Between Stripes

T W E N T Y S E V E N

Ringing. That's all I heard for what seemed forever.

I'd thought it only happened in movies, ya know, for dramatic effect.

But no. It was real. Very real.

It felt like forever that the ringing went on but once it stopped, I began screaming.

Or maybe I had been screaming throughout the ringing...

The scream left my mouth as a slight choking sound, to begin with, but it soon became louder. And higher. And scarier. And harsher. And more real. Oh, it was definitely real.

So was the pain in my chest. It felt like a gaping wound, a fresh wound too. Like someone had stolen my breath, stabbed me in the heart and ran away. Oh, it was real, too real.

Commotion surrounded me. People joined in with the screaming, theirs more panicky and short. Voices, actual voices, rang out. Bangs and crashes surrounded me. It was all blurred. The only thing I could focus on was Jerome.

Jerome.

My Jerome.

My baby.

My everything.

My everything which I took for granted.

And I lost him. So fast. He slipped through my fingers. I didn't try to keep ahold... no I didn't.

I was too focused on his stupid behaviour. Like he was a silly animal. Now, I'd lost him without saying goodbye.

"Baby..." my voice had become hoarse and my throat was raw. My cheeks were wet. My lips cracked. My fingers stained red.

"Look what you did!" I croaked, looking up at Galavan. But he wasn't there. It was Jim Gordon. He wore a frown and a look of disgust and confusion in his eyes. In his hand was his gun, as per usual.

"Georgia." His voice was strange. Like he'd come to a realisation. The realisation that I wasn't completely insane. And that I'd finally broken.

"Jimmy." I murmured, looking back down at my baby. He finally looked peaceful. Like he was drifting off to sleep.

"Come on Georgia, let's get you home." Jim grunted. I bite my lip and raised a hand to close Jerome's eyes fully. Slowly I slid him off my lap and rose. There was no point in fighting. I'd nothing to fight for anymore.

***

For a long time I felt nothing. But after a while - I don't know how long- I felt again. I felt anger. I felt loss. I felt pissed. I felt bitter. I'd lost count of how many days that had been spent while in Arkham. How many days since I'd lost- since he left.

There was countless times that I'd visited the lovely hospital wing. Fits of anger found me when I was bored and left for too long. In attempt to free myself from them I would try and break the few objects which were in my cell. As a result, I found myself with broken knuckles, toes and occasionally a concussion or bad bruise to the head.

This time it was different inside Arkham. Reality was close by and my pills were small in number. My surrounding crazies were treat like animals. The guards were nearly as twisted as myself. There wasn't any choice with food. The only thing which stayed somewhat the same was the 'free time'. It wasn't much different though. I was still alone.

One day, when I'd gotten my satisfying lunch of gloop, gloop and more gloop, I found two new things. It was fair to say they were complete opposites and similar to my level of insanity. And the best thing was, I already knew one of them.

"Ozzie!" The word left my mouth as an excited squeal.

The man with raven hair looked up from his tray, and his light up as we looked eyes.

"Miss Fishw- Georgia!"

I grinned (something I'd not done in a while) and sat myself across from him at a table.

"How are you?" He grinned, leaning forward and planting his chin on his knuckles.

"Absolutely awful, you?" I replied and my smile didn't waver a single bit. Oswald's eyebrows knitted together and a small frown formed.

"What's wrong Georgia?"

My chest tightened for a second. My smile slipped. And whoops, so did my grip on life.

Don't ya just love a twitch?

"You must've heard?" I whispered.

"Is this about Je-" he began but stopped himself as he saw my gaze fall. He'd got it right.

"Yes Georgia, I did hear. And I have to say," he paused and leaned across the table,"when we get out of here, we will both find Theodore Galavan and we will kill him."

Looking up I saw Oswald's smile take a bitter and distant turn. I grinned.

"That's a solid plan, if I do say so myself." I whispered. Oswald grinned and slid back to his previous posture.

"Anyway, I'd like you to meet Mr Edward Nygma." Oswald turned to the left and smiled at the man.

Sitting next to each other made whatever height difference there was, worse. Oswald looked like a Chihuahua next to a Great Dane, sitting next to Mr Edward Nygma. Nygma wasn't fat though, he was likely to just be tall and slim. He was a rather slim person. He had a slim face, a thin rectangular nose, high cheekbones and dark brown hair which was styled to perfection. His eyes were dark and were studying everything behind the glasses. His mouth was in a relaxed smug smile.

"Hello Georgia." he said, his voice was detached from us which was incredibly boring. Even a little bit of attention would've been nice.

"Hey Eddy." I chirped, testing him. He just looked at me with one eyebrow raised. I grinned.

"How'd ya end up here then Ozzy?"

"Well, it's quite funny now I look back. I basically had a bit of a break down. But rather than crying, my inner crazy was released." He smirked as he explained. Rolling my eyes I flashed him a smile.

"Classic, weren't you at the top of your game too?"

"Yes. My downfall was, indeed, rather tragic." As he spoke his smile didn't change a single bit.

The discussion had clearly captured Eddy's attention as he glanced toward us with the slightest bit of interest.

"Why are you here then dear Ed?" I grinned and turned to face him. His firm line of a mouth spread into a devious smirk.

"Like dead Oswald. I too had a breakdown of momentous insanity. It was brilliant and I daresay that I don't regret a single part."

"And I'll eat my gloop to that." I smirked and raised the spoon to my lips. The other two smiled and copied my actions.

A.N
BOOM! I DID IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, what it seems, FOREVER! Two chapters in two days. Juices are flowing and I'm smiling. Life's good, I guess.

I hope you liked this one guys, I feel like Georgia wouldn't necessarily mourn Jerome. I think she'd try to detach herself but undoubtedly failing thus having the fits of anger.

See ya soon pals!!