Goodnight, Oswald

The air was cold and frigid outside, and Oswald was seized with fear. The temperature only made him shake more, and he couldn't help but look at the man in front on him- the man he loved. Ed had the gun aimed at Oswald's core with a deadly glare in his eyes. He wasn't here to play games. Oswald had to pay for what he'd done.

"Ed," Oswald began, trying to push away his terror. "I love you. I know you believe that now." Ed remained unfazed, jaw clenched tightly. Oswald continued on with desperation in his voice. "So, you need to listen to me when I tell you... by doing this, it will change you." "I've killed before, Oswald." Ed growled harshly.

"Not like this! This won't be a crime of passion, or self preservation... this will be the cold-blooded murder of someone you love." Oswald gulped. Ed's grip on the gun seemed to tighten, his eyes ablaze. "I. Don't. Love. You." The words seemed a little wrong to Ed, and Oswald felt his heart break some more. Oswald lifted his hands towards Ed's face, but Ed smacked them down viciously and Oswald released a pitiful noise, holding back tears.

"You need me, Edward Nygma!" Ed felt his heart sink a little, feeling the truth in Oswald's words. "Just as I need you! You can't have one without the other!" Oswald was right, but Ed couldn't let him know that. He couldn't see him weaken, not one bit. "You killed Isabella." Ed spat, feeling bile rise in his throat. Oswald wasn't listening. "The point is..." "THAT IS THE POINT!" Ed cut him off before he could finish, eyes clenched shut, gun waving in his tightened grip. "You can't talk your way out of this, Oswald! I have wanted you to suffer as I've suffered." Oswald shed a single tear down his cheek. "You killed her, so you die." Ed said, pointing his gun at Oswald once again.

Oswald clenched his teeth and felt anger and despair rise in his chest. "When I met you," He began, feeling his emotions overwhelm him. "You were a nervous, jittery, loser. You were nothing!"  He said, spitting into the air. "I created  Edward Nygma!" Ed looked at him, once again knowing it was nothing but brutal honesty, not just to save his own life, but also to tell Ed how the world really was. "I'm the only one in the world who truly sees you as you are. Who you can still become." Oswald's words grew softer and he felt the dauntingness of the situation overtake him. He was broken, knowing he man he loved could actually do this to him. He thought Ed was better than this.

Ed felt... sadness and regret. He wasn't so sure if he wanted to do this, to end his best friend's life. He did love him, but he didn't think it was the same kind of love Oswald felt. "You can't do this." Oswald sobbed, and Ed felt his resolve begin to wear away. How could he do this? "You owe this to me." Oswald begged. Ed suddenly felt anger rise up again. "I don't owe you anything! You killed her!" He adjusted his grip on the gun and felt like crying out into the air: how could you do this to me, Oswald!? How could you take away the woman I love!?  Instead, he said nothing.

"Yes, but you once said you'd do ANYTHING for me. This is it! Spare me my life!" Ed swallowed built up spit, and lowered his gun slightly. Oswald was right. His own words echoed in his head: "I hope you know, Oswald, I would do anything for you."  A nagging voice in his brain told him to do it already, shoot him and throw him in the river... but he also realized he'd be lost without him. There is no Edward Nygma without the always wonderfully melodramatic Oswald Cobblepot. He built him up and made him strong, more powerful than he could ever have imagined. He was Oswald's right hand man, and they truly NEEDED each other.

"Oswald... you're not getting out of this. You can't." Ed's voice broke a little and he felt pain in his chest. He was going to kill his best friend. He had  to. "Ed, please," Oswald cried out, more tears streaming down his face. "Somewhere inside you, there's a man that still cares! Don't lose him by doing this!" Ed lowered the gun a little more, feeling pain eat away at his heart. "Oswald..." He trailed off, unsure of what words he could say that he hadn't already.