people finding mel abrasive (sheâs so sweet but whatever) and frank not being able to leave abby fresh out of rehab when he just left her alone with two kids, and sheâs doing so much for him
but they fall in love anyway, and he knows how thoughtful mel actually is and he doesnât have to pretend to have it all together for her
and then they feel horrible because they really arenât trying to be terrible people
but they canât bring themselves to regret it completely because look at how they fixed each other!
wc. 499/295 (sorry), warnings: smoking, child death but itâs brief and not central to the story
It was a seriously guilty pleasure of Melâs, the smoking. She hadnât even told Becca.
It was out of character for her, she knew, poisoning her lungs for a moment of disassociation and a soft buzz.
It started when her father died; when she found a loose cigarette in the pocket of his coat and took her first inhale behind the church after his funeral.
Sheâd always felt disconnected from her parents, all their time and energy usually spent on her sister. But every summer before her mother got sick, they went to visit family on the east coast where Mel and her father would leave everyone behind for exactly three hours and drive down to the beach. He always had a single cigarette by the water, made her promise not to tell her mother, and gave her a conspiring wink.
For three whole hours, something that was just hers.
So every once in a while after she eats her lunch alone or she looks up after speaking for two minutes to find that the room has emptied, Mel would allow herself one secret cigarette.
One moment of disconnection from her body and a sense of belonging.
Sheâd lost a five year old patient: a boy with bright red hair. Trinity had given her a new nickname in front of a patient whoâd promptly laughed in her face. Becca had called to cancel their Friday movie night for dinner with Adamâs parents, and she felt a migraine creeping up the back of her skull.
With her back to the hospital, she fiddled with a fresh box and a lighter in her coat pocket, watching the setting sun paint the sky in watercolour.
She was about to give in when a familiar voice made her jump.
âHey,â she turned quickly to find him bathed in a dark purple glow, leaning against the brick. âYou were great in there,â he said, his smile soft.
She hadnât the faintest idea what he was talking about and it must have shown on her face because he kept going.
âThat trauma right before handoff, you caught that bleed before Garcia could. He probably wouldâve needed a mass transfusion if not for you,â he told her.
It was rare for someone to seek her out like this, just to compliment her.
âThank you, Dr. Langdon.â It came out steadier than she thought it would.
âFrank, please.â
âFrank,â she tried it out, the name sweet on her tongue.
Much sweeter than Marlboros, anyway. She took her hand out of her pocket when he returned her wide grin.
âAre you busy? I just found out my wifeâ ex-wife now I guess, is taking the kids. I could use a burger, if youâre hungry?â
Sheâd love nothing more, honestly. Itâs hard work to keep her face under control.
âI like burgers,â is what she settles on.
There was a family out there for Mel, one just for her, and thank goodness she found him.
Mel will bring out the nerd in langdon such that 4 months later they now greeting each other like âsalutation, good sir!â And âgood âmorrow, milady!â with a curtsy and bow respectively
forever and always accepting the headcanon that eileen shamsi literally would not gaf if victoria came out to her. lesbian bi whatever you hc victoria as. she's getting herself all worked up and anxious, even though she thinks at least her dad will back her up, maybe. telling her mom with a watery voice that I like girls, mom.
and then eileen is going on a tangent about how well then you really need to go into surgery I'm sure women find that attractive, and you need to be able to support a wife and surgery would give you the funds to do so, really, think about your future victoriaâ