15 Years Later…….

EJ and Samantha never stopped searching for their son. Money was no object and they traipsed all over the world in hopes of catching up with Stefano and getting their son back. After nearly five years on the run they decided for Ali’s sake they should return to Salem so that she could begin attending school. They never let up in the search for Johnny. EJ had informants everywhere for the slight chance that his father would eventually slip up. It was a both a strain and a fortification in their marriage. Samantha was never quite the same since Johnny’s abduction but she always put on a brave face. Occasionally her fears would slip through but EJ was always there as a source of comfort.

They tried to give Ali some semblance of normalcy. She was a normal kid in most aspects. She had her mother’s stubborn streak but she had the DiMera resourcefulness. As she got older she did everything she could to help in the search to find her brother. It was as if there was a void in her heart right where her brother should be. She wouldn’t give up until she was reunited with her twin. She was at her father’s right hand when it came to the search. Little did they realize that a break in the search was on the horizon.

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Germany

Stefano made sure that he nurtured hate in the soul of little Gianni. Although they were forced to move around constantly because of his son’s relentless search, Stefano began training Gianni at an early age. He told him how his parents didn’t love him enough to raise him the DiMera way so they gave him away to Stefano and kept his twin sister. Gianni listened to all the stories about how the Brady family relentlessly tormented the DiMera’s and how Stefano was forced to retaliate with force. As Gianni got older he cursed the name of the Brady’s and had nothing but hatred in his heart for his parents. He never understood what he did to make them give him away. He vowed to make all of the Brady’s pay, especially his parents.

Stefano saw the hatred fester in Gianni’s soul and it pleased him. He hired personal instructors to turn Gianni into his personal soldier, his pawn. Yes, finally Stefano would have his revenge. The Brady’s and most especially his son had no idea the hell soon to be unleashed in Salem.