It looks like the end has come not just for Days of Our Lives’ Belle, but for Shawn as well. While we’d guessed that Shawn’s grieving, drinking and cheating would end up driving him and Belle apart and pushing her out of town, we hadn’t guessed that he’d be leaving first! But on Days of Our Lives’ Thursday, October 12 episode, Shawn decided to leave Salem for rehab near where Bo is being cared for. He’d be with his parents, Ben and Ciara. But he wouldn’t be with Belle.

It seemed impossible for the two to salvage their marriage after Shawn’s drinking got to the point that he hopped into bed with Talia. And it got even worse when Belle found out not because he came clean to her, but because she overheard him talking. But, it seemed, there was still room to stick it out together — if they’d both been willing.

When Belle asked how long they should plan to be gone, Shawn told her he didn’t know, but he’d be gone as long as it takes. And it wouldn’t be with her as he had to focus on fixing himself first.

So it looks like in addition to Martha Madison exiting the show, Brandon Beemer is now out as well. But whether or not this is forever, is another matter. Forever rarely occurs in daytime and both Shawn and Belle are incredibly important legacy characters whose relationship has survived a number of trials over the years.

But while it was a sad farewell, the show did leave us with some hope. Right at the end of their conversation, Belle asked through tears, “Are you going to come home to me?”

“Yes,” Shawn replied, “I want that more than anything.”

So here’s hoping that some day we see Beemer’s Shawn and Madison’s Belle back on our screens together once again some day.