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What are friends for?

Ed had finally had enough of seeing Kristen be hurt and abused by that nasty, sad excuse for a Cop. He was still unsure on his relationship with her, whether they were friends or colleagues, but he just knew that no one deserved to be treated the way Tom treated her. It made him think back to his dad -an abusive man who believed violence was the answer to all of his problems. She deserved so much better. And Ed was not going to let it continue.

That's how he ended up hiding outside Kristen's in his car, watching out for Tom. He knew they were supposed to have a date today so he should run into him. A knife sat in his pocket but he was still concerned over why he brought it in the first place. He thought it was his subconscious telling him to have protection in case something went wrong, but some part of him thought that bringing it was for a different reason entirely.

After an hour or so of waiting, Dougherty finally came walking down the street towards Kristen's place, and Ed quickly jumped out the car. "Stop right there buster!"

"Riddle man?" The cop asked confused and annoyed as he looked at him, and began to approach him instead "what the hell are you doing creeping around here?"

"You need to leave Miss Kringle alone"

"What?" He continued to approach, and Ed's hands shook slightly as he stood his ground.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt her ever again. I think you need to leave Gotham, tonight"

Tom laughed and stopped a few steps away from Ed, "Oh I get it now. You've got a thing for my girl! That's too funny. What about your man, Penguin? Got tired of him already or have you seen him for the psycho he really is?"

How dare he even think to say those words? To imply that? "You're wrong. I love him, and I'd be dammed if that ever changed. I'm here as a friend"

Tom just laughed again as if the idea of him and Kristen being friends was a joke, and placed a hand on his shoulder gripping it hard. "Don't take this personal"

Before Ed could even react, a fist flew straight into his stomach causing him to double over in pain, falling to his knees. What are you gonna do about it? He shook as he quickly grabbed the knife, and Tom yanked him back to his feet chuckling, "You want some more? Upsie dais-"

The cop's eyes widen in shock as Ed drove the knife straight into his chest in a panic, hands trembling as he pulled it back out in just the same amount of shock. "Oh dear..." Tom moved to grab him and Ed stabbed him again and again and again, until he had fallen to his knees leant back to stare at him.

"Riddle man..." Was his very last words before collapsing.

"Oh dear. Oh dear,  oh no" Stumblimg away from the body he began to panic more, gasping as he struggled to breath. His heart hammered in his chest as he looked at the dead body, then at the bloody knife caught between a laugh and a cry. "Oh dear, oh dear"

He dropped the knife, almost certain he had heard himself laugh, though the only thing coming out of his mouth was the sound if him hyperventilating. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and called the only person he could think of to help him.

___

Oswald wasn't bothered about Ed calling him in the middle of the night. What he was bothered by was his panicked and hysterical voice on the verge of tears, desperately trying to tell him something through a riddle. He asked Ed to just tell him what was wrong, when he sobbed out that he had killed someone and needed his help. It was troubling, to say the least, but Oswald had dressed himself in record speed, called Gabe to pick him up, and raced down to where Ed was.