John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 74 - Repercussions

When Marlena and Q entered the Brady pub, they saw the group by the bar, both of them immediately noting John's presence. Marlena took a deep breath, trying to calm her hammering heart, and stepped forward.

"Sami?" The young woman had her back to her mother but there was no mistaking the concern in Marlena's voice. "Sami honey, your Granma called me. Are you all right?" Sami turned around slowly and fixed Marlena with a cold stare.

"I'm fine," she answered tersely. "Not that I know why you care."

"Samantha," John's voice was low, but it held a warning. He didn't want this to come between Marlena and Sami too, they had already hurt each other too much.

"Sami!" Marlena was as shocked at the cold reception as she was at the scratches and bruises on Sami's face. She looked from Caroline to John in confusion. "Sami, of course I care."

"Do you?" Sami's voice echoed the bitterness in her eyes as she deliberately flouted John's implied admonition. "Then why weren't you there when I really needed you, Mom? Why were you off living it up with your new *boyfriend*." Her eyes flicked scornfully to Eugene, standing behind Marlena.

"Sami," Caroline attempted to smooth out the tension.

"*No* Granma." Sami's cold blue eyes flashed with an icy brilliance. "I'm not going to apologize. As usual, when I called my mother when all this was going on, she was *unavailable*. Like she always is. She always professes her love and her devotion, but when the chips fall, she's nowhere to be found."

"Sami...I," Marlena felt the old familiar wrenching pain as Sami flung all her bitterness and betrayal at her.

"No, *save* it Mom. I don't want to hear the excuses *or* the apologies, okay?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm tired of it. I'm tired of coming second in your life to everyone else." She slid off her barstool and ran from the room.

Marlena started after her, but John stepped in front of her blocking her way.

"Let her go, Marlena. She's been through a very rough ordeal."

"That's why I want to go to her John," Marlena said impatiently as she looked at the doorway. John shook his head in frustration.

"She doesn't want your help at the moment. You can't force her to take it." His face softened as he saw the pain in Marlena's eyes. "Give her a couple of days. She'll come round."

"Will she?" Marlena looked up at John. "Somehow I don't think...."

It was then that she saw the scratches on John's face, and she realized that he had been involved.

"John?" she reached out a tentative hand to his face. "John, were you there?"

John didn't answer, mesmerized by the way her hazel eyes shone with golden flecks. He could feel the adrenaline surging through him and yet, he couldn't move. His skin tingled as though alive with fire where her fingers skittered across it. The tension was so fierce it was palpable and almost painful.

"It was John that saved Sami from the attacker, Marlena," Caroline answered for John, breaking the endless moment.

"You saved my baby girl?" her voice was almost a whisper as she found herself staring into his endless cerulean eyes.

"I think of her as my daughter too," John's voice was forced and Marlena saw the muscle in his cheek twitch, an indication of how uncomfortable he was.

"Thank you," she offered quietly, the effect of his closeness only serving to knot her stomach more and to strip her of the words that could express the turmoil of emotions she felt.