Nancy Wesley forced herself to smile stiffly as she saw who was standing on her front porch. Swinging the front door completely open, Nancy tried her hardest to be polite as she greeted, "Hello, Jason. May I ask why you're here - with a picnic basket?"

With one hand stuffed in the pocket of his denim jeans and the other tightly grasping a picnic basket, Jason answered, "Actually, my mother heard about what happened to Chloe last night and sent me over with this. She thought that it might help to keep Chloe's spirits up or whatever."

Appearing behind his wife, Craig said, "Hello, Jason. I must say that I'm a little surprised to see you again so soon."

Extending the basket to Nancy, Jason explained once more, "My mom just wanted me to bring this over for Chloe."

Craig quickly stepped in front of Nancy before she could take the proffered basket from Jason's hands. With an overly bright smile, Craig casually suggested, "Chloe actually just woke up from her nap and mentioned that she was hungry. Why don't you just take the basket up to her room right now?"

"Craig . . ." Nancy began as she continued to keep that familiar stiff smile placed on her lips.

In a whisper too low for Jason to hear, Craig said, "Trust me, Nance. I have a feeling about this."

Staring skeptically at the doctor, Jason asked, "You want me to take this up to Chloe's room and give it to her?"

"Yeah, that's what I said," answered Craig with a bemused smirk.

Jason tossed the older man another skeptical look and asked, "You do remember that I'm the same guy who has teased Chloe since the day I met her, right? I mean, don't tell me that you forgot about how I sabotaged her at the talent show or how she and I are currently suspended from school because of our pranks."

"Don't remind me," replied Craig. "But, you did save Chloe's life last night. And, I think that she would like the chance to thank you."

"She already did," Jason blurted out before realizing that it was probably not in his best interest to tell Chloe's parents that he snuck into her hospital room following her attack.

"Oh, really?" Craig questioned. "You wouldn't happen to be the young man that one of the nurses saw leaving Chloe's hospital room last night, would you?"

Jason began to gently swing the picnic basket as his rare nervous nature took control, "Um, yeah, that was probably me unless Chloe had other guys leaving her room last night. Anyway, I just went in to make sure that she was okay. And, when she woke up, she thanked me for showing up when I did. So, since she's already thanked me, I guess there's really no need for me to take this food up to her."

Before Nancy could agree, Craig intervened once more, "Jason, do us all a favor and take the basket up there. All I'm asking you to do is deliver her food. At the most, I'd expect you to say hello. That's all."

"Fine," huffed Jason as Craig moved aside and allowed him entrance to the home. "But, that's all I'm going to do."

Craig chuckled softly and replied, "Fine, just take the basket up to Chloe's room. Her bedroom door is the first open door on the right."

Grumbling to himself, Jason trudged up the stairs. He wondered how exactly is was that he always got himself into odd situations when Chloe was involved. He'd only been in jail once, and that was the result of a fight he had with Philip concerning . . . Chloe. And, he'd only saved one girl his entire life and that was . . . Chloe. Then, he'd never brought anyone a picnic basket except . . . Chloe.

With almost silent steps, Jason walked down the hallway until he was standing just outside Chloe's bedroom door. He could hear her softly humming an unfamiliar tune to herself as she lay in bed.

Stepping into the open doorway, Jason reached over and used his fist to softly knock on the wall. Holding up the picnic basket, he began, "After I told my mother what happened, she insisted that I bring this over for you. She feels really bad that she didn't get to have dinner with you the other night."

Chloe instinctively smoothed down her hair and silently cursed her mother and Craig for allowing anyone to see her when she looked so unkept. Realizing that she had obviously been around Belle Black just a little too much, Chloe released a deep sigh and reminded herself that she didn't care what anyone thought of her - especially Jason Masters.

"So," Jason continued. "Do you want to start munching on this stuff now, or should I just sit it by the bed?"

Opening her mouth to speak, Chloe found that no words would escape. Did she want to eat the food now? If so, should she invite Jason to join her? Or, would it be best to ignore her growling stomach and have Jason put the food aside?

Interrupting Chloe's thoughts, Jason remarked, "It's not exactly an executive decision, Chloe. Do you want to eat now or not?"

"Well, I am really hungry," confessed Chloe as her stomach began to rumble once more.

"Then, it's settled." Walking to Chloe's bed, Jason handed her the basket and added, "Enjoy. And, hurry up and get better so I can have someone to torment until Kevin and his geeky pals get back from Orlando."

Chloe's sarcastic response didn't make it past her lips as she opened the picnic basket and began to remove the various items it contained. It was then that she realized Jason's mother had not only packed a picnic - she had packed a picnic for two people.

"It looks like your mom either thought that I was being starved to death and enjoyed drinking out of two glasses, or she expected you to stay and eat with me."

"So I see," commented Jason quietly.

Chloe avoided eye contact with her companion as she quickly asked, "Why don't you stay and eat a little? It won't take long."

"Um, you know, I don't want to intrude."

Raising an eyebrow, Chloe questioned, "Intrude? I've been ordered to stay in bed all day and my only company is Craig and Nancy. If you're trying to say that you're intruding, then I know that you must be in a hurry to get away from me."

"Is that your way of saying that you really want me to stay?" Jason asked cockily.

Chloe rolled her blue eyes and responded, "That's my way of saying that you might as well devour a plate of food while you're here."

"Gee, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?"

Their laughter filtered down the hallway as they became increasingly amused by the television program - and each other.

Struggling to breath normally, Chloe squealed, "I cannot believe that you like this!"

Taking one of the strawberries from the bowl on Chloe's lap, Jason questioned, "What's not to love? They're the three stooges."

"Exactly. They're three men running around like a bunch of idiots."

"If they're idiots, why are you laughing so hard," challenged Jason with a smile.

"Because, I just think it's funny how much they remind me of you, Shawn, and Philip."

Jason began to reach for another strawberry, but Chloe quickly moved the bowl to the right, just out of his grasp. Feigning anger, Jason declared, "First, you insult the stooges. Then, you try insulting me and my pals. And, now, you're keeping the strawberries from me. I always said you were an evil one."

From the doorway, Craig watched Jason and Chloe's light banter. After getting over his initial shock of seeing them so chummy, Craig noticed where exactly his step-daughter and Jason were - together on Chloe's bed.

He was suddenly glad that he had insisted on being the one to check on Chloe rather than allowing Nancy to come upstairs. Craig could only imagine his wife's reaction to seeing the athletic blonde lying on the bed with Chloe.

Slipping away from the door unobserved, Craig smiled to himself. After all that Chloe had been through during her troubled life, it was nice to see her getting along so well with one of the people who had helped make her miserable.

Still hungry for a strawberry, Jason said, "If you don't let me have one of those right now, I'll tell the entire school that you and I were in bed together - and you won't be able to deny it."

Her mouth dropping open, Chloe responded, "You wouldn't."

"Try me. Just hand over the berries and no one gets hurt."

Moving the bowl as far from Jason as she could as she lay in bed, Chloe countered, "Well, if you tell everyone that, then I won't have any choice but to tell all our classmates that you showed up at my house uninvited to seduce me with a picnic for two."

Unable to control his laughter, Jason questioned, "Seduce you? Oh, man, I'd love to see the K-man's face if you actually told him that I got to come in your bedroom through the actual door and not the window. And, once I was inside, I seduced you with a turkey sandwich and some lemonade."

Chloe began to also laugh and said, "How ridiculous does that sound? I mean, it's a big enough stretch of reality that you and I are actually able to share a meal without poisoning each other."

"Yeah, you and me? Now, that's a funny idea. Completely unbelievable, but still funny."

"Exactly. I mean, why would I ever want to be with someone like you?"

His smile dropping just slightly, Jason questioned, "Someone like me? What do you mean by that?"

Chloe returned her attention to the television screen as she casually commented, "Oh, you know."

"No, obviously I don't, or I wouldn't have asked."

Finally turning to face Jason once more, Chloe stated, "I just meant that you aren't exactly my type. If I was looking for love, it would be with someone more . . . intellectual and refined."

"So, what? Am I just another dumb jock? Is that what you're saying, Vampira?"

Jason's use of that familiar taunting name did not escape Chloe's attention. Somehow, she knew that she had managed to turn an otherwise wonderful afternoon into yet another angry battle with Jason Masters.

"If the shoe fits . . ." snidely replied Chloe.

Hopping off Chloe's bed, Jason began to walk toward her door. Halfway there, he turned and stated, " This is why you don't have any friends. You always have to act like some cold-hearted freak. Of course, it's not really an act is it?"

Her happy mood now destroyed, Chloe pointed to her door and demanded, "Get out. Get out and don't ever come back."

"Sounds good to me. I never want to see you again," responded Jason. Even as the words left his mouth, Jason doubted their sincerity. For reasons he had never understood, Chloe Lane had always captivated him. He was simply drawn to her. Whether it be as her enemy or almost as a friend, Jason reveled in being around the diva.

And, as Jason stomped out the door and down the hallway to the stairs, Chloe silently wondered what she could have said to make things right - and why she was so worried about her supposed enemy being angry with her.