I had intended to get this up last week, but I wanted to take some extra time for this chapter. I want to give a huge thank you to all of you wonderful readers and reviewers and to take the time to say it really brightens my day hearing from you all. Again, I say, thank you for staying with me in this project that I've spent over a year working on now. Without further ado….enjoy!
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"This is not what I thought you meant when you said you needed me."
Bree muttered breathlessly, sliding on her coat as she regarded Edward warily. She wasn't exactly sure what she had expected when he had arrived at her doorstep, but after quickly pulling him inside, he immediately spilled the details of his night. It was not exactly the sort of confession she had expected.
"I…..I never wanted to kill him. I just wanted to stop him from hurting her…."
He was shaking, his eyes fixed on the floorboards.
She reached out, lightly placing her hands on either sides of his arms. He half-jumped, his dark eyes snapping to her.
"Hey….I need to you take a deep breath, okay?" she nodded in encouragement, attempting to conceal her own panic. His chest heaved with a shaky breath, his lips pressed together into a tight line.
"It's going to be alright….." she whispered, grabbing hold of his trembling hands.
He nodded minutely, his fingers slowly clasping around hers.
What the hell am I saying? There is nothing alright about this…
She once again bit down the panic rising in her chest as he pulled her forward, his arms wrapping around her form. She froze for a moment, slowly moving to embrace him back.
They grew silent for a long moment, the embrace seeming to last for ages before Bree pulled away ever so slightly. Her brows furrowed together as her eyes flickered across Ed's face.
Edward's expression grew blank, his eyes still tinged with red, but his tears had dried. Reality began to set in.
"Do you have any oxy based cleaning agents?" he asked.
His voice sounded hollow.
She didn't like that.
"Like….Oxyclean? I have some under the sink….."
He nodded again.
"That should do the job….."
"What do you mean…?" she asked softly, already guessing the answer in the back of her mind. A large part of her wanted to pretend there were any other alternatives.
"The evidence needs to be scrubbed away….."
Her breath caught in her throat.
"Ed…"
Edward's hands gently grasped at the sides of her arms. Part of her felt like his grip was the only thing holding her up at this point.
"Bree…please…..I need your help," the desperation in his voice struck a chord that made her only more uneasy.
"You're implicating me in a murder," her tone grew stern, and she met his gaze. He quickly shook his head.
"No…it doesn't have to be like that….No body, no crime. If there's no evidence, you can't be implicated for anything."
"Ed, I don't think being an accessory for murder looks good on an FBI application!"
"Do you think I don't know that!" he snapped his voice sharp, his face contorting into a grimace. Bree's eyes flickered down to his hands as his grip tightened almost painfully.
He swallowed hard.
"I-I don't want to have to do this…..but I'm out of options…..and you're the only person I can trust…"
When Bree met his gaze once more, the desperation in his eyes was too much for her to handle. She opened her mouth tentatively, not trusting herself to form an unbroken reply, but the words flew out.
"Okay…..okay…I'll help you…"
…
….
The frigid night air stung against Bree's wind-burnt cheeks as she clutched the bottle of Oxyclean to her chest. She huddled herself deeper into her coat with a shiver as a gust of wind swept across the empty street.
"So, remember when I made that one joke about how if my best friend called me at 2am and said they killed someone, I would show up with a shovel and a can-do attitude?..." her breath floated in ghost-like wisps in the cold air.
"Yeah, well I meant that figuratively," she said with an anxious chuckle, leaning against the hood of Edward's car. She looked back as he shut the car door and stopped beside her.
"Where did you move the body, anyway….?" She said quietly, trailing behind Edward as he moved towards the crime scene. She struggled to keep up with his long strides.
"He's in the trunk."
"Wait…..like in the trunk…of the car we just took….?"
Ed shot her a look with a raised brow, not slowing down.
"No, the other one," he half-scoffed, his voice oddly strained.
"I really don't need your sass right now."
…..
It didn't take long to dump the cleaning liquid over the concrete. The sight of blood had never really bothered her, but seeing the near-black splatters across the pavement was unsettling.
It made it too real.
"The cleaning agent should break up the hemoglobin in the blood enough to make it inscrutable to the human eye…" he muttered, handing Bree the bucket and mop. He turned back towards the car.
"Where are you going?" she called back out to him.
He stopped, huffing in exasperation before he looked back at her with an exasperated whisper.
"To deal with the body."
She formed a soft "oh" and looked back to the pavement. Typically, she wouldn't have just let him get all snappy without comment, but there was nothing remotely usual about that evening. It was becoming clear that he was having as much trouble as (likely much more than) her, processing the weight of his actions.
Murder, evidently, can make a person irritable.
After Bree finished dispersing the liquid, she made her way back towards the car. Her eyes darted around, making sure no curious passersby had seen anything. Not that there had been any to note. She sat, shivering on the hood of his car for some time, her arms wrapped tightly around herself before she conceded to weight inside.
She tossed the cleaning supplies in the back seat and waited anxiously. After a long few minutes….hours or minutes, she really wasn't sure, she spotted a figure emerging from a nearby ally. She recognized the lanky form immediately by the large trash bag he drug with some difficulty behind him. She pushed open the door and hopped out, walking towards him.
Even in the dim glow of the street lamps she could see his lips pressed into a tight line, the shadows exaggerating his features dramatically. His head rose as she approached.
"I'll need the oxyclean for the alley too…."
She nodded mutely as her dropped to the bag at his feet. He grunted as he dragged it closer to the vehicle. He released it with a huff, moving to pop the trunk open again. When he walked back to the bag he futilely attempted to lift it into the trunk and was about to set it back down when another set of hands joined his. His brows rose as he glanced at Bree, who hoisted the bulk of the bag into a large suitcase-like box in the trunk of the car. She scoffed at the baffled look he gave her.
"How….?"
She rolled her eyes, slamming the trunk shut.
"Do you even lift, bruh?" she remarked, the corners of her lips lifting into a smirk.
His features fell blank, unamused. Bree pursed her lips, eyes narrowing slightly.
"….poor timing?"
"A bit."
…
…
….
The silence between them in the car grew nearly unbearable. Every now then, Bree caught herself glancing over at him, trying to ignore the dark splatters of blood staining his shirt. They pulled up in front of his apartment. Ed turned off the car, his eyes gaze dropping to his lap.
"So what's the plan…..?" Bree asked softly, but in the dead silence she may as well have yelled. Ed's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
"T-tomorrow I'll take body into the lab and dissolve it in hydrochloric acid…..and I'll take the time to destroy all the evidence…." Ed said quietly.
That dreaded silence fell once more.
"So what now?"
Edward's head turned towards her, his dark eyes glinting softly in the light of the streetlamps.
"Tea?"
She couldn't help but offer a small smile.
"I could go for some tea right about now….."
And maybe a few shots of whiskey. She added silently.
The left the car and she followed Edward up the outside steps and down a hallway towards an elevator. When they reached the top floor, they walked down the hall until he slowed to a stop by his door. His hands fumbled through his pockets for a moment before he pulled out his keys. He struggled to get the key to slide into the lock.
His hands were shaking. He jumped ever so slightly as her hand rested atop his, steadying it. His head snapped up, their eyes meeting as the lock clicked open.
"Just breathe, Ed."
He looked down at his feet with a small nod as he slid the door open.
He reached and flicked on the lights, letting her step inside before pushing the metal door shut behind him.
"So, where's your kettle?"
"Bottom cabinet on the left….."
Edward peeled off his coat, glancing down at his stained shirt with a frown.
"Eh….If you don't mind….I may need to take a quick shower….to rinse off…."
He offered a rather forced smile.
"I'll be back before the water's boiled!" he added with a false cheerful note.
Bree nodded, turning away and walking toward the cabinet.
…..
…
She found herself nestled on his couch, her shoes haphazardly tossed beneath the coffee table, and her legs crossed on the cushions, a grey wool blanket draped over her lap.
Despite the hot cup between her palms, she felt cold.
In her peripheral she saw Edward emerge from the bathroom, fresh steam wafting out despite the water being turned off for a few minutes now. She glanced up as he mussed his hair with a towel.
This was likely the most casual she had ever seen him. No tie. No glasses. Just in a sweater and sweats, looking far more boyish than a man who had taken another's life.
The silence was palpable.
She stared down at her tea, her breathing sounding far too loud to her own ears. Her eyes met his as she lifted her head and caught him staring. He hung the towel on the inside of the door and reached for his glasses. He shut the door and quietly crossed the room. He came to a stop a few feet from the couch. When she met his eyes again, he blinked, his mouth opening for a moment, as if carefully considering his next words.
"You know I…..I never thought that….I would ever have a friend like you."
Bree tilted her head slightly, huffing a small laugh.
"Well…..neither did I….but mostly just for the murder part," she shrugged with a small grin despite herself.
Dammit girl….you gotta stop with the murder jokes. She scolded herself internally, taking a long sip of tea. In the corner of her eye she saw his figure move. The sofa shifted slightly as he settled beside her. She met his worried gaze and sighed, her head falling onto his shoulder. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing into the couch. His hand rested on her arm, his thumb tracing small circles across her skin.
"What do I do?" he asked softly. She was quiet a moment, pursing her lips in contemplation.
"Write a note…" she said.
He offered her a questioning glance, his thumb stilling on her forearm. She continued.
"I mean…..if we're going to be honest here…..Dougherty seems like the kind of guy who would just take off….so maybe play that up?"
She tilted her head so she met his gaze with wide eyes, her cheek still resting on his shoulder. His eyes flickered across her face before resting on her lips, his head tilting and face edging closer. His other hand rose and cupped her cheek.
She sat up, moving her face away from his, causing him to frown. She swallowed hard, shaking her head ever so slightly.
"Ed…..I….I can't…I'm dating Harvey…." Her brows furrowed, watching the hand that had cupped her cheek slowly lower onto his lap, balling into a fist. The hand on her arm tightened its grip.
"You said you'd be there….." he said quietly, nearly a whisper.
"You said that you'd be there for me…." He repeated with more confidence, his lips pressed together into a tight line. His eyes flickered with something she didn't recognize in them.
"Ed, I don't think I can get anymore there for you than literally helping you dispose of a goddamn body!" she snapped, setting her mug down and climbing to her feet. She tugged away from him and ran a hand through her messy locks. She swore under her breath, jaw clenched as she turned back towards him.
"So what? Was I just supposed to wait for you?"
He half scoffed, looking away from her for a moment.
"…..yes!" He snapped, setting climbing to his feet.
"No…..no, that isn't fair Ed. I put myself out on a limb for you and you chose somebody else!" her voice rose sharply as the words she'd been wanting to say for so long came tumbling out…..and yet….she found herself backing away, not so sure of herself anymore.
What happened to her being the brave one?
As she stepped back, he stepped forward. She half-jumped as her heals hit the wall.
"I don't care about what's fair anymore!" His arms shot out on either side of her head on the wall behind her. "Nothing has ever been fair for me, so why should it be for anyone, huh?"
His tone was bitter….sharp…..nothing like the cheerful Edward she had come to know.
"No…." he slowly shook his head, his voice trembling. He grasped her arms and pulled her back towards him, his grip firm, but not painfully tight.
"I'm not going to let him have you. Bree," he breathed, his hair falling in messy locks across his forehead. His jaw clenched and she stiffened, eyes searching his face.
She really did not know what this man before her could do. Something wrenched deep within her gut. Fear? Maybe a little….and something else…
"He doesn't know you like I do. He never could….and I needyou….."
His hand rose, pushing a loose lock of hair behind her ear, his fingers trailing down her neck.
"My Brianna."
It was barely a whisper as he tilted his head and placed a lingering kiss on her collarbone, drifting downward on bare skin until the neckline of her blouse. His grip on her arms loosened.
His lips trailing over her shirt and down her front, his hands gliding over the contours of her ribs and to her waist. He pulled her tightly against him, his face pressed to her abdomen as he slid down to his knees.
She nearly forgot to breathe as Edward closed his eyes, deeply inhaling her scent. She couldn't hide the deep flush on her face, her hands dangled idly, not sure how to react to this man clinging to her for dear life.
Slowly, her hand dropped onto his head, fingers brushing gently through his still slightly damp hair.
"Ed….." she breathed, her other hand trailing across his shoulders. She swallowed stiffly, her heart pounding in her head.
"You're too important to me to lose…."
His head rose, meeting her gaze without relinquishing his grip on her.
"But I can't kiss you….."
He gently grasped her arm and ghosted his lips over her wrist.
"….then you don't need to kiss me…"
"No…..Edward, we can't touch in any way friends wouldn't…"
"Then show me….."
…..
…
This must be what Purgatory feels like.
Bree thought idly as her cheek pressed against the cool fabric of his pillows.
Dancing the line between right and wrong. Hot and cold.
She laid in bed with the man she knew had feelings for her, and vice versa, and yet….they played by the rules. The rules she laid for him about what she considered too much for friendship.
They rested somewhere in between.
Rules that he respected….but learned to exploit with a scary amount of ease.
It didn't help that she cared for him. Everything meant more through that lens.
A touch is never just a touch with Edward.
His hands on her waist felt very friendly….
But friends comfort each other when their upset….right?
Her justifications played on repeat in her mind as she let herself nestle into the warmth of the covers, even if it was only hours till the morning.
Friends can cuddle, right?
"You're going to keep going after Kristen….." Bree said quietly into the dark apartment, the green glow of the lights outside casting menacing shadows. It was statement, not a question. He didn't reply at first, but his lips brushed against her neck, resting by her ear.
"Well, you and I are just friends, aren't we?" he said, smiling against her skin. He didn't even sound the same as the Ed she'd grown to know. She involuntarily shivered as his cool fingertips ghosted her neck, and moved to gently stroke her hair. He gave a breathy chuckle.
Friends. Friends. Friends.
The word seemed to have lost any clear-cut meaning to her as his arms wrapped around her middle, clutching her close against his lithe form as he tugged the blanket higher around them.
"I suppose so….."
"Then I suppose time will tell…" he said in a whisper, pecking her cheek before nestling into his pillow.
Bree closed her eyes, trying to find peace in the blackness, but the events of the day kept replaying in her mind. Over and over again….
What have I done?
…..
….
…..
Alright…..so some rather sad news….the next chapter will be the last of this particular story. Never fear, it won't be the last you see of Bree Taylor and Edward Nygma. I intend to do a season 2 story with Gotham, but I want to take a small break in between these two and work on my other baby, my Doctor Who fic. I'll keep you all posted, but it won't be long till the next one!