Karen stared, her mouth partially open. She tried to speak but words didn't come. Matt didn't say anything more either. He simply stood there, still holding the mask.
Finally Karen recovered her voice, "What the hell, Matt?"
"Karen, I swear it-"Matt began, but Karen cut him off.
"Listen to me. You know what, " she began, disbelief in her voice, "Foggy was right. You are a drunk. You'd have to be drunk to do things like that. Or high. What did you take? Cocaine? LSD? Then hallucinate bad guys in your apartment and beat them up, and when that wasn't good enough for you went looking for the real thing? You're mad, Matt. Completely mad, and drunk, and high, and whatever else you could possibly be that would cause you to do anything so incredibly stupid and thoughtless. Do you have any idea how many nights I've spent worrying about you because you didn't show up at the office? Or if you did show up, worrying because you were covered in cuts and bruises? I cared about you, Matt. But apparently you don't care about yourself. Otherwise you wouldn't torture your body in such a way. And you apparently don't give a damn about others either. Did you ever consider what Foggy and I went through every time we had no idea where you were? I thought you were a friend. I called you my friend. But clearly I don't really know you, do I? The Matthew Murdock I thought I knew doesn't really exist. Instead there's this- this maniac vigilante in his place. God knows that's how you managed to get so much of your information. I'm not a lawyer but I'm fairly certain illegally obtained evidence can't be used legally in court. I don't care if I sound like an idiot, or a fool. I certainly feel like a fool for have been oblivious to so much for so long. God, I ignored it. I ignored it all. I convinced myself of so many things. That you were depressed. That you highly valued your privacy. That you liked hookers. Anything, anything other than you were dressing up like a child on Halloween and playing superhero. Did you think this was a game? Lawyer by day, superhero by night? It's not a game, Matt. You messed with real people. Real people got hurt and died. You messed with this city. You messed with our clients. You messed with Foggy. And you messed with me. And that's not okay. None of that is okay. I used to think I was in love with you. But now I know you're just a bastard." She finished, practically spitting the last word into his face, her own face flushed and she was slightly out of breath.
Neither she nor Matt moved for a long while, standing there in a very loud silence. Matt could hear Karen's heart racing and the blood rushing through her veins. He knew she had meant every word she'd said. And as much as he knew he did what needed to be done, he also knew how stupid his actions would be in the eyes of other people, if they ever knew. But now that didn't matter. What was done was done and neither of them could change the past.
Then he could feel Karen moving forward, closer to him. Suddenly she put one hand on his right shoulder and her other on his left cheek. Her skin was soft and warm. He imagined her hands washing over his entire body, bathing him in comforting warmth.
Karen continued to draw even closer. Matt could feel her breath colliding with his own, creating a barricade of hot, moist air between them. Her lips met his. She kissed him. She kissed him long and hard. Matt relinquished all control to her.
Just as suddenly as it started it was over. Karen drew back, pushing her hands off of Matt. She turned around and picked up her purse off of the large desk. Facing Matt again, she said, "And now we'll never know what else that could have been."
She crossed the room. Matt lowered his head and listened to her heading to the door. Nothing he could think of to say would be worth it so he stayed silent.
Karen opened the door, and before closing it behind her said, "Goodbye Matt."