Fragments of a Fractured Mind (Poindexter Fanfic)

Awakening

Not sure if there will be an audience for this on here, but here we go. Still salty at Netflix for canceling Daredevil, and I don't see that wound healing anytime soon. Sign the petition to save the show if you haven't already. Remember, we are the fandom without fear!

ooOOoo

Where did it all go so wrong? That was the first thing festering in Dex's mind when he was halfway between consciousness and the abyss on that cold slab of metal. He wasn't a toe-tag stiff yet, but he was far from feeling alive. All he could recall was the numbness left in the wake of Fisk's rampage, followed by fear. It would have been funny for him to think of it as paralyzed by fear, but that was where the true horror stemmed. To lose all sensation and function of his body, one of the few aspects he'd honed his skills to have complete control over, would hardly be a life worth living.

It was too difficult to discern his body's state at present. Nothing felt as if it belonged to him, and the blackness was beginning to swirl behind his eyes. The voices of his past were circling his mind, pestering him at his moment of weakness.

Julie, Fisk, Dr. Mercer, Ray, Murdock, Karen Page, Hattley, Vanessa...Zoe.

Her voice called out amongst the rest and then became lost in the white noise of the others. He no longer knew who his enemies were, not in the vastness of his hate. They were fragmentary pieces in his fractured mind.

In the distance, a drill began to sing, or perhaps it was another infernal medical device. When it made contact with his back, Dex's face twisted from agony, then fell lax to the dark.

ooOOoo

It was a Tuesday morning. Hattley had herded everyone into the conference room that first hour of the day over a matter of little importance. A member of HR, whose name Dex had disregarded immediately after the man had mentioned it, was wheezing on at the head of the room about the changes being made to their health plans.

Dex had already receded into himself when it got to the part about dependents coverage. The only other matter he was partially aware of in the room was the empty chair between himself and Alvarez. Zoe was late once again. Not that she was missing out on anything dire. In a way, he judged himself for not having the sense to arrive late on a day like today. But that could never happen. He wouldn't risk the unrest that would come from a break in routine.

His vague thoughts ceased when the door to the conference room was flung open. The metal handle made a horrible crash against the wall, and tucked up against the door was Zoe. She was holding a tray of coffee cups close to her person. A fifth cup was stacked precariously on top of the other four, the last likely being for herself.

"Sorry about that," She said, with no effort of keeping her voice down in shame. "The handle slipped."

She started into the room, unfazed at all the eyes of the room on her while she passed. Her jacket was still on, and she had a light dusting of snow scattered throughout her auburn hair. She stumbled a moment, her large glasses becoming askew on her nose. Her heeled boot had caught on the projector cord, causing it to come unplugged. The man from HR made a sound of grievance as his presentation shut off.

"Oh excuse me," said Zoe, looking over her shoulder a moment before continuing to her seat.

She began handing out the drinks she had purchased. One to Ray, who gave her a smile backed up by pity. Next was to Alvarez, who nodded in appreciation. Hattley's brow was stern when it came to her getting her coffee. She indicated to Zoe that she already had one, but the drink was plunked down before her nevertheless.

Dex got his last, and he scowled as he saw his name scrawled in black felt across the side. Benjamin . She must have felt the heat of his glare because she turned to him as soon as she finished folding her coat over the back of her chair.

"It's cream with no sugar," She said with a flutter of her eyes.

He'd enforced his preference to be called Dex with her a number of times. She either ignored the request or forgot entirely, and he honestly leaned towards the latter.

"Benjamin?" He huffed.

"Oh," she breathed a laugh. "Do you prefer Ben?"

Dex turned away with a roll of his shoulder. "Not really."

She looked as if a question was forming on her lips, but Dex never got to hear what it was. The man from HR had given up on his battle of making the projector work. He returned to the head of the room, quickly shooting an irritated frown at Zoe.

"I can't get the presentation to load. You'll just have to read the rest of the information yourselves in the email and pamphlets I sent out. Any other questions can be forwarded to my office."

As he began packing up, everyone else stood in relief. Zoe's clumsiness had saved them another ass-numbing hour in those chairs. In fact, she was the only one still seated, a face marred in obliviousness at the favor she had just paid to her colleagues.

"McClung," Hattley called. "In my office, please."

Zoe leaped to attention when being addressed. "Yes, ma'am."

As soon as Hattley was gone from the room, Zoe's shoulders sank. "One of these days, she's going to have me transferred."

"I wouldn't worry about it," said Nadeem in passing. "You haven't even been here a full year, she's got to give you your chance to pay your dues first."

To Zoe, those words appeared to be of little comfort. "I suppose," she replied, her voice small.

The room was nearly empty as everyone walked away without a second glance at Zoe. Dex was close to the door when he remembered his coffee. As he turned back around, she already had the cup in her hand, offering it to him with her arm outstretched.

The aloof look on her face from earlier had been replaced by a more severe manner that he had seen her wear when she was at her desk or out on an operation. Despite her carefree, almost bizarre personality, she was not to be mistaken for someone who was remiss at her job. Her efforts seemed to go unnoticed by Hattley, who would not give her the time of day.

Dex nodded cordially as he took the cup from her. She gave a smile back. Their fingers had touched, and hers had still held a chill from the cold outside.

"Guess I'd better go see what the damage is." She started to pack up her things, brushing by him in a warm rush of air. The tension in her was palpable.

"McClung," Dex called, and for a moment he was surprised it was his voice that had spoken.

She stood at the door jamb, watching him curiously. All of the things he should have been saying to ease her worries weren't coming to mind. The stretch of silence was lasting so long that he was desperate to latch on to anything clever to say. It wasn't like when he was volunteering at the hotline. Reality didn't give him a script to read off from.

He put his head down and gave a defeated sigh under his breath. "Thanks for the coffee."

Her face turned quizzical, but the tightness in her shoulders slackened. "You're alright Poindexter. Next time you can return the favor if only to give me the excuse to keep talking to you."

He wanted to ask why she'd want to do that, but she had already gone from the room. It was probably better for her not to keep Hattley waiting any longer anyway.

Dex headed for his own desk, sipping at his drink. He frowned from the bitter taste, wondering idly how Zoe had managed to guess he didn't take sugar in his coffee. She was perceptive, and he couldn't decide if that was good or bad for him. Only time would tell.