paper love | edward nygma

Chapter 32 ○ Tragedy

A/N

AHHH! Thank you for 512 reads! This story is somewhat popular, and I really do appreciate it. I'm super excited for Gotham Season 4, and I have it ready to record in case I miss it. I really do hope that Edward gets unfrozen in the first few episodes. (SPOILERS) I may make a sequel based on Chapter 4 alone. Also, I plan to make a sequel where Grace will help out Batman, Nightwing, and Robin. She might be a crime fighter, but you will have to wait. xoxo

Grace's POV - 1 hour later

I sat on the bed, surrounded by the comfortable bedding. The blankets were of a green tint and were very soft. I was wearing one of Edward's shirts since I had not brought any other clothes. Edward had gotten up to get me a mug of water and was wearing a loose white shirt and greenish-brown plaid pajama pants. 

He brought me the ceramic mug and a small chuckled exhaled from both of our mouths. I was secretly worried. I hated the state I was in. Every time I went to my apartment, I felt cold and hurt. It's like a part of me died when James was arrested. "You are so sweet." My voice was sad, but I didn't notice until Edward spoke with deep concern. "Grace, what's the matter?" His voice was more casual than before. 

"I'm scared." The words blurted out of my mouth, but for some reason, I didn't regret saying them. "Of what?" Edward's voice was pitched with curiosity, and he was undeniably looking for an answer, and I was going to deliver. "Being alone. Ever since James got put in that cell, the world hasn't been the same for me. Everything is slower, and it seems like I shiver whenever I see someone being put in one of those horrid boxes of metal." 

"You don't need to worry about that." His voice was very straight forward and clean cut. "But, you don't understand. Anywhere I go-" He took my hand in his. "Listen to me, you do not need to worry about being alone." He kissed my hand and kept it in his grasp. "You are sweet, but what happens if you get hurt? Who will I have?" I pushed a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Don't worry, I'll be there either way, but I need... to tell you something." 

I took a sip of the now room temperature water and looked directly into his eyes. "What is it?" "Do you remember Tom Dougherty?" I put the mug down slowly and squeezed his hand. "Yeah, what about him?" He adjusted his glasses and opened his mouth to speak. Instead, a sigh came out. "Well, a while ago he and I had an altercation outside of Miss Kringle's apartment. I asked him to treat her with more respect, and he assaulted me." 

The words shocked me. How could a cop, the people themselves who go against such acts of violence, perform it against someone who simply wanted the abuse to stop? "Oh my god." He looked up at me and continued. "Anyhow, long story short..." The pause seemed like it had lasted forever. "...I killed him." This had to be a joke or at least a metaphor! Edward didn't seem like the person to kill. He was not a fighter, that was for sure. I laughed but grew slightly more concerned when he kept the same serious expression on his face. 

He walked over to the bedside table and went in one of the drawers. The realization finally came to mind. What if Edward did really kill him? He came back with something in his hand. He sat down and held up the item. It was a badge, specifically a police badge. The printed letters spelled out Tom Dougherty.

He did really kill him? Oh my god. My mind switched in an instant. I was all of a sudden afraid of this man. I had to get away from him. "What's wrong? Where are you going?" My expression wasn't out of anger, but more out of fear. I knew that I had been in love, and slept with, a murderer. "How could you?" I stood up fast, and he tried to grab my wrist. "No, please sit down." I pulled my arm back. "Don't touch me!" 

Why was I acting like this? I had automatically changed my mind about Edward. "Would you please let me explain?" Explain what? Every little detail that went into his murder? How you were planning to do it? There is nothing to explain, I don't even know who you are. No, that's wrong, you are a murderer." He stood up and his tone changed. "He was a monster, she said so. He was abusing her." 

I ignored everything he said. I grabbed my clothes, belongings, and anything else I needed, including my coat. "I can't believe I even fell for you, you sicko!" The words slid off my tongue, and I didn't realize what damage I was doing. "I'm not sick! I loved her, I did it for her!" I looked straight at him at the words. Kristen didn't love him, she despised him. "Everything people said about you was right, I need to have my head examined." 

He kept switching between anger and concern. "Don't say that." I had discovered a flaw to his plan. "Wait, what were you doing outside her house?" Edward's voice was subtle, yet angered. "I was worried for her." Worried or not, it was stalking. "You were stalking her, you are a psychopath!" He stepped closer to me. "That's not true, that's not who I am, don't say that about me!" 

He was self-conscious even after murdering someone and confessing it. What was I supposed to do, hug him and tell him that it was sweet? "You are going to prison where they will do horrible things to you, things that you deserve." "Don't say that to me!" 

"Don't touch me!" I slapped him. I didn't mean to, but I needed to leave. I tried to open the door, but he grabbed my wrists. "Let go of me, you freak!" "Please don't call me that." I somehow escaped his grasp and grabbed the mug on the table." I threw it on his head, knocking him down for a short time. Suddenly, I felt a grasp around my throat and over my mouth. 

"Listen to me, I am not the man you think I am! I would never do anything to hurt you. I had to kill him because he hurt her, do you understand that? I did it for her! I promise I will never do anything to hurt you ever again-"

Darkness was the only thing I could see. Faint whispers were among me, and small bursts of light were all around me. 

Edward's POV

She isn't moving anymore! What did you do?

"I love you, I've loved you since the first moment that I saw you." I took my hand off of her mouth, but it just hung open. There was no movement until she slid down the wall. Oh god- what did I do? "Grace?" I slumped down with her, catching her in my arms. I checked her wrist for a pulse, and there was nothing. 

Did you... kill her? You idiot! You moron! LOOK WHAT YOU DID! YOU KILLED THE WOMAN WE LOVED.

I held her in my arms. I killed her. Why did I do that? I felt like crying, but I couldn't. The tears just wouldn't come out. I cradled her cold, lifeless body in my arms. Her throat became a shade of red from where I grabbed her neck. I didn't even know I was killing her. Now she is dead, because of me. 

NO!