Hell | Matt Murdock

8

The morning sun casts a warm glow over Hell's Kitchen as Logan wakes to a new day. Her apartment, usually a haven of solitude, feels different now—charged with the echoes of the previous night's emotions. She rises from her bed, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion.

As she moves through her morning routine, Logan can't shake the vivid memories of the kiss shared with Karen. The taste of her lips lingers, and the sensation of their bodies pressed together sends a shiver down Logan's spine. It's a feeling she's not accustomed to, a vulnerability that unsettles the usually unflappable Logan.

The aroma of coffee fills her small kitchen as Logan mechanically prepares her breakfast. Her mind, however, is miles away, replaying the moments that led to the kiss. She wonders if Karen is awake, if she's grappling with the same mixture of desire and regret that Logan is.

The day stretches before her, a canvas waiting to be painted with routine tasks and responsibilities. Yet, Logan can't shake the distraction that follows her like a persistent shadow.

She heads out into the bustling streets of Hell's Kitchen, her steps automatic but her mind elsewhere. The city's usual cacophony—the distant honking of cars, the murmur of conversations, the rhythmic footsteps of pedestrians—fades into the background as Logan is lost in her thoughts.

Logan's first stop is Josie's, the familiar bar where she often finds solace. The door swings open, and the dimly lit interior greets her. She takes her usual spot at the bar, the worn wood cool against her palms. The bartender, who knows Logan's drink of choice by heart, slides a glass of whiskey in her direction without a word.

As she nurses her drink, Logan contemplates the events of the night before. Her encounters with people usually leave no lasting impact, but Karen is different. The connection they share, the magnetic pull that brought them together, lingers like a haunting melody.

The door to Josie's swings open again, and Logan's attention is drawn to the entrance. It's not Karen but a stranger, a reminder that life goes on, indifferent to the turmoil within Logan's mind.

She finishes her drink in silence, the liquid fire offering a momentary distraction from the internal storm. With a nod to the bartender, Logan exits Josie's and resumes her aimless walk through Hell's Kitchen.

The streets are alive with the ebb and flow of the city. People hustle and bustle, lost in their own worlds. Logan, however, feels like a spectator, detached from the rhythm of life around her.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket, and she retrieves it to find a text from Foggy.

[ Need your help with some heavy lifting at the office. Can you swing by? ]

Logan hesitates for a moment, considering the offer of distraction. Helping Foggy is a familiar task, a way to ground herself in the mundane. She types a brief response—

[ On my way ]

-- and changes course toward Nelson and Murdock.

The law office is a haven of normalcy, a place where Logan can pretend, even if just for a moment, that everything is as it should be. Foggy greets her with a grateful smile, explaining the logistics of the task at hand.

As they work together, moving furniture and rearranging files, Logan appreciates the physicality of the task. It's a stark contrast to the emotional turbulence within her. Foggy, sensing Logan's distracted state, refrains from prying into her thoughts. Instead, they engage in light banter, a welcome distraction from the weight on Logan's shoulders.

The day wears on, and as Logan leaves the law office, she finds herself standing at the familiar crossroads. The path that led her to the kiss with Karen diverges from the one that beckons her toward a semblance of normalcy.