Disclaimer: I only own Klea

Super long chapter ahead!

Shoutout to AnimeLover229, MsSkye, and guest. Y'all are awesome!

Happy reading!

Chapter 4

I was right. That night that I met Merritt, changed my life.

It was not exactly the easiest relationship I've ever been in with me finishing my last few months of law school and Merritt on tour with his brother.

Speaking of brother, Chase was definitely a character and flirted relentlessly, much to both mine and Merritt's displeasure. He was really good at what he does on stage, but Merritt was better. I'm not just saying that because he's my boyfriend, yes boyfriend, but because it was true. Merritt knows how to work the stage and crowd. He owned it.

We talked almost every night and saw each other whenever we could. When we are together, we're basically inseparable. Constantly touching. If we weren't next to each other, our eyes were always on another.

Amber was very amused with us. Says that we need to thank her for us getting together because she stopped me from leaving him at the bar. In a way yes, but Merritt said he would've followed me regardless. Amber swore that she was incapable of being hypnotized, that she was too smart, but was proven wrong. I might've convinced Merritt to make her kiss my bearded dragon. Sure that seems harmless, but she is deathly afraid of any kind of lizards. She didn't talk to me for a week for after that. Totally worth it.

We have been together for three months and I am completely and hopelessly in love with Merritt McKinney. I honestly believe I fell for him the night we met but he doesn't know that. He doesn't even know that I'm in love with him right now...at least I don't think he does. Then again, he is a mind reader after all.

Merritt has yet to tell me he loves me but I know that he does. He almost let it slip one night when we were hanging up but covered it up with a cough. I planned to tell him next time that I see him but I'm not even sure when that would be.

It's my graduation today and I have no one in the crowd cheering for me, just Amber who is a few rows up. Merritt was clear across the state and wouldn't be able to make it. I didn't want to be the nagging girlfriend and chase him away after a few months. It broke my heart he couldn't attend but I understood.

The ceremony basically went by in a blur. When my row stood up to get ready, I got nervous just like in high school. I actually fell on stage back then. I'd hate for it to happen again.

As soon as my name is announced and I take my first step, an insane amount of people started cheering for me, it made me trip but thankfully I did not fall. I don't understand why so many people were cheering for me. I have no family, my only friend is Amber who basically is a sister to me, and there's no way my boyfriend and his brother are here.

I meet Amber's eyes as I walk back to my seat and she looks amused. She's hiding something.

After we throw our caps celebrating, I go to find Amber. She tackles me into a big hug, "we did it!"

"Finally! Now do you know what all that cheering was about?" I ask with a quirked eyebrow. She just shrugs.

I roll my eyes as we link arm and arm to get out of the crowd.

We're only a few feet out the door when I freeze. Right there about ten feet in front of me is the last person I expected.

I throw all my stuff at Amber before taking off and running into his arms. He catches me and his lips are immediately on mine. It's been over a week since I've seen him and wasn't sure when I'd see him again. I pull away first, "What...how are you even here?"

He chuckles at me as he brushes my hair out of my face. "You honestly think I would miss you graduating?"

I bite my lip. "I didn't want to get my hopes up." He goes to kiss me but something clicks in my head and I stop him, "did you have anything to do with the crowd cheering for me?"

Merritt gives me that bright smile of his, "Chase and I might've suggested to a few people to cheer once your name was called."

I shake my head laughing, "That was way more than a few, it was like a third of everyone."

He shrugs innocently. God, I love this man. That's when I remembered what I was going to say next time I saw him. Before I can get a word out, he's kissing me fiercely. This kiss feels different than any other kiss we've had.

He pulls away and I feel dizzy. He touches my face and looks lovingly into my eyes, "I love you too. I have for quite some time."

Damn mind reader.

I smile so big that my face hurts. "I love you so much Merritt. I always have. I always will."

-QoW-

Two years later

The guys have a big show in Vegas and invited me and Amber along. We needed some time away from work. We got into the same law firm for criminal law. I was loving my job but wanted to work my way as a district attorney. Amber wasn't enjoying it too much. She's been considering going to family law for some time.

Merritt met us at baggage claim and I basically knocked him down by running to him. Him and Chase have been traveling all over lately and I was so proud of them. Some weekends I'd fly out to where ever they were, and Merritt would be home when he had a good break between shows.

There were times when we both struggled because our careers kept us so busy to make time for each other, but we made it work.

I was actually spending the week in Vegas with Merritt for the show and for some quality time. Amber was just staying for the weekend. Ever since Merritt and I first started dating, she enjoyed their shows more than the first time. I also think because Chase made her cheating ex walk through town naked.

We were sitting backstage, as always, during their show, "and now ladies and gentlemen of beautiful Las Vegas," Merritt says around the end of the show, "Before we end, I have one more trick up my sleeve. Chase?"

Chase walks towards us and holds his hand out to me, "come on." Merritt knew being on stage made me nervous. This is one of the biggest crowds he's performed for too. I couldn't embarrass him by not joining him in whatever he was planning. I grab Chase's hand and he leads out.

"This is Klea, my gorgeous girlfriend of two and a half years," where was he going with this? "We first met at one of our shows and I made her come up stage. You can guess that the rest is history." This made the crowd laugh.

"Merritt, what are you trying to pull?" I ask him quietly but loud enough that he can hear me.

"I'm not trying to pull anything sweetheart," he gives me that mischievous look of his, "but I do have a question for you..." my heart was in my throat and my knees were ready to give out.

Is he about to...

Merritt gets down on one knee and pulls out a black velvet box, "Klea, ever since our eyes met at that small theater, I knew I had to make you mine. We've had some trials but made it through better than anyone ever expected. You make me happier than I've ever been. Your heart is my sun. Without you, my world would be dark. I'd be lost without you. I can't ever imagine my life without you. Make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

I didn't have to think twice before I jumped him, knocking him onto his back with my lips on his. I didn't hear the audience cheering. It was just me and Merritt. I felt tears slip from my eyes.

I pull away after a moment and look into his stormy gray eyes as he asks, "is that a yes?"

I giggle, "you already know, but yes, it's a yes. Of course I will marry you. I'd marry you tonight." He gives me this look. Did he think I was serious? I mean, I totally would marry him tonight but I don't want to rush him.

"Let's do it."

Whoa. "Are you serious?"

He smiles at me, "Klea, I love you and I don't want to wait another moment to make you my wife. Let's get married tonight."

I answer him with a kiss.

"Um guys, you know we're still on stage right?" Chase laughs.

Oh my god! I completely forgot! I jump off of Merritt who I was on top of the entire time. He grabs my hand and looks out to the audience, "my soon to be wife! Now get out of here so we can get married!"

It would almost seem insulting to end the show like that, but I don't think there was a person out there that couldn't feel our excitement.

We run back stage and I immediately pull him down to me in a very heated kiss. We eventually pull away, "are you sure you want to do this tonight Merr?" I ask while looking for any doubt or hesitation in his eyes.

He just smiles at me, "Klea, I would've married you that first night," I giggle, "and why not? The only people who matter to us are already here. There's no need for a fancy wedding. We're in Vegas, let's do it Vegas style!"

He was right and I couldn't agree more. I love this man more than anything. I want to be his wife ASAP.

"Let's go get married!"

-QoW-

Six years later

I'm in pain. So much pain. Why does everything hurt? I open my eyes to see everything is out of focus. My ears are ringing. It hurts to breath.

What happened? Where am I?

I strain my eyes to look around, trying to ignore the pain. I look to my left and I can faintly make out a figure next to me.

It slowly comes back to me. Me and Amber we're headed to the airport to pick up Merritt. We were almost there and then nothing.

"Amber," I call out to her. I go to touch her but my body screams in pain. "Amber!" I manage to shake her as my vision starts to focus.

The image of my best friend had me scream and cry louder than I ever have in my entire life. "AMBER!!!"

It's been a week since the car accident. A week since someone wasn't paying attention and t-boned into us. A week since I lost my best friend. A week since I've spoken to anyone.

Merritt was worried about me. He even had Chase come to try to snap me out of my zombie state, but it was useless. I couldn't get the image of her mangled body out of my head. It was like something you see in a horror movie.

Her funeral was two days ago. Having to see her parents and then cry on me cut me that much deeper. Why couldn't she survive too? I wasn't happy that the guy who hit us died. He deserved to live with that he did, but no. Only I get to deal with the aftermath.

I was confined to a wheel chair with a broken leg, wrist and collar bone, three cracked ribs, and fifteen stitches in my head. Everyone says I'm lucky to be alive. Am I though?

"Baby, please talk to me," my husband pleaded for the third time today. He canceled the tour for the next few months to take care of me. Chase of course was understanding and offered to help if needed. "I know you're hurting but I need you to talk to me."

I met his gray eyes for the first time since I left the hospital and my walls came crashing down. "You really want me to talk to you? You want to know how I feel? You want to understand what's going through my head?" He was shocked, not expecting me to snap at him.

"Where should I start Mer? That I lost the only friend and family I had since freshman year of high school? How I can't get the gory image of how she looked out of my head? How I hate that I survived when she couldn't live? How that bastard got away with it easy by dying? How I feel so alone that I have to live without her in my life? Is that what you want know dear husband?" I was crying hysterically by now.

Merritt held me in his arms the best that he could in the condition I was in. He just let me cry until I couldn't anymore. I've been bottling it up longer than I should.

"Klea," he says softly when I've calmed down some what, making me look up at him. "I'm going to be honest with you, I'm not entirely sure how to help you through this. You lost someone you loved and I can't imagine what that feels like...Actually I take that back. When I got the call that you were in an accident and that you were in rough shape, I felt an unimaginable pain. The idea of losing you, it made me want to die. Saying that you hate that you lived, feels like someone is stabbing me repeatedly with a knife. I need you Klea. I love you so damn much."

Hearing Merritt say that made me feel guilty. I didn't think about him during this. Only myself. "I'm so sorry Merr," I say choking up. "You know that I would never leave you in an way." He kisses my forehead. "Amber was the only person I had before you. She took away the loneliness from my past. I didn't want that to come back."

"Baby, I will never let you feel alone again for as long as I live. I promise to help you the best that I can to get through this. I'll always be here for you."

-QoW-

A year and a half later

Damn...another negative test. Is this ever going to come out positive?

A couple of years after we got married we stopped using any form of birth control. Since my body was healed enough after the accident, we've really started trying to have a baby but have had no luck. You would think that if I was able to, I'd be pregnant by now.

We both so badly want to have a family. We'd like to have two, but considering how it's gone so far, we'd settle for at least one. When Merritt gets home I'll have to talk to him about us both seeing a fertility doctor to see if we're ok.

Merritt and Chase have been a little on the rocks lately. For the past few shows, Merritt has been solo. It appears that the audience likes him more than Chase which is no surprise. Chase is good but Merritt is better. He lacks the stage presence that Merritt has. I've always thought that since the first time I saw them.

I've been getting a lot better at reading people too. Merritt has taught me different tricks. It's definitely come in handy with my job. I can tell ninety-five percent of the time if someone I'm prosecuting is guilty or not. I've won so many cases because of it.

He's tried to teach me how to hypnotize but that's nearly impossible for me.

I was getting ready to make dinner when I hear the front door slam making me nearly jump out of my skin. Getting up to see what was going on, I see Merritt throw a flower vase on the floor.

"What the hell Merritt?!"

He snaps his head towards me and I've never seen him so angry before. The look on his face actually made me take a step back. "What happened?"

"My brother is what happened!"

"I don't understand."

"He cleaned us out Klea! He took all of our money!"

My heart stops. "How is that possible? He doesn't have access to any of our accounts."

He slides down the wall pulling his hair, "he stole my wallet and with us being identical twins, he was able to withdraw everything. All the money we've saved up is gone!"

I'm now crying. Crying because I'm pissed and because I'm hurt. We had close to two hundred thousand in savings alone. We've been saving since we got married. "Why would Chase do this? He's your brother!"

He then hands me a note.

Spotlight is yours.

"What does that mean?" I asked confused.

"We got into a argument today about the solo shows I was doing and I told him that if he's going to act like a child then we shouldn't do them together anymore. He got pissed and told me I'd pay for this. I didn't think he'd take all of our money."

I couldn't believe Chase would do this to us. Yeah he annoyed me but I looked at him like the annoying brother I never had.

I sit down beside him and rest my head on his shoulder. "We'll make it through this. Get a smaller place, cut some of our expenses. It's not like we need this big of a place. I don't think we're ever going to have a family to fill it with."

He pulls my face to look at him, "why do you say that?"

I sigh, "had another negative test today. It's been over six years Merr. It would've happened by now. We should've gone to a specialist sooner because now we can't afford any test or really any options available to us."

He slams the back of his head against the wall. "I hate my brother."

"I'm sorry I can't give you a baby," my voice was cracking trying to fight back tears.

"Hey, look at me," I meet his eyes. "Would I love to have a piece of both of us running around causing havoc? Yes. But I don't need that to make me happy. You're everything to me Klea. You're all I need and will ever want."

I lean up and kiss him. It will always be us against the world. Forever.

-QoW-

2 years later

Today is such a great day! First I get a raise and it's mine and Merritt's ten year wedding anniversary. It's so hard to believe that we've been together for twelve years and married for ten. If I never entered that raffle and won tickets to his show. We never would've met.

Merritt is my world. I fall harder for him every single day. After Chase, whose name is forbidden to be spoken of, stole all of our money, we had a lot to figure out. Unfortunately it was like he completely disappeared so the cops couldn't help us. It took a couple of months to get settled with everything but things were great. He got a nice little apartment that was perfect for us and slowly got our finances back in order.

I got out of work early to make Merritt's favorite for dinner tonight, applewood bacon pork loin with mash potatoes, oven roasted asparagus, and a Caesar salad.

When dinner is almost done I head to the bedroto put something nicer on but as soon as I step into the bedroom, I can feel that something is off. I head straight to the closet to find Merritt's side of the closet empty. Running to his dresser and opening the drawers, empty. All of his stuff was gone.

Where was my husband?

I begin to hyperventilate as I sure the entire apartment for a note or something from him. I try to call his phone but it was disconnected. I call his agent who informs me that Merritt dropped him this morning and canceled the rest of the tour.

What the hell?!

I go into a full blown panic attack. I can't breathe. I have no idea how long I was like that before I was able to catch my breath.

I sit down and try to think about what could've made him leave.

We were so happy...at least I thought so.

He decided not to worry about kids after the Chase situation...unless he was putting up a front.

His tour was doing great...but why drop his agent and end the tour?

It made no sense. He never showed that there was anything bothering him and that we were happy together. Why would he just leave and not say anything.

I was getting angry now. I started throwing things all over the apartment, breaking anything that was breakable. I completely trashed the place before I collapsed and just cried.

A hole opened up in my chest and for the first time in a long time, I was truly alone. I had no one.

Phew this was so hard to write and the longest chapter I've EVER written for any of my stories. I didn't think I'd ever finish writing it. Please leave me a review. They seriously help keep me going!