ELEKTRA

Helping Matt with Annie seems to have brought down his walls around her. Thinking the Hand wants him as their weapon he was somehow ready to work with Elektra and they got closer, while he was starting to distance himself from everyone else. Even Jessica. She's not sure why, but she's not going to complain, because it is nice smelling his skin again, wet from their little dip into the sea.

But he's going to find out soon that she was trained by Stick, too, right? It's inevitable. Or Jessica will. And then she's going to have to explain that she was send to manipulate him. That his mentor wanted to use his weakness, his need for connections with other people, to lure him back to the Chaste. She was supposed to influence him, when in the end, he put the doubt in her.

And it festered for years and years until only a few months ago when she decided to separate from the guy who taught her everything. There were always times when she needed to cool off and be on her own for a while, but this time she wasn't coming back. She was done following his orders, not because she didn't believe him or because she didn't enjoy fighting in the war, having a purpose in preparing to face off against the Black Sky, but she realised that Stick was keeping secrets from her. He kept her away from certain confrontations and it pissed her off and made her think that maybe this wasn't everything in life.

It was fate that brought Matt Murdock back onto her radar. That made her want to find out what life with him would be like. At the moment it feels rather perfect, standing there on the beach, in each other's arms, ignoring that silly contestant who tries to interrupt them and is too polite to actually go through with it. The look on her face is priceless when Elektra doesn't move away and shamelessly refuses to acknowledge her presence.

Matt is aware, too, obviously. He makes his choice, without looking like an asshole, because he can't see her. Elektra likes it when he uses his blindness that way. Of course, noticing her would have made him look suspicious, but he could have stopped kissing her and instead he went all in. Teasing her, spoiling her. It is all barely appropriate for TV.

And then suddenly when they're finally alone - except for the cameras - he becomes tense and steps away, holding her in place. She can see the familiar Murdock head tilt as he's listening to something. Then he faces her and mouths the word "gun". To take a look she wants to shove him to the side, but he doesn't let her. He's shielding her.

What the fuck?!

Getting an idea why he's doing this Elektra decides to just pull him into the water again, when a bullet hits the sand right next to them. She's not gonna let him sacrifice himself for her.

They swim to a small hidden cave in the rocks, getting rid of the stupid microphones in the sea, but Matt hesitates to climb in. "We have to go back. I can't sense Jessica and Annie anymore..."

Elektra sits down, shivering a little. "We can't go back. They'll be looking for us with the cameras. You can't help her fight right now, or they'll film you doing it."

He's still standing there for a minute with his head tilt, until he finally turns back in her direction and sighs.

"We need to talk." Probably sensing her nervousness she sees him frown at her. "You should not have shielded me."

"But they want me alive."

"You don't know that."

MATT

It's not like he trusts her. She left him before, without saying goodbye, without... anything. But if he ends up hurting her, then at least they'll be even. While those other women don't know what they stumbled into. They were dragged into a sensless mystical war and if they're lucky they'll just get dumped on TV. He knows this is part of the show, but it brings out the worst in him. Actually being allowed to date several women at the same time, being expected not to choose until the very end and keep his mind open...

He's playing the game without intending to do so. And it makes him feel awful about it, because he's definitely aware that some of the "contestants" are actually interested in Matt Murdock. Apart from the ones trying to kill him or turn him into a weapon or whatever.

Plus, he has someone at home who's important to him as well and now this whole experience is turning into a rollercoaster of emotions he wasn't prepared for at all. Even without Stick showing up he knew that he was losing control over the situation fast. But pretending to be looking for a relationship without actually thinking about it is difficult. Would it be possible? Elektra at least knows all of his secrets. Jessica isn't interested in that obviously and he doesn't know how Karen would react to his double life. Foggy sure wasn't happy about it and he's the most positive person he knows.

When he heard the gun his first instinct was to stay in front of Elektra to protect her. He wasn't going to sacrifice himself, but he figured if he's the Black Sky, because Stick trained him, then they wouldn't want to kill him. Right?

They would probably try to kill Elektra and the whole film team to take him, but hopefully Jessica was able to prevent that. The crew is still alive and looking for them, so maybe it's all dealt with...

Elektra however doesn't appear to be convinced by his logic, even after he explains it all. Even after Matt tells her all about Jessica's translations from the group who tried to take him in Japan and how it must be him they want to win the war. He also clarifies that he doesn't believe in any of this crap, but apparently these people do.

In the end she still just shakes her head.

"There is something I need to tell you." He doesn't like the tone of her voice. "You will have to hear me out."

Given that he thinks nothing can actually shock him about her anymore, this should be interesting. "I'm listening."

He sits down on the opposite side of the cave while she's gathering her thoughts a little, before she starts: "I knew what you were capable of, before we met."

What...? Okay, that he didn't expect, but her heartbeat tells him that it's the truth and nothing but the truth.

"I was told to... to seduce you, gain your trust and get you to take your revenge on your father's murderer." Matt is too shocked to react. "But then I fell in love with know, I'm not lying to you now, right? This time, I'm only here for you. I swear."

"Who send you...?" A suspicion quickly form in his head.

"Of course, always asking the right questions. No wonder you became such a brilliant lawyer." A sad smile rushes over her face. "That's why I had to tell you now. It was Stick. He trained me, too. And then he send me to you, because he wanted you back."

"Stick send you to me? To test me or what?!" This makes no sense. He thought the old man had given up on him all this time and he only came back when he probably found out about Daredevil. Then again it was Elektra who reminded him of his desire to fight with his fists...

"You would have to ask Stick this question. All he told me was that you had a lot of potential and he hoped that as a grownup you'd understand what was at stake." Matt can't help the proud feeling in his chest when Elektra tells him about his mentor's praise. "He didn't say it like that, of course... But you were the one that got away."

Matt doesn't want to believe it, but it rings true and not just because of her heartbeat. The thing is... he's not sure if he wouldn't have given the old man who abandoned him as a kid a second chance back in college had he actually come back to explain shit to him. Instead of leaving him alone a second time. Through her. "And you're saying you're here for me now. Did you talk to Stick in Japan as well? Do you know what his people are up to?"

"Stick was in Japan?" She apparently really didn't know about this then. "Okay, I mean, it's no surprise. The Hand is pretty active there. It's why I wanted us to go there in the first place."

"Because You're with the Chaste."

"No, because I'm with you." Matt raises an eyebrow. "You want to fight bad guys and I gave you access to one of the most evil organisations on the planet. I left Stick months ago."

"So, you have no clue what he's up to." She can't shed any light on what's going to happen in the last location either then. And damn, he's starting to take Stick's madness seriously.

"I do have some contacts in the right places. I'm trying to find out." She comes closer to him then, but he moves back a little.

"Okay, I know you believe all this to be true and to be honest I always knew you were keeping things from me, but you've had several opportunities to tell me the truth here and you didn't." She wanted to reignite his feelings for her first. Make him lose his head again.

"I am telling you now on my own. Doesn't that count for anything?" Maybe.

"If you hear anything else, you'll let me know."

She nods. "Absolutely. No more lies..."

"Okay." He gets up to leave the cave. "I'll go look for Jessica."

Elektra sighs. "Matt, you have to remember, if the Chaste thinks that one of us might be the Black Sky, they'll want to kill us both. You understand?"

He does. Would they even blow up a plane, just to be sure? "You mean... Annie?" That would actually explain Stick's surprised reaction when he said her name.

"Annie. Possibly."

Why didn't the old man tell him about any of this? Matt then starts to swim back to the shore far away from the cameras, so he won't be noticed.

The idea that Stick apparently had taken one kid that was supposed to become the Black Sky under his wing himself was a little mind wobbling when Jessica first told him about it. It sounded way too sentimental for him. Matt then felt like maybe, maybe this was the reason he left him as a kid, because he was sure that this 10 year old would never turn into such a weapon with his obvious shortcomings. Elektra on the other hand didn't seem to have a lot of scruples. And Stick also trained her. It would probably make more sense for the Hand to think that it would be her. What if she did join them?

And then it hits him. If Stick was supposed to kill one of them and he wasn't able to do it then that shines a completely different light on the man. Could he really have ended up forming the supposedly biggest weapon of his mortal enemies, because he... got attached?! Did he even know about this before he startet the training? Or could it all have been an attempt to make the Black Sky loyal to the Chaste? A group that not only kills children, because they might grow up to become dangerous weapons and that would probably blow up planes with lots of innocents just to win a war?

RACHEL

It totally ruins the big surprise she planned when she finds Jessica fixing a wound on her arm with sticky tape. "Are you serious right now?!"

"Don't worry." She puts on a shirt that covers her injured arm. "I heal fast. This won't even bother me tomorrow."

Everyone on this show is mental. Rachel puts her hands on her hips ready to argue and take a stand when Matt practically storms in with Nina in tow. "What are you doing here?" Jessica huffs.

His hands hesitantly find her injured arm - right, acting blind - and he carefully rolls up her sleeve with very gentle fingers while Nina curses at the sight of her unorthodox bandage. "Matt told me that he heard you fight. Why didn't you come to me?"

"This is nothing. Honestly." Jessica sighs and sits on the bed to have Nina look at her injury. As she notices Matt's fingers lingering she frowns before he pulls them away quickly.

The annoyed doctor slowly tears the tape off and mutters: "Normal people go to a hospital with something like this."

Jessica smirks. "Newsflash: I'm not normal."

Matt chuckles a little while pacing nervously. "Where did Annie go?"

"She ran away."

Matt nods. "Okay, I'll go look for her. You're gonna let yourself get treated, right?" His unfocused eyes are directed somewhere close to Jessica's face and Rachel can tell the unconcerned PI is confused by his worries about her. So, instead of protesting some more she decides to leave it be. As much as she can.

"Yes, mom." Jessica rolls her eyes and he practically runs off.

Fine. She'll leave Nina and Jessica to it then. "When she's done you'll have to be ready for the cameras."

Hearing Jessica groan Rachel hurries back to her special guest who's already chatting with the woman who's going to film this next meeting. "I'm sorry, she's not ready yet."

"Does she know I'm here?"

"No."

"Good. Because you only have once chance to catch the annoyance on her face when she sees me. You better do it right." Trish Walker eyes Rachel, still a bit wary of her.

The producer smiles pleasantly trying to win the ex teen star over. She could be a great contact in the future after all. "Of course. I'm glad you finally agreed to help us with Jessica's makeover. Believe me I would have wanted to do something else with her, but we have to give our viewers what they want to see and I figured you were the only one who could convince her to play along."

"I don't think I can to be honest." Walker shrugs with her shoulders. "But I'll try and I think even that should be great TV."

"Then we're on the same page. Thank you so much for coming!" Rachel has been trying to make this happen from the beginning, but it's not easy to get celebrities on the show and when she first talked to the busy radio host she didn't want to have anyone mention the name Patsy and she also didn't want to piss her sister off. Luckily, she changed her mind.

"I'm just here for Jessica."

Half an hour later the camera enters Jessica's room - all evidence of the improvised first aid help gone - and then Walker follows, which makes Jessica groan and turn around cursing her adoptive sister.

"Hi Jess! I thought that maybe you need some guidance here. You're letting your lawyer get snatched away." She giggles a little and puts a hand on Jessica's shoulder.

"You realise that you're the last person who should be giving people dating advice, right?"

Walker shrugs. "I'm here to help you make an impression."

"He's blind."

"Hey! That's ableist. I think. And there's a dress code for the charity event I'm taking you to." She grins. "I have brought some fabulous dresses."

Rolling her eyes Jessica slumps on a chair. "Fine. Let me see."

The reluctant dating show contestant shuts down ten dresses quickly, before she even agrees to at least try one. To be fair though, it was only the second one with long enough sleeves. It's not like she wants to drag this out.

But Jessica still doesn't look convinced. "This is so short it makes me look like a hooker."

"I wore this to an award function!" Her sister is scandalised. "It depends on how you wear it." But she already gives Jess a longer one that again would show her arms.

"I have to talk to you alone." Jessica then grabs her sister's hand, takes the mics off and pulls her into the bathroom.

JESSICA

The moment Trish sees the big bandage on her arm, her eyes widen. "I knew something was going on!"

"You thought something was going on between me and Matt."

"Fine. But what can I do to help...?"

"Leave. Let me do my job without worrying about you, too"

She sighs. "I'll leave after the event... But I have the perfect dress."

Jessica then tells her a little bit of what went down with Annie and about that strange organisation looking for some kind of super ninja. Trish is obviously worried, but it seems she also has faith in Jessica's abilities. Mostly. "I told you to learn some martial arts or something."

After their little private chat Jessica tolerates Trish's support a little more. At some point she almost forgets the camera in the room again - after weeks of being filmed, that happens more easily. The dress Trish was thinking of also isn't awful. Jessica is aware that she brought it, because it's knitted and red and it reminds her of the scarf Matt gave her. But it covers her arms completely.

There is just one thing that really annoys her and that's when Trish takes out something else that belongs to the outfit. "That's a cape."

Her devious sister tries to look innocent. "Capes are in fashion."

"They also look like a parody of the worst superhero costume." She's not gonna look like one of those idiots.

"Nooo!" Trish whines. "They're pretty! Just put it on once. I promise, it looks nothing like that."

Remembering that they're being filmed Jessica endures it to shut her up.

But then she decides that Trish was right. It actually looked better with the damn cape. Shit. They find the right shoes to go with it quickly as well and Trish leaves her to get dressed herself.

Jessica looks at the woman in the mirror and while she still feels that this isn't her, she doesn't exactly feel uncomfortable. At least this looks nothing like what Kilgrave always wanted her to wear and that's a plus.

She meets Matt in the hotel lobby and he finally offers her another hesitant smile. Ever since Japan he has been rather closed off, more business-like than in the beginning. She takes his outstretched hand and he immediately feels the fabric of the dress on her arm. "What colour is this?"

"Red." Okay, maybe her face is also taking on that colour.

Matt's grin widens. "You're matching with my glasses, then." No. Not the same shade of red at all, but fine. He is blind after all.

"She's also wearing a cape." Jessica really hates her sister sometimes. Trish takes in the star of Everlasting and winks at her with a teasing smile.

"Seems fitting, since she has a habit of saving my life." Only because that idiot can't help himself when he's on camera.

"Of course, she has. And a cape is certainly a better look for a hero than horns for example." Trish chuckles and Jessica would swear that Matt is the one blushing now. "Hi! I'm Trish Walker, Jessica's sister." Trish waits for the blind man to offer his hand then shaking it enthusiastically.

"I'm adopted," Jessica hurries to clarify, glaring at Trish.

"Nice to meet you Miss Walker."

This is all such a waste of time. She should be out there looking for Annie and now she is on a stupid group date with Jane and Bedisa...