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chapter thirteen ━ romantic failure

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❝ solve this riddle for me ❞

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SHE NO LONGER feared the edge as much as she used to. Though fear never truly disappears, it was safe to say that it had shrunken drastically. Cars zoomed by, it creating a low hum in the air that was music to her ears. People hurried by, either talking on the phone, guzzling a gigantic cup of coffee, or both. Barbara had begun to worry a bit. Skylar was attached to the outside, the balcony to be exact. The teenage girl would sit on the edge and simply stare at nothing in particular. Her stealing trips weren't very often because her mother dreaded her daughter going to jail. In the time between them, she'd was stuck outside. To her, the edge was beautiful.

It was fascinating to watch people she'd never known and would never know carry on with their lives. They all lived in a city of crime and tragedy and yet life seemed oh-so-ordinary for the first few hours of the day before something major happened. What was interesting was that no matter what it went through, Gotham continued to thrive.

Skylar's doe eyes peered over the edge like a child watching a movie. Her soft hands lied on her sides, her legs dangling over the wall without a care in the world. Barbara was watching from the inside, deciding to bring her daughter a cup of hot chocolate so she wouldn't get a cold. The brunette only was wearing a long sleeve shirt with short pants and no shoes. Goosebumps were arising on her skin which indicated that she was cold. However, the girl didn't bother rising to get new clothes.

Barbara stood behind her, watching Skylar's hair fly back in the wind gracefully. Sure, she knew that her daughter was beautiful, but seeing her comfortable in her own skin for once in her entire life made Skylar put goddesses to shame. Her personality was finally taking shape as was her physical features of course. The blonde crossed over and stood beside her.

"Why don't you come inside for a little bit and warm up," she hummed softly. Both of the hot chocolates warmed her hands in the wintery breeze. She herself was wearing long sleeves, long pants, and a jacket. It was enough to trap in the heat from her body.

Skylar's eyes didn't stray from the street down below. "Just a few more minutes."

Barbara gave her a scolding look yet worried one and responded with, "You've been out here for hours now. Please come inside." The wind blew again, this time a bit harder than the last. There was a sigh that echoed off the balcony and flowed with the wind.

The brunette turned and jumped off the edge swiftly, entering the loft. Selina and Ivy were out at the moment so it was only Skylar and Barbara. Her mother brought her over to the couch and handed her the mug carefully. She sat beside her, allowing her arm to rest against the back of the couch. "Everything ok, honey?"

Skylar snapped out of her thoughts to nod to her mother, not bothering to provide a verbal response. She sipped at the hot chocolate which had begun to cool down. Her hand gripped onto the cup, her knuckles turning white. Barbara noticed and placed a gentle hand on hers. "Skylar? What's wrong?"

A phone rang and Barbara saw that is was Skylar's. Jim's name popped up on the screen and Skylar stared at it. She set down her cup, turning to look at her mother. "Does he still love me, mom? He's so obsessed with the GCPD nowadays, I just feel like he doesn't care anymore." Realizing how stupid and ridiculous she sounded, Skylar ducked her head.

Barbara rubbed the teenager's shoulders. "He does care. He still loves us." There was certainly doubt underlining her tone. Deep down, she felt the same way Skylar did. They both felt the same fear that Jim would forget about them and work his way up to Commissioner one day, with Lee Thompkins by his side. And they'd be left in the dust.

Skylar grabbed the phone, pressing it to her ear. "Hey, dad. What's up?" There was a shuffle on the other line, followed by a sigh of relief. Barbara moved closer so she could hear since Skylar didn't have the phone on speaker.

Jim rubbed his forehead, peeking into the hospital room at Alfred and Bruce. "Alfred was attacked. And, um, Bruce could use a friend right now." In the pit of her stomach, worry for her friend as Jim put it grew. But her mind fought with her heart. While her heart screamed that yes, she should go see Bruce, her brain was calmly suggesting her not to be idiotic and to stay at the loft with Barbara. After all, everyone she loved seemed to disappear. Was the billionaire boy any different?

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there soon." She hung up without saying anymore and stood. Barbara trailed after her, quickly grabbing a black coat from the table. "I'll walk there, mom. Don't worry about giving me a ride."

The blonde pursed her lip. Skylar took the jacket and put it on. "Are you sure? It wouldn't take me long."

Her daughter nodded. In the midst of this conversation, her brain was furious, telling her that she'd regret ever getting close with the boy who lost his parents. Jerome was in her mind, his mouth turned into a downward frown. He felt betrayed. They made a promise when they were children that they would never love and care about anyone else more than they did with each other. And Bruce Wayne seemed to be seeping into the cracks and dissolving that promise. Perhaps that was why Skylar had a hard time in accepting Bruce as her friend.

"I'll walk." Barbara was still skeptical. "I will be fine. Selina taught me a few things about self-defense."

Taking in a deep breath, Barbara nodded, her arms crossed over her chest. She wore a stern look on her face. "Fine. But if anything, anything happens you call me right away." In a few steps, she held Skylar's shoulders, rubbing them gently. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Skylar smiled, taking her mother's hand and giving it a light squeeze. It was a reassurance. "I will, promise. And besides, it's a hospital. Unless it's haunted-" Barbara rolled her eyes, dropping her hand. "-I'll be okay."

The teenage girl was out in a few seconds, walking to the elevator. No one was in the hallway. Only closed doors. As she passed she listened closely, hearing an argument between a couple. But she continued on until she reached the stairway. Her eyes turned back to the elevator and switched between the two means of exiting the building. Skylar pursed her lip before deciding to chose the staircase.

What better way to exercise than running down at least twenty flights of stairs? Selina had told her that if Skylar ever wanted to be able to run on rooftops, jump down from rooftops, or even sneak through someone's window, she'd have to exercise a ton. And though the thought was excruciating to imagine, Skylar knew she'd have to teach herself discipline at some point. This would be a good start.

She hadn't an idea how far the hospital was or how long it would take her to get there. It wasn't like she was in a hurry because Alfred would survive. And besides, she didn't want to rush into a friendship. If Bruce were to hurt her than her walls would be rebuilt. This time, they'd be built stronger and more selective of who to let in.

As soon as the brunette turned the corner after walking for about half an hour, the Gotham City hospital shined ahead. Skylar stuffed her hands in her pockets and made her way inside. The woman at the counter was expecting her and pointed her in the direction of where Bruce was. People past by her, giving her a curious look. She paid them no mind.

Bruce was sitting in a chair next to the bed where Alfred lied, reading a book. She knocked on the door, gaining their attention. The boy immediately stood. "Skylar." He smiled. "Thank you for coming."

Skylar nodded, entering the room. Her gaze went to Alfred. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Thank you for asking, miss. How are you?"

She cracked a smile, folding her arms over her chest. "Good. Thank you for asking. It's good to see that you're alive. I heard what happened and it seems like you were lucky."

Alfred chuckled then winced at the pain. Both Bruce and Skylar cringed. The butler patted his stomach. "I suppose you could say that. Will you be staying long?"

Bruce looked hopeful that she would but his friend shook her head. "No, I uh... I need to talk to my dad about some stuff." Skylar looked over at Bruce to see him giving her a silent gesture. "But before I do, Bruce could we talk?"

They exited the room and Skylar shut the door, turning around to face Bruce. He started first. "Alfred was stabbed. It was a friend of his from the army. I think he was there because of me."

The news startled her and Skylar looked around at the people passing by before grabbing Bruce's arm, leaning close to whisper so no one could hear them. "Are you sure?"

He confirmed it by replying, "I had a meeting with the board of Wayne Enterprises to tell them I was investigating them, so they sent someone we'd trust to spy on us."

She retracted her hand, drawing in a sigh. More people passed, giving them an odd look then continuing on. But wasn't Bruce who they were looking at. It was her. Being Jerome Valeska's sister would bring attention to her which she despised. Jerome wouldn't be too happy if he found out how people now looked at her. She imagined he'd go on about how to kill them.

"Did he steal anything?" she questioned.

"Some of my files were missing. I think the other things he stole were just cover. If I find him, I could find out who hired him. He's-he's the key to everything."

Without meaning to, Skylar let out a small laugh. She grinned. "Come on now. You and I both know you have no idea how to track people."

Bruce looked down at the floor. "I'm well aware. But Selina might and she's been giving you lessons, right?"

Skylar licked her lips, casting another glance around. Helping Bruce would help her trust him a bit more but Jerome's voice kept echoing at the back of her mind. Her brother sounded so upset. Oh god, she wasn't going insane was she? No, it was just her doubts taking shape and making her question her own actions. "Not with that type of stuff. More along the lines of self-defense, stealing, sneaking around, and stuff."

He looked confused. "Stuff?"

"It doesn't matter." Skylar sighed again. "Look, I have to go to the station so please don't go on a suicide mission."

Another person passed by and this time she glared fiercely, making them scatter off. Bruce agreed. "Fine. Have a nice day, Skylar." He opened up the door and went back into the room. She shook her head, turning on her heel and leaving the building.

Okay, so maybe she lied to Bruce and Alfred. So what? She knew that she'd have to talk with Jim at some point but he was always busy with work nowadays that it didn't really matter anymore. The only reason why she wanted to go to the station was to see someone she'd been too harsh to before. Edward Ngyma.

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Putting her "sneaking" skill to use, Skylar managed to make her way to the forensic scientist office per say. It had appeared that she had arrived at a perfect time seeing as Edward was writing away on a clipboard. He had a smile on his face which she concluded must have been because of Kristen Kringle whom she'd seen exiting the room beforehand.

She wrung her hands together nervously before clearing her throat. Edward jumped before relaxing and then smiling in delight. Despite her still being nervous, Skylar managed a small smile. "Um, hi. I just wanted to apologize. I haven't been exactly nice to you and I'm sorry. I just put my walls up, you know?"

He smiled still. "No worries, Ms. Gordon. I've been wondering when you'd come back to the station. I have a riddle for you."

Skylar hopped on one of the counters, swing her legs much like she did on the railing at Barbara's loft. Her smile never swayed, growing more genuine by the second. Edward may have seemed a bit odd at first glance, but now looking at him, she could almost see someone completely different. He would be someone in this city because he was the last person you'd expect to become powerful. "Go for it, Ed."

Edward tapped the pen against the clipboard. "Which one first. Oh! What cost nothing but is worth everything, weighs nothing, but can last a lifetime, that one person can't own, but two or more can share?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, them knitting in concentration. She couldn't overthink it because if she did, then she'd get it wrong. What Selina had told her before suddenly came to mind. She had told her that she was smart, intelligent, that she could come up with any solution faster than the speed of light. Unexpectedly, something she asked Bruce not too long ago came to mind. Rolling it off the tip of her tongue, she replied, "Friendship."

What was surprising is that Edward looked like he expected for her to get the riddle right. Like he knew she would get it right. Was it that obvious that she was intelligent? He laughed. "Amazing. Most people aren't that good at riddles because they think too much about it."

She shrugged like it was nothing. "It isn't that hard. The answer is practically in the riddle if you look at it from a logical point of view." Looking at the closed door, then back at him, said asked, "So, you got a crush on Kristen Kringle?"

Edward turned his eyes toward the floor, a blush covering his cheeks. "She's not interested in my riddles or my high intellectual skill."

Not sure whether to agree or not, Skylar opted for nodding unsurely. She hadn't a clue why he worded the sentence that way. "Right... well, have you tried giving her a gift or asking her out?"

He fixed his glasses uncomfortably. "No."

"Then go buy her flowers or something! Show her that you might be a good match. I mean, I might not be a love expert but I've watched enough romantic movies. Most of them will never happen in real life but it's worth a shot."

Edward began tapping on the clipboard again. He was a quiet person like she was, yet he was extremely socially awkward, she wasn't. If Skylar ever wanted to say something, almost every single time she would choose to stay silent and not put any input into the conversation. Luckily, she had begun to get out of that habit and began to speak whatever was on her mind. No filter. It was a working progress.

"I'm not too sure," he admitted, looking back up at her. "She was previously with Arnold Flass. What's to say she won't go and find another gorilla like him?"

Skylar jumped down from the counter. "You go to her! Look, Ed, she may turn you down but at least you tried, right? And if she does turn you down, you try again and show her you'd be better than those gorillas."

He smiled, holding the clipboard to his chest and concealing the pen in his coat pocket. "Thank you, Ms. Gordon. I will go and get Ms. Kringle flowers and give them to her to show her I am a suitable partner for her."

Despite her usually downturned and sad behavior, she smiled genuinely. "Go get her, my man!" Skylar went behind him and pushed his back toward the door. "Oh, and by the way, you can call me Skylar. Ms. Gordon is a bit too formal for me."

With his enthusiasm, Edward Ngyma returned in under ten minutes with a bouquet of flowers. Skylar peered around the column from where she stood, watching as the forensic scientist approached Kristen Kringle, the bouquet behind his back. There was a smile on his face that made her smile, nearly laughing like a little girl.

She continued to watch as Edward cleared his throat, gaining their attention. "Ms. Kringle, I was wondering if you had dinner plans this evening."

As soon as he said that, Kristen looked apologetic and Skylar caught sight of a man behind her. Tom Dougherty. She gritted her teeth, suppressing a sneer. This guy - like many of the other cops in the GCPD because the Commissioner lets them walk around freely - was an asshole. Perhaps it was the way he stood or the way he narrowed his eyes at Edward that gave it away. But Skylar just knew.

"Oh, um... actually, I... I do. With Tom. Have-have you met Tom?"

Kristen moved out of the way to reveal Tom sitting on the desk. The man stood, going to shake Edward's hand. "You're the guy that likes riddles. Hey, what has hands but can't clap?"

Now that was the most pathetic riddled Skylar thought she'd ever heard. Edward's riddles were much better and at least you had to put some thought into it, unlike the one that rang in her ears at that moment. The younger man blinked. "A clock."

"Correct." Tom chuckled, moving back to stand by Kristen who was looking down at the ground. "He's good. You're good."

Edward looked upset with the news. He looked at Kristen, avoiding her eyes for a second. "Am I correct to assume that this is your..." He smiled painfully. "Uh, your new boyfriend?"

Skylar had to resist the urge to rip Tom's head off his body. It was clear he was just trying to put on a show for Kristen. The woman nodded, fixing her glasses. "Yeah... Yes, I guess so."

Tom smirked. "You betcha." He slapped her butt, earning a gasp from Kristen. Skylar sneered that time, her lips turning downward in a disgusted motion. He was a player, he'd hurt Kristen and she knew it. Men like that take advantage of women like they are nothing but toys. Prizes even.

Edward swallowed hard to rid of any anger. He smiled still, more painfully. "Congratulations, sir." The words were forced out of his mouth that much was obvious to Skylar who appeared from her hiding spot.

"Thank you." Tom looked to Kristen. "Well, we should probably get going. It's nice to meet you." Kristen walked away and Tom pointed at Edward who didn't bother to hide his painful expression anymore. "Riddle man, next time... I'm gonna stump you."

"Yes. Next time."

The new couple left and Skylar walked up to Edward who was now staring at the flowers. It looked more like weeds but she didn't say anything about it. She frowned, putting a hand on his shoulder, seeing the defeated look on his face. "Don't worry, Ed. He's a gorilla. And if she can't see that you'd be better for her, than she's not worth it."

He didn't reply and instead ripped out a flower and stuffed the rest in a trash can nearby. He sighed, turning around to face her. "Thank you for trying to help, Skylar. But I'm afraid the plan failed."

Skylar gave him a sad look. "I know." They were both quiet before she continued. "You know, I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind if you came over. We can eat a bunch of junk food and cry over romantic movies. Of course, if you want to."

Edward thought, looking at the floor and then at her. "Sure. Why not?" Skylar smiled slightly and then led him out. "As long as there's chocolate."

"Oh, there will be plenty of chocolate, believe me."

And that was just one more person Skylar would befriend that would become powerful in Gotham some day. A crime boss that people would fear. Just to think that one teenage girl who happened to live a hard life could gain the trust and respect of the future villains of Gotham. And Skylar just befriended the man who would become The Riddler.

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This chapter was way overdue and I apologize! As you can see, the layout has changed. The only problem I feel like I'll run into is not being able to find enough aesthetic gifs to fit each chapter. So, if any of you know a tumblr account that has aesthetic gifs, please let me know. What do you think about Skylar befriending Ed? I hope you guys have a great day/night and don't forget to vote on this chapter, comment your thoughts, and follow me for updates!