Some Time Together (December 1998)

Frank had on a hoodie under his leather jacket. Everything he wore was black and he was able to remove the bandaid on his eyebrow. His cheek barely had any more of a bruise and he no longer limped as badly either. The malls were packed with people. The entire world it seemed was deep within the Christmas spirit. Frank gave Ava a wad of cash. More than enough for everything she'd need. He seemed to have alot of money. She had seem him remove the cash from a toolbox with several other rolls of bills just like the one he gave her. It was at least $2500. He drove her in an older suped up dodge charger. Black just like everything else he owned. Unlike the van though this car was in mint condition. He held the door open for her and then got in on the other side. The engine roared to life and Micro opened the garage door for them.

Frank really didn't know how old Ava was. She seemed younger than he but he wasn't the greatest judge of age. Especially with women. Their first stop was a coffee shop he frequented. The owner knew him...knew his family and Frank trusted him implicitly. "So, whats your poison?" he asked. When she looked at him he grinned. "How do you take your coffee? And do you like donuts or muffins? I'm a little hungry and I'm guessing you are too," Frank said as he helped her out of the car. He parked right there along the curb. When she got out she noticed that his tires had tiny spikes on them. She had never seen tires like that. Likely great for the snowy roads that they had.

Ava had only brought a few things with her. She hadn't known how long this mission was going to take and she hadn't wanted to pack everything up. She was glad when Frank suggested they go shopping. She needed something to wear to the club and a few other things, including a shower curtain and some new shampoo and conditioner! She wore a pair of tight, black jeans, knee-high high heeled leather boots, a cream colored sweater, and a coat. Ava was the type of woman who always liked to look good when she went out. She cared about her appearance and she wore what she liked. Frank would even get whiffs of her perfume as well. 

Ava and Frank said nothing to each other as he drove them in his suped up Dodge Charger. However, it was a comfortable silence. Ava had questions for Frank, but she wasn't sure how to ask them...or even if he would answer them. He stopped outside a coffee shop first. She was about to open the door herself, but he came around and helped her out. He had helped her into the car as well. She was beginning to see a softer side to Frank...and she quite liked it. "Oh, with room for cream and sugar and donuts," she told him as they stepped inside the shop. She had noticed the spikes on the tires, but she didn't say anything about that as well. She smiled over at him a little and then went and found a table towards the back of the shop in a more private area. 

She waited for him to come back with their coffees and breakfast and sit down. She added the cream and sugar to her coffee and then stirred it together. She took a sip and then added a tiny bit more cream. "So, can I ask how you make your money?"

Frank drank his coffee black and he liked the plain donuts to dip into his coffee. He took note of how she made her coffee. He looked around them, he was always aware of their surroundings and there was 2 elderly men in the shop with them. he had seen them before, they were regulars here. "I take it from criminals. Doing what I do requires...things and since this is a full-time job, I do what I need to do. Besides, where they're going, they won't need it," Frank said idly as if he had been doing it quite a long time.

"What did you do before...the suit," He asked.

Ava nodded a little to what Frank said. It had been what she was expecting him to say. Oddly, she wasn't upset about it. It wasn't as if the criminals didn't deserve it. She broke off a piece of a donut and dipped it a little into her coffee. She then took a bite.

"I was in college...art school specifically. l like to draw and paint. I had dreams of opening up my own art shop, but I probably would have ended up in Graphic Design."

"Micro tells me that that will be pretty big soon. You should do what you love. Life is short...for people like us," Frank said though he hadn't really realized that he included Ava in that. He was always alone and though he would not admit it. He liked having her around. He liked being able to talk to someone. He wasn't always 'The Punisher'. He used to be a husband and father. He knew now that he was significantly older than she. Not quite old enough to be her father but older. Oddly, that didn't really bother him.

"Web design or whatever that is," Frank continued. "It's a new thing," He said. "But also not new?" He asked.

Ava shrugged a little. "I couldn't finish school. After my parents and brother and sister were killed, Hector and I had to go into hiding. My focus switched to just survival. I don't know...maybe one day I'll try to go back and finish. I know it's what my dad would have wanted me to do." 

Ava hadn't really expressed her feelings like this in a while...not even to Logan or Isabella. It felt nice to be able to talk to Frank. He understood her like no one else really could. In that way she no longer felt like she was completely alone.

"Well, sometimes I think we get so caught up into what...into...this, that we forget what we're doin it for," Frank said. "Isabella kept me centered until she found someone else," Frank admitted as he looked down at his coffee cup. He didn't know why he was speaking of this stuff in front of Ava but he just felt comfortable around her. Like she knew what all of this shit swirling around inside of him felt like. He could not imagine watching his parents being killed. He hadn't really seen his wife shot or his son. He heard the shots but didn't really see it. He suspected that, that made a huge difference in how such things were remembered. He reached across the table and put his hand on hers.

"Hey, you do you, don't try to live by everyone elses standards. We can't truly be ourselves that way," He said and then realized what he was doing and removed his hand. It was a tender moment but it was gone just as quickly as it came. "Hows it goin Gary," Frank asked. The old man with a full head of white hair and a graying mustache looked over at him and grinned at Ava. "Oh, it's goin Frank. This a friend a yurs?" He asked. "Yeah, Gary this is Ava, Ava, this is Gary Bellespi," He said. "Nice ta meet ya Ava...and may I say, yur much too pretty for this ugly mug," Gary said. Frank just looked at him and chuckled. "Well, you might be right bout that," Frank admitted.

Ava felt Frank's hand upon her own and she looked up into his eyes. They were dark eyes, but they looked at her with a softness that made her feel...needed. There was something about Frank's eyes that drew her in and just held her there. She wanted him to be happy...she wanted to be happy. They both deserved that after all they had been through. She didn't want the moment to end, but she felt Frank pull his hand away as a man approached their table. He was older than Frank, with white hair and a graying mustache. He and Frank clearly knew one another. Ava smiled politely at the man Frank introduced as Gary. She blushed ever so slightly at Gary's comment and glanced at Frank.

"It's very nice to meet you Gary. So, how do you know Frank?"

Gary blinked. "He likes coffee and Olivia's donuts," He said. Frank shifted and looked at him. "I'm sorry bout Olivia, she was a kind woman," Frank said softly. "Pfft, you didn't have to live with her. But thanks just the same," Gary said and then stepped away. Frank turned to Ava.

"Olivia was his wife. She died recently. The donuts are still good but not like they used to be," He said in a low voice. "Gary's name is really Giovanni but don't ever call em that," He said. "I...helped them out once. They have a son, Ermano, he got into a bit of trouble," He said. "And I got em out of it," He said.

Ava glanced at Gary and then nodded a little. She and Frank continued to talk a little as they drank their coffee and ate their donuts. When they were finished, they walked back out to the car. Once again, Frank opened her door for her and she stepped inside. He drove them over to the mall and they found a higher end store. Ava wanted to get Gideon's attention, but she didn't want to look cheap or like a hooker. She picked out a couple of dresses and then went back to the fitting room to try them on. Frank followed her, but stayed outside the room itself so she could get changed. She tried on a few that they both agreed that they didn't like. She had one more option however that she slipped on. A few moments later she opened the door and looked at Frank. 

"So, what do you think about this one?"

The dress was deep red in color and had a satin like texture. It had spaghetti straps and a deep V-Cut in the front. It hugged Ava's curves and hit about mid-high. The color popped against her skin tone and made her eyes sparkle.

Frank took a sip of his coffee when she came out. He coughed as a little went into his windpipe. He hadn't expected her to look so...alluring. Alluring and exotic he decided. "Its...you look...well, you know how you look. I can see it in your eyes," Frank said with a small grin. His own eyes took her all in, especially her cleavage. "Ok sexy, that's the one," he said as he looked around them. He had a grin on his face and he felt a pang of desire for Ava. He knew he shouldn't feel that but it was there nonetheless.

"You need shoes and jewelry," Frank said. Somehow Ava's confidence in how she looked really turned him on. It was apparent in the large bulge in his jeans.

Ava couldn't help but grin at Frank's reaction to how she looked. It had been exactly what she had been hoping for. She knew she looked good in the dress and she stood confidently. She glanced down a little at him and her grin grew even a little more. "I love how men really can't hide how they're feeling," she teased before walking back into the dressing room to get changed.

Next up were the shoes. Frank had put down his hood and taken off his glasses. Having those on inside was conspicuous. He also took to calling Ava..'honey' as it implied that they were a couple. "How are you in high heels?" he asked. He sat down in one of the chairs and shrugged back into the chair to give the impression he didn't really want to be there. He actually didn't mind. This time. Ava seemed quite happy to be shopping. And when she smiled it was like the entire room lit up around her. Frank noticed a security guard was watching him. He didn't look at the man. "Hun, what about those over there in the clearance area," Frank said.

Ava actually found that she quite enjoyed hearing Frank call her pet names. It made her smile. She took to calling him "Baby" in return. She enjoyed the look in his eye hearing her call him that. She rolled her eyes and grinned at his question. "Well I'm currently wearing high heeled boots. The trick to high heels is wear them long enough for your feet to go numb, then you don't care about them."

Ava noticed the security guard as well. She paid him no attention either. She walked over to the shoes Frank had pointed out and she looked at them more closely. She actually liked them so she asked to try them on. The employee brought them out and Ava took off her boots and tried them on. They were black, strappy high heels.

"I like them. What do you think Baby?"

Frank decided to just play the part instead of cutting it short. "Well I don't know, cum over here an lemme see," He said. When she did he spread his legs so she could move up to him. He twirled his finger and she moved in a circle in place for him. When her butt was facing him he reached up and grabbed hold of her hips. He pulled her down atop his crotch.

"I think I like em," he said as she giggled and pushed off of him. He smiled and chuckled and saw that the guard had moved on. He noticed Ava looking at him though and he smiled and tilted his head as if he might be thinking the same thought that she was thinking. "Wrap em up honey, you can wear them for me later," He said though that did garner a bit more attention than he had wanted.

'Nothing to see here ladies, just a brash, uncouth man' He thought. But he was also thinking about her wearing those heels while her legs were up in the air as he was fucking her. 'Oh this was not going to be easy' He thought. 'You will let her go after you don't need her anymore' He decided. 'You work alone Frank, you always work alone!' He reminded himself.

Ava played her part as well. She sauntered over to him and grinned and then turned around when he asked her too. She felt him grab her by the hips and pull her down onto his crotch. She giggled and pushed off of him. She glanced over at him when he commented about her wearing them for him later. She began to feel as if the line between fake flirting and real flirting was becoming blurred.

She paid for the shoes and then they went and looked at jewelry. After that she realized what time it was. “I’m hungry. Take me to lunch,” she teasingly demanded with a grin.

Frank grinned when she 'told' him to take her to lunch. He was hungry as well and so he did. The place was a Deli. But, not just any Deli, Arty's deli. Once again he let her out of the car and on impulse slid his fingers into her hand. There were people nearby and they went inside.

Inside there was a large board with almost any kind of meat and sandwich including building your own. Frank knew what he was going to get. He always got the same thing when he came here. "Its important to find your own sandwich. And if its 'not' your sandwich, Arty will know," Frank warned her. There was a line and the place was packed.

Ava found that it felt so natural to feel Frank's hand in her own that she didn't even notice it until they were inside. The restaurant was packed and they got in line. Ava was hungry and everything looked delicious. She listened to what Frank said and when it was her turn she ordered a build your own sandwich. "I'll have roast turkey, provolone cheese, roasted red peppers, lettuce, and a mixture of mayo and Dijon on white," she ordered. Arty approved and she flashed a grin at Frank. 

Arty smiled at Frank. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when you would finally get yourself a girlfriend." He looked at Ava. "He always comes in here alone and sits alone. I've also never seen him smile this much...or at all. He must really like you." Arty then whispered to Frank. "I think she's a keeper."

"Well, maybe worry less about me and more about my pastrami on rye," Frank said sarcastically. Beside where Arty and another man made the sandwiches was a barrel filled with what looked like Hershey's kisses. Once it was there turn to receive their sandwiches Arty twisted, took up a handful of the kisses and handed them to Ava. "There, a kiss from me to you darling," Arty said. "And 2 beers," Frank said and the other man put the bottles up on the counter. Frank grabbed them up with his sandwich then led Ava over to take a seat. He let her sit first than sat after her.

The sandwiches were wrapped in paper and there was a large pickle wedge with them. Frank handed her one of the beers. "Arty makes a mean sandwich," Frank said and dug in right away. "So, I know your family isn't originally from New York, but were you born here or elsewhere?" Frank asked. "I've always been a New Yorker though I'v done some traveling. Spent 12 years in the Marines ofcourse," he said. "After that I was a construction foreman," He said. "I like to be outside and I like to work with my hands," he said as he looked at her. He meant that last part to catch her offguard.

Ava couldn't help but smile when Arty flirted with her a little and gave her a handful of Hershey's kisses. She gave him a playful wink and then went and sat down. She unwrapped the sandwich and it looked and smelled wonderful. She took a bite and it tasted just as delicious as it had looked. She listened to Frank, but happened to just be swallowing her bite when he mentioned that he liked to work with his hands. She coughed a little and took a sip of her beer and gave him a little grin. 

"Well, I was the youngest of four children and was born in Puerto Rico. However, I don't remember much about it because we moved to New York when I was four. We lived in Harlem. I haven't done any traveling myself, but I would like to. I would actually love to go back to Puerto Rico at some point and travel around the island."

Frank listened to Ava intently and he could see her going back to find her extended family. He wished he knew more about his own family but in truth his parents died young and had few siblings. "Well that sounds pretty nice. I've heard only good things about Puerto Rico. I like it where it's warm but New York is home for me, even when its cold like it is now," Frank said in between bites of his sandwich.

"I would have liked to have met your father and your brother. If they were anything like you," Frank complimented. "It takes a certain kind of person to put on that talisman I think," He said and sipped his beer.

Frank's compliment meant more to her than she ever could have expressed. She looked up and her eyes met his. She held his gaze for a few long moments and she felt his hand take her own. She felt her heart begin to beat a little bit faster and her face flush in anticipation of something more...but suddenly someone accidentally bumped into their table and ruined the moment. Frank pulled his hand back and Ava sighed a little and went back to her sandwich. 

After lunch, they finished up the shopping they needed to do. They got a shower curtain and a few toiletry items for her. Ava also convinced Frank to buy a small fake tree and some garland and ornaments. The place needed a little holiday cheer she thought. They headed back and Ava went to her room to unpack her items. 

Later that night, Ava and Frank set up the tree. They were both drinking some Whiskey and felt relaxed. They both reached for the same ornament and their hands touched. Ava felt some electricity between them when that happened. She slowly looked up and her eyes met his...

The evening had been quite enjoyable. They did a bit more shopping and he even relented and got a small tree. He suspected that Ava rarely had happy times but there was no harm in a tree, was there? He had got down the good whiskey. The kind he used to buy Isabella and poured them some. Decorating the tree was an ordeal but a fun one. He'd put on an ornament then she'd take it off and put it somewhere else. The lights, the garland, Ava had an artistic way she wanted things and Frank purposefully tried to put things where he knew she didn't want them. He laughed and it had been a very long time since he had done any of that. That is until their hands grasped for the last ornament in the box.

He felt the chemistry swell between them. He knew it wasn't a smart thing to do but he couldn't stop himself. He leaned toward her. He paused as his eyes took in hers then shifted down to her lips. Their hands didn't move form where they were. He saw she did not pull back and so he leaned further down and kissed her. Not a crazy, passionate kiss. But a gentle, meaningful one. She tasted like whiskey and chocolate and one kiss turned into another and yet another as he felt her kissing him back then lean into him. As their kisses began to become more he pulled back.

"Ava..." He murmured. He knew this was wrong. Knew it before his lips touched hers but he wanted her. Wanted to make love to her. He had wanted that since he first laid eyes on her. Everything he knew told him to stop but his body disobeyed his head. It had been a while since he had been with a woman. A long while and his body yearned for hers.

Ava felt her heartbeat increase as she saw Frank lean in towards her. Neither one of them moved their hands away from each other. She felt as if her heart was going to burst from her chest when Frank's lips finally touched her own. Ava had dated plenty of men before and had slept with them too...but she had never felt for any of them what she suddenly felt for Frank. It was strong and true and both frightened and excited her at the same time. 

As their kisses continued, all thought about the Christmas tree vanished from their minds. Ava breathed in Frank's musky scent and it made her head spin. She pressed her body up against his, but then he pulled back from the kiss. She looked into his eyes for a moment and she knew they both wanted the same thing. She leaned in and kissed him again.

Frank's bed was a small bunk just like hers was. His room was clean and tidy as if everything had a place and it was in that place. Frank was taller than Logan though his musculature was tighter and harder. When his shirt was off she saw up close that he had been through quite alot. There were burn scars, knife wound scars, bullet graze scars and bullet wound scars. He moaned softly when he felt her mouth on his chest while her hands worked to unto his belt and his pants. Her soft hair tickled his side as she continued to kiss and love on his chest. Her hands had his pants down and she helped him balance to leg out of his boots. He kicked everything behind them as he felt her take his hardness into her hands. He leaned down as she tilted her head up for another kiss and to look to see if what she was doing pleased him. Obviously it did for he grew in just a few moments.

Frank helped her out of her shirt and bra and then he let her undo her pants. He smiled as she kept looking at him. Frank was a very large man what he lacked in the art of making love, his anatomy made up for that to a degree. "I want you on top of me," Frank said as he shifted around her to sit down on the bed. He watched her get out of her pants and looked at her body as she got out of her boots. When she was free of her clothes he drew her hand back to his hardness and forced her legs apart enough so he could touch her there as she knelt on all fours above him. "God your so wet," He murmured in their kiss and his fingers entered her.