Charlotte knew that if Matt was working late then that meant that Foggy would be too and probably Karen since they'd hired her. Matt had insisted that Charlotte go home and get some rest, but she didn't want to rest. What she wanted was Matt at home with her, the two of them on the sofa and chatting about their days. She'd gone back and showered, changing out of her work dress and tugging on a pair of jeans and Matt's sweatshirt with Columbia written across the chest. She rolled the sleeves up and stood in the doorway of the bedroom and living room. It was dark and cold.

She figured she could try and relax, but instead she went out, slipping her sneakers on and heading to the Chinese takeaway in between the apartment and Matt's new office. She ordered plenty of food and carried the white plastic bags the remaining blocks to the office. Stepping into the building, she climbed the stairs and knocked on the door before letting herself in.

The lights were on, but one of the fluorescent tubes was broken. She stepped into the space and looked to Foggy's office where the three of them were all gathered. Karen was stood up, arms folded and wearing a sleeveless white blouse tucked into a black skirt. Matt and Foggy were still in their suits with ties undone and laptop open in front of them. Charlotte moved to the door and smiled.

"Hope I'm not interrupting," she said and Matt turned his sightless gaze in her direction.

"What're you doing back here?" Matt wondered and Charlotte held the bag up.

"Figured you could do with dinner if you're going to work late," she said to them and placed the bag of food down on the desk. "I might've ordered far too much, but I figured it was better than not having enough. Plus, at least you then have leftovers."

"You know, this is why I prefer your girlfriend over you," Foggy commented and Matt chuckled and moved to his feet as Foggy dug into the bag and began pulling the cartons out. Reaching for Charlotte, Matt moved a hand to her hip and leant in to kiss her quickly. "She even bought spring rolls…Charlotte, did you fall from heaven?"

"I think she might've, but then again, I am pretty biased," Matt said and Charlotte rolled her eyes at his comment as she folded her arms over her chest. "You didn't need to do that, sweetheart."

"No, but I wanted to," Charlotte said.

"I'll get some water," Karen quickly said. "Charlotte…can I get you a glass?"

"Yeah, stay and eat with us," Foggy said, already chewing down on a roll and slumping back into his seat.

"I don't want to disturb you from working."

"We need a break anyway," Karen assured her as she threw her a smile and moved off towards the small kitchen to gather some glasses of water.

Charlotte looked to Matt and he just nodded his head once, kissing the side of her head and grabbing a chair from the corner of the room. He placed it down next to his own and Charlotte sat down before Matt did the same. Karen came back in and set out four glasses of water that she'd managed to carry into the room. She took a seat next to Foggy and Charlotte handed Matt his usual order and a pair of chopsticks before she picked up a carton of pan-fried noodles.

"So, Charlotte, Matt tells us that you're enjoying working at the gallery?" Foggy started making conversation, lowering the lid to his laptop.

"It's good," Charlotte said to him. "Vanessa, the owner, she's giving me some more responsibility and she's even telling me that I should look into college courses in the evening."

"You're an artist?" Karen wondered.

"I wouldn't say artist," Charlotte shook her head.

"She's being modest," Foggy replied. "I saw her stuff when she painted in college. She was amazing."

"Why did you stop?" Karen wondered and Matt shifted uncomfortably in his seat, ready to jump in if he sensed Charlotte didn't want to answer. But she didn't give him a chance to speak.

"When I got married, I stopped," Charlotte said to her. "Jonathan, my ex-husband, didn't entirely like the idea of me painting. He didn't see it as a proper career and he needed me at home and travelling with him. I gave it up because I didn't think I was good enough. When you're told you're not good enough over and over again, it begins to feel like it."

Foggy watched as Matt turned his sightless gaze onto Charlotte and he saw his friend's face soften at the sight of her. He looked like he was upset and Foggy guessed there was a reason for that. He suspected a part of Matt blamed himself for what had happened to Charlotte because he'd pushed her away. She'd been the one who had never wanted space from him, but Matt had insisted on it. Foggy never understood it himself. He could see that Charlotte was besotted with Matt.

"But, that's in the past," Charlotte replied. "It's all in the past and I've moved on…so even though I might be going to art classes, I'm not an artist."

"What is it you do? Paint? Sketch?" Karen wondered.

"I paint," Charlotte answered. "I tend to paint landscapes. I've never been good at portraits. I practiced once on Matt, but it looked horrific."

"Thankfully I couldn't see," Matt said and they all laughed at that as Charlotte glanced over to him, seeing the way his lips tugged upwards in a warm smile and he focused on her. Charlotte placed her carton of food down and reached for the glass of water. "But I have been assured by numerous people that Charlotte is talented and I'm not going to stop nagging her until she applies for a college course."

"I'm going to," Charlotte promised him. "I just need to find the right one and the right time. Things have been a whirlwind in recent weeks."

"You can say that again," Karen agreed with her on that point. "And that's why I want to apologise to you."

"Whatever for?" Charlotte wondered, picking her tub of noodles up again and grabbing them with her chopsticks.

"I could've put you in danger when I stayed with you and Matt the other week," Karen said. "Plus I gate crashed and intruded on your space…and I just wanted to say I'm sorry for that and thank you so much for understanding."

"You don't need to apologise," Charlotte promised her. "Trust me, I know what it's like to feel alone and have no one fighting your corner…and if we helped…well, Matt helped, then nothing else matters. Please, don't feel like you need to apologise to me. There's no need at all."

"I told you she's understanding," Matt tacked on.

"Even so, I still wanted to get you something," Karen said and she moved to her feet and rushed off to her desk. Charlotte shook her head, but her lips arched upwards as she felt a sense of warmth flow through her for Karen Page.

"I told her she didn't need to," Matt whispered to Charlotte as Karen came back in with a small gift bag. She handed it over to Charlotte who peered into the contents.

"Gummy bears and bath salts," Charlotte spoke more for Matt's sake.

"Matt mentioned you had a sweet tooth and I figured you could do with relaxing," Karen said and took her seat once more.

"Both very accurate statements," Charlotte agreed with her and placed the bag on the desk. "Thank you, Karen. You didn't need to do that, but I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, well I appreciate you being so understanding. I doubt many partners literally bring their work home with them," Karen said and Foggy laughed at that.

"Matt and Charlotte were raised Catholic. They'd never turn their back on someone who needed them."

"Are you both practicing?" Karen wondered.

Matt snorted. "I think we both try our best but we're not exactly the perfect example of Catholics. Trust me, the nuns would sometimes think we were the devil reincarnated when we were at the orphanage."

"That's only because Matt would get into scraps with anyone who said something he didn't like," Charlotte tacked on.

"Most of the time I was trying to defend you because you couldn't stop winding Bully Billy up," Matt reminded her. "Besides, I seem to recall that it was you who would push the nuns with your questioning of everything we were taught…not to mention you used to play Billy Joel on repeat and wind them up."

"I'm blaming the hormones," Charlotte said.

"Is that why his ringtone is Uptown Girl?" Karen wondered.

"Exactly!" Foggy said excitedly and clicked his fingers. "See how sickening the two of them are together? It's infuriating. His girlfriend is a talented artist who brings him Chinese food and she would always bake mac and cheese when she visited us. Seriously, I think if he wasn't so handsome then maybe I'd have a shot."

Matt laughed at that and Charlotte smiled widely, leaning back in her chair and finishing a mouthful of food while Matt responded.

"You saying she's only with me for my looks?" Matt wondered from his friend.

"Well, I am the funnier and smarter partner in Nelson and Murdock," Foggy said.

"If you say so, Foggy," Matt retorted.

The four of them lapsed into conversation for the next half-an-hour before Charlotte said that she should get back and leave them to it. She hugged Karen and thanked her for the gift before embracing Foggy and telling him to come over for dinner soon, inviting Karen as well but only if she wanted to come. Matt listened in and a part of him wondered if it could stay as easy as this did for a while longer.

"I'll walk you to catch a cab," Matt said, hand on the small of her back and he moved with her down the steps to the main door, holding it open as the sound of the city blared behind him.

The two of them stood in the doorway of the quiet street, Charlotte facing Matt and moving a hand into his, fingers lacing against his. "I have my own ringtone, huh?" she checked with him.

"It was a toss up between Uptown Girl and Big Shot," Matt said and Charlotte laughed. "Figured I'd go with Uptown Girl."

"And you're not even mad about being teased about it?"

"Honestly? I quite enjoy being teased about it," Matt told her. "There's nothing that could make me mad when it comes to you, Lottie."

"You're so smooth, you know that?"

"I try my best," Matt said and he felt her drop his hand and wrap her arms around his neck. He moved his own arms around her waist, drawing her closer to him until she was stood on her toes and he could press his lips against hers. He kissed her chastely for a brief moment before pulling back, forehead resting against hers. "I'll try and get home tonight, but I don't know what time."

"Just try and get some sleep, okay? You can't go to trial on no sleep," Charlotte urged from him.

"I know," Matt said. "Hopefully we'll be another couple of hours and nothing more. Don't wait up though."

"I'm going to go home and have a bath with those bath salts and eat the gummy bears," Charlotte told him and she saw the way his face seemed to light up. He smiled widely and Charlotte frowned, running a hand down to sit against the tie on his chest, playing with the knot. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Matt said, "I just like the fact that you call it home."

"Is that too soon?"

"Not soon enough," Matt retorted. "It is your home, sweetheart. I never want you to think it's not."

"Then maybe I should start paying some rent, huh?"

"We can work out the finer details at some point," Matt assured her. "Come on, let's find a cab and text me when you're back, alright?"

Matt reached down and took hold of her hand. She led him a few steps down the sidewalk before she hailed a cab and it pulled over. Matt opened the back door for her and she gave him one final kiss before she climbed into the back of it. Matt shut the door and waited until the cab had drove off down the street before he headed back inside, already longing to follow Charlotte home.

…

Matt had come home, but it had gone about two in the morning before he climbed into bed next to Charlotte. He had tried not to wake her, but she had stirred for a few moments. He'd shushed her and told her to go back to sleep and she'd happily obliged. She'd woken before Matt and had dressed as quickly and quietly as she could. She knew he had to be in court and so she didn't let him sleep in, but she tried to leave it until last minute. She carried a plate of toast back to the bedroom along with a cup of coffee. Setting it down on the bedside table next to Matt, she perched on the edge of the mattress, curling her legs beneath her.

"Matty," she nudged him in the arm softly.

He grumbled and she guessed that he was already awake but trying to doze. Bending down, Charlotte kissed his bare shoulder, her hair tickling his arm as it hung over her face.

"It's gone seven thirty," she mumbled against his skin and Matt grunted again and rolled onto his back, eyes still closed. "I made coffee and toast."

"I can smell it," Matt said, voice hoarse and low.

"I didn't burn it so that's something," Charlotte said and Matt chuckled at that comment and he heard her pick a slice up and chew down on it. He tried to wake himself up, but his body was exhausted. He was drained and he longed for more sleep. He knew that wasn't going to happen if he had to be in court. He forced himself to sit up, resting his back against the pillows and the headboard.

Charlotte glanced over his bare torso and looked at the bandage that was pressed against his stomach. "Can I?" she wondered from Matt as she moved a hand to the edge of the bandage. Matt nodded his head and reached for a slice of toast, biting down on the crust.

Adjusting herself on the bed, Charlotte knelt on the mattress and pulled the bandage from his skin, seeing him wince but not audibly complain. The wound still looked irritated and the bandage had some blood on it. Charlotte let out a sigh and reached into Matt's bedside drawer for a clean bandage and the anti-infection spray she'd picked up when she'd cleaned up earlier.

"I'll put a fresh bandage on it," Charlotte told him. "But can you just try not to strain yourself too much."

"There's not too much physical fighting in court," Matt said and took another mouthful of toast. "You'll be pleased to know that I intend on coming back tonight. I think the trial might last most of the day."

"How did prep go last night?" Charlotte wondered, sorting the wound out and then bandaging him back up.

"Fine," Matt replied. "I mean, the Wi-Fi is shocking and I'm not entirely sure how we're going to get this guy off considering his story isn't exactly solid."

"But they're relying on you to get him off?" Charlotte checked with him, making sure the plaster was firm against his skin and covering the whole wound. "I mean, is he really that important to these guys?"

"He must be if they're paying us so much to get him off," Matt replied. "And they have paid us already…handsomely, I may add. Thankfully, it means we can keep the lights on for a few more months."

"Why do I sense you're not entirely happy about that?" Charlotte wondered.

"I just don't like the idea of being involved with people like that," Matt said. "I know that something corrupt is going on…and I know I want to get to the bottom of it, but I don't like the fact he brought your name up, Lottie."

"I know, but I'll be okay," Charlotte said, but she wasn't entirely sure if that was the truth. She just knew that she was going to be there for Matt. "Just do what you can, alright? But be careful…I don't need any more injuries like that, got it?"

"Got it," Matt said.

Charlotte leaned in and pecked him quickly on the lips. "I've got to go," she said. "I'm opening up this morning…but good luck in court and call me when you're done, alright? I'll cook dinner."

"You don't need to."

"I want to," she said and he heard her move around the room, tugging her sneakers onto her feet and shrugging into her coat. She picked up another slice of toast and he kissed her again quickly before she turned on her heel and rushed to the door. She took hold of her bag and keys, unlocking the door. "Love you!" she called back to him.

"Love you too," Matt called back to her and he had to admit that he would never tire of hearing her say that to him.

….

"Do you remember that guy who wanted the gallery closing?"

Charlotte had been moving around the vast open space with the clipboard, taking stock of everything they had and what needed to be shipped in the next week. Vanessa was walking with her, coffee cup in hand. It was a relatively quiet morning and so the two of them had spent time catching up on some admin that they'd fallen behind on.

"I do," Charlotte said. "I'm going to courier the piece to him first thing tomorrow once it's wrapped and ready to go."

"Great…but it's not just about that," Vanessa said. "He came back here and he asked me on a date."

"Did he?" Charlotte asked, her lip curling upwards as Vanessa took a sip of her coffee. "And what did you say?"

"I said yes," Vanessa said to her. "He seems…I don't know…different to any other man I've dated, which I guess might not be a bad thing considering the usual type that I go for haven't exactly worked out."

"That's so exciting," Charlotte said and crossed something off on the list. "So…what does he seem like if he's different to your usual type…or is this crossing some line considering you're my boss?"

Vanessa chuckled at that point. "I'll allow it," she decided on saying. "Besides, it's not as if I have any other employees or many friends to talk with about this kind of thing. Men aren't exactly something I've prioritised in my life. I find relationships difficult to maintain and there have been men who don't entirely like the fact that I'm a successful businesswoman. I figured if I was going to meet someone then I wasn't going to rush to find them."

"I get it," Charlotte said. "Dating can be exhausting. Granted, I haven't done it in a long time, but from what I remember it isn't exactly a picnic."

"It's horrible," Vanessa confirmed. "But Wilson seemed nice when he came in here. He's some wealthy businessman, or so I gather, and he knew about art. He was interested and didn't pretend to be interested just to get my number."

"And where is he taking you?"

"For dinner," Vanessa said. "I think it's some fancy restaurant somewhere."

"Very nice," Charlotte said.

"It feels like a typical first date thing," Vanessa waved a hand. "Where did Matt take you on your first date?"

"Good question," Charlotte said. "I don't really think me and Matt ever had a first date. We've known each other since we were kids and growing up we were friends…I think it only became romantic when were seventeen and even then it wasn't typical romance. It was more…hormonal…I guess."

"Friends with benefits?"

"For want of a better phrase," Charlotte confessed. "We'd get dinner together, but it was never anything serious or what we classed as a date."

"And since you've been back together?"

"It's hard to find time for dates," Charlotte said. "With Matt starting up the business, we struggle for time…but we occasionally manage to go out for dinner and have walks around Central Park. Plus, every Friday night he buys me cheesecake from this place where we used to go when we were teenagers. He just…it's not big, romantic grand gestures with Matt. It's the small things he does to make me happy because he knows what I like and that's how I know he cares."

"He seems besotted."

"Not sure he's besotted, but I love him," Charlotte simply said. "Anyway, enough of me. When is this date of yours?"

The two of them spent another ten minutes talking about the date and dating before Charlotte went into the stock room and sorted out some deliveries as Vanessa dealt with front of house business. The day went relatively quickly with different tasks to do before they locked up for the day. Charlotte took her phone from her bag once she'd parted ways with Vanessa and she called Matt.

"Lottie, sweetheart," he answered.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Just had some business to deal with," Matt said to her. "One of the jurors was being blackmailed. I had to sort it."

"Are you hurt?"

"The guy wasn't exactly difficult to deal with. There's not a scratch on me," Matt promised her. "They had a video on her from when she was just a young woman…something she'd prefer for her kids not to see."

"Ah," Charlotte said and she waited to cross the road. "And they were blackmailing her to go with not guilty for your client?"

"That's exactly it," Matt said. "I'm on the way home now though. Are you heading back?"

"I just left. We worked a bit late tonight. I'll swing by the store and grab some groceries," Charlotte assured him.

"Or…we could just order pizza?" Matt suggested.

"We had takeout last night as well."

"Well, I'd rather spend the night with you on the sofa than cooking in the kitchen. I'll even throw a bottle of wine in to sweeten the deal," Matt told her and Charlotte chuckled, adjusting the satchel on her shoulder.

"You're a very persuasive lawyer, Murdock," she relented. "But okay. I'll be home soon."

"Be careful."

"You too."

"See you shortly, sweetheart."

"Bye, Matty."

Charlotte hung up and dropped her bag back into her phone. She finally crossed the road and kept on walking down the street among the crowd until it began thinning out as she got closer to home. She tugged her coat tighter around her body and stuffed her hands into her pockets.

"Nice to see you again, Mrs Jonas."

Charlotte looked up and saw him stood there. It was the man who had been in Matt's office. It was the man who had made him take this case. It was the man who had tried to blackmail her over keeping quiet about her husband.

"It's Daniels now," Charlotte retorted. "The divorce was finalised."

"Of course," he said with a smirk.

He was dressed in a smart three-piece suit with a woollen coat hanging open around his frame. He held the back door of the car open and Charlotte felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest.

"I'm not going with you."

"It's funny you think you have a choice," the man replied. "I just want to talk, Miss Daniels. Ten minutes and I'll even drop you off at your apartment…well…Matt Murdock's apartment."

Charlotte was tempted to turn and run. She was wearing her sneakers considering she never walked home in her heels. But she knew that, as soon as he pulled his coat open and she spotted the top of the gun, she really didn't have a choice.

…

A/N: Not sure anyone is still reading this, but if you are then I would love to know what you think so far! I'm looking forward to the new Daredevil next year and seeing what that brings!