Title: Hell's Kitchen: A History
Author: tinyrose65
Summary: In between the alien attacks and life-and-death fights, life for the denizens of Hell's Kitchen moves on. Here's what that life looks like (Fem!Harry. AU! Sequel to "Masked Men and Where to Find Them."
Notes: Spoilers for Jessica Jones, season 1. Set between Masked Men chapters 4 and 5.
Chapter 2: AKA Jessica Jones
Shadowing Muggle hospitals was a relatively new development in magical medicine. After the events of Harry's fifth year, where Arthur Weasley's injuries from Voldemort were unable to be treated by traditional means, wizarding hospitals in Britain had taken to adopting certain Muggle practices in their own hospitals. The effectiveness of this approach soon lent itself to spread across the majority of Europe. It took time, but soon healers in the United States were clamoring for the Magical Congress of the United States to repeal some of their stricter magical segregation laws and allow healing wards to send wizards into Muggle medical care facilities. MACUSA eventually relented, which is how Harry found herself currently shadowing a Muggle doctor at Metro-General hospital to study the latest lifesaving techniques (with the help of a few memory-modifcation charms and forged paperwork).
The doctor was currently asking questions from a mother and her son, here because the body had fallen and hit his head. He seemed fine enough— lucid, no dilation in his pupils, no bleeding in his head, just a bump, according to the physical— but the mother was insisting on an MRI, despite how much the doctor didn't think it was necessary.
Harry hung back, thoroughly bored. Although she appreciated some of the skills she had learned during her shadowing rounds, there were times like today where it was exceptionally boring.
Until it wasn't.
The doors to the ER burst open, and Harry (along with most of the ER staff) whirled around to see a large, black man strapped to a gurney and being wheeled in. Harry and the doctor quickly rushed over to find out what had happened: a head injury, unresponsive, no bruising or signs of trauma. He needed a CT scan and mannitol to bring the swelling down. Harry watched closely: head injuries were tricky to treat, even for wizards.
A nurse went to inject the mannitol when a soft "Oh, shit" caught Harry's attention. She glanced at a woman who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Not in scrubs and not injured, Harry guessed she was a friend of the patient, snuck out of the reception area. That didn't explain her reaction, though.
Harry turned back just in time to see the nurse's needle bend as it touched skin and understood.
Oh, shit, indeed, Harry mused, as the nurse tried again. He was still unsuccessful and the doctor was growing impatient.
"What are you doing?"
"It's not me!" the nurse argued. "It's him! Or these needles—"
"Can I get somebody who knows what they are doing, please?"
"Let me," Harry offered, stepping forward. Her phlebotomy skills could always use the practice, and she wanted to know why this man seemed un-injectable. She snapped on a pair of gloves and took the needle from the nurse. Nobody questioned who she was or what she was doing there— they just automatically believed her authority, thanks to the charms he had in place.
Harry was no more successful than the nurse was, the needle refusing to puncture skin. Off to the side, the woman was growing more and more nervous ("You're wasting time!"), and Harry couldn't blame her. They had to bring the swelling down somehow otherwise—
Rapid beeping from one of the machines.
"His blood pressure's climbing."
That.
"Get the drill," the doctor ordered, and Harry's eyebrows rose. That was definitely something they didn't have in wizarding hospitals. The nurse handed her a very scary looking drill, and the woman almost lost it.
"No!" she protested. "Do something non-invasive."
"Somebody remove her," the doctor commanded, as she went in, the drill whirring. She pressed the metal tip to the forehead, but instead of the sight of tearing skin and blood and bone, there was smoke, followed by sparks. The doctor jumped back.
"So he's, uh, one of those," the doctor muttered, placing the drill down. A quick glance told Harry that the woman who had brought him in was now close to tears, but didn't seem surprised— so she knew about him. Meanwhile, the doctor was talking to another nurse. She said, "Get me the chief of staff and the head of surgery. I need a consult."
She walked off, but Harry didn't move, instead moving in closer to the unconscious man, pressing her fingers gently to the skin. It felt normal enough… There was some sort of residue underneath his chin, near his neck. It smelt smokey and chemical-like
Gunshot reside? But from where?
The woman was suddenly yanking the curtains near the bed closed, startling Harry and making her look up.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked.
Her question was ignored. "Please help him."
"Cranial injuries aren't really my area," Harry demurred. "I don't think I can— I don't know if any doctor can help him."
"Then I need to get him out of here." The woman rushed over to the side and grabbed a wheelchair, pulling it closer to them, She kept glancing up, over out beyond the curtains, and Harry followed her gaze to see two, battered looking police officers.
"If the police are here for him, I need to report this," Harry said, but it was reluctant.
"The police are wrong," the woman announced. She had started in on her friend, removing the monitoring devices from his skin with little to no gentleness. "He got used by an evil prick."
"The evil prick the one who put the shotgun to his head?"
If the woman was surprised at Harry recognizing the gunshot wound for what it was, she didn't show it. "No, that was me, and I didn't have a choice."
"One helluva date," Harry muttered, watching as the woman. She warned, "Moving him might kill him."
"And keeping him here will expose him."
The woman then proceeded to lift the man up as though he was nothing and place him on the wheelchair. And that's when Harry realized that the unconscious man was not the only superhuman she'd be dealing with today. Something of her amazement must've shown on her face, because the woman said, "Look, I know we scare you, and that you've never seen anything like us, but this is a good man."
"And you?"
"I'm an asshole. But help me, or get out of my way."
Harry had to give credit for honesty. She stepped aside, letting the woman through. "You don't scare me. And you're not my first."
She followed the woman and her friend down the hall, sticking close. To anybody else, they looked like a patient and doctor walking down to a procedure somewhere. Harry stopped only briefly to grab a handful of medical supplies from a cart in the hall— she didn't have her emergency kit on her (she was sincerely starting to regret ever leaving it behind, if this was her life now), so, unless there was time to stop by her apartment (unlikely), she'd have to make things work the Muggle way.
"There's a bridge on the fifth floor that leads to a parking structure," Harry offered when they reached the elevator. "We can take that down to the street and get a cab."
"We'll be noticed. We're not exactly inconspicuous."
"I can take care of that," Harry assured, pulling out her wand and casting a quick Notice-Me-Not charm. At the woman's look, Harry snorted. "What? You two thought you were the only gifted folks in New York?"
"No," the woman muttered, something dark coloring her tone. "Not by a long shot."
Jessica (as Harry had finally learned her name) abandoned Harry and Luke to go take care of something, leaving Harry to maneuver Luke into a cab all by himself. As Harry had planned, the taxi driver paid no mind Luke. It wasn't that he didn't see them. Notice-Me-Not charms didn't work that way. He just didn't really care. Jessica had given an address to Harry, who in turn passed it to the cab driver. Harry recognized the area somewhat. It wasn't far from Matt's office.
Once in Jessica's office, Harry managed to get Luke on the bed. Then, she waited. Her first instinct was to head back to her apartment and get supplies, but Luke was in too unstable condition to leave alone. Better to wait for Jessica to arrive. While she waited, she busied herself with checking his vitals and examining the small stash of medical supplies she had looted from the cart. Thankfully, it was all stuff she knew how to use. She also took the time to place several cooling charms on the pillow under his head in hopes that it would bring the swelling down, and tried using a few anti-swelling charms to help. The charms weren't all that powerful: she had a potion that would work, but she didn't have any at home, and it would take time to brew.
Harry was just contemplating the possibilities of getting the potion undetected from her work, when Luke started seizing and all hell broke loose.
"No, no, no, no," Harry muttered, grabbing her few supplies. She paused only long enough to slip on some gloves again (secondary infections were no joke), before climbing on top of Luke and straddling him to try and keep him still. It did little good. It was like being on top of a technical bull.
It seemed they had some luck with them that day, however, because Jessica chose that moment to arrive home.
"What are you doing?"
"Hold his head still," Harry demanded, a plan already forming. She prepped a needle as Jessica did as she asked.
"He has unbreakable skin!" Jessica pointed out when she saw what Harry was doing.
"That's why we're not going through his skin," Harry told her. And then proceeded to stick the needle into Luke's eye. Jessica made a bit of a face and looked away, but Harry was hyper focused, the way she only ever got when she was working on the wire to save a patient. The way she used to get in life or death situations during the war. Buried deep within her, in a part of herself where she never looked, was the knowledge that this was her favorite feeling in the world.
Jessica's grip tightened asHarry muttered, "Keep him steady, keep him steady."
Harry pulled back on the needle, fluid coming out with it, and Harry let out a sigh of relief as Luke slowly stopped seizing. She pulled the needle fully out of his eye and wiped the area down with the edge of Jessica's blanket.
"I can't believe that worked," Harry announced, clambering off of Luke and capping the needle, placing it on the bedside table. This was apparently not the right thing to say.
"You mean you didn't know if it would?" Jessica demanded. Harry was not impressed.
"It was either try and pull the fluid through the optic nerve, or let him die."
"…right. Thank you." Jessica sighed, taking a moment to lean against the wall. "Is he going to be alright?"
Harry glanced at the large needle on the bedside table and shrugged. "We won't know until he wakes up."
Jessica sighed again and headed over to the room next to them (the makeshift office of sorts). "I want a drink. You want a drink? I'm having a drink."
"It's five in the morning," Harry felt compelled to say. This didn't seem to mean much to Jessica, who simply grabbed a bottle of whiskey from her kitchen and a mug.
"Did you find Luke's phone?" she asked.
Harry, sensing that she wasn't going to get anything else out of Jessica about her drinking habits, nodded, and picked up the aforementioned phone, walking over and placing it on Jessica's desk.
"It was the only thing on him, but he hasn't gotten any calls." Harry watched Jessica take a swig of whiskey from the mug, then glanced back at Luke. "Keep the pillow under his head— it'll keep his head cool for another few hours. Once the charm wears off, use icepacks or frozen peas or whatever you have. It's important to keep the swelling down."
Jessica didn't flinch at the mention of charms (in fact, she hadn't brought up the magic at all beyond her surprise in the elevator). That's when Harry noticed a large slice on the other woman's leg.
What the hell was she doing in that hospital? Harry wondered. Out loud, she announced, "I better take a look at that."
It took Jessica a second to realize that Harry was talking about the cut on her leg. "Can't. I have to go. I just need to know where."
"You're gonna go?" Harry demanded, hands on her hips. "With a large, unconscious man in your bed?"
"He won't be the last," Jessica snarked. At Harry's unimpressed look, Jessica added, "Person hurt by Kilgrave."
"The aforementioned 'evil prick?'"
"Phone's dead," was all Jessica said, which Harry took as a confirmation. Jessica began sorting through her desk, looking for an extra charger, while Harry grabbed what pitiful amount of what was left of her supplies.
"Right. But if your leg gets infected, you won't be going anywhere. Take off your pants."
Jessica paused what she was doing and shot Harry a look. "I usually like a bit more romancing."
"Don't we all," Harry countered sweetly. She stood up. "Do you have a first aid kit?"
"Bathroom, bottom cabinet." Jessica revealed. Harry went to the bathroom to get it. When she returned to the office, she was rewarded with the sight of Jessica having relented, her pants pulled down, and settled into a chair. Harry pulled a chair up next to her.
"Did Kilgrave do this to you?" Harry asked, as she sorted through Jessica's kit: clearly it had been used with regular frequency, but there were enough supplies for Harry to clean and dress the wound, although it wouldn't be her best work without magic.
"No," Jessica snorted. "He doesn't do his own dirty work. He controls minds."
"You're joking." Harry placed the necessary items on the desk for easy access.
"It's fine if unbreakable skin and 'charms' is where you want to draw the line."
Harry smiled just a bit at the dig. "I guess it's just harder to believe that somebody would call himself 'Kilgrave.' What is it with villains and weird nicknames? Why not 'Snuffcarcass?'"
Satisfied with her prep work, Harry slid her wand out of her holster and vanished the blood on Jessica's leg away. It wouldn't disinfect the wound, but it would save a lot of scrubbing.
"So what about you?" Jessica asked. "And your magic, wooden stick? Born with your powers, or some sort of accident?"
"Magic is one word for it," Harry agreed as she wiped the wound down. "And born with, but I didn't really know about them until later."
"How much can you do?"
"A lot. But I specialize in healing work. I'd be able to make this cut on your leg vanish if I had my supplies. I could've fixed Luke, too, but that's markedly more complex." Harry looked closely at Jessica's wound and announced, "I think we can get away without stitches. It's deep, but clean."
"I've had my mind controlled a few times," Harry admitted, after a few moments of silence, "by somebody with powers similar to mine. He was much… darker, though."
"I'm sorry that happened to you," Jessica said. There was something in her tone that made her look up. There was an expression Jessica's face that Harry recognized: she knew what it felt like to have your will taken away from you. Harry's throat closed up a bit, so when she spoke, her voice was croaky.
"Yeah, well, the spell used can be broken, if you're strong willed enough, or trained enough. Can Kilgrave's powers be broken?"
"Not in the way you're thinking of."
"Then how do you plan to stop him?" Harry asked as she prepared the bandage for Jessica's wound, getting it to the proper size.
"I have to find him first," Jessica scowled. "Kilgrave had control of Luke. Had him calling with updates on me. If I can trace the number that Luke was calling from, it might get me closer to where Kilgrave is holed up."
"What makes you the one who has to face him?"
"Crap-ass luck."
"Been there," Harry laughed. "I, uh, have a friend like— well, not like me. But like you and Luke."
"Bleeding and unconscious?"
Harry laughed again, softer this time. "More often than not, yeah. He makes life hard for bad guys."
"How's he so sure he's the good guy?" Jessica winced as Harry pinched the cut shut and began applying the butterfly strips.
"Oh, he's not," Harry assured. "He questions every move he makes, every thought he has. Just like I'm assuming you do. I could call him, if you'd like. He might be able to help."
Jessica was shaking her head before Harry's offer was even through. "We can't risk more people getting controlled by Kilgrave. It's the only thing I don't question"
Harry hummed. "I guess me helping is out of the question, too."
"No shit," Jessica said, eyeing Harry's wand warily. "I have to kill Kilgrave on my own."
Harry didn't say anything to that— what could she say? Matt had drawn the line between himself and the people he fought by making a vow not to kill him. Jessica clearly had no such scruples. Thinking back to Luke on the bed, Harry couldn't help but think that she was right.
The sun was rising by the time Harry was ready to leave. Her apartment (and her bed) was waiting for her. Unfortunately, Jessica stopped her. She had managed to track Kilgrave using Luke's cell and was going to go after him.
But she needed somebody to stay with Luke.
"I have a date," Harry mourned, thinking of the reservations Matt had made for dinner that night. If she didn't get some rest, she'd likely plomp down, asleep, before the appetizer even showed up.
"I'm sorry," Jessica pleaded. "I know you don't really know me—"
"No, I do know you," Harry denied. You're me. And Matt. And anybody who's ever had the responsibility to do something hard. "I've seen you with your pants off."
Jessica had left after that, leaving Harry to call and cancel her date later that day with Matt. He was understanding, but also a bit worried about whatever she had gotten herself into.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, for what must've been the third time. Harry hummed her agreement as she checked Luke's pulse again: it was still going steady, but there was no sign of him regaining consciousness anytime soon.
"I'm fine," she said out loud. "I promise I'll explain everything to you the next time I see you."
"I'll hold you to that." Matt's voice was warm on the other end of the line. "I suppose it works out better this way. Foggy and I have a new client. A new paying client."
"Oh?" Harry asked, curious. Anything to take her mind off of Jessica and the sort of risks she was running.
"A woman bludgeoned her girlfriend's wife with a vase, claims it was self-defense."
"Was it?"
"She wasn't lying when we interviewed her," Matt confirmed. "But get this: she also claims that the wife was being mind controlled by some guy named—"
"Kilgrave," Harry finished.
There was silence on the other end of the line. "How did you know that?"
"Because I'm staring at another one of his victims," Harry said grimly. She could practically hear the wheels in Matt's head turning. "Don't even think about it."
"Think about what?"
"Going after Kilgrave," Harry said, walking back towards the office and slumping down into the chair. "What kind of moron goes after a man who can control people with his voice when he has super hearing?"
"…when you put it like that, it does seem like a stupid idea."
"Somebody else is taking care of it," Harry added, hoping that this would make Matt feel better. "Somebody much better qualified."
"An Avenger?" He sounded skeptical.
"Not quite," Harry admitted. "But promise me you won't do anything rash."
"I promise," Matt grumbled.
After they had hung up, Harry took the time to text Foggy:
Matt might do something stupid tonight. Do not let him out of your sight.
A minute later, she had the following response:
Got it. Will sit on him, if I have to. Thanks for the heads-up.
Luke eventually woke up (after an interesting visit from some guy named Malcom). Harry went out to get him a drink of water, but when she returned to the bedroom, he was gone and the window was open.
"Of course," Harry sighed. She placed the water on the bedside table and grabbed her stuff. She'd been following the news reports of the altercation down by the pier, multiple people injured, at least one dead. She had no doubt in her mind that Jessica was somehow involved, and that she had done what she had set out to do. There was no point in Harry staying here anymore—
She left, but not before scribbling her number down on a piece of paper on the desk for Jessica to find.
Hopefully Jessica would use it.
AN: So I thought that Daredevil season 2 would make me write slower, but turns out it's been awesome motivation (because it's amazing so far- seriously). I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it pretty much follows the episode down to a T. Either way, I had a lot of fun writing Jessica and hope to include more of her in the future!
Season 2 will be coming up next, posted under "Masked Men and Where to Find Them," so stay tuned!
