"To my son, Roman, who has finally returned to his family."
Kayla lifted her small glass of Irish whiskey to her father's words. She could hear the emotion in his voice and the happiness shining in his eyes. Caroline smiled beside him, but Kayla could read the worry in her mother's eyes. It was the same worry she saw in Kim and Marlena. And the same one she felt in her heart.
Dutifully sipping her whiskey, Kayla watched Shawn and Roman down their glasses. She had been raised on the custom of toasting important events with a "wee drop of the good stuff" as her father used to say. But she had never quite learned to enjoy it the way her father and brothers did.
"Thanks, Pop," Roman said as he put his glass down. He looked at the rest of the group standing there. "I can't tell you what it means to finally be home with my family and be accepted by them."
Kayla did not miss the hint of accusation in Roman's last words. She could not really blame him for feeling betrayed, but she hoped he would get past it sooner rather than later.
"Roman," Kim spoke softly. "I hope you know that we love you. It was all just such a shock when you came back."
Kayla nodded in agreement with her sister. "I know you're upset with us, but we never meant to hurt you."
Shawn threw his arm around his oldest son. "Don't be so hard on your sisters. Now that we have those test results, we can just enjoy having the whole family back together."
Roman took a deep breath and smiled. "You're right, Pop." He looked around the Fish Market. "It's just like I remembered it. I guess at least some things stayed the same."
Shawn laughed. "You know me, son. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. This market has kept this family going for a long time, no reason to change now."
"I know, Pop. We have a lot of good memories here."
As Shawn and Roman continued their conversation about old times, Kayla slipped away from them and moved towards the front of the market. She wondered if Steve and Bo had found . . . him.
She felt somebody behind her and turned to see that Kim and Marlena had joined her. She smiled sympathetically at Marlena.
"I know you're worried about him too, but Steve and Bo will help him. I know they will."
Marlena nodded. "I just can't imagine how alone and devastated he must be feeling. Before the tests came back, he wouldn't even contemplate that he might not be Roman Brady." She sighed softly. "I'm terrified of what he might do."
Kim's eyes widened slightly. "You don't think he'd do anything . . . crazy, do you?"
Kayla felt her own fear rise as Marlena shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," Marlena said sadly. "I know he would never hurt anybody else, but I'm afraid of what he might do to himself."
Turning and looking out the window, Kayla said yet-another prayer for Steve and Bo to find him. Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother's soft voice.
"We just have to have faith that God will protect him," Caroline said quietly.
Kayla smiled as her mother put her arm around Marlena's shoulders, grateful that her mother seemed to understand Marlena's confusion and concern. Kayla supposed that made some sense. The circumstances had been different, but Caroline certainly knew what it felt to care about two men who were in constant conflict.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kayla saw Roman watching them, a small scowl on his face. It was obvious that he was not happy with the reactions of wife, sisters, and mother. As she watched, Roman stalked to the front of the market as Shawn trailed behind.
"Let me guess," Roman said bitterly. "You're all over here worrying about that imposter again."
"Roman-" Marlena began.
"No, Doc." Roman cut her off. "I've been hearing the same thing since I got back. I thought things would change with those DNA tests, but nothing has changed at all. He played you all for years and you still worry about him."
"He didn't play us, son." Shawn spoke slowly but firmly. "Whoever he is, he was a member of this family for five years."
"Whoever he is," Roman scoffed. "The bastard doesn't even have a name. You don't know who he is."
This time Caroline spoke. "He does have a name. Maybe it's not his true name, but it was the name he chose before . . . well, before he believed he was Roman."
Marlena nodded. "He used the name John Black then."
Kayla had heard the story, but had never known the man as John Black. By the time she had returned to Salem, John had been revealed to be Roman Brady. She vaguely recalled how nervous she had been to see Roman for the first time with his new face, but she had immediately warmed to the man as soon as she had met him.
"That's right." Caroline nodded. "And until he has another name, then that's what we should call him."
"I don't care what you call him." Roman sneered. "I just want him found and I want answers about why he took over my life."
The conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. Stepping quickly to the front counter, Caroline answered, "Brady Fish Market."
Kayla watched as her mother's eyes widened as Caroline listened to whoever was on the other end. After a few moments, she held the phone towards Marlena and said, "It's for you. It's . . . it's John."
Relief swept through Kayla just knowing that John was still okay. Marlena stepped quickly towards the phone, only to be stopped by Roman grabbing her arm.
"Find out where he is." Roman's voice was grim. "We need to contact the ISA immediately and tell them his location."
Marlena glared at Roman. "I won't do that and you know it."
"Then you aren't taking that phone call."
Kayla stepped forward, putting herself between Roman and Marlena. "Roman, please. You need to let Marlena talk to John. I know you're upset and you don't understand, but you need to trust her . . . and us."
"Kayla's right," Kim said, moving beside Kayla. "Just let her talk to him. You'll never get your answers if he just disappears or . . . worse."
Roman stared as his sisters for a moment, then removed his hand from Marlena's arm. "Fine. Talk to him. But I want to know everything he says."
Marlena did not respond. Instead, she just took the phone from Caroline. Kayla listened to Marlena's half of the conversation, but it was clear she was trying to avoid giving any information away in her answers, which consisted mostly of "yes," "no," and "I understand."
After just a few moments, Marlena hung up the phone. Kayla could see her take a deep breath and try to compose herself before she turned back to face the rest of them.
"So, where the hell is he?" Roman demanded to know when Marlena turned around.
"I don't know," Marlena said calmly. She turned to the rest of the Bradys. "He's safe for the moment though. He's pretty upset as you can imagine."
Kayla breathed a sigh of relief and saw similar reactions from her parents and sister.
"He wants me to meet him," Marlena continued. "I told him I would."
Roman exploded. "You did what? Uh uh, no way, Doc. You're not going anywhere near that man."
"I know you don't like this, Roman." Marlena stepped towards her husband. "But you have to trust me. I know that John would never hurt me. He's in trouble and he needs help." She took a deep breath. "And I'm going to help him whether you like it or not."
"Let her go, Roman," Kim pleaded with her brother. Kayla looked at Roman and nodded in agreement with Kim.
Roman glared, but then offered a stiff nod and stepped out of the way. Marlena quickly gathered her things and headed for the door.
"Marlena," Caroline called just before Marlena left. "Please let him know we are on his side. We just want him to be safe."
Marlena nodded and left. As soon as the door shut behind her, Roman let out a yell and hurled a chair across the room.
Kayla stepped quickly toward her brother. "It's going to be okay, Roman. Just let Marlena talk to John. You know that she'll do the right thing. The best thing to do is just let things calm down a bit."
Roman looked and Kayla and then chuckled slightly. "Some things really don't change, do they, Sis?"
"What do you mean?" Kayla asked, more than a little confused by her brother's change in demeanor.
"You were always the 'fixer,'" he said. "Whenever I'd get upset and fly off the handle, you'd step in and try to fix it."
Kayla smiled. "I guess it's easy to fall back into old roles, huh? Somebody has to fix things now that my brother the hothead has returned."
That comment got a laugh from the entire family. The Roman looked at Kim. "We've got the hothead and the fixer. But you were always quiet and avoided confrontation. What happened to that?"
Kim smiled, but Kayla saw the shadow that crossed her sister's face. So many of Kim's secrets had been revealed after Roman "died." Kim just shrugged and said, "I guess that's just my counselor training overriding old habits."
Roman took a deep breath and then put his arms around his sisters. "I still don't know that I agree with you, but I guess I have no choice but to wait and see what happens after Marlena sees . . . John."
Kayla breathed a sigh of relief at her brother's acquiescence. Then she heard the sound of the door opening and looked quickly towards it. Her relief increased when she saw her husband walk in the door.
"Steve," she called out as she ran forward and threw her arms around him.
"Easy, baby." He kissed her and smiled. "I wasn't gone that long." He looked around the room. "Where's Marlena?"
"She went to meet John," Kim said, hearing Steve's question. "He called here. Apparently he's safe, but Marlena is going to try and help him."
Steve looked confused. "John?"
"We decided that until we know otherwise, we should call . . . him, John Black." Caroline explained.
"Right." Steve nodded. "I'm glad he called here. He must have got some separation from the ISA."
"What do you mean?" Roman asked suspiciously.
Steve looked at Kayla, clearly unsure if he should say anything in front of her brother. Kayla nodded, knowing that keeping information from Roman was the best way to make him change his mind about trusting Marlena.
"Apparently, he stopped by Shane's house, just a few minutes ahead of the ISA. Shane got him out of there before the ISA arrived and if . . . John felt secure enough to call here, he must feel safe for the moment."
"So Shane helped him escape?" Roman was clearly angry again. "Why am I not suprised?"
"Stop it, Roman," Kim said sharply. Her tone changed to worry as she turned to Steve. "The ISA was at the house? What happened?"
"From what I can tell, they just searched the place. Tarrington was still there when I got there." Steve offered a humorless grin. "He didn't stay long afterwards though. Sometimes, I think that guy just doesn't like me."
"I can't imagine why," Roman said snidely.
Not wanting another fight to break out, Kayla pulled Steve to the back of the room before he could respond to Roman's remark.
"Your brother doesn't seem to like me all that much either, baby," Steve said, still eyeing the pacing Roman.
"Well, I love you and that's all that matters," Kayla replied.
Steve smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "You might not love me so much when I tell you what I need to tell you."
"What?" Kayla said, bracing herself.
"I need to get out of town tonight, Sweetness. I need to get to New York while the getting is good."
Kayla was afraid she knew that that meant. "This is about the ISA again, isn't it?"
Steve nodded. "I need to stay a step ahead of them if I can. If I leave tonight, it might catch them off guard a bit."
"How am I supposed to let you go when I know the ISA is after you?" Kayla asked, feeling the fear grow.
"The ISA isn't after me, baby. They're just keeping an eye on me. They know it's too big of a risk to try and grab me. They just want to know what I'm up to." Steve smiled. "And I don't plan on letting them get that information easily."
"It's not a game, Steve."
"That's exactly what it is, Kayla." Steve looked into her eyes. "Right now, it's a game of cat-and-mouse. Lucky for me, the ISA thinks your ol' one-eyed tomcat is the mouse."
Kayla shook her head. "I still don't like it."
"I know you don't. But I'll only be gone a few days, I promise. You'll have all the information you need to contact me and Shane knows about the trip too." He pulled her close. "Nothing is going to happen to me, Kayla. I promise."
Closing her eyes and leaning into his chest, Kayla softly said, "I'm holding you to that promise, Mr. Johnson."
"I know, baby." Steve kissed the top of her head. "I know."