Dani's POV
(Nightwing27th)

Since even before Mary died, I've been trying to call Matt and have him answer. And every time, without fail, I get his voice mail. You'd think he was at least getting the messages I'm leaving. He must know that I'm calling him. On one of those messages, I even apologized for snapping at him. And, still, nothing!

As much as I don't want to, I know that Alison and Foggy are right. We can't do this with Frank, alone. We can't save him. But Matt might be able to. If he'll come. I left the court house and went straight to Matt's. Therefore, I'm still stuck in heels and a pantsuit. Joy.

I walked up the stairs and to Matt's door. I knocked with a huff and then waited. Nothing. I knocked again and then dug in my pocket for my key. Most girlfriends would put the key to their boyfriend's house on a chain around their neck. I'm not most girlfriends. I had just gotten the key out when the door swung open. But it wasn't Matt who was greeting me. "Stick," I practically spit it out, shocked to see him here but not really.

"Have we met before?" he asked.

"The sound of disdain in my voice doesn't ring a bell?" I scoffed. "You're probably too old to remember."

"Ah. You're the naive one."

"I thought you said all of his girlfriends were naïve?"

"True," he nodded.

I rolled my eyes. "Is Matt here?" He turned and walked inside. I followed, closing the door. "What's your name?" he asked.

"What's yours?"

"Huh," he sighed. "I like you."

"Don't insult me like that." We stepped out into the main room. Stick continued, headed for the master. He rolled the door open saying, "You've got company." He turned and walked out into the living room. I stepped up to the door frame and looked in. Matt was just standing feet from the edge of the bed, Elektra laying in it. I crossed my arms and leaned into the door frame. I rolled my eyes and scoffed.

"Dani..." Matt said.

"Well, don't sound surprised to see me. After all, I've only called you a hundred times." I could tell he knew I was mad. And I was. I was livid. And, I was glad. When he thinks I'm mad, he starts to squirm. And I take more pleasure in that than I probably should.

"This isn't what it looks like-"

"No, I know, Matt. That's the one thing I know you wouldn't do to me." I pushed off the door frame and then walked across the living room. "Dani, wait." I stopped and turned around. Matt was right behind me. "The next words out of your mouth better be the truth," I said, stopping him before he could speak. "Yeah, what happened to not lying, telling each other the truth? Or did that promise expire when she showed up?"

"No," he scoffed.

"Then what's your reason?" I crossed my arms. "Try to be as truthful as possible, Matt, I can't hear your heart beat." He clenched his jaw, slightly sliding it to the side. I heard Stick chuckle. I pointed at him, "You, shut up." I looked back at Matt.

"Can we talk about this another time?"

"Um..." I pretended to think and then gave a firm, "No." He looked annoyed. "I've been trying to talk to you for the last week, which has been the worst one in my life. Have you gotten any of my messages?"

"Yes, and I planned on calling you-"

"But, Elektra had something better in mind," I mocked. "Glad to know where I rank these days."

"Dani, what...what do you want me to say?"

"How about the reason why you felt you had to lie to me about Elektra? For starters."

"It's not like you tell me where you spend your nights."

"No, but when you ask, I answer. I don't avoid you for days on end because my ex showed up. I've told you things that, legally, I shouldn't have told you, but I did. Because you asked."

"You didn't tell me about what your brother said, when I asked."

"Oh, one time. I'm such a horrible person."

"You know-"

"Yeah, I do, Matt. And that's the problem. I know so much, it'd take a life time to tell you everything," I said. "And there are things that you wouldn't understand. You see the world in a way that I stopped seeing it when I was six. You think that evil's a choice, that people can change. And, yes...some people did make that choice. But...there are people who are born evil. And those are the ones that will keep killing. The ones who will always get out of jail, the ones you'll always be chasing if you don't end it." I stopped and let my words sink in. "If I told you everything...Matt, you'd never want to look at me again."

"Is that what this is about?"

"No," I shook my head. "I don't care what you think of me, I'm past that."

"Really?" he asked unbelieving, putting his hands on his hips. I thought, confused. Then I had a crazy thought. "Don't tell me you're jealous," I said.

"Of what?" he asked.

"Of Frank." He scoffed like it was stupid. That only told me it wasn't. "I only told him that stuff about me because we're the same." He was shaking his head. "You'd know if you were ever around. Or in court. You know, representing the guy you dragged us into defending. That's why I came. We're about the lose this. Or, rather, Foggy is. You know what happens to Frank if we lose."

"I know."

"Then do something!"

He sighed, half rolling his eyes. Which is funny since he can't see anyway. "How's Alison?"

"Uh, devastated," I said like it was a dumb question. "And mad. At you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, we all are. For just dropping us." I looked around the room. Stick was sitting on the couch, a beer in hand. I continued to stare, my mind wondering. "Why is he here?"

"I'm still working on that," Matt said. "There's a group in town." I looked at him. "They go by 'The Hand'. Have you...heard of them?" I looked back at Stick, directing my comment at him, "So that's why you're here." I sighed.

"You know them?" Matt asked.

"Remember that ninja I told you about? The one I killed a split second before he killed me?" I asked. Matt nodded. "He worked for The Hand. I'm more familiar with them than I'd like to be."

"You train with them?" Stick called, not looking at me.

"No," I rolled my eyes.

"Then who taught you to do that? With your heart."

"The same person who'd break you over their knee, if I asked," I said. "The Cavalry."

"No wonder you're so depressing."

"Because you're a ray of sunshine?" I asked sarcastically. I saw his lips turn up in a grin as I turned back to Matt. I sighed. "I don't care that you're doing stuff with Elektra. And I don't care that you were lying and sneaking around to do it." I paused and thought. "The week I first met you...that was the worst week of my life...until now. That week my mother died, our house was repossessed, my father showed up and cleaned us out, Andy and I had to skip town because we had bill collectors up our butts. And I thought that was the worst, I thought 'there's no way it could get worse'.

"And then I was wrong. Before you left to begin your escapade with her, you said to call if I needed anything. That night, and subsequent nights, I called. I left messages, I came over. My life fell apart and all I wanted was to tell you so that you could give me one of your stupid speeches about hope and things getting better," I shrugged. My voice was getting that unsteady edge to it again. "But, I've already taken up too much of your time," I mocked. "Just don't be alarmed tomorrow when the city brands Angel a, uh...wanted felon."

"What?" Matt looked shocked and concerned at the same time. "What happened?"

"I thought you said you got my messages."

"I did. But nothing like that."

"The night we went to talk to Frank at the hospital, and you left, lying to my face...?"

"Yeah."

"I called you. Alison called you a dozen times, we both left messages."

"I checked, I never got any of that from either of you," he said. What? How is that even possible? He has no idea what happened. I got slightly angry, hurt even, that he didn't know what was happening to me, to my sister-in-law. "What happened...that night? Your...heart rate just went up." I didn't realize it had until he said something.

I quickly calmed it back down, masking it even though I wanted to slap him. "It was Ward," I spoke through clenched teeth.

"You found him? Here, in Hell's Kitchen?"

"No," I looked him in the eyes. "He found me." I saw the drop in his face. Everything was starting to come together in his mind. "That night, he found us and I called you for help."

"Who? Alison?"

"No...Mary." A hot tear landed on my wrist, my arms still firmly crossed. "The papers will say that Angel...brutally murdered the sister-in-law of the local PI who helped take down Fisk." My throat was burning because I was holding back my emotions. Not letting them take over. I looked at Matt through slightly blurred vision. He knew he'd messed up. His face was completely horror stricken, like he'd seen a ghost.

"Dani-"

"Ward strung her up on my living room wall and then proceeded to shoot her, with my own bow and arrows. You should go there, to my place. You'll have to go around the police tape, but you're used to that. The wall is...uh, covered in blood. And four feet from the desk there's a chair, and at the base you'll find more blood, mine. From me rubbing the rope on my wrists nearly to the bone trying to get free, as he took his time killing her, right in front of me." I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. It came out choppy and unsure.

I glanced around, more tears escaping. I didn't want them to. But I was a fool to think I could get through this dry eyed. Matt stepped forward, slightly raising his arms. I know he wanted to hold me, console me. I stepped back and shook my head, wiping a tear with the end of my sleeve. He looked even more hurt, taking a step back.

"He put eight arrows in her," I half sobbed. I stopped and took a few breaths. I need to calm down. I looked up at Matt. He looked near tears. I looked away from him, knowing that'd just make matters worse. I looked to Stick, who'd seemed to have froze. Probably caught up in my sob story. "He finished with her," I swallowed, "put the gun to my head."

I looked back at Matt, who was crying now. "Alison showed up, took out his men. Shot him twice, but...Ward got away, again. Without her...we'd both have been killed that night. Both tied up...and clinging to the hope that you were coming." I didn't have to say that last part. I don't know what Mary was thinking that night. But I wanted him to hurt the way I did, to know just how royally he messed up. "I just signed the papers...a few days ago. I'm Lizzie's mom now."

I looked down. "She's going to grow up, not remembering either one of her parents...and it's my fault. I should've killed Ward when I had the chance. See, Matt? This is why I kill, why Frank kills. There are people that won't stop killing and hurting others until they're dead. That's why, when I find Ward, I'm putting two in his head. I don't care what you say."

"Dani-"

"Don't try and stop me, Matt, you know you can't," I said. Matt recoiled. I whipped my cheek. "Another example of an idiot we shouldn't have kept alive...Ben. Ward went to him, they struck a deal. Ben was free and Ward had all the info he needed. He knows everything...about you, me, Alison. Both men vanished after that night. But only one came back."

"What do you mean?" he looked afraid to ask.

"My father came to me, or actually...he broke into your law firm. He told Karen and Foggy he needed to find me. Turns out good old Dad is married and has two children. One of which had been kidnapped. By Ben." I sighed. "And I called you, and you didn't answer. So Alison went with me. We got the girl back and we stopped Ben."

"Dani," he sighed, closing his eyes.

"I put a bullet in his head. And there wasn't a choice, I did it because I wanted to."

"Now you sound like Frank."

"How many more times do I have to say it before you understand? I AM HIM! I always have been. I fell in love with you because of the way you see the world, because you don't want to take a life," I said. "You fell in love with me seeing the darkness and saying, 'I can change that'. And for a while, yeah, you did. Or so I thought. Now I'm just realizing...I lost myself while loving you." I whipped at my eyes. "While I love you and what we are, I...I don't even know who I am when I'm with you. And, I want to be me and still be with you. But I can tell, by the look on your face...that's not going to happen.

"I wanted to be like you, I really did. I wanted to stop killing. But...I don't recognize myself without it. And when I stop, Matt, people get hurt. And it's usually the ones I care about." He had a blank look on his face. "You know, Ward told me something. He said that he only took Mary...because he couldn't find you. Lizzie's one and both her parents are dead. That's on your head, too." I turned, neither of us saying another word, and I left.

Alison's POV
(bellamysgirl)

My foot tapped on the floor and I crossed my right leg over my left, trying to get it to stop. It didn't work. Today was the day. Frank was going to take the stand and I was finally allowed in the gallery. So I sat in the second row on the left side of the room. Thankfully, I was able to claim an aisle seat. I glanced around. There were a couple people with signs to hold up, even a few people wearing t-shirts for or against the Punisher.

Mostly against. I sighed and decided to face forward instead. The door to the courtroom opened and Matt walked in. Well, I'll be switched. He actually showed. Especially after what happened between Matt and Dani last night...I honestly didn't think he had the balls to show his face. He walked straight to the defendant's table. I watched as Dani instantly turned the other way and sat in the seat closest to Frank's old chair.

Karen sat to her left and Foggy to hers—putting a whole two people in between Dani and the next available seat. Matt folded up his walking stick and sat in the empty chair. Foggy and Matt looked to started talking about something. There was no way I could hear exactly what about from over here. Especially not with all these people talking. "Your honor, the defense would like to call Frank Castle to the stand," Matt said, standing.

"Bailiff, bring in the defendant, please," the Judge called. Here we go. Stay calm, Alison. Your lip really cannot handle yet another blow. The cops pulled open the door and the men started in with Frank, on either side of him. The gallery immediately erupted with boos and sounds of disapproval. Really people? I sat up a little in my seat to see over the old lady sitting in front of me. Frank kept his eyes forward as the cops guided him toward the stand.

Since he was taking the stand, he was dressed in a suit jacket and slacks with a white button down—the complete opposite attire that I'm accustomed to seeing on him. But it was a nice change. He glanced at the lawyers as he passed by and I could just barely make out a nod from Dani. "Order! Order!" The judge hit the wood with her mallet twice and the gallery quieted down. I crossed my hands in my lap, interlocking my fingers.

The cops got Frank sitting on the stand and then shuffled away. But, I couldn't help but notice, one of the officers leaned in for a moment. He was obviously saying something to Frank. It left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. After he was sworn in, Frank stated his name and sat down. Matt stood and unfolded his walking stick. "Mr. Castle, you've been charged with multiple capital crimes," he began. "Been called a killer incapable of empathy or remorse."

"Yeah...so I hear," Frank nodded a little, looking down.

"Frank- may I call you Frank?" Matt asked, leaning on the top of his stick. Frank paused, staring at Matt for a long moment. "Yeah," he finally agreed. Matt didn't waste any time jumping to his next words, but Frank still was stuck in a moment of pause. His eyes were slightly narrowed, his lips parted. He was thinking. I just couldn't tell about what from over here. I would've taken a front row seat, but then I'd be like a veal on a platter.

"Frank, we've heard a lot about neurochemistry and psychology and all things unfolding scientifically or otherwise inside your brain," while Matt went on, Frank's head tilted to the side as something obviously became clear to him. Then he sat back and looked at Matt in almost disbelief. "I just have one question I wanna ask...what happened that day—the day your family was so tragically killed?"

Frank was quiet a second. Come on, just say it like you're talking to me. It wasn't hard then, was it? He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it, glancing around the courtroom. "It's okay, Frank," Matt assured, as if he were talking to an injured animal. No, Matt, no. "I understand it's difficult."

"Do you? Do you understand?" There it is. Frank started shaking his head. "'Cause I don't think you understand anything." I uncrossed my legs to sit more forward in my seat, resting my chin on my crossed hands, my elbows on my knees. Matt walked back to the table, folding up his stick. "I'd like permission to treat the witness as hostile, your honor," Matt said.

"Granted," the judge nodded.

"Alright, Frank," he turned back toward the stand and took slow steps toward it. "You don't wanna tell us? I'll tell you. I'm going to tell you exactly the kind of man you are. You're the kind of man this city needs," that caused me to sit up, in shock. "Because ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this city needs help—it needs it now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not when the day comes when the corruption that Wilson Fisk left in his wake is flushed out for good, or when the Police force is finally back on its feet.

"We need it now. Because this city's been sick. And the cops—they can't fix it alone. They need- we all need men and women who are willing to take up the fight themselves, the kind of people who risk their lives so that we can walk safe at night in our own neighborhoods. The ones our esteemed District Attorney is trying so hard to destroy. New York needs these people, we need...heroes." The gallery went wild with applause.

Matt turned toward the gallery when he'd finished. His red lenses were pointed in my general direction for a moment. I crossed my arms and sat back, not hiding my disapproval for his actions last night. But I secretly hoped he could sense that I was at least thankful for this. The judge called for order but it took longer for people to quiet this time. Matt didn't wait for them to settle down before he continued,

"The help they offer...and the hope that they provide. Frank Castle wanted to help, but he took it too far. He shot people. He killed people. It's against the law, and he broke that law many, many times. Now, I don't like him any more than you do, but here's the thing: he's not a common criminal. He's not malicious in intent. Frank Castle is actually a good man. He just doesn't know the difference between right and wrong anymore. And he doesn't need punishment for that, he needs help—our help. That's the kind of man Frank Castle is. Now you have to decide what kind of jury you want to be."

Matt excused himself and moved back to the table, sitting beside Foggy. I looked at Frank, only to find he was already looking straight at me. Something wasn't right. His expression was apologetic, softened. But I knew that face. He made the same expression when we were with the Irish. My heart sank. Frank, what are you