When Does The Suffering End?

"Good morning", Sami said as soon as she saw EJ open his eyes. She hadn't been able to let him go and had held his hand through the night to make sure he wouldn't run away this time.

"Good morning", EJ replied with an easy smile on his lips and in his eyes. Sami knew he hadn't feel happy enough to smile like that in a long time.

"What?" EJ asked as he saw her thoughtful expression. She just shook her head:

"Nothing important. Are you going to tell me about Kandice now?" Sami didn't expect to see the flick of sheer terror on EJs face.

"She's a daughter of a client. The dinner was orchestrated by her father, Carson."

"Is that all?" Sami asked and finally heard him laugh. This laugh was full of feeling.

"No, that's not all. She told me to quit feeling sorry for myself and to find you before you would change your mind."

"Really?! She sounds like an wise woman."

"She is", EJ said and received an indignant glare, "And she's far away from here chasing her nine husbands."

"You are making fun of me", Sami complained.

"Never", EJ said only barely keeping his severe expression, "I promise you I'm not lying. You can call her if you want."

"Enough! I don't want to hear another word of this Kandice", Sami pouted. EJ moved a little closer trying to stretch his back without letting her know. The night had been rough but happy enough.

"Have you?" Sami asked suddenly.

"What?" EJ asked and met her eyes again, without trying to escape their inquiring gaze.

"Have you forgiven yourself?"

"No, not yet. I'm trying but it's something I must live with forever", the joy disappeared from his face again.

"Are you thinking about the twins?" Sami asked and saw him nod.

"Yes, and the fact that we must someday explain to them how they were conceived."

"Yes. About that."

"What?" EJ looked perplexed. Sami bit her lip and played with his fingers and just slipped out the secret she had been hiding, the secret someone had found out and used to blackmail her into participating the party Stefano had hosted. The secret, that had saved her life.

"If they would have been conceived at the turn of the year, they would be premature."

"Yes." Sami couldn't quite decide was EJ doing this on purpose to her or had he just turned of his thinking ability.

"They're not."

"What?"

"Do you remember the night I got drunk?" Sami asked and saw him blush, "I see you do."

"Another mistake of mine to be remembered."

"No. That's not what happened. You fought to keep me away quite bravely considering everything, not wanting to take advantage of me and all. But you're no match to me, especially since you love me", Sami smirked.

"Samantha!"

"Well it's true isn't it? You do love me don't you?" Suddenly the playfulness had disappeared from her voice and EJ was smart enough to know what she was expecting to hear:

"I do love you. You could never ask me to stop loving you, it's like breathing." Sami fought to keep her eyes dry and asked:

"Is this the part where I tell you everything you've always wanted to hear?"

"Samantha!" EJ said smiling and kissed her head gently. It amazed Sami how many different emotions he could include in that one word. When others called her by her full name there was always a scolding tone in it but when EJ used it, she could always hear the love in his voice whether it was buried under joy or pain the love was always present. Sami stopped his escape and pulled his face down to a kiss she had been longing for. It was a soft kiss and it was like getting reacquainted to something very dear but long since lost. To her annoyance she could feel him trying to pull back.

"Samantha, look. Others are waiting to see you."

"They'll just have to wait. I'm not done with you just yet", she said and pulled him back into a more feverish kiss.

"Sophie!" She collapsed to his arms. Benji picked her up and carried in. He laid her on the couch and examined her from head to toe finding only small scratches and bruises. She was sobbing uncontrollably and it took a while for her to calm down long enough to explain what had happened. Sophie had planned to execute her plans and kidnap Ciara in hopes of making others suffer as she had suffered but Hope had seen her, asked her to come in and talked with her. Hope had been so nice and kind to her and had held Ciara gently in her arms telling Sophie how sorry she was for their misfortune. Seeing the baby in Hopes arms had made Sophie think back to the time when James and Joseph had been infants. She had felt the compulsive urge to return to home to Benji and start everything over. They still needed to find their sons but taking a revenge against innocent people wasn't part of the plan. Benji held her tight and welcomed back the woman he thought he had lost.

"Congratulations father. I hear that Samantha has given birth to two DiMera heirs", Tony said oozing with sarcasm.

"Thank you Anthony", Stefano replied with a silent warning for him not to cross the line, "Maybe we'll be able to end this feud and let the past fade away finally." Tony smiled and took in the words without really accepting them. He still had his own plans and he wouldn't let his little brother ruin them for him.