[This is just my own version of what I wanted for Brady and Chloe's date to watch the meteor showers. Of course, it just wasn't to be. Although, Broe sleeping in the bed together was very sweet. Anyhow, it's just a short one chapter fic. The song used is called "Ordinary Day" by Vanessa Carlton.)
Ordinary Day
***Just a day, just an ordinary day,
Just tryin' to get by.***
Chloe sat up in her hospital bed, pen poised over the pages on the tray in front of her. She had been trying for the past hour to finish her 'will', but could not find the words to express what she was feeling in her heart. Oh, sure, she could say the things that everyone expected from her, the love and thanks to her friends and family. She had, in fact, already created what she wanted to write to her parents. Chloe had even begun a section for Phillip and Brady. But, how could she put pen to paper and express things in death that she could not express in life?
Chloe had once loved Phillip, that was for certain. But, she didn't possess the abilities to tell him what really needed to be said. Phillip was her past, and if there was a future for her after this, it was not with him. It could never be. First love may be sweet, but it's not always everlasting. Chloe knew she could never love Phillip the way that he wanted her to. He was too selfish, too needy, too controlling. For too long she had put up with it, not realizing that she deserved so much better that what he gave her.
That was only until Brady Black came along. Chloe sighed heavily, his face flashing in her mind. Brady was a gorgeous man; there was no doubt about that. He had blue eyes unlike any she had ever seen, eyes that showed her everything she needed to know about him. Then there were those lips. The ones that always had a mischievous grin dancing across them. The same lips she had dreamt about on more than one occasion.
But, that was not what made her love him. There were so many other things that made him a complex and amazing person. Chloe had never felt as comfortable around any person as she did when she was with Brady. He understood her, like nobody else ever could. He understood her music, her pain, her fears and her heart. Brady knew when she needed to laugh, and despite the agony of some of his truly dumb jokes, she loved him for it. He always knew exactly what to do for her, to make her smile, to comfort her, to lend his shoulder for her to cry on or just to hold her hand when she needed it.
More than that, he made her believe that anything was possible. If Brady told her something, she never doubted him. If the words came from his lips, her heart told her they were true. When he told her that she could fight the leukemia, and that she would survive, she believed him and only him.
Still, she denied it. When people tried to push them together, she told them they were just friends. And, they were. She had never said the words out loud, never even given him an inkling of what she felt for him. Chloe was afraid, afraid of the rejection that was inevitable with unrequited love. She had always thought that Brady only thought of her as a friend, just a kid. But, a very small part of her held out hope for something else. Hope that the long glances he gave her, and the way his smile curled up on his lips when he saw her meant something more.
Chloe threw the pages of her unfinished will back into the copy of the Intruder, groaning in frustration. Now was not the time for her to worry about the two men in her life. Not with her own life looming in the balance as it was. Chloe paused, gently running her fingers over the artist's rendition of the meteor showers on the cover, the meteors that would come crashing to earth this very evening. Brady would be here within the next couple of hours so they could watch them. He had even dreamt of them together, watching the shooting stars. Chloe's first instinct was to worry about the dream's meaning, but Brady assured her that it meant she was going to be a star someday. But, Brady was the real star. The star that was guiding her, the one that kept her holding on to her wishes and dreams, giving her a glimmer of hope in her darkest hour.
***Just a boy, just an ordinary boy
But he was looking to the sky.
And as he asked if I would come along
I started to realize that everyday he finds just what he's looking for
And like a shooting star he shines.***
"It's a date." His words still echoed in her head. "It's a date." But, it wasn't a date. Not a real date anyhow. Brady had never asked her on a real date, although they had spent most of last summer together. They had always just ended up hanging out, but not usually planning it ahead of time. Chloe did not even need to ask herself what her answer would have been, if he had asked. Yes. Of course, it was yes. But, he had never bothered to ask. Either he was afraid of admitting he did have feelings for her, or it was what Chloe suspected was the real truth. She knew he cared about her, but it hadn't been enough to want her the way that she wanted him.
Chloe grabbed the CD player off of her nightstand and put the headphones over her ears. She skipped ahead to the Scarlotti pieces. The favorite composer of Brady's mother. A beautiful, vibrant woman who had been lost long before her time. Chloe was beginning to understand how she must have felt, knowing that her life might not last very long, trying to enjoy every moment with her husband and baby boy. But, Isabella had been lucky enough to at least have that kind of happiness and bliss before her passing. Chloe could not even find the words to tell Brady that she loved him and soon it might be too late for her to do so. How could she really enjoy whatever time she had left if she hadn't truly experienced the love of a man like him? On the other hand, maybe never knowing the happiness and joy that Isabella had felt, Chloe had no idea what she was might be losing, and it was better this way.
She closed her eyes, and tried to push her worries and confusion out of her mind. Chloe tried to think positively, tried to believe that she would have a long and healthy life ahead of her. And, she prayed that Brady Black would always be a part of it. The music overtook her, pulling her in deeply, and as always, it was because of Brady. He had known exactly what she needed, and exactly what songs would soothe her, forcing her to relax even when she was in distress. Chloe let her mind go blank, and she relaxed, letting sleep engulf her.
Chloe had no idea how long she had been asleep when he came in, or how long he had sat beside her bed watching her as she slept peacefully. She heard his familiar voice near to her.
"Chloe..."
Chloe opened her eyes and immediately took her headphones off, smiling the way she always did when she saw him. The warmth of his very presence lit her up inside, and her deep blue eyes, that normally looked so sad, sparkled when she looked in his direction.
"Brady... did I miss it? The meteor showers didn't happen yet, did they?"
Brady smiled at her, and her heart melted. He leaned forward and gently kissed her on the forehead. "No way, diva... You didn't miss a thing."
"Good... I wouldn't want to disappoint you."
"You could never do anything to disappoint me."
Chloe chuckled softly and rolled her eyes. "I doubt that. But, either way, I'm glad that I didn't miss anything."
Brady nodded and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently and reassuringly. The night she had gotten her diagnosis, he had held on to her hand tightly, intertwining his fingers with hers, as if to say "We're in this together." and that's how she felt every time he held her hand. They were a team fighting against a deadly disease together. Brady would never leave her, and she knew that deep down in her soul.
He stood up from the stool and made a motion with his head towards the door. "So... I've been planning your prison break all day. You ready for some danger?"
"My prison break? But... I can't leave the hospital."
"That's what you think. I just so happen to know the Chief of Staff of this hospital and he has given me, and only me, permission to take you outside of this hospital room."
Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I thought that I wasn't allowed to go out and be exposed to all the germs that the world has to offer."
Brady grinned at her and shook his head. "But a little fresh air will be good for you. Craig even said so. He just gave me two rules. One - not to stray too far away. And, two - not to let the warden..."
"You mean, Nancy..."
"Yes, and not to ever tell Nancy what we did. So, come on, are you in or are you out?"
Brady held his other hand towards her, waiting for an answer, and Chloe just stared at it. "Come on, diva... Live it up for just one night. Break some rules. Have some fun."
Chloe grabbed his hand and sat up in her bed. "I'm in."
***And he said, take my hand, live while you can.
Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?***
He helped her out of her bed, handing her a thick white robe and a pair of shoes from the closet in the corner. She quickly covered herself with the robe and slipped into the shoes. He grabbed her hand again and led her to the door, pausing before he opened it.
"Do you think you feel up to walking up a flight of stairs?"
"I think so. I'm feeling pretty strong today, actually."
Brady grinned at her slyly. "Good, I didn't really want to have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you myself. But, I would have."
Chloe laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "How chivalrous of you."
Brady nodded and opened the door, leading Chloe by the hand down the hallway. They reached the stairwell at the end, and Chloe looked at him curiously as he led her up the stairs towards the roof of the hospital. Not a word was spoken, until he opened the door and led her out on to the roof.
"You brought me to the roof?" Chloe looked at him with one eyebrow raised.
"So you noticed, did you? Damn... I was hoping I could pass it off as Lookout Point."
She looked around and smiled when she saw what was in front of her. Brady had out a large blanket, complete with a picnic basket and a beautiful view of the Salem skies. She sighed softly and looked at him with surprise. "You did this? For me?"
Brady nodded and led her towards the blanket. "It's no hilltop like in my dream, but it's the best I can do on short notice."
"It's... perfect."
Brady smiled back at her and sat down on the blanket, with Chloe following his lead. He grabbed a book of matches from his pocket and lit several candles that were lined up outside the area of the blanket. He opened the picnic basket and pulled out several Tupperware containers, handing two of them to Chloe. She opened them with a grin, coleslaw and BLT's, Brady's favorite. She took her sandwich out of its container and looked at it closely.
"Turkey bacon, right?"
"Of course." Brady paused before biting into his own sandwich, winking at her as he replied. "You know... I've sort of developed a taste for it. You must be a bad influence on me."
Chloe shook her head adamantly. "More like a GOOD influence."
Brady shrugged innocently and began his sandwich. Chloe laughed softly and turned her gaze away, concentrating on her food in silence. They ate in quiet, but not an uncomfortable silence. Chloe could sometimes sit with Brady for a long time without saying a word, believing that no words were needed to express how they felt for each other. She corrected her thoughts sadly, reminding herself that Brady did not necessarily feel the same as she did. He cared about her, perhaps even loved her, but she had no idea how deeply his feelings ran because he refused to open his heart to her.
She felt his blue eyes boring into her, and she realized that he had been staring at her the entire time she was eating her meal. She turned to look at him and narrowed her eyes curiously. "Exactly why are you staring at me? Don't think I haven't noticed..."
"It's just..." Brady paused, and she could tell he was searching for the right words to say. "You look so beautiful underneath the moonlight like this."
Chloe smiled bashfully and averted her eyes. "Brady... You're crazy. I must look awful. I've been sick... and in a hospital. No makeup, my hair's not done, and I'm wearing a hospital gown and a bathrobe. Yeah, sure, I'm ready for the cover of Vogue."
Brady put the remains of his food aside and placed his hand on her cheek. "Chloe... You don't need all that makeup, a glamorous hairstyle or fancy clothes to look beautiful. You already are, without any extra help. You have a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul to match what you were blessed with on the outside."
She stared at him in shock, wondering what had happened to cause Brady to say those things to her. His heart was lying wide open before her, and now she couldn't figure out what to do with it. She had waited for this chance, a chance to tell him everything that was in her heart, and now she was too stunned to speak. Brady kept his smile on, their eyes locked with each other, completely oblivious to the world around them.
"Brady... You are the only person who has ever seen inside my heart and my soul the way that you do." Chloe paused and took a deep breath in, wanting so badly to say how she felt about him. She knew her time left on earth could be short, and she didn't want to leave without telling him. "I... I..."
Chloe's head turned instinctively when she saw something shoot across they sky from the corner of her eye. The meteor showers had begun and she had let it distract her from speaking what was on her mind. Brady turned to watch the sky with her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She felt her heart sink in her chest, wondering if all of this was a mistake. She would just have to wait until her heart pushed her to speak again, trusting her instincts to tell her what was right, and not her overly analytical brain.
***And as he spoke, he spoke ordinary words
Though they did not feel
For I felt what I had not felt before
And you'd swear those words could heal and
As I looked up into those eyes, his vision borrows mine
And I know he's no stranger
For I feel I've held him for all of time***
She sighed softly as she watched the stars rain down over the town. "Brady... It's so beautiful."
"Another wonder of nature. Amazing. You know, Caprice told my sister that the meteor showers symbolized something. That it could change your life."
"Well, I hate to sound selfish... But, if anyone needs their life to change right now, I think it's me."
Brady sighed and held her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Your life is about to change. I promise you that. You're going to get your bone marrow transplant, and you're going to beat this. Everything you've ever wished for will come true."
Chloe pointed up at the sky and watched another meteor shoot across the sky. "But, all the stars I wished upon... it looks like they're falling. That can't be a good sign."
"You can't give up on me, Chloe. Never give up."
Chloe nodded slightly and rested her head on his shoulder. "Brady... It's kind of funny... No matter how many times my parents tell me that I'm going to be okay, there's still something in the back of my head that tells me that I'm not. But, when you say it... I believe it. I believe every word you have to say. You make me so much stronger than I am."
Brady shook his head sadly. "I... I wish that were true. I'm no stronger than you are, Chloe. I'm only strong because I have to be, because you need me to be."
"It doesn't matter why you're strong, or how you find your strength. I'm grateful for you no matter what. You're the only one who heals me. The only one who knows what to say, or what to do to make me feel better."
"Chloe... If I could wave my hand and make this disease go away, I would do it in a heartbeat. No matter what the cost. But, I can't, no matter how hard I wish for it to be possible. The only think I can do for you is to try to make you believe what I see in your eyes. You know deep down that you can fight anything, that you can overcome anything in your way... Everything you need to fight this is already inside you. I'm just here to help."
Chloe looked up at him and kissed him on the cheek. "Well, I'm glad you are. You do make me believe... anything is possible, right?"
Brady nodded and Chloe turned back to gaze at the stars. "Everything is possible. Just believe it."
***And he said, take my hand, live while you can
Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?***
Chloe watched the stars shoot across the sky, but suddenly they didn't seem so important. The only thing that counted was how she felt wrapped in Brady's warm embrace at this moment. People always say 'life is short', and never had those words rung more true to her than it did at this point in her life. Knowing that there was a chance she might not have many more of these moments in the future, she savored every moment of her time with the people she cared about. She memorized the way his strong arms felt around her shoulders, the faint scent of his cologne, and the way his stubble brushed her skin when he leaned in to kiss her on the forehead.
***Please come with me, see what I see
Touch the stars for time will not flee
Time will not flee, can't you see...***
Chloe lifted her head and looked at Brady until he turned his head to lock eyes with her. "Brady... I do have faith, and I'm trying so hard to be strong and believe that I have a long life ahead of me. But... What if I don't? What if I never live to see all things that I want to see? What if I never get to experience all of those things that you're supposed to experience?"
Brady brushed a stray piece of her hair away from her face. "You will, Chloe. And, if for some reason, you have to leave this earth before your time... You will live in the hearts of everyone who has loved you forever. Everywhere I go, you'll be with me. My mother believed in angels, and maybe a little of that got passed on to me. Because, I know she's with me all the time, watching over me and guiding me. And, you will be there too. You're an unforgettable person, Chloe Lane... and you will be remembered even after you're gone. Whether you leave us soon, or in 70 years... you will never be forgotten."
Chloe smiled weakly at him, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Do you really think so?"
Brady nodded and wiped the tear away with the tip of his index finger. "I know so. My father has held my mother's memory in his heart every second of every day for the past 20 years. And, even though he moved on with his life... he will always love her like no one else in his life. You are the same to me. I will hold you in my heart every day until I breathe my last breath."
"Brady... You speak to me like..."
"Like I love you..."
Chloe's breath caught in her throat and she nodded slightly. "Like you love me... Yes."
Brady nodded and rested his hand on her cheek. "That's because I do. I love you, Chloe. And, I'm sorry that it took this happening to make me say it. I should have done something about it a long time ago. I should have... but I was scared. Scared of how powerful my feelings for you are, scared that you wouldn't feel the same... And, now, when I thought that I might lose you, I was angry because I couldn't stop it. I can't stop this, just like nobody could stop my mother's cancer. And, then I realized something. My mother was the most happy she had ever been in the months leading up to her death because she had the love of my father. I can't rid you of your leukemia, I can't make it go away... All I know how to do to help is to love you. So, please, if you can find the same feelings inside you... let me into your heart. Let me give you my love."
Chloe was completely taken aback by his confession. She had been worrying about making a similar confession herself, while all this time the same words had been on the tip of his tongue. She couldn't speak at first, amazed by the words that passed through his lips when he opened up his heart to her. Chloe smiled and laid her hand over his heart, neither of them concerned with the rain of meteors that were surrounding them, lost completely in each other's eyes.
"Brady... I have wanted nothing more than to hear you say those words. I just thought that I was going to have to say them first. Nothing would make me happier than to be loved by you. I love you too... in life, in death, it doesn't matter... I love you, and I will never stop."
Brady smiled and leaned in to kiss her. His lips were sweet and gentle, and his love radiated straight from his lips deep down into her soul. Chloe began to understand things much more clearly, knowing now that this was always meant to be. Destiny had tried to bring them together for a long time, and no matter what, they would be together always. Two souls that felt like one.
***Just a dream, just an ordinary dream
As I wake in bed
And that boy, that ordinary boy
Was it all in my head?
Didn't he ask if I would come along?
It all seemed so real***
Chloe opened her eyes in her hospital bed, no longer on the rooftop under the stars. She sighed in frustration. Another dream, but unlike any dream she had ever had before. This one seemed real, his form tangible to her, and his words driving straight to her heart. She glanced at the cover of the tabloid with the meteor showers again and frowned sadly. It had only been a dream, but she wanted to make it reality. Chloe knew that she had to share what was in her heart. It was now or never, and she wanted Brady to know how she felt before it was too late.
***But as I looked to the door
I saw that boy standing there with a deal
And he said take my hand, live while you can
Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?***
Chloe heard the door to her room creak open and she turned to see Brady standing in her doorway. He smiled at her in the familiar way that always made her heart beat faster. He walked forward and held his hand out to her expectantly.
"So, Diva... You ready to see some fireworks?"
She glanced at his hand in front of her and then looked up at him with a smile. "I'm ready."
Chloe held on to his hand and paused for a moment, their eyes locking with each other. Today wasn't just an ordinary day after all. It was the day she would finally open her heart to a man she had come to believe was truly extraordinary in every possible way.
***Just a day, just an ordinary day
Just tryin' to get by
Just a boy, just an ordinary boy
But he was looking to the sky***
~*~The End~*~
Ordinary Day
***Just a day, just an ordinary day,
Just tryin' to get by.***
Chloe sat up in her hospital bed, pen poised over the pages on the tray in front of her. She had been trying for the past hour to finish her 'will', but could not find the words to express what she was feeling in her heart. Oh, sure, she could say the things that everyone expected from her, the love and thanks to her friends and family. She had, in fact, already created what she wanted to write to her parents. Chloe had even begun a section for Phillip and Brady. But, how could she put pen to paper and express things in death that she could not express in life?
Chloe had once loved Phillip, that was for certain. But, she didn't possess the abilities to tell him what really needed to be said. Phillip was her past, and if there was a future for her after this, it was not with him. It could never be. First love may be sweet, but it's not always everlasting. Chloe knew she could never love Phillip the way that he wanted her to. He was too selfish, too needy, too controlling. For too long she had put up with it, not realizing that she deserved so much better that what he gave her.
That was only until Brady Black came along. Chloe sighed heavily, his face flashing in her mind. Brady was a gorgeous man; there was no doubt about that. He had blue eyes unlike any she had ever seen, eyes that showed her everything she needed to know about him. Then there were those lips. The ones that always had a mischievous grin dancing across them. The same lips she had dreamt about on more than one occasion.
But, that was not what made her love him. There were so many other things that made him a complex and amazing person. Chloe had never felt as comfortable around any person as she did when she was with Brady. He understood her, like nobody else ever could. He understood her music, her pain, her fears and her heart. Brady knew when she needed to laugh, and despite the agony of some of his truly dumb jokes, she loved him for it. He always knew exactly what to do for her, to make her smile, to comfort her, to lend his shoulder for her to cry on or just to hold her hand when she needed it.
More than that, he made her believe that anything was possible. If Brady told her something, she never doubted him. If the words came from his lips, her heart told her they were true. When he told her that she could fight the leukemia, and that she would survive, she believed him and only him.
Still, she denied it. When people tried to push them together, she told them they were just friends. And, they were. She had never said the words out loud, never even given him an inkling of what she felt for him. Chloe was afraid, afraid of the rejection that was inevitable with unrequited love. She had always thought that Brady only thought of her as a friend, just a kid. But, a very small part of her held out hope for something else. Hope that the long glances he gave her, and the way his smile curled up on his lips when he saw her meant something more.
Chloe threw the pages of her unfinished will back into the copy of the Intruder, groaning in frustration. Now was not the time for her to worry about the two men in her life. Not with her own life looming in the balance as it was. Chloe paused, gently running her fingers over the artist's rendition of the meteor showers on the cover, the meteors that would come crashing to earth this very evening. Brady would be here within the next couple of hours so they could watch them. He had even dreamt of them together, watching the shooting stars. Chloe's first instinct was to worry about the dream's meaning, but Brady assured her that it meant she was going to be a star someday. But, Brady was the real star. The star that was guiding her, the one that kept her holding on to her wishes and dreams, giving her a glimmer of hope in her darkest hour.
***Just a boy, just an ordinary boy
But he was looking to the sky.
And as he asked if I would come along
I started to realize that everyday he finds just what he's looking for
And like a shooting star he shines.***
"It's a date." His words still echoed in her head. "It's a date." But, it wasn't a date. Not a real date anyhow. Brady had never asked her on a real date, although they had spent most of last summer together. They had always just ended up hanging out, but not usually planning it ahead of time. Chloe did not even need to ask herself what her answer would have been, if he had asked. Yes. Of course, it was yes. But, he had never bothered to ask. Either he was afraid of admitting he did have feelings for her, or it was what Chloe suspected was the real truth. She knew he cared about her, but it hadn't been enough to want her the way that she wanted him.
Chloe grabbed the CD player off of her nightstand and put the headphones over her ears. She skipped ahead to the Scarlotti pieces. The favorite composer of Brady's mother. A beautiful, vibrant woman who had been lost long before her time. Chloe was beginning to understand how she must have felt, knowing that her life might not last very long, trying to enjoy every moment with her husband and baby boy. But, Isabella had been lucky enough to at least have that kind of happiness and bliss before her passing. Chloe could not even find the words to tell Brady that she loved him and soon it might be too late for her to do so. How could she really enjoy whatever time she had left if she hadn't truly experienced the love of a man like him? On the other hand, maybe never knowing the happiness and joy that Isabella had felt, Chloe had no idea what she was might be losing, and it was better this way.
She closed her eyes, and tried to push her worries and confusion out of her mind. Chloe tried to think positively, tried to believe that she would have a long and healthy life ahead of her. And, she prayed that Brady Black would always be a part of it. The music overtook her, pulling her in deeply, and as always, it was because of Brady. He had known exactly what she needed, and exactly what songs would soothe her, forcing her to relax even when she was in distress. Chloe let her mind go blank, and she relaxed, letting sleep engulf her.
Chloe had no idea how long she had been asleep when he came in, or how long he had sat beside her bed watching her as she slept peacefully. She heard his familiar voice near to her.
"Chloe..."
Chloe opened her eyes and immediately took her headphones off, smiling the way she always did when she saw him. The warmth of his very presence lit her up inside, and her deep blue eyes, that normally looked so sad, sparkled when she looked in his direction.
"Brady... did I miss it? The meteor showers didn't happen yet, did they?"
Brady smiled at her, and her heart melted. He leaned forward and gently kissed her on the forehead. "No way, diva... You didn't miss a thing."
"Good... I wouldn't want to disappoint you."
"You could never do anything to disappoint me."
Chloe chuckled softly and rolled her eyes. "I doubt that. But, either way, I'm glad that I didn't miss anything."
Brady nodded and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently and reassuringly. The night she had gotten her diagnosis, he had held on to her hand tightly, intertwining his fingers with hers, as if to say "We're in this together." and that's how she felt every time he held her hand. They were a team fighting against a deadly disease together. Brady would never leave her, and she knew that deep down in her soul.
He stood up from the stool and made a motion with his head towards the door. "So... I've been planning your prison break all day. You ready for some danger?"
"My prison break? But... I can't leave the hospital."
"That's what you think. I just so happen to know the Chief of Staff of this hospital and he has given me, and only me, permission to take you outside of this hospital room."
Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I thought that I wasn't allowed to go out and be exposed to all the germs that the world has to offer."
Brady grinned at her and shook his head. "But a little fresh air will be good for you. Craig even said so. He just gave me two rules. One - not to stray too far away. And, two - not to let the warden..."
"You mean, Nancy..."
"Yes, and not to ever tell Nancy what we did. So, come on, are you in or are you out?"
Brady held his other hand towards her, waiting for an answer, and Chloe just stared at it. "Come on, diva... Live it up for just one night. Break some rules. Have some fun."
Chloe grabbed his hand and sat up in her bed. "I'm in."
***And he said, take my hand, live while you can.
Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?***
He helped her out of her bed, handing her a thick white robe and a pair of shoes from the closet in the corner. She quickly covered herself with the robe and slipped into the shoes. He grabbed her hand again and led her to the door, pausing before he opened it.
"Do you think you feel up to walking up a flight of stairs?"
"I think so. I'm feeling pretty strong today, actually."
Brady grinned at her slyly. "Good, I didn't really want to have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you myself. But, I would have."
Chloe laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "How chivalrous of you."
Brady nodded and opened the door, leading Chloe by the hand down the hallway. They reached the stairwell at the end, and Chloe looked at him curiously as he led her up the stairs towards the roof of the hospital. Not a word was spoken, until he opened the door and led her out on to the roof.
"You brought me to the roof?" Chloe looked at him with one eyebrow raised.
"So you noticed, did you? Damn... I was hoping I could pass it off as Lookout Point."
She looked around and smiled when she saw what was in front of her. Brady had out a large blanket, complete with a picnic basket and a beautiful view of the Salem skies. She sighed softly and looked at him with surprise. "You did this? For me?"
Brady nodded and led her towards the blanket. "It's no hilltop like in my dream, but it's the best I can do on short notice."
"It's... perfect."
Brady smiled back at her and sat down on the blanket, with Chloe following his lead. He grabbed a book of matches from his pocket and lit several candles that were lined up outside the area of the blanket. He opened the picnic basket and pulled out several Tupperware containers, handing two of them to Chloe. She opened them with a grin, coleslaw and BLT's, Brady's favorite. She took her sandwich out of its container and looked at it closely.
"Turkey bacon, right?"
"Of course." Brady paused before biting into his own sandwich, winking at her as he replied. "You know... I've sort of developed a taste for it. You must be a bad influence on me."
Chloe shook her head adamantly. "More like a GOOD influence."
Brady shrugged innocently and began his sandwich. Chloe laughed softly and turned her gaze away, concentrating on her food in silence. They ate in quiet, but not an uncomfortable silence. Chloe could sometimes sit with Brady for a long time without saying a word, believing that no words were needed to express how they felt for each other. She corrected her thoughts sadly, reminding herself that Brady did not necessarily feel the same as she did. He cared about her, perhaps even loved her, but she had no idea how deeply his feelings ran because he refused to open his heart to her.
She felt his blue eyes boring into her, and she realized that he had been staring at her the entire time she was eating her meal. She turned to look at him and narrowed her eyes curiously. "Exactly why are you staring at me? Don't think I haven't noticed..."
"It's just..." Brady paused, and she could tell he was searching for the right words to say. "You look so beautiful underneath the moonlight like this."
Chloe smiled bashfully and averted her eyes. "Brady... You're crazy. I must look awful. I've been sick... and in a hospital. No makeup, my hair's not done, and I'm wearing a hospital gown and a bathrobe. Yeah, sure, I'm ready for the cover of Vogue."
Brady put the remains of his food aside and placed his hand on her cheek. "Chloe... You don't need all that makeup, a glamorous hairstyle or fancy clothes to look beautiful. You already are, without any extra help. You have a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul to match what you were blessed with on the outside."
She stared at him in shock, wondering what had happened to cause Brady to say those things to her. His heart was lying wide open before her, and now she couldn't figure out what to do with it. She had waited for this chance, a chance to tell him everything that was in her heart, and now she was too stunned to speak. Brady kept his smile on, their eyes locked with each other, completely oblivious to the world around them.
"Brady... You are the only person who has ever seen inside my heart and my soul the way that you do." Chloe paused and took a deep breath in, wanting so badly to say how she felt about him. She knew her time left on earth could be short, and she didn't want to leave without telling him. "I... I..."
Chloe's head turned instinctively when she saw something shoot across they sky from the corner of her eye. The meteor showers had begun and she had let it distract her from speaking what was on her mind. Brady turned to watch the sky with her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She felt her heart sink in her chest, wondering if all of this was a mistake. She would just have to wait until her heart pushed her to speak again, trusting her instincts to tell her what was right, and not her overly analytical brain.
***And as he spoke, he spoke ordinary words
Though they did not feel
For I felt what I had not felt before
And you'd swear those words could heal and
As I looked up into those eyes, his vision borrows mine
And I know he's no stranger
For I feel I've held him for all of time***
She sighed softly as she watched the stars rain down over the town. "Brady... It's so beautiful."
"Another wonder of nature. Amazing. You know, Caprice told my sister that the meteor showers symbolized something. That it could change your life."
"Well, I hate to sound selfish... But, if anyone needs their life to change right now, I think it's me."
Brady sighed and held her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Your life is about to change. I promise you that. You're going to get your bone marrow transplant, and you're going to beat this. Everything you've ever wished for will come true."
Chloe pointed up at the sky and watched another meteor shoot across the sky. "But, all the stars I wished upon... it looks like they're falling. That can't be a good sign."
"You can't give up on me, Chloe. Never give up."
Chloe nodded slightly and rested her head on his shoulder. "Brady... It's kind of funny... No matter how many times my parents tell me that I'm going to be okay, there's still something in the back of my head that tells me that I'm not. But, when you say it... I believe it. I believe every word you have to say. You make me so much stronger than I am."
Brady shook his head sadly. "I... I wish that were true. I'm no stronger than you are, Chloe. I'm only strong because I have to be, because you need me to be."
"It doesn't matter why you're strong, or how you find your strength. I'm grateful for you no matter what. You're the only one who heals me. The only one who knows what to say, or what to do to make me feel better."
"Chloe... If I could wave my hand and make this disease go away, I would do it in a heartbeat. No matter what the cost. But, I can't, no matter how hard I wish for it to be possible. The only think I can do for you is to try to make you believe what I see in your eyes. You know deep down that you can fight anything, that you can overcome anything in your way... Everything you need to fight this is already inside you. I'm just here to help."
Chloe looked up at him and kissed him on the cheek. "Well, I'm glad you are. You do make me believe... anything is possible, right?"
Brady nodded and Chloe turned back to gaze at the stars. "Everything is possible. Just believe it."
***And he said, take my hand, live while you can
Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?***
Chloe watched the stars shoot across the sky, but suddenly they didn't seem so important. The only thing that counted was how she felt wrapped in Brady's warm embrace at this moment. People always say 'life is short', and never had those words rung more true to her than it did at this point in her life. Knowing that there was a chance she might not have many more of these moments in the future, she savored every moment of her time with the people she cared about. She memorized the way his strong arms felt around her shoulders, the faint scent of his cologne, and the way his stubble brushed her skin when he leaned in to kiss her on the forehead.
***Please come with me, see what I see
Touch the stars for time will not flee
Time will not flee, can't you see...***
Chloe lifted her head and looked at Brady until he turned his head to lock eyes with her. "Brady... I do have faith, and I'm trying so hard to be strong and believe that I have a long life ahead of me. But... What if I don't? What if I never live to see all things that I want to see? What if I never get to experience all of those things that you're supposed to experience?"
Brady brushed a stray piece of her hair away from her face. "You will, Chloe. And, if for some reason, you have to leave this earth before your time... You will live in the hearts of everyone who has loved you forever. Everywhere I go, you'll be with me. My mother believed in angels, and maybe a little of that got passed on to me. Because, I know she's with me all the time, watching over me and guiding me. And, you will be there too. You're an unforgettable person, Chloe Lane... and you will be remembered even after you're gone. Whether you leave us soon, or in 70 years... you will never be forgotten."
Chloe smiled weakly at him, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Do you really think so?"
Brady nodded and wiped the tear away with the tip of his index finger. "I know so. My father has held my mother's memory in his heart every second of every day for the past 20 years. And, even though he moved on with his life... he will always love her like no one else in his life. You are the same to me. I will hold you in my heart every day until I breathe my last breath."
"Brady... You speak to me like..."
"Like I love you..."
Chloe's breath caught in her throat and she nodded slightly. "Like you love me... Yes."
Brady nodded and rested his hand on her cheek. "That's because I do. I love you, Chloe. And, I'm sorry that it took this happening to make me say it. I should have done something about it a long time ago. I should have... but I was scared. Scared of how powerful my feelings for you are, scared that you wouldn't feel the same... And, now, when I thought that I might lose you, I was angry because I couldn't stop it. I can't stop this, just like nobody could stop my mother's cancer. And, then I realized something. My mother was the most happy she had ever been in the months leading up to her death because she had the love of my father. I can't rid you of your leukemia, I can't make it go away... All I know how to do to help is to love you. So, please, if you can find the same feelings inside you... let me into your heart. Let me give you my love."
Chloe was completely taken aback by his confession. She had been worrying about making a similar confession herself, while all this time the same words had been on the tip of his tongue. She couldn't speak at first, amazed by the words that passed through his lips when he opened up his heart to her. Chloe smiled and laid her hand over his heart, neither of them concerned with the rain of meteors that were surrounding them, lost completely in each other's eyes.
"Brady... I have wanted nothing more than to hear you say those words. I just thought that I was going to have to say them first. Nothing would make me happier than to be loved by you. I love you too... in life, in death, it doesn't matter... I love you, and I will never stop."
Brady smiled and leaned in to kiss her. His lips were sweet and gentle, and his love radiated straight from his lips deep down into her soul. Chloe began to understand things much more clearly, knowing now that this was always meant to be. Destiny had tried to bring them together for a long time, and no matter what, they would be together always. Two souls that felt like one.
***Just a dream, just an ordinary dream
As I wake in bed
And that boy, that ordinary boy
Was it all in my head?
Didn't he ask if I would come along?
It all seemed so real***
Chloe opened her eyes in her hospital bed, no longer on the rooftop under the stars. She sighed in frustration. Another dream, but unlike any dream she had ever had before. This one seemed real, his form tangible to her, and his words driving straight to her heart. She glanced at the cover of the tabloid with the meteor showers again and frowned sadly. It had only been a dream, but she wanted to make it reality. Chloe knew that she had to share what was in her heart. It was now or never, and she wanted Brady to know how she felt before it was too late.
***But as I looked to the door
I saw that boy standing there with a deal
And he said take my hand, live while you can
Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?***
Chloe heard the door to her room creak open and she turned to see Brady standing in her doorway. He smiled at her in the familiar way that always made her heart beat faster. He walked forward and held his hand out to her expectantly.
"So, Diva... You ready to see some fireworks?"
She glanced at his hand in front of her and then looked up at him with a smile. "I'm ready."
Chloe held on to his hand and paused for a moment, their eyes locking with each other. Today wasn't just an ordinary day after all. It was the day she would finally open her heart to a man she had come to believe was truly extraordinary in every possible way.
***Just a day, just an ordinary day
Just tryin' to get by
Just a boy, just an ordinary boy
But he was looking to the sky***
~*~The End~*~