Hiraeth

Chapter 30

"The twins are going to stay with Shawn and Caroline tonight," John said softly, walking towards the couch where Marlena sat wrapped in a blanket. He handed her a cup of tea, and sat across from her.

    She looked around the loft, and said, "I shouldn't be here. I should be at the penthouse."

    "I can take you there, if you want, but I won't leave you alone. I'm worried about you," he told her, brushing hair off of her forehead. "I'd rather keep you here, because of your injuries."

    "I'm sore, and I'm bruised, but none of it is serious," she told him.

    John brushed his fingers over her hand, "Just let me take care of you, Doc."

    A loud knock sounded on the door, and John sighed. He had a feeling that Roman wasn't going to ignore the fact that he had beaten him for nearly five straight minutes. His suspicions were confirmed when he slid the loft door open to find Abe standing there with two other police officers, Taylor McCall, and someone neither John, nor Marlena, recognized.

    Abe looked at John with regret, "John, um, I need you to come down to the station. Roman's pressing charges for assault. He says you broke into his home, and, um, attacked him without provocation."

    "Without provocation?" John said in surprise. "Abe! Come on man, you know me better than that."

    "I like to think I do, partner, but unless you can explain why—"

    "—nah," John said. "I'll come with you. Let's get this over with."

    Marlena tried to get up from the couch, but her body was so stiff, she could barely move. She shouted, "John...John...help me up! If you're going to the station, I'm going, too."

    John turned to her quickly, "Doc, no! Stay on the couch!"

    "John Black, you don't tell me what to do!" she told him in frustration. "If this is the game Roman wants to play, I'm going with you. I'll file my own set of charges."

    Abe stepped into the loft, trying to see what was happening, "Look, if the two of you could explain what happened this afternoon—" His eyes landed on Marlena, and he gasped, "Marlena!"

    John looked at her with pleading eyes, "Doc, please..."

    She stopped struggling, and looked up at him helplessly, barely able to whisper, "John, I—I don't feel well."

    John lifted her into his arms, and said, "We're going to the hospital, Doc, and I'm getting you checked out the way I wanted to earlier."

    "John!" Abe said. "What happened to her?"

    "Roman happened, Abe! Do you really think I'd break into his house, and beat the shit out of him for no reason? I had a reason, and I'd do it again if given the chance. Ask Shawn, ask Bo...hell, ask Shane! They were all there! If anyone is pressing charges, it's Doc!" John reached for his car keys, and pushed past the two officers standing in his doorway, as he headed for the elevator.

    Abe stood silently in John's loft trying to figure out his next step, finally saying to the officers with him, "I'm going to go over to the Brady Pub, and have a conversation with Shawn Brady. You two can go back to the station, but don't breath a damn word about this until I know what the hell is going on."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Kim looked at Marlena in the hospital bed, and she said softly, "I have to look at this as a therapist, Marlena, as a woman... and what Roman did...there's no excuse for that. He needs help, and I think...I think if you don't press charges...he could do it again. Maybe not to you, but to one of the twins, or someone else. He has to be forced into getting help."