Chapter Text
July 4 - Mel
“We’re having sex, LOTS of sex!”
Becca’s confession looped in Mel’s head like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.
Mel was worried about her sister. How could Becca be so reckless? What if she contracts an STD? What if she gets pregnant?! Becca should be smarter than this, she taught Becca to be smarter than this!
Mel was mad at her sister. How could Becca ditch her on a holiday? After a horrible deposition that made Mel feel like the worst doctor in the world. How could Becca just abandon Mel for her new boyfriend? After everything she has done for Becca, after everything she has given up for Becca.
Mel immediately felt nauseating guilt in the pit of her stomach. She does not regret taking care of Becca. She wouldn’t trade their life together for anything. Maybe that’s why it hurt so much. Maybe Becca was trading their life in for a better one . . . one without her.
Mel pushed the painful thought away. She should be happy for her sister. Instead she felt abandoned? Envious? Maybe even a little jealous?
“Mel?”
I mean she had never even been kissed before.
“Mel-odrama?”
How was it, that her sister was in a relationship - kissing - having SEX - with someone, while she had never been on a real date.
“Hello? Earth to fucking Mel?!” Santos aggressively shook Mel’s chair.
“Oh - uh, sorry. I guess I’m a little in my head.” Mel replied weakly.
“Yeah, okay . . . Let’s get the fuck out of here. I just finished my charts and WE need to go get drunk.”
“Oh- I um don’t really drink. I don’t like the taste,” Mel explained as she followed Santos to the lockers, “it’s just a- a bit too bitter?”
“Awwwww! don’t worry marsh-Mel-low, I’ll buy you something real sweet,” Santos winked.
—————————————————
The walk over to the karaoke bar was relatively quiet.
“Alright Mel-ancholia I know you had a hard day, but we need to get you out of this mood or I might kill myself.”
Mel quickly stopped and turned to Santos, grabbing her shoulders firmly, “oh my gosh- are you okay? Are you -
“Mel, it was a joke . . . Clearly a bad one . . . sorry. I am not going to kill myself. I’m fine. I just want you to have some fun, we both deserve it after this shit show of a day.”
Mel sighed, still unsure, “okay, are you sure? We can turn back?”
“Ohhhh my god,” Santos groaned, “lighten up Mel! Let’s try this, tell me one good, not-totally-fucked, thing about your day.”
Mel immediately knew her answer. She smiled a little, “um well, it’s really nice having Dr. Langdon back.”
Santos was quiet.
“I know you don’t like him very much, but he’s - uh - nice and he listens to me. I think if you give him a chance -
Santos sighed, “Mel, he’s nice to you.”
The silence stretched.
“He isn’t nice to everyone else. He’s actually been a pretty big asshole to me.”
Mel nodded. She remembered back to their first day. She heard Dr. Langdon scream at Santos from the charge desk. It was pretty aggressive, certainly aggressive enough that it would have made Mel fully shutdown if she had been in Trinity’s shoes.
But, there had to have been a good explanation for his outburst that day. Mel knew - somehow, despite only being around him for two days - that Dr. Langdon was the kindest person she had ever met. She had compiled a list of evidence in her head to support this conclusion.
He listens to her. He’s always fully engaged and interested in what she has to say. While so many others either fully ignore her, or stop listening to her mid-sentence, Dr. Langdon is fully attentive and actually seems to care about her thoughts and feelings. In fact, he is so attentive that he seldom breaks eye contact with her while she’s talking. It makes Mel’s stomach flutter.
He also cares enough to check on her. For example, today, when she was walking back from her deposition, panicking about Becca, she was left nearly speechless when Dr. Langdon assured her Becca was fine, and quickly shifted his focus to her. In a gentle voice, he asked “how was your deposition? That must have been really stressful.” Embarrassingly, knowing he cared almost brought her to tears.
Dr. Langdon is patient with her. He remains calm and encouraging when teaching her how to approach medical procedures. He’s never mean when she gets overwhelmed. Instead, he recognizes when she needs a break and he doesn’t make her feel bad about it. She remembers him saying - “Mel, you’re a sensitive person, this is a tough place for sensitive people. But we need them badly” and “I need you.”
“Four shots - I’ll take two tequila shots and how about two green tea shots for the missus?” Santos ordered and gestured to Mel as her “missus.”
Mel snapped back to reality. She wasn’t sure when they walked into the bar, but now she was painfully aware of her surroundings. So. Many. People.
It was dimly lit everywhere except the small stage towards the back of the bar. There were two men on stage that looked like the stereotypical fraternity bros Mel avoided in undergrad. They were singing an aggressively off key rendition of “Sweet Caroline.” It hurt Mel’s ears and honestly made her want to go home.
“Umm I’m not sure about this, I’ve only done shots once before and -
“These ones are sweet, you’ll like them” Santos cut Mel off as the bartender placed the shots down in front of them.
Mel dipped her tongue in the shot, “oh wow, that is sweet!”
“Okay now throw them back because we are up next.”
Mel choked on her second shot, “Uhhhm - Uh like next next??”
“Yup. Like right now, I hope you like Alanis Morisette.”
Before Mel could ask “who?” Trinity was dragging her by the arm onto the stage.
——————————————————
July 4 - Frank
“Abby, honestly I don’t give a flying fuck that you introduced the kids to Mark. I’m mad that you unilaterally decided to stay another night. Tomorrow is supposed to be MY day with the kids.”
Frank stood outside of PTMC anxiously twirling an unlit cigarette in one hand to avoid throwing his phone with the other.
Abby decided to take the kids to visit her parents for the Fourth of July. Frank was already on edge after his first day back at the Pitt. Finding out he wouldn’t be seeing his kids at all over the holiday weekend was almost enough to push him over the edge.
“Frank, I’m not doing this with you right now. I’m watching fireworks with the kids. My dad and Mark are making s’mores, this just isn’t a good time. I will call you back in the morning and we can plan for you to have the kids next weekend.”
Abby hung up before he could respond. “Fuck!” Frank sighed heavily before putting his phone in his pocket.
“You a smoker now too, kid?” Dana asked as she walked up behind him lighting her cigarette, “you should quit, they say it’s bad for your lungs or some shit.”
“Yeah, um it’s just a bad habit I picked up in rehab. I’m going to quit,” he replied uncomfortably as he ran his hand through his hair.
“So um, how much of that did you hear?” He asked.
“Not much . . . So Mark huh?”
She heard everything.
He sighed, “uhhh yeah. Abby’s new boyfriend. Looks like you’ve pieced it together. We got divorced two months ago.”
He avoided eye contact with Dana. Dana always liked Abby, and he didn’t want to see her reaction to him being a fuck up, yet again.
“I’m sorry kid. That’s really hard.” Dana paused. “Why keep the ring on?”
“Oh,” he took a deep breath, “I’m trying to avoid judgment, I guess . . . Being an addict is tough enough, a divorced addict? I’m fine avoiding those stares for now.”
Dana dropped her cigarette and stepped on it, “give yourself a break kid. People get divorced. It doesn’t make you a failure.”
“I think that’s exactly what it makes me,” Langdon laughed, “honestly, Abby and I had been struggling for a while. Even before rehab. We just, I don’t fucking know . . . stopped understanding each other?”
“You don’t have to tell me. Been there, done that. It happens.”
They stood in silence for a few seconds.
“Listen hun, we don’t always get things right the first time around . . . when you are ready, you’ll get it right.”
He closed his eyes and smiled at the familiar sentiment. “You know, I’ve heard something like that before. Today, actually. From Mel.”
“mmhmm” Dana smiled, “smart gal.”
Dana walked off, leaving behind something unspoken, “good night, kid. Get some rest.”
“Good night.”
Frank started walking towards the parking lot.
“Hey wait!”
He turned around, Mohan was scurrying behind him, “uh what’s up Samira?”
“Listen, I’ve had a bad fucking day. I don’t know what to do about my future. Robby has been a dick to me for the past 10 hours. I lost multiple patients today. And I know you can relate.”
He looked at her and nodded “okay, you wanna talk about it?”
“No, not at all. I want to get drunk and I need a ride. I was hoping you would empathize with me and drop me off at the bar down the street.”
He sighed, “I guess I don’t have anywhere else to be.”
——————————————————
“What the fuck is this place?” He asked Mohan, immediately overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
“Have you never been to a karaoke bar?” She asked.
“I have. But that was before med school. I’m too old for this.”
“You’re 33 Frank, stop acting 80,” Mohan approached the bar and ordered an old fashioned.
“You’re right. I’m not 80, but apparently you are. Why the fuck are you ordering an old fashioned?”
Mohan just rolled her eyes at him. Frank ordered a Diet Coke and followed her to a high top closer to the stage. Two girls were singing - more like screaming - and dancing to Paramore’s Misery Business.
Before he could take a closer look, Mohan elbowed him in the ribs, “holy shit! Is that Mel and Santos?”
He looked up. It was them. But Mel looked . . . different. He’s always found Mel attractive. Sometimes he even has to stop himself from staring at the dainty beauty mark just below her right eye. But tonight, with her hair down, her glasses off, smiling, having fun . . . he couldn’t look away.
She started flipping her hair around “I never meant to braaaag, but I got him where I want him noooow.”
She looked happy, she looked free, she looked . . . fucking hot? He couldn’t help but wonder what her hair feels like, or what noise she would make if he ran his hands through it.
“You’re drooling,” Mohan interrupted his extremely inappropriate thoughts.
“I’m going to go get another Diet Coke,” he frantically walked towards the bar.
What. the. FUCK. is wrong with him. That’s Mel. Sweet Mel. She would be mortified if she knew he was thinking about her like this. He’s just tired. And surprised to see her outside of work. That’s all. He grabbed his second Diet Coke and pushed the thoughts out of his head.
He walked back towards their table, and noticed both Santos and Mel talking to Mohan.
As he got closer, Mel looked up at him, catching his eyes. His stomach flipped. What the fuck. Was he nervous? No. Absolutely not.
“Dr. Langdon!!!” Mel nearly knocked him over wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.
“Hey, Mel!” He hugged her back.
She let go, too quickly in his opinion, but left her arm on his shoulder and asked in a very serious manner “would you like me to get you a green tea shot, Dr. Langdon?”
“Ummmm that’s okay Mel,” he smiled, “can I ask, how many green tea shots have you had?”
“Hmmmmm,” she looked like she was solving a math equation in her head, “six.”
“What the fuck Santos, she’s had six shots?!” He glared at her.
“Hey, first of all, fuck you Langdon,” Santos replied holding up her middle finger while taking a sip of her drink, “second of all, I’m pretty sure she’s just had four.”
“That’s still a lot.” He turned his attention to Mel, “hey are you feeling okay?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, feeling the warmth radiating off her cheek.
“Mmmmhmmm,” she blushed.
“Let’s go grab you some water, alright?”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her to the bar. He sat her down and asked for a water.
When he looked back over she was smiling at him. Similar to the way she did in the ambulance bay earlier that evening when he told her about his closed cervical reduction.
He blushed, “you okay?”
For having 4-6 shots, Mel seemed to be handling them pretty well.
“Um yeah,” her smile faded, “thanks for taking care of ……… for uhmmm taking care of Bec-Becca today,” Mel’s voice broke and she started crying. He was very wrong. She’s definitely drunk, and the depression is starting to hit.
——————————————————
“You better fucking take care of her, or I swear I will end you!” Drunk Santos assured Langdon as she climbed out of the backseat of his SUV.
“Alright, have a good night Santos!” It was 2:00am and this was his second stop of the night.
First he drove 20 minutes out to drop off Mohan, who wasn’t drunk, but tipsy enough she needed a ride. Then, despite her strong opposition and threats, he drove Santos to her apartment. Now, it was time to get Mel home.
She had been suspiciously quiet for the entirety of the car ride, staring out the window, fiddling with the hair tie on her wrist.
Here she was, right next to him. Sitting in the passenger seat of his car. But she seemed a million miles away.
He parked in front of a small townhome. It matched the address she had struggled to type into the GPS earlier. She was still silent and made no motion towards the door handle.
“Mel, you okay?” Instinctually, he reached out his hand to touch her leg. He quickly pulled away before making contact, deciding it was inappropriate.
“Hmm?” She hummed, still clearly dissociating.
“Mel, what are you thinking about?”
She turned and made eye contact with him for a moment, it seemed like she was going to ask him a question. She quickly looked down at her hands.
“Do you think I’m pretty?” She asked firmly, without looking up.
“Mel, … um…. I,” he was at loss of words. His hands started feeling clammy. He suddenly felt like a teenage boy again, nervous. He felt heat rise to his cheeks, was he blushing?
“Um nevermind. Thanks for the ride.” Mel took his silence as an answer and started reaching for the door handle.
Before he could stop himself he reached across her to the door and blocked her hand, “wait.”
She looked at him. Her eyes were wide and her lips parted.
“I’m going to answer your question, but then I need you to tell me why you asked. Okay?”
She nodded.
“Mel,” he didn’t break eye contact, and neither did she, “I think you are very pretty.”
Her breath hitched. They sat in silence looking at each other for several seconds before she broke eye contact.
“Ummm, thank you Dr. Langdon,” she blushed.
“Frank.”
“What?” She asked, still blushing.
“You can call me Frank, you know?”
“Oh, um yes. I will do that.”
He waited before pressing, “so um, why did you ask?”
She bit her lip, “I - it’s embarrassing, but I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I’ve never even been kissed. And I was wondering if - uh, maybe men just don’t find me attractive.”
“Wait, you’ve never been kissed?” How? He wondered. How has no one ever kissed her pink lips, how has no one ever kissed her cute nose, how has no one ever kissed that fucking freckle under her right eye that he constantly has to remind himself to stop looking at.
“No.” She answered.
It was quiet for a few moments before she said “I better get inside. Thanks again for the ride.”
“Yeah, of course. Let me walk you up.” He got out before she could protest.
They started walking up the steps to her front door. There was something intimate about knowing where Mel lived, and selfishly he hoped he was the first man to ever walk her to her front door. Before he could think about it too much, Mel’s foot caught on one of the steps and she hit the ground.
“Fuck,” he immediately crouched down next to her, “are you okay?!”
Instead of crying, or expressing any kind of pain. She just started laughing. She turned so that she was sitting on the ground, and just laughed until she couldn’t breathe.
“Oh my gosh,” she said catching her breath, “I didn’t realize how tipsy I am.”
He smiled a little but was still concerned, “does anything hurt, did you sprain your ankle?” He reached for her ankle, still crouched in front of her.
“No,” she said smiling, “I’m pretty sure I just scratched up my knees.”
Without hesitating, he pulled up the bottom of her scrub pants, revealing her left knee.
“Yeah, you scraped it up pretty good. Nothing some Neosporin and a band aid shouldn’t fix.”
He looked up and realized they were closer than they had ever been. She looked down at his lips. Suddenly, it felt like all the air in his lungs vanished.
Mel placed her hand on his cheek, and stroked his face gently.
His head was spinning. Here she was. His sweet Mel, touching him, staring at him, leaning into him.
He felt her breath hitch as she leaned in. Before he could even make sense of what was happening, her lips were on his.
Her lips were soft, gentle, and fleeting. She pulled away before he could deepen the kiss.
It was just a peck. But for Frank, it changed everything.