Chloe's POV

My heart pounds in my chest as Merle bursts into the room. I'm not thinking straight and I know that I'm about to get myself into a whole heap of trouble. Daryl has positioned himself between Merle and myself. I get up off the bed, because honestly I'm not in the mood for his shit. Daryl reaches out to grab my wrist, but I shake him off.

"Don't," I growl. "Get out of my room Merle."

"What you gonna do about it?" he bites back.

I lunge for him socking him right in the face. He wasn't expecting it and I wasn't expecting my body to respond that way, but it did. I can't take it back now. He doesn't care that I'm a girl he charges right back at me, just as he's about to throw a punch Daryl steps in and gets nailed right in the face. I watch like it's in slow motion as the spit and blood pours from his mouth. Daryl grabs a hold of his mouth and I can hear a low growl rise out of him. Daryl shakes it off and goes for him again. He slams him up against the wall next to the door with a loud thud.

Most girls would probably scream, run and hide that's not me though. I walk up to them and grab at Daryl. I try to pull him back, but he won't let off of Merle. They are non-stop hitting each other and I'm waiting for one of them to be knocked out cold.

"What is going on in here?"

Travis's voice is so loud you'd think a bomb went off. The two guys scatter back as both wipe at their bleeding faces. Travis's face is beat red like he just ran a marathon. His eyes land on me and for the first time ever I see worry in his eyes.

"You okay Chloe?" he asks.

I nod. Travis eyes Merle, but doesn't look at Daryl.

"I want you out of my house," he tells him. "That's my daughter over there," he yells pointing at me. "And if you ever lay a hand on her you'll never see the light of day again," he says.

I'm shocked, I've never heard him stand up for me in that way. Sure he's told all the guys that have gone through here that I'm off limits, but I've never seen him actually stick up for me. I freeze and my mouth drops open. Merle looks at all of us.

"Your my brother man, so what you gonna chose some chick over me? Is that how it's gonna go?" he yells while spitting some blood.

"With the way your acting right now you bet your ass I'm gonna chose a girl over you man. Get yourself together." he says.

"Screw you brother! Screw you!" Merle says.

He turns, but not before Travis socks him in the face right where Daryl had several times. He stumbles, but regains himself.

"Pack your shit and get out of my house," Travis says.

Merle doesn't look back, he just leaves with Travis on his tail. He's probably going to make sure that he doesn't come back. I've got nothing left to protect, so if he did and came after me it wouldn't even matter anymore. Daryl turns and heads straight for me. When Daryl first arrived I never saw him as a guy who would take my face in his hands to check and make sure I was okay. He does just that and I'm in shock. Today has been all too much and now that Merle is gone, I really need to sleep today off.

"I'm tired as hell, and I think I need to rest, but before that let's clean you up," I say reaching up to touch his face.

We stand there for a few seconds holding each others faces in our hands. Daryl's taking really deep breaths, he's trying to calm himself I can tell. I take my hands away first and lead him towards the bathroom. He sits down on the toilet and I start dabbing some medicine on his face. He winces a few times.

"I'm having a sense of deja vu," he whispers.

I run my tongue over my lips, and can't help when they tug up into a smile. He smiles a full smile, wrinkles forming right in the corner of both his eyes. He pulls me down onto his lap catching me off guard and I yelp. He chuckles low under his breath. He pulls my face down so that our lips meet. At first it's a soft gentle kiss, but seconds later he's devouring me and I can feel his excitement. He's like my very own stress reliever. I can feel the tension in my shoulders fall with each kiss.

"We really should stop meeting like this," he says for the millionth time since we've met.

"I've never looked more forward to using the bathroom before, and then you came along," I joke.

"I make those showers extra steamy," he says.

I look back towards the shower and then at him. I need a distraction from losing Liam, and the altercation with Merle. I know I should be rushing out to find myself a lawyer, but for the moment I just need a time out. I need the world to just stop so I can get my barrings.

He lifts me as he stands and carries me into the shower. He sets me down just outside the shower, and reaches in to turn it on. We undress, and just as I finish taking off my underwear his arms are around me pulling me close. We step into the shower kissing, and I can't think of anything that would be me feel as good as how I feel right now with Daryl. I feel awful that he had to chose between his brother and me, but Merle was in the wrong and Daryl was only doing what he thought was right. I'm glad he chose me and I don't care how selfish that sounds. I didn't realize how much I needed someone like Daryl in my life until now.

"Hey," he says pulling away just slightly.

"Hey," I say back.

"We don't have to if you're..."

"I'm okay, I think I need this. I need you to distract me to give me a break from everything going on out there," I say using my thumb to point towards the door. "I want this Daryl, I want you!"

He doesn't even have to think he seems satisfied with that answer. He grabs me and picks me up. I wrap my legs around his body and melt into him. For the first time in years I feel good, and I pull him closer just to make the moment last.