Last Chance

We were enjoying a night in, ordering pizza and watching movies. I never wanted the night to end. I was leaving for Europe in the morning and Sid was heading back to the East Coast. Our impending seperation made it hard for me to get excited about playing hockey overseas, something I had dreamed about since I was a kid. I let out a sigh and he looked up at me. "Everything okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I just want it to be like this forever." He wrapped him arm around me and pulled me to him.

"Don't you think we'll get bored of each other if it always stays the same? If we stay in and eat pizza everyday we are going to get pretty fat." He chuckled. I slapped his shoulder.

"Funny Sid. You know what I mean."

Kissing the top of my head he laughed. "Yeah I do. And I want us to be like this forever. I want us to be happy until we are so old we can't skate anymore."

"Would you still love me if I couldn't skate?"

"As much as I know you would still love me if I couldn't skate. Relax Kel, everything is going to be fine. You're gonna play great and the time will fly by. Try to enjoy yourself okay?"

I smiled at him. He was so full of confidence, for the both of us. I kissed him softly. "Okay, I'll try."

"That's my girl." He laughed, pulling me on top of him.

*****Fall 2002*****

I ran faster than I had ever run in life. I prayed the whole way there that I wouldn't be too late. Practice had run over schedule and I was frantic that I wouldn't get to say good bye. By the time I reached his house I was out of breathe and my lungs were burning. I put my hands on my knees to steady myself, trying to catch my breathe. When I felt my heart rate go down I took a breathe and knocked on the door. I could hear Taylor inside, phew, I wasn't too late. A minute late Mr. Crosby answered the door. "Oh, hi Kelly. How are you? Come in come in!" He must have seen how red my face was and he ushered me inside right away. "Sids in his room, just packing up the last of his stuff." I nodded my head

"Thanks." I was still trying to catch my breathe when I opened his door and walked in. I never knocked and neither did he. He was sitting on his bed packing his duffle bag.

"Hey Kel." He didn't even look up, he just contined to shove clothes into the bag.

I flung my arms around him. "I seariosly almost died thinking I wouldn't get to say good bye. Coach made us do an extra twenty laps after practice. Are you all set?" I asked.

"I think so. It's going to he a long drive."

"I know. But hey, it's going to be awesome. Here take this with you." I reached into my pocket and shoved it into his hand. When he saw what it was he looked up and smiled.

"Your giving me your first 'C'?" He asked

"Of course. I never would have been captain if I hadn't learned from the best. Keep it with you to remind you of who you really are. Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks kel. I don't know what to say." He pulled me into a monster hug and I squeezed him tight.

"I'm going to miss you Crosby."

"I'm gonna miss you too Kel."

I pulled out of the hug. "I better so, I don't want you running late on my account." I got up and stood at the door before leaving. Turning I waved before I ran out of the house.

At the time, that was the hardest good bye I had ever faced.

*********

The drive to the airport the next morning was a quiet one. Sid quietly held my hand as we made the drive. We dropped his car off at the rental kiosk and headed inside. His flight was leaving a couple hours before mine so we had some time to hang out together before my team arrived.

We checked in but didn't want to go through security since we would be leaving from different terminals, so we got some breakfast from Tim hortons and made ourselves comfy on a couple benches by the windows. Watching the planes come and go, we had out back pressed to each other as we pointed out where we thought each plane was going and who was on them.

When the time came to say good bye I was upset, but this time I knew it wouldn't be forever and I'd see him in a couple weeks. We walked to security together and he pulled me into a bear hug before pulling back and lifting my head up so our eyes met. "I'm going to miss you. Play hard okay." I nodded my head. "Text me when you land, I don't care what time it is and we'll figure out a time to talk. I love you Kelly." He brushed his lips against mine before taking my bottle lip in his and enveloping me in heart stipping kiss. I wrapped my arms around him harder before ending the kiss and looking at him. "Have fun at the lake. Tell you family I say hi. I can't wait to catch up with Taylor."
He pressed his forehead to mine. "I will. My mom has been driving me crazy asking when you're coming home. We will figure all that out this week. I gotta go." He whispered.

"I know." I whispered back. "I love you."

He grabbed my hand and our fingers lingered together as long as possible before he was too far to reach. He blew me a kiss before he was lost in the security line and his face disappeared. I wiped a tear from my cheek and left before I had time to change my mind about anything.