The Crosby Life

The next day was all about traveling. And you know me, I hate traveling.
Cookie took us to the airport, and I was in tears during our whole goodbye. I couldn’t help but think that he might not be a part of the team next year, and that really upset me. He was like an elder brother or a father figure to me, and I loved him a lot. Luckily though, Tanger had his contract extended, so at least I knew I wasn't losing him.
After the tears, we had to be separated so Marc-Andre pulled me against him. He wiped my tears away and we walked with our arms around each other’s waist.
“This is my stop.” Jordan said, and we all hugged him tightly.
Jenna grinned at him. “We’ll see you in a month or so.” She said warmly, and Jordan returned her smile.
“Say hi to your brothers for us.” Marc said and I nodded in agreement.
“Can do, lovebirds.” Jordan said with a grin. I laughed at that. “I’ll see you later.” He looked straight at me and winked. My brows scurried forward; what was that about?
We all said our goodbyes and the four of us headed towards our gate. Luckily, our flight would be leaving soon so we wouldn’t have a long wait until we could get on the plane.
Marc wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him as he leaned against the wall. His lips brushed against my hair and I snuggled against him. “Are you ok, ma chérie?” He whispered in my ear.
A soft smile appeared on my lips. “Yeah, I think.”
Marc-Andre turned me around in his arms so I was facing him. He looked down at me and then kissed my forehead. “You think?”
I shrugged and fingered at the locket he gave me a while ago. “I hate the end of the season.” I admitted quietly.
“I know, mon ame. I know.” He rocked me gently in his arms and I sighed against him.
The plane started to board and Marc and I held each other’s hands while we were able to go first, since we were on first class. Jenna and Sid followed, deep in a conversation.
I sat in the window seat so Marc-Andre could have the aisle so he would have more room and be more comfortable. I immediately shook off my shoes and leaned back with a sigh, the medication I take for flying starting to settle in. Marc grabbed my ankles gently and I looked at him with a raised eyebrow while putting my feet up in his lap. “Relax.” He muttered in French.
I nodded with a soft smile. He began to massage my ankles, mainly the one that has been injured for a while. His touch was almost hypnotizing and I began to drift off even before the plane had left the gate.

Marc-Andre woke me up as we were landing in the Halifax International Airport. I rubbed my blurry eyes and fixed my glasses. “We’re already here?” I asked in a drowsy tone.
“Oui, ma vie.” Marc said, whispering in my ear.
I chuckled and nodded just as the plane touched the runway.
We were the first ones off and we had to navigate through the airport just to get to the main part. The International part of the airport is almost like a separate wing. I hate airports.
We finally made it to the main part of the airport and Jenna bumped into me on purpose. “Who is picking us up?” She asked curiously.
“Dad, I think.” I answered her, looking around to see if I could spot him.
“Well well well. I see the Crosby twins, the Penguins star goaltender, and a little girl I have known since she was in middle school.” The four of us all whipped around and Troy Crosby stood in the center of a crowd, grinning at us.
I squealed and dropped my carryon bag. “Dad!” I yelled, running into his arms. He picked me up and I hugged him tightly. “I missed you so much, dad.” I mumbled against his shoulder.
“My baby girl,” he said while squeezing me in a hug. “How I have missed you, baby girl.” He put me down and grinned at me. “I’m getting too old to pick you up.” He laughed.
Sidney walked up with Jenna and the two of them hugged our father at the same time. I stepped back to allow them room and Marc-Andre’s arm was already around my shoulders. “My only son.” Our dad said proudly, holding my brother by his shoulders. “I am so proud of you, no matter what.”
I saw something in Sidney’s eyes. It was as if what our father told him had finally let him release the fact that we didn’t get that far into the Playoffs. Sid smiled and then looked away, but I noticed the glisten in his eyes.
My father’s eyes spotted Marc-Andre at my side. A huge grin came across his face and I could feel the nerves pouring off of my boyfriend. The last time they saw each other was at Christmas, and as one of my dad’s little girls, Marc was always nervous about what would happen. But Marc seemed surprised by what my dad did; in fact, so was I.
My father pulled Marc-Andre into a tight hug. It looked funny because Marc is taller and looked awkward and shocked by the hug. “Marc-Andre Fleury, it’s good to see you again, my boy.”
My dad let Marc-Andre go and a smile finally appeared on Marc’s gorgeous face. “It’s good to see you again too, Mr. Crosby.” Ahh, my Marc; ever the gentleman.
Time to be shocked once again. A stern look came across my father’s face, and my eye brows shot up. Actually, all four of us in our travel group had our eyebrows shoot up. “Son, you have been dating my daughter way too long to be calling me Mr. Crosby. Call me Troy, Marc.”
My jaw dropped. That was a form of acceptance into our family. Marc-Andre nodded and I squeezed his hand, feeling giddy inside. Marc was a part of the family now, whether he knew it or not. I would definitely be informing him later. “Forgive me, Troy.”
“There is nothing to forgive, son.” My father smiled. “Now come on. I’m sure all of you have had a long day.” We nodded.
The drive to our place along Grand Lake went by extremely fast. All five of us talked and updated each other on everything. Jenna and I both squished our noses against the window to watch as the trees went by. It was great to be home.
Dad pulled into the gated community and explained that they have tried to fix the problem of people essentially breaking in. I could see that Sidney was relieved, because last year it got really bad with tourists wanting to meet him and see where he lives. Since I would only be here a part of the summer, I was perfectly ok with it.
We hopped out and Sidney opened the cage that my cat was held in. She knew immediately where we were and loped up the stairs to the front of the house, meowing. I chuckled and followed her to open the door, since I had the key.
Everyone grabbed the bags while I held the door open. “Thank you, Sierra.” My dad said, setting the stuff down in the foyer.
“No problem.” I answered as I helped grab a bag that Marc-Andre was having trouble holding. “You could have just gone back for another trip.” I chuckled.
Marc smiled down at me and kissed my forehead. “This seemed for efficient.” He whispered in French and I laughed at him.
Sidney scoffed as he came in with the hockey bags. All three of them. “Yeah, and you left me with the hockey shit. Thanks.”
Marc smiled at him. “De rien.” I busted out laughing at the looks that the two guys gave each other. Sometimes they really acted like brothers.
My dad walked up to us and began hugging everyone. “I must be off, kids.” He said. “Your mothers will be by tomorrow. And I mean the Twins and Jenna’s.”
“We figured.” All four of us said at once, and Troy Crosby gave us a look.
“You guys spend way too much time together.” We all laughed. “Bye now.”
“Bye.” We all chimed in, and then began picking through the pile of stuff to grab our own things. “Just leave the hockey bags down here. I’ll throw them in the garage.” Sidney said.
Marc and I nodded and grabbed our luggage and I led him up the stairs and too my room. I threw my stuff into the corner of my room and looked around. Marc gently put his stuff next to mine and then wrapped his arms around my waist. “It looks exactly the same.”He said quietly.
I chuckled. “I know. It’s not like I’m here often. Even less now.” I turned in his arms. I noticed how his head cocked to the side, his hair looking pretty damn adorable. “What?”
Marc-Andre let go of me and walked up to the wall, looking at the picture that I had hung up there. “Is that Luc?”
A rush of sadness poured over me. “Yes. He came to Pittsburgh once to visit Tanger, and Tanger had me meet him. We were drafted in the same year, so we took that picture.”
“I remember.” He said softly, touching the frame.
I nodded. “Tanger is taking the picture. If I remember correctly, you were making faces behind him which is why we look like we are in tears.”
Marc-Andre laughed and turned to look at me, a soft blush touched his cheeks. “Now I definitely remember.” He walked up to me again and smiled. “I loved to make you laugh, even back then.”
“Why did you take so long to tell me how you felt?”
“Your brother scared me.”
“Of course.” I pouted and Marc pulled me into a soft kiss, our lips barely touching but it was enough to send shivers down my spine.
Marc slipped into French. “It does not matter to me, though, my love. In fact, it was almost better that I waited. We became great friends and it was almost as if we just skipped over the beginning of the relationship because we already knew each other for so long. It does not feel like we’ve been dating for only a year…”
I cut him off, looking deep into his dark eyes. “It feels like we’ve been dating for a lifetime.” I said softly.
Marc-Andre smiled. “Excatly. And a lifetime with you, my love, is my only wish.”
“Oh Marc,” I began to say, but his lips on mine made me stop. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he stepped forward, backing me into the wall. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close to his body. The kiss intensified and I began to lose my breath, but the warmth and shivers that soared through my body caused me to ignore it. I ran my fingers through his silky hair and his lips moved from my lips to my jaw. I let out a small moan, and we both jumped as my door open slightly.
Aislinn paraded in my room and Marc-Andre and I both began to laugh. “Honestly cat, you come in at the worst times!” I said, petting her as she rubbed against my legs.
“At least it was her and not your brother.” I looked up to see Marc blushing.
I smiled up at him and took his hand, our fingers entwining. I saw Jenna and Sidney in their room while we went down the stairs. “That would be embarrassing.” I agreed with his silent thought. “Let’s go out on the dock.” I said excitedly.
Marc chuckled. “Whatever you want, my sweet.”
I turned to look at him and smiled as I led him outside. We were greeted by a rush of the warm Nova Scotia wind. A huge smile spread across my face as the smell of the ocean filled my nose. “You know, what my dad said earlier, that means you’ve been accepted as part of the family.” I said to Marc as we sat down at the end up the dock.
This was the exact place Marc-Andre told me he was in love with me last year. We were also in the same position, on the same side of each other, with our feet in the warm water. “So, what does that mean?”He asked.
I laughed and rested my head on his shoulder. “It means they love you and you are now a part of the family.”
I felt him shift nervously. “That’s a good thing, right?”
I looked up at him and smiled. “That’s a very good thing, babe.”
Marc-Andre smiled and then turned to face me. He took my face in his hands gently and kissed my forehead, nose, and then my lips with a gentle passion. “Je t’aime.” He whispered against my lips.
I smiled and sighed happily, resting in his arms. “Je t’aime, mon aime.”