Chapter Seventeen

Sid normally hated running but today it felt good, even though he was freakin' exhausted. It mainly felt good to get out of the house and away from Max. He knew he could trust Jordan to take care of Amber. For all his flaws, Jordan was still a pretty old fashioned about how to treat the ladies. Normally it wouldn't even be a concern, but sometimes when Max drank too much, he tended to forget his better judgment and far too many fights have been started in his current state of mind.

Sid debated how long to run as his feet connected with the gravel roads. On one hand he was afraid of getting lost and was eager to get back to check on the situation, on the other hand he really didn't want to go back because he knew that meant a fight. Sid wasn't looking forward to that but he was willing to fight for her. Max would just have to get it through his thick head.

Sid started running faster, as he thought of all the nasty shit he imagined Max would say. His concern for his friend's feelings was quickly being replaced by anger at the fact that Max thought he somehow owned her. 'He doesn't fucking own her,' Sid thought to himself. 'He has no right to make her feel bad for falling for me. Who the fuck does he think he is? Ewwww… Max Talbot scored two goals in game seven… So fucking what? He was Sidney fucking Crosby! He skated past guys better then Max when he was five…'

The anger was pushing him and soon Sid found himself at full speed, approaching a busy intersection of highway. Sid forced himself to stop before reaching the road and, short of breath, turned and started slowly jogging back down the road he had just come.

'No,' he thought. 'I'm not going to let anyone ruin this for me." So much of Sid's life was decided by other people, that he felt good making this decision for himself. He didn't care what Max thought, or what anyone thought. 'I deserve to be happy, to have someone to share this all with… everyone else does…' Sid thought, thinking of all his team mates who after big games always had someone special waiting in the players lounge for them. He wanted that. He wanted that more then anything. 'And I want it with her… and Max will just have to deal with it.' He added as he approached the driveway to the house, forming his resolve and preparing himself for the impending battle.

-.-

Sid walked around to the back of the house, towards the deck that Amber had kicked Max out to before he left. He didn't want to go through the house, because he had something to say and wanted to get it out without Jordan or Amber talking him out of it.

He climbed the few stairs up to the deck and walked towards Max, who was leaning back in one of the large wooden chairs. He had a coffee cup in his and looked half dead.

Sid didn't care. He had to say what he had to say.

"Listen man," Sid started, with his voice firm and his shoulders squared. "I know you have a past with her but its over. You have to let her go and let her be happy. I can make her happy. I can give her everything she has ever wanted. No one will ever love her more then I can, and will, and do, love her. I am sorry this is how it happened. But it happened, so its time for you to deal with it. If you want to punch me, punch me. If you want to hate me, hate me but I love her and I am going to be with her."

Sid heard his voice break a little at the end. He was breathing heavily, half from the run and half from the effect of the speech. He had never made a speech like that before and he was willing to stand behind it but he was nervous… like, game seven nervous.

Max turned his head and looked at his team mate, standing a few feet away, squared off and noticed that he looked like he was really to fight.

Max just shrugged, "Okay."

"What?" Sid was shocked and assumed he misheard.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah. Okay… What do you want me to say? No? You want me to fight you to the death? Beat your head in with a hockey stick? Smash every bone in your body, so you can never skate again? Break this cup into the side of your head?" Max held the cup up to his mouth and took a long sip. "Don't think I haven't thought of all those things… and lots more… but… the coffees really good…" He added, taking another sip.

"What?" Sid asked again breathlessly.

Max got up and walked toward his team mate. "Amber is making breakfast… She's a really good cook. You're a lucky guy," Max patted him on the shoulder, giving him a smirk, before heading towards the door to head inside.

"Oh and Sid… don't fuck it up, because I will be there waiting."

Sid watched Max step into the house and close the door behind him. "What the fuck?" Sid swore out loud, not able to move out of pure shock.

-.-

Sid starred at the door for what seemed like forever. He couldn't entirely believe what just happened. The only reason he moved was Amber came out to the deck.

"Hey! Want a coffee?"

Sid just starred at the door.

"Heeeellllloo?"

"He just said 'okay'…"

"Who? Max? That's good. Leave it alone."

"No but I thought… he would kill me…"

"Um, yeah, I talked to him… he's fine. He's upset but he'll get over it. He has the attention span of a toddler." Amber joked, walked up to Sid and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Mmm… you're all sweaty… maybe after breakfast, I could help you in the shower…" She moaned into his ear, running her tongue down the side of it.

"But I don't get it… What did you say to him?"

"Seriously? I just offered to do nasty things to you in the shower and you're thinking about Max?" Amber leaned back.

Sid shook his head and focused on Amber, putting his hands around her waist. "I'm sorry, I'm just in shock is all. There is nothing I would rather do right now then have you naked in the shower…"

"Mmm… that's better," Amber teased him. Sid leaned in to push his lips to hers but she pulled back. "After breakfast."

She turned and headed back inside and Sid followed.

"Good jog?" Jordan asked sarcastically, as Sid stepped inside.

"Yeah it was good. It's nice out, a little chilly, but nice," Sid offered. The disappointed look on Jordan's face suggested that was not the answer Jordan was looking for. Sid wouldn't give him any more ammunition or story lines to go back and share with the rest of the guys.

"How's the nose?" Sid laughed.

"Fuck you! My mom is going to kill me! She has been trying to get us all together for a family picture for a really long time, without bruises or stitches or pussing, gaping wounds. How am I supposed to explain this?"

Sid laughed.

"You know I don't get it… how did I get the beating? I didn't even get laid! I think we need to make it fair… make it worth my while, if you know what I'm sayin…" Jordan winked at Amber. "How you doin'?" making his best attempt to be suave.

Without hesitation, Amber picked up and threw a wet dish cloth at him, hitting him square in the side of the head.

'What?" Jordan exclaimed. Sid just shook his head and laughed.

"Where did Max go?" Sid asked, looking around. He couldn't imagine Max thinking this conversation was very funny.

"For a shower," Amber explained, turning back to the frying pan she had been heating up.

"So what happened?" Jordan asked.

"I have no idea…" Sid shrugged and looked dumbfounded.

"Leave it alone guys… Just leave it alone," Amber turned and waved a spatula at them.

"You're not going to tell us anything?" Jordan asked.

Amber just shook her head.

"Did you hypnotize him? Use voodoo? Jedi mind powers?"

"Don't be ridiculous Staalze…" Sid said while rolling his eyes.

"What? If she has those powers, they could come in really handy… you know, she could get a certain Staal brother of mine to forget that he won the cup first… and the Olympic medal thing is really starting to piss me off… I'm just saying it could be handy…" Jordan added. "You can't tell me there isn't stuff you'd like guys to forget!"

"I only use my powers for good…" Amber assured him. Sid just laughed and poured himself a coffee, filling up Amber's cup which was sitting on the counter beside him. Before turning back to the machine to put the pot away, Sid kissed her forehead.

"Ahhh… you two are going to be sooooo annoying! We're all going to have to keep Pepto nearby to keep our lunches down!" Jordan stuck a finger in his mouth and pretended to gag.

"Actually, we are going to be keeping the PDA's on the low down Mr. Crosby. Those are the terms of the agreement with Max… unless you really do want your ass kicked…"

"I think I can handle that," Sid offered. "Only when he's not around though, right? I mean, we can still gross out Staalze?" Sid stepped in behind her and kissed the back of her neck, making her wiggle away.

"Sid… stop it…" Amber whined, swatting him with the spatula.

"Yeah Sid, mmm, stop it, mmm…" Jordan imitated Amber, making fake kissing sounds, wrapping his arms around his upper chest to imitate making out. He turned around to offer the best demonstration and came face to face with a not-so-very-happy-looking Max. "Hey, man… feeling, uh, better?"

"I was…" Max said dryly. "Now I just feel bad for you… I didn't realize it had come to the point that you had to make out with your own arms… you should really just bite the bullet and get a hooker… this is really sad man…"

"And he's back, ladies and gentleman!" Jordan threw his arms up in triumph. "Can we eat now? I'm starving!"

Everyone in the room laughed at him, as Amber pulled out a huge pan of French toast from where she had been keeping it warm in the oven. "We can eat," Amber stated taking the pan to the table.