One Shots

She sat still. Her hands were resting on her thighs. She was sitting straight up, looking dead ahead. Tyler didn’t know what to do. He could see the red marks all over her body. Her arms, her wrists, her neck. It was all going to bruise. But that wasn’t anything new to her. She was always covered in bruises.

Tyler felt bad for her. She was as young as him. They had become good friends ever since he moved in next to her. They’d hung out every off day he had for two and a half years now.

He knew everything about her.

Except why she wouldn’t leave her boyfriend.

He sat down beside her on his couch. She moved away as far as possible. He sighed and moved closer. His arm went to wrap around her, but she shot up too quickly. She shook her head as she tried to fight the tears coming.

“Tyler, please don’t.” She begged.

He stood and walked towards her. “K,”

“Just don’t touch me!” She cried. “Please, everywhere hurts.”

“I just want to comfort you, Kat.” He frowned.

“Then just be there for me.” She breathed.

“I want to help.” He explained.

“I don’t need help!” She screamed. She brushed her hair out of her face. “I don’t need your help, Tyler.”

“Then why do you always run here?” He raised his voice. “You’re putting me in a bad place by always coming here every time he beats you down.”

“I have no where else to go, Ty.” She had tears streaming down her face.

“You can stay here.” He told her, looking at the ground. “But you have to leave him for good.”

She shook her head. “I can’t leave him.”

“Bullshit.” Tyler spat. “Why can’t you leave him?”

“Do you wanna know why?” She questioned, earning a nod. She pulled up her shirt, turning to show a dark bruise along her ribs. “This is what happened last time I said I was leaving,”

“Kat,”

She shushed him before she pulled her tights down to her ankles. She had bruises along her upper thighs. “This too.”

“He r-raped you?” Tyler couldn’t believe it.

She shook her head as she looked over the bruises. “He said it wasn’t rape because I deserved it. I deserve all of it.”

“No, no, you don’t, Kat.” He shook his head.

“Then why does he do it?” Her voice was shaking.

Tyler wrapped his arms around her. Kat didn’t care, she needed to be held. She held onto him with all her strength as she cried into his chest. He rubbed her hair as she cried. From then on, Tyler vowed to keep her safe. He kissed her head as he held her.

“You’re not leaving this apartment until he’s gone.” He whispered. “I’m keeping you safe. No more of this.”

“He won’t leave.” She argued.

“I’ll make him.”

And that’s what Tyler did. He and a bunch of the Bruins themselves made sure to get Kat’s boyfriend out of her apartment the next day. Kat stayed with Tyler until she felt strong enough to go back to her apartment. He stayed there with her for a couple days. They were like a couple, but they weren’t. He was more focused on making sure she was comfortable. She was slowly falling for him. She wasn’t planning on telling him anytime soon.

They spent everyday together for the next few months. She was there for all his playoff games, his ups, his downs. She was there for him because he was there for her.

Then it happened.

July fourth.

Tyler was traded.

To Dallas.

One thousand, five hundred, and sixty two miles away from Kat.

“Tyler, please don’t leave me.” Kat cried from his bed as he packed.

He wanted to stay as much as she wanted him to. “It’s my career, Kat.” He frowned.

"You know he's gonna come back!" She yelped, pointing her arm to the door.

He grabbed her face in his hand. “He is not going to hurt you again. None of the guys will let that happen.” He whispered to her.

She just pouted. He kissed her forehead and stood back up. She watched him finish packing, knowing he would be leaving soon.

“Kat, I want you to know that anytime you feel like you need out of this place, you call me, and I’ll have you in Dallas in a second.” He stopped to tell her.

She nodded. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Ty.”

Tyler left the next day.

Months went by and Kat and Tyler lost touch. They would message each other still, but at bad times. They saw each other once when Dallas played in Boston.

They went for dinner and caught up before the game. Tyler gave her a Stars jersey with his number. She still stuck with her Boston jersey. The game went to a shootout, where Tyler and Rich scored to win it for the Stars.

Tyler missed Kat. He knew it was affecting his playing. Sure, he had points, but he didn’t feel like he was doing the best he could. Luckily, the Stars were about to start a homestand.

Kat was about to surprise Tyler.

The trusty Bruins helped Kat find Rich Peverley’s number, who gave her Tyler’s new linemate and best friend, Jamie’s number, who agreed to help Kat with the funds necessary to fly out and see Tyler. Jamie could tell Tyler was hurting.

So Kat was currently on a flight to Dallas.

Jamie would pick her up from the airport and take her back to Tyler’s apartment. Tyler would then come home and see Kat lounging around in his house.

Kat arrived in Dallas, met Jamie, who was very friendly and could not get enough of the stories about Tyler back in Boston. He gave Kat his spare key and wished her luck before he took off. She took a deep breath and walked up to his apartment.

Tyler walked in his door and let out a long breath. He pulled out his phone, dialling Kat’s number. She watched from her hiding spot. He sighed when it went to voicemail. He wanted to hear her voice more than anything.

“Hi, Kat, how are you? Actually, pretend I didn’t say that, that’s lame.” He shook his head. “Look, I miss you, a lot. I can’t get you off my mind. I think it’s making me play like shit. We just need to catch up or, I don’t know what we need to do. I just need to see you, or hear you, or,” He stopped to compose himself. “I love you, Kat. Like, actually love you. I want you with me for the rest of my life. I need you with me. I’m in love with you and I don’t know why I’m just getting to say this, over voicemail at that, but I just, I’m sorry. Call me back, as soon as you can. Well, if you still want to.”

Kat was standing in the middle of the living room now. Her eyes were watering. Tyler hung up, shaking his head at himself. He turned with his head down. He stared at his phone as his head slowly rose. His eyes landed on Kat and his mouth slowly fell open. She was smiling while tears rolled down her cheeks. He put his stuff down as he walked over to her. His eyes didn’t leave her.

“How did you get here?” He whispered as he stood in front of her.

“I called Rich and he helped me get ahold of Jamie.” She explained. “He’s a great guy, Tyler. Honestly, you need a friend like him.”

“He flew you out?”

She nodded. “He did everything.”

Tyler wanted to pull her into his arms, but he didn’t know how she felt towards that. He didn’t know how she had been the past few months with everything.

She was longing for him to pull her into his arms. His hands rested on her upper arms, gently. She knew he was scared he was going to hurt her. She took a deep breath, wiping her face. He watched her movements.

“You can hug me. I’m not hurting anymore, Ty.” She reassured him.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a bone crushing hug. She smiled as she held onto him just as tight. He kissed the top of her head, leaving his lips there.

That’s when he realized.

She heard everything he said on the voicemail.

He tensed up and Kat knew it had finally registered to him. She smiled as she slowly pulled back. Her hands went up to his face. He smiled and closed his eyes at her touch.

“I love you too.” She spoke.

His eyes shot open. She was still beautiful even with the tears streaming down her face. He leaned in, pecking her lips. She kissed back and slowly pulled back.

“This might be a mood killer but I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for you.” She confessed. “If I didn’t have you as my backbone, I’d still be w,”

“But you aren’t, and everything’s good, and we have each other.” He spoke, pulling her back into his arms. “Everything is fine now, Kat.”

Notes

Put Me Back Together - Weezer