Anna

I quietly dress and watch Sid sleep. I could use a few more hours myself but I really need to get into work. There are a few things that I didn't finish last night so that I could be here with Sid and I need to get it all done before this day's craziness begins. There's a practice today but no game. Sid usually arrives at Consol at 9:30am so I set my alarm clock to give him time to get there.

I slip out of the bedroom and get our wine glasses from the living. It was a waste of a really good wine since we didn't drink it but the reason we didn't drink it brings a smile to my face. Thankfully I have fruit and orange juice in my fridge so Sid can grab something to eat before he heads to practice. He'll have his breakfast there of course but I want him to be able to have something here if he wants it.

Sid's phone is on the coffee table so I send him a message from my phone and wait for the answering buzz from his. When it's done vibrating, I sneak back into the bedroom and leave it on the side table beside where Sid is sleeping. His beauty makes me catch my breath. How can one man be so incredibly beautiful and it's inside and out too? Before I throw all of my best intentions out the window, I quickly leave the bedroom and the apartment.

It's still dark out as I drive to Consol. Most of the interns went out for a drink last night so I'm sure I'll be the only one in the office this early. Between my regular job and helping Geno with his charity, I have more on my plate than I thought I would but I love every minute of it. It could be that I simply love being useful. I love being depended on for my brain and what I can do rather than smiling and spouting the talking points de jour. I quickly push back the little voice that reminds me I'm playing with fire while I'm playing with Sid. I'm tired of making the right decisions at the right time for the right reasons. I threw caution to the wind last spring when I met Sid. 'And you know how that turned out' my subconscious says and I immediately ignore her. I'm with Sid now and that's all that matters to me.

I greet the guards as I walk into building and quickly make my way to my desk. I enjoy the quiet for a moment before digging into all the things I need to do. Hours go by without my noticing.

I'm startled when I hear a groan beside me. Adam leans against my desk, holds his head in his hands and massages his temples. He is clearly hurting.

"Have a good time last night?" I ask him.

"Clearly" he groans. "Too much. Next time you must come with us and save me from myself."

"So that's my job? I'm your babysitter?"

"Don't be snotty" he tells me sarcastically. "My head can't take it this morning. Did you have a good rest last night?"

I purse my lips before my smile shows and say "yeah. It was good to spend the evening at home in my own bed."

"And whose bed have you been in that you needed to be in your own last night?"

Caught. Yikes.

"It's a figure of speech Adam. I curled up with a glass of wine in my own bed and savoured the comfort."

He accepts my lie easily and continues onto his own desk. My phone buzzes.

'Thanks for setting the alarm, wish I woke to you instead' Sid sends me a text.

'Did you want to get up at 6am with me?'

'Ok, no' and he adds a winky-face.

'There's juice and fruit in the fridge' I tell him.

'Thanks. Mind if I grab a shower?'

'Sure, go ahead, towels under the sink'

'Thanks, see you later'

'x'

After sending him a kiss, I turn back to my computer and review the schedule for the day. I see an email from Geno with his brother's information so I send it and some background on the situation to my dad's deputy chief of staff. We always got along and I've never felt like he was nice to me because he thought he had to be. He'll help me with some information. When that's done, I head down to ice level. I want to see if the Trib guy is in. He wants to do an interview with Geno and I need to know what he's going to focus on in the article.

When I get downstairs, I'm surprised to see Mario. He's in shorts and a tee shirt and has clearly been working out.

"Anna, nice to see you" he tells me.

"You too Mario" I reply. It's so hard to call him Mario. My southern manners recoil from not calling him Mr. Lemieux.

"How are you settling in?"

"Good" I tell him. "Great actually. I'm really learning a lot."

"That's the purpose of an internship, so good. Everyone taking good care of you?"

I'm a little confused by his question. Why would anyone need to take care of me? Maybe he's asking because he feels he needs to look out for me.

"Um, yeah, everyone has been really great."

"I hope Sid hasn't been too much bother. I asked him to look out for you and make sure you have everything you need. It can be hard to be in a new city, with a new job and all by yourself."

I'm stunned. I'm not even conscious of what I say back to Mario or what he replies but he continues toward the locker room and I'm left speechless.

Mario asked Sid to 'look out for me'? Is that the only reason that Sid talked to me, is with me? I knew it was too good to be true. There is no other reason for Sid to be with someone like me unless he had to do it. How could I be so stupid? Again! God, I should have stayed away from him. I should have told him I wasn't interested and focused on my job. Instead, I let myself be carried away by some fantasy that Sidney Crosby would want me. Again!

The tears gather in my eyes and I know that I can't control them. I was caught completely unawares, stunned by what Mario said and what Sid did and I feel so stupid for acting like a love sick school girl.

I wipe a tear from my cheek and look to see if anyone has come into the hall. No one in front of me but, when I turn around, there is Geno. At first he smiles and looks like he's about to say something. Then he notices my tears and how upset I am. This is so completely unprofessional and my embarrassment is compounded by Geno seeing me.

I wave, give him a watery smile and then quickly walk down a hall in the opposite direction. I see an empty room and duck into what appears to be a supply room. I lean against the wall and try to control the tears. It's entirely my fault too. If I had just followed my plan and focused on my job then I wouldn't be embarrassed and crying in a supply room.

"Anna?" I hear as the door opens.

Oh shit, it's Geno. He must have followed me here. My embarrassment turns to mortification and I pray for the floor to open and swallow me up.

"You ok?" Geno asks.

My defenses elude me. I can't pull myself together, no matter how hard I try, so I give up and completely break down. I'm only partially aware of Geno coming into the room and pulling me into his arms. Part of me dies that he's seeing me this way. Another part of me is desperate for the comfort and that's the part that encircles his waist with my arms.

Geno holds me close and awkwardly pats my back. His calm if gawky demeanor comforts me when I thought nothing could. It takes some time but my sobs subside, my breathing evens and I can finally pull away from him. I notice toilet paper on the shelf and use that to wipe up my eyes and nose.

"You ok?" Geno asks me.

Finally, I look him in the eye and see that he's really worried.

"I'm so sorry Geno. This was incredibly unprofessional and I can't believe that I did it. I'm so, so sorry Geno" I tell him.

"No problem for me" he says. "But what's wrong."

Just thinking about Mario asking Sid to `take care of' me and how stupid I've been brings fresh tears to my eyes but I manage to stop them from spilling over.

"You can talk to me" Geno tells me earnestly.

"It's not something that I can really talk about Geno. Thank you so much though. I'm sorry I cried all over you."

"Whoever it is, I beat up" he tells me and flexes his arm.

It makes me laugh, as he intended, and I feel better. I still hate that he saw me this way but he doesn't look mad so I guess it will be ok.

"That better" he tells me. "Come."

He holds the door open for me and I leave the room. We walk down the hall together in comfortable silence. At the threshold to the player's lounge, Geno stops and turns to me.

"You ok?" he asks.

I smile at him, a genuine one this time, and he smiles back.

"Good" he says.

I smile at him and then see Sid over his shoulder. There is no time to control my reaction to seeing Sid. I'm sad and mad but, underneath it all, I feel incredibly hurt. Geno notices the change in me and looks where my eyes just were looking. I can see the surprise when he sees Sid and then looks between us. It's too much for me to take so I make an excuse to leave and rush to the elevator.

As the doors close to take me up to the offices, I watch Geno walk directly to Sid and start talking to him. I don't know what he's saying.

Sidney

"What the fuck you do?" Geno demands when he's in front of me.

I've never seen him this pissed off directed at me. Usually it's about hockey and on the ice or in the locker room.

"What are you talking about G?" I ask him.

He looks around and sees some of the guys piling up their plates with breakfast.

"This way" Geno says and heads down a hall.

At the end of the hallway, Geno turns to me and repeats himself.

"What the fuck you do?" he asks.

"G, I still don't know what you're talking about."

"What you do to Anna?"

Now I'm really confused. Anna looked upset when I saw her with Geno in the lounge but she disappeared quickly and Geno grabbed me before I could see what was wrong.

I woke up this morning in her bed after a great night's sleep with both my body and mind refreshed. She left me a text apologizing for having to leave but told me to make myself at home. The few texts we exchanged were flirty and she seemed fine. Now I have Geno looking ready to fight me and asking what I did to Anna and she looked, well, devastated. Does he know about us? Is Anna upset about something I did and told him? What could I have done in the last hour to get her this upset?

I put that aside for now. I have a very angry Russian in front of me to deal with right now.

"What would I have done?" I ask him.

"Don't know. She cried on me, wouldn't say what's wrong then she saw you and got more sad. So, what you did?"

She cried on Geno? Clearly she's really upset and I'm responsible but she went to Geno for comfort? What the fuck is going on?

"I don't know what I did G. Honestly. What is she upset about?" I ask.

I should avoid a conversation about Anna with him but I need to know what's wrong.

"Don't know. Wouldn't say" he tells me. "You hurt her?"

"I don't know G, really."

"You need to say sorry." He turns to leave but then turns back to me. "You with her?"

Oh fuck. Now what do I say? Clearly Anna hasn't told him but he's figured it out.

"I Russian, bad English, not stupid" he tells me.

I can't deny it. He already knows. And he's pissed.

"Yeah, we started seeing each other" I tell him.

"So what you do?" he demands.

"I don't know G. Everything was ok this morning and then I got here and saw her with you, upset" I answer. "How upset was she G?"

Part of me doesn't want to know the answer but part of me knows that I have to find out so that I can fix it.

"She cry, hard Sid."

Fuck.

"Ok, thanks" I tell him. "Please don't say anything Geno. She could lose her job if anyone finds out about us."

"Maybe someone know" he says.

Shit. Maybe he's right. I look at my watch and I'm late to warm up for practice. This is why I don't have relationships during the season; drama and complications.

"I hope not" I tell him. "Look, I need to change and warm up. I'll talk to her later and figure it out. Thanks for helping me."

"Not you. Help Anna. You say sorry and fix" he tells me like he's her older brother.

He's kind of scary right now too so I agree with him and we both go back to the lounge.

It takes a lot of effort but I put this morning's drama out of my mind and focus on practice. Thankfully, it's lighthearted since we're on a winning streak. I can't avoid thinking of Anna afterward when I'm in the locker room and waiting for the media. I catch a glimpse of her smiling and walking in with one of the Trib guys but then she's obscured by everyone surrounding me.

I answer the questions thrown at me and Jen must realize that I'm not in the mood for the media because she cuts it off quickly. When she asks if I'm ok, I simply tell her that I am and start taking off my gear. I want to jump up and grab Anna but there are too many people around right now. It kills me to see her laughing at something Geno says but is stay at my locker.

After my shower, I text Anna but she doesn't respond. I give up and call her but she sends me directly to voice mail.

"Who is she?" Flower asks.

"What do you mean?" I ask back.

"That much time on your phone and that expression on your face adds up to woman trouble. Who is she?"

"It's not a woman" I tell him. "I have interviews scheduled and I'd rather do anything but right now."

I'm surprised that I can lie so easily and feel a little bit guilty. I don't like lying to my friends but I need to protect Anna even if she is pissed at me right now.

"Better you than me mon ami" Flower says and leaves the room.

I have no reason to go up to the offices. Even if I did, I couldn't very well go up to Anna and really talk to her with everyone around.

"Hi Sid, great practice" Meagan purrs at me and touches my arm.

All of the guys know who Meagan is. Most of us know the type and stay far, far away from her. Some of the younger guys, or the ones desperate for sex, know her very well. Unfortunately, she doesn't take the hint that I want nothing to do with her and is constantly bugging me.

"Thanks" I tell her and turn to leave.

She touches my arm again and asks "what are you doing today?"

I look and she runs her fingers down thee V of her blouse and pulls it slightly to the side to show off more of her breasts. Seriously? Obvious much?

"I have interviews" I say and leave quickly so she can't stop me again.

I take care of errands the rest of the day thinking the whole time about Anna. I replay the evening and morning over and over in my head. What could have possibly happened? I can't figure it out. I get some take out for dinner and park in front of Anna's building. She parks underground so I won't see her car come in but I know which windows are hers and I can wait to see the lights go on.

I wait and wait and wait. We have practice tomorrow but no game thank God. When it's past 11pm, I begin to worry. Did she come home early and I missed her? Was she in an accident? I start calling her phone but she doesn't pick up. At midnight, I grab my phone to call the police when a cab pulls up to her apartment building and I see Anna get out. She weaves a bit as she walks to the door so I jump out of my car and meet her before she tips over at the front door.

"Anna!" I say and grab her arms to keep her upright. "Are you ok?"

"Don't touch me!" she shouts and tries to move out of my arms. "I don't need you no matter what Mario thinks."

What the fuck?

Her keys fall on the ground and Anna tips precariously as she tries to pick them up. Her skirt rises high and gives me a glimpse of naked thigh above her stockings. Sure enough she does tip over and I catch her in time before she face plants into the sidewalk. I pick up Anna, and her keys, and walk into the atrium. The doorman notices us, comes running to the second door and opens it for us.

"Miss Stanton, are you ok?"

The problem is that Anna has passed out now. Thankfully, this is the same doorman who I saw the last couple of times I was here.

"She's had a little too much to drink" I tell the man. "She'll be ok. I'll get her up to her apartment and take care of her."

He looks skeptical for a moment and then gestures me to go ahead of him to the elevator. Once I'm inside, he bids us goodnight and the doors close.

As we rise to her floor, I look at Anna and wonder what she meant about what Mario said and not needing me. For the life of me, I can't figure it out but it's probably why she was so upset this morning.

It takes a little doing to hold her and unlock her door but I manage it and go directly to her bedroom. Gently I place her on the bed and then turn on her bedside lamp. I watch Anna settle into the pillows and debate what I should do. She has to work tomorrow so I don't want to leave her like this but she's also pretty pissed at me even though I don't know why. Oh fuck it.

I slip off her shoes and then her jacket. Anna barely moves the whole time I'm undressing her. She groans once or twice and mumbles unintelligibly but I keep going. I can't control my body's reaction when I take off her blouse and skirt. She looks so fucking hot lying in her bra, panties and stockings. I remove her stockings but don't trust myself to take off her bra so I move the decorative pillows and manage to get her under the sheet and comforter.

She's going to have a horrible hangover tomorrow. I go into the bathroom and start rummaging around her drawers and cabinet looking for aspirin. Finding some, I take a couple out, fill a glass with water and go back into the bedroom. She's either going to puke these up or they'll help with the hangover.

"Anna, come on, wake up for just a minute baby."

She mumbles but doesn't open her eyes. I try again but she's truly out for the count so I leave the water and the pills on the bedside table and wonder what I should do. Finally I decide that I can't leave her alone like this even if she is pissed with me.

I undress and climb into the bed beside her in my boxer briefs leaving the light on low in case she wakes. She will probably be really pissed that I'm here but I can't leave. Setting my phone alarm for the morning, I get comfortable and, surprisingly, fall asleep quickly.

"Oh God" I hear and the bed shifts.

It takes me a few minutes to realize where I am and what's going on. It's not a hotel. I look around and notice that it's Anna's bedroom and it's still dark outside only Anna isn't beside me. Noise from the bathroom tells me that she's currently in there puking. Once again, I'm unsure what to do. If we'd been dating longer then I might know what to do but I don't want to invade her privacy so I stay in the bed.

I hear the toilet flush and the water running in the sink for a while. More time passes before the door opens and Anna comes out in a robe I noticed behind her bathroom door earlier. She's clearly washed her face, her hair is piled on top of her head, and she's holding said head while she grimaces at me. I watch as she walks to a dresser, pulls out a shirt and shorts and disappears back into the bathroom again. This time it doesn't take her long to return in the shirt and yoga shorts.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her softly.

"Like I drank too much" is her reply.

"There are some aspirin and a glass of water" I point to the bedside table.

"Thanks" she uses both.

It quickly becomes very awkward between us with Anna standing beside the bed and me in it bare chested and leaning against the headboard. Should I offer to leave now that I know she's ok? Is she ok now?

"I stayed to make sure you were ok. You literally passed out and didn't wake up" I tell her.

"Last thing I remember is seeing you running up to me at the front door."

"That's about the time you passed out."

"Oh."

More awkward silence. Fuck.

"Do you want me to go?" I ask her.

She bites her bottom lip and I can tell that she's considering what to do. We really need to talk in the morning so that I can figure out what's wrong; but, that's the morning. Right now, I just want to sleep.

"No, it's ok Sid. Let's just get some sleep."

I give her a small smile and say "ok."

She turns off the lamp and gets into bed. I don't think we could be further away from each other in this bed and I can still feel the awkwardness but, eventually, I do fall asleep.

Instinctively, I reach out for my phone when the alarm goes off. Quickly, I wake and notice a few things. First, I'm still at Anna's house and in Anna's bed. Second, Anna is currently lying in my arms. Third, I may only be noticing now that Anna's in my arms but parts of my body have known for a while now based on how hard I am.

Anna snuggles closer as I turn off my alarm. I can feel the moment she wakes up because she stiffens in my arms and then slowly moves back to her own pillow. I turn so that we are lying facing each other. The aspirin must have helped because I don't see pain in her eyes of a headache. She is pale and has dark circles under her eyes but otherwise they are clear.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her.

"Better than I probably deserve" she replies.

I take a deep breath and then ask the question I've been holding since yesterday.

"Can we talk about why you're so mad at me?"