just a moment [rp thread for work_with_it]
Dalia knocked on the door of Andrew's office.
"Just a moment," he called out.
That was odd. He hardly ever did that, even when he was taking a phone call. She knew for a fact that he wasn't in a meeting. Still, things had been strained between the two of them the last nearly-two weeks. She waited. A couple of minutes later, Andrew came to the door, looking grim.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I have some papers for you to sign," Dalia said, holding out a file folder. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Andrew took the file.
She knew the implication - now that you're not going to be working here any longer.
"Andrew--" She sighed. "Andy." Her tone and the look on her face indicated that she still cared.
He swallowed, then ushered her into his office, closing the door behind him. After a moment, the mayor spoke. "I just got off the phone with the DA. Nick Bruce is getting a walk."
"What?" The color drained from Dalia's face.
"He's giving him a deal for flipping on Sanchez, the shooter," Andrew explained.
"That's bullshit," Dalia shook her head. "Why?? Why the hell would the DA let a co-conspirator--who tried to assassinate you just walk??"
"My guess is, he's got the DA in a bind," Andrew said, "Maybe has someone - one of the mob families, for instance - pulling in favors. I--don't know what else it could be."
"It's a slap in the face," Dalia continued to frown. Without thinking, she put a hand on his arm. "What're you going to do?"
"Hope he doesn't come after me again?" Andrew let out a short, unamused laugh. "There's not a whole lot I can do."
"Be careful," Dalia squeezed his arm.
"I'm as careful as I can be," Andrew said. "You're the one who was ready to testify against him in court."
"I still would," Dalia said, "I'm not afraid of that asshole."
Andrew laughed a little. "I know that...things between us..."
"...Andy..."
"Look, I know that in the end, working here wasn't what you expected it to be...but for what it's worth, I'm sorry to see you go," he finished.
"Nothing in Gotham is as I expected it to be," Dalia said quietly, "Even having lived here all my life."
"Do you have another job lined up yet?" Andrew asked.
She shook her head. "For what it's worth...I've liked working for you, for the most part."
"I'm sorry you don't feel you can any more," he looked at her with regret.
"Maybe--I was wrong," she said, then hastily added, "Not about us. But--about quitting the job."
"I wouldn't mind if you stayed," Andrew said quickly. "As my assistant, I mean."
"Okay," Dalia nodded, taking a step back from him before they got any closer. "Okay."
Half an hour later, Dalia found herself outside City Hall, done with work for the day. Even though she was off, her head was still spinning. She was keeping her job after all. Nick Bruce was a free man. Things with Andy...would still never be the same, but at least...at least they'd talked. She needed to clear her head. Taking a moment, she sat down on a bench in the square below City Hall and took a few deep breaths.
"Just a moment," he called out.
That was odd. He hardly ever did that, even when he was taking a phone call. She knew for a fact that he wasn't in a meeting. Still, things had been strained between the two of them the last nearly-two weeks. She waited. A couple of minutes later, Andrew came to the door, looking grim.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I have some papers for you to sign," Dalia said, holding out a file folder. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Andrew took the file.
She knew the implication - now that you're not going to be working here any longer.
"Andrew--" She sighed. "Andy." Her tone and the look on her face indicated that she still cared.
He swallowed, then ushered her into his office, closing the door behind him. After a moment, the mayor spoke. "I just got off the phone with the DA. Nick Bruce is getting a walk."
"What?" The color drained from Dalia's face.
"He's giving him a deal for flipping on Sanchez, the shooter," Andrew explained.
"That's bullshit," Dalia shook her head. "Why?? Why the hell would the DA let a co-conspirator--who tried to assassinate you just walk??"
"My guess is, he's got the DA in a bind," Andrew said, "Maybe has someone - one of the mob families, for instance - pulling in favors. I--don't know what else it could be."
"It's a slap in the face," Dalia continued to frown. Without thinking, she put a hand on his arm. "What're you going to do?"
"Hope he doesn't come after me again?" Andrew let out a short, unamused laugh. "There's not a whole lot I can do."
"Be careful," Dalia squeezed his arm.
"I'm as careful as I can be," Andrew said. "You're the one who was ready to testify against him in court."
"I still would," Dalia said, "I'm not afraid of that asshole."
Andrew laughed a little. "I know that...things between us..."
"...Andy..."
"Look, I know that in the end, working here wasn't what you expected it to be...but for what it's worth, I'm sorry to see you go," he finished.
"Nothing in Gotham is as I expected it to be," Dalia said quietly, "Even having lived here all my life."
"Do you have another job lined up yet?" Andrew asked.
She shook her head. "For what it's worth...I've liked working for you, for the most part."
"I'm sorry you don't feel you can any more," he looked at her with regret.
"Maybe--I was wrong," she said, then hastily added, "Not about us. But--about quitting the job."
"I wouldn't mind if you stayed," Andrew said quickly. "As my assistant, I mean."
"Okay," Dalia nodded, taking a step back from him before they got any closer. "Okay."
Half an hour later, Dalia found herself outside City Hall, done with work for the day. Even though she was off, her head was still spinning. She was keeping her job after all. Nick Bruce was a free man. Things with Andy...would still never be the same, but at least...at least they'd talked. She needed to clear her head. Taking a moment, she sat down on a bench in the square below City Hall and took a few deep breaths.