My Life in Gotham

17.0

[Aubrey]

3 Months Later

Butch and I are trying to figure out where to live. We've been bouncing from state to state.

"What about Florida?" Butch asks as we sit in a diner booth.

"Maybe. It has a good club scene."

"That's what you want to do?" He asks as he sips his Coke. "Open a club?"

"Why not? It's what we know. Between what you learned from Fish, what we learned from Penguin and I from Barbara, I think we should be good." Butch shrugs.

"Sounds good to me." I go to grab my glass of water when I feel a sharp pain. "Babe. You alright?"

"No." I say. "I feel... I feel like I just got stabbed in the heart."

"Do you want to leave?" You shake your head.

"No. It's probably nothing." We continue to eat but I still feel the pain in my heart.

We leave the diner and I see a payphone outside.

"Aubrey? What are you doing?"

"I have to make a call." I dig in my bag and pull some change out and dial. I anxiously wait as the phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Barbara?"

"Everyone out." She says on the other end. "Aubrey. I—is that really you?"

"Yeah Barbs. It's me. Look, I don't have long but I felt something. Something bad."

"Aubrey..." Barbara says.

"Just say it Barbara. I gotta hear it."

"She's gone." I clutch the phone as I cry.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should have been there."

"No. You need to be alive. I can't bear losing you both. Is Butch with you?"

"Of course."

"Take care of each other." She says. "Promise me."

"I promise."

"And stay away from Gotham. Get as far away as possible you understand?"

"Yeah." I nod. "I love you Barbara."

"I love you too Aubrey. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." I hang up the phone and step away. Butch comes up to me.

"Tabby?" I nod my head and Butch pulls me into his arms as I cry heavily.

"I should have been there Butch. I should have been there to say goodbye."

"Penguin would have killed you too. You know that."

"But still... she's my sister. She doesn't even know I'm alive. She thinks I'm dead. She thinks that we're all gonna be together but we're not. I left her alone. When she needs me the most, I'm not there."

"You can't blame yourself for that." Butch says. "It's not your fault. Penguin was going to come for her anyway."

"I know but... I just wish I had more time." I say through my tears. "I wish I could see her again." Butch wipes my tears. "Barbara says to get as far away from Gotham as possible."

"You wanted to go back?" I shake my head.

"I have no reason to anymore." I feel like a huge hole has been shot through my chest. I thought I grieved when Butch died but this... this is much worse.

"So... how far were you thinking?"