Filles de Fleur

"Hey Flower," Sidney called out and Marc stopped short shaving in the team's bathroom to watch Sidney making his way over to him in the mirror, "I just wanted to thank you for being so cool about this morning. I appreciate-"

"Just because I didn't make a scene over it, doesn't mean I'm cool with it." Flower shook his head, rinsing his razor as Sid's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach, "I know she was lying about being locked out, I'm not an idiot. Sylvie doesn't have classes on Sunday mornings, she and Vero have their weekly brunch."

"She slept over last night, but I promise you, nothing happened. It was late, so she stayed in my guest room. I dropped her off at her apartment on my way here, I have no clue why she didn't change." Sidney assured his goalie and the frenchman shook his head.

"I don't care what happened, but I just want you to realize that my little sisters come before anything else, our friendship, the team, the cup. I don't care if it's five minutes to puck drop, game seven of the Stanley Cup final, if you hurt her, I will gladly give you another concussion, Captain."

Sidney hated that his personal life was effecting his professional one, but a life with Margaux in it was worth it, "I'm not some rookie you can chase off with a few empty threats, Marc. You might have thrown Ollie off Sylvie's scent for the next five minutes with your little speech yesterday, but Margaux is a grown woman. She can make her own decisions and until she decides she no longer wants me in her life, there is nothing you could do to keep me from her."

"She was just abandoned by her fiancé and she doesn't have the best track record for trusting the right people, if you're trying to take advantage of her-" Marc started, but Sidney wouldn't let him finish.

"I love Margaux. I've been in love with her since you introduced us at the World Juniors in 2003. I was just a stick boy who the team let suit up for practice, but Margaux made me feel like I was actually someone important. I went back to Shattuck and she was all I could think about from the moment I stepped off the ice until the minute I stepped back onto it. She's all I've ever been able to think about with I'm not thinking about hockey. If I didn't think she was happy with Richard all these years, I would not have stood by and let him hurt her the way he did."

Any argument left in him died on Marc's tongue as his jaw dropped at the captain's confession.

"Uh, Marc, can I talk to Sidney alone for a minute?"

Sidney's heart stopped as he glanced over Flower's shoulder and spotted Margaux standing there behind him, wearing nothing but a smile and a towel.

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea-" Marc started to protest as he glanced between the two of them.

"Marc." she snapped and he sighed, grabbing a towel to dry his face as he headed back to the locker room.

"I've got to say, I like this better than the dress." Sidney joked and Margaux rolled her eyes as she debated which direction to pull the towel to better cover herself.

"Dana used to let Katie stash a few changes of clothes in the jersey storage and luckily I stocked it up with a few of my own yesterday. I just borrowed Tanger's shower stall, since the lug isn't using it anyway."

"You could've used mine." Sidney insisted and she chuckled, shaking her head.

"And dare interfere with superstition and routine, never." she bit her lip, running a hand through her wet curls, "Did you mean that?"

"That you could use my shower? Of course."

"No, what you said to Marc."

"That I wouldn't have let Rick hurt you if I knew you liked me too?" Sidney asked, praying that was when she walked in.

"That you love me?"

Sidney cringed, of course she'd heard that, "I wouldn't-I don't-" he sighed, shaking his head, "That wasn't the way I wanted to tell you, but yes, I do. I love you, Margaux."

She couldn't believe it, she didn't even know he liked her until last night, now he loved her?

"Sidney, I-I-I."

"Don't feel like you need to say it back." he assured her, reaching out, pulling her into his chest, "I've waited ten years, I can wait a while longer."



Beau laid back on his bed, unable to get Sylvie off his mind. If he closed his eyes he could still see her under him, her eyes shut tight and her mouth hung open as his name fell from her lips in that perfect French accent.

Beau, oh God Beau, please.

But then he remembered when he’d started to bring them together, how her look of bliss had quickly turned to agony, tears in her brilliant eyes as she gripped his back, her fingers digging into his skin. He could still feel her warm body, pressing into his as she buried her face in his shoulder, whimpering. He’d stopped, ignoring how perfect she felt wrapped around him so tightly at the thought of her being in pain.

Am I hurting you? He’d asked. She hadn’t said anything, but he’d felt the first tear against his collarbone and knew it did. He pulled them apart immediately, knowing that if she was already hurting so much from so little, it wasn’t worth it. He couldn’t harm her, he couldn’t bear to be the reason she cried. He just held her, kissing her temple. It’s okay Sylvie, I want it to be good for you too.

No, Beau I can do it. She’d tried, pulling away and wiping her eyes. I want it to be you, please Beau. Just take me, please. But he’d just shaken his head, kissing her softly before pulling her close, rolling onto his back and letting her head rest on his chest. It was difficult, that he had to admit, especially feeling how warm and soft her skin was, but he refused to have her regret it in the morning if he took her virginity. If it was going to be him, he was going to make it special. Dinner, candles, a massage and some wine, but not like this.

If you still want me to come morning, then we can. But I want it to be special for you. He’d murmured.

You hate me, don’t you? You think I’m a whore. She mumbled sleepily, her eyelids fluttering, fighting to stay open. If he hadn’t been drunk, he never would have said it, but he was. And he figured worst case she’d remember it come morning and remember that he stopped because he cared.

I could never hate you Sylvie I… I think I might love you. He felt like the world had been lifted off his shoulders as he exhaled, looking to her for a response. But when he saw she’d fallen asleep he chuckled. He smiled at her lovingly, just holding her tightly as he closed his eyes. It’s okay Sylvie. He whispered sleepily. We’ll talk about it in the morning.

He opened his eyes, remembering when he’d woken up to find her gone, the look of fear in her eyes when she saw him. Did she not remember how he’d held her? Promised her he cared? He had ruined everything, she thought he was nothing more than some pig who wanted to take advantage of her, and it was killing him.

A knock on the door broke him from his pity party as he slowly rolled off his bed, Letang having insisted he go home sick from practice. He hoped Kris might have thought of something by now, that maybe he could somehow magically cure this, but Beau knew it was nothing more than a pipe dream. So he opened the door, bracing himself for all the sympathy from Kris, but was instead met with Sidney.

“Hey.” Beau said, not having the energy to try and pretend he was okay. Sidney sighed as Beau moved to one side, letting his captain in the door.

“Kris told me what happened.” Sid said, turning to Beau once the door shut.

“That’s what I get for trusting a fucking Frenchman.” Beau grumbled. Sidney let the comment go, walking over and stuffing his hands in his pocket. He was used to being a big brother, but he’d never thought he’d have to deal with something quite like this.

“He told me because I probably understand your situation better than anyone. And if I had brought Margaux straight home, none of it would have ever happened, so I feel like I owe it to you both to kind of… help.” Beau just ran a hand over his face, walking past Sidney to the fridge where he pulled out two beers, tossing one to Sid.

“Well then, fire away.” The blonde grumbled, taking a large drink as he slumped over to the couch and collapsed. “You can’t change the fact she’ll always think I’m a pig now.”

“Beau, believe it or not, I was your age once.” Sidney chuckled, walking over and sitting beside him. “And I’m telling you right now, if Margaux and I had been in your and Sylvie’s situation… I don’t know if I could have stopped.” He admitted, Beau looked at him in shock. “When you want someone for so long and you finally have that chance to make them yours… Sometimes it’s impossible to think straight.’

“She was crying Sid, I’d be a monster if I didn’t stop-”

“But you did.” Sidney pressed. “You’re not a bad guy Beau.” There was a long silence as Beau just looked at the beer in his hand, watching the amber liquid that immediately reminded him of her eyes in the sunlight.

“She thinks I am.” He choked out. “She can’t even look at me, she won’t talk to me, I don’t know what to do.” Sidney sighed, remembering how many times he’d been in Beau’s same position, heartbroken over one of the Flower Girls.

“We’ll think of something Beau.” He promised. “We’ll think of something.”



"Sylvie?" Margaux called out, closing the door behind her as she headed into the kitchen.

"She's upstairs, packing a bag." Vero frowned, turning away from the dishes in the sink.

"Packing a bag? Is she coming with us to DC?" Margaux asked, setting her purse down on the counter as her sister in law shook her head.

"She's inconsolable about what happened with Beau and I don't want her to be alone, so she's coming to stay with me while you're in DC with the team."

Margaux's heart stopped and she shivered at the icy rush of fear that coursed through her, maybe there was a reason Sylvie didn't want to be left alone with him this morning.

"What happened with Beau?"

It didn't take long for Margaux's blood to boil as Vero summed up what their little sister had told her and the Fleury girl shook her head, if only she'd come straight home, there would've been other chances with Sid, but she could've prevented all this.

"Don't tell Marc, he'll murder the kid. Let me handle it."

"Sylvie probably didn't even want me to tell you, Mar. Marc told me about your little argument yesterday and it sounds like you have the same talent for embarrassing her as your brother does."

"I'm not going to go in there guns blazing and broadcast the near-losing of her virginity if that's what you think. Yesterday's argument was a botched effort to throw myself on the sword to spare her some embarrassment."

"Alright, if you know what you're doing." Vero agreed cautiously, still not entirely convinced it was a good idea.

"Trust me, now I better hurry up before I miss my flight." she wrapped her sister-in-law in a quick hug, kissing her cheek, "Take care of Sylvie, yeah?"

Sidney glanced up at Margaux as she stepped onto the plane, flashing her an apologetic smile as she looked from him to Marc sitting beside him and back again.

Stupid superstition.

She giggled to herself as she headed down the aisle, neither of them looked too please to be sitting together.

Kris moved to let Margaux by into the empty window seat beside him, but she shook her head and nodded to the row behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and frowned, nodding when he spotted the dejected looking blonde, eyes closed with his head leaning against the window.

"Hey."

Beau looked up surprised to find the youngest Fleury dropping into the seat beside him as he shook his head.

"I should've known Sidney would've told you." he sighed, turning back to the window as Margaux reached over and squeezed his arm.

"Sidney didn't say anything. Sylvie told Vero, who told me. I want to hear your side of the story so I can help you two fix this."

"I care about her, Margaux, but she won't even speak to me. I wasn't trying to take advantage of her, we were just drunk and not thinking straight. I couldn't stand the thought of hurting her, so I stopped. I told her we could wait, if she still wanted it to be me we could try again, but I guess she doesn't remember."

"She thinks you hate her and that she's a tease, so she obviously doesn't." Margaux frowned as Beaux shook his head.

"She won't even speak to me, if I could just talk to her for two minutes, I could explain to her." he sighed, head in his hands as Margaux rubbed his back.

"We'll just have to make that happen then, won't we?"