#i know the ed we got left with in s1's finale might not be this happy so easily

[izzy-b-hands]

"It's his birthday," Izzy says. "So..."

"A cake?" Frenchie suggests. "We can probably do that. Jim agrees with me."

"I agree we can bake a cake, but I can't agree that I believe it'll be edible," Jim says. "Is this really the most important thing for us to be doing for the day, Izzy?"

Izzy frowns. "Well...no. Yes, it is! Not for the ship necessarily, actually there are barnacles that need scraping-"

"Again?" Frenchie scoffs.

"They don't stay away after the first time you scrape them off!"

"They could!"

"Okay," Jim gently pushes between and past the two of them. "I'm going outside to scrape barnacles. You two have fun with the cake."

"Well," Frenchie hesitates. "I could do that, the barnacles thing."

"I'd actually marked myself down for that task," Izzy adds, but Jim doesn't slow down or look back as they leave the galley.

"We can do this," Izzy says.

"Where's Fang?" Frenchie asks. "Or Ivan, maybe they-"

"They're helping Ed hang the new drapes," Izzy interrupts. "He feels the windows in the captain's quarters let in too much light."

"That's barely any light though!"

"I know."

They pause, and stare at each other.

"So...just us and a cake," Frenchie sighs. "Okay. We can do this."

"Right," Izzy nods. "We can do this."

--

"In theory if the original cake didn't taste of enough orange," Frenchie says. "Then I'd think we should put more orange AND the orange marmalade in as well. Ooh, orange peel in the batter, and then marmalade as filling? That feels like something Roach would do."

"The batter practically is orange," Izzy frowns at said batter, sitting in the wooden bowl on the counter in front of them. "How did this cake use so much fruit, and still supposedly not taste anything like it?"

"To be honest," Frenchie replies. "I didn't even have any, so maybe it did and Captain Stede was being picky?"

"Oh."

"Yeah."

--

"It's a surprise," Jim snags Ed's shoulder. "Come on, let them finish it."

"I'm fucking hungry, and this is my fuc-" Ed stops mid-stride and sentence. "Do you smell oranges?"

"Yes," Jim smiles. "I do. On second thought, your surprise might be ready. Let me peek in first, okay?"

They open the galley door, and lean in.

There's batter in places they didn't know one could get batter. All of it extremely orange in color.

Frenchie and Izzy give them matching thousand yard stares.

"Nearly done!" Jim chirps happily and slams the door shut. "I'm gonna bring you your lunch!"

"Oh," Ed says. "I mean, that's nice, but I'm literally right here. Like, the Kraken doesn't kill people because he needs to have his food brought to him, that's not like...my sort of thing, so I could just get it myself!"

"Yeah, but even so," Jim continues. "Take the break and enjoy it!"

"You know I'm suspicious, right?"

"You'd be an idiot if you weren't," Jim sighs. "Just. Please?"

Ed frowns, but saunters off towards his quarters.

--

"Oh," Fang breathes in deeply. "Oh wow. How did you two do this?"

"If we knew," Izzy's voice breaks. "We'd have undone it by now."

"Okay," Fang says, gently moving Izzy to sit on the floor by Frenchie. "You two sit here and get to cleaning all of...this. I'm going to see how the rest of the batter looks."

"Avert your eyes," Frenchie sighs sadly. "I mean, I'm not an amazing cook like Roach; I'll own that. But even I've never fucked it up this bad before. Mate, I swear I don't know what happened."

"You two did your best," Fang says, voice full of kind pity. "It's okay if your best is...look, the important thing is that Jim got me to help before this got any worse. They're gonna give Ed his lunch now, and they'll work with Ivan to keep Ed occupied till this is done, okay?"

"It's just a fucking cake," Izzy mutters, then hiccups. He and Frenchie have both clearly been crying.

"That's so sad and pathetic," Fang says gently. "Anyway, get scrubbing. Let me fix this."

--

"Holy fuck," Ed smiles. Actually smiles, for the first time in a good while. "You guys all helped with this?"

The cake, decently sized despite the lost batter, sits on a plate in front of him. Shaped and coloured to look like an orange, with a couple of new and nearly overfilled orange marmalade containers at each side to go with it.

"Fang did most of it," Frenchie volunteers.

"But you and Izzy made the batter," Fang adds. "And Jim and Ivan-"

"Kept me away so it would be a surprise," Ed interrupts. "You know..."

Ivan flashes them a nervous look. His one stipulation to helping keep Ed out of the galley was that they would make sure not to upset Ed to the point he might maim anyone. Like, say, his own short staffed crew.

"Since..." Ed swallows hard. "All of the recent changes, I've been hesitant to let myself be happy. About anything, for any reason. And I really wasn't looking forward to my birthday..."

Frenchie nods along.

"I should add, if any of you tell anyone about this moment," Ed continues. "I'll keelhaul all of you."

"Understood," Izzy says sharply.

"That said," Ed smiles again. "I needed this. I love it. Thank you guys."

They nod, but there's a thick tension in the room that keeps their mouths shut. No one seems keen to break it.

"We'll leave you to it," Izzy finally says, gesturing to the cake. "Leave any leftovers and we'll get them put away for you. For breakfast, maybe."

"Maybe! And yeah, barnacles still need scraping," Ed agrees, taking a fork from Fang. "Ivan and Jim got some of it done, but you and Frenchie could finish it."

The bit of levity, the inkling of a less hurt Ed, disappears with them out the galley door.

But, they exchange exhausted small smiles.

He had a good birthday, he liked the cake, and he didn't even notice the batter dried onto the galley ceiling.

[inappropriatefangirlneeds]

Gotham s3ep12 “Ghosts”  Personal Review

“Okay. Weird” ..  “But not illegal.” Warning spoilers below

“Please don´t leave just yet” BRUCE WAYNE says to Mrs. Kyle. Before that the ornament OWL gets examined, the one they stole and people died for. And yes I do very much like to know why this thing is so important as well and thank you Gotham that might have been the most interesting seconds of this plot: Bruce puts the owl aside and sun shines on it, revealing a map or something. I´m curious! Better be useful, Luka died for that.  Anyway it´s all about SELINA KYLE´s mother who was an orphan and left at the same step as she did leave Selina and now tries to make up for over a decade of neglect. Selina is not having it she is angry. Her mother brings a box to the Wayne Manor that they should give her daughter and omg Bruce is so precious in this, he tell her to stay and try reaching out once more! Well done Bruce! He brings mother and box to Selina and they hug. They all have dinner and get along well. Daughter and mother bond over robbing Alfred and it´s glorious. It feels like a happy family and I really like that but why do I got a bad feeling about this.. Bad feeling gets some fodder when Selina accompanies her mother going into her hotel room. Some guy wants money. At first I thought Mrs. Kyle might work together with that guy but she does seem truly worried? Selina is quick to offer Bruce´s money. Like when did that happen, at first she did not even take the offer of a shower and warm place to stay now she is spending his money. Okay it´s not for her but someone else but still. Mother says this is her past and that the Wayne boys should be warned because they are not to be messed with ..  Dear, ALFRED PENNYWORTH is really into Mrs. Kyle, and .. really?! .. I thought he would look down on her just as much as he does on Selina and despise her, but then again both are horrible with the parent role so maybe that connects?   

“Let the vultures have at me.” Okay now I do call bullshit how does OSWALD COBBLEPOT  not know that he has been doing good for the city. He seemed to have been involved as much that he knew he was doing good for the mob interests he gotta know that stuff at least some tendency. Like yes, he did not know how to do the bar thing with Butch but now I´m starting to get annoyed. Once he finally gets the memo that things are alright he is all smiling and “How´s my hair” and that´s more the penguin I want to see. Also for fox sake can´t they have him be happy for more than a second. They just throw shit at him that keeps piling, this is not fun anymore. Being mayor could have been so great and good for him why always skip that stuff. Anyway TARQUIN, deputy chief of staff elegantly offers his assistance and also arranges some national TV interview. Meanwhile “someone” digs up Elijah van Dahl´s corpse and gets spooky. Oswald´s sanity certificate shatters, how symbolic. Oswald sees his dead father wandering around and even warning him about a birthday boy that should not be trusted. Tarquin gets some birthday cake and Oswald finds a corpse in a bag,  one thing leads to another. Tarquin gets murdered.  “You are a sick man! What are you plotting? What's the angle? Who are you in on this with?” Yes Oswald that´s what you should be asking but honey, dead people can´t give you answers. I feel sorry for the both of them, this is a mess. Oswald thus is late for his TV interview, which of course can only take place in this mere moment, but makes it “Sorry I´m late, mayor stuff”. TV lady told him she is no fan of him and wow she really isn´t, she suggests Oswald murdered his family to inherit the money. NO! You don´t do that lady. I mean from her point of view yes you do very much do that and question the whole thing but god damn it. Anyway I´m pretty annoyed as well that Oswald did not seem to be able to answer her question about how he has archived doing good for the city but I can let that slip because I so deeply relate to that “Well ..” I really don’t like this plot, what annoys me most is probably the question of: Don´t other people see Clayjah van Spook ? Like have him spook around in Oswald´s place at night okay, but have him show up at the TV interview?! Why isn´t Oswald all like .. stop, hold that man that looks like my dead father. Or just stop that man. Like it does not make him look much more insane than running of and even saying “to hell with the people” This is annoying me so much. On a bright side: I like TARQUIN the way he presented himself was just lovely. And I adore his elegant reaction of *gets hit .. well, better place this cake carefully, so it won´t go to waste falling on the floor. Why did he have to go so early. I´m a bit pissed at Ed for setting him up like this. EDWARD NYGMA is still in full rage mode and wants Oswald to suffer plenty before putting him out of his misery. BARBARA is still all excited about getting a new empire to play with and meanwhile CLAYFACE is worried about his performance, the voice issue again ..

“That´s the law, this is family” HARVEY BULLOCK explains to Jim Gordon who is watching Mario Falcone´s funeral and is absolutely right. Jim feels guilty, wants to do something but for once thinks about his actions and leaves. Damn it LESLIE THOMPKINS really fits into that mob family. I´m more and more thinking about her being at least as much into the family as into Mario. And damn it Mario, he deserved better. Least I´m glad that seemingly he indeed was a decent person. [Why the heck did Victor not like Mario??!] LESLIE shows up at the GCPD “You´re the real virus, Jim”  and I think what a drama queen but then again she is right. Nathaniel and Mario had the same infection, one is dead and one isn´t. Jim could have shouted at her instead of shooting Mario. She might have died then, or not. Given the way they showed Jim last week I do blame him up to a certain extent as well but that whole thing is annoying too. LEE & FALCONE have a mob moment discussing the death of Jim Gordon. “Blood for Blood”  Falcone say and wants Jim dead. Falcone also says that Jim was more like his son than Mario in some way and, really?! Like they had some thing, but they barely met. What kind of judgment is that?! Anyway Lee spits hate and wants him dead too but Falcone says Jim is his, and that it anyway is a decision Lee has to live with without doing it herself, he is used to it. “Everything bad that's happened in my life has happened because of him.” “If Gordon dies, it's a weight we'll both have to carry. I'm used to such burdens.” LEE later visits BARNES to get to know more about the infection, thinking she might have had a life with a cured Mario but Barnes gets into full, no okay about 60% executioner mode (I´m surprised that he stopped the screaming that annoyed Jervis so much,  maybe the blood just did not prepare his vocal cords for this) and Lee changes her mind. She tells Falcone to spare Jim. Falcone tells her she still loves him.   Why is listening Falcone to her?! It´s still about his son and he is still dead.

* Leslie wants Jim dead for killing her love interest. Edwards wants Oswald suffering and then dead for killing his love interest.  Don Falcone tells Leslie she talks of hate and revenge because she does not want to acknowledge  that she still loves Jim Gordon. Is this meant to be a parallel?

 “It's inevitability, Jim. Embrace it.” We have gone from S1 Everyone loves Jim to everybody wants to kill Jim. What a development. NATHANIEL BARNES declares he still wants to judge, jury and execute Jim and he is pretty confident that he will get out of Arkham and do as he declared. And omg that was great acting! Then VICTOR ZSASZ visits Jim Gordon and raids his kitchen. He warns him about Falcone wanting him dead but drops a hint that he does not. “Nice shot on Mario, I never liked him.”  [Why?!] Omg, omg .. Zsasz could have an own agenda?! Do we finally get to know things about his loyalties about how he works and all that stuff we have been wondering about for so long?! I´m totally excited. Also I´m totally worried. This could get so messy. Also I can´t quite wrap my head around why he would hint something like this but still carry out orders like usual business. Like does he care about his own opinion?! Anyway I guess I got to wait for more answers. [But please Jim & Zsasz .. gotham you´d make me happy] Later Falcone orders Jim to get killed and Zsasz goes after him with two new fellow hitmen, who promptly get probably killed. Zsasz does not even bat an eyelash anymore when Jim uses one as cover and puts several bullets into them, seems this has become usual business. Why do people still work with him? [Or did he pick some he did not like anyway and was plotting to have Jim get away all along, for Mr. I do good work that was pretty much not good work there in the kitchen] Jim beats him, biig surprise, and points a gun at him, it clicks and it´s not loaded .. would Jim have shot him if?  Jim leaves. Round two happens in his place but Falcone calls the whole thing of. Victor Zsasz leaves without any of the usual words of  “oh please boss, let me kill, and murder, pretty please” ... this is suspicious, okay maybe I just want to see it as suspicious.

“These days I no longer say impossible. Unlikely.” LUCIUS FOX says when examining a dead/again girl. She was stabbed, she was fried with electricity, took a walk and died again. The morgue is more like a motel HARVEY says and he and JIM make their way to it. DWIGHT does not know how  the corpse could escape but he worked at Indian Hill so he might have a clue and the Detective Dream Team follows him to a weird but not illegal gathering. Dwight got a Jerome patch on his back (someone tell me again patches are stupid and insignificant.) The crowd is dressed in Jerome memorial straight jackets and in for a good laugh. Guy on the stage shows some cut together Jerome material. Everyone is blind, bla and just believing the establishment´s lies, bla sanity is just a prison, bla .. wake up and be super duper enlightened and chant the same stuff as your fellow cult members. The GCPD Boys put a stop to the laughter but can´t catch Dwight. Instead VICTOR ZSASZ shows up and Jim is oh, shit! while Harvey is all oh shit?! and legitimately pissed about the question mark. As he tells Jim later, Jim should have told him. While Jim thinks it´s just his business because Zsasz is a professional, has great work ethics and only after him Harvey points out that he pretty often stands beside him and dear please tell me Harvey was aware of that great double meaning. Harvey always got Jim´s back. Jim should honor that with giving him a bit more of that quite vital information. Falcone appears and calls Victor back. Jim approaches him and all I can think is whatever comes out of your mouth better be an apology and he does say “I´m sorry”. Phew. Basic decency. I´m relieved. Falcone says that if it were his choice he would be dead .. giving Jim something to think about. Lee. God please no.

“You´re a good egg” I am so glad that Gotham is keeping this man that could kill you shows up in your kitchen eating your food thing, like I´m really glad this keeps happening, I love that .. also I might really have to move, this .. and all the fancy bathtubs..

* Diseases & Viruses 1. Alice Tetch´s Blood = Virus in the literal sense  “This virus isn't the disease. It's the antidote.” Nathaniel Barnes says to Lee about being infected with the blood. Lee believes in a cure but Barnes does not want to have that. There is an interesting parallel to the second kind of Virus they have established.

2. Jerome´s Cult = Virus in the metaphorical sense “There is nothing more contagious than laughter.” Jerome announced in Season 2 and established the grounds for what we see now. People spreading and adding to his message. They see it, such as Barnes sees his infection as the antidote: “What you call sanity, it's just a prison in your minds that stops you from seeing you're just tiny little cogs in a giant, absurd machine, Wake up!” Moreover with them trying to bring back Jerome from the dead there is an additional little parallel established when Barnes talks about the Virus restoring his body “I've never felt better in my life. Clearer, stronger. More focused. Even now, I can feel it coursing through my veins. Restoring my body.” With Barnes it’s the blood infection and Jerome will be resurrected by the contagious laughter he spread.

3. Jim Gordon  = Virus as moralist (mis)interpretation ?  “You're the real virus, Jim. You seep into people's lives until you destroy them.” Lee says.

 I´m tempted to apply the bible exegesis thing here but I´m struggling with the fourth type of interpretation and who cares anyway. And there has been disease talk in Gotham before all this but I´m too lazy to look stuff up .. for now..

* Omg that mouse running through the storage house