Status: just getting started.

Home.

Forever and for Always.

At 6:15 am on August 13, 2016, the day her life was to be forever changed, Mollie Holden sat on the old wooden boat dock Sidney had built years ago awaiting the sunrise. Her tanned legs with a perfect bridal pedicure were laid out in front of her as she leaned back on her hands, her eyes closed as she breathed in the fresh Nova Scotia air.

This was it, this was the day she finally became Mrs. Sidney Patrick Crosby.

All those years of waiting, falling in love, falling out of love, months of heartache, and the most incredible comeback love story of all time had led to this very day. And Mollie just couldn't wait to get it started. Which is what lead her to being up at 6 am on her wedding day.

To be honest, she had barely slept at all the night before.

After the rehearsal dinner and having drinks with the girls in her bridal party they had all gone off to their separate rooms within the lake house but Mollie couldn’t will herself to sleep. The bed felt cold and empty without Sid lying beside her and her left hand felt bare having given her ring to Marc-Andre to hold onto until the ceremony. Her mind was running one hundred miles a minute and she wanted nothing more than to sneak out into the guest house where Sid was sleeping and slip under the covers with him.

However, that was frowned up. Because rule number one that Veronique had laid down as Mollie's Matron of Honor was that there would be no seeing Sidney before she walked down that aisle.

So there she was wide awake at 6 am, bouncing off the walls of her bedroom Mollie decided to go for a run to burn off some nervous energy. After a few miles she made her way back to the dock, peeled off her Reeboks and dipped her toes into the cool lake water. Now she awaited the sun to rise and officially start the day, her wedding day.

When the sun began to come up, sparkling off the calm, blue-green lake water Mollie smiled pulling her legs up into her chest. With the sun up she could now take in the scene around her; string lights danced from tree to tree, large wooden picnic tables were lined up under the lights ready to be decorated for their guests to be seated at, and off to the side of the dock she was perched on were rows and rows of chairs leading up to where the arch she and Sidney would be married under.

Sidney's wild dream of getting married with only a few months to plan had actually come true and everything was seemingly perfect. Guests had arrived from all over, Mollie's Hayley Paige gown hung in her room perfect as the day she had tried it on, and every single person involved in the big day was bursting with love and happiness for the couple who would soon tie the knot.

Deciding she should probably take a shower before the hair and makeup crew arrived Mollie gathered her shoes and began her walk back to the main house barefoot. She loved the way the grass felt between her toes and couldn't believe just how much this place could effect her mood. She had been floating on cloud nine since the day she had arrived in Cole Harbour and Mollie felt as if nothing could knock her down.

Without a person noticing she manages to sneak back into the house and upstairs to the master suite where she takes a quick shower. Mollie is beginning to blow dry her hair when she hears the bedroom door open. It takes whoever came into the room half a minute to find Mollie in the en-suite bathroom as the door flings open revealing a disappointed Veronique Fleury and Catherine Letang.

"Mon Chéri, what are you doing out of bed?" Catherine asks holding a bottle of champagne in one hand and three crystal flutes in the other.

Mollie shrugs her shoulders, tan skin peaking out of her white "BRIDE" robe as she moves, "I've been awake for hours now."

Pushing herself up onto the countertop Vero gives Mollie a once over, "You are going to be such a gorgeous bride, Mols."

Still standing in front of the mirror with damp hair Mollie smiles at her and the blonde standing in the doorway, "Thank you, and thank you both for being here and standing by my side for this."

"As if we'd miss this?" Catherine questions, "You and Sid have been destined for this since the day you met, and I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be than by your side, Molls."

Holding a brush to her lips Mollie tried desperately not to tear up, she took a deep breath before pointing at the bottle of Moet in Catherine's hand, "It's too early for tears, so what do you say we pop that baby open instead?"

"You have to open it, you're the bride." Cath handed the bottle over to Mollie who spun it around in her hands. "Can you two go get my mom, Taylor, and Trina first? I think they'd like to be in here when we get the party started."

"Of course, darling. Finish drying your locks and we'll be back with the rest of the bridal party." Vero said as she jumped down from her perch, she pressed a quick kiss to Mollie's cheek then skipped off to corral the rest of the troops.

Soon enough the room was full with the ladies who would stand beside Mollie as she said I do and the mothers of the bride and groom. The curtains had been drawn letting the sun shine into Sid and Mollie's bedroom and the French doors were opened out onto a small balcony that welcomed in a cool, morning breeze. Fetching the champagne from the bathroom counter Veronique handed it off to Mollie once again, "Let's pop some bottles, baby."

Mollie giggled but made her way out to the balcony peeling the bottle's gold wrapper as she went. With a few tugs she frees the cork from the bottle with a loud pop, Mollie moves out of the way allowing the excess to stream out onto the balcony. "Who wants some bubbly?"

The bride pours a glass for the room and settles the bottle on her bedside table, her mother, Renee wraps an arm around her daughter as she returns to the circle of women standing around the room, "Shall we toast our girl?"

"Mom, we don't have," Mollie is shushed as she tries to interject and her mother begins her obviously pre-planned speech, "Today my little girl is getting married, and I could not be any more proud of her. After 29 years of watching her grow up before my eyes today is the day my Mollie becomes a wife. A wife to the boy we all met and fell in love with so long ago now that it feels as if we never knew a life without Sidney Crosby. Of course, we did have a few years without him, and those years were hard on us all, our Mollie most of all. But as always she persevered, she made her own happiness and they found one another again, fell even more in love, and I for one could not have chosen a better man for my daughter. Mollie Eloise, I am so very proud to call you my daughter and my best friend. You are such a brilliant, beautiful young woman, and the greatest joy of my life has been watching you grow into being a physician with this passion and fire for life and for helping others. You, and your little brother of course, are my pride and joy, and today we are all here for you as you begin your life as a Crosby, so my Mollie girl, here's to you my love."

Without knowing Mollie began to cry, silent tears rolling down her freshly washed cheeks as Renee continued on, now speaking in Trina's direction, "To you Trina darling, I want to thank you for raising Sidney to be the man he is today. You and Troy are incredible people whom Elliot and I are very grateful to call apart of our family as well. And lastly, to you girls, Taylor, Veronique, Catherine, you are all incredibly beautiful, and strong women who have meant the world to my Mollie as both her friends and her sisters for years and I cannot wait to see you three standing by her side as she marries the love of her life. Cheers too all of us, and to the bride and groom!"

The women, all with damp eyes, clinked their crystal champagne flutes together before downing the bubbly liquid. Mollie, having not eaten anything since waking up felt the bubbles hit her empty stomach and consequently go straight to her head.

"Okay, okay no more tears, I cannot cry anymore until at least noon!" Mollie spoke as she waved her hands around, "So, let's get this party started!"

Outside the main house in the barn-style guest home Sidney hardly ever used, the groom found himself staring out the window at the same lake Mollie had started her day beside. With a steaming mug of coffee pressed between his chest and his hand Sid's mind wandered.

This was it, this was the day he had been waiting years for, the day Mollie became his wife. Sure, it should have happened years ago, but no matter the day had finally arrived. He hummed to himself taking a sip out of the mug, he was supposed to be taking a shower, washing the smell of cigars and whiskey off his person but soaking in this view seemed like a much better idea.

His teammate and groomsman, Kris Letang however had a different idea as his voice came booming through the bedroom door as his fists simultaneously pounded on the wood, "I don't hear the water running man, did you pass out?"

"No man, I'm good." Sid chuckled, walking over to the TV stand placing his mug down, "I'm getting in now."

"You better, we've got shit to do man."

Sid rolls his eyes as he pulls his shirt over his head yelling as he heads into the bathroom, "Yeah I know, I'm the one getting married, remember?"

Twenty minutes later the Captain strolls out of the steamy bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets still dripping down his back. He leans against the doorframe and smiles as he sees the suit bag laying out on the large King sized bed in the middle of the room. Once again his moment of peace is broken up as the door to the room flies open and in struts Marc-Andre and Kris, "Really? I could have been naked."

Flower shrugs, "Like we haven't seen it before. C'mon, get dressed Sid."

Sid grabs a stack of clothes shaking his head as he retreats back into the bathroom to get dressed. When he returns the third member of his groomsmen trio, Pierce Holden has joined the party and come baring gifts of Bloody Mary's. As Sid is handed a glass of red juice by his future brother in-law Pierce claps him on the back, "You ready for this, bro?"

"Been ready for years bud, let's do this."

At 3:30 PM Renee Holden stood behind her daughter holding the tiny zipper to her wedding dress between her fingers. The fifty-something woman choked back tears as she pulled the sides of Mollie's gown together, when she reached the top she placed a gentle kiss at the nape of Mollie's neck, "You are such a gorgeous bride, sweetheart."

Having been staring down at her bare feet Mollie gazed up at herself in the floor length mirror, she couldn’t believe her own eyes. Her brown hair had been curled, then loosely tucked into a bun with pieces framing her face, while a dainty vine of gold and white flowers weaved through the back. Her face had been painted lightly, with a champagne themed eye, and a simple pink lip; it was very Mollie and perfect for her wedding day. With her lips pressed together Mollie tried not to cry, even though she was well past-due, "Mama, I'm getting married!"

Slipping her arms around her daughter's waist Renee pulled her in tight, "Yes you are honey, yes you are."

While the two women got lost in their moment a knock sounded at the door, Renee gave Mollie's hands one last squeeze before heading to the door. Behind the solid oak stood Nathalie Lemieux clutching her chest as she caught a glance of Mollie standing there dressed in white. "Oh my goodness, she's a vision."

"Isn't she?" Renee added as she welcomed the woman into the room.

Nathalie continued her path over to Mollie looking her up and down as she stood, still barefoot in the afternoon sunlight. "Gorgeous girl, I come sent on a mission from your Groom."

"Oh, you do?" Mollie giggled as she watched the woman reveal a small box handing it over to her Nathalie stepped back. Confused she fumbled with the box until a small heart-shaped piece of paper fell into her hand. Written in Sidney's distinct chicken scratch was a simple sentence, "I can't wait to marry you, squirt. I love you - Sid"

Her eyes welled with a fresh coat of tears as she popped open the black Tiffany's box where a beautiful set of diamond and pearl earrings stared her in the face. They were stunning, shiny, and most definitely, expensive. "Oh, Sidney."

"Let me see," Renee crooned peering over at the black box, her eyes, the same green as Mollie's widened, "Those are stunning, that boy does an incredible job with jewelry."

"Mario taught him that, they've taken many trips to Tiffany's together." Nathalie added in giving the other two women a wink. "Now, lets get these beauties in your ears, darling."

Outside in the guesthouse Sidney sat in a chair leaning down to tie his shiny black dress shoes. As the cuffs on his white dress shirt rose up he caught a peak at the watch on his left hand. It was new, brand new, and Sidney smiled as he remembered the words engraved on the back.

/ may we always remember the best TIME of our lives, I love you Squid - MEH-C /

The words may have been a tad simple, or cliché but it was the letters that signed at the end that made Sidney's heart flutter.

Mollie Eloise Holden-Crosby.

The hyphen was of course her idea, a way to keep apart of the "family business" with her but Sidney didn't mind at all, because at the end of the day Mollie would still be a Crosby. And those days began today, well in 40 minutes to be exact.

At 4:20 Mollie stood next to her father at the back patio doors of the lake house. Her stomach was in a knot of nerves, palms were sweaty as she clung onto her bouquet of white peonies wrapped in a piece of one of Sidney's white Penguin's jerseys.

This was it, the final countdown.

Mollie could hear the music switching over from the instrumental version of Tenerife Sea to the Bridal March, she took once last deep breath before looking up at her father, "You ready, daddy?"

Trying to be his typical stoic self Elliott Holden peered down at his little girl one last time as an unmarried woman. With the pad of his thumb he traced her sun-kissed cheek, "I'm ready if you are, Mollie girl."

"Okay, how about we take a walk then?" She asked choking back her tears for the hundredth time that day.

With a kiss to her forehead Elliott took Mollie's hand and lead her out the door, she adjusted her gown and linked her arm around her fathers as their feet hit the stones leading down to the dock. The closer Mollie got to where the guests were sitting the larger her smiled panned across her face. When she finally saw Sidney her heart starting racing, she was definitely tachycardic and the physician in her was a tad concerned.

Sidney however, looked calm, cool, and incredibly handsome in his classic black and white suit, the skinny black tie laid flat against his brick wall of a chest with a small white peony pinned near his shoulder. Beside him Marc-Andre, Pierce, and Kris wore the same outfit without jackets and the sleeves of their button ups rolled-up to their elbows. The three men were grinning ear to ear as Mollie approached the arch under which Sidney waited.

On the opposite side of the aisle Veronique, Catherine, and Taylor were fighting back happy tears in their strapless taupe dresses. Clutching onto her bouquet of greenery, peonies, and white lilies Mollie read Taylor's lips as she mouthed, "Hi, sis." in her direction.

Mollie winked at the girl as she and Elliott stopped just short of the arch Sidney and the preacher stood under. Renee stood from her chair in the aisle joining her husband as he prepared to give away his only daughter. She pressed a quick peck to Mollie's cheek as the preacher began the ceremony, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

With a shaky breath Elliott looked between his little girl and the hockey player who had stolen her heart many years ago one last time. He knew that Sidney had learned his lesson losing Mollie once and would never, ever dream of hurting her again. So without further a due, Elliott spoke, "Her mother and I do."

Mollie and Sidney's hands were quickly joined and the couple took the few steps towards the arch as the Holden's took their seats. While silence dawned upon the crowd Mollie found herself lost in Sidney's caramel colored eyes. How many times had she dreamed of this moment? And now it was coming true.

Minutes, but what felt like hours later, as they stood in front of their closest family and friends Sid and Mollie had finally reached the point of their marriage ceremony where they would exchange vows. Despite their mutual distaste for public speaking, the couple had decided that they would write personalized vows for one another. After all the cliché "in sickness and in health" didn't feel right for their one of a kind romance.

Holding the slip of paper Vero had just slid into her palm between her shaking hands Mollie began to read from her heart, "Sidney Patrick, as you may already know, I am unconditionally and unapologetically in love with you. You are my best friend, my one great love, and my soulmate. Today, I give myself to you as your wife; I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you and to comfort you in times of struggle and sorrow. I promise to love you in the good times and in bad, when life seems easy, and when it becomes hard, when our love is simple and when it becomes an effort. I promise to always cherish you and the times we have together, and to always hold you in the highest regard. I promise to remember that neither of us is perfect, but I will strive to remind myself daily of the ways we are perfect for each other. These things I promise to you today, and for all of the days of our life together, you are my home and I will forever be yours."

As Mollie poured her heart out to the love of her life the guests in the crowd began to cry and the three women beside Mollie sobbed, but no one felt more emotional than Sidney. His eyes had welled the moment she began to speak, and gave way to the flood of tears the moment she vowed to love him when their love was easy and when it was an effort.

Mollie was truly the greatest thing that had ever happened to him, Stanley Cups included.

Taking a cleansing breath Sid wiped the tears from his cheeks before reaching into his suit pocket for the piece of paper he had written his vows on. Before he began Sidney took one last look at Mollie, her green eyes even brighter after all the tears. She was such a gorgeous bride, a lovely soul, and everything Sidney had written down about her was the truth.

"Mollie, I tell you this every day, but what a better day to repeat it than today, our wedding day. You are the love of my life, and the absolute best part of me, this I have known since I was 23 years old. You are my best friend, and the love we share is genuine and true. I believe God united us together so many years ago with the intent that we belong together forever, and as we learned during our time apart, we are so much better together. Molls, I promise to you today and every day that my loyalty to you will weather all the storms of life. I will cherish you each and every day as my inspiration for life, and promise to embark on one of the greatest streaks any human has ever wished to pursue, to tell you I love you every single day for as long as we both shall live. I promise as we continue on this life's journey together I will be by your side loving you, pushing you, and celebrating with you. As your husband, I pledge to always put you first, and to give you my absolute best self for the rest of my days. I love you Mollie Eloise, today, tomorrow, and forever."

In that moment Mollie was very thankful for waterproof mascara, setting spray, and the Kleenex Tissue company as she dabbed at her eyes with the white tissue the preacher had slipped her when her green eyes gave way to another wave of tears halfway through Sidney's speech. Her heart was thundering in her chest and her mouth felt dry having feeling as if she had lost all the moisture in her body through her tear ducts. Mollie sniffled hard, trying to compose herself as she looked at the man in front of her, but she was an absolute emotional wreck and she was just going to have to power through it.

Moving the ceremony forward the pastor asked for the rings from the Matron of Honor and Best Man. Vero handed Mollie the thin gold loop and in a hushed voice assured Mollie that she still looked flawless. She gave her small smile and returned her focus to the preacher, "Mollie, if you would please repeat after me."

Half-listening to the man Mollie fiddled with the ring waiting for her turn, when it arrived shebegan pushing the ring onto Sidney's finger, "Sidney, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows and with all that I am and all that I have. With this ring, I thee wed."

Sidney took one glance at his left hand and felt like a whole new man, a married man. He spun the gold ring around his finger, barely listening to the man as he told him what to say next. "Mollie, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows and with all that I am and all that I have. With this ring I thee wed."

With both rings on their rightful hands Mollie and Sidney rejoined their hands knowing that what came next was the absolute best part. They smiled at one another giddy and waiting as the man standing before them closed the Bible he had been reciting from, "Sidney, Mollie, you have both expressed your love to one another through the commitments and promises you have just made. No longer are you simply partners and best friends, you have become husband and wife and will now seal the agreement with a kiss. Sidney, by the power vested in me, you may now kiss your wife."

Sidney had never been so excited to be told to do something in his life. He gave the man a smile as a took another step closer to the love of his life, bringing them closer than they had been in almost 24 hours. Sliding his hands around Mollie's face Sid felt her cheeks rising under his palms, he had dreamed of this moment all night long, kissing the girl he had loved for so long for the first time as a married couple.

When their lips connected Sidney swore he heard Mollie sigh, and he felt that way too. A gush of relief washed over them, it was over, all the stress of planning a wedding so fast, the hustle and bustle of the Playoffs, and the Cup win, it was all over.

They could finally relax.

Mollie could have kissed Sidney for the rest of the night, it all felt so new even though his lips were always going to be hers. But they had other things to do and a party to enjoy, so for once she pulled away first opening her green eyes as she rested her forehead on Sidney's. Breathless she whispered to him, "Hi, husband."

Sidney chuckled pressing a quick kiss to his wife's forehead before the crowd of their loved ones erupted in cheers. Turning towards the sea of chairs Mollie threw their conjoined hands up in the air as their bridal party began to cheer as well. The newlyweds felt their hearts swell as they were surrounded by so much love and support.

An hour later after a dinner full of fresh seafood and the couple's favorite foods Mollie found herself in the middle of the dance floor under twinkling lights. Sidney's hands were laced on the small of her back as the they circled around, the smooth beat of Tim McGraw's "It's Your Love" played through the speakers. All eyes were on them as they both smiled from ear to ear, soaking up the other's embrace and basking in their newlywed glow. Leaning down pressing his forehead to his wife's Sidney asked, "Can you believe this? "

"That we're married? Because no, I can't. Are you sure I'm not dreaming?" Mollie giggled.

"If this is a dream, don't wake me up I just married the girl of my dreams." As the song came to an end the happy couple sealed the moment with a kiss before taking to their seats to prepare for the speeches to be made by Vero and Marc-Andre who would act as one entity, and a Taylor Crosby/Pierce Holden duo.

The Fleury's began by telling stories of watching Mollie and Sidney fall in love. They bragged that they knew the two were in love before Sid and Mollie knew and gently made fun of the couple on just how cheesy they were in the beginning of their love story. Then they discussed the hard stuff, like how they saw the way Sidney fell apart without Mollie and how they had prayed that someday the two would make their way back to one another. Vero noted on how much the Fleury fam had missed Mollie during her time away and how they realized life without the two together was different and not in a good way, they didn't enjoy seeing Sidney so blue. Then they ended with some classic marriage advice; don’t go to bed angry, happy wife happy life, and of course always say I love you. Before they sat down Vero rambled off in French a quote that stood out to Mollie more than anything else, "Aimer ce n'est poin nous regarder l'un l'autre mais regarder ensemble dans la meme direction."

To love isn't to look at one another, but to look in the same direction.

When Pierce and Taylor took to the mic both already giggling the bride and groom should have known something strange was about to happen. Pierce spoke up first still clutching a Molson bottle in his hand, "Hi everyone, for those of you who don't know me I'm Mollie's little brother Pierce. I'm not so little now, and ugh I'm also a doctor, and single, but enough about me. Anyway, I have had the unfortunate pleasure of hearing Mollie swoon over this guy for a decade now. Did you know he's like really good at hockey or something?"

As the crowd chuckled Taylor chimed in, "And I'm Taylor, Sidney's little sister, the other Crosby. I also play hockey? People love to point that out. But yeah I was like 9 when Sidney met Mollie and from that moment on I decided I liked her way more than him. Sorry, Sid, Molls is way cooler and she taught me how to wear eyeliner which is so much more important than when you tried to teach me how to stick handle. So thank you, Molls for being the sister I always wanted."

The two continued on poking fun at all the times they had caught the two checking each other out, caught them lying about their relationship, and gushing about each other to their siblings. It was all in good fun but Mollie found herself welling up as she watched how effortlessly Pierce and Taylor worked together. They were all meant to be family, and now they were.

In seriousness Pierce placed his arm around Taylor's shoulders, "All jokes aside, I couldn't have picked a better man for my sister. She's a pain in the ass, but she's also an incredible woman, a brilliant doctor with a huge heart, and a bit of a smart mouth. She taught me so much and these two have taught me so much about how to love, and how to fight for love. Mollie, Sid, I love you both and I love this family you two have created. T, you're officially stuck with me forever, sorry. To the bride and groom, I wish you both a lifetime of love, happiness, and adventure. Cheers!"

"Mollie, thank you for loving my brother, my weird, superstitious, OCD brother. Thank you for showing him how to live, and how to love, how to let loose, and how to be happy without a stick in his hand. You have changed his life, mine, and our entire family's all for the better. I love you, thank you for always loving and supporting me, I am so honored to call you my sister." Taylor sniffled taking a deep breath before going on, "Sid, I am always proud to be your sister, but today I am the proudest I have ever been. You fought for the love of your life and showed me how true love always finds a way. Thank you for teaching me so much about life and love, congratulations you two."

Both with tears in their eyes Sidney and Mollie rose from their seats embracing their siblings as the crowd clapped and wiped their own eyes. Their big day had been nothing but perfect and now that all of the ceremonial dances and toasts were complete they could finally relax, dance for fun, and mingle with their guests.

At nearly midnight Mollie collapsed onto the bed beside Sidney half drunk and fully exhausted. Her bare feet were dirty from dancing the night away after kicking off her heels and the back of her dress was unbuttoned but she was far too tired to take it the rest of the way off. Staring at the ceiling fan going round and round Mollie exhaled long and hard, "Sid, we're married."

"We are, and it's been a pretty good 8 hours I think." Sidney rolled onto his side staring at his wife.

"I agree, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my hours with you."

Sidney grinned at her as he reached over to grab her left hand running his finger over her stacked engagement ring and wedding band, "I love you, Mrs. Crosby."

"It's Dr. Holden-Crosby," Mollie winked as she squeezed his hand, "but I love you too, hubs. Now please, get me outta this dress."

"Yes ma'am," Sidney laughed as he stood helping Mollie off the bed as well. With one swift tug of the zipper at the base of her spine Sidney slid the Hayley Paige creation off of his wife's beautiful body. Her tan bare skin glistening in the lights of the moon and ceiling fan as the dress falls to the floor, leaning down he presses a trail of kisses down her shoulder blade. 
Mollie hums stepping forward out of the pile of satin kicking it out of the space between them until she can wrap her arms around her husband's neck, sliding her hands down his chest, fingers toying with the top button of his white dress shirt. "Let's have a baby."
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CLIFFHANGER. also, hi sorry this took forever and a day but I have been so busy with school this year! But alas, I GRADUATE TOMORROW!!! So look out for the last chapter of Home sometime this summer and as always thanks for sticking around. xx - A