A L L E Y S | Gotham

thirty five | A FROSTY GOODBYE

hello again. Once again, not checked through for mistakes, I'll check another time.

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"What?"

LEE'S MOUTH WAS AGAPE as she gazed over the sick woman.

"She came t-to me not that long ago, s-she wanted mo-money. She had told me months before t-that social services h-had taken Isabella away, that she wa-wasn't in Gotham. I tried to find her, I did, but we never could. I t-think that maybe social services didn't take her. Isabella was found... But Francine is not dead," Nora explained, her voice wavering from her illness.

"B-But that's impossible, Isabella-"

She was interrupted by Victor's footsteps coming down the stairs, "Nora, I got it. I've got it." He ran to her side, holding out the necklace like it was the most precious thing in the world. He placed it around her neck, and tears rolled down her cheeks even more. She would miss him and Isabella, but she knew that they would miss her more. She would be dead. That sounded horrifying to think about, but to Nora, it wasn't.

All the medications and all the checkups seemed to come down to this one moment. She used to be so brave, always putting up a fight. But she didn't want to be brave anymore. Or maybe, this was the bravest option for her. She had dreaded death throughout all those years, but now, she wanted it to come more than ever. So that Victor could move on. She loved him more than life itself, and she was proving that.

"Victor. I love you. Please don't blame yourself," she warned, and he only smiled, causing her heart to hurt even more.

"I love you," he only replied, his eyes full to the brim with adoration. Would he hate her after this? For some reason, she would've rather it be that way. At least he would be able to forget about her. That's all she wanted. For him to be happy. For Isabella to be happy.

They gently kissed, and she only cried harder, breathing a deep sigh.

"See you soon," he reassured, causing her to force a smile and nod.

"You should stand back," Victor warned Lee, who did as she was told.

Nora sobbed under her breath. How could she do this to them? Victor had murdered people for her, and she had only just gotten the only other light in her life back. As much as she wanted to cry out as tell Victor she had swapped the tubes, she didn't. The thought of not watching Isabella grow up and having to live in the future with Victor behind bars, or even dead kept her still. They would have to move on, and not wait perhaps decades for her to come back. At least, they would know she wouldn't come back. She never would.

She gave a shaky nod to Victor, who pointed his gun down towards her feet.

A gasp stifled through her as he pressed his finger on the trigger of the gun. This was it. The end. She wished for it to end in a better way. Growing old with Victor, perhaps having of their own surrounding her at her death bed, along with Bella. Watching her grow up and fall in love. Being there for her throughout everything that would come her way. But, Nora knew, as corny as it sounded, she would always be there for Isabella. In life, or in death.

That was the last thought that hit her, as her body froze completely, and the world went dark for her. She would never wake up.