Progress at Last
The following fan fiction contains characters owned by the writers and producers of Days of Our Lives. This fan fiction is purely for entertainment purposes.
* denoted material not written by me. The song, He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat), is performed by Jill Scott and I assume that she is the songwriter. When I find the song writer, they will be credited. Use of this lyric was strictly for entertainment purposes.
Surprised, Brady sat up. Chloe was sitting at the foot of the chaise, smiling at him. Brady pressed his foot against Chloe, to make sure that she was real. She removed his foot from her thigh.
Br: Why the hell are you here? Did Phillip dump you again?
Ch: No, he didn't dump me. It's just the opposite. Anyway, I don't want to talk about him. I want to talk to you.
Br: Why?
Ch: Because I never had the chance to answer your question.
Br: You had plenty of chances. It's too late.
Ch: Is it?
Br: Yes it is, now leave me alone.
Ch: No.
Br: What do you mean 'No'? I said that I don't want to talk to you. It isn't subject to discussion.
Ch: Oh, yes it is.
Br: No, it isn't.
Ch: Now look who is stalling? You got mad at me for wanting some time to think and now you are engaging in this ridiculous tantrum just to punish me. You are a chicken, Brady, a six-foot one inch, blond-haired, blue-eyed chicken. And worst, you're scared of me, a mere 'teenybopper'.
Br: I am not scared of you.
Ch: Yes, you are. You're writing me off because you can't take my answer.
Br: I can take rejection, Chloe.
Ch: I'm sure you can, but what about acceptance? I think that you would be more scared if I said that I loved you. How twisted is that?
Br: Will you get out of here?!
Ch: No!
Br: Fine, say what you want to say.
Brady draped his arm over his eyes.
Ch: Um, excuse me, but I like to see the eyes of the person I'm conversing with.
Br: Too bad! Go ahead and say your peace.
Chloe stared at Brady. She realized that Brady will continue to behave stubbornly unless she took some action. Chloe stood up. Brady felt the weight on the chaise change. He became concerned that Chloe had finally done something that he said he wanted. He then felt a weight on his chest. From his chest to his legs, he felt weighed down. He uncovered his eyes and looked down. Chloe had placed herself on top of Brady. She had her arms folded on Brady's chest and her chin rested on her hands. Br: What the hell are you doing?
Ch: I am getting your attention, Brady. Reason and yelling haven't worked so I'm using passive resistance.
Br: You realize that I could roll over and drop you on the floor.
Ch: You wouldn't do that because 1) You wouldn't hurt me and 2) I would pull you down with me.
Br: Dammit, Chloe will you get off of me?
Ch: No, not until you listen to me. I want your undivided attention and I have it now. It would be nice if I didn't have to do this, but you left me with no other choice.
Brady tried to figure out a way to get Chloe off of him, without hurting her. But mainly, he was concerned about himself. The sparkle in her blue eyes, the scent of her perfume and the warmth of her body was beginning to get to him and he didn't want her to know it.
Ch: Now Brady, are you going to listen to me or not?
Br: Okay, okay.
Chloe lifted herself off of him and he stood up. He walked away from the chaise. Chloe sat on the chaise and stared at him.
Ch: You're not going to renege, are you?
Br: No. I said I would listen, so go ahead.
Ch: Please, sit down, Brady.
Brady reluctantly sat next to her.
Ch: First, I wanted to apologize to you for my behavior earlier. I don't make it a habit to use my body as a weapon. But I needed to get your attention and your pride is like a brick wall. Secondly, it was pointed out to me that I can be insensitive when it comes to others' feelings. My behavior tonight seems to confirm that observation. And for me to behave like that, towards you, I regret that. You are one of the few people I wouldn't want to hurt, but I seem to have a knack.
Br: Okay.
Ch: Now, about your question. When I didn't answer your question, it wasn't because I was stalling. And it doesn't have anything with Phillip. 'How do I feel about you' is a complicated question. Not to you, maybe, but it is to me.
Br: So, how do you feel about me?
Ch: Right now, I'm very irritated with you. Nothing new there.
Br: Why would you be irritated? You're not the one who opened up to someone and was left hanging...
Ch: Stop it, Brady. The reason why I was irritated was because, as usual, you took me by surprise. Every time, when I think that I have you figured out, you throw another curve.
Br: Pot calling the kettle black!
Ch: When I first met you, I figured that you were just a smart-alecky frat boy. Then I saw you in my back yard swing and saw a dejected, lonely boy. After you were shot, you were meaner and nastier, striking out at anyone who reached out to you. When you fell down in that Paris hotel...
Br: You knew about that?
Ch: Yes, I was there. I saw you yell at that man who offered to help you. I knew if I'd offered to help, you would have snarled at me. So I stood there and watched you. I wanted you to fail so you could finally admit that you weren't perfect, invincible. But you kept fighting, and eventually, you were on your feet. Quite frankly, I was a little embarrassed because I was sure that you would give up and your facade of being a strong person would have been shattered. But it didn't happen. I have to say, I feel a little ashamed every time I look at you.
Br: Okay, you see me as being strong. What else?
Ch: You have a major attitude problem and you're very impatient. But you can be fun, like when we sang on the pier or played basketball. During those times, I felt very close to you. In fact, I look forward to the times when we goof around and hang out, alone.
Br: You see me as a big brother?
Ch: I do, sometimes. But I find myself thinking of you in that Zorro outfit. Your eyes seemed bluer that night. I also remember how you looked on the basketball court and in that wetsuit. (sigh) And the way you smelled...
Br: Pretty gamy, huh?
Ch: Hardly, Brady. Whether you're sweaty or drenched in salt water, I can smell you and I like the way you smelled.
Br: Well this conversation is taking a strange turn. Here's your list so far. You see me as strong, fun to be with, irritating, impatient, memorable, looks-wise, and gamy.
Ch: I didn't say that you were gamy, Brady. Add this to the list: Brady doesn't listen very well.
Brady laughed to himself.
Anyway, my strongest memory of you was on the island. It didn't have anything to do with you jet-skiing to the island, beating up Paul, or rescuing Belle, Shawn, and Phillip. It was you, Brady. It was your arms around me, hearing you breathe, your heartbeat. After the rescue, I was completely lost and alone, until I felt your heart beating. I've seen you perform heroics, but that night, it was different. You didn't use your strength or intelligence to diffuse a situation. It was your heart. I will never forget how protected I felt . No one has made me feel that way.
Brady looked at her. She smiled at him. He stood up.
Br:(circling Chloe) So, I am strong, yet irritating, fun to be with, but doesn't listen well, comely in appearance, has a distinct smell and comforting. Anything else?
Ch: Yes, there is a tendency for your head to swell in less than two seconds.
Br: Okay. What else?
Ch: Phillip.
Brady rolled his eyes.
Br: I knew that it was too good to be true. You couldn't leave him out of a conversation concerning the two of us.
Ch: He is important, Brady. He was the reason why I haven't defined your importance to me. You have a lot of great qualities and some bad ones, but Phillip seemed to obscure the way I see things.
Br: Oh, I see.
Ch: I'm not saying that it is impossible for me to love you.
Br: But Phillip makes it harder.
Ch: He did. And I am not sure about the extent to which his influence has colored the way I feel about you. I don't want you to be my shiny ball.
Br: A shiny ball?
Ch: Yeah. When I was in foster care, my foster parents usually had cats. They would spend hours playing with shiny foil balls.
Br: Your foster parents would?
Ch: No. The cats would. I don't want you to be my shiny ball.
Br: Well, I can see why you needed some time to think. It's obvious that took a lot of time and effort to come up with this.
Ch: Don't make fun of me.
Br: Really, Chloe. I've been called a brat, a bastard, and sometimes, a babe, but a shiny ball?
Ch: Forget it, Brady. You're obviously enjoying this instead of listening. Any intelligent person would have heard that I don't want you to be a trifle or diversion to me. Anyone else would have seen that you are important to me, more important than Phillip.
Chloe paused. He suspected that Chloe will back-pedal so he quickly concocted a plan.
Br:(sarcastically) Yeah right, Chloe. I am more important to you than Phillip.
Ch: Forget it, Brady.
Br: It is obvious that you're lying to me...
Ch: I am not lying to you. How dare you accuse me of that. You know, Brady, you think that you know everything. But news flash, you don't. You pride yourself on knowing what other people think. Again, you are wrong. Remember earlier this evening, when you were so sure that I was thinking about Phillip? You were wrong then.
Br:(smirking) Pray tell, who were you thinking about?
Ch: I was thinking about you.
Br: Oh yeah, Chloe. Sure you were. I also said that you looked like you were poised for a kiss.
Ch: Yes, I was.
Br: From me?
Ch: Yes, from you!
Br: But Chloe, you don't kiss people whom you do not love. Why would you want a kiss from me?
Ch: Because I do love you, Brady! I love you!
Br: JACKPOT!!!
Ch: (glaring at Brady) You deliberately picked a fight with me.
Br: Absolutely!
Ch: Why the hell would you do that?
Br: That was the only way for the truth to come out. You see, Chloe, we are very weird people. We seem to operate when the adrenaline is pumping. The reason why I knew that provoking you would expose the truth is because that is the way I operate.
Ch:(sarcastically) That's very insightful.
Br: So this is where we are. You think that I am strong, yet irritating, fun to be with, but have difficulty in listening, sexy...
Ch: I didn't say you were sexy, Brady. It's amazing that you went from being 'memorable, looks-wise' to sexy.
Br: But you do think I'm sexy?
Ch:(sighing) Yes, I do.
Br:(smiling) As I was saying, strong, irritating, fun, poor listener, SEXY, has distinct smell, comforting but most importantly YOU LOVE ME!! You love me...*
Ch:(slyly) Gimme a break!
Br:(singing) ...you're happily excited by my cologne, my hands, my smile, my intelligence...*
Ch: Stop it.
Br:(singing) ...you love me...ohhh* (voice cracking)
Ch: You're insane and you're flat.
Br: Oh yeah, I want to relish this. But my dear, I have no intentions of leaving you hanging.
Ch:(sarcastically) Oh, thank you, Brady.
Brady sat next to Chloe.
Br: I'm sorry that I was so mean to you earlier. This whole thing with you has been plaguing me. I've spent the better part of two years telling myself that I didn't love you. It became impossible to deny it with every moment I've spent with you. I hoped that you would come to me and you did. I was hoping to make you beg for me, but then I saw you. I couldn't do that to you.
Ch: But you gave me a hard time.
Br: Yeah, but it wasn't my best effort. And confidentially, when I looked at you when you pinned me down, I thought that you looked like a Siamese cat.
Ch: Stop making fun of me!
Br: I swear to you, I thought that. I thought about other things too.
Ch: Like what?
Br: That if paralysis felt anything like you pinning me down, I would have never gotten out of that chair.
Chloe blushed.
You know, you're awfully lovely when you blush.
Chloe covered her cheeks and stood up.
But then again, you're lovely, in general.
Brady approached Chloe from behind and placed his chin on her shoulder.
(quietly) You see, Chloe, I love you despite your beauty. You are intelligent and brilliant and you have so much going on inside of you. Don't get me wrong, you are unbelievably hot, but I love what know about you and intrigued by the mystery that is about to unfold.
Chloe closed her eyes and lifted her chin. She could feel his warm breath on her neck and his scruffy cheek against hers. She could feel another blush bloom across her face. Brady was becoming more distracted by her perfume and the warmth of her body. He placed his hand on her hip. She touched his hand and guided it to her belly-button. She searched for his other hand. Brady crossed his arms across Chloe and gently squeezed her. her head tilted and he gently kissed her shoulder. He kissed along her shoulder until his lips were near her neck. He paused. Chloe opened her eyes. He breathed softly on her neck and she closed her eyes. He smiled to himself and nibbled on her neck. Chloe's knees buckled. He caught her. She broke loose from his grip and ran away. Brady stood there, angry that he went too fast. He turned around to go after her.
Br: Chloe, I'm sorry that I ...
He saw Chloe locking the door.
Ch: I didn't want anyone to walk in on us.
Br: I thought that I was...
Ch: (kittenish) Going too far? No, Brady, you didn't. In fact, you weren't going far enough.
Chloe walked toward Brady, placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled him toward her. She stood on her toes and kissed him. She could feel his hands on her waist, pulling her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently nibbled and tasted his lips.
Br: (breathless) Damn Diva, you can kiss.
Ch: You haven't seen anything yet.
She pulled him into another kiss. She gently sucked his lips as she pressed herself against him. Brady then let go of Chloe and stepped back.
Br:(breathless) Whoa, Diva. I can't believe I am saying this, but we need to cool off.
Ch:(grabbing Brady) No, Brady. I don't want to stop.
Br: You have to remember that you're still seventeen...
Ch:(nibbling his ear) Going on eighteen...
Br: Yeah, next summer. Until then, your mother has just cause to kill me and we're careening toward that territory.
Ch: (kissing his cheek) All the more reason for us to enjoy the few moments of privacy that we have together. So...less yakking, more lip-smacking!
She took off his overcoat and threw it on the floor. She placed her hands in his pockets and looked into his eyes.
Br: Ah hell, a man has to be willing to die for something!
Chloe placed her head on Brady's chest and listened. There it was, the only thing that kept her sane. The one thing she could depend on, housed in the body of the only person who understood hers. That heart, housed in that body, guided by that soul.
-End of Progress at Last-