[ as it starts, frank knows he isn't really there. it's becoming easier to sort the reality from dreams like these. he doesn't think he knows the girl, but she's younger than even his lisa was, or than leo is. but she carries herself like a woman already, and not just a woman but a soldier; an assassin. it makes his stomach roll tumultuously to see grown men come at her that way with abandon and without restraint. they're directed by one man who projects father as much as he does owner and that makes him sick too. he's frozen there, knowing he can't affect what happens next, but he already wants to snap the guy's neck.
when the scene refreshes, the girl is negligibly older but no less ruthless. if anything, she's more and the men are taunting her now. he knows that won't end well for them even before the fight begins, and he's still not sure if he can intervene but he's confident in the knowledge that he doesn't have to -- she'll survive. this time, he lunges at the old man, but the scene changes again before he can connect.
when the man reappears, frank is angry. furious even. his fists clench at his sides and he knows that she'll best her attacker. he hates that she has to when he wants to do it for her. but everything goes too fast and he's rendered useless again by the rapidly changing dream. he isn't even sure if she's seen him, if she knows he's there yet. but she will soon.
the cage is too much. that's enough. this is what he was made for, body and soul. he bides his time, but only just, waiting for the older man from before to kill the other. interesting, but not good enough. he's still defending an asset rather than a child. the second he unlatches the cage, frank bursts forward, tearing into stick like so much cray paper. he goes down in a sea of red, his heart spurting out onto frank's face and dark jumpsuit. he holds onto his shirt to keep him upright, breathing deeply through it as he watches the man die. like it's therapy for him, and in a way it is. he turns to the girl and they meet eyes for the first time. he knows she sees him, and he holds out his bloodied hand as her father hits the ground. he takes her some place she will be loved.
it's the lieberman's on some big holiday, everyone laughs and drinks and frank is the happiest of all. the murderous man from before is gone in favor of a happy-go-lucky family man. the weird uncle who would do anything for his friend's kids. and this new adoptee who reminds him of the broken kids in reims he tries to help. soon the happy scene is broken up by men in masks, and they gun everyone down. except for frank and elektra. he meets her eyes again and wonders why she was spared, but they're jumping again.
matt is there, and elektra is older now. he doesn't place her right away, but he's back on the sidelines like the film reel has started over in the middle of the movie. people think she's an object again, they want her to be who they want her to be but that's not how it works. they had done the same to frank castle and look how that had worked out for them. the hand. ninjas. he's starting to understand, but the scene disappears from under his feet this time.
he's on the opposite roof, his punisher garb hidden behind a sniper rifle. he hesitates the way he's never done before, and their eyes lock for the third time. because he's seen it before, because he knows which man is responsible, frank is able to take him out this time. his head opens up over daredevil and elektra, but she's spared again and he nods. he finally got something right even if matt is giving him the soap eye. fuck that, and fuck all of this. he mows down every enemy that comes for the pair until they lie in a jumbled heap of death. matt says it isn't the answer, but then why does he feel so righteous. he saved them, it's what he should have done the first time around.
matt and all the bodies melt away and it's frank and elektra on the rooftop alone now. he swallows and signs Sorry. this wasn't how it was supposed to end, was it? he's fucked everything up. daredevil said she comes back, that frank was never supposed to save her anyway. but he couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting her again. ]
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when the scene refreshes, the girl is negligibly older but no less ruthless. if anything, she's more and the men are taunting her now. he knows that won't end well for them even before the fight begins, and he's still not sure if he can intervene but he's confident in the knowledge that he doesn't have to -- she'll survive. this time, he lunges at the old man, but the scene changes again before he can connect.
when the man reappears, frank is angry. furious even. his fists clench at his sides and he knows that she'll best her attacker. he hates that she has to when he wants to do it for her. but everything goes too fast and he's rendered useless again by the rapidly changing dream. he isn't even sure if she's seen him, if she knows he's there yet. but she will soon.
the cage is too much. that's enough. this is what he was made for, body and soul. he bides his time, but only just, waiting for the older man from before to kill the other. interesting, but not good enough. he's still defending an asset rather than a child. the second he unlatches the cage, frank bursts forward, tearing into stick like so much cray paper. he goes down in a sea of red, his heart spurting out onto frank's face and dark jumpsuit. he holds onto his shirt to keep him upright, breathing deeply through it as he watches the man die. like it's therapy for him, and in a way it is. he turns to the girl and they meet eyes for the first time. he knows she sees him, and he holds out his bloodied hand as her father hits the ground. he takes her some place she will be loved.
it's the lieberman's on some big holiday, everyone laughs and drinks and frank is the happiest of all. the murderous man from before is gone in favor of a happy-go-lucky family man. the weird uncle who would do anything for his friend's kids. and this new adoptee who reminds him of the broken kids in reims he tries to help. soon the happy scene is broken up by men in masks, and they gun everyone down. except for frank and elektra. he meets her eyes again and wonders why she was spared, but they're jumping again.
matt is there, and elektra is older now. he doesn't place her right away, but he's back on the sidelines like the film reel has started over in the middle of the movie. people think she's an object again, they want her to be who they want her to be but that's not how it works. they had done the same to frank castle and look how that had worked out for them. the hand. ninjas. he's starting to understand, but the scene disappears from under his feet this time.
he's on the opposite roof, his punisher garb hidden behind a sniper rifle. he hesitates the way he's never done before, and their eyes lock for the third time. because he's seen it before, because he knows which man is responsible, frank is able to take him out this time. his head opens up over daredevil and elektra, but she's spared again and he nods. he finally got something right even if matt is giving him the soap eye. fuck that, and fuck all of this. he mows down every enemy that comes for the pair until they lie in a jumbled heap of death. matt says it isn't the answer, but then why does he feel so righteous. he saved them, it's what he should have done the first time around.
matt and all the bodies melt away and it's frank and elektra on the rooftop alone now. he swallows and signs Sorry. this wasn't how it was supposed to end, was it? he's fucked everything up. daredevil said she comes back, that frank was never supposed to save her anyway. but he couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting her again. ]