This is the last chapter in this story (it's a bit angst for which I apologise) before it becomes a bit tortuous, though some may say it already has. I need to bring it to a conclusion but hope to write some one shots for the couple at some later date.
Warning: death of a child.
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For the next few days, Frank and Alice danced around each other, carrying on as before. Neither one wanted to be the one who broke up the relationship.
Frank and Lucien were required to attend court in Melbourne, to give evidence in a case. They were leaving early and would be returning sometime later that night. But they didn't know when.
Alice was called out to the local refuse collection depot. A body had been found. Expecting to find the body of a workman who had fallen into the collection truck she was brought up short at the sight of a small child. About four to five years old she judged, as she desperately tried to build the wall Frank had demolished all those weeks ago. Detached but angry, and it wasn't because she was now a godmother, she had younger brothers and although she'd sometimes resented having to look after them so much, she would never have hurt any of them.
The ambulance came to collect the little body and take it to the morgue. As they stood looking at it she took the sheet off them and carefully wrapped the battered and bruised child before placing it gently on the stretcher. Charlie watched her, he could sense the anger and hurt, and noticed how she had become distant.
At the morgue she undressed the body and examined it. Taking x-rays she could see that most of his bones were broken and one rib had punctured his heart, causing massive internal bleeding. Among the bruises was one particular one directly over the sternum, which had the added impression of a ring. Possibly dealt by the left hand of the person who had hit him.
She washed him and wrapped him in a clean sheet, before placing him on the mortuary slider. She couldn't place him directly on the cold surface. Completing her report she went up to the office and left it on Frank's desk. 'You ok, Doc?' Charlie asked.
'Not really Charlie,' she might as well be honest, 'he was beaten to death. He looks to be about four or five, he should be out playing not lying on my mortuary slab.' She was angry and she didn't hide it. 'Find the bastard who did this Charlie.'
She swept out of the office with a 'I'll be at home if you need me.' And she was gone. Charlie and Bill Hobart just looked at each other, hoping they wouldn't have to call her out again.
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'Blake residence,' Jean answered the phone that evening, 'Oh hello Lucien. Alright, I'll see you later then. Oh wait,' Charlie was waving at her, motioning he wanted to speak to the doc, 'Charlie wants a quick word.'
Charlie went into the study, he hadn't told Jean about the case and he didn't want her to hear him tell Blake over the phone.
'Doc, is the Boss there? Ok, can you just tell him Dr Harvey's had a bad day. Dead child at the dump. No, she went home straight after the autopsy. Ok, see you later.'
'Everything alright Charlie,' Jean asked when he came out of the study. 'Yes, fine, just needed to get a message to the Superintendent.'
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Frank let himself into Alice's house, it was in darkness so he assumed she had gone to bed. Dropping his briefcase and jacket in the kitchen he headed through the lounge to the bedroom. In the lounge he pulled up short, a figure huddled on the couch.
'Alice?' softly, he didn't want to startle her.
'Oh, Frank, you're back,' she tried to sound as if she waited up for him regularly.
'Why are you still up? It's one thirty in the morning.' He'd got the message from Charlie, God, it must've been bad.
'Couldn't sleep,' a crack in her voice.
'Missed me,' he put his arms round her.
She turned and buried her head in his chest and let the tears soak through his shirt.
'Shh..' he didn't say anything else. He couldn't think of anything to say that would ease the pain and anger she felt. Alice, the ice maiden, had melted and it was his fault. If he hadn't torn down the wall so completely she would have been able to handle this better. He felt so guilty, that he couldn't protect her from this.
He picked her up and carried her to bed. She was wearing his pyjama top and robe, a need perhaps for comfort that she could get from him only. Undressing as far as he need he climbed into the bed next to her and let her cry herself to sleep in his arms.
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Alice woke as the sun streamed through the window. Trust Frank not to close the curtains, she thought. It was only a passing thought, she knew he'd been very late home and the state she was in, curtains? Well... who cares.
She turned to look at him. He must be so tired, the drive from Melbourne was not easy, but he turned and, stroking her hair, smiled.
'I should've been here,' he whispered.
'It's the penalty we pay,' she replied, 'for what we do.'
Kissing her head he pulled her closer.
'Frank?' She spoke. 'You asked me a question that I've not answered.'
He raised himself on his elbow and looked at her, waiting...
'The answer is yes; I will marry you.'
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I don't think marriage will weaken Alice, it will probably make her stronger, and I like to think she will still be 'that bloody woman!'
