4179/Bed Check

Bed Check
Date of Scene:	01 April 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Daredevil, Claire Temple

---

Daredevil has posed:
Matt's been keeping his distance from Claire since the whole Elektra thing. I mean he showed up for the deal with Cranston, but has generally been keeping to himself. Of course others have noticed him being withdrawn too, Foggy in particular. So, failing to get anything out of Matt himself, he gives Claire a call and spills, Matt being more withdrawn than he normally is and so on.

At the moment, Matt's fitting that description to a T , he's in his place punching away at the heavy bag he'd recently added to his place in a tank top and sweats, when normally he'd trek down to Fogwells, beyond that the stubble is less artful, and more, lost weekend-y.

Claire Temple has posed:
Claire doesn't really look forward to calls from Foggy. He's affable enough, and if the circumstances permit, he's downright friendly, but he generally doesn't call the ER nurse just to say hello. Most of the time, he feels that he needs to be direct and to the point with Claire, primarily out of concern for Matt's wellbeing and his own sanity in turn. Claire can't exactly blame him, as concern for one Matthew Michael Murdock can be a rather draining condition by itself.

The timing on Matt's symptomatology gives Claire pause. She's not a betting woman, but she circled around a few possible etiologies while she was on the phone with Foggy.

Shaking her head and growling low in her throat in mild irritation, she steps off the elevator near Matt's apartment and knocks on the door. Nothing too strenuous, and she's not about to pretend that he can't recognize her.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt knew this was coming, and not just since Claire stepped off the elevator onto this floor, but from when Elektra left. In a way, he sort of looked forward to it, even if he knew it wasn't going to be pleasant.

He stops punching the bag when there's the knock on the door, he yanks off his gloves and tosses them in on the bench in the entry way, on his way past. Then, he undoes the bolt and pulls open the door. "Claire," he says in greeting a moment before he steps out of the way to let her in. He doesn't say Elektra's gone, but it's pretty clear she's not in his apartment. Once she's inside, he closes the door, "Checking up on me or did someone call?" he asks, pulling at the tape around his right hand.

Claire Temple has posed:
"Little of both," Claire replies dryly as she gives Matt a long, appraising look. "Your cloud has caught the attention of your partner, and I figure I could stop by and check on Elektra," she says with a dropped voice. She crosses her arms, which happen not to be encumbered with medical supplies. She narrows her eyes and leans against the nearest open space in Matt's small hallway past the bench. She pushes her tongue into her cheek and makes a quick glance into the apartment... the largely empty apartment, except for her and Matt.

"So... just how long did she stay, Matt?" she asks, as though reciting from a script.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt nods, "Figures," he says quietly, as he pulls of the tape and then flexes the newly freed hand. He definitely notes the lack of medical supplies, but then that shouldn't be much of a surprise.

His head turns downwars as he scratches it with the hand without the tape, "About an hour?" he says.

He looks up. "It wasn't going to work for her to stay, I'm sorry Claire I thought it would be different or I wouldn't have said she could stay."

Claire Temple has posed:
Claire's not really shocked. She knows better. There's just this talent Matt has, and why would she ever expect someone as close as Elektra to be any different? "So... you thought it would be 'different,' your word," she says slowly, pushing herself off the wall in a slow shoulder roll and starting a slow walk out into the open floor, "and that not only would you two patch up whatever your problems are, but she'd be willing to stay and recuperate, because..." she trails off and turns back to Matt with a shrug. "Just because? Do I have that right?"

Daredevil has posed:
Matt rips the tape off his other hand, then tossing it in a bin by the door follows Claire into the apartment. It was still early, the glare from the billboard hadn't kicked in yet in full force. He flicks on the lights for Claire as he steps into the main living space. He sighs at her words, "Maybe?" he says. "I wasn't sure what I thought changed, maybe it was just hope, but I felt it was a chance," he lets out a breath. "It didn't turn out that way."

Claire Temple has posed:
"No kidding," Claire replies in a flat voice. "I don't suppose you noticed any... signs that this wasn't going to work," she says, deliberately choosing her words to keep Matt from squirming out with a blind joke.

She isn't really asking rhetorical questions at this point, as letting Matt brood isn't going to render the proper kick in the ass that will get him back to responding to other people. She partially perches herself on the back of Matt's couch and watches him expectantly, head cocked while she waits for him to respond.

Daredevil has posed:
Claire's question has Matt giving her a confused look as he turns his vacant eyes her way. "What do you mean signs?" he asks.

For a summa cum laude, Ivy League educated lawyer/ninja Matt could be incredibly dense sometimes.

At the very least he's not half-talking to himself in those little speeches he gives when he's challenged. So, there's some progress.

"Seriously, what do you see that I don't?" he challenges, testily, walking right into the sight thing, and not caring.

Claire Temple has posed:
"Signs," Claire says with a sigh. "Let me lead off with this... all the various and assorted bullshit you reported to me not so long ago under the heading of your relationship with Elektra being 'complicated?' You know, about how you were broken up, but working together, but not? All of that?" The nurse gives Matt a look from under her eyebrows. "Every last bit of that counts as a 'sign.' If "it's complicated," they don't stay in your place to heal from severe injuries. Period, full stop."

"And as far as her being redeemed? If it's not past tense and complete, it's still not enough for her to be willing to stay in your place." Claire shakes her head with another sigh and pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration that she even has to detail any of this. "Seriously, Matt..."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt leans against the divider between his entry way and the kitchen, frowning. "You were the one who suggested she come here," he says. Though he might have read too much into her words, all was agreed upon was Matt checking on Elektra from time to time for those days.

His frown deepens as he says, "What was I supposed to do? Say, Elektra, sorry you got stabbed, but don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out?" he asks.

"I turned away from her like that before and let me tell you something Claire, it didn't turn out well." For either of them, is the part he doesn't say, but it's written in bold across his features.

Claire Temple has posed:
Claire lifts her hands up in greater frustration and lets her eyes wander for a few moments to focus on the roof stairs' bannister before she finally answers. "Really, Matt? Seriously?" she asks, her tone getting a testy snap before she brings her focus back to Matt. "My *issue* was that an avowed murderer would have been crashing on my couch for close to a week... Not the kind of situation I'd want to leave my place unsupervised for, and holy hell, Matt, how do you expect me to *sleep*?!" she asks, voice rising.

"I didn't care where she went, so long as she didn't reinjure, but damned if I was going to supervise for a fucking week... And just how did you end up stopping in to find her, anyhow? Smelled her blood? That's terrific. So you sniffed her blood soaked into my throw pillow, showed up, and when it came time to make conversation about why you'd come swinging in through my window at *just the right damn time,* you thought her recuperation should be *up to you*?!" Ohhh, she's pissed now. Matt's martyr complex might be cute in some circumstances, but where Elektra's concerned, Claire is having none of it. At all.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt lets out an exasperated breath. "Claire, whatever she might have done in her past, she wouldn't just attack you, she's not like that?" he says voice full of quiet frustration. "Anyhow I took her out of your place, so I am not sure what the problem is?"

"Right, and I said, I took on that job, looking after her, and now you're saying that somehow that was the wrong call?" he asks, before turning away with a snort, leaning his hand against the wall as he turns towards the kitchen. It was more to give him a moment to gather himself, not show any of the anger on his face, than turning away from her, whichever way he turned he could 'see' her just as well as if he was facing her.

"Yes, I smelled her blood and followed her to your place. After that? I just did what I felt was right, she was hurt, I offered aid, I am not sure how you of all people could have a problem with that?" he says turning back around again, face controlled but the anger shows through in his voice.

Claire Temple has posed:
"You offered aid, and that's great," Claire replies, her own anger showing through, as well. She gestures to the space around her, namely, Matt's Elektra-free apartment, and then throws a hand toward Matt before gesturing to the room again. "Could you please point me to whatever good your offer of aid did? Maybe some part of it she actually took you up on, instead of swanning out after an hour...? Because honestly, that's not *aid!*"

Claire can't help it now. She's close enough to her own hot button issue with this whole mess, so it's time to eat the poison and eat the plate. She takes a deep breath. "And while we're talking about offering aid to Elektra, I really want to know... Are you trying to help her because she needs the help, or are you trying to help her because it makes you feel better about whatever the hell history you two have?"

Daredevil has posed:
Matt huffs out a breath. "Nothing, but at least I tried to help, I didn't turn her away," he says, even as he knows neither of those things did anything to change the outcome for helping her with her injury or him and Elektra. "So, she didn't stay, but she would have gone just as soon if not sooner from your place, you said it yourself, you didn't want her there." That was the lawyer in him, making his case. "So, I did my best and failed, that's on me, believe me, I paid for my mistake."

The other question makes Matt's face twitch and a brow lift, "Does it matter?" he asks. Though even as he says it he wonders at the question. "One, both, the point is she gets help, that she's saved."

Claire Temple has posed:
"You paid for it?" Claire asks, frown deepening as she looks up from her hand covering her eyes while she listens to Matt's reply. "You're so big on always trying to help her and not turning her away, that it completely gets past your notice that she didn't have the slightest interest in your help."

Claire slumps her shoulders as she gives Matt a wanly wondering glance, head slowly shaking. "That's it, isn't it? You keep offering help, even when she doesn't want it, and you're hoping that someday she'll take you up on it, everything will be wonderful, and maybe that billboard outside will turn into a unicorn. Mm!" She gives her right knee a few slaps as she solidifies her conclusion. "Damn. That's the whole redemption thing. Wow," she says, voice sour. "Elektra could want absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with you, but you'd still be offering to help her at every available opportunity, because you're all about what you think she is rather than what she actually is." Claire stands up and crosses her arms, intently regarding her shoes. "That's some seriously sad shit, Murdock."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt's lips pull tight, "That's not true, she does want to change, Claire, she's made efforts, her building, the fund for Nelson and Murdock, she's trying to do what she can, but the rest, because of things I did, she can't do it," he says, his words coming out quicker, more hurt than angry now. "So, no, it's not that she won't but she can't."

Silence takes hold of Matt through the rest. That usually meant that she was close enough to the mark that he actually had to think. "You make it sound childish," he complains but Claire's words had the ring of truth to them. "I just want to help her, if she changes and we don't get our happy ending, then, I can live with that, I'd have saved her." He lets out a breath. "The sad shit is that, even that? Her changing, even if I lose her? Isn't going to happen. Still, care about her though and if she asks for it, I'm still going to reach out my hand."

Claire Temple has posed:
"But she's *not* asking for it," Claire replies immediately, as if by reflex. "She's not. Leaving with you from my place? That was like pulling teeth and probably the airway to boot. Elektra's not one to look for help from you or anyone else."

Claire puts her hands on her hips and starts walking back toward the door. "Matt, reaching out your hand is great, but if she's not looking for you to do that, you're not helping anyone but yourself." She shrugs.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt grimaces, "Isn't she? Why does she stay in my world then? Why come to you? She's ruthless, there's a hundred ways she could have gotten patched up without there being problems for her, but she chose here. If that's not a sign she is looking for something then I don't know what is," he says.

He lets out a long breath after that. Was it a sign or did he just see it that way, she definitely wasn't keen on going with him, he had to give Claire that.

"Okay, offering her to stay at my place, I can admit, not what she wanted," he allows, Elektra had said as much at least at first.

"Wait, hold on," he says his face screwing up in confusion. "You think I'm reaching out to her because I'm selfish?" he asks quietly. "That's ridiculous."

Claire Temple has posed:
"Not half as ridiculous as you might think," Claire says, now leaning against the wall and facing Matt directly. "Look. You've got a lot of history with Elektra, and it's pretty damn obvious you're still pretty attached. Call it wanting to help, call it redeeming, call it Catholic guilt, call it whatever you want." Claire gives a deep sigh. "And when it comes to having a relationship like that, it's a normal thing to be afraid of losing it.

"People will do absolutely anything never to feel that loss for as long as they can help it, including believing that someone's asking for help when they don't want it." Claire cants her head toward Matt. "Whatever she's looking for, you don't get to decide it."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt lets out a long thoughtful sigh at Claire's words. Now that they were coming at him like this, they were easier to hear and process, "I can see how you'd think that it's all just history," his face twitches with frustration aimed at himself. "But there's more than that, I-" he pauses, there were two words warring to fill that spot and he chose the easier of them. "-I failed her and I don't know what I can do to make that right."

"I'm not looking to decide for her Claire, I honestly believe she wants this," he says which was a case definitely a case of selective listening.

Claire Temple has posed:
"Yeah, Pygmalion, I noticed," Claire replies, her voice dry. "Honestly believing is one thing, so long as you're honest with yourself about what 'honestly believing' really is." She doesn't comment on his other hang, but she files it away for later. Knowing is half the battle, although she isn't sure just what battle she'd need it for, beyond occasional yelling matches that are becoming disturbingly routine.

Claire's sigh -- Matt's got her doing that a lot, she notices with a silent wince -- rattles even in her chest. "You going to keep playing hermit with that law practice of yours, or are you going to talk to Foggy before he needs to tell me you won't?"

Daredevil has posed:
Matt runs a hand through his hair, chuckling dryly at the reference, "Really?" he says amused and incredulous. "And I do believe it Claire, somewhere deep down, but you're right I can't force her, and really it's sort of moot anyhow."

The stuff about the practice though, that at least gets through. "Yeah, guess I should start working for a living, huh?" he says, smiling just a touch. "And talking to Foggy about this, it's complicated," he says, before adding, "But, I'll try."

He offers one of those boyish disarming smiles of his then, "Should last us a few weeks before you have to come up and pull my headout of my ass again," he opines lightly.

Claire Temple has posed:
Claire rolls her eyes as she puts her hand on the doorknob. "A few weeks?" she asks with a snort. "Hell, I think I'm practically on-call." She lets herself into the hallway now, waving over her shoulder as she goes. "Take it easy, Murdock. Clean it up."

Claire heads back to the elevator to return to her own apartment, her steps somewhat lighter than they were when she arrived. (She's happy to take what she can get.)

Daredevil has posed:
"You know me," Matt says from the end of the entryway, "Hopeless optimist," he says aware of the irony of that and it shows on his face.

"You too," he says of taking it easy. "And I'll try."

Hearing the lighter steps Matt, smiles, shaking his head before he cleans up the rest of his boxing crap. Cleaning up his life? That's something else.