'Next time' proved to be difficult and elusive to obtain. Due to conflicting schedules, Vendetta didn't re-surface for a month- only for a spell during the Yuletide season. Even then, it was short; Vendetta had given Jervis- and to a lesser extent, Tetch- their deepest heart's desire. At the price of abandoning the Lady. She kept care of Cheshire and the Hatterdasherie in his stead- anyone inquiring was told Jervis had gone away on an extended business trip around the world, procuring rare materials. To uphold the illusion, Vendetta acquired shipments globally for when Jervis returned. If he did. She managed to find someone to complete the orders, but took no new ones. Once the Wonderland euphoria wore off, spring began- then it was Vendetta's turn to leave, until September. She was needed elsewhere.
All this resulted in several months passing- autumn was in full swing, before they had a chance to meet face-to-face once again.
During her absence, Jervis kept busy with a steady supply of work- be it running the Hatterdasherie, or the near-complete redesign/refinement of his Cards. New breakthroughs in medical technology allowed Jervis Tetch a chance to transform them. Many bugs were worked out, they implemented their control much faster and more accurately. Success followed him in that year- but he, like she, was plagued with that void, only the other could fill...
In the six weeks before their reunion, Jervis and Tetch were aware of her presence- even if neither ever saw her. They would often stir to find the Hatterdasherie tidied, prepared for a new day. Food replenished weekly, meals prepared in advance. Every day, tea was set out- freshly brewed, hot and perfectly steamed. One particular day, Jervis awoke to a strange sight- a well=organized, labelled tea cupboard... including a small shelf of her blends. Truly, the Lady went to great lengths to care for them proper. And though they were unaware, her influence bled into the city...
Notably, at the autumn quarterly meeting of the [villainous] minds, a new item of business had been brought forth to discuss. People were beginning to turn up in the streets, killed in a most curious way. Cause of death? Exsanguination, some strangled beforehand. Others, violently torn apart. Still others attacked from behind. The most intelligent discerned the deaths were attached to, but not caused by, Jervis Tetch. He proclaimed his innocence to knowledge- after all, he had not done anything different than normal. All the mutilated bodies followed a pattern, namely they were killed within days of crossing his path... Several suspected he knew something, but nobody could get him to talk. Anyone who tried ended up severely injured- if not killed outright...
The best guess- Tetch had some kind of dark guardian watching over him. With a real penchant for draining blood. Yet nobody knew who, how- and especially not why.
Jervis knew- this had her deadly-yet-elegant touch to it. In a way, the madman felt comforted by this, knowing how deep the Lady's feelings- whatever they were- went for them.
October graced the city once again, poly-chromatic beauty colliding with the creepy yet colourful macabre displays as Halloween drew near. Gotham was unlike most place- the city awash in every holiday had a way of making it look beautiful, and rarely commercial. Something Jervis and Tetch alike appreciated. Darkly colourful displays decorated every street, all sorts of spooky attractions drawing the eyes every which way you like. Jervis took a rare night off- despite drowning in orders- as the people fell for a Victorian vibe, business boomed- settling in with his tea. Something prevented him from concentration... he reasoned it was exhaustion, but knew it was something more. Even Cheshire could feel it.
Deja vu... Peculiar thing, the twists and twirls of Time's dance... Once more, deep in the after hours of the Hatterdasherie Jervis sat, perched in his throne-like chair. To his left, a new 'Alice'- Jessica Ravenswood. Outwardly she resembled his companion maiden-fair. Inwardly, her heart leached bitterness from a toxic core. Chance encounters left her disgusted with the madman. Expertly-timed placement of his new Card painlessly [for him, at least] made her much more sweet. Even better, 'Alice' held vastly better table-side manners, among other things.
All he needed now, the darkness to descend- and his deja vu would render complete.
Sweetly wicked Vendetta... where have you been? Return to us, to me... Grace us with your beauty, your presence- bring to us what we have longed for, that which only you can give...
Just as they thought of retiring, the bell tinkled- icy air rushed inside. Reflexive, Jervis got to his feet- to greet the newcomer, but inform them he was retiring for the evening... Yet the words decayed on his tongue as sky-slate eyes took in the figure standing before him.
A woman stood in his doorway, facing away. She was a study of shadows, draped in a tattered-yet-elegant dress. Layered over top, a silken, fine-mesh dress with a silver spiderweb design. Long gloves disappeared beneath a black coat, in a very particular style seen once before... Porcelain skin peeked out from under shadow-dark long locks of hair, entrancing in its contrast. Spicy-sweet perfume carried on the wind inside... Then the woman turned to face him, with a smile.
"Good evening; I hope I'm not too late, nor interrupting anything."