Back to Work
Matt got an ultrasound yesterday, courtesy of Dr Banner and a specialist doctor flown in by Tony Stark. The doctor dated his pregnancy to around 17 weeks. Clint took a photo of the ultrasound to show Laura, and Foggy and Karen basically fought over who could describe all the little lines and squiggles in the sonograph to Matt, who simply sat there and marvelled at the reactions from the people around him.
Despite being nearly halfway through this pregnancy, Matt’s bump is still small, however he wonders how long he can go without people noticing. Karen’s been nagging him to go shopping for looser fitting clothes, which he was initially reluctant to because he enjoys wearing sharp suits and looking his best, however he’s currently struggling to button up one of his shirts, so he understands her point.
“Karen, I think we might have to go shopping,” Matt calls out, and he hears her padding into the room.
Karen laughs, reaching out her hand to touch the small bump. It would never be noticeable to someone who didn’t know Matt was pregnant, but Karen has been with him this entire time.
“Hopefully it won’t get too big – you won’t be able to fit through the doorframe!” exclaims Karen as she wrestles with the buttons on Matt’s shirt, finally getting them closed over the straining bump. She heads into the closet and throws something to Matt, who catches it with ease.
Matt brings it to his nose, sniffing it.
“Foggy’s sweater?” Matt asks.
From the shift in the air, Matt assumes Karen shrugs. “He’s bigger than you – we can get away with you wearing his clothes for now.”
“We need to go shopping after work,” Matt says as he pulls the sweater over his head. It’s too big for him, but he finds comfort in being enveloped in the soft material, and he feels over his stomach, pleased that his bump is not protruding.
“It may be a long day; Foggy called from the office while you were in the shower– apparently Brett has someone at the station in need of representation so we’re meeting him there,” Karen says to Matt, handing him his cane and glasses.
Matt thanks her, slipping his frames over his eyes.
“Then maybe at the weekend,” Matt says to her.
“Have you forgotten the photoshoot?”
Matt groans. “Yes, Karen. I’d forgotten about my stupid photoshoot with the Avengers.”
Karen cackles, opening the front door, her keys jangling in the lock. “That’s what you get for joining a group of celebrity superheroes – you’ve got to look the part.”
The pair of them chatter inanely as they head towards the station. The city is busy around Matt, but he knows he doesn’t have to listen out. Frank and Peter are going to be covering Daredevil’s territory for the time being, which he is incredibly thankful for. Right now, Karen is chatting about a new show Frank has been trying to get her into watching, but Matt is simply listening to the soft lilt of her voice, not focusing on the actual words spilling out of her lips. He reaches out, taking her hand in his, and she squeezes back in reassurance.
…
Down at the station, Karen and Matt find Foggy practically screaming at Brett Mahoney in the breakroom. Brett himself is looking mildly annoyed at the situation, and he continues pouring himself a cup of coffee while Foggy lays into him.
“-Absolutely disgraceful! I should be reporting you!” Foggy says, jamming his finger at the detective.
“Whoah, what’s going on here, Fogs?” Matt says, grabbing Foggy’s shoulders and pulling him back from the police officer.
“Matt, Brett and his cronies thought it would be acceptable for our client to be locked in with the male prisoners,” Foggy says to him, out of breath and exasperated.
“Apologies, Foggy. I haven’t had the chance to read the notes on this case,” Matt says to his partner, his eyebrows furrowed at the thought of what could be riling him up so much.
“Delilah Torres, 27. Her date tried to rape and kill her, so she stabbed him in the throat with a corkscrew,” Foggy says.
“So why was she in a male cell?” Matt asks, confused.
Brett shrugs his shoulders, “My guys made a call. Delilah doesn’t look all that womanly to us, so we put her in with the men. We decided that it was safest for everyone.”
“I’m assuming Delilah is trans?” Matt asks Foggy, who gives a soft nod as a response, however he gives a verbal confirmation also, knowing that Brett has no way of knowing that Matt would understand a visual cue. Matt turns towards Brett, who is still leaning against the counter, mug in his hands. “Tell me, Brett, would you put me in a female cell?”
Brett frowns, placing his coffee down. “Matt, I don’t really know what you’re getting at-”
Matt interrupts, “If I were to be arrested, would I be put in a male or female cell?”
Brett sighs in exasperation, “Matt, you’re a guy! You’d obviously go in the male cell.”
“I’m a transgender man,” Matt says to Brett, his voice low, his heart beating quickly at the thought of outing himself to his colleagues at the police department. However, he wasn’t going to be stealth forever, not with the baby on the way, and it was better to get people understanding sooner rather than later at this point. “According to your officers, you would place me with the women. Do you think that’s fair?”
Brett falters. “Matt…I uh, I didn’t know.”
“You don’t have to know to be a decent person,” Matt says, and he turns on his heel to head towards the door. “Now, show me to my client.”
Brett leads them down the hallway to a small interrogation room. Matt can hear the faint buzzing of recording equipment as he surveys his surroundings, using his cane to tap around the room. There’s a heartbeat by the metal table in the centre of the room, and he can hear the jangling of handcuffs and the faint smell of dried blood on his client’s clothes. He feels his way over to the table, pulling out one of the chairs. Matt puts a winning smile onto his face and extends a hand towards his client.
“Good afternoon, Miss Torres. My name is Matthew Murdock. These are my partners, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, and we are here to help you today.”