Chapter 7
"What's the news?" Steve asked as he jumped up out of the hospital waiting room seat.
The doctor took a deep breath while he prepared himself for what he had to say. This was always the most difficult part of the job.
"We've done everything we can. It would be best if you called anyone who needs to come say their goodbyes."
Edward sat frozen to his seat as the shock rolled over him. This couldn't be happening. Looking around the room, he watched as the other people who loved you started to cry. He had the sudden urge to get far away from this scene. He just couldn't stay there. Getting up quickly, he rushed past the others and headed down the hospital hallway.
"Edward!" he heard someone call out before he could turn the corner at the end of the hall. He knew that voice.
"I'd like to be alone right now, Oswald."
"Oh, I'm sure you would. But, I'm not going to give you that luxury. Not after what you did."
"What are you talking about?"
The next words out of Oswald's mouth were very quiet, but his voice trembled with rage nonetheless.
"I know you shot her."
"You're crazy," Edward stuttered out after a moment.
"Am I, Edward? Or are you? I know how angry you were about seeing her with someone else, but I didn't think you'd stoop so low."
"I. Didn't. Shoot. Her." Edward enunciated with as much fake calm as he could muster. "That whole place was filled with guns going off."
"It was a small caliber bullet. You saw what they were using. It couldn't have been them."
"It was friendly fire then....an accident," Edward responded, his voice growing more frantic with each accusation.
"No one had any reason to be shooting in that direction! She's dying because of you!"
"NO! I would NEVER hurt her!"
"I saw you, Ed! I saw you aim at her, but I didn't realize it at the time!"
"I wasn't aiming for her!" Edward screamed. "She wasn't supposed to get hurt! She got in the way, and it was too late!"
Now, it was out. Silence filled the space between them while Edward's confession hung heavy in the air. Turning quickly on his heels, Edward left Oswald far behind him. He ducked in the first restroom he saw and rushed over to the sink.
Splashing water on his face, he muttered, "This can't be happening," over and over. When he looked up, he saw his other self looking back at him.
"You! This is your fault! You did this!" Edward screamed at the mirror.
"Oh no, you can't blame this on me," the other Edward said.
"I would never have done anything that would endanger her life. I love her."
"So do I. But, this...trying to kill the competition... anonymously and from a distance...that's a pathetic, desperate move. That's you, Eddie, not me."
Edward put his head down and ran his hands frantically through his hair as tears started to fall.
"What am I going to do? I can't live without her. I can't live knowing it's my fault."
"Don't worry, you don't have to. I'll take care of it."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Edward asked, looking back up at his other self.
"You did this, not me. Just take some time to think about that. The answer will come to you."
Edward put his head back down and continued to cry.
"You aren't the only one to blame, though" the other Edward said. "We're going to see that they pay, too. All of them."
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"Is there anything I can do?" Butch asked Oswald when he returned to the waiting room.
"Yes, put all available manpower into finding Hugo Strange. That's now our number one priority... and tell Freeze to get here right away."
Penguin watched as another man rushed frantically into the waiting room. Anyone would recognize that face anywhere.
"Tony," Steve said, walking over to him.
"I got here as quickly as I could. What's her condition? Is she stable?" Tony asked.
"They...they're...keeping her breathing long enough for us to say our goodbyes," Steve choked out as he put his hand on Tony's shoulder.
Tony crumpled into the seat closest to him. He started rubbing his hand across his face in an effort to conceal his emotions. Penguin knew this wasn't the proper moment, but time was of the essence.
"There is something we can do," he said, limping up to the other two men.
"Who is this?" Tony asked with a sniffle.
"A friend of y/n's," Steve supplied.
"I know someone, a doctor, who has had a lot of success in this area."
"What are you waiting for? Call him," Tony said.
"I'll have to locate him. It could take awhile. The process would need to be halted in the meantime, until I can find him."
"What process?" Steve asked.
It pained Oswald to say it in reference to you.
"Decomposition."
"Woah, woah, wait a minute," Tony said. "What are you trying to suggest? That he brings people back from the dead."
"Yes."
"Can you believe this guy?" Tony said, getting visibly upset.
Steve grabbed Tony's arm to hold him back.
"It does sound farfetched," Steve said.
"I know it does. But, I've seen him do it. I've already told my men to start looking for him, and I have someone who can freeze her."
Tony looked to Steve and asked, "Do you trust him?"
"Y/n does."
"Alright, do it. Tell them I'll pay whatever they're asking."
Oswald nodded silently and turned to leave, but he was stopped by Steve saying, "We're doing this for her, because she trusts you. That doesn't mean that I do. We're staying right here until we have her back. If any of you try to doublecross us, you'll have to deal with me. You'll have to deal with all of us."