Cruel Love (Gotham/Oswald CobblepotFanFic)

Prologue: Taught by the Best

(Cruel Love is currently being spellchecked, it may take awhile so sorry if y'all get ahead of me.)

My heart was racing. My blood was pumping. And I was being chased.

Racing across rooftops trying to run away from him was hard, he was faster and had more training than me. I almost fell before grabbing onto the rail and pushing myself up onto the other roof. I heard the sound of boots behind me, and they landed on the roof behind me meaning he had cleared it in no time, I ran dodging boxes, wires and poles on the roofs.

That is when a bullet whizzed by my head and I slipped on the ice that was at edge of the roof and quickly caught onto the roof before I could fall "Agh" I said as my feet tried to catch onto the side of the building. He past by me and laughed.

"I win again" he said and cheered "You know. You have to get used to the idea of a bullet being shot at you as you run, it honestly makes you run faster."

"Victor! A. Little. Help? That would be nice right about now" I snapped at him, he reached down with his hand and I grabbed onto it. He pulled me up beside him, I straightened my shirt out "Thank you so much" I said sarcastically and pushed him making him stumble.

"I can always push you off the roof" he warned as he checked his guns causing me to sigh at him as I tried to catch my breath, I knew he would never hurt me, he turned to me and said "Come on, Don Falcone wants us to meet him."

"Wonderful, more running ...can we not just steal a car?" I whined as we climbed down the ladder on the back of the building, I dropped down beside him and we walked around towards the sidewalk.

"Quit whining" he said as we started to walk toward Fish Mooney's club I smiled at him.

Victor Zsasz has been my best friend since he saved me from a criminal trying to mug me four years ago, he works for Carmine Falcone. Carmine had sent Zsasz to watch over me after my mother's car accident, Zsasz trained me to protect myself and when Carmine seen how well I was doing he decided for Victor to train me to be a future assassin.

I was friends with him and Mr. Falcone but, Fish Mooney does not like me and it was no love loss. She always seemed ...fishy -no pun intended- there was just something about Mooney that put me on edge. I didn't like it, I have tried telling that to Zsasz but he just says "I know. But, Carmine Falcone likes her. Now run three more laps around Gotham."

Figures.

My mother was in a car accident three years ago, she has been in a coma ever since. She was driving down the road and a drunk driver hit her, since my father is never around or even heard from I had nowhere to go but to Mr. Falcone.

Walking into Fish Mooney's we were greeted by Butch Gilzean, a good friend. He smiled when he seen me "Nessy. How's it going?" he asked, I knuckle punched him as I said "Great, how are you Butchie boy?"

He laughed "Alive and kicking. Fish and Falcone are right over there" he said as Zsasz gave him a look, Zsasz and me walked towards where Butch had pointed. Carmine and Fish sat at a table with a younger man with black hair and a long nose looking at us. He looked nice and dressed nice, so why is he here?

His eyes caught mine for a split second and they widened seeing me. Did I have something on my face? Was I dressed wrong? I was nervous from his gaze but, that stopped when I seen Carmine.

I smiled when Falcone saw us and stood up "Victor ...and Nessita, my dear" he said and kissed my head "How are you both?"

"Good" we both replied, Fish Mooney looked at me with a look I couldn't describe. I shuffled nervously.

Carmine smiled "Sit down Victor, Nessy-" he started to say something in a polite tone.

"This is grown up talk" Fish interrupted Carmine, we all four looked at her, I gulped as she gave me a piercing look "Why don't you go do something a teenager is supposed to do? Go get your nails done, your hair. Go shopping."

I was used to it. Even as both Victor and Carmine looked like they could come across the table on her for how she was treating me, I smiled and laid a hand on Victor's shoulder who looked up at me from his seat "It's fine. I have a few errands to run" I told him and smiled to Falcone "Wonderful to see you again, Don Falcone."

He grinned "Lovely to see you too, Nessita. Come by the house sometime and we will have a chat" he said as he sipped his drink "Father to daughter."

"Of course" I said and walked away from them, Butch looked angrily at Fish Mooney, he stopped me with is hand when I started to walk out the door and looked down at me.

"Don't think nothing of Fish. You are just competition for her. I hate that she treats you that way" he said and smiled down at me sadly, I sighed and shrugged as he offered his arm "Do you need help with these errands?"

"I lied" I said with a sigh "I have nothing to do, Zsasz knows it. Butch, can you not tell Zsasz but I think I may go to the park and run, tell him I will be back at the apartment in a little while."

He nodded "Of course. Hey, don't stay out too late. Nutjobs walk around here at night you know."

I smiled at him "I didn't know you walk around Gotham at night, Butchie?" I said he smacked my head as I walked out of Fish Mooney's.

---

It was dark when I finally decided to jog back to mine and Zsasz's apartment -even if I was the only one who stayed there he does check in on me half of the time- I don't know why but I had the feeling I was being followed. Anyone would be stupid to mess with me knowing I was under Falcone's Protection.

I bumped into someone, very hard, while lost in thought and "Oh, I am so sorry" escaped my mouth before I even realized who I had bumped into.

Everything in me shouted run!

Fear came in as I looked at him, I've only heard about him never seen him ...he was as scary as Don Falcone. He wore a gray trench coat over a black Suit, his black hair was slicked back and his eyes ..they were familiar, like I have seen them somewhere else before.

He smiled "No problem, sweet. Why is a lovely girl like you roaming around Gotham at night? Don't cha have a family to get home to?" Don Maroni asked me.

Yeha and if I don't get to him, he will come looking for me guns ablazing... literally.

"Yeah, my brother. I stayed a little longer than I was supposed to at the park" I said and laughed a bit and shrugged "Time flies so fast ...Don Maroni" I hesitated before saying it.

"Indeed it does. Go on to your brother, sweet. I'm sure I will see you around again. Soon."

I smiled and turned on my heel, I started at a run and turned into the ally behind a pharmacy, I leaned on the wall thinking about the encounter with Maroni. He was almost as scary as Falcone.

But, why was he so familiar looking? Those eyes, those cold eyes looked so familiar.

I was too caught up in my thoughts I didn't hear someone walking into the alley, when they put their hand on my shoulder, I grab it and twisted it into their back.

Victor.

"What the hell, Nessita?"

I let him go and leaned back into the alley wall "You just startled me. How did you find me?" I asked and crossed my arms. He held his arm for a second and let go.

"Butch told me you went to the park, as I was walking down the street I seen you. Was that Don Maroni you were talking to?" he suddenly looked worried "Did he say anything to you?"

"Just that time flies and that I should get to my family before they worry about me. Why?"

Zsasz looked relieved "No reason. I'm just worried he will say something negative about Don Falcone to you. They may be friends but they can and will turn on each other every once in awhile." He put a arm around my shoulders and gave me a smile.

"Come on. You need some sleep. A long day awaits you tomorrow."

That made me groan, there was no telling what Victors next idea for practice was.

"Can't wait."