A/N: I'm back folks! I started this fic in 2015. I have no excuse. But hey, it's a longer chapter, almost 3,000 words! I hope it'll make up for the awfully long wait. Thanks for sticking around, and if you're new to this fic, thank you for joining us!

They made their way to Matt's place in utter silence. Something was lingering in the air of that cold evening, something sweet and scary, something pure and tainted. They had both enjoyed that walk, and so did little Gracie. The simplicity of the situation, the way they walked slowly, devoid of all burden, the heaviness of their hearts not heightened by any form of other trouble: there was no Daredevil, no Wesley, no self-loathing. Just the two of them together, and a baby they cared for more than they could have possibly foreseen. Nothing else mattered. Their fears, deeply rooted in their chests, were asleep, and they both knew a simple jolt could awake them at any moment. But they didn't mind. Because for now, as the water in the sky gently turned to snow, it all felt right, and this was more than enough.

A snow flake safely landed on the tip of Karen's nose, and Matt heard it. The sound of its landing was deafening, and for a split second, all the sirens, all the clamor of the city disappeared. He could hear the snow melt on her skin, the droplets trickling down the bridge of her nose, nestling for a while between her lips. Her voice brought him back down to earth.

"Do you think it's Gracie's first snow?"

Matt cleared his throat. "Um... I guess so, it's the first of the season." Great, now you're playing weatherman, very smooth, he thought.

Karen grinned and blushed. "I... Um... Okay, it's probably stupid but... I'm glad to witness one of her firsts."

Matt scoffed. "Me too," he admitted, "but please don't tell anyone, I have a reputation to uphold."

Karen laughed and zipped her lips. "I'll be quiet as a mouse."

They resumed to the comfortable silence they had been walking to, and soon reached Matt's place. Karen took off her coat and grabbed Gracie to take hers off as well. Something was wrong.

"Um, Matt?" she asked, narrowing her eyebrows.

"Yeah?"

Karen touched the baby's forehead, and he could hear her heart starting to race. "Gracie's burning up," she said, worry in her voice. "Oh god, she must be sick!"

"Okay let's keep calm. Give her to me."

Karen did so, and Matt pressed his lips on Gracie's forehead, a technique he had picked up from his own father. He didn't really need to do that to know she was sick, but he liked it. And he couldn't tell his friend that his devil senses had helped him.

"Yeah, you're right," Matt sighed, "she's definitely feverish."

Karen was biting nervously on her nails. He could hear the sound of her teeth, and he couldn't blame her.

"What do we do?" she asked, a tremor in her voice.

The baby started to cry, and they both knew she wouldn't stop any time soon.

"Seriously," Karen began, "I know nothing about childhood illnesses, or if we should even worry, or how to make it stop... Can we... Can we make it stop?"

"I..." Matt was as nervous as she was. "I'm not an expert either. But I guess we could do what we would do for an adult? Giving her water?"

Karen nodded. Indeed, dehydration was the first risk they had to pay attention to. "Yeah, I guess that's a start. I'll look for her health record book, hopefully her mother will have put it in her bag."

She left the living room and came back with a book in her hand.

"All right," she said, "she's over six months, so it's not that alarming. I think. Shouldn't we take her to a doctor or something, just to make sure?"

They couldn't kill Foggy's niece, could they? Their friend did take their kindness of heart for granted, but they had to keep that baby alive. They would enact revenge on Foggy in another way. Matt hated himself for thinking about this in such a critical moment. He was a bad, bad friend.

"It might be safer," he conceded. An idea popped into his mind. "I... know someone. We won't have to leave the apartment."

Karen arched a brow. "Really?"

Matt smirked. "Well, I'm a lawyer, I know a lot of people."

"Who come in handy," Karen sighed. "Okay, call him."

"Her."

The young woman tilted her head to the side. She could hear the blood pumping in her temples. "What's that?"

"She is a nurse," Matt continued, feigning confidence and impassivity. He mastered that art.

"Oh... Um... Okay, yeah, okay." Karen gulped. She was glad he couldn't see her face. It was embarrassing. "What's her name?"

"Claire."

"And... Did she... help you before? I mean, she must be super busy, being a nurse and all, what makes you think she'll come?"

Matt shrugged. "She's a friend."

He didn't look too affected by the situation. Had she misread his behavior? She must have. "A friend," she repeated. "Great. Let's do this. Gracie needs this. Needs... her."

Matt gave her a weak smile and called Claire. The call didn't last very long. Karen couldn't help but listen to them. Matt had left the room to make that call, but she could still hear his voice. She found herself looking for a clue, anything really, that could tell her whether this Claire person was really a friend... or more. God, it was high school all over again.

About thirty minutes later – spent once again in utter silence, but a heavy one this time – the nurse knocked at Matt's door. The latter opened it swiftly.

"Hey," she said with a weak smile.

"Hey, Claire."

"Long time no see. I take it you got your shit together?"

Matt chuckled. "I'm trying. But I'm... still in business. Come in, please."

Claire nodded and made her way into the Devil's apartment. She hadn't been there in a while. "So," she began, "where's the emergency that made me come down here on my only night off of the month?"

Matt showed her the living room. "Over there."

The nurse sighed and followed his lead. She then spotted a tall blonde, holding the emergency in her arms. "Hi," she said with a smirk. Matt didn't like that knowing tone.

Karen gulped, and put on her most welcoming smile. "Hi. I'm Karen."

"Nice to meet you, Karen."

She kept smiling, but she had to get out of here. She felt like this stranger could read right through her, and she didn't like it. "Here," she told Matt as she put the baby in his arms. "I'll, um, I'll be back in five."

She headed to the bathroom, and Matt couldn't help but feel this tension in the air, this long-gone heaviness once again making itself at home. Claire pulled him out of his musings.

"Something's telling me you like the sound of her voice."

The young man folded his arms across his chest. "Stop," he sighed, "it's not like that."

Claire scoffed and took Gracie in her arms. "You two are babysitting together. At your place. On a Saturday night. Don't insult me. Of course you're into her! And I can't blame you, she's smoking hot."

Matt bit the inside of his cheek. "Yeah, I bet she is."

"Then why do I sense a problem here?" she asked, her eyes set on the baby, examining her.

"You know exactly what the problem is."

Claire heaved a sigh. "I don't. She's there. I take it she's been there for a while, or else you wouldn't be looking after this cutie together. And I think she left the room because of me."

"What do you mean?" Matt asked, tensing each muscle of his body. "I can't think of any reason why-"

"I know you're blind, but do you have to be so fucking oblivious? How is that even possible? You're D-." She stopped and bit her tongue. The pretty blonde obviously knew nothing about the hot laywer's alias. Of course. "You're a vigilante," she continued in a whisper. "You're supposed to know better!"

"I obviously don't."

He was so stubborn. She had had some trouble remembering why things hadn't worked out between them, the whole man-in-the-mask-thing aside. But now she remembered. The man was a fucking fortress. "She's into you too, idiot. She's jealous. How did my name come up earlier?"

"I said you were a friend."

"Matt, for the love of God!" Claire whined as she held the baby against her chest.

"What?"

"Just... Just let her in, okay? I see what you're doing here. You know she cares. You know that me being here is upsetting her. And you know the reason. You're just willingly ignoring it, because it's easier than admitting that you have a shot at happiness and you're refusing to take it."

Ouch. It stung. He couldn't possibly deny that. He could feel in his bones that a future with Karen was the lightness he had always longed for. Far from the burden of his choices, his double life, his loss, his scars. She was a beacon of hope in all this mess of his. But getting into this, starting a relationship, a romantic one... He would put her at risk. She had already been through so much. Sometimes, he wondered if that was not an excuse. Maybe he was protecting himself after all. But only the results mattered: even if he was protecting himself, he was keeping her safe in the process. It was worth it. "She deserves better," he simply let out.

"Better than lies? Sure," the nurse answered with a shrug, "but who are you to take her choice away? If she loves you, and I am one hundred percent sure she does, she won't abandon you, Matt. The real question is: are you ready to let her know all of you? Because that's what it's gonna take."

Matt hung his head. She had definitely made a point. He actually tortured himself over this every now and then, torn between his need to keep Karen safe and his will to tell her the truth. Because these two didn't go together. He couldn't possibly protect her if she knew. Telling her would kill her, eventually. But wouldn't it bring him to life?

"Okay, we're done here," Claire said, putting the baby back into Matt's arms. "This little one is safe. It's just a minor infection. Just make sure she drinks a lot and if her state does not improve give her some ibuprofen, it should do the trick."

"Thank you," Matt told her as he walked her to the door. "For everything."

She smiled. "Don't mention it. Good night, Matt."

He closed the door and leaned back against it, Gracie weakly crying in his arms. Her breathing was steadier against his chest, and the feverish warmth of her small body made him shiver. He held on tight, his right hand caressing the top of her head, his whispers trying to lull her to sleep. He left his spot when he heard Karen entering the living room.

"How is she doing?" she asked, her arms crossed over her chest. He could tell she was uncomfortable.

"Same, Claire told me it should get better, and if it doesn't we'll give her some ibuprofen."

Karen nodded. "Okay, I'll fetch her some water then. Hopefully it'll make her feel a bit better."

Matt gave her a shy smile, and kept rocking Gracie in his arms. "Shhh, it's okay, it's okay." He hated it. He hated to feel her pain. He hated it when people around him were hurt. Most of the time, he could fight for them – or rather fight someone for them – but there was no one to beat up. Just bad luck.

But there was one thing he could do.

He made his way to the few shelves in his bedroom and grabbed a record that had been lying there for a long while. Elvis. His father's guilty pleasure. He used to play it after his fights. It soothed him. It soothed them both. Matt hadn't listened to it since his death, but he had held on to it. Now was the time. With Gracie still in his arms – he was getting better at this – he placed it in the turntable Foggy had offered him for their first Christmas as actual lawyers who earned actual money. His heart clenched at the first notes. Gracie squirmed in his arms, so he started to gently move around. "Come on, it's gonna be okay, Gracie, I promise. Just go to sleep."

He heard Karen's steps. "I'm sorry," he could hear from afar, "I had to wash her bottle so that's why I-"

She froze, afraid of ruining the moment, and astonished by what lay before her eyes. Matt. Dancing. With. A. Baby. In. His. Arms. A sight for sore eyes.

"Matt, I-"

"I heard you the first time, Karen." Damn. He realized his tone had been harsh. "I can't stop dancing, I think it's working, she's falling asleep."

Karen rubbed her forehead. "Oh, yeah, sure, um, could you just give her some water before she's totally out?"

He nodded and she gave him the bottle. The baby took it all, and after a sigh of content, she nestled her head in the crook of Matt's neck.

"I think she's finally asleep," he said. "I'll put her in the bouncer."

"You're sure? I can do it."

Right. He was blind.

"Thanks but just tell me where it is, I'll do it."

She guided him over to the bouncer and helped him, until Gracie was safely installed in her little bed. The both sighed in relief, and Matt lowered the volume.

"Some quiet, finally," Matt let out.

"Yeah, except for that song." She smiled despite herself. "'Love Me Tender'? Really?"

Matt frowned. "What? You don't like it?"

"No, I do, it's just... I'm surprised you do. I didn't think music was your thing." Surely not ballads.

Matt chuckled. "I'm blind, that limits the scope of my hobbies."

And well played, Karen. "Right, um, yeah, right" she stammered, "I'm so sorry, Matt-"

"Hey, Karen, I'm kidding." Something had changed between them, ever since Claire's visit. And it was probably his fault. Without really thinking, he offered her his hand.

"Come on. Give me your hand."

She scoffed, and pressed her hand against her mouth. "Oh god, Matt, no, I can't-"

"I can't dance either," he laughed. "Let's just be two fools who can't dance. Together."

She stared at him, her clear eyes roaming his face. He wasn't wearing his glasses. He had taken them off after they got back from Central Park, and they had stayed on the coffe table. His eyes, melted copper meeting pistachio green, were set on the floor behind her. Her hand met his, on its own. He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, and gently pulled her towards him. His other hand met her waist, and they started to rock to the soothing melody escaping the record.

"I haven't been totally honest with you," Matt let out. "I... Claire and I had a thing."

Karen hung her head. "No kidding."

"But it's all over now."

"Matt, you don't... You don't owe me anything."

He sighed heavily, his hands tightening their grasp. "But I do. I... owe you a lot. Karen, you... You're important to me."

The young woman's heart clenched. The sound of her heart was deafening. "You're important to me too, Matt."

He relished the sweet music of these words, and couldn't help but smile. It was a shy smile, a slight curve on one side of his mouth, but it meant the world to Karen. She loved to see him smile. Suddenly, he gave her a twirl. She laughed and landed closer to him, her face merely inches away from his. Silence sank down on them. There was no music. Just two beating hearts, until Matt closed the space between them. His lips met hers, and this first kiss was light, tender, chaste. Karen cupped his cheeks and kissed him again, harder, the thought of letting go hurting her. For what seemed like forever, their lips danced a dance of their own, and suddenly they broke apart, searching for air, their foreheads pressed against one another.

It was Matt that broke the silence. "Will you... have dinner with me?"

Karen brushed his lower lip with a finger. "Is Matt Murdock asking me out on a date?"

A grin. Now he was grinning. "He might be."

"Then yes, Matt. I will have dinner with you."

'Lawdy Miss Clawdy" was now playing in the background. But they didn't mind. They couldn't hear it. They couldn't hear anything but these words ringing again, and again, again. And this incredibly comforting silence between them. The sound of harmony, at last.