1. For all the Karedevil shippers here, there's a scene in her I think all of you will like. I'm used to writing fluff scenes, but this is pretty racy. I'm actually surprised with how it came out, because it is not my typical writing style. It's actually probably my favorite thing I wrote this chapter. Matt is pretty dark in the Spider-Gwen comics. So, I did not hold back in this chapter. Also, I feel as if Karen fell for Matt the day she met him in the Netflix Series. So, I kept that alive in this story too.
2. Gwen and Jessica appear for the first time in this chapter. I plan to slowly introduce more MCU characters as the plot moves.
3. Kilgrave will make an appearance farther down the line, and he will be as awful as ever. I think actually he will do a lot worse here, and it will get really dark. There's some terrible things he does to a lot of the characters, and one specific case that is going to be intense.
Fallen From Grace
"With great power comes great responsibility…"
That's what her father had always said. Gwen Stacy leans back in her seat. A week ago she was just a normal girl. She went to school like a normal girl. She hung out with MJ. She had this silly crush on the boy in her science class. Peter Parker - ah, the topic of her and MJs gossip sessions. They would both ogle him from afar. Of course, neither of them would ever act on their mutual crushes on the boy.
It really wouldn't be fair to MJ. That was what Gwen would say to herself. And, now, with everything that's going on with her, it wouldn't be fair to Peter either. She releases a deep breath. Maybe she could just offer herself up to the Avengers. She could be a hero like Tony Stark or Steve Rodgers.
The train stops. Gwen grabs her backpack and files out of the train car behind several men and women. She hears a woman scream "my purse!" For a fraction of a second, Gwen debates whether to pursue the man. She decides. Gwen Stacy breaks into a run in pursuit of the offending man.
"I can't go back to my apartment. It's a crime scene."
"You can stay with me, Miss Page."
When Matt had offered her a place to stay, Karen was unsure to take up his offer. The taxi to his place was long, and almost daunting. She keeps looking over her shoulder in an attempt to see if they are being followed. The guilt settles in her. What if something were to happen to Matt as a result of her being near him? Karen's shoulders tighten as she crosses her arms together. Her eyes are timid as she looks to Matt. He can't see her. Thank god. He can't see all of the fear she's trying so hard to hide. He can't see the fragile emotional mess of a woman she's become. He can't see the regret that her actions led to the death of an innocent man.
"I should get a hotel," she says.
"That isn't necessary," Matt says. "I have a spare room in my apartment."
"I know - it's just…"
"No one is going to harm us," Matt says. "I promise. The people that are after you don't have as much power as you might think."
"You don't know them," Karen argues. Her voice lowers as she whispers, "You don't know what they can do."
Matt is quiet for a moment. She wishes she could see past the red lenses shielding his eyes. Is he really this fearless? Karen lets out a staggered breath. She wants to argue. She wants to tell Matt what kind of people he may be dealing with. She wishes she could reason with him. She looks to him once more. Perhaps his glasses are concealing his fear, but he seems very relaxed - almost too relaxed. Good god. If she could just tell him everything, perhaps he'd just drop her off at a hotel. No one else needs to die for me, she thinks to herself. Her body tenses as she clutches the top of her knees. She's petrified with fear.
The taxi stops before a large apartment tower. They're in Midtown Manhattan. Karen gasps as she looks at the front doors to the apartment complex. This place must cost a fortune. She looks to Matt. Of course he would live in such a place. Matt Murdock is about as high profile of an attorney a person can hire. He's gotten her superiors out of several cases from DUIs to straight up fraud.
"There is overnight security," Matt says. "You will be safe with me."
Matt is the first to exit the cab. Karen looks to the open door tentatively. There's part of her that wants to ask the driver for a ride to a dumpy hotel outside the city. She sees herself lying on an old musty bed in a pool of her own blood. It would be easier that way. It would be over. No one else would be hurt. Yet, the desire to live is still too strong. She looks over to Matt who is holding out his hand. Karen hesitates just awhile longer before taking his hand in hers.
Karen steps outside of the cab. Perhaps at some point she meant to release his hand, but she's still clinging to it as if it is her last lifeline. She holds onto to his hand for a fraction of a second longer before letting go. She follows Matt through a pair of sliding glass doors. They step inside a glass alcove. Matt reaches into his pocket and retrieves a card. His hands feel for a scanner before he places the card in front of it. The second pair of doors swish open. Karen follows Matt into a large lobby.
"Good evening, Mr. Murdock," a man at the front desks greets.
"Good evening," Matt replies.
He walks passed the desk and to an elevator. Karen rushes past him and presses the button to the elevator. Matt says a small "thank you" before she returns to his side. As they wait for the elevator to descend, Karen looks to him. Somehow she just wants to know him. She wants to see what hides behind the red lenses that conceal his face. She has the urge to take his hand in hers again, to lean into him, and to just wrap her arms around him. God, she's so stupid. He's her lawyer for Christ's sake. The last person she should be making passes at is her criminal attorney.
The elevator dings before the silver doors slide open. Matt steps in first and Karen follows. She goes to the keypad and asks, "Which floor?"
"Fifteen," Matt says.
Karen presses the button and returns to Matt's side. She feels that pull again, and it makes her wish that she had resigned herself to a dumpy hotel. She shouldn't want him. It's completely unprofessional, and she's so lost that she can't even think straight. There are a million reasons she shouldn't dare to even think about Matt in such a way. But, when she looks to him, she feels safer than she's ever felt before.
The doors open to a hallway. Karen steps inside to see a blue and bronze colored carpet and white painted walls. It's so completely different than the dusty stairwell she walks through every night. Karen follows Matt to the end of the hallway. He retrieves his keys from his pocket and unlocks his door. Karen follows him inside the small building. She can vaguely see the city lights glittering outside a large window pane. Karen closes the door behind her as her eyes trying to adjust to the dark apartment.
"I forgot," Matt flips on the light switch. "I don't often have guests over."
The room illuminates and Karen is stunned by his apartment. The tiled floor, the marble countertops - everything looks so expensive. Karen moves to a black couch and sits. Even the glass coffee table in front of her looks so expensive. Matt sits next to her as he sets two wine glasses on the table. He pours her glass before filling his. The smell of the strong red wine relaxes her as she stares down at the glass.
"I thought you might need to take the edge off," Matt smiles to her.
He takes his red glasses off to reveal his dark brown eyes. He feels the table before setting down the pair of glasses. Karen gasps as she looks to him. He's more handsome than she pictured him to be. She looks away from him and down at her glass of wine. She takes it in her hand and sips. It's stronger than she initially expected. She takes another long sip before setting the glass down on the glass table.
"Thank you…" Karen pauses and looks to him. "For everything."
"It's my pleasure," he says. "I only saw an innocent woman in need of help."
Karen smiles slightly to him. When she'd heard the name Murdock at work, she assumed he was a greasy criminal lawyer. Yet, there's something more to him. Something different. She takes her glass of wine and sips. She has so many questions. He's such a mystery to her. Maybe that's why she's so attracted to him. Karen leans close to him. It's been so long since she's found comfort in a man, but maybe she could find comfort in him.
Just once...
Matt shifts on the couch to face her. Karen places her hand on his cheek. He doesn't pull away from her. Karen breathes. There is a piece of her that's holding back. It's the part of her that's telling her that this is so wrong. But, when he presses his lips to hers, she's too far gone to care. Her hands run through his hair. She's shrugging his jacket off of his shoulders, and he's pulling her so close to him.
It feels so wrong. It's unethical and probably not at all legal. But, she can't stop herself. She doesn't care, because she's doesn't want to think anymore. She doesn't want to feel the pain or the fear. Karen pulls away from him and shifts herself so that she's straddling his lap. She's pulling at his tie as his hand is cupping her breast. God. She needs him so badly.
Karen tosses his tie to the side. Her hands are unbuttoning his white shirt. Matt lifts her up into his arms. She wraps her legs around him as he carries her into his bedroom. He sets her down on the bed and her fingers latch around his half-buttoned shirt to pull him closer.
She gasps as he nips at her neck. His hands are pulling at her skirt. He tosses it to the floor as he climbs on top of her. She looks up into his brown eyes. All of this is so wrong. Maybe that's why she wants him so badly.
"Matt…" she breathes.
His lips press against hers as his body presses against her. She wraps her legs around his waist and digs her fingers into his back. Her heart is pounding in her chest, and she can't remember a time she wanted someone this much. Matt breaks their kiss and shrugs out of his dress shirt. He tosses it aside and leans over to her ear.
"This is not how I expected my night to end…" his voice is a dark whisper.
She shivers underneath him. She pulls her blouse over her head and looks up to him. His eyes are distant and unfocused, but still so handsome. She unhooks her bra and tosses it aside with her blouse. She takes his hand and places it on her breast. His lips curve into a smile as he leans to kiss her neck.
"Matt…" she whispers as her hands tangle in his hair.
He laughs this laugh. There's a hint of playfulness but also darkness. She shivers again. Karen's not sure what she's just ignited. It doesn't matter. She'll burn in this fire she started if for one night she can forget everything.
The complex is a cramped, unkept building. Jessica eyes the flickering light just above the stairwell. What a dump. Her right hand grips the railing as she keeps her eyes forward. She reaches the top of the stairwell and glances down the dreary hallway. The paint is flaking off and there's this so sour smell that just lingers.
Jessica walks through the hallway, both hands in the pockets of her leather jacket. Her cellphone buzzes, and Jessica retrieves the phone from her pocket. "Did you find it?" Jessica rolls her eyes at the text. Jessica ignores it and stuffs the phone back in her pocket. She won't say she outright hates Matt Murdock. He's far easier to work for than Hogarth ever was, but he isn't exactly pleasant to be around at times.
Still, it's better than Jeri Hogarth demanding her to dig through her wife's personal business. With Kilgrave hovering in the back of her mind, Jessica can't see herself completely disregarded a woman's privacy for the sake of Hogarth one-upping her ex-wife in a divorce. Matt has never asked her to spy on a girlfriend, and that is something she very much appreciates.
Jessica feels the brass knob to Karen Page's apartment. It's still locked. Jessica pushes against the door, almost forcing it off its hinges. Matt had mentioned that it hidden somewhere in the bathroom. Jessica eyes scan the living room floor. Dried blood is in the center. Jessica moves around the blood stain and walks through the hallway. When she reaches the bathroom, her eyes look up towards a loose ceiling tile. Jessica climbs onto the sink counter and pops open the ceiling tile. Her hands feel around till they land on a rectangular object. She takes it in hand and hops off the counter. She stuffs the flash drive in her leather jacket.
Jessica turns, seeing a large man behind her. The man lunges at her, slamming her against the wall. Jessica raises an eyebrow. She grabs him by his shirt and shoves him against the wall, Kilgrave flashing in his mind. She almost crushes his throat, but stops before she goes to far.
"Listen - I don't know why you are stalking this woman," she says. "But, if you ever so much as look her way again, I will personally find you and break each bone in your body one by one."
She releases the man, watching him sprint out the door. Jessica retrieves her phone from her pocket, sending Matt a text. "Found it."
"I don't think she did it," Nelson takes his eyes away from the video and looks to George Stacy. "I'm not saying she wasn't involved, but I don't think she's the one that killed him."
Reyes snorts at Nelson. Her eyes shift to George as she slithers across the table like a snake in the grass. George hates the look she gives him. It's as if she is demanding him to agree with her with one cold stare. Reyes places her hands on the steel table, tapping her acrylic nails against it impatiently. She wants an answer, and he's not going to give her one she likes.
"We should investigate the scene again," George says. "I'll have my team tear that apartment apart for the truth."
"She had a knife in her hands!" Reyes snaps as she crosses her arms over her chest. "How much more obvious can this get?"
His cellphone vibrates in his back pocket. George hits accept on the screen and puts the phone to his ear. "Stacy."
"Detective," the man pauses momentarily. "I need you at the station."
"I'm a little busy right now," George replies.
"It's your daughter," the man says.
George stomach twists into knots. "Is...is she alright?"
"She's fine," he says. "Although...I can't say the same for the guy she knocked out."
"Wait…" George pauses. "What?"
"I don't know," he says. "Maybe she thinks she some Avenger now."
"Alright…" George heaves a heavy sigh. "I'll be over as soon as I can."
George returns the phone to his pocket. Reyes' eyes narrow at him as a half grin curls on her lips.
"Is there a problem, Stacy?" her voice is cold as ice.
"I'm needed at the station," he says. "It's important."
She rolls her eyes at him. He feels anger rise in his chest. He can usually deal with her little digs and her snotty attitude. But, not today.
"You know our job would be easier if you weren't so damn difficult!" Stacy snaps.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she asks.
Nelson is looking to him. The attorney shifts nervously on his feet and lowers his eyes to the floor. Reyes' arms are crossed as she looks to him with pure venom. She walks to him - heels clicking against the tile with each step she takes. She's looking at him with her slimy smile upon her lips.
"You heard what I said," George says. "If you'll excuse me, I'm needed at the station."
George turns his back on Reyes without hesitation. He walks towards the door and opens it. He doesn't even dare to look back as he slams the door behind him. Reyes can go fuck herself for all he cares. The only thing on his mind is the safety of his daughter.