Calling Cardinal

Sleep-Walker

"How'd your date with Dent go?" Jim asks from across the training room.

I duck behind a makeshift pillar. With a quick swoop, I disarm the dummy quite literally. "It was nice. He was nice. I'm going to see him again."

"Putting all your strength into one swing is a good way to get slow. Even out your swings. Focus on being agile. That's good. Do you think you've moved on from Penguin?"

The next dummy appears in a clearing. I run across, sliding under his legs. I snatch the gun out of his grip and handcuff the floored faux criminal.

"I don't know, Jim. Have you moved on from Lee?"

He scoffs, jumping down onto the battling arena. His hands curl into tight fists. It's time for the finale. "Don't deflect the question, Sera."

"I'm serious." I duck his first punch. The second hits in my side. I retort with a right hook. It scuffs his arm. "The wedding is coming up. I understand that it's got to be hard on you."

I block his next cross, releasing a punch of my own. He dives to the side, landing a hard jab across my face. "I'm fine. I have work and now I have you. I'll be alright. Don't get distracted by talk. Your enemies won't be silent, either."

My fist lands in his stomach and I scream, only for a second to send him flying into a padded wall. "Oh shit," I say while offering him a hand off the cold ground. "Sorry."

My brother groans, taking my help. "It's fine. Use that to your advantage, I guess. Barnes wants you in the record room for the rest of the day."

"I'm serious, Jim. I know this thing with Mario can't be easy."

"You don't know the half of it," he says.

"Oswald is in love with Ed and wants to string me along. I think I understand."

"Nygma?" Jim seems shocked. "Damn. I never would've guessed. Look, Penguin's just confused. After you died he committed himself to Arkham, saying he was insane."

"He told me."

"It's never going to work out between them. They're too toxic for each other."

"I know that, too." I grab a towel from a nearby cart and wipe the sweat from my neck. "So it's either I wait until Oswald faces the fact that it's never going to work, or try to find some happiness for myself."

"Penguin's stubborn. Who knows how long that could be?"

"Exactly. So for the meantime, I'd say yes. I have moved on from him. Harvey's a great guy."

We part ways soon after. He returns to detective work, and I focus on the mess that has become the records room. After Kristen Kringle died, no one was here to take her place, so the cops were left to sort their own records. There are piles and piles of scattered files all around the room. I could work on this mess for the rest of my life and never finish.

Somewhere during the afternoon, I find myself lingering around Cobblepot's file. What's the harm if I take a quick peek? His affiliates are listed on a sticky note on the inside of the folder in his hand-writing. My name is there.

It's an out-of-body experience to see myself listed with him. Our days running the city together feel like a lifetime ago. Tears swell at the brim of my eyes. I had forgotten everything we did together. I suppose I also forgot how much I missed it.

I can't go back to him a third time with my tail between my legs. I must look so weak to him. First in avoiding him, then only returning when I needed his help. If I really loved him, wouldn't I just stick it out? Wouldn't I just wait until this thing with Ed eventually fails? What kind of life is that for me?