Chapter 23

Karen jumped out of bed when the alarm rang "what the hell?" she yelled startling Sidney. "Why is the alarm going off at 2:30?"

"You set it before you fell asleep last night, you know to get up for work today." Karen sat there stunned and confused "you ok baby?"

"Yeah" she said shaking her head "I guess I just dreamt today was Saturday or something and didn't need to get up. Sorry for waking you" she said leaning over to kiss him "go back to sleep." Karen got up and went to the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror "did I set it by habit or was it just a dream?" She decided to get ready and if her dream was true, she'd see when she got to work.

After Karen got to work, everything seemed normal. No one questioned why she was there or brought up that she quit. She shrugged it off as a dream and went to work. At lunch, Diane and Natalie had taken theirs early to go with her.

"Are you ok Karen? You seem distracted today" Diane asked her.

"Not really. I had a very realistic dream last night. I was here like any other day but had a blow up with the queen B and quit" she whispered the last part. "I went home and told Sidney and it just seemed right and natural to want to stop working and be his wife. I woke up with a jolt when the alarm rang at 2:30."

"Well apparently it wasn't true since no one seems to be talking about it" Natalie added.

"I know" she chuckled "I figured if I came in and people questioned why I was here, then I knew it was true and just out of habit set the alarm."

"Besides, you know you'll never quit. You can't stay away from me or Di everyday."

"That is true. Its sad that I can count on one hand my true friends here at work" she said as they all laughed and went back to their lunch.

After work, Karen went home and saw Sidney on the couch watching tv.

"Really, NHL Network?" she said sitting beside him.

"Its the playoff previews babe. Have to see what the media says about our match up with the Sens."

"Well that's easy...will Ottawa be able to handle Crosby and Malkin? What about Jordan Staal who's had a great year and steps up big this time of year? What do the Pens need to do this round to make a strong run to repeat?"

"Funny baby" he said as she kissed him before heading upstairs and changing clothes. After she left, they started analyzing the Pens-Sens game and Sidney smiled when they said exactly what Karen just mocked. He loved when she did things like that and knew she could predict the future if she tried hard enough.

Karen came down 20 minutes later and sat back down beside Sidney "so what'd they say?"

"That if we, as a team, stay healthy then they see us being a force to reckon with in the finals again."

"So basically what I said, you just don't want to tell me I was right."

Sidney looked at Karen and smiled "you were absolutely right baby" he said before kissing her. "So let me ask, what was with this morning?"

"I had an all to real dream that I was at work and had a blow up with my lead then quit. You came home from practice and saw me still sitting in my car and I told you I quit." Sidney sat shocked not knowing what to think "when I went into work today, nothing seemed wrong and people didn't question why I was there so I had to put it as a dream."

"You know, some of your dreams do have a way of coming true."

"I know."

"Karen?" he said softly.

"You know I still struggle with this everyday Sid. I want to stay home and be the wife you deserve, but I don't want to stop working unless something tells me it's time to."

"What told you in your dream?"

"That they revoked my vacation for August and they tried to write me up for disrespect of my lead. I got fed up and just quit."

"Karen, the wife I want and need is what you provide for me everyday. Whether you're a stay at home mom with kids, or working while I'm at practice everyday doesn't mean you're lacking in the wife department."

"I know and I love you for being patient and not pressuring me to quit. It will happen one day Sid."

"And when that day comes, you will be the happiest you have ever been."

"Really?"

"Yes, then you can really taste what being a hockey wife is all about." Karen just shook her head and laughed before she cuddled up into Sidney's side and they finished watching the playoff previews.

A couple days later, the first round of the playoffs started and didn't know what to expect with Ottawa. They've had some pretty good rounds with the Pens and she saw this series could go either way.

"You seem nervous" Sidney asked as they ate dinner.

"Why would I be nervous, I'm not the one playing."

"You're nervous for me I think."

"I don't get nervous for you. You've done this enough times I just sit back and become a proud wife watching her husband do what he does best."

"You must feel that way when we have sex too."

"Oh god, you did not just say that?" she laughed as Sidney just shrugged. They continued to eat so they could get ready to head into the arena for game one of the playoffs.

After they got to the arena, Karen went to the lounge as Sidney went to change. He started doing that so he could spend the most amount of time with her before falling into his pregame ritual. When he came out, he sat beside Karen who was talking with Marc and Vero.

"If I can talk this one into it, I would love that."

"Talk me into what?"

"That during August we could head to Montreal and meet up with these two and go somewhere for a weekend."

"I wouldn't mind that baby."

"Thanks honey" Marc said smiling sweetly at Sidney "I knew you couldn't stay away from me for the whole summer."

"You know, when you two make plans without me, I get jealous and sad" Max said coming over.

"It could also be that we see you more often then everyone else too Maxwell."

"You love seeing every bit of me Kiki" he said that got Karen to smile "see, she's remembering."

"Baby?" Sidney all but yelled.

"Sorry, but after the inital shock wears off the visions do seem to come back." Sidney was about to protest but was interrupted when Coach Dan came in and told them to start getting their heads in game mode. "I guess that's our cue. Shall we go Vero?"

"You're not getting off that easily baby. We will talk about this tonight at home" Sidney yelled as they walked out. Karen just turned around and blew him a kiss before walking out laughing.

"You guys are so cute together."

"I know, its sickening."

"So what's going on with Max?"

"He's engaged to my best friend and when they started dating it was kind of rocky at first. Well, they were over at the house one day and Sid and I went for a walk. Needless to say, when we got back, I saw Max's bare ass on the living room floor."

"Ah. So how was it?" Vero asked smiling.

"It was...nice" she said smirking to get them laughing. They went up to meet the others and to wait for the start of the game. They went into the Igloo club and got some beers. "I can't wait until next year when we have our suite. It'll be so much nicer to come in earlier and wait around there then what we have now."

"The team's going to have a family room for all the player's families, wives and girlfriends to watch the games next year" Vero stated.

Karen heard the somberness in her voice "well you know, anytime you want you are more than welcome to come sit in our box and watch the game."

"Thanks Karen, I appreciate that." Soon, Vero left the four friends and went to the section designated for the families. Karen knew she hated being there as it seemed the others were only there in spirit and not too much into the game as she would like to be. Fact was, out of all the player's wives or girlfriends, Karen could see implanting Vero in their little group. She was soon brought out of her thoughts as they heard the crowd erupt for the teams coming out for warm ups. They grabbed their beers and headed to their seats to watch the guys get ready for the game.

Chapter 22

The next few days passed and with the Pens starting the playoffs at home, that gave Sidney and Karen more than enough time to spend together.

The team had a late practice one day and Sidney would get home about the same time as Karen. He had not stayed to talk or work out extra so he ran out of the arena and headed home. As he pulled up to the house, he noticed Karen's car and smiled to himself as he parked beside her. His smile soon faded when he saw he just sitting in her car. Sidney got out and almost ran to the driver's side, lightly knocking on the window. Karen slightly turned her head and moved to roll down the window.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Sidney asked seeing the wetness on her cheeks.

"I couldn't take it anymore."

"Ok, that could lead to a lot of possible things that happened. Why don't you get out of the car and we can head in to talk about it?'

Karen just noddded before rolling up the window. Sidney opened the door and helped her out, bringing her into his arms.

"I quit Sid" she whispered.

Sidney pulled backed and looked into her eyes "what?"

"Oh I know you're happy and want to jump around so you might as well go do it and get it over with" she said wiping her eyes.

"I think I'll reserve it for after you tell me what happened" he said leading her inside the house. They walked into the living room and sat on the couch "so, what happened and at what time did you quit?"

"I waited until after my shift. Made them pay me for the whole day" she smiled.

"Understandable."

"Well for starters, they said that I had taken way too much time off and they were revoking my vacation I had put in for August to spend the month with you in Canada."

"Can they truly do that?"

"Yeah apparently. Then when that bitch was telling me about it, she couldn't contain her smile as she told me which pissed me off more. Then they tried to tell me that I wasn't getting all my work done in the alotted time, which was bullshit. I had never left anything undone before leaving for the day. Then they tried to make me sign a write up saying that my not getting along with the bitch was being disrespectful towards a fellow outfitter and my attitude was a problem within the group."

"Ok wait, didn't you tell them how rude and disrespectful she's been towards you?"

"Yeah but they tried to play it out that when she was like that she was having a bad day and shouldn't be counted as her fault."

"You didn't sign the write up did you?"

"Hell no, I'm not THAT stupid."

"Never said you were baby" he said rubbing her back.

"So I picked up the paper to read it, then I ripped it up and threw it up in the air. Told them to kiss my ass and went to grab a few things off my cart that was mine and left."

"Do you regret it? Is that why you were still in your car crying?"

"I don't regret it Sid. I was crying because I was so pissed as I drove home, it just hit me after I parked the car." Karen let out a long sigh and turned to look at Sidney "I want to be your wife Sid. I want to stay in bed in the morning curled up to you until you have to get up for practice. I want to be here when you get home. I want to be able to head to Canada with you when the season ends and not manage my time to only see you from two weeks to a month out of three. I want to start our family. I want..."

"...to be the wife you think you should have been from the beginning" he said as she nodded. "I don't want you to end up hating me in the long run when you get bored and think you should be working."

"I would have only hated you if you forced me into quitting. I got fed up with all the drama and bullshit and favortism that went on and on for years. You said it yourself that I haven't been happy about getting up and going into work for the day. I was ready to leave, I just needed the push and they decided to push to far."

Sidney took his finger and moved her hair behind her ear "I'm proud of you baby. And not only am I proud of you for standing up for yourself, I love you for wanting to be my wife and get things going to start our family. That means more to me than you bringing an income into the house."

"Besides, I may not be done working at all. I think I just need a break to concentrate on what's more important to me and my life...and that's you." Sidney leaned in and met his lips to hers for a soft kiss.

"I think we need to celebrate. How about I take my beautiful wife out for dinner?"

"Well my sexy husband, I think that is a great idea." They shared another kiss before relaxing for a little bit then got ready to head out to dinner.

They sat in a back booth at Olive Garden and Karen felt better about what happened earlier at work.

"I'm glad you guys got home ice for the playoffs. I get you home for a few days."

"Yep, and you can go in with me and hang around until I'm ready to leave afterwards."

"With no obligations to need to only get an hour or two of sleep before getting up the next day."

"Well, that might still happen if we win and celebrate after we get home until dawn."

"That happened whether I had to work the next day or not."

"True" he said getting her to laugh "besides if you're itching to work, there's always my foundation you could help out on."

"Yeah I could. If I start to feel suffocated, I can just plan autograph sessions to get you out of my hair for a few hours."

"Or...maybe I could talk to Ray and see if he needs an extra set of hands to help him out in his office. Maybe even Coach Dan could use a secretary on some days."

"Trying to get rid of me already?"

"Yeah, forgot how peaceful it was from when I got home until the time you did. I guess I saw that fade away and panicked."

"Well that was painfully funny...no wait, that was just painful." Sidney just smiled at Karen who returned the same smile back. She knew everything was going to be alright and couldn't wait to see everything else fall in place.

An hour later, they got home and Karen went to check the messages off the machine. There were 8 new calls and she hit the play button.

"What the hell happened today? Call me" Diane said in a shocked voice.

"Why aren't you answering your cell phone? I want details about today" Natalie said.

"Get off Sidney and answer your damn cell phone" Natalie left another message to get Karen to laugh at.

"Yo Siddo. Heard you finally got the old ball and chain back in the house. Way to be the man. You can tell me the details at practice tomorrow." Max's voice rang out and Karen shot Sidney a look.

"I know, I will kill him for you tomorrow" he said kissing her head.

"Congrats Kiki. Diane called and said you gave it to that bitch. Too bad you couldn't kick her ass before you left. More time to spend with that sex machine you call a husband...yum yum." Karen laughed as she looked at Sidney rolling his eyes.

"I'll kill Sheril the same time you kill Max."

"Then we'll meet back here and give all the details."

The next two were from his dad and agent and the last one from an another person at work who wanted to know what happened. Karen grabbed the phone and first called Natalie before putting it on conference and dialing both Sheril and Diane. The four friends talked and Karen told them what happened. Diane of course told them what the rumors were flying around to still perceive her as the bad guy but the majority knew better and knew Karen was the victim. They made arrangements for the first game of the playoffs before hanging up.

"So, what did the girls have to say?"

"They were proud that I finaly stood up to them and Diane told me all the things a few people were saying. She said that when she went to work tomorrow, she would set people straight. But I really don't care, a lot saw how she treated me so if she needs to feel all big and mighty let her. Just shows how pathetic she is."

Sidney wrapped his arms around her waist "I've missed that smile."

"Its been out, what do you mean you miss it?"

"You have a range of smiles baby but this one shows how truly happy you are."

"Because I am home with you."

"How about we head to bed and I keep that smile on there for the rest of the night?"

"I like that idea." Their lips met for a kiss and Karen squirmed out of his grasp, running upstairs. Sidney locked up before following her and showed her how truly happy he was that she was where she wanted to be.