Blurred Lines

Chapter 11 - It Must Have Been Love

September 10, 1992

Salem University Hospital

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Lay a whisper on my pillow

Leave the winter on the ground

I wake up lonely, this air of silence

In the bedroom and all around

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Kim studied Marlena's sleeping face with some trepidation. She had volunteered to sit by Marlena's bedside as she came out of her medically included coma, not sure of what to expect. As much as John had protested, Marcus and Tom had both agreed that him being there wasn't something they wanted to risk. There was the potential that Marlena's previous interaction with Isabella would come rushing back, and they felt that John being there would complicate the situation. Kim volunteered. She and Marlena had always had a close relationship, and she felt that being there when Marlena woke was important, because they were family. No matter what Marlena felt towards Roman. No matter what Roman had done to create this mess. They were, and always would be, family.

Marlena's eyes opened slowly, blinking furiously in the dim light. Landing on Kim, she stared at her for a moment in obvious disorientation, and then croaked out, "Roman?"

Assuming that Marlena was asking about John, Kim replied softly, "He's home now."

Marlena's mind was foggy. She glanced around the room trying to recall how she'd come to be in the hospital. Her hand lifted, and she placed it over her abdomen, whispering, "Caleb... I–I lost the baby. Roman and I lost the baby..."

Kim waited to see what else would come to her. Reaching for Marlena's hand, she told her reassuringly, "He's with D.J. now."

Lost in thought for a moment, Marlena recalled Roman visiting her, but something wasn't right about the memory. Was it Roman? She gasped softly, remembering the woman with the curly brown hair, and angry eyes. Looking at Kim helplessly, she lifted her head, glancing towards the door, "John? He's John?"

Kim knew exactly what she was referring to. Glancing at the pulse oximeter reading, she noticed that Marlena's pulse had gone up, but not dangerously. "Yes... he's John," she whispered. "I'm here for you Marlena. I'm here to answer your questions–"

"--where's... John?" Marlena asked, feeling a tightness in her chest that she didn't understand. "I need to know what happened... because I can't trust myself to put those pieces together. I can't trust myself..." She saw Isabella in her mind's eye, and pushed down the choking feeling she had in her throat.

"We thought it best that he was not here when you woke," Kim replied gently. It was obvious that Marlena was remembering her conversation with Isabella, but she didn't seem to remember much else. "Roman is... the real Roman... that's a long story."

"I want to know everything. From the beginning. All of it," she said weakly. "I have to know all of it."

Kim pushed a stray piece of hair back from Marlena's forehead, "I wasn't... I wasn't around for some of it."

Marlena's sharp hazel eyes bored holes into Kim, as she asked, "Who was? Besides... John, who knows the whole story?"

Silence filled the room, and Kim finally said, "Abe. I guess you should speak with Abe."

"Can you call him for me?" Marlena asked. Her eyes started to flutter again, as if she were falling back asleep. In truth she was overwhelmed, and unable to handle much more right then. "I want to speak to Abe."