Thank you all for reading.

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Jason had escorted Chloe home while Philip caught a flight back to his new home. Several times Chloe attempted to explain herself to Jason but he didn't want to hear any of it. He told her to save it for Brady and to leave him out of it. Chloe couldn't blame him, really, and it wasn't like he was rude about it. He'd said all of it in a very delicate un-Jason-like manner.

So there she was at home and miserable and all of her own accord. Brady was never going to forgive her. Hell, she was never going to forgive herself. There was no use mopping around and eating carton after carton of ice cream, so Chloe finally got out of her quilt of guilt and took a shower, dressed and hailed a cab. She was going to explain things to Brady even if it killed her.

Her hand poised over the door and she knocked quickly enough to not give in to her overactive nerves that told her it was a bad idea. She waited for what felt like forever and then came face to face with Brady. She swallowed hard.

He hadn't shaved probably since that night she revealed the truth and he had dark circles under his eyes. He was only wearing a pair of faded blue jeans with the occasional hole, undone. Chloe unconsciously licked her lips. He looked like an add for sex.

Brady cleared his throat, but his voice still came out raspy. "What are you doing here?"

"You wouldn't answer the phone." Chloe avoided eye contact.

Brady shrugged and plodded back into the room. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Can I come in?" Her voice sounded very meek, even to her own ears.

Brady sat down heavy on the couch and placed his head in his hands, stifling a yawn. "Do what you want."

"Brady," Chloe began, "I-I'm sorry for what...I didn't mean for everything to get out of control. Philip and I..." Chloe kneeled in front of him, her eyes misting. "I didn't think everything through. I should have figured that this was a really bad idea, but I couldn't think straight." Chloe caught a tear before it fell down her face and took in a deep breath.

Brady's voice was low when he spoke. Dangerously low. "How'd you come up with this plan? Was it Philip or was it your idea?"

"Both. I wish I could say it was just him, but I'd be lying and I don't want to lie to you anymore. I-I never wanted to lie to you, but I didn't see any other way. I saw you with Jason on the news, you know when you rescued that business man from those kidnappers and the idea just hit me. I knew you'd help and I just thought...I thought maybe it would give us a chance to reconnect and we did, didn't we? I felt it. I meant everything I said, I loved you back when I was too stupid to hold onto it, I loved you when we were apart all those years and I love you now. There isn't much more I can say," she said, emotion coating her voice and making her words sound thick.

She stared up at Brady waiting for a reaction, but there was none. He kept his head in his hands and the minutes ticked by. For a minute Chloe thought he might have fallen asleep, but dismissed the idea when he scratched his cheek. She finally figured out that he was probably waiting for her to leave so she used the coffee table for leverage and stood. She was halfway to the door before she heard him moving behind her.

Brady was right behind her and she could feel the heat of him against her back.

"You lied to me," Brady scoffed and shook his head. "You looked me right in the eye and lied to me...and you know what I realized? I don't care."

"Brady, please."

Brady touched her arm and it was like an open flame, tiny sparks danced across her skin. "Let me finish."

"Go ahead," she said solemnly.

Brady messed his hair and expelled a long breath. "I don't care because those few days away with you...they were probably the happiest I've been in ten years. And I can't go back...I can't be lonely all the time, not after this...not after I got to hold you again. I can't do it, Chloe. I can't forget what happened and I won't be able to trust you completely for a while, but I want to make it work. I want it to work more than anything."

"Brady," Chloe whispered, tentatively stepping closer. When he didn't pull away she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. She let out a contented sigh that he matched.

Brady pulled back and traced her lips with his index finger. She flicked her tongue over it and he let out a hiss of air. In one fluid motion Brady had Chloe in his arms and was carrying her upstairs.

"Brady?" she questioned, "what..."

"Let's go make a baby," he laughed and kissed her hard, not faltering in the slightest as he walked up the stairs.

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The End