A/N: Happy New Year! I hope those of you who were able to take some time off over the holidays found it restful and restorative.
A heartfelt thank you to those who have added this fic to their faves and follows. I am most appreciative!
~ Chapter 37 ~
Alex paced the confines of the bedroom without stop. He was dying to find out what was happening downstairs between Marlena and Frank, but he knew better than to eavesdrop on their session. He'd handed her care over to the one man he trusted implicitly, and now, they needed to refrain from any form of professional relationship. From here on in, things would be strictly personal between them. He smiled at the thought.
Nothing wrong with that picture.
Glancing at his watch, he realized with a start that over an hour had gone by since he'd left the tea for Marlena and Frank, and walked away to give them privacy. Surely, they must be finished. Just as he was about to poke his head out to see if he could detect any hint of conversation, he heard a noise in the hallway. Assuming that it was Marlena, he flung open the door.
"Finally! I was worried he…" His words trailed off and his face fell as he noted that Frank was the person standing before him.
"Sorry to disappoint you, son," Frank smirked, unable to resist teasing the younger man.
"Uh… no, no, it's fine. Come on in."
Frank had barely entered the room when Alex fired off his first question.
"Well?"
"We're done for the day."
"How did it go?"
"Better than I'd hoped, for an initial session. Of course, it helps that she trusts me, and that's due to you."
"Thank goodness. I was concerned that it would take her a while to feel comfortable enough to open up, even though I sang your praises before you got here."
"Nothing to worry about on that score. In fact, she had a major breakthrough this afternoon."
"She did?!"
"She remembered a very dark moment from her past."
"How did she handle it?"
"Surprisingly well. I believe that the security of your love will help her deal with these traumatic memories as they resurface."
"Can you tell me what she recalled?"
"I think it's best if Marlena tells you herself."
"You're okay with that?"
"I am. She asked for my permission, actually, and I gave it to her, with the caveat that she's not to ask you to fill in any of the gaps." Frank quirked a brow in warning. "You'll abide by my wishes, won't you?"
"Of course. I don't want to jeopardize her recovery."
"That's how I thought you'd respond, which is why I agreed that you can discuss the session."
"Can I go see her now?"
"I daresay that she'd be most appreciative of your company, and I've kept you here long enough. Go to your lady love, my friend."
Alex was out the door like a shot, and he practically flew down the stairs in his haste to be with Marlena. Upon reaching the penthouse's main floor, he stopped short, dismayed that there was no sign of her. Scanning the area, he spotted her on the terrace, her long, blonde hair blowing gently in the breeze. He paused a moment to drink in her beauty, before walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. She leaned in to him with a sigh.
"I'm glad you're here. I have so much to tell you."
"I know. Frank said that you had a very productive session."
She turned within the warmth of his embrace and gazed up at him. Although he wasn't certain, he thought he saw a hint of fear in her eyes.
"Shall we go inside, or do you want to talk out here?"
"Here, please. The air helps clear the cobwebs from my mind."
Silence stretched between them as she searched for a way to begin. He gently rubbed her back in an attempt both to comfort her, and to give her strength.
"If you're not ready to talk, that's okay. You're perfectly entitled to keep the details of your session to yourself."
"I don't want to keep them from you. I want us to share everything."
"But…"
"I'm scared. This particular memory… It was painful enough recalling it with Frank."
He rested his open palm on the side of her cheek in a gesture of support. His touch imbued her with courage, and suddenly, words flowed from her like a torrent.
"It was a few weeks after our ski vacation. I'd just finished work, and I was eager to get home. You'd promised me dinner."
"I remember," he whispered, his voice wistful. "We never got to eat that meal."
"That's right. Two men came out of nowhere. They blindfolded me, shoved me into the back seat of a car, and brought me to some mysterious location, where they left me alone in a dark room. I was terrified. I had no idea what they wanted, and I didn't know if I would ever see you again…"
Her breathing had intensified, and he hugged her close.
"I'm right here. You're safe with me. It's okay."
Her smile was rueful.
"I know that. It's in the past. It's over and done with, but it still has such a powerful effect on me. Maybe because it's been buried for so long, and I've only now been able to retrieve it to try to deal with it."
"That sounds like the psychiatrist in you talking. Maybe you're remembering more than you realize."
She paused a moment to consider this, before resuming her recount.
"When they finally came back, the men wouldn't answer my questions. I was so frustrated that I got a little snarky. I think I made them nervous, so they sent someone else in to explain the situation."
She shuddered involuntarily as she envisioned the tall man with the steely blue eyes.
"This man had no trouble talking to me. He wasted no time telling me that…" A sob escaped her, and she struggled to regain her composure before continuing. "He said that I'd never see you again. That you'd left me for good, that you'd never loved me, and that you were only using me…"
Overcome with emotion, tears coursed down Marlena's cheeks. Alex held her tightly, stroking her hair as she pressed her face into his chest. She wept openly and profusely, with an abandon she'd not allowed herself in front of Frank.
"It's okay. Let it out," he urged, knowing that it would be cathartic for her.
After several long moments, she pulled away. A large wet spot was plainly visible on his shirt.
"Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry."
"Don't worry about it. It'll dry," he assured her. "You needed a good cry. This is very traumatic stuff you're dredging up. Your feelings have to be released somehow."
"Maybe next time, you should wear a rain jacket."
Her attempt at lightening the mood succeeded. They chuckled briefly, before becoming serious once more.
"You know he was lying, right?"
"Not about everything. When I got home, you were gone. No note, nothing. You vanished, without a trace."
He hung his head as shame and regret washed over him.
"If I'd been given a choice…"
"But you weren't. You've explained that already, but I think it's the first time I fully understand some of what you went through. Those men didn't seem like the types to take no for an answer."
"They definitely were not."
As they temporarily lapsed into silence, Alex was suddenly struck by the significance of Marlena's earlier words.
"Did you just say that you remembered going home to an empty house?"
She stared at him, perplexed by the urgency in his voice.
"I did. I got home, and you weren't there. Does that mean something?"
"It's the one part of your past that's always been a blank for me. I found out later what they'd told you, and they painted a pretty grim picture of how you were feeling, but I was never privy to the specifics of your homecoming."
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she came to the realization that this was uncharted territory for her, as well.
"Oh my gosh! I didn't talk to Frank about this. It's just come back to me here, now, and it's so vivid…"
"Can you share it?"
She took several deep breaths, and nodded in the affirmative.
"The men blindfolded me and took me back to my car. I was still terribly shaken, and all I wanted was get home to you. I was so certain that you'd be there, that what I'd been told couldn't possibly be true. I must've broken every speed record. As soon as I opened the door, I knew…"
She faltered as a wave of distressing memories washed over her. He tightened his embrace, and her anxiety lessened.
"The house was dark. There were no sounds… no intoxicating aromas… none of that jazzy music you used to love to play while you were cooking. Nothing but emptiness, and absolute silence. And yet…" She looked up and attempted a smile. "In spite of the evidence staring me in the face, I still refused to believe them. Oh, I cried my eyes out for what seemed like the entire evening, but as I crawled into our cold and lonely bed, my heart assured me that what we had was real. That's when I vowed that I would track you down and bring you home, no matter what it took."
Her forehead creased as she realized what she'd just said.
"Hmm… Obviously, I wasn't successful. Which I don't understand. I can't imagine I would just give up." She huffed in frustration. "That's all I can remember."
Alex caught her gaze, and held it.
"You're doing wonderfully well. You've made more progress in one day with Frank than we've made in weeks."
Seeing a glimmer of self-doubt flit across his face, Marlena offered reassurance of her own.
"We achieved a great deal together, and don't you forget that. We were just reluctant to delve too deeply into the past, knowing how painful it would be. But, unlike us, Frank is emotionally detached from the situation, so he's not holding back, and he's not allowing me to, either."
"Makes me wish we'd called him sooner. We wasted so much time."
"It wasn't wasted. We used it to get reacquainted. We rediscovered our love. Well, I did, anyway."
"Yes, you did. And I was finally free to shower you with all the love I've kept bottled up for so long."
His fingers tangled in her hair as he drew her close. Their lips met and clung, the depth of their feelings channelled into their kiss.
"I'd say our timing is just about perfect," she sighed, thoroughly content to simply be in his arms.
He searched her face for any lingering signs of the anguish she'd experienced earlier, but he found none. Instead, he was dazzled by the brilliance of her smile. Suddenly, he knew exactly how he wanted to spend the rest of the day.
"Do you have any plans for us tonight?"
"You know I don't."
"Just checking."
"Why?"
"I'd like to take you out."
"Where?"
"It's a surprise."
The gleam in his eye convinced her that it would be a memorable experience, but she couldn't keep from trying to coax it out of him.
"Just a hint? Pretty please?"
"Nope. You're just going to have to trust me on this one."
"Okay."
She gave in easily, certain that she'd delight in whatever he had up his sleeve, and they walked back in to the living room arm in arm. As they approached the desk, they discovered that Frank had left them a note.
'Many thanks for offering to put me up, but I really would be more comfortable in a hotel, so I've checked myself into the Salem Inn. See you tomorrow, bright and early.'
"Did we do something to scare him off?"
"No, not at all. If I know Frank, he just wants to give us our space."
"Can't say that I mind. We just got rid of one chaperone. I'm thrilled not to have a new one, no matter how nice a man he is."
"Mmm… I couldn't agree more."
Desire flared between them, but Alex quickly pulled away. He had plans, and he wasn't about to give them up. Resolutely, he steered Marlena towards the closet. After pulling out both of their jackets, he helped her into hers, then shrugged into his own.
"Ready for an adventure?"
"I am! Lead the way."
With absolute confidence, she placed her hand in his, and they headed cheerfully into the late afternoon's fading light.
