Tommy Conlon often wandered the darkened streets of Pittsburgh alone for one reason or another. Sometimes he was walking home from a late night session at Colt's Gym and other times he was just clearing his head. Nah, who was he kidding? Tommy's idea of clearing his head was going to a bar and getting shit faced just so he could escape from all of the crap that was constantly torturing his mind. When he drank, he could forget the images of his mother lying in agony on her death bed in the shithole apartment they rented, and he could pretend that he couldn't hear Manny begging him to look after Pilar and the kids as he died in his arms. When he drank he could forget about everything; even his old man and the sounds of his fist hitting his mother in the face when dinner was cold because he had stopped off at the bar after work without telling her.

His court ordered therapist had decided that perhaps due to their living under the same roof it was difficult for Tommy to let himself deal with the past and use the strategies they worked on in their sessions. But the problem was that Tommy had moved out and into his own apartment three weeks ago, yet he still found himself gravitating back to the home that held nothing but bad memories. He would eat dinner with his old man and then he would sit in his old bedroom for sometimes hours until finally going back to his own apartment once he was satisfied that Paddy was settled for the night.

Tonight was one of the nights in which Paddy had gone to bed early, so Tommy had visited the gym to try and clear his mind of the usual feelings that swirled around his chest after leaving his father. The streets were practically deserted aside from a young woman walking alone in front of him. There was nothing unusual or suspect about her, and he was about to cross over the road to stop at the liquor store on the corner when something fell out of her pocket without her noticing. Picking up the small silver key, Tommy pulled out one of his earbuds as he watched her round the corner hurriedly, and he picked up his pace to a jog, marvelling at how someone as small as her could move so quickly.

"Hey Miss, excuse me. I think you dropped this," he shouted after her again, but she either didn't hear him or she chose to ignore him. Tommy deduced that it was most likely to be the latter because she began to walk even quicker as though to get away from him. "Listen, I think you dropped your key. If you can just stop for a minute then I can give it to you."

Tommy sighed and muttered a choice expletive under his breath as her pace never faltered. Her speed was no match for him though and he caught up to her in mere seconds. Touching her shoulder gently, he opened his mouth to reassure her that he was only trying to return her key when she turned around and blinded him.

"I don't know who you are, pal, but I'm going to give you exactly three seconds to get away from me or I'll set off my rape alarm and people will come," she warned.

"Jesus fucking Christ lady," he groaned, rubbing at his eyes as whatever the fuck she had sprayed at him burned his eyeballs to death.

"I mean it," she didn't let up, and if he hadn't been in such pain he would have laughed at the sheer audacity of a woman so small trying to intimidate a clearly much larger and much stronger man. "Two more seconds."

"You're fucking crazy," Tommy spat, chucking the silver key on the floor close to her feet. "I was trying to do a good deed and you've just fucking blinded the shit outta me."

"Well in my defence, a man in a hoodie was following me and when I got faster, you got faster. How did I know you weren't trying to attack me? Have you never watched a crime show or the news? Do you even know what the crime rate for muggings and assault in this part of Pittsburgh is?" she answered, scooping down to pick up the key from the floor without taking her eyes from him. "And you're not blinded, by the way; well at least not permanently. Just rinse your eyes out with some warm water and you'll be fine."

"That's it?" Tommy exclaimed. "No thanks, no nothing? I do you a favour, you spray fucking acid in my face and then you're just about to walk off like nothing's happened. I'm fucking blind for Christ's sake."

The woman stopped for a moment and chewed on her lip, deciding what to do. She did feel somewhat guilty considering the man really had only been trying to return her key, but she was well within her right to carry pepper spray and even more within her right to use it if she felt threatened by someone. With a reluctant sigh, she yanked open her handbag and pulled out a half full bottle of water.

"For the last time, you're not blind, you're just temporarily visually impaired. Here," she handed the bottle to Tommy. "It's water."

"You sure?" he grunted but he poured it over his eyes nonetheless. The relief was almost instantaneous as he managed to open his eyes and clear his blurred vision somewhat.

"Better?"

"A little," he muttered, finally getting a good look at his assailant.

His first thought was that she was tiny; easily only five foot nothing. His second thought was that despite being undoubtedly deranged, she was definitely the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her auburn hair was tied back from her round face and her eyes were so blue that he could make out their colour even in the darkness that surrounded them both. Her cheek bones were high and her mouth was full even when it was set into a grimace. If he had met this broad at a bar, he would have been all over her like a fly on shit.

"I'm sorry," she apologised, screwing up her button nose. "I just… listen, I'm new here and I guess I'm still a little nervous walking around alone at night."

"Can't say I blame you," Tommy admitted. "But usually for future reference, if a person's going to attack you they don't warn you by shouting first."

"I guess so," she shrugged. "I really am sorry, you know. Genuinely, I feel awful."

"Yeah well, I suppose there's no permanent damage done," Tommy shrugged, realising that he could kind of see the amusing side of the whole incident now that his corneas weren't screaming out in pain. "But I would really feel a whole lot better if you would put that little spray back in your purse before I get hurt again."

"Oh, of course," the woman nodded, shoving it away hurriedly before looking up at him again. "I'm Kat. Well, Katherine but only my mom calls me Katherine and it makes me feel like I'm trouble so I just go by Kat. Kat O'Donnell"

"Tommy," he replied with a curt nod. "Tommy Conlon."

"Nice to meet you, Tommy Conlon," Kat held out a hand with a smile.

Tommy just eyed her warily. She was like a smiling assassin this woman, and he couldn't be certain this nice act wasn't just another ploy to try and wound him with something else. Maybe she had a nail file concealed beneath her sleeve? Who knew? Given her obvious deranged mental state, Tommy decided it was better to just go along with her and he took the hand she offered somewhat hesitantly.

"Nice to meet you, too," he lied.

"Aw and you almost sounded like you meant that," she grinned. "Well, as lovely as this has been, I really should get going. Got an early shift in the morning and I'll be no good to anyone if I don't get some sleep. You know, I really am sorry again for, uh, spraying you in the face and accusing you of being a rapist."

"Well you never actually said that," Tommy frowned.

"No, but I was thinking it," she told him. "So, uh, are we ok? You know, I don't need to worry about you trying to press charges on me or anything?"

"It's all good," Tommy waved her off. "Just maybe next time take an Uber or something then you won't have to worry about carrying your little spray to fend off would be attackers."

"Ha, that's what you think," she snorted. "Do you know on average how many women are assaulted by Uber drivers?"

"Er no," Tommy muttered. "Although I feel like you're about to tell me."

"You're damn right I am," Kat nodded. "3500 women last year in just the US alone. So I'd sooner take my chances out on the street where I can spray someone and run away than be stuck in a vehicle and not be able to escape."

"Good to know," Tommy rolled his eyes. "Although I think I can safely speak on behalf of all males when I say that despite being the size of a small child, you're a fearsome foe that's for sure. Just a word of advice though next time? Try to only spray someone when you're certain they're actually trying to attack you, yeah? 'Cause the next guy might not be as forgiving as me about the whole situation."

"Duly noted," she smirked. "Well, see you around, Tommy Conlon."

Tommy watched her walk away and finally let out a chuckle. What an interesting night and what a lucky escape. He hoped the next man who had the misfortune to come across Kat O'Donnell was luckier than him.

… … …

Two nights later

Tommy took the stack of twenty dollar notes from the bartender without even bothering to count them. One thousand dollars just for knocking out a couple of guys who had no business being in the cage with him anyway. Tommy knew he was better than these random fights in dingy bar parking lots but they were easy money, and after Sparta he wasn't sure he wanted to do anything with quite the same level of media coverage again. He didn't like the invasion of privacy and all of the questions, nor did he enjoy the female attention that came with it. Sure, it was handy when he needed someone to bend over a bathroom sink and fuck the living daylights out of before sending them packing, but for someone reason the girls who frequented the bigger fights were all bunny boilers who wanted more than he could ever want to give.

Scowling to himself, Tommy grunted out a thanks when the busy bartender slammed a neat Jameson down in front of him and he nursed the drink while his eyes scoured the room. Seeing nothing of interest, he stared into the amber liquid in his glass and tried not to think about how much his shoulder was already hurting. Brendan had been offering to pay out for him to have some more surgery on it and all of the physiotherapy he needed, but Tommy didn't want to take any more of Brendan's money. The way he saw it, what Brendan earned at Sparta was to provide for his girls and Tommy would be damned if he took a penny from his nieces.

"You know, for a guy who just won a thousand dollars you look as glum as the man in my apartment building who just found his wife bonking the amazon delivery guy."

Tommy looked up with a scowl, ready to bite the head off of whoever had approached but his face immediately softened when he saw the person who had taken the bar stool next to his. He didn't know why exactly he found himself almost giddy at seeing her because he had spent the past two days listening to Brendan's teasing about his pint sized, deranged assailant and promising himself that if he ever saw her again he would make sure she knew that he took back his reassurance that he had forgiven her for pepper spraying him. But now, as he looked at the mischievous grin on her face, all of those previous thoughts just went right out of the window.

"You stalking me?" he couldn't help but grin back. "'Cause I tell you lady, you got exactly three seconds to disappear otherwise I'm gonna have to call for help."

"Hey, that's my line," Kat chuckled, her azure eyes twinkling playfully.

The bartender came to take her order, giving Tommy the opportunity to look at her without seeming too obvious. Even sitting down beside him she was so small and when his eyes slid down her gently curved body he noticed the skirt of her dress stopped halfway down her thighs, affording him a glimpse of shapely legs that somehow managed to look ridiculously long due to the high heeled shoes she wore. Her hair was down tonight, flowing down her back in waves and the front was braided into a sort of crown around her head, keeping it back from her face which was rosy and flushed. Apparently Tommy wasn't the only red blooded male who had noticed just what a looker she was because the bar man kept turning around to look at her as he poured the drinks she had ordered, and Tommy found himself growing not only pissed off but also weirdly jealous.

"So, you wanna explain why you look like someone just walked into your house and set fire to the place?" she turned back to him with a raised eyebrow. "You literally just punched ten tonnes out of that guy you were fighting and earned almost what I make in a month, yet you've barely even smiled about it."

"What do you want me to do?" he shrugged. "Jump about and whoop or something?"

"Well that's what I'd do," she replied.

"Good job I aint you then."

The bartender appeared again and set four glasses of white wine down in front of Kat, who immediately began to rifle around her purse for some money.

"I got these," Tommy handed a note over to the bartender, telling him to keep the change and making sure to eyeball him until he got the hint that Kat was off limits. Not that Tommy had any right to stop the bartender from trying to ask for her number or anything, but he didn't care. She could do better than a guy who undoubtedly flirted with all of his pretty patrons anyway. "These all for you?"

"Yeah," Kat answered, her face entirely serious and when Tommy pulled a face of thinly concealed disgust, she grinned. "Just kidding, you goof. I came with a few girls from work and it was my round. Although, I guess it's you they should say thank you to you for this one."

"No problem," Tommy tipped his drink towards her. "After all, I just won a thousand bucks right?"

"Right," Kat nodded. "So uh, I should get back to my friends."

But even after saying the words, Kat made no effort to move. She and Tommy just sat in silence, sipping at their drinks and glancing almost awkwardly at one another every few seconds until finally Kat spoke again.

"So, my friend, Stacey is a really big MMA fan and she was the one that dragged me here tonight. Her brother is in the marines and is a really big fan of yours apparently so she persuaded a few of us to come with her."

"Uh huh," Tommy nodded, suddenly looking very uncomfortable.

"She, uh, told me you were in the marines a couple of years ago."

"And?" Tommy asked, downing the rest of his drink and slamming the glass down on the bar.

"And nothing," Kat shrugged. "I was just making conversation. I mean, I didn't wanna be a rude bitch who just let you buy her and her friends a drink and then disappeared on you."

"No, if anyone's being rude it's me," Tommy sighed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I just… you know I do these things just for the money and the whole getting recognised thing makes me feel uncomfortable, you know. And as for the marines… well, that's kinda something I don't like to talk about."

"So we won't talk about it," Kat smiled genuinely. "But you know, I really should get back to the girls before they send out a search party or something. You think I'm dramatic when it comes to safety, you should meet my friend, Claire. She has these special straws to drink out of when we're out that turn blue if your drink's been spiked, and she makes us do trips to the bathroom in pairs. If I'm not back in a minute she'll be snatching the mic from the DJ to shout my name and that would just be awkward, so I better go and let her know I'm still alive."

"Sure thing," Tommy nodded, unable to dampen the spark of disappointment in his stomach. He realised he didn't want her to leave. He wanted to talk with her more and just act like a normal fucking human being because for some reason this woman, who he barely knew, was making him feel like one. "Maybe I could help you carry your drinks if you want?"

"Oh you don't have to do that," Kat waved him off. "I mean, just 'cause you paid for them doesn't mean you gotta play waiter as well."

"Nah, I don't mind honestly."

"Alright then," Kat smirked, standing up. "But it'll be your funeral because the second Stacey sees you, she'll be all over you like a fly on crap."

"I think I can handle it," Tommy smirked, thinking that it was worth just for a few more seconds with Kat.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Following Kat, the two of them manoeuvred their way through the crowds and Tommy allowed his gaze to wander down to the sway of Kat's hips in her tight dress and he felt himself hardening uncomfortably. Clenching his jaw, he forced his eyes up and onto her long hair while he made his mind think about something that wasn't her beneath him, moaning and panting while he fucked her hard. However, he was back to square one when she suddenly came to an abrupt stop in an attempt to save the two drinks in her hands as someone pushed past her, and Tommy found his crotch pressed right up against her pert ass which was just as jiggly as he'd imagined it to be.

"Sorry," she grimaced, throwing an apologetic look over her shoulder and Tommy nodded in relief when she chose not to comment on his erection prodding her in the back. Although he wasn't entirely sure he was relieved if truth be told. In fact, he was somewhat offended that had acted so indifferently to it.

Carrying on through the sweaty bodies littering the dance floor, Kat made a beeline for a table with three girls all sitting giggling over something and Tommy followed behind, waving awkwardly as he sat down the drinks and let Kat introduce him. Just as Kat had warned, Stacey, a blonde willowy girl, started to screech excitedly, flapping her hands around and whipping out of her phone for a picture before Tommy could even agree to or deny her request.

"So how on earth do you know our Kit Kat?" Stacey asked, once she'd finally stopped grilling Tommy on different moves and who he thought were going to be contenders for this year's Sparta. Actually he had to begrudgingly admit that, unlike many of the other supposed MMA female fans he had come across, she really did seem genuinely interested and had a vast knowledge of it all.

"I don't," he answered with a wry smile. "Well, not really. We kinda bumped into each other the other night and then again just before at the bar."

"You're being far too polite, Tommy," Kat snorted, taking a sip of her drink. "Remember I told you guys about the poor man I pepper sprayed the other night?"

"Shut the fuck up," Stacey clapped a hand over her mouth in horror while the other girls burst out laughing. "You pepper sprayed Tommy fucking Conlon?"

"Guilty," Kat grimaced. "But he lived to tell the tale so it's all good."

"You pepper sprayed Tommy Conlon," Stacey shook her head in disbelief. "Tommy fucking Conlon."

Tommy wished she would stop saying his name like he was some sort of God because it was really putting the creepers up him. He stood up abruptly as a strange feeling of panic crept over him and his palms began to sweat. The room began to sway and suddenly everything felt like it was closing in on him. He knew he was having a panic attack, and according to his shrink he needed to stop allowing his flight response to win and instead needed to fight his anxiety with the breathing and grounding techniques she had taught him. But he just couldn't do it. He needed to get out of there as quickly as possible before he embarrassed himself in front of Kat.

"I, uh, listen guys I gotta go," he said, throwing down a couple of twenty dollar notes on the table. "Have another couple on me, yeah?"

"Tommy, wait," Kat stood, putting a hand on his arm and eyeing him with a concerned frown. "Do you want me to come outside with you?"

"No, I just gotta go, ok," he shrugged her off. "Night Kat."

Kat tried to chase after Tommy. She had seen a panic attack before, had suffered with them herself back in her college days, and she didn't like the idea that he had just ran off when he clearly needed help. But the problem was that he was gone before she could even get anywhere near him. She sighed, looking up and down the street, folding her arms to try and stave off the chill in the air. There was just something about Tommy Conlon that was intriguing; and not to mention he was extremely good looking. Truthfully, lips like that are made for kissing and she wouldn't say no given half the chance. Well, she wouldn't have said no, but now she wouldn't even get the option because it was doubtful fate was going to send Tommy Conlon her for a third time. If only she could be so lucky. Her shoulders deflated as she turned to head back inside, and while she spent the rest of the evening laughing and joking with her friends, her mind couldn't stop wandering back to Tommy.

Maybe, just maybe, fate would smile upon her at another time.