Trust Issues II

Fauna

Fauna's mind was reeling. What was happening? What had I done? Why was he angry? He was so very angry. She was frozen in fear. For a moment she thought he had hit her. The impact vibrated her body as she pressed herself against the wall. Once his fist collided with the brick, her mind went blank. Fauna couldn't think or move, she couldn't speak. She wasn't even sure if she ever did.

Matthew placed both hands at either side of her head, forcing her to look at him. She straightened herself, trying to avoid any physical contact with him. His shoulders heaved with heavy breath, his lips in a grim line. His head was bowed and tilted. He was focusing on something.

What? She wondered. Why is he doing this to me?

Fauna couldn't help but whimper when Matthew raised his head. His red tinted glasses bored down into her. He didn't need the mask to be terrifying. He was just as capable in his lawyer suit, possibly even more. In his black mask and armor, he seemed to be reserved, controlled. Here, right now, there was no control, there was no reservations. He was loose and unhinged.

"Pleas-"

"Fauna." He cut her off quickly. "Tread lightly."

It was a warning. His voice was like a snake set to strike, it sent shivers throughout her entire body. Fauna wondered what time it was. The more minutes that ticked by, the more punishment she'd be subjected to. Of course, that would depend on if she survived this encounter.

"You're making deals behind my back, who wants my name?"

Confusion splashed across her face. She still didn't understand and didn't know how to answer his question. As far as she knew everybody in Hell's Kitchen wanted to know his name.

"I, I don't-"

Matthew slammed his hands against the wall. Fauna shuttered at the feeling of the impact so close to her, her hair fluttering gently in the wind. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Don't test me."

Fauna felt the electricity in the air.

"Just Don't." He growled. "Who?"

"Everyone does." She blurted, hoping it was the right answer.

Matthew lowered his head again.

"Who's the client, Mr… Androle works for?" He said it slowly, gently. Dangerously.

For a moment Fauna was confused, how did he know about Mr. Androle? Then it became clear to her. He had overheard the conversation she had with Mr. Androle and thought it was about him. How did he hear that conversation? She supposed the same way he knew about all the other things.

She shook her head gently. She couldn't tell him. If he looked into it, it would lead him straight to her mother. She'd rather die.

"No, that… that's something else." Her chest grew tighter, was she breathing? She wasn't sure. Before Fauna could comprehend his movements he had her wrist, twisting her around. She cried out as he pressed her hard into the bricks. She couldn't breathe.

"Who?!" He yelled in her ear.

She cried out at the pain in her wrist. "It wasn't about you!" She sobbed, "I promise. It wasn't about you."

Matthew yelled his frustration. He released her and took a few steps back. Fauna fell to the cold concrete. She heard his heavy breathing behind her.

Suddenly his hands were on her again, jerking her to her feet. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"What I should have done in the first place." He began walking, pulling her along. "You'll be coming with me, until I can figure things out."

Fauna's panic hit a higher level. She couldn't go with him, she had to get into her apartment, stop the clock from running with her fob.

"No, no." She cried, but he wasn't listening. His grip tightened as she struggled. "Please!" She begged. "I can't go anywhere." She wanted to stop him but didn't know how. Everything began pressing down on top of her, all at once. Her mother. Grayson. The pressure and stress. The rules. The abuse she's endured. All the threats and secrets. Daredevil. His hands on her.

"No!" She screamed. Suddenly a broken bulb above them exploded. Exposed wires leading to it sparked, a line of electricity crackled to life. Matthew momentarily released her in surprise. He looked up to see the source. As Fauna followed his gaze her hairs stood on end. Reacting to the buzz floating through the air. He looked back at her, reaching out for her again. As she screamed, a stream of electricity lashed out toward Matthew.

He threw up his arm to block it. Fauna watched in horror as his body went into convulsions when it connected with his skin. She felt it pulling her, like a line connected from her to the wire. And it was tugging her forward.

After mere seconds the stream of violent electricity was gone. Fauna's balance faltered and she stumbled when the tugging disappeared. Matthew doubled over in pain, then he fell to the ground with a hard thud. Fauna reached out to him in shock. Was he hurt? Well, of course… he just got electrocuted. Was he dead?

Like lightning Matthew's hand shot out, grabbing her again, she gasped and jerked away.

Run! She screamed at herself. Now was her chance to get away from him. For now anyway. She stood on shaky legs and ran. She believed it was too late, and it wouldn't matter if he believed her or not. He was going to do whatever he had planned regardless. So she thought it best to prolong whatever that plan may be.

Fauna didn't look back. She was too terrified that he'd be right behind her. She didn't stop until she shut and locked the apartment's door. She double checked the lock on the window and shut the curtains. She ran into her bedroom, then the bathroom, closing and locking as many doors as she could along the way. She lowered herself down against the farthest corner she could get to, shaking and began to sob. She checked her phone's time.

"Fifteen minutes." She whispered. "Fifteen"

Matthew

"Matt!" Foggy whispered. "Matt!"

Matthew sat, leaning against the same brick he held Fauna against just twenty minutes earlier. The electric shock he sustained caused his senses to go wild. He sent a location alert to Foggy. Thankfully his senses began to normalize a few minutes before Foggy arrived.

He spent those few minutes listening to Fauna cry and for some reason repeat the same word over and over, fifteen. As far as he could tell she was telling him the truth. But he wasn't going to take any chances. He planned to take her back to his apartment and hold her there until he could decide what to do.

"I'm here." Matthew grunted, sitting taller.

"There you are, you okay?" Foggy knelt down next to Matthew.

"Yeah, I think so." Matthew took a deep breath. "My senses came back a few minutes ago."

"What happened?"

"Fauna." He said, shifting to brace himself on the wall so he could stand.

Foggy reached out to help steady him. "Matt, maybe you should wait…"

"No, I'm alright." Matthew pushed himself up. "She was talking to a lawyer, he was urging her to accept some kind of deal."

"Oh man, are you serious?! Was it about you?"

"I thought it was." He groaned as he straightened himself. His insides still buzzed from the shock. "I interrogated her. She seemed to be telling the truth, but I don't know for sure."

"You… interrogated?" Foggy said with a look of concern. He knew what Matthew was capable of when he questioned. "Did you hurt her?"

Matthew looked at Foggy. "Maybe… I dunno. I kinda panicked and lost my temper."

"Damn, Matt." He scolded. "You didn't go all evil Daredevil on her, did you?"

Matthew didn't acknowledge that question. Foggy took a deep breath and sighed. But after a few minutes of silence Matthew realized Foggy wasn't going to let him get away with not answering.

"What do you want me to say, I panicked and probably overreacted. But she was making a deal, Foggy"

"Did she? Did you hear her give up your name?"

Matthew's stomach turned. First, at the possibility of his name being handed over and second, he already knew what Foggy was saying. He lost his temper. People get hurt when that happens.

"No, she didn't." He answered.

"Well, how'd you end up with your super senses all jacked up?" Foggy replied, nodding.

Matthew peered up at the broken wire. "I got electrocuted."

"Oh wow, no wonder I smell burnt hair."

Matthew huffed.

"Well, where is she now?"

"She ran away, she's in her apartment right now."

"Aright, come on." Foggy grabbed Matthew's arm and placed it over his shoulders. "Let's get you home."

Matthew listened as Fauna continued to cry.