Author's Note:- Rated for sexual content in later chapters and adult themes. Episode based "Breaking Glass" S3 EPs 5/6. Not mine and never will be.

Nothing but the best Chapter 1

"Frankie? Frankie are you still down here?" Boyd called pushing the automatic door release on the lab as Frankie appeared from behind one of the sheets of plastic.

"Yes but I'm going home so if you're down here to tell me we have a new case then I'm not really here I'm a figment of your imagination."

"What?...No, not a new case I want to talk to you about something else. Can we sit or something?"

"Boyd you're starting to freak me out if I didn't know better I'd say you were nervous, you don't do nervous. You make people nervous." Frankie replied motioning to two of the stools at her workstation and watching him take one. She'd never seen him so edgy, it was alarming in its unusualness.

"I want the conversation we're about to have to go no further ok? Between you and me and that works both ways I'll not repeat anything you say to me ok?"

"OK Boyd, but just so you know that statement isn't making me feel any less nervous."

"No...nor me but I have to do this, I have to know." Boyd sighed looking down at the shiny silver surface of her work table. He couldn't quite believe he was about to have the conversation he hoped he was but he knew he had to, he had to know.

"Jesus Boyd will you get to the point already?"

"Ok...ok, look you and Grace are close aren't you?"

"I like to think so" Frankie replied relaxing just a little as she realised the discussion was going in the direction of her friend and their boss's obvious feelings for her.

"This Alan bloke...what's the story there? I mean is it..."

"Is it serious?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you care?"

"Frankie please..." Boyd sighed trying to maintain his patience as the scientist shook her head at him.

"You two are a nightmare you realise that don't you?"

"I know she is personally I think I'm perfectly normal."

"Yeah that's how I'd describe you Detective superintendent Peter "normal" Boyd." Frankie smiled before looking back at him. "Look what are you actually asking me Boyd? Is Grace in love with Alan? Nah...He's comfortable, easy, something she thinks she needs right now given the way you've messed her around this last..."

"Wow...wow back up a bit what do you mean the way I've messed her around?"

"We're not blind Boyd. When you two got back from the psychology in policing conference last year it was obvious you'd finally hooked up. Don't even bother denying it. We thought it'd only be a matter of time until you told us and we'd all be delighted for you. Spence was running a book on how long you would try to keep it secret. Then a couple of months down the line Grace starts talking about this new man she met at some university dinner and we're all confused as hell." Frankie continued seeing a flash of pain cross Boyd's eyes and wondering for a second if she'd been wrong in her assumption that it was him who had ended things, maybe it had been Grace after all. The thought didn't linger long though as he sighed heavily and couldn't meet her eye.

"We talked...no if I'm honest I talked on the way home and we decided what happened between us should stay in Glasgow. I didn't really want to...or maybe I did hell Frankie I don't know all I know is that I didn't want to end up hurting her, having her hate me or this unit and everything else being screwed up because I'm shit at relationships."

"Yeah I figured it was you who'd put the breaks on. You do actually realise she's in love with you don't you? That she has been for years."

"No...no we had a great weekend, it was perfect in fact and I am in love with her I can promise you that but there's no way she loves me Frankie. Women like Grace don't fall in love with men like me and that was what scared me most of all. If I'd let the affair continue I'd not have been able to ever let her go and she'd have left me in the end." Boyd replied shaking his head firmly feeling a sting of pain as Frankie laughed. "I'm glad you're finding this so funny it's my life you know and it's..."

"I don't find it in the least bit funny. I'm just amazed and horrified that you broke the heart of an amazing woman who loves you just because you're blind to the fact she does."

"None of this is making any sense Frankie. If I'm honest I thought you'd tell me to get lost you weren't telling me anything about Grace but I was jealous and I couldn't help myself. Now I've no idea what the fuck is going on."

"Right," Frankie sighed taking a deep breath and thinking carefully about her next words. She knew she was breaking a friend's confidence but then she had done that by talking to him at all. It was a risk, she could tell Boyd what she felt he needed to hear and he could do nothing about it. Worse still he could try to do something and completely screw it up meaning Grace would end up hurt all over again. "What I say here stays here?"

"Absolutely."

"Grace isn't happy with McKenzie, she's settling because she believes she'll never be with you."

"She told you that?"

"Not in so many words, she does a pretty good job most of the time of hiding how hard it is for her just to work alongside you thinking you don't want her."

"But..."

"Yeah, yeah you love her but she's supposed to know that how Boyd? This Alan guy is as dull as dishwater, he hates her working here with us and...and if you repeat this last bit I will kill you and remember I could get away with it."

"What Frankie? You're scaring me now, has he hurt her? Is he..."

"Jesus no, that's not what I mean. He's...well lets just say a weekend in Glasgow with him wouldn't hold a candle to what I assume it was like with you. She's slowly dying of boredom but she will never admit it because like I said she's settling. Being with him is better than being alone and having to be reminded daily how much she wishes she was with you."

"I've done that to her." Boyd said quietly refusing to look at Frankie as she shook her head.

"Really she'd probably say you've done it to each other but you're the only one who can fix it. She put herself out there for you and you essentially rejected her. She's not going to make the first move now."She replied with a sad smile as Boyd finally looked at her again making her heart break just a little at the pain she could see in his eyes.

"How do I fix it Frankie, if you know please tell me because I have to fix it."

"She's at home, she'll be on her own, I heard her on the phone earlier telling him she didn't want to see him tonight. Go talk to her Boyd. I can't guarantee it'll be a pleasant conversation or that she'll make it easy for you but won't it be worth it in the end?"

"Yes it will be worth it...at least I hope so." Boyd replied getting up from the stool and leaving without another word. Watching after his Frankie gave a small sigh as she switched off the over head lights and left praying that for once in their long and complicated relationship Grace and Boyd might just make things easy on themselves.