Stitches

Chapter 42 'Dead'

I stood there as the assistants put Sophia's bags in the trunk of the car.
"It's not too late to reconsider," I mumbled to Carmine. He put his hand up, telling me to stop. I nod and stay quiet, knowing that there's nothing I can do to change his mind.
"Another day, another man sending me out of Gotham," Sophia said as she walked towards Carmine and Jim.
"We're both just trying to keep you alive," Jim said, "Keep telling yourselves that, but what I know is that neither of you believed in me, could've been so different" She said, I watched as she placed a kiss on Jim's lips, stunned, no one had told me they had... SOMETHING. Knowing Sophia it wasn't something serious.

Carmine said his goodbyes to Jim and walked towards Sophia.
"Everything I did was for your love, but that doesn't matter does it?" Sophia said, "What matters is that after everything you've done, I still consider you my daughter," Carmine answered.
I sighed and looked away, I could see the pain in Sophia's eyes. She's always wanted approval from Carmine, Mario was always one step above her... And me... Well, I've always been the perfect older sister... Sort of.

I watched as Sophia went to pick a rose from the rose bush. I walked towards Carmine and said, "Don't be so harsh with her," He looked at me, a dead serious expression on his face.
"Get down!" I heard Jim yell, I saw a black truck driving towards us, I shielded myself using my abilities, a few bullets managed to graze me before I put up my shield, ripping a bit of my outfit.

I didn't hear anymore shots, and I took my shield off. I looked around seeing if anyone was hurt, then I saw Carmine, dead on the floor, blood leaking from his body. I gasped and stood back, a mixture of shock and sadness stirred up inside me. I saw Jim comforting Sophia, I snapped out of it as I saw blood on Sophia's hands, I ran towards her, almost pushing Jim off her.
"Sophia, where's the wound?" I asked, I saw the bullet wound on her stomach,
"This is going to hurt... A lot," I said, I reached in and pulled out the bullet from her wound, she cried out in pain, grabbing Jim's hand.

I channeled my abilities and placed my hand on her wound, cauterizing it so it wouldn't bleed on the way to the hospital. I looked back, I didn't even notice that I had tears falling from my eyes. Another father, dead...

🔪

A few days later..

I walked towards the secretary behind the desk, "Valleta, I'm here to see my sister, Sofia Falcone," She nods and gives me directions to her room.
I knocked on the door and entered, I saw Sofia on her wheelchair, sitting in front of the window.

"Hey," I walked towards her, "You ready?" I asked. She nods silently with a sad smile and we made our way towards the funeral. Once there, we both sat at the front row, out of the corner of my eye I saw Penguin and Zsasz sitting on the front row next to us.

"What the hell?" I whispered to myself, the funeral started, I could see many people here out of respect, others just because they wanted to see if Don Falcone was actually dead. Then people started paying their respects, including Zsasz who I saw put a bullet on Carmine's suit as a sign of respect.

After that, people started leaving. I knew my father well, even though he said hurtful things to Sofia, I know he still loved her. Hell, I still loved him even though he sent me and my mother away.

"It was Penguin, he did this," Sofia whispered to me, I looked at her, shocked that she would even make such an accusation. "I will get him for this, even if its the last thing I do," she said,
"Are you sure it was him? " I asked, she nods and I answer, "Fine but be careful, Oswald has Gotham in his clammy hands," We both stifled a laugh as we looked over at Oswald, "He does have really weird hands," Sofia said.

Penguin walked over to us, "I had great respect for your father, once he's in the ground you—" Jim cut off Penguin, getting in front of him and making him back off. Jim took Sofia's wheelchair and we left.

🔪

I went to the nightclub Carmine left me, looking around as I walked in, he had the club renovated to fit my aesthetic.
It seemed to be very popular, I recognized a few criminals, gang members, mob bosses who just wanted to drink and relax, crooked cops who did their crooked deals, even some cultists who followed Jerome.

I sat on a bar stool, "What'll it be, boss?" The bartender asked, I looked at his name tag and said, "I don't wanna remember my name, got that, Mike?"
He nods and starts getting my drink.
He serves me my drink and says, "Rough night?"

I scoff and take the drink, "Watching my father die and then having to bury him? Yeah, I'd say it was rough,"
"The Don was your father? I thought he only had two kids," He says, throwing a rag over his shoulder.
I shook my head as I took a sip of my drink, "Adopted," I answered.

"Anyways, Sofia thinks that Penguin might've had somethin' to do with this," I said then chugged down my drink, "You think she's right?" He asked as he grabbed my glass,
"She might be, I'm not sure though," I said, just then I saw Zsasz walk in.
"Speaking of, Zsasz! What can I do ya for?" I asked as he walked towards me.

Mike placed two glasses of whiskey in front of me, Zsasz took the other one.
"Penguin says he didn't kill Don Falcone," he said, taking a sip from his drink. "You believe him?" I asked,
"I had respect for the Don but Penguin's my new boss, whether he did it or not shouldn't matter to me..." He said, staring at his drink in contemplation.

"So ya don't believe him," I answered, he nods softly and I said, "Me neither,"
"But innocent till proven guilty, and Sofia will let all hell loose to prove him guilty"