Note: It's... been a while. Let's just say I lost inspiration with Punisher getting axed, but finally I got what I already had written finished and here we are. I can't say if I'll continue with this series, but I enjoyed bits of these first few chapters! Thank you so much for reading :)

Chapter 2: Stitches

The exit led them out the side of the building and down a fire escape where they were lucky to meet no resistance - though Karen wasn't sure she had ever been lucky before and didn't see why things would change now. It had to be that Anvil had their hands full at the moment. She had seen the busy offices. The rescue of their captive was not something they had been expecting and therefore had not allocated resources or manpower to. Once they were someplace safe, she aimed to find out what it was that Anvil was planning. Frank looked up and down the street, assessing how dangerous it was for them, before letting her take the lead to bring them to her car. "Let me have the keys. I know where we can go." He held out his hand and she happily passed them to him. Her arm was aching now and the last thing she wanted to do was to be behind the wheel.

The entire drive was spent in silence and her feeling that Frank was angry with her resurfaced. Even with the danger behind them now, he didn't relax or make any sign that he was glad to see her again. Nobody would call Frank Castle personable, but she had seen the softer side of him before; he had let her see it. Apparently saving his life wasn't the way to get on his good side.

When the car pulled to a stop it was in the alley near an old building. Well-hidden and secluded, just the place for Frank, she thought. He opened the car door for her and helped her out. Looking around to make sure there were no prying eyes, he hurried her to the door of the building. In the run-down loft, Frank let go of her and tossed the keys onto the table.

"We'll be safe here. Take a seat." He grumbled as he grabbed a kit from a cupboard as well as a bottle of whiskey. Karen dropped her purse on the table before going to sit on the couch. She watched him as he gathered everything and brought it all to her. "Let's see your arm first."

"What about you?" Karen asked as she rolled up her sleeve and held out her arm. "You're in worse shape than I am."

"No, no. This is superficial. This is nothing." He poured a bit of the whiskey onto her arm before wiping it off. She cringed at the pain, but didn't say anything. Frank grabbed a gauze pad and wrapped her arm with it. "Shoulder now." Karen moved her hair and watched him as he tore the fabric of her shirt to get a better look at the knife still protruding from her shoulder. "Shit." He said under his breath as he pulled away. "He did a number with this thing, I'm going to have to stitch this up. There's going to be some muscle damage."

"Looking forward to it." She breathed out and reached for the bottle of whiskey. Karen took a long drink before nodding at him. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be." She said, her voice trembling with nerves as he took a hold of the knife.

"On three, take in a deep breath and I'll pull it out. One, t-" Frank pulled the knife out before she had time to tense up and Karen let out a yell at the sudden pain. He was quick to pour some of the whiskey onto the wound before pressing a towel to her shoulder. "Sorry. It's only going to get worse." He mumbled as he took her hand to press it to the cloth. "Press down hard." She did as he instructed and he began to ready the needle.

"This is going to hurt a lot, isn't it?" He only grunted in response, but that was the only answer she needed. He took a light hold of her hand and pulled it away from her shoulder. Karen hid her face against her other shoulder and reached up to grab his arm, trying to find some form of comfort. He paused in his movements briefly, but didn't say anything. As the metal pressed to her skin, her grip on his arm tightened. Despite the alcohol and the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, she felt the needle pierce her skin. She let out a loud curse and a whimper, the sound muffled by her shoulder. His focus was entirely on the work he was doing on her shoulder and once again silence settled between them. She was fine with it this time, however. It didn't seem like a good idea to distract him from the task at hand.

When he finally set the bloody needle aside, Karen let out a shaky breath and relaxed as much as she could. Frank grabbed a cup of water and handed it to her as well as giving her a couple of antibiotics. "Take these." She did as he instructed as he went back to the sink to dampen a cloth. He began to clean the blood from her shoulder, but then stopped, glancing up at her. "Why did you do that, come after me?" Frank asked her and she recognized his tone as the one he used when last scolding her for her actions. She turned to look at him, but he had already turned away. "Why would you do something so stupid?"

"Stupid? Really, Frank?" She let out a scoff. "How can you ask me why I did what I did? How many times do I have to tell you I care before you actually believe it?" Frank didn't answer. His movements became stiff and she felt her annoyance rise at his silence. He kept shutting her out like this, like he was allowed to care about what happened to her but God forbid she cared about him in return.

What made it worse was that he was still avoiding her gaze as he had been since she found him. "Why won't you look at me?" She asked. He simply continued staring at her shoulder to finish bandaging up the wound. "Frank, look at me!" Karen snapped and he finally did. She had been expecting anger on his face, but found only a strange gentleness and it made her soften her tone. "Where have you been? Are you alright?"

"Am I alright? Jesus, Karen, you had a knife sticking out of you and you're asking if I'm okay? Really are all heart." For a moment, she was sure, she saw a hint of a smile on his face before it faded again. "I've been here. Laying low until it was clear to start a new life. Again." He shrugged a shoulder and pulled his gaze away from hers. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit if we're being honest." Karen smiled thinly. It seemed like those were the only answers she was going to get for now, so she would have to live with it. She gestured at the towel he had set aside. "Can I at least clean you up now?" He handed her the cloth and she began wiping his face, being careful around the cuts that were there. Frank didn't flinch either way. "So… Anvil is back…" She watched him but he only grunted. "I take it Billy Russo has decided he has unfinished business with you."

"Seems so." He mumbled as she continued her work.

"And you're going after him."

"No. He's coming after me. I'm… done." Karen's hand paused, hovering over his face.

"Done?" She repeated. There was something in her that did not believe that. "Are you sure?"

"Miss Page, aren't you the one who said I'm not a monster? Did you stop believing your own bullshit?" The sarcasm in his words made her jaw clench.

"Frank." Her tone was sharp in return. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Then please, Karen, tell me what it was you meant." He pulled her arm away from his face and turned to look at her. Despite the fact they were arguing again, his hand kept a gentle hold of her arm. "You think I still see red and can't control myself? That I need to keep killing?"

"I meant this man is still after you and… he was your friend and he killed…" Karen stopped herself. She didn't need to finish the sentence, he already knew what she meant and hearing it out loud would only upset him further. "I wouldn't blame you fo-"

"No, I made that prick pay in the best way possible and I sleep soundly at night because of it." Frank looked away and his fist curled in his lap. "More soundly than I have in a while."

"And you're not worried? That he wants you dead?" Karen dropped the towel to take his hand in hers. "I meant it. When I told you I want there to be an after for you."

"I know you do." Frank said, staring at their hands. His fist loosened and allowed their hands to clasp together. "And it's… something I've been thinking about." This caught Karen by surprise. She had been expecting him to close himself off again.

"You have?"

"Spending time with the Liebermans… it made me think about the people we leave behind. That's all." Frank gave her hand one gentle squeeze before letting go. He took the towel from where she had dropped it and stood up. He tossed it into the sink for now and leaned on the counter, leaving Karen to stare at his tense shoulders.

"You… well then what are we going to do to stop Russo?" She flexed her fingers and stood up to join him in the kitchen. "If he's coming after you again..."

"We are not doing anything, Karen."

"Really? Well, you aren't going to get very far without the information I have." Her words made him turn from the sink to glare in her direction.

"These people are highly trained-"

"I'm not saying I want to go get in a firefight and whatever else it is you do… but I would like to help." She moved forward now, jabbing a finger at him. "I'm not helpless, Frank. You know that. I need you to stop treating me like I am."

"It's not going to happen. What you did today was dangerous enough. You should not have done that. Going after Billy is only going to be worse."

"And where would you be if I hadn't come? Tied to a chair still? Maybe dead? How am I supposed to live with myself if I hadn't done anything and then had to write the story about how Frank Castle finally died for real this time?" Karen's voice cracked, but she did not back down. "I couldn't do that."

"And how am I supposed to feel knowing once again someone I care about it dead because of me?" He snapped at her but it was obvious he was more upset than angry. When he spoke again, the edge had left his voice. "Why can't you see that's what it's been about? It's not that you're helpless, Jesus Christ, I know you're not." It was Karen left speechless now as he rubbed the top of his head roughly. "You know the only reason I went to that hotel was for you." There wasn't a question in his voice and Karen didn't deny it. Going after Lewis did nothing for Frank except let everyone know he was still alive, make everyone think he was in league with a terrorist, and give him more scars. Well, and save her. "All I cared about… was protecting you."

"Then you understand why I did what I did today." She stepped forward and took his hand again, moving it from his head. Karen kept a hold of his hand while her other reached up to his cheek, turning him to face her. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she looked at him. "And why I have to do something to save you. I can't sit back and watch Billy Russo tear you apart."

He chuckled softly and reached up to cover her hand. "Good to know you have such little faith in my abilities. You really think my chances are that bad?" His thumb lightly brushed against the back of her hand before he took it away from his face. "If we do this, we need to set some ground rules." Frank pulled out of her grasp and went to sit down. "No matter what happens, you stick to whatever plan we come up with. You do not break it and put yourself in danger. If at any point I feel like it's getting too dangerous, I can call it off. When it gets to it, I take care of Russo in my way, whatever I decide that is."

"And if I don't agree with these terms?" Karen crossed her arms over her chest. Frank raised an eyebrow as he looked at her.

"So you don't agree?"

"Didn't say that. Just asking what would happen." She smirked and took a seat across from him.

"We could waste time with the 'what if's' that don't matter, if you'd like, or we could start figuring out how to take care of this bastard for good." His head tilted and there was a smirk on his face. He was teasing her, knowing exactly what her answer was going to be.

Karen glared at him for a moment before relaxing. "Fine. The best place to start is with the information I already have. It helped me find you so it should be a good place to start. There's a folder in my car." She moved to stand, but he set a hand on her knee to stop her.

"I'll get it." Frank said and stood up. He grabbed her keys from the table.

"It should be under the passenger seat." She called out to his retreating figure and he gave her a thumbs up before heading out the door. Karen sighed as the door closed behind him. Maybe someday they would stop this dance around each other.