A/N: Thanks goes out to girlwithoutfear for editing this in her usual, timely manner.

Fifteen years after the death of his father, Matthew Murdock heard the distinct thump of a heavy envelope being dropped through his mail slot. A minute later his heart skipped a beat as his fingers recognized the thin, spidery writing that could only belong to Jack Murdock.

Dear Mattie,

If you are reading this, it means what I was afraid of has happened. I am dead. What a strange sentence -- I am dead. I can only hope it was natural, but with my kinda life, I doubt it. But that's not the reason I'm writing, Mattie. It's much more important.

I want you to know the truth about what happened today. I was going to throw it, Mattie. There! I said it. Fixer ordered me to dive, and up until the last minute, I was going to obey.

I bet you're asking yourself what made me stand up, aren't you, Mattie? You can't fool your old man. Well, I'll tell you.

You. You were the reason I didn't stay down.

You know how they say your whole life flashes before your eyes when you're about to die? Well, I'm here to tell you, it ain't true. I didn't see my life; I saw yours.

I saw you when you were just a baby, your hair more tufts than actual hair. You were a cute baby, Mattie. Did I ever tell you that? I saw you grow up. I saw you getting that high school diploma. I saw you in college. But you know what I saw the clearest?

In that split second before the ref said nine, I realized I'd watched you become a man. In every sense of the word. You're a better man than I could ever hope for. I am so proud of you, I can't put it in to words. I never was the writer you are. Just know that I wanted you to be as proud of me as I am of you.

So I made a choice. It was either throw the fight and stay with you, or win the fight and make you proud. We both know what I choice I took, and even though it means I might not be around too much longer, know it was the only one.

I only have one regret. I broke the promise I made you. You probably don't remember it, you were only three, but I do. I promised you I would stay with you forever. I only wish I could've kept it. God knows how much I wish I could have kept it.

I love you, Mattie. I know you going to make one hell of a lawyer. Don't let no one tell you different. This is probably the last chance I'll get to give you advice, so listen close: don't be afraid of nothing, you hear? Only an idiot is afraid of the unknown. And boy? You ain't no idiot.

Now I have to go. You, and probably Fixer, are waiting for me.

Love forever,

Dad.

Matt felt the letter again, tears he hadn't realized he'd been shedding falling with light plops onto the flat surface of the countertop. He couldn't speak, a thick ball of emotion pushing up from the pit of his stomach. Suddenly he felt tired.

He tucked the letter back into the envelope, behind the scrawled note explaining the extreme delay of his father's file from the NYPD – apparently the department was cleaning house when they'd stumbled on Jack's case file and the letter inside.

Then Matt shook his head and wiped the tears away. It was time to let his father go.