November 17, 2006

Steve: Hey. What are you doing out of bed?

Kayla: I'm feeling a lot better, thanks to you.

Steve: You still shouldn't be up. Come on.

Kayla: I'm tired of lying in that bed. And besides, I missed you.

Steve: Come on, baby. You've got to walk before you can run, now. Come on. I got to get you back to your bed.

Kayla: I know you're worried about me, but I really do feel so much better. I don't know what that medicine is they gave me, but I can feel it working already.

Steve: I can see that. But you came as close to dying as a person can, you know that?

Kayla: And I would have if it weren't for you.

Steve: A lot of people were pulling for you, not just me.

Kayla: But it was your voice I heard. It was you I heard saying "hang on" and "you're gonna be okay." And knowing that you were by my side -- that's what did it.

Steve: Well, I'm happy about that. God knows I owe you for everything you've done for me -- the times you've waited on me and put up with my garbage, nursed me back to health.

Kayla: You really remember all that? I still can't believe it. You know, I know how incredibly hard it has been for you these last few months with everybody telling you who you used to be and what you were like and what our relationship was like and our life together.. And you didn't really remember. To tell you the truth, I was really thinking about just letting you go, just walking away if that's what you really wanted. But now that I know that you remember, I don't want us to ever be apart again.

Steve: Kayla, if Dr. Myers sees you out of bed, he's gonna raise holy hell.

Kayla: And do I care? Look at me. I'm a woman who's alive. I want to walk and talk and do a little jig. Whoa.

Steve: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Come on. Now, you have got to sit down. Come on..

Kayla: All right, okay. Maybe -- maybe you're right.

Steve: Look, I'm happy that you're feeling stronger, but you got to take it easy now. The doctor said it's gonna be a long road before you're completely mended.

Kayla: Well, you're the boss.

Steve: That's right, and the boss wants to get a nurse in here to check you out.

Kayla: No, I'm fine.

Steve: Yeah, I want to hear that from the nurse.

Kayla: Wait.

Steve: What?

Kayla: I think we need to talk first. You know, before, when I said I didn't want us to be apart again, you just sort of changed the subject.

Steve: Can't we just save this for later?

Kayla: No, we need to talk about it now. I don't really know how much you really remember. Maybe I scared you by assuming that we would just be together again. And if that's not what you really want --

Steve: I didn't say that.

Kayla: Just because you remember our past, that doesn't mean that you have to still love me. I mean, they're really two separate things. Look at me. You know what? We used to talk about everything. And you can do that now. You can tell me how you really feel.

Kayla: Steve, be honest with me. If you don't feel the same way about me anymore, if the memories that you shared with me when you thought that I was dying were just memories and nothing more... I'll understand. I won't push. Just tell me what you want.

Steve: Kayla, listen. I just want to explain to you...

Stephanie: Mom.

Steve: ...What has been going on.

Kayla: Baby!

Stephanie: Hi, Mom!

Kayla: Baby. Help me over there.

Steve: Just take it easy.

Kayla: Baby.

Steve: Come on.

Kayla: Girls.

Stephanie: It is so good to see you awake.

Steve: She's already been overdoing it, so don't talk too long, okay?

Stephanie: We won’t. It is so awesome to see you standing.

Kayla: Awesome to see you, period. Hope...

Hope: It is so good to see you up and talking.

Stephanie: Yeah, you really look so good. Don't ever do anything like that to me again, okay? I was so afraid I was gonna lose you and dad and wind up all alone.

Kayla: You would never be alone. You have such a huge family here in Salem.

Stephanie: Well, I'm just glad that you didn't give up and that dad didn't let you give up. He was amazing. Do you have any idea how hard he worked to keep you alive? If it wasn't for him, by the time that medicine got here from Canada... well, I don't even want to think about it.

Kayla: He's my hero.

Stephanie: So, when's mom getting out of here?

Steve: Well, that's up to Dr. Myers.

Stephanie: Well, I hope it's soon. And then the two of you will be coming home together, right?

Kayla: Stephanie, you know, we really don't even have a place here to call home, and it's not really fair to expect your dad just to jump right back into family life with us, especially since he's been on his own for so long and things are just starting to come back to him.

Stephanie: Yeah, but they have come back. You remember how much you love mom and how close we all were, right?

Steve: Sure, I do.

Stephanie: See, Mom? Dad's coming home with us. Why wouldn't he?

Steve: You heard her. Coming home with you.

Stephanie: I've had a lot of good days in my life, but this is the best one ever.

Kayla: You know, I'm really feeling kind of woozy, baby.

Steve: Whoa, whoa, whoa. See? I told you. Come on. She's got to get back to bed. You're gonna take a nap this time, okay?

Stephanie: I'm gonna go call grandma and grandpa and let them know all is well with the Johnson family.

Steve: Hey, doc. Listen, when can we get the hell out of here?

Dr. Myers: In Kayla's case, it's gonna take a while. She needs to be closely monitored, and she'll require oxygen therapy and rehab. You're free to leave any time you want.

Steve: Hey, I really appreciate that, Hope. The thought of another week in this joint --

Hope: Keep your fingers crossed. I have someone who might be able to help us out. I'll be back in a second, all right?

Steve: Hope, wait. I need to talk to you.

Hope: What is it? What's up?

Steve: Listen, I'm in trouble here. There's no easy way to say this, but you should know. I didn't really remember all those things Kayla thinks I did. Now, all the stuff that you and Bo wrote down, the stories you brought me, they didn't really jog my memory the way you hoped.

Hope: Are you saying you don't remember anything?

Steve: A little bit here and there.

Hope: A little? A little's something.

Steve: No, it's not what I've let everybody think. I got a couple of memories, but I don't have the feelings that should go with them. I just wanted to give Kayla the will to live, but I think I overplayed my hand. Now she and Stephanie think that I'M... you know, I'm gonna come back and we're gonna be this happy family.

Hope: And you don't want that.

Steve: How long before they realize I'm just a liar, lying to them?

Hope: I don't know what to say. You're starting to remember. That's still something to be happy about.

Steve: It would be if --

Hope: If what?

Steve: Hope, it's worse than not having any memory at all. It's like my past is gone for good. It's dead. Kayla -- she knows things aren't right between us.

Hope: She does?

Steve: Yeah. She tried to give me an out. She told me to walk away if that's what I wanted.

Hope: Then why didn't you take it?

Steve: Because Stephanie came in here all happy and gushing about us being a family again.

Hope: All right, wait a second. Let me just try to understand this. Everything that you said to Kayla that gave her the will to live -- that was all a lie?

Steve: Most of it, but not all of it. Look, I had a couple of memories, Hope. That's all. And yeah, I do sense that inside, you know, that Kayla is special to me.

Hope: Okay. Okay. You see? You do have feelings for her.

Steve: I wish I knew what the hell was wrong with me. I woke up today thinking about Billie. I know.

Hope: You can't help how you feel. I understand that.

Steve: But after everything that's happened, what Kayla and I went through these past couple of days -- I would have died for her. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I live or die.

Hope: Steve... Steve... that is not true.

Steve: Hope, I do feel connected to Kayla in a way I didn't before. I mean, we went through the valley of the shadow together. But for some reason I can't explain, I can't get this Billie woman out of my head.

Steve: I really upset you, didn't I?

Hope: I'm just really worried about Kayla right now. It's her I'm thinking about. When she finds out that you were pretending to remember all of those feelings for her, how do you expect her to react?

Steve: Exactly. Hope, listen, I did, I said whatever I thought that Kayla wanted and needed to hear so that she'd live. And she's alive, right? That's what's important.

Hope: You did the right thing.

Steve: I hope so. But now I don't know how I can tell them the truth.

Hope: What about Billie? She thinks you're going back to Kayla.

Steve: Yeah. Yeah. Billie overheard me telling Kayla I remembered our past. When she was here, I tried to explain, and Stephanie showed up. And I thought bo was gonna tell her to try to come here and...

Hope: I know. Bo told me. She wouldn't come.

Steve: Hope, could you do me just one more favor?

Hope: It depends. What is it?

Steve: Just tell Billie the truth.

[ Footsteps approach ]

Stephanie: All right. I just talked to the whole family and told them the good news that mom is doing better and that you're coming home with us, Dad. Life doesn't get any better than this, does it, Aunt Hope?

Hope: Listen, I have a few things I need to take care of, so are you gonna stick around here?

Stephanie: Yeah. I'll find my way home.

Hope: All right.

Stephanie: Don't worry about me.

Hope: I'll be in touch with you, Steve. Take care of Kayla.

Steve: Okay.