WARNINGS: Brief smut scene, angst, domestic abuse, sadness, and a hint of fluff

 3rd POV...

"Ugh fuck! Why do you always have to be so hard?!" Kathy groaned as she clung to Sid with her arms making red trails down his back and his legs wrapped around his waist. Sid thrust his hips harder, making Kathy's eyes go wide from pain. "Gah! That hurts asshole!" She shot up from bed, taking herself off him.

Sidney's hair was all wet, the same with his skin, he worked hard to make Kathy pleased during their intercourses, "I'm sorry, you know how I like things." Sid adjusted the sheets on him, slipping back into bed.

Kathy stormed over to her dresser, picking up the latest edition of Sports Illustrated, "I still can't believe, SHE," Kathy slammed the magazine on the bed, "Got on the cover! And not me!"

Putting a hand to his face to rub his eyes, "You're still thinking about it?" He then ruffled his hair, attempting to fix it.

"YES! JUST LOOK AT HER! SHE'S NOT NEARLY AS BEAUTIFUL OR IN THE SAME WEIGHT RANGE AS ME! THAT BIKINI DOESN'T EVEN LOOK ATTRACTIVE ON HER, IT LITERALLY MAKES HER LOOK LIKE A FUCKING BLOB!" Kathy then smashed her fist into the cover, crinkling Sydney's face.

"Babe, I'm sure Andy, Jim, and Mario all had their reasons as to why they chose Syd." He emphasized "why".

Kathy went into the walk-in closet to get some clothes on, "Yeah, I know exactly why!" She walked out, she slipped on a new pair of lace panties, before walking inside again. "Because Nathalie and Mario hate my fucking guts, they're disgusted!" She ranted before coming back into the shared bedroom in a matching black lace teddy.

"No, they don't." Sid tried to reason with his blonde companion.

Kathy slipped into bed next to Sidney, "Uh, yes they do Sidney Patrick!" She snapped her head to look at him in the eyes. "They most certainly do hate my guts."

"Babe, look just let it go, your on tons more magazine covers than Syd is, chill." Sidney rolled his eyes in annoyance at his girlfriend.

There was a silence in the room before Kathy let out a scoff, "Are you cheating on me?!"

Sid rolled over on his side to look at his girlfriend, "What? No?"

"Then why the hell did you call your "photographer" Syd?!" She spat, getting close to his face.

Sidney got out of bed, putting on his boxers, "Because that's her nickname! Ok! I'm not cheating on you but I sure as hell know your cheating on me!"

Kathy gave Sidney the innocent face, "I am most certainly not!" Pretending to be offended and innocent.

"Really? Hmm, why would your friends never talk about the parties you guys go to when your away at a shoot? Hmm, I wonder why?!" He threw his hands up in the air, getting angry and frustrated.

Throwing the covers off her body, she shot up from bed, "Oh you fucking liar, you always have to lie about something!" She pointed to Sidney who was a few feet away from her.

"Yeah right, like I'm the compulsive liar here, I'm done with your shit, Kathy. I fucking want you out of my life and my house right now." He said darkly, pointing towards the bedroom door.

Kathy walked over to her nightstand, "Oh that's rich coming from you! You wouldn't last a day without my fucking help! I do everything for you!"

"I don't care! I just want you out! I am cutting off this relationship! So get the fuck out!" Once again, he pointed towards the bedroom door,

Kathy balled her fists in anger, grabbing something that was close by on the nightstand which was a decorative frame with the two in a picture together. Then Kathy hurled the frame at Sidney letting her rage and anger out in a scream. Sidney was lucky enough to have dodged her throw this time to prevent himself from getting cut, he dodged the picture by going into the bathroom and walk-in closet, locking the door behind him.

"You fuck! Open the fucking door!" Kathy pounded on the other side of the door.

Slowly backing up from the door, "I gotta get out." Sid mumbled to himself before going through his closet, throwing on some sweats, his Penguins hoodie, and slipping on his Adidas slides before creeping out the other door which leads out near space by his small office.

He looked around the corners before stepping out, Kathy then came through the other door of the bedroom and locked eyes. The two bolted, Sidney, towards the side door of the house and Kathy for the kitchen where she could grab another thing to throw at him.

Sidney had just made it out the side door near the kitchen before Kathy threw something glass and shattering on the floor.

The night was cold, dark, and stormy. Sid ran out of his house in the middle of a downpour thunderstorm. He kept running, never looking back, but he automatically knew exactly where to go in his heart. The puddles were being filled and overflowing on the ground, his socks already soaked as the thunder above him cracked and snapped.

Sydney's POV...

"Yeesh, what a night." Bri peaked out the window, examining the clouds and the storm that was hitting.

I hesitantly looked up slightly to the ceiling, "Yeah, hopefully, the power doesn't get knocked out."

She closed shut the curtains in the living room, "Are ya sure you want to do that all by yourself, Syd?" Brianna yawned before scratching her head, walking towards me on the couch with papers covering the coffee table and Brianna's computer open, I was transferring some of her pictures on her computer to mine so I could fix them and she could get some sleep.

"Yes, now please go get your well-deserved rest and let me handle this." I smiled, escorting her to her room to get some sleep.

Juno was all hunkered out for the night so he was pretty quiet, same with the room, so I decided to play some light Christmas music in the background since it was already November 1st.

At some point in time, I had fallen asleep on the couch with my black robe wrapped around me and my glasses were on the brim of my nose when I was awoken by a knocking at the door.

I thought the knocking was all a dream when it came again, making me get up, tie my robe closed, push up my glasses, and open it to the hallway.

My eyes grew wide when I saw Sid outside my door soaked from head to toe, arms over his chest, shivering and freezing, "Help me." His voice cracked as he shivered right in front of me on my doorstep.

I covered the hole on my face with my hands, "Oh my fucking God," I managed to get out from behind my hands in pure horror, "Sid come here, come in right now," I commanded, taking his shoulders and leading him inside the apartment, closing the door behind me and getting a towel from the bathroom wrapping it around his shoulders, attempting to dry him off. "What's going on? How did you get here? What's wrong?" So many questions poured out of my mouth, I was confused and scared.

I then sat Sid down at the dining room table, pulling up a chair in front of him to wrap it around his broad shoulders more. "You could have fucking got ammonia from being outside with this weather without the proper clothes!" I scolded, my eyes and throat started stinging, I was truly scared.

Sid continued to shiver even with the towel wrapped around him, he rubbed his arms with his hands on the outside, "I-I had to c-come here. K-K-Kathy..." His teeth chattered violently.

Even though Sid was a hockey player, he was very cold by how he was talking and shaking like a leaf, but I managed to silence him by pressing one of my warm fingers gently to his lips, "Shh, you don't need to talk right now." I then slipped my hand to feel his cheek, checking his temperature.

Sid was roasting, burning hot, even though he was shivering, he was slightly sweating and burning up, "Sid, your burning," Then I placed the back of my hand on to his forehead, making sure I was right. "I hate seeing you like this," I managed to mumble from under my breath so Sid couldn't hear. "Ok so please take the towel with you and take a hot shower. The bathroom is down the hall and the middle door. I'll come in and put your clothes in the dryer to see if I can get them dry for you." I gestured to the hallway.

Sid just nodded his head and headed towards the bathroom, I could hear him open and close the door from in the kitchen.

Flinging open every cupboard in the kitchen, "Ugh, Lord, where is the soup when I need it." I was in search of soup, preferably chicken noodle soup for Sid, and possibly some for myself since I didn't eat yet, even though it was going on 8.

I had managed to find big thick egg noodles, yellow chicken powder seasoning, and broth, at least I could find these ingredients, and thankfully I remembered how to make the noodles just like how I used to make them when I was a teenager.

From down the hall, Sid had turned on the water. I could hear the hot water kicking on from in the kitchen.

Filling the pot with water from the sink, I then placed the pot on the stovetop, setting the burner to medium before stripping off my robe, setting it on the back of one of the high top chairs, and going to the bathroom.

Before entering, I knocked lightly, in mind of Brianna sleeping in the next room, "Sid, it's me, can I come in?" Hopefully, I spoke loud enough for him to hear me over the water beating down in the shower.

"Yeah." I heard from inside.

Cracking the door, the mirror was all fogged up and the room was foggy with steam like a sauna, just how I also liked my water. Hot and steamy sauna-like, but my glasses also started to fog up just a bit, so I wiped them off with the fake silk on my mid-thigh black nightgown.

His towel was draped over the closed toilet seat and his clothes all over the floor, a typical guy that made me smile and shake my head.

I gathered all his clothes up in my arms before throwing them in the dryer which was below the washer in the bathroom, putting his sweats in a bag to prevent them from getting ruined since they were nylon-like, setting the dryer to cotton before starting the cycle.

"Hey um, I just wanted to say thank you for letting me in," Sid said from the other side of the curtain separating the two of us.

Smiling, I then sat down on the toilet seat, his towel in my lap, "Well, of course, I'd be a bitch if I didn't let ya in. Besides, your sick, someone has to take care of you." My voice dropped at the last sentence.

Sid then poked his head out from behind the curtain, finally looking at me. My knees became weak as I melted at how he looked.

His chocolate brown hair making him look like he had black hair, slightly messy with strands clinging to his forehead. Water droplets clinging to his face and under his full lips, plus a little gold chain around his neck with his number as a charm.

He examined me for a moment, my fake silk nightgown with white lace trimming. The hem of the nightgown had a slight slit on one side while it rode high on my thighs and a little pink bow in the middle of the lace in my cleavage.

He gave me sincere eyes, "Which is why I came to you," He raised his one eyebrow before pulling his head back inside the shower.

Getting up to leave, Sid poked his head out of the shower again, "Ok so who else lives here?"

"What do ya mean?"

"Um, there's two bottles of men's shampoo in here." Sid held up one of the bottles which was a grey Dove bottle.

I chuckled, "Oh! Those are mine!" I smiled. "I have such greasy hair, I sometimes have to use men's shampoo."

Sid popped the lid, squeezing the bottle, "Well this one smells pretty good." He smelled the Dove bottle shampoo.

"Have you smelled the other one yet?"

"Uh, I was just gonna," Sid then sat the Dove bottle down and brought out the Paul Mitchel shampoo.

"Ya know, I think we might have the same shampoo."

My face elongated slightly, "Wait, really?!" I chuckled.

Sid sniffed the shampoo, "Yeah definitely smells like the one I have at home." Then went back to showering.

"So when you come out, I should have some clothes for you to wear since your sweats and sweatshirt won't be dry yet and I also have some noodle soup going so." I then left the sauna-like bathroom, closing the door behind me.

Bri then rubbed her eyes, coming out of her room, "Syd what's going on? Who's in our shower?" She yawned.

Huffing, I really didn't know how to explain this to Bri, "Ok Sid just showed up at the doorstep all freezing and wet and he has an ammonia or a fever so I told him to shower and he's spending the night here." I spouted.

"Wait seriously?" She wanted to open the bathroom door but I put myself in the way.

"Yes, but I want up you to go back to sleep and in the morning, tell Sullivan that Sid is sick and can't come tomorrow and tell Andy I need a vacation day to rest."

"Ya know Sullivan is gonna be pissed, the first game is coming and it's Cancer Awareness Month on top."

"I know, I know, I know, but he's sick as a dog, he can't play or practice right now someone has to take care of him." I shrugged.

Bri rubbed her temples, "Alright, just please don't do anything you'll regret, Syd."

"I won't." Bri then stepped back into her room and went back to bed.

Meanwhile, I prepared and served the soup, pouring it into two bowls and getting two croissants and butter, clearing the coffee table to make room for the food.

Then I went into my bedroom and took out some old things I stole from my ex when getting our things packed up to move away from each other which was a plain black pullover and dark grey cotton sweats.

Bringing them over my arm, I waltzed into the bathroom, Sid was half-naked with his towel wrapped around his waist, showing some of his V lines. The two of us, from shock, bumped into each other. Preventing my head from going into his chest were my hands on his obvious hills and valleys of his six-pack while his hands gently rested on my hips. I could practically hear his heartbeat.

"Um I brought you some clothes," I then removed my hands from his lower body, taking the clothes off my arms, holding them out.

"Thanks, but how do you have big enough clothes for me?" Sid kindly took them out of my arms.

"Um, well, they were my ex-boyfriend's clothes, I accidentally stole them while we were packing our belongings." I was embarrassed by explaining myself about how I got these clothes.

"Oh."

"Yeah, uh, so soups ready." I gestured to the living room before again closing the door behind me.

My face turned beat red from embarrassment, not by telling my story but his body. His body really flustered me, I could practically see my red face in the full body mirror in the main part of the apartment from far away.

His skin was soft and still slightly tanned from the summer. Toned and defined. When my hands touched the hills and valleys of his six-pack I knew I was in trouble, same with his sharp V line. His hand on my waist felt so foreign but so right, even though it was so wrong. In reality, I really wanted him to have his hands a bit lower so he could rub circles on the sides of my thighs.

Shaking my head violently, I managed to get rid of my imaginative thoughts and sit down on the couch, not touching the soup until Sid came out.

He smiled at how I waited for him to come out and eat with him. Sid plopped down, getting comfy, sprawling out. I got a blanket from my right and made sure it covered his legs before I touched his forehead again with the back of my hand.

"Still pretty warm." I sighed and then handed him a bowl of noodle soup.

"You didn't have to cook for me either." He raised his bowl slightly, gesturing to me cooking.

"Someone has to do it," I smiled, then blowing some broth on my spoon before putting it in my mouth. "Speaking of someone, why isn't Kathy doing this?"

Sidney's face completely dropped, then he sat down his bowl, "I'm sorey, I haven't been completely honest with you. The gash and the cut on my cheek were from Kathy."

I was shocked by his response, "Kathy did that?" Setting down my bowl, I then turned my body to face him on the couch.

"Yeah, she threw a vase at me because we got into an argument, and tonight, the same happened but I was lucky to get out with no scratches this time. We got into an argument, I told her I didn't want her in my life and I wanted her out of my house, and she threw a picture frame at me, so I locked myself in our bathroom and decided to just get some clothes on and just go. And she chased me out the side door and threw something glass at me but yet again, I have nothing on me so." Sid frowned at retelling his reason why for him coming here.

"Sidney, I dunno what to say, I'm speechless,"

"You don't have to say anything." He frowned, turning back to his soup, but instead, I turned him back to face me so I could hug him. My hands went under his arms, my hands lightly rubbing the back of his neck while he was wrapped around my waist again with his head buried in my neck.

Tears started forming in my eyes, "I do have to say something," I whispered. "I understand your very private but you have to tell someone. I won't tell anyone of you don't want me to, I won't even tell Bri, just please tell someone." My throat became hot and scratchy again as the tears fell from my corners, down my cheeks.

"I will don't worry about me Syd, I'm fine," He cooed. "Shh, it's ok. I know it's a lot for you and it is for me too but I'm fine." He gently rocked back and forth, trying to calm me down.

I sniffed my nose, fluttering my eyelashes a few times before the two of us broke away to continue eating our food.

My hair on my one side covered up my face, I didn't want Sid to see me how I was, but instead, he parted my hair, taking it to the other side, turning my chin to face him, wiping my tears away with his fingers.

"I'm ok, I know I scared you, please don't cry." He once again cooed, trying to stop me from crying.

"I'm trying," I croaked out. "It's just so hard."

After a while, I finally calmed down, Sid had taken another blanket and wrapped both of us in it, taking me under his arm while we ate our noodle soup and croissants together.

Sid kindly helped me clean off the dishes and put them in the dishwasher before the two of us went back to the living room.

"Um I would let you sleep in my bed but it's too small for you so I think you can sleep here."

"Yeah, I'm cool with that." He nodded his head, grabbing more blankets and pillows from the one side of the couch.

I walked into my bedroom and pulled out one of my good pillows that I sleep with, in bed, sacrificing it for Sidney so he could be at ease and sleep better on the couch.

I was about to go to my room when he stopped me, "Thanks again for everything, Syd." I clung to the doorframe, pressing my head against it.

Smiling gently, "I know you'd do the same for me."

"I would, any day." He nodded.

"Sweet dreams." My cheeks turned crimson for a second.

"Sweet dreams," Sidney replied, getting cozy with all the blankets and pillows on the couch, his feet sticking out the end of the blankets.

I then turned off the lights in the living room before going into my own room and snuggling up in my sheets. I was about to drift to Dreamland when a shiver went up my spine and I only wished I could cuddle up with Sid on the couch so he could warm me up and send me to sleep faster. In my dreams, he will wait for me and I for him.