Here's a short chapter for now, but I promise there is more to come. I own nothing.

Chapter 10

Mary's POV…

"We are in this together" my own words kept me going as the months passed and Oswald and I were forced to be apart the city around us much too dangerous for us to risk seeing each other.

"We make a beautiful pair, you and I, we're meant to be" I remembered those words every time I saw him, every time I thought of him, and it made our time apart almost bearable when I thought of the future we were building as I began to live my life for the sight of him at the restaurant even as fleeting as those moments were. We didn't need words to tell each other how we felt. I saw it in Oswald's eyes every time we shared a fleeting glance and in his right back. With every tiny touch right under my husband's nose I felt his desperation and heard how much he missed me because I felt the same. I felt that desperation and missed him just as much.

"I love you" I remembered the words as I knew he did every time I saw him and felt that love with every squeeze of my shoulders as he removed my coat with every kiss of my hand right in front of Salvatore, and I know he saw in my eyes that I loved him right back. Not seeing him was torture, a very sad real torture especially when he finally revealed himself to the world.

It was hard seeing him in danger, but not being able to help.

"If he would let me I could help him" I thought as he braced himself against this danger not sure how that would have been possible really but wanting to be there for him anyway.

"He is smarter than all of them…he'll be fine" I would assure myself of that during that time watching from the sidelines as Oswald played his part outsmarting both Maroni and Falcone without either of them realizing it. From afar, I watched him prove himself a force to be reckoned with. From afar, I waited in silence for him, for him to come for me to take me away, and as it took longer then longer still I waited with no complaint. I supported him as was my place and waited for the moment to come when he would steal me away to stand at his side. That was all I asked of him during that time. All I wanted from him until Oswald gave me something I didn't even realize I wanted until he had already done it. Something I didn't ask for, but when I knew what he had done I felt a weight lifted off my heart.

He killed the man that started my journey into this life.

"I'd destroy it all for you" I remembered his words as we made love and when I heard, when I knew what he had done I thought of it that way; he had destroyed my first monster for me.

"Mary!" screamed Salvatore his voice waking me from my sleep in the middle of the night as rain pounded at my window his voice sounded strange even for him. As I scrambled for my robe my nerves thrumming, I had a million thoughts running through my mind. I could hear him rummaging through the house his movements loud almost disoriented and then entering his study, I found him just standing there staring out the window. At first, I was scared, I'd never seen him so quiet until looking closely I realized he was crying. I'd never seen him cry before. Water dripped from his clothes onto the carpet as I approached him and then just as I moved to touch him he looked right at me his eyes still seeming to look past me somehow. He looked sad and looking into his eyes I saw as he started to cry more.

I felt my heart pound in that moment because Oswald entered my mind. What had happened? Was he alright? As I approached Maroni, I was cautious until standing right in front of him I made him sit down. As he did, he also tugged me closer burying his head in my stomach; it took everything for me not to flinch away. Silence passed as the rain pounded against the window and cautiously still I wrapped my arms around him playing my part as well as Oswald played his. I was the loving wife, the concerned wife, and as he cried into my stomach I dreaded what those tears could mean. Finally, Salvatore looked at me his eyes red from his tears, and his words shocked and excited me all at the same time. The second he said them I knew who was to blame for those emotions, Oswald, he had done this, and I couldn't have loved him more. They made me want to run to him, to be with him instead of with the man I was in that moment.

"Frankie—he's dead—those Russian bastards killed him" exclaimed Maroni anger combining with his sadness as he held me all the closer. I let the words sink in as I soothed him still and crying too, I let him think they were tears of sadness when in fact they were of joy. That man, the one who had chased me into this life, was dead, and for a second I almost felt free. I thought of Oswald in that moment trying to picture the moment when he had killed him and somehow, I knew my mind didn't do the true events justice. Finally, looking at my husband, I sighed continuing to play my part, and make Oswald proud.

"What happened? How…why? What happened?" I exclaimed kneeling in front of him his face suddenly in my hands. Maroni only shook his head nearly choking on his tears. I felt no sympathy for him even as I pretended to. I liked seeing his pain. It didn't equal all the pain he'd caused me, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. He deserved this pain and so much more.

"Penguin took them to the warehouse…everything was just as he said, but something went wrong. Somehow, one of them survived the explosion, and as Frankie was collecting the guns and cash he got stabbed. Penguin…Frankie's guys…they said there was nothing they could do it was too bloody. He died right there" whispered Maroni looking more vulnerable than I had ever seen him the sight of it making me have to suppress my smile. As he spoke, I pictured everything he described, and sighing, I looked down at him to find him already looking at me. Suddenly, his hands grasped my wrists, and looking into his eyes I didn't know what he was going to do next. All I did know was that I wasn't afraid of him and after that moment I was never afraid of him again.

All was silent, I didn't know what to expect from him, sometimes he could be sweet, and others he showed me just what a monster he was.

"I'm gonna kill every single one of them—for Frankie—he was like my brother" seethed Maroni suddenly his face growing red with anger his grip on me almost painful his anger shaking us both. I didn't think he would stop as I peered down into his eyes. They were like black fire in that moment ready to scorch the world and they were scorching me right then. I still wasn't afraid though because those eyes couldn't burn me anymore. I thought that fire would never fade until all too suddenly it did. His eyes returned to the remorseful, black cloudy state they had been in when he was crying and looking down I didn't say anything. I just waited to see what he would do next. It was like suddenly he realized who he was talking to and dropping my hands, Maroni sighed. Standing, I watched him as he watched me, and after a moment he touched my cheek wiping away the tears that graced my cheek. Then moving slowly over me, he slowly pulled me into his arms letting them engulf me completely as he just held me. Held me tight and wrapping my own arms around him, I closed my eyes pretending to hold in a sob hearing as he shushed me in response. I felt him kiss my temple and then my cheek and continuing with my act I waited with all the patience I could muster for him to let me go.

"I'm sorry, honey, you don't need to know about these things. You go back to bed—I'll be up in a bit. I just need some time to myself" whispered Maroni gently pushing me away. After a moment, my face pretending to search his, pretending to see if he was really alright, I obeyed my feet silent as they left him. Again, I thought, I was playing my part for Oswald, and thinking of him when I was safely out of his view, I smiled. Frankie was dead, Oswald had killed him, I knew that, and when I did see him I promised myself I would thank him properly.

"I love you" I thought wanting to tell him that in that moment as I laid in bed. Oswald filled my mind then as I wished his arms were around me. I remembered the last time I was with him, every second of it, and it was those thoughts that I fell asleep to. I didn't wake up again until Salvatore came to bed, but he didn't touch me. He only climbed into bed and once he was asleep, I found I couldn't. As I lay in bed with him, Oswald flooded my mind along with memories from my past. Frankie was the one that got me here, if he had never taken a liking to me I might not be here now. And now he was dead.

"I love you" I thought again wanting to tell Oswald that right then as I pictured that moment when he had sunk his blade into him as I knew he had my love at full bloom in my heart in that moment. I could feel it all falling into place, soon I would be with Oswald, by his side as was my rightful place.

"You and I, we're meant to be" I thought that again the words repeating in my mind just like they had the last time I was with him a picture of our future in my mind, of us, king and queen of Gotham, together, finally. I fell asleep with two thoughts in my head, one, that my time with Maroni was almost over, and two, that I needed to see Oswald. We had been apart longer then either of us intended and soon I would fix that.