Captains Come First

"Sidney, thank God you're here." Troy Crosby said embracing his son. "Taylor gets in tonight at 6. I was thinking that I could drop you off at the hospital to relieve Mom a bit." He said as Sidney nodded his head in agreement. "And this must be Heather. We've heard a lot about you. I'm just sorry that we're meeting on such sad circumstances." Heather turned to the man with her hand out.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Crosby." She said waiting for his hand shake. What she received was a full on embrace. ""

"We hug in this family. And it's Troy." He said embracing her as she took off her sunglasses. "If I may say you're even prettier than Sidney said you were."

"Thank you Troy." Heather said blushing. "Sid, I'll go get the rental." Heather said leaving the two men to pick up the bags.

"Sid I'm glad you didn't have to come alone." Troy said to his son. "This close to Sochi, son I'm sorry you're having to deal with this." He said.

"She's a gem." He said to his dad. "I just hope mom likes her too. That's when I'd know...I'd know that she was right." The drive to Sidney's home was about a half hour with not much discussion. Heather was careful to give Sid his space. She was there for him, not the other way around. "Sid why don't you show Heather to her room." Troy said.

"Her room?" He asked confused. "It's not my room?"

"Do this for your Mother Sidney, don't question it." Sidney just rolled his eyes taking Heather upstairs to the guest room.

"God, it's like I'm 12 again." He said annoyed setting Heather's bags down.

"It's ok Sid, really." Heather said offering a sympathetic smile. Her phone started ringing, it was James. "Maybe you should go get changed, I'll see you in a few?" She asked as he nodded and left. "Hey babe." She said quietly into the phone. "Shouldn't you be having your pregame nap about now?" She asked him.

"Couldn't sleep babydoll." He said to her. She could hear his exhaustion in his voice. "How's the captain?"

"As good as can be expected." Heather said with a sigh. "I miss you though."

"I miss you too, that's why I called." James said sounding sad. "I was talking to Orpik this morning. He told me to treat you well or he'd break my fingers." Heather laughed.

"That sounds like my Brooksie." Heather laughed. "You're not mad are you?" She asked.

"No, not mad. I know you guys have this weird relationship." He said to her. "Funny thing is Rebecca said pretty much the same thing when I told her." He laughed. "What can I say? The Neal clan loves you."

"Oh really? The entire Neal clan?" Heather asked probing to see if he understood what she meant.

"Well, Mike and Pete want to bang you but hey just means that they've got good taste."

"That's kind of creepy" Heather said. "What about the oldest Neal child?" She asked.

"The oldest?" He asked confused thinking for a minute. "Heather I..."

"You what?" Heather asked probing.

"I have totally fallen for you. You know that." He said to her.

"I know." She said a bit dissappointed. She craved those words from him. He wasn't there yet. "Listen I've got to go see how Sid is doing. I'll call you later ok?"

"Yep, the captain comes first." James only half joked. "I really mean it Heather. I've completely fallen for you."

"I know James. I know." She said before saying bye and hanging up the phone. She headed over to Sid's room to see him changed into jeans and a grey penguins shirt. He was sitting on his bed just staring at the floor until she came in. "Hey." She said to him sitting beside him putting an arm around him. "Anything I can do for you?" She asked him as he silently shook his head no. "Are you sure?" She asked him.

"Would you come with me?" He asked.

"Of course." She said embracing him. The two of them drove to the hospital, very much in silence again. They arrived at the hospital and up to Nana Forbes, Trina's mother's room. Heather waited at the door allowing Sid his privacy.

"Sidney!" Trina said tearfully embracing her son. "I'm so glad you came."

"How is she?" He asked quietly.

"She woke up. She's resting right now but is awake. She can speak very little." Trina said looking at the doorway. "Please come in, you must be Heather." She said with a weak smile giving Heather a hug.

"Pleased to meet you." Heather said as Trina ushered her in. The three sat by Nana Forbes' bed talking and waiting for her to wake up.

"Sid tells me you sing," Trina said. "Could you sing something...for my mother?" She asked

"Does she have a favourite?" Heather asked.

"She loves Dream a little dream of me by Dean Martin." Trina said with a smile. "It was a favourite of my father's" she smiled. Heather sung the song for them, careful not to sing too loud. She'd be lying if she said that she wasn't thinking of James when she sung.

'Stars shining bright above you, night breezes seem to whisper, "I love you". Birds singing in the sycamore tree, "Dream a little dream of me". Say "nighty-night" and kiss me. Just hold me tight and tell me you'll missme. While I'm alone and blue as can be, dream a little dream of me. Stars fading, but I linger on, dear. Still craving your kiss, I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear. Just saying this: Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you. Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you. But in your dreams whatever they be, dream a little dream of me.'

"Lovely" the slow breathy voice came from the hospital bed. "Lovely...singing" she said.

"Mom, Sidney is here." Trina said holding her mother's hand as the old woman's eyes fluttered open.

"Hi Nana." Sid said kissing her cheek and rubbing her hand.

"Sidney." His grandmother said with a small smile on her face.

"Don't try and speak Mom, it's ok" Trina said to her mother.

"And this is Heather, Sidney's girl...friend. His friend." Trina was careful to correct herself.

"Hello Mrs. Forbes." Heather said smiling. She almost didn't care that she was called Sid's girlfriend.

"Taylor will be home later to see you Mom." Trina said as Heather grabbed Sidney's arm. She led him out of the room for a moment.

"I should let you have some private time." Heather said as Sidney's lips crashed into hers in the hospital hallway. "I wasn't expecting that." Heather smiled.

"The song. It was so beautiful." Sidney said to her with the first some that Heather had seen in a while on him. "Thank you."

"It was nothing." Heather said smiling. "It was the least I could do." She added. "I should give you and your Nana some time."

"Where are you going?" Sidney asked.

"Just for a walk." She said with a small smile. "I'll be back. I promise." She kissed his cheek then touching it where her lips had pressed.

"I love you." He said taking her hand in his. Heather nodded and kissed him again before going to the elevator. Heather walked down to the chapel in the hospital. Perhaps it was her moral conscience, perhaps her preacher's daughter upbringing. The only thing that she could think of to do was pray. She knelt down at the altar and began to pray quietly.

"God, I've done so many bad things in this life but I have so much. I don't know what I did right to deserve everything. Please God, let me deserve Sidney. He is far too good for me and he will never see that. Or if I can't deserve him please let him understand that. Please God help him through this."

She prayed tears coming down her cheeks. She finally realized the true reason that she had turned Sid down so many times. He was too good for her. She didn't deserve him or the things that he'd done for her, the private restaurant, the trip away, his love and commitment to her. His honesty about everything with her. She wanted so much to be good enough for him but couldn't. Her fear of hurting him, of breaking his heart was too great. She knelt there and cried for a few minutes. She had no idea what to do now. Rejecting Sidney was becoming harder and harder for her. She didn't know what she did to ever deserve his love or affection. It made her feel bad for playing James game, it felt exactly as it was: a deception. She had to either go public with James or end it. And if she ended it, she'd be doing it for Sid. To finally deserve him. She couldn't be hidden away anymore.

Notes