February 19, 2007

Steve: [ Breathing heavily ]

Kayla: Are you coming to bed?

Steve: [ Breathless ] No. Can't sleep.

Kayla: What are you doing? Steve...what are you doing?

Steve: [ Breathing heavily ]

Kayla: What?

Steve: You're disappointed in me, aren't you?

Kayla: No, I'm not. I'm not disappointed. I'M...frustrated, maybe. If you had just stayed in the hospital --

Steve: If I'd stay another minute in that hospital, I really would be a basket case, now, wouldn't I?

Kayla: So, what are you telling me? It's better just to sit here and do absolutely nothing?

Steve: No.

Kayla: What do you want to do? 'Cause I'm fresh out of ideas. So if you got some kind of plan, I would love for you to tell me what it is. Because you know what? It's time for you to step up to the plate.

Steve: Listen, baby. I do want to get this thing in my head straighten out. I just need to figure out how. That's all.

Kayla: But when Dr. Beale had you under that hypnosis, you remembered the room you were in. You remember being tortured.

Steve: No, I don't remember any of that.

Kayla: Maybe if you had a little more time -- maybe one more session.

Steve: I don't need any more sessions. I want you, baby. For you to stay with me. And I'm telling you, you put any other woman through what I've done to you lately, they would have run for the hills. But not you. You stay. You fight. If I didn't have you, I couldn't survive what's going on right now. Those DiMeras -- wells, all of them -- they can come after me all they want. It doesn't matter. I took it then, I can take some more, but what I couldn't take... I couldn't take losing you again, sweetness. You're my life.

Kayla: You are not going to lose me because I'm not going anywhere. I am staying right here.

Steve: Maybe you're the one who needs a mental hospital, then.

Kayla: You know, I'm not a woman who would give her man ultimatums.

Steve: I know that, baby.

Kayla: No, you don't... because you say you're waiting for me to make the first move. I'm sorry, but that's a coward's way of daring me to make the first move. You want me to say, "you check into that mental ward, or I'm leaving.

Steve: Is that what you all think?

Kayla: Well, you know what? I'm not gonna give you that kind of luxury. You want to give up on yourself, then fine. Go pack yourself a bag and get on the next train and just disappear, but don't expect me to pack that bag for you or open the door... because I have never given up on you in my entire life and I am not gonna start now.

Kayla: You have to decide how you want to live. Do you just want to be this wounded warrior that's waiting for the next battle? Or do you want to figure out what's going on inside your head and get well?

Steve: That's what I want.

Kayla: But you can't do it on your own. You tried. It doesn't work.

Steve: Well...you know what they say -- if first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Kayla: Would you stop it? This is life or death, and if we don't do something to solve this problem now, it's just gonna get worse. Listen to me -- I am not going anywhere. I am gonna be in that bedroom every single night. And I want you there by my side, right next to me. Whatever is haunting you... I love the man you are now. Please, come on. Come on. Come on, baby. Come on, come on.

Steve: I'm scared, sweetness.

Kayla: I know it.

Steve: I'm really scared.

Kayla: Shh, shh, shh, shh.

Kayla: Come here, sit down. You can attack this fear that's gripping you and understand that you are a victim.

Steve: Victim?

Kayla: I know you hate that word... especially if it's attached to you and me. But the DiMeras pulled you from the grave. They drugged you. They tortured you for how long -- weeks, years? Most men would have never hoped to survive that. But you did. And if you can survive that, you can survive this. Steve: Are you asking me to check back into that hospital?

Kayla: I'm just asking you to attack this head-on. Just be Steve -- that's all. Steven earl Johnson.

Steve: Hmm. I must have been one hell of a good man in my last life to end up with you in this one.

Kayla: Well, if anybody's gonna be grateful for the other person, it's me, because no man has treated me t way that you have.

Steve: Baby... you're so beautiful. I love you so much.

Steve: You know...someday, when I'm facing the big dude, or whoever it is who tallies up the scores here on earth, they're gonna ask me... "Steven earl Johnson, what was the finest thing you ever did?" And I'm gonna say..."one time, I let down my guard...and I let a girl named Kayla love me." I don't know if that answer's gonna get me into heaven, but I don't care. This is heaven. Your lips are heaven.

Kayla: I love you.

Steve: You know, baby, when we were talking earlier, you said something about how you needed me to be Steve. That confused me.

Kayla: Why is that?

Steve: Well, I know you were upset about me leaving the hospital. But that was me. That was Steve afraid -- afraid of being drugged to the gills and turned into a zombie in that place. But...I've made a decision. I'm gonna -- I'm gonna talk to Marlena.

Kayla: Thank you. Thank you.