John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 2: Food For Thought

Kristen smoothed her dress over her flat stomach. She smiled to herself as she thought back to Paris. It hadn't taken that *witch* Marlena long to catch onto her fake pregnancy, but it had been long enough for her to conceive again. Kristen patted her belly and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She smirked as she remembered the moment of 'revelation'. She'd put on the performance of her life, convincing John that she'd done it because she was so distraught over the loss of the baby that she'd gone a little crazy. Marlena hadn't fallen for it, but then, it wasn't Marlena she intended to marry.

Incredibly, at that very moment, Abe had called to tell them that Will had been located and Marlena had left, albeit a little unwillingly. Kristen knew she could have never pulled off her charade if Marlena had remained. However, with a few more tears and choice words she had persuaded John that what she'd done she'd done out of her torment over losing their baby.

As soon as she had been able, she had wrenched John away from Europe and his beloved Doc and they had flown back to Salem. Since Marlena had returned, she'd pretty well kept John out of the other woman's path. And now, tonight, she would tell him about the new baby, and everything would be back to the way it was before Marlena had interrupted.

******

John paced the floor of the loft. He'd just come back from dropping Brady at Shawn and Caroline's and he'd been getting ready for his dinner date with Kristen. He had been searching through his drawer for a pair of cufflinks when he had come across his favourite photo of Marlena. He'd hidden it away because he knew it no longer had any part in his life, but he couldn't bear to part with it altogether.

If only things had been different.

Just looking at it now tore at his heart. He couldn't believe it could hurt just to *look* at a picture. He *loved* Marlena. Whatever it was that had stirred up those feelings, it meant he couldn't deny that now. At least not to himself. But, he had to accept that she didn't feel the same. He thought back to the guillotine and the brief moment he had thought she had meant she loved him. Really loved him. The way he loved her. He had come to realize that it had been wishful thinking on his part. She didn't feel the same. He knew that. And his responsibility was to Kristen now. He was the reason she'd been in Paris, and he was the reason she'd lost the baby. And, although it pained him to remember how she had lied to him, he could understand the anguish that had led her to it. It was up to him to make it better.

He sighed and put the picture back in the drawer. He fastened the cuffs of his shirt and put on his jacket. And then giving the loft one last glance, he closed the door.

******

"That's an interesting name." Marlena commented.

"Actually, it's not really exactly my name." Q resolved to tell her the whole story. If she thought he was crazy, so be it. If he couldn't work out why he was here, then he'd force the Continuum into playing their hand.... or so he hoped. Besides, he couldn't think of a plausible explanation. that wouldn't sound crazier than the truth. So, he sucked in a breath and carried on. "It's more what I am, or where I come from..."

When he'd finished Marlena sat still, with her eyes wide open. "So, you're omnipotent." She said slowly, and somewhat disbelievingly.

"And immortal, yes."

"But you've been stripped of your powers."

"Basically, yes that's it."

Under other circumstances, Marlena probably would have been struggling to keep the smile from her face. But Eugene was her friend, and these delusions were alarming in their severity.