John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 1: Q, What, When, Where, Why?

Q blinked. The sun was high overhead and the hills in the distance looked hazy in the heat. He shaded the sun from his eyes with his hand and scanned the horizon. Through the trees he could see that it was flat on all sides, except for the hill on the left. In what he presumed to be a northern direction lay a small city and away to the east was an expanse of water. Whether it was the sea, he could not tell.

"Thanks a bunch." Q muttered to no-one in particular, for he was very much alone. "Miserable pack of....." he trailed off. "You could at least give me a clue." He kicked a stone which had been sitting at the shoulder of the road. Somewhat unbelievably, the stone shot into the air and struck a signpost about five metres away, with a large *thwack*.

Q looked at the signpost. It read SALEM 35m, and it pointed toward the town. Q sighed. Taking off his heavy overcoat, he began to walk.

******

Marlena tapped her foot impatiently on the thick carpet.

"Belle, what are you doing?" She called to her small daughter.

Belle came flying out of her bedroom. "Forgot my necklace!" In her small hands, she clutched the treasured glass beads that John had brought back from Paris.

"Okay then." Marlena laughed at her child's earnest expression. "Are we ready to go now?"

"Granma and Granpa!" Belle shouted; a wide smile splashed across her delicate face. "Now!"

"Yes. Now." Marlena followed her daughter out of the penthouse.

******

Q had come to the outskirts of the city. The heavy slick of perspiration on his forehead and his growing fatigue finally convinced him to stop. He scanned the footpath ahead and spied a seat on the right side of the road. He crossed over and sat on the seat. After a while, he pulled his feet up and lay on his back. He noted dispassionately that the sun was sinking in the west.

"Well. Are you enjoying yourselves?" He demanded. To any passerby, it would have appeared that he was talking to the sky, or to himself. "If this is supposed to teach me a lesson, I think you have," he sighed, "once again, underestimated me."

There was no answer forthcoming. Q snapped his fingers. Again. For about the sixtieth time. Nothing happened, again. For about the sixtieth time. Not that snapping his fingers usually did anything. It was the accompanying omnipotence that usually did the trick, but omnipotence seemed to be in short supply at the moment.

"I suppose you get a kick out of this." Q muttered to himself. He dragged himself upright on the seat. "Well, I survived it before, I will again."

His reverie was interrupted by the rumble of a public bus. He sat and regarded it for a moment. Slowly a vague recollection crept through the fog of his memory. He stood and delved his hand into his pocket. Pulling out several coins he stepped onto the bus.

******

Belle ran into the Brady's pub, her blonde curls bouncing against her face.

"Woah, slow down little girl!" Shawn suggested gently putting his hand on Belle's shoulder and crouching down to face her. "We don't want you getting hurt here, do we?"

"Granpa!" Belle flung her arms around his neck.

"Well, It's nice to see you too, so it is." Shawn laughed, picking Belle up in his arms and hugging her. "How's my wee girl, eh?"

Marlena smiled at the sight of her daughter and her adopted grandfather. She still felt a sense of guilt about how she had lied to them about Belle's parentage, but once they had learned the truth, they had never treated the baby any differently. They still thought of John as a son, so in their eyes, Belle was still their granddaughter.

"Are you *sure* you don't mind having her for the night Shawn?" She asked, still smiling.

"Now, why would we mind?" Caroline responded as she entered the room. "You know we love having her any time. Now you go and have your dinner. Belle will be just fine with us." She leaned over and gave Belle a kiss on the cheek.

Shawn put Belle down. "Belle honey. Why don't you go upstairs and find Brady."

"Brady!" Belle started off up the stairs, her red coat flapping behind her.

"Brady's here?" Marlena immediately felt foolish for asking the question.

"John asked if we wouldn't mind looking after him for the night." Shawn's explanation didn't extend any further. It seemed obvious he was trying to spare her any further pain.

"Oh." Marlena felt the now familiar mix of emotions bubbling up inside her, but looking at Shawn and Caroline, she quelled them and painted a smile on her face. "Well, thanks again. I hope she's no trouble. You know you can call me if there are any problems."

"We know." Caroline hugged her. "Now, you'll be late if you don't get going."

"Say bye to her for me." She squeezed Shawn's hand and then made her way out of the house.

The couple watched her go. "Oh Caroline, when will it ever end?" Shawn shook his head.

Caroline swallowed hard. "Shawn you *know* we can't get involved."

"But the kiddies..." Shawn looked at his wife, resolute in her determination. "Ah, you're right. They have to work this out for themselves."

Outside, Marlena stood briefly letting the anger rise again, the cool wall a blessing to her burning face. There was only *one* reason that Brady would be there tonight, and that reason was Kristen.

******

Q stepped off the bus and looked about him with growing confusion. There was something vaguely familiar about the place, but he couldn't yet put his finger on it. He sat on a seat in the bus shelter and pondered what to do next. Nothing came immediately to mind.

I'm Q he thought. I'm Q but I have no power. I have no power and I don't know where I am. He sighed. Where and when? His thoughts lingered as he watched with interest a woman walking across the park. She was wearing a long cream overcoat with a scarf draped around the shoulders. She seemed upset about something and pulled her fingers through her long blonde hair. Suddenly, as though she could feel his eyes on her, she turned and looked in his direction. She paused for several moments and then, when her eyes settled on him, she began to walk toward him. The frown that had previously marred her lovely face was chased away by a sunny smile.

Q was suddenly nervous. He could hardly remember what that felt like. She knows me. He thought. She recognizes me and I don't know who the hell she is. I don't even know who *I'm* supposed to be.

******

Marlena walked toward him. He still looked the same. How long had it been? God, he probably still thought she was dead.

She smiled at him, but the look of bewilderment on his face forced her smile back a little as she reached him.

"Eugene?" She asked a little tentatively, and then, when she'd satisfied her that it *couldn't* be anyone else. "Eugene, it *is* you."

"Madam." Q began with as much haughtiness as he could muster under the conditions. "I am afraid you are mistaken. My name is not Eugene."

Marlena's brow creased slightly as she considered him and his claim. It was clear that he did not recognize her, the belief that she was dead would not evoke that response, but she *knew* it was him. She decided not to press the point, but to see where the conversation led.

"I'm sorry," she smiled at him. "It's just that you look *very* like an old friend of mine." A friend I miss a great deal. She didn't vocalize the thought. "Marlena Evans." She held out her hand, hoping that her name might jog his memory. "And you are?"

He contemplated her for a moment. "Most people know me as Q." He offered.

The furrow returned to Marlena's brow. "Q." She repeated.