AN: Thank you guys for the follows, favorites, and reviews! Okay so I just finished plotting this baby out through the season finale! And while I have other fics I really want to work on my main focus will be this one until I'm all caught up. Enjoy!

Playlist:

Sharon Van Etten-Serpents

Chapter 22

Oswald stood in front of a very upside down Timothy. "The thing is, when I had your job, had someone asked me, 'what is Miss Mooney's secret?' I could've answered."

He pushed Timothy so he swung a bit. Oswald chuckled. "Timothy…I think you're holding back on me."

"Okay, I…I might've heard her with Butch."

"Talking about what? Whom? Did the name Isabelle ever come up?"

"Fal…Falcone. She said, 'our…our friend with Falcone.' That's it. No men…mention of any Isabelle. She was whispering. Please."

"She has someone close to Falcone."

Timothy nodded.

"Of course." Oswald smiled. It was so very Mooney of her. "You're sure there was no mention of an Isabelle?"

Timothy nodded.

"Thank you. No one can find the body. We are at peace after all."

~O.o~

Isabelle, Alfred, and Bruce were sitting in the study.

Isabelle was staring into the fire until Bruce's voice drew her from thoughts of Oswald.

"Can you teach me how to fight?"

"Yes, Master Bruce. Yes, I can. As a matter of fact," Alfred looked to Isabelle. "I can teach the both of you, if you like."

Isabelle stood from the couch and stretched her legs. "I would like to learn how to fight, actually."

~O.o~

The next morning Isabelle was woken up by a smiling Bruce.

"Bruce?"

"You're uncle Jim is in the study," he said cheerfully.

Isabelle immediately flung the covers off of her and quickly followed Bruce out the door. When they entered the study Jim was standing, talking with Alfred.

"Uncle Jim!" she ran into his arms and he held her tightly against him.

Jim placed a quick succession of kisses on the top of her head. He was immensely happy to see her looking so well, to see her smiling.

"I love you," Isabelle said before stepping back so she could look at him.

Jim smiled. "I love you too Izzy."

"You didn't mention you were coming here on the phone. You didn't just come here to visit me though, did you?"

"You got me. But I would have come sooner, I wanted to visit earlier but Alfred informed me you were asleep for the majority of the past week."

"Yeah, those pain pills pack more wallop than Rocky Balboa."

Jim laughed. "Actually I would like to have a word with you Bruce," Jim turned to him. "It's about your parents' murderer."

Jim explained everything about Selina Kyle, and Isabelle took Bruce's side in allowing the young girl to stay there at Wayne Mansion, much to Alfred's dismay.

"You took me in on short notice Alfred," Isabelle reasoned.

"Yes, but that's different. You're Jim's niece, not some street criminal."

"That's really not fair. She's quite young. Maybe if she had some good influences she could turn her life around."

"She'll put Bruce's life in danger."

"Jim wouldn't ask you this favor if he thought it was unwise or if it could cause any harm to come to Bruce."

Finally, with everyone else's reasoning and Bruce's final say so, the matter was settled.

"Jim?" Isabelle asked as he stood. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure Izzy."

Isabelle placed a hand on his arm and pulled him out of the room and down the hallway a bit. "Have…have you heard from Oswald?"

Jim sighed. "He came by."

"And?"

"Isabelle I really don't think you should worry yourself about him."

"Please, Uncle Jim, I just, I need to know."

He hesitated. He wanted Oswald as far from his niece as possible but the desperation in her brown eyes won out.

"He came by, to pick you up for a date."

Isabelle's eyes widened. The date! The date to celebrate Oswald's reveal, which had been completely her idea. She'd been so overwhelmed by what Mooney did to her and with all the inner turmoil of her thoughts going back and forth over Oswald, the date had slipped her mind as easily as the two of them had swept the other up. "And?"

"And I told him you left the city and that you aren't coming back. I told him you didn't leave a message or anything for me to tell him and that he just needed to forget you."

Isabelle chewed her bottom lip as she took in her uncle's words. After a moment she nodded. "Thank you for telling me Uncle Jim."

He pulled her into a hug. "Of course, Izzy." He stood back. "I have to go, okay? But I'll call you later. And thank you for sticking up for Selina Kyle."

"Of course. I'll talk to you later then."

Jim pressed a kiss on the top of her head before leaving.

~O.o~

Alfred and Bruce were sparring; Isabelle had just taken her second turn and was now seated, watching them.

"Hey," Isabelle said as Selina appeared next to her, watching Alfred and Bruce.

"Hey."

"Sorry, Alfred," Bruce said after accidentally getting a hit on his guardian, distracted by the appearance of Selina.

"Hello," Bruce waved to Selina.

Isabelle laughed as Alfred got back at Bruce.

"That hurt," Bruce said, grabbing his arm.

"Yeah, it's supposed to, isn't it? Taking a punch is just as important as throwing one, Master Bruce."

"What you doing?" Selina asked.

"Alfred's teaching Isabelle and I to fight."

"Why?" Selina asked, looking genuinely perplexed about the idea.

"So we'll be prepared if something bad happens."

"Yeah, 'cause you live in a pretty rough neighborhood."

"Not here, in Gotham."

"In Gotham, people don't fight with gloves on."

Isabelle looked on as Alfred looked unamused at the banter between the two.

"How's your room?" Bruce asked. "Everything good?"

Selina shrugged. "It'll do. I'm hungry, though."

"Right, well breakfast was served at 8:00, miss, which you slept through. Lunch shall be served at 12:00," Alfred explained.

"There's plenty to eat in the kitchen," Bruce spoke up. "And Alfred will be happy to fix you something."

"No, he won't be, will he? Because it's not a bloody hotel."

"Relax, old man. I'll figure it out."

"Yeah, you can mind your manners as well you cheeky little minx," Alfred replied.

Isabelle jumped up. "How about I help Selina find the kitchen, huh? I didn't eat much at breakfast, I could use a snack." She took off her gloves and sat them down. "Come on."

"Thanks," Selina said as Isabelle led her in to the kitchen.

Moments later they were leaning over the island, munching on a plate of various fruits, cheeses, raw vegetables, and crackers.

"So you're the Penguin girl," Selina spoke up.

Isabelle almost choked on her cracker. "W-what?"

"You're dating Oswald Cobblepot."

"Was," Isabelle clarified.

"Was?"

Isabelle nodded.

"Well, the word is he's been asking about you."

Isabelle paused, a cube of cheese centimeters from her mouth. "How do you know?"

Selina shrugged.

"It doesn't matter," Isabelle stated.

"Why not?"

"Because…we're not…good for each other."

"Why do you think that? Don't you love him? He's definitely in love with you, or, at least, infatuated, obsessed, hopelessly devoted, kind of pathetic really…" Selina trailed off at the look Isabelle gave her.

"Oswald wants to be the king of Gotham and I'm not the kind of girl the king of Gotham needs."

"Why? You think he needs some chick off the street? A bad-ass or somethin'? Or how about a girl that would do anything for the status?"

"No, I just-"

"You're scared," Selina noted.

"Excuse me?"

"You're scared of what could happen if he does become king of Gotham or whatever."

"Selina…"

"Hey, don't try to deny it. I've got good instincts. You're. Afraid."

"So are you," Isabelle countered.

"What?"

"You don't have to be so nonchalant about staying in the Wayne Mansion. Enjoy it. I know I am," Isabelle smiled and got a flash of a smile from Selena as well. "Well, I think I'm going to take a shower. Oh, um, I didn't say this last night but, it was nice meeting you Selina."

"Call me Cat."

"Cat. I'll, um, see you at lunch."

And at that Isabelle left the kitchen. Cat was right, of course. Isabelle had been scared from the moment she met Oswald. He killed someone in front of her for goodness' sake. But, even though they should, his violent tendencies weren't what scared her anymore. She was afraid of hurting him, of being hurt, both of which had already occurred, Oswald by her sudden departure, her by Mooney's knife. There were moments when she regretted not listening to her uncle about Oswald when he found out about them, those moments were fleeting but plagued her nonetheless, especially when she lay in bed at night, trying to sleep.