title: Graduation Day
author: Medie
rating: pg
word count: 1199 words
pairing: Mohinder/Matt
note: nary a spoiler in sight. Written for for a drabble meme prompt was "Molly's graduation day"
summary: "We thought about Disneyland, but that's cliché." She smiles. "So we're just going to save the world instead."


Molly wakes up the morning of graduation, a drop of water hitting her square between the eyes. She looks up at the spreading water stain and groans. "Not again."

She rolls out of bed and grabs it, tugging the futon away from the leak. The sheets and pillow case are next. Stripping them off the bed, she lugs them down to the laundry room and pushes them in the dryer.

On the way back, she knocks on the landlord's door. When his girlfriend opens it, she takes a look at Molly's wet hair and groans. "I'll call the plumber."

"Good idea," Molly says and heads back upstairs. "I'll be upstairs drowning."

~

Molly's graduating college, she thinks this should probably qualify as a miracle. She's not the only one.

"I hate you," Tricia says, pinning Molly's hair back.

Molly grins, leafing through an atlas. "Love you too."

"Someday," her best friend vows, "you're going to tell me how the girl with the worst attendance record in NYU history is graduating on the Dean's list."

Molly grins wider. Saving the world's a bitch on a girl's schedule. "My Dads are the best tutors in history?"

Tricia snorts. "Please, they can't keep their hands off each other long enough."

Molly laughs. "Yes they can. They just don't like to." She flips a page, taps Tunisia. Peter's okay; she grabs her phone and sends a text to Nathan. Another page and she's looking at Iceland. She grins. Niki hates the cold. "Seriously, Trish, lots of nights at home with my Dads."

"Uh huh," Tricia says. "I'd believe that wild-assed story about Micah talking to computers first." She steps back. "There, you're done!"

Molly looks up into the mirror and beams a smile. "Perfect."

Tricia buffs her nails. "Yeah, I should forget med school. Open a salon."

"Always have a backup plan," Molly says. "And thanks, Trish, you're my hero."

~

She opens the door, a toothbrush in one hand and a mop in the other. "Uh, hi guys?" It never fails. Parents always show up at the worst possible moment. Looking at her Dads, Molly debates her chances of convincing them to meet her at the school. The apartment's a mess, despite all the banging coming from upstairs water's still pouring down, and she is about ten seconds from throwing her stuff out a window and running for it.

Matt's eyes narrow and she heaves a sigh. "That is not fair," she complains.

"Parental privilege," he says with a grin.

Molly sighs. "Please?"

"Uh uh," he shakes his head. "What happened?"

Mohinder tilts to one side, looking past her, "The flood, apparently."

Molly looks back at the mess. "Well, there was this guy, showed up out of nowhere, shot water out his ears." She grins. "I locked him in the fridge."

"She gets that from you," Mohinder says, looking at Matt affectionately.

Matt grins. "Which is why you think it's cute."

Molly rolls her eyes. "Come in, before you start making out in the hallway." Ushering them into the apartment, she closes the door behind her. "Seriously, it's just a minor plumbing crisis upstairs – the landlord's got a plumber in."

"Not a particularly talented one," Mohinder comments, looking at the floor.

"You're coming home with us," Matt says. "This place is a disaster zone."

"It's always been a disaster zone," Molly says. "But it's an affordable disaster zone."

"Which was never an issue," Mohinder wipes toothpaste off her cheek. "You know that."

She smiles at him. "I wanted to do it myself."

Matt flicks a grin at Mohinder and takes the mop from Molly. "Guess who she gets that from."

Laughing, Molly turns around. "I am going to go get dressed. Please be not naked when I come back."

"We wouldn't – "

Molly looks over her shoulder and grins. "Uh huh."

~

Micah's waiting when Molly comes down off the platform. Her Dads are waiting with Niki behind him and laugh when he swings her off her feet.

"So, you two, what's the plan?" Matt asks, taking his thousandth photograph.

Molly looks at Micah and bumps hips. "We thought about Disneyland, but that's cliché." She smiles. "So we're just going to save the world instead."

"Yeah," Micah agrees. "Cheaper."

~

Molly wakes up in her old bedroom. For a moment she's disoriented, but then her brain catches up and she smiles. Stretching beneath the covers, she sees her reflection. Her ten-year-old self grins cheekily at her from the mirror.

"Cute, Dad," she says, rolling over.

The illusion fades to reveal the sunny yellow of the guest room and Matt smiling at her from the door. "Sorry, just wishing time away." He brings her a mug of coffee, following it up with his usual kiss to her forehead. "Seems like yesterday I was tucking you in at night."

Molly sips the coffee, nodding. "Seems like yesterday you were running to my rescue."

"It was," he winks. "Flooded apartment from hell? Roaches the size of Volkswagens? That ringing any bells?"

"Oh yeah," Molly says. "You're right!"

Matt laughs, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "So, college graduate, how's it feel?"

She makes a face. "It hasn't sunk in yet, so pretty much same old, same old. Talk to me in a few months when I'm facing loan repayments."

They laugh and then she looks at him. Biting her lip, she remembers a thousand nightmares banished in the safety of her dad's arms.

"Hey," he reaches out, tugging her into a hug. "Anytime you need a monster slayed, just give us a call. Doesn't matter how old you get, kiddo, we're still on duty." He squeezes her shoulders and chuckles. "Which is why Mohinder's already planning Micah's interrogation."

"Oh god," Molly hides her face against his shoulder. Make him go easy on him?

"You got it," Matt promises. "If only because I'm still scared of his mother."

Molly laughs. "Who isn't?"

"Good point," he says, getting up. "C'mon, there's a Bugs Bunny retrospective in the living room all day. Bring your own PJs, snacks are provided."

She looks at him, raising an eyebrow. "Dad?"

Matt winks. "Hiro might be the time traveler, but we have our ways of turning back the clock. Saving the world can wait a day or two. Your Dads get first dibs."

"Depends," Molly says, getting up. "Is there pizza involved?"

"All snacks are guaranteed to render Mohinder speechless with horror," Matt agrees. He winks. "Though we can order him a veggie pizza for old time's sake. Sound good?"

She grins and hugs him again, holding her coffee at arms length. "It sounds fantastic."

He smiles at her. "You did good, kiddo."

Molly shakes her head. "No, you guys did," she says. "I hit the parental jackpot." She smiles. Twice even.

He nods. "They'd be insanely proud of you, just like we are."

"I know," she says and hugs him again. "Thank you."

Matt swipes at his eyes then tugs her toward the door. "We'd better get moving before Mohinder uncovers our diabolical plan for the TV."

Laughing, Molly lets herself be pulled along. Saving the world can wait, freaking out one of her dads?

Now that's important.


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