Chloe closed the door behind Jax after he left that night. She ran her fingers across her lips, still feeling them tingling after their prolonged kissing session. Chloe grinned widely. She couldn't remember the last time kissing had been so sensual.

With the happiness she was feeling, she suddenly felt inspired to work on a new dress, so she went upstairs, got comfortable, and sketched in her bed until midnight.

Jax was on cloud nine. The moment he walked into his penthouse, he went over to his window to get a view of the park. It reminded him of how much Chloe enjoyed the view.

Jax had no idea what had gotten into him tonight, but whatever it was, he had certainly liked it. Jax hadn't made out with anyone like that since he was a teenager! And for some strange reason, acting like a teenager had seemed appropriate tonight.

He couldn't get Chloe out of his mind. Her scent was still lingering on him. He remembered every detail from their evening: the way her hair smelled, the way her skin was so soft, the way her lips tasted. And most of all, she was so beautiful. Her smile was so warm and sincere, and her laugh was absolutely adorable.

Jax soon realized that it was starting to get late, so he decided to call it a night. As he walked down the hallway, thoughts of Chloe still kept his mind occupied. He entered his room, completely oblivious to everything except Chloe.

And then, his little happiness bubble burst.

Brenda.

Over on the dresser, Brenda's face was smiling at him. Just the sight of Brenda sent Jax into a tailspin. How could he do this to her? How could he betray her memory like that?

He hadn't thought of Brenda one bit tonight, and that was because he had been too busy thinking of and kissing another woman.

"I love you, Jax," Brenda's voice laughed in his head. "I'll love you forever!"

Jax changed and crawled into bed. He remembered how he told Chloe that he knew Brenda would want him to be happy, and that he was going to move on with his life. He wished he could follow his own advice. Saying it was one thing, but actually doing it was another. It was hard to let go, even now.

Finally, Jax fell asleep, but even in his dreams, he could not escape the pain.

Jax watched Brenda as she slept in the hospital bed. The sound of the machine beeping beside her had been about the only thing keeping him sane the last 48 hours. As long as it kept beeping, Brenda was still alive.

Slowly, Brenda stirred. Jax took hold of her hand and she slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Jax, she gave him a little smile.

Jax smiled back at her. "Hey."

"Hey," Brenda whispered weakly. She suddenly winced. It was obvious that she was hurting.

"You're in pain," Jax said worriedly. "I'll go get the nurse! She can bring you some more medicine!" Jax started to get up but Brenda held on to his arm.

"No! No, don't. It's no use."

"But, Brenda, you're hurting!"

"Jax, please don't leave me! I have...I have to tell you something."

Jax looked into her pleading brown eyes. "I won't leave you."

Brenda closed her eyes momentarily as another wave of pain washed over her. She opened her eyes and looked at Jax, who was so worried. "Come closer," she said in a raspy voice.

Jax came closer to Brenda so that she wouldn't have to talk as loud. "Jax, I want you to promise me something."

"Anything. Anything you want, Brenda."

"Promise me, Jax, that if I don't make it, you won't be afraid to move on with your life and find happiness again."

"Brenda! Don't talk like that! You're *not* going to die! Do you hear me? You're not! You're going to be just fine! You just need to rest."

"Jax, please listen to me." Brenda paused to catch her breath. "If something happens to me, I don't want you to be lonely. So if you meet someone else, don't be afraid to love her."

"No, Brenda! You're not going to die, and I'm not going to fall in love with anyone else! There's no way I could do that! I'm not going to try to replace you."

"I'm not asking you to replace me, Jax. You couldn't replace me, even if you tried. Our love is one of a kind. Jax, you are the sweetest, and caring, and the most loving guy I have ever met. And any woman loved by you would be the luckiest woman in the whole world. So if you find someone, don't be afraid to love her. Make her as happy as you have made me."

"Brenda, I'm not going to sit here and watch you just give up!"

"Please, Jax, promise me that you will do this."

"Brenda, there's no way I could love anyone but you." Jax started to tear up.

"Jax, I'm not telling you to go out and find someone else to love. I'm just saying, if it happens, if someone touches your heart the way you have touched mine, then I want you two to be together. I want you to be happy. I don't want you to go about life being lonely and miserable. Please promise me, Jax. Promise me."

Jax shook his head. If it was what Brenda wanted him to do, then he would do it. "Okay, I promise."

Brenda gave him another little smile. "Kiss me, Jax."

Jax bent his head down and gave her a tender kiss on the lips. Then Brenda looked into his eyes. "I love you, Jax," she whispered.

"I love you too, Brenda," Jax said softly.

"Remember your promise." Brenda closed her eyes.

Panic seized Jax. "No, Brenda! No, don't close your eyes! Don't leave me! Please!"

Brenda slowly opened her eyes to a crack. "I'm sorry, Jax. I love you." Brenda closed her eyes, and this time, she didn't open them again.

A moment later, the machine that had continuously beeped before suddenly flat lined.

"No! Brenda, no! Please don't leave me! Please come back to me! Brenda, please! SOMEONE HELP ME IN HERE!"

Seconds later, Dr. Alan Quartermaine and two nurses rushed in.

"You'll have to leave the room, sir," one of the nurses told Jax and pushed him aside.

Jax didn't leave the room. He stood at the end of the bed, watching as they tried to revive Brenda. "Please don't die, Brenda," Jax cried. "Please don't die."

"You'll have to step out of the room, Jax," Alan told him. Jax ignored him.

Jerry came rushing into the room. "Jax, come on. You don't want to see this." Jerry led Jax out of the room.

Jax tried to break free of his brother's grasp but Jerry held on to him tight. "Let me go, Jerry! She told me not to leave her! I can't leave her!"

Alan walked out of the room, his face grim and ashen. He looked at Jax and Jerry and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jax."

"NO!" Jax cried. "Don't just stand there! Do something! Go save her! You're a doctor and that is your job-to save people!"

Alan stayed where he was. "There's nothing more we can do for her, Jax. It's out of our hands. Her injuries were just too severe, and she just lost too much blood. I'm so sorry."

"No!" Jax cried again. "I have to save her!" He broke free of Jerry's grasp and ran for Brenda's room. He wanted to touch her, feel her, do *something* to make her wake up. But Jerry caught him at the door and wouldn't let him back in.

"Jax, she's gone. She's gone. There's nothing you can do."

Jax broke down, and Jerry held his brother in his arms. "This isn't happening, Jerry! We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together…"

Jax tossed and turned in his sleep, reliving painful memories that continued to haunt him. He finally decided to get out of bed. He threw a shirt on and went out into the living room.

The moon shone brightly into the room, showering it with pale blue light. Jax sat down on the couch and continued to let his mind live in the past.

The moonlight reminded him of those nights after Brenda had died, when he would just sit there in what was to be their baby's nursery, simply feeling sorry for himself and blaming the world for being so cruel.

Jax got off the couch and went over to the window. He looked at the world below him. He would keep his promise to Brenda, Jax decided. He always kept his promises. But who knew that moving on would still be so difficult?

A few nights later, Chloe invited Jax over to watch some movies.

"Good movies this time!" Chloe had said.

Jax agreed, and after running some errands, he drove over to Chloe's apartment.

"JAX!" Molly shouted excitedly when she saw him. She ran over to him. "Guess what! Guess what!"

"What?" Jax asked the child.

"I'm gettin' ice cream! Chocolate ice cream!"

"Oh yeah? What did you do to get ice cream?"

"Mommy took me to the dentist today. Last time…last time I went, I was really really scared, and I cried. But Mommy said that if I didn't cry when I went this time, I would get ice cream! Well, I wanted to cry because I was scared, but I didn't, so now I get ice cream!"

"That's wonderful, Molly! You are a brave little girl. I'd admire that, because I'm still scared of the dentist and I'm a grown-up."

"Yeah, I don't like the dentist. Last time when I went and I cried, I had a cavity. And that mean ole man stuck me with that sharp needle that hurt and made my mouth feel funny. Then they put somethin' in my tooth and I kept spitting it out. It was like these little rocks in my mouth. I hated it!"

"Oh yeah, getting fillings is no fun at all. I've had those before."

"Yeah, I don't like them. But I don't have any cavities this time!"

"Good for you!" Jax said.

"Molly! Come here, baby," Chloe called out from the kitchen.

"Yay! I get my ice cream now!" Molly ran to the kitchen, and a few seconds later, Chloe came out.

"Sorry I kept you waiting, Jax, but you know Molly. Not a very patient child!"

Jax laughed. "That's okay."

"Well, I went to the video store and got some movies that should be good this time!"

"Well you know, if one of them turns out to be not as good as we expected it, we could always find some other way to uh…pass the time." Jax grinned wickedly.

Chloe raised a single eyebrow and smiled. "Maybe one of them will be real bad." Then she laughed. "Oh, I made us some popcorn too. Let me go get that. What do you want for drink?"

"Just soda is fine."

"Alright."

Chloe soon came back with a bowl of popcorn and sodas. She put one of the movies in and turned the lights down, leaving only the living room lamp on.

Chloe joined Jax on the couch, sitting the bowl of popcorn and sodas on the coffee table. At first, things felt a little awkward. Chloe debated whether or not she should sit a little bit closer. But then, Jax suddenly wrapped his arm around her, so Chloe didn't have to wonder anymore. She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder.

They watched the movie, but who could concentrate on it when they were sitting this close?

Ten minutes into the movie, Molly came running out into the living room. She was a complete mess. Chocolate was smeared all over her face, and a huge chocolate stain colored the front of her shirt.

"Oh, Molly, how in the world did you get so messy?" Chloe asked.

"I don't know." Molly shrugged her shoulders. And when she held up her hands, Chloe noticed that they too were sticky with ice cream.

"Oy! I think we need to get you into the bath, Molly! Then it's off to bed for you." Chloe turned to Jax. "Jax, I hate to do this, but I have to go help Molly. You can leave the movie running if you like."

"No that's okay. I can stop it and wait for you. I'll just watch TV."

"Okay. I'll try not to be too long. Come on, Miss Molly; let's get you cleaned up. I don't think that stain is going to come out on your shirt."

"Goodnight, Jax!" Molly said.

"Goodnight, Molly." Chloe took Molly's hand and led her up the stairs.

The phone suddenly rang.

"Jax, can you get that and take a message?" Chloe called from upstairs.

"Sure." Jax picked up the cordless on the table beside him. "Hello?"

"Hi," said a confused female voice on the other end. "Is uh, is Chloe there?"

"Yes, she is, but uh, she's getting Molly ready for bed so she can't come to the phone right now. Can I take a message?"

"This is Chloe's mother, Becky…is this Jax?"

Jax laughed. "I see she's told you about me."

"Oh of course! She has told me all about you!"

"Chloe's told me about you as well."

"Jax, I'm glad that I finally get to talk to you. There is something that I have been wanting to say to you."

"Oh?"

"I just wanted to thank you for what you did for Molly. Chloe told me the car incident, and she was terribly upset over what could have happened. I just don't know how to thank you enough. You must be some kind of angel or something!"

Jax smiled. "I was just doing the right thing. When I saw her step out into the road, I just reacted without even thinking."

"Well, like I say, I don't know how to thank you enough. Molly is such a precious child to us all, and I can't imagine what life would be like without her."

"Molly is a great kid. She's always making me laugh."

Becky laughed. "Yes, she does have a great sense of humor doesn't she? She reminds me of Chloe when she was that age."

"Really? I think I would like to hear about that." Jax laughed.

So Becky enlightened Jax, and told him stories of Chloe when she was a young girl, and before long, they were having a lively conversation together.

When Chloe came back downstairs, she was surprised to see Jax talking on the phone. "Jax," she whispered. "Who's on the phone?"

"Oh, it's your mother. Chloe's back," Jax told Becky. "Yes, it was nice talking to you too. Here she is."

Chloe smiled and took the phone. "Hi, Mom."

"Chloe, I just had the most wonderful conversation with your boyfriend! He is your boyfriend, right?"

"Um, not sure. Maybe. I hope so," Chloe laughed.

"Well, I have to say, I think he is an incredibly sweet guy! I think he likes you, Chloe."

Chloe felt her face getting red. She hoped Jax couldn't hear her mother talking. Fortunately, Jax was busy watching television.

"So what are you two up to tonight?"

"We're just about to watch some movies, that's all."

"Well, in that case, I won't keep you, but I was just calling to check up on you. I see that you are fine so I'll let you go."

"Okay, Mom."

"Kiss that beautiful granddaughter for me, okay?"

Chloe smiled. "I will."

"Bye, sweetie. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. Bye."

Chloe hung up the phone and sat down beside Jax, grinning widely at him. "So, Mom says that she and you has a good conversation, huh?"

"Yeah, you're mom's really cool."

Chloe laughed. "My mom and I are really close. What did she tell you?"

"Oh, nothing much, just stories about you when you were a kid."

"Oh god! Nothing embarrassing I hope!"

Jax laughed. "Nah, she was just telling me about how you and Molly were a lot alike. Well, should we finish this movie now?"

"Yeah."

Jax turned the movie back on, and they went back to watching it. Jax wrapped his arm around her again, and Chloe rested her head against him where it had been before. When Jax wasn't looking, Chloe smiled at him. No boyfriend of hers had ever been interested in her childhood, but now, suddenly, Jax was asking her mom all about her. What was up with that?

Chloe kept grinning and returned her eyes back to the movie. It was in that moment that she realized that she was falling hard for him.

Chloe was a little disappointed when they had finished watching the movies. Both movies were actually pretty good, which was a little disappointing as well, considering that they had decided on other plans if the movie was bad. Well, maybe next time, Chloe thought. She didn't want to rush things anyway.

"Well, I should go," Jax said. "It's late."

"Yeah, and I've got work tomorrow," Chloe said.

Chloe walked Jax over to the door.

"Hey, Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think sometime soon, I could take you out somewhere? Maybe you could get Zoey to watch Molly again?"

Chloe smiled. "Sure."

"Okay, great." Jax leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "Goodnight, Chloe."

"Goodnight, Jax."

Chloe watched Jax step into the elevator. Then she closed the door and sighed. Yes, she was definitely falling in love with him.

To be continued…