John & Katie

Where I Needed to Be

JOHN.

I held her until her breathing finally began to slow.

"I need a shower," she whispered. "I just want to go home."

"I'll take you, if you don't mind."

She lifted her head and looked at me. After a moment, she gave me a small nod.

I flagged down a cab, and we climbed into the back seat.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

Katie gave him her address, her voice barely above a whisper.

Something about it sounded familiar.

As the cab pulled away from the curb, it finally clicked.

She lives in my neighborhood.

I couldn't help but smile. Of all the places in New York City, what were the chances?

The familiar streets rolled past the window, each one becoming recognizable as we went. The realization settled deeper with every block.

When the cab pulled up in front of her building, I knew exactly where we were. I'd passed it countless times without ever knowing she lived there.

I paid the fare and followed Katie inside.

We walked up to the second floor, and Katie invited me inside.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said quietly.

"Take your time," I said. "I'll be right here."

She gave me a small nod before disappearing down the hallway.

I glanced around the apartment.

Photographs of Katie and her family covered the walls and tabletops, each one offering a glimpse into a life I knew almost nothing about. The apartment was simply decorated, but there was something warm and inviting about it. Everything felt comfortable, lived-in, and unmistakably hers.

It suited her.

I lowered myself onto the sofa and pulled out my phone, sending Alec a quick text.

"You're not going to believe this. Katie got attacked."

Alec responded almost immediately.

Alec: "Wait, what? Is she okay?"

John: "She's shaken up, but she'll be all right."

Alec: "Did they catch the guy?"

John: "No. He took off after some guy fought him off."

Alec: "Damn. Whoever did that is one sick f**k. I'm glad she's okay."

John: "There's something else."

Alec: "What?"

John: "Katie lives right around the corner from us."

Alec's response came seconds later.

Alec: "😂 Oh, you're in trouble."

John: "Why?"

Alec: "Because you were already trying to find reasons to see her. Now she lives within walking distance? You're never leaving that girl alone."

John: "I'm not that bad."

Alec: "Please. Give it a week and you'll be knocking on her door at midnight with some lame excuse like, 'I was just checking on you.'"

John: "😂 Shut up."

Alec: "And judging by the way you look at her, I'm guessing 'checking on her' won't be the only thing on your mind."

John: "Alec..."

Alec: "Holy s**t, bro. Your d**k just won the f*****g lottery."

John: "Haha, very funny"

Alec: "Says the guy who's smiling at his phone right now."

John: f**k you. ::}

A few minutes later, I heard the bathroom door open.

Katie walked into the room, her hair still damp.

"Feeling any better?" I asked.

"A little."

I studied her face.

Her eyes were still puffy.

"You've been crying."

She shrugged and looked away.

We sat in silence for a while. Then, after a few quiet moments, Katie finally spoke.

She told me about Steven—his behavior, his threats, and everything she'd been dealing with. She explained that it was the reason she'd ended things with me.

I sat quietly and listened, never interrupting. I wanted to hear everything she had been too afraid to tell me.

Then she told me what had happened tonight.

My jaw tightened with every word.

The more she described, the colder my blood ran. I couldn't understand how someone could make another person feel so helpless, so afraid.

Then she told me about Wilson, the man who had come to her rescue.

"He's Steven's brother."

I stared at her.

"What?"

That was the last thing I'd expected.

My eyes drifted toward the oversized jacket draped over the chair.

"And the jacket?" I asked.

She glanced toward it.

"It's Wilson's."

I leaned back, trying to keep the anger building inside me under control.

Steven had crossed a line.

Actually, he'd crossed several.

John was quiet for a moment, his expression filled with concern.

"Hey, I think you should take a couple of days off," he said. "Give yourself some time to process everything and catch your breath."

She shook my head. "John, I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't just take time off. I have to work."

I frowned. "Katie, you were attacked. You can't just go back to work and pretend like everything is normal."

She looked away, her fingers fidgeting in my lap. "I'm not pretending everything is normal. I just... I need to work."

I was quiet for a moment. "Then at least tell your employer what happened. You don't have to ask for time off. Just let them know and see what they say. They might be more understanding than you think."

After a moment, she finally nodded. "Okay. I'll try."

A few minutes later, I excused myself to call my employer.

I watched her disappear down the hallway, my heart aching for her. She'd been carrying all of this alone, and somehow, she'd still managed to keep going.

When she returned, there was a small hint of relief in her expression.

"My boss gave me the rest of the week off," she said softly.

"Good."

She needed the time to breathe and process everything that had happened.

"I'll order us some dinner," I said.

"You don't have to."

"I know, but I want to. Do you mind Chinese?"

She gave a small shake of her head.

I ordered the food, then stepped into the other room and made a quick call to a coworker who owed me a favor.

When I hung up, Katie was watching me curiously.

"I have the next two days off," I told her.

"You do?"

I nodded. "I figured you shouldn't be alone right now."

She stared at me for a moment, clearly surprised by my decision.

I didn't know what the next couple of days would bring or what she would need from me. I only knew I wanted to be there for her.

The food arrived fifteen-minutes later, and we settled onto the sofa with our plates.

We picked a movie and watched while we ate, the quiet hum of the television filling the room.

For the first time that evening, I saw a small smile tug at Katie's mouth.

It wasn't much.

But something inside of me finally began to ease.

Despite how the evening had begun, the rest of it was surprisingly peaceful.

When we finished eating, Katie disappeared down the hallway and returned with two blankets. She handed one to me before settling beside me on the sofa.

It wasn't long before I noticed her breathing had changed.

I glanced over and found Katie asleep.

For a moment, I simply watched her, taking in how peaceful she looked. She seemed completely different from the frightened woman I found at the station. The tension that had been etched across her face was gone, replaced by a softness that made her look almost serene.

After everything she'd been through, seeing her finally rest brought a strange warmth to my chest.

I carefully pulled the blanket aside and gently lifted her from the sofa.

She barely stirred in my arms.

I carried her to the bedroom and carefully lowered her onto the bed, pulling the covers over her.

For a moment, I just watched her sleep.

Eventually, I slipped quietly back into the living room and settled on the sofa.

My mind was still filled with questions.

But for tonight, none of them mattered.

Katie was safe.

And somehow, being there with her felt exactly where I was supposed to be.