The Flightless

Year One

I follow the cops to the precinct. As we all pile out, Harvey Bullock grabs my arm.

"Waller isn't going to let you within 3 feet of this place."

"I'm going to see him, Harvey."

The old man sighs. "Meet me around back. I'll sneak you in."

I jog around to the backside of the building and pace, endlessly. If anyone could get my husband thrown behind bars, I don't doubt it would be Amanda Waller. She wouldn't have ordered the warrant without hard evidence. She wouldn't have left something so crucial up to chance. If there was any chance Oswald could wiggle his way out of punishment, she would've eliminated it.

If Penguin has any last tricks up his sleeve, he better use them now.

Harvey finally opens the door nearly an hour later. The downtrodden look on his face tells all.

"It's not good, Sera."

I follow him through the dark, narrow hallways. He stands guard at the interrogation room as I quietly enter.

Oswald's cuffed. Blood spills from his nose and lip.

"Oh my god."

"Sera?" He glances up from his chains. "What— what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here. She'll imprison you, too. She'll—"

I gently rest my hand on his cheek. "Shh. It's okay. We can figure something out. We can get you out of this."

"No! No, my dear. We can't do that. Not this time."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There's no way out for me. She has me lock and key."

"You're giving up? Os, you've never gone quietly. You've never surrendered like this. What's going on?"

My husband sweetly kisses the palm of my hand. "There's no lie I can fabricate. No bribery or threat can sway her. I'm to be tried tomorrow morning in front of a federal court, and I will be sentenced to 20 years in Blackgate Penitentiary."

All hopefulness falls from my heart. Despair quickly takes its place. In 20 years, I'll be 46. Dinah will be almost 22. He will miss her entire childhood. He will never watch her walk or learn to speak. Oswald will miss everything.

My daughter will be without her father. She'll hear fond stories and look at pictures, but it'll never be the same as having him at her side. For 2 decades, my daughter will never be able to hug her dad.

And that thought breaks my heart.

"Don't do this," I plead. "Don't give in so easily. Oswald, you have so much power! You have so much influence in Gotham, you could—"

He wipes a tear from my cheek. "I'm not thinking about just myself, anymore. I have to protect you and Dinah, the ones I love more than anything. Can you check on Edward every now and then? He's being sent to Arkham. I'm sure he wouldn't mind a visitor."

"I can, but I—"

Footsteps sound through the hallway. Oswald's calm, content demeanor fades into something akin to frantic. He squeezes both of my hands.

"Listen to me, Sera Gordon. You cannot come see me. Don't bring Dinah to see me. Forget about me. Divorce me," he begs. "Let me rot in Blackgate. She'll use anything to come after you. She's waiting on you to mess up. Please, listen to me and get out of Gotham. Change your names. Move far away from here. You don't want to know what horrors Waller has planned for you."

Poice break into the door. Their hands wrap around my shoulders, and I don't protest. I let them drag me out.

"No, I can't do that."