The first time Frank Castle and I met was in Iraq. I had needed assistance from a marine ( this had been an army/marine op ) in the field when an RPG whizzed past me. Frank, my damn hero, tackled me out of the way and damage was minimised. He asked me if I was alright, and when I said yes, he pulled me up and walked away.
The second time Frank Castle and I met was in the med bay. This was a year later after the RPG incident so I'm sure he'd have forgotten who I was by now. I was here for shrapnel in the back and two bullets to the left thigh. He, on the other hand, was here for several deep lacerations, a bullet wound and some debris picking. Idle time was passed with sharing some bone chilling stories about the past year.
The third and final time Frank Castle and I met before he became the Punisher was, inconsequentially, at the end of Curtis' veteran meeting. Both of us didn't like to be seen by the public and Curtis wasn't public. He was one trustworthy man. We both appreciated the company of each other and the company of our friend. That was the last time I would see Frank Castle without having to hold a certain opinion on him. Of course, my opinion stayed the same. He is human, he's a human who went through something unimaginable and is dealing with it in a way that most people wouldn't but this way is helping the NYPD.
Two Years Later
Today, news of the Punisher was ravishing the channels. Every damn way I turned was 'Punisher this' and 'Punisher that.' Yeah, he's murdering people. People who, if he had not, would've done worse than what he was.
{ a.n: i'm giving Y/N a last name to be called by H- }
"Hey, Briggs!" My partner Mahoney called across the precinct. "We got eyes on the Punisher at a near by hospital. Lets go!" All eyes were on me as I sluggishly lifted up from my chair. I was tired of pursuing him, like we needed another vigilante in Hell's Kitchen.
Mahoney shot out of the parking lot and took to the roads, wanting to get out ahead of this thing before the Punisher did anymore damage. Turns out, nearby had been a few blocks down the road and I was already taking up the stairs towards the commotion. I let Karen Page and her buddy through but the man following them was not who I expected, nor who I wanted the Punisher to turn out to be. "Castle?!" I whisper-yelled, holstering my gun.
"Briggs?" He asked back, his posture visibly relaxing at my body. Frank cut his lips tight, sagging down the stairs towards me. His back was slightly arched but not in an intimidating way. "Briggs, if you let me go after him, and not Karen, promise not to tell your dumbass partner who the Punisher is. Got it?" I looked Frank in the eyes, trying to avoid the desperation seeping in them, especially from a man who had been on a rampage just moments ago.
"Yeah, yeah I got you." I felt him pat my arm, give it a small squeeze and go on his way. "Be safe, Castle. Yeah?" I looked down through the small passage between the stairs and saw a small nod. Next thing I know, a huge ca-THUNK is heard as his boots hit the bottom. That? That was the fourth time I met Frank Castle.
Two months later, I was still hung up over this man. I hadn't gotten much sleep because I wanted to know if he was okay. Frank Castle was a man of mystery, maybe the biggest mystery out there. Personally, I'd made it my mission to solve him. "Briggs, stay safe out there. With this Daredevil running around and now the Punisher? I can't risk my best detective getting hurt or worse. Killed." I froze at the door and tried not to crush my cup of freshly brewed coffee in my hand.
Coming from Connelly, from my boss, just hearing him say that made my blood boil. Sure, the man didn't know Castle the way I did, the raw emotions pouring out of him at seeing Maria, as well as little Frankie and Lisa being brutally murdered right in front of him, the hours spent figuring out how to handle that. Connelly had no right to think of him like that, no. Not until he had a well rounded education in Frank Castle.
