Caroline didn't volunteer any information to her father after Sidney quickly retreated from the room, despite Michael Reid's looks of concern. She couldn't speak, knowing that if she did, she would burst into tears. She couldn't do that, not here not now. Instead she busied herself with her belongings and the two sat in awkward silence until the orderly came for her with a wheelchair. Hospital procedure.

In the car, sitting in the back seat of her parents Taurus did she finally let the tears flow quietly but steadily. He didn't understand, she thought miserably looking out at the dreary April day. A light mist fell from the dark grey sky that cloaked the city in gloominess. She wondered if she had overreacted. If she had been ungrateful that he had come to her so quickly, without question. Her heart had nearly burst when she opened her eyes and saw him there. Worry in his eyes, but wearing a smile of reassurance nonetheless. She was still angry about what had happened at his apartment a few days ago, but having him there by her side had definitely pushed the ugly encounter to the back of her mind. However when he had voiced his concern, no not voiced concern, when he had ordered her not to return to her school, Caroline saw red. He couldn't take that away from her. This job was the only thing she had left that was hers. She had meant it when she said she would do anything for him. And she had. Without complaint. She put up with trips to the grocery store that took five times longer than normal because she was constantly being stopped by other shoppers, asking her if she was who she was and then answer the never ending questions or requests pertaining to Sidney. She put up with the constant stares and glares from other women when they went out to eat or were anywhere in public. Not to mention standing off to the side for the lengthy impromptu autograph sessions at restaurants, in shops or at the movies. Favorite trips to Target or the bookstore with Sara were never simple as strangers knew no boundaries. Even a night out with coworkers a month or two ago had turned disastrous when a stream of guys had hit on her, using pathetic pick up line after pick up line as they drunkenly tried to be the one who could steal the girlfriend of Sidney Crosby away.

In fact, everywhere she went she was Sidney Crosby's girlfriend.

And she loved him and she didn't care that everyone saw her as that, because Monday through Friday, 8 am to 3 pm she was Miss. Reid. Twenty faces looked at her and they didn't care who her boyfriend was or what he did. She was their nice teacher who played math games with them and read Roald Dahl books aloud every Friday morning. Their teacher who was always there with a smile and a hug when nothing in their lives gave them anything to smile about or there was no one at home who showed any affection. To take that away would break her heart. She appreciated his concern for her safety. She loved being cared for and looked after, but being told what to do, she just couldn't tolerate. The fears that had bubbled up when he had presented her with that ring, came rushing back. She wanted to spend her life with him. She thought about him every minute of every day. Everything that happened to her, she wanted him to know about or be part of. But she still had to have something for herself. She had to hang on to some sort of independence. It was non-negotiable.

"How are you sweetie?" her mom asked tentatively from the front seat.

Caroline swiped at her eyes, the tears slightly burning the still red and raw bruises on her cheek.

"Ok," she replied quietly.

Treading carefully, Wendy Reid continued, "I'm glad Sidney was able to stay the night with you. I'm sure it was hard to rest with everything going on."

"Mmmhmm," Caroline murmured, her eyes back to the landscape passing by.

"He's such a wonderful boy," her mother mused.

Caroline's eyes filled again and she blurted out, "He wants me to quit my job. He says it's not safe. He thinks he can tell me what to do."

She sounded like an obstinate teenager, but she didn't care. They needed to know he wasn't that great. She needed them to be mad at him, like she was.

"Frankly, I agree with him." Caroline's father replied tightly, his eyes focused on the road.

"What?" Caroline asked sitting up.

"You were attacked. In broad daylight. It's a dangerous area. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of you working there in the first place, but I knew how much it meant to you. But this incident, well I thought eventually something like this might happen. I know I can't tell you what to do, but I don't want you working there either. There has to be other options," her father said calmly.

"Like what?" Caroline shot back. "A professional girlfriend? Living off someone else's fame and money? Maybe I should just become some pathetic housewife. My only purpose in life serving my husband's wants and needs."

"Watch it, young lady," her father said sternly. She may have been twenty-six years old, but she still needed to speak respectively to her parents.

"It was an accident," Caroline said desperately. "It was just some punk kids who said some mean things and went too far. I'm fine."

But she knew she wasn't fine. She had hurt herself pretty bad. And by any indication of last night's nightmare, the emotional toll might be worse than the physical.

"You're not fine. I know that, your mother knows that and Sidney knows that too. When you have people that love you, they will do anything to protect you. That's how life works. To fault Sidney for caring about you and wanting you safe isn't fair and you know that," Michael scolded his daughter.

"So I should quit my job and live my life in a padded room, so I will never get hurt?" Caroline asked testily.

"Caroline," her father said warning her to watch herself. His years in the military had taught him discipline and respect. Two things he had instilled in his children.

"Sorry," she mumbled, crossing her arms in front of her, feeling childish and helpless.

"You're not just thinking of yourself anymore," her mother said softly. "I know this all new to you sweetie, but relationships mean compromise. I know how much your job means to you, but don't attack those who love you because they are worried. Just talk to him. Tell him your concerns, but don't dismiss his."

Caroline was silent, taking in her mother's words. She was right, she thought reluctantly. Sidney had been right too when he said she didn't know much about relationships. He didn't need to say it so sassily, but she knew he was prone to that when pushed too far. And she had pushed. Knowing that she was instigating but too frustrated with the events of the past week to care. Something had to give. They were butting heads at every turn. She stood by what she had said though. He was good at saying all the things she wanted to hear, but he had let her down too. He wasn't completely innocent in all this. But eventually she was going to have to talk to him. Really talk to him. Let him know her fears. This was more than just her job or Cameron's devious intentions, this was her needing to be 100 percent honest with him, no matter how uncomfortable it would be.

He just wanted a long hot shower to clear his head. He'd given Jen a statement to pass along to the press. Vague but appreciative. The media didn't need to know everything he thought stubbornly. He'd ignored Cameron on the drive back to the CONSOL, despite her efforts to engage him in conversation. The women were taking him back to his car which had been left in the parking lot. The team was set to leave in less than an hour. There was no way he'd make it. His phone was dead. He reeked. He was worn down emotionally and physically. And he was starving. He figured he'd stick with the original plan to fly out at six on the charter, no one needed to know what was going on with him and Caroline. It was no one's business. So when he'd arrived home with that shower in the forefront of his mind, he couldn't help but be irked by the sound of his mother fusing around in the utility room off the kitchen humming to herself as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Coming around the corner, he saw Trina folding clothes as the sound of the washer and dryer whirled in the background. She looked surprised when she saw her son come into view.

"Sid, sweetie. I wasn't expecting to see you for a few hours. I assumed you were going to Caroline's." Trina said kindly. "How is she doing?"

Sid rubbed at the light prickle of his playoff beard. Managing a weak smile, he responded. "She's ok, getting better. She had a rough night, but I guess that's to be expected. She went home with her parents." Realizing he couldn't keep his emotions at bay, he confessed to his mother, "she's…not happy with me right now."

A shadow crossed over his mother's eyes, "What's wrong?"

"I don't really want to get into it right now. I really need a shower." Sid explained, hoping that his irritability wasn't completely obvious.

Trina's face softened. "Of course. I thought I'd come by and get some laundry done for you. I know how busy everything is and with Caroline's accident, it has to be very upsetting," she paused. "Go take a long hot shower and I can put some lunch together. You'll feel so much better after you clean up."

She was right. Thirty minutes later he emerged from a shower so hot that his pink skin buzzed. He would have stayed in there longer, but the hot water had eventually ran out. Clad in a t-shirt and shorts, he wandered back into the kitchen to find Trina putting the finishing touches on a baloney sandwich and a bowl of chili. There wasn't much in the house these days, but she'd managed to work with what she had. Sid didn't care. He inhaled the sandwich in a few big bites and set to work on the chili. Trina worked on a second sandwich for her son and poured him a glass of milk. It reminded her of years ago, making him massive lunches after a morning on the ice, when he was growing at an alarming rate and had the appetite of a moose.

He ate the second sandwich a little slower, the lines around his eyes usually pronounced by laughter and happiness, were now more defined and sourced from stress and exhaustion. Trina wanted to just reach out and brush the curls off his forehead and sooth him, take away all the pressure that visibly weighed on him.

"Better?"

He nodded and gave his mom and tired smile.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked kindly.

He paused for just a moment, then proceeded to tell his mom about the conversation he'd had this morning with Caroline. It felt good to just let it all out, especially knowing his mother would support him no matter what. He censored himself a little bit, not wanting to share too many intimate details; words and feelings that belonged to him and Caroline.

Trina listened intently and when he'd finished, she was silent.

He watched as she struggled to piece together a response, but finally she spoke.

"I never told you this before, but I was a bit of an artist when I was a girl."

Sid was surprised. He didn't know that. She'd always been great at helping him with art projects when he was in elementary and middle school, but he just figured it was an unknown talent.

"I did landscapes mostly. I loved big canvases, so when I was in high school I joined the drama club to work on set design. I absolutely adored it. With two brothers so heavily into sports, I loved having a creative outlet. When I graduated from high school, I got a full scholarship to the School of the Arts in Vancouver. For a girl whose furthest trip had been to New Brunswick, it was quite an opportunity. I'd spent most of my formative years looking through art books of beautiful scenery. Rolling hills in Ireland, the pyramids of Egypt, lush rainforests in South America. To get out of Nova Scotia and discover another part of the country, especially a place so exciting like Vancouver was a dream come true."

Sid's mind was reeling, he'd never known any of this, but he had to wonder why she was telling him this.

Sensing his confusion, Trina got to the point.

"A month before I was supposed to leave, I met your father," she explained. "It was a whirlwind romance and by the end of the month, I knew I couldn't go. He had a chance to make it in the NHL, his dream. I wanted to be there for him. I was so in love. So I turned down the scholarship. Married your father only a few months later and you came along not much longer. I never painted after that. At the time it didn't matter, following your father and helping him with his dream was enough for me. But he didn't make it. I always wondered if I would have. I wouldn't say it's a regret. If I'd gone, who knows if your father and I would have stayed together. And then I wouldn't have you. And you and your sister are my greatest accomplishments, you two are my masterpieces. But, that curiosity doesn't go away. Art was such a part of me and I gave that up. I dedicated my life to another person's dream, and to be honest I did it again when you came along. I love my life, but I can sympathize with Caroline. I can understand how she may be reluctant to give that up. I don't say this to hurt you, but it's hard to watch another person live out their dreams, when you know the cost is your own."

Sid was shocked. He'd never thought about his mother's life before him. She'd seemed as dedicated to hockey as his dad and his uncles. She was always there supporting him, pushing him. Making every opportunity available to him. And he thought about Caroline. He could see how propositioning her with the idea that he would take care of her could have worried her. He knew how much her job meant to her. That while it wasn't glamorous or lucrative, it paid off in other ways. He knew how tightly she held onto her independence and how much she hated depending on him for anything financial. Taking that away, or even suggesting it, hadn't been fair. He'd grown up thinking his mother's only ambition had been supporting him. But she'd had dreams. At one time her greatest wish had been to be her own person. She'd sacrificed that for love, because it had been enough for her. But he couldn't blame her if she'd thought what if?

"You're so good to everyone, sweetie," his mother said, her hand on his back, soothing him in her motherly touch. "I always knew the girl who got you would be so lucky. There's a lot that comes with relationships: compromise, sacrifice, understanding. It isn't easy, but I always knew that you'd find the right partner. I know that Caroline is that girl for you. I knew it the first time I met her. Watching you, so attentive to her, so caring, so protective. But you cast a big shadow. It's a wonderful, beautiful shadow, however I can understand her need to be her own person. That doesn't mean she won't be the most supportive and loving person to you, I know she will. That girl loves you with every fiber of her being, I've seen her become the most important person in your life and that means more to me than any trophy you will win or dollar you will earn."

"I just want to protect her," Sid said quietly. "I don't want to take her identity away, I just want to keep her safe. "

"I know, Sidney. I think you two need to just talk. More than talk, I think you need to listen."

She'd been home for a few hours now. Camped out on the couch.

Sara had been waiting in the driveway when Caroline arrived home, coming straight over after her long overnight shift. Her face blotchy and eyes red from crying, Caroline had smiled weakly at her friend who'd showered her with concern and support. Once settled in the house, Sara had thrust a gift bag in Caroline's hands. A care package filled with treats from the hospital gift shop. Candy, magazines, a soft stuffed bear and a t-shirt with the number 87 emblazoned on the back. At the time Sara thought it was cute and funny to add in the package, but when her best friend burst into tears at the sight of it, she'd felt awful. Through the tears Caroline lay on the couch, her friend perched on the end and recounted the fight from the morning. Caroline knew that she could garner the sympathy from Sara that she hadn't found from her parents. Sure enough Sara gasped in outrage at all the right parts and squeezed her friend's arm in support when needed. She said all the things Caroline had wanted to hear, but rather than make Caroline feel better, she felt worse. Retelling the story made her feel nasty and cruel. Sid had gone to her with nothing but good intentions and being a person who was terrible at holding grudges, Caroline became wracked with guilt. It didn't dismiss all her feelings, but it made her realize that she hadn't been fair to him either. Everything had become so compounded it was too hard to find perspective on anything. Sara didn't try to give advice one way or the other. What she did say was what everyone had said. They needed to talk. And not the let me kind of tell you my feelings but try not to hurt yours talk. No, the uncomfortable conversation needed to happen. The kind of conversation where you either come out stronger, or you start to reevaluate the relationship all together. Sara left Caroline to her thoughts and emotionally overwhelmed by it all, Caroline quickly fell asleep.

She'd awoken to her mother's voice. Telling her she had another guest. Caroline was drowsy and disoriented but sat up when she saw the tall frame of her boss enter the living room. Lamar Dixon was anguished at the sight of the young teacher. He'd told her how terrible he felt and how everyone at the school was sending their very best for a speedy recovery. He had some good news, relatively so. A young man had come into the school this morning asking about the teacher who'd been hurt the night before. With little prodding and a few intimidating stares from Principal Dixon, the teenager had confessed to being part of the group who'd accosted Caroline. He'd broken easily, insisting they hadn't meant to hurt her, just scare her and get some money. But things had gotten out of control and when they pushed her too hard, the group panicked and ran off. Justin, the teen had remembered Miss Reid from the school carnival last spring and was worried that she'd been really hurt. It didn't take long for the authorities to arrive at the nearby high school and arrest the other boys involved in the crime. Mr. Dixon knew that Caroline would need some time to heal, but he hoped his news would be of some comfort. She could take all the time she needed, he insisted, but he hoped she would come back. Caroline didn't have an answer for him. She just nodded and thanked him.

She spent the rest of the afternoon watching Golden Girls reruns on TV as she dozed in and out of sleep. The medication made her feel kind of loopy and sleepy.

Around 4 o'clock her parents went out to get some groceries for dinner. Her mom had wanted to stay, but Caroline assured her she was fine. Caroline could use the alone time. But not ten minutes after her parents left, did the doorbell ring. Reluctantly she padded to the door, clad in shorts and an old OSU t-shirt and opened the door.

Even when she was the maddest at him, her heart still leapt at the sight of his handsome face.

"Hey," he said gently. He was dressed in dress pants and a crisp white shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar. His suit jacket and tie lay on the passenger seat of his car, as formal dress for travel was required even when traveling alone. He had a few hours before his flight departed and he didn't want to leave town with things so uncertain between them.

"I thought we could talk," his eyes soft on hers, causing her to tingle all the way down to her toes.

She nodded and let him in.

***Author's note: So sorry for the long delay. Was out of town two weekends in a row and work is super busy. Thank you for your patience and hopefully I will have the next chapter up soon. Thank you for your reviews, it was really interesting to hear everyone's perspective on "the fight." What I hope to convey is that no one is really right or wrong in what's going on. This is the messy middle, when the honeymoon phase is over and you try to figure out how two very different lives can meld together. I hope this is being accomplished without completely demolishing the character of either party. The Trina story is completely fictional but I am fascinated by how she and Troy work in Sid's life, how they balance being a parent and managing his career. Anyway, feeling like I'm on a roll here, so hopefully an update will come sooner rather than later. And as always, Go Pens!***