We Were Born Sick • Gotham Fanfiction •

XLVII: Someone Like Him

"People who claim that they're evil are usually no worse than the rest of us... It's people who claim that they're good, or any way better than the rest of us, that you have to be wary of." ― Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

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"I love the house." Bird argued, as she and Barbara got onto the elevator in Barbara's apartment building.

Readjusting the garment bags in her arms, the blonde shook her head back and forth as she said, "It's a mess."

"That's because it's still being renovated!" Bird argued with a laugh before reminding her, "And you are the one who wanted to go see it."

"I'm just saying I don't know how I feel about it yet." She asserted, with a shrug, "Take me back when it's all finished and I'll know for sure then."

Trying her best to keep a smile on her face, Barbara said, "You seem happy, are you happy?"

"I'm guess so. I mean... this is the dream right? I got the guy and got the house..." Bird nodded as they stepped off the elevator on her friend's floor while Barbara fought against the overwhelming feeling of her own heartache as she said, "Then I'm happy for you."

"You know you don't have to go to this thing; if you want I'll tell Harvey I don't feel like going and me and you can find something fun to do. Take your mind off things." Bird suggested, the truth was she didn't feel much like attending the Wayne Charity Ball either. Ever since her last conversation with Carmine Falcone she'd barely been able to sleep.

"You have to go, you're a Wayne." Barbara said with a laugh as she juggled all the bags in her hands and fought to get her door unlocked, "Besides, I just spent a fortune on this ball gown and shoes. Maybe I'll feel better getting out tonight –you know, the whole look better and feel better thing."

"Pretty sure that's a myth, B." Bird said in an empathetic tone as she laid the bag with her dress over a table and turned to her friend who sighed, "Yeah, probably... but screw it, right? I don't need a date to go to a gala, plus there aren't a lot of people that get invited to this one."

"True." Bird agreed, unable to stop the smile that spread over her lips as she admitted, "I picked out my dress months ago. Normally I hate going to these things, but this year I..." Her voice trailed off and Barbara said, "You have a date who you love spending time with. It's okay, we can talk about your relationship. I'm not going to shatter into pieces over thinking what I lost when I walked out on Jim."

Bird slowly nodded, before her eyebrows raised and she guessed, "You're hoping by chance you might run into him tonight, aren't you?"

"I will get him back." Barbara asserted in a tone of voice that caught Bird a little off guard.

Side-eyeing Barbara out of the corner of her eye, Bird let out a small laugh and commented, "Careful, B. You're sorta starting to sound like 'if you can't have him then no one will' it's unsettling."

"We're meant to be together." Barbara said, before looking to Bird as she asked, "How would you feel if you were in my shoes –if this was your situation with Harvey.

"I love him and I want him to be happy." Bird said, avoiding the disbelieving look on her friends face before she finally sighed, "Fine, truth is... I wouldn't handle it well and I'd probably be having some of those 'if I can't have him then neither can anyone else' feelings."

"See?" Barbara said with a satisfied nod, "Love makes people crazy."

Bird eyed her friend and thought to herself that apparently it made some crazier than others, but then again she was still plotting Falcone's slow and painful death for having Harvey hurt –so maybe she was just as crazy.