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Frank woke up slowly, his fingers beginning to move against something hard. He wondered briefly if he had fallen asleep, finally settling in to listen to the soft sounds of the rain hitting against the window and the warmth of Mel pressed against him.
He no longer felt that warmth; instead, his body was cold, and he experienced a dull ache in his lower back, a spot where he was accustomed to feeling it. The seat wasn’t comfortable, it wasn’t of first-class standard, but surely he didn’t fall asleep against it?
He turned his head, eyes still tightly shut, and he felt something inside him snap. He groans softly, brows knitting together while waves and waves of pain roll over him
“Frank?” Why is Cassie here? Wasn’t she in the back with Jesse? Why did she sound so distressed? “Frank, come on. Open your eyes.”
He wanted to, he tried. His eyes were almost glued shut, and he tried wriggling his body to hopefully get a grasp on what was happening, but he eventually opened his eyes to see the distress in her voice, which was mirrored in her facial expression
“No, don’t move,” Cassie tells him, one hand coming to rest on his shoulder. “Something happened, the plane went down. We don’t know exactly the cause, but we don’t want to move you just in case.”
That caught his attention. The plane went down?
He remembered Mel’s delighted laugh when Dana popped the champagne. They had a private jet, an expensive arrangement that Gloria had made for them. They were going to California to host a conference about their experiences with Pittfest and how they overcame the difficulties. It was going to be a busy weekend, and Robby told him that morning that he had brought along anxiety pills to pop before the big conferences to calm his nerves.
“Robby?” He gasped out, finding it hard to breathe suddenly. He lifts his head despite Cassie’s protests and looks around.
They’re clearly not in the air anymore, but it seems his seat is more or less intact, which is weird in itself. His hand was tightly grasping the armrest, and the dull ache in his back turned into something sharp, making him cry out and grit his teeth.
“Where are the others?” He questions, just seeing rows and rows of trees and the remnants of the plane and forgetting the earlier question of finding his boss.
“It broke in half; some we haven’t found yet. Dana, Whitaker and Abbot are here, but the others are unaccounted for.”
His head rests back against the cushion of the seat, closing his eyes and willing the ache in his back to go away. “I’m fine, Cassie, it’s just the usual pain with my back.” He assures her, sitting up and shaking out his arms.
But then it occurred to him. He was sitting next to Mel; surely she would be nearby?
It was almost as if Cassie could read his face, her lips pressing together. “She’s unaccounted for, too; we lost some nurses.”
“Who exactly are we looking for, Cassie?”
“Mel, Trinity, Robby and Perlah.”
He curses, looking around once more. They have to be somewhere; the other half of the plane couldn’t have gotten far. “Are you hurt?”
“Just a concussion, according to Abbot, I'll be fine. I was more concerned about you since you were unconscious.”
“I might’ve just been knocked out; the worst I'll have is back pain and a mild concussion. I can see, albeit it’s a little blurry, but I can manage.” He holds up his hand, “Help me up?”
The pair move to stand, wobbling a little once upright, but they soon set to work looking for their colleagues.
“Langdon, you good?” Abbot calls, leaning over an injured Whitaker and holding some bloody cloth to his shoulder.
“Fine, how’s Whitaker doing? Are you injured?”
“I’m fine, Whitaker saved me, really. He got a good chunk of his shoulder cut up and bleeding pretty heavily. The pilot is dead, and the flight attendant is unconscious over there with Dana; everyone doesn’t seem too concerned.” He explains, wiping at his brow. “We think the others took the brunt of the impact, though.”
Frank nods, hands going to his hips. “I’ll go with Cassie, and look, you hold down the fort with Dana”
“Be careful, we’re in the middle of nowhere with no service. The pilot put out a distress call, but we aren’t sure if anyone heard before we landed.”
He takes in the older doctor's words, dread filling his stomach. This was a bad situation to be in, and he wished he were at home; he wished he had been smart enough to decline the invitation.
“Frank, I think I can see smoke; that must be them,” Cassie says, looking behind them.
They set off on the journey, wet with sweat and their bodies screaming with every step.
“They have to be alright. I mean, it’s Robby, he had to have survived.” Cassie reasons, going on despite Frank’s silence. “Mel too, she’s resilient, and I'm sure she’s helping out those injured. I don’t think Trinity would lie around either.”
“Cass, please,” He sighs, running a hand over his face and almost gagging at the smell of sweat, blood and tears that had spread. “Let’s just- how about silence until we find them?”
She didn’t like that; he could tell by the way she let out a noise from low in her throat and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. She looks mostly intact, except for her ponytail being loose and bloody, and her bangs pushed back against her scalp from the sweat. Her face was covered in soot and dirt from the ground, her cheek grazed, and little pieces of shrapnel embedded into her skin. She was still Cassie, though, and he was grateful for that.
“Help!” They heard the yell, a long, winding yell that could be heard from a distance. There was no way it could be heard from back where the other wreckage was; it was strangled, and the person coughed after every shout, but it was very clearly one of theirs.
They broke out into a run, breathing quickly and their steps heavy as they made their way through in the direction of the shouting.
“Robby!” Frank calls out, looking around them and spotting the smoke again. “Robby,” He breathes, pulling the man into a hug once he looks him over and can’t see any visible signs of injury. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or worried.
“It’s Perlah, she’s bleeding out.” The senior usher attended to them, urging them to move closer, and revealed Trinity and Perlah near one spot among the countless wreckage. “We’ve almost lost her twice; we haven’t had the chance to look for Mel yet.”
He couldn’t catch the strangled noise before it escaped and caught eyes with Trinity.
How was this their reality?
“Go, I'll stay here with Robby.” Cassie butts in, shouldering past Frank and kneeling beside their boss. “Go find Mel, make sure she’s okay.”
It was probably the only time he would willingly work with Trinity, but he nods, holding out a hand to pull the woman up, and they exchange a silent nod.
“This probably goes without saying, but I’m glad you’re okay,” Trinity mumbles, limping beside him and weaving through the trees. “We weren’t sure if any of the others were even alive,”
He presses his lips together, looking down at the ground. “Everyone is alive, Whitaker is probably the worst off, but he’ll live if Abbot can get the bleeding under control.”
“Wait, what happened with Dennis?” She’s looking at him now, her eyes wide
“Something with his shoulder saved Abbot’s life, and now he’s paying the price.”
She visibly swallows hard and looks away, nodding. “Dana?”
“Alive. I didn’t see her, though, according to Abbot, she was with the flight attendant.”
“That’s... good, nobody has died.”
They both felt the weight of those words, and both felt the weight of the word that was left out.
Yet.
Nobody has died yet.
There was a clanging, metal against metal, and it brought Frank out of his thoughts.
“Do you hear that?”
Trinity nods, looking around. “It’s coming from over here,” She says, taking off without another word, forcing Frank to follow.
It’s another part of the plane, the bit where he and Mel were sitting.
It was all starting to piece together now; surely she would’ve been closer to him if she had been sitting during the crash?
“Shit, Mel.” Trinity’s voice was far away and on the verge of tears, making him follow the younger doctor, and he wasn’t ready for the sight.
Mel was there, awake and alive, but it was clear that it wouldn’t be for long if they didn’t do something.
“Fuck, shit, fuck.” He cursed, dropping painfully onto his knees, but it was ignored. “Mel, honey.”
“Frank,” She gasps, her breathing shallow and her hands braced against the metal of the plane part that was crushing her.
Her hair was bloody, one arm bruised, and the lower part of her body was hidden.
“You-you were sitting next to me,” He says, hands hovering above her while Trinity scrambled to sit on the other side. “Why weren’t you near me?”
“I got up,” She responds, her eyes fluttering on every other word, and it was clear that she was struggling to talk. “Dana needed a hand with the champagne.”
“We’re gonna get you out, okay? Just-just hang tight, it’ll be okay.” He pressed a kiss to her head and turned his attention to Santos. “I’m gonna try lifting, you pull her out.”
He didn’t give her a chance to argue, shakily standing up and feeling adrenaline pumping through his veins. He grasps the metal, getting into position to lift, and doesn’t start until he sees Trinity ready to pull.
It takes a couple more tries, but she doesn’t budge. Upon further investigation, her leg is broken and trapped within the configurations of the plane.
“We can’t move her,” Trinity tells him, crawling out from the small space. “Part of the infrastructure is basically plugging one of Mel’s veins; we pull her out, then she’ll bleed to death.”
He doesn’t want to hear it, shaking his head and sending her a glare.
He won’t give up on her, he won’t give up on their future.
“There has to be a way,” he argues. “We-we can’t just give up.”
“Her breathing is becoming shallow, and there are longer periods of time where she’s unable to be roused. We have to think like doctors, Frank.”
“Frank-“ Mel wheezes, one of her hands reaching for him. “This is gonna be it,”
He looks up to the sky, pressing the heel of his hand against his eye and then dropping down to lie on his stomach next to the love of his life. “Mel, don’t tell me you’re giving up.”
“I feel it, I'm struggling more.” Her hand comes to rest on his cheek. “We’ve both seen death; we can’t stop what we know is happening.” She coughs, blood pooling from her bottom lip, and she spits away from him to get rid of it.
He wants to deny it all; he wants to imagine they’re still on the plane, laughing away and drinking Champagne. He wants to imagine they’re still in Pittsburgh, declining the invite and going back to cuddling on the couch, watching reruns of Supernatural.
He wants to imagine their future.
“You can’t leave me now, we just started the next chapter.” He whispers, tears blurring his vision and his hand coming to grasp hers tightly. He can vaguely hear Trinity sniffling next to them, but he doesn’t pay her any mind. “Mel, please.”
“You’re going to move on from me, you’re going to be happy eventually.” She replies, her eyelids drooping. “Tell Abby thank you for allowing me to be yours. I’m glad we spent the time together that we did. I’m glad we spent the time with Tanner and Millie.”
“Mel, stop,” Trinity interrupts, “you’re not dying.” The argument was weak, and even Trinity knew it.
Mel turns her head to face her, her lower lip wobbling. “I am Trinity, there’s no way I'm getting out of this.” She coughs again, but this time is too weak to do much more than wince, her eyes closed tightly.
“We were meant to be, sweetheart. I married Abby, not knowing you’d come along years later. She was my first love but you will be my forever.” He sniffles, wiping the blood that was trailing down the side of her mouth.
“I love you,”
“I love you too, with my whole being.” He smiles, kissing her forehead. “We’re gonna have the best life, you’re not gonna die. We’re going to head home, arrive early enough to catch Tanner and Millie before school, and take them out for breakfast. Tanner will have French toast, claiming he’s too big for pancakes, while you and Millie share the waffles. We’ll drop them off, waving goodbye and then walking hand in hand home.” He brushes a thumb against her forehead, his touch gentle and soothing. “I have a ring, it’s hidden away in my sock drawer. I asked Becca to come with me to buy it. I had to get the Becca King seal of approval.”
“And he was gonna propose at work but got too chicken,” Trinity added with a small, sad smile. “We had bets, they started the day he told us.”
Mel manages a small laugh, looking up at the sky. “You were gonna marry me?”
He hums, “I’m gonna marry you so hard, Melissa King. We’re gonna get out of here and go straight to the registry office. I’m gonna get the ring and put it on your finger and show you off to the world, Mel King is my wife.” He notices she’s getting more tired now; her eyes seem more distant, but she’s still watching him. “I was going to bring up the conversation after, if you wanted children. I could imagine a little girl with your brilliance and my chin. She’d be best friends with Becca, Millie and Tanner, and they’d cause mischief.”
“I can’t imagine having another Langdon spawn running around,” Trinity mutters.
He chuckles, “Yeah, well, deal with the idea. We were meant to be, Mel.”
“Meant to be,” She whispers, her grip on his hand loosening. “Meant to-“
“Be.” He finished when she struggled to get more words out.
He thought she was going until she spoke up again, her voice shaky.
“Tell Becca-“ She takes a breath, “I love her. She was the best sister and I-“ She coughs, “I couldn’t have asked for a better sibling.”
He nods, kissing her hand. “I will, baby, I will.” He promises.
“We were meant to be,” She repeats as she speaks one last time.
“I love you, I love you.” He sobs, holding her hand to his mouth as he speaks against her skin and watches as the colour drains from her face and her grip on his hand becomes limp.
“Frank, I’m-“ Trinity is frozen, her mouth agape and her eyes cast low. She doesn’t say anything else, her hand snaking over to rest on his shoulder.
“Mel, baby.” He sobs, dropping his head and resting his forehead against her hand. “Mel, please,”
“Frank! Trinity!” Robby was shouting again, his boots bounding against the earth to reach them. “Did you find-“
He skidded to a stop, or at least Frank thought he did. He didn’t turn to look, just keeping his eyes on his girlfriend's face.
“Robby,” Trinity stands up, shuffling over to their boss and speaking in a low voice.
“Is she-?”
“She’s gone,” Frank mumbles, reaching over to gently shut her eyes, and he gets up into a standing position. “We had to leave her there,” He chokes out. “She would’ve bled out before we could even get her fully released.”
“Frank-“
He shakes his head, crouching down and smoothing a hand over Mel’s hair. “Meant to be, baby, there’ll be nobody else like you.”
“I came because we got help. The pilot’s mayday call was heard, and one of the radios miraculously started working.”
“How?” Trinity wonders out loud, “I thought it was all wrecked in the crash?”
“We thought so, too, but clearly not. Everyone else is-“ Robby shakes his head, “Everyone is accounted for, and Abbot and his group have come to huddle with us until help comes.”
Frank nods, looking back to Mel and running a hand over his face. “Can I- can I just say goodbye? I’ll come back when I'm done.”
Robby watches him, many emotions flipping through his eyes until he settles on a nod. “Sure, I’ll tell the others so you don’t have to.”
Trinity squeezes his shoulder and follows their boss through the trees, leaving Frank alone once again.
“Oh, Mel.” He whispers, crouching down once more. “I’ll tell Becca, I won’t let you down. It’s just me and her from now on. I won’t let anyone forget you; you’ll be in our hearts forever, my darling. I love you.” He presses his lips against her forehead, some tears escaping. “I love you.”
Once composed, he takes one last look around and moves away. He doesn’t look back when he’s heading back to the others, trying to keep the images of Melissa King alive and well in his mind.