A Place of Hope and No Pain

Chloe's POV

I ignored the crashing coming from the living room and I picked up my ringing phone, pressing call reject. It was my Mother again, she'd called about twenty times in the last few day's and I'd ignored them all. You'd think she'd get the message by now, I just didn't want to speak to her again, ever.

"CHLOE." Liam screamed from the living room. "WHERE IS IT? I KNOW YOU HAVE IT. I KNOW YOU HID IT."

I groaned, putting my phone down. Here we go again. Liam was a god damn nightmare and I thought by now he'd have improved a little, but I was wrong, very wrong. The further we went into rehab the more paranoid he became. Everyday he was accusing me of stealing something of his. Our room had been trashed more times than I could remember and frankly I was tired and very over it.

"Liam." I said walking out, to be greeted by him pulling the sofa apart. "I do not have it, whatever it is."

He glared at me. "Stop lying." He snapped.

"Look." I said trying to defuse the situation. "I'm sure it's somewhere and we will find it, but right now you need to calm down, it's visiting day remember?"

He laughed. It was a hollow empty laugh. "And what? That bitch is coming, she took everything from me." He growled. "She probably has my fucking wallet too."

"Liam enough." I snapped, done with his paranoid bullshit. "Cut it out or I'll call Bruce and he can cancel your visit." He just stood there glaring at me. "You can't carry on like this when your wife is visiting." And he couldn't.

He sighed. "Fine." He muttered. "But my wallet had better be back in my bedroom by the time I get back."

I just nodded. It was easier to agree with him. This wasn't over, not by a long way and I was pretty sure Liam was suffering some kind of mental illness and the more he detoxed, the worse it got.

"Well are we going?" He snapped and I nodded, grabbing my book.

I'd decided I would sit outside, in the sun. I wouldn't be getting be any visitor's and it was a such a nice day and I needed to get out of that room, it was resembling a prison to me.

The only good thing about Liam was he was keeping me busy. I had barely any time to think about Matt and that was good. After his call the other night I needed distraction. I wasn't sure what the purpose of it was but he'd just been so rude and it hurt me, a lot.

I went in to grab a coffee to take out with me and ran into Clay.

"Fuck Chloe." He said looking at me. "You look like shit."

"I feel like shit." I muttered, pouring my coffee. "I'm taking my book, I'm laying in the sun and I'm going to enjoy the peace and fucking quiet."

He smiled. "Good idea. I'll come join you soon, I'm just going to call Carmen first." He said softly. "We haven't had a good talk for awhile."

I smiled, insanely jealous. "Enjoy." Why couldn't I have that? Oh that's right I did and he dumped my ass.

I took my coffee and book outside, sitting down getting comfortable and I looked around, watching families arrive. It was always nice to see how excited everyone was, well except Liam. Currently he was greeting his family and looking very agitated. God I hoped he didn't have one of his paranoid outburst in front of them.

I tried to concentrate on my book but it was hard. The sun was making me sleepy and I leant my head back, closing my eye's, ignoring the noise.

"Chloe." A voice said and I felt someone poking me.

I opened my eye's to the smiling face of Jaxson, peering at me.

"You were asleep." He giggled.

I sat up, spying Matt and Ryder walking over towards me.

"I was." I said, attempting to smile back.

What the hell where they doing here? Had Matt changed his mind? And at that thought my heart fluttered a little. He just looked so good and I'd missed him, so much.

"Hey." Matt mumbled, approaching me. "Sorry to just drop in like this."

"No it's fine." I said standing up to greet him. "It's a nice surprise."

"Hi Chloe." Ryder said timidly, clinging to Matt's leg.

"Chloe." Jaxson said excitedly. "Can we play with the ball?"

"Of course you can." I told him, smiling as he grabbed Ryder and they both ran off together.

"Look." Matt said, glaring at me. "I have these I need you to look at." He held up some paper's.

I nodded. "What are they?"

I was disappointed in his attitude. He was making it perfectly clear he wasn't here for a social visit. I guess he really was over me and once again I cursed myself for letting this happen.

"Paperwork from my lawyer, about Harper." He told me. "He needs you to sign them, he really thinks you have a chance of getting custody of Harper back."

I bit my lip, nodding. Custody of Harper, god, that thought made me want to cry, to get my daughter back. "Let me grab a pen." I told him softly, turning and going inside, grabbing a pen quickly.

I walked back out, going to a table and sitting down, looking at the paper work. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but god, Harper.

"She knows." Matt said softly, sitting next to me. "Harper."

I looked at him. "Knows what?" I asked, confused.

"Harper." He mumbled. "She knows you're her Mother."

"Oh Christ." I snapped. "That must be why my Mother is calling fifty times a day."

"I'd say so." He mumbled.

How the hell did Harper even know?

I sighed, signing the paper work and handing it back to Matt.

"Thanks." I said softly, trying not look at him, looking at him hurt. "But you don't have to do this."

"It's fine." He mumbled, grabbing the paper work out of my hand and standing up. "I don't mind."

I just nodded. I didn't know what to say, it was obvious how he felt.

"Boy's." He called out and I watched the boys as they ran over. "Say bye." He told them.

"Awww." Jaxson groaned. "We haven't been here long."

"I know but we have to go." Matt told him harshly, a little too harshly if you asked me. Obviously he was keen to get away from me.

Jaxson rolled his eye's but hugged me anyway. Ryder waved and smiled and then they both trotted off over to the car.

"Are you sure you don't want a drink or something to eat before you go?" I asked Matt, looking at him, really looking at him.

God I shouldn't have done that, not at all. I wanted to cry, right now, in front of him. I was in love with him. I'd fallen in love and it had blown up in my face once again.

"Nah." He mumbled. "We'd better get on the road."

I nodded, biting my lip. "Well thanks for doing this." I murmured. "For me, for Harper."

"I said I'd help." He told me. "I keep promises."

"Um okay." I mumbled, looking at my hands.

"Anyway, I'll see you later." He said and I looked back at him.

"Yeah." I murmured.

I sighed and stepped towards him, reaching up and hugging him. I was doing my best not to cry, but when he hugged me back I couldn't help myself.

I closed my eye's, breathing in his scent, enjoying the feeling of him. I didn't want him to go, I needed him, I wanted him. I hated myself for that, for needing him, for wanting him, but it was the truth, it really was.

"Please don't go." I whispered.