Christmas was apporaching in a very short time. Soon Evey started to get this warm and cozy feeling she usually got before Christmas. Everything seemed like the earlier times she had spent Christmas. The only thing that was different that she was in the Shadow Gallery and couldn't go shopping as usual. In fact, Evey couldn't leave this place at all, she was receiving very advanced martial arts training from V now. Evey was busy lying on the sofa in her morning robe and polishing her knives after last evening's practise. She had got very precise and accurate now. Yesterday she had managed hitting the every single bullseye on the wall without missing. It had hit the dot. Evey was very satisfied with herself and actually considered herself more stong now. Her self-esteem had reached her absolute peak and she believed in herself. She wasn't a scared little girl anymore. She'd never again be. Evey turned her head to V when she saw him pass by with a plate of mince pies in his gloved hands.
"V, you do celebrate Christmas, right?" she asked.
First V didn't answer, as if he was chocked by Evey's question.
"I'm baking. People tend to like that on Christmas?"
Evey laughed.
"I wasn't referring to that, I meant, if you do celebrate Christmas, it's obvious that I have to give you a Christmas present?"
V had his head turned to her. Behind his mask he was staring. He had never received a Christmas gift from anyone before.
"Ehm…You don't have to, Evey. Having you here is enough for me? Now tell me, how do these pies taste?"
Evey didn't answer his comment, she decided that she wanted to give him something, even if he didn't want her to. She'd maybe even sneak out. She grabbed a pie and took a bite.
"They're delicious!" she told him with her mouth full of mince pie.
"Good!" V continued back into the kitchen.
Evey had lived with V for a long time, and had never worried about having to starve to death. With V's exceptional cooking, she was more than just happy. Evey gently placed the polished knives on the table beside her and got up. She walked barefoot over the carpeted floor and looked at the calendar. Today was Saturday, Christmas eve. Tomorrow was a day any average Londoner would be excited about. She started to worry, if she had to sneak out, she better do it now. Christmas was only a few hours away. Evey was just about to go to her room and get dressed when she bumped into V.
"Evey, are you by any chance planning to go out?" he asked her.
"No." Evey lied.
"Hmm… Could you do me a favor? I know this comes a bit unexpected, but tonight would be perfect to…"
Evey looked at V, trying to guess his next thought.
"If you could, could you maybe do the first job already tonight?" V asked with his head turned to Evey and his hands behind his back. Evey nodded.
"If you think I'm ready."
"I think you're ready, and it's nothing big. Come with me, Evey, I have an early Christmas gift for you."
V went into his own room with Evey right behind him. He opened his closet and started digging around in it. Evey noticed that V had a lot of capes, outfits and a hat collection bigger than in a hat shop. She could never imagine that a person like V had a weakness for clothes. The simple thought of it made her smile.
"Here it is."
Finally V came out again with a box, quite similar to the one with the bathing suit in it. If Evey would guess right then, she'd guess correctly. Evey took the box and smiled at V, opening it.
"Oh, V, it's beautiful..!" she called out and put the box on his bed, holding up a piece of material. It was a laced corset, in a modern yet Victorian style. V seemed to have a thing for old-fashioned clothes. Along with it she found a pair of tight, black pants and shiny leather boots with quite a comfortable heel. There was also a jacket in the same material as V's cape. It was light to wear but still it would keep Evey warm in the cold weather outside. She turned to V with a bright smile.
"Thank you." she said, really meaning it. V smiled behind his mask, feeling the temperature in his face rising. He always felt better when he made Evey happy.
"You're welcome." he said and bowed lightly.
"I'll go try it on!" Evey said, disappearing into her room. V sat down on his bed, resting his elbows on his ankles and bending his head lightly. He was happy that Evey liked the design, after all he had designed her suit himself, and, to be totally honest made it himself aswell. He wanted Evey to look her best, and black seemed to be the right color for her. V had always fancied the old dresses that were popular a few hundred years ago. Particularly the Victorian dresses. They had a new-old kind of style and Evey would look very cute. V got up, looking at the documents on his table, flipping through the archives about her up-coming victims. Creedy's name was on the top. But tonight he didn't want Evey's mission to be impossible, so he'd go for something a little lighter.
"How do I look?"
V turned around and saw Evey standing in the door, lightly leaning against the wall. It was perfect, absolutely perfect on her. She looked outstanding.
"You look…"
"Great?"
"Fantastic."
Evey smiled.
"Thanks. But, V."
Evey walked up to him, giving him a very serious look.
"I don't have to wear a mask, do I?"
V sighed.
"Evey, do you know why I wear this mask?"
Evey didn't say anything or answer. She didn't want to say something highly stupid and maybe upset him.
"I wear a mask, to hide myself from the world. Hide my face. What's beneath here, is nothing worth seeing. I don't have a face, I don't have skin, I have… nothing. It's just… nothing."
V leaned heavily against the desk, glowing with sadness. Evey knew how much V worried about that part, not having a face to show the world.
"But you," he turned back to her. "A face like yours would be illegal to not show the world."
Evey bit her lip. She was delighted to hear that she didn't have to wear a mask, but on the other hand it felt like betraying V. She nervously ran a hand through her short, curly hair and looked down.
She followed V out into the hall where he picked up her polished knives.
"You've got a belt where you can stick them in." he told her and gave Evey her knives. She did as her told her. Now she was completely ready to go.
"Here are your documents, and everything you have to know about the victim. Address, personal notes, age… Everything. Good luck, Evey Hammond."
With these words V turned around and went into the living room, leaving Evey by the door with the documents. She took a deep breath and remembered everything he had said to her. Evey pushed the door open and followed the tunnel and doors out onto the cold streets of London. She made sure no one saw her before following the street up north, running in the cold winter air. She wasn't scared, she wasn't scared at all. She knew what she was supposed to do, and she knew that she'd make it.
