Purgatory

Foggy's phone rang about 20 minutes after Matt had been wheeled into the hospital, a gigantic trail of journalists armed with cameras following him, filming every step.

“Foggy Nelson.”, the lawyer answered his phone. He didn't have a good feeling about all his. He didn't know whether his best friend was alive or dead or already in prison and the lack of information was slowly killing him. The Defenders were staring at him. “Who is this?”

“Hi, this is the General State hospital.”, a man replied. He sounded nervous. “Are you Mr. Nelson from 'Nelson&Murdock?”

“Yeah, that's me.” He cleared his throat in anxious anticipation.

“We have Mr. Matthew Murdock here. We have to assume that he is the vigilante known as Daredevil. Would you mind coming over and answering a few questions?”

“No, yeah, sure, I'll be there in ten.” He hung up with shaking hands. The shit had hit the fan and he had to clean up the mess. Although he wasn't even sure if he could, not this time. He needed help. “Jessica?” The PI looked at him. “I need your help.”

“Mr. Murdock, can you hear me?” Somebody was squeezing his shoulder and even though it was a gentle touch, he winced in pain.

Matt huffed out something that he was sure was a complete sentence, but it ended up sounding like a groan. He started another attempt and mumbled a weak: “What happened?” He didn't have to ask where he was. The smell of sickness and death and the noise of machines pumping, children crying and the rattling breathing of collapsed lungs were enough to tell him he was in a hospital room. He popped open his eyes, as if it would make a difference.

“Midland Circle crashed on top of you.” The nurse sounded almost admiring, but also a little bit … insecure. Nearly as if she was scared of the part to follow. “The police found you and this woman not far underneath the rubble. It's a miracle that you're still alive, if I may say so.”

He nodded politely, partly to mask the fear cloaking his heart, and took a deep breath to prepare himself before he asked: “What about the woman?”

The nurse hesitated shortly. Then she softly answered: “She didn't make it. When they found her … she was already gone.” Again she paused. “She looked quite peaceful, though.”

“Yeah?”, the vigilante croaked, tears welling up in his eyes. He tried not to let them show, tried desperately to keep it together, he couldn't show weakness in front of a stranger. “Okay.” But this little word was enough to send the tears spilling over, leaving wet tracks on his cheeks, as his whole face crumbled, his lips trembling. “I just really wish I could swap places with her.”, he whispered to himself.

He didn't notice the heartbroken look the nurse gave him just before she left the room.

“My name is Foggy Nelson, I'm here about Matt Murdock.” The lawyer tried to ignore the police, who seemed to be everywhere.

The man at the desk looked up and nodded. “We have a few documents for you to fill out.”

“I want to see him first!” There wasn't a discussion necessary. Only a fool would have tried to stop one worried Foggy.

“So.” Foggy was standing in front of his injured best friend, hands put on his hips. “You didn't plan on making it out alive.” Matt swallowed hard. He wasn't sure if he was ready for this kind of conversation. “You care to tell me why?”

The vigilante cleared his throat. He opened his mouth to speak, gaped at the other man for a few seconds and then closed it again. He cleared his throat again. “I … I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what you want me to say.”

“I want you to tell me why you thought dying was good idea!”

Did he really have to answer this? Wasn't it obvious why he had done it? Why he had preferred it to living his pathetic, lonely life? “Because dying with the woman I loved seemed better than living alone with no friends.” Despite his sudden agitation, his voice didn't even waver, didn't shake. It was cold and clear and evidence of all the pain he had suffered. Pain, which partly Foggy had caused. And suddenly Matt was very well aware of that. Even though he hadn't truly wanted to just throw these cutting words at his very best friend. But there was still the question whether they were actually still best friends. They used to be like brothers, but now, whenever they talked, it was casual stuff, nothing important. Boring things about work and annoying neighbours. And on the rare occasion of them talking in their old manner, they ended up yelling at each other.

“I'm sorry.”, the blond whispered after a few moments of shocked silence. “I shouldn't have left you just like that.”

“Yeah.”, Matt quietly agreed, barely keeping the bitterness out of his voice. “You shouldn't have. But you did. There's no use in blaming anyone now. I've got different problems.” He lifted his bandaged left hand which had been blocked from Foggy's view. It was cuffed to the bedframe.

Foggy let out a shocked gasp. They had cuffed Matt to the bed! Like a prisoner!

Though that's what he was, wasn't it. He'd been brought in while in his suit and vigilantism wasn't approved by the law.

Foggy just hoped Jessica was able to help with that.

“I swear to God, if you won't help us, I'll get uncomfortable. And you won't like it when that happens.” Jessica poured herself a glass of whiskey from Stark's minibar and emptied it in one go.

Tony raised an eyebrow at her. “You got into the Tower. Which is an accomplishment.”, he said and lifted his own glass. She shot him a look before pouring him some alcohol as well. “Though it's a little bit concerning that you made it into my office.” The woman in front of him rolled her eyes. He smirked. “Impressive. I think we can figure something out.”

About an hour after Foggy had arrived in Matt's room and had filled out several documents, there were suddenly loud voices on the hallway. Matt had slept earlier, but he'd woken up five minutes ago when he'd registered a familiar voice getting closer.

Only seconds later, the door swung open. Inside strode Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. He was wearing a suit and a tie and a confident smile with sunglasses. You know, the usual.

Jessica had done it then. Of course she had, she was the best PI in the whole city.

However, Matt seemed confused as hell. Clearly he had no idea what was happening and was not happy about it.

Immediately after the mechanic, two police men followed and quickly uncuffed Matt. One of them helped – read dragged – him out of the bed, the other one draped a coat over his shoulders. “Let's go.”, a new man said, took the vigilante by his elbow and led him outside, down the hall and finally to a car. Matt was leaning on him with nearly all of his weight, barely able to walk. Everything had happened so fast, the vigilante couldn't keep up.

There were doctors talking and policemen shouting and reporters yelling questions, but Matt couldn't focus enough to decipher the different noises.

And then they were in the car, Matt, Foggy, Tony and the other man. After a few minutes of waiting, the Black Widow joined them.

The lawyer was too tired to even try and make sense of all this, so he remained silent, grabbing Foggy's arm to hold onto. Nobody said anything until the drive was over.

They all got out and entered what seemed like a big entrance hall. One elevator later and Matt was laying in a warm and nearly comfortable bed in the Med-bay of Stark-Tower.

Despite all his concerns and suspicions, he decided he could continue worrying in the morning. Foggy had assured him that it was all okay and planned and that he was safe, so he figured he'd be fine here.

He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

When Matt woke up hours later, the only person in the room with him was Foggy. He recognized him by the smell of the shampoo he seemed to like so much.

“It's not girly, Matt!”

There was a television running. Tony Stark's voice was to be heard, apparently he was giving a press conference.

“So I was told the identity of Daredevil.” Loud shouting, as reporters yelled their questions at the billionaire, but then it quickly got quiet again. “It's the lawyer Matt Murdock. Yeah, I know, the irony.”

What a prick, Matt thought angrily. How dared he to just give away his identity like that?!

“You're awake.” Foggy leaned forward and took Matt's hand in his.

He nodded a little bit confused. He'd been distracted by his inner rant at Tony Stark. Had there been a question? He couldn't remember.

His friend noticed – of course he did – and squeezed his hand. “You okay?”

Matt took quick stock of his situation. He was exposed to the world, with no way of defending himself. Instead, he was laying in a bed with rough sheets, in a room he didn't know. All he did know, was that it couldn't be the hospital any more, due to the fact that the typical sounds and smells were missing. As for his body … let's just say it hurt. Every single muscle was burning in pain, his ribs seemed to be trying to shift out of place whenever he inhaled and he could feel cuts and bruises blooming pretty much everywhere.

Although he didn't really recall the reason for his crappy condition. All he remembered, was Midland Circle. Him and Elektra, fighting, talking, kissing. Dying.

“What happened?”, he eventually asked, voice still dry and raspy. He knew what had happened. He just couldn't quite believe it. Or he didn't want to.

“A building fell on you.” Foggy squeezed his hand again. “Elektra didn't make it.” Matt once again felt as if he'd been shoved under the spray of a freezing shower, evil needles of sorrow punctuating his heart. “You nearly died, too.” The blond lawyer's voice was suddenly thick with tears and fear. “Flatline for three minutes.”

“Would have been better if I had.”, Matt mumbled. A sudden slap across his cheek caught him by surprise. “What was that for?”

“Don't you dare think that!”, Foggy hissed. “Karen and I thought we lost you! That was the worst feeling in the world! So don't you dare think you would be better off dead!”

Matt looked at him in mild confusion. Then he nodded. “Okay.”, he then quietly said. “Sorry.”

Foggy leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the other man's forehead. “I just wish I could help you.”

“You already are.” This time it was Matt's turn to squeeze his friend's hand. “Just by being you.”