Authors Note: This takes place about a year after the destruction of New York, via Manhattan, not the Squid. New York is currently being rebuilt. Later it will explain why Rorschach is still alive, and it will become a major issue in the plot.

*As we all know, our hero's have issues with their true identities. It is especially important that one pays attention to what name is currently being used for a character. (IE, Alex goes into the shower covered in blood, as Solas, but when the blood is washed away, she comes out Alex.) This will be an important running theme.

Thanks for reading. This is my first fanfic post.

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The lights flashed as the new Watchmen photo was taken. Nite Owl, Rorschach and The Silk Spectre were there, but Ozymandias and Dr. Manhattan were absent. Two new Watchmen stood on each side, to take their place and keep the Watchmen legacy going. Alex Regis- Solas and, Richard Marrok- Apollo.

Solas wore a black leather suit. Unlike Silk Spectre, and other female hero's before her, Solas's costume was not at all revealing or provocative. Her suit was more like a female version of the Comedian's militant apparel, but without the shoulder armor. She wore thin black goggles, that gave her a slightly buggy look.

Apollo's suit was very much like Ozymandias's suit, and that's exactly what he was going for when he designed it. It was all silver, with green. From his actions to his costume, it was clear the lad idolized Adrian Veidt.

Everyone stopped holding their breath and puffing up their chests for the photo. Rorschach was first to walk out of the room and out into the dark streets, from Richard's art studio. As he shrugged his coat around himself tighter, he heard Dan call his name. He simply paused and waited for Dan to catch up to him.

"So, how's it been going with Solas?" He asked, pushing up his glasses.

"She's rich. Spoiled. Likes to show off weapons." Rorschach grumbled.

"She mentioned she made you a new grappling hook. Can I take a look?"

Rorschach took the gun out from under his coat and handed it over to Dan.

"Whoo, this is nice. Much better then the one I made you, I bet." Dan said as he turned it over and inspected every aspect of it.

"Hrrrn." Rorschach didn't want to admit it, but it was better. Slightly smaller, easier to conceal, much more powerful and had a better grip.

Dan handed the gun back. "Well, be patient with her. You're not so easy to work with yourself."

"Hurm." Rorschach shrugged his coat around himself again and started walking away.

Alex walked out of the building fallowed by Richard.

"Dan and I are gunna order some pizza at his place around two, want to join us?" Richard asked.

"Nah. I don't think I'll be done by two. We're hitting some drug areas tonight. That can take a while." Alex said.

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2 Days Later

Solas stood silently atop one of the taller building in the area, in the rain. She looked down like a gargoyle, watching the streets, motionless, standing still like she had always been there and always would. Rain slowly dripped around the edge of her black goggles and down her face, like tears.

Rorschach came from the darkness behind her and stood at her side for a moment, looking out over the putrid city.

"C'mon" He said at last. They had done their work for the night, it was time to go home.

Solas looked at him, token tears slowly dripping down her face. They fell on the leather of her clothes and mixed with blood, sheathing off her, pooling at her feet and running over the edge of the building.

As they left, they passes a large dumpster. Solas looked straight ahead, refusing to see the dumpster again. As Rorschach passed, he could see the blood still on the side, where only a few hours ago, they had found the body.

It had been a quiet night, and the streets on this side of town were empty at the dark hour. He and Solas walked freely down the sidewalk, looking down every ally as they passes. He had noticed something that looked like blood on the edge of the dumpster when they passed, and even thought he know it was probably nothing, just some rust, he turned down the ally anyway. Solas fallowed and without command grabbed the top and strangely heavy black garbage bag. She drug it over the edge and it smacked down onto the wet cement of the ally, hard. She opened it, and they both looked in with horror. Blood, and hair, sticky red- brown- black, wet, glissining blood, everywhere inside, and hair, blond hair. And pink, little pink clothes with white flowers and red blood stains. And little pale hands with bloody fingers, and small purple lips and wide open big blue eyes, staring at nothing, vacant and dead.

After Rorschach was able to tare himself away from the sight of the mangled little girl, he looked at his new partner. He saw something familiar in her expression, even thought her goggles. He didn't need to look into her eyes to know what had happened, he knew this expression, he knew this moment. He had felt a moment like this years ago. It's the moment when the true horrors of the world, when it all suddenly hits you, knocking the breath out of you, and you look down at all of Man Kind's cruelty and malice and it breaks you. In the silence, Rorschach could hear her crack, it was so loud to him, like the whole earth just split in two. She stood there in the rain, looking down at the contorted and twisted remains of the girl, and some part of her died- and it wasn't ever going to come back.

As they walked silently back in the same direction, Rorschach wondered if he should just go straight home, instead of going to Solas's place. Normally, he would fallow her back to her pent house and eat something hot before going home, but tonight was different. Then he wondered if he should follow her home, because it was, well, he didn't know. Maybe it would be comforting? But maybe it would be intrusive… Maybe she just wanted to be alone. Didn't seem like a good time to ask a question though. After more thought about sticking around for "comfort" he realized that idea simply wasn't going to work out. He had no comforting words. There were none, this was just the cruel way of the world, and it would only get worse. As they came to Rome Street, a street that's right side lead to bright new apartment buildings and condos, and that's left street ran down into the broken down slums, where even the main street was a grimy ally, Rorschach turned left and went his separate way, as Solas went right.

He opened the crooked door to his grubby apartment and shut it quietly behind him. He didn't bother with the light switch, he had no electricity and wouldn't for another two weeks. Missed too many payments. He took off his face and gloves, running a hand through his dirty wet hair. He took off his clothes and turned the hot water on in the small bathroom. Cold water was all that poured out, from the broken shower head. After a simple rinse off, he put on under clothes, his undershirt having rat holes in it, and blood stains. He lied down on the mattress and pushed his shoulder into his pillow, that smelled of sweat, and tried to forget what he had saw that night, long enough to sleep.

Solas tore her leather costume off and threw it out of sight into the closet, before walking into the large white bathroom. In moments there was a steaming shower ready. She took her time, scrubbing all the blood away with expensive soaps, and letting the hot water run over her back as she tried to block out the little girls huge blue eyes, glazed over and empty.

Alex got out of the shower, and wrapped a white fluffy new towel around herself before going to her bedroom. She lied down in the huge bed, soft with it's down cover and plush blankets. She closed her eyes and prayed she did not have nightmares.

Crowded streets are cleared away
One by One
Hollow heroes separate
As they run

-So Cold by Breaking Benjamin

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Authors Note: Like in the graphic novel, after every chapter, I will try to put part of a song or poem.

Also, when I write, I tend to try to jump right to the interesting parts and use a lot of flashbacks, even for something that happen mere hours ago. Sorry if that gets confusing.