You Never Know

41. How Could You

(Toews POV)

I woke up to my phone ringing. It was a little after 5 a.m. here in Chicago and practice wasn’t until ten. I rolled over and blindly reached for my phone.

“Yeah,” the answer came out roughly; at five in the morning my manners were a little thin.

“Hey……Tazer……..”

“Nic? Owe!” I tried to sit up but my legs were tangled in the sheets and I ended up on the floor.

There was a long pause on the other end.

“Nicole? Are you there?”
“Yeah…..”
She sounded off and by the early hour I’m assuming something is wrong. “Is everything okay?” I ask as I sit up on the floor.

“No. Can you talk? I can call back if it’s a bad time.”
“No! Now’s fine. I’m home,” I say while untangling myself from the offending sheets.
“Damn! I’m sorry for calling so early! I’ll…. I’ll call you back….”

“Nic wait!” I hear her pause again, “The time is fine, I promise. You sound really upset about something or else you wouldn’t have called so early. I’m here for you Nicole. Talk to me,” I urge her to open up and I can hear her take a shaky breathe.

“I screwed up, Johnny. I screwed up big time and now I’m going to lose him!” Nicole is crying on the other end and I feel my heart lurch for the poor woman.

“Lose who?” My brain was having a hard time functioning at the early hour.
“Sidney…..”
“Tell me what happened Nic.”

Nicole explains the events from the night before, starting with the outing with the Rangers and ending with the early hour activities between her and Jordan. She doesn’t leave anything out and I don’t interrupt her until she was finished.

I was shocked by what I heard. Never had I figured Nicole would do something like that; especially not to Sidney. That man had been golden to her.
I could hear the pain in her voice but I didn’t know what she wanted me to do. Why had she called me of all people?

“I don’t expect you to do anything, Tazer. I just needed to talk to someone I guess.” Nicole answered my unasked question – mind reader this one.

“What are you going to do?” I asked her.
“I have to tell Sidney. He deserves to know.”
“And after?” I pried further.

“I’ll deal with whatever I’m given when that happens,” Nicole sounded resigned; like she had aged during our thirty minute talk, “Look, Johnny, thank you for listening and I’m sorry for waking you but I have to go. Bus leaves soon and I still have to pack,” I hear a small chuckle over the receiver.

“No problem Nicole. I’m here whenever you need me. Don’t be afraid to call, even if it is five in the morning my time,” I laugh at my lame joke and smile when I hear her do the same.

“Bye Tazer.”
“Good luck Nicole.”

Click.
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(Nicole’s POV)

I hung up and looked around the hotel room. My clothes were piled up, needing to be folded and put back in the suitcase. I moved around the room, throwing clothes in the general direction of the open bag; the knot of regret never leaving my stomach. Needless to say I was procrastinating; facing Sidney was the last thing I wanted to do.

I pull out my phone and send a quick text. Five minutes later I hear a knock on the door. I go to open it but pause before I turn the knob. I take three deep breaths and open it.

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(Sidney POV)

Sidney walks through the door way and gives Nicole a curious look. He had been eating with Pascal and Geno when he received her text. It was short, to the point and had the hairs on the back of Sidney’s neck on end.

SNICKERS>> Come up stairs.

“Hey,” Sidney gave Nicole a small smile.
“Hey,” Nicole returned the small gesture but there was no feeling behind it.
“I got you text….what’s up?” Sidney sat on the edge of the bed. He felt like he was on trial and the verdict wasn’t what he wanted.

“Sidney, we need to talk.”

There was an instant constricting within Sidney’s chest when he heard those fateful words. Both knew nothing good ever came with that phrase.

“What about?” Sidney asked around the lump that had formed in his throat.
“Us,” Nicole couldn’t meet his caramel eyes.

“You want a break?” He asked trough gritted teeth.
“I think it would be best if we broke up,” the words were barely audible. Sidney looked at her, the woman whom he had grown to love.

“Why? Is there…..is there someone else? Did something happen?”

Nicole closed her eyes. She knew he would ask but it didn’t make the situation any easier.

“Yes,” Nicole whispered. Sidney knew that one word was the answer to both questions; he felt it in his gut, along with the bile trying to push its way into his throat.

“Who was it and when?”
“Jordan kissed me. Last night and earlier this morning,” Nicole looked at the man next to her for the first time.

Sidney felt like he had been punched. One of his closest friends, his brother on the ice, had betrayed him. He jerked away from the woman next to him. His eyes darkened with the anger he felt toward both Nicole and Jordan. Sidney had given his heart to this woman and she had shredded it into pieces.

“Sidney, I…….”
“No,” He cut her off, not really hearing her but seeing that she was trying to talk.
“Sid……..”

“NO! How could you…..after what I’ve done for you…. With Max. And you go and….” Sidney was visible angry. He had turned a dark shade of red and was shaking as if he wanted to punch something or more likely someone.

Sidney turned and stormed for the door. He stopped and looked back at Nicole, she had tears in her eyes but Sidney felt nothing in that moment.

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(Sidney POV Continued)

Sidney stormed from the room with one thing on his mind. He made his way across the hall and pounded on the door. Chris opened up looking surprised to see his Captain so angry. Before Sidney could demand to know where Jordan was, the larger man stepped off the elevator.
Sidney turned and walked up to his teammate.

“Hey Sid……” Jordan didn’t get his whole name out when Sidney’s fist collided with his jaw, knocking Jordan back into the small group that had been with him.

Chris grabbed one of Sidney’s arms while Max grabbed the other and had a hand around Sid’s midsection with Duper jumping between the two men. Geno and Paulie had a hand on Jordan just in case he tried to swing back.

“What the hell man!” Jordan exclaimed in surprise when he gained his footing back.
“You couldn’t keep your hands off her could you? Couldn’t wait to steal her away from me!” Sidney was straining to get at the blonde man.

“What are you talking about Sidney?” Pascal was trying to be the voice of reason.

“That asshole moved on Nic! She was fucking happy and he had to ruin it!” Sidney was yelling, he was unable to lower his voice – good thing the team was the only people on that floor.

“If she was so damn happy then why did she kiss me back huh? Did you think about that dickhead?” Jordan was straining against Geno and Paulie. “She wants to be with me, Sid. That’s why!”

“You’re such a child Jordan,” All eyes turned to Max, including Sidney’s and Jordan’s, “She doesn’t know what she wants. That’s why she kissed you back.”

“How the fuck do you know that?” Jordan asked the Frenchman.

Max’s dark blue eyes turned to steel at the accusatory tone in Jordan’s voice, “Because I talk to her. Not jump her when her guard is down.”

“The fuck you know….”

Max cut Jordan off, “I saw you; both of you,” Max turned to Sidney, “That’s why I stopped by so early. To talk to her and make sure she did the right thing.”

“Max is right,” the group turned to look for the source, Nicole had heard and seen the whole confrontation, “Max is right. I don’t know what I want. I thought I did…. But I don’t. I’m sorry.” Nicole brushed past the group, unable to meet any of their gazes.

Sidney looked at the men around him. He was embarrassed and felt betrayed; all he wanted to do was escape but knew that he couldn’t. He had a job to do in Raleigh; he was supposed to trust the men, and woman, who wore the same colors; but his heart was crushed and his head was spinning.

Sidney turned and left.