I immediately squeal, and my hands go to the one covering my mouth.
"Shh! Annie be quiet!" for some reason I want to listen to the calming voice that's speaking right in my ear.
"Annie? Are you okay?" Gabe's voice sounds worried, and the arms around me tense up slightly. I try to wiggle out of the grasp of this stranger, to no avail. I can hear Gabe's footsteps getting closer and the man pulls me off the trail into the thick hedges where Gabe won't see me. I squirm around just enough to where I can see the man holding me. I'm greeted by a stark white mask, one that is all too familiar to me. I immediately fall still in his arms. It can't be. V. The one and only, true V.
"Shh." he warns again.
"Annie where are you?" Gabe passes right past the hedge I'm cramped in, and continues on. V listens intently for sounds of the doctor, but I feel almost paralyzed looking up at him. After a while, V relaxes a little and looks down at me, and upon seeing me staring intently at him sighs heavily.
"Hello."
"It's really you."
"Well...yes. Who did you expect to rescue you?"
"I dunno, Mr. Finch maybe?"
"Oh. Well I can come back with the good detective."
"No, I'm alright. It's just...well I wasn't sure if you would really come." Despite the fact that I can't see his face, I can tell somehow that he's smiling.
"We have to go."
"Wait, they...they're not bad people V."
"Excuse me?"
"Annon. He doesn't want to kill you." He tilts his head incredulously. "They've been really nice to me. He gave me a dress." He sighs.
"I was afraid of this. Look you can't trust them, we need to go." he pleas. I want to try and convince him, but I have a feeling he wont listen to me at all as long as we're still on this and. So I nod and let him grab my wrist to pull me along. He seems expertly adapted to the environment as we go. Like he figured out his escape route a long long time ago. Finally we arrive at a wall that has a large crack. Large enough that I can easily slip through it, with only minor scratches. He's quick to follow and continues to pull me along. There's a car waiting for us when we get to the street and I obediently climb in.
"V how long have you been planning this?" I ask.
"A week. Here, you can change into this." he tosses a little black dress to me and signals the driver that we can go. He pulls a curtain right down he back of the car so neither he nor the driver can see me. I look at the dress and the one I'm wearing and sigh.
"I suppose you have good reason to make me change?" I ask, unzipping the fancy dress.
"It could have a tracker." he says simply.
"Are you always so paranoid?" I ask with a giggle.
"I protect the ones I love." Is all that he replies. I change as quickly as I can, slipping the dress off and pulling the black one on over my head. I brush the other one under the curtain so V can inspect it and look down at my new dress. It seems familiar. Like something in a photograph.
"Did you know about me?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you visit? Or call?"
"Your mother didn't want me to. She wanted to wait until you were older to tell you. It was my understanding that she actually wanted to tell you on the fifth of November, but Annon had other plans for the night. Did he give you anything else?"
"No, just the dress. Would you have come back to London if Mom asked you too?" He's quiet for a long moment and then the curtain is drawn again. I look at him, trying to figure out what he looked like before the accident.
"I would have done anything for your mom. You too." he says sadly.
"Are you going to be with us now?" I ask hopefully. He shakes his head slowly.
"I'm sorry. But now that I know what Annon is up to, I have to do what I can to make you and Evey safe before I can be with you."
"But Annon isn't that bad of a guy! He only wants justice for his father." V nods slowly.
"His father. Did he tell you who his father was?" I shake my head. "A man named Creedy. The most evil man in London. He had to die so that we could be set free. And yes, I did kill him."
"Well I knew you killed Creedy. But...why wouldn't Annon tell me that?" I wonder.
"Would you have helped him if you knew?" I consider it for a long moment then shake my head again. He seems to feel like he's proven a point because he sits back and looks out the front window.
"How is mum?" I ask.
"She's eagerly awaiting your arrival home." I can imagine him smiling as he says it and it makes me smile. It's quiet for the long ride back to London. But eventually we pull up in front of the Shadow Gallery and I see mum waiting with tears on her cheeks. I instantly jump out of the car once it's stopped and run to her. She sweeps me into a hug and sobs. I find myself sobbing too. I didn't realize how much I missed mum. I refuse to let her go even when I become aware of Mr. Finch and V standing by us.
"Let's go inside honey." Mum finally motivates. Mr. Finch takes me to get some food while mum and V look at each other.
"We were so worried Annie." Mr. Finch explains. I notice that his eyes actually seem red. Almost like he was crying.
"What is mum talking to V about?" I ask when I can't think of anything else to say.
"Probably Annon. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I think. I'm just glad to be home." He smiles and hugs me.
"So are we sweetie. So are we."