Chapter Text
Frank slowed as they drifted down the corridor to Robby’s room. “Did…” he broke off. Jack turned the chair to face him. He cleared his throat and continued, “Did she ever tell you what happened? In our other house?”
Jack shook his head slowly. “Just what the social worker told us. None of the details.” Trinity never wanted to talk about the events that led to her placement in foster care or the removal from the home with Frank. The closest she ever got was crawling in their bed in tears after a nightmare. Frank didn’t either. Jack and Robby knew what was listed in their bare-bones case file - past physical and sexual abuse, intense reliance on each other. Frank was removed from his biological mother at age 12 after the car crash that broke his back when she was driving high. Trinity entered foster care at 6 after a string of family felonies. It was Frank’s first placement after being released from the hospital, and Trinity’s fourth. Trinity had been there for eight months, Frank for one. They arrived to Jack and Robby at night, petrified, Frank’s entire body covered in bruises. For all the pain he must’ve been in, he stood tall in front of Trinity. She clung to him, tear tracks still drying on her cheeks, one hand fisted in the back of his t-shirt and the other linked in his. He kept himself between her and the Dads, responding for her when they asked questions. After they refused food, they traipsed upstairs. When they were shown two separate bedrooms, Frank bristled. “We’re staying in the same room.”
“Okay,” Robby offered easily. Frank looked them up and down again, sizing up the potential threats, before nudging Trinity into the room onto the bed closest to the back wall. He scanned the room, checking the window, before setting his bag down heavily. “Bathroom’s across the hall,” Robby said. “Towels are in the closet, use whatever you need. We’ll give you some space for the night.” From the living room, they heard the running water and muffled footfalls before quiet settled. Before heading to bed, Jack crept upstairs softly to check on them, gently knocking before turning the doorknob.
Frank sat up against the headboard, Trinity’s head in his lap as she slept. His hand, which was running through her hair, froze as the door opened, his eyes flashing in the dark. “Just checking in,” Jack said quietly. Frank didn’t respond, just sat still. “Our room is downstairs if you need us,” he finished, and gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile before closing the door. The next morning when he looked up the stairs from the kitchen while he drank his coffee, he saw Frank slumped against the closed door, in a restless sleep. “Mikey,” he called softly. “He slept in front of their door.”
Robby had sighed sadly. “He’s scared. He’ll get there.” It had taken 2 weeks, numerous calls from school informing them Frank had fallen asleep in class, and a deadbolt lock installed on the inside of their room for him to sleep inside. It took another year for them to sleep in separate beds - Trinity at a respite home while Frank detoxed painfully.
He was pulled back to the present by the urge to speak up. “You used to sleep in front of the door.” Frank smiled painfully.
“I thought you’d come in. You were stronger, but Dad was taller. I had a rope tied to our closet so I could throw Trinity out the window if I needed to.”
“You’re a good brother.” Frank shook his head.
“Not good enough.” Jack let the silence permeate.
“When I got there-,” Frank started, trailing off. “When I got there, there were three girls. I don’t think they wanted boys, but they were stuck with me. They were all so quiet. Trin was the youngest, then two a little older.”
Jack knew this, knew the two other girls had been placed in a group home together before being adopted. They had asked, once, if Trinity and Frank wanted to see them. The strong no meant it never got brought up again.
“They were nice. Daisy and Jemma. I’m glad they’re okay, but just…too much to see them again, I think.”
Jack nodded. “That’s understandable.”
Frank paused, seeming unsure on how to continue. “They were so quiet,” he said again. “I asked so many times if everything was okay, and they never said a word, and I was on benzos so I was a little out of it anyway.” Jack laid a gentle hand on his arm in silent support.
“I’d been there a month, and they hated me from the second I got there, but I think they were afraid to do anything with how fucked up my back was. I dropped a mug at breakfast. It was an accident, my back seized up. But he just lost his shit. Wailed on me until I started screaming, and that must have woke her up. Trinity,” he clarified, looking at Jack. He nodded supportingly.
“I was curled up on the ground, and she came downstairs and stood in front of me. All she said was ‘Leave him alone or I’ll tell,’” Frank’s voice broke on that. “And he just walked to the garage like nothing had happened. She helped me up, and brought me to bed, and wouldn’t tell me anything.” His shoulders shook, looking every bit the scared teenager he used to be. “I should’ve stayed up, but I was so tired, Dad,” he broke off.
Jack pulled him down into a hug, his son collapsing into him. They were both crying now, but the physical contact seemed to give Frank the push to continue. “I woke up, and I couldn’t find anyone in the house. So I went to her room to try to get her to talk to me, and when I went in, he was on top of her,” his voice trembled. “They’d been drugging their food. I got him off of her and tried to protect her but he was so much bigger than us. One of the neighbors called the cops and they broke down the door. She could barely hold her head up. She was ten. She was a baby.” Jack’s heart broke into tiny, fragmented pieces as Frank cried into his shoulder. He remembered Trinity’s reluctance to eat food she didn’t watch get made, and this explained why. These kids, he thought. These brave, wonderful kids.
“You saved her, Frank,” Jack soothed. Frank shook his head aggressively.
“I promised her she’d be safe, and I’d never let anyone touch her again, and it’s fucking happening again,” he said waterly.
“You can’t control how other people act, sweetheart,” Jack said, rubbing his hand down Frank’s back. “You’re the best big brother in the world. She worships the ground you walk on - they all do.” Frank continued to hide his face on his shoulder.
“Before you break your back again, “ Jack teased lightly, “let’s go see the old man.” Frank sniffled as he straightened up. “Hey,” he said softly. “She’s gonna be okay.” Frank nodded.
Once they had gathered themselves, Frank pushed Jack into Central 12. Robby’s eyelids were starting to flutter. Jack wheeled to his bedside and took his hand. “Mikey,” he coaxed. “Wake up, baby.”
Robby groaned before cracking his eyelids open. “Wh-” he groaned, rolling his head to face Jack.
“You’re okay,” Jack pacified. “We’re at the hospital.” Robby blinked again, before jolting up.
“Trinity,” he breathed, looking around the room wildly. “Jack, where is she?”
“She’s with Dana and Ellis,” he said gently. Robby’s eyes pulled in, and then broke.
“I’m sorry,” he cried. “I wasn’t paying attention when he came up behind us, and I tried to get her out of there.” Jack squeezed his hand.
“It’s not your fault,” Jack said calmly. “We got to you guys pretty quickly, she’s okay.” Robby’s eyes squeezed closed. “They’re getting you both ready for discharge.” Right as he finished speaking, Shen walked in, carrying Jack’s prosthetic.
“Good to see you awake, boss. You’re cleared to go, mild concussion, stay away from screens for a few days. Jack, stay off the prosthetic this week when you can. And Dana says you’re both off for the next week.” For once, they didn’t protest.
“Let’s get you dressed,” Jack encouraged Robby as he attached his leg. Frank leaned in briefly to hug them both before straightening up.
“I’m gonna make sure Trin is okay,” he said.
Jack nodded and offered a small smile. “We’ll meet you there.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After a few tearful minutes of filling Robby in on Trinity’s state and what Frank had told him, the men were up and moving back to Trinity’s room. Jack knocked softly before pushing the door open. Trinity sat on the bed, now dressed in the oversized clothes Mel brought in for her, with the stuffed animal sitting on her lap. Frank and Mel flanked her on either side, Victoria leaning against Mel while Dennis stood with his arms crossed by the door. She looked up when they walked in, another round of tears starting as soon as she saw Robby, hand reaching for him.
“Hi, baby,” he smiled sadly, voice cracking as he hugged her. “I’m so sorry.” She just shook her head into his chest. Frank had given her his hoodie (which has been Jack’s many years ago), and the way it swamped her made her look even younger.
While Jack took stock in the doorway, Dana came next to him and turned to face his ear. “She won’t take the pills.”
“Let me try,” Jack sighed. He approached her, waiting for her gaze to meet his. “We have to get your medicine before we leave, Bug. Is it better if I go get them for you instead of Dana?” She just blinked at him, obviously not happy with that solution but unwilling to say it, glancing at Frank. “What about if I sign them out and Frank comes with me?” She relaxed at that, nodding slowly. “Okay, we will be right back. Mel, can you go pull the car up? I can’t drive with my leg like this.”
“Of course,” Mel said, pressing a kiss to Trinity’s cheek before Victoria slid in to replace her.
Jack bent his head towards the door at Frank, encouraging him to follow to the pharmacy system. He quickly signed in, distributed the pills into a Dixie cup, before handing it to Frank. “Make sure she takes these with water, and get everyone ready to go. I need to make a quick phone call.”
As soon as Frank turned the corner, he clicked into his contacts and dialed, holding his phone up to his ear. “Hey Abbot,” Charlie greeted. “Everything alright? It’s late.”
“Not really, Charlie,” Jack rubbed his jaw. “You have someone in custody? Mid 40s, sexual assault and battery?”
“Yeah, he’s laid up in a cell. Still out cold. Someone did a real number on him. How’d you know he was here?”
Jack sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “My daughter and husband were the victims. I might have gotten a little bit carried away.”
“Shit, Jack.”
“Yeah. They’re fine, I got there in time.” He sighed again. “But can you bury the motherfucker? Last thing she needs is this guy walking around.”
“I’ll get it taken care of, buddy. If anyone asks, your hands are messed up from a boxing class, alright?”
“Thanks, Charlie. You’re a lifesaver.” They exchanged a few more pleasantries before hanging up, Jack limping to the door just in time for it to open. Victoria came out first, Trinity behind her with Robby and Frank holding her up on either side. She looked seconds away from collapsing, the adrenaline finally all working out of her system. Dennis followed behind, a serious look on his usually kind face.
Dana appeared, handing Jack a pile of paperwork and a brown bag. “Ten day course of antibiotics. Second pill when you get home. Bring them in if you’re worried,” she patted him gently on the shoulder before doing the same to Robby and squeezing Trinity’s hand lightly. “Alrighty, kids, get out of my ED.”
Even Trinity cracked a small smile at that, their processions ambling to the doors where Mel sat in the car. Victoria and Dennis clambered to the back seat in the least elegant way possible. Robby and Frank sandwiched Trinity in the middle row, while Jack swung heavily into the passenger seat. “You okay to drive, sweetheart?” he asked Mel. She smiled and nodded, checked the rearview mirror to make sure everyone had their seatbelts on, and pulled slowly into the night.
When they turned onto their street, Jack spoke from the front seat. “Everyone to bed, okay? I’ll call you out of school, and we don’t have to work tomorrow.” Mel parked in the driveway, the engine sputtering off softly. Frank guided Trinity out slowly while everyone else spilled out into the front door. After a reassuring glance at Trinity, Robby peeled off to the en-suite. The rest of the kids stood huddled in the entry way, not moving.
“Bed, guys. It’s been a long night,” Jack encouraged softly. Trinity opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again. “What is it, Bug?”
She turned her mouth to Frank, who tilted his ear down. “She wants to shower,” he said softly.
“Good idea, sweetheart. I’ll make you something to take your second pill with while you do that. Grilled cheese?” She nodded. Four other pairs of eyes caught his hopefully. “Grilled cheeses for everyone.” As they moved upstairs, he sat heavily on the couch, allowing himself a moment to rest his head in his hands. Three breaths, he thought, and then back to fixing. One. He could hear Robby shuffling around in their room. Two. Abovehead, the muffled footfalls of the kids moving around. Three. They would be okay. He scrubbed his eyes and released the pressure valve on his prosthetic, removing it and the liner before pushing to standing with a crutch.
He hobbled to the kitchen, pulling out their ancient griddle and spatula onto the stove. In minutes the house was filled with the smell of browning butter and melting cheese. As he stood at the stove, balanced on the crutch, his husband approached behind him, plastering himself to his back. His hair was still damp, and smelled of their vanilla sandalwood shower gel.
“Hi, babe,” Jack said, hugging Robby’s arms where they rested around his waist. Robby just nuzzled into his neck.
“You should sit,” he said, looking at Jack’s inflamed stump.
“Gremlins want grilled cheeses,” he hummed, flipping a sandwich onto a plate. “Do you want to go tell them they’re ready?”
“And then you’ll sit?”
“And then I will sit,” Jack agreed, pressing his lips to the bruise forming on Robby’s temple.
Robby pulled away, traipsing up the stairs. Light shone through the cracked bathroom door as the water turned off, where he could make out Victoria’s long pony tail swishing inside as she moved around. Dennis stood with his arms crossed in the doorway, facing the stairs, while Frank sat with his back against the wall, looking for all the world like himself twelve years ago. He could hear Mel speaking softly through the door. He took a moment to take them in, these five, living, beating pieces of his heart running around outside of his chest.
“Hi, babies,” he said, causing the boys to lift their heads up and Victoria to poke hers around the door. “Cheeses are ready.”
“Perfect timing,” Victoria said. “Mel’s just braiding her hair.” Dennis shifted to slide under Robby’s arm, leaning into his side. Frank stood up, groaning as he straightened.
“Make sure you get some ice tonight,” Robby said firmly. The bathroom door opened fully, Mel ushering Trinity out as steam billowed around them. Her hair hung in a damp, loose braid, dripping onto a sweatshirt that had been pilfered from Robby’s closet years ago. The oversized clothes and sweater sleeves folded over her hands made her look ten years younger. They moved as a unit, all shuffling down the stairs to the kitchen. Jack still stood at the stove, a steaming pile of bread and cheese stacked on a plate to his left. Victoria swept over to grab it, and each kid grabbed a sandwich quickly. While the others began eating enthusiastically, Trinity took a tiny bite from the corner before gagging softly. Frank immediately pressed a napkin into her hand as she spit out the food. Her eyes welled up, looking at Jack.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, panic evident on her face.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Jack soothed. “Why don’t you come make one with me?” She shifted to lean into his side as he pulled out fresh ingredients, cooking it exactly as she liked as she kept her eyes locked on the griddle. This time, she could swallow it, only a little bit of hesitation arising when it was time for the pill.
By the time Jack had sat down to finish Trinity’s forgotten first sandwich, the kids were done eating and were all flagging. One night without kitchen clean-up wouldn’t kill anyone, Jack mused as he looked at them drooping on the table.
“Now, really time for bed,” he said, pulling two ice-packs out of the freezer and handing one to Frank.
For all their exhaustion, no one seemed to want to move before Victoria offered, “Sleepover?” Trinity’s eyes turned hopeful as she glanced at Robby. He smiled at her.
“Good idea.”
They all moved towards the master bedroom, dimming the lamps and moving throw pillows out of the way. Trinity settled in the middle, curled into Robby’s chest while Mel laid on her other side. Victoria wrapped herself around the curve of the headboard, and Dennis lay horizontal across the foot of the bed with a huge, fluffy blanket thrown over him. Jack headed to the bathroom to change, before emerging to see Frank still lingering in the doorway. He kissed everyone’s forehead before crutching to his oldest.
“You should get some sleep,” he advised quietly. Frank shook his head.
“Don’t think I can.”
“You gotta at least try, bud. Your back won’t forgive you otherwise.”
“Says you,” Frank raised an eyebrow at the damage on Jack’s leg.
“Yeah, yeah. Like father, like son.”
The ghost of a smile emerged on Frank’s face. “Even if I wanted to, we don’t all fit in your bed anymore.”
Jack scoffed. “California King ain’t for nothing kid. We can squeeze.”
Frank seemed to sense it was a losing battle, and managed to squeeze himself between Trinity and Mel. Trinity grasped his shirt in her hand before cuddling back into Robby’s chest. Jack draped himself over his husband’s back, propping himself up carefully to turn off the lamp.
“‘Night, babies,” he said. “Love you.”
Tomorrow would be its own day with its own challenges. Pancakes would be served, and tearful conversations had. But for now, with all the people he loved safe in one room, Jack found it within himself to rest.