Chapter 107

The next morning Karen was able to get ahold of her friend to go to the arena with him. He questioned how she got tickets and Karen just smiled telling him her friend got them for her. They met up at noon to head to Dallas and got there a little after 1p. Karen would not be able to get her tickets from Will Call for about a half hour, so they took in what festivities they had going on outside until then. She thought about texting Sidney, but wanted to surprise him.

Half hour later, the windows opened and Karen got her envelope from Sidney. When she reached in to get out the tickets for her and Diane, Karen felt a couple passes as well. She just smiled knowing Sidney wouldn't have had it any other way.

"So Karen, where are your seats?" Jay asked her.

"Um, we're not sitting in seats."

"Then where will you guys watch the game from?" he asked confused.

"See, my friend that got me the tickets...well, yeah um, I'm dating one of the Penguin players and he arranged it for Diane and I to sit in one of the boxes."

"Are you shittin me?"

Karen laughed at the look on him and his friends faces "sorry, I'm not. I hope you don't mind."

"Who are you dating? Can we meet him?"

Karen looked around at the crowd "I'd rather not say right now, but yeah you guys can meet him if you want." She got out her phone and sent a quick text to Sidney.

Sidney was down in the locker room with the team when his cell phone went off. He went to sit in his stall and read the message.

Would it be a problem if my friends came up to the box with Diane and I until the game starts?

Sidney smiled knowing she was close by and would be seeing her in a little bit. He hated being so close to her and not having her with him last night. He sent a text back and waited until the team hit the ice to make his way to the box himself.

Karen got a reply back as she waited for Diane to get done in the bathroom.

No problem at all baby. I will be up as soon as the team takes the ice for warm ups. Missed you last night :(

She smiled at his sad face and replied back. When Diane was done, they got the others and headed to the box.

Well I missed you more stud. Sleeping naked wasn't the same with you not beside me :)

Sidney read what she wrote and smiled. The guys took to the ice and Sidney told them he was going up to the box.

Karen, Diane and her new friends were in the box watching warm ups when she looked behind her and saw a familiar face walking through the door. She excused herself and went to Sidney, melting into his embace.

"How dare you to torment me like that baby. Do you know what thoughts are going through my head now?" he said whispering in her ear.

"Hopefully the most impurest ones you can think of" she said smiling at him.

"Definitely" he said leaning in to kiss her.

"Hey Karen, which one..." Jay asked but stopped himself when he saw what he did "sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

Karen pulled away blushing "it's ok." By then, the others had caught on and made their way over "Jay, RC, and Amanda I would like you to meet Sidney Crosby, captain of the Penguins. Sid, these are the friends Diane and I made Friday night" she said introducing them.

"It's nice to meet all of you" he said shaking their hands "and Diane, always great to see you too" he said hugging her.

"Well thanks for the tickets Sid" she said.

"Hey, anything to get this beautiful woman to see me play."

"But you're not playing today" Karen told him.

"Ok then, anything to get you to watch the game with me today."

"Fair enough" she said kissing him on his cheek. After talking for a few minutes, Karen excused herself and went to the bathroom. When she came back, she saw Sidney signing a few things for her Texas friends and she walked over to them.

"The game's about to start and we should get to our seats" Amanda told everyone.

"Where are you guys sitting?" Sidney asked.

"Upper level" Jay chimed in.

"Well you guys are more than welcome to stay in the box with us if you want" Sidney told them to the surprise of everyone but Karen.

"No we couldn't impose like that" Amanda said.

"You wouldn't be imposing. Any friend of Karen's is obviously a friend of mine" he told them.

"Is this guy for real?" RC asked in disbelief.

"Yeah he is amazing huh?" Karen said. "Come on, stay in here with us." They all agreed to stay in the box and watch the game together. During the game, Karen's mind began to wander and she got up motioning for Sidney to come with her. They went to the back of the box to talk. "We need to talk about something."

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. We just need to talk about this house thing and I don't want it playing on my mind for another 8 days."

"Ok, what's going on?"

"I don't want this house with you unless we buy it together. I need you to be ok with that."

"Baby you don't need to spend all your money going into a house. Let me worry about that."

"Then what's the difference with staying in my house now to you buying one for us? You said you wanted US to get a house right? Then we both need to put in half or I don't see a new house in our future Sid."

"What is so wrong with me wanting to buy us a house? I know you have money from what your parents left you, but let me do this for us."

"See this is what I don't understand Sid. What is the difference of you buying a new house compared to us living in a house that I own?"

"Maybe it is the fact that it's your house since you own it and I'm just living there with you."

"Then the new one would be yours because you paid for it and I would just be living in it with you. Why are you against me wanting to buy this house with you?"

"Because I want to give you the world Karen" he said sincerely "baby, I can't deny the fact that you've been independent for the majority of your life and I always knew that when I found someone to spend the rest of my life with, I would stop at nothing to give them whatever they wanted. I want to give you everything and right now, it's a new house."

"Sid" she said with a sigh "how about a compromise?"

"Depends on what it is but I'm listening."

"I still am going to want to put something into this house to make it ours."

"I think we can work on that. How about you let me buy the house of our dreams when we find it and you can buy anything and everything to decorate it. That way, you still put money into the house it just doesn't clean you out of your inheritance. Deal?"

"If I get your solemn promise on that and you don't try to sneak in and buy the furniture or appliances out from under me, then it's a deal."

Sidney leaned down and captured her lips in a heated kiss "I like it when we compromise." Karen just laughed at him before pulling him down for another kiss. They soon broke apart and went back to join the others to watch the rest of the game.

When the game was over and done with, the Pens won 4-1. Everyone told Sidney goodbye and Karen said she would meet them downstairs, wanting a few minutes alone with him.

"They seem nice."

"Yeah, everyone Diane and I have met have been really nice."

"Are we going to be ok about this whole buying a house? I really don't want to fight with you about this anymore."

"As long as you adhere to our deal, I think we'll be ok. I just love that house and what it reminds me of."

"I know baby. Your parents will never leave your memory no matter where you live. I just want us to make our own memories."

"I think we make memories everyday."

"And we will continue to make memories. We better get going."

"I don't want to" Karen said wrapping her arms around him.

"I don't either. I can't wait until after this road trip and then we're home for three weeks straight."

"That's a lot of nights home together. What ever will we do with all that time with each other?"

"I believe I can come up with some new things for us to try."

"Has Max been giving you pointers?" she asked laughing.

"You'll just have to wait and see baby." Sidney brought his lips to hers and kissed her, making it last until they would be together again. "Do you know when you'll be home?"

"Next week some time."

"Let's hope this week goes fast ok? I love you."

"I love you too" she said kissing him again. They left the box and met up with everyone "hope you get to play soon."

"Me too, you know how I hate watching instead of playing."

"Poor baby but if you sit out the next game, I am not to blame."

"I promise not to blame you baby. See you when you get home."

"Ok. Love you."

"Love you more" Sidney kissed her and they parted ways. Karen turned to see everyone smiling at her and she shook her head laughing as they headed out.

Sidney sat out the next night against Tampa but came back when they played the Panthers. The Pens were on a winning streak without him in the line up but continued the streak when he came back. They headed home for one game before another road game then home for a three week stand. Karen and Diane got back from their trip on Tuesday around 3 and headed for the arena. She had called Sheril and told her what was going on. When they got there, a few players were arriving and Karen smiled when she saw a certain SUV pull in. They were waiting by the players lot and the security guard recognized her to let them go when Sidney got out of his car.

"Hey stranger, got a minute?"

Sidney looked to the direction of the voice and couldn't contain his smile when he saw Karen standing there "when did you get back?" he said hugging her.

"Literally an hour ago. I figured it didn't make sense to go home when we would just be coming here anyway."

"I'm glad your back baby."

"Me too." They went inside with him and got comfortable in the lounge until Sheril and Natalie showed up. Sidney didn't want her to leave but Karen just reminded him that they had all night after the game to be together. She kissed him then headed outside with Diane to meet up with her other friends.

The game got underway and it saw the Pens down 3-1 going into the third. It didn't look good until the Pens scored twice, with Sidney tying the game. The game ended up in a shootout as Geno scored the winner and the Pens won 4-3. Karen watched the guys celebrate on the ice and could only plan her own celebration with Sidney when they got home. She told the girls goodnight and went down to the locker room. Once Karen got there, she went to the lounge to wait for Sidney to meet up with her. She could see the one part of the locker room and made her way to the doorway. Karen could see the media completely surrounding Sidney but stood back and just watched as he handled himself. Sidney saw her as he was talking and she just smiled and winked at him before leaving the room. A half hour later, Sidney emerged showered and dressed, wrapping his arms around Karen as she got off the couch to greet him.

"Enjoy watching my interview?"

"I couldn't help myself."

"And why's that?"

"You're just so damn sexy when you get all serious talking about the game. Just another side to you that I love."

"How about we head home and you let me love you like I've want to since you've been gone?"

"Can't wait to see what you have in store stud." Sidney kissed her before telling the remaining players goodnight and they headed out.