***Author's note: Hi everyone! New story. Going to move at a much more rapid pace than Superstition. This story will be more like glimpses into significant moments for Sidney and Caroline. Hope you enjoy!***

Caroline looked miserably out the window at the gray and desolate landscape that comes when it's early March and it seems like winter will never end. It was appropriate though, the overcast sky and the skeleton trees created a somber mood for the drive home. She cast a glance at Sidney in the driver's seat and studied his profile for a few seconds, hoping not to draw too much attention to her stare. His jaw was set and his eyes glued to the road. His body was tense, tight and on high alert as evidenced by the white knuckle clutch he had on the steering wheel. He was so handsome. There wasn't a time she looked at him that she didn't appreciate the flush of his cheeks, the sharpness of his jaw. His prominent nose and those large lips that knew just exactly how to draw out her deepest desires. His dark eyes that looked her with such reverence, such love, but now couldn't even meet hers.

Caroline sighed inwardly, not wanting to break the silence of the Range Rover as it traveled down the freeway at a high speed that was uncharacteristic for his typically safe driving. Caroline looked away and down at her hands. She stared at her fingers, particularly the left ring finger that lay bare on her lap and felt the sadness wash over her.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly for what seemed like the 100th time in the past 16 hours.

He didn't look at her, just kept his eyes on the road and pressed the gas a little harder.

"I know."

Twenty-four hours earlier

Sidney stood nervously on Caroline's front stoop as his fingers rolled the black velvet box around in his pocket. He hadn't stopped thinking of the proposal for nearly a month. What he would do, where he would do it. What he would say. It was all he thought about. He had found the ring a few weeks earlier during a road trip to New York. Caroline had once told him a story about how her parents had gotten engaged in New York. Her face had gotten this dreamy faraway look as she told Sidney about how they had gone away for the weekend to New York City. How Mr. Reid had proposed to Caroline's mom in Central Park on a sunny May morning. How they had gone to Tiffany's & Co. to pick out an extremely modest ring that had still cost a fortune. He had been in the world famous shop for only a few minutes when he had seen it. The Tiffany setting on a white gold band. Beautiful and elegant. The diamond sparkled in the shop and Sidney could picture it on her finger. He knew it was perfect. It wasn't the biggest ring in the store but he knew if he spent a dime more than he had on the ring that she would be outraged. Frugal to the core, her resistance to money and gifts never seemed to wane.

Ten minutes later and $36,000 lighter he left the shop with the box snug in his suit pocket. He wouldn't take the piece of jewelry out of his sight.

And he hadn't. Not once. He worried all the time about her finding it. Just a week ago, right before the road trip, as their clothes lay on his bedroom floor and Caroline laid naked in his arms the secret had almost been blown. She had promised to make him French toast in the morning and when they had woken she extracted herself from his bed and went to his dresser to grab a t-shirt, like she had done tons of times before. Knowing the ring sat at the bottom of the top drawer, he had shot out of bed like a cannon and stopped her just in time. Unable to think of an excuse for his behavior, he had distracted her in other ways, as they fell back into bed in a tangle of limbs, all thoughts of the French toast forgotten. He had waited for the perfect time to present it to her and it had finally come. It was their three month anniversary of their first date. It was ridiculous that after only three months he was ready to take this step but he knew with such complete and utter certainty that this was it. She was it. And he couldn't wait any longer.

A full minute after his knocking, Caroline finally came to the door. She immediately looked surprised and somewhat embarrassed when she saw him as she was dressed in oversized sweats, had her hair up in a messy bun and held a bottle of cleaner in one hand and a rag in the other. Not a speck of makeup on her face but her cheeks flushed from the cleaning she had been doing all afternoon. A split second however a wide grin bloomed across her face and she threw herself into his arms, so happy to see the man she loved for the first time in nearly a week.

She smelled like lemons and bleach and her cheek was clammy as it pressed into his neck. His arms came around her and he returned the embrace with equal fervor, the feeling of peace washing over him as it so often did when she was around. He murmured his greeting into her ear, as she echoed the hello with a breathy whisper.

Pulling back, she pulled him out of the cold winter air and into the warmth of her home. Light music filled the space and her place looked tidy and cozy.

Caroline smiled brilliantly at him as she set down the cleaning supplies and fell back into his arms, her mouth instinctively lifting up to meet his as his lips descended on hers. After a few moments he broke the kiss and pulled back, his hand coming up to brush her hair back from her face.

"I missed you," he said with a nervous smile.

Caroline just beamed at him, "I missed you too. I wasn't expecting you for a few more hours." She self consciously pulled at her old t-shirt that was worn with holes, two of which were dangerous close to her breasts and Sid could barely take his eyes off of as he zeroed in on the bright pink sports bra that she wore underneath.

"I know I'm early," Sid replied grinning, his eyes lifting back up to hers. "I have a surprise for you."

Caroline immediately brightened, "A surprise?"

Sid nodded and filled her in on his plans. It was only for twenty-four hours, since she had school and he had practice. A drive up to the mountains, then a couple's massage, dinner and finally a stroll through the wooden trails where the trees would be cloaked in white and he would declare his love and commitment to her for eternity. It sounded cheesy, but it would be perfect. He of course didn't tell her that part. Caroline squealed with delight and scurried off to get ready for the getaway.

Sid paced her living room, the anxiety coming back. He ran the words through his head over and over. Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he walked over towards it and gave himself a long hard look.

He took a deep breath and quietly spoke into the mirror, "Caroline. I don't remember my life without you. You are my everything. I love you more and more everyday; please do me the honor of becoming my wife." His voice squeaked at the end and he made a face into the mirror. The last thing he needed was to mess this up. He was a perfectionist and this is when he needed to be flawless. He felt like something was missing. He could tell her a thousand times how much he loved her, but he needed that special something. Those perfect string of words that let her know what all those feelings he had inside truly meant.

He took a seat on her lumpy couch and stared at his hands, he focused on the setting and the words trying to picture the whole thing. It worked for his games; it could maybe work for this too.

He was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of her entering the room. Caroline had showered and blown dried her hair as it lay in soft waves over her shoulders. She had put on some light make up and wore a flowing flowered dress with a cream colored cardigan, leggings and boots. As always, she looked wonderful.

The drive went by quickly. The roads were clear, although snow lay on the ground and it was cold. Caroline chatted away as she shared with him her week and everything going on at school. She was really excited about a project she had been asked to head and how it had taken up a lot of her extra time this past week. Truth be told Sidney was only half listening. Its not that he didn't care. He did. He just was so anxious. It was such a foreign feeling that he didn't really know what to do with it. He didn't really have any skills on how to deal with these types of feelings. They just didn't really happen to him. He typically had nerves of steel, although it seemed like everything he had ever known and had thought to be secure in had changed over the past few months. Things that he had grown so accustom to blocking out or just not dealing with, he now faced head on. He had Caroline to thank for that. She insisted on dealing with things as they happened, even if he didn't want to. She always told him that it didn't mean she had the answers, but she at least knew you couldn't just ignore a problem. It wouldn't go away. No, instead it would eat away at you until the line between a lie and the truth became blurred beyond recognition. She was brave. Really really brave. She would never agree with him on that though. She often came up with at least ten examples that disputed his claim, but he couldn't be swayed. Not with all that had happened to them. The challenges and obstacles of combining their two worlds that seem so different but in reality weren't had come at a rapid pace and they had survived them all. She was brave and that was one of the million things he loved so much about her.

The drive went by quickly, Caroline thought. Sidney seemed distracted but at the same time very affectionate. His hand was firm on her thigh for most of the trip and though she could tell he wasn't really listening to her, the repetitive movement of his warm palm moving up and down her leg was soothing and was enough for her. He would move his hand up to her hair every once in a while, his fingers idly threading through the soft locks or his hand would find hers and he would link their fingers together and run the pads of his fingertips against her knuckles as her small hand would disappear in his mammoth one.

They pulled up to the grand resort and soon were making their way up to the suite. Sid spoke enthusiastically about the activities he had planned as Caroline just smiled broadly, holding his hand tight in hers and leaned into him, just grateful to have the time together. She looked up at his profile, listening to him talk about the new additions to the menu that he thought she would enjoy when she noticed two small freckles near the edge of his jaw. She had his face memorized but had never noticed the markings before. For some reason they turned her on.

A lot.

Caroline just stared at his moving jaw as a wave of desire washed over her. She couldn't hear anything he was saying, she just stared at those two tiny marks that moved as he spoke. Without thinking she reached up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to the spot. It seemed softer and sweeter than any other part of his skin and Caroline's head became fuzzy. Sid stopped talking at looked at Caroline in a mix of amused confusion and utter desire.

He led them to the suite and once the door behind them had been closed, she pounced.

"I want you so bad," she breathed, her mouth ghosting over his. "I missed you so so much," she continued as her lips found his and her arms linked around his neck, pressing every inch of herself up against his solid form. Her fingers immediately set to work.

Sid didn't have a second to think before he was met with an armful of Caroline. She literally threw off her jacket and scarf and set to work on his outerwear. Once his coat and hat had been removed, Sid took charge. He scooped her up bridal style and carried her into adjoining room, where they had christened that bed just a few months ago.

In the lightly dimmed room, he dropped her onto the bed and in the shadows Caroline giggled. Crawling towards her like a predator stalking his prey, Sid had a dark and heady look in his eyes. Caroline stopped giggling and bit at her lower lip, her arousal almost palpable. She missed him dearly during these road trips, but the reunions were always so satisfying. Caroline outstretched her arms and drew Sidney into her. His mouth found hers and Caroline just closed her eyes letting herself just feel the suppleness of his lips, the heaviness of his tongue, the scrap of his teeth over her lips. His heat surrounded her and she put one hand on his jaw and the other around his neck. The pressure of his body on hers only fueled her desire and Caroline worked at removing his black sweater and pulled at the t-shirt he wore underneath. They broke apart only for a moment, so that he could drag her dress over her head. Then he was there…everywhere, all over again. Removing what was left of her clothes; his eyes roved her body, every part of her imprinted in his mind. All the spots that he loved to tease and worship. The areas where she was most responsive and the areas that were the most ticklish. He smiled into her clavicle as his tongue tasted her. The taste he was so ravenous for since he had last seen her. In just a few moments he divested the remainder of his clothes and Sidney's hands came to Caroline's waist. Positioning her underneath him, his hand found its way down between her legs. Breathing deeply into her neck, he peppered her with wet kisses as his fingers explored the soaking heat. Caroline arched into him, her hand covering his and pressing his further into her while the other clutched at the hair that brushed against his neck. Caroline's approval of his fingers filled the room with the sounds of moans and sighs. He felt her get close and in a split second his had removed his fingers and surged into her. Her body immediately accepting the part of him that she had been made for. Sid groaned into Caroline's neck and began thrusting into her. She found the rhythm quite easily and met his movements. Pulling his head from the column of her neck he looked at her, her eyes shut and her face set in concentration of the sensations happening between her thighs. His fingertips brushed lightly at the fuchsia spot on the point of her cheeks and whispered, "Caroline."

Her eyes opened and he saw her in the most intimate way possible and knowing that he was the only person ever to see her like this nearly sent him into climax. "I love you," he said, his mouth pressing into hers as his hips snapped methodically into her. She just gave him a weak smile and hoarsely whispered back, "me too," just as her face screwed into a look of pained pleasure, the feelings becoming too much. Sensing her impending completion, Sid shifted her hips forward and brought her legs up and over his shoulders, as he drove deeper and deeper into her. It was more than she could take and within a few seconds she seized and shuddered, the sensations of her orgasm crashing over her. With a few more thrusts and with his tongue heavy in her mouth, Sid found his completion as he emptied himself deep inside of her.

He collapsed on top of Caroline, as her arms came around him, holding him tight to her, the afterglow her favorite part. Caroline took deep gulps of air, trying to regulate her breathing. Sid gently brought her legs down to the mattress and his head dropped down into her neck, his sweaty skin coating her with a smell that so was so uniquely him. He could hear nothing but the erratic sound of her breathing and the kick drum of her heart. Caroline's fingers threaded through his damp hair as she basked in the feeling on him on top of her, the crush of his body more of a comfort than anything else. Her body underneath his, the feeling of her skin on his, it was his home. No matter what happened, as long as he had her, everything was right with the world.

"I think we can still make dinner," she said with a teasing laugh into the crown of his head and breaking the intensity of the air around them and her lips kissing his downy hair.

"Marry me," he whispered into her neck.

Caroline stopped laughing.

"Wha…" she started.

He lifted himself off her and looked deep into her eyes. His hand brushed at her cheek. "I love you Care, more than I have ever loved anyone or anything in my life. Be with me forever, marry me." Sid's voice was low and quiet laced with emotion.

Caroline swore she stopped breathing. She just gaped at him, not quite putting the pieces together.

Sidney lifted off of her for a moment and leaned over the side of the bed. Extending out his arm, he fished around to his jeans pocket, he pulled out a black velvet box.

Caroline definitely stopped breathing.

Sid moved himself to the side of Caroline and drew her close. Dropping his forehead down to hers, he gazed tenderly into her eyes.

"I wanted to do this right. You know all romantic after dinner. But Care, god, I just can't hold it in any longer." He snapped the velvet box open and the most beautiful ring Caroline had ever seen shined back at her. It was gorgeous and huge.

Caroline swallowed her eyes fixed on the ring before her.

"Caroline Elizabeth Reid," his voice was hoarse in the low light of the hotel room. "Will you do the honor of becoming my wife?"

Caroline's eyes swam with tears and she looked up at his hopeful and lovely face.

Finally she spoke.

"I…I don't know what to say," she choked out.

Sid gave a nervous laugh.

"You could start by saying yes," he said grinning.

Caroline blinked and the tears spilled over.

"I…I can't."

It was like all the air in the room disappeared without a sound and all of a sudden Sidney couldn't breathe either. He stared at her as he watched her mouth move, but all he could hear was the sound of a tornado, whooshing in his head. Tears streamed down her face and her mouth moved quickly, words like I'm sorry, too soon and not ready poured from her mouth and Sid watched just watched the tremble of her lips and the tears as they fell down her cheeks and into the corner of her mouth.

And suddenly he was angry. Waves of disappointment and frustration crashed over him and he felt…empty. He tossed the open box on the bed and in a shot he was up and out of bed. Caroline was caught off guard by the sudden movement and scrambled up to the headboard, pulling up the covers tight to her chest. He stood there accusingly for a moment, his body one giant coil of tension.

"Sid," Caroline started, her eyes pleading with his. "I just need…"

"I get it," he said in a petulant tone. "You don't need to say anything I get it."

"I'm sorry," she said desperately, trying to meet his eyes. This was crazy. She barely knew how to be a girlfriend, how could she be a wife? This moment right now was a perfect example. She didn't know what to say…she should know what to say. She should say yes. But she couldn't. It was all too soon. In the split second she saw that ring everything just closed in over her. Expectations, loss of privacy forever, sharing a life with someone who was gone half the time. It wasn't fair, but it was true. Not even four months ago she had resigned herself to a solitary life, where she depended on only herself. She loved having him around, missed him terribly when he was gone, but she still had some independence. That would all change. She was panicked, she needed more time. She knew without a fraction of a doubt that she wanted to be with him forever. She often fantasized of their wedding day; of their children…she even fantasized about the proposal. How he would say all the words he had just said and that it would be…perfect.

But it didn't feel perfect. It felt scary. It was something that she could dream about in the safety of her imagination. But this. It was happening and it was real. And it was terrifying.

"I'm sorry she repeated again, as he reached for his clothes and sat on the edge of the bed, tugging on his clothing.

She crawled over to him. How much had changed in just a few minutes. She put her hand on his shoulder and she felt him tense under her touch.

It broke her heart.

"I love you, Sid. I love you so so much," she rushed out. He had to know before he left as it was looking like what he was about to do. "I want to be with you forever too, I do, so much, but we've only been together for three months. It's just so soon. There is…" she didn't know what else to say. She just needed him to not leave her. She couldn't bear it.

"I get it," his voice was tight and distant and sounded very much like he didn't get it.

She was supposed to say yes was all he could think.

Sidney turned his head to look at her. Her blotchy face, with wet eyes and soaked red cheeks, begging him to understand. And somewhere in the back of his head, a tiny part of him that he had repeatedly ignored told him she was right. It was so soon. But it just felt so right.

"I'm gonna go for a walk," he said gruffly and a second later he was out of the room and she was alone. With a box that lay opened on the bed, the diamond sparkling in the low light and making shadows on the wall.

Caroline shakily picked up the box and stared at the ring. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She struggled within herself. The feelings of wanting to slip that ring onto her finger and promise to be by his side forever battled with the paralyzing fear of surrendering her life to another person. A person so visible. She didn't want to but her mind went to straight to what everyone would say when they found out that Sidney Crosby was off the market. She had gotten used to the dirty looks; she avoided everything she was supposed to. She had even deleted her Facebook page and had her number changed. Mrs. Crosby, it thrilled her as much as it terrified her. She wasn't ready. She knew she would be…someday. But not today and with that thought she just broke down and sobbed.

Caroline cried herself to sleep. She woke a few hours later and looked at the clock. !0:30. For a moment she had forgotten where she was. But then it all came flooding back to her. Sid wasn't in the room, but she could hear the sound of the television and its light glow under the French doors. The ring still sat on the fluffy down comforter and she stared at it for a moment, and then snapped it shut. She carefully set it on the nightstand and looked for something to wear.

Wrapped in a hotel robe, Caroline gently opened the door to the other part of the suite and saw Sid sitting on the sofa, his eyes intent on the television screen.

"Sid?" she started off tentatively, creeping towards him slowly like he was a deer and she feared she may spook him into running away.

He looked tired and worn. His eyes were weary on hers, but there was still a trace of him in the gaze.

"Hey," he said quietly, his eyes back on the TV.

"Hey," she repeated softly as she came closer. She noticed again how his body tightened, how he closed himself off from her. Ignoring the signs that only made her more miserable, she sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry," she said again, soft and sorrowful.

"Stop saying that," he said quickly, not meanly but more exasperated. "I don't need you to apologize."

"I need you to know that I love you," she continued, lifting herself as she tucked her legs underneath her. Sitting on her legs brought her up to his eye level and allowed her to align her body closer to his. She reached out her hand, her fingers drawn out seeking the softness of his hair, anxious to touch him, to sooth him. He jerked his head away in the slightest of movements, but she got the picture and dropped her hand. Nevertheless, she forged ahead. "I don't want to ever be without you. Please tell me this isn't the end. I…I couldn't stand it, I swear I wouldn't be able to survive it," her voice cracked and the tears started all over again.

The pain in her voice broke him and he looked at her. He wanted everything to be okay again, but the hurt…it was so raw.

"I…I thought it was time," he finally said looking into her swimming eyes. "I know it seemed sudden, but with everything we have been through, I thought…I wanted it to be time. I couldn't bear it either. That's why I did this," he said in a unusually defeated tone as he looked down dumbly at the remote in his hands.

Caroline needed him to understand, to know that she wanted to be with him too, that he wasn't crazy thinking that this was right. It was all just so sudden. She spoke quickly, "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about it. I want to marry you. I've wanted to marry you since the moment you took me to the Consol and brought me into your world. Your world that is insane and most of the time I can't make sense of it…but you make sense. We make sense and that is enough. It's more than enough, its everything I could ever dream of. But it doesn't change the fact that you are my first relationship and this is all new to me. And I don't want to mess it up. I just need more time."

He looked back up at her and his eyes were wet. Caroline didn't know what to do. She had never seen such emotion before and to see him cry, well she didn't know if she could stand that. He was the strong one, the sensible one.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," she said desperately, her eyes boring into his. "I want to live in your house, I want to be your wife, I want to have your babies," her voice caught. "But I'm just not ready and I hate that. But its how I feel and I can't ignore it."

He heaved a heavy sigh and swiped at his eyes.

"You'll tell me when you're ready?" he asked, his voice a little more sure.

Caroline nodded fervently, "I promise. Please don't give up on me," she knew she sounded pathetic but she needed to know.

He gave a sad smile, "I won't."

Caroline surged towards him but was met with his withdraw.

"I understand Caroline, but my feelings, well I still feel what I feel. I'm going to need some time too. I'm…" he swallowed, still not entirely comfortable with being so vocal about his feelings, especially these, "I'm disappointed and hurt. I will get over it, but its still there, you know?"

Caroline nodded. She carefully leaned forward and pressed her lips gently to his temple. "I'm sorry Sid. I'm sorry I hurt you."

He didn't say anything. They sat there for a few minutes in silence. Not touching, but in close proximity. The evening having turned from perfect to disaster to emotionally exhausting.

After a few minutes, Sidney announced he was heading for bed. Caroline didn't seem to know what to do with herself. Should she sleep on the couch? He had made it to the doors when he cast a look over his shoulder and asked if she was coming.

She nodded and scrambled off the couch and behind him into the room. She made herself busy with her overnight bag, as she watched out of the corner of her eye as he picked up the box from the nightstand and put it into his suitcase.

They didn't really touch once they got into bed. Caroline hated this in between feeling, but it was better than losing him forever, so she settled in underneath the covers and felt the bed dip down beside her.

"Good night, Care." his voice quiet as he turned off the light.

"Good night Sid, I love you." her voice equally quiet.

"Me too."

And now here they were. The morning had been awkward with the drive not much better. Caroline wasn't really sure where they went from here. She hoped they would still keep up with their routines. That nothing had changed. It was naïveté mixed with wishful thinking but she hoped it anyway.

They finally made their way down the familiar route of her street. It was still early. When they woke, they had just packed their things up and gone. No couples massage, no dinner, no engagement.

Sid pulled up Caroline's driveway and cut the engine. "Do you want to come in for a little while?" she asked tentatively.

"No, I've got a lot of emails to catch up on and some calls to make," he said hollowly.

Caroline swallowed back the feeling of disappointment and the sharp prick behind her eyes.

"Ok, I understand."

She started to get out of the car, when she felt his hand on her arm.

"But, um, if you want, you could come over later. Maybe we could make dinner, catch up on some TV?" his voice was hesitant.

Caroline smiled, "Yeah, I'd like that."

The corner of his mouth turned up almost imperceptibly. Caroline knew things would be rocky for a little while but for now it was enough.