Mark Hapka (Dr Nathan Horton) Returns to Days of Our Lives as Francisco San Martin (Dario Hernandez) is Axed!

News of Mark Hapka's (Nathan Horton) departure from Days of our Lives broke in January, amid rumblings of creative differences with writers. Rumored to be the decision of head writer, Dena Higley, who has since been fired , and replaced by Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr, Nathan and Melanie fans were left stunned as the Parker paternity test switcheroo storyline had finally left Melanie free of cheating husband Philip Kiriakis.

Instead of a reunion for Nathan and Melanie, Melanie told a sobbing, but persistent, Nathan that they had missed their chance to be together, and Nathan left town for Baltimore at the end of March.

A changing of the guard in the Days of our Lives writing team, and Ken Corday's promise to viewers to return much loved Days of our Lives characters to our screens, has brought about the news Nathan and Melanie fans have been clamoring for.

Mark Hapka is reprising the recently departed role of Dr. Nathan Horton. He is said to be returning for Baltimore a changed man, determined to win back Melanie Layton's affections. Hopefully that means no more tears and whining.

Since Nathan's departure, Melanie has established a firm friendship with Brady Black, but her romantic attentions have been focused on Dario Hernandez (Francisco San Martin) who returned to Salem to find and bring his sister's killer to justice.

Melanie assisted in his endeavor, putting herself in danger, by putting up a reward for information leading to Arianna's killer's capture. Dario, of course came to her rescue.

Francisco San Martin, however, has been cut from the Days of our Lives line-up. The actor announced the news via Twitter, speculating his character was a victim of the cutbacks designed to bring back fan favorites like Jack Devereaux (Mathew Ashford), Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) and John Black (Drake Hogestyn).

Ken Corday's cutting of the Days of our Lives roster and housecleaning appears to have left a clear field for a Melanie and Nathan reunion, but romance without a little conflict or a few hurdles to jump can be a little dull --

Stay tuned to Days of our Lives, screening weekdays on NBC at 1pm in most markets, to see what is in store for the young Horton medico and his slightly kooky redhead love interest.

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Mark Hapka (Nathan Horton) Returns to Days of our Lives

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