One Week Later…

Jim was sitting in his kitchen reading the morning paper trying to think of a way to get rid of Sofia. He really wasn't in the mood to have two psychopaths running Gotham. One being Sofia who he'd never say this out allowed about but she was a minor annoyance. Theo was a much larger problem obviously, but he thankfully was able to reach a truce albeit an uneasy one "How can I get rid of Sofia?" Jim knew he couldn't kill her, but he also knew he couldn't just let his prisoner down stairs just leave. God, only knew what kind of havoc Tabitha might cause if she was ever freed "Still what right do I have to keep her locked up?" Jim knew it was sick and twisted but part of him had come to enjoy having someone who knew about his secret.

After he finished eating and getting ready for the day Jim walked down to his basement where Tabitha was waiting "How are you feeling today?"

"Same as I was yesterday bored. So, what am I supposed to do resign myself to being, your caged pet?" Tabitha spoke with both sarcasm and what Jim could only assume was sadness. Then she asked him a surprising question "Do you really think I deserve this?"

"That's not an easy question." Jim answered looking away from "Do I think you deserve to be locked up? Yes. Do I think you deserve to be treated like an animal? No."

"Going by your logic Jim." Tabitha stopped for a moment still starring off into space then she turned to look at him "You belong in a cell as much as I do. Tell me do you regret the things you've done because you feel guilty over the acts themselves or do you feel guilt over the fact that you enjoyed and got away with the things you've done?"

"I honestly don't know." Jim answered "In the moment yes I felt… I felt like I was powerful when I did what I did."

"You felt like God, didn't you?" Tabitha asked starting to smile "I know because I've felt that way to but then the feeling fades and all I'm left with is anger and knowing I'll never see my…" Tabitha stopped she had a look on her face like she had said too much "There is something wrong with me. I know that I just wonder if it's because of how I was raised or if I was born defective."

"There are times Tabitha when all I feel is anger to. I was in the war and I'm not haunted by it or anything I don't have nightmares about it. I think what's wrong with me is far worse." Jim hesitated but still continued "I think I miss the war, the violence, and the death. I remember when you put that hit out on me when your brother was locked up. I remember all those hitmen were coming after me they turned that building into a war zone. I remember I was going to blow a hole in Flamingo's head and I wanted so badly to pull the trigger. The truth though Tabitha is I never felt so alive I've never admitted it to anyone not even myself." Jim shook his head "Why am I even telling you this?"

"Because I'm not going to tell anyone. At least not while I'm here." Tabitha answered.

"So, who did you lose?" Jim finally asked her "It's obvious you lost someone and that hardened you to make you the way you are now."

"It's not that simple Jim. I was raised a killer. It wasn't until-" Tabitha stopped then took a deep breath "I was a teenager. I was young and impressionable. I met a older man and long story short I got knocked up and my parents kicked me out. My son was crossing the street on his way home for school he was with a friend who lived next door they were in the middle of the street when a car ran a red light." Tabitha wiped the tears from her eyes "His friend survived and was able to remember the model and license plate number. It was Oswald's car and it was him who was driving it. However, at the time he was working for Fish Mooney who pulled strings charges were filed but Oswald never faced prosecution. I remember stealing an outfit from the waiters to sneak into Fish's club, I just wanted to see the man who took my son from me. He didn't even know who I was." Tabitha's voice began to rise with anger "He barely even remembered running my son and his friend over!"

"Now I get it. Penguin took your son from you. So, you took his mother from him."

"You want to know the funny part? I lived an honest life after my son was born. I had a normal job I even became a-" Tabitha stopped once again and then laughed "You wouldn't believe me if I told you what I used to be Jim. You really wouldn't my son always said he wanted to be like me when got older if he could see me now he'd be ashamed of me and frightened. I just haven't been able to stop being angry. Every time I see Oswald I want to kill him he didn't even know his mother was abducted until my brother and I showed him! His own mother was probably missing for days and he didn't bother to check up on her. I can see it in his eyes he was never interested in getting revenge for her death he wanted revenge for Theo making him feel powerless! You probably would disagree."

"Actually I think you describe Oswald perfectly. He is all about his own self-glorification. He stole Fish Mooney's club and invited me to the opening or reopening. I swear I think he was obsessed with me. I blame him for why things never worked out with me and Barbara."

"I never knew her back then. I lost my son about maybe six months before you and Penguin met, Jim. You probably would have liked me back then. So how did you get a job at the GCPD anyway?"

"An officer already left the force and an opening was available." That was when a thought occurred to Jim "You were raised as an assassin that doesn't really leave many job opportunities that fit those sort of skills. Come to think of it I've seen you with a gun when you were hunting me Harvey and Tetch. The way you were keeping yourself down and held your gun. I only saw you for a brief second but that stance and posture is unmistakable. You used to be a cop."

"I worked the nightshift and I was using a different name because I was hiding from my family but yes. I used to be a GCPD officer." Tabitha laughed but not because she found anything funny more like because the situation was just so sad. "My own department did nothing when my son was killed. I quit being a cop when I decided to go back to my family. Theo was the only one in my entire family that took me back. He didn't even know I had been working as a cop."

"Why not use that to your advantage? When you and Theo were working together. You could have rejoined the GCPD and been his inside woman."

"My son wanted to be a cop. He used to say he'd grow up and protect the innocent and lock up the bad guys. I couldn't dishonor that Jim." Tabitha shed a few more tears "Not that it really matters. I'm a killer and a monster all the same."

"It does matter Tabitha you did something I never could you never dishonored the badge. You never betrayed the oath not really. I on the other hand I still had my badge when I crossed the line. Look at me I'm a disgrace to the badge I don't even deserve mine." Jim looked at his watch "I better get your breakfast ready I'll be heading to work soon. I don't want you starving on me."

Jim started to walk up the stairs when Tabitha asked something surprising "If we had met before my son died and before you became a GCPD detective do you think we'd have ended up here? I'm not using my son's death as justification or anything but what was left for me other than revenge? What was left for me when all I had was a hole in my heart?"

"Tabitha if we had met at a different time in our lives we might have been friends. Then again what does that word friend even mean? You know things about me no one else knows and I suspect I know things about you no one else does. I don't even know what this is right now. I mean is it sick that I've started to enjoy these talks?"

"What is sick Jim? Honestly at this point what is sick even mean? Part of me wants to tear you limb from limb the other part of me…" Tabitha didn't finish her sentence "I'm going to sound crazy but after getting to know you Jim I feel like we are not so different. I mean look at us we both killed someone and had that person come back. We both have been stung by Barbara. We both have tempers and don't open up easy. We're practically-"

"A reflection of each other." Jim interrupted.

"Yes." Tabitha wouldn't say it much less admit it but she was starting to enjoy these talks with Jim.

Jim started to head up the stairs he stopped when he reached the door "Tabitha I heard about Butch. He's gotten his memories back but you need to know something about him. He's not human not anymore he's a zombie. I've seen it before someone gets brought back by accident or by some human whose doing something stupid. It never ends well with zombies they aren't like werewolves or vampires or well you get it they are deprived of their rest and they slowly go mad. Even though he might remember his past now he's changed he's not like he used to be. It will start out small if it hasn't already. His temper will slowly get the better of him and over time it will get worse and worse until he kills either who he hates with all his heart or he loves with all his heart."

Tabitha began breathing heavily "Why would you tell me that Jim?"

"If you get out of here somehow I just thought you should know what Butch has become." Jim couldn't even look at her he just kept his eyes on the door then before leaving he said "You deserve to know the truth Butch he's gone forever."

Before he left though Tabitha said something that he didn't expect "Jim about your Sofia problem. I know you are not exactly for this kind of solution but seeing as you have access to a world not many humans are aware of I'm sure you could find someone who can take care of Sofia using nonconventional means."

"I will think about it Tabitha. Right now I need to get you something to eat before I leave for work I'll be back by lunch."

Dumas/Galavan Family Crypt…

"So Dala what exactly am I looking at here?" Theo asked while reviewing some charts.

"Well Master that is the data from our recent human smuggling operation." Dala explained nervous "We are down considerably then we once were. Before when Penguin was imposing his Pax Penguina we were struggling. Mostly due to the fact our harvesting was under the radar now Sofia Falcone is looking at everything. It's only a matter of time before she realizes certain human trafficking and smuggling operations are not as they seem."

"So we should what kill her? You know the supernatural community frowns on that sort of thing. At least when it draws attention and Sofia's death would. That's why I never went after Penguin and why I waited to go after Tabitha for her betrayal." Theo let out a exhausted sigh "Then there's the fact my sister's idiot of an ex whose now a zombie is running around. He's bound to expose the community any minute."

"Don't Zombies usually just burn out?"

"Yes, but Gilzean or Grundy as he's been calling himself recently seems different he hasn't burned himself out yet. He may be a strong comrade in the future even if he did blow me up." Theo let out another sigh "I think our best option will be to kill Sofia discreetly in a way that won't make her look like the prime target."

"So you want to what blow up a public area with her in it and hope no one suspects that she's been the target all along? Master with all due respect no one will believe she wasn't the target." Dala countered.

"Well they might. Wouldn't it be a shame if a mad bomber was on the loose and wouldn't it be a shame if Sofia were to be caught up in such a mad man's rampage? We just need to make sure there is someone who can make sure Sofia will be there when the bomb goes off. Someone who will never be suspected of plotting a murder so horrible." That was when Theo smiled "I have just the person in mind."

GCPD...

Jim sat at his desk reviewing old files of former police officers who had worked for the GCPD before he was looking at them because he wanted to see if Tabitha was telling him the truth. On the plus side Jim had managed to get Harvey to come back to the GCPD. That was when Barbara came in acting like she owned the place. "Jim I was wondering if you could do a little favor for me."

"What? You realize I don't work for you right?"

"Jim with me and Sofia so closely working together you might as well be working for me." Barbara smirked "But that's besides the point. Jim, Tabitha is missing she has been for weeks. Selina and I have been unable to find her I want you to be cop and help me find her."

Jim knew he had to pick his words carefully even so he couldn't resist taking a jab at her "You sure she just didn't get tired of you and your childish immaturity? Maybe she left to start over somewhere away from you."

Barbara glared at him "Please Jim, Tabitha and I made up months ago. Besides Butch is back and word is he remembers everything."

"Maybe she left you for him because he remembers maybe they plan to leave Gotham and start over. I wouldn't blame her." Jim stopped for a moment thinking of the many talks he had with Tabitha "Did you know she wouldn't cut your hand off?"

"What?" Barbara asked startled "How did you know about that?"

"Word of mouth." Jim lied of course hoping she'd buy it Jim started to think of his recent talk with Tabita "Do you think if you met her earlier in your life that things between you two would be different?"

"If she knew me when I was weak you mean?"

"I never said you were weak for all your short comings Barbara you had some degree of strength." Jim's eyes grew sad as he thought back to the night he came home from the balloon man case she was upset back then at the idea of him crossing the line "Now look at you."

"I'm amazing right." She smiled.

"Not the words I'd use." Jim took a deep breath "I know I said a lot cruel things to you in the past but that's only because the woman I loved died in that church. I remember holding your hand before you fell."

"Jim stop it." Barbara started to get agitated and even emotional.

"That was, I think when whatever part of you that could love died." Jim then changed his tone becoming more upset "I even remember when you showed up at my door. You acted so remorseful but I knew you were lying because I know you and look what happened how does someone so remorseful go back to being a criminal so easily? I bet it just took Tabitha longer to realize the truth about you. Giving up a hand is easy. Giving up your life that's much harder."

That was when Jim's phone rang he answered "Jim it's Theo. I wanted to let you know that I have a solution to your Sofia problem."