YAAAY An update! SOOOOO SO SO SO sorry that it wasn't up when I said it would be, but school literally round house kicked me in the face, and I had a tournament, and and and yeah. I hope the fact that it's my longest chapter yet makes up for it! Enjoy lovelies! :D
Chapter 14
It was evenings such as these, spent with her close friends, made Evey momentarily forget that she was one of the most powerful people in England. They allowed her a few hours to forget the chaotic work of leading a revolution, or the growing rebel activity, or the fact that the Ear and the Eye had not yet fallen.
Evenings like these, spent with Gordon and Philip, were wonderful distractions from the daily grind. Although tonight, the conversation was slowly winding its way towards more professional matters.
Evey and Gordon had planned out this dinner for several weeks, trying to work around both of their hectic schedules. Gordon had wanted to work out the details of their upcoming show, but refused to actually sit down with Evey in a work environment. He insisted that Evey come over to visit, which Evey was more than happy to oblige too.
Philip had prepared dinner, as he always did when Evey came over for a visit. It was delicious as always, and they enjoyed a fine bottle of wine with it. They talked and laughed freely as the night went on, the wine slowly working into their systems and making the conversation flow all the better.
"Now Gordon, you've yet to tell me the story of how you and Philip met." Evey said with a smile, watching her hosts indulge in the wine they had selected. For her part, she idly sipped at her glass. She had never been much of a drinker; however, Philip and Gordon were now on their second glass of wine.
"Ah, yes! I've been meaning to tell you that story for ages. Let me assure you, our relationship certainly didn't get off to the best start," Gordon started.
Evey giggled as Philip snorted before interrupting. "As I recall, I was pretty cross with you."
Gordon silenced Philip with a wave of his hand. "I'll tell the story, thank you very much." Philip merely rolled his eyes at this, but let his partner continue. "As you know, Philip quit the BTN after V destroyed the Old Bailey, because he knew that the story Norsefire wanted him to tell was a blatant lie. But that wasn't the first time he was angry about that. I was in a meeting with the old director about my old talk show. When all of a sudden, who should burst into the man's office in a complete rage, but our dear Philip."
Evey laughed aloud, "Did he really interrupt your meeting?"
Gordon nodded while Philip rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, and with quite a lot of flair, as one would expect of him. He stormed into the office, with the director's secretary yelling behind him, and he threw the copy of the script onto the man's desk. And do you know what he said then?"
"This is fucking bollocks! How can you expect me to spoon feed this shit to the viewers?" Philip yelled, leaping to his feet to provide the most dramatic effect, which left Evey in another fit of laughter. Evey almost wondered if they had rehearsed this bit.
"Am I to assume that it was love at first sight?" Evey asked facetiously.
"Far from it!" Gordon laughed. "I was annoyed to be interrupted, especially during an important meeting. So I grabbed his script and chucked it at the waste bin. I told him to wait outside while 'Mummy and Daddy talk'. Oh, that made him mad." That statement earned a wistful smile from both men. Philip decided to chime in.
"Naturally, after being offended in such a manner, I jumped to my own defense and started screaming at them both. The director was furious; it was a miracle he didn't actually fire me on the spot. But Gordon, the bastard, just sat there as calm as could be. That made me even angrier, so I just kept screaming until finally, Gordon just held up his hand in that way of his. I shut up immediately, and then Gordon just looked me up and down and said, 'If you think you're the only one tired of the bullshit, you're wrong. So why don't you just crawl back down to the newsroom and do your job.'"
"It was the only time I ever got him to listen to me," Gordon quipped. This got him a playful shove from his partner, who continued on with the story.
"After that, fate seemed to push us together. We kept bumping into each other, and pretty soon we started to get to know each other. One day, Gordon invited me over for dinner, since he knew of my disdain for Norsefire, and shared my sentiment. That was when we really discovered how much we had in common." Philip finished.
"What happened after you quit?" Evey wondered, knowing that work was the only pretense the two had for seeing each other during the Norsefire regime. Gordon spoke up to answer this question.
"We didn't see much of each other for a few weeks, but kept in contact nonetheless. We would often 'bump into each other' at a coffee shop or bookstore around the city. Of course, you know how V helped us in the aftermath of the raid." Gordon concluded.
Then, Gordon and Philip began regaling her with tales of their clandestine meetings, bringing a broad smile to Evey's face.
Evey had been trying all night to keep the conversation steered away from work matters. Anything that even remotely hinted of the possibility of turning into something work related was quickly shot down, as Evey would change the subject. It wasn't that she was tired of the work she was doing; she loved everything about what her work represented. But that did not change the fact that she was exhausted, and needed a break, even if it meant just a simple night without any work related topics.
But the subject could not be avoided forever; after all, one of the main reasons Gordon had invited her over was so that they could discuss Evey's appearance on his new talk show. It was when they had finally adjourned to the study, where they always went to enjoy some desert and more conversation, that Gordon had finally broached the subject.
"Now Evey, I know you wanted to avoid the subject, but I wanted to run a few ideas by you for the show." Gordon started, his speech slightly slurred from the wine and now brandy that was in his system. Evey nodded cordially, indicating that he should continue. "Now, obviously, the topic of the revolution will be the forefront of our conversation. But of course, all of England wants to know about you, so I'll be asking more personal questions if that's alright. We'll go over the script so that you can tell me what you think."
Again, Evey only nodded for Gordon to continue.
"Now, as for the wardrobe, I knew that you would be no help at all in deciding. And I already had my suit picked out, and I wanted us to match. So I took the liberty of picking out the evening's ensemble for you."
Evey eyed Gordon suspiciously. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to regret that?"
"Evey, I'm shocked that you would insult my sense of taste!" Gordon gasped, his voice dripping with mock offense. "It's quite an attractive number, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It is the perfect dress, let me assure you."
"Will I be having a look at this dress any time soon?" Evey queried. She knew that Gordon had immaculate taste, and she was sure that he picked out a beautiful dress for her to wear. Still, the idea of leaving it all to Gordon was a bit worrisome.
"That, my dear, will be a surprise! However, if I might offer one hint, I know that V will appreciate it immensely. You'll look positively radiant." Gordon smiled, while Philip's eyes widened.
Evey's head snapped up and she shot a penetrating glare at Gordon. Had she just heard him correctly? His statement about V was very much in the present tense, and she had told no one of V's well-being.
Gordon realized his error the second Evey looked up at him with one of her infamous stares. Perhaps the wine had loosened his tongue a little too well. He had promised V not to tell Evey that he was alive; and although he now knew that he and Evey had been reunited, he had kept this promise. Now he wasn't sure whose wrath he feared more: Evey's or V's.
"What did you just say?" Evey asked, barely above a whisper. Philip now looked extremely uncomfortable as the tension between his partner and his friend mounted.
Gordon made a desperate attempt to salvage the situation: "I just said that V would have appreciated the outfit I chose for you. I didn't mean to upset you, Evey, I know you must still be grieving…"
"Oh no, that isn't what you said." Evey cut him off sharply. "You said that V will appreciate it. Not that he would have appreciated it. Is there something you've been keeping from me, Gordon?"
Gordon could barely meet the powerful stare of this woman; and he couldn't contain the secret that had been welled up inside of him any longer. "Evey, I am so sorry, but V made me promise to never tell you. Please, please forgive me."
Gordon had known. He had known that V was alive; she wasn't sure how long he knew, but she could be certain that he had kept it a secret from her. Was it possible that he had known before her? The thought that Gordon would keep V's existence from her while he saw how she was grieving was like a punch in the stomach. Granted, he had kept himself hidden while she needed a friend most. Why was it surprising now to consider the fact that he had hidden far more from her?
"When did you find out?" Evey whispered so quietly that Gordon couldn't understand her. This brought a new wave of anger to the surface, and she leapt to her feet and screamed at him, "How long have you known about him?!"
Gordon looked down at the ground and took a deep breath. Damn this wine, and damn him for letting his guard down. He didn't want to hurt her any more, but he knew that he had to tell her the truth, now that he had let it escape. "Since the eleventh of November. Six days after Parliament was destroyed."
That was the answer she had feared. Evey fell back into the couch she had been lounging in, letting out a sharp puff of breath. How many secrets were still being kept from her? How many lies had been spun by Gordon, V, Melinda, Listler, and everyone else?
"Evey, please, you have to understand why I did it. I told V to go to you. I told him not to hide, but you know how hard it is to talk him into anything. And he made me swear never to tell you. I will not lie to you Evey; V can be a frightening man. But more importantly, I owed him my life. What would you have done in that situation?" Gordon pleaded. He looked helplessly at Philip while Evey remained silent. Philip rose from his perch to sit next to Evey and place a comforting hand on Evey's shoulder.
"V did this for you, Evey. And he did it for the revolution. Can you fault him for that? And can you blame Gordon for being loyal to him?" Philip soothed. Evey let out a sigh, and then relaxed a bit. Philip was absolutely right; and so was Gordon.
But it was still hard to be lied to, no matter the reasons.
"What happened?" Evey asked softly. Now that she knew when Gordon and Philip had found V, she figured that they knew something about his condition after the fifth. He had spared her the details of his injuries the night of their discussion, but that only made Evey worry all the more. Although the fates had been kind and the man she loved was now healthy and sound, she wanted to know what had actually happened, so that perhaps she could put the nightmarish scenarios behind her. If she knew how bad it had been, her imagination wouldn't take things to extremes.
"He contacted us through a letter, asking for supplies. He was staying in a condemned house, until he was well enough to find someplace else. Evey, you know how secretive V is. He didn't tell me anything about his injuries. He seemed well enough we I gave him the supplies he needed. After that, he only contacted me once," Gordon explained. "He wanted to know how our reunion went, and after that, I assume you know the story."
Evey nodded. Yes, this was news indeed. But she could handle it, as she had handled all of the recent bombshells that had shattered her world, changing everything. Evey closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and counted to three before she opened her eyes again.
"I'm sorry, Gordon. I've been a bit of a mess the last few days, what with work being so hectic." Evey managed. It would do for now; she didn't want to have to discuss this any further. She just wanted to move on, so that she could think about this alone.
Gordon nodded in understanding, and he rose to give Evey a comforting embrace, for which she was very thankful. After their hug, the pair broke apart. Gordon suggested some more of the decadent cake Philip had prepared, and Evey had no trouble agreeing to that. They helped themselves to another slice each, and after they had eaten and enjoyed a few more sips of wine, Evey decided that it would be best if she retired for the evening.
They trio shared their goodbyes, promising to get together soon, and Gordon walked Evey out to her car. Gordon held Evey at arm's length and smiled warmly at her.
"I can't tell you how happy I am to know that he's back in your life. You needed him to fill a void that no one else could." Gordon said. A smile broke out onto Evey's face, and she propelled herself into one final embrace. After Gordon released her, Evey got into her small sedan and waited for Gordon to return safely to Philip, who was waiting patiently at the door. Once they had turned in, the car hummed to life, and she drove off into the night.
Evey was exhausted once she returned to her flat; she must have had a tad too much wine, she reasoned. Feeling slightly dizzy and lightheaded, Evey decided that a nice warm shower was in order to help clear the fog in her mind, and relax her muscles before bed.
Before heading to the bathroom, Evey made a quick detour into her bedroom. She found the old shirt of V's she had taken on the fifth, and a pair of knickers and shorts. Evey held the soft fabric in her hands, thinking back to when she had actually taken the shirt from V's closet in a moment of frailty and weakness. But still, she almost always chose to sleep in the garment. Even Evey had her girlish foibles.
The hot water from the shower did in fact loosen her muscles and bring her some much needed clarity. While she stood under the water, she reflected on dinner with Gordon. It had of course shocked her to know that V had gone to Gordon and not her in his hour of need; and it also hurt her to some degree. Of course she knew why V had wanted to remain hidden from her. But it pained her to know that he had done so, and it pained her even more to know that he and Gordon had kept this a secret.
That had become a theme, recently. Everyone seemed to think it in Evey's best interest to keep secrets from her, to try and "protect" her. In reality, those good intentions only hurt her even more. The weight of being lied to was crushing, especially when it came from those you love most. Leading a revolution was hard enough without facing deception around every corner.
But could she really fault Gordon and V for keeping this from her? As much as Evey wanted to be angry at both of them, she couldn't. Because although they had both caused her immeasurable amounts of anxiety and grief, once they had returned to her life, they had become her rock. Evey could hardly imagine being mad at either of them.
Evey was stirred from her thoughts when the water began to run cold, reminding her that she really ought to be off to bed. She shut off the water and stepped out into the cold air, wrapping herself with a towel. The chill was seeping into Evey's bones, so she quickly shook the excess water out of her hair and dressed. Evey always felt like a small child when she wore this shirt; the sleeves covered her hands while the hem of the shirt hung mid-thigh, hiding her shorts. Her short hair dripped water onto the fabric, making Evey shiver once they absorbed into the fibers and brushed up against her skin.
Padding out into the hallway, Evey made her way slowly to bedroom, swaying slightly because of the wine. Although the shower had made it slightly easier for her to think, it couldn't shake the effect of the alcohol, which still made her dizzy. She dropped her dirty clothes into her hamper and pulled aside the covers on her bed. She crawled in, letting out a sigh of contentment as she curled deeper into the welcoming comfort. She hadn't recalled the bed being this comfortable.
Evey was moments away from sleep when she suddenly remembered that she hadn't locked the front door to her flat. Groaning, Evey swung her feet lazily to the side of the bed and lurched forward, trudging towards the front room. The door seemed quite far, at this moment in time, but Evey was determined to complete her task, despite her mounting exhaustion.
Finally, she made it to the door, after almost tripping over some un-seen object that was hiding in the darkness. Evey threw the deadbolt and slid the chain in to place. With a final look, Evey insured that everything was in place and that she was now safely locked in for the night. She yawned, and turned to head back towards her bedroom.
"Perhaps you should also consider locking the windows."
Any lethargy and wooziness from the wine was immediately purged from Evey's system, replaced by pure adrenaline. Evey gasped, muffling a scream, and fell back against the door, searching the darkness for the intruder. Once she realized who it was, however, she let her guard down.
"Damn it, V! Give me a heart attack, why don't you?" Evey cursed as loudly as she dared, not wanting to alert her neighbors. Her eyes had adjusted well enough, and there was a small bit of light leaking from the hallway, so she had been able to pick up on the glowing visage of Fawkes, standing nonchalantly in the corner. Now, she could see the imposing figure of the man who wore the mask.
"My apologies, Evey. But have I made my point?" V asked, trying to keep the smile out of his voice. Yes, he regretted having to scare her, but it really made his argument quite clear. "What if I had been a man with more sinister intentions?"
With his heightened eye sight, V could see quite well in the dark, and it was quite amusing to watch Evey huff and puff, throwing her arms up in exasperation.
"Alright, I'll lock my windows! But I'm just not fond of the idea of you breaking the locks whenever you want to visit!" Evey replied in an accusatory tone of voice. She fumbled around the room, in the general direction of where she thought the lamp ought to be. Apparently, she was nowhere close, as V casually flicked on the small table lamp that he had been standing next to. Evey rolled her eyes at this. He must have been planning this entire demonstration out for quite some time.
Now, Evey could take a better look at her "intruder". Evey could have sworn that she felt the triumphant, gleeful smile that she was certain was behind the mask. V certainly had a way of making a point when he wanted to.
But with the lights on, V also had a better chance to take a look at the woman he had intruded on. The first thing he noticed was that she was wearing that shirt of his; something that his incredible eyesight had neglected to pick up on in the dark. He remembered the night he had returned to her, to find her wearing that same shirt. He remembered how completely heartbreaking it was to him. But now, seeing her in it without the covers to inhibit his view, V had a chance to appreciate it.
V was used to seeing Evey in her work clothes, or just simple, casual clothes. V had of course seen her in the awful prison garb he had forced onto her, but he would block those memories now. Or perhaps replace them with this lovely image. He had always been held captive by her beauty, but somehow, seeing her now in such a comfortable, vulnerable state, V found her utterly breath-taking. The sleeves were rolled up, the hem revealed a very pleasing view of her legs, and her hair was a wet, tangled mess.
She was so incredibly irresistible in this moment; V would have given just about anything for circumstances to be different. But he knew that fate was cruel.
Evey blushed slightly at the intensity of V's gaze, realizing how completely foolish she must look, wearing one of his shirts. She wondered briefly if he was angry with her, but she shook that thought from her mind. But she did have other questions on her mind.
"Now, besides wanting to prove a point and scare the living daylights out of me, was there another point to this visit?"
V smiled slightly. Scaring her and proving his point were actually not even remotely close to his intentions that evening; however, the opportunity had presented itself, and V couldn't resist. He had wanted to check on Evey, and see how her evening went. But more importantly, he wanted to know if Gordon had let slip about their knowing about each other. His plan had been to wait for Evey to return home, but once he realized that she had beaten him to her flat, that was when his secondary plan came to fruition.
"I thought I would see how your evening went. I trust you had a good time?" V said cautiously, not wanting to give anything away incase Gordon hadn't said anything. Evey's eyebrow quirked up, and she cocked her head to the side. V's eyes widened; this was not the reaction he had been expecting. He knew that something was going on; he just didn't know what. And that was what worried him most.
"Oh, it was a wonderful time, as usual." Evey started, seeing how V tensed up. She wanted to draw this out, and watch him squirm. "Philip made some sort of French dish, which was positively divine. I'll have to get you the recipe."
V nodded slowly, prompting Evey to continue.
"After dinner, Gordon and Philip told me some wonderful stories. And Gordon told me the most interesting thing, tonight. Do you know what he told me, V?" Evey asked rhetorically.
"No, I'm sure I don't." V lied lamely.
"He told me about a letter he received, on November 11th. Six days after parliament was destroyed. And that isn't what was so extraordinary. Would you like to know, V?" Her hazel eyes were piercing into the black eye screens, and Evey watched with satisfaction as the mask dropped slightly. No, she wasn't angry with him, but now it was her turn to prove a point.
"Evey…"
"The letter was from a man; a man that had supposedly died on the Fifth. Could you imagine? But, you know how Gordon has an affinity for storytelling." V knew that this was Evey's own form of punishment, and that now she was trying to prove something to him.
"Evey, please…" He begged, but she cut him off with a powerful stare.
"I'm not mad, V. But I need you to understand something. Hiding things from me may seem like a way to protect me, but I don't need to be protected. I need to be told the truth. I can handle it; I'm not the same girl you saved from Jordon Tower. You of all people should know that." She felt her heart soften when she saw V's head drop lower, and she reached out to take his hand in hers. "So this is my point, V. You can't hide things from me. Don't ever think you can, or that you have to. Promise me that?"
V raised his head at the pleading in her voice; he absolutely hated lying to her and hiding things from her. He was a fool to think that he had to protect her from everything; she was right, of all people, he should know how strong she was. After all, he was the man who had forged her, and given her that strength.
"I swear to it, Evey." And he knew he couldn't break that promise. Evey smiled, and now that she had made herself clear, she walked right into his arms, forgiving him for his lies, and accepting his new promise.
Once they had broken apart, V once again took notice of Evey's choice of pajamas. Now that he wasn't completely devastated by her grief, he really could find it in his heart to find it endearing, and yes, humbling. To know that she had sought out a part of him to keep her company while he was gone was indeed a pleasant reminder that she did in fact care for him. And that she had kept it, even after they had been reunited, was an even better testament to that fact.
But now, V could also notice that Evey was slightly limp in his arms, and that she seemed to be having trouble holding herself upright. The clock read midnight, meaning that she was exhausted, but V suspected that Gordon had cajoled Evey into indulging that night at dinner. He was keeping her from her much needed rest, and that would not be allowed.
"You should rest, love. You're tired." V suggested softly.
Evey trained her gaze on him once again, although this time, it was far less piercing. V was always using her exhaustion and sleep schedule as an excuse to leave her.
Perhaps it was the last hints of wine talking, or maybe it was the exhaustion, but Evey finally worked up the courage and grabbed V's hand once again. "Only on one condition."
Well that was certainly not the response V had been expecting. He was used to the usual protests of "I'm not that tired" or "I don't even have to work tomorrow" or "I can go in late", but this was a new tactic entirely. He was curious to see where this new strategy would lead.
"And what, pray tell, would that be my dear?" V asked cautiously.
Before she could convince herself otherwise, Evey managed to blurt out, "You have to stay here, with me." Evey watched as every muscle in V's body instantly became taught and the mask moved a fraction to the side, trying to not look directly at her, as though she were a predator.
"Evey, I don't think that that is a very good idea." V stated slowly, trying to maintain his composure. He saw Evey's face fall slightly, but recognized the determination in her face. He had a feeling that this was an argument that he was bound to lose. He wondered if that really was such a bad thing.
"Why not?" Evey challenged, ready to win this battle.
V let out a sharp puff of air, which was accentuated by the mask. Of course he wanted to stay here with her; he had always wanted to stay with her. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. The dark voice at the back of had trapped him with fear. It called him a monster, and reminded him of every possible scenario of Evey leaving. Finally, V came up with the best excuse he could manage.
"You know how important it is that I stay hidden, Evey. What if something were to happen? Surely I would be discovered."
Evey rolled her eyes. "Is that what you really think, V? You could escape in an instant, and you know that as well as I do. What's really going on?"
V dropped his head, and let go of Evey's hand. He was a coward, that's what was going on. He was nothing but a bloody coward. He couldn't stand it. Evey deserved so much more; she deserved everything that he couldn't give to her. It was killing him to know that he couldn't be what Evey needed or wanted.
Evey saw the turmoil playing out within his mind; she could read it in his body language. She stepped forward slowly, and reached out a tentative hand towards the mask. V instinctively shied away, a reaction born from hiding behind a mask for decades, but Evey wasn't deterred. She gently rested her petite hand on the enamel cheek, and looked straight into the screens of the mask.
"V, I know that this is going to take time. But I'll always be right here. Please, V. I just want you to stay here, nothing more. Nothing more. Please." Evey whispered, pleading with him.
V took a deep breath. He couldn't resist her; not when she was pleading with him like that. And besides, Evey was actually requesting that he stay. That fact made V feel a lot better. So against his better judgment, and against the screaming, angry voice in his head, V relented.
"Alright, Evey. If that is what you wish." He replied slowly.
The smile that erupted on Evey's face made it all worthwhile; and so was the feeling of her arms wrapping around him. However, her gorgeous smile and tender gesture did little to calm his nerves, or still his racing heart. To occupy himself, once Evey had released him once again, he stood back to remove his hat and cloak. He hung them both on the small coat rack Evey had standing next to her door. While he was there, he also did a quick double check on the lock.
He turned back to Evey, and a small chuckle escaped his lips. Evey must have been far more tired than she let on; in the process of him removing his cloak and hat, hanging them up, and turning back to her, which he had taken his time in doing, Evey had slumped down into a chair and was now resting with her eyes half closed. It looked incredibly uncomfortable, although Evey didn't seem to be complaining.
Deciding that Evey was probably far too unstable to walk her way to her bedroom, V took matters into his own hands by scooping her up into his arms. Evey's eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, while she protested feebly, but just as quickly, she settled down and rested her head against his chest. V was thankful that she was probably too tired to register his rapidly beating heart.
Once inside of Evey's room, V placed her delicately onto the mattress in the spot she had been resting before she got up. He watched in amusement as Evey immediately curled up into a comfortable position and wrapped some blankets around herself. V stroked her cheek gently, before he decided to make his exit. She appeared to be asleep now, and would never know if he spent the night outside in her sitting room. He doubted he would be able to sleep anyway.
But Evey seemed to have other ideas, because she seemed to become lucid the moment he had reached the doorway.
"V?" Came her one-syllable question. V sighed softly.
"Yes, Evey?" He turned back, and saw that Evey had reached a hand out from underneath her extensive covers. She beckoned to him, and once he had come close enough, she trapped his hand in hers.
"Stay." Was all she managed to breathe out. She closed her eyes, but still held her grip firm on his hand. With a small smirk at this wonderful woman's determination, V obeyed. He released her hand, which seemed to rouse Evey slightly. But he only walked to the other side of her bed, where he sat down on the edge to remove his leather boots and place them neatly at the foot of the bed. With a final deep, calming breath, V eased the rest of his body down onto the empty side of Evey's bed. He made no move towards her, though. Being the gentleman he was, V didn't want to appear too forward. He would let Evey come to him, if that is what she so desired.
He didn't have to wait long, as Evey soon flopped over onto her side to face V. She squired closer to him, trying to go slowly so as to not make him uncomfortable. She paused for only a second, at V's sharp gasp at her arm resting across his stomach, but then continued to scoot closer, until her head finally rested on V's chest. She was exhausted, but the beating of V's heart still managed to bring a soft smile to her lips.
V finally seemed to relax a few minutes later, and he draped his arm around Evey, drawing her the last few inches closer to him. And that was when Evey finally relaxed completely, as well. Before she could be completely pulled under, Evey opened her eyes slightly to find the mask. She squirmed up slightly, just enough so that she could plant a delicate kiss on Fawkes' cold cheek. Evey smiled when she heard V's contented sigh. The smile grew even wider as she heard him whisper softly,
"Oh, how I love you, Evey."
And then, the warmth and comfort of lying peacefully with V lulled Evey into a deep slumber.
A loud buzzing alarm jolted Evey awake early that morning. It was her morning alarm, signaling her to get up. But actually getting up would prove to be a daunting challenge, especially given the wonderful night's sleep she had had last night. She had V to thank for that. Evey rolled over to greet V, but was shocked to find his side of the bed completely empty. Furrowing her brow, Evey sat upright, turned off her alarm, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She looked around her bedroom again. V was nowhere to be found, and neither were his boots.
Evey was now worried that something had happened. Had he left once she had fallen asleep, to terrified to be with her? Had she offended him in some way? Was he angry with her? Or perhaps, she was looking at this in the wrong way. Perhaps V had already gotten up, and was just waiting for her out in the sitting room. Deciding to go investigate, Evey rose quickly and walked down the hallway and into the main room.
"V?" She called out, and received no answer. She walked into the kitchen next, but knew V wasn't in there because she couldn't hear the familiar sounds of clanking kitchen ware and sizzling food.
However, she was rewarded with an interesting clue. A piece of her own stationary was left lying out on the counter, which she found suspect. She never left her stationary lying around, especially in the kitchen. Once she had snatched the piece of paper from the counter, Evey was relieved to see the familiar, elegant handwriting of V:
My Dear Evey,
My most sincere apologies for having left you alone this morning. I wanted to remain with you until you rose, but that would not have been practical, as I needed the cover of darkness to make my back to the Gallery. I'm sure that you understand. I hope that your day is as wonderful as my evening was last night. I hope to see you in the Gallery soon. Yours,
V
Evey read the letter twice, just to appreciate how wonderful it was. It was so very "V". And it was a wonderful start to her day, which would now assuredly be as "wonderful as my evening was last night." She took the letter and placed it on her nightstand, where she could look at it again later that night when she returned from work.
Evey had just sat down to watch the morning news with a cup of coffee, when she was startled by the loud ring of her cell phone. Quickly muting the tele and placing her cup down, Evey hurried over to her desk, where she had left her phone last night. The caller ID said Eric Finch, and showed a picture of him looking annoyed at his desk.
The picture always made Evey smile; she had taken it when she discovered the caller ID function on her phone, and had caught Eric while he was engrossed in his work. Needless to say, he was not pleased with her interruption.
"Hello, Eric." Evey answered. Evey could hear lots of chatter in the background, in addition to lots of shuffling papers. She was pretty sure she could hear Dominic Stone barking orders at some of his underlings. She thought that perhaps Finch had called her on accident, until she heard his voice at the other end of the line.
"Sorry about that, Evey. Did I wake you?" Eric asked.
"No, of course not. I was just getting ready to come in. Is everything alright? What's all the commotion about?" She heard more slamming doors, voices, and the general sounds of an office in turmoil.
"Everything is better than alright, Evey. I just called to give you the good news: We did it."
Evey creased her forehead and pursed her lips. What exactly had they done? She was still a tad drowsy, and had not yet had her morning coffee. She wasn't quite firing on all synapses this morning. Eric seemed to understand her silence as confusion, so he spoke up once again.
"We pulled the plug last night. Well, this morning more like. The Ear and The Eye, Evey. They're gone." Evey could hear the beaming smile in Eric's voice, even through all of the commotion in the office building. "That's why things are such a mess around here; we're trying to get everything back online with the new system, and we're also trying to tie up loose ends of the mission."
Now, Evey was silent because of her astonishment. The Eye and The Ear? Gone? That meant that the last remnants of the Norsefire regime were dead; save for The Finger, which she assumed was dwindling by the day. They had finally shaken the horrible shackles of that ruthless administration. They were on their way to recovery.
England was free.
Years ago, Evey wouldn't have even dared to hope for such a miraculous statement. But now, it was true. It was real. After so many years of oppression and fear, the English people had been liberated.
"Evey?" Eric sounded slightly concerned at the other end of the line.
That shook her from her silence.
"Sorry, Eric. I was just…shocked. This is incredible! What's the soonest I can make an address?" Evey knew that it was crucial to report this news, and report it soon. The people had to see that this new government was not about secrets.
Eric chuckled on the other end of the line.
"We have everything all set up, we just need you here as soon as you're ready."
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." And with that, Evey hung up the phone and launched herself towards her bedroom. Of course, today of all days, would be the day she couldn't find the garment she was looking for. Finally, after completely emptying most of her dresser drawers and frantically digging through her closest, Evey was able to produce what she had been searching for: A black, long sleeved turtle neck. She threw on a pair of dark jeans and a pair of black flats, quickly ran the brush through her short, messy hair, and bounded out of her flat.
The drive took her less time than she had anticipated, but her misadventures with the shirt caused her to be about five minutes late. The guards at the front door of Eric's office building nodded her in curtly, which Evey didn't mind. She didn't have time for the trivial formalities. Eric's secretary Jenna, however, proved to be more talkative.
"Oh, Ms. Hammond! I had no idea that Mr. Finch was expecting you this morning. Let me just page him to make sure he knows you're here…" It seemed to Evey that she was moved slightly slower than a snail. She rolled her eyes as the woman dropped her pencil, and took an eternity to bend down and pick it up. Finally, she cut in.
"Thank you, Jenna, but Eric knows I'm here, and I'm actually running late." Evey tried to hint, without being rude.
"Oh this will only take a moment, Ms. Hammond." Jenna said with a bright, chipper smile. She picked up the phone and dialed Finch. While she waited for an answer, Evey was suddenly quite grateful to have a secretary like Ms. Hayes. She was all business, and knew not to keep people waiting. Not that she had the capacity for idle chit-chat.
Finally, after a few brief words, Jenna hung up the phone and smiled brightly at Evey. She was a pretty woman, slightly older than Evey was. Her blond hair was always pin-strait and perfect, to match her perfect, pearly-white smile. It sometimes unnerved Evey with how happy she always seemed.
"Eric is up in his office. Go on up, you know the way."
But Evey was already making her way around Jenna's desk and towards the elevators. Now she was running closer to ten minutes late. The elevator seemed to be running at half speed, and Evey bounced her leg impatiently as it made its way to the top floor. She was incredibly eager to get this news to the public, and everything seemed to want to slow her down.
Once the elevator finally opened, Evey strode quickly to Eric's office, and didn't even bother to knock. Finch looked up, startled from whatever he had been staring at on his desk.
"Good morning to you, too, Evey." He began sarcastically. "Are you ready to go? The production team is waiting, and I've had the speech you wrote edited to include the details."
Eric rose, gathering some of his papers, and motioned for Evey to go back through the door and follow him, which she did. They walked back through the task room, which was now quieting down, and back into the elevator. Then, they left and walked into the parking garage, where they got into Finch's car.
The drive to the BTN took less than five minutes, but Evey was impatient nonetheless. Once they finally made it into the building, the secretary escorted the pair through a winding maze of hallways that Evey knew well from her days at the BTN. It led to the production room, where she now made her addresses to the people. They had actually given this entire room to her cause, and wouldn't allow anything but her speeches to be produced here, so that the set could become more permanent.
Once inside the room, Evey was whisked away by a team of make-up artists and members of the production staff, who were briefing her on the speech. She was used to this hustle and bustle now, although she still wasn't fond of being primped by the make up team. As usual, she refused to allow them to cake on the makeup, and insisted only on mascara and lipstick. She did not, however, refuse any of the attention that they paid to her hair. They were pleased that she had grown her out some, so that they actually had something to work with.
Now that she looked presentable, Evey was escorted to the set, where she sat on the uncomfortable wooden stool behind the facsimile of V's desk. A few last minute details and touch ups were seen to, and then everyone back up behind the camera to watch. Evey watched the teleprompter, although she had her parts of the speech memorized. She had to wait for the changes Eric had made. Then she nodded, and a large red light blinked three times, before turning solid.
She was on air, addressing all of England:
"England, I am addressing you this morning to present you with the news of your freedom; your complete freedom. The Eye and The Ear, bitter remnants of the previous regime, have been the last fragments of Norsefire to haunt and torture you. But no more.
Those factions of a corrupt system have been vanquished, thanks to the diligent work and sacrifice of your Prime Minister, your Head Inspector, and all those working with them. It was a long process, but it came to fruition last night, as your government led the raid against these rebellious factions.
The leaders who had held out against us were taken prisoner, and will be held accountable for their crimes. The cameras, listening devices, and surveillance trucks that had supplied these traitors with your fears and secrets, have all been either destroyed, or permanently shut off. They can no longer hear or see you; you are free to do as you wish, without fear of being watched.
England, it is important for you to realize that the last hold they had on you is gone. We have come far; we are all learning how to live our lives without fear. I know that it is a struggle, and will continue to be so. But know this: you need not fear Norsefire any longer. They cannot harm you for what you say, do, or think. And we cannot either. With the fall of these two factions, we are now an entirely free country. Free of corruption and of fear; and free to become the great people I know we are.
V would look down on this moment as a triumph; as a victory. And that is what it should be seen as, and what it will always be remembered as for years to come. It has been almost a year since V gave us the chance at freedom, and he would be thrilled to know that we have seized this opportunity and held onto it with veracious tenacity. V would be so proud of how far we have come.
But we have so much farther to go! We will continue to strive forward, and let this serve as a reminder to anyone who should threaten the peace and security of our great country. We will not back down. We will persevere. And we shall never, ever be forgot!"
After she finished, with a grand show of emotion, the red light switched off and the entire room burst into applause and loud cheers. Evey let out a huge breath, and then rose from her stool, beaming. This is exactly what V had wanted for her, and for this country. She had lived up to the promise she made him, when she pulled the lever on the train almost a year ago.
Stepping out of the hot lights, Evey was met with hugs, claps on the back, and huge smiles all around. Eric Finch gave her an enormous hug, and flashed her one of the largest smiles she had ever seen him wear. He laughed softly, "We did it, Evey. You did it." Evey laughed at that as well, and gave him one last hug before she was drawn into the arms of another.
"Evey! That was absolutely brilliant!" Evey was shocked to be in Philip's arms, who was beaming almost as brightly as Finch was. She laughed in surprise, and laughed again when she looked over Philip's shoulder to find Gordon standing there, with a proud smirk on his face. He looked almost like a proud father, trying not to leap up and down at a child's success.
"Philip, Gordon, I didn't even notice you here! What are you doing?" Evey smiled brightly at the pair, who were now standing side by side.
"How could we ever pass up a chance to watch the talented Evey Hammond at work?" Gordon smiled. "We also thought that it might be a good day to take you out to lunch, to celebrate."
Evey laughed at how thoughtful her two friends were. "I would be delighted to go out to lunch. I have some afternoon meetings, so lunch is exactly what the doctor ordered."
So after saying goodbye to Eric, and reminding him of their afternoon meetings, Evey, Philip, and Gordon all left the BTN in high spirits. Walking through the streets of the now free England was an incredible thing to watch; people were out in the streets, laughing, talking, and celebrating. It was amazing, and the trio smiled the entire way to the restaurant.
V had returned to the gallery early that morning; he was gone before the sun had even peaked over the horizon. He needed the cover of darkness to ensure that he made his way back to the Gallery unseen, but leaving so early, especially while he had curled up with Evey, took incredible amounts of willpower.
V had admittedly not slept a wink that night; his nerves were completely fried, and his heart didn't slow until he was traipsing around the rooftops and streets of London. He was convinced that had he gone to sleep, something bad would have happened. He would have been discovered. Evey would wake up, and realize that she had made a mistake. Or, that he already was dreaming, and once he fell asleep, he would be plunged back into reality. None of those sounded pleasant, so V remained awake.
Aside from his racing heart, however, V was incredibly content to lay here, feeling Evey curled against him. He could feel the soft rise and fall of her chest against his side, and a warm spot grew on his chest where Evey continued to exhale peacefully.
It was a glorious feeling, do actually be wanted. It was hard for him to grasp, but he hoped that with time he would come to understand it. He hated how nervous he always was, and how his self-loathing always seemed to hold him back. He despised the voice in the back of his head. But he had noticed that with Evey's tenderness, the voice was actually becoming quieter.
Once he had returned to the Gallery, V busied himself with preparing breakfast and a pot of tea. He turned the news on, mostly for background noise, but also in case he heard anything useful. Once he fell into the easy rhythm that came with cooking, and began to hum softly to himself, V felt a sense of calm washing over him. He hadn't felt this way in quite some time, and he was sure that he had a certain young woman to thank for that.
Now, with his eggs prepared, V sat down at his small kitchen table to eat. Eating, much like dressing, was somewhat of a ritual for V, and it was filled with routine. First, V would set out his plate and silverware, followed by whatever he had decided to drink. In this case, and what usually was the case, was a cup of tea. Then, after seating himself, V would slowly untie his mask and let the cool air rush onto his marred face. He could breath uninhibited, and V would usually suck in several large, deep breaths of air. Then, with the utmost of care, V would set the mask down on the left side of his plate. He usually left the wig on, as he preferred to keep it on the wig stand when he wasn't wearing it.
V ate quickly, as he always did, as spending long periods of time without the mask on usually made him uncomfortable. Once he was finished, he brushed his teeth, applied his medicated lotions, and then donned the mask once again.
It was while he was returning to the main room of the Gallery when he heard the tele cut out for just a moment, and then heard a very familiar voice. Evey. V spun around to face the screen, and his face lit up when he saw that Evey was now sitting in the replica of his study, addressing London. V hurried over to the couch and took a seat, leaning forward to listen intently. What he heard came as a very pleasant surprise.
The Ear and They Eye had been brought down, at long last.
V let out a deep sigh, and fell back, propping himself up on the couch. This was what he had dreamed of for years. England's freedom. Of course, he had his own personal motivations for starting his vendetta, but he still wanted to free the people who had anguished under this abominable system.
And now, V perked up again as he heard Evey mention him.
"V would see this moment as a triumph; as a victory…"
His heart swelled with pride as he continued to listen to her speech. Of course he was proud of the English people for rising up; but he was far more proud of Evey for fulfilling his life's ambitions, and continuing on his work. He was so proud of Evey for leading the people like he always knew she was capable of doing with a nudge in the right direction.
As Evey finished her speech, V was beaming with happiness and pride. It was the final domino of Norsefire to topple down. After twenty long years of plotting his revenge, after nearly giving his life to his vendetta, he had finally done it.
They had done it.
A/N Oh my goodness, I am SO glad that I actually got this done. Again, I'm so sorry that I didn't update when I said I would. Life really kind of caught up with me :P Any who, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! It's the longest one yet! Updates will be happening more frequently once my season is over, but I'm hoping for a shorter one to be in the next few weeks on some days we don't have school. No promises. R&R guys, thanks so much for all of your lovely support :)