Victor had just finished eating lunch and gone to his study when Henderson announced that his grandson had arrived and wished to see him. Brady may not have been Victor's only grandson, but he was the only one that bothered to visit. Victor had learned long ago that his other grandson, Bo's son, wanted almost nothing to do with him. Worse, he doubted if Shawn even considered him family. Shawn's name alone was testament that no one considered him a member of the Kiriakis family. Shawn-Douglas Brady was said to be named for his two grandfathers - Shawn Brady and Doug Williams. Brady Victor Black, however, was living proof of Victor and his heritage, and he had the name to prove it.

"Hello, Victor," casually greeted Brady as he plopped into a chair in front of Victor's desk. He then proceeded to use Victor's desk as a foot stool.

Hiding his amused grin, Victor responded, "Hello, Brady. I hope you have good news for me."

Giving a slight raise of his eyebrows, Brady sardonically asked, "Would I ever disappoint my favorite grandfather? Oh, wait, you're my only++ grandfather I have in my life."

Victor grimaced as he realized just how bitter Brady was about the situation with his family. Deciding that it would do Brady no good to cut him unnecessary slack, Victor remarked, "Why don't you just tell me how things are going with Chloe."

"Don't worry about Chloe Lane. She'll be eating out of my hand in no time. I've already started convincing her that Philip deserves to have someone who can return his feelings instead of some heartless diva who doesn't even show emotions," smugly responded Brady as he tried to convince himself that the smugness he was portraying was actually how he felt. Still, Brady was beginning to wonder if he just might be losing the battle to stay objective where Chloe was involved.

"For Philip's sake, I hope you're right," sternly replied Victor as he watched his grandson stand and leave the room. In the back of his mind, Victor knew that Brady never did anything without some type of motive. And, even farther back in his mind, Victor carelessly wondered if Brady's true goal wasn't to separate Philip from Chloe, but to have Chloe realize on her own that she should separate from Philip. Of course, Victor refused to allow those thoughts to come very close to the surface. He couldn't. He had to protect his son's future first.

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

"Mom," pleaded the young man in a childish voice. "Come on, Mom, don't make me do this. Please? I swear I'll behave like the perfect son."

The woman turned and gave her son a stern look that assured him that there was no way she was giving in to him this time. Smugly she stated, "You did the crime, now you have to do the time. Next time, you won't break curfew. If you aren't old enough to be home on time, then you must not be old enough to make the decision about whether or not to come here."

Jason gave one last groan as his mother rang the doorbell. He wondered if it was too late to turn and run. Then again, his mother would probably just call the cops and have him brought right back here.

When the door opened, Jason's mother, Catherine, jumped forward and gave the woman who had opened the door a hug.

"Maureen! Oh, how are you? It seems like ages since we've gotten together for lunch."

Maureen Lockhart smiled warmly and responded, "I'm fine. I'm just glad that you and Jason could make it." As she led the Masters into the brightly decorated living room, Maureen continued, "Mimi is going to be so surprised by this birthday party. I think that she believes we forgot all about her birthday."

"I'm sure your daughter is going to love the party. Jason and I are just glad that you invited us." As she said the last part, Catherine roughly jabbed her only son in the side, a silent command to also thank Mrs. Lockhart.

"Yeah, thanks for inviting us," mumbled Jason as he began to formulate an escape route.

Maureen smiled graciously at Jason and decided to let him off the hook so he could at least join his friends instead of being trapped with two older adults. "You know, Jason, all the other kids are in the backyard. I bet they'd really like it if you went out and joined them."

Without a moment's hesitation, Jason fled the room in search of the younger crowd. As they watched him flee, the two older women laughed.

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

Meanwhile, at Salem Place, Belle was saddled with the task of keeping Mimi occupied until it was time for her surprise birthday party. Of course, for Belle a few hours of shopping was anything but a difficult task.

"So, Belle, why exactly are we here again?"

Doing her best to sound completely honest, Belle replied, "Well, duh! We're here to shop, silly."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Mimi replied, "Belle what could you possibly need to shop for? You already have everything."

Becoming slightly defensive, Belle replied, "I do not."

Mimi gave her best friend a quick glance before challenging, "Oh, really? Name one thing that you want but don't have."

Belle, determined to prove Mimi wrong and save herself from becoming thought of as nothing but a spoiled princess, attempted to name just one thing that she wanted but didn't have. "Well, I don't have a . . . Um, I . . ." Suddenly Belle's thoughts were filled with an image of the one person she wanted but didn't have. The sudden fade from reality did not go unnoticed by Mimi.

"Oh, I get it."

Snapped back from her thoughts of Shawn, Belle asked, "What do you get?"

"The one thing that you want but don't have. Shawn Brady. Of course, that one's just a matter of time."

"What? That's ridiculous! Why does everyone keep on saying things like that?"

After taking a sip of her soft drink, Mimi countered, "You know, Belle, everyone can't be wrong."

With a glint of determination being cast over her eyes, Belle said, "Oh, yes they can, and they are. Just wait and see. There will never be anything between me and Shawn-Douglas Brady. Never." With that Belle began to furiously walk to the next store on her list.

Before taking off to follow her friend, Mimi knowingly stated, "Never say never, Belle."

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

When Jason reached the Lockhart's backyard, he immediately spotted Shawn helping Mimi's brother Connor with his model airplane. A quick glance around the yard showed no one else that Jason was even remotely interested in talking to. So, out of boredom and lack of other options, Jason decided to go hang out with Shawn and the squirt.

Hearing someone call his name, Shawn looked up from the airplane and was surprised to see Jason Masters. Birthday parties really weren't Jason's thing, especially the kind where the whole family gathered around the cake to watch the birthday person blow out the candles. For some reason, Shawn had always thought of Jason as the kind of guy that wouldn't be seen dead at a party like this.

"Jason, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Yeah, well, I just couldn't resist a wild and crazy party like this," sarcastically responded Jason as he scanned the crowd for Joey or anyone else he considered as cool as himself. Of course, that was a very short list.

A tugging at his shirt caught Jason off guard. Looking down he discovered that Connor's hand was firmly attached to the bottom of his shirt as the younger child tried to get Jason to pay attention to him.

With completely innocent eyes, the boy asked, "Do you want to play with my play station with me?"

Jason could do nothing but give the kid a dumbfounded look as he tried to process the simple request. When was the last time anyone, other than his own mother, had really wanted to spend time hanging out with him? Or at least the him that didn't sling insults at anyone with a noticeable flaw.

"Please?"

Unable to tell the kid no and thinking that it might actually be a little fun, Jason answered, "Sure, kid. Why not?"

As Jason and Connor headed to the house, Shawn meekly called out, "Hey, what about me?"

"Ah, it's okay Shawn. So what if an eight year old left you for Jason "the Jerk" Masters. Everyone gets rejected sometime. Well, everyone but me," teased a person walking up to Shawn.

Jokingly, Shawn responded, "Shut-up, Philip. You and I both know that I'm ten times as popular -and influential- as you are. Face it, bud. I'm obviously the better of the two of us."

Shaking his head, Philip replied, "Is that so? Then, explain to me how I am Captain of both the football and basketball teams, and you are, well, a nobody."

"As usual, Phil, you are wrong. Did you forget that I was voted Junior Class Favorite? Well, me and Belle, of course."

"And, as I recall, I was voted the King of the Last Blast my sophomore year, with Chloe as my Queen, of course."

"Oh, come on, even you can do better than that Philip. It's kinda sad that your biggest achievement involves a Sophomore dance and a whole lot of chicken blood."

"This coming from the disco man himself."

Smirking slightly, Shawn said, "Ouch, that hurt. Really, Philip, I think you mortally wounded me. Next thing I know, you'll be putting headless chickens on my doorstep."

"I guess that would be followed by you dropping a good ole bowl of clam chowder at my door."

"Would the two of you just shut-up," snapped Jan as she passed by the boys. "You are totally getting on my nerves."

"Here that, Shawn? We are totally getting on her nerves."

Smiling at his uncle, Shawn mocked, "Oh, no, like what a total shame."

Jan tossed her hair over her shoulders and began to walk away. She stopped only for a moment to say, "The two of you are so immature. Not to mention pathetic. Then again, what could I expect from Ghoul Girl's fan club?"

Philip and Shawn just gave each other a look that both understood meant that they couldn't wait for the party to be over.

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

"What's this? Chloe Lane without her lovesick puppy? Gee, Chloe, what did you do to my Uncle Phil? Don't tell me he finally wised up and dumped you - along with your lousy voice."

For a moment, Chloe did not reply to Brady's senseless teasing. When she did answer, however, her voice was very low and quite calm. It lacked the fire that had originally drawn Brady to her. "Actually, Philip is at a party."

Curiosity and perhaps a twinge of genuine concern filling him, Brady sat down on the bench beside Chloe and asked, "Why aren't you with him? I thought the two of you were tighter than Siamese twins."

Using the same quiet, emotionless tone, Chloe answered, "I wasn't invited. Mimi's mother said that it would be best if I didn't go to the party because it might make Mimi uncomfortable. And, Philip's father insisted that he go. There was no way he could get out of it."

"Don't feel bad, the Lockharts didn't invite me to their little shindig either. Then again, I don't think I would really want to be hanging out with those people. Do you?"

Making eye contact with Brady for the first time since he had sat down, Chloe truthfully said, "No, I guess not. It just hurts that no one really wants me there."

Becoming slightly aggressive, Brady said, "Like any of their narrow-minded opinions matter."

Inspired somewhat by Brady's intensity, Chloe responded, "Exactly. Why should I care what a bunch of useless high school bums think of me?"

"Now, that's the Chloe I know and . . . well, don't always hate."

"Gee, Brady, you're such a poet with all those compliments. Really, you're going to make me blush."

"I didn't know vampires could blush. Then again, you are sitting here in the sunlight, so I guess anything is possible."

"That may be the one thing I actually agree with you about. Anything is possible."

Brady looked at Chloe and wondered just what she was thinking. As long as she found something that brought life back into her, Brady would be content. He just couldn't bear the Chloe that had recently appeared.

Usually, Chloe would be slinging the insults faster than Brady could sarcastically make a remark. Lately, though, Chloe had become increasingly withdrawn. Sure, she still hung out with her friends and came over to talk to Belle, but something was definitely pulling her down. And, Brady was beginning to think it had to do with her problems at home.

Now that Brady took a moment to think about it, Chloe had actually been spending more time than usual with her friends. Therefore, she was spending less and less time at home. Brady felt even more certain that the almost imperceptible change he had noticed in Chloe was the fault of her mother. Then, there were the obvious problems in her and Philip's dreamland. It looked as if Chloe was finally beginning to realize that a relationship couldn't be built on dreams alone.

In a moment of inner weakness, Brady felt true guilt for being even a small part of the cause of Philip and Chloe having to watch their most treasured dreams shatter before them. It may not have happened yet, but Brady knew Chloe was too much of a realist to not wake up from the dream she loved but, ironically, couldn't have true love in.