Matt tensed as the bus slowed to a stop, even though he knew it wasn't even close to their stop yet. Matt tried to force his body to relax before Foggy noticed anything, but it wasn't cooperating.

"Are you okay man?"

"Of course," Matt replied in what he hoped was a breezy laid back tone. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You look like you're on your way to meet a firing squad instead of my parents."

Matt flushed. "No I don't," he insisted.

"Wow, the nuh uh defense. That's some slick legal meneuvering buddy."

Matt frowned. "Okay, maybe I'm a little nervous." There wasn't much point in denying it now.

"Why?"

Matt shrugged. Why indeed. It had been a long time since Matt had allowed himself to become invested in someone else's opinion of him. Stick- Well it seemed that Foggy had managed to wriggle through his defenses. And despite all conditioning Matt found himself worrying that he would give Foggy's parents a bad impression of him, thus sabotaging his fledgling friendship with his new roommate. "I'm not great at first impressions." Or second impressions. Or third-

"Lies. Slander. How dare you falsely malign my friend in such a way?"

Matt chuckled despite himself even as a thousand butterflies explored the confines of his stomach. "It's true."

"All of our professors love you."

Did they? Matt doubted it. But now wasn't the time for debate. "I make people uncomfortable." Matt forced out the truth before he could chicken out. "People see me and... It's awkward."

"Matty, I know you've had to put up with your fair share of ableist douchebags, but I swear my parents aren't like that. And even if they were, why would you care what they think? It's not like I'll decide I want to switch roommates if my parents don't like you." There was a long pause as Matt fiddled with his cane and tried to will the heat from his cheeks. "Holy shit, is that why you're so nervous?!"

Matt cringed. "I know it's dumb-"

"Matt, that isn't dumb. Look, I'm sorry I teased you. You are like one of the coolest people I've ever met, and I'm not going to abandon you over something petty like sticking your foot in your mouth in front of my parents. Plus I am fairly certain they are going to love you anyway, so there is literally no reason to be nervous."

Matt nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry about... Thanks Foggy."

Foggy threw an arm over Matt's shoulder. "No problem buddy. Now you have to promise not to abandon me after you meet the hell child that is my sister."

Matt laughed. "I promise."

...

"We're here," Foggy belted out loud enough to almost make Matt flinch. "The prodigal son doth returneth with the prodigal roommate and we both want prodigal baked goods!"

"I am so embarrassed to share DNA with you," a young girl with some sort of electronic device in her hand said from what Matt was pretty sure was a sofa.

"I love you too oh darling sister of mine."

"There's my boy," A woman who smelled like flour shouted as she rushed into the room.

"Hey Franklin," a man who made the air taste like dust when he entered said. "How's school?"

"It's great, of course. Matt, the sulking teen on the couch, currently giving me the finger btw, is Candace Nelson, my darling sister. These are my parents, Edward and Margaret Nelson. Clan, this is my roommate, Matt Murdock, legal eagle."

Matt stuck out his hand. "It's nice to-"

"Did you say Murdock?"

There was something so cold in Mrs. Nelson's voice it made Matt's hand fall and the smile slip right off his face. "Yes," he said in a weary tone.

"Maggie is something-" Foggy's father didn't get to finish his question.

"Get out of my house." Matt's radar sense mapped out a hand with a finger pointed toward the door Matt had just come through.

"Mom, what the hell?!"

"How did you find me, you, you devil child?" Mrs. Nelson wasn't using the teasing tone Foggy had used to call his sister demonic. Margaret Nelson sounded very serious.

"I... Uh.. I don't-"

"Maggie-" Mr. Nelson tried to intervene.

"Get him out of my house!"

Matt flinched. "Okay. I'm- I'm going."

"Hold up, no," Foggy said. "Mom, what the hell is going on?"

"How did you do it?! How did you find me?!"

"I think you might have me confused for someone else," Matt suggested wearily.

"I am as far from confused as anyone could ever be," the woman all but spat. "You look just like Jack."

Matt almost jumped out of his skin he was so startled. "You knew my father?"

"Jack," Mr. Nelson sounded confused. "Your ex-husband Jack?"

"Yes," Mrs. Nelson said in a trembling voice. Matt tasted salt in the air. "I loved him once. We were very happy together." Her voice hardened. "Until the devil came into our lives."

"You were married before dad," Candace asked. Matt had almost forgotten she was there.

"I was. I married a man... He was a lot like your father, and he was very devoted to me. But he changed. The devil changed him. It came into our lives under the guise of an innocent child. But this monster was no innocent. He tried to destroy me. Tried to convince me that I was a horrible mother." The taste of salt grew stronger and stronger. Matt realized he was tasting his own tears. "And now he's back! I won't let you take everything from me again!" Matt knew she was coming toward him, but he couldn't deflect the blow without raising suspicion. He wasn't even sure he wanted too.

Maggie was strong, stronger than Matt suspected. She shoved him hard enough to make him stumble back, hitting his head on the wall and dropping his bag. "Mom!"

"Maggie, stop it!"

Only Candace was quiet. Well, her and Matt. "Get out! That truck should have killed you!"

For a second Matt couldn't breathe. He couldn't hear. He couldn't do anything. He tasted copper in the air. He was bleeding. So be could do that. He was good at that. He found his voice after what felt like an eternity, even though he knew it was only a moment. "Sorry for the trouble. Happy Thanksgiving." Then he ran.