Chapter Text
“Frank… Come on. Where are you?” You checked your phone for what seemed like the thousandth time, trying not to let the tears stinging your eyes slip down your face.
It had been two days since you had last seen him. Two days since he kissed you and left for his current late-night excursion. Two days since you turned on the news to see that the warehouse he had been planning on breaking into had exploded, leaving no survivors.
But you refused to believe Frank was gone. He was better than that. He was The Punisher. Besides, he had promised he would come home to you. And in the eight months you had been dating, Frank had never broken a promise before. So, you called anyone and everyone you could think of that he might have turned to if he was hurt. You had even bit the bullet and called Matt, though you knew Frank would kill you if he found out. But nobody had heard from him. So now there was nothing you could do but wait.
As you paced back and forth, glancing at your phone in vain yet again, something on the television caught your eye. The news was reporting that three unidentified bodies had been recovered from the remains of the warehouse and were being transferred to the lab so their identities may be uncovered. It was the first real update you had seen since the initial report days ago. And luckily, Frank had a contact who worked in the medical examiner’s office who you were friendly with. You dialed his number before the news broadcast had even switched topics.
On the third ring, he finally picked up. “What? I told you two, ya need ta stop callin’ me while I’m at work.”
But you just ignored his complaint. “Brody, listen to me. Is your office the one they brought the bodies from the warehouse explosion to?”
“Yeah, why- Was this Castle? God, I shoulda known. Well, whatever he did, he don’t have ta worry about evidence. These fuckers are too badly burnt ta have any evidence still on ‘em. He got lucky this time.”
“No, Brody, I-” You took a long stuttering breath as you tried to maintain your composure. “There’s a chance….. It’s possible…. One of those guys….” You fell silent, unable to actually say the words.
But luckily, Brody understood. “Oh, fuck. Hey, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize…. Are ya sure?”
“No. That’s why I called. I need you to look and see if any of them match his….. Please, Brody, I need to know.”
“Yeah, yeah, I gotcha. You’ll have ta give me a minute while I get my boss out of the examination room. I’m gonna just put down the phone while I check, and I’ll be right back. ‘K?”
You can hear the worried edge in his tone now, but you tried to ignore it. “Okay. Just… please hurry.”
The line went quiet. You could still hear small, distant shuffling and what was possibly two people having a conversation, but it was all too muffled to make anything out. You settled into one of the chairs at the kitchen counter as you waited… and waited… and waited…
After what seemed like hours but was in reality probably more like ten minutes, you heard the noises on the other end of the line intensify before Brody’s voice said, “Hey. I was able to check ‘em.”
His tone was more serious than you had ever heard before. Usually, even facing the most gruesome of bodies, Brody always had a joke or sarcastic comment to make. But now, there wasn’t even the slightest trace of humor in his voice. And that scared you more than the waiting had. “Well…. Is he…?”
Brody sighed heavily. “I honestly don’t know. There’s no way he’s one a the first two guys. Build is all wrong. But the third one…. I’m not sayin’ it’s him, but it could be. The body’s too badly burnt ta tell. I’m so sorry.”
You slammed your hand over your mouth to keep from wailing into the phone. You had needed Brody to come back and assure you that there was no way any of those bodies could have been Frank. But the confirmation that Frank might be laying in the morgue right now? That you never got to tell him…
A thought suddenly crossed your mind. Speaking frantically into the phone, you pleaded, “Did the bodies have any personal effects?”
“Yeah, a few things.” Brody replied. “Ya know, keys, cash, bullets, the kinda things ya’d expect.”
“What about a man’s gold wedding ring? Not on his finger but in his jacket pocket?” You asked desperately.
“Why? Did ya two get married and not tell me or somethin’?”
“No. It's from when he was married before. Frank never goes anywhere without it. He puts it on the nightstand when we go to bed and slips it in his pocket the second he gets up. If there’s no ring, it isn’t him. I’d bet my life on it.”
“Let me double check the file and see what it says.” As he searched, you held your breath, knowing that either the presence or lack of a ring would solidify the man’s identity in your mind.
After a few agonizing moments, Brody returned to the phone. “Nope. No ring was found on any of ‘em. Just a few watches and a gold chain.”
You sagged back into your chair as you let out a huge sigh of relief. “Thank God. It’s not him. He’s still out there somewhere.”
Brody inhaled slowly before giving his next reply. “Listen, hun, the cops didn’t find any evidence anyone made it out of the building. And they think there’s a good chance a few people might a just disintegrated in the blast. Or were blown up so much they won’t ever be able to be ID'd. If Castle was there…”
“He got out. I know he did. He promised me, and Frank doesn’t break his promises. He made it out and he’ll come home,” you said firmly.
Brody scoffed lightly. “I know ya believe in the guy but that don’t make him invincible. Ya should know that better than anyone. Just…. don’t get your hopes up. Maybe you’re right and he’ll be home soon. I hope ta God he is. But if not… ya got ta prepare yourself for that. Okay?” You muttered a soft acknowledgment and he continued. “Now, I got ta get back ta work. But ya call me if ya hear anythin’ one way or another, got it?”
“I got it. Thank you, Brody. I really appreciate your help. If you hear anything else, can you let me know?”
“As soon as I know, you’ll know.” And with that final promise, he hung up.
You placed your phone on the counter and stared at the picture of you and Frank on the screen. You had taken it a few weeks ago as you both had settled into bed for the night. You were smiling widely as Frank placed a goodnight kiss on your forehead. You remembered that the moment you had first looked at the photo was the moment you had realized that you were in love with Frank Castle. But you had been too scared to tell him. And now, all you had left was the hope he would walk back through the front door and you could finally tell him how you truly felt.
However, after three more agonizing days of waiting, that hope had just about been extinguished. There was still no word from Frank, and Brody had called earlier to tell you there was footage of someone matching his description entering the warehouse before the explosion but not of him leaving. And then he solemnly reminded you that there was a good chance they would never recover all the bodies that had been involved in the blast.
So, that night as you glanced at your phone one last time just as the last ounce of battery life drained away and your faces on the screen went black, you realized it was time to face the facts. Frank was gone and you were alone.
You managed to make it into the shower before you completely fell apart. You leaned heavily against the cool tile wall as the spray from above mixed with the tears streaming down your face. Ever so slowly, you slid down and curled up at the bottom of the tub where you continued to lay long after the warm water had run out.
However, eventually, your shivering and teeth chattering became too great and you reluctantly crawled out of the shower. Drying off as quickly as you could, you stumbled into your bedroom to grab your pajamas. However, as you passed in front of the closet, you changed your mind. Instead, you grabbed one of Frank’s long-sleeved shirts and hoodies to wear instead.
Once you were dressed, you crawled into the huge, empty bed and curled up on Frank’s side. You grabbed his pillow and clutched it tightly against your chest. After five nights of clinging to it, it had begun to lose most of his scent, instead smelling more like you by this point. Yet, if you buried your face into it just right, you could still get a whiff of Frank’s musky aftershave, and the faint coppery smell of blood that always seemed to cling to him. And soon, you drifted off to sleep with thoughts of the man you loved floating through your head.
A few hours later, something drew you from your dreams back to the waking world. Laying on your side facing the window as you opened your eyes, you didn’t notice anything amiss in the darkened room. Sighing as you let your eyes drift shut once more, you shifted slightly and draped your arm across your stomach. But your eyes shot open as your arm collided with something curled around your middle. Rolling over slowly in bed, your heart skipped in your chest as you saw Frank’s big, brown eyes staring back at you, his arm around your waist as he lay on your side of the bed.
“Hey…” The word was more of a breath than a whisper, but Frank smiled at you in the darkness.
“Hey, sweetheart.” His gruff, raspy voice was one of the most wonderful sounds you had ever heard.
You choked back your tears as you said, “I missed you.”
“I missed you too. I’m sorry I couldn’t come back earlier but I had to make sure no one was following me. Those guys weren’t too happy about what I did to their men or their warehouse.”
“I saw. I got scared for a while that you might not have gotten out of this one.” You let out a soft chuckle. “I even had Brody check the men in the morgue just to make sure.”
Frank cupped your face in his large palm, running his thumb tenderly over your cheek. “Ah, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But, I told you I’d come home to you, and I meant it. Nothing could keep me away from you for too long.”
You nuzzled into his hand as you said, “I know. I’m sorry I doubted you.” You suddenly noted a few cuts that had already begun to heal scattered across his face. “Are you okay?”
He grunted, “Nothing worse than usual. Pretty much already back to normal.” But you could see a small flash of something cross his face and you knew he wasn’t telling you everything. However, that was tomorrow’s problem. Tonight, you just wanted to focus on the fact he was back.
Pulling your cheek out of his hand, you slid closer to him and buried your face in his chest. The sound of his strong, steady heartbeat instantly relaxed you, and for the first time in almost a week, you felt the knot in your chest fade away.
Frank wrapped his arms around you tightly as he placed a long, lingering kiss to the top of your head. You knew this was your moment. The one that had been terrifying you for weeks. The one you had been afraid you would never get. But as you opened your mouth, the words still wouldn’t come out. While there was no doubt in your mind that you loved him, you knew you couldn’t handle his rejection or brush off right now if he didn’t feel that way too. You just got him back, you couldn’t lose him again so soon. So, you just drew deeper into him and said, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” There was a contented silence for a few minutes, and you had just begun to drift off in his arms when he muttered, “Sweetheart…. You know I love you, right?”
For the second time that night, your heart skipped a beat. You looked up at his face, so earnest and honest in a way you had never seen it before. Smiling as tears began to well up in your eyes, you said, “I had hoped so, but I’m so glad you said it. I love you too, Frank.”
He chuckled softly as his face lit up. With a lopsided grin, he pulled you into his lips. And as you kissed the man that you loved and who loved you in return, you realized you had never been happier.