Thanks EC Brenway for your review!

We'll have to see if the truth gets revealed quickly or not...could we get through the entire story with Elly/Aster keeping her secret? Will Chloe heavily question Elly? Good question! What do you mean that Chloe's gonna come down from her high of the Elly reunion? I don't think that's possible!

The Chemistry In Darkness

Chapter Thirteen

Monday 18th November 2024

Pierce grinned as he strolled into his house, despite feeling disappointed earlier that day when Chloe hadn't turned up for their lunch. As soon as his eyes landed on Chloe, he felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

Chloe was in the kitchen, heating up their prepared meals. He stood at the entryway, taking his time dropping his belongings on the entryway counter, admiring his wife and the way she looked so happy, skipping around the kitchen.

"Chloe," Pierce practically beamed back at her, "You look amazing. How was your day?"

Chloe looked up at him, "As amazing as I look apparently. Sorry, I forgot all about our lunch plans. The day just kind of got away from me."

"Maybe tomorrow," Pierce decided, "Everything go okay looking after the kids?"

"Yep, same as always. Rose got to day care, Gabe, Daniel and Felix off to school, then picked them all up and had them here for a few hours before I took them back home. Paige got me to keep them an extra hour so she could spend some time to herself after work. In case you haven't noticed, you and Terese drive her hard at the hotel, she probably wishes she didn't take my job," Chloe grinned happily.

"We treat all our employees the same, Chloe, we miss you at the hotel but y'know how I feel about you working. There's no need for you to. I like knowing you're at home keeping yourself busy and not worrying about work at the office," Pierce reminded her, then watched as Chloe zoned out on him, "Chloe?"

Chloe smiled up at him, "Sorry, I was just thinking about the day I had. It was amazing."

Pierce watched on as Chloe looked like she was glowing happily, unable to stop smiling to himself as he suddenly realized, "Chloe, are you pregnant?"

Chloe's eyes widened up at him, "Where did that come from? What would make you think I'm pregnant? We're taking a break from trying as it's just not happening for us."

"Chloe, you're…glowing, you look really happy, sorry I guess I just thought the only reason you would look like that would be if you found out we were having a child of our own," Pierce pondered why else Chloe would be skipping around the kitchen.

"Elly's back," Chloe announced, her voice giddy and excited at the mere thought of Elly's name.

I can't get Elly out of my head...I want to see her again to know she's really back but I can't as she needs to be with her family.

Pierce's face immediately dropped, but Chloe didn't notice as she had turned back to their meals to place them on the dining table, "Elly? I thought she took off to hook up with Finn years ago."

Chloe resisted rolling her eyes at him, "You're the only one who ever thought that, Pierce. I'm not even sure your theory that Elly and Finn fell in love and disappeared months apart to elude suspicion of their illicit affair on Bea was better than the police detectives at the time deciding Elly must've being killed by Finn before they believe he took off to Shanghai."

"So, what did happen to her?" Pierce wanted to know, still feeling off at the idea of Chloe's former flame being back in the picture.

"I'm not sure. I ran into her when she arrived back to the Kennedy's but she said she needed to tell them everything first and that she'd find me tomorrow to explain it to me where she's been...maybe I should've told her I don't work at the hotel anymore so when she tries to find me she doesn't waste her time going there," Chloe pondered, "I guess Bea will probably fill her in on all the changes that have happened these past few years."

"Don't forget about the kids tomorrow, you know your brothers and Paige rely on you and weren't you due to go to the salon to get your hair done? Maybe you should leave Elly to spend time with her family for a few days?" Pierce suggested.

Chloe sat down at the table, not waiting for Pierce to join her or address his question, "I haven't even told you the second-best part to Elly being back...Aster! Elly has a little girl, Aster! She's a mini version of Elly and so adorable. Aster asked me to help get her out of the car and just holding her...it felt like I was holding my own daughter."

Pierce slowly sat down at the table opposite Chloe, his wife's words echoing at him that Elly's daughter felt like Chloe's when she held her, "I'm sure Aster has got a lot of Shaun in her...anyway enough about Elly...I should tell you about my day at work."

Chloe smiled at Pierce, pretending she was listening to his tales of office dilemmas at the hotel that had happened that day but instead there was only two things on her mind.

Elly and Aster...and me?

Over at the Kennedy's household, Elly nervously knocked on Bea's bedroom door then sighed as Bea called out, "I'm sleeping."

Elly opened the door anyway, finding Bea lying on the bed, with her head in the pillow, "No, you're not. Can we talk?"

Bea shrugged in response, "You ruined my engagement."

Elly closed the door behind her then sat down on the bed, "I know, I'm sorry, if I'd have known I'd have come back here tomorrow to let you and Yashvi have your moment to celebrate."

"Karl and Suze didn't even react to the news when I told them, all their focus went straight to you and Aster. I shouldn't have told them, I knew you returning was a way bigger thing then a silly little ring I got my girlfriend," Bea sighed.

"It's not a silly little ring, Bea, you're engaged...my little sister is getting married," Elly enthused, "I'm glad I didn't miss your wedding. Maybe we should tell Karl and Suze again about your news? Now that it's sunk in to them that I'm back, they can focus on you."

"Maybe tomorrow," Bea decided, glancing up at Elly, "I am glad you're home...I'm just...a mess of different emotions right now...finally got the courage to propose to Yashvi this morning then all of a sudden my sister long thought dead came home...and I have a niece I never knew I had."

"I'm glad I'm home too," Elly whispered, "I really am sorry that I was gone for so long and kept Aster from getting to know her family. I know it may not make sense why I stayed away...but it really was for the best. I intend on fixing my mistakes. I'll still go see the family I stayed with every so often..."

Once a month, full moon cycle, three nights, so you don't find out I'm a werewolf, no biggie...?

"But I'm back here permanently, okay?" Elly insisted.

"You already back in your old room? What about Aster? We don't exactly have a child's bed lying around," Bea asked, knowing after she'd stormed off earlier that morning, she hadn't left her bedroom, yet had overheard Elly and Aster spending the entire day catching up with their Aunt and Uncle after Yashvi went to work.

"Yes, I'm back in my old room, feels like home already. Aster can bunk in next to me on the bed, she's kinda used to it. Once she grew out of the cot, my room at the cabin didn't have enough space for a single bed. But I'm hoping maybe she can have her own room here soon when I have a moment to set it all up for her," Elly explained.

"I take it a toddler bunking in your bed killed any chance of you having a love life whilst you were away," Bea queried.

"On occasion Aster crashed with the others as she liked how fun they are and didn't make her go to bed on time like I do...but if your question was leading into my love life since I've been gone...yes, there were a couple guys I dated, not much longer than a week or so before it petered out cause I wasn't into it...I almost had a one night stand with a woman a year back...but it really made me realize Chloe was and is the only woman I could ever be attracted to...not that it means anything, she's married," Elly rambled, shaking her head at bringing up Chloe yet her mind had being spinning about the blonde all day long.

"To a guy who doesn't deserve my best friend, Pierce is a prat," Bea rolled her eyes, then shrugged, "Chloe and I got closer after you went missing...we're kinda best friends now."

"I'm glad you had each other...and that you have Yashvi now. I was surprised when I first saw you two together...okay the naked in dressing gowns might've had something to do with my shock...but I can see Yashvi makes you happy," Elly told her sister.

"She does," Bea admitted, "I worry about her when she's at work...I'm always scared something will happen to her but I know she loves being a cop and I could never take that away from her."

"What time does Yashvi get home?" Elly asked.

Bea looked at her clock on the bedside table, "Yashvi finishes her shift in 1 hour so 1 hour and 7 minutes."

Elly smiled down at her sister, "Not that your counting. Do you have to go to work tomorrow? I want to catch up with Chloe and get Aster settled a bit more here but I'd like to spend time with you if I can."

"I had the day off today and I suppose my sister coming back from the dead means I can wrangle an extra day off at the garage," Bea agreed.

"I'll see you then, for now I should get back to Aster and let you...spend the next 1 hour and 6 minutes until your girlfriend comes home," Elly grinned as she stood up to leave the room, hoping she'd feel that way about someone, waiting for them to come home to her.

Chloe…

A moment later, Elly returned to the main area of the house where Susan and Karl were being entertained by Aster, enjoying having the young girl spending time with them and asking them questions about her mum.

"How's Bea going?" Susan asked.

"It's a lot to take in…me coming back after all this time. I really hurt her. It's gonna take some time but I'm determined to fix things between myself and Bea," Elly told them, "Speaking of…would you be able to get Shane and Dipi to come over here before Yashvi gets back from work in an hour?"

"You want to let Shane and Dipi know you're back?" Karl assumed, "I kinda figured you guys weren't that close."

"No, I don't want you to let them know I'm back. They can find out tomorrow or whenever word starts getting out. I need an early night to settle Aster into the new place. But Bea needs time to celebrate and focus on her and Yashvi without me taking the attention away," Elly replied.

"Celebrate what?" Susan asked, as she cuddled Aster on the couch.

"Y'all missed Bea's announcement that she told you and the ring on Yashvi's finger on account of Aster and I being back here," Elly pointed out.

Karl suddenly looked like he was calculating math in his head, before exclaiming, "Bea and Yashvi are engaged!?"

Elly nodded, "Yes and I ruined it by…being here and distracting you from their news. They need to celebrate with their family so I am going to take Aster and get her sorted for bed. You organize for Shane and Dipi to come by in less than an hour as you know the girls have news for y'all…and act surprised when they tell you…okay? Let them have their moment to celebrate getting engaged…without me getting in the way."

"Are you sure?" Susan asked her niece.

"Absolutely," Elly decided.

Next time - Bea babysits Aster for Elly so she can spend time with Chloe. Will Chloe catch on to some of the changes in Elly?