ᵀʰᵉ ᵖˢʸᶜʰᵒ & ʰⁱˢ ᵖˢʸᶜʰᵒˡᵒᵍⁱˢᵗ ꪜꪖꪶꫀᦓᛕꪖ

21

﹂︎CHAPTER 21﹁︎

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I couldn't move whatsoever I was in a state of shock and somewhere very far away from my consciousness. I felt paralysed, and all that kept replaying in my mind was the knife piercing straight through Jerome's flesh. It was haunting me and replayed on a constant loop. I just couldn't comprehend the fact I had just lost the only person who truly cared about me in the matter of seconds.

The next thing I felt was a pain shooting up my arm I turned around and saw Barbara, she was dragging me up from the floor. I could see her lips moving, but no sound was escaping. All I could hear was ringing in my ears before my vision slowly started to blur.

That was until I heard a gun shot, it soon snapping me out of my daze, my vision coming back as clear as day. In addition to the ringing, that stopped entirely too. As for now i'm pretty sure i'm wholly back in control of my mind and body.

I sluggishly stood up from my previous spot which was on the ground next to Jerome's limp body. I shakily lifted my hands up and as I did Jerome's blood completely covered the once white gloves, in fact they pretty much matched my red outfit now.

I stood there awkwardly not knowing what to do next, that was until my eyes wondered around the room and they locked onto Theo's motionless body.

He looked dead and I hoped he was, but you never know with someone like him. He's a cockroach, you may think he's dead at first but when you least expect it he ends up being alive and well.

I glanced around the room once more, unaware Jim Gordon was still stood in the same place as he was when Jerome held a knife to Bruce's throat, watching me with caution. I also saw the rest of the GCPD in the back guarding the doors, clearly making sure me and Barbara don't make a run for it.

Predictably Jim aimed his gun at me as I started to move further away from Jerome's body. And he was surprised when the words "Do it" came out of my mouth.

"Go on, do it" I said testing Jim.

"Look, it doesn't have to be this way Nova. Just turn yourself in, I- We can help you" Jim stated matter of factly.

"I don't need help, Jim" I scoffed, "I got nothing left...he..." I said pointing to Theo who was still on the floor, "just took the only thing I cared about away from me"

"I don't want to have to do this" Jim sighed deeply.

"Just shoot me Jim, you know you want to" I insisted walking closer to him, making my way off the stage. "I mean there's got to be something itching inside of you to pull that trigger" I teased.

He frowned at me but didn't say anything.

"DO IT!" I screamed.

"No" He stated, before making his way towards me. And I just stood there as still as a statue, waiting for him to take me in. But that never happened because once again I was being dragged back by Barbara.

"We have to go!" she shouted as she dragged me further back. I could still faintly see Jim before we were completely out of distance range. "Until next time Jim" I saluted.

Barbara eventually dragged me along to the back of the stage and out of the back door which the cops were dumb enough not to guard. As Jerome once said, cops are dumb.

We could hear the sound of the cops coming after us. So we ran until we couldn't anymore. We made it safely to an ally way which was about 4 blocks away from where we once were.

"Are you crazy!?" Barbara exclaimed.

"Maybe" I whispered.

And that's when it hit me, Jerome is gone he's really gone. "What am I gonna do Babs?" I cried as my legs finally gave out and I dropped to the ground.

Barbara bent down and wrapped her arms around me. "Hey, shh, shhh. You'll be okay" She soothed rubbing my back.

"I know it hurts baby, but you have to move past this, you can mourn and mourn that's completely normal, but how long will that last? and it'll only make you sadder and you know for a fact
Jerome wouldn't want that, would he?" She pleaded.

"I suppose you're right" I sniffled. "But it just hurts so much, I feel empty and lost, I-...just miss him so much" I panted between breaths.

"And you will, for a while or maybe even forever but in the short amount of time which i've known you, I know you're strong and how you're gonna feel better eventually. So, so much better" She hummed smiling down at me.

"You know what, you're right. And i'm going to honour his legacy, Jerome won't have died in vain and he most definitely won't be forgotten" I claimed, finally coming back around.

"That's my girl" Barbara smirked.

I pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, babs. For everything"

"It's no problem Ve" She said, hugging me back tightly. "Just know if you ever need anything, and I mean anything, i'm a phone call away"

I nodded and pulled away, us both deciding it was time to leave as we heard the sirens getting closer, knowing that the cops and Jim wouldn't be far behind.

"Until we meet again" Barbara said smiling.

"Until we meet again" I confirmed, the both of us making our way home in separate directions, not knowing what the future will hold.