Shook Hands With the Devil

Chapter 2 -History

Glancing over at the LED clock to your right, you groaned, not realizing how much time had passed. It was nearing the end of your workday, and you had been sitting the entire time. Standing up, you stretched your back, and with a satisfying pop, the tension dissipated. Letting out a groan, you rubbed your eyes and began packing up your work.

You managed to get a new client today, after getting a call from the local police department. A man by the name of Elijah Marcus had just been arrested on the charges of grand theft auto and intoxicated driving. As permitted by the Constitution, Mr. Marcus was allowed a lawyer, and because he could not afford one, one would be provided for him. Although not nearly as fruitful as the client you lost, you were eager to begin the case and had spent a good portion of the day building up a defense.

Just as you were finishing packing up various papers and folders, a light knock sounded at your door. You opted to ignore it, saying it was too late in the night to be taking any new clients, and you hoped that they would just walk away. You shoved on your coat, and the knock sounded again. Letting out a frustrated huff, you marched your way to the door.

"I swear to God, Murdock if that's you, you better pray that-" You were cut off when you were met with someone who was definitely not Murdock. A blonde woman had her hand tentatively in the air, clearly caught off guard by the sudden abruptness.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry!" You began to profusely apologize, and the woman let out a small smile. "I thought you were someone else. Can I help you with anything?"

She cleared her throat. "Yes, actually. I'm looking for Nelson and Murdock, the law firm. I'm supposed to be meeting them in about...," she glanced at her wristwatch, "3 minutes. Do you know where I can find them?"

You pointed across from you, and the woman flushed with embarrassment, "So they were right there this entire time? I am so sorry to have bothered you."

"Hey, really, it's no problem. They don't have a sign yet, so really it's not your fault that you didn't find them."

The woman turned around, giving you a thankful nod. "Wait," you called after her. "What's your name?"

"It's Karen. Karen Page," she replied. You gave her your own name, and she repeated it sweetly. You liked her and felt bad that she had to deal with Murdock.

"Well, Ms. Page, if you ever need anything, you know where my office is. And," you paused, "if you need a break from Murdock just run over here."

"Is he really that bad?" Karen inquired, concern etched on her face.

"No," you sighed. "We just don't get along. I'm sure he is actually a nice guy, just not to me. Well, I should let you go. Have a good night Ms. Page."

Karen gave you a small wave in return, and you retreated back into your office. You hoped to see her again; you needed more friends around here. You finished packing up and shut off the lights to your office.

Locking the door, you made your way outside the office building, enjoying the cool September air in New York. Your plan for tonight: Get home as quickly as possible, get changed, and patrol the city. No rest for the wicked, that's for sure.

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Unbeknownst to you, Matt had heard the entire conversation you had with Karen thanks to his heightened senses. You had called him a nice guy, which hatched a seed of hope in his mind. Maybe there was potential to become friends. 'Friends' is a stretch, he thought. Maybe we can just stop going at each other's throats every moment we see each other.

He prayed that you didn't completely hate him, that there was still some kindness in your heart for him. Maybe. When did you become such an ass, he thought to himself. Especially to her. What could she have possibly done to make you treat her like this?

A cold pit settled in his stomach.

He was in love with you ever since that first day in college, and he didn't know how to show his emotions.

He remembered when he had first met you when you had walked in late to their first class, coffee in one hand and your textbook in the other. The first thing he smelled was your perfume; it smelled of lilac and lilies. You hushed a small sorry to the professor, and you made your way to a spot.

The entire class was filled up, except for a spot to his right (Foggy was on his left). No one wanted to sit next to the blind man. But you didn't care. You marched right up next to him and asked if she could sit in the empty seat. For one of the first times in his life, he had been truly seen, not as a blind man and someone who needed to be babied, but as Matt Murdock.

He had given you a genuine smile, and from that moment on he was head over heels with you. And he knew you felt the same; your heart rate picked up, and he could sense the blood rush to your face as you blushed. Even Foggy seemed to notice Matt's pining towards you, and he gave him a knowing nudge.

From that moment on you, three had been the inseparable trio, and you were always seen together. You guys even had plans to start your own law firm after you guys graduated. Yet, Matt never acted on his feelings, too scared to be rejected or humiliated.

So when you introduced your new boyfriend to them, Matt felt nothing but anger and incredible sadness. He lashed out and could sense your immediate drop in demeanor. He had hurt you, and you left with tears in your eyes and a disappointed Foggy.

From then on, you stayed away from Matt, still occasionally chatting with Foggy, but avoiding him altogether. Even after you and your boyfriend broke up, the damage was still not fixed, and the fissure between the two of you was near unfixable.

After graduation, when he learned that you were renting the office space next to him, he was elated. Was it possible he could fix this? Fix the rift he created between the two of you?

The answer was no.

From the moment the two of you saw each other after graduation, you two had been at each other's throats, constantly bickering and fighting, making the fissure a mile long.

Foggy, ever the saint, was the mediator between the two of you. He made sure you didn't kill each other, and he kept relations between the two firms neutral. Every word spoken between the two of you was curt and cold, and Matt prayed to God that one day he would restore what you guys once had.