NOTE: This chapter sort of requires the song "Letters From the Sky" by Civil Twilight (though it will show up later in a chapter that it fits with more).
29. Letters From the Sky
Putting down my copy of the seventh "Harry Potter", I sigh. "A little piece of me died with Severus Snape," I murmur to no one in particular.
Eddie, who is sitting at my writing desk with my laptop, looks up at me and snorts. "Nerd," he mutters.
I glare at him. "What? He's my favorite character. If he were real, I would marry him," I reply. "And I swear, when the last movie comes out, I am going to cry. That's, like, my childhood. My childhood is coming to an end."
Walter, sitting next to me on my bed and reading his own book, doesn't look up but quietly mutters, "Very dramatic, Cadence."
"Hey, you don't understand, you haven't read these books," I snap, glaring at him.
"And I have no desire to."
I gasp indignantly, offended. "And to think I was going to invite you to our 'light-candles-for-atmosphere-and-watch-'Halloween'-while-eating-Muncher's-cream-cheese-danishes' party tonight," I mutter, returning to my book. I keep one eye on Walter, however, for his reaction.
He looks up at me, raising an eyebrow. "Your what?"
"Well, see, one of our traditions is to watch scary movies up here in my room and light candles and pretend that the power went out," I explain.
"Even though it obviously didn't because the TV still works," Eddie interjects and I nod.
"Oh. That's interesting," Walter replies skeptically.
"Yeah, and only my bestest best friends get to come," I persist. "Usually I invite Jimmy and Damien but it's their one year anniversary, so they can't come. So I was wondering if maybe you wanted to?"
Walter is silent for a moment, blinking at me. "What, as a replacement for those two?" he finally replies sarcastically.
I roll my eyes. "No, I was going to invite you anyway."
"Well...we have to patrol, so..." Walter hedges, immediately uncomfortable.
"Oh, c'mon, Walter. It's just one night. I mean, this town has had to do without you and your mad skills for years. One night isn't going to kill you."
"No, but it might kill someone else," he replies seriously, narrowing his eyes.
"Okay, fine, how about this? You come over and stay for a little while, then at, like, midnight or something, you leave on patrol?" I suggest.
Walter grimaces. "No, no, if I do this, you're still patrolling," he growls.
I gape at him. "But-"
"Cadence, you wanted this. You have to give everything to it," he interrupts firmly.
I scowl, pouting, and cross my arms over my chest. "Fine. I'll go. But only if you promise to come over and watch movies with us for a little while," I reply, pointing a finger stringently at him.
He sighs and rolls his eyes as if I've just asked him to work overtime on the holidays. "Yes, Cadence. I promise."
"Great. Now let's go out and get some lunch, I'm starved!" Eddie exclaims, shutting my laptop.
"Where do you wanna go?" I ask.
"I don't know. I'm kinda in the mood for sushi, so how about King Buffet?"
I beam excitedly. "You know I'm always in the mood for sushi," I reply and then turn to Walter. "You ever tried sushi?"
"No..."
I gasp. "Oh my God, we need to get you to King Buffet right away. C'mon, troops. Let's move out." And so, grabbing onto Walter's hand without even thinking about it, we all head out for lunch.
Dan
Dear Dan,
It's been a while, my friend. I know that things weren't right the way we left them and I know you can probably never forgive me for what I did so many years ago. But I wanted to reconnect with old friends while there's still time. It's been twenty-six years, and I've been yearning for the old comraderie we used to feel. I just want to set things straight between us again. Please, meet me for coffee sometime. Bring Laurie if you like. Just come to my office. I want to talk to you.
- Adrian Veidt
I clutch the letter tightly in my hand, being careful not to rip it into little pieces like my quivering fingers are itching to do. That son of a bitch! How dare he send me a letter out of the blue asking for coffee as though nothing happened? "He has got a lot of fucking nerve," I mutter, feeling heat rush through me.
"Who?"
I turn to see Laurie walking into the kitchen from upstairs, her eyes still blurry from sleep, her hair mussed up. The heat disappears for a split second and my heart skips a beat in my chest at the sight of her. Even after all these years, she is still the most beautiful woman I've ever known.
But then she takes the letter from my hand and the beauty disappears. I glare flatly at her and snatch it back before she's had a chance to read it. "It's no one. Just a note from the IRS. Bills. Notices. Who gives a fuck?" I say, crumpling up the letter and tossing it in the trash. "I don't like the government meddling in our lives, that's all."
Laurie watches me suspiciously for a few moments and then shrugs. "Alright," she says in a voice that makes me think she doesn't believe me but she's just too tired to argue. "I'm gonna make coffee. You want some?"
"Yeah," I reply absently, staring down at the trash can and the letter in it. Something has just occurred to me. Veidt would never send me a note just to "reconnect with old friends". And he wouldn't send the letter simply to get a rise out of me. No. There's something else, something he needs to talk to me about...
Instantly, an image of Rorschach flashes in my mind and a sense of panic starts to grow in my chest. What if he knows? What if he wants me to confess that Rorschach is alive?
Another image flashes in my mind, this one even more pressing, even more urgent. Eddie. My son is with Rorschach in Lawrence, probably training to be a vigilante this very moment. If any of Veidt's suits catch Rorschach, it won't take them long to find Eddie.
"No," I whisper. Quickly, making sure that Laurie isn't watching, I rummage through the trash and pull out Veidt's letter. "Honey, I'm gonna take a quick shower before breakfast," I call to Laurie, scurrying up the stairs before she has a chance to notice what's in my hands.
"Okay, but make sure you throw your towels in the laundry hamper. I don't want them laying out again and getting all moldy," she replies.
Slamming the door shut behind me, I sit in my bathroom on the edge of the tub, smoothing out Veidt's letter and rereading it for any other subtle messages. But when it comes right down to it, I guess I know what I have to do. Sighing, I rub my eyes, feeling my contacts burn against my irises.
Tonight will be a long night.
Rylie
"Alright, we've got popcorn- take that, thank you," I murmur, handing the popcorn bowl to Walter, who is sitting on my bed. "And three fabulous cream cheese danishes from the one and only Muncher's bakery. And three Dr. Peppers," I announce, setting down the snacks I've gathered.
"Miss Prepared," Eddie mutters, lighting the last candle and blowing out the match.
"Better than getting caught with your pants down," I quip.
Eddie looks up at me and glares. "Okay, that happened once," he growls.
"Just one time is all it takes to scar someone for life," Walter mutters, walking past Eddie and swiping his hat right off his head.
Eddie gasps and swings around, snatching his hat back and holding it close to his body. "How dare you open a space man's helmet on an uncharted planet? My eyeballs could have been sucked from their sockets!" he fumes and I giggle.
Walter draws back and gives him a strange look. "...What?"
"Haven't you ever seen 'Toy Story'?" Eddie asks.
"No..."
"Man, what kind of kid were you?"
Walter smirks, as if enjoying some inside joke, and then he shakes his head at Eddie. "I was never a kid."
I snort, nodding fervently in agreement. "I can see that." Walter grimaces at me and I grin back at him, then turn to Eddie. "Besides, Walter wasn't a kid when 'Toy Story' was around, remember?"
"Oh...right," Eddie mumbles and then shakes his head. "You know how weird it is to know somebody who's supposed to be dead?"
Walter shrugs. "Well, have you met Dr. Manhattan?" he replies.
Eddie pauses and then nods. "Oh, yeah...Good point."
"Well, if you two are quite done discussing dead men, shall we watch this movie or not?" I interrupt, turning on the TV and pressing play.
So we sit on my bed and watch 'Halloween'. And even though I've seen the movie a million times (and considering I'd first seen it- and loved it- when I was three), I end up getting into it and scooting close to Walter for protection.
You know. Just in case Michael Myers decides to come breaking down the door and hacking me to death. I'm pretty sure my Walter could take him.
Dan
"Dan."
I turn at the sound of his voice. The wind whistles across the rooftops. The view from the roof of Veidt's building is exquisite- something only money could buy. The city lights around us illuminate the skyline, glittering silently. Even though I'm expecting him, I'm not expecting what he's wearing.
He's in his old costume, wearing his old mask. I blink, taking a step back. For a second, I remember meeting him for the first time. I remember how intimidated I was, how daunted. I curl my lip. Not anymore.
He smiles at me. "It's been too long," he continues, his voice soft, as though we're brothers returning to each other after years spent apart. Then he opens his arms and raises an eyebrow. "Do you like it?" he asks, referring to the costume. "It's vintage. I thought the nostalgia might make this meeting easier."
I snarl slightly under my breath. "What do you want, Veidt?" I demand. I want to get right to the point.
For a second, he looks genuinely hurt. But I can't tell for sure because of the mask. "Now, Dan. Don't be that way," he says gently. "I'm your friend, remember?"
"You stopped being my friend when you killed all those people. I'm not friends with murderers," I growl. I'm dimly aware that I've begun to circle him, my body tensed like an animal's before the hunt.
He watches me, and behind his mask I see his eyes glint. "Oh, really?" he replies, sounding surprised. "Well, what about Rorschach?"
That pulls me up short. I stop, my body rigid, and stare at him. "What did you say?" I ask slowly.
"Well, I'm just referring to the numerous counts of murder that your partner has been held accountable for," he explains, shrugging.
Fury pulses through me, hot and nasty. I want to lunge at him and break that arrogant neck of his but I stop myself. "You don't say anything about him, okay? You didn't know him and you never will," I snap. "Besides, you were the one who murdered countless innocents for power."
He holds up one hand. "Ah, Dan, I'll have to stop you there. You seem to have misunderstood. I did not kill them for power. Trust me, I regret every life that I took every moment of everyday. But it was necessary. And let's not make this about the innocent and the guilty. You and I both know that I destroyed good people and bad people that day. It was fair-"
"Fair?" I snarl, interrupting him. "You think that was fair? Let me tell you something, Veidt," I growl, getting right in his face now. "Fairness would be to hang you in front of the people you murdered and let them watch you choke. Fairness would be to let them tear you limb from limb."
"Dan," he replies, his voice infuriatingly calm. "Are you sure you're not letting your friend's death color your judgement?"
It takes all of the restraint in my body not to punch him right then and there. But I know that if I punch him now, I won't stop there, and if it comes to an all-out brawl I know I won't be able to hold my own against him. Even when I'd been younger, I'd never been strong enough.
Stepping away from him, I shake my head. "You're pathetic," I murmur and turn my back on him. I've had enough. I start to walk away.
"Don't you want to know how your partner's doing?"
I stop. Slowly I turn, trying to keep a poker face. "Partner? What partner?" I demand, trying to sound impatient. My blood has gone cold.
Veidt gives me a look. "Now, Dan, don't play games. I know you know what I'm talking about. Your partner," he says.
"Laurie-"
"Laurie is your wife," he interrupts. "I'm talking about your partner." Then he sighs, as forced to explain something for the tenth time to a two-year-old who refuses to listen. "Rorschach."
I try not to wince at his name. "Have you gone completely insane, Veidt?" I demand after a second, trying to force all of my disgust for the man into my voice.
"Daniel, listen to me," he growls roughly, his eyes hard. The change in his tone startles me. "If I don't have Rorschach in my possession soon, I will be sending men in to retrieve him. And trust me, I don't need Rorschach brought in alive, catch my drift?"
I want to feel rage but all I feel is cold. My veins feel like ice. The threat echoes in my head. I can barely move my lips to speak. "What are you talking-"
"Daniel, you have been warned," he interrupts impatiently, almost urgently. "God help him if you don't heed it."
I don't need to ask to know that the 'him' is Rorschach.
I watch him walk away and then disappear into the night. It's a long time before I disappear, too.
Rorschach
"Oh...oh, no...don't...no, he's in there! Oh! Duh! What the fuck did I just tell you, bitch?" Cadence yells, clutching onto my arm with one hand and shaking her other fist at the TV. I watch her with amusement, trying not to laugh. I've never seen her watch a scary movie before. Is this how she always acts? I wonder.
"Cadence," I murmur into her ear after a moment. "I don't think she can hear you."
"That's only cuz she's not- listeningohmyGod! You deserved that for not listening to me, you stupid cunt!" she yowls, shaking her fist angrily at the TV again.
"Rylie!" Eddie interrupts loudly, laughing and grabbing her fist. "Calm down, chica. Sheesh." Cadence turns and grins cheesily at him, and he shakes his head in mock despair. "You need a vacation, Rylie."
"Yeah, well, maybe if I had the money..." she mutters, turning back to the TV.
"Rylie," Eddie repeats and grabs her shoulder. She turns and he stares at her meaningfully. "You need a vacation."
Cadence's mouth falls open wide with shock and her eyes gleam excitedly. "Oh my God, seriously? Oh my God!" she squeals, pulling Eddie to his feet and jumping up and down ecstatically.
I watch them, horribly confused and annoyed that I don't know what they're talking about. Finally they stop and shrug, looking at them. "So. What is it that I missed in your secret communication?" I inquire. There is a bite to my tone that I know Cadence will hear.
She turns to me, uninhibited by my sharpness, and replies, "Every year, Malcom takes Eddie and I on a trip to Colorado. Except this year, we thought we wouldn't be able to go because Malcom's really busy right now. But I guess we can!"
"Yeah, Malcom arranged it so that the people he has to meet will meet him in Colorado instead of him meeting them in New York," Eddie explains, grinning. He only has eyes for Cadence, and I can tell that he'd been looking forward to telling her this news because her happiness is important to him.
I narrow my eyes. "When will you be leaving?" I ask quietly.
"In two days. So pack quick, chica," Eddie says, elbowing Cadence.
I want to be happy that Cadence is happy, but all I can think about is that she will be with Eddie for however long they'll be gone. Who knows what they'll get up to in that time? I'm well aware of her feelings for him, and I haven't missed the gleam in his eyes when he looks at her. Fury at the thought of him trying to do anything to her fills me to the brim, and suddenly I am clenching my fists so hard they tremble.
"So you've just become vigilantes. And you're abandoning your duties to go on vacation?" I growl and shake my head. "I haven't taken a vacation since I started."
Eddie glares at me. "Yeah, well, it's not our fault that your obsessed with this thing. Look, if you have a problem-"
"No, I don't have a problem," I snap but I stand up and face him. "I just think you should take your responsibilities more seriously."
"Guys, guys!" Cadence yells, stepping in between us. "Calm down." Then she turns to me, looking confused. "Look, if you don't want me to go-"
"No. Go. You want to go, you go. Doesn't matter to me," I interrupt rigidly and march toward the window.
"Wait! Where are you going?" she hollers, running over to me and grabbing my arm. I stop, one leg out the window, the rest of my body prepared to slide out onto the nearest branch of the tree. She looks at me, and her blue eyes are glimmering with hurt and worry. "Don't be mad," she pleads. "It's just for a week. I'll be back. I promise."
For a second, I hesitate. I want to crawl back in through her window and finish the movie with her. I want to talk with her and laugh when she overreacts to something in the movie. I want to see that hurt disappear from her eyes. But after a moment, I shake my head at her and growl, "Promises are worthless. I'll believe you when I see you on patrol."
And then, without waiting for a response, I jump down onto the tree and disappear as quickly as I can.
Dan
Daniel,
Your son Eddie and his friend Cadence have become vigilantes. They have decided to call themselves Sideswipe (Eddie) and the Patriot (Cadence). I'm sorry if this angers you, but this is not your decision. It's their's. Don't worry, I don't let them patrol on their own just yet. I stay with them every night. I won't let anything happen to them. Just thought you ought to know.
I glare down at the little double-R insignia at the bottom. Damn you, Rorschach, I think furiously. For a moment, I consider taking Archie and flying down to Lawrence to strangle the little bastard. But I know that won't solve anything, as much as I'd like it to.
Yet another note I'll have to hide from Laurie, I think disgustedly, opening my underwear drawer and sliding this note down to the bottom to sit with Veidt's.
And then I get to thinking. There's no doubt in my mind that Jon had to have sent this note. There's just no other way it could have ended up on my side of the bed, on my pillow, waiting just for me. So what if there's some way I can contact Jon? I know it's a long shot- a very long shot- but maybe there's a way.
There are questions I need to ask him, questions I need answers to. Because, with Rorschach's new life and his new friends, something doesn't add up. He remembers me but...does he remember anyone else? There were so many things in his former life, so many people, so many catalysts...
Does he remember her? Does he remember what happened to her? He must not because he still seems pretty normal.
My heart beats a painful meter in my chest. When he does remember...God help us all.
One of these days, letters are gonna fall
From the sky, I'm telling your soul
To go free
But until that day, I'll find a way
To let everybody know that you're coming back
You're coming back for me.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so! Hope you liked the chapter. Glad to see I still have some of my readers on board :) Again, I apologize for the delay. Just a little warning: the next chapter will be pretty fluffy by Watchmen standards. I mean, this one was pretty light, too, but it also had those little Adri/Dan excerpts so it wasn't totally pointless. But, anyway... Sorry :P I promise they won't always be like that (especially with ole' Rory in the picture). Anyway, please review!
