O Captain, My Captain.

Buzzzzzz!

Aubrey and Sidney barely made it five feet down the hallway that led out to the player/personnel parking garage before his phone started vibrating sporadically in his left hand and Shelby's name flashed across the screen. He let out a heavy sigh and turned to look at Aubrey who gave him a tight-lipped smile and reassuringly squeezed his right hand.

"Answer it," she pressed.

"But I don't wanna," he whined, scratching his freshly showered jet black curls. He looked at Aubrey as if she could somehow magically manage to make Shelby hang up on the other end.

"Dont look at me like that," Aubrey laughed. "You're the one who got yourself involved with her...she's your problem."

"Ugh," he sighed. "How could I be so stupid? Why can't she just take a hint? Was me grabbing your ass in front of her not a big enough sign to tell her to get lost?"

"Apparently not because she's calling you again."

Sidney was unaware that Shelby's first incoming call had ended and that she was trying him for a second time. His left thumb hovered over the part of the screen that said 'Answer' and he let out another heavy sigh. "Sure you don't mind?"

"Go for it," Aubrey smiled.

"Hey Shel-," he was cut off before he could even finish saying the rest of her name.

For a solid two minutes Shelby barked at him on the other line, asking how he could just blatantly show another girl public displays of affection right in front of she and Lauren. Aubrey looked up at Sidney who had his eyes glued to the ceiling. She could tell impatient he was becoming, bouncing around from foot to foot waiting for Shelby to angrily end the call so he could continue on with his evening. At one point Aubrey could hear Shelby calling her "that slut trainer bitch who just couldn't keep her hands to herself". That was enough. Aubrey rolled her eyes and decided it was time to intervene. She quickly pulled the phone from Sidney's hand held it up to her ear.

"Hey, Shelb, it's that slut trainer bitch who just couldn't keep her hands to herself tonight."

The line was silent.

"Yeah next time you want to 'insult' me, at least call me by my proper position, which is physical therapist. But that's something you've probably never heard of because you're just some uneducated whore who probably thinks the 'C' on Sid's jersey stands for Crosby," Aubrey spat. "And you might wanna reevaluate your 'relationship' with him seeing as though I'm the one going home with him tonight."

Sidney raised an eyebrow as he and Aubrey continued walking out to the parking garage hand in hand. He was amazed at how in control she was of the conversation without actually ever meeting the bitch on the other end. Was this the same sweet and innocent girl that got nervous around Dirty Dan when he had asked her to go stretch Geno's legs out before the game? 'This girl can definitely hold her own' he thought.

"I think she finally got the hint," Aubrey handed Sidney's phone back to him.

"Ya think?" he joked. "That was amazing. Where did that even come from?"

"Let's just say that's not the first time I've ever had to put a a stupid slut in her place. If you knew the kind of older sister I grew up with, you'd understand."

"That bad, huh?"

"Not bad at all. I was raised to not have tolerance for stupid people or their bullshit," she said. "I figured it was best to nip her in the butt early or she would've been bitching you out all the way up until the playoffs."

"Thank god I have you to take care of stuff like that for me," he thanked her.

"HA. It's what I'm here for."

Sidney hit the 'unlock' button on his key fob as they approached a glossy, dark gray Range Rover. The headlights flashed once and the SUV made a beeping sound signaling that the doors were unlocked. He pressed another button on the key fob and the trunk door slowly raised up revealing piles and piles of various hockey gear.

"Is this your car?" Aubrey gasped.

"Noooo. It's Duper's. He's letting me borrow it for the night," Sidney said sarcastically. "Yes this is my car. It's unlocked. Go ahead and get in."

For some reason Aubrey was so taken aback by the beauty of his car, it was hard for her brain to the relay the message down to her feet that she should probably start walking. It's not like she had never seen a luxury vehicle before, in fact she liked to think that her little white Passat fit into the category of 'luxury' itself. 'It's just a car. Why am I freaking out over a car?' she thought. At this point Sidney had already put his bag in the trunk and was buckling his seatbelt in the drivers seat.

"Are you gonna get in?" he called, right hand resting on the gearshift.

Her brain finally relayed the message down to her feet as she shuffled towards the passenger side door. Sidney leaned across the console to open her door for her before she could even place her hand on the handle.

"Thanks," she said sliding into the plush, tan leather seat.

Everything in his car was so pristine, exactly how she pictured his car might look. There wasn't a spec of dirt to be found anywhere on the dash and all of the carpeting on the floor was completely visible, not a piece of trash in sight. It was a total 180 from all the fast food bags and breakfast bar wrappers that were stuffed in various nooks and crannies in her car.

"What are you thinking about?" he put the car in drive and headed towards the parking garage exit.

"Your car," she muttered. "it's so clean."

"Yeah?" he raised an eyebrow. "You act like this is the first clean car you've ever ridden in. Is yours messy or something?"

"I mean I wouldn't go straight to messy but it's not spotless," she reached out and placed her hand on the dash.

"What can I say? I don't like to have a messy car. If I'm gonna pay a decent chunk of change to have a nice car, I wanna have it looking nice too," he flipped his turn signal on pulling out onto William-Penn Drive. "I guess I'm just O.C.D. about certain things."

"Clearly," she replied. "Hey speaking of my car, do you think it's gonna be okay to leave it overnight?"

"Planning on spending the night already, eh?" Sidney winked. "Getting a little ahead of yourself don't you think?"

Before she even had time to respond, she mentally scolded herself for not thinking about what just came out of her mouth. 'He's gonna think I'm like every other god damn girl in Pittsburgh' she thought. Noticing the devastated look on Aubrey's face, Sidney spoke up.

"Relax. You know I'm just messing with you," he laughed. "Besides the whole point of asking you to hang out was hoping it would turn into you spending the night...that is if you want to."

'Sidney was hoping I'd spend the night!' Aubrey did a little happy dance in her head. 'He doesn't wanna just hang out, he wants to...hang out'.

"Of course I want to!" Aubrey said a little too eagerly.

"Good," the muscles in his face relaxed and he looked relieved. "But going back to your question, yes, I think it'll be okay to leave your car there overnight. You have your personnel pass right?"

"Yes."

"Then you should be fine. And if for some reason it's not there in the morning when we come in for practice, then we'll figure out a way to get it back," he joked.

They had been on the road for a good ten minutes or so and Aubrey had no idea where they were headed but she was enjoying the ride. Outside, all of the city lights were lit up and the Pittsburgh skyline was looking more gorgeous than ever. A few quick turns here and there and the car came to a sudden halt in front of two large iron-cast gates. Sidney unrolled his window as he punched in a code and the large gates slowly swung open to reveal what seemed to be an endless stretch of large, brick modern-looking houses. He lightly tapped the gas and the car pulled forward past all of the houses that were in their view. He flipped his turn signal on and they took a left down a court in which only one house sat on.

They were at Sidney's house.