We Are Here and Now

"What are you thinking about?" Sid asked one low key Sunday afternoon. He was actually relaxing for once as they had a couple of days off before the second round of playoffs began.

CiCi was poised in front of her computer, staring at the screen. Sidney noted that she was staring through it more than at whatever was on it. "What?"

"I asked what you were thinking about. You look kind of lost," he folded the newspaper in his lap and crossed his legs at the ankles. He propped his arms behind his head and felt at ease. "When did you get glasses?"

"Last month, they're just for reading. I got them before my insurance ran out." He didn't remember her saying anything about needing glasses.

"They look good. I like them. Is that what you are thinking about?"

"No."

"Ok." He watched her as she quickly closed her laptop and climbed up onto the couch next to him. He welcomed the feel of her body as she curled up beside him, and let an arm snake around her to hold her close. "What's wrong baby?"

"We aren't spontaneous anymore." She sounded almost whiny and remorseful for even saying it.

"How do you mean?" Sid asked confused.

"Remember the first night we met?" She curled even closer to him, hiking her leg over his.

"Vaguely, care to refresh my memory?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her. Of course he remembered, how could he forget? After that first encounter he never wanted to be without her again.

"Stop!" She whined and smacked his chest, "Or what about me going to France for six months and you showing up? Or us living together after only a couple months of dating? What you did on that stage in Vegas!" Sid listened as CiCi rattled off different points in their relationship that were very spur of the moment.

"I was a part of all of that, yes. But why do we need to continue living like that? Why can't we just enjoy the forward progression of our relationship? I mean, we are getting married rather quickly. I would say that's pretty bold and reflective of our entire nature as a couple." They were two months out from the wedding and while it took some of their friends and family by surprise, most had warmed up to the idea quickly and showed their full support for the couple.

"True. But we are doing that so that I am getting insurance. Now it's out of necessity and not want." Sid scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. Necessity and not want? Where did she get that idea? He was going to hold back, but decided against it.

"So I gave you a ring and asked you to marry me because I knew you needed my insurance coverage? Not because I want to spend the rest of my life with you?" He held back a little, he just wanted her to clarify what she meant.

"Well when you put it that way!" CiCi said exasperated.

Sid's mellow mood was shattered. He lifted his arm from around CiCi and stood up. He needed to get away from her. "Where are you going?" she pleaded.

"Away. Is that spontaneous enough for you?" He walked out of the room leaving a very speechless CiCi in his path.

Sidney stormed out of the house, but without shoes or keys he was pretty much stuck. He didn't want to go back inside, and he knew his little outburst was very immature, but she needed to realize that what she was implying hurt him. The neighborhood was relatively quiet, and their house sat away from the road, so he plopped down on the grass in the front of the house and laid back enjoying the mid afternoon sunlight.

CiCi found him within minutes and walked out into the front yard to block out the sunlight shining over him.

"You're blocking my sunlight," Sidney said without removing his crossed arm from over his eyes.

"I see your little tantrum didn't take you very far." Her arms were crossed. He couldn't understand why she was mad. He was just informed that she was marrying because she needed to.

"I need shoes and keys to get away." That was obvious. He was barefoot in shorts with only his phone on him.

"I see that." CiCi didn't let down her crossed arms. If anything, she looked angrier than she had just appeared.

"When I came out here I realized I was missing them, so I improvised." Sid covered his eyes again to block out CiCi.

"You could have come back in." The hint of sarcasm in her voice didn't go unnoticed.

"No, no. In there we are boring old people who suck the life out of each other. We are only getting married because you need the insurance and I need someone to take care of me." If she could be sarcastic, he could dish it out too.

"Oh stop being a big baby! That's not what I meant!" Her voice elevated startling Sid to a seated position.

"It sounded that way to me," he finally said.

"You realize how much of a girl you sound right now. No wonder fans of other teams call you a cry baby." She had to take a dig at his nickname around the NHL fandoms.

"Well now you really just pissed me off." He hated being called a cry baby. To have CiCi call him one only made him feel like she stabbed him in the gut and twisted the knife.

"Good." CiCi moved back towards the house, providing the sun back for Sidney. He winced when he heard the front door slam shut. He pulled out his phone, searched for Geno's number and called the big Russian.

"Eh, Sid! What's up?" Geno asked in broken English.

"I'm sitting on my lawn with no shoes or keys for my car." Sidney looked around. There was a man walking beside a small bike with a little girl on it while his wife pushed a stroller behind them. He never saw them before, but he never made it a habit to sit in the front lawn before either. They waved at him catching him by surprise because he wasn't sure they could actually see him and he returned the gesture.

"Fight with Ci?" Geno brought Sid back into focus. He dropped his hand into his lap and frowned at the phone.

"Something like that. What are you doing?" He wanted someone to let him come to their place for a few hours while he cooled off.

"Play video game. You come play?" Sid had a feeling that was what Geno would be doing.

"I don't know if I can get inside my house right now." He just considered the possibility that CiCi may have actually locked him out.

"Tell you what you do. Get inside somehow, find Ci and give good hard ride. She forget why she mad." Sid rolled his eyes at the sexual innuendo and suppressed a giggle.

"I'm mad too though G," he reminded his teammate and himself.

"Ah, you two make up all the time. You be fine. Want me to come get you?" Geno asked.

"Let me try your first option. If that doesn't work maybe I'll be over." Sid knew he needed to at least talk with CiCi.

"Sound good! See you Sid!" Geno said.

"Bye G." Sid had to let out his suppressed laugh. Geno would be the one to suggest make up sex and forget everything else. He climbed to his feet, walked to the door and tried the knob. He expected it to be locked, but it wasn't making his entrance that much less dramatic. He peaked into CiCi's studio, but it was empty. He listened for any sounds around the main floor then darted up the steps towards the second floor. He found her on their bed, appearing to be asleep.

How the hell she was asleep was beyond him. He slipped past the door, creeped over to the foot of the bed and crawled up over CiCi's thin frame.

"No, Sid," she tried to push him away, but he was stronger. "I'm mad at you."

"I'm mad at you too. That doesn't change the fact that I am still incredibly attracted to you and that I love you." He ran his nose along her jaw and gingerly placed a kiss on her earlobe. Her attempts to push him away faltered and she welcomed his warm body.

"I don't want to marry you out of necessity." She said it softly.

"I know."

"You were acting like a child." A little bit more firm that time.

"I know." And he would be the first to admit it. He knew his behavior sucked. And that she was just pointing out how marrying quickly was also benefiting her in some way.

"Geno's solution isn't going to work." Damn, she knew him all too well. He continued grazing his teeth and lips along her face and neck without giving her a chance to hesitate. He smiled when he felt her grip his biceps and her breath catch in her throat. He was turning her in with his ministrations.

"It already is," he whispered before capturing her lips with his own. She moaned and slid her hands up under his shirt, along his ripped abs and stopped when she couldn't push the shirt up any further. He broke free from their kiss to lift his arms and allow her to remove his shirt entirely.

"God, you're beautiful," she whispered reverently, admiring every ripple of muscle and perfectly smooth skin across his chest. Her fingers tickled along his ribs and he felt his body involuntarily shudder at her soft touch.

"All forgiven?" Sid asked quietly. CiCi just nodded, the ability to speak lost at the sight of him.

"Good." He was still slightly troubled by what CiCi said, but he was willing to look past it. He was softening her up to make love to her. And aside from being on the ice, being that close to her was his favorite place to be.

*****
"Where are we going?" CiCi asked from the passenger seat of Sid's new Tesla. She had a love hate relationship with the vehicle. She loved how the car looked and felt, but she hated how fast Sidney wanted to drive when he was in it. Thankfully, he kept his SUV for the winter months, and only exceeded the speed limit slightly when she was in it with him. What he did when she wasn't around she didn't care. As long as he didn't get into trouble over it.

"Ah, I was instructed to go to Butcher and Rye. The guys and wives will all be there." CiCi nodded, she didn't know what else to say. The guys were one round away from being Stanley Cup champs and this would be the last chance they had to gather for a group dinner before the championship round began.

"I've never been there."

"Me either. It is owned by the same guy who runs Meat and Potatoes so I imagine the food is similar. We let Kris choose. Don't ask me why." Sid took the exit off of the Veterans' Bridge into downtown and followed the flow of traffic over towards the cultural district. The restaurant sat across from Heinz Hall, which was perfect because they could park at the apartment and walk the couple blocks over.

"Why do you still have this place? We haven't been here in over a year," CiCi questioned as she took Sid's hand and followed close beside him.

"I don't know. It is completely empty too. We could sell it. Or we can make it a personal art gallery for your paintings that you finish and have nowhere to hang them?"

CiCi immediately suspected that was Sidney's plan all along. "Really?"

"Yeah, why not?" He was acting like he had just come up with that idea.

"Let's get married first before we cross that bridge." CiCi had too much to finalize before the wedding to consider what she could do in a private gallery. Where only serious art dealers and buyers could go for her exclusive works of art.

"I'm just putting a bug in your ear." He kissed her hand and squeezed it to assure her that it wasn't something he expected to come to fruition in the next days or weeks. Just something they could do over time.

"Thank you baby." She loved him. She knew it. She also knew he would give her the world if she asked for it.

They crossed the corner of Liberty Avenue towards the direction of Heinz Hall and got to the restaurant in minutes. The place looked small and CiCi wondered how the entire group of hockey players with their significant others would go unnoticed. "This is going to be a nightmare, I fear."

Sensing what she meant Sidney offered, "We will eat and get out of here as fast as we can. I don't want to cause a scene."

"Okay. But don't be rude to fans," she pleaded quietly when she had his gaze into focus on her.

"When am I ever?" Sid asked with a crooked smile. He opened the door and let CiCi slip in front of him.

They were barely through the door when they heard, "SURPRISE!"

Both Sidney and CiCi fell against each other and erupted into laughter. Vero was the first to approach the shocked pair. "You honestly thought we could let you get engaged and not celebrate? Since you aren't having a shower, we planned this little engagement party instead!"

"Oh wow," CiCi was near tears as she hugged her friend. Sidney leaned down and placed a kiss on Vero's cheek.

"Taylor?What the hell?" Sid was shocked to see not just his teammates, but his parents and sister. CiCi's parents were right beside his, and her friends were mingling with several of his teammates. A large banner congratulating the Crosby's hung above the bar and not a single table had people they didn't know.

"You are all amazing, I can't believe this!" CiCi was gushing as she made her way through the throng of people giving them hugs and kisses along the way.

"I wasn't the least bit surprised when I received a phone call from a one Marc Andre Fleury to ask for my wife's number to help plan this," Derrick claimed as he hugged CiCi. She laughed at the absurdity and thought how wonderful it was that the Pens included her group of friends in on the surprise.

"He hesitated at first. I had to make some shit up for Sidney to convince Derrick it was me," Marc explained, "You're pretty gullible Cappy."

"Playoffs are on my mind dude. I didn't think anything of it." Sid slapped his goalie on the shoulder and moved on as CiCi pulled him towards another group of guests.

As the evening wore on, dinner was served from a special menu and conversation quieted down as everyone ate. Sidney and CiCi couldn't have asked for a better group of friends and family to be there celebrating. "You do realize this is reflective of the reception. I mean this is pretty much the guest list, give or take a few of your friends from home," CiCi leaned it closely to say to Sidney.

"It's pretty awesome they did this for us," Sid whispered back, but was caught by surprise when everyone started to clink their glasses.

"We have something we want to share with you two!" Kris announced as he stood from his seat and the rest of the room became quiet. "Planning this evening was easier than you may think. That is because there are so many people here that want to celebrate the two of you. Now since you two are rushing to plan a fabulous wedding for guests of upwards of two hundred, Cole Harbour won't know what hit them by the way, we as your closest group of friends and your family have all chipped in for one more surprise."

Katherine stood next to Kris and handed Sidney and CiCi an envelope. Sidney watched as CiCi lifted the seal and pulled out a card. In it contained information on a trip planned for the week after the wedding to Hawaii.

"This is way too much guys! Are you crazy?" Sidney exclaimed while CiCi nodded in agreement.

"We can't take this!"

"You can and you will. This is from the entire room. Everyone here chipped in what they could and we still managed book this exotic locale."

"I don't know what to say, this is incredible. Thank you everyone! This is completely unnecessary, but appreciated nonetheless," Sid announced.

"A few words Sid?" Mario suggested from his table next to Sid.

"Ah, okay. Yeah," Sid stumbled as he stood on his feet and picked up his wine glass. "A toast?"

"I'll say a few words," CiCi stepped up as she sensed Sidney's uneasiness over being put on the spot. "When I was a little girl I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance. A church filled with family and friends. I asked Sid what kind of a wedding he wished for, and he said the most simple and poignant thing. He said he only wanted one that made me his wife." She wrapped her arm around Sid's waist and looked up at him with much adoration and love. "I knew right then that I could spend a year planning something that will be gone in a day, but when it is all said and done I will be this man's wife. And that was when my dream flew out the door and I wanted his dream. One that would make him my husband." Many awes and whistles broke out when she paused at her words.

"One month," Sid said to CiCi but loud enough for everyone to hear.

"We have a lot to do, but first, go win the cup. Cheers!" CiCi exclaimed as she lifted her glass in the air. Sidney clinked his glass with CiCi's, but instead of taking a sip, he pulled her close and pressed a kiss firmly to her lips.

*****
"You are buying off the rack?" Caroline sounded incredulous. It was Monday, the day after the surprise party and CiCi and her friends were out looking at dresses for the impending wedding.

"There isn't time to do a custom job, and what's wrong with off the rack?" CiCi never even considered building a dress from scratch when she considered dress options before.

"Nothing, just not what I expected for you." Caroline shrugged her shoulders and turned to look through a rack behind her.

"I'm not even going to ask what that is supposed to mean." CiCi crossed over to a new stand and began looking through the gowns hanging. She had informed the sales woman that she needed to find something that she could buy that day and it had to be off the rack. So the woman, her name was Lori, led her and her friends to a few racks in the back of the store that met CiCi's needs.

"Care. This looks like your dress!" Julia exclaimed trying to break up a potential argument between the friends.

"No it doesn't. Mine IS custom. You won't find it hanging on a rack." CiCi felt like her response was a low blow.

"What are you trying to do?" CiCi asked. She was feeling her blood begin to boil.

"What?"

"I'm not trying to one up you by getting married before you."

"I'm not implying that you are."

"No, but your little jabs about how I'm choosing to plan my wedding is hurtful and tactless. I may not be planning something extravagant, but I don't want extravagance. I'm sorry you seem to think you need to go above and beyond to put on a show, but I don't have to. So stop judging me and either help me find a dress or leave. Because I don't have time for pettiness and immaturity."

Caroline hoisted her purse onto her shoulder, turned and waltzed out of the shop.

"A little harsh Ci," Julia said softly.

"She has been making snarky comments like that since Sidney and I have gotten engaged. It's almost like we are back to when we all lived together and Sid and I were starting to date. I'm sorry I finally grew a backbone and could stand up to her."

"I have to agree with Ci, Jules. You aren't around as much. Caroline is being a complete bitch about Ci and Sid getting married. But I think it is entirely because it's happening so fast. Then again, nothing about you two have been slow."

"Thank you."

"I do think once you are calmed down you should talk to her."

"I'm not going to seek her out."

"She is one of your best friends."

"I didn't say I wouldn't talk to her after I calm, but I'm not seeking her out."

"Okay."

"Oh Ci! This one is perfect! Especially for a lakeside wedding. Oh and he isn't wearing a full tux, this is going to compliment Sid's casual ensemble," Julia gushed over an off white, lace tea-length gown. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and lace flowing over the bodice like flowers.

"That's it! I need to try that on. It is everything I've been looking for!" CiCi took the dress and rushed towards her changing room, leaving Maria and Julia in the shop area.

"This could be bad," Julia said.

"I'll talk to them. They are both acting ridiculous. But when are they not?" Maria asked. Julia nodded in agreement, but both girls were thinking how this could get worse before it got better.

Notes

It's awfully quiet out there. Did I do something wrong? I promise I'll try to update more often. Sidney and CiCi are all I have right now! Let me know what you think. Please and thanks!