She was scared.
"Are you OK miss?"
Not of the guy that was talking, oh no, most people out there knew that this guy was the nice one.
"Yeah m'fine, thanks for saving my ass."
It was his friend. Mister not-that-tall and creepy, with the freaky mask that moved. She knew, she heard of him and reputation. He hates her kind.
"No problem, would you like us to walk you home?"
She can see the other man stiffen and hear (just barely but she still hears it) a grunt that voices his displeasure with that idea.
"Uh, no thanks sweet heart. I think I'll be fine on my own."
Apparently nice guy here heard the grunt as well because he doesn't insist.
"If you're sure…"
As she leaves she has to pass by creepy. He mutters something as she passes. Just before she exit's the alley she hears the nice guy call out for her to be careful, she can't help but smile as she waves to let him know she will.
Her name is Claudia, by day she's a waitress at a diner just down the street from her apartment. By day she's a nice girl, when night falls she travels into the depths of the city and becomes one of the many whores that fill the streets of New York at night.
That's where she learned to stay away from Rorschach. It didn't take long for a whore on the streets of New York to learn to back away when he walked by.
Rorschach hates whores, the whores realize that, yet every so often he'll save one.
Claudia is positive that Nite Owl coerces him into it.
When the Keane Act passes Claudia reads of how Rorschach doesn't quit and she can't help but wonder if he'll be lonely.
The thought is quickly dismissed.
It's 1985 when Claudia starts nurturing the idea that she should quit the streets. The money is nice but she has a sneaking suspicion that she is pregnant. Of course she has no clue who the father is, but at the moment all she can think is how she doesn't want to raise a child in those circumstances.
She's not out on the street this night because of that. Instead she's at home scouring the classifieds for a job that is better than the diner and pays more.
She isn't having much luck.
In the background the TV goes on about the threat of nuclear war.
Moving is starting to seem like a good idea. She has friends and family in other states, it will give her a fresh start.
The TV in background is now chattering about a man that was thrown out a window.
Moving is really starting to seem like a great idea.
A few days later she's standing on the street in a skimpy little outfit. It's raining and Claudia is soaked to the bones, cold and miserable. From the doorway that she's wedged herself in Claudia can just barely make out a vaguely familiar outline coming down the street.
Claudia watches as a girl walks out and propositions the man. He doesn't pause, just walks on and ignores her. As he walks by Claudia realizes that it's Rorschach and she presses herself further into the doorway.
She has a brother, Claudia is positive that he'll help her out of this city.
Claudia is making sure to take care of herself, eat better and she's no longer on the street.
She's wandering around her living room packing her few possessions. Her brother has found her a job and an apartment.
The TV is going on but Claudia isn't paying any attention.
Until Rorschach is mentioned.
She spins to the small TV, Rorschach was caught? She watches as the man on the news talks of the crimes committed by him, how his real name was Walter Kovacs. The scene switches to his home, his landlady is talking about him now. Claudia can't help but balk at the statement that he sexually propositioned her.
"The fuck he did." she barks. Claudia knows what this woman is; the swarm of brats around her, crying and screaming and clamoring, attests to it.
"You're a damn whore. If I can see it then that damn lunatic did and he hated whores, quit trying to make yourself look good." Claudia grimaced "You're trash, same as the rest of us. Stupid bitch."
Claudia knew she was only a step or two above that woman but still…
Why would someone lie about a guy like Rorschach in that way? He wasn't in the least bit attractive.
She felt sick, so sick.
What the fuck was that thing and where did it come from and how could this happen?!
New York was gone and she hadn't even been moved out a week.
Oh god what was going to happen now?
Daniel was sure he was seeing a ghost of some sort or the other. And from the on Laurie's face so was she.
The kid didn't even look like Rorschach. The kid was all black, tanned skin, dark blue eyes and a face that screamed he'd grow up to be a lady's man.
Or a heart breaker.
Or both more likely.
But the look in this kids eyes and the way he carried himself just screamed Rorschach. It's a little daunting to look at a child and see a man long dead. Daniel turns away, content to let old ghosts lie.