The Compromise

"So you can't be convinced to stay?" Amanda asked as Jess packed up the last of her personal library she acquired over the last nine months.

"If the drive wasn't so far, I would be all for it." She sealed the last tote up and turned to her colleague and friend.

"Rosie and Tina drive from Pittsburgh every day though!" Jess smiled at her friend's attempt to convince her.

"They drive from the south hills. I'm moving north of the city."

"Far from James?"

"Ha, yeah it's quite the commute from where he lives."

"And you haven't spoken to him?"

"Not once. I am making a conscious effort to be a support for Sid. He doesn't want us being friends, so we aren't friends." She shrugged her shoulders and felt her phone vibrate. Sid's name flashed across the screen. "And he's here, so don't go all fan girl or something okay?"

"Please, I didn't even know who he was until you started working here." Jess laughed at Amanda and walked towards the back door. She caught a glimpse of Sid through the glass window and felt her heart skip a beat. She rushed to open the door and threw her arms around Sid's neck.

"Whoa, hey there." He laughed as he caught the door with one hand and held her around the waist with the other. "What's going on? You alright?"

"Just missed you is all," Jess said as she pulled Sid through the door to the school.

"You just saw me this morning!" He laughed. He squeezed her close to him and released her from his embrace. She walked ahead of him towards what had been her classroom to gather up everything she was taking with her. She lucked out and already secured a teaching job for the fall at a private school near Sid's house. So everything that she had from her old classroom would be transported with the rest of her belongings to Pittsburgh. Thankfully, her furniture will fit Sid's house as he had never had a reason to fill some of the space. Rather than sell the furniture, they decided it could still have a purpose in the large, spacious home.

"Wow, so this is where you taught all year?" Sid asked as he walked into the room. There was a large closet to the right of the entrance and a television hanging from the ceiling in the corner.

"Yeah, it's been a good first year. TV equipped with a VCR/DVD player, smart board, two computers and I taught off an iPad all year. I was spoiled technology-wise. The students are getting their own iPads next year."

"Really? That's incredible!" Sid wandered around the room taking it all in. The walls were bare and bulletin boards had been taken down, but he could tell that Jess probably made this place look colorful and fun to be in. "Alright what can I take?"

"Uh these boxes here are what are left. They are heavy though so be careful." Jess missed the smirk Sid gave her when she mentioned the weight of the boxes, as if she forgot that he is physically capable of handling heavy things.

"Can we prop the back door open so I can just come in and out?" Sid asked as he lifted the first box. He was about to walk out of the room when he nearly ran over a group of people he didn't expect to see.

"Sorry guys didn't see you there," Sid said apologetically. A few giggles erupted from the hallway, and Sid glanced back at Jess pleading for help.

"Are you Miss Wade's boyfriend?" A young girl asked. Jess recognized the voice belonging to one of her former homeroom students, Maria. The teenager was very confident, a leader among her class, and never hesitated in speaking up. Jess moved closer to the door in time to see Sid place the box on the ground.

"Oh my god you're Sidney Crosby." A male voice spoke up. She knew it to be Chase, her hockey playing student. One who idolized the entire Penguins team. Jess closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that the group of students cornering Sid at the classroom entrance wouldn't overwhelm him.

"Heh, yeah I am. To both question and statement. And I take it you are some of Miss Wade's students?"

"We wanted to say bye to her since she is leaving." Jess opened her eyes and made herself visible to the rest of the group. She stood next to Sid and looked at five sets of expectant eyes.

"Hey guys! Its summer break, what are you doing back in school?"

"We wanted to see you," Maria said.

"And give you this," one of the other students said as she handed over a gift bag.

"You didn't have to get me anything!" Jess pulled tissue paper out of the top and found a wooden box inside. It was hand-painted blue and gold for the school colors and had the mascot detailed on top. Around the sides were pictures of Jessica with her seventh grade students. "Awe you guys, I love it!"

"It's so you always remember us!" Maria piped in. "We're going to miss you next year."

"Thanks so much!" Jess was trying to hold back tears. "How about one more photo?" The group agreed and huddled around Jess, most her height or taller, as Sid took Jess' phone from her to snap the shot.

"Oh could you take one on my phone too?" And a chorus of mine too and please came from the five students standing around their teacher.

"How's it feel being on that side of the camera?" Jess asked Sid with a laugh as he struggled to accommodate several cell phones in his hands.

"You people are seriously hockey deprived," Sid said in mock horror.

"I know! They just don't get it," chase exclaimed. He rolled his eyes and shook his head making Sidney laugh and mess up the first of many pictures he was attempting to take.

"You're on a pens elite team, right?" Sid asked the kid who agreed with him.

"Yeah, how do you know?"

"Just recognize you. It was either that or from little penguins. But you're too old for that anymore." Sid handed one camera back.

"Okay girls, and Dawson, ignore these two weirdoes and smile for the camera!" Jess tried to interrupt the conversation.

"I'm just awestruck that you know Sid the kid!" Dawson said, "I might not follow hockey, but everyone knows him!"

"I don't!"

"Me either!"

"Awe see Sid we should just stay here and no one will recognize you ever."

"Are you moving in with him Miss Wade?"

"Are you guys gonna get married?"

"Can we come to the wedding?"

Sid laughed causing the last of the pictures to come out blurry, so he ordered everyone to stay still as he snapped one more. Jess was red faced with embarrassment. She never intended on her students finding out she was dating Sidney, and now some of them are marrying the couple off.

"It would be easier if he stays closer to the city, so I am moving up there so he doesn't have to travel even more than he already does. We aren't getting married though."

"Well, yet anyways," Sid interjected. A chorus of awes broke out from the three girls.

"Alright, we're trying to get the rest of my stuff out of here because the moving truck comes tomorrow to haul everything to my new place. Do you think you guys could give us a hand? I'll tell Mrs. K and she will see to it that you get at least a service hour for it."

The kids agreed and walked through their old homeroom to gather the boxes designated for moving. Sid picked up his box and leaned over to kiss Jess briefly. "Love you," he whispered.

"Love you," she said back as she walked with him to hold the door open for him and her students who were right behind the couple.

Once Sid's truck was packed, Jess turned in her keys, said bye one last time to her principal thanking him for the opportunity to work at the school and walked out to her car. They decided instead of unloading his car they would just leave the boxes in it giving the movers more space on their truck. He followed her back to her place to help with some last minute packing and to spend the evening with her family.

"Good kids, you're gonna miss them huh?" Sid asked as he followed Jess into her place. "Are you sure you want to move?"

Just stopped midway down the hallway and turned on her heel to face her boyfriend. "Are you kidding me? Why do you keep asking me this? Are you having second thoughts now? I mean, I think we've been in a pretty good place since agreeing to this back in April."

"I wouldn't have asked you to move if I didn't want you to! I'm just worried that you will change your mind."

"Change my mind about what? Moving? Or us?"

"Both," Sid whispered as he diverted his eyes away from Jessica and focused on the couch with boxes piled up on it.

Jess waltzed right back towards Sid, jerked his face to make eye contact with her and held his gaze, "Were you serious about one day marrying me to my students?" He nodded in response. "I am just as serious too. I know I've given you enough reasons to be nervous or doubtful, but it will take the strength of an army to get me to leave now. You're all I want. And you just need to get used to that."

"I can't help but get nervous though."

"I know." Jess backed away from Sid and started back towards the bedroom to toss any remaining clothes into totes. He followed behind her. "And I will just keep reminding you that I am in it for the long haul every day for the rest of my life if I have to."

Sid grabbed a hold of Jess' hand and pulled her back flush against him. He nuzzled his nose against her neck and tickled her stomach, slightly exposed from her tank top riding up.

"Sid! I need to finish packing baby!" She laughed and tried to wiggle from his grip. She managed to spin around and kiss him lightly on the lips. "You know what I think is incredibly hot?"

"What?" He asked as he began kissing along her exposed collarbone.

"How you can be so domineering when we fuck," she spoke in his ear.

"You really catch me off guard every time you talk about our sex life," Sid chuckled. Jess laughed too and backed out of his embrace. "Hey! I wasn't done with you!"

"Help me pack or I won't be moving in tomorrow!" Jess exclaimed as she grabbed a spare duffel bag to stuff clothes into. She opened her first drawer and found it empty. Confused, she opened the second and third and found those bare as well. "Where's all my stuff Sid?"

"Oh, everything is packed. I had nothing better to do this morning while you were at school. I got an overnight bag packed of your things too and tonight, after dinner, we are staying at the lodge since everything is ready to go here."

Jess looked around the room and noticed her bed was undressed and everything was packed in large garbage bags along the far wall.

"You got everything out of the closet too?" She rushed to the door and swung it open to find all her clothes and shoes packed. "What are we going to do the rest of the day?"

Sid raised an eyebrow and smirked at Jess.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Crosby. We aren't having sex." She brushed past him only to be stopped by his solid chest stepping in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked her as he gripped her upper arms in his strong hands.

"I figured we could head up to my parents' house. Get in the pool or something." Jess looked up at Sidney to see if he would challenge her in some way.

"It is rather hot out. Alright, let’s go. But that's only because I saw your swimsuit and can't wait to actually see it on you." Sid released her from his grip and turned to lead her out towards the front door. Jess couldn't help but laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Sid! Watch this!" Braden shouted from the side of the pool. The little five year old boy took a running leap and pulled his legs up to his chest as he fell towards the water in the deep end of the in-ground pool.

"Cannonball!" Sid shouted for affect and swam away from the middle of the pool where he stood, his nearly six foot frame able to touch the bottom of the pool where the little boy jumped.

"Hey Sid! Watch this!" Eliott, Braden's little brother shouted from the steps at the shallow end, drawing Sid's attention away from the larger boy flailing about to get to the opposite side of the pool. Sid chuckled as he watched the three year old, in a swimming vest, leap off the step where he was already knee deep in water and just bob up and down with no real splash forming around him.

Jess laughed as Sid splashed around with the boys and her oldest niece Sophie, who was trying to act like she was much too cool to splashing around in the water and was floating on a raft. She was glad they chose to come up early as her sister and sister-in-law were here lathering their children in sun block and pushing them towards the pool. She could spend time lounging by the side of the pool and chatting with the girls while Sid acted like a big kid with the little ones.

She watched as Sid pretended to dunk Sophie in the water and how he held onto Eliott as he floated around the deep end of the pool. She loved how he was with the kids, and they seemed to adore him. Since the season had ended he spent more time in Wheeling and hanging around her family, which was good because after their week apart being able to do that seemed to solidify them more as a couple. Her parents didn't even seem to care that she agreed to move in with him, much to her surprise.

Lisa broke Jess out of her reverie, "Hey, so is everything okay?" Jessica appreciated Lisa's concern and her ability to be coy about it. She knew Jess had not disclosed her pregnancy or the miscarriage to her parents or sister, so being as discrete as possible was important.

"Yes, I am good. Everything is much better between us too." She smiled appreciatively at her sister-in-law and focused on JoAnn as she walked towards the pair.

"He's incredible with the kids," JoAnn commented.

Jess smiled and turned her attention back to the pool where Sid was, with the help of the big kids, trying to show Eliott how to swim. He didn't remove the swimming vest, but was explaining some techniques to master floating without the help of a flotation device. And he was doing it in a way that the kids were able to really understand.

"It's really because he is just a big kid. Don't be fooled." The women laughed at Sid's expense and were focused on the action in the pool. Jess managed to drift again and thought how James never was one to interact with the kids in her life. Granted the majority of their relationship was based in Texas, but the few times he was around the kids he didn't give them much of his time. Sidney, on the other hand, flocks towards them and finds new ways to entertain them. Jess loved that about him. She was even more drawn to him and found him even sexier because of it.

It was then, watching Sid interact with her niece and nephews, that she thought he probably was affected just as badly as she was with the miscarriage and he was so compassionate during the time that she was so closed off. He was genuinely excited to be a father and she didn't consider how it affected him when they were told the baby died. She wanted more than ever to make it up to him.

Notes