AN: This is my first Watchmen fanfic. I do not own the characters, however I own my own created cast. Please enjoy!

The city was dark, the night sky so clear it looked almost artificial. From their post on one of the many rooftops above New York, he could see the many civilians bustling about the streets, their voices echoing against the stone buildings. Adrian Veidt stood, leaning against an air conditioning pipe, his velvet cape billowing in the air, his eyes scanning for trouble below.

"You're late," he mused, hearing a set of soft, clicking footsteps approaching him.

"I ran into an attempted rape on 21st. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Adrian chuckled, keeping his mask-covered eyes downward, pretending not to acknowledge the beautiful specimen that had just arrived, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mirage I thought Nite Owl wanted us to work together?"

A midnight blue-clad hand pressed against his armored chest, forcing Caribbean blue to meet with sapphire as he brought his eyes to hers, "If you'd waited for me at the meeting until I was finished talking to Jon, Ozzy, then you would have been there, wouldn't you?"

Adrian, or Ozymandias as he preferred being called whilst under the mask, stared at his female partner, a smirk crossing his lips, "My apologies for leaving you unprotected."

Mirage glared at him, but was unable to retort before they heard a curdling scream come from several blocks ahead of them, the two masked vigilantes taking off over the rooftops in pursuit.

Ozymandias looked to his left, watching the young woman leap gracefully over the gaps between buildings, almost like a gazelle in his eyes. She was perfect in every sense of the word, and he knew that it was impossible for her to understand what he felt for her. There was a reason that he'd wanted her as his partner, a reason that even he couldn't explain at the time, but as the nights had gone by he understood, and figured out quite clearly that he was in love with her.

They stopped at the edge of one roof, seeing the source of the screams below: a young woman and her child being mugged by four Knot Tops. Mirage growled angrily, dropping down to the alley with limbic finesse, landing atop one of the burly men's shoulders, crumpling him to the ground. She watched Ozymandias land out of the corner of her eye, two of the criminals honing in on him instantly. The young woman had little time to observe, for the fourth Knot Top descended on her. Quickly she dropped to the wet concrete, bringing her leg up over her head to kick him in the neck, causing him to gasp for air. With a swift flip, she landed a punch to his stomach, then another to the back of his neck, knocking him to the ground. It was then that she turned to see Ozzy bash his head against the last standing Knot Top, sending him flying into the wall, her eyes watching as he slid to the ground.

Ozymandias turned to her, the two of them heaving breaths, "Are you alright?"

She chuckled, "Unprotected my ass," she took the few steps toward him, taking note of the few strands of gold hair hanging in his face, bringing her blue-gloved hand up to push them back behind his ear, "there, perfect as always."

He smirked, seeing a smudge of soot on her cheek, reaching his hand out to wipe it away, "Perfection."

She smiled, then turned to the woman standing with her child, an awe-struck girl about the age of six. Mirage was suddenly reminded of herself at that age, golden curls flying around her tiny head, a pair of deep blue eyes staring up at her.

Mirage listened to the mother than Ozymandias for saving them, but she was crouched down on her silver heels, a kind smile on her face, "Are you alright bambina?"

The girl nodded, "You're very pretty."

Mirage chuckled, "Thank you sweetie. As are you." She watched as the girl's tiny hand reached up to the left side of her face, knowing what she was mesmerized by, "You like it?" she felt the child's tiny fingers trace the swirls that lined the side of her face and neck.

"What is it?" the girl asked.

"It's a birthmark," Mirage smiled, tucking a flyaway curl behind the child's ear, "keep your mamma safe, okay?"

She nodded quickly, "Yes I will."

"Good," she stood, feeling Ozzy's hand on her shoulder, signaling for them to depart, and with one last smile at the girl, she disappeared with her partner into the shadows.

Adrian stepped into his large apartment, Mirage close behind. It was traditional for the two of them to return to either of their places, usually his, to share a glass of something strong and chat. He sighed, walking into his bedroom and shutting the door, quickly taking off his mask, gloves, and cape, replacing them in their rightful spot in his closet, tucked away in the back. Turning to his armoire, he picked up a bottle of cologne and spraying the sides of his neck before sliding his fingers through his hair, gazing at his reflection. Tonight he would tell her, he'd decided when he watched her interaction with the girl in the alley. This was the one woman that had finally stolen his heart, and it was time that he confessed.

Mirage had removed her gloves and mask, revealing a pair of slender, tanned hands and deep, sapphire eyes. The light skin of her swirled birthmark trailed from her left temple, down her cheek, neck, and collarbone, before disappearing over the curve of her breast and into her costume.

She loved coming back to Adrian's home after their excursions. The time they'd spent together over the past year had allowed her to open up to him, and vice versa. She remembered the first time she'd met all of the Watchmen, the day she'd joined them. Mirage gazed at the picture they'd taken that day: Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach, The Comedian, Nite Owl, herself, and Adrian, all lined up. She noticed Adrian's hand on the curve of her hip, her own arm slung over Nite Owl's shoulder, everything that had happened that night flooding through her head. Adrian was emerging from his room, still in his costume save for what he'd removed, his eyes finding her over by his mantle of photographs, noting her gaze fixated on their group photo; he remembered that night clearly, it had been the night Mirage had walked into his life, and changed everything.

One Year Earlier

The first meeting of the Watchmen; Adrian, Rorschach, The Comedian, Laurie, and Jon were already there, awaiting the arrival Dan and their newest member.

"Dan's late," Rorschach grumbled.

"He has to come all the way from Little Italy with the new kid," Eddie's muffled voice boomed behind his chewed cigar, taking a swig from his flask.

Adrian sighed, fixing the diadem around his flawless hair, "Shouldn't be long now."

Jon nodded, "They just entered the building."

Just as Jon had spoken, the door opened to reveal Nite Owl, with a young woman in tow. "Sorry guys, quite a trip. This is Giada Montecelli, her mask name is Mirage."

Adrian's eyes fell on the woman before them, and he caught his breath: she was absolutely beautiful. Clad in a figure-hugging costume made of the same material as his own, colored mainly in midnight blue, her forearm guards muted silver. Her chest was framed beautifully by the armored bodysuit, her legs covered slightly by the short-like bottoms, were tone, slender, and tanned naturally. Her mask was a lighter shade of blue, hiding a set of sapphire eyes, and her hair was thick, radiant, gold curls that fell to the middle of her back. But the most eye-catching feature of all, were the light-skinned spirals and swirls that ran from her left temple, down her face, neck, and collar bone before disappearing beneath her bust line, reappearing along the visible part of her leg, stopping at her muted silver boots, the heel a reasonable height for fighting and running.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," she smiled, a hint of an Italian accent hidden behind her words.

Adrian smirked, hiding same as me, he thought, "Welcome Mirage."

The Comedian's eyes raked her over like a new toy, "Nice tat sweet cheeks."

Her gaze turned to him, "It's a birthmark, but thank you all the same."

Dan smirked, "Mirage, this is Eddie Blake, more commonly known as The Comedian."

She walked over and shook his hand, ignoring the perverted smirk on his face that made Adrian clench his fists in anger, "Pleasure."

"Pleasure's all mine babe," he purred.

Mirage snatched her hand away, turning to Dan.

"This is Rorschach," he gestured to the smaller man adorned in the trench coat and moving mask.

The young woman extended her hand, which to everyone's surprise, Rorschach accepted almost happily.

"This is Dr. Manhattan, also known as Jon Osterman, and Laurie Juspezyck, Silk Spectre."

The two shook her hand, and it was then that she turned to face Adrian, and her entire composure changed. She almost looked timid, her eyes glimmering behind her mask. Slowly she approached him, a smile on her face.

Dan smirked, "And last but not least, Adrian Veidt, otherwise known as-"

"Ozymandias," she finished, extending her hand out to him, which Adrian took and brought to his lips, placing a kiss atop her glove, "The pleasure is most certainly mine."

Unlike ignoring the comment like she had with The Comedian, Mirage smirked, "Are you sure about that?"

Ozymandias grinned, Positive."

Dan chuckled, "Alright you two enough, we have to sort all of this out before photo shoot hour. Rorschach and I have found that working in teams has worked to our benefit. So, for patrols we're going to split into two teams of two, and one team of three. Rorschach and I will stick together. Jon?"

The blue male nodded, "I will work with Laurie."

Dan turned, "And Mirage?"

The young woman looked from The Comedian to Ozymandias, "Doesn't matter to me."

Eddie strode forward, taking her by the waist and pulling him to her, "Stick with me babe, I'll keep you safe."

Faster than anyone could imagine, she landed an elbow to his gut, her knuckles flying up to hit his nose, before grabbing the arm that had been around her waist and twisting it until she had him in a secure lock, "And just for that comment, you can be a part of the group of three. Or I will," she growled, throwing him into his chair.

"Mirage will work with me, Dan why don't you and Rorschach take The Comedian?" Adrian spoke up, keeping his gaze fixed on Mirage.

The blonde female nodded, "Fine by me," she glared at The Comedian, "bastardo," her Italian accent rang out for everyone to hear, and everyone was amazed.

"The photographer's here!" Laurie smiled, hooking her arm through Mirage's, "Stand by me."

Mirage smiled, "Alright."

"Actually Miss Spectre if you could stand here next to Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach next to him. And Mr. Comedian sir stand next to him, Mr. Owl right where you are. And blondie next to him, arm on his shoulder."

"Mirage," Adrian corrected, already knowing he was to stand on her opposite side, placing a gentle hand on her hip.

The photographer nodded, "Mirage, right, right. And Mr. Ozymandias where you are," his eyes found the vigilante's hand on the young woman's waist and smirked, "nice touch. Now everyone on the count of three. One, two, three!"

The flash made dots appear in front of her eyes, but she smiled, hugging Laurie and Dan as they both stated they were leaving. Rorschach shook her hand once more, giving her a grumbled goodbye, and The Comedian gave her a wink. Jon shook her hand before teleporting away, leaving only her and Adrian.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Do you need an escort back home?"

Mirage smiled, "That would be nice. Thank you."

He nodded, holding out his arm for her to interlock with, which she did willingly, the two masks exiting the building, beginning the long trek to Little Italy.

It had been during that walk that she had disclosed to him how she knew who he was; he'd saved her younger brother from being beaten by two mobsters he owed money. He'd also learned of her family's involvement with the mob, how her father was a retired boss, her older brother was in prison doing time for an illegal booze transition, her younger brother on the way to a massive gambling debt, leaving her and her poor, adoring mother to suffer all the abuse.

Adrian had sympathized with her, telling her that if there was anything she needed, he'd be more than willing to assist her. She'd declined respectfully, but without her knowledge he'd paid off her brother's gambling debt, something she hadn't found out till quite recently. He smiled as he watched her now, taking a seat at the island in his kitchen, resting her head in her hands, her gold curls falling over her shoulders.

Adrian walked up behind her, placing a hand on her back, "What'll it be darling?"

Giada sighed, "Anything strong."

He chuckled, "A nice, stiff whiskey on the rocks it is then," he walked over to his liquor cabinet, taking out an obviously expensive bottle and two crystal rocks glasses before turning to his freezer, taking out a tray of ice, "how many cubes?"

"Three's good," she smiled, watching him move about his kitchen comfortably. From the first moment she'd met him she'd felt different; almost like an invisible pull toward him. Of course he was the amazing Ozymandias, he could have any girl in New York City, and they would be glad to have him all the same. Yet there was something about him that made her want to be that one girl. She wanted to tell him so badly how much she wanted to be with him, but of course, she was subject to her father's past and what he needed to do to keep his family alive. In the morning, she was to meet her intended fiance, Tony Granzzana, and all hopes of a relationship with Adrian would be lost. The thought sent a pang of guilt into the depths of her stomach, she'd be a masked vigilante married to the son of one of the biggest Italian mafia bosses in all of the United States, and she'd always be secretly in love with her partner.

"Here you go," he handed her the chilling glass of whiskey, "cheers."

Giada smirked, tapping her glass to his, "Saloud."

Adrian watched over the rim of his glass as she took a long sip, closing her eyes as the liquor slid down her throat, "So I've been meaning to ask you," he began, putting his glass down, "when you first met me, what did you think?"

The young woman met his gaze, "When? At the meeting or when you saved my brother?"

He smirked, leaning against the counter, his costume flexing in the moonlight, "When I saved your brother...and the meeting."

Giada chuckled, rotating her glass in her hand, watching the light bounce off of the crystal in many colors, "When I stood there, watching you beat up the two thugs Rosario had sent for Michael, I was in awe of you. This, beautiful specimen of amazing physical nature had just saved my brother from certain mutilation and possible death."

Adrian smiled, "And the meeting?"

"At the meeting I...I thought you were the most amazing man I had ever seen in my life," she blushed, looking him in the eye whereas other women would've looked away, something Adrian admired her for.

He felt his heart swell with joy as he rounded the counter, "Did you now?"

She nodded softly, "I sound like a giddy schoolgirl. What about you, what did you think of me?"

Adrian turned the stool that she was sitting in so that she was looking straight at him, taking her face in his hands and gazing deeply into her mesmerizing, blue eyes, "I thought you were the most incredibly beautiful, captivating woman I'd ever met," he breathed, bringing his lips down on hers, kissing her passionately. And Giada kissed back, finally receiving what she'd wanted for so long, but it was then that realization hit her: they couldn't be together.

"Mm-Adrian...no," she pushed against his chest, pulling away from him, "I can't. We can't."

His piercing blue eyes started at her, "Why ever not? I love you and it's obvious that you feel the same way for me."

Giada now felt incredibly guilty, "Adrian...I'm promised to someone."

AN: Here's the first chapter! Review and let me know how I've done so far! :D