Flattening down the silk against her waist, out of habit, Evey turned to check how she looked in the mirror. Out of it looked a face she couldn't recognise, staring her down. She looked away to the bed trying to distract herself. That wasn't her face. It could never be her face. Was that the way he saw her? Something pulled her back and held her eye. It was like looking at a red demon.

No. It isn't me.

Hate slithered and burned in her stomach and a molten ache rose in her chest. Hugging herself, Evey fell onto the bed and curled up in the duvet, sobbing softly.

13 years ago, a young Evey Hammond was doing the same thing night after night, somewhere on a hard mattress on a steel bunk bed in a re-education centre, she pounded the concrete wall at the stead with her fists and cried. No one cared, no one even moved. The new Evey mirrored her now, beating at the sandstone with her palms, pouring out as much energy as she could. Tears ran from her reddened eyes. It wasn't enough. Her flailing hands reached for the books at the bedside, flinging them at the mirror. Without thinking, she began to cry out in pain.

By the time V was in the door way Evey was on the floor, the mirror in ruins at her side. Gently, he slid his hands into the mass of blankets around a pair of shaking shoulders. In return she squirmed trembling into his embrace, burying herself in his hair and crying. V rubbed her shoulder and rocked her slowly back and forth as she gushed her pain against him.

She was still very ill, V reassured himself, being allowed alcohol while in her state was a stupid thing for him to have done.

"I cant- I cant feel the silk," she chanted between sobs. He curled his arms around her and ushered her further to him. After a small silence she pulled her face away from him and wiped her cheek with her hands. She found herself looking into his eyes and fell for a moment into silence. "I'm so sorry. I've ruined our night." V savoured the words for a moment in his head. "Our night."

"Nothing is ruined," he reassured her. A hand ran over her bald pink scalp and he looked into her face. Her massive sore brown eyes stared back into him. She really was beautiful, in a way that would outlast anything. His hand pressed against her cheek, now textured and firmed. "This is just the may that the world must be. There is no denying that. The only road is that which leads to acceptance of simple truths."

Evey rolled her jaw: "Who said that?"

"I said that." She broke eyes with him a moment. Considering all that he said. If anyone were to know, it would be him. But even so…

"I don't want to live behind a mask V."

"You shan't need to. What I do I do for safety," he assured, "Not out of shame….

There is no shame."

"Then why cant I see you? Do you still not trust me after all we've done? After all you've taught me?" Her voice was raising considerably. V almost forgot how out of herself she was. As far as she pulled away, his hand remained on her cheek and that called her back into reality.

"I do trust you."

"I don't believe that." Evey pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed. V said nothing, silently missing her warmth in his arms. She looked down at her feet and then turned her eyes to the wall to avoid them. He couldn't give a damn about me, her mind murmured, He can't trust me. He can't talk to me. He just keeps me here because I have no where else to go… He can't love me…

"I still think you're beautiful Evey."

"…"

…suddenly she felt herself strangely unable to breath. The room became very hot. She wasn't expecting this. From the tone she could tell that he wasn't patronising her. That wasn't the V thing to do… Then again, the idea that he was being honest was even less feasible. She honestly didn't know what to think. Perhaps she imagined he said it, she was tipsy after all. Something seemed entirely off. The temperature was wild. Her heart was beating in her chest beyond her control. Suddenly, she was aware of how hard she was breathing.

"I've always thought so." V noticed her shaking slightly and silently slipped the warm blanket over her bare shoulders. She finally turned back to him.

"Really?" She mumbled almost inaudibly.

He gave a silent nod.

She moved closer to him now and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Tell me that you trust me?"

"I trust you" She looked him deeply in the eyes.

"Show me..?"

"Evey, You know that I can't."

"Why?"

"Evey…" He gave a small sigh. "When you look at me, I want you to see who I am… not what I am. This mask is who I have become."

Suddenly, he stood and moved toward the door. She followed him placing a hand on his back to keep him from leaving. He turned slightly. "…I understand if you aren't satisfied with that." There was a moment before he turned completely to her but he didn't meet her eyes. V rested a hand on her shoulder in some attempt to comfort her but moved no further. It was shame, he realised. The very idea brought him discomfort. All that he was could be reduced to nothing by this woman. Just with a glance.

"It isn't anything against your strength of mind but I know that your respect for me would be diminished…"

"V. " She said, silencing him, "You've tortured me." The hand on her arm released slowly and pulled away. "And I still respect you." Eyes met hers. The hands she had placed on his shoulders slid down to his own. "I will always respect and admire you."

The masked man stared at her for a moment, examining her face. She wasn't lying.

He had, as with many things, been over this scenario in his head before. He could see the fear in her eyes in his daydreams. The rejection would be the hardest part. Just knowing that he had made the mistake. If he did this now, there was no going back to the way things were. There was so much at stake here and now but the look in her eyes told him what he needed to do. If it wasn't now then it would have too be someday and there would be even more on the scale by then. She lowered him back down to the bed, the mirrors glass crunching under their feet, and held his hands in hers.

V took a breath…

"Alright."