Birds of a Feather (Oswald Cobblepot)

AKA Too Familiar

   Two hours later, Trish and I are on the fire escape a few floors up from the Vaughn family apartment.

"So...why did Kilgrave refer to you by another name? Patsy?" I ask her, leaning against the black bars of the fire escape.

Trish sighs, "Patsy is...the name I used to go by. Back when...when I had my own TV show."

I gasp, "No way! You had your own television show? What was it called?"

"Uhm..." she seems more embarrassed than excited, "...It's Patsy. That's what the show was called. It was one of those dumb kids sitcoms...you know, overused plots about having crushes and failing tests...please don't tell me you have those in your universe too."

I shrug, "I don't own a TV. I might rent one once in a blue moon, but otherwise I mostly just read magazines and listen to the radio. Although a friend of mine, Barbara, she watches quite a bit of television. She's a society heiress, so she can afford all the latest technology, plus being a blond bombshell helps."

I freeze as I realize something. I point to Trish, "Actually...she kind of looks like you."

Just then, the floor beneath us begins to shift in color, the gray metal grates morphing right before our eyes. Trish and I scoot backwards as the colors form together to reveal Ed's face.

"Earth to Natalie! ...hello? Can you read me?" his voice is distant and displaced, as if it's coming from somewhere far off.

I smile, and crawl to the image, "Ed! Boy, am I glad to see you. How are you able to contact me from our universe?"

"While the transdimensional portal itself is completely...busted...I've been able to salvage some parts, and, combining them with various other pieces I found around the GCPD basement, and using the anatomical signal left from when you teleported, I located your coordinates on the time space plane and-"

"Natalie, there is a talking head on the roof of a building!" Trish cries, interrupting Ed's rambling.

Gesturing back and forth between Ed and Trish, I make the introduction, "Ed, this is Trish Walker, a resident of the alternate universe I've landed in. Trish, this is Edward Nygma, the childhood friend from my universe I was talking about."

Calming down, Trish slowly starts to collect herself, "Okay...so you've more than proved you're from an alternate universe. Now what?"

"Greetings Trish. While I can hear your voice, I'm unable to see either of you, the image I'm currently projecting is one-way I'm afraid. Are you of an alien race? Is your skin green? Can you perform telepathy?" Ed prods with enthusiasm.

I groan, "No, Ed, she's human. I understand this is a major breakthrough in science, but I would like to know if there's any chance of me getting back home."

"Oh, of course. Once I've hooked up this communicator I'm using to the proper power source, I can use it to make a very small, temporary link. Just...be ready when it does," he explains.

"And how long will that take?" I ask.

"...Several...hours. The portal's explosion caused quite a stir at the GCPD, and while I was able to place the blame on one of the janitors...it means I'm working out of my own apartment. So yeah, this will take time."

I sigh, "Well, just...try your best Ed. I know you can do this-"

"Now onto the subject of the alternate dimension you've discovered," Ed interrupts, "Nat, I would like you to take apt notes on this humanoid species-"
I shush Ed as I lean over the edge, looking out onto the street below. A car has just parked itself in front of the apartment building, just beating out a small truck that was intending on parking there as well.

The driver who'd missed the spot gets out of the truck, as Jessica Jones, Officer Vaughn, and Kilgrave get out of the other car.

"Hey man, I was about to take that spot, when you swerved ahead of me like that! You could have gotten me killed!" he cries in an angry pout.

Kilgrave leans just over his shoulder, "Tell me, are there tools in your truck?"

The man stops moving around, becoming completely still, "Yes."

"Get the smallest tool out of your truck. Stick it in your eye," he commands, before walking away, "c'mon you two."

Jessica and Officer Vaughn follow Kilgrave into the apartment building as the man slowly walks behind his truck to open up a toolbox. As Jessica closes the door behind them, a scream could be heard from behind the truck.

I turn back to Ed, "Alert me when you're finished. Otherwise, I have business to attend to in this universe."

He nods, "Roger dodger! I can't wait for you to inform me of all of your discoveries!"

Ed's form disappears, as Trish and I lean back over the fire escape.

I begin formulating a plan in my head, "Alright, we wait for Kilgrave to leave Jessica on her own, then we approach her with caution. If she's still under Kilgrave's control we can either meet her later or, if she's able to, allow her to give us some intel on Kilgrave's powers. She's spending all that time around him, she's bound to learn something."

"Doesn't sound like the most stable idea...but it's not like I could come up with something better," Trish tells me.

Someone opens a window on the floor of the Vaughn family apartment. I glance up and realize that it's Kilgrave, looking over the city.

"My...what a beautiful day," he sighs, resting his arms on the windowsill.

I start climbing up one more floor, but Trish grabs my arm, and gives me a warning glance. But when Kilgrave walks back inside, leaving the window open, I continue walking down towards the apartment. I reach the window, and looking inside, I spot Kilgrave sprawled out on the couch, Jessica standing over him. She's uncharacteristically still, and Kilgrave has a satisfactory smirk on his face.

"Oh, it's good to have you back Jessica. You know I...I genuinely missed you. That's not something that happens to me all that often. Missing someone...usually I can just command them over here," he speaks freely, confirming that he doesn't know we're here.

"That's why I needed you back. I was reckless, leaving you alone long enough that my powers wore off. Now we know: no more than ten hours. Course I can just have you follow me around everywhere, but hey...even I need my alone time."

He glances her over a couple times more before gesturing to the couch, "Sit next to me, Jess."

Without hesitation, she strides up to the couch, before turning around in a robotic fashion, sitting on the couch with an unusual slowness. Kilgrave wraps his arm around her, inching himself closer to her. Turning toward her, he commands,

"Now...kiss me."

She puts her hand on his shoulder and kisses him on the cheek. He closes his eyes and smiles, but this only lasts for a second. He grabs Jessica by the arm, yanking her forward.

"Awe...you call that a kiss, Jessica? Don't be so shy," even as Kilgrave smiles, Jessica remains unflinching, frozen in her position.

Kilgrave rolls his eyes, "Oh, why must you be so difficult? Kiss me. And mean it."

Jessica leaps on top of Kilgrave's lap, holding his head in both hands as she buries her lips into his. As I watch all of this, my stomach starts to twist. This is all so uneasy, uncomfortable, and yet, somehow, all too familiar.

Soon, Kilgrave pulls Jessica away and stands up, "Alright, enough of that. But there'll be more where that came from tonight, I can promise you that. Now, I've got some business to take care of. While I'm away, patrol the area, and if you see your two little friends, Patsy and the lady cop, I want you to kill them. And make it hurt."

He grabs his coat and walks out the door. Jessica stands and walks into another room. I slump back and sigh.

"Gross," Trish shakes her head, "I can't believe that sick bastard uses her like that."

"Yeah...it's...terrible," I mumble in response, partially lost in my own thoughts.

My plans fly out the window as someone grabs Trish from behind. I turn around to find Jessica, strangling Trish with a single grip. Even under Kilgrave's control, there's still a pain in her eyes.