Chapter 7

I find Oswald sitting by the open windowsill in the hallway outside the apartment, looking out into Gotham's dark night sky. Beside him is a small paper bag of bread crumbs, which he tosses to the pigeons on the window detail outside,

"A...a dove sometimes comes by...and, and perches on my finger." he mumbles, turning slightly behind him, acknowledging me.

I sit beside him on the windowsill as he continues to feed the birds, the pigeons pecking away at the seed.

"None of the other birds will perch on my finger. If I try, even hold out my finger for a moment too long without any food...they'll start pecking at my finger...even biting me." he pulls his hand away and packs away the seeds as a smooth white dove flies in among the grey pigeons. Oswald holds out his finger ever-so-slightly, and without hesitation, the dove hops onto his finger. He strokes it gently with one of the fingers of his other hand as he carries it through the apartment window, "Mother doesn't understand...I don't need love, just...companionship. Understanding." he looks down at the dove's talon-like feet, one of its legs slightly bent, "You know how I know this is the same dove? When it first came to me, I broke its right leg, see?" he points the slight bend in the leg.

I remember seeing an empty bird cage in his room, but I still have to ask, "Why?"

His expression becomes stern, accentuating the dark shadows under his sunken in eyes, "Because, it was going to leave." he looks back down at the bird, "I tried keeping it, but eventually the wound healed, and...it flew off. But it always comes back...it always does."

"I wonder why…" I sincerely ask myself.

"What do you mean?" he responds, looking up from the bird.

He catches me off guard, I had no idea he heard me. I decide the truth is the best route, "Well...if you hurt someone like that...why would they ever want to come back to you again?"

He shrugs, reaching his hand out the window and pushing his finger slightly so that the bird is bumped off, flying into the night, "...it's just a bird. You think too much into things sometimes."

I shrug back, "It's kind of my thing. Got me into a lot of trouble when I was in school."

He blows at his black bangs, letting them fly up above his head, "Ugh, don't even get me started on school."

"Why? You seem like a pretty smart guy." I figure.

He blushes, smiling, but his smile quickly fades, "That...that was sort of the problem. You see, I went to Gotham Academy-"

"No way, Gotham Academy?! That fancy rich school out by the city limits? Wow, Oswald, you are one lucky guy."

He grins, before continuing, "Yeah, of course I couldn't actually afford it, I'd won full scholarship to the school. Mother was so proud, I'd been home schooled up to that point, and I remember her combing my hair back on my first day, kissing me on the cheek, wishing me good luck. But when I got there...I...realized for the first time...how different I am from everyone else." he looks down at his hands, "How...scrawny...how, pitiful I must have looked to them. The new boy at school...short, small, with a long nose. I couldn't play sports...I didn't know any of the popular singers or their songs and nobody...no one appreciated my strengths. But, as I got older, I started meeting girls, I started...liking girls. If I ever found a girl I liked I'd bring her home, introduce them to Mother. She'd always disapprove, but it didn't matter, they were all the same."

"How so?"

He chuckles, "They were never interested in me. They thought that since I went to Gotham Academy, I'd come from money. Boy, were they ever surprised when I showed them my modest home. Most of them wouldn't dare step into the door. Eventually I stopped trying." he leans his head down, "I...I'm sorry, I'm talking too much about myself. Where are my manners?" he turns to me, smiling broadly, "Tell me, what was it like as a child for you?"

"There isn't much to tell-"

"Liar." he blurts out suddenly. He points a finger towards me, "I'm starting to understand you...how you tick. You always want to know about other people, yet you hardly give anything away about yourself."

I shrug, "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Not really…" his eyes narrow, but his tone never becomes hostile, "I'm just not quite sure why your guard is always so high."

He's suspicious of something, does he know something I'm not aware of?

"I'm just...more reserved. Less expressive and eloquent compared to you." I confess, and I watch as his eyes and cheeks light up in satisfaction, "Well, if you really want to know, I went to Gotham High, down in Southside. Like you, I never had many friends, but that was mostly my fault. I would purposely scare them off. My only real friend was this guy named Ed, for some reason I could never scare him away. He was like me...weird, outcasted, so I guess the friendship sort of made sense. Birds of a feather flock together, am I right?"

He nods, "And, you and Ed...were you…?"

"Anything more than friends? Nope, but we were always accused of it. I was never his type." I explain, "Anyway, I haven't seen him since graduation. I went to college out in Star City, while he stayed here to pursue a degree in criminology and forensic science." I chuckle, "I mean, where else would you study that kind of thing but Gotham?"

He smiles in agreement, "Right? I mean, you could just step two paces outside your own home and find at least three prime subjects for study."

"Yeah? And have you seen on the news lately? All those reporters freaking out, like, 'Gotham is experiencing the crime wave of the century! An old lady's purse was stolen today, the horror!'. Lady, Gotham has always been like this, it just took the effects to spread to the rich for anyone to notice."

Oswald presses his hands against his cheek, "Oh my gosh, yes! Nobody notices when the occasional homeless man or orphaned child goes missing, but when some politician's cat goes missing, there's freaking mass hysteria!" his wide smile shifts, becoming malicious, "It's because...it's because only people of power matter in this city. And...and I want to be one of those people. You understand, yes? Why I want this?"

I can't stop myself once I start nodding my head slowly, "Yes...yes I do."

He clasps my hand, holding it in his own, "Then say you'll help me, please? I can't do this alone, I need...I need, someone by my side."

Help him? He could be a madman for all I know. The signs he's given me so far certainly have not helped his case. But...and there always seems to be a "but" with this guy, he's so sweet, and gentlemanly. He's kind and thoughtful, nobody's treated me the way he has…

He reaches over and strokes a strand of hair away from my face. I take his hand, and reluctantly push it away, "Oswald, I think I know what's worrying your mother. You say you don't want love, yes? But on the other hand, you're so intimate with me. I think it's sending the wrong message."

"But I...uhm...Mother...she'd...I...I don't…I do…" his speech is stammered, with inaudible murmuring in between.

I smile warmly, "We'll work out the details later, I'm sure."

There's noise from down below as two men in sharp suits come barging up and begin banging on the door to Oswald's apartment. Oswald and I get up from the windowsill, as one of the men begins shouting, "Open up! Mrs. Cobblepot, we know you're in there! You better have the money or else-"

"Gentlemen, what is this fuss all about?" Oswald asks, approaching them.

One of the men, tall, large, and gangly, stomps up to the timid Oswald, pointing a sausagy finger at him, "Listen here kid, we raised the rent three months ago, and you guys are still two months behind."

"I assure you, it's all a temporary misunderstanding. We'll have your money in due time-"

"That's exactly what you told us last month!" the other one shouts, spit flying at Oswald's face.

"You know what I think you need? You and the old lady need another lesson, is what you need." the first thug proposes, pounding his fist against his calloused palm.

Mrs. Cobblepot opens the door, and before she can say anything, the two thugs push past her, knocking her to the ground. Oswald rushes to her aid, helping pick her back up as they enter the apartment.

"What should we do first?" the second man asks the first.

The first man examines the china tea set sitting on the coffee table, "Too bad we didn't bring your bat. Ah well, we'll just take it. Probably sell it for a nice price too. Maybe get the old car fixed up with the money."

The second thug shakes his head, searching through their cabinets, "Naw, that's not enough to fix up your old junker. You'd need something a little something more...something like these." he scoops several of their silver forks out of a drawer, showing them off to the other.

He chuckles, "Yeah...yeah, those'll do nicely. Make sure to take the whole set. We'll count it as...about a month's worth of rent."

"Those are worth more than your entire life's payroll, if you're even on one you thieves!" Mrs. Cobblepot shouts, as Oswald protectively holds her back.

The men snicker, looking at each other with knowing smiles. Items in tow, they gang up on Mrs. Cobblepot, yanking her out of Oswald's arms, "Mother!"

I instinctively reach for my daggers until I see the men holding Mrs. Cobblepot. Having at least a foot on both her and Oswald, they could take either one of them out easily. No...I can't fight them head on...even before they became aggressive with Mrs. Cobblepot there was still a chance that one of them could get hurt if a fight were to take place.

One man yanks at her pearl necklace, while the other looks at the small golden band with small diamonds on her left ring finger, "These'll do nicely for one more month's worth of rent."

I reach into my clutch purse and pull out all the money I have on me currently, and present it to the men, "Here, would this be enough to cover rent?"

The mens' eyes widen at the sight of several hundred dollars clutched in my hand. One of the men reaches for the money but I swipe it away, "First, let go of Mrs. Kabelput."

I can't help but smirk as Mrs. Cobblepot's eyes widen at the sound of my accurate pronunciation of her name. True, it helps that I also have a last name that nobody can ever seem to get right, but she wouldn't be as cheerful if I told her it.

The men let go of her, and she runs into Oswald's arms, sobbing. I continue my demands, "Lastly, release their belongings."

One of the men smirk, and looking at the other, he smirks too, "Poor choice of words lady."

The man holding the china tea set drops it sending to toward the ground. Dropping the money, I dive for the tea set, catching the pot with one hand, letting the cup and two of the trays land on my opposite arm. But, I watch in horror as one final cup just misses my arm, hitting the wooden floor with an unpleasant *crack*.

The men laugh, the other man dropping the much sturdier silverware to the ground, as the other scoops up the money. They push past Oswald and Mrs. Cobblepot as they make their unceremonious exit,

"The lady bailed you out this time, you might not be as lucky next time." one of them warns, before making their way down the steps.

I carefully set down the tea set, as Mrs. Cobblepot picks up the cracked cup, "This...this was given to me...by my parents, at my wedding."

"I'm so...so sorry Mrs. Kabelput. I tried to save it all but-"

"No need for apologies young lady." she pushes away harshly, "Inside, I'm furious with you right now, but, but something tells me I shouldn't be."

Oswald puts the silverware in the sink for washing, and I check my purse. Just enough to make a phone call to Amanda. Good.

"She can stay another night." Mrs. Cobblepot mumbles, stammering into her room.

Oswald rushes after her, but not before looking back at me, smiling, as he runs into her room, closing the door behind him.

MugglebornPrincesa: Lol, if only :). If I ever wrote a "What If?" for them, I'd definitely evoke that kind of feel.

Fuchsia Grasshopper: I agree, I think she's trying to look after him (there's this great interview I found online with Mrs. Cobblepot's actress Carol Kane that really gives some insight into her character and it's how I was able to get a feel for the character even before her first appearance on Gotham).

Shadow Cat Mistress: Yeah, Oswald's character has become so popular I think because he can be deplorable but also sympathetic as well (also because of the "bad boy" stereotype a lot of people tend to associate with him but that's another story for another day).

Guest: Thank you.

Thanks! :)