In Your Eyes

James carried both his and Ali's drinks over to the plush booth where they were sitting. "Silver tequila on ice for my girl" he said, handing her the drink. "One tall microbrew for this guy."

He sat down heavily beside her, his arm immediately curling behind Ali's back to rest on the ledge of the booth. They clinked glasses and each took a sip.

Many of the guys had already arrived at one of the Pens' favorite spots in town: the drinks were made well, it had a serious VIP section, and the staff did a good job at keeping their presence protected enough that they could enjoy themselves without too much drama or commotion.

Of the guys who were there, everyone could sit or stand comfortably around one another and not be too close. Though the music was loud and the bass kept a beat they could all feel in their chests, everyone was still able to carry a conversation with little difficulty.

"What time is it?" Ali nodded towards James' large watch.

"Almost 9."

"Where do you suppose they are?"

James shrugged as he took a long drink of beer. "Beats me. He didn't say anything to me about where he was going." He looked at Ali and tried to read the question in her face. "Come on, babe - they're just fucking somewhere."

Ali looked up into his blue-green eyes, which appeared darker in the low light of the bar. "That's your answer for everything."

"It's your answer too, Miss Innocence."

She felt James' perfect lips press against her forehead and she closed her eyes. She was drunk off the excitement of the day and hardly needed any form of liquor to make her feel as great as she did right then.

"First game as a married couple." She tickled James' knee with her nails. "Did it cross your mind as much as it crossed mine today?"

"Right before I stepped out of the tunnel" James replied.

Ali watched his big grin widen, the beard about his mouth literally shouting at her to kiss him. She held back....for now.

James leaned into her closer. "And again during the first period...then a few more times during intermission...when I took a piss after the second period..."

She laughed out loud. "Yes! I got a urinal moment!"

"Oh babe, you get urinal moments way more that you would think."

"Ewwww." She shoved him gently with one hand against his chest, but he never budged. Given the look in his eyes, Ali began to realize James was, quite possibly, on the same page as her. "Kiss me?"

"Thought you'd never ask...."

They didn't care who saw them kiss, if anyone did. Everyone there had come to their wedding, and everyone there had seen the pair grow from start to finish. James lost his nerves about making out with Ali in public a long, lonnng time ago.

"Shit" he said, pulling his face back slightly. He was looking at Ali, who's smirk now turned to a sly grin. "Someone's on fire."

"It's you being back on the ice."

He made a pouty face. "You love me only for my skill."

"All of your skills."

"And what are those?" He took a sip of beer, his smile still very visible as he tipped the glass.

"Weeell...there's your skill on the ice, of course...." Ali let her fingers play down the silken fabric of his button-down, lifting gently over each of the buttons. "...there's your skill at building things..."

"A new skill!" James said with a laugh.

Ali laughed with him. "A very welcomed new skill!" Her and James' eyes met, and he settled back into his seat even more. His very posture spoke of confidence; another of his skills Ali loved. "I love you for your skills in the bedroom as well..."

"Ahhhhh. Was wondering when you'd get to that."

"Who said I would get to that?" she played.

"Babe, please."

He shifted even closer, and Ali could feel the heat from his body without even touching him. It made her even hornier for her husband than she realized. "Please what?" she asked, eyes meeting his.

"Tell me more." James nuzzled her face with his nose.

"WOW, could you be any closer without being on one another?"

James and Ali looked over to see Piper standing there. She was grinning from ear to ear, her hands clasped at her pelvis. "May I interrupt for juuuust a second, because I have some crazy shit to tell Allison."

Ali parted from James and stood to be eye level with her friend. "What? What is it?" She looked past Piper. "Where's Sid?"

"He's parking the car....but guess what!" She watched Ali's face change to one of curiosity. "He introduced me to Mario Lemieux."

James stood up so fast he almost knocked Ali over. "He what!?!?

Piper was nodding, her dirty-blonde waves moving with her every motion. "YES!"

"That........that's fucking huge, Piper."

Ali's jaw was still on the floor, so she was thankful James said it for her. "Piper...."

"Yes??" She was practically squealing. "I think this is for real, Ali."

"I don't think Sid's ever done this" Ali replied. "Has he, babe?"

James was drinking his beer faster than before. "No fucking way he has. I'd have shit to chirp him on if he did." His eyes shifted to Piper. "Trust me."

"What did you think? He's nice, isn't he?" Ali asked her. "What did Sidney say to him? What did YOU say to him?"

"We talked about my yoga business and how long I'm in town; you know...just light talk. He didn't want to keep us since he knew Sid and I were on our way out to meet up here." Piper almost told them that he'd asked about her starting her business in Pittsburgh, but she would wait to ask Ali about that when they were alone. She was entirely too happy to worry about what Mario had meant by asking her about it.

"Well I say this deserves a toast!" James placed a hand on Piper's slender shoulder. "What'll it be?"

"Oh, James, you don't have to--"

"--I know, and I don't care" he said with a smile. "Now what are ya thirsty for?"

"What are you drinking?"

"Local microbrew, pretty light but good."

"I'll take two."

James' eyebrows shot up. "Done!"

He went off to grab the drink, and Ali and PIper were left alone. Ali could do nothing else but hug her, because that was literally her words transformed into action.

"I am so happy for you! You must be jumping out of your skin with excitement."

"I feel like I'm finally becoming a real part of this." She moved her hands all around her. "ALL of this. HIS life."

Ali smiled. "Hun, you always were. It's just maturing, right?"

Piper didn't get a chance to answer Ali because she heard the hooting and hollering from all the guys around her. Sid was walking up the small stairway that led to their balcony-level VIP section. He looked around and found Piper and Ali, and she gave him a little wave.

"Sorry it took me so long" he apologized to them. "Did I miss anything?"

Piper and Ali looked at one another. "Nope" they said at the same time.

James appeared, carrying three drinks in his large hands and somehow balancing them without spillage. "Here ya go, Ms. Crosby." He gave a nod at his captain. "Speak of the devil."

"Good game, Nealer. Too bad about the outcome" Sid chirped, shaking James' now-free hand. "Thought the pairings were pretty fair to start, eh?"

"I can see myself on a line with Bennett, yeah, now that the fucker is healthy" he joked.

Sid looked at Piper, his sideways smile melting her heart the second she saw it grace his face. "Shall I introduce you to to the others?"

Piper's eyes darted quickly towards Ali. It was the moment she'd been waiting for. "Yes, I can't wait to meet them all. Or whoever's here."

"Prepare for some serious chirping, Sid" James said with a laugh. "You too, Piper."

"Chirping?" She looked at Ali.

"Fun harrassment. Teasing. You know...the basis of me and James' relationship."

James nodded. "Truth."

Sid was leading Piper away and she waved before turning her attention over fully to Sid and the stream of guys she was about to meet.

James and Ali looked at one another. "I can't believe it, really."

"I sure hope he knows what he's doing" Ali said cautiously. "As long as he isn't leading her on."

My thoughts exactly, James said to himself as he took a drink of his beer.

*

"And this.......THIS is Pascal Dupuis" Sid said, his hand extending towards his winger. "My roomate and long time friend."

Piper extended her hand to the handsome man. "Nice to meet you. Nice play today."

Dupuis looked as if he was about to burst out laughing at any second. He shook Piper's hand, but his eyes were locked onto Sid. "Is this for real?"

"What?" Sid asked.

Dupuis looked back at Piper. "You sleeping with him?"

Piper cracked up. "Ummm...."

"Holy shit, you are." He looked back at Sid, who shrugged guiltily. "Holy shit, you are!"

"She's my girlfriend, Duper. Relax."

"Girlfriend." He said the word, still shaking Piper's hand. "Girlfriend?"

"Yes." Piper thought Pascal's expression was hilarious, but she was so confused by it, it helped curb her laughter from surfacing. "Giirrrllfrrieendd." She repeated the word nice and slow as if to tease him for having a hearing problem.

"Oh hoh! Fiesty!" Dupuis finally stopped shaking her hand. "And how, may I ask, did this love affair come about? And whyyyyy am I only now hearing about this?" He folded his arms over his chest, awaiting Sid's answer.

Piper listened to Sidney's efficient retelling of how they met at James' and Ali's wedding reception, followed by how they've been visiting each other all summer. Compared to the other guys she met so far, this was the first time Sidney went into detail of it. She could tell right away that he and Pascal had more of a bond than he did with some of the others.

One thing Piper noticed, though, was just how surprised the other guys had been when they met her. Sid kept her introduction at "this is my girlfriend" or "she and I have been seeing each other for a while now", but with Pascal it seemed so much more.

"Well I think this is really great" Pascal said, happily looking between Piper and Sid. "Really, guys. Sid - you made a wise decision here."

Piper was flattered, especially when she saw his kind eyes smile at her. He seemed older than Sid; in fact, she thought that Pascal looked older than most of the other guys on the team. The ones she met that night seemed even younger than Sid, but overall, Piper could tell that Pascal may have been several years older.

Sid pulled her from her thoughts when she felt his hand curl about her waist. She leaned into his shoulder thinking that even now, he felt as comfortable as he always did. "You tired of meeting people yet?" he whispered with a grin.

"Have I met everyone yet?"

"No."

"Then my answer is no" she said cheerfully. "As much as I wanna get you home, I want to meet your friends even more."

If Sid could have tried to put his happiness into words from that entire night, he didn't think he'd be able to. Between the fun game and the bonus win to the fact that Mario enjoyed meeting Piper...to now, introducing the guys to her and seeing how impressed they were with her and how happy they were for him - it was honestly more than he could have ever hoped for.

"Who's next?" Piper asked him.

Sid glanced around, trying to find anyone he may have missed. He knew he still had to introduce her to Bennett, Bortuzzo, and Letang. Since Kris was closest to them, he would start with him.

"Come along" Sid said, pinching her waist playfully. "I have another Frenchman for you to meet."

*

James and Ali were watching from the comfort of their booth. Sid seemed incredibly confident while introducing Piper to each of the guys assembled within the VIP section. It was a welcomed sight to the both of them, considering what went on the first time Sid had to introduce Piper to people.

Of to the right of them, a few random girls had been brought up by some of the single, younger guys; chicks they found down by the bar on the main floor. Ali was having fun watching the scene with the random girls flirting with the guys, before going back to seeing the sweetest, most adorable introduction process she'd ever seen. It really did make her happy to see Piper as happy as she currently was. It gave her comfort knowing Sid was making great steps to see their relationship grow.

That, plus the end of her second tequila of the night, made her turn a little pensive. She could feel her horniness growing, as it often did under the influence of so many things that night: hockey, her husband, his smile, the old routine of a brand new season, the idea of getting to go home and have him all to herself....it excited her, but her mind also drifted off to other areas...areas she'd save for a talk with James much later.

"Hey babe?"

"Hmm?" James had be staring off in an opposite direction, but brought his eyes back to Ali.

"I think I want to go home."

"You sure?" His brow furrowed when he saw her begin to chew her lip. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just tired." Ali tried to smile. "And if you're up for it...still a little feisty for you."

James' smile was reactionary, but he was still concerned, given the abruptness of Ali's request and the way she always chewed her lip when there was more going on than she gave away.

"Whatever you want to do, but promise there's nothing wrong?"

Ali nodded, eyes bright. "What could possibly be wrong right now?" She leaned in and kissed his cheek, her hand sliding over his strong thigh. "Let's go."

She didn't have to tell James twice. He was up and grabbing his suitcoat from the booth, slipping it on over his shoulders. "You wanna tell your girl?"

"Yeah, give me two minutes?" Ali went off to where Sid and Piper were standing.

They were in close conversation with one another now, Sid leaning on one elbow on a taller table, Piper standing in front of him, listening as he told her something, his face all aglow and happy.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, lovebirds" Ali said, sliding up next to Piper. "But I think James and I are gonna split."

"Oh no! Really?" Piper's face fell a little. "It's not because we're over here being--"

"Oh my god, noooooo, don't think that for a second! I'm just horny." Ali smiled, somewhat crookedly, thanks to the liquor. "Ya feel me?"

"I do, hunny, I dooooo." Piper reached around her and gave her the biggest hug. "Thanks for everything tonight" she whispered.

"You're more than welcome." Ali parted from Piper, happier for her than even. "You have fun tonight, girl."

"I will." She winked. "You too." Turning to Sid, Ali gave him a quick hug as well. "Sorry to bolt like this, Sid."

"I know the drill" he replied with a grin. "Get home safe."

"I will. Goodnight, you two!"

Ali trotted off towarda James, who waved to both Piper and Sid, keys dangling from his hand. The couple waved back, watching contently from their spot off to the side as James and Ali disappeared down the steps.

Sid and Piper looked at one another and smiled sweetly.

"We're next, you know." Piper smirked at Sid, hoping he caught the naughtiness in her expression.

"2 minute warning?" Sid asked.

"You got it."

Sid downed the last of his beer. "Let's roll, baby."

* * *

Two separate hockey homes, two separate hockey players, two separate neighborhoods.

One mission.

James was full on giving it to Ali, making her moan the way he loved to do, making her feel every inch of his length the way she loved it. They hadn't even gotten into the house before Ali was all over him; loosening buttons, unzipping his pants, sliding his belt from its loops with a snap. She wanted control, so he gave it to her......at first, anyways.

Now he was on top and using their bed for leverage, his hands on the headboard as he worked her wetness with his dick. Her large brown eyes stared up at him, her mouth hanging open as each moan escaped between her heaving breathing.

James let go of his grip on the headboard, taking Ali's head in his hands as their hips moved as one. He kissed her hard and deep, pulling from her the need he had to be one with her. "I love you, Allison."

"I love you, Jamesaahh, fuck, again...again..."

He prided himself on taking direction well, but James really prided himself on taking direction from his sexy little wife who was as hot as a match when it came to them fucking. Years ago, James would've guessed marriage would've gotten boring, or as boring as the other guys chirped him about, but he hardly thought it possible for his and Ali's sessions to be anything but amazing.

"Babe..." Ali reached her hands around his neck, pulling for him to come closer.

"I'm here" he breathed. His mouth connected with Ali's, absorbing her moans and whimpers. "Tell me what you want...you like this?"

"Love this..." she moaned, exhaling hard. "So good, James."

He loved hearing it. He wanted more, he needed the confirmation...he lived for it. It fueled his hips and his abs to deliver for her, working the spot that he knew would get her there.

Ali's breathing increased and her eyes snapped shut. "I want--"

"--What do you want, baby..." James coaxed, biting at her neck as he pumped. "Tell me..."

"I...I want...."

Closer. Hang on, Neal. Hold out just a little longer.

He breathed into Ali's ear, feeling her ragged breath against his neck. "My girl wants to cum, doesn't she?"

"Yesss AH, James, fuck that's good!"

He slammed his entire length into her pussy and held himself there, hearing every whimper like it echoed through his head down to his cock. He withdrew slowly, then sent himself deep inside again, earning himself another cry of pleasure from Ali. It was her favorite, and he'd continue for as long as she wanted, he didn't care how hard he had to bite his tongue and clench his jaw to keep from finishing.

Until he heard what Ali said next, and he nearly stopped his body from moving at all.

*

Across town, Piper and Sid were going much slower but no less intensely. Sid was dragging his tongue over every inch of Piper's body; from her waist up the center of her long torso, across her taut stomach to the center of her perfectly soft breasts...all the way until his lips found hers, and he slid himself inside. He felt Piper moan against his mouth, and he smiled.

"Harder..." she pleaded, her nails digging into the skin of his wide shoulders. "I want to feel you....all of you..."

Sid gave her that and then some. His teeth found one of her nipples, biting just hard enough to elicit a squeal from Piper just as he thrusted harder inside. He wanted to wait for her body to accept his width that he knew she needed time to adjust to, but tonight she didn't seem to mind. Whatever Piper wanted, he would give her. He was powerless to her. Tonight proved that. Piper was on his mind from start to finish, and it felt good. It felt incredibly good.

And now, feeling free for the first time in his NHL career, Sid made love to his girlfriend who he didn't care who knew he was with. He cared for her too much to worry about the things he used to. Piper was independent, smart, funny, and incredibly fun and freeing. Sidney never wanted to leave that freeing feel behind ever again.

"Piper..." he breathed, their eyes connecting. Even the way she looked at him made Sid weak. "You're so beautiful."

She smiled, hardly hiding any emotion from her face. And Piper was feeling plenty of emotion. The culmination of the day resulted in more than she would have ever asked for. And now, as she felt the heavy weight of his body, the intense look in his gorgeous eyes, the way he smiled as her as he worked her body, bringing pleasure to her that she'd never known her entire life.....

Piper brought Sid's mouth to hers, her body rocking hard with his every thrust and her hands feeling the tendons in his neck down to the curve of muscles in his shoulders...all working for her. "Sidney..." She could hardly get his name out between kisses and between moans. She slid her hands down beyond his back, getting more than a handful of his rock hard ass she loved so much.

Sid needed to come up from air, so he kissed Piper's forehead as he felt her mouth lock on to his neck. When he looked down at her through the few curls that had fallen sweaty over his forehead, he knew there was no where else he wanted to be. He watched Piper as she shifted her eyes up to him, and her smile said everything.

Until he heard what she said next, which is what he would have never guessed.

*

James's hips slowed to a stop as his mouth hung open slightly. His breathing and Ali's were the only sound in their bedroom.

"What--"

"I do" Ali said, pulling him close. "I want to have a baby with you."

James felt like his heart was about to explode. "Ali..."

"Please don't stop" she begged.

Ali's gaze was as serious as James had ever seen when they had sex, and there was zero fear in her eyes. He felt a happiness well up within him that took even him by surprise.

"Really?" He kissed her. "Babe, tell me."

"Yes." Ali was nodding, biting her lip. "Yes, I do."

James started to laugh, and before Ali could say anything else, he kissing her as hard and as deep as he could. He resumed his rhythm with her, feeling a thousand times closer to her than he had to this moment. It was like he had a mission now; a different mission. If they agreed to this, and they talked about it seriously, James had a contest now....he would see that he'd make this happen. He and Ali would have this baby, and he'd be the best damn father he that he knew he could be.

*

"I love you."

Sid saw the love in Piper's eyes when she said it. He heard the words, but even Sidney Crosby couldn't think fast enough to handle this one. He did let loose a smile, because it felt good. It was the first time he'd heard a woman he was fucking, lie beneath him and tell him she loved him......for real.

And that's what threw him.

"I love you so much, Sid" Piper repeated, her hands sliding up his neck into his hair. She pulled his mouth to hers, and their passion never faltered. Sid continued sliding himself in and out, giving her what she wanted, causing her to moan for him....But he couldn't say it back.

When Piper pulled back, Sid looked into her eyes; so green and full and as cheerful as ever. He smoothed back her hair that was damp with a fine sheen of sweat, looking at her perfect face and the lips he needed to taste again.

But he still couldn't say it.

"It's okay" Piper cupped his face and smiled. "It's okay, Sid."

It's okay he repeated in his mind, trying to focus on his breath. He kept his thrusts consistent, feeling himself getting closer to his edge. What is okay? That I didn't say it? That she thinks it's okay for me to say it back?

"Kiss me" she whispered.

Sidney did, hoping his mouth could do the talking his voice couldn't.

Notes