A/N: Just want to let y'all know – the update fairy is leaving town until sometime next week – Wed. at the earliest. Some of you (named Katie heeheehee) – I know will be far too busy to worry about silly old PC fanfic ;) but for the rest of you – be assured I'll be back soon enough.

Hope this is enough to tide you over. ;) You didn't think it was going to be that easy did you?? LOL!

Until 16! xox-G

Chapter Fifteen

"Do you know if she saw it yet?" Alison asked nervously.

"No. I don't think she has." Abby replied with a sigh. "My son is an idiot – and his father's a bigger one for letting that be published." She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe they put him in charge."

"Well Abby – I guess you can say it's half true." Alison laughed.

"Which half? The part with her name?" Abby laughed back. She looked at the paper again as she muttered. "Idiot."

Billie walked in with her nose buried in the paper. She moved towards where Alison and Abby stood. Finishing, she looked up and stared at them in disbelief, fighting to find her voice.

"D-d-d-did you see this?" She stammered, shaking the newspaper.

"Billie, honey. I'm so sorry." Abby said with a sigh.

"He has no idea what he's talking about!! "Homerun Heiress" my ass. I can't even believe this!!! The best is I'm not even going to coach anymore." Billie's temper began to simmer, about to boil over. "I decided to see if I could get Ty on his team, because he's so crazy about him and he wants to be on the same team as Aidan and Ella. Did he even check that out at all? NO." Billie's eyes were on fire as she turned to face Alison and Abby. "I'm sorry to have to say this Abby - but your son is a complete and total moron."

"No argument from me sweetie." Abby said with a grin. "The unfortunate thing is that he takes after his father."

"Tell me where he is." Billie demanded. "Or maybe you shouldn't, because trust me when I see him I'm going to strangle him."

"My pleasure." Abby laughed as she wrote the address now. "I just wish I could come with you and watch."

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"So. What were you two talking about in there?" Cindy asked Grant with a grin.

"Hmm?" Grant replied, completely distracted. His head was still spinning from kissing Chloe.

"You know Boss, you two spent way too much time apart. It's obvious she's crazy about you." Cindy giggled as her hands moved to fix her hair. Today her platinum tresses were streaked with fuchsia and piled onto the top of her head. Cindy changed her haircolor to match her mood. She'd been in a pink phase all month.

"There's a lot you don't know, Cindy." Grant tried to dismiss her.

She wouldn't be swayed. She tapped her pen on the counter in time with the music. "I know. You were going to get married. Her mom died and she pushed you away and – even though you didn't want to - you left." Cindy shrugged like what she described was inconsequential. "C'mon. Admit it." She flashed him a huge grin. "You're head over heels."

"Did I mention to you that I already have two sisters who pry into my life on a daily basis?" Grant glared at her.

"Uh huh. Sorry Boss, but there's a reason." Cindy grinned wider. "Don't try and deny it. You're nuts about her."

Grant opened his mouth to protest but shut it quickly. Cindy was right, but there was so much to work through. Mostly, he was too scared to get hurt again.

"It's not that simple." He finally said quietly, knowing now that there was no way to escape it. He had to talk to Chloe and end this game they'd been playing – once and for all.

Cindy waved him off, not noticing the expression on his face. "Whatever. When it comes to true love - what do I know? The last guy I dated left in the middle of the night and stole my TV." She got angry just thinking about it. Shaking it off, she smiled at him again. "Grant. I'm just saying. If I ever was lucky enough to find something even close to what you two obviously have – nothing would stand in my way."

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Billie marched into the newsroom and saw him standing by his desk on the phone. Infuriated beyond belief, she walked straight to him and ripped the phone from his hand, slamming it down.

"Hey!!" Quinn yelled as he stared at her in shock. "Billie, what's the matter with you?"

"Pardon me if I'm disturbing you from writing those fictional tales you like to call news." She spat at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"You can rest easy – the little league is safe from "Baseball Barbie." Sorry to disappoint you – but I'm no longer coaching." She continued throwing the paper in his face.

"What!?!" Quinn gasped.

Billie wasn't quite through. "And I hate to break it to you but I happen to know all the rules of the game. Skipping – while not against the rules is a really slow way to advance the runner. I'd have expected my kids to hustle a bit more. You know – to get them to run I'd do something like promising them a half price sale on cashmere would be waiting for them if they got to home plate."

The pieces were falling into place. Quinn could see he'd made a colossal mistake.

Belinda and Bille were one and the same.

Her anger was turning into frustration. Her emotions were getting the best of her. "Did you hear what I said? I'm not coaching. Even though you mother was kind enough to employ me – if things stay as they are I might have to take a second job. I really wouldn't have time. And considering my nephew thinks the sun rises and sets by you – I thought he'd rather be able to play with his new friends rather than against them."

Second job? Quinn couldn't figure this out. The research he'd done told him that Belinda Larson was worth millions. She shouldn't even be working at all.

"Billie. Hold on. First, can I just say that I'm sorry? Honestly, I had no idea." His voice was sincerely apologetic. "I didn't know I was writing about you."

She wasn't having it. A year's worth of anger and hurt came raining down on him. Though she was angry at Quinn, he simply made the wrong move at the wrong time. Everything she'd been through came rushing out in a torrent. Billie's voice was full of pain as she replied. "That's supposed to make it better? Sorry. Lame excuse. Your father runs this paper. How dare you print something like that without even bothering to find out the truth???"

Tears ran down her face but she didn't even notice. Quinn looked on – completely helpless. He'd opened the flood gates and there was no place he could go to escape. Plus, everyone in the newsroom, including his father, was mesmerized by the scene before them.

"Don't you dare make me out to be shallow and frivolous. Here's where your little article went wrong. For your information, I haven't had manicure since December nearly eight years ago when someone called to tell me my sister and her husband were dead and that my year old nephew was an orphan. I haven't even thought about going to a spa since Ty was five and so sick with pneumonia they kept him in the hospital for almost a week and I was frightened out of my mind that I might lose him too. I haven't had a new pair of shoes since my wedding day a year and a half ago when the man I thought loved me left me at the altar and stole every dime I had to my name – leaving a little boy to think that it was all his fault." Remembering the look on Ty's face when Mark didn't show up had the tears falling harder. She rubbed them away with the back of her hand.

Quinn hung his head and tried to process what she was saying. It wasn't possible for him to feel more guilty than he did at the moment.

Billie wasn't done. She bit back a sob and glared at him. "So if it makes you feel big and powerful and macho to take me down a few notches – FINE. Go ahead. I've already been beaten down as far as you can get. TRUST ME. You're small potatoes. Nothing you can write will be able to hurt me."

The sound of her voice made her a liar. It was clear, however unintentionally, Quinn had hurt her terribly.

"Billie." He said softly, trying to reach for her. "I'm sorry..."

She shoved him away and stared into his eyes. "Being around you makes Ty happy – so I'm going to let him stay on your team. But unless it's about him – unless you need to tell me he's been hurt or hit a home run - I have nothing more to say to you."

"Billie..." Quinn tried again. "I'm so sorry."

She didn't reply. She grabbed her purse and stormed out – feeling mildly better than she had when she'd walked in.

Quinn – on the other hand – felt nothing but awful.

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Chloe stayed in the studio for a full half hour after class was over. Ashamed at how she'd acted, she finally made her way out to the middle of the gym. She knew it would be next to impossible but she was hoping to sneak out without having to face Grant.

It was no use. As she walked into the room she saw him sitting there. He was waiting on the couch with the lights dimmed around him. Grant had been thinking about everything that Cindy had said, but no matter what way he looked at it - it all came down to one thing. He couldn't risk getting hurt again. It would be too much to take a second time.

"I'm sorry." She began, unsure how to start.

"About what Chloe?" He asked her, his voice dangerously soft. "About barging your way back in here – practically demanding I hire you? Or are you sorry about treating a potential member like trash?"

He turned to face her with tears lighting his eyes. "Or are you sorry you told me to get out of your life a year ago? What exactly are you sorry for?"

"All of it." She replied, truthfully as she fought to blink back tears of her own.

Grant stood to face her and shoved his hands in his pockets. He had a lot to say and was determined to make her hear it. "Chloe. I can't deny that you belong here. I'd by lying if I said that you aren't the best instructor I could ever hire. You still have a job here – for as long as you want it."

"Grant..." She tried to explain.

He glared her into silence. "I'm not finished yet."

"OK." She whispered as she stood there.

Grant took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. "I love you Chloe. I'm not going to try and pretend that I don't. I've loved you since before I even knew what it meant and I know that I'll love you until the day that I die."

"I love you too..." Chloe whispered, hope rising in her heart at the sound of his words. She was still uneasy – there was something in his voice that didn't sound quite right.

Her fears were confirmed as he went on talking. It was if he didn't hear her. "Even with that – I know that I can't do this – Clo. I can't go back to the way things were – because if you decide again that you don't want me – I won't be able to survive this time."

"Grant..." She sobbed softly.

"So I think it's better if you and I just keep our distance. OK?" He said as he finally looked at her. "Because, I'm sorry. I don't think I can do this again."

"I understand." Chloe sniffed back tears as she stared up at him. "You're saying you don't want me anymore."

Grant shook his head at her and sighed. "No. I'm not." He had to take a step back because he was a second away from grabbing her and holding her tight. "God. I can't breathe without wanting you Chloe. It's taking everything I have not to carry you up those stairs and into bed with me right now but - I can't. Being that close to you, holding you in my arms? I want that, more than anything but it just hurts too much. Don't you understand? I can't..."

"It's OK. I know. I'm too late..." Chloe whispered as she moved towards the door. "I thought I might be."

He watched her leave and his heart shattered into pieces. Maybe he was making a mistake. Maybe they could try again. His voice became desperate as he said her name. "Chloe..."

"I wanted you to go because I didn't want to hurt you." She said with her back to him. "I never expected it to turn out this way." Her voice was choked with tears as she tried to finish. She reached for the handle on the door, still not able to face him. "Instead of making it easier I hurt you more than I ever dreamed I could. I'm so sorry, Grant." She sobbed as she opened the door. "I'll never forgive myself for letting you think for one second that I didn't love you. I'll never forgive myself for not making you realize that as far as I'm concerned, you are the most incredible person to walk the face of the earth."

"Chloe..." Grant said again, wanting to run and drag her back to him. For some reason, it was as if his feet were stuck in cement. He was too far away to catch her anyway. "Don't..." He pleaded hoping to get her to wait.

"I'm so sorry." She said again as she closed the door behind her.