"𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬"

𝟏𝟐𝟐. "𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫"

My body started convulsing with pure rage. Barbara was vigilantly observing my eyes.

I had no idea what to do, so I did what I felt and just started weeping like a pathetic drip. Her face fell, and she lowered the weapon.

"You can cry?" She tilted her head. I started cackling madly through the outbursts of sobs. 

"Yeah, that's more like it." She scoffed. I attempted to keep myself together at least a little.

"You saw me cry when she was dying in my arms." I chuckled weakly.

"So what? You're telling me she's dead?" She ridiculed me.

"Yeah, she's dead." I shrugged and wiped my face with my sleeves. Her smile faltered.

"No, she's not." She chuckled and shook her head. I scoffed and sat on the ground.

"Fine. Let's say I believe you." She spoke after a few long seconds.

"Tell me, why are you still alive then? You tried to end your miserable existence when you had her. Why would you just live here all alone?" She squinted with mistrust and kept aiming the gun at me.

"I promised her I would never try that again." I rasped and pushed my hands in my hair. She stayed quiet after that.

"Son of a bitch. You're not lying." She breathed finally and dropped the gun to the ground.

I looked at her face. She was processing the information, and she was clearly having a hard time with it. Not that I blame her.

"H-how?" She whimpered and kneeled down in front of me. I ignored her.

"I named my daughter after her. I care, Jerome. She was my friend. I-"

"She was my best friend." I retorted and looked at the tree she grew.

"That doesn't change my-"

"She barely had anything to do with you!" I roared. She flinched and glared at me.

"Who did it?" She asked sternly. I clenched my jaw and started tapping my foot against the ground.

"You have one more chance to answer me, you obnoxious bastard." She snarled, grabbed her gun again and pointed it at me.

"Do you really think I care whether you shoot me?" I scoffed. She sighed with defeat.

Of course, I actually did care. If Grey was still somewhere out there, I had to stay alive and wait for my chance to get her back.

"You don't know, do you? If you knew, you would unleash hell." She noted. I swallowed heavily.

I should be unleashing hell right now.

"Yeah, I would." I nodded in a daze.

"No, that still doesn't add up. You're calmly hiding out. That's backwards for you." She said. I took a deep breath.

"I promised her I wouldn't hurt innocent people." I mumbled and leaned my chin on my knees.

"You just killed a harmless family."

"Well, they had it coming!" I lashed out. She winced again.

"You do that one more time, and it won't end well for you." She threatened and pointed her finger at my face. I scowled and set my gaze firmly on Grey's tree.

"So, tell me, why isn't Gotham in flames by now?"

"It's not the same without her."

"She used to always rein you back a little. Now you could go all out."