Chapter 48

For once, Gotham was gifted with pleasant weather. A thin veil of mist passed before the sun, giving it the appearance of a polished gold coin. Above the delapidated buildings, the heavens shifted between azure and pearly gray. Soft breezes rustled the park's trees, reminding all that spring would be here before long. The temperature was perfect: cool enough to avoid sweating, yet warm enough to justify a milkshake.

Which was exactly what Ruby Sinclair had opted for.

Edward rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time as a loud slurping scratched his ears. As Oswald shook a few hands and answered questions, Edward glimpsed to his left. Ruby was standing about half a foot away. Dressed in a black, knee-length gown spotted with mint-green, apple-red, and ocean-blue, she looked like a human version of a Jackson Pollock painting. Around her neck and wrists were opals, bound together in thin silk chains. On her ears, jade shards. All of that would have been acceptable had it not been for the medium-sized milkshake in her hands. The source of the unending slurping.

Ruby's indigo eyes caught his. She smirked as the straw left her lips. "What?"

"Do you have to be so loud?" Edward whispered furiously.

Ruby scoffed. "Come on. I'll finish it before the discussion." She cocked a brow. "Or is King Edward against chocolate milkshakes?" When the only answer she got was a glare, she shrugged and gave another loud slurp. Eyeing him throughout it all.

Edward shook his head. "Such a mystery."

Ruby cocked a brow.

"How can someone as exceptional as Oswald want to befriend someone like you?" Edward asked, sounding genuinely inquistive. Ruby's blood began to boil. Now, she was especially glad of the 'additive' that she had put in Edward's afternoon coffee. "Maybe, if his only friend hadn't abandoned him, then he wouldn't have needed to befriend someone else." She growled back.

Edward smiled crudely at her. "Ah, I see. Lacking alternatives, Oswald simply made due with his father's leftovers. Perfectly understandable, then."

Ruby's hair began to move even though there was no wind. Her teeth clenched tightly, burning in their gums. Her very skin began to slide in patches across her bones like peeling tree bark. If it hadn't been for the sudden applause, then she might have considered strangling the man.

Turning away from Edward, she sipped at her milkshake. Yet now, it only taste like cold sludge. Wiping her eyes, she turned her attention to Oswald. He was standing on the top steps of Congress, in a fine black suit complete with a swirl-design tie. Ruby was flattered to see a white rose in his jacket's breast pocket. It matched his white spats perfectly. He wore black leather gloves on his long-fingered hands. Each dark spike on his head gleamed under the pallid sunlight like hardened oil. His eyes were shining with a hope and joy that Ruby had only ever seen once: when he had been with his father. The statue of his mother stood beside him. The sight touched Ruby's heart. It was like Mrs. Kapelput was there with her son for the last time. Witnessing his greatest triumph.

"My mother was the daughter of immigrants. A humble cook." Oswald spoke calmly and casually to the crowd, yet carried a natural elegance that made ignoring him impossible. "We did not have much, but when she was by my side, I felt loved. Protected." Cameras flashed. Journalists took notes. "As promised, I have rid Gotham of its villanous...monsters." His voice faltered for just a second when he said that last word. Ruby looked away. Feeling like a pin had gotten stuck in her chest.

A microphone suddenly rose among the others. "Wait, Mayor Cobblepot?"

Oswald looked surprised. But a lover of attention at heart, he could not ignore the curious soul. "Yes?"

"If you don't mind my asking," The journalist said, "don't you currently have one of those 'monsters' living under your roof right now?" Nervous murmurs arose within the crowd. Ruby's breath froze in her throat. Oswald stiffened. He glanced at his friend, who suddenly looked ready to bolt. Quickly, he cleared his throat. "No. Ruby Sinclair is not a monster." The young woman stared at him, speechless. Oswald smiled at her with his eyes before continuing. "Yes, she experienced a rehabilitation at the hands of Hugo Strange. Yes, this process altered her DNA. But she is anything but monstrous. Indeed, she actually saved me from them one night, just a little over six months ago!" The crowd gasped in amazement. Cameras flashed. Journalists jotted down notes and made quick sketches of Ruby and Oswald's faces.

Ruby, hardly used to being the center of attention, just hoped that these lapdogs would lose interest soon.

As if sensing her discomfort, Oswald redirected the crowd's eyes to himself. "Ruby Sinclair inspired me. She showed me what it means to protect another human being, and to do it properly. And that is why you all have her to thank since as your mayor, I promise that every man, woman, and child will. Be. Safe!" The crowd exploded into wild applause. Ruby flashed Oswald a thumbs-up. Oswald winked back, grinning.

The roar of the crowd concealed the squeal of tires. But nothing could mask the echo of gunshots. The crowd was quick to drop down or hightail. Oswald quickly covered his head as the perpetrators appeared. They were all wearing red hoods over their heads, with black glass vision spheres. Ruby's heart thudded against her ribs. The Red Hood gang? Weren't they dead?

No dead man can shoot a Tommy gun at the sky. Or make their way up the steps.

What appeared to be the head honcho faced Oswald. "No one is safe. Not from us."

Butch appeared beside Oswald, his hand on his gun. The Red Hood leader aimed his own weapon at the beefy man. "Drop it!" The rest of the gang pointed their guns at the man, ready to punch more holes in him than a colander. Butch stood there, seemingly contemplating his options. Realizing that he had none, he let the gun fall.

A vicious yell rebounded through the air. "Hey, idiots!"

Several of the Red Hoods turned around. One got a face full of milkshake. He stumbled backwards, stunned beyond action. Before his team's eyes, a figure materialized out of nowhere and seized his head. One grabbed his chin, the other his scalp. There was one rapid movement. The man fell to his feet. His head had been twisted all the way around, with ugly creases in his neck. Oswald gasped, horrified.

Ruby stood before the Red Hood gang, one of their members dead at her feet, grinning darkly. Then, with a yell she charged.

Everything in the next few seconds was a blur. Even if you stared at it, you could not catch all that was unfolding. One moment, Ruby was waving her arm and unleashing daggers of flesh on the closest targets. The next, she was wrapping her rubbery body around someone and squeezing until they lost consciousness. With another, she picked him up as one would a toy and tossed him. He crashed into the shimmering waters of a fountain ten feet away.

She was a force of nature. The men reacted the only way they knew how.

"OPEN FIRE!" The leader screamed.

"NO!" Oswald yelled.

Ruby turned to clay in the time it took them to squeeze their triggers. A cloud rose where she had once stood. Gunshots shredded the air. Where Ruby had stood was now a storm of bullets, unseen and inaccessable. Edward stared at it all through cloudly lenses, unsure of how to feel. Butch was hyperventilating, unable to look away.

Before Oswald registered his actions, he tackled the leader from behind. He got an elbow in the teeth that knocked him back.

At last, the ammo ran out. The leader held up a hand signalling his men to wait. Slowly, the dust was carried off into the wind. An unbearable silence fell over the plaza. Then, when the last traces of dust faded, everyone gasped at the sight.

Ruby was still standing. Alive, but not well.

She was wincing and grimacing. Blood spotted her face, arms, and clothes. But that was not the worst part. What truly ripped at Oswald's heart were the hundreds of bullets embedded into Ruby's body. Sticking out of her flesh and clothes like barnacles on sea boulders. Ruby stood there, wavering from side to side. Then, she jolted. All of the bullets shot out of her skin like tiny aircrafts. They hit their original owners with a force that sent them bouncing backwards. Oswald gasped, then looked at Ruby. Specifically, her side. The injured one, mirroring his own. It was sticky with blood.

Ruby's eyes rolled back. Then, she collapsed on the cement. Oswald's terror fused with fury. Angry tears filled his eyes as he turned to the Red Hood gang, who were struggling to stand. "You will pay for this!" He screamed at them. "Dearly!"

The leader laughed coldly at him. "Now, now, Mr. Mayor! Don't go losing your head!" Then, with water-like fluidity, he shot a few bullets into his stone mother's neck. The head cracked, then slid off its shoulders. It came crashing down on the steps with a loud clang.

A smoke bomb went off right next to the head. Filling the air with noxious white vapor that stung the eyes and poisoned the throat. When it cleared, the Red Hood gang was gone. The statue was still ruined. Everyone was still shaken up. Ruby was still unconscious on the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

"Aw, come on, Boss! Everything went great!"

"No, it didn't! I told you; no one gets hurt! And what did you do? Open fire on the deputy mayor!"

"She killed Crazy Legs!"

"So? The world woulda killed him anyway! Look, I'm the boss here. I paid you to just scare 'em, not hurt anyone!"

"She's not even human!"

"Yeah, she is! And if you step outta line again, I swear to God I'll tell her everything and let her have a second round with you twerps! If I had to pitch all of you against her, I'll bet my other hand that you won't win! Now get back out there and follow my damn orders!"

The wait outside the attic door proved one of the most difficult that Oswald had ever been forced to bear. The only times that came close were his father's sickness spells and his mother's deep slumber. Sometimes, as a child, he would fret over her whilst she slept. Gertrude Kapelput had slept so deeply, Oswald had been able to pass the vacuum around the house while she'd dreamed. Yet there had been moment when he had feared that she would not reawaken.

Today felt like that. Mixed in with a ton of guilt.

Never in a million years would he have expected the resurrected Red Hood goons to target him. Had they not been bank robbers? Self-appointed Robin Hoods of the modern day? What did a new mayor do to threaten that absurd idealism?

Well, Oswald decided that he did not care. The Red Hoods had challenged his authority. This wretched problem had to be nipped in the bud, lest more crooks began taking their example. This could simply not transpire.

They had hurt the two most important women in his life in one fell swoop.

At last, the doorknob turned. Oswald put down his chalice of wine in time to see the doctor step out. "Well?" He snapped.

The doctor sighed. "Well sir, Ruby's, um, abilities shielded her from any serious internal damage."

Oswald sighed with relief.

"However, I saw that she had a few broken ribs." The doctor continued. "I'm afraid that the fight doubled the damage. One rib even pierced a lung."

Oswald swallowed hard. "But you healed her, did you not?"

The doctor sighed. "I can't perform miracles, sir." A cold, pale hand seized the front of his coat and pulled him close. His face was inches away from the furious mayor's. "If you do not heal my friend," he hissed, "you will be the one in need of a miracle."

The doctor swallowed hard, then stuttered, "I, um, managed to patch her up. I slipped a tube into the punctured lung and removed the excess blood before it could cause any breathing problems. Because of Ruby's powers, the damage is less severe than it would be. But still, I would recommend two weeks of as much rest as possible. No fighting. No housework. No exercise." He paused, then added, "The bullets, amazingly, did not penetrate the skin because of its claylike properties. But there will be bruises."

Oswald nodded. Trying to keep it together. "Thank you." Handing the doctor a hundred-dollar bill, he slipped past him. Into the attic. Instantly, the scent of medicine, anethesia, and blood struck his nostrils. Clapping a hand over his nostrils, he examined the bedroom. Everything was the same. Except, it wasn't. One of the small dishes that Ruby used to host her smaller stones had been adopted as a makeshift ashtray. A few stray bloodstains freckled the floorboards. Traces of cheap cologne lingered in the air. The place held the feeling of intrusion, of invasion.

"Oz?"

Oswald turned to the bed and felt relief wash over him like a tidal wave. Ruby looked quite well, considering the circumstances. Her skin's peach tone was intact, though her cheeks weren't as rosy as they usually were. Her hair looked like it had become the home of some small rodent. She had changed in more casual attire: a sweatshirt the bright red of a candy apple, and loose gray pants. Yet she had retained the opals on her wrists and around her neck. Ruby lit up when their eyes met. She was about to stand when Oswald held up a hand. "No, no. You mustn't strain yourself." He sat down next to her. Ruby rested her hand on his shoulder. "Okay, but are you alright?"

Oswald gave her a genuine smile. "Yes, thanks to you."

Ruby blushed and looked away. "I just did what anyone would've done."

"But it wasn't 'anyone'." Oswald replied. "It was you. For the third time you've saved my life." His hand slipped into hers, their fingers intertwining. Ruby smiled softly as she squeezed his fingers. "You saved me, too. From myself. You gave me something to live for after your father died." Indigo eyes glimpsed up at him. "So I'd say we're even." Oswald sighed as he let go of her hand. Trapped her in a tight hug. Ruby responded, trying to take in everything about him. His slender form, his fine cologne, his silken clothes...his thereness.

Oswald stroked her wild hair, taking care not to tangle his fingers in it. Almost as much care as he put in stopping his tears. He did not know why he felt like crying, in all honesty. Perhaps he simply needed time to fully absorb Ruby's stable condition. Or perhaps his utter relief at seeing her alright, combined with his gratitude and earlier stress, had manifested itself in tears. Either way, he did not want to show them to Ruby. He wanted to keep her as stress-free as possible during her recovery. It was the least he could do.

When he was certain of his eyes' dryness, he pulled back. Ruby bit her lip, looking shy, as she spoke. "I'm sorry about your mother's statue."

Oswald felt as though a freshly-sealed wound had been pricked with a needle. He sighed, willing the tears not to show. "As am I."

Ruby took his hand in both of hers. Stroked it kindly. "Those Red Hood scum...I promise you, they'll pay for what they did." She gave a dark smile. "Some of them already did."

"The others will follow." Oswald promised. "Not merely for my mother's sake, but for yours."

Ruby chuckled as she looked away, feeling both bashful and flattered. "You can't compare me to your mother, Oz. It's like comparing a pack mule to a strong horse. Impossible."

"Oh, I will." Oswald insisted. "And you are no pack mule, Ruby Sinclair." He peered down at her face. Trying to analyze it. "This is hardly the first time I've heard you speak so lowly of yourself. When we fuse as Cobblair, you mentally berate yourself each time we err."

Ruby swallowed.

Oswald dipped a finger under her weak chin and pulled it up so that their eyes met. "Why? Why must you judge yourself so harshly?"

Ruby's eyes filled with tears. A few strayed down her cheeks as she spoke. "I...guess it's been a little bit of everything." She took the hand that was under her chin. Cracked a smile. "But I do have one thing I'm proud of."

Oswald waited.

Ruby's tiny smile widened. "Being your friend."

Oswald froze at the unexpected praise. Ruby continued, sounding shy but nevertheless determined to get her feelings across. "I'm...happy, and proud, to be your friend." She gave a small laugh. "Of all my gems and precious stones...I think you're the jewel I cherish the most."

Oswald stared at her with huge eyes. His insides felt as though they'd been infested with moths of light, slowly eating at him but causing no pain. Slowly, deliberately, he took her face in her hands. Ruby went rigid, her heart in her throat. He brought her closer. Ruby felt her skin grow feverish. She wondered if she should look him in the eye or close her own before-

Oswald rested her head on her chest. Holding her close in a loving embrace. Ruby could not deny the tiny kernel of disappointment, but the warmth rushing in her chest made her return the hug. They might have stayed like that all afternoon, the sunset rays painting the room gold. With Ruby berating herself the entire time for her cowardice. But nevertheless treasuring this moment. Saving it in a bottle, to be opened on the next blue day.

But alas, time does not always work the way we want. If ever. There came a solid knocking that broke the embrace as though it were sugar glass. Oswald and Ruby shared a look of surprise. "Who is it?" Oswald called.

"Butch." Came the rumbling reply. "Ready, Boss? All the important head honchos are downstairs."

Oswald nodded even though his thug could not see it. "Thank you, Gilzean. I shan't be a moment."

"Sure." There came a pause, then uncertainty dripped through the door: "Can I...come in for a sec?"

Oswald looked at Ruby. His expression was clear. It was her bedroom. Hence, her choice to let someone in.

The curly-haired woman thought for a moment, then swallowed and nodded. She reached out. Her arm doubled, tripled, quadrupled in length. It stretched across the room like a stick of chewed-up peach gum. The hand grabbed the doorknob, then turned. Creaking, the door yawned opened. Butch's semi-shaved head poked out. "Hey." He tried to sound cheerful and failed miserably. Ruby held up a hand in return. Encouraged, Butch walked inside. Looking awkward, he glanced about the room. When he noticed the gem collection, he whistled. "Damn. I haven't seen this much sparkle since My Little Pony was a thing."

Ruby snorted. Oswald scoffed.

"So, how ya feelin'?" Butch asked curiously. There was something strange in his expression that Ruby could not understand. Some kind of tension.

"Good, thanks." Ruby smiled. "I appreciate the visit."

"Yeah, well, least I could do." Butch rubbed the back of his fleshy neck. Avoiding eye contact. "Well, uh, you kicked their asses. The media loved it."

Oswald cocked a brow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah." Butch extracted his cellphone, pushed a few buttons, and held it out. Ruby took it, held carefully between silver-nailed fingers. She whistled. "Wow." Oswald peeked over her shoulder, pushing some of her hair out of the view. His eyes widened. True to Butch's words, the Internet was parading around Ruby's confrontation with the Red Hood. Some defined it 'A Clash of Titans, Gotham-Style'. Others claimed that, in light of this, they felt safer having 'a clay lady' as first deputy mayor. Incredulous, Ruby skimmed through the contents, her eyes growing bigger with each unearthed comment. "Wow." She repeated. "They abhored me. Now, they love me. Well," she handed the cellphone back to its owner, "as much as a large group of people can love anything."

Oswald looped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "You deserve every bit of it." He told her. "Savor this feeling."

Ruby grinned at him. Her eyes were as bright as the polished opals around her neck. "I will." Lightly, she bumped her head against his. "Now, go on before those dudes get impatient and start eating all the food."

Oswald chuckled as he rose from the bed. "Very well. If you need anything, do not come downstairs. Call a servant to bring you whatever you wish. And please stick to proteins today. You need your strength."

"Yes, Mom." Ruby winked at him as she lay down, the latest Stephen King already in her grip. Oswald saluted her as he left the room, with Butch in close pursuit. Ruby watched the door close. The room suddenly felt a bit colder and emptier than it had a moment ago.