Chapter Text
It's a slow and steady thing, the reconditioning of Frank. To set those firm boundaries and expectations, the boundaries that Robby was supposed to have set but didn't. Robby had set boundaries, but Jack had always thought they were the wrong kind, something Park often agreed with, but it was never truly confirmed until the drugs, until PittFest. Robby had given Frank too much freedom, the kind of freedom that could lead to ruin for someone like Frank, who ended up exactly that, ruined. They reached out during his initial time in rehab and would visit now and again, sometimes alone, sometimes together, angry at the man, but not wanting him to give up, both having their own fondness for Robby's once golden boy.
He was a brilliant boy.
They respect the boundaries Robby had put into place, even though the man had cut off Frank completely. Then Frank relapsed. Jack and Park aren't angry, just disappointed. Not in Frank, but in themselves for giving him space. They both know the statistics of relapse in the first year without proper support. He had been radio silent for a week when Jack reached out to Abby, concerned, only to learn not only of the relapse but that Frank had checked himself back into rehab. Abby had packed his stuff with a set of divorce papers and kicked him out of their bedroom before Frank was there for a day, and it was decided between visitations and broken conversations that they would not make the same mistake again.
Park and Jack are waiting for Frank when he gets out of rehab. Park is there at discharge, and Jack is waiting in the car with food that doesn’t taste like depression and desperation. They bring him home, putting him in the spare room, next to their children's room, and start the slow, hard, steady process of reconditioning their boy. They set firm boundaries and expectations, praising him softly with 'good boys' and 'thank you sweethearts', knowing how much Frank needs the praise, to know how good he was. Something Robby never quite managed to figure out. Jack and Park give him consequences and not punishments any time Frank tests a boundary, or does something that doesn't meet an expectation. For three weeks, he is never alone, with both husbands taking accrued vacation time, citing a family matter.
They give Frank a certain level of privacy, but they do not give him space. They knew what happened when Frank had too much freedom. They take him to and from therapy and meetings, and help him find a divorce lawyer. Frank was losing pretty much everything since he triggered the pre-nup put in by Abby's parents. They hold on to his wallet, giving him a single card instead, heavily monitored and checked, something that Frank agreed to when they first set their terms and conditions of living with them while he got his life on track, and put a hold on his cards. He now solely uses the credit card that Park and Jack gave him, one of those heavy, thick ones that means someone has actual money.
He doesn’t pay rent; they won’t let him. So Frank cooks and cleans and does laundry, helping with the kids. He doesn’t buy anything for himself in the following months, except maybe a coffee now and again, and the men don’t comment on it. Park slowly starts to replace Frank’s more worn clothes with ones of higher quality, and Jack will buy him the books he sees Frank looking at online during his morning coffee.
His first day back at the Pitt after ten months is a hard one. He doesn’t relapse, but the process of reconditioning Frank starts all over again with gentle consequences and warm praise. Frank starts to thrive. He’s still too skinny and doesn’t sleep enough, not yet, but he’s getting back some of the muscle he lost, and his hands are steady. Jack makes sure he’s on the night shift when Robby returns after those three long months, at least for a while. Jack knows he can’t keep their boy from Robby forever, something Park is not thrilled about, but they trust their boy to make the right call or come to them when needed.
Frank’s in the middle of an awkward conversation with Robby, the pair slowly learning to be around each other again, when Perlah walks past, giving a sharp click of her tongue. “I don’t know what you did, kid, but it does not look good.”
It’s his only warning before he sees Park coming towards him, eyes sharp and jaw set, coming to stop next to the pair, fully ignoring Robby. “Care to explain why Jack and I suddenly got a text from you, saying you were working a double?”
“McKay is sick-”
Frank does his best to keep his voice steady, meeting Park’s eyes and not looking away, fighting the urge to apologise for not checking with either man before he decided to pull yet another double. They had yet to say something, but Frank could see the disapproval every time he took one.
“And I know they are short on the night shift with Jack being off because Clemie is sick, and I McKay has really helped me, and I just wanted to help everyone back.”
“And we would have understood that if you had talked to us before you decided to just take the double, Frankie.” Park countered with a look.
“I know, I’m sorry.” Frank offered.
It was part of their check-in system, not so they could deny Frank going somewhere, but as a sign of trust that he would reach out if there was a change in his schedule or a change of plans. Frank is proud of how well he checks in, letting them know if he’s leaving some place and when he’ll be home. “I was just trying to be helpful.”
“We know, Frankie Park’s tone softens, with a tired but indulgent sigh, “but no one more doubles, especially without Jack around.”
The command is light, but absolute.
“We don’t like you being here this long without a real chance to sleep or eat a proper meal. You’re doing such a good job of taking care of yourself, Frankie, and we’re proud of you, but we don’t want you to undo that progress any further with any more doubles for a while.”
Frank can feel Robby shift next to him, but doesn’t look at the too quiet and too still attending. “I understand.”
Park actually smiles then, smiles at Frank, and Frank can feel himself start to preen. “Good, thank you. I know you haven’t packed anything besides what you ate earlier, so please order something and eat it.”
Frank nodded with confidence this time. “I’ll take a picture and send it, before and after.” He offers. They had been working hard to make sure Frank remembered to eat full meals instead of just a protein bar or forgetting to eat entirely.
“Good boy.”
Frank smiles brightly at that. “If I have a minute, can I still call the girls and say good night before bed?”
“Of course you can. I’ll talk to Jack about this, but remember-”
“No more doubles for a while, especially if Jack isn’t on shift,” Frank replies, “I’ll keep you updated.”
Park’s disapproval is still evident, but the man finally relents. “Good. Jack or I aren’t above coming down here ourselves to check on you in person if we have to.”
Frank doesn’t need the reminder; both men were doing just that in the first month of Frank’s return to the Pitt, when he would forget to text them during a shift when Frank wasn’t working. Jack is coming in at five with a stern expression and a to-go cup from home, waiting in the break room to personally check Frank over and take him home.
Park had done much the same, but was much grumpier about it, something Park still likes to tease Frank about.
“What was that?”
Robby’s question startles Frank, his tone unreadable and his face is equally unreadable, with too many emotions flashing across Robby’s face, the man unable to figure out what one to settle on.
Frank has no idea how to answer that, how to talk to Robby, never fully, whatever he says won’t be a new tipping point, their small unspoken truce still tender and new. “Oh..I’ve been living with them since I got back from rehab.” He admits, deciding to go with the simplest truth.
He can tell it’s not an answer Robby was expecting, his eyebrows furrowing in a confused frown. “Why would you be living with Park and Jack and not at home with Abby?”
His confusion is genuine. “Why would I still be living with Abby, even before the divorce-”
“You got a divorce?”
It occurs to Frank then that Robby doesn’t know about the divorce; he doesn’t know about anything. “Uh…yeah….it was rough, but Jack and Park helped keep me sober, still helping keep me sober. It’s nice to have a support system.”
There’s no anger or hurt in Frank’s words, nothing pointed or sharp, just open honesty, but he sees Robby start to withdraw and shut down anyway.
“So anyways…I’ll see you tomorrow, I guess? I kind of want to check in with Shen before we start the night shift, give him a heads up about the schedule change.”
“Right…tomorrow.” Robby agrees once again with that tone Frank can’t get a handle on before walking away, leaving Frank behind once again.
J: “Brendon called, no more doubles, Frankie.”
F: “I know, last one, I promise.”
J: “That's our sweet boy. Thank you for being so good and not fighting this.”
Frank still isn’t used to the way his heart fluttered at the praise, warming him from the inside.
J: We just want you to take care of yourself, Frankie.”
Frank could feel his cheeks start to burn, a recent development he currently had no idea how to process or deal with.
F: “How was Rosie’s therapy?”
J: “Baby girl crushed it.”
It surprised Frank thoroughly to find out that not only were Jack and Park married but that they had two daughters on top of it. Rosie was born painfully premature and abandoned by her mother while still in the hospital. Sweet and tiny, she was in therapy for language developmental delay. Clementine was also a former Baby Jane Doe and was equally as perfect as her little sister.
Frank adored them.
J: “Check in when you can, and we expect you to eat and take breaks as needed. I’ll be there to pick you up in the morning. Park told me your check engine light is on, we’ll get it towed tomorrow.”
Frank snorted.
F: “It’s solid, not flashing, which means it’s safe enough to drive to the closest shop.”
P: “And if it becomes unsafe while you’re driving?”
Frank didn’t think about that.
P: “We just want you to be safe. Jack will pick you up in the morning. Don’t worry about your car, we’ll take care of it.”
J: “I’ll bring Rosie, and we can get one of those breakfast sandwiches you can’t stop dreaming about.”
F: “I would like that. Thank you for taking care of me.”
P: “Of course.”
J: “Anything for our good boy. Keep us updated, please.”
Frank does exactly that.