Chapter 89

By the time I'm home, it's well past midnight, peeking into the early morning hours. Tossing off my shoes, I collapse onto the couch. That...was a disaster. I shouldn't have snapped back at Ed like that. It's my fault I feel so hurt, not his…

A shadow hovers over me, followed by warm breath on my neck, "...there you are."

I look and find Oswald, his green eyes wide. I reach over to play with his hair, "Hey…"

He grabs my hand, squeezing it at the wrist, "Where were you?"

My eyes widen as I'm snapped awake, almost falling off of the couch as he pulls me to my feet, "I-I was out late."

"Out late huh?" he raises his eyebrow.

There's no way he's going to believe me on that. But, what conclusion will he come to?

Still gripping my hand, he pulls me into a tight embrace, "I'll forgive you, for your little...discrepancy. That is, if you grant me a small favor."

I look up at him, "What?"

I sit in the bathtub with Oswald, the two of us leaning back, with him against the end, and me against his back.

"So...a midnight bath with you and a Saturday lunch at Bamonte's? Hmph, it sounds like you're treating me more than punishing me," I chuckle, running my hand down his chest.

He smiles, cupping both hands under my chin and kissing me on the forehead, "Only the best for my little bird."

I travel to the other side of the tub, leaning against the cold marble outline and putting both hands up over the edge, "So...why choose this afternoon to take me to lunch? And at your work of all places?"

Oswald shifts his head down and to the side, still maintaining a mischievous smirk, "You know me all too well, Trixie. ...rumor has it that Marsha, Queen of Diamonds and her gang are back in town, and are planning to visit Don Maroni at the restaurant. If the rumors are true, I want to make the best impression."

"Marsha, Queen of Diamonds? The old crime boss? I thought she died years ago," I exclaim.

He shrugs, "I thought so too. She was the top mob boss before Don Falcone took over, back when I was a kid."

"Oh really? Don Falcone was already the top boss by the time I came around."

Oswald smile mixes with a grimace, "Don't make me feel old, that's Mother's job."

Just then, the phone in the living room starts to ring, and I get out of the tub to answer it. Wrapping a towel around myself, I look back at Oswald still lying in the tub. He smiles at me, and I return the gesture.

I pick up the phone, and a mumbled, snappy voice comes out the other end.

"Sydney, it's Zsasz. I need to meet you and Ann at the warehouse on the docks tonight."

I sit down on the top of the couch, "Geez, I thought you were dead for a while there."

"I've been helping Falcone with some...internal affairs. Just...meet me out at the docks tonight, okay?"

"Of course," I reply, before hanging up.

I walk back into my room, and cross to the bathroom.

"Who was that?" Oswald asks with a polite curiosity.

"Zsasz. He needs 'Sydney' out at the docks tonight," I explain, before throwing my towel off and dipping into the tub.

"Hmph. I'm surprised he waited this long to call his henchwomen in, what with Falcone breathing down his neck," he mentions, as I return to leaning against his chest.

I turn around, "What do you mean?"

Oswald chuckles, "Oh...nothing," he takes some water and pours it over my head.

Not pushing any further, I straddle my legs on top of his, in order to lean in closer and wrap my arms around his neck. He wraps one arm around me, using the other to pet my hair. From the way he avoided the question, it's certain that he knows something about what Zsasz's been up to. They are co-workers after all.

Tell me...tell me you love me," Oswald whispers into my ear.

My eyes widen, hidden by the fact that my head's turned away. Sure, I said it while drunk a couple of nights ago, but did I really mean it? And if I said it without meaning now, would it matter? Would he even know the difference?

Oswald takes note of my silence, tightening his grip and pulling me back so that we make eye contact, "Can you not say it?"

My confused frown suddenly turns into a smile, as I push him against the tub, "Why say it, when I can show it?"

Spreading his legs apart, I dive down into the water, my head disappearing under the surface as Oswald leans his head back and moans.

Oswald and I link arms as we enter Bamonte's. The restaurant doesn't seem busier than usual, although Don Maroni and his men are waiting expectantly at the restaurant bar.

"Penguin! Good to have you here friend, and you've brought your girlfriend too," Maroni waltzes over to hug Oswald, before coming over to kiss my hand.

"An unusual day, isn't it Don Maroni? You've called your entire mob here today," Oswald examines, looking at the row of mobsters lined up along the bar.

"Oh yes. Today is...a very special day. You'll see why very soon. But first, a word with my men."

Maroni gestures for Oswald and his more prominent underbosses to huddle in a circle. I wait by the bar along with the lower henchmen. Not only am I the only woman, I'm the only one wearing a bright velvet blue dress among the tall men in black suits and pants.

"So...you turned out for the show?"

I turn around to find Eel, one of Oswald's henchmen.

I smile, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"So you really are Penguin's girlfriend? Ha, didn't think he had it in him," Eel scoffs.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugs, "I don't know. I just figured...you know...how he is and all...women might not be part of his interests."

I raise an eyebrow, "Are you insulting the boss?"

"No, no, of course not! I'm just saying, that's all."

I turn away, and we remain quiet for the next couple of moments. But before I know it Eel taps my shoulder again.

"What?"
"Listen...uh...Trixie, right? You know the thing you mentioned back at Fish Mooney's? About me wanting out of the business? Well...you're right," he confesses.

I smirk, "I thought so."

"And well, I was hoping that you could help me. See, I just need to work long enough to earn the cash for an application to GothamU. After that I'm quitting, but I'll need a good word from the boss when I do. ...could you get that for me?"

I hesitate, "Huh...GothamU, huh? Don't you need a high school diploma to go to college?"

"I passed the test and got my GED from Gotham Community College last week, please lady, have a heart!" Eel pleads, while still trying to keep our conversation discreet.

"Well...even if it's coming from me, the boss might not like the idea. But...I'll give it a shot."

"Thanks lady! Oh, and you can call me Patrick, Patrick O'Brian. Eel's just kind of a mob name, also hides the fact that I'm not Italian, you know?" he smiles, firmly grasping my hand and shaking it.

I glance over at him, "I see. Just don't coming crying to me when Oswald sends someone for your head for trying to leave."

Just then, the bell above the restaurant door jingles, as a thin, middle-aged woman in a bright pink cashmere suit walks in with two straight-spined older men, one in a shiny brown suit with thick glasses, and the other in a dark green pinstriped suit with a graying handlebar mustache.

"Salvatore, I'm home," the woman announces, her voice low and sultry, but also commanding.

Don Maroni stands to hug the woman, easily encasing her thin frame, "My queen, Marsha. You've returned."

"Indeed. I see you've expanded your operations," Marsha observes, glancing around at Maroni's line of mobsters, "which one of these fine men is your right hand?"

Oswald reaches over and grabs my hand before rushing over to Marsha, Queen of Diamonds, "That would be me, ma'am."

Marsha, being somewhat taller than the two of us, looks down at Oswald in particular, "Oh, how...droll. Sal, I didn't know you started hiring little people," she smiles, "And you brought a lady friend as well. Interesting choice…"

Oswald's cheeks become flushed red with anger, but I firmly grab his wrist, holding him back.

She turns to Don Maroni, "Sal, you remember my right hand men? The Bookworm and the Archer," she gestures first to the man with glasses, and then to the man with the mustache.

"Why they call you: 'The Archer'?" Gabe asks.

Maroni throws Gabe a sharp look, before Marsha responds, "He's named for his signature torture method. Best to remember that, dear."

"Well, Marsha darling, we'd love if you and your men stayed for lunch, isn't that right boys?" Maroni turns around to ask his underbosses.

They all nod, including Oswald. It's interesting, I haven't seen him in such an obedient position since he was working for Fish Mooney. Knowing him, he must hate it, but it's all part of his plan to get to the top.

Oswald pulls me off to the side as Maroni instructs one of his men to open up a champagne bottle and starts to order around the restaurant's wait staff.

"What does that bitch want with Maroni?" he whispers to me, "From the looks of her eccentric clothing options, it doesn't look like she's hard-up for cash."

I shake my head, "No, she must be planning something bigger than making Maroni her patron. I mean, why choose now to come out of retirement? I'm going to do some background checks on her at the police station."

"Ah, of course, good thinking," he compliments.

"Penguin! Come join us!" Maroni calls over from a nearby table.

Oswald glances over at me, before looking back over at the table, where Maroni, Marsha, and the Archer are seated.

"Penguin, sit over here!" he calls again, "You can't hog your lady friend all to yourself! Let her mingle!"

Marsha laughs, "Penguin? And I thought my mens' names were strange. How appropriate, especially with that gimp of his."

Letting go of my hand, Oswald waddles over to Maroni's table, leaving me to my own devices.

I glance around at the open tables. I'm so out of place here among the mobsters, henchmen, and underbosses. Finally, I spot a table with Gabe, Eel, and the Bookworm. I sit down with them, hoping Gabe and Eel are familiar enough with me to accept my company.

"So, which one of these fine men is your underboss?" the Bookworm asks Gabe and Eel, taking off his fedora to reveal thin, white hair.

"Penguin, the cripple with the emo hair," Eel describes, turning around to look at the head table.

"Well, things certainly have changed, haven't they? Someone like him never would have made it this far back in Marsha's day," the Bookworm comments.

The Bookworm turns to me, the light giving off a reflection against his glasses, "So Miss, you're Penguin's…?"

"No need to ask who her underboss is. We all know who she's been under," Gabe laughs.

The Bookworm folds his hands, "No shame in that. Because of Marsha, business is no longer a pure gentleman's club."

"Business?" I ask, "I don't think 'business' is the proper term to describe Don Maroni's holdings."

"Well young lady, we older businessmen like to be more...discreet than you modern day 'mobsters'," he explains, "after all, Prohibition created the need for many different euphemisms."

"So why use nicknames like 'The Bookworm' and 'The Archer'? That doesn't seem too discreet to me," Eel argues.

The Bookworm chuckles, "Why call yourself 'Eel'? That can't be your real name, could it?" he turns to me, "Young lady, what's your name?"

"Trixie," I stifle out, caught by this man's particular way with words.

He laughs again, "'Trixie'? Don't tell me your mother and father named you that?"

I remain silent as the Bookworm continues, "Marsha, the Archer and I understand that there's a certain...flair for the dramatic needed to run Gotham. The city is like a stage, waiting for its players to perform the show of the century."

Gabe raises an eyebrow, "A player? As in baseball?"

Author's Note:

Erik-is-my-angel1234: Thanks, I love seeing Natalie and Ed's relationship too! Hope you enjoyed this chapter

Langley21: It's hard to say if Ed and Natalie will be making up soon, they both definitely want to find a solution, but whether they agree is a different story. I know they're cute together, so let's hope for the best :)

sky-fei: You have to remember that pre-Gotham, Penguin fanfics were more-or-less nonexistent. And yeah, this is one of the longest Gotham fanfics out there, so thanks for reading it all the way through. I like it when Natalie interacts with other characters than Oswald, although I have to balance those scenes with either chapters with Oswald, or with Ed, to keep interest. Once again, thanks for reading, and also, thank you for the review on Wattpad High. I don't reply to reviews on there like I do here, so I'll show my gratitude for that review on here (also yes, that was a reference to 25th Annual, I was in a production a couple of years ago, playing Marcy Park, so the line/song holds a special place in my heart. What's your part?)

Thanks! :)