Notes: Thanks to my two lovely reviewers! I was a little worried when it took a while for any reviews to come in, but now that I've received two favorable comments, I shall update once again!

Chapter Two

When I awoke several hours later, I was aware of several things immediately. First of all, I realized that I had slept longer than I'd intended-usually after making love to Evey, I'd doze for a while, then get up and spend the rest of the night reading, or planning, or something else productive. My first instinct was to panic-If I'd slept, Evey could have work, found light, and looked upon my face.

The next thing I was aware of was that the room was still pitch black, no light, which was a great relief.

And then, panic again as I noticed that Evey was not beside me.

I was just about to call out to her when I heard the unmistakable sound of retching.

Oh God, she had looked upon me, and it had made her ill! She would leave now in regret of swearing herself to such a deformed man, that she was carrying his child-a child who would probably be born with his father's genetic deformities even if he wouldn't be a hideous.

Feeling ill myself-but with dread and heartbreak-not disgust, I stood shakily and advanced on the bathroom door.

"Evey?" I called, voice shaking.

A cough, another retch, and then her voice, shaking just as much as mine.

"V, please… come in here…" she called, and I fumbled around on the floor until I found my mask, then slipped it on and let myself into the bathroom.

Evey was kneeling beside the toilet, face pale and moist with perspiration, and one hand to her chest.

"Your child is in a foul mood this morning." She murmured, then opened her arms to me.

I stepped back, and ignored the fleeting look of hurt confusion in her eyes.

"I see. The frightening visage of my face was enough to disturb our child still in the womb as well as its mother?" I snapped, shamed to find tears in my eyes.

"V, what-?"

"No! No excuses! I know that you looked upon my face while I slept! I know that you betrayed me, that you're disgusted by the horrors of my face, that the look of me was enough to drive you to nausea!" I roared, shaking madly.

"V, no! I did no such thing! I woke up only ten minutes ago and came right into here!"

"Oh, I see," I sneered, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "And if that is so, then why were you vomiting? Tell me that, Evey darling."

"Because I'm pregnant, you fool! Pregnant women get morning sickness during the first few months! Read some of your damn books if you don't believe me!" she shrieked, before bursting into tears.

"How can you still distrust me?!"

Shame of a different kind welled up within me, and I hung my head.

"Evey, please-"

"No! You always do this! You constantly distrust me, you constantly think I'm going to betray you or leave you!"

"Evey-!"

"I blew up parliament for you, I gave myself to you, I'm carrying your child! What more can I do?!"

She gasped for breath, tear-tracks on her face and eyes puffy.

Giving a long shuddering sigh, I moved forward, went to my knees, and gently took Evey into my arms.

"Darling, I apologize. You're right, you've done nothing to make me doubt you." I soothed, stroking her hair gently and pressing my masked face to her soft uncovered one.

"What can I do to make it up to you?"

I should have known better.

"Trust me, V. Prove that you trust me." She paused, pulling back just enough to look up at where my eyes would be if I was not wearing the mask.

"Let me see your face."

I stared down at her for several moments, too shocked to move, to speak, even to breathe.

"Evey, I-"

"No excuses, V. Don't say a word." She let out a shuddering breath. "You don't have to do it now, V. But please, before I have this baby, I want to know what its father looks like. Really looks like."

I gave a slight nod, mind racing.

Seven months. Seven months until Evey saw my face.

Seven months left to love her.

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The rest of the day was uneventful in comparison to the morning. I, of course, stayed within the gallery, and spent a great deal of the early afternoon locked away in the one room of the gallery that Evey did not know of, planning, plotting, and brooding. Just because a new government was in creation didn't mean that there wasn't work to be done. Norsefire stragglers were still roaming the streets, trying to connect with one another and bring back the old ways.

When I did finally emerge, Evey was curled on the cough, hugging a pillow to her chest and watching the television. She snapped her head up, startled out of deep thought, and gave me a dazzling smile.

"Oh, finally! I missed you!"

I smiled beneath the mask and moved closer to her, and lowered myself to sit beside her, gently putting my arm around her shoulders.

"I apologize for leaving you all on your own so long today. I had much to… consider." I murmured.

The smile on her lips faltered for just a moment, and then she leaned forward and pressed a sweet kiss against my motionless masked lips.

"So, my darling, how did you occupy yourself this afternoon?"

She snuggled up against my chest and gave a contented sigh.

"I read for a while, then took a bath, then came into here and decided to take a peek at the telly."

I nodded, even though her face-hidden in the folds of my shirt front-would not have been able to see it.

"Well, now you have a companion for the rest of the evening. What shall we do first?"

Slowly, she lifted her head and a very familiar look came across her face, making me gulp.

"Well, I can think of a few things I'd enjoy doing…" she purred, and I shifted uncomfortably, my trousers getting a bit tight.

"Can you?" I replied, my voice shaking a bit. Surely I wanted to make love to her, but a memory of this morning kept me a bit distanced.

"V? Are you all right?" she looked worried, and I felt a stab of guilt.

"I'm quite fine darling, honestly." I assured, nuzzling my masked face into her neck and delighting in her sweet moan of enjoyment.

"Shall we go to bed, V?" she whispered into my ear, and I shivered.

"Certainly. And I stood, gently leading her to the bedroom and pushing down my mounting anxiety.

"You're so tense, are you sure you're okay?" she questioned, pulling me to a stop and looking up at me in the dim light of the bedroom, obviously concerned.

"I-I'm a little worried that we shall have a repeat of this morning if we proceed to the bed." I breathed, ashamed.

"Oh V, no." she insisted, leading me to the bed and pushing me to sit upon the edge.

"Darling, everything will be just fine. You have only to trust in me, and in our love. The only way the terrible things that happened this morning would repeat themselves is if you begin to doubt in my love and sincerity again."

I gave a long sigh, and she cupped my masked face in her hands.

"That's why I want you to show me your face, V. Once I've seen it and you realize that it doesn't matter, you won't be so suspicious and you'll stop anticipating a betrayal that is never going to happen!"

I couldn't reply, I only let myself lean forward and be taken into her arms, comforted as only she could comfort me.

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The next morning I was relieved when I woke up first and was able to look down at Evey's sweet sleeping face. This was how I preferred to spend my morning, looking at my beautiful woman, the woman who was carrying my child, the woman who I loved more than anyone could ever love another person.

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Okay, this was short too… I have a bad habit of writing shorter chapters but updating more frequently, so hopefully no one minds too much. I'll update again in a day or so, depending on how many reviews I get and how quickly I get them.