Katie jolts awake, her heart beating hard in her ears, her body sweating and her chest heaving. She grips the plaid sheets spread out across the bed, tears in her eyes. She exhales a sharp breath as she runs a hand over her face. She looks to her left and swallows hard.

Riley stirs slightly, humming quietly then relaxes, falling back into his slumber. Kate slides out of bed and grabs her phone, shakily calling Morgan.

"Hel- Hello?" He mumbles out, rubbing his eyes as he leans up on his elbow. "Katie?"

"Morgan." She whimpers back, her heart still racing. "I'm sorry I'm callin' you so late but- but I just- I had a nightmare."

Why is she calling him? She has Riley in bed next to her but she decided to call her ex.

"You okay?" He asks, his voice still thick with sleep.

"I just need- I dunno. I just need to..." She doesn't need to finish her sentence. He knows exactly what she needs. They dated for years and this happened all the time, he just talked her down and grounded her from an incoming panic attack.

He starts asking her random things to keep her mind at bay and it works. He smiles when she laughs at one of his questions.

Riley stumbles his way to the kitchen where he sees her sitting on the counter, her phone against her ear and a glass of water in her hand. He listens to her flirt with the person she's talking to and he feels anger bubble in his chest.

"What're your doin' up?" He asks, startling her.

Kate immediately hangs up and drops her phone. "I had a bad dream." She tells him, crossing her legs. "Why're you up?"

"'Cause you are." He shrugs back, standing in front of her with his hands on her knees. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I just got off the phone with Taylor."

"Oh." He thought she was talking to a guy. He thought she was talking to Morgan. He saw the pictures of them leaving his album release party together and he's suspicious. "You comin' back to bed?"

"Yeah. I got a meetin' at eight in the mornin'."

"With who?"

"My boss." Kate's nervous for it. The way she had told her about the meeting made her stressed. She hops off the counter and starts down the hallway. "You comin'?"

+++

"What? Fired!?"

"You slept with one of the guys you're managing." Renee states. "That's not allowed. We have a strict rule here about office romances."

"You- you're firin' me because of a rumor!?"

Renee sighs. "Listen, Kaitlyn," She leans forward and folds her hands together on her expensive wood desk. "Everyone loved having you here but you can't sleep with your coworkers."

"I- I didn't!" Renee gives her a look that has her blushing hard. "You can't let me go because of that. Please-"

"I'm sorry. Collect your things and be out by the end of the day."

Kate stands, forcing tears back. She lets a couple fall when she closes the door, her head down.

"Hey Katie!" Morgan calls cheerfully. "What's goin' on?" She lifts her head and his smile immediately drops. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, you know." She waves him off, trying to slip past him but he steps in her way. "Move."

"What's wrong?"

"I just got fired."

"What the hell? What for!? They can't let you go! You're the best manager here!"

"Morgan, keep your voice down." She sniffles. "I got fired for sleepin' with a co worker. If I was you, I'd keep your head down for a while. You might be next." She pushes past him to the elevator.

She jumps when a hand is shoved between the door. "What're you doin'?"

"You are not bein' fired because of me." Morgan says, keeping the door open. "That ain't fair."

"What's done is done." She whispers. "I gotta get my shit." He steps back and lets the doors close.

He hangs his head, feeling incredibly guilty. It's all his fault. There has to be something he can do to either get her to keep her job at Big Loud or get her a kick ass job somewhere else in Nashville.

He swallows hard as he quickly makes his way to the lounge Michael is waiting for him in.

+++

"Y'all have a good night." Kate smiles, picking up the check.

She's given up on finding another job in Music Row and moved back to waitressing. She's kicking ass at it, the tips are great but it isn't what she dedicated four years of her life to.

Waitress after managing some of the biggest rising stars in country music is such a slap in the face, kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit on your neck type thing. She's really struggling with it.

Riley's been a big help. He asked her to move back to Alabama with him to get a fresh start, away from the unpleasant Tennessee memories.

She's been seriously considering it.

She pockets her tip then grabs her pack of cigarettes from her purse for her smoke break. She dips into the back alley and sits on the step, her head in her hands.

She misses the guys. She misses the energy. She misses the job. She misses the building. She even misses her fucking parking spot right in between Morgan and Michael.

It's decided.

She's moving to Alabama with Riley and she's going to tell him when she goes to his house after work.

She flicks her cigarette butt away then heads back inside to wash her hands before returning to her tables.

+++

"Is that everythin'?" Katie asks, looking at the U-Haul full of their stuff.

"Yes ma'am." Riley confirms, pulling the back door down. "You ready to hit the road?"

"Can I swing by Big Loud first? I wanna tell the guys goodbye."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

He takes a deep breath and nods. "Okay." He watches her climb into her Chevy. "I'll see you at the house then."

"Sounds good." She waves to him then starts the drive to Music Row, her heart thumping in her chest.

She parks out front and drops a quarter in the meter before heading inside. She gets signed in with a visitor sticker then heads down the hall to Michael's lounge. She knocks.

"Yeah?"

She opens the door. "Hey."

Michael looks up from his laptop and smiles. "Hey! What're you doin' back here?"

"I just wanted to tell you goodbye."

"Goodbye? Where you goin'? You okay?"

"I'm movin' to Jacksonville with Riley."

"When?"

"Right now. When I leave here, I'm headed there." She has a sad smile on her face. "Is Morgan here?"

"He actually just left for lunch."

"Oh. Can you tell him bye for me?"

"You don't wanna wait for him? He'll be right back. He's just swingin' through a drive thru."

"I really should be gettin' on the road."

He stands and wraps her in a hug. "You better keep in contact, Ms. Kate Hurst."

"I will, I promise." She hugs him back. "Tell him sorry for me."

"Will do."

She has tears in her eyes as she pulls away. "I gotta go." Michael wishes her luck then she's leaves him, walking back out to her SUV.

When she pulls out of her spot, she sees Morgan rolling into the parking lot and her heart leaps into her throat.

It's too late now.

She's leaving.

Again.

+++

Morgan's heartbroken.

Michael just told him what Katie wanted and that she was leaving and it takes everything in him to not cry. He was about to tell her he loves her but now he can't.

He can't?

He has to.

She loves him too, he knows it.

He takes a deep breath in and clears his throat. He needs to be with her. She needs to be with him. They both know that Riley isn't the one for her. She just doesn't want to admit it.

Katie left him again.

If he just told her how he felt she'd still be here. She'd still be with him. She'd still be in Nashville. She'd still be in Tennessee.

He grabs his phone and calls her, swearing when he gets her voicemail. He grits his teeth and runs a hand over his mouth, so many thoughts running through his head.

He needs her.

"I- I don't know what to do, man. I can't just go look for her. I don't know where she's goin. The fuckin' wind took her and got me hangin' on a goddamn limb." He chokes back a sob, his bottom lip trembling. "She can't go. Not again."

"Go down to Alabama and bring her home." Michael says. "Go get her, man."

He also knows that Kate belongs here with Morgan. Their chemistry is undeniable. Sure, they've been through some rough, toxic stuff but they work it out. It's obvious that they're supposed to be together.

Morgan isn't Morgan without Katie.

Kate isn't Kate without Morgan.

"She's gotta know how I feel."

"Then go tell her."

"I will." He nods. "I gotta."