Discovering...Love?

As soon as we walked into the room where the dog performance was going to be Jordan stopped me. I couldn't figure out why at first and then Colby pointed her out.

There she was. After 4 years I had finally found her. She was bending over talking to 5 dogs, after a moment she looked back up and immediately those amazing dark brown eyes connected with mine. She stood there not looking away, for a moment a million emotions seemed to go through her face, but as soon as they came they were gone. The nurse introduced her and she looked away.

"Sid, can I sit with you?" one of the little kids, whose name I learned was Devon, asked me quietly.

"Of course," I said with a smile, "Lets go sit over here so we can see better." I lead him over to a space on the floor and sat down, expecting him to sit next to me. Instead he plopped down in my lap. I couldn't help but smile at the cute little kid. I looked up and Caitlin started to introduce her dogs.
She still had the same muscular curvy body, and those same amazing chocolate brown eyes that had captured me since day one. But there was something different about her. Her chestnut hair was longer than before, coming half way down her back, but that wasn't it. She seemed to carry herself differently. She had always had self-confidence but she carried herself as though no one could bring her down, which happened to be extremely sexy. Ah what are you thinking Crosby, that was 4 years ago.

"And this is Bran," She said coming to the biggest dog in the line up, "He is a husky mix. Many people think he's a wolf when they first see him, but he's really a big teddy bear. He loves hugs. He is an agility and obedience champ. He's my partner and my best friend, no offense Beth. He is always with me."

I looked at the dog closely, it's black fur and size did make him look like a wolf, and he had startling blue eyes. Then it hit me, these were the dogs that I came across the other night after the game. I had been right, Caitlin was my neighbor. I wonder if she knew. With Caitlin you never know, I thought.
After putting on a great show she tells us that she is part of a search and rescue team. Max and a doctor volunteer to hide. She needs one more person and I hear Whit say, "I think the Captain should do it."
'Oh no.' I think. I hadn't told anyone about my vacation and I had sworn the other guys to silence.
"Yeah, go on Sid," Ruutu calls.
"Go on Sid, they won't hurt you," Ryan Malone says pulling me up and pushing me in front of Caitlin.
'that's ironic,' i think to myself.
"She has before," I say under my breath so that only Caitlin can hear it. She turns her head to look at me with a very confused and hurt expression on her face. She looks like she's about to say something, but then realizes she's still in front of an audience. Quickly she gathers herself before anyone notices. She goes to each individual and whispers where they should hide in their ear.
After going to Max she comes to me. She pauses a moment as if thinking twice about it. Then she slowly comes close to me, giving me a whiff of her citrus scent.
"Hide under the table with the blanket on top of it," She whispers, her breath brushing my ear.
I nod in response and she starts to walk away. I quickly grab her arm, which sends a static shock up my arm. I bend down to whisper in her ear, I immediately feel her tense up and inhale sharply.
"We need to talk when this is over."
She looks back at me hurt apparent in her eyes, that she just can't hide this time. She knows it and lowers her lashes so they are fanned out on her cheeks, reminding me of her sleeping next to me. She nods in response and walks away.


Caitlin's POV.

The program was a huge success, all the players and the guys loved it. Now as everyone was clearing out I felt more nervous then before the program started. Sidney knew exactly who I was and he wanted to talk.

"That was a huge hit! You definitely need to come back next year!" Beth says making her way over to me with a huge grin on her face.

"Thanks, it was a lot of fun," I smile. Everyone is finally out and I spot Sidney in the corner waiting to talk to me.

"Um... Beth... can you excuse me for a second," I say. I know I'm a little pale and even though I can't wait to hear what Sidney has to say, I'm scared as hell. Our last encounter wasn't so great.
She follows my gaze to Sidney in the corner.

"Oh, alright, good luck. Now just be your charming self and you'll have him in the bag," She grins.

"No, it's not that, it's kinda a long story, but I already know Sidney. I tell you later," I say a little shakily.

Her face suddenly shows her concern as she realizes how pale and unsteady I am.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to talk to him. I'll talk to you later," I say.

"Yeah, okay. Give me a call. You can leave the stuff here for tonight too."

"Thanks, I just might do that."

She walks out of the room looking back at me with concern. I smile weakly at her and then turn to face Sidney who is walking toward me. His big muscular body, even more muscular than four years ago. His eyes connecting with mine showing an unreadable expression. He stands in front of me, not taking his eyes away from mine.

"Hey," he says.

"Hi," I say quietly.

"I didn't know you were in Pittsburgh," he says slowly.

"Yeah, I moved and started my business about a year ago."

"I see, I've heard of you, I just didn't know it was you."

"Yeah," I say looking down with a small smile.

"So I think your my neighbor," he said with a smile.

"What are you serious?"my head snapping up to make sure he wasn't just kidding.

"Yeah, I think I saw all your dogs the other night..."

"So your the guy I saw walking to the door."

"Yeah, probably."he chuckles.

There is a little bit of an awkward silence.

"Caitlin, I tried to find you afterward. But I knew nothing about you. I didn't have a picture or your number, hell I didn't even know your last name. I went to the University of Maryland and

tried to find you, but there are a lot of people on that campus."he says suddenly.

"I thought you hated me, you said you never wanted to see me again," I say in shock.

"I just got mad, I don't know. At that age I was just really insecure with girls, I thought that if they knew who I was that they just wanted my money. And after you left, I realized that you weren't like that. My thoughts just immediately went there, you know. I totally overreacted."

"No, you were right. I should have told you I knew who you were as soon as I saw you." I say looking down again.

"No, Caitlin. I should have told you who I was the night we went out, I should have never lied to you. I should have been honest with you. I have been kicking myself everyday for not telling you. "

"Sid, it was just a week. Don't worry about it."

"No, I missed you. I never wanted you to leave. And I know how much I hurt you, and I felt horrible."

'Do you know how much you hurt me?' I thought, feeling tears starting to well up, thinking back to the months after that week, when I would cry myself to sleep a few times a week, but I never let anyone see how upset I was. It was a lot to deal with by myself.

Now I'm just at a loss for words. I sigh, trying to imagine how things would have been with him by my side, as a tear slips down my cheek.

"Caitlin," he says quietly lifting my chin up so I'll look at him, my eyes connect with his hazel ones. With the pad of his thumb he wipes my tears away, but I step away from him, batting away the wetness on my cheeks and quickly regaining composure, not wanting him to see me cry.

"You don't always have to be so strong," he whispers.

"Yeah I do," I murmur looking away from him.

A rather uncomfortable silence follows before he looks at his watch with a sigh.

"Well, I kinda have to be somewhere, but..."

"Why, got to go see your girlfriend?"I ask sarcastically.

"Um, actually my fiance, but yeah," he says not able to look at me.

I'm taken back for a moment. I never really though about him with other girls, and definitely not about to get married, especially since he was just holding me in his arms.

"Oh, well, okay. Umm... I guess I'll see you around then," I smile half heartily.

"Caitlin. I do want to see you. I mean I loved hanging out with you and everything. Think we

could be friends, start over?"

I smile, "Yeah, that'd be great. Put the past behind us, Hakuna Matata."

"Alright, I'd really like you to meet her. I think you two will get along great, she has a dog too. It's not exactly like yours and she only has 1 but...you know."

"Can't wait to meet her, umm, I kinda just moved in but maybe you two can come for dinner one night soon. My dogs get along with other dogs so just bring hers over." I grin.

"Sounds great! I want to see what you've been up to and what not."he smiles.

"Yeah, me too. So I'll see you later."

"Okay, see ya." he says leaving.

As soon as he leaves my smile disappears. Engaged. I can't believe he's engaged!