DDBA chapter 4: An open window.

// Finally, after spending some time observing Hayley, Matt decides to visit her.  He doesn't know what to expect, but he feels compelled to visit her. Something has shifted between the two of them.// 

Matt followed Hayley from afar. After their encounter during the attack on his office, he couldn't take the woman out of his mind. He was surprised by her fighting style, and although she did not confirm it, he knew she had been trained by the H.A.N.D. Now he wanted to see if she was still used by the organisation or if she had gone rogue like he did.  Matt followed Hayley around, keeping a low profile with a hoodie, baseball cap, and black sunglasses rather than his red ones in case people recognised him. He let his beard grow enough to mask the shape of his chin, and he investigated. Her days seemed to have a routine. She would wake up, have breakfast, and head to work. She was friendly with others, more than he imagined her to be, given how silent and withdrawn she was at home. During his week spent observing her, she was training, meditating, and reading. From time to time, he could hear the echoes of a podcast she would listen to, but rarely did she put the TV on.  She did it every three days to listen to the news she couldn't catch on her podcast, but that was it. She listened to true crime podcasts as well as crochet ones, which made Matt smile a little. That didn't prevent her from leading a very lonely private life. Aside from her coworker Melania, who called from time to time to check in on her, and her close neighbours, she sometimes helped because they were elderly, and she had no friends.  During the day, He would hear her warmly welcome new clients or wave goodbye at old ones. 

Matt also observed her at night, this time dressed as Daredevil. He would watch her don her costume and pay a visit to abusive spouses. Contrary to Daredevil's beliefs, there were women among the people she went after, and while they weren't nearly half the number of abusive spouses, they still were part of it and were treated the same as the men. Another belief that was shattered for him was that Hayley didn't brutalise these people the minute she saw them. Instead, she confronted them about their abhorrent behaviours and first tried to make them repent. On every occasion, the result was the same. They refused, accused her, insulted her, and tried to hit her, but they always missed because they were no match for her.  She tried to reason them one last time when they became physically violent with her and only when it didn't work (as it always did), did she resort to beating the living crap out of them. He watched her inflict pain, but not to the point of risking taking the lives of her targets. Matt had to fight the urge to intervene; part of him understood her motivations and would have probably done the same (only to feel guilty afterwards), but another part of him wanted to stop her. Some laws had to be followed, and she couldn't appoint herself the judge, jury, and executioner of these violent people.

One night, as he was patrolling the sector, he noticed that her window was open. Remembering what she told him, Daredevil slipped into her apartment through the open window. He cleared his throat and announced his presence loudly before he heard a reply from her. She was in the living room, reading a book, and invited him to come over. As soon as he walked into the living room, he noticed the warmth and nice jasmine scent that had filled the air. She was sitting on the couch, wearing nothing but a silky bathrobe he could only guess using his abilities. The fact that she didn't even try to cover herself and didn't seem to be embarrassed by the way she was dressed somehow tickled Matt, who couldn't help but blush slightly.  She grinned at him and gently patted the sofa so he could sit on it next to her. He realised that it was quite a simple room, with just a couch, a small table in front of it, a TV fixed on the wall, and a library with all the books she was reading. It was simple and cozy, and he felt that she was making some efforts to make him feel comfortable. 

"I'm not going to hurt you, so you can put your batons on the table. You can also remove your cowl if you feel comfortable. Your secret is safe with me." She reassured him. He listened to the sound she made by shifting around on the sofa and putting her legs on the small table before her. She put the book on her chest and looked at her ceiling. "I was wondering when I would see you. Today is not the first with my window open, you know?" 

"Awww, really? I missed an early opportunity?" -He chuckled and quietly sat on the couch.- 

"It's alright. I am just glad that you made it here tonight." -She bit her thumb and moved her leg so she could lay her feet on the couch.- "Do you...Do you want to drink something?"

"I'm fine. How about we--" -He cut himself short and scratched his beard with his forefinger. She turned around to face him, both feet still on the couch- "I have been watching you for a week." -Why was he so straightforward? Matt bit his inner cheek and tilted his head to the side, as if he was looking away from her- "I wasn't trying to be creepy, I wanted to know you better."

"Oh, I know that you were watching me. I spotted you a while ago, but I let you do it. I figured that you wanted to know who I was, what I do. I am sure you found out that I was leading a very boring life."

"A boring life? Come on, Lee... I mean, Hayley."

"It's okay. You can call me Lee." -She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around her knees- "And yes, a boring life. I am just doing my job. I beat up abusive spouses, and I read books in my living room. I don't go out, I don't go on dates.. I am boring." She chuckled. He liked the sound of her voice.-

"Well.. I know boring, and you're not boring at all." He tilted his head to the other side, and it felt as if he was staring at her.- "I have to say, I thought that you genuinely just went in a started to throw punches." - That made her laugh, and she put her left hand on her plump lips- "I'm serious! Ah.. I'm serious! I thought you broke windows or kicked doors open, and you just started to punch without saying a word."

"Ahahah oh my god! Matt! Ahah, I could.. I could have done it, yeah. I might have done it when I started. I was less patient than I am today, and I thought- I thought that coming at them with a flying punch was the solution. I realized that it didn't work well, I mean, it was silly of me to attack them without giving them any context." -She paused and stroked her chin for a brief moment- "I guess it felt good..." -She admitted in a faint voice.-

"I can relate to this. I remember how it felt the first year of being Daredevil. I was ruthless. I didn't care about breaking bones and beating goons and criminals within an inch of their lives."

"You were angry." -Not a question. A declaration. He pinched his lips together and furrowed his brows- "I was angry too." -It soothed him somehow that she admitted to being angry too. It felt good to have someone who could relate to him and wasn't judging him for his violent start or encouraging him to become more violent either-

"You were angry?" -She hummed her reply- "What were you trying to beat up?" -He didn't expect her to answer truthfully. His senses told him that the young woman's heart was starting to beat harder and faster. She passed her tongue on her bottom lip and shrugged-

"Do you really want to know?"

"I do. I want to know, Lee." -She rolled her eyes and leaned her forehead against her knees. She tightened her grip on her knee and lifted her head again-

"Alright. Alright. I had hit rock bottom when Melanie talked me into getting a job at the shelter. I was.. I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, Matt. I had so much red on my ledger, and I thought that I would never be able to wash it clean. I thought... that maybe if I died it would be washed, but I just couldn't give up on living. I just couldn't do it...I wanted to live. So, when I was punching abusive spouses, for me, it felt like punching away all the evil I did." -She chewed at her bottom lip- "I was mad at myself, Matt. I still am."

"I'll ask you once, and I hope you will answer truthfully. When we fought each other, I could tell it had the H.A.N.D. signature all over it. Were you.."

"Yes! I was raised by the H.A.N.D." -She cut him short and pinched her lips together harder- "You figured that out alright. No. I'm no longer theirs. I ran away. Sort of." -She confessed in a light groan- "How do you know them? I assumed that you fought them before."

"I was raised by Stick. He taught me everything I needed to know about the H.A.N.D. And, yes, as Daredevil, I ran into them."

"Okay." 

She knew he did more than just "run into the H.A.N.D. She was there when they tried to take over Hell's Kitchen. They knew where she was, and a few were dispatched to kill her. When she realized that the H.A.N.D. was seemingly destroyed by Daredevil, she celebrated, believing that she was definitely freed from the H.A.N.D. It felt as if a heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders, and she wouldn't have to look over her shoulder for the rest of her life. It felt nice for the short moment it lasted. Soon enough, she realized that some members of the H.A.N.D. survived. They escaped and regrouped, and soon enough, the H.A.N.D. rose from the ashes. And the new leadership wasn't different from the old one. She wasn't safe anymore.

"I have to know something. How did you know it was me? You said my name, and it was as if the world crumbled around me. I didn't expect it. How did you know?"

"You... Ah!.. It's a blind man thing." -She curved a brow and ran her hand through her curly hair- " I mean, okay, you know that I am blind, right?" -She hummed her response- "Then you know that since I can't see, all my other senses are even better."

"Spit it out, Matt. Please!" -She chuckled- "What has betrayed me?"

"Your scent. You smell like fresh jasmine." -She blinked and chewed at her bottom lip- "Yes. I mean, I caught it the very first time we met. It was overwhelming, but in a good way! In a good way, Lee. I mean Hayley! I just... You smell like Jasmine, and it stuck with me!"

"I... I never thought I could... Ah.. Jasmine, you said?" -He could feel her heart beat faster against her ribcage and  the muscles of her face turn into a sheepish smile- 

"Yeah... It's... It's like your signature scent, something I know is only yours. It smells good! I mean, you smell good. Ah!" -He stroked his beard and slowly removed his cowl. He needed to feel more comfortable. She watched him in silence as his black curls appeared in front of her and he removed his gloves.

"You... like how I smell?" -She repeated, blushing uncontrollably and leaning into her couch. He nodded and whispered a little "yes" that made her sheepishly smile- "I.. I'm a bad host. Do you want to drink anything?"

"Yeah. A beer if you have some." -She stood up and went to the kitchen. It allowed Matt to remove his shoes. What was he doing? He acted as if he was going to stay for the night. He wanted to. He was drawn to Hayley, and he wanted to spend some more time with her. She requested he make himself comfortable, so removing his shoes and neatly placing them against the couch seemed like a good idea. "By the way, Heather and I  are done. I called her sometimes after my apartment was destroyed. We had a lengthy discussion about what happened, and she refused to even consider that I was targeted as Matt Murdock by the Task Force. She also doubled down in front of  Kirstin when she mentioned the attack on her office and her rescue by Daredevil." -He paused for a moment- "Either way, we're done." -He admitted, before shutting his eyes off and scratching his beard once again.- "I don't know why I'm telling you this. I guess I wanted us not to feel awkward."

"And why would we feel awkward?" -Hayley came back into the living room with two bottles of fresh Irish beer. She gave him one and then sat back on the couch.- "Do you feel that there's a  sexual tension between us?" -She jokingly asked while taking a sip of her beer-

"Well... I would be a liar if I said that I wasn't attracted to you. I didn't come here because I was expecting anything, okay? All I'm saying is that I'm glad to be here tonight and to share a beer with you."

She smiled at him and chugged down her beer. The truth was that she felt it too. An attraction to the super handsome lawyer Matt Murdock. It was subtle, but it was there. She thought he was handsome, enjoyed how straightforward he was, and even his sense of humour. She thought he smelled good and dressed sharply. She looked at him as he was drinking his beer and tried to reason with herself for a minute. What would be the harm in just sitting on his lap? What would be the harm in just cupping both of his cheeks? What would be the harm to just -- and before she knew it, Hayley had put her bottle of beer on the small table before them and closed the distance between Matt and her. She straddled him, forcing the lawyer to hold onto his beer tightly while he wrapped his other arm around her waist. She studied his face, well aware that she acted on an impulse and there was no turning back. She didn't want to turn back. She slowly ran her fingers over his face, as if she were seeing his face with the tip of her fingers. He groaned and leaned into the couch, his free hand slowly moving down her back and onto her ass. He squeezed it and elicited a moan from her. The sound made him groan, and he felt his length twitch in his pants. He wanted her, and from the moment she straddled his lap, there was no turning back. He felt no hesitation on her part, and that only fueled his eagerness for her.  Her breath brushed over his skin, and her lips slowly peppered kisses all over his forehead. 

"You'd better stay overnight, Matt. I make killer pancakes." -She whispered before she pressed her lips to his.- 

"I don't intend to leave. I'm all yours tonight, Lee."

-TBC-

Hayley trivia and headcanon (Hayley DDBA edition)

• Hayley is currently 25 years old. 

• Matt Murdock is the love of her life. She is loyal to him, so do not try to seduce her, do not try to trash Matt or Daredevil in front of her, and do not even try to insinuate that Daredevil is not loyal to her. 

• Matee is the ship's name.  

• Hayley's body is covered with scars

• Hayley is infertile due to the rigorous training and medical experiments on her.  It can't be reversed. She's made her peace with it rather quickly. 

• Her weapon of choice is a katana she carries on her back. She has to because she never knows when the H.A.N.D. will attack. 
• Hayley is a decent cook. She learned a lot during her youth and can perform well.
• Hayley is a switch. Her standard would always to be a bit dominant.

• Hayley has a huge Afro. If she were to straighten her hair, it would reach her knees.

• Hayley tends to scratch Matt's back when they have sex, which is something she loves to see the morning after. (She's smug about it.) 

• She also never lets up. especially when she has things to ask. Hayley is stubborn, and even Matt knows better than to try and swerve her.

• She doesn't fear death. She doesn't mind risking her life to save others. However, she doesn't want to lose Matt. 

• Hayley thinks of herself as a monster and can't accept that she deserves a second chance.
• Hayley is severely lonely. 
• Matt calls her "Lee" when he's affectionate with her, or "little bug".
• She has worked with Elektra and holds a lot of respect for her. She can also relate a lot to her. 
• She is a very stubborn woman. She is determined to help others even when they don't want to. 
• The H.A.N.D. is after her, mostly because they don't like the fact that she's escaped them. 
• Hayley doesn't believe in second chances.  However, she's been influenced by her friend Melania and Matt's strong belief that people deserve at least another chance at life, to show that they can become better. 
• She calls Matt her "little devil". 
• Hayley has a white inked star tattoo on her left wrist.
• Hayley has brown skin with grey eyes. 
• She is a very stubborn woman. Her determination is so intense that she never gives up, and it takes a lot to make her change her mind. Especially if someone she loves is sick or injured.
• She survived the "blimp" and tirelessly worked harder to protect the weak and needy during those 5 years.
• Hayley has never been loved before, therefore, she has no idea that something so beautiful exists or that she's worthy of being loved. She only saw her value as someone who could be used or a valuable asset because that's the only way she was raised. With Matt, she'll discover love, its magic,  and its growing pains.
• To combat solitude, Hayley drinks, dances, beats up abusive spouses, and fights.
• Hayley has only heard about Luke Cage. She doesn't know very well what his whereabouts are, but she made sure to keep in mind the existence of that superpowered individual.
• She has encountered Claire Temple, the Night Nurse, once as Widowmaker. Claire patched her up.
• Hayley also encountered Iron Fist. He is actually one of the top donors to the Shelter.  She knows there is more to him as she can sense his chi. 
• She smells like Jasmine. A scent Matt would quickly become fond of.
• She is a beautiful woman and an uncanny beauty. She makes sure to downplay her attractiveness by dressing plainly.
• She has met Jessica Jones briefly when the latter investigated the disappearance of a woman who used to be a client of the shelter. Hayley worked with Jessica and managed to help solve the case without Jessica realizing she was a vigilante.
• Matt doesn't like the idea of someone else sweeping Hayley off her feet. Still, he will play it cool and pretend he's fine when jealousy rears its ugly head.
• Hayley is very cuddly when she's sleeping next to Matt. 
• She can relate to Matt as both had ties to the H.A.N.D., both are orphans, and both are vigilantes.

• She would get along well with Frank because they both see the world in the same way. 

• Hayley loves reading. She always has a book within reach so she can use it for escapism.

• Hayley's only "friend" would be her colleague at the shelter, Melania. a middle-aged blonde and rotund woman who gave her a second chance at life by helping her get hired at the shelter. 

• Hayley has worked for the Belgian secret services as an infiltrator of the H.A.N.D. Needless to say that the horrors she read about/ covered up/ enacted on behalf of Belgium tainted her soul. 

• She has finally started to feel pleasure when having sex with Matt. 

•  Hayley isn't clingy, however, she is very cuddly. She didn't grow up in a very loving house and therefore, tries to compensate for her lack of love by loving someone else with all she has. 

• Her body is covered with faint scars, only one is deep enough to leave a trace and is located on her shoulder blades. She tells the story of a bike accident to whoever wants to know, but in reality, it was her master who inflicted it on her, as a punishment for helping another captive orphan like her. 

•  Hayley is in excellent shape and could give Daredevil a run for his money if they started to fight each other.

• She tends to intensely stare when she's under pressure. 

• In truth, Hayley tried to kill herself but couldn't bring herself to go all the way out. She thought her skills could've been used for something good and decided instead to atone for her sins by saving the weak and needy. 

•  She always struggles not to kill the people she fights. 

• She connects with Daredevil in ways she can't really explain. There is definitely something between the two of them. Something that makes her want to see him again and talk to him, hold him in her arms, comfort him. 

• She loves beating up abusive spouses. It's the way she found to repent for the deaths she's responsible for.

• Hayley's true accent only comes back when she's shocked or when she feels safe. 

• Hayley is not against having a family of her own, but given her past, she's not sure she can ever become a mother, let alone be in a relationship
• Blue is her favorite color. She always looks stunning when she wears it.

DDBA chapter 2: a coffee date that isn't a date

 //After their first meeting, Matt goes to meet Hayley where she works, and they decide to share a coffee at the shelter. An incident happens with another abusive spouse, and Matt experiences a day in her shoes.//

Several weeks after their first meeting, Hayley resumed her life at the shelter. She welcomed new clients, helped some of them find a new place to live, or gave them the strength to press charges and get restraining orders. She was satisfied with the result of her boldness at Murdock and McDuffy's law firm. It felt like a victory, and as soon as she came back and told Sandra about the restraining order placed on Kurt, she felt as if justice had been served. Kurt kept his promise, not because of the law but because he was afraid of Hayley. He knew that if he didn't behave, she would find him, and she might kill him. It kept him away from his wife and allowed her the space to heal.  Hayley kept it to herself, but she enjoyed meeting Matt Murdock. Something about him was delightful. She couldn't quite figure out the man, but knew there was more than met the eye. He wasn't /just/ a blind lawyer; something more, some fire was burning inside him, and she could feel it. Besides, he was a handsome man, and she found herself daydreaming about his smile, his focused face, and the nice little head tilt he had. It made her groan, and she decided to shush this thought away because he probably had forgotten about her by now. 

That day, a hot and sunny day, Matt walked to the shelter. He wanted to meet with Hayley again and see how she carried herself at work. She caught his attention in a way he didn't anticipate. She left a lingering impression on him when she came to his office and didn't try to hide the truth. She was calm, composed, determined, and very charming. He couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly caught his interest in her, but he found himself unable to shake her off his mind. He had to meet her. He pretended that it was a follow-up to Kurt Gabel's case. He wanted to make sure that he didn't violate his restraining order, but deep down, Matt knew that it was unlikely, and the real reason he wanted to visit the shelter was that he wanted to meet Hayley again. He didn't text her -when he should have-, he didn't even call, he simply walked to the shelter in hopes of finding Hayley.  She was at the front desk, her gorgeous afro neatly turned into two big Dutch braids. She was wearing a white tank top and a pair of jeans with white tennis shoes.  Her face lit up -and Matt felt the subtle change in her heartbeat- when she saw the blind lawyer, and she grinned. 

"Mr. Murdock? Did you come to see me?" -Her voice was a purr. It sent shivers down his spine, and he couldn't help but smirk a little-

"I wanted to see if my client came back and caused trouble." -half-lie. She lifted a brow and chuckled-

"Not a chance! He couldn't risk facing me again." She grinned and waited for Matt to finally reach the front desk. "You've come all the way to the shelter. I wouldn't want it to be the only conversation we have. How about we have some coffee?"

"Here?" -She hummed - "I guess you have a place where we can sit?"

"Yes. Melania would take my shift so I could rest for an hour. Please, let me take you to the room." She stood up and grabbed his arm.-

 She turned him to his left and started to walk. Right when they did, a door unlocked and someone left the room. He could smell a perfume, some cherry scent with a relatively cheap cologne. A warm voice echoed through the walls. He tilted his head a little bit to focus on the new presence near them.  He assumed it was Melania. A hoarse voice, a little more mature than theirs. She was in her 50's maybe. 

"You didn't tell me that you had a boyfriend, Lee! Look at this sweet piece of a--"

"He's not my boyfriend. He is a lawyer! Mel, please! Behave!" -She scolded the woman, who gave a hearty laugh. Hayley rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry about this. Mel likes to tease me."

"She seems like a kind woman, and you seem to care a lot about her, too." 

She opened the door of the recessed room and gently guided him to the table in the center of the room. She then went to the coffee machine and prepared one cup for him. Matt sat on the chair while she turned around and crossed her arms above her chest-

"Mel is the one who gave me a second chance... I mean, she's the one who welcomed me here and offered me the job." -He noticed the slight panic in her tone. Did she let something slip up? He decided not to say anything about it but kept a mental note of it-

"Is she the director?" -She shook her head and hummed her negative reply- "I see. So you two met, she offered you the job, and you two struck a friendship?"

"Kinda. Mel motivated me to take this job. I admire her kindness and warmth. She genuinely loves her job and the positive impact she can have on someone's life. It's still dangerous because she deals with lunatics at times and very angry people, but she never wanted to give up. I admire it." -Now that his cup was ready, she quietly walked to the table and served Matt his coffee. She then returned to the table and prepared her own cup. "Can I ask you a question?" -He hummed a positive reply, and she turned, glanced past her shoulder at him- "Why did you become a lawyer?"

"I wanted to defend good people and punish the bad guys. It's as simple as that."

"Did you think Kurt was a good guy when you accepted to defend him?" -He smirked and shook his head. 

"Touché, Miss Blackwood. I didn't think he was a good guy, and if I had my way, I wouldn't have agreed to take him as my client. My associate did, and in this very situation, /you/ assaulted him."

"I know. I couldn't argue self-defense even if I wanted to. You would have been justified in defending him in this specific case." -She turned around with her cup in hand and walked to the table. She sat next to him, literally in the chair close to his, so their thighs could brush against each other. Matt noted that she didn't care about invading personal spaces. He didn't mind because of her intoxicating jasmine scent. He didn't mind because he could have a better feel of her since she was so close to him.- "Also, you can call me Hayley. I think we know each other well enough to skip formalities."

"Well, Hayley, you can call me Matt." He gave her permission to be familiar with him. "It's never as black and white as we want it to be. Is Kurt a good guy? I don't think so. I think he's an asshole and a dangerous individual. I can't encourage you to do what you did because I believe in our justice. I'd rather we follow the law than play vigilantes."

"Like Daredevil?" -She took a sip of her coffee and tilted her head to the side so she could have a good look at Matt. He tilted his head to the side so he could "stare" at her face.- "What? Can't we talk about him?"

"I never said that. I'm just curious about what you think." -He took a sip of his coffee and gave Hayley a smile- "He has his supporters and his detractors. I am curious about where you stand when it comes to Daredevil."

"Well... Daredevil is one of the very few to actually try and protect this city. He is the one who fights criminals and crooks at night, and the streets are safer with him. I can tell by the way he does things that he actually believes in the justice system because he doesn't kill and instead delivers the bad guys to the police. I have to say, I admire his optimism."

"You don't believe in the justice system?" -he questioned, one of his eyebrows raised. She shrugged and shook her head-

"Not when it comes to the poorer and neediest of us. It's great when you have money, really great when you have influence, but for all the Sandras in this country, there is no justice." -She pointed out, before she took another sip of her coffee. 

"I wouldn't be so definitive, Hayley. You could be surprised by our Lady Justice." -He felt her shrug, and she gently put her hand on his arm. "I wonder. If you spend time beating up abusive spouses, do you have time for a social life?"

"I could ask you the same, Matt. Since you're busy fighting for justice, do you have time to date or even to have friends?" -She grinned and took another sip of coffee-

"I am seeing someone, yes. My associate actually made us meet." He admitted. "Her name is Heather. She's a wonderful woman, and I feel lucky she chose to give me a chance." -He felt a little bit of disappointment in the sigh she let out. It intrigued him, but he pretended he didn't hear anything. " I do have friends. I lost...I lost my best friend a year ago to the supercriminal Bullseye. My other friend, Karen, left the city. You can say that my associate is a friend as well, but I haven't been out in a long time. And you?"

"I am very sorry about your loss. I am sure your best friend was a good soul. I can tell that you're still mourning their death." She said, gently putting her hand above Matt's. He didn't withdraw his hand, instead, he appreciated the warmth and the kind gesture of Hayley to him. She kept talking, so the atmosphere wouldn't get heavy. "What a lucky girl this Heather is. You are very handsome, Matt. Not just handsome but also with a very kind heart and a good spirit. I'm happy for you." She was genuine, yet he could tell she was a bit disappointed in her tone. It made him smile, and he shrugged his shoulders- "As for me, well, the only friend I have is Mel. Other than that, I do not have a social life. I haven't had a date in ages and... Well, it's alright." She quickly dismissed the conversation and steered it in a different direction.- "I'm surprised you came to see me. I have to say, it's quite pleasant."

"I wanted to see you again." -he bluntly said, before he bit back a groan because he didn't know why he actually came.- "

Hayley blushed, unable to come up with a clever comeback. She wanted to say something, but because he was spoken for, she bit her tongue. She enjoyed his company. Something about Matt was comforting, but she bit her bottom lip because nothing could happen between them. He was just a lawyer who was curious about the shelter. They were just having some small talk about vigilantism. She ran her hand through her massive hair and chewed on her bottom lip. Somehow, his question hit a nerve she didn't realize existed before. She never considered having a social life before, mostly because she didn't want people to get close to her and be hurt because of her past. Did she want to have one? If asked, she would shrug it off and say she didn't want but deep down, Hayley wanted it. She wanted more. She sighed and took another sip of her coffee. 

She couldn't admit to her nighttime activities. She couldn't admit to being a vigilante who specialized in breaking the bones and beating black and blue abusive spouses of her clients.   It wasn't welcomed, and she couldn't possibly put herself at risk. With Fisk in power, there would be little room for her to manoeuvre in the darkness. Besides, she didn't want to bring unwanted attention on herself and risk being noticed by the H.A.N.D.  On top of it all, she also didn't think she deserved to be loved, so of course, she shrugged the whole idea of companionship out the window and instead decided to focus on what mattered to her, protecting those in need.  

"There's nothing to-- "She couldn't finish her sentence because they both heard a commotion coming from the front desk. "I have to go help Mel. I'm sure it's another abusive spouse." She quickly stood up and ran towards the front Desk. Matt stood up and walked towards the door. He could hear just fine what was happening, and it sent a shiver down his spine. 

He noticed the distinct voice of a man, a drunk man,  who was vociferating at Melania. She tried to remain calm, but he could see she was rattled by the scene before her. After all, a couple of weeks ago, she had been kicked in the stomach by one disgruntled spouse. Matt slowly walked closer to Melania, Hayley, and that man under the pretense that he was curious about it. In reality, he was assessing the situation.  Melania was the furthest from the man, shielded by Hayley, who was standing tall. By listening to her heartbeats, he realized she was extremely focused, studying the man before her and anticipating his next move. There was not an ounce of panic or stress in her body, just intense concentration as she assessed the man before her. It reminded him of Elektra, and Matt blinked behind his glasses as he didn't understand why he would associate this woman with the H.A.N.D., despite the familiar feeling he had upon watching her. 

The man kept shouting at them. A drunk and violent spouse. Typical of what they faced daily. Matt assumed that Hayley was so used to it that it didn't faze her anymore. The man became more violent and threw a bottle of beer at the two women. Before Matt could close the distance between them, Hayley grabbed the bottle and put it on the desk behind her. She then swiftly closed the distance between the man and her. She quickly grabbed his shoulder in an attempt to defuse the situation. It made the man blink a little bit. He then tried to punch her, but Hayley gracefully dodged the punch and hit his neck with the flat of her hand. The man choked a bit and gasped for air, but she didn't stop here. She quickly crouched and swung her leg around to make the man fall on his butt. He tried to kick her, but she blocked his leg with her arm. and then grabbed his leg, twisted his ankle as she moved, and sat on his calf and lower thigh.  He screamed but was now neutralized, which gave Melania time to call the police and an unbothered Hayley to lecture the man. 

"Let me go, bitch! Let me go!"

"In your fucking dreams, bozo! You attacked my friend; you are trying to attack your wife."

"She's my wife! She's MINE! I have the right to take her home."

"You don't own her, asshole! She sought shelter here, and I'll make sure that your ugly face doesn't come back." She cursed him, speaking in such a commanding voice that the man's screams were muffled by her. He kept wiggling underneath her, but she twisted his ankle some more, forcing him to stop moving and lie on the floor.  She then turned her head to notice Matt was there. "OH, I'm sorry, Matt. I just had to handle a little problem for a while. I'm sorry we interrupted our conversation."

"It's okay, Hayley. You really acted quickly. I didn't expect you to deal with such violence with a calm demeanor."

"I'm used to it." She said with a little smirk.- "And I'm not afraid of drunkards like him."

"Did you train? You seem like you were using martial arts on him." -He suggested. She shrugged and hummed positively.- "Oh, I see. Well, even martial artists sometimes don't know how to react in real-life situations. I commend you for your quick thinking." -She chuckled and yanked her head back. Addressing Melania in a quiet voice, she requested a pair of zip locks to tie his hands together and have him sit on a chair. As soon as the maneuver was done, Hayley then walked towards Matt, stroked his vest as if to put him back together in a gentle way- "I suggest we stay here until the police come? I would rather not let that guy out of my sight."

"I think it's best if I leave you to this urgent matter." -he didn't want to impose. He could hear the disappointed sigh from Hayley, who shrugged her shoulders- "I know we were having a nice conversation, and I would love for it to resume."

"Are you being honest? Do you really want to see me again?" -She was genuinely surprised that Matt wanted to meet with her again and also strangely hopeful they could spend some more time together. Turned out that she appreciated their coffee break and wished for more.-

"Yes, of course. Why not?" -He said, his charming smile graced her features, and she couldn't help but feel her heart beat harder and her cheeks burn.- " I do have your number. Next time could be at an actual coffee shop."

She agreed to it and watched as he left the shelter. Her mind quickly shut down any thoughts she had about Matt Murdock. He was a nice man, a genuine man who believed in justice and was some to boot. However, not only was he already spoken for, but he was also not aware of her past and the trail of blood she left behind. Tonight, she was going on a prowl. One of the abusive spouses who came to the shelter was a corrupt cop who was now working for Fisk. She needed to pay him a visit in costume, in hopes she could intimidate him to stop stalking his wife. It was better that Matt Murdock had nothing to do with her and couldn't be impacted by her actions. yes. It was better like that. 

-TBC-

DDBA: First encounter

 // I couldn't resist :'( Sometimes, after Fisk became Mayor, and before he brought the vigilante task force. His relationship with Heather is already volatile and ready to burst. Perhaps in this storyline, it would explode sooner than in the show. Who knows? All usual disclaimers // 

Hell's Kitchen, Murdock and McDuffie's office, 11 AM. 

Matt was reading a report in braille at his office. A couple of days ago,  the victim of an assault came to his office to request that they represent him. Kirsten took on his case as he clearly had been beaten up black and blue, and she thought that it would be an easy victory. The office desperately needed money, so she agreed to meet with her client. Matt's heightened senses, however, told a different story. Yes, he was telling the truth about the assault, but he lied about the circumstances that led to that assault. During his initial testimony, he mentioned a woman working at a shelter for battered women who later went to his place to beat him up. He accused his estranged wife of being the one who sent that woman to do it, which clearly was a lie. Matt asked Cherry to investigate a little bit, and it turned out that his client actually was a very violent man. He didn't respect his restraining order and found the shelter where his wife sought refuge. 

The director of the refuge pressed charges against him for assault, disruption, and psychological abuse of both the staff and clients of the shelter. He stumbled upon a recurring name, "Hayley Blackwood". She was the one who confronted their client. She wasn't afraid of him, and she managed to kick him out of the place with strength.  It intrigued him for a while. Could she be the one who attacked him?  His client had been very vague when describing his assailant, and Matt assumed that it could have been because he was ashamed. If a woman beat him up, and given how misogynistic that man was, it was very probable that the person who assaulted him was Hayley Blackwood.  He wondered for a moment what he should do and decided that the best course of action was to visit the shelter for battered women, himself. He would encounter that woman and see for himself if she was the one who did it.  Before he could move, his office door opened, and a strong scent of Jasmine filled his nostrils. 

"I heard that this piece of shit is being represented by you. I decided to spare some time and come to your office myself. I was the one who beat up your client, and I did it for a reason."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me well. I am sparing you time and money by coming to your office." 

She walked into the office and sat in the chair before Matt. He looked at her direction, cocked his head a little bit because he wanted to focus on her heartbeats. She seemed confident. She was telling the truth. Matt blinked several times behind his glasses. She said she had a good reason to beat his client up, reasons he could guess, given the incident that happened at the shelter. Still, not many people would take it as far as going to the client's house to beat him up there. She was extremely calm, far more than he anticipated her to be, which piqued his interest. 

"Well, since you're here and you decided to walk into my office uninvited, I say I'm willing to hear what you have to say. Needless to inform you that our client decided to press charges against you."

"I'm well aware of this. I don't mind." -She answered, both hands now resting on the table.- "When Kurt, I mean your client, came to the shelter, he was looking for his wife Sandra." -She paused briefly- "Sandra came to us a week before the incident, bruised and wounded. Some of the wounds had not been treated, and they were infected. Sandra came to us, boiling hot with a fever, shaking and scared of the littlest noise. A classic case of physical abuse. She told us her story and begged us not to let Kurt know where she was.  I looked her dead in the eye and promised that I would not let this motherfucker come near her."

"He still came." -Matt pointed out. Hayley scoffed and crossed her arms above her chest-

"Lo and Behold, that asshole came to our shelter, looking for Sandra. He wasn't intoxicated; don't let him pretend he was. He was angry. Fuming, really. I know this gaze, you know? When it's filled with anger, dark with nefarious intent. It was my colleague, Melania, who was at the front desk. She immediately asked him to leave, but he screamed Sandra's name. He threatened Melania with a beating of his own. My colleague was used to this type of violence; we are all used to these threats. Usually, they lose steam and leave the place, but Kurt didn't. Instead, it escalated. When Melania asked him to leave and opened the door for him to go, he grabbed her by the hair and threw her on the floor. He started to kick her in the stomach, but that's when I stepped in. I was tending to Sandra's wounds when we heard the commotion. Sandra immediately had a meltdown, and I tried to calm her down. Other clients chimed in, which allowed me to leave Sandra under their care and try and help Melania.  I kicked his ass. That's when he pulled a gun on me. He threatened to kill me and everybody inside if we didn't give him Sandra."

She took a break from her story. Her grey eyes never left Matt's face. He could feel it as well as the change in her breathing and heartbeat as she was remembering the event. His jaw clenched. He couldn't stand domestic abusers and would have refused to represent him had he known beforehand. Kirsten had already accepted the case, so he couldn't turn it down, but it made him twitch. He adjusted his tie to help soothe himself down and kept notes of what Hayley was saying.  She noticed it but decided to keep it to herself. As a lawyer, she assumed that he definitely heard stories like these. He probably eventually defended people like Kurt, so she assumed that he wasn't surprised. She tilted her head to the side and leaned her cheek against the warm palm of her hand. 

"What? He didn't tell you that he threatened to shoot up the shelter? If you've read the report of the incident, it should be written that--"

"I know you're not lying. I believe you, Miss Blackwood." -He asserted. His fingers were still fidgeting with his tie- "Our client failed to disclose his behaviour at the shelter. I didn't finish the report, so would you be so kind and finish your story?"

"MMhhh... Yes, of course." -She nodded- " He pulled his gun on me. His hand was steady and in control. His eyes? Oh, his eyes! I saw bloodlust in his eyes. I didn't waste time because I knew he would not hesitate to pull the trigger on me or anyone else, for that matter. I kicked his ass and threw him off of the shelter. I dismantled his gun and kept the barrel on me while I dropped the rest don't he floor. He got louder, but he was neutralized for the time being. I pretended I didn't believe him and told him we'll see his ass in court but I knew he meant his words."

"So you decided to take matters into your own hands?" -He almost accused. Matt bit back his tongue as his reaction was impulsive, and he did not know how she would react. She did not blink, which surprised him, and instead crossed her arms above her chest-

"Tell me, Mr. Murdock. The director of the shelter went to the police, and what happened?"

"They filed a report. Charges were pressed."

"Mmmhhh... Yet they didn't arrest him on those charges, did they? They didn't consider him an imminent threat to the shelter and its clients." She shrugged.- "They told us that they would only consider him to be a dangerous threat if he came back to the shelter. So I was left with a choice. Either I trust the system and he comes back and slaughters everyone at the shelter, or I go to him, I beat fear into his heart, and then he wouldn't try to come back."

"Beat fear into him?" -Matt furrowed his brows-

"I can be very convincing."  -She retorted and furrowed her brows- "I knew he would press charges against me, and since I beat him up pretty badly, I decided it would be best to come to you."

"A plea deal?" -She shrugged and tapped her fingers against the wooden table of Matt's office.- "What's in it for you?"

"You can fine me. I do not go to jail. I return to the shelter and you make sure that Kurt doesn't come back and try to kill his wife." -She then bent forward, so her breath was now brushing over Matt's face- "I made sure to not break a bone in his body. I made sure to just hurt him hard enough for him to remember me. He'll probably be back to his life by now. He can still work, can still do whatever he usually does, and he's intact. Just bruised." -She paused- "And given his verbal threats that you can find on video, his actual assault on my colleague Melania, and the fact that he pulled a gun on me might tip the balance in my favor." 

"Miss Blackwood, do you have a lawyer?" -She lifted a brow and shook her head- "No? Well. I will have to consider your suggestion, and we would have to go before a judge if my partner and the client both agree to a plea deal."

"I do not have a lawyer, but I can represent myself.  Mr. Murdock, are you saying that you agree on the plea deal?"

"I'm not the only lawyer on this case. I believe that my client did everything you said he did. I will discuss with my partner and will come back to you if your offer has been accepted."

He remained cautious. He couldn't possibly, no matter how charming her voice was, put aside the fact that she was probably more than meets the eye. She was saying the truth, there was no denying it, but he had to look at the bigger picture. Hayley Blackwood was a woman who had not been phased by the sight of a gun cocked to her head. She was a woman who kicked the ass of an unhinged man in a public setting. She also went as far as to go to his home to beat him up. She was not scared. She didn't run away from danger but towards danger. 

"Alright. I think that there is no need for me to stay here. I know you are blind, so perhaps it would be best if I gave you my phone number. I'll say it out loud."

"Your number?" -he blinked and she hummed her reply- "Oh, sure. Hold on." -He set up his phone and waited for her to give it to her. Once she did, and he rang her phone so she could have his number, he put the phone down and entwined his fingers- "Can I ask you a question?"

"I won't promise I will answer it. Please, shoot." -She put her hands back on his desk and lifted a brow. Matt could hear the change of heartbeat; she was intrigued.-

" It's fine by me. I just want to know why you went there and decided to beat him up. Don't tell me that it's because you don't trust the police to do their job. I think that something else motivated you that night. I'd like to know what."

"Someone has to protect the powerless." -She replied without blinking. Matt nodded- "I would be damned if Sandra dies because I didn't do anything." 

"I see. Thank you, Miss Blackwood, for answering my question." She smiled and chuckled a little before she left the office. 

Matt was left a bit confused by the whole meeting. The jasmine scent stayed in his office for the remainder of the day and forced his mind back to Hayley Blackwood. Something stood out. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but she was no ordinary woman. She was relatively cool when telling her story, to the point, yet passionate. He could tell she was in control of herself, poised and calm, but he could feel a fire within her. He was curious about her actions. Was it an isolated incident, or was it something she usually did? He didn't have time to investigate and didn't want to send Cherry on that case. Still, it lingered in the back of his mind. 

Surprisingly enough, Kirsten agreed to the plea deal. She convinced their client to agree to it so his outburst at the shelter wouldn't be used against him. Matt briefly called Hayley to inform her of the situation. She attended the meeting before the judge, and everything went fast. Her conditions were agreed to, she paid her huge fine without flinching, and she left the judge's office a free woman and with the guarantee that Kurt would never come close to the shelter. Kirsten told Matt afterwards that she didn't feel good knowing they defended an abusive spouse, and she asked if he could drop by the Shelter to donate the money they received from their client as an informal apology.  Matt agreed, still intrigued by Hayley and eager to meet with her again.  He wanted to see her again. 

-TBC-