October 15th, 2017, Frank forced his eyes open slowly, his blurred vision coming to. He could feel himself laying in a bed. The beeps, boops, and hisses of electronics around him as he tried to come back to reality. As his vision cleared, he realized he was in a white room with the lights dimmed. Looking down, he saw he was wearing a gown, a patient's gown, with tubes and wires all about. He could see a person sitting across from him to his left in a black tank top and black soldier uniform pants, it was the bachelorette, it was all coming back to him.

"Hey, you're awake"

"Hey…I'm sorry I forgot your name"

Frank spoke in a wheezing voice as he addressed the bachelorette.

"It's Jennifer, Jennifer Kelly, but call me Jenn, with two N's"

Jenn chuckled, although she wasn't surprised Frank forgot her name was Jennifer.

Frank tried to sit up, only to grab Jenn's attention as she got up and gently pushed him back down.

"No no no don't do that, don't get up"

Jenn pushed a button on the side of the bed, elevating Frank's head and body, but not too much.

"Where am I?"

"You're safe, you're in a hospital, our time. You got out of surgery hours ago. You almost bled out, but luckily I got you here in time"

Jenn took a seat again across from Frank's bed.

"How?"

"Todd, that's what you call it right?"

"Yes"

"Well, Todd managed to contact me through my phone. I held onto you and told Todd to send us both home"

"Where is Todd?"

"Don't worry Todd's safe, I have it, I got it off of you before I got you in here, had to carry you on my shoulders"

Frank was quiet, eventually speaking up.

"Talk about a deus ex machina…I can't believe you weren't full of crap with your, your, army story. It was like, you really are like a girl Punisher, or whatever they called you"

"Lady Punisher"

Jenn folded her arms and looked down at the floor, she looked troubled. Frank continued to talk, he wanted answers.

"How the hell did you find me? Why did you find me? How did you…"

Frank looked around the room, he wasn't sure who was listening.

"Relax, you're in a private room, no one's listening. Anyway, it's complicated"

"Come on I, what were, what were you doing coming to get me?"

Jenn figured it was probably best to answer Frank.

"Two weeks ago someone got in contact with me about a solo rescue mission. She made me an offer to give me information regarding, someone. When I agreed she gave me an address to go to and step by step instructions on what I needed to do when I arrived. Then she showed me…you know I'm still not sure what it was"

Jenn tried to reflect on what convinced her to come, but she found the memories somewhat fuzzy.

"She showed me that our world wasn't the only one. The woman opened my eyes, so I knew what was at stake. I still don't know who she was, she never gave her name, the only thing that stood out to me was her silver hair"

Frank remembered the woman that directed him to Todd.

"A woman with silver hair? I know who you're talking about, she-she, she told me where to find Todd"

"Really? Who was she?"

"I don't know she didn't tell me who she was either, only that, she worked for certain employers. Maybe it's whoever created Todd; whoever or whatever they are"

"Guess it's not important. Anyway, I was told to go to a warehouse. I found it, inside was some gear along with files containing details about you, Fontaine, Rapture. When I was ready to go…all I remember was there was a bright light, when it dimmed I was facing you and all those other lunatics. The rest was just natural to me, all that mattered was keeping my end of the deal, and getting you out"

"Thank you"

Frank couldn't believe it, he was sure he was going to die, he was sure that was it for him. And then by some miracle, the people who found him also found Jenn and put their trust into her to save him, and they were right. Frank looked over to his right and saw the photo of him and Elizabeth at Coney Island on the counter, he picked it up and looked at it.

"That fell out of your pocket in Rapture, managed to snag it before we left"

Frank stuffed the photo under his pillow, he then rolled his head back and to the side, crying as he began verbally beating himself up.

"I'm so stupid, I can't believe I chose to, to go to that, that horrible place. I almost died, and for what? Because of some conspiracy as to why Elizabeth left me? I almost got killed, you could have been killed. I'm so, so stupid. I'm the biggest idiot ever"

"You're not an idiot, you're a good person. I saw it when you put down that pipe. A man knows how to defend himself, but a true man knows when to walk away. The thing about love is, love can make you do stupid things, even crazy things"

Jenn knew what Frank did was incredibly foolish, but she also couldn't help but sympathize with him.

"How can you say that? I saw what you did, that requires focus, discipline. You're a bigger person than me, how can you just sit there and not think I'm a complete screw up"

Jenn had shared parts of her life with Frank already, after saving him she didn't see a reason not to take it one step further.

"I was raped when I was younger"

Jenn's voice cracked, Frank could hear the hurt in her voice as she admitted it.

"I was fifteen, in love with a twenty-nine-year-old man. He was charming, nice, attractive. He would buy me things and tell me how special I was. Part of me knew it was wrong but, my heart convinced me otherwise. One day I was over at his place. He started getting a bit too personal with me, so I told him to stop. He didn't listen. I was powerless; all I could do was lay there until he decided when it was time to stop. He was in prison for only a month, with one year's probation. I vowed never to allow myself to be powerless again. So yeah; I know what love can do to you"

Jenn wiped the tears from her eyes, she wasn't finished with her story.

"A few weeks after he assaulted me I started to feel sick. I must have done the pregnancy test ten times, always came up positive. I was so angry, I didn't want that man's baby inside me. So I had it aborted. It; I didn't even bother to find out if my child was a boy or a girl. I thought I made the right decision but as time went on I couldn't help but wonder, what if? What if I kept it? But I didn't and that's the end of it"

"I'm sorry"

Frank felt guilty, even though he had no idea what Jenn had been through to push her to become as strong as she was today.

"It's fine. Frank listen, I know it sucks. Sometimes we make choices and other times choices are made for us. When that woman showed me there were other worlds you know what I saw? I saw me, and my…my child; I saw a world where I decided to be a mom. I wanted it so badly but in the end, I made my choice, I had to accept it. Frank just like there is a world where I'm a mother, there's probably a world where you and Elizabeth are still together and are completely happy, but that's not us. We don't get to have those things because this is what fate decided was best for us. And I'm not saying it isn't hard or that you have no right to feel the way you do but Frank, one way or another, it's time to accept it. Elizabeth made her choice because she felt it was the right thing to do, and she will always be your friend, there will never be a world where that is not a thing because you are a good person even if you make mistakes just like I do. I may be good with a gun but I suck at life you know. But that's just how it is, you keep going, you move forward. Don't look back because it's behind you for a reason…okay?"

"But what's the point? What's the point if all the good I do just leaves me all alone? What's the point of accomplishing anything if I have nobody to share what I accomplished with?"

Frank balled up his fists, his voice raspy as he went on. Before he had a chance to continue, Jenn chimed in once more.

"I'll go with you"

Frank looked over at Jenn, perplexed.

"You're serious?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing other worlds with you. I could watch your back. And hell, besides helping those in need, maybe we could also help each other feel a little less lonely. I think, whoever those people are, the ones who contacted us, maybe all of it wasn't an accident. You were chosen to find Todd, I was chosen to find you; maybe it was for a reason"

Frank understood what Jenn was talking about, but then he remembered what she said about why she took the job.

"That information you said would be provided to you, it was for him wasn't it? The man who, forced himself on you; that's what you wanted"

Jenn locked eyes with the wall, she stalled for a minute before speaking up.

"Yes"

"You have to promise me that you'll get rid of it"

Jenn went quiet, before finally looking Frank in the eye.

"I already did. I know confronting him or killing him won't change anything. It won't take back what he did. It won't give me my child back"

"What about, with…you almost killed Fontaine yourself"

"I know, I lost my cool back there. When they told me about all the things he did, and when I saw how he hurt you, yeah, I wanted to kill him; but you know sparing him was the right thing to do. All I've ever wanted was to do the right thing. That's why I joined the army, that's why I fought, so I could help people, so I could defend those who can't defend themselves. I wanna continue doing that. So, I'll come with you"

Frank appreciated that Jenn wanted to tag along with him, but despite their taste in television, they were still strangers to one another, something Frank felt he needed to bring up.

"But you hardly know me"

"When I was deployed in Iraq, I was usually assigned to people I had never met before. By the time our tour was done, we were close friends, some of them I could even call family. Sometimes the best way to get to know someone is to travel together. Besides; you seem like a cool guy"

Frank couldn't help but smile, maybe he would get something more from being with Jenn.

"Is that a date?"

Jenn looked over at Frank, smiling back.

"Maybe, we'll see how it goes. If we do and that's a big if, hopefully, Todd won't feel like a third wheel, he is your friend"

"Todd's just a computer"

"Really? Didn't Todd offer you advice? Talk to you? Help you?"

"Yeah"

"That sounds like a friend to me"

Jenn was right, just like she was about everything she said. Todd may just be a computer, but Todd was his friend.

"Yeah, Todd is a friend"

Jenn got up and started heading out.

"I gotta get going, I have to fill some more things out, then I'm going home to sleep for the next week. Hang in there, everything will be alright"

"I know…Jenn?"

"Yes?"

"Will I see you again?"

Jenn smiled as she put her shirt back on and picked up her duffle bag.

"Of course. Remember, it's not officially a date"

Jenn smiled and winked at Frank before heading out. A few minutes later, a nurse came in and gave Frank a sedative to help him rest, soon after he drifted off to sleep.

A couple of hours later, Frank woke up and saw he wasn't alone again. He could see a man sitting across from him, reading. After wiping the sleep from his eyes, he got a better look, it was Jack Wells, and sitting next to him asleep on his shoulder was Elizabeth. As Frank stirred, his motions caught Jack's eye, causing him to look over. He appeared to be observing Frank, he looked concerned. Jack turned over to Elizabeth and gently shook her, causing her to immediately wake up. Her attention turned to Jack as he pointed to Frank, she looked over and realized he was awake.

As Elizabeth looked at Frank, she began to break down and cry as she did earlier when she first arrived, seeing him in the state he was in. Elizabeth got up and darted over to Frank's side as she hugged him closely, trying to be gentle with him. She released him, her hands gently gripping his shoulders, although she was far from calm.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you in any pain?"

Elizabeth sounded hysterical, her eyes red and watery as they scanned Frank up and down.

"No, I'm okay"

Frank felt Elizabeth embrace him once more, pulling herself onto him and holding him close as he gripped the back of her shirt with his good arm.

"Oh my god. What is wrong with you? What were you thinking? How could you go there? How could you go looking for him? Oh, Frankie…"

Half of Elizabeth wanted to hold Frank closer and comfort him; the other half wanted to punch him in the face for doing something so irrational. Elizabeth gave Frank over ten kisses on the cheek, before cramming the side of her face against his as she held him close, she was relieved that he was alive. As angry as she was, she couldn't help but partially blame herself for what he did.

"This is all my fault, I never should have encouraged you to go out and travel to foreign and dangerous worlds"

Frank knew what he had done, he needed to take responsibility for it.

"No, it's not your fault. I knew exactly what to expect when I went to Rapture. You didn't do anything wrong, this is entirely on me"

Elizabeth released Frank and looked at him, she could see he meant it.

"Elizabeth I, I love you. I love you so much. I've loved you ever since that night we first kissed at Coney Island"

Frank pulled out the photo of him and Elizabeth at Coney Island from under his pillow, he set it down on top of the counter next to him.

"But we had our time together, it's over. And for a long time I didn't want to accept it, so I ran away and came up with every excuse I could. But, but it's time, it's time for me to let go of what we used to have, and accept what I have now. I need to accept fate because you were right; this is what I was meant to do. There will be days where I don't want this, but I have to take it one day at a time because this is my path. And this…"

Frank reached over for Jack, signaling for him to come over, he came over and stood next to Elizabeth. Frank took hold of Jack's left hand, followed by Elizabeth's right hand, bringing them together.

"…this is your path"

As Frank had Elizabeth and Jack hold hands, the couple smiled at one another.

"You're my friend, and all I want is for you to be happy"

Elizabeth watched Frank close his eyes, his lip quivering as he cried. This was a huge step for him, but also a difficult one.

"Frankie, it's okay. It's okay. I know you're still hurting inside, there's nothing wrong with that"

Elizabeth wiped away Frank's tears, forcing his eyes open as she took a hand to his cheek.

"As long as you're in my life I will always be happy"

Frank smiled after hearing those words from Elizabeth. It was hard, but he felt good knowing he was doing the right thing by taking responsibility and accepting his path, and Elizabeth's path. After a minute or so, Frank became more level headed. Things were so emotional that it didn't even occur to him how Elizabeth and Jack found out he was at the hospital.

"What are you doing here anyway? Did Jenn tell you what happened?"

"No, Todd tapped into my cell phone and explained what he was, told us what happened. Shortly after we contacted Jenn to verify if Todd was telling the truth"

"Wow"

"We went shopping first, brought you some clothes. Jenn told us the doctors had to cut what you were wearing off of you so they could help you"

Elizabeth addressed the small clothing problem Frank was most likely not aware of.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do that"

"It's okay"

Elizabeth smiled at Frank reassuringly.

"How long have you both been here?"

Frank was curious how much time Elizabeth and Jack had spent waiting for him to wake up. Jack answered for Elizabeth.

"About an hour"

"I'm sorry"

Elizabeth answered for the both of them.

"No it's fine, it gave us time to talk to Todd. While you were sleeping we spoke to Todd on a headset after he gave us a number to contact, told us all about what you did; you managed to stop an entire uprising?"

Elizabeth sounded legitimately amazed.

"Well, not really, I used myself as bait while…"

Jack interrupted Frank.

"Frank, it's okay, you don't need to be modest. It sounds like you did good by, Dunwall was it?"

Elizabeth nodded to Jack as he continued.

"You did good by Dunwall, and it's Empress; you should be proud"

A smirk grew on Elizabeth's face as she snickered, she knew something else.

"While we're on the subject of the Empress, Todd told us you had some one on one time with her?"

Elizabeth could no longer stifle her laughing, and soon Jack was laughing with her.

"It was…it…it was just…I…oh god…I probably should have told Todd not to tell anyone that…"

Frank was clearly embarrassed.

"It's okay, it's okay. Could you at least tell us if she was pretty?"

Elizabeth was curious.

"She, she was very pretty"

Frank couldn't help but smile a little as Elizabeth and Jack teased him a little more with their innuendo and laughing.

"I'm gonna head to the lobby, do you want anything from the vending machines, Frank? The doctors said it's okay if you want to have a snack"

Jack was certain Frank was hungry.

"Uh, I mean, you've done enough"

Frank didn't want to trouble Jack any more than he already had, him and Elizabeth.

"Frank it's fine, just tell me what you want"

"Um…a Reese's, a 3 Musketeers, and a Pepsi please"

"Alright, I'll be back"

"Thanks"

"Oh and uh Frank, I'm glad you're okay. You'll be coming home with us in a few days after you're admitted out of here. We'll have the guest bedroom all set up for you while you recover. Elizabeth has told me so much about you, but; I'm looking forward to getting to know you better myself"

Frank was happy to hear Jack say that, he could tell he was going to be a great friend like Elizabeth.

"Yeah, same here; and thank you again"

As Jack walked out, Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed next to Frank.

"You look kind of adorable right now"

Elizabeth joked around with Frank some more, hoping to lift his spirits.

"I don't feel adorable"

Frank smiled, showing off his missing teeth to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth tried to be as gentle as possible as she embraced Frank once more, she could hear him laughing a little, she knew another hug would help him feel a little better. When Elizabeth was done holding Frank, she sat up and looked at the old photo of them at Coney Island. She picked it up and observed it, smiling as she reflected on that day.

"You kept this?"

"Yeah, sorry you must think that's weird; you can throw it out"

"No, you should let me make a copy of this. I'd love to put it in my photo album, next to the photo of us that was taken at my wedding"

Frank's eyes squinted in perplexion.

"But we aren't together anymore"

Frank was confused as to why Elizabeth would want to keep a photo reminding her of when he was her boyfriend. Elizabeth put the photo down and gently caressed Frank's cheek with the back of her fingers.

"Frankie, do you remember what I told you at the wedding? Do you think that because I'm with Jack, that I don't think back to the time you and I spent together and remember it fondly? Do you think that because I'm in love with him, that I forgot how much you and I loved each other, and how wonderful it was? Letting go of something doesn't mean you have to erase what made it important. As long as your past doesn't stop you from moving forward, you can always look back at the good times you had and smile, even when they're long gone"

Frank thought about what Elizabeth said. He knew what he needed to do, and he wasn't going to let the past hold him back from it any longer.

"Yeah, always moving forward. You know what, when I'm better, I'm gonna have a lot of work to do. So you keep that photo; that memory is safer in your hands"

Elizabeth smiled as she picked the photo up once more. She got up and went back to her chair to put the photo away in her purse. When she was done, she sat back down next to Frank on his bed. She reached over and gently stroked his head, giving him more commendation as she comforted him.

"Frankie, this is just the beginning. You're going to do great things, you're going to help so many people and discover so much, and I can't wait to hear all about it when you come home"

Elizabeth leaned in and gave Frank a kiss on the forehead.

"For now, get some rest; I'll be here"

"I know you will"

It would probably take a while for Frank to recover, he would need physical therapy and dental work after everything he endured, but Elizabeth would be with him every step of the way during his recovery. She knew he was strong and that he would pull through, because he had a lot of work to do, and she could tell he was eager to get started. She was still relieved to see him in one piece, most importantly, she was happy to have her friend back after so many years of them being apart, and felt even better knowing he had come to terms with everything. Because Elizabeth was right, she had always been right, she knew Frank was meant to do great things. And soon, the whole world, along with every other world; would know that.