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đČđđđđđđ đž đČđđđđđđ đč Chapter 4 Chapter5 Chapter6 Chapter7
Relationship: Frank Castle/Original Female Character
Summary: Frank Castle wasnât the type to meddle.
Chapter:(1/?)
WarningsïŒEstablished Relationship,Suicide Attempt,Soft Frank Castle,Protective Frank Castle,Idiots in Love ,They heal eachother
Timeline: Story happened after Punisher Season 2
Rating: Mature(18+)
Comments and reblogs are welcome!
George Washington Bridge.
Late October. The chill in the air had settled in for goodâdeep into autumn. No more bored New Yorkers wandering up here to gawk at the underwhelming river view.
It was nearly 11:30 PM, and the main artery between Jersey and Manhattan still pulsed with relentless traffic. The wind-whipped plastic bags caught on the road, flattened under tires, then lifted again to be punished anew.
A figure walked westward from the Manhattan side, hands shoved deep in their pockets, black hoodie pulled low. The lamplight hit just enough to cast shadows across the face. Their pace was steady, too purposeful for a stroll, too slow for urgency. They had a reason to be here.
One car.
Another.
A third.
The figure stopped at the midpoint of the bridge. Leaning on the stone barrier that overlooked the Hudson, they stared out into the black water. The wind made the lights flickerâlittle glimmers, like far-off dreams. They looked down. Below, the engine noise echoed like roaring waves.
They didnât move.
Then slowly, gripping the sides of the decorative pillar, they climbed up onto the ledge. Wobbling slightly, the balls of their feet now hovered over open air. A few inches forwardâand gravity would take care of the rest.
No one saw the cold sweat on their palms or the pale, drawn face hidden beneath the hood. Only the breath fogging up into the night gave any clue.
A gust hit hard, and the hood flew back. A brown ponytail whipped loose in the wind, and the soft contour of her cheek caught the light.
She tilted her head upward, breathing in and out, harder each time.
Bracing.
Readying.
Until she shut her eyes. Letting the wind take the last of her warmth.
She was ready.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Frank Castle wasnât the type to meddle. Hell no. Heâd just sent Amyâthe kid who made his life hell and his ass hurtâpacking. It was supposed to be the start of some time off.
Time off meant no killings, no busting heads in Hellâs Kitchen. Just⊠rest.
Tonightâs ârestâ had taken him to a little patch of grass by the Hudson where some assholes thought it was romantic to deal drugs and bang in the open air. The plants were fertilized. Mission accomplished. He didnât wear the armor tonightâKaren had told him to lay low. He was good at following orders.
Now, walking the bridge in a random black hoodie heâd yanked out of his duffel, hands in his pockets, wind biting his faceâhe spotted someone up ahead. Same hoodie. Different vibe. Climbing the damn railing like theyâd had bad vodka and no better ideas.
Probably some junkie, one who slipped through the cracks.
Frank sighed. Great. Just what he needed. Another bridge show.
He kept walking.
Thenâwind.
The hood flew back.
He stopped dead.
A ponytail. Pale face. Chapped lips.
A girl.
âHey! Wait!â
The words were out before he even thought.
His boots hit pavement fast, his voice ragged with alarm. âWait, wait!â
Thenâhe stopped again, just short. Like there was some invisible line he didnât dare cross.
Both hands came up, fingers spread, open-palmed, like coaxing a wild animal.
âNo harm,â his body language said. âIâm not gonna hurt you.â
She turned.
The face looked through him. Puffy eyes. Tear tracks on too-young skin. Her lips tight. She didnât look scared. She looked⊠gone.
Frankâs brain scrambled.
He had no script for this.
What the hell was he supposed to say?
Call 911? By the time Mahoney got here with the cuffs, sheâd be river meat.
âUhâŠhi?â
He winced. Dumbest opener of the year.
He pushed on, because what else could he do? âWhâŠwhatâs your name, miss?â
His heart was hammering.
ââŠEva.â
She said it so quietly, he almost missed it.
âHey, Eva.â He gestured to himself. âIâm PeâFrank.â
One slow step forward.
Friendly tone. Casual as hell, trying.
âWhatâre you doinâ out here, huh?â
She gave a dry laugh. The cracks in her cheeks split wider.
She turned her face away.
âWhat does it look like?â
He frowned.
Closer now, he could see the life still in her skin. Not malnourished. Not sick. Just⊠broken. The look on her faceâit was the same one heâd seen in the mirror once. A long time ago.
âCan I ask why?â
Another half-step.
Still keeping his hands where she could see.
âYouâre too young for this, miss.â
She didnât answer right away.
Eyes locked on the water below, she finally spoke, wind carrying the words to him.
âI killed two people, Frank.â
Heâd killed fifteen tonight.
Still, that wasnât the point.
He sighed. Deep, soul-weary.
Took another step, barely noticeable.
âWas it to protect someone?â he asked. âOrâŠâ
She cut him off with a laugh so sharp it couldâve slit his throat.
âThatâs funny,â she said, voice rough and bitter. âTwo innocent girls. I killed oneâher sister couldnât take it. Killed herself two days ago.â
Frankâs jaw clenched.
Fists at his sides, white-knuckled.
But he kept still.
âUnder what circumstances?â
She looked at him like he was annoying. Like a gnat buzzing in her final moments.
âIâm a doctor, Frank,â she said. âSurgery. Maggie was sixteen. Begged me to save her sister. They lost their parents. Anne was all she had.â
She spread her arms wide. The oversized hoodie snapped in the wind.
âI told her I could do it. That Iâd save her.â
She gave a twisted laugh, eyes shining with new tears.
âAnd what did I do? I killed her. Nineteen. One stupid mistake. Thatâs all it took.â
Her feet slid back an inch. Almost gone.
Frankâs stomach dropped.
âSo what?â His voice broke. âYou gonna punish yourself like this?â
Her reply was a whisper. Calm. Detached.
âIs there a more painful way to go⊠than drowning in the cold Hudson in October?â
That did it.
âYouâre a damn fool, yâknow that?!â
Anger surged in his voice, but his eyes were nothing but pleading.
He lunged forward. One step. Two.
âYou think the people who cared about you wanna see this shit? Huh? You think takinâ a bath in the Hudsonâs gonna fix it? Gonna bring those girls back?â
She snapped back.
âItâs not about themââ
A screech of tires cut her off.
A plastic bag slapped across someoneâs windshield. Panic. Horns blaring. One car swerved toward the shoulder, headlights casting Frankâs shadow long across the bridge.
Eva froze.
Her eyes flicked to him.
âWaitâŠyouâreâŠ?â
She pointed at him, uncertain.
That one secondâ
That one breath of hesitationâ
Frank lunged.
Arms locked around her waist, he yanked her back over the barrier.
She didnât even scream.
âI got you!â
His voice cracked with relief, one arm around her head, holding her against his chest like she might vanish.
âI got you. I got youâŠâ
He rocked slightly, breathing hard, lips pressed to her forehead, eyes shut tight.
He just needed to hear her heartbeat. To know she was still there.
âYouâre the Punisher,â she whispered into his ear.
âI didnât know the Punisher saves people too.â
Frank Castle opened his eyes.
Blew out the heaviest breath of his night.
âYeah,â he said.
âMe neither.â
TBC
















