This chapter shouldn't have been as hard to write as it was. But we're getting towards the end now; especially if you're a Krueger fan - in which the ending will also seem familiar. Because let's face it; this really is the only way to get a stab in at Freddy. XD Anyway, thanks for reading and enjoy!

Part VI

Nite Owl's feet hit the metal with a loud clang that echoed through out the room, the sound doubled as Rorschach followed closely beside him. The screaming was sporadic at best, but still enough for them to try and figure out where it was coming from in this dreamscape of a nightmare. Though, the fact the sound carried over the steam and machinery was foreboding in itself. It pushed Nite Owl forward ever faster even as his legs burned with the effort. However, there was one thing still bothering Dan. "Do you recognize that voice, Rorschach?"

"Veidt." Or at least he was certain it was. Rorschach sighed to himself. He definitely recognized Veidt in the tone and sound of the screaming. Not that Rorschach had any clue what he was doing in the dream to begin with. First Daniel, then himself, then Ms. Jupiter and now Ozymandias? Was Krueger targeting the Watchmen in some way? Would the Comedian be the next victim to this hellish nightmare? Rorschach figured this was a trap, but they kept running. The two vigilantes agreed it was worth the risk to check for sure. Besides, this whole damn world was one big trap. "Need to hurry."

"Don't have to tell me twice, buddy." Nite Owl forced his legs to move just a little bit faster until they spilled over the side of a sudden cut off, rolling to lessen the fall. Dan made a note to visit an actual boiler room in a factory to get a grip on reality. Real industrial complexes could not possibly be this annoying and have this many turn offs and falls. Rorschach dropped to the ground effortlessly next to him and started staring in the distance.

Nite Owl stood from the ground and followed his partner's line of sight. He sucked in a breath when he realized there was no Krueger, but something worse lying there. Adrian Veidt, Ozymandias in shredded purple pajamas was on the ground moaning. Though it was the pool of blood around him that got Nite Owl's feet moving. Dan dashed as fast as he could to the other man to try and stop the bleeding.

Rorschach started to follow before stopping suddenly. His face was missing. Daniel knowing what he looked like was one thing, but something in his gut told him not to approach Ozymandias without it. Rorschach had always made a note to trust his gut. Besides, Nite Owl would be distracted playing medic. Someone needed to watch his back. "Nite Owl, go ahead. I'm going to scout the area."

"Okay!" Dan called over his shoulder without even looking. There was still no sign of Krueger just yet, so someone looking around for him was probably a good call. Knowing Rorschach could handle it and previous rage distracted by Adrian's need for medical attention put Nite Owl into full gear. He dropped to his knees and grabbed Adrian's face to pat his cheek. How could someone be unconscious in a dream? "Adrian! Wake up!" Eyes started to crack open and Dan shook his shoulder slightly. "Hey, stay with me!"

"Dan…" Adrian choked up for a moment. Well, it would only make sense that the cause of his dream should show up in it at one point or another. Adrian sucked in another breath to help his words come easier. "Daniel?"

"Yeah, need ya' to hold on for me. Okay, Adrian?" Nite Owl pressed the wet fabric of the ruined pajamas into the wounds tighter to try and quell the bleeding. If Ozymandias was bleeding this badly in real life, they may already be too late. "This is going to sound crazy, but I need you to wake up."

"Wake…up?" Adrian gasped as Daniel turned to rip at his cape to get something to wrap the wound. Would treating injuries in the dream have any effect? Or was it pointless? Nite Owl took a steady breath. "Yeah, you're in a dream, Adrian."

"Dreams can not hurt you." Adrian struggled to sit up. Where on earth was Krueger? He was here just a moment ago fighting like a demon unleashed. Krueger vanishing in midair was only more proof that his surroundings were an elaborate fabrication. "This is merely a by-product of my mind creating the sensation of pain."

"Uh, no." Nite Owl huffed and cursed the man's brain. If he had been just a bit less intelligent he might actually be able to accept what was going on. "It's real and you need to wake up. Now."

"And how," He gasped when Nite Owl shifted his grip on the open wound. Ozymandias sucked in a breath and tried to cover the pain with a quick breath. "Do I do that?"

Dan stared as he tried to quell the bleeding. He'd actually been hoping the genius would have this covered. Surely he knew how to wake himself up? "I don't know."

Rorschach gripped his metal pipe tightly as he walked the perimeter of the room. Ozymandias was distracted with Nite Owl and had yet to notice his presence. All for the better, really. Never liked the man. Too much talk. Rorschach had better things to be on the look out for –such as a burnt man who had been moments ago torturing the smartest man on the planet. A man who was quite absent the moment he and Nite Owl arrived.

The room had trap written all over it. If it'd been tangible, it would have been written in bright red.

Rorschach pulled a sweaty hand up to his face and rubbed the rough stubble under his fingers. There had be something they were all missing about this Krueger. Nothing was all powerful. Everything had a weakness somewhere and they needed to find it. And soon. A short yelp from the other side of the room caused Rorschach to turn towards his partner. Nite Owl was trying to rewrap wounds and must have done something wrong. Nite Owl was apologizing and Ozymandias growling. Otherwise, they were fine. Rorschach nodded and kept moving.

Rorschach stopped a good twenty or so feet farther away and decided that this was far enough. Too much distance between them and Rorschach wouldn't be able to assist if needed. Turning back around to rejoin with his partner, Rorschach froze as he was met with a solid wall. He pursed his lips and tapped a knuckle on the concrete to try and judge the density.

Dreamscape. Easily manipulated to the dreamer's will. Unfortunately for Rorschach, he wasn't quite sure whose dream this was for all of them to be in the same place. Made it difficult. Krueger was smart. But Rorschach was stubborn. Raising his metal pipe, Rorschach swung it down into the wall as hard as he could to test how much damage. The wall remained pristine (save for the stains and pock marks originally invested in the worn looking wall) and undamaged. He'd need another way around it and back to Daniel.

"You guys don't know when to quit, do ya'?" Freddy chuckled as he breathed over the red head's shoulder.

Rorschach stiffened for a moment before letting out his usual growl and dived for the man. His attempt was to throw him over the shoulder and against all odds he did so. Krueger hadn't even dodged; just allowed himself to be lifted and thrown in the opposite direction of Nite Owl and Ozymandias. Watched the man slide on the ground and smack into the wall. Fell like a rag doll. Rorschach growled and took up a defensive position. Had to buy time for the wounds to be wrapped. "Never give up. Injustice must be punished." Rorschach growled. "No compromise."

Krueger laughed from his place on the ground back flat to the surface of warm, scolding metal. The angry ones were always so much fun to play with. "And what injustice did I commit?"

"Injured Daniel. Killed Ms. Jupiter." Rorschach's teeth were ground together audibly as his fists clenched. "Violated personal space."

Krueger smirked. "Speaking, I have some personal space I need to violate right now. I was interrupted and there's a certain little rich boy who still has his spleen."

"Running?" Rorschach taunted and tapped the metal pipe against his leg. The red head tilted his head and pulled a small smirk at the corner of his chapped lips. "Coward?"

"No, Mr. Kovacs, not running." Krueger smirked before leaning against a wall. Freddy had noticed the twitch from using the vigilante's real name. "Just not your turn yet."

Rorschach made a dive when the burnt man started to phase through the wall. He slammed into it with a jolt and realized he was too late. Rorschach's fist found it self smacking the wall with a sickening thud. "Dammit!"

The vigilante needed to get back to partner and Veidt. Soon. Rorschach bit his lip and turned around looking for an entrance. He needed to get out of this section and retrace his steps. Hopefully these different sections of Krueger's playpen were connected in some fashion. Though, it was doubtful Krueger had left him an opening but he'd take what he could get. Rorschach took a quick turn and cursed when something caught his foot and he smacked into the ground, his head hitting first. Rorschach groaned getting ready to pull himself to his feet as soon as he opened his eyes-

Or would if he wasn't suddenly staring at the ceiling of Nite Owl's lair ceiling.

Rorschach looked to the side stunned as he saw the familiar brick of the lair walls. Rorschach sat up and realized he had, well, woken up. Daniel was sleeping next to him, strangely calm considering he was currently treating Veidt. Rorschach frowned and wondered what could have possibly woken up when his eyes zeroed in on the tool box that had been next to his cot that was now at an odd angle. He must have jerked in his sleep when he fell.

Rorschach reached up to check for a bump or sign of impact on his head and frozen when he felt it. Pulling his hand flat over his cheek caused him to sign in relief at the feel of familiar fabric ghosting beneath his fingers. The comfort was short lived however when he remembered that his partner was still fighting and Veidt still in the process of dying.

Unless someone woke up him first.

"I'd suggest pinching yourself but pain clearly isn't working!" Dan yelled as he punched the giant snake in the forehead. Freddy was getting more creative in his dream attacks. No sooner as he started brainstorming on ways for Veidt to wake up and get real medical attention, the room was filled with snakes whose width was the same as Dan's waist. Needless to say he'd suddenly found himself busy defending the man on the ground. "Try willing yourself to wake up!"

"If that worked," Veidt kicked at a smaller snake that had slithered in with the bunch. Adrian grabbed his waist with a grunt as the pain shot through his spine. Adrenaline was clearly not working as it should in a dream and it was becoming a bit o fa bother, to put it lightly. They had been fighting off these snakes for at least an hour by now. He wasn't sure how Dan was still moving. "I'd be awake by now!"

"And it's not like I'd let that happen anyway." Freddy laughed as he dove down into the room from the upper balcony. His little playmates were ready for a nap. "Having fun with your hissy fit?"

"Ha ha, very funny." Dan griped back as dodged another snake. He almost missed dodging knives compared to fangs. "Finally get bored of just watching?"

"No, I never get tired of that." Krueger waved his hand and sent about ten more snakes in the little Owl's direction. "Right now, I just want to cut down the number of toys. Too many spoils the kid ya' know."

Nite Owl's eyes widened as he saw Krueger start stalking towards Veidt on the ground. He swung his arms around the closest snake and tried to pry it off him. He needed to get to Ozymandias right now! "Hey!" His voice was hoarse as he shouted. "Stay away from him!"

"Make me, fly boy." Krueger smiled as he stood over the blonde on the ground. It was about time his favorite little victim saw someone say goodnight for real. He lifted the man off the ground and laughed as the man started to struggle and grope and rip at his favorite striped sweater.

"Release me!" Veidt screamed and grabbed a fistful of fabric and yanked as hard as he could to try and release the grip from his outfit. The fabric teared, but the flesh refused to move. He was shaken hard before he could get a new grip on Krueger's wrist for a more effective strategy and he lost his grip, only a clump of fabric in his hand as proof he ever had a grip at all.

Krueger smirked and raised up his clawed hand for the strike. "Ready to say good night, buddy?"

"Stay-" Dan's voice cut off suddenly and both Krueger and Nite Owl stared at the empty space where Veidt had disappeared in thin air. Nite Owl fell over when the snake he was trying to strangle disappeared and he too hit the ground. Nite Owl guessed Krueger was too distracted to keep up the snake act. Dan filed that information away for later; Freddy DID have to think about these things to make them happen. Though, Nite Owl's knees were ready to kill him after all this maltreatment hitting concrete.

"DAMMIT! He was MINE!" Krueger kicked at the ground. This was not how things were supposed to work out. He was supposed to have more time. Freddy huffed out a breath and turned to Nite Owl. "Seems you're the only one left to play."

Nite Owl took a few steps back and put his fists up. Heroes were supposed to be prepared for anything, but 'anything' took on an entirely new meaning in this place. Where the hell was Rorschach when he needed him? "Guess so."

"Then let's get start-" Freddy stopped mid threat when the Owl disappeared right before his eyes in the same fashion as the smart guy. He stomped the ground again and smirked. This was okay. He had plenty of time. Freddy licked his lips and tapped a claw on his leg. They had to go back to sleep sometime.

Dan groaned as he held his head. Rorschach was standing next to him in that irritatingly blasé way as if he didn't just knock his best friend in the head. "Did you have to hit me?"

Rorschach shrugged. "Fastest way."

"I guess." Dan reached up to remove his goggles and rubbed at the indent marks they made under his eyes. Around him were clean, painted walls and under him was a rather stiff chair. "Where are we?"

"Veidt's room." Rorschach answered and handed Dan a cup of coffee. He then pointed to the bed in the room where Veidt was watching them with hooded eyes and a frown. "Still alive."

"Adrian, good." Nite Owl sighed. "How are your wounds?"

"Very convincing." Adrian answered slowly. While fingering the quickly applied bandages. Rorschach had only taken enough time to throw them at him before rushing to wake up Daniel. "It gives, weight, to your story."

"Yeah." Dan nodded before looking to the side at Rorschach. "Uh, how'd I get here?"

"Carried." Rorschach answered as if it was nothing out of the ordinary to carry his friend. Dan was looking at him with a disbelieving face and he snorted. "Carried to Archimedes. Flew. Carried off Archimedes."

"Ah, okay. Thank-you." Dan took a swig of coffee and once again wondered how anyone lived without it. "So, I guess this means we need a new game plan."

Rorschach nodded. "Current efforts not working. Weakness hard to decipher on his playing field."

"If I may." Veidt interrupted. And pushed himself up onto this elbows and grabbed the back of his bed's headboard. "I think we should even the playing field then."

"And how do we do that?" Dan asked as both he and Rorschach looked at the now smiling man, looking as smug as he always does despite being covered in bandages.

Adrian pulled his hand out from under the blanket and held up a scrap of familiar red and green. His smile widened when both Rorschach and Nite Owl recognized it. He may only have been playing this game for a few hours, but Adrian wasn't the smartest man on the planet for nothing. He was nothing if not adept at adaption. "We make him play by our rules."