A Place of Hope and No Pain

Matt's POV

"I missed you."

Three words had never sounded so sweet to me, ever and when she said them my heart skipped a beat and my stomach fluttered. Chloe had missed me.

It was all I needed, that little sign to tell her that I'd missed her too and I had, a lot. I explained to her that we weren't having any more breaks and that we could deal with whatever together and gladly she agreed.

I pulled her closer, kissing her some more. God, I really had missed her and this was just surreal.

"Are you kissing?" A little voice suddenly asked.

I pulled away a little to see Jaxson, leaning over the top of the couch smiling at us.

"Well we were." I told him, raising my eyebrow's at him.

"Can I have a kiss?" He giggled, pulling a face.

"Of course." I told him.

"Not you Daddy." He laughed, running around the couch. "From Chloe." And he climbed onto her lap, planting a kiss on her lips.

I knew it, my son was trying to steal my woman from me. He was such a smooth operator and pretty damn cute as well.

"She's mine." I whispered, putting on a grumpy face.

"We can share." Jaxson giggled. "Can't we Chloe?"

"Of course." Chloe told him smiling and I leant over, kissing her forehead.

"Can we go back downstairs?" Ryder suddenly asked and I looked over at him.

He was sitting there, looking a little awkward and unsettled. I guess the situation was strange for him, seeing me with someone besides his mother, plus the fact that him and Chloe got off to a bad start probably didn't help.

"Sure." Chloe told him, smiling warmly.

Before we could get to our feet the door to the room suddenly opened and the agitated guy I'd seen earlier walked in, his eye's bulging at us.

"Where's my wallet?" He snapped at Chloe, not even acknowledging anyone else.

"Um." Chloe said standing up. "Why don't you guy's go downstairs and I'll be with you in a minute." She told me and the boy's.

I got up and Ryder ran to the door, while I took Jaxson's hand.

"And why the fuck were there kids in my room?" The guy snapped at us.

"Our room Liam." Chloe muttered, following us to the door.

"They better not have touched anything." He growled and he reached out, grabbing Chloe's arm.

Oh no, that wasn't happening, he was not laying a finger on my girlfriend.

"Let her go." I snapped, grabbing his arm and he turned, glaring at me.

"Who the fuck are you?" He spat at me.

"Ryder, Jaxson." I said calmly to the boy's. "Wait in the corridor." And I watched as they opened the door, stepping out.

"Matt." Chloe said softly, shaking her head at me.

"I'll tell you who I am." I snapped at Liam. "I'll be your worst fucking nightmare if you ever lay another fucking finger on my girlfriend. Do you understand?"

"Calm down." He snapped at me, and his eye's, the guy was a loon.

"Come on." I said softly, taking Chloe's hand and pulling her out the door. I then slammed it for good measure. "What the fuck." I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

"Is everything okay Daddy?" Ryder asked as I pulled Chloe towards the stairs and they followed.

"Oh yeah." I mumbled. "Everything's fine." Only it wasn't. He'd touched Chloe and it wasn't in a friendly way.

"Can we get a drink?" Jaxson asked as we headed downstairs.

"Sure." Chloe said, smiling at everyone, but looking worried.

We walked down the stairs and I gave Chloe's hand a squeeze and she looked at me, raising her eyebrow's. No doubt I was going to get a talking to about what I said, but too bad. No one was touching her.

"Matt." Clay called out, walking from the dining room. "It's good to see you."

"Oh I'm sure." I said shaking his hand.

"How have you been?" He asked, smiling at the boy's.

"Great." I told him quickly." Could you do me a favour?" I asked.

"Um sure." He said raising his eyebrows.

"Could you take the boy's outside, for a few minutes?"

"Sure yeah." He said. "There's a soccer match going on, wanna play?" He asked the boy's.

"Yeah." They both screamed, tearing out the door and I waved, watching Clay ran after them.

"Matt." Chloe said softly but I ignored her, tugging on her hand and making her walk.

I knew where I was going and nothing was stopping me and as we walked I let go of Chloe's hand, slipping my arm around her waist and kissing her temple. God, I had her back and I wasn't sharing with anyone and especially not some psychotic guy who thought it was alright to man handle her.

I walked straight to Bruce's office, knocking lightly on his door.

"Come in." He called, looking up as we entered. "Matt, how are you?"

I nodded. "Really good actually."

"I'm glad." He said looking between Chloe and I. "What can I do for you two?"

"Um well." I mumbled. "Chloe's leaving." And I winced as I said it.

Oh she was going to kill me, I knew it. I was going to get one of her 'How dare I' speeches, I just knew it.

Bruce sighed. "Look I know Liam is a handful." He started.

I shook my head. "Doesn't matter." I snapped. "Besides we broke the rules." And as I said it I pulled Chloe closer to me.

"Yes well." Bruce said. "It would seem everyone is breaking the rules lately. Chloe?" He said looking at her.

I took a deep breath, waiting for it.

"Yeah." She said softly. "I've had enough Bruce, I can't do it anymore and I kind of want to go home."

I looked at her. I was shocked, I was expecting a lecture, but instead she was agreeing with me. God, where had my angry Chloe gone?

Bruce sighed. "Fine, I can't make you stay, but I was planning on taking Liam on myself, finding something else for you to do, he needs a little more help than I anticipated."

"Do you think?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Anyway, so when are you leaving?" Bruce asked Chloe.

"Um now." She said quietly and I internally cheered. Yes, she was coming home today.

"Okay, well if you're sure." Bruce said smiling at her.

"I am." Chloe told him. "And I don't think I'll be back."

Bruce sighed. "Well we will miss you, but we can catch up away from here."

And that was that, Chloe had resigned. It was a bit like a dream to me, I had really prepared for some kind of a fight from her, but here she was, agreeing to leave.

They said their goodbyes and finally we left the office.

"I'll help you pack." I told Chloe softly as we walked back towards the stairs.

She stopped, turning to look at me. "I can't wait to go home, get Lucy, sleep in my bed, uninterrupted."

I raised my eyebrow's at her. "Baby." I murmured, pulling her into my arm's. "I just want you home."

I leant down and kissed her. I didn't care who saw, I really didn't.

I'd left home this morning feeling horrible, thinking Chloe didn't want me and now I was leaving knowing she did want me, she did want to share her life with me and that feeling was fucking fantastic.