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

Karnak warm. Feel much better now. Follow Daniel. Shut Daniel up. Continue to follow Daniel. Like being behind Daniel. Has nice re-

Will think of that later. Daniel gains distance on stairs, I slow, looking at giant portrait. Man, Veidt, cutting rope in half with sword. Why? Symbolism? Glance up, Daniel signaled stop. Sneak rest of stairs. Veidt, eating tofu, or some other hippy food. Let Daniel fall back as I stalk prey. Mere inches when thrown like ragdoll, sleeve pinned to table with fork, backhanded across face. Damn. Damn Damn Damn. Lost hat.

"Manners."

Bastard. Teaching me 'manners'. He's a murderer. Scum. Filth. Must hurt.... can't. pinned. Aha! Shield eyes, Daniel going to stun Veidt. Banter, pointless, Veidt beyond words....hear bone break. Look up. Daniel's nose. Adrien finishing job started on owl ship. Feel pang of guilt. Begin to work on freeing self.

"Now...what can I do for you?" Bastard pouring self wine. Daniel engages more banter, getting him face away from me. Finally pull metal free of wood, intending simple stab in back of neck. Am anticipated. Fork digs into tray. Face wrenched to side. Can't see right. Can't see right! Fixing face, feel fist connect. Cheekbone. Fall. Shoulder lands on hat. Good. Like hat. Monologue boring me. Daniel helps me up, hands lingering for moments longer than not time for this. Push them away. Will have time later, when Veidt dead.

Replace hat. Holding with right hand on Daniels left elbow for a moment. Ankle still hurts. Rorschach feels no pain. Rorschach feels no pain. Must fight, must win. Let go of Daniel, pursue man in purple. Still chatting. Words just ego boosting imagery, justification. Has back turned, no mirror this time. At railing. Can be pushed over. May be damaged in fall. Daniel stops me.

Points out Cat. Hate Cat. Animal will kill to protect master. Reminds me of Dogs. Roche case. No. Don't think...figure out how to take Veidt and Cat down at once. Rooms filled with weapons, armor. Must be something useful. Veidt STILL talking. Daniel listening. Daniel soft. Should know better than to be manipulated by social prostitute. Don't trust Veidt's gaze. Don't trust Veidt, period. Daniel listening. Daniel soft, stupid.

Need to interupt. Need Daniel looking at ME, not him. Remind Daniel who is at fault here, who is insane, who is a murderer.

"Blake's murder. You confess?"

"Confession implies penitence. I merely regret his accidental involvement."

Impersonal bastard. Continues speaking, having gained half my attention. Something about genetics. Still glaring at Cat. Daniel voices a question, something about the end of war. Crazy man spews nonsense, alien attack. Daniel starts to laugh. Laughter not normal. Daniel scared. Will hurt Veidt, scaring my Daniel. Note flaw in his explaintation. He mentions teleportation, a key component of so-called plan.

"Said Teleportation unworkable." He admitted it moments ago. Crazy. Inconsistant.

Finally Daniel seeing reason. Veidt 'needs help'. Damn straight. Smile. suddenly disconcerted. Veidt's face. Serious.

"Do it? Dan, I'm not a republic serial villain. Do you serious think I'd explain my master stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome?" He slows his voice, speaking as if to retarded children. "I did it thirty five minutes ago."

He's telling the truth. No. No no no no no. Anger boils in veins. No. It's in my voice. Fists clenched. Want fair fight. "Take cat away, Veidt. Take cat away and face me..."

Daniel surprised by my vehemence. "Whoa." He puts a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me. Failing. "Adrien, I'm sorry, but I don't buy this hoax invasion story. Come on, what are you really up to?"

Adrien sighs. Daniel is so childish, naive. Optimistic. Loveable, but foolish. "Very well. Once more: I engineered a monster, cloned it's brain from a human psychic, sent it to New York and killed half of the city."

Daniel still on my shoulder. "Adrien, that's bullshit."

"No. Telling truth. Listen to voice. He did it."

"Look, nobody could do that. You're being-" Interrupt squable. Feel like old married couple. Insist.

"He did it. Half New York. Veidt, get rid of cat." Want to punch and punch and punch and kill and punch and make Veidt into a nothing.

"No, I don't think so. After all, her presence saves you the humiliation of another beating." He knows I don't want to be weak in front of Daniel? Dammit, how does he KNOW?!

"Hurrr." Angry. Daniel and Veidt banter more. Boring. Swear Veidt subtly seducing Daniel with his brain. Cat makes ugly noise. Veidt checks TVs, . Miss Juspczyk. Wonderful. Wish had stayed on Mars. Perhaps Manhattan shall assist in termination of Veidt though. Hope so. Veidt does not seem happy to see them. Runs, dog with tail between legs.

"Bubastis, quickily". Like a comic book villian, he flees. Haha. He shall lose, soon. Why is Jon not persuing?

"No, don't let him escape. Must stop him. Killed Blake. Killed half New York." I point, frantic. His pace is slow, he sounds...high?

"Yes. Yes, he killed Blake and half New York. Excuse me, Rorscach. I'm informing Laurie ninety seconds ago."

Daniel notices too. "What? Where's Laurie?"

Don't like that. Fist clenches.

"Jon? Are...are you okay? You seem sort of...I dunno....drugged or something...." Daniel and I need to talk.

"I-I'm sorry. It's these tachyons. They're muddling things up... I'd better follow him inside." Manhattan leaves us.

Take a mocking tone, pouting under my face. Under the latex. " 'Where's Laurie'?! Why do you CARE?"

"Jesus Rorschach. Jealous much? She's a friend."

"Hurmph. We'll discuss later. Don't like her."

Cat makes very loud ugly noises. Hope Jon skinning it.

Daniel pushes past, he see's Laurie. Half running? Bastard. She has a gun trained on Veidt. Perhaps not entirely useless. Though of course Dan knows a good many tasks she's capable of. I sneer. Don't like her.

Gunshots. Veidt's...dead? At Miss Juspczyk's hands? Good.

Good.