As Steve stepped towards the door to the Brady house, he could see Kayla, Kim, and Bo through the window. They were standing together, all looking towards someone or something in the living room.
Steve did a mental check, but he did not recall Kayla telling him about any kind of family gathering. He guessed that something must have come up, and supposed he would find out what it was as soon as he got inside.
Tapping lightly on the door, he entered the house. Kayla's eyes immediately found his, and he instantly knew she was upset about something.
Stepping towards her, she met him halfway and melted into his arms. "Baby?" he said quietly, looking at Bo and Kim who had equally grim looks on their faces. Pulling away slightly, he looked down at Kayla. "What's wrong?"
Instead of answering, she just looked over towards the living room. Following the direction of her gaze, Steve saw a curly-haired man standing with Shawn, Caroline, and Marlena. The man looked vaguely familiar, although Steve could not say why.
"Who is that guy?" Steve asked, looking back at Kayla. "Is he the reason you're so upset?" He looked again at Bo and Kim. "The reason you're all so upset?" Steve turned back towards the man, ready to deal with whoever was causing his family trouble.
Stepping towards Steve, the man stuck out his hand and said, "I'm Roman Brady. You must be Steve, Kayla's husband." The man smiled at Kayla. "Marlena showed me the wedding pictures."
Steve stared at the man's hand and then at his face. He suddenly realized that was why he had looked familiar. Steve had seen the family pictures Kayla had from before Roman had been presumably killed by Stefano DiMera. But that man had returned to his family. So who the hell was this guy?
"What the hell is going on here, Sweetness?" Steve asked Kayla, still staring at the man claiming to be Roman.
Kayla shook her head. "I . . . that is we don't really know-"
"Yes we do know!" the man shouted angrily. "I'm Roman Brady and you are my sister, Kayla Brady, and the guy who's been running around here claiming to be me for the last 5 years is an imposter, dammit."
Steve saw Kayla flinch as the man ranted and that was all he needed. Stepping forward so that he was between the angry man and Kayla, Steve spoke in a quiet, but deadly serious tone. "I don't know who the hell you are, but nobody talks to my wife like that. So just step back and calm down."
The man's eyes narrowed at Steve's words. He stepped closer to Steve. "I don't know who the hell you are either, but that's my sister and I'll talk to her in any way I choose."
Before Steve could respond, Kayla stepped around him and pushed herself between the two men. "That's enough." She looked at Steve and he could see the pleading look in her eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Steve stepped back. "Sorry. I guess I'm just a little on edge."
Kayla gave him a grateful smile and then took his hand. Turning to the other man, she said, "Excuse us for a minute, okay?"
The man nodded and walked back to where Shawn and Caroline were standing. Steve watched as Marlena walked to the man and said something to him. He seemed to calm him down, as he nodded and gave Marlena a brief grin.
"Come with me," Kayla said, pulling on Steve's hand. Giving one last glance towards living room, Steve followed Kayla back to the hallway off of the kitchen.
"So is that guy really your brother?" Steve asked when Kayla stopped in the hallway.
Kayla ran her hand across her face. "I honestly don't know what to believe, Steve." A tear glistened in her eye as she continued, "I mean he looks like him and sounds like him and . . . even acts like him."
"What about Roman . . . or the guy I've been calling Roman for the last five years?"
Kayla shook her head. "That's just it. Ever since I first met him, he's felt like my big brother. He used my nickname, he remembered my childhood - sometimes better than I did. How could he not be Roman?"
"I don't know, Sweetness." Not knowing what to say or do, Steve just took Kayla in his arms. He thought back to the previous five years. Whoever that Roman was, he had certainly acted the part of the big brother to a T. He and Steve had butted heads more time than Steve cared to count, but they had also become friends. And brothers. That man in the Brady living room was a stranger.
After a few moments, Kayla pulled back. "This is all just so crazy. And Ma and Pop have already made up their minds. They're sure that's Roman out there."
"Aren't there some kind of tests they can do to find out for sure?" Steve asked.
Kayla nodded. "Kim said the ISA is doing a DNA test and the results should be back soon."
"The ISA?" Steve snorted. "Great. How are we supposed to trust those results?"
Kayla shrugged. "I don't know, but I guess Marlena and Kim must think it's the right thing to do. I'm not sure what other choice we have."
A cry from down the hall interrupted their conversation. Steve recognized it immediately and together he and Kayla walked to the room where Stephanie had been sleeping. As soon as she saw Steve, Stephanie raised her arms. "Papa . . . up."
Steve smiled and picked up his daughter. "How's my little Sweetness?" he asked as he kissed her head. Turning to Kayla, he sighed. "I guess we should go back out there, huh?"
Kayla nodded and led them back down the hall. When they entered the kitchen, they could see that Roman - or whoever he was - was still in the living room and that Kim and Bo had joined the group there.
The man looked up as Steve and Kayla walked closer and smiled when he saw Stephanie. He stepped closer, looking back and forth from Stephanie to Kayla.
"This must be your little girl," he said. He looked at Kayla again. "I still can't believe you're married and a mama." He turned back to where Kim and Bo were standing. "Or that you two have kids of your own." Steve could see the emotion on the man's face as his voice cracked slightly. "I've missed so much of your lives."
Steve could not deny the sincerity in the man's voice. Whoever he was, Steve had almost no doubt that the man believed he was Roman Brady.
As the man reached out to touch Stephanie's hand, the door to the Brady house opened again. Looking up, Steve saw Roman - the man he knew as Roman - walk in the door.
As Roman looked around, his expression betrayed the hurt he clearly felt when he saw the other Roman surrounded by the Brady family. He looked at Marlena and then just shook his head.
"Roman-" Marlena started to say.
Roman just raised his hand and turned away. Without a word he stalked out the door. Marlena started to follow him, but Bo stopped her. "Let me go. I'll talk to him."
Marlena nodded and Bo walked out the door. Steve turned to Kayla and saw the guilt on her face. He put his arm around her and she leaned into him while Stephanie babbled in his other arm.
After a few minutes, Bo returned. In a quiet voice, he explained that Roman was pretty upset and just needed some time to cool off.
"I feel horrible," Kayla said. "Did you see the look on his face?"
"He's mad at me," Marlena said quietly. "Not at you."
"No, Doc," the other Roman replied. "He's mad at me and I'll make it right with him later, okay?"
Marlena just shook her head. Steve could see the conflicting emotions on her face and, in fact, they were mirrored on the faces of every member of the Brady family. As Steve tried to comfort his wife, he had a sinking feeling that no matter what the DNA results held, making everything right was going to be pretty much impossible.