"Suns up early," James breathed as the two stepped out into the street. Hands in coat pockets, they melted into the morning scene, awash with people and glowing stone. The street was still wet from the night before. Their watches read approximately six, though Edwards was a little off.

V pulled away the loose concrete to reveal the thick imbedded wire behind. Pain raced through him and in an instant he was on one knee, clutching at his hand. Immediately Evey was on her feet feeling trying to pull him back from the danger. He shook his head looking up at her.

"No, no don't," he said, shaking his hand as if he had merely wet it, "I'll be fine." He looked back to the wall and sat in thought. Unthinking Evey took his damaged hand and pressed it to her lips in an effort to comfort him. The mask tilted up at her, and she looked back at it. Hurriedly, she set it down and apologised. He said nothing, only stared up at her. She looked back at the exposed wall.

"It's hollow. It has to be. " she said, "It wouldn't echo so much if it weren't." His eyes still didn't leave her face but he nodded in response. Finally he looked back to where she was focussing. "And we're running on city power?"

"No," he spoke "Were on a generator."

"How do you know?" V looked back at her (to himself he'd admit later, he got lost then in her eyes then. It was a sharp memory.)

"I can hear it." She couldn't.

The silence seemed louder than their words then, burning in the air. A moment drizzled slowly past.

"Were going to die," Evey said leaning back against the door. He turned to her as if to say "Of coarse not" but paused, staying silent. The two kept the glance a moment, Evey's face leaching into a worried frightened smirk. She's trying to contain herself, V thought automatically, but she can't. He could see the fear wet in her eyes. V took a moment to consider things and then came to her side, wrapping an arm around her back.

She pulled him close as if she'd never let go. At that moment he knew he'd get her home safe if it was the last thing he ever did, a prospect that seemed the more a reality the more he dwelled on it. A small tired voice, somewhere at the back of his mind inclined: What does it matter? What if we're dead by tomorrow? I could hold Evey until the end.

In fact, I think I'd like that, if she wouldn't mind.

Dominic came out of the empty bedroom, empty glass in one hand, empty bottle in the other. Setting both down on the lounge he sat and took a breath. The man lay his head down on the couch and stared through the half open curtains at the city below. It was a nice apartment, he hadn't realised just how big it was till he had the chance to look.

He couldn't shake the horrible feeling, what a nice place this was, with Finch working for NF as hard as he did. They gave him this place. He was a well known name about the records. There could have been so much that Dominic didn't know about him. He could have done… anything… horrible things.

And they came for him. His stomach turned at the thought but... for all he knew Eric deserved it.

Fumbling in his pocket for the apartment keys, he locked the door and headed outside. People stared as the old car pulled up on the curb, he climbed in the passenger side and pulled away.

"What did he say?" He didn't look up, only replied:

"He's not in."

The car pulled out of town towards the M1, he didn't speak, neither did the driver. The first budding tree's lined the outer limits, the abandoned zones. Tiny saplings and weeds. There hadn't been a forest here in a thousand years, he thought. He felt comforted, though not much. Finally the woman at the wheel turned.

"I'm sorry love."

"S'aright."

"We tried."

"Yeah." Both looked ahead, as if talking to themselves, eyes fixed on the expanse of grey. "He wouldn't have liked it up north anyway." She half nodded.

As they turned into a massive dark tunnel a cluster of men slithered to the sides, parting to let the car through. Their faces lit dimly by sunlight and burning bins, he caught each and every one of their eyes as they passed. There was a sadness deeper than he'd ever seen there. In their eyes…

"Stop."

"What?"

"Stop the car." he spoke up, "turn around."

"What, are you crazy Dom? They'll kill us back there."

"No," he said, turning finally to look at his wife, "They need us."

V sat up suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Evey…," he said, his eyes locked on the bare wall. He stood and moved over to the foreign space by the bare metal.

"V don't. What are you doing? What if you set off an alarm?" Slowly, he moved his are hand close to the wire, inch by dragging inch. Visibly the electricity shot into his fingers and he pulled back, stepping up against the opposite wall. In a second he was back near the wire, testing the distance again. Evey leaned back to the door, he knew what he was doing. Hopefully.

He homed in again, his hand flat palmed. V let out a small breathy yelp as a crackling noise filled the cell. She waited a moment but he stayed still. Finally, without moving, he said:

"Put your hand on the door handle." She did so.

V reached out his other hand. Realisation dawned. Tentatively, she grabbed it.

Evey could feel the current running through her. Pulsating.

"If we keep enough distance, we can run down the generator. We just need to re-rout the flow," V explained. She nodded. All we have to do now is wait, Evey thought.

Edward fumbled through his pocket for a the key, producing nothing but fluff.

"C'mon mate. Its gotta be here somewhere." Edwards face snapped up to meet hiss partners gaze.

"Shut up," he fired like an eager gun, "just Shut Up!" James backed down. From his pocket, the first produced the key ring. Uncertainly, one slowly trailed the other inside.

V let out a light low groan.

"What-?"

"It's alright," he said instantly, "I'll be fine." She waited, holding tight onto his hand. He held back, tightly. Slowly his hand constricted around hers. He started to shake.

"V, stop!" She let go of the door handle and reached over to him, just as he collapsed backwards. Tenderly she cupped the side of his mask in one hand, pulled back and yelped, it was burning hot. V sat up swiftly and looked at her hand.

"Are you alright?" He spoke.

"Are YOU?" He nodded as if it were obvious.

"Fine, I'll be fine."

"V, this isn't working?"

"I will take some time. A few hours at most. We just need to keep at it."

"V, you're hurt."

"I'll be fine."

"You're being stupid! No you won't! I'm not going to do this if your hurting yourself…"

"And how do you suppose we'll escape then?" She shot him a look like she was willing to hurt him.

"Well, we can either wait it out, or you could do the sensible thing?" Which is what? he wanted to say. But he knew, and so did she. He wasn't going to turn this into an argument. She looked him in the eye and sighed. He reached up to hover over the metal grating again. He proffered his other hand.

"Evey, I-"

"No, no I'm not doing this. I'm not going to hurt you!"

"Evey," he said sternly, "You're being immature. Give me your hand-"

"Take it off V, there's no point. Its not worth it." He breathed through his teeth and said in a smooth growl:

"The longer we wait to start up again, the longer this will take."

"No," she said, "No, I'm sick of this. I'm sick you not trusting me. I am! I can't wait forever V! You know that they can kill us, and they WILL kill us! If they can take you down, they can do it. We're dead V, if we cant get out of here! So what does it matter anymore? I don't care what you look like! I DON'T CARE!"

V assured himself that she wasn't angry at him, only at the predicament. But she started getting louder and angrier. He decided to let her get it all out. "You know what you are? Your nothing but a… but a… vain and selfish and…" her shoulders started to shake. "You do nothing but hurt people and talk crap! You've killed more people than anyone you've killed has-"

"That's not true!"

"How many people have you killed V?", she snapped, "How many lives have you ruined?"

"To save thousands more."

"So killing people is ok as long as some people are safe. But taking your god-damn mask off to save ours is impossible?"

"I can get us out with the mask on Evey!"

"I'm only trying to protect you V! You are the one who's being really fucking immature! I just don't want you to get hurt! I care about you!" Her voice cooled slightly as his picked up.

"I don't care if I get hurt! I don't care if I die! It only matters that you are safe! I'm only doing this for you!" This seemed to stop her for a moment and the two stared at one another. Both a little out of breath.

"If you l-… If you cared about me you would t- you would trust me…" she said.

"I do, you know that I do." V realised how loud he was speaking. He also realised that he was holding her gently by the shoulders, unsure to pull away. He took a breath "I've shown you that I do Evey." She shook her head.

"I thought that wasn't real? I thought..?" Evey tried to explain but settled for a sigh and wrapped her arms around his chest." "I'm so sorry V…"

"I know I- … as am I." He held her, tighter than he usually would have let himself hold her. Then finally he glanced over at the crumbled wall.

V let go of her and reached up into his hair. There was a click and the white metal started away from his face. He hesitated. Delicately, Evey's fingers slid under the side and bottom ridges and pushed it back over his head, taking his wig with it. The mid day sun caught off the top of his head, that was the first thing she saw, he didn't meet her eyes.

This was him. You're looking at him, her mind jittered. She cupped a hand under his chin. He half pulled away, V's eyes still on the floor.

"We need to get this done." His eyes rose to look at the wall beside her. She didn't move. Finally he made the final step and quickly met her gaze. His face read to her solemn and frightened. He looked incredibly sad. Maybe that's just the way he looks? Evey found herself caught up in his eyes, a violent blue against the red and white. Nothing moved, the whole world was still. A thought struck her but…this wasn't the place and this wasn't the time she had in mind, but that didn't matter. This was their time, knowing V it may never happen again. Unless…

"V," she said holding his face on both sides, shaking only slightly, "You would die for me?" He let out a small breath. Evey thought she almost caught a smile, though she couldn't be sure. In a soft voice so far from his face yet so… him, he said:

"You nearly did the same for me." An explanatory voice, a real voice. His voice, almost like she'd never heard it till now.

"Only because I love you." The terrorist's brain halted its every cognation. Unthinking, his expression transited into that of complete amazement watching her eye to eye. She... she... All that remained was that tiny voice in the back of his mind: Were going to die anyway. For god's sake what does it matter? Why are you waiting? He shook his head slightly as if trying to shake himself of what he was thinking.

But Evey couldn't tell what he was thinking. Her eyes shot all over his expression, exploring, confused. Fire in her chest. So exasperated was she, she let out a small giggle. Before she sound had left her lips, he had her wrapped in his arms in a passionate kiss.

Thank you to those who still review this, your numbers are dwindling, I wonder why? if there's anything i can add, please tell me. Review if you have fingers to type with (and if you don't, feel free to review complaining about how I'm insensitive toward people who don't have fingers... with some help of coarse)

PLEASE REVIEW! I"D LIKE TO THINK PEOPLE STILL READ THIS IF I STILL WRITE IT?