Be so Very Cautious of The Wild One | Frank Castle x OC

Unraveling

"I.. I don't even know where to start." Maggie murmured, her eyes looking at the dash while her mind was somewhere else.

"From the beginning." Frank told her as she chuckled dryly, her hands came up to rub her eyes which were starting to water. Her hands covered her face as she tried to hide away so he wouldn't see her tears. Frank reached out his hand and softly laid it on her arm in a comforting gesture.

"I've always been under the upper hand. Do you know that? I've been struggling since God knows how long. I grew up dirt poor with Papa, trying to make ends meet wherever we could. Moving around from one place to another in Hell's Kitchen, just.. trying to survive."

Maggie sniffled as her thoughts flashed back in time.

"You're out George. I gave you two months and you still haven't paid rent, I can't keep doing this." Maggie was 15, standing in the hallway of the small ground floor apartment they had been staying in for 5 months. Her breathing was shallow as she quietly listened to Trent, the landlord of the complex talking to Grandpa.

"Trent please, you know I'll pay. I just had to get school supplies and clothes for Maggie.. she's just starting high-school." There was silence. "Moneys been tight since I lost Beth. How would you feel if it was Abbey? Come on, just work with me."

"If it was Abbey I'd be crushed.. but I still can't George.. You got a week to move your stuff or-" Maggie didn't listen to the rest of it as she ran into her room and grabbed the piggy bank that was sitting on her dresser. Breaking it open, she took the money out and ran down the hallway to Trent, interrupting their heated discussion.

"Here! I was saving up to buy the Wii when it came out next year but this is important." Maggie rambled as she shoved the money into his hands. "That's $350! It's half of our rent so please, don't kick us out Trent." Maggie begged, anxiously hoping that he would take the money she had offered him. Trent looked down at the money in his hands as $5 dollar bills and change spilled out onto the floor.

With a sigh, Trent slowly put the money back in Maggie's hands, holding her hands with a gentle squeeze. "If Abbey knew I took money from you Maggie, she'd have my throat." He told her before letting her hands go. "Listen, I will give you til the end of the month. Just try to have as much as possible by then."

Grandpa grabbed Trent's hand and shook it vigorously while patting his arm. "You're a good man. Trent. A good, good man."

"I was young when I started working for Aziel and I was trying desperately to earn my own income and be independent from my ex-husband, William. He told me that if I didn't make enough money to cover expenses for my Grandpa, he'd put him in a home so I did what I had to do and wound up working for Aziel." Maggie sighed to herself.

Frank stared at her, his expression stony as his eyes silently told her everything she needed to know about what he thought of William.

"Aziel was always.. weird with me. He always requested my help with filing paperwork, bringing guests back to his office, anything to be close to me but I was married and he didn't take it any farther than a long touch on my arm or a compliment. Besides that, he has always been a menace to work for. He fluctuates quickly from fine to ready to explode, and he's always been testy."

"Then why'd you go back to work for him if you knew how he was already?" Frank asked her as Maggie shook her head.

"Because it's not so black and white. I need extra cash, I have established myself singing already, and I have the sweetest friends to work with. Besides Aziel being a moody asshole, it wasn't bad at all. It's not like most bosses aren't already moody assholes." She told him as he cracked a smile finally but it quickly dropped.