The Devil at the Crossroads
“Medani.”
“Stark.”
No one beside Clara knew why the air was suddenly thick with so much animosity. Evie gave her a cold smile, one that Dinah mimicked. “To what do I owe the pleasure of you darkening my doorstep?” Dinah smirked at Clara, pocketing her badge as she sauntered up to Evie. “I need to speak with you,” she glanced around them. “Privately.”
Evie looked to Clara before turning back to Matt then Dinah. After a deep breath, she conceded. “Give me a minute to wrap up here and I’ll be with you shortly.”
Back behind closed doors Matt knew she was tabling their chat for later. A silence fell upon the room and he took a step towards her. “Are you okay?”
“I know how to compartmentalize.”
He tilted his head, his soft, unfocused gaze on her. “That’s not what I asked.” No. No she wasn’t fucking okay but... “Um—” Evie willed herself to look up at him. “Yeah! Yeah of course, I’m just…” The rest of the sentence got lost in her throat and she crossed her arms over her chest, shrugging. “I’m just tired,” she rasped out. “That’s it.”
“You do realize that no one would blame you if you’re not fine?”
“I don’t have the time to not be fine,” she said with finality. Not then and apparently not ever. With Dinah present, Evie had already taken an educated guess as to what could be amiss there. Another thing piled atop her plate, another thing to juggle with arms full. “As you can see I have too many responsibilities to allow myself to break and crumble.” Gently she pressed two fingers to his temple. Sharing with Matt all about her children, and the life was aiming to build.
A soft gasp left his lips as he saw all her carefully selected memories fly by in a beautiful technicolor vision. He chuckled when it came to pass. “Okay, but I’ll be coming around often now that I know.”
“I wouldn’t have expected anything less from you, Murdock.”
He placed a chast kiss to her cheek before retrieving the folded cane and heading for the exit. “Oh and, please make sure you eat. Drink plenty of water too, miss.” Evie rolled her eyes as she took a seat at her desk.
“Whatever you say, mom!”
Evie cleared her desk and instructed Friday to notify her guest that she was ready to receive her only after she was sure Matt was out far enough he couldn’t eavesdrop from ground level. Medani stepped in not two seconds later.
“I’m glad you didn’t slam the door in my face, what I’m about to tell you is of the utmost importance.” Evie once again had a hard poker face on. Giving nothing away and showing zero emotions as she closes the gap on Medani’s suspense. She studied the features of her face, Dinah had healed nicely from her near death experience. But as she poked the depth of her mind, it seemed the two were battling a similar unspoken war. Just on different fronts.
“Alrighty Medani, you have my full attention. What is so pressing that you-”
“Billy is alive.” she blurted.
Evie laughed out once, a simple “ha!” Making the woman across from her frown, unhappy with the reaction. “Medani I knew that already. You and I were both unofficially there, remember? I saw firsthand how Castle left him alive to live with his scars and his guilt. Or whatever poetic bullshit he said that night.”
Dinah leaned forward, her eyes nearly pleading and desperate. “Genevieve, he escaped custody two days ago from a secure hospital here in the city where he had been getting treatment after he woke from his coma last year. Mandatory psych therapy sessions and everything. He’s been claiming amnesia. But I’ve seen him. Talked to him. And I don’t buy it, not for one second!” Stark searched her thoroughly. Medani was dead set in this belief that Billy Russo was faking memory loss for some unknown grand finale.
“Do you have any idea where he might go? Someplace he might have frequented when you two were…” She made a suggestive face, one that Evie didn’t appreciate.
“No, Agent Madani, I do not. That night at the park I closed the book on Russo and buried that crap way, way down in a nice dark hole. I don’t give two shits about that man, and frankly, neither should you. You should be moving on, not obsessing over the guy who tried to kill you.” Evie leaned over the table, giving the agent a knowing look. “Dinah, take it from someone who has lived with ghosts for most of her life: Let. Him. Go... He’s the NYPD’s problem now. Focus on your career, find a guy or a girl—whatever. Just get Russo out of your head. Don’t let him have that kind of power over your life, because he’s not worth it.”
Medani took in her words, mulling them over for a while. But in the end, she had made her decision long ago concerning Billy. Seeing as there wasn’t much else to say, Medadi heaved a deep sigh and got to her feet while Evie went to show her the door. Just as she had placed a hand on the handle Medani halted, giving Evie a more sincere glance. “Listen, Stark… just keep both eyes open till I get this asshole.”
Evie smirked. “I am more than capable of handling Russo should he make the mistake and come knocking at my door. I'm also very well protected, so don’t worry your pretty little head over me.”
Medani fidgeted with the handle a bit more before clearing her throat. “Another thing… I never got the chance to thank you. That night, I saw straight down the barrel of that gun. He had it aimed between my eyes… If it hadn’t been for you-”
“Call it girl code.” She interrupted dismissively. “We were both used by the same asshole, and you didn’t deserve to die that way… No one does.”
Later that night Evie was putting the final touches on her grilled cheese and tomato soup as she listened to Laura who was on the other end of a video call. Her daughter was telling her all about the tiny fawn she and Logan had found in the woods when Evie picked up on a familiar presence creeping up on her front door. “Honey, hold that thought would you?”
“Porque? You need to pee again?”
“No!” Evie laughed. “But I think I got a late night visitor.”
The door was knocked on three times, but Evie didn’t need to check the peep hole to know who was at the other side.
It swung open to reveal a man dressed in all black with a hood pulled over his face. “Frank, come in.” He gave her a loop-sided grin and Evie instantly spotted the busted cheek and the taped over cast on his right hand. “Hey Stark, how's the apple pie life going? All rainbows and sunshine still?” Evie laughed, closing the door as he stepped inside. “Yeah, something like that.” She shrugged. “There’s days where I think I cut my slice a bit too big though…” He gave her a tight hug, mindful of the present belly. “How’s junior?”
“Good, likes to use my bladder as a trampoline and my lungs as punching bags. But other than that it's been great! Been making arrangements for my,” she made air quotes, “vacation.” Frank smiled, taking her in with esteem. But Evie knew him better than to make unannounced casual house calls out of the blue. “So you here cause you could smell the grilled cheese or is this a business call.”
Frank chuckled. “Nothin’ gets past you does it?” She smiled and motioned him to follow into the kitchen where Laura was waiting for her mom to return. Laura caught sight of him from the corner of the screen and shrieked out, “Uncle Frank!”
“Hey, how’s my girl?!”
The two shared greetings and he was just as gleeful to see her and the girl was to see him. But it was soon wrapped up when Evie checked the time and told Laura she needed to prepare for bed. She protested as usual, but eventually they all exchanged warm good nights and Evie promised Laura that she wouldn’t forget her prenatal vitamins. Making sure to chase them down with a glass of orange juice. The girl had been overly protective of her mother even though Evie always insisted that things were meant to be the other way around. But she knew the kid was just excited about her baby brother.
“How’s she been?” Castle said, jetting his chin towards the phone left propped on the counter.
“Everythings been good, quiet. Every now and then she takes little trips to see her friends at the school, which is where she’s at now. She's excited about the baby too, been counting down the days to meet her little brother.” He nodded, humming contently. “That’s good, I’m real happy for ya’ Stark, real happy. You deserve it.” Evie smiles, but then it falters.
She can feel that there's something worrying him.
As she cut her sandwich in two and poured a second bowl of soup, Frank took a seat at the kitchen island. He’d already helped himself to a beer from her last remaining case at the far back of the fridge when she slid over the humble meal.
“Frank, not that I don’t appreciate seeing your ugly mug, but I thought you were states away,” Evie said. He swallowed the bite of food in his mouth and replied, “Yeah, I was… but then Medani called.” She dipped her grilled cheese into the bowl, took a bite, and said, “Mm, that makes sense. She stopped by my office today too… She seemed rattled.”
Frank grunted as he devoured his food, eating as if he had never had a home-cooked meal. “Yeah, it seems she’s pulling out all the stops on this one.” They continued to eat in silence until Evie picked up their plates, and Frank stood up to help.
“You know, if you’d like, I don’t mind watching your back.”
Evie huffed a bit. “I’m good Frank. I’m a big girl. Besides, I’m heading out at the end of the week.” He raised a brow.
“That so? Where to?”
With the kitchen squared away, she grabbed her glass of water and leaned against the countertop. “Far... New Asgard, the king has requested we stay there till the baby comes. She’s insisting on it, says it's better that way since the baby is technically only half-human. Plus, it helps keep everything under wraps. My mom and the girls are coming too.”
He polished off the last of his beer, chucking the bottle in the bin before standing opposite to her. “Listen Stark, I know you’re the big bad wolf n’ all, but I’m gonna make sure you don’t get dragged into this whole Billy shit… I’m sticking around for now, so I’m close by in case you need anything. And I mean it. Anything at all!” She giggled, saying, “Does that include midnight runs for pickles and ice cream?”
He laughed, coming in for a hug. One that she relished. Enjoying the sound of another steady heartbeat in the big, quiet house.
“Yeah, I remember those nights. Maria, she uh… She used to crave donuts with fried chicken when she was pregnant. I could never see her actually eat it, but I always made sure she got whatever she wanted.” Evie beamed brightly at him. “Thanks, Frank, but honestly. We’re all good here. I’m okay.” He held her at arm's length. He pulled his brows together, his gaze focused intently on her. “Do people usually believe that if you repeat it enough?”
Evie paused for a moment and tried to smile, her throat forming a lump. He’d caught her off guard for once. “Please don’t do that.” She said in a smaller voice.
“Do what?”
“That dude thing.”
“What dude thing?”
“You know, that whole…” She motioned at him. “I see you thing. I’m so fucking over it, these past few weeks it’s all I keep hearing. The same thing with different words and—” She had to stop herself and took a deep breath. “I’m coping in my own way. You more than anyone should understand.”
He nodded slowly, slinging an arm over her shoulder as they went towards the front foyer. “That I do…” He said with profound sympathy. He let her go and as he slipped out the door he said, “Well Stark, it’s been a pleasure like always. Thanks for the meal, it was delicious as always.”
That night, Evie tossed and turned in her sleep. It was a strange dream she was having. For once, it wasn’t a nightmare, but it wasn’t a pleasant vision either. She walked aimlessly through a vast dark space, her bare feet prodding in shallow water. There was no light as far as her eyes could see and her agitation was slowly growing, creeping up her spine. Then the faintest of noise caught her ears. She turned in every direction, only to see more darkness. Evie then hears Frank's voice mixed with another man’s agonizing screams. It was enough that she had to cover her ears, but still, they rang out louder than church bells. Suddenly, her own voice came through, spoken right into the shell of her ear. It startled her to the point that she tripped over her own feet and fell on her butt.
“I’m nothing like you!”
“Dying's easy. You're gonna learn about pain!” It was Frank, sneering with hate and fury. But it was the sound of glass smashing accompanied by another outcry that clicked the puzzle pieces together for her. This was an old memory buried deep. Or at least it once was. “You’re gonna learn about loss!” The sound of glass breaking echoed everywhere and suddenly she realized it was not water she was standing in, but thick sticky blood. It had stained her clothing, drenching the fabric and coating her arms, legs, and hands.
Her eyes dilated as she began hyperventilating. Unable to gain a lungful of air as the pained bellows continued to assault her ears, the near sinister sound of someone shouting her name from afar trapped her in a suspended state of adrenaline and anxiety.
And just as she swore her head was going to burst, the sound of her alarm woke her with a jump.
She opened her eyes to stare up at her ceiling, her chest rising and falling rapidly. The deep navy blue allowed the gold star decals to really pop in a beautiful contrast against one another. When she first decorated her room, she loved seeing the tiny constellations. But now, it was just there. Staring blankly back at her while she peeled off the bed. Evie found herself drenched in a sheen of sweat trying to decipher what the hell was the meaning behind her dream.
As Evie got her day started, she was completely unaware that somewhere hiding in the dark, dirty back alleys of the city was Billy Russo. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who had unwillingly relived moments of the past.
The amnesia diagnosis was one hundred percent genuine.
After surfacing from his coma, Russo couldn’t remember hardly anything past his service in the military. He had no recollection of his betrayal of his best friend. Nor anything that happened with Madani. And certainly not about what happened that led up to Castle nearly killing him at the carousel in Central Park. Especially that key detail; that it had been Frank who made him a vegetable for so long.
But there was one thing that stood out to him in the blurry, muddled mess that was his mind.
Billy still believed he was involved with Genevieve Stark on some romantic level; if he could even call it that.
However, Stark Tower was no longer Stark Tower. It had undergone major renovations and was rebranded as the Baxter Building. He had attempted to gain entry and find out more information but was met with a rather sassy robot who was fast to inform him of that bit of information. Insisting that if he didn’t leave soon, he’d have security escort him out of the building. The threat was enough to scare off Russo.
Yet, not enough to deter him from his search for the only person his mind had some clarity about.