Disclaimer: I do not own Daredevil, Arrow or anything else you may recognize

Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.

Chapter 6- Recovering

Matt's eyes opened again. In his weakened state, he struggled to move his arm but managed to do it after some effort. He touched his right ear and moved the lobe a little, but to no effect. The injuries he had sustained due to the explosions and the fight with Adrian had damaged his hearing on that side.

"Matthew?" a familiar voice said.

"Father?" Matt asked, recognizing Father Lantom's voice, "I didn't know you were there."

"Must be strange, being back here", Father Lantom commented as he moved closer to the bed, "The place where you grew up."

"I haven't thanked you yet, Father", Matt said to him.

"Figured we could count on the nuns for their discretion", Lantom said to him, "They know who you are, but Sister Maggie swore them to secrecy, after she swore at me."

Matt wondered how Lantom could sound serious while cracking a joke.

"If you want to take Communion we could", Lantom said as he put his Bible on the bedside table, "Uh, or we could just talk."

"An old enemy of mine", Matt said, "He did this to me. He bombed my apartment and beat me to near death."

"But the police and the firemen didn't see anything like that", Lantom said, but still believed him, "I am so sorry this happened to you, Matthew. How about I take your confession and we go ahead with the Eucharist?"

"Not today, Father", Matt protested, his voice sounding weak but firm.

Lantom chuckled softly and said, "Mystical thinking is not my bag, Matthew. Hell, I'm probably the most rational crank in the whole diocrese, but even I have to admit, it is a miracle you survived."

Matt turned away from him, leaning to the other side of the bed, and said, "Our conversations, they usually go this way. I come to you with questions. You tell me what you understand about God."

"Nature of the gig, I guess", Lantom said.

"Give it a rest, shall we?" Matt asked.

"Sure", Lantom said, "I, uh, if you're ready to talk, we'll talk."

Lantom then walked off, leaving Matt alone, wondering when he will regain his hearing in the other ear.

Foggy and Karen stood outside Matt's ruined apartment and stared at it, still not believing their friend was missing. Police had marked it as a crime scene and put their tapes to prevent any entry.

"I can't believe this happened", Karen said emotionally.

"Me neither", Foggy said, "But I know it, he is not dead."

"How can you be so sure?" Karen asked.

"For one thing", Foggy said, trying to be optimistic, "There was no body-"

"What if he died somewhere else after escaping?" Karen asked.

"And for another", Foggy said, "He survived a building collapsing on him."

Karen calmed down a little and said, "I wish we could go in there."

"What will we find?" he said.

"You won't, but I will", Karen said.

"Well, it is not exactly legal, so let's not go in there", Foggy said before sincerely declaring, "But I will try my best to find him."

"I will too", Karen declared sincerely.

The two walked away. They both felt that Matt was alive, but deep down, both of them feared the worst.

"Bed's right in front of you", Sister Maggie said to Matt who stood in front of the bed, using a cane for support, "Sister Anna wired you up."

Pointing to a button, she said, "If you press that, we'll hear you upstairs and come running. Because we don't have anything better to do."

"Very Christian of you", Matt commented.

"Angry, sarcastic and stubborn", Maggie said as she walked away, "Maybe you don't have any friends."

"I do, actually", Matt said, "But I don't think I should see them now. Someone once told me that warriors are meant to be alone. That caring for people would make me weak. I cared for my friends, but when the time came, no one helped."

"That person sounds like he needed to get laid", Maggie said, "And maybe these friends of yours had a lot on their plates which is why they didn't come."

"They could have warned me at least", Matt said, feeling resentment, "And your previous comment explains a lot. But he was right, of course. I let people in, I made a life, and now I've paid the price. I won't make that mistake again."

Matt then felt some books and asked, "What is this?"

"Dug those out of storage", Maggie said, "You were probably the last one to read 'em."

Matt picked up one book and opened it, touching it with his fingers. He realized it was written in Braille.

"My Bible", he said in realization before closing it and putting it on a table, "All right. I get the hint."

"And I get the sense that things are complicated between you and the guy upstairs", Maggie said to him.

With a chuckle, Matt said, "No. Not at all. If anything, I'd say we finally know where we stand with each other."

He then started narrating, ""There was a man from the land of Uz-""

"Book of Job", Maggie reminded him.

"The Book of Job", Matt said, "The story of God's perfect servant, Job. He prayed every day at dawn, with his knees on the ground, his face on the dirt. Slaughtered ten goats, one for each of his children, and burned them at the altar in God's honor. Of all of God's soldiers, Job, he was the most loyal."

"I know the story, Matthew", Maggie pointed out.

"Oh, then you know what happens next", Matt said, getting to the point, "God murdered all ten of his children in cold blood. Scorched every inch of Job's land. Lashed at his body till his skin was covered in bloody welts. God rained shit and misery on the life of his most perfect servant. And still Job would not curse him. You know what I realized?"

Sitting on the bed, he said bluntly, "Job was a pussy. You see, that was me, Sister. I suffered willingly. I gave my, uh, sweat and blood and skin without complaint. Because I too believed I was God's soldier."

With a humorless chuckle, he said, "Well, not anymore. I am what I do in the dark now. I bleed only for myself."

Maggie untied the cross hanging on her neck and placed it in Matt's hand as a kind gesture. With a scoff, Matt threw it at the bedside table.

"You weren't listening", he said to her.

"I heard every spiteful word", she told him as she picked up the cross and hung it on the bedside lamp, "You might hate God right now, but the feeling's not mutual."

"No, I don't hate him. I have seen his true face is all", Matt corrected her, "I had friends, a life. But it was taken from me in a day, and no friend did anything. I care about people, and I am choosing to let them believe I am gone. I'm not Job", he sniffled, "And I know my truth now."

"What truth?" Maggie asked.

Matt slowly rose up from the bed and said, "Well, that in front of God, I'd rather die as the Devil than live as Matt Murdock."

Oliver, Slade and Roy were in the Columbus Library, sitting in front of the computer.

"So", Oliver said, "Matthew Michael Murdock."

He then typed Matt's name on Zabasearch and got the desired info.

Roy quickly noted the address and said, "Let's go."

"Sure thing", Oliver said.

"I hope the kid is all right", Slade said.

The three then walked out of the library and started searching for Matt's apartment.

"He will be", Oliver said, trying to assure himself more than the others, "He's tough."

But Slade and Roy were not so sure. He wasn't either.

Matt was punching the punching bag. He gave it a kick too but because of his injuries, that made him fall down.

He got up and started punching again.

"What in God's name?" Maggie said as she walked in, holding a bag.

"Do you feel that?" Matt asked as he continued punching.

"Feel what?" Maggie asked.

"Three subway lines run beneath us", Matt said as he continued punching, "At any given time, there are 6 different trains vibrating the ground. That was the E Train."

"Was it now?" Maggie said.

"You brought food", Matt said as he punched harder.

"I did", Maggie said as she started pulling food out of the bag she was carrying, "I bought-"

"Beef ravioli from Nonna's", Matt finished, having smelt it, "Nice."

"Now you're just showing off", Maggie said as she walked away while Matt continued punching.

Later, he started boxing in the air, fighting an imaginary opponent. He practiced attack and defense.

"He wants to know that he's not lost it", Maggie said as she walked in with Lantom.

"I am not comfortable with that idea", Lantom said to her.

"Now you're uncomfortable?" she asked, "Heal the body, and the spirit will follow."

"It's the other way around", he protested.

"He needs this", Maggie said firmly, "It's the only damn thing that's gotten him out of bed. So please just do it."

The two then looked at Matt, who was punching faster and looked like he was probably getting better.

"Thanks for making this happen", Matt said later as he prepared himself.

"Hands should be used for God's work", Maggie told him.

"Yeah?" Matt asked, "That's why he made me this way?"

"No. That's why he made boxing", Maggie quipped.

The door opened and Lantom arrived with a man who was about the same height and age as Matt.

"Gloves?" Matt asked as he took off his shirt.

"Helmet first", Maggie said.

"No, I can't", Matt said, "It will throw me off."

"Don't be an idiot", Maggie said as the other man took off his shirt too.

"Sister, please listen to me", Matt said, "For this to work, I have to feel and hear everything."

"Now remember the deal", Lantom said to the other man, whose name was Edmund.

Matt and Edmund then faced each other, wearing boxing gloves.

"You want me to hit a blind guy?" Edmund asked in exasperation.

Lantom raised his hands and Edmund turned back to Matt with a sigh.

"All right", Matt said.

The two first banged their glove-covered fists very lightly.

The two then banged their fists a little harder. As Matt got into fighting pose, Edmund suddenly punched him on the face, stunning him.

Before he could recover, he got another punch. Edmund tried to punch again but this time he defended with his left fist and punched Edmund, making him stagger.

Edmund panted a little as Matt got into proper fighting posture. Edmund looked at Lantom again and then attacked Matt with a punch, who leaned sideways to dodge and smacked him on the back of the head, stunning him again.

The two then faced each other again before Edmund tried to punch Matt thrice. Matt ducked to avoid all three of them. Matt then blocked another punch and gave him one on the face, stunning him.

Matt then ducked to avoid another 2 punched before punching Edmund twice. Matt then defended himself from a right hook and punched Edmund on the chest, stunning him. He then defended himself from another right hook and punched Edmund on the chest again, stunning him again.

Matt then punched Edmund a few times on the face before Lantom said, "Cut! Time!"

As the two separated, Matt asked Edmund, "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm good", Edmund said as Lantom started tending to his injuries.

"Damn, he hits hard", Edmund commented.

"It's really something", Maggie said as she tended to Matt's wounds, "To see it with my own eyes."

"Something feels off", Matt confessed to her, "It feels like I'm underwater."

"Maybe we should stop", Maggie suggested.

"No, no, no", Matt protested before saying to Edmund, "Let's go again."

The two got into fighting positions again and banged their fists lightly. Matt then tried to hit Edmund but he dodged and punched Matt on the face.

Matt blocked another blow and punched Edmund. He then ducked to avoid another blow and punched Edmund again. He then blocked a few more blows and punched Edmund again. Suddenly, Edmund punched him on the right side of the face, right on his damaged ear.

That made Matt stagger wildly, unable to hear anything properly now. Maggie and Lantom looked at him in concern as he tried to block a few more blows but got hit on the arm and then on the right ear again, this time falling down.

Before he passed out, he could hear Lantom calling out his name in concern.

Later, Matt sat on his bed, feeling depressed.

"You should see the other guy", Maggie said as she walked in, making Matt chuckle very lightly.

"For what it's worth", Maggie said as she took off the cross from the lamp, "You were incredible."

She sat on the bed, facing Matt and put the cross around his neck.

"Thank you", Matt said as she adjusted it a little on his neck, "Sister I-"

"Did your head spin around?" Maggie asked, shutting him up, "Then wear it for me."

As Maggie gave a heavy sigh, Matt said gratefully, "You've been very kind to me."

"I have, haven't I? And patient. Very, very patient", Maggie said, making Matt chuckle.

"Don't tell anyone", she requested him, "They'll all think I've gone soft."

"No", Matt said with a slight smile, "I don't think there's any danger of that."

Maggie then put her hand on the stitch on Matt's forehead, "Let me look at you."

"I used to sew up my dad", Matt said, "And your stitches are perfect."

"Well, there's plenty of practice around here", she said and then stared at Matt, deep in thought.

"Everything okay?" Matt asked.

"Yeah", she said, snapping out of it, "It's fine. I just have to get back upstairs."

She then gave him an icepack which he put on his head while she walked away. She turned around and asked, "I don't suppose there's any hope you'd come to Mass with me?"

"Maybe next time", Matt said.

"I'll hold you to that" Maggie said and walked away.

A while later, Matt heard the sound of the Church Choir singing.

He then put the icepack away and got up, deciding there was work to be done. He went into the basement and took out some clothes from the bag. He then put a small white cloth under a black one, wrapping it over the white one to make a mask with padding underneath.

Matt stood on top of the Clinton Church, clinging to the Holy Cross on the top. He was now wearing the padded black mask which only left his mouth uncovered and he also wore a black suit. He now looked a lot like he had in his first year as a vigilante.

"Hey! Hey!" he heard a woman saying, "Get off him! Hey, what're you doing? Stop! Stop!"

Two kidnappers were beating up an old man in front of his daughter, who was begging them to stop.

Matt suddenly jumped out of the shadows and grabbed one of them, pulling him off the man and slammed him into his truck.

He then punched the man twice on the face before being kicked off. As the man got up, Matt kicked him away and punched him twice, making him stagger. The man then grabbed him and threw him down. He then ripped off some plastic and wrapped it around Matt's face, trying to strangle him. Matt managed to grab his hand and twisted his fingers, making him let go. He then elbowed him, making him stagger, and then turning around, kicked him out of the truck. He ripped the plastic off his face and threw it away.

He then slowly got up and staggered out of the truck from another side.

"Help!" Get off!" the woman shouted as the other one tried to grab her. Matt moved towards them from the side of the truck. As soon as he was behind the backdoor, he closed it, revealing himself to the surprised man. He punched him, stunning him, while the woman helped her dad back up. Matt slammed the man on the back of the truck and punched him in the abdomen and on the face.

The other one grabbed him from behind but Matt elbowed him, making him let go. He then slammed the man on the door again before the elbowed one returned to the fray, punching him. He tried to kick Matt but he staggered out of the way, making the man kick the taillight instead, injuring his foot.

Matt got into fighting posture as the woman helped her dad to the car, "Stay with me! We'll get you to the hospital."

One of the men punched Matt again, making him stagger. Matt recovered in time and blocked the other punch before punching the man. The man grabbed him by the waist. Matt punched him on the side, trying to make him let go. He picked up Matt and slammed him on the back of the truck, trying to hit him with a rod.

At the last moment, Matt pushed him off and kicked him away with both feet, making him drop the rod. As he tried to get out, the other man tried to kick the door on his face but he got out first, punched the man in the abdomen, grabbed him from the back and pushed him towards the rear-view mirror, before slamming his head in it, knocking him down.

He then heard the woman driving her car away to the hospital, her injured dad next to her.

"Go!" Matt yelled to them.

"Hey asshole", the previous man said as he got back up, "This was none of your business."

Matt got ready to fight but the man grabbed him by the throat and slammed him on the other side of the road. He punched Matt twice before he pushed him off, only to get punched by the other man on the face, making him spit out a wad of blood.

The two men then punched him simultaneously, one of them hitting his right ear, making him stagger around violently. The two then kneed him in the abdomen together and threw him down.

The two then kicked him and slammed their feet on his chest, weakening him. They then walked away.

"We should kill this son of a bitch", one of them said to the other.

"Nah, leave him", the other said.

Matt got up, sitting on his knees and picked up a stick.

"Hold on", he said to them, making them stop. He threw the stick to one of them and then waited for them to beat him up.

"God forgive me", he said.

The man was about to beat him up when he heard police sirens. "Leave him, let's get out of here", he said as he threw away the stick and the two ran off.

Matt sat on his knees, panting heavily. But by the time the police van arrived on the scene, the only thing there was the stick.

Ray Nadeem walked into the F.B.I. Headquarters in New York, looking to talk to his superior- Tammy Hattley, about his performance review.

He looked around, looking at familiar faces. But one of them was a new one. A handsome man of height 5'11".

"Excuse me, sir, I don't believe I've seen you around here before", Nadeem said as he walked to the man.

"Oh, that's right", the man said, "I just got transferred here from the Ohio branch. Crazy place, this New York City."

"What's your name?" Nadeem asked.

"Chase", the man said, "Special Agent Adrian Chase."

Chase then brought forth his hand. A moment later, Nadeem took it, "Special Agent Ray Nadeem."

"Nice to meet you, Agent Nadeem", Chase said.

"Same here, Agent Chase", Nadeem said as he remembered what he was here for, "I have to talk to my superior."

"Go ahead", Chase said as Nadeem walked away.

Later, Nadeem sat in a room, having been assigned to an errand he did not like. With him, the transferred agent, Adrian Chase had been assigned to this too. The man was sitting next to him, no expression on his face.

The door buzzed and opened. The two watched as a handcuffed Fisk, wearing his orange prison uniform, walked in and sat in front of them.

"Mr. Fisk, I'm Special Agent Ray Nadeem with the Federal Bureau of Investigation", Nadeem said as he held out his badge.

"I'm Special Agent Adrian Chase", Chase said as held out his, "The FBI wants your assistance-"

"Let's cut to the part where you tell me to eat shit, so we can stop wasting each other's time, huh?" Nadeem said.

"Tell me, Special Agent Nadeem", Fisk said, "Do you have anyone in your life who you love so much, that you'd do anything to protect them?"

"Was that a threat?" Nadeem asked.

"That did not sound like a threat, Agent Nadeem", Chase said in a whisper, a smile on his face, "That was a question. A straight one. You should be more perceptive."

"Agent Chase is right", Fisk said, "I have made many mistakes, but I accept the debt I am paying because of them. But what I will not accept is that the woman I love should have to pay for them too. I would do anything to protect her. Anything."

"Very good, Mr. Fisk", Chase said in a whisper, "We should always think about our loved ones. They should never be involved in all the dangerous things done by people like us."

"What're you trying to say?" Nadeem asked.

Chase said, "I think he's trying to say-"

"I want to make a deal", Fisk finished.

So Adrian Chase has infiltrated the FBI now to work with Fisk. Not a stretch for him. Oliver, Slade and Roy will get a bigger role next chapter.

In the 'Born Again' storyline, Matt got paranoid enough to think everyone was conspiring against him and even thought Foggy was part of the conspiracy. So now I'm just playing on that a little. He has some resentment towards Oliver for not warning him about this also towards Elektra for not being around. So the reunion won't be the most pleasant one.

But Matt is not childish like Iris or Felicity so he will get over this quickly.

Matt is still not at his 100%.

Please review. I always appreciate your feedback.