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Outside Looking In	By : PerireAnimus Category: DC Verse Comics > Watchmen Views: 1526 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Watchmen, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
Author’s Note: I made some fixes in the last chapter when I realized I made some mistakes. So if you see something in this chapter you don’t remember reading in the last one, that’s why. Had to add some things to make the story follow along correctly in how I wanted it done. Perfectionist! Sorry everyone. Also, the cost of the handmade dress, sounds cheap yes, but back then that cost is actually pretty expensive for a handmade dress, just an fyi. (It was $5 to get a new tailored made pants back then!) >_> Also, 60’s slang dictionary is at the bottom of the page if still uncertain what the words meant and is curious to learn the meaning if you haven’t figured it out already. If you haven’t noticed, some of the slang back then we still use today, but I still added it along to the dictionary of 60’s slang just to educate any of you who didn’t realize. If you could, review please~ (likes the feedback and the hard critiques)

Rorschach’s Journal July 20^th, 1966 later entry
Get off work, early evening. Sunlight still shining its light on the still dark city. Finally came to terms I decided to pass by the place of the party. Not to attend, but to check out. Make sure nothing illegal is going on, seeing how Cat’s friend is. I have my suspicions. Located in a art gallery. Must be artists. I learned much about Cat’s secret. And in return, without wanting, she sees my true face.
The heat still filled the air and the sun was still up even though it was five fifty-five P.M. The shop was quieter now and not as busy is it was earlier this afternoon. Walter finished up with the paperwork he was assigned to do and closed the books. Ringed up an order for a male customer and saw that the front room was empty; he left the counter to seek out his manager to let him know he was done and was going to stamp out. He found him hovering over some fabrics that came in later that day and was checking them over, busy in his thought.
“Robert, sir, I finished balancing the books. I’ll be going now.” Walter finished in a monotonous tone at the back of his boss.
Bob just waved him away nodding in approval and told him he would see him tomorrow with more work to give him that was behind schedule. Kovacs just nodded silently as he turned to the stamp box to stamp out. Bob was used to Kovacs silent answers and knew he would get whatever work assigned to him done. Walter got his worn azure and green jacket, carried it in his left arm, and left out the back door. He entered into an alley and turned left towards the busy city streets. Exiting the alley he looked around. A lot of people still out, Walter checked his watch and read six o’ eight. Dressed in a white buttoned up shirt, a white undershirt underneath that slightly showed through from under his shirt and azure colored slacks and black All Star High-Tops. Light clothes to wear in the summer heat yet dressed appropriately and comfortably as he liked it. He thought about the invitation as he walked along the crummy pavement. He took the business card and a few wrapped sugar cubes out of his left pocket as in thought while he looked the card over curiously. Unwrapping the sugar cubes from its green paper confines he popped the pieces in his mouth and let the sweet cubes dissolve on his tongue as he sucked on them when he examined the stiff cream colored card. It read in fancy font ‘Anna Smith Gallery of Fine Arts’ at the top in blue ink. Underneath it were detailed information of its location, phone numbers, and hours the gallery was open in black ink. A picture of the gallery shown on the right of the card. White bricked with a huge window and near it a big white door and a few trees in front of it.
‘The picture of the gallery and card looks a little fancy, must be some high-in gallery for rich folks.‘, he thought in dismay as he started to walk down a very busy sidewalk, moving out of the way of others walking passed by.
He thought long and hard and came to a conclusion that he would just check it out. See if there were anything illegal going on at the party. He wasn’t going to stay, just to check it out. He kept repeating to himself in his mind. He looked at the card for the street address and went from there. He took note that it would be an hours walk, he didn’t mind.
He finally arrived to the street where the gallery was on, the jacket he carried on his arm now worn on him unzipped. He nervously walked slower, he could hear the loud sounds of music from afar and wondered if it was coming from the place he was going to. As he got closer did the loud rock music confirmed it and people coming in and out of the building where it stood. He saw some young people standing outside peering into a huge glass window and when Walter came up to it did he notice the large crowd inside and some artwork displayed up neatly on the white walls. Some people were dancing to the latest sixties music, The Beatles song ‘For No One’ just started playing in the back round after the loud rock song he heard first, ended. Then he saw Cat on the right, nearest to the large window painting on a canvas being held up by a wooden stand, her back to him. Bright display lights from above her head shown down towards her and her work, brush strokes going wildly on the canvas; then adding more paint to her brush from a wooden pallet she was holding in her left arm. A small paint encrusted table to her right held her tubes of Rembrandt oil paints, a glass cup of dirty turpentine liquid, a variety of paint brushes and jumbles of used paper towels laid out upon it. He noticed that she had her long dark brown hair braided in two low pigtails tied by white ribbons and was still wearing the dress that he had made except that the front of it was covered by a long grey apron filthy from dry paint. It loosely hung around her neck and tied at the back, to prevent the clothes she was wearing underneath from getting paint on it. Glad to see she was taking care of the dress he painstakingly worked so very hard on. He shamefully thought that she looked pretty.
He stood captivated as he watched intently on her ministrations. By then the Beatles song ended and ‘Wild Thing’ came on, everyone inside started cheering and started to get into the music. Cat cheered as well and started to bob her head to the music as she continued painting away, oblivious of the person who was watching her. He saw she was singing to the music with a serious countenance upon her face as she painted what looked to be a crumbling city. As he stepped back to get a better look he saw that what she was painting was a crumbling New York City covered in ashes, fire and smoke. As he looked closer he saw that there was only one person standing in the middle of the chaos, and it appeared to be a woman. Dark. Deranged. He didn’t know what to make up of it.
‘It looked like what would be our future.’ he thought, showing a contemplative look on his tanned freckled face.
She seemed to paint the truth of what would become of us. He liked it. The song ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’ by The Supremes ironically started to play loudly. When that was a few seconds in did Cat notice Walter standing behind her from outside the wide, tall glass window. Walter stood frozen and just stared at her nervously, unsure what would happen next as he looked at her delighted smiling face. She quickly sat the brush and pallet down on the table and excitedly said towards the window at Walter,
“You came!?” she said loudly from inside, palms hitting flatly on the clean window now dirtied by her hands oils.
Kovacs didn’t hear her because of the loud music and just looked at her confusingly, brows furrowed trying to make out what she said. She said it again but with no luck in getting her point across, she laughed. So she moves to go towards the door, Walter followed her with his eyes as she pokes her head out from the big white glass door and repeated what she was trying to tell him inside earlier. His eyes averted to the ground after hearing what she said, not replying and not sure what he should do next. Part of him wanted to turn around and leave, and he was beginning to do that without notice as Cat ran up to grab him by the arm to stop him in his tracks. Instinctively, Rorschach would turn around and grab the persons hand and twist it till they fell down with their face on the pavement in pain as he locked the twisted arm in its agonizing place. But he watched himself and prevented himself from grabbing Cat’s innocent hand that grasped at his strong arm. He stopped abruptly and turned to look at her with a grave upset look, she was invading his space. She quickly moved her hand away in fear and said nervously to him, eyes wide,
“Wait don’t go, you just got here. I’m glad you came, I thought you never would of come after what Anna did, I’m sorry about that. She can come off really strong sometimes without caring how the other one feels.” she said in a nervous smile.
Her eyes averted to look at the busy streets on her right. The few blossomed trees in front of the gallery rustled from the light wind that passed through making the petals blow away in a pretty pink and white snowfall.
Kovacs just made a big sigh to himself, uncertain. ‘How should I reply to this?’ He thought.
He looked over his left shoulder to see what it was she was looking at as he thought. “Please come in, you don’t have to stay long I just want to show you something that I made a month ago. I think you might really like it.” Cat suddenly said in a normal tone, almost sounding pleading.
Walter turned his head to look at her as he heard this and thought about it. Brows furrowed in suspicion wondering what it was she wanted to show him. He put his hands in his pockets and weighed his options. Should he? Cat looked away from the streets to look at him again and smiled warmly at him, her eyes showing sincerity in them.
“…Please…” she begged, her hands came up to close together as if for prayer to God for him to come join her.
Walter finally agreed with a grunt reply, dread written upon his face, he really didn’t want to but she was begging. His mind reminded him of checking the place out for illegal business going on at the party. Another one quickly popped into his head when he remembered that she somehow knew his name and said it aloud in her farewell that night he helped her. He couldn’t confront her then because of other business he had to attend to at the time, then again he could now; but then that would just reveal who he was as a masked vigilante and he didn’t need someone to know his secret! Especially since a woman is known to gossip, she would tell the whole city! But strangely that hasn’t happened since that night she said ‘Walter’ out loud. Maybe she’s too afraid to talk? He shouldn’t confront her about it. Don’t make a scene, leave it at that, she hasn’t talked then and isn’t saying anything about it now to him. If she is some spy, he would figure it out and deal with it in his own way. His paranoia was starting to take control of his thoughts and he wanted to just go right then and there and disappear. All these reasoning’s were nothing but excuses and here he was following her inside. But curiosity got the better of him.
The gallery looked bigger inside than it did outside and it was swarming with loud obnoxious people from what he observed instantly as he step foot inside. There were too many people, his comfort zone out the window as he could feel people’s presence so very close to his. He could feel the sound of the music’s rhythm in the air and the scent of marijuana, alcohol, and sweat. Could actually smell it on people, even the stench of sex still lingering on their skin. Breathing in the smells as if he could taste it and it made him sick and his head dizzy. The first illegal drug he noticed here at the party, he wasn’t too happy and believed there were probably many others like ecstasy, heroin, and other party drugs people liked to get high on. Following Cat a couple of feet away from her through the narrow path of wild bodies, he saw people making out near the walls, some in the shadows fooling around, chairs filled with old and young adults gossiping amongst one another holding plastic cups of alcohol, passing a joint to one another. Many were standing and talking if not dancing, some admiring a small collection of artworks left on the plain white walls. Lots of shouting throughout the room and hysterical laughing of some perverted joke that was just told. A DJ wearing big sunglasses was set up on the far left near the wall, his speakers booming from the music playing, a stack of vinyl records near him with some used plastic cups of beer left by people. Three vinyl players in front of him as he was putting in another record to play next after the song ended. Busy jamming out, giant headphones around his ears keeping track as he danced in place, a cigarette between his lips puffing away.
“Sorry about the crowd, didn’t think it would be so crazy, got to thank Anna for that, she loves hosting big balls!” Cat yelled towards Walter as she turned to look at him, he didn‘t say anything; his focus was keeping people off of him that only concerned him, he didn‘t like being touched.
A woman’s voice yelled out from across the room that caught Walter’s attention towards a little opening displayed with nice cushioned furniture of burgundy. Speak of the devil.
“Well, well, well… so you finally decided to come huh? You‘re lookin‘… hip.” said Anne, a hint of sarcasm in her thick British accent; a slender lit cigarette in her right hand, she took another puff.
Cat stopped to look towards Anne’s direction and tried to make a serious face but the smile crept up removing any possibility of a frown. Walter came at a stop as well near Cat, trying not to touch her or anyone else around him but it was futile, his body being bumped around and he was starting to get even more irritated. Cat answered to Anna’s question with a point of her finger at her,
“Now don’t you start Anna, but yes, he came! Isn’t it great!?” she said loudly for Anna to hear as she continued to move along before Anne could answer, Walter followed her close behind.
They were nearing the back of the gallery, long tables near the back walls was filled with finger foods and snacks, a glass bowl of red punch with clear plastic cups near it, a couple of kegs of beer next to the refreshments and some empty ones cast to the side while more aliened the wall for later use. He saw no birthday cake, was it really her birthday or did Anna lie to him, he did not like being lied to. Some more couples making out and groping each other, Kovacs turned his attention away from the sinful display. They passed an open doorway through the small privacy doors that flapped to and fro when you passed them. Entering into a big room that looked to be a studio with many pieces of artwork not being displayed laid about and safely put in big side shelves that lined the bare brown walls. Working tables and lamps and many other gadgets on tables with picture frames being furnished, finished wooden picture frames lined up on the other side of the wall with other instruments used for working and fixing. Blank canvases of all sizes and different colored paints neatly sat in one area of the room next to finished paintings not being used. Sculptures sat on one table and the bigger ones carefully stood on the floor, some painted and some bare. Other artists tools and items were set on a table that lined the wall near the tools and unused display stands. An exit fire escape at the end wall in front of them with an old red bicycle parked next to it. They quickly turned into a long hallway full of separate rooms, some offices, inventory, storages, and the like. The walls here were white as well covered by pieces of artwork by artists famous and unknown alike. Walter skimmed through some as he walked by them, catching some familiar ones like copies of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ and Andy Warhol‘s colorful print of ‘Marylin Monroe‘ to name a few. Cat looked back to see if Walter was following her, the usual smile that graced her perfect fair oval face. It wasn’t long until Cat stopped at her destination. It was her office, a dark brown door with a small glass window covered by a venison blind, her name ‘Cat Angel Artist Co-Manager’ in neat black print on a plastic tag next to the door.
‘Strange name’ Kovacs thought. She turned to look at Walter again, a nervous smile as she said in an excited tone,
“Here we are, its in my office, don’t get the wrong idea. I left it in my office because it was something for me personally really, and I haven’t decided if I should display it in the gallery yet.” she finished quickly looking away from Walter out of nervousness as she turned the metal knob.
Walter just looked at her with uncertainty. As Cat tried to turn the knob she noticed it was locked. Confusion in her face she said in a low tone,
“That’s strange, I don’t remember locking it.” as she tried to turn it again to be certain it was not locked but the door knob didn’t move enough to open the door, still locked.
With that they both heard moans on the other side of her office door. Frozen, her eyes went wide in shock as she looked at Walter, a blush across her face either in embarrassment or anger. Walter made an aggravated look and said in a low tone,
“Allow me.” as he lift up his right leg about to hit the door open with it.
Cat quickly went between her office door and Walter’s lifted leg and grabbed his leg to prevent him from moving it to assault her precious door in.
“Waaaait! Stop. Don’t kick my door in I got a key!” she said assuredly as she fumbled to get the chain around her neck from out under her clothes that held some keys on it.
Kovacs was startled with Cat’s actions as he tried to balance himself in her grasp. She quickly let go so that he wouldn’t fall and turned back to the door to unlock it, mumbling under her breath;
“My artwork better not be damaged or my things stolen.” she said to no one in particular as she unlocked the door with a click and opened it to go in, flipping the light switch.
The light flooded in and consumed the middle size room to reveal the intruders. She was stunned to see two people having sex on her desk, the items that were on the desk scattered on the worn wooden floor in a mess. The young kids looked to be around her age stared wide eyed at them, startled. An average looking Caucasian guy on top of a black woman who laid on top of some papers on the desk, both of them half naked trying to cover themselves in shame. Walter walked in behind Cat, giving the intruders a dirty disgusted look. Cat stood there and saw the mess, noticed her painting she had on the display rack was gone and seemed to have fallen on the floor. Terror hit her as she realized that her sketches on the desk was underneath the young black woman who was styled in a big afro that glittered. Rage started to bubble up inside Cat as she stomped her way in her office as she loudly said in distress,
“My sketches! -gasps- My painting! Oh my god get off my desk!” she quickly moved to the desk pushing them roughly off of her artwork to look at them and see if any of it was damaged.
The pieces of precious paper were wrinkled and some torn, lead smeared with sweat and other things she didn’t want to know, the drawings not looking the way she remembered it. She quickly moved to the fallen painting and crouched to look at it, sketches still in hand in her left, and was relieved that the painting wasn’t damaged. The nuisances still stood there quickly trying to dress themselves as Kovacs moved a little away from the door, blocking any ones path out of the room, arms crossed, the same scowl on his face as his eyes never left the trespassers. Cat sat the painting back in its original place and then turned giving an angry glare at the couple who has finished dressing themselves. If looks could kill they would have been dead right then and there as they were trying to apologize. She yelled and showed a side of her not many see,
“GET OUT OF MY OFFICE! HOW DARE YOU USE IT FOR YOUR GROSS PERSONAL ENTERTAINMENT!” As she was pushing them along, hitting and kicking them both, the woman screamed.
“Don’t flip your wig man! We were only just having a little fun, you know how it is!” The shaggy brunette haired guy said desperately, holding his arms up in defense, wearing an orange and yellow striped t-shirt and brown pants.
“Climb it, Tarzan! I don’t want to here your pathetic excuses, GO! Book your asses and GO! And if I see you two here again or even near this gallery I swear I‘ll stab you both with a pencil and force paint down your throats!” She yelled as she slapped him hard in the face.
Walter made a little smirk as he heard Cat’s threats yelled at them. Brutal and yet creative at the same time, something an artist would say for a threat. Stunned, the couple moved along quickly, trying to run out of the room but was blocked by Walter. Scared he was going to do something much worse, they cautiously and nervously tried to move around him quickly out the door as the black woman mumbled under her breath with an attitude rebuttal towards Cat, calling her a “Bitch” as she turned the corner down the hall. Cat came running up past Walter, bumping his hard somewhat broad right shoulder without notice, her attention only on the people who invaded her private sanctuary. She stepped out the door to confront the person who said what she thought she heard. Walter watched Cat’s back as she stood somewhat out the door.
“What was that! Did you just call me a bitch!?” Cat yelled back questioningly at the backs of the moving couple as they sort of turned to look behind them, still moving along quickly; almost down the end of the hall.
The young black woman dressed in a tight fitted gold shimmered short party dress; her hands on her wide meaty hips stopped almost near the end of the hallway and fully turned to look at Cat with a crooked smile, all attitude and spunk. “Ya heard me!” The black woman yelled back waving her right arm in a circular motion and snapped her fingers, as if that helped get her point across.
Walter came near the door to look on and noticed Cat grabbing a colorful thick, glass globe paper weight from a shelf near the door and threw it at the tall woman as her reply. The paper weight hit the woman in the head as she fell on her ample butt. The young black woman made a loud outcry of pain, her hand grabbed for the place she was hit and checked to see if she was bleeding. Cat’s brows furrowed in a scowl towards the woman who ruined her sketches, pleased with herself, justice was served as she watched the woman in tears. Kovacs was amazed that Cat did that as he saw the situation before him. Never thinking she had it in her to be… this violent. The guy who was with the woman that he pleasured is now hurt, quickly trying to pick her up. Surprised it got this violent and tried to help the woman back on her feet telling her she was fine when she asked if she was bleeding. She had trouble getting back on her high heeled feet and stumbled the rest of the way, her arm around the guys shoulders as he helped her walk the rest of the way out, not daring to say anything and to quickly get out of this crazy place. Cat turned to go back in the disarrayed room when the people disappeared behind the corner, the tension in the room still seemed thick from what happened earlier. Walter turned to enter the office again and watched Cat starting to pick up things from off the floor after she carefully laid her sketches back on the desk.
“GAH, it stinks of sex in here!” she said loudly with distaste, eyes moist with unwanted tears as she was putting the items back on the desk.
Walter agreed that the scent of sex still lingered in the room uninvitingly as he uncrossed his arms and let it rest at his sides. As Cat was picking up a pen and pencil holder and sat it on the desk with the huge variety of artists pens, regular writing pens and artist pencils she turned to look at Walter to see what he was doing. Realizing he hadn’t spoken a word during or after the incident with the jerks who used her office as a private brothel. Walter just stood there silently, watching her on her hands and knees gathering her things from off the floor. As he took a step he felt his foot hit something hard and heavy and looked down to see what it was and saw it was some kind of art piece. He stooped down to pick up the pieces of a small broken cat sculpture and looked at it in his hand. Looked to be handmade from red clay. Cat continued on with what she was doing not seeing what Walter picked up, her full attention was already back on picking up some of the items from off the floor and putting them back neatly on her desk. She began searching for her clay sculptures that she recently made and noticed one of them was missing. Groaning in distress and trying not to panic, she searched for the missing piece all over the floor, under her desk, a sinking feeling starting to grasp hold her heart that was beating quickly, as if to halt its beating. Cat turned her head to look at the red headed man in desperation and worry to see if he could help, she looked at him questioningly at what he was looking at in his left hand wondering if it was something he picked up from off the floor. She got up, holding two of her little clay sculptures in her right hand of a bird and a wolf and came closer to where Walter was standing near the doorway. As she came close enough to see what he was holding did she realize he was holding the missing piece of her clay sculpture collection.
In tears she saw that it was broken and murmured to herself, “Nooo, it‘s broken.” Not wanting to believe what she saw and said aloud.
Walter still standing in the same spot, not moving a muscle as he watched Cat’s sadness when she went to carefully pick out the pieces of the cat sculpture from out of his wide hand. Holding them to her chest, she took a deep breath and turned back towards her desk and set the unbroken and broken pieces on the tables black surface. Most of the things were rightly back in its place on the desk that were picked up but she didn’t bother picking up the rest that still cluttered the floor. She moved her office chair back in its place and picked up her artistically decorated messenger bag from off the floor that laid next to her bookcase to check and see if anything was missing. Walter slowly walked towards the desk and stopped five feet away from where Cat stood, the wide desk between them. Satisfied that everything in her bag was intact and nothing seemed to be stolen, wiping her tears away from frustration, she looked at Walter again and tried to smile at him, her eyes still glossy. Kovacs didn’t say anything and looked away, her eyes he could not bare to look into and looked around the room to actually see it for the first time. Some black and white bookshelves aligned the white walls, some shelves only held pictures and some sculptures. A variety of art books and other books not pertaining to art filled most of the shelves. A few photographs of places located in New York, floral, and animals decorated some of the bare walls with some paintings. A black cabinet was slightly open that held some art supplies, a art box laid near Cat’s desk on the floor. Everything looked clean and pristine, orderly. But what really caught Kovacs eyes was a painting near Cat’s desk that sat on a display behind her desk on the far right where he hadn’t noticed a painting coming in. It was the painting that fell from the floor earlier and was neatly back in its place on display once again for anyone who came in Cat’s office to see. He slowly walked towards it, trying to make out what he saw, something familiar. Cat watched him go towards the painting, glad to see that he finally noticed it without having to point it out. She stood next to him but not too close as she let Walter gaze at what he saw in front of him silently. He pulled out a sugar cube from his pocket and popped it in his mouth after unwrapping it, putting the empty green wrapper back in his pocket.
“Do you like it? Looks like a Rorschach Inkblot Test doesn’t it?” she said calmly, warmth in her voice as she looked at the painting and then at Walter when she noticed he put something in his mouth.
He kept silent, still inspecting the painting, the white canvas had a cascade of smooth black strokes on it's surface, the medium frame keeping it stretched out to be viewed. He noticed in the middle of the painting the symbol he would make to leave next to the criminals bodies to be picked up by police. Rorschach’s unique signature.
The painting itself appearing to be a inkblot, ‘What did you see?’ His mind would echo quietly.
To him it reminded him of a memory he would like to forget that was of his mother. His past still haunted him, like a shadow it never went away unless you were in total darkness, but the darkness was never a welcoming site, the demons hid there.
‘Does she know? She must be if this is what she wanted to show me.’ he thought with much disheartenment, lined with anxiety when he continued to look at the artwork.
“Can I have a piece?” she asked shyly, uncertainty in her voice, curious to have what he was eating.
Walter looked at her puzzled, and then realized she wanted a piece of a sugar cube that he ate. He obliged and gave her a piece out of his pocket, seeing no harm in sharing I suppose. Cat carefully took it from his left hand and said “Thank you“, quickly unwrapping it and slowly putting it between her soft lips while she put the wrapper in the small waste basket near her desk. Savoring the instant sweetness exploding in her mouth. Strange he would eat something like this as some kind of treat she wondered. She began removing her grey apron and sat it on the chair behind her desk, remembering she had it on, no sense in wearing it if you aren‘t painting at the moment. She liked the dress so much she wanted to show it off to the man next to her that sold it to her friend that same day. He glanced at her for a moment, and then suddenly his attention was back at the painting once again as if he didn‘t notice the pretty dress she wore. Realizing that he was not going to reply to her first question she continued to look at the painting again. Focusing at the careful details she put in it, proud of herself. A reminder of that night when she met the man who saved her from what could have been a horrible trauma to be added to her experiences in life, a scar that wouldn’t fade away like all the others. She was very fortunate and appreciative of the man who went out of his way to help her when most people in New York wouldn’t care less about anyone but themselves. Remembering every little detail in her mind as she studied her artwork, as if it was only yesterday that it happened. She eyed the man next to her questioningly since he still haven’t spoken a word. It unnerved her, not much of a talker and eerily quiet, he kept a mysterious front and seemed to keep to himself a lot. Well she was going to change that.
“I never caught your name. What is it?” she asked apprehensively and quiet enough for him to hear her gentle voice.
“That’s because I never said it.” he said in a tone that made her shiver as his eyes moved to look at her suspiciously, his expression serious.
Looking at him, grinning, she asked, ”Well… will you tell me your name? I’m of course you know, Cat if you haven‘t figured it out, last name is Angel.” her hands clasped behind her back.
Walter thought about her question, should he answer? Was this some trick question? He had the impression that she was setting him up for something he couldn’t get out of.
“Walter Kovacs.” he answered, regretting it and waiting to see what she would do after hearing it as he examined the painting again with uncertainty.
Suddenly small fragile arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace. In astonishment, he looked down seeing Cat hugging him, frozen in place and the words taken right out of him on what to say in protest, he didn’t know what to do. Uncomfortable and very much aware of her body touching his brought an unwanted warmth inside him. Not used to something like this, sweat starting to perspire on his skin as heat started to rise even more, breath caught sharp in his throat.
“I knew it was you! I had my hunch it was you but I wasn’t certain of myself and now you have confirmed that I was right all along!” she said joyfully then realizing she had hugged him out of her excitement and then quickly letting go of him, hoping he wasn’t angry at her.
She couldn’t believe this was the man who saved her, the vigilante Rorschach that everyone knows and many feared. And yet here she is who knows his other face that was still just as intimidating yet not in total fear of him. She felt safe around him and believed he wouldn’t harm her. She was delighted to see what he actually looked like underneath the strange mask he wore that resembled so much like the Rorschach Test, which of course made since why he was called Rorschach. Taking note that he wasn’t an ugly man, but had a classic handsomeness to him. The red hair and freckles with sad hazel eyes and slight tanned skin with a broad strong chest covered by his clean white buttoned shirt and unzipped jacket. Walter Kovacs looked at her agitated and lost for words still feeling very awkward as she stared at him, feeling exposed.
‘She knew!? Spy!?’ his paranoid mind yelled out in a silent response with many other thoughts rushing inside his head.
“I’m not a spy Walter, I just… I can read people is all. I’m empathic as some would call it.” Cat answered Walter’s silent paranoid question in a steady voice, a small smirk graced her lips.
Kovacs just looked at her dumbfounded with a grave expression. ‘Empathic?’ he thought loudly.
“Don’t worry, your secret safe with me.” she added, her right index finger touched her lip as if that was a key to lock away his secret on her delicate lips.
He scowled in reply not certain to believe or trust her he thought, he has only met her a couple of times. He didn’t trust anyone! Well Daniel Dreiberg was somewhat of an exception but other than that, no one was honored of his trust!
“It’s okay if you don’t trust me, I understand.” Cat said quietly with uneasiness as she averted her eyes downwards to look at his chest.
‘Is she reading my mind? Impossible!’ he wondered in alarm.
Cat looked up from reading such a thought, wanting to answer but decided not to when she saw his glaring hazel eyes look down at her. When Walter saw her look up when he thought that his questioned thought was answered. Her expression was of worry and something else that didn’t seem right. His feelings about her, the strange awkwardness he felt with her that was different then most when he was around others. That feeling that he was being watched in a most personal way when she looked at him. Piercing through his soul and reading his most inner secrets made him feel disquieted. A voice broke the tension between them as their attention went towards the open doorway of a British accent voice yelled out from afar. It was Anne calling out to see if anyone has seen Cat. Cat ran to the door hearing this and yelled back that she was over here in her office. Anne who was standing at the end of the hallway saw her and grinned then quickly left. They both could hear Anne shouting and the music stopped abruptly with sounds of movement. Then Anne and many other people, familiar and unfamiliar to Cat, came walking down the hallway singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. Anna was rolling a white cloth covered cart with a huge colorfully decorated cake on it with a long knife and cake server next to it and several paper plates. Where she hid that she had no clue, but Annie was clever like that. Walter stepped out to see what the commotion was, standing safely behind Cat, he didn’t want to go near any of the unkempt people. Cat covered her face in embarrassment and then peeked out through her open fingers and then covering her cheeks trying to hide the light blush that was getting darker, giggling.
‘So it wasn’t a lie.’ he thought as he eyed the cake and hearing the singing as the people came closer to them from down the hall, not joining in with the singing.
It looked very cramped it was a wonder how all of these people were able to walk down this hallway that wasn’t huge enough to fit so many people at once. Many people were wearing party hats and some held in their hands with those colorful foil tasseled horns and party blowouts that made those annoying sounds. They came at a stop in front of Cat and Walter, Miss Cat Angel smiling big, face still blushed and at a loss for words when she saw what was before her. Nineteen candles that were alight was held up by the different colored frosting on the cake.
‘She is nineteen.’ Walter thought in surprise after he counted the number of pink and white candles on her cake.
She looked younger than that but then again, you could never judge a book by its cover as the saying goes. He was beginning to believe that. He learned her secret as she learned his. Never imagining that the outcome would be what it was. After the singing finished Anna yelled out to Cat to make a wish. After a moment of thought from Cat she then blew out her candles as she held back her braided hair from getting in the way, the candles all going out one-by-one. A man she knew, Jack Jones who Anna and her called JJ for short, was taking pictures during the whole thing, not missing a single Kodak moment. The sound of clapping ripped through the air with the blowing of small horns and blowouts beaming and people shouting and hooting. Cat just giggled shyly as Anna started to cut the cake to give Cat the first piece to try as everyone quickly got closer to get their slice of delight next. It was chocolate cake, Cat’s favorite and she noticed there were no forks so she took a piece with her index finger and thumb and took a bite. Saying “Thank you” to Anne who was busy serving people and told her it was “No problem” with her same big smile.
Anna becoming aware of the absence of forks, frowned at herself and said loudly for everyone to hear, “Bloody hell, I forgot the damn forks! Sorry everyone!” she finished with her hands up in the air, knife and server still in her grasps.
No one seemed to mind except for the ones who moaned, grabbing a piece a cake for themselves and moving out of the way for others to get through and have their piece. Walter was trapped and there were no exits near by that he could see. He didn’t want to be here. Cat turned to look at him, licking the sweet colorful substance off her fingers. Lifting the plate towards him to have a taste but he refused. Cat just made a sad frown in reply and brought the cake back towards her to have another bite. She yelled “Thank you” to everyone as they all started to trickle away from the scene, eating their cakes and chattering away on how delicious it was and how much fun the party was~! One guy saying the party was “A gas he would not forget!“ to some friends of his all agreeing with grins and laughs. All praising Anna for the great time and to let them know when she would host another one. Anna surprisingly cut a cake for Walter and lifted it up to him, he just looked at it, not moving to reach it, Anne was beginning to look a little upset until Cat took it quickly from out of her hands and smiled saying “Thank you” to her again. Anne just nodded in reply and turned the cart around, heading down the hall and turning right back into the big gallery where the dying party was at, leaving the quiet two together in the somewhat empty hallway that seemed a little bit bigger than before where it was recently full of people. Cat turned her head to curiously look at Walter, still holding his piece of cake untouched.

“I’m guessing you want to go now huh?” she asked, her voice sounding bummed out.
Walter turned his head to look at her and nodded in reply, concern written on his face it seemed to her. She sighed aloud trying to make Walter feel bad but of course something like that wouldn’t work on him. He wasn’t easily persuaded to change his mind, his belief to ‘Never Compromise‘. She turned back into the room to set Walter’s cake down on the desk as she threw away the now empty paper plate in the trash. Kovacs watched her go to the cabinet of art supplies and opened it fully and rummage through a drawer, pulling out a box of clear plastic wrap that she would use to cover a ball of fresh red clay to keep it moist. Tearing a long piece off she set the box back in its place. Closed the drawer and then the long black cabinets that was her personal storage. She turned and quickly walked back to her desk and wrapped up the uneaten cake, grabbed her bag, put it around herself as it was held by her small shoulders. The bag seeming huge next to her small body and appeared heavy and uncomfortable. She took the cake and walked towards Walter who stood by the door quietly. Turning off the lights and closing the door, the key to her office still placed in its hole where she left it as she locked the door this time and put the chain of keys around her neck once again. She turned to look at Walter, brooding, and held up the cake towards him.
“Here, take it. I’m not going to accept your refusal, it won’t hurt you to just take it.” she said firmly, looking at the red head sternly, daring him to refuse.
Observing this he was taken aback, her black eyes boring into his hazel ones. His hands apprehensively took the plate with his cake on it without thinking. Neatly wrapped by the clear plastic covering to prevent anything from touching it or it falling off the plate. She nodded in approval as she said “Good” in her firm voice. She started to walk down the hallway, Kovacs followed slowly behind by a couple feet, looking at the cake he was carrying in his hands. When they reached the end of the hall Cat turned to enter the gallery again and searched for Anne until she spotted her.
“Thanks again Annie, the party was bad! I had a blast! See you Sunday at church?” Cat said with her signature smile as she looked in the partially empty gallery which was a mess, Anne being in the middle amidst the chaos.
Anna who was high, sat up from her cushioned couch to look at Cat and smiled crookedly saying, “No problem and that she would see her Sunday for sure” in her drunk British accent, smoking a joint with another man who sat next to her.
“Aww Annie, your not blitzed are you? And your stoned!? You better not get caught by the heat when going home!” Cat said loudly with distaste, worried for her friend that she might not see her Sunday as her best friend seemed to believe.
Anna just giggled and laid back down waving a hand of good bye to her. Walter looked on with much disgust. He knew he wouldn’t like that woman, it was clear, she showed much ugliness about her inside and out that she hides with excessive make-up and crude dress. He looked away and gaze down at his left wrist to see what time it was, ten-thirty, it was late and time went faster than he had planned it, remembering that Daniel was going to wonder why he hasn‘t seen him earlier this evening. He was in no mood to explain himself to Daniel’s usual meddling questions. He thought about if he should even go and see him tonight.
“-sighs- Later.“ Cat said with disapproval and turned to walk back into the big backroom and went towards the exit where her bike was.
Walter followed suet, glad to see the exit and leaving finally. Cat pushed the bike stand up and tried to open the wide black fire escape door, Walter helped her by holding the door open as she rolled her bicycle out into the alley saying “Thank you“ for his courtesy. It dawned on him that she was planning to ride her bike… home.
Her back at Kovacs, she continued along down the alley as she went on her bike and turned her head to say to him in a carefree voice, “Thanks Walter for coming to my party, it meant a lot to me. Hopefully I’ll see you around again. Later~!” she finished happily as she turned her head back around to start peddling away on her bike.
After hearing her, he just stood there a couple feet away from the door they exited moments ago and was somewhat disturbed by the fact that she really was going to bike home in this dark city and so late at night that he had to ask the obvious question to be certain,
“You’re riding your bike home?” he said in a firm tone as he watched her slowly come to a stop.
Cat turned to look at him, her left leg stretched to lay her feet flat on the hard polluted ground. “Well… yeah…” she said in reply in a tone laced with uncertainty, peering at Kovacs with a quizzical look as if it was quite obvious.
Walter shook his head in irritation thinking the girl couldn’t be any stupider. “Didn’t you learn your lesson the first time? Are you that stupid!?” he said harshly putting his right hand in his pocket while the other one still held his cake.
Cat turned her head back to look forward, her head down in thought a little surprised he had to be that honestly blunt about it. She felt ashamed and also embarrassed when she understood why he said that. She might be putting herself in the same situation again without realizing it. She was good to not leave the gallery when it was dark and made sure to be home before then but tonight she forgot all about it because of her birthday party. She got off her bike and turned to look at him with uncertainty. She remembered that she didn’t have any money on her thinking she wouldn’t need it today because of her birthday and she was with Annie who paid for everything. How else would she get home? Walter wouldn’t seriously walk her home… would he? She considered him with uncertainty and thought the idea ludicrous, he wouldn’t do that. Kovacs just stared at her curiously, she was eerily quiet from her usual mannerisms.
“What?” he asked, not liking how she was acting at the moment as she stared down at him.
“I don’t have money to take a taxi, how else would I get home? Are you going to walk me home or something cause I don’t see any other way to return home but by bike or walking... By myself.” she said defiantly.
Walter took note of what she said and was unhappy with her reply. Scratching the back of his fine cut hair with his free hand irritably, thinking of a solution to all of this; staring at the ground below him in thought. Cat was coming near the seemingly annoyed man before her as his brows furrowed, watching his expression that looked like he was in discomfort, as if thinking was hurting him. He was going through his thoughts weighing out what seemed to be the best solution and not getting much to his dismay.
Cautiously she said in a small quiet voice, a hint of uncertainty in her tone, “A-are you gonna take me home th-”
“Yeah I guess so…” he cut in in a irritated tone, not wanting to accept the idea and believe what he had just said.
Shoving his hand in his pocket, his mood beginning to grow foul as he turned to walk out of the alley leaving cat behind. He really didn’t want to do this but kept repeating in his mind he had a duty to help and protect people from evil people who are soon to be criminals. Rapists, thieves, pedophiles, the like all like to victimize young females. Cat was one of those females even though she appeared much younger than she really was. Which was an added problem for her and him if you think about it; having to go save her again from being another victim. Cat quickly followed behind as she rolled her bike along, the clicking of the bicycle chain faint as it moved with her in a same slow pace like the man who accompanied her home. The city still in its usual loud bustle, bright night lights consuming the metropolis as it blocked the starlit night sky. Evil coming out of its shadows at it peered out to look for its next prey. Bad people with bad intentions flooding the streets, leaving behind another world into a different one filled with darkness. Walter Kovacs and Cat Angel walking side-by-side, entered into the chaos, the full moon glowing brightly high above the city of the damned.

*A gas (A lot of fun)
*Bad (Awesome)
*Ball (Party, later it meant intercourse (but the sexual meaning does not apply here at the moment))
*Blast (A great time)
*Blitzed (Drunk)
*Book (Leave the area)
*Bummed out (Depressed)
*Climb it, Tarzan (An act of defiance)
*Don’t flip your wig (Used when someone was having a “spaz” also equivalent to “Don’t have a cow”)
*Heat (The Cops)
*Hip (Very good, cool)
*Later (Goodbye)
*Stoned (High on pot)
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