Chapter 21

She couldn’t sit up, not all the way, and her back ached from being hunched over but the make shift cage with the chicken wire and wooden pallets didn’t allow for room to move around or get comfortable. Not that there was much chance of that. They’d taken her shoes so her feet were cold and they’d only given them one small bottle of water and most of that Veronique had already drunk. Not that Cody blamed her in the least. First of all, she didn’t belong in all of this mess, she’d just been in the wrong place at the wrong time and secondly, she’d been crying pretty much the entire time since they'd been taken, so she needed to replenish her fluids. Cody's mouth was dry though and her lips felt chapped but she ran her tongue along her bottom lip instead of taking another drink. Who knew how long it would be before she saw more water.

“It’s gonna be alright.” Cody ran her fingers through Vero’s long, soft black hair, trying to be comforting. She wasn’t at all convinced that was going to be the case. These guys had guns and were sure as hell a lot more proficient with their weapons than that meathead biker they’d sent after her a few months ago. They also had balls. They’d been taken in broad daylight, with security cameras everywhere from a spot surrounded by security. These guys meant business and something in the pit of her stomach told Cody that it was probably pretty unlikely she was getting out of here alive.

Cody looked around the small, dark, rancid smelling basement. At least she thought it was a basement. She remembered stumbling down some stairs to get here and it was cement or stone maybe, no windows, no light source. Maybe a cellar or a bomb shelter, she thought as went back to breathing through her mouth, though that only took the edge off of the smell of mold, decay and something worse that she didn’t want to try and put a name too. She was afraid it was days’ old dead meat and she was even more afraid that it was human.

“They’re going to look for us, right?” Vero sniffed and Cody immediately nodded.

“They already are,” she tried to smile down at the pale, fragile woman whose head was in her lap. She hoped it was convincing because she knew that they, the FBI, cops, someone was definitely going to be looking for them. The only hitch was these people didn’t seem to be the types to worry much about being sought or found and at that moment she doubted that either of them was going to live long enough to be here even if they did.

“I’m cold,” Vero snuggled closer, pulling her knees up to her chest and Cody was momentarily glad of the heavy fisherman’s sweater she was wearing. Her thin cotton leggings were doing nothing to keep her ass warm but that had already gone numb so she wasn’t thinking too much about it. Veronique, on the other hand, had only been wearing some kind of light sheath dress that Cody was willing to bet cost an arm and a leg and was probably silk and was obviously doing nothing to keep her cell mate warm.

Cody ran her hands down Vero’s bare arm rapidly until she got the smallest hint of a smile from her new friend. She was collateral damage, Cody thought to herself as she smiled back at her, it was the least she could do.

“Someone will come soon, you’ll see. They’ll bust through the door just like on Criminal Minds and save us. We’ll be on TV, and Marc will realize that he’s made you wait too long to get married and have a big fucking ring in his hand when you see him.” Vero’s smile got broader, which was the intention of Cody’s little speech. She didn’t really believe any of it, but it sort of made her feel a little warmer to think about a swat team breaking in here and saving them. She just hoped that wherever Becky was that whoever was coming would save her first.

 ______________________________________________________________

“Sidwhee?”  He felt one of his eyelids being manually pulled open and then he saw her angelic little face above his. He tried to lift his arm, to reach up and touch her face but it felt too heavy, like it weighed about a thousand pounds, and it hurt, it hurt like hell. “Sidwhee, wake up,” she insisted, poking him in the middle of his chest, her little finger stabbing him like a knife, making him suck in a sharp breath. That hurt too.

“Rebecca! Get off of him! I told you that he’s hurt.” Sid recognized the babysitter, Mel’s voice and tried to shake his head, tried to tell her that it was okay, that Becky could climb all over him if she wanted. He was just glad to see her.

“No! It’s time him to wake up, now!” the little girl added and Sid thought he detected more than just a note of alarm in her voice. He heard panic. He heard fear. Even when she’d been taken before, in the Bahamas, she hadn’t seemed scared. He raised his other hand and touched her golden girls. It took some effort and it hurt a bit, but he managed it and the momentary look of relief on the little girl’s face was entirely worth the pain.

“Hey, squirt. Boy am I glad to see you,” he told her honestly. He tried to sit up but a sharp pain, like a lightning bolt going through his chest made him stop moving. He gasped and shut his eyes again. He’d hurt before, the high ankle sprain, his front teeth getting broken, the two cracks his head had taken but nothing had ever hurt like this. “Fuuuuck!” he hissed and tried to breathe through the pain. “Jesus Christ what the hell happened?”

“You’ve been shot mon ami.” Sid turned towards the familiar voice to watch Max pick Becky up off of the bed and put her gently down in a chair beside the bed. He remembered the muzzle flash and vaguely remembered waking up in an ambulance so the fact that he was in a hospital bed or that he’d been shot wasn’t much of a surprise. “I think you’ve got some explaining to do, tu ne penses pas?” Sid nodded but winced as he did that and little white lights shone in front of his eyes. Another one of his headaches was coming on. “Use the button,” Max put something in his hand and pressed his thumb over it and less than three seconds later something warm was coursing through his arm and the next thing he knew everything hurt a little less and he almost felt like he was floating.

“Where’s Cody?” he asked, blinking his eyes open and scanning the room. Becky had made her way back to his bedside and was climbing back up onto the pristine white sheets.

“We don’t know mon ami, that’s the truth,” Max said quietly, reaching for the little blonde bundle that was trying to curl her way into his side.

“She’s fine,” he whispered, running his fingers through her soft golden curls. “Is...someone is looking for her, right?” he asked looking at Max and then at then at the babysitter. They seemed pretty inseparable but that was a question for another time. Right now there were far more pressing matters on his mind.

“Like I said, mon capitaine, you have a lot of explaining to do. There have been cops, FBI, CI fucking A.... I knew that woman of yours was in some kind of trouble but now you’ve been fucking shot do you mind telling me what the fucking hell is going on?” Sid covered Becky’s ears as best he could, despite the immediate and blinding pain it caused him and narrowed his eyes at Max who rolled his and shrugged by way of an apology.

“Tell you what squirt, I’m kind of hungry, why don’t you take Mel and go find me a chocolate bar or something, okay?” Nodding, Becky looked very serious as she climbed down off of the bed and then offered her hand to Melany who took it and lead her out of the room. Sid waited until the door closed behind them and then he turned to Max. “You better sit down. This is going to take a while.”

 _____________________________________________________________________

“No, no!” Vero’s eyes were wide and pleading as the man in the ski mask tried to tug her out of the cage. Cody held fast to one of her arms but she knew that this was one battle of tug of war she wasn’t going to win; especially not if the man behind him with the gun decided to point that thing at her. “I don’t know why I’m here, I don’t anything, s’il vous plaît!” Tears were streaming down the other woman’s face and Cody felt the hot sting of tears filling her own eyes. She was sure it was in some kind of kidnap survival handbook somewhere that you should not let them separate you and so she clung to Vero’s hand, even as it began to slip from her grasp.

“Leave her alone. She doesn’t even know me. Please,” she begged on the other woman’s behalf. If she got killed in all of this, well, it was to be expected. If Veronique was tortured or died because she had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, Cody knew she’d never forgive herself.

The man merely grunted and tugged harder, yanking Veronique’s hand from hers’ and out of the cage, kicking the cage door shut behind him. The man with the gun drove the lock back into the hole in the ground and then waved the gun at her which she supposed was some kind of threat. Cody didn’t look at the gun. She watched Vero being dragging her across the cold concrete floor and then pushed, staggering, up the stairs towards a golden glow of light. She could hear her begging and pleading until she heard a door slam followed by the metallic scrape of a lock being put in place.

Cody pulled her knees up to her chin and tried to muffle her own sobs. Her pulse was racing and her heart was hammering hard against her ribs. When she’d shot the intruder into their house, she’d been afraid but adrenalin had gone a long way to subduing her fear. That and having Sidney there, having him take charge of the situation, of getting them out of the house had helped. Now she was just terrified.

She shut her eyes and tried not to imagine a medieval torture chamber complete with a rack, pillory, iron maiden and foot screws. Instead she did her best to imagine warm sand beneath her, the smell of salt water and the feel of Sidney’s mouth on hers’, his body pressing her down, claiming her.

“Will I ever see you again?” she asked in a whisper as hot tears slid down her cheeks and she began to tremble.

 _________________________________________________________

“It was a straight through and through,” the doctor in his mint coloured surgical scrubs with his bright shiny stethoscope hung around his neck explained as a nurse carefully changed the dressing on his shoulder. “Which is good for you,” he added with a measured smile that Sidney knew was supposed to be encouraging. “That means no structural damage, which would take months to get over. However, there was some tearing of the muscle and obviously a lot of tissue damage and loss, which will take a good deal of rehab to correct but in your condition, I’m guessing that isn’t something that will be new to you.” Sid shook his head and then winced as the last layer of padding was peeled painfully from the wound.

“It looks worse than it is,” the nurse whispered as she dropped the blood covered gauze onto the table beside her. The surgeon took her place and pressed at the clean unmolested skin around the wound. Sid sucked in a sharp breath.

“The trick is to keep an eye out for infection. With g.s.w.’s there can be a lot of debris in the wound. Obviously we’ve done our best to cleanse the entire area but we’ll keep an eye on you for another night and then you should probably visit your personal physician every few days for a week or so but I’m confident that you’re not looking at anything long term.” Sid nodded again and did his best not to wince when the nurse began to tape up the wound again. “You’ll want to keep that arm stable for a few days, make sure he gets a sling,” the doctor added and then turned and left without another word. Sid watched him go and then let out a sigh of relief that was echoed by one from both Max and Mario, who had followed the surgeon in.

“That’s a relief eh boss?” Max grinned like he’d just scored a goal or made a big hit and Mario nodded.

“Still, I think this is something we should keep out of the press. I’ve spoken with the surgical team and we’ll get you out of here through the laundry exit and you’ll be back staying with us for the foreseeable future,” Mario added very seriously. “You gave us a hell of a scare there son.”

“What about Cody? Is there any news?” Sid asked, looking from his friend’s face to his boss’s serious expression. The two men exchanged a look that made Sid’s heart sink. “Tell me...whatever it is...I need to know.”

“There’s no news,” Max began and then Mario put his big hand on the smaller winger’s shoulder and Max, for once in his life, fell silent.

“Vero is also missing,” Mario told him and Sid felt his heart stop beating in his chest. “The police, the FBI...they’re turning the entire city upside down Sidney. They’re doing everything they can but...it’s been two days and they say....”

“After forty-eight hours the chances of finding them alive are slim,” Sidney completed Mario’s thought and then shut his eyes and for the first time in his life, began to truly pray. 

Chapter 20

Max was skating slowly backwards, Becky’s mitten covered hands in his own, and they were both grinning. The reverberation of their laughter filled the mostly empty arena. The only other sounds were his own breathing and the metallic hiss of his skates digging into the fresh ice. Sidney careened around a cone as he guided a puck around the next cone, doing his best to keep his attention focused on the net in front of him. It wasn’t easy and not just because of Becky’s high pitched squeals of delight, but because he kept catching sight of Dakota out of the corner of his eye watching him from the bench.

He couldn’t remember the last time he was this content.

The twine in the back of the net bulged and Sidney sent a wave of snow in after it as he skidded to a stop.  Today was a good day. He hadn’t had to lie to get onto the ice. He didn’t have a headache, and even now, after skating hard for at least forty minutes, there was no sign of either the dancing white spots or the dull throbbing ache that were the usual precursors to the migraines he’d been suffering lately.

“Good to know you’ve still got it.” Sidney grinned at the Coach as he skated slowly back towards where he and the trainer were waiting with their stop watches and calculating gazes.

“It’s what he does, he’s sick like that,” Max interjected and Sidney found himself laughing with something like relief flooding through his veins.

“You think you’ll be ready by Tuesday?” Sidney wanted to say he was ready now, could play tonight but knew he wasn’t quite in game shape. Not that he was sucking wind, but when he stepped on the ice in front of the fans he didn’t want any doubts in his or anyone else’s minds.

“I think so,” he replied modestly instead though he couldn’t hide the eager grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. He couldn’t wait to play.

“Oh I can’t wait til you take some face offs. My f...,” Max caught himself before he let the f-bomb fly and everyone grinned. “My shoulder thanks you mon ami,” he added with an elfin smile.

“I can’t wait to take some face offs. I can’t believe how much I’ve missed just...this,” he shrugged, leaning on his stick, taking a deep breath of the cold air and blowing it out. He could smell his gloves, his own sweat and even the ice itself. He’d missed this.

“Pull me!” Becky tugged at his jersey and Sidney grinned down at her.

“Wanna go fast?” he asked and watched her blonde curls bob up and down. He handed his stick to the Coach and offered Becky his hands. She looked at his gloves and then back up at him with a look of such consternation that everyone laughed. “You don’t like my gloves?” he asked, shaking one of them off and holding it towards Max who also gave them a look like he wanted nothing to do with them.

“They’re big,” Becky replied plainly, still eyeing them suspiciously, “and they’re kind of stinky,” she added in a whisper, looking up at him, her big blue eyes wide as if she expected to be scolded. Like maybe stinky was a curse word.

“You’re right, they are kind of stinky,” he agreed with her in the same sort of whisper, bending towards her, “so I’m gonna give them to Uncle Max, okay?” She nodded and grinned as if she already knew the joke before he’d done it which made doing it even more worthwhile. “Right Max?” he said, quickly turning to his friend and shoving the palm of his glove over his mouth, giving him a good old fashioned face wash. Max cursed, in French, and started to skate away. Sid and the Coach both skated after him, much to Becky’s pure delight.

“Help me Becky!” Max screamed like a little girl as he sped past her, picking her up with both hands as he did and swinging her high in the air. Becky giggled and screamed, kicked and squirmed.

Sid slowed to a stop in front of the bench.

“Come on,” he held his hand out towards Cody who shook her head.

“I do better with water that’s not frozen,” she laughed and then leaned in to press her lips to his. He savoured the kiss. He’d never brought a woman to the rink, not on a practice day. It felt luxurious.

“Just once around the rink, for me?” he asked, giving the hand she’d placed between his a little tug. Cody shook her head again.

“I can’t,” she blushed and turned her face away. She had to be so strong so much of the time, these little moments of weakness made him love her more.     

“Get up, sit on the wall,” he directed her, patting the ledge in front of her. She looked at the ledge of the boards dubiously and then, gingerly, slid up onto it and swung her legs over the side. Sliding his arms beneath her, Sid cradled her against his chest and then let himself glide backwards. She squeaked and glanced uneasily nervously down at the ice. “I won’t let you fall,” he promised her, studying her face as she reached up and brushed her fingertips over his lips. His heart squeezed almost painfully in his chest.

“Too late Crosby,” she whispered, laying her cheek against his shoulder, “waaay too late now.” Sid pressed an affectionate kiss to her forehead and grinned to himself as he skated slowly into the corner.

“If you can do that you can play Creature!”

Chuckling, Sid nodded but didn’t reply to that or any of the kissing and other more suggestive sounds his teammates arriving for regular practice were making from the bench.

“Can I stay Coach?” he asked, looking hopefully towards where Dan was standing, leaning against the boards near the penalty box.

“Yeah, I think you can handle it,” his Coach gave him an encouraging smile and a wink as he skated by.

“You don’t mind waiting a little longer, do you?” he asked and felt more than saw Cody nod. “You’re the best,” he sighed and pressed another kiss to her temple.

“No, you are. That’s why they need you back,” she giggled and tightened her arms around his neck so that she could look up at him. “You’re not just my hero,” she added for good measure as he came to a stop in front of the bench. But before he allowed her to slide back down to her feet, he captured her mouth with his and pressed a long, soft kiss against it while he ignored the wolf whistles and cat calls.

_________________________________________________________________

Becky had begun watching the full practice with interest, her attention rapt, blue eyes following the movements of the boys who had become, after a few short weeks, her extended family. After an hour though, she’d gotten restless and started to whine about wanting to go home and wanting something to eat. Cody couldn’t blame her. Her own stomach was rumbling, reminding her that she’d only grabbed a piece of toast on their way out the door this morning. Sidney’s fully loaded western omelette had taken much of her time and the rest of it had been taken up by struggling to get Becky bundled into something warm enough to spend this much time in the rink when it was sunny and getting warm outside.

“Just a few minutes more,” she mumbled, hoping that her words were true as Sid and his teammates left the ice and headed into the passageway towards the dressing room.

“I’m hungry now,” Becky’s bottom lip had begun to tremble and now she crossed her arms and bent her head down, looking decidedly unhappy.

“I have an energy bar but I suppose that’s not really something good for someone her age.” Cody looked up to find a slender, soft spoken dark haired young woman rummaging through her purse just behind her. “I think I might have some Reese’s Pieces in here somewhere...they’re Marc’s favourite,” she continued to explain, her long, straight dark hair falling over her eyes as she dug deeper into her Marc Jacobs bag. Not only did Cody feel under accessorized by her own small knock off purse but now she felt like she was less prepared too. “Here, I knew there had to be some,” the young woman held out the orange box towards them, her brilliant smile shining. “He can be such a baby if his sugar gets low.”

“Thank you, you’re a life saver.” Cody took the box and opened it, shaking a few of the brown, orange and yellow pieces into her hand and dropping them into Becky’s own small hands that were eagerly cupped together in anticipation. 

“Please, we WAG’s have to stick together,” the young, very pretty young woman held out he hand. “I’m Vero and I’m really sorry that I haven’t introduced myself before now but you’ve kind of had these...gorillas around,” she added in a purposefully lowered voice which she partially hid behind her other hand as she looked at the one guard that was standing two rows up and at the end of the aisle. A couple of months ago they’d never have let them leave the house with less than three of them but now they sometimes even sneaked out without them if they were just going out for milk. Cody nodded as she put her own hand in Veronique’s.

“Sidney can be so over protective,” she mused, using the cover story that he had insisted on when it came to the other guys on the team. “I’m glad he seems to be getting over it,” she added with a conspiratorial wink. Vero’s grin got even wider and brighter and then she laughed, throwing her head back and covering her mouth with her hand in what looked like a self conscious behaviour. Sidney had said that both the goalie and his long time girlfriend were shy.

“Well I’m glad he’s getting over it but you should still keep a look out for some of those girls that wait outside. No matter how nice they look, most of them are psychotic bitches,” she added in a sideways whisper as Cody tipped more candies into Becky’s outstretched hand. “And don’t let any of the press talk to her,” Vero added, her soft accent somehow soothing as she spoke. “They talked to Jack once, that’s Cookie’s son, and made him sound like an unholy terror. Not that he’s not,” she added with a sudden grin that reminded Cody all at once of her boyfriend’s brilliant smile.

“No one’s getting near her, if I have anything to say about it. But thank you,” Cody ran her hand through Becky’s golden curls and felt heat emanating from the little girl as she chewed happily on the peanut buttery goodness. “Damn,” she hissed, and leaned forward to press the back of her hand to Becky’s forehead. “Damn, damn.”

“You swore!” Becky gasped and pointed up at Cody who didn’t bother uttering her normal apology.

“You’ve got a fever. We need to get you home.” She glanced down towards the tunnel, knowing there was no way Sid would be showered and changed, not yet.

“Pas un problème,” Vero shot out of her seat and began to dig for her keys. “Text him, telling him I’m taking both of you home or...,” she stopped and looked down at Cody, “do you want to have him send up the doctor?”

“Oh no,” Dakota shook her head as she scrambled to her feet. “I’m sure it’s just the sniffles, something like that. When there’s guys with tendon tears and broken bones, a case of the sniffles is hardly worth his time,” she added with a grateful smile, digging her phone out and texting Sid as she followed Vero up the stairs. “Besides, he’ll be able to go out for lunch with the boys now.”

“And I won’t. I hate watching Jordy and TK eat, merde,” Vero shuddered as she led the way up the stairs. Cody glanced down at the little girl whose hand she was holding. Fortunately Becky didn’t seem to know the curse word in French. “We’re parked right beside you,” she added as they walked towards the elevator that would take them down to the players’ private parking below the arena. “The only hitch might be getting your booster seat into the back of the Lambo,” she added winking down at Becky, “but maybe we just won’t tell anyone, just this once, d’accord?” 

_____________________________________________________________

“Dude you’ve known her like what, a couple months? Jeez, you can’t be serious?”

Sometimes Sid wondered if Jordan was going to be the perpetual bachelor like Max, especially times like right now when he was looking for a little support from his friends over this very important decision.

“I almost asked her out there,” Sid hooked his thumb back towards the ice. “I was, like, this far from just blurting it out,” he told Flower, who was the only one of his teammates not looking at him like he’d just grown another head.

“But there is no rush, oui?” the soft spoken goaltender paused mid step to put his hand on Sidney’s arm. “She’s not...?” he looked around, saw a local sports reporter watching them from down the hall and gestured with his hands in front of his stomach instead.

“No...shit! Is that what you’re waiting for with Vero?” Sid asked pointedly, giving his thin framed friend a shove that sent him careening against the wall. “It just feels right with her. I can’t explain it. I think the only thing that stopped me out there was that I don’t have a ring.” It had been right there, on the tip of his tongue. He’d nearly blurted it out when Cody had said she was way past the point of falling for him. Every time she said something like that, he could feel every single word getting a strangle hold on his heart.

“Wow, wow.” Max just kept muttering under his breath and shaking his head.

“What? What’s your two cents? You must as well tell me, they have,” Sid grumbled as they passed the guard outside the door to the parking lot.

“I just thought I would never see the day that the great Sid the Kid wanted to fuck someone more than he wanted to stick his wanger in The Cup.” Sid punched his friend as hard as he could in the arm and then shoved him when he only laughed. He was about to give him another shove, send him into the side of Cookie’s Expedition when, just out of the corner of his eye, he caught a movement between the cars. Despite the best efforts of the arena’s security firm, sometimes over eager fans snuck in and waited for autographs here. It hadn’t happened since his and Cody’s private guards had been watching the place but now that they were down to only two....

BAM!

“Whatthemotherfuckingfuckwasthat?” Jordan was flat on his stomach and Max was crouching low beside Cookie’s oversized family mover. It had sounded like a backfire, and if he hadn’t been in close proximity with an actual gun shot in the last few weeks he might not have known but....

BAM! BAM!

Sid’s heart raced as he saw the head and shoulders of the guard that was supposed to be with Cody and Becky aiming across the parking lot. He followed the line of the big man’s aim just in time to see Dakota being manhandled into an idling minivan. She was struggling, giving the two men who were trying to push her in the side door one hell of a time as she kicked and bit and squirmed.

He was half way across the parking lot before he had time to process what he was doing. He half heartedly hoped one or two of his teammates were following on his heels but he didn’t look back to see. He just kept running until he could almost reach out and grab her. Almost, except just as he reached the van he saw her tumbling forward into it, head first as the van door closed almost on his fingers. He was staring at the beige metallic paint that told him he’d failed when he saw the gun out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t have time to turn and look at it before he saw the muzzle flash and then he was spinning around, falling face first onto the concrete.

“Cody.” She’d been taken. He could hear the wheels of the minivan squealing on the smooth pavement of the underground parking lot. “Becky.” He didn’t know where she was. Maybe she was already in the van. Maybe she was gone too. 

Chapter 19

I've been suffering from a couple of ailments that I won't go into but suffice it to say I haven't been able to sit comfortably for a bit, but that's really not a good excuse for not getting this out sooner. I always have trouble with "in between" chapter necessary to fill in information and move the plot along but they always seem to take longer to write for me. Hopefully the next chapter will come out quicker.

Cody watched him back down the marigold bordered driveway and out onto the street. The black BMW X5 paused in front of the house, the passenger window rolled down and he waved up at them. Cody didn’t wave back. He was clear on her feelings about his going to the Pens early morning practice with Max and leaving her and Becky with a number of armed men whose names she didn’t even know. Becks, on the other hand, waved and then blew a kiss. Sidney pretended to catch it and press it to his cheek, much to Becky’s delight.

“Come on squirt, we’d better get inside.” Becky watched, on tip toes so she could see over the railing of the deck, until the SUV disappeared around the corner and only then did she offer her hand and allow herself to lead back inside the house and out of the early morning Spring drizzle.

“So what do you want to do today?” the babysitter nanny who had arrived with Max wearing the same clothes she’d been in the night before, asked, as she squatted to get to Becky’s height. “Paint? Play a game?”

“Zoo.”

“Becks we talked about this,” Cody began with a sigh, reaching down to tug gently on one of the little girl’s pig tails. “We’re kind of stuck in here, for a few days at least,” she added with a glance towards the solid wall of humanity just outside the sliding glass door to the deck. There was another one just like him just inside of the front door and one in the backyard. There were two more parked a little ways down the street. She knew they were there for protection but she felt a little like a prisoner all the same.

“I want to go to the zoo!” Becky stomped, her hands curled into fists on her hips. Cody didn’t blame her niece. She didn’t want to be stuck inside either and it did seem somehow worse after spending a week with her feet in warm sand and hot sun baking her skin.

“Maybe in a couple of days,” Cody replied patiently though her tone suggested that her patience was not exactly boundless.

“I could take her,” the babysitter, Cody had to think about her name for a moment, Mel offered brightly. “I’m sure the guards would come and it’s public, people around. We’d be fine,” she added and Cody knew that the young woman was doing her best to do exactly as she’d been hired to do but as helpful as that was, it was too soon.

“Not today Becky,” Cody said sternly and did her best not to immediately melt as soon as the little girl’s bottom lip began to quiver. “I’m sure we can find something just as entertaining here,” she added, trying to soften the blow.

“I hate you,” Becky spat back, her blue eyes narrowed, her cheeks puffed out, her usually full lips pressed into an unhappy, thin line. “You’re not my mom. You’re not the boss of me.” It was to be expected. In fact, Cody had expected this to happen long before now. That, of course, didn’t make it any easier to hear. Still, she’d had her answer prepared for some time now.

“No, I’m not your mom but your mom did put me in charge of you so yeah, I am the boss of you young lady whether you like it or not. So no, no zoo today. Maybe tomorrow, if Sidney can stay home with us, deal?” Becky peered out at her from beneath her long lashes and for a moment Cody thought her niece was going to talk back, expected her to but instead, she slowly dropped her hands from her hips and let out a long, sad sigh.

“Promise?” she asked, her plump cheeks red and tears glittering in her blue eyes.

“No baby, I can’t promise but we’ll see, okay? That’s the best I can do.” 

__________________________________________________________

“Shaving cream in my skates, very original,” Sidney sighed, withdrawing his foot from his skate and staring down at his foam covered toes.

“Awww we just missed you Creature,” Jordy laughed and then ducked as Sid aimed a wad of clear sock tape at him.

“You sure you’re up to this?” Coach Dan appeared in his track suit, holding the bright yellow jersey out towards him that warned his teammates that he was off limits for contact.

“Honestly, I’m still having good days and bad days but I want to see how it feels,” Sid admitted as he got to his feet and walked into the hall to hand his skates to one of the training staff.

“We’d sure like you back this season,” the Coach continued in that way that Sid knew he was asking but didn’t want to put any pressure on his star player. “Think you’re up to it?” Sud wanted to say yes and wanted to mean it. The truth was a little less certain.

“Well you know I want to,” he answered trying to sound more confident and enthusiastic then he felt, “as soon as I can.”

“Have you seen the doc yet, since you got back?” the Coach asked hesitantly and Sid knew he’d been caught. Of course it should have been the first thing he should have done but he’d just wanted to feel the ice under his feet. Coach Dan didn’t miss much and he nodded and smiled. “Go see the doc, if he clears you then you can skate,” he sighed and put his hand on Sid’s shoulder. Sid hung his head and blew a breath out through his teeth. He’d been that close.

“No problem coach,” he sighed, hung his head as he dropped his skates on the bench and then headed down the hallway. He pushed the door open, without knocking, to find Letang face down with one of the trainers digging his elbow deep into his shoulder blade. It looked mildly painful but the noises that Tanger was making sounded like they could be coming from a whorehouse. “Your back, again?” he asked as the defenseman turned his head to peer at him through a veil of his dark hair.

“Just spasms,” Tanger’s elfin grin shone through, “I’ll be fine once the doc sticks me,” he added. Sid looked over his friend’s back to see the doctor filling a syringe with what he assumed was some kind of muscle relaxant. He’d had to have a stitch or two in his life but he wasn’t a fan of needles and also didn’t need to see Tanger’s bare ass as the doc lifted the towel away to push the needle into the small of his back. “So are you back?” Kris asked through clenched teeth.

“I guess that’s up to the doctor,” Sid replied. “I’m here for the test.”

“Well you’re looking tanned and rested,” the doc smiled welcomingly as Tanger pulled the towel around himself and hopped down.

“I hope I’ll see you out on the ice, d’accord?” Kris grinned and Sid nodded. He hoped so too.

Sid took Kris’s vacated spot on the examination table took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, like he was about take an important face off. He watched the doc pick up the pen light and just seeing that instrument was sort of like having Ruutu bearing down him at full speed from across the ice. ‘Concentrate’ he told himself firmly, ‘you can do this.’

“So, any headaches in the last few days?” Sid smiled brightly and shook his head.

“Nope, feel great,” he lied. The light shone in his eyes and Sid willed himself not to blink.

“Neck stiffness? Nausea?” Sid followed the light with his eyes. It made his stomach roll. He was glad he’d skipped breakfast.

“Just a little food poisoning, bad clams I think,” Sid continued to weave his deception with a smile on his face. The doc put the pen back in his pocket and smiled indulgently at his patient.

“You see, a little time away from the rink was worth it.” Sidney nodded and kept smiling like he was doing one of those meet and greets. His cheeks were actually starting to hurt. “Well, I don’t see why you can’t start with some light workouts, maybe on the bike and see how it goes.” Now his grin got wider and it was real. It felt like Christmas morning and the first day of school all at once. He had to fight the urge to hug the gray haired man in front of him.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll let you know how that goes,” he tried to sound nonchalant as he slid off the table to his feet.

“No skating Sidney,” the doctor called after him.

“Yeah, okay,” he agreed ‘for now’ he added silently as he slipped out into the hallway and practically sprinted to the workout room. 

_______________________________________________________________

Cody peeked out the kitchen window when she heard the vehicle pull into the driveway. He looked up at the kitchen window as soon as his feet hit the pavement, a hundred watt smile on his face.

“Someone looks happy,” Melany pushed her red gummyperson game piece three spots ahead on the Candy Land board and tried not to look hopeful that Max would come inside.

“Mmmhmm,” Cody replied absentmindedly. He certainly didn’t look like someone suffering from a migraine, which is what she’d expected on his return. She watched him lean into the car and say something to Max, who laughed. They both certainly looked to be in good moods.

“Pay attention, your turn!” That was certainly more than could Cody could say for herself as she pulled a card and stared down at the two coloured blocks on it. Becky had been a tyrant all day. “You move for me,” she said and glanced back out the window again. The two men were still talking animatedly, excitedly.

“No! That’s not how it works!” Becky whined. “It’s your turn. You have to do it!” Biting her tongue Cody moved her game piece to the appropriate square and then turned back to look out the window. The black Beamer was gone.

“Havin’ fun squirt?” From nowhere Sid appeared, pressing a kiss to the top of Becky’s head, making the little girl squeal with delight. Cody felt a tiny pang of jealousy that hers had not been the first kiss but it only took a moment for him to turn and grab her face in his hands and press a long, lingering kiss on her lips that left Cody blinking up at him as he grinned down at her. “You got this?” he asked, turning to Mel who nodded, wide eyed. “Thanks,” he grinned and then offered his hand to Cody who stared at it like she didn’t quite trust it. “Coming?” he asked, and the throaty tone of his voice made her shiver.

Putting her hand in his, she let him lead her away from the table, down the hall and into his...no, their bedroom, where he closed the door and locked it. She was about to ask why, why he seemed so happy and why he’d brought her here but before she could give voice to either question, he pressed her back against the door and claimed her mouth with his.

“I missed you,” he whispered hoarsely, his hand sliding up beneath the thin fabric of her t-shirt until he was palming her breast.

“Liar,” she hissed back, her arm snaking around his waist she could grab hold of his ass. “They let you skate didn’t they? That’s what you’re happy about, not seeing me.” He tried to look offended but couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. Giving her another quick, less desire filled kiss, he slid his hand from beneath her shirt, took her hand and lead her to the bed, flopping down on it and pulling her over top of him.

“Not skate but they let me work out, which is a step in the right fucking direction,” he sighed happily as he impatiently pushed the hem of her shirt up until she took the hint and drew it over her head and tossed it aside. He slid his hands slowly up her rib cage until he was holding her breasts in his hands, slowly rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so...,” she studied his face for a long moment, looking for the right word as she covered his hands with her own and leaned into them, “content.” His smile grew, making him look much like the cat that got the cream.

“Oh I think you have,” he growled at her, lifting his hips so that his happiness was unmistakable. Cody bit down on her bottom lip.

“We shouldn’t,” she sighed, not letting go of the grip she hand on his hands, holding them against her breasts. Her nipples were growing hard against the palms of his big hands.

“That’s what the nanny is for,” he replied with a deep, throaty chuckle as he pressed his growing, hardening erection up against her. “I want to celebrate,” he told her, his smouldering gaze holding hers’ as if he was daring her to say no. “I want to celebrate with you,” he added with a playful growl, using his size and legs to roll her over and pin her beneath him

“Mmmm celebrate away,” she grinned up at him and then giggled as he bent to kiss her neck, his throaty rumblings making her shiver.