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Fauna
That was embarrassing, thought Fauna as she made her way down the street. Mrs. Carmichael was a sweet lady, but sometimes their conversations verged on the ridiculous. When she compared herself to Cinderella, it made her sad. The major difference would be that she would never get a happily-ever-after. There was no prince for her. She couldn't see an end to her situation.
As she checked herself into the building with her new badge, she heard the familiar cat calls from the yard workers and guards. The display blinked red.
Access Denied.
"Oh no," She said, sighing. "Come on." She said a small prayer as she scanned the badge again. It blinked green.
Access Granted.
"Thank you." She whispered, taking a deep breath after the door clicked shut. She hated that part, having to listen to those disgusting men calling her like she was some kind of hooker. It didn't happen every day, but it happened often enough. It usually meant her father wasn't here. She hoped that would be the case.
She quickly made her way to her office. The usual clip board of when and where her father wanted her was laying on her desk. She picked it up and inspected it, it was empty. She smiled.
"Well, I guess it's nothing but paperwork today." She said to herself as she took a seat in her chair.
That meant she was not going to have to see him or anyone else today. A feeling of relief washed over her. She didn't realize she needed that. She needed space from everyone, she needed time to process and digest everything that's happened. She hasn't been able to do that.
Images of Matthew suddenly flashed in her mind. The way he looked in that hallway, so normal, so distinguished. Then, how he looked later that night, violent and dangerous. Her blood boiled at the thought of how he has interfered with her life, complicating it beyond measure.
Then she thought of what she did. She gave him inside information. If her father even suspected someone of being a rat they were never heard from again. She knew of at least two people that had gone missing since she began working here.
The worst part was her father didn't even wait for evidence or proof of that person's guilt, the slightest rumor could make someone food for the fishes.
She took a deep breath and pushed the thoughts from her mind. She didn't want to think about it. She began shifting paper after paper. She filed them if needed or shredded them and the hours ticked by.
Fauna stretched and looked at the clock, 4:30pm. Almost over, she thought. Her heart sank at those words. It actually wasn't over. She told Daredevil to be here at nine. Even though she wouldn't be here she was not going to be able to sleep. She was anxious enough just thinking about it. She has taken a major risk, but it wasn't her fault. She didn't do it willingly. In the end that would matter to someone like her father or to a man like Matthew Murdock.
Fauna began imagining Matthew at the mercy of Ace, should she call him by his actual name or Daredevil, she wondered. If he was caught would he give her up, even though she never told anyone about him. She couldn't trust him. And she believed no one could last under the kind of torture Ace was capable of dishing out.
Scenario after scenario ran through her head as she shifted the papers to their proper places, organized files and emptied the shredding machine. Finally it was time for her to go home. She closed her office and headed out. She'd have to stop by the store, then later call her mother. Perhaps on her way she should come up with a few excuses as to why she couldn't visit her. Hopefully these new rules would last long.
One thought nagged at the back of her mind, she didn't want to think about: What if Daredevil or Matthew succeeded at taking Grayson down like he did Wilson Fisk? The money would stop. What would happen with her mother's medicine?
Fifteen minutes later Fauna walked into the grocery store. It would only take a few minutes. She didn't need much, well actually, she couldn't afford much: crackers, peanut butter, 2 cans of soup, her tea, and a few apples.
She checked the items out herself and headed out. She just had a few minutes to get to her building.
"Fauna!?"
Fauna stumbled slightly at the familiar voice, she wanted to freeze in shock at the call of her name. She forced herself to keep walking.
"Fauna!"
It was too late, she'd been spotted. Something she dreaded since she dropped out of school and began working for her father.
"Fauna, stop!"
Fauna halted and turned. Her long time best friend Jenna stood, her chin on the ground from shock. Fauna wanted so desperately to run to her friend, wrap her arms around her and squeeze tight. She missed her so much. But Fauna didn't have time, she had to get the tracking fob up into her apartment.
"Jenna!" She tried to smile. When she saw her friend looking her up and down with a horrified expression across her face, especially once her eyes settled on Fauna's bruised cheek, Fauna's smile faded.
"What the hell?!"
"Jenna-" Fauna was going to start coming up with excuses but her friend cut her off.
"Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere. You just disappeared-"
"Jenna, I'm sorry. I can't explain right now. I need to go."
"What? I've tried to call, email. I went to your house, but it was sold."
"I'm sorry, look let's-"
"No! I've been trying to find you- and you've been here the whole time?"
"Jenna, I need to go." Fauna didn't know what to do other than to start walking away.
"Fauna!" Jenna reached for her arm to stop her. "You've got to be kidding!"
"I'm sorry. I have to go." Fauna dodged her and picked up her pace. Jenna was left shocked and flabbergasted.
Once Fauna was out of sight she began sprinting for her building. If she was late, her father would not be happy. She didn't need her other cheek bruised. Fauna scanned the fob, just as the bell tower chimed the half hour warning.
She leaned against the door and took a deep breath. Tears welled up in her eyes. She feared one day that was going to happen, she didn't handle it very well. But it wasn't completely her fault, the timing was bad.
After putting away her things, Fauna took a quick shower. Then dressed down to an oversized t-shirt and a pair of her fluffy socks. She took a seat on her couch.
She wiped the tears off her cheeks, seeing Jenna was really upsetting. She hoped that would be the last she saw of her. Fauna didn't want it to be that way, but her father was very clear about her old life.
In his words, "it no longer existed". But Fauna's heart sank, she knew Jenna very well. Since they were in 2nd grade, they had been best friends. And Jenna always, always was the best at one thing: perseverance. Jenna's highschool nickname was Bulldozer. No matter what stood in her way, she either got around it or plowed right through. Often, to Fauna's dismay, Jenna dragged her along.
The memories of their shenanigans made Fauna smile. She feared now that Jenna knew the general area she lived, she would be back. Fauna was going to have to be more watchful not to get caught again.
She wiped the tears again and dialed her mother's house.
"Hello." Her mother, Lousia answered in just a few rings.
"Hi, Mom."
"Oh, Fauna it's you. Did you get a new number?" She sounded as if she were asleep.
"Um.. yeah. Did I wake you?"
"No, no. Is everything okay? You usually don't call on the phone."
"Yes, everything's fine. I just wanted to tell you that midterms are coming up. I might not be able to come by for a while." Fauna tried to hide her tears as best as she could and sound like a normal college girl studying and not lying.
"Of course, you gotta do what you gotta do to make those good grades."
"I'll try to call you every day."
"Oh sure, but don't let it interrupt you."
"It won't, have you heard anything from that lawyer? Mr. Androle?"
"Not a peep. Maybe we should have just taken the money."
"I don't think so, Mom, but I'm looking into it." Good, thought Fauna. Maybe they had read too much into his threat at the end of their last conversation.
"Well, no rush I suppose. You get school finished first."
"Yeah, I know. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you."
"Love you too, dear. Bye."
Fauna clicked the end button. She looked at the time to make sure she was within her five minute time frame.
She wished she had a laptop or at least a phone she could browse on for information. She'd seen movies of people winning lawsuits against companies, but how did it work? She knew some lawyers did pro bono, but were they ever successful? How could she find one of those kinds of lawyers? She scolded herself for not asking more questions when she spoke to Mr. Nelson and Karen. Unfortunately, she could never go back there, she wouldn't want to.
She never wanted to see Matthew or- Daredevil ever again. She still hadn't decided what to call him. She wouldn't purposefully see him. Not in a million years, she decided.
She pushed him from her mind for about a millionth time that day. Focusing on him was like sending shockwaves through her brain.
Perhaps there's another lawyer offering a free consultation. She made a note to look out for one as she walked to and from work. She also noted to be better prepared. She needed to write down a list of questions she needed answered.
Fauna paused her mind and looked around her apartment. She was used to spending her time at the park or her mother when she had time. Since she wasn't allowed to, Fauna was unsure how she would spend her evenings. She had no TV, radio or books.
For now, she decided, the roof would do. She actually hadn't been up there in awhile, she stayed in the park for most of her evenings. Fauna stood and made herself half a can of soup, grabbed some crackers and her blanket.
As she stepped out onto the fire escape, she did a double check of where the fob was. It wouldn't be the first time she forgot about it and accidently took it out past curfew. She also made sure to leave her phone, just in case there was some kind of tracking system on it too.
As she sipped her soup, Fauna watched the night sky grow darker and darker. The stars began shining brightly above the lit city. For a short moment she could forget her troubles. That is until HE popped back into her mind for the millionth and one time. She figured right about now is when he would be chest deep in Grayson Shipping problems.
She said a little prayer that giving him that information wouldn't land her in trouble or dead. She wrapped herself up against the cooling night, laid back and imagined flying the stars while listening to the noise of the city. Trying desperately to make her world disappear and not that Daredevil could be giving her name up right this very moment.
Yes, the name Daredevil fit him. He was a devil. He was malicious, threatening and uncaring. He had an itch for violence. Luckily he took it out on criminals instead of the innocent, good for them. The problem was she wasn't innocent, not in his eyes. She was a criminal.
Matthew
Matthew limped his way through the back alley's of Hell's Kitchen. The slash wound from a knife bled slowly. It wasn't bad, a few stitches worth. As he left the shipping yard, he ran into a group of thugs. One of the men got a lucky shot at him. He had been distracted for a moment in his anger at his situation. He was furious, and panicked.
Fauna told him there was something special about the lone cargo container that arrived at the shipping yard at 9pm. She told him the guards on duty had at least doubled. She lied. There was a lone cargo container, but the contents were nowhere to be seen. The guards on duty were in reasonable numbers, nothing he couldn't handle. Now he had to find her, the first place he would look was her apartment.
Was her lie covered in truth? If so, it was clever. She threw his senses off enough for it to pass, perhaps. Did she send him so she could have time to tell her employer or the police about him? He flipped open his burner phone and called Foggy.
"Oh dude, just tell me you're alive and well." Foggy said. His voice was groggy. Matthew woke him up.
"I'm fine, Foggy." Matthew paused to jump up to the fire escape. "Listen, I want you to get Karen and go to a hotel."
"What? Why?"
"I'll explain later, I promise."
"Does this have to do with that girl? Karen found her on an old facebook page. But her name or names, I should say, were different."
"I know."
"Well… what am I supposed to tell Karen?"
"I dunno, you need a little mini-vacation, or something." Matthew grunted as he jumped and landed on the roof of another building. "It's just not safe if my cover's been blown."
"What?!"
"Just get Karen, use cash, and call me if you run into trouble."
"Alright, I'll text you when we're checked-in."
"Talk soon." Matthew hung up and tucked the phone back into his pocket as he jumped and rolled onto another roof. He slid down a water pipe and took a few more turns in the alley before he reached Fauna's apartment building. He stretched his senses. The apartment seemed empty, he cursed. That's not good, he thought. That's not good at all.
At this hour she should be at home, in bed. The rest of the building's occupants were quiet. He made his way up to the apartment. Since his senses were off around her, he supposed it would be a good idea to check the apartment anyway, right now he felt fine.
As he approached, Matthew noticed her window open. It could be a trap, he thought. He paused stretching his senses farther. The only thing he could sense that was out of the ordinary was a body on the roof. He went inside, slowly and carefully in case he missed something.
He searched her apartment thoroughly, nothing. There wasn't much to search, it only took him a few seconds. But she had been there recently. Her scent was fresh and there was evidence of a cooked meal. He followed the scent, it was still on the breeze.
Matthew lifted himself up onto the roof. Fauna lay on the ground, wrapped in a blanket. Her shimmering body dimmed, but still... against the dark roof she looked like a star in the night sky. He imagined this is how they looked close up, slow swirling lights dimming and brightening as they moved against the blackness.
He knelt next to her, as he did he stretched his senses as far as they would go, searching for any indication it could be a trap. He supposed if they did want to trap him, they would have done it at the shipping yard. However, that could be a way to throw him off, then use her as bait.
It's what he would have done. He stared down at her, titling his head slightly, studying her. Her bowl from dinner lay beside her, tomato soup and crackers. Her heart beat was slow. Her breathing was deep and steady. She was truly asleep. Funny thing, Matthew thought. His senses seemed to be working properly for the moment. Perhaps it was just a fluke, that he was wrong about her being a fault.
He gently placed his hand over her mouth. It took her a moment, then she tried to scream and instinctively lashed out at whatever held her. Her fists connected with his chest. As her eyes flew open, the light bulb behind them exploded. Matthew's arm came up to shield them from any flying glass.
What a coincidence, he thought.
Fauna's body went stiff, but her heartbeat pounded erratically.
Once all the glass from the bulb had fallen he lowered his arm. His senses dulled for a moment, but he shook off the feeling. Though Matthew was furious, he had to remain in control. He brought his hand to his mouth and placed one finger against his lips to signal for her not to scream.
Fauna's terrified eyes followed his motion and she nodded her understanding. He lifted his other hand slowly from her mouth.