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For the Children

Being back in a clinical setting rather than a hospital had become more of an adjustment than Mollie ever imagined. While in the hospital Mollie barely had time to sit and rest her feet for a minute, she ate meals at record speed, and slept odd hours when and wherever she could. But now, she had a receptionist who scheduled her days and today happened to be a very slow one.

As she sat in her office twiddling her thumbs waiting for one of her last scheduled patients a red light popped up on Mollie's desk phone signaling a call from the front desk. She picked up the black phone and tucked it between her chin and her shoulder, "Hey Kara,"

"Hey Dr. Holden, you have a gentleman up front that would like to see you."

Mollie made a face to herself, "Is it a drug rep?"

"No, but if it's okay I'd like to send him back there's a lot of attention being drawn by his appearance."

The woman shook her head with a laugh, "Yes, you can send Sidney back."

Mollie placed the phone back on her desk and checked her reflection in the screen of her computer. Her hair was in a polished knot on top of her head, she had a pale pink blouse on, black pants, and a lab coat draped across her shoulders. She tapped the toe of her blush heel on the floor waiting for there to be a knock at the door.

When it came she sat up straighter, "Come in."

As she assumed Sidney's head popped through the doorway he smiled as they made eye contact. It had been almost 2 weeks since their impromptu trip down memory lane and Sid had spent most of it on the road. On his first full day back in Pittsburgh he had decided to pay his favorite pediatrician a visit, "Hey Mols."

Mollie stood up as he let himself further into her office for the first time, she met him at the corner of her desk wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He hugged her tight and rested his chin on her shoulder as they stood there in silence. Counting the hug they'd shared just before Sidney left Mollie's apartment that night and the awkward one during their first reunion this was only the third embrace they had shared in years.

"How was your trip?" Mollie asked turning her cheek against Sidney's chest to look up at him through her eyelashes.

"Long, but good. Productive, guys feel good I like our odds at the division."

Turning once more she pushed her chin in to his chest to fully admire his presence, "And you?"

"Couple goals, handful of assists," Sidney shrugged.

Mollie pulled back from the embrace, "To what do I owe this surprise?"

With no pause and in typical Sidney fashion he blurted out, "I missed you."

Mollie rolled her lips around fighting the smile that was trying to come out, she didn't want to admit it but she had kind of missed him as too. "Well then, I'm glad you're home."

"I also came by for a reason." Mollie nodded her head as she sat in her chair gesturing to the two seats across from her desk. Sidney however chose to move a stack of papers and sat on the edge of the desk just inches from Mollie.

"And that would be?"

"What are you doing tonight around 6?" Mollie's eyes tightened in the center as she thought, was he seriously asking her out to their first "date" with only 4 hours notice?

"Sitting at home as usual. Why?"

"Well tonight is the Christmas Party, and I forgot about it until practice this morning. So I thought maybe if you went with me it'd be a little more bearable."