Friends and Lovers
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Chapter Forty

Wednesday, February 14th, 2001, Valentine's Day

Belle sat in front of the TV, randomly flipping from channel to channel.

Some Valentine's Day this is. She thought morosely. She sighed and leaned back in her chair.

She couldn't help but wonder what Shawn was doing, yet deep down she had the feeling that he was with Chloe. She knew that the two of them were seeing each other, seeing what there was between them.

She hated the thought, but she understood it all the same. Chloe's amnesia had thrown a spoke in everything. Chloe needed to work through her feelings and so did Shawn, but it still wasn't fair.

Though, Belle knew if she felt that way, that Phillip had to feel a thousand times worse, yet it was hard to remember that. All she knew was that she was alone on Valentine's Day while the guy she liked was out with her best friend.

Her life sucked.


Phillip hit the pool balls angrily. It was Valentine's Day and he was by himself, while his girl was "figuring things out" with another guy.

A part of him understood where Chloe was coming from, but it still hurt like Hell. He had thought about asking another girl out, but the truth was, he didn't want another girl. He only wanted Chloe, which just made everything else worse. He wanted Chloe and she was going out with Shawn. Life really sucked.

It's only temporary. He tired to reassure himself. Chloe will have her experience with Shawn and realize that he really is just a friend to her and that she loves me.

He had to keep telling himself that, otherwise he'd go insane. Chloe had to choose him in the end. She just had too.


Chloe sat there at the Brady Pub with Shawn and wondered if it was normal to be thinking about another guy. This was her second date with Shawn and it just it didn't feel right, no matter how hard she tried.

She just couldn't get Phillip out ofd her mind. It was Valentine's Day and she was with Shawn, they were seeing what there could be between them, yet it was Phillip she couldn't get out of her mind.

Maybe, that's your answer. A little voice in her head told her. Maybe you never needed an experiment at all.

Chloe shook her head. No, she had done this for a reason. She needed to see what she felt for Shawn and if it was more than friendship. Besides, now that she had started it, she owed it to them both to go through with it, didn't she?


Shawn sat there, watching the odd expression on Chloe's face. He knew that she was thinking about Kiriakis and for some reason it didn't bother him like it should. Thoughts of Belle kept crossing his mind, that and the fact that he had everything he'd ever wanted and yet...

"This isn't working is it?" He said softly.

Chloe blinked and then nodded. "No." She admitted. "I guess, I guess our time passed us bye. I'm sorry, Shawn."

"I'm not." He told her squeezing his hand. "Now we know. Now neither of us has to wonder."

Chloe nodded. "You're an amazing boy, Shawn Brady. I hope you know that."

"And you're an amazing girl, Chloe Wesley." Shawn told her. "You're just not my girl."

She smiled and blushed.

"Now, go find Kiriakis and tell him how lucky he is." Shawn told her without an ounce of regret. Chloe would always be special to him, but as a friend, nothing else, he knew that now.