She made her way downstairs and to where John was being held, prisoner.

“Please let him be all right.” she thought to herself as she turned the key and unlocked the cell.

“Would he forgive her for what she had done? Would he understand why?” she said to herself.

There he was crouched on the floor, his chains restricting his movements. His head buried in his lap. She could tell he had been crying, she took a deep breath and approached him, sitting ever so slightly on the floor, her body was aching.

“John please, let’s go home,” she whispered. “It’s over, It’s over for all time. Please let me help you up,” she told him as she leaned down to take his hand. Her hands were trembling when she touched him. He knew what she had just experienced. He couldn’t even begin to understand how she felt or what she’d been through, and yet she was still more concerned about him.

“Doc, it’s not over, not for me. I’m gonna kill that old man!!” he yelled. He saw her squint when he shouted, knowing it scared her. Stefano had made her afraid, frightened from what he had done.

“I’m sorry Doc, I didn’t mean to scare you. But this is not over,” he stated again looking into her eyes. Her eyes were hallowed, and her mascara was running on her rosy cheeks, but still, she looked like the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his life.

“John please it is over, it’s over for me. Take me home. I cannot stay in this house another second. You are free, and so am I and that is all that matters.” she cried.

“The hell it is.” he stumbled trying to run past her to get to Stefano. She grabbed him by his arm to break his fall.

“You can’t even walk by yourself John, please let’s just go before he changes his mind.” she cried again now more frightened.

“Ok, Doc for you I will leave, but this is not over, not by a long shot. Come on let’s go,” he said as he placed his arm on her shoulder and she put her arms around his torso.

They walked out of the house and got in one of the cars. The keys in the ignition. Marlena placed John in the passenger side. As she walked around the car to get in, she glanced back at the house. Still guarded by Stefano’s men. The happenings that occurred there can never be undone. Can never be forgotten. She saw him standing at the window watching them. She couldn’t help but stare at him. This man she had loathed her entire adult life. This man who had tormented her family and her for years. This man who tortured John for all his life. This bastard that had just taken the her….this coward

He didn’t smile or grin. He just stared at her and she at him. A few moments past and she heard.

“Doc come on, get in, let's go,” John shouted. Her trance was broken, and she got in and off they went. Stefano watched them until they were out of sight. His thoughts were drifting back to an hour earlier. He touched his fingers to his lips.

“Goodbye my dear, we will meet again soon, of that I am certain” he smiled to himself, his grin was appalling.

Marlena drove for what seemed like an eternity. John rested, it was no telling how long he had gone without sleep. He’d been locked up for so long. She just let him rest.  It was quiet, and her mind began to wonder, tears filled her eyes and then her cheeks. She wiped her tears not wanting John to wake up and see. To see her cry for something she was subjected to save him. She didn’t blame him, not at all. But would he blame himself? It was getting late so they would talk once they found somewhere to stop and stay for the night.

He woke up. It was still dark outside, and now it was cold too. He glanced at her, she looked tired. He didn’t know for how long was he out, but it felt like he has been sleeping for hours. He didn’t know what to say to him. For the first time in forever, he was speechless. What do you say to a person who sacrificed themselves for you? What will he say to her, the woman he loved for all these years, well, he still does, for giving her body to this monster to save his life?

Closing his eyes, he could still hear her crying voice, her intakes of air and her pleading.

She was driving for 2 hours now. She didn’t know where they were headed and she didn’t care. Driving made her feel calm and centralize her mind. The radio was on, and a quiet song started. Her mind was blank. She didn’t want to think. Thinking made her remember and she couldn’t. Suddenly, the song got a bit loader and by that, familiar. It was the song Stefano played tonight in her bedroom. A shiver went down her body and tears started to gather at the corner of her eyes. She sent a trembling hand to wipe them off.

Shaking her head, she wanted to stop the flash of memories that waved her but she couldn’t.

She could feel him inside her now, it was agonizing, torture. This man, this...this monster who made her life and her family’s lives through hell, was inside her, fucking her brainlessly. Well, no, not even fucking her, raping her would be more like it. She tried to think about John, of her life back home, but his dirty words wouldn’t let her drift off as she ached too.

She shook her head again and hit hard the radio button.

He opened his eyes and saw her. She was crying.

“ I’m sorry..” she wiped her nose, “ I didn’t mean to wake you… I’m sorry.. sorry” she said, glancing at him for a second and then back on the road ahead.

“ you didn’t Doc, I was awake. I just.. it seemed to be you need to be alone, so I didn’t want to bother you... that’s all” he straightened himself up the car seat, groaning with pain. He saw the worried look in her eyes and didn’t want to lay his physical condition on her troubled mind.  “ I’m all right Doc, I’ll be all right... I’m more concerned about you... I-“

“ I don’t want to talk about it now” she cut him off. Not even looking at him. They drove like that for 30 more minutes until they found a small hotel at the side of the road.

He turned on the light, it was dim. The air inside the room was stuffy, and it seemed that no one used it for months. She couldn’t care less. He closed the door behind him and looked at her, she was sitting on the bed, her back to him.

Then she finally spoke, “ I’m gonna take a shower”  she stood up and turned on the bathroom light.

“ ok Doc, If that’s ok with you, I’ll go buy us some clothes. I saw a gift shop earlier” he was feeling stupid for saying that, but they did need some clothes. Hers smelled of Stefano’s smell and his, well, he only had pants on, and it was cold.

She nodded and closed the door behind her.