Gotham Untold #1 Dawn of an Age

Chapter 5: Impossible Odds Part 2

Oswald arrived at the docks by the river, the same pier that both Jim and Edward had shot him at, the same place where he froze Ed in a block of ice but also the same place where he realized once again that he loved him when he saved Ed from being shot by Sofia's men. This pier was a hateful place for him but it was also his favorite place as the day Edward asked him to marry him, they were here. He remembered it as clear as day.

About a year after they adopted Daniel, Oswald and Edward started to wonder if they should get married but Oswald was on the fence about it until he got a call from Ed while sitting in the house. "Hello?" Asked Oswald as he sounded worried.
"Oswald, meet me at the place where our paths have crossed, intertwined, and broken." Said Edward as he quickly hung up.
"Ed?" Asked Oswald as he sighed.
Oswald arrived at the dock that night to see strung up lights around the docks all the way to the end of the door where Edward stood. "Ed what is this?" Asked Oswald with a smile.
"Come here." Said Edward as he held out his hand. Oswald came over and took Ed's hand. "Oswald, this place has been an interesting part of our history." Said Edward as Oswald nodded.
"We've both almost been shot here and you shot me here." Said Oswald as Edward smiled.
"Yes, that's why I thought it was time we change the meaning this place has for us." Said Edward as he took a breath then got down on one knee and looked up at Oswald. "Oswald, it's taken so much for me to realize how much I love you and rely on you, now that I've realized it I never want us to turn against each other again, so Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot will you do me that honor of making me the happiest man in Gotham by marrying me?" Asked Edward nervously as he held out a ring Oswald was actually tearing up.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Said Oswald as Edward took the ring and put it on Oswald's hand. They kissed and then a year later they had their wedding.

Now standing here once more in a place Edward tried to make a happy memory to erase all the bad ones, now Oswald stands here praying that he won't lose their son. He walked up seeing Sofia standing on the pier with Daniel standing next to her. As he got closer he noticed that Sofia had a scratch on her face. He concealed his pleasure in knowing that Daniel fought back. "So here's how things are going to work Oswald, I'll give the boy back to you when you give me my property." Said Sofia as Oswald scoffed.
"What?" Asked Oswald as Sofia scowled.
"If it wasn't for you starting the war between my father and Sal Maroni, I would've inherited all of my father's assets and estates but because you drove him out of Gotham and took over the city, there was nothing left for me to inherit when I finally got here. You stole my birth right from me and want it back." Said Sofia in a stern tone as Oswald started to laugh.
"Really? That's it?!" Asked Oswald as she looked confused.
"What do you mean? My father owned half of this city!" Said Sofia as Oswald looked at her like she was an idiot.
"Yeah the old city! But about 15 years ago the city was completely wrecked by the military and Bruce Wayne blowing up Wayne Tower so most of what Don Falcone owned is gone! You have your house and that's it! It's the only piece of the Falcone property that's left in the city and the city turned that into a homeless shelter." Said Oswald as Sofia looked completely shocked.
"Well if there's nothing for you to give me then I guess the deal's off." Said Sofia as she grabbed Daniel by his shirt and threw him off the dock into the water.
"No!" Oswald yelled out as he wanted to dive in after him but he felt the barrel of a gun against the back of his head.
"You remember Victor." Said Sofia as she walked closer. "Kill him and dump him in the water with the boy." Said Sofia as she wandered off. "Good bye Oswald." Said Sofia as she left.
"Walk to the edge of the dock." Said Victor as Oswald did as he was told, he was completely numb. He just wanted his son die right in front of him and he was powerless to stop it.
"Just do it, I have nothing left now..." Said Oswald as he stared out at the water. Suddenly he felt the gun slip from behind his head and something hit the ground but before he could turn he felt something wet and cold cold hug his leg. He turned and saw Daniel dripping wet hugging him. "Daniel! You're alive!" Said Oswald as he reached down, picking him up, and holding him close. "But you don't even know how to swim!" Said Oswald as Daniel sniffed.
"I figured it out." He mumbled as Oswald smiled and laughed.
"Yes you did!" Said Oswald as he hugged his son tight. He turned around to see that Victor Zsasz was laying on the ground with a concussion and a blood soaked rock sitting next to him. "You took out Zsasz?" Asked Oswald as he looked at Daniel.
"I didn't do anything when those men hurt Dad, I wasn't gonna let him hurt you too." Said Daniel as he looked at Oswald.
"I love you, Daniel." Said Oswald as he kissed Daniel's cheek.

While Daniel was showing his strength under pressure, Edward was sitting in his hospital bed just praying everything was going to be alright but then he heard the nurses talking to the cops. "We'll start prepping him for transport to the Arkham Infirmary." Said the nurse's voice as Edward started to worry.
"Yep that's one less dangerous criminal off the streets." Said the cop as another cop scoffed.
"Hopefully Nygma will stay put this time." Said the cop as Ed knew he had to get outta here fast if he wanted to help Oswald get Daniel back. Edward then came up with genius plan. He heard the other cop walk off the get coffee so Edward grabbed the water pitcher from across the room and unhooked himself from all the wires. He hid behind the door and then opened it slightly.
"I need help with something." He stated as the cop walked in.
"What do you need help with?" Asked the cop as he walked in then Edward smashed the glass water pitcher over the cop's head.
"I need help escaping." Said Edward as he then pulled the cop into the room, changed into the cops clothes, and took the keys to his squad car. Edward then walked out of hospital and took the squad car. He drove it halfway to the house then ditched it in an alley and made the rest of the way on foot.

Oswald took Daniel back to the house to let him get changed out of his soaked pajamas and into some warm clothes but as they were preparing to head out the door Oswald saw Ed coming up the driveway. "Daniel, stay here." Said Oswald as he went over to Ed and helped him into the house. Edward was dressed in a police uniform. "What the hell are you wearing?" Asked Oswald as he had Ed sit on the couch.
"They were talking about shipping me off to the Arkham Infirmary so I stole this uniform off the officer they put outside my door." Said Edward as he untucked the shirt to check his stitches which looked fine.
"Dad!" Said Daniel as he ran over and climbed up on the couch next to Ed and hugged him. "I'm sorry I let those men hurt you." Said Daniel as Edward put his hand on Daniel's back.
"It's ok, you couldn't have done anything." Said Edward as Oswald smiled.
"Actually Daniel is a lot stronger than we give him credit for." Said Oswald as he sat next to Ed. "Sofia was holding Daniel for ransom but I didn't have what she wanted so she threw Daniel off the docks and tried to drown him. She then instructed Victor Zsasz to kill me and Daniel was quick enough to teach himself how to swim and then he threw a rock and hit Zsasz right in the back of the head. You saved both our lives today, I am so proud of you." Said Oswald as he patted Daniel's shoulder.
"That's incredible. You took out Victor Zsasz and not a lot of people can do that." Said Edward as he smiled at his boy.

That night they let Daniel sleep in their bed with them as they were a little scared to let him sleep in his own room again. After Daniel fell asleep in between them Edward finally decided to bring up something he had been thinking about. "Oswald..." He whispered.
"Yes Ed?" Asked Oswald as he played with Daniel's thick brown curled hair.
"I think I should take Daniel away for a while." Said Edward softly as Oswald looked at him.
"What?!" He whispered.
"Oswald after today, I don't think he's safe around you." Said Edward as Oswald glared at him.
"Choose your next words very carefully Ed!" Said Oswald in a vicious tone.
"Oswald I'm not trying to attack you! I'm being cautious." Said Edward as Oswald put his hand on Daniel's shoulder.
"What is cautious about taking my son away from me?!" He barked softly as not to wake Daniel.
"Oswald! Just think for a second! You have a lot of enemies that would do anything to Daniel to make you suffer. I just don't think it's safe for Daniel to be close to you if people are just going to try and hurt him to get to you! Do you understand? I want to protect him, not hurt you." Said Edward as he put his hand over Oswald's. Oswald looked at him then at Daniel as his hands began to tremble.
"Everyone I ever loved has been killed just because people wanted to hurt me. My mother, my father, even you were almost killed multiple times just because you knew me." Said Oswald as tears began to form in his eyes.
"I know and I don't want Daniel on that list." Said Edward as he rubbed his thumb against the back of Oswald's hand. "Daniel will be safe with me, I haven't made any new enemies and all my old ones have moved past the grudges they have on me. The only person that's after me is the Bat and if I lay low he won't find me." Said Edward as Oswald looked at him. "It's what's best for him, Oswald." Said Edward softly as Oswald took a shaky breath.
"I need some time to think about it, Ed." Said Oswald as he laid back and just wanted to sleep.
"Of course." Said Edward as he turned off his lamp on his nightstand. It was quiet for a moment then Edward felt guilty for even mentioning this knowing how much it hurt Oswald because it hurt him just as much. "I love you Oswald." Said Edward softly.
"I love you too Ed." Said Oswald softly.