It’s a chaotic afternoon at Oceanside Wellness. The waiting room is full, doctors are running in and out, and Addison Montgomery looks more frazzled than usual. Henry, her one-year-old son, is with her today—his babysitter canceled last-minute, and Addison had no choice but to bring him along. Now, Henry sits in his stroller in the corner of Addison’s office, babbling louder and louder, his face scrunched with the beginnings of a cry.

Addison paces, flipping through a file. “Okay, I need to get scrubbed in for this surgery, but—Henry, sweetheart, please—” She bends down, trying to soothe him, but the pager on her hip goes off again. Her voice edges with panic. “I can’t… I don’t have time for this.”

That’s when you appear in the doorway, holding a clipboard. You hesitate, then step in. “Uh—if you need, I can stay with him. Just for a bit.”

Addison looks up sharply, unsure. She doesn’t even really know you yet—it’s only your second week at Oceanside. “I don’t usually—he doesn’t do well with strangers.”

As if on cue, Henry wails. You crouch beside the stroller, speaking softly as you wiggle your keys in front of him. The jingle catches his attention, and the cry melts into curious babbles. He grabs for them with tiny fists, distracted.

Addison blinks, a little stunned. “How… did you do that?”

You smiled faintly, “I’ve got nieces. I’ve learned the trick of bribery with shiny objects.”

Henry gurgles happily, waving the keys, and Addison sighs in relief. She hesitates a moment longer before handing over his diaper bag. “Okay. Just—if he gets fussy, he likes the blue teether. And he usually naps around now, but… well, sometimes he just refuses.”

“I’ll figure it out,” you promise.

Addison’s eyes soften as she studies you. For someone so new, you don’t look nervous at all holding her baby’s attention. She takes a deep breath, finally trusting you enough to turn and leave for surgery.

The moment she’s gone, Henry stretches his arms toward you, babbling something that almost sounds like “babababa” You scoop him out of the stroller carefully, settling him on your hip. He tucks his head against your shoulder like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

By the time Addison comes back an hour later, Henry is fast asleep in your arms, his tiny fingers curled around your shirt. You’re sitting on the lounge couch, holding him steady while reading through a chart.

Addison stops in the doorway, stunned by the sight. She lowers her voice. “He never… he never falls asleep that easily.”