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Matt and Foggy started their law firm with Karen as an Investigator. Matt and Karen were working on their friendship but kept it platonic because they were both afraid to ruin what they have. Regularly, Matt comes to the office with new cuts and bruises. Foggy and Karen would ask him every day when was he going to get an armored suit like the one he used to have. One day they said “All we want for Christmas is your safety”. He finally agreed to go visit Melvin Potter at prison to make him a proposal: Nelson and Murdock’s legal representation to get him out of jail and to get his shop back. In exchange he has to help the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen by making him a new suit.
While they were waiting for Melvin to come meet them Matt heard a prisoner tell a visitor “We will be receiving a shipment at the docks tonight. Be ready.” At that moment Melvin arrived and the prisoner changed subject so Matt could not get any more details. They introduced themselves to Melvin by telling him they came on behalf of Daredevil to represent him as his lawyers and discuss his options. There were not many, either spend the rest of his sentence in prison or agree to get their help and therefore help Daredevil. Melvin finally agreed; he wanted to be with Betsy, his girlfriend, so badly. Then Matt, Foggy and Karen started to prepare for Melvin’s case right away.
That night Matt went to the docks to investigate. He waited on the warehouses roofs and listened for any indication of the shipment they were expecting. He wanted to know if the shipment contained illegal merchandise. It was a cold night but no snow was expected. He noticed some movement in one of the warehouses nearby after midnight. He came closer and heard one of the suspects saying “Hurry up. Mrs. Fisk needs to get these items ready for sale before Christmas.”
A truck arrived with the shipment. Matt could sense what was inside the wooden boxes as they unloaded them and transported them inside with forklifts. There were antiques, paintings, sculptures and vases; probably from questionable sources. He tried to get closer but decided to wait until the truck leaves. One guard stood outside of the warehouse heavily armed while the other went inside for a break. It was the perfect time for him to sneak in. Matt walked through the shadows silently until he reached the guard standing outside from behind and did a chokehold around his neck until he passed out. He disarmed him and sneaked inside. There were three more armed men inside and a woman, Vanesa, doing inventory around the warehouse. There was a faint smell of blood and gunpowder coming out of the boxes. He tried to sneak on another guard but he saw him and started shooting. Daredevil flipped around avoiding the bullets and kicked him unconscious. Another man rushed to the warehouse shooting at Daredevil but once again he was able to avoid the bullets and punched him in the face. They continued fighting, punching and kicking each other while the remaining man rushed to protect Vanessa. She and the other man put on what seems to be noise cancelling headphones. Suddenly a very loud alarm was activated. It was too loud for even a normal person, much more for Daredevil due to his acute senses. He tried to cover his ears with his hands but the noise was excruciatingly loud. The man he was fighting almost got ahold of him but Daredevil was able to kick him in the nuts and escape. He quickly ran outside in the direction to the water. The men inside and outside followed him firing their guns. He tried to lose them by going in between the trailers. The bullets grazed his body but he kept running. He quickly dived into the water to avoid the bullets and the noise.
The water was freezing but he swam as fast as he could until he could no longer hear the men and the alarm. He swam to the shore, crawled out of the water and laid on the ground to recover his breath. He felt flurries of snow slowly coming down and landing on his face. It was snowing and it was intensifying by the moment. He realized he needed to get dry and warm soon or he would die of hypothermia. “Where is the closest place I could go to get warm and be safe?” he thought while getting up and walking as fast as he could. “My apartment is too far, I could try to make it to the office but there is no guarantee that I can” he continued while feeling his body shivering uncontrollably. Foggy was out of the question since he lived with Marcy who doesn’t know his secret identity. Then he remembered Karen’s apartment. He didn’t want to bother her especially this late at night but it was a life or death situation and he needed to act fast. He kept walking fast trying to avoid the streets and roads. He walked behind several buildings and suddenly became disoriented. “Focus Matt” he thought trying to use all of his senses but his hearing was still affected by the alarm. The incessant ringing in his ears and the shivering kept him from concentrating. He tried to sense her smell but he couldn’t. “Keep walking, you cannot stop” he thought. After what seemed to him to be a long time he suddenly caught a familiar smell, the bakery in front of Karen’s apartment building, he was close. He sighed with relief and kept walking towards the back of her building. He can’t get into the front door because Fisk’s men could see him so he decided to try to get into her window. His movements were uncoordinated and he missed a step while going up the fire escape ladder but was able to get ahold of it. He finally reached Karen’s window, he could barely hear her breathing. She was asleep. He opened his mouth to call her “K, k, Karen” but he could barely speak. He knocked on her window as hard as he could, no answer. He gathered his strength again and knocked harder, no answer. Suddenly he felt like he was falling, he then heard Karen’s voice “Jesus, Matt. What are you...?” She looked closely at him and realized the gravity of the situation, “oh no, come in” she grabbed him by one arm and helped him get inside. He collapsed on the floor, barely conscious. He could not talk, or move and he was barely breathing.
A full blown winter storm was breaking outside her window. Matt’s clothes were wet and almost frozen to his skin, his face pale, and his lips purple. She started undressing him by taking off his boots; he did not react, she continued until she took off all of his clothes. Then, she grabbed one his arms and put it over her shoulders to help him get up the floor. He was heavier than she thought but she was able to guide him to her bed which was beside her window. She pulled the sheets away so that he could lie down. He laid in bed and immediately went into fetal position trying to get warmer but his body continued to shiver uncontrollably. She puts the sheets and a thick comforter over him and walked to the other side of the bed. She got into bed and embraced his trembling body for what it seemed to be hours until she felt he stopped shivering completely. She was worried about him and listened to his breathing to make sure he was alive. He was breathing softly and he felt warmer. His lips looked less purple and pinker although not his normal lip color yet. She felt a sense of relief. She laid her head back on the pillow and slowly dozed off listening to the sound of his breathing with her chest against his back, feeling his lungs expanding and contracting with every breath.
Matt was still asleep but his senses were slowly getting aware of his surroundings. He could smell some food; he could hear Karen talking to someone but his ears were still ringing; and he could also feel the cotton sheets all around his body but no clothes; “no clothes?” All of the sudden he was trying to remember where he was and what happened the night before. “Did he and Karen…?” “No, it would be a shame not to remember” he thought.
“Karen”, he called feeling confused. He heard steps coming towards him.
“Matt” she said touching his arm.
“Where am I? What happened?”
“You tell me. You came into my window last night soaking wet and freezing.”
She offered him the cup of coffee she had in her hands. He grabbed it with both hands; it felt so warm and nice, then he took a few sips while she ran her hand up and down his arm as if she was trying to warm him up.
He started to remember the docks, the storage, the deafening noise and the river. He explained to Karen what happened and when he finished he apologized to her “I’m sorry I came into your apartment like that but it was the closest place that I could go and be safe”.
“No, I am glad I was able to help you, otherwise you would have been dead by now. You were in very bad shape when you came in.”
“Thanks for helping me” he answered with one of those puppy eyes smiles that makes Karen melt. “Anytime. It is still snowing outside. I called Foggy to let him know about your situation and he told me not to worry about it because the streets were closed. He is working from home today. Are you hungry? I prepared breakfast.”
“Yes I am, but where are my clothes?” He asked with a puzzled look on his face.
She made an expression as if she had forgotten “Oh, they are in the dryer. I will bring you a towel and you can take a hot shower while they dry. I will bring the clothes as soon as they are ready.”
He agreed and put the towel around his waist and went on to get the shower. The water was nice and hot; it warmed him up and soothed his sore muscles. He was so relaxed under the water that he didn’t notice when Karen came in to leave his dried clothes. Matt finished his shower, put on his clothes and walked to the kitchen where Karen was serving breakfast.
“This smells delicious” he said after seating at the table and taking a sip of warm coffee, it felt so good coming down his throat and warming up his body even more.
“I made scrambled eggs and toasts, there is also some fresh fruits and orange juice” Karen said putting the plate in front of him.
“Thanks” he said. He was feeling strange. He was not used to this feeling, he was allowing someone to take care of him. It was the opposite of what Stick taught him. It felt good, his body and his soul wanted it, but his mind was telling him to not get used to it. His mind was telling him to get out of there ASAP, but his body was on strike. He was exhausted and just wanted to feel a warm bed and Karen’s warm embrace.
Karen noticed that something was off and put her hand on top of his hand and asked if he was okay. He raised his head at her direction. He smiled and said: “Everything is perfect and that scares the shit out of me.”
“Enjoy the moment Matt, you deserve it, get some rest. Tomorrow we will deal with Vanessa and Fisk.” She paused and then smiled. “Your mother would say that God had to send you a snowstorm so that you could take a break” Karen said giggling. Matt couldn’t help to laugh. They finished their breakfast and cuddled on her sofa. Karen noticed his eyes getting heavy and told him to lay his head on her lap and he obliged without hesitation. Karen caressed his hair and watched the snow fall from her window. Matt decided to ignore Stick’s advice and fell asleep while feeling Karen’s fingers going through his hair listening to Karen’s heartbeats. Tomorrow he will deal with The Fisks and all his troubles, but today he has the snow to thank for this perfect moment.
