Discovering...Love?

Thank you for all of the wonderful comments! They really brighten my day and they just increase my love for this story, because you readers seem to like this story too. So thank you! This chapter is a bit of a filler, but it’s one of those chapters that need to happen in the story. I sat down last night and planned the rest of the story out (only 6 more chapters and an epilogue!). I’m going to apologize now because the story is going to be very fast paced coming up. There will be quite a bit of jumping around so that I can fit every thing in, but hopefully you will like the way everything turns out. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the last chapters!

~ Aeryn

“Alright, let’s do this,” I tell myself quietly, “1…2...3! Push!”

I push, using my legs to anchor me down and I use as much of my weight to push and as little muscle as possible. It budges but only a few inches to the left. I stand back; it didn’t look good there. So far it looked best where it was in the first place against the stairs. I huff in frustration. And use my weight to push against the arm of the couch, pushing it across the hard wood floor.

“What the hell are you doing?!” I hear him shout, “You’re not suppose to move anything. Think about…”

“…The baby. I know. I was just using my weight and leaning against it. It’s fine,” I sigh frustrated, pushing my now shorter hair out of my face. It was getting too long falling halfway down my back. Now it was just touching my collar bone. It cut my shower time half and it was much less of a hassle.

“Why didn’t you just call for me?”

“I’m pregnant not wheel chair bound, Sidney.”

“And too goddamned stubborn for your own good,” he smirks, “Now, where did you want to move the couch?”

“Back to where it was in the first place. It looked best there.”

“I told you that,” he sighs, before pushing the couch back in place.

“I know, but I just wanted to make sure.”

Sid and I had talked after I had left Tanger’s house around Christmas, like I promised we would. Somehow he convinced me to move into his house, the one that was across from my old one, and he would put all of his stuff in storage and stay in Mario’s house for a while. Apparently he had been staying there since we had broken up. He didn’t have to push too hard, but I was still hesitant. He had come home late last night from a game in Buffalo and had a game in three days. After that the team was hitting the road for a 3 game streak. We had a baby doctor’s appointment at my new OB GYN that the one in Utah I had been going to recommended in two days. We would hopefully be able to learn the sex of the baby then. Which we were both extremely excited about.

But tonight, before we ordered the Chinese food I had been craving (Sid didn’t know about that part yet) we were going to call his parents and tell them. To say I was nervous was an understatement. We had wanted to tell them in person, but they couldn’t make it down until next week. Plus we wanted them to know before the rest of the team and the whole world. Sure we wanted to wait, but I really wanted to see my friends again and I was blatantly pregnant. We though the Grandparents should know before the rest of the world.

“Ok how’s that?”

I stand and look around; it looked strikingly similar to the lay out at the house across from us. I like it.

“Good! And you put the bed together?”

“Yup.”

“Great! Dog beds?”

“All laid out in the den.”

“Fantastic! Should we do the deed then? Before ordering Chinese for dinner?” I sigh, sitting down on the couch.

“Yeah, we should… We’re ordering Chinese?” he asks flopping down next to me.

“Yup! Chicken and broccoli with fried rice and raspberry sherbet.” I nod.

“Raspberry sherbet?”

“Hey, don’t ask me!” I retort, pointing to my belly, “He or she asks and I eat.”

He just grins at me, placing his hand on my even more swollen stomach. When I had first arrived, he had this HUGE dopey smile on his face when he saw that I was now very pregnant at almost 21 weeks. I had passed my halfway point and the baby was definitely in there. There was no hiding it. And the baby was by no means quiet either; he or she loved to kick. I swear he or she was going to be a soccer player, you’d think it was David Beckham’s kid. Sid had yet to feel the fluttery movements.

“Should we do it now?” he asks me, after we had both been sitting there for at least 10 minutes, all the dogs had since curled up in their usual places.

I sigh. I was really dreading this.

“Yeah.”

He gets up and walks into the kitchen to retrieve the phone. He takes a deep breath hitting the first number.

“WAIT!”

“What?!” he says, slightly panicking at my sudden outburst.

“We should order Chinese first. It takes 30 minutes at least.”

He just laughs and continues dialing his parents’ number.

“Hello?”

Sid’s POV

“Mom, hi! Are you busy?”

“No, what’s up? Is everything alright?”

“Umm… yeah, everything is great actually. Is Dad home?”

“Yeah, hold on I’ll get him for you.”

“Wait, mom, just tell him to get the other line. I … we… have something to tell you,” I say into the speakerphone. I look to her; she gives me a nervous look as she nibbles on her bottom lip.

“We?”

“Yeah, Caitlin and I,” I smile, giving Caitlin’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Hi, Trina,” she says, finally piping up.

“Caitlin! I didn’t know you were back in Pittsburgh!” Mom says surprised.

“Yeah, I just moved back.”

“Does this mean you two are together again?”

“Mom, would you just please go get Dad?” I chuckle; leave it to my mom to get ahead of herself.

“Oh, alright, hold on,” she sighs, “TROY! SIDNEY IS ON THE PHONE HE WANTS TO TALK TO US!”

I chuckle as I hear his muffle yell back to her.

“Sid?”

“Hey Dad, Mom are you there too?” I ask.

“Yes honey I’m here.”

“Ok, like I said Caitlin and I have something to tell you…”

“Caitlin’s back?” my dad asks surprised.

“Hey, Mr. Crosby,” she says meekly.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were back in Pittsburgh,” he says with almost no emotion in his voice. Making me wonder if we should tell them, which of course we should but now I was a tad more nervous.

“I just recently moved back,” she sighs.

“That’s what we needed to talk to you about,” I say before anyone else can add anything just yet, “Caitlin… well, I asked her to move back and she is living at my place now.”

“Are you two back together?” Dad asks darkly.

“No, not yet,” I sigh.

“We’re just friends,” Caitlin says, sending a look my way that told me I probably should have left the ‘not yet’ part out.

“But you’re living together.” My mom says, confused.

“Well, not exactly. I’m staying at Mario’s like I have been for the past couple months.”

“Not exactly? Caitlin are you looking for a place?” Dad asks.

“I… well…” she answers, looking up at me for help.

I sigh, and nod my head. I should just tell them.

“Mom, Dad, Caitlin is pregnant,” I kind of just blurt out. I look over to Caitlin who is holding her breath waiting for a response, and I find that I’m doing the same.

There is just silence on the other end.

“And, I’m the father,” I add after a few minutes, for the sake of clarification. To which Caitlin gives me a look that clearly says “duh.”

“But, she has been gone since October…” my father says, clearly confused and stunned, “Are you sure it’s yours?”

“Dad…” I find myself growling, to which Caitlin puts a hand on my arm. The warmth of her hand was gentle and made me calm, letting out a deep breath.

“I’m 5 months pregnant, Mr. Crosby. Almost to my 21 week,” she says speaking up, “that pins the conception time to right around the end of August…”

“Which is when I came back to Pittsburgh after the summer break,” I add, “The baby is mine.”

More silence.

“We wanted to tell you in person, but you said you can’t make it up until next week.”

“And I really can’t hid anything anymore,” Caitlin smirks, “I want to see everybody, and if I do that, they will know I’m pregnant, and be able to make a very accurate assumption of who the father is. But before we do that, we wanted you to know first.”

More silence.

“Mom? Dad? Could you please say something?” I sigh.

“I… I honestly don’t know what to say,” Dad says speaking up first, “Are you two going to get married?”

I hear Caitlin sigh heavily as she leans her head on the back of the couch. It was a kind of touchy subject.

“Uhmm… well… we haven’t really talked about that,” I say slowly, looking over at her with a guilty look. Trying to tell her I’m sorry without actually saying it.

She nods and sits up suddenly, putting her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone.

“I’m going outside with the dogs. I think, you three will get more talking done with me not sitting here,” she sighs.

I nod, she was right. We were all holding back. She slips on her boots and a jacket before whistling for the dogs and walking out the door.

“Look, I do want to marry her. But right now, that’s not an option. She just wants to be friends right now, and I have to accept that,” I say as soon as she closes the door.

“Sidney, you have to think about your reputation though,” Dad says his voice rising slightly.

“I know that Dad. It’s just…” I sigh, this was so damn complicated, “I hurt her, a lot and Bran just died too You know Caitlin, she’s all about trust, and right now, I screwed up. I want to be in my child’s life, and if that means just being friends with Caitlin at the moment, then that’s what I’ll do."

“But Sidney…” Mom pipes up.

“I know. But, right now, I’m just happy that she’s in Pittsburgh. I had to beg her to move back and she had to leave her dream job. She was willing to comeback because of the baby, and I have to prove that I can be there for her before we can move forward in our relationship.”

“How long have you known?” Dad adds in.

“She was home for Christmas and told me.”

“Who knows?” He was quick with the questions.

“Her family, one of her friends, Kris Letang, and I told Mario.”

“Don’t make any public announcements until I’m there. You and I will talk to Pat about this. See how we should handle the situation so that it does the least bit of damage to your profile,” Dad growls, “I’ll see you next week Sidney. Don’t do anything else stupid.”

I grit my teeth to keep from yelling back as he hangs up the phone.

“Sidney?” I hear Mom say quietly. “How do you feel about this? About being a father?”

I break out in a grin as I look out the window to see Caitlin laughing at something that one of the dogs had done, most likely Hawkeye.

“I don’t think words can describe, Mom. I’m nervous, but so excited. I can’t wait for you to see her, she just… she just seems to glow.”

“But you’re happy?” she asks.

“Yeah, yeah I really am Mom,” I smile, watching as she throws a snowball to Flash who catches it in mid air. “I know you are disappointed in me for not being more careful, but please don’t blame Caitlin. I’m just as responsible and if you’re going to be mad, be mad at me and not her or the baby…” I begin my worried rant, the last thing I wanted was for them to be mad at Caitlin or hold a grudge against the baby.

“Sidney, Caitlin makes you happy, and I don’t think I could have picked out anybody more perfect for you. Do I wish you were married first and the child was planned, yes I do. But Sidney, I don’t blame anyone,” she says, excitement in her voice unlike that of my dad’s.

“Thanks Mom,” I say with a relieved sigh.

“Ok, when is she due? Is it a boy or a girl? Have you thought of any names?” she begins excitedly throwing out questions.

“Whoa, slow down there… Grandma. The due date is May 24^th, and right now, that’s all we know. We have a baby doctor’s appointment in two days and we will get to find out the sex then,” I smile as Caitlin walks in the door.

“Well… I’m going to let you go, but I just wanted you to know…”

“Oh, wait hold on Mom, she just came back in,” I say turning the phone on speaker.

Caitlin just looks at me curiously, no doubt unsure where she stands in the conversation.

“I just wanted to say congratulations, and I can’t wait to see you next week.” She smiles.

“I’ll be as big as a house by then,” Caitlin chuckles.

“I can’t wait to see you! I bet you are so cute, pregnant!” my mom laughs.

“No, I’m not I look like…” Caitlin begins.

“You look beautiful,” I cut in. She looks down with a small shy smile, her chocolate brown eyes soft.

“Alright you two, I’ll talk to you later. Tell me how the appointment goes and I’ll try and work on your father a little bit,” she sighs.

“Bye mom.”

“Bye, Trina see you soon.”

Caitlin looks over to me as I push the end button, hanging up. Her eyes holding worry and a touch of guilt. I smile, pulling her into me lightly. She freezes at first, but soon melts into me, her head pillowed on my shoulder as my fingers lace with hers over her stomach and I plant a kiss in her coconut scented hair, she had cut it before she came back. It was no longer half way down her back but just skimming her collarbone, it's like she planned to tease me with the bare skin.

“Well that’s done,” I sigh.

“Your mom seemed excited. How mad was your dad?”

“Not exactly thrilled,” I grimace.

“Yeah I thought so,” she sighs. “So… how bout that Chinese? We’re starved.”

I let out a laugh. Even though this wasn’t planned, it seemed right.

Caitlin’s POV

I lay in amid 5 furry bodies on my king size bed, looking up the few animal shelters in Pittsburgh. The laptop perched on my growing stomach. I needed a job, something to do or I was gonna go insane! Right now, I was settling on doing some jobs here and there. The police department wanted a run through with their K-9 police dogs, the dogs and I were scheduled to do a show for the hospital soon, and I was going to go to some shelters to help out really bad cases for free. After all that’s what I did in Utah. I wasn’t sure where I was going to go with my career, but for right now that would have to suffice.

Today was the day of the baby appointment. But before hand, I was picking Sid up from practice, so we could go straight to the appointment. We were also planning on telling the guys today. Sid had wanted to do it yesterday, but I wanted to get more stuff unpacked and get a little more settled into the house. Sid had told them yesterday that I was back, but he didn’t tell them that I was pregnant. So I was going to walk into a locker room filled with my old friends that I hadn’t seen in months. The only ones that knew I was pregnant were Tanger, Mario, and Bylsma (Sid had told him yesterday), but Mario wouldn’t be there (We were waiting to get them and the Crosby’s all to lunch there next week), Bylsma hadn’t seen me yet, and Kris hadn’t seen me lately. Yup, today was the day of my unveiling. I was both excited to see my old friends and nervous at their reactions.

I look over to the clock, 11:00. I finish up my email to one of the shelters, offering my services, before shutting my laptop and placing it on the table next to me. I sigh, placing a hand on Ty’s head, to which he opens his eyes to look at me lazily before closing them again.

“Alright, I should get ready,” I groan getting out of my comfy bed and heading to the shower.