In this chapter:

-A death leads to war.

-Carmen sets up her legacy for her girls

-Selina is under threat

-Someone leaves Gotham

Chapter 12

No Losers, No Winners

His breathing was becoming more and more ragged, his crippling body laid on a bed at his private home all attached with pain killers in his veins, dark hazy waves warned him it was the beginnings of the end, then it dawned on him after weeks of thinking, the realisation of why all of this was happening to him.. He turned his head on the pillow examining his son who vigilantly sat by his side, as pride filled his eyes.

"Making sure that your deceptive plans takes fruition, Lex?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, father," replied the son, watching his father intently with his cold green eyes.

Lionel chuckled, then coughs.

"I know what you did, well played my boy.. It is great comfort that I have taught you well."

" Like always father, I aim to make you proud and exceed your expectations."

Lionel weakly smiled, "You have indeed surpass my expectations, switching ingredients.. hmm! no one is the wiser of what's to take place." In a different circumstances Lex's actions would have put him in a rage, determined to get revenge. However now all seemed to be futile he on his deathbed and his son on the verge to be sole heir of Luthor Corps, in fact he admired it, a deviously brilliant plan in this ruthless world.

Lionel reached out to touch his son's hand, knowing he was ready to let go..

"Goodbye Lex, my son."

"Farewell, father."

The heart monitor signified the end, prompting a doctor to enter the room to find the disturbing scene of a son wickedly grinning at his dead father.

Sitting at the long table, she avoided the threatening glances, glances like sharp, pointy daggers directed at her. But there was no way in hell Fish Mooney would allow them to affect her, she stared back at those who dared with her blazing, menacing light brown eyes. She'd be damned to receive glares like that, she earned her place at the table.

At the head of the table, a loud, violent slam startled everyone in the room, especially Fish who was seated to the right of the Don himself, Carmine Falcone. The tension in the room escalated soaring to new heights, indicating that this meeting was going to be rough.

"Can anyone here tell me when we are going to get any results from our efforts?" He furiously shouted, "We are sitting ducks compared to our enemies, who have gained grounds with their own propaganda.. Do I have to remind you again that WE ARE AT WAR?"

She watched him boil through her lashes, and took a sideways glance at that bile who sat in his chair, failing miserably from hiding the glee in his eyes... She reminded herself like she has since the murder of the man she truly loved, Brian Kyle, to be patient and let things take it's course.. she had much to gain when everything was over. For now, just for now she will do as she was told.

It never failed to amaze her how instantly Gotham could change, within two weeks the dynamics between Falcone and Maroni escalated and she was positive that the bird knew exactly what it was. She tried in vain to get him to spill which was ineffective. Her only other option was to keep her eyes and ears open, there was an opportunity to be had, one minute slip up could be the break she needed to pounce.

"Do you really think it's going to work?" Holly purred her question at her mother back at the lounge.

Fish looked into her daughters eyes, the grey eyes she inherited from her father.. it amused her how those eyes on someone else would have unsettled her.. but the ones she was looking at right now were ones she grew accustomed to.

"With your father lately, who knows?"

They were on the brink of a big war, between the old regime of Carmine Falcone and the newcomer Salvatore Maroni.. Each side collected people to fight for them, small gangs, punks, really anyone they could get. And it was not only by smooth talking, or bribes.. Threats was another tactics used as well. But to Fish it all seemed like a dambed waste of time, but she didn't have a choice she had to do as told or face the wrath of Falcone.

"Who's side are you on?" Holly teased arching her brow at Fish.

Not being someone who backed down from a challenge, Fish smirked "I am on MY SIDE!"

"Oh! so you're not getting your people to recruit?"

"Holly!," Fish exclaimed mockingly put on a offended look and shook her head, "thought you'd know me better by now. I'll do as Falcone asks, but mark my word I'll be watching when he slips THEN! I'll have my revenge."

Lately it has become part of their nightly ritual, he understood it was a way for Carmen to leave her legacy to her granddaughters. There was really no one else who would be able to teach them of their Cuban-Spanish heritage, especially when it was forbidden to go back there, due to the Cuban embargo.

"Hurry up Selina," huffed Maggie waiting for her sister to change in the bathroom. She really didn't get it, all the fuss about 'looking the part' whatever that was.. all that hassle for a little performance at home.

The door suddenly swung open revealing Selina in a purple boat neck top and a long green circular skirt, her curly tresses were wound up tightly into a bun with a silk red rose on the side. Her face was simply made up, like Yaya taught her to wear it to her competitions, red lipgloss, thin black eyeliner and mascara.

"Aren't you ready yet?" Selina gasped, "we don't have the time." She cupped Maggie's chin with her hand and kissed her on the lip, marking Maggie's lips with a bit of red too.

"What the?" Maggie protested.

"In a performance Mags, your audience must see the expressions on your face and putting red on your lips it makes it stand out."

Selina's quick hands worked on her sister's hair, her long blonde mane wound up into a bun and spun her around so they could both see her handy work in the hallway mirror.

Maggie blinked she was a fairer, blonder and smaller made-up version of Selina except that she resembled more like their late mother and Selina more similar to their late father... she smirked and rolled her eyes 'only Selina' she thought.

"Come on," Selina sighed pulling her sister to the large formal lounge.

"Ahh! there they are," Leslie called out in glee from the couch, smiling with pride of how cute they were.

"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!" Carmen clapped with joy, her eyes filled with love and some sadness which Bruce noticed immediately.

"But we haven't done anything yet Yaya," said Maggie dumbfounded.

"But you both look so beautiful, mi chicas bellas, my beautiful girls," expressed Carmen, "don't they Hermoso Principe?"

Bruce smiled and nodded trying to keep his eyes on the girls, he didn't want to miss a thing.

"Hit it Al," Selina instructed to which Alfred proceeded to put on their song 'Malaguena' one of Yaya's favourite, to which she reacted with a loud "Ole!".

The sounds classic Spanish guitar filled the room, followed by castanets which Selina took out of her pockets and tapping of the girls feet. The nostalgic song reminded him of the Zorro movie and of that night.. but the passionate defiant steps of the girls give him the courage to withstand the sadness..

He watched the reaction of everyone in the room, eyes reflecting what they all knew was inevitable. Bruce couldn't bare the thought of the girls losing so much, their parents, their home and soon their... The thought was too hard to swollow, he thought of what his Dad would have done, and remembered his father's work at the lab for curing cancer.

Later that evening, after Bruce routine check on the girls before bed, he motioned to Alfred for a quiet word.

"Is there something wrong Bruce?"

"Yes, it's about Carmen and the girls," he replied mustering the courage to ask his question.

"Bruce, unfortunately it's the facts of life.. I know your parent's death as well as the Kyles were misfortunate circumstances.. however an illness such as Carmen's at her age is somewhat the norm."

"Maybe it is or maybe it's not, but this time we can predict what could happen and we can try to do something about it."

"Bruce," Alfred said calmly,"Leslie is doing her best in curing her, it's a lot of effort and it can take a lot out of the poor woman."

"What about my father's formula, has Leslie tried that?"

"It's not that simple my boy, that formula has not yet been released by Wayne Enterprise."

"Then arrange a meeting for me and William Earl tomorrow."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Please arrange a meeting for me and William Earl tomorrow.. or sometime this week?"

"I doubt that is going to work," Alfred insisted.

"I know it's a long shot, but we have to try Alfred... it's the least we could do."

Alfred looked into the strong-willed eyes of the boy, and conceded.

"Your parents would have been proud, Bruce."

"You're 2 O'clock appointment is here to see you, Mr Earl," buzzed the secretary. The giant wooden doors that would have been Bruce's mother's office opened to reveal the tall grey hair William Earl, one of his parent's board member and long term employee. He couldn't help but feel disappointed to not have Lucius Fox there, the man his parents wanted to be at the helm however it wasn't to be and it wasn't the reason why he was here no matter how bizarre the Fox/Earl situation was.

"Want me to in with you Master Bruce?" questioned Alfred quietly.

"I'll be fine Alfred," he replied and reassured him with his eyes, "I'm ok."

"Well, well, look at we have here," William exclaimed, with a white flashy smile.. but there was something in his eyes Bruce couldn't pin..

"Hello Mr. Earl," Bruce smiled back, putting on the mask, shaking the man's hand.

"Please sit down," he said waving his hand to the chair in front of the desk. "What brings you in here, Bruce? What can I do for you?"

He politely accepted the seat and began, "I've come to check on how my father's last project was going. I... I would have come in earlier, except with all that's happened.."

"I understand," William interrupted nodding his head, as he looked outside from the window "and it is still a working progress."

"A working progress? I thought that it was finished, I remember he was tying loose ends but I'm pretty sure it was finished."

"You don't have to worry Bruce, as I said, we're working on it.. besides you should not be worrying about such things.. relax.. enjoy life.. be your age. Not every young man such as yourself has so much at their disposal and not have to work for it."

"I'm afraid I can't Mr Earl, you see one of our closest family friends is dying of cancer and now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure that I heard talk from my parents that they were ready to release this cancer cure."

William swallowed uncomfortably, but kept a cool smile on his face. The unyielding look on the teenage boy's eyes told him he'd have to apply a different tactic.

"Listen Bruce," he said discreetly, sitting on the desk before the adolescent "We had one of your father's friend Lionel Luthor trial the formula and as you well know he recently passed away, which proves that it didn't work."

"Are you sure? how can that be? his other projects never failed before." He watched in shock, with his family of the news of Lionel Luthor's sudden death, but he didn't know about this.

"Science is not foolproof Bruce," he lectured wanting this conversation over, "Is there anything else I can do for you Bruce?"

The boy looked at the man, suddenly feeling powerless even though he earned a significant part of Wayne Enterprise.. the same kind of powerless feeling when his parents were sh... It was frustrating and not pleasant... And persisting will not win this battle.. but all at the same time that uneasy feeling twisted his guts once more.. the hunch about Earl not belonging in this office got stronger.. There wasn't much he could do due to his age and he guessed the majority of the people in his company banked on it.

"No that would be all," Bruce stood up, but made a promise to himself of having a closer look into the peculiar dealings at Wayne Enterprise. "Thanks for making the time to see me."

When Bruce stepped out of the office and walked to the elevator with Alfred, he had to ask.

"Well?"

"It didn't work," Bruce said not wanting to disclose all the disappointment.

Alfred look at his best friends son, he wanted to say told you so, but his heart wasn't in it.. There were no winners in this outcome.. no winners at all!

It was late in the afternoon, when Gothamites were too busy hurrying to get home from a hard days work, to notice anything out of the ordinary. Daniel Hady arrived at one of the secret addresses that was given to him by the man they referred to as 'The Bird'. He pondered on whether or not this was a good idea for the 100th time and reminded himself it's what he must do to be Mayor. 'It's not like other Mayors in the past had more honorable wins', he told himself.

He was ushered in when the door opened, and Oswald Cobblepot looked around one more time to be sure there was no one about before closing the door behind him.. the creepy feeling that someone was watching eating at him. But he shook it off easily, not letting his visitor see his paranoia.

"What can I do for you Mr Hady?" Oswald asked with a charm, a tactic he used to weave himself into people's lives before they realised how much they have been manipulated by The Bird. But right now desperation overruled any sensibility.

"I need some help with my campaign," Daniel responded straight to the point.

"And how is that going?"He asked very aware of the condition of the Daniel Hady campaign to be Mayor.

"It could be better," Daniel replied gazing coldly at Oswald.

Although he didn't show it, Oswald was pleased with the reaction he got knowing this to be a sore point to Daniel Hady. It would come in handy to use whenever shit hit the fan.

"How could I make your campaign look better, Mr Hady? I'm not the most likeable guy in Gotham, to be seen with you might have the opposite effect."

"I have heard all kinds of rumors about you, Oswald.. and to this day no one has been able to pin them on you. Which leads me to believe that you are thorough."

"Flattery will get you very far, Mr Hady. But I'm afraid I still fail to see how I could be of use to you."

"Next week my daughter and the rest of her Rhythmic Gymnastic team are going to watch Selina Kyle participate at the Paris International Tournament. I want you to make sure Selina Kyle fails. My Brooke should be the one gaining all this attention which will help with my campaign."

"That would be quiet the task Mr Hady, she's quiet a gifted young lady." Most of Gotham was aware of her most recent sweetheart, including him, Oswald's eccentric love for ballet a guide in accessing Selina's abilities.

Daniel responded with another cold stare, which Oswald added to the expanding list of defense against Daniel Hady if all went awry.. a habit that's served him very well.

"Don't fret Mr Hady, I will think of something.. I do always go above and beyond in anything I do," he said with his signature charm, soothing the sharp edge that threatened to show in Daniel's eyes..

"What will you expect in return, Oswald?" Daniel asked not totally at ease.

"Oh I'll think of it when time comes," The Bird replied. "Let's just take care of your little situation first."

"You pick up my lessons quiet easily, Selina. I am very impressed," Sensei Yakimoro said in his thick Japanese accent, while Bruce used most of his efforts to qualm his competitive nature get the better of him. He was improving there was no doubt about that, however it was just frustrating that with a few lessons Selina was almost on par to his level.

"You think too much," Sensei Yakimoro said in his ear, while poking his finger at Bruce's head. "You will have to learn to let your body flow and take over, when you have decided on the right course of action. Your thoughts are all jumbled, therefore so are your actions."

Bruce looked at him blinking, not aware of what time his Sensei came right by his side, he swore that he was near Selina who was across the room a moment ago.

"I will do better Sensei," he said nodding agreeing with him, he didn't want his stubbornness get him into trouble, last thing Bruce wanted was more push-ups and crunches as punishments.

Selina smirked sneekily when Sensei wasn't watching, enjoying the stern talking Bruce was receiving.

'How does she get away with that?' Bruce thought in annoyance. He reminded himself that it was for her benefit, not his.. A safe Selina kept his nightmares at bay.

He then thought of the surprise he had install for her, unbeknown to her, he, Maggie and Alfred cleared their schedule to watch her in Paris. It was the biggest event in her life and there was no way he was going to miss it.. His Sensei had instructed him of exercises he wanted Bruce to practice, everything was arranged.. it was only Leslie that was staying behind with Carmen, who was not fit to travel that distance. That concern made him feel guilty, he a Wayne not being able to move heaven and earth to help the beloved Carmen.

"What are you moping about now?" Selina asked, moving next to him.. while stretching to end their session with Sensei Yakimoro.

"I'm not moping," Bruce whispered back, keeping his eye on the Sensei.. He made it so far without being caught misbehaving and he didn't want to let her influence him at this crucial time.

She rolled her eyes, and hissed "LIAR."

Sensei Yakimoro bowed at them, to whom they bowed back in unison as a mark of respect and an end to their lesson. But Bruce knew Selina wasn't finished with him yet.

"Can you please tell me what's going on?"

"Selina drop it, nothing is going on!"

She eyed him with her colourful eyes and studied him, making Bruce uneasy..

"You better not lie to me Bruce Wayne, sooner or later I will find out."

"Have you guys finished your lessons already, I'm bored," complained Maggie as she came down the hall towards them to Bruce's relief.

"Yes," Bruce exclaimed escaping from Selina's penetrative gaze,"how's it looking outside?"

Jim Gordon drove down the Manor entrance to the house, his call was unexpected but so were some of the things that were happening in his life.. He wished he had a choice but it was all seized when his life suddenly changed, he tried to push away Bullocks 'told you so', a little too late now.

He slowly stepped out of his car, went up the steps before ringing the door.

Alfred opened the door, the slight surprise showing on his face made it a little more awkward. How does one behave around an old boyfriend? Or how does one behave around a new one?

"Detective Gordon, was Leslie expecting you this evening?"

"Oh no, no, I'm here to see Bruce.. That is if I can, can I?" Jim said trying desperately not to sound embarrassed.

"I don't see why you couldn't, just wait in the study I'll fetch him." Alfred made his way to Bruce to where he last saw him, watching Selina pack for her trip. While Jim made his way to the study, he didn't know whether he wanted to bump into Leslie or not.. What was the use? He's lost her to a great man, who he knew without a doubt made her happy.

"Hello Jim! Alfred said you wanted to see me."

Jim turned around to face the polite yet excited young man, he was much taller than the time he saw him last.

"Hello Bruce, sorry for coming here unannounced."

"Don't apologise, it's fine."

"How are you Bruce? You.. you look happy," Jim remarked.

"I guess.." Bruce replied, taking a moment to reflect,"I guess I am."

They stood there for a moment in the study, a place where lots of important information and heartbreaking news took place, a lot has happened here..

"Well, I'm sure you're wondering what brings me by," Jim said breaking the uncomfortable silence, "I have decided to move to Chicago with my partner Barbara, we're expecting a baby and with a mob war brewing I thought it wasn't the right time to enter fatherhood."

Bruce gave him a small smile, "I understand." It was sad to see Jim go but he understood that Gotham wasn't for everyone, and he suspected that Barbara Kean didn't like the danger Jim put himself in, especially now.

"So I've heard that Selina is off to Paris for her big day," Jim said, but didn't mention how the lives of Bruce and Selina were the main reason for his decision to leave.

"Yes she is," Bruce leaned in closer to Jim and whispered, "Alfred, Maggie and I are going in the private jet to surprise Selina in Paris, she has absolutely no idea."

Jim smirked, it was great to see these kids happy at last, it made him glad he did drop by.

"Well what else can I say, good luck Bruce and give all my best wishes to Selina and Maggie, I wish you all the very best," Jim said taking Bruce's hand and firmly shaking it.

"Thanks Jim," Bruce responded by firmly holding the detectives hand, "all the best to you too and your new family."

Bruce walked Jim out and watched him drive away, the sense that Gotham would not be the same without him seemed like an understatement.

Next

Chap 13 - Lost

- Fish gains some grounds

- Slam has a theory but can't prove it

- Selina gives the performance of her life

- Someone runs from the truth and gets lost