A/N - As promised (today is Tuesday!) the new chapter is up! I hope you enjoy it! I'll probably have another one in by tomorrow! I'll be updating more often now! All of my stories!

Thank you for your amazing reviews and just for being awesome readers!

-Nina K.

Seeking comfort

When Kate entered the loft, she was taken aback by glass spread all around the floor of the living room. She could hear screams coming from the master bedroom, but couldn't tell whose it was.

She approached the bedroom's door. She wanted to know what that was all about. She tiptoed there, the yelling louder.

They were her grandmother's. It sounded like 'cry talk', like when your best friend is broken-hearted and you're supposed to comfort her. She could hear Phillip trying to calm her down, but aparently it wasn't working.

"Erin, shut up! She could be here in any moment!"

"The hell with her, Phill! She's just a brat. Joey and the douchebag did an awful job bringing her up. They were too young and unprepared... Joey should've gotten rid of her when she still could! That spoiled little girl won't even talk to me!"

"Have you seen the way you treat her? No wonder Joey didn't listen to you. You are crazy! That is the sweetest girl I've ever met and I love her with all my heart, just as Joey would've liked us to. You are drunk! Go take a shower and calm-..."

That's when it hit her. The glass in the living room was either from a bottle or a tumbler. Her grandmother had been drinking. But weren't people honest about what they felt when they were drunk? Kate didn't give it another thought. She wasn't loved by her grandmother. She was a mistake, an accident, and hearing that just destroyed her inside.

She tried to hold back the tears as she stormed out of the loft. It didn't work. Either way, they kept streaming down her face. She slammed the door and ran to the elevator.

'Shit!' Phillip thought when he heard the door slam, knowing how hard it would be to fix the mess Erin had just made.

Kate didn't know where to go. New York streets were definetly not an option, too crowded and dangerous, specially on New Year's Eve. Besides, she would've gotten lost if she tried going outside. She couldn't go to Lanie's or Javi's either, their homes were too far away and she had no money to hail a cab. There was only one option left.

She knocked desperately on the door. Not quite sure of the apartment's number she had asked the doorman of her building.

A tall red-head dressed in a tiger patterned pink and black robe answered and looked at her from head to toe. She stared at the brunette's tear-stained face, wondering why such a beautiful girl would be at her doorstep this late and, yet, crying.

"Is this the Rodgers' loft?" Kate asked, shyly.

"Yes, my dear. I'm Martha. Are you looking for Richard?" Kate nodded, staring at her own feet, letting a few more tears roll down her cheeks. "Oh, my dear! Come in. I'll let him know you're here." she watched Martha as disappeared down the hall. She stopped for a moment by what Kate figured was Rick's bedroom. Then Martha nodded firmly and went to the room across the hall, locking the door.

Rick walked to the living room, yawning and sliding a hand through his messy hair. He was wearing checkered boxers and a white T-shirt.

When he saw Kate, nervously standing there with her hands in her jacket's pockets as she bounced from side to side,he noticed she'd been crying. Scratch that! She was still crying.

He rushed to her, cupping her face and drying the tears on her cheeks with his thumbs. "Kate, what happened?"

No answer. She just buried her face in his chest and sobbed. He stroke her back and brought her to the couch. They sat there for about 20 minutes until Kate calmed down. She felt herself relaxing against him. He was so warm and kind.

He asked once more about what had happened and she spit it all out. Not only about that night, but also everything following the car crash. She even confessed, absentmindedly, about how she'd felt when they kissed.

"Oh, Katie. I'm so sorry." he paused and she nodded. He knew that that meant it was okay. "Do you need a place to stay? You can stay here with my mother and I, you know? I'm sure she won't mind. She'd actually be outraged if you declined my offer." he said, kindly and she nodded once more.

"Thank you. I-I really appreciate it."

"Come on" he took her hand and pulled her off the couch. "Let's find you some comfy clothes."

He pulled her into his bedroom. It was bigger than hers, though the ceiling was black with different sized white spots 'The stars and the planets!' Kate thought in awe.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it!" she replied, truly. She noticed he was very organized, judging by the layout of his king-size bed and desk, and how his books and notebooks were organized in alphabetic order on the bookcase. There was also a small couch, close to the bookcase.

"Kate, you can take the bed." he said, handing her an over sized T-shirt and clean boxers.

She took them with her to the bathroom and yelled thorugh the door, while changing into the clothes he'd given her. "No, Rick. I'll take the couch. You'll stay in your bed."

"There is no way I'm letting you sleep on the couch!" he pouted.

"Well... if you don't try anything, Mister, we could share the bed. It's big enough for both of us, after all." she teased coming back from the bathroom, smiling slightly as he thought about her proposal.

'His clothes are really comfy. And they smell like him!' she thought, excited. She loved the scent of his cologne.

He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands. When she heard her approaching him, he lifted his head and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer, before standing up to give her a peck on the lips. She leaned on him, feeling safe and secure in his arms.

"You said we didn't know much about each other. I bet that changed tonight. I got to know a lot about you."

"Well, Rick. I still don't know much about you." she teased.

"My name is Richard Alexander Rodgers. I was born in the city, on March 27th, 1996. I never met my father, but that doesn't really bother me. I play the guitar and the piano and I spend most of my time by myself, because mother is barely home." he paused and then explained. "She's an actress... Satisfied?"

"Pretty much" she joked, letting out a laugh.

"I love it when you smile... And you're laugh is just amazing! It suits you really well."

"Thank you, Rick."

They laid down, each on one side of the bed, barely touching except for the hands they were holding on top of the blankets.

"Good night." they said in unison, before drifting into sleep.

Late in the night, absentmindedly, Kate snuggled up on Rick's side, resting her head and hand on his chest. The movement woke him up, but he didn't move. He was glad she did it, even glader that it was unwittingly. "I'll always be here for you, Katie. Always."