The next day Ed held the girl in his arms as Oswald stood by the door.
"Are you going to be ok?" Ed asked him.
"I don't think so, but I'll figure it out, this isn't my first time on the run." Oswald replied.
The baby made a small cooing noise again and Oswald looked over at her, holding out his finger and smiling as she grasped it with her tiny hand.
"If you need someone to watch her, I wouldn't mind helping." He said, looking up at his friend.
"I thought you would've never wanted to see her again." Ed expressed with a smirk.
"I mean, she's not bad. And I know you're a busy person with a life, and come up with a name for her, it's weird just calling her 'your kid'."
"I mean, she could be our kid." Ed looked at the ground.
"Uh... what?" Oswald was confused.
"I didn't mean as lovers. I just meant, we're friends now, you said she wasn't that bad, and we've both taken care of her since the day I brought her home." Ed responded quickly.
"Noted." Oswald nodded and turned to take his leave.
"Guess it's just you and me." He said, looking at her. She pointed to the door and made a confused noise.
"No, he's not coming back, you'll see him again soon I'm sure." Ed replied, thinking.
"You know, he was right about one thing," he set her down in her high chair, "you need a name."
He looked at her for a second. "Sorry you've gone this long without one... ok this is probably going to be a temporary solution because naming you Kristen permanently is a terrible idea. I'll ask Oswald. I mean, if he's going to be your other dad then he should get a say in what to call you."
The baby's eyebrows furrowed and he sighed. "I know, naming you after my ex is a terrible idea. Get used to it I have a lot of those."
****
A month later, Ed walked into work with his bag. He'd left her with his elderly neighbor next door and had been for the past month. Ed would've contacted Oswald but he didn't know where he was and didn't want to put her in danger.
"Ed, ok you're here, come on we've got an emergency." Bullock said as Ed pushed the door open.
"Of course we do," Ed muttered, following him.
****
"It looks like your officer was hit with something like liquid helium to freeze his victims." Ed informed, smiling.
"Do you know where you could find it?" Jim asked.
"I don't know, hey how do you think the trial today is going to go?" Ed replied.
"Look Dummy, I don't care about the trial right now so why don't you research where we can find the stuff that froze that officer?" Bullock spat.
"I- I don't like being called names detective." Ed snarled darkly. Bullock got a sudden look of concern on his face.
"Oh- ok I'm sorry. Uh, just, just tell me when you find some results." He stammered, heading out the door.
Jim waited until Harvey left the room, closed the door and turned to Ed.
Ed looked up at Jim. "We need to talk about your roommate. Penguin?"
"I suppose you want to know the nature of my relationship with him." Ed sighed.
"He's a dangerous criminal and you sure as hell know that." Jim retorted.
"I thought... I found him injured in the woods. I thought maybe I could change him. Either way, he's not at my apartment anymore."
"Do you know where he could've gone?" Jim asked.
Ed was about to shake his head when a sudden burst of applause came from down the hall. Jim and Ed gave each other a look and headed down the hall.
A group of police were standing at the entrance and, to Ed's horror, they had Oswald in hand.
"Alright quiet down!" Chief Barnes yelled, coming out of his office. "This is not the theater, we're the law, and we catch criminals every day, get back to your positions!"
Oswald was taken to a questioning room and about half an hour later he was taken to a cell.
Ed strut over to a cabinet near the cell and tried to get Oswald's attention.
"Psst... psst... Mr. Penguin." He whispered. Oswald started and looked at Ed.
"Edward!" He sighed with relief. "I'm glad you came to talk to me, how's the baby?"
"Don't laugh." Ed began, "I'm calling her Kristen until you think of a name for her."
Oswald's jaw dropped. "Seriously? Naming her after your ex girlfriend? That won't raise a few eyebrows?" Ed shook his head.
"I'm waiting for you to think of something."
"I won't be able to, Ed... they're taking me to Arkham." Oswald faltered.
"I'm so sorry, I wish there was a way to help you." Ed replied.
Oswald shook his head. "There isn't, but I want to ask you for a favor. My mother. She has yet to be buried." Ed flipped through more folders, trying to look distracted.
"I want you to arrange her funeral. If you weren't too busy, occasional visits with flowers as well, Lillies were her favorite." He started getting choked up.
"Occasional visits, Lillies. Got it." Ed repeated. "I'm so sorry I can't help you with Arkham." Ed muttered, grabbing a file at random and Oswald nodded. "I'll get out as soon as I can."
****
"Lilly would be a pretty name, basic but it'll suffice better than being named after my Ex girlfriend." Ed was telling the baby as they stood at Oswald's mother's grave.
"That would've been your grandmother. I wish I had the pleasure of meeting her." Ed told Lilly.
"Oswald?" The baby asked. Ed was startled, she had developed unnaturally quickly for a baby, at 2 months she had learned how to sit up and was occasionally saying some sounds that sounded like they could be words, but this was the first coherent word she'd actually said.
"No, Oswald isn't here right now. He'll get out soon."
She smiled, and dropped one of flowers on her grandmother's grave, Ed set the rest of the bouquet on her grave and walked away.
YOU ARE READING
New Age of Villains - A Gotham Fanfiction
Fanfiction"Ed?" He asked. "Yes?" Ed stood up and rested his hand on the table. "What's in the bag?" Oswald inquired suspiciously. Ed took a breath, "don't yell, and I know what I did was stupid, just let me explain my thought process." He carefully picked the...
