Obligated Hockey.

Letting his eyes flutter open he glanced around the dark living room and sighed softly. He was stretched across Monroe’s large couch on his back. Yawning he stretched, stopping as he felt weight move on his arm and slightly side, peering down he smiled as Monroe curled into him and using his arm as a pillow.

Smiling he adjusted some of her hair and stopped as she shifted.

“What are you doing?” She asked gently startling him.

“Uh…” He muttered nervously. She giggled as she sat up slowly, her eyes opened and she scratched her head with a yawn. Sidney had no idea what to do or to say. All he wanted to do was pull her down to him and press his lips to hers in a heated kiss. With her hair all messed up in the most beautiful and sexy way he’d ever seen and the fact she was still partially laying on him. “I don’t know.” He finally managed to get out. She giggled at him. “How’d we end up sleeping on the couch?” he groaned, his tone rough and scratchy for sleep.

“I don’t know…” She whispered. Yawning she laid back down across his chest making his heart rate pick up. “I think we watched a movie.” She added. Turning his head to the dark television he sighed at nothing on the screen. Then he turned his attention to the DVD player that was also off.

“Both are off.” She shrugged against him. Sidney draped an arm across her narrow shoulders holding her close to him.

“I don’t know then…” She trailed off snuggling into him. “You’re really warm.” She added. Sidney licked his lips and let out a slow breath.

“Glad you be of service.” He stated simply. It was all he could come up with. Swallowing again he readjusted letting her spread across him more as he pulled her a bit closer to him. He didn’t want to move, to let her go, to wake up from his dream.

“You are,” She lifted her head lightly. “An excellent pillow.” She giggled. Chuckling himself, he watched her closely as she snuggled back down into him.

His phone was what brought them from their comfort. Pulling the device from his pocket he answered it. Agreeing to the media meeting on Ellie and Monroe he slowly sat up, holding Monroe close to him. Slowly he let her pull away from him and got up off her couch. With a small goodbye he left Monroe on her couch and went home, showered, changed into a nice suit, and headed to the arena and it’s media room.

Sitting at the long table he cleared his throat and adjusted his suit before rubbing his nose. Cracking his neck he took in a deep breath and nodded his head at the media. He never liked media but he knew how to handle them. He glanced at the huge group of media before him.

“Yesterday, Mr. Crosby, you arrived at the arena with a different woman than most of us expected,” A woman stated, starting the questions. Worrying his bottom lips slightly he nodded. “We expected you to arrive with Ellie Ellis, you current girlfriend. But instead you arrive with a stranger who had a service dog. Miss. Ellis stated you were doing something for charity. Is that correct? Or, are you seeing this woman on the side?” Sidney straightened up and cleared his throat.

“I can’t say why Ellie said what she said the other day, or why she didn’t tell the truth.” Sidney started. “Monroe, is a good friend of mine. She has been for a while now. Ellie knows this, and she knows Monroe. Monroe is not a charity case she’s a good friend. Usually she shows up to games with other friends of ours or hers but she had no one to attend the game with so I offered to bring her and have someone help her to her seat. I’m not cheating, I’m not working on a charity case. I was just arriving with a friend and supporting my team and my friends with her. Nothing more.” Sidney stated honestly.

“Who the dog,” A man asked carefully. “Be one she’s training then, or is she using it?” He asked.

“She’s blind, Thor is her seeing eye dog.” Sidney stated simply. The group nodded. He watched as another woman stood up.

“Why do you think Miss Ellis said you were doing some sort of charity work with this woman when she knows her and she knows she’s simply just a friend of yours? Do you think she may be jealous of this blind woman?” He asked. Sidney narrowed his brows and rubbed his hands together between his knees under the table.

“Like I said before, um, I couldn’t tell you why she said what she said on the situation. But she has no reason to be jealous. Uh…I honestly couldn’t tell you want she’s feeling or uh…what she thinks of the situation. But I know she was supposed to go to the game with both Monroe and I and ended up cancelling last minute. So it wasn’t as if I hadn’t invited her. She had a ticket in which she declined last minute. So…uh… I couldn’t tell you really.” He shrugged with a click of his tongue at them. The room seemed to pause at his words.

“So, Sidney,” Someone in the room started. He turned to them with a hum. “Miss Ellis was supposed to go to the game with you?” Sidney nodded.

“Yes, she was. In my box, I don’t know if um, anyone noticed. There was an empty seat on my right. It was, uh, Ellie’s seat. So, yes, she was, but she canceled last minute.” He clarified. The room was once again quite.

“May I ask something more personal on your relationship with Miss Ellis?” a woman asked cautiously. Sidney nodded, if they opened up the door he would gladly walk through it and ruin his relationship with Ellie if he could. “Has of recent, it seems that your relationship together seems a bit forced. Less…romantic and honeymoon-ish as it was when it started.” Sidney licked his lips at this woman’s words and nodded his head.

“Um…all I can say is, not every relationship is perfect. Everyone has their ups and downs, like when we get out on the ice. Sometime you win the game, sometimes you lose. Um, Not everything is perfect and relationships has their bumps, their ups and downs. And those are things, that uh,” He waved a hand lightly. “That need to be worked through and sorted out and at that times those moments spring up rapidly and unexpectedly. So, not everything can be perfect all the time.” He finished lamely.

“So you and Miss Ellis are fighting at the moment?” She pressed. Sidney curled his lips in and scanned the white cloth on the table before him carefully.

“I wouldn’t say we’re fighting. But we do have different views on certain things and that’s put us a little at odds.”

“Like what?”

“I’m sorry, that’s a touch personal.” Sidney looked up startled at Mario walking up to the table. “Sorry I’m late.” He smiled at Sidney. Sidney let out a breath of relief. He wasn’t sure if he could keep in that Ellie was forcing him into a relationship that he didn’t want if this woman kept pressing.

“I’m sorry that I asked then, may I ask in place do you think you’ll work these personal things out?” She asked sincerely.

“It’s hard to say.” Sidney started slowly. “I um, I would like to think that all problems can be worked out neatly, orderly, and in the best fashion possible with the best results.” He added with a shrug of his shoulder. “So I would like to think we can work our problems out with the results best for both of us and our relationship.” He forced a smile. He meant for him to be free of her and her to be locked up in a nut house for what she was forcing him to do. “Does that help?” he asked. The woman nodded.

The question when from there and Sidney couldn’t believe how interested these people were in his relationship, but he was grateful when Mario managed to navigate the questions towards hockey and Sidney’s career.

Leaving the media room he jumped and held his heart at Ellie glaring at him, arms crossed. Forcing a smile he passed her with Mario and tried to look back.

“I can’t believe you did that.” She hissed following them. “You called me a lair in there.” She snapped bitterly.

“You lied.” Sidney countered. “Monroe is not a charity chase, so don’t call her that.” Ellie glared. “If you didn’t want me to be friends with your sister you should’ve never brought her to meet me.” He added.

“I wouldn’t have gotten you to agree any other way.” Ellie snapped. Sidney shrugged.

“So, you got what you wanted just not in the way you wanted.” Sidney stated. “Now I’m working for what I want, my career back and to be free of you. It just doesn’t happen to be working in the way I want it to right now. I guess it’s a lose-lose situation for the both of us.” He added irritated.

“Sid.” Mario called. He looked at his boss and friend. Nodding he bowed sarcastically at Ellie and began following Mario again.

“You’re not off the hook here!” She called chasing them down. She gripped his arm tugging on it. Turning to her he sighed. “You have to come with me to a friend’s party. Put the media at ease.”

“Not happening.” Sidney snapped. “If I get my way the media will show what’s actually going on and you can’t stop it.” He added. Mario stepped up.

“Ellie, I please ask you to let this situation go. Sid’s not the only one against this and you and I both know I’m on his side not yours.” Mario sighed softly, trying to talk her down.

“I don’t care about you. When you can do something for me, then we’ll talk, till then I don’t even find you’re a threat. So stay out of this, it has nothing to do with you.” She snapped heatedly. Sidney pulled away from her.

“I won’t let you talk to him like that. Who do you think you are?” Sid stopped at Mario’s hand on his shoulder. Shaking his head Sidney stocked off with Mario behind him and Ellie yelling at them as she followed.