Gotham Untold #1 Dawn of an Age

Chapter 8: Difference in Opinion

Oswald and Edward had discussed Ed's idea three days ago but since then they've been tense around each other. Oswald understood where Ed was coming from and was well aware that he wasn't trying to hurt him but he still despised the sheer need for them to even discuss it. Oswald tried his best to spend as much time with Daniel as he could and barely let him out of his sight let alone on his own with Ed because Oswald started to worry that Edward wasn't going to wait around for Oswald's permission and was just going to take him without warning.

Oswald sat with Daniel in his office doing paperwork while Daniel laid on the floor with a coloring book and crayons. Oswald looked up from his paperwork and watched Daniel for a moment. "Daniel?" Asked Oswald as he set down his pen.
"Hm?" Daniel hummed as he continued coloring.
"When Sofia took you, were you scared?" Asked Oswald as Daniel sat up.
"Yeah..." He said as he hung his head. "But I wasn't scared of dying..." Said Daniel as Oswald looked at him.
"Come here." Said Oswald as Daniel stood up and came over to Oswald. Oswald then picked him up and put him in his lap. "Why weren't you afraid to die?" Asked Oswald as Daniel looked at him.
"Well I sat out in the garden and watched these ants collect food and bring it to the ant hill. They did it over and over again, that's all they did until I dropped a rock on the ant hill then they all ran away and I realized something. We're just like the ants and Sofia was the rock, we do the same things over and over again for a really long time until something dangerous comes along and shakes up the boringness of life. I like it better when you don't know what's gonna happen next, so that's why I'm not scared to die because that means that I died doing something fun and not doing something boring." Said Daniel as Oswald was very impressed with Daniel's philosophy and honestly he felt the same that's why he was a criminal, he'd rather spend his days inches away from death then be in the monotonous of safety.
"So if you weren't scared of dying, what were you afraid of?" Asked Oswald as Daniel sighed.
"I was scared of being alone. I saw those men beat up Dad and I saw that mean bald guy try to shoot you and I was scared that even if I didn't die that I'd be all alone." Said Daniel as Oswald kissed Daniel's forehead.
"I promise Daniel, no matter whatever happens I will always be by your side and no one is going to separate us from each other alright?" Asked Oswald as Daniel hugged Oswald tight.
"I love you." Said Daniel as Oswald rubbed Daniel's back.
"I love you too." Said Oswald as hw hugged him.

After that Oswald sent Daniel outside to play so he could talk with Ed alone. "Ed." Said Oswald firmly as Edward was tinkering with something.
"Yes Oswald?" Asked Edward as he didn't even turn to look at Oswald.
"My answer is no." Said Oswald as Edward still didn't turn.
"No to what?" Asked Edward as Oswald walked over and stood next to Ed.
"I won't let you take Daniel, without a fight that is." Said Oswald as Edward looked up and laughed.
"What exactly are you gonna do to stop me?" Asked Edward as Oswald gripped the handle to his umbrella tight.
"Get out of my house." Said Oswald as Edward stood.
"What?!" Demanded Edward as he looked at Oswald with a look of both hatred and shock. "Oswald think before you do something you'll regret!" Said Edward firmly.
"I'm thinking just fine Ed, you want to take my son from me without my consent so if you take him I'll have you arrested for kidnapping. So either get out or be arrested for kidnapping, your choice." Said Oswald with a devious grin showing he had the upper hand.
"I'm not gonna drop this, Oswald!" Said Edward as Oswald nodded.
"I know that's why those are your only two choices." Said Oswald as Edward huffed.
"Fine! I'm going but I will be back!" Barked Edward as he took his jacket and left.

Edward wandered around the streets of Gotham feeling like a complete and utter failure. As he walked it began to rain and it only got heavier as it continued. He walked through the rain dorya while but once his clothes were drenched and he barely see through his glasses he decided to take shelter in a large empty cathedral. Edward was the farthest thing from religious in fact he shunned anything that couldn't be proven by science and solely relied on belief. That was something he and Oswald often differed in opinion on but both usually tried not to talk about it knowing that it would just lead to Edward saying something hurtful about Oswald's beliefs. He sat down at one of the pews in the back and sighed. He ran his fingers through his hair and took off his glasses to rub his eyes. He took a deep breath and tried not to cry due to the mess his life had become. "Can I help you?" Asked a young man who walked over but Edward shook his head and wiped off his glasses.
"No, I just didn't want to get rained on that's all." Said Edward as he slid his glasses back on his face.
"Are you sure? You seem troubled." Said the man as he sat on the pew in front of him.
"No offense but I'm just neither religious nor the dump my troubles on a stranger type." Said Edward as the smiled.
"Well maybe that's your problem, often true peace of mind can come from telling an outsider your troubles and getting a fresh point of view." Said the man with a smile as Edward looked at him and sighed.
"Trust me telling a complete stranger my problems will not help in fact it'll hinder me greatly so please move along." Said Edward as he lowered his head.
"Well Mr. Nygma, what if I told you I wasn't a stranger." Said the man as Edward finally recognized the man's voice. He hadn't met with him since before Daniel was born, since before he was broken out of Arkham. Edward grinned and looked up.
"Sorry I didn't recognize you with that push broom on your lip, Doctor." Said Edward with a grin as the man strokes his mustache.
"Oh come on you don't like it? I think it makes me look more sophisticated, I definitely get treated better by my boss." Said the man as Edward leaned back.
"Quincy Sharp is so insipid that he makes up for his lack of an interesting life by being lackadaisical in his work and incredibly sanctimonious in his publicity but in truth the man as craven as they come." Said Edward as that was his long winded way of saying that Sharp was a boring, lazy self-righteous, and cowardly individual that should not have been handed the power in society that he has.
"True but he's my boss and hand picked by the board." Said the man. "So in all seriousness how are you Edward?" Asked the man as Edward looked at him.
"You're not my psychiatrist out here Malcom." Said Edward as Malcolm leaned over the back of the pew.
"I may not be getting paid to care about you right now Edward but I do still care, plus I thought you trusted me after our little stunt my first year at Arkham." Said Malcolm as Edward sighed.
"I trust you when there's doctor-patient confidentiality in line but out here you can report anything I say to the police with nothing stopping you." Said Edward as Malcolm sighed.
"True but you seem like you need a friend." Said Malcolm softly as Edward knew what kind of a tough spot he was in and he really did need some advice so Edward sighed and lowered his head.

He went on to explain his situation and how it suddenly ended with Oswald throwing him out of the house with no warning or reason for Oswald to have such a drastic change in position. "I'm used to Oswald's mood swings and random violent behavior but this was completely uncalled for and unjustified!" Said Edward as Malcolm nodded.
"Well perhaps think of this from his perspective." Said Malcolm as Edward stiffened.
"I don't like to do that." Edward muttered.
"I'm serious Edward, think of it. Oswald has a track record of losing people he loves to death or driving them away. He lost his mother the only person that ever cared about him then days after such a great loss, you, a complete stranger welcomes him into your home and cares for him just because you want you. Edward you became his entire world, his reason for going on in life without his mother." Said Malcolm as Edward knew this was true even though Oswald was too strong to admit it. "Even though you've fought and tried to kill each other in the past, you stayed in his life whether as a friend or an enemy you were there and that surely means everything to him." Said Malcolm as Edward nodded.
"I know how much I mean to Oswald that's why I'm so lost as to why he did this? I wasn't trying to hurt him, I thought he understood that?!" Asked Edward as Malcolm nodded.
"Well it seems to me that Oswald has transferred his underlying feelings of resentment for his mother onto you." Said Malcolm as Edward scoffed.
"Oswald would never resent his mother, he adores her." Said Edward as Malcolm nodded.
"Yes but look at the similarities between what happened to his parents and the idea you were suggesting. His mother left his father and raised him by herself as a way to protect him but instead it left him completely codependent on her and emotionally defenseless in her death. That's why he became so obsessed with you because you showed him how to break free from the need of his mother in his life. After he discovered the real reason he grew up without a father some feelings of resentment towards her must've developed even if he would never admit it." Said Malcolm. "Now you two have a wonderful life together and because you want to protect your son, Oswald sees it as you're completely willing to write him out of his son's life just like his mother did to his father and him. Now Oswald doesn't resent his father because he knows his father had no idea that he even existed but Oswald sees that if he can stop you from taking Daniel away from him, he can make certain that the cycle doesn't repeat itself." Said Malcolm as Edward sighed and looked down at his wedding ring. "I personally think that Oswald wasn't trying to hurt you either, he was just making a desperate effort to make sure that Daniel has the life that Oswald never had even if that means kicking you out of it for a little while because deep down I bet he's convinced that even if you don't see things his way, you won't just give up on him or Daniel." Said Malcolm as Edward smiled softly and stood.
"I think I need to have a talk with my husband." Said Edward as he stood. "Thank you Dr. Chase." Said Edward as he left.

Edward went back to the house and walked in the door. He saw Oswald laying on the couch holding Daniel and both of them were asleep. Edward went and grabbed a blanket off the chair across the room then put it over the two of them. Edward kissed the top of Daniel's head then gently kissed Oswald's lips. "I'm sorry Oswald, I was wrong."