Despite not really being in Queens much, Matt knew the way to FEAST exceptionally well. It was a whole part of their branding; they were the pride of Hillside Ave., just a few blocks down from Edgerton. Knowing the major cross streets helped Matt navigate from the parking lot in the middle of nowhere right to the heart of Queens. He needed all the ease he could get, since he had a half conscious Spider-Man sprawled on his back.
Every minute or so, Matt would use his senses to check up on the hero. He was still conscious, mostly, though he seemed pretty dazed. Judging by the blood Matt could feel gushing from the wound, it wasn't exactly a surprise that he was so out of it. His breathing was deep, likely some sort of calming technique, but it still worried Matt. Every second he had to take to get to FEAST might just be a second too late.
As he rounded the corner onto Hillside, likely only seven blocks from FEAST, Matt's phone started buzzing. It was Karen's ringtone, an acoustic version of Rescue Me by OneRepublic. Matt grimaced; he always hated missing Karen and Foggy's calls, but it's not exactly like he could grab his phone with his billy club in one hand and Spider-Man in the other. She could wait a minute.
He breathed a massive sigh of relief when he landed in front of the shelter not too much later. Matt landed in a stereotypical superhero pose right next to the Parker Memorial, sheathing his billy club and rushing up the steps into FEAST. He did everything he could not to jostle Spider-Man's leg too much, but it was more important to get him medical attention as soon as possible.
It was a mess of activity. Quite literally everyone in the room was doing something, with all of them either being a young volunteer or a resident wallowing in their poverty. As soon as Daredevil crashed through the front doors, though, everyone within fifteen feet of him froze. One young woman, probably a college student, only paused for a moment before she began barking orders.
"Jean! Grab a gurney and get it over here, ASAP! Luis, clean out a private room! Horace, the emergency enhanced med kit!" She yelled, her head swiveling around the room as she marched up to Daredevil. "Everyone, move!"
With that one word, everyone was moving again, parting for her like the Red Sea. Matt gave a wry smirk at his own inner monologue as the woman stepped into his personal space, her chin held high and her shoulders pushed to their limits.
"Gwen Stacy. I'm one of the head volunteers, licensed in first aid. What the hell happened?" She asked pointedly. Matt could feel her powerful eyes staring directly into his own.
He cleared his throat. "Spider-Man and I were chasing down a suspected arsonist and… well, that doesn't matter. What matters is the suspect shot at a civilian and Spider-Man dove in to protect her, earning himself quite the prize." The stretcher was being pushed his way, and Matt shifted his weight to take Spider-Man out of the fireman's carry. The hero sucked in a deep breath, adjusting himself to help Matt.
"Right. Sounds typical." Gwen sighed, crossing her arms. "And you, Spider-Man? Is what he said true? Are you okay?" She addressed the younger hero as he was gently lowered onto the gurney.
Spider-Man breathed deep, taking great effort to control his heart and focus on reality. "Yeah. Got shot by some dude, Daredevil brought me here." He said shortly, his words slurring at the edges. The blood loss might have been getting to him.
"So no murderers in the shelter? Good. Jean, come on. Let's take him upstairs and I can take care of the wound." As Spider-Man laid down, Gwen stepped up to the side of the gurney and began wheeling it away without another look at Daredevil.
Matt took a step forward, intending to follow, but given Gwen's demeanor, he thought it might not be the best idea, at least, for now. Instead, he turned on his heel and stepped outside the shelter, pulling out his phone and redialing Karen.
She answered just after the first ring. "Daredevil?" She asked breathlessly.
"I'm here, Karen." Matt confirmed, letting his voice lose the edge he often brought out for his vigilante work.
"Thank Christ." She sighed in relief. In a normal conversation, she would avoid saying something like that to Matt. But it was a stressful night all around, and right now, Matt didn't care about being the language police. He was nothing like Captain America. "We got a call from Ned. Said you and Spider-Man saved him and his friend, but Spider-Man was shot? What the fuck happened?" She practically yelled through the phone.
Matt bit back a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Exactly that. Spider-Man and I pursued Ned and his friend, and they caught up to the arsonist. We incapacitated him and spoke to the teenagers, but he managed to get his arm free. He shot at Ned's friend, MJ, but Spider-Man dove in and took the bullet. I rushed him to FEAST to get it looked at." He explained calmly, trying to keep himself from mimicking Karen's panic. Her reactions always somehow managed to rub off on him.
"Fucking God. I just- I- Okay." She said after a long moment, her voice significantly more level than before. "So you're at FEAST with Spider-Man? "
"I'm outside, right now. One of the volunteers wanted to give him stitches, and I got the distinct impression that I wasn't welcome while she did it," He half-smiled to himself. "Where are you and Foggy?"
"I'm still at Ms. Batalon's, looking over the carcass of her house. She and Foggy left a little bit ago to go find the teenagers." She answered. "We need to find them emergency housing somewhere in the city, somewhere they'll be safe. Whoever was behind this - whoever is above that arsonist, cause I don't believe for a second he acted alone - could still pursue them. And now his friend could be wrapped up in this too…"
"Karen," Matt soothed. "Yes, there's a chance that whoever funds the man isn't done with them, but we need to worry about getting them somewhere for the night. Focus on that."
"Right." Karen sighed again. "Do you have any ideas?"
Matt bit his lip in thought, stretching his senses back out into his environment. He tilted his head in thought. Yeah, that could work.
"How soon can you get to FEAST?"
"FEAST?" She asked, surprised. There was a small beat. "Ten minutes, probably. I've got my car with me."
"And do you still have one of my spare suits in your trunk?"
Karen paused. "Where are you going with this?" She asked slowly.
He shrugged. "I'm thinking if two representatives from a respected law firm that aims to help the poor might be able to convince some homeless shelter volunteers to help them out," Matt swung his foot around, pacing in a slow circle. "At the very least, they could point us in the direction of someone who could help us out."
"Huh. That's actually not a bad idea." He could hear her smirk through the phone.
"So ten minutes?" He asked.
"Ten minutes. See you soon, Daredevil." She said just before she hung up.
Matt sighed, desperately wishing to run his hand through his hair. Instead, he just took a deep breath of the frigid Queens air. He stood for a moment, just breathing, trying to center himself, before re-entering the shelter. He didn't really want to disappear as Daredevil before he checked in with the hero. Spider-Man was definitely going through something tonight, and at the very least, Matt needed to offer a helping hand.
One of the people Gwen had ordered around was standing by the front desk, likely giving the receptionist a run down of the situation. The young woman at the desk bolted upright as soon as she saw Daredevil coming, and she poked the man's arm. He looked over at Matt as he approached, clearing his throat.
"Daredevil." The man greeted, nodding his head. "How can I help you?"
"Where's Spider-Man?" Matt asked, trying his best to look intimidating and casual at the same time.
The man sucked in a breath. He shared a look with the receptionist before turning back to Matt. "Upstairs," He pointed to a nearby stairwell. "Back by the kitchens. But, uh, word of advice? Knock first. That Stacy kid seriously inherited her father's aggression."
"Noted. Thanks," Matt nodded as he headed over to the stairs. He bounded up them two at a time, quickly turning around the corner, following the dissipating smell of an overused oven and dish soap to Spider-Man.
As he walked closer, he could hear a quiet conversation between Gwen and Spider-Man.
"So you took a bullet for this girl? Even though she was yelling at you?" Gwen asked quietly, a hint of humor in her voice. Spider-Man grunted his affirmation. "Why, though?"
"Because it's the right thing to do." He answered immediately. "Because she did nothing wrong. Because she was scared and probably overwhelmed. Because she's an innocent who doesn't deserve to get shot. Because-"
"Alright, I get it. You're a good person." She chuckled in response. "Honestly, with all that talk of helping people, I'm surprised you don't help out here sometimes. I mean, I know you have in the past, but you haven't really been around since May died."
"Says who?" Spider-Man replied in a somber yet playful tone. "Who says I'm not down here all the time?"
Gwen paused, likely pausing her stitches as well. "Huh?"
Matt decided this would be his best moment and knocked on the door. He heard Gwen sigh deeply and stand up. A moment later, she opened the door, staring up at Daredevil.
Matt smiled. "Um. Hi." He said awkwardly at the young woman.
She raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you, Daredevil?"
He was just about to speak when Spider-Man piped up. "Wait, Daredevil? Is that you?" He poked his head around the corner from where he was obscured by a curtain. Spider-Man tentatively waved at him.
"Can I come in?" Matt asked as he waved back at Spider-Man.
Gwen seemed to look between him and Spider-Man for a moment. Finally, she sighed and shrugged. "Sure. Just don't get in my way."
"Wasn't planning on it." He replied easily, following her into the makeshift medical room. The door heavily swung shut behind him, practically rattling the whole room. He looked at Spider-Man and smiled. "How are you feeling, kid?"
"Fine, I guess," Spider-Man shrugged as Gwen retook her chair, picking up the thread and starting in on his leg again. He winced as it passed through his skin. "Nothing I haven't been through before."
"You know, that really doesn't make me feel any better, Spider-Man," Matt replied, leaning against a pillar in the middle of the room. "You were pretty out of it on the way here."
"Think of it this way; if I were a normal human, this would've been a lot worse."
"That helps even less."
"Whatever." Spider-Man rolled his shoulders, seemingly tense at having to sit still for so long. "I'm surprised you're still here, though. Thought you would've bounced a while ago."
"Not after you got hurt like that," Matt replied easily. He felt an odd sort of kindred with the younger hero; being New York street vigilantes and all that. They wanted the same things, protected the same people. Two weird, enhanced peas in a pod, and Daredevil would be hard-pressed to leave the kid to fend for himself against something like this. "Can't just abandon my friend."
"Your friend?" Spider-Man sounded oddly hopeful.
"Yeah. My friend," Matt confirmed, politely ignoring the subtle spike in Spider-Man's heart. Just another mystery to add to the pile. "But I'm here now because I do have to leave, take care of a few other things, and I wanted to check in."
"Oh. Well, thanks for that, DD. But I'm fine. You're good to go when you need to." Spider-Man said, leaning back onto his hands.
"You're okay?" Matt asked one more time.
"I'm okay. It's nothing I can't walk off."
"Kid, we are really gonna need to work on that kind of thing," Matt smiled at him. "Can you meet me tomorrow night? Same place we ran into each other tonight?"
He could almost see Spider-Man blinking in confusion. "Why?"
"Work on that whole… situation we got ourselves into earlier." He focused on Gwen, who seemed fully uninterested in their conversation. If she was paying any attention, she was doing a really good job of hiding it.
"Oh. I, um- that's really nice." Spider-Man said sheepishly. "Yeah. I can meet up tomorrow. 9?"
"9. See you then, SM." Daredevil gave a lazy salute as he pushed himself off the pillar.
"See ya, DD." Spider-Man smiled back.
Matt nodded, heading to the door. "Thank you, too, Gwen."
"Of course, Daredevil," She turned to him, and for the first time, he didn't feel like she was frustrated by his presence. "I'm just doing my job."
With that, Matt opened the door and left the med bay, easily walking back to the entrance of FEAST. He gave a brief wave to the remaining volunteers circling around the receptionist's desk as he headed out.
As soon as he stepped outside, Karen's text tone chimed. He didn't even need to play it to know what to do; he rushed across the street and into the adjacent alley. When he emerged on the other side, he found Karen leaning against her sudan, the trunk popped to show off his wrinkled clothes.
"I can't believe you still have those," Matt said as he pulled off his mask.
"As if I'd never need them?" Karen stood up straight, crossing her arms. "I'd rather be prepared for any of your ridiculousness than get any of us in a mess thanks to your antics."
"Antics?" Matt huffed, dropping his helmet and gloves into the trunk. "Is that what you call me stopping crime?"
"Frankly, Matt, 'antics' is the nicest word I use." She smiled, ruffling his hair. He grimaced, flattening it back down before he started taking off the main part of his suit.
Giving him the illusion of privacy, Karen rounded the car, pulling out her bag. She riffled through it for a minute before shutting the car and heading for the mouth of the alley.
"Not gonna wait for me?" Matt asked.
"Not right now, at least," She replied, turning back around to face him. "I'm gonna head in there and talk to Spider-Man."
"What?" Matt nearly dropped his billy club on the ground. "Why?"
"Because, he was a witness to the circumstances tonight, and his testimony could help us figure out the who, the how, and the why," Her heart picked up a bit of speed. "Besides, the people at FEAST are fantastic. You won't need me there to get help for the Batalons."
Matt ignored his sudden suspicion. He learned long ago to just trust Karen. "It would look best if both of us were there." He pulled his glasses out of his utility belt, sliding them onto his nose as he raised an eyebrow at Karen.
"Then you can call me. I'll be right upstairs. But I need to talk to Spider-Man." She insisted.
Matt sighed, deciding it was better to give up on this. "Sounds good, Karen. Be safe. Let me know if you need anything."
Karen nodded, humming, and turned around, walking down the alley with a quick but elegant stride.
"How fast did you say you heal again?" Gwen asked as she cut off the remaining thread and reached for the bandages.
"Very." Peter responded, not really wanting to get any more specific than that. After rushing to save his old friends, getting yelled at by MJ, and getting shot, he was kind of at the end of his rope. He really just wanted to get back to his apartment and collapse in bed. Sometimes, he really wished he hibernated like actual spiders did.
"Fine, then," Gwen chuckled as she wrapped his leg. "Then don't put much pressure on the leg until you can't feel the stitches through the bandage anymore. I have no idea how long that'll be, but whatever. No pressure, no superheroing, no aggravating it. Getting shot isn't nothing."
"It's not nothing to you, maybe." Peter shrugged as Gwen cut off the white fabric, smoothing it down. "I'm kind of a different animal."
"No kidding." Gwen smiled, looking him in the eye as she pushed her hair behind her ear.
Aside from May, Gwen was one of his favorite things about FEAST. She had been volunteering at FEAST since the day the doors opened, wanting to help people displaced by the Blip. She was lucky enough to not only survive, but her family wasn't really affected by any of the aftermath aside from a couple token things, so she wanted to spread her good fortune.
She was probably the one person who was excited to find out that Peter was Spider-Man. She gushed about it for days, geeking out about all the genetics and science stuff in a way only Tony really did. In the months between Mysterio and the Goblin, they had gotten to be pretty close friends.
Then everything was reset, and he was back to square one. Sure, Peter still tried to be friends with her, but there was none of that easy connection that used to be there. He was pretty sure she didn't see him as Peter, the hero who helped build this place from the ground up, but as Peter, the obviously lonely teenager who helped out on weekends just to get a hot meal.
The kind of Gwen he was seeing right now? It felt like he was back before the Battle of Lady Liberty, sitting here with his friend, joking around and bantering. He felt more like her equal than he did whenever he volunteered.
Like it did with everything else in his life, his mask made things both way easier and way harder.
"Well, SM," She giggled at the nickname Daredevil called him. "You're good to go whenever. You just have to swing home; no walking, or running after criminals, or whatever people like you tend to do."
"Right. Thanks for everything, Gwen." He smiled as he hopped off the table, balancing easily on his good leg.
There was another knock at the door. Gwen rolled her eyes and crossed the room to get it. For a moment, Peter briefly hoped Daredevil had come back.
But his heart began spasming when Gwen opened the door to reveal Karen Page standing there.
"Hi there. Karen Page, private investigator, Nelson, Murdock & Page." She held her hand out for Gwen to shake. "Are you alright if I interview Spider-Man really quick? He may have some relevant information to my current case."
"And what case is that?" Gwen asked skeptically, idly shifting her body between Peter and Karen.
"Actually, miss, my partner, Matt Murdock, is going to fill you in on the details. He'll be here shortly. Are you in charge here?" Karen asked politely, not taking her kind eyes off of Gwen.
"As in charge as it gets," Gwen replied.
"Great. Well then, if you're alright, I'd like to speak to Spider-Man one on one." Karen finally looked up at him and smiled. Peter felt his stomach plummet through the floor.
"Spider-Man?" Gwen turned to him, compassion hidden behind her tough exterior.
He sighed. There was no way he was getting out of this. "It's alright, Gwen. I'll talk to her." He relented, sitting back down on the gurney.
Gwen nodded. "Let me know if either of you need anything." She said flatly, stepping around Karen and out of the room.
The door slammed shut, leaving Peter and Karen alone.
"Do you mind if I take the seat next to you?" Karen asked, willing to let Peter call the shots.
He waved a hand at the crappy old roller chair. "Be my guest."
"Thanks." She smiled at him as she made her way to the seat, setting her briefcase on the floor next to it and pulling out a nearly full yellow notepad. "How's the leg?" She asked as she sat, pulling a pen out of her pocket.
"Oh, it'll be fine. It's not like I've never been shot before." He responded dryly.
"You know, that's a really concerning thing to say." Karen half smiled, half cringed.
"Funny enough, Daredevil said the same thing."
"Did he?" Karen looked at him curiously.
"Uh, yes?" Peter was feeling more uneasy by the second. "Um, how long do you think this is going to take? I've got things I need to do tomorrow."
"Do you really think you should come into work after a wound like that?" Karen asked, her tone more sympathetic than anything else.
Peter shrugged. "Money's money. Even superheroes gotta eat. Besides, I heal fast."
"How fast?"
"That's classified." Peter said immediately, causing Karen to smile a bit. "What did you want to ask?"
That look Karen had on her face earlier came back, though it seemed a little more muddled. "First and foremost, what happened tonight, Spider-Man?"
Peter opened his mouth to answer, but he hesitated. He was only going to cover what happened with Ned and MJ, since that's probably what she was here for. But he remembered the conversation they'd had, where she explained the firm's involvement with the Punisher. She would know about that better than anyone else, and she would know what to do. Honestly, Karen was probably the only person he should ever breathe a word of this to.
So, he started from the beginning. From the moment he caught up to the Punisher at the Maggia meeting, right up until Daredevil hauled him into FEAST. It was a long story, and Peter didn't really spare any details, so he ended up talking for a while. Karen didn't interrupt, just taking notes and nodding along. Karen was attentive, letting him lead the conversation. Somehow, he forgot how easy it was to talk to her.
"Do you think the Punisher and the arsonist have a pre-existing connection?" Karen asked after he finished his story.
Peter shook his head, standing up to balance on his one good foot. "I don't think so? There's nothing pointing that way, so no." He hobbled over to the water cooler in the middle of the room, grabbing one of the little paper cones and filling it to the brim.
"Then why mention the Punisher at all?" She questioned.
He rolled up the mouth of his mask to take a drink. "Because I remember the court case from years ago, and that you and your colleagues were involved. I figured you'd want to be aware of his activity, just in case it affects you guys."
Karen nodded. She bit her lip, staring down at her notes uneasily. Peter felt a little unnerved by the intensity of her look and found himself glad he wasn't the subject of it. After a long beat, she took a deep breath and put the pad and the pen on the table next to her. She looked back up at Peter, her eyes full of sympathy and care. "Can I tell you something?"
"Uh, sure." Peter held the cup up to his lips.
Karen smiled. A genuine, kind smile. There was a spark in her eye, simultaneously serious and mischievous. "If I see you in the office at all tomorrow, I will personally drive you back to your apartment and tie you down to your bed, Peter. You really shouldn't be at work after tonight."
He choked, easily crushing the paper cone in his fingers in his surprise.