Spiritual Succession

The Masks of Comedy and Tragedy

(Warnings: M, AU, some violence, movie references, Evey's POV)

Showering after a long night spent sweaty and dusty had been extremely refreshing.

Evey was blow-drying her hair when she heard the sound of a disturbance outside, though it turned out to be only Laurie knocking on the door.

"Are you okay in there, hun? My spares aren't too big or anything, are they?" she asked, muffled by the door between them.

Evey considered the liquid leggings that clung to her thin, toned legs, and the baggy white shirt that trailed down to her thighs, emblazoned with loud graphical designs. A thin belt was secured around her rib cage, just below her endowments. For someone whose age was encroaching into her mid-fifties, Laurie was still a well-kept woman, what with her figure still like that of a young woman's. The chic style, though, was probably a little outlandish, considering the older woman's age.

"They fit pretty well, actually. They're a little loose, but I am shorter and a little smaller, so I guess that's to be expected," Evey placated, receiving calm laughter through the door.

"Alright, finish up. Come to my room when you're done, alright?"

Evey flipped the hair dryer back on, finishing off her slightly damp hair. After which, she cleaned the bathroom up and piled her costume in her hands, a little incised as to how sweaty and dusty it smelled.

"We have a guest bedroom you can sleep in. It's a little unkempt, but it's nothing a little cleaning can't handle," Laurie said as Evey walked into the bedroom the older woman shared with her husband.

"Um, what should I do with this?" Evey nodded down at her costume, face a little uncertain. Though the apartment was spacious enough, though there didn't seem to be any sign of a laundry room.

"Just dump it in that hamper over there," Laurie nodded to a tall, lidded basket in the corner. She was seated on the queen-sized bed that engulfed most of the space in the room, a modest vanity to the left; a small closet to the right, the bed flanked by two matching nightstands with aging, retro lamps. The room itself was painted an ugly mustard, but it was beginning to fade to a buttery yellow from age.

Laurie patted the seat next to her, Evey taking the spot on the bed. "This all must be very confusing to you, Evey. Is there anything you want to ask?"

"Dr. Manhattan has this ability to raise the dead back to life, and...I honestly want to ask him if he can bring V and my parents back to life."

Laurie looked sympathetic. "He certainly could, but he's bound by a different set of values and morals, if you can even call them that. He never acts outside of what he's supposed to do, I guess. He's like a bird migrating south, who can never go back or in any other direction," she sighed. "God, can anyone blame you? Losing your family at such a young age...and the man you love. If I were you, I'd probably force him to do it, even if it ripped the fabric of time apart."

"At the same time...it feels like a selfish thing to do. I mean, what if they don't want to come back? Maybe they're happy in some heaven, and maybe they belong there. Or, if Jon's right, they might just be atoms floating around somewhere. I don't know...I know that would be selfish. Especially since V died completely fulfilled. It feels like I would rob him of that peace, even if he was with me," Evey figured, eyes heavy with melancholy as she fingered the necklace.

"Even if I can bring them back, it's not for me to decide. They would have to choose for themselves." Both women turned their gazes towards the door, Jon glowing starkly against the yellow walls. "He's down in the basement with Dan," he announced, then turning around and walking out of sight.

Evey rose, but was a little bemused to see that Laurie remained on the bed. "Aren't you coming?" she inquired, waiting at the door.

Laurie shook her head. "I have to cook dinner. Besides, I don't feel like seeing Rorschach right now. We've never been the type to get along anyway. I want you three to soothe things over with that maniac before he takes one step in our house."

Evey smiled. "Alright. We'll be right back," she reassured before leaving the room and taking the stairs from the kitchen and into Dreiberg's secret lair.

"No need. Jon filled me in. Told me everything. Left bad taste in mouth."

Evey silently stepped in, cautiously surveying the area, eyes resting on a figure dressed in a shabby suit, trench coat, fedora, ink blot mask, as well as sporting other miscellaneous accessories. The masked man jerked his head sharply towards her, Evey fearlessly matching his gaze.

"It's good to see you join us, Evey," Jon greeted mildly, drawing the other two mans' attentions as well.

Evey walked down a few more short flights of stairs before coming to the lowest level, shyly averting their eyes as she came under Rorschach's merciless scrutiny, driving her to take refuge at Jon's side, the god-like man the only one impervious from the intimidating figure.

"Who's the kid?" Rorschach gruffed, fitting his gloved hands in his pockets.

"Oh, allow me to introduce you. Rorschach, this Evey Hammond. She's the successor of the original V who single-handedly overthrew the fascist regime in their country. Evey, this is Rorschach, a long-time friend and crime-fighting partner of mine. I think you two are well-aware as why we're all here," Dan introduced, encouraging them both to bridge the gap in between them slightly.

"Um, it's good to meet you, Rorschach," Evey stated firmly, knowing full well how to deal with men like him.

"Hurm," the masked man growled, turning away.

"God, I can't believe it's been seventeen years since I've seen you, man. I really missed the times we spent scouring the underworld, don't you? Anyway, you look great!" Dan enthused, not doing much to cut through the awkward tension.

"Tends to happen when you've been dead for nearly two decades," Rorschach spat, scratching his nose and crudely sniffing.

"Well, it'll be like the good old days, huh? Heck, it'll be like the Crimebusters all over again!"

"That's what I'm afraid of," Rorschach dully retorted.

"Ah, well... I'm going to help Laurie with dinner. I'll call you guys up when we're done." Dan darted up the stairs, leaving them both alone among the base strewn with nostalgic paraphernalia.

As soon as he said that, Rorschach began making headway towards the subway tunnel, skirting around Archie.

"Hey, where are you going?" Evey called, making him visibly twitch.

"Going out. Don't want to stay here," he explained tersely.

Suddenly, a blue, iridescent barrier materialized a foot away from where Rorschach was, stopping him cold. He spun around and marched back.

"Let me go, Jon," he demanded lowly, hands balling into fists.

"You know I can't do that. Dan and Laurie invited us to dinner. It would be rude to suddenly disappear, as you mean to," the blue man said evenly.

Rorschach audibly growled in irritation, heading towards the left of Archie and sitting upon the landing, visibly brooding.

Evey cautiously made way towards him, deciding to sit a good meter away from him. "You know, like it or not, they're going to want to keep us together. Personally, I want to conduct my own investigations just as much as you do. It feels like a waste of time, just sitting around here, biding our time for simple pleasantries. Of course, Jon won't hear it." Jon looked impassively at her at the mention of his name.

"Good to know I'm not the only one irritated by them," he groused sarcastically.

"You don't like other people very much, do you?"

"Don't like people who can't see world like I do. Don't like bystanders who do nothing. Hate leftists of any kind," he replied.

"Well, you're being surprisingly amicable with me," Evey said somewhat cheekily, feeling his withering stare even beneath his mask.

"Don't like fact your predecessor was anarchist. Okay with fact you reinstated true democracy. Dislike idea of English society becoming liberal wet dream. Mixed feelings about you. Younger and more able-bodied than Dan or Laurie. More useful."

"Well, I see you as a practical asset. Violence is necessary sometimes. Even if it's a double-edged sword to my ideals, I've come to see it's necessity," Evey said.

"As long as you stay out of my way, won't be a problem."

Rorscach, to say it mildly, looked extremely uncomfortable at the dinner table. He seemed to see their attempts at engaging in conversation as inviting as being forced into contradictory ideals. The staple of his reactions were nodding or shaking his head yes or no, respectively. Jon, of course, had no need for "primitive nourishment" and instead was content to stare whatever fascinating happenings were occurring on the subatomic level. Simply put, they'd left him be while he stared off into space.

"And, Rorschach, if you come in this house with so much as a wet leaf on your shoe, I'll split your skull and force you to watch porn for a week," Laurie threatened lightly, spooning another bit of soup she'd made.

Rorschach merely growled in response, almost bending his spoon, his only outlet for his usually unchecked irritation.

"Um, a little off topic, but I've come to some conclusions as to how we should approach your false identities," Dan broached. "Evey, you actually have some features similar to ours, so I thought you could pose as our daughter for your stay here. And Rorschach, Evey was able to hack into security databases and delete all relevant information off the system, so you can start off again as whomever you'd like. Of course, there will be times when you won't be able to wear your 'face'."

"You want me to choose alias."

"Pretty much," Dan affirmed.

Rorschach pondered deeply for about a minute. "...Charlie," he said finally.

"Charlie...?" Laurie echoed, encouraging him to elaborate.

"Charlie Herman."

Laurie looked thoughtful, than piecing the correlation. "Um, won't that give you away a little? I mean, the right people will connect it to Hermann Rorschach."

"The right people are gone. Or too scared. Been too long for others to care. Or remember," Rorschach gruffed.

"That was your father's believed name."

Activity at the table suddenly paused as all eyes rested on Evey.

"I saw your files, Rorschach, and read them," Evey admitted frankly, "before I deleted them."

The lower half of Rorschach's face pulled into an intense scowl, teeth bare. He slammed his utensils on the table, causing theirs to clatter, then shoving his chair to the floor loudly before stalking towards the door. They saw as he yanked his mask back down again.

He slammed it brazenly behind him, they watching as his silhouette walked away.

"He'll be back. Rorschach will just need to let off some steam, than he'll be fine. Don't sweat it, Evey," Dan said lightly.

"He has a sensitive past. At the very least, it will give me enough insight to avoid touchy topics. Can't have him flying into a murderous rage if I say the wrong thing," Evey shrugged.

"Let's just hope he doesn't stab any of us in our sleep," Laurie quipped sarcastically, cracking a grin that Dan matched.

As suspected, Rorschach hadn't returned yet, Evey noticed as she walked back into the basement.

Jon had heard her, turning his head. "Hello, Evey," he greeted.

"I'm glad you're here. Um...I wanted to ask you something," she began tentatively.

"I already know what you want."

"Of course you do. But can you do it?" she challenged.

"He's already there, waiting. I already knew this would happen."

Evey's heart climbed into her throat, making her head throb with every beat, adrenaline surging through her veins.

Jon wordlessly walked to her, raising a hand that hovered over her head. Sparks flew and the electricity in the air made its excitement plain. Before she could prepare herself for teleportation, she was already on her way.

Evey steadied herself as she collapsed to the ground, vision blurred by grainy spots. Her head throbbed from the disorientation, and it took her a good ten seconds before she felt stable again. She looked around in surprise at the sight of a wide meadow stretching around her, pleasantly hilly, enclosed by a thick forest. It was like an exact replica of earth.

She found her bearings, although when she turned around, she froze in place.

Evey saw him standing there in the center of the meadow, back to her, a wave of both sadness and immeasurable joy pouring through her being like standing beneath a heavy waterfall.

This was V. Him. Not Dominic. Not her own reflection. Him. The king of the 20th century. The bogey-man. The black sheep of the family. The true V.

Her V.

On this alien planet, on some far-flung place teeming with life, had this precious chance come. She didn't want to care that he'd be gone after this. Jon had gifted her this moment, and she'd be damned if she stood there just doubting like some innocent, incoherent fool.

Evey raced towards him, hearing a breathless, "Evey—", before cutting him off with a fierce, long kiss, arms wrapping around his neck, lips molding to his mask's mouth. His listless hands rose and coiled around her waist, their forms fitting together like two halves of a broken heart, warm and tender.

They slowly sank to the ground, breaking the kiss. Sitting on his lap, she pulled him towards her to rest against her chest, cradling him close, while his arms coiled tightly around her.

"By what stroke of divine providence this is, I do not know. But to question it would be utter foolishness," he whispered into one of her ears, making her shiver at the sound of his voice.

"V, you understand what's going on, a little, don't you?" Evey asked tentatively, distancing herself enough to look at him in the face.

"If this is heaven, then I am dead. Yes...I know I died. The events leading up to it, I remember. If this is indeed death, and if this place is some form of afterlife, then let me remain. And if you are but a conjuration, then let it persist. For you are my heaven, Evey, my garden of Eden..." V sighed, pulling her close again.

"V, wait. This isn't some illusion. You and I are alive. You were brought back by Doctor Manhattan," she explained, stroking the sides of his mask tenderly.

"I've heard of him before. He disappeared in 1985. This place must be his creation, and he must have certainly brought me back. Certainly, it's the most sensible explanation, rather than the ravings of a mad man," V surmised, a hand stroking the side of Evey's face.

"I don't know how long we have, but...I don't care. He's going to revert you to what you were, V...atoms or a ghost or particles..." she drifted, taking his hand from her face and placing small kisses on it.

And you won't remember any of this.

"Evey, even so, I will always protect you. I don't know what awaits me in the beyond, or how deities see us, or what science says we are. Let them chose. But now, let us be." V sealed the gap between them, encouraging Evey into another warm, long kiss.

Their bodies leaned back, soon to be caressed by lush grasses and tender greens, the fragrance of flowers enveloping them both. They lay side-by-side, on their sides, absorbed in each other.

"V, I have something to say to you, that I never got the chance to." He waited, brushing a stray curl away from her face.

"I love you. I love you so much, V. It's been four years since that day, but by God himself, I love you. Every day I felt regret from never telling you. It tortured me so much. But, here you are..." Evey gazed at him deeply, eyes shining with impending tears. "God, I promised that I wouldn't cry. I'm supposed to be strong..."

"I love you, sweet Eve. You've become so beautiful and strong. You have no reason to hold back," he gently soothed, sitting up, letting Evey lay between his legs and against his chest.

"I just want this to last forever," Evey sighed, closing her eyes as she deeply breathed in his scent of Violet Carsons, lilies; simply resting against his warm form made her feel at peace, his heartbeat sounding in her ear.

"Evey, what if I told you that when I wound up here, the first thought within my mind was of you?"

Evey raised her head, smiling. "And what if I told you that with every waking moment, you were constantly in mine?" She craned her neck, brushing away some of his shoulder-length hair, kissing at his throat. Her fingers pulled down the zipper to his collarbone, craning further as she continued kissing down his windpipe, exposing skin marred by old scars.

"Evey, don't—" V began to protest, starkly contrasting to skin flushed deeply with pleasure. Evey didn't listen. She continued to sensually kiss his chest, returning to his neck, every inch made vulnerable to her coy ministrations.

"Evey, please," V amended, pushing her away slightly, breathing hot and heavy through his mask, "don't tempt me like this. I was already nearing my limit when you first came, and now I've barely a drop of restraint left. I do want you, more than anything, but try to understand." He clumsily zipped his tunic back up, swallowing thickly.

Evey blushed from shame. "I'm sorry, V. I get a little carried away sometimes."

V stroked the side of her face. "It's quite alright, sweet Evey," he forgave. "Although, would you do me the pleasure of walking with me?"

She pushed herself away from him, feeling strangely empty as she helped V to his feet, intentionally catching him in her arms. He'd chuckled lightly, not at all seeming to mind.

Both of them stood, and V offered an arm like a gentleman, which Evey unhesitatingly took. She hugged it close to her, V warmly touching her cheek before they set across an untamed field of emerald grasses.

"This place is truly incredible. Your friend could easily solve all of humanity's ills if he let himself," V commented, his gaze sent among the azure sky, fluffy clouds rolling lazily across it.

"He's strange. Manhattan will only solve problems if they're predestined. He told me that humans live in an illusion of free will, when in truth it was planned. And yet he seems to have forgotten what living as a human is like," Evey replied.

"I could tell you of the many philosophers through the ages who tried to understand the human condition, to pin down what drives us. I think that the Doctor doesn't quite seem to realize that he is also a philosopher. He understands humanity no better than anyone else, but the sounds of it."

"On a dissimilar note, what progress has been made in London?" V inquired, a sweet breeze ruffling through his brunette wig.

"Quite a lot. After the revolution, I helped round up the last of Norsefire's governmental officials and sympathizers, and afterwords everyone seemed to forget the matter of government. We all dispersed, and for the next two months, everyone went around the country to volunteer in any way that was needed. Then, we found the intellectuals who had been in hiding, and those gifted in law assisted in drafting the first democratic constitution since Norsefire's take-over, proliferating it so every Londoner could read and agree and suggest changes. After that, we found trusted and lawful people who volunteered to take up the mantle of a new government, to which every Englishman consented to. They were voted in democratically, and from there we all worked to restructure society back to its proper form. From there, we relocated people, welcomed minorities back, and did all sorts of things to reform ourselves. It's paradise on Earth, V; or, at the very least, it's very close to being such a place," Evey recounted, a smile alighting to her face. "Have I been doing well so far?"

"Better than I could've imagined, dear Evey. I do wish to see it, but on that last night, the cruelty of the old world died with me. I've no place there anymore," V said solemnly.

They stopped. "You could be there. We could live the rest of our days together... I could convince Manhattan to bring you back." She gazed at him with pleading eyes.

"No, Evey. I died a fulfilled man, with my life's mission complete. You mustn't live for me anymore; you're a young woman with a full life ahead of you. You must learn to live with sacrifice, Evey, and only then will you grow truly strong. Dealing with my loss gave you the strength to move forward," V told her firmly.

"I know...but, V, I love you. And if you want me to be completely honest, I'm selfish. I want to be with you," Evey returned.

"Be selfish for yourself, Evey. Live for yourself."

Evey wrenched her arm from V's, stalking away, boiling with anger. "God, V, you don't understand at all! Why do you have to tear out my heart every time we say good-bye?! I'm bloody tired of the heartache, and I can't do it again! Please, don't do this me!" she cried, slamming her foot on the ground with raw anger.

"Evey, it's exactly for this reason that we must. You can't waste your life mourning for me. Try to understand," V reasoned, raising a hand, poised over her shoulder.

"Bloody hell! No, I refuse to understand! You don't get love at all! You're bloody daft!" she railed, wrenching her fingers through her tight blonde curls.

Evey suddenly collapsed to the ground, shoulders heaving as she began to sob. "I'm sorry, V, I'm so sorry. But, I couldn't say good-bye then, and I can't do it now. I'm so pathetic. I'm not strong like you are. I can easily pretend, but in reality, I'm still that bloody little girl on the inside. I haven't changed in the least."

She heard as V knelt next to her, a pair of arms circling around and pulling her against his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know what it is you feel, Evey, but it pains me more knowing that you live in sadness when I can't be there. I wish that things could simply resolve themselves."

Evey leaned against him. "The solution is simple in itself. You could come back and we could live together," she insisted, pressing desperate eyes into his, possessively winding her arms about his waist.

"It wouldn't be allowed. A man who dies and comes back...it's against nature."

"Manhattan brought back another old comrade, and he's with us. You could be, too," Evey said pleadingly.

"Evey, nothing I say can elaborate what I'm thinking of. The only thing I can offer is for you to trust me."

She pulled back. "What can I trust in? Losing you again? Separation forever? Living the rest of my life without you?" her voice cracked, tears breaking from formerly dried eyes.

"Only fate knows the answer," he replied enigmatically.

"Fate is a computer," came her short retort.

"Evey, neither of us has the answer. And if our time is as short as you say it could be, is arguing like this really the wisest way to spend it?" V asked pointedly, reaching out to her again.

"I know...just, god," Evey sighed in defeat. "V, I love you. Whatever happens, that will never change. Even though the world will, so much..." Both sank to the ground again, Evey resting on V's bicep, sweet spring scents and the flourish of breezes twisting through the grasses lulling her to sleep.

"Good luck, sweet Evey. I love you. Ave...Atque...vale..."

Evey awoke with a start. "V!" she called urgently, throwing her gaze around the scenery that had suddenly changed.

She gazed around the inky blackness of the room, at the hard lines of the walls and single dresser silhouetted against moonlight that poured in through translucent curtains. The dissonance of a distant subway howled through the night, the blare of cars jammed in late-night traffic jarring her slightly. The mattress beneath was firm, and she felt cold without the sheets she simply rested above.

"A dream," she figured dully, bitter disappointment weighing on her heart. "It was all just a dream..."

"You were there."

Startled, her head shot up to see Jon's glowing form, his unnatural blue aura bleeding into the midnight darkness, standing before the foot of the bed.

"Everything was real. I brought you back because it was an appropriate time," he simply told her.

"Why didn't you bring him back too? Is he gone?" she demanded shakily.

Jon gazed with detachment at her necklace, which suddenly became white-hot against her skin. With a yelp, she yanked it off her neck and threw it to the bed.

"Like turning oxygen into gold..." he murmured forlornly.

"Jon! Answer my question!" Evey cried shrilly.

He gazed at her once, then back at the necklace, which had cooled entirely. She picked it up again, cradling it for a moment before putting it back on.

When she looked back up again to where Jon was, he was gone.

When Evey made way down the hall from her room, she was slightly startled by the sight of Rorschach standing stalwart before her. She schooled her features into a steady calm, matching his gaze evenly, they standing at nearly the same height, she barely an inch shorter than he.

"Good morning, Rorschach," she greeted. "Did things go well last night?"

"Don't speak of my past. Ever," Rorschach replied with a growl. "Fact you erased it only thing stopping me from going something regretful."

"Well, for starters, it was a mere slip. Secondly, if your trust in us is so threatened, I highly suggest you reconsider your place here. Thirdly, I'd like to think that as long as you need my help, I'd recommend abiding by laws of common courtesy. As of yet, I feel no obligation to your cause and would happily leave. And lastly," her voice dropping to a threatening low, "I'll be damned if you could even try."

Evey took a few cautionary steps back before springing from the ground, pulling into a tight ball, and flipping neatly over his head. Landing squarely on her feet, she made headway into the kitchen.

She was greeted by the sight of Laurie and Dan currently engaged in cooking a feast of a mid-morning brunch, the table already graciously spread with plates heaped with delicious looking food, reminding herself of the fact that she hardly ever ate so well. Her years spent as V's successor had reduced her cravings for worldly delights, and as such her appetite diminished to a need for bare necessity. Of course, the years spent living in near poverty during Susan's regime altogether destroyed any dreams of such delights. Her eyes didn't dance with sugar drops or candies as a child; they were often filled with fear.

"Good morning, Evey," Laurie greeted warmly, accompanied with a kind smile sent from Dan. The cheer in her eyes faded somewhat as Rorschach emerged from behind, hands hooked in his pockets still.

"Rorschach, the least you could do is take off your trench coat and hat. I'd also appreciate it if you took a quick shower before breakfast," Laurie requested with forced polity.

Rorschach spat out a growl, merely standing in place like an impudent child.

"Hon, he's had a long night out. Just leave him be," Dan placated, throwing Rorschach a nod, to which the masked man took as an invitation to retreat downstairs.

Evey's eyes followed him, stepping aside as Rorschach simply stomped his way aggressively down the basement stair.

Laurie sighed loudly, raking her fingers through her hair. "Dan, by God, I don't understand how you put up with him! If he's our guest, the least I can do is maybe acquaint him with normalcy! I mean, he's one of your closest friends, right? Wouldn't it just make sense for him for me to treat as such, by letting him live with normal things?" The anger in her voice simmered into her speech, her dislike of him evident.

"Laurie, his life was never normal. I'm not going to go into it, but it was hell, to put it lightly. Normal doesn't exist in the sense that we understand it. I know you may not understand, but let me deal with him. I set him up in the basement, which is what he wants. Just let him be, and I'll worry about him. You've already got Jon and Evey to worry about, don't you?"

Laurie smiled softly. "I trust you, Dan. And I do agree," she added, "that Evey here could use some TLC."

Evey came to attention at the mention of her name, peeking into the kitchen. She came to the sight of Dan clamoring down the stairs with Laurie left to preside over the rest of the cooking. "Good morning," Laurie smiled at Evey. "Did you sleep well?"

Evey shook her head, feeling a vulnerable honesty wanting to overflow from her lips. "Jon let me meet V last night, on his strange alien world. It was so real, and then it ended. I swore that I was dreaming, but it was never a dream. It was all real."

Laurie's eyes and expression immediately grew sympathetic. "Evey, I'm so sorry."

The younger girl shook her head, gazing at Laurie earnestly. "You know, I've decided to stop dwelling so much on it. I got to see him again after so long, which is something so many of us wish we could do, but never can. I've decided to stop living in mourning. V lived a fulfilled life, and doesn't want to be brought back. I can't really blame him. He embraced death nobly, and to cheat it would be dishonorable in his eyes. I love him enough to let him go. If we're meant to be together by some sort of miracle, I'll accept that. But until that time comes, I can draw strength from his sacrifice and keep living for myself, and his ideals. Not for a man who died with satisfaction. I'll always love him and carry on his legacy, which I know is what he truly wants," Evey resolved, the truth lifting the heavy burden from her shoulders after so long. "Besides, he'll always be with me, in a sense." She touched the necklace hung around her neck.

"I'm glad that you came to this realization, Evey. It's hard to let go of someone, harder still to say good-bye, but we all move on eventually. And that fact that you were able to do so with such bravery really is admirable," Laurie responded, touching Evey's shoulder affectionately, garnering a smile from the girl.

"Thank you... Um, I'm going to go downstairs for a moment. I'll be right back," Evey promised, descending the flight daintily, unlike the men from earlier.

"Evey! Hey, good to see you. You know, hearing about your exploits in England, I was wondering maybe if you and Jon would like to help me outfit the old girl with new parts. She's aging a bit, and I want to upgrade her hardware and software before we go on to save the world. Since you seem to be really talented with computer hacking and whatnot, I thought maybe you could redesign the OS. It's a bit out of my hands since I haven't really been keeping up with the times," Dan admitted sheepishly, smiling wryly.

"I'm honored that you asked. I'd love to be of service any way I can," Evey said, replying to his smile with a bright one of her own.

"Great. In the meantime, though, I'll be here drawing up some blueprints until breakfast is ready." Dan motioned to the nook cradled by the square embrace of the stairs, in which held a rickety desk and wall lined with shelves of dusty manuals, books, and other assorted paraphernalia. He took a seat, flipping on a desk lamp before settling into his work.

Evey watched him for another moment before scanning the room blotched by weak lighting, sharp eyes sifting through the shadows and silhouettes of objects before coming to Rorschach sitting contemplatively where he had yesterday, partially hidden behind the hulking form of Archie draped with dusty, protective coverings.

Rorschach didn't even lift his head in acknowledgment as Evey neared, instead ignoring her altogether.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I know that, in all likelihood, you have no intention of forgiving me. I honestly don't care if you do or not, but I'd like to make a truce at the very least. If we're going to be working together, petty squabbles like ours will only make teamwork difficult."

Rorschach noticeably twitched at the mention of 'teamwork', the only indication of life on his otherwise statuesque form. Evey quirked a brow, hands on her hips, before sighing.

"I'll take that as a 'maybe'. Well, whatever," Evey dismissed, tossing the morning edition of the New Frontiersman she's picked up earlier that morning on his lap, missing slightly as it slid in a heap to the ground.

He bent over to pick it up, swiping away some of the dust. "Old memories are useless to me. That's reason for dislike of past. And didn't need me to exacerbate your imaginary interpersonal difficulties," Rorschach snubbed, leafing through the paper to the first page.

Back to him, Evey smiled slightly at the man's odd idea of forgiveness as she began her way upstairs, glad to finally be making some kind of leeway with the enigmatic Rorscach.

"Well, basement's not the coziest place to us, but it's home to Rorschach. He was never big on creature comforts. Hell, his idea of a shower is standing in the rain for a good minute or less."

Evey snorted laughter, chuckling in her chest as she struggled to swallow a spoonful of oatmeal. The exaggeration in Dan's voice was just too much, and Laurie dissolving into a fit of giggles didn't exactly make matters better.

She swiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "I don't even know why that's so funny," Evey stated humorously.

"Well, when you haven't laughed in awhile, I guess attempts at humor just catch you off guard," Laurie theorized as she stood up to begin clearing the table.

Dan cast them both a stinky look, glaringly obvious to the women. "Hey, I happen to think my sense of humor isn't that bad," he defended sourly, a twinkle in his eye, butting his hand on Laurie's shoulder.

Evey took her own used plate to the counter. "I think you're funny."

"Good luck convincing this lady of that," Dan simpered, twisting his face foolishly in the caricature of a hung man.

Laurie bopped her hand on his shoulder in reply. "Oh, you. By the way, can you see if Rorschach's done? I kind of don't want that basement to become a treasure trove for spent plates and utensils."

Evey did as she was told, finding that the items in question were actually at the top of the stairs, Laurie's face doused with relief at the sight of them.

Venturing downstairs again, she picked her way down, careful to avoid stepping on treads that squealed like newborn piglets. She rounded the corner, finding that Rorschach was poking about the cavernous room. Mischievously smiling, she found the towel Laurie pressed her to give to Rorschach as an encouragement to shower, then chucking it at Rorschach before ducking behind from plain view.

Reappearing again, she was disappointed to see that Rorschach was smugly tearing the towel into long strips after catching it, an act of reasonable defiance in his eyes. He dropped the ribbons on the ground, pointedly in Evey's path as she made a beeline towards him.

"Hey, that was meant for you to be used, you know," Evey fumed, folding her arms across her chest.

"Make better use out of them later," Rorschach snorted, tracing a finger across the glass of Archie's extremely dusty window, grounding dust in between his forefinger and thumb.

In an equal act of defiance, Evey stretched over from beside him, streaking a circle inlaid with a 'V', her master's trademark and Rorschach's newest irk. Rorschach subsequently wiped it away, pausing as he hooked his thumbs in his pockets, devoid of any discernible body language.

Evey just heaved a sigh and thumped against Archie, sizing him up. "So where were you last night?"

"Busted gang of felons. Rapists, petty crooks, serial murderers. They had it coming," Rorschach stated dully, as if recounting something dreadfully boring.

"Mm," Evey sounded thoughtfully, "and I suppose something was gained from that?"

"More productive than erotic relations with a long-dead lover," Rorschach bristled, ugly disgust dripping like venom from his voice.

Evey's cheeks burned an indignant and feverish crimson, struggling to keep the fiery retort she had in store on her tongue. "Why are you so vile regarding people who are in love? And, you know, I have a bloody fucking right to love V even if he's technically dead!" Evey rasped harshly, face burning with anger.

"Because it's weak, corruptible and easily immoral! It's a whore's folly and a weak man's temptation," Rorschach spat back, shoulders tense.

"Alright, I bloody get it! I looked into something I shouldn't have! I mean, for god's sake, stop projecting your bloody fucking mother on to every woman you see! We're not all her or her customers!" Evey seethed, trembling furiously. "And leave V out of this!"

"You would know...you were just like her once!"

Evey snapped. Her hand dashed across Rorschach's face, and even through the mask she knew it would sting. The reverberations echoed for a solid second before fading away completely.

"You know what; forget it. Break my fingers if you want to fucking try. I've absolutely had it. I was only trying to be amicable, and you obviously are more interested in adding my name to some shitty black book. If you want to kill me, go right ahead. I'm not afraid of death," Evey said in defeat, her voice sullen and emotion dead.

She gave him no chance to retaliate, instead retreating from the room, letting Rorschach stand alone with a smarting cheek.

Last Thoughts: Well, another chapter completed. I really don't have much to say about the chapter, except that I hope no one is offended or angered by how I chose to continue both comics, what with two very important characters seemingly ressurected. Reading both comics, I'm sure that the bridge between them can be fairly easily made. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who could see the potential for them to belong to the same universe. Superhero crossovers are done all the time, so I think this wouldn't be too improbable.

I also thought of shipping Rorschach and Evey together when I've come to the conclusion that not only is Rorschach incompatible with anyone, but Evey probably still has too many lingering feelings for V as well. I know the part where Evey gets to see him again is a bit too Deus Ex Machina, but I'm hoping that it's not too fulfilling and instead a moment where Evey learns to move on instead of lingering too much on his death. In any case, she will get a happy ending, but I think I'd like to keep that under wraps until the time comes. In any case, Rorscach and Evey's relationship will instead try to grow progressively friendlier, and maybe an opportunity for these two extreme opposites to create an interesting interplay. It might essentially prove to be a caricature of American politics nowadays.

Lastly, as I said before, I'm going to try to stay as loyal to the original comics as much as possible. The only change I can think of making is V's ending. I honestly liked it better in the movie, but the outcome (from the comic) of it is much better suited to this story. Hopefully, I'll try not to confuse details between these comics and their movie adaptations, but please call me out on it if it happens.

~Peace, G.