"When I said I'd take a bullet for you, I didn't intend for you to be the one to pull the trigger."

When Charlotte, Oswald, and his two henchmen were on their way to save Ed, something strange happened. A big explosion went off on the power plant across the river. It caused all the lights on the city to go out. From then on the lights from the cars were the only source of illumination in the night.

The two henchmen kept wondering what had happened and invented theories as if that was more important than saving Ed.

"Remember, Ed's safety is all that matters. Whoever took him will pay, but only once Ed is back," Oswald remind them as they walked into Kane Chemicals. Inside they found many tanks full of acid, but no Ed.

They walked farther into the building and Oswald decided to call for him. "Ed! Edward!"

"Ed!" Charlotte tried too after they got no response.

Footsteps were heard coming from the other end of the room and Ed finally came into their line of vision. He looked good and unharmed, much to Charlotte and Oswald's relief. He was wearing his usual attire, a dark green coat, and an emerald green suit underneath.

Oswald gasped and limped quickly towards Ed, wrapping his arms around him. "Ed. Are you all right? Tell me you are all right".

"I'm fine, Oswald," Ed answered, not hugging Oswald back and keeping his hands in his pockets.

Oswald laughed as he let go of him. "Of course you are. Where are they? Who dared to think they could lay their hands on you?"

Charlotte had missed him too and also walked up to Ed to give him a hug. Once again he didn't make a move to hug back. "I'm so glad you're okay".

Ed smiled a tight lip smile at her before turning to Oswald. "I'm alone".

Oswald laughed again. "Oh, you escaped. You did, didn't you, you rascal?"

Ed smiled and looked over at the other two men behind Charlotte and Oswald. "Did you bring anyone else?"

They were confused by that question. "What? Why?" Oswald asked but then ended up answering his own question. "No".

Suddenly, Ed held up a gun and fired two gunshots at the henchmen. The bullets went past Oswald and Charlotte's heads and they stared wide-eyed at him. "Just wondering if I was gonna have to reload". Then he pointed his gun at them.

"Ed!" Charlotte exclaimed in shock.

"I don't understand," Oswald gasped.

Their confused expressions made him smile. "I know. That's been half the fun".

The cogs in Charlotte's brain started spinning wildly as she wondered what was happening and why Ed was acting that way. Had he even been kidnapped in the first place? Had Barbara and Ed partnered up to get them?

Before Charlotte could make any question, Oswald spoke up. "I... I'm sorry. I... I... What is happening? You weren't kidnapped?"

"Not unless you count kidnapping yourself," Ed remarked and grabbed both Charlotte and Oswald by their collars. If it was anyone else, Charlotte would have already beat the hell out of them, but this was Ed and she was too shocked to do anything. He dragged them towards the corner he had come from. "Recognize it?" He asked Oswald.

Charlotte and Oswald looked ahead and saw a red car completely destroyed. It was obvious whose car it was. It was Isabella's...

"Oh, why should you? I doubt you did the deed yourself," Oswald turned to Charlotte with narrowed eyes. "What about you, Charlotte? That car belonged to Isabella".

"Ed, whatever you've heard-" Oswald tried to defend himself, but Ed didn't want to hear it and hit him in the head with the gun, sending Oswald to the floor.

Charlotte tried to help her friend but Ed pulled her back. "I know it was you two. Isabella was my everything, and you took her from me. And now I've taken everything from you. Well, almost everything. You still have your life. But that ends tonight".

"You can't take everything from me," Charlotte suddenly blurted out.

Ed looked at her confused. "What?"

"To take everything from me you would have to kill yourself," Charlotte told him with a shaky voice. "I'm sure you're not willing to go that far".

Ed didn't know how to react at first. This was her telling him she still liked him. His mind was at war once again. Half was happy to know she still had feelings for him while the other screamed at him she was lying to get away. "Don't pretend you like me, Charlotte. Those are all lies".

Before she could say anything else, Ed searched her for any weapons. The close proximity was making it hard to breathe for Charlotte and even Ed. All she wanted to do was put her arms around Ed and kiss him. Charlotte could feel his breath brush against her neck when he slithered his hand around her waist to grab the gun from the waistband of her jeans. At the same time, he slid his other hand to her hip and took the knife from her holster. His touch had been something she had been craving for a very long time and when he took his hands away, she missed it.

Ed quickly searched Oswald as well and soon he and Charlotte were being tied to the car. Intricate knots tied them to each other and to the wheel. A single tear slid down Charlotte's cheek and Oswald's eyes welled up with tears.

"It was all you," Charlotte said, more to herself than to Ed as she tried to fully understand what was going on. "Our certificates of sanity shattered on the floor, Tarquin inviting me to go out with him. Tarquin having Mr. Van Dahl's remains in his office. Barbara trying to put Oswald against me. All of that was planned by you".

"Yes," Ed simply answered. "Although, I'm sure Tarquin was developing a crush on you".

Charlotte thought she had detected bitterness towards Tarquin for having a crush on her, but she dismissed it because for her it was obvious he had no feelings for her anymore, except hate.

"But my father appeared to me," Oswald reminded. "I saw him".

"No. You saw a man that I met in Indian Hill that does killer impersonations," Ed explained. "You see, Oswald. How do I put this? Ghosts aren't real!"

"But my father's remains. You stole them from his grave?" Oswald's voice cracked, not wanting to believe Ed would go that far to hurt him.

"Yup," Ed finished tying the rope to the wheel and stood on Oswald's side of the car. "Don't worry. He's at peace now. I gently placed his remains inside a dumpster behind a Chinese restaurant".

More tears rolled down Charlotte's cheeks as she saw Oswald crying with sadness and grief.

"You were angry. I understand. I even forgive you, but... but killing us is not the way," Oswald tried to reason.

Ed's expression hardened even more and he looked between Charlotte and Oswald with betrayal in his eyes. "So you admit you two killed Isabella?"

Oswald was tired with that conversation and knew there was no use in lying anymore. He knew Ed wouldn't give up. "Fine. Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" Ed answered.

"I confess. I had her killed," Oswald finally admitted. He felt like he had done Ed a favor and felt no regret whatsoever. "But guess what? You should thank me because we both know what would have happened if I hadn't".

"Yes! I could have lived a life with the woman I loved. I could have been happy!" Ed protested.

Oswald shook his head at Ed's delusions. "No, Ed. You would have killed her". Ed slapped his cheek, not wanting to admit the truth and Charlotte closed her eyes tightly. Oswald only grew more pissed. "Just like you did the other one! And just like you're doing to Charlotte! You couldn't have helped it! And afterward, you would have hated yourself!"

Ed leaned closer to Oswald's face. "Well, we'll never know, will we?" He stepped around the car to Charlotte's side. She had kept herself quiet while he spoke to Oswald, but he wanted to hear her admit what she had done to Isabella. "What about you, uh? Why don't you confess too?"

Charlotte opened her eyes, which stung from the tears and faced Ed. "You really want me to confess I killed Isabella? You want me to tell you that I followed her in a stolen car that night to make sure she would die? How I saw the train come and heard her scream for help? How I saw the train hit her car and drag it for meters? Or maybe you want to know how I turned around and returned home happy to know she was out of my way?"

As she spoke, Charlotte saw Ed's face turn red with rage. "I will kill you!" He threatened, pointing a finger at her.

"Then do it!" She shouted frustratingly, taking him by surprise. When she spoke again, her voice was lower and cracked in the end. "Just do it, Ed. But let Oswald go, please".

Ed was silent for a second but then shook his head. "Can't do that. You both were responsible for Isabella's death. So you both pay".

He turned his back but that was when Oswald decided to confess what was going on in his broken heart. "I did it for love".

Ed froze and only after a long second of tense silence did he turn around to face Oswald. "What?"

"I did it because I love you," Oswald told him. "You should know that".

Ed stepped forward and gripped Oswald's cheeks with his fingers. "Shut up! Love is about sacrifice. It's about putting someone else's needs and happiness before your own".

Charlotte thought to herself that Ed was being a hypocrite. He wanted Oswald and her to have let him live his life with Isabella, but he had killed Tom Dougherty who was dating Kristen. Charlotte also knew he had killed officer Pinkney because he had a crush on her.

Oswald tried to speak, but Ed didn't let him and continued. "'Cause the truth is, you and Charlotte would sacrifice anyone to save your own necks. Even me".

Then he pointed at the ceiling. Charlotte slowly looked up. To her horror, she saw a barrel with a liquid she assumed was acid being held by chains from the ceiling.

"Now, if you'll look above us, you will see a cauldron of highly corrosive acid, which is currently being held in place by this chain," Ed stepped closer to a broken chain being held together by a block of ice. "When the ice melts, the chain comes loose, the vat of acid tips. You get the idea". Without hesitation, Ed lighted up the flame underneath the block of ice and warmed his hands with it.

Charlotte was heartbroken to see Ed would kill them in such an horrific manner and was sad to know Oswald had to die that way too. She felt completely broken when she heard Oswald beg Ed to spare his life. But she knew it was too late. "Ed. Please. No, please. I can change. Say you're right. Say you're right. The fact that I love you proves that I can change. Just give me a chance".

The blonde hated to hear the desperation in Oswald's voice, so she reached for his hand. She knew it would do little to console him, but it was the best she could do.

"You know as well as I that a man facing death will say anything to save his skin. And you won't change because you can't. Now, I was going to have you say hello to Isabella. But I think you are going to a very different place. Goodbye, Oswald. Goodbye, Charlotte". Ed was going to walk away when he noticed Charlotte and Oswald holding hands. He looked back up at the two with one last look full of disappointment. "You two would have made a great couple".

Ed left and both Charlotte and Oswald sat there on top of the car, too terrified to say anything else. All they could do was hold each other's hand as if that brought them some reassurance.

"I'm so sorry, Oswald," Charlotte apologized after a while, her voice cracking when she said his name. "I should have killed Isabella on my own or at least taken all the blame. You wouldn't be in this situation if I had. It's all my fault".

"Don't be an idiot. We won't die here," Oswald snapped, but she knew he was trying to convince himself. "I swear I'll kill him as soon as I get out of these".

"And how do you plan on getting out?" Charlotte asked, desperate for a light at the end of the tunnel.

Oswald eyed the rope wrapped tightly around him. "I'm working on it".

"Well, we have to work it out fast," Charlotte told him as she observed how the ice was melting at an alarming rate.

"Help me! Somebody help!" Oswald shouted as loud as he could. But then the barrel started spilling small amounts of acid and they had to get their legs as far away as they possibly could. As soon as the acid touched the car, the material burned and melted right away. They didn't have much time. A minute or two before the barrel spilled its entire content on top of them. "Help!"

Suddenly a voice sounded from a door behind them. "Hello?"

Charlotte breathed in relief but never took her eyes away from the unstable barrel of corrosive acid. Oswald laughed as the man rushed over to them. "There's not much time. Cut us loose! Hurry!"

Instead of starting to cut the ropes right away, the man eyed the car with the help of his flashlight. "What's that car doing in here?"

Charlotte tore her eyes away from the acid to glare at the idiotic security guard.

"It doesn't matter. Cut us loose," Oswald ordered as if the man was the most stupid person he had ever met.

"You... You look familiar," the man stated, flashing the flashlight at Oswald and then at Charlotte, who squinted her eyes at the bright light.

"Yes. I happen to be the Mayor of Gotham," Oswald tried to sound nice so the man would cut them loose once and for all. Then he had an idea. The promise of money would certainly end all questions. "So free me, and I promise there will be a handsome reward".

The man's eyes lighted up. "Oh, it... it really is you, the Mayor of Gotham in the flesh".

"Yes!" Oswald snapped. "Now stop standing there and get us out of here".

However, the man flashed the flashlight at Charlotte once more hesitantly. "I don't... I don't know. What did you do?"

"Ugh," Charlotte huffed in frustration. Then she had to dodge her legs out of the way when another splash of acid fell on the car.

"What?" Oswald glared at the man in disbelief. "Ah. I'm gonna die here listening to this moron. Just cut the ropes!"

The man finally woke up and started cutting the ropes with a pocket knife. But he wasn't being fast enough.

"Hurry!" Charlotte and Oswald rushed him and he started working faster.

They had all managed to safely slid off the car when the barrel dropped all the remaining acid on top of it. Charlotte couldn't believe how lucky they had been. A second more and they would have their skin eaten away by the acid. She looked at the other side of the car where Oswald layed on the floor beside a baffled guard.

"Are you alright?" Oswald nodded and Charlotte was finally able to breathe in relief.

***

"Gabe!" Oswald shouted as soon as he stepped into his mansion. "We have to find Ed Nygma and kill him!"

"Oswald, you're not thinking clear-" Charlotte started, but Oswald interrupted her furiously.

"He tried to kill us! I don't know about you, but that's something I can't forgive," he replied as he crossed the dining room. "Gabe, where-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence because a loud 'kapsh!' sound was heard and something wrapped itself around his neck. Charlotte saw Butch and Tabitha standing at the door and went to grab her gun, forgetting Ed had taken it away.

"Damn it, Ed," she cursed just as Butch pressed the muzzle of his gun against her head.

"Your monkey's cleared out," Butch told amusedly. And what's that you were saying about Nygma? Looks like we're not the only ones trying to kill that guy. Now, where is he?"

Instead of speaking Oswald let out a hiss through his teeth.

"I'm sorry, what?" Butch asked. "Speak up".

"What are you doing in my house?" Oswald asked as he pulled at the whip so it wouldn't choke him.

"Whatever we want," Tabitha answered with a condescending tone. "You two are finished. Now, where's Nygma?"

"I don't know," Oswald growled at them.

Butch glanced at Charlotte and then looked back at Oswald. "Think".

Oswald seemed taken aback by the simple word. "What?"

"I said think," Butch repeated.

"Oh, I heard you. I'm just surprised you knew the word," Oswald sassed and Charlotte couldn't help but smirk.

Butch chuckled and looked at Charlotte. "Speaking of words, any last ones?"

"Only that you're an idiot and I hope you die choking on your own blood," Charlotte told him with a raised eyebrow. "And let me give you some advice. If you're going to threaten me could you at least pull the safety off? If you don't, you'll just look like a gorilla holding a toy gun. Hold it like you want to do something with it. Otherwise, you look pathetic".

Butch wasn't amused by the way she talked to him, so he cocked the revolver. "Funny. You mean like this?"

"Now we're talking," Charlotte smirked.

"Babs said not to kill them until we have Nygma," Tabitha reminded Butch.

He looked back at her. "I've been wanting to kill this one for a very long time. And I don't work for Barbara Kean".

"Stop pretending that you are anything but muscle!" Oswald laughed at Butch. "Yes, you used to be someone in Gotham, but those days are past!"

Tabitha suddenly pulled at the whip until she was in front of Oswald and then slapped him with the back of her hand. "Remember when I put a knife in your mom's back? That was awful, wasn't it? Her crying, bleeding out. You just holding her as she died. You never did anything about it".

A low grow erupted from Charlotte's throat as Tabitha made Oswald relieve that awful moment. It made Charlotte want to pull her head off her body with her own hands.

"Yet," Oswald hissed at Tabitha.

"Nah. You had your chance to kill me," she smiled arrogantly. "Now stop turning us against each other".

Charlotte couldn't hold herself back any longer and lunged herself at Tabitha. They both fell on the floor, but Tabitha still managed to maintain a hold of her whip. Oswald was pulled down to the floor too when Tabitha fell and the hold of the whip around his throat almost choked him.

"I'll kill you, bitch!" Charlotte put her hands around Tabitha's neck, but wasn't able to do much before Butch hit her in the back of the head with his gun.

She dropped to the floor beside Tabitha unconscious and Tabitha got up on her feet, glaring at Butch who seemed happy to have saved her from Charlotte. "Great, now you'll have to carry her".

Butch's smile turned into a frown as he looked at Charlotte's unconscious body. "Why?"

"We're taking them with us," Tabitha told him.

Oswald scoffed. "Oh, if you think I am going anywhere with you-" Before he could finish his sentence, Butch hit him in the head with the gun too. It caused Tabitha to huff.

"You realize you have to carry them both now?" She reminded him.

Butch contorted his face in frustration at the sudden realization. "Son of a bitch".

***

When Charlotte woke up she felt dizzy and like she was going to throw up. Her vision was blured so she blinked a couple of times until she was able to see clearly. Charlotte was at 'The Sirens Club'. She saw Barbara standing in front of her with a beautiful long striped black and blue dress. It had a breach on her right leg that reached her hip. Oswald was in the same predicament as her, tied to a chair. His neck had a purple mark all around from Tabitha's whip.

"I was thinking you were going to sleep through the whole show," Barbara smiled. "I was just telling Ozzie to give up Nygma. We don't need him anymore since our way to the underword is free. Give him up, everything goes well for you. Don't and you die. Simple, uh?"

Charlotte looked over at Oswald and saw him shake his head discreetly, indicating he knew she wouldn't say anything and telling her he wouldn't either. Barbara would kill them anyway. All that talk about sparing their life was just so they'd tell her where Ed was. At that exact time, Butch and Tabitha walked into the room.

"What if I don't?" Charlotte challenged, looking back at Barbara with raised eyebrows.

Tabitha stepped towards her and delivered a sudden blow on Charlotte's cheek. The blonde groaned and her head was thrown to the side with the strength of the punch.

However, to the surprise of everyone in the room, Charlotte laughed. "Is that the best you've got, Tabby?"

A stronger punch was delivered on the same cheek. Charlotte spit blood on the floor before smiling at Tabitha again.

"That hand is not healed yet, is it? I wish I had been there when Ed cut it off," Charlotte laughed. All of that was so she would keep their attention off Oswald. As long as they were hurting her, they were not hurting him.

More punches were thrown at Charlotte. Oswald's eyes were widened as he watched Tabitha punch Charlotte like she was nothing more than a punching bag. Blood spilled from her nose, mouth and from gashes on her cheeks and temple.

"Barbara!" Oswald glared at her, telling her to do something before Tabitha killed Charlotte.

Luckily, Barbara turned to Tabitha and rolled her eyes before telling her to stop. "Tabitha, see if you control yourself, yes?"

"This bitch tried to kill me!" Tabitha exclaimed and prepared to deliver another punch. However, Barbara managed to grab her arm before she could cause any more damage. Tabitha pulled her arm from Barbara's hold and went to stand beside Butch, glaring at Charlotte. The blonde woman had let her head fall forward. She was in a weakened state but still managed to smile slightly at Oswald, her white teeth stained with blood.

Barbara dragged a bench towards Oswald with her right foot. On top of the bench was a telephone. "You're going to call Ed, tell him you're alive, tell him... oh, I don't care. But find out where he is".

Oswald looked away from Charlotte and glared at Barbara. "Why don't you call him?"

"Because he's not stupid. He knows that now you're no longer the head of the underworld or anything else, we don't need him anymore," she stated. "It is our time to rule".

Oswald scoffed. "You understand if I feel compelled to refuse?"

"Give me five minutes. He won't refuse," Butch smirked.

"I'd do it in three," Tabitha remarked.

Butch looked at her exasperatedly. "Why you got to do that?"

"What?" She asked.

"Cut me down like that in front of people," Butch argued, causing Barbara and Oswald to roll their eyes. Charlotte let out a chuckle and split up some more blood to the floor.

"I'm just saying," Tabitha continued.

"It's not like what you've done to her worked," Butch smiled victoriously as if he had achieved something great and Tabitha rolled her eyes.

"Will the two of you shut up?" Barbara shouted in annoyance and returned her attention to Charlotte and Oswald. "Give up Nygma, save your own ass. Live to love another day. Hey?"

Then a look of realization appeared on Oswald's face, causing Barbara to eye him apprehensively. "What's going on? You have a weird look on your face. Like, weirder than normal".

"You're right. I should want him dead," Oswald told her.

"'Should'?" Barbara asked indignantly. "Oswald you loved him, and he betrayed you". She turned to Charlotte, whose blood slid down her cheeks and chin, staining her purple shirt. "Like he has done with you". Charlotte stayed quiet and only glared at her.

"Actually, I don't know that I did," Oswald announced. "Love him. Not really". Barbara couldn't look more confused as Oswald continued. "Ed was right. I thought I loved him because he saw me as no one had since my mother. But I killed Isabelle-"

"I'm pretty sure her name is Isabella, but go on," Barbara interjected.

"And I was going to kill Charlotte too until I realized... until I realized she looked at me that same way. She understands me and is always there for me," Oswald looked over at his old friend and saw a tear slid down both sides of her face. He nodded her way and she nodded back weakly before he turned to Barbara again. "Ed said love is sacrifice. I should have been able to sacrifice my happiness for his. I couldn't. But I'm ready now. We won't call Ed. We won't let you hurt him!"

A crease formed on Barbara's forehead. "So you'd rather die than give up the man who tried to kill you?"

"I would! Isn't that crazy?" Oswald asked with a laugh.

Then a voice coming from the other side of the club caught their attention. "Yes". Both Charlotte and Oswald gasped in shock when they saw Ed walk in. "It is". Ed caught sight of Charlotte's bloodied face and felt his hand involuntarily clench. He looked at Barbara, completely ignoring Butch and Tabitha's presence. "What happened to her?"

"Guess you're not as smart as you thought you were," Barbara told him. "They didn't give you up after all".

"You said you wanted them alive. Didn't say anything about beating her up a little bit," Tabitha piped in with a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. "Not that I do what you ask to begin with. Why you ask? You're worried about her now?"

Ed turned his brown eyes to Tabitha. "I don't have to answer to a weak minded person like you".

Charlotte couldn't stop the smile that made its way to her lips. There was the Ed she knew and loved.

"You're in this together," Oswald finally put some of the pieces together, but there were parts from the puzzle still missing. "But why?"

"Because I didn't want to just take what you had. I wanted to take what you believed," Ed explained. "I wanted you to die knowing that you were incapable of loving another person".

"But I can!" Oswald exclaimed with a smile. "I just proved that, right? Now does that mean I passed?" Ed didn't answer and just shared a glance with Barbara. Oswald grew worried. "Ed?"

"I,..." for once, Ed was lost for words, "... don't know what it means".

Ed turned his back and approached Butch and Tabitha, who eyed him wearily. He whispered for them to take Charlotte and Butch to the car. They rolled their eyes, but after receiving a sharp glare from Barbara, they went off to do as he said. Charlotte saw her own car parked outside as if Ed was pulling one last psychological game by driving her to her death in her own car.

As Charlotte saw the streets of Gotham pass by on the other side of the window, she saw firefighters putting out fires and cop cars everywhere. Whatever happened had to be something big. By the rate things were going, Charlotte would probably never know what happened and the truth was she was too tired to even care.

Soon enough the car stopped. Charlotte and Oswald looked through the windows to see they were at the docks. Oswald let his head fall back and a sigh escaped his lips. He knew the place well and he hated it. It was two years ago that Jim Gordon walked him across that pier and dumped him in the water, telling him to never come back to Gotham. Now he was standing at the end of that same pier. This time it felt much worse.

"Ed I love you," Oswald told him in a last attempt to make Ed realize he was commiting a huge mistake. "I know you believe that now. So you need to listen to me when I tell you by doing this it will change you".

"I've killed before, Oswald," Ed stated coldly as he pointed the gun between him and Charlotte. She stood quietly and shook due to the cold air of the early morning. Rain started pouring, but it wasn't enough to clean all the blood from her face.

"Not like this," Oswald said. "This won't be a crime of passion or self-preservation. This will be the cold-blooded murder of people you love".

"I don't love you," Ed argued and when Oswald tried touching his arm, he swatted his hand away and looked at Charlotte. "Neither of you".

Oswald sniffled. "You need me, Edward Nygma. Just as I need you. You cannot have one without the other".

"You killed Isabella," Ed accused again.

"The point is-" Oswald wasn't able to finish before Ed interrupted him with anger in his eyes.

"That is the point!" He shouted. "Neither of you can talk your way out of this. I have wanted you to suffer as I've suffered. You killed her, so you die".

Oswald's expression hardened. "When I met you you were a nervous, jittery loser. You were nothing! I created Edward Nygma. Charlotte and I are the only ones in the world who truly see you as you are". His voice lost its intensity as he continued. "Who you can still become. You can't do this". That had really caused an impact on Ed and he looked down thoughtfully. Oswald was growing more and more desperate with each second that passed. He didn't want to die and he didn't want Charlotte to either. "Ed, are you listening to me?"

"I'm listening," he answered.

"Say something," Oswald begged as tears rolled down his cheeks, mixing themselves with the drops of rain.

Ed finally looked up again. "I loved her, Oswald. And you killed her".

To Charlotte's horror, a loud gunshot echoed through the docks. She gasped as she saw Oswald hold his bleeding stomach, blood dripping down his hands. A whimper left her when Ed grabbed him by the tie and pushed him to the freezing water below.

She closed her eyes tightly and only opened them when Ed spoke to her. "Now, it's your turn". He gulped as he saw how in a bad shape she was, but he had to kill her for what she did to Isabella. She had brought it upon herself. "This is the end of the line. You don't have anything to say to me?"

"What do you want me to say?" She asked with a weak voice. Her bloodshot eyes stared into his brown ones. "That I'm sorry? That I regret it and wish I could undone it? Why would I say that? I don't regret it, Ed. Killing me won't change anything. It won't change what I feel for you or end the hate I feel for Kristen and Isabella". Ed stared back at her with both sadness and disappointment, but she continued. "I... I understand the two sides of you. I understand just how great you can still become. Isabella would never understand you as I do. I did it for you".

Silence hanged in the air and the only sound heard was that of the water and the sirens blaring in the distance.

A few tears escaped her eyes as she confessed her feelings in what could be her last chance. "Ed, I love y-"

Charlotte didn't even get to finish her sentence before a gunshot rang out through the docks for the second time that morning.

At first, she felt nothing but a pressure on her stomach. Before the excruciating pain started spreading through her body, Ed stepped closer to her and wrapped a hand around her neck. He tightened his grip around it and he could feel her pulse getting weaker and weaker under his hand. His eyes never left hers for a single moment and he heard her gasp in pain.

"I loved you too". Those were the last words Charlotte heard Ed say before she started falling backwards.

She was almost passing out with the pain and faintly felt herself being engulfed by the water. The last thing she saw, or thought she saw, was a flash of orange and green in the water. Was it just fish or was it actual hair and clothes? Charlotte had no idea and no strength left to duel further on the matter. That's when her eyes finally closed and darkness took over .

***

"Even if I knew how this would end, I would still read our story again and again."

- Jessica Katoff

***

A/N: This chapter broke me. I know this is long as hell, but I didn't really want to divide this into two chapters. It made more sense to put all of this together, so I hope you don't mind.

Love you all ❤️