Brown hair streamed down over her shoulders in soft waves, framing a classically heart-shaped face. Big blue eyes peered out beneath thick dark lashes while a rosy hue now tinted both cheeks and glossed lips. Chloe�s gaze skimmed critically over her reflection once more before her butterflies within stirred anew. Nervous as she was, Chloe couldn�t help but admire Belle�s handiwork�she had applied her make-up with the mascara wand of a professional and, wielding a multitude of hair products, somehow managed to tame her wild mane. Stepping back, Chloe surveyed her carefully chosen outfit in the full length mirror.

Belle had proudly paraded her through the maze of shops within Salem Place the past day, heaving stacks upon stacks of �fashionable� clothing to the dressing room with the exception of any colored article that could be considered a pastel�that was where Chloe had drawn the line.

For her first official day of �color,� Chloe had insisted on a most subtle, plain ensemble. She had donned a form-fitting v-necked sweater in white over the ever popular blue jeans which, incidentally, hung exceptionally low on her hips�according to the ultra-trendy Belle Black, that was the way they were SUPPOSED to fit.

When Chloe had first suggested expanding her wardrobe the morning before, Belle had teased her mercilessly about �that special guy� she wanted to impress while Nancy had eagerly flung credit cards at her before she had the chance to change her mind, simply assuming that it was their previous conversation that had prompted her daughter�s sudden shopping expedition. Though, in truth, neither Belle nor Nancy were correct.

Philip may have initially brought the issue to the fore with her mother jumping right on board in that excruciatingly vocal tirade of hers, but it had been Chloe alone who had ultimately made the life-altering decision. She was tired of hiding, plain and simple. And while she realized that de-shrouding hardly constituted �exposing� her true self to the world, she figured it was at least a step in the right direction. Over the years, her wardrobe had proven crucial in sustaining her isolated existence as the way in which people perceived you visually directly correlated with your given social status. The only function her previous garb had served was to keep the populace at bay, to essentially HIDE from others behind the �Ghoul Girl� personae. Therefore, it seemed the logical place to start�to unveil her outer shell while she herself discovered that of her inner.

Nevertheless, Chloe had desperately clung to her glasses when Belle had earlier made a mad dash for them. Her black clothes and glasses had been such a HUGE part of her identity up to that point that she just couldn�t bring herself to let go�at least not yet. That black plastic was her sole comfort then, her metaphorical security blanket.

A soft knock on the bathroom door caused a new band of butterflies to emerge�fluttering, twirling, spiraling�Chloe soon felt weak in the knees.

�Ready?� Belle�s voice had never sounded so ominous.

Chloe straightened, determinedly raising her chin to meet her transformed image. �As ready as I�ll ever be,� she murmured under her breath with a resigned sigh.

****

Groaning, Philip hauled his heavy Chemistry textbook into his backpack. Monday�he always hated Mondays. Not only were they the beginning of the school week but, without fail, the morning skies were forever overcast, emanating that certain gloom that made it all the more unbearable.

A similarly disheartened Shawn lethargically shuffled up from behind, negotiating his locker combination with fumbling fingers. Though, his present state could be traced back to flat out sleep deprivation as his baby brother�s healthy set of lungs had kept his whole household up the previous night. Still, even in his fatigue, Shawn couldn�t resist toying with Philip. God, it was almost too easy, he reflected, staring at his pitiful friend�a sitting duck came to mind! Nevertheless, a smirk instantly quirked his mouth, livening his spirit, as he playfully addressed Philip, �So, you rushed out of the Pub like a bat out of hell the other night�Care to comment, Kiriakis?�

Slamming his locker shut, Philip abruptly turned to face his smart-ass of a best friend, but the retort died on his lips when his line of vision was caught by a certain brunette accompanying Belle Black to her locker, wolf whistles trailing behind the Goddess.

It was as if time stood still as SHE approached. Everything lulled into slow motion as his heart raced and senses spun. She was easily the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Beautiful wasn�t even the word. She was�lovely�exquisite� breathtaking�stunning. In fact, there was something familiar about her movements, the way in which she held herself. She possessed an indescribable grace�or class that he had only ever witnessed once before. Incredulous, Philip sucked in a sharp breath, blinking twice, it couldn�t be, could it? As she neared, his sneaking suspicion was confirmed as she finally came into focus, those tell-tale glasses clinching the Goddess� identity. His heart now officially sky-rocketed off the charts as he grasped the revelation.

However, Philip quickly regained his composure as Chloe�s gaze fluttered toward him but then just as soon flashed away. It was then that he noticed her straighten her glasses then tug slightly at the bottom hem of her sweater�two casual movements that were meaningless to the common passerby, but intimately struck a chord in Philip. Over the past month, he had become quite adept at reading the subtleties inherent within her body language as they often relayed more than she ever could�or would vocally. Therefore, he sensed just how uncomfortable and nervous Chloe was right then in the spotlight, playing the center of attention. Hell, all the girls were glaring at her while the guys were practically ogling her with lascivious eyes, he realized upon scanning the corridor.

Enough was enough, Philip decided, striding purposefully down the eerily silent hall. Sidling up next to a surprised Chloe, his eyes warmed with a grin, �Wow, you managed to turn every guy at Salem High into a drooling sap in 10 seconds flat�You know, you are just too gorgeous for your own good, Chloe Lane!�

Chloe�s lips curved into a shy smile while an attractive blush pinkened her cheeks as his compliment both excited and reassured her at the same time.

Gaining confidence, Philip edged closer to her and slung his arm around her waist before adding in a confidential whisper, �I mean it�you look absolutely beautiful, Chloe.�

Melting at his flattering words and affectionate touch, she suddenly froze as she spied Jason and Jan heading their way. She instinctively pressed in against Philip and immediately felt his arm tighten, circling her protectively.

Curiously enough, they wordlessly passed by, but soon halted a few feet beyond them, well within earshot. Jason�s voice carried throughout the corridor as he then loudly exclaimed, �No wonder Kiriakis defended the freak, he must�ve gotten a sneak preview of the goods!� He snickered but Jan�s scowl only deepened as she stomped off in a huff, infuriated by her traitorous boyfriend�s backhanded compliment regarding freaking Vampira.

Philip�s free hand involuntarily clenched at Jason�s comment and he loosened his grip on Chloe, determined to take care of his ole pal Welles once and for all, however Chloe�s voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

�Come on, Philip, we should probably get to class,� she suggested softly with a half-smile.

His tension instantly eased away at her quieted plea. Jason Welles wasn�t worth it�besides, he had more important things to focus on, he concluded, smiling back at his Goddess. �You�re right, let�s go,� he agreed, his hand moved at her waist before sliding up to her shoulder to guide her toward homeroom.

Shawn approached Belle and they shared a knowing glance as their two best friends sailed along down the hallway, so obviously mesmerized by one another that they failed to acknowledge the massive audience that was currently cataloging their every move.

****

Chloe let out a well-deserved sigh as she escaped out into the fresh air. All morning long, she had had to contend with the invasive stares and none too hushed whispers and frankly she was now at her wit�s end�albeit it WAS preferable to Salem High�s full on harassment of the previous week. After retrieving her sack lunch from her locker, made by her very own �Super Mom�, no less, Chloe had fled out the side door to enjoy her break in some much needed peace.

Picnic tables were strategically placed across the grassy campus. Though swarmed in late spring, they were naturally deserted in brisk autumn, thankfully leaving Chloe to her desired solitude. Collapsing onto the bench, she was reaching for her novel when footsteps sounded behind her.

She reluctantly peered over her shoulder then shook her head ruefully. Belle and Shawn were swiftly approaching, headed off by their ring-leader, Philip Kiriakis, of course. They casually greeted her before making themselves comfortable at her table as they took their rightful positions�Philip sat to her right while the golden duo settled in opposite them.

As Belle prattled on about their upcoming History exam, Philip took the time to covertly assess the rather subdued Chloe. Except for their first shared period, their paths hadn�t since crossed until just then on their lunch hour when he�d caught a glimpse of her skittering out the side door and determinedly followed. Though, Chloe and her �transformation� had been THE topic of conversation at school that day and he had repeatedly worried exactly how that newfound notoriety was, in turn, affecting such a private person as Chloe Lane. Not well, Philip deduced. After all, here she was, amid her three closest friends and yet she remained distant, acting as if they were practically strangers. Well, this time he would not let her get away with it. He would NOT let her climb back into that impenetrable shell of hers. The question was HOW�how would he get her to open up? Then the answer magically materialized out of thin air.

Seizing the sudden break in conversation, Philip pointedly turned to Chloe, startling her with his piercing gaze, �So, did you hear about the talent show coming up in early December?�

�No,� Chloe responded tentatively, her suspicions instantly aroused.

Whoa, take it slow, Kiriakis, he reminded himself. Don�t scare her off. Philip paused a moment then continued on, dutifully projecting the necessary nonchalance, �Yeah, well, Salem High puts one on every year. It�s tradition. To be honest, it�s always been somewhat of a joke�I mean, Salem doesn�t seem to harbor all of that much talent if you know what I�m saying��

�You got that right!� Shawn snorted under his breath.

A giggle escaped Belle as she eagerly interrupted, recounting one of the more memorable highlights of the regularly banal affair. �Oh my God, Chloe, you would�ve died if you�d seen Jan�s number, like, two years ago. She did this kind of genie dance with the costume and all�it was so risqu�, I swear it was practically X-rated� and now, she�s actually banned from participating! Can you believe it? BANNED from the school�s talent show�how pathetic is that?�

Chloe cracked a small smile�THAT she could imagine!

However, Philip soon silenced Belle with a stern look. They were most definitely getting off course�next thing he knew, they�d be launching into the humiliating rendition of �Macho Man�, he and his football buddies had jokingly taken part in just the previous year�Needless to say, he thanked his lucky stars every night that Chloe hadn�t arrived on the scene until January.

Clearing his throat, he then proceeded to announce his �brilliant� idea, �Anyway, I was thinking this year could be different�For instance, if YOU entered, Chloe, you�d blow everyone out of the water for sure��

�You�ve got to be kidding, Philip,� Chloe countered shortly, her stomach churning at the mere prospect.

�No, I�m being dead serious here. You have this awesome gift and it would be a shame if you didn�t showcase it.� Eyeing her sustained reticence, Philip was forced to pander to the innate diva within. �I mean, aren�t you always saying that you want to move to New York after graduation and become a big opera star? Well, here�s a great opportunity for practice�on a much smaller scale obviously, but an audience is an audience, right? And Shawn�ll accompany you��

�I will?� Shawn blurted out. However, the sharp pain Philip�s foot forcefully inflicted beneath the table persuaded Shawn to abruptly shift his question to statement, �Uh�yeah, I will.�

�Come on, Chloe, say yes. It�ll be so much fun!� Belle enthusiastically chimed in.

�So, what do you say?� Philip asked once again, admiring the newfound sparkle that brightened her eyes as the fiery spirit beneath flared up, rivaling all those nagging inhibitions. He wanted to pat himself on the back�MUSIC had indeed proven to be Chloe�s Achilles� heel just as he had suspected.

Chloe glanced uncertainly from Philip to Belle to Shawn before returning to Philip�s puppy dog eyes. She was getting ganged up on, alright. �Fine,� she eventually relented, rolling her eyes in exasperation. Though amid the resounding cheers of success from the trio that followed, a bitter Chloe could only mutter through clenched teeth, �Should�ve hidden in the bathroom!�

Philip�s head shot up, �What did you just say?�

�Nothing, absolutely nothing,� was her �innocent� reply, however an undeniable smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Philip only smiled in response, having, in fact, heard her last comment. She could run to her heart�s desire, but he would NOT let her hide from him anymore. Chloe had no idea who she was dealing with. Philip Kiriakis ALWAYS got his man�or woman, as the case may be, and he would not sleep a wink until he proved victorious.

Chloe flipped through her music selection, plagued by endless flashes of thoughts and snap images. She had long finished the homework assignments for her next day�s classes and had just hung up from the third consecutive phone conversation she and Belle had engaged in that evening. Though, neither were responsible for her sudden mood swing. It was rather her memory that was to blame as cursed patches of her youth unabatedly sprang to consciousness, colliding to disorient. Experiencing a vague drifting of sorts, she had intuitively turned to her music, her �rock.�

After deciding on Sarah McLachlan�s Mirrorball CD, one of the few she possessed that could be considered �pop,� she relaxed back into her bed and let the soothing melody wash over her, swiftly banishing all ghosts from the past. A soft knock jiggled her door only moments into the song and, with a reluctant sigh, Chloe invited the intruder in, expecting a certain flaming-haired woman of generous proportions to emerge. However, she was pleasantly surprised when the long, slender lines of her stepfather, Craig, entered instead.

�So, first the wardrobe and now the music�You, my dear, better watch it or I might be inclined to suspect that you�re, dare I say, DABBLING in mainstream culture,� remarked Craig, a sly smirk contorting his features as he ambled into the room. He pulled her desk chair forward then casually settled in across from the scowling brunette. �Say it ain�t so Chloe, say it ain�t so!�

Swinging her legs off the bed, Chloe hoisted herself up so she now sat level with his twinkling gaze. �I�m not �dabbling� in anything, Craig. For your information, I happen to like this music. Besides, it�s not like I�m gyrating to the latest tunes of NSync or anything,� she huffed defensively.

�Do my ears deceive me or did you just incorporate a Boy Band into that flimsy-ass excuse of yours? Wow, it�s worse than I thought!� Craig shook his head in �horror� as Chloe, in turn, shot him a sour glare.

�Did you come up here to mock me or was there something in particular you wanted, Craig? Oh wait, wait, I�ve got it�Nancy roped you into sweet talking me into a day at the spa or maybe another shopping spree, right? Well, you can tell her �thanks, but no thanks� for me and, while you�re at it, you might as well inform her that my little makeover earlier this week had absolutely NOTHING to do with her so she can stop patting herself on the back any time now. My God, if she keeps at it, she�ll pummel herself to death!�

Craig�s eyes narrowed as he deliberately crossed his arms, projecting that air of authoritative confidence and condescension he�d perfected as reigning Chief of Staff at the hospital. �Actually Chloe, you�re wrong on both accounts. My coming to talk with you is hardly some ploy on your mother�s part and furthermore, you�re mistaken if you think for one second that Nancy is trying to take credit for these changes that are suddenly taking place in your life. Don�t get me wrong, your mother is�well, ecstatic about the drastic transformation your closet has recently undergone, but she knows as well as I that you, and you alone, are responsible for your decisions and actions. Believe it or not, your mother loves you with all of her heart and wants only the best for you, Chloe�it�s not just about her always being right.�

Chloe dropped her gaze to her lap where her clasped hands were perched, clenched tightly. �So, why did you want to see me, Craig?� she eventually asked, her voice flat and seemingly unemotional.

Leaning forward, Craig startled her as he extended a hand to smooth back an unruly lock of that long, lustrous hair. A paternal smile crept across his face when she looked up then, her expression softening. �Well, I know this has been quite a week for you and I wanted to make sure you were hanging in there alright.�

She shrugged slightly, �Yeah, I�m okay. Things have actually started to die down at school again�finally. I have to admit those first few days were pretty unnerving. I hadn�t thought�or should I say, expected to be on the receiving end of such attention. It bowled me over it was so overwhelming! Though, I think the worst of it was the shocked reactions from people when they put two and two together and realized that �Ghoul Girl� and I were one and the same. For God�s sake, my own teachers had trouble placing me, Craig. Do you have any idea how insulting that is? I mean, I just changed my wardrobe around a little and put on some lip gloss and yet countless classmates hadn�t the slightest idea who I was!�

�To be honest, I�m not surprised��

�What?� Chloe exclaimed with a strangled cry, but Craig placed a comforting palm on her shoulder to silence her protests.

�Let me finish, okay? Look Chloe, you�ve always known you were different from most teenagers�You just underestimated the extent to that individuality. The majority doesn�t possess your sharp intellect or, more importantly, your sensitivity regarding others. Therefore, they looked at you before and all they could see was the black shroud and thick glasses. Of course, you can share partly in the blame for that as I doubt you gave them much reason TO look beyond that. Still, anyone who had would have seen what a beauty you were inside AND out.�

Chloe drew her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees thoughtfully. �Yeah, that�s what Philip said,� she whispered under her breath after a quiet moment.

Remembering back to earlier that week, she felt a familiar twinge deep from within as the memory surfaced. She and Philip had just situated themselves at �their� picnic table for what had now become the lunch hour ritual between their small circle of friends. She had been complaining about the hypocrisy within Salem and the world at large, regarding her newfound popularity, when he had spoken, rocking her to her very core.

�I�ve got to hand it to you, Chloe, you are a born master of disguise. I mean, you really went the whole nine yards what with the bulky sweaters, clunky shoes, not to mention the trademark specs�But you want to know what�s ironic? Even with all your gear, you were never quite able to pull it off. Because your beauty was the kind that could never truly be covered up or hidden away,� Philip had murmured softly, reaching across to cover her hand with his own. �I heard it in your voice, saw it in your eyes, and felt it in my heart. I knew it since the night on the pier, Chloe. I knew it then as much as I know it today.�

Unfortunately, ill-equipped to respond to such an overture, she�d simply played it off, teasing him about his reputation. �I bet you say that to all the girls,� Chloe�d offered with a nervous laugh. Though looking back now, she couldn�t help but recall the crestfallen expression that had fleetingly pained his features before Shawn had approached, shattering the moment.

Craig regarded his stepdaughter quizzically, grazing his stubble with the back of his hand. By all appearances, Chloe had retreated inward�her fiery eyes of only moments before had iced over to a glazed tint and her shoulders slumped slightly now, curling her body into a protective ball. Clearing his throat, his forehead creased in confusion, �Philip�Philip Kiriakis?�

�Yeah, what about it?� she quickly came to, cursing her stupid thoughtlessness. Wary of her mother�s skewed judgment, she had been especially careful not to drop HIS name chez Wesley as she hadn�t particularly enjoyed the past knock down, drag out fights that had inevitably occurred as a result.

His brows rose as Chloe continued to squirm before him, distinctly uncomfortable. �Nothing, nothing. So, I take it the tutoring has been going well for the young Kiriakis, eh?�

�Yeah, I guess. He�s really improved his grades in the past few weeks. Now that he�s finally putting in the time, that is.� Desperate to change the topic at hand, Chloe frantically embraced the first thing that happened to pop into her mind. �Uh�did Nancy tell you that I�m entering the school�s talent show?� She took his look of bewilderment as a no and eagerly rushed on, �It�s coming up in early December so I have a few months to prepare. Shawn Brady�s going to accompany me. Of course, I still have to choose a suitable piece but that shouldn�t be too hard��

Amidst her ramblings, Craig leapt to his feet, incredulous. �Whoa, cool it for a second. Let me get this straight, Chloe. You VOLUNTEERED to sing at Salem High�s annual talent show and you�re actually EXCITED about it? Okay, who are you and what have you done with my daughter?�

The word �daughter� caught Chloe off-guard, causing her to momentarily falter. Swallowing the lump that had involuntarily risen in her throat, she finally mustered up a shy smile. �Well, to be honest, it wasn�t exactly my idea. You know, you wouldn�t know it to look at them but Belle, Philip, and Shawn are quite the tenacious bunch. What can I say? They sprang it on me at a weak moment and I crumbled. Anyway, in some weird way, I guess I�m kind of looking forward to it. If nothing else, it should be good practice,� she reasoned, unconsciously echoing Philip�s choice words of encouragement from only days before.

Craig�s heart warmed at the hesitancy and uncertainty she had just allowed her voice to betray, nodding slowly after a brief pause. �I agree and I must say that I�m glad you�re making such loyal, supportive friends�That�s important.� With a glance at his watch, he promptly returned the chair to her desk. �Well, my dear, dinner should be ready any time now so you best wash up. And bring your appetite, tonight�s Nancy�s famous vegetarian lasagna,� he offered with a wink then strode out into the hall, his mind a chaotic jumble.

He certainly hadn�t anticipated the outpouring of information he�d received that night, especially from the habitually tight-lipped Chloe. While it had been overwhelming, it had also been quite educational. For, he had not failed to miss the one common thread that had held their conversation together as they visited the various facets of his stepdaughter�s life: one Philip Kiriakis.

****

Philip winced slightly as he rubbed his throbbing shoulder. Football practice had been particularly grueling that afternoon and his aching muscles proved it. Of course, hard work and long hours were what had lead Salem High to the championships year after year and he would be damned if his team wrecked a decade�s worth of tradition on his watch�After all, he was the star quarterback and there was a certain reputation to uphold.

Taking a swig of Gatorade, Philip suddenly stilled as he heard the faint tones of bickering filter in from the drawing room just beyond. He hadn�t expected company at this early of an hour. His parents had forgone the obligatory familial dinners recently as business had deemed it nearly impossible. Apparently a big merger was set to take place the following month, one which was reportedly of the utmost importance regarding the future prosperity of Titan.

Curious, Philip turned away from the staircase toward the commotion, dropping his gear to the floor. Moving closer to the door frame, he strained to distinguish the parties involved in the latest Kiriakis household quarrel.

�What, in God�s name, could you possibly have been thinking, Kate? Lucas can barely tie his own shoes, let alone handle a business transaction of this magnitude�and that�s not even calling into question the precarious state of his sobriety!� thundered a subtle, yet effectively distinct accent.

Philip�s shoulders slumped. It was his parents, of course. Against his better judgment, he leant in closer to the wall as his mother�s voice undulated from high to low in marked exasperation.

�Why must you always assume the worst, Victor? Lucas has been sober now for nearly 5 months and has attended every single one of those AA meetings, just as he promised��

�Well, I�m hardly going to give him high praise for that!� interrupted Victor, grumbling through Kate�s misguided blatherings.

However, Kate Roberts was never one to be deterred, especially where her children were concerned. She boldly pressed on, driven by the need to protect her own. �And, as for his capabilities, you don�t give him nearly enough credit. Lucas is intelligent and ambitious�not to mention surprisingly savvy when it comes to shmoozing clients. WHY must I always defend my sons to you? First you started in on Austin, now it�s Lucas. Who�s next�Philip?�

Bowing his head, Philip held his breath as he awaited his father�s answer, anticipating the worst.

�Don�t be ridiculous, Kate! MY son is the future of this empire. Philip is strong and smart. Granted he still has a lot to learn, but now that I�m back to push him in the right direction, believe me, he WILL rise to the challenge and eventually take his rightful place at the head of Titan,� he declared forcefully, filling Philip with initial relief, closely followed by an oppressive sense of dread.

He was being groomed to take his father�s place as he had known all along. But, somehow, this time, the enormity of that fact made its presence felt as his preordained future loomed out before him endlessly.

�Oh, I see how it is. Philip is YOUR son now, right? I mean, it was just MY eggs after all�I suppose you consider Vivian more of a mother to him than me! Why don�t you just say what you�re really thinking, Victor? You don�t approve of my methods of mothering. You never have! I could see it in your eyes the very day you returned from the nursing home�the resentment, the pure disappointment at the way in which I ran this household while you were away. But, you know what, I did my very best and that�s more than I can say for you right now! Lording over Philip, making HIS decisions for him�I hardly think controlling his life will instill that strength of character such a weighty position as CEO calls for.�

�Well, I sure as hell know that pampering and coddling him wasn�t the answer!�

Philip staggered backwards a distance as the two continued to argue, over HIM. He wanted to bust in the room just then and shout out to them, �This is my life�MY life, not yours!� But since that was out of the question, he merely retreated to his bedroom, trudging up the stairs with not only heavy steps but an equally heavy heart.

Falling back into his bed, Philip absentmindedly reached for the receiver. Dialing a number he now knew by heart, he waited.

�Hello?� Chloe�s sweet greeting carried over the phone after the third ring.

�Hey, it�s me.�

�Oh, hey, Philip. What�s up?�

Nestling into his pillow, he released a small sigh. �Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice��