This is a Frank and Alice story born out of the fact that Frank is not in Series 5, according to reports. Aaargh! It will likely have more than one chapter, and is based on personal experience.

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Frank pulled onto the drive of Alice's house, the house that had become home since he and Alice had got engaged. It had been pointless keeping two houses going and as his lease was up for renewal on his house they had agreed they would live together in her house until such time as they got married. Talk in Ballarat did not bother them, it wasn't as if they were likely to produce a tribe of illegitimate children, not at their age!

He had some news that he was dreading telling Alice, what had transpired this past week in Melbourne would hit her hard, it had certainly hit him hard and would change their ideas for the future. Having been away for a week all he wanted to do was to sink into Alice's arms and show her how much he had missed her.

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In the kitchen, Alice was adding some notes to an autopsy report. She rarely brought work home but the practical autopsy and discussions with Lucien had taken so long she decided she could just as easily finish off at home as in the morgue, and it would be more comfortable. Frank was due back from Melbourne that evening after a week away and she wanted to be there when he arrived. Jean had given her a casserole to keep hot in the oven for their meal, it would keep, she said, and any leftovers would freeze.

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'It's only me, Alice!' Frank called as he walked through the door.

'In the kitchen!' she called, she had one sentence to finish and that would be it; she could concentrate on welcoming her fiancé home. Putting his hat and jacket on the rack in the hall he went to find her and bent to kiss her neck as she leant over her work.

'Hello,' she turned and smiled at him, 'good week?'

But the expression on his face told her it wasn't.

Alice had, up to now, struggled to read facial expressions and body language, but Frank's face told her things hadn't gone well. She pushed her report away and turned to face him fully.

'What's the matter?' She searched his face for clues.

'We need to talk.' He put his arms round her, this was not the homecoming he had envisioned, his hope, when he'd left at the beginning of the week was a reunion of the baser kind! A whole week away from Alice had been hard to bear, she was warm and loving and eager in bed! He'd missed that.

He took her hands in his and guided her to the couch in the small living room.

'I'm being relieved of duty here at Ballarat.' He came straight to the point, no point in beating about the bush.

'What?!' she was astounded, 'why, what've you done?'

'Heaven knows,' he replied, throwing his hands in the air, 'our conviction rate is good, we have a strong team; and that includes you and Lucien; but they want me to be an instructor at the College in Melbourne.'

'And if you say no?...' she asked.

'That's it, end of career,' Frank looked so unhappy, devastated. Ballarat had become his home. He had slipped into the way of working, accepted Blake as a rogue, but effective, Police Surgeon, and had fallen in love again. Life had looked so good.

Alice leant in and kissed him. 'Do you have to move to Melbourne?' she asked.

'Well, it's five days a week, there may be the odd weekend, but I suppose not, why?' While he knew Alice was a logical person he couldn't see what she was aiming at.

'Well,' this was hard to phrase, 'why don't you work in Melbourne during the week and come home at the weekend?' She cocked her head to one side, waiting for his answer.

'You'd be alright with that?' He was amazed she could blandly suggest such a thing, for him a partnership, marriage meant being together all the time.

'Frank,' she took his hands in hers, 'I want to stay here. I've built up a relationship with Lucien as Police Surgeon, and, I hope, a good reputation as a pathologist; it took time to be accepted as a woman in a man's world, we have friends here, I...'

He knew she was right, it was a solution he hadn't thought of. He could stay at the college during the week, if he had to work over the weekend she could come to him, although they would have to stay in a hotel until they were married, but if Alice was prepared to put up with it, so was he.

'Are you sure?' He pulled her close.

'Not really,' she admitted, 'but it is an option, we can only try,' she stood up, 'but for now, you need feeding...'

'Bugger dinner,' he quipped, 'I've a better idea.' and he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

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I've done the long distance relationship, it's not too bad, my daughter is testament to that!