Disclaimer: I do not own an of the characters used, either from the DCAU or from Watchmen, which makes me sad DX
Doctor Manhattan's eyes narrowed as he looked down at the 'Watchtower' the one place many many of the metahuman blight congregated, slowly floating down until he was level with the gigantic metal structure, knowing from the schematics he had seen at Cadmus while he was still Luthor that he was right outside the 'cafeteria', knowing that there would be many meta humans within, slowly lifting a single glowing hand and focusing his incredible powers.
Shayera lay within her room in her other form, Diana still asleep against her chest, the princess had been having nightmares all night, convinced and terrified that something aweful was going to happen, even with Shayera there to comfort her. She had only just fallen asleep again, looking peaceful for the first time all night and Shayera didn't have the heart to wake the sleeping red-head up. Slowly she traced a finger over Diana's beautiful hair, cradling the older woman gently, it was a a perfectly peaceful scene. But only moments later the air of serenity around the two lovers was shattered.
The entire watchtower rocked to the side, Diana starting up as an explosion ripped into the watchtower, the two women gasping as the air was sucked out into the void of space, both were able to survive in a vacuum but it was a shock for them nevertheless, Diana leaping to her feet and spinning, golden armor appearing across her form instantly, Shayera stumbling as she stood before doing the same.
"Shay, get anyone who can't breath to the teleporters, I'm going to help those in the infirmary" Diana told her lover, running forwards and pecking her lover on the lips, speaking out again "We'll meet on the Metrotower when we've evacuated everyone or remain onboard is possible". With that she practically ripped the door out of the way and set off flying towards the infirmary, Shayera skidding out the door and slamming a fist into the door of the nearest room, the door buckling and falling open to reveal both Huntress and Black Canary laying together, out cold on the floor, Shayera not hesitating a second in lifting the two women over her shoulders, managing to grab Zatanna as she stumbled out of her room, clutching at her throat, tearing towards the teleporters at breakneck speed, using her own helmet as a battering ram and her spare hand to smash straight through several doors and walls to get to the teleporter, quickly and rather roughly dropping the three women onto the platform alongside Atom Smasher, Hawk, Dove and Vixen, seeing Red Tornado teleport the seven prone bodies back to earth, turning and flying at full pelt back through the watchtower, praying softly that she hadn't been too late to save the three women
Diana's eyes widened in terror as she saw Flash passed out on the ground with an agonized expression across his masked features, no doubt the Scarlet Speedster having torn off his IV when he realized something was wrong, having crawled over to Green Lantern, the only other occupant at the time before collapsing. Within seconds Diana had the two men in her arms, hurtling past Shayera for the teleporters, placing them quickly on the pads, the blue light surrounding the last few leaguers and teleporting them away, leaving only Diana, Shayera, Superman, Supergirl and Red Tornado on the wrecked watchtower amongst the corpses of those who didn't make it. Many of the crew, medical team and workers upon the watchtower lay dead from Oxygen starvation.
"Mala, Venelia, Tornado, search through this place and bring all the dead to the main room, they deserve buryal, me and Kara will attempt to fix the hull breach and restore the Oxygen" Superman told them all quickly, beckoning the shaken blonde girl after him as he flew towards the cafeteria.
Diana slowly turned into a corridor, eyes bulging slightly, hand shooting to her mouth as she heaved slightly, there on the floor lay a strange pattern of blood and guts, an Arthurian Helmet and sword laying in the center, the Shining Knight's death such an incredibly gruesome sight. Slowly she forced herself to look again, eyes widening as at the end of the corridor, a large and nearly naked blue man floating in midair, holding Aztec's head in one hand, the other holding Question by the throat, Shayera skidding to a halt next to Diana as the blue man focussed his power into Aztec, the hero exploding into another pattern of gore, Shayera giving a roar of rage, flying towards Doctor Manhattan, Diana hurling herself after her lover at the monster, his hand lifting and hurling them into the wall, the metal curling around them, forcing their wrists together, both women feeling their strength leave them instantaneously, like all Amazons they lost their power when bound by a man.
"I can sense you both have great relevance within my future, as does this one" he told them as he floated towards them, dragging Question's prone form behind him, "Everything is preordained, including my sparing you", Shayera snarling and shouting out
"You monster! We will stop you! Don't you even care that you've killed so many people?", her eyes blazing with fury as she looked over at the emotionless blue man.
"A live body and a dead body contain the same number of particles. Structurally, there's no discernible difference. Life and death are unquantifiable abstracts. Why should I be concerned?" he montoned, watching as the two Amazon's finally sucummed to the lack of oxygen, passing out against the walls, their powers gone. Slowly he lifted the Question, whom he had given air to, and teleported the pair away, aiming for Gotham, he would learn all he could from this human, then release him. This 'Question' was one of the few willing to go to lengths to protect the world, remembering when Question had tried to kill him as Luthor. He would allow this man to live, for now.
The next thing Diana knew she was lying on a hospital bed, her armor had been removed and she was in a hospital gown, still in Mala form, an oxygen mask across her mouth and nose, feeling incredibly weak, barely having the energy to turn her head, seeing Shayera in the next bed along from hers, her blonde hair obscuring her beautiful features, but able to tell from the heart monitor that she was in a stable condition. She could pick up eight different heartbeart's in the room, trying to look up but finding herself too weak to do so, in an instant a young blonde woman standing beside her, Supergirl gently taking hold of her, pushing her back onto the bed.
"No Mala, you have severe oxygen starvation, you shouldn't be straining yourself" slowly leaning down to whisper, "Diana, it'll be ok, you and Shayera saved a lot of lives and all the women here will make full recoveries" she told the amazon gently, stopping the worried expression on the red-head's features and laughing softly, "I figured out who you were, don't worry I promise not to tell anyone" she told the worried Amazon who slumped back onto the pillows in relief at the promise.
"Want... Venelia" Diana mumbled weakly, using Shayera's other name in case anyone heard her, Kara nodding and smiling softly, quickly moving round to push Diana's bed and equipment carefully towards Shayera, gently pushing the beds together, allowing Diana to take Shayera's hand gently, head turning to gaze at her lover weakly, slowly slipping back into unconsciousness.
Vic Sage groaned weakly as he hung from the manacles on his wrists, Doctor Manhattan floating in front of him, his voice calm and emotionless as Question's entire body shook with pain, why had no one stopped this? No one been able to save him and all the others who died, criminals like Manhattan allowed to roam free, escape their revolving door prisons. Why had no one prevented this ever happening?.
"Tell me Question, what do you do believe should happen to me?" the blue man asked indifferently. Question breathed heavily at this, growling softly under his breath.
"Your evil, evil should be punished" he snarled out, Doctor Manhattan raising an interested eyebrow at this.
"And how would you propose to punish me? Lock a being of my power away knowing I can easily escape from prison perhaps? Or try and force my powers into the service of the government? What would the common idea of punishment achieve other than simply to slow me down?" slowly he lifted his hand, a Rorschach inkblot test appearing before Question. "Tell me, what do you see?". Slowly Vic lifted his head, looking at the unique pattern on the paper before whispering out.
"I see a dog with its forehead sliced open", Doctor Manhattan's voice just as monotone as before as he spoke out.
"Then you see the truth about criminals, those such as the Joker, mad dogs let off the leash. Men get imprisoned, but dogs get put down, think of which you beleive these criminals are" he told Qeustion before vanishing, the manacles disappearing, Question dropping to the dirty floor of the warehouse, looking around and seeing something Doctor Manhattan had left behind, slowly lifting the note on top of the clothes. It read:
'I make you an offer Question. Take these clothes, become something new, a being ready to punish criminals as they should be punished, and I shall leave you be.'
Slowly Victor lifted the mask of the outfit, looking into the shifting black and whites of the Rorschach inkblot test upon the mask, looking down at the brown trenchcoat and fedora and after contemplating on this for several minutes making a choice.
'A few days later'
Shayera groaned softly as she pulled on her sandals, Diana buckling her cape around her neck, the two women being the first of their ward to leave, Black Canary, Huntress, Vixen, Fire and Stargirl still made to remain in bed as their healing speed was much slower than that of the two Amazons. All seven of them had suffered severe oxygen starvation and minor muscle damages from the pressure difference of space so the other five were still allowing the muscles to heal, not that that stopped Helena from threatening to castrate any male doctors who spent more than thirsty seconds checking up on Dinah. Diana's arm looped around Shayera's waist, leaning over to whisper to her lover.
"I've been thinking Shay, do you think the girls back there might like to come to Themyscira for a bit? It would be nice to give mother a visit and all the girls need to do is avoid to much strenuous activity" she asked, she not only really missed seeing her mother but she could see the women were itching to get out and do something rather than simply lie in hospital beds each day, Themyscira would be a lovely vacation spot for the women, Shayera giving a smile.
"I have been missing Themyscira myself" she admitted, "Especially mother, but we'd have to tell all of the girls our secret". Gently Diana's arms slid around Shayera, the taller woman melting into the comforting embrace, smiling softly as she felt Diana's lips press against her hair.
"Shayera, I know your nervous about telling people, but I'm sure their trustworthy" Diana whispered softly, Shayera nodding softly in agreement, when Diana held her like this she was putty in her princess' hands, her lover able to make her do or agree to anything simply by holding her or giving her a single kiss.
Shayera gently supported Helena and Dinah with one arm and one wing each, she and Diana back in their regular forms, both Helena and Dinah still having muscle problems in their legs which meant they needed some help, Diana supporting Fire a short distance away. Vixen had invoked the power of the Gecko and as a result was healing a lot quicker already, while she was able to stand and walk on her own she was still a long way off from seeing anymore action. Stargirl was able to support herself with her Cosmic Staff while remaining close enough that if she fell Diana could catch her, Supergirl having opted to stay at the Metrotower.
The women's reactions had all been very different when the two Amazons told them their secret, ranging from Fire instantly becoming shy (later admitting Wonder Woman always intimidated her), to Stargirl squealing and bouncing up and down as best she could with her damaged muscles, Diana lifting her head and smiling as her mother and several other Amazons hurried towards them, Ipthime gently offering to take Fire from Diana, the Brazilian woman allowing the Amazon to take her before Diana was swept into a bone crushing hug by her mother, who proceeded to reach over and pull Shayera into her arms as well after Hellene and Epione took Helena and Dinah gently from her, embracing the two women she thought of as her daughters
"Oh my daughters, it's so good to see you, I've been so worried about you ever since you left" Hippolyta whispered softly, holding her beautiful daughters to her with a huge smile, slowly releasing her daughters and looking round at the other five women. "And I see you brought friends".
"Mother allow me to introduce Dinah, Helena, Mari, Courtney and Beatriz, they are our fellow members of the Justice League" Diana explained before whispering softly, "Mother the danger the gods forewarned us about assaulted the Watchtower, our friends were wounded in the attack, we invited them here to avoid stress while they heal" she explained softly, deliberately negating to mention that both her and Shayera had been hurt in the attack, knowing her mother would be worried out of her mind by the thought of her 'little girls' lying wounded with her unable to help. nodding Hippolyta turned to the five women, giving them a warm smile before announcing.
"As queen of the Amazons I welcome you all to Themysicra, it is very rare that I get to meet my daughter's friends and would be honored to become better acquainted with you all"
Vic Sage stared down at the kneeling villain, a bloodied and battered Rupert Thorne on his knees before him, the masked man holding a meat cleaver in his hand, the entire room a mess from where the man had been thrown, the only things still intact being the desk and chair jammed against the door, wedging it shut, everything else destroyed. Slowly he lifted the meat cleaver above his head, looking mercilessly down at the pleading man before bringing the blade down, slamming it into the man's skull, shock of impact running along his arm. A jet of warmth spattered on his chest, like a hot faucet. It was Question who said "Mother" then, muffled under latex. It was Question who closed his eyes. It was Rorschach who opened them again.
Slowly he lifted a hand to his constantly shifting mask, he'd killed for the first time, put down the first dog, there was no going back now.
A/N: So yes, Question becomes Rorschach, the best Watchmen character and soon shall be a real thorn in the JLU's side. And yes all those Amazons are canon, the way I like to see this fic is one of the possible follow ups to the series so I try and avoid going against what's already canon. Please Review, it makes me write more