#crystalreed

     FOGGY, FOGGY, FOGGY. It took a few more rings before Matt finally woke up. When he answered the phone, he was still half asleep.

"Hello?"

"Good morning sunshine!"

"What time is it?"

"Half past get the hell up. What was that? Was that a moan? Do you have somebody in bed with you? The paralegal! Is it the para over at— never mind, I don't wanna hear about it. No, I do wanna hear about it! What was she like?"

Cassie groaned and snatched the phone from her brothers hand, unable to listen to any more of his nonsense. "Morning Matt."

"Cassie," he sat up, a small smile on his face.

"What my dear, dear brother was supposed to tell you was that meeting with the real estate agent is in less than an hour, 45 minutes actually. Are you still in bed?"

"Nope," the smile turned into a grin, as he was technically telling the truth. He'd just stood up a good few seconds before she asked that question.

Foggy elbowed her, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm supposed to tell you that the real estate agent won't be your type, so try not to be so charming."

"What I'm hearing is you think I'm charming?"

"Alright Murdock. I can tell you're smiling. I said no such thing."

Foggy leaned closer, "the lady told me she thinks blind people are God's mistake!"

"I think he gets the message," Cassie laughed, shoving him away. She turned her attention back to the phone call, "alright get up and get ready, we've gotta go bribe a cop. And to my FBI agent listening in on this call, that was a joke!"

Just a short while later Cassie stood there half with shame, as Foggy handed Brett the paper bag. 

"You're right, it ain't the careers," Brett turned to face Cassie. "You have a good day Cass," giving her a small nod before he turned and began to walk the other way.

"Hey why does she get a goodbye? Alright well thanks buddy!"

"One of these days that's gonna get you in trouble you know," Cassie shook her head as they continued walking down the street.

"Nah, we're good pals." Foggy shrugged. "That'll work in our favor, just you wait."

It wasn't long before they reached the correct street, and found Matt waiting just a couple of buildings over. Cassie did the same thing she always did, walked up and stood about a foot to his left, waiting for him to notice.

Of course, he noticed right away. She'd been wearing the same perfume that Matt quickly came to recognize.

"Hey Cassie," he pulled her in for a hug. 

"Morning Foggy. Oh good morning Matt!" Foggy mumbled to himself.

Deliberately ignoring her brother, Cassie once again turned her attention to Matt. "You guys ready to tour your new place?"

"Hey technically your name is in the business too, so really it's all of our new place."

Cassie couldn't help but laugh. "That mean I'm the boss, since Nelson comes before Murdock?"

"Yes ma'am."

Foggy pretended to gag. "No more flirting. Please, I am begging you both," he looked to the entrance of the building and pointed towards a blonde woman waving to them from the front door. "Thank God let's go."

Matt held his arm out, and Cassie linked hers through. Another thing that they'd been doing a while. Starting back in college when Matt figured out that Cassie scared easily, and that any little noise would make her jump. Whenever the three friends were walking home at night, he'd hold out his arm and call himself her seeing eye dog, saying he'd guide her. Now it was just a habit.

Foggy gagged again, but remained silent as he walked ahead of the two.

"—and two offices. Corner suite has a view of the Hudson. You can flip a coin with your partner for it."

Cassie had to hold back her laughter as Matt said that Foggy could have the room with the view. 

As the realtor, who then introduced herself as Susan Harris, stumbled her way through an apology and introduction, Cassie took that minute to walk around.

"Hey Cassie?" Matt called her over when they'd finished talking. "Care to walk a guy around the space?"

They linked arms once again, Cassie guiding Matt around as Susan talked them through the history of the building, assuring them that since the incident, the building had barely been touched.

As Foggy and Susan had a little back-and-forth about the price of the space, Cassie led Matt around the room they'd just walked into. 

"So, what do you think?" Matt paused, turning to face her. "And be honest. If it's ugly you have to tell me. You know, because I'm blind."

"I," She paused, trying to work out exactly what to say. "I think it could use a good sprucing up. But I like it. It's... a fun... fixer-upper?"

Matt held his arm out again, heading back towards the sound of Foggy's voice. "We'll take it."

Cassie's eyes went a little wide, and Foggy stared at him, clearly not expecting that.

"Well— we will talk about it because we're not sure we can afford even this... palace unless we make some changes to our current clientele policies."

"My partner and I are having some disagreements over the direction of Nelson and Murdock. I believe we're here to defend the innocent—"

"And I believe the innocent includes everyone not yet convicted of a crime," Foggy cut him off.

"What do you think?" Susan looked at Cassie, curious. 

It dawned on her that Susan probably assumed she was another partner simply because of her last name.

"Oh I— my last name is Nelson but I'm not—"

"Wanting to disagree with her brother," Matt jumped in. "She agrees with me though."

Cassie stayed quiet just for the amusing look on Foggy's face. Truthfully, she did agree with Matt more. She knew that there were lawyers forced to defend clients that they knew were guilty every day, and didn't even want to think about what it would do to Matt and Foggy if they became those types of lawyers.

As the two men bickered between themselves about who they should and shouldn't defend, Susan and Cassie just stood there, both a little amused.

"Alright!" Cassie claps her hands, drawing the attention to her. "If you are done fighting, I'm sure Susan would like a definitive answer."

Matt puts a hand of Foggy's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

Although reluctantly, Foggy sighs. "We'll take it."

Outside, they emerge feeling a little victorious. It may set them back a bit, but but in the end even Foggy admits he feels good about this big step that they're taking.

"We should celebrate!"

"Don't you boys have to get back to work?" Cassie glances down at her watch. "Remember you barely scheduled enough time in your day for this meeting."

"She's right, I didn't even realize what time it was," Foggy slides his phone back into his pocket. "You going home?"

Nodding, Cassie pulls her phone out and mentions she's going to call an Uber. She knows it's cheaper to use her subway pass, but just wants to grab something to eat and quickly head home. When the app shows that the driver is less than five minutes away, she's relieved. "I think so. I'm off for the next three days. The gallery is getting a quick remodel for one of the rooms so I'll probably just be on my couch watching TV until I go back to work." 

Without warning, a guy comes zooming around the corner, riding an electric bike on the sidewalk. Matt pulls Cassie to the side less than two seconds before he rides by them.

"Dude come on watch where you're going!" Foggy yells. "Seriously. Hey, are you good?"

"Yeah," Cassie breaths a sigh of relief. "Thanks Matt."

"Are you sure you're okay?" He gives Cassie a soft pat on her shoulder, able to tell that her heart is still racing.

"Yeah, just a little spooked. Glad you pulled me out of the way so I didn't get run over. Talk about deja vu huh, like college all over again."

Before Matt can respond, Cassie notices something. "Hey, where'd this bruise come from?" She gently puts her hand on his cheek, careful to avoid the actual bruise.

If anyone else had asked that question, Matt would've been quick to shut them down. But he had a soft spot for Cassie ever since they met. And he loved that she cared and asked. Secretly loved it though, he'd never say it out loud.

"Just... clumsy, that's all." 

Cassie raises her eyebrows, clearly skeptical and not sure if she was buying that Matt was just clumsy. But she decided to leave it alone for the moment because a car pulls up, ready to take her back to their apartment.

"I'll see you both later," Cassie grins as she hugs them goodbye. "Nelson and Murdock have their own place! I want to make you both dinner to celebrate, let me know when okay?"

Foggy nods, always willing to accept a free meal, especially from his sister. Cassie always said the kitchen was probably her favorite place, and she was the best cook that he knew.

"That sounds good," Matt smiled, opening the car door to Cassie's ride home. "Maybe tomorrow night if we're not caught up with work?"

"Okay, just let me know. I just went grocery shopping so I won't need to go out and buy anything. Bye guys!"

Once they went their separate ways, Cassie was practically giddy with joy as she unlocked the door to her apartment. She ended up adding a stop to the ride, swinging by her favorite restaurant before going home.

After a quick shower and getting into clothing that was a lot more comfortable, she settled on the couch.

While she ate, she thought about the day. And as it happened quite often, her thoughts turned to Matt. That wasn't the first bruise she'd seen on him. Hell, that wasn't even the first bruise she'd seen that week. She normally always let it go since he assured her he was fine, although lately she was more curious, and concerned. But what could've happened?