"Not at the cost of my career. And you know what, it's actually unfair of you to ask me to do something I'm categorically not allowed to do."
She had stood up to him from the start, work was work, and pleasure was, well pleasure. They didn't mix the two, never had. He had chosen her for her skill and knowledge back in the day, and he had chosen her now because she was the best there was. He had told her that then, and when he asked her again to be part of his team. But when he had asked her to not only bend the rules but throw them out the nearest window she flat out refused. This was work, and she knew part of him had only asked because of their personal relationship.
She had run the test anyway, knowing it was wrong, knowing it was illegal, but still doing it. When she got the results she didn't want to share them with anyone, but she didn't want to keep them to herself either. That was when she told Grace, who in turn told Boyd, who had then shared the information with the whole team. At that moment she wasn't sure who she was the most upset with, Grace for passing on the information or Boyd for telling everyone else. She had made it up with Grace which was easy, Grace not being the one who she was in a relationship with, Grace not being the one who had indirectly manipulated her into running the tests in the first place. Again Boyd had tried to fob her off, tried to tell her it would all be okay, nothing could be traced back to her. He had asked her to trust him, the man who didn't seem to care if things went south as they had in the past and that she would go down with him. She had lost her temper, shouting that at least she knew where she stood with him. Frankie stormed away from him, from them all. She returned to her lab, her sanctuary, the one place she could rely on everything. What she didn't see was the way he had lost his temper with Mel and Spencer, taking out the anger he felt for both himself and her on them.
He had come to her, in her lab, in the place she felt the safest. His attempt at trying to win her over was showing her the I love you sign he had scribbled out as an attempt at an apology. She was not going to back down, no matter how cute it was, or how much it had cost him to not only come down to the lab but to actually write those words out. He wasn't the type of man to constantly say he loved her, he was more a physical type of man, a man who showed her how he felt without the need for words. She talked about the case, about the evidence, about anything that wasn't him worming his way back into her good books. Boyd tried a different tactic when he saw his note wasn't working.
"Frankie. If something gets in my way, you know I can, climb over it," a smirk crossing his lips at the double meaning. "Or go around it, or dig under or if necessary walk straight through it." The words a cryptic riddle to her as she knew they had more meaning than he was letting on.
"What exactly are we talking about here, our working relationship?" Pushing him to clarify what he was saying.
"No, no, of course not I'm just trying to explain."
The words seeming flustered and incomplete.
She let him talk, the part of her that was zoned into the lab, her surroundings, channelling the scientific part of her as she countered his argument when she got a chance.
He made a deal with her, that he would do better at handling situations so the moral and ethical parts of their job and their personal relationship didn't cross. When she talked with Grace she had told her she knew he had grilled Steven Matlin over his affair with Debbie and him being a married man. Neither of them could actually believe he had done it, especially given the fact he had done exactly the same himself. Frankie never let on she knew what he had said to Matlin, she did her job to the best of her ability, showing Boyd she was the best at what she did.
As Frankie and Spencer stood taking down all the pictures off the whiteboard and dropping them in the box Boyd sat at his desk watching them. The case had taken a twist no one had expected, no one but Boyd and Grace suspecting Anna Matlen of killing Debbie Britton. Another case closed, another notch on the proverbial bedpost. Boyd was so occupied watching Frankie he didn't hear Grace enter and stop beside him.
"She'll forgive, eventually. But you need to apologise to Frankie, not to Doctor Wharton your pathologist. You went personal, took the case places it should never have gone. She also knows about you calling Steven out for having an affair when he was married as well. You're in deep Peter, very deep. But she loves you, god only knows why. Finish up here and take her to dinner, make her feel special, make her feel wanted for being her, not some science wizz." Seeing Boyd look thoughtfully at Frankie as Frankie choose that moment to turn and look straight at him.
"Thanks, Grace." Boyd Turning to face Grace as he saw Frankie coming towards him.
Grace made a sharp exit, retreating to a safe distance just in case it all went wrong. Boyd put his cup down and stood up, just as Frankie placed her hand on the door handle and turned it, the door opening to admit her.
"I'm done for the night, Mel and Spencer are too. I'm going home, I'll see you tomorrow." Frankie giving no room for misinterpretation in her words.
"Have dinner with me tonight, anywhere you like, you pick." His features softening as he looked at Frankie.
"My flat, alone." Frankie's sharp tongue biting back.
"Please, Frankie. Let me take you to dinner, my treat, we can go anywhere you like." Giving her his award-winning smile as he tried to dazzle her into saying yes.
"Why?" Her hands on her hips as she stared at him.
"Because I want to take you out. I want to treat you, I want to spend time with you, it's my way of saying sorry for being a prick. All of the above." Moving around the desk so he had his back to the glass partition meaning only Frankie could see his face. "I screwed up and I'm sorry, what more can I do?"
Frankie regarded Boyd as he stood in front of her, the boyish grin of his face, hands stuffed in his trousers pockets, his hair flopping onto his face. She wanted to stay mad at him, wanted to make him wait before she gave in. Her shoulders dropped as some of the fight left her.
"We can go out but that doesn't mean I forgive you, yet. Do I need to go home and change first?" Looking down at her blue jeans, grey sweater and a red top.
"No, you look fine as you are. So, where do you want to go?" Taking his hands out his pockets and going for his coat.
Frankie had no idea at all, she hadn't even considered food until he had mentioned it.
"No idea. Can I think about while I get my coat?" Her mind trying to think of somewhere they could go that she didn't need to wear something other than jeans and a sweater.
"Of course. How about I meet you by the car in ten minutes, we'll take mine." The smile on his face again making Frankie go weak and consider giving in.
Frankie didn't speak, just nodded her head. She didn't trust her mouth not to betray her. Boyd watched her leave, turning to give Grace the thumbs-up through the clear perspex window between their offices when he was sure Frankie wouldn't see him. Grace smiled, it was a start. Grace watched them both leave a few minutes apart, Frankie checking Boyd's office before she headed upstairs to met him. When Frankie reached Boyd's car he was stood waiting for her, holding the car door open until she was safely inside.
"Where would you like to go?" Boyd asked after he got in the car and did his seat belt up.
"That new buffet restaurant down by the canal, the one that does dishes from all over the world. You know which one I mean?" Seeing Boyd do a mental map in his head as he worked out how to drive there.
"Okay, let's go then." Finally turning on the ignition after he worked out how to get there.
When they arrived at the restaurant Frankie got out the car and inhaled deeply, the smell of various foods filling the air. Boyd came to stand beside her, holding out his hand for her to take. Frankie looked down at the pre-offered hand and then up to Boyd. Boyd just smiled, wiggled his fingers and then reached out taking Frankie's hand in his. He didn't let go until they were seated side by side in the restaurant. He had turned down the first table, a small table with two chairs opposite each other. This table was for four people, two bench chairs so he could sit beside Frankie. Taking their coats off they put them on the bench opposite as they ordered drinks. The drinks weren't even on the table when Frankie came back from the buffet with a huge plate full of food. Boyd laughed as he went to get his own food, for someone who he hardly saw eat she could eat for England when a buffet was put in front of her.
Several plates later Frankie was full, the remains of her chocolate gateau still on the plate in front of her. Boyd had stopped after three plates and one slice of cake. Finishing his drink he looked at Frankie, her hands placed on her stomach, her head resting back on the chair and her eyes closed. She looked truly beautiful, tired but beautiful.
"You ready to go?" Reaching across and putting his hand on her thigh.
"Yeah, I think I may have overdone it with the cake though." Lifting her head from the back of the chair and opening her eyes.
"How about a walk before we go home?" Giving her thigh a gentle squeeze as he spoke.
"Why not, it's not that late." Frankie standing up and reaching for both of their coats.
She went to pass Boyd his coat but he took both his and hers. He stood up and held her coat up for her to put on. Frankie put her coat on and turned around to look at Boyd, her eyebrow raised in question as he put his coat on, her hands in her pockets. Boyd just winked at her, which totally disarmed her. He again took her hand after paying the bill, walking with her as close to his side as he could get her. They walked along the canal towpath, the orange glow of the street lighting illuminating the path ahead. After five minutes Boyd let go of Frankie's hand and slipped his arm around her waist, her body now flush with his.
"This is nice." Frankie's voice a mere whisper as they walked.
"It is, we should do it more often." Turning to place a kiss on her temple.
They walked until Boyd found a small snack van alongside a building site. He ordered two coffees and led them to a seat tucked back from the canal towpath. Frankie leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. He took a drink of his coffee, the acrid taste burning his throat and mouth.
"Frankie." Boyd's voice quiet as his breath blew across Frankie's hair.
"Mhhhh." Frankie's hands wrapped tightly around the styrofoam cup as she lifted her head from Boyd's shoulder and sipped the dark liquid in the cup.
"I was wrong to ask you to do what I did. I'm sorry I put you in that position. I promise it won't happen again. I used our relationship to manipulate you and it was out of order." His words slow and deliberate.
Frankie turned so she was facing Boyd, her eyes locking with his as she watched him intently. He had already apologised for his behaviour, made her the note that was now tucked safely at the bottom of her bag.
"I can't believe I let myself be sucked in, I should have stood my ground. This isn't all your fault, I have no idea why I even did the test, it went against everything I trained to do, and not do. I hear you chewed Matlin out about having an affair when married, bit hypocritical don't you think? We wouldn't be here now like this if you hadn't." Frankies words straight to the point making Boyd hang his head.
"I know, but I was just so pissed with him. It was either that or hit the bastard. He did call me out about knowing the baby was his, but I called his bluff, and thank Christ it worked. I would never have named you, you know that right?" The honesty in his voice and eyes letting Frankie know he was telling the truth.
"How about we put today behind us and move on?" Frankie's hand going to brush the hair from Boyd's forehead as she gave him a half smile.
"I think that's the best thing I've heard in a long time. If I ever overstep the mark again feel free to call me out on it. If you don't Grace will, and I'd much rather it was you." Taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles.
"I need to toughen up if you'd rather face me than Grace. I'll have to get her to teach me a few of her tricks." Seeing the mock horrified look on Boyd's face which made her laugh.
"Let's go home, you're freezing." Frankie's hand that Boyd had kissed now covered by both of his as he attempted to rub some warmth into them.
Frankie didn't argue, just finished the warm coffee in her cup and stood up, pulling Boyd with her. Frankie slid her arm around Boyd's waist, her head tucked against his chest. They kept the silence between them, all the way along the towpath and the short drive home. Even when they arrived home they hardly spoke, conversations kept to the bare minimum. Boyd spooned around Frankie in bed, her body fitting perfectly beside his. He kissed Frankie's naked shoulder, his lips lingering on the spot.
"I love you, Frankie." Half the words not even audible to his own ears.
Frankie was either asleep or hadn't heard him, her body now supple and heavy against him. As Grace had pointed out to him, Frankie loved him. He had known for a while that she did, she just hadn't said that she did. He never expected her to, the fact she was there in his bed with him after what he had done was proof enough. He closed his eyes and said a silent mantra to Frankie, to never ever cross their work and personal lives again.