The Taste of Pain | A Frank Castle Fanfic

Bond

Lena had sat, curled in a ball like a frightened child. She stayed like this for under a minute. Frank had started to gain consciousness and so had Karen. Once Lena noticed that they were starting to wake up she straightened her body out and put her tough personality on. She didn't want anyone to see her showing signs of weakness.

She patted Frank's shoulder, "C'mon Frank, people are coming soon." Lena said as Frank sat up and started to help Karen up.

Frank took a much-needed breath, "They think I'm the terrorist, but they won't shoot if you two are the hostages."

"So we're supposed to look like hostages?" Karen asked.

Frank had nodded.

Karen and Lena allowed Frank to hold them in a gentle choke hold as they walked past the police and into the elevator. The second everyone had gotten in the elevator they all leaned against the walls as Karen pulled the emergency stop.

"Well, I guess it's time to part" Karen spoke, breaking the silence.

Frank nodded at Karen and pushed one of the ceiling panels to the side and pushed himself up.

Lena stuck out her hand for Karen to shake, "May we meet again Karen Page." The two nodded at each other then Lena pushed herself up out of the ceiling too.

~

Once the two got to the basement they saw David watching the news report about what happened at the hotel. 

He looked over at Frank, half of his body was covered in blood. Then he looked at Lena, she was bleeding from her head but most of the blood was coming from her leg.

Frank started to make his way towards the bathroom and Lena followed. 

Without speaking, Frank got out the first aid kit and handed a suture set to Lena and pulled one out for himself. 

Once Lena took a seat on the floor, and Frank took the spot above the sink David had come in the bathroom.

"What the hell happened to you guys? I mean... I thought you two had just decided to never come back here, and then the news with Frank bombing the hotel and-"

Frank had cut David off, "That wasn't me David." 

"Ok... but why were you even involved with the hotel, and why was Lena there?" David had looked to Lena and Frank stared at Lena through the broken mirror.

Lena had looked up for a moment, she opened her mouth as if to talk but decided to close it. She then shook her head and continued stitching up her leg.

David threw his hands up in frustration and Frank directed his attention to his arm. 

"What about Billy, Frank? He was  your friend right?" The second David finished his question Frank grabbed his bottom jaw to make him stop talking.

Lena's attention was peaked, "What about Billy Russo? What are you talking about?"

David sighed finally understanding why Frank hadn't wanted him to talk about Billy. "Nothing Lena." He said after he got Frank's hand off his jaw.

Frank shook his head. "Too late now David." Frank sighed, "While Lewis was holding you captive, I encountered Billy and he had admitted that he was a part of my family's death, tried to kill me too."

Lena's gaze went unfocused, can't be, it's the wrong Billy Russo, they got the wrong guy. She ignored her thoughts and finished stitching up her leg.

~

"C' mon Lena. It'll be fun. Just take off your clothes and try it, doesn't hurt to try things." He had started to take his shoes off. Lena had started to do the same. 

Once they were bare Lena glanced around, feeling uneasy. "This isn't too fun. I think I'll get dressed now Uncle Bryan." She went to put her shirt on.

"No!" He screamed, his face then softened, "Just lay right here it'll get better, I promise." He pointed to his bed.

Lena innocently shook her head, "I don't want to, w-why don't we shoot at bottles or something like that." She pointed to the rifle as she put her shirt on.

Before she knew it her uncle grabbed her arm and grabbed the pocket knife off the table, "Your gonna listen to me and lay on the bed." 

Lena swallowed hard then bravely shook her head. Her uncle lifted her shirt and cut her stomach with the knife.

Lena sat straight up from her cot and looked around. She saw the familiar basement and Frank sitting in a chair reading a book.

She sighed in relief, "You read?" 

Frank gave an identical sigh, "You have nightmares?"

Lena rubbed her face ignoring his question.

"I've been thinking... you know me and David's stories damn well. But we know next to nothing about you." Frank said.

"There's nothing you need to know." Even though the words had come out blunt and rude she didn't mean it to sound that way.

"Bullshit." He mumbled setting down the book he had been reading.

Lena looked up at him, "Are you really gonna make me do this?" She asked, glad that David was dead asleep.

He nodded.

"Well." She gave one last sigh before starting, "I was at the orphanage since I was eight and I stayed there till I was eleven. My uncle had heard that his niece was an orphan and decided to give me a home. Three months after that, I was still adjusting, but he started training me with guns and how to shoot and fight. But only for three months, it felt like home." She paused, swallowed back her tears and continued, "He had started to sexually harass me, he made me do things that no one should ever have to do. Every time I rejected his request or resisted he would punish me by cutting me in places that would never be seen. This had continued until I was sixteen. One day I woke up and I was sick of it, I was sick of spending hours in the shower trying to scrub off all the disgust I had for myself." She gave a small chuckle, "He was so stupid to teach me how to protect myself." She grinned, "I waited till he was asleep and I shot him with his rifle. I even made sure it was his, I mean... if I'm killed with my own gun I would be ashamed."

"What about your gunshot, where'd that come from?" He asked.

She gave a smile, "An abusive ex, he took advantage of my weakness and abused me continuously. Him and I had gotten in a fight and he walked off and the next thing I knew was  he was aiming a gun at me with his finger on the trigger. Told everyone I had died and that's why my name was Ally and I was working on the construction site."

He nodded his head, "Ya know, I joined the Marines when I was 18. When I was on leave I had met Maria... I was with her for three months when she got pregnant with Lisa. She said that she was not giving her up. Didn't wanna raise her alone, but she understood if I didn't wanna hang around... I asked her to marry me that day."

"What you do Frank... I have respect for it. If someone like you was around when I was with my uncle, then I would probably be normal." She laughed a little.