*Disclaimer: I do not own Watchmen in any way, shape or form. Only the plot and OC.

A/N: I CANNOT even begin to tell you how sorry I am for this extreme delay! Writer's block hit me like a football to the groin. I've been doubled over in this stupor literally since the last chapter update...which was longer ago than I'd like to admit. Again, SO VERY SORRY! Forgive, please? Well, hopefuly this chapter will begin to make up for it. I've actually written up a VERY LENGTHY later chapter and at this point am just trying to connect it in a way that makes sense. Yeah, I'm fuckin' weird :P. It'll all work out. You'll see. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I think I like where it's going. Let me know what you think by, um...REVIEWING PLEASE! :D

"Stupid, stupid, STUPID!" fumed a very irritated Rorschach as he slammed his front door shut.

It was around three in the morning and he had decidedly cast aside stealth as he stormed into his apartment, furious with himself at his own weakness. He'd simply left her there, gaining close to nothing out of it. If anything, he had more questions than he did answers. Who was this girl? What information could she possibly possess? Why had he given into her like that? Tossing aside his effects, he moved to the foot of his bed. With a weary groan, he lay down on his back, trying to get his thoughts in order. Boring holes through the translucent material that still sheathed his true face, he stared intently at the ceiling. His apartment slowly faded out of view as his eyes drifted shut and the vigilante succumbed to a disgruntled slumber with a final groan. Human interaction left him a lot more drained than usual.

~ A week later ~

"I want to help you."

"...Hmpf."

"Look, I've been thinking about what you said last time. About my father and my brother, and I...I want to help you in any way I can. I know I can be helpful...I have it all planned out in my head and everything! And don't try to talk me out of it! You can't change my mind."

Her voice was stern and strong, something almost completely alien to her but that she had somehow managed to conjure up. Rorschach thought her current position reminded him of a child: she was so sure of herself, all the while unaware of how incredibly naive and ignorant she sounded. This was all so absurd. He felt a little stupid, having been found by her once again after a week. He had sincerely hoped that their previous encounter would be their last. It seemed, however, that she had other thoughts in mind.

Turning his head away from her, he scoffed derisively. This was a ridiculous waste of time. This woman, no, this GIRL would not sway him with her courage and heart. After having thought long enough, he turned back to face her and advanced on her to further his method of intimidation. He knew that there was a big part of her that was afraid of him and he had never failed to use this to his advantage. She, however, had a minuscule advantage over him. Luckily, she was not aware of it.

"Do you know how childish you sound right now? I do not accept help from civilians. Never have. Never will." He concluded, putting emphasis on the last word.

She certainly was a brave girl...a reckless and foolish one at that. What had gotten it in her head to trot up and down the alleys until she happened to stumble upon him, he would never know. After all that effort, it seemed as if she did not want to leave empty handed. And though her mission was a valiant one, her body language told otherwise. She appeared insecure and exasperated, as if she was in some sort of hurry. As if she had expected him to go with her little plan from the start. It was his guess that she had not thought this far ahead.

"You know, you...you don't know what it's like to be me. You don't know the life that I've lived, and for me to, uh...to come to you like this, I mean isn't...Isn't that worth SOMETHING to you?"

Her words were hesitant, yet impatient. Strong, yet faltering. She would lose confidence half way through her sentence, pause, look down, look back up, and continue with gusto. She certainly was an interesting creature, this Renée.

He chuckled dryly before answering. He would decidedly humour her. "Huhuh...And what exactly did you have planned?"

Opening her mouth, she closed it again with a sigh. She figured that there was no way to tell Rorschach what she had planned without being interrupted or without stuttering or faltering. So, she decided that she would show him. Taking a step back, she shut her eyes and began untying the front of her coat.

He didn't know it at the time, but this would become routine.

She threw the coat back and let it gently slide off her shoulders. As the material fell into a pile at her feet, she opened her eyes again to see if she had garnered the desired reaction.

He immediately regretted asking her. His back went stiff and his fingers began twitching. Taking a step back he shook his head slightly. If her plan was to illicit shock and dread from the antihero, she had succeeded. He tried to find the right words to voice his protest against this crazy and outlandish idea.

"Are you out of your mind? What gave you the idea that I would even consider this?"

He could feel his blood boil and bubble with sudden anger. Confusion arose as well, confusion towards this rising fury. His hands had left his pockets and were now balled into two tight fists. His breathing began to quiver as well. Renée (along with the rest of the city) had always perceived Rorschach as a menacing figure, but never had she felt truly threatened by him until this very moment. It would not be the last time. He looked as though he was ready to beat her senseless, an outcome she had not expected of this rendezvous.

If she didn't feel naked before she certainly did now.

With a pair of scissors, dark pantyhose, and a little creativity, Renée had fashioned herself a black mesh tube dress that wrapped tightly around her from her chest to a third of her thighs. The thin material left little to the imagination with enough translucency to make out her undergarments. The only other item of clothing she wore was a pair of black round toe pumps she had stumbled upon in a trash bin a few days ago. Despite the fact that the heels only added about three inches to her height, she was having quite a bit of trouble keeping her legs steady. She felt incredibly exposed and uncomfortable. Renée's confidence appeared non-existant, the awkward, quivering stance she took being a clear indication of this.

The sight of an infuriated Rorschach advancing on her onlt worsened this.

Her eyes were wide with fear as she began inching backwards. She had forgotten that her coat lay pooled around her feet, the lack of friction causing her to slip on it like a banana peel. She let out a startled yelp as she landed on her bottom. Before being able to register the pain, she was yanked to her feet by two firm hands on her upper arms. She couldn't feel the pain. Only deep confusion as she stood lamely in front of Rorschach. His grip on her arms trembled with anger, but it hadn't faltered or even lightened. Their close proximity left Renée petrified and incredibly disillusioned by her valiant hero. Her stuttering voice came out throaty as she spoke.

"I-I don't understand...You said you wanted-"

"I don't recall mentioning ANYTHING about recruiting a WHORE!" he boomed, his voice trembling with anger and repulsion. She could feel the heat of his gruff tremulous voice on her mouth. Her stomch squirmed and tingled. It was a mix of fear and something else she couldn't quite peg.

For a moment, Rorschach had forgotten who she was and only saw a faceless hooker before him. Blinded by this mentality, he released her so harshly that she fell back to the ground. Renée winced on impact, having fallen on the same spot she had fallen on not a moment ago. She sat there, terrified and humiliated, in the looming shadow of the vigilante. In one swift motion, she seized the coat that lay next to her on the filthy ground and held it to her chest, vainly trying to cover herself. Why had he reacted so violently? Why was he treating her like a piece of meat? Like a child? These and other questions replayed through her mind. And the more she thought about it, the more she started to feel angry as well. He wouldn't even hear her out. He was so set on doing things his way without considering a compromise, even if it benefited him in the long run. Inspecting him once more, she began to notice his demeanour lighten slightly.

And then...a thought occurred.

Slowly and with as much grace as she could muster, Renée got back up on her feet. After brushing off the grime that had collected on her legs and rear and putting her coat back on, she looked back up at Rorschach. Her wide eyes and quivering lip had vanished as she held her newfound silent confidence. She had faith in this new plan of hers, and she would not let herself be intimidated by Rorschach as easily as she once did.

If they were to work together, they had to establish a level of mutual respect.

"Alright...If you feel I shouldn't intervene, then I won't" she said solemnly as she turned to leave. By now, Rorschach's anger had dissipated. However the confusion remained, but he made a point not to show it. Reaching the end of the alley (under the suspicious eye of Rorschach) she took a casual look to her right...then her left...and in one move, removed her coat once again and made her way down the street.

Realization hit him like a brick to the head. With a sudden surge of alarm, he went after her. So that's how she was going to be? So be it. She would just have to learn the hard way.

Renée was only mildly startled when she felt herself being whipped around to face Rorschach once more.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" he muttered tersely, gripping her arm.

"I'm taking your advice and leaving you alone. If you don't want my help, then I'll just have to go ahead with my plan without you." she concluded bluntly.

Right then, a part of Rorschach felt a sudden loss of power. He kept his grip on her arm firm and maintained a strong, unyielding demeanour.

"And what is this plan of yours exactly?" he asked quite brusquely.

He no longer wished to humour her. This time, he really wanted to know. Noticing her submission, he smirked beneath his mask. As she began explaining, he revelled in this small victory.

"Well...it's quite simple actually. See they're after me, right? They know what I look like and where to find me. Your issue is trying to find the right guys to interrogate, so I thought that maybe-"

"Live bait."

"What?"

"You thought you'd lure them in while I watch from afar, and then strike when they get close enough. When they're taken care of, I press them for information, get what I need, and take them down for good...Sound about right?"

"...Just about, yeah."

With a dry chuckle he released her and took a step back, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Huh...Probably the most stupid and reckless idea I've ever heard."

Before giving her the chance to get riled up and offended, he turned on his heel and began walking down the opposite end of the street.

"Wait! Where are you going?" she called after him, slight panic etched in her tone.

She didn't think he'd actually leave her! The entire time, her confidence had relied on the notion that Rorschach wouldn't let anything happen to her. She knew it went against his duties as a hero, as well as reasons that they were both unaware of at the time.

Stopping abruptly, he turned his head slightly to acknowledge her concern.

"Stay alert. Stick to the alleys and don't wander into the main streets. I'll be close by." And with that, he adjusted his collar, pocketed his gloved hands, and made his way down the street and around the corner. Renée stood there, frozen in her spot for the better portion of a minute.

It...Worked!

Her elation didn't last long as she immediately caught the tell tale sounds of hoods in the area. Falling back against the brick wall, she took in a few deep breaths. This was it. How was she to mentally prepare herself to be thrown into a proverbial lion's den like a hunk of raw meat? She decidedly cast aside all rational thought and strode down the street until she reached the mouth of the alley where the sound was coming from.

Her heels clacked with every step she took as she claimed the opportunity to practise walking in them. However she didn't have much time to do so as it had just registered that the only sound being made was coming from her own shoes. The predator was on the prowl. Stopping dead in her tracks, she could feel her heart pounding in her throat. This was without a doubt the single most terrifying feeling she had felt in a long while. Taking a deep, shaky gulp, she inched her way on trembling legs into the alley like a lamb before the slaughter.

What if he didn't show up in time?

What if he forgot about her?

What if this was all a trap to get rid of her?

This was a stupid idea. He was right. How could she have been so foolish? She would be raped and left for dead in a matter of minutes and she had gladly volunteered to do it! Before she had the chance to turn back around, she caught the sight of several thugs emerging from the shadows. These weren't the apish buffoons that had stumbled upon her before. This group was a higher class of criminal. They had been waiting for her and only her. Quietly...and patiently.

Panic struck.

Then fear.

Then came the dread.

Not a word was spoken. And suddenly, everything went black...

She was jolted awake by a callous hand wrapping around her tiny neck that lifted her to an upright sitting position. Before her knelt a largely built man in a brown military coat. Beneath it he wore a wife beater that hid none of his muscular build. His olive complexion and five o'clock shadow complemented this, as well as a few strands of dark hair that fell over his forehead. His dark shades hid his eyes and the scar that ran down his left eyebrow to his cheekbone. Several shady figures stood around him. She could only make out their silhouettes through the dark shadows and low fog that hovered around their feet.

"This is definitely the one" he began in a gruff tone. Without breaking eye contact, he removed his glasses to reveal a pair of big, unblinking brown eyes framed by two thick eyebrows. And without skipping a beat, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a loaded pistol.

"Once she's out, she's all yours to play with" he continued smoothly as he slowly brought the gun to the side of her head. As her lungs filled with air to let out a scream, a booming thud rang through the air from behind the gun-wielding man. Keeping his grip on her neck, he turned around and noticed one of his lackeys missing. With a frown, he let go of her and stood up.

"Keep an eye on her. Don't let her get away."

The rest of them turned to her simultaneously, startling her. She regretted leaving her coat behind. As the apparent leader approached the site where the sound had come from, he was mildly shocked to find the missing man, splayed on a pile of garbage with a cracked cinder block indenting the area where his face once was. The object fell with such speed that it had killed him instantly, leaving flecks of bloody skull and brain matter scattered haphazardly around the corpse. The leader turned around in time to see another one of his henchmen pulled violently into a dark shadow. Screams of pain followed the deadly blows dealt by this mystery figure. After a few moments, the thug was thrown back into the light, a bloody, twitching mass of what he once was. The four remaining hoods put up their guard and all immediately whipped out a switchblade.

Renée had noticed that the attention had turned away from her. She slowly got on all fours and began inching her way down the alley...until she heard a shot ring through the air. She whipped her head around to find the leader with his gun pointed at her. "Don't move" he gruffly muttered. Renée remained frozen in place, not daring to move an inch. Her head dropped between her arms as she stared at the ground, trying to forget the world that existed beyond her line of vision.

Meanwhile, the leader's arm shot up and he began shooting into the shadow where the intruder supposedly was. Then it occurred to him. He stopped shooting. That's when he noticed that yet another member had gone missing. But he soon re-emerged, staggering out from the shadow and riddled with bullet holes all across his chest and stomach. He collapsed in a heap next to his now dead companion. Three down. Three to go.

The thud of a falling body jolted Renée out of her trance and she looked up slowly to notice another dead gang member. Her knees felt raw and stung from supporting herself on the rough and gravelly ground. She slowly eased herself onto the side of her thigh, her hands still rigidly supporting her. She looked about the faces of the remaining men. The three lackeys stood on bent, shaky knees, eyes darting in and out of shadowy areas to catch sight of the trespasser. Suddenly, Renée felt a shadow looming directly above her. She turned her head around and slowly looked up to see the leader standing directly behind her. In one swift move, she was yanked to her feet and held tightly against the threatening man. She struggled briefly against his might, but it was useless. Looking up, she got a good look at him. He was huge. Standing at a solid, towering six feet, she was a dwarf compared to this hulking mass. She decided that she would have found him attractive had he not been trying to abduct her. She couldn't help but notice his muscles flexing to hold her still against him. She stopped completely when the man shoved the gun to her temple.

"Come into the light...Or I'll kill her"

He remained as calm and collected from the moment she saw him. She felt her heart pounding outside of her chest. Her breathing became shallow and irregularly paced as the seconds went by. She was waiting for something, for anything to happen. And then it came.

"Go ahead...shoot her."

At first, she was relieved to hear Rorschach's voice. But once his words had registered, she nearly lost her balance completely. She wanted to scream "NO!" but all she could make were faint squeaks and moans of protest as tears welled up in her eyes. How could he gamble with her life like this? She was shaken from her hysteria at the sight of Rorschach emerging from the shadows and grabbing the closest thug he could reach for, all within a second. The ensnared man's fist flew towards Rorschach, until he expertly caught it with his free hand. Jerking him downwards, Rorschach sent a swift knee to his chin, severing the man's jaw and dropping him on all fours as he groaned in misery. The two remaining thugs both charged for the vigilante. And had both their knife-wielding wrists caught, twisted, and were stabbed in the gut by their own weapons. They dropped immediately to the ground, writhing in pain and clutching their bloody wounds. They were all subdued.

All but one.

Rorschach looked up slowly and met the leader's gaze. The man simply stood there, gun still pointed at Renée and still keeping her in his clutches. Rorschach slowly made his way towards them, panting slightly from the moderate fight he had just put up. Stopping three feet away, Rorschach looked at Renée, then up at the man, then Renée, then him once more.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Shoot her."

"NO!" Renée cried helplessly, shutting her eyes and vainly tucking her head into the crook of the assailant's arm. Almost simultaneously in tune with her cry, he pulled the trigger...

And pulled it again...

And again...

And again...

Click. Click. Click.

This was the only sound that resonated through the air. And before she had time to register the fact that she was still alive, Renée was violently shoved into Rorschach, giving the assailant the break he needed to make a run for it. Rorschach swiftly caught the ungracefully thrown girl, not making so much as an attempt to go after the runner. He simply stood there, holding her up and lightly chuckling.

"Huh... Had used all his bullets before grabbing you...Good to know I was right."

Immediately after hearing this, she pulled away from him, looking flustered and more frustrated than she had ever been. As she opened her mouth to say something, Rorschach suddenly put a hand over it. Whipping around, he stormed towards one of the subdued men, grabbed him roughly by the collar, and slammed him against the wall. In a low, gruff mutter, he began prodding the thug.

"Do you know who I am?"

He hastily nodded.

"Do you know what I can do to you if you don't tell me what I need to know?"

He slowly shook his head.

"Would you like to find out?"

He hastily shook his head.

Renée decidedly turned around, not caring to watch Rorschach's torture methods. Hugging herself, she began casually pacing up and down the alley. At one point, she stood at the foot of it, looking out onto the main street. Peering down another alley that sat across from the one she stood in, she could have sworn that she saw a figure at the end of it. Leaning forward a little, she squinted to make out the odd shape. It began walking forward until it was bathed in a far off street light. And she saw him. It was the leader that had made a run for it. Renée's eyes almost immediately widened as she stumbled backwards a little into the alley.

"Rorschach...I-it's-"

"-time to go!"

Renée's wrist had been seized by the vigilante as he began speeding down the street. With a yelp, she barely managed to keep in tow. Apparently, one of the gang members had been wielding a loaded gun the entire time and had chosen to whip it out before Rorschach had a chance to execute his "method of intimidation".

Shots rang through the air as Rorschach and Renée ducked into an alley and behind a dumpster to throw off their pursuer. Renée had long since lost both her heels and sat tightly nestled between a dripping dumpster and a superhero. Rorschach kept a firm hand over her mouth and another around her torso to take up as little room as possible. It had become almost completely silent. All Renée could hear was their mismatched, laboured breathing as they strained to listen for any signs of the gang member.

There she sat, practically naked, in the arms of her childhood hero. In any other situation, this would be a dream come true. But now wasn't the time or the place to be dwelling on those thoughts. Although, she figured, she desperately needed a distraction to help her forget the traumatizing ordeal that she had just been through not a moment ago.

So she thought about it...

And thought about it...

And thought about it some more, until she came to a singular conclusion:

She was deeply infatuated with Rorschach.

Well all things considered, she figured, it couldn't be anything else. She had never really felt this way about someone before. And who better than the man she had idolized since she was a child? Before that thought could be concluded, she was swiftly being helped onto her feet. The head rush was rather unpleasant, as was the feeling of being barefoot and without a coat. Fully realizing her lack of clothing, Renée suddenly felt ashamed, gripping her arms and pulling at the hemline of her "dress". She tried to distract from it by saying something.

"So...how was the mission? Success or fail?"

She had made her sudden discomfort loud and clear to the antihero. A fact he was somewhat grateful for. It showed him that she was not, nor would she ever be, accustomed to wearing that manner of..."attire"...at any time. He did admire her bravery for going through with her plan, though he drew the conclusion afterwards that, more often than not, she thought with her heart, not her head. Again, an interesting creature this girl.

"On the whole, a fail. However managed to get a location from one of them before the gun was pulled."

"So, what does this mean? Are we doing this again?"

He thought for a moment. He had surprisingly overlooked that notion.

"...Perhaps. Will let you know if your assistance is needed again. Hmm...Be seeing you."

And with that, Rorschach turned around and left. Of course he wouldn't do this without knowing that she lived merely three blocks from where they stood. After standing there for a moment, watching him walk away into the night, Renée got up from against the wall and made her way home.

This would become routine. Every few nights or so, Renée would be summoned by Rorschach for her assistance. He'd knock on her door six times, head down to their meeting spot, and wait until she arrived. The hooker outfit had been decidedly forgotten, both of them feeling that it was unnecessary to attract the gangsters. And after every mission, a new clue would be found that put Rorschach one step closer to nabbing the gang for good. Some days went smoothly. Other times proved to be disastrous. Overall, luck was on their side and each mission was a success in some way.

Until one particularly stormy night on September 30th, 1985.

A/N: Now I know what you're thinking, and don't worry! I will let you know ahead of time whether or not I plan on taking forever again, which I most likely will not! It's all starting to come together so I think it's safe to say that the Writer's block is gonskie...For now! And you know what always helps with that? REVIEWS!!! :D