Chapter 7

"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."

"Hi, Hope," she softly said, drumming up a smile. For the first time, crossing the Brady threshold seemed terrifying.

"Well, come on in," said Shawn's mother, ushering Belle inside. "Shawn! Belle's here to see you!" Seeing so much of herself in Belle, Hope smiled, as she watched the girl glance nervously toward the staircase. A stretch of silence passed, before Hope tilted her head in bewilderment. "Shawn, honey! You have a visitor! Belle's here to see you!" They waited several moments with no response. "Hmmm, he's probably got his headphones on or something. Hold on a second."

His mother went upstairs to check for herself, while Belle wrung her scarf. Oh God, she thought, was Chloe telling the truth? Belle walked to the base of the steps and listened, as Hope knocked on her son's door.

"Shawn D.? Are you alright? Belle's here to see you. Honey?" When Hope was met with only silence, Belle heard her enter the room, but she picked up only muffled voices, as she leaned in to hear. Feeling the tears start to burn, she closed her eyes and took a breath and exhaled.

She had to find out what was going on. Shawn was her friend - now maybe more than a friend - and he needed her. Whatever happened to him to make him doubt her, they would work it out. So, she took a breath and climbed the steps toward his room, as the voices became clearer.

"Honey, what's wrong?" asked Hope.

"Nothing, Mom," said an agitated Shawn, "I'm just tired, that's all."

"You're not feverish… you sure you don't want to say hi to Belle? She's waiting downstairs."

Belle reached his doorway and saw his head droop, as his mother sat down on the bed beside him with a loving arm around him.

"I-I don't-I'm just really tired. Could you just tell her-"

"H-Hi, Shawn," voiced Belle finally, after she swallowed the lump in her throat.

His head snapped up and their eyes met, before he averted his gaze.

Hope watched her son in concern. "Honey-"

"Mom, please…" pleaded Shawn, his voice desperately ragged, but his expression hidden, "I-I'd like to be alone."

Her vision blurred by tears, Belle raised a trembling hand to her face.

Shaken herself, Hope ran a soothing hand over his hair before rising. "Belle, maybe you should-"

"Shawn, why don't you want to see me?" entreated Belle.

He turned away to look blindly at the window, his knuckles white from gripping the edge of bed.

"Belle," began Hope, "Let's go back downstairs-"

"What did I do?" she choked on a sob, her eyes riveted on him and her breathing erratic from the tears. "That night, when J.T. died-"

"Get out," said Shawn, burying his face in his hands.

Hope gasped, "Shawn D.- "

Her heart aching like never before, Belle hugged herself. "When he died, after we kissed-"

"I said, get out!" shouted Shawn, his eyes fierce and flooded with tears.

"It's not our fault!" screamed Belle through her agony, "It's not my fault and it's not your fault! God wanted J.T.-"

"Get the hell out!" he screamed, rising to his feet with his hands fisted at his sides. "Do you hear me? Stay the hell away from me!"

Hope stepped in between them. "That's enough, Shawn!"

Her lips quivering, Belle backed out of his room on buckling knees, turned, and ran down the steps and out of the house with Hope calling after her.

Running a hand through her hair, Hope turned back to her son, who'd crawled back onto the bed and curled into a ball, trembling. "Honey?" Her voice was unsteady, as she neared her son. "Baby?"

His mother gathered him against her, while he sobbed in her arms.

"Shhh, it's alright, Shawn. Momma's here."

He sighed, when her soft hair glided under his cheek. He swore he could smell her sweet lavender shampoo. Then, he felt a warm hand run across his bare chest and his blood begin to heat. His lips found hers and his hands skimmed over the silky slopes of her body.

When the corner of his lip stung and he tried to open his eyes, he panicked. His left eye seemed sealed shut. "Chloe?" he called out, confused.

She awoke instantly. "Philip?" she said, moving the hand that in sleep had slipped under his shirt to his back to soothe. "I'm here."

"You're really here," he murmured in relief, as the memory of Shawn and the fight with Brady settled in.

"Who else were you expecting?" smiled Chloe, kissing his forehead. "And don't you dare say a Victoria's Secret girl, because then I'd have to hurt you."

He sighed into a chuckle, as he felt her fingers stroking his back. "I did have this fantasy of you with little angel wings…" Her lips curved against his good eyelid. "…And nothing else."

"Philip!" she laughed, the idea too hilarious to blush over. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Like I got sacked by a 500 lb. anvil," he admitted, but grinned with pride at his macho accomplishment. Brady might have beaten the shit out of him, but Philip woke with Chloe in his bed. Nature would call that a definite victory.

His grin widened, as she frowned in concern, "Do you want me to get Henderson? He could bring you something-"

"I'm fine, beautiful," he assured, cupping her cheek. "Besides, if he puts ice on my eye one more time, my eyeball will freeze off."

She gently touched the stitched brow. "The swelling has gone down. You sure you don't want aspirin or something?"

"No. I'll be ok. Henderson tried to push some drugs on me before. I'm surprised he didn't mix it in with my food or something." He was too fascinated with her hair splayed across his covers to notice her furtive smirk. "You know, this is the second day in a row that we woke up in bed together. I'm noticing a trend here, and I think I like it." His right dimple twinkled.

Now, she did blush. "I'm s-sorry, Philip-"

He kissed her tenderly. "You don't have to be sorry. We'll wait, until you're ready. Hey," he said, raising her chin, so he could look into her eyes, "I got to be Chloe Lane's first love. How many guys can say that, huh?" He brought her hand to brush his lips across it. "In the meantime, I'll elaborate on that idea with you and the wings," he smiled.

With grateful tears and a laugh, she pulled him close. "I love you, Philip Kiriakis."

A knock came, then the door opened barely a moment after.

"Hey, K-Man! Whoa!" exclaimed an embarrassed Jason, seeing the couple in each other's arms on a rumpled bed. He'd obviously interrupted an intimate moment. "Uh," he sputtered, blocking his eyes just in case, while slowly backing out of the room, "Uh… didn't mean to… uh… As you were…"

"Jase!" laughed Philip, "What are you doing, man?"

Jason peeked through his fingers and saw his buddy grinning at him. The girlfriend was even smiling though mildly blushing. Both, to Jason's relief, were adequately dressed. His protective hand lowered to wipe at his jeans.

"Uh, what's up, Phil? Came to see how you were."

"I'm alright," he replied, gesturing for him to sit on a nearby chair. "How's the head?"

Jason shrugged, as he plopped on a comfy antique chair. "Had worse. Remember when those two flying tackles from Eliot took me down after the frost? Compared to that, this was nothing."

"How about your eye?" asked Chloe.

Jason blinked, being that this was the first time after the hospital she addressed him directly. He glanced over at Philip, whose grin only widened. "Uh, it's fine," he answered, awkwardly addressing them both.

"Bet your dad wasn't too thrilled about that shiner," grinned Philip.

"Yeah," smiled Jason, "He's scared some recruiter from Notre Dame's going to come by this week, see this eye, and think I'm a trouble-maker or something." He shrugged his signature shrug and settled back on the chair. "Whatever, man. Like it matters."

"It's an excellent school," said Chloe, throwing Jason off stride again, "They have a great English department."

"Cute cheerleaders, too," added Philip, chuckling when his girlfriend playfully elbowed him in the ribs, "Hey, have mercy on the wounded."

"Well, since you fellows want to talk shop, I'll be on my way," sniffed Chloe, who started climbing off the bed.

"Hey, wait," said Philip, grabbing her hand, "You don't have to go," trying to puppy pout with his injured lip, which only made him look more pitiable.

She shook her head and have him a quick kiss. "You get to play with Jason now. And I should really check on Shawn."

"Hey, we could come with you," suggested Philip.

"Oh, no," she said, "You know what the doctor and Henderson said. You need to stay here and rest. So, beat your chest and swap your Playboy trading cards with Jason."

"Hmmm, this year's 'Winged Blue-eyed Vixens' is a collector's series…" feigned Philip, tapping the hollow of his cheek.

Stifling a giggle, she stood and smoothed her wrinkled blouse and slacks. "See you later, boys," she waved.

"Later, Chloe," grinned Jason, as the door closed behind her. He turned to meet Philip's questioning expression. "What?"

Philip simply smiled. His friend had called her by her real name.

Sobbing uncontrollably, Belle stumbled through the snow-covered walks.

"Stay the hell away from me!"

Shawn's furious voice echoed still in her ears.

"Oh, Shawn," cried Belle, "What happened to you?"

She pulled the flaps of her coat tighter against her. Her heart hurt so bad. She hadn't know a heart could feel such pain. So, she ran and ran with no thought to destination or direction. Out of breath, she huddled against a tree and closed her eyes.

She blinked, when she found herself before the Wesley's front gate. Her lips shivering from the cold, without and within, she pushed open the gate and edged her way to the front door. She hung her head in shame, unsure of how Chloe could forgive her after the craziness the night before. But she desperately needed a friend, a shoulder to cry on, particularly of someone, who understood heartache.

So, with a tremulous hand, she rang the doorbell.

Dainty footsteps approached and the door opened.

"Belle," greeted Mrs. Wesley, "Come on-"

"Is Chloe here?" asked Belle with tear-streaked cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Belle," answered a concerned Nancy. "She's gone out. Why don't you come in?"

Biting down her bottom lip, she felt the tears overtake her again. "That's ok. Thank you, Mrs. Wesley," she muttered, before she turned around and ran.

She yanked the gate open and collided into Chloe.

"Hey-Belle!" Then, she saw in those blue eyes, usually so brilliant and sunny, a broken heart. "What happened?"

"Oh, Chloe, I'm so sorry about yesterday. It's all my fault-"

"Belle," interrupted Chloe, taking hold of her friend, "What happened?"

Her face crumbled into hopeless tears. "I went to see Shawn."

"Oh, Belle." Chloe hugged her friend. "He's hurting right now. He didn't mean it."

Belle hiccupped from the incessant sobbing. "He hates me! What am I going to do, Chloe? What am I going to do?"

Chloe closed her eyes. Why did fate send Belle to her - the least qualified person to comfort? With the scene on the pier and in Belle's home, this Shawn situation had more than proven it. But Belle was her friend, Chloe reminded herself, and so was Shawn, and she'd try her best to help them. Through all her crises, they'd done no less for her.

"Come on, Belle. Let's get you inside and warm." With an arm around her friend, Chloe led the way into her house.

Her mother ran up, when she saw Belle in tears.

"Oh, thank goodness, you caught up with her. She came by a second ago, looking for you, and she was so upset."

Chloe nodded. "Maybe she could use some hot cocoa."

Forever hyperactive, Nancy bobbed her head up and down. "Oh, I'll whip some up and bring it out."

Before she could rush off, Chloe added, "We'll be up in my room, ok?" If anything, Chloe understood the importance of privacy, when you wanted to cry your eyes out.

She led Belle up the stairs and inside her room to sit. She slung the heavy coats over a chair, before sitting beside her friend on the bed.

"I-I don't know what happened," sniffed Belle without prodding, "I just w-wanted to see him and tell him everything would be alright, because I'd be there for him," she choked, the tears erupting again. "I didn't want to believe you. Of course, Shawn wanted to see me, because… because… I was special to him…"

"Belle, you are. Anyone can see that-"

"He kissed me, Chloe. The night J.T. died," she said, so caught up in the memory that she missed the surprise, then happiness, then sadness that passed over Chloe's face. "The baby had just gone to sleep and we were kidding around, like we always do, and somehow his face was all I could see. And we kissed." She looked to the ceiling to let out a bittersweet laugh. "I thought it would never happen. I've had a crush on him since last year, but never had the guts to tell him. Then, it just happened and I was so happy. W-We were so happy. Then…" Her face crumbled in pain, "Then, J.T. died and Shawn ran away. Now, he hates me." She sobbed.

Chloe pulled her friend into her arms again, while absorbing everything Belle had told her. Things started to make sense. "He doesn't hate you, Belle. He's hurting right now. J.T. died so suddenly, and he doesn't know how to handle it. That's why he ran away."

"That's why he blames himself and me," she sniffed against Chloe's shoulder.

"Yeah," sighed Chloe, wondering once again, how fate decided who would thrive and who would suffer.

"Oh, God, what am I going to do?" wept Belle.

Chloe smoothed her friend's back. "First, you're going to have a good cry. Then, you're going to have Nancy's bizarre liquid, which she calls hot cocoa." She was rewarded with Belle's shaky laugh. "And then, you're going to spend the night here. We can even invite Mimi, if you want."

"Oh, I must be in bad shape, if you're willing to spend time with Mimi," said Belle, in an attempt to joke. Then, she looked down and plucked at her sweater. "What do I do about Shawn?"

"Give him some space, to heal. In the meantime, your friends will go over there and give him hell," smiled Chloe. "We'll bring him around, Belle. He just needs some time."

Belle leaned against Chloe and sighed.