A Pittsburgh Penguins Love Story

A Pittsburgh Penguins Love Story 27

"Hurry up, up, up, up, up. Hurry up, up, up, up, up, up, up," I sang again and again and again. It was fairly half heartedly by this point considering it had been at least an hour I'd been waiting. Sidney still refused to tell me where we were going for our, emphasis on the our, translation- the two of us, 2nd translation- his and mine, the both of us, not just his but my, anniversary. Oh, did I mention IT WAS ALSO MY ANNIVERSARY?! I just wanna know where we're going! "SIDNEY PATRICK CROSBY I SWEAR TO ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THIS WORLD IF YOU DO NOT TELL ME WHERE WE ARE GOING-"

"What? What are you gonna do Mal?" He smirked like the cocky asshole he is as he came not walking but prancing down the stairs. 

I slowly walked to him. As I was only inched away I lowered my voice to a menacing whisper, "I. Want. To. Go. To. The. Stupid. Surprise. NOW," I almost spat. 

Ok, so you think I'm being mean. Oh, Sidney's sooooooo nice, Sidney just wants to give you a surprise. You're being so terrible to this woooonderful man. 

You're wrong. He has been mocking me since the minute he got home. Oh, Mal do you think they'll- Oh, wait you don't know where we're going. Mal do you think traffic will be ba- Oh that's right you don't know where we're going. Do you think I'll need a jacke- Oh, yeah you don't know where we're going. If he says you don't know where we're going one more time I swear to all that is good in this world-

"Baby.. Don't be mad," he begged palms cupping me face. "I just love it when you're all frustrated. I promise you'll see where we're going in less than an hour."

"Whatever." And with that I walked out the door.

-11-3-11-

"I just.. I'm ready to go back." He'd been saying it. All the time. And I was never tired of hearing it. "I just wish someone would hit me!" Crazy as it was the words were a comfort. I was scared. I was always scared. We were so close to getting him back out there. So close. 

I was ready. The team was ready. The fans were ready. The organization was ready. But was he ready?

-11-21-11- Sidney's POV-

I felt it. The feeling I've waited so long to feel again. The momentum building. The increased senses. The energy from the crowd. All of it was mine again as I waited for the opening faceoff. 

2-9-11 Sidney's POV-

Neck injury. Words that a year and half ago would have scared the hell out of me. Words that now are hollow. Sometimes it feels like everything in my life is just that, hollow. Going on roadtrips with the team increased the feeling. Skating alone was hard. Watching the team skate together was harder. When I'm in Pittsburgh I can convince myself to enjoy being off to spend time with my love. On the road she's not here. I'm not here. 

At four years old I was a hockey player. By the age of eight I was considered a hockey prodigy. By twelve I was considered the biggest draft pick coming up in the NHL. By 17 I was the draft pick. By 21 I was a Stanley Cup winning hockey captain. Hockey defined me. That was who I was. Fans know me as that, teammates know me as that. I know me as that. Who am I now? I don't know. 

"Sidney.. Sid, your not listening are you?" I brought my attention back to the legs laying across my lap. I followed them to her face.

"Sorry.. Thinking," I said with a sheepish grin.

She looked into my eyes then looked away hiding whatever she was thinking. Sometimes I think this hurts her more than me. As hard as it is to believe her feelings for me are the same as mine for her. I can't imagine how she felt seeing whatever it is she did in my eyes sometimes. Your own pain hurts, the person you loves prolonged pain can tear you apart. I'd know, I see the look in her eyes every time she passes a happy family. 

Again she brought me out of my pained thoughts, "Sid, I said what color do you want the bedroom carpet?.. Your the one who wanted to rebuild a perfectly nice house and I'm the one getting stuck with the paint swatches!"

"Because your a giiirl. It's your job," whining like a child tended to make her give in easier. It's not that I didn't want to help, I just couldn't. This house decor stuff just went right over my head. If it was up to me the entire house would have tan walls with tan carpet. Easy and nice to me, boring and 'blek' to Mal. 

She sighed, "Sidney Patrick Crosby, this is not my house and I'm. Not. Your. Decorator!"

I had us flipped over with me straddling her waist and her pinned to the couch in three seconds flat. "What did you say?"

"I said it's your house!" She said confused with my reaction. 

"It's whose house?"

"Yours?"

I shook my head dissapointment, "And all my belongings are also..."

I received a sigh in response.

"Malana Addison."

"I'm not saying it because I do not agree."

"Say it."

"No."

I sighed and shifted my weight so there was slightly less on her, cupping her face I forced her to look me in the eyes, "And why may I ask do you not agree?"

"Because we're not married. We're dating. Your money and things are yours."

"Malana... I don't care if we're married. I love you more than anything in this world. Anything... Stop trying to look away from me.. Mal look at me.. If we were married my feelings for you would be exactly the same as they are now. Marriage is just a certificate saying your mine forever, your mine in every sense of the word, every textbook definition, every religious way. I love you. Frankly, it insults me when you say it's my house. The house is so much more than just a building to me. The house is where we will have our life. Where we'll make and live with our babies. Where they'll grow up. Where we'll grow old and happy together. It's our home. Now and forever, our home."

I stared into her eyes until she nodded, not saying a word. This was expected. The walls were still there sometimes. She still held back, but she was working on it, that's all that mattered. I lowered my lips to hers gently than pulled back and sat up pulling her with me so she was on my lap. 

"It's your turn to pick the movie."