John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 37 - Curiouser and Curiouser...

Marlena stared at the door and wondered briefly why things couldn't ever be simple. She closed her eyes and unconsciously smoothed the wrinkles in her trousers. It was a gesture of control, which she felt desperately lacking at the moment.

With a strange, nervous flutter in her stomach, she rapped sharply on the door.

"'Gene? 'Gene, can I come in?" There was a silence behind the wall of wood and Marlena waited a moment before she tried again. "'Gene, I need to talk to you."

"I would prefer it if you would leave me alone for a while." Q's voice came muffled from behind the barrier. Marlena crossed one arm in front of her and laid her hand on her chest in a movement of comfort and protection.

"Gene, please don't ignore me. We need to talk."

"No, we don't." Marlena could hear the embarrassment in his voice and she frowned.

"'Gene, don't shut me out, I want to help you," she persisted.

A bitter laugh came from behind the door.

"How ironic." In the bedroom, Q stared at the ceiling, wishing he could lose himself in it.

"Why?" It was becoming more obvious by the moment that Marlena did not intend to give up until she had succeeded at her task.

"Nothing." Q's tone was flat and emotionless. "It's not important."

"It is to me." Marlena's voice insisted once again. "You're my best friend Gene. If I've done something to hurt or upset you, I want to know." He could hear the genuine confusion in her voice and the hint of fear that maybe she had ruined this relationship too. He closed his eyes and willed her to go away. He couldn't handle this right now.

"'Gene. Please, don't do this to me." Marlena whispered as she leaned her head against the door and took a breath to steady herself. It was a moment later when she heard the tell-tale sound of footsteps in the room behind the door. She stood up straight and tried again to draw on the strength that lay hidden inside her. Some days it was more accessible than others. Today it seemed, it was hiding altogether.

The lock clicked, and the door opened. Eugene's pale face appeared from behind the barrier. His hair appeared disheveled, and his eyes were suspiciously puffy.

"Eugene..." Marlena started but was forestalled by Q's hand on her arm.

"Don't say it." His voice was soft, but he shook his head with conviction. Marlena's eyes widened again as she looked at him. He was the strength that she had been drawing on, but she had hardly stopped to think what it might be doing to him.

"'Gene, I'm sorry-" the little utterance caught him off-guard and he whirled around to the window.

"It's not your fault Marlena. It's just one of those things." He shrugged nonchalantly. Behind him, Marlena shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. It just seemed so unfair that she kept hurting those she loved.

"I.... I never meant to hurt you." Her voice sounded distant and bewildered and something in the inflection made Q turn back to her. The chaos in her hazel eyes made him feel almost guilty and he gently brushed her cheek with his index finger.

"You didn't hurt me. I know how you feel about John. I know you love him, and that's the way it should be."

He gently took her arm and led her to the bed where she sat down next to him, her arms still creating a protective band around her body. "Marlena it's okay. Really. You can't help the way you feel, just like I can't help the way I feel." Her slight flinch at his words put a furrow in his forehead. "I'm sorry if that makes you feel awkward."