Mama Gotham

Somethings Can't Be Explained

It was two months into their relationship that Edward finally discovered something personal about Alyssa Connors: she could draw.

She had been ignoring one of their study sessions, appearing to be doodling in a notebook. When he snatched it from her in frustration however, instead of idle imagery, he found a well-made drawing of a small town road. It was simple really, town homes, shaded trees, and an empty road stretching out into the distance. It was nothing like Gotham City.

"Alyssa..." the frustration he had been feeling melted away instantly. "I had no idea."

"Give it back, poindexter." she said, using the nickname she had dubbed him with but not meeting his eyes.

"Where is it? The street?" he asked, ignoring her outstretched hand.

"It doesn't exist. Just a silly pipe dream from a city girl." she snatched the notebook.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked, all too curious.

Alyssa hesitated slightly. "Do you remember that assembly last week? When they made us watch that 'public safety' video?"

Edward nodded. With the rising crime rate, the video had been shown in all schools, but frankly it was kind of a joke. As if simple caution could protect school children from the streets of Gotham.

"I couldn't watch." Alyssa admitted. "I don't know why, I just....I couldn't watch..."

"Criminals are a very dangerous thing."

"Yeah, so's crossing the road, but I still manage that."

"Ms. Connors, I don't understand you." Edward said, frowning at her. "You disregard the rules, you're not afraid of people who could kill you, and you're very smart but you continue to play the role of a juvenile delinquent."

"And you're an overly curious know-it-all who thinks too much!" she countered. "Not everything has to have an explanation poindexter. Somethings just, are." she shrugged.

"False." Edward declared, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Everything has an explanation, scientific or otherwise."

Alyssa laughed, the sound came out slightly bitter and Edward immediately decided he hated it. "Well I never thought I'd get to say this to you, but you're wrong."

*********

Normally, Edward Nygma spent his evenings in his room studying. For the first time however, he found he couldn't focus.

He folded his arms behind his head and laid down on his bed to stare at the ceiling. Alyssa Connors was...he didn't want to say a riddle, because that would mean admitting there was a riddle he couldn't solve.

She was wrong, she had to be. Everything had an explanation, every question had an answer. It was what he had based his entire life on.

Some answers were just harder to get than others.