Author's Notes: There's a light at the end of the tunnel!

The weeks following her meeting with Finch go by in a blur of different trainings ranging from self defense to getting her sea legs. She eventually masters moving with the platform, though he does warn her that it's a poor substitute for the real thing which leads to her giving him a piece of her mind. She also has lessons memorizing the parts of the boats she'll be on and she does eventually learn to tie the appropriate knots and where they belong.

Because of the constant working out, her body looses what little fat she had left to take on the form of an athlete. To go with her new body, her hair has been cut much shorter and dyed back to its original color and she no longer looks like the timid woman that he first carried into his home. With the burning of those papers, she no longer acts like the beaten slave she once was and V counts this as both a blessing and a curse since he's more than once been the target of a rather sharp tongue.

Finally, on one chilly autumn morning, V announces her immanent departure. She says nothing, but just nods that she's heard him and then with a sad sigh, goes to pack her bag. He tries to ignore that sigh, but he knows her too well and ends up following her to her room.

"Is something troubling you, Audrey?" he asks.

"Nothin' that matters ta ya," she answers shortly while she sets everything out on her bed, intentionally not looking at him.

"I like to think that over the past six months I've gotten to know you quite well and you'll have to excuse me if I don't believe you," he replies as his arms cross over his chest and she pauses in her task.

"Ah'm really leavin' 'em," she quietly responds after a few moments and she can hear him draw a breath. "Ah know what ya'll are gonna say, so ya can just save ya'lls breath. Ah know Ah can't go back ta 'em. But is it a crime that Ah took some comfort knowin' that Ah was at least near 'em?"

"No, it is not," he softly confirms, turning to leave her to her task. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know."

Once she's sure he's gone, she sits on the edge of the bed and silently cries. It takes some time before the tears run dry and when they finally do, she has a pounding headache. She ignores the pain like she learned to do so long ago, dries her face and then goes back to packing.

"Have you got everything?" he asks as she joins him near the piano with her bag over her shoulder and her guitar case in hand.

"Ah believe so, why?" she responds.

"Well, I noticed that not all of the items that I obtained for you have been removed from the bathroom," he replies.

"If ya'll are talkin' about tha feminine hygiene products, then no, Ah didn't take 'em all," she tells him. "Ah took what Ah needed."

"Would you care to explain why not?" he questions. "It's not like I'll ever be using them."

"Because, V, ya got meh enough products ta last meh at least another year," she answers. "Besides, there's no way Ah'd be able ta fit all o' those things in my bag an' still have room fo' my clothes."

"Fair enough," he responds with a nod. "Speaking of clothes, I noticed you didn't pack all of the outfits I got you."

"Again, not enough room," she replies. "Besides, some o' those outfits just aren't practical fo' tha high seas an' that pretty burgundy dress is about a size too small. Ah'm sure ya'll find some woman whom ya can give those clothes ta."

"I don't exactly make it a habit to go out meeting young women," he points out.

"Well, ya didn't go out lookin' fo' meh, but here Ah am," she counters and a smile starts to twitch at the corners of her mouth. "Besides, maybe ya'll find yaself helpin' another damsel in distress who just happens ta be another letter in tha alphabet an' then tha two o' ya can run off an' raise a whole bunch o' little letters."

"I shall miss your unique perspective on things," he chuckles, a smile stretching the latex of his mask as he picks his hat up off of the piano and then he pauses. "I wonder if you would do me one last favor before you go."

"What's that?" she asks.

"Would you sing for me one last time?" he requests.

"Do we have time?" she inquires. "It'll take meh several minutes ta tune my guitar."

"Perhaps you have something that could be played on the piano," he suggests.

"Yeah, Ah think Ah do," she tells him as she sets her stuff down. "Give meh just a moment."

He puts his hat on his head, smoothly props the lid of the instrument open to allow for the true sound to come out and then takes a seat on the bench, dropping his hat down next to him. Meanwhile, she opens the guitar case, pulls out the sheets of music and then quickly finds the one she's looking for. She puts the pieces of paper on the stand, spreading them out to make it easier for him to read before taking a place behind him so that she can see the words as well as the notes. He gives the music a quick study and after about a minute, he puts his fingers on the keys and starts to play.

When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars


Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and the fire

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me,

Please remember me,
Please remember me ...

As the last notes fade away, they both remain perfectly still, almost as if they're afraid to move.

"Have ya played this piece before?" she asks several moments later, amazed by his flawless performance.

"I can assure you that I've never seen this piece of music before," he answers.

"Ah am impressed," she admits. "Ah have ta practice fo' quite some time before what Ah'm playin' can even be recognized."

"Your voice is as lovely as I remember it," he tells her quietly. "I shall miss it."

"Thank ya," she softly responds. "Now that ya've filled up tha jukebox, ya can always just turn it on when ya need ta hear another voice an' as an added bonus, they won't be givin' ya any grief."

"I suppose it will have to do," he replies with a small chuckle while he collects the sheets of music and hands them back to her. "We should get going now. Your transportation out of London won't wait for long if we're late."

"No, Ah suppose it won't," she sighs as she returns the music to the guitar case and closes it.

"Are you ready?" he asks while he opens the first door, his hat in hand.

"As ready as Ah'll ever be," she answers as she straightens up with her bag and case.

"Good," he responds and then ushers her out the door.

"V, can Ah ask ya somethin'?" she inquires a moment later.

"Of course," he replies while they make their way down the hallway towards the tubes.

"Ya remember tha night we were plantin' explosives an' we came across some policemen who wanted ta hurt tha Inspector?" she questions.

"Yes," he says, looking over his shoulder at her.

"Ya'll were quotin' somethin' at 'em," she states. "It sounded a lot like what ya'll were quotin' tha night ya killed Michael. What's it from?"

"The multiplying villainies of nature do swarm upon him and fortune, on his damned quarrel, smiling, showed like a rebel's whore. But all's too weak, for brave Macbeth…well he deserves that name…disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution. Like valour's minion, carved out his passage till he faced the slave; which ne'er shook hands nor bade farewell to him,"he quotes proudly. "It's from Macbeth."

"It's awfully long," she observes.

"Thank you," he replies.

"Ah'm not tryin' ta be rude or nothin', but have ya ever thought about shortenin' it a bit?" she asks.

"Shortening it?" he nearly demands, sounding very affronted and coming to an abrupt halt.

"It's just that ya'll were goin' on so long those policemen were gonna turn ya into Swiss cheese long before ya finished," she points out, easily managing not to run into him. "An' maybe if ya'll hadn't been takin' so long, ya coulda finished Michael off before Ah got into tha house."

"You're right, they didn't let me finish and perhaps you're right about the major being taken care of if I hadn't been so fond of that quote," he sighs a few moments later. "I do love the Bard so, but I will give your suggestion some thought. Now come, it's time for us to go."

She nods her understanding and agreement and then follows him out into the cold, drafty tunnels, thankful for the wet weather gear he obtained for her. She pulls her knitted cap down a bit more snugly around her ears and casually wonders when her morals became so twisted that wearing stolen clothing doesn't bother her. Her thoughts turn to that very fateful day nearly ten years ago and she gives a small snort.

"You wish to say something?" he asks and she looks up at him in confusion and a bit of fear. "Don't worry. No one can hear you down here."

"Ah was just thinkin'," she quietly starts. "Fo' tha first time in ten years Ah'll be able ta celebrate my birthday on tha actual day, but then Ah remembered that Ah'll have no one ta celebrate it with."

"And what an auspicious day you were born on too," he purrs. "Remember, remember, the fifth of November, the Gun Powder Treason and Plot…"

"Ah can think o' no reason why tha Gun Powder Treason should ever be forgot," she finishes for him and he turns to look at her in surprise. "History was my favorite subject in school. Ah had always hoped that Ah'd be able ta come ta England and see some o' tha historic sites. O' course Ah was plannin' on just bein' a tourist, not a captive audience. Is that why ya dress up like Guy Fawkes, V? Are ya'll plannin' on blowin' up Parliament?"

"Not this year I'm not," he tells her with a small chuckle.

"Somethin' tells meh that Ah'll be much happier never knowin' what ya'll have planned," she says a bit nervously.

"That is probably very true," he tells her as he resumes walking and she carefully follows along.

They continue their journey in silence with him plotting where to put the explosives on the Old Bailey building to get the most destruction. She reviews everything she's learned about the vessels she'll be on and the knots she'll have to tie to keep her mind off of the boys she's leaving behind. It's not until she runs into V's back does she realize that something's amiss.

She opens her mouth to ask him what's going on, but he waves her to silence and she immediately tenses. She watches as he takes a hand full of dust and dirt and then he slowly shifts it through his fingers, creating a small cloud of the stuff. She has to quickly cover her mouth to stop a gasp from escaping as a thin line of red light appears.

He looks all around to see what the laser trip could be attached to and when he looks up at the ceiling, he scowls. She's on the verge of bolting back towards the Shadow Gallery when he quickly scoops her up into his arms. She doesn't protest as he carefully steps over the laser and carries her several meters down the tunnel before putting her down again.

No sooner are her feet on the ground than he's picking up a sizable piece of masonry. He pauses for a moment and then tosses the chunk of fallen tunnel right where the laser is. A loud 'SNAP' is heard from the ceiling and a second later a large net hits the ground where they had been standing a few moments ago. As soon as the net hits the ground, electrical arcs can be seen sparking up and over all the lengths of the net.

"A stun net," she hisses and he looks at her. "They're used ta catch escaped slaves with as little damage ta tha handlers or tha property."

"We must hurry," he states in a whisper.

Before she can even blink, she's in his arms again and he's running down the tracks a lot faster than should be humanly possible. She holds onto him this time to keep from being bounced around and she's really worried about whoever set up that net. She's just as concerned for her guitar that's she's trying to keep out of the way by hanging it down his back. But as they come around a corner and into an old defunct train station, her guitar is the least of her worries.

"Well, well, what have we here?" an unfamiliar woman's voice purrs.

"Who are you?" V demands as he sets Audrey on her feet.

"Abigail Percy," she replies and Audrey gets a good look around.

The woman is dressed quite handsomely, has enough jewels on her to choke a horse and her hair and makeup are done to perfection. She's would be rather pretty if she didn't have that smirk on her face and an evil gleam in her eye. However, Audrey's more concerned about the half a dozen armed men that are quickly trying to surround her and V.

"But you can call me Madam," Abigail continues as she saunters down the last few steps and onto the platform. "I believe you have something that belongs to me, 'old man'."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," V replies as he places himself between Audrey and Abigail.

"That little filly that's hiding behind you belongs to me," Abigail retorts, sounding very dangerous. "After what she's cost me, I intend to get her back and get my pound of flesh."

"Audrey, do you know this…woman?" V asks, looking over his shoulder at her and she vigorously shakes her head 'no'. "See? My granddaughter doesn't know you. Now if you'll kindly excuse us…"

"I am many things, 'old man', but stupid isn't one of them," Abigail states haughtily as steps up to the edge of the platform.

"That remains to be seen," V responds, a dangers tone in his voice and Audrey nervously watches as Abigail's men continue to try and circle around them. "Let us go and no harm will come to you or your men."

"Oh, that's rich," Abigail laughs. "You may be stronger than you look, 'old man', but my men have guns and there are six of them to the one of you."

"I'd say that almost makes it almost even," V purrs, causing a shiver to run up Audrey's spine.

"Bring me my property, boys, and make sure that there are no witnesses," Abigail orders.

A/N 2: Hey! Where'd that oncoming train come from?

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Dante's Prayer, music and lyrics written by Loreena McKennitt.