Home { S. Crosby }

That First Fight Feeling.

The almighty white envelope had been staring Mollie in the face for four days now.

Four long days and four even longer nights.

Since it had arrived Friday morning she had thought about opening it many times but each time she went to slide her finger under the flap she stopped herself. Sid would want to be there for this big moment. So she waited, watched his games as the Penguins played game after game on the West coast, and waited some more.

But today, today was finally the day she could open it. Sidney would be home soon and then she would finally know the contents of the envelope.

Yes or no.

Baltimore or Pittsburgh.

Her dream come true or second best.

Sidney had sent her a text 30 minutes ago that the team's plane had landed, which meant within the next 10 minutes he would walk through the front door, drop his bag, kiss her forehead, and then take a nice long look at the envelope himself.

Then, depending on the contents of the envelope Mollie would make the decision of a lifetime.

Reaching out Mollie picked up the envelope tapping the corner of it on the granite countertop just as she had done nearly a hundred times since its arrival, so many times now all four corners were now smashed. At the sound of the front door opening Mollie dropped the envelope, her heart rate intensifying as she heard the door click shut and the sound of a bag hitting the hardwood floor.

"Mollie? Babe, I'm home."

"In the kitchen," Mollie yelled back suddenly fidgety and all sorts of anxious. She was leaning against the kitchen island when Sidney entered the room dressed in one of his more casual suits.

Wrapping his arms around his girlfriend's waist Sidney did as he always did upon returning home from the road. He held her against his chest, closed his eyes, breathed in the smell of her minty shampoo, and placed a kiss to the crown of her head.

He was home, she was his home.

"So, how was your week?" He finally asked looking down at the girl who was nearly six inches shorter than him.

Mollie shrugged her shoulders as much as she could under the weight of Sidney's arms, "It was okay, just a lot of prep for finals and graduation stuff."

"Last set of finals, eh?"

"Thank God, I've never been so ready to graduate."

Sidney chuckled at his girlfriend, "Third times the charm?"

"This time it's medical school, and my last graduation. FINALLY."

"My girl's a doctor," leaning down Sidney gave Mollie a light kiss, he felt her smile pressing against his lips. "and I am so proud of her."

"Thanks, babe." Looking around the large body in front of her Mollie's eye locked on the envelope that was lying on the countertop, it was time. "Um Sid, its here."

"What's here?"

Pushing forward Mollie moved both of their bodies towards the counter until she grasped the package that held her future in her hands. "The letter, the Hopkins letter."

Sidney's jaw tensed as he saw the big, bold, navy blue logo of The John's Hopkins Hospital staring him in the face. "Did you open it?"

"No," Mollie shook her head pieces of her dark hair falling from behind her ear, "I was waiting for you, I wanted you to be here."

"Well go on, open it."

Taking a step away from him Mollie slid her finger through the back of the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper that had been waiting for her. Closing her eyes she flipped it over, just reading the first line had her heart plummeting into her stomach.