The Compromise

Jess winced as she watched Boston score against the pens and clicked off the television. She wandered out of the open floor plan living room towards the deck looking out over the Atlantic Ocean. Her college friends were all lounging around the pool sipping on margaritas and watching the waves crash against the darkened beach.

"How did it go?" Jackie asked as Jess flopped down on the footrest of her lounger.

"Boston won. They played like complete shit the entire series. I think I may avoid talking to Sid until he is ready." She leaned back and cuddled up with her friend.

"Want a margarita?" Sara asked.

"Sure! Yours are always the best."

"Probably for the best that you wait to hear from him. You'll be home tomorrow anyways."

"I still can't believe you date Sidney Crosby," their friend Erin gushed.

Jess smiled and said, "I have been off and on for over a year and a half. Why does this surprise you?"

"She was with James Neal before Sid," Sara piped in from the outdoor bar where she was pouring Jess' margarita. "She ain't new to this rodeo!"

Jess and the rest of the girls erupted into hysterics when she felt her phone vibrate in her shorts pocket. Reaching for it quickly she didn't check the caller ID to see who was calling.

"Hello?" She giggled into the phone.

"Hey, Jess."

"Hey, on your way to the airport?" Jess knew Sid was in a mood when he called her by her first name.

"Yeah, sounds like you are having a good time." Jess quickly moved from her spot on the deck into the living room where it was a bit quieter.

"We're just enjoying our last night here at the house." She sat on an overstuffed couch facing away from the group on the deck so she could focus more on Sidney.

"Do you want to be alone tomorrow or do you want to come over when I get in?"

"What time will you be home?"

"My flight is scheduled to land by 5:30."

"I'll come over. Locker clean out is Monday."

"How long are you going to stick around?"

"I don't know. Big year coming up so I need to be training right away."

"I understand."

"Let's talk about this tomorrow. Thinking about the summer already reminds me of how awful we played this series. And then the thought of anything beyond next week reminds me of what would have been."

Jess knew Sid was referring to what would have been their wedding. And she was sad in thinking that they could potentially spend this summer apart as he prepares for next season. Thusly ending her good mood and the need to be home as soon as possible was seeping in.

"I miss you." Jess bit her lip to keep from letting the tears spill over. She missed him too, yet hearing him say it made her heart break even more.

"We will be back together tomorrow babe." She could hear voices on the other end of the call and knew the bus was boarding up quickly and soon Sid will want to go in order to keep his call private.

"I just wish I was coming home to you tonight." Don't cry Jess chanted in her mind.

"Sid?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm proud of you. You were amazing in spite of everything that happened this season."

"Thanks baby, we are about to head out to the airport. You'll probably be asleep when I land, so I will just see you when you get back to Pittsburgh tomorrow."

"Safe travels babe."

"See you."

****
Jess had tried to enjoy the rest of her night with her friends, and she truly believed she put up a good front to make them believe she was having a good time. But she wanted to the night to end so she could fly home to Sidney. She wanted to savor as much as she had left with him before he left for training. And since their relationship was still fragile she wasn't sure he wanted her to follow him around North America like she had last summer.

Her flight landed on time and she was greeted at baggage claim by Sarah. "Let's pick up some pizza on our way. I have a pathetic blob sitting on our couch and I am sure he will be joined by another soon enough."

"That works, Sid did tell me last night he would be over."

"So you look all tan and refreshed. Did you have fun?" Sarah asked as the girls wandered out towards her car.

"It was really nice except I felt bad for not being here during the last round of the playoffs. Days would go great, then Sid would call and put a damper on my good mood. But don't tell him I said that."

"My lips are sealed."

"Thanks," Jess said as she looked at her phone ringing, "Speak of the devil. Hello?"

"Hey! Are you back in Pittsburgh yet?" Sidney asked. Jess felt her heart burst at his eagerness to see her.

"Yep! Getting into Sarah's car now. We should be home in about forty minutes or so, depending on traffic on the parkway and how long we have to wait at the pizza place. Want to come over?"

"I'll meet you there."

"James is there, so go ahead on in."

"See you soon love."

"Okay, bye." Jess was grinning widely when she hung up.

"He really has some effect on you, you know? You look ridiculous. But he looks the same way when he is around you, so I guess my point is moot."

"Yeah I guess it is," Jess laughed.

When they finally made it back to their apartment complex, Jess saw Sid's SUV parked next to her car and she rushed to grab her bags and get inside.

"Don't worry about me. I'll catch up to ya!" Sarah yelled from behind her as she rushed up the steps to the outdoor entrance. She barreled through the door, dropped her purse and carry-on by the kitchen bar and noticed Sid wasn't in the living room with James. Ignoring the guy lazing on the couch, she turned towards the bedrooms and noticed her door was slightly ajar and the soft glow of her desk lamp spilled through the crack.

"Oh hey Jess, how are you?" James asked when he saw her. She didn't respond, instead choosing to rush to her room. "Oh I'm fine! Thank you for asking!"

"She basically plowed me over when I was getting out of the car, so don't be sad that she ignored you just now," Sarah said as she closed the door and came back into the living room with two pizzas in hand.

"Sid?" Jess yelled as she walked towards her room. Her luggage could wait, she needed to see her boyfriend. He didn't respond to her, but as she opened the bedroom door she discovered that the bedroom was lit by candles not the desk lamp as she had thought. And Sid stood right in the middle of the room waiting for her. "How did you do all this?"

"Come here," Sid reached his hands out for Jess. When she got close enough he gripped her hands in his and then pulled her body flush to him as he embraced her. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Jess whispered, "So much."

"Then who are we kidding Jess, this is silly. You should be coming home. To our home. Not here. Not with a roommate. I should be your roommate."

"Sid..."

"No, hear me out. James, Sarah and I already talked about it because she wants to move in with him but she doesn't want to leave you to worry about the rent."

"Oh, uh wow." Jess considered this. She hadn't considered how close they had gotten to be so serious that they want to live together. But looking back over the last six months she spent more time being a third wheel for those two than anything.

"Yeah." Sid pulled back to focus on Jess' face.

"So you want me to move back."

"I wanted you to move back the minute you stepped foot inside my hospital room back in March."

"This is just crazy. I was trying to get rid of the craziness." Jess stepped back and contained a smile that was wanting to spill out. Of course she wanted to be with Sid, but she hadn't expected this so soon.

"You are coming home. Where you belong. When I leave to go train I want you with me. I want you with me all the time because you are my life, my home. And where you are is where I want to be. That's not crazy."

"I don't know Sid." She knew she would agree to it, but wanted to be sure Sid wasn't being hasty because of the playoff turnout.

"Do you love me?" He asked softly as he stepped towards her and pulled her close again.

"You know I do." Her voice was equally as soft as her body melted into his.

"Then do something for me."

"Anything."

"Marry me." She wasn't expecting that one. She could handle moving back in, but marriage! She knew she wanted to be with him forever, but how would those around them react when they find out. She shouldn't let other people sway her decisions so much.

"You want to marry me still?" She was still being hesitant.

"I'll go to the courthouse Monday morning and marry you."

She studied his face and finally started to believe that he did in fact want to be with her in that capacity.

"Ok, let's do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, let's go to the courthouse on Monday and get married."

"You don't want a big old wedding? With our families and friends?"

"We can do that another time, I want to marry you as soon as possible."

Sidney was grinning like a fool. He let go of Jess, dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out her engagement ring. The very one she returned to him when they split up. "Right where it belongs," he whispered as he slipped it back on her finger. She ran her fingers through his unruly hair and kissed him.

When they broke away Jess glanced around the room at how romantic everything turned out and smiled at how perfect his asking her to marry him again turned out. "Did you do all this with the intention of asking me?"

Sid shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "Maybe. Are we telling anyone?"

Jess contemplated this, "No. Let's just do it. But we will need a witness."

"Sarah and James?" Sid suggested without a second thought.

"Come on." Jess grabbed his hand and pulled him out towards the living room.

As they approached the pair curled up together on the couch Sarah spoke first, "I guess you're going for it?"

Confused, Jess looked at Sid, "They knew you were going to do this?"

"No, not exactly."

"You're moving back home, right?" James asked looking hopeful.

"Yeah, I guess I am. But that's not why we came out here."

"We are going to city hall and getting married on Monday," Sid said stunning the room into silence. Jess squeezed Sid's hand in reassurance.

"And we want you two there to be our witnesses." Jess looked between Sarah and James for some sort of reaction. "Come on, guys, say something."

Sarah hopped up from the couch and swooped in for a hug, throwing her arms around the pair. "Guess this means you're in?" Sid laughed.

"I'm just so happy you two boneheads figured out this is what is supposed to happen! You're meant to be together. Who cares what anyone else thinks or says."

James joined in moments later, "I am honored you want me there for this all things considering. But I truly think we are in a good place and with the right people." He pulled sarah close to his side and justify his point. "We will be there and our lips are sealed on this too."

"We need to celebrate! Because we all have things to toast to even if we don't have a big old silver cup here. It will be in the city next year. Glad I made James pick up some champagne before coming over."

James wandered into the kitchen to retrieve the bottle of Moet with Sarah following and retrieving four flutes. They poured the champagne and passed the glasses around.

"To new beginnings," James said as he raised his glass to the group.

"Simple, yet very fitting. I like it," Sid commented. And the four clinked glasses and cheered on the toast.

*****

"You need your birth certificate, social security card, and a third proof of ID such as a driver's license or passport," Jess explained.

"Wait, what about a dual citizen?" Sid asked as the pair sat in his office while he searched for the needed documents to obtain their marriage license.

"Hmm...says here a visa or proof of your dual citizenship." Jess was reading from his laptop as Sidney filed through the drawers around her.

"I'm erring on the side of caution and bringing everything I have on file documenting that I am a citizen to both countries."

"Should I apply for dual citizenship after we are married?" Jess wondered.

"It won't be necessary. We will be living in the United States for nine to ten months out of the year. I just did it since I don't plan on leaving Pittsburgh."

"And you're one hundred percent ready to marry me? No regrets?"

"No regrets babe. You are it for me. I'm about to be 26. I am ready for this."

"Eek, late twenties. Scary stuff," her voice dripped with sarcasm making him giggle.

"You're telling me!" Sid joked. "Alright, we have everything we need to get the license and get married tomorrow. Now let's go get your clothes unpacked and back where they belong!" He pulled her to her feet and dragged her up to their bedroom which was covered in boxes and suitcases. Jess groaned at the mess. She spent all morning packing it up and dragging it back to the house. She wanted to push it to the side and climb into bed to sleep, not unpack it.

"I must say, I'm completely impressed by you and James working out a way to get me and Sarah to move out of that apartment and covering our butts from breaking the lease."

"Please, Beau needed a place. He spent the last three months in a hotel room. And Rob will be here full time next season so they needed to do something about that."

"Well, thanks for that. Now I don't have to worry about that rent or being penalized for breaking the lease."

"I have some good ideas from time to time," Sid said as he snuck up behind Jess and wrapped his arms around her small frame. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and said, "We don't have rings."

"I much have something that will do the trick for tomorrow. Then we can get rings we like later."

"You have a ring that will fit my finger?"

"Well, it's a thumb ring so it may work. Help me unpack and I will find it."

"OR we could just make out like teenagers and you could let me get to third base," Sid chuckled running his lips along Jess' shoulder.

"No, no. You're the one who insisted on getting all my things over here today. We need to put it all away now," Jess laughed and turned around in Sid's arms to face him. "You know all we got were my clothes. My other belongings are still over there."

"Yeah but you and Sarah aren't officially moving out until the end of the month. So we have time."

"Oh, well since you put it that way," Jess said as she pulled his face down to hers and attacked his lips with her own.

Notes

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