alice hadn’t been sure what she had been expecting – perhaps an outburst or a the silence that came from crossing a line, anything but you’re right, her eyes widened slightly as she watched him, “i don’t want to be right –” and it was the truth, this was the last thing she would ever want to be right about, but watching him agree - it was a mixture of relief and heartbreak. her heart weeped for him – the boy who deserved a mother completely devoted to him as he was to her, one who actually saw that he had been holding it together for her and what cracked her wide open was - you protected me.
the second she had decided he was hers, that’s what she had done - he was hers to protect, even if it was from himself, and as much as she knew she would kick herself for this later, she couldn’t help but scooting forward and wrapping her arounds him, her chin perched on his shoulder as she held him tightly, “i would do it again, but you never needed me - i’m proud of you for setting boundaries, i can’t imagine how hard it must have been, but it was the right thing to do” she assured softly, her grip never lightening as her she allowed herself this closeness, she knew she couldn’t do it again.
“you don’t look the slightest bit sorry –” she chuckled, a grin stretching her lips as their was an air of normal to them, the tension she was radiating was slowly slipping away. “i’m not sure about that” it was not self-deprecating for once, no it was the truth that came with working with brilliant wixen, “the talent in this office is astounding –” curious as she rolled herself back, “have you really been that much of a grouch to work with?” she knew he could be a tad moody, but she had always lumped in his current moods in to different buckets, ones that have quick fixes, then again that was when they were dating – she would have to learn him all over again.
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.”