A Second Chance (August 1986)

Hours later Isabella was finally able to leave the hospital. Luca was safe and being properly guarded now. Isabella had spoken to the police and given her statement. She had tried to stay, but her parents and Luca all told her to go home and get some rest. Her parents were very curious as to why Frank had been at the hospital, but Isabella simply told them that he must have heard about what had happened and had come to check on Luca. She didn't mention anything about their engagement. Before heading back to the apartment, Isabella stopped by Luca's car to get the documents he had wanted her to get. She carried them carefully with her back home.

She opened the door to the apartment and already knew that Frank was there. She didn't even bother asking him how he had gotten in without a key. It was strange...and yet comforting to have Frank back in the apartment. She had missed his company greatly. So much so in fact that she had started taking sleeping pills to be able to sleep without him.

"So there are trustworthy police officers guarding Luca now. I still just can't believe what happened. My brother could have died today...on two different occasions."

Frank had mixed feelings about coming back. He loved Isabella, loved the apartment but the way that he had left felt so surreal. He wanted to marry her, was going to marry her but what was happening with her brother was still foremost in his mind. Those gangsters were serious hombres. Reckless and willing to harm innocent people. Luca was still in danger and he wasn’t certain if a police presence would stop them.

After he had looked around a bit, he found the meds she was taking in her medicine cabinet. He fixed himself a drink and sat down onto the couch. When he heard her come in he stood and moved up to the kitchen where he left the bottle and a glass for her. He poured her a drink and waited for her to set down her burdens before he handed it to her.

“Luca is a strong man, I’m certain he will get through this but I doubt I could truly trust any of these police,” He said.

Isabella gratefully accepted the drink and took a sip. She doubted she was going to be able easily relax though knowing that her brother's life was still in danger. She sighed at what Frank said and took another sip of her drink. "Well, I have to try because otherwise I'm not sure what we're going to do. Luca had me go to his car and get some important court papers. I'm certain that this attempt on his life is related to the court case he is working right now. I need to be sure to keep those papers safe."

Frank had some time to clean up and he found the clothes he had left in boxes in her closet. He wore a gray sweatshirt instead of his bloodied one and had showered. He could see that Isabella was exhausted. “Ok, come, sit down with me,” he suggested and took her by the hand. He sat first on the couch then pulled her down to sit on his lap.

Isabella felt...good there as if she belonged there on his lap. She had lost weight, his large hand held her small waist and he felt her lean up against him as she held her drink and took another sip. Her hair was shorter, obviously she had trimmed it after he had left. “I shouldn’t have left, Isabella. I’m so sorry I did,” he said as he looked up at her. “I missed you so much and thought about you constantly,” He added. Her dark eyes regarded him and he couldn’t place her mood or expression right then. He wondered what she could be thinking. Was she worrying about her brother or thinking about him coming back to her? Both? He couldn’t be certain.

Isabella allowed Frank to pull her down to sit upon his lap. She put one arm around his neck and held her drink with her other hand. She listened closely to what he said and then was quiet for a time afterward. She looked at him and studied his eyes. She was exhausted and worried about her brother, but there was something else she was feeling. She was happy that Frank was back, yet there was a small part of her that was skeptical that this was going to work. She didn't want to get her heart broken again.

"Frank, I had a really difficult time when you left. I cannot go through that pain again. I need to know that you are serious about all of this. I need to know that you're not going to change your mind about having children. I also need you to look me in the eye and promise me that you're not ever going to become The Punisher again."

Frank just looked at her a moment and now her expression made sense. “Stop taking birth control...and you will see how serious I am. Lets go pick out a ring tomorrow, I will do whatever I have to Isabella. Why all of this distrust all of a sudden? I was there when you needed me, doesn’t that count for anything? I heard about Luca and I came to you like you were still my responsibility. That's how I feel about you since I met you, can’t you understand that? And you my dear are definitely someone who needs looking after,” he said with a bit of a smirk on his face. “Luca is alive and likely the hospital is crawling with police. We’ll move him secretly as soon as he can be moved. I’m here, with you on my lap and feeling as if you don’t trust me,” he said as he looked into her eyes. “What else can I do?” he asked. “Whatever it takes babe,” He said as he looked into her eyes.

Isabella looked into Frank's eyes. "Swear to me that you will never become The Punisher again and then yes, we can go pick out a ring tomorrow."

“I promise, no ‘Punisher’,” He said plainly and his eyebrows turned down in irritation. He hadn’t put on that outfit for months and right then he wanted nothing to do with it. He deserved to have a family again and he would if Isabella let him. He was concerned by her tone that she didn’t trust him and that bothered him a great deal. She took it for granted, it seemed, that he was always there to pull her butt out of the fire. “You didn’t seem to complain about me killing those men when it was your own families lives at stake,” he said as if she had offended him which she had. He ‘might’ deserve her distrust to a degree but it was how she spoke to him that he didn’t like. He let her get away with alot in their relationship but when she tried to bully him, it always got his back up and she knew it. Sometimes when they argued she did it on purpose just to get his back up and set him off balance. It was clear he didn’t like it now either.

Isabella sighed and looked at Frank. "There is a difference between what you did today and just being a vigilante. There was clear, immediate danger today...and I was grateful that you were there Frank," she said gently as she reached out and gently began to caress his cheek. "I love you Frank and I cannot wait to marry you." She kissed him and then set her drink down.

"Now, we are both worked up so I think we should go have sex," she said very matter of factly. She then grinned at him. "Besides, we do have something to celebrate."