Touch - Matt Murdock

Part Twenty-One

New Alibi
TW: nothing, maybe hospitals <3

"... Matt?"

He smiled gently. Reaching his hand up to touch her face, acting like he didn't know where her face was. Alice grabs his hand. Carefully placing his soft fingers against her cheek as a sob wrecked through her. Her breathing was rapid, and her lungs were deprived of blood for too long that it had to be trained to withstand so much air at once. It needed to be strong again, and crying wasn't helping as she took deep ragged breaths. Trying to speak but every word was a gasp for air.

"It's okay, it's okay." He whispered. Trying to soothe her so she stopped hurting herself with the gasping and gagging of her crying. The nurse placed an oxygen mask on her as her sobs deepened. Reaching out to touch him but every move was hurting, even with morphine she could feel how swollen and stiff her body was. Matt listened for the nurses head to turn as he leaned forward, letting her hands cup his face. He melted against her touch, he almost broke into tears, but he kept composure.

All Alice could think of was when she first woke up in his apartment after that failed attempt at an interview that was to be Nelson and Murdock's intern, when Harry beat her. But this was a different situation. She thought this wasn't real, and she was dreaming, but she could touch him. Feel the 5o'clock shadow on his cheeks. She wanted to scream, or maybe run up and hug him. But she could hardly move to touch his familiar face.

"Your safe." He whispered to her. Brushing her hair from out of the oxygen mask. Hearing her hiccup, drowning in her own tears.
"Give us a minute." He tilted his head towards the nurses. Who gave each other a look like 'why is this blind man ordering us to leave?' Before exiting the room.

"Alice." He whispered to her, "Take a deep breath, I want you to know something."

"Did you h... did you hook up with someone?" She frowned, obviously joking as he chuckled breathlessly. A smile flashing at her as she melted all over again.
"I had Foggy and Marci create you a fake ID. I don't know where Frank is but... Marci is working out a past alibi." He leaned down next to her ear as she wrapped her arms around him like a snake, like he was going to disappear again. She almost didn't register he said that. "What?... Why?" She grumbled weakly.

"The FBI is still out for you." He whispered, hardly audible into her ear. "So your new name is Arabella Valentine."

Matt expected her to be pissed beyond belief. But she didn't move, didn't argue. The silence was deafening to Matt and he wanted her to say something, just to get a sense it was still Alice.

"... Okay." She said slowly, "Don't nickname me Bella."

"What about Arie?" He smiled, hunched over her as they now embraced. Alice's arms tight around him. "Better than... Bella." She chuckled, a wheeze slipping out. She couldn't believe this was real, she wouldn't believe it was until she saw him in his apartment with her. With Foggy. Like a happy ending.

"You aren't mad?" He asked.
"No... I don't think so."
"Why? I just named you. Now you have to get use to it." He let out a soft chuckle as she took deep, slow, uncomfortable breaths. "... Because you aren't dead." She smiled, repeating those words over and over in her head. She couldn't believe it, she wanted something better than this situation to reunite in. But she'll have to wait.

"Take three deep breaths."

Alice took the oxygen mask off, Matt was practically folding over to touch her. He missed her desperately, and has had no time to rest or think for himself. He needed Alice to be okay. But the odds were slim.