Part 10

Three weeks later

Will Brady-Roberts was running up and down the length of the Air Pacific terminal at Salem International, using up as much energy as he could, so that he wouldn't knock his parents flat on their return. He was rested and tanned himself from spending half his time on the beach outside Kim's condo. And he was trying not to wear out the patience of the people who had come with him to welcome the newlyweds home again. These were Kate and Billie, Belle, who'd just returned from her own trip to LA, Phillip, Mimi and most surprising of all, Victor Kiriakis, who had returned from Cyprus only a few days before. No one else so much as thought of asking Victor's purpose, but Will having passed his eleventh birthday, had no such inhibitions, fear of authority figures.

"Do you like my mom, now?" the boy demanded to know.

"Will, I wouldn't say that I ever liked or disliked Sami. But things have changed for all of us. And ...let's just say, I don't want our disagreements to continue. They never helped anyone. So, I've called for an armistice and I believe that's what both your parents and your grandmother want now."

"Okay," Will went on pondering the big words Victor used. "Then why did you come here today?"

"To make certain that your mother, and father understand I want an end to our past troubles. I've reached the same understanding with your grandmother. I would have done so with my ... with Nicole, had she survived the epidemic. When you get to be my age, William, you'll understand even better that bitterness and anger only weigh the spirit down. It's no way to live, and I've tried living that way for far too long. Or wouldn't you agree, Kate?"

"I agree completely." Basic Black's CEO nodded, walking up to them. "I think we all learned the hardest way possible that understanding, friendship, even love is not something to be put off or discarded. Will, now that you're so grown up, I'm not going to make an excuse; I'm just going to ask you to let me talk with Victor for a moment. Okay?"

"Yeah." Will grinned, reminding Kate vividly of his father, and his late uncle. "I gotta check the flight times again, anyway."

"So, what is it that you think will prove to Sami, or to Lucas that you've had a change of heart?"

"The same kind of gesture that I thought convinced you the other day, Kate." Victor answered, and pulled out the contents of a glove leather courier type pouch. "I'm giving them every single bit of information, every copy and every file that I've held for ... far too long now, of anything might have been held against either one of them. It's a lot of the same things I gave you, minus the details that my investigators gathered before our wedding."

Kate grimaced. Even now she hated the thought of things she'd done to keep body and soul together when Lucas was growing up. And the things she'd done more recently sometimes made Kate Roberts wonder if some madwoman had taken over her life and her mind. She had no idea if the people who knew all that would ever be able to let it go. So it amazed her, still, that Victor, her accomplice in much of it, seemed to have that goal.

"Victor, forgive my bluntness, but you haven't had a setback recently, have you?"

"Are you asking if I have one foot in the grave and is that why I want a little peace in my world and what's left of my family?" Victor openly laughed. " The answer, strangely enough, is no. Spending time with Brady, getting some understanding of the mistakes I made with him, with you, with Phillip, with Nicole, with Bo and with Caroline most of all, getting another chance with my daughter; all that has turned my head around."

"Well, it's a pure miracle that Isabella is alive and back with John. I think even Marlena would be glad of that. She never wanted him to be alone. You know, some days I think I almost miss her more than I do Roman."

"And I so hoped to be making up for that lack." Tony Dimera smiled, walking up to his friends and competitors, and kissing Kate's hand. "Where have I failed, Katherine?"

"You never were, and I thank G-d never will be my shrink." Kate answered, laughing, and happily accepting Tony's embrace.

"Oh so do I." Tony agreed. "Too much knowledge as they say, can be a dangerous thing. That's why I all but dragged my twins out of their studies today, and packed them off to start shopping. I too miss Marlena, though. She'd be so pleased to see how well Rex is doing with his anger management therapy, and how bright Cassie is proving herself in her language and arts classes."

"I guess you're wondering why I called you all here." John Black laughed, making his presence known.

"As long as it isn't to bring anything but one more welcome to our wandering newlyweds." Kate asked, trying to read John's face.

"Well, that's part of it. But I'm also getting ready to make some changes and I want to take Isabella to a couple places we have good memories of, That's why I turned the CEO's office and title over to Kate. And I need to get away. I never much cared for the winters in this part of the world."

"That's because you were born half Italian, a citizen of the Mediterranean."

Tony claimed. "But I have a sense, brother, that there's something you're not telling us. What's wrong?"

"Yes, John, please. If there's something we need to know, tell us now." Kate urged.

"And I would like to know where you're going off to with the daughter I've had back for less than a month." Victor frowned.

"We're not leaving until after Christmas, Vic. Isabella wouldn't hear of it. But the truth is, after that I'm putting the townhouse on the market. Cassie and Belle and Mimi have taken over the loft, Brady's in New York half the time, with the music division and Chloe. I don't ... we don't need the space."

"And you can't turn your head around there without seeing and feeling Marlena." ate nodded. "That was how I felt when I walked through Roman's house, before Carrie and Sami decided to sell it."

"Yeah." John admitted. "I'm building a new place, closer to the park. I figure we'll travel for a few weeks and then become the house guests you can't get rid of until its finished. Then we can really start over. I did get a heads up from Ops the other day, though."

All three of his listeners froze for a moment and then waited for John to continue. "Both of our ... both prisoners are seeking extradition, on the basis that they aren't citizens here. The Feds don't seem to be worried about it. And frankly, sometimes I wish they would try to get away. It would be so tempting ..." John sighed. "And it would dishonor everyone we lost this year."

"You're not the only one who's entertained that line of thought, John." Victor told his son in law.

"They struck at all of us, brother. We'd all to some extent like to see them as dead and lost as our friends and kin." Tony added.

"Is their trial opening soon?" Kate asked, thinking grimly of the son she'd lost, and the many friends.

"Just after the first of the year." John answered.

"What are their chances of getting off?" Victor asked.

"Slim. Its a strong case, Orpheus' daughter carried lethally hazardous materials across at least two international borders. And my adopted brother has already admitted he wanted to kill as many people here as he could, including anyone who he thought was helping Carly get Nicholas away from him."

"Hey!" Will suddenly called out! "Hey, everybody, They're here!"

Glad to turn their attention to something cheering, Kate, John, Tony and Victor turned towards the now open doorway to the gantry. Dozens of passengers came through though, before the new marrieds were spotted. Will rushed to hug Sami and Lucas in welcome and made everyone laugh by insisting on lugging Sami's carryon. "Mom!" he yelped, "You can't carry things like this now. You're PG!"

"Well, I'm glad you cleared that up for anyone who wasn't sure before we left." Lucas groaned, but couldn't hide a grin that matched his son's.

"William Brady-Roberts, if you're so concerned about my health, will you slow down!" Sami laughed, her suntanned face shining as she reached to hug her first born. With the exception of Tony and Victor, the travelers were soon surrounded by their impromptu welcoming committee, and it grew again as Hope rushed in with Laura, Wendy, Benjamin, Rex and Cassie.

"Are you as concerned about this proposed trial as I am?" Tony turned to ask Victor.

"I'm concerned that the government will do their usual job of bungling the case. The Justice Department wouldn't even have a finger in this pie if the ISA hadn't opened the door for them. And from what my sources tell me, this will be anything but a sure conviction. John isn't stupid, but I think his grief has affected his ability to see things quite as clearly as you and I. And I see no honor at all to our lost loved ones in allowing their murderers to walk."

"Then we're in agreement." Tony told him. "I'm sure we can work together again, on seeing this through to a satisfactory conclusion."

"Yes. Let's work the details out after all the holiday foolishness is done. I don't want their blood on my hands if I can help it. But when it seems that Alamain will and the girl might try an insanity plea ... that's simply unacceptable to me. Now, I think we're expected to join in the welcome."

"Tony, Victor, you're looking awfully serious." Lucas said, when the two men walked up to him. "What's wrong?"

"We were just saying that we won't need to bother with holiday presents, as it looks like you've brought back half of the South Pacific!" Tony fibbed, nodding to his oldest son to indicate they could discuss other things later.

"Yeah well, I left with a bride and I came back with Sami, Warrior Shopper." Lucas quipped, earning himself a thwap with Sami's woven straw shoulder bag. "Oww!"

"Your son, Tony is neglecting to mention that half the luggage we loaded on the plane to come home had to be bought in New Zealand to carry all the Maori items he thinks are going up in our new home." Sami stated for the record.

"Some at home in the den, where the guys get to hang out." Lucas amended. "And some in my office."

"Speaking of Maori, Sami. isn't that one of their jade pendants you're wearing?" Tony asked.

" Yes, its a manaia, and its lucky I read the signs in that shop. It's bad luck to buy one for yourself, they told us. Oh Tony, Auckland is so beautiful and the beaches and the parks ... and Christchurch. .. Lake Matheson, the place is just amazing!"

"Yes, yes it is. Well, welcome home indeed. It must be quite a climate shock to leave full summer down there and come back to winter."

"Thanks. I'm really glad to be back. My husband ..." Sami grinned as she realized it was the first time she'd used the phrase today. "My husband got the idea into his head that I love hiking. So we did, a lot!"

"Sami, I was explaining to Tony and the others earlier, that I came out to give you something in addition to the wedding present I sent in absentia." Victor said, grabbing her attention. "This is the rest of it. Every single iota of it. I hope you'll simply destroy it, but I leave that up to you." And the older man handed Sami a thick manila envelope with nearly a ream of papers inside. "Consider it an early Christmas present to your new family. Tony, I'll be in touch about that other matter." Victor said and walked away before Sami could find words to say.

"Is he on the level?" Lucas asked, his dark eyes as wide as Sami's blue ones.

"As far as I can tell, very much so." Tony answered. "He ... like so many of us, has gone through a great many changes this year.

"Lucas." Sami said when she could finally shape the sounds into words. "Lucas, I want you to take this, find a security guard or someone and have them put this in their incinerator here, if they've got one." She shoved the envelope into Lucas hands so hard he almost dropped it.

"Well, sure Sami, if that's ..."

"That's what I want, for you, for our kids and yes, for me, too. An end to all this ... We said the past died, well, that's part of the skeleton and I don't want to see it, hear about it or so much as touch it ever again. Please." Sami's eyes were welling up with tears and yet she felt as if a weight equal to her son's had been lifted off her back.

"Then its gone, babe. Stay here with Tony and I'll take care of it." Lucas leaned in to kiss his bride and then carried their gift from Victor away as if it were something deadly.

"Tony," Sami said, turning back to her new father in law. "Did you, or did John get him .. get Victor to ?"

"No, Twinner." John said, walking up as if on cue. "But I'm not sure Isabella didn't have a heart to heart with her Dad. She always wants him to follow what she calls the voices of his better angels."

Sami grinned at her stepfather. "Yes, that sounds about right. John, you look tired. What's wrong? What's going on? C'mon you two, I may be sunburnt and travel weary, but I can read you like a couple of matching books. Spill."

"We were talking about the trial. Its not due to start until after the first of the year. And its likely to be a mess. My adopted brother may or may not be crazy  but he's still rich enough to try to prove that he was nuts at the time. And I don't think Rosa had far to go to begin with." John admitted.

"They can't get off!" Sami insisted. "Can they?"

"Absolutely no way." John asserted. "For one thing Alamain was just dumb enough to write Carly about his scheme. She's turned all their correspondence for the past three years over to the Feds. And Orpheus' daughter was definitely sane enough last summer to get the hell away from here after she laid the virus. So, I still like our chances."

"Well, that's good to hear. Listen, I've got to go home and pretty much collapse." Sami laughed, kissing first John and then Tony. "But I want both of you at our place for meatloaf night."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." John promised.

"Isn't that a kind of misapprehension of you Yanks on how to make pate?" Tony joked.

"Tony, before you get in big trouble with my bride." Luca said, walking up with his hands empty, until he took Sami's. "I should remind you that it was my grandmother and her father who taught Sami to cook."

"Well, that is reassuring. Call me, and I'll mark the date on my calendar. Lucas, my car's outside the terminal, take it and send it back to retrieve me. I want a word or two with my brother."

"Sure, Tony." Lucas said as Daphne's sons walked towards the airport bar.

"They're hiding something." the new marrieds said as one voice, and then turned to each other.

"How can we find out what it is?" Kate asked, taking Lucas by one arm and Sami by the other.

"Stealth, secrecy and steely determination." Sami answered.

"Works for me." her new mother in law and husband chorused.

"Then let's collect our son and get this show on the road."