Chapter 10: Son of Santo DiMera
{A/N: Back when John was Stefano's "brother"...I did say I was trying to be fair to the characters}
Late that night after the news sunk in that Stefano DiMera was dead John had been asleep in bed. Marlena had gone to Sami's to console Johnny who was grief stricken that his grandfather had been murdered and she didn't know what to do. John was in bed alone tossing and turning when he should have had peace or at least he believed he should have.
{"I love you John."} said Stefano's voice in his head.
John tossed and turned some more.
{"Let's put this whole business behind us."} it continued.
John continued to fight in his sleep.
{"John."} said Stefano happy to see him.
John had been more tormented by Stefano DiMera in his sleep than he ever had been when the man was alive. He opened his eyes and sat up in bed. Sweat was pouring down his forehead and he got out of bed. He walked into the bathroom and threw water on his face hoping to get a grip. Stefano's laugh had startled him and he turned around to see if he had been in the same room.
There was no sign of Stefano DiMera or anyone else but John in the house. Marlena had gone to Sami's place to help her console the children about losing their grandfather. John still couldn't shake the eerie feeling that seemed to haunt him as he continued on to the kitchen needing a glass of water.
{"Why so nervous John?"} asked Stefano's voice.
"I'm not nervous DiMera." replied John bitterly.
He realized no one was there.
{"Who are you looking for?"} asked Stefano taunting him.
"Didn't you die old man?" asked John still bitter.
{"Don't I always?"} asked Stefano appearing with a grin.
He wore all black and sat quietly in a chair at the kitchen table.
"Shouldn't you be halfway to hell?" asked John getting his water. "You, Tony, Andre, and Santo one big happy family reunion of sick bastards."
He had a smug grin on his face.
{"You and I both know I am not the only product of Santo DiMera."} replied Stefano still taunting.
John threw his glass at the figment of his imagination.
{ "We are brothers, John."} said Stefano smiling. {"Cut from the same DiMera cloth."}
"I am nothing like you." replied John.
{"No, John you are not."} admited Stefano.
"Thank you for finally accepting that." replied John.
{"You are far worse."} added Stefano. {"You hurt the Brady's in ways neither of us ever dreamed of...you fufilled father's ultimate desire...became his most successful son."}
"What are you talking about?" asked John bitter. "I haven't done..."
{"You stole Roman Brady's wife...and Identity...had a child with Marlena...had taken Bo Brady's wife...inserted yourself into their family...Samantha is a wreck because of your successful action...Eric doesn't even know who he is...Marlena would rather have sex with you than take care of her children...well all except your child, Belle whom you named after a woman you never loved...and who also bore you a son...you cared nothing about...} continued Stefano seemingly delighted.
"Quiet DiMera!" yelled John. "I will not listen to anymore of your garbage!"
{"As the lovely Dr. Evans puts it: I am simply offering you insight into your own soul."} replied Stefano placing a hand on his shoulder.
John pulled away from him.
{"You see John, you are the key to destruction of the Brady family...it has always been you..."} said Stefano with a grin. {"All these years of "protecting" them from me and all the while you were the one putting the nail in their coffin."}
"No more lies DiMera." said John trying to walk away.
{"Giovanni there is no excape."} said Stefano taunting him. {"Giovanni, La Famiglia DiMera."}
John picked up a pistol from the dining room table and began to shoot Stefano. There had been blood coming from the shots and he collapsed on the floor in the kitchen. John turned away and he had been gone...there was not a single trace of him nor all the blood. John had not even found the gun he used to "kill" Stefano anywhere. He shook it off and made his way back to bed believing himself to be more tired than he realized.
He went back to bed once more plauged by night terrors and sweating. He opened his eyes again and looked around. He saw nothing out of the ordinary and no sign of Stefano alive or dead anywhere. That was until his eyes met the eyes of a boy. The boy had been standing at the foot of his bed. He had tears in his eyes and blood on his hands. John could see the bullet holes and the blood continued to stream down from them.
His wounds were identical to Stefano's as he stood trembling at the sight of all the blood. The boy had been very familiar, their paths had crossed once in this form and many many times in adult hood.
{"Why you do this to me John?"} asked The kid in a thick Italian rich accent.
John had been horrifed to look at him. He had known that it was the boy Stefano he had encountered so long ago.
"Kid." he said in disbelief.
{"Answer me John."} replied Kid Stefano.
"It was never meant for you it was meant for Stefano." replied John sorry.
{"Am I not Stefano?"} he asked sadly.
John had a hard time distinguishing them.
{"Does it make you feel proud?"} asked Kid Stefano. {"You have the right to end my life just because you are the son of Colleen?"}
John got out of bed as the boy Stefano collapsed he caught him in his arms.
"You don't understand everything that man…everything you did to my family…" John tried to explain.
{"Son of Santo am I not your family too?"} asked the dying boy.
John couldn't answer that. It was hard to think of Stefano DiMera as family let alone a young boy.
{"It is alright I am use to being unloved: Mama, Poppa,….you."} replied kid Stefano. {"My little brother."}
John did not know what to say to this.
{"I have a gift for you."} said the boy with tears in his eyes.
He waved his hand and an old memory projected on the wall across the room. John looked at it trying to understand. Kid Stefano translated due to John's lack of understanding Italian.
{ He had been no older than 10. His mother and father were engaged in a bitter arguement. Santo had looked very similar to EJ DiMera much as Stefano had claimed years later...The boy Stefano had been terrified at the fighting. He had heard their voices as he neared the door.
"Santo you are not going to take my baby." said the voice of Stefano's mother.
"My son is a DiMera and as a DiMera he will learn to run my empire." said Santo angry.
"You tried to push your cursed Empire on our other children as well and look where it's gotten them." she replied.
"Stefano will learn what it means to be a true DiMera and I will not allow you to sway him from his destiny." said Santo.
He opened the door to find Stefano standing on the otherside.
"Come my son." he said.
"You will not take my child Santo." said his mother.
She had been a very beautiful woman, with long dark hair and warm brown eyes. She had been a kind and respectable woman. She feared no man not even Santo DiMera. She had been strong...very strong, of course she had to be to marry a man she had not loved...not at first but over time she began to love him.
"Mama." said Stefano attempting to rush to her side.
Santo stopped him enraged at her gall.
He grabbed the boy and pulled him toward the stairs. She followed struggling with Santo at the top of the stairs.
"Mama." said Stefano confused by all the fighting. "Papa."
"He is my son and I will ensure he becomes successor to the DiMera empire as I was for my father." replied Santo. "He is the seventh son of the seventh son...It is his birthright."
"You will not subject my son to your tyranny." she insisted.
They struggled.
"Try to stop me and I assure you that you will rue the day." replied Santo angry.
It was all too much for the boy to clearly determine but she had gone tumbling down the stairs. Santo rushed to her side appearing sorry but it was much too late. He looked back up at his son who had been stricken with fear.
"Stefano." he said turning his attention to the boy. "Go out to the car."
"What about Mamma?" he asked tearful.
Santo grabbed him and shook him.
"You will not show such weakness." he said enraged. "Get to the car."
Stefano had seen that he was very serious and quite angry. He made his way out the front door but stole a glance at his mother lying dead on the floor below. It was an image that would haunt him for years. }
John could not believe what he had just witnessed wondering if it had all been real.
Tears stream down the boy's cheeks and he died in John's arms.
"Kid?" said John concerned.
There was no response.
"Stefano!" he said shaking the boy.
Unable to shake how sorry he felt for the boy John tried to bring him back.
"STEFANO!" shouted John. "Open your eyes...Kid...Stefano...STEFANO!"
He awoke in a cold sweat to find himself alone in bed. There was no trace of the boy nor the blood. He rubbed his eyes but he could swear the dream had been so real.
"What do you want from me old man?" asked John more to himself.
Stefano was dead. His brother was dead.