You and I

“Hello?” I answer my phone on instinct nervously adjusting my tie. The response is lost to the noise around me and I excuse myself to the hallway. “Hello?”

“Sidney, are you there?” Brooklyn’s less than calm voice flows through the phone.

“Yeah babe, what’s up?”

“I just, uh, I needed to hear your voice,” She admits and my heart races.

“Are you okay?” From the other room I hear voices wondering where I am and I walk further away, into the empty, massive cathedral. “Brooklyn, talk to me.”

Silence.

“I’m nervous.”

I sit in one of the empty pews, gently disconnecting the bouquet and tulle blocking the opening. “Yeah, me too.”

“Have you looked outside recently?” Her voice echoes.

“Where are you?” She repeats herself. “No, I haven’t looked outside. We got to the church about twenty minutes ago and I’ve been preoccupied since.”

“Well don’t.”

I laugh, because I’m not sure what to do otherwise. “Okay. What is this all about?”

“There are tons of people here.”

“Well, we invited a lot of people to the wedding Brooklyn.”

“No, I mean fans, paparazzi.” There’s rustling over the line. “We are trying to decide the best way to get to the church without getting mobbed. Sidney, this is insane.”

In frustration I rub my hands over my eyes. “Babe, I don’t understand the problem here. This isn’t all that surprising. We expected there to be some fans, some stragglers.”

Someone bursts through the closed church doors. “Thank God, mes amis I found him!” Flower yells and begins to make his way toward me. His voice bounces off the high arches and stone of St Paul’s. “People are starting to arrive, you need to come back and escort people.”

“Stay on the line, Brooklyn. I just need a minute,” I try to focus on Marc’s words. “Go ahead, and start escorting people in without me. I need to take this call.”

“But that wasn’t the original plan…”

“It’s my wedding, I think I can change the plan.” I leave Marc in the sanctuary and go back to our holding room near the end of the aisle. In the room there a few of my groomsmen still milling about drinking. “Hey guys, can you just give me a few minutes? People are starting to get here, so if you could help Marc with that?”

They leave raucously, patting me on the back and making comments before I’m finally alone. “Brooklyn, you still with me?”

“Uh, yeah, hold on,” Once again there are undistinguishable noises. “Alright, I’m here.”

“And where is here?”

“Still at the hotel.”

“Brooklyn, people are starting to arrive.” I hear a sharp inhalation of breath. “Babe?”

“Are we really going to do this?”

I sit on the couch. “Don’t. Don’t, run.”

“Sidney, do me a favor. Look out into that church, a church that’s going to be filled with almost a thousand family, friends and coworkers in a few minutes.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Do it.”

I appease my almost wife and peak into the sanctuary. In the barely two minutes we’ve been talking the pews have been filled with at least a hundred people, movie stars, hockey players, friends, families. My heart tightens, involuntarily as Brooklyn continues. “We have to go stand up and make this promise in front of all of them, and in front of the whole world. All of our fans, and critics, everyone is watching this like it’s a circus. You aren’t the least bit nervous? If you marry me, you’re part of this circus, this bullshit.”

Instead of answering her, I sneak out of the cathedral and look outside. A large crowd is gathered with signs and cameras. “Holy shit.”

“See what I mean?” I can’t seem to find the words to comfort Brooklyn, partly because I don’t know what to say. My job forces me to play in front of thousands, but the idea of getting up in front of these people fills me with a sort of dread. “You feel it too.”

I’m back in the waiting room, and I untie my tie. “Feel what?”

“The feeling that we’re about to make a huge mistake.”

My heart breaks. “No, no of course not.”

“Oh, Sidney, I can’t do this. I can’t get married in front of all of these strangers.”

“Same here.”

“So what do we do?”

I try to think about getting married to her in front of these people and I want to vomit, but the thought of leaving her alone is equally appealing. “Do you want to marry me? Your initial reaction to that question, Brooklyn, not clouded by the spectacle of today. Tell me what you felt when I proposed.”

“Yes, Sidney, yes, I want to marry you.”

I smile, like an absolute fool. “Then trust me, get in that car and come to the church. It’s going to work out, I promise you.”

“Alright, I’ll see you soon,” Her voice is soft. “And Sidney?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

*******


October 2016

“I love you mom, but I have to go,” I wash my hands while keeping my cell squished between my shoulder and ear. The bathroom attendant glares at me slightly and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. The amount this dinner will be should allow me to do whatever the hell I want in this bathroom.

“And remind me what you and Sidney are doing tonight?”

I roll my eyes, “Well currently, we are at a 5-star restaurant, in our private dining room, very romantic I know. After that, I’m not really sure. He’s being vague about the whole thing. This is like the third time you’ve asked.”

“I’m just interested in your life, sue me.”

“Mom, I really have to go. Sidney is waiting for me.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll let you go. Have a lovely evening,” She adds suspiciously. “Call me later.”

I return to find Sidney standing shrugging on his jacket, and I hold my breath. He’s gorgeous and he doesn’t know it, but I love reminding him. “Leaving without me?”

He turns and smiles, “Damn, you caught me.”

“You were never very good at being secretive.”

A strange look passes across his face, before he covers it, “Come on, I have one more surprise.” He helps me into my jacket before placing a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth. I want more, but Sidney pulls away, his eyes full of future promises.

We ride in silence to wherever Sidney wants to go. Wordlessly, I watch as the bright lights of the city fade away to the more subdued settings of the suburbs. The sun is just starting to set and everything is illuminated with a serene glow. Finally, when we pull into a gated community I speak up, “Sidney, where are taking me?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” And we fall back into silence our hands intertwined over the middle consol.

When the car stops Sidney reaches into the backseat and grabs a camping lantern before exiting the car. Slowly, I follow Sidney into an empty rectangle of land between two nearly finished homes. “Sidney, where are we?”

He holds his hand out to me, illuminated partially by the fluorescent camping lantern. “Come here.”

Ignoring my question Sidney speaks, “This lot is the largest in the area, and there’s a small pond in the back, good neighborhood, good schools, and the lot is big like I said, so there will be privacy and space, not to mention it’s fairly close to Consol for me and the studio for you.”

My heart stops, “Sidney…”

“I bought it,” he sets the lantern down on the grass. “For us. I figured we should have a place that’s for us, built by us, for the rest of our lives.” I lose the ability to form words. This is quite possibly the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. “If you want an already built house we can do that too, I just figured that this would be…better?”

His voice shakes and I can tell he’s nervous, so I put my hand on his forearm. “Sidney, this is so sweet and so perfect. I love it, and you.”

“Well that’s going to make this easier,” He smiles and drops down to one knee.

“Sidney are you…?”

“Brooklyn, I’ve loved you for years, even when we were apart and now that we are back together more than ever. If you’ll have me, I’m going to love you more and more for the rest of our lives. Brooklyn Rae Donahue, will you marry me?”

I’m on the verge of tears as he opens a black velvet box with a large, beautiful rectangle diamond with two smaller stones bookending it all on a simple silver band. I’m blown away and by so much more than the ring, just by Sidney himself. “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes!” I launch myself at Sidney, partially tackling him to the ground, the ring tumbling somewhere around us. “I love you.”

He kisses me fully and I return every bit of passion.

We lie in silence totally wrapped in each other. “So I was thinking, a master’s suite and bathroom with a balcony, and a grand entry way. And it should be in the colonial style, bricks with lots of windows and green shutters.“

My fiancé’s warm lips press against my hair. “Whatever you want.”

“And a playroom. And a kitchen with a big island.”

“Of course.”

******


I’m pacing in the small chapel adjacent to the Cathedral.

Marc is talking to the priest when there is a loud knock on the door. I turn quickly and watch as Brianna strides down the short aisle. Her dark purple gown practically shines in the soft light. “Sidney.”

“Brianna,” I respond. “Is she here?”

“Yes, are you guys ready?”

I nod, suddenly at a loss for words. My future sister-in-law walks back down the aisle and knocks on the door. The piano starts playing and Brianna once again makes her way down the aisle, this time much more formally.

And then Brooklyn enters. She’s never looked more beautiful. The dress is what I can only equate to what a princess would wear with lace, a lot of lace and she looks gorgeous. I want her next to me right now and for the rest of my life. I smile as she finally reaches me at the altar. When I lift her veil, I’m breathless and overwhelmed with the feeling that I’m the luckiest guy in the world.

The ceremony is a blur, besides the moment she says ‘I do’ in that moment, I feel like I’ve won 100 Stanley Cups. I will forever remember that moment.

Once the ceremony is over we sit in the pews together as, according to Marc and Brianna, the cathedral continues to fill with people. “So how do you feel Mrs. Crosby?”

My wife looks down and traces an invisible pattern in the lace of her dress. “Unworthy.”

I lean in and brush a stray piece of her hair away, “That’s how I’ve felt since the day we met.”

Brooklyn looks at me, her blue eyes glistening. “I love you so much. We plan this huge wedding and I can’t even stand up in front of those people.”

“Hey, it’s like we always say, you and me babe. Those people out there they aren’t as important as us.”

She laughs, “Damn right. The Crosby’s against the world.”

We sit together, spending the first minutes of our married life alone in the chapel. Brianna finally comes and tells us that we need to go have the second ceremony. We walk hand in hand for as long as possible. “You don’t regret it do you?”

“Marrying you without all the pomp and circumstance?”

I nod.

She smiles fully and I know for a fact that I’m the luckiest man in the world. “Never. It’s you and me Sidney, when it comes down to it, those people,” she gestures vaguely to the cathedral. “Don’t matter. I’m not going remember each person who was here, but I will always remember standing with you, here promising to love you for the rest of my life.”

“I love you.”

“Good, because you’re stuck with me.”

Before she goes I hold her tightly and then let her go. Making sure this is the last time I see her without her ring on. She winks at me before she disappears. “I’ll be the one in the white dress.”

******


Epilogue

“I don’t think you should go.”

I sigh exasperated as my stylist slowly zips up my dress. “Sidney, it’s an awards luncheon, not the damn Oscars.”

“You’re due in less than a week,” he mentions. “And I don’t care if you’re nominated, you shouldn’t go to those either.”

I lower myself slowly into a chair in our living room. “Sidney…”

“It’s dangerous.”

“I’m receiving an award Sidney. I have to be there. Everyone is going to be there, I can’t not go.”

“I would just feel more comfortable…”

Emma motions toward me and points to her watch, with her help I stand. “I’m still going to the game tonight, so we might as well argue about that too.”

“Brooklyn…”

“Y’all are playing the Flyers, of course I’m going.” I walk towards the door. “Shit!”

“What?” My husband’s voice is panicked.

“I stepped on one of Michael’s toys, relax. Your son leaves his toys everywhere.”

His laughter fills my ear. “Why is he my son when he does something wrong?”

“That’s just how it works, sorry.”

“Should I even waste a breath asking you not to go?”

“My sister is coming with me Sidney, I’ll be fine.”

“Just be safe.”

“I will, see you after the game,” I’m almost to the door. “I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

At the car I turn, “Crap.” And retrace my steps. “Emma, I think we need to repaint the shutters, the green is looking a little dour.”

“Please, I’m so jealous of your house, it’s perfect. And why are you going back inside, we’re going to be late!”

I’m back in our foyer, “Brianna? Mom?” I yell and my voice echoes.

“I knew you would forget,” my mother’s disembodied voice yells from our playroom upstairs. I waddle up the stairs as Emma yells once again that we need to leave.

“I’ll be back in a minute!”

In the playroom my mom is rocking almost two-year old Michael on her lap while Brianna cleans an unidentifiable substance from her three year-old’s face. “Did you forget that I was coming with you?”

I smile sweetly, “Never.”

“Bullshit,’’ and little Jean immediately mimics his ‘Mama’. My sister tuts. “Non, ma petit at least say ‘merde’.”

“Brianna!” My mother admonishes.

We just laugh and soon Jean and Michael do as well. I look towards my chubby little toddler, a spitting image of his father and I can’t help but smile. “Have fun with Grandma today and then we’ll go see Daddy and Uncle Claude play.”

Michael is too engrossed in his toy to pay attention to me, so I give him a quick kiss on the forehead. “Thanks for watching them mom.”

“Of course, you two have fun.”

We get to the car and pull away. “Brooklyn, you should really trim all that ivy on the bricks.”

“I like it.”

She doesn’t answer me, but focuses on the ring on Emma finger. “And when’s your wedding?”

“Next year, enough time for Bridge to lose all of her baby weight.” She chuckles.

“Yeah she’s huge.”

“Thanks guys, really feeling the love.”

By the time we get to the event we are all laughing and I could care less how I look. At this point, getting out of bed and putting on makeup is a win for me. With that mindset Emma escorts us inside and to the small red carpet. I find some time to enjoy it and take a few pictures, when it’s all over Emma leans in. “Do you remember your first red carpet event?”

I think back, remembering the catastrophe that was the wrap party for that first movie I filmed here a few years ago. It was full of drama, tears and one some really great kisses. I’m struck by how much my life has changed. “I don’t miss it.”

*****


“Well done boys!” Our coach finishes his post-game speech. It was a long tough game, one that ended in a shootout.

“Nice shot, Sid.” Geno compliments me after interviews. “But you could leave the rest of us some of the glory.”

“Feel free to step up anytime Geno,” I tease back on my way to the family lounge.

When I walk in, the crowded room immediately descends into awkward silence. I search for Brooklyn and Michael. They are surrounded by her mother and Brianna as well as a few teammates and wags. “Hey babe.” I kiss her before lifting Michael up and into my arms. “Hey buddy.”

“Great game babe,” My wife gently straightens Michael’s miniature Penguins’ jersey. “Michael even cheered.”

“Really?” I hold up my son and toss him slightly.

He laughs and shakes his hands, “Penkins! Penkins!”

I laugh too and bring him back into my side when he starts to yawn. “Someone’s tired. We should probably head home and get him to bed.”

“We might need to make a quick pit stop first.”

“Yeah? Where?”

Everyone around us is quiet and staring. I know something is off. I repeat myself, “Where do we have to stop?”

My wife waves her had dismissively, “Quick trip to the hospital, nothing too big.”

“What?” I yell and Michael squirms in my arms. Quickly I hand him off to my mother-in-law.

“Relax, I already called your parents. Your mom is a little upset that her first granddaughter is going to be born in America, but I think she’s going to get over it.”

“Brooklyn.” I interrupt and kneel in front of her my hands gently on her knees. “Are you going into labor?”

“Eh, not reall-“

“Yes!” Everyone else in the room chimes in.

I shake my head in disbelief and notice that she’s wearing sweatpants. Brooklyn would never wear sweatpants to the game. “Why did you change your pants?”

She shrugs. “My water broke.”

I bite back a curse word and try to be supportive. “Why didn’t you tell me? We would have gone to the hospital.”

My wife, in the early stages of labor rolls her eyes, “Sidney, the game was tied in the 3rd with five minutes left. I wasn’t leaving.”

Everyone around us groans, but I can’t help but smile. I hold her face in my hands and kiss her, “God, I love you.”

“Right back at you, Captain.”

******


Pittsburgh, P.A.--- Brooklyn Donahue and Sidney Crosby welcome a Baby Girl!

Early yesterday morning the A-list actress and her hockey star husband welcomed their second child. According to reports Crosby had a game the night before and the plucky Star refused to go to the hospital until the game was over! That being said, both mother and baby are doing well.

Congratulations from Hollywood and the sports world have been flowing in since the announcement, not to mention fans are understandably excited. Brooklyn expressed the couple’s excitement over social media, tweeting a photo of the newborn’s hospital band, ‘Welcome to the world, Little One. Mom and Dad already love you.’ Charlotte Abigail Crosby, already adorably nicknamed ‘Lottie’ weighed in at about 8lbs and 7oz and reportedly takes after her beautiful mother with blonde hair and blue eyes.

The Crosby’s fairytale and at times tumultuous relationship have kept all of us at E! captivated. All of us extend our sincerest congratulations to the couple and their expanding families. Brooklyn and Sidney will be happily married for four years this July.

Notes

Okay, so here will be the longest and probably sappiest Author Note I will ever post, please bear with me.

So first off, a huge thank you to each and every one of you that read/commented/rec either of these stories. Y'all have been amazing and I loved reading all of the comments. You rock!!

Secondly, this has taken me 6 months to finish (with extremely inconsistent updates, sorry) and I'm so happy with how it all ended. I know it was touch and go after Counting Stars, but hopefully this was a satisfying ending. As I re-read the first chapters tonight I feel like Sidney and Brooklyn have come so far and it's been so fun writing their journey. I hope you all enjoyed the story and most importantly the ending. Thank you for making my first foray into fanfiction a pleasurable and rewarding experience. Love you all!