Must…finish this…started another Ror/Dan fic and want to post it…. *tortures self* Moving on. We're really close to that ending. Ten should be the last chapter with possibly an epilogue. XD I hope. (Oh…and please don't hate me...This is the horror genre! *hides*) Either way, I'm excited because I got my favorite Freddy moment from the movies into this fic~ Hee hee. *hugs source material*

Oh, and I upped the rating….I re-evaluated the level of violence that's been in this thing and decided it might be best to play it safe. XD

Part VIII

Adrian wasn't sure what he was expecting when he woke up the Comedian. The man had been tossing and turning more than the others, personal feelings aside, he had woken him first (and ahead of schedule) to be safe. They really couldn't leave things to chance with so much at stake. The Comedian leapt from the chair and exclaimed something along the lines of "Ink-boy's got 'em!" before roughly shoving Adrian out of the way and shaking Rorschach's shoulders. Ozymandias braced himself for what he hoped would be a quick battle.

Dan sat forgotten in his chair now pushed to the side as the Comedian put his focus on Rorschach. No one noticed the slight trails of blood pooling under his mask.

Adrian had to move back and out of the way when Rorschach burst out of his chair in a position that mimicked a tackle and watched in odd fascination as a body materialized in his grip with a weird flash of light as they hit the floor together. There was no mistaking the man groaning on the ground in dyed wool and with metal fingers clinking and shrieking together from the impact and disorientation. Krueger continued to write under Rorschach and Adrian turned to the more brutal of the two. "Comedian!"

"Don't have to tell me twice." Blake grinned as he pulled Rorschach up and went for the man's collar himself. The Comedian felt he had dibs on the man. After all, Dan was just hurt. His Laurie was dead. Surely Rorschach would get his priorities straight. "I'm going to turn him inside out."

Rorschach steadied himself on his feet and took in the surroundings of Veidt's conference room. His eyes darted to the sound of a raspy chuckle responding to the Comedian's fist landing in his face. Rorschach smiled under his mask when he saw that the blood pooling from man's nose had yet to heal. No more cheating. Time for their game; their rules. Rorschach stalked towards his prey, fully ready to administer justice. "Krueger."

Freddy looked up in time to see a foot slam into the side of his head, pressing face into the carpet. The heel of the foot jammed itself deftly into his hear and did its best to merge burnt, flaking skin with the rough carpet. "Tryin' to give me rug burns?"

"Or worse." Blake snorted and delivered a kick himself, but this time to the man's side. Krueger grunted and Blake hit him with the heel of his boot. He continued accenting each of his future words with a kick of the heel. "Just trust it's gonna' be slow."

Adrian held back and let the bruisers do their work. It seems Fredrick Krueger's powers were exponentially hindered in the real world. He was nothing more than an average citizen now. Comedian and Rorschach together were overkill all on their own without his own personal aid. "Don't make it too long. I'd rather end this sooner than later."

"Aw, but what fun is that?" Blake snarled viciously as he dropped the butt of his gun into the small of Krueger's back. The man under him jerked from the motion (head remaining trapped by Rorschach's foot) that followed with a groan and the sound of fingers scraping on the carpet. Eddy dropped the gun onto a hand this time and smiled at the sound of bone crushing. "This bastard doesn't deserve anything quick."

"Rich coming from you." Freddy chuckled, voice muffled by the carpet and broken teeth. "I think you've done worse. It's not like you haven't killed kids before."

Rorschach was unprepared from the monstrous growl and movement that came from the Comedian as he lurched down and yanked Krueger's body up. The masked man stumbled back from losing his footstool and was steadied (to his great disgust) by Veidt putting a hand to his back. His only consolation was that he hadn't fallen. "Fine."

"Suit yourself." Adrian shrugged and stepped away from Rorschach. The man was covered in blood anyway and Adrian stared in disgust at the red stains now on his hand. "Keep your temper, Comedian."

"Temper?" Blake chuckled. "I haven't lost my tempter." He punched Freddy and loved the feeling of blood soaking his knuckles. "I'm in great spirits."

Krueger took each hit with an ever increasing desperation to get out of the man's grip. He could handle pain just fine, but the longer he stayed away from the dream, the harder it would be to heal from all this damage. He searched the room looking for an out before he spotted the slumped figure off to the side. Looked like Krueger was going to get two birds with a single owl. "Bingo."

The Comedian stopped his assault and stared at the strange exclamation. "Bingo?"

"Was his name-o." Freddy finished before pulling both feet up to his waist and shoving them forward into Eddy's gut. The move had worked and Blake was forced to release his pray as he toppled backwards over a chair. Freddy hit the ground with a practiced sprint, but not before turning around to give a quick salute. "See-ya, fellas!"

Rorschach was momentarily frozen when he realized where Krueger was headed. "NO!"

They had been far too close together, Adrian mourned in his head. This was something he should not have overlooked. He, together with the other two, turned on their feet to try and grab Krueger before he could hit his target. Adrian cursed aloud when Krueger slammed into Nite Owl, a move disgustingly similar to how Rorschach had dragged him out of the dream world. The man disappeared with a hideous laugh as both bodies smacked into the ground.

Dan's head had made a sickening crunch upon impact.

"Nite Owl!" Rorschach sucked in a breath and dashed to his (only) friend. He got his hands to cradle the man's head before Daniel choked up a mouthful of blood, splattering the red liquid over the two of them like a busted sink pipe. Even that had yet to wake the man beneath him, still broken and beaten from Rorschach's own hands earlier. Walter began to panic. "No. No. No! Stupid! Wake up!"

Adrian watched on with a continuing fascination as Dan bled out onto the floor, Rorschach shaking and clutching at the body in a desperate attempt to wake the man up. The Comedian walked up beside him and snorted quietly rubbing his nose. He knew it, too. Probably from experience instead of Ozymandias' own intelligent reasoning. Adrian reached up and plucked his golden imitation of a laurel wreath and removed it from his head. "It's too late, Rorschach."

"NO!" Rorschach roared back and gripped tighter at Daniel's shoulders. Daniel would not die. Nite Owl was stronger than that. Blood coated his hands as it poured out from Daniel's chest, mouth and shoulders. New cuts appearing even as he did his best to still the flow. Large patch of red forming around Daniel's torso. Rorschach was finding himself closer and closer to hysterics beneath the anger. "Wake up!"

Dan hurt. Everywhere. He had been leaning up against a hallway side table when Rorschach, the Comedian and Krueger vanished together. He thought the pain would go away with Krueger, but apparently Rorschach's handy work was here to stay. Dan had a sudden empathy for any person who had ever gotten on his buddy's bad side and made a note to never cross Rorschach on his own either. Daniel reached up to shove his goggles and cowl off his face and to get more breathing room. A mirror in the hallway displayed a couple missing teeth and the plethora of yellow and purple bruises.

Adrian must have woken up the others. Dan realized to himself and he pressed fingers tentatively to his wounds examining the damage. The teeth were going to be replaced. The lack of Krueger or any other presence but an old, dilapidated family home to keep him company, reassured Dan part-way. The other half wondered why he wasn't awake himself. Dan leant against the wall and wondered how long it would take to bring Krueger down for good.

Fingers drummed along the wooden table top and Dan frowned to himself as he waited. It was impossible to tell how much or how little time was passing in this world even with the watch on his wrist. For all he knew it wasn't even working and Adrian had just gotten lucky with his timing. Dan was still upset at least one of them hadn't thought to wake him up as well. They all three couldn't possibly be needed for the fight though…unless Krueger still had his powers. Dan turned back around to face the mirror and slammed a fist into it. The lack of information combined with the ache and pain of his injuries was creating a frustration he didn't need right now.

"Wake up." Dan ordered himself in the mirror. He needed to help his friends. The room remained unchanged. Dan tried again. "Wake. Up." And again. Mind had to be stronger than matter. "Wake up." Dan was shouting this final time, voice hoarse. "WAKE UP!"

"Let me help you with that."

Dan looked down slowly, breath speeding up to a state of hyperventilating, and stared at twisting metal claws, spreading out from under the skin of his belly. It had cut through his torso so cleanly, Dan hadn't even felt the impact. He could feel the blood rushing up to his throat and pouring out of both mouth and wound to the ground. It reminded him of a thick, syrupy wine that had been served at an ornithology convention. Dan opened his mouth and a trickle of blood escaped past his lips. "Hell."

"Been there." Freddy yanked his hand out and flicked the drops of blood on the carpet. The birdie stumbled forward into the desk, gasping. "Kinda' boring. Hot. Got a nice tan though.." Freddy jerked his hand out, claws forward, and ripped into the man's shoulder to yank him back. Danny fell flat on his back and choked up a burst of blood that splattered all over his chest and Freddy's shoes. "And now I'm done playing."

Dan tried to form a coherent retort or sentence or even a proper scream against the agony he was feeling, but failed to make any noise but gurgling and some sort of moan. He tried to jerk away when Freddy dropped down to straddle his waist, hands now framing his face on the floor. The position was close; intimate. It stirred a sickening feeling in Dan's gut even through the pain and blood loss. Freddy's breath smelled strongly of burning flesh even through the iron-rich, blood soaked room. Dan rasped a small "Get off" before cutting himself off with a cough.

"No, it's time for you to get off this train. But don't worry." Freddy pat Dan's cheek lightly with clawed fingers, relishing in the feel of a warm, dying body between his thighs. It was about time things went his way again. Freddy grabbed the man's throat with his hand and prepared to push the man out of the dream. As much as he'd like to watch, the satisfaction of this man dying in that bastard's arms was even better a treat. "It's not you I'm pissed at. Say hello to your buddy for me before ya' decide to meet up with your girl-toy."

Dan screamed.

Rorschach nearly dropped the body when Daniel's voice came suddenly from nowhere in a blood curdling shriek. "Daniel!"

The thrashing lasted only for the few seconds what pitiful amount of adrenaline left would allow before Dan stilled, breath heavy and weighted on his chest. The incandescent orange light above him hurt his eyes. It was soon covered by a familiar black and white face, ink swirling. Daniel had never been so happy to see that damn mask in his life. "Ror…schach."

"Daniel." Rorschach grasped Daniel's cheeks gently and shifted his hands down to support the man's neck, fingers wrapping gentle around the weakly pulsing veins. There was too much blood gone. Too much. Rorschach was shaking too much in comparison to his friend's still body. "Daniel. Breathe."

"Hurts." Dan smiled, despite it all. Rorschach was freaking out. It was sort of funny. He grinned, missing teeth and all, up at Rorschach. "Not as much as when you hit me, though."

Daniel was joking. Joking. Rorschach nearly hit him for good measure. "Not funny."

Dan winced. Rorschach's mask was getting blurry and the pain in his chest and gut was slowly slinking away. Dan knew better than to assume that was a good sign. He might be saying hello to Laurie sooner than he thought. "I know."

"Daniel." Nite Owl's name was becoming a mantra. Rorschach grabbed his hands and grunted unintelligibly to himself when the man motioned weakly towards his cowl. Rorschach pulled the goggles and headpiece off gently to release sweat soaked hair around his face and revealing brown eyes. They were slowly graying over and Rorschach bit back whatever it was trying to bubble in his throat. He tried to picture his friend's face smiling over a cup of coffee in a dim kitchen over the bloody and broken thing before him. "Don't."

"Sorry, partner." Dan couldn't see Rorschach any more. The world had faded into some dark blob of moving colors. Dan preferred Rorschach's face to this. Dan's face was wet with something new now. Tears, probably. "Really, really sorry."

"No." Rorschach shook his head. "No, no, no. Nothing to be sorry for. Daniel!" The body beneath him didn't move. There was no air, no breath. Just eyes hanging open, glazed and unseeing. Hands shook in purple leather gloves, shoulders hunching and a hat was ripped from a masked head and slammed into the ground. The hat slowly soaked up the blood from the puddles that had formed around the two of them.

Ozymandias and The Comedian had the tact to turn away when Rorschach's agonizing sob filled the room.

Rorschach hadn't really cried. It was a wet, heaving noise, but there was no tears. It was still an agonizing beat in his own ears, however. It stank of weakness and failure. Rorschach had moved from the floor into a chair, his trench coat draped delicately over Daniel's body. He sat in his purple pin-striped suit, scarf undone and hanging around his shoulders, body limp. Rorschach bit his lips, made them bleed. His partner was dead. Nite Owl was dead. Daniel was dead.

And Krueger was next.

The Comedian stared at the hunched form of Rorschach as his hands tensed and relaxed. The man looked like a caged animal not knowing which way to attack. Laurie's death had affected Rorschach the least. Comedian wasn't an idiot. He knew Rorschach didn't like his baby girl. This was different though. Bird-boy was that psychopath's friend. He cared. The Comedian wasn't sure if he wanted to see Rorschach unhinged without his baby-sitter.

Then again, releasing that monster on Krueger might be worth the effort to take the masked man down afterwards.

Adrian had his eyes covered and sucked in a breath. Their line of work was dangerous, to be sure, and the chances of his friends being taken out before their time was always a high possibility. But Dan was, a friend, oddly as it was to admit, and Adrian was feeling more affected than he should. Veidt had no desire to attend yet another funeral so close. And yet, here they were. Can anything stop this Krueger?

The phone ringing startled the strangely comfortable silence of the group and Adrian winced as both Rorschach and The Comedian jumped to attention taking the tinny noise as a threat. "I'll, I'll get it." Adrian soothed as he turned around and reached for the conference room phone. His voice cracked only slightly as he answered. "Veidt speaking."

A giddy, rasping voice answered back through the phone. "How did the owl react to the party?"

"Krueger!" Adrian snarled into the receiver. "You bastard!"

"No," Adrian could picture Krueger waggling his finger. "The owl said it was a hoot!"

Ozymandias slammed the phone down before ripping it cord and all from the wall. The strength of the toss caused the phone to land on its side in a heap near Rorschach's feet. "He has no shame."

"Could have told you that." Rorschach snorted down disgustingly at the sleek, black phone. "Has no soul."

The phone rang again drawing everyone's attention to the very ripped cord hanging from the back of the phone. The noise seemed to be louder than normal and created a pounding in their skulls. Rorschach reached down slowly and picked up the phone and held it to his ear. A raspy voiced laughed through it once again. "It's not nice to lie." A giggle. "I most definitely have a soul."

"Not for long." Rorschach answered back with a new determination. The still body of his best friend more than enough motivation. Anger forced his words through broken lips. "There won't even be enough left for a mite to claim when I'm done with you."

"I think you just described what I'm going to do to you."

Rorschach yelped when the bottom of the phone transformed into a mouth, tongue dripping wet with saliva, and dug the thick organ into his ear through latex. Rorschach tossed the phone as far as the cord would allow and wiped away at the side of his face with a disgust he reserved for the lowest of the low of whores. "Sickening."

"Agreed." Adrian closed his eyes and took a breath. He opened them and could feel the same determination he knew was beating beneath his two companion's chests. "I think it's time we came up with a better plan and show this Krueger just who the hell he's messing with."

"Bout time you really got into the game." Eddy snorted and slapped the uptight prick on the back. "Let's take this bastard down."

"Retribution." Rorschach added with a nod and clenched his fists. He couldn't cry for Daniel until justice was dealt and Krueger suffered a hundred fold more than his friend. "For Miss Jupiter. For Nite Owl, Daniel."

The Comedian laughed and pulled a cigar from his vest, lit it slowly and sucked in a mouthful of smoke. There was a nice ring to the way Rorschach had phrased 'revenge.' It was classy. Perfectly suited for his baby girl. "Retribution. I like it."

Adrian placed a hand on the conference room table and straightened his shoulders. They would not fail again. "Retribution it is."