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"You have to pick the Chief Resident?" Perry announced as he stormed into Bob Kelso's office. The sudden interruption caused Ted to fly backwards out of his chair and yell loudly. Both doctor's glared at him a little as he calmed down, before righting himself in his chair and continuing to read the paperwork in front of him."Perry, I gave you this job so that I would be able to hand off some of the more unimportant tasks to you, now if you feel you can't do the job." he sneered at the younger man before a sardonic smile erupted on his face. "Maybe I should have a word with the board, Dr Steadman could take over tomorrow.""Damn it Bob. I have been doing this job for a while now and I feel like I have taken a lot of your slack. I am asking for one favour." Perry slumped into the leather chair across from Bob's desk and rubbed his face vigorously. He was exhausted and with his marriage to Jordan on the ropes for a multitude of reasons, the least of which was that they really didn't love each other anymore. He was done.Bob watched his colleague for a few seconds and realised that for the first time in a while and in his own special way, Perry Cox was asking for help. Narrowing his eyes as his gaze flicked over the other man's shoulder he addressed his lawyer/whipping boy."Ted, go to Zonko's and get me and Perry some meatball subs, two large coffees and while you're at it pop into that dynamite bakery on 7th and get me a slice of pie." he switched his gaze to a wary and surprised looking Perry and smirked. "Pie?""Sure?" Perry asked, unsure as to why the dark lord was being so nice. After a few seconds he figured the older man's mood could change on a dime so he figured he might as well make the most of it."Cherry" he affirmed with Ted who nodded whilst scribbling on a notepad, the worlds sweatiest waiter."Oooh that sounds good. Me too." Bob added before handing Ted his credit card and telling him to take his time and get himself some lunch too. Now Perry was really concerned and whilst the lawyer rummaged around for change for the bus he pushed himself forwards and pulled his stethoscope from around his neck as if he was going to examine the Chief of Medicine. Bob batted his hand away as the door closed and after a second he stood to lock it."Now Perry why don't you tell me what's wrong.""No offense there Bob-o but we aren't exactly best buddies. Why would I sit here and bitch and moan to you about my bullshit problems?" Perry raised one eyebrow obviously skeptical at the other man's intentions."Well it's up to you Champ. I can sit here and listen to you whine and together we can figure out the new Chief Resident or you can leave and when Ted comes back I will take your sub home to Baxter. But I will still want that decision tonight." Bob clicked a few keys on his computer, giving Perry time to decide."I work all the hours I can because having a kid isn't cheap, especially when my "wife" is spending thousands of dollars every time she goes shopping and slowly eating away at my retirement. Our marriage is failing and I am pretty sure she is cheating on me with the neighbours 20 year old son. I myself am no longer in love with her and find myself wishing she would leave so I no longer have to crawl into bed with her and pretend that I love all the snide comments and the digs at me. I have a son, who I am constantly terrified I am going to scar in a big way by being a terrible father. There are two candidates for Chief Resident and whilst I know wholeheartedly that if I pick either of them I am going to have a headache on my hands with the other. They are both very skilled Doctor's probably some of the best this fine institution has ever produced and I think it would be better if I assigned them both to the task but I know that will cause more problems. I come to work every day and am faced with what I want and know I can't have and every day I find myself thinking that Ted's spot on the roof looks a little more appealing." Perry finished his rant and stared at Bob who blinked slowly as he sifted through what was undoubtedly an information overload."First things first. Dr. Dorian and Dr. Reid are both excellent candidates and whilst I think it is a little unorthodox to assign them both the position, I also think it may be one of the best ideas you have had in a long time. They are each lacking in some areas and as long as we make it clear that they are equals in the position and must teach each other as well as their fellow residents and the new interns. I don't foresee any obvious issues that the board or anyone else might have with the arrangement. The office might be a little small for the both of them but they can figure that out, maybe a rotation schedule of some sort. I will write up a proposal just in case we get any push back from the suits but I think they would be fools if they decide between one or the other instead of both." Bob explained, his hands flying over the keys of the keyboard rather spryly for an older gentleman. Perry was impressed, he hadn't actually thought the Chief could type very well, especially as he detested paperwork and electronics.Perry scribbled down some of his own notes on the matter and before long the situation was resolved with all loopholes and avenues explored to ensure that the arrangement could be kept with or without the boards interference. Ted arrived back with lunch and after handing out the munch he moved to get settled back in his chair."Ted why don't you go do that in the Doctor's lounge on 3rd, I bet the baby shower has cleared out by now, and if not you can always get yourself a slice of cake. Or a muffin."Knowing better than to argue with his boss, Ted acquiesced to his request, aware he most likely interrupted a private discussion. Bob re-locked the door and settled back into his chair as the two doctor's enjoyed their respective lunches. It wasn't until they were both picking at remnants of pie that Bob opened his mouth to speak."Listen Perry, you have been a right royal pain in my ass for years and whilst I know that it has more to do with our roles within this hospital than anything personal. We aren't friends. But if you would allow me, I may have some advice for you."Perry nodded his head slowly and waited for the other shoe to drop."Marriage can make people just as unhappy as anything else in this world, and whilst I believe that with everything, if you work at it enough it might be fixable. Sometimes a relationship is not meant to be. I've watched you and Jordan bounce back and forth for a long time and sometimes I wonder if you don't enjoy being unhappy.""HEY" Perry couldn't help his indignant tone, this last time he had really tried."I know. You tried and whilst normally I would congratulate your perseverance, this time I think you might be better suited to accepting the inevitable. If you are really unhappy together, do you really think that burying your head in the sand and ignoring the problems will really solve anything?" Bob looked sympathetic at least and Perry knew that for all his faults, Bob had the best interest of his staff at heart most of the time."I know" Perry groaned, rubbing his face once again and pushing his hands up through his hair and settling them on the back of his head. Most people assumed that the gesture was out of anger and whilst under normal circumstances they would be half right. This time he was self comforting more than anything. Hoping it would help him think. "I just don't know what to say, how do I explain that o think we will be better off apart? That we might both have a shot at some real happiness if we just except the fact that we aren't it for each other.""Well I think that if you are honest and keep a hold of your temper, no matter what. She will appreciate it eventually. You have never had a problem with biting the bullet and speaking your mind before." Bob reasoned and Perry knew he was right. "As for your son, he is lucky to have a father who knows just how bad it can get, and is doing everything in his power not to fall back on the ways his own father treated him. You love that boy with all your heart and I don't think that is going to change if you and Jordan split.""I would never treat him any differently.""Exactly. Now and don't punch me if I'm wrong, god knows you can only punch someone in the face so many times before you break their nose. I think you should tell young Doctor Dorian how you feel." Bob edged his chair backwards a little but Perry was too busy trying not to gape at the older man and trying to figure out if he was so obvious to the rest of the hospital."What?" his eloquence was shot, but he figured with the revelation he couldn't really be blamed."Am I wrong? Is Dorian not what you want and can't have?""No, you're not wrong." Perry scrunched his eyes up, finding it hard to look Kelso in the eyes whilst he admitted it. "Is it that obvious?" he asked next, unable to stop himself."No. It isn't. I just know you and whilst I know that you don't go shouting about being Bisexual from the roof tops, you also aren't ashamed of it. I watched you teach that young man and could see the respect and pride in you even if it was only grudgingly at first. Over the years you have spent so much time trying to push him away, I had begun to wonder what was going on in that head of yours. I get that previous mentee's have disappointed you and at first I thought that was it. Until I watched your reaction to him sleeping with Jordan in his first year. You weren’t really angry, you were jealous. After a while you eased off and I expected you in my office demanding he have a different attending, that I fire him or shunt him off to a different hospital. But you didn't. You gravitated to him when all outward appearances showed you would rather he leave you alone. Except he did leave you alone, and you got worse. You ran away from it and the next thing I knew, Jordan was pregnant and you were back together. In all that drama that happened, not once did I see any of this coming. Until Pete walked into this hospital and it became plain as day. You were jealous of the time they were spending together and I realised I had only seen that once before. When he used his knowledge of your relationship to sleep with your wife." Bob dropped the truth on Perry and as he spoke he watched the other man carefully. Cox was known to flip faster than a dime and he was still a little worried the man might sock him.Perry was shocked that Kelso paid so much attention to the inner workings of the hospital drama and his staff's private lives. He had always figured the man had much more important things to attend to or that he just didn't care enough. But he could feel the weight lifted as he spoke. The Chief of Medicine knew he was in love with his resident and he didn't care. It felt freeing and he couldn't help but smile a little."Yeah your right Bob, damn it all. I watched that kid on his first shift and I knew then that he would be an amazing doctor and through the years he has gone above and beyond to prove me right. He still has his issues but he is still learning as we all are and I have no doubt he will get through it and be the best he can be. However I will not be telling Newbie how I feel, that kid thinks of me like a father figure and whilst I hate it I will not take that away from him just because I can't control what's in my pants." Perry shook his head empathically as he spoke and Bob smiled a little at the display until Perry came out with the self-sacrificing bullshit."Urgh. You know sometimes I think I went into the wrong profession. I could have been Dr. Phil if I had played my cards right with all the personal drama that occurs in and around this hospital and its staff." Bob rubbed his brow and tried to stem the headache he could feel building. Taking a swig of his now cool coffee and hoping the caffeine would help, despite his medical knowledge that it wouldn't he settled his gaze on the man he admired across from him. "Now listen to me. I am sick and tired of the obliviousness. I watched that kid follow you around this hospital like Baxter follows me when I have his favourite treats. He worships the ground you walk on and whilst I thought it was a professional admiration I have since learned that I was dead wrong. What I am about to tell you goes no further and if you use this information to in anyway demean your subordinate I will ensure that you are taken to task by the board and its many harassment procedures are we clear?""Yeah." Perry even reached his hand over the desk to shake and Bob took him up on it. He was intrigued now and felt that if this was one of Bob's jokes he would kill the man once and for all."Several months ago I went to a bar downtown on my night off and I ran into your young Dr. Dorian. He was soused and mumbling about too much 'tini in his drink. At first I resolved myself to ignoring him but as the night drew on I realised the kid was upset. He was following in the footsteps of his mentor and taking his pain to the bottom of a bottle. We had a good chat that night, he told me all about his mom and her marrying any man who knocked on the door and his father who is a travelling salesman of some sort and his useless brother. I sympathised and we got onto the subject of my son Harrison. We talked for a while longer and I told him some of Harrison's wilder escapades before it became clear that the kid needed to go home. I called a cab and on the way to his apartment he tells me he is Bisexual, he hasn’t told anyone since he left Ohio and high school and that he was in love with the most amazing man he had ever met in his life. I wasn't shocked and after a little nudging he admitted that he couldn't stop thinking about you. It's why he broke it off with Elliot and its why he hasn’t been able to make a relationship work."To say Perry was shocked was an understatement. He hadn't known any of that and when viewed through a certain lens it made so much sense."But the hero worship, the father figure stuff?" he was sputtering he was sure but it was like someone had just revealed the secret of life to him."Well what would you do if everyone else has been making jokes about how you are trying to replace your absentee father? Would you tell them the truth, despite having his it for so many years and risking ridicule and further jokes. Or lean into it and make them yourself, just so people don't try and dig a little deeper. Human nature is sometimes a fickle thing and it is common to accept what is placed in front of you instead of searching for a different answer.""Wow Bob, you really are wiser than you let on" Perry joked, he knew it landed when the older man barked out a laugh."Yeah well don't go spreading it around. They might give me more work to do."Perry nodded and got lost in his thoughts for a few minutes. Wondering if it all could be that easy. If Kelso was right and he could have wanted he had wanted for a while. He was brought back to the present by the man himself clicking his fingers in his face."Now I have some work to do before I leave for the night to take Enid out to dinner so if you will excuse me." Bob laughed a little as he pulled the computer screen closer and began typing."Yeah, thanks." Perry stood to leave but before he could he had one last question."Say Bob. Why are you telling me all of this?""Listen when I became Chief of Medicine I realised that I was going to have to say no a lot in order to keep this hospital running and in all of that you became my guide post. I always knew when I was going too far, which is a godsend when I spend most of my time within these four walls or sucking up to rich patients so maybe we can buy some new equipment. I needed your help to keep me from losing touch with what is important. I figure if your head isn't in the clouds so much with what is happening in your home life, you could help me out more with some of the hospital budgeting and fund raising. Bringing that charmer Dorian along with you would probably help matters too." Bob explained as if he had an ulterior motive all along, but Perry had long ago learned to decipher Kelso-ese a while back and he couldn't help it."Are we friends Bob?" he smiled sardonically."Get out of my office before I have you doing a pap smear on every female in this hospital.""Yes sir." Perry unlocked the door and strode out. Making his way to the nurses' station he collected his charts that Carla was taking care of and made his way to each of his patients rooms. He knew what he had to do when he got home and he knew what he had to do to have a shot at being happy.