Hockey Imagines

Baby (Part Two) | Sidney Crosby

#87, Center for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Word Count: 2.7 K

The door opens and Taylor runs over to me, hugging my legs and grinning up at me. "I'm good now."

I ruffle his hair, smiling for the first time in what feels like forever. "That's good, baby. I'm proud of you." I gently untangle his arms from my legs and squat so I'm at his level. "I have someone for you to meet, Tay."

He tilts his head to the side adorably. "Who?" His little brows pull together, and he looks so confused that it's adorable. I love this boy with all my heart, and I know that he needs his father.

I point to Sidney. "Taylor, this is your daddy."

"Daddy?" Taylor whispers, staring up at Sidney with this awe. "I have a daddy?"

I choke on a silent sob. "Of course you have a daddy, baby." It breaks my heart that he thought that he didn't have a dad. Have my decisions really had such a negative effect on him? That is the last thing I've ever wanted.

Sidney squats, too, holding out a hand for a high-five. "Hey, Taylor." His voice is so soft, so delicate. Like it always was with me. So full of love.

Taylor returns the high-five. "Daddy?" He asks, looking at Sidney with this awe in his eyes. He's never looked at anyone this way. Even his NHL-playing uncles.

"Yeah, I am." Sidney confirms after a quick glance at me. "You look a lot like your mama, you know that?" He says with a loving smile.

Taylor nods proudly. "She's my favorite." He tells Sindey, smiling up at me. My heart swells with the amount of love and happiness in that smile, that gaze. No matter whether he knows his dad or not, I know he loves me. He's a mama's boy, through and through.

"She's my favorite, too." Sidney tells him, looking up at me. I can't help the way that my heart beats even faster at his words. Even after all we've been through, after I left him and kept his son from him, he still looks at me that way? Like I mean everything to him. Like I'm the only person he sees, minus Taylor, of course.

Taylor grins at him. "We can be friends, then!" He looks up at me. "Mama, you're his favorite, too!"

My phone starts ringing and I pull it out of my bag, seeing Quinn's name. I hold up a finger to Sidney, telling him I need a minute. He nods and leads Taylor a few feet away, sitting on the ground and starting up a conversation.

"Hey."

"Where are you? It's ten minutes until the game starts. Jack and Luke didn't see you with me, so they're kind of upset."

I sigh. "I'll be there in a couple minutes. Sid and Tay are having a bonding moment."

"Sidney? You're kidding me."

"No, I'm not. Listen, I know you don't like the idea but, like I said, he's Taylor's father, and that isn't gonna change. I'll be there in a couple minutes, okay? Just. . . give us a chance to say goodbye."

Quinn sighs. "Fine. Just hurry. Love you."

"Love you."

I reluctantly walk over to Sidney and Taylor. They're deep in conversation about hockey, and it makes me smile. "Hey, Tay. We gotta get back to our seats. Uncle Jack and Uncle Luke are gonna be playing soon."

Taylor nods enthusiastically. "I wanna watch hockey!"

I smile. "I know you do, baby. Let's go." I hold out my hand to him and he takes it, walking over to my side. I turn my attention to Sidney. "Can we talk after the game?"