Ch. 50

"Do we have to go to this dinner?" Walter asked Laurie as they walked in a brisk pace towards Sally's house.

"I suppose we don't have to," Laurie admitted. "But we should."

Walter sighed.

"And of course, it has to be a dinner," Walter told her. "I ask her not to have a dinner and she makes it a dinner anyway."

"That sounds like her," Laurie laughed. "It's funny since she complains that Dad does things like that, but she's worse. Dad does what he wants. But Mom? I think she waits for you to tell her what you don't like just so she can go ahead and do it."

"I certainly do not like how things are going, so she is doing her job quite well," Walter said, folding his arms.

"Oh, Walter," Laurie sighed. "I'm just glad she's being accepting and non-judgmental for once."

"Would you like to bet on that?" Walter muttered.

Laurie gave Walter a pained look, so Walter stopped complaining. What else could he do?

They reached Sally's home and she came out, gushing pleasantries and such before ushering them to her car. The three of them drove down to Sally's favorite restaurant. Walter thought his ears would fall off as Sally talked pretty much constantly. On top of that, Laurie was a runner-up for blabbermouth award of the year.

"I was telling James," said Sally, "That's the new neighbor across the street. He's a dentist from California, very cute. I'm sure you'd love him, Laurie."

Walter glared at Sally, who only glanced at him briefly before continuing.

"I was telling James that maybe it would be a good idea to retire to California one day," she said. "Not now, of course, but when I'm older."

"Walter and I are going to California," Laurie told her. "Well, not to retire. But with Nelly and Dan. We're having a crime fighter's conference there."

"Oh," Sally sniffed. "Well."

The table went silent, and Walter cleared his throat a little to ease the tension. Laurie grabbed his hand under the table.

"Yeah," said Laurie, looking at Walter and frowning a little. Walter shrugged, but he stroked the back of Laurie's hand in a reassuring manner. "Luckily Nelly is taking us, and all expenses are paid, courtesy of our Californian counterparts."

"Ah," said Sally, "How much do you make, Walter?"

"Mom," exclaimed Laurie.

"If he's not going to tell me what he does, he could at least tell me if he can provide for my daughter."

"That doesn't matter, Mom. And what does this have to do with anything?"

"Speaking of expenses reminded me, Laurie. And what were we saying about being realistic?" Sally pointed at Walter. "Can you provide for my daughter? Or will she have to work too?"

"I don't mind working," Laurie told Walter.

"What will you do if I can't?" Walter asked Sally. "Give her the money that your ex-husband made for you and hold it against her?"

Sally looked offended.

"No," she said. "Of course not."

"I'm sure things will work out just fine," Walter told her stiffly.

"How long have you two been together?" Sally asked. "Do you have any serious intentions for my daughter, or are you just stringing her along while you get your crime fighting out of the way?"

"Mother," Laurie snapped.

"It's a perfectly decent question, Laurie," Sally said. "Considering you two are practically living together now. Can you afford a ring?"

"You're being insulting," Laurie said.

"I don't want you to have a hard life, Laurie."

"No, just a hard time, apparently." Laurie folded her arms.

More silence. Sally looked at Walter expectantly, but he didn't feel she deserved any sort of response. Dinner ended with their only dessert being the bitter taste that he was sure was in everyone's mouths. The bill arrived and Sally waved it at Walter.

"There you go," she told him.

Walter paid it almost without hesitation, but he hated Laurie's mother nonetheless. Sally seemed satisfied now, and resumed her normal conversation with Laurie, who seemed less than enthusiastic about talking to her mother now. Sally drove them back to her house and invited them inside, but Laurie declined and left with Walter. They walked in silence, though still hand in hand. Walter was playing the conversation with Sally over again in his mind. He didn't like to admit it, but Sally was right. He was practically living with her daughter, and they hadn't said anything about getting married. What a hypocrite he had been, allowing them to continue on like this. At the same time, he really didn't care anymore -- they weren't doing anything wrong.

"I'm really sorry about that," Laurie said, taking Walter out of his thoughts. "I know she can be tough but I didn't think she would be this rude."

Walter shrugged.

"Not your fault," he told her.

"I still feel bad anyway."

"It's all right."

Laurie frowned and nodded. She was looking at her feet as they walked. Walter studied her for a moment.

"Would you prefer a nicer sort of ring?" Walter asked Laurie.

"What do you mean?" Laurie asked, looking surprised.

"If you had a choice," he told her. "Would you rather have something more expensive?"

Laurie laughed.

"Oh, it doesn't matter," she told him. "All that is just for show, anyway."

"You're not just saying that?"

"No," Laurie peered at him. "I...I'm sure I'll be perfectly happy with whatever you come up with, Walter."

Walter nodded, pleased with her response.

"I do intend to marry you," he informed her. "Just not asking right this moment."

"I know," Laurie smiled a little. "I'm sure you know what my answer would be."

"'No, try again'?"

"Walter," Laurie laughed. "Am I usually that awful to you?"

"Never."

Laurie took Walter's hand and smiled at him affectionately. Walter returned the gesture. They went to Walter's apartment, where it was his turn to sort through his essentials while Laurie watched him. Walter hummed a little to himself as he folded his clothes and placed them in a pack. He was focusing on the task at hand, but he was also thinking about Sally Jupiter again. The more he thought of her, the angrier he became.

"I just don't understand why she has to hate me so much," Walter said, finally.

"Who?"

"Your mother."

"I don't think she hates you," Laurie said, biting her lip.

"She does," Walter said, bitterly. "She hates me because I don't tell her anything. She hates me because I don't patronize her, like Dan does. She hates me because she wants a better man for her daughter."

"Walter," Laurie sighed. "Even if she hated every single thing about you, that doesn't really matter. She doesn't have a say in anything that goes on between us."

Walter glared and muttered to himself. Laurie smiled at him and came closer to put her arms around him. She kissed him and he resisted a little, wanting to stew in his anger, but after a moment he just couldn't take his hands off of her. They retired to bed early. Walter lay in Laurie's arms and wished he could make love to her. But there was still a part of him that resisted -- it wasn't the right time or place. Would it ever be?

Walter worried over the details of their relationship. Sally was all but forgotten, but Walter moved on to other points. Maybe after all this Agent Orange business was done and over with, he could take the next step with Laurie. They could focus on getting together at last. Yes, he would just think about it later. But what if that was all he ever did? He didn't want to push this away in favor of Agent Orange's case. But he couldn't think of anything else while he was out there. Was that bad?

Walter did not sleep much that night. He woke up the next morning and went to work. Sunday was coming up the next day and they might be on their way to California by Monday, even, so he told Mr. Petersen about the trip that day. His employer was quite understanding.

"Yes, by all means, go ahead," Mr. Petersen said, nodding his snowy-white head. "Are you getting married?"

"No," Walter said, blushing, "It's not a honeymoon by all means, just a... a conference."

"Ah." Mr. Petersen nodded, but did not inquire into the nature of the conference.

"Are you sure it's all right, Mr. Petersen?" Walter asked, cautiously. "I would be gone for two weeks at the most, and--"

"Oh, I think anything you do would be all right, my boy," Mr. Petersen said, suddenly taking Walter's hand. "You have been nothing but industrious, kind, and absolutely polite. Such a good boy; you deserve so much more than all this."

"Thank you," Walter said. "You are so generous to me, Mr. Petersen."

Mr. Petersen smiled.

"Well then," he said, "Why don't you help me write all this down? So I don't forget."

Walter nodded, feeling a lump grow in his throat and not knowing why. That night after he closed shop, Walter shook his employer's hand. He really hoped Mr. Petersen would be all right without Walter there. It pained him to leave him behind, even for a couple of weeks, but in the end, the more urgent of his two duties won. That night he, Nightshade, and Nite Owl II went patrolling. They worked extra hard to cover as much area as they could. Afterwards, the three of them stood together on a rooftop with Archie behind them, watching the rising sun.

"It almost feels like we're retiring, or something," Nite Owl II said. "Isn't that strange?"

"I was thinking the same thing," said Nightshade. "As if all this wouldn't be here when we returned."

"Or California is going to change us so explicitly we won't fit in here anymore," said Nite Owl II.

Nite Owl II and Nightshade laughed at that. Rorschach said nothing.

How was it that it had come to this?

In his mind he thought he was doing the right thing -- going to a far away state to catch the criminal that was so keen on being caught by him and only him. Whenever someone spoke of it aloud, however, Rorschach always felt uneasy. He was going out of his element. This city, he knew like the back of his hand. It was all he knew, and going to California was insane. How willing was he to get to his goals no matter what the cost?

"I better go," said Nite Owl II. "Before the sun comes up too much and people start coming out."

"Bye, Dan," said Nightshade.

"Bye, Laurie; Walter." Nite Owl II nodded to them and climbed aboard his owl ship and flew away.

Rorschach and Nightshade returned to Blake's house as it was closer to where they were than Walter's apartment.

"What's the matter, Walter?" Nightshade asked, finally. They were only a couple of blocks away from home and the prospect of going inside made Rorschach unbelievably tired.

Rorschach paused briefly, unsure of how to answer her. Would saying that it was everything that was the matter overly dramatic? He supposed it was, but that was how it felt. He shouldn't have to do this. He shouldn't have to leave behind his virtually helpless employer and he shouldn't have to leave the streets empty without his help or any of the other crime fighters'. He shouldn't have to drive three thousand miles to catch a murderer.

Yet, that was how it was going to be, wasn't it? Rorschach just hoped this would be quick and painless.

"I'm fine."

Rorschach ignored the exasperated look Nightshade gave him and took her hand instead.

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To be continued...