The bathroom mirror was stained. She looked herself in it and with a hollow look and began to undress. She could see bruises on her wrists her dainty waist and lower body. She took a deep breath and stepped into the shower, opening the hot water. She stood there, her eyes closed, letting the hot water burn her skin, burn his marks and maybe her mind.He returned to their room. The bathroom door was still closed, and he could hear the water.“Doc” he knocked on the door “I’m here, I got some clothes… Doc, are you ok?”Quite.“Doc?” He said again this time with a worried tone in his voice “ I’m coming in..”Opening the door, he couldn’t see a thing. A hot wave of steam fogged his vision. Now he could hear her, she was crying, and after a second he was able to see her. Curled down on the shower floor. Her eyes sparkled when she saw him “ John” she said. He lowered himself down next to her, still fully clothed. He could see the marks on her body. The water was so hot, and he couldn’t take it anymore. Turning them off he cleared his hair from his face and looked at her “ I’m here for you. Just tell me what do you need. I’ll do anything for you.”He whispered while caressing her cheek.Marlena gazed at him for a second before bursting with tears “ I can’t stop the pain! I can’t wash him off, I can’t stop feeling him! I CAN’T!” She yelled in an anguished voice. He just held her tight while she was crying in his arms.He didn’t know what to say, even more, he felt it was no time for talking. He just held her until it got cold and he could see goosebumps forming on her skin. John stood up and helped her too, he grabbed the big towel and wrapped her in it. His clothes were wet, and he took them off. He was naked also. She could see the scars on his chest, some of them looked so fresh. They were two broken people, two people Stefano toyed with. Seeing him like that only reminded her of what she was willing to go through tonight, to save his life. He took the second towel and dried himself off. “ we have to keep warm Doc” his voice was low and calming, she nodded “yes,” and they walked into the bedroom.The room was quiet. Too quiet. She sat on the bed, still wrapped inside the big towel. He was standing still, doesn’t know what to do with himself. “ mmmm do you want me to play some music?..” he needed to break the silence somehow.“Ok..” she breathed out.He turned the radio on, it was the middle of the night, and the radio played very slow quiet songs.He walked towards her and sat on the bed, looking at her. A song she loves started playing
( Glory box by Portishead)
It got louder and louder. She closed her eyes, listening to the tunes, swaying a little bit. He just watched her. The music seemed to calm her down. She opened her eyes, gazing into his blue puddles. He lowered his eyes and took her right hand in his hands, looked at it, saw the blue marks from the assault, he didn’t know he tied her up, but the mark looked like it was painful.His finger flattered on it, and he kissed it tenderly. He did the same with her left hand, oh so slowly. She was in a trance, just watched his actions, the lyrics easing her mind and body. Slowly the towel fell from her shoulders, he caught her gaze, trying to get a reaction. She just gazed him back, not moving. His hands moved to caress her cheek, her neck, his lips followed. She closed her eyes again, arching her long neck to the back. His kisses on her collarbone brought her back to look at him. His lips were so close to hers right now, almost touching, still hesitating, wondering. She closed her eyes and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him into her, kissing him forcefully, he could feel a great need in her. He returned her kiss, sucking on her tongue, she moaned into his mouth, and it almost sent him over the edge. His hands roamed on her bare hips and on her waist. She could feel him touching her, oh so tenderly, almost like a stroke of a feather. He deepened the kiss and closed his fist on her waist, that shook her back to reality, a flash of memory pierced her mind, and she could feel Stefano’s hands, closing so tightly around her waist. Hurting her. The song was already over. Her eyes snapped open, and she pulled away from him, ever so abruptly. The trance was broken. He broke her, that vile man. She hated him for that.Quickly she covered herself up.“Ohhh Doc I’m … I’m sorry. I didn’t ..I thought” he mumbled, feeling so stupid for coming on to her like that. “ John.. I’m sorry too.. I just.. Everything reminds me of him.. I’m sorry” she sobbed.“ heyyyy.. no, no, you have nothing to be sorry about... It’s alright Marlena” he tried to catch her eyes, but she stood up, taking some clothes with her and stepped back into the bathroom “I’m ok..” she whispered and closed the door behind her, leaving it slightly open.“ Doc, we need to talk.. “ he said, getting dressed up. She didn’t answer. He could hear her dressing up as well. He continued, “ I know part of what happened tonight. Stefano was playing the live feed… I saw him.. I heard you... I wanted to rip my chains out of that damn wall, I wanted to get to you, to kill that lousy son of a-“ he stopped when she opened the door and looked at him. She was so beautiful, she always was.“ I know.. I know you did. I asked him to shut it off though. He did. I couldn’t bear the idea of you watching it.. feeling so helpless..”“ Doc..” he continued “ he did turn the video off.. but.. I could still hear everything that took place” he had to tell her, she ought to know. Her mouth fell open, and she tried to collect her thoughts.“ you’ve heard everything?...”“ yes... I wanted to die...I couldn’t stop it...I couldn’t save you...Marlena, I’m so sorry baby” he came closer and hugged her.“ This was my doing. This was my decision. Mine alone. You have nothing to be sorry about John. He did this, he took me as he saw fit, he bound my hands, he smacked my behind, and he took me, like a do-“ her voice broke, and she cried into his shoulder. He was shocked. He knew Stefano wanted her, he knew he was crazy from lust for her, but it always seemed to be, that he’ll never physically hurt her, never like that. This made him sick, and he felt weak at the knees.Thinking of him, raping her like that and calling it consensual relations was horrifying. She pulled from his embrace, tears evidently on her cheeks“ John, would you buy me some sleeping pills?... I saw a 24/7 drug store when we pulled in. I could never fall asleep tonight, but I need to shut it all out..”He smiled, a small smile. “ anything for you Doc “ he grazed her cheek and kissed it, took a few dollars from the nightstand and left.She let out a long sigh when the door closed.He came back a few minutes later, the room was lit by the small nightstand next to the bed. His eyes got used to the darkness quickly, but he couldn’t see her on the bed. The bathroom was dark “Marlena?” He tried. Nothing. He panicked. “Doc!” This time he yelled, his eyes searching the room when he saw it. It was a wrinkled note on the covers, he’ll recognize Marlena’s handwriting everywhere.
Only two words were written, “forgive me.”
She was gone.