The 'Other' Men In Her Life (June 1991)

The rain came down heavily and it had been for some time. It was dark already, the days were getting shorter. He had no idea how Isabella had gotten his number but she had been a CIA agent and had the resources of a rich entrepreneur to boot. He told her to meet him at Papa Vino’s restaurant that used to be ‘their place’.

Happy stopped outside of the doors to the restaurant. He looked back at her in the rearview mirror. “Are you sure you dont want me to accompany Mrs. Stark? It’s really no trouble?” Happy said.

Fran was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt though no tie and his shirt was unbuttoned at the neck. His hair was fairly short and he had grown a dark beard but it was fairly well short and kempt. He wore one often now do to the scar on his face. He checked his watch once again as he waited for Isabella to arrive.

Isabella had left Serena back with Steve. She had only told him that she was going out and would be back shortly. Steve seemed more than happy to watch Serena. She had left some breast milk in the fridge for him to use if Serena got hungry. She actually felt rather nervous about seeing Frank again. She hadn't seen him since the day she had told him she was engaged to Tony. She had learned from Laura that he had actually attended her wedding. She didn't really know what she was going to say to him.

As they pulled up to the restaurant she looked forward towards Happy. "No, I'm sure. Thank you though Happy."

Happy got out an umbrella and got out first and then walked around and opened up her door. He walked with her up to the door so she wouldn't get wet. As she stepped back into the restaurant dozens of memories came flooding back into her mind. There were many happy nights spent in this restaurant...just the two of them.

As she looked around she spotted Frank, although she almost didn't recognize him with the beard. She walked over and found her heart was actually beating a little faster as her nerves crept up. Their last talk had not gone well at all and had ended with Frank saying some pretty hurtful things to her that had greatly upset her. He had also accused her of cheating on him with Tony.

"Hello Frank."

Once Frank saw her he smiled and stood up from his chair. He recalled the last time he saw her and he had said some pretty mean things. She had hurt his pride...hurt him and though he believed she had had feelings for Tony when she said she didn’t, it didn’t really matter anymore. “Hi Isabella,” He said as he leaned over and kissed her cheek and helped her get seated. He sat after her and then put his black napkin in his lap.

“Crazy weather out there,” he said. The waiter came with waters and menus. He told them about the specials and then left them to decide. Frank wasn’t certain what to say to Isabella. She was still as beautiful as ever and old feelings that he felt for her came once again.

“We had some good memories here didn’t we?” He said.

Isabella knew that she would always have feelings for Frank. How could she not after all that they had been through together? She sat down and put her napkin in her lap as the waiter came over with the menus and filled their water glasses. She glanced at Frank when he mentioned the weather. She slowly nodded in agreement. Talking about the weather was something strangers did...it was weird for her to feel that awkwardness between them.

"Yes, we did have some wonderful memories here. This is actually my first time back here since...well our last time here."

“How is motherhood treating you? You look...good...I guess it suits you,” He said. He noticed the small changes in her body. Her breasts were larger and more in the hip area. “I was surprised to get your call. I know I...said things...hurtful things. I was just hurt Isabella, I didn’t mean them,” He said. “I’m sorry,” He apologized and looked down at the table. The waiter came back to take their orders. “We’ll need a few more minutes,” Frank said and he left them again.

Isabella was surprised when Frank apologized for the things he had said to her. She hadn't expected that from him. Frank was not one to apologize easily and so for him to do it to her really meant something to her. She knew it wasn't a fake apology. He meant it. She glanced over at the waiter and waited for him to leave before reaching out and taking his hand. She gave it a little squeeze as she looked at him.

"I'm sorry too Frank."

She looked at him a moment before she pulled her hand back. She smoothed out her napkin. "I called you for a reason." She quickly glanced around before looking back at him and lowering her voice. "SHIELD is on to you. They know you are alive and that you are the one who has been killing all those gang members. I also know that you were the one that killed The Mandarin. I know a guy at SHIELD who is a friend. He was the one who warned me. I know what I'm going to say next is fruitless but you need to stop otherwise they are going to come after you."

Frank smiled. “So you do care,” he said in a soft, sarcastic tone and he leaned in closer to her so he didn’t have to talk so loud. “Who do you think set me up with my new equipment. A new van, weapons, cutting edge communications...Your ‘friend’ might not know about that but I’m not surprised. SHIELD has its own reasons for doing what it wants and not all of them are kosher,” He whispered. The waiter came again and Frank just ordered what he knew Isabella loved from here and he ordered the same. He gestured so the waiter would remain a moment. “A glass of wine babe?” He said in the way he used to when they were together. The waiter departed once more.

“I did want it...you know. A new start, I wanted you to give me another son,” Frank said honestly. “I didn’t come back to just shine you on...I really wanted us to be a family. I wanted to experience heaven again...with you,” He said. "Hell I still want it every time I look at you Isabella," Frank said and his eyes softened right then. He did love her. Frank had the ability to show alot with his eyes and his eyes told her that he loved her and wanted her even now.

Isabella listened to what Frank said about SHIELD and looked visibly shocked. SHIELD had both supplied him with new equipment and weapons and was also now hunting him? That didn't make any sense to her and she decided that she would talk to Phil about that. She nodded when Frank asked if she wanted a glass of wine. He knew what she liked and so she let him order for her. She sighed softly when Frank told her that he had actually wanted marriage and children. She looked up at him and saw the way he was looking at her. It was the same way he used to look at her and it still had the same effect on her. She finally looked away.

"Why did you come to the wedding? Laura told me she saw you sitting at the back of the church in a suit."

Frank didn’t know that Isabella knew he was at the wedding. He managed to keep a calm expression though as he looked at her. “I wanted to see you in a wedding dress,” Frank said. “You were beautiful,” He said. Their food eventually arrived and they talked for over an hour mostly about the changes in Isabella’s life and the baby. And then it came back around to why he had stepped away from his promise to her.

“I just saw it all happening again. Your brother looked shattered and no one was doing anything. Not the police, not anyone. Violence was affecting my family once again and I couldnt just sit by and let it happen again,” He said.

Isabella slowly began to relax as she and Frank talked. They were able to talk more like they once had and any feelings of anger slowly melted away. They both clearly still cared greatly about each other and Frank seemed genuinely interested in what was happening in her life. They ate and even laughed a little before Frank circled back to the reason for her wanting to meet with him.

"I'm worried about you Frank...and I am also worried about my brother. I'm afraid of what will happen to him if word gets out that he's involved in all of this."

“He’s a grown man Isabella. Everyone deals with what happens to them in their own way. But if you want me to stop working with him all you need to do is say so,” He said. “And he won’t know it was you,” Frank said.

Isabella hated doing something so underhanded to Luca, but he had a wife and young son to think about. She sighed and then slowly nodded. "I would appreciate that Frank."

She became quiet a moment before suddenly speaking again. "Tony and I just found out that Serena is a mutant. According to the test results they said she could be a class 5."

Frank blinked at what Isabella said about Serena and he expected the other. “I guess that means she’s...powerful? Or potentially? But how...you two...I suppose at some point a human had to have a mutant gene thought right? Maybe its in your family and you dont even know it,” Frank said. “Did you get tested?” He asked.

Isabella took a sip of her wine and sighed as she put the glass down. "She's not shown any signs yet, but they said with what they saw in her DNA it will happen and we have no way of knowing what her powers might be. Tony and I didn't believe either of us had the gene in our families, but one of us must."

She shook her head when he asked if she had gotten tested. "No, I didn't think there was any need to. Why? Do you think I should?"

“I would if my child tested positive for it. You can be a carrier or Tony could be without carrying the active gene,” He said. WHen Isabella looked at him oddly he shrugged. “I heard that somewhere,” he said. “With The Mandarin, Whiplash, Megneto and others, New York has suddenly become a very dangerous place. Maybe the whole world. I don’t know why but I just feel like this is just the beginning,” Frank said ominously and it was very similar to what Tony had once said to her.

Isabella listened to what Frank said and found that what he said sounded very much like what Tony had said. She began to wonder if perhaps she shouldn't return to the mansion and get herself tested. Clearly she didn't have any obvious powers or abilities, but if she and Tony wanted to have more children she needed to know if it was likely that they would also have the mutant gene.

"Perhaps then I will get myself tested."

Frank finished off the bottle and the rain began to pour again outside. Frank paid for the dinner and he walked her to the door. As she turned to tell him goodbye Frank took her face into his hands and kissed her as well as he ever had and he felt her kissing him back. Happy arrived soon after holding an umbrella. As Happy sheltered her toward the far Frank stood just outside the door. His long, black trench coat quickly became wet but he only just watched the love of his life get into the Limo. His hair was quickly drenched in the downpour but he just stood there as Happy got back into the car and pulled away.