Ch. 9

Sam's POV

After getting out of the shower, I stand in my closet wondering what I should wear tonight. Marc said it would be casual, probably knowing I'm not into the big fancy scene too much. I grab a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, a plaid button up and a pair of converse before taking it out to my bed and tossing it there. I take my hair out of the towel it was in before, drying it a little, just enough to get all the drops of water off of it. I head into the bathroom and apply light make up, basically a little blush and a little mascara before flipping my hair to one side, braiding it loosely so it falls over one shoulder, strands hanging down around my face. I throw my clothes on quickly before heading downstairs.

I come down the stairs with enough energy and excitement that I catch Sid's eye, who is in the kitchen making himself something to eat. He looks up at me, probably wondering what I'm up to. I walk through the kitchen toward the refrigerator to grab a water, him watching me the entire way.

"What are you doing?" he finally asks.

"I'm going out with a friend," I answer as I hear a car pull up in the drive way.

"Are you gonna be late?" he calls after me as I grab my purse and make my way to the door.

"I don't know," I reply with a smile before disappearing into the night.

Sid's POV

She practically comes bouncing down the stairs, and I know that that can only mean she's up to no good. I watch as she walks toward me, not saying anything. I almost think she's still holding a grudge from last night, but she gives me her normal danger-filled smile, so I know we are far past that.

After she says she's going out with a friend and exits the room, I peak my head around the corner and can't help but feel hurt at what I see. Marc's car, parked in my driveway. Lovely. I watch from afar through the front window, watching as she pulls him into a hug and then into a quick kiss, making my heart sink a little. I stand where I am, completely shocked. I watch as she laughs, her face brightening and making me wish I was the one that was causing that, not him.

Suddenly loosing my appetite and needing to get out of the house, I slip my shoes on before heading out the back door, needing to clear my mind but needing to stay clear of them too.

I head down the path I've created in the wooded area behind my house by running it millions of mornings in a row. Normally, I would set out at a good even pace, wanting my body to wake up in a sense before going to practice. Not this time. No, this time, I head off at a dead sprint, loving the way all I can think about now is the way my blood is pumping through my veins, adrenaline having taken over a good distance ago. I start to feel the burning in my chest that tells me I'm pushing myself to my limits, but yet all it makes me do is run faster, try harder and to push back.

I've taken a morning run every morning for as long as I can remember. My parents insisted that the early bird gets the worm while I was growing up, and it's just been habit to wake up early since. Most of the time, these little runs are peaceful, a good chance for me to clear my mind. Not tonight.

When it feels like my lungs are going to explode they are burning so hard, I finally come to a stop, bending over and resting my hands on my knees, letting my head hang. Adrenaline comes halting to a stop, making visions of earlier flash back into my memory. No, tonight in general is going to be anything but peaceful.

I start walking back toward my house, realizing that I didn't even notice I ran by where I normally stop and turn around. The long walk back gives me plenty of time to think, something I am completely dreading right now. If there is one thing I wish I could avoid right now, it would definitely be thinking in general.

I never believed in the phrase you don't know what you have until it's gone until now, which is ironic because technically she was never mine in the first place, but damn it, she should have been.

I always told myself that I would worry about settling down after the Cup, but that time came a long time ago, and I still find myself alone. It's not that I didn't meet an enormous amount of equally wonderful women in that time frame, but I already had mapped out the perfect woman for me in my mind, I just hadn't realized it yet. Sam.

I had already decided she was what I wanted. That's why none of the girls ever summed up to what I wanted, no needed them to be. She's irreplaceable.

It makes sense now, all of it does. A lot of people say you end up marrying your best friend when you grow up. When we were little and she would tag along, it never bothered me like it would have a large number of other boys. She was one of us, so to speak. I looked out for her, and she confided in me in return. I always thought I was just looking out for her, watching her back, but oh, was I wrong. I wasn't protecting her for her own sake, I was subconsciously protecting her for mine, not wanting anybody else to have her, but not laying claim to her either.

All of my idiotic mistakes set aside leave me where I am tonight, walking into an empty house with no one there to greet me while the woman I care deeply for is out with another man, my own teammate of all people. Sighing as I enter my house, I go straight for the liquor cabinet and grab the JD, after all, it could be a damn long night.

Ch. 8

Okay, this is totally my favorite story right now, I don't know why. I've got massive crazy ideas for it though. :-) Heard about Sykie and his foot.. I hope the Pens keep him around next year! I <3 him almost as much as Geno.. Almost

Sam's POV

We stand on his porch, waving goodbye to his parents with smiles on our faces, but the instant the door closes behind us, the intensity picks up almost immediately. Knowing I'm going to catch him off guard, I ball my hand into a fist and hit him directly in the stomach.

"What the hell, Sam?! he shrieks, holding my hand in his larger one to stop me from doing it again.

"What the hell was that about?!" I yell back. He walks into the kitchen, getting a trash bag and starting to clean up like you normally have to after having a party.

"That was us, enjoying a quiet night with my parents," he says in a sarcastic tone.

"You know that's not what I was referring to," I scowl back at him.

"Then what were you referring to? You and Marc?" He rebutes, enough anger seeping out of his eyes that it scares me, just momenarily, but if anybody knows how good Sid is at controlling his emotions, it's me. Probably because I'm always the one pushing his limits of sanity...

"Are you serious right now?" I reply, cocking my head to the side. "This is really about him?" I add while walking closer to him even when he backs away until he doesn't have anymore room behind him, and he is stuck to face me.

"I told you to leave him alone," he answers in a voice barely above a whisper while shaking his head, and for the first time tonight I see a softness to his gaze, and not in the brotherly way it normally appears, but he quickly covers that up by averting his eyes from mine.

I can see how he's holding something back, like he has reasons as to why I shouldn't mess with Marc, but I also know that he is stubborn and wouldn't tell me even if I asked. But then again, sometimes I am just as stubborn as he is, so I do it anyways.

"You've never given me any reasons," I say while walking over toward him, taking the trash bag out of his hands and making him look at me. He never has been a good liar, so I know if I can just get him to look me in the eyes I might find the answer I was hoping for. When he just stands there I continue. "Why can't I see Marc?" I ask while taking a couple more steps toward him until our faces are mere inches away for each others, close enough that I can hear his steady breathing and I know he must hear mine increase.

Sid's POV

'Because you deserve the best.'

'Because I don't want him to have you.'

'Because I could treat you better.'

'Because I want you for myself.'

"I'm just trying to look out for you, like I promised you're parents I would." Now is my chance to tell her the truth, and that's what I come up with despite all the thoughts roaming through my mind..? WFT.. I shrug my shoulders, acting as if it's no big deal, but I can see the look on her face and I know she doesn't fully believe me.

"Look out for me from what, exactly?" she presses on, taking another step toward me and turning her head to the side, a questioning look on her face that means she is definitely up to no good. It's then that I realize how close she is to me. Damn she's pretty... She smells good too, and she's way to little and petite to be threatening me the way she is. Wait, what am I, in high school or something? "Protect me from what, Sidney?" she asks when I don't respond, taking another step toward me until I find myself backing away, trying to put space between us. She's using my full name, that just proves how serious she's being. "What's Marc looking for?" she presses on. "A fuck buddy? An easy lay?"

I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out so I just shake my head and shrug my shoulders and give her the 'I don't know..' look and hope thats enough.

"Well?" she asks again, shifting her weight to one leg and putting her hands on her hips in an 'I'm waiting..' pose.

"I don't know what he wants," I finally answer. She looks at me, pondering over the answer I just gave her, but I know she's not done with me yet.

"Then why can't I see him?" she asks, once again stepping closer to me, challenging me to tell her the truth.

'Because I can't stand to see the way you act around him.'

'Because it drives me crazy to watch him put his hands on you.'

'Because I wish I had the balls to put my hands on you..'

"I'm just trying to look out for you, Sam. That's it," I answer while looking down at her, into her eyes and I know that she can tell that I'm not telling the truth, so I put my hand on her shoulder in a friendly way before walking out of the room.

Sam's POV

Damn it.

I stand in the kitchen by myself, feeling a lot more alone than I probably should. I was so close to him telling me the truth, whatever that is. I thought if I kept badgering him, he would give in just like he use to, but it appears as if over time he's actually gotten a better hold on his emotions. Damn the luck, I suppose..

I do know he is hiding something from me though. Maybe he just can't throw Marc under a bus like that, maybe he really is a womanizer or something.

Or, maybe he is just trying to control me like everybody else does. Yes, that's it. The whole captain thing must have went to his head, making him think he can control anybody and everybody now days.

I shake my head, not believing how gullible I've turned out to be and reach in my pocket for my phone, quickly pulling it out and going through my contacts list for the one person I know I shouldn't be calling, but yet hoping he's awake anyways.

He picks up, his cute little accent and voice more rugged than normal from the pull of sleep I suppose, putting a smile on my face immediately.

"Marc," I begin in my best sultry voice, "what are you doing tomorrow night?"

Ch. 7

Sid's POV

I continue to watch the two of them throughout the night, a certain amount of uneasiness being my main emotion, something I've never felt before, not even on the ice. I sit there, wondering what Marc even wants with her. He is nearly 10 years older than her. And yes, she is beautiful. I know a lot of guys don't look at her and still go unwanting, that would be a lie. Everyone knows how gorgeous she is. Well, except for maybe Sam herself. But then again, there is something about the way she can always get what she wants that makes me wonder if maybe she does, and she's just a good sport about it, until she's using it against men that is. And she can get whatever she wants and she knows it, she always has been able to.

And then that has me thinking, why does she want Marc? She could have any eligible guy out on the street, someone much younger, more her age.


Unless she's after money..? No, I shouldn't even think like that. I get a bigger paycheck than him, and she's never once came onto me.


Unless I missed it..? The guys are always telling me I'm slow on all issues that have girls involved. No, we're friends. She would never hit on me, I don't know why I'm even thinking about that anyways, it's never going to happen.


I see my front door opening, glad to see my parents making their way in because I desperately need a change of subject in my thoughts. I also see Marc getting up and heading for the door, but not before he pulls Sam into a tight hug and she lightly presses her lips to his cheek before he turns to leave as soon as I slip through the sliding glass door.


"What was that about?" I ask while nodding my head toward Marc's lingering form.


"He wanted to wish me happy birthday," she replies in a harsh tone before scowling at me. "Last time I checked, it's perfectly legal for friends to wish friends to have a nice night."


"Sam!" My mom exclaims, thankfully taking Sam's icy glare off of me as she walks toward them.

"Mr. and Mrs. C," she greets while pulling them both into a tight hug. "It's been too long."

"We haven't seen you in forever. Look at you," my dad says while shaking his head, "all grown up." She puts her hands on her hips and poses like a model before they all laugh.

I've never seen my dad like that with anybody before, especially girls. Especially girls I spend a lot of time with, never mind live with. He's always had a soft spot for Sam though, even when we were growing up. He always wanted me to date her when we were little, but I would always just laugh it off. I look at her now, smiling and joking it up with my parents, and I can't help but wonder if I was wrong..

Sam's POV

Eventually everyone else goes home, leaving just me, Sid, and his parents alone sitting in his living room. I love his parents to death, always have, and I know that they are both very fond of me, but even though I haven't seen them in ages, I can't give them my full attention during this visit of theirs. He sits on the couch by his mom, and I curl up on my side of the love seat with his dad on the other half, and we just stare at each other. It's been happening ever since every one has left. We stare, waiting for the other to give in until one of his parents say something, bringing the game to an end.

I don't know what's up with him tonight. He's tense, rigid in all of his motions, unusually quiet. Yes, he those things normally, but tonight it's worse, done to a much bigger degree.

We are like fire and ice, so completely opposite, but compliment each other all the same. It's as if the craziest things he can come up with in his head he can assume I'm going to do, and I can assume that anything safe and responsible is calling his name. He can talk me out of doing most of the idiotic things that come into my mind, and sometimes, just sometimes I can make him take a jump into the deep end, just do something spontaneous.

And this all brings us back to this moment, sitting across from each other speechless, waiting for the other to blink first, to give in.

"So are you keeping him out of trouble?" his dad asks while slapping my knee, bringing me out of my trance and my eyes off of Sid's for the first time in what seems like forever. Luckily, both his parents haven't picked up on my uneasiness or his hostility.

"I don't know that that's even possible," I say while shifting my gaze back to Sid's, a smile on my face so his parents think I'm joking, but a look in my eyes that's telling him I'm serious.

"I don't know what you're talking about dad," he says with a laugh. "She's the one that always seems to be playing with fire," he adds while looking back over at me and using the metaphor we use to describe our friendship, zeroing his intense gaze back on me that sends a shudder down my spine.

Ch. 6

Sam's POV

A small amount of people mingle in Sid's living room, the rest of the group to show up later I'm sure. I can't imagine too many people passing up the opportunity to hang at his house..

We sit and watch from the kitchen, myself perched on a bar stool and him leaning against the corner of the bar so that we are perpendicular to each other.

"My parents are in town," he says, breaking the silence we had fallen into. "They said they wanted to stop by some time tonight and see you.

"Awesome, I haven't seen them in forever," I reply. He just nods his head, so I feel the need to continue. "So, is this how birthday celebrations go down in Pittsburgh?" I ask. I've seen the looks some of his older teammates have been giving us, and I know that it makes him just as uncomfortable as it has been me.

"It is," he adds while a small nod of his head, a smile creeping onto his face before he raises his beer to his mouth, taking a drink. I reach for one of the unopened bottles sitting across from me in ice, but his hand meets mine there.

"20," he reminds me while putting my hand back down on the table. "Not 21."

"Oh, you're no fun," I pout while sticking my tongue out at him, which just makes him roll his eyes and chuckle before walking toward the sliding glass door that leads outside and sitting down in a chair on the deck with some people I've never met before.

Marc's POV

I timidly make my way into Sid's house, finding it mostly empty and a majority of the people out on the back deck, but not her. She's sitting on the couch in front of Sid's huge TV, playstation controller in her hand, completely consumed by some game.

"Why aren't you with everybody else?" I ask while sitting down next to her.

"Birthday present," she says while nodding her head to the TV, indicating the game. "Had to try it out," she continues while throwing a smirk my way, then turning her attention back to the game. Sometimes it amazes me how much she gets into stuff like this. She's every man's dream I suppose.. "I'm glad you came."

"Yeah?" I ask, glancing outside to see if Sid is anywhere in view and finding him starring at me.

"Mhmm," she responds. "Wanna play?" she asks while hitting pause and reaching for the second controller that was down on the ground. I wonder if she realizes how many ways that term can be interpreted, but when I hear a small snicker come from her lips, I know she definitely does, which absolutely drives me crazy.

Sid's POV

I sit on the deck, sitting in a chair conveniently facing the glass window so I can watch the two of them. Part of me wants to stand up and march in there and break up their moment. But then I think about it, and I know that she is old enough to make her own decisions, and I'm going to have to let it go. I've warned her... that's all I can do. For now, at least..

She suddenly jumps up, bouncing up and down and throwing her hands in the air in a victory dance I suppose, and I can't help but think how adorable it is.

Wait.. what?

Shaking my head, I clear it of all the previous thoughts that had been floating through it. It's Sam. Good ol' Sam, the innocent Sam from down the road, but also the Sam that has been inconveniently depriving me of a good sleep as she plagues my dreams, something I've been trying to over look for couple of days now, but somehow I always seem to get back to the same thoughts. Like how young she looks when she first wakes up, her hair still touseled from the night before, how innocent she looks when she sleeps, and how tempting she looks when she's out to impress. Damn it, I did it again..

But then, I see her sit back down, resting her hand on his thigh. It's not much, but nevertheless it still has my skin crawling. I'm not sure why, because I know Marc is a good guy, I know he would take care of her, but even though I know that, I can't seem to make my mind comprehend it.

Ch. 5

Okay, there are far more people pulling for Marc than I anticipated. :-S Haha, just didn't expect to see that one.. Where are all my Sid lovers?? lol But just to add a little more suspense, I've already decided who she's gonna choose. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcG4beiKorM&feature=related Just found this video, I found it pretty funny. It's old, I know.. I do think Sid is in denial though.. He does have a dark side on the ice. I know I've seen him use some choice words on frequent ocassions. But who am I kidding, we love him for it. Love to see him smiling in an interview as well. :-) haha

Sam's POV

I sit back and watch practice, loving how sitting here has me thinking about when I was younger and did this all the time. Practice ends, and I look down at the ice watching the guys when I notice Sid is gone. I take a closer look, thinking that maybe I just over looked him, but no he is indeed gone, which could mean trouble. I continue to watch the guys mess around, some of them disappearing toward the locker room when I see him standing there, an extra pair of skates in his hand

"Still remember how?" he asks with a smirk.


"Of course," I reply while standing up, the same smile reflected on my face.


"Well come on then," he says while waving his arm, telling me to come join them. I walk over to the railing, jumping over it easily and landing down by him on the walkway. "Okay," he says with a laugh, "that wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

"It worked," I reply with a shrug while tip toeing out of my sneakers and reaching for the skates. He gives them to me and then quickly makes his way to the ice. I make my way to the bench, putting the skates on in lightning speed before hopping over the boards and realizing how much I'd missed this. All the guys look at me as if I'd just done something spectacular, and I just shake my head. It figures that they don't expect someone like me to like playing hockey, but I'd been doing it for fun since I was little. It was practically the only way I could hang out with my brother since it always seemed like he was playing.


I skate by Sid, grabbing his stick out of his hands. I mess around with the puck in front of me when I notice Marc is in the goal crease, but he isn't paying attention at all.

Sid's POV

I skate back over to the bench and get another stick, going back over to where she is and taking the puck from her easily.

"You're a little rusty," I add while skating a little circle around her, picking the puck up and handling it in the air a little.

"It's not my fault," she says while trying to get the puck back, but failing miserably. "Somebody always made me play goalie," she adds while placing her hands on her hips.

"Come on Sid, that wasn't very nice," Jordan adds while skating past us.

"No, it's alright," she yells toward him. "I'm the reason he's so good," she directs toward me before flashing her normal smile and taking the puck back from me and skating off right as I'm called from somewhere down the hallway, wanted to do an interview of some kind I'm sure, so I leave as I see Marc begin to talk to her.

Marc's POV

She hops onto the ice with ease, not timid at all. I know she's Canadian, but not everyone knows how to skate, and with the way she's moving and spinning, I have no doubt she's been doing it since she was little. She grabs Sid's stick and starts messing with the puck. She's no where near extraordinary at it, but she does have some moves of her own.

Sid finally leaves, everybody else sort of filing off the ice one at a time until it's just me and her. She skates over to my end of the ice and comes to a stop out in front of me.

"Come on," I say while grabbing for my helmet. "Give me your best shot."

A broad smile crosses her face before she pushes the puck out in front of her, shooting it with more force that I thought her small frame could muster, but right toward my glove side which I snag easily. I toss it out in front of me, showing she'd have to try again. She comes skating up to me, flinging ice on me while grabbing the puck and laughing while she skates away.

Normally, I would do as Sid says because not only is he my friend, he's the captain. I like it in Pittsburgh and I know that messing with him is the basically the easiest way to get a first class ticket out of here, but for some reason I can't seem to ignore her like I know I should, and as she turns back around and gives me a stare that probably means more than it should, I think she knows exactly how hard of a time I'm having trying to respect boundaries.

Sam's POV

I stare at him, wondering if he's thinking what I'm thinking or if I'm just reading into a simple stare too much. I've never been like this around anyone before, especially guys. Normally, people skills is not something I have a problem with, but for some reason every time I'm around him I'm at a loss of words, which is also something that doesn't happen often. Everybody I know would describe me as quite the chatterbox, or maybe even your typical smartass, which I must admit is true most of the time. I love getting the last word in on most situations. Not in a rude way, in a playful way, which is why I think I get along with a majority of the people I meet. But for some reason, anytime I'm around Marc, I find myself unusually quiet, which I find odd since we haven't even talked that much, but just for some reason anytime I even see him starring at me from across a room, I'm brainwashed and not thinking coherent thoughts.

Shaking my head, I think back to every lesson I'd ever learned about shooting a puck and I rear back and let it go, sending the puck flying at Marc and successfully into the back of the net on my second attempt. I shake my head at his effort level as I skate toward him. He takes his mask off and he has a guilty smile plastered on his face.

"You let that go in," I say while shaking my head at him, and even though I'm slightly mad, I still find myself smiling.

"Yeah," he admits bluntly, his signature jaw dropping smile crossing his face before putting his arm on my shoulder and directing me off the ice.

Ch. 4

Sam's POV

I slide into my new car, waiting patiently for him to get in. He gets in at a slow pace that drives me crazy before tossing me the keys which makes a smile spread across my face. I put the key in the ignition, turning it to start the car, and I know my smile gets ever bigger at the sound of the car coming to life, practically purring and asking to be taken down the road at breakneck speeds.


"You are such a guy," he says with a laugh while shaking his head at me.


"Oh you like it.." I tease while throwing the car into reverse. I get on the main road, and I love how just the slightest touch of my foot on the gas pedal has the motor revving. 'You gotta love muscle cars..' I think to myself. Knowing Sid would flip if I peeled out in front of his drive way, I take it a slow pace, a responsible pace. The speed can come later when my baby sitter isn't with me..


I know I probably shouldn't say it like that, but it's the way it feels sometimes. And I also know that a million other girls would pay a crapload of money, maybe even an arm or leg, literally, for him to babysit them or be sitting next to them in their new car like he is mine now, so I know I shouldn't be complaining, but he's just Sid to me, not the hockey hunk that has been stealing teenage girls hearts from all over the world since the age of18.

"Hey Danica," he says, breaking me out of my trance, "slow down, you have to be going at least 20 over the speed limit." I rev the engine a little bit more and he just looks over at me. "Millions of people in Pittsburgh would be pissed if you killed me, so slow down so you don't have an angry mob of hockey fans after you," he jokes while shaking his head, something he's been doing a lot toward me lately. Normally, a comment like that would come off cocky, but him and I both know he's had the town of Pittsburgh eating out of the palm of his hand for a while now..


"You're not as indispensable as you think," I say while smirking, and then laughing as he whips his head back toward me because of my comment. "Yeah, I said it," I add while he glares at me. "You've already brought the cup back to the Burgh, twice actually. Not to mention your bad knees, who really knows how much magic they've still got in them," I say while reaching over and tapping his leg that is closest to me. He slaps my hand away playfully, turning his attention back out his window but I can tell he is smiling.

"Just drive smartass," he commands with a smirk of his own, and I do so willingly, because I love this car.

Marc's POV

I'm about to make my way into the arena when I see a car I've never seen before pulling into the parking lot. A nice car, a car I wouldn't mind having myself one day. They drive by me, and it's then that I see Sam driving. A woman that can appreciate a classic car like that..? Now that's hot. No, it's one better, it's damn sexy.

She gets out of the car, smiling like crazy. It's then that I see him getting out of the car as well, which makes me a little bit aggravated. He said that she was off limits to he whole team, himself included, but I can't help but notice how close they've been getting, especially now as he's waiting for her to catch up to him to walk into the arena. Her eyes scan the parking lot, finally catching my gaze.

"Hey Marc," she greets with a smile, but I can only give her a short glimpse before I go back to looking at Sid, trying to pick up on his mood. He knows I want a shot with her, but I can also tell that he wants his too, so to say that there has been some tension in our friendship over the past couple of weeks would be an understatement. "Looking at my baby?" she asks excitedly. I stand dead in my tracks. Did she just refer to Sid as her baby? Then I let my gaze come back into focus, and I can see her car behind him. I let go a sigh of relief as shes already making her way over to her car, waiting patiently for me to take a look.

Sid stares me down, trying to make me remember all the things he's told me before heading off toward the arena.

"It's pretty bad ass, I'm not going to lie," I offer with a smile, loving how excited she is. "Birthday present?" I ask, to which she just nods her head. Then it occurs to me, he probably got it for her. "From him?" I ask, not being able to say his name out loud. Luckily for me, she doesn't pick up on my hostility.

"And my parents," she adds while walking off toward the arena. She turns around to look at me, and it's then that I realize that she's waiting for me, so I follow her diligently. "Are you coming tonight?" she asks, breaking the silence we had fallen into.

"To Sid's?" I ask, even though I know that that is probably what she is referring to. She nods her head, prompting me to answer the question. "I don't know.." I say with a shrug.

"You should. It will be a good time," she says while throwing me a smile before opening the door and walking away.

Sid's POV

I see him standing there when we drive into the parking lot, and for a minute it looks like he's just going to continue his route to the arena, but then I see his head snap in our direction, no doubt seeing Sam driving. I know Fleur has a thing for cars, but there is no way that's what he was looking at. She starts talking to him, and I know that I won't be able to be around her 24/7 to stop things from happening between her and any of my teammates for that matter, so I know that I'm going to have to trust her to respect my wishes.

I know that Sam is old enough to make her decisions, and she is pretty responsible for someone her age, but I also know that she is naive, just like any girl her age. It's so easy to get caught up in guys like Marc's 'cute little accent' as I've heard most girls describe it, even though its disappeared some through the years, and I also know that him speaking French is definitely to his benefit. Girls definitely swoon over that factor for some reason. I shake all thoughts of Sam, Marc, or whatever guy I'm sure is going to hit on her next out of my mind as I enter the locker room, knowing that there will be time to deal with it later.

Ch. 3

Aeryn - A lot of the time I already kind of have what I want to write about planned out in my head, so I can just sit down and whip out a chapter in 20 minutes if I'm completely focused. Actually, a lot of the time I start the next chapter after I post one because I'm so excited when I get comments, but then most of the time it sits about half done for a couple of days until I motivate myself to finish it. :-S

I know some of you want it to be about Marc, and others want it to be about Sid, but don't worry, there will be enough of both of them and then some. So for now, you will just have to be patient for Sam to choose. :-)

And also, just so its out there, this will probably just be a short story like my Max and Kris one, so it probably won't be near as long as my Geno one. I enjoy writing the others, but the Geno one is my baby if you will.. lol

Sid's POV

After sitting up and reminiscing well into the later hours of the night, we both finally give it up and head up to bed. She puts her hand on the doorknob to her room, looking over at me and smiling faintly before giving me a little wave, disappearing into her room seconds later.

TWO WEEKS LATER..

Things had been going great with the living arrangement. Sam had been more than easy to accommodate, not asking for a lot, well besides an assortment of junk food to be kept in the house at all times. Fortunately, every single one of my teammates had been able to keep their hands off of her as a response to my threats, even though she often came up in the talk of the locker room. I could only shake my head at their comments, knowing they were basically true even though they weren't words coming out of my mouth. I might have dubbed her 'off limits', but I'm not blind or stupid.

Today, in fact, was actually Sam's birthday. I go through my normal routine of getting ready in the morning, heading downstairs when I'm done but stopping in front of her door. I think about it, and then realize that it would be the best way to give her her present, so I open the door a little, just in case she is up, but I peak my head in and find her still curled up in her bed like she normally is.

Sam's POV

I hear the door creak open, but try to ignore it. But then, I feel the bed dip as he sits down and I know he isn't going away. I open one eye to look up at him, only to find he has his normal big goofy grin on his face. I pull the covers up over my head, only this time to hear him chuckle before pulling them away from me once again.

"Happy birthday," he says in a way to cheerful tone for how early I'm assuming it is.

"What time is it?" I groan before reaching for the closest pillow and pulling it down over my head, blocking the bright sunlight that is streaming through the blinds that are slightly open at my window, but even that is short lived as he quickly takes that away from me as well. "You aren't suppose to pick on me on my birthday," I pout while rolling over and away from him, but he just pulls the covers further away from me, and I can only imagine the way his face blushes at the sight of my bare legs, but I wasn't exactly expecting company this early so he should be glad that I'm at least wearing underwear.

"I'm not picking on you,"he retorts while standing up. "I'm allowing you to celebrate your birthday longer by starting your day earlier. Hurry and get up so you can go to morning skate, I know the guys will want to see you," he says while making his way to the door. "And put some clothes on," he adds with a shake of his head before disappearing through my door.

Sid's POV

She makes her way down the stairs taking them 3 at a time, which is a long stretch for the legs that help make up her small 5'4 frame. She does look like she's in a better mood though, so that's a good thing.

"When are we leaving?" she asks while bouncing into the kitchen and going directly for the cabinet to grab something for breakfast. She looks around for a couple seconds before going to the freezer and grabbing an ice cream bar instead, which can only make my shake my head. I've never had so much junk food in my house at one time. In fact, the amount here now probably exceeds the complete total of it before she arrived. She starts to head toward the door, but I grab her arm.

"Not in my car," I say while shaking my head and pointing to the ice cream. "Finish it here." She sighs dramatically before wolfing it down. It amazes me how much she eats, how little she works out, and she can still look like that...

"Happy?" she says while once again heading toward the garage. She opens the door, and I can see her gaze automatically looking over the empty space next to my Range Rover. "Why did you clean--" she starts, but she stops mid-sentence as I open the garage door and her present is in the drive way. I lean against the threshold as she runs out of the garage, inspecting her new car.

(Like this, but black.)

I walk outside as she's finished making her lap around the car.

"Did you get me this?" she asks while a smile while walking toward me.

"Partially. Your parents send their best."

"Thank you!" she says while running and almost tackling me as she stands on her tip toes to hug me. "I've always wanted one."

"I know you have," I say while releasing her and roughing up her hair, which she doesn't fix this time. "But come on, we're going to be late," I continue while walking toward my car, but she grabs me by my wrist and pulls me in her direction.

"Oh no, I'm driving. Get in," she commands while pushing me toward the passenger side of the car.