Prompt if you want it. After season 2 of the punisher, someone finally fills Frank in on what happend to Karen while he was gone. (Basically Frank finds out about Daredevil season 3 and Fisk)
thank you so much for the prompt! karen doesn’t really appear in this, and it’s more angst than fluff, but i’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I hope you like it!
all that goodness is gone with you now
“Surprised you called me,” David said, leaning back against the car. Water dripped from the overpass into the puddle at his feet. Frank watched the ripples spread until they disappeared.
“Thought Karen Page would be your go-to these days.”
Frank’s spine stiffened. “And why’s that?” He hadn’t seen her since that day in the hospital, wasn’t sure she’d ever want to see him again.
He shrugged. “Just figured she’d be easier to contact than me, these days. Speaking of which, Sarah and the kids want to know when Uncle Pete will be around for dinner. We haven’t seen you in months.”
David snorted, shoving his hands into his pockets. He had still never cut his hair, but at least his beard looked trimmed. He had gained some weight. His shirt had a mustard stain, but the rest of his clothes looked clean. He shouldn’t even be here. Sarah would have Frank’s skin if she knew.
“Surprised you’re going after these guys.”
“Why?” Scumbags trafficking drugs and underage girls weren’t exactly out of his wheelhouse.
“Thought you’d be after Fisk, after what he did.”
The name was like a bolt of lightning. Frank’s lip curled into a snarl. “What did that asshole do now?”
David blinked at him. “You’re kidding.”
Taking a very deep breath, Frank tried to remember why he had reached out to David in the first place. Sure, he was a good spook. Sure, they had even become friends, after what happened. But shit, was he annoying sometimes.
“Spit it out, Lieberman.”
His eyes went wide and he pulled out his laptop again, clacking away on the keys. He turned it towards Frank, who saw a fancy apartment and a familiar man in a white suit. Just the sight of that bald head made him want to punch something. Preferably Fisk’s face.
He opened his mouth to speak, but David shushed him. “Just watch.”
The doors opened and there she was. Karen. Her eyes were hard. Unforgiving.
“What is she doing?” he mumbled. David shushed him again. His hands balled into fists at his sides. Whatever this was, he didn’t like it.
The longer it played, the louder the roaring in his ears became. He couldn’t even hear what they were saying by the end. He couldn’t process the words. Something about a former employee. Something about seven shots. When Fisk lunged at her, Frank let out a roar, swinging at the screen. David managed to get it away from him, but only just.
“That shitbag went after Karen.”
“She kind of went after him first.” David leaned away as Frank’s furious eyes met his, setting the computer down carefully, out of his reach. “I’m just saying. She knew what she was doing, going there, goading him like that.”
“I’m going to kill him.” It was a promise.
David winced. “That’s not all.”
Frank couldn’t speak. He could hardly see. Rage was seeping into his vision, making it hard to focus on anything but Karen. Karen and Fisk and Frank beating him to death for what he did. What he tried to do.
“Promise you won’t lose your shit if I tell you?” Frank shrugged. That wasn’t a promise he could make. It certainly wasn’t one he could keep. “Fine. He sent some guy in a Daredevil costume after her.”
“What?” The word was choked. He felt like he was drowning. “He tried to kill her?”
“Yeah. He’s back in jail. Seems like it might stick this time.”
His fists were clenched so tight, he felt the stiffness in his knuckles. “Why didn’t she tell me?” If he hadn’t seen her, that day in the hospital, safe and whole and there, by his bed, he would have been halfway to her apartment by now.
“She might have been a little busy trying to clear your name. Again.”
Frank’s scowl deepened. “Why didn’t she call me?”
“You were gone. You were out. She was probably trying to let you stay that way. I swear, the two of you have a real knack for being martyrs when you want to be.”
Frank chose to ignore the dig. “Where is she?”
“Probably at work.” He scribbled down an address and handed it to Frank.
He stared down at it, smoothed it between his fingers. There was blood under his fingernails. There were bruises on his scarred knuckles. He pushed the paper into his pocket.
“But seriously, Frank. Come over for dinner. Soon. Leo misses you. We all do.”
He nodded. He wasn’t even listening. He kept tracing the edges of the paper in his pocket. He’d go see her. Just quickly. Just to be sure. He might have imagined the whole thing in the hospital. Wouldn’t be the first time.
He almost turned around. Three times, he almost turned back. He shouldn’t bother her. He shouldn’t reappear. Not now. Not after what happened.
He passed a flower shop on the way and bought a bouquet of white roses. It was cheesy. It was old-fashioned. He wrote his number on the card. Didn’t leave his name. He knew she would know.
It was a butcher shop, not a law office, but there she was. Blonde hair in a bun, just like in the video. The video that nearly made his heart stop for good. The video that made him wonder why he kept pushing her away so hard. The woman was a shit magnet, with or without him. At least if he was there, he could protect her.
It wasn’t up to him. Not now.
He pulled his hood up to cover his face and dropped the bouquet with a quick knock at the door. He peeked around the corner and saw her pick up the flowers, brow furrowed. She looked in every direction, blue eyes searching every shadow. She knew what it meant, who had left the flowers. She didn’t see him. He couldn’t stop looking at her.
His phone rang, hours later.
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