Title: Material Culture

Author: Nemo the Everbeing

Rating: PG-13 for violent implications against children

Summary: Every object has significance. The goal of study is to determine what it is. (Finch/Dominic)

Disclaimer: 'V for Vendetta' belongs to Alan Moore and David Lloyd. The theatrical version of the story belongs to Warner Brothers, the Wachowski brothers, and possibly a few other brothers. I don't own any of it, am not a brother, and write this solely for my own pleasure.

oOo oOo Chapter 4: Digital Clock oOo oOo

One week later, when Dominic returned to work after his medical leave with a cast on his wrist and stitches in his arm, Finch watched him as he perused the three things he'd set there before Dominic arrived. The first was his personnel file, which showed his status with the Finger as cleared of suspicion. There was also a new watch sitting on top of a new digital clock in the corner of the blotter.

Finch looked up and smiled at Dominic's bewildered gratitude. "Now you can set your watch to something that works," he said. Then he went back to his paperwork.

oOo oOo oOo oOo

"This is the second time Inspector Stone has shot one of my men," Creedy says almost two years later. His hands are clasped before him, and his face is bloodless. Dealing with the man always makes Finch feel like he needs a long shower. Dominic fidgets at his side.

Finch keeps his tone mild. It's a trick of the trade, and all things considered it's one of the most useful in light of his promotion. It's only been a week since the last Chief Inspector retired, and Finch feels as though the weight of the world has settled on his shoulders. He's known for some time that a confrontation with Creedy was inevitable. The man has to know how far he can push Finch before he won't budge. Creedy wants to see if Finch is the sort of Party pushover who'll shop his own partner for a pat on the head. Finch refrains from saying that between the Party and his lads, he'll choose his lads any day. That sort of thing just isn't said, not if a man wants to keep his position.

He sounds almost bored and rather tired when he says, "If you hired fewer men with homicidal tendencies, perhaps my officers would stop shooting them."

"I wasn't talking about your officers as a body, Chief Inspector," Creedy says. He looks at Dominic. "I was talking about Inspector Stone. Do you have something against Fingermen, Inspector?"

"No, Sir," Dominic says, and has the good sense to bite back any further commentary. Finch has known him long enough to see it in his eyes. He's angry. More than that, he resents this. Finch told him two years before that he'd take the Met to war with the Finger before he let Creedy punish his lads for doing their jobs, and he means it even more now that he's the Chief Inspector and Dominic is his DI. More than rank, Dominic is his partner. Creedy will have to tear down the whole bleeding department before Finch lets him at Dominic. He doesn't care to examine when he got so fiercely protective. He'd really rather think his reaction is part of the job.

Creedy flips through his notebook, and Finch wonders how many of those little pages Dominic has managed to fill. Creedy doesn't look up when he says, "You had a cousin who was detained some years back. Political dissent. Were you close to her, Inspector Stone?"

A muscle in Dominic's jaw jumps. Finch touches his wrist and Dominic glances toward him with nothing but his eyes. There is a pleading look in them, which Finch answers with a steady gaze and a calm exterior.

Dominic turns his eyes front and Finch removes his hand. "Lizzie—Elizabeth—and I were friends, Sir. We were the same age, or close enough, and we tended to spend family dinners together."

Creedy smiles like a knife. Finch smothers any impulse to tangle his fingers up with Dominic's and ensure that he's not whisked away. Why didn't he mention the cousin?

Creedy's voice is a purr of satisfaction. "Were you angry when Elizabeth Stone was detained?" he asks.

Again the muscle jumps. "I was fifteen, sir, and a bit rebellious. Just about everything made me angry."

"And what makes you angry now, Inspector?"

Dominic's eyes flash, and before Finch can stop him, he says, "I didn't shoot that man because he was with the Finger, Sir." He makes the honorific sound insulting. Finch tenses. "I shot him because he'd killed a ten-year-old girl and was threatening to shoot another child. I used necessary force."

"Did you question his motives?"

"He'd a gun to an eight-year-old's head. There wasn't time."

"And when you discovered that the girls' family was being investigated for political dissent, the same charge that brought down your own cousin, did you still feel justified? Did you see her face when you looked at those little girls, Inspector?"

"Yes, I still felt justified, because I was doing my job. And no, I didn't see Elizabeth when I looked at them. I just saw two little girls. One dead and one near to. I don't care what their parents were doing. He didn't shoot the parents."

Creedy never stops smiling as he stands. "I believe that's all I need, Inspector," he says, and walks out of the room.

Finch releases a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

Dominic looks at him with wide eyes. "Creedy twisted that about, Chief! That wasn't anything to do with my cousin. He'd just shot a kid!"

"I know," Finch says and tries to be soothing. He's never been particularly good at soothing.

"Shit," Dominic says. "You're not going to be able to protect me for this, are you?"

"I certainly am. I have a bit of pull too, you know, even if I don't like to use it. You're not getting detained, Dominic."

"But, sir—"

"But," Finch says and holds up a hand to quiet him, "you'll be coming home with me tonight, just in case."

Dominic looks startled. "What?"

"It's best you not be alone for a few days."

Dominic looks like he wants to protest, but doesn't. Good. If there's anything positive to come of his being targeted by Creedy, it will perhaps be that he gains a bit of common sense.

They leave together and Dominic rides in Finch's car. It isn't one of the cars from the office, but Finch's personal vehicle. Being the Chief Inspector does come with a few perks he's willing to indulge.

The drive back to his flat is almost entirely silent. At one point Dominic says, "I don't have extra clothes with me."

"We'll stop by your flat tomorrow morning," Finch says.

When they get to Finch's two-story brownstone he tells Dominic to take the couch, and then goes to find some linens to make it up. When he gets back he finds Dominic curled on the cushions, already asleep. It's been a long few days.

Finch rolls his eyes and wants to be more disdainful than he feels. He takes off Dominic's shoes and drapes a blanket over him. It's nine o'clock in the evening. The clock on the mantle doesn't chime. It's digital.