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They first meet when Matt is being his lawyer self, waiting out the front of the courthouse for Foggy and their client. He's leaning on a pole, staying out of the way when she runs into him.
Literally runs into him. Matt, who'd been too caught in his thoughts to sense her coming, stumbles and only his unusually good balance keeps him on his feet.
'Look where you're going, asshole,' she calls and Matt turns his head in her direction.
'If I could, I would.'
Her footsteps stop and she sighs. 'I'm a piece of shit,' she mutters under her breath. 'You... You okay?'
He gives her a small smile. 'I've had worse Miss-?'
'Jones. Jessica Jones.'
'Matt Murdock. You seem to be in a bit of a rush,' he says idly.
'Only to get away from this place.' She gestures behind Matt. 'I'm not overly fond of interacting with the arrogant assholes that are lawyers.'
Matt gives her a polite smile. 'I'd be offended on behalf of my profession but I have to agree. Most of the people in there are assholes. There's a reason I'm waiting out here.'
'You can't do anything right, Jessica' she mutters under her breath again. 'Most?'
'I like to think I'm not a complete asshole,' Matt says with a shrug. 'But I'm aware of my flaws. I do know the rare kind lawyer, if you need a recommendation.'
She seems to look him over. 'Maybe later. I might see you around Murdock.'
'I won't,' Matt smirks and hears her laughing as she walks away.
'I see the asshole,' she says to herself and his smirk grows. This Jessica Jones seems interesting. He'll have to keep an ear out for her.
********
Matt is Daredevil the next time they meet.
He consoles himself with the fact he doesn't actually run into her but only because he hears the click of her camera and realises the fire escape he's about to land on already has an occupant. So he tries to avoid landing on her while not missing the fire escape completely and falling.
It's not a graceful landing but Matt's sure he didn't break any bones so he'll count it as a win.
Miss Jones is not as pleased. 'Holy shit!' she cries, jumping to her feet. 'What the hell?'
'Didn't realise anyone was here,' Matt says as an apology while he staggers to his feet. 'You're very quiet Miss Jones.'
She tenses. 'You know who I am.'
Shit. Backtrack. 'I make it a point to know the names of people who hide in fire escapes taking photos of people in my city,' Matt lies.
'I'm a PI, this is perfectly legal.'
Oh of course. That makes sense. Okay Matt, handle this with grace. 'I'm aware. I just like to keep track of the good people in my city, those that can't be corrupted.'
'Then you really shouldn't know me.' With that, she jumps from the fire escape and lands easily, walking away. Matt listens to her go, curious.
That landing was possible from this height. Matt knows, he's done it before. But he's never landed as easily as Miss Jones just did, nor managed it with some kind of roll or movement to take the momentum of the jump.
So curious.
********
There's a woman standing by their sign as Matt approaches. He pauses for a second before he identifies her as Jessica Jones - the stale scent of whiskey and leather is a giveaway. But he can't give away he knows she's there so he taps along and walks past her.
'Oh shit. Mr Murdock?' she says as he reaches for the door.
Matt stops and turns towards her. 'Matt please. What can I do for you Miss Jones?'
'Urgh, call me Jessica. You said you knew a non-arrogant lawyer. Someone who's not a cold hearted bastard.' Matt nods. 'I might have a case for them but, well. Needs someone who isn't an asshole and will listen to their client.'
'What's the case?' Matt says, gesturing for her to go in first.
She hesitates for a moment but does go. 'Client of mine hired me to find her husband who'd run off with the kids. Located them but well, there's more to the story.'
Matt pauses. 'You want a lawyer for the wife?'
'For her spouse. Turns out my client doesn't like that her husband is her wife now, and always was, and wants the kids outa there. So I need a non-asshole lawyer. You're not going to recommend yourself, are you?'
Matt shakes his head. 'Oh no, though I'd happily take the case with no assholeness. But my partner, Foggy Nelson. He's definitely not an asshole.' He considers it as he opens the door to their office. 'Well, most of the time he's not an asshole.'
'Who's not a what now?' Foggy asks from his position by Karen's desk. 'Oh! Is that a client I spy behind you Matt?'
'I might have someone who needs your services,' Jessica says.
Matt gestures towards Foggy, well aware he's off by a foot. 'Jessica, Foggy Nelson. Foggy, Jessica Jones. I'll be in my office if you need me.' He leaves them sizing each other up and pauses in the doorway, 'Jessica? Are you allowed to refer the person you were hired to find to a lawyer?'
She shrugs, something Foggy narrates. 'I was fired to find 'em. I found 'em. What happens after that isn't my client's concern, she got what she signed a contract for.'
Matt smiles and nods, moving into his office. He's sure he'll end up working this case too but until then, it's nice to have confirmation that Jessica Jones is a good person.
********
He meets Jessica again, two nights later, in the middle of a brawl in an alleyway. Pausing on the rooftop he listens to the fight, making sure to keep his distinctive suit out of sight. Four opponents, all of them very drunk as compared to Jessica's slight wobbliness. She's holding her own though, breaking their grips on her like they're nothing.
Matt decides that she might need a hand. So he drops in on them.
Literally in the case of the man he lands on.
'Shit!' Jessica cries and stumbles back. Matt takes that opportunity to punch the man before her. 'You gotta stop doing that.'
'I'll try,' he says as he kicks the man trying to sneak up on him and throws himself into a flip that allows him to jump the leg sweep of another man. He uses his momentum to knock said man down. 'But it does seem an effective way of meeting you.'
She lands a punch on a third man that sends him into a wall. Matt pauses for a moment, surprised at the force behind her blows. 'Hey, you going to gawk or help?' she snaps.
'I can manage both,' he says mildly and throws the fourth man over his head.
Jessica picks up said man, the only one still capable of standing and holds him against the wall. She's definitely stronger than she looks. 'Listen up shithead. I don't care why you attacked me-'
'You made my wife div-'
She slams him against the wall again. 'I said I don't care. But I want you to never do it again or I'll rip your spine out.' With a final slam, she drops him. He scampers away, leaving his companions to 'sleep' in the alleyway.
'Can you do that?' Matt asks, curious. 'I'm not sure even you'd have the strength.'
'Doesn't matter if I can. Just what that moron thinks I can do. God I need a drink.'
Matt cocks his head and listens. 'Bar down the road is still open. Should be quiet too, this time of night.'
It's her turn to cock her head. 'You wanna join me?'
He shakes his head but with an amused smile. 'I don't do bars dressed like this.' He turns and heads for a dumpster, intending to jump for the roof.
'So you do bars? When you're not dressed in fetish gear.'
Matt pauses on the edge of the roof. 'If you ever figure out my non ah, fetish gear identity. Then maybe.'
'Is that a challenge?'
'Not for a PI of your ability Miss Jones.'
********
He's dressed as Daredevil again, the next time he meets her. But this time she's not in a fight nor does he hear the click of her camera. Instead she just seems to be sitting on the edge of a roof, occasionally drinking from the bottle she's holding. By the smell of it, she's already more than halfway to drunk.
'Miss Jones?' he calls as he approaches her.
'Call me Jessica,' she slurs. 'Miss Jones is all formal and shit. I'm just shit.'
He nods and sits down beside her, not so close that he's crowding her but close enough to grab her if she falls. Even if she's as hardy as he suspects she is, falling off a roof would not be fun.
'Jessica it is then. Nice view?'
She shrugs. 'It's Hell's Kitchen. What do you think?'
It's his turn to shrug. 'Views don't do much for me. I'm a little short sighted.' She hums in surprise.
'Well you're not missing much. Just a complete shithole, like everywhere else on this goddamned planet.' Matt just hums, unsure of how to answer. 'You don't agree?'
'If I agreed, I wouldn't do what I do,' he admits. 'Hell's Kitchen is worth helping, worth saving.'
'Idealistic.'
He laughs. 'Kinda comes with the territory.'
'Yeah, yeah it does.' She doesn't speak again but Matt stays by her side, aware he really doesn't have anywhere else to be and that being here might be as important as being somewhere else. Finally, when he starts to feel the warmth of the sun, Jessica speaks.
'Sunrise. Can you manage to see that at least?'
He smiles. 'I can manage something, yeah.'
********
Matt makes his way into Josie's, ready to wait for Foggy and Karen to show up to celebrate their latest win. Their client has been found innocent and even better gets to keep seeing her kids.
But as he walks in he notices Jessica sitting at a table in the back, downing a glass of scotch. He slowly makes his way towards her, aware her heartbeat doesn't change. She knows about him.
But he knows things too. 'Jessica. Want to join me for a drink?'
'You did say maybe,' she says with a smirk in her voice.
He smiles. 'I did indeed.'
'Though short sighted. Really?'
With a laugh, he shrugs. 'Well it's not wrong. I can't see things far off... but by that classification I'm also long sighted.'
'Stick with blind, it's simpler.'
He nods. 'You never did answer my question about the spines.'
'Buy me a drink and I'll tell you all about it. Buy me two and I might not ask about yours.'
Matt turns to go to the bar and pauses, 'Buy me a drink and I'll tell you anyway.'
'Deal.'