My Deadly Mistake (Jerome Valeska/Gotham FanFiction) [Book 1]

A Friend

It only took me a few days to get into a routine at Arkham. I found that I easily remembered where everything was, and I soon felt very much at home. Think of that. Feeling at "home" in a mental institution! I found it easy to be around the other doctors and interns. Anthony had taken a liking to me, or that is at least what everyone else said. Now that I think about it, he was always very friendly with me, always inviting me places to go to after work with the other interns. I always declined though. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I just didn't feel much like socializing. My mother's death was still with me. I was still trying to get used to the pain of knowing that she wasn't with me anymore. That she was no longer a phone call away, or that I would find her at home cooking my favorite foods.

That's why I was very grateful that I had this internship. It helped me keep my mind on other things, instead of allowing myself to get down in the dumps. I did a little of everything. I sat in on psych evaluations with the doctors, I helped organize patient files, I helped in the pharmacy organizing the patient's medications. I wanted to get in on everything. But there was one thing I hadn't done, simply because I didn't have the nerve to do it.

Since I came to Arkham on Professor Buckingham's recommendation, I had a very unique privilege. Many of the patients had time set aside where they would be put together with other patients. I mean you couldn't just isolate them the entire time, they had to have some form of interaction. Here at Arkham, they would often put the patients together in the recreation room. The doctors felt that I could handle being with the patients in that environment. They told me it would give me a chance to observe their behaviors, perhaps make my own notes on certain individuals, and perhaps share those notes with the other doctors. It was defiantly a privilege. Most entry level interns don't even get that chance. It's risky after all. I mean yeah there are guards there, but you are in with some of the most unstable people in Gotham City. Which is why I hadn't acted on that privilege yet. I was a little nervous about going into that kind of situation.

But my curiosity was killing me. Some part of me wanted to get myself in that kind of environment. Some part of me wanted to interact with those kind of people. It was a strange feeling. I couldn't help but wonder if that kind of feeling was normal. But I guess for someone with my career aspirations, I guess it could be called normal? What point was there in fighting it?

So today is the day. Today is the day, I will walk into that recreation room, and sit my little ass down and observe. It was an opportunity after all, to prove to people that I had the nerve that was needed for this occupation that I was working towards.

So here I am, standing at the door that leads into the recreation room. I look down at myself, making sure I look presentable. For some reason, I wanted to look good in front of these people. I had on a mid length black pencil skirt and a white blouse, I had my hair down and I had only the slightest bit of makeup on. I wanted to show these patients that I was confident in myself, that I had control, that I wasn't afraid to be around them.

I swiped my ID card, and a moment later the door buzzed and I walked in. I looked around. Everyone was in groups like I had seen the first day I came to Arkham. Most of them didn't pay no heed to me. They were used to the guards walking in and snooping in on their conversations. I looked around for a place that would give me the best view of the room. I looked over to my right and there was a table that was unoccupied. I smiled. Perfect. I walked over and sat down, and placed my notepad on the table along with some of my old notes from my psychology lectures.

I sat there for a while, deciding which group would be the best to observe for the day. My eye fell on one group. It was a group of mainly men, and only one woman. They seemed like an odd group. They all displayed behaviors that indicted behaviors that were all over the psychology spectrum. I made a note of their numbers on their uniforms, I could look up their files later. As I was writing, I heard a low whistle, and footsteps that were slowly coming towards me. I heard someone flop down on the chair in front of me.

"Hi gorgeous. I'm Jerome."

I look up and it's him. The boy with red hair. The boy who caught my attention that first day. He is sitting in front of me, his leg crossed over the other, giving me a grin. I find myself caught off guard. His voice was still ringing in my ears. It just screamed confidence, which I couldn't help but find...sexy.

I put my pen down and give him a smile back. He clearly has an ego...well one can play that game too.

"Hello Jerome", I say my voice calm and controlled. I sit back in my chair, and cross my legs, placing my hands in my lap, waiting for his response.

He turns his body so that he is facing me. He is looking at me in a way that makes it seem as though he is stripping me down to my very soul. "So...what's a girl like you doing in Arkham Asylum? Hm?"

"I'm an intern here. And I believe I'm the one who should be asking you the questions. Tell me. Why are you here, Jerome?"

"Oh no no. Let's not do that. All that psycho stuff blah blah blah. Let's just talk. Like "normal" people hmm? What your name doll?", he says as places his hands on the table.

"Rhiannon" I say. "Ooo...pretty. Sounds mysterious, almost dangerous..." he says as he gets up from the chair and walks over to my side of the table. I can feel my confidence slowly start to disappear as he sits next to me. I turn my head toward him and look him in the eye.

Gosh his eyes...they are so captivating...those blue eyes...

"If there's anything I'm good at, it's I can read people. I know that this little show is not the real you. I don't even think you know yourself. I could see it the moment I first set my eyes on you. There's something in you, a dark energy that you are repressing, just waiting to come out" he says as he leans over, his hand on the back of my chair, his blue eyes bearing into mine.

"You don't know anything about me" I say, hoping my voice isn't shaking. For some reason, his words scare me... they sound like an omen...a deadly omen. I don't understand why. There's nothing evil about me. I'm not like these people.

"Yes. Perhaps I don't know everything about you. But I would like too..." his voice trails off as he places his hand on my thigh. I hear my breath catch, and I quickly glance up for a guard.

"Oh don't be scared" he says as his hand grips my thigh harder, his face coming closer to mine. "I like you Rhiannon. I have no desire to hurt you...well at least not too badly..." He gives me that maniacal grin that he gave me from the first day. I can't help but feel frightened. There's something wicked about this boy.

But then something comes over me. Something that is totally new to me. With a sudden fierce urge, I take his hand and take it off my thigh. I lean over and put my face close to his, and my voice comes out with a hiss when I say, "Don't ever touch me. Remember who the patient is here."

He is still grinning, and he comes even closer to me. So close, that it probably looks like we are about to kiss.

"There she is...the other Rhiannon..." he says, his voice low. I realize that he's gotten the best of me. Damn it.

Or did he?

I'm about to get up when he grabs my arm. I glare at him. "Did you not hear what I just said?"

"Listen. It looks like you are going to be here for a while. A girl like you needs a friend here in Arkham. You think you can handle yourself here with all those bozos. But you can't. At least not yet. Maybe I can teach you a little something about yourself. And maybe you can help me."

I snatch my arm away and glare at him. But inside, I feel confused. A part of me is scared, but another part of me is...is...excited. Excited by this thrill, a thrill that I never knew existed. A thrill that came with talking with someone like him...like Jerome.

"I think we have talked enough for today Jerome." I say.

He smiles and stands up. He is taller than me, and he looks down at me. I look at him. Who is this boy? What is he doing to me?

"Till next time Rhiannon. I'll be here."

~ Hey everyone! Finally had some time to write! Thanks for all the patience! College is a major pain in the ass when it comes to the amount of work you get! I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! :D ~