Chapter Text
Most of the trees outside the hospital were slowly becoming bare as the end of autumn inched by and winter began. The med students were settling in nicely but out of the group Mel was struggling a bit more the others she really hadn't made many friends and the only one she had made was gone and had been for a while now. She hoped as the days dragged on the her person would come back.
On a particular cold day when her body had already started to ache before she even walked into the ER, but when she did get inside and out of the cold. She put the bag she'd gotten in highschool that looked like it 'd been in a war with the zipper glued on and parts she had to sew back too with a quick glance into her locker she gently closed it and walked out. She smiled at Whitaker on her way to central and asked how he'd been since yesterday.
As soon as she stepped out of the little hallway she saw as what could only be described as the best gift ever. She started running towards Langdon before she even realized she was moving a huge smile blossomed across her face.
"Langdon!! You're back!!"
She almost ran right into him when she got to him she was bouncing up and down with pure joy as she talked.
"Langdon I missed you!!"
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As the day went on Mel And Langdon were talking non stop Mel would usually be going on about something she missed telling him while he just grinned and listened to her talk about whatever it was.
"Langdon you ok you've been looking at the wall for a bit?"
She spoke in that gentle tone she used for children she seemed worried looking at his face trying to find any sign of something being wrong well signs of anything really. Langdon blinked and focuses back on her.
"Not particularly I just can shake the feeling that I hurt you, you know I left you here... Alone."
Langdon was staring into his lap while he spoke fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He never wanted to leave her like that but he didn't really have a choice he knew that somewhere deep down but he knew that Mel hadn't made any good friends other then himself. He'd watched her talk to an empty room before realizing everyone left he'd seen that look on her face almost disappointment but like she'd gotten used to it.
He didn't seem to notice when she got up or that when he looked up the lights were off or even that tears had been falling down his cheeks. Mel looked at him with her kind brilliant eyes that mesmerized him from the first glance of her first day there. She spoke in the kindest softest voice.
"Langdon... you know that's not true I wasn't alone I was ok just worried about you"
She hung on his name "Langdon" something she'd said so many times but only now didn't it have this ring to it. She looked at him really looked this time. She seen a tired man with eyebags but this wise kindness that radiated off him. She carefully put her hand on his cheek she moved slowly making sure he had time to stop her if he wanted but he let her. She gently wipe away the pools of tears on his cheek and around his eyes. He had never had someone do this before not with his now ex wife nor any girlfriend, he began to tremble as more tears trickled down his face.
Mel quietly moves closer letting him rest his her on her she slowly wraps her arms around his frame, his body was much smaller then she'd ever realized. She thought of all the times he'd worked for hours and not eaten a thing, they all barely ate here but still she worried about him. She worried I mean of course she did he was currently crying on her shoulder in the middle of the staff break room. She started to slowly rock back and forth with him still on her. He didn't even realize she was doing it for about a minute but when he did he let himself lean into her and finally everything he'd been holding in broke. He sobbed into her shoulder.
"Shhhh I've got you..."
Dealing with her sister during meltdown made her great with this she started slowly gliding her hand up and down his back every now and then she'd whisper that she was there and she wasn't leaving him. They sat there like that for around 30 minutes until his breath became slowly and he stopped shaking. She held onto him rocking him back and forth even though he'd stopped crying. He looked up at her with big red puffy eyes and a small greatful smile he spoke his voice was small and raspy.
"Nobody's every done that for me... I'm sorry"
"Shhh don't apologize"
They stayed in that room for about an hour more most if the time spent there was Langdon going in and out of hyperventilation and Mel holding him and rocking the both of them back and forth. They needed each other more then they both had ever realized Mel had been the only one to ever see Langdon cry and she held that with pride as did Langdon. Mel wasn't the only one to keep the other in check thought more times then she could count had Langdon picked up on her being overwhelmed and gotten her to a quiet place and sat with her.
As this went on the rumors spread around the hospital everyone was wondering the same thing "What's going on between Mel and Langdon?" Nobody had asked either of them yet untill Mel was working on getting an elderly woman her meds and Whittaker walked up and started talking to her as she worked.