Chloe arrived outside the Kiriakis mansion early and was instantly glad that she had the extra time before the session officially began to recover from her absolute awe. Sure, rumors had frequently circulated at school centering around Philip�s enormous wealth, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that the place Philip called home was actually the palace that towered above her now. Chloe could hardly comprehend how a family of three managed to fill the inevitable void she suspected the utter spaciousness would in all probability dictate.

Chloe couldn�t help but shake her head in disgust, what a complete waste of money. Why spend millions on a mansion when a three bedroom/two bathroom house, for a fraction of the cost, would have sufficed? Because they�re Kiriakises, that�s why, Chloe reminded herself.

All her life, Chloe�s limited monetary status had required that her purchases be based solely on necessity, never frivolity. Therefore, the reckless abandon that others so often displayed in spending left and right, without even acknowledging the privilege inherent in doing so, astounded her. Did they even consider the fact that millions in this world were starving to death without a penny to their name? Probably not, Chloe thought ruefully. If they�re oblivious to the disadvantaged masses then they can remain guilt-free and continue on without having to bear the responsibility of helping those less fortunate. Chloe was sure the Kiriakises regularly gave substantial donations to various charities, but also assumed that the amount given was merely a drop in the bucket compared to the Kiriakis great wealth. I will never understand the rich, Chloe concluded shaking her head once again.

As Chloe hesitantly made her way up to the front door, her initial awe gave way to fear. The second day back at school had only served to intensify her instinctive doubts about accepting Mr. Kiriakis� proposal in the first place. As predicted, Philip had continued on with his whole avoidance routine during class earlier that day. Although his charade had been forced to come to an abrupt halt when, in one particularly embarrassing moment, Chloe had accidentally knocked her book off of the table causing it to land, where else, but at Philip�s feet, of course. He had immediately reached down to retrieve the book and, in doing so, came face to face with Chloe upon handing it back. She�d hardly uttered a quick, �Thank you,� before he had turned back in his seat and resumed staring straight ahead, as though denying her very existence.

Now, faced with his impressively grand, though intimidating abode, Chloe�s inferiority complex kicked into high gear. She looked at her watch once again and noted that while she had been preoccupied with contemplating the prevalence of economic inequality in today�s world and the Kiriakis family�s position within it, five more minutes had passed and now it was time to face the music.

****

The clock struck 6:00 straight up as the doorbell rang indicating Chloe�s arrival. As Henderson went to show her in, Philip absentmindedly drummed his fingers on his pant leg, catching his father�s stern eye of warning. He was to be respectful and polite, no less would be tolerated.

Noting the time, Philip sarcastically muttered under his breath, �Ever punctual, of course.� He wondered if there were any chinks to be found in Chloe�s armor. As far as he could see, Chloe was flawless, practically perfect in almost every area of life.

Did people like Chloe exist just to make the rest of us average individuals pale in comparison? Philip was inclined to say yes, after having to endure yet another of his father�s infamous long-winded lectures about taking his studies seriously and following Chloe�s lead under her tutelage. What really unnerved Philip though, was the fact that she excelled in apparently all that she chose to focus her energy on, from her academics to her singing, in a seemingly effortless manner.

And while not exactly socially successful, taking into consideration the various nicknames she had earned attending Salem High, Philip sensed that that in and of itself was, in fact, a success for Chloe. She constantly prided herself on being different, unique. From day one, Chloe had gone out of her way to flagrantly denounce the conventional teenage standard that the majority of her classmates were forever striving to attain, including Philip himself. The utter defiance of this standard exhibited in Chloe�s manner and dress was practically a slap in the face to all that Salem High�s elite held dear. Therefore, the instantaneous lashing out by Salem�s youth directed at this new eccentric misfit was hardly what Philip would consider surprising.

Philip recalled part of his conversation with Chloe months ago from that night out on the pier. Prompted by Philip�s highly inquisitive nature, Chloe had insisted emphatically that she wanted to be true to herself and would refuse to be kowtowed into fixating over her appearance as the fashion slaves at Salem High had deemed necessary. Although, at the same time, Philip couldn�t help but wonder if she wasn�t in actuality kidding herself. He couldn�t quite figure how donning apparently useless glasses and dark shapeless clothing fit under the noble expression of being �true to oneself.� In Philip�s opinion, Chloe was purposely hiding behind every possible tool at her disposal, including not only that regarding her outward appearance, but also that ever-present superior attitude of hers which infuriated Philip to no end. However, as to the reason why she would deliberately choose to do so, he was still clueless. Chloe Lane was most definitely a mystery in more ways than one, Philip deduced in bemusement.

Though, no matter the reason, Philip had to admit, the girl had guts to challenge their school�s status quo in such a way. That was something Philip begrudgingly admired, having followed the pack his entire life himself, from pitching in Little League to becoming the star quarterback on the football team, never taking the time to question if what HE really wanted in life coincided with that of his teammates� or, for that matter, his father�s plans for him and his future.

Just then, the door swung open, interrupting Philip�s reverie, and Henderson followed by a tentative Chloe entered the drawing room.

****

Chloe swallowed back her fear and approached the trio who had immediately risen to their feet upon her entrance into the room. The legendary Mr. Kiriakis stepped forward and extended his hand to Chloe.

�Ms. Lane, I don�t think we�ve ever had the pleasure of being formally introduced. I�m Victor Kiriakis and this is Philip�s mother, Kate,� he said motioning to the stunning brunette who stood off to Philip�s right. To Chloe�s mind�s eye, it was hard to imagine that the woman before her just then was old enough to have a teenager, let alone have bore three previous to Philip. She was meticulously dressed in a designer suit and her make-up was flawless, concealing all telltale signs of aging.

�It�s nice to meet you both. Oh, and please call me Chloe,� she smiled graciously and was rewarded with Victor�s slight nod.

�Chloe, it is then. Here, why don�t you have a seat.�

Chloe willingly obliged. Perched on the edge of her chair, she finally found herself across from Philip who had similarly plopped down upon his father�s suggestion.

Taking in the highly animated girl before him, Philip could hardly believe that she and Chloe Lane were one and the same. He doubted that he�d seen her smile more than a half-dozen times in all the time he�d known her, and yet here she was practically glowing for his parents, unquestionably the model of every parent�s dream daughter. Philip was also taken aback by her outgoing, nevertheless charming manner. At school, she always appeared so shy and reserved. Who the hell was this girl?

The intensity in Philip�s expression was disconcerting to say the least, almost as though he was intently studying her every move, causing Chloe to abruptly redirect her gaze back to his parents who remained standing. Chloe wasn�t sure why, but she was always much more at ease when conversing with adults than her peers, especially if the peer in question just happened to be one Philip Kiriakis.

�Victor filled me in on your many academic achievements, Chloe. I just know that Philip�s in good hands,� Kate smiled at Chloe and then, to her puzzlement, turned to find a visibly flushed Philip, unaware or simply indifferent to her son�s escalating anxiety.

�Yes, we know that if Philip only ever applied himself, he�d be acing all his courses. We�re hoping that with a little guidance and a push in the right direction, he�ll get back on track in preparation for college,� Victor�s voice rang out, the harsh tone startling Chloe just a bit.

Philip�s face flushed anew, but this time it was due to the absolute shame and utter humiliation he felt at Chloe hearing his parents talk about him in such a way, as though he wasn�t even present.

�Well, you two should be getting down to work. I know it was only the second day of school so you probably don�t have much to do in the homework department, but you should at least be able to make use of your time by planning out your time management for the upcoming sessions to insure that all of Philip�s classes are fully covered. Okay, we�ll leave you to it now,� Victor turned and with his hand resting on Kate�s lower back, he led her out into the foyer, closing the door behind him.

Upon Philip�s parents� exit, Chloe felt her stomach tighten and her pulse quicken as she forced herself to meet his gaze. Noting his expressionless face, Chloe admonished herself once again for allowing Mr. Kiriakis� manipulations to lure her into this predicament in the first place. The clock above Philip�s head read 6:05. Well, Chloe thought, five minutes down and only one hundred fifteen more to go. Some consolation...

****

The following half-hour proved to be as awkward as Philip had anticipated, but somehow they had muddled through and as per Victor�s suggestion, planned out the time intervals each week they would be devoting to the various subjects on Philip�s class schedule for the semester.

Mutually acknowledging that there was nothing further to do at the time being, Chloe began to gather up her items, anxious to exit the premises in a timely fashion and put an end to the most insufferable thirty minutes she had ever been forced to endure in all of her young adult life. Rising from the chair, in her great haste, Chloe managed to mumble, �Um�well, I guess I�ll see you next week,� before taking off for the door.

However, before she could make her all important escape, Philip�s words stopped her dead in her tracks, �Wait, Chloe.� The familiar tone evident in his voice, softened and sincere, signaled the disappearance of the aloof Philip who had deigned to grant her with his presence that evening and in his place the other Philip, the sensitive one she had first encountered at the pier that night, had magically reappeared out of thin air.

Chloe turned to find Philip apparently mulling something over in his mind as he shuffled his weight from one foot to the other until hesitantly advancing toward her with a few tentative steps. Finally, he shrugged and looked Chloe right in the eye, for the first time that night, �I guess I just wanted to say thanks.�

�You don�t have to thank me, Philip. It�s no big deal�� Chloe quickly responded.

But before Chloe could conclude her thought, Philip raised his hand in an effort to silence her, �Chloe, please, just let me finish, okay?�

Upon her nod of consent, Philip continued, �I just want you to know that I really appreciate the help, even if I didn�t express it very well tonight�and God knows I sure do need all the help I can get right about now!� Philip softly chuckled, flashing her those disarming dimples of his.

Chloe couldn�t help but return his grin with a small smile of her own. �You�re welcome,� she replied simply before turning to go once again.

However, as she reached the door she abruptly spun back around as though something had suddenly occurred to her. �Oh, and don�t worry, Philip. I won�t tell a single soul at Salem High that I�m tutoring you. I wouldn�t want to ruin your precious reputation, after all.�

Before Philip could utter a single word, Chloe was gone, leaving him lost to his total bewilderment, wondering what exactly had prompted her drastic shift in mood in five seconds flat.

Although after further consideration, it became quite obvious, much to Philip�s dismay. His past mistakes came flooding back, particularly one distinct phone call to Chloe following their conversation out on the pier after Shawn�s sixteenth birthday party. Philip collapsed into his chair, his knees buckling beneath him, and then slammed his fist onto the coffee table in frustration.

While attempting to rationalize his previous actions to himself once more, Philip found that he was unable to rid himself of one overpowering image, the expression on Chloe�s face just moments before. It was then that Philip knew in all certainty that the look of pain etched so vividly across her face, penetrating deep into those soulful eyes, would forever be ingrained in his memory and his heart.

Philip glanced at his watch once more as he paced the length of his bedroom. It was 6:15...she was now officially fifteen minutes late. Any other person and Philip wouldn�t have given it a second thought, but with Chloe Lane he figured a lapse of fifteen minutes from the prearranged time to certainly be cause for concern. Especially taking into account her obvious penchant for punctuality, as noted the week before.

He wondered if she was indeed considering backing out of their tutorial arrangement. After all, Chloe had pointedly ignored him the previous week following their introductory session, the night her heartfelt promise preceding her abrupt flight from the Kiriakis mansion had stirred Philip to his very soul. In fact, Chloe�s words had resonated so deeply that he had gone out of his way since then to attempt to bridge the ever-widening gap between them, but his few simple gestures had fallen on deaf ears. Chloe would have none of it.

After the third day of hitting Chloe�s trademark brick wall yet again, Philip had thrown in the towel and decided it was time to turn the tables on her. Hell, he had just been trying to be nice, Philip had reasoned, and if she couldn�t appreciate it then why should he even bother? No longer the passive observer in Chloe�s private game of evasion, he had felt a surge of empowerment course through his body as he had stepped up to bat as an active participant. However, Philip couldn�t help but question if this act was one of strength, as he liked to believe, or, in actuality, of cowardice...

Fortunately for Philip, his train of thought was cut off just in the nick of time as a soft, tentative knock on his door jolted him back into reality. �Come in,� Philip called out, instinctively running a hand through his hair, brushing that rebellious lock back into its rightful place.

At his invitation, Chloe entered the room rather slowly and then in a voice barely audible, she whispered, �I�m really sorry I was late, Philip. Don�t worry, I�ll stay after to make up for the lost time.�

Philip�s initial irritation died the moment he beheld Chloe�s wan state. Her pale complexion was markedly lighter than usual, contrasted by the dark circles that ringed her eyes from just beyond the glasses. She wavered ever so slightly, struggling to maintain some semblance of balance in his presence.

�Are you alright, Chloe? You look kinda peaky,� Philip took a step toward her in an attempt to get a closer look and gauge the severity of her condition. He had never once seen Chloe look so fragile, as though a mere gust of wind could blow her away right then and there before his very eyes.

�I�m fine...It�s just that since I returned home from school this afternoon, I haven�t felt all that well, but I�m sure it�ll pass. I almost never get sick. I haven�t been sick once in all the last five years,� Chloe managed to reply with a hint of pride as she advanced into his room, thankfully dropping the added weight of her backpack onto the foot of his bed. Suddenly, a wave of nausea overwhelmed Chloe as her stomach lurched, prompting her to make a frantic beeline for his private bathroom.

Philip stood on the other side of the door as the unmistakable sound of Chloe retching filtered in through the thin wall that separated them, reverberating throughout his entire room. So much for �almost never getting sick.� Yep, there goes five years down the toilet, Philip thought as he tried to suppress the small smile that so desperately wanted to form at his own unintended pun. He then shook his head at his blatant insensitivity and turned his attention back to Chloe.

Though, he was unsure of what his course of action should be. Should I go in there and try to help her or would she rather just be alone? Philip knew from his own experience that when he was feeling ill the last thing he wanted was someone on top of him noting his every symptom, but then again maybe Chloe felt differently. They sure as hell differed in opinion on every other issue so why would this be any exception?

Philip finally settled on knocking lightly on the door. �Chloe, are you okay?�

After a few moments� silence, he heard the toilet flush and she croaked out, �Do you have any mouthwash?�

�Yeah, it�s in the cabinet above the sink.�

Seconds later, Chloe emerged from the bathroom. She took several unsteady steps forward until Philip finally caught her by the arm. �Here, maybe you should come lay down for a little bit,� he said guiding her over to his bed.

Once Chloe was situated amidst the pillows, Philip sat down next to her laid out body and reached his hand up to her forehead to ascertain her temperature. His cool touch felt welcome on her flushed face. Vaguely recalling and attempting to process what had just occurred, Chloe knew that come tomorrow her humiliation over vomiting practically in front of Philip Kiriakis would make its presence known, but for now she was in too much pain to care either way.

�Well, you definitely have a fever,� he murmured softly, letting out a ragged sigh at Chloe�s rapidly deteriorating condition.

Chloe writhed in pain suddenly, clutching her belly, as Philip looked on helplessly. �Where does it hurt, Chloe?� She motioned to the upper portion of her stomach.

Philip�s hands moved of their own volition as he allowed one to ease up to rest on the black fabric covering the source of her unbearable discomfort. He felt her sharp intake of breath at his unexpected touch, but nevertheless began slowly moving his fingers back and forth, in a soothing fashion.

Chloe�s initial shock finally gave way and she managed to find her voice, raspy though it was, �Philip, what...what are you doing?�

Turning to face her, his lips curved into a half-smile as his eyes shone bright from the memory, �When I was little and had a tummy ache, my mom would always come into my room and sweep the pain away with the tips of her fingers.� Philip�s dimples came into full force as his smile widened at Chloe�s obvious surprise at his admission. �I know you probably think it�s dumb, but it never failed once in my entire childhood and now seeing you doubled up like this, it�s the only thing I can think of to do.�

�I don�t think it�s dumb, Philip. In fact, I guess I just sort of wished I�d had someone�never mind,� her voice trailed off, but both nevertheless acknowledged her unspoken train of thought in silence. Good going Kiriakis, Philip cringed inwardly. Now, not only is she sick, but on top of that she�s sad because of you and your stupid big mouth.

Deciding against further expounding for fear of making the situation worse, he kept his mouth shut. Sensing her gradually relaxing underneath him, he continued to gently move his hand over her, caressing her in small circular motions.

�Does that feel better?� Philip asked, hoping his breathless tone hadn�t indeed betrayed his true feelings as innate attraction fired up within.

Chloe wasn�t sure if �better� was the precise word she would have chosen to describe what she was feeling just then but, then again, her mind couldn�t exactly wrap itself around the new sensations she was momentarily overcome with. They were so powerful that they overshadowed any and all pain she had felt only moments before. She had never been touched like that, least of all, by a guy like Philip Kiriakis. She didn�t quite know what to make of it. One minute he was the spoiled, arrogant Philip she had become accustomed to and the next he was stroking her with such tenderness she thought her insides would melt.

Realizing she had yet to answer his question, she looked up at him and responded with all the lightheartedness she could gather, in an attempt to defuse the tension, �Yeah, I feel much better. Thank you, Philip. I must admit, your mother should be proud to know she raised one hell of a sweeper!�

Philip chuckled heartily at Chloe�s joke, glad that at least her sense of humor had returned. Surely that had to be a good sign, he thought. Maybe she had one of those 24 hour flus. With any luck, she�d be on the road to recovery in no time.

It was then that a flash of gold caught his attention. Without thinking, Philip lifted his hand from Chloe�s abdomen to finger the locket of her necklace. The necklace he had first noticed over a week ago, shining so brightly in the glow of the morning�s sun.

�This is new, isn�t it?� Philip asked, running his fingers over the smooth surface of the locket.

�Yeah...I spent the summer at my grandparents� house and the night before I left to return home to Salem, Grandmother gave this to me as a sort of going away present,� Chloe said, swallowing nervously, uncomfortably aware of the close proximity between them as he leaned forward, intently studying her necklace.

�So, what�s inside? Is it a picture of her or something?� Philip let his hand drop to his side and moved back slightly, sensing Chloe�s sudden alarm at his hovering presence.

�Um...well, it�s nothing really,� her eyes dropped, avoiding his gaze altogether.

�Oh, come on, Chloe. What�s the big secret?� Philip smiled, furrowing those infamous dimples of his, in an attempt to cajole the information out of her one way or another.

�Well, it�s...it�s actually a picture of me as a baby. You see, Nancy�well, she had the doctor take a picture of me before�well, you know,� Chloe�s gaze remained downward cast as a muted rosy hue crept over her cheeks, betraying the embarrassment she felt at having revealed something so private, so personal.

�Can I see it?�

�Yeah, I guess,� Chloe muttered under her breath, somewhat surprised at his pointed interest in HER. She fumbled with the locket until at long last it snapped open.

The silence nearly drove Chloe insane as Philip sat staring blankly at the picture as though mesmerized.

After what seemed an eternity to Chloe, Philip finally whispered, �You�You look like a tiny little angel. You�re beautiful� �

Shocked by his words, Chloe�s eyes flew up to meet his, sure that he was in all probability joking but, to her amazement, the warmth radiating from his baby blues displayed nothing less than his utmost sincerity.

�Well, times have certainly changed, huh?� She hastily snapped the locket shut before adding, �I should probably get going. I do actually feel better, but still I think I�d rather be at home, in my own room, in my own bed, if you don�t mind. I�ll call you later this week and we can reschedule so you won�t miss out on this session altogether on account of my weak immune system, of all things.�

Before Chloe could move another inch, Philip gently pressed her back down into the pillows. �Wait here,� he ordered in such a determined voice that Chloe didn�t dare disobey. Philip walked over to the foot of his bed and retrieved her book bag, swinging it over his shoulder.

�What do you think you�re doing, Philip? I�m fine...�

Nevertheless, Philip�s harsh tone silenced her, �You�re in no state to be hauling off on your mile long trek home unattended. Chloe, I�m driving you, end of discussion.�

Her objections proved to be futile as he bent down and swiftly scooped her up into his arms. �Philip, I can walk,� Chloe�s eyes narrowed in absolute frustration at this new turn of events. Maintaining control at all times was essential for her peace of mind. Therefore, feeling it slowly ebbing away or, more accurately, being forcibly grasped out of her hold by none other than Philip, sent Chloe reeling in more ways than one.

�Chloe, I suggest you lie back and conserve your energy because this is one argument you�re not going to win,� Philip walked deliberately toward the door with long, slow strides as to keep the inevitable jostling of Chloe�s body at a bare minimum.

Philip Kiriakis was most definitely stubborn if nothing else, Chloe concluded ruefully. She reluctantly gave up in her utter fatigue and tightened her hold around Philip�s neck. Before she could second guess herself any further, Chloe burrowed her face into his chest, allowing herself, if only for one moment in time, to revel in the comfort and warmth she had always sought but never quite been able to attain until then, secure within Philip�s embrace.