Innocence || Gotham

ELEVEN

It took Tabitha another two hours to show up, arriving promptly at two o' clock in the morning. Dressed in her signature black leather and high ponytail, she strutted into the main room with a bored look on her face.

It took another fifteen minutes for the two to sneak to Reece's apartment building and another ten to climb to one of the higher floors on the fire escape.

Evelyn sits on the fire escape, looking through the window to make sure there was no other presence. Her eyes land on Reece passed out on the couch with a bottle in one hand and the remote in the other. The light of the television reflects off him, indicating he didn't willingly go to sleep.

She frowns before slowly pulling open the window (with the help of Tabitha, of course) and climbing inside. Tabitha grabs her upper arm, stopping her from entering.

"Make it quick," she commands, her tone threatening. Evelyn nods in agreement before taking gentle steps towards her sleeping brother.

She looks at the television, the muted news report showing images of the day's little crime. Cameras only got the group zooming away and Arnold dead with a bullet in his head. The cheerleaders had been saved.

The cops killed him? She questions to herself before looking over at Tabitha who's sharpening a dagger. No, Galavan did. Is that why Tabitha's here? To kill her?

Quickly, she shakes her older brother awake, him mumbling in response before slowly fluttering his crusted shut eyes open. Dark chocolate brown eyes widen after a few seconds of realization.

"Evie!" He gasps, sitting up on the couch. "Wh-what are you doing here?" He looks past her, noticing the beautiful assassin sitting at his kitchen table. "H-how—"

"Shhhh," Evelyn shushes, sitting beside him in reassurance. "It's fine. I'm not mad anymore. We'll be fine."

"Evie, you gotta get out of here," Reece breathes out, looking out the window behind him. "The cops—"

"It's two in the morning, Reece. I'll be fine," Evelyn says with a wave of dismissal. Her heart flutters with happiness at the sight of her brother—even if he isn't pretty. He still cares about his little sister, her mind tells her, a small dosage of euphoria slowly seeping in.

Reece looks at Tabitha for a few seconds before looking back at his sister. "You're part of that group, huh? The MANIAX?"

Evelyn looks back at Tabitha as well, hoping she isn't completely listening before leaning closer to her brother to whisper. "They saved me from the asylum. If I leave, I'll die."

"Saved you?" Reece repeats, eyebrows furrowing. "Evelyn, That Asylum was good for you. It helped you."

"You don't really believe that, do you?" Evelyn questions, looking at him with confusion. How could he? He saw the way she looked, the miserable way she moved, her lack of voice. That was good for her?

No, she denies inwardly. Not good for her, good for everyone else. Without her, life would be slightly safer.

"Reece—"

"Just stay the fuck away from them, alright? They aren't your friends, they'll just get you in trouble," Reece says, looking back at Tabitha. She lifts her head, watching and listening to the siblings' conversation. "Turn yourself in—"

"I can't do that." Evelyn scoffs, rising from her seat. Reece flinches at the motion, but she ignores it. "I don't want to do that. Don't you see? If I'm here, we can be a family.

"Evie—"

"It's just me and you, Reece," she interrupts, eyes narrowing at her brother, yet slightly pleading. He has to understand. Why isn't he understanding? "It always has been. Me and you against the world! I'm sorry it took me forever to realize it and I hope you can forgive me, but we're perfect now." A small dose of pride surges through her at the thought of them.