The Invisible String: Matt Murdock/ Daredevil

16

Location: Annalises Apartment | Time: Just after 1:00 AM

The knock at the door was frantic, not heavy, not violent, but urgent. Desperate.

Foggy jumped to his feet, nearly knocking over the coffee table. He'd been half-dozing against the armrest, phone clenched in his hand, the minutes dragging out since Matt and Annalise left. No texts. No calls. No update.

He rushed to the door and pulled it open.

Karen.

Her hair was disheveled, her lip split, eyes wide and red from tears. She looked like hell , pale, exhausted, trembling with adrenaline and fear, but she was standing. Alive.

"Karen—" Foggy exhaled, the air escaping his lungs like a deflated balloon. "Jesus, you're okay."

She didn't answer, just lunged forward and threw her arms around him. He caught her, holding her tight, grounding her against his chest.

"They said I could go," she whispered against his shoulder. "They just let me go. No guards, no driver, no one followed. I—I ran." She pulled back slightly. "Foggy, I didn't know where else to go."

"You're safe now. You did the right thing."

Karen stepped inside, shivering slightly as the warmth of the apartment wrapped around her. Her gaze darted across the room. Her expression twisted.

"Wait—where's Matt?" she asked. "And Annalise?"

Foggy's stomach sank.

"They're not back yet."

Karen's eyes widened. "What? No. They—they weren't with me. I didn't see them."

She began pacing, arms folded tightly over her ribs like she was holding herself together with sheer force of will. "They weren't there when I woke up. No one was. It was a trap, Foggy. I was bait. They knew Matt would come for me. But why just let me go?"

Foggy tried to steady his breathing.

"Maybe it's part of the game," he said carefully. "Let you go so we panic. So they set the board however they want."

Karen looked at him like he had lost his mind. "How are you so calm right now? They could be hurt. They could be—" her voice cracked, "—gone."

He hesitated, then offered a small, sad smile.

"Annalise."

Karen blinked. "What about her?"

"She did something earlier," Foggy said softly, sinking onto the couch again. "I was buzzing like a damn live wire after we saw the photo of you. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. She just—touched me. Barely. And it was like someone unplugged the fear. Just enough to keep me steady."

He glanced up at Karen. "I don't know how long it'll last. Maybe it's already wearing off. But right now, I need to be this version of myself. The one that isn't spinning out."

Karen stared at him, her face twisted with emotion. "She... took your fear?"

"She took the weight of it," Foggy replied. "Held it so I could breathe."

Karen slowly sat beside him, shoulders still tense. "I don't know her. Not really. But... I think I get why Matt trusts her."

Foggy nodded. "So do I."

Karen stared down at her hands, jaw clenching. "So what now?"

"We wait," Foggy said, though he hated the answer. "We stay alert. If Matt and Annalise are out there, they'll find a way back. And if they don't—"