Someone To Save Me

“Alright Crosby we know you’re hiding something BIG” I heard Max say.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. And you really should stop just barging into my apartment” Sid said, probably still in the spot that he was in when I went into our room to unpack my clothes. His mom left yesterday after staying 3 days, giving us some time to get used to our new living arrangement.

“You’re hiding something. You better not be cheating on Katie” I heard Meg say making me giggle slightly.

“Now why the hell would I do that?” Sid said sarcastically.

“Yeah Meg why the hell would he do that?” I said walking down the hall towards them.

“OH MY GAH!” She yelled running over to me pulling me a little too hard into a hug.

“Can you be a little more gentle Megs?”

“What are you talking about? When did you get here? How long are you staying? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? What the hell happened to your face?” she asked noticing the almost healed bruise on my face.

“Come with me and I’ll fill you in” I said stepping away from her. “Sid we’re going to go in the bedroom be out in a bit” I said kissing him lightly before leading Meg to our room.

“What’s going on Katie?”

“I moved . . . Here” I said gesturing to the bags of clothes.

“When?”

“This past weekend. And before you ask why I didn’t mention it, I didn’t know I was moving until it was decided.”

“What brought this on? I mean I know that you missed him and I sure as hell know he missed you but . . .”

“Brice brought it on.”

“What the hell does he have to do with you moving here. Not that I’m not thrilled to have you close by but . . .”

“He, attacked me, raped me” I said softly looking down at the cranberry comforter. “Sid came to surprise me and when he got there I was unconscious and Brice was . . .”

“Holy shit Katie. Does anyone else know . . .”

“Trina and Sharp. I don’t know if Sharp told any of the guys though. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you I was here, I didn’t tell anyone.”

“Well I hate to tell you but there are pictures of you and Sid getting back here at the airport. I mean you look gorgeous and people who don’t know you wouldn’t recognize you but Al is mad you haven’t called her yet and Janie well she’s having too much fun with Tanger to bother you. She assumes that you and Sid are taking time to have a ‘honeymoon’ sort of thing. Guess she’s way off.”

“Just a tad. Can you do me a solid and just fill them in, let them know that I will talk to them soon, I just need time to come to grips with this. It’s all so crazy.”

“No problem” she smiled. “Let’s get back out there before those two break something.”

“Yea good point.”

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I’ve been in Pittsburgh for a week. It’s been a week.

Sid was able to go back to practice today and I was going to the arena with him so that the team docs could check out my concussion and the stitches to make sure it was healing properly. I hadn’t been out since we got here, so I was worried that people would see us together and instantly hate me. Not that I should care, Sid didn’t.

“Hey, if the doctors say that I can, would it be cool if I worked out a little while you guys are skating? I mean do you think they would mind if I was there?”

“No they won’t mind. If you’re all better than go for it” he said tying his sneakers sitting on the ottoman.

“I’ll just bring some workout clothes with me then, in case” I smiled at him.

They cleared me, no more concussion. So I ran. I don’t really know how long but as I was stepping off the treadmill the guys were walking back to the locker room to get out of their gear. Sid made a detour walking up to me with a smile.

“Guess you’re all better.”

“Yep. Can you help me with something real quick?”

“Sure what is it?”

“Wrap my hands. You have a punching bag” I said determined. He nodded before grabbing the tape and wrapping both of my hands before tenderly kissing my knuckles. “Thanks. Now go change out of that smelly gear” I said making a face.

I stretched out my arms before hitting the bag as hard and as much as I could until I couldn’t anymore. I thought about everything, the smell of alcohol on his breath, how his hands roughly grabbed at my waist when I told him to leave, the shooting pain that I felt being slammed against the counter top, how he dragged me through the hall to my bedroom, yelling for him to stop, that I didn’t want him near me. And I fell to the ground that in the middle of the room and bawled. I just broke down and let myself be vulnerable in a room where 20 men would be walking by at any given time.

I felt arms wrap around me pulling my protectively into their chest. It wasn’t Sid, but there was this comforting sense around me.

“Katie, it’s alright” I recognized the voice but didn’t trust myself to think it was Coach Bylsma. His office was right across the hall and he probably saw me on his way to it after practice. “You’re safe here” he said. I nodded to let him know that I heard him as I continued to cry.

“Coach we got her” I heard Tanger say sitting down on the ground on my other side, I felt myself being passed towards him. “Sid’s just now getting in the shower they always ask him tons of questions” he said in his French accent. I looked up at him biting my lip wondering if Sid had told them what happened.

“He just told us that something happened in Chicago and that you had to get out of there” Max said sitting in front of me. “Meg didn’t tell me anything. But Al and Janie came over the other day and they all left looking really sad. I think coach knows, Sid was in there for a while one day talking to him.”

“Are you going to tell us at some point in time?” Kris asked rubbing my back lightly. I nodded, before sitting up out of his arms. I took my hair out of the loose ponytail and flipped it over showing them the stitches. “How did . . .”

“Sid found me unconscious. My ex came over drunk. . .” I said starting into the whole story once again, both men listening with horror written on their faces as I recounted the events of last weekend. “ . . . and so I’m here.”

“That fucking bastard” Kris said busting out in French. “I’ll fucking kill him. Then bring him back to life and kill him again.”

“Tanger my mom was French-Canadian I know what you’re saying” I laughed slightly even with tears running down my face.

“I didn’t know that” he smiled.

“Katie” I heard behind me, the unmistakable voice of Sid. He picked me up off the ground and pulled me tight to his chest.

“I should probably go apologize to Dan” I said looking up at him.

“Why?”

“I think I scared him. I was punching and then I just couldn’t anymore and I just fell. He ran in here” I said quietly. I inhaled deeply, the scent of his bodywash filling my lungs.

“He knows” Sid said quietly.

“So do they” I said nodding towards Max and Kris. “It was going to happen eventually, Janie can only keep a secret like that quiet for a few days. It eats away at her.”

“YOU LIVE HERE NOW!” Max yelled in his usual goofy manner making me laugh a little. “The Blackhawks can suck it!”

“You’re an idiot” Kris said shaking his head, a smile gracing his face.

“I love you guys” I said unable to stop from smiling as they goofed off.

“I think that’s the first genuine smile you’ve had since you got here” Sid said smiling back at me.

“Your teammates are . . . Different.”

“IN A GOOD WAY” Max yelled again.

“So, is there somewhere that I can change, maybe rinse the sweat off of myself before we leave?”

“Yea. I was the last one in the locker room so you can go in there. Where did you change into what you have on?” he asked walking me towards the locker room.

“The ladies room” I shrugged.

“Well hurry up and we’ll go out for lunch with the guys” he said walking me back to the showers. “I’ll stay out here and make sure no one comes in.”

“Ok.”

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