Owner	Pose
Matt Murdock	After Danny's birthday bash, burgers were had, and as the late-night crowd at Josie's had begun to thin out, leaving one well dressed couple, though they'd object to the couple part of that description, sitting at a particular booth with the ruins of two burger platters between them. Matt picks up a fry, dips it in ketchup and pops it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He'd taken off his suit jacket, and navy blue tie around his neck hung loosely, giving him a mildly rakish look as his five o'clock shadow showed up late. The taking of the fry had caused a pause in their conversation, a pit of silence demanding to be filled, so when he swallowed it down with a sip of beer, Matt fills it, "You know, as our truces go, got to say, this one wasn't bad," he remarks. Yes, he is totally tempting fate. He grins then , "Also, the dress? Looks great."
Elektra Natchios	Elektra had only eaten a few bites of her burger. It sat beside the bulk of her fries on the serving plate, all cold, the juices from the burger congealing on the plate and sopping into the bun. She's working on her third beer. Now that it's just the two of them, the facade can drop, leaving her regarding Matt with a sigh. "What are you playing at Matthew? You think I wore the dress for you?" She hadn't, even if she'd been smug that it had had an effect on him. But he hadn't been in her considerations for wearing it. She much regretted not changing before burgers, even if it had been her challenge that last one to arrive paid. His grin isn't returned.
Matt Murdock	Matt's beer count had been one for the whole night, just nursing it like he did most nights when people weren't watching closely. Though he takes another sip now deeper than the last ones, a sign of his discomfort. He sets it down carefully beside his plate, "Of course not," he says of her wearing it for him. "You didn't know I'd be there, hell, I didn't know I would be there until Karen shoved the invite in my hand." He considers what he was 'playing at' "I guess I was playing at some very bad ideas, ones, I should have known better than to entertain," he says, finishing off with a "Sorry."
Elektra Natchios	There's an arch of brow from the woman, a fry pushed about on her plate until it bumps up against the burger, a slinder finger flicking it negligently. "Should have known better?" The finger is withdrawn and her hands settle about her beer bottle. "How long, Matt? How long do we play this game before we admit we can't? Who is it you're taunting - me? you?" She sighs. "I knew someone would be looking. They always do. The focus settles on the outfit, not the woman inside. I can be invisible if I wish. Certainly always misunderestimated." Like everything about her, the outfit was a ruse. And a weapon.
Matt Murdock	Matt let out a breath, long and slow and twisted his bottle of beer, round and round in a circle as he listened to her. He grimaces, "The trick worked, by the way, I mean, I 'saw' you, but I guess it made me miss all the stuff in between us, and brought up the best parts of us. It made me hopeful," he says. He considers her question, "And me, I'm definitely taunting me. I don't know, I keep telling myself this is done, but, then when you're near, it all goes away." He takes a long pull from his beer, now all but draining it. "Since, I'd like to see you from time to time, I guess I am going to have to work on my memory."
Elektra Natchios	Elektra sighs again, asking tiredly, "Why, Matthew? Is there any part of this at all that.." Her words stop. Mid sentence, just stop. Elektra no longer certain what it is that she wants to say to him. She could tell him all the things she wants to say - that she loves him, and that sitting across from him like this she feels that tug too, or how... "I'll always be someone who kills people, Matthew." Her words are tired now. Soft. Nearly deffeated. Without the cutting edge she'd meant to employ to keep the distance between them. "Nothing has changed."
Matt Murdock	"Why what?" Matt asks, brows raising above the red-lenses of his shades. Or they do, until he reaches up and plucks the glasses from his face, folding them neatly, and letting Elektra see his eyes. It was going to be one of those kind of talks. He tucks them into his breast pocket. Then it was Matt's turn to cycle things best unsaid, that he didn't believe her, or that it didn't matter that things hadn't changed. All things that they'd said in some form or another these past few weeks and none of it had helped bring them closer or live with being apart. "I know," he settles on finally, rubbing the spot on his nose where the glasses had rested. There wasn't defeat in his voice, not Battlin' Jack's boy, there was still that persistent note of hope that something, anything might come along and change it, if they just kept faith. It was likely going to be a long wait. Though, despite his hopefulness something Claire said comes to mind, "Elektra," he begins. "Do you think I try to change you because I'm selfish?" he says, the words weren't an accusation. Just a question.
Elektra Natchios	His question was unexpected. Not at all the tack she had thought he would take. Non confrontational. Not pleading. Not dismissive. As simple a question as any she'd just put to him. "Selfish?" Elektra gives Matt a quizical look, her expression betraying not following the logic of his question in the conversation. "Why what?" She aoids answering while she flounders around what she might say to him about the other. About this notion of selfishness. "Why do you keep doing this? You don't want me. You want an ideal. Something that only exists in your head." Which isn't entirely true, other than he did want what he believed he could make of her. Even as what he wanted was what she was. When Elektra had pondered that he might only be chasing her because he would never get what he claimed he was after, she hadn't been entirely joking. "What you want is selfish, Matthew. Why you want it, I do not know. We both know it won't make you happy."
Matt Murdock	Matt was convinced of the untruth of that statement, that he was helping Elektra for his own selfish reasons so when Elektra echoes the word back to him as a question, he's quick to jump on it. "It's crazy, right?" he asks before she's finished, though as more words spill out his certainty wanes. He sighs then finishes off his bottle, frowning at the empty and calling Josie for more. "Actually," he amends. "Scotch, double." "You really think I just want this image of Elektra Natchios in my head and not the real you?" he asks, expression pained. "That's bullshit and you know it. I want you, even if that's impossible now." With the light crowd his drink comes quickly, he smiles thanks to the waiter, does the minimum of feeling about to keep up the act, and then turns back to Elektra. "And I'd be happy," he says though as he says them the words seem hollow.
Elektra Natchios	Elektra isn't finished her bottle, but she angrily waves to Josie to make the order go for her as well, and holds up her bottle to indicate another of those as well. "Think, Matthew?" Elektra hisses at him, her voice raising slightly at the end as she struggles to gain control of herself. "I know. All you've ever wanted was this picture in your head. And when I didn't fit it, you wanted to save me. You didn't fall in love with me. You fell in love with the idea of me. With the idea of saving me." Her words are meant to be cruel, even as much as they hold truths. She's struggling not to fall back into the trap of wanting him. Needing him. Loving him enough that none of the rest of this mattered - only she was /still/ the Fist at the Hand, and while they'd nod and bow their heads and aquiesce to her demands that he was inviolate, it was as much as standing him in front of a firing squad and pulling the trigger herself. Elektra held no illusions as to the firmness of her grip, or the loyalty of those she now controlled. She could take care of herself. But the only way she knew to take care of Matt was this. "You want what you can't have, Matthew. Like every little boy. You'd be happy for as long as it took you to realize it was real, and then you'd be bored to tears. You don't wear that mask because you have to, Matthew. You wear it because you need to."
Claire Temple	Claire smiles at the text message on her phone, shaking her head at the idea of a small mob of vigilantes getting together to celebrate Danny's birthday. Let no one say they don't at least have fun, this ragamuffin crowd of hers, she decides as she turns to stop into Josie's. It's a few seconds until her eyes readjust from the glare of the massive neon sign in the window, but Claire spots Matt in the booth she'd been in on St. Paddy's Day. She starts making her way back to the booth through the thinning crowd, and as she turns to look at the seat on the other side, she spots Elektra. It's a little difficult not to raise an eyebrow, but Claire tries. She really does. "So I guess I missed the party...?" she asks as she looks between the two in front of her.
Matt Murdock	Matt's jaw clenches, "You don't get to tell me what I fell in love with, Elektra. It was you, not some idea of you and not the idea of saving you, it was you." He was right by his own estimation, at least at the start, when he'd fallen for her, she'd been the one doing the saving, pulling him out of his staid life to something more exciting more /him/. That didn't last though and now, it was much more complicated. Those last words they get him opening up his senses, testing to see if anyone heard any of that, there were no quickening heartbeats, no little intakes of breath, of surprise. Just "Claire?" Matt says as the woman appears, his puzzled look fades as he remembers the text and he glances at Elektra his planned reply swallowed, "I think the party's over," he says, reaching for his coat.
Elektra Natchios	"You stupid man," Elektra hisses at Matthew again, one hand clenched into a tight little fist upon the table. "I'm trying to keep you al--" Her words a sudden bite back of sound as they're joined. Elektra going from a sudden tension of anger, into a calm, if chill, feature across the table from him. Claire, no doubt witnessed the other, but for all intents and purposes, Elektra is behaving as if it hadn't happened. Having gone from angry to controlled in less than a heartbeat.
Claire Temple	Claire raises her eyebrows and steps back a half pace, not really prepared for the acrimony to bubble up on 'hello.' Elektra's remark catches her attention, and she sighs before she tries lightening her arrival. "Looks like," she says, nodding to the table. "Seems like the new menu's kinda grotty." She looks at both people expectantly, not planning on being left watching a pair of partially dug out burger platters while the two make a hasty retreat.
Matt Murdock	Matt rises, from the table, jacket in hand, feeling for his cane. "Keep me what, Elektra?" he asks her. He can guess but he wanted to make he say it. Though, then there's the matter of Claire. "Sorry," he says. "I'm fairly sure I have beer at home if you want to hear an explanation," he pulls on his coat. "It's been an interesting night," he explains.
Elektra Natchios	"You're not really going to make me say it, are you Matthew," Elektra asks quietly. Turning to murmur to Claire. "No worries. I've been careful of the stitches. I wouldn't want to put you out any further than I already have." She, too, reaches for her coat - a light jacketeted affair. Taking Matt's suggestion of beer and an explanation to preclude her presence. "The Building opening is next week. You may wish to come, Matthew. But I'll understand if you don't." And with that, she rises from her seat.
Claire Temple	A frown. "Yeah... yeah, that sounds fine," Claire says, nodding at Matt and stepping back fully so they both can leave the table. "Sounds like beer at Matt's it is." She starts turning toward the door.
Matt Murdock	"Guess not," Matt says to Elektra. Matt's retreat is far from hasty, the act demands it be slow, he feels his way to the bar with his cane, finds his carefully folded bills and feels his way to the bar to drop them. It's all so frustrating when all he wants to do is storm out. When it's finally all said and done, his anger fades enough so when he makes his way back to the table, he asks, "Anyhow, we good to go?" its directed to Claire but his attention is very much with Elektra.
Elektra Natchios	Elektra makes it clear she's not about to join them. "I'd say it was good.." she murmurs, tones clipped but neutral. "No worries. I'll settle at the bar." Leaving Matt to protest -- knowing full well the tab was already taken care of -- or to let it lie and leave Elektra her out. Either way, she's already dismissed him and turned her attention to Josie. "Give me another whiskey," she says bluntly, tapping the bar. "For the road." Three beer. Two whiskey. A champagne at the party. ..if Matt's counting.
Claire Temple	"Good to go... I guess?" Claire trails off as she watches Elektra make her way back to the bar for another round. "Maybe for some more than others." She gives them both long, considering looks before she starts making her way to the door.
Matt Murdock	Matt takes a breath, his attention flicking to Elektra for a moment as she settles Danny's tab too. "Yeah, let's go," he says, then holds out an arm for Claire to lead them out the door without him needing to put on too much of an act. "So, does this qualify for another yelling? To be fair, Elektra just happened to be at the same party," he offers with dry humour.
Elektra Natchios	At the bar, Elektra makes a point of not following the pair, letting them leave before her, intent upon giving them a significant amount of lead time before she, herself, leaves.
Claire Temple	"Murdock, I think you do more things to qualify for a yelling than you don't," Claire says as she takes his elbow and looks over her shoulder at Elektra. She frowns, but keeps going so as not to lose the cover of leading Matt out into the neighborhood. "She sticking around?" she asks Matt, sotto voce.
Matt Murdock	Matt softly snorts a laugh. "I like to think I do some good around here too," he protests. "Speaking of, got papers from Cranston for you to look over, but we can do that after the holiday." It was Easter after all. Matt's attention flicks back to Elektra in the bar. "Staying how? With me." He shakes his head. "I imagine she'll make her way back home, why?" he asks. He pauses, cocking his head, he thought he heard something out in the street. He waits a second, and doesn't hear it again. "Sorry, thought I-" A black clad figure cuts him off, rising behind a car parked at the curb and hurling throwing blades in his direction. "Claire, get down!" he shouts shoving her towards an alley, while putting himself in the path of the blades.
Claire Temple	Claire rocks forward at the shove, and she stumbles around the brick wall to cling onto the edifice with her eyes closed. If she can't see whatever it is, maybe whatever it is can't see her... which is just stupid, and deep down, she knows it. Her fingers curl into the mortar, for lack of anything more useful to do... and now her eyes pop open while she begins to shake and her body reminds her just what panic feels like. She spares a look around the corner and yells, "Matt... Matt!" without much caring who hears.
Matt Murdock	Matt's jacket takes the brunt of the throwing stars, they weren't really meant to kill, just slow down and distract. They did the job. The man in black, behind the car leaps, blade slipping from his sheath as he comes to finish Matt off. He was expecting a blind man, but what he got was a cane slipping under his guard and thwacking hard into his ribs as Matt slips out from under the blade. There's a grunt from the man, then he turns swinging, but Matt's inside his reach, driving a fist into his throat. The man crumples and Matt follows him down for two more punches, until the man goes still. "Claire," he calls out hearing his name, and something else. The something else makes a grab for Claire, hard hands grasping out of the darkness to yank her off balance and down to the ground another man steps out beside him drawing the silvery length of a katana from the sheathe on his back.
Claire Temple	Claire's too surprised to cry out at the hands suddenly jabbing behind her back and then yanking her forward to slam into the pavement. She tries getting her feet under herself somehow, instead scraping the inside of one foot against the macadam while a knee posts on the back of her left leg, close to the knee. Trying to strike the figure with her hands swinging gets her a foot planted onto her left wrist, the pain distracting her from this escape attempt she's currently failing. Claire lets out a yell. It doesn't take super senses for her to hear the blade hiss out of the sheath, and she goes still. "Blade... blade...!" she gets out as she continues to panic.
Elektra Natchios	Inside the bar, Elektra imagines she's left the pair long enough to have made their retreat, leaving no real possibility she'll run into either of them. Her mood soured by the conversation she and Matt were having, and the fact that it had been left incomplete. It didn't help her frustrations at being what amounted to an invalid for at least a couple more days. The remainder of the tab is paid, Elektra downing one last shot before making her way to the door. Noting the particular warm tingle in her limbs, and allowing herself a faint smile at the fact. If she couldn't live dangerously one way, she supposed, she'd find another. Though even she knew it was more than dangerous, chalking the matter up to her annoyance with Matt. And herself. The door to Josie's swings closed behind her and she looks off in the direction she intends to head along, intending upon hailing a cab. However, what she intends, and what she encounters are two different things..
Matt Murdock	At the shout of blade Matt's on his feet wielding his cane, like a staff, it wouldn't hold, but it would do for now. He senses Elektra leave the bar, and has a moment of doubt. Was he fighting three ninjas tonight or four? He decides it's three, trusting her, as he flashes three fingers, then lowers one, saying there were three attackers, one down. Though that last fact was obvious as the ninja was laid out at Matt's feet. As for Claire, well the shouts from down the alley tell her tale. The man with the blade raised it high ready to strike while the other made to put a foot on her throat. He got a cane hurled at his throat for his trouble, the man steps back and blocks the cane high, giving Claire a momentary window of escape. The man with the sword swings it, quickly, but not at Claire, he turns sharply to swing at Matt as the blind-man rushes him.
Claire Temple	Claire feels the pressure let up on her limbs and makes an awkward crawl as quickly as she can pull away from her assailant, except that the crawl turns into a roll with a hiss and squeak of pain when her wrist protests holding her weight. She pulls up against the wall, not worrying about the wet mess from the air conditioner dripping above her head, and draws in her arms and legs to curl up into as small a space as she can. She peeks out in quiet, heart-frozen fear as Matt rushes headlong into the swordsman's range.
Elektra Natchios	At first, Elektra isn't sure she's seeing what she's seeing. It takes her a moment to process it all (another *very* bad sign that she's quite overdone the alcohol at Josie's - even if her brain is still stubbornly insisting she deserved it in a fit of pique). And for a half second she allows herself to consider that they might not be her own men. Only a half second though - she knows full well who they are. Which only leaves what to do about it. She considers letting it be. Letting it play out. Matt can handle it. Elektra is quite certain of that. Only across the space between herself and the attack, she meets the eyes of one of the ninjas, and she knows that not only has she been recognized, but that this isn't going to end until she ends it one way or another. There's almost a smugness to the man's stance. Stepping forward with less care than she's been taking up until now with her back injury, Elektra closes the space between herself, and Matt and Claire, and the attackers. "Enough!" she says with a quite firmness that brooks no argument.
Matt Murdock	Matt twists out of the way, of the sword at the last second, and the swordsman adapts quickly turning with Matt to strike again while the second man draws his own blade to strike at Claire. When Elektra appears they, stop. The one fighting Matt looks at the one standing over Claire. That one, glares hatefully at Elektra. << You are just a pretender; the Beast will swallow you whole! >> he says speaking rapidly in Japanese. Then without further hesitation, he completes his strike at Claire his blade flashing in a glittering arc. Matt's guy follows suit, striking at him even as Matt leaps back.
Elektra Natchios	<< There is no Beast! >> Elektra returns in an angry spate of Japanese back at the man. Though she knows it doesn't actually matter - with the deision to carry through that arc and attack Matt, her opponent has declared the battlefield open. Matt and Claire are collateral damage in this - it's really about her and the Hand. Unfortunately, she hasn't her weapons on her. Not that she's limited by that, but it would help. Especially as she's also injured and tipsy. Now she's cursing that fit of pique, though the adrenaline rush is helping clear some of that. Still, things feel entirely too much in slow motion to the woman.. She moves to intercept the strike on Claire. Of the pair, Matt is most capable of deflecting and managing his own attacker. Claire, however, is in much more mortal danger.
Claire Temple	Claire rocks sideways to avoid the blade she's sure is trying to split her head from her body, and is rewarded with a cut across her arm when Elektra forcefully intervenes to stop the shot from moving in more deeply. The blade strikes her skin and pulls away so quickly that she barely has time to register the pain before she lets out a scream of (mainly) surprise, and she holds her opposite hand over where the area surrounding her left deltoid is suddenly quite warm and wet. She blinks several times. "I... oh," she says dazedly, hugging her right hand in close. "Matt...?" she asks, not quite as loud as before.
Matt Murdock	<< Heretic! >> the man says as he strikes Claire but his eyes never leave Elektra. The blade slices Claire's arm and then he curses his attack had been foiled, but then he was facing the Pretender now. There is fanatical zeal in the man's eyes as he twists the blade up swinging at both Elektra and Claire in an upwards swing, then, brings it down again for Elektra alone. Matt's Japanese was limited to a bit he learned from a learn to speak Japanese CD and some dirty words Stick had taught him as a kid. Oh, and also, Beast. That one, Stick made sure he knew. That the word was spoken now, seemed to eliminate the chance these were the discount ninjas he'd faced in Brooklyn the other night. Well that, and their level of skill. The swordsman was good, quick, inventive, knew how to swing a blade, but he was also still expecting a normal opponent. In the end Matt trapped him, leaping and sending a kick his way, he lands with his back to the swordsman, the man rushes to take advantage swinging to cut him in two. Matt twists at the last second, and as the blade whistles past, he puts one hand on the sword hilt and drives the other into the man's face, once, twice, three times. Then Claire calls his name and he slams his fist into his face a fourth and final time before turning and kicking the man, hard, into the wall.
Elektra Natchios	Elektra hasn't time to consider all the implications of the man's speech right this moment. << If you insist >> she answers him. << Heretics kill as well as believers >> There was an unhealthy niggle at the back of her brain that she was missing something here, but given all the things moving in slightly off-kept time, Elektra couldn't spare the thoughts. As it was, his blade was coming down fast and hard, and while she knew the counter, and moved to make it, she could already feel that she'd mistimed herself, as well as overbalanced. His strike comes down, and instead of her hands deflecting the blow, leaving her to step in towards him, disarming him, her motion carries her into him, the hilt of the katana striking her forearm with a sickening *thunk* of a sound, and what should have been a twist of motion, taking the blade for herself had her stepping past him in a slight stagger - still weaponless.
Claire Temple	Claire has righted herself to hold her head against the brick, her eyes goggling as she takes in Matt's altercation by sound, even if she isn't feeling quite up to turning that way to look over her arm. Her attention -- what she can spare, anyway -- is on the scuffle practically above her head, and she squawks before trying to put her nose between her knees to avoid any more blade arcs. Suddenly Elektra is standing much closer to her, and the man with the katana has bounced his shoulder against the wall as the blade seemed to come through for a downward cut... or a drop? Claire huffs a deep breath and pulls her heels in as closely as she can manage, else she get a cut across her leg.
Matt Murdock	There is a dozen things in Matt's senses that tell him how off Elektra is right now. "Shit," he breathes, when he sees her there back exposed to the lead ninja's blade. << Down >> he shouts in Spanish, hoping Elektra remembers what she learned from college and that the ninja didn't take the same course. He tucks into a roll that takes him over his cane and comes up throwing it. If Elektra took the offered cue the cane should sail over her back and force the swordsman into a parry, if not, then he's going to hit her a moment before the guy cuts through her spine. Matt feels the ninja behind him rising from the alley floor. He gets up from his roll coming at the guy behind Elektra counting on her to get the one behind him.
Elektra Natchios	It was that last shot at the bar that was likely the culprit.. Okay, the last two. Really, Elektra was already past her limit before then, but those were responsible for the warmth in her extremities and the alarmingly growing sense of being disconnected from herself. Inwardly she curses, trying to drag her senses back under her control. *Abajo! Abajo!* She can hear it from behind her. Matt's voice. And even as she turns to give him a questioning look it hits her (almost quite literally as it happens) that she's being told to get DOWN! Her turn becomes a duck and a half-assed sweep that manages to put her ninja on his guard. It doesn't stop him from striking down with his blade, a strike she only *just* manages to avoid at the cost of several of the stitches in her back and an excrutiating reminder that she's supposed to be taking it easy. However, Matt's cane, which does hit her offers an opening to the woman: it's a weapon. A very haphazard and poor one, but a weapon nonetheless. It'll buy her several blows of parry, and perhaps knocking her assailant back enough that he's forced to retreat... And that's when it hits Elektra: She can't let them retreat. Not only do they know Matt's secret now, but they'll carry word about her connection to him. And even if she could argue successfully that she called a stop to the altercation to protect them all, it was already apparent that at least one faction within the Hand considered itself rogue enough to strike out this way. "Mátalos!" she tells Matt <<Kill them!>> knowing even as she does exactly how futile the plea is. Boy doesn't know when his morality is a mortal liability.. even if he knows his mortal sins.
Matt Murdock	If Matt watched movies, he figured this one was leaning more towards Jackie Chan than Crouching Tiger, still Elektra isn't cut in two, and she's armed, Matt calls that a win even if he hit Elektra with a cane and Claire was still bleeding on the concrete. He could smell her blood, and Elektra's amidst the smell of sweat, and garbage in the alley. "Hold on," he says to encourage Claire, then he leaps, as the man with the sword comes for him. The sword cuts air as Matt, flips, bounds off a dumpster to land a flying punch that sends the swordsman staggering back. Matt doesn't give him time to breathe. He lands, grabs the sword by the hilt and like the last guy, he drives punch after punch into his face. This wasn't Stick's training, this was his all Battlin' Jack now. One, two, three, four, five, the face visible in the slit of the mask was red with blood and swollen to be almost unrecognizable. Six, seven. The call in Spanish, he knew what it meant. The ninja had gone limp and was standing only because Matt had let go of the sword and was holding him by the throat against the wall. Just a few more punches that's all it'd take. He'd tasted the vicious through that had gone through the man when he's stabbed at Claire, trying to take her life. The man had come to kill Elektra, as far as he knew. There was no reason to offer mercy. Yet those final punches never came. Matt lets the ninja fall to the floor of the alley, while the Devil in him screams for blood. While that happened, the swordsman rising behind Matt charges Elektra ready to test his blade against the Fist that Rules the Hand's white and red cane. Elektra wasn't at her best, but neither was, he taking a beating from Matt, he comes on furiously though, swinging fast and hard.
Elektra Natchios	Matt's cane is snapped together into its folded form, leaving Elektra with something to work with. It's not got a bladed edge, but she'd been taught better than to rely on that. Stick would have been insulted if she couldn't handle herself under any circumstance. That Matt hasn't killed the man she'd left herself open to isn't a concern she has time for, let alone opportunity to notice yet - she's got other matters to deal with. The man Matt had so unceremoniously beaten into a pulp had gotten back up and was coming at her, blade raised for an unrelenting strike. Elektra moves both forwards and to the side as he comes at her to hopefully take him off balance, her intent to bypass his blow and come up behind him enough to strike with her own 'weapon' aiming for nerves in the neck to impair the nerves there, levelling the playing field. From there it's all strikes and sweeps. Taking what blows he has to to get in ones of her own; avoiding those she can afford to. Even if it's only to buy time for Matt to step in and help her.
Claire Temple	Claire dimly hears Matt's encouragement, but at this point, she doesn't feel like carrying it into a conversation. She takes a few deep breaths and concentrates on the weight of her head leaning forward, because it's a better thing for her to concentrate on than... oh, dear, the arm's still wet. Deep breaths, and stay small.
Matt Murdock	It's a close thing, the ninja's blade nicks Elektra head as she ducks under the blow and comes up behind, swinging the cane. The ninja cries out when he's hit, the blow land shy of the nerve cluster but it still /hurts/. He turns, sword cutting the air again to gain some space. He moves to strike at Claire and at least kill one of the targets, but Matt is there, stopping the blade at the the hilt and landing a blow of his own. The ninja backs up, eyes shifting between Elektra and Matt. Leaping, back towards a dumpster, the ninja throws his blade at Claire. Sending Matt to knock it out of the air. Free of the weapon the ninja lands on the dumpster, and looking at Elektra says << This is not over >> before letting something drop from his hand that sparks and bursts forth with an acrid inky smoke, that bathes the alley in darkness. A moment later the smoke clears, though the sting of lingers in Matt's nostrils, and the ninja is gone leaving the three in the alley with the other two ninja's laid out amongst them.
Elektra Natchios	It's over entirely too fast. And with the disappearance of the ninja in his cloud of acrid smoke, Elektra is left both unsatisfied, and with the decaying remains of an adrenaline high. She feels all the blows she's just taken. Where her stitches have ripped there isn't only pain, but a spreading warmth as well. And a trickle of blood runs down the side of her neck and into the front opening of her dress where it slowly spread into the fabric, darkening it. Howevver, there's still the small matter of the men lying unconscious in the alley, and she makes her way to the nearest, intent upon 'dealing' with him.
Matt Murdock	Matt is still reeling from the smoke and how it screams in his nostrils edging his other senses out of his attention. He moves towards Claire, intending to check on her while he got his senses back into balance, but then foot falls near the ninja he'd taken down grab his attention. His first thought, the ninja was back up again, but then he realizes it's worse, Elektra. "No!" he shouts, leaping and making a truly blind attempt to grab Elektra's hand to stop her from making the kill he couldn't.
Elektra Natchios	Matt's grabbing of Elektra's arm saves the man, and wrenches her, pulling further at her injuries and leaving her wincing. "It's got to be done, Matthew. It's bad enough one got away." Her voice is a low hiss, but Claire is close enough that she may hear all of it. "Your secret? And what sort of message is it if I leave them alive?"
Claire Temple	"Oh, God," Claire says, huffing out the lingering smell of blood and smoke. "You're not... you're not going to..." She shakes her head and looks up at Matt and Elektra with something much closer to nausea than anguish.
Matt Murdock	Matt keeps Elektra's arm in his grip. He knew he couldn't stop her from killing this man eventually, but he could stop her from doing so here. "I know what message this sends, but please, Elektra, don't make me fight you." And that was it. The only argument he could make, she wasn't likely to back down on killing him, he wasn't going to back down on not letting that happen, and now this was their choice. Back down or fight over a man Matt himself had been a half-second from killing not long before.
Elektra Natchios	Elektra's features tighten, the low hiss continuing, "You'd fight me? Knowing that this isn't going to end if we walk away? Do you have /any/ idea, Matt, what position this puts me in?"
Claire Temple	Claire, for her part, doesn't want to consider what kind of position this puts anyone in, so much as she wants to be cozied up on her couch, using a day or two of sick leave, and no longer leaking blood from her arm. "You're... are you..." Maybe talking isn't a great idea right now. She puts her head back down and tries not to think about how she's suddenly tasting salt in the back of her mouth.
Matt Murdock	Matt's eyes close and he nods. "Yes," he says to all of it. There was more that he could say, things, to try and explain his position, but it didn't matter, the damage was done and on a night where he'd almost hoped they could find peace, he'd set it all ablaze again. "Please," he says. "We need to go, Claire, needs to go."
Elektra Natchios	Elektra's gaze narrows down on Matt. "Do you have any idea what danger you're putting me in by asking this of me? This isn't some game, Matthew. I can't keep them in control unless I'm seen able to control them. Your friend Claire there? In dnager too. You're out of your depth. Let me do what we both know needs doing."
Claire Temple	Danger? Control? Claire's head swims. This isn't... Oh, dear. "Matt...?"
Matt Murdock	"I'm coming," Matt promises Claire. Though his attention is fixed on Elektra. Matt's resolved expression wavers but doesn't crack, which should tell Elektra plainly that her words had made an impact. They felt like a knife wound, bleeding with no quick way to staunch the flow. He knew what he was asking of her was impossible but at the same time he couldn't just sit back and let a man die, even an evil one. "I know I'm out of my depth here and I'm putting you in danger, but, please, Elektra, don't," he says trying to ease her arm back to her side. "We need to go. Claire needs our help."
Elektra Natchios	Later, Elektra wouldn't be able to defend this decision to herself. Or she might lie and say it was precisely because of Claire's presence here - not wishing to kill anyone in front of the other, at least not so ddeliberately and in such cold blood. As it was she was unaware of what, if anything, Claire had heard of this conversation. But something in Matt's voice, and in his face made Elektra stop. She was furious with him, that much was clear. But she relents, and drags her arm away from him, further jarring her injuries. She swipes at her forehead with the now freed hand and stares at the blood. "This is on you," Elektra tells him, knowing she's feeding his guilt and not caring. Not that she wants him to feel guilty on her behalf - he's already complicated her life enough in that respect - but in that she wants him to know his decision has implications for the future. Just like the files she'd sent him: Choice has consequence. "Let's get out of here before I change my mind."
Claire Temple	Claire's legs drop out of her curled posture as she really doesn't have the adrenaline running to keep them locked in anymore. Her stomach begins to gurgle, and she feels a warm flush and some sweat on the back of her neck. "Not feelin' so good," she allows, her face paling. "Got a...?"
Matt Murdock	"Thank you," Matt says, breathing all the desperate relief he feels in those two words. He knew they'd likely all pay for this at some point for the decision made just now, but, he'd do his best to mitigate that. As usually all he could see was how this was on him, a problem he'd have to fix. Though, there were more pressing problems to fix first, once he's certain, Elektra is at least fine to stand he moves to Claire. By the smell of blood on her, that cut to her arm was bleeding quite a bit, and by how her body temperature had fallen, he'd guess was in shock. There would be time to deal with both later. Bending, he sips an arm around her, "I've got you," he says as he begins to help her to her feet. "We should go to my place," Claire's had more supplies but he knew where they were at his place, and before anyone else got looked at they'd need to sort Claire out first.
Elektra Natchios	Elektra doesn't care where as long as it's not here, and it's /now/. But when she bends to try and help Matt with Claire, another stitch or two are pulled - testimonly to the injuries she's done to herself tonight - and she knows that doing more will completely undo Claire's work, and worse, leave her sidelined for longer. With Matt's forcing the issue on not killing those in the alley, Elektra is going to need to be in fighting shape sooner than later. "Right. Let's go." She does take up on Claire's other side once he's got her upright, though. Much as to make this look like Claire's just had a little too much to drink and they're helping her home... provided people are willing to look past all the blood.
Claire Temple	Swimming or spinning, Claire's head's doing something... and oh, ohhhh... Upright is not a great move. Nope, not great at all. She can hear Matt talking, but then all she hears is rushing water, and somehow, it's a whole lot darker out now... And more salt. She swallows, or at least tries to. It doesn't work out so well. Her body bows forward a foot or so and she dumps out the grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup she'd had to tide her over while she went to the gathering at Josie's. It's on the front of her jeans, as well as Matt's outfit and Elektra's dress. She moans as her sneakers feel wet on top. "Sorry 'bout that," she says. "Really not likin' this."
Matt Murdock	Matt can sense what's coming, and besides shifting slightly to the side and tilting Claire forward there's not much he can do about it. Red-orange vomit stains his greying dress shirt, making it stick to his chest and the acrid tang of stomach acid joins the burning from the smoke bomb in his nostrils. "I noticed," Matt remarks dryly, but without accusation. His attention goes to Elektra, checking how badly she'd been hit. "We'll get you out of her, c'mon," he says jerking his head down the alley to let Elektra know which way he was planning to take.
Elektra Natchios	Elektra, meanwhile, is in a dress. A black dress with scarlet insets, so had Claire vomitted upon her in that fashion, she'd have fared well enough, but as it was, Claire's upset splattered all over Elektra's legs and shoes. The smell was offputting and only added to the overall discomfort of the woman, but as luck would have it, Stick's training included dealing with all eventualities, including not only grinning and bearing filth, but the basics of first aid (and some beyond basics) as well. "We need to find a spot she can sit with her head between her knees." Injury be damned, Elektra hikes Claire's other arm about her neck and helps Matt get them out of Dodge faster.
Claire Temple	"Yeah... yeah, let's do that," Claire says, voice trailing. "Head down, good for shock," she says, trying to get more air flowing through her lungs. "Matt, where's y'r couch?" She tries her best to keep up, really, everything's fine now since she... nope, not everything's fine. "Naps are good."