Storyverse. Dan/Rorschach, mature, sexual themes and actions, some violence, spoilers. Not what really happened, but all takes place in a time slot left blank by Moore and Gibbons, who own these characters. I only own my ideas. (first Watchmen fic, please be gentle)

I watch him put on his mask, and all I can do is frown. I don't want to lose the Walter I've found. I don't want to have to give him up, have him replaced by Rorschach, even if it is because of Rorscach that I had any interest in Walter in the first place. It's hard being in love with someone who had a split personality disorder. If I could just know what he's thinking under that thing, know if he needs comfort, or distance, or... or something. Is he all confused about the sex? Is he scared? Does he still feel dirty? With the mask on, I know I can't know. But I can't accept it. Or can I? No. I'm too much of a 'mother hen'. Maybe that should be my new name. Or perhaps "The Paunch Of Justice"... I need to lose weight. But this is no time to think about me.

He's staring out the window, 'face' unreadable, hurming quietly. I wish I knew what that meant. What should I do? What will help him? What will make him feel more comfortable right now? After a pause I walk to him, softly but not sneaking, giving him fair auditory warning before wrapping my arms around him from behind. "You okay, Walter?"

He doesn't respond neither physically nor audibly. It's as if he couldn't hear me, but my lips are almost brushing his ear. A few tense moments pass, I watch his fingers grip the metal window ledge, he seems stressed. I try again. "Rorschach? Are you...mad at me?"

"Hurm. No. Nite Owl good friend. Necessary ally. Needed against Veidt..... Daniel also good friend. Necessary."

He doesn't explain how, but... this is enough. This is enough for me. I'm glad he's not angry. I know from watching him pummel enough thugs into coma or submission, that he could probably kill me. No, strike the probably. He could kill me. I'm sure he could. I can't believe I've risked myself like this. He's unstable, he's volatile, he could drop me from the owl ship and I'd disappear in the arctic snow. Forever. The thought turns my stomach, I can't bear to dwell on it. I pray Rorschach thoughts are not on the same wavelength as mine as I disengage and go to Archie's steering column.

Several minutes pass. Rorschach begins pacing, his platform shoes on and making irritating noises against the grated floor of Archimedes. The steering is very stiff. I don't like it, my bird is usually far more manuverable. I don't understand what could be wrong. I make a noise of irritation, and Rorschach is at my seat within a moment, left hand on my chair.

"How much further? Said we were over Antartica hours ago."

"Veidt's fortress is nearby, along the coastline. That's what I'm following." I pause, feeling more resistance from my pet. "Listen, I don't like the way Archie's handling. I'm going to take him down.

Rorschach seems to approve. "Sensible move. Make final approach low, beneath radar."

"I don't think we've got much choice. You feel that sort of kicking in the engine, like it's about to seize?" It clicks for me. Fuck. I am a complete idiot. "Ice. Shit, I bet it's ice... I had him soacking on a river bed all yesterday, then bring him straight into sub-zero temperatures! Why didn't I think?"

A gloved finger jabs my shoulder. Rorschach's left thumb, getting my attention. "Daniel....coming in too low towards cliffs...."

Shit, cliffs. Damn you Adrien, why did you have to make your damn palace so hard to get to?! Cliffs?! I try to pull up, but again, Archie's puttering, and refusing to do as I want him to.

"Don't wish to interfere with running of ship, but should perhaps pull up sharpble before..."

I interupt him, getting scared. "I'm trying! I'm trying to pull him up, Goddamn it!" I pull harder, but am careful not to break the column. No need to panic, and accidentally make things worse. Finally I get some give. "Wait! Wait, I think it's coming. I think we've..." We crest the cliff unharmed. Thank God. "We've made it!

"Daniel...."

I don't want to hear it. I'm afrad of his criticsm, his impersonal tone. I don't want ot listen to him right now, so I force my own words over his. "It's okay, we did it. We cleared the..."

"Daniel, engines just stopped."

Dammit. "What?!"

"Said: engines just -"

I hear it now. Or rather, I don't hear it. Engines aren't running anymore. That might be a problem. "Alright! Alright, I know! Jesus Christ.... Lemme try to Whooo-ooah!" Archie's falling fast, my stomach falling through the floor. And I'm seated. Rorschach grips my shoulder hard for a moment before quickly grabbing back onto my chair.

"Ennk...."

"Hold on to something! I'm losing it! He's rolling. I think we're going to...." And then impact. I doubt Rorschach's grip on the chair was enough, he's leaning to one side. "Ow. You okay?"

"Twisted ankle. Nothing serious. Landed on it badly night police took me. How bad is damage to ship?"

I'm glad he's not too hurt, smiling slightly as he stoops to grab his hat, trying to pretend it never left his head. "Difficult to say. Nothing I could fix given a few hours. It'd be quicker to cover the remaining distance on the hoverbikes.The instruments put us within twenty miles of Veidt's Fortress." I turn, pulling a wardrobe out of the wall, and slidding a pannel to reveal the hoverbikes. "You break out the bikes while I get into my snow suit..... You're sure I can't fit you out in something a little bit warmer?"

"Fine like this." Just like with the beans. Never wanting any heat from me. Never wanting me to warm his core. Rorschach sure is a strange one, and the mother hen in me is clucking fitfully. Can't force him though. No use trying.

"Well, whatever you want. Give me a second and I'll open the rear door so you can unload those..."

"Used these when we took underboss. Remember riding along sewer." It's a fond memory. One of the first times I found myself staring at Rorschach the wrong way.

"God, yes! They knew we couldn't get Archie down there so they thought they were safe. Then you shoot out of that tunnel, with the gas cloud, all the rats running ahead of you...man! Their faces!"

"Yes. Good night. Think of it often." It makes me smile behind my insane puffball suit to know that Rorschach thinks of me often, in a good light. That maybe I can get to Rorschach, not just Walter. Maybe I can make them be the same person again. With time, anything is possible."As I recall, controls simple; just two pedals and steering column."

"You got it." I glance back at Archie. "Tch. Look at that ice. Better fix it soon as we get back..."

"IF we get back."

"Yeah." I don't want to think about that. I need to believe that Rorschach and I will be together, that we'll both survive... his pessimism can't get to me. I won't let it. "Yeah. If we get back. I'm going to secure the ship anyway." I remotely lock the vehicle, though at the moment it's nothing more than a very sentimental and oversized paperweight. "There. Okay, I guess that's it."

We'll make this easy. I start, leading Rorschach, getting ahead. Just get in, get answers, get out. No one needs to get hurt. "What are we waiting for?"