frank had grown up a lot over the past couple of years, maybe it was the war that helped progress everything, maybe it was the fact that cases were piling up of all those innocent lives lost that put things in perspective for him, but he was ready to be someone better, even if it all was just for himself. he might not have completely liked everything about himself but he wasn’t in the dark place that he used to be in when he broke up with alice. so seeing her again was like starting over in a way, ripping out the page that had caused so much hurt and starting over on the right foot. but his feelings for her—they still stayed the same—he would love alice hinal macmillan with his entire heart and soul and if that’s the only thing that didn’t change then he was fine with that.
he’s surprised when he sees her crossing that invisible line, he had already crossed it a couple times before, but watching her wrap her arms around him he had briefly blanked, it had been a long time since he had last hugged alice, it had been a long time since he had felt the warmth of her embrace. physical touch had always been his love language, and alice’s comfort and embrace had always grounded him the most. it’s hard for him not to quickly react, to wrap his arms around her, his face buried in her neck, having to crouch down ever so slightly. there were years between them now, memories and experiences and things about the other that they would have to learn all over again—but this—this feeling—it had still stayed the same. “i missed you,” he says quietly, he knows that he should regret saying, just like he should regret pulling her closer, but he doesn’t. he did miss her, he had missed everything about her, there were still times when something funny would happen and he would look around for her but she wasn’t there. there were still times when he had saw something in a shop that made him think of her and he’d buy it knowing that he could never give it to her. when you know someone inside and out it’s hard to let go of it, but he would like to believe her coming back to his life happened for a reason, even if he never believed in any of that—he was starting to think so now—or maybe it was just some sick hope that something good could come out of this war.
when he pulls away he doesn’t stray far, he looks down grinning and shaking his head. when she says she’s not sure about that, he lifts his head again and looks at her before giving himself a moment to collect his thoughts. “you’re the very best of us,” he says, simple as that. “it’s hard to get to where you are now,” frank had barely made it to where they both are, he had a lot of grovelling to do when it came to the fights that he had gotten himself into even if it was for the greater good but alice? alice was a natural at everything that she had done, she breezed through things, danced around them, like she was born for it because she was. and he knew that it wasn’t without great difficulty, there were many secrets within her own family and the fact that she was here now as just a testament to it. “you belong here and we’re lucky to have you.” he gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze before dropping his hand. “i wouldn’t say i’m a grouch.” he winces slightly, his laugh is light but there’s a bit of hesitance, “i think i’m a little too much for some people,” he eventually says, “i don’t go home very often, let’s say.” there’s a reason why people said frank was married to his work, he loved his job so much and wanted to make things right for people, but it got too much for all the partners that he did have. “you know better than anyone how i get when it comes to finishing what i started.”
had she gone too far? that question had been all but blaring in her head as she had felt him still - surprise was what it was, if anyone had told her early in a week that she would be hugging him and it had been her choice -- she would have called them mad, because she would have said she knew better than to be sucked back into that -- that he was an addictive in a way, running had been crucial for that reason, but here she was waiting in a way. after what seemed to be painful seconds, she felt him tighten his grip and soon that face that had often a time found a home in the crook of her neck found it’s way back -- just like getting on a broom, impossible to forget their way her fingers gently ran through his hair, her heart ached with how much she had missed how they fit. she used to tease him on how impossible it was to find their fit -- her lanky boy ever so tall that her toes had ached to get closer and yet he always seemed to duck down and find her.
his soft admission had her stilling -- “frank” she warned quietly, her grip not loosening - they had already crossed lines, they couldn’t afford a blur in this job let alone in her heart, and yet she didn’t fight him when he tugged her closer because she was weak -- she had always been weak when it had come to her and in this moment, she couldn’t find it in herself to despise that weakness. “i’m very missable --” she joked softly, finally unwrapping herself from him. their knees were touching -- her foot tapping away, anxious was what she was when she thought about her first proper day and yet like only frank could -- he set her at ease, “thank you” she breathed out, because truly that was all she could manage, it was hard to see herself the way he did - yes, she had worked herself dead for this and to even get a spot in this department - she didn’t think it was going to come easy, after years of being gone, but by godric - she was grateful.
“what would you call it then? grumpy?” the smile that stretched her lips radiated a warmth that she once thought she had lost, “well, i think that’s their problem --” shrugging, a defensiveness she couldn’t really keep down because he wasn’t too much, not when you took a second to care and try to understand. “i think we all need to work on balance --” she couldn’t lecture him on being better when the last few years she had let work consume her - she couldn’t remember the last time she had gone to a family dinner, it had been too long and that was more so her guilt of lying keeping her from the table -- she needed to do better.
