Undertow 2: Uncharted Waters - Update 9/1/15 (Read 115,042 times)

[slyn11]

Thanks guys for all your continued support. I'm finishing up the final two chapters. I cannot wait to put complete next to the title of this thread!

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A slim finger traced the outline of her body captured on screen. She’d come to see him at the hospital, while he lay comatose and pale, she had crept in like a ghostly apparition only visible from the corner of the eye. She’d escaped the psych ward to see him, apparently more than once, but this time was the one that mattered. The visit Philip’s father insisted he watch, so he did. The first time was in the car, with guarded reactions unwilling to give his dad even the smallest reason to gloat, inside though he was churning. The pleasure he felt at the knowledge Chloe felt enough to visit was quickly overtaken by the horrified disbelief that she was plotting a kidnapping over his useless form.

Was it really kidnapping if the baby was hers? That was a question Philip continued to ask himself. His father was certain it was, offering up that video as proof that Chloe was untrustworthy to be around Parker. She was a threat that needed to be dealt with in Victor Kiriakis’ eyes. But for Philip, things were more complicated, because while his gut clenched with fear and anger at the mere thought that at one time Chloe had deemed it was reasonable to take their son into the cold night without money or a plan, he couldn’t easily forget that it was Chloe’s impaired mental health that was the blame for this breach in rationality. Though it could be argued that the fact that Philip hadn’t jumped to agreement with his father about Chloe as a breach in rational thought as well, since fatherly instinct usually dictated the harshest of response, and that harshness was there, currently stamped down by the blue of Chloe’s eyes and youthful memories of her smiling in the sunlight, because for more than a brief moment in those woods he held so sacred, Philip had contemplated burying her there. Not that he’d ever really hurt Chloe, but those dirty teddy bears in that cold dark place made him wish for her to suffer in ways he prayed his baby boy never had. Then the dark clouds cleared his head and he was left with Chloe and no matter how much negative evidence he was presented with he still couldn’t quite believe that the girl he had loved for so long was capable of something like this.

His dad must have anticipated his hesitancy, so he presented exhibit two, crime scene photos from the woods. There in bright daylight was the scene that Philip had witnessed by flashlight the night before. There were no stuffed bears this time, just bright yellow crime scene tape wrapped around the trunk of a tree that meant more to him than almost anything in the town. Even without the makeshift monument to a little lost boy, Philip still felt the pain and the horror of the scene. His baby was left behind to freeze in a lonely place with nothing but the trees to protect him. And that was something he just couldn’t get past. Not for the sake of trying, he wanted to be a better man, one that could separate the actions of a mentally impaired woman, from the Chloe that was the mother of his child and someone he has always loved. Dividing a person in half, separating the good from the bad, the parts he liked, from those he didn’t, only worked in theory, Philip had learned that very lesson the previous night when he had come to realize he was doing just that to Melanie and failing miserably. Melanie, his wife and Melanie his little nurse were one in the same, no matter how much he wished they weren’t at the time. There was no nurse he developed a crush on, the truth was he was attracted to his wife from almost the moment he had met her, despite all of his loud and hurtful protestations, scary thoughts that he could no longer ignore.

Now he was faced with yet another truth, more painful than any revelations about Melanie, his Chloe had hurt their child, and while he didn’t believe it was intentional, he also didn’t think he could just let it go. In fact, he knew he couldn’t. A whole night vacillating between thinking about it and vigorously trying to ignore it, hadn’t changed a thing, in the sunlight of morning he was left with the same conclusion. Chloe had hurt their son, and he was terrified by that. So exhibit 3 was an unnecessary measure in his nearly constant torment, but since Philip wasn’t apt to share the inner workings of his mind with most people, let alone his father, he was forced to endure yet another tidbit that was sure to increase his pain. With due expediency, seeming almost scripted in timing, Victor pulled up in front of the Salem PD. Confusion must have colored every bit of his face because his dad actually chuckled in amusement as he explained that here is where Chloe was waiting to see him. Then a new sort of terror took hold. What had Chloe done in that short time to warrant a trip to city lock up?

Waiting for Bo to arrive, minutes ticked by as Philip sat in his brother’s office, his head suddenly aching. Perhaps it was another symptom of his TBI or simply eye strain from his continuous staring at the paused image of Chloe on the screen, either way he couldn’t tear himself away from the Ipad he clutched before him.

“My head is killing me,” he said rubbing his temples.

“You probably should get yourself looked at,” said a voice from above him. “Headaches can be indicators of an underlying condition.”

Philip looked up to see Dr. Daniel Jonas in the doorway, a leather jacket over his scrubs.

“Daniel? I’m surprised to see you here.” Daniel didn’t seem to have much use for Chloe anymore by the looks of things. Between what Chloe had told him and the bits and pieces he had gathered from his family, the man had complete written her off.

The older man took a seat in the chair next to Philip. “Why are you surprised? I care about her.”

Philip nodded. “Yeah, that’s true. We do anything for the people we love even if we shouldn’t.” His eyes again, returned to Chloe digitally plastered on the screen.

“Indeed,” Daniel agreed. “All we can do is hope that our loved ones care enough not to take advantage of that instinct.”

“I feel like that comment was directly pointed at me.” Tension built in Philip’s neck, intensifying the pain in his head.

“It was.” Daniel stared Philip down, the look in his eyes somewhere between concerned father and murderous hit man.

“I’m not taking advantage of your daughter, if that’s what you’re implying. I appreciate all Melanie has done for me, and for Parker, things are just complicated,” Philip explained, rubbing his head as he considered whether he should add more to his statement.

Brady thought so highly of Daniel Jonas, looked up to him almost like a big brother. While Philip maintained a polite distance from the man over the years, too busy with his own life to be concerned about his father’s much older globetrotting doctor godson. But the man couldn’t be all bad, his father seemed very fond of him. So thinking about it objectively, maybe there was some substance to the high regard Brady held the doctor, perhaps he could be the one person that could help him make sense of his scattered life.

Daniel exhaled heavily, studying his immaculate short fingernails for any trace of dirt. “Some things are out of your control. I get that. Your head trauma and subsequent memory issues will take time to resolve themselves, but you’re not helping your condition by choosing to ignore it.”

“I may have rushed through physical therapy but I promise you getting back to 100 percent health is a top priority.”

“And you think firing your psychiatrist is positive step in restoring your health?”

Shrinking down in his seat a bit, feeling like a scolded child, “She wasn’t a good fit,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, well, I hope you find a new doctor that is a good fit, for your sake and my daughter’s.”

“Melanie has been very understanding and patient with me through all this.”

“That’s a testament to her big heart, anyone else would’ve have dropped your ass long ago,” said Daniel with a nasty clip that belied the obvious fact that Melanie had not inherited her big heart from him.

“We’re married,” Philip offered weakly.

Daniel snatched the forgotten iPad from Philip’s lap. “And yet you’re staring at pictures of another woman,” he stated angrily.

He knew he didn’t have much of a leg to stand on in this argument. No father could possibly approve of a cheating husband, that fathered a baby with another woman, now back from a coma with a case of psychological amnesia that only seemed to effect the years that involved his wife. If a situation like this ever happened to Parker he would be fitting the girl with cement shoes. So Philip got Daniel’s anger and inherent mistrust, but the idealistic fool that still managed to live inside him couldn’t help but feel compelled to try to explain

Philip grabbed the tablet back, risking the ire of the far more muscular older man. “This is not what you think. My dad just gave me this a couple hours ago. My whole life is on here, everything I missed. He called it a birthday gift, but I am starting to think it was a set up.”

“How can knowing about your past be a set up?” asked Daniel.

“Because the first thing he showed me was this.” Philip pointed to the screen. “Chloe in my room plotting to take Parker away.”

“Again it’s about Chloe!” Daniel was yelling now, inches from Philip’s face, and intimidating as hell.

“No it’s about Parker,” Philip replied at a far lower volume than his father-in-law, hoping to diffuse a situation that was quickly going south. “My son could be in danger and his mother is the threat. How do I deal with that?”

“Philip this is such bulls**t.” Daniel shook his head so forcefully that the air stirred from his action, slightly moving Philip’s hair. “You have more money than three quarters of the population, endless resources, and you can’t figure out how to keep one small child safe?”

“I shouldn’t have to protect Parker from his own mother.”

“I’ve known your family for years, since before you were born, and I know they didn’t raise you in a bubble or coddle you.” Daniel slapped the back of his hand into his opposite palm, a loud slap of flesh against flesh. Philip rubbed the back of his neck uneasily as he considered the damage Daniel could inflict on his still not fully recovered body. “Time for you to man up and accept reality, bad things happen even when you don’t want them to.”

“I know but...” Philip started, before Daniel quickly cut him off.

“No buts, just truth. My daughter was raised by a man that neglected and mistreated her, basically the worst excuse of a parent that you could imagine, and I couldn’t even help my child because I didn’t know it was going on. Hell I didn’t even know my little girl existed. She had to find me after enduring years of abuse.”

“Abuse? What kind of abuse?” asked Philip the hairs on his arm raising.

Leaning forward in his chair, Daniel ran his hands down his face as if he were attempting to wipe away the ugliness he just revealed about Melanie’s past.

“The point is I couldn’t save my daughter, she was across the world needing me and I did nothing to help. You don’t have to suffer that same fate. Parker is right here where you can love and protect him. Stop wasting time on being disappointed about Chloe and focus on doing right by your child, the way I wish I could have done right by mine.”

There it was, stated in the simplest terms. Daniel had put a name to his feelings perfectly. Beyond being upset about what happened to his baby, and sad that both Parker and Chloe had to endure such a horrible ordeal, resided his larger issue with it all – the disappointment. Intellectually he knew that Chloe had suffered from postpartum depression, a condition that led to her unspeakable acts, and if he considered all the commentary bandied about since he recovered from his coma, then it was clear other mental issues might have contributed to Chloe’s actions as well. In other words, she was sick, and much of this might have been out of her control. Philip knew it, understood the words, yet still his disappointment remained. Because this was Chloe, his perfect beautiful Chloe, that managed to always make his day better with just her smile, the one that sat and listened while he went on about his family problems, or encouraged him to share the hidden sides of himself like his love of astronomy or poetry. She had been the light in his life for so long, sometimes the only light, and not even breaking his heart completely had fully dimmed her shine in his eyes, but now it felt like that light was on the verge of fading, it was flickering rapidly, dangerously threatening to extinguish itself in their current turbulent circumstance. And Philip couldn’t keep himself from wondering, how he and Chloe had allowed this all to happen?

“But what about Chloe? If she needs help I can’t just turn my back on her. Maybe you can be that heartless but -”

“Heartless! You piece of S*** are you taking shots at me?” Daniel jumped to his feet. “You don’t know a damn thing about me and Chloe. You’ve conveniently forgotten it all, but the rest of us are here remembering the hell of what happened. I love Chloe, she was my life, but she came after my daughter, she tore her world apart, and hasn’t stopped yet.”

Philip stayed firmly attached to his chair not wanting to instigate that physical fight he had been angling for when he was confined to his hospital bed. Getting back on his feet had not only increased his mobility but also his common sense. He wasn’t eager to get into a fight with a man that was far bigger and stronger than he was.

“Chloe didn’t mean -”

“Her intentions are meaningless in the wake of all this destruction. My baby girl is a mess because of her and you.”

“Daniel I feel like I need to explain,” said Philip carefully.

“It’s Dr. Jonas, you asshole.”

“Ok,” he said drawing out the word as he lifted both hands up in surrender. “Speaking for myself, I promise you that things are better between Melanie and me. We’re going to try to make our marriage work. I’m committed…”

“Where was all this commitment when you were throwing your dick around? Chloe has made some mistakes and I realize that life hasn’t always been easy for her, but you.” He poked a finger into Philip’s chest, so hard he knew there would be a bruise. “Besides your short time in the military where I’m sure you endured unimaginable challenges, you’ve had a silver spoon shoved all the way up your ass. You were in control of all your faculties and you had no reason to spit on my daughter and your wedding vows.” Daniel poked at him again while Philip backed away from the offending finger.

“From what I’ve been told she was with another man,” Philip said quietly, his defenses flaring as he struggled to keep them in check. Blaming Melanie for her emotional affair would definitely be the wrong move at this point.

“Don’t even go there. A real man confronts his wife, not run off and sleep with someone else. I knew my daughter never should have married you.”

The doctor was pacing now, along the small length of Bo’s office. Philip could imagine smoke coming out of his father-in-law’s ears. He should have kept his mouth shut and let Daniel burn off his anger, but something inside him couldn’t let this go. Maybe Daniel was right in his assessment of his character, since learning about the events that led to his affair with Chloe, Philip had questioned his behavior repeatedly. Never had he been the type to cut and run. He threw punches and demanded answers. So why hadn’t he that night? Still as justified as Daniel’s statements might have been, Philip couldn’t let him get away with attacking Melanie’s right to choose him. The fact that she even had, given all she seemed to know about his history and business, was like this amazing gift that he couldn’t remember receiving, but knew he couldn’t possibly deserve.

“Well good thing it was her choice to make and not yours, because Melanie loves me.”

Was it déjà vu or a memory trying to surface? Philip wasn’t sure either way, but something about this whole exchange felt familiar. He could almost picture himself sitting next to Melanie on a couch, hands firmly clasped facing any and all dissenters to defend their right to be in love and get married. A smile came to his lips as the image grew even more focused bringing Melanie into view, hand on her hip, big blue eyes glassy with unshed tears, but her voice never wavering as she stood up to her dad, so beautiful and so proud to be with him. Philip snapped out of his reverie, Melanie wasn’t here now, so it was up to him to defend a marriage he wasn’t even sure about.

“Lot of good that does her,” Daniel said bitterly. “She would be better off on her own.”

“With all due respect Dr. Jonas who are you to make that judgment? I may not remember my life with Melanie but from everything she’s told me about our past, and the way she’s made me feel since I opened my eyes in the hospital, I think we were probably pretty good together. I know you want to save your daughter from every hurt and pain that comes her way, especially since you said you couldn’t do that for her as a child, but I promise you this Dr. Jonas, Melanie doesn’t need saving from me. I care about her very much.”

Daniel stopped, head tilted, arms folded, and regarded Philip for a beat before rolling his eyes upward and dropping back into his chair with a heavy sigh.

“And Chloe? Since you claim to want to stay married to my daughter, where does that leave her?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like she’s such a big part of me, like she fills up every space in my heart, as corny as that sounds.”

There was a tightening in his chest whenever he thought about Chloe now. Losing her all those years ago seemed like the greatest pain he’d ever endure, worse than any injury he suffered in the Marines, or any disparaging remark his father threw at him, how young and dumb he had been. Of course there was worse pain, the unrelenting ache of knowing that his own child was helpless in the dark, so close to death, and he had been powerless to prevent it from happening. Then to learn that the one person he probably trusted most in his life had been the person to inflict said pain, it was almost impossible to fathom, and even harder to bear. Yet here he was forced to deal with it, because his son needed his strength and stability, to give him the best life, especially now that his mother couldn’t. He had to find a way to shelve his disappointment and swallow his fears because Chloe needed his strength just as much as Parker, maybe more so.

“Sounds like love,” Daniel replied after a momentary pause.

“Does it?” Daniel nodded slightly. “Ok then, answer me this. Is this love I feel for Chloe the true and forever kind or is it just some mirage that I manufactured during my coma? Brady certainly seems to think all that I’m feeling is fake.”

“I don’t think Brady is the right person to go to for advice on that subject, he’s embroiled in his own struggle between mirages and true loves when it comes to Chloe. Probably part of what landed him back in rehab.”

“Rehab?” Philip asked, truly surprised. Brady seemed perfectly fine last night. “I thought Brady was sober, though come to think of it he was drinking last night with me.”

“Brady’s been drinking fairly heavily lately. He thought he could handle it since cocaine was his problem, not alcohol, but this morning he asked me to drop him off at the clinic.”

Then Philip saw it, the weariness on his father-in-law’s face, the slight tremor of distress in his voice, Daniel Jonas was in as much pain as the rest of them.

“And you think Chloe had something to do with that?” Philip asked the question fully knowing what the response would be.

Chloe had been a large part of Brady’s life. Even without his memories of the past three years Philip knew that. But if anyone had suffered from the infidelities of the recent past, it was the man sitting beside him. Philip just didn’t want to focus on that fact, so intent of forging ahead with this perceived second chance that was stolen from Daniel’s grasp. Philip now could admit that drunken stupidity during a night he couldn’t even remember, had created a miracle in Parker, but had also started a nightmare for Daniel. But why would that upset Brady? Was he silently hoping for reconciliation with Chloe while she was involved with Daniel? Or maybe things had developed while he was in a coma. Brady seemed very supportive of Chloe, while many others were not. Thinking about it now the signs were all there that Brady had deeper feelings for Chloe. The fierce loyalty toward her, the distaste at any mention of the getting back together, and the way he kept pushing Philip toward Melanie. He was so blind. Once he learned that Brady was out of the picture, Philip had pursued Chloe, selfishly ignoring any possibility that there were other contenders for her heart. Life had given him what he wanted, a cosmic do-over, a chance to get things right this time, Chloe was here and ready to love him again, finally, after years of wishing for it to be so. But now the price of those wishes granted suddenly seemed too great when he considered all that Brady might have lost.

“Chloe, you, Parker, Melanie, take your pick. Brady hasn’t been dealing with over a year’s worth of stress as well as he let on. Having you back chasing after his ex-wife probably didn’t help.”

“Our endless triangle strikes again.” What once felt like a battle that Philip wanted to triumphantly win, was now a leaden weight dragging them all down.

“Not endless. Despite the way things are now, Chloe and I were truly happy for a time. And you seemed to have bowed out of the running years ago and as many issues as I have with you, I’d like to think that you married my daughter for love.”

Philip perked up, shocked that Daniel would allow such an admission. “I’d like to think that too, because Melanie deserves nothing less.”

“I agree and I don’t think you staying married to my daughter while you’re filled with love for Chloe is what Melanie deserves.”

He ran his fingers through his cropped hair, deflated by Daniel’s words. “It’s not that simple.”

“Yes it is. Follow your heart and let my daughter go.” The anger had dissipated and all that remained was Daniel imparting wisdom without judgment. Maybe this is what Brady had come to rely on from the man, his ability to get past his personal bias and simply cut to the truth. “Stop stringing them both along because you’re too weak and selfish to make a decision.”

This fairytale he concocted with Chloe, complete with picnics for three and a house filled with laughter and light was quickly eroding, giving way to something far less gilded, but most decidedly real. This was his family now, comprised of a wife he didn’t remember, overbearing parents, an addict nephew, a baby boy he hadn’t spent enough time with, and the mother of his child that probably wasn’t as mentally sound as she seemed. They all had suffered because of him in one way or another. Patiently they sat by his hospital bed, praying he’d return, and when he did wake up, he didn’t bring them joy, instead he added to their misery by ignoring sound advice, running off halfcocked and creating new fires instead of extinguishing the old.

Such a miserable feeling knowing that his very presence had made matters worse, but leaving wasn’t an option. He couldn’t escape out of the country or enlist in the military this time, too many people were depending on him to make things right. To take control of the chaos he didn’t even remember creating and form some semblance of a normal life. There were no more deals or plots by his father, not that those manipulations were ever truly real, Philip could see that now. Victor Kiriakis, despite his devious methods, simply wanted him to understand that he had a life to face, mistakes to own up to and a family that needed him. For too long Philip shunned that buried knowledge choosing to chase after a fantasy that had no place in the here and now, but no more, finding out what happened to Parker in the woods, spending the night in his home with his wife, and seeing Chloe so unstable on that video planning to run off with their child sobered him, pulling him out of his protracted dream state into the harshness of his real life. He was ready to face it all now, the painful and the unexpected.

What would his next move be?

“Oh my God, Philip you’re here.” She catapulted into his arms, sweet softness surrounding him, instinctively buried his face in the curve of her neck, pulling her closer. “Somehow I knew you’d come,” she whispered against his skin.

With that hug and murmured adoration, just maybe the answer to the question that plagued him was right in front of his face.

[Kpatch]

I need a refresher. I don't remember why Chloe is in jail.

I hate Philip's indecision. I was glad Daniel called him out on it. If he's not near the girl he loves, he loves the girl he's near. I don't think he is capable of resisting Chloe.

[fluffysmom]

Jun 15, 2015 18:39:17 GMT -5 Kpatch said:

I need a refresher. I don't remember why Chloe is in jail.

I hate Philip's indecision. I was glad Daniel called him out on it. If he's not near the girl he loves, he loves the girl he's near. I don't think he is capable of resisting Chloe.

I think she's in jail for coming to Victor's house and going near Parker.

I agree about Philip's indecision Kpatch. Daniel is right that Philip has been stringing both women along.

[mae00]

Oh my! I didn't realize that I had missed the last 2 updates! So glad to see you back to posting slyn!!!

I'm so glad to see Philip having to face the harsh reality that is his life. He's been in denial for way to long and it's time he got his butt in gear. Can't wait for the next update!

[slyn11]

Jun 15, 2015 18:39:17 GMT -5 Kpatch said:

I need a refresher. I don't remember why Chloe is in jail.

I hate Philip's indecision. I was glad Daniel called him out on it. If he's not near the girl he loves, he loves the girl he's near. I don't think he is capable of resisting Chloe.

She's in jail because Melanie decided to "help" her break free of police custody. Before that she was just being detained because CPS filed a complaint.

I tend to think Philip is UNDECIDED vs INDECISIVE. He's been pretty sure about what he's wanted since waking up from the coma...a life/family with Chloe and Parker. It was only when he was "forced" to spend time with Melanie at his party and when Melanie agreed to help him with his father's deal that he changed course. But I guess the feeling is the same when you're a victim of it (ie Chloe and Mel) - as Daniel was pointing out he'll have to make a concrete choice at some point.

[Minako98]

Philip, make a decision.
Chloe, stand on your own two feet.
Melanie, RUN!

[slyn11]

Jun 17, 2015 15:24:17 GMT -5 Minako98 said:

Philip, make a decision.
Chloe, stand on your own two feet.
Melanie, RUN!

Definitely to all three!

[MrsM]

Oooooh, so good!!

[slyn11]

A/N - A little more...Hope everyone had a great summer. The semester just started today so what better time than now to post another chapter. Thanks to everyone still with me.

*I monkeyed with the history so don't expect things to line up with Days. I'm all about doing my own thing

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Chapter 126

They had been released together. A guard had led Chloe out of her cell and up the stairs, while Bo had personally escorted Melanie, lecturing the entire trek into the main squad room about her crazy antics with the media and the disruption to his station. Chloe might not have been wringing her hands at a seedy motel in the next town, waiting in vain for Philip to show, but Melanie had managed to expose Chloe to the world, telling that group of reporters how she tried to get near Parker the previous night. The plan might have gone awry but there were still small victories to celebrate and an even larger one on the horizon when she let Philip see the condition of her face.

The door to Bo’s office stood open providing her a clear view of Philip standing just beyond the threshold. A hand was through his hair raking it away from his face, the other on his hip, his attention focused on something out of view. Then a shadow passed before Melanie and the scent of soap and leather, as her father enveloped her in his arms. Standing on her toes a bit to see over her father’s shoulder Melanie braced against Daniel’s sturdy frame as she watched Philip pull Chloe into an embrace. It was simply a hug, something she had witnessed between them countless times, they had always been affectionate greeting each other with hugs and kisses, that was the nature of a friendship that stretched back a decade. Melanie had thought nothing of their closeness until the night she had learned of their affair. After that Melanie had run every encounter between Philip and Chloe through her mind, trying to pinpoint the exact moment when she had become a blind fool. Trent Robbin’s daughter never could have been played like this, so completely unaware of the deception surrounding her life, but she had been. Philip had proven to be a more skilled manipulator than Melanie had ever been. Now in the midst of the busy police station all those moments were whizzing through her mind like darts, heading toward the same target, Philip and Chloe hugging in the doorway.

They still hadn’t let go and Melanie found herself mentally counting off the seconds until they stepped away from each other, but that moment never came and from her position on her father’s shoulder she could see Philip’s lips moving as he continued to hold Chloe in his arms. They were a perfect fit actually, with their matching model perfect looks. Chloe was just the right height to rest her head on his shoulder, no reaching or straining, she fit in the curve of his body effortlessly. Unlike Melanie who was shorter, Philip had to bend to hold her. They must have looked ridiculous every time they were together. No wonder they were often faced with barely veiled shock whenever they were introduced as a couple. Short and shapeless, basically straight like a little boy, with too big eyes and too wide of a smile, with a man that looked like a walking photo shoot. Melanie had questioned her sanity many times since meeting Philip, wondering where she got the gall each instance she flirted and teased the man. She had been out of her league with him, she had always known that, but never had it been more startlingly apparent than when she saw Chloe nestled in Philip’s arms.

All she had done this morning turned out to be for naught. Hours spent in a smelly jail cell, baring her private business to reporters, and taking a sucker punch to the face had failed to produce the anticipated outcome. Philip still managed to come to Chloe’s rescue. Now he would find out that she hadn’t told him about Chloe’s call and that she had set a plan in motion to get her shipped out of town. It wouldn’t matter to Philip that she had changed her mind about it all and had come down to the station to find a way to set Chloe free. Philip would only focus on the lies and the deceit and any of her attempts at rectifying this wrong would go largely ignored. Melanie was prepared for the worst; things between them had been low for a while. What was another hit in their already tattered relationship? But then she thought about earlier that morning and Philip sitting next to her on the stairs asking her for a real chance at a marriage. She hadn’t answered him them, so afraid that the spell would be broken and he would take it all back if she had given an immediate response. And the Chloe situation, she had to handle that before Philip found out that she had broken his renewed trust within hours. Things were on the fast track of being screwed up. What else was new in her life?

Time seemed to stretch on and though Philip and Chloe had long since moved from their spot in the doorway. At some point her father had gone off to see about her release, but Melanie barely noticed as she continued to stare at that now empty space across the room.

A tug on the end of her ponytail caught her attention. “When I suggested getting together later, never did I imagine it would be in a police station,” he said hooking her pinky with his own as he settled in beside her on the bench.

Philip. A smile was her first impulse, but it hesitated surfacing as she considered all the things Chloe had probably said to turn him against her. Playing it cool, felt safer, shrug it off as if his sudden appearance at her side meant nothing to her.

“I don’t know,” she replied, meeting his eyes quickly before looking away. “It feels kind of appropriate for us since a major moment in our relationship happened here.”

Somehow their joined pinkies had ended up on his thigh. He leaned in, his forehead grazing the side of her head, sending little shivers through her body from that slight contact. “Don’t tell me this is where I proposed.”

Melanie smiled remembering the day he actually did give her a ring, Philip on bended knee begging her to love him. “You didn’t ask me to marry you that day, but you did bail me out of jail.”

His shoulders shook as he laughed. “Why am I not shocked you’ve been here before?”

The surprising lightness of his mood was infectious. “I’ve been told I look like trouble,” she cautiously teased back.

He ran his thumb along her bruised cheek, his mouth tightening as he turned her face fully toward him. “I don’t even know where to begin,” he said dropping his hand.

“How about by telling me about breakfast.” Her spine went rigid. This was it. “Did you have a nice time?”

“The cake was good and dad gave me some huge gifts.”

“Not another car.” A car for every milestone was standard practice in the Kiriakis family.

“Now that would’ve been nice, but sadly he chose something more compact.” Philip held up his Ipad. “My whole life is on this thing.” Melanie scrunched her nose in confusion. “My files, all the things I’ve forgotten, surveillance video from the hospital, everything. He gave me it all.”

“Wow Philip that’s amazing.” A genuine smile spread on her face. Philip would finally learn about his life. Maybe once he finally knew about all he had forgotten things would get better for them. “You must be so excited to get some of those nagging questions answered.”

He nodded. “Definitely have questions. Like why my wife tried to blackmail my dad into helping her get rid of Chloe?”

Melanie’s eyes widened momentarily but she quickly covered her shock. “I can’t believe Victor sold me out,” she muttered. This reveal was inevitable but she reacted all the same.

“Oh he sold you out big time. Not only did my father tell me everything, he also refused to do what you asked.”

“What do you mean he refused?” Melanie asked standing up. “Chloe was in jail.” She pointed across the room.

“Chloe was brought in because CPS saw her impromptu interview with the media on TV. My dad knew nothing about it until he saw it on the news this morning. So what do you have to say about all that?” Philip asked his face noticeably reddening.

Melanie lifted her shoulders in disinterest still pissed that Victor had failed to do what she asked. “Thank God for CPS.”

“That’s all I get?” Philip grabbed her hand and pulled her back down next to him. “You agreed to help keep Chloe free and you were lying to me?” Philip ran his hands through his hair. “Chloe warned me not to trust you,” he said practically under his breath. “But I vouched for you.” Turning red rimmed blue eyes on her he added, “I actually believed we were in this together.”

Ignoring Philip’s pain filled eyes, she searched the room for Chloe. That girl was going to pay for once. “Chloe has a lot of nerve calling me untrustworthy after all she’s done,” she said, her rising voice turning the heads of the officers in the squad room.

“That’s what you’re focusing on now? What Chloe said?” he hissed, struggling to keep his voice at a near whisper. “What about us? This morning we were in bed and now we’re in the police station. Can we talk about why?”

“Yes Philip, let’s talk about why we’re here. Or better yet why you’re here and we both know it’s not because of me.” Melanie could feel herself moving toward hysterics the longer she talked. “It’s all about your precious Chloe and to hell with your wife. Right?”

“She’s my friend, one of my oldest and at least I know she’s always had my back,” he spat back at a much lower volume.

“She cheated on Lucas and my dad.” On her feet again, eyes blurring in anger, hands clenched as tension filled her body. “Now she’s wrecking our marriage now by preying on you while…” The words stopped abruptly as Melanie caught a glimpse of Chloe through the open blinds of the office across the room.

Charging across the squad room, papers flying as she brushed through a sea of desks, screaming obscenities, like a woman possessed or maybe just like a woman that was thoroughly fed up, "I'm going to hurt you. Come out of there! Hateful, selfish bitch!"

She didn't care that every cop in the squad room was watching. Chloe was within her sights behind the glass wall with her dad and Bo. A few more steps and she would be there. Melanie clenched her fists in anticipation.

Surrounding her, stitching her arms to her sides, soft stubble against her cheek, and his warm breath against her ear. "Hey stop now Melanie," he said. It felt more like a hug than an act of suppression.

"You don't get to tell me to stop." She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against him, just for a moment letting the feel of this still so unfamiliar closeness soak in. Then she regained herself and returned to the matter at hand. Chloe and beating her ass the way she should have months ago. "She's talking s*it about me to you. I'm not letting that go."

Philip took a deep breath, his chest expanding against her back. "But I didn't listen to her," he said softly. Too softly for Melanie's tastes, he was far too calm about the tornado wrecking her life. "I trusted you despite what she said. But it seems like you don’t trust me. And that’s why we’re here. Isn’t it?”

She stiffened in his arms. Was that a jab? Her defenses flew up higher, but she didn't dare face him, feeling a bit more ashamed by her actions than she was willing to let on. "Look Philip I did what I had to do. It's not like you've been acting like yourself lately. So I had to protect you."

“From what?” he asked incredulously. “From Chloe or myself?”

She shrugged, hating that it felt so good in his arms that she couldn’t manage to pull away from him. Instead she tried to maintain her irritation while basking in being surrounded by him. “She's a succubus. Ask Lucas.”

This time he was the one that stiffened but surprisingly didn't loosen his hold. “This is my fault,” he said against her ear.

How did they look? Like two lovers dancing cheek to cheek in the middle of a police station. A lover’s spat choreographed to look like seduction. He held her close, back to chest, almost swaying to some imagined beat. To the untrained eye this probably looked like foreplay or affectionate banter between newlyweds, but the discerning could see the truth hidden in the strain of their bodies. Their faces, however, never gave away a thing.

Another skill they both shared, the ability to mask their emotions with a fresh coat of paint, confusing onlookers about what they were actually witnessing. War paint, Trent had called it, that honed ability to get on with a task even when every part of you wanted to do anything else. Melanie wore her war paint often and well as a child under Trent’s control, and now that she was free she still donned it from time to time. She suspected Philip had been taught a similar ability by Victor, because he too knew how to face sticky situations without revealing his true emotions, such as their current predicament where he had to prevent his wife from punching his mistress in the face.

"Of course you're protecting her." Melanie struggled against him getting nowhere. "Let go of me Philip." "Not until you relax. We're going to get through this together."

She twisted to get a view of his face. He was back on the togetherness thing and she needed to see if he was still working a con. Not that she could ever be sure with Philip. Without a doubt she could read him, and caught on to his crap fairly easily, but her heart always clouded her instincts and she ended up being played by him despite her best efforts.

“Just tell me one thing, one thing,” he murmured, punctuating his request with small kisses against her ear. “Why did you go behind my back to my father?” His voice was deceptively still but Melanie could feel the tremors of something trying to push to the surface.

“Victor understands the threat Chloe poses. He could protect Parker.”

His brow furrowed and his grip around her waist tightened. “Parker is my child, my responsibility. If something is wrong you come to me, not him!”

“Chloe is what’s wrong and I keep telling you that. It’s like you can’t hear me when it’s about her!”

“This is about you and me. We were supposed to be a team. We made an agreement to be honest not even twelve hours ago and already you’ve broken your word.”

“Like you haven’t broken yours too? What were you over there whispering in Chloe’s ear? With your hands all over her.”

This time she broke free from him. Those hands that had felt so nice around her now seemed tainted as she pictured him holding Chloe the same way less than an hour before.

“Is that what this is all about? You’re jealous?” His jaw gaping as he leaned toward her.

Melanie didn’t like his tone, as if jealousy would be an unreasonable reaction to all he had put her through. Didn’t he see that he was making her feel like a consolation prize each time he held Chloe up as the gold standard of all his former loves?

“Jealous? Of Chloe? Never. She’s nothing.” Melanie declared dismissively. “I’m just annoyed that she called our house in the early morning demanding to speak to you. She was shameless about it. Chloe just expected you to come running.” She gestured toward him with her hand. “And look here you are. Philip to the rescue.”

“So by not telling me you thought Chloe would stay locked up?” His frown shifted to understanding as he pieced the situation together. “All of this was you getting rid of the competition?”

“I’m your wife. I shouldn’t have to compete with anyone.”

Rocking on her heels as the room began to spin. Melanie held her arms in front of herself to keep her balance. Grabbing her hands, Philip was right there holding her steady as she waited for the dizziness to pass. Once it did she pulled away from him, eager to stand once again without assistance.

“Did you eat today?” he asked bending at the knees to get level with her eyes.

“Of course,” she replied quickly feeling uneasy under his scrutiny.

Philip held her gaze uncomfortably long, before he spoke again. “When?” he asked.

“What?” Melanie asked looking around, hoping there were no witnesses for this ridiculous conversation.

“When did you eat?” he asked slower, drawing out is words like she was hearing impaired.

“I don’t know. Do you expect me to remember every detail of my day?” Averting her eyes, she twisted the end of her ponytail, wishing she had her car keys so she could leave the police station and this conversation behind. “I’ve been a little busy this morning.”

“I know. Planning a prison break is hard work.” He quipped. “That’s why I’m trying to figure out when you found time for breakfast during all of that.”

“I had breakfast with you remember? You’re the one that made it.”

“I made you coffee. Coffee is not food.” Philip walked away from her toward a group of cops talking across the room. “Excuse me,” he said raising his voice. “Can one of you bring me some food? My wife hasn’t eaten today and she looks a little unwell.”

“I’m fine,” Melanie assured the group of men as she hurried to Philip’s side. “He’s overreacting.”

Philip continued as if she had never spoken. “I know there’s at least some donuts. My brother, the commissioner,” he continued putting emphasis on Bo’s title, “always keeps them around. Grab us a couple please. We’ll be right over here.” He took Melanie by the hand and led her to an empty desk a few feet away not waiting for a response. Typical Philip never doubting that he would get whatever he wanted.

She sat down in the burgundy rolling chair behind the desk. “I can’t believe you’re ordering cops around like they’re your staff. What if Bo came out here and heard you?”

“Bo would want you fed.” Philip pulled a chair from a desk to their right and placed it next to hers. “Besides I pay plenty of taxes, so technically everyone in here works for me.”

Melanie shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You’re not paying that much. Don’t you keep most of your money in some private Caribbean bank?”

He smiled at her. “Some – and I can’t believe I told you about my Cayman account. My dad doesn’t even know about that. You have so much ammunition to divorce me and take all of my money.”

Freezing for a moment, she tried to find the words to explain. “I hope you know I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Even if his memory was failing at the moment Melanie still couldn’t shake the urge to dispel any thoughts he might have about her interest in his money. Coming to town and being pegged as a gold digger, a label she did bring upon herself at first with her attempts to con a few dirty old men, was hard for her to live down. No matter how much she professed her love for her husband and denied any interest in the Kiriakis family fortune, people still viewed her as an opportunist that married above her station.

“Which one wouldn’t you do?” Philip spun her chair around so she was facing him. “Divorce me? Or take all my money?” he asked, head tilted to the side.

“Your donuts Mr. Kiriakis,” interrupted a young officer as he put a plate filled with pastries on the desk in front of them.

“They look good. Thank you.” Melanie said quickly picking up a glazed one and taking a bite before Philip could say anything embarrassing about her eating habits in front of the officer.

“See you were hungry,” said Philip with an encouraging smile as he watched her take a second bite.

Melanie tried her best to chew fast, the sugary dough feeling thick and heavy in her mouth. She hoped she could get the whole thing down since he was watching so closely.

“I feel like I’m with Sonny right now.”

Philip arched an eyebrow. “Sonny? Why’s that?”

Picking off a tiny piece of the donut, she shrugged. “He just threatened to force feed me a donut once.”

“Really?” Philip touched her face, wiping away a crumb from the side of her mouth. Melanie squirmed, immediately feeling self-conscious about what else Philip could find on her face. He was sitting so close.

“Yeah Sonny can be a little dramatic.”

He nodded in agreement. “It’s the Kiriakis way.”

“I guess but I wish he’d direct that drama in other directions instead of toward me. He needs a hobby or a boyfriend so he can stop worrying about what I’m eating.”

Her dad she got, he was a doctor, it was second nature for him to worry about her health, but Sonny was just bored trying to create issues when there were none. So she had bad nutritional habits, big deal, this past year she was focused on so much more than what she ate for dinner. She had a sick husband and baby to worry about. There wasn’t any time for luxuriating in gourmet meals.

“Sonny cares about you.” He squeezed her knee as if she needed comfort, before he relaxed back in his chair. “So do you have an aversion to food in general or just donuts?” he asked casually.

“What makes you think I have an aversion to either?” she asked. “So I missed a meal. Big deal. It happens.” She might have been slim but it wasn’t like she was skin and bones.

“I don’t know.” He lifted his shoulders as he looked her over. “You seemed a little shaky before. You’re looking a little tired and run down.”

“Gee thanks.” Her self-consciousness kicked all the way into high gear with that. Melanie pictured a face full of crumbs and bags under her eyes.

“That didn’t come out right.” Holding both hands up, he amended his statement. “You know I think you’re beautiful.”

“You’re just saying that to save face. I know I’m not your type. I mean I look at Chloe and I just…” Why did she even go to this place? Humiliating herself with a conversation about how she didn’t compare to the other women in his life.

Last year this wouldn’t have even been a question in her head. She knew Philip found her attractive since their first meeting, and although he spent the better part of that year pushing her away, Melanie never doubted that Philip wanted her. That desire was more than just sex back then, which was why she was so frustrated by his abject refusal to face the fact that they were meant to be, but eventually they moved past all that, made it down the aisle. He had gone on to make her feel beautiful and loved every day they were together since she accepted his ring, until she found out he slept with Chloe. After that everything changed. Melanie found herself doubting all the certainties of her life, and all that she believed to be true about Philip and what he claimed to feel for her. Never was she the most beautiful girl in Philip’s life, not by a long shot, but Philip had made her feel like she was, the way he looked at her, the things he said, even when he was in love with someone else. Then he slept with Chloe. With that one little admission nothing had been the same since, and she couldn’t control the relentless flow of doubts and insecurities that invaded her being. Philip had known Chloe since high school, his first love, and all these years later he still wanted her, now had a baby with her. The chemistry she shared with Philip, no matter how strong it felt, was no match for that.

“You’re right,” he responded softly.

“So you admit it?” she asked tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m not the type of woman you find attractive.”

This was about so much more than looks. If only she were brave enough to ask him what she truly wanted to know. Was she the type of woman that he could choose to be with over Chloe Lane?

“Oh not about that. You’re adorable,” he said stroking the cleft in her chin with his thumb. His hand fell to her lap. “You’re right about what you said earlier. You shouldn’t have to compete. And you’re not.”

Melanie looked up at him, truly stunned. This had to be a dream. She was imagining it all and really she was still asleep in her bedroom closet. Everything that happened since she learned he had forgotten her felt like a competition, before that actually, because no matter how many explanations or excuses she threw at it the real point was that when things were falling apart Philip didn’t turn to her, he sought out Chloe, and slept with her. And history definitely seemed to be repeating.

“Don’t give me that look. You’re not.” He closed the gap between them, his hair grazing her head each time he moved. “Everything I said this morning to you I meant. I want to get to know you, well us. Philip and Melanie the married couple." Softly he ran his finger along the underside of her rings. "Can we do that? I want to find out what it was like to be with you."

“You were all over her Philip.” Not able to trust his words when the image of him hugging Chloe was seared into her brain.

He whispered words like kisses against her ear. “Did you know that every time I move the scratches you put on my back start to sting?”

Just ignore him and don’t give in. She pleaded with herself to not feel anything for Philip Kiriakis, for once in the years that she’s known him to be immune to his dimples and his pretty blue eyes. It doesn’t matter that he smells delicious and his hand on her back was heating up her entire body.

“Now you’re the one changing the subject,” she said trying to sound serious but failing. Her voice wavered and she could feel herself moving toward him. “What was going on over there with you and Chloe before?”

“Why do you insist on making this about Chloe?” he asked forcing her to meet his eyes with another twist of her chair. “I was in the middle of telling you that you’ve been constantly on my mind this morning and how these little stings are a reminder of you.”

It had to be bulls**t. He ran one hand up her thigh and with the other he tugged on the end of her ponytail. He bit his lower lip, unconsciously sexy or maybe not, you never knew with Philip, his mind was always working some angle. Oddly enough after weeks of rejection, Philip’s angle seemed to be all about working her. And he was succeeding, probably far more than he realized because Melanie once again found herself drawn in despite her anger from minutes before.

“If I hurt you, I’m sorry,” she said not feeling the least bit apologetic at all, especially now when Chloe was boldly trying to lure him away.

She was glad she marked his body, made him bleed, a physical reminder of what they were together. Their persistent attraction never dimmed with time, betrayals or even amnesia, they were lovers, as they were always meant to be. Even back when Melanie was a lowly assistant and on the outside looking into Philip’s world, still there was that electricity, that current that snipped and snarled between them even when they were desperate to ignore it.

“I’m not sorry. I get these amazing flashbacks, so vivid. It’s like I can feel you on my body.” The timber of his voice low and husky, he wasn’t the only one getting flashbacks.

“Shh someone might hear you.” She squeezed his arm, more because she needed to touch him than to try to quiet him down.

Dragging him by the hand, they made their way through the squad room ignoring the stares, out the main double doors and into the cold. They'd forgotten their coats as the cold air whipped them with icy brutality, their heavy and warm breaths mingling forming puffy clouds between them. Closing the gap, his hands on her forearms, rubbing up and down, hers around his waist, pulling herself into his chest. Then eyes fixed on each other, he walked her backwards until she hit a wall, she could feel the cold brick through her sweater.

"Now that you've got me alone." He ran his nose along hers. "What do you plan to do with me?" Melanie shivered but she knew it wasn't from the cold. Things were taking an unexpected turn.

"We're at a police station," she said suddenly feeling more shy now that they were alone than she had in front of a room full of cops.

“I thought you said this was our spot.” His voice was tender when he said it, as if he actually had interest in a place emotionally connected to them.

“Not like that!” She swatted at him playfully. “You bailed me out of jail that’s it. Nothing dirty happened. Unfortunately.”

“Unfortunately? You were hoping to act out a prison fantasy?” His eyes narrowed into slits, his dirty mind clearly racing.

“A hero fantasy actually. In my mind you were this white knight coming to rescue me and you’d sweep me up in your arms and kiss me passionately then we’d fall madly in love. Didn’t quite happen that way though. You bailed me out and gave me a ride back to Maggie’s. And you spurned all my amorous advances.”

Getting a ride home from him was more than she ever expected. Just the fact that he came down there and bailed her out, a virtual stranger at the time was shocking enough. Then Philip took his white knight act to the next level and escorted her home in his chariot, a steel gray Aston Martin V8 that he had just bought. The night was surreal, like something she'd never even dared to dream because girls like her never got rides in expensive cars unless a paid sexual transaction was involved. So far Philip hadn't asked her for a thing in return. This seemed to be simply a good deed. She insisted he come upstairs to her room, because some habits were hard to shake and though Philip had attempted to leave her at the front door with a hug and a thank you, Melanie couldn't leave a man unrewarded. That wasn't how she was raised.

Reluctantly Philip entered her room, seeming a little nervous as he circled it slowly noting her meager possessions. A photo of her father, a stuffed puppy she'd won herself at a street fair back in Marseilles, and stacks of magazines, mostly fashion related but some science journals as well, because figuring out how the world worked was one of her secret obsessions. On the bed with her bare legs crossed at the thigh, revealing almost everything under her skirt, Melanie waited for Philip to make his move. She wasn't being presumptuous, she knew he was rich and powerful, but he was also a man, and in her experience men rarely denied themselves a sampling of a young girl provocatively displayed on a bed.

“Hard to believe I resisted a beautiful woman.”

He had certainly resisted. Philip had watched her as he hovered by the door, like he was deciding which route to take, the two steps to the bed or bolt through the door behind him. Those blue eyes of his shifted in shade as he stared. A lick of his lips and Melanie knew she had him. She reclined on her back and waited. The bed dipped next to her and the fresh scent of his cologne filled her. He was still after that, so she stole a glance, to find him staring up at the ceiling, arms folded over his stomach. This was odd, men usually pounced on her at this point, she was prepared for a physical encounter with him, but this was undiscovered terrain, a man in her company but not making any overtures.

“We were on the bed together, shoulder to shoulder. I remember my pulse was racing and I had this rumbling in my stomach that I couldn’t quite understand.”

“Butterflies?” he asked, his breath stirring a tendril of hair that had escaped her ponytail.

“Yes. I’d never had them before then. My fingers were twitching because all I wanted to do was reach over and brush the hair out of your face so I could see your pretty blue eyes better but I was so nervous and boys never made me nervous.”

It felt like she was reliving the night in this moment. The twitches, the nerves, her heart beating out of her chest, she felt it all just like she had two years ago.

“But I wasn’t a boy,” he countered.

“No you weren’t a boy, definitely weren’t.” His face was like a time machine even with his hair now so short, memories of dirty blond bangs covering blue eyes and that little smile he gave her that night that confused and aroused with its hinted promise of so much more than a fevered act of sexual gratitude in her quilt covered full size bed. To have that night back where he was just a mysterious unknown that made her feel more than she ever had before.

“I thought I was going to explode being alone with you in my bedroom, then you touched me, and everything got worse.”

“Where did I touch you?” His voice hitched. He was there with her transported back to a moment he couldn’t even remember.

“Right here.” She placed his hand on her stomach, holding it there. “I closed my eyes when you did that. I just knew you were about to kiss me, I could feel you easing closer to my side but then…” She dropped her hand and lowered her head.

“But then what?” he asked, lifting her head by the chin.

“Nothing. You backed off and stood up. Left me hanging, you jerk.” Melanie managed to smile though the emotions from that night still pricked at her. Rejection was never hard to stomach even though she ultimately snagged the man.

His dimples surfaced. “You make me sound like a tease.”

“I came to think of you as my tormentor after that,” she admitted. “But you weren’t all bad, you did offer me a job that night.”

Asking him upstairs hadn’t landed her a kiss, but it did get her the first real chance to earn an honest living in her life. Being Philip’s assistant was an exercise in torture, trying to balance her intense attraction with her desire to prove that she was a worthy employee. She needed Philip to not only want her but respect her as well. Those goals soon proved to be far harder to attain than Melanie had ever realized. With Stephanie in the picture, respect was all Philip was willing to offer, and Melanie found that a very difficult position to hold. His respect didn’t stave off her loneliness, or end her jealous pangs whenever she saw him being sweet with Stephanie. Wanting him seemed a better condition, she needed Philip to be interested, aroused, and basically consumed by her the way she was for him. Sabotaging deals to force him to work overtime with her and scheming to ruin his dates with Stephanie ultimately got her nowhere. Not respected or wanted.

“Something tells me that a job wasn’t what I wanted to offer. Sorry I didn’t fulfill your fantasy.” Philip hugged her tight, his cheek resting against her head. If he only knew all that she had done to get his attention after that night, she doubted he’d be offering apologies or hugs.

Easing back so that she could see his face again she tried to explain that things weren’t as bad as they sounded. “I understand it now. Took a while but I get that I was seventeen and in your mind off limits. But at that time you were pretty much the only person I knew in town and though I had known you only a week I just felt like I could trust you. One of my best decisions was calling you that night Somehow I knew you’d come through for me.” Melanie bowed her head. It hit her, Chloe must have felt the same way about Philip. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Chloe called this morning.”

“I get why you didn’t. I don’t like it, but I get it. I was being a little naïve before to think we could pull an honesty pact out of thin air. So much has happened between us. It’s going to take time to build trust.”

“I never expected last night.” She paused her face warming as she remembered just had fully they had connected in their bedroom closet. “And this morning. After the way you’ve been treating me since you came out of the coma, I figured you would never want anything real with me again, at least not without your memory back. So when you started talking about really trying in our marriage and getting to know each other…”

“Courtship.” He interrupted with a grin.

“Yes courtship.” She matched his smile. “I just never thought you’d want that with me not with Chloe still -”

Full lips against hers, warm and smooth, the sensation almost impossible when the only place he touched her made her whole body inflame. “What was that for?” Melanie asked feeling unsteady from a simple kiss.

“Let’s not talk about Chloe. There’s still time to put a dent in your hero fantasy. I got you out of jail today too.”

“I think my dad did that.”

“Nope it was me.” He kissed her forehead. “Your white knight.” Melanie couldn’t stifle her giggles. He was being so cute. “No laughing, I’m your hero and I expect to be thanked properly.”

“Now? Here?” she asked looking around suddenly very aware that their masks had slipped and the war paint had been removed. Philip was really flirting with her and kissing her on the front steps of Salem police headquarters.

“No silly girl,” He ran a slim finger along the slope of her nose. “At home. We can have a marathon thank you session and then I’ll make you breakfast.”

“Don’t you mean you’ll make dinner? It’s barely afternoon now.”

“I meant breakfast,” he said low and throaty against her neck. “You must not understand what a marathon is.”

“I know what it is, I just don’t know if you’re up for it.”

“A challenge, I like those,” he said as he peppered kisses along her jawline and then down her neck. “I can’t wait to show you how long I can go when we get home.”

Her eyes fluttered shut as his lips continued their trail down her neck and onto her shoulder. “Sounds like you’re moving back in.”

“If that’s alright with you.” He straightened up, suddenly serious. “You sort of left me hanging earlier.”

“I always wanted you to be home with us. I just need to know that this is what you really want. I can’t take any more upheavals Philip. You have to mean it this time.”

Placing her hand against his heart with his on top he looked intently in her eyes. “Everything you want, I want too. I’m not running this time. I swear it.”

“Philip,” she faltered overwhelmed by what all this could actually mean. “I don’t know what to say. This is just everything I…I’m scared this is a trick,” she finally admitted.

“You’ve got to trust me. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Could she trust this? After everything that had happened since he came back to her from the coma, the memory loss, the harsh rejections, Chloe, was this truly the moment she had longed for? With her thumb and forefinger she pinched the bit of exposed skin on his arm where he had rolled up his sleeves.

"Ouch!" he yelped, immediately rubbing the spot with his hand. It was already starting to bruise.

Melanie kissed his arm, her lips lingering longer than required for the treatment of a minor pain. "Sorry I just had to be sure this was real."

"Aren't you supposed to pinch yourself to prove that?" he asked the corners of his eyes crinkling with his laughter.

"Yes but I can't always trust myself to know the difference. I feel like I've been fluctuating between dreams and nightmares since you woke up."

“I know the feeling, but this,” his mouth hovered inches from hers, “it’s not a dream. Trust me.”

Stretching the small space to reach his lips she kissed him, a nip at his lower lip, testing to see if he felt real. Hands on both cheeks he kissed her, his tongue sweeping her lips until she granted him entrance to explore her mouth deeper. Her spine tingled, and her toes crunched in her boots as she kissed him back with an intensity that rivaled that morning in their bedroom. If this was a dream, she never wanted to be awakened.

Pulling back, breathless from his kisses. “Okay,” she said, her hand curling around his neck. A variety of emotions played out on his face, confusion bled to realization, then a smile that quickly faded into desire, then darkness as he gathered her in and kissed her again.

They'd managed to find their way back to each other, surviving a hellish year that would have easily broken a more established couple. Yet somehow they managed to beat all odds and retain some remnants of their still very new love. Melanie was convinced there was still love. All his declarations about only loving Chloe weren't real. She knew that, even though every time he uttered Chloe’s name it nicked her heart. There was something still there between them, this wasn't just an elaborate con to get her to help keep Chloe. This was about them and their relationship. According to Philip it was based on the new the time they shared since he woke up but Melanie knew better. What they had always felt the same. Then, now, tenuous but undeniable. They were a part of each other in their souls just as the inscriptions on their wedding bands read. So Melanie knew she could trust him this time, her heart always knew with him. Except those times when it didn't and he hurt her, but now was not one of those times. Life couldn’t be so cruel to her not after all the blows she had been dealt. This was the universe righting itself and finally giving her and Philip a real shot. And she was going to take it, she had to. Walking away was not an option, it never truly had been with Philip.



Can we trust this guy? Next Chapter - A whole lot of Phloe.

[gapeach]

Oh I hope we can trust him. I really want to see him fully commit to their marriage! Chloe will always be a part of their lives

[mae00]

Awesome chapter slyn11!!! Man oh man! I hope that she can trust him. I'm not sure I could handle him breaking her heart again at this point!

[slyn11]

Melanie should never trust the dimples mae00 and gapeach. LOL I think Philip is a family man at his heart so she should be okay...I think I'm more concerned with Chloe's mental issues than this marriage though at this point.

[gapeach]

Well I know you will have Chloe be okay! Not worried a bit slyn11

[MrsM]

Oh Philip, don't promise things you can't deliver.

[phloeforever]

Who will Philip end up with? Great Story, but is it finished