The Compromise

Sidney slowed to a trot as he approached the front of his house. From where he was he noticed a petite brunette sitting in the steps to his porch. His first impression if the girl was negative and he hated to pass judgement so quickly. But upon further inspection realized he knew the figure curled up and leaning against the railing.

"Hey, how long have you been," but Sidney stopped when he noticed she had recently been crying. Her nose was red and her eyes were swollen, "Jess what's wrong?"

Sid jogged the rest of the way up the path to his home and collapsed in front of Jess to inspect her further. Jess looked at Sid and a fresh round of tears began to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the tears from falling. Sid panicked. He hadn't seen her this distraught since before she and James moved out of his house nearly three months ago. In fact, he hadn't seen her alone since the night they fell asleep watching movies together.

As far a Sid was concerned, the relationship between his teammate and friend smoothed out and they were happy. But he had a feeling her current state of distress had to do with James. In the four months he had known her, he learned quickly how everything outside of her relationship made her happy. While going to the University of pittsburgh wasn't her first choice, she grew to love it. She knew her family was within driving distance now. She made friends quickly and never seemed to be without something going on. Hell, he just saw her last weekend being the life of the party at the cookout she and James hosted for the players in town and their significant others.

He wasn't quite sure how to handle Jessica at that moment. He climbed the three steps separating him from her and wrapped her in his arms.

"Sshh, it's okay. Whatever it is, everything is going to be okay." Sid didn't want to press the issue, he just wanted Jess to know she had someone to lean on. Jess burrowed her face into his neck, but Sid could feel she was still crying.

They sat there like that, she continuing to cry and he just whispering soothing words in her ears, for several minutes. Jess pulled away from Sid finally and he could see how crying made her green eyes so much brighter. He rubbed his thumbs across her cheeks and rested the palms of his hands on her neck.

"You okay?" Sid asked even though he knew she wasn't.

Instead of responding to his question she asked one herself. "Do you like fireworks Sid?"

"Sure...I mean yeah. Why?"

"This park by my parents' house is setting some off tonight. They do it at the beginning of every month. Would you like to go watch them with me?" Sid knew he wouldn't say no.
"When do you want to leave?" Sid asked as his way of agreeing to go with her.

"It takes about an hour to get there and it's five now. You need to get cleaned up huh?"

Sid looked down at his sweat covered t-shirt and running shoes. His socks were sticking to his feet and he knew he smelled. He smiled shyly at Jess when he realized he still had his arms around her. He started to pull away, but her grip on his biceps only tightened at his action.

"Yeah, give me about fifteen minutes. I want to hop in the shower. Lets go inside, you can wait in the cool air conditioning," Sid said. He pulled Jess up by her hands and felt a jolt as she reached her arms around his waist. Her need to be clingy concerned him because she wasn't typically like that even with James. Sid led her through the foyer to the great room towards the back if his house. He sat her down on one of the oversized couches and turned on the television positioned over the fireplace.

"Would you like something to drink while you wait? I can get you something."

Jess just shook her head and focused her attention onto the coffee table in front of her. Sid felt his heart break, this girl was broken, but he wasn't going to press the issue. When she was ready to talk he would listen. He walked away, glancing back to see that she had her face in her hands, much like how she was sitting when he found her on his porch.

He raced upstairs and got cleaned up in record time. When he ran back down the stairs and towards where he left Jess he found an empty couch.

"Jess?" Sidney called out. He didn't hear anything from the kitchen or the nearby bathroom. "Where did you go?" Sid asked as he wandered through the first floor. He heard a door creak upstairs as he was passing by the steps and decided to check it out. He didn't expect to find Jess in her old room, sitting on the bed.

"Hey, what are ya doin' in here?" Sid asked as he walked through the door.

"Trying to remember why I came here." Sid was confused. He stood in the middle of the room nervous to approach Jess. She never exhibited any weird behaviors before, and he thought he had gotten to know her pretty well over the last several months. Before Sid could ask her what she meant she began to speak again.

"I think I moved here for all the wrong reasons," she said, motioned to the bed and said, "sit. We have time."

Sid did as he was told and sat back against the headboard of the bed. He waited to listen to Jess. She adjusted her position to sit next to him. He knew he was in for a long story.

"Today is our anniversary," Jess said. That wasn't exactly what Sid expected to hear from her. He wondered why that would cause her so much distress.

"We've been together for two years," Jess added. Sid nodded in understanding, when really he was anticipating where she was going with the conversation. He kept silent hoping his not speaking would encourage her to continue.

"Today I found out that he has been cheating in me for the last six months." Jess' head fell back against the headboard and Sid noticed fat tears roll down her cheeks.

"What..how? Does he know you know?" Sid stuttered. He was shocked. He realized his time spent in the locker room was limited since the New Year which limited his time spent with Nealer outside of times when Jessica was around.

"I guess he came here and figured out of sight, out of mind. I suspected something."

"When did you suspect something?"

"He came back to Dallas for graduation and help me move and he seemed a bit...off. He was distracted. He was also overly protective of his phone. I chalked it up to the season ending and his uncertain future with Pittsburgh. But then after coming here I realized that couldn't be the case because he has at least one more season with the Pens based on his current contract. Whenever I would bring up being unhappy he would break down and beg me not to leave him, that he needed me. I thought 'wow, he really does love me,' but I guess I'm the fool." Jess' bottom lip quivered again. Sid pulled her against his chest and brushed his lips against the top of her head.

"Where is he? At your house?" She shook her head no.

"He is 'training' in L.A. He left yesterday."

"How did you find out he was cheating?" Sid asked.

"She showed up at the house looking for him, when I answered she was confused. Apparently he's been promising the world to her and she hadn't the slightest clue that I existed either."

"You don't believe he is in L.A."

"I believe there are other women."

"I'm so sorry Jess." Sid didn't know what else to say. Sid glanced at the clock and saw it was nearing seven.

"Do you want to skip the fireworks and just order some food and hang out here?"

"Yeah, that works. Uh, do you think I can stay here for awhile? Until I can find something I can afford to rent?" Jess asked.

"You can stay here as long as you like."

"I just don't want to cramp your style, you know. If you meet someone. I won't overstay my welcome."

"Jess stop. You could never do that and you know damn well I don't bring home weird. So please, let's go raid my take out menus and order something. I am famished. We can go get your things tomorrow." Jess smiled for the first time since Sid found her.

"No." Sid had gotten up from the bed but turned, confused, towards Jessica.

"Let's go watch the fireworks! I've got a blanket and we can pick up hoagies at this little Italian deli on the way up the hill to the park. I don't want to wallow in this. I am moving on and living my life. I'm 22, I am still young." Sid smiled at her determination to just forget what happened today. So they headed out of the bedroom and towards Jess' car.

An hour and a half later, Sid sat with his legs outstretched on the blanket as he watched Jess unpack the paper bag that contained a large sandwich they agreed to share. She pulled out two bottles of iced tea and settled cross-legged next to Sid. It was still light out enough to see and there weren't nearly as many people scattered around as Sidney expected. Jess assured him that it will get to be decently packed by show time and by her judgement that was still over an hour away.

"Get ready kid, this sandwich is to die for. It's ten times better than Subway!" Jess exclaimed. Sid was relieved to see how she had relaxed. The spark he loved about her was slowly returning, and while he wouldn't expect it to return fully any time soon, it was still nice to know his friend was still there.

Sid took a bite and immediately was met with a mouthful of spices and ingredients that he never dreamed would taste good together. It was nothing he ever imagined he would eat, but knew he should have gotten his own instead of doubting Jess.

"Well?" Jess asked expectantly. She had not taken a bite yet, instead waited to see Sid's reaction.

"This is better than any sandwich I have ever had," Sid said between bites, "You better start on yours or I am taking it."

Sid heard Jess laugh and watched as she devoured her half of the hoagie. They ate in silence and watched as more people filtered into the park with their own blankets or lawn chairs. Children were laughing and running around the nearby playground, paddle boats were being drawn back into the docks as the sun continued to set over the hillside. Sid felt full and content. In an attempt to get more comfortable he laid back on the blanket and stared up at the dimming sky. He could see a few sporadic stars peaking through and with his hands tucked under his head he felt Jess lay down and curl her small frame against his side. Her arm snaked around his waist and her head rested on his chest. He moved one arm from behind his head and pulled her body closer to his. She hiked one of her legs over his and they lay tangled up in each other.

"You know I would never hurt you the way he has hurt you," Sid whispered. He felt Jess tighten her grip on him.

"I know," Jess replied. She lifted her head and rested her chin in his chest so that she could look at him.

"How are you avoiding him now anyways?" Sid asked, a glint amusement in his eyes.

"I threw my phone against the bedroom wall and it shattered," Jess said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. Sid chuckled and ran his knuckles across her cheek. She closed her eyes as if she were savoring his touch.

"We could never do something like this."

"What do you mean?" Sid asked.

"Just being with each other like this. I feel like just a simple touch or cuddle is just as intimate as anything remotely physical. James saw it otherwise. He doesn't like PDAs. So I grew accustomed to not expect anything in return. So going to watch fireworks at an area park and cuddle like this would have never happened."

"And here I thought you were the one against cuddling."

"I love it."

"It doesn't hurt having someone who likes to cuddle too though."

"I'd have pegged you the robot between the two if us."

"I was just waiting for the right girl." Sid whispered. He rested his head back on his arm and closed his eyes. Jess settled back into her original position and the two remained in companionable silence as the sky continued to get dark. It wasn't until the first firework went off did they move, and even then they adjusted to a seated position with Jess sitting between Sidney's legs. Jess' head rested in the crook of Sid's neck and a slight turn of his head allowed for him to kiss her forehead.

"Is this too much?" Sid asked softly.

"Absolutely not. Being here with you, like this, makes me feel calm, content...safe." Jess searched for the right words to say.
After the fireworks, the couple collected their belongings and walked side by side back in the direction of Jess' car. As they approached her car Sid took the keys from her and pushed her towards the passenger side with little argument from Jess.

He adjusted the seat and started up the vehicle, "you're gonna have to tell me how to get back to the interstate. I can figure it out from there." Jess nodded and directed Sid how to get back to Pittsburgh.

They pulled up in front of Jess' house in just over an hour's time. They quietly exited the vehicle and walked towards the front door. Jess had asked Sid to stop at her place so she could pack a few things.

Sid stood behind Jess as she unlocked the door, but his actions following the door opening were unexpected even for him. He spun Jess around and crashed his lips against hers. He couldn't figure out what took over him, but he knew when she encircled her arms around his neck that she was welcoming his invasion. He gripped her hips and lifted her off the ground. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and they continued their attack in each others' mouths while walking into the house.

Sid pushed the door closed with his foot, and walked up the steps with Jess still wrapped around his body. They landed on the couch at the top of the landing and began to tug and pull at each other's shirts without letting go of their lips. Sid's shirt made it to the floor before he stopped and regained his bearings.

"As much as I would love to do this Jess, we should stop." He pressed his forehead to hers, closed his eyes and attempted to steady his breath.

"Yeah, you're right. Not here at least." Sid sat back on his haunches and watched Jess reach for his shirt. She reluctantly handed it to him, he chuckled when she wouldn't let go right away, and he placed it back on his frame.

"Let me go get my things," Jess said before Sid could argue that maybe she should just take him home and come back to her place. He knew her relationship with James was pretty much over, but until just ten minutes ago he never explored the option of being with Jess. He didn't want to regret what could potentially happen and he didn't want Jess to think he was only using her. These feelings were new to him and he was anxious to explore them, but not until he knew that she and James were finished for good.

Notes