A L L E Y S | Gotham

twenty two | THE MIND'S CUCKOO CLOCK

A/N I've just watched the G.C.P.D scene with Jerome in it. I swear to god, he looks like a fucking god in it. I was screeching about how perfect he is and my family is scared. BUT HE'S SO PERFECT IN THE SCENE. rewatch it. His smile when Essen sees him for the first time is so adorable but evil but so cute.

His hair in season 2 gives me life.

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A DEVIOUS SMIRK WAS ON JEROME'S FACE, as he looked down on Sarah Essen from the desk he was standing on. Isabella was standing by Greenwood, who had one hand holding his shotgun, and another gripping tightly onto her arm. There would be bruises in the future.

Jerome whistled as he flung the police hat off of his hair, and then said, "Hell of a first week you're having Commissioner." He began to take off his jacket, as he spoke the words, "I wish I could tell you that things were gonna get better for you... They're not."

He threw the jacket to the floor, before looking back at Greenwood, "Come up here with her and the camera. Get a better angle of the room."

Greenwood forced himself and Isabella up onto the desks, where Jerome and Essen was.

The small girl began to softly cry, but not because of Greenwood's painful hold on her arm, but because she could see all of the bodies left behind from the carnage.

"It's going to be okay, I promise," Essen told her with a sad face.

"Oh, don't lie to her, or make promises you can't actually keep. And they say I should be in a looney bin, jeez," Jerome huffed exaggeratedly.

"Why are you doing this?" She questioned, turning her angry gaze back at him.

"To rule the world," he stated as if it was obvious. "Blah, blah, blah. But we'll settle for some dead cops and good PR... Kidding."

Greenwood started the camera quickly, and then grabbed ahold of the girl again with one hand, so that she couldn't run. With his other hand, he pointed the camera at Essen.

"Yeah, whatever, I get it. You're just crazy," Sarah sneered hatefully.

Jerome tilted his head to the side daringly, "Crazy?" He kneeled down in front of her, "Look at me. You can see I'm not crazy."

"Very soon, little man, you will be dead, and the world will go on without you. You'll be nothing. No one will even remember your name."

"Mmm," Jerome's eyebrows scrunched up as he pointed at her, seemingly thinking about her words. "No... That is where you're wrong, old lady."

Isabella could see that something was about to happen, and fruitlessly squirmed against Greenwood.

"Stop moving," he warned, but she didn't listen.

Jerome stood up, towering over Essen as he leaned closer to her face, snapping the words in her ear, "We will leave a mark on this city. We will spread across it like a virus. Do you know why?"

Greenwood finally had enough of her moving, and without thinking backhanded the poor girl, who toppled off of the desk, and hit the floor.

Jerome didn't even hesitate. He turned around to face the cannibal, raising his gun and shooting the man in his chest. He hit the ground, the camera falling with him. Jerome then jumped off, to check on Isabella. He realised with a snarl that Greenwood had knocked her unconscious, he was so harsh. Luckily, there wasn't any major damage he could see. She would have a headache when she woke up though.

With a relieved sigh, Jerome got back on the desk, to look at Essen, who was seeing if the girl was alright as well.

"Sorry about that... Where was I? Oh yeah... There's nothing more contagious than laughter."

He laughed in her face crudely. She reacted by spitting directly in his face.

"... That was strangely pleasant. Do it again."

When he moved in even closer to her, Essen took the chance to head butt him in the face.

"Oh!" He groaned, blood pouring out of his nose, and travelling down towards his mouth.

"That's gonna leave a mark."

Essen expected a different reaction, but no - he just laughed at her.

"You got me... My turn."

〰〰〰〰

"Isabella!" Jim yelled, rushing into the G.C.P.D, blood all over his face. "Isabella! Lee!"

"Jim!" A familiar voice shouted, and he ran up towards where his desk usually was. He spotted Isabella on the floor, with her eyes closed as Lee gently stroked her hair. She wasn't moving.

Jim found himself freeze, his throat closing as he could only manage to croak out, "Please tell me she's alive..."

"Yes, she's just been knocked out... It's my fault. I was in my office and I heard gunfire, and I hid. I should've done something!"

Jim breathed a sigh of relief, before shaking his head, "There wasn't anything you could've done."

"Where were you?" She asked, her voice faltering.

"Barbara was here, she lured me away."

A small grunt was heard, and they both snapped their head towards the desks.

"Essen!" Jim yelped, rushing towards her.

She was in worse shape than him. Blood was pouring down her front, and her face was pale. She had been shot - maybe more than once, in the stomach. Lee pressed a finger to the woman's neck. She gave Jim a look that said it all.

"Hang on Cap, hang on. Boss? Boss. Stay with me. Breathe," he tried to reassure her, but was failing miserably.

"Where is she? Isabella, where is she?" She wheezed, wincing at the pain in her stomach.

"She's safe. She's not with them," he told her, and she forced a smile.

"It's a new day, Jim."

Her hand went limp in Jim's own.

〰〰〰〰

Jerome ignored Barbara when he got back to Theo's. She was pissed that he hadn't grabbed her daughter, but he knew it was wrong. Sure, he usually didn't care about doing the wrong, but it felt different.

Greenwood had knocked her out, Jerome murdered a few people and Barbara whipped Mayor James in front of her. Yes, Greenwood was six feet under now, but she would be terrified going back to the others. Plus, he believed that Theo wasn't very happy that she ran away. She didn't snitch, but Theo didn't care as long as she didn't speak of it ever.
Just because she kept her mouth shut once, doesn't mean she wouldn't change her mind.

Jerome liked Theo, but he didn't know if he had the potential to hurt a child. Actually, he did tell Jerome to kill Bruce Wayne at the Charity Ball they were going to, so that confirmed his suspicions.