A Long Road Ahead (August 1986)

“I ain’t nevah seen em,” Marcus said. He was one of Elijah’s biggest dealers and he was also facing a slew of drug charges that not even the priciest lawyer in New York could get him out of. Not with his record. “Your honor I’d like to submit into Evidence these cell phone records and photos as exhibits 64A and B,” Luca said as one of his assistants brought him the packet. He stepped right up to the witness stand and laid out the photos. The FBI had taken a copious amount of pictures of all the heavy hitters in this den of vipers. “Isn’t this you Markus shaking Mr. Reynold’s hand? Or this one, you and he sitting together,” he said and turned and faced the jury. “You seem awfully ‘chummy’ with a man you’ve never met,” he said and smiled at the jury. Many of them smiled back. Then he moved to the cell phone records.

“So this wasn’t you? And I quote. “Gots you anutha bulk a white Marcus. Need ya come an git it dude, da shit’s sellin bigtime boy!”

“I got some homeys wif a van, I got you Elijah, be der in a few man,” Luca said as he read the transcript with some level of difficulty. He held a whole novel of messages it seemed.

“These were recovered from 4 different phones and you had 3 different pagers. A phone number reportedly belonging to Elijah was the most frequent number that appeared,” he said. He didn’t see it but Marcus gave Luca a very dangerous look.

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Later in his office, the court adjourned until tomorrow, he packed up his papers and decided to head home to Laura. In his car he pulled up to a traffic light. As he did a large, black lincoln pulled up alongside of him and the tinted window rolled down. He only had a moment to fling himself onto the seat as an assault rifle fired into his car. Bullets pounded into his car, glass shattered and the door popped as bullets rattled into it. Several bullets struck him, 5 in his legs, 2 in his buttocks and 1 in his back. The Lincoln screeched its tires and accelerated through the intersection.

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Lorenzo had been napping on the couch with the newspaper on his chest when the phone rang. Elena was outside in the garden pulling weeds. He sat up rubbed his eyes and answered the phone that sat near him on the end table near the couch. Luca hadn’t changed his emergency contact information yet and the hospital called who was first on that list, his parents.

“Hello?” He asked. “Mr. Corsetti?” A woman asked on the other line. “Yes, this is he?” he asked. “I regret to inform you that your son, Luca Corsetti has been involved in a drive by shooting. He is in emergency surgery now...he is...not expected to survive,” she said honestly. “Can you come…” She began but he quickly asked her. “Who's doing the surgery?” He asked and the nurse told him. “We’re coming,” He said and hung up the phone. “Elena!” he shouted and Elena lifted up her head.    

------- 1 hour later -----------5:30pm------Isabella’s phone rang.

Isabella had fallen into a state of depression after she and Frank had broken up and he had left. She missed him badly, but her mother and soon to be sister-in-law, convinced her not to try and find him because they both wanted different things and that fact wasn't going to change. Isabella felt horribly lonely and her parents began to insist that she she spend more time with them since she was worried about her. Isabella was on depression medication and sleeping pills since sleeping without Frank next to her was difficult for her.

Despite all of this, Isabella was incredibly proud of her brother and happy that he and Laura were getting married. She spent a lot of time with her brother and Laura and was helping Laura with the wedding plans. In fact, she was supposed to meet them tonight at their favorite bar. She knew that her brother had been in court all day and she had been at work. She had been about to pack up her stuff to leave when suddenly she heard the phone ring. She picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Isabella, it's your father."

Isabella could tell immediately that something was wrong by the tone of his voice. "What is it? Has something happened?"

He nodded slowly. "It's...your brother. He was shot today by a drive by shooter on the steps of the courthouse. He's in surgery. You need to get here to the hospital."

Isabella was actually surprised that she was still holding the telephone receiver. She felt like her entire world had just come crashing down around her.

"Is...is he going to be alright?" she asked with growing anxiety in her voice.

"Just get down here."

Isabella immediately hung up the phone and grabbed her purse and rushed out the door to the hospital.

They ofcourse wouldn’t let anyone into the surgery area and it was just her parents in the waiting room. Her father had wore a blue sweatshirt and jeans and tennis shoes. Her mother had on black jeans, a dark green t-shirt under a white fall jacket. Once they saw Isabella her mother hurried up to her. Isabella saw that her mother had tired, dry eyes and reddened cheeks as if she had been crying. She hugged her daughter. The moment she did the tears began again.

After she was able to calm down Lorenzo spoke to Isabella. “He’s been...working on this drug case. I only know a little about it. With the Russian mobsters being in disarray some gang types from Chicago have moved in to scoop up the drug business. The FBI has been investigating them for over a year and their prosecuting some of the high level dealers. This has to be connected to that,” he said. What he hadn’t said, what they had forgotten to do until after they called Isabella, was call Laura. Just as he had stopped speaking Laura was there. She had on a blue and white dress though the coat she grabbed was a brown leather jacket and didn’t go with the dress at all. That and her hair looked as if it were forced into a ponytail. She stopped when she saw them, her face held a grim expression and was pale even with the makeup she wore. Her eyes shifted from Lorenzo to Elena to Isabella back to Elena who sniffled into a tissue she held near her face.

“Where is he?” She asked. “He’s in surgery Laura,” Lorenzo said. With that she said no more and just moved to a chair and nearly threw her purse and keys down onto it and thumped over to the nurse’s station. Before long there were raised voices and she began to move toward the outer doors to the surgical ward. “Ma’am, you can’t go in there, don’t make me call security!” The Nurse said in obvious irritation hot on her heels.

Isabella felt like her entire life was suddenly collapsing around her. She loved her brother deeply and she couldn't imagine her life without him. He had to survive...he just had to. Isabella looked over as Laura appeared in the waiting area. She looked as if she had hastily gotten dressed. To be honest, Isabella couldn't blame her. The only reason she looked as put together as she did was because she had been at work. When Laura stormed over to the nurse's station and began to argue with the nurses Isabella stood up. As Laura tried to force her way back to the surgery area she quickly went over and gently took hold of her arm.

"Laura, you can't go back there. Going back there isn't going to help Luca. We need to remain here and together. I know you want to see him. God knows I do too. Please, come back and sit down."

Laura’s face was ashen and her eyes looked tight with worry. She allowed Isabella to haul her back but she glared at the nurse anyway. “I haven’t seen him...I don’t know what happened or how bad he’s hurt. We...argued, this morning about how many people to invite. I said...unkind things to him,” she said as tears welled up in her eyes. She shook her head. “This isn’t happening, this can’t happen like this,” she said in disbelief. Before Isabella could console her though a code alarm went off and a blue light blinked above the doors to the surgery ward. The nurse ran through the doors. Two more doctors in lab coats hurried from the hall, turned and ran in not long after she did.

Everyone knew what that meant. Luca’s heart had stopped. Not a good sign at all…

After what seemed like an eternity one of the surgeon’s still in his surgery garb walked out of the doors and moved up to them. Both Lorenzo and Elena knew him. “Ben,” he said and moved to shake his hand. He was an older man, tall and lean with bright hazel eyes. Keen eyes that looked tired now. “Hello Lorenzo...Elena,” he said as he nodded toward her. Isabella had met him before, he and her father were friends and he and his wife Helen had been at the house several times. “I’ll not beat around the bush bere, Luca’s in bad shape, we think we have all of the bullet fragments, he was shot 8 times,” He said. Laura’s face went almost gray and she looked as if she were about to sick up but she managed to keep herself together as she listened intently to what the doctor said.

“A couple were lodged into his femoral bones but honestly its the one that hit him in his back that concerns me the most. He may not have use of his legs,” He said. “But it’s too early to tell ofcourse,” he said. “He’s stable...now, he’s a strong man, he’ll pull through. “How Long?” Laura asked. Ben looked at her confused. “Well he’ll have to be in traction…” Ben said and Laura, her face and eyes a thunderhead stepped toward him. “How long will he be without the use of his legs?!” She barked angrily. Ben paused as he looked at her for a moment. “Laura, as I said, it’s too early to tell but you will need to prepare yourselves,” he said and shared a glance to everyone. “He may never walk again,” He said. “I’m..sorry,” he said as his mouth worked as if he searched for more words to say. Elena exploded into sobs as she cried on Lorenzo’s shoulder. Laura looked away as Ben moved back through the doors. Her eyes welled up with tears and her face took on a dark look of loss and worry.

Isabella could only sink back down into the chair she had been sitting in in shock. She felt like she was on a sinking ship in the middle of shark infested waters and she was clinging to the last bit of the ship that was still above water. This had to be a dream...no, a nightmare. She was going to wake up any moment now....But she didn't. She felt sick to her stomach and dizzy from the news. Luca wasn't just her brother, he was her friend. He supported her when she went into the CIA when no one else really did. Well, she was going to be there to support him through this. They were going to figure out a way to get through this...they had to.

Evan as the hours passed there was little talking as the news about Luca seemed to linger into the air around them. Lorenzo had gone and come back with coffee a few times but he just sat there next to his wife feeling as if it were he himself that had lost something. Something vital and important. The violence that had been growing in the city ever since The Punisher had seemingly vanished had finally touched them. No, pounded them right in the face more like and drew blood. It was dark in the ICU though there were some lights on. Luca had recently gone from critical to serious condition which they all knew meant he could still die at any moment. No one stirred form their seats.

From the angle that she sat Isabella caught movement in the corner of her eye. When she looked up Frank was there in the hall just back far enough so the others could not see him. He was dressed in his usual black cargo pants, black boots, black padded long sleeve shirt and a black baseball cap turned down just enough to cover his eyes. He wore a black, leather jacket as well. He looked...leaner and also as if he had been working out lately. Though she would never admit it, she had been keeping tabs on him with her contacts and knew he still worked construction. She even knew where he was some of the time. Once he was certain she saw him he backed up and turned around and stepped down the hall to the vending machines. With a sad, forlorn face he sensed her coming toward him and he turned, took off his hat and then opened up his arms to her.

Isabella didn't know how Frank had heard about Luca, but she didn't care. He was here when she needed him and that was all that mattered to her. She got up and slowly walked down the hallway. She saw him standing by the vending machines. She slowly walked over and as he opened up his arms to her she moved into them. She buried her face against his shoulder and began to cry. She had been trying to be strong for her parents and Laura, but she knew with Frank she didn't need to be. He would be strong for her.

She felt his hand as it rubbed her back as he held her close. Breathing in his familiar scent was comforting. Neither of them spoke while she cried. He just held her. Finally, she pulled back and she looked at him. "I'm really glad you're here."

“I’m sorry about Luca,” He said softly as he gently touched her face and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. See Isabella against wasn’t easy by any stretch. He wanted to kiss her and fill his senses with her. She smelled just as he remembered though it looked as if she had gotten her hair cut. He liked it long but she wasn’t ‘his’ any longer. “I...miss you babe, alot,” he said as he looked down into her large, dark eyes. “I don’t know why I keep feeling as if you and I aren’t done with one another, I almost didn’t make it through the door to go. You pull at me as if you had a team of horses to help haul me back to you,” he added as he touched her cheek and neck as if she were still his. He had, large, strong hands that were rough from constant use. Her flesh was soft and supple and he had dreamed of making love to her and touching her flesh with his hands.

Isabella looked up into Frank's dark eyes and her mouth almost went dry. She had missed him so much that her heart ached at just seeing him again. She still loved him and she knew that she likely always would. However, they still wanted different things. It was difficult though to not lean into his touch as he caressed her cheek and neck. She knew that if she didn't pull back that that heat that she already felt simmering between them was only going to rise. She slowly pulled back and looked at him.

"How have you been doing? You're still working in construction?"

Frank smiled as the warmth he felt from touching her filled him. God she was beautiful, he had been such a fool to give her up. “Yes, it...suits me. Tires me out,” he began than paused. ‘Especially now when I don’t have you to do that,’ he thought. He saw her eyes change and she shifted back from him as the reality of what was settled in on them.

“Is he...stable? I’d like to go somewhere where we could...talk,” he said as he looked around. A nurse looked at them as she passed.

Isabella looked at Frank and sighed as he asked her if they could go somewhere to talk. "He's in critical condition so I'd like to remain in the hospital. We can go to the cafeteria to talk."

When Frank agreed they walked down there. Frank got her some hot tea, though Isabella wished it was something stronger than tea. They sat down at a table in a corner, away from anyone else that was there and she took a sip of her tea as she waited for him to speak.

Frank took a sip of his black coffee, it was dull and nearly tasteless. He recalled the mornings that he had made them espresso. Not many people had an Espresso machine but Isabella did.

“I was trying to figure out a way to come see you before now but every time I tried to call I felt...foolish or self conscious. Silly I know but I didn’t think you’d like me to just break in again,” he said as he looked at her. They sat across from one another and it felt like they were too far away even though he could almost touch her if he reached out for her.

“This time apart…” he began then looked down for a moment and shook his head and looked back up into her eyes.

“All I’ve been doing is reading and thinking. Well, running and working out too, you know,” he said offhandedly. “I made a mistake Isabella, leaving you,” he said plainly and softly as someone, a doctor, passed by them with his tray. He paused in what he was going to say in that way he did that annoyed Isabella to no end. He had more to say and he just stopped in the middle like this. The statement left alone as it was was very incomplete. A mistake? What did that mean? It could mean lots of things. Things they both knew he needed to say but didn’t right then. He dangled her onto the edge of a cliff and neither let her go or pulled her back from it. Who did that? Frank did it all the time to her.

Isabella just blinked at Frank for a moment as she tried to comprehend what he was saying. He had made a mistake in leaving her? She sighed and reached out and took his hand into her own and looked into his eyes.

“Frank, I’ve missed you too,” she told him honestly. “I’ve missed you so much in fact that I’m on antidepressants because I miss you so much. But nothing has changed. I still want what you don’t want.”

Frank looked at Isabella as she spoke and felt the warmth of her hand in his. He smiled s warm feelings for her rushed in. “I have spent so much time grieving over everything I’ve lost...too much time. Grieving and hating,” he said not wanting to go into that. He sighed and paused as he tried to find the words and his grip on her hand tightened as if he were afraid that she’d let go.

“I don't want to grieve anymore. I want to live and love again. I want a wife...and children to fill my heart again. Can you give that to me Isabella? Will you marry me?” He said softly as he looked into her eyes.

Isabella looked astounded at what Frank just said to her. Was he being serious? One look in his wyes was enough to tell her that he was...he was very serious. Her mind told her to question him...to make sure this was really what he wanted. But her heart only wanted her to do one thing.

“Yes...I will Frank.”

Frank smiled and felt a wave of relief cover over him. He took up her hand in both of his then half stood up. He first kissed her hand and then shifted further and kissed her sweet lips. It was a warm, passionate kiss and he felt her grip increase in his hand. “I guess we’ll have to do something about this depression you are feeling,” he said in a whisper. “I love you Isabella, and I wish this was all over better circumstances, tell me what happened?” He asked and sat down next to her this time.

Later he decided to leave and asked her not to say anything though she had agreed with that. When she returned Elena and Laura were talking softly with one another and Lorenzo just stared off into space it seemed. His gaze shifted back to her when she appeared.

“Oh Isabella, you were gone so long we wondered if you were alright,” he said. “They told us that he was looking better, he had lost alot of blood but they’ve been feeding him blood and saline and his vitals are looking better. I saw his chart,” he said. “I wanted to talk to you though,” he said. “If the men that shot him find out he’s alive, where are the police? Downstairs? Shouldn’t they be guarding him?” He asked.

Isabella told Frank everything that had happened...well as much as she knew anyway. She certainly agreed not to tell anyone about their engagement until the timing was better. Everyone's thoughts needed to be on Luca. She was somewhat surprised when Frank said that he was going to leave, but she believed the reason was simply because his sudden presence might stir up some questions. She watched as he left before getting up and heading back to the waiting area.

She walked over to her father and took a seat next to him. "Sorry, I just needed some air," she lied. She was relieved to know that Luca's vitals were all looking better. He certainly wasn't out the woods yet though. Isabella had been so concerned about her brother that she hadn't even thought about police guards until her father mentioned it. "There actually probably should be. I can go check on this."

Frank had gone out the main doors and noticed one police officer there. Normally there were always 2 and the guy looked young and had a tattoo on his right cheek. Very young and very black with a tattoo? Something was very odd about that and on a whim he decided to talk to him. “Hey, where’s tour partner?” He asked. The cop looked at him waved him off. Frank stepped closer to him and that was when the guy had drawn a machine pistol. Frank was on him in a blink and stuffed the pistol back into the man’s holster so he couldn’t draw it out and then punched him hard in the jaw. The man’s legs folded like paper.

Before Isabella left the doctor came out toward them. They all were there to hear what he had to say. Ben looked at them. “Ok, he’s awake but likely not for long, he wants to speak to Isabella,” he said as he looked at her.

Isabella looked at the doctor and then glanced at her parents and Laura. She could see from the look in Laura’s eyes that she wasn’t pleased that she hadn’t been asked to come and talk to Luca. Isabella nodded slowly and then stood up. She followed the doctor to Luca’s room. She stepped in and walked over to him. She sat down on the edge of his bed and took up his hand.

“Luca?”

“Ill be nearby if you need anything,” the doctor said and stepped away. Loca was not on a vent but he looked pale and exhausted. He had all sorts of wires and blankets on him and his legs were in traction. He waved her over. “Everyone alright?” He asked weakly. When she told him that everyone was he nodded. “I need a favor Isabella. I had important court papers in my car. Can you find them for me? They were in a brown leather satchel,” he said and then he looked down at his legs. That little bit of movement made him wince. “Oh god, look what they done to me!” He said as he began to cry.

Isabella’s heart broke for her brother. Luca was always so strong and confident. She knew that he liked to maintain that image. This was not the image he wanted to portray.

“I’ll get the papers for you Luca,” she said as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She fought back tears since she knew that she would now need to be strong for him. “It’s going to be alright Luca. You’ll heal and get better.”

“I don't want Laura to see me like this,” he said as he looked away from her. “This wasnt supposed to happen,” he said as he seemed to drift off into sleep. Upon leaving the ICU she was passed by a lone police officer. He was young, dark complected and smelled of cigarette smoke, stale musky sweat and a hint of marijuana.

Isabella watched as her brother drifted off to sleep. She remained there a few more minutes before getting up and stepping out. She started to walk back to the waiting room when she suddenly saw a police officer. At first she was relieved to see him, but then a second look caused that relief to transform into concern. She stopped him and looked at him as the hairs on her neck stood up.

“What precinct are you with?”

The man scowled at her. “You gots a problem lady?” The man said annoyedly. “No one is sposed ta be in here,” he said. “So beat it like Michael Jackson.” He said. As she came toward him he tried to pistol whip her in the face.