John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 75 - Line Call

John knocked at Shawn and Caroline Brady's back door and waited patiently. Finally, Sami opened the door with a heartfelt yawn.

"Hey kiddo," John dropped a kiss on the top of the head and entered the house. "Sleep well?"

"How the hell can you be that cheerful?" Sami asked, her eyes bleary. "You must have gotten even less sleep last night than *I* did."

They had spent much of the night talking in Shawn and Caroline's kitchen. Abe had stopped by some time in the evening to take statements from both of them, but afterward, they had continued their conversation. In some ways, it had been a new beginning for both of them. After so many years of hiding from the truth, it seemed like revealing their feelings had unleashed a torrent of previously undeclared feelings and emotions. There had been a few fraught moments, blame taken and shared on both sides, but in doing so, Sami and John had forged a new relationship. One based on mutual understanding, respect, and love.

But still, it seemed, there was one topic that they could not, or would not broach. Marlena. They had danced around talk of her in the long hours of discussions, neither of them sure enough of their feelings to come to any sort of agreement. And so, the question of Marlena was avoided, both unwilling to risk the fragile but growing bond between them to approach a subject that felt like dangerous territory.

But still, it had been almost two in the morning before John had bid Sami farewell and Sami had wandered wearily up to bed, her mind spinning with the day's events. She had lain in bed for almost an hour, trying to quell the shock that had finally set in after the horrific events of earlier in the day. Finally, she had drifted into a troubled sleep, visions of Grant and Alan disturbing any hope of a decent rest.

For his part, John had made it home to find Kristen fast asleep in his bed. He had quietly closed the door and had made his way to Brady's room, laying down on his son's empty bed. He had stared at the ceiling for a while, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips. He had the feeling that for once, even with everything that was screwed up in his life, he had done something right. He had made an impact; he had communicated with Sami and he felt as though he were on the way to finally mending that fractured relationship. By contrast with Sami, he had fallen into a heavy and dreamless sleep quite easily.

Even the fact that a caustic Kristen had woken him hadn't dimmed his spirits, and the succeeding call from Abe had only increased his good humor. He had left the loft citing that he had business, not even giving Kristen the chance to ask where he was going. The last thing he wanted was her tagging along, and he knew she would, given even half a chance.

"Do you want some coffee?" Sami asked as she pulled the terrycloth robe more tightly around her, tightening the sash.

"Sure, thanks, sweetheart." He watched her fill the percolator and switch it on. Finally, he couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Abe called me this morning Sami, I have good news." He had a sparkle in his eye that Sami hadn't seen for quite some time and she found herself strangely moved by the thought that maybe she had put it there.

"What is it?" she sat down at the kitchen table, running her fingers through her flaxen hair and sweeping it from her forehead.

"They've been in contact with the Boston police. It turns out that *friend* of Austin's is wanted for questioning in connection with the deaths of two policemen there." He raised an eyebrow.

"They ran the story in a local paper here a few weeks ago."

Sami said nothing for a moment, but her eyes widened as she absorbed the information.

"They think....?" John nodded.

"He was going by the name of Whitman in Boston, but it seems as if they have a pretty good case against him. There's no way he's going to walk free Sami."