"She's all yours, Brady!" grinned Philip as he pumped his hands over his head victoriously.

Shawn shrugged and smiled. His brown puppy-dog eyes twinkled "Dude, I like Chloe. Taking her to the dance is not a punishment for me." Shawn stood up and stretched, tired after spending several hours cramped into one position trying furiously to beat Philip Kiriakis during another one of their marathon video game tournaments. Only this time the stakes had been a little more interesting. While their usual swaggering and boasting were taking place before their game, Jason had suggested that they make the stakes a little more interesting and that the loser of this tournament take the Ghoul-Girl, Chloe Lane, to the Last Blast Dance. Philip had beaten his nephew and Shawn was going to have to take Chloe.

"You know, if you ever got to know her you might actually like her Phil." Shawn said over his shoulder while putting his leather black jacket on. The next thing he knew Philip had grabbed the lapels of his coat and pulled him so close that he could feel Philip's breath in his face.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Philip growled.

Shawn pried Philip's fingers off and pushed him away. "Calm down Kiriakis. It isn't supposed to mean anything except that Chloe is really nice. She's just…" Shawn searched for the right word.

"Demented?" asked Jason.

"Psychotic?" added Jan in her nasally voice.

Shawn shot them withering glares. "No, she's just unique. There's really not anyone else like her." He looked back over at Philip and pushed him. "And what was with that grabbing thing? What is your problem, man?"

Philip averted his sea-blue eyes as he started to put his own coat on and mumbled, "Nothing. Forget it." Philip pushed past the crowd that had gathered to watch the game and headed out of DotCom to go home. Philip's stomach was still doing flip-flops. He had been terrified that Chloe had confided in Shawn about their secrets. About the bird, about Shawn's birthday party, about that night on the pier…Philip thought again about those amazing blue eyes of Chloe's. He shook his head as if to rid himself from the memory. Chloe had to keep her promise. She couldn't tell anyone. If she did, he'd be ruined. He'd be the laughingstock of the school.

Philip trudged along oblivious to the many admiring female glances cast his way. It was hard to miss Philip Kiriakis. He had sun-kissed blonde hair that fell smoothly across his forehead. He had the Kiriakis jaw - strong and proud. His high cheekbones gave him dimples that melted the heart of any girl he was trying to impress. Under his designer clothing, it was obvious that Philip was an athlete - his muscular physique practically screamed to be admired. Philip also had the Kiriakis and Roberts charm and confidence. Girls practically threw themselves at his feet. He was the most popular boy at Salem High. There wasn't a girl at Salem High that wouldn't cut off a limb to be with him. Nothing had ever happened before to make him doubt his place at school. Nothing before Chloe Lane anyway…

Philip continued to think about what he would do if the word ever got out. Should he deny it? Try to explain? He sighed. What explanation would he give? He didn't even know why he'd done what he had. There was just something about Chloe…

Philip turned the corner and started walking faster. He was not going to allow himself to admit to the twinge of remorse that he had won the tournament. It was better this way. Shawn didn't have anything to lose.

******

Chloe sat on the couch with her hands buried in her face. Dr. Marlena Evans looked on sympathetically. Chloe's slight frame racked with one sob after another. Her chestnut brown hair hung all the way down to her bottom and right now hung in front of her face like a brown shield. Dr. Evans wrapped her arms around Chloe and held her while she cried.

Such a beautiful girl, thought Marlena. It's too bad that she's endured so much ugliness.

Marlena cleared her throat. "It's called attachment therapy, Chloe. I know it hurts. I know it's hard. But we have to get you in touch with these emotions that you've blocked out for so many years. I know that it's hard to have me hold you right now. I know you don't want me to get past your barriers. But you have to let me."

Chloe shook her head in the affirmative. She pulled off her thick black glasses to wipe the tears off of them and looked up at Dr. Evans with her searing blue eyes. "I just didn't know…didn't know," she sniffed and searched for the right words, "I didn't realize how horrible this was going to be."

Dr. Evans smiled. "But you've made so much progress these last few months Chloe. I know you'll keep healing. I'm amazed by how far you've come." She took Chloe's chin with her hand and forced her to look at her. "You are beautiful Chloe. You're worthy of love. You deserve to be happy. You deserve the chance to love your mother and to have her love you." Marlena gathered Chloe in like a mother hen, rested her head on the top of Chloe's and started stroking her hair. "Chloe, you're an incredible young woman. You deserve to have fun. You deserve to date. To have boys call you and go out."

Chloe pulled away as if she'd been burned. "I don't think so. What boy would want to go out with Vampira?"

Marlena narrowed her eyes as she looked at Chloe. "Chloe, who calls you that?"

"Kids at school. There's this group of popular kids that always seem to pick on me. Jan, Jason, Mimi, Philip."

Dr. Evans hid a small smile. "Chloe, do you know why girls tease other girls?"

"No," said Chloe as she choked back a sob.

"Usually because they're jealous."

"Oh yeah, like I have anything for them to be jealous of."

"You're obviously threatening them in some way or they wouldn't bother you. And as for the boys…well, boys usually only tease for one reason."

"And that would be?"

"Because they like you."

"Like me?" Chloe screeched. "Like me? Philip Kiriakis does NOT like me. Do you know what he did? We've had these, I don't know, conversations, and he begged me not to tell anyone about them. Being around me embarrasses him. He hates me."

Dr. Evans shook her head. "Well, I can guess at what Philip's motivations were to asking you to keep quiet, but I don't think you're in a frame of mind to believe anything that I tell you about teenage boy stuff." Marlena stretched over to the coffee table in front of her and handed Chloe a tissue.

"How about you and I make a deal?" Dr. Evans asked Chloe as she placed Chloe's hand in her own.

Chloe blew her nose and sniffled. "Okay, what?"

"I want you to go home and have at least one good bowl of chocolate ice cream. Not any of this low-fat garbage. I want you to load up on some calories and fat. You'd be amazed what chocolate and ice cream can do for the soul." Chloe could see the glimmer in Dr. Evans' eyes.

"And?"

"And the next boy that asks you on a date, you have to say yes."

Chloe smirked. Like that would be happening any time soon. "Sure Dr. Evans. Whatever you say. Ice cream and dates. Got it."

Marlena looked at her watch. "Well, we're about done here. I'll see you back here next week." Marlena stood up and smoothed out her immaculate designer pants. "And I'm sure I'll see you at the house several times before then. Belle can hardly go a day or two without having you over." Marlena was glad that her youngest daughter had taken such an interest in Chloe. It was definitely helping Chloe's healing process.

Chloe stood up and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Marlena could see that Chloe was wrestling with something and wondered what it was. Suddenly Chloe closed the gap between them and threw her arms around Marlena's waist. "Thank you Dr. Evans," a small voice said. Marlena hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. "That's what I'm here for."

Chloe released her grip and headed for the door. "Bye, Dr. Evans."

"Bye-bye sweetie!" Marlena waved after her. Marlena's eyes misted up. That hug, while it may have appeared normal to anyone else, had been an exceptional breakthrough for Chloe. She was learning to touch others and to express her emotions. Dr. Evans headed over to her desk and picked up Chloe's file. She sat down and began to write: Real progress made today…

Chloe headed out of Dr. Evans' office and proceeded down the hospital corridor. If anyone had told her a few months ago that she'd be seeing a shrink on a regular basis, Chloe would have laughed. She wasn't crazy. She was just tough. Living in foster homes and orphanages most of your life had a tendency to do that to a person. She'd had to learn to survive, to protect herself. You certainly didn't do that by wearing your heart on your sleeve.

According to Dr. Evans though, that hadn't been the healthiest thing. Chloe only trusted herself. She wasn't attached to anyone. She had trouble experiencing and dealing with her emotions. Ever since her biological mother had retrieved her from that orphanage and brought her back to Salem, Chloe didn't know what to make of anything. She didn't know how to be a daughter, how to have parents, especially parents like Craig and Nancy Wesley. Actually, she had to admit to herself, Craig wasn't that bad. Nancy was another story. Chloe could hardly stand all the smothering that woman did in the name of parenting. She made Chloe feel like she had to break out - run away.

As Chloe rounded the corner she thought about when she actually did run away. Nancy had chased after her and nearly gotten killed for her effort. Chloe felt so badly about that that she hadn't tried to run away since. Not that I haven't wanted to, she thought.

People looked at Chloe as she walked down the hallway. Everyone noticed the thick black glasses, her scraggly hair, the black shirt, skirt and ugly black boots. It was hard to believe that this girl was the stepdaughter of the charming and handsome Chief of Staff at the hospital. Chloe passed by Craig's office and paused momentarily. She raised her hand as if to knock, and then deciding against it continued down to the lobby.

It had been only a few months ago that she was visiting Craig at the hospital and Nancy had shown up. She and Nancy got into yet another fight, and Chloe took off down the hallway. She slammed face-first into Dr. Marlena Evans. Chloe had recognized Belle Black's mother and hadn't fought her when Marlena had led her into her office. That meeting had led to Chloe's weekly therapy sessions. Chloe hadn't even told Nancy and Craig. It would probably only make Nancy mad, she thought. She didn't know why but it just seemed like everything she did made Nancy mad and provoked yet another fight.

Chloe opened her bag once she was outside and pulled out her CD Walkman. She slipped in Verdi's "Aida" and closed her eyes. There was nothing like opera to soothe the savage beast.

******

Philip threw his backpack on the table in the foyer. "Henderson?" he called out.

Henderson came down the hall into the entrance. "Yes, Philip?"

"Are my parents here?" Philip asked while he peeled his coat off.

"No, I'm sorry they're not. Your father has been detained at the office and your mother is making some social calls."

"What about Lucas?" Philip asked as he dropped his coat on top of his backpack. Henderson said nothing but his eyes turned towards the study. "He must be about here somewhere. If you'll excuse me, I was assisting Cook in the kitchen."

Henderson turned and walked back down the hallway. Philip slid open the door to the study and saw his half-brother Lucas lying in a drunken stupor on the floor. Philip glanced around to make sure the other doors were secured so that his nephew Will wouldn't find his father in that kind of condition. Philip slid the door back quietly and proceeded upstairs to his room. The staff at the mansion was amazing. They would make sure that Will would not walk in on Lucas.

It didn't surprise him that his home was empty of his family, especially his parents. Philip ran his hand up the mahogany banister as he walked up the stairs. Philip had always taken his luxurious surroundings for granted. It had come as quite a surprise to him to realize that not everyone had vacuum-sealed Rembrandts on their walls. His father Victor Kiriakis had spent his entire life amassing a fortune that would rival any other in the world. Titan was the name of his empire. Philip smiled to himself. Only his Greek father would name his kingdom after the beings that were greater even than the gods.

Philip's room would have rivaled any in the mansion. Philip noted his four-post king size bed, with its sumptuous down quilts and pillows. He ran his finger along his dresser and found himself wondering how many tens of thousands of dollars his mother Kate had spent buying it. Philip flopped onto his bed and stared up at his ceiling. Over the last few months Philip had began to wonder if it was worth it. He had spent time in the Brady and Black homes. Those parents spent time with their children. They came to their events at school. They weren't always too busy with work. Philip inwardly cringed when he thought about how his father had never come to even one of his football games. Or basketball games. Or baseball games. Philip excelled in everything he did because he so desperately wanted any sign of approval from Victor. His father did nothing more than congratulate him over his morning Wall Street Journal.

Philip rolled onto his side to look out his bay windows. He could see the pool, the guesthouse, the tennis courts, the putting greens, the landscaped gardens, the stables. Philip had lived most of his life without his father. Victor had had a stroke when he was small and it had been Philip, his mother and Lucas. The stroke had prevented his parents from getting married, a fact that Philip (and his mother) hoped that Victor would rectify soon. Philip wanted so badly to be a real family.

He wondered what his father would have thought over his little bet this afternoon. Would Victor even care? Philip decided that he probably wouldn't. As far as Victor was concerned, the end completely justified the means. Victor didn't care who he hurt as long as he got what he wanted. Other people's feelings didn't matter. Do I want to be like that? Philip asked himself.

Philip sat up and reached over to his stereo and flicked it on. He saw his reflection in the mirror above his desk. He definitely did not want to be uncaring towards others.

He had always taken his family's wealth in stride. It was just part of who he was. When Victor had returned home, he had decided that Philip was a snob that didn't appreciate what he had. Victor had put Philip to work. Philip had never done manual labor before then. While initially angry, Philip was surprised by how good it felt to actually work, to accomplish something. Philip was amazed by how taking on some actual responsibility started to change him. Things that were once important to him no longer held as much significance. Philip could feel the conflicting feelings stirring in him.

But his reputation at school, his desire to feel important, to feel needed, that hadn't changed. With absentee parents, it was one of the few things he had left. He liked being the Crown Prince of Salem High. He didn't want that to change. He was not about to let "Morticia" wreck it. Chloe Lane was on her own.

Philip closed his eyes and immersed himself in the music blaring from his stereo. At least I don't have anyone to bug me to turn the stereo down. Philip started to silently cry.

******

Chloe sat straight up in bed when the phone rang. What is that? she thought in her befuddled state. She realized it was the phone and grabbed it.

"Hello?" she murmured while trying to wipe the sleep out of her eyes.

"Chloe?"

"Who's this?" she asked.