O Captain, My Captain.

Aubrey couldn't help but be slightly more excited for tonight's game against the Kings. Not that she wasn't normally excited for games, especially against a team as good as the Kings, but after her conversation with Sidney, it was a bit of a confidence booster. She had had a real conversation with a guy who seemingly had everything going for him and shared with her see bits and pieces into his personal life. He was like a code endless amounts of people unsuccessfully tried to crack but she had somehow managed to break a small piece of the lock.

She was never one to get herself hung up on guys in general, let alone someone like him with such superstar status. But after their little chit chat earlier in the day, she realized that he was just a normal guy with normal issues just like everyone else.

"Stupid," she muttered to herself. This was her job and rule number one in the workforce is to never mix business with pleasure, no matter how handsome and muscular the pleasure may be.

Furthermore, why was their conversation dominating her train of thought? It's not like it was the first time she'd ever spoken to Sidney, she'd talked to him several times. Granted it was always about his injuries, but still, words were spoken. This time was just so different though. Maybe it was because he had revealed a sliver of his love life with her, something she knew wasn't easy for him to share. Being the most sought after man in Pittsburgh, privacy was a delicacy, and she respected him for trusting her enough with such an exclusive part of his life.

She tried to shake the conversation out of her head. He may have come off as normal today but he was still Sidney Crosby and he could still have anyone he wanted. Why would she be so foolish to think that he would ever want anything to do with someone who was anything less than a supermodel?

'You deserve someone special too' kept running through her mind. His words were so genuine. And why did he have to wink? Was that Sidney Crosby's version of flirting? She needed to get him out of her head and get her mind in work-mode in time for game time, you know, what she was actually paid to do. She typed in the passcode and unlocked her phone, immediately tapping a number under her favorites. The line rang twice before her sister, Chelsea, answered.

"Aubs!" Chelsea sounded surprised. "How have you been? It's been a minute!"

"I know Chels, I'm sorry. We've been going on long road stints lately and I haven't had much time to talk to anyone outside of the team," Aubrey apologized.

"No apologies needed, Aubs. What's up?"

"Would you judge me if I said I had a crush?" Aubrey blurted, feeling herself turning red. Just the thought of talking about Sidney was enough to make herself blush.

"Would I judge you if you said you had a crush? Hell no! If I worked on a team full of beautiful, gifted hockey players I'd have LOTS of crushes. Frankly I don't know how this is the first time I'm hearing about one. Who is it lay? Lay it on me," she laughed.

"Okaaaay. Would you judge me if I said i may have a bit of a crush on Sidney Crosby?" Aubrey bit her lip.

The line was silent for a few seconds until Chelsea finally spoke up. "Oh, Aubs. The captain? Really?"

"What's wrong with Sid!?" Aubrey retorted.

"Nothing...it's just you've always strayed far from liking what was 'popular' so I assumed that stayed true for guys as well."

Chelsea did have a point. Ever since she was younger, Aubrey found herself as being sort of the outcast, liking things that weren't very popular to some. If everybody had a thing for Batman, she had a thing for Robin. She was just different that way.

"When you said something about a crush, I was hoping you'd day something about James Neal or someone secretly sexy like him. Now him I would not mind welcoming to the family!" Chelsea laughed. "Just out of curiosity though, why Sid?"

Aubrey could think of a million reasons why she had a crush on Sidney. He was beautiful, with stunning green eyes and gorgeous red lips that she could plant kisses on all day long. Not to mention his rough and callused hands. They were so big and masculine, just the thought of them was enough to make her stomach drop slightly. But none of this was worth trying to explain to her sister. She would sound like a crazy, Sidney Crosby-obsessed puck slut if she even began.

"No doubt Sid could get it but why are you just now starting to realize this?" Chelsea questioned, snapping Aubrey out of her daze.

Aubrey laughed at her sisters subtle humor. "I've always thought Sid was attractive...I'd just never talked to him about anything other than injuries."

"So what made today different?"

It was freaky how well Chelsea could already read the situation without knowing the gist of what had happened so she started filling her in on the happenings of today. How he came in only wanting her to examine his wrist but left telling her about a girl he'd been 'keeping in touch with' but didn't really like. Chelsea sounded surprised to hear that he had filled her in on so much.

"We talked about personal stuff today...like his love life. We talked like two normal human beings," she said. "I felt like I was talking to a regular guy, not Sidney Crosby."

"Aubs, he is a normal guy," Chelsea replied. "Sidney Crosby's just his name, nothing else."

Suddenly Aubrey felt foolish for thinking that she couldn't have a normal conversation with Sid. Chelsea was right, he was a normal guy that wanted to be treated like one.

"You're right," Aubrey hesitated.

"Of course I'm right, I'm always right," Chelsea joked. "Now enlighten me, baby sis, what does one Mr. Crosby's love life entail? Is he really not feelin what's her face or is he just being modest? Do I have a shot with Nealer?"

"Sorry Chels, I'm sworn to secrecy," Aubrey lied. "And really? Nealer?"

"You can't deny the fact that he's gorgeous. I mean look at that hair! And you're such a tease. Then what was the purpose of this phone call?"

"You know I don't have too many girlfriends here in Pittsburgh and I had to call and tell someone," Aubrey said. "Besides...he may or may not have called me gorgeous and told me that I deserved someone special."

"HE WHAT?" Chelsea almost choked on her own words. "SIDNEY CROSBY CALLED YOU GORGEOUS?"

Aubrey couldn't help but smile. "Yeah."

"Uhhh then what are you waiting for? Get on that!" Chelsea said in all seriousness.

"Ha. I wish."

"Aubs, he called you gorgeous AND told you you deserved someone special. That seems a bit out of context for someone who's supposedly so 'focused on his career'."

"He was just being nice," Aubrey said defensively. "And he is focused on his career."

"Men in general don't go out of their way to tell someone they 'deserve someone special' unless they truly care about you...or-."

"Or what?"

"Unless they liiiiike you," Chelsea sang.

The possibility of Sidney liking Aubrey was all too real and she tried hard not to think about it. And he did say he didn't understand why more guys didn't find her subtle sarcasm appealing. Again, was this Sidney Crosby's version of flirting? Maybe Chelsea was right.

"As much as I'd love to continue this compelling conversation about the possibility of Sidney Crosby actually liking me, I have to go get ready for the game tonight," Aubrey said bringing herself back down to reality.

"And see Sidney," Chelsea chirped.

"Well yeah, we both work at the same place," Aubrey said, letting her 'subtle sarcasm' seep through.

"Go get 'em tiger."

"Later, Chels," Aubrey tapped 'End' on the screen and set her phone down.

She walked over to her closet and pulled out her fitted dri-fit Penguins polo and khaki pants she was required to wear for all their games. She pulled her long brown hair into a loose ponytail and dabbed a bit of makeup on so she didn't look like a total ghost during the game tonight. The florescent lights at Consol could be so cruel sometimes. With one final look over in the mirror, she shook the thought of Sidney Crosby from her mind and grabbed the keys to her white Volkswagen Passat.

It was game time.