Chapter 6

Philip sighed again, as Chloe's stepfather narrowed his eyes at him in the exam room. Chloe had stepped out to meet his parents, who were on their way up.

"Now, ER doctors usually do this sort of thing, but Chloe asked that I perform the exam and take care of you, as it were," said a simmering Craig, while pulling on gloves. "I know Chloe thinks the world of you, but my wife and I are having some serious doubts. Now, you're getting into fights in someone's house, scaring my stepdaughter half to death." Craig took a calming breath, before he efficiently cleaned the cuts with alcohol, ignoring Philip's winces. "First, you disappear with her in the middle of the night, albeit to look for Shawn, and then we don't see you until nightfall with your face busted in and Chloe frantic."

Philip watched with growing anxiety, as Dr. Wesley picked up the needle. His tense shoulders relaxed, when Chloe returned with his parents in tow.

"Oh, baby," cried his mother, "What happened?"

"I'm alright, Mom," said Philip, as his mother tried to gather him into her arms.

Craig almost rolled his eyes at the doting mother's display.

"Doctor," said Victor Kiriakis, offering his hand.

"Mr. Kiriakis," replied Craig with due respect to the hospital's largest benefactor and shook his hand.

"How's my son?"

"Well, he got into quite a fight. He'll need stitches above his left eye and to close up the lip."

Victor nodded. "Thank you, Doctor. I'm sure that you'll do your best for him."

Craig nodded in return, as he waited for Victor to extract Kate from their son, so that the doctor could get to work. Craig injected the anesthetic before stitching, while Chloe stood by Philip's bed and held his hand.

"So, son," began Philip's father, "I hear you fought with Brady."

Philip closed his eyes and prepared for the inevitable lecture and punishment. "Sorry, Dad."

"Then, I don't have to tell you how disappointed I am that my son and grandson came to blows. You mind telling what led up to it?"

Where do I start? thought Philip.

"It wasn't Philip's fault, Mr. Kiriakis," said Chloe, squeezing Philip's hand in support. "We were all tired and worried about our friend Shawn, who was just found. He's not doing so well, and we were all worried about him. Then, one thing led to another. That's what happened."

"Shawn's been found?" asked Philip's father, "When?"

"A little over an hour ago," explained Chloe, "Philip and I drove him home to be with his family. Then, we went to Belle's house to deliver the news."

"Well, it's wonderful that Shawn's safe with his family," said Victor, thinking of Bo and his son. "I still don't understand how such good news could lead to a fight."

"Oh, Victor," said Philip's mother, patting her son's ankle. "It's been a very long day for the children. I'm sure all of this was a lot to take in. Who wouldn't go a little crazy with everything that's happened?"

Victor's lips pressed together in mild suspicion that things were not as simple as they would hope.

A nurse entered then with an ice bag and handed it to Craig, as he inspected his stitching. "Not bad, if I do say so myself," said Craig with an encouraging wink to Chloe.

"He's alright then?" asked Chloe.

"He'll be fine, sweetie. Good as new," he assured her, as the nurse disposed of the needles and leftover materials. "Now, why don't I give you a lift home?"

Chloe looked to Philip. He gave her a smile. "Go on, beautiful. I'll be alright with my parents here and everything."

"Ok," she said reluctantly. After a timid scan of the adults looking on, she gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "I'll check on you tomorrow."

"You'd better," he grinned.

Chloe peeked in to check on Jason. Mimi stood to the side, as his parents sat by his bed, while the doctor signed his release.

"He has a mild concussion," said a rigid Mimi, not looking at her, "But he's superjock and his parents can take care of him at home."

Not exactly sure of what to say, Chloe walked over to give him a grateful kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry for what happened. B-But, thank you."

Struck speechless by Chloe's sudden change toward him, he cleared his throat. "Phil's my buddy."

"I know," she said quietly, "Thank you." She nodded to Mimi and left the room.

With her stepfather's supportive arm around her shoulders, Chloe walked down the hall toward the exit.

"Hey, Chloe!"

She turned to see a bandaged Brady approaching with his father at his side. She only walked away faster with Craig scrambling to keep up.

"Chloe, I'm sorry, ok?" shouted Brady, as Chloe slipped into the car.

Craig gave a conciliatory wave to John Black, before he closed the car door.

Belle awoke the next afternoon to angry voices from downstairs. She pulled the blanket over her head. Oh no, thought Belle, Dad and Brady are at it again.

"Look, can't we just drop it, Dad? Just for once?"

"Brady, I want to know exactly what was going through your skull, beating on a kid two years younger than you, huh? You and Philip grew up together, and I've never seen you fight like that. Now, I want to know exactly what happened last night and don't feed me that cockamamie story about just being worried for Shawn."

Belle's eyes popped open. She scrambled out of bed to rush downstairs.

Brady's expression cooled. "Well, that's what happened, Dad. Ok? And it's not going to change, so you might as well hand out the punishments now."

"Boy, you're nineteen going on twenty. Don't you think you're a little big to need grounding?"

"It wasn't Brady's fault," said Belle from the base of the steps.

"IzzyB," said her father, his tone instantly softening, as he crossed the room to her. "What are you doing up?" He ran a loving thumb over her cheek. "Thank goodness, your color's back."

"Dad, what happened last night wasn't Brady's fault," repeated Belle, her blue eyes reddened with tears.

Her father sighed, "I know you love your brother, Izzy, but-"

"No!" she said, pushing him away. "It wasn't Brady's fault. It was my fault."

"Belle, no," said a black and blue Brady, "Don't you do this."

"It's true," cried Belle, "I was upset and I was hurting Chloe and Philip tried to protect her and Brady tried to protect me and Jason tried to break it up. It's all my fault."

"Oh, honey," her father said, as he gathered his sobbing angel into his arms. "Shhh, it's alright. I'm sure you didn't mean it."

Running a hand through his hair, Brady stood by, sure that he did.

"Hello, Mimi," greeted a recovering Hope. "I guess you're here to visit Shawn."

"Yeah, Mrs. Brady. Is it alright, if I see him?"

"Sure. I think some friendly faces is just what he needs," she smiled, as she welcomed her inside.

Yeah, Mimi thought, Belle's face is exactly what Shawn needs.

"Shawn!" his mother called, "Mimi's here to see you."

No response came until moments later, when a door opened from upstairs and heavy footsteps slowly descended the steps. Mimi almost gasped at the sight of a bleary-eyed, unshaven Shawn.

"Hey, Shawn," she managed.

"Hey, Mimi," he replied softly.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk," said his mother, before kissing her son on the cheek and going upstairs herself.

Shawn plopped down lethargically on the couch and gestured for her to join him. She gingerly sat down beside him.

"Hey, Shawn."

"Hey, Mimi," he repeated with the beginnings of a smirk.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just happy that you're back."

"Thanks, but I know I look like crap."

"No. I mean, you look fine."

Shawn sighed and lay back on the cushion.

"So, where did you go, Shawn?"

"Didn't Chloe tell you already? No, wait. We're talking about you and Chloe here. Screeching cat fight waiting to happen. Forget it," he muttered, staring up at the ceiling.

Her eyebrows drew together and waited, until it was clear that he wouldn't answer. "We're just worried about you, Shawn, that's all. You're really important to us, especially to Belle-"

"Could we not talk about this right now, Mimi? Why can't we talk about the weather or something, huh?"

She frowned. What did Ghoul Girl do? "Shawn, why don't you want to see Belle?"

He shot up and walked away from her. "Look, I'm really tired. Do you mind, if we talk tomorrow or something?"

She gulped, "Sure, Shawn. Get some rest, alright?"

He nodded weakly, while she walked to the door and stopped. "What do I tell Belle?"

"Mimi, just leave me alone, ok?" he said, running back up the steps.

Saddened, Mimi opened the door and left.

Chloe snuck out the house and headed up the hill to the Kiriakis mansion. She'd just escaped another hour of smothering from her hysterical mother. Nancy had acted, as if her daughter was the one bruised and bleeding. And she'd started in on Philip again. That was an immediate signal to vacate the premises, before Chloe said something she'd regret. What was the point of ranting on and on about staying away from something or someone, when a teenager would do exactly the opposite, much of the time just in spite?

But Philip was not in spite. If there was anything she was sure about, Chloe was sure about how he made her feel, and she was not willing to deny herself that. She'd found someone, who believed in her and cherished her completely. When she stood beside him in that hospital room last night, she realized that all she wanted to do protect and love him, as he did for her. This may be only her first encounter with romantic love and high school crushes may not be forever, but he made her feel alive and deliriously happy. And important. Vital, even. All these new feelings she intended to explore and immerse herself in without the old obsession over the fleeting nature of happiness.

She raised the heavy brass knocker and offered an easy smile to Henderson, who opened the door and graciously invited her in. Chloe knew most of the primary staff now. She'd spent a major part of the passed month visiting the Kiriakis estates. In actuality, she'd only seen a fraction of the vast property and mansion, but it felt good to become acquainted, even familiar with Philip's home.

"Master Philip is resting now. Don't let on, Miss Chloe, but I slipped some pain medication in his food. He woke this morning with a lot of aches but refused to treat it. That boy certainly has a stubborn streak," said Henderson with affection. "So, don't be surprised, if he dozes off."

Brows knitted in concern, she nodded in understanding and thanked the servant. She climbed the steps to the second level and turned left, then stopping before the fourth door. She knocked three times and waited. Finally, she turned the knob and let herself in.

And there lay her prince, snoring lightly away on his bed.

She pulled the blanket up to his neck and tucked him in. Then, she climbed onto the bedspread and lay down beside him, watching him sleep. His swollen eye and stitched lip were an ugly dark purple, while his cheek was still raw. Smoothing back his hair, she blinked away the tears. The handsome face of a prince, battle-scarred. And so he became her knight.

She placed a gentle kiss on a smooth corner of his mouth, still in drugged slumber. Then, her head rested on his shoulder, while her hand found its place over his heart.

"It was wonderful," she whispered, "Waking up with you," and closed her eyes.

"Come on. Come on, Belle," muttered Mimi, as she listened to the line ring and ring. She huddled in the corner of the phone booth next to the Java Café. Damn, she thought, no answer. She replaced the receiver. "Where are you, Belle? I have to tell you about Shawn."

Meanwhile, Belle took a breath before knocking.

The door opened. "Belle," greeted Hope, "I was wondering, when you'd stop by."