A/N: Ok, well it's been forever since I updated this. I got distracted by
school and other things, and by the time I had time to write again, it was
announced that Chloe was leaving the show, so I was getting ready to mourn
the loss of Broe. However, I recently began law school, and I need
something calming to do in the little spare time I have, and writing does
that for me. So, if any of you are still reading, thanks to all who read
and especially to those who reviewed. I hope I did ok.it's hard to come
back to something after a year. Anyway, I think I've kept Brady waiting
long enough for Chloe's response.on to the story!
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"I want to kiss you, Chloe."
Brady pulled out of the hug. He couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth. "Ok," he thought, "did I lose my inner monologue tonight, or what? Obviously not, or I would have said that out loud too. What is wrong with me? Why do I keep complicating things?" Despite these thoughts, he couldn't help but stare at Chloe in anticipation of her answer.
Chloe was surprised, to say the least. This whole night had her completely stunned. This day had begun like every other day since she got sick. She woke up in her plain hospital room, wearing her dreadful hospital gown, and feeling fairly weak. Now, here she was in a room that could pass for home, except for the IV and few machines. She was dressed in her own pajamas, with her hair done, and was feeling beautiful for the first time in a long time. She felt strong enough to move mountains. Brady's love gave her that strength. It lifted her up. And now, here he was telling her he wanted to kiss her-something she had been dreaming about since that night at the gazebo. Chloe didn't realize how down she had been lately until all of these good things began to happen to make her spirit soar. It was almost too much for her. She began to tear up a little, but couldn't help smiling when she realized that while she was dealing with this rush of emotion, Brady was still waiting rather impatiently for an answer.
"My, Mr. Black, you certainly are direct today." Her voice was soft, so her attempt at banter instead came off as somberness to Brady.
"Chloe, it's Ok. I shouldn't have asked."
Chloe interrupted, "Brady, I never thought I'd say this, but I think you have self-esteem issues."
Brady was absolutely clueless. "Huh?"
"You know me so well, Brady. You have since the moment we met. And most of the time, you know exactly what I'm thinking or how I'm feeling. But for some reason, when it comes to what I'm thinking about you, you seem to have very low self-esteem."
"It's just that you sounded so solemn, and I."
Chloe interrupted again, "See, if you could get past that complex of yours, you would realize that I sounded that way because I am overwhelmed right now.with happiness." Chloe took Brady's hand. Brady, so many wonderful things have happened to me today. I never dreamed that I would even come close to feeling this good until we found a donor. But, you managed to make the impossible possible for me, Brady."
Brady began, "It was no big deal, I just."
"You know what our problem is, Brady?"
"What's that?"
"We both like to talk too much, and we both interrupt entirely too much."
"Are you suggesting that perhaps we're both a little egotistical?"
"What I'm suggesting," Chloe replied, "is that we'll never get anywhere if we keep analyzing all of this, so maybe we should just stop talking altogether."
Chloe paused to look into Brady's ocean blue eyes. Then, she leaned in slowly until her lips met his in a soft, tender kiss. Brady reached for Chloe's hand and entwined her fingers with his as they kissed. After a few moments, he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.
"I love you, Diva."
"I love you too, Brady."
Brady reached up and softly stroked her cheek. He kissed Chloe's forehead, her eyelids, the tip of her nose, and finally made his way back to her lips, and wrapped his arms around her as the kiss intensified.
An hour later, Craig came by Chloe's room to check on her. He heard the music before he got to the door. The unmistakable tune of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." Craig smiled. "Must be the music box Brady told me about."
The room was dark, except for a tiny night light beside the bed-just enough light to see the sleeping figures of Brady and Chloe. He was propped up on the pillows and she was snuggled in the crook of his arm. Both were smiling as they slept.
Craig softly shut the door behind him, unaware of the other spectator in the room.
"The most difficult times are behind you now, Brady," Isabella whispered softly, "now that you have opened your hearts to love, and to each other. Sleep well, darling boy."
"I want to kiss you, Chloe."
Brady pulled out of the hug. He couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth. "Ok," he thought, "did I lose my inner monologue tonight, or what? Obviously not, or I would have said that out loud too. What is wrong with me? Why do I keep complicating things?" Despite these thoughts, he couldn't help but stare at Chloe in anticipation of her answer.
Chloe was surprised, to say the least. This whole night had her completely stunned. This day had begun like every other day since she got sick. She woke up in her plain hospital room, wearing her dreadful hospital gown, and feeling fairly weak. Now, here she was in a room that could pass for home, except for the IV and few machines. She was dressed in her own pajamas, with her hair done, and was feeling beautiful for the first time in a long time. She felt strong enough to move mountains. Brady's love gave her that strength. It lifted her up. And now, here he was telling her he wanted to kiss her-something she had been dreaming about since that night at the gazebo. Chloe didn't realize how down she had been lately until all of these good things began to happen to make her spirit soar. It was almost too much for her. She began to tear up a little, but couldn't help smiling when she realized that while she was dealing with this rush of emotion, Brady was still waiting rather impatiently for an answer.
"My, Mr. Black, you certainly are direct today." Her voice was soft, so her attempt at banter instead came off as somberness to Brady.
"Chloe, it's Ok. I shouldn't have asked."
Chloe interrupted, "Brady, I never thought I'd say this, but I think you have self-esteem issues."
Brady was absolutely clueless. "Huh?"
"You know me so well, Brady. You have since the moment we met. And most of the time, you know exactly what I'm thinking or how I'm feeling. But for some reason, when it comes to what I'm thinking about you, you seem to have very low self-esteem."
"It's just that you sounded so solemn, and I."
Chloe interrupted again, "See, if you could get past that complex of yours, you would realize that I sounded that way because I am overwhelmed right now.with happiness." Chloe took Brady's hand. Brady, so many wonderful things have happened to me today. I never dreamed that I would even come close to feeling this good until we found a donor. But, you managed to make the impossible possible for me, Brady."
Brady began, "It was no big deal, I just."
"You know what our problem is, Brady?"
"What's that?"
"We both like to talk too much, and we both interrupt entirely too much."
"Are you suggesting that perhaps we're both a little egotistical?"
"What I'm suggesting," Chloe replied, "is that we'll never get anywhere if we keep analyzing all of this, so maybe we should just stop talking altogether."
Chloe paused to look into Brady's ocean blue eyes. Then, she leaned in slowly until her lips met his in a soft, tender kiss. Brady reached for Chloe's hand and entwined her fingers with his as they kissed. After a few moments, he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.
"I love you, Diva."
"I love you too, Brady."
Brady reached up and softly stroked her cheek. He kissed Chloe's forehead, her eyelids, the tip of her nose, and finally made his way back to her lips, and wrapped his arms around her as the kiss intensified.
An hour later, Craig came by Chloe's room to check on her. He heard the music before he got to the door. The unmistakable tune of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." Craig smiled. "Must be the music box Brady told me about."
The room was dark, except for a tiny night light beside the bed-just enough light to see the sleeping figures of Brady and Chloe. He was propped up on the pillows and she was snuggled in the crook of his arm. Both were smiling as they slept.
Craig softly shut the door behind him, unaware of the other spectator in the room.
"The most difficult times are behind you now, Brady," Isabella whispered softly, "now that you have opened your hearts to love, and to each other. Sleep well, darling boy."