The eyes taking in the scene were dark brown with small flecks of gold. The young man looked around at the crystal clear blue skies and the sparkling water underneath the small boat he was steering into the marina. Shawn-Douglas Brady turned his head and saw the world famous Sydney Opera House up ahead with a bridge looming behind it. The harbor in Sydney, Australia was famous for its skyline. Shawn looked around and saw his daughter Claire looking in awe at the city they were sailing into and his wife Belle smiling at their child. He turned back to the wheel and concentrated on navigating the waters of the harbor until he had reached a marina and docked in an available slip. Belle quickly hopped off the deck of the boat onto the pier and caught the rope Shawn threw and tied the boat securely to the dock. He then gathered Claire in his arms and stepped onto the pier himself.

"Claire and I are going shopping for supplies. What are you going to do?" Belle asked her husband as he set their daughter down next to her. Belle quickly took Claire's hand in hers.

"I don't know. I guess I'll just look around."

"OK, well then do you want to meet back here so we can go to dinner?"

"Yeah. Let's see." Shawn looked at the watch his father had given him before he and Belle had left Salem with Claire. This watch never had to be set. It changed itself when you crossed into a different time zone. His father knew it would come in handy when they were sailing around the world. "Will three hours be enough time for you two to shop?"

"Yes. That will be plenty of time. Meet you back here in three hours?"

"Yes, Dear." Shawn gave Belle a peck on the lips then bent down a kissed Claire on the cheek. "You have fun with your mom."

"OK, Dad."

Shawn stood up and watched his wife and daughter walk into the city of Sydney before setting off into the afternoon Australian sun himself.

After about two hours of exploring the streets of Sydney, Shawn walked into a small café and ordered a beer. He was sitting, sipping his beer, and so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice the man who walked up to him.

"Shawn-Douglas?"

Pulled from his reverie by the man's quiet baritone voice, Shawn turned and looked at the guy. Standing before him was a man about his own age. He had dark hair and stood about six feet tall. High cheek bones and a distinctly straight roman nose dominated the man's features. But it was his eyes that Shawn noticed immediately. He had seen those eyes before but he couldn't place them.

"Do I know you?"

The man grinned and nodded. "Yes. It's been a very long time since we last saw each other but we knew each other as kids." The man said waiting for Shawn to figure out where they knew each other from.

Shawn studied the man further, taking in his face and countenance. But he kept looking back to the guy's eyes. He knew those eyes. 'Where have I seen those eyes?' Shawn asked himself. He searched his memories to find the answer. The guy said they knew each other when they were kids, so Shawn thought back to his childhood. Suddenly, in his mind's eye, he remembered where he had seen this guy and where the man had gotten those eyes.

"Nicholas?"

The man smiled and nodded.

"Nicholas Alamain." Shawn stood up and embraced the man his childhood friend had become. "How the hell are you?"

"I'm good. I almost thought I was hallucinating when I saw you. What are you doing in Sydney, Australia of all places?"

"My wife, daughter, and I are sailing around the world and this is our latest port of call. What about you? What are you doing down under?"

"Oh, I'm here on business. Nothing too exciting just reworking the info-structure of a small company that is hemorrhaging money."

"Sounds important. How did you get into work like that?"

"Well the company is owned by Alamain industries. Honestly I'm supposed to be liquidating the company but I think it has incredible potential and I'm trying to save it and avoiding putting a lot of people out of work."

"Oh. What will your dad say if you don't do what he wants?"

"Honestly, I could care less." Nicholas's face darkened with the mention of his father.

Shawn decided he should change the subject fast.

"So…how's your mom? I miss her so much."

"So do I." Nicholas's features softened and his eyes showed a sadness that made Shawn wonder.

"What do you mean?"

"My mom died."

"What?!" Shawn sat down in shock that the woman he loved as a second mother was gone. "When? How?"

Nicholas sat down with Shawn. "She died about two months after we left Salem. She was in a car accident and died after a couple of weeks in a coma."

"I'm so sorry man." Shawn said as a tear trailed down his cheek. It was true that he had been hurt and angry when Carly had left. She had promised him that she would always be there. He had stayed angry for a while until his dad had decided that he was old enough to know the truth. His father had explained that Carly couldn't have any more children and that Lawrence was taking Nicholas with him. The only reason Carly had gone was because it was her only chance to raise a child of her own.

Although he had understood at the time he was still angry at the idea that Carly had left because Nicholas was her biological child and that he wasn't so she couldn't stick around. It wasn't until he became a father himself that he realized that was what any parent would do and was able to forgive her. And now to hear that she had died shortly after leaving Salem made him sad that he had spent so much time being angry at her and not letting himself think about her or how much she had loved him.

"Shawn, this may sound odd but, can you tell me about her?"

"What?"

"Can you tell me about my mom? You knew her longer and better than I did."

"Why don't you ask your dad?"

"I don't really talk to my father. After mom died, he wouldn't talk about her. I wasn't allowed to have pictures of her or anything that was hers. He completely erased her from our lives."

"Well, what I remember most about her was how warm and loving she was. And she was kind. She was my mom." Shawn shrugged not really knowing what he could tell Nicholas. "Dad was always saying how beautiful she was inside and out. Even after she had left with you and your dad, my dad talked about what a wonderful person she was. I don't know how I'm gonna tell him that she died."

"I remember that your dad loved her. How do you think he'll take the news?"

"I think he'll be devastated. I mean, I know that he loves my mom and all, but I also know that he never stopped loving Carly. I honestly don't think he ever really let go of her in his heart." He looked up to see a questioning look on Nicholas's face. "My mom and dad are getting a divorce. I know for a fact that my mom has always been insanely jealous over my dad's relationship and his love for Carly. I think she always believed that Dad loved Carly more than her."

"What do you think?"

"I think that my mom was right about that. I think my dad loved Carly more than any other woman in his life. Not that he didn't give everything he had to my mom, but I think Carly still held most of his heart and my mom hated that."

"Sorry about your parents."

Shawn shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not. My mom and dad's marriage has been pretty rocky for the last few years. I just want them both to be happy and I really don't think they can do that for each other anymore."

Shawn looked at his watch. "Listen man, I'm sorry but I have to go. I have to meet my wife and daughter for dinner."

"No problem. Maybe we can get together before you leave town. I'd love to meet your wife and kid."

"You got it." Shawn smiled at his childhood friend. The two men exchanged numbers and email addresses before parting. As Shawn walked back to the marina that his boat was docked in he wondered how he was going to call his father and tell him that the woman he loved so much had died. Shawn knew that Bo considered Carly the love of his life and he also knew that this information would devastate his dad. But he also knew he couldn't keep this from his father. He would have to tell him. He looked at his watch again and knew it was far too late in Salem to call his dad so he would have to wait. He would discuss it with Belle after they put Claire to bed and try to figure out what he would say. But for now he was going to enjoy dinner with his wife and he offered up a prayer of thanks that he didn't have to go through what his father would go through the next time Shawn called him.