A L L E Y S | Gotham

fourteen | THE GINGER IN THE DARK CASTLE

BARBARA KNEW IT WAS WRONG. She knew that she shouldn't have brought her daughter to one of the most dangerous places in a Gotham, that was actually meant to help people - Arkham Asylum.

Jim had briefly explained to her on the phone that Bella had become close with one of the latest inmates. He forgot the crucial point that Jerome had already threatened to snatch the girl up, so Barbara was unsure of the danger she was putting her daughter in.

Jim would never allow it, but she felt so bad for the little girl, who was crying because her friend was missing. Barbara heard that he murdered his mother brutally, but she had also found out that his mother beat him.

'It could've been self defence,' a part of her argued, although the self defence was that even after the woman passed out, he hit her with an axe fourteen more times. Talk about overkill. But, she knew that Isabella missed him a lot.

So, this is what led Barbara to be leading Isabella down the halls of Arkham Asylum, a very nervous guard beside them.

He took them into the 'visiting room', where some of the inmates were sat, with friends or family around them. Others, were sat alone.

Jerome was utterly confused to why someone would want to visit him. He was told that someone arranged a meeting with him. At first, he wondered if it was Jeremiah or Uncle Zack coming to gloat in his face. But, he soon saw the pair walk inside.

"Jerome!" The little girl squealed in excitement, running towards him with a tray of cookies in her hands - the ones that she baked (with a lot of help from Barbara).

"Isabella?" Jerome questioned, as she placed down the tray on the bench he was sat, and wrapped her arms around him.

It was a shock to say, but Jerome had never been hugged before, well, there weren't any times he could remember. No one, not his mother, not his brother, definitely not his Uncle, and not Mr Cicero, ever embraced him in that way.

For a few seconds, he was surprised, but after a while he realised with wide eyes that he certainly didn't mind the comfort she provided him with that one simple gesture. That's when he obliged to her embrace, his hand gently stroking the top of her head, where her red bushy hair lied.

When he first met her, he wanted to snuff out her bubbly innocence like a flame on a match, but after interacting with her, he found that he was happy with the way she was. Purity was something Jerome had never come across before. Not in the circus, and not in Gotham. Until of course, he met her.

When she pulled away, he helped her sit up next to him on the metal bench, as she slid the cookies closer to him.

"I missed you," she faintly whispered, unsure of his reaction.

He smiled, and not a insane one, ruffling her hair with his hand, "I missed you too, doll."

Barbara watched their encounter with confusion. He certainly didn't seem the killer type. But, when he glanced in her direction and winked evilly, she felt shivers come up her spine, as well as regret. She shouldn't have brought Bella here.

"Me and Mommy made these cookies for you... they're chocolate chip," Isabella stated proudly.

"Wow, my favourite," he grinned, taking a bite out of one noisily, causing the girl to laugh loudly, spiking the attention of other inmates in the room.