Nygma

Leslie and I talked frequently on the phone after she flew out of Gotham. I really had no idea why she was so interested in keeping close contact with me. Perhaps she was just that way; being an only child, maybe she was thrilled to have a step brother?

We were the same age, so we had things in common. I loved that she was intelligent and completely calm in most situations. I also liked the fact that she had the ability to read my emotions; we were close in that regard without me having to divulge my secrets.

Jim would pester me now and then about Leslie but for the most part dropped the subject.

I was stuck late at the department trying to crack a case Jim, Harvey, and I had been at for a long while now. The case was getting to me; it was a very strange random killing.

"Want to go grab some drinks with Bullock and myself?" Jim asked, stopping by my office door.

I blinked, I had never been invited out with the two of them together before.

"I...uhh..." I trailed off.

"Look, it's just a beer or two. All of us have been wound up pretty tight."

"If you bring up my step-sister once...I'm leaving," I told him but grabbed my jacket.

We ended up at a place on the other side of Gotham which had pool tables. It wasn't fancy like Oswald's; it was the type of place I figured Harvey spent most of his nights: kind of dirty, loud, and cheap.

Bullock was trying to entice me into playing pool with them. I just sat in the chair watching them and shaking my head. I was sipping on the beer Bullock had handed to me, trying to get used to the taste.

I really wondered if I should have just went to Oswald's apartment instead. He would have been a lot more entertaining at this point.

"You're an ass," laughed Jim to Harvey, as Harvey beat him at another game of pool.

Is this really how men passed their time? I found curling up with a good book to be more interesting.

Or building things...useful things

My phone started to ring and I glanced to the caller ID. It was Oswald. I wondered if I should answer, but Harvey was tapping on my shoulder, telling me to go over to the table with him. I sighed, shoving my phone back in my pocket; I would get back to him later.

"What?" I grunted, approaching the pool table and noticing the detectives were already buzzed. I was there myself; the alcohol was hitting me fast.

"Do you play pool?" asked Jim.

"Not really," I responded.

"You should try," he chuckled, taking a shot and completely missing.

"It's really all about physics," I murmured.

Oswald

"Hello this is Ed…"

Odd I would get his voicemail at this late of an hour. Perhaps he got called to a crime scene. I just was upset that we had not had much time alone since his family had visited. I was missing that time dearly, but I guess that will have to wait for another evening...

Since I now had a free evening, I might as well take care of some shady business at one of the smaller bars. I really didn't like this bar to begin with. It was dirty and always smelled of cigarette smoke. Very low class compared to my club. My club, Oswald's, was my pride and joy, and I wanted others to love it as I do.

My car dropped me off at Oscar's bar, and I told him to wait as I wouldn't be long. My umbrella was under my arm for security purposes as well as it was slowly becoming feared in the Gotham underground. Everyone knew about Penguin's, I mean Oswald's, umbrella.

I smiled as I walked into the bar. I told the barkeep that I was looking for Oscar. The barkeep left to find him.

Laughter erupted from the the pool table behind me. I turned around in my bar stool to face what was causing the ruckus. I wish I hadn't turned around.

What I saw in front of me was Jim trying to take a shot at the pool table with Edward leaning over him, whispering something into Jim's ear, only pausing his dialogue briefly to sip at his beer. Nygma's hand was on Jim's pool shooting hand.

WHAT THE HELL?! Why is Nygma here, with Jim Gordon no less...Why is he touching Jim? He's mine! Wasn't he just telling me that I was his family...that his eyes would only be glued on me? I just don't know what is happening anymore?!...I guess this is the reason why he ignored my call.

I thought about just leaving the bar then and there, but I had business to attend to, and not just the Maroni family business. I was on the brink of tears by witnessing all of this, but instead I suppressed them with a rage that was burning its way through me.

I sauntered up to the pool table and tapped on it with my umbrella. "Why fancy meeting you boys here," A mischievous smile plastered on my face, "What a pleasant surprise, even Mr. Nygma is here. I wouldn't expect him to be in a seedy bar like this. I guess he's becoming one of the guys in the GCPD now, going out for drinks with his work buddies. I didn't peg you as one who would drink beer, Mr. Nygma."

I don't even know where all of these accusations were coming from, but I didn't much care. How I saw the situation is that Gordon had again stolen what was mine.

I was on a roll so no use on stopping. I knew that personally attacking Nygma in front of the detectives is getting us dangerously close to blowing our cover. The rage didn't care.

I smiled gently to the three of them as I saw Oscar coming out of his office.

"I apologize for interrupting your guys' night. I have other business to attend to," my tone was now as calm and pleasant as I could make it.

"I must bid you all adieu," I gave a sweeping bow. When I came up, I shot Nygma a glare that probably made a shiver run down his spine with how cold my steely eyes were.

I greeted Oscar with a big hug and kissed him on each of his cheeks as one would do in Europe. I followed him into his office.

I was already in a bad mood from the run in with Nygma that I didn't want to deal with Oscar's offense of money laundering and drug trafficking. Something must be done. The Maroni family's name needed to be cleaned up and I, unfortunately, was its maid.

I needed to release this rage that was consuming me and Oscar will be its target. Some lucky employee was about to get a big promotion.

Nygma

Really? What the fuck just happened?

I really didn't know, but that glare he shot me made my skin crawl. The little hairs on the back of my neck rose and all of a sudden, I was not feeling the effects of the alcohol. I swallowed, looking to Jim who had taken his shot and nailed what he had wanted to do.

He looked to me for a moment, "What was that all about?"

I just shook my head staring after Oswald as he went into the office. My heart rate had increased. What was wrong? What the hell just happened?

I bet it was because you were leaned over Gordon like you wanted him.

I WAS ONLY SHOWING HIM THE PROPER WAY TO SHOOT! I screamed internally. I didn't want Gordon; Oswald knew that! At least I thought he did.

Bullock returned with more drinks. He had disappeared halfway through the rant.

I knew when Oswald used formalities with me, I was in trouble.

I closed my eyes tightly. I needed to stop Oswald. I needed to explain! I turned on my heel and headed straight to the office, barging in without knocking. If Oswald wanted a fight, he was going to get it.

Oswald

I heard the door swing open. In my foul mood, I wouldn't have thought twice about fixing my umbrella on the rude son of a bitch that didn't even knock before entering, disturbing our business meeting.

"Get the fuck out! Can't you see we're busy?" My eyes were narrow slits and lips pressed firmly together as I turned to face the person, who rudely interrupted this meeting, continued to enter the office.

"Why, Mr. Nygma, didn't your mother ever teach you manners? Apparently not...Mine taught me to knock at closed doors. I have important business to attend to, SO GET THE FUCK OUT OF THIS OFFICE!" I seethed at him through gritted teeth.

I then brought my voice down to a calmer tone,"If you need to place a complaint about any disservice that you may have received at this establishment, it can be addressed when I have a free moment." I turned back to Oscar gripping the handle of my umbrella so hard my knuckles were turning white.

Turn around and go back to Jim, your first love. I'll be fine. After this business is taken care of, I'll be drinking myself into oblivion at my club in my VIP room. To begin the long process of forgetting you, Edward Nygma.

Nygma

The reaction I got from him just stopped me in my tracks. I couldn't even come up with a response. He had never been so cold to me like that before. So vile and hostile. When he mentioned my mother, that sealed the deal.

Need me to handle this?

No.

"Fine," I snarled. "You want to act like a child and storm off instead of speaking to me about whatever the fuck just happened because I am clueless, go ahead."

I then slammed the door as I walked away. I went back to the pool table and grabbed the beer I had left there, finishing it off.

"Good night detectives, I think I have had enough fun this evening," I told both Jim and Harvey before grabbing my coat and leaving.

Oswald

After I had taken care of what I needed to with Oscar, I had my driver drop me off at my club. I stormed in and told Gabe that I would be occupied in the VIP room and not to disturb me. Gabe could tell that something was up, but like always he did not press the subject. He just handed me some of the club's stronger liquor and I hobbled back to the private room in the back of the club.

I grabbed a tumbler and dipped it in the ice chest. I next opened the bottle that Gabe had handed me, pouring it in the tumbler. I kicked it back in one gulp, and immediately refilled it. Soon I had lost count of the the number of glasses I had.

I slouched on the couch trying to remain numb to all of the emotions boiling inside of me. However, I could not hold them back any longer. They all exploded at once. Rage mixing with sadness finally coming to terms with the fact that I had just lost the one good thing in my life to his first love.

I screamed out trying to escape this wave of emotions that was sweeping me out to sea. I was caught in the current, drowning. Falling further into the deep until everything was dark. No light shown, not even the twinkle of a star.

My body curled itself into a ball. My hands grasping at my hair trying to pull it out with each scream that I released. The screams turned to sobs. Tears ran, leaving their salty trails behind in their wake.

I just need to forget...wipe my slate clean...drain it all out.
I continued to sob. Nygma is better off with Jim. I was on the opposite side of the morality line. My influence only encouraged his dark, Riddler side.

I was kidding myself that this relationship was going so well. Nygma probably seeing Gordon behind my back anyway.

I am so stupid for falling this hard! Everything in life is fleeting, too good to be true. Never again! I vowed as I locked my heart in a box and threw away the key.

I finished off the rest of the bottle and continued to sob into my hands until I finally passed out, hoping that all of this was just a bad dream.