Invisible String

Aftermath and comfort

Tw: mentions of torture and kidnapping 

Burning icy cold water attacking Jules skin, sending the thoughts in her brain to skitter around and bounce like tennis balls. The weight of her clothes fight against her, encasing her body in a cocoon and compressing her forcefully against the water. Jules claws around scrambling to keep afloat.

In a last-minute dash of self-preservation, she managed to shatter one of the windows in the factory jumping into the water by the docks. He got away. Jameson the bastard, he got away. Bobbing up and down in the water Jules takes in the sight before her. Ravenous flames swirl angrily engulfing the factory, waves of orange and red whip away at the infrastructure. Her team, she doesn't think they made it out. Three exceptional agents gone. Plus, Hoffman. What a fucking mess.

Jules uses the remaining reserves of her strength to swim to the docks, she collapses spluttering and hacking up water, shaking violently. The flames ravage away, dancing infront of her eyes in triumphant glee...

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Jules stands still and damp outside of Matt's door, she needs to lay low. The familiar ghost of her past she thought had surpassed had now returned and was back to haunt her. She needed to speak to someone.

Matt opens the door and instantly picks up on her racing heartbeat "Jules?"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure, sure come in."

Jules shuffles into his apartment sitting on one of Matt's sofas still processing the previous events. Matt comes up behind her wrapping a towel over her shoulder. He sits next to her stroking her arm gently "Jules..." Matt says softly... She looks at him slowly, tears swimming in her eyes. "It's okay, you can tell me."

Those six words act as a catalyst. Jules bursts into tears clutching onto Matt and leaning her head against his chest. "Something really really fucked is going on Matty I don't even ughhh, Jameson is back. and I don't even know how that's physically possible..." Jules jumps up and starts pacing angrily "I mean I mean I saw him die, he tried to escape with me and S.W.A.T shot him on site. He was taken into hospital, but they informed us that he was dead..." Jules lip trembles "Now he's back and kidnapped a high-level agent for God knows what, I didn't even get to find out. He took out all my agents, I barely made it out alive." She rakes a hand through her hair in frustration. "The one thing I know about Jameson is that he's persistent and cruel. He would cut pieces of skin from the victims he captured and make me watch. Whatever he's planning..." Jules sinks to the floor struggling to breathe. "He robbed me of my trust for people Matt. Of my piece of mind, the one thing you need to keep yourself going...I don't even know if I would be ready if he got his hands on me again."
Matt walks over kneeling in close. "Jules, I swear on my life if it comes to that I will move heaven and earth to beat this guy, to get you out. They don't call me Daredevil for nothing." He rubs her shoulders comfortingly. "I know it's hard right now. I know that you feel like a nightmare hell I know. But I'm here. I know its not everything but I'm here." Matt places his upright palm against hers and leans his forehead against Jules's. "Do you trust me?" Jules nods. "I trust you Matty." Matt smirks "You know you're the only person that calls me that."

"What?"

"Matty"
Jules shrugs, smiling. "Old habits die hard I guess."

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Jules showers and wears an oversized t-shirt and grey joggers of Matt's. While getting changed, she spots something. In the corner of his room against his dresser. A whole selection of records and a record player. The record player. "Matt!" Jules calls urgently, he rushes in the room. "What's up?" she points at the record player "You kept it... The record player." Matt beams "Of course, I wasn't joking when I said it's the best present I've ever got." This was one thing Matt had treasured in his life, his records went everywhere he went somehow in a way making him feel connected to Jules. Matt strides over filing through his records pulling out "Songs in the key of life." He reaches a hand towards Jules "Dance with me."

Jules sways against Matt as Stevie Wonder's smooth voice starts singing "Isn't she lovely " She rests her head against his chest. His hands fold over her waist. She can feel the warmth of his skin seeping through to her, the feeling of his hands against her pushes a current of electricity in her stomach. Suddenly they come apart and Matt spins her without warning. "Matt!" Jules shouts steadying herself against him, he laughs "What? Your always telling me I'm too uptight." Jules rolls her eyes walking over to his record selection "Do you have any Metallica?"

"Jules it's 1:00 am!"

Her eyes twinkle. "So?"