'Do not judge your neighbor until you walk two moons in his moccasins.'~ Cheyenne Proverb
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Alice woke up and her hand instantly went to the side where Walter had laid down, but he was no longer there. She sat up and stretched out her body and slowly stood, walking around the large attic and looking for Walter.
She ran her fingers over several harps and one broken down Steinway grand piano, the instrument terribly out of tune. She found herself staring up at some large marble statues that were once part of the outside décor before The Met had been renovated. She stared up at them for a while, touching the large angels with her hands, feeling the gritty sandstone beneath her fingers. Her mind also began to wander and she thought about Walter. She looked downcast and felt her emotions beginning to bubble to the surface, especially after last night. She wish she hadn't done what she did, kissing his face. She wouldn't have been surprised if he left her up here to rot.
She quietly made it back to the makeshift bed and she sat, picking up his coat and rolled it up again and laid her head down, listening to the deafening silence around her. She blinked and sat up when she heard foot steps and saw a figure maneuvering around the many broken instruments.
It was Walter. He stopped and was holding a bag and he looked down. "Got some breakfast…" He sat down beside her. "Sleep well?"
Alice sat up slowly and she nodded, rubbing at her neck. "A little stiff." She smiled. "But I'm ok."
He opened the bag and he held it out. "Saw you liked fruit."
Alice slipped a hand into the bag and pulled a large and very ripe nectarine. She smiled up at him and she nodded. "These are my favorite."
Walter looked into the bag and pulled out a pear for himself and began eating in silence.
She looked up at him and stopped eating for a moment "You're sweet." She said.
He glared. "Am not."
"Are too." She was good at counter attacks. A smile grew on her face. "You should smile more, you look nice."
"I'm ugly." He glared down hard on the canvas, his eyes close to burning a hole through the rough material.
"Who says?" Alice asked around the nectarine and looked hard at him.
"Mom…" He whispered, his shoulders hunching up. "Shouldn't have even been born."
"Everyone's born for a reason." Alice nibbled around the pit and slurped up any juice that was starting to drip from the fruit.
Walter snorted slightly in annoyance, looking away from the woman before him. "How would you know?"
She tossed the pit into the bag and carelessly wiped her hands on her skirt. "Because every living thing and person is on this planet for a reason. You are chosen to save lives. That's something I could never do. Sometimes we walk around in life, not knowing what we are to do in it." She looked down. "Sometimes I wonder what my purpose is."
"You save more lives than I do." Walter looked at Alice with watery eyes. "I couldn't.." He bit back the words.
"Walter, whatever happened to you, it's over now." She went to touch his hand and he slapped it away.
"How would you know what it's like? You suddenly an expert on Rorschach? On myself?" Walter's voice growled darkly.
Alice sat there in stunned silence, but she frowned and spat back. "I never claimed to know anything about you! You think you know me and my people?" She stood, staring him down. "I didn't always have a good life. What I would've given to look like you! To have your skin color, to go to your schools, to be treated like an American! We were treated badly when I was a kid. The only friends I had were on the reservation and we were never permitted to play with the white children that lived outside." She felt the anger simmer down, but she pointed and spat out her last words. "So don't sit there and begin telling me I don't know what I'm talking about! I've seen this so-called 'society' and how cruel people can be."
Walter looked up, listening to what she was telling him. He then turned his attention to his hands, the freckles that were dotted across his fair skin. He looked at her skin, coppery brown and her long hair down her shoulders. She was different than any other women he'd encountered. "I think you're… beautiful." He said in an almost inaudible whisper.
Alice stared at Walter in shock at his admittance that he found her attractive. He lowered his head and he spoke up again. "I'm sorry." He whispered and looked back up at her. "I'm sorry for what my people did to your people."
Alice wasn't expecting that in the least bit. She stared down at him. "Walter… I wasn't trying to point the blame at you specifically."
"It's the truth." Walter looked up with solemn eyes. "You are right. The world is a horrible place, Alice. You see it everyday. This rotting society has the gall to call itself 'civilized'."
Alice was a bit surprised at his words. Walter looked down at his feet, took a small breath and looked up towards her. "You… you're the second person I've known that is a good. That's trustworthy." He touched her cheek gently with a finger. "You're a lady."
The woman sighed and she leaned into his touch and she smiled. "Walter… Rorschach." She took his hand and held it. She didn't even know what to tell him. She must've been happy, she was smiling, but tears were filling her eyes.
"Did I say something offending?" Walter blinked at the sudden appearance of Alice's tears.
"No, no…" She shook her head, wiping at her eyes.
"Women cry too much." Walter shook his head and pulled his hand away.
"I didn't mean to cry. You flattered me by calling me a 'lady'." She smiled softly. "I've never had a man tell me that before."
"You are a lady." Walter repeated. "Rest of them are whores." He began to feel uncomfortable. An inner battle was wrestling with his feelings and Rorschach's sense of logic. "We better go." He stood up, gathering his coat and slipping it back on.
Alice nodded and picked up her wrap, draping it across her shoulders and following him back out the way they came in.
The climb down was terrifying, but Alice kept her eyes shut as Walter carried her down. Once back on solid ground, Walter picked up his sign from the nearby dumpster and he motioned. "My face is just this way, wait here and don't move." He pointed a finger, letting her know he wanted her to stay put.
It was still night, but had to have been around 3 or 4 in the morning. Alice wasn't too sure, she didn't have a watch with her. She waited, but began to look around and paced back and forth. The sound of footsteps reached her ears and she saw Rorschach walking slowly towards her. "Let's get you home."
Alice followed behind him quietly. Rorschach would glance back every now and again to make sure she was alright. The silence was getting to him for some odd reason and he snapped. "What are you thinking about?"
She nearly jumped at his words, but she shook her head and she stopped. "I had this crazy thought… about something you told me the last time you were at my apartment."
Rorschach stopped and he turned slowly, looking at Alice. "Don't want to talk about that night."
"Listen." She got close and she almost towered over him; her shoes giving her added inches to her height.
He looked up at her and folded his arms. "What?"
"You told me Jack was dealing into drugs. Let me dig up dirt for you? I can help." Alice insisted on this and Rorschach shook his head.
"No. None of your business…" He stopped when he felt a hand on his arm.
"It is my business when he's trying to hurt his own people. If he's providing 'stuff' to the people on our reservation, I want to help put a stop to it." She moved her hand away from him. "Look, I don't claim to be an expert on detective work like you are, but I want to help you stop these men before the epidemic gets worse. Those men tried to kill you." She pursed her lips. "They must be stopped before their 'merchandise' kills kids next."
"Could be dangerous… possibly deadly." Rorschach warned.
"I don't care." Alice shook her head. "Please, let me help."
Rorschach was deep in thought. He remained silent for several minutes, turned his head up and he pointed. "You help, but if I think it's too heavy, I order you to stop. Got it?"
Alice nodded and she smiled slightly. "Deal."
"Where's Jack now?" Rorschach spat the man's name out in disgust.
"I believe he flew back to New Mexico, but informed me the day he left he'd be back for Christmas." Alice shook her head.
"Then tell him you look forward to seeing him again." Rorschach couldn't believe he was saying that. "Do what you have to do."
"Rorschach, if you're telling me to remain a lady, then you don't need to worry." She smiled. "I always keep my feet on the ground."
"See that you do." Rorschach snarled.
Alice shook her head and looked at him. She almost wanted to say something, but ran her hand through her hair. "Don't worry, I know you'll be watching." She took the lead now, walking down the alleyway in silence. She walked in confidence and Rorschach was hoping she'd keep her end of the bargain. Doubt still loomed over his head like a thick, black cloud. This would be his ultimate test in trust towards his lady friend.