"Dan? Dan?"
Laurie's soft voice called through the empty foyer echoing slightly. She'd heard the door to the apartment open and close softly, which seemed odd considering Dan had just been offered a job at Adrian Veidt's Corporation as a partner, and wasn't supposed to be off until 9:00 that night.
Her teeth clenched together painfully, and her breathing came in sharp spurts. That had potential to mean there was an intruder in her home. Somewhere in her mind a switch flipped and she was thrust into Silk Spectre II mode. Cautiously, she stepped lightly through the hallways and adjacent rooms.
The floor boards creaked as she stepped in front of the kitchen entryway.
"DAMN IT!" She exclaimed to herself for possibly giving her position away. Suddenly, the light flickered on and she screamed in surprise.
"What the he-John?"
Her voice broke slightly before she took control of it once more.
"What are you doing here? You went off the grid for so long-People have almost forgotten…"
She didn't know what to say in her ex-lover's presence if she was honest with herself. Things had gotten painfully awkward and cold between the two after saving the planet from nuclear warfare, killing a friend, and shielding a mad man's plan from the entire universe.
"Laurie," John spoke softly in his monotone voice. "I have come back to tell you and the remaining Watchmen some things that may be a bit troubling in the near future."
Laurie's mouth went dry, and a cold sweat broke over her brow.
"Laurie! Where are you? Adrian let me out of my meeting early and I thought we coul-" Daniel Dreiburg looked at the pair coldly.
"What a surprise! John…You came back. What brought this visit on?" He looked at Laurie suspiciously and she shook her head in dismissal of even the thought of what Dan was implying. He nodded slightly that he understood her gesture and reproachfully looked at Dr. Manhattan.
"I need both of you to sit down and listen to everything I say." John commanded sliding two chairs from the table while motioning for the two to be seated.
"This may not make sense now, but this is what I've seen so far…"
"Oh great…" Laurie sighed.
"Alright John. Tell us everything." Dan said quietly.
"Well, first-you'll need to reform the Watchmen." John said slowly.
"WHAT?! THAT WOULD BE ILLEGAL JOHN! THAT'S INSANE!"
"Laurie!" Dan snapped angrily. "Let him finish."
She settled into her chair and huffed in annoyance.
John seemed hesitant for a moment.
Dan sighed.
"Perhaps we should both talk in the basement?"
John nodded thankfully.
"Yes. That might be best." He conceded.
Both Dan and John stomped noisily out of the kitchen to leave Laurie to her own devices.
"Damn it! Just when things were starting to get normal!" She said quietly as tears sprang to her eyes.
"Why can't the Watchmen just fade away like everything else does eventually?" Unhappily she got up from the kitchen table and made her way back to bed feeling unusually drained and sick. In her heart, she wasn't sure she could handle it if the Watchmen re-formed.
