Unappreciated by all except you.

Chapter 5: Watermelons lead to disaster.

"Ed, what's that?"

"It's watermelon, detective. Would you like some?"

"No thanks" Jim replied slowly, watching Ed's smile fade slightly. "Okie dokie" Ed replied then turned to leave. "Hey Ed" Jim called "Could you go dig up the forensics files for these murders? If we are going to catch this 'Ogre' then we are going to need all the information we can get our hands on." "I'm on the case" Ed assured him, taking the note that Gordon held out to him. Once again Edward made to leave only to bump into Harvey Bullock. "Hey you nearly spilled my coffee!" Bullock grumbled, holding a hand protectively around his coffee cup. "I apologise" Ed replied politely. "Hey, we saw your boyfriend a few weeks ago, back when Jim here was trying to take down Loeb" Harvey continued with a smirk "He was over powered by an old lady and get this, he was the one holding the gun. I gotta tell ya' Nygma, you sure can pick them."

Ed swallowed angrily, trying to keep his temper in check. This wasn't the first comment of this nature that Bullock had made in recent weeks and quite frankly he was sick of it. "Oswald is a smart, kind and attentive man who respects and appreciates me. That's more than enough for me. And in regards to the assistance he gave you on that case, I'm sure that no matter how he handled the situation you would find fault in it so we would still be having the exact same conversation we are having now. That being the case might I suggest that you stay out of my personal life and apply your detective skills to more important matters. Like catching the Ogre for example" Ed replied curtly, his tone as polite as ever but his eyes were fierce and cold. Harvey opened his mouth to retort but at that exact moment Lee appeared as if from out of nowhere.

"Ed, just the guy I was looking for. Could you come and help me with something?" she asked, grasping Edward firmly by the shoulders and steering him away before he could actually reply. As soon as they were out of earshot of Gordon and Bullock he released him with a pitying sigh. "I'm sorry about Harvey" she said glumly "He can be a real asshole." "It's fine " Ed assured her. It wasn't fine at all but he knew that was what he was expected to say although he'd never seen the point of it. Why say things are fine when they are not? It achieved nothing.

"Melon?" he asked as he held some out to her, hoping to change the subject. Lee, though by far the most supportive and accepting when it came to the people at the GCPD, still had her doubts when it came to his relationship with Oswald. He could see why they were concerned, what with Penguin being one of the cities most well known criminals, but the novelty of the attention that concern had brought his way had worn off and now he just wanted to be left alone. In retrospect he guessed he should be grateful, sure people like Bullock took every opportunity to make snide comments but apart from a cautionary chat with Captain Essen his personal life had done little to get in the way of his work. That didn't mean he wanted to discuss it with Lee though. "Sure, thank you" said Lee with a smile as she accepted a chunk. Then she frowned in confusion.

"Why do you have melon anyway?"

"I was doing an experiment to clear up some facts for a stabbing case I'm working on" he explained "Don't worry, I disinfected the lab thoroughly before and after." "How reassuring" Lee grimaced, reclining Ed's offer of a second helping as she willed herself not to puke. She had dissected bodies in that lab! "Well, I had better go and chase up these files" Ed said after an awkward pause. "Good idea" Lee replied "and Ed, if you see Kristen could you tell her that I'm always free to talk if she needs me. It's just that she was looking a bit down earlier and I just want her to know that I'm there if she needs me." "I'll be sure to give her the message" Ed promised.

"So you forgive me?"