CHAPTER 5

DECISIONS

Victoria made her way through the back streets toward the tunnel that led to the secret entrance of the Shadow Gallery, a smile covered her face as she watched a group of doves sitting on a nearby roof. Today was the first day of the rest of her life--isn't that how the old saying went? She giggled as she thought about how the man she had caught her mother making out on the sofa with had turned out to be her father--the notorious terrorist known as V. My god, how many times at night had she prayed that if her father still lived, she could see him--even if it was only for a brief moment, and now, her prayers had been answered. She checked all around before silently sliding into the tunnel and walking toward the old Victoria Station. From there, it was only a matter of minutes to her home.

The underground station still held bad memories for her mother, and Evey refused to even come near the entrance. Victoria knew why--this was the place her father had met Creedy's men that fateful night, and bullet holes could still be seen in the cracked white tile walls that lined the platform. Just the thought of V almost dying here sent a sudden chill up Victoria's spine, and she hurried down the track away from her mother's memories.

Within moments, she found the hidden entrance to the Shadow Gallery, and pulled the false part of the wall down, entering the security code into the system. The red light turned green, and the doorway unlocked. Stepping through , Victoria found herself in the safety of the gallery once again, and the welcoming smell of breakfast being cooked. Her mother must have gotten up early.

" Morin' Mum..." Victoria called as she threw her backpack on the sofa and walked into the kitchen, only to find V, dressed in his flowered apron, minus mask and gloves, standing by the stove.

" Your mother is still asleep--hope I'll do." He grinned, spatula in hand.

Victoria threw herself around his waist and hugged him as tight as her arms would allow.

" Father, I'm so happy you're alive." She said as tears began to trickle down her face.

V held her as tight as he knew he could without hurting the young girl. He felt a sense of pride welling up inside, and he looked down at the tear-stained face that smiled up at him. This was his daughter--and nothing would ever take that away from him! " Here now, we'll have none of that..." He wiped Victoria's tears away with his hand.

" Victoria--is everything alright?" Evey's voice interrupted the scene as she stood in the doorway.

Victoria looked over at Evey. " Everything is fine, Mum. He's here--he's really here. My Dad is really here."

Evey crossed her arms. " Yes, he is very much alive and here." Evey blushed as she looked at V, who smiled back as his mind replayed their passionate lovemaking from the night before, and a slight blush crept across his face.

" Are you ladies hungry?" He asked, clearing his throat from the knot that was developing there.

" Starved!" Victoria shouted as she took a seat at the kitchen table. " What are you fixing?"

" Your mother's favorite--eggy in a basket." V smiled at Evey who had come to stand next to him, her head laying on his shoulder, her arms protectively around his waist..

" You shouldn't have." She whispered back as he pulled her into his arms, his head bowing to hers, catching her lips in a soft kiss. Victoria giggled as she watched..

" As I recall, it was your favorite dish, and asked for it every morning..." V paused, " If I didn't have something else already prepared."

" You spoiled me those first few months I was here." She answered looking up at him.

" Indeed? " V raised an eyebrow, and Evey realized that this was one the first times she had ever seen his expression minus the mask, other than last night..

Evey turned her attention to Victoria.. " Go put your things in your room and get washed up for breakfast."

" Ok."

V watched as Victoria headed down the hallway toward her room. " How much does she know about your time in the Gallery?" He asked Evey hesitantly.

" Do you mean, does she know about the imprisonment-- no, she doesn't." Evey answered, " And I intend on keeping it that way, V."

He shook his head in agreement. " My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late." (1) He sighed, lowering his head. " I still have nightmares about what I did to you Evey..."

She reached up and placed her arms around his neck. " I told you I forgave you a long

time ago. Let it go, V. It's in the past--please, let it remain there--for all our sakes."

He raised blue eyes to hers, and smiled as his lips came up to caress her cheek. " Yes, let it remain in the past--for now, is our present and our future..."

" Hey guys, can that wait till later--I'm starving here!" Victoria's voice yanked them back to reality.

V grinned at Evey. " The lady doth protest too much, me thinks. " (2)

" If sack and sugar be a fault, God help the wicked! Henry the IV; Falstaff to Hal."

Victoria quoted right back at him. " Now, can we eat?"

--

" That was wonderful--just like I remember ." Evey sighed as V took the empty plates from her and Victoria.

" I'm glad you still like it." He answered, washing the dishes and placing them in the dish drainer. Wiping his hands on the towel, he threw it aside, and looked at both of the women in his life as he took his usual stance with his hands crossed in front of him.

" I have a surprise for you both, Evey. I just need to make one quick phone call, gather my clothes from my room, and then, we can be off." V said.

" Your room?" Evey questioned, " Your room hasn't been occupied in ten years...what are you talking about?"

V crossed to where Evey sat by Victoria. " My love, I'm afraid that I have not been completely truthful with you..."

" V...?" Evey began, looking up at him.

" I know...I told you no more lies, " he sighed as he dropped to one knee, taking her hand, " I must ask you to forgive me one last time for being so indiscreet, my love, but I wanted you to have, the life I knew I could not give you at that time ten years ago. There is another labyrinth below the Shadow Gallery. When I have been here in London, Evey, I have never been far from your side."

Victoria watched her parents, a soft side etched across her lips--so this is what love is really

like... although, her mother, at this moment would disagree.

" Would you like to see it?" He asked standing up, taking Evey with him.

Evey eyed him. " Is there anything else you haven't told me yet?"

V shook his head, laughing. " That I love you."

A loving smile crept across her lips as she pulled his face to hers, and blessed him with a resounding kiss. " I would love to see your other gallery."

" Victoria?" V looked over at his daughter.

" Are you kidding?!" She exclaimed, jumping up from the table.

" Off we go, then." V grinned as he took Evey by the hand and exited the kitchen, Victoria following a few steps behind her parents. They walked down the hallway that Evey remembered so well-- one that held many nightmares and horrifying days-- the faux detention center that V had held her prisoner in lay at the end of the hallway—a place that Evey had vowed to never step foot in again.

V noticed her hesitancy, and squeezed her hand gently, " This way..." He stopped by the first door on the left, and pulled a brass key from his pocket. " The steps can be very treacherous, so be alert as we descend into the lower level." He cautioned taking one of Victoria's hands, while Evey took the other. Just inside the doorway, V flipped the light on, it's brilliance cascading over the wrought-iron spiral staircase that led down to the lower level of the Shadow Gallery. Taking hold of the railing, they began their descent.

Chief Inspector Eric Finch rubbed his eyes, and let out a loud sigh as he layed the pen on the desk top. He had been working on the paperwork for the Norsefire cell arrests he and Dominic had made for four hours straight, and fatigue was beginning to set in.. It had been ten years since the downfall of the government, but still, small fractions of Norsefire loyalists would still pop up within the city ever so often, and Finch's department worked primarily on recognizing, observing and arresting them. Dominic Stone still served with Finch but now as a sargent; he was the eyes and ears for Finch's terrorist team, and had become very good at his craft.

" About ready to call it a night, Chief?" Dominic asked looking up from his desk,

stretching.

" Yeah, I'll finish this up in the morning." He shut the folder, leaving it. " I'm getting too old for this shit, Dom."

" You've got another 6 months to go, and you can retire to that nice little cottage you bought in Stratford-on-Avon." Dom grinned at this friend and mentor.

Finch laughed. " If that were only true. Commissioner O'Reilly will probably have me here until I have to be wheeled out on a stretcher."

Dominic laughed. It wasn't too often that a smile , or much less a laugh crossed Finch's lips since the revolution. After the death of the terrorist, Finch's attention turned to affairs of the heart--namely, Evey Hammond. He had fallen in love with the young woman almost immediately, and after her announcement to him of her pregnancy, he had done what any gentlemen would have done--he offered her marriage, which she gently turned down--to her, there would only be one true love in her life, and he was dead. She had raised Victoria to recognize the chief inspector as a family friend, and even encouraged her to call him ' Uncle Eric'. Finch knew she was V's daughter, and he could never replace that fact, but he did enjoy seeing her whenever he could, and telling her stories about her father's unusual life, and how he had saved England for future generations, to be proud of..

" I need to call Evey and let her know that I will be escorting her to the opening night gala at the museum. " Finch said, " I had almost forgot."

" What's the Department of Antiquities got going on now?" Dom asked, leaning back in his chair.

" Opening night for Evey's memorial collection to V. God, Dom, I don't know how he did it. "Finch paused, " His home must have had millions of dollars of antiques in it--which Evey donated to the people. It took the museum years to remove , catalog and set up the permanent displays, plus the traveling exhibitions."

" It's hard to believe it's been ten years since the man gave us a second chance." Dominic replied, " I wonder who he had been before Larkhill."

" We'll never know, but I will tell you one thing, Dom. If V were to step into this office right now, I would feel ashamed to shake his hand." Finch grabbed his coat, and headed out the door.

Evey and Victoria waited outside as V switched on the lights of the second

Shadow Gallery, then stepping aside, he ushered them into his private sanctuary.

" V, it's beautiful!" Evey breathed looking around. There were several rugs scattered about on the stone floor, and large paintings of the masters lined the room. Various statues and busts were located at strategic locations throughout, and V's most prized possession ( although not the original--it was upstairs, where it belonged ) another antique jukebox sat directly in the center. Like the original Shadow Gallery, this gallery also had several alcoves off the main room, and numerous hallways leading to other locations.

" Dad, this is cool!" Victoria said in awe as she looked around. " These paintings are the real thing. Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Di Vinci...You're not going to give these to the museum are you? Mom donated the ones in our gallery to the museum."

Evey looked at her daughter. " Those belonged to the people, Victoria, just like these do. " She paused, looking at V. " Isn't that right, V?"

V smiled at her. " As you say, my love."

" Just one piece, please--for my room--I promise I'll take good care of it, please?" Victoria pleaded with her parents."

V tilted his head toward Evey, it was her decision to make.

She looked around at the priceless objects stored safely within this second home of V's.

Finally, smiling at Victoria, she answered, " Ok, just one. "

Victoria hugged her mother tightly and then did the same to V. " I know which one I want. ' Pinkie ' by Sir Thomas Lawrence. (3)" She pointed to the portrait hanging on the wall. " I have ' The Blue Boy ' already in my room" (4)

" Very good." V smiled, impressed with his daughter's knowledge of the paintings.

" V. " Evey began, staring at the walls. " Would you like some of these pieces for your home in Kingston? I know how much you loved the ones that were in the gallery."

V laughed softly, as Evey turned to him. " Evey, I don't need to have paintings, music or art to make me happy, " he closed the distance between them, " I have everything I need in my life now, " he paused, lowering his face to hers, " I have you and Victoria." He kissed her then as she closed her eyes, just as her cell phone rang.

" Bollocks!" she exclaimed breaking the contact and looking at the phone. " I have to take this. It's Eric."

" Eric?" V asked Victoria as Evey walked away.

" Uncle Eric." Victoria answered as she looked at the songs lists on the jukebox.

V thought for a moment. " Eric Finch? "

" Uh-huh." Victoria replied as she pushed a couple buttons and a soft melody began playing.

" I'm sorry, " Evey apologized, " It was about plans for the opening of the newest collection at the museum."

" Yeah, it's a tribute to you, Father." Victoria smiled." And Uncle Eric is taking Mum."

" A tribute?" V asked Evey.

" Yes, it is a memorial to you, composed of the remaining pieces from the gallery, and others I found right after the fifth." Evey answered. " I wanted to do something for you..."

" And Eric Finch is escorting you to this gala?" V asked raising an eyebrow, his dark blue eyes sparkling in the gallery's lights.

" Is there a problem?" Evey asked, " This has been months in the planning, V-- you were..." her voice trailed off.

"Dead?" V finished for her. " Dearest, call Mr. Finch back, and tell him that an old friend is in town. That he will be escorting you to the memorial."

Evey looked questioning at V. " You...rather Mr. King is going to escort me, V?"

" Yes and no, " He smiled down at her, " Mr. King will be unavailable on that night, but V will be more than willing to make an appearance."

" What!?" Evey exclaimed, searching V's eyes. " You're serious, aren't you?"

" Dead serious." V grinned.

" V, are you sure of this? You've been believed dead for ten years--I don't know how the people would react, much less the police."

" I, like God, do not roll dice, and I don't believe in consequences.' He replied. " V will be escorting you . How soon is it?"

" Friday night." Evey answered as her stomach churned. She didn't like this-- she wanted V to escort her, but what if something went wrong? What if a rogue cell had something planned that night? With V there, he would become their primary target, not her--the fear of

loosing him again crashed over her like a wave at a beach. She had to figure some way to keep him safe. Trying to talk him out of it would be a waste of time and energy--she knew that. Maybe she should talk to Eric, maybe he could have a few more men there. " V?"

" Yes, love?" He answered as he took the original painting of 'Pinkie" from the wall, and sat it on the stone floor.

" I want to tell Eric everything."

" What?" V replied, his voice strained from the shock of her request.

" I want extra men at the gala that night." Evey said, wrapping her arms around her. " I know you can protect yourself, but I would just feel better if they were there."

V was silent , and Evey thought that she may have pushed him to far this time. She knew that when V was "alive" that Finch had came very close to catching him on a couple of occasions--once at BNN, and the second time at Delia's apartment--what she didn't know was if Finch would still go after him--even after this length of time.

" If that is what you want to do." V finally gave in.

Victoria walked over, a look of concern on her young face. " Mom, I don't think Uncle Eric will still be mad at Father. He talks about him all the time when I'm with him. About how he admired him, and how they possibly could have been friends under different circumstances."

Evey looked at V, " Only if you feel comfortable with this."

V smiled, " Maybe this is what I need, Evey. Maybe it is time for the dead hero to come back." He stopped, " To let England know that he has been watching, and will always be here for her. Call, and tell him you have something to discuss ."

Evey took out the cell phone and began dialing.

Romeo and Juliet

Macbeth

Painting by Thomas Gainesborough

Painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence