Can anyone remember??

[kizmet]

Can anyone remember, when Marc came out of prison following the rape incident, did he think that he and Helen were more than just friends? I remember that he told her he loved her before the trial and I remember him cooking dinner for her and the kids but I can't remember what happened after that.

[2nd Opinion]

According to the BBC site at the time (it was actually half decent back then), Marc told Helen he loved her the day he cooked dinner for her and the kids. He wanted them to be together, she said they should stay friends. I don't know what Marc thought Helen's feelings were, though it's easy to see why he might have got his wires crossed. For example: it was Helen who visited him in prison (I don't remember anyone else) and it was Helen who went out of her way to find the evidence that would clear him and save his career, also (according to the BBC site) when they kissed before the trial Helen's reason for breaking off was that it was the aniversary of Phil's death, not that she didn't love Marc. Personally I think Marc was a bit messed up when he came out of prison. After all he'd lost his job, been publicly disgraced and was facing at least four years in a high-security prison, all for something he hadn't done, when suddenly the woman he loved waved the magic wand that got him released and gave him some hope for the future. The most likely answer to your question is that there was a mixture of misread signals and wishful thinking on Marc's part. I don't think anyone could blame the poor bloke for wanting to get his life back together and live happily ever after, after what had just happened to him and Helen was always going to be a big part of Marc's "happy ever after". All things considered though, I think Helen made the right decision at the time.

[iris]

i know it's a bit off topic here, but dear "2nd opinion",
it seems you have a lot to contribute to our forum and it's not the first time you come up with really interesting opinions.
why don't you join up as a member?

to the point, i think you're right.
hope to read more from you soon
love
xxx
i

[kizmet]

Thanks 2nd opinion. I remember it all now. I forgot it was Helen that got him out of prison. Just as well Marc agreed to that documentry to be filmed and that guy fancied Helen! When Marc and Helen were together the night before the trial and he told her he loved her, did she not just say thank you and she didn't know what she was feeling.
Personally, I think Helen and Marc always loved each other, but he was totally besotted with Helen, whereas her feelings were not as strong, perhaps because she felt guilty about sleeping with Marc when Phil was dying. I kind of remember an episode where Kate was telling George about Marc and Helen's strange relationship. I think Helen was right to just be friends with Marc after the trial, and the first time they got together, I think Marc should have given Helen time to recover from her friend's death and the realisation that she had never had the kind of relationship she wanted before declaring his love for her again. But Marc and Helen are soul mates so they were always bound to end up together.

[2nd Opinion]

It's probably not surprising that it took them so long to get together. Helen uses her head more than her heart and Marc's the exact opposite (the episode where they split was a good example), so it was never going to be a smooth ride for them. I think your right about them always loving each other, they'd have to, they're the sort of couple who thrive on a serious relationship, rather than a casual one. I don't know whether Marc was besotted with Helen but she's probably the only woman he's ever loved. Actually, it would be great if they came back later, so that we can see their relationship develop (it was quite sweet when they were together before).

[kizmet]

Yeah, they were quite sweet before. You're so right about Marc going with his heart and Helen using her head. It's funny because the characterisation was such that you would think it would be the opposite way round, with Marc being stiff army officer and Helen cheating on her husband twice.

[iris]

kizmet said:

Yeah, they were quite sweet before. You're so right about Marc going with his heart and Helen using her head. It's funny because the characterisation was such that you would think it would be the opposite way round, with Marc being stiff army officer and Helen cheating on her husband twice.

i agree.
i like the way you analyse it all.

too bad it's only after helen's already gone...
i'm still not over her yet...

love
xx
i

[2nd Opinion]

It's probably the fact that Helen's previous relationships haven't been great that has made her so cautious about having more. And, of course, she has Dan and Claire to consider (anything that effects her is going to effect them as well), their welfare will always come before her own happiness. However imperfect Helen might be as a person, she's got her priorities right as a mother.

[kizmet]

Yeah, the kids always came first. What I don't get is, Helen said she'd never loved Marc in the way that she'd loved Phil or Jack and I took that to mean that she didn't love him as much, but do you think it might have been that she loved him in a different way. There was always a lot of lust in Jack and Helen's relationship so maybe her love for Marc was more special.

I miss her too Iris! And Marc.

[2nd Opinion]

She probably meant that her feelings for Marc were on a different (possibly higher) level than her feelings for her other lovers. Don't forget, when Marc refused that job in Kosovo, Helen was willing to sacrifice not just their romance but also their friendship, rather than allow him to stay and possibly regret his decision further down the line. While they both could have handled that situation better (and saved each other a lot of grief in the process), it does suggest that Marc meant more to Helen than just flowers and great sex. I'm almost inclined to wonder who loved who more.