A/N: Thanks to all the readers. I hope you enjoy the next leg of our journey!
Please excuse any and all typos. I did a fast and breezy experiment on this. Gave myself a set amount of time to write it up and then let it go.
Be sure to check out the discussion thread for commentary and sometimes spoilers.
myhourglass.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=authorsficchat&thread=2776&page=14#86031====================
Chapter 1She had been placed in a room by herself. Two twin sized beds against opposite walls, two dressers, and one bedside table between them. The walls were white, which at first Chloe thought was an improvement over the yellow at Salem University hospital, until she spent a few hours staring at them. White walls were just as bad, blank, sterile, nothingness. She found herself searching for cracks in the paint, just to have something of interest to focus on, anything to keep from retreating inside her head. Her mind was feeling like a scary place since she had arrived at the Midwest Psychiatric Hospital seven days earlier.
The fears about further losing her sanity, trapped in a place filled with unstable minds, were pushing at the back of her brain. Chloe worked feverishly to ignore them. She didn’t want to succumb to the thoughts, the realization that she hadn’t been sent there as punishment by Victor, but she had to be sent there because she deserved to be locked away. She didn’t want to admit that maybe she really was crazy.
Right behind those thoughts about her sanity was Parker. His sweet face lurked in the fringes of her mind. The last time she held him was starting to slip away. She was starting to forget whether his blond hair had a hint of a curl or if he held his left fist or right fist up to his mouth as he slept. And his smile, with dimples like his father’s, how long would it be before she forgot that as well? She was facing years in this place. She wouldn’t even recognize her own son when she was released.
Then there was Philip. Chloe could still feel his hand gently squeezing hers in his hospital room. It was the most vivid thing in her mind, as clear as if it just happened a few moments before. Thoughts of him wouldn’t stay put, they filled her head like a flickering lamp. He wouldn’t give her peace. He wouldn’t let her go. If she had believed in the supernatural, she almost could believe that Philip was trying to communicate with her somehow, all the way from his bed in Salem. The way he invaded her mind, an ever present resident, his face just as it had been when she last saw him, quiet and still. But this time his eyes were open and he was watching her, but saying nothing, just watching. And every now and then Chloe would feel a squeeze. It was all in her head of course, but it felt so real, as if Philip were holding her hand through all of this. That crazy notion was the sole reason Chloe hadn’t lost it. For the first time in what seemed like so long, Chloe didn’t feel completely alone.
“Nicole, I can’t believe you did this?” Chloe smiled at her friend in disbelief.
Nicole was sitting across from her, at the visiting room table, in a black wig, tortoise shell glasses, and a gray suit. Nicole had somehow managed to snag the ID and credentials of a Dr. Morgan Walker. Chloe had been surprised to find out that Brady was the one that had helped her pull the whole ruse off. He was usually opposed to such obvious bouts of deceptions.
“It was the only way I could get in to see you,” Nicole whispered looking around for eavesdroppers. They were pretty much alone in the place. The hospital tended to give doctors privacy to consult with their patients.
“Yeah they are so strict here. They told me I can’t have visitors for maybe another week. They need to assess my character. Whatever that means.”
There were so many rules. They actually were written up and taped on the wall of her room. She was starting to memorize them, she had stared at them so much. The right to have personal effects would have to be earned. Phone privileges one hour a day between seven and eight pm, calls limited to fifteen minutes per patient. All patients must wear white, pre-approved items only. No patient will be allowed to walk though the halls unattended. The list went on and on.
“It means they want to figure out what kind of prisoner you are. If you will go with the flow or cause trouble. You did get sent here for sneaking out of the hospital.”
“But it’s not like this is prison.”
“It kind of is. This is the place they send the criminally insane.” She adjusted her wig and straightened her frames on her face.
“You are making me feel so much better, Nicole,” said Chloe sarcastically.
“Stop using my name. I’m Dr. Walker remember?”
“So Dr. Walker,” said Chloe lowering her voice. “Any news from the hospital?”
“Right duh. That’s the reason I am here in the first place. You must be going out of your mind with worry.” Nicole took Chloe’s hand in hers and squeezed it.
“I just need to know he’s all right. Is he really out of the coma?”
It had been a week and she had received no news. Not even Drew had been allowed to see her the first seven days. It all happened in a blur. One minute Philip was grasping her hand, the next Parker was being lifted from her arms, and her hands were being pinned behind her back. Bo had told her he had to get her out of the hospital ASAP. Too much attention was being put on Philip as he came back to consciousness. She had one last look at Parker, and then she was gone.
“Yep the doctors confirmed it. He has been staying alert longer and longer each day. Things are looking good for him,” said Nicole with a smile.
“Is he talking yet?” Chloe couldn’t help but wonder what his first words would be. She wanted to know what it had been like for him all those months.
“No. Brady says it is going to take time. He has to do all sorts of therapy and rehab. They won’t know for sure the extent of the damage until they finish testing and examining him.”
“Damage?” asked Chloe in alarm. “Is there something wrong with him?”
“He’s been in a coma a long time. His body went through a lot. There might be some permanent changes.”
“Like what? Like brain damage?”
She hadn’t even considered that Philip could still be in danger. She should have known better than to just think it would be smooth sailing. It never had been for them. Everything was always a struggle. Just once Chloe wished things could be like on TV, where the patient makes a miraculous recovery and is back on his feet in days. Philip beat the odds coming this far. Why couldn’t he get a little bit more magic?
“Brady didn’t say. All we can do right now is just hope for the best. It’s possible that Philip might be perfectly fine.”
“I hope so Nicole. Parker really needs his father, while I am stuck in here.”
“Well he always has little Miss Sunshine to take care of him.” Chloe wasn’t sure what Nicole had against Melanie, but she never cut her any slack.
“I know. I just want him with his father.”
“I get it. I am kind of shocked that Melanie let you near Parker, and Philip too for that matter. That girl is like a rabid guard dog when it comes to that man. So protective. Half the times I got into see Philip, Brady had to intervene on my behalf, and even then, I swear she wanted to pat me down. As if I would do anything to hurt Philip. She is one crazy chick,” said Nicole as she leaned back in her chair.
“She was just scared for him. I can’t really imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes. To have to watch someone you love just waste away month and month.” She had been starting to feel more for Melanie the past few days. They had found some common ground that day in Philip’s room and Chloe was starting to see that Melanie was suffering as much as she was.
“It was hard on all of us. We all love Philip in our own way. Isn’t that right?” asked Nicole raising one eyebrow at Chloe. It was as if she were trying to hint at something with her statement.
“Right,” said Chloe slowly.
“Still good on you and Parker for sticking it to her. She must have just turned green when Philip responded to you by his bedside.” Nicole grinned.
“I think she was just happy he was coming around.”
“For now. But in time it’s really going to piss her off. You better watch your back Chloe. I think you just added one more strike to your hate column.”
Chloe shook her head. “She’s really not that bad. I think we’ve come to an understanding.”
“Chloe listen to me, as your older and much wiser friend. Once two women have shared a man they can never be friends.”
Chloe eyed Nicole skeptically. “What about us? We both were with Brady.”
“That’s different,” Nicole shrugged. “We duked it out and made our peace.”
“Maybe Melanie and I have too.”
“You haven’t. There’s still so much between you. There’s Parker, the cheating on her father, not to mention the fact you still want Philip,” said Nicole counting out each point on her fingers.
“Wait what?” asked Chloe sitting upright, shocked by Nicole’s assertion. “I do not want Philip.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you the same woman that told me not so long ago that you had wished you had taken a chance with Philip instead of turning to Lucas?”
“Yeah but I was just daydreaming. Wondering how different things could have been, I wasn’t being serious.” She had been voicing regrets about her bad choices, not making statements about wanting Philip back. Nicole had it all wrong.
“In my experience, people don’t daydream about things they don’t want. You could have daydreamed about not breaking up with Brady or about never cheating on Daniel, but you didn’t. You were fantasizing about being with Philip.”
“It’s just because of Parker.” Chloe said dismissively. “It is bringing up old feelings.”
“Could be. But seems to me those old feelings were there before Parker was even conceived. You and Philip turned to each other for a reason.”
“We are close, so we lean on each other. Friends do that.”
“How come you didn’t turn to Brady that night?” Chloe turned her nose up at the question. It seemed weird to even be thinking about sleeping with Brady.
“Well Philip just stopped by and things happened.” It was coincidence, a drunken coincidence that had brought them together that night. They were both suffering the same pain.
“What if Brady had been the one to stop by, do you think things would’ve happened?”
“How can I even answer that? I don’t know.”
“Let’s try this. Close your eyes and think about Brady.”
“Nicole you do know you’re not really a doctor right?” she asked raising her eyebrows at Nicole.
“Oh just play along. Close your eyes and think about tall and hot Brady Black.”
“Okay.” Chloe closed her eyes and let Brady enter her mind.
“What’s the first thing that pops into your head?”
“Sweet.” She saw Brady standing in front of her smiling, flowers in his hand. He was always so thoughtful.
“Okay good,” said Nicole eagerly, getting into her role. “Now think about Philip.”
Chloe started to close her eyes, but then stopped, opening them abruptly. “This is stupid. It doesn’t even mean anything.”
“Just do it,” said Nicole.
Chloe sighed heavily, but closed her eyes and thought of Philip.
“What popped into your head?” asked Nicole leaning forward over the table.
“Obviously I’m just happy that he is doing better and out of his coma. That is all this is,” said Chloe dismissively.
“Spill it,” Nicole urged.
“I pictured him on his knees,” Chloe stated.
“Ooo doing what?” Nicole’s eyes lit up in anticipation.
“He was begging me to stay.”
“Is this some sort of fantasy or…”
“No it is something that happened,” interrupted Chloe. “The first time Philip and I ever slept together, after Brady and I got divorced. He got down on his knees and asked me to stay with him at his house.”
She could see it all so clearly. Philip on his knees, in black pants, no shirt, her hands in his, smiling at her. She had been feeling like her whole world was ending. She failed with Brady, she had no job, no prospects and Philip had made it all good again. He had this way of lifting her spirits even during her darkest moments.
“Interesting,” said Nicole as she watched Chloe intently.
“What?” asked Chloe shifting uneasily in her seat under Nicole’s scrutiny.
“I just find it interesting that your mind went there.”
“Well we were talking about all that time period just now and sex, and stuff.” Chloe glanced away, trying to appear disinterested. “I don’t think it is any surprise that I thought about it.”
“Yeah but why that particular moment? You didn’t flash to the actual sex or even a kiss. You went right for him asking you to be with him.”
“So?”
“Me thinks your mind is trying to tell you something,” said Nicole with a small smile.
“What? That I want to be with Philip?” Chloe could feel herself turning red. What a ridiculous conclusion Nicole had jumped to. There was no basis in reality for that statement. “That is so crazy and the last thing I need. I just got out of this thing with Daniel. I am in a mental hospital. I don’t have custody of my baby. Besides Philip is married.”
“True. You do have a lot going on. But at some point you are going to have to allow yourself to face some facts.” Nicole took out her phone and toyed with it, obviously feeling like the matter was settled, the mystery solved.
“What facts? I don’t want to be in a relationship with Philip Kiriakis.” She felt the need to convince Nicole that even jokingly thinking in this way was too absurd to persist. She wanted to nip it in the bud.
“Well maybe not. But you definitely have feelings for him. And that, you are going to have to deal with or else things are going to get a whole lot worse for you. Trust me on that. Harboring denied feelings is like living with a festering wound, it just gets worse and worse until it has spread throughout your entire body.”
“Honestly, I think this just has to do with that connection I felt with Philip when he started coming around last week.” A smile spread on her face as she thought back to that day. “It was the most amazing experience to have him grab my hand like that. All of us together like a family. It felt almost like destiny or kismet. I don’t know. It was just powerful.”
“Sounds like a beautiful moment.”
“It was. I have never felt anything like that before.” Chloe’s eyes filled with tears as she pictured the three of their hands all touching. She never realized that something so simple could mean that much to her. But it had. Seeing that visual symbol of all they were to each other, of their connection, may have been one of the most intense moments of her life.
“I wonder what Philip will have to say about it once he can talk again.”
“You think he even remembers?” asked Chloe.
“If it was as powerful a moment as you say, how could he not? Something happened between you three that day. Something so huge that it brought him out of a coma. That is life altering stuff. I bet it is all he can think about right now.”
If Philip did remember, if he felt it too, what would that mean for all of them? It seemed so unreal, but Chloe couldn’t shake the feeling that everything in their lives had just shifted. The future suddenly felt a little more certain. Chloe was starting to feel like she might have a place in this world, something to hold on to, some hope for happiness. And it all came from holding his hand.
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Next update - back to the hospital
