A/N: This story takes place post Season 1. I'm planning on having 10 chapters total. Thanks so much for reading and please review if you want!

He could smell her from his office. The scents he'd come to associate with Karen Page soothed him. Coconut in her hair, vanilla on her skin. He could detect the rich leather of her shoes and the synthetic vinyl of her purse. She moved like a song; verse and chorus.

He heard her digging for something in her desk and waited as the shift in fabric would bring the scent of her again through his office door and to his nose. He could almost time the exact second it would reach him.

Except instead of the familiar combination of laundry detergent and skin lotion, he smelled something totally unexpected; gunpowder.

He stood up, senses immediately alert. Before he realized what he was doing, he strode forward to the door connecting his office to her domain.

"Karen?"

"Yeah?" She answered, distractedly as she continued to dig through another drawer.

Matt hadn't actually planned what to say next. Clearly, there was no eminent threat, yet the distinct smell remained. "Um, was someone here?" He finished, lamely.

Karen looked around, confused. Even if she hadn't been acquainted with Matt's extraordinary sense of hearing, she's pretty sure he wouldn't have missed someone entering and exiting their small office.

"No. Just me."

Matt could feel himself frowning and forced his face to relax. "Yeah, sorry. I thought…" he trailed off and waved a hand in the air to signal his dismissal of the topic.

"Um, I was just about to head out for the night. Are you heading home?"

Matt listened to her voice. It belayed no hint of a lie, yet something was off. "Oh, um, no. I have a little more work to get through first."

"Okay." She answered in her soft, shy voice.

Matt turned and went back to his desk as Karen performed her usual rituals of closing up shop. Finally, he heard her heels move to the doorway as she exited. He thought about calling Foggy to see if he knew anything, but what could he really ask? Besides, at this particular moment, Foggy was grabbing dinner with his former and current girlfriend, Marcy. Who was he to stand in the way of true love?

xXx

The night was surprisingly quiet and Matt felt restless as a result. Not that he was looking forward to punching people in the face, but he couldn't deny it was a decent outlet for stress. Still, he had the satisfaction of stopping an attempting mugging as well as a break-in, so it wasn't a total loss.

He walked along the edge of the rooftop across from his building, letting his senses open to the world around him. He could call it a night, and go home. It was late, and even criminals needed to go to bed eventually, but instead he stayed where he was, listening.

Across town, Karen was, at this very moment, face-planting into a mat as her arms were pinned behind her back.

"Again!"

Karen felt the release of her arms and rolled her sore shoulders. She got to her feet slowly and resumed her 'ready' position for the hundredth time tonight. Her weight automatically shifted to the balls of her feet when she saw her instructor begin to move and come toward her. This time, she spun away and swept his leg out from under him, dropping him on his ass.

Of course, it wasn't as simple as that. He sprang to his feet almost instantly and grabbed for her wrist. She evaded again and spun, attempting to land her padded elbow into the man's face.

"Good, Page." He grunted as she sucker punched him in the gut.

The whistle stopped their scuffle immediately. Both instructor and student turned to face the man at the front of the small classroom.

"Good work tonight, guys. See you next week."

Karen smiled shyly at her partner and then bent to pick up her towel and water bottle.

"You're getting better."

Karen looked up at the man. This was her second time working with Alex. He was quiet, mostly and that appealed to her immediately. She was tired of having to be evasive. After all, most people ended up in a self-defense class for obvious reasons and the last thing she wanted to talk about was her reason.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"You should lose the ponytail, though."

"What?" She paused, confused.

"It's too easy to grab." He demonstrated with a lightning quick hand to her hair where he gave it a gentle tug before releasing it.

"Oh." She could feel the heat rise into her cheeks as she blushed. "Thanks."

Alex ducked his head, "sure." He moved away from her and then turned back with a quick, "See ya next week, Page."

Karen nodded and fought her lips from curving into a smile. She didn't know if it was crossing a line to flirt with your self-defense instructor. It felt like it should be a rule or something, like a HIPAA violation. Still, something fluttered in her chest; something that hadn't fluttered in a long time.

Of course her thoughts turned immediately to Matt. His face jumped into her consciousness. She'd thought they'd started something the day they'd put the new sign on the building. She hadn't imagined it. His hand holding hers, his smile. It had been real. But so far, nothing had come of it.

Matt had gone on just being 'Matt.' Cryptic, quiet, and thoroughly impenetrable. She'd tried a few times to start conversations that had nothing to do with Fisk or work or the devil of Hell's Kitchen, but they'd stalled out and soon they'd fallen back into familiar and comfortable patterns.

xXx

The following morning, Matt could feel the heat of healing bruises on her body. That, coupled with the cautious way she was moving was enough to have him officially concerned.

"Coffee?"

He looked up to the sound of her voice. He hadn't heard her move to his doorway.

"Oh, um, sure. Thanks."

"I didn't mean to startle you. Sorry." She said as her soft footfalls moved to the coffee machine.

Matt rose and followed her. "It's fine. You're not wearing your heels."

"I um, twisted my ankle a little. It's fine."

Matt could hear the lie in her heartbeat and feel the heat of her blush simultaneously. He stood still, listening as she prepared the coffee.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"Here." She moved his hand to the mug of coffee. "I'm fine."

Matt had no choice but to accept her answer. For now.

xXx

Matt threw back the shot that Foggy placed in front of him. He'd never been much of a drinker, but right now, he didn't care. He couldn't help the feeling that the chasm between he and Karen was growing wider by the day. Even now, at Josie's her absence was felt. Foggy had invited her, of course, but she'd make an excuse about taking a cycling class at the gym.

"So."

Matt turned to his friend, trying to remember what they'd been talking about. "Sorry, Fog. What?"

"What's the matter? You've been distracted all day."

"Nothing. It's just strain from the Morales case."

"What are you worried about, buddy? It's in the bag." Foggy said as he clinked his beer mug to Matt's.

It was true, Matt thought. The company that had fired Maria Morales was offering a nice settlement now that digital recordings had somehow come to light to help prove that Maria had been repeatedly sexually harassed. She'd complained through the proper channels for months, to no avail. Finally, she'd reached out to Nelson & Murdock and had consequently been terminated.

Maria had been eager to accept the settlement and move on with her life. Matt couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of relief that they'd too receive their twenty five percent commission and could finally afford to pay themselves as well as some past due bills.

"It's too bad Karen couldn't join us." Matt said and could practically feel Foggy's eyes move to his face. "I mean, she was a huge part of getting Maria to file the complaint. I'm not sure she would've without Karen."

"Yeah." Foggy said as he drained his beer. "Definitely a good move hiring her." Foggy raised his hand to signal for two more beers.

"Does she seem okay?"

"Karen? Why?"

"No reason. Just checking."

"Can't you just, you know, scan her vital signs or something?"

Matt frowned. He'd wanted desperately to get back to their easy friendship before Foggy knew the truth about Matt's alter ego. Foggy had tried, Matt had to give him that, but still bitterness bled though from time to time.

"She's been quiet. That's all."

Foggy slid the beer over to Matt's hand from habit. "Seems okay to me. Did you ask her?"

"No, not really. I was just wondering. I know she talks to you sometimes."

Foggy smirked. "Only about you."

"What?" Matt could hear the slight slurring in his partner's voice and knew Foggy would most likely not be making such a confession had he been entirely sober.

"Not too much anymore, but in the beginning. She asked a lot of questions."

Matt felt his stomach drop. Did Karen suspect?

Foggy quickly rushed on, "No, not about the devil stuff," he whispered, "more about your love life."

Matt choked on his beer. "My love life?"

"In case you couldn't tell," Foggy rolled his eyes, "she likes you."

Matt smiled at Foggy's exaggerated tone. "I don't know."

"Oh please."

"What? She's our employee, Fog. I don't think it's appropriate."

"Yeah, you have real clear lines about right and wrong."

Matt sobered immediately. "Foggy—"

"Sorry." Foggy muttered and sipped his beer. "I should go. It's late." He stood and reached for his wallet.

Matt stood too, unsure of what else to say. For now, and maybe forever, this boulder might be in the path of their friendship.

"Take a cab, Fog. Be safe."

Foggy nodded, unsure of whether Matt could see, or feel, or whatever the gesture. "Same to you."

xXx

Matt opened his cane and let it lead him outside of Josie's and into the cold, crisp air of winter in New York. The freezing temperatures kept some of the more unpleasant smells at bay and for that he was thankful. Another benefit was that criminals tended to lighten up in the cold, too.

He began the walk home, letting the sounds wash over him. This was his city. He knew it like most people knew their childhood home. Its visceral memories were imprinted upon him. It was his home; his family.

He let those thoughts and feelings comfort him as he walked down the familiar sidewalk towards his loft apartment, all the while unaware of the woman watching him from across the street. Her long red hair was currently tucked up into a black beanie and her face was almost entirely hidden by the collar of her winter coat. Still, she knew that Matt could recognize her by other means if she dared draw closer.

She let him have a half a block lead, but otherwise kept pace with him. She couldn't answer the question that her own mind asked over and over again. Why. Why was she following him? What did she want?

She'd been through enough this past year to ignore her instincts now. They'd kept her alive, of that she had no doubt. She'd known Wesley was lying when he said the gun was not loaded. And now, she trusted that same instinct. She didn't know why but she was certain that the man she was now shadowing was lying to her, too.