"Just...make sure he's ok?" Karen asked, nodding her head towards the closed door. Y/N sighed, standing gingerly. This healing process wasn't going to be easy. Her ribs ached, her arms strained and littered with bruises, her muscles screaming in protest with every movement.

This wasn't the first time Y/N had joined Frank on a mission and gotten her ass beat, but it was the first time she had been so close to death. The Kingpin's men didn't seem to care that she was several feet smaller than them, or that Frank castle would be right behind her. They beat her bloody, silver knuckles crushing into her cheekbones, wrists, abdomen. Frank had arrived soon enough, killed every single one of them, but she didn't miss the terrified look on his face when he knelt for her.

Back at Nelson & Murdock, Karen had successfully bandaged them up, stopped the bleeding and given out pain relaxers. The moment Y/N was bandaged and settled, Frank had disappeared behind the door of his room.

Now several hours later and still no sign of him, the two girls began to worry. Karen took her leave, reminding Y/N to take her painkillers every 6 hours, and not any earlier.

"Also make sure he eats. He forgets that sometimes." She said, before closing the door behind her. Alone, Y/N tapped gingerly on Frank's door. Silence echoed for a moment, before the door cracked open, and the nose of a gun greeted her. Y/N held up her hands slowly, trying not to show the pain in her expression.

"It's only me." She said, and Frank nodded, realization flooding him as his eyes fell to the floor, unable to look at her. He opened the door wider, retreating into his room and Y/N followed swiftly behind, shutting it and leaning against the frame with a sigh.

"You alright?" Frank muttered, eyes still avoiding hers. She nodded, licked her chapped lips. He nodded, a muscle in his jaw jumping. "You should be restin', you need rest."

"I know," she replied, head leaning back. "So do you. You ok?"

Frank looked up at her then, eyes blazed. "You're half dead and you're askin' me if I'm ok?"

Y/N shrugged, ignoring the pain in her shoulder. "Habit I guess. besides, I'm fine."

Frank snorted, shaking his head, sitting down on his mattress, the spring squicking. "No the fuck you're not."

"Yes I am," Y/N repeated, more forcefully. "I'm banged up but I'm good."

"Don't do that, Y/N." Frank muettered, shaking his head again, elbows balanced on his knees. She sighed, walking closer to him, before sitting beside him. Their shoulders brushed, and frank tensed. slowly, Y/N reached her hand out, grabbing his forcefully so that he couldn't pull away.

"I'm hurt," she whispered after a moment. "Is that what you want to hear? How much pain am I in? How scared I was that this fight would be my last?" Frank clicked his tongue but said nothing, his shoulders tight.

"I-I thought I was gonna die, Frankie," her voice shook, and Frank turned to look at her, his eyes misty. "I thought I was gonna die without a chance to say goodbye to you. Is that what you wanna know? So you can blame yourself more, beat yourself up for what happened to me?"

Frank turned away, his hand hot in hers. "Y/N, I should've-"

"I'm alive, Frank." Y/N cut in, not wanting him to finish his thought. "I'm fine, I'm still here. I'm still going to fight this shit whole that we call home. I'm still going to annoy the hell out of you, I'm still going to leave my trash around the apartment."

Frank chuckled, looking at her from the corner of his eye. Y/N gave him a weak smile, trucking forward. "I'm still going to patch us up after a mission. I-i'm still going to love you, because it wasn't your fault."

The grip on her hand tightened and she tried not to wince. "And I know you probably don't feel the same but...I thought you should know."

"Know what?" His voice was like gravel, the worry and anxiety etched into his skin. Mustering up all the courage she had left, Y/N leaned forward, pressing her lips to his cheek bone. Frank is stock still against her, minus his thumb pressing into the skin of her hand.

She pulls away slightly, leaning her forehead against the side of his face. "That it wasn't your fault."

Bravery finally failing her, Y/N stands, dropping franks hand with a watery smile. She trudges to the door of his room, hand on the doorknob before she feels his fingers gently incircle her wrist. She turns her head, looks at him quizzically.

"You can't just walk away now," he chuckles, the fear still apparent in his eyes but lessened, and his cheeks are a rosy pink. "not after a confession like that."

Y/N grins, laughs in quiet embarrassment. "Is that so?"

Frank nods, takes a step towards her, his hand gingerly on her face. He breathes out through his nose, leaning forward before they press their foreheads together. Y/N takes a deep breath, bites the corner of her lip as her hands settle on his chest, fingers twitching.

"Don't you scare me like that ever again," Frank whispered, his hoarse tone making her ache. "I can't...seein' you like that. Thought you were already dead. Don't do that to me, baby. Don't you do that to me."

Eyes wet, Y/N shook her head fiercely. "I don't want to, Frank." His hands raise up, cupping her face carefully, cautious of her bruising. He leans down, lips ghosting over hers, her heart thumping wildly.

"Good."