Dark in the City (Gotham fanfic)

Chapter 1- Meet Red

The bustling authorities of Gotham city had just started a new day, finally having a quiet morning; or, at least, what they would consider a quiet morning. A few domestic disturbances, a couple DUI's, and only one murder case known about. A day such as this makes and will always make Detective Jim Gordon nervous, like at any moment one of the city's many lurking criminals would pop up and send the officers sprinting to their cars. But, alas, the morning was filled with paperwork and bad coffee. Until the door opened.

A girl with bright red hair came rushing through the doors to the precinct with a brown bag slung over her shoulder filled with rolled newspapers. She delivered one to each officer before making her way up the steps to where Detective Gordon and Harvey Bullock's desk were.

"Here you go, Detectives. This morning's paper, one each. Enjoy the read," she said cheerfully in a high pitched voice that somehow seemed as natural as it probably was as she handed the two men their papers.

"Thanks. I didn't know we'd gotten a new paper deliverer," Harvey said as he unrolled the paper.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, the last guy quit. Somethin' about low pay and bad treatment... I'm starting to get it," she joked.

The two men chuckled as they both spread their papers over their desks. "So what's your name," Gordon asked, skimming over the page he'd subconsciously flipped to.

"Little Red. But, uh, people call me Red," she replied as she dug around inside the bag and pulled out the remaining papers. "Hey, uh, you wouldn't happen to know who these go to, would you?"

"Probably the team in the back, here I'll lead you there," Gordon said, standing from his desk.

"Oh, no, thanks! I don't wanna take you from your work. I mean, it's kinda more important than a few papers," Red said quickly.

Jim shook his head. "Trust me, it's fine. Between the three of us, there's honestly nothing left to do at the moment," he assured her.

Harvey nodded. "Yeah, I'm not sure we even have much of a case anymore. Just a bunch-a dead ends and lying bastards."

Red giggled and nodded back. "Well, in that case, lead the way, Detective," she said, motioning with her arm for Jim to go ahead. He led her down into the department's morgue where inside they saw Edward Nygma sitting in front of a desk full of computers and other random technology. He was focused on something on one of the screens, leaning forward so much that his glasses almost touched the screen.

"Ed," Jim said, startling the wiry man and causing him to spin around to face them with wide eyes.

"Lee said I could have free reign over anything I feel I need. She's much nicer than the last one, he was a bumbling-"

"Ed, it's okay. I'm just showing someone where you usually are in the morning," Jim explained, stopping Edward's quickened speech. "This is Red, she's the new paper deliverer."

Red stepped forward and held out her hand to Edward, who slowly reached out and shook it. "Hello, Miss Red. I'm Edward Nygma."

"I know," she said with a short giggle. "I have your name on my delivery list, so here's your paper, Mr. Nygma."

Edward took the paper and nodded. "You, uh, can call me Ed or Nygma, whichever you'd prefer."

Red nodded and smiled, "Well, alrighty then, Ed. I have to go, more deliveries to make."

Edward nodded and waved goodbye as Jim lead her out. She waved back before closing the door behind her and following Jim back to the main room where she said her goodbyes to him and Harvey.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Red ran across the busy street and opened the door to an apartment building where she began delivering her last batch of newspapers to the residents. she had knocked on three doors before she met the fourth on her list. The door swung open to reveal an old man wearing only a dirty white tank top and checkered blue boxers of the same cleanliness.

"Hi, I have your paper, sir," she said brightly with her best smile.

He grumbled, though it sounded more like a growl, and snatched the paper from her hand. He then swung the paper at her, causing her to let out a squeak of surprise as it hit her on the cheek. "Don't knock on the fucking door, you little hussy! Leave it outside on the mat!" His booming, gravelly voice echoed down the hall and seemed to shake the windows and railing to the stairs.

She nodded quickly and backed away in a hurry to get away from him, ending up at the fifth door just as the man slammed the door shut. She rubbed her sore cheek with one hand as she knocked lightly on the door in front of her.

It opened to reveal a younger man wearing a purple and dark brown three-piece suit with black hair in an almost-mohawk. She looked up into his eyes and smiled brightly once again. "I'm your new paper deliverer, here's your paper, Mr... Cobblepot?"

"Thank you. Yes, I'm Oswald Cobblepot, and Gertrude is my mother in case that's the name you have on your list," he said in a friendly, smooth voice.

Red nodded, "Yeah, I have your mother's name on here but I honestly don't care who gets the paper." She laughed her higher-pitched laugh, still smiling at the slightly taller young man.

Oswald laughed shortly before asking, "What happened to your cheek?"

"Oh, uh, some people apparently don't like their morning paper hand delivered instead of left at the stoop," she told him with a shrug as she subconsciously put her hand over her cheek.

"It was Mr. Greyson wasn't it? He's always beating up on deliverers, no matter what. Y'know what, how about I make sure he never hits you again?" Oswald offered with a sly smirk.

Red smiled, feigning confusion. "Oh, that'd be so kind of you, but I don't wanna put you out of your way."

"Oh, believe me it's no trouble. At all."

She smiled and nodded. "Well, alright then. Thanks, Mr. Cobblepot."

He nodded back. "Call me Penguin. I never got your name."

"It's Red. Lovely to have met you, Penguin."

~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the first chapter of my new story.

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