Chapter 3

Brady walked into the penthouse, followed by Belle. The whole ride home he had tried not to think about what Chloe and Philip were doing in his limo, but it was tough. And he knew Belle suspected something from the way he was acting.

"Are you okay, Brady?" She looked concerned.

"I'm fine, Belle. Why do you ask?" Brady tried to smile sincerely, but he knew his sister could see through it.

"Cut the bullshit, Brady. Is it Chloe? Did you fall for her?" Belle knew she hit a nerve when Brady winced and avoided her eyes. "So it is her."

"Belle, I really would rather not talk about this right now, okay? I'm going upstairs." Brady turned and walked up to his room, slamming the door.

"Belle!!" Marlena ran in her daughter's direction. "I'm so glad you're home!"

"Hey, Mom." Belle hugged her mother, and pulling away asked, "Where's Dad?"

"He had to do something with Basic Black, but he should be home within an hour or so." Marlena held Belle at arms length and looked her over. "You look good. How was the trip? How are things with Shawn?"

"Mom, can we discuss this later? I want to ask you something. It's about Brady. And Chloe. Did you notice anything while I was gone? Like them acting different towards each other?" Belle glanced up when she heard loud music coming from Brady's room.

When the day is long
And the night
The night is yours alone
Your sure you've had enough
Of this life
Hang on

Don't let yourself go
Cause everybody cries
And everybody hurts
Sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong
Now its time to sing along
When your day is night alone
Hold on hold on
When you feel like letting go
Hold on
If you think you've had too much
Of this life
Well hang on

Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts

Marlena remembered her vow of secrecy to Brady, but figured, what the hell. Belle has it basically figured out anyway. "You noticed that he likes her, too?"

"Yeah! Did he say something about it to you?"

Don't throw your hand
Oh, no
Don't throw your hand
When you feel
Like you're alone
No, no, no
You're not alone

"He told me he did. But I wasn't supposed to tell you. So you didn't hear it from me," Marlena chuckled.

Belle rolled her eyes. Her mother never could keep a secret. "Its just…I think Chloe took Philip back today. And I can tell Brady is trying not to be disappointed but he has this look in his eyes…it scares me. It reminds me of how he looked in the hospital. Like his life is over and he might as well give up. But this time he's hiding it, and I think I should go talk to him."

"Oh Belle. You are beginning to sound just like me. I'll go with you to talk to him, two heads are better than one!" Marlena raised her fist in the air. "Shrink power!" she told Belle solemnly.

Just then John walked into the door, raising his eyebrow at his wife. "Shrink power? Marlena what are you up to now?" He walked over to Belle and kissed her on the cheek.

"Belle and I are going to talk to Brady about his love for Chloe and his disappointment that she chose Philip over him and maybe even how he can win her back," she said all in one breath. "Wanna help?"

If you're on your own
In this life
The days and
Nights are long
When you think
You've had too much
Of this life
To hang on

John looked up towards Brady's bedroom. "Well it definitely sounds like he's hurting. Let's go."

Well, everybody hurts
Sometimes
Everybody cries
And everybody hurts
Sometimes

They knocked on the door, hearing the music suddenly turned down low. Brady answered the door. "Hey, what's up? Family meeting?" He laughed nervously, then stopped when he saw the serious looks on everyone's faces. "What did I do?"

"We need to talk to you, Brady." Belle smiled reassuringly. "You didn't do anything bad."

"Talk to me about what?"

"Can we come in?" Brady stepped back to allow his family to sit on his bed. "It's about Chloe."

"Oh, God." Brady turned and tried to run out the door but John grabbed him.

"Son, I think you need to pull yourself out of this depression."

"Depression??! What the hell? Since when am I depressed?"

"We heard the song," Marlena commented. "You can't hide it."

"Maybe I just like the song, Marlena," Brady told her defensively. "It has nothing to do with Chloe."

"Mom, Dad, can you leave us alone for a minute?" Belle looked at them pleadingly and they both nodded and left them alone.

"Thank God. What's with the intervention, Tink? You know I'm not depressed right?" Brady looked at her expectantly.

"Of course not, I wouldn't take it to an extreme like that. But, are you really okay?"

"I'll be okay." Brady smiled at her, even though at that moment he didn't know if it was the truth.

"Do you love her?" Belle expected him to burst out laughing or say 'no way.' Brady wasn't the type to get that attached to a girl he didn't know well.

"Does it matter?" He looked at his feet. "I really don't know. I think I was falling in love with her, if that helps. But I'm a PLAYA, Belle!" He laughed. "I'll be over her in about ten seconds." Brady looked at his watch. "Yup, gone."

"Yeah right. But are you going to be okay around her then? I mean, does she even know that you have feelings for her?"

"I don't know if she knows. I think I hid it pretty well. I'll be fine around her. Maybe we can even be friends again. If I never have to see her pansy boyfriend."

"Okay! Then you won't mind that I asked her to spend the night tonight?" Belle cowered down, hoping he didn't get too mad.

Brady sighed bitterly. "Well that was NOT nice of you Belle. But I can handle it. Hey, if I'm gonna start working on her, no time like the present right?"

"Brady! Don't hit on my friends!" Belle shrieked, then laughed. "Matchmaker time! It's what I do best. Okay, maybe I've never done it before, but I still want to help."

"Wait. First of all, is this even going to work? Is she attracted to me at all?" Brady raised his eyebrows, hoping the answer was yes.

"Of course she is. All my friends think you're hot." Belle laughed. "Duh."

"Yeah, she did tell me I was hot earlier today, now that I think about it." Brady smirked. "Damn I'm fine."

"You are SO full of yourself." Belle punched him in the stomach, sighing disappointedly when he gave no reaction whatsoever. "Well first of all, I'll put the idea in her head, then you can come out in only your boxers or something, and…"

And everybody hurts
Sometimes

So, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
(Everybody hurts
You are not alone)

Brady smiled to himself. Maybe, with Belle's help, Chloe will love him after all.

****

"Bye, Philip." Chloe stepped out of the limo and straightened her clothing, leaning back into the door. "Call me tomorrow or something."

"Wait, don't you want to get together tonight?" Philip asked anxiously, he wanted to spend as much time with Chloe as possible, to make sure she stayed away from Brady.

"Belle asked me to spend the night tonight, so I can't. Sorry." Chloe started walking away.

"WAIT! Can I come too?!"

"Uh. No, Philip. You can't."

"You better stay away from Brady. I know he lives there. I'm gonna come peek in the windows tonight and make sure you aren't in his bed." Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Philip, you better not peek in the windows. And don't worry, I won't be in Brady's bed." No matter how much I want to be, she added silently. "Where did that come from?" Chloe wondered aloud.

"What??"

"Nothing, Philip, bye."

"I love you." He stuck his head out the window, hoping she would say it back.

"Bye."

'Damn.' Philip sat back down in the seat and told the driver to take him home.

Chloe watched the limo drive off. 'Why do I keep thinking about Brady like that? It's just cause he's hot, right? I can't have real feelings for him. No. I love Philip. I wonder why I can't tell him that though…'

Chloe walked up to her room and started packing for Belle's house. 'I hope Brady isn't mad at me. I'll talk to him tonight.'