Dust & Ashes {Daredevil}

32

Zoe hadn't been close to Ben at all. Even now as they lowered his coffin into the ground. Zoe just stands still with her hand in Karen's. Rhea was even there, just so she could support Benicia. This was also the first time that Zoe had no reaction to how close Matt was to Benicia right now. She couldn't even blame him, she was sniffling herself a little bit with Karen.

Benicia rubbed her nose and as soon as she knew that she wasn't crying much anymore. She tugged her arm out of Matt's, "Give me a minute, okay?"

Matt reached for her, his hand barely touched her arm which made her stop, "Are you sure?"

Benicia placed her hand over his own and tugged it down, "It's okay." She wiped her eyes and cleared her throat, "Thank you... all of you. For coming."

Rhea gave her a little nod. Karen smiled softly with Zoe. All of them watched as Benicia walked over to Ben's wife.

"Mrs. Urich?" Benicia greeted as she tried to cover up how puffy her eyes were under her glasses, "Um... I'm Benicia... Benicia Duterte. I don't believe Ben has ever-"

"Benny, yes." Doris recognized the name, "He talked about you all the time."

"He-" Benicia swallowed, "He did?"

"He thought you were something else." Doris admitted to her, "The way you wouldn't let go until you got the truth. He admired that. We never got around to having kids, too busy with this or that, but if we had, I think he would have wanted one like you."

Benicia knew she had broken the stem of the flower she held in her hand. She exhaled a soft sob, "Uh.... Mrs. Urich. I-I think it's my fault that this happened to Ben. I pushed him into a story he didn't want-"

"Ben Urich never got pushed into doing anything he didn't want to do." Doris reassured her, "He's a reporter. That's what he lived for. And he passed doing what he had to do."

Her caretaker leaned down, "We should be getting you back."

Doris nodded her head before she looked up at Benicia again, "It was nice to meet you, Benny."

"Um-" Benicia stopped them from leaving, "Is there-is there anything that you need? Anything at all, I..."

"No." Doris answered softly, "Ben's taken care of all that. He took out a policy years back when that river water story turned ugly. He always took care of me. Still is."

Benicia nodded her head and watched as Doris was wheeled away. Rhea walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey... I have to head out now." She tugged Benicia in for a hug, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Benicia sniffed loudly and gave Rhea a light squeeze back, "Yeah..." She backed away from Rhea, "Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that."

"You've got a bruise on your face. Is it from the mugging?"

"Ah-" Rhea ran a finger along her cheek and flinched at the dull pain from the bruise, "Yeah. I'm alright. They didn't get anything from me."