Chapter 12
You sat, holding your phone as the distant ringing resounded, hoping that this would be the time he'd answer. You had dialed Oswald's number at least a dozen times now, but it wasn't him that you were expecting to answer. If Edward had taken him, you hoped that you could try to talk some sense into him. It was your only option; no one knew where he was. All of your efforts may have been in vain. Ed could have tossed the phone in the trash for all you knew.
"What are you going to do to me?" Oswald asked as he fought against the ropes that held him in place.
"Stop struggling. It's not going to do you any good. I already had a trial run today, remember? And it worked perfectly," Edward said, pacing back and forth. He hadn't decided what he was going to do with Oswald, actually. He didn't think he could bring himself to torture him. In spite of what he'd done, Oswald was his only friend. He supposed he'd end up killing him, but preferably not before he'd confessed to you. Edward didn't want you angry with him like the last time. This time he'd make you understand first.
He rubbed his temples in frustration as the music from Oswald's coat pocket echoed in the room once more. He was really wishing he'd tossed that phone out of the car window on the drive over.
"Gilzean is a lot more persistent than I would have thought," Edward muttered.
"It's probably not Butch," Oswald began as a plan started forming in his mind. "It's probably y/n. I promised I'd call. I imagine she's worried sick by now."
Edward turned to look at Oswald with squinted eyes. There was a cold, cruel irony in that thought.
With a couple of long strides, Edward walked over to Oswald and fished the phone out of his coat pocket. Checking the caller ID, he saw that it was you, so he answered.
"Edward? Is that you?" you asked. Your voice sounded frantic.
"Yeah, it's me."
"What's going on? Where are you? What happened to Penguin?"
"He's here."
"Is he alive?"
"Yes."
You let out a relieved sigh.
"Ed," you began, "You've got to let him go. Everybody knows you've got him....the cops, his own people....it's not too late for you to get out of this. They're going to come after you if you don't."
"I need you to come here," he said. "You need to know the truth."
You didn't dare reveal any hint that you had figured it out. If you did, he might go ahead and kill Oswald.
"Alright, where are you?"
He gave you the location.
"I won't be able to come alone," you admitted.
"That's okay. I'll be waiting," he said before the line clicked in your ear.
"Okay, I'll get some of our people and go with you," Butch said.
"No, you won't," you replied.
"Y/n," he began.
"You really think that's going to be the best thing for Oswald," you said. "I need to go and be as nonthreatening as possible."
"We'll be waiting outside," Jim said.
"I can't stop you," you said. "He knows I won't be alone, so I'm going to take Nat and Wanda in with me."
Natasha nodded and pulled out her phone to call Wanda.
"The rest of us will be close by," Steve said.
"Are you alright?" Clint asked.
"Don't worry about me," you said.
"Don't tell me what to do," he said, giving you a reassuring smile.
Edward stared at the phone for a moment before he said, "It's kind of funny in a way, don't you think?"
"Personally, I don't see the humor in any of this," Oswald huffed.
"You and I've been friends for awhile now. We've been working together side by side. Yet, I don't think I'd ever heard you so much as mention her name until she came back into both of our lives. To be honest, I don't think I did either."
Oswald clenched his jaw and said nothing.
"I didn't know," Edward said. "Did you?"
"About you? I figured it out a long time ago."
Oswald became nervous when Edward walked over to his duffle bag and began rummaging around inside. There was no telling what horrors awaited him in there.
"I had wanted to kill him, too," Oswald said, hoping to distract him. There wasn't any reason to keep secrets now. They might be the only thing that would save him.
Edward turned and gave him a confused look.
"The cop, I mean," Oswald elaborated. "The one that hurt her. Butch told me I was an idiot for planning to kill a cop, even a dirty one, but I was determined. I never stopped to think about how it might make her feel, just as I didn't with her own partner. I only thought about how I felt. I was outraged that someone would dare commit such an offense against a person I....care so deeply for," he said with hesitation, uncomfortable about voicing things he'd kept locked up inside for so long.
"She wouldn't tell me who did it," he continued. "I suppose she knew what I was capable of. By the time I found out, I'd also learned that no one had seen or heard from him for awhile. I thought perhaps he'd caught wind of my plan and skipped town, or that she had a.....special agent boyfriend that had felt the same away about it that I did. You see, I never asked her those kinds of questions. I guess I was happier not knowing. Anyway, eventually they found his body and you went to Arkham. It was too big of a coincidence to be anything else."
"Why didn't you leave me there then?"
"I needed your help. I don't know anyone else with a mind like yours. Besides, there was no evidence that she reciprocated your feelings."
Oswald suddenly realized he'd said too much.
"And what if she had?" Edward asked. "Would you have had me killed, Oswald?"
"Truthfully, I don't know."
"At least you didn't try to outright deny it."
Edward went back to rummaging around in the duffle bag.
"I did learn something that you'll find humorous, while we're on the subject," Oswald said, trying to buy time once more.
"What is it?"
"After all this, Barton is married with three children."
"So they aren't-"
"No, we were both wrong. She said something like he was the last person on the team she'd ever actually be involved with."
"Huh," Edward said thoughtfully. "I wonder who it would be then."
"Considering our current situation, I'm not sure it matters, Edward. Although, I have become very suspicious of Rogers. He's always there, being all protective and supportive."
"Ugh, not that goody two shoes," Edward said with an expression that was crinkled by distaste.
"I know. Disgusting, isn't it?"
They looked at each other for a moment before they both started laughing. Once they'd stopped, Oswald said, "You don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do," Edward replied with a sigh. "But, I want you to know that I'm not going to enjoy it."
----------------
"What's the plan?" Natasha asked as you headed towards the door of the address Edward had given you.
"Ideally, I'd like for everyone to get out alive and unharmed. I'm going to attempt some hostage negotiation. In case that fails, we've got Wanda."
"What do you want me to do?" Wanda asked.
"If things look like they're going south, disarm him. But, only if you can do it without one of us getting shot accidentally."
Turning to face them, you added, "I don't want them to die. But, if it's a choice between them or us, don't hesitate. You two are my sisters."
"Besides, they did cause all this mess," Natasha commented.
"True," you muttered quietly as you pushed the door open. The location was an old, abandoned house, and immediately inside the front door was a hallway. It made you uncomfortable. Your training made you prefer open spaces where your targets were highly visible. Targets? When did you start thinking about Edward that way? You took a deep breath to help settle your nerves. Edward Nygma was not a threat to you.
"Ed!" you called out.
"In here!" he yelled back.
You glanced over your shoulder at Natasha and Wanda. Nat looked tense. She didn't have the faith in Edward that you did and it showed. As you slowly entered what must have been the living room, you caught sight of Oswald tied to a chair.
"Ta da!" Edward exclaimed, taking his hat off and bowing to you with a flourish. This must have been the Riddler in full form. You'd seen glimpses of him before, but unlike Ed, he did make you nervous.
"What's going on?" you asked lamely.
"I've got a little bird here who has got some singing to do," Edward said, drawing his gun and pointing it as Oswald.
In an instant, you forgot about the discomfort that the Riddler caused you, and the instructions that you'd given Wanda. You rushed over and placed yourself between Oswald and the gun. Edward faltered for a moment, then tried to aim over your shoulder. You moved once again.
Wanda let out a frustrated sigh. What was the point in you even having a plan if you weren't going to follow it?
"Oh, Edward, stop it!" you said when he tried to move around you once more.
"Y/n, he's completely lost his mind!" Oswald screamed. "Don't listen to anything he says!"
"Oh, Penguin, just shut up for a minute!" you yelled back.
"I brought him here so he could confess to you," Edward said. "You need to know what happened."
"I already do. I figured it out. I know he paid Zsaz to shoot Clint, and I know why."
Edward gave you a strange smile then said, "That's my clever girl. Well, I guess there's no putting it off then, unless you want to hear him admit it himself?"
"I'm not going to let you shoot him."
"But, you just said-"
"I know what I said. I'm not here for Oswald. I'm here for you, Ed. In the years I've known you, he is the only friend you've had. Are you really going to be able to live with yourself if you kill him?"
Edward took a deep breath.
"I don't know, but I know the Riddler can."
"I don't care what the Riddler can do! I don't care about the Riddler at all! I care about you, Edward Nygma, and that's why I'm not going to let you do this. If you kill him, there'll be no coming back from it. It will destroy you. I can't watch that happen. You mean too much to me for that."
Edward's gaze shifted from Penguin to you.
"Please show me that the man I knew isn't completely gone."
Edward lowered the gun and you quickly took it out of his hand. Behind you, you heard Natasha speak into her communicator that the threat was diffused.
"You were good. Did SHIELD teach you that?" Edward asked.
"I meant every word, Ed. I'm just glad you listened to me."
"Hey, Jim....Harvey," Edward spoke as they came in to arrest him.
"I'm sorry," you told him as he was being cuffed.
"Don't worry about it. It won't be my first trip to Arkham, and it probably won't be my last. Come visit me?"
"Yeah, this time I will."
He shot you a big grin as he was led out of the room.
"Could someone please untie me?" Oswald asked in an annoyed tone.
"I've got it," you said, drawing your knife. Once he was free, he stood up quickly and started trying to explain, but he was interrupted by you slapping him hard across the face.
"How could you?" you asked as the tears streamed down your face. "I was your friend. I saved your life. And you repay me by trying to kill someone that I love. His wife would have been a widow.... his children wouldn't have had a father.... all because in your warped mind you thought it was a better alternative than just talking to me about it. The things Ed did were wrong, but at least they made sense. The only thing killing Clint would have done was hurt me. Did you even think about that? Did you even care?"
"Y/n, I'm sorry," he tried to say.
"You can't apologize for this! You're nothing but a sick little freak! I'm sorry I ever crossed paths with you, you monster!" you screamed before running towards the door.
Steve gently grabbed ahold of your shoulders when you tried to get past him. Before he could say anything, you cried, "Get me out of here. I just want to go home."
"It's okay. It's all over now," he reassured, pulling you close. "We're going home."