Chapter 3
Chloe stood on the pier and stared down at her reflection in the water. For quite a while, she had considered this pier a 'special place'. Whenever she felt down, she could always come here and be alone. Alone... until Brady Black would inevitably show up. If something was wrong with Chloe, and nobody could find her. Brady always could.
Chloe and Brady had grown closer and closer in the months since the Last Blast. It was as if their personalities were inexplicably drawn together. Sure, Chloe was very close with Belle, but Brady understood her better than Belle or Phillip or anyone ever could. She didn't even need to say it out loud, he could tell by looking at her face that something was wrong and how to address the problem. And, somehow she could always return the favor when he was in one of his infamous "Brady-moods".
The night that the students had returned from their ecology trip, Chloe had come down here to think about what she was about to do. Belle had convinced her, and she had convinced herself that it was time to take Phillip back. She knew the apology was sincere, and she just had to know if they could make it work one more time. But, she had come to the pier to prepare herself for going to Phillip and making up.
She had come there to be alone, but as always, Brady showed up. This time he showed up without even knowing that she would be there. He had just been drawn to that spot.
And now, as Chloe was contemplating the end of her relationship with Phillip, she couldn't help but hear the words Brady had said on that night echoing through her head.
************FLASHBACK************
"YOU'RE TAKING HIM BACK? CHLOE! HOW COULD YOU?"
"Brady. Do NOT yell at me. I don't want to hear it. I know that you don't approve, but this isn't your decision."
Brady closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply trying to calm his anger, "Fine, Chloe. You're a big girl. Do what you want... I just want to know why."
"Because... I have to know. I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering, 'what if'. I HAVE to know if it's meant to be. Why do you care so much anyway, Brady?"
Brady paused for a moment and stammered, "Because... Because... You deserve better than what he can give you."
Chloe cocked her head, crossed her arms and called him out even further, "Right. You mean, that I deserve someone like... oh, I don't know…... someone exactly like you."
Brady took a step back, knowing that she had caught him. He paused for a moment and than sighed in defeat, "Maybe... yes. That's what I meant. I really care about you, like I haven't cared about anyone in a long time, and I was hoping maybe you could feel the same way. But, you're too wrapped up in Phillip..."
Chloe shook her head, "No, Brady. You know nothing. I did notice, and... I do feel it too. But, it's not what I need right now. You have no idea how hard this is. I love Phillip, but I can't help what I feel for you either. I just have to move on now and figure out what is right for me. Please, Brady... I'm begging you. Be there for me no matter what. I need you."
Brady nodded and smiled sadly, knowing that he had been defeated by Phillip Kiriakis. "Always, Chloe. I'm always going to be here."
***********END FLASHBACK*********
Chloe sighed deeply and whispered under her breath, "Oh Brady... I'm sorry it had to be that way... "
"Chloe..."
Chloe turned in shock to see Brady leaning against one of the wooden posts. He had his arms crossed against his chest, and a devilish grin on his face. "Geez, Chloe. If I had known I was going to interrupt a great conversation with your multiple personalities... I wouldn't have come."
Chloe shook her head and grinned, "Well, I'll be sure to send Mildred your apologies the next time we speak."
"Mildred? That's what you named your other personality?"
Chloe waved a finger to correct him, "Oh, no no no no, Brady. I don't name them, they name themselves."
Brady laughed, and continued, "Well... in all seriousness... what are you sorry for? What had to be what way?"
Chloe grimaced in embarrassment, "Oh God... you heard that. Well, for your information... I was thinking about the night I told you I was getting back together with Phillip. It took so much for you to admit what you said, and... I never wanted to hurt you."
Brady sighed, "It's okay, Chloe... nothing to be sorry about. Things happen. I've moved on now... really. And so did you... you have Phillip back now."
Chloe shook her head sadly, "Not anymore. We broke up tonight..."
Brady looked shocked, "He didn't hurt you again, did he? Because, I swear on my life that if he did...I'll..."
Chloe interrupted and placed a hand on Brady's chest. "No, Brady... he didn't hurt me. But, thank you for wanting to rip his heart out, just in case."
"So, you're okay then?"
Chloe nodded and smiled, "Yeah, very okay. So is he... I mean... We've been kidding ourselves for awhile now. Even Belle... who pushed us back together in the first place... even she noticed it. The ironic thing is... the first time I ever told Phillip that I loved him was the night I broke up with him. So, I guess it doesn't count when you say 'I love you, but I'm not IN love with you'..."
"Ouch... you said that? How'd he take it?"
"Good actually. Phillip's not as dumb as you think. He knew that it wasn't working. We tried so hard... maybe too hard. But, at least now we know."
Brady looked amazed, "So everyone is okay, and nobody was left a shell of their former selves? That is unusually healthy, *especially* in a town like Salem."
Chloe chuckled, "No kidding... It's all good. The relationship ran it's course, and now we can both move on."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it."
Chloe looked at him suspiciously, "Which part? That we broke up or that we're all doing good?"
Brady backed off and waved his hands, "Oh no... you're not going to trap me with that. I'm glad because everybody is okay. Phillip is family, and as much as he gets on my nerves I don't want him hurt. And you... well, I don't want you hurt either."
Chloe smiled, "Okay... I believe you."
"So, you want to go get a cup of coffee or something?"
"No thanks... I think I'm just gonna go home. Been a loooong night."
"Alright then. Call me later?"
Chloe smiled and gave him the thumbs up. "You got it. Thanks, Brady."
Brady smiled back at her, turned and walked away. Chloe stood there watching him disappear through the fog until she could no longer see his shape. As usual, Brady had showed up when Chloe was here for quiet reflection. If she didn't know better, she'd think that he had planted a homing beacon somewhere on her so he could show up when needed. Not that she would complain, even though she planned to be alone, just having Brady here made her feel immeasurably better.
Chloe looked back at the water lapping against the pier. Instead of thoughts of Phillip, her head was now filled only with thoughts of Brady Black. She wondered why he always had such an effect on her, but deep down she knew that she still had feelings for him. Even though they had cut off any chance for a relationship that night on the pier, they had spent a lot of time together. When Chloe wasn't with Phillip or Belle, she was with Brady. He was always there when she needed him, and his presence always made her feel safe and comforted. Even though she had tried to push the feelings away and focus on mending her relationship with Phillip, she had only grown to care about him even more than before.
"But that bridge is burned, Chloe. Brady moved on. He is totally over you." Chloe sighed and leaned against one of the wooden posts at the edge of the pier. "All you can be is friends now. Just accept that, and get over it."
***
(to be continued...)
Chloe stood on the pier and stared down at her reflection in the water. For quite a while, she had considered this pier a 'special place'. Whenever she felt down, she could always come here and be alone. Alone... until Brady Black would inevitably show up. If something was wrong with Chloe, and nobody could find her. Brady always could.
Chloe and Brady had grown closer and closer in the months since the Last Blast. It was as if their personalities were inexplicably drawn together. Sure, Chloe was very close with Belle, but Brady understood her better than Belle or Phillip or anyone ever could. She didn't even need to say it out loud, he could tell by looking at her face that something was wrong and how to address the problem. And, somehow she could always return the favor when he was in one of his infamous "Brady-moods".
The night that the students had returned from their ecology trip, Chloe had come down here to think about what she was about to do. Belle had convinced her, and she had convinced herself that it was time to take Phillip back. She knew the apology was sincere, and she just had to know if they could make it work one more time. But, she had come to the pier to prepare herself for going to Phillip and making up.
She had come there to be alone, but as always, Brady showed up. This time he showed up without even knowing that she would be there. He had just been drawn to that spot.
And now, as Chloe was contemplating the end of her relationship with Phillip, she couldn't help but hear the words Brady had said on that night echoing through her head.
************FLASHBACK************
"YOU'RE TAKING HIM BACK? CHLOE! HOW COULD YOU?"
"Brady. Do NOT yell at me. I don't want to hear it. I know that you don't approve, but this isn't your decision."
Brady closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply trying to calm his anger, "Fine, Chloe. You're a big girl. Do what you want... I just want to know why."
"Because... I have to know. I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering, 'what if'. I HAVE to know if it's meant to be. Why do you care so much anyway, Brady?"
Brady paused for a moment and stammered, "Because... Because... You deserve better than what he can give you."
Chloe cocked her head, crossed her arms and called him out even further, "Right. You mean, that I deserve someone like... oh, I don't know…... someone exactly like you."
Brady took a step back, knowing that she had caught him. He paused for a moment and than sighed in defeat, "Maybe... yes. That's what I meant. I really care about you, like I haven't cared about anyone in a long time, and I was hoping maybe you could feel the same way. But, you're too wrapped up in Phillip..."
Chloe shook her head, "No, Brady. You know nothing. I did notice, and... I do feel it too. But, it's not what I need right now. You have no idea how hard this is. I love Phillip, but I can't help what I feel for you either. I just have to move on now and figure out what is right for me. Please, Brady... I'm begging you. Be there for me no matter what. I need you."
Brady nodded and smiled sadly, knowing that he had been defeated by Phillip Kiriakis. "Always, Chloe. I'm always going to be here."
***********END FLASHBACK*********
Chloe sighed deeply and whispered under her breath, "Oh Brady... I'm sorry it had to be that way... "
"Chloe..."
Chloe turned in shock to see Brady leaning against one of the wooden posts. He had his arms crossed against his chest, and a devilish grin on his face. "Geez, Chloe. If I had known I was going to interrupt a great conversation with your multiple personalities... I wouldn't have come."
Chloe shook her head and grinned, "Well, I'll be sure to send Mildred your apologies the next time we speak."
"Mildred? That's what you named your other personality?"
Chloe waved a finger to correct him, "Oh, no no no no, Brady. I don't name them, they name themselves."
Brady laughed, and continued, "Well... in all seriousness... what are you sorry for? What had to be what way?"
Chloe grimaced in embarrassment, "Oh God... you heard that. Well, for your information... I was thinking about the night I told you I was getting back together with Phillip. It took so much for you to admit what you said, and... I never wanted to hurt you."
Brady sighed, "It's okay, Chloe... nothing to be sorry about. Things happen. I've moved on now... really. And so did you... you have Phillip back now."
Chloe shook her head sadly, "Not anymore. We broke up tonight..."
Brady looked shocked, "He didn't hurt you again, did he? Because, I swear on my life that if he did...I'll..."
Chloe interrupted and placed a hand on Brady's chest. "No, Brady... he didn't hurt me. But, thank you for wanting to rip his heart out, just in case."
"So, you're okay then?"
Chloe nodded and smiled, "Yeah, very okay. So is he... I mean... We've been kidding ourselves for awhile now. Even Belle... who pushed us back together in the first place... even she noticed it. The ironic thing is... the first time I ever told Phillip that I loved him was the night I broke up with him. So, I guess it doesn't count when you say 'I love you, but I'm not IN love with you'..."
"Ouch... you said that? How'd he take it?"
"Good actually. Phillip's not as dumb as you think. He knew that it wasn't working. We tried so hard... maybe too hard. But, at least now we know."
Brady looked amazed, "So everyone is okay, and nobody was left a shell of their former selves? That is unusually healthy, *especially* in a town like Salem."
Chloe chuckled, "No kidding... It's all good. The relationship ran it's course, and now we can both move on."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it."
Chloe looked at him suspiciously, "Which part? That we broke up or that we're all doing good?"
Brady backed off and waved his hands, "Oh no... you're not going to trap me with that. I'm glad because everybody is okay. Phillip is family, and as much as he gets on my nerves I don't want him hurt. And you... well, I don't want you hurt either."
Chloe smiled, "Okay... I believe you."
"So, you want to go get a cup of coffee or something?"
"No thanks... I think I'm just gonna go home. Been a loooong night."
"Alright then. Call me later?"
Chloe smiled and gave him the thumbs up. "You got it. Thanks, Brady."
Brady smiled back at her, turned and walked away. Chloe stood there watching him disappear through the fog until she could no longer see his shape. As usual, Brady had showed up when Chloe was here for quiet reflection. If she didn't know better, she'd think that he had planted a homing beacon somewhere on her so he could show up when needed. Not that she would complain, even though she planned to be alone, just having Brady here made her feel immeasurably better.
Chloe looked back at the water lapping against the pier. Instead of thoughts of Phillip, her head was now filled only with thoughts of Brady Black. She wondered why he always had such an effect on her, but deep down she knew that she still had feelings for him. Even though they had cut off any chance for a relationship that night on the pier, they had spent a lot of time together. When Chloe wasn't with Phillip or Belle, she was with Brady. He was always there when she needed him, and his presence always made her feel safe and comforted. Even though she had tried to push the feelings away and focus on mending her relationship with Phillip, she had only grown to care about him even more than before.
"But that bridge is burned, Chloe. Brady moved on. He is totally over you." Chloe sighed and leaned against one of the wooden posts at the edge of the pier. "All you can be is friends now. Just accept that, and get over it."
***
(to be continued...)