"I cared a lot once," she admitted wryly. "And it ruined me. So now I don't care for much at all. I work in extremes like that."
- S.Z.

"Another excellent night of business!" Oswald exclaimed happily as he entered his club followed by Charlotte and Victor Zsasz.

The last two exchanged a knowing glance before Zsasz just decided to blurt out the news of what had happened that night at Gotham's docks. "Except for the part where a couple of thieves tried to rob your shipment".

Oswald stopped in his tracks and spun around to face them with an angry expression. "What?"

"They tried to steal one of the crates containing an embalming knife," Charlotte explained to him.

"Relax, boss. Our men stopped them before they could get their hands on anything," Zsasz told, making Oswald sigh in relief.

He turned to look at Ed inside the block of ice. "You see what I'm dealing with, Ed?"

Zsasz glanced at Charlotte and then stared at Ed as if asking why Oswald was talking to a frozen man. Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, knowing the knife was safe, stored in a warehouse by the port surrounded by high security.

"That shipment is full of black market items I am auctioning off tonight to Gotham's elite," Oswald reminded, thinking about all the money he would make. "I stand to make a killing. I cannot do that without the items. Where are they?"

"At the warehouse," Zsasz told him.

"Take me," Oswald ordered as he looked between Charlotte and Zsasz. Then he turned his back to them and started walking towards the exit. "I want to be sure it is all accounted for, and once I do, bring everything back here for safekeeping".

It took a while for Charlotte and Oswald's men to load everything into the truck. Once it was all ready, they returned to 'The Iceberg Lounge'. However, when they arrived, they were presented with an even bigger problem than a couple of thieves trying to steal an old embalming knife.

Only half of the block of ice that decorated the center of the club was standing in its place while the rest was scattered all over the place. Ed was nowhere to be seen.

"No. No!" Oswald shouted at the top of his lungs.

Charlotte entered the room after them, not having seen what had happened yet. "Oswald, why are you..." her voice faded as she finally saw what was going on, "... screaming?"

"This cannot be happening!" Oswald yelled while staring at the broken piece of ice still standing.

"I don't know. Kind of opens up the room," Victor commented with a shrug as he observed the club seemed to be more spacious now.

Oswald turned to Zsasz and a still shocked Charlotte with wide eyes full of fury. "Whoever did this, I want them found. I want them dead! And I want Ed back here today!"

Charlotte nodded before she and Zsasz left the club to go spread the word to the rest of Oswald's henchmen. Then they all went to look for Ed. Hours went by and no news of Ed's whereabouts was heard, making Charlotte and Oswald feel anxious. When the sun set, they returned to the club to find it already packed with people.

Charlotte walked into Oswald's office and found him sitting on his chair in front of his desk drinking from a glass of whiskey.

"Victor and I found nothing so far. Rumor has it that it was someone from the inside who did this," Charlotte told Oswald. She stepped beside his chair and poured herself a glass of whiskey before sitting on the arm of Oswald's chair. "But don't worry, we'll find whoever did this and they will pay".

Oswald chuckled bitterly as he placed an arm on top of Charlotte's leg. "Oh, they will".

"Oswald," a woman called from the doorway and both of them turned their head to face Barbara. "Charlotte. Have I told you I love the new look?"

"Barbara," Charlotte greeted with a nod in her direction. "No, but then again I don't really care about your opinion, so..." Then she took a sip from her whiskey.

Oswald laughed while patting Charlotte's bare knee. "She has grown even more feisty, hasn't she?"

Barbara smiled at both of them, but Charlotte narrowed her eyes at her. "Why are you here?"

"There's a knife being sold at your auction tonight," Barbara told and sat down on the chair across from them. "I was thinking you might be kind enough to sell it to me ahead of time".

Oswald leaned forward on his chair with a curious look shining in his green eyes. "And why is this knife so important to you?"

"It's not. I have a client who's interested," Barbara explained. "Gave me a ton of cash, so I was hoping to get it for a lower price and make a profit".

"That start with the attempted five-finger discount last night?" Oswald asked, referring to the thieves who tried to steal the knife the night before.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Barbara answered innocently.

Both Charlotte and Oswald scoffed and the latter leaned back on his chair, his arm still on top of Charlotte's leg. "Of course you don't".

Barbara seemed to become tired of that conversation but still tried to maintain that same emotionless expression on her face. "I'll triple the opening price. It'll probably go for less at auction".

"My dear, wherever you disappeared to these last few months has not made you a better liar". Oswald chuckled amusedly as he got up from his chair and let his arm slid of Charlotte's thigh. He walked around his desk and leaned against it in front of Barbara. "It's clear that this isn't about profit, but about your mysterious benefactor. He is your client, is... is he not?"

Barbara didn't answer, which itself was an answer to both Charlotte and Oswald. The same person who wanted the knife was the same person who gave Barbara that fancy house with all the guns.

Oswald walked around Barbara and leaned close to her. "Reveal his identity to me and you have a deal". When Barbara stared at him, Oswald laughed and patted the back of the chair. "Wow, he's really got his hooks into you. See you tonight, I guess. Don't forget to bring your checkbook".

Barbara stood up, glaring at Oswald intensely. "Always a pleasure, Oswald". She was going to walk away but remembered the other blonde sitting on the arm of Oswald's chair. He sat down on his chair again and his arm returned to its position on top of her thigh.

"Charlotte, it's..." Barbara was quickly interrupted by Charlotte when she took a hand between her dress and her jacket and got out a gun.

"Yeah, keep walking, darling. Or someone will have to auction your brains off the floor," Charlotte threatened with a smile. "See you tonight".

Barbara stared at Charlotte for a few seconds but ended up nodding and walking out of the office. Oswald sighed and limped his way to the crate marked with the code 'MDE 23'. He took the embalming knife out and observed it frustratedly. "What is so important about this knife?"

Charlotte sipped the rest of the whiskey and went to join Oswald's side. "I don't know. Let's just hope someone else bets on that knife tonight".

Later that night, the two were sat on the sidelines of the club along with Zsasz, observing people dancing and drinking. Charlotte's mind, however, was far from there. Instead, she was wandering about Ed's whereabouts. He was a reminder to never let love weaken her ever again. She didn't love him anymore, but she wanted him to be there anyway. She knew the same was going through Oswald's mind as he stared into the distance with his hands resting on top of his cane.

"There's no sign of Nygma anywhere in Gotham," Zsasz told Oswald. "Word on the street is, it was an inside job".

Oswald nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, Charlotte already told me. Find whoever is in charge of hiring. Kill them. I want everyone here interrogated. There's a traitor amongst us".

It wasn't late after that they had to make their way to the auction, which would take place at an old museum. Ancient books covered the walls on half of the room while the other had paintings exposed for everyone to see.

Charlotte and Oswald walked around speaking to everyone. They all seemed excited, but no one seemed more excited to be spending his money like Bruce Wayne. Charlotte and Oswald observed amusedly as he bought a painting for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and said he would hang it on his bathroom.

When Oswald was closeby kissing the hand of a rich woman, Bruce's eyes landed on him and on the beautiful blonde standing beside him. "Oswald, my friend!" Bruce suddenly exclaimed, causing Charlotte and Oswald to walk away from the couple to join him.

"Bruce Wayne, what a lovely surprise," Oswald greeted the young man excitedly and shook his hand.

Bruce grinned and turned his attention to Charlotte, who was dressed in a short black dress. "Miss Bateman, it'so lovely to see you again tonight".

"Please, just call me Charlotte," she smiled politely, knowing he was definitely the best client at the auction. He had been buying everything so far with ridiculously large amounts of money. Perhaps he would do the same with the knife Barbara wanted so bad.

"Charlotte. You look beautiful as always," Bruce complimented the blonde.

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne," she smiled again.

"Oh, please just call me Bruce," the billionaire said right before he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

Charlotte was shocked, to say the least. That had been the last thing she expected Bruce to do. It made her wonder whether he was just being a billionaire brat or he was actually drunk. She patted his back and hoped he would let go of her soon.

He did and Oswald chuckled at him. "You certainly are getting out quite a lot these days, aren't you?"

"The way I see it, everyone else in this town is having fun," Bruce said loudly as he pointed at everyone around them. "Why shouldn't I?"

"I agree!" Oswald exclaimed pointing at Bruce. "You and your insanely large bank account are more than welcome here".

Bruce smiled widely, but then his eyes landed on someone who had just entered the room. "Barbara Kean. I thought she died". Charlotte and Oswald looked over their shoulders and both stared at Barbara bitterly.

"Unfortunately, nobody stays dead in this town," Oswald mumbled, biting his lower lip in frustration. He turned to Bruce and attempted a smile. "Excuse me". He led Charlotte up to the man who was presenting the auction and told him to auction the knife next.

"Hopefully, Bruce Wayne will buy the knife by a ridiculously high price," Oswald told Charlotte as they backed away from the stage.

"I was hoping for that too," Charlotte nodded. "He's been buying everything tonight, so I'm sure he'll continue".

"The next item up for auction is an embalming knife from the tomb of King Balahsi of Sumeria," the man on the stage announced. "Opening bid will begin at fifty thousand dollars".

Bruce was about to start betting on the knife when Barbara interrupted him. "A hundred thousand dollars".

"One hundred thousand dollars to Miss Kean," the man said. "Do I hear one-"

"One hundred thousand," Bruce said holding up a finger, "and one dollar".

"And so it begins," Charlotte commented, causing Oswald to chuckle.

"Two hundred thousand dollars," Barbara betted even higher.

"Two hundred thousand..." Bruce paused with a smile on his lips, "and one dollar".

Everyone else in the room started laughing with the exception of Barbara who was actually growing quite frustrated with Bruce Wayne. She approached him and to Charlotte, it seemed like she was telling him to back off. He smiled at her apologetically and she turned back to face the man on the stage. "Three hundred thousand".

"Three hundred thousand dollars..." Bruce began, "and one cent".

Barbara was furious and smiled fakely at the man on the stage. "Five hundred thousand".

Then she turned to look back at him, probably telling him to back off again, but he didn't. Bruce actually betted much higher. "Two million dollars!"

Oswald quickly walked away from Charlotte and limped up to the stage before Barbara could make another bet. "Sold to Mr. Bruce Wayne!"

Everyone clapped for Bruce while Barbara glared at him and left the room with an angry expression. Oswald placed his arm around Charlotte's and together they joined Bruce once more.

"I do love seeing that woman lose," Oswald laughed. "But a little piece of friendly advice. Barbara Kean does not give up easily. She'll be coming for that knife. I would just, uh, keep a close eye on it if I were you". Then he walked away along with Charlotte, happy to know at least one thing had gone well that day.

It wasn't until the next day that they finally had new information on Ed. He had been seen leaving an apartment not too far from the club

Charlotte walked into Oswald's office with a happy expression. "We found her".

Oswald, however, was confused. "Her, who?"

"The woman who took Ed," Charlotte explained. "Someone just told Zsasz and I they saw Ed walk out of an apartment. I already told Zsasz to go on ahead. I just wanted to tell you first".

Oswald smiled. "Finally". And there they went to meet Zsasz at the woman's apartment.

All three of them felt creeped out as soon as they looked around the small apartment. There were newspaper articles related to the Riddler everywhere as well as green and red hearts on top of Ed'd pictures. The creepiest part for them was the mannequins dressed exactly like Ed.

The woman herself had already been tied up by Zsasz and wore a green dress filled with red question marks on it. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she looked at Charlotte, Oswald, and Zsasz with both fear and frustration.

"You? You were the one who stole from me?" Oswald asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Charlotte asked.

"Myrtle Jenkins," the woman told her before looking at Oswald again. "Some good it did. The ice broke his brain".

"What are you talking about?" Oswald asked, leaning slightly over his cane.

"What's green and red and goes round and round?" Myrtle asked them.

"Frog in a blender," Charlotte and Zsasz answered at the same time.

"Exactly," Myrtle confirmed. "Ed couldn't even get that".

Oswald stared at Myrtle in disgust. "It does seem unlike Ed to keep this rube alive". He turned to Charlotte and Zsasz. "Sound the word. I want him found".

"And her?" Zsasz asked and both him and Charlotte looked at Oswald, waiting for him to give them the orders they so much wanted to hear.

"A lot of people have been trying to steal from me lately. An example needs to be made," he stated while glaring at Myrtle. Then he placed his hands on top of Charlotte and Zsasz's shoulders. "Have fun". And he left the apartment without looking back.

Charlotte and Zsasz pulled out their guns and pointed them at Myrtle.

"Love your dress," Zsasz told her.

"Thank you," she nodded sadly as more tears flooded down her cheeks. "I made it". Then at the same time, Charlotte and Zsasz shot her.

***

A/N: Bruce and Charlotte's hug, though XD