Two months later
My brother was visiting our parents when they received a call about my arrest. They all decided to travel to Gotham immediately to support me. But on the way their SUV was struck by a semi-truck and all the occupants were killed instantly. The truck driver was arrested and convicted for driving under the influence, allowing closure for me in that regard. My extended family were very supportive during this time, excluding Uncle Aubrey. But his presence was not missed during this time; I imagined that he would just be asking for money for a campaign or some other nonsense since I had received their and my brother's life insurance benefits. Since my parents had no other children and my brother didn't have a family of his own, I inherited all of their earthly possessions. Several relatives offered to allow me to stay with them, but I decided to sell my childhood home and live on my own.
I couldn't remember the last time I was able to sleep soundly through the night. My dreams were plagued by nightmares. Some were fantastical in their subject, but most were all too real to me. Faces, sounds, and pain were all that they had in common. No matter what I tried, they were my constant companions throughout the night. Too often, I found myself thinking about my regrets in life. One of the largest, of course, was not staying in touch with my family. The second involved Oswald. It was both a regret of being involved with him as well as leaving him. Though my relationship caused me pain, it also brought me joy and purpose. Though I had lost things, I had also gained others. Now that my family was gone, I felt a loneliness unlike any I had felt before. Even when I was living in that first tiny apartment in Gotham, I still had a bit of comfort with my family being only a phone call away. But I would never hear their voices again, outside of voicemails that I had saved.
Nightmares weren't the only thing that was making my life a bit more difficult, I was also dealing with nausea on a regular basis. Unlike the incident with Edward Nygma, this was due to a natural process. I started brushing my teeth after being sick, and then took a moment to look at my stomach. Just starting to show… A small bump was starting to form on my lower stomach. I was now 10 weeks pregnant with Oswald's child. It was quite unbelievable that it only took the one time for me to reap the consequences of my relations outside of marriage. And I was also mourning the fact that the baby would never know its Grandparents or Uncle. But now I had to make an important decision for myself and my child, should I tell Oswald the news? Or should he fade into obscurity? I wanted to protect the baby more than anything else in the world, but I also knew that Oswald had a right to know. Maybe this will give him a reason to give up his involvement with Gotham's Underworld… Against my better judgement, I decided that I needed to tell him and give him a chance to be the father I knew he could be.
Gotham, three days later
I exited the train, much like when I first returned to Gotham; but this time my hope was more reserved. The ride did little to help my morning sickness, but now I was back on steady ground. After finding a nice apartment near the station, I took a taxi to Van Dahl manor. The house looked as beautiful as ever, with a few more vines growing over the bricks. My knocks on the front door weren't answered, causing me to become concerned. "Helga?!" I yelled, hoping to be heard, "It's me, Felicity! Are you home?!" I was met with nothing but silence. Disappointed and a little frightened, I decided to come back at another time and try again. I took the cab to a deli close to my apartment, picking up a newspaper on the way. I didn't pay attention to the headline till I sat down at a table and began to eat. "Aubrey James reinstated as Mayor of Gotham City" I wasn't sure how to feel about this news, what happened to Oswald? I wondered. He wouldn't give up his position unless something drastic happened. I decided to go back to the GCPD. Though the last time I was there was less than pleasant, I knew that Detective Bullock would possibly talk to me, at least. Also, if Oswald was missing, that's where I would need to go anyway.
The GCPD
It looked just as it did when I last saw it. Men and women coming and going, each with a mission or with time to kill. The architecture again impressed me with the monolithic steel towering over the hustle and bustle below. But it quickly became apparent that I would have to admire it at another time. I saw two familiar faces at the foot of the short stairwell leading up to the Captain's office. That of Mr. Gordon and Lee Thompkins. I remembered the kind woman as she helped me through difficult times in my past. But at this point, she didn't look as if she was eager to help anyone in that moment. As a matter of fact, the two seemed to be having a heated discussion or argument. My morning sickness saved me from the temptation of interrupting them, so I quickly found the restroom hidden near the interrogation room.
Once I finished, my feet took me back to where I last saw Mr. Gordon and Dr. Thompkins, but they were no longer there. I saw the blonde man through the window of the Captain's office, where Detective Bullock was also standing. Barnes was not in the office, to which I was surprised. But I was a little relieved that a friendly face was within my reach, so I made my way toward his office. As I climbed the stairs, I saw that they were watching a TV and Gordon had a phone to his ear. There was clear writing on the small screen that read, "Riddler holds Mayor hostage". This captivated my attention, causing my curiosity to be peaked. Through the blinds of the windows, the television screen was as visible as if I was in the room. On the screen; I could see my uncle sitting in a chair, facing the camera with a large green question mark painted on the wall behind his head. Then, another man in a bowler hat brought his face close to the camera with a manic smile and laugh. I recognized him as Edward Nygma. The memory of his devious actions along with his current threat of my uncle caused me to see red. Since the door of the office was cracked, I could hear Mr. Gordon say, "Come by the GCPD, I'll tell you…"
Maybe I can do something to help nobody knows that I'm back in Gotham, so they can't expect me. I decided to hide myself in a discrete corner of the space to observe what would happen next. Detective Bullock walked into the bull pin and addressed the room loudly, saying, "Alright everybody! Listen up! I need this precinct empty in 10 minutes! Everyone out!" Edward's going to be here, with Uncle James. He'll most likely bring him, not risk his escape. I just hope that Oswald isn't a part of this. I went to the bathroom to hide. I knew that someone would come to check, so as soon as I heard the door open, I lifted my feet so they wouldn't see the bathroom occupied. Once I heard the door close again, I released my held breath and stood up. After waiting several minutes, I cracked the door open and saw that the coast was clear. I quietly eased back toward the main room of the precinct, making sure to not make any noise. As loud as my heart was beating, I was afraid that I would be given away. The building soon fell into silence and I was able to find a spot in which I could see the main room without being seen. Now all there was to do, was to wait.