Friends and Lovers
By Misha

Author's Notes- Warning, the next couple chapters are going to be kind of depressing. Also, it'll be awhile before Shawn and Chloe's friendship even begins to be repaired. I just thought I'd tell you that. Anyway this chapter starts the morning after Shawn tells Chloe he loves her. Enjoy.

Chapter Seven

Sunday, November 12th 200

Chloe woke up, praying that it was all just an awful ream, but the gust of wind from the window said otherwise.

"It's real." She whispered. "Shawn came here last night and told me he loved me."

Tears began to fall down her cheeks again as she thought about the night before.

"I need someone to talk to." She whispered, wondering who.

Belle or Phillip? Belle was a girl, but she was also a good friend of Shawn's, while Phillip...

Chloe bit her lip and chose Belle. She picked up the phone to call her friend.

"Hello?"

"Belle, it's Chloe."

"What's wrong, Chloe?" Belle asked, obviously picking up on the distress in Chloe's voice.

"Belle, I need to talk... Shawn came here last night and..."

"He told you." Belle said flatly. "I take it he didn't get the answer he wanted."

"No." Chloe whispered. "Belle, I never saw this coming... I never realized..."

"I know..." Belle whispered soothingly. "You honestly saw him as just a friend."

Chloe nodded miserably. "Yeah, well, he's not that anymore."

"It went that well?" Belle asked. "Ouch. Chloe, I need to talk to Shawn..."

"I know." Chloe told her. "But after."

"This afternoon we'll have a girl talk." Belle promised. "First I have to be his shoulder to cry on."

"Thanks Belle." Chloe said before hanging up.

She didn't envy Belle, being caught in the middle of this mess. It was so confusing, so suffocating.

She picked up the phone again and dialled Phillip's number. She needed him.

After a minute the butler answered. "Hello, Kiriakis Residence."

"Henderson, it's Chloe is Phillip in?"

"Of course, hold on a minute."

A moment later Phillip came on. "Hey baby, what's up?"

"Phillip, can you come over here?" Chloe asked.

Phillip sensed the pain in her voice. "What's wrong?" He asked urgently.

"I'll tell you what you get here." Chloe told him. "I just... Please."

"Alright." Phillip said softly. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
* * * * *

Belle walked into Shawn's room, her heart breaking for him when she saw him. He was laying on his bed staring at a picture of Chloe.

She realized that Shawn was just as devastated as Chloe, although in a different way. For so long he had one dream, but last night that dream had been crushed.

Belle knelt beside him. "Shawn?" She said softly.

Shawn turned to look at her, his eyes sad and bitter. "Chloe, told you, huh?"

"She called me because she needed someone to talk to." Belle told him. Shawn closed his eyes. "She was so devastated. She didn't want it to be real."

Shawn whispered. Then he looked up at Belle sadly. "I ruined our friendship. We can never take last night back and things can never be the same."

"Shawn," Belle said softly, "you had to have known that would happen."

Shawn laughed bitterly. "I should have. Shouldn't have I? But no. I had this weird hope that once Chloe knew how I felt everything would become the way it should have in the first place. But it didn't happen like that." He paused, gazing into her eyes.

"She loves Kiriakis." He whispered bitterly.

Belle sighed. "Shawn..."

She wondered exactly what had been said the night before and knew whatever it was it hadn't been pleasant for either Chloe or Shawn.

"Shawn, just because she's in love with Phillip, it doesn't mean she doesn't want you as a friend." Belle said quietly.

Shawn looked at her angrily. "That's the problem! I don't her as just a friend! I want more. And if I have to be her friend while Kiriakis has what I want most in the world. It'll kill me."

Belle watched him and wondered if there was a solution to this mess and if so where she would find it.
* * * * *

Phillip arrived at Chloe and rushed up to her bedroom.

She was sitting on her bed, just staring out to space.

"Chloe?" Phillip whispered, wondering what was wrong.

Chloe turned to face him. "Phillip." She whispered. "I'm glad you're here."

Phillip looked at her face and wondered what was wrong.

"What's wrong?" He asked gently, walking over to stand beside her.

"It's Shawn." Chloe said so quietly he could barely hear her.

Phillip looked concerned, wondering what had happened to Shawn, then looking into her eyes he knew. "He told you."

Chloe nodded. "Last night. Oh, Phillip, I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to hurt him, but..."

She started to cry again and Phillip wrapped his arms around her.

"It's okay." He whispered.

Chloe shook her head. "It's not. Phillip, it'll never be the same. Last night... Our friendship, it broke and I don't know how to put it back together."

Phillip looked at her gently. "It's not your fault, Chloe. It's not your fault that you couldn't return his feelings."

"I know." Chloe said softly. "But it broke his heart. Oh, Phillip... It's such a mess."

"It'll be alright." Phillip told her, not knowing what else he could say.

What she was saying was right. Nothing would ever be the same again.

Phillip had known that this was coming, but Chloe had. She had been honestly clueless to the feelings Shawn had for her which this sudden storm of emotion was knocking her off her feet.

"Hold me." Chloe whispered. "Please. Just hold me while I cry."

Phillip silently agreed to her request and they sat down on her bed.

As he held her tightly in his arms, she cried for a childhood friendships torn apart by teenage emotions and for the friend whose heart she had unwittingly broken.
* * * * *