Disclaimer: well, sorry to disappoint you all, but I (obviously) don't own Catch Me if You Can.

Frank calls. He really has no one else to talk to and Carl can't help feeling the tiniest bit sorry for the kid. The first few times he calls, Carl laughs, and it eases his own pain. After awhile, it becomes more of the fact that Carl is the only one Frank has. Frank starts to treat him like a father, and Carl starts to treat the kid as a son. They always talk on Christmas now; it's become a tradition, the cop and the robber talking together.

"Hey Carl." It's always the same conversation, except tonight's Christmas Eve and Carl has been sitting at his desk eating Chinese food waiting for the call he knows will come.

"Hey Frank. Merry Christmas."

"Yeah, Merry Christmas. Do you have any kids Carl?"

Carl is prepared for any question. Except that one.

"Yeah. Uh, a daughter. Grace."

"How old was she when you got divorced?"

"Fourteen" Carl replies, realizing with a pang that she was only two years younger than Frank when his parents divorced.

"Can you do me a favor?" the tone of the kid's voice is soft and almost pleading.

"What, Frank?" Carl asks.

"Call her. Please. You still have time. She still loves you," replies Frank, struggling to keep the emotion out of his voice.

Carl hesitates, pausing awkwardly, "sure, Frank. I will. Did-did you ever hate your parents when they split?"

There's a long pause at the other end and Carl thinks maybe the line's gone dead or the kid's hung up, when "no. I-I really can't hate them. They're my parents."

Carl sighs, unsure of what to say.

"Well, you know what would happen if I go back now" Frank fills in, his voice dulled with sadness. Carl realizes that Frank isn't a cold con man who doesn't give a shit; he's just a scared, lonely kid.

"Yeah. I guess I do. You have any kids?" Carl asks, fishing around for any sort of clue.

He is surprised to hear Frank's dry chuckle over the line, "now I know what you want."

Carl can't help but smirk, knowing the kid's too smart to be caught by a trick like that.

"No. If you really want to know the answer, it's no."

The firmness in Frank's voice surprises Carl, he knows the kid wanted to settle down and was planning to get married.

Before he can stop it, he asks "why not?"

"They're too much of a commitment. I'd be tied down, and then, well, you know what'd happen" Frank laughs.

"Frank, do you ever get lonely?" Carl knows it's a stupid question, but he can't help asking it.

"What do you think?" Frank asks quietly, and so softly Carl almost doesn't catch it.

Carl sighs, "in all honesty Frank, I just don't know."

There's a soft click at the other end of the phone and he knows Frank isn't there anymore, but he still whispers "Merry Christmas, kid."

~.~

Two years later, watching Frank collapse inside the tiny French prison cell, Carl feels all the paternal instincts he's tried to keep bottle up. And then standing over Frank in the infirmary wing of the Perpignan prison and watching him toss and turn deliriously, thrashing in the blankets, Carl realizes he knew the answer all along. He slowly sits down in the chair next to Frank's bed and presses a cautious hand to Frank's burning forehead, hoping Frank won't wake up at the slight touch. Though Frank was still thrashing, trapped in a feverish delirium, he turned into Carl's touch and Carl distinctly heard him murmur, "Carl…Carl…please. Call…"

A/N: (also reposting this) I wanted to do a Catch Me if You Can fic with no slash! Anyway please review if you feel so inclined…would be amazing and awesome and sweet and generous…thanks!