I disclaim. I do not own these characters.
Brady held Chloe's hand and waited patiently while she tried to figure out exactly what she wanted to say. He was more than a little nervous. Tonight, he had put his heart on the line and admitted he loved Chloe. Sure, she'd said she felt the same way. But, there seemed to be so many obstacles in their way-Chloe's illness for one. Brady wanted to believe with all of his heart and soul that she would beat the leukemia and go on to live a long, happy life. However, he knew that not everyone was that lucky. His mother had been young and spirited, but that didn't stop her life from ending much too soon. And, if Chloe would beat this illness, what then? She could easily end up back in Uncle Phil's clutches. She said that she found Phillip exhausting right now, but as a cancer survivor with a new lease on life, she might see his enthusiasm differently. She might find it refreshing. And what about Julliard? More than anything, Brady wanted to see Chloe happily living out her dream. He certainly would not keep her from going to New York. Could they handle a long distance relationship?
Chloe looked at Brady's face and realized that she couldn't keep him waiting any longer. It was hard to put into words what she was feeling, but she had to try. They had to be the right words. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Brady. She had to make sure he didn't misunderstand what he meant. But, ready or not, she would have to start talking right now. She could tell that he was anticipating the worst-that he was wondering what kind of future they could have. She needed to put his mind at ease.
"Brady, this is a very difficult time that I'm going through right now. And I realize that it isn't just hard on me-it is affecting everyone who cares about me. If something happens to me, you are going to be the ones who are left behind to deal with everything..."
"Chloe, you're not going..." Brady started to interrupt.
"Brady, please just let me finish. Listen, I can't offer you much. I don't have very much that truly is mine anymore. My body isn't mine right now-the chemo and the cancer cells are fighting each other for possession of it. I can't always depend on my mind-it tends to get a little cloudy from lack of sleep and medication. I can't offer you a future because I don't even know how much of one I have. But there are two things that the cancer can't touch, and those are my heart and soul. And from those come my ability to love. Brady, I'm going to give you the only thing I have left to give. I'm going to give you my love. And because that's all I have to give, that's all I can ask for in return. I just want you to love me, Brady."
"Chloe, I don't understand. I already do love you-you know that."
"Yes, Brady, I know. I just don't want you to ever be afraid again of telling me how you feel. In fact, I'd like you to tell me as often as possible."
Brady reached over and stroked Chloe's cheek. "Oh Diva, I love you so much. I'll never get tired of saying it."
"Good, because I'll never get tired of hearing it." She smiled at him, and he squeezed her hand.
"I'm still confused though, Chloe. I mean, what are we to each other now?"
He looked troubled, but her smile stayed firmly in place. She pulled him gently towards her so that he was sitting beside her in the bed. He put his arms around her, careful not to disturb her I.V.
"That's a good question. At this point, we aren't exactly dating. I mean, how can we date when I'm in this hospital bed? We're certainly more than friends because we share a romantic love, not a platonic one. So what are we? We are so many things to each other. We're best friends, confidantes, two people in love. I guess there is one word that sums all of that up nicely--we're soul mates, Brady. And that is what is going to help us through this difficult time. We're going to share our souls with each other, like we always have. Only now, there is a stronger emotion underlying it all...love."
Brady kissed the top of her head. "You make it sound so simple."
"Right now, we have to make it simple. We can't date, and we can't ignore our feelings. So, for now, we have to be at some kind of middle ground. And if I make it through this, we'll be able to move on with a future together. And.if I ....don't make it, well, then at least we'll know that for a few precious moments, we knew this wonderful feeling called love. I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm saying, so let me make one thing very clear, Brady Black. If...no...when, I make it through this, I'm not letting you go. I'm claiming you as mine. If we can survive this together, we can get through anything. And don't think I don't know what you've been thinking. You're worried about Phillip, and about Julliard. Don't worry about those things, Brady, now or ever. Time is too precious to waste worrying. I love Phillip, but I'm not in love with him. And, when I go away to Julliard, you and I will find a way to make it work. I promise. But right now, we need to get through the obstacle at hand, and for that, I need your love and support."
Before Brady realized what was happening, tears began streaming down his cheeks.
"Brady, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"You know something, Diva," he said through his tears. "I always thought I was the wise one in this relationship. But, I was wrong. You're the one with all of the wisdom and the strength. I don't know how you do it. Here you are in the middle of the most trying time in your life, and you're comforting me when it should be the other way around. You never cease to amaze me. I have to be the luckiest man in the world to have your love."
"Don't you get it, Brady? You're the reason I'm able to be so strong through all of this. You have been so optimistic these past few weeks, and it has rubbed off on me. You give me that extra push whenever I don't think I can go any farther. I'm the one who's lucky."
They sat in silence with Brady's arms wrapped tightly around Chloe, until, for the second time that night, Brady said something that he didn't mean to declare out loud.
"I want to kiss you, Chloe."
Brady held Chloe's hand and waited patiently while she tried to figure out exactly what she wanted to say. He was more than a little nervous. Tonight, he had put his heart on the line and admitted he loved Chloe. Sure, she'd said she felt the same way. But, there seemed to be so many obstacles in their way-Chloe's illness for one. Brady wanted to believe with all of his heart and soul that she would beat the leukemia and go on to live a long, happy life. However, he knew that not everyone was that lucky. His mother had been young and spirited, but that didn't stop her life from ending much too soon. And, if Chloe would beat this illness, what then? She could easily end up back in Uncle Phil's clutches. She said that she found Phillip exhausting right now, but as a cancer survivor with a new lease on life, she might see his enthusiasm differently. She might find it refreshing. And what about Julliard? More than anything, Brady wanted to see Chloe happily living out her dream. He certainly would not keep her from going to New York. Could they handle a long distance relationship?
Chloe looked at Brady's face and realized that she couldn't keep him waiting any longer. It was hard to put into words what she was feeling, but she had to try. They had to be the right words. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Brady. She had to make sure he didn't misunderstand what he meant. But, ready or not, she would have to start talking right now. She could tell that he was anticipating the worst-that he was wondering what kind of future they could have. She needed to put his mind at ease.
"Brady, this is a very difficult time that I'm going through right now. And I realize that it isn't just hard on me-it is affecting everyone who cares about me. If something happens to me, you are going to be the ones who are left behind to deal with everything..."
"Chloe, you're not going..." Brady started to interrupt.
"Brady, please just let me finish. Listen, I can't offer you much. I don't have very much that truly is mine anymore. My body isn't mine right now-the chemo and the cancer cells are fighting each other for possession of it. I can't always depend on my mind-it tends to get a little cloudy from lack of sleep and medication. I can't offer you a future because I don't even know how much of one I have. But there are two things that the cancer can't touch, and those are my heart and soul. And from those come my ability to love. Brady, I'm going to give you the only thing I have left to give. I'm going to give you my love. And because that's all I have to give, that's all I can ask for in return. I just want you to love me, Brady."
"Chloe, I don't understand. I already do love you-you know that."
"Yes, Brady, I know. I just don't want you to ever be afraid again of telling me how you feel. In fact, I'd like you to tell me as often as possible."
Brady reached over and stroked Chloe's cheek. "Oh Diva, I love you so much. I'll never get tired of saying it."
"Good, because I'll never get tired of hearing it." She smiled at him, and he squeezed her hand.
"I'm still confused though, Chloe. I mean, what are we to each other now?"
He looked troubled, but her smile stayed firmly in place. She pulled him gently towards her so that he was sitting beside her in the bed. He put his arms around her, careful not to disturb her I.V.
"That's a good question. At this point, we aren't exactly dating. I mean, how can we date when I'm in this hospital bed? We're certainly more than friends because we share a romantic love, not a platonic one. So what are we? We are so many things to each other. We're best friends, confidantes, two people in love. I guess there is one word that sums all of that up nicely--we're soul mates, Brady. And that is what is going to help us through this difficult time. We're going to share our souls with each other, like we always have. Only now, there is a stronger emotion underlying it all...love."
Brady kissed the top of her head. "You make it sound so simple."
"Right now, we have to make it simple. We can't date, and we can't ignore our feelings. So, for now, we have to be at some kind of middle ground. And if I make it through this, we'll be able to move on with a future together. And.if I ....don't make it, well, then at least we'll know that for a few precious moments, we knew this wonderful feeling called love. I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm saying, so let me make one thing very clear, Brady Black. If...no...when, I make it through this, I'm not letting you go. I'm claiming you as mine. If we can survive this together, we can get through anything. And don't think I don't know what you've been thinking. You're worried about Phillip, and about Julliard. Don't worry about those things, Brady, now or ever. Time is too precious to waste worrying. I love Phillip, but I'm not in love with him. And, when I go away to Julliard, you and I will find a way to make it work. I promise. But right now, we need to get through the obstacle at hand, and for that, I need your love and support."
Before Brady realized what was happening, tears began streaming down his cheeks.
"Brady, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"You know something, Diva," he said through his tears. "I always thought I was the wise one in this relationship. But, I was wrong. You're the one with all of the wisdom and the strength. I don't know how you do it. Here you are in the middle of the most trying time in your life, and you're comforting me when it should be the other way around. You never cease to amaze me. I have to be the luckiest man in the world to have your love."
"Don't you get it, Brady? You're the reason I'm able to be so strong through all of this. You have been so optimistic these past few weeks, and it has rubbed off on me. You give me that extra push whenever I don't think I can go any farther. I'm the one who's lucky."
They sat in silence with Brady's arms wrapped tightly around Chloe, until, for the second time that night, Brady said something that he didn't mean to declare out loud.
"I want to kiss you, Chloe."