Altered Reality

Chapter Nine:

"I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way..."

Suppressing a laugh, Philip Kiriakis pondered whether or not to share the rather racy thought those words had caused to pop into his head, but glancing over at his girlfriend as she floated on her pink inner tube, singing along to the radio blaring from the speakers on the wall, he decided it probably wouldn't be appreciated at the moment.

"Having fun?" he asked instead.

Belle Brady didn't even bother to lift her head or open her eyes, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment as they floated around in the heated, indoor pool located inside the mansion where Philip had grown up. Although he had moved out of his parents' home after graduating high school, opting to share an apartment with his best friend Shawn Brady, who just happened to be Belle's cousin, Philip found himself dropping by the mansion on a regular basis anyway. Sometimes it was to use the facilities, like today, sometimes it was to visit his parents, and sometimes it was just because he'd gotten a craving for those meatball subs that Henderson used to make him when no one was looking.

I really am a spoiled brat, Philip chuckled to himself.

"Mmm-hmm," Belle answered with a content sigh. "This was a great idea, Phil. I really needed this."

That was precisely why Philip had suggested they cut their afternoon classes at Salem University and do some leisurely swimming instead. He knew how worked up she was about the whole mess with her mother, and he wanted to take her mind off of it for a while, give her a chance to relax.

Plus it didn't hurt that he got to stare at her in her little pink bikini for a few hours.

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, babe," Philip told her, sliding his hands into the water in order to paddle his own inner tube closer to hers. "This beats class any day, right?"

"Definitely," Belle agreed, a smile crossing her lips even though her eyes remained closed.

"And you love me for suggesting it, right?" Philip asked, turning himself so that his feet were facing her.

"Always," Belle replied.

"Good," Philip said, and with that he kicked up a splash of water, earning a shriek from his girlfriend as she fell off her inner tube, getting soaked in the process.

"Philip Robert Kiriakis, I'm going to kill you!" she cried, sputtering as she wiped her wet hair out of her eyes and lunged for him.

Laughing, Philip ditched his inner tube to start swimming away from her. He was the stronger swimmer, so he kept his strokes light and carefree, allowing her to catch up to him. Even though he heard her approaching from behind, he decided to be fair and let her jump up onto his shoulders, pushing him down beneath the surface of the water.

He reached out and grabbed her by the ankle, yanking her under with him.

They resurfaced together, both laughing and coughing, and Philip lifted a hand to brush a strand of wet hair away from her eyes. "You look like a drowned rat," he informed her. "A drowned blond rat."

"Thanks a lot, jerk," Belle retorted, smacking him in the chest.

Philip caught her hand, tugging her closer to him, and slipped his arms under the water to wrap them around her waist, drawing her in for a kiss. He felt her melt against him, her skin wet and warm against his bare chest, and he fleetingly wondered whether or not Henderson would mind if they snuck up to his old room for a while.

No, he stopped that train of thought abruptly. Today is about giving Belle a chance to relax with everything that's going on with her family right now.

And going upstairs would be anything but relaxing.

Slowly easing the kiss, he broke away and smiled down at Belle when she opened her eyes. "Forgive me?" he asked playfully.

Belle gave a heavy sigh, trying not smile. "I suppose so."

"Good," Philip said, grinning, and gave her a quick kiss on the nose before swimming over to the side of the pool and leaning his back against the wall, resting his arms on the tiled floor surrounding the pool.

Belle followed, coming to a halt in front of him and moving her arms across the surface of the water absently, causing small waves to move off in opposite directions.

"Are you nervous about going to see your Mom tomorrow?" Philip asked her after a long moment of companionable silence.

"Terrified is more like it," Belle replied bleakly. "I don't have a clue what to expect or what to say to her, Philip. My stomach's all knotted up and I feel sick just thinking about it."

"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Philip assured her. "And your Dad will be there, right? You know he'll do everything he can to try and make the experience easier on you guys."

"Yeah," Belle agreed quietly. "Sami saw her the other day, and she says that Mom was almost normal, just confused. Almost like she was her old self, you know?"

"That's good, right?" Philip inquired helpfully. "I mean, that means she should be able to adjust easier, doesn't it?"

"I think so," Belle said with a nod, biting her lip. "But she's still got those... those other memories in her head, Philip. I wish there was a way that Lexie could just erase them, but there isn't. She says that eventually, Mom should start to forget them and remember the real stuff, but it could take months, years even." She bowed her head, watching the water swirl around them. "I don't know how we're going to get through this."

"Hey, hey," Philip murmured, lifting her chin with his thumb. "I'll tell you how you're going to get through this- as a family, like you always do. Your Dad loves you guys so much, there's nothing he wouldn't do for you. The same goes for your grandparents, your Uncle Bo and Aunt Hope, even Shawn. And you know I'm here for you, no matter what, even if it's just to listen to you complain."

"I don't complain," Belle protested, and when he raised an eyebrow, she amended, "Much."

"Don't worry, babe," Philip said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. "Given the circumstances, I think you're entitled to all the complaining you want right now."

"Maybe," Belle murmured doubtfully. "But you don't see Rex or Brady complaining, and you certainly don't see Sami doing it."

"First of all," Philip told her pointedly. "Your brothers Brady, who we're going to forget is technically my half-nephew, because that just sounds incestuous, and Rex aren't exactly known for sharing their feelings, sweetheart. They keep stuff bottled up inside, it's a guy thing."

"That doesn't apply to Sami, though," Belle responded.

"No," Philip conceded, unable to keep from smiling. "It certainly doesn't."

"I don't know what I would have done without her these past few years," Belle murmured. "She's really been there for me, you know? And for Daddy, Brady and Rex, too. I feel so selfish sometimes, piling all of my problems on her when I know she's got problems of her own. I mean, I'm just a college kid with a nice internship at Basic Black thanks to Sami and your Mom, but she's got a company to run and a son to raise, and then she's keeping the rest of us from falling apart..." she trailed off, shaking her head in wonder. "How does she do it, Philip?"

"Sami's a strong woman," Philip replied, shrugging. "She always has been."

"Is that why you had a major crush on her when you were twelve?" Belle asked teasingly, looking up at him with a sparkle in her blue eyes.

"That and she happens to be pretty hot," Philip retorted with a smirk, reaching out to stroke her wet hair gently. "Which seems to run in the family."

"You're just trying to get me into bed, flatterer," Belle accused lightly.

Philip smirked down at her. "That happened a long time ago, sweetheart."

It had been during their junior year of high school that they decided they were ready for that step in their relationship, after dating for a year and a half. They were probably more reserved about it than most of their friends, if only because they both had firsthand knowledge of the consequences that sex could have. Philip had gotten more than his share of safe sex talks from not only his parents, but Lucas and Sami, too, just like Belle had, and since his brother and sister-in-law knew what they were talking about, he had heeded their advice.

And now, after nearly five years of dating, Philip could safely say that anything life threw their way, he and Belle could handle.

"Seriously, though," he told her, getting back to the subject at hand. "Sami's always been great to me, even when she and Lucas were just friends. She never thought I was a pest the way he did, and when she moved into the mansion, she genuinely enjoyed my company, so I had someone to talk to other than Henderson while Mom, Dad and Lucas were at Titan. And when she let me help out with Will, I dunno, I felt important."

"Mmm," Belle sighed, closing her eyes as his fingers combed through her hair. "Sami's a good sister."

"And a good sister-in-law," Philip added.

Instead of answering, Belle gave a soft moan of appreciation, which turned into a groan of disappointment when he stilled his fingers in her hair.

Smirking, Philip lifted her chin, and bent his head to capture her lips in a long, dizzying kiss, savoring the feel of her wet lips against his. After a moment, her arms came up to wrap around his neck, and their bodies, slick from the water, pressed together, causing all rational thought to slip away.

So caught up in exploring his girlfriend as his hands roamed over her curves and he lost himself in her kisses, Philip didn't hear the door open, nor the footsteps approaching.

He did, however, hear the noise that sounded suspiciously like someone clearing their throat.

Breaking away from the kiss, Philip turned to see Henderson standing at the edge of the pool just behind him and looking down at him with a pointed look that wasn't without a hint of reprimand.

Philip gave the butler a rueful smile, running a hand through his wet hair. "Sorry, Henderson," he apologized with an embarrassed chuckle. "Got a bit carried away there."

"Indeed, sir," Henderson observed evenly. "One might suggest that in the future, you and Ms. Brady 'get carried away' in private, behind a locked door?"

Properly chastised, Philip nodded his agreement, aware of Belle hiding behind him, her face buried against his shoulder in utter mortification. "Good advice," Philip replied weakly. "Um, did you need something?"

"There is a phone call for you in the study, Master Philip," Henderson informed him.

"For me?" Philip echoed in surprise. "Here? How did anyone know that I was here?"

"You'll have to ask Master Lucas that, sir," Henderson told him, holding out a towel to him as Philip climbed out of the pool. "But I imagine he simply turned on the GPS tracking device in your car."

Philip groaned, toweling himself off. "I can't believe Dad put that in my car. It's like he's spying on me or something. Doesn't he trust me?"

"I'm quite sure Master Victor trusts you to attend all of your classes as required, sir," Henderson said, with a wry rebuke.

"I'm going to get Rex to disconnect that thing," Philip muttered under his breath. "Henderson, will you get Belle a drink or something to eat if she's hungry, while I see what Lucas wants?"

"But of course, sir," Henderson said, and turned his attention to Belle, who was still lounging in the pool. "What may I get for you, Ms. Brady?"

Heading for the door, Philip didn't hear her answer, but he was certain she would ask for a coke, like always. Making his way towards the study, he wondered anxiously if Lucas had been able to have any success with the favor he'd asked of his big brother for the special evening he had planned for Belle this weekend to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Their first Valentine's Day together, all those years ago, he had gone a bit overboard. A fancy dinner at the Penthouse Grille, he'd passed up Tuscany because he knew he'd get a discount from Maggie Horton since Lucas was her nephew and he'd wanted to impress Belle, and then he'd had the pilot of the Titan jet take them to see a Broadway show.

In hindsight, he'd been showing off, but at least Belle had been touched by the effort.

In the years since then, their Valentine's Day dates had been less extravagant and more personal, and each year he tried hard to top the previous one. Last year they'd spent the evening out on the yacht, watching the annual red fireworks in the night sky overhead.

And this year... well, his biggest concern wasn't even the romance factor anymore, it was just making sure that Belle had a wonderful, memorable evening after everything went down with her mother.

Closing the study door behind him, Philip crossed the room to the desk and picked up the phone which Henderson had left off the hook. "Hello?" he asked.

"Phil," his older brother replied. "Playing hooky are we, young man?"

Rolling his eyes, Philip wrapped the towel around his waist. "Like you never did it," he retorted. "What do you have for me, man?"

"Aunt Maggie's going to prepare a nice picnic dinner for you guys, complete with the good tablecloth and silverware," Lucas answered. "Sami gave her a list of some of Belle's favorite foods, so don't be surprised if there's a huge thing of chocolate mousse in there somewhere."

Philip chuckled, leaning against the desk. "Belle would love that."

"Women and their chocolate," Lucas observed wryly. "Anyway, you've already got everything else taken care of, right? There's nothing else you needed from me?"

"Nope, that was all, bro," Philip confirmed. "I appreciate you arranging things with Maggie for me, thanks."

"No problem," Lucas assured him. "Anything for my favorite kid brother."

"I'm your only kid brother," Philip pointed out dryly.

"Minor detail," Lucas replied. "I'd better go, I've got a meeting in ten minutes and I need to go over my notes first."

"Good luck," Philip told him. "Tell my Dad I said I'm going to stay for dinner tonight, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Lucas promised. "Later, Phil."

"Later, man," Philip said and hung the phone back up on its cradle.

Returning to the pool room, he found Belle sitting in one of the lawn chairs, her terry cloth pant and zip-up hoodie set, her wet hair pulled back into a ponytail, and idly flipping through the pages of the latest issue of Bella magazine that his mother had left laying around.

"Catching up on your reading?" he asked with a smirk, dropping down onto the chair beside her.

"Just supporting the family business," Belle retorted. "What did Lucas want?"

"My help planning a nice surprise for Sami," Philip said smoothly, knowing that it was perfectly believable, even if Lucas was never one to need help with that kind of thing. After all, Lucas had once spontaneously decided to take Sami to Paris for a week, conveniently dropping in to visit their sister Billie while he was at it, just because she had been having a tough week at work.

"Really?" Belle smiled eagerly, her magazine forgotten. "That's great! Sami needs a night off, if anyone deserves it, it's her."

"I couldn't agree with you more," Philip replied, and he meant it. Hopefully, Lucas would taken advantage of the fact that Alice Horton was keeping Will for the night and give Sami a night of romance and laughter, because she needed it.

"Speaking of Valentine's Day..." Belle said slyly. "What do you have planned for us?"

"Ah, that's for me to know and you to find out, Isabella," Philip retorted with a smirk. "You really need to learn some patience."

"Patience isn't my thing, you know that," Belle shot back, giving him a pout. "Can't I even get a hint?"

"Nice try," Philip snorted. "But that won't work."

"No?" Belle raised an eyebrow. "Then how about this?"

Rising from her seat, she crossed the space between them and settled in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him with wild abandon, pressing herself so close to him that there wasn't even enough room for air to pass between them.

Realizing that he was doomed if she kept up this torture, Philip decided to fight fire with fire and scooped her up in his arms, never breaking the kiss, and moved towards the edge of the pool again. As soon as he felt the ledge with his toes, he dropped her, and she shrieked just before she disappeared under the water.

"Philip!" she cried furiously when she surfaced. "My clothes are soaking!"

"Yeah, I can see that," Philip retorted, and when she lunged for his ankles, he danced aside, then dove into the pool on his own. "It's a good look for you," he added once he came back up for air.

"Do you have any last words before you die?" Belle demanded, her blue eyes narrowing sharply.

"Only three," Philip said, drawing closer to her with each word he spoke. "I. Love. You."

Belle's expression softened, her eyes doing that melting thing they did whenever he said those words, and she sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "What on earth am I going to do with you, Philip Kiriakis?"

"I could make a list if you want," Philip offered with a smirk, and ducked the spray of water she sent his way, then splashed some of his own.

For the next twenty minutes, they engaged in a laughing, shrieking- on Belle's part anyway- water fight to end all water fights.

And even though his skin was probably so caked with chlorine that he was probably going to need to take two showers instead of one, it was worth it to see the smile on Belle's face.

Especially when he was certain it would be painfully absent tomorrow when she went to see her mother.