Chapter 3: Love and Redemption

Matt

"Hello, Matthew." It was her voice, with its slightly mocking tone, the voice he never expected to hear again. With two strides, he covered the space between them and took her in his arms, whispering her name, over and over. She relaxed into his embrace, putting her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Elektra. Oh, my God, Elektra." He immersed himself in her scent, the sound of her breath, the feel of her chest pressed against his, rising and falling. He still couldn't hear her heartbeat, but she was warm. She was alive.

She whispered his name. "Matthew."

He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her. After a time, he didn't know how long, he stepped back and dipped his head to one side.

"Cops're coming. We should go," he said. "Come with me?"

"Yes," she said simply, taking hold of his hand. They climbed to the roof and raced across the rooftops. As they ran, Matt felt the weight of his grief lifting. And there was something else. It wasn't a feeling he was familiar with. He thought it might be joy.

They stopped when they reached the roof of Matt's building. After he caught his breath, he turned toward Elektra and held out his hand. She took it and followed him down the stairs. Once inside, he pulled off his mask and gloves. Elektra did the same with hers, tossing them on the coffee table before sitting down on the couch. Matt grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge and opened them before sitting down next to her, but not too close. He'd come down from the high he felt when he realized she was alive. He wasn't sure where this was going. They needed to talk. He handed her a bottle, and they drank in silence. Then they both spoke at the same time.

"How – ?"

"Where – ?"

Matt chuckled, a little embarrassed, then waved his hand. "You first."

"How'd you make it out of the building?" Elektra asked him.

Matt shrugged, holding his hands out, palms up. "Honestly, I don't know." He licked his lips and swallowed. "I was holding you when the building came down."

"I remember," she murmured.

"The next thing I remember, after that, is being outside. It was down by the river, near an outlet for a storm drain, I think – my senses were all messed up. Sometime later – I don't know how long it was, I was mostly out of it – a cab driver found me. I woke up enough to give him my priest's name, Father Lantom. He came, and they brought me to the orphanage where I grew up. The nuns took care of me. That's it."

He took a drink of beer, then turned to her and asked the question that he'd wanted an answer to, ever since he woke up in the orphanage. "Where did you go, Elektra?"

"Nowhere, at first."

"But you got out," Matt said. "How?"

She sat silently for a moment, apparently remembering. "I was holding on to you. Ash and dust were falling, everything went dark. Then there was a rush of air, and you were just . . . gone." She fell silent for a beat. "Or I was. Next thing I remember is waking up in the escape tunnel."

Matt raised his eyebrows. "Escape tunnel?"

Elektra nodded. "Yes. Gao had it built. She always made sure to have a back door, a way out."

"Did she get out?"

"I don't know. There's been no sign of her. Or Murakami."

"Good," Matt said harshly. He rolled his beer bottle between his hands, then set it down on the table without drinking. "Go on," he prompted her, waving his hand.

"Gao's escape tunnel connected to other tunnels, and I found a way out. Then I started looking for you. I went to Midland Circle, but no one there knew anything. So I started following your friends."

"You followed them? Foggy and Karen?"

She nodded. "And the others, the ones who were there with you. You have to understand, Matthew, I was desperate to find you. So were they. But eventually, they all accepted that you were dead. All except the woman, Karen. She refused to believe it."

"Yeah, I know," Matt replied quietly.

"You didn't contact them?" Elektra asked.

"Not right away. I was out of it for a long time." That was true, as far as it went. He didn't want her to know how badly he'd treated Foggy and Karen.

She didn't comment on his answer. Instead, she took a deep breath before she continued. "Then I had to leave. Leave New York, I mean," she said. "There were . . . things . . . that required my attention."

"What kind of things?" he asked.

"The five 'fingers' of the Hand were no more, but remnants of their organization still existed. I needed to deal with them."

Matt's heart sank. He thought he had reached her, but now he wasn't so sure. He had a pretty good idea what "dealing with them" meant.

She must have seen something that betrayed his thoughts, because she answered the question he didn't want to ask. "No," she said, "I don't mean killing them. The Hand had valuable assets. I needed to be sure they understood they work for me now."

"And if they didn't?" Matt regretted the question as soon as he blurted it out.

"That wasn't a problem," Elektra assured him. "They all fell in line."

Unable to hear her heartbeat, Matt didn't know for sure if she was telling the truth. He didn't pick up a false note in her voice or any of the other physical signs that usually gave away a lie, but she was a skilled liar. He knew that from bitter experience. He could only hope she was being truthful now.

"Besides," Elektra continued, "they were useful. Among them was a group of hackers who erased all records of my death. So I now have my identity back – and my assets."

"And you came back."

She nodded. "I did."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked.

"Not to me."

"When I saw the news reports about Daredevil killing people in a newspaper office and a church, I didn't know what to think. Part of me wanted it to be you, because that would mean you were alive. But another part of me didn't want to think you had become a killer. Because even if you were alive, you wouldn't be you anymore. I had to know what was happening with you."

"It wasn't me," Matt told her.

"I know that now. But I didn't know it then. So I decided to come back when my business with the Hand was finished. By the time I got here, the imposter had been exposed, and you were back together with your friends. I told myself I should stay away, but I couldn't."

"So, what, you decided to help me deal with the drug dealers?"

"Yes," Elektra told him. "Among other things."

"What do you want from me, Elektra?" Matt asked with a sigh. "Just tell me."

"Nothing that you aren't willing to give." She moved closer to him and caressed his cheek. He flinched at the contact. "When we were there, under Midland Circle, you knew the building was going to come down." He mouthed a "yes" in response. "But you stayed. You wouldn't leave me." He nodded. She reached out and took both of his hands in hers. "And in that moment, I knew, Matthew, I knew. You weren't making a grand romantic gesture or trying to be a hero. I never understood it until that moment, but I did then. The light in you, the light that couldn't be extinguished, it was love. And I loved you for that. That's why I love you."

Maggie was right, Matt told himself. Love and redemption. It always came down to that. The Hand tried to turn Elektra into their weapon, but they failed. His love for her, and her love for him, had brought her back, as herself. He didn't need to hear her heartbeat to know it was true. Matt took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. When he raised his head and took a breath, she moved closer, her breasts pressing against his chest. He cupped them in his hands. She traced the outline of his lips with a fingertip and kissed him, then pulled his shirt over his head and ran her hands over his torso, her fingertips dwelling on the most recent scars. When her hand drifted lower, he took hold of her wrist and stopped her.

"Hold that thought," he said with a smile, as he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

Making love to Elektra felt like coming home, to the place where he needed to be, but didn't know it until he was there. It was a place where he was free. No acting blind. No hiding his abilities. This was where he belonged. There was no more grief, no more anger, no more pain. That was all in the past. There were no walls between them. He no longer knew where he ended and she began. They were as one. He let his senses take over and lost himself in the sensations that were uniquely her. The scent of an expensive perfume mixed with her sweat. The softness of her skin under his lips and fingertips, and the firmness of the muscle underneath. The silk of her hair, brushing across his face. Her voice, whispering his name. The little shudders of delight, when he did the things she liked. He remembered what they were. Oh, yes, he remembered. When he felt her reaching her peak, he went there with her and followed her over the cliff.

In the pre-dawn hours, Matt lay awake, unable to sleep. At his side, Elektra was sleeping soundly. He wanted to believe in her, in the redemptive power of love, but he couldn't silence his doubts. In college, he was her mission. No. Not her mission. Stick's. Maybe he was her mission again, a mission of her own choosing this time. But to what end? Finding no answer, he fell into a restless sleep.

In the morning, Matt walked out of the bedroom, already dressed, his tie in his hand. He put it on the kitchen table and sat down across from Elektra. She poured coffee and handed the mug to him. He sipped and put it down, then said, "We need to talk." She nodded. "I'm not sure what this is – " He waved his hand.

"Oh, I think you know, Matthew," she murmured.

He didn't respond. "But whatever this is, it can't come between me and Foggy . . . and Karen. What I do with them, helping people, that's important to me. I won't push them away, not for you, not for anyone. I'm not gonna make that mistake again."

"I'm not asking you to."

"You're not?" he asked.

"No. I saw what happened before, when you were . . . estranged from them. I have no desire to see that happen again. And I'm sorry, Matthew, for what you and they suffered. Because of me," she replied.

"It was my choice," he said hoarsely. He stood up and took few steps away from the table, then turned to face her, his arms folded across his chest. "You didn't answer my question last night. Why are you here, Elektra? What do you want from me?"

"I think you know."

"Tell me."

She drank coffee and set her mug down on the table, then took a deep breath before she answered him. "I'm still the Black Sky, Matthew. But I no longer serve the Hand. I serve only myself and those whom I choose to serve. What I want is to serve your people, in Hell's Kitchen, with you. If you'll let me."

"It's that simple?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes." She rose from her chair and went to stand facing him. "I can help you, you know I can. Let me help you, Matthew."

"And if I say yes?"

"We both keep doing what we've been doing, but we do it together. And we find out who's behind the drugs flooding into Hell's Kitchen."

"And nobody dies," he said.

She nodded solemnly. "Nobody dies."

Foggy

Matt was late to work, and Foggy was worried. It wasn't like him to be late. Ever since they re-formed their partnership, Matt had pulled his weight. But there was still plenty for Foggy to worry about. The ever-expanding drug trade, the gun dealers, and the human traffickers were keeping Daredevil busy, every night. Foggy was certain it was only a matter of time before Matt ended up badly injured or worse. And there was also his fear that Matt would spiral down again and turn into the ghost who found him in a Hell's Kitchen bar and told him their friendship was over. Foggy wasn't sure which would be worse.

Foggy checked the firm's calendar on his phone for the fifth time. It hadn't changed: Matt had nothing scheduled this morning. So where was he? He was about to call Matt when his friend and partner walked in the door with a huge grin on his face.

"She's alive, Foggy, she's alive!" he exclaimed as he rushed into Foggy's office.

"Who's alive?" Foggy asked, dreading the answer. He really did not want to know.

"Elektra!" Matt replied.

The name elicited an audible gasp from Karen, who had come out of her office when Matt arrived. Foggy looked over at her. The color had drained from her face. She looked stricken, as if she'd just lost her best friend. "Elektra?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Yes," Matt confirmed. "She's the one who's been helping me, you know, with the drug dealers."

"Oh." Karen turned and walked back into her office. When she emerged, she was carrying her handbag and briefcase. "I gotta go," she said, "don't want to keep the witness waiting."

Foggy gave her a questioning look. He was pretty sure there was no witness. Karen's only response was a warning glance, before she walked out of the office. The door closed behind her.

As soon as Karen's footsteps faded away, down the stairs, Foggy exploded. "What the actual fuck, Matt? Elektra?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah. She made it out. And she's changed."

"Damn right she's 'changed'," Foggy told him, "she's a freakin' zombie killing machine."

Matt smiled wearily and shook his head. "Whatever the Hand did to her, or tried to do to her, it didn't work. When we were together, before the building came down, I got through to her. It's her, Foggy, it's really her. And she wants to help me do what I do."

Great. Now there were two crazy vigilantes in his life. He must have done something very, very bad to deserve this. He only wished he knew what it was. "And you know this how?" he demanded. "You sure your lie detector is working?"

Matt got the shifty look that Foggy knew all too well. "Uh, no, actually. I can't hear her heartbeat. But I believe her."

"You believe her." Foggy sighed loudly. "No, Matt, you want to believe her. That doesn't mean she's telling the truth." Then it dawned on him. Oh, shit. This was worse than he thought. "You're sleeping with her, aren't you?"

"What if I am?" Matt demanded defiantly. "That's none of your business."

"The hell it isn't. Have you forgotten what happened the last time she showed up?"

"This is different, Fog. Trust me."

"Really, Matt, that's all you got?" Foggy scoffed. He took a deep breath, then added, "She could always lead you around by your dick."

Matt winced. Apparently Foggy had hit a nerve. "It's not like that, Fog," he protested weakly.

"Really? Tell that to Karen."

"What's this got to do with her? We're just friends."

"C'mon, Matt, you know she didn't leave because she had an appointment with a witness. Don't try and pretend you didn't notice she was upset."

Matt shrugged. "Maybe. But I don't know why she would be. It's not like she wants to have anything to do with me outside of this office."

"I'm pretty sure that's not what your super senses are telling you. But, sure, keep telling yourself that, if you think it gets you off the hook. After all, it's only Karen getting hurt – again."

"That's not fair, Fog," Matt protested.

"Yeah? Aren't you the one who told me life's not fair?"

Matt stood up and headed toward his office, then stopped and spoke over his shoulder. "I'm not going to make the same mistakes again. It'll all work out, you'll see. Everything's gonna be fine."

Foggy sighed and went back to work, trying to ignore the heavy feeling of dread that was settling in his stomach.

Author's Note: Matt's inability to hear Elektra's heartbeat is based on a scene in The Defenders, where he tells Stick he couldn't hear it during the fight at Midland Circle (in episode 3).

In The Defenders, Matt tells the others the elevator is the only way out of the underground chamber at Midland Circle. In this story, there is also an escape tunnel, built at Madame Gao's direction. However, Matt is unaware of it; his senses apparently didn't detect it. I agree with Elektra that Madame Gao, who was in charge of the construction, would never have allowed the chamber to be built with only one exit.