Chloe, part of her hair piled in delicate curls atop her head while the rest fell straight on her back, stood in the center of the stone hallway. Around her drifted a mist so thick, so strong, it would surely suffocate her if it rose any higher than where it settled at her knees. Turning to etch every detail of her surroundings to her memory, Chloe could feel her midnight blue gown cling to her as she moved.

Struggling to remain calm, Chloe searched for somewhere to flee, but she was trapped. To her front and back were those horribly cold stone walls, and to her left and right were the endless dark shadows. Gasping for each and every breath, Chloe could almost feel the walls closing in on her as the darkness expanded itself.

At the moment when Chloe was near collapsing from a dangerous mixture of fear and despair, a figure emerged from the darkness at her left. The person provided Chloe with instant comfort. As though time truly failed to exist, the man slowly neared Chloe, escaping from the darkness that had clutched him.

When the last of the shadows were gone from his face, Chloe realized that her mysterious companion, donned in a magnificent white suit that only added to the aura of serenity he projected, was a man that she knew quite well. Before he even spoke, he was able to alleviate Chloe's fears. Just having him near her made Chloe feel safe.

Giving Chloe a charming smile that demonstrated his entrancing dimples, Philip calmly whispered, "I promise that I'll love you for all of eternity and then all the time that may follow." With movements that seemed to escape the speed of time, Philip slowly took another step toward Chloe and extended his hand. Chloe's heart fluttered as she reached out her own hand to meet his.

When only the most insignificant of distances separated their fingertips, the sound of footsteps tore Chloe's attention away from Philip and to the darkly dressed person approaching her from her right. The man, who wore a black suit that could easily have been darker than any night, swiftly approached Chloe. Disregarding the romantic dramatics of Philip, the man found no need for trivial words as he pulled Chloe into his arms. As she stood with his strong, protective arms encircling her, Chloe was drawn to his exquisite blue eyes. They nearly possessed her with the silent love they displayed.

Without warning, Brady began to chuckle. And, that soft sound quickly transformed itself into a loud, hateful laugh. Using no words, Brady was able to make Chloe's blood run cold as tears threatened to unleash themselves from her frightened eyes.

Freeing herself from Brady's demanding grasp, Chloe turned to find comfort in her other love. Philip's name died on her lips when she saw that he wasn't there. He had left her once again. Spinning back to face Brady, Chloe gasped when she realized that he, too, was gone.

Tears of complete desperation fell down Chloe's face as her body was harshly attacked by a round of sobs. She had lost them both - again. The only two men she ever loved were gone, and it was all her fault.

Chloe used the palms of her hands to cover her reddened eyes as she continued to sob. Lost in her own anguish, Chloe paid no attention to her own actions, she was simply searching for a place with no pain. Closing her eyes, Chloe removed her hands from her face and extended her arms straight out to her sides. She began to twirl her body in a slow circle, her sobs quieting to low cries.

Once she had control of herself again, Chloe prepared to open her eyes to begin a search for a doorway, or window, or any other possible way of escape from her illusory prison.

Violently shaking her head, Chloe screamed at the horrid sight that greeted her when she opened her eyes. Fresh tears sprang forth as she felt even more imprisoned than before. Gone were the stone walls that had formerly threatened to crush her bones. And, in their place, were mirrors. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of mirrors surrounded Chloe, giving her no exit.

She was trapped by her worst enemy - herself.

The first thing to capture Chloe's attention in the mirror was the red. It was an amazingly vibrant shade that demanded notice. Unlike the loose- fitting gown of blue that had previously draped itself over her body and nearly dragged on the ground, this red dress was much shorter, revealing a great deal of her toned legs.

"No! Oh, God, no!" Chloe screamed as she tried to shield herself from her own reflection. She knew the dress, and she knew the matching heels that graced her feet. Forcing herself to look at her reflection, Chloe saw that her curly hair was something else that she knew.

Dropping to the floor, Chloe silently cursed the silence when the only sound that met her ears was her own pathetic gasps. She didn't want to be back there. She didn't want to relive a night that had occurred so many years before. Philip was no longer a part of her life, and their first date should be forgotten. But, there she was, wearing that provocative red dress that had so effectively captured Philip's attention and ultimately changed the course of her own life.

Chloe buried her head in her hands and prayed that she would open her eyes and never have to face the memories of her adolescence again. She wanted the past to leave her alone with her daily misery.

A soft, tender touch on Chloe's arm jerked her away from her thoughts. Turning to face her intruder, she found Philip intensely staring at her, his lips curved into the slightest of warm smiles. When he stood, he reached his hands down for Chloe, waiting for her to allow him to help her to her feet.

Keeping her gaze solely focused on Philip's hands and not the familiar dark suit he wore from that high school dance, Chloe reached out for him. She released the breath she had been holding when her hands were safely in his. There were no footsteps, no interruptions. There was only Philip's warm touch.

Philip placed a gentle kiss on Chloe's hand, never breaking eye contact with her. Lifting his lips from her skin, Philip cocked his head to one side and declared, "I didn't want to go away. You made me. You made me go away."

Tightening her grip on Philip's hands, Chloe countered, "No, no, I never wanted to be left alone."

"No, my love, you didn't want to be left alone - you wanted to be left with Brady. And, may the angels have mercy on us all, you got your wish. You broke my heart, Chloe. You broke me."

In a whisper, Chloe pleaded, "Please, forgive me. I didn't want to hurt you."

"But, you loved him."

Nodding, Chloe answered, "Yes. But, I loved you, too. Why won't you just let me forget? Why must you drag me back to the past?"

"Because, dearest love, the past is not an object you can discard of as though it were a feather that would float away in the wind. It is a part of you, a part you can never rid yourself of." Turning Chloe so she had her back to him and was staring at the mirrors, Philip stated, "Your present is but a reflection of your past, and your future only another reflection. However, looks, much like love, can be deceiving."

Chloe turned to ask Philip what he meant, but instead found herself staring once again into a pair of hypnotizing eyes. Her breath deserting her, Chloe stepped away from her former love and returned her gaze to the mirrors surrounding her.

Her reflection had changed once more. The curls were gone, and her perfectly straight hair cascaded down her back, a hint of glitter sparkling from it. Replacing the red dress was a baby blue one made of the softest material her skin had ever encountered. Looking past where the hem of the dress came to a stop just above her knees, Chloe saw her feet were sporting a familiar pair of sandals.

It was yet another outfit that Chloe recognized. This particular ensemble was what she had been wearing the night she and Brady made love for the first time.

Looking beyond her own reflection, Chloe could see Brady solemnly standing a foot or so behind her. He wore an unbuttoned white shirt and a pair of simple blue jeans. The same as he had been wearing when she arrived at his apartment that special night those years ago.

"I'm so tired, Brady. I want these games to be over."

Brady closed the distance between their bodies and wrapped her in his arms. Chloe allowed her hands to rest on Brady's exposed chest and enjoyed the feeling of his skin touching hers like it had so often done in the past. She had so greatly missed the gentle touches they had shared and the passionate kisses that had been a trademark of their time together. More than anything else, she had just missed having him near her.

"The only way to end the game is to win. And, you can't win if you're not playing."

"What are you saying?"

"You know what I'm saying, Chloe. You've known all along. You've allowed yourself to hide for far too long. The time has come to play for keeps. Don't allow the false appearances to conquer you before you've even given the game your best."

Chloe sat straight up in her bed and clutched her hands to her chest. She forced herself to take several deep, calming breaths. Tears that remained from the haunting dream made a path down her cheeks as Chloe realized what she must do.

Play the game to end the false appearances.

~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~

The immense throbbing in Mimi's head easily convinced the rest of her body parts that it would be far better to keep their place between the silk sheets rather than attempt any movement. Heedlessly, Mimi made a feeble effort at opening her eyes, but the sun shining directly in through the bedroom window halted such a motion. Moaning lightly, Mimi languidly rolled over to escape the brightness of the sun.

While avoiding the sunlight, Mimi found herself coming in contact with a warm, muscular body. Through the haze that controlled her mind, Mimi felt certain that the body wasn't supposed to be in her bed. She couldn't remember bringing Jason to her bed. Then again, she couldn't remember going to her bed at all.

In his sleep, the man pulled Mimi closer and moaned, "Chloe."

Despite her splitting headache, Mimi hurriedly sat up in bed and looked at her companion. That was when she realized the reason she didn't remember going to her bed was that she hadn't. She was in his bed.

Feeling incredibly dirty, Mimi pulled the gold sheets closer to her body and scooted away from him. She fought back the tears as she glanced around the room for her garments. Despair washed over her when she vaguely recalled a faded memory of losing half her clothing before she even made it to the top of the stairs.

Brady opened his eyes only to find Mimi staring at him with a panic- stricken face. The normal husband would have felt worry or sympathy for his wife, but Brady only felt contempt. Tossing what sheets remained over him aside, Brady crossed the room, knowing that Mimi would purposely avoid looking at his bare physique. After all, the only reason things had gotten so out of control last night had been because of Mimi's complete drunkenness and Brady's loneliness. And, neither was likely to mistake a heartless night of meager passion with the true love both had tasted with someone they just couldn't have.

Pulling on a pair of boxers, Brady glared at Mimi a moment before demanding, "What's the problem, Meems? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Don't."

"Don't what? Don't ask my wife what she wants? I thought that every wife loved having an adoring husband who asked her what she wanted."

Mimi bit her lip as she fought back the tears. She wasn't sure which hurt more, overhearing Jason, the man she sincerely loved, say that he only used her to get back at Brady, or allowing Brady to use her to fulfill a desire that could only truly be quenched by Chloe. Avoiding eye contact with her husband, Mimi responded, "You disgust me, do you know that?"

"Trust me, the feeling is mutual. I swear, I honestly don't know how much longer I can take your incessant whining and whimpering."

"Do you know what I can't take anymore, Brady? I can't take knowing that when you wake up in the morning, I'm the last person that you think of!"

Clad only in a pair of hunter green boxers, Brady stood near the dresser and threw Mimi his harshest glare. As much as he despised agreeing with her, she was right, and he knew it. When his eyes first fluttered open in the mornings, it wasn't her face that he dreamed of seeing. It never had been. For as long as he'd known what love truly was, Brady had desired only one woman. It was the same woman who had first taught him about love and opened his heart to a world of hope. Heaven help him, Brady wanted Chloe Lane.

Refusing to allowing Mimi the slightest opportunity to win the battle, Brady callously responded, "Yeah, well, face it, Mimi, you asked for this." Waving his hands around the room, Brady declared, "This entire life is the one that you created for the both of us! Do you think I enjoy having to spend every day of my life with you? God, no. But, I do, and it's all your fault."

Hot tears raced down Mimi's cheeks at Brady's truthful words. No matter how hateful he was, Brady wasn't the one to blame. Mimi was. After spending most of her life blaming others for her miseries, Mimi knew that it was time to take responsibility for her own actions. She had been the one to condemn herself and Brady to a life devoid of love, now she would simply have to endure it.

Brady quickly crossed the room and perched himself on the edge of the bed closest to Mimi. Leaning over close to his abhorred spouse, Brady angrily remarked, "I honestly hate you. But, I think you know that." Fighting back his own tears of rage, Brady continued, "You honestly asked for this Mimi. You were asking for it the moment you started purring up against me that Christmas Eve. Of course, that was just the beginning, wasn't it, dear? The repulsive night we shared was only a sign of the horrible things you would bring to both of us. Now, you have everything you schemed for. An expensive home and car. A handsome, rich husband. All the friends that money can buy. And, now that you have everything that you plotted for, what do you do? You lay there in my bed and cry! How can you dare to cry when this is what you wanted?"

Mimi placed her hands over her face to block Brady's irate face from her view. Tightly shutting her eyes, Mimi whimpered, "I just wanted someone to love me."

Disgusted by not only Mimi, but himself, Brady removed himself from the bed and walked to the closet in search of a pair of jeans and a shirt. All he wanted was to find some clothing, throw it on his body, and get away from Mimi. He just couldn't handle seeing her there in a place where Chloe belonged.

~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~

Shawn gruffly jerked the front door open. Upon seeing his visitor, Shawn reared his head back and released an unattractive groan. It was definitely too early in the morning to be dealing with him. Of course, there was never really a good time to endure the man who was married to your true love.

"What do you want, Philip?"

Pushing his way past Shawn and into the house, Philip impatiently waited for Shawn to close the door before he began his rant. "Stay away from her."

"I'm going to go out on a limb here, Phil, and assume that you're talking about Belle."

"Who else would I be talking about?" Running a hand through his hair, Philip stated, "I don't want you going anywhere near her."

"What about what Belle wants? Or, doesn't that matter?"

Philip shook his head with frustration. There was no way he was going to allow anyone, especially Shawn, to take Belle away from him. At the age of twenty-three, Philip had already lost one great love, he wasn't going to lose another. "She's my wife."

"For now," forewarned Shawn as he approached Philip. Standing toe-to-toe with his uncle, Shawn continued, "I loved her more than you ever could, and she felt the same way about me. Whether you like it or not, I will win Belle back."

"Over my dead body."

"Don't tempt me, Uncle Phil."

Philip gave an unamused laugh before shoving Shawn away from him. "I dare you to come after me. I honestly dare you."

Turning his back to Philip, Shawn tried counting to ten before making another remark. He only got to five before Philip interrupted his thoughts by stating, "You're not wanted here, so just leave. It would be best for everyone."

"You mean that it would be best for you, because you wouldn't have to lose Belle to me. Well, newsflash, Philip, it's only a matter of time before Belle follows her heart and comes back to me on her own. The love we shared is so great that no one, including you, can destroy it. One way or another, I'll find a way to show her just how much I love her."

"I have to say that you sure have a funny way of showing your love, Shawn. Why don't you explain to me how disappearing for five years is a way of showing someone how much you care? Then again, you never were the best at expressing things were you? But, I guess that was sort of a blessing in disguise for you since it allowed you to keep your feelings for Chloe hidden, huh?"

Shawn found himself speechless. Though the largest part of what Philip had said was nothing but rubbish, the last part had fully captured his attention. If he didn't know better, Shawn might think that Philip believed he had been in love with Chloe. Considering Belle was the only woman he had ever loved, Shawn found the idea of being in love with Chloe fairly ridiculous.

Before Shawn had time to put his many questions into words, Philip had brushed past him and made his way to the front door. Pulling it open, Philip paused for a moment before turning back to face Shawn. "Belle's my world. I refuse to let you take her away from me. So, why don't you go and crawl under whatever rock you and Chloe reside under. You two deserve each other."

Upon Philip slamming the door shut, Shawn decided to head upstairs to finish getting dressed. Then, he would track down Jason and finish the conversation they had started the previous night. Shawn found it incredibly strange that Philip suspected him of having feelings for Chloe when Jason had been the one to sleep with her before she left town. Then again, that wasn't the only thing in Salem that seemed a little strange to Shawn.

Things definitely weren't what they appeared to be, but Shawn was determined to discover each and every secret. Somewhere, there was a hidden truth that was causing all the turmoil in Salem. And, Shawn had a feeling that if he discovered what that truth was, he would discover the way to win back Belle.