The building storm hammered a hard rain against the windows of the Cheatin
Heart. Of course Shawn was paying it no mind. He was far too consumed with
wondering how to pick his jaw up from the barroom floor and stop his
expressive brown eyes from bugging right out of his head.
Blinking, Shawn willed himself to stay focused on what was being said as Mimi removed herself from the booth, followed by Jason. Had Mimi just admitted to sleeping with Jason? Did she say she loved him? Was the entire town flipped upside-down?
Before Jason could reply to Mimi's confession, Shawn asked him, "What? Are you the town gigolo?"
"What?!?" Jason quickly responded, his eyes darting back and forth between two of the few people that had known him before the world took away his dreams. Two of the few people who knew what a dreamer he really was.
Continuing in his state of near shock, Shawn rose from his seat and asked, "Is there anyone you haven't slept with?" His eyes widening even more if that was possible, Shawn slowly shook his head and hesitantly asked, "You haven't had sex with Belle have you? Please, say that you haven't."
Nearing Jason, Shawn vowed, "Because, I swear, if you toyed with her emotions while playing those little sex games of yours, I will make you pay."
The pure and sudden hostility in Shawn's words was more than enough to convince Jason to take a good step back from his old high school classmate. Still, Jason was being fueled by a little anger of his own. "First, I'm not the town gigolo. Second, why would you even ask if I slept with Belle?"
"You've slept with practically every other woman in this town, why not Belle?"
"Belle's married!"
Interrupting the conversation, Mimi demanded, "And, I'm not?"
Shawn practically ignored Mimi's interruption, asking, "So, if Belle wasn't married, you would sleep with her? Is that what you're saying?"
"Yes! I mean, no," stumbled Jason, his thoughts running together. "God, I don't even know what I mean anymore."
"Well," Mimi said, wiping her eyes once more. "I'll tell you what I know. You, Jason Masters, are a heartless bastard who just uses women for his own enjoyment. And, that's all you ever were or ever will be."
Remaining completely silent, Shawn watched the trickles of pain and hurt cross Jason's face, leaving him with a stern expression. Then, before Shawn could even really register the pain his friend must be feeling, a different emotion clearly washed over Jason - newfound determination.
Turning so that his back was to Shawn, Jason bore his green eyes into Mimi's, silently daring her to so much as try and look away. Towering over her, he quietly and calmly said, "You don't mean that, and I know it. We both know."
Giving an almost imperceptible shake of her head, Mimi responded, "No, you're wrong. I did mean it."
Whispering, Jason leaned closer to Mimi and pleaded, "Don't do this, Meems. Whatever is happening between us is special. You can't deny that."
More tears filled Mimi's eyes as she, like Jason, forgot that they had an audience and admitted, "I don't want to deny it, Jase. I just don't want to hurt anymore. Please, just leave me alone."
"No," forcefully stated Jason. "I can't do that. More than five years ago, I allowed us to throw away our chance at happiness. I refuse to make the same mistake again."
"It's not your decision to make."
"The hell it isn't. You just admitted that you loved me. And, God help us, I love you, too."
As Jason began to move closer to Mimi, she wordlessly backed away, her eyes never leaving his. Just when she thought that she had her tears under control, Jason Masters said the words she had waited a lifetime to hear.
Jason continued to push his body closer to Mimi as she continued to take tiny steps backward. However, when she felt herself up against the end of the pool table, Mimi knew that there was no place left to run.
"You love me, I love you. That's all that matters here, Mimi. That's all."
"I-I'm . . ." Taking a ragged breath, Mimi attempted to finish one of the few logical thoughts she still had. "Married . . . I'm married - to Brady."
"I don't care."
"You should," reprimanded Mimi.
"But, I don't," countered Jason, pressing his body against Mimi's. "I only care about one thing. Being with you - to hell with the consequences."
Several feet away from the couple, Shawn was openly staring. Watching Jason and Mimi's unique interaction left him with an almost empty feeling. And, he knew that there was only once person who could ever truly fill that void - Belle.
Of course, until Belle realized her own destiny, Shawn's attention remained captured by the scene unfolding before his very eyes. Just when he thought that he was beginning to understand things, it never failed that one of his old friends would do or say something so shocking, so unimaginable, that his entire balance was altered.
Gathering what little resistance she retained, Mimi stated, "I won't do this, Jason. I can't. I'm married to Brady. You and I just can't be together."
Placing both his hands firmly on Mimi's waist, Jason stated, "That's what you think."
Jason gave Mimi no time to react as he swiftly lifted her body and sat her atop the pool table. Reaching beside the only woman who had ever been able to steal his heart and breath, Jason lifted the pool sticks from the table and haphazardly dropped them to the floor.
Blissfully ignorant to the stares he was receiving from what few patrons the bar had, Jason slowly neared Mimi once more. To his delight, she scooted back just a little - giving him the space and opportunity to crawl onto the pool table.
Mimi attempted to scoot away from Jason, but he quickly took hold of her wrists, greatly limiting her amount of possible movement. When Jason began to yet again move closer to her, Mimi did the only thing she could do, slowly lean back onto the pool table. However, once her back was pressed to the green surface, Mimi realized that there would be no escape. And, she wasn't even sure she wanted one.
While Jason enjoyed his position above Mimi, Shawn gaped at the couple. What else could he do? After all, it wasn't exactly every day that two of your pals mounted the pool table at a bar.
Lowering his head so that the tip of his nose all but rested against Mimi's nose, Jason murmured, "Do you have any idea how much I want you? Your love? Your body?"
The question proved to be a rhetorical one when Jason slowly lowered his lips to Mimi's. And, as he moved his arm behind her back and lifted her to him, a loud crash of thunder echoed throughout the air and the room was plunged into complete and total darkness.
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
The large candles flickered softly in the dark night club, shedding an intimate glow over Philip and Chloe while releasing the light scent of lavender. Closing his large hand over Chloe's petite one, Philip quietly vowed, "This will get better. I promise - no matter what it takes to make things right."
Chloe gave her former love no response. She merely allowed her soft gaze to drift around Star Lane, wondering when the power would be restored. Silently, she pondered how she had managed to find herself so very far away from the dreams she had once lived for.
As the hideous sound of Brady slamming the door echoed through her mind, Chloe considered how ironic it was that she was sitting at a table in the corner of Brady's night club with Philip comforting her. It almost made Chloe feel guilty for having chosen to work alongside Jason instead of Philip. Still, Chloe knew that working with Jason Masters had been her best chance at having true love, having Brady.
While Chloe retreated into her own thoughts, Philip felt himself also getting lost as he pondered decisions that could never be corrected. Philip had once allowed himself to become terribly possessive when he realized that Chloe could never really love him as much as he loved her. He never blamed her, but he didn't exactly want to accept that truth. In fact, it had taken him years to truly come to terms with the love he could never have.
Philip wondered if Chloe would be so miserable if he had not once been so obsessed with keeping her for himself. Perhaps if he had let her go when he first realized she loved Brady, things could have been different. Maybe Brady would have never married Mimi. Maybe it would be Chloe who lived in the penthouse next-door. Maybe they could have found their own loves while preserving their friendship.
Pushing his hair away from his forehead, Philip caught a brief glance of a familiar figure moving in the shadows of the dark club. His mind throwing together all the problems he faced and all the solutions he needed, Philip came to one conclusion. He had to make things right - without losing Belle.
Keeping his gaze focused on the person across the room, Philip recalled a very recent conversation that he had originally wanted to forget.
(**flashback**)
As he sat on the couch, Philip could practically feel her rip away his clothing with her eyes. Some guys referred to her as a beautiful temptress, but when Philip looked at her, all he saw was the same sleazy tramp that he had known in high school. Only, now, she was even fiercer and more malicious.
Philip was beginning to wonder if it had been such a great idea to visit her and ask for her assistance. On one hand, she was the only person he knew that was heartless enough to aid him in his mission. However, on the other hand, she was also heartless enough to stab him in the back for no reason other than she was having an unpleasant day.
Giving Philip a seductive raise of her eyebrow, Jan wet her lips. She knew that she was going to have a lot of fun with her former classmate. Philip Kiriakis had never needed anything from her, and he had always opted to treat her as poorly as she treated Chloe.
"Oh, I am more than willing to help you, Philip - for a price."
"Why am I not surprised?"
Losing any traces of her former smile, Jan stated, "Don't try acting superior, Phil. I know you. If you want my help, then you're going to have to play by my rules. It's that simple."
"Just tell me what you want, Jan. I'm not in the mood to play your games."
Jan stood and walked around the coffee table so that she was standing directly in front of Philip as he sat on the couch. Boldly, she sat herself down on his lap. "You want to know what I want? I want what I've always wanted."
"And, that would be?"
"Whatever I can't have. In this case, that's you."
Finding it almost difficult to speak, Philip questioned, "Me?"
Jan's devilish smile returned as she replied, "Yes, Philip, I want you."
Philip pushed Jan off his lap and stood. He suddenly felt as if a marching band was giving a performance in his head. As he began to pace, Philip asked, "Why would you want me? I thought you were madly in love with your darling Jason."
"Forget about Jason. When he was with me, he only wanted one thing."
"Well, Jan, what did you expect? Since we were in high school, every guy within a hundred mile radius as known that your the easiest girl around. You're practically a free ride at the state fair."
"Just shut your mouth, Philip. Because, if you don't, you're going to offend me. And, if you do that, I won't help you keep your wife away from big, bad Shawn." Seeing that Philip only responded by stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pants, Jan continued, "You know that I can make sure Shawn Brady never stands a chance with Belle. But, first, you have to agree to give into my demands."
"Look, Jan, I don't know what exactly you're expecting from me. Just tell me what you want so we can finish this up."
"Do I have to spell it out? I want to take a ride on the 'Phil-mobile'. In fact, I want two nights with you. You have to give me one night of hot sex before I scheme to keep Shawn and Belle apart, and another night once the job is complete."
Philip found that he could do nothing more than just stare at Jan in disbelief. He had always believed Jan to be a despicable human being, but she was proving to be more disgusting with every passing moment. His voice returning to him, Philip shouted, "I am never sleeping with you!"
(**end flashback**)
Philip gently placed his hand under Chloe's chin and turned her saddened face to him. Leaning over, he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I think it's time I finally took care of things, Chloe. And, I think I know how."
Philip stood, but he was unable to walk away as Chloe reached out and took hold of his wrist. Staring up at him with the most soulful eyes Philip had ever known, Chloe said, "I'm sorry that I ever hurt you, Philip. You didn't deserve it."
"And, you didn't deserve to be with someone who didn't make you happy when you would be better off with another man. Things are going to work out for both of us, Chloe. I promise."
As Chloe relinquished her grasp on his wrist, Philip quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night club. His original intent for bringing her to Star Lane had been to simply put her in a public place that would force away some of her despair. However, Philip knew that if he was willing to make a sacrifice, he and Chloe could both have what they wanted.
Turning the corner, Philip found himself face-to-face with Jan. His expression stony, Philip stated, "You win - on one condition."
Blinking, Shawn willed himself to stay focused on what was being said as Mimi removed herself from the booth, followed by Jason. Had Mimi just admitted to sleeping with Jason? Did she say she loved him? Was the entire town flipped upside-down?
Before Jason could reply to Mimi's confession, Shawn asked him, "What? Are you the town gigolo?"
"What?!?" Jason quickly responded, his eyes darting back and forth between two of the few people that had known him before the world took away his dreams. Two of the few people who knew what a dreamer he really was.
Continuing in his state of near shock, Shawn rose from his seat and asked, "Is there anyone you haven't slept with?" His eyes widening even more if that was possible, Shawn slowly shook his head and hesitantly asked, "You haven't had sex with Belle have you? Please, say that you haven't."
Nearing Jason, Shawn vowed, "Because, I swear, if you toyed with her emotions while playing those little sex games of yours, I will make you pay."
The pure and sudden hostility in Shawn's words was more than enough to convince Jason to take a good step back from his old high school classmate. Still, Jason was being fueled by a little anger of his own. "First, I'm not the town gigolo. Second, why would you even ask if I slept with Belle?"
"You've slept with practically every other woman in this town, why not Belle?"
"Belle's married!"
Interrupting the conversation, Mimi demanded, "And, I'm not?"
Shawn practically ignored Mimi's interruption, asking, "So, if Belle wasn't married, you would sleep with her? Is that what you're saying?"
"Yes! I mean, no," stumbled Jason, his thoughts running together. "God, I don't even know what I mean anymore."
"Well," Mimi said, wiping her eyes once more. "I'll tell you what I know. You, Jason Masters, are a heartless bastard who just uses women for his own enjoyment. And, that's all you ever were or ever will be."
Remaining completely silent, Shawn watched the trickles of pain and hurt cross Jason's face, leaving him with a stern expression. Then, before Shawn could even really register the pain his friend must be feeling, a different emotion clearly washed over Jason - newfound determination.
Turning so that his back was to Shawn, Jason bore his green eyes into Mimi's, silently daring her to so much as try and look away. Towering over her, he quietly and calmly said, "You don't mean that, and I know it. We both know."
Giving an almost imperceptible shake of her head, Mimi responded, "No, you're wrong. I did mean it."
Whispering, Jason leaned closer to Mimi and pleaded, "Don't do this, Meems. Whatever is happening between us is special. You can't deny that."
More tears filled Mimi's eyes as she, like Jason, forgot that they had an audience and admitted, "I don't want to deny it, Jase. I just don't want to hurt anymore. Please, just leave me alone."
"No," forcefully stated Jason. "I can't do that. More than five years ago, I allowed us to throw away our chance at happiness. I refuse to make the same mistake again."
"It's not your decision to make."
"The hell it isn't. You just admitted that you loved me. And, God help us, I love you, too."
As Jason began to move closer to Mimi, she wordlessly backed away, her eyes never leaving his. Just when she thought that she had her tears under control, Jason Masters said the words she had waited a lifetime to hear.
Jason continued to push his body closer to Mimi as she continued to take tiny steps backward. However, when she felt herself up against the end of the pool table, Mimi knew that there was no place left to run.
"You love me, I love you. That's all that matters here, Mimi. That's all."
"I-I'm . . ." Taking a ragged breath, Mimi attempted to finish one of the few logical thoughts she still had. "Married . . . I'm married - to Brady."
"I don't care."
"You should," reprimanded Mimi.
"But, I don't," countered Jason, pressing his body against Mimi's. "I only care about one thing. Being with you - to hell with the consequences."
Several feet away from the couple, Shawn was openly staring. Watching Jason and Mimi's unique interaction left him with an almost empty feeling. And, he knew that there was only once person who could ever truly fill that void - Belle.
Of course, until Belle realized her own destiny, Shawn's attention remained captured by the scene unfolding before his very eyes. Just when he thought that he was beginning to understand things, it never failed that one of his old friends would do or say something so shocking, so unimaginable, that his entire balance was altered.
Gathering what little resistance she retained, Mimi stated, "I won't do this, Jason. I can't. I'm married to Brady. You and I just can't be together."
Placing both his hands firmly on Mimi's waist, Jason stated, "That's what you think."
Jason gave Mimi no time to react as he swiftly lifted her body and sat her atop the pool table. Reaching beside the only woman who had ever been able to steal his heart and breath, Jason lifted the pool sticks from the table and haphazardly dropped them to the floor.
Blissfully ignorant to the stares he was receiving from what few patrons the bar had, Jason slowly neared Mimi once more. To his delight, she scooted back just a little - giving him the space and opportunity to crawl onto the pool table.
Mimi attempted to scoot away from Jason, but he quickly took hold of her wrists, greatly limiting her amount of possible movement. When Jason began to yet again move closer to her, Mimi did the only thing she could do, slowly lean back onto the pool table. However, once her back was pressed to the green surface, Mimi realized that there would be no escape. And, she wasn't even sure she wanted one.
While Jason enjoyed his position above Mimi, Shawn gaped at the couple. What else could he do? After all, it wasn't exactly every day that two of your pals mounted the pool table at a bar.
Lowering his head so that the tip of his nose all but rested against Mimi's nose, Jason murmured, "Do you have any idea how much I want you? Your love? Your body?"
The question proved to be a rhetorical one when Jason slowly lowered his lips to Mimi's. And, as he moved his arm behind her back and lifted her to him, a loud crash of thunder echoed throughout the air and the room was plunged into complete and total darkness.
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
The large candles flickered softly in the dark night club, shedding an intimate glow over Philip and Chloe while releasing the light scent of lavender. Closing his large hand over Chloe's petite one, Philip quietly vowed, "This will get better. I promise - no matter what it takes to make things right."
Chloe gave her former love no response. She merely allowed her soft gaze to drift around Star Lane, wondering when the power would be restored. Silently, she pondered how she had managed to find herself so very far away from the dreams she had once lived for.
As the hideous sound of Brady slamming the door echoed through her mind, Chloe considered how ironic it was that she was sitting at a table in the corner of Brady's night club with Philip comforting her. It almost made Chloe feel guilty for having chosen to work alongside Jason instead of Philip. Still, Chloe knew that working with Jason Masters had been her best chance at having true love, having Brady.
While Chloe retreated into her own thoughts, Philip felt himself also getting lost as he pondered decisions that could never be corrected. Philip had once allowed himself to become terribly possessive when he realized that Chloe could never really love him as much as he loved her. He never blamed her, but he didn't exactly want to accept that truth. In fact, it had taken him years to truly come to terms with the love he could never have.
Philip wondered if Chloe would be so miserable if he had not once been so obsessed with keeping her for himself. Perhaps if he had let her go when he first realized she loved Brady, things could have been different. Maybe Brady would have never married Mimi. Maybe it would be Chloe who lived in the penthouse next-door. Maybe they could have found their own loves while preserving their friendship.
Pushing his hair away from his forehead, Philip caught a brief glance of a familiar figure moving in the shadows of the dark club. His mind throwing together all the problems he faced and all the solutions he needed, Philip came to one conclusion. He had to make things right - without losing Belle.
Keeping his gaze focused on the person across the room, Philip recalled a very recent conversation that he had originally wanted to forget.
(**flashback**)
As he sat on the couch, Philip could practically feel her rip away his clothing with her eyes. Some guys referred to her as a beautiful temptress, but when Philip looked at her, all he saw was the same sleazy tramp that he had known in high school. Only, now, she was even fiercer and more malicious.
Philip was beginning to wonder if it had been such a great idea to visit her and ask for her assistance. On one hand, she was the only person he knew that was heartless enough to aid him in his mission. However, on the other hand, she was also heartless enough to stab him in the back for no reason other than she was having an unpleasant day.
Giving Philip a seductive raise of her eyebrow, Jan wet her lips. She knew that she was going to have a lot of fun with her former classmate. Philip Kiriakis had never needed anything from her, and he had always opted to treat her as poorly as she treated Chloe.
"Oh, I am more than willing to help you, Philip - for a price."
"Why am I not surprised?"
Losing any traces of her former smile, Jan stated, "Don't try acting superior, Phil. I know you. If you want my help, then you're going to have to play by my rules. It's that simple."
"Just tell me what you want, Jan. I'm not in the mood to play your games."
Jan stood and walked around the coffee table so that she was standing directly in front of Philip as he sat on the couch. Boldly, she sat herself down on his lap. "You want to know what I want? I want what I've always wanted."
"And, that would be?"
"Whatever I can't have. In this case, that's you."
Finding it almost difficult to speak, Philip questioned, "Me?"
Jan's devilish smile returned as she replied, "Yes, Philip, I want you."
Philip pushed Jan off his lap and stood. He suddenly felt as if a marching band was giving a performance in his head. As he began to pace, Philip asked, "Why would you want me? I thought you were madly in love with your darling Jason."
"Forget about Jason. When he was with me, he only wanted one thing."
"Well, Jan, what did you expect? Since we were in high school, every guy within a hundred mile radius as known that your the easiest girl around. You're practically a free ride at the state fair."
"Just shut your mouth, Philip. Because, if you don't, you're going to offend me. And, if you do that, I won't help you keep your wife away from big, bad Shawn." Seeing that Philip only responded by stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pants, Jan continued, "You know that I can make sure Shawn Brady never stands a chance with Belle. But, first, you have to agree to give into my demands."
"Look, Jan, I don't know what exactly you're expecting from me. Just tell me what you want so we can finish this up."
"Do I have to spell it out? I want to take a ride on the 'Phil-mobile'. In fact, I want two nights with you. You have to give me one night of hot sex before I scheme to keep Shawn and Belle apart, and another night once the job is complete."
Philip found that he could do nothing more than just stare at Jan in disbelief. He had always believed Jan to be a despicable human being, but she was proving to be more disgusting with every passing moment. His voice returning to him, Philip shouted, "I am never sleeping with you!"
(**end flashback**)
Philip gently placed his hand under Chloe's chin and turned her saddened face to him. Leaning over, he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I think it's time I finally took care of things, Chloe. And, I think I know how."
Philip stood, but he was unable to walk away as Chloe reached out and took hold of his wrist. Staring up at him with the most soulful eyes Philip had ever known, Chloe said, "I'm sorry that I ever hurt you, Philip. You didn't deserve it."
"And, you didn't deserve to be with someone who didn't make you happy when you would be better off with another man. Things are going to work out for both of us, Chloe. I promise."
As Chloe relinquished her grasp on his wrist, Philip quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night club. His original intent for bringing her to Star Lane had been to simply put her in a public place that would force away some of her despair. However, Philip knew that if he was willing to make a sacrifice, he and Chloe could both have what they wanted.
Turning the corner, Philip found himself face-to-face with Jan. His expression stony, Philip stated, "You win - on one condition."
