Hell's Kitchen was living up to its name in the beginning of August. The heat and humidity were turned up like a sauna and made it hard to breathe during the hottest times of the day. Those without air conditioning would try to find relief anyway they could.
Fogwell's gym had the lights off, every window and door open and fans running constantly to try to dissipate the heat but it only did so much. The guys would work out in the morning and evening while spending the afternoon sitting out front with cold drinks just like the rest of the neighborhood.
Matt had quickly changed into a t-shirt and shorts after church Sunday afternoon and headed to the gym. Fogwell greeted him with a hug and an icy bottle and filled him in on the latest debate the guys were having. Matt was about to unleash his own opinion on the greatest sports team of all time when something caught his attention. A scream followed by running and a panicked heartbeat that was getting closer. He absently handed his drink to Fogwell and got off the steps, tracking the small, rapid steps and racing heart.
Fogwell knew Matt well enough to know when heard something that no one else did. "Matty? Where ya going?" Fogwell called out to him.
"Something I gotta do," Matt called back absently.
The person running was being followed by at least two others. The one running away was trying to lose the others so they were going down streets haphazardly. Matt took a leap of faith and hoped he turned down the right street. Maybe he could intercept the one running away and get them to safety and deal with the ones chasing them.
The panicked heartbeat roared in Matt's ears as a girl ran straight into him. He wrapped his arms around her to try to steady her but she tried to push him away.
"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help," Matt tried to soothe her as she struggled against him.
The girl stopped fighting the boy who was holding her. "These three guys are after me. They tried to take my bag but I shoved them off and ran. I've been trying to lose them and got lost."
"Go around the corner to Fogwell's gym and ask for Mr. Fogwell. I promise you that you'll be safe there and no one will hurt you. I'll meet you there in just a bit," Matt told her gently.
"What are you going to do?" she asked cautiously.
"I'm going to put trash where it belongs. Now go. I hear them coming."
The girl thanked Matt and ran around the corner to the gym he described. She saw a bunch of somewhat rough looking guys sitting out front and hoped that one of them was the one she was looking for. "I'm looking for Mr. Fogwell," she asked, out of breath.
Fogwell stood up and walked over to the shaken girl. "That's me. What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked as he walked her over to sit down.
"I just literally ran into this guy around the corner. I told him that three guys were chasing me and he told me to come here and he was going to put the trash where it belonged. He said I would be safe here and he would be right back."
Fogwell listened to the frazzled girl and he knew exactly who she ran into. "He was right. No one will harm you here. No one is gettin' past my boys," Fogwell reassured her as he crouched down in front of her. "Rocco, take two guys with you and get eyes on Matty. He may need some back up," Fogwell instructed one of the guys before turning back to the girl. "What's your name, sweetheart? Those guys didn't hurt you, did they?"
"Jen. Jen Walters. No, I ran before they could."
Fogwell smiled. "We'll get this sorted out. Can I get you something to drink? Do you need to call anyone?"
Jen nodded. "I was supposed to meet up with my cousin when those guys came up on me. As I ran away from them, I got all turned around and got lost."
Fogwell handed Jen a bottle of water and sat down next to her. "Don't worry. We'll make sure you get back to your cousin safely."
A few minutes later, Matt came back to the gym with the guys Fogwell sent behind him. He was a little roughed up and tense but didn't appear to be too worse for wear. It was easy to track the smell of orange blossoms among a sea of gym sweat. He smiled. "Are you alright?"
Jen smiled at the guy who had quite literally came to her rescue. "I'm good now. Thank you."
Matt visibly relaxed. "You're welcome. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner. I'm Matt. Matt Murdock."
Jen smiled. "Jen Walters and I'm very pleased to meet you. Can I ask what happened to those guys?"
Matt laughed. "Just as I said. I put the trash where it belongs...in the dumpster. Maybe they'll learn some manners and that they shouldn't be going after people."
Fogwell looked over to the other guys for confirmation and Rocco just nodded his head and then back at Matt. Fogwell could see it as clear as day that Matt was quickly becoming infatuated with this girl and he would not deny that it warmed his old heart. "Matty, Miss Walters here was supposed to be meeting up with her cousin before all this ugliness happened."
"I'd be honored to take you back if you wish," Matt quickly jumped in.
"I'd really like that," Jen agreed as she got up. "I really want to thank all of you."
"It was our pleasure. We'll leave you to Matty's capable hands," Fogwell said warmly.
"Are you ready?" Matt asked as he picked up his folded up cane and held out his hand. "Where are you supposed to meet your cousin?"
Jen noticed the white cane in Matt's hand and then saw the dark glasses he was wearing. A blind man just saved her. So many questions followed that statement that she hoped she would get answers to. "Stark Tower...well, I guess they call it Avengers Tower now," she said as she took his hand, warm and rough in her own.
"I know where that is. You really did get off the yellow brick road," Matt exclaimed. "I'll just need your help with the street signs."
"I think I can do that," Jen confirmed as she started to walk with Matt. "Anything else I can help with?"
"Just don't let me run into a wall or fall into traffic," Matt laughed. "I hope you don't mind me asking but given the location of where we're going...who is your cousin?"
"Dr. Bruce Banner," Jen said with ease.
Matt swallowed hard at that statement. "The Hulk? I guess I need to be on my best behavior."
Jen squeezed his hand to reassure him. "Bruce is actually a really nice guy. Kinda funny too. He's got a good lid on the Other Guy. I don't see you pushing his buttons too much."
"I just don't want to get on the bad side of a guy who took out aliens, smashed that Loki guy and kind of wrecked Harlem with a bigger, uglier version from what I was told."
"The only thing you have to be concerned with is that Bruce may be a little over protective of me while I'm visiting. My dad worries."
"Where are you visiting from?" Matt asked.
"LA. I'm in law school at UCLA. A little down time before the final year."
"Trust me. I understand that completely. My best friend and I are going into our final year of law school at Columbia."
Jen made a little hum of appreciation. "Helpful, good looking, Ivy League law school student and takes out the trash. How lucky can a girl get?"
Matt blushed a bit at all the praise Jen lavished on him.
Jen smiled when she saw the smile on Matt's lips. "And he's humble too."
Matt smiled more. "My best friend may debate you on that one...or his girlfriend might."
"I will welcome all challenges," Jen laughed but then she noticed a shift in Matt's smile. It began to fall a bit. "Doesn't anyone ever give you a compliment?"
"Only a few are ever sincere," Matt admitted as he squeezed her hand a little more. "Most of them have ulterior motives. That's why the honest ones mean so much more to me."
"How can you tell?" Jen asked as she stopped walking.
Matt smiled. "Their heart tells me so. Just like I know that yours is racing as much as mine is right now."
Jen blushed at Matt's honesty and then she looked where they stopped. They were in front of an enormous skyscraper with a huge 'A' on the side of it. Avengers Tower. She didn't want this to end just yet. "Would you like to come up and meet my cousin and maybe some of the others?"
Matt paused to make sure he heard that right. "Meet some of the Avengers? Of course. It also means I get to enjoy your company longer."
Jen tapped the code she was given to the door and took Matt's hand as it opened to take him inside.
"Good afternoon, Miss Walters. Welcome back."
"Hello JARVIS. Would you please tell me where I can find my cousin?" Jen asked.
"Who are you talking to?" Matt asked quietly since he wasn't picking up on anyone else around them.
"JARVIS. He's Tony Stark's AI and he runs everything in the building that Pepper Potts doesn't. Don't worry. It took me a bit to get used to it as well," Jen whispered.
"Dr. Banner is currently in the lab with Mr. Stark."
"Could you please warn them that we are on the way up? Thank you, JARVIS," Jen said as she led Matt to the elevator.
"This is astounding but all the glass and electronics is making it hard for me to track where I am," Matt admitted. "The sound doesn't bounce the same and there's a constant buzz."
"Don't worry. You got me here and now I've got you," Jen reassured him.
When the elevator door opened, Matt's senses were flooded with chemical smells and electronics and the smell of blueberries. Once he refocused, he caught the heartbeats of the other two in the room, one significantly calmer than the other.
"Hey Fuzzball! We were expecting you back a little sooner. What happened?" Bruce asked as he came around to give Jen a hug.
"Ran into a little situation, got lost and quite literally ran into Matt here. He helped me out and was thoughtful enough to bring me back," Jen explained, editing out some of the more horrible details. "Matt Murdock, meet my cousin, Bruce Banner."
Matt caught the uptick in Bruce's heartbeat as Jen explained but it quickly settled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Banner," Matt said as he extended his hand in what he hoped was the right direction.
Bruce took note that Matt had yet to remove his dark sunglasses inside and when he offered his hand, it was just off from where he was but he wouldn't say anything. He noticed how much Jen was holding his hand. She wasn't guiding him. It was affectionate. "Nice to meet you, Matt. Thanks for helping out Fuzzball here."
"It was my pleasure," Matt said warmly as he turned back to Jen. "I'm glad she ran into me."
Jen blushed about six shades of pink when Matt looked at her and almost forgot about the other one in the room who was swearing under his breath. "And the one who is over there covered in oil with his hand up the ass of some machine is Tony Stark."
"Hey Gidget. I let you in here. That doesn't mean you get to rag on my stuff," Tony said as he slid out from under from his Iron Man suit. "Sounds like your boy is pretty handy to have around. What do you do, Rocky?" he asked, taking note of the 'Fogwell's Gym' t-shirt that Matt was wearing.
"I'm a law student at Columbia," Matt replied. He heard both men stop breathing for a moment. Seemed like they weren't expecting that answer.
"Tony, you should get these two both on retainer before others snatch them up," Bruce suggested.
"I can always use more really good lawyers, especially smart ones. Gidget and I can discuss it later."
"And with that, I'll leave you boys to play with your toys," Jen said as she took Matt back to the elevator.
"Why does he call you Gidget?" Matt whispered as they left.
"Only California surfer girl he knew?" Jen shrugged.
"Do you surf?" Matt asked.
Jen laughed. "Not a bit."
The elevator ride was too short. "I'd really like to spend more time with you," Matt blurted out as the door opened.
"I'd really like that too."
"How about I pick you up tomorrow? We could have breakfast and spend the day together?" Matt suggested.
"Sounds wonderful. What time?" Jen agreed.
"You name it, I'll be there. I mean if you want to see the sunrise, I'll be here. I'll be tired but I'll be here."
"As much as watching the sun rise sounds fun, I think eight is more reasonable," Jen suggested.
Matt lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I'll meet you here at eight tomorrow morning."
Jen felt her insides turn to goo when Matt kissed her hand. "How are you going to get back to the gym? Maybe I can get you a ride?"
"I'm good. I've got this," Matt said as he unfolded his cane and pulled out his phone. "I look forward to tomorrow. Until then."
As Matt walked away, he dialed Foggy.
"Hey buddy. What's up?"
"Is it possible that you can pick me up at Grand Central?" Matt asked.
"Sure. What are you doing there?" Foggy asked.
"You're not going to believe the day I've had."