Birds of a Feather (Oswald Cobblepot)

A Loss of Romance

    Renee Montoya looks out the window in her parents' apartment in the middle of downtown Blüdhaven. She washes dishes over the sink as she watches police sirens flash in and out between skyscrapers. Only a few days ago that would have been her, in one of those rinky dink cars. Patrolling the city, day in and day out. But now that's gone, taken away from her.

Maybe she never should've paired up with Barbara again. Her life of high society, carefree, high risk high reward lifestyle just doesn't fit Renee. Barbara dressing up in a costume, designing military grade equipment and deciding to go out and fight crime was the least of Renee's worries. At least then she was working towards something.

The Barbara Renee knew in college had no goals, no ambitions. As long as she could look good for the boys, get hammered, and then go sneak off to sleep with the girls all on her parents' dime, she was content. And she was content because her parents were also content. They'd rather think their daughter's an empty-headed society heiress than accept that she might be happier with a woman.

Renee sighs, setting down a cleaned dish. As much as she bashed on Barbara's lifestyle, she had to admit it was alluring to her, even now. Sure, she had ambitions, getting a degree in general law before going to police academy. But...something led her into Barbara's life, and therefore her lifestyle. She didn't know whether to blame Barbara or herself.

"Is...is everything okay, Renee?"

She turns to see her mother, a short elderly woman in a floral nightgown and fuzzy slippers. She looks upon her daughter with kind eyes, as she walks towards her.

"I...I'm fine, Mami."

Renee's mother places her hand on top of Renee's, "I know how hard this has been for you, being let go so suddenly. But don't think this changes my and your Papi's opinion of you. You're a smart girl, there will be other opportunities-"

"It's not that I was let go...it was just...why I was let go," images of those photos of her and Barbara flash through her mind, the memory permanently seared into her brain.

Her mother's eyes turn to worry, as she squeezes her hand, "Renee...why were you let go?"

Tears begin brimming in her eyes, and she lowers her head, hiding them from her mother, "I...I don't know."

Before she can say anymore, Renee stomps off, down the hallway and to her room. No way, she could ever tell her mother. She already had enough to worry about, with her only daughter losing her job, and with Papi in the hospital. Without her job, how were they going to pay for the bills?

Usually in these situations Renee would ask Barbara for money. Usually she wouldn't even need to ask. Barbara was always the type to throw money at a problem to make it go away. Something she inherited from her parents no doubt. But now that was impossible. Barbara was just as off-the-grid as she was. Renee had always used her own apartment address when working at the GCPD, and her parents' landlord isn't registered, since some of the people in the building are illegal immigrants, so there's no way Barbara could know where she is. But at least that means the Talons can't find her either. Right?

    I walk into work at the GCPD only to have Ed grab me by the shoulder, maintaining an unusually upright posture as he does so.

"Uhm...Ed...you do know I have work to do-"

"Not as important as this," he insists, his voice a low mumble.

I sigh, "It's gonna take time to repair your interdimensional portal, Ed. In the meantime, I've gotta make up the work I've missed while away in the alternate universe-"

Ed stops pulling me as we arrive in a relatively empty hallway, right near the Evidence Archive room...Evidence Archives...I'm beginning to realize what this is about...

From out of his front lab pocket he pulls out a piece of green paper, clearing his throat.

"Dear Ms. Kringle, your eyes are as green as a meadow. Your smile is as bright as the sun. Your skin is as white as a snowflake. It seems like your life is fun."

I chuckle, "Ed? You didn't write that for-"

"For Ms. Kringle? Affirmative, Nat. This is the seventeenth, and, hopefully, final revision of the poem I will present to her," he explains, "so...what do you think?"

"It's...it's really sweet, Ed," I glance up at him, putting my hand on his shoulder, "G-...good luck."

He frowns, squeezing the poem in his hands. He then perks up a bit, lifting his shoulders.

"I could write you a poem as well," he offers.

Raising an eyebrow, I ask, "It's not going to transport me to an alternate universe, is it?"

    The phone rings just as I get back to my apartment. Setting down my policeman's jacket, I answer it.

"Natalie, it's Amanda. I got your message, you spotted Harrison Wells?"

"Yeah, but you may have gotten around to me a bit too late. He's probably long gone by now," I explain, sitting down on the couch.

"Regardless, any information on his whereabouts would be useful. What was he after?" she asks.

I should leave Ed out of this. Knowing Amanda, if she found out I have connections to someone who'd built a dimension-hopping machine, she'd probably want me to steal it for her.

"Someone at the GCPD...they supposedly built some sort of...trans-dimensional device. He wanted to use it to get back to his own time."

"Of all places to find a trans-dimensional device...a police station? Natalie, are you sure of this?"

I nod, "I'm sure. He tried rewiring the device to-"

"Trixie!"

I whip around to find Oswald at the doorway, his hand gripping the edge, "We're scheduled to be at Maroni's in an hour, and you haven't even changed."

Still clutching the phone receiver, I start backing away from him, "Amanda...something's come up-"

"Oh? Your employer?" Oswald questions, hobbling over towards me.

I try to keep the phone away from him, but his longer arms and larger hands snatch it away from me. Twirling the phone cord in his fingers, Oswald speaks into the receiver, "Hello? This is Oswald Cobblepot speaking, so glad to finally be able to meet your acquaintance."

"Cobblepot? Natalie, what is going on-"

"I'll have you know that Trixie is no longer in your service. Because, well, to put it simply...she belongs to me."

Slamming the receiver onto the rotary, Oswald gives an excited smirk, "Well...are we going to dinner, or not?"

"You had no right!" I snap as I grab the receiver, "That was my business-"

He puts his hand on top of mine, twisting his lips, "Hmph...may I remind you that 'your business'...is my business. Unless you would like to be collecting your dear friends in body bags. Oh...Renee's dear parents would be so upset...Barbara's parents though...not so much..."

Grimacing, I swallow with a bitter sigh, "I'll get dressed."

Closing the distance between the two of us, Oswald runs his hands through my hair, "...good girl."