A/N: Finally, we reach the finale! It was fun writing this, despite the heavy political messages throughout the film. I just hoped I was able to make it more even that what we actually got, and that it all made sense in the context of the larger series.

Oh, and no music for this chapter. At all. Just a heads up.

New York

The Punisher's War Journal

December 24th

Maxwell Hawthorne. Harbormaster. Syndicate Bagman. Currently throwing a Christmas Eve party. Tonight's his last one.

Frank Castle stood at the mouth of an alleyway in Hell's Kitchen, steadying his sniper rifle on a dumpster, as he looked through his sights. Snow was falling, making it hard to see through the crosshairs, but Frank was persistent. There, through a second story window, was his target: Maxwell Hawthorne. He was wearing a dark green suit, with a bow tie to match, as his light brown hair was combed back. In one hand was a glass of champagne, while in the other was a woman's ass.

Max keeps the dope and illegal immigrant prostitutes cruising through the Marine Terminal Docks. Been after this prick for weeks, especially after six Romanian women suffocated in one of the shipping containers. Max didn't even care enough to dump them in the ocean. Instead they washed up in the Chesapeake in front of girl scout troops.

Frank followed Hawthorne through his scope, as his finger entered the trigger well.

Combine that with what Millie and her friend from Ivy said, about how he was in league with that frat cult and set those mercs on me three days ago, made him climb to the top of my Christmas list. Makes sense too, since his ancestor was some asshole who ran around with the Sisters of Death.

Castle took a deep breath, as his forefinger rested against the trigger.

"One batch." Frank whispered. "Two batch. Penny and-"

"Mister?"

Frank suddenly let go of the trigger, and looked down. Staring up at him, with wide eyes, was a little girl with blonde hair and wearing a pink coat. Her face was wet, but Castle wasn't sure it was tears, or the snow falling down around them.

"Can you help me find my father? Please?" the girl asked, with a quivering voice. Yep. Definitely crying.

Max leaves for an extended cruise with his wife tonight. Six weeks on the Mediterranean. They're flight's at ten o' clock, and they'll leave in one hour with four bodyguards. So I've got that long.

Frank sighed, tucking his rifle into the inside of his black trench coat, and knelt down next to the girl.

"Of course I'll help." Frank said softly. "You got a name?"

"Becky." the girl smiled, wiping away her tears. "Thank you."

The girl grabbed Frank's hand, and he stood up, walking with her through New York City. Castle noticed a car driving down the street, and he quickly turned away, covering the white skull on his chest with his trench coat.

"It's my birthday tomorrow." Becky said happily, as they continued walking. "My Daddy thinks it's cool that I share the same birthday with Jesus. I think he got lost shopping though. He promised to get me a big, chocolate cake. With vanilla frosting on top."

"Sounds like a good cake." Frank murmured, looking back at the building Maxwell was in.

"All my friends will be there!" Becky added enthusiastically.

"Yeah." Frank mumbled, letting go of Becca for a second to pull out a pair of binoculars. He held them up, looking to the second story window to make sure Hawthorne was still there. Thankfully, he was.

"All little girls should have wonderful birthday parties."

Becky smiled, as Frank lowered his arm so she could grab his hand again.

"Are you a daddy too?" the girl asked.

"No-" Frank stopped himself. What should he say? Millie wasn't actually his daughter. Hell, he "adopted" her when she was sixteen, she could already take care of herself. But then, he did love her like a real daughter. Like Lisa…

"Yeah." Castle finally said, as they passed a toy stand on the sidewalk Becky looked to the stand, and her eyes widened, seeing the figure on sale.

"Queen Maeve!" Becky cried out. "That's what I want for my birthday! Queen Maeve!"

Frank turned his head towards the toy stand, seeing the Queen Maeve dolls. As he stared at the tiny figures, he was reminded of events from six years ago.

Maeve. She was one of the good ones in the Seven, aside from Annie, and even Myers to an extent. I'd be lying if I said I still didn't think about her sometimes. After all, she did help me leave the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, then helped me break Annie out of a cell in Vought Tower. She didn't have to die the way she did though, getting her neck snapped by Homelander.

As Frank stared at the collection of Queen Maeve figures, he thought back to a simpler time. A time where his family was still alive. They were strolling through Central Park, going towards the carousel. Frank Junior was still in a baby stroller, pushed along by Maria. Frank was holding onto Lisa, as she pretended to fly around. In her hands…

Was the exact same Queen Maeve doll.

Castle approached the toy stand, picking up one of the dolls, and holding it up for the vendor.

"How much?"

The vendor's eyes widened, seeing the skull on Frank's chest, and held his hands up.

"Hey, it's free of charge, man."

Frank nodded, kneeling down and handing the doll over to Becky.

"Thanks Frank!" Becky said happily, before whispering in his ear. "You can come to the party if you want."

Castle didn't know what to say, as he stood up, and looked back at the building Maxwell was in. He looked through his binoculars again, just to make sure Hawthorne was still there, and checked his watch.

"You're my new best friend, Frank." Becky grinned, running around with the Queen Maeve doll in her hand. "You and Maeve."

Frank didn't answer, continuing to look through the building's window with his binoculars.

Time's running out. I got fifteen minutes left until Max is gone for six weeks. If that happens, I'll have to change my plans, reorganize, shift my priority. How many more girls will end up in the bay? All because I stayed with this one kid-

"Oh my God, Becky! Becky!"

Frank lowered his binoculars and looked over his shoulder, seeing a brown haired man in a gray coat and glasses running over towards them.

"Daddy!" Becky cried out with joy, running over to her father.

"Becky, where did you go?" the man asked, setting down a pink and black shopping bag to hold out his arms in a loving gesture. "I just looked away for a second- oh honey, I swear it'll never happen again."

Becky jumped into her father's arms, hugging him tightly, as he looked up.

"Thanks, buddy! I really appreciate you finding my little girl for me. How can I ever-"

The man's eyes widened, staring at the chalk white skull on the man's chest. All the color drained from his face, as he realized who had been with his daughter.

"Turn around." Frank told him, lifting back the side of his trench coat to reveal the sniper rifle tucked away.

"Wha- what?" the man asked in mortification, hugging his daughter tighter.

"Turn around." Castle repeated, pulling out his rifle.

"But… but wait…" the man pleaded, looking back to see Becky was already rifling through his shopping bag.

"Oh Daddy!" Becky laughed, revealing a doll exactly like hers. "You got me Maeve too!"

"I… I don't even cheat on my taxes." the man mumbled, closing his eyes. "Okay, okay… I do cheat, but everybody does, right?"

Frank didn't say anything, as Becky stepped closer to her father. The man opened his eyes, looking down at his daughter sadly.

"Close your eyes, honey." the man whimpered, holding Becky close.

"Huh? Why?" the girl asked, oblivious to what was about to happen. Her father didn't answer, as he held her tightly. This was it. His final moments on this Earth. At least they would be spent holding onto his daughter. His baby girl…

Becky's father felt something slide on top of his shoulder, and he opened an eye, looking down. He paled again, seeing the barrel of the sniper rifle was now resting on his shoulder, but also pointing past him.

"Oh Christ, what are you-"

"Stop trembling." Frank murmured, lining up the shot. He could already see Hawthorne walk out the door with his wife and bodyguards. "Stand still. Very still."

Wind has shifted. We're two hundred yards further away now. Tougher shot to make but there's no more time.

Becky's father did his best to calm down, standing still as a statue. As he held Becky tightly against him, he could almost swear he heard the Punisher say something else:

"One batch, two batch. Penny and dime."

Phoot!

Castle looked through the rifle's scope, seeing Maxwell Hawthorne's head completely explode, spraying his wife and two of his bodyguards with blood. Frank slowly exhaled, releasing the trigger, and took his rifle off of the man's shoulder.

"Dad, I can't breathe." Becky told her father, her voice muffled by his coat. "Why are you holding me so tight?"

The father didn't answer, instead choosing to look up at Frank Castle. The Punisher. The man who found his daughter, and brought her back to him.

"Never look away. Not even for a second." Frank told him, tucking the rifle back into his coat and walking away. On the ground was Becky's second Queen Maeve doll, already getting buried in the snow.

"Dad?" Becky asked, hoping her father would answer her question. The man didn't, as he hugged her tightly, smiling at the form of Frank Castle as he disappeared in the falling snow.

Glad I was able to take care of that piece of shit. Been after him for weeks, and after what his buddies tried to do; resurrect the Sisters of Death, kill Millie and her friend, made me hate him even more.

After that frat house was burned down, cops were quick to arrive. Wanted to take me in, blame me, all that bullshit. But after being vouched by Millie, her boyfriend, and her sorority sister, they decided to let me go this time. I was a bit surprised they believed the story about the founder's bust having magic voodoo shit inside it, but after over a dozen of those frats and sorority sisters spoke out as witnesses, who'd call all of them crazy? Especially after we've already seen the impossible happen too many times to count?

Good thing I was able to take care of Hawthorne when I did though. An old friend is swinging by later tonight to take me to their place for Christmas. Let's just say it's not from around here.

End of Journal Entry

A/N: For anyone who doesn't know, this chapter was heavily adapted from the short story "Dolls" from the Punisher MAX comics. I didn't even have to make up the Maxwell Hawthorne character, he was the exact person Frank killed in that small issue. All I did was add his connection to Gelson and the fraternity.

Anyway, the epilogue was originally going to be longer, with showing the little Christmas party that Frank goes to, but then I decided against it. That whole scene is supposed to be a bit humorous, and it kinda clashes with the whole tone that I had for this whole story. So instead, I'm uploading it as its own separate one shot. It'll be called "Christmas In Mega City One", and it'll probably be up tomorrow. Oh, and as the title suggests, it'll be a crossover between Judge Dredd and Punisher mostly.

Anyway, take care everyone!