Chapter 24

Game 7 approached fast and it seemed like the team never had a brief couple of days off. Sidney and the team flew out the day before and Karen would head up with Mario and other family members the morning of the game. Karen had felt off getting ready and it wasn't a bad feeling for the upcoming game. She had told Sidney the night before that she had figured out the final score would be 2-1. He asked how she could be so confident in a prediction and she told him to look at all the previous games, except game 5. They all had the same scores. One and two was won by Detroit and was both 4-2. The next two won by the Pens was 3-1. Detroit had the upset with game 5 but when the Pens won game six by the score 2-1, it was inevitable that they won by that same score. Sidney had just laughed at her but Karen said it would hold up.

Natalie had gone to pick Karen up. As Karen locked the door, she felt a tightness grow and she stood still breathing hard to soothe her. It helped and she was able to finish and head to the car. Once she sat down, she felt another wave but she got on her tip toes and brought her thigh into her body without actually doubling over. After a minute it was gone again and she hoped that was all she felt for the rest of the night.

After the short airplane ride, they were headed to the team's hotel to wait for the guys to get back from practice. Karen had decided to lay down and wait for Sidney.

Sidney was on his way to his room when he got out his cell and check it for messages. He thought it was weird Karen hadn't text or called him yet. He hoped she was ok and was about to call when he smiled walking into his room. Sidney put his phone away in his pocket and went over to the bed, kneeling beside it brushing a stray piece of hair off Karen's cheek.

"Baby?" he whispered "hey, wake up my sleeping beauty."

Karen stirred and opened her eyes looking directly into Sidney's "hey, how was practice?"

"It went well. You ok?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Just making sure my wife and child are fine."

Karen smiled but wondered herself if they were both fine "we're fine Sid, stop worrying."

Sidney shook his head "never. How about I change and you move over so I can join you?"

"Why do I have to move over? I'm comfortable where I am."

"Baby, you know I nap on this side of the bed. Don't throw me off my routine."

Karen smirked and didn't move "maybe you need thrown off." After the look Sidney gave her, Karen sat up and moved over to make room "learn to take a joke there."

"Maybe before some other game, but not game 7 in the Stanley Cup finals" he said kissing her then went to change into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He came back and crawled into bed with her. "I just want to win tonight" he said in a whisper like he didn't want anyone to hear it.

"Would you still believe me if I said you will?"

Sidney kissed her head "probably but if you're wrong, I will get my revenge afterwards."

"And if I'm right, do I get rewarded?"

"Definitely baby." Karen smiled and curled into him more as his arm tightened his grip.

An hour and a half later, Karen stirred and saw Sidney was still asleep. She got out of his grip and got up going to the bathroom. When she came out, she saw Sidney had moved and was lying on his back. Karen crawled onto his body and straddled him placing light kisses to his lips until he woke up.

"I like the way you wake me up baby."

"Too bad you have a game in a couple hours or I could really wake you up."

Sidney's smiled faded "I would love that, but I don't want to take any chances." Karen started to get off him but his grip got tighter on her hips "I'm not saying this to get you mad."

"I know and it's scaring me to, but how do we know it's going to happen every time unless....you want to stop all together until the baby's born." Karen saw him briefly look away before getting off him and lying beside him.

"Would it be so bad to keep you AND our child safe?" he said sitting up to look at her.

Karen thought back to the two twinges she had just locking up to leave this morning "no, I guess not" she said softly.

"Why don't we wait to see after tonight and what happens with the game. We'll just go from there." Sidney turned her head towards him and kissed her before getting up to get his shower. Karen just stayed in bed and sighed but realized he was right. She knew her doctor assured her the pain wasn't near the baby to harm it and she trusted her completely, but she still felt the sadness of possibly losing a connection with Sidney if they stop all together for at least 7 more months. They had gotten back on track with everything from Jordan and hoped it would stay as strong without the sex. Karen got up and got situated so they could go down for dinner before Sidney had to go to the arena. As they were leaving the room, Sidney noticed Karen was real quiet and didn't really say much. After they got into the elevator, Sidney brought Karen to him and held her, looking directly into her eyes "please don't be mad at me baby. I only have your best interest here."

Karen sighed and saw the sincerity in his eyes "I'm not mad and I know you mean well. I love you for wanting to keep us safe, really."

"Then what is it?"

"Maybe I'm just afraid that not only us having sex is the cause of this. What if we stop and the pain happens out of nowhere?"

Sidney took a step back to really look at her "you've had the pain again at other times and not told me."

"Yes" she whispered as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Sidney pulled her to the side and just looked at her waiting for her to tell him. "One night at the arena as Brit and I were walking up the steps to the suite and then a couple small waves as I was locking the door to leave this morning." Sidney looked down and ran his hand through his hair breathing out the breath he was holding.

"How bad were they?"

"The ones this morning wasn't too bad but the one going up the steps was bad enough to double me over on the steps."

"So the more strenuous is what really hits hard and that is why we should stop baby."

"I know."

"You weren't going to tell me were you?"

"I didn't want you to worry, at least not now."

"Whether I have a game or not, I am always going to worry."

"I know and I'm sorry."

Sidney sighed and pulled her in for a hug "I know baby. We'll just take it one day at a time and just see what happens, ok?"

"Ok." Their lips met for a kiss before heading to have dinner with the team and other members of the families that came for the game.

As Karen and Sidney were getting their food, Karen saw Jordan step up to grab some. Sidney had left to go sit down as Karen was still getting hers. Jordan looked up and saw she was by herself and looked behind him to see Sidney had his back to them. He stepped closer and walked behind Karen, grazing her ass with his hand. Karen about jumped when she felt the touch and saw Jordan standing beside her smiling.

"Did I bump you? I'm sorry" he told her nonchalantly.

"You're not sorry when you purposely did it" she said moving to the other side of him.

"I miss that ass" he said taking a glance and then walking away. Karen just lightly shook her head and finished getting her food before going to sit down. When she did, she looked up and saw Jordan was sitting at their table with Britnie and he was directly in front of her. Jordan would look up while he was eating and would only look at Karen when both Sid and Britnie looked down at their food. It was like he was making it hard for Karen to avoid him. She knew what Jordan was doing and knew he was going to make this difficult for her. The fact of the matter was, she still had a small place in her heart for Jordan, she just wasn't going to be stupid enough to jeopardize hurting Sidney again. They got through dinner and everyone parted ways. Karen and Sidney headed back to their room.

"You ok, you seemed quiet at dinner."

"Yeah, just thinking positive thoughts for tonight."

"But other than that, we're ok right?" he said to her before unlocking the door.

Karen smiled and kissed him "yes, we're ok Sid." They walked into the room and Sidney pulled her to the bed sitting on his lap. They didn't say anything and Sidney just held onto her with his head buried into her neck. Karen knew not to say anything as he just needed a few minutes before leaving for the arena.

"Promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"That no matter what happens tonight, you still love me."

Karen smiled and thought about teasing him but knew this wasn't the time "I'll love you no matter what Sid but this is yours to win tonight and you will win it."

"Thank you baby" he said kissing her "I better change and head out to meet the guys." Karen got off his lap and let him go. She turned on the TV for a few minutes to a pre-game show while he got ready. When Sidney was ready to leave, Karen walked him to the door and gave him the longest, most passionate kiss they had ever shared. Sidney broke the kiss and gave her a wink before heading to the elevator. Karen got ready herself to meet up with Natalie, Britnie and Sidney's parents to go to the arena to settle in for the final game of the season.

The game was intense as both teams brought their A game. The play would go back and forth until Max scored the first goal of the game. Karen and Natalie couldn't hold in their excitement and screamed as loud as they could. As the game went on, the Pens kept the lead and would try everything to defend their goal. When Max scored the second goal of the game, Karen knew the outcome she predicted was half way there but what she didn't predict was Sidney getting hurt. He got hit into the boards and his leg got caught. She feared the worse that he was done for the game and knew he wouldn't want to end his season this way. As the third period started, Karensaw Sidney take a few laps around the ice then go sit down. She prayed that Detroit didn't find a way to get two unanswered goals to tie this game and put the Cup out of reach for the Pens, especially if Sid was hurt and didn't return to the ice. With 6 minutes left, Detroit had scored to cut the lead by half. The clock ticked down and the Pens had fought hard to keep the lead. Marc was playing his heart out and blocked everything that was put in front of him. Karen watched between the clock and the play on the ice not sure which one she wanted to go faster. As she saw all zeros on the scoreboard and heard the horn sound, she saw the celebration on the ice and it was the boys in white crowding around Marc-Andre. Karen and Natalie hugged each other first before she found Britnie, then Sidney's parents. They stopped their own celebration and headed down to ice level to see the guys.

Karen got to the bench and waited for Sidney to come over after he got the Cup from Gary Bettman. When he handed it off, Sidney skated over to the bench and got a hug from his dad that had come onto the ice. Karen was going to step onto the ice when Sidney picked her up into a hug and skated them back towards the bench.

"Baby, I am not to have you slip on the ice or get trampled on by players and media. Please stay on the bench."

"Man, you just won the Cup and all you can do is worry about me."

"Yep and that is how it's always going to be" he said putting her down by the boards,

"I'm so happy for you" she said changing the subject "I knew you would win tonight."

"And by the score you predicted too baby."

Karen just smiled at him as he shook his head at her "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Good, now go finish celebrating and I will meet you in the locker room in a little bit." She kissed him again and let him go join the guys.

A while later, the team and their families were in the locker room celebrating even more. The champagne was spraying and the guys were acting like kids on Christmas. Sidney was wisked away to do some media and Karen had gone to the bathroom. When she came out, she was met with someone she wasn't expecting. Jordan had watched her leave a few minutes ago and followed her waiting for her to come out. He saqw her emerge and grabbed her, pinning her to the wall.

"Jordan, let me go" she told him seriously.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me?" he said looking around before settling his eyes back on her.

"Congratulations Jordan."

"Thanks sexy" he said pushing his lips onto hers.

Karen fought to get out of his grip and pushed him away "stop it Jordan. It's never going to happen between us again. You have to and will accept that."

"I'll only accept it when I get one last time with you...and I will get one last time with you."

"No you won't Jordan, it's over whether you want to accept it now or later. We will never happen again."

Jordan brought his lips to hers again but this time it was a soft and gentle kiss "if it's really over, then you wouldn't have kissed me back" he said before letting her go and leaving her standing there alone. Karen looked around and didn't see anyone, but that didn't mean someone couldn't have seen them and prayed that no one did. She closed her eyes and hoped she was in a dream but wasn't as she heard all the screaming and yelling. Karen went back in and waited for Sidney to return from the media hounding him about the win and his leg. A little while later, Sidney came back and went right to Karen, hugging and kissing her until he got pulled away to drink out of the Cup. Karen just stood back and watched how happy he was, smiling at him that he finally accomplished his dream. Her smiled faded when she looked over and saw Jordan and Britnie kissing wondering if it would ever truly be over with him.