Born to Fly

Distant Family - ✔

"Take care, sister. Try not to lose hope." Harvey accompanies Jim, Lee, and myself to the train station.

"Take your own advice, Harv."

On the way to the station, Lee writes down a list of very specific instructions. She gets me in touch with a physical therapist and psychologist in Metropolis. She urges me to rest and do as little as possible. Her final demand is that I call her every single day.

When we arrive, Jim prepares my things in my cabin, Lee follows, and Harvey makes sure to keep an eye out for Maroni's thugs.

A car pulls up. Detective Bullock readies his gun, but it's only Butch that steps out of the car. He holds a small gift in his hands.

"This is for you from the boss." He says everything artificially. He doesn't want to acknowledge what's happening. I'm breaking the promise I made to him; I'm getting out of Gotham without him.

I place it in my coat pocket with much difficulty. "I'll miss you, Butch."

The lackey no longer cares about his emotional health. He hugs me tightly. "I'll miss you too, and so will he. He's so consumed with—"

"Give him my best."

His next few weeks are going to be a living hell. Penguin's temper will be even worse than before. He'll be frustrated and quick-tempered. He'll bury himself in the war just to ignore what he's feeling.

"One more thing." Butch opens the door, and who other than Carmine Falcone steps out of it.

"How did you know we'd be here?"

"Penguin told me," he says.

Jim appears from the train. "Falcone! I've been looking for you. We need to talk about this—"

"And we will, but not right now. I am here for Sera. Please, give us a few minutes."

Lee explains my condition to the train staff while Harvey and Jim watch from a distance.

"How are you feeling, my dear?"

"Good, despite the circumstances."

"I cannot even fathom what you've gone through in the last week."

"I'm not even sure how I'm alive," I admit. "I'm alive for a reason, but I'm no longer useful to you. All of those people I wanted to help and now I'll never get the chance to."

"When there is war, death will always follow. You cannot stop the natural flow of that. You've done so much more for my family than you know, Sera. We have another nurse training to take your place."

"But Don Falcone—"

"If at any point you decide to return on your own terms, you are more than welcome to. If not, then it has been such a pleasure to work alongside you. I promised you that I would take care of your mother long before you offered your services to me. I am a man of my word if nothing else."

And like that, I'm free. I'm released of all the ties that have held me to darkness for so long. There is nothing more to keep me here. My chains are broken.

All I can think of doing is thanking him until I'm blue in the face.

Lee hugs me one last time. "I'll see you when I see you. Don't forget to call us!"

"She knows, Lee," Jim says. "Sera, I need to—"

"You don't have to say anything."

"We all want what's best for you, even if I'm bad at showing it. It's the only reason Penguin's letting you out of his sight. This city needs you." He wipes a tear from my cheek. "It just can't take care of you right now."