#pre divorce

Dana spots her immediately. And knows. That all knowing stare over her glasses. But she doesn't say anything. Doesn't have to. Abby hovers awkwardly. Craning her neck to try and find him.

She hears him first. His laugh big and boisterous. A second laugh joins in. A little deeper than Abby had expected. But they blend together well. Beautifully even.

Abby clutches the lunch in her hands. No doubt crushing whatever the fuck she had brought in. No clue now. Because she sees them.

Mel King. She's blonde and petite. Pretty in a way that demanded a second look. Not typical. Big wide eyes with a wider smile.

And smart if she was getting Frank laughing like that.

His eyes drag away from her like it takes effort, concentrated effort. Widen in shock as he sees his wife standing there. Completely out of place. Mel tilts her head curiously. Asks Frank a question who mutely nods.

He's not happy about this.

Well neither is Abby.

Dr Mel King walks over and immediately sticks her hand out with a big friendly smile.

Abby feels beyond guilty. In one gesture Abby knows this woman. And she's just nailed the final nail in her marriages coffin with it.

"Mel King, so happy to meet you Mrs Langdon."

Dana flinches behind her back.

Yeah it wasn't going to be Langdon for much longer. Perhaps only Mel and Frank weren't aware.

Shit.

She likes this woman.

'Yeah call me Abby.'

I think my husband is in love with you. And after 10 seconds I get it.

Luckily for him neither of the besotted Doctors were paying him any mind. His rapid existential crisis. They left him be. Spoon mid air, soup rapidly growing cold.

Once there had been a time he'd texted Abby he loved her every hour. And now he had no clue when he'd last said it? Never mind felt it.

Oh shit.

'Dr Langdon? Are you okay?' He nearly jumped out of his skin. The unexpected voice cutting through his thoughts like a knife. Spoon colliding with the opposite wall. Tomato soup looking a little blood splatter.

Well that felt appropriate.

Mel King picked up the spoon with a frown on her face. Thick eyebrows knotting together in concern.

He hastily stood up and helped her clean up his mess. Trying to stop her. However one of the many things he'd learned since his return was that Mel King rarely could be stopped. From finding answers to helping people. She truly was the most stubborn woman he'd ever met.

'Frank.' At work she tended to default to his full title. He pretended not to notice her pink cheeks. Not to save her any embarrassment but for his own sanity. Married men should not have crushes. God help him.

'Frank.' She echoed her voice dropping a little. Frank didn't need to check his smart watch to know his heart rate tick up. 'Are you okay?'

He dragged a hand through his hair. Standing up and dumping his soup out in the sink. Mel's lips pursed at the food wastage. It had already been in the fridge for two days. But she'd kill him if she'd figured that out. Mel made herself a cup of tea. Glancing over at him far more often than necessary.

He debated telling her. If he was going to he could do it here. Mel was ahead of him. As per usual. Travel mug at the go.

'The usual?' Robby and Abbot at the roof. Since his rehab stint he and Mel had the stairwell. He tried not to read too much into it. But he'd found himself that first shift back hyperventilating in the corner of it. Mel had found him and talked him down.

So now when either of them became overwhelmed. That's where they went.

Frank paced back and forth on the landing. Brain whirling out of control. Mel sat on the staircase above him. Sipping her tea and watching with growing worry.

Frank turned to face her. Tried to speak. But how could he say this without sounding like an asshole? Mel was probably one of the few people in the world who saw the best in him. He really didn't want to wreck that. Even if her faith in him was completely misplaced.

'Can I ask you something?' Her left eyebrow raised, heading tilting. Right specific question. 'A personal one?'

Mel adjusted her glasses, biting down on her lip. 'I may not have an answer but okay.'

'I'm sorry if this sounds completely inappropriate-' Her face twisted in bewilderment. No doubt trying to list the possibilities and in order of likeliness to be asked. '-but do you remember the last time you told Becca you loved her?'

She straightened up. Her eyes narrowing at him. 'Yeah the end of our call last night. Why?'

Frank leaned against the wall opposite her. Staring up at the ceiling completely lost. If he actually admitted to this. It made it real. And real to someone outside of his marriage. Someone who made him wonder what if he wasn't married.

Her eyes looked even larger in her empathy. So pretty really. 'You can tell me anything Frank. I'm not going to judge you, you know that.' Maybe she should. Check him real fucking hard.

'Problem is. If I say it...'

Mel placed her tea down by the banister. Careful to keep it out of the way. She leaned against the wall next to him. Mimicking his stance. 'It becomes real.'

Frank nodded with an accenting hum. The scent of mint tea was soothing. Steadied him. He'd come to associate that feeling with her. He'd only been back 6 months. But Mel King had slotted directly into his life. Not just someone who wanted to learn from him. But a friend. A confidant.

'But if you don't acknowledge it even just to yourself. It'll eat you alive Frank. I promise I won't think any worse of you.'

He aimed for a light joke. Trying to break the tension in his head. 'Because your opinion can't go any lower?' Her glare, so rarely seen in the wild, was withering. But there was a deep, deep hint of mirth. But her elbow was sharp.

He closed his eyes with a deep steadily breath.

'I can't remember the last time I told Abby I loved her.'

There he said it.

And his world didn't fall apart at the seams.

'I can't remember the last time she said it to me.' Mel was staring up at him now. Eyes bambi large in her face. 'But that's not the worst thing... I can't remember when I last felt it.'

As she often was, Mel was right. He didn't feel bad that he said it. It was a relief. Something heavy breaking away.

'Oh.'

Memory really was a funny thing. He couldn't remember the last time he'd told his wife of almost a decade he loved her. But the moment he first saw Mel King was still so vivid he could swear it was yesterday.