The Taste of Pain | A Frank Castle Fanfic

R.V.

Lena and Moritz sat at the table with empty candy boxes scattered all around. Frank and Rachel were watching tv, trying to drown Lena and Mortiz's laughs out.

Lena took a deep breath, "So what did Scott make you do?" she asked.

Moritz's laugh lines faded as he thought back. "Scott would always say 'nie vergessen' which means never forget. As my job, he made me gather info. Anything that I would forget he would punish me for it."

"How would he punish you?" 

Moritz opened his mouth but closed it and took his shirt off. He turned his back to Lena. There were scars all over caused by a whip or a belt. Lena's expression turned from neutral to empathetic.

Moritz put his shirt back on, "But my mother, who always found the positive in the negative always told me." He swallowed then started quoting his mother, "'Son, Scott is brutal. But I want you to never forget him, never forget me, and most of all...'" He switched to speaking German, "'Vergiss niemals, wer du wirklich bist.'"

Lena cocked her head, "What does it mean in English?"

"Never forget who you really are."

She nodded her head, "Vergiss niemals, wer du wirklich bist." Moritz smiled as she spoke the phrase in his native language.

~

Lena sat on the couch with Frank. Everyone had gone to bed or fallen asleep except for the two.

"So what's the deal with Rachel?" Lena whispered to Frank.

He sighed, "She's been through some shit. Came back from getting food to find all her friends dead." He chuckled a bit. "Apparently, her real name is Amy." Lena chuckled too, understanding the use of fake names. 

"What about Moritz?" He asked her.

She gave a sigh, "The kid reminds me of myself. His uncle abuses him for making mistakes." She shook her head.

"You two seem to get along." He looked back at the boy who no longer had his handcuffed to the table.

She smiled, "Yea, I needed someone when I was getting away from my uncle. He needs that." She laid down next to Frank like the night before and waited for the sun to rise.

~

She had woken up to find that Frank had left. Rachel and Mortiz were still asleep so she just went and made some coffee.

About ten minutes later Rachel had walked out of Madani's room, "Where's Frank?" she asked.

"I don't know." Lena poured the coffee into three cups then sat down on the couch. Moritz had stirred awake and was glad to see a hot coffee for him.

"Lena." She looked his way, "Thanks for the kaffee."

She smiled, correcting his English,  "It's coffee kid."

Today was going to be a day they stayed in. Lena had worried about Frank and where they were gonna go if Madani didn't want them to stay with her anymore.

By the time Frank had gotten back, it was in the evening. "Hey, where have you been?" Lena asked.

Frank turned to look at her, his face bloodied and bleeding. He went and sat on the couch next to Lena.

She looked at him oddly, "Let's get you cleaned up before Madani kicks your ass for getting blood on her couch." Frank didn't disagree as he followed Lena into the backroom. She grabbed a rag and made it damp with warm water. "So who'd you beat up this time?" She asked as she wiped the blood from his face.

He chuckled, "Some Russians who were in the middle of their workout."

Lena sighed, "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

He shook his head, "Because you already have your hands full with Scott and Mortiz."

"Yea, but Scott is linked to the Russians so they're also my problem."

He rolled his eyes, "No, it isn't Lena. I don't want to see your face beaten like mine."

She sighed then moved to his bloody and bruised hands. She noticed a familiar scar, "I remember that one, " She chuckled, "That was when I threw hot chocolate on you." He nodded and laughed. "I thought you were gonna kill me," she said.

"Oh, whatever." You could hear the smirk in Frank's voice. 

She smiled and moved to the next hand. "I'm serious. Even at the construction site I thought you were gonna kill me." She held her hands up as if to defend herself. "What was I supposed to think? All you did was hit walls." Frank shook his head but made sure to have a smile.

She wrang the rag out and set it down. Lena watched the watered-down blood rush the drain. "Now that I think about it, I don't regret throwing hot chocolate on you."

Frank had a light chuckle as he pushed her, "You ass."

~

The four of them walked up to the R.V. The man on the phone had acted like he just wanted it occupied. He had told them that the key was already in the door.

Moritz went up to the key and turned it, at first it did nothing. But then he realized he turned it the wrong way. On the inside it looked cozy but also messy, it was just gonna have to work.

Once everyone sat their bags down Frank turned to Lena, "Tomorrow, I'm doing stuff with the Russians." She only stared at him.

"I'm coming." 

He let out a sharp breath, "No, it's not your problem."

She clenched her jaw, "Fine, while you're doing that, I'll be dealing with Scott."

He too clenched his jaw, "Just don't get yourself killed."

~

The four of them sat in the R.V listening to the cars drive by. It was around midnight and nobody had the desire to sleep.

"Teach me," Amy said. Frank and Lena looked at her.

"Teach you what?" Frank spoke giving a more intimidating tone.

Amy sighed, "Teach me how to use a gun."

Frank and Lena chuckled, "Last time he gave you a gun you tried to use on him." Lena said to the naive girl.

Frank took a pistol off the table and emptied the round and the magazine. "Learning how to use the gun is easy, but knowing how to take one from someone when it's aiming at your head isn't." Frank looked at Amy, "Stand up." She did as she was told. "Try and get the gun from me."

She tried, she ran at him grabbing for the gun but was only pushed to the floor instead. Lena watched in amusement as she tried again but failed miserably. Amy looked up at Frank, "You could just teach me right?"

"Stand up," Frank said.

As Lena watched Frank teach Amy she remembered her uncle. She sighed as she took a look at what her life is now. A person living under someone else's identity. But everything she learned from her past helped make her who she is today.

Lena looked around and saw Moritz smiling at her. It was so ridiculous that he was so happy in a time like this. She then looked at Moritz's phone, trying to locate Scott for tomorrow.