Chapter 88

After a long day of answering phone calls, filling out paperwork, and occasionally going out on patrol, I meet Ed at the precinct entrance. He holds out a small ring of keys, "Did I mention I've recently procured a car?"

He points his keys toward a small, boxy light green car.

I smile, "Awe, Ed, that's great. It looks kinda low though...can you fit inside?"

"When I hunch, yes. But that means it's the perfect size for you," he walks over and unlocks the car door.

I step in first, maneuvering my way over the shift stick to get into the front passenger seat. He gets into the driver's seat, a good portion of his back stooped over, his spine poking the roof.

"How can you afford gas for this thing?" I ask, clicking on my seatbelt as Ed starts up the car.

"I only take it out on special occasions, like today. I went and retrieved the car during my lunch break," he explains, as the car sputters to life.

We drive off, the nearly empty Gotham streets giving Ed no reason to pause as we take a leisurely ride home.

"Wow, I don't get to ride in a car much these days. Not with the oil embargo," I observe, looking out the window at the rows of idle cars parked on both sides of the street.

"These things will come to pass," Ed encourages, "in the meantime, we'll drive slow, save gas, and enjoy the ride."

I smile, turning my head over to Ed. He's so optimistic, it's hard not to admire that. I sigh, if only…

Ed's apartment is built in the same style as my own, with aging wooden walls and floors. His furniture is sparse, with a single couch chair, ten inch television, a wooden desk, and a ratty rug taking up a small corner of the apartment that could be considered his "living room". There's a rickety table near the kitchen, with a single chair sitting on one end. A door stands to the side of the kitchen, left open just enough to see the beginnings of a bedroom.

"I...know it isn't much. Forensic work pays fairly well but, I am still paying off student loans," Ed explains, a hint of embarrassment in his tone.

I smile, "Don't worry Ed, I wasn't expecting a mansion. This place is fine, it looks...pretty much like my place just...less furniture."

"Oh, I know, you've always had good taste in interior design," he grins.

"Not really, I just get ideas from magazines and advertisements," I chuckle.

Ed shuffles his way into the bedroom, while I take a look around the living room. While the couch chair appears practically untouched, the desk is cluttered with all manner of papers, pens, pencils, and books. Peeking out of the mess, I pull out a framed photo of me and Ed at our high school graduation, the black-and-white photo now beginning to brown with age. The picture next to it is a picture of Ed by himself at his college graduation. It's strange, that the two pictures he has on his desk are of academic achievements, and yet none of them include a very important person...

"Hey Ed, do you still see your father?" I ask, leaning my head to peek through the open door.

There's a slight pause from the other side, "That bastard can rot in a hole for all I care."

I sigh, "So I take it...no?"

Ed exits his bedroom, "Unfortunately, I have no sleeping bags in which to hibernate with. Would sleeping in the bed suffice?"

"Ed, he's your father, you should at least call him every-wait...did you say sleep in the bed?"

He gives a short, controlled nod, "Yes, my bed is large enough to fit your small form and myself."

My eyes shift around, "...and a teenaged dream of mine is realized. Alright, the bed it is!"

"Oh...I plan on having us commence all of the childish antics one performs at a sleepover. First: roasting marshmallows!"

Ed marches over to the kitchen, where his tall height allows him to easily reach the cabinets. He takes out three bags of marshmallows, holding one in each hand, and clutching the final bag in his mouth. I take the last bag from his teeth and put it down.

Turning on the stove, I adjust the heat as Ed gets two sticks from one of the drawers. Plucking a marshmallow onto each stick, he hands one to me.

"Instill me with the patience to not burn my marshmallow to a fiery crisp," Ed prays, examining his marshmallow.

I giggle, as I lay my marshmallow over the stove fire, "The trick is to slowly turn it."

"Oh, like a rotisserie chicken? I see…"

However, it's not long before Ed's marshmallow is black and charred, a small flame burning off the edge. Without hesitation, he pops it in his mouth, "Mmm...still satisfactory to the senses."

Ed and I share the single couch as "The Gray Ghost" comes on the black-and-white television screen. The couch chair not having a lot of room, I sit on the arm of the chair, leaning over onto Ed's shoulder.

"Ed, what's your favorite Gray Ghost villain?" I ask him, becoming slightly sleepy as I tilt my head further into his shoulder.

He leans his head down into a thinking position, "Gosh...my favorite Gray Ghost villain...probably the Puzzler, the guy who leaves puzzle boxes behind as clues for the Gray Ghost to solve. What about you?"

"Hm...what about the Baroness? Femme fatale Nazi spy?"

Ed nods, "Nice choice. Who's tonight's villain?"

I turn my head over to the television screen, and see the Gray Ghost battling a man with a white-painted face and permanently stuck, grotesque smile.

"Oh, it's the Man Who Laughs!" I point, as the two men engage in a sword duel.

Ed leans his head in to focus on the screen, "Oh, he's a good villain. You know, I've been trying to get Kristen into the Gray Ghost, but she refuses to watch it. Apparently the only pictures she watches are Basil Karlo films."

"Oh...well, that's too bad," I mumble.

Ed tilts his head on top of mine as we watch the rest of the episode. It's good to finally spend some downtime with someone I can really trust. I could never let my guard down around Oswald, and I thought I could trust Barbara, but she seems more unhinged everyday, what with the Court after her, plus her troubles with Gordon. I'm lucky I have someone like Ed, a reliant constant. I feel myself begin to drift asleep on his shoulder as the episode ends and "The Buddy Standler Comedy Show" comes on. I feel Ed's arms slide under me and push upward, but don't get farther than that.

"Uhm...Nat...you're going to have to get up. I can't carry you…"

I look up and see Ed's arms trembling trying to lift me up. I chuckle, "It's fine Ed."

Getting up, I start walking over to the bedroom as Ed turns off the TV. I sit by Ed's bedside, waiting for him to get in first. After turning off the lights, he flops in, and gestures for me to do the same. But as I lay down next to him, his expression becomes serious, as he takes off his glasses and grips the edge of his pillow.

"Nat...who hurt you?" his question seems to come from nowhere, but I knew it was coming from the start.

"That...that man I mentioned? The one who I stopped seeing? Well...I've been seeing him again, and…"

Ed's eyes widen, "No, him? Natalie, how could you let him do that? How?"

"He's...he…" I think of every possible way to avoid the answer, but none of them seem to come out right.

"How does someone you supposedly care for hurt you?!" Ed asks, more forceful this time.

I look up at him, "They do it all the time."

The color drains from his face, "Are...are you accusing me of something?"

"Yes Ed, I am accusing you of something," I grumble, turning over away from him.

"What I have done to you is nothing in comparison to physical wounds! If he's hurting you, you need to get away from him now," he demands, sitting up and pressing both hands into the sheets.

I get up as well, "No, I don't."

He watches in horror as I get out of the bed and stand, "Yes, he's hurt me. Yes, he can be an awful person sometimes. But...I was once that horrible, broken person too, wasn't I Ed? Before I met you?"

"N-no...Na-nat...you...were different," he shakes his head.

I lower my head, the moonlight streaming from the window illuminating part of my face, "Not really. When I look at Oswald...it's like looking at a bird with a broken leg, a leg that may never heal. But even with that permanent wound, that doesn't mean that I still can't help him try to fly, right? Like you did?"

"Nat...helping someone at nine years old is different than helping them as a full grown adult. He's probably already come to a lot of conclusions about who he is as a person, and there are parts of him that you don't like that you can't change."

Still looking down, my lips press into a smile and I chuckle, "Well, I guess I'm just a lot more optimistic than you are."

Ed crosses to the other side of the bed, and clasps both hands on my shoulders, "Nat, if this is about me not returning your feelings, please, drop it. You could find other partners, better than him-"

"Oh, now that's rich," I push his arms away, "first you shove your affection for Kristen in my face, then tell me to just 'drop it' when I get upset?! Most human beings are not as methodical as you Ed!"

I start walking toward the door, when Ed grabs my arm, "Well...perhaps...perhaps I've always held feelings for you. Perhaps I've hid them away because, because I don't want to lose my best friend. And, having you as a best friend is more important than having you as a lover, don't you think?"

His arm softens, and he lets go. I wrap my arms around myself as he continues, "Or, perhaps I've never had feelings for you, but I care for you deeply, enough that I start to confuse it for love...can you love a friend? Even a best friend?"

I shake my head, "I don't know Ed," I start walking to the door, "I'm going home."

"No...Nat, what if he's there?"

I stop short just at the door, "Then so be it. I've never had much luck with either sex...my first kiss was in my twenties Ed...at this point, Oswald may not be the best, but I'll play the hand I'm dealt. And that's all I can really do."

"Nat...no…" Ed's face contorts as he reaches his hand out, just in time for me to close the door behind him.

Author's Note:

Guest: Thanks, Ed and Natalie are adorable, aren't they?

Erik-is-my-angel1234: Thank you :)

Narutoske: Well, Fish did leave Natalie in charge of checking on Liza, and while she's with Falcone, Natalie is her only contact that's about the same age. As for Natalie and Ed spending time together, that may be hard considering the argument they just got in, but we'll see ;)

Langley21: Haha, I hope the sleepover didn't disappoint. I was thinking about having Oswald crash the party, but knowing him, he'd kill Ed sight-unseen. Don't worry, when Natalie comes home he'll get his say

Thanks! :)