Love Ridden

Chapter 13

  He never came back.

  You heard a big commotion from the stage and loud gasps. Before the sound of, what was left of, the police department charging in and saving the hostages. You strained and tried to make out the voices from the room, but you couldn't.

  Suddenly, Barbara runs past you, still in her pink outfit. "Barbara!" You call out to her, "Untie me!" The blonde just continues to run farther away. You frown and turn your head back toward the stage, but you still could not see anything.

  To your relief, the curtain opens to reveal Detective Gordon. You called out to him and he jogs over to you and cuts through the rope.

  You take a deep breath, "Is my mother okay?" You ask, frantic.

  Detective Gordon nods, "She's fine. No need to worry. Are you alright?"

  You nod and he leads you back to the stage, a hand on you to steady your shaking. "How is Lee?" You ask him and he looks at you surprised.

  Detective Gordon cleared his throat. "Doctor Thompkins is fine." He say formally.

  If you weren't so shaken up, you might have laughed. You see your mother and run over to her, wrapping your arms around her.

  "I'm so sorry, mom!" You cry into her shoulder.

  "It's not your fault, sweetie." Your mother cooed to you, petting your hair.

  You sniffle and say nothing. Pulling away from her, you turn to find Lee standing with Bruce, Mr. Pennyworth and Detective Gordon.

  Lee sees you and smiles, opening her arms to embrace you. You hug the pretty woman back, as you pull away you scan her face, worried. "I'm so happy you're alright, Lee." You tell her, frowning, "I was so scared when I saw you on that board."

  The doctor shook her head, "I'm just happy you're alright! Who knows what Jerome could have done to you back there!" She exclaimed.

  You let her arm go and smiled reassuringly at the group. Seeing Bruce with a bandage on his neck, you frowned deeply. Forgetting that you just met the boy, you touch his bandage carefully, "Are you okay, Bruce?" You asked, and the poor boy's cheeks tinted pink. Mr. Pennyworth smirked at the young boy and Lee watched in amusement.

  "I'm fine." He assured you, "Really. Thank you for your concern."

  You realized you were making the boy uncomfortable and quickly yanked your hand back. "I'm sorry." You sheepishly say.

  Suddenly, Mr. Pennyworth's head snapped to your left. "Mr. Galavan, sir!" He exclaimed and with wide eyes you turned slightly to see the man from yesterday morning.

  As Mr. Pennyworth thanked Mr. Galavan for saving Bruce's life, you forgot to breath. You tried to control your nervous shaking and turned away from the two men.

  You heard your name being called and you looked up to meet Mr. Galvan's brown eyes. You swallowed thickly and replied, "Yes?"

  "I am so happy to see you are alright." Mr. Galavan said, grinning at you. "I didn't know what to think when Jerome dragged you backstage!"

  You swallowed thickly again and managed a shaky smile, "I am fine, Mr. Galavan. Thank you."

  He nodded to you and took a step towards you, grasping your hands in his. You jumped slightly, terrified of him. "If you need anything," He lowered his voice, "And I mean anything, please call me. We're all in this together, right?" He might as well have sneered at you.

  You nodded and he gave you a final smile, moving away from the group.

  "Well I should be getting this young man home." Mr. Pennyworth said, wrapping an arm around Bruce. "It's been much more of an exciting evening than originally planned." He then looked to Lee and quipped, "I never did like magicians."

  You would have looked on in amusement, if you weren't so frightened for your safety. You were brought out of your thoughts by Bruce holding his hand out to you.

  "It was nice to meet you." The young boy said, and you shook his hand.

  You gave him a small smile and repeated the pleasantry back to him and Mr. Pennyworth. Saying a 'goodnight' to Lee and Detective Gordon, you went back to find your mother.

  After the two of you got checked out by the paramedics, you drove home. Nothing was said in the car between you two, your mother just silently grasped your hand in hers. When the two of you got home, you walked to your room while your mother just stayed in the living room, not wanting to sleep in her own bedroom.

  You quietly closed your bedroom door and locked it, before unzipping your gown and throwing it somewhere in your room. You took a wet wipe and wiped the makeup of your face roughly, looking in the mirror to see the red tint the actions caused on your face. You undid your bun, and the flower Jerome gave you fell to the floor. You paused for a moment and picked it up, sitting on your bed.

  You twirled the rose around your fingers and just thought for a moment. What was he going to do to you once he found you? Why was Galavan at the event tonight?

  Biting your lips in thought, you put the flower down and flicked on the television. You were greeted by the face of Theo Galavan. The banner at the bottom of the screen read 'Breaking Story!! Eyewitness news!!'.

  "I think tonight, the people of Gotham have said, enough!" He exclaimed, "The reign of tyranny is over."

  You glared at the screen in confusion and anger. A video of Jerome popped up laughing into a cell phone, and you sighed.

   'Whenever he comes back,' you thought, 'He's going to kill me.'

  "The killer, Jerome Valeska, is dead." Your attention snapped back to the screen. "His murderous escapades left a deep impression on Gotham."

You picked up your remote and pressed rewind.

"The killer, Jerome Valeska, is dead."

Rewind.

"The killer, Jerome Valeska, is dead."

Rewind.

"The killer, Jerome Valeska,"

Rewind.

"Jerome Valeska."

Rewind.

"Jerome Valeska is dead."