Oswald
After a few days both Nygma and I knew the results of our Plague that we spread at the party. A day after the party, I received a phone call from Don Maroni. He was beginning to feel the effects of Plague. He told me to meet him at his house later that evening, alone.
My car pulled up to his house, but it was hardly lit, except for one solitary room. I walked up to the door and his aide escorted me to the room Don Maroni was set up in. As the door to the room opened, I saw Don Maroni, ghostly white, he struggled to sit up in bed to greet me as I walked in.
"Penguin, how are you, dear friend?" He grinned the best that he could in his condition. I think that Plague would take him by tomorrow.
"I am doing well, Don. I am so sorry to see that you are not in good health." I put my best concerned facade on.
"I am not sure I'll bounce back from this, Penguin..."His breathing labored,"If I don't make it, I want you to take over the family. You are the only one I can see in my position."
"Don Maroni, I am honored that you think so highly of me. I do not feel worth of this honor. I will take this family firmly on my shoulders."
I rested a hand on his shoulder,"Don Maroni, you should rest for now. You will beat this." I smiled warmly at him.
He waved his aide in and drafted up a legal contract stating that I would inherit the family upon Don Maroni's death. We both signed it even including a fingerprint of blood underneath the signatures.
After the aide walked away putting the contract in a safe place, I bent down and stroked the Don's face and kissed him on the forehead before departing, silently celebrating that step one of taking over Gotham was coming to fruition.
Nygma
I hadn't seen Oswald since I left the clinic the night of the party. I went to work as normal, and that evening was packing up to go home.
My phone started to ring, I glanced to it laying on my desk. The name was blinking "Detective Gordon"
I knew that the Plague had started to affect it's victims, I wonder who had already died by now, who was close to death, and who was just falling ill.
I picked up the phone placing it to my ear, "Jim?" I asked hearing his frantic breath on the other end.
"Ed..Ed..I need your help," he responded.
I could hear the sadness in his voice, the desperation.
"What is it Jim?" I asked.
He had not been at work that day, Bullock stated that he was home with his fiancee who had fallen ill suddenly.
"I..don't know. It's Barbara, Ed," came his response, I could tell he was crying. "Please come here, please help her" he choked out. Then the line was dead.
Well we already know the prognosis...errr can you say dead?
I still had to uphold my end of this charade.
I grabbed my medical bag and headed out, I was heading straight for Jim's place.
I knocked on the door and was quickly ushered in. Barbara was laid up in their big fancy bed by the large bay window overlooking the city of Gotham. Lights overhead shed light across her sickly pale face.
It was very hard to not smirk in the presence of my hard work. I walked over to the edge of the bed, Jim sat down on the edge taking Barbara's hand in his. Tears were falling down his face.
"Something's wrong," he choked out. "Something is wrong, normal illnesses don't progress like this. Please tell me how I can help her." he sobbed. Hr grabbed my shoulder in one of his hands and shook me a little, "Help her Nygma, please" he pleaded me.
I just looked to him quietly setting my bag down. I needed to think, what do I do? I had been through medical school I could play doctor. I looked back to Barbara and took out the stethoscope listening to her lungs. She sounded weak, she was on the edge of death.
I took her other vitals and just looked to Jim quietly. I shook my head and laid my tools down. "I'm sorry Jim.." I trailed off tears entering my eyes. I had to play it off right.
I placed my hand on his shoulder comfortingly as he was looking to me with fear.
"She's not going to make it. There's nothing I can do...I'm sorry. I have no idea what she has but it is way too late."
That's when I saw Detective James Worthington Gordon break. He fell into me and I caught him and embraced him as he needed me too.
Oh poor Jim, I could tell you how it feels. Hurts doesn't it? Doesn't it just feel terrible when someone takes your heart straight out of chest and crush it with their bare hands? DOESN'T IT JUST SUCK?
I stayed with him the entire night as he wouldn't let me leave. We both sat there and watched Barbara fade and then finally die in Gordon's arms.
This is a very proud moment my boy. the voice cackled.
The coroners came and took the body, Jim wanted an autopsy done immediately. He was convinced this was not by natural causes.
Look all you want Gordon, they will find nothing. I am way too good at my craft.
I went back to my apartment, I needed the day away. I was so tired from being kept up all that night watching Barbara pass. I didn't feel regret though, and I didn't quite know how to feel about that, though the voice inside me was very pleased.
I sat on my couch and stared off at my empty fireplace.
Oswald
It was a few hours after I left Maroni's house, I got the call to return, as Maroni was on his death bed.
Yes, Gotham is that much closer to becoming mine! I celebrated internally.
Upon walking up to the door, I placed my mourning facade back on my face. Entered that room again. It was a lot more packed than my last meeting. Many family members had also received the news that Maroni was dying and were paying their last respects to their leader.
I waited my turn patiently. When I was close to Maroni, he pulled me close and whispered in my ear, "Protect this family..." And with that his grip on me became limp and he ceased breathing.
I turned around with tears in my eyes "Don Maroni is dead..." I dropped down to my knees holding my head in my hands sobbing Internally, I was laughing.
The Maroni family is now mine!
The family members all came up to congratulate me as the new Don, but I was inconsolable. I needed to be. No one needed to know that I was the one who caused his death.
When I finally got my sobbing under control, I got up off of the floor brushed myself off and greeted all of my new minons.
"Brother's this is a sad day, losing the Don of this family, I know. I will protect this family as the new Don! We will rise and over take the Falcone family with me as the new Don!" I paused, "For now, however, we will take a few days to mourn the former Don, Sal Maroni."
With that I bid farewell to my new family, and left to tell Nygma the good news.