Damned If I Do *Matt Murdock* (book one of Damned)

9) Remember the fine night there...

Vera felt his presence. She was well-aware that he was right next to her, close enough for her to touch him, but her body was too heavy. Her eyelids weighted at least ten pounds; she couldn't make herself open her eyes. It felt like ages had passed when she finally did.

She stared on a grey ceiling for a while before she found a way to turn her head. Capable hands were shifting around the sideboard of her bed in a funny way. She followed their lines, alongside the black sleeves and reached his pale jaw. He wore a mask, or so she thought. Everything was blurry and the room was rather dark.

Next to his head, there was something round and dark, what seemed to be hovering in the air. It looked like a balloon. It would explain the funny movement of his hands. He was tying it up.

The same moment Vera confirmed it was indeed a balloon, she knew it was a dream. A very absurd dream. In a complete hospital room with beeping machines.

A pleasant voice reached her ears. "Hey." It was such a weird salutation. Was he Irish or what?

"To je vážně balónek?" she asked incredulously. Strange feeling tickled her nose as she spoke.

The voice didn't reply. She huffed.

"Proč je tu balónek?"

He made an unidentifiable noise. "I don't understand a word you're saying."

Oh. She thought about his words, trying to decrypt them. He... he couldn't understand her. Huh. She would expect her dream guardian to know her language.

"Balloon?" she managed a question and his silhouette nodded. Good.

Jak jsi ho sem proboha dostal? she wanted to ask, but stopped herself. He wouldn't know what she was saying. She recalled the right words. "You? Rooftops?"

He lowered himself, sat down on a chair and took her hand. He still didn't wear gloves. His touch was warm, soothing. "Yeah."

She chuckled. It was a strangely tiring thing to do. But she had to laugh at the idea of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen jumping on the rooftops with a balloon. It was absolutely ridiculous.

"What the-" a female voice sounded from another end of the room, light from the door making her look an angel. The fact that Vera wouldn't be able to recognize more than her silhouette only helped her imagination.

Vera thought the woman was wearing scrubs. It seemed like it would be blue in the daylight. A nurse then. She closed the door. "You know what? I am not even asking."

Vera considered what the woman said. When it clicked into place, she smiled. She liked her dream nurse.

Matt stroked her hand.

"Okay. Okay." The nurse took few steps to her bed. "How are you feeling? How is your pain?"

Vera frowned at her, thinking. She wasn't in pain. Her body weighted over two thousand pounds at the moment, but no pain. Also, Matt was right next to her, protecting her. Everything was fine.

"Vera?" her favourite voice asked.

"Hm?" She turned her head back to him.

"How much is your pain? From one to ten?" He talked slowly, patiently. He was really gentle and he wanted her to answer. She would fulfil his wish. It took effort to translate his question and her response though.

"None."

He squeezed her hand. "You sure?"

So, so many questions. She nodded. The world spun with the movement.