Ed had done what he had needed to do. He had gotten rid of Butch that same evening at the celebratory party and he had been beyond joyful. He had returned to the manor with Penguin and had changed into his pyjamas, drinking on honeyed tea. He had to admit that Butch had a good grip. He had strangled him before Penguin had interjected and stepped in, making himself known and knocking Butch out with a broken bottle.

They had returned home and had begun their preparations for what they wanted to do for Penguin's tenure in office. Ed quite enjoyed the potential he had. He could have power. He could wield power through Penguin and it made Ed slightly giddy. He enjoyed being in charge of all aspects of his life, but there was still one aspect he had no control over.

"You saved my life," Ed said once Oswald had come to sit down next to him after dealing with some business. Looking in his eye, Ed was honest. He was earnest and truthful. "Thank you, Oswald. I mean it…truly…"

"I would do anything for you, Ed," Penguin said, moving to lay a hand on his arm and squeezing it for a moment. Ed had no idea of the emotions that Penguin had for him. He had no inclination that Penguin had deeper feelings than he let on. But Ed would never be his, not so long as Olivia Gordon was around. "You know that I can make you happy, Ed."

"I do," Ed nodded and Penguin wondered what more he was going to say. But he disappointed him. "You have given me my freedom and that means the world to me."

"You did not belong in that place. Jim Gordon should never have put you there…him and his sister."

"Olivia did not put me there," Ed said with a firm shake of his head. Penguin arched a brow and chuckled.

"I am sorry, was she not the one who testified against you?"

"Only because her brother forced her hand," Ed said. "She had no other option but to do it. She was backed into a corner."

Penguin could not believe how blinded Ed was by her. He was completely and utterly besotted with her and Penguin was beginning to wonder what he could do. He had found difficult, at first, to come to terms with Ed refusing to give her up. Ed had even warned him off threatening the youngest Gordon sibling.

"She does not understand you as I do, Ed. She liked you when you were that docile forensic scientist…not the man you are now. She could never understand why you did what you did."

"But she did."

There was silence then and Ed realised that he should have kept silent. He should never have spoken. He stood up and placed his mug down on the coffee table. He shook his head and looked down to the ground. "I should go to bed."

"Did she know?" Penguin asked, trying to piece two and two together. Ed remained silent, facing away from Penguin. Oswald stood up and moved closer to him. "She knew about what you had done, didn't she?"

"I said too much."

"Kristen…Dougherty…Pinkney."

"She never knew about Pinkney," Ed interjected and looked over to Oswald, struggling to control his emotions. He looked dejected. He looked lost. "You cannot tell anyone, Oswald. I mean it. I trust you with this information. She…she would lose everything if anyone found out, especially her brother and, despite how much I hate Jim Gordon, I do not want her to deal with him."

"Your secret is safe with me," Oswald commented with a nod of his head.

"Thank you, Oswald," Ed said with gratitude. "Now, I should get to bed. We have a busy schedule tomorrow."

…

"I have the Mayor touring the school this afternoon," Olivia complained to her brother once she had managed to get through to him. She was sat in her empty classroom, cell pressed between her ear and shoulder as she spoke to Jim. "What are you doing? I couldn't get through to you this morning."

"Believe me, Liv, you do not want to know," Jim said to his sister.

She sat on edge then, feeling a flick of fear run through her. "What is going on?"

"Tetch is back," Jim said to his sister. "He's playing some kind of game with me. He hypnotised a young married couple to jump off a bridge and a young boy to step in front of a truck…I had to save the boy, Liv. I couldn't save the couple."

"Jim," Olivia said with haste, dropping the pen she had been holding and grabbing her cell instead. "You need to go to the police. You need to tell them about this."

"I can't, not yet," Jim said to her. "He wants me to play his game. He's sent me to this abandoned apartment…he has photos everywhere of me…of dad…our lives…"

"Jim, please call Harvey," Olivia demanded from her brother.

"I can't," Jim responded. "Just stay at the school today, Liv. Stay around people and make sure nothing happens. I don't think you're in danger, but I don't want to take that risk, not with you."

Olivia sighed. "I hate it when you say things like that," she complained. "Do you want me to call Harvey?"

"No," Jim said. "I mean it, Liv. I need to deal with this. Just stay safe and I will come and get you later."

"Okay, but-"

"-I have to go," Jim interrupted. He hung up the phone and Olivia sighed, shaking her head. She might not call Harvey, but she would text him. She had no intention of letting Jim go and do something reckless on his own. Sitting in her classroom, she buried her head in her hands when Harvey text her back and told her that he knew Jim was involved and he would find him.

Standing up, Olivia looked out onto the playground where the children were playing and she admired their innocence. All thoughts of Ed coming to the school with Penguin disappeared from her mind. She had bigger things to worry about now that her brother was back in danger. She couldn't concentrate on her ex at that moment in time.

"Olivia."

Turning around at the sound of Kathy, her fellow math teacher, Olivia smiled over to her, trying to pretend that everything was fine. "Yeah?"

"Maria wanted to know if you were going to be okay," she said and Olivia shrugged.

"Yeah, why."

"Well…we kind of know about your history with the Mayor's new chief of staff and he…well…he has requested to come and see your class this afternoon…teaching the fifth graders."

Olivia sighed and nodded her head. She could do this. "Okay," she said to her.

"Honestly?"

"I'll be fine," Olivia said, but she was not a hundred percent certain on that matter.

"Okay, but if you want to skip out early then you know I will cover for you," she responded and Olivia went over to her desk and shook her head, the fake smile remaining plastered on her face.

"Thanks, Kath, but I have got this."

"Your call," Kathy said nonchalantly and left her alone.

Olivia began preparing for the afternoon's class. She found out the textbooks and laid them on her desk. The kids all rushed in after lunch and Olivia urged them to settle down. She informed them that they were going to have a special visitor that afternoon, but their class was still going ahead. They began to get rowdy when they heard it was the Mayor, but Olivia got them to settle down. She began writing on the board, going through the basics of algebra before the knock on her door happened.

Turning to the side, she saw Maria, the headmistress stood there. Olivia smiled and nodded, remaining ever the professional. Maria opened the door.

"Good afternoon, Miss Gordon," Maria spoke sweetly. "I hope you do not mind us interrupting your class. The Mayor wanted to see what work we do in the school and I told him you were one of our best."

"That's very kind of you," Olivia said and Penguin's face came into view.

She looked him in the eye and knew instantly that he did not want to be in her class. He would rather be anywhere but in her classroom. But they were both faking it, acutely aware that it would have been Ed who insisted on seeing her teach.

"Mayor Cobblepot," Olivia said, her voice as polite as it could be.

"Miss Gordon, it is a pleasure to see you," Oswald said.

Ed stood behind his shoulder, his gaze roaming around the classroom and Olivia bit down on her tongue as she watched him observe the room.

"Well, if you want to take a look around, feel free. I was just about have the kids work in groups on some tasks," she said and set about doing that.

The children moved around into their groups and began working on the worksheet that Olivia handed out to them. Oswald walked around the classroom, talking to some of the children as he passed them by.

"Miss Gordon."

Olivia sighed and looked to the doorway. Amelia, the school's busy receptionist, made her appearance at the door. "There is a call for you in the office. Your brother is trying to get through to you. He said it is urgent."

"Okay," Olivia said and Maria nodded.

"Go," she said. "I will keep an eye on things here."

"Thanks," Olivia said, squeezing her shoulder and slipping from the classroom.

She began to walk down the corridors, the heels of her boots clicking on the floor. She should have known that she would not be alone for long. She heard his footsteps catching up with her.

"You know," he said in a whisper, "you being a schoolteacher is kind of a turn on."

"And that is a kink we never explored," Olivia said.

"Only because I prefer to be in control," Ed responded.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Go back to Oswald like the good little lapdog you are," she demanded from Ed. "You know that I have nothing to say to you, Ed. I'd appreciate it if you just left me alone. I know you had Penguin come and visit me today."

"I wanted to see you."

"You still aren't getting the message, are you?" she responded.

Olivia walked into the office, but something did not feel right. It was empty. She looked around as Ed kept talking to her, whispering his taunting into her ear before she held her hand up and tried to silence him. Eventually, she stood up and pressed a hand over his mouth, keeping him quiet as they stood in the doorway to the office. Ed arched a brow and Olivia looked into the room. He followed her stare and noted the empty room.

She pulled her hand away from his mouth and Olivia went to the desk. She leaned over it and reached for the phone as Ed kept a few paces behind her, looking around with intrigue too. He knew something felt odd. Where had the receptionist gone?

"Hello?" Olivia spoke into the phone. "No…yes…fine…"

Olivia hung up then and looked to Ed. "Something is wrong."

"Who was that?" Ed asked from her.

"Someone claiming to know that Jim is in trouble. They want me to go out to the back of the school…where it is empty."

"Is Jim working on a case?"

"Tetch," Olivia said and Ed nodded.

"Then you cannot go out there."

"But what if they have Jim?"

"And what if they don't?" Ed asked. "This feels like a set up. This feels like a plan to get you out there alone. No doubt, whoever that was intends to use you as bait to get to Jim. How many times has that happened before, Olivia?"

"I supposed on the bright side you never did that," Olivia said dryly.

"Now is not the time for your sass," Ed hissed down to her.

"I need to go and look," Olivia said to Ed and he grabbed hold of her by the arm, stopping her from going anywhere. She looked down to the contact. "Ed, if you want to help me then cover me, okay?"

"Cover you?"

"Yeah, stand back and make sure nothing happens."

"You think I will let you go out there and into danger?" he questioned from her and she shook her head. She knew he wouldn't. But this was not down to him. This was her choice to make. She began to move towards the door at the back of the reception area and Ed cursed under his breath. He followed her out and Olivia looked around the empty square of land that only contained the bins.

Ed picked up a large hole puncher on his way out, keeping on her tail. Olivia went to the middle of the yard and saw one man. He was big and burly, dressed in an oversized suit. Olivia gulped and Ed sighed.

"You knew it would be a trap," he complained to her.

"Where is Jim?" Olivia ignored Ed and instead looked to the man advancing towards them. "Where is my brother?"

"Oh, you will see him. Our boss wants you to come to his tea party…now get rid of this lanky stick or I'll shoot," he said, holding his gun up and Olivia held her hands up in defence. Looking to Ed as he kept the large stationery item behind his back, he sighed and glowered down to her.

"Told you," he complained and Olivia shrugged.

But before the goon could make a move, Ed was the one to react quickly. He pushed Olivia to the side and swung the hole punch upwards. It hit the man in the chin and knocked him backwards. Ed used his nimbleness to the advantage that he had compared to the man's bulkiness. He kicked him in the knee and he lost balance, falling to the ground and Ed kicked him once more in the head. Bending down, he grabbed the gun from his slack grip and stood up, taking in a deep breath and raking his hand through his hair, slicking it back.

Olivia's eyes remained wide and she was shocked at the sight she had seen. "Did you…where did you learn to do that?" she asked from him.

"Prison changes a man," was all he said to her. "Now come here, you're staying with me until your brother makes his appearance known."

"What?" Olivia demanded.

"I am taking you back to the Manor and you can call him and tell him someone came for you," Ed said to her and he began to reach for her hand. She stepped back and pulled her hand away from his.

"I don't think so," she responded.

"Fine, we'll do this the hard way," Ed said, stuffing the gun into the waistband of his trousers by his back. Olivia wondered what he was going to do before he reached for her. He grabbed her arm and hauled her to him. He bent down and before she knew what he was doing, he tipped her over his shoulder and Olivia shrieked at the motion. He adjusted her on his shoulder, pulling her dress down her thighs as he felt her hit at his back.

"Let me go!" Olivia snapped at him. "I am serious, Ed."

"I am doing this for your own good and you will understand that. I always do everything for your own good."

…

Olivia had finished her fighting. She sat in the Manor where Penguin worked and looked outside onto the grounds. Ed had carried her through the school and she had protested inherently. Maria had wondered what the fuss was about, but Ed had said that Olivia was in danger and had left before she could do anything. Olivia assured Maria that she would be fine. She didn't want everyone in the school panicking. Ed had told Penguin that he would meet him back at the Manor and had driven Olivia there in her own car.

"That was humiliating," Olivia said to him as she sat on the sofa, arms folded stubbornly over her chest as Ed walked towards her with a mug of tea. He placed it down on the coffee table and she glowered across to him. "I mean it."

"I did what I had to do to keep you safe. Did you think I would leave you there when someone had just tried to kidnap you?" Ed demanded from her and sat down next to her on the sofa.

Olivia didn't answer.

"Some things never change," Ed said to her. "Having Jim as a brother always puts you in danger."

"We can't help who our family is."

"And we can't help who we fall in love with."

Olivia had no response to that. Instead she shrugged.

"I miss you," Ed said, his voice low and deep and Olivia closed her eyes and bowed her head. Ed reached out for her hand, clasping onto it tightly. She didn't pull away. She remained still and her gaze downcast. "I miss you so very much, Olivia."

"You need to stop this," Olivia urged from him. "This is only going to end in pain."

"It doesn't have to," Ed responded to her and squeezed her hand tightly. He leant in towards her and took hold of her by the cheek. "We can be together, Olivia. We can be together if you only let us be. Tell me honestly that you don't think about me…that you don't want me…"

"I don't."

"Say it with some conviction," he demanded. "Because you were never a very good liar, not to me."

"What does it matter?" she demanded from him. "It is too late for any of this."

"It matters because every moment I spent in Arkham I plotted how to get out and win you back. You were the only thing that consumed my thoughts…you have always been the only one who has been able to see me…to want me…and I do not want to give that up."

"That's not fair," she said to him and shook her head. "I spent weeks pining over you…moping…and now I see you outside of Arkham and you are everywhere. Every time I turn on the TV I see you there. Every time I open a newspaper your face is there. I can't avoid you. I can't escape you…and it hurts. It hurts that we can't have those mornings back together."

Edward remained silent.

"Those mornings where you would bring me breakfast in bed…where we would stay there all morning and then spend the afternoons walking aimlessly through the parks…or counting down the hours until I finished work so that I could see you. I never loved anyone like you, Ed."

"And I never loved anyone like you…I still do," Ed said and moved to stroke her cheekbone slowly. He moved closer to her, his eyes moving to her lips as her breathing shallowed. She moved closer to him, her hand going to his shoulder and running down his upper arm. "I can give you that back…we can have that back…let me show you…"

Before Olivia wanted to stop it, she found her lips pressing to Ed's. She kissed him slowly, the feeling so familiar to her, but still exciting. Ed moved his hand through to her hair, tucking it behind her ear as Olivia moved to tangle a hand into his hair too, feeling the soft locks beneath her grip. She kept her eyes closed as Ed continued varying pressure against her mouth. Olivia fought back a moan, but she struggled, especially when he nipped at her bottom lip.

But then she remembered who he was. She was brought back to reality. Pulling away from him, she shook her head. "We shouldn't have done that."

"Don't do that," Ed demanded, reaching for her before she could stand up and leave him. He prevented her from going, keeping her caged on the sofa and against his body. "You always do that, but I know you don't mean it. You don't mean any of that."

"But I have to," she responded.

"Why?" he asked.

Olivia laughed and shook her head. "So have you forgotten everything you did?"

"No," he said, "but I can move past it. I need you to move past it and then you will accept that we belong together. We have always belonged together."

Olivia's eyes grew wet and she shook her head.

"I saw the room full of children today and I had thought what would it be like to have children. There was a time when you wanted that too, Liv. You wanted children…you wanted the family…and I can still give you that. You can still have that with the man you love."

"Liv!"

Olivia startled as she heard the noise of Harvey enter the mansion. She sighed and pushed Ed from her. He scrambled to his feet as she moved over to the police officer who was walking in front of Penguin.

"Where is Jim?"

"We have him. Tetch had kidnapped Valerie and Lee…Valerie has been shot and Jim is at the hospital here. He was trying to reach you and the school said that you had been taken by the Mayor's chief of staff. I told Jim I would come and get you."

"Thank you," Olivia said gratefully.

"No problem. I swung by the school. They had your stuff…your bag and coat. It's in my car."

"Brilliant," Olivia said.

"Liv," Ed called out to her as she turned her head over her shoulder and looked back to him. "You know I was telling you the truth. You know that."

She said nothing in response, but Ed could see that she understood what he was saying. She understood completely. She went back to walk out with Harvey and Ed remained rooted where he was. Only once Penguin was alone with him did the Mayor speak.

"Well, that was dramatic."

"She kissed me," Ed said, completely changing the topic. "She still loves me. She still wants me."

Ed sat down on the edge of the sofa again and Penguin sighed. He had the ammunition he needed to bring Olivia Gordon down and it was looking like he was going to have to use it.

…

A/N: Do let me know what you think!