It's been a month since the night that the Punisher stopped killing. It was tough for him to stop bad habits, but with the help from Luna he's been staying on track. It also didn't help that ever since the police commissioner was killed, the police force was in complete disarray. Things for Luna have been getting better. Thankfully her punishment was over, and was allowed to do what she wanted. She was able to patch things up with Sam, and the two have been very close. She has also been spending a lot of time with Frank lately, making sure he sticks to his new no killing policy. On top of all of this Homecoming was quickly approaching. Frank has been dealing with girls asking him out to homecoming on a daily basis. To all of the girls, he said no, and thus he earned a reputation of being a heartbreaker.
It was lunch time, Luna was with her friends playing loud rock music and chilling, Frank was nowhere to be found. She figured he wanted to be away from all of the attention he has been getting from the girls of the school. She continued on doing her thing, until lunch time was over.
"Of COURSE I'LL GO TO HOME COMING WITH YOU BOBBY BOOBOO BEAR!" Shouted Lori in pure joy. She couldn't but smile at Her older sister Lori's happiness. From what she heard from Lincoln and her other sisters, Lori and Bobby were going through some sort of rough patch. But now things are looking better now.
"What's up with her?" Asked Sam.
"Lori's boyfriend asked her to homecoming." said Luna.
"Huh, weird. I thought they already decided it a long time ago." said Sam
"Yeah, but at the same time, they find new ways to surprise everyone."
"So what about you? I bet you're going to homecoming with Frank aren't you?" A swarm of angry girls surround the two. Luna grabs hold of Sam's arm and makes a run for it.
"What were you thinking, asking that question out loud?" asked Luna in a annoyed tone of voice.
"Well are you two going together?"
"I don't know..." before Luna could finish they run into Frank knocking everyone down.
"Are you two okay?" asked Frank.
"Uh yeah I'm okay, oh look at the time I gotta go." Said Sam and she ran around the corner and peeked out and gave a thumbs up, silently giving Luna a sign for her to go for it, as Luna just silently curses her own luck.
"Is everything okay Luna?" asked Frank as he helped Luna up.
"Yeah all is good dude."
"Fantastic." He walks off to his class. Sam glares at Luna for letting this moment pass. Sam chases after Frank and drags him back to Luna, giving her a jolt of anxiety.
"Sorry Frank, but Luna has something to ask you." She pushes him towards her and stayed this time to make sure she actually asks him.
"So what is it you wanted to ask me?" asked Frank.
"Oh, uhh, hmm. Wh...Who are you going to take to Homecoming?"
"Homecoming? hmm not sure. Are you going?"
"ME!? I don't know maybe. With the city getting safer I was planning on going to this concert."
"I see, looks like I'm not going." This took Luna by surprise and didn't know how to respond to that. "Is there a way for me convince you to not going to this concert?"
"Yeah, if you can find someone to take your place at the concert."
"I got you." said Sam.
"Well then I guess that settles it. I'll pick you up at 6 PM." He walks off leaving Luna speechless and in shock. She couldn't believe it, not only is she going to homecoming with the one guy every girl in the school wants to go with, she is going with the Punisher.
"You did it brah. Frank is now you're official date to homecoming!" said Sam. The girls of the school heard her and once again swarmed the two. Without a second thought the two bolted to their next class.
-Later That Day-
Frank made it through the another day of his new life. He won't admit it outloud, but he is happy to have left New York. Things have been turning around. The urge for him to revert back to who he used to be tempts him everyday. But he doesn't regret the change, now that he has someone like Luna in his life. He enters his home, to find someone who he hasn't seen in a long time, Matt Murdock.
"Ah hello Frank, I hope all is well."
"Likewise, what are you doing here?"
"As your personal lawyer, you could've at least told me where you went off to."
"How did you find me?" He tosses an old issue of the Daily Bugle and the headlines read, White Skull Demon strikes at Royal Woods.
"It wasn't hard, put two and two together." There was a brief pause, no one said anything. The two just stood there to think about what is happening. "Frank, what happened back in New York, it wasn't your fault."
"I should've been there, I should've been more prepared." Frank's hands started to clench tighter, thinking about what happened.
"Frank, nobody saw it coming. The attack...no one was there to help them, we were all away."
"Maybe...just maybe...if I had figured out who the Kingpin was sooner, if I hadn't been away...then he'd still be alive."
"Frank, you and I don't know if that is true. It's not your fault, don't blame yourself."
"Is that why you're here? to get me to come back to New York? Well I'm not going back."
"I don't plan on it, I'm just here to help. Jigsaw is in Royal Woods." Frank was surprised, shocked by the news. Of all people he wanted to follow him, Jigsaw was the last person he wanted.
"You sure? How do you know he is here?"
"I was investigating another lead connecting the Maggia to Kingpin. A few of Kingpin's associates were willing to talk about it."
"You interrogated them didn't you?"
"I did ask them pretty please."
"Thanks for the information. I'll take it from here." He walks past Matt to handle Jigsaw. Matt stops him by placing his hand on his shoulder.
"I can help you. I know we've been through this many times, but your way won't work." Frank couldn't but give a small smile at the comment.
"I guess you haven't followed the news that closely. I don't kill. Not anymore." Matt was surprised by this news. He had spent countless nights trying to convince Frank to change his ways, and be the hero he knew he could become.
"Really? Why the sudden change?"
"I met a good friend." Said Frank as he smiled. Matt could tell he was telling truth, and couldn't help but smile at the news.
"I see, I'll leave you to it. This gives me more time to find the missing meta-humans." He makes his way to the door, and stops short. "Frank, be careful. Redemption is not as easy as you may think it is." With that he leaves. Frank doesn't waste anytime, and begins his search.
-Night Of Homecoming-
Luna did not know how to feel about tonight. It was a combination of excitement, nervousness, and anxiety all in one. She was more relieved that her family can finally stop bothering her with not just how she got Frank to ask her out, as well as the outfit they helped picked out for Homecoming. The sisters who are going all went separately with their own dates.. A limo pulls up, Luna knew that it was Frank. Curiously he doesn't walk out to the front door. She figured that knowing how her family will react, he wisely chose to stay inside. She said her goodbyes to her family. She enters the limo, Frank was not inside.
"Hey driver dude, where's Frank?" Asked Luna. The limo driver turns his head slightly towards Luna. She couldn't see his face, but notice a cut on his face.
"Oh don't worry, Frank will meet us at our destination." The limo drives off, Luna knew they were not taking the usual route to the school.
"Hey, you're going the wrong way." The driver gives a small chuckle.
"Oh don't worry, I know I exactly where we are going." The window pulls up closing Luna off from the driver. Gas sprays out. She quickly bangs at the window, trying to get his attention. Eventually she passes out.
-Elsewhere-
The Punisher searched tirelessly for Jigsaw. He spent most of his career fighting him. No matter how many times he shot his body like swiss cheese, Jigsaw always found a way to survive and come back to cause unimaginable chaos to New York. He needed to find him quick, Royal Woods police force has never met anyone like Jigsaw, and is not prepared to stop him. He looks at the time, and curses himself. He was so busy searching for Jigsaw that he lost track of time. He calls up Luna to let her know he is going to be late. He is banking on how understanding she will be. Instead of hearing her voice, he hears something he hasn't heard in such a long time.
"Oh my Franky, it's soo good knowing you're still alive."
"Jigsaw..."
"I know that you know that I'm here, so I'll cut to the chase. Let's meet up tonight, and just have a talk. We have a lot of catching up to do." The call ended, but Punisher was able to trace the call. He punches the coordinates into the War-Van, and drove to the location immediately.
-Jigsaw's Location-
Punisher arrived at the location. It was at an abandon warehouse, Punisher would be foolish to go about this carelessly. He was prepared for any traps Jigsaw may have prepared. To his surprise, there were no traps. The Warehouse was dark and quiet, something the Punisher hated. Lights turn on and Punisher finds Luna tied up in a clear box, and Jigsaw standing next to it.
"Franky glad you could make it." said Jigsaw.
"Jigsaw, let her go!" demanded Punisher.
"Ah I see you care about her. Funny thing is those you care about the most tend to get hurt the most." mocked Jigsaw as he pointed at his own face. "But things are different now right? I've heard you haven't killed anyone for quite some time. What Happened? You meet a girl and all of sudden you lost your edge?" Punisher stood there silently, which always irked Jigsaw. "I didn't travel all the way to nowhere just to fight a neutered animal." He presses a button and everyone starts to hear a ticking noise.
"That's your grand finale, a bomb?" said the Punisher.
"Oh you think too small. I just sealed off air in this little box here. That ticking noise is a timer to let us know how long your dear friend will last. You want to know the best part? You both will be able to see and hear each other die, and the only way to free her is if you kill me. No matter how you want to look at it someone is going to die." Punisher stood there, calculating his next move. No matter how many different ways he can save Luna there's always one constant; death of Jigsaw.
"If that is the only way to save Luna, I'll do what I must." He pulls out a kabar knife, got into his fighting stance.
"Now that's more like it." Jigsaw pulls out dual wielding knives and the two charged at each other. The two were going at it, slash for slash. Punisher had the martial experience to take Jigsaw down, but Jigsaw's disregard for anything countered it. Luna can look on scared for her life, but at the same time she was scared that Frank would go back to who he once was. She had to calm herself down and slow her breathing so she wouldn't lose air quickly. The two kept fighting until Jigsaw pulled out a syringe.
"Time to change things up." He stabs the syringe into his neck, and injected himself with the fluid inside.
"What did you inject yourself with?" asked Punisher.
"On my way here, I made a quick stop at this city. You may have heard of it, Gotham. I met a very nice Spaniard, who took some more persuasion to share with me his miracle drug, Venom." His body grew three times his normal size, and he was towering over Punisher.
"Before I never had the strength to snap your neck, but now I do!" He charges right at the Punisher, but the Punisher quickly got out of the way. He pulls out his grappling hook and fires it at Jigsaw. It attached itself to Jigsaw, who pulled the rope so Punisher would fly towards him. That was what Punisher wanted, and did flying kick to his face. Thanks to his adamantium skeleton it did something, but it wasn't enough.
"You think that can stop me?" roared Jigsaw. His gigantic hand wrapped around the Punisher and slammed him to the ground multiple times. The last time he slammed to the ground, he pummels his face over and over again, and takes off his mask to his bloodied face slowly heal itself. He then lifted Punisher above his head.
"Now I will break YOU."
"Sorry Jigsaw, I'll be breaking YOU!" he presses a something on his wrist and in came roaring in was his War-Van. A missile launcher came out of the roof and fire multiple rockets at Jigsaw. Punisher got freed, and walked towards the War-van to get something. He pulls out a katana, and walks over a barely concious Jigsaw.
"Do what you must, give in to your bloodlust. You know you want to do it." taunted Jigsaw.
"If this is the only way to save Luna. Then so be it. I'LL BECOME THE PUNISHER OF THE OLD ONCE AGAIN." He raises his katana in the air, as Luna looked on horrified at what she just heard. She had to do something, but she couldn't think of what to say. "Die."
"NO DON'T!" Shouted Luna. Frank stopped his blade right before it touches Jigsaw's face.
"Luna! Save your breath this is the only way to get you out." Said Punisher.
"Frank, there's always another way."
"I want to believe that...but..." He sees Luna's hopeful face slowly fall. The lack of oxygen is starting to get to her. He rushes over, and tries to slash the box open to get Luna free.
"I'm here for Luna, please stay." said Punisher, and for the first time for both Luna and Jigsaw, they heard a hint of him panicking.
"Everything will be fine Frank. I'll be okay. I believe in you. Be the hero I believe in." Punisher turns his attention to Jigsaw as he slowly got up.
"Jigsaw, I'm going to say this once. I'm not going to kill you, you've lost. It's over." Jigsaw noticed Punisher's unwavering tone of voice. He knew there was no way Punisher is going to kill him.
"Told you before, the only way for this to end is if someone dies." He then stabs himself, shocking everyone. He collapses to ground, laying on top of his pool of blood. "Don't look at me with those eyes." said Jigsaw. "I prefer the look in the eyes when you said you were going to kill me. Within every fiber of your being, you are nothing but a monster. I know because I'm a monster as well. A monster is a monster no matter what...he can't be anything else. I'll be on the edge of hell, to see how long you can play pretend hero. See ya on the other side Franky." Jigsaw was dead. The moment he finished that sentence, the box finally opens and Punisher rushes to get Luna out.
"You're not hurt are you?" asked Punisher, as Luna breathed in heavily.
"I'm okay, how are you feeling." They look over at Jigsaw's lifeless body, Luna couldn't help but feel that Punisher lost an important piece of himself. Punisher looks back at Luna and hugs her tightly.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."
"It's okay dude. I'm not hurt."
"No I'm sorry that I failed you. I was about to kill him. I tried to be the type of hero you and Mr. Lieberman wanted me to be. But I couldn't do it, I was about kill Jigsaw."
"But you didn't. You stopped yourself."
"Only because you were here. I don't know what will happen when you won't be here with me to stop myself."
"Quit worrying about the future and what ifs. Let's focus on the here and now." They both looked at the time and suddenly remembered homecoming.
"Let's just let the police handle it from here. I did promise you I'd take you homecoming." He puts his arm out and Luna puts her arm around his, and the two went inside the War-Van and made their way out.
-School-
Everyone was dancing and laughing and having an overall great time at homecoming. The doors opened and in walks both Luna and Frank in their homecoming outfits. Everyone looks at the two with both awe, and jealousy. The two felt the whole world was looking at the two, but it didn't matter. They had each other, and to them that's all that mattered. The DJ started to play music, and most of those at homecoming went back to dancing. Luna looks at Frank and smiles.
"Do you wanna dance?" asked Luna.
"Under the moonlight?" replied Frank. Light shines on the two. They danced along with everyone and enjoyed each other's company. The two continued to look at each other's eyes throughout the night. A few girls walked up to Frank and tried to get him away from Luna. Luna wasn't going to let this get to her and pushed the girls away and pulled Frank away from them.
"Luna about what happened back there. It's..." Luna didn't want to hear his explanation. She held onto his tie and pulled him towards her, and the two kissed. "Lu...Luna...I uh."
"Don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me." Frank was about to say something but Luna, pulled him back to the dance floor. "Shut up and dance with me." The two danced together, and everything around them, all of their worries, crimes, saving the city, all of those thoughts didn't matter, they only thing that mattered was each other.
-Years later-
Luna was running in the busy streets of New York, she was busy recording her band's, Cherry Bombs, fifth album. Her band was super successful, winning Grammys every year, and traveling all over the world to sold out arenas, how she found time for her family is miracle. She finally made it to her father's michelin star rated restaurant, where her family was meeting. She was happy that it was a private party, and it was closed off to everyone but her family, that way it won't be too loud.
"Sorry I'm late dudes, Sam wasn't happy with our 560th take of our newest song." said Luna.
"It's good Luna." said Lincoln. "My boss wanted me to write the 50th anniversary issue for Ace Savvy."
"Ahem." said Ronnie Ann.
"But thanks to Ronnie Ann for keeping me focused and here I am."
"Anything else?"
"I love you for it." said Lincoln as he kissed her cheek. They were still waiting on a few more guests. Everyone talked amongst themselves, as they had a lot of catching up to do. Ronnie Ann turned her head and saw her older brother, and Lori.
"Bobby!" said Ronnie Ann as she got up and hugged him.
"Hey, baby sis. Sorry we're late, our company was busy finalizing a major buyout."
"Yeah well, it was literally the worst. Those guys were literally in the dumps. But with you BooBoo Bear, it was all worth it." There was now only just one member left, and that was when everyone turned to Luna.
"So Luna where's your special friend?" asked Leni.
"You mean Frank? He's uh busy."
"I'm sure he is, he's probably with the Avengers or the Justice League saving the world." said Lynn.
"He's been busy managing his time with the Avengers, Justice League, the Titans, and protecting the city."
"How does he have time for you?" asked Lana.
"I don't worry about it too much, he always does find a way to make time for me." All of sudden a gang of masked men with assault rifles burst into the restaurant.
"EVERYONE HANDS IN THE AIR. THIS IS A HOSTAGE SITUATION." shouted one of the masked men. They rounded up all of the guests, and got ready with their demands. They hear a laser being fired off, and one the gang members getting knocked out. Everyone all turned to see who did it, and there the Loud family saw him, in his new costume.
"Let's make this fast, I don't have all day." said the Punisher, he pulls out a small device and presses the button twice. The gang members tried to fire at him, but their guns wouldn't go off. He slowly walks over and proceeds to knock them both out. He ties them up and takes them outside where the police had just arrived.
"Sorry I'm late." said the Punisher.
"Don't sweat it you always have amazing timing." said Luna, as the two kissed. He took off his mask and sat with everyone. Everyone continued to chat and dine throughout the night. Talking about their past, their present, and their future. To Frank his past was a distant memory, everything that had happened in New York, none of it mattered. As long as he has Luna beside him, he finally found peace. He was dwelled in the past, but now with Luna with him, he can't wait for the future, after all he couldn't help but play with a ring in his right pocket all night long.