"Could I ask you a question (Y/n)?" Ed asked, as he pushed the finished body back into the freezer.

"Of course Ed, you know you can ask me anything." (Y/n) told him, as she finished pulling off the bloody apron and gloves from the autopsy they had just finished.

Ed and (Y/n) had worked together for the last couple of years now, and they had quickly learnt how the other worked, their different skills complimenting one another perfectly. Even though Ed had been very quiet and pretty much kept himself to himself when (Y/n) had come to work with him at the GCPD, soon enough they were firm friends; in her, Ed had found someone that seemed to understand him, and he found himself confiding everything to her, she was his shoulder to cry on and was always there to give him advice when he needed.

"How do you talk to women?" He asked, taking a seat at the table and looking over at a slightly shocked (Y/n).

"Er well............ it all depends on the woman really. Different women like different things." She told him, as she sat on the opposite side of the desk, rifling uncomfortably through some paperwork.

She was the first one to know about Ed's crush on Miss Kringle, she didn't like it but what could she say. She couldn't tell him that Kringle was no good for him, and the woman that really cared about him was sat across from him right now. She couldn't tell him that she loved every one of his little quirks, every one of his silly riddles; that she loved his awkwardness and his quietness, and that she would do anything for Ed to feel for her what he seemed to feel for Kringle.

"Well......... how would a man talk to someone like....... um, like you (Y/n)? I mean you are a woman." Ed said, looking over the top of his glasses at her.

(Y/n) had to chuckle to herself, she was surprised that Ed had even seen past her lab coat to notice she was a woman.

"Let's see...... making me laugh is always a good thing, but it has to be something witty not just gallows humour, something that shows that the man has some intelligence. I suppose, little compliment about how nice I look that day, or about my work, are always nice to hear; I'm not what you'd call a high maintenance kind of girl, its more the simple things that I appreciate, and that doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be words. A brush of hands when he passes me, a kiss when I'm least expecting it, or being presented with a wild flower he found; it may sound silly but it's the little things that count, not great big displays of affection, just simple little things." (Y/n) told him with a shrug, as she looked back down at the paperwork.

"So, does that work on all women?" Ed asked, causing (Y/n) to sigh. It seemed more than obvious now that Ed was wondering whether all that would work on Kringle.

"I don't know Ed, but I should think that if the woman you want to talk to likes you, then you could probably just about say anything and she'd still fall head over heels in love with you." (Y/n) told him, as she moved over towards the coffee machine, pouring herself a cup of the lukewarm strong brown liquid.

Ed seemed to muse for a moment, tapping his fingers on the desk; (Y/n) could just imagine what was going through his head, how he would use what she had told him to approach Kringle.

"I'm going to leave a little early (Y/n), if you don't mind. I'll see you tomorrow." Ed said, rising from his chair, and grabbing his coat.

"Sure Ed, no problem. Good luck with your lady." (Y/n) told him as he exited the morgue.

She couldn't help but sigh, she had just told Ed the best way to approach that damn Kringle woman, why didn't she just go the whole hog and arrange the perfect date for them too, (Y/n) thought to herself as she put the last of the days paperwork back in the filing cabinet. Could she get any dumber!

                                                         >>--------------------------------------<<

The next day (Y/n) made her way into the GCPD, dodging officers that were taking people to cells, and trying to avoid any early morning questions from Gordon and Bullock. As much as she liked the two detectives, the thought of once again trying to explain the lifecycle of a housefly larvae on a dead body was too much for her today; she had spent a sleepless night thinking about Ed, annoyed that he could be so interested in a woman like Kristen Kringle, but more annoyed at herself that she hadn't had the guts to tell Ed how she felt about him.

As she reached the lab she stopped at the door, taking a deep breath and preparing herself for a day of having to listen to Ed gush about Kringle.

"Morning Ed. I've brought your coffee." She called out, expecting Ed to rush over and grab his king size cup from her hand as he would every morning.

When he didn't come, she looked around the lab; there were signs that he was there, but he was nowhere to be found.

With a silent chuckle and a shake of her head, she placed the coffees on the table and hung up her coat. As she returned to her desk (Y/n) noticed a small envelope addressed to her; opening it cautiously, she found a piece of paper with a riddle on it.

If you've got it you can't share it,

and if you've shared it you haven't got it.

What am I?

(Y/n) looked at the riddle for a moment; Ed asking her riddles was nothing new, he did it every day, but he had never left one like this before. She looked at the paper, thinking it over in her mind for a moment before a small smile came to her lips.

"You'll have to try better than that Ed, that was an easy one; the answer is A secret." (Y/n) called out with a chuckle, believing that wherever Ed was he would be able to hear her.

                                                         >>-----------------------------------<<

The day was proving to be a bizarre one, wherever she went Ed had just been there, whenever she had gone to do something, Ed had already done it, but she was still to see him, and despite her being accustomed to Ed's little quirks this was proving strange even for (Y/n).

As she sat at her desk completing some paperwork, she noticed something out of place sticking out from one of the draws, pulling it open she found a small posy of wildflowers, with a little note attached.

A simple thing, but it means so much

They will bloom all the more under your tender touch

As beautiful as these things may be

They are nothing compared to your smile to me.

(Y/n) couldn't help but smile sadly, as she breathed in the scent of the beautiful wild blooms before she placed them back in her draw; all she could do was presume that Ed had hidden them there so that he could give them to Kristen later, but as the blooms disappeared from sight, as she shut the draw, (Y/n) couldn't help but feel a little hurt that Ed would leave a token of love for another woman in her desk.

As the day came to an end (Y/n) couldn't wait to leave; for once Gotham had not given her any new bodies to work on, and the day had dragged, leaving her to her own thoughts, her mind going over the days events and the riddle and posy that she had found. Putting on her coat, (Y/n)'s hands instinctively went into her pockets, making sure that her house keys were still where she left them. Rummaging around, she found a piece of paper, written on it was another riddle.

You can touch me,

You can break me,

You should win me if you want to be mine.

What am I?

(Y/n)'s shoulders dropped, normally she loved Ed's riddles, but today wasn't a normal day, and she just wanted it over with.

"If you didn't know the answer (Y/n), it's a heart." Ed's voice coming from behind her.

(Y/n) spun around to see the man that she had been looking for all day, the posy of wildflowers in his hand and an adorable goofy smile on his lips.

"Ed! What the hell is going on? Where have you been all day?" (Y/n) asked, crossing her arms across her chest, and looking up at the tall man.

"My darling (Y/n), I'm sorry if I have gone about things in an unusual way, but I have something important to tell you. You were right that the answer to my first riddle was a secret, because that is what I have, but I wish to share it with you." Ed said handing (Y/n) the posy.

"My secret is that I think you are the most wonderful woman in the world (Y/n), you are sweet and kind, intelligent and beautiful. Your smile puts the beauty of those wildflowers to shame, and if you want it you have my heart, because I love you (Y/n)." Ed said, watching as the woman in front of him, stared at him wide eyed.

"Y-y-you mean that this is all for me, and not Kringle?" (Y/n) asked, shock evident in her voice.

Ed couldn't help but chuckle at her. "Of course (Y/n), you deserve all this and more; I just have one question to ask. Can you love a riddling fool?" Ed asked, as he moved to stand in front of her.

"Oh Ed!" (Y/n) exclaimed, throwing herself in his arms.

"I've loved a riddling fool for a long time, I've just been waiting for him to realise it." She told him, as she pulled him into a kiss.

As the two held one another tight, (Y/n) couldn't help but think that if she had known that a little advice on women would have led to this she would have told Ed a lot sooner.