Olivia finished packing a suitcase and making sure that the apartment was completely clean, needing no trace of what she had done left behind. She emptied her drawers, grateful that she hadn't bought much for the apartment. She needed to disappear without a trace. She picked out the clothes she had kept for Ed as well, laying them on top of her own and going through to the living room for his photograph. She had picked that up and placed it in the case safely in between items of clothing. Laying her toiletry bag on top, she zipped the case up and wheeled it through to the living room.

Reaching into the drawer of her desk, she picked out the brown folder that contained the keys to the apartment that she had rented under a false alias alongside her passport and driving licence. When Jim and Lee had faked her death, they had given her everything she needed for a new identity. There was a new name and new documentation courtesy of the Falcone family. It had come in handy when she had plotted her escape for her and Ed.

She did another sweep of the apartment to ensure it was empty and she left. She placed her case in the trunk of her car where a dead body had been less than five hours ago. She drove down to the club, ignoring her cell as it began to ring. She knew that it would be the school asking where she was. She wasn't going into work again, but they didn't know that. She was burning all of her bridges. She was doing it all for Ed.

She parked down the alleyway behind the club and climbed from the car, picking up her backpack and slinging it onto her shoulder. She prised open the back door and took the stairwell up. Looking to the CCTV cameras as she climbed the steps, she felt dread take hold in the pit of her stomach. Would this work? Would she be able to do this undetected? She came to the door that led into the kitchen of the club and pressed her ear against it. She couldn't hear any noise from inside the room. The kitchen staff didn't go in until at least twelve in the afternoon according to her private investigator.

Penguin's meeting was to take place at eleven so he had to be leaving soon. She could hear his voice from the main area of the club and Olivia hid behind the kitchen's ovens, crouching down and adjusting the leather gloves on her fingers. Her hair was tucked into a tight bun with a hat over it. She couldn't leave anything behind that Penguin could link back to her. But she knew he would come for her as soon as Ed went missing. She would be his number one suspect.

She heard him yell something and before she knew it there was silence. She checked the watch on her wrist and saw that it had gone past half past ten. Standing up, Olivia snuck along the kitchen galley and spotted the door to the control room at the other end. She pushed it open, grateful that she had the access code courtesy of some kid who worked as a bartender giving it to her for a certain amount of money.

She entered the room and saw the computers, knowing that she needed their passwords too. But Olivia knew them. She knew that Penguin acted in a certain way and as soon as the bartender had told her the passwords to the cash register, she knew it would be the same. Nygma. He was so obvious. Olivia logged into the computer and turned off the CCTV cameras for the club. She rolled her eyes before standing up and heading out towards the main area of the club.

She acted quickly, dropping her backpack to the floor and reaching into it for the blowtorch. Pulling it out, she looked to Ed and nodded her head.

"We're getting out of here, Ed."

…

Olivia moved around the apartment once she had managed to get Ed into it. She had placed him in a wheelchair and taken him up to the apartment before returning for her suitcase. Closing the curtains in the room, she left him laid on the bed, covered in a duvet. She had checked his temperature and she knew that he would have muscle atrophy when he woke up considering he had been frozen for months. Olivia had gone to deal with her car, not wanting Penguin to find it.

She had done her best to stay hidden on the drive to the new apartment that was outside of Gotham, but she knew that Penguin was no fool. She abandoned her car and hailed a cab to take her back towards the apartment, but she stopped a few blocks away and walked the rest back. She was doing everything to cover herself, hoping that it would work.

Returning to the apartment, Olivia saw that Ed was still asleep and she perched on the edge of the bed, placing a hand to his forehead and brushing his hair from his face. She sighed and stood up, moving around the bedroom and tidying up from where she had left clothes strewn around after trying to find clean ones for Ed, getting him out of his green suit.

"Where the hell am I?"

Olivia startled as she stood by the wardrobe, hanging up her dress. She abandoned it and let it fall to the floor before rushing towards the bed, seeing Ed's eyes open as he looked around.

"It's alright," Olivia said to him, perching on the edge of the bed as he looked to her. "Ed, it's alright…you're fine."

"Olivia," he whispered her name, looking up to her as she nodded and moved her fingers to his cheek, stroking it softly with her fingertips. She smiled fondly down to him and he tried to move his own hand up, needing to touch her. But he couldn't move.

"I…I can't move…"

"I know," Olivia said. "You've been frozen for five months, Ed. Penguin froze you and he put you in his new club. He's taken over the city. He's basically in charge of everything."

"What?" Ed questioned, struggling to understand. "He froze me?"

"Yeah, do you remember that day on the dock?"

He could vaguely recall it. He managed to nod his head as Olivia moved her hand to his shoulder, running down his arm softly as he observed her, drinking in her soft features and the way her hair was bouncing around her shoulders. He remembered thinking that he would never see her again, the fear becoming almost too much for him as he told Penguin to let her go and do whatever he wanted to him.

"I do," he said.

"Well, Penguin has kept you frozen and on display in his club like some trophy," Olivia said and she got herself comfortable, folding her legs on the bed as she prepared to explain everything to him. "He's also managed to take control of the criminal underworld. The Tetch virus caused chaos…despite the antidote…most people are back to normal now, but Penguin capitalised on the chaos and now is giving out these licences that allows people to commit crimes. It's ridiculous, I know, but the police like it because it's organised chaos now."

"Your brother must hate it."

"He despises it," Olivia said. "But I haven't been focusing on that. I spent five months trying to work out where Penguin would be keeping you because the GCPD weren't interested in helping me."

"And you managed it?"

"It took some time but I figured out that he was either keeping you at his house or in the club that he was renovating," Olivia said, her fingers still sitting on his shoulder as Ed continued to watch her. She was letting her eyes move over him, almost as though she was checking he was still all there. "I ended up plotting how to find you without him knowing, but it was hard. Anyway, I discovered that there was an architect re-designing his club. They had a sign outside promoting their business at the club and I found a guy who worked there…he was a junior architect."

Ed watched her as she stood up and moved around the room. The studio apartment was small, Olivia reaching for a bottle of water from the fridge. She poured it into a glass and moved back to the bed, not wanting to look at Ed as she told him the next part of her story.

"I dated him for a month or so and got to know him quite well," Olivia said.

"You did what?" he demanded to know from her.

"Calm down," she said. "I was just using him, which made me feel horrible because he was actually a nice guy. We never did anything…just the odd peck on the cheek and hug. I met him while following him to a bar after discovering he was working on Penguin's properties. They advertise that thing on their websites."

"I still don't like it."

"You don't need to like it, just accept it happened," she replied. "Take a drink."

Ed did as she had asked, taking a sip of the water as she held the glass to his lips. She took it back and held it in her fingers, folding one leg over the other as she remained on the edge of the bed.

"Anyway," she continued. "I managed to get into his computer and email the plans of Penguin's places to myself. I spent hours working out what they meant…even bought one of those books for dummies on architecture. Eventually, I found out that he planned to put you in his club and from there on I had to become more nuanced in my approach."

"What did you do?"

"I hired a private investigator with cash only who asked no questions. He followed Oswald for a few weeks and got to know his routine intimately," Olivia said. "I paid some bartender kid who needed money to give me the access codes to the control room so that I could disable the security cameras after I went to the club and saw that they were dotted everywhere."

"You went to his club?" Ed asked her.

"Yeah," she said, tossing a hand through her hair. She placed the glass down on the bedside table and pulled her legs up to cross them on the bed, adjusting the duvet at the top of Ed's chest. "Anyway, when I saw the architect drawings I noted that there was a way in without being spotted…through the back stairwell. It leads to the kitchens and you can get to the control room through there if you have the code, which I did."

"And hacking into the computers?"

"Easy enough. He has Nygma for the password for everything. The bartender told me that," Olivia said. "He was easy enough to pay to keep quiet. I gave him enough money to get out of the city."

Olivia played with the top of the duvet, her fingers tickling Ed's neck as she did so.

"I just needed to wait for the right time to sneak in, destroy the CCTV evidence and be able to get you out. Turns out that Oswald has the same meeting every week on the same day at the same time…plus I had to move quickly because I think Oswald was onto me. He sent someone to my apartment to kill me."

Ed's eyes opened wide at hearing her say that, his teeth bared in a grimace as he felt anger course through him. Shaking his head, his hair brushed against his forehead. "He did what?"

"I know," Olivia said to him. "But he didn't get a chance to do anything, Ed. I shot him before he could shoot me. Ever since that day on the dock I'd been taking self-defence classes and learning to shoot…just in case."

Ed was silent, watching as Olivia avoided his gaze and he wondered what was going through her mind as she toyed with the floral duvet and then looked to the window as a light shone through the curtains from a passing helicopter.

"You killed someone?" Ed asked and Olivia nodded.

"I was going to call Jim and tell him that it had been self-defence, but I knew that would ruin everything. He'd find out about what I was planning and he would stop me. I was also worried that…well…I'd have to go to the police…try to get them to believe me…and I didn't want to risk it. I knew that if that happened then you'd be frozen forever."

"Olivia…I don't know what to say," Ed said. And he didn't. Olivia had almost been killed because of him. She had taken a life to save him. He wanted to reach out for her, but his arms weren't moving, no matter how much he tried to lift them. "You should never have been in that position."

"I chose to do what I did," Olivia said to Ed. "I chose to come for you and I knew there might be consequences because I knew who I was up against."

Looking to him, her stare was intense and Ed saw no resentment there. She didn't hate him for what had happened. There was no blame being placed on him. Ed was used to their arguments ending with Olivia blaming him for things, but this time she was the one in control. She was making her own choices.

"Anyway, I managed to get rid of the body…it's buried somewhere no one will find it…I cleaned the apartment and left no trace of me living there. I binned the towels and sheets in a dumpster on the way here…anything that could have a trace of me. I packed all my stuff and some things for you too and left the apartment."

"So where are we now?" Ed asked her.

"An apartment outside of the city," she said. "I leased it with the fake ID I have courtesy of Jim faking my own death. There's no trace of us being here. I ditched my car miles away, changed the plate too, and took a cab towards the apartment and walked the rest of the way through the back alleys."

"And you got me out of that place? You got me out on your own?"

"Yep," Olivia said. "I snuck in, waited for Oswald to go and basically defrosted you. Dragged you to the car…left you on the backseat and then used a wheelchair to get you up here before getting rid of the car."

"You…Olivia…you did all of that for me?" Ed asked from her. "How is that possible? How can you have done that? The planning…the time…"

"I did it because you would have done the same for me, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, but still, this plan…the intricacy of it…" Ed said, stammering over his words as he thought about what she was telling him and he peered up to him as he watched her intently. "You've abandoned it all, Olivia. You've gone against Penguin. You've…you can't go back there…not now."

"I know," Olivia said to him with a nod of her head. "I know what I've done, Ed."

"And you've killed for me, Olivia," Ed said, not even wanting to imagine what she must have felt. He didn't want this for her. He had never wanted her to get hurt, but here she was, destroying her entire life for her. But Ed was apprehensive. He was nervous about everything, but when he looked at Olivia, he didn't entirely know what he should feel. All he knew was that he felt guilty for her having to do this.

"I guess, but I don't see it that way and I don't want you to lay there and feel bad for me," Olivia said to him. "I did what I had to do, Ed, and I did it because I want us to get away from here. I want us to go to Italy…forget Penguin…forget Gotham…forget all of it because we can't go back. We can't go back unless we want Penguin to kill us."

"And you think that leaving state borders would stop him?" Ed asked her. "Olivia, there was a reason I intended to kill him before we left."

"So you're saying that what I've done isn't enough?"

"No, no of course not," he said quickly to her. "What you have done is amazing, Olivia, it's beyond amazing, in fact. I can't believe what you planned and what you've done."

Olivia knew she shouldn't snap at him. He didn't mean what he had said. In fact, he was beyond amazed with what had happened. He watched her as she looked down and he tried to move, failing once more. And so he spoke instead, his voice a soft whisper.

"Come here," he urged from her and she wondered what he wanted before she saw him jut his chin upwards and she moved towards him. He dropped his forehead against hers, his lips managing to meet hers. He kissed her slowly and softly, his mouth moving over hers and his tongue running over her lips as she moved a hand to his cheek, closing her eyes and relishing the moment before she pulled back, not wanting him to do too much. She kept her forehead against his and he pecked her lips once more.

"You are amazing," he whispered to her and he saw her lips arch upwards after a moment.

"And you need to rest," Olivia said to him. "Are you warm enough or do you need anything? I've turned the heating on to full blast to warm you up."

"I'm fine," he said to her, not wanting her to fret. "In fact, I'm more than fine now that you're here and I'm out of ice."

Olivia nodded. She could do that. She kissed him once more and told him to stay resting as she went around the kitchen. He watched her boil the kettle before finishing unpacking her clothes and hanging them up. He spotted some of his own suits and he wondered where she had gotten them from, but he said nothing. She made a pot of tea and Ed watched her reach for her phone as it began to vibrate. She ignored the call and Ed wondered who it might have been. He could only imagine it was one person.

…

"You're not talking to Jim, are you?"

Olivia had made them dinner and had fed Ed, cutting up the French toast for him as he felt pathetic and weak. He chewed delicately on the food and Olivia tidied up after him. He spotted her ignore another call as she washed the dishes and then put them away before moving over to him. He told her to take a moment to relax, knowing that she hadn't sat still in a while. She had been tidying everything up and constantly checking out of the window.

Laid by his side, Ed wanted to wrap his arm around her as she rested her head against his shoulder, her face buried against the crook of his neck as her hand ran along his chest and he peered down onto her.

"I can't," Olivia said to him. "He'll just try and find me and I can't let him do that."

"He's your brother, Olivia," Ed said. "You should tell him what you're going to do."

"I can't," Olivia said, "because if I tell him then I don't think I could stand to see him look at me in disappointment like he would do."

"He wouldn't."

"Yes, he would," Olivia said to Ed, looking up at him and searching his gaze as he wondered just what hope there was for the two of them. He wanted there to be hope. He wanted her to come away with him, but he didn't know if he could do this to her. "He would try and persuade me that what I'm doing is wrong…that you've brainwashed me…that I'm not thinking straight…but when he finds out that I'm doing this for the sole reason that I'm not the person who he knew then he'd be disappointed."

Ed's brows furrowed as he heard her and he wondered what was going on. She moved her fingers over the white cotton material of his top and he knew that he could feel her fingers against him. He had some feeling coming back to him at least. His mouth dried out as he looked down to her with a soft expression.

"What happened to you, Liv?" he asked from her.

"I…when Jim gave me the antidote to the virus, I was so angry with him," Olivia said. "I was angry that he had done that because I could have saved you from Penguin…and we could have gone. I barely spoke to him for weeks."

Ed swallowed a deep breath back and nodded his head once, urging for her to continue talking to him.

"I knew I was being unreasonable, but I didn't care," Olivia said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Because all I could think about was that night in the hotel when we were together and when I told you that I wanted to go away and see what might happen."

"I thought about it too," Ed said.

"But then I had the virus and I saw the truth. I saw the truth that all I wanted was to be with you and I was fed up with things standing in our way…Kringle…my brother…Penguin. All we've had is obstacles and I've had is heartache. I've had me treat me like dirt…walk over me…hurt me…and then I've had people try to control me…Lee…my brother…all of them telling me how I should feel and what I should do. I want to make my own choices, Ed. I want to make my own choices and not rely on other people for validation or acceptance."

Ed wondered where this had come from. Olivia had always looked to her brother for guidance. She looked to him for protection. He gave her that and Ed suspected it came from her practically being raised by her brother.

"And I understand that," Ed promised her in a gentle voice. "But that doesn't mean you have to cut ties with Jim."

"It means exactly that," Olivia said to him. "Jim will never accept this. He will never accept what I've done or why I chose to do it…and then there's the fact that I killed someone. If he finds out that I did that because I was trying to save you then he-"

"-He would kill either me or Penguin, he would not blame you. You did what you had to do." Ed said in an interruption, moving to brush his lips against the top of her head. "You did what you had to do to survive."

"Maybe," Olivia agreed, "but do you know what the worst part is? I covered it up. I could have done the right thing and called the police…called Jim…but I covered it up…and as I was burying his body in the same spot where Kristen was…where Dougherty was…I realised that I was doing the wrong thing, but I didn't care. I didn't care because I knew that I had to do it to get you out."

"This isn't what I wanted for you," Ed said.

"Why?" Olivia asked. "Because you prefer me when I'm meek and mild? All innocent? Because that's not me, Ed, not anymore. Ever since I was infected, it hasn't been me."

"I would love you any way that I can have you," Ed said to her in a gentle whisper. "I just never wanted you to go through what you've been through…killing someone…"

"It happened and I don't want to dwell on it, Ed," Olivia said, wondering why he was so torn up over this. "And we're out of the city, so we need to focus on the next part of the plan before Penguin comes looking or Jim finds out where we are."

"Which is?"

"Well, I have a fake ID that works, but you don't," Olivia said and she sat up slightly on the bed. "So the plan has to be to get you one as soon as possible. I spoke to the private investigator I hired and he knows someone. I have their name and number. I called them and said it could be a couple of weeks before they got it to us."

"You've got this all figured out," Ed whispered and Olivia nodded, moving to her feet.

"I hope so," she retorted. "Anyway, it's not like we can go anywhere for the time being because it is going to take a while for you to get moving again. I read about everything to do with muscle atrophy and apparently massages, warm baths and acupuncture could help."

"It feels so strange," Ed commented, "being laid here and not able to move."

"And it will do for quite some time," Olivia said. "But you'll your movement back. I'll go and run a bath. That might help you."

Ed watched her go, staring at the back of her head and wondering just what she was going to risk for him.

…

Jim didn't quite comprehend what had been going through Olivia's mind. He had gone to Falcone for his help, thinking that he could help him take on Penguin. Falcone might have been a criminal, but at least he had a code and he would know how to handle Penguin. But he had told Jim that he had no interest in returning to Gotham. His daughter, Sofia, on the other hand, seemed more interested. She had returned to Gotham just after Jim had gotten back.

Once he was back in his apartment, he heard a knock on the door and groaned. He wondered if it might be Harvey wanting to know how his trip had gone, but he had been mistaken. He loosened the tie around his neck and undid his top button before answering the door and seeing the familiar figure of Penguin stood there. Did he know about his trip to Falcone? Was that why he was suddenly on Jim's doorstep?

"Where is she?" he demanded, barging into the apartment and giving Jim no chance to stop him. His cane slammed onto the ground as his footsteps pounded on the wooden floor.

"Who?" Jim questioned, closing the door behind him and dropping his hands to his hips.

"Don't play dumb with me, Jim," Penguin spat, cheeks tinged red and puffed out. "Your little sister. Where has she gone?"

"No idea considering she isn't answering any of my calls again," Jim drawled. He had tried to get through to her, but there had been nothing. He wondered if she just needed time again, but he thought that they had mended their relationship. "What do you want with her?"

"She's taken something of mine that is valuable," Penguin sniped and Jim's brows pinched together as he tried to work out what it was that Olivia could possibly have taken before he figured it out. It was so obvious. Penguin's arms flapped into the air as the realisation dawned on Jim's face. "And there he has it!"

"No," Jim said with a firm shake of his head. "She can't have taken Ed."

"Well, she has," Penguin snarled. "She came to my club and I knew she was plotting something."

"And your evidence?" Jim challenged him.

"Well…she…" he tried to think for a few moments. He had no evidence. He had nothing to link her to his club, but he knew that it had to be her. "She covered her tracks very well, but I know it is her who has him. Who else could it be? And her apartment is completely empty and cleaned, no doubt covering up the fact she killed my assassin."

Penguin went silent as he realised what it was that he had just said. His eyes widened as he looked at Jim and saw the anger cloud his features. Holding his hands up defensively, he moved backwards as Jim advanced towards him and grabbed him by his shoulders, slamming up against the nearest wall.

"You did what?" Jim demanded, voice loud and full of anger.

"She's fine," Penguin said quickly, knowing that Jim had an anger inside of him. He had seen it before and he had seen it when it came to his sister. "She killed him herself and came to warn me off."

Jim shook his head. Olivia had killed someone. Penguin had sent someone to kill his sister. But Olivia had stopped him. His little sister had been forced to kill someone.

"I'm so close to killing you myself," Jim warned Penguin. But he knew the ramifications of what would happen if he did. If he killed her then he'd never be able to find Olivia again. Penguin had cronies who would see to that. He pushed him against the wall one final time, stepping back and stopping himself from doing anything further.

Penguin straightened out his tie and adjusted his suit jacket. "You need to bring them back here," he warned Jim. "I will find them and it's only a matter of time. If you bring them back here then I'll leave Olivia alone. It's only Ed I want."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Believe what you want, Jim," Penguin said, moving to the door once more. "But if I find them myself then she won't be so lucky. Turn him over and I'll be lenient."

Jim watched Penguin leave, the fleeting visit enough to ruin his day completely and fill him with worry.

…

Ed had been laid in bed for almost a week, slowly regaining use of his body. Olivia helped him, practically acting as his carer. She would help him move to the bathroom, cook for him and massage his muscles. Ed had to admit that he didn't mind that bit so much as he regained feeling and finally lifted his arm, his hand pressing to the small of her back and pushing her against him as she shrieked in delight and he chuckled as he kissed her slowly and sensually.

"You need to relax, Olivia, you've been looking after me for too long," Ed said to her as he ran her hands up and down his legs, trying to get him moving. She shrugged her shoulders, hair falling into her face as she knelt in between his thighs and Ed longed to be able to move quicker and faster so that he had her pinned against the mattress. But it was a waiting game. He knew that.

"I'm fine," she said to him.

"You barely leave me alone, Liv," Ed pointed out. "I know that you've got to be tired because you hardly sleep, insisting on me having most of the bed."

"Because you need it more," Olivia said. "But I might go for a long soak tonight. I bought a book I have hardly read ever since we got out of Gotham."

"Then do that," Ed urged from her.

"You trying to get rid of me?" Olivia asked from him and he chuckled, shaking his head as he knew that he had to tell her the truth eventually. He had to tell her that ever since he had woken up, he had struggled with his mind.

He had listened to Olivia tell him how she had gotten him out of the ice and he hadn't been able to comprehend the plan. He hadn't been able to think of another way to get out. He had tried to find the right words in some cases, but he had failed to do that. Olivia had found herself finishing off his sentences, doing it without noticing.

"I'd never try to get rid of you," Ed said. "Besides, I quite like having you massage my…" he trailed off.

"Muscles," Olivia finished for him. "Or are you wanting some other kind of massage?"

He chuckled as he felt her hand run up his inner thigh and stop just shy of where he longed for her. She bent down, her vest top gaping slightly as he peered down it, catching sight of the black bra she wore. He moved his hands to the back of her own thighs, toying with the end of the shorts she wore as she kissed him and he felt her hips ground against his. He managed to use all the strength he had to pull her top from her body, tossing it off to the side as she helped him and he moved his lips down her neck, nipping at the skin and grazing it with his teeth occasionally, feeling her grind down harder against him at that.

"We should stop," Olivia said to him, managing to gain her breath as Ed latched onto her collarbone. "You need to rest."

"I've been resting for a week," Ed said to her. "Besides, you can always stay on top."

Olivia was about to protest again, but Ed silenced her, grabbing her chin and pulling her lips down to his as he begged her not to stop, panting in her ear and telling her that he would be fine. She nodded her head and agreed with him, finally giving into him.

…

Ed suspected the image of Olivia writhing on top of him in pure ecstasy wouldn't leave his mind for a long time. He had heard her moan into his ear as she collapsed against him and he told her how much he loved her. Once she had fallen to his side, she had stayed there for a while before moving to the bathroom and running a bath, helping Ed to dress in clean clothes before going for a bath. Ed had stayed on the bed, a smile on his face and his eyes closing as he heard Olivia move around in the bathroom.

He was about to reach for his book when her cell began to ring. Looking to it, he knew that she hadn't been answering Jim's call. She had been ignoring him and Ed had tried to bring it up on numerous occasions, but she had always shut him down. But he saw the longing in her gaze. She wanted to talk to Jim. She wanted her brother and Ed didn't want her to cut him off.

Despite knowing that she would protest, he picked up the phone and pressed it to his ear.

"Jim," he greeted.

"What have you done with my sister, Nygma?" Jim demanded.

"Believe me, I'm unable to do anything to your sister. I can hardly move," Ed retorted. "She is the one who helped me escape Penguin and his stupid club."

"I guessed as much," Jim retorted. "But you have no idea what she's done, Ed. Penguin came round her and he threatened her. He's looking for both of you…he wants you back and you know what he's going to do when he finds you?"

"I can hazard a guess," Ed said, tone dry as he looked to the bathroom door and hoped that Olivia couldn't hear him talking. He was trying to keep his voice down as best as he could.

"He'll kill both of you, Ed."

"He won't find us."

"Do you think so?" Jim retorted. "Olivia is clever, I know that. She's smart and she's determined and very stubborn, but Penguin has people everywhere…he has ears and eyes running around Gotham. How long do you think you'll be able to hide from him?"

"We won't be staying for long," Ed said firmly. "He won't find us."

"And you want to risk that?" Jim said. "He wants you, Ed. He doesn't want Olivia…but if he finds both of you then he's going to kill you both."

"Let me guess, he's threatened to spare Olivia if I go back to him now? What else does he have to…" Ed trailed off. What was the word?

"Blackmail?" Jim questioned.

"Yeah, blackmail me with," he concluded and moved his free hand to his forehead, pinching the bridge of it and wondering when his mind would become his own again. How could he protect Olivia if he couldn't even think of the right words to use?

"Listen, Ed," Jim said, his tone softening only slightly and Ed knew he was about to try and appeal to his better nature. "I know that she loves you. I know that, despite everything I have tried to do, she won't stop loving you and I…I despise everything you've done and I hate that she loves you…but I think you care about her."

"Care about her?" he scoffed the words and shook his head, pushing his glasses further onto his nose. "You don't get it, do you, Jim? I don't just care for her. I love her. I love her and no matter how much you hate it, I won't stop loving her."

"Then stop putting her life in danger," Jim said. "She is risking everything for you. She's abandoned everything for you…she almost died because of you, Ed, because of you and this stupid feud with Penguin. He cut her brakes…sent an assassin after her…and it's all because of you."

Ed was silent, teeth grinding together at hearing him speak. He knew it was the truth. Jim could hear Ed's soft breaths down the phone and he continued to talk, wondering if he could get through to him somehow.

"I don't want her hurt again, Ed. I don't want to bury my sister for real and I know that you don't want her to get hurt, either."

Ed heard what Jim was telling him and he knew that he had a point. He was right. So long as Penguin lived then they would never have peace. He would always be looking over his shoulder and worrying about him coming for them. He didn't want that. He was scared that he wouldn't be able to protect Olivia either, not with his mind how it was.

"Give me time."

"We might not have much time, Ed," Jim responded.

"Give. Me. Time," Ed reiterated, punctuating each word with a low growl to him. He hung up the call and placed the phone back onto the bedside table.

Moving to his feet, he knew that Olivia would be upset if he left. He knew that he would ruin her entire plan. But he was at a loss. Moving to the suitcase, he dug into it and found the gun that she had brought with her. He made a note to take it when he left. He then saw the photograph. It was buried under jumpers she hadn't unpacked. He picked it up and looked at the two of them, staring at their carefree image as they both smiled at each other. It was as if they were lost in their own little world.

Closing his eyes, Ed gripped the photograph tightly and shook his head. "One day, Olivia…one day we'll have Italy."

And then his mind was made up.

...

A/N: Would love to know what your thoughts are and what you think Ed is going to do! Would also love your opinion - do I even bother with the Ed/Lee storyline/ship? How does everyone feel about that? Do let me know and hopefully I'll get another update in before Christmas!