Author's Note: It's been a while, but she's back, I like this chapter, it's the turning point.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 7: Chloe

"Oh Jeremy," Caroline lay underneath him. "Oh that feels good."

"Yeah baby," He said, "Yeah, you like it." It had only been a week but the sex was already much better than it had been. Given that she spent the hour between paper and her internship every day in bed with him, it was bound to. He lifted her leg making her whimper. "You're a naughty girl Caroline." She groaned.

"Jer, don't stop," She whimpered grabbing onto his shoulders. He liked this, the way she was during sex. She was all submission and begging, and she was all his. "But hurry up, I'll be late."

"I don't give a shit about your internship," He whispered in her ear and bit it making her moan again. "I love fucking you, baby, oh I love it."

"Oh God," She groaned as he finished. "Oh, that was nice." She rolled over and stood up.

"Where you going?" He said, "I'm not done yet."

"I have to go Jer," She sighed as he started to kiss her neck. "I'm meeting with the president of the magazine, and," She groaned. "Stop that, you know I can't say no to you."

"Good, don't," He kissed her. She giggled. "So um, what are you doing on Sunday?"

"Sunday, I have family dinner," She said, pulling her clothes on piece by piece. "Do you want to come?"

"Family dinner?" He said. She nodded. "What is that?"

"I have dinner with my family," She said, "And the Germaines, and my godfather Rick."

"The Germaines?" He asked. She nodded, "Jack Germaine?"

"Yeah," She laughed, "And his parents, Connie and Guy." She crawled over and kissed him goodbye. "Think about it."

"Yeah, I will," He nodded, "Good luck today!"

"Thanks babe," She smiled and they kissed again.

"So like how often does this family dinner thing happen?" Jeremy asked.

"Every week." She said, "Why?"

"No reason," He gritted his teeth. "See you at dinner." She nodded and trotted out. "Jack Fucking Germaine." He mumbled.

"Hi Mom," Jack said walking into the house.

"Hey kid," Connie said, "What are you doing home?" He shrugged and she looked at him. "Another black eye?" He shrugged again. "It's been over a month, are they still hazing you?"

"Uh sort of," He sighed. She looked at him.

"This is about Cara isn't it?" She said.

"Her boyfriend doesn't like me," He said. "And he's on varsity so, here I am."

"Julie said he's charming," Connie said.

"He's a tool," Jack said, "He's using her, just like they all do."

"Oh Jacky," She whispered, "Honey, I know you care about Caroline, but she's a big girl. You have to let her be."

"Was that your way of saying she's bitch get over?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Pretty much," She tapped him on the shoulder. "I love the girl but she's got the compassion of a rock." She stood up, "I have tests to grade, there are ice packs in the freezer."

"Mom," Jack said, she turned, "Thanks."

"Yeah," She sighed. "It's what I'm here for." She kissed him on the forehead. She walked upstairs and picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello?" Julie said answering it.

"Hey," Connie said, "It's me."

"Hey," Julie said sitting down, "What's going on?"

"I had another talk with Richie today," Connie sighed. So did Julie, "Honey you have to pull him, he's miserable."

"Connie, Scooter went to that school, his father went there, his entire fucking blue blooded family," Julie said, "It means the world to him, and he doesn't ask for much when it comes to the two of them." Connie said. "Besides, Cara didn't have a problem."

"That's because Cara's one of them," Connie laughed, "She's her father's daughter, but Richie, he's his mother's son. Do you remember how you used to feel when those idiotic girls at Eden Hall would say those horrible things to you at those parties he brought you to?"

"Yes," Julie said.

"Imagine that," Connie explained, "But without the passive aggression and with fists, and no Ducks to back you up, every day and you'll have some idea of what Richie goes through."

"Could you maybe bring this up to Scooter?" Julie said, "And bring along pictures that show that not all public schools have metal detectors and coke dealers in the bathroom, especially not in the sixth grade." Connie laughed.

"I'll do my best," Connie said, "And I'll keep looking out for him."

"I appreciate it," Julie said. "You really think he's mostly mine?"

"I do," Connie laughed, "He's sweet, and he's smart, he loves unconditionally, and he acts before he thinks, sound like anyone you know?" Julie laughed. "How's Caroline doing?"

"She's meeting her today," Julie said, "I don't know what's going to happen, I do know that I can keep pretending I'm OK with it."

"Are you not OK with it?" Connie asked.

"I don't know how I feel about it," Julie sighed, "I know I hate Chloe St. Clair, and I know that if Scooter's mother hadn't come to inform me that she was trying to take my daughter away there would be a good chance that this would not be the first time in my daughter's life she was discussing her future with the woman."

"You think that he would have remarried Chloe St. Clair?" Connie asked.

"I do," Julie admitted. "Or he'd at least have been involved with her for a while." She stopped. She knew what that would have meant for her.

"Julie?" She stopped and looked up and smiled.

"Connie, I have to go," She said, "Rick's here."

"Julie," Connie said. "Be careful."

"I know," Julie said and hung up. "Hi." Rick smiled.

"Hi," He said, "You called me." She nodded. "What's going on?"

"Sit down," She said, "I need to talk to you."

"Caroline?" The secretary smiled. Caroline nodded, "Alright sweetie, she's ready to see you." Caroline stood up, straightened her pink cardigan over a black silk camisole. "You'll be fine," The secretary winked. Caroline nodded and stepped in. It was her second week at St. Clair and now she was meeting Chloe St. Clair, well, re-meeting, since they'd sort of met before.

"Caroline?" A woman stood up, smiling, she had dark hair, well cut and blown out. Her face had always been fuzzy in Cara's memories, she mostly pictured her as the devil. But Chloe didn't look evil at all. She looked, well nice.

"It's nice to meet you," Caroline managed to squeak, shaking her hand. Chloe was a little startled too. She'd remembered the adorable little girl Scott talked about, that he so clearly adored and she had, and she had vague memories of her few encounters with Julie and Caroline was spitting image of her mother. "I'm really glad you chose me for this Ms. St. Clair."

"Chloe, please" She gestured to a chair. Caroline nodded and sat down. "I guess to get it out of the way,"

"He's fine," Caroline said, Chloe stopped, startled, "My father, he's fine." Chloe closed her eyes and exhaled.

"I wasn't going to," She shook her head. Caroline blushed. "I didn't think you'd," Then she realized, "Riley?" Caroline nodded, "Please, try to understand, it was a very long time ago, and you know what a good man your father is."

"Please," Caroline shook her head, "Don't talk to me about my dad," Chloe looked at her. Here she was, so sure she was looking at some kind of Julie Vanderbilt clone sent to make her feel guilty for her past sins, when in fact, this was Scott. She had his eyes, and the way she said it reminded her of the way he used to say she couldn't be interested in his marital problems. Then it hit her that if life had taken a different turn, she would be this girl's step mother.

"Anyway, back on track," Chloe shook the thoughts from her mind, "I'm sure you've heard it before, but you're very talented." Caroline nodded, "I don't want you doing office work," Her eyes got big, "What do you want to write about?"

"Wr-write?" Cara whispered. Chloe nodded, "Like for the magazine?"

"Yes," Chloe laughed, "Of course," Caroline stopped and thought, biting the inside of her lip. Chloe exhaled, another one of Scott's habits. Caroline thought of an article that she'd pitched Mr. T. once, right after, well, after the incident, he said she shouldn't push it, maybe in a few years.

"I had this idea," She said, "Um, last year, about asking girls my age about sex." At the time it was because she didn't want to feel like such a whore.

"What do you mean?" Chloe said.

"You know," Caroline explained, "Like, how far is too far? When is it OK? Have you had sex? Do you plan to? That kind of thing."

"I can actually see the headline," Chloe smiled, "'From your daughters: How girls really see sex'" Caroline smiled, "Your parents wouldn't mind?"

"My parents know," Caroline said. Not that they talked about it. Chloe nodded. "Not like they could say anything anyway, because you know," She sighed. Chloe nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Chloe nodded.

"What did he talk about?" Caroline whispered, "Back, back then."

"You mostly," Chloe smiled, Caroline perked up, "He missed you, terribly, but he didn't know how to be your father. But I had it in my head, even if they hadn't," She stopped, "It was clear that you would always come first. We'll put it that way."

"Was he happier?" Caroline asked.

"In a way," Chloe could see that the girl could sniff out bullshit, "Happier than when I first met him, but that's really not saying much. Do you remember it at all?"

"I was four," Caroline said softly, "I remember my mom crying and my dad being gone. I remember thinking that I could fix it if I was good." She shook her head, "I still freak out every time they have a fight. My brother and I joke that I'm the reason they got married, and he's the reason they stayed that way." Chloe laughed. "He was happier, when he came back."

"I'm glad to know that," Chloe said, "You're very mature for your age."

"Yeah," Caroline said, "In some ways." Chloe laughed. "Rick says I shouldn't trust you."

"Rick never trusted me," She pointed at her. "In the end he was right."

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