grace under pressure • jerome valeska

EPILOGUE

  Two Weeks Later

  I stared out the window of the apartment Mark had loaned to Jerome and I. It was abandoned to the point not even a stray cat wandered in here and was on the ninth floor so we could look over Gotham. The apartment itself was just outside of Gotham, past the bridges so all the buildings looked so far it was hard to think we were in that large city for so long. 

  So far Jim had held to his promise. No cops had been looking for us and no news of us escaping had come to the screen. Only the news of our deaths and our kidnapping from our own followers. Everyone thought we were dead and gone. Anyone who suspected anything more wouldn't think about it for too long. Besides they'd get the evidence they wanted when Jerome and I showed our faces again. 

  Another thing that worked in our favor was the fact Jerome had planned something just in case we had in fact died. He had told our followers to give his brother a little present. His own special mixture of laughing gas. He would be our ultimate revenge. All we had to do is wait it out then come out of hiding to take our spots in Gotham once more. Jerome had actually offered to make a mixture for me to give to my sister but I denied it. When I saw her again I wanted her to be sane. Just so I could undo it myself. 

  The both of us had already started planning when and how to make our big entrance back into Gotham but we were going to wait for Jerome to get better and a good time to set everyone off course. If we just barged back in a week later it would look tacky. So we had to wait it out. We had patience when we really needed it. The only problem was the boredom. We couldn't exactly go out and kill people for awhile but Mark said he could bring some people here for us to have fun with once and awhile.

  Everything was working out. Even Jerome's hand and shoulder we're seeming to heal quickly. I had managed to bandage it up and stitch everything up pretty good so it would heal properly. The only thing that needed fixing now was our images in Gotham, which was already in the process of being quickly healed. 

 We were both pretty upset that we hadn't succeeded with our plan for while and we were still pretty miffed but we had to get over it if we ever wanted to get things done. The only thing that really stuck with us was the fact neither of us had gotten to our siblings. Yes, Jerome had now given his brother the laughing gas but he hadn't killed him. Not like we originally planned. That was a little itch we couldn't scratch for awhile. But time fixed all. 

  I continue to look out the window as I see the once busy Gotham look like a city put on pause. I could see the lights and everything but I couldn't here the sounds or see the people besides the cars on the bridges. In a way it was both relaxing and nerve racking. Strange combo if you ask me. I was picking at my nails once again. I wasn't pulling them off. I decided to let them grow. But I was just picking at the ends. If I wanted to scratch people's eyes out I needed the nails for it. 

  I stopped and put my hands down, breathing out. I look down at the windowsill to see the dagger Jerome had given me for my birthday. I pick it up and hold it up, the blade reflecting the light from outside. It was just so well sculpted and fit so well in my hand. Jerome knew me and my likes all too well. And I knew his.

  Jerome was down stairs, scoping to see if we missed anyone. Any homeless people or teenagers looking for a place to hang out. The apartment had two rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. It was nice for an abandoned building. Mark had brought in a bed, several tables, things for the kitchen, food, everything we needed. It was strange though. I hadn't really lived in a place ever since I was 18. And that was with my abusive parents so it was never really a home in the first place. 

  But Jerome and I did give it our own little zing. We spray painted the walls and rooms with different colors and made the extra bedroom into a weapons room. We had everything we needed. Mark even set up a TV in the living room so we could watch TV whenever we wanted which was nice. I didn't know going into hiding could be so cozy.