... I've never been so scared,' he whispered, cupping her face. 'If anything ever happened to you again...'

'Nathan...'

'Olivia, I love you. And you can't tell me you don't feel the same way,' he added firmly. 'Because I won't believe it. And if it's still my family you're worrying about, they can't tell me how to run my life and besides Gram already talked to them.'

Olivia bit her lip, staring down at the ice cream in her hand. It should be so easy to tell Nathan she loved him too, but did she? She did have feelings for him, deep feelings she couldn't deny but something still held her back. And it wasn't his family's hostility towards her mother, not anymore. Until it's completely resolved and she was absolutely sure of what she felt for Nathan Horton, she couldn't promise him anything for now.

Nathan stroked the glossy chestnut curls, wondering what was going through her mind. She was like a rare fragile butterfly and the last thing he wanted to do was put pressure on her and make her withdraw away from him again.

Finally she looked up, green eyes fixed on him.

'You're the most wonderful person I've ever met,' she said softly, slim fingers touching his face. 'And I care deeply about you...'

She was cut short by Nathan's warm mouth exploring hers. In spite of everything she found herself kissing him back, as eagerly as he was kissing her.

'Nathan,' she whispered against his lips. 'Nathan, wait...'

'I think I've waited long enough.' Nathan held her head with both hands, eyes blazing. 'You have no idea how long I've waited for us to be like this. I knew I loved you the minute I first saw you. All I thought of doing was hold you in my arms, taste this gorgeous mouth.' Which he did again, slipping his arms round her.

Olivia pulled away resolutely. 'No, Nathan. I really need for you to listen to me.'

'What's wrong?' he asked, hurt.

'Nothing wrong,' she assured him hurriedly, running her hand over his hair. 'I can't do this.'

'What do you mean?' Nathan looked confused. 'I thought...'

'It's not you or Hope or your family... it's me. I've never been in love before, I need to know what I feel for you is the real thing. This is all still new to me... you know the type of life I lived before coming here.'

'But you can't think every guy's like your stepfather. I could never treat you the way he treated you and Carly.'

'I know, Nathan.' Olivia rubbed his cheek. 'I want to experience what my parents have but until I process these feelings, you and I will be having a one sided relationship. And you don't deserve that.'

Nathan sighed. 'So what are we exactly, Olivia? Just friends in the meantime?'

'We're two people who are keeping it casual, in the meantime. It doesn't mean we'll be avoiding each other, we just won't be dating officially.' Olivia replied quietly. 'And I'm not making any promises right now. Alright?'

Nathan cursed as his beeper went off in his pocket. Pulling it out he looked at it briefly before facing Olivia again.

'Okay. I understand completely. Take all the time you need, no pressures from me.' he touched her hair.

'Thank you,' Olivia took his hand, kissing it. 'It means a lot to me that you understand.'

Nathan smiled back her tenderly. 'As far as I'm concerned, you're more than worth the wait.' Leaning over, he kissed her on the mouth, lightly this time. 'I'll see you later.'

'Okay,' she settled back in bed, watching him as he left, closing the door behind him.

Olivia sighed heavily, relieved that Nathan wasn't angry with her. But she' d only told him half the truth, if he only knew the other reason for her hesitation...

'Damn it,' she muttered, pressing her hand to her eyes in despair. 'Why? Why is this happening?'

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

'I heard in the news Dr. Manning was found last night. Is she alright?'

'Still a little shaken but she's going to be okay. But as for you, we need to talk.'

'Can't it wait? I want to see Olivia.'

'Which is what I want to trash out, what the hell are you doing?'

EJ put the gifts he brought for Olivia on a nearby chair before turning to stare his sister down. 'I already had this discussion with Father and Kate; I'm not ready to start it all over again with you.'

'Well, you're going to have to some time,' Lexie refused to back down. 'And you're going to tell me the truth. I've been mulling hard over this and I really hope I reached the wrong conclusion. EJ, please tell me you're not chasing Olivia. '

'You may call it chasing, I call it wooing because I love that girl to distraction.'

The shocked look on his sister's face said it all.

'I know what you're going to say; I still can't believe it myself but it's true. She brings out these wonderful new feelings I've never had before for a woman...'

'Don't you mean an erection?' Lexie said sarcastically.

EJ glared at her. 'That's an uncalled for, stupid assessment...'

'Well excuse me for not properly grasping the fact that my brother has the hots for another Brady girl and about to start another clash between our families! Look at what happened between you and Sami...'

'I made my own mistakes but it's not like she was perfect herself; the way she played both me and Lucas Horton for fools and deliberately kept her pregnancy from me. Olivia is totally different from her; I just know she's the one. And before you say it, I'm well aware of the age difference and it doesn't matter to me either- she has all the maturity and inner beauty Sami lacks and I love her very much, whether you or anyone else choose to believe it.'

Lexie was silent for a while, completely staggered.

'There's no way Bo 'll give you his blessing,' she said at last, shaking her head. 'Never. Besides him you'll have Carly, Roman and the rest of the family to contend with. A relationship between you and Olivia's simply too impossible.'

'Not when love is involved,' EJ stubbornly maintained. 'And look who's talking... years ago Abe didn't want to have anything to do with his "DiMera wife" as he so charmingly put it...'

'EJ...!'

'Against all odds you got back together, even after Brandon Walker and Tek...'

'Bottom line...' Lexie snapped, infuriated he'd brought a touchy subject up, 'Bo and Carly will never allow you to date their daughter! Bo just got her back after all those years at the mercy of that stepfather of hers; and after this episode with Vivian, the last thing she needs are more complications in her life! You better get over this weird fixation right now before it leads to another massive conflict, for God's sake!'

'Sorry sis,' EJ drawled, 'I'm afraid I can't do that. I've finally found true love and I won't let anything or anyone keep me away from her, not even you.'

'You're playing with fire, EJ,' Lexie protested. 'Bo will skin you alive when he finds out about this...'

'He and Dr. Manning will realise my feelings for Olivia are sincere by the by the time we're ready to tell them. I'll never hurt her in anyway.'

'Oh yes you will, EJ... you're going to force her to choose between you and her parents and possibly estrange her from her family if you persist in pursuing this... You're living in a fool's paradise!'

She prevented him from angrily turning away from her by grabbing his arm. 'EJ, don't do this. Leave that girl alone, and don't think you can take Bo on because we both know you won't win!'

EJ wrenched his arm away, his eyes blazing. 'I thought at least you would understand.'

'How can I?' Lexie cried. 'How on earth do you expect me to understand or condone a major disaster waiting to happen...?'

'I don't care what you or anyone thinks!' EJ sharply interrupted her. 'Olivia and I are going to be together, whether you like it or not and you're in no position to sit in judgement of me, sister dear.'

Lexie grabbed his arm again. No matter what he'd done in the past he was still her brother and much as this sudden development horrified her, something told her to give him the benefit of the doubt.

'All right, you love Olivia- I believe you. But you can't use what happened last night to get her feel the same way.'

'Damn it, Lexie! ' EJ snapped, affronted. But then again she had the right to be sceptical. He'd done so many things in the past for anyone in Salem to believe he was turning his life round for the better. That and the stain in his name. Lexie was able to scale through it, it now remained for him to do the same.

'That's not my intention,' he assured Lexie, picking up the large stuffed Panda and bouquet of yellow roses he'd brought for Olivia. 'What I did last night, I would do it again in a heartbeat. And stop worrying about me hurting Olivia; I will never do that to her.'

Lexie sighed heavily, shaking her head. 'I'm still not happy about this EJ. I can't stop you but listen to me. If Olivia says she's not interested, please, PLEASE promise me you won't push it. She's still so young and been through enough drama, okay?'

Not bothering to reply, EJ made his way to Olivia's room.

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'That's what he kept saying, "I need to be sure, make sure you're thorough" and he was so agitated the whole time.' said Gabi.

Bo had not moved a muscle throughout Gabi's narration, his face expressionless. 'And he didn't see you?'

'No, once I heard him mention Olivia's name I kept out of sight. And...' she added hurriedly. 'If you're worried, don't be. I looked at the results over and over... it was a positive match.'

Bo's hands were clenched so tight the veins stood out, his eyes now blazing with utter fury. Victor's bizarre behaviour during Olivia's coma was gradually starting to make sense, just remaining a few more pieces of the puzzle.

'Thanks Gabi, you just did me a huge service.' He patted the girl's shoulder. 'Of course I don't have to tell you to keep this in confidence.'

'I won't tell anyone.' She promised truthfully.

Bo got up as Stephanie and Arianna entered with the breakfast trays. 'Ari, Steff; you all go ahead to the hospital and tell Carly and Olivia I'll look in on them later, there's something I have to do first.'

'Okay sure,' Stephanie nodded.

'Thanks, the stuff I got for them are behind the couch.' Grabbing his keys and jacket, Bo departed, unnoticed by the boys who were still watching T.V.

Starting the car, his mind was full of dark thoughts; angry, vengeful thoughts. If what he suspected was true thanks to what Gabi just told him, Victor was finally going to get his ultimate punishment and this time, he won't escape it.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Olivia looked up when she heard a knock on the door. 'Come in.' she said, placing the empty ice cream container on the nightstand.

EJ entered, his face lighting up at the sight of her. 'Hello Olivia. I wanted to see how you were after last night's excitement.'

Olivia swallowed, glad he couldn't read her thoughts. Part of her hated him for the dilemma she was in, the other part was shamefully glad to see him.

'Hello, EJ.' She replied quietly.

How was it possible to have feelings for two completely different men?