Work Text:
“You owe me three hundred bucks,” is the first thing Frank says when she makes it to the bottom of the staircase.
He’s sitting on the bench by the front doors, with his head dropping back against the wall, his arms folded across his chest, and his eyes closed.
Trinity stops in front of him and scoffs while kicking at his Crocs with the toe of her boot.
“What did you get dressed in the dark?” Trinity jokes. “Nice Crocs.”
Frank's eyes snap open and he sits up with a frown.
“You really wanna joke right now? Seriously, Trin?” Frank snaps. “I’ve been out looking for you for the last two hours to make sure you weren’t kidnapped or killed. I left my sick kids at home with Mel because I was worried about you.”
He’s standing now, arms still crossed, and Trinity has to take a step back. She’s rarely seen him this upset before and she hates that she’s the cause of it. None of this was ever her intention. She just got…overwhelmed.
Trinity nods. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. And thank you, really, for bailing me out. I’ll find some way to pay you back. I promise.”
Frank searches her face for a second before he drops his arms and the tension seems to seep from his body as his shoulders relax and the frown softens.
“I know you will,” he says quietly. “I’m just glad you’re okay. You had us worried before I got your call.”
Her heart drops into her stomach and her throat goes dry.
“Us?”
Nodding, Frank moves towards the front doors and grabs Trinity by the arm to pull her along with him when she doesn’t move to follow.
“Me and Yolanda.” He pushes open the doors and they both step out into the chilly fall air. “She showed up at my door banging like a crazy person. Said that you freaked out or something and was hoping that I’d seen you.”
Trinity feels like she can’t breathe. This can’t be happening. She cannot do this. Not right now and maybe not ever. Not after how she reacted earlier. She honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they called the whole thing off altogether. She wouldn’t blame Yolanda at all.
“Did she come with you?”
“Huh?” Frank looks back at her over his shoulder while fishing his keys out of his jacket pocket. “Oh, uh, no. I convinced her to go back to her place while I came here to get you by promising to drop you off there on my way home.”
“What?” Trinity freezes in her tracks. “You’re taking me back there?”
Frank turns back to her with an amused look. “Of course I am. I specifically asked for this weekend off so Mel and I could spend time together before the babes are born, remember? And now we’ve got Tanner and Millie cause Abby had a work emergency which means my capacity for anyone else in my place is at its limit.”
“Frank—”
He shakes his head and holds a hand up. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on between you and Yo-Yo, but you better figure it out fast before you risk losing her. She’s one of the good ones, Trinity, and she is not going to wait around for you to figure your shit out if you’re not willing to talk to her.”
Trinity’s face screws up like it always does when the tears start to spill and she swipes angrily at her cheeks with the palms of her hands when she feels the first tears making their escape. She covers her face with her hands but hears the sound of the Franks Crocs squelching against the wet asphalt. A hand lands on her shoulder and when she lowers her hands, Frank is standing in front of her with a sympathetic smile.
“You know there’s nothing to be scared of, right?” Franks tells her gently, the same look on his face that he reserves for his children, Mel, and of all people, Trinity Santos.
She groans, “of course you’d say that. Your life is fucking perfect right now so you’ve got nothing to be afraid of.”
“Right,” Franks says, his smile faltering for just a second. “Cause my Fiance being at risk for Preeclampsia and Postpartum Hemorrhaging due to her Twin Pregnancy is nothing to be scared of.”
Trinity groans louder, dropping her head to Frank's shoulder. “Shiiit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“I know,” Frank laughs lightly under his breath while bringing his arms up to draw Trinity into a hug. “You’re just as scared about Mel as I am. Don’t worry. I’ve learned to take all your quips with a grain of salt.”
Trinity lets herself relax into the hug like she’s done a handful of times over the last few months and still hates how easy it is for her to let go with him. They’d managed to work through their animosity towards one another and found a sort of kinship. He saw her as an annoying little sister and she reluctantly saw him as the protective older brother that she never had. It was nice. But even two years in, she’d never admit that to his face.
“If you really don’t want to go back to her place,” Frank sighs, “then I’m sure Millie wouldn’t mind sharing her room for the night.”
She pulls back from the hug to look up at him and sniffles. “Thanks.”
“But only if you promise to talk to her in the morning.”
Trinity throws a glare up at him but knows that it lacks the heat it normally has behind it.
“Fine,” she grumbles. “Whatever.”
Frank smirks. “Good. Now get in. It’s cold and I am dying for a hot chocolate.”
She snorts at him as he leads her to the SUV and climbs into the passenger seat as he turns over the ignition.
“God, I forget how boring you are now that you’re sober.”
“Nice,” he chuckles as he backs out of the parking lot and onto the empty street that leads onto the main road. “Make fun of the addict. I see how it is.”
Trinity rolls her eyes but smiles as they turn onto the main road, windows down and the radio playing at a low volume to fill the comfortable silence. It’s a silence that she’s become grateful for when it comes to Frank and their spur of the moment late night drives. Sometimes they talk about things that are bothering them but most of the time they don’t. Most of the time she’s got her head tucked against the door while Frank hums along to whatever song is playing. She’ll laugh at him when he tries to sing along and inevitably gets the words wrong and he’ll intentionally roll the window down when she’s got her head propped up against the glass.
She’s only ever admitted to Mel and Yolanda how much she’s come to appreciate Frank Langdon and his special brand of familiarity. After they’d moved past their issues, he’d taken her under his wing and for a girl from a broken family like hers, it felt nice to be welcomed into the patchwork family they’d created at PTMC.
Trinity smiles at Frank as he drums his fingers on the steering wheel and settles back against the seat, closing her eyes and letting the sounds of the world around her lull her to sleep.