ANCHOR DOWN (Pedro Pascal x OC)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Warnings: swearing, angst, mentions of domestic abuse.

Pedro's POV

Monday

Katie hadn't replied to any of my messages since Saturday morning and I felt rather uneasy about it. Not that I've never been ghosted, but to me it seemed disturbing in a really odd and unsettling way. Had she gotten sick? Maybe she'd had an accident and had to be hospitalized?

Oh dear, man, stop blowing smoke. It's like in that Hollywood movie where all the girls invent reasons why the guys don't text back and in the end it's one simple explanation:

they're just not into you...

Fuck.

I stood on my balcony after a long day of rehearsals, enjoying a glass of Whisky. Well, as much as I was able to enjoy it, because all I could think of was Katie.

Laying in bed that night, I couldn't find peace. I couldn't even say why it bothered me so much that she didn't text or call, or that I didn't see her around anymore, but it did. While I tried to remember the last time I felt so intrigued about a woman, my eyes finally fell shut.

Tuesday

My heart beating up to my chest and out of my collar, I entered the costume design department. Immediately, my eyes scanned every corner of the room in search of Katie, but I was disappointed quickly. Melissa came up to me with a frown on her face, checking the calendar in her hand.

"Hi, sorry, but do you have an appointment? You're not on my list for today." She half-smiled while I couldn't hide the embarrassment on my face for showing up there like a stalker.

"No, I was hoping to see Katie, actually," I replied, rubbing the back of my head.

Melissa sighed hardly noticeably, beckoning me closer. "Katie has called in sick. Hasn't been here so far this week. And to be honest, I'm worried."

Oh god, Melissa's last comment made my head hurt.

"Didn't she say why?" I asked, the headache becoming increasingly worse by clenching my teeth so hard.

Melissa just shook her head, visibly upset with Katie's behaviour. I quickly excused myself and returned to my dressing room, slumping down on the old armchair. I knew I needed to do something.

Later that day

All I could think of was what had happened to Katie, wondering whether she was alright. Therefore I made the decision to go over to her apartment. I needed to see her. Luckily, I knew where she lived because I had walked her home the other night- otherwise I'd feel pretty creepy. On my way there I fetched a small bouquet of flowers, nothing too obvious in terms of my concern of her wellbeing.

I knocked on the door of her flat, pulse racing at a million miles per hour. Frankly, I had been hurrying over to her place, but something inside me was certain that wasn't the only reason for my nervousness.

After knocking twice, I heard footsteps inside the flat. She must've been home.

"Katie, it's me, Pedro," I spoke against the door, honestly hoping she would open up.

"What do you want?" Her barked reply made me suddenly nauseous, not having expected any further obstacles.

"Just talk." The wasn't any other, more clever answer I could come up with in the heat of the moment, but screw it. I heard her turn the key inside the lock. Well done, Pedro.

Katie opened the door slowly. My eyes scanned her appearance from bottom to top, and when they reached her face I was speechless. I probably stood there with my mouth open.

She looked damaged. Although she was wearing a cardigan, shadows of dark purple and red bruises were covering her arms and her eyes were red and puffy. Fucking hell.

Regular POV

Katie bit her cheek. She was feeling exposed, despite the fact she was halfway hiding behind the door. She didn't want him to see her like this. No one should see her like this.

"Look, Pedro, I appreciate you coming over, but I think you should go," she sighed, already regretting giving in to his attempts to talk to her. The flowers in his hand caught her attention and for a split second a hint of warmth was covering her broken heart.

When she looked back into his eyes, they were full of worry, hurt, fear. Pedro was obviously struggling to find the right words.

"I'd really like to spend time with you, just to talk. I promise I won't ask about... well, it, you tell me when you're ready. These are for you." He handed her the flowers, smiling an adorable smile before turning and heading for the elevator. Katie held her breath and counted to ten, in order to check if the urge of having him around would disappear, but it didn't.

"Pedro!" She called after him, and he instantly turned to face her, "come on in."

They sat together for hours. Without them noticing, time flew by until it was already 2am. Neither of them could master the strength to call it a night, with conversations so deep and meaningful they could by no means be interrupted. Katie felt much more comfortable in his presence again, despite the scenery she had seen a couple of days ago.

When Pedro eventually slipped into his jacket, ready to leave, Katie gathered the confidence to ask him about it.

"Can I ask you something?" She began, sheepishly, as if to start a random conversation. Pedro smiled.

"After tonight, you're allowed to ask me anything."

Katie smiled at his reply and took a deep breath. "Y'know, on Saturday, the day after our... whatever it was, I saw you getting quite intimate with a woman in a café downtown and I was wondering if..."

Pedro instantly understood what she was implying and took a step towards Katie, a soft smile playing on his features.

Cautiously, he lifted his hand and placed it on her cheek. "That was my good friend from Chile, Maria. I haven't seen her in ages and now she's in town with her husband and kids, they let her spend the day with me so we can catch up. So don't worry," he made a small pause, brushing his thumb over her sensitive, soft skin, "I'm interested in you."

Pedro pressed a gentle kiss on the spot on Katie's cheek where his hand had been a few seconds ago, while Katie was unable to speak.

"Good night, Katie. I'll see you around."

All she managed to do was show him a lopsided smile and wave her hand.

With him gone and the door closed, Katie needed to sit down. She couldn't quite believe he was still interested in her, despite the black eye and the obviously violent ex-boyfriend.

Pedro had been a true friend to her in need and although Katie knew for sure that she was far from ready to be ever intimate with a man again, she was already missing his presence. She would need to take things slow this time. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.