"Miss Farrell…H-how long will Annie be with us?" He wrung Annie's shoes in his hands, as if nervous about the answer.

Their evening out with Annie in his much beloved NYC had been tremendous. He was on cloud nine and he didn't want the elation to end.

Grace tucked the pillowy blankets around Annie's small frame and looked up at him, speaking softly so as not to wake the sleeping child. "Just for the holidays…Sir."

Oliver bowed his head, disappointment setting into his heart. "That doesn't seem long enough."

Grace looked down in despondency also. The little girl had completely won them over. Watching her dance around the streets of New York, enchanted by everything she saw and enchanting everyone she met in turn.

Her eyes fell to the now soundly slumbering girl and she felt a wave of love and protection wash over her. She sang a gentle lullaby:

Give in, don't fight

Good girl

Oliver came to stand beside her and sang to the little girl too:

Goodnight

Sleep tight

In NYC

He looked at Grace and she smiled radiantly back at him. It was the first time she had seen him display such emotion. The first time she had heard him sing. His voice was rich and soothing. She wished he would sing for her again every night.

They both turned their eyes back towards Annie. Neither of them ready to tear themselves from her. She'd had such a profound effect on them both.

She'd been with them for only a few hours but already they were struggling to envision life without her. They each sighed as they watched the child in her rest.

Grace turned back to her boss and touched his arm gently. "Come on. We should leave her to sleep."

He nodded but took a little while to move, reluctant to move on from the moment which was filled with such warmth and peace.

Eventually he left the room with Grace trailing behind him. Both of them took one last glance back at Annie before closing the door.

They walked companionably side by side down the long hallway.

"Do you think she enjoyed herself tonight?" Oliver asked Grace, his voice sounding meek.

"Oh yes, Sir. Absolutely." Grace was resolute, almost emphatically so.

Oliver nodded. "Good. That's-that's good."

Grace turned her head to look at him. She could tell he was troubled by something. She was too, and she could only hope that it was the same thing troubling them both - that he too was concerned about sending Annie back to the orphanage.

"Mr. Warbucks, are you alright?" She asked him gently.

"Hmm? Oh yes, yes I'm fine." Oliver fibbed, breaking himself out of his deep thoughts. He turned and smiled at her. "Will you, um…will you please give some thought as to what we can do with Annie tomorrow? I must spend at least part of the day working but I do want her to have some fun. If she's only going to be with us a short while, it should be memorable for her."

Grace's heart both soared and broke at the same time at the thought of him wanting to make Annie's time with them as fun and exciting as possible before returning her back to her much less enjoyable existence.

"Yes Sir, I'll make sure she has a wonderful day."

"Thank you", he told her warmly and sincerely, turning to face her for a moment before they descended the stairs.

Grace and Oliver spent the next two and half hours working. They had a lot to catch up on so it was very busy and the time passed quickly, but both of them felt so glad to be in each other's company again after such a long time apart.

"That'll do for tonight, Miss Farrell. We ought to get some rest if we're to be energized enough for tomorrow."

Grace smiled, already looking forward to spending the day with Annie. "Yes, indeed."

She rose from her seat at the desk and he too stood up, as was the gentlemanly thing to do.

She paused for a moment as his eyes locked with hers. She knew she should probably just bid him goodnight and escape to her room where her thoughts could consume her, but there was a torrent of emotion inside of her she couldn't hold in, a gladness and relief to have him here with her again, and she felt she just had to let him know, despite the etiquette she may have been breaking.

"I'm so glad to have you home, Sir."

Oliver gazed at her thoughtfully, a curious gleam in his eye.

"I missed you terribly", she confessed, a cautious expression on her face, as if she knew she was revealing too much.

Oliver, though, smiled warmly in response. "And I, you."

Grace was embarrassed to find her eyes welling up with tears. She was overwhelmed to hear him say he'd missed her too.

She froze in place as he slowly rounded the desk and came to stand before her. He spoke to her softly, almost shyly. "I'm looking forward to spending some more time with Annie tomorrow, and with you, of course."

Grace smiled shakily at him, overcome with inexplicable emotion. "So am I", she croaked.

When he tilted forward towards her, her heart began to thrum violently in her chest. Her eyes slipped closed as he pressed his lips softly to her cheek. "Goodnight Grace." He whispered, his warm breath skirting across the side of her face, making her shiver.

"Good-goodnight." She stammered in reply, hardly able to make a sound.

She turned and left his office, feeling saddened to be leaving him, wishing they needn't be parted again, but full of hope for the promise of tomorrow.