***Author's note: Happy Valentine's Day! I always wanted to write about Sid and Caroline's first Valentine's day together and found myself glossing over it when I started Itermission. So what better way to go back and retell it than on Valentine's Day? Plus its super over the top and fantastical and cheesy,which is what I needed after writing all that depressing stuff. Enjoy!***

"Ok boys and girls, we are going to start our Valentine's Day party in just a few minutes, I need everyone to clean up their spaces. Don't forget to put your worksheets in your blue folders, we will finish them tomorrow."

Caroline's classroom was abuzz with the excitement of Valentine's Day, especially since school was closed the following day for a teacher workday. A long morning of getting their work completed, meant that the students and Caroline could enjoy a fun afternoon of Valentine exchanges, treats and crafts. The kids had been waiting all week for it and they were super excited.

While the children cleaned up, Caroline began to set up on the other side of the room, getting the snacks prepared, the decorations up and the children's mailboxes out for the special party. Caroline loved Valentine's Day as a teacher, it reminded her of being a kid, when Valentine's Day was more about cupcakes and glitter, than making sure you had a boyfriend on February 14th.

This year however, she did have a boyfriend and Caroline was absolutely clueless as to what to expect. Sid had gotten in late last night after a four day road trip up to Boston and Montreal, so she hadn't seen him in all week. This morning though she had woken up to a text messages from him wishing her a Happy Valentine's Day and to keep her schedule completely clear after work. Caroline had smiled widely at the message and bounced out of bed excited for the day ahead. She and Sara had gone to the mall earlier in the week to do some shopping for the men in their lives. Caroline had gotten Sid a book on the history of the Royal Canadian Navy, knowing he had an interest in the topic. Sara had been outraged by the lack of romanticism in the gift and insisted she get him something more personal. Caroline didn't understand. He liked history. That was his interest, so how was it not personal? Sara had just rolled her eyes and moved on. Not a moment later did her eyes light up, as the scent of perfume wafted out of a nearby store. Sara looked up at the sign and then at Caroline.

"No." Caroline said her eyes wide.

"Yes." Sara said grinning and before Caroline could protest, she was being dragged towards the very pink and heavily perfumed shop.

An hour later with a flushed face, Caroline emerged feeling like she had just received a crash course in underwear. More so than she ever thought necessary. She ended buying a very skimpy, very pink, very see through, very not Caroline negligee that made the red nightgown from her trip to the Woodlands seem like flannel pajamas. She had felt completely exposed when trying it on, but when she got past the embarrassment, she had to admit it was pretty sexy and that she looked pretty good in it. She refused to let Sara see her however , as there was only one person she felt comfortable showing that much of herself to.

Speaking of which, Caroline's daydream was broken when there was a knock at the classroom door. Opening the door she was startled to see nothing but an arrangement of flowers and two small feet. The small 3rd grade office aid stood before her holding a gigantic arrangement of dahlia flowers in a

spectrum of pinks and purples. Dahlia flowers were Caroline's favorite. Her grandmother in South Carolina had beautiful dahlia plants in her backyard and Caroline had wonderful memories of the two of them picking the sweet smelling flowers. She had told Sid about her summers in South Carolina ages ago and how the dahlia was her favorite, she couldn't believe he had remembered.

The young girls in her class oohed and ahhed at the flowers as their red faced teacher opened the accompanying card and read the message from Sidney. "I love you more and more everyday, my Sweet Caroline." The children asked to see the note, but she refused. Smiling widely she gathered the students together to begin what was becoming a new favorite holiday.

A few hours later, after all the treats had been eaten, the Valentines opened and the messes cleaned up, Caroline made her way through the staff parking lot to her car. A splash of red on the windshield of her Toyota caught her eye. Pulling the envelope free and looking around at the nearly desolate parking lot, Caroline opened the small red envelope. A plain white card was inside, along with a plastic card. "A special night for a special girl," it read in gold script on the cover . Blushing she opened the card and read the instructions. She was to go directly to the Westin hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. The card was a room key. There was note telling her everything she needed was already at the hotel and she needed to be there by 4 o'clock. It was signed with Sidney's familiar scrawl. She checked the time, 3:40. Eagerly she jumped in her car and made her way downtown.

He hadn't been kidding when he said everything she needed would be at the hotel. When she had pulled up to the porte-cochère of the grand hotel, a valet had met her and greeted her by name. Walking into the massive lobby she looked at the room number and made her way towards the elevators. The room he had gotten was on the top floor and was massive. It looked more like an apartment rather than a hotel room. It was beautifully decorated with a floor to ceiling window that showed off the entire city. Caroline looked around the room not quite sure what to do next. It was pretty obvious he wasn't there. She caught site of some familiar items on a large coffee table and dropping her purse on a nearby chair made her way towards them. Sitting on the table was the wrapped book she had gotten Sidney. She had wrapped it the night before and there it sat like it had been transported there magically. Her overnight bag was there too, along with a big white box wrapped in a red satin bow. A piece of paper lay on the table as well. She picked up the letter and began to read.

Care,

Happy Valentine's Day! I cant wait to spend the evening with you, I have missed you so much. If your reading this you have found the other items on the table. There is an overnight bag packed with everything you'll need for tonight, along with something for you to wear. I hope you like it. There is a back up your the bag if you need it. I had some appointments made for you. Pamper yourself ok? You're not allowed to say no today, St. Valentine's rules. Meet me down in the hotel lounge at 7:30 p.m.

I love you and I cant wait to see you.

Love,

Sidney

Caroline couldn't shake the permagrin from her face. She pulled delicately at the ribbon and lifted the box lid. Pushing away the tissue paper she found a beautiful red silk chiffon dress. She gingerly picked up the dress and looked at the label, Carolina Herrera. Caroline wouldn't consider herself a fashionista, but she knew enough to know that this dress cost more than a month of her salary. It was the most beautiful and delicate thing she had ever seen. She then looked through her overnight back. Sure enough every she would need was in there, including the negligee she had purchased with Sara. Caroline was speechless, this was more than she could ever imagine.

Suddenly there was a knock that startled her. Was it Sid? Going to the door she peeked through the peep hole and saw a hardened looking woman in all white and a tight pony tail staring back at her. Opening the door, the masseuse greeted her and quickly began setting up her table. Caroline had never gotten a massage before, so she wasn't sure what to think. An hour later she realized she liked them. Quite a lot. She felt amazing. As soon as the massage was over another woman had come to the door, this time for a manicure and pedicure. Caroline felt a little overwhelmed. All she had gotten him was a book. Before she knew it, it was 6:45 and she had less than an hour to get ready. Grabbing her things she made her way to the shower to prepare for the rest of the evening.

Sid sat anxiously in the hotel lounge. He usually didn't put himself in such public settings, but one thing he liked most about Pittsburgh was that for the most part everyone left him alone. Sure enough in the five minutes he had been waiting for Caroline, 6 or 7 people had approached him for autographs but nothing over the top. At 7:28 he saw her approach the entrance of the lounge, her eyes scanning the busy bar seeking him out. She looked breathtaking. The dress fit her perfectly. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders in long flowing waves and her face was bright with anticipation and light make up. He had a little help planning the special day for her…okay, a lot of help, but it had paid off. Between Vero and Sara he had been able to get her belongings to the room, schedule the spa treatments and purchase the perfect dress for the evening. He was a pretty clueless about the whole thing, other than the flowers. He had remembered how her face had brightened when telling him about the visits down to South Carolina and the flowers, the whole image and scent had imprinted in her mind all these years later. Her eyes found him and that happy look she had gotten when remembering the childhood memory appeared on her face immediately.

Caroline was careful not to show too much affection in public. It wasn't her style to begin with and considering his high profile status there was no need to call attention. Instead she gave him a wide smile and leaned in to accept his lips on her cheek. Her heart gave its usual jump when she was in his presence and her pulse began to race. He looked sharp in a fitted black suit, white shirt and gray tie. His hair messily styled as it seemed to be growing longer as the season progressed.

"Hi," she said breathlessly, gazing up at him.

"Hi," he mimicked, a wide smile also on his face.

"Happy Valentine's Day, you look so handsome." she said with a nervous giggle in her voice.

Sidney's smile couldn't seem to get any bigger, but it did as slipped his hand into hers and led her out of the lounge, "Happy Valentine's Day," he replied easily. "You look lovely."

Caroline felt the heat creep up her neck, as she was sure it would blend perfectly into the red of the dress.

They talked as they walked.

"Sid, this dress…everything, its all so generous. Thank you. So much." she knew better than to argue prices and although she didn't like thinking about it, she knew he could afford it tenfold.

Sidney leaned into her as they walked through the sliding doors and out into the cold Pittsburgh air, the red of her dress now just peeking through the buttoned up black pea coat her parents had gotten her for Christmas. His nose burrowed into her hair as his lips pressed to the shell of her ear, "anything for you, Care," he whispered. She gave him a tender look and squeezed his hand, within moments the valet pulled up with Sidney's Range Rover and they were on their way.

He took her to the little Italian restaurant where they had gone on their first date. Only this time he had the entire restaurant rented out. Caroline pushed the dollar signs it must of cost him to the back of her head and thanked him graciously when Sidney pulled out her chair for her. They had a table in the corner, the lights dimmed as candles burned casting warm shadows on the pair. They chatted animatedly throughout dinner, lots to catch up since he had been gone for nearly four days. She made a funny face as she told him about the Valentine's Day party and how a small 7-year-old girl Kendall, had thrown up after eating her cupcake in less than five seconds and how another student just innocently walking by slipped in the mess and fell into the pink and purple pile of vomit.

"Sid, you should have seen it…well maybe you wouldn't have wanted to, but it was so gross. I didn't know who to feel worse for." Caroline couldn't help but let the giggles take over as she remembered the memory.

All of a sudden Sidney got a funny look on his face and Caroline wondered if she had gone too far in the graphicness of her story.

"Are you ok? Did I gross you out? I shouldn't have brought that up during dinner," Caroline trailed off as she became flustered by the sudden shift in the air.

She watched as his mouth opened and then shut a few times. No words coming out.

"Let's change the subject, that wasn't approp-"

"No," he interrupted, his face clearing of the odd look and a smile growing again on his handsome face. "I want to hear the rest, I love it."

It was the strangest thing. Somewhere between cupcake and vomit he felt like he had been hit by a truck. All of sudden, without warning and without a complete shadow of a doubt he realized that he wanted to marry her. Like yesterday. Caroline would be the person he would spend the rest of his life with. She would be his wife. She would be the mother of his children the only woman he would ever love. He could see it like perfectly, like a screen had been placed over his eyes and what it showed was their wedding day, the birth of his first child, teaching his son and daughter to skate. He could see it all so clearly. His life from beginning to end, entirely laid out in the most wonderful package imaginable and she was there for all of it. This was more than the flowery thoughts he'd allowed his mind to wander over the past few months. It wasn't like that. It was more like a fact that he had looked up in a book or a statistic on his playing card. It wasn't wishing or hoping. I was real and it was true and it assaulted him harder than a cross check from Dion Phaneuf. He almost just blurted it out. Marry me. Be my wife. I will never want anyone else but you. But he didn't. He didn't have a ring or a plan. Instead he let the calmness wash over him and he allowed himself to just wade in the pool of pure contentment.

Caroline gave a concerned look, but then continued with the rest of her story, the mix of repulsion and amusement written all over her features.

After dessert she handed him her package, worry written all over her face. "It isn't much," she said lamely, clearly embarrassed by the modesty of her gift. It sounded so cheesy but he didn't need anything, the epiphany he had just experienced was the greatest gift he'd ever received, although she had no idea she had given it. He tore at the paper and took in the red and gold cover.

"Its all about the Canadian Navy," she explained a tremor in her voice. "There's a huge section all about the Maritimes during World War II…"

Sidney immediately began thumbing through the pages, taking in the glossy images and scanning the various timelines.

"I love this," he said completely meaning it. No one had ever gotten him a book before. Well, correction, no one had ever gotten him a book about something other than hockey. He had mentioned here and there about his interest in North American history, but had been sort of self conscious of the hobby. It meant more than he could tell her that she saw more in him than just hockey.

He smiled genuinely and pulled her close to him, his hand coming around her slender neck as his mouth found hers expressing his thanks and love.

She smiled happily against his lips, savoring his taste.

Sidney pulled out an envelope and handed it to Caroline. "For you, happy Valentine's Day," he said his face alive with anticipation.

She stared at him, then the envelope. "Sid, you didn't have to get me anything else, there has been so much already…"

"I know, I know," he interrupted. "But too bad, now open it."

Caroline gave a happy squeal and opened the card. She stared at the words for a minute. She looked shocked.

"Sidney!" she said in disbelief, then looked up at him in pure shock.

It was a simple piece of paper with a date and time when Michael Symon, her favorite chef would visit Sidney's house in Sewickley to give the couple a private cooking class. She loved to cook and she had made Sid watch many many hours of Iron Chef America clearly expressing her love of the Ohio based chef.

"Well, you love to cook," he said grinning. "And it's a gift for me too, since I get to eat what you make."

"I cant believe this!" she was up and out of her seat, her arms wrapping around him in a tight hug. The feeling of her soft body up against his immediately set him afire. It had been a long four days.

Then went to the Consol after dinner, continuing the recreation of that night so many weeks ago when things seemed so uncertain but so hopeful for something to happen. And it had. And it was truly the best thing that had ever happened to him.

"Ok, so you better watch out, I'm getting better at this," Caroline teased grinning at Sid as she tied up her skates.

Sid just laughed and challenged her to a race, him skating backwards while Caroline skated forward. To Caroline it seemed like a no brainer, but she should have known better.

He beat her easily, reaching the far side of the rink with her way behind. Caroline, ever determined, gave a final push to the end and found herself falling into his embrace.

"Careful there," he said laughing, as the back of her skate wobbled out causing her to nearly fall.

Sid held her in his arms for a few minutes and her face red with exertion and delight and laughed freely. His hand came up and brushed her bangs back from her sweaty forehead and he became serious. Caroline sensed the change in mood and became quiet her eyes searching his and watched when his dark eyes dropped to look at her lips. She licked her lips in anticipation and tilted her head up instinctively. Very slowly his mouth found hers pressing light teasing kisses across her mouth. With one arm a vice grip around her waist and his free hand caressing the side of her face, he brushed his thumb across her cheek and leaned in to take full control of her mouth.

She moaned with pleasure into his mouth and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue between her lips. Just four days since he had tasted her and he felt like he'd spent a lifetime in the desert. So thirsty for her. Caroline's tongue found his and the sensations became electrified. Before they both found themselves tangled in a heap on the ice, Sid broke the kiss. Caroline, with her eyes still closed, leaned forward seeking his mouth disappointed by the loss. She opened her eyes and looked at him with a look of confusion and lust.

"C'mon," he chuckled as he took her hand and glided them over to the penalty box, lightly guiding her into the space. Seconds later he was sitting in the sin bin, with her straddled over his lap. She moved awkwardly, the heaviness of her skates impairing her from finding a comfortable angle, but she adjusted nonetheless. The skirt of the silk dress fell around her waist as her center came up flush to the growing bulge in his trousers. They just seemed to fit so perfectly he thought as his hand splayed across her back, pulling her into him as they kissed with passion. His other hand became swallowed by her hair as he moved her head this way and that way, trying to get all the best angles.

Caroline moved against him, the friction making her see stars. Her hands balanced on his shoulders as she just molded herself against him. After what seemed like forever, she pulled away. Her mouth felt huge and swollen, her tongue nearly numb from fighting against his in a battle for most vigorous.

"Sid," she said staring at his impossibly red and also swollen lips (although how much bigger could they actually get).

"Yeah?" he breathed, his hand pulling her to him again as his mouth began peppering kisses against her neck.

"Are we alone?" she asked in a near whisper.

He stopped his ministrations at her neck and looked at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused. He had paid Manny a hefty sum to set up the rink for them and then the building manager had gone out to a late dinner with his wife. Some diner where they had met over 40 years ago. It was their tradition he had told Sidney, when Sid had come to him with his idea and appreciating Sidney starting his own.

"There's no one else here, right?" she asked now staring at his neck and unable to resist pressing a few wet kisses to his feverish skin.

"No, Manny will be back at 11, but its only," he untangled his arm from around her and looked at his watch, "10:15."

She smiled a smile he didn't see very often. The smile that told him she had something up her sleeve.

"Ok good, so we have time for me to do this," and before he could process her words, she had slid down off his lap and fell to her knees before him.

"Care…" he said with barely a breath in him.

She grimaced and shifted herself.

"Ow, this didn't seem so cold and uncomfortable in my mind," she commented as she bit her lip in discomfort.

"You don't need to do…" he trailed off as her hands came to his belt buckle.

"I'll fight through it, don't worry," she said looking up at him with a reassuring smile.

And just like in his dream and private fantasies, she engulfed the length of him into her warm and wet mouth and set to work on finding him immense pleasure right there in the penalty box of the Consol Energy Center.

The air between them was electric as they drove back towards the downtown hotel. Caroline bounced in her seat talking about how perfect the night had been. Meanwhile in the back of her head she thought about her final gift to him in the form of the extremely skimpy negligee.

They stood in the back of the elevator as people came on and off up the 24 floors to the Penthouse suite. People of course recognized them, but luckily they were too enamored with their respective dates to pay much attention to Sid and Caroline.

He drew her into his arms when the door had finally closed behind them and they were alone. He took his time as he held her and traced the features of her face with his fingertips.

"I love you," he said, his face serious.

She gave him a tender look and leaned into his touch. "I love you." Her voice rising with a mix of happiness and emotion.

"I love the way you tell stories," he said feeling like he wanted her to suddenly know each and every way he loved her.

She looked taken aback, but quickly recovered. "I love how fair you are, about everything to everyone," she said quietly.

He nuzzled his nose into her neck, breathing in the tresses than had fallen over her shoulder, "I love how your hair smells after you've taken a shower."

She gave a contented sigh, "I love the way your hand feels in mine."

He pulled back and smiled, "I love how I can always tell what's going on in that mind of yours," he gave her a light peck on the nose.

She crinkled up her nose by the ticklish touch. Leaning her forehead against his, she breathed in, "I love the way you love me," she said quietly.

"I love that too," he said in whisper and then captured her mouth in his, no more words to be spoken.

They made their way into the master suite to show one another how much they really did love one another. Caroline escaped to the bathroom to change into the negligee, as Sid made himself comfortable on the bed. Once in the bathroom, Caroline stripped down and slipped into the silky material. It was a pale pink with black satin edging. The bra pushed her breasts up and out, the underwear was nothing more than a tiny scrap that barely covered her mound. There was nothing that covered her butt except a very thin strip that disappeared between the globes of her flesh. The mesh fabric of the baby doll cut flowed around her torso and exposed just a peek of her belly. She stared at herself in the mirror. She fluffed her hair, hoping to create some sort of sexy tousled look and bit her lip in apprehension. Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked out.

Sid had the dimmed the lights so he was just a dusky silhouette in the room. He lay on the bed completely naked with a proud erection bobbing against his impossibly hard belly. So much for feeling exposed, Caroline thought to herself. Sid gave an audible sound of appreciation when she emerged and quick as could be he was up and off the bed, heading towards her like an animal stalking its prey.

"What is this?" he asked his voice drenched in desire.

Caroline gave him a weak smile, "Happy Valentine's Day," she breathed and found herself crushed against the iron wall known as his body.

His mouth moved all over her exposed skin. Kissing, sucking, licking at her neck and shoulders, her clavicle and the swell of her breasts.

"Happy Valentine's Day indeed," he breathed as he tasted her. He swung her around and backed Caroline up against the bed until she fell back and onto the incredibly soft bed. In an instant he was covering her. His hardness rubbed up against her thigh and she could feel the heat of him coming off in waves. He took his time though. Despite how ready he was for her, he moved slowly over her skin, taking it all in. Relishing its softness, savoring her and appreciating that Caroline had been made just for him. He pressed hot kisses to her belly and closed his eyes giving himself just a few seconds to imagine a life growing inside there. Their children would be perfect. Her intelligence and big heart, his sensibility and coordination. He was in no rush, now that he had that calm certainty that they would build a life together.

Sidney moved down to the tiny panties that barely covered her. His tongue swirled around the fabric and pressed and pulled at the material as it became moist from his saliva. He was able to trace the shape of her through the soaked fabric and as she squirmed beneath him, he knew she wasn't going to last long. Hooking his fingers under the fabric he pulled down the underwear and got to work on the treasure that lay beneath. He teased her. Knowing all her special spots and how exactly to send her to the brink and bring her back again. He loved her taste. His fingers found their way into the mix as he slid one long finger into her, as his mouth pulled the sensitive nub in between his lips. He worked her the best he knew how and basked in the sounds of her appreciation and approval. It wasn't long before she clenched around his finger and the tremor of her thighs intensified. He listened as she reached her climax and drank in her essence.

In moments he had draped himself on top of her. Bring one of her legs up to his hip, he looked at her shining face and kissed her, as he entered her. She surged against him as he filled her up and within moments they were rocking against one another in a synchronization people who have been lovers for years struggle to find. They knew one another so well in this sense.

Caroline's hands clutched at Sidney's back as he moved in and out of her, the fullness so arousing but gentle. He started to increase his pace and Caroline moved her hips to meet his timing. As he kissed her, his hands found the fabric covering her breasts and he pulled the material down. Quickly he moved his mouth to the exposed flesh and took a nipple into his mouth, pulling and teasing the pebbled nub. Caroline cried out and her fingers laced into his hair and pulled him closer into her. Not missing a beat he continued to pump into her as his mouth moved to the other breast. His hand ran up and down her side, his fingers curling into her hip as he grasped her in place. Before long he felt her crest and find her completion. She cried out his name and within seconds he was right there with her.

She held onto him as he knew she liked to do. Her fingers scratched lightly at the nape of his neck, sometimes running up into his hair, sometimes traveling down the slope of his back. They caught there breath and careful not to crush her, he shifted to the side and drew her into him. Sidney ran the back of his hand across her forehead and brushed away the wet strands of hair that stuck to her forehead.

"I love you," she said turning into him and pressing her lips against his.

"I love you too," he replied as she snuggled into him, her head resting against his chest.

They lay there for a few minutes enjoying the silence and the afterglow. Then Caroline turned and looked up at him, a sly smile on her face.

"Again?"

Caroline and Sidney lay separated in their respective beds. The memory of that night on both their minds all these weeks later, still so vivid but seeming like a lifetime ago. Everything after that night and before the proposal had been perfect. The memories reminded them of how well they fit together, how much they needed one another to simply exist. Could they ever get back to that place again? As sleep overtook them, both had the same thought in mind: they sure as hell would try.

***Author's second note: for images of Caroline's flowers, dress and negligee check out my profile (Cant figure out how to do links here.)***