Jack dumps the contents of his toybox on the living room floor. The sheer number of dinosaur figurines that this boy owns is staggering. They come in all breeds, sizes and colours. Forget about Jurrasic Park, he could have a dinosaur army if he wanted to. Jack picks up two toys; Foggy accepts the T-Rex and brachiosaurus that the kid hands him.
"So you like dinosaurs, huh?"
Jack nods. He divides his toys into groups, puts all the dinosaurs of the same type into separate circles. Like in a zoo, Foggy thinks. "I'm gonna study dinosaurs when I grow up," Jack informs him.
"Before or after you marry Kate Bishop?"
Jack ponders the question for a moment, taps his chin, deep in thought. "After," he decides eventually. "I'm gonna marry Kate and then we'll study dinosaurs together."
Foggy turns the T-Rex in his hand. "But does Kate like dinosaurs?"
Jack opens his mouth to answer, but nothing comes out. He closes it and his expression turns sheepish. He lowers his eyes and starts picking at the rim of his T-shirt, another goddamn adorable Matt-ism that makes Foggy want to cry. "I don't know," Jack admits. "I know she likes arrows and dogs and boxing, she sometimes trains with Daddy."
"You've gotta ask her, Jackie," Foggy tells him with utmost seriousness. "Because what if Kate doesn't like dinosaurs? How can you spend your life with someone who hates what you do?"
"Then I'll study something else," Jack says, equally serious. "Maybe stars like Miss Jane. Or ratatiation like Mr. Bruce and Greg's dad."
Radiation, Foggy's brain supplements. Foggy shakes his head. "You've really got it bad, don't you, buddy?"
"Kate is the love of my life," Jack informs him with conviction only kids and Matt Murdock were capable of.
"Of course," Foggy agrees, because in the world of Jackie Murdock, age about five, that was most likely true.
Jack turns back to his toys. Two more dinosaurs end up near Foggy; with four of his own he is ready to start building his own dino-zoo. Jack continues dividing the toys between the two of them for a few minutes, every now and again glancing at Foggy's growing pile and plucking a toy from it, taking it back and replacing with a different one. It takes Foggy a moment to notice that all the ones that Jack takes back are small plastic figures in improbable eye-watering colours.
"Where did you get those?"
Jack glances at the blue brontosaurus in his hand. "From the desk in Daddy's office," he explains. "Daddy said I could keep them. Why? Do you like them?" Jack offers him the brontosaurus, despite an unhappy twist of his mouth. These he clearly wants to keep. "Do you want one?"
"No, thank you," Foggy declines. "It's just--I didn't expect to see them again. I bought them, you know? For your dad, right after we finished university."
Jack drops the brontosaurus onto the floor. He stares at Foggy, all interest suddenly transferred from the dinosaur toys to him. "You knew Daddy at school?"
"Yes," Foggy replies. "All through law school."
"Like Miss Jennifer knew Mummy?" Jack keeps up his inquiries. Foggy doesn't know a Miss Jennifer, so he just shrugs. "Do you know any stories about Daddy? Miss Jennifer always tells me funny stories about Mummy, but Daddy doesn't have any friends from school, Aunt Marci wasn't his friend at school. She says she's still not his friend, but Daddy says she's just being silly."
"Oh boy," Foggy tells him as he stands up, it's better to move to the sofa, because this might prove to be a very long conversation. "It's your lucky day, young man, because indeed I know a lot of funny stories about your dad."
Jack beams and scrambles onto his feet, jumps onto the sofa right next to Foggy. After trying out a few positions, he eventually settles comfortably with his head in the crook of Foggy's arm. He looks up at Foggy expectantly.
Foggy clears his throat. "I suppose I could start by telling you how your dad and I met, and that, young Jack, is a really funny story..."
34.
An unmistakable and annoying sensation of being poked in the side is what wakes him. Foggy opens one eye experimentally and is welcomed first by blinding brightness and then by the sight of big hazel eyes peeking at him curiously.
"Aaargh!" he yells, startled. He quickly finds that his neck hurts like a bitch and his legs are tangled in a blanket. He doesn't own any blankets. He sits up, swings his feet off the sofa and puts them firmly on the ground, and — because life hates him — steps right onto a stegosaurus' spine spikes. "Son of a--!"
"It's half past six," Jack informs him cheerfully. "Daddy said to wake you up because breakfast is ready. Do you like waffles?"
"I, uh..." Jack waits. Foggy looks around. This is--this is Matt's living room. Matt's kid in Matt's living room, he's still in Matt's apartment. What the hell. "Yeah, I--I like waffles."
Jack claps his hands happily. "Cool!"
Foggy doesn't need Jack to lead him into the kitchen; the sweet smell of waffles and one of a freshly made coffee would be enough to point him in the right direction. But since Jack seems more than happy to take his hand and drag him through the apartment, Foggy lets him.
"Good morning," Matt greets him with a tight smile. He's standing by one of the counters, cutting what looks like carrots in neat halves and packing them into two boxes, one empty, one already filled with small, crust-free sandwiches. He looks vaguely uncomfortable and his voice betrays that. "Breakfast's on the table, jam's in the fridge, if you want."
"Good morning," Foggy says back, feeling awkward. He rubs his eyes to avoid looking at anything and anyone. "What--what exactly happened?"
"It was almost 2:30 when we came back," Matt explains, voice tight and controlled. He doesn't like this. "You fell asleep on the sofa, Kirsten didn't have the heart to wake you. It'd have been inhumane to kick you out."
"I--Thank you." Matt nods sharply. "2:30, huh? Had fun?"
"Surprisingly enough, yes. The assistant D.A.'s term of office ends in three months, she won't be running for re-election so she's freshly out of damns to give. It was quite entertaining." Matt cocks his head to the side, listening for something. To something? He points somewhere behind his right shoulder. "Coffee machine is next to the microwave."
Foggy grunts his thanks and moves to pour a cup of coffee. Maybe after an espresso his mind will be able to comprehend what's happening.
"Oh, you're awake, that's great," Kirsten greets him as she storms into the kitchen, hair in disarray and with only one shoe on, the other one in her hand. She leans over the counter next to Matt. "On your left," she tells him and Matt stops chopping whatever it is that he's maiming now and raises his left arm to allow Kirsten to dive under it and grab something. "Thanks, baby."
Kirsten turns to Foggy. "I called Stuart," she tells him, and Foggy's mind freezes for a second, because Stuart who?, before connecting 'Stuart' to 'assistant' and 'occasionally of help'. "He'll pick up a new set of clothes for you and bring it to the office."
"Thank you."
"Do you want me to drop you off there? It's on the way to Jack's school."
"I--" Foggy looks first to Jack, sitting by the kitchen table and nodding like crazy, then to Matt, whose mouth forms a thin line now and whose grip on the knife has turned pretty much deadly. Foggy swallows thickly. "No, that's fine, I'll take the subway."
"It's not a problem," Kirsten insists and throws Matt a look that's completely wasted, because Matt cannot see facial expressions. "We owe you one."
Foggy looks back to Jack and smiles fondly. The kid is back at munching his waffles with fruits and is smiling happily. "You don't owe me anything," he says truthfully, "it was an absolute pleasure. He's a great kid."
"Which reminds me," Matt interrupts. "Are you picking up our great kid today?"
"I can't," Kirsten answers, "court. Danny is."
Matt drops the knife. "Danny," he repeats. "Danny? Why can't Luke do it? Danny is--Kirsten, he's borderline irresponsible."
"Luke can't do it, because we're all busy people, Matt." Kirsten throws up her hands, exasperated. "Besides, I thought Danny was your friend."
"Only sort of," Matt counters. "Barely. By proxy."
Kirsten huffs and crosses her hands over her chest. "We don't have the time for this. Danny Rand is picking up your son from pre-school today and then is taking him and Danielle to the zoo. Matt, come on. Danny can handle Jack for three hours."
An unpleasant smile twists Matt's lips. "I have two words for you," he tells Kirsten and slowly extends two fingers, counting out the words, "last. Halloween."
Kirsten makes a face. She pulls her lips and bites the inside of her cheek. A hand travels to her nape and she starts rubbing. "I see your point," she says. "Do we have anyone who could accompany them?"
"Wanda maybe?" Matt suggests.
Kirsten shakes her head. "Peter?" she offers instead. Matt makes an unhappy sound. "You know what, fine, I'll call Wanda."
"Splendid idea," Matt says dryly.
"Miss Wanda loves the zoo!" Jack says. He chooses exactly that moment to chip into the conversation, smart kid. He drops his fork and jumps off his chair. "Done!" he announces and runs to the hall.
"Lunch!" Matt calls after him.
Jack comes back with his shoes on, but not laced, wearing an Iron Man backpack. Foggy wonders if Matt knows and — considering his distinct lack of fondness towards Tony Stark — what he thinks of it if he does. Jack pads towards the counter and grabs the plastic lunchbox that Matt pushes at him. Doesn't quite manage to avoid the kiss that Matt presses into his hair.
"Okay." She makes a sweeping motion towards the door. "Off with you, mister."
"Bye, Daddy!" Jack says and waves. "Bye, Mr. Franklin."
Foggy waves back.
"Shoelaces!" Matt reminds.
"I'll tie them in the car," Kirsten ensures him with a smile. She grabs a set of keys and throws them into her bag. Walks into the kitchen, takes a bottle of water and a box full of carrots that Matt hands her. "I'll see you at the office."
"I'll pick up our tickets on my way home."
"My hero," Kirsten coos and kisses him. "Love you, baby."
"Mhm, nope." Matt points at himself. "More."
Kirsten laughs and punches him in the shoulder playfully. She throws the water bottle and the box with carrots into her bag as well. "Yeah. You wish."
Matt's smile turns into a full-on grin. "I don't have to."
"I don't believe you, you--you."
Kirsten shakes her head and goes back into the hall and then out of the apartment after Jack, followed out by Matt's warm laugh. Foggy wishes he could turn invisible, feeling out of place and quite frankly intruding upon this lovely scene of everyday family life.
Matt's laugh dies out. He grinds his teeth and tries very hard to look — well, not look exactly, but focus his attention — at anything else but Foggy. And, yeah, Foggy is old enough and mature enough to recognise when his presence slithers into the 'uncomfortable' and 'unwanted' territory and accept it with grace. Which is precisely what he does now.
He gulps down rest of the coffee and puts the mug in the kitchen sink. "Thanks for the coffee," he murmurs, for the lack of anything better to say.
Matt nods. "Thank you for coming," he says quietly, "I know it was sudden and inconvenient. I--I really didn't want to have to call you."
"Yeah," Foggy says. "Yeah, I figured."
***
Next up, the moment you all waited for! The fate of Karen Page explained! And the answer to the question of what happened after Foggy left New York.
Fill: All Our Yesteryears [6/?] (FIXED FORMATTING)
Jack dumps the contents of his toybox on the living room floor. The sheer number of dinosaur figurines that this boy owns is staggering. They come in all breeds, sizes and colours. Forget about Jurrasic Park, he could have a dinosaur army if he wanted to. Jack picks up two toys; Foggy accepts the T-Rex and brachiosaurus that the kid hands him.
"So you like dinosaurs, huh?"
Jack nods. He divides his toys into groups, puts all the dinosaurs of the same type into separate circles. Like in a zoo, Foggy thinks. "I'm gonna study dinosaurs when I grow up," Jack informs him.
"Before or after you marry Kate Bishop?"
Jack ponders the question for a moment, taps his chin, deep in thought. "After," he decides eventually. "I'm gonna marry Kate and then we'll study dinosaurs together."
Foggy turns the T-Rex in his hand. "But does Kate like dinosaurs?"
Jack opens his mouth to answer, but nothing comes out. He closes it and his expression turns sheepish. He lowers his eyes and starts picking at the rim of his T-shirt, another goddamn adorable Matt-ism that makes Foggy want to cry. "I don't know," Jack admits. "I know she likes arrows and dogs and boxing, she sometimes trains with Daddy."
"You've gotta ask her, Jackie," Foggy tells him with utmost seriousness. "Because what if Kate doesn't like dinosaurs? How can you spend your life with someone who hates what you do?"
"Then I'll study something else," Jack says, equally serious. "Maybe stars like Miss Jane. Or ratatiation like Mr. Bruce and Greg's dad."
Radiation, Foggy's brain supplements. Foggy shakes his head. "You've really got it bad, don't you, buddy?"
"Kate is the love of my life," Jack informs him with conviction only kids and Matt Murdock were capable of.
"Of course," Foggy agrees, because in the world of Jackie Murdock, age about five, that was most likely true.
Jack turns back to his toys. Two more dinosaurs end up near Foggy; with four of his own he is ready to start building his own dino-zoo. Jack continues dividing the toys between the two of them for a few minutes, every now and again glancing at Foggy's growing pile and plucking a toy from it, taking it back and replacing with a different one. It takes Foggy a moment to notice that all the ones that Jack takes back are small plastic figures in improbable eye-watering colours.
"Where did you get those?"
Jack glances at the blue brontosaurus in his hand. "From the desk in Daddy's office," he explains. "Daddy said I could keep them. Why? Do you like them?" Jack offers him the brontosaurus, despite an unhappy twist of his mouth. These he clearly wants to keep. "Do you want one?"
"No, thank you," Foggy declines. "It's just--I didn't expect to see them again. I bought them, you know? For your dad, right after we finished university."
Jack drops the brontosaurus onto the floor. He stares at Foggy, all interest suddenly transferred from the dinosaur toys to him. "You knew Daddy at school?"
"Yes," Foggy replies. "All through law school."
"Like Miss Jennifer knew Mummy?" Jack keeps up his inquiries. Foggy doesn't know a Miss Jennifer, so he just shrugs. "Do you know any stories about Daddy? Miss Jennifer always tells me funny stories about Mummy, but Daddy doesn't have any friends from school, Aunt Marci wasn't his friend at school. She says she's still not his friend, but Daddy says she's just being silly."
"Oh boy," Foggy tells him as he stands up, it's better to move to the sofa, because this might prove to be a very long conversation. "It's your lucky day, young man, because indeed I know a lot of funny stories about your dad."
Jack beams and scrambles onto his feet, jumps onto the sofa right next to Foggy. After trying out a few positions, he eventually settles comfortably with his head in the crook of Foggy's arm. He looks up at Foggy expectantly.
Foggy clears his throat. "I suppose I could start by telling you how your dad and I met, and that, young Jack, is a really funny story..."
34.
An unmistakable and annoying sensation of being poked in the side is what wakes him. Foggy opens one eye experimentally and is welcomed first by blinding brightness and then by the sight of big hazel eyes peeking at him curiously.
"Aaargh!" he yells, startled. He quickly finds that his neck hurts like a bitch and his legs are tangled in a blanket. He doesn't own any blankets. He sits up, swings his feet off the sofa and puts them firmly on the ground, and — because life hates him — steps right onto a stegosaurus' spine spikes. "Son of a--!"
"It's half past six," Jack informs him cheerfully. "Daddy said to wake you up because breakfast is ready. Do you like waffles?"
"I, uh..." Jack waits. Foggy looks around. This is--this is Matt's living room. Matt's kid in Matt's living room, he's still in Matt's apartment. What the hell. "Yeah, I--I like waffles."
Jack claps his hands happily. "Cool!"
Foggy doesn't need Jack to lead him into the kitchen; the sweet smell of waffles and one of a freshly made coffee would be enough to point him in the right direction. But since Jack seems more than happy to take his hand and drag him through the apartment, Foggy lets him.
"Good morning," Matt greets him with a tight smile. He's standing by one of the counters, cutting what looks like carrots in neat halves and packing them into two boxes, one empty, one already filled with small, crust-free sandwiches. He looks vaguely uncomfortable and his voice betrays that. "Breakfast's on the table, jam's in the fridge, if you want."
"Good morning," Foggy says back, feeling awkward. He rubs his eyes to avoid looking at anything and anyone. "What--what exactly happened?"
"It was almost 2:30 when we came back," Matt explains, voice tight and controlled. He doesn't like this. "You fell asleep on the sofa, Kirsten didn't have the heart to wake you. It'd have been inhumane to kick you out."
"I--Thank you." Matt nods sharply. "2:30, huh? Had fun?"
"Surprisingly enough, yes. The assistant D.A.'s term of office ends in three months, she won't be running for re-election so she's freshly out of damns to give. It was quite entertaining." Matt cocks his head to the side, listening for something. To something? He points somewhere behind his right shoulder. "Coffee machine is next to the microwave."
Foggy grunts his thanks and moves to pour a cup of coffee. Maybe after an espresso his mind will be able to comprehend what's happening.
"Oh, you're awake, that's great," Kirsten greets him as she storms into the kitchen, hair in disarray and with only one shoe on, the other one in her hand. She leans over the counter next to Matt. "On your left," she tells him and Matt stops chopping whatever it is that he's maiming now and raises his left arm to allow Kirsten to dive under it and grab something. "Thanks, baby."
Kirsten turns to Foggy. "I called Stuart," she tells him, and Foggy's mind freezes for a second, because Stuart who?, before connecting 'Stuart' to 'assistant' and 'occasionally of help'. "He'll pick up a new set of clothes for you and bring it to the office."
"Thank you."
"Do you want me to drop you off there? It's on the way to Jack's school."
"I--" Foggy looks first to Jack, sitting by the kitchen table and nodding like crazy, then to Matt, whose mouth forms a thin line now and whose grip on the knife has turned pretty much deadly. Foggy swallows thickly. "No, that's fine, I'll take the subway."
"It's not a problem," Kirsten insists and throws Matt a look that's completely wasted, because Matt cannot see facial expressions. "We owe you one."
Foggy looks back to Jack and smiles fondly. The kid is back at munching his waffles with fruits and is smiling happily. "You don't owe me anything," he says truthfully, "it was an absolute pleasure. He's a great kid."
"Which reminds me," Matt interrupts. "Are you picking up our great kid today?"
"I can't," Kirsten answers, "court. Danny is."
Matt drops the knife. "Danny," he repeats. "Danny? Why can't Luke do it? Danny is--Kirsten, he's borderline irresponsible."
"Luke can't do it, because we're all busy people, Matt." Kirsten throws up her hands, exasperated. "Besides, I thought Danny was your friend."
"Only sort of," Matt counters. "Barely. By proxy."
Kirsten huffs and crosses her hands over her chest. "We don't have the time for this. Danny Rand is picking up your son from pre-school today and then is taking him and Danielle to the zoo. Matt, come on. Danny can handle Jack for three hours."
An unpleasant smile twists Matt's lips. "I have two words for you," he tells Kirsten and slowly extends two fingers, counting out the words, "last. Halloween."
Kirsten makes a face. She pulls her lips and bites the inside of her cheek. A hand travels to her nape and she starts rubbing. "I see your point," she says. "Do we have anyone who could accompany them?"
"Wanda maybe?" Matt suggests.
Kirsten shakes her head. "Peter?" she offers instead. Matt makes an unhappy sound. "You know what, fine, I'll call Wanda."
"Splendid idea," Matt says dryly.
"Miss Wanda loves the zoo!" Jack says. He chooses exactly that moment to chip into the conversation, smart kid. He drops his fork and jumps off his chair. "Done!" he announces and runs to the hall.
"Lunch!" Matt calls after him.
Jack comes back with his shoes on, but not laced, wearing an Iron Man backpack. Foggy wonders if Matt knows and — considering his distinct lack of fondness towards Tony Stark — what he thinks of it if he does. Jack pads towards the counter and grabs the plastic lunchbox that Matt pushes at him. Doesn't quite manage to avoid the kiss that Matt presses into his hair.
"You've got everything? Kirsten asks Jack. The kid nods. "Crayons, glitter, swimming suit? Lunch?"
"Yes, Mummy."
"Okay." She makes a sweeping motion towards the door. "Off with you, mister."
"Bye, Daddy!" Jack says and waves. "Bye, Mr. Franklin."
Foggy waves back.
"Shoelaces!" Matt reminds.
"I'll tie them in the car," Kirsten ensures him with a smile. She grabs a set of keys and throws them into her bag. Walks into the kitchen, takes a bottle of water and a box full of carrots that Matt hands her. "I'll see you at the office."
"I'll pick up our tickets on my way home."
"My hero," Kirsten coos and kisses him. "Love you, baby."
"Mhm, nope." Matt points at himself. "More."
Kirsten laughs and punches him in the shoulder playfully. She throws the water bottle and the box with carrots into her bag as well. "Yeah. You wish."
Matt's smile turns into a full-on grin. "I don't have to."
"I don't believe you, you--you."
Kirsten shakes her head and goes back into the hall and then out of the apartment after Jack, followed out by Matt's warm laugh. Foggy wishes he could turn invisible, feeling out of place and quite frankly intruding upon this lovely scene of everyday family life.
Matt's laugh dies out. He grinds his teeth and tries very hard to look — well, not look exactly, but focus his attention — at anything else but Foggy. And, yeah, Foggy is old enough and mature enough to recognise when his presence slithers into the 'uncomfortable' and 'unwanted' territory and accept it with grace. Which is precisely what he does now.
He gulps down rest of the coffee and puts the mug in the kitchen sink. "Thanks for the coffee," he murmurs, for the lack of anything better to say.
Matt nods. "Thank you for coming," he says quietly, "I know it was sudden and inconvenient. I--I really didn't want to have to call you."
"Yeah," Foggy says. "Yeah, I figured."
***
Next up, the moment you all waited for! The fate of Karen Page explained! And the answer to the question of what happened after Foggy left New York.