Kim smiled absently at the desk officer as she approached the door to Roman's office at the Salem Police Department. The man recognized her and just nodded as Kim walked by.

Reaching the door, Kim knocked softly. When she heard Roman's distinctive "Come in," Kim took a deep breath and entered the office.

"Kim," Roman said, standing and walking from around his desk. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

Kim shook her head and gave her brother a quick hug. "Nothing's wrong. I was just hoping you might have a few minutes to talk."

Roman's eyes narrowed but he just pointed to the chair by his desk. "Sure. Have a seat."

Kim sat down and waited for Roman to return to his chair. Once he was seated, Roman looked at her expectantly. "So, what's on your mind?"

Smiling slightly, Kim said, "I think you know. I haven't been able to talk to you since your . . . altercation with Shane the other day."

Roman's eyes dropped for a moment before returning to meet Kim's gaze. "I suppose I should apologize for that . . . but I'm not sure I can. It's a little hard to be civil to the man who left me in a hellhole for seven years."

Kim flinched slightly at the hard edge to Roman's voice. She was not sure she could get past Roman's anger and make him listen, but she was determined to try.

"I know what the article said, and I know how it makes things sound," she began. "But you have to believe me that it's not the whole story."

Roman shook his head. "That's what you say and that's what Donovan said. But the fact is that he left me there and never told you or the family that I was alive. What else is there to be said?"

"Those are the bare facts, Roman," Kim said. "But you're judging Shane without bothering to try and understand why he made the choice he made. You've been involved in enough missions and difficult situations to know that motivation and intent matters."

Roman scoffed. "So what are you saying, Kimberly? That just because he didn't mean to leave me there, nothing else matters?"

"Of course not," Kim said quickly. "But unless you can look me in the eye and tell me that you wouldn't do whatever you had to do to rescue Bo or Kayla or me, then you need to at least listen to what Shane has to say."

Roman stared at Kim for a moment, clearly not willing to concede anything easily. But after a few moments, he relaxed slightly and nodded. "All right, Kimmie. I'll listen to what Donovan has to say. For you."

Kim smiled, feeling relief wash through her. "Thank you-"

"Don't thank me yet," Roman interrupted. "I'm not saying it's going to change how I feel. I'm just going to give him a chance to tell his side of the story."

"Understood, Commander Brady," Kim said with a smile. That was about as good as she could have hoped for. Glancing around the office, she asked, "So how does it feel to be back to work?"

"It's about the only thing that feels the same," Roman replied wryly. "It's good to know that police work hasn't changed that much in seven years." His smile faded. "Unlike almost everything else."

Kim's heart went out to her brother and she forced a light tone to her voice. "Come on, Roman. It's not like everything has changed." She grinned. "I'm a little older, but I'm still your little sister, aren't I?"

Roman laughed. "Yes, you are. It doesn't matter how old you are, you will always be my little sis." He looked at Kim curiously. "I have to admit I'm a little surprised that you stayed in Salem all this time. I always figured you would have gone back to Europe and your big photography career."

Kim started slightly at Roman's words. It had been so long that she had forgotten that Roman had only known about her career as a photographer in Europe - what little a career it was. She knew she would have to tell him the truth, but she wondered if now was the time. He had already had enough shocks. Learning that his little sister had been a hooker might be one he did not need right now.

"Well . . . I guess you could say that a lot of things happened," she said, keeping her tone light. "When I came home, I started working at the abuse clinic. And once Andrew was born, I guess that became the most important career I could have."

Roman nodded. "I know. It's just that I remember how proud Pop always was of his successful daughter 'gallivanting around Europe' as he would say." He smiled at Kim. "We always knew you had this great future in front of you."

Kim felt her body tighten with anger at the implication in Roman's words. Keeping her tone even, she replied, "I'm very happy with my life, Roman."

"I'm sure you are," Roman said. "I'm just wondering why you stayed in Salem. You couldn't wait to get out of town after you finished school. I never thought you'd come back to stay."

Because I was running from a lot of really bad memories, Kim thought silently. Trying to keep her anger in check, Kim said quietly. "Well maybe you just didn't know me as well as you thought you did."

Roman chuckled. "Come on, Kimmie. You're my sister. Nobody knows you better than I do." He held up his hands. "Look . . . I get that you fell in love with Donovan. I'm just sorry that he kept you here instead of letting you continue your career in Europe."

The arrogance in Roman's tone caused Kim to lose the last of her control. Standing, she stared hard at Roman. "Shane Donovan didn't keep me from doing anything," Kim replied through clenched teeth. "You think I was living this great life in Europe? Well let me tell you the truth, Roman. I wasn't making ends meet as a photographer. I was a prostitute."

Roman's eyes flew open wide at Kim's words. He stared at her for a moment, then slowly said, "What did you say?"

"I said I was a prostitute, Roman," Kim shot back. "A call girl. An escort. A hooker. Whatever you want to call it." She turned away. "You're right that I couldn't wait to leave Salem, but you know why?"

Very quietly and hesitantly, Roman said, "Why?"

"Because I had been abused - sexually abused by Uncle Eric." At Roman's astonished look, Kim nodded. "It's true. Uncle Eric molested me for years."

"I . . . I had no idea," Roman stammered.

"Nobody did," Kim said evenly as she looked back at her brother. "I was very good at keeping secrets, and for years, I kept that one and I felt worthless. So . . . first chance I got, I ran away from all those memories. But when my photography career stalled, I turned to what I thought was the only thing I was good for."

Roman opened his mouth to say something and then shut it. Then he opened it again. "I . . . God, I'm sorry, sis."

"I don't need your pity," Kim said, failing to keep the hard edge from her voice. "I've dealt with my past. And I've used it to build my career as a counselor. I can help those children at the abuse clinic, because I know what they're going through."

Roman shook his head sadly. "I wish I could have helped you. You could have told me when you came home."

"No, I couldn't," Kim said. "It was bad enough that I had no real photography career. I was ashamed to come home and tell my family I had failed. After all, you all had such great expectations for me." Kim failed to keep the sarcasm from her voice. "But at least, when I first came back from Europe, I thought I had escaped that life." Her voice lowered as she remembered what happened when she returned. "But that wasn't enough. I was blackmailed into continuing that . . . profession." She offered a humorless smile. "You know who helped me escape that blackmail? Shane did, Roman. Shane saved me - in so many ways."

Roman stared at her in stunned silence as he seemed to absorb everything. Finally, he asked, "Do . . . does the rest of the family know?"

Kim took a deep breath and nodded. "For a while, only Marlena, Bo, and Shane knew. Then the whole truth came out a few years ago. It wasn't easy, but we all got past it." She looked her brother in the eye. "Can you do the same?"

Roman took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "You're my sister, Kim. I love you no matter what. I . . . I just never expected to hear that."

"I know," Kim replied. "But you were bound to find out eventually. The whole world pretty much knows because it was reported after Shane's arrest. Sooner or later, you would have seen it. It's better that you hear it from me." She looked into Roman's eyes. "And I want you to understand what kind of man Shane is. He knew about my past and accepted it."

"Then why are you two divorced?" Roman asked. "If he's so wonderful, what happened to your marriage?"

Kim sighed. That was a long story she definitely was not going to get into. "He is wonderful, Roman. But neither one of us is perfect and we both made some big mistakes. But that doesn't matter anymore. We've worked hard to find our way back to each other, and we are going to make a life together with our children."

"Even if he goes to prison?" Roman asked. "After all, he's facing those treason charges. Those are pretty serious."

Kim shook her head. "He's not a traitor. The sooner you believe that, the better it will be for everybody. But if the ISA succeeds in framing him and sending him to prison, then you can bet that I will be waiting for him when he gets out."

"You love him that much?"

"I love him that much."

Roman was silent for a moment and Kim glanced at her watch. "I need to get going. I have a meeting this afternoon." She smiled at Roman. "I'm holding you to your agreement to talk to Shane. You two need to clear the air."

Roman nodded, still quiet. Kim turned and walked to the door, stopping when she heard Roman call her name. She turned around and watched as he walked towards her. When he reached her, he held out his arms and pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks for stopping by to see me, sis."

Kim nodded, feeling a lump in her throat. "Talk to Shane. That's all the thanks I need."

Walking out the door, Kim closed it behind her and began the walk back to the parking lot and her car. That conversation had not gone exactly as planned, but at least she had gotten Roman's agreement to listen to Shane. She just hoped Shane could make Roman understand the past so that the whole family could finally move forward.