It's an AU where Season 3 takes place over the course of several months rather than one night. The group lives in Everlock until the fight is over. And also I like these two together way too much. Hope you enjoy.
Matthew Patrick frantically scribbled a letter to Joey. He hadn't slept in a week due to the chaos outside. The war against the Carnival Master kept waging on.
'You've never seen a bastard theorist more in need of a break,' he thought. 'I miss Rosanna. I miss my wife.'
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Matt opened it to see Nikita Dragun sobbing.
"Nikita! God, what happened to you?"
She sniffled. "It's a long story. I know you're a man of honor, and I'm so sorry to bother you like this. But I don't know where else to go."
"Come in." He held the door open for her.
Nikita sat on the couch. Matt sat next to her. "Tell me what's wrong."
"Mortimer has been doing me wrong. Beating me, sleeping around, treating me like garbage."
He shook his head. "Well, if it helps, I can loan you some money. And I'll walk you back home."
She smiled at him. "Really? Thank you. You're too kind."
Matt gave Nikita $30 and walked her back to Mortimer's house.
"Here it is."
"Well, I should go."
Her face turned red, and she grabbed his hand and led him upstairs. Once in the bedroom, she shoved him down on the bed and climbed on top of him.
"Maybe you should stay?" she whispered.
Matt laid there frozen, unable to move. 'Lord, show me how to say no to this. I have to go, but she looks so helpless like this...'
And before she could do anything, Nikita leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth. And Matt didn't say a word.
***********
That should have been it, right?
Right. But on it went.
A month later, Matt noticed a letter in his mailbox from a Mr. Mortimer Wilson. Even better, it said,
"Dear Sir,
I hope this letter finds you in good health, and in a prosperous enough position to put wealth in the pockets like me, down on their luck. You see, that was my girlfriend you decided to--"
Fuck.
"Uh oh! You made the wrong sucker a cuckold, so time to pay the piper for the pants you unbuckled. And hey, you can keep seeing my whore girl, if the price is right. If not, I'm telling your wife.
Sincerely,
M. Wilson
P.S. $500. No less, or Stephanie finds out."
Matt hid the letter in his drawer, ran to Mortimer's house, and threw the bedroom door open. Nikita was sitting on the bed, half-dressed and looking pathetic.
"How could you?" he screamed.
"W-What?"
"You seduced me knowing full well what Mortimer was trying to do to me. Now he's sent me a letter demanding $500 to keep quiet. You were a part of this!"
"N-No, I wasn't," she stammered. "Please don't go!"
"So, was your whole story a set-up?"
"I don't know about any letter." Nikita fell to her knees sobbing.
"Stop crying, Goddamnit, get up!" Matt yelled.
"I didn't know any better!"
He paced the room running his hands through his hair. "How could I do this? How could I do this to Stephanie?"
Nikita took his hand. "Please. Just give him what he wants and you can have me."
"I don't want you."
She pulled him onto the bed and crawled over him. "Whatever you want, if you pay, you can stay."
'I can't do this. Not again. But the situation's helpless. I can't say no...'
But again, Nikita kissed him. And again, Matt didn't object. Instead, he kissed back.
***********
Matt opened his eyes, sitting up in the bed. Not his bed. There was someone else beside him, still asleep.
He knew why he was here. He knew who was sleeping next to him.
The door opened and Mortimer appeared. He looked at Matt, then at his sleeping girlfriend, then finally asked, "So?"
Matt turned his gaze towards Nikita. He really messed up. He couldn't take back what had already happened. The only thing that mattered now was making sure that no one found out.
"Nobody needs to know."
