When Alaska Met Jerome

Phone Calls Doll

Over the next two weeks, Jerome and I went around Gotham, hanging out and laughing our asses off at the most random things. He was a ginger mystery, which how much of himself he kept boxed up, but he was beginning to let go around me and I don't know if it scared me, attracted me, or both. Tonight we couldn't hang out, due to his mother insisting he stay home for the last show in Gotham and he seemed pissed to say the least.

"I just can't believe that whore is trying to dictate my laugh again. I'll show her Alaska, just wait." He was pacing the area of the park that we were sat at with a twisted smile on his face.

"Jerome, sit down and take a breather okay? I agree with you, your mother is being unreasonable at this moment, you're eighteen and shouldn't have to deal with this anymore. Why do you stay if you could just leave?" I had calmed his pacing and gotten him to sit criss-crossed in front of me with my hand on his knee.

"I just...I don't know why I stay Laskie, I guess it's just that that's all I've ever known, and to leave would be weird." He looked up at me, confusion holding onto his face.

"J, you don't stay somewhere just because it's familiar, you deserve so much more."

"I don't know..." he trailed off in thought so I decided to start picking up our little area.

"Well, ginger, just know that if thinks ever go bad and you need a place to crash I'm here." I held out a hand to help him up which he took and stood up, his full height towered over me, and it was then that I noticed I was extremely close to him.

"I might take you up on that brown eyes," he whispered into the space between us. His breath smelled like mint, most likely from the gum he'd been chewing at, and chocolate for some weird reason.

He leaned down close to me, and for a second I thought he was about to kiss me full on the lips, but at the last second he went for my cheek. His lips were worm against my cool skin and when his face came into view again it had a small blush on it that matched mine.

"Well, I should be going. Bye Jerome," I started walking away but he grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug. My head fit perfectly right under his neck and it seemed as if my arms were meant to be around his waist.

"Bye Alaska, I'll see you later."

•*•*•*•

"Alaska Rose Roum, where the hell have you been?" My sister's voice greeted my ears as I closed the apartment door behind me.

"The park." I began putting the picnic materials into the hall closet as I waited for Potter to finish her interrogation.

"The park. Really Laskie? You honestly expect me to believe you've been at the park-alone might I add-for close to three hours?" She walked towards me with skeptical look in her eyes.

"I never said I was alone Potty, you're the one jumping to these conclusions like a bunny during sex season." I pointed a finer towards her which she then bit seeing as it was directly in front of her mouth.

"Well I'm just trying to look out for you, ya know make sure you're not dating a rapist."

"Come on, you know I'm more into pyromaniacs." I lifted a brow and then promptly turned on my heel and strutted away.

"Not funny you little whore," she called out after me before adding, "and tell Circus Boy I said hey!"

"Will do," I yelled over my should as I went up the stairs.

•*•*•*•

I was laying on my bed, reading Firestarter by Stephen King when I heard my phone start ringing. Looking down at my phone I saw that it didn't have caller ID, so I hesitantly picked it up saying hello.

"Hello, Alaska is that you? It's Jerome."

I was shocked to say the least, his voice sounded rushed and a little excited which was strange, seeing as it was almost ten at night.

"Yeah Ginger it's me. What wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Everything's wonderful, amazing!" His voice kept getting faster and more excited sounding and I was starting to worry slightly.

"Hey, Jerome, what's got you all hyped up? I'm getting a little worried on this end."

"I can't tell ya yet doll, just if anything happens know that I had to, okay? And also I like you-like a lot. Okay, I've gotta go now, bye Lask." And just like that he hung up, and I was left confused as all piss.

•*•*•*•

12:00 AM. That's what the alarm clock read as I received my second call from Jerome in the span of one night. I wouldn't be worried about it but the fact that he didn't have a phone is what caused me some concern.

"Jerome, babe, what's going on?" In my tired state I let the term of endearment slip past my lips.

"Can you get down to the GCPD? Right now, please Alaska." His voice was nearly in tears and that was enough to get me out of bed and in my car in less than fifteen minutes.

The city was speeding past my windows as I pressed down on the acceleration, willing the automobile to race down the streets and to my ginger boy. I reached the station and found a park close to the front of the building, I looked in the car mirror and pulled my hair into a top knot, then jumped out and walked into the GCPD.

"Hi, my name is Alaska Roum and I was wondering if you could tell me where Jerome Valeska is?" I asked a man with shaggy brown hair.

"Who are you to him?" The man's speech was a little on the slurred side and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"Mr. whatever, I received a call from my boyfriend at twelve in the morning. He was in tears and requested my presence in this station. Now, if you would be so kind as to take me to him I would be ever so grateful." I put just a tad more sass into my words than usual. I didn't know if this new confidence was due to Jerome, sleep deprivation, or coffee, but I liked it.

"Alright alright sheesh, you'd get on great with some other women I know. He's right this way," the man indicated to a chair that seated a boy with ginger hair.

"Thanks mister," I called out to his retreating form and then started walking to J.

"Hey, Jerome whats going on?"He turned in his seat with dried tears adorning his face.

"She's-she's dead. Somebody killed her." He was staring blankly at me as he answered my question which only caused more confusion.

"Who's dead J?" I sat down in the chair beside his and he laid his head on my shoulder.

"Lyla," he managed to sniffle out the name of his mother as I played with his hair in an attempt to calm him down. "They found her body at the circus earlier."

•*•*•*•