You Belong To Me
Chapter
Five
Belle opened the door to her parents' penthouse and was stunned into silence.
Shawn Brady, tall and more handsome than ever, was standing in the living room,
holding a sleeping JT and talking to her father. Belle paused nervously,
figuring she had two options to choose from: either curl up in a ball and die or
play it cool. She decided to go for the latter.
"Shawn... I'm surprised to see you here. How are you?"
Shawn nodded in her direction. "I'm alright. I came to pick up JT so I
could take him home to my parents' house. How are you?"
Belle plastered a faux smile on her face. "I'm great. Just great."
Shawn nodded again and attempted to make small talk. "And, how's Tom?"
"Tim."
Shawn shrugged nonchalantly. "That's what I meant."
"He's fine... I hear. That's what somebody told me the other day anyway. I
guess Brady didn't tell you that we're not together anymore."
"No, he didn't mention it. I'm sorry to hear that."
Belle nodded and smiled again. "Thanks..."
"Right, so..." Shawn looked between Belle and John and smiled weakly.
"I guess I'll see you both at the rehearsal dinner tomorrow. John, my mom
said thanks for taking JT today."
John leaned over and kissed JT on the forehead. "Tell her that it's not a
problem at all. We had a lot of fun."
Shawn looked back at Belle and then walked past her and out of the penthouse.
When the door shut behind him, Belle sighed deeply and stuck her lower lip out
to pout.
John looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "You okay, kiddo?"
Belle shrugged. "I was just waiting for my hair to catch on fire, because
that's the only thing that could have made that more awkward."
John came over and hugged his daughter tightly. "You did fine. You really
shouldn't let him get to you."
"It's not his fault anymore. It's my problem now... He got over it, and so
should I."
John let go of her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry for all of
this. I blame myself for it. You should have at least stayed friends, you
know."
Belle shook her head sadly. "It's not your fault either, Dad. And, I could
sit here and blame Stefano DiMera for all our problems too, but I'm not going
to. Just because he did all this to our family and the Bradys, it doesn't mean
we have to let it destroy us."
"And you didn't let it destroy you..."
Belle looked downward and sighed. "But Shawn did... and I let it happen.
So, it's both of our faults... I'm just the one who needs to let it go
now."
"You did everything you could... You have to forgive yourself, and forgive
Shawn."
Belle nodded and looked at her father. "I know... It's just... more
complicated than all that. I'm going to go upstairs, take a bath, forget all
about him... It's been a long day."
John nodded and hugged her again. "You must be jetlagged... I'll see you in
the morning, Izzy B."
Belle started up the stairs and then turned to look at her father. "Thanks
daddy..." She smiled sweetly at him and then made her way back upstairs.
***
Belle laid in the hot bath water and let the bubbles surround her. Sighing
deeply, she sunk further into the tub letting her head rest against the wall.
She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but his face kept flashing through her
mind. Those chocolate brown eyes that you could live in for days, and that
crooked grin he would get whenever he was up to something...
"Stop it, stop thinking about him. Think of something else, Belle."
Belle sighed and tried to envision puppies, or rainbows, or chocolate chip
cookies. But, nothing was helping her get Shawn out of her mind. She started
singing quietly to herself, the first song that came to mind.
"I'll be so lonely without you, maybe you'll be lonesome too..."
Belle groaned and threw her washcloth at the tiled wall. "Okay, anything
but THAT song, please."
****FLASHBACK****
(Three months after Last Blast, 2002)
John and Marlena had rented out a Tuscany for the night to throw a grand,
upscale Bon Voyage party for Belle. Belle's friends and family had dressed to
the nines and filled the place for an evening of dancing and dining.
Belle stood in the corner chatting with Susan about her travel plans. Susan
smiled at her with a touch of jealousy. "You know, Belle, you are so lucky.
I wish my parents would send me off to Europe for a year."
Belle nodded in agreement. "But, I'm going to miss everyone so much. What
are you going to do? You got accepted to a few prestigious colleges,
right?"
"Yeah, but I'm going to go to Salem University. I got a part time job
working for your dad's company. Since I want to work in the cosmetics industry
and all, I thought it'd be a great place to start."
Belle looked and impressed. "Wow, get down with your bad self, Susan. I
hadn't heard that yet. I'll have to warn my dad to watch out or you'll own the
company within 5 years."
Susan laughed and shrugged bashfully. "Well, I don't know about
that..."
"Well, I do. You’re going to go in there and kick butt at
everything."
Susan smiled proudly. "Thanks Belle..."
Belle felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Shawn. Her smile faded,
something which used to never happen when Shawn was around.
Belle spoke quietly, "Shawn..."
Shawn nodded in acknowledgement towards Susan, "Hey Susan..." He
turned his attention back to Belle. "Would you like to dance with me?"
Belle looked at him painfully. Although Shawn had still not made his decision,
she knew deep down this was the last time she would see him for a long time. She
nodded stoically and he led her to the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around
her gently and she laid her head on his strong chest. The music began and they
danced slowly together as Shawn whispered to her, "Belle..."
Belle shook her head and sighed. "Shhh... Don't talk. Just let me enjoy
this."
Shawn nodded and kept quiet. Belle took in every detail that she could as they
danced together, knowing that she might not be this close to him for a long
time. She breathed in his cologne, and stared into his deep brown eyes, gently
ran one hand through his brown hair, and finally rested her head back on his
chest to listen to his heart beating underneath his shirt. The singer in the
band started to join in with the music:
***See the pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sun rise from the tropic isle
Just remember, darling, all the while
You belong to me
See the marketplace in old Algiers
Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me
And I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it’s wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me
And I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it’s wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me***
Belle felt the hot tears welling up in her eyes as she listened to the song. She
silently doubted that the words would ring true in her case. Belle wondered if
after anywhere from 5 months to a year apart, Shawn would still be hers.
Especially, since it didn't feel like he belonged to her anymore already.
The music ended and Shawn looked in her eyes. "I do love you, Belle... I
know it hasn't seemed like it lately, but I will always love you."
Belle looked downward and sighed. "You still have a chance, Shawn. I'm
going to stand at that gate tomorrow, and I really want you to be there. You'd
have a chance to fix everything if you would just go with me."
"I don't know... I don't know if I can leave."
"You can. You just have to want to."
Shawn stared at her wordlessly. She knew that deep down Shawn loved her, but she
could also see that he couldn't seem to bring himself out of the hell that their
lives had spiraled in to. Belle had tried to help him every day for the past
three months, but she couldn't do it if he didn't want to be helped.
Shawn had no reply for her so she leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips.
"Shawn, I do love you. I love you more than anything... but there's nothing
more I can do for you that I haven't already done. I just hope you'll at least
consider being at that gate tomorrow."
Shawn held her tightly. "I can't make any promises, Belle..."
Belle nodded sadly and sighed into his chest. "I know..."
*****END FLASHBACK*****
Belle quickly dried off and drained the water from the tub. She threw her
bathrobe on and went back into her old bedroom. Since she had left, her parents
had kept her furniture in there, but moved most of her stuff out. Aside from a
few pictures, it was pretty plain, even for a guestroom.
Belle threw herself on the bed with a sigh. No matter where she had traveled in
the world, lying here on her old bed was the best place to be. She rolled over
and looked at the pictures on her nightstand. There was a large framed
photograph of her with Shawn, Phillip, Mimi, Chloe and Brady the night of the
2002 Last Blast Dance. Belle groaned and turned the picture over so she wouldn't
have to look at it. They had all looked so happy and innocent then, completely
unaware of the secrets that would be revealed in less than 24 hours from the
moment that picture was taken.
Belle and Shawn had one perfect year as more than friends together, and 16 years
of friendship before that. One year that she had never been able to put out of
her mind. As she drifted off to sleep, she wondered if she would ever be able to
forget about the love they had shared.