I woke up to the smell of something burning. I stumbled bleary eyed out of my bedroom, down the stairs, and towards the kitchen where the smell originated from as fast as my leg allowed me.

A very odd sight greeted me from the kitchen. Geno was standing over the stove top doing something, but the smell and some tendrils of black smoke were both coming from the toaster which he wasn’t paying attention to. I blinked several times wondering if I were actually still asleep. Geno never cooked. But the smell of something burning was wayyy too real to be a dream.

“AYYY,” I croaked as flipped off the toaster and a piece of charred toast popped out.

Geno turned around, “What? Oh.”

He started swearing in Russian as he walked over to inspect the ruined piece of toast. As he inspected the damage he had done to the bread, I went over to inspect what he was doing on the stove top.

“Jesus Geno,” I moaned staring down at the eggs he was cooking, running my hand through my unmanageable locks of bed head, “How many times have I told you, you are going to ruin your pans using a metal fork to stir things.”

“Forget,” he sighed, looking now more like a sad bear cub than anything, “But I make you breakfast. Was bring you up to bed.”

My lips twitched as I looked at my friend, “Why were you going to do that?”

“Not see you really and you leave tomorrow,” he shrugged, his shoulders were drooping, “Practice optional, so surprise breakfast and see you.”

“I don’t deserve you,” I teased, “But let me help so we can actually eat this?”

I hastily pulled out a spatula from a drawer and turned my attention to the eggs to save them before their fate could be the same as the toast. The smell of charred toast was stinking up the entire room.

“Go throw the toast outside for the birds,” I ordered as I stirred the eggs.

15 minutes later, we had a decently prepared breakfast of eggs and toast with juice. We were quiet as we ate breakfast. I guess I hadn’t realized before this that I had not actually spent any time with Geno during this trip. I had seen him during the game or when we were out to dinner or around other people, but just Geno and Lily time had been rather limited. Granted, initially I had come to Pittsburgh with the quest to potentially bang Crosby, but things changed. Priorities changed.

I guess I also hadn’t realized how much the members of the Penguins had grown on me, not just Geno. I actually rather liked the goofballs James Neal and the slightly more serious Paul Martin. Plus Vero and Marc had grown rather close to my heart. And this didn’t even count the members of the team I wasn’t as familiar with but still enjoyed seeing or talking with. And never in a million years had I expected Crosby and I to develop a friendship.

But now on the eve of my departure, after having spent the majority of the week with Crosby out of people, I knew my priorities needed to change a bit for today.

“What are you doing today?” Geno asked in Russian, leaning towards my plate and nicking my last piece of toast and stuffing it in his mouth before I could take it back. I frowned at my Russian, doing some quick calculations in my head.

“Chicks before dicks. Waiit,” I realized it didn’t quite work since Geno was a dude, “Bros before hos?”

“Why chickens and dicks? And you not garden in April.” Geno said frowning.

I shook my head laughing, I wasn’t going to touch that one, “Ask Lazy sometime.”

Geno tilted his head looking at me confused.

Whipping out my phone and flicking to contacts I went to calls and placed the call. The call only went three rings before he picked up.

“Hey,” his voice was gentle and a little surprised that I was calling.

“Crosby, hey,” I said, my voice a little more airy than normal, “I am really sorry, but I need to cancel our plans today. There are about a million things I have to do to get ready to leave for Colorado tomorrow.” I wasn’t really lying. I had to get laundry done and pack, both of these things could be done while hanging out with Geno all day. I paused glancing over at Geno, and saw his face had lit up like a child on Christmas morning.

“Oh,” there was an odd strain in his voice

“Yeah, I am really sorry--” I started to explain.

“I understand,” he cut me off.

Geno started gesturing for me to hand him my phone. I frowned slightly.

“Uh, hold on, Geno wants to talk to you,” I said, and reluctantly gave Geno the phone.

“Sid?” Geno said into the phone, “Sid. We go Lazy later afternoon. Said Lily cook food for him and check on head. You come. We pick you up. 4? Good. Bye Sid.”

Geno hung up my phone grinning at me while I just stared sort of surprised at him.

“Sidney is coming with us to James.” Geno explained switching back to Russian.

“Sorry, we going to James?” I asked in Russian, my hands moving to my hips, “And what am I doing?”

Geno grinned at me with attempted innocence, “I told James you would make one of your wonderful dinners for him so when he is home alone while we are on the road for hockey, he would have something good to eat and wouldn’t starve.”

I glared at him, and pointed upstairs, “Then you get to go bring my laundry basket down and I will meet you in the laundry room in 5 minutes.”

Geno hurried upstairs in search for my dirty laundry as I stacked the dishes in the sink before heading to the laundry room. I barely made it into the room before Geno showed up and I quickly pulled delicates from the laundry basket before starting the first load, memories of doing laundry with Crosby in my house in Colorado resurfaced, but I quickly pushed them under the surface.

After starting the laundry, we headed back into the kitchen to clean up and start on some dinners for James. Geno and I started on a pierogi dish as well as a meat lasagna. The dishes were all simple, and Geno wasn’t terrible in the kitchen as long as he had some guidance. Though mostly it was me cooking, and the both of us laughing. But honestly, I was too happy to care about the division of labor.

“No no, not dryer,” I cried out to Geno, who had my gray lacy bra in hand and was about to throw it in the dryer with my other delicates. We had just headed back into the laundry room to switch over my laundry.

“I like this one,” he holding up my bra inspecting it much closer. I shook my head, rolling my eyes. I was pretty sure we had zero boundaries anymore.

“Yeah? I have it in black as well,” I said digging through the wet laundry trying to find it so it could be hung up to dry as well.

Geno nudged me, and I straightened up and looked at his frowning face, as he scowled, “Who are you wearing a black one like this for?”

“Your teammates,” I said with a straight face.

Genos eyes bulged and he visibly. I let out a little giggle at his expression, and his expression quickly went cross.

“Forget you can’t run,” Geno had switched back into English, and was staring pointedly at my left foot.

I let out a high pitched squeal as I attempted, in vain, to escape as he lunged at me trying to tickle me in my ticklish areas.

---

“Both children,” Geno glared at us from driver’s seat in the mirror.

Geno and I had arrived at Crosby’s just 15 minutes prior, and Crosby and I had already fallen into an old habit. I had gone to the door to get Crosby, who had answered it looking incredible. He was wearing that dark grey woolen coat, with a scarf, and a hat, and I held myself back to not push him into the house and lock the door and do unspeakable things to him. ‘He may not want that anymore.’ a little voice had said in my head, ‘Right,’ scoffed another voice.

But we had gone just several steps to the SUV where Geno was waiting in the SUV and the both of us refused to get in the front seat of the SUV. My argument was that Crosby was wider and taller, thus it made more sense for him to be in the front. Crosby argued that though my argument was true, I was a girl and my leg was broken thus he was a gentleman so he should sit in the back. In our bickering, Geno was fast losing patience with the two of us in the freezing temperatures.

“Take the front seat,” Crosby repeated himself standing by the front passenger door to Geno’s SUV.

“No, you take it,” I said crossly once more glaring at him.

“Rivers, take the seat.”
“No.”

“Rivers.”

“Crosby.”
I made a movement faster than I think both of us thought possible with my foot and started to climb in the backseat of the SUV. However, it was clear that I greatly underestimated Crosby’s reflexes because I was not even halfway in when I felt two hands gripping me tightly around my waist.

I let out a noise of pain, as one of Crosby’s hand had a firm hold right on my not quite fully healed ribs. Two things happened at the same time.

“Oh fuck, are you okay?” Crosby asked worried as his hands released me.

“You hurt Lily?” Geno roared from the front seat.

And I turned and smirked at Crosby, trying to hide my pain, I knew he hadn’t meant to hurt me; my ribs weren’t visible injury and even I often times forgot about how they were still healing.

I slide easily into the back seat, “Perfectly fine.”

Crosby glared at me, before shutting the front passenger seat with a little more force than necessary and climbed into the back seat with me.

“What are you doing?” I asked gobsmacked at his stubbornness.

“If you are sitting back here, so am I,” he shrugged, shutting the door and settling into the seat.

So here we were, Geno occasionally glaring back at us at our ridiculousness childlike behavior.

Crosby seemed to take up an impossible amount of the backseat, I wasn’t sure how it was physically possible. Despite me sitting directly behind the driver’s seat,with my legs only leaning slightly apart, his knee kept brushing against my own knee. I couldn’t handle it right now. Being this close to him in a car was hard, it was the intoxication, it was the warmth he was sending out, it was everything. Over the, well, going on almost three years, I had done a solid job burying all sorts of feelings and emotions. This lust I felt for Sidney, this need to unbuckle my seat belt and straddle him here in the back of Geno’s car, undeniable.

I turned my head to glare at Crosby, who, when he had seen my turn my head had turned his head slightly to look at me. I saw a strange look in his eye, and--was that a small smirk on his mouth? Is he actually doing this on purpose?

I whipped my head back around, in Russian asked Geno, “Can you turn down heat? I too hot.”

“You’re too warm?” Geno asked concerned, “Are you feeling okay?

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I answered looking out of the window, realizing that we were in James’s and Paul’s neighborhood already. Still, I felt the air temperature cool down a bit.

Shortly, we pulled in front of James’s house. Geno held out a hand and helped me out of the car before we headed to the back of the SUV. Crosby met us there and after Geno opened it, I piled both of their arms full with the food we had made that morning. We walked up the driveway and I rang the doorbell. A few moments passed and the door opened.

“Hey guys,” Paul said ushering us inside the house, “He’s being a bit dramatic right now.”

“Oh, just keep socializing over there while I am dying here!” James yelled from the other room.

Paul rolled his eyes, “Here, let me take those,”

Paul took the containers of food from us, giving us free hands to take off our winter wear. The set up of James’s foyer was so that the stairs were right next to the front door. I frowned as I tried to lean over to unhook my cast shoe.

“Here,” I heard Crosby say and I watched as he kneeled down in front of me. I bit my lip as I stared at the top of his slightly curly dark brown, almost black hair. I felt his right hand move onto my leg and gently yet firmly grip right below my knee. Shivers ran up my entire body as I felt the warmth of his hand pass through the thin material of my leggings into the back of my knee. How was it possible for fingers to have muscles like that? Muscles that could do so--

“Lily?” a voice jerked me out of my head. I blinked a couple of times and saw Crosby wasn’t kneeling any more. I glanced back up and saw the three men all standing and looking at me expectantly.

“Don’t we have a Lazy to get to?” I asked clearing my throat and started to walk through James’s house to find James.

“Babe!” I heard James yelled as walked into his living room.

“I know you were missing Crosby, but at least wait until you get to your bedroom until you start getting it on,” I smirked.

“You know, I do like James’s closet.” a voice right behind me said. I stiffened, my eyes widened, and I swear my heart stopped momentarily. Without thinking, I turned around and smacked Crosby in the chest. I didn’t even bother to look up at him before I turned back around and moved to sit on the couch with James.

“What are we doing handsome?” I asked looking at James.

“Am I the most handsome Canadian you know?” James asked. James looked a little off his game.

I laughed, “I think you can make it in the top 10 for sure.”

“TOP 10?!” He shouted angrily, “That is a terrible statistic.”
I shook my head at the tantrum throwing man in front of me.

“Alright, how about the best looking Canadian from Whitby?” he asked pouting.

“Fine,” I said reaching out and grabbing his lower lip, “You can be the most handsome man I know from Whitby, Canada.”

“I love you, Rivers,” He tried to say, and leaned in to give me a hug. I stiffened slightly, patting him on the back awkwardly. These silly damn Penguins had really wormed into my life these past months.

“Still didn’t answer my question, Lazy,” I said pushing him off me playfully.

“Bet even with an un-functional brain I can beat you in X-Box.” He grinned.

“You’re on,” I grinned.

“You can’t have Geno on your team,” Paul groaned, “You two have a psychic connection which is unfair to the rest of us.”

And so commenced our battle of video games. After several hours, and after James’s head started to bother him a bit, it was time for Geno, Crosby, and I to take our leave.

“I’ll be back soon Pauly. I’ll miss you,” I said truthfully to the blond as I hugged him tightly.

We let go of each other and I turned to James. James was standing looking down and looking rather sad. I took a step up to him and threw my arms around his neck.

“See ya later mostest handsome,” I whispered in James’s ear teasing him, I as I hugged him tightly.

“You know it babe,” he answered me quietly back, squeezing me back before letting me go.

“Take her away before I make an honest woman of her since none of you greasy men will ever do so,” James said dramatically flopping back on the couch as the three of us headed towards the front door to leave.

---

“I’ll be right back,” I promised Geno, as I slipped out of the car and followed Crosby to the house.

We were silent as he unlocked the front door and we both walked into the house. I stood just inside the doorway as Crosby took several steps to the stair banister to grab the clean Malkin jersey hanging there.

“Thanks,” I murmured as he handed it to me.

“No, thank you for everything,” he replied softly to me.

We both stood there awkwardly for what felt like eternity. There was a heavy silence hanging over us. I wanted to say so much, but like always, words were failing me.

“See you around,” I quickly stammered, ducking my head and rushed back outside with jersey in hand.

---

“I love you my dear brother,” I said this perfectly in Russian as I threw my arms around Geno’s neck.

“And I you,” Geno’s voice was muffled from burying his face in my hair, “And you will be back to see playoffs and the baby soon.”

“Of course,” I sighed letting him go.

“You are sure you don’t want help?” Geno asked studying me with my suitcase.

I rolled my eyes, “Big girl I am.”

Laughing, Geno corrected me before replying, “Call when you get home.”

“Always.” I answered as tugged my suitcase and headed into the airport.

I quickly found my airline and was recognized by the woman checking me in. I smiled and went through the normal routine and conversation as I checked in. She was very kind and polite as she took my suitcase. The entire process went much faster than usual as the airport seemed less crowded on a Sunday than normal.

“Would you like wheelchair assistance?” the woman asked politely looking at my foot.

I paled, “Oh god, no. Thank you, but no. I can manage.”

I smiled one last time and started limping away from the desk towards security. We had left the house a little late, so I needed to move with some haste to get through security and to my flight. I glanced at my phone checking again at the time slightly concerned.

“Rivers,”

I let out an involuntary squeak of shock, as I turned around at the familiar voice saying my name.

“What are you doing here?” I hissed quietly trying hard to not draw any attention to us.
Crosby. Sidney Fucking Crosby, was standing next to me in the middle of the airport, the collar of his beautiful grey wool coat pulled high and a black cap with the lid pulled low. He took my hand and gently pulled me down through the airport. I stared at the back of his head, unable to take my eyes off of him. Crosby had his head down, intentionally avoiding any opportunity to make any eye contact with people thus not allowing anyone to recognize him.

He glanced down an empty hallway and tugged me down it. When we had reached nearly the end of it, he stopped, turned us so his back was toward the entrance.

“Crosby, what are you doing here?” I voice normal this time in our little bit of privacy. I gently set down my large purse on my purse so I could put my hands on my hips.

“I wanted to say goodbye.”

“We did say goodbye.” I scowled, and he scowled back.

“But, wait,” I blinked several times, “How did you know when my flight would be leaving?”

Sidney’s scowl disappeared and he gave me a half smile, “I called Jen.”

I felt my mouth slightly slip open, and I stuttered, “You, you called Jen?”

He nodded, looking down at me. His eyes were so earnest, so big, so--

“Come visit me this summer,” Crosby blurted out at the same time as I said, “I am an idiot and I am sorry.”

We both looked at each other like we were hallucinating. Had he just said to come visit him over the summer? Had I said something? I didn’t even remember if I had, but the way he was looking at me, I must have.

“What are you sorry about?” Crosby managed to speak first. That’s what I said? Smooth Lily, smooth.

“No, no, did you said something about coming to visit you this summer? That trumps,” I said a little grin crossing my face.

“Rivers,” Crosby was staring at me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. I had the strong instinct to push him against the wall and--‘And how are you supposed to sit on a plane so fired up after this?’ that wonderful part of my brain thought.

“I’ll be back in a few weeks,” I gasped trying to rid the images from my mind.

“You are coming back?” he asked surprised.

“I promise Vero that I’d come see the baby. Plus I couldn’t miss playoffs, Mama and Papa Malkin are coming into town; they’d disown me if I didn’t come.”

Crosby pondered this for a moment before glancing down the hall as if checking to see if anyone was watching us before he took a step towards me.

“Are those the only reasons you want to come back?” Crosby asked, his voice was controlled, but I could hear the slight edge of hope. I felt his hands slide around my lower back and I swear my heart stopped. This would be the moment.

“I want you.” And there were the words. Three simple words. The three words that were behind me coming the entire way to Pittsburgh. I had finally uttered them. And the shocking thing? The ground didn’t split open and suck me under. The heavens didn’t even rain down giant fireballs.

Crosby’s brow furrowed in what I could only imagine it was from shock because either I actually answered his question or because of the answer itself. Though, Sidney’s expression seemed to say it was if he didn’t quite understand the words I had spoken. As if the three simple words were as foreign to him as the most complicated words in the world. I would make the meaning clear.

I reached up with my arms, which until this point the two limbs had been hanging uselessly by my sides, and slid my hands around his neck, pulling his head down an inch or two. Very gently, with extreme tenderness, I brought my lips to first kiss his forehead, then by his left eye, and then his right cheek.

I pulled away, and for the first time, I saw that maybe, I had the same effect on Sidney as Sid had on me. He looked completely entranced, as if he were under a spell. Just the way I felt around him.

I grinned as I easily stepped away from Crosby.

“I’ve got a plane to catch,” I said jerking my head back towards where we had come from.

“Uh, yeah,” Crosby said finally turning his head back to look at me.

“Nice to see you, Sidney.”

“Bye Lily.”

Notes

Hey friends!!!! Did you think Sid was going to show up at the airport? I wasn't going to be THAT mean and just have that first goodbye be it end. :P

First, Lazy (James Neal's nickname, used by Geno in real life) did have a concussion from the Rangers game last year.
Second, huge hugs to NY Ranger fans.
Third, Congratulations to the LA Kings.

As always, thank you all so much for reading, subscribing, rating, commenting. I CANNOT believe how many of you wonderful people are reading this; it bamboozles my brain and makes me happy beyond belief. Also, your comments make me laugh really hard out loud!!! I hope my writing can do the same!!! I shall go forth with this goal! Look for the next chapter in 2 to 3 days! Cheers!