Present day

Meeting room

She walked towards him and stopped just a short distance away, "Boyd, I'm so sorry for just walking out like that, but…"

"Frankie, just stop," he said forcefully, interrupting her, then his expression softened, "It's really good to see you." She grinned and they closed the gap.

As they broke away, Boyd turned to the rest of the room, "Let me introduce everyone. Sergeant Jessica Jones, Dr James Elliot, this is Dr Frankie Wharton." Jessica nodded and smiled as she was on the other side of the room, but James reached out to shake her hand.

"You're a tough act to follow," he said, trying to charm her.

"And judging by the scene as I entered, you failed," she replied. The others in the room hid smirks, while James' confident expression faltered. Boyd was amazed. In twelve months he had barely managed to shake this guys ego, but Frankie had destroyed it in two minutes.

"I'd better get back to my lab," James excused himself and hurried away.

"Well, I'm sure you've got work to do, I just wanted to say hello," Frankie said.

"Where are you working now?" Spencer asked, returning to his desk.

"I'm between jobs at the moment, but my top secret reason for being here could be my new job. All will be revealed in time."

"Well, come back and see us more often," Grace demanded.

"I certainly will," Frankie agreed, before turning to Boyd, "Can I have a quick word?"

In Boyd's office, she started, "I know when I left we weren't exactly sorted. Neither of us really knew where we stood."

"No, not really," he agreed.

"Right, well on that note, could you come over tonight? I think we need to talk," she asked, handing him a piece of paper with her new address on.

"Sure, what time?"

"About eight?"

"Fine. I'll see you later then."

O>

Boyd pulled up outside Frankie's new house and looked at it. It was a fairly plain semi-detached house, front door, path, windows, nothing out of the ordinary. Stepping out of the car, he pushed open the gate and went to ring the doorbell, checking his watch as he went. He was only fifteen minutes late.

Frankie opened the door quickly, "Hi, come in." He entered the house and stood in the hallway as she shut the door behind him. When she turned back, she said, "Okay, before we go in there, you have to know that things have changed for me. Since I've been away, things have happened which I didn't ask for and I didn't know how to deal with for the best, but I did what I thought was right."

"Frankie, what are you babbling about?" he asked, smiling.

She took a deep breath, "I have to do this before I chicken out. Come in here." She pushed open a door behind her and went through, indicating for Boyd to follow. His eyes adjusted to the change in light, as the room was only lit dimly. He could see it was her living room, containing sofas, chairs, a carry cot, TV. Then his eyes returned to the one piece of furniture that seemed out of place in her living room. The carry cot. He walked towards it, never letting his eyes leave it, and soon a form became visible inside. The tiny child in the blankets was awake, but silent, kicking it's arms and legs around, staring up at the world.

"Is it yours?" he asked, the only words he could manage.

She stood next to him, "Ours"