Chloe couldn't remember the last time she had felt this kind of calm. It wasn't just the quiet of the house or the fact that Jax was now officially living with her—though that in itself was still something she was adjusting to—it was the weight that had lifted from her shoulders. Tara's departure, Jax finally closing the door on whatever remnants of his past with her there were, felt like a turning point. It was like they had passed through a threshold, and now they could finally move forward without all the baggage holding them back.

The next few days were a blur of small adjustments. Jax had moved most of his things in—his clothes, his motorcycle gear, a few odds and ends—and while Chloe had always prided herself on her neat and orderly house, she found herself smiling at the chaos. There were dirty coffee mugs in the sink and his boots scattered by the door, a jacket thrown over the couch. Little signs of life, signs of him.

She wasn't used to this. It was different. But it felt right.

And as the days passed, Chloe realized something else: she wasn't afraid anymore. Not of him being here, not of what they were building. She had made her choice, and there was no looking back. She was all in.

It was a Tuesday afternoon, a quiet day for Chloe. She had finished grading her papers and decided to take a break, sitting on the couch with a cup of tea. The soft hum of the house was calming, and for a moment, she let herself relax, basking in the normalcy of it all. Jax had been in the garage working on his bike, something that had become a routine for him, and Chloe couldn't help but smile when she thought about how much he loved it.

The door to the garage opened, and Chloe turned to see Jax stepping into the living room, wiping his hands on a rag. His hair was slightly messy, a few strands falling over his forehead, and his leather vest was slightly worn, as it always was when he worked on his bike.

He smiled when he saw her sitting there, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "Taking a break?" he asked, his voice teasing.

"Trying to," Chloe replied with a smirk. "If I'm being honest, I don't think I could work another minute. My brain is fried."

Jax laughed and walked over to the couch, sitting down next to her. He pulled her into his side, his arm around her shoulders. "You know, you really need to stop working yourself so hard," he said, his voice low and soft. "You deserve some time off."

"I don't know if I can," Chloe said, her voice slightly amused but tired. "I'm so used to doing everything myself. It's hard to relax."

Jax's fingers gently brushed her hair back, his touch tender. "You don't have to do it all alone, you know. You've got me now."

Chloe's heart skipped a beat at his words. She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear that until he said it. She looked up at him, her voice quieter now. "I know. And it's not that I don't want help. It's just... it's always been me. I've always been the one who takes care of everything. But maybe... maybe it's time to share some of that."

Jax's expression softened, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "You don't have to carry everything, Chloe. You've got me now. You've got all of us."

She smiled, her heart swelling at his words. There was a sense of peace between them now, a quiet understanding that had settled in. This wasn't just about living together anymore—it was about building something together. A future.

"Thanks," she whispered, feeling more vulnerable than she had in a while. "For being here. For making it easy."

"I told you, I'm not going anywhere," Jax replied, his voice full of quiet determination. "I've made my choice, too. And it's you."

Chloe felt a lump form in her throat at his words. She didn't have to question him. Not anymore. She had always known that Jax was someone who didn't do anything halfway. If he was with her, it was because he wanted to be, because he chose her. And that made everything feel possible.

Before she could say anything else, the sound of the front door opening broke the moment. Chloe turned toward it, surprised to see David standing there, his eyes scanning the room.

"David?" she asked, unsure of what to expect. The last time they'd spoken, things had been... difficult. She hadn't expected him to come by, not with the tension between them.

David stepped into the living room, his eyes flicking briefly to Jax before settling back on Chloe. "I need to talk to you," he said, his voice serious. There was a tightness to his jaw that Chloe didn't miss.

Chloe's stomach tightened, but she nodded and stood up. She glanced at Jax, who hadn't said a word but was watching David with a look that was equally wary and protective. "Alright. Let's talk."

David led her into the kitchen, where they could speak privately, though Chloe could feel Jax's eyes on her as she walked away. He didn't want to leave her alone with her brother, but she could handle this. She had to.

Once they were in the kitchen, Chloe crossed her arms, waiting for David to speak.

"I don't like this, Chloe," David began, his voice tight. "I don't like that you're living with him. I don't like that you're this close to everything SAMCRO stands for. You're still my little sister, and I can't just sit back and watch you make these kinds of choices without saying something."

Chloe's heart thudded, and she fought to keep her emotions in check. "David, I've made my choice," she said firmly, her voice steady. "I'm with Jax because I want to be. And I'm not going to apologize for it. This isn't about you anymore."

David's face hardened, his eyes narrowing. "You're not just choosing Jax, Chloe. You're choosing his world. And that world... it's not something you can just walk away from. People get hurt. You could get hurt."

"I'm not a little girl anymore," Chloe shot back, her voice unwavering. "I'm making my own decisions, and I'm okay with them."

David sighed, his frustration palpable. "I know you think you can handle it. But what if you can't, Chloe? What if you wake up one day and realize that you've lost everything just to be with him?"

"I haven't lost anything," she said, her voice quieter now, but still strong. "I'm still me. And I'm not afraid of what's ahead."

For a long moment, David stared at her, as if trying to find some sign that she would change her mind. Finally, he exhaled, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"I'm not going to stop you, Chloe," he said, his voice softer now. "I just... I don't want to see you hurt."

Chloe's chest tightened, but she didn't let the emotion show. "I know you care about me, David. I get it. But I'm not going to live my life in fear of what might happen. This is what I want. And I'm not walking away from it."

David didn't respond right away, but after a long pause, he simply nodded. "Just... be careful, okay? I don't want you to regret this."

Chloe didn't know how to respond to that. She didn't know what the future would hold. But she did know one thing: she was choosing this life, choosing Jax, and for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like she was making a mistake.