Author's Note: Oftentimes, I will take the liberty of going back and tweaking a sentence here, a word there. These slight improvements to my writing do not change the tone or direction of the story so I don't alert readers to these revisions. As I was writing Chapter 27, I realized I missed an opportunity to include one of those fiery, passionate arguments that Kim and Shane were so good at (and their subsequent passionate make-ups) and found that it became an integral part of the storyline. So I am alerting readers to the revision and take the time to read it if you so choose. Hopefully, Chapter 27 will be forthcoming soon.
Kimberly walked around the hedge that surrounded the back garden, skirting at the last moment a branch that stuck out onto the cobblestone path leading to the guesthouse. She looked around and sighed deeply. The grounds were sorely in need of attention. The hedges were overgrown and the trees needed extensive trimming. Kimberly had already put some effort into her garden, weeding and pruning it, since they returned from New York but had overlooked the rest of the grounds. It wasn't entirely her fault the grounds looked so unkempt, she thought to herself. Shane always insisted he was the one that should take care of that, conferring and arranging with the groundskeeper for the upkeep of the house and the surrounding yard, always following a strict timetable, ensuring everything got done in a timely manner. Kimberly never once thought of impinging on this area of his expertise, knowing almost intuitively the great pride he took in maintaining his home. But Shane had been so distracted of late that little had been done since their return and now the grounds showed the obvious neglect. It was just another sign of his inattentiveness. As Kim walked on towards the guesthouse, she made a mental note to call the groundskeeper later that day.
As she approached the guesthouse, she saw Jonathan, her publisher, on the terrace having his morning tea. She chuckled at the sight. Jonathan always said he preferred tea-drinking, finding it much more civilized than coffee. Though born and bred in upstate New York, Jonathan seemed to have an affinity for all things British. Maybe that was why he and Shane had gotten on so well in such a short time.
Kimberly was extremely glad and flattered by Jonathan's visit. With his busy schedule, she knew it had taken a great deal of effort on his part to squeeze in this stopover in Salem, even if it was only overnight. Although it was never spoken, Kim knew that it was Jonathan's deep affection for her and Shane that brought him here. That was why Kim was almost embarrassed to tell Jonathan that Shane had gone out-of-town unexpectedly. When she picked him up at the airport that morning, she could tell that Jonathan was disappointed at the news. It was obvious he had hoped to visit with both of them. Kim assured him that Shane promised he would be back late in the afternoon and hoped she was right. Shane's behavior of late had been so erratic, Kim wasn't sure of anything he said anymore, least of all his promises.
"Hey there," Kim waved as she reached the steps to the terrace. "Pretending to be an Englishman again," she teased.
Jonathan raised his cup to her and grinned. "Pretense nothing. Please come join me."
Kim smiled back and took the seat opposite him. She reached for the teapot and poured herself a cup of Earl Grey. "So are you ready to head out and meet my family?"
"Oh, the famous Brady clan I've heard so much about. Ready and eager." Then Jonathan paused and reached for Kim's hand. "But first, are you going to tell me what is bothering you?"
Up until then, Kim hadn't realized how much she needed a friendly face to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on. Suddenly, she wanted to bare all. "You know me so well." Since his arrival, Jonathan could tell something was wrong. Even Kim's friendly chatter and usual effervescent smile couldn't mask the underlying darkness plaguing her mood.
"It's a publisher's job - to hold the whip when I need you to write and to lend a sympathetic ear when you need to talk. So what is weighing so heavily upon your soul my dear Kimberly?"
"Shane," she answered quietly, as if that one word would say it all.
"Shane!" Jonathan couldn't hide the shock in his voice. He knew from his long talks with Shane how devoted he was to Kimberly. Jonathan couldn't imagine anything Shane could do that would upset Kimberly so. "What has my comrade Shane done to make you so down in the mouth?"
She took a sip of her tea before answering. "He asked me to marry him."
"Wonderful!" Then he saw Kim squirm in her chair. "Not wonderful?"
"No, not wonderful at all. I should have expected it, the proposal, I mean. But I didn't so when he asked, I wasn't prepared. I said no." Kim looked up and met Jonathan's surprised gaze but he offered no comment, neither one of comfort or disdain, so Kim continued. "I said I didn't think we needed marriage to be together. Then later, after thinking about it, I changed my mind. I wanted to tell him yes. I decided we should get married but by then he had changed his mind, too. He said he agreed with me, that we didn't need to be married after all." Kim's voice trailed off, as if the hopelessness of the situation had drained all the spirit from her.
Jonathan shook his head slowly. "Kimberly, you must tell him how you now feel."
"But that's just it," she replied desperately, "I don't know how I feel. Maybe we shouldn't get married and if Shane finally sees it the same as I do, well I don't see any reason to rock the boat. I should be thankful we're in agreement."
"But you're not thankful …"
Kim pursed her lips in frustration. "It would be fine except …ever since that day, Shane has been distant, as if he's put up a wall between us. When I try to reach him, he reassures me everything is fine. And for awhile it is fine and then the wall goes back up. Like this trip of his. I told him you were coming and suddenly he needs to go out of town. He was actually insistent upon going."
"Kimberly," Jonathan said in his most paternal tone, "you need to talk to Shane or you're putting up walls yourself."
"I don't know. I just don't know."
"You do know, Kimberly," Jonathan said firmly, trying to conjure up his most paternal tone. "It's taken a long time for you and Shane to be together again. You've overcome so many obstacles. You love him and he loves you. Are you going to jeopardize it … risk all … over a misunderstanding?" She did not reply and Jonathan thought perhaps his words were too personal, revealed too much of what he knew or had surmised of their relationship. "Kimberly …"
She nodded without looking at him. "Maybe you're right." Then meeting his worrisome gaze and wanting to quell his concern, Kimberly added, "I'll think about what you said. But please … don't say anything to Shane."
They finished their tea before heading to Brady's Pub, taking effort to now keep the conversation lighthearted, and avoiding further mention of Shane.
Later that evening
If Shane had caught the early afternoon flight home as he had planned, he would have arrived in Salem late in the afternoon as he had promised. But seeing that letter in Eve's apartment had unsettled him enough that he felt compelled to fly first to ISA headquarters in Washington. He knew he needed to confer with agent David Halpern on what it could mean. Halpern's eyes went wide at the news of the letter but unfortunately could offer no insight to its meaning. After a frustrating debriefing, Shane caught the late afternoon flight home filled with more questions, few answers and certain of an expected coolness from Kimberly.
Shane knew he had let Kimberly down by not being there when Jonathan arrived and his late return home – much later than promised – he was certain had further irked her. To alleviate some of the anticipated anger, Shane had quickly called home when he arrived in D.C. making up some silly excuse about a banker not being available as planned that was causing a delay in his planned departure. Kimberly seemed to accept his explanation and assured him they would wait supper and dine later when he arrived. From the sharpness in her tone, Shane knew she was angry, or if not angry, certainly disappointed.
So it was with a mixture of excitement at seeing Jonathan again and trepidation at facing Kim that Shane entered his home much later than expected. He found Kim and Jonathan in the living room sharing a bottle of wine.
"Oh Shane, finally! I was beginning to think you would never get home." Shane leaned down and gave Kim a perfunctory kiss on the cheek and though her tone was warm he could tell by her gaze that she was not happy with him. But Kim knew it wasn't the right time to challenge Shane or have cross words. That could come later. Kim had manners enough to disguise her feelings for Jonathan's sake.
Shane reached across to shake Jonathan's hand. Even though Kimberly was a good actress, Jonathan was perceptive enough to note the tension between them. "It's good to see you, Jonathan. I am so sorry for being late but you know bankers … they operate on their own schedule." Shane decided to continue with his fabricated tale. He waved his hand, dismissing the glass of wine Kim offered and instead said, "Let's head to dinner. It's been a long day and I am famished."
The earlier tension diffused once they reached the restaurant and dinner turned into an evening of enjoyable conversation. It was a welcome change from the strain of Shane's encounter with Eve and the rest of the day's frustrations. Shane had quite forgotten the bon vivant that Jonathan was and the whole evening was filled with laughter as Jonathan cajoled them with tales from his recent travels. It was a happy night but it also made Shane sad. A heaviness fell over him as he thought, "this is the life I wanted to live … evenings spent with Kimberly, laughing with friends, being home with family … not lying to Kimberly, chasing a phantom brother, being tangled with the ISA again."
"… so if you gentlemen will excuse me." Kim's words interrupted Shane's thoughts. Both men rose as Kim headed to the powder room, finally giving Jonathan an opportunity to talk to Shane alone.
Jonathan patiently waited until Kimberly was out of earshot and then turned to Shane. "So, you and Kim have decided to settle in Salem?"
"For the time being, at least. It's really her home and, in many ways, my home, too." Shane reached for the bottle of cabernet and starting refilling his and Kim's glass.
"Kim told me the two of you had talked about marriage." Jonathan broached the subject carefully.
Shane stopped in mid-pour and looked up tentatively, meeting Jonathan's knowing gaze. "We decided marriage wasn't for us."
"Really …" Jonathan gently prodded.
Shane smiled. "Yes, really. Kim doesn't want marriage and I tend to agree. We've tried it before and it didn't work. I think the way things stand is for the best."
Jonathan wasn't ready to accept that decision. If Kim wasn't willing to break down the wall growing between her and Shane, Jonathan was going to do his best to dismantle it. Unfortunately, not betraying Kim's confidence made it extremely difficult. "Shane, it's taken a long time for you and Kimberly to get back together. It's understandable to be fearful of failure again." Jonathan paused but only for a moment. He knew he had little time to say what he wanted before Kimberly returned. "Don't let Kimberly's fears prevent you from having what is best for both of you."
"I appreciate your concern Jonathan, I really do. But I think I know what is best for both Kimberly and me." Just as Shane finished his sentence, Kimberly came walking towards the table and the conversation once again turned to lighthearted banter.
Shane slowly closed and locked the front door, the deadbolt's click sounding louder than usual in the deafening silence that had settled over the hall. Kim, without saying a word, had walked on ahead of Shane and was already in the living room while Shane still worked the final locks on the door. As he finished securing the last one, he sighed deeply, well aware of the anger that awaited him in the next room.
He was tired from the long day and really just wanted to go upstairs to bed. Up until now, he hadn't quite realized how much his confrontation with Eve had drained him. His subsequent encounter at ISA headquarters had only added to his exhaustion. But Shane knew he had one more confrontation to face and she was waiting for him in the next room.
The drive home from the restaurant had been fine, a continuation of the pleasantries that had marked the entire dinner. Jonathan, sitting in the back seat of Shane's BMW, still seemed to carry most of the conversation, filling an uncharacteristic void that had rarely existed between Kim and Shane. And Kim had responded to his comments with smiles and even an occasional laugh. But Shane was perceptive enough to know it was only a facade, hiding an anger simmering beneath the surface. It was an anger Shane couldn't dismiss because he knew it was based on disappointment and Shane had to acknowledge, at least to himself, that Kim was justified to feel that way.
As soon as they dropped Jonathan off at the guest house, a silence had settled over the car. Now Shane had to face the silence and try reaching Kim once again. But as his secrets and her disappointments continued to mount, that task was getting harder and harder to do.
He reluctantly walked towards the living room, his usual purposeful strides now intentionally slow. He stopped at the entry way and noted Kim was standing at the window, looking out at the darkness. Her arms were at her side and Shane noticed she was clenching and unclenching her fists.
"Kim …" Her shoulders stiffened at the sound of his voice and she continued looking out the window, her back intentionally to him. "Kim, I explained. I told you how the banker…"
"I know what you told me," Kim interrupted, her voice seething with anger. But when she turned to face Shane, there wasn't anger in her eyes. All Shane saw was pain and hurt. "You always have an excuse."
"I know it seems that way." Shane walked into the living room, his strides still tentative as he chose to stop in the middle by the sofa, keeping a measured distance from Kim.
Kim looked at him incredulously. "It doesn't seem that way. It IS that way. You lock yourself in the study for hours and your excuse – I'm working on Bo's cases but even Bo disputes that," Kim argued, her voice rising uncontrollably. "I tell you Jonathan's coming to visit and you suddenly have to go out-of-town. Then you come home late with this implausible banking excuse. Maybe Jonathan bought it but not me." Kim's breathing was now hurried and she tried, without success, to steady it.
Shane looked down in defeat. "I don't know what to say."
"Just tell me the truth. I know something is going on and you're not telling me."
Shane looked up, astonished at her intuitiveness. "I promise you, there is nothing going on." His mind raced as he tried to think of another excuse to reassure her but he knew his options were diminishing. "Maybe it's the book tour being over and all the excitement that went with it," Shane floundered, grappling for any excuse that came to mind. "Maybe it's not being ISA anymore and I miss it more than I thought."
Kim shook her head and smiled before answering derisively. "Oh, you're good. ISA-trained and so good with excuses." Kim shrugged and sighed, her voice now tempered with defeat. "There is something you're not telling me and I can't take it anymore." Then Kim's tone became firmer as she started to walk from the window and declared, "I will not take it anymore. I'm done with lies and secrets."
Shane was filled with alarm as he recognized the determination in Kim's voice. He stepped towards the window blocking her way out of the room. "What do you mean 'you will not take it anymore'?"
"Just what I said. I'm done. I'm leaving."
Shane's alarm turned to terror as he grabbed Kim by the shoulders and pulled her to him. "Oh no you're not. I lost you once before and I'm not going to again.
Kim struggled in his arms, pushing against him as Shane kept repeating, "I can't lose you, I can't." With one final push, Kim pulled back, almost freeing herself from Shane's embrace. Then suddenly she stopped struggling, startled by the expression in Shane's eyes. There was pain in his eyes, a pain that matched her pain. But there was also a fear that Kim had rarely seen before. Startled, she paused for a moment and Shane's lips unexpectedly crashed into hers reigniting her struggles. But Shane held her tight, kissing her passionately until his kisses melted her anger. Kim's arms reached up and curled around Shane's neck, and her lips met his with a passion of her own.
Shane began a trail of kisses across her cheek and down her neck as he reached back and unzipped her dress. Kim no longer wanted to fight, her anger replaced by a fiery passion. Leaning away momentarily, their gaze never breaking, Kim stepped out of her dress and stood before him clad only in her black lace bra and panties. Shane's breath caught in his throat. He was always mesmerized by Kim's beauty. He slid his hands around her bare waist and gently pulled her closer to him.
Kim reached up and grasped the lapels of his jacket, then slid it from his shoulders letting it fall to the floor. Their eyes were locked on each other as her hands began working the buttons of his shirt. She moved slowly, unbuttoning one at a time, never taking her gaze from him. As each button was freed of its hole, his eyes only begged her to continue. When finished, she pulled his shirttail free and like the jacket before, slid the shirt from his shoulders, letting it fall into the heap on the floor. Their breathing was rapid and shallow, and Shane, unable to wait any longer, lifted Kimberly in his strong arms and carried her upstairs to bed.
Kim and Shane's bedroom
They lay quietly in each other's arms, the passion of a moment ago slowly dissipating, and in its place was now a contentment that enveloped both of them. Laying snug in his arms, Kim couldn't help but note that Shane's lovemaking had a warmth and richness to it that had for so long been lacking. Only at the last moment there had seemed to be a wall once again coming between them but even that had dissolved in the passion that came over both of them.
"I missed you," Shane said almost in a whisper and Kim, unable to explain why, was gratified by his words.
"I missed you, too," she replied simply and in that moment all the earlier anger was gone.
They talked for a while in hushed tones, the sound of intimacy between two perfectly matched companions. Kim told him of Jonathan's visit to Brady's Pub, meeting her parents and Shawn insisting on taking him out on his boat, which Jonathan bravely ventured even though he usually got seasick. Shane chuckled and for a moment forgot the strains facing him … seeing Eve, finding the letter, and knowing the person he needed to face tomorrow. Only when Kim spoke again, did it all come back to Shane, in a rush of unwanted emotions.
"Can you come with me when I drive Jonathan to the airport," Kim repeated because it seemed Shane didn't hear her the first time.
"If you don't mind," Shane answered, "I have some things I should have taken care of today … I hope you understand."
Kim didn't want to argue again, still warmed by their recent lovemaking. Even though she doubted his latest excuse, Kim replied, "Oh, no problem." Then, with a bit of caution in her voice, she ventured, "Something is wrong Shane. You know you can tell me anything."
Shane hugged Kim close to him. "Yes, I know I can." Then silently, to himself, he added, "But this I can't."
They lay quietly in each other's arms, allowing the silence to bring a calmness to them both. Soon, Shane could hear Kim's steady breathing and knew she had fallen asleep. He lay for a long time, hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He thought back on the day and hated how he had been deceiving Kim. He knew this secrecy was putting up walls between them and he desperately wanted it to stop. Hopefully tomorrow he'd have some answers and then he could end this deception.
Next Day
Shane stood in the foyer waiting, as the butler went to the library to announce his arrival. Shane looked around and noted, from his vantage point, very little had changed since this house had belonged to him. It seemed a lifetime ago that he had moved into this house with Emma, trying to appease her and make her happy, when all the time he was hopelessly and devotedly in love with Kimberly. Eventually, realizing Emma's wickedness, he had given up the ruse of the dutiful husband and left this house and Emma forever.
Then Victor Kiriakis, a man with his own unsavory soul, had taken up residence here. It was as if the very walls of this house could not shed the evil that would always reside here. Shane heard footsteps in the hallway and then Victor turned the corner by the grand staircase and after so many years came into view, two adversaries once again facing each other.
"Shane Donovan, what a surprise!" Victor exclaimed, barely hiding his malice. "I had heard you returned to Salem … and with Kimberly. How are the two of you?"
Shane looked at Victor and studied him a moment before answering. He had aged quite a bit with stark white hair and his once towering stature now had a slight stoop. Still, his very presence demanded attention. As with all their previous encounters, Shane was not and would never be intimidated by him. From ISA reports that occasionally were passed to him, Shane knew and was frustrated by the fact that Victor had repeatedly sidestepped the law and eluded punishment for known crimes, and to Shane's chagrin, had even become a pillar of Salem society. This fact had caused Shane some consternation offset only by the small comfort he took from his role in once defeating Victor. It was in Miami so many years ago but his victory then was short-lived and it had come at a great expense to Kimberly. With this in his thoughts, it was not surprising he answered Victor with harshness in his tone. "How Kimberly and I are, is of absolute no concern to you."
"Ah, the bitterness is still there. Then I take it this is not a social call."
"Not in the very least."
Victor smiled sinisterly at Shane then led him into the living room. It had been a long time since Victor had faced such a worthy adversary. He moved across the room and stood by the fireplace while Shane chose to remain standing near the door. They faced each other like samurai ready to battle; all that was missing was the glint from their imaginary swords.
"So, if it is not a social call, why have you come?" Victor asked impatiently.
Shane was just as eager to dispense with these false civilities. "I want to know why you have contacted my daughter."
Victor raised his chin slightly and a thin smile drew across his face. What a fool Shane was, Victor thought to himself. He had entered the room thinking he was the hunter and Victor the prey but suddenly, still unbeknownst to Shane, the roles had reversed. Victor held the upper hand, a position he relished. "Who says I contacted your daughter? Did she tell you that?"
"No," Shane hesitated, "but I saw the letter in her apartment." Noting Victor's confidence, Shane grew uneasy with his reply.
Victor smirked triumphantly. "Yes, I did send your daughter a letter, but in response to her letter to me." Shane, as hard as he tried, could not hide the surprise from showing on his face. Ever since he had first seen that letter and recognized the unmistakable letterhead, all through his flight home and his lie-filled excuses to Kim, it had never occurred to him that Eve had contacted Victor. "I see I've surprised you." A smug smile spread across Victor's face.
Shane couldn't deny it. "Why would she contact you? Whatever about?"
"Shane, a word of advice, if I may. Never approach a confrontation without all the facts."
Shane stared grimly at Victor. As much as he hated to admit it, Victor was right. He had rushed into this room certain of his position and now found the tables turned. Resolved to still not give Victor an advantage, Shane firmly repeated his question. "Why would she contact you?"
Victor continued smiling. "That's right. Stick with the same question. Don't detour from the original plan. ISA basic training, right?" They stood and stared at each other, neither blinking. Then Victor shrugged, as if the answer to the question would do neither of them harm.
"She wanted to know about some nasty business during the Greek Civil War. Didn't your father ever tell you about his time in Greece?" Once again Shane was beset with surprise. Not that it involved nasty business. That he would expect from Victor. But his father had never mentioned any time spent in Greece. "From your expression, I can see your father never spoke of Greece to you."
"You knew my father?"
Almost dismissively, he answered. "Captain Andrew Donovan of His Majesty's Armed Forces. I hardly knew him." Then with disdain, he continued, "I mean I was insignificant, a mere lad from Salem, with not a penny to my name, returning to Greece with lofty ideas of helping my homeland in their time of need. Your father was so superior to me." He said the last words with contempt and then changed his tone, forcing conciliation into his words. "I think it's about time you learned of your father's experience in Greece, don't you think? Wouldn't you like to know?"
As much as he wanted to learn more about Victor's encounter with his father, Shane fought the temptation, determined not to lose his focus and fall into one of Victor's traps. "I'm not at all interested in anything you'd have to say about my father. But I do want to know what you've been discussing with my daughter."
Victor could see right through Shane's denial. "Rubbish! I believe you are very interested in what I have to say about your father. Oh, I remember him and his trusty friend … yes, your daughter mentioned him in her letter, too - Lieutenant Reginald Sinclair."
Shane's head shot up at the mention of Sinclair's name. He hadn't heard or spoken of Reggie in almost twenty years and now his name had come up twice – first in the ISA report about Drew that Halpern had shared with him and now with Eve's correspondence to Victor. Was it a coincidence or a connection, Shane wondered. He knew as much as he abhorred giving Victor any satisfaction, he needed to ask the next question. "All right, what can you tell me about Greece?"
"Well, it's been quite a long time." Victor waited a moment before continuing, hostility filling his eyes as the memory surfaced. "I hadn't thought about Greece until your daughter's letter. But it raised some questions that I'd like answered, too. Give me a few days to check my files. My memory is a bit foggy. In a few days I should have something to share with you. Then you may have some answers about your father … and your brother Drew." Victor added the last name to see what reaction he would get and he was not disappointed. Shane looked at him with narrowed eyes but said nothing. "In a few days I will call."
Shane reached into his pocket and drew a card to write down the private ISA cell phone number he had opened several weeks ago, one that Kim knew nothing about. "Call me at this number when you remember."
Victor took the card and smiled, realizing Shane was keeping secrets from Kim. "As I recall, you and I aligned the last time your brother Drew was in Salem. That messy business with Dimera and a damned secret of yours. I do believe you'd make a pact with the devil if it would serve you."
"I believe I am making a pact with the devil now." Shane couldn't mask his sarcasm.
Victor gave off a wicked laugh. "I once warned Kimberly that you were the worst thing for her. She didn't listen to me. Maybe if she had heeded my advice, she wouldn't have fled Salem all those years ago, wouldn't have stayed away from her loving family so long." Shane and Victor glared at each other, Victor's words stinging Shane's conscience. "I'll look into this affair and get back to you when I have something to share. It shouldn't be but a few days. Then we'll see who the devil is."
Driving home, Shane could feel the anger simmering in him, ready to boil over. He was angry at Victor but he was even angrier with himself. Shane had underestimated Victor, had allowed him to gain the upper hand. But he would never make that mistake again. Shane kept replaying all that Victor had said to him about his father and knew he needed to immediately research the ISA files for information about his father and Greece. He didn't want to be caught off guard again, no matter what Victor would tell him.
The thing that really irritated him was Victor's last comment about Kim. How dare he say Shane was the worst thing for Kimberly. Although the comment burned in him, Shane knew it was because there was some truth to it. He had hurt Kim before and not just once. Certainly there was the time after Miami, when Kimberly feared she was pregnant with Victor's child. Shamefully, Shane remembered how he had turned on her, convincing himself that it was Kim's secrets and lies that came between them, never admitting that it was his failure to protect her from a predator like Victor that really caused him to lash out at her.
Another storm brewed when Eve came into his life and Shane found himself wrongly torn between his newly found daughter and Kim. Looking back on it, Shane knew the choices he made then were unforgiveable. But nothing could compare with the infliction of pain he put upon Kim when he pursued her sister Kayla. Shane winced, as he always did, when he thought about this episode in his life. All other sins paled in comparison to this. There was no excuse, no easy remedy to dispel it from his soul.
The final breach occurred when he abandoned Kim just when she needed him most. He knew, intuitively, something was wrong with her when she returned to Salem, engaged to Phillip. He tried to convince himself it was a case of simple jealously that made him question her choices and behavior. But deep down he knew, as only he could, that something was terribly wrong with her. Even so, he left Salem, deciding he needed to leave if Kim was ever going to find happiness with someone else. He desperately wanted to return when the multiple personality disorder was diagnosed, but Caroline firmly advised him not to. "She needs to battle these demons on her own if she is ever going to defeat them" were her exact words. "Your coming back will only complicate the situation." She urged him, instead, to take the children for awhile reasoning "Kim won't want them to see her like this." So Shane heeded Caroline's advice, staying away against his better judgment. When Kim finally freed herself of past demons, Shane returned the children to her, and painfully watched as she and and his family began a life with another man.
Now he and Kim were finally together, making a life for themselves as they always wanted. But Shane didn't reunite with Kimberly, didn't bring her back to Salem and her family, to bring Victor back into her life. No, if Victor was somehow involved in this sordid mess, then Shane needed to keep Kimberly out of it. He would have to continue this charade of his even if it meant walls coming up between them again.