What Will It Take, Victor Zsasz?

Goodbye.

Victor stared into the eyes of the man who had killed Gerald, a face he recognised yet knew was not the boy he had known.

While the shock took over Victor watched as Carmine hugged the man, congratulating him on doing "a good deed". Though Victor was not sure if it was for ones own survival or because the Boss had instructed.

"Victor Zsasz, well I'll be damned! I haven't seen you since I was what, seventeen?" His voice was deeper now, his face had matured considerably in the last years.

"Mario.. Great shot kid!" Victor finally laughed, a large grin growing on his face as he stared at the Don's son. One he had once sworn to protect.

"Learned from the best." Mario joked, reminding Victor of when he had snuck him out late at night and taught him to shoot. How Carmine had been annoyed that he had been trying to 'corrupt' the quiet and intelligent boy.

Only a year later and Carmine had sent both of his children elsewhere. Both left Gotham to be protected and so the empire had grown.

"Boss, for a minute there you had me worried." Victor looked at the old man as he smirked in response.

"You? Worried? Sorry son, I should have told you but for Mario's sake, I thought it best to keep his presence hidden." The old man smiled once again, the moment cut short as they heard a gun shot outside. Reminding them all that this battle was not yet won.

Victor headed off, instructing the two Falcone men to stay within the safety of the office until it was clear. By the time he reached the entrance, he realised only a few fighters remained. Their own men standing tall as the final Irish men were brought fourth by his own, each with their heads hung low.

"Send word to your own, Gerald is dead. Your Boss is gone, so are any quarrels he had. Anyone else shows up, now, ten years, ever; I'll see too it that their wives suffer at my hands, everything they had will be turned to ash." Victors tone grew darker by the second, something made him snap inside.

They had won, so why did he want to slaughter the rest. He had woken a monster and it now refused to sleep, it had been suppressed for too long. Forced into hibernation by the one he loved the most.

"Go." His voice was barely audible, most would not have heard the low growl that had come from within. Though the fear filled eyes and bodies scrambling to their feet before him let him know they had heard well enough.

****

"I'm home!" Victor called out the moment he stepped through the door, smiling widely as his three babies came running to greet him. Kneeling to stroke each of them he sighed, he had really missed his cats.

The car ride home had been hot and stuffy but Falcone had insisted he had a ride, plus he had binned the disguise. If he was to get on a train looking like.. well, him. There would be nothing but panic and chaos. With the mood he had been when he left he knew it would have become a blood bath and fast.

A note had been left on his counter, his maid had complained that Dalila and Forrest had attacked her. It wasn't his fault that they disapproved of her, they loved Cara.

Cara.

He had almost forgotten. He was here.

In Gotham.

Victor grabbed his phone and called Janice, it had been nearly two weeks since he had left. She had last called him when Cara woke up, that was five days ago now.

"Hello?" Janice's whispered voice floated into Victors ears.

"Janice, it's Victor. I've just gotten home, how is she?" Victors tone was full of urgency, he needed to know if she remembered, what she remembered.

"I'm glad to hear your safe. She is asleep, I'm staying on her couch for a while. She is meant to be on bed rest mostly but she gets better each day." Janice whispered again, though Victor could hear the sadness in her tone.

"Has she remembered?" The question seemed to float around for a while, on each end of the line they knew the answer would cause nothing but pain.

"No. She knows some things.. Jim came and told her about her job, Barnes visited too and she can go back once she is healed. I'm sorry Victor, she barely remembers anything. She cried when she saw Smudge, claims she would never get a cat." Janice sighed before continuing. "You know you can't come here, don't you?" She asked, though the question was rhetorical she paused for his response.

In her silence Victor heard the familiar squeak of a door followed by a mumble. Cara's voice filled his ears, it was tired, croaky and weak but it was her.

"Who are you talking to? Do you have a boyfriend you haven't told me about?" Cara spoke, she groaned slightly making Victor wonder if she was still struggling to walk.

He felt his heart warm for a moment, almost laughing about the irony of the situation. Not so long ago it was Cara with the secret boyfriend, it was her who couldn't tell anyone.

"I've got to go, I hope you fare well. I really do." Janice spoke abruptly then hung up, yet the softness in her tone still seemed genuine enough.

Victor frowned at his phone, knowing that he wouldn't have the chance to see her again. Once she returned to work, she would know nothing about him other than his criminal record. If he saw her before, she would only hate him once she knew.

Victor balled his fists, anger fuelled his body as he promised he would leave her behind. Let her live her life, knowing nothing of his world.

"Goodbye, Cara."

Victor whispered to himself, allowing for the emptiness to return to him.

He was back. Back in Gotham, back where Hero's never lived and Villains never died.

He was home.