John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 90 - Tightrope

A strident beeping comes from somewhere in the corner. But John cannot place it. He searches for the noise, but it is dark and he cannot find it. It is a moment later that he becomes aware that he cannot move. In fact, he cannot do anything. See, feel, taste; all is lost to him. Only this unforgiving blackness and that damn beeping.

Well, that's about all we can do for him.

The voice is unexpected, and John tries to reach it but it is distant and he cannot close any sense around it. It is hard to even say it is *there* except that he knows it is.

Isn't he the one that used to be married to Marlena Evans? The one that was a priest?

Yeah. Can you imagine letting *her* go? The guy has to be nuts.

John wants to cry out. I didn't *want* to let her go. I never *wanted* to let her go. You don't understand. But the inky nothing renders him impotent as he ever was.

Well, I hope his God is listening now. Because he's probably this poor bastard's only chance.

There is a strange sound, like the snap of a rubber glove and a soft, sad sigh.

I hope he has something to live for.....

John tries to reach out, but the voice is fading. Even the beeping is smothered until finally, it winks out. And then there is nothing. Nothing but dull, silent, dark nothing.

Nothing.

******

Mike Horton rubbed at his bleary eyes as he walked down the deserted corridor. Outside, the sky was beginning to lighten, the dawn staining the sky a vibrant sapphire blue. If he had been able to hear them, he would have noticed the birds softly beginning to warble their morning song.

As it was, his mind was on one thing. John Black. It had been a long night, but they had finally brought John out of the OR, alive. Barely. And it was now Mike's job to relay that news to John's family and friends.

He had seen and noted Marlena's reaction to the events of the previous evening, and it had more than confirmed his suspicions. Marlena still loved John, the way she always had, and Mike had no doubt, the way she always would. But for some reason, she had seen fit to keep that information from John, and now she was faced with the prospect that she might never be able to tell him the truth.

And still, matters were complicated by Kristen DiMera's pregnancy, the truth of which Marlena had no idea. And then there was Marlena's pregnancy, just now becoming obvious. And Mike had no clue what the story was there. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. He loved Marlena, she was a wonderful friend and he had been through some fairly profound experiences with her. He just didn't understand why she insisted on trying to be so strong and stoic. He supposed that was just her way. But life might be a little easier if she expressed her anguish and anger to those who hurt her. It might at least have saved some misunderstanding and pain in the past few years.

Mike sighed. It seemed that whatever the Salemites did, fate conspired to trap them in the web that kept them forever miscommunicating and unable to be happy. And it only seemed to be a harrowing event like this that gave them the impetus to work things out. Mike knew that he was just as bad as everyone else. Maybe this should give him the momentum to work out what he wanted to.

He rounded the corner and stopped as he surveyed the waiting room. Most of the Brady family was there. Bo was still pacing the room, oddly akin to a large cat caught in a cage, while Hope was lying down across the seats of several chairs, sleeping uneasily. Shawn and Caroline were caught in a slumberous embrace, with their arms around each other, but their faces betrayed their tension, even in sleep. Eric sat on the floor by Carrie's room, his head in his hands. Roman was nearby, his uncomfortable tuxedo replaced by the requisite pair of jeans and shirt.