Shameless, Reckless Love (GirlxGirl)

Mel and Fabian POV

Fabian seemed to stare at the back door for what seemed like a couple of hours. He just couldn't get the slam of the door out of his head. The way Eden's harsh tone cut through the air was just cringing to the ears. Fabian always knew what Mel's absence has done to the kids, and how he'd think back to the days where they'd all crawl into Fabian's embrace, waiting for the day their father came to the door, but never did. Fabian acknowledged all of this pretty much every day, but seeing the shift in Eden's normal, day-to-day attitude once Mel showed again made the word, "worried", an understatement in Fabe's mind.

Out of the blue, Faye is the first to break Fabian out of his troublesome gaze.

"She's got no fucking manners." Faye complains, referring to Eden's previous behavior, and then she trudges up the stairs. Fabian rolls his eyes, and continues cleaning up the mess Mel made when he was cooking breakfast.

"Is everything alright?" Mel's voice asks right behind Fabian's ear. Fabian nearly jumps out of his skin since Mel was so close in Fabian's personal space. Fabian then shifts awkwardly away from Mel.

"What?" Fabian impassively asks, forgetting Mel's question.

"Is everything alright?" Mel then repeats. "With Eden?" Fabian then makes a scoffing sound.

"Oh, I don't know, but I'm sure it's got absolutely nothing to do with her father suddenly back home." Fabian antagonizes. Instead of realizing Fabian's sarcasm, Mel's attention turns toward little Cora, who makes her way into the kitchen very sleepily.

"What's with all the door slams?" Cora asks. Fabian goes to give Cora her usual "Good Morning" hug, but Mel basically pushes past Fabian to smother Cora in his beefy arms.

"Oh, Cora, my munchkin! Good morning!" Mel exclaims, swaying Cora around.

"Dad?" Cora asks, though her voice is muffled against Mel's bulky shirt. Mel finally releases her.

"Want breakfast?" Mel asks her, and heads over to the counter to gather a plate of food before Cora can even answer him.

"How long is he staying?" Cora then asks, looking towards Declan and Fabian.

"I made pancakes!" Mel says, shoving the plate toward Cora. As expected, Cora immediately smiles ear to ear at the plate.

"Alright, cool!" Cora says and hungrily sits at the dining table. Without any hesitation, Mel rummages through the fridge and cupboards, and places candies and whip cream for Cora's use. Declan eye's bulge at the sweets, and Fabian takes charge.

"Don't go too crazy with those chocolate chips!" Fabian warns, but it was directed more toward Mel.

"SHH!" Cora replies to Fabian, and sprays a tower of whip cream on top of her pancakes. Fabian sighs and turns to Mel, who is now playing around with Leona as she sits in her high chair.

"Uh, Mel?" Fabian asks awkwardly. Mel turns around.

"Yeah, son." He answers.

"It's real sweet that you've come to be with Faye as she grieves over Grandad, but it'd be best that you don't stick around longer than you need to." Fabian says in his nicest way possible.

"Why, what's the matter?" Mel asks.

"I don't want to make this complicated. I've just got this new job, and I've got a lot to deal with right now, so-"