Chloe stared at Nancy in shock, slowly shaking her head in disbelief.
"Sweetheart they just found the crash site an hour ago. Philip was on the plane, Chloe. He was one of the confirmed.."
"No", Chloe yelled at her mother. "Don't you dare say it, Nancy!!" She had pushed Craig away from her and was leaning on the banister for support but to no avail.
Nancy choked back tears as she broke her daughter's heart. "Philip's dead, Chloe."
"Nooooo," Chloe wailed, as she slumped to the floor and fainted.
Craig and Nancy rushed to a motionless Chloe as Craig held her in his arms. She looked so pale and fragile. Craig turned to Nancy as he yelled at her to get some smelling salts from his medical bag. Several minutes later, Nancy came running downstairs and handed the salt to her husband.
Craig looked at his wife, knowing she was worried sick about Chloe. "It's okay, sweetheart, she just fainted", he reassured her. He put the salts under Chloe's nose as she began to moan.
"That's right, you're going to be okay Chloe", Craig said, as he held her tenderly in his arms. Nancy could only sit and watch, tears in her eyes. It was times like these she wished she had her better relationship with her daughter. It hurt her to see Chloe in so much pain.
As Chloe came to she realized why she had fainted and once again began to cry. "It's not going to be okay, Craig. Philip's gone, Philip's gone", she wailed. She looked up at Craig; her tear-stained face tore at his heart. "Why, Craig? Why would someone want to take Philip away?" she asked him softly.
"I don't know, Chloe. I don't know."
After several minutes, Chloe's cries subsided and she proceeded to get off the floor. Craig had to help her up because she started to get a little headed.
Nancy was also at her side and offered to take her upstairs to her room.
She stared at Nancy and nodded slowly. Nancy was so afraid for her baby, emotionally. It was as if Chloe wasn't there. Her eyes looked so cold and emotionless.
She tucked Chloe into bed and watched her for a few moments. Her lips started trembling, clearly on the verge of crying again.
"Nancy, can I be alone, please? Chloe whispered. She needed time to process things.
"Okay baby, but remember if you need anything; Craig and I will be right downstairs."
Chloe didn't respond and clutch her pillows to her chest.
Craig was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Nancy went into his arms as they held unto each other for dear life. She cried over her daughter's loss, the young man she loved so much. A boy who had lost his life at the age of seventeen.
********
(Bellevue Hotel)
"Right, the Salem Airport in about two hours, I'll be there. No I'm not going to drive, I'll get a cab." Kate was sitting on her bed talking to her soon to be ex husband about their son's death. Everything seemed so surreal, she may as well have been ordering pizza.
She walked to her vanity, trying to make herself look presentable. There on the right side was a picture of her three sons, Austin, Lucas and Philip. He looked so young and happy, standing between his two brothers. She picked up the frame, tracing Philip's features. For the first time since she'd heard the news she began to weep. She had lost all three of her sons. Only one to death, but she had also lost Lucas and Austin because of her reckless and irrational behavior. Kate had never felt so alone like she did at that very moment.
"Oh god, how can I live without my kids?" She asked the man above.
"If this is retribution for all the horrible things I've done in my life, then why couldn't you take me instead?" She threw the picture against the door in anger.
**********
(The island)
The news of Philip's death spilled into the lives of the teens on the island as varying degrees of shock registered onto their faces as they dealt with the tragedy. Philip was like this larger than life figure at Salem High. He was captain of every sport known to man, quarterback of the football team. He could have any girl he wanted but he fell for Ghoul Girl. To say everyone was shocked over his death would have been an understatement. Mr. Woods had gathered them all in one room and informed them of the tragedy. The reaction varied from those of disbelief to girls bursting into tears. Even Jason walked out the room, refusing to talk to anyone. He was later seen at the deserted beach, drowning his sorrows in a bottle of tequila. Shawn and Belle had received the news earlier and were nowhere to be seen.
They were in Shawn's room, trying to console each other through their mutual grief. They just sat on the bed, holding each other. No words were needed. Suddenly Belle turned towards Shawn, the look of horror on her face.
"Chloe, oh my god Shawn, has anyone told her about Philip?" Belle asked. Everyone had been so absorbed in their grief that they had forgotten about the love of Philip's life, her best friend Chloe. She knew her friend couldn't get over Philip not trusting her. But she knew despite everything that Chloe still loved him. Philip's death would absolutely devastate her. She feared Chloe might never recover from the loss; she was fragile emotionally as it is. Philip's death may push her right over the edge. "Shawn, we have to tell her,' she began picking up the phone. "I don't want Chloe finding out from some stranger or even worse the news."
"Unfortunately I think she already knows, Belle. The plane was on it's way to Salem. And I think the news stations have probably broken this story also. But she's going to need her friend. She's going to need all the support that she can get from all of us.
"Thanks Shawn". Dialing the number, Belle knew she had to try being strong for Chloe. Which meant no more tears. She was glad she had Shawn in her life. She gave him a weak smile as he sat by her side, holding her hand.
************************
Chloe lay in her bed, looking at her ceiling. This couldn't possibly be real; She had just heard Philip's voice on her answering machine a few days ago. Yep, this was some terrible nightmare that she would be waking up from any minute now. She pinched herself and nothing happened. She closed her eyes and opened them, still nothing. She still felt so empty inside. Though Nancy and Craig had told her Philip was dead; her heart and mind were currently at war. She would know if Philip was dead. She would know if she was living in a world he wasn't apart of. She would feel it in her heart and soul. But she didn't, or was she just in denial? She spied Philip's letterman jacket he'd given her in the closet. Needing to feel close to him again, she stood up and walked to her closet. She took his jacket off the hanger and wrapped herself in it. His scent still lingered on it; she could still feel his presence.
"What am I going to do without you Philip?" You promised we were going to be together forever, what happened?" she spoke out loud. An image came to mind and she immediately knew what she had to do. Wearing Philip's jacket, she quickly put on her sneakers and went downstairs.
True to her word, Nancy was sitting with Craig in the living room. They were watching TV, waiting for any news on the crash. Seeing Chloe they quickly turned it off. The last thing their daughter needed was seeing actual images of this terrible tragedy.
"Craig, could you please take me somewhere?" Chloe asked, her eyes pleading with him.
Craig wanted to ask her where but he decided not to force the issue. He was just glad that Chloe was reaching out to someone, anyone. He looked at Nancy, who nodded her head in agreement. He got his keys and lead Chloe to the front door. She stopped mid step and looked back at Nancy.
"And Nancy, thanks for everything." With that comment she walked outside.
"Your welcome, Chloe." Nancy heart swelled with both happiness and sadness at the same time.
***********
Chloe hardly said a word during their entire trip. Again Craig left her to her thoughts, anything that gave her a sense of peace. However he was curious about where she wanted to go. She didn't say much, just gave him directions and leaned in the corner of the car staring out the window. After about a thirty-minute drive he arrived and was shocked at what he saw. They had come to a...forest? This had to be wrong. But Chloe knew what he was thinking and answered his thoughts.
"This is the right place, Craig. Umm, could you do me a huge favor? Could you please wait right here while I go and take a little walk in the woods? I need some time alone and I promise I won't be long." She couldn't tell anyone about this place, this was their special place.
Craig was a bit skeptical. "Ah, I don't know Chloe. I don't want you walking in some forest alone, it isn't safe. How am I going to know if something happens to you? I wouldn't rest till I knew where you were."
He had a point and she offered a compromise. "Okay, you can walk with me in the forest, it's not that far away from the highway. But I need to be alone, so could you sit a few feet away from me. Just a respectful distance, you'll always know where I am."
That was an odd request but Craig agreed as they began to walk in the woods. She was right; it wasn't that far away. One could still hear the cars driving up and down the highway. She stopped walking and turned around to look at him.
"K, we're here. I know this may look crazy but believe me it's not. I know what I'm doing." She looked around the forest; memories of the last time she was here came flooding back.
Craig saw the sudden change in her reaction. He knew she was thinking of Philip. He walked a safe distance away from her and sat on a nearby tree stump. The patients and doctors at Salem Hospital would have a field day if they could see him now. Here he was, chief of staff at a prestigious hospital and he was sitting in the middle of some forest. Watching his daughter, talk to a tree? He glanced at Chloe. She was touching the bark affectionately. He cocked his head to the side wondering what that display was all about?
Chloe traced the initials P&C 4 ever. She remembered telling Philip that it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, besides him. She was so touched by what he'd done that her reaction was to simply cry tears of happiness. They had danced to their song and he finally opened up to her about his family troubles. He was always trying to be her knight in shining armor, wanting to solve all her problems. For once she wanted to be his rock. She sank to the floor and sat by the tree, resting her head against the bark. She began talking to him.
"Oh Philip, I need you to help me understand this. You had everything to live for. You had a great college life and career ahead of you. You loved living life so much, I can't believe it was taken away from you so cruelly. I don't care how selfish this sounds but I need you Philip. We all do." She blinked back tears, which were threatening to fall. "I can't close my eyes without seeing your beautiful face. You always said I was beautiful. But your love made me beautiful, Philip. Those amazing blue eyes that had that uncanny ability to look right through me, not at me. We were soul mates, Philip. I may not have known it then or maybe I just was afraid to acknowledge it. But I do realize that now. I'm not afraid of loving you anymore Philip. I miss you so much. I miss your kisses that would set my lips on fire and leave me breathless. I miss how you would caress my face with your thumb. Or how you would cup my face so gently and kiss me senseless. I felt so loved and cherish by you. You wondered if you were the only one who was in love in our relationship. No it wasn't your imagination. You were loved also. I love you from the bottom of my heart to the depths of my soul. I ache for you so much Philip." She stood up and laid her hands over the initials on the tree.
"Gave me some sort of sign. I know you're not dead, you can't be. Please come back to me Philip. Please." Her head now where her hand once was, she softly began to cry. It was then she heard the most beautiful song in the world. A car had just sped by on the highway but the music playing was unmistakable. The song was I need you, her and Philip's song. She smiled and kissed the initials on the tree. "Thank you Philip."
****************
A feather could have dropped on the plane and you would have heard it. That's how quiet everyone aboard the kiriakis jet was. Everyone was in their own state of grief and just wanted to get this trip over it
Chloe handed her ticket to the ticket agent, ready to board the plane. Craig had driven her home and they were both shocked when she'd told them she wanted to go to Puerto Rico. But they didn't argue with her they would let her go on one condition. They also wanted to go with her. She was too tired to argue and admittedly she needed their love and support. They were making travel arrangements when the call had arrived. Victor had his private plane waiting at the airport for anyone who wanted to go to Puerto Rico. Philip's father never liked her, and that call was the least thing she expected. But she didn't care; this was not the time to dwell on the past. Entering the doorway, she was a bit surprised at all the flight's passengers. There were Bo and Hope sitting in the far left corner. Though Philip and Bo weren't all that close, they were brothers. So seeing them wasn't a surprise. Kate was sitting in the front row, wearing some dark, stylish, sunglasses. No doubt hiding her blood shot eyes, Chloe thought. Henderson, Philip's butler and friend was also on the plane. Her gaze came upon John, Marlena and Brady all sitting in one row. Brady caught her gaze and he looked away. Chloe could have sworn he looked like he'd been crying also. They were all looking at her with such
sadness and sympathy; she couldn't take it anymore.
Chloe rushed to a vacant seat near Henderson and sat down. Philip was always fond of his butler. He saw him more as a father figure than one of the Kirikais's many servants. She liked Henderson also. He was always nice to her whenever she'd stopped by to see Philip at his house.
"Hi Henderson" she greeted the butler, trying to force a smile.
"Always a pleasure to meet you Chloe. Although I wish this time it wasn't under these circumstances. Philip was a great kid, I loved him like a son." Henderson acknowledged her presence, his voice strained.
She felt like she was riding on autopilot. Everyone was ready to bury Philip and they hadn't even seen a body yet. Until she saw his body, she would never believe he was dead. He couldn't be. Swallowing a lump in her throat she just blurted out her feelings. "Henderson, Philip isn't dead and I'm going to prove it!!"
Nancy gasped behind her. Kate took off her glasses, Brady, his hat, as everyone just stared at her.
To be Continued....
"Sweetheart they just found the crash site an hour ago. Philip was on the plane, Chloe. He was one of the confirmed.."
"No", Chloe yelled at her mother. "Don't you dare say it, Nancy!!" She had pushed Craig away from her and was leaning on the banister for support but to no avail.
Nancy choked back tears as she broke her daughter's heart. "Philip's dead, Chloe."
"Nooooo," Chloe wailed, as she slumped to the floor and fainted.
Craig and Nancy rushed to a motionless Chloe as Craig held her in his arms. She looked so pale and fragile. Craig turned to Nancy as he yelled at her to get some smelling salts from his medical bag. Several minutes later, Nancy came running downstairs and handed the salt to her husband.
Craig looked at his wife, knowing she was worried sick about Chloe. "It's okay, sweetheart, she just fainted", he reassured her. He put the salts under Chloe's nose as she began to moan.
"That's right, you're going to be okay Chloe", Craig said, as he held her tenderly in his arms. Nancy could only sit and watch, tears in her eyes. It was times like these she wished she had her better relationship with her daughter. It hurt her to see Chloe in so much pain.
As Chloe came to she realized why she had fainted and once again began to cry. "It's not going to be okay, Craig. Philip's gone, Philip's gone", she wailed. She looked up at Craig; her tear-stained face tore at his heart. "Why, Craig? Why would someone want to take Philip away?" she asked him softly.
"I don't know, Chloe. I don't know."
After several minutes, Chloe's cries subsided and she proceeded to get off the floor. Craig had to help her up because she started to get a little headed.
Nancy was also at her side and offered to take her upstairs to her room.
She stared at Nancy and nodded slowly. Nancy was so afraid for her baby, emotionally. It was as if Chloe wasn't there. Her eyes looked so cold and emotionless.
She tucked Chloe into bed and watched her for a few moments. Her lips started trembling, clearly on the verge of crying again.
"Nancy, can I be alone, please? Chloe whispered. She needed time to process things.
"Okay baby, but remember if you need anything; Craig and I will be right downstairs."
Chloe didn't respond and clutch her pillows to her chest.
Craig was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Nancy went into his arms as they held unto each other for dear life. She cried over her daughter's loss, the young man she loved so much. A boy who had lost his life at the age of seventeen.
********
(Bellevue Hotel)
"Right, the Salem Airport in about two hours, I'll be there. No I'm not going to drive, I'll get a cab." Kate was sitting on her bed talking to her soon to be ex husband about their son's death. Everything seemed so surreal, she may as well have been ordering pizza.
She walked to her vanity, trying to make herself look presentable. There on the right side was a picture of her three sons, Austin, Lucas and Philip. He looked so young and happy, standing between his two brothers. She picked up the frame, tracing Philip's features. For the first time since she'd heard the news she began to weep. She had lost all three of her sons. Only one to death, but she had also lost Lucas and Austin because of her reckless and irrational behavior. Kate had never felt so alone like she did at that very moment.
"Oh god, how can I live without my kids?" She asked the man above.
"If this is retribution for all the horrible things I've done in my life, then why couldn't you take me instead?" She threw the picture against the door in anger.
**********
(The island)
The news of Philip's death spilled into the lives of the teens on the island as varying degrees of shock registered onto their faces as they dealt with the tragedy. Philip was like this larger than life figure at Salem High. He was captain of every sport known to man, quarterback of the football team. He could have any girl he wanted but he fell for Ghoul Girl. To say everyone was shocked over his death would have been an understatement. Mr. Woods had gathered them all in one room and informed them of the tragedy. The reaction varied from those of disbelief to girls bursting into tears. Even Jason walked out the room, refusing to talk to anyone. He was later seen at the deserted beach, drowning his sorrows in a bottle of tequila. Shawn and Belle had received the news earlier and were nowhere to be seen.
They were in Shawn's room, trying to console each other through their mutual grief. They just sat on the bed, holding each other. No words were needed. Suddenly Belle turned towards Shawn, the look of horror on her face.
"Chloe, oh my god Shawn, has anyone told her about Philip?" Belle asked. Everyone had been so absorbed in their grief that they had forgotten about the love of Philip's life, her best friend Chloe. She knew her friend couldn't get over Philip not trusting her. But she knew despite everything that Chloe still loved him. Philip's death would absolutely devastate her. She feared Chloe might never recover from the loss; she was fragile emotionally as it is. Philip's death may push her right over the edge. "Shawn, we have to tell her,' she began picking up the phone. "I don't want Chloe finding out from some stranger or even worse the news."
"Unfortunately I think she already knows, Belle. The plane was on it's way to Salem. And I think the news stations have probably broken this story also. But she's going to need her friend. She's going to need all the support that she can get from all of us.
"Thanks Shawn". Dialing the number, Belle knew she had to try being strong for Chloe. Which meant no more tears. She was glad she had Shawn in her life. She gave him a weak smile as he sat by her side, holding her hand.
************************
Chloe lay in her bed, looking at her ceiling. This couldn't possibly be real; She had just heard Philip's voice on her answering machine a few days ago. Yep, this was some terrible nightmare that she would be waking up from any minute now. She pinched herself and nothing happened. She closed her eyes and opened them, still nothing. She still felt so empty inside. Though Nancy and Craig had told her Philip was dead; her heart and mind were currently at war. She would know if Philip was dead. She would know if she was living in a world he wasn't apart of. She would feel it in her heart and soul. But she didn't, or was she just in denial? She spied Philip's letterman jacket he'd given her in the closet. Needing to feel close to him again, she stood up and walked to her closet. She took his jacket off the hanger and wrapped herself in it. His scent still lingered on it; she could still feel his presence.
"What am I going to do without you Philip?" You promised we were going to be together forever, what happened?" she spoke out loud. An image came to mind and she immediately knew what she had to do. Wearing Philip's jacket, she quickly put on her sneakers and went downstairs.
True to her word, Nancy was sitting with Craig in the living room. They were watching TV, waiting for any news on the crash. Seeing Chloe they quickly turned it off. The last thing their daughter needed was seeing actual images of this terrible tragedy.
"Craig, could you please take me somewhere?" Chloe asked, her eyes pleading with him.
Craig wanted to ask her where but he decided not to force the issue. He was just glad that Chloe was reaching out to someone, anyone. He looked at Nancy, who nodded her head in agreement. He got his keys and lead Chloe to the front door. She stopped mid step and looked back at Nancy.
"And Nancy, thanks for everything." With that comment she walked outside.
"Your welcome, Chloe." Nancy heart swelled with both happiness and sadness at the same time.
***********
Chloe hardly said a word during their entire trip. Again Craig left her to her thoughts, anything that gave her a sense of peace. However he was curious about where she wanted to go. She didn't say much, just gave him directions and leaned in the corner of the car staring out the window. After about a thirty-minute drive he arrived and was shocked at what he saw. They had come to a...forest? This had to be wrong. But Chloe knew what he was thinking and answered his thoughts.
"This is the right place, Craig. Umm, could you do me a huge favor? Could you please wait right here while I go and take a little walk in the woods? I need some time alone and I promise I won't be long." She couldn't tell anyone about this place, this was their special place.
Craig was a bit skeptical. "Ah, I don't know Chloe. I don't want you walking in some forest alone, it isn't safe. How am I going to know if something happens to you? I wouldn't rest till I knew where you were."
He had a point and she offered a compromise. "Okay, you can walk with me in the forest, it's not that far away from the highway. But I need to be alone, so could you sit a few feet away from me. Just a respectful distance, you'll always know where I am."
That was an odd request but Craig agreed as they began to walk in the woods. She was right; it wasn't that far away. One could still hear the cars driving up and down the highway. She stopped walking and turned around to look at him.
"K, we're here. I know this may look crazy but believe me it's not. I know what I'm doing." She looked around the forest; memories of the last time she was here came flooding back.
Craig saw the sudden change in her reaction. He knew she was thinking of Philip. He walked a safe distance away from her and sat on a nearby tree stump. The patients and doctors at Salem Hospital would have a field day if they could see him now. Here he was, chief of staff at a prestigious hospital and he was sitting in the middle of some forest. Watching his daughter, talk to a tree? He glanced at Chloe. She was touching the bark affectionately. He cocked his head to the side wondering what that display was all about?
Chloe traced the initials P&C 4 ever. She remembered telling Philip that it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, besides him. She was so touched by what he'd done that her reaction was to simply cry tears of happiness. They had danced to their song and he finally opened up to her about his family troubles. He was always trying to be her knight in shining armor, wanting to solve all her problems. For once she wanted to be his rock. She sank to the floor and sat by the tree, resting her head against the bark. She began talking to him.
"Oh Philip, I need you to help me understand this. You had everything to live for. You had a great college life and career ahead of you. You loved living life so much, I can't believe it was taken away from you so cruelly. I don't care how selfish this sounds but I need you Philip. We all do." She blinked back tears, which were threatening to fall. "I can't close my eyes without seeing your beautiful face. You always said I was beautiful. But your love made me beautiful, Philip. Those amazing blue eyes that had that uncanny ability to look right through me, not at me. We were soul mates, Philip. I may not have known it then or maybe I just was afraid to acknowledge it. But I do realize that now. I'm not afraid of loving you anymore Philip. I miss you so much. I miss your kisses that would set my lips on fire and leave me breathless. I miss how you would caress my face with your thumb. Or how you would cup my face so gently and kiss me senseless. I felt so loved and cherish by you. You wondered if you were the only one who was in love in our relationship. No it wasn't your imagination. You were loved also. I love you from the bottom of my heart to the depths of my soul. I ache for you so much Philip." She stood up and laid her hands over the initials on the tree.
"Gave me some sort of sign. I know you're not dead, you can't be. Please come back to me Philip. Please." Her head now where her hand once was, she softly began to cry. It was then she heard the most beautiful song in the world. A car had just sped by on the highway but the music playing was unmistakable. The song was I need you, her and Philip's song. She smiled and kissed the initials on the tree. "Thank you Philip."
****************
A feather could have dropped on the plane and you would have heard it. That's how quiet everyone aboard the kiriakis jet was. Everyone was in their own state of grief and just wanted to get this trip over it
Chloe handed her ticket to the ticket agent, ready to board the plane. Craig had driven her home and they were both shocked when she'd told them she wanted to go to Puerto Rico. But they didn't argue with her they would let her go on one condition. They also wanted to go with her. She was too tired to argue and admittedly she needed their love and support. They were making travel arrangements when the call had arrived. Victor had his private plane waiting at the airport for anyone who wanted to go to Puerto Rico. Philip's father never liked her, and that call was the least thing she expected. But she didn't care; this was not the time to dwell on the past. Entering the doorway, she was a bit surprised at all the flight's passengers. There were Bo and Hope sitting in the far left corner. Though Philip and Bo weren't all that close, they were brothers. So seeing them wasn't a surprise. Kate was sitting in the front row, wearing some dark, stylish, sunglasses. No doubt hiding her blood shot eyes, Chloe thought. Henderson, Philip's butler and friend was also on the plane. Her gaze came upon John, Marlena and Brady all sitting in one row. Brady caught her gaze and he looked away. Chloe could have sworn he looked like he'd been crying also. They were all looking at her with such
sadness and sympathy; she couldn't take it anymore.
Chloe rushed to a vacant seat near Henderson and sat down. Philip was always fond of his butler. He saw him more as a father figure than one of the Kirikais's many servants. She liked Henderson also. He was always nice to her whenever she'd stopped by to see Philip at his house.
"Hi Henderson" she greeted the butler, trying to force a smile.
"Always a pleasure to meet you Chloe. Although I wish this time it wasn't under these circumstances. Philip was a great kid, I loved him like a son." Henderson acknowledged her presence, his voice strained.
She felt like she was riding on autopilot. Everyone was ready to bury Philip and they hadn't even seen a body yet. Until she saw his body, she would never believe he was dead. He couldn't be. Swallowing a lump in her throat she just blurted out her feelings. "Henderson, Philip isn't dead and I'm going to prove it!!"
Nancy gasped behind her. Kate took off her glasses, Brady, his hat, as everyone just stared at her.
To be Continued....