Novella wanted nothing more than to go back and talk to Jerome Valeska. It wasn't that she wanted to see him exactly, but she wanted the information he had. She'd already pestered Barbara a few more times over the phone but to no avail. She would ask Jim again, but the first time hadn't gone wonderfully. It had actually involved Jim tensing up so much that Novella was close to calling the Paramedics to take care of him. She didn't want to chance him actually needing a doctor.
Unfortunately, she could not see Valeska for at least another day or two. With Falcone's death, Victor was in an odd mood - not exactly mourning but not exactly himself - and the underground was in a tizzy. She'd had multiple calls from Caspian, each one more frantic than the next. Apparently, people thought that if Falcone could be hit then anyone could be next. Novella had to resist the urge to tell Caspian to grab those bastards by their suspenders and tell them that if they were gonna be hit it didn't have a damn to do with the Don's death. She was proud that she'd only said to use force if necessary, but otherwise to use words.
She pulled herself out of her self-satisfaction to finish getting ready. The funeral for Falcone was supposed to start in an hour, but Victor wanted to make sure he was there in time to survey everything. She'd had to start getting ready three hours in advance because of how bad Victor hogged the bathroom when he wanted to look his best.
"Vic, are you ready to go?" Novella called from the front door where she was putting in one of her diamond studs.
She didn't receive a verbal answer but was met with a blank-faced Victor coming around the bend of their hallway. His neutral expression was soon replaced with a small smile when he saw her.
"You look good." He went over to her and pulled her hand into his and rubbed a finger along the ring she'd stolen from him a couple years ago. Apparently, they were both remembering that night because they shared a knowing look with each other before Victor became serious again. "Thank you for coming with me."
"Hey," she looked at him and pulled him into a hug, "we're a team, you and me. What kind of a teammate would I be if I let you do this alone?"
Victor nodded at her words and kissed her forehead. It was one of the rare occasions when she didn't have a streak of lilac falling over her face and he liked it. He could see her whole face without having to move her hair. It wasn't that he didn't love her hair, because he did, he just loved seeing her face too, and the thick braid she'd pulled her hair back into allowed him to see it.
"I know you have trouble with emotions and all, but I think you loved him in your own way." She pulled away from him slightly to grab a set of their car keys. "It's okay to mourn him and its okay if you do that by avenging him. Whatever you decide, I'll be right beside you to tell you when you've gone too far."
Novella grabbed his hand and pulled him to the elevator and then out of the lobby. The ride to the church was spent in silence; Novella knew that Victor didn't want to talk and that was okay. He worked through things in silence and then acted. This process of his didn't scare Novella, what unnerved her though was the fact that she didn't know what consequences would come of it.
•*•*•*•
The wooden seat that Novella sat on was extremely uncomfortable, even with the small bit of padding that they called a cushion. The tulle skirt she had on, that extended to just below her knee, was providing some extra comfort, but that was negated by the itchy feeling that ran down every cell the fabric touched.
She tried to look attentive when people came up to talk to her and whenever Oswald would ask her a question over Victor, but she just couldn't. It was impossible for her to be entirely present with all the death surrounding her. Funerals had never been her thing, not that they really were anybody's thing, but she assumed she disliked them more than most.
They reminded her that the love of her life was a murderer. They reminded her that he put people in caskets and caused families to mourn. Sometimes she could block out those thoughts, but only sometimes. Whenever those thoughts popped up she had to remember that most people he dealt with were already criminals, but it only helped a little bit. To her, those people still had families just like her Victor had her waiting for him back at home.
To escape the thoughts that were making the funeral even worse, Novella scanned the room. She saw Sofia Falcone being rolled in and then she saw Jim approach the injured woman.
She tried redirecting him with her mind but to no avail. He still walked up to her and they still engaged in a conversation that Novella could tell was going to leave Jim in fits.
She observed the interaction between her father and Sofia Falcone with little interest. Making sure that she would be able to interject should something happen, but also taking care to not give away her eavesdropping. Apparently, Sofia wanted Penguin arrested but Jim didn't have enough proof —it was all very fishy to Novella.
She was brought out of her thoughts by Victor stirring beside her. He moved with grace and purpose up to the casket that held Carmine Falcone and dislodged a bullet from his gun. Novella knew this meant something to Victor, and probably to all hitmen, to lay a bullet in the casket with his boss.
He marched back down the aisle and only took a pause to wait at the end of Novie's row with an extended hand. She took it, wrapped her arm over his and together they walked out of that building without so much as a glance at the livid Penguin.
•*•*•*•
"How are you doing, Vic?" Novella grabbed onto Victor's hand that was hanging rather stiffly by his side. He'd been tense all afternoon and she could only guess at why.
"I'm fine, Nove, I am," he said, but she could tell he was holding something back. Maybe it was the way he seemed to bite his tongue or the way she could just see the gears going in his head.
"What're you about to do?" He gave her a face like he had no idea what she was talking about. She just raised her eyebrow like a disappointed parent. "Vic, we've been together for a while now meaning I know you well enough to know that face means trouble. You should know me well enough to know I'll dive head first into it with you."
Victor let out a laugh at the intent look on Novella's face. He didn't want her to be there when he betrayed Penguin, but he knew she'd insist,
"Penguin killed Falcone."
"I know. What're you gonna do about it?" She remembered asking that question just the other day. At that point, he'd said 'something horrific' she didn't know where he stood now.
"I'm going to call your dad."
•*•*•*•
Victor had most definitely called Jim and had done the one thing nobody except for Novie, could've seen coming. Victor betrayed Penguin. Novella didn't see how Victor could stomach to be around Penguin, especially after the call he'd made, but somehow he was able to, even as Penguin kept berating him.
"How is Jim Gordon beating us?!"
Novella rolled her eyes at the man that was just a little shorter than her. The action caused Penguin to turn on her, but just as he was about to yell at her, Victor stole the conversation back. But not without squeezing her hand just a little tighter to let her know to control herself.
"Well, every cop in Gotham is behind him. I'm guessing he has great leadership skills." Victor said in a blunt tone that Novella loved. That voice was her favorite part of his job — the one he used to sass and command respect. Not many could pull it off, but he did it so damn well.
"Victor, when this is said and done, you and I need to have a frank discussion about chain of command."
At Penguin's words, Novella felt every muscle tense up in Victor's body. If there was one thing he hated it was when people tried to put him under them. He wasn't a submissive person, it was one of his best and worse traits seeing as it had caused one or two arguments between him and herself.
"But now go do something horrific! Show the GCPD exactly-"
Novella had been expecting it when Jim walked in and she was prepared for Victor pulling his gun. She knew every move that was being made and yet it still made her nervous - not that she'd let anyone know that. It was an effort for Novella to keep her posture nonchalant, standing beside her hitman, leaning into his side.
"Oswald Cobblepot! You're under arrest."
Novella felt Victor shift her from his side to just barely behind him. It wasn't noticeable, but she guessed it made him feel as if she were safe, just in case bullets started flying.
"Have you completely lost your mind?" Oswald asked in a mocking tone as he looked back at his guards. The men had their guns trained on the group that Jim had brought, but that didn't seem to phase the police.
"Nobody has to die. We only want Cobblepot." Novella locked eyes with Jim, but the man's stone cold facade never faltered. She could tell he was worried for her though, he'd just gotten better at hiding it.
"Well, see, Jim, that's a problem, as they work for me." Novella had to keep up her own mask and not roll her eyes at the show Oswald was giving. His breathy chuckles and flamboyant gestures were enough to make anyone want to stop him. "But just so I know, what's the charge?"
"Murder."
Oswald's mocking manner died on the spot and was replaced with anger. Novella could've almost believed it hadn't been him who killed Falcone, but she trusted Victor's judgment.
"Enough. Enough! I did not kill Don Falcone, and I dare you to prove otherwise."
Novella looked away from the conversation and to Victor who had let his gun fall to his side. He was getting ready for the question to come. They both were. She refrained from putting a hand on his back instead settling for a brush of her knuckles on his.
"It's not for Falcone. I'm arresting you for the murder of the boy you blew up under the Crown Point Bridge."
Oswald once again broke into a fit of snickers causing Jim to become frustrated.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Oswald started and once again let out those breathy chuckles, "Well, everything actually, 'cause, 'cause, you see, he's not dead. I only faked his death so that Sofia Falcone couldn't use him against me."
That smug look of his was back and all Novella wanted to do was get rid of it. She might not have been absolutely sure that he was the killer, but if anyone deserved to be locked up it was Penguin.
"She's the one who told you I killed him, isn't she?"
"Then where is he?" Jim asked him. Novella looked at her father in the face, right into those eyes they shared and she nothing. It was like he was a shell. He should've been ecstatic, getting the one thing he'd been wanting for so long, but something was wrong with him. Novie only hoped he hadn't found out about her little trip to Arkham, or that she planned on going back.
"He, uh I don't know. Victor took him out of Gotham. Tell him."
"What's to tell?" The rhetorical question came out and Novella knew the rest was coming after Victor deemed the silence had drawn enough anticipation. He'd told her that he wanted to see the smugness turn to confusion and then rage right before his eyes and time was the only thing that would make sure he saw each emotion. "You blew that kid sky-high."
"What?" Oswald's mouth dropped and he looked at Victor with wide eyes. Novella could only barely suppress her grin.
"You sent that pipsqueak to kingdom come," Victor said in his deep drawling voice. He kept both eyes on the now speechless Penguin as he moved Novella entirely behind him - not caring that it showed exactly how much they meant to each other. Everybody already knew anyway.
"No. That's not true." Oswald turned from Victor to Jim, giving Gordon a pleading look.
"And I'll testify to that."
As if in a desperate plea for help, Oswald finally found Novie's blue eyes. "You were there. Tell them."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Novella said while keeping unwavering eye contact with Penguin. She then turned her attention to her father, "Jim, you and I both know Victor would spazz if I had been there."
"What?" Oswald's voice was no more than a breath.
"Look," Victor says, taking Oswald's attention from Novie for the second time that day as he put his gun away, "I ain't taking the rap for no kid murder. Novie'd murder me if I iced a kid."
Oswald starts screaming incoherently and Novella watched as her father pulls him back. Somehow Victor managed to shield her even more from the possible threat.
"Hey! Get him out of here!" Jim says to one of his cops.
"You are lying! You are a lying traitor! Victor Zsasz is a liar! No! I will kill you! Traitor!" Oswald's words ring in the air and Novella had never wanted to rip out someone's tongue more. Nobody messed with her hit-man, except her.
"Touch him and I'll kill you." Novella's voice rang through the club like a crack of thunder. For a second Oswald stopped struggling to look at the fury on the usually calm girl's face. Noticing the pause Novella continued with her threat. "You make a move towards him and I don't care where you are or who's protecting you, Oswald, I will burn you alive. The heat you would face would make even Hell sweat."
Oswald didn't respond to the threat, but he'd never been severely threatened by a girl with lilac hair. It was new and not something he ever wanted to experience again. Novella was a terror when she was angry. So Oswald began throwing his fit again, just to keep up the appearance of not being intimidated by the young woman.
When Oswald was out the door Jim turned to her and Victor. Novie hadn't noticed that she'd stepped in front of Victor until she had to look slightly behind her to see him looking at her in awe. Jim, on the other hand, looked uncertain.
"This doesn't give you a free pass, you know." Jim's eyes were focused on Victor, but strayed to Novie after a second.
"Jim, not now." To Novella, Victor sounded tired, like it had taken all his energy to sever his tie with Oswald. She knew he was strong and could've handled Jim's ranting, but he didn't want to after the ordeal that had just happened.
Victor leaned down to whisper in Novella's ear, so that only she could hear, "I don't know whether to fuck you or run away from you when you're fired up because you're just as hot and scary as Hell when you're angry."
Novella was proud to say she hardly blushed at his words, but she absolutely lost facial control when he nipped at her earlobe.
"I'll be outside." And just like that, he walked out, leaving her alone with her father who looked quite ready to give her one of his never-ending speeches on why she shouldn't commit murder.
•*•*•*•
A/N : So updates are coming a bit faster now because I hardly sleep so yay! I don't know how I feel about adding F*ck into the book but it made me laugh so I thought I'd just roll with it. Sorry to whoever liked it for the lack of extremely strong words.
QOTC:
Would y'all rather have shorter more frequent parts or longer parts not as frequently?