Loose Ends
Summary: Frank's leaving Sydney. But he needs to tie up some loose ends before he goes.
Rated: K+ for a little swearing.
A/N: A short fic set during the season four episode Tomorrow Never Comes (obviously!).
His decision to leave was not one Frank Holloway took lightly. Even though it may have felt and seemed like a split decision, in his heart, he knew it had been coming for a while. Over the years, Frank had slowly —ever so slowly— become disenchanted with the police service. He could tell he was no longer making a difference as an officer and something inside him snapped. And he began to realise that the only thing keeping him in the job was his partner and best friend, Rachel Goldstein.
Fuck.
What would he do without her?
What would she do without him?
Who would look out for her? Protect her?
Fuck.
That last thought really bothered Frank. It bothered him so much that he grunted as he hastily got up off the couch and drove to a place he never thought he'd go. To see a person he never thought he'd have to see again. Once Frank parked the car, he stared at the building through the driver's side window and began to wonder what he was doing there. Until he finally forced himself to get out of the car.
Inside the building, the man Frank had to see was quietly sitting at his desk. There was no one else in the office, Frank noticed. An intrigued frown slowly appeared and then quickly disappeared from his face.
"Frank? What on earth are you doing here?" he was greeted by a gruff, but not necessarily grumpy, sounding voice. "You have got to be the last person I'd expect to see here…"
Frank blinked a couple of times, he was standing in the doorway. He hadn't realised he'd been noticed yet. "Believe me, Christey," he said, stepping into the office. "I can't really say I excepted it either. But, here I am."
Jack sighed, but it was quiet enough for Frank not to hear. "Geez. Must be important," he noted, and through slightly narrowed eyes, he watched Frank walk over to the chair in front of his desk and sit down. One thought, one name, then entered Jack's mind: Rachel. He was adamant they didn't have anything else in common, besides her. But Jack waited for Frank to tell him the reason he was there.
"I'm leaving," Frank soon said matter-of-factly, but as he clasped his hands together and rested them on the edge of Jack's desk, he decided that statement was probably too broad. "I'm leaving Sydney."
After a few moments of silence, Jack slowly started to nod. But it wasn't exactly a nod of understanding. If anything, he was actually a little confused. "And you're telling me this because…?" Jack frowned.
"I'm telling you because I know you'll apply for the job. And I know you'll get it."
The frown on Jack's face didn't disappear, in fact, it became more pronounced. "Ohh…kay…?"
Frank exhaled loudly through his nose. He didn't particularly feel like spelling it out to Jack, but annoyingly, he was there for that very reason. "You've worked at the Water Police before. You know everyone. Well, almost everyone."
"And that's why you're here, is it Frank? To tell me that?" Jack questioned. There was a noticeable hardness in his tone of voice, but he wasn't angry by any means. "You could have called me to say this, ya know. I have a phone."
Frank's eyes turned downwards briefly before he looked back over at Jack. "This is a conversation that had to be in person," he said, seriously. "I wanted to see your face when you promise me you'll look out for Rachel. She'll be your partner." Frank saw another frown form on Jack's face, but it was a smaller one this time. What went on between Jack and Rachel last year wasn't a secret to Frank. And he knew how Jack felt about her. "Look," Frank added when Jack hadn't yet made any attempt to reply. "I know you and I haven't seen eye to eye in the past. But can we at least agree that we both want to look out for her?"
Jack leaned back in his chair and he stopped frowning, even though he couldn't quite believe that Frank felt the need to ask. "Yes Frank, we can definitely agree on that."
"So you'll promise to do that? Look out for her?"
"Of course I will," Jack answered, with both a tone in his voice and a look on his face that told Frank he meant it. Jack could sense Frank was relieved by his response. "So… leaving Sydney huh? Where are you going? Melbourne? New Zealand?"
Frank almost scoffed at Jack's guesses. Although at least New Zealand was overseas, he thought. "No. Venezuela. I'm sailing there."
Jack's mouth opened slightly. He wasn't expecting that response from Frank. Venezuela was, well, a lot further away than Jack was thinking. "Okay. Wow. What… forever? Or…" he eventually stuttered.
"Two years. Maybe. I don't know yet," Frank shrugged his shoulders as he spoke. "I'm heading off tomorrow, so I'd better get going." He stood up, and held out his hand in gesture. "Look after Rachel."
Jack shook his hand firmly, and with a single nod, replied, "I will, Frank. Don't worry. Good luck with everything."
Frank drove home for what would probably be the final time, at least for a while. Relieved that he'd spoken to Jack, Frank pulled out an A2 sized map of the world and started plotting his course to Caracas, Venezuela. The most challenging part, he thought, would most likely be while sailing out of Sydney. The Heads. They were a notoriously dangerous spot for boats, big and small.
Hopefully, with any luck, tomorrow will be a good day weather-wise, Frank thought. He then sighed as he thought about Rachel. He'd last seen her at work, but it was only to tell her he was going to Venezuela. Frank wanted Rachel to go with him. He asked, in his own way, even though he knew what her answer would be. He knew she couldn't just leave.
Frank's thoughts were soon interrupted by a few gentle knocks at the door. He got up and walked down the corridor, and wasn't overly surprised by who he saw standing in front of him.
"Farewell drink?" Rachel held up a bottle of champagne in her hand. "Or we could smash it over the bow. It wasn't very expensive," she paused. "I hear you're leaving tomorrow."
Frank studied her. "You been drinkin'?"
"Oh, just a few beers. Nothing to talk of."
The End - you know the rest ;)