Friend and Lovers
By Misha

Author's Notes- Okay, this chapter is really short, but it was all I could think of for the moment. I'll write more soon, I just need to be inspired. Also, this chapter focuses mainly on Belle, 'cause I want to spend some more time exploring her character. Well, that's all for now, enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Monday, January 1st 2001, New Year's Day

"Hey," Jason said quietly about an hour when he found Belle sitting in Phillip's den, staring into space.

"Hey." She replied.

"Where's everyone else?" He asked as he took the seat next to her.

"Well Phillip and Chloe took a walk, Shawn went home, and I don't know about Mimi."

"She left too." Jason said quietly.

"Ah." Belle said quietly. "Was she upset about last night?"

"I don't know." Jason told her. "But I do know that she wanted to get back together with me."

"And what did you say?" Belle asked softly.

"I told her that we needed more time."

"Oh." Belle said softly. "Shawn asked me out."

"Congratulations." Jason told her warmly. "I know that that's what you wanted."

"It is." She admitted. "But, I told him that I needed time too. Last night I was ready to move on, to give up on my impossible dream of getting together with Shawn Brady and now that it's not so impossible, I'm not sure I'm ready for it. You know?"

"I know." He told her. "I mean, I've been dreaming of reuniting with Mimi ever since the breakup, but... I guess I just don't think she has the right reasons for wanting o get back together."

"It's the same with Shawn." Belle told him. "I'm almost sure that he asked me out because of, you know, last night."

"I wanted to talk to you about that." Jason said with a sigh. "Belle, what did last night mean?"

"Can I save the hard ones for later?" Belle asked. "I'm just not in the state of mind to answer them."

"Okay." Jason agreed with a smile. "I can sympathise with that."

"Thanks." Belle said, standing up. "I should go home. I have to deal with Brady sometime. And as much as I'd love to put that off as well, I really can't."

"Well, my sympathies." Jason told her with a slight smile. "And I do apologise for my role in what happened between you and your brother last night."

Belle smiled. "Don't worry about it. Brady was acting like a jerk and he deserved what he got. As I told him last night, I'm old enough to make my own decisions, even if he doesn't approve. It's my life, not his."
* * * * *

Her words to Jason were repeating in Belle's mind as she entered the penthouse. She wasn't overly anxious to see Brady, but neither was she terribly afraid. As she had told Jason, she was old enough to make her own decisions and she had. Brady would just have to live with that.

"It's about time you got home." Brady growled as she walked in the door.

Belle rolled her eyes. "Can't you give me a moments peace before you start at it?"

"No." Brady stated. "Did you wake up this morning and realize how big a mistake you made last night?"

"Actually, no." Belle told him. "I didn't, 'cause I don't think I made a mistake. Last night I did what I needed to do and if you don't like it, so what. This is my life Brady, not yours."

"I'm just trying to protect you." He told her.

"Brady, I don't need protection." Belle told him calmly. "I'm old enough to look out for myself."

"Really?" Brady asked in obvious disbelief. "It sure didn't look like it last night."

"Oh?" Belle asked, raising her eyebrows. "What did it look like?"

"It looked like you had latched onto the first available guy because you realized that you'll never have the guy you want, because he's hung up on your best friend." Brady stated calmly.

Belle laughed. "Really? And that's why when Shawn asked me out this morning, I turned him down?"

Brady stared at her. "Shawn asked you out?"

"Yes he did." Belle told him. "Not that it's any of your business. In fact nothing in my life is any of your business, so butt out."

With that, she turned and walked up the stairs, leaving her brother staring at her in amazement.
* * * * *