It was just a few hours -three or less- since dinner had finished and Edward Nygma had just sent their two students to bed. There was complaints of it being too early, from Kitty, of course -the brunette girl with the blood red bangs could never make anything easy for Edward- but he explained how important their project was tomorrow.
They were going to steal back some jewels and tech that was stolen from the all knowing prince of puzzles by a mob. Of course a small mob wouldn't be an issue at all however, this one was a bit larger... of course, Nygma could handle this easily with his students coming alone to learn and receive some extra credit from the school system, all he needed was his mind and his tech to defeat those idiots, so there was no need to call Harvey/Twoface Dent, Jonathan Crane, or Jervis Tetch.
Or at least his pride said so.
Edward waited for just under an hour then checked to make sure that Kitty and Sam were asleep, he found the two wrapped in each others arms sweetly soundly asleep. The sight made Nygma roll his eyes, it's as if they thought this would be their last night. Edward sighed to himself, he and Jonathan didn't express their love so flamboyantly... then again, John didn't like physical contact that much... Edward normally had to ask or risk being gassed or pricked due to his partners jumpy reflexes. Edward normally didn't mind too much, but maybe he should talk to John about it.
Edward continued to think to himself as he got ready for bed, changing to his pj, brushing his teeth, setting his phone alarm to play his favourite song to awake him, and making sure his outfit wa ready for the next day. He finally lifted his emerald green comforter and toxic purple sheets. He wriggled his way underneath them and gently laid his perfect head onto the golden yellow pillow.
The sheets felt thin, yet cushy, soft and warm, the room had coffee tainting the scent of the room, since Nygma had drank it so many times in this room with his fair amount of spills, the room was painted a slight orange as the sunset filtered through the window, his tongue still tingled with the faint taste of the tacos they had for dinner, Edward smiled and closed his eyes flicking off the lamp next to his bed as the sound of the his computers low hums lulled him to sleep.
~Riiiiiiiiiing~ ~Riiiiiiiiiing~
When morning arrived his alarm rang loudly and Edward slammed his hand onto the button on the top of the clock to make it shut up and sat up. Taking a deep breath of the blank smelling air Edward raised from his bed and went to get showered and dressed then went down stairs.
He was happy to see that the two teens were awake and there was a plate with breakfast set out for each of them, Edward sat down and engaged in a bit of chatter as he ate with the other two.
The next thing Edward knew they were driving up to the where he was going to hide the car from the hideout of the mob and Kitty and Sam slide out of the back seat with what they needed as Edward removed himself from the front of the car with his cane and other gear.
The plan was simple, Edward would walk in and see if they could talk it out reasonably, if/when that didn't work Kitty and Sammy would help him let all hell break loose while he got what he needed.
The plan went as expected, the shock and awe of the sudden attack helped Kitty and Sam take out a large amount of the mobsters and Edward quickly got what he needed. Now it was time for them to take their leave. Nygma shot off a flare distracting the last of the mob (a few dozen people) while Kitty and Sammy ran to the door closely following Nygma.
However the 'gentlemen' within the warehouse regained themselves faster than Edward predicted and were quickly on their tail. With the element of surprise no longer with them if the attempted a close quarter fight they would quickly loose due to numbers.
At that moment Kitty spun on her heel and took out her guns, "I'm the only one with a ranged weapon on hand! You two get to the car I'll hold off until you bring the car to me."
The logic was sound to Edward so he grabbed Sam's arm as Kitty began to open fire, her pistols weren't her only guns but were her go to out of habit, she'd switch to better ones soon enough. Despite Sam's protest of her needing help Nygma brought him to the car and began to drive back to Kitty.
Just in time.
It seemed to happen in slow motion, a sniper took aim, the dark knight descended on him from above, the shot was fired, Kitty's blood sprayed the hood of the car, and Sam screamed his love's name in fear.
She was shot, every breathing being here saw it happen, heard it happen, couldn't stop it from happening.
They were just in time to witness, yet too late to help.
The bullet made it to her heart, the gun was well aimed, and the sniper was well trained.
Edward threw open his door and rushed to Kitty, there was ten seconds after a bullet hits like that that could mean life or death for the victim.
TEN...
Ed began sprinting to make those seconds a victory.
NINE...
He slammed the car door shut to get it out of his way.
EIGHT...
He began to run to her.
SEVEN...
He saw a few struggled movements from her chest.
SIX...
He began to maneuver his way around the bodies.
FIVE...
Batman and the Boy Blunder began to rush over as well.
FOUR...
Nygma was twice as close as the vigilante and sidekick.
THREE...
"Sam... I...Love you..." The voice trailed out of her mouth weakly with a trail of blood.
TWO...
Nygma was close enough to smell the girl's blood.
ONE...
He tried to go faster.
ZERO.
Time was up.
The blood was a puddle.
Sam was in tears.
Edward was in shock.
Batman and Robin were too slow.
Kitty was dead.
The funeral was a few days later.
The attendants were:
-Edward Nygma
-Harvey Dent
-Jarvis Tetch
-Jonathan Crane
-Her lover, Sammy Son.
-several faceless friends and teachers from her school
-Her therapist from Arkham.
-A few other villains who were close to the ones who were mourning.
-Batman and Robin (whether due to guilt, mourning, or for protection no one knew)
The silver coffin sat open for the moment to allow Kitty's skin to enjoy a last few seconds of sunlight.
The body inside was in a light grey sundress with a red belt and shoes. Her hair was done up in her signature ponytail. Her arms held her teddy bear between her hands. Normally people would tease or criticise Kitty for still sleeping with the stuffed bear, but now it was comforting for the beaten, old, tattered thing to lay across her chest... with that and her eyes closed and her face relaxed maybe she was just asleep... maybe she never got shot... Maybe it's just a prank...
"You can't think that way..." Jonathan murmured gently, "She's gone... you saw it happen... if you keep thinking that way..."
"You'll get lost..." Jervis added when Jonathan couldn't think of the words, "you'll get lost in your own fake world..." Jervis sniffled past his puffy eyes.
Kitty was the cheshire cat of his wonderland. and even though he didn't feel the same as he did about Alice towards Kitty the worlds seemed lifeless to him currently... as lifeless and dull as the black everyone was wearing... both of them... This world and wonderland... both were in a state of decay and everyone could feel it.
It got even worse when the speaker was finished and the workers lifted the lid of the coffin and lowered it over the body, sealing Kitty inside to decay... that's all Edward could think of... how starting now... Kitty's body... hyper, mouthy, traumatized, ingenious, talented, and loving Kitty would be trapped forever in a box rotting into nothing... the thought brought a new rack of sobs and tears to him, the untold one, Jonathan Held Edward close and kissed away his tears as best he could. Sammy Hadn't stopped cry and Harvey had to hold him back to stop him from throwing himself into the coffin with his beloved much like in a Romeo and Juliet Fashion. Edward couldn't lose both his students... he begged for help to make sure Sam didn't send himself to wherever Kitty may be... he couldn't stand one of them being those horrid, glorified, human-sized jewelry boxes.
Even with that said the lid of the coffin brought some form of comfort to him... there was a simple symbol from the people closest to Kitty engraved into the lid to allow them to keep a permanent part of them near the girl in anyway, shape or form.
From Edward there was a question mark, he remember Kitty saying that the Riddler's main symbol represented safety from the streets of Gotham that Kitty and Sammy were forced to live in.
From Jarvis there was a cat, to remind her that she will always be welcome to come back and rejoin his Wonderland and even if she didn't she would still be a part of it.
Jonathan had a cell phone added as a pat on the back for all she had done with tech in her painfully short life.
Harvey's-though simple- represent how Kitty was the grey area of His and Twoface's black and white world... the edge of the coin, if you will.
Now as for Sam... Sam could only have a heart added right above her name on the coffin's lid... Kitty still had his heart and she was talking it underground and to whatever is beyond this world with her.
The coffin was lowered and everyone said a few words and added a shovel full of dirt to the hole.
Finally it was Edward's turn he lifted the shovel in trembling hands and-
*In a violent world
Where deception's free
Things I can't control
Taking over me
Did they try to take
My identity
So what the hell
Have they done to me!*
The song playing from his phone awoke Edward with a start.
It wasn't real, it was a dream!
Edward took in a shuddering breath and enjoyed the scent of the coffee and the feel on sunrise his slightly damp face.
He turned off the alarm and rushed to Sam's room. Happy to see Sam and Kitty still huddled close with the teddy bear wedged between their bodies.
Edward snuck in and turned off their alarm, writing on a sticky note that he was changing the plan so the thing with the mob was on hold. He put it on Kitty's phone then went to call some fellow criminals.
He felt like he may want some backup for this after all...