Tayvis One-Shots

intruder (pt 2)

Taylor's POV

The door slammed shut with more force than usual, making me jump. I curled up tighter on the couch, clutching the blanket around me like a shield. My house was quiet now, Karlie, Blake, and Selena had left earlier after staying the night and most of the morning to help me clean up the mess Joe had left behind the night before.

"Taylor?" Travis's voice carried through the house, rough and urgent.

"In here," I called softly, barely able to raise my voice above a whisper.

The sound of his heavy footsteps grew louder as he approached. He appeared in the doorway a moment later, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. Relief washed over his face, but it was short-lived as his gaze traveled to the bruise on my cheek and the way I was huddled under the blanket.

"Angel," he breathed, crossing the room in two quick strides. "What happened?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. My throat felt tight, the memory of last night still too fresh.

He crouched in front of me, his hands hovering near mine but not touching me yet. "Taylor, please," he said, his voice breaking. "Tell me what happened."

I swallowed hard, blinking back the tears threatening to spill over. "It was Joe," I whispered.

His whole body tensed, his hands clenching into fists. "Joe?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief and fury.

I nodded, my voice trembling as I explained. "He broke in last night. I... I don't know how, but he did. He was so angry, Travis. He- he said things. Awful things." My hand unconsciously moved to the bruise on my cheek.

Travis stood abruptly, pacing the room like a caged animal. His hand raked through his hair, his breathing ragged. "Where is he now?" he demanded.

"The police took him," I said quickly, my voice trembling. "He's in custody. He won't be coming back."

"That's not good enough," Travis growled, his tone low and dangerous.

"Travis," I said softly, pulling the blanket tighter around me. "Please."

He stopped pacing at the sound of my voice, turning to look at me. His expression softened immediately, and he came back to kneel in front of me.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry I wasn't here."

"This isn't your fault," I said quickly, reaching for his hand. "You couldn't have known."

"I should've been here," he insisted, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I should've been here to protect you."

"You're here now," I said, squeezing his hand tightly.

He exhaled shakily, his free hand gently brushing over the bruise on my cheek. His touch was so tender, it brought fresh tears to my eyes.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"Not as much as it did," I admitted.

He nodded, his jaw clenching again. Without a word, he stood and carefully gathered me into his arms. I winced slightly as the movement jostled my ribs, and he immediately froze.

"Sorry," he murmured, his lips pressing softly to my temple.

I rested my head against his chest, his steady heartbeat soothing my frayed nerves.

"I'm not leaving you alone again," he said, his voice firm. "I don't care what I have to cancel or reschedule. You're my priority."

Tears slid down my cheeks, and I buried my face in his shirt. "I'm glad you're here," I whispered.

He held me tighter, his voice breaking as he whispered back, "I'll always be here."

Travis didn't let go of me for what felt like hours. I didn't mind; his embrace was the first thing that had made me feel safe since the break-in. His warmth and strength wrapped around me like a shield, and I clung to him, afraid to let go.

Finally, he shifted, gently pulling back just enough to look at me. His eyes scanned my face, lingering on the bruise on my cheek and the shadows under my eyes.

"You've been crying," he said softly, his thumb brushing under my eye.

I nodded, unable to speak.

"Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not really," I admitted. "Every sound felt like..." I trailed off, my throat tightening.

He exhaled heavily, his hand sliding down to hold mine. "Angel, you've been through hell. You should've called me the moment it happened."

"You were out of town," I said, my voice cracking. "I didn't want to worry you while you were busy."

Travis's brow furrowed, his expression a mixture of frustration and hurt. "Taylor, nothing—nothing—is more important than you. You could've called me at 3 a.m., and I would've been on the first flight home."

I looked away, guilt gnawing at me. "I know. But Karlie, Blake, and Selena were here, and I didn't want to ruin your trip. I thought I could handle it."

"Handle it?" His voice rose slightly before he caught himself, taking a deep breath. "Angel, you shouldn't have to handle this alone. That's what I'm here for."

"I didn't want to seem weak," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He froze, staring at me like I'd just said the most ridiculous thing in the world. "Weak? Taylor, you're the strongest person I know. But even strong people need help sometimes. That doesn't make you weak; it makes you human."

His words hit me hard, and before I knew it, the tears were falling again. Travis pulled me back into his arms, his hand gently stroking my hair as I cried.

"You don't have to be strong all the time," he murmured. "Not with me."

I nodded against his chest, the weight of the last 24 hours finally starting to lift.

After a while, he leaned back again, brushing my hair out of my face. "Have you eaten anything today?"

I shook my head, suddenly realizing how empty my stomach felt.

"Okay, first things first, I'm making you something to eat," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And after that, you're going to rest."

"I'm not hungry," I protested weakly.

"You're eating, Angel," he said firmly, standing up and gently guiding me to sit back on the couch. "Even if I have to spoon-feed you myself."

A small, reluctant smile tugged at my lips. "That's a little dramatic."

"You love me for it," he shot back, winking as he headed toward the kitchen.

I watched him move around the kitchen, the sound of clinking pans and the hum of his voice as he hummed some song filling the house. It was comforting, grounding me in the present and chasing away the lingering fear.

When he returned with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, he sat down beside me, handing me the plate. "Eat."

I took a bite, and he watched me like a hawk until I finished the entire plate.

"Happy?" I asked, setting the plate aside.

"Getting there," he said, pulling me closer to him. "Now, you're going to rest, and I'll stay right here. I'm not going anywhere."

The thought of sleep still terrified me, but with Travis beside me, I felt a little braver. I curled up against him, his steady presence chasing away the darkness that had taken root in my chest.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"For what?"

"For being here. For loving me."

He kissed the top of my head, his voice soft and full of emotion. "Always, Angel. Always."

And as I drifted off to sleep, safe in his arms, I believed him.