Mama Gotham

Only Alyssa

It didn't matter what they were doing, the second they had been informed that Alyssa Connors was awake, half of Gotham dropped everything and made a beeline for the hospital. Selina had to shove her way through reporters, camera men, and her fellow street kids. Everyone wanted to get inside, but for some reason no one could.

"Hey, no one gets through here." two burly men stopped her, Jerome, and the detectives at the hallway that lead to Alyssa's room.

"You're from LuthorCorp." Jerome said, his eyes flickering to the name tags clipped to their suit pockets.

"Mr. Luthor ordered us to keep the crowds from getting into Ms. Connors' room."

"What's LuthorCorp care if the press gets to Alyssa?" Jim frowned.

"Not LuthorCorp, Luthor." Jerome corrected quickly, and attempted to jump around the guards. "Lex! Lex, its me, tell these morons to let us through!"

"Jerome?" the bald billionaire stepped out of the hospital room, grinning when he saw the ginger. "Stand aside boys, this is Alyssa's son." he waved them off as he stepped up to the group.

"Who the heck are you?" Harvey frowned, his eyebrows drawing together.

"Lex Luthor, and you are?"

"Can we do the introductions later please?" Selina interrupted. "How's Alyssa?"

"She's a little out of it from being asleep for so long, but the doctors say she'll make a full recovery."

While everyone around him breathed a sigh of relief, Jerome did not. He had thought hearing Alyssa was okay would be a wait off his shoulders, but instead the sticky feeling of the phantom blood between his fingers was back.

'This world doesn't care about you or anyone else, Jerome. Better to realize that now.'

"She's been asking for you." Lex's voice snapped him out of his thoughts as Selina nodded and darted past him into the room. Jerome wanted to follow her, but found his feet rooted to the floor. "Jerome, aren't you going in?"

He shook his head. "She-she won't wanna see me..."

'This world doesn't care about you or anyone else, Jerome.'

Really, he was just being selfish. He didn't want to go in and face her anger, her disappointment. He didn't want to face the person who'd believed in him since day one who he'd let down.

'Better to realize that now.'

"Nonsense, she's been asking for you and Selina since she woke up."

"...She has?"

Lex stepped to the side and gestured for Jerome to go forward. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he slowly did so.

******

"What is up with that kid?" Lex looked after him. "I don't think I've ever seen him reluctant to see Alyssa. Used to be I couldn't pry the two of them off each other."

"Jerome's the one who put Alyssa in that bed." Harvey informed, not at all beating around the bush.

"Harvey." Jim scolded his partner.

Lex scoffed. "There must be some mistake; I've never seen a kid love his mother more."

"Well that kid hacked his real mom to pieces, and put a bullet in Alyssa's gut."

"I-Its kinda true." Jim nodded.

"...What happened?"

******

"Mom, I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Can't get rid of me that easy kitten."

"I thought I was gonna loose you..." Selina clung to her.

Jerome gulped and cleared his throat, bringing their attention to him.

"J..."

"Hi." he attempted to smile but failed. "Look, Alyssa I –"

"You don't have to say anything." she cut him off.

"Well good, cuz what can I say? 'I'm sorry'? 'I screwed up'? Doesn't really cover it..."

"Please." Alyssa rolled her eyes. "My little sister is studying to be a doctor because after she patched me up so many times she developed a talent for it; do you really think what you did made the top ten?"

"...A-Alyssa I-...."

"I'm not condoning it: its bad. But its not something we're going to repeat now is it?"

"No mam." he shook his head quickly. "Bullock and Gordon are already outside. I-I'll let them arrest me, I'll go back to Arkham, whatever it takes."

Alyssa smiled slightly and reached out her hand, motioning for Jerome to come closer. Stepping as though he expected to set foot on a land mine, he came up to the hospital bed.

"I promised you I wouldn't abandon you." she took his hand. "A promise is a promise J."

He looked down at their hands and slowly laced his finger with her's. The sticky feeling of the phantom blood was gone, but it was replaced by a tight feeling in his chest.

He threw his arms around her, jumping back when Alyssa cried out slightly, but she held him in place, returning the embrace.

"I love you...." Jerome said softly, making no attempts to keep the tears from falling down his cheeks. It didn't matter if the rest of the world saw him being vulnerable; the only thing that mattered was that his family still wanted him around.

"I love you too, my little star."

'I missed you...'
'Missed you too kid.'

'A promise is a promise Jerome.'

'You know I don't like surprises.'
'Please just go with it? For me?'
'....You're really lucky you're cute.'

Jerome whimpered and squeezed her hand as he pulled back. He looked between Alyssa and Selina, still not knowing what he had done to deserve such people in his life.

But they were here. And he was going to do everything right by them from now on.

******

"Damn." Harvey said, watching the exchange through the open door.

"Only Alyssa, huh?" Lex smiled fondly.

Jim nodded. "Only Alyssa...."

A/N: After everything I've put my characters through, lets let them have this moment.