Chapter 7
Barbara had slept in a cell all night, waking often as prisoners in neighbouring cells refused to shut up. Each time she woke, she didn't question what she was doing there. She didn't care any more. For that, she blamed herself for allowing her heart to get involved. But she hadn't known what would happen, how she would feel, when she was that close to Oswald day after day, she had not expected to see him in such a different light. But it had happened and she couldn't change it. Deep inside she felt as if all her new hopes and dreams were still there floating about inside her, but stone cold dead.
She blamed herself, she was the one who pulled the trigger, she had no one else to blame, her own actions had wrecked a beautiful thing that she would never know again...
She ached all over as painfully as her heart ached for Oswald as she got up and walked across the cell, looking through the bars and wondering when she would be taken away in handcuffs. The cops would speak to Oswald, Ed would be with him and he would confirm she had fired those shots intending to kill him. She didn't care if she went to jail or to Arkham. She didn't even care this cell was filthy. Eventually, the thought of how many other people had been in here before her and the fact that the floor didn't look clean would really start to bother her – but she deserved that, getting dragged deeper into facing up to her own fears that had come about since the city had burned. She didn't deserve all the things she used to crave, warmth, comfort, luxury... none of it mattered now because she could take no pleasure in any of it without him.
The thought ran through her mind that she had wrecked everything. She felt sure she would regret firing that gun forever – if she lived much longer. Arkham was a terrible place these days. Maybe she wouldn't last too long in there. That thought didn't even worry her. She was done. She had simply had enough. There was nothing to look forward to any more, and she knew she only had herself to blame... Then she heard the rattle of keys and the cell door was unlocked. She turned around to see Jim standing in the open doorway.
"You can go," he said.
She stared at him.
"I said, go!" Jim repeated, this time sounding impatient as he glared at her.
"But I shot Ed -"
"No, you didn't!" Jim replied quietly, then he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the cell, keeping a grip on her as he lowered his voice.
"I've spoken to Oswald and Ed. Next time you have a fight with your boyfriend, don't come in here making false confessions! That kind of attention will get you charged with wasting police time!"
Barbara's eyes were filled with confusion.
"But I -"
"Barbara! There you are!"
Ed has spoken so warmly. Jim let go of her as she turned around, surprised to see Ed had just showed up alone. He smiled apologetically at Jim.
"I'm sorry about this. If you'd seen half of what I've seen, the quarrels that go on with these two," he shook his head, "It gets a bit crazy sometimes – and so does she!" Then Ed looked to Barbara, "Do you really think making up stuff about killing me is going get Oswald's attention?"
"Can you resolve your domestic issues elsewhere?" Jim said.
"We were just leaving," Ed replied, "Thanks for looking after her last night."
Then he put his arm around Barbara's shoulder and kept a tight grip on it as he walked her away from the cell and towards the door that led to the street.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, looking at him sharply.
"Not now, Barbara," Ed replied discreetly, "Wait until we get outside. By the way, Oswald is waiting for you."
On hearing his name, she felt a jolt as her aching heart seemed to break a little more. He would be furious with her, clearly, he had not wanted the police involved. She had made that confession because of her guilt, not to displease him...
Oswald was waiting by the car, standing there leaning on his cane and as she looked at him, she expected him to glare at her in anger. But he didn't.
"Get in the car," he said, and then he turned away from her, opened up the door on the drivers side and got in and waited for Ed.
Barbara stood there looking confused as Ed opened up the door for her.
"Get in the car, Barbara," he said calmly, "We're going home."
She got in and he closed the door then joined Oswald in the front and started the engine. As they dove away, Barbara sat there in silence.
By the time they arrived back at the apartment, she was feeling a strange sense of unease as she wondered why they were both so nice after what she had done: If this was a revenge thing, she was ready for it. If she had to put up a fight and lash out, it would hurt her to physically hurt either of them after all that had happened, but she wasn't about to take a bullet even though she had tried to put five of them into Ed...
They left the car and went into the building and took the elevator to the apartment. As it was climbing, Barbara looked to Ed, who ignored her, then she turned to Oswald.
"I don't know why you got me out of there! I wasn't doing this to make you notice, I was doing it because I deserved it -"
Oswald held up his hand and she fell silent. Looking into his eyes, she couldn't read his expression. Whatever he was going to do or say would be done behind the door of the apartment...
Once they were inside and Ed closed the door, Barbara looked sharply at Oswald.
"Say something!"
He stood there for a moment, quietly regarding her as he leaned on his cane.
"It wasn't your fault."
She stared at him in disbelief... This had to be a trap, why was he looking at her so fondly, speaking so softly after what she had done?
"Have you both gone insane?" she glanced at Ed, "I tried to kill you!"
"Yes, you did, Barbara. Because Lee was having an affair with Oswald. Behind your back and mine. But I can forgive that..." he started to smile, "It's way too messy to unravel and its all over now and it's best to let it go. I love Oswald, we have worked through our differences and we know we never want to be apart again."
Tears glazed her eyes.
"Is that why you brought me there? To tell me you're both happy, to make me feel even worse?"
"No," Oswald said, and he stepped closer to her, as their eyes met, she saw no trace of anger, just the hint of a sparkle as he started to smile, "You reacted to what I did. I was seeing Lee because Ed had left me. We both hurt you, Barbara. And I still love you."
He handed his cane to Ed and then as he reached for her, Barbara gave a sob as he embraced her. She felt weak in his arms, weakened by all the turmoil and heartache and finally, this sweet relief.
"That's all I wanted you to say," she told him as a tear ran down her face, "I couldn't live with thinking you hated me!"
Oswald paused, taking in a breath as he stayed determined not to have his speech lock up on him. He ran his fingers through her hair as he looked into her eyes, then he kissed her softly.
"We both forgive you," he promised, "And you should be thanking Ed for this, he was the one who persuaded me to see past my anger. He pointed out where the blame truly lies."
As she looked at Ed, he just smiled and stepped back, deciding this was a moment for Oswald. Barbara was about to get all emotional and probably kiss him again and while he didn't mind watching that, he really didn't want to participate in love and affection with Oswald's woman... mistress...What was she to him now, he silently wondered, Fuck buddy? That thought made his smile get even wider. Just then as she glanced at him, she looked at him with gratitude in her eyes.
"Thank you, Ed!" she said tearfully, and he silently concluded he had never seen her so emotional. This had to be the hidden side of Barbara that Oswald had fallen in love with. Finding out more about her would be interesting as time went on. Ed had already decided he was totally up for watching her take a vicious spanking. He was surprised she liked it so much and surprised how much he wanted to see it happening...
"So what now?" Barbara asked, "Do you want me to walk away? I still want to help with the election."
Oswald smiled.
"When the mansion is repaired, Ed and I shall be moving in together. You may come and see us. You may come and visit me. Ed has no objection to the kind of fun we shared before."
After all that had happened, she hadn't expected him to still want to see her. Giving her that much felt like a precious gift.
"I don't know what to say..." she was tearful again.
Oswald hugged her tightly, as over her shoulder, he smiled at Ed. This would work out just fine...
One Year Later:
Oswald's plan had worked.
He was elected mayor of Gotham for the second time, and by then, had plans ready to put into motion to rebuild the city. The mansion had been repaired and now he lived there happily with Ed, while Barbara came to visit on his days off, or sometimes, she would turn up at his office at the end of a stressful day. Every time she did that Ed would have a wicked gleam in his eye, knowing what Oswald had in mind.
This time, running the city was a success. It also meant speaking often to the press and doing many interviews, but with Ed at his side, he always paused to take a breath before speaking to ensure his words flowed as near perfect as possible. They both remained close friends with Lee. When Ed had suggested, partly as a joke and partly to test his reaction, if perhaps they should have a threesome with Lee, Oswald had laughed it off and refused, saying they were all better off as friends. So that was the last time Ed mentioned that little plan...
But life was good again. It would take time and a lot of work to bring the city back up its old standard, and even longer to bring Oswald's dream of perfection to the skyline of Gotham, but it was achievable.
As Oswald stood at the window of his office, looking out at the city as he envisioned the glorious place it would soon be, her slender arms slid around his waist as she spoke softly in his ear:
"Who would have thought it? Mayor Cobblepot, saving this great city of ours... You're a hero, Oswald."
He turned around, smiling as love reflected in his eyes.
"I love it when you say such nice things, Barbara!"
"I always have nice things to say, even after you did this to me, in your office."
She grabbed his hand, guiding it up her skirt, over her bare flesh where he could feel raised marks from a very therapeutic spanking session after a hard day running the city.
"You can put your panties on before you leave," he added, and gave her ass a playful slap, as a wicked gleam of delight shone in his eyes to see pain register on her face. Then she smiled and blushed.
"My panties are in my purse. They're too damp to put back on."
"I'm amazed you can stand up, let alone walk after what I did," Oswald replied, "You really are addicted to my games, and I love you for that!"
"I love you for many reasons," she replied, then she leaned in and they shared another kiss.
Just then the door opened and Ed came in.
"Barbara!" he said as amusement shone in his eyes, "Wow, you're still alive! I heard it was going to be rather intense today!"
"It was," she replied, "And now I should go – I have my newly rebuilt bar to run... all thanks to you, Oswald," she gave him a radiant smile, "I'll see you soon," she added, then as she left, Ed watched her walk out and close the door behind her.
"How can she even walk after what you just did?"
Oswald had a devilish grin on his face.
"I used a riding crop on her today," he said in a low voice.
"On her ass?"
"Not just her ass. I had to gag her with her panties to make her come quietly!"
"That's why she looks to pleased with herself!" Ed laughed and shook his head as he followed Oswald over to the window, where they looked out at the view of the city.
Ed was still thinking about Oswald and his kink.
"I bet she came crying."
"Oh yes, she did," he replied with deep satisfaction, turning to Ed with a sparkle in his gaze, "And she loved every minute! She told me to hit her harder, but I said if I did that I might cause harm. She was rather disappointed about that. The woman is insatiable!"
"Rather her than me," Ed told him as he slid his arms around his waist and pulled him closer, "As long as she's there to take the spankings, I'm just glad she's saving my ass from that torture!"
They laughed together, then as Ed looked at Oswald, his amusement faded. He was standing there holding his lover, looking into his eyes and it had just hit him how far they had come since the dark days when Oswald had been in a coma, and he had walked away and then scratched a living selling drugs to get by. Now they were running the city again? They had really come this far? He suddenly felt emotional and it showed in his eyes.
"What is it, Ed?" Oswald asked softly.
Ed swallowed hard, trying to control the wave of emotion that had hit him so fast he had almost drowned in it.
"I was just thinking about the past, it wasn't so long ago I really thought there was no hope. I thought you'd never recover, I thought I'd probably live out my last days selling drugs in that shitty old shack by the river, back then I never would have dreamed we would have come back from it and had all this," he held him closer, "I'm thankful for every single day I get to wake up next to you, Oz."
Ed's words had warmed his heart. As he smiled his eyes radiated deepest love. It was the kind of moment that, a year before, would have made him stumble over his words, but Oswald had now mastered the art of a pause before speaking, to give his speech time to catch up with his thoughts when emotion got the better of him.
"As long as we have each other, nothing will go wrong," Oswald promised him, "This is what we needed, to be together. Penguin and Riddler against the world! Well," he laughed softly, "Perhaps not against anything now, it's just us, rebuilding everything that matters. As the city recovers, we will grow stronger with it. Gotham is our home just as your heart is my home, Ed."
Then as Ed leaned in and kissed him, the two men embraced as their kiss lingered and they stood framed by the view of the recovering city below. Life had not turned out the way they had first planned it, but in some ways that was a good thing - because now it had turned out even better than they had dared to dream.
End
