The Devil's Heart.
playlist:
1)Thats not my name : Alix's Intro
2)Bad Reputation: Alix's Fightsong (agaisnt Shu)
3)Ordinary Superhero: Returning to New York
4)Devil's Dancefloor : Matt's intro
5)My Way: Finding Felix
6)Her eyes: Matt and Pete talk
7)Heaven is a halfpipe: Felix's Intro
8)Last Resort: Oz's intro
9)All my friends are metalheads: Felix's Fightsong (agaisnt Doc Oc)
10)Animal I have become: Matt's fight song (agaisnt Bullseye)
11)Vulnerable: Matt see's the truth
12)Pretty Fly (for a white guy) : Oz meets Felix
13)I want you bad: Oz's confession
14)When did you fall in love with me?: Matt's confession
15)Rooftops: Alix's Choice
16)Heartless: Oz's rejection
17)Get Stoned: Oz's fightsong (agaisnt Matt, then Bullseye)
18)Get a job: Oz says goodbye
19)Fall for you: Matt and Alix's theme.
20)Within a mile of home: (Oz and Felix)
21)We will Rock you :End theme.
Charactors
Matthew Murdock: DareDevil Duh.
Peter Parker: Spiderman Duh.
Wade Wilson: DeadPool, Duh
Logen: Wolverine, Don't make me stuipd smack you
Alix Jae: Shadow, Matt's sidekick She controls shadows and has some teleknisis. After killing her mother's murderder, she became stuck in her shadow aura, with a long sliver chain stuck in her right wrist and she panicked, leavingNew York and joining S.H.E.I.L.D. She was sent to Seattle by SHEILD for three years. Once she regains some of her human form she decides to leave her cell and try to live normally, but SHEILD sends her former teammate Oz to hunt her down, now she has returned to New York to ask for Daredevil's help. She was very chaotic compared to the straight-laced Daredevil, but after her accident she became reserved and shy.
Felix Mandel: Majinx, Peter's trainee, he hasn't finnished his training yet, he has mild magical skills and snaps to use them, he is very laid back smokes pot and makes a lot of jokes, he is also gay. After Alix's dissapperance he thought she'd abandoned him like his mother had when he was young, causing him to fall into a depression and create a new less whimical anti-hero named Hex.
Oz: SHEILD Agent that was part of Alix's cell the Seattle six, he followed her for a year trying to bring her back to the cell, but she always seemed to "get away". Truthfully he just wanted out of the cell himself, but when Alix leads him to New York, he becomes jealous of her and Matt's realtionship and vows to truely bring her back whether she wants to go or not. His powers are unpredicable and often reflect his emotions.
Phoebe and Melanie Brax: SHEILD Agents Firebird and IceEagle. Twin sisters that work in the Seattle Six, both girls are element controls (fire and ice) and Alix dislikes them both due to their shallow nature and flighty personality.
Noah Arkain: SHEILD Agent Shift, a shape shifter who worked in the Seattle six, he is a pervert and fecently uses his powers to look up girls skirts, he got Alix suspended after she broke his hand.
Meyer De'Bree: SHEILD Agent Sonic a mutant with insect like wings that was the "leader" of the Seattle Six dispite Alix's 2 years of greater expirence, he is arrogent and snobbish.
Chapter 1, That's not my name.
In my life I've been called many things, She-devil, Red Mist, Glitter, Lady Devil, none of these names are the name I picked for myself. When I became a Hero, I didn't want to be assocated with the man who trained me, but when your metor is Daredevil, you're going to get your fair share of shitty nicknames. I was 17 when Matthew Murdock, New York's greatest lawyer, and secertly the Man without fear, the Daredevil, found me sulking on a roof top, awaiting a local gang of thugs to jump. You see back then I was overly agressive, my mother had been murdered by a gang call Dragon's Keepers, and I wanted revenge, Dare devil seemes to know that. But he told me that is wasn't wise to try to take out an entire gang alone. I told him to fuck off , he didn't know my skills. Then he left, and I kept waiting until they showed, I tried very hard to get as many as I could, I only wanted one though, Ray "the chain" Shu, he got his sick kicks strangling women with his two foot long sliver chain, thats what he did to my mom. I took out 10 guys before I could get my hands on Shu, but there were still too many of them, I thought I was going to pass out from exsaustion before I could kill him. Just as I started lossing faith, Daredevil showed up and saved me, unforchantly Shu got away, I passed out and woke up in my apartment. Standing in the window, silittelted by the moon was the red devil. He turned to me and said,
"You have impressive fighting skills, but you need to be trained. At this point I have two options, one turn you in for the murder of three thugs, or train you so you can finish the job, its your choice which should I choose?"
I sat there for a good twenty minutes trying to grasp what he was telling me. I wasn't being denied my revenge, I was being offered a chance to complete it.
"What happens to me after I kill Shu if you help me? do you wait until I've taken one more criminal off the streets, then turn me in?"
I snapped. He tilited his head to the side as if thinking deeply about what I had asked. Inside I was terembbling like a leaf.
"If you wish to accept my offer, then after you gain your peice of mind, I will enroll you in S.H.E.I.L.D's Juinor agent program and have you trained to be a real hero, I can sense great power in you, I would hate to see it wasted on failed attempts to batter pety thugs."
I narrowed my eyes angerly.
"What if I don't want to be a hero, what if I just want the bastard who killed my mom dead huh? what are you going to do to me then?"
He slid off the edge of the window and stood erect facing me. Then he spoke in a low powerful, yet kind tone.
" Ms. Jae, I know a lot about you, I've been watching you ever since your mother was killed, I wanted to see what was in your heart, I've found it's identical to my own. I know that even if that was all you wanted, you wouldn't stop try to keep other young girls from suffering the same way you have. You may tell yourself that all you want is revenge, but we both know that if you accept my offer you will not be happy unless you feel like you are helping people."
I swallowed my pride and consiterted what he was saying to me, he was right, I did want to help people.
"Fine, I'll train with you but I don't want to work for S.H.E.I.L.D, I can't stand them, they are too full of their own holier-than-thou mentallity."
I said sighing loudly, he smirked at me then extented his hand to me.
"It's a deal then, you should know that your training will be merciless and it will seem like I'm pushing you too hard, but know that it is only because you are amazing and talented and I won't let that go to waste."
He said as I took his hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet so I could see his face, I was then I realised he was blind. I gasped and he smirked again, obivoiusly used to this reaction.
"Better get some rest kid, tommorow you start bright and early, go to this address and ask for Murdock."
I stared at the tiny paper card he had pressed in my hand as he crossed back to the window. He was perched in the sill ready to jump when I found my voice.
"Hey Daredevil,"
I said he looked back up at me.
"That's not my name, call me Shadow"
Chapter Two: Bad Reputation
The first few years of my training were hell, I never stopped, every moment was a lesson. I learned Daredevil was really Matthew Murdock, and I was annoyed at first, Murdock had handled my custody battle with my dick of a step-father. I couldn't believe that I had been that closed to my hero and now mentor. He seemed amused by my constant anger. But I worked day and night to prove to myself that what Matt saw, was really in me. I sparred with his two bodyguards Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, who thought of me as "Matt's stray". I had to get my G.E.D in addition to my to my training, which was very hard for someone who has never been book smart, but with Matt's constant pushing, I graduated. Shortly after Matt agreed that it would be ok with him if I moved in with him. I was ecstatic, Matt had been the closest thing to a family I had in a long time. His apartment was small but beautiful, over looking one of the few parks in Hell's Kitchen. The three the years I spent living there were some of the greatest days of my life. Patroling at night, learning how to focus enough to get around without my eyes. I learned to work my powers, controling my shadow and the others around me, and in rare occations using my mind to lift things. I even made friends, Matt introduced me to Peter Parker and Felix Mandel, two local superheros. Felix was about my age, he was funny, but he was also a recovering pot head. He used to beg Matt to let him take me raving with him, and every once in a while he would let me go. Felix loved to party and in all honisty it felt good to be able to dance with a guy and not have to worry if he was just after sex. I'd learned early on that Felix was fabulous.
"Alix! let's go to the Rox tommorow!!"
I remember him begging one night as we finished our sparring, his sparkling blue eyes gleaming with hope. I sighed whipping the sweat from my brow.
"Sorry Felix, Matt says he's got something planned for tommorow, I'm not allowed to ditch, maybe after that?"
I offered, his shaggy blue hair falling into his face as he tried to hid his disappointment.
"Oh Ok Alix, it's just I got this new body paint and I really wanted to break it in but I guess I can wait one more day."
I tussled his hair, sticking out my tounge enough to show off my stud.
"Cheer up you little emo, there's always time to rave, and afterwards we'll hit all those gay bars you love."
He grinned mischiviuosly.
"ooooh lovely lovely lover of mine you know me so well"
The next night I met Matt on the roof where I usually met him for the night training. I tried to teleport there once of twice, but always manged to fall on my ass. When I got there I landed a little better than normally but still managed to make a lot of noise. Matt was perched on the ledge looking down, the way he and Spiderman seemed to be so famous for. Next to him two fimliar figures stood, one in red and blue, the other is black and sliver. The second one jumped and swore when I landed.
"Hey Kid"
The first figure said smirking beheind his mask. The second figure straighted his posture and retracted his claws
"Hey yourself Deadpool, hello Mr. Wolverine, what are you guys doing here?"
"How come Logen gets to be Mr. Wolverine and I'm Deadpool?"
Deadpool complained crossing his arms. I tilted my head and smiled.
"Well Mr Logen has my full respect while you, Wade, do not."
I heard Wolverine chuckle roughly as Deadpool growled, Matt shot me a warning look so I backed off.
"I invited them here to help with tonight's mission, you see several of the men we're going after are mutants on both, their lists, so it's like killing 40 birds with 4 stones."
Matt said slowly rising from his perch and prowling towards me.
"why not bring Spidey and Majinx too? I'm sure the more people the easier."
I asked.
"Spiderman had to go out of town to take care of some bussiness, Felix is too inexpricened for this."
He said bluntly. I nodded in agreeance, it was true.
"So who are we going after?"
"Shu"
I froze in place, then narrowed my eyes unaware that I was growling.
" I take it she knows Shu then"
Deadpool said, Matt nodded, Wolverine was studying me intently
"Daredevil, if she is personally attached to something Shu's done it might not be a good idea to take her with us,-"
"YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ME BEHIND!"
I shouted bitterly, then I pulled all the shadows I could reach around me forming my coustom, my normal blue eyes gone yellow in rage. Matt was still facing the street, Deadpool was checking me out, the shadows clung to me, but I wasn't paying attention to him I was waiting for Matt's response.
"Alix, are you ready to kill Shu tonight?"
He asked me in a level monotone voice. I knew that if I anwsered the way I wanted to he wouldn't take me with him, so I took a deep calming breath then squared my shoulders.
"No one is every truely ready to take a life, but I am ready to do what I know must be done."
I knew using one of the lines he'd used on me was a cheap move, but it was effective.
"I made her a promise Logen, she knows all the consicneces of her actions, she's ready."
With that he lept off the leadge and I followed after him without looking at the others.
It took us an hour to find the Keepers' lair. It was a run-down old factory, with high fences and barbed wire. When we got to the fence Logen sliced through the metal without heistantion. As we crept into the building Matt went over the plan again.
"Wolverine and Deadpool can go get the guys they were after, and in the confusion Shadow and I will go after Shu, Shadow, you will get justice for your mother."
I nodded coldly, I was in dark-mode, a name Jessica had given to my ultra-focused, no jokes, persona, I didn't go "dark" much only when Shu or the Keepers were mentioned. My powers seemed slightly higher and more controlled during those times and I was less likely to use my physical skills. I also seemed to change physically as well I was told my eyes turned yellow and my normally chestnut hair turned grey. Matt tried to prevent this from happening most of the time because he feared that I wouldn't be able to return to my normal state afterwards. I inaudible walked with Matt in the darkness, as Wolverine and Deadpool ran off to create chaos. I could sense Matt's hesitates as we approched the office where Shu was.
"Alix I know you've waited for this for three years-"
"Five Matt, it took me two years to find Shu before you got involved in my mission"
I corrected blankly. He nodded looking gravely.
" What I was saying was I think that if you do go through with this, it would be good for you to enroll in S.H.E.I.L.D. they can offer you better training and they'll cover up any previous crimes, you can have a better live, they can protect you."
I didn't look at him, only the door separating me from my mother's murderer. I could see Shu's shadow on the floor.
"Matt when I go through with this, I am not running away to join those government huntsmen, I don't want to ok? If you don't want me anymore then as soon as this is done I will take all my shit back to my old apartment without question."
"That's not what I was saying Alix"
"Look can we talk about this later Matt, I am a mere one and a half inched away from my vengeance."
He frowned and his shoulders slumped, but he nodded all the same. I kicked down the door angerly and surprised the bastard. He was sitting at his desk with three bodyguards with AK-47's . Before they could get a shot off I had them pinned to the walls with my shadows. Matt knocked them all out as I kept to walk towards Shu. That slimly son of a bitch was shaking in his seat, clutching his own handgun too scared to fire it.
"Who the fuck are you? who sent you?"
I stopped, leaning over the desk, dark swirls of aura all around me. I grabbed him by his sliver chain broke it off, wrapping it around my right hand. Then hoisted him up.
"My name is Shadow, Laurie Bates sent me, Audrey Sallow sent me, Alice Jackson sent me, Lily and Rose Darwin sent me Alex Rivers, Kathryn Shin, Ari Marka, Darcie Day, Samantha Fealty, Roxanne Jorge, Jessie Homne, Felica Crow, Millie Dark, Sarah McMeel, Joanna DeJesus, and most of all Marie Jae sent me you sick son of a bitch!"
With each name I punched him in the face, after the first five or six hits I knew he had loss consciousness, but I continued to beat him into a bloody disgusting mass of a man. Tears poured down my face, the shadows around me started burning into my skin, as I repeated the same phrase over and over again
"Give her back to me you bastard!!! Give her back! Give her back!"
It took and Wolverine, who arrived after sensing a huge power surge, to pull me off of Shu. I was breathing unevenly and was covered in blood, I looked down at my hands, they were blacker than I'd ever gotten them in my life, in a sudden wave of panic I tried to dispelled the shadows. But they wouldn't leave, I tried again, and again and a again, Until I knelt there, weeping trying feebly to return to normal. Somehow Matt ended up kneeling next to me, Logan, and now Wade, were gathered around me.
"What's wrong with her, why is she crying is she hurt!?!?"
For the first time in my life I heard fear in Matt's voice. His hands were shaking as he reached out to me. I feel into his arms sobbing harder.
"She can't dispel her aura, Matt I think it's just the mental stress you should take her home and see how she is in the morning."
Logan said slowly, scooping me up and handing me to Matt. I could feel his heart racing in his chest, he was scared. This only cause me to cry more.
"Matt I'm a freak!"
I cried barring my head in his chest. He tried feebly to calm me down even after we got home. He placed me in my bed and stroked my hair gently.
"Alix don't worry we're going get you back to normal I promise"
I don't remember what happened after that, just me passing out. When I woke up the next morning Matt was kneeling next to my bed with his head resting on the bed. I reached out and stroked his face gently.
"Hey Matt, how long have you been here?"
I asked slowly, knowing that he didn't he couldn't sleep unless he was in his special pod thing.
"All night Alix, how are you feeling?"
He said gruffly, he hadn't slept, and he looked like shit. I gingerly reached out and stroked his face again letting my finger linger on his rough stubble.
"Matty why didn't you go sleep in your coffin?"
I teased, still feeling weak and not being able to resist teasing him a bit, he smiled, leaning in just a bit into my palm.
"I wanted to make sure my stray was going to be ok, can you dispel your aura yet kid?"
I tried and sighed as I failed.
"No, I'm stuck, did I even get Shu before all this happened?"
I asked bitterly.
"By the time Logan and I got you off of him, he was long dead. He's gone Kid,"
he paused straighten himself up and cracking his neck.
"Does that mean my training done now and you're sending me away?"
I asked weakly. He frowned and reached slowly out for my hand with his fingertips.
"Alix I never wanted to send you away, I just wanted to make sure that you are getting ever opportunity you need to be the best hero you can be."
I reached out and took his hand slowly.
"Matt I just want to be a e hero you can be proud of, if you think that I still need more training, then I'll go and get it you just have to tell me"
"Alix, I have always been proud of you."
He said slowly, then he lean forward and pressed a gentle sweet kiss on my lips. I blushed bright red, or it might have been red if my skin wasn't stuck in my own aura. I knew he could sense the heat change and he was might feeling smug, but he just kept smiling with that simple sweet grin of his.
"I love you Alix"
The next day I swallowed my pride and got out of bed. Matt headed for work about three hours before I could work up the nerve to look at myself in the mirror. I had dark black skin all one shade, and almost white hair, my eyes were glowing yellow. Even my nails were different, they'd been stained blood red, a mark of my greatest sin. The longer I stared at them the more anger and lost I felt. I tried to remind myself of what had told me the night before.
" Matt said he loves me, that has to count for something."
"yeah it's cause he can't see my face, if he could we wouldn't be having this conversation."
A horrid voice in my head was cursing me as I tried to calm down and only managed to deepen my depression. As I stared at the me in the mirror I growled feraly, slashing out with my right hand, only to see a three inch silver chain pouring from my wrist.
"What the hell?!?!"
I gasped trying to pull it off, only mangeing to pull more out, until at last the chain was five feet long.
"GET OFF!!!"
I screamed clenching my left hand in my hair. As the words left my lips the chain retracted into my wrist, until a single link was all that was left.
"I'm freak, I have to get out of here! I can't let people see me!!!"
I panicked, vaguely remembering that SHEILD might be able to help me, without thinking I teleported to the recruiteing office.
"Welcome to SHIELD, my name is Adele Dark, how may I help you ma'am?"
A polite looking women in her early 30's asked me, she was trying to avoid staring at my skin and I felt oddly self-consicine.
"My name is Alix Jae and I'd like to sigh up"
"Ah Miss Jae, says here you have a very bad reputation
"I don't give a damn about my reputation,"
And thats how I was thrust into the world of SHEILD.
Chapter 3 Ordinary Superhero
I spent the next two years hopping from SHEILD base to base. I worked with everyone from John Allen Adams to Larry Young. They put me in a cell called the Seattle Six, which was with the exception of one boy named Oz, the largest collection of sub-part heroes I'd ever seen in all my life. The two other girls were a set of petty, trashy slutty twins names Phoebe and Melanie Brax. When they weren't plotting ways to get into Oz or our "fearless" leader Meyer's pants, they were plotting ways to make my life a living hell. They weren't alone either, Noah, the walking talking shapeshifting creeper of the group was forever trying to look down my shirt or up my bottom. It got to the point where he tried to cop a feel and I broke his right arm in four places, then caught hell from Meyer. It was worth it though. The only one I didn't have problems with was Oz, the quite white haired boy, who from my own observations, never had any formal training when it came to his powers and preferred to use his fists. While I was working there Oz was the closest thing to a friend I allowed myself to make. I didn't say much to him and he rarely spoke to me and that was the way we liked it. I learned a handful of new skills, like my new skin was very close to impenetrable, very few things could break through the shields I had made around my body. I could use the chain stuck in my arm as a weapon and I got quite good at it, I even had a name for it, 'Whip of Judgment'. One of the greatest things about SHEILD was the image modifier, it allowed me to look normal again, except for my hair, that stayed grey. I still wrapped myself in bandages when we went on missions, earning the rather cruel nick-name of The Mummy. But all the gadgets and government toys in the world couldn't keep me from hating SHEILD, so one night, I sneaked out and headed for California, to talk to Captain America. I didn't want SHEILD hunting me all my life so I figured if I went to the Captain he could speak on my behalf and I could get out with less stress. I spent a year and a half hunting him down, while he was following around his little Young Avenger buddies. He told me he couldn't get me out and I should talk to Nick Fury, but I could stay with them, because they were going to see him as well. So I did and I will admit that even though they were almost ten years younger than me, their skill were impressive. I had fun for the 3 months it took for me to get "retired " and the kids "registered". I didn't think that they would bother the kids too much, and hoped that they wouldn't us them the way they'd used me. On my last day among them I was speaking to Hulkling and Wiccan, the two closest of the kids, they reminded me of Felix, in more than one way.
"Geez Shadow do you really have to take off? You could work with the Captain a little long and help "liberate" kids."
Wiccan offered as I prepared to teleport myself as close to New York as I could.
"Sorry Billy, I have some unfinished business to take care of, But you bet you ass I'll be back to help you guys if ever you need me"
I assured them. Wiccan whispered something at Hulkling who grinned evilly looming over me with his 7'3 self.
"Well you can't leave until you take us to get inked remember?"
I smiled the biggest grin I'd smiled in years, those sneaky bastards, they'd remembered every drunken promise I'd made to them, I don't know why I thought they'd forget the big one.
"All right ya little farts get over here and we'll go to Dante's now"
I said. The gleeful teens rushed over and we were off.
Four painful hours later we returned to Headquarters sporting our "Billy's Bear" a tiny wiccan symbol wrapped around a green planet, and A devil staring down at his rather feminine looking shadow. I also refused to leave without two new earrings and a brow ring. Both the boys were rubbing their sore arms as I snickered.
"Dumbasses I told you to get little ones"
I laughed, both boys shot me duel 'shut the fuck up' looks that made me laugh even harder. By the time I got back to where I had planned to depart a filmier shape was standing near my stuff.
"Oz? What are you doing here?"
I asked stepping up slightly as if to protect the boys from someone I knew to be a friend.
"I've come to take you home Alix, "
"Oz I've been out of SHEILD six months didn't they tell you?"
I said pushing the boys back without thinking, even though they where priming for battle.
"That's not what I've heard, I have orders to take Shadow back to Seattle."
"Somehow I don't think those dumb shits are missing me too much."
He kept his face blank and his voice monotone, this is when he was most dangerous, but then in one movement he turned and dissolved into the air.
"Who the hell was that?"
Hulkling asked standing down and looking down at me.
"That Teddy is Oz, do me a favor if you see him again, don't mess with him, call me ok?"
He nodded slowly and I walked over to my suitcase.
"Oz aside I really do have to be going now boys it's almost 8 O'clock in New York, I want to be able to find a friend before it gets too dark."
Both boys looked crestfallen as I wrapped my arms around them and kissed their forehands.
"be good for Captain boy's he knows what's best, tell Katie, Tommy, and Elijah Goodbye for me when they get back from Guam ok?"
They nodded sadly and I poked their good naturally.
"I kept every promise I ever made to you didn't I?"
They nodded passively.
"I'm coming back in 3 years to get you little fruit cups and take ya to the gay bar aren't I?"
They grinned and hugged me back.
"Ok guys be good, and remember this is just a day job someone's got to do."
I waved as I disappeared into a cloud of black smoke.
Chapter 4 Devil's Dancefloor
I landed in a dark alley about a block away from Mudock and Partners law firm. I stood up and dusted myself off as I strolled to the building where my former teacher worked, all the while I took in the sights and sounds I'd missed so much it'd been three years since I was last in New York, no longer was I the rebellious 17 year old mutant with a grudge, I was now a 24 and had full control of my powers, I was ready to try again. I took the elevator in Matt's office to the 4th floor and hummed to myself. I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflective glass of the door and had to smile, even though I missed my brown hair, the sliver made me look older and more refined. As I stepped out I looked to the elder desk clerk in the front of the office and smiled kindly.
"May I help you young lady?"
She said sounding as if that was the last thing on her mind.
"Yes Ma'am I'd like to know if Mr. Murdock is in?"
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No Ma'am I'm a friend of his and I'm visiting from out of town and I was-"
"Mr. Murdock has left for the evening"
She snapped bitterly but I just kept smiling to confuse her.
"Well thank you for your time Ma'am"
I was about to turn and walk out, when,
"Alix? Alix Jae? Is that you?"
I turned and found myself smiling at Luke Cage.
"Hey Luke, good to see you, I'm visiting do you know where Matty has run off to now?"
Luke grinned bear hugging me for a moment.
"Matt's off on the Reed D'vile case again"
He smirked using a very blatant code that meant 'he's being Daredevil'. I shook my head and pushed off his arm.
"Well if you hear from him before I do tell him his Shadow is back and she staying at the 34st High rise."
I winked and walked slowly out.
"Hey Alix?"
"That's ma name"
"What happened to your hair?"
"It's a secret Luke"
I checked into my hotel and dropped my bags off, then expelled my human shell releasing my pent up energy. Looking into my suitcase I pulled out my older uniform and laughed as I realized it it still fit the trench coat was maybe an inch shorter than I remembered but over all I was impressed, I hadn't liked my Seattle Six uniform or even the one I worn in California that much. I jimmies open the window and climbed up the fire escape just like old times. As I shimmed up the fire escape I started wondering where I could fine Matt at this hour.
"let's see the parks are getting dark, but so is downtown, choices choices"
I mumbled to myself. I reached for the ledge and a firm hand grabbed ahold of mine forcing me look up into the unseeing red eyes of the Daredevil.
"HOla D.D. long time not see"
I smiled up at him. He smirked and pulled me up with one tug.
"When pray tell were you going to tell me that you were back in town?''
He asked sternly. I stared down at my shoes in fake shame.
"Sorry Matt, I just got back, blame Luke, I told him I was here when I saw him at your office today."
He sighed then offered himself up for a hug, which I promptly did. He felt the same as when I left, same warm earthy smell.
"It's been a long time Alix,"
He said in a warm husky voice. I shuttered slightly as he ran his hand over my shoulder, trying to 'see' how much I'd changed. As he worked his way up to my face he brought his lips to mine for a brief but magnificent second.
"Just like I remembered"
He whispered softly. I tried to hide my face in his shoulder but his chuckle told me he knew I was blushing
"It's good to have you back Alix"
"It's good to be back Matt I missed you, and I'm sorry.."
He put a finger to my lips and shhhed me
"It's ok Alix I understand, I'm just glad you're back."
I smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Nice tattoos, did you get another pericing?"
He asked playfully. I instinctively touched my new bar.
"How do you always know?"
Matt grinned again and shook his head.
"it's a gift I guess, so tell me what are you doing back in the big apple anyway? I figured after you slipped out three years ago you weren't coming back."
My shoulders slummped for a moment and then I sighed loudly.
"I left SHEILD about a year and a half ago, and I finally got 'removed' from the system, I wanted to come back earlier but I couldn't I came back to,"
I paused, unsure how to word myself,
"well I wanted to see if you'd take me back as you...sidekick, I liked working for myself better than the government."
He paused running his hands up and down my arm, like he was thinking hard.
"Alix you know I'd take you back not matter what, but I think before I do you should talk to the other people affected by your adventures, Felix really hasn't been the same since you left."
Matt said slowly,
"But first let's get you home, you look horrid"
He said, I glared at him
"how the Hell would you know?"
He chuckled and draped his arm around my shoulder
"It's a gift."
I slept the best I'd slept in three years that night, on my bed in my room. After finding out were my lovely lover, was hanging out these days ( a local bar called Black Friday), I went over my day plan with Matt,
"Ok I'll look for Felix until around 2, then meet up with you for lunch, then get back to looking until 7, then I'll look for him during patrols, sound good?"
He smiled at me over his cheerios and nodded.
"sounds like a plan kid"
I threw my arms up dramatically.
"Matt I'm 23 years old, I'm not a kid anymore!"
He tilted his head and smiled.
"You'll always my Kid to me"
I rolled my eyes knowing that he couldn't see me and headed out the door.
"By Old Man, see you around 2ish ok?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world"
It took me an hour and half to find the "Black Friday" Bar on the intersection of 142nd and Broadway. It was a poorly lilted Irish pub that was blaring Flogging Molly's Devil's Dancefloor, one of my favorite songs. As I wandered through the bar I didn't see anyone that looked like Felix, but I figured that over three years he was bound to change a little. I worked my way over to the bartender and leaned in so he could hear me over the music.
"Hi, do you know if a guy named Felix Mandel hangs around here? this is the only picture I have but it's a little old"
I said sweetly holding out a faded picture of me and Felix at a rave.
"this kid looks a lot like our guy Hex, he works security in the night time, todays his day off, but he'll be here tomorrow around 7ish, you want me to tell him you were looking for him then?"
He asked smiling kindly, I could tell girls weren't his thing, but he was a fan of Felix.
"Do you have a current address? Last time I checked he was living with a friend and I want to see if he's still there"
"Last time I checked Hex crashed in a flat over on Avenue Q, I would check there first."
"Thanks so much sir, this place get busy?"
"On Tuesdays? not usually, weekends are our busiest,"
"Well thanks again,"
I waved as I exited the bar. I pulled my cell out and hit speed dial 4 'Peter'. It ringed 4 times before he picked it up.
"Parker resident"
A chipper female voice said.
" Hi is Peter home?"
" May I ask who's calling?"
"Tell him it's Alix, and it's about Felix"
I said pleasantly, then there was a switch and a male voice clicked over
"Alix??"
"Hey Petey, long time, did you miss me?"
"Hehe not as much as Matt, did you tell him that you're back?"
"He knows I moved back in with him, speaking of roomies, still in touch with yours?"
"Felix moved out 2 years ago when I married M.J."
" Oh is that who that was, Hi Mary-Jane!"
"She says Hi back, now if I remember correctly, Felix is living at 352 Avenue Q"
"Oh Petey you're the best you know that?"
"Yeah yeah, but Alix, go easy on him, he hit bottom pretty hard when you left, he might not be the same as you remembered."
"That's what I've been told. When did he start calling himself Hex?"
"Round the same time his mom died I think, it hit him pretty hard, but I think he'll be happy that you're back now."
"I hope so Pete, well got to go tell M.J. bye for me much love"
"Bye Alix"
I teleported to Avenue Q to save me a minute or two, and found the address Peter had given me. When I got the door I found the buzzer labeled "Hex" and pushed it.
"Hey Lovely Lover, it's me Alix, I just wanted to tell you I'm back and I wanted to know if you wanted to go out or something"
I said leaning in close to the button. What I heard next surprised me, it wasn't Felix's usual up-beat voice, but that of someone far older than their time.
"Alix?"
Then there was a buzzing sound and I opened the door. Four flights of stairs later I was staring at a large wooden door. I knocked and it opened suspoiusly.
"Alix? Is that you? what are you doing here?"
I smiled trying to see the man within,
"Felix, am I intrupting something? Should I come back?"
"NO!, I mean no you're fine