Innocence || Gotham

SEVENTEEN

"Barbara, I can't stay here," Evelyn argues, packing up bandages and rubbing alcohol in her small bag. She managed to change into normal clothing after quickly bandaging herself up. "He...He killed Jerome and I know I'm next."

"And I'll make sure you're not," Barbara reassures, already changed out of her clothing and into a silk robe. "I promise, I'll—"

"You'll what, Babs? Beg for me? Fuck him? He's gonna kill me just as he did with Jerome. I'm useless, Barbara. Just for show," she rambles, shoving extra clothing in the limited space left in the bag. "He's a 'hero' now, just like he wanted, meaning he doesn't need a criminal as low as me to keep up his image.

"Why do you even want me here?" She continues, looking back at Barbara. "What do you need from me?"

"What can I say?" Barbara shrugs, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're an interesting kid." Evelyn eyes the woman, searching for the concern she knows is hidden underneath the poker face.

Evelyn scoffs, shaking her head. "No, that's not it. There's something about me that you like enough to keep me around." She slowly stands, hissing in pain from the burning sensation. "Do you care about me or something?"

Barbara doesn't answer. Instead, she goes to the corner of the room and starts making herself a martini at the bar.

"Barbara," Evelyn begins, shaking her head slightly, "you're practically a mother to me by now, but you don't want me as a daughter. And even if you did, you can't protect me. Not from him."

Evelyn limps towards Barbara, wrapping her sore arms around the blonde for a hug. "Thank you so much, Barbara, for everything," she thanks before pulling away. "I'll see you soon."

"Where are you gonna go?" Barbara sighs, taking a sip of her martini. "Live a normal life in some trash city? Start anew?"

"I can't exactly leave Gotham," she sighs. "I'll hole up somewhere until I heal." She looks at Barbara, releasing a sigh at the bored expression. "Even if I wanted to start over, I can't. I've lost any sense of innocence I could use to start over."

"Whatcha planning on doing after that?"

Evelyn shrugs. "I'll have to think about it when I get there."

"It better be causing hell," Barbara commands, smirking with the glass against her lips. "Psychos usually got that going for them."

"They cause hell," Evelyn starts, zipping her bag shut, "but I'll bring damnation."

Barbara shrugs at the statement. "Could use a little work," she places her empty glass on the bar, "but I like it." Barbara hesitantly looks over at the younger girl. "Did you love him?" Evelyn slings her bag over her shoulder, avoiding eye contact. "The crazy kid."

Evelyn looks down at the shallow cut on her left shoulder, knowing it would eventually form a faint scar. She already knew the answer to that question; she's known it for a while now. Their relationship wasn't one of love and appreciation. It was more lust and understanding. Both were outlets for releasing their inner psycho. Jerome's by teaching her and Evelyn's by learning.

"He understood me," she finally answers, making eye contact with Barbara for only a few seconds before quickly turning away.

With a small grunt, Evelyn walks out of the room. Barbara doesn't follow and instead faces the minibar to avoid watching Evelyn leave. Barbara had grown attached to the young girl, acting as if she were her own.

Evelyn doesn't look back out of fear she would stay and hope Barbara could convince Galavan to not kill her. If he didn't plan on killing her then, he definitely would now. Evelyn's a liability; she's someone that could spill all his secrets and ruin whatever master plan he has for Gotham.

As much as it pains her, Evelyn decides to take the elevator. If she even tried to go down those flights of stairs, the wound would probably open and start bleeding again. Just as she presses the button, the elevator doors open. Theodore Galavan and his sister Tabitha stare at the girl in surprise, an eyebrow raised at her appearance.

"Going somewhere?" Galavan questions, stepping out of the elevator with Tabitha. He's still wearing his tux from earlier. Dry blood coats his cuff. Jerome's blood.

"I'm leaving," Evelyn admits, almost flinching at how stupid it sounds. "I'm not needed anymore, so I'm leaving."

"Evelyn, I think you know I can't allow that."

Evelyn lets out a huff. "Please," she lets out, nearly exhausted from the night's events. "You don't need me. And I won't tell, you know that. I just wanna go."

"Aw," Galavan pouts, placing a hand on her shoulder before roughly turning her to face the city. "What makes you think you're not needed?" Tabitha stands on the other side of her, her tallness threatening the shit out of Evelyn.

"I'm nothing more than what J-Jerome was. I'm short-lived."

Galavan sighs, shaking his head as he points to the city. "You see that? That's Gotham. Scared, pathetic, dumpster-of-a-place, Gotham. With my help, Gotham will once again return to its prime. Evelyn dear, I said you have potential and I meant it. Your job isn't done just yet."

"How do you expect me to help when I can barely walk?" Evelyn can't help but snap. The grip on her shoulder tightens.

"You and our new friend will have that in common."

"You killed Jerome."

"A compelling character, but limited. He was never gonna last long." Galavan shrugs off. He notices Evelyn's upset expression. "I understand you and Jerome had a...connection. I'm sorry you got too close."

He made it sound like it was her fault.

She can't stay, she reminds herself, she's got to find a way out before she's trapped forever, or worse.

"Tabby, could you escort Evelyn back to her room?" Galavan requests. Tabitha huffs but nods her head anyway. She grabs Evelyn's shoulder and roughly steers her in the right direction.

Evelyn limps back to her room, not bothering to fight Tabitha at the moment. She'll just have to sneak out later.

"Look, kid," Tabitha begins once her bedroom door shuts behind them. Evelyn flinches at the sound. "Jeez, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to talk."

"What do you want?" Evelyn snaps, taking a seat at the edge of her nice bed.

"Babs likes you, alright? She cares about you. I suggest you just stay here and play along until your part is done, for Barbara, yeah?"

"Does it matter?" She unintentionally wrings her hands together, an old habit she thought she had gotten rid of. "You're gonna kill me after I'm done anyway." Evelyn chuckles a little before looking up at Tabitha. "She was going to let me leave."

Tabitha sighs, shaking her head as she reaches for the door handle. "I'm sorry about your boyfriend. That sucks."

Evelyn looks down again, shaking her head slightly. "He wasn't my boyfriend."

Tabitha leaves it at that.

Bodyguards are placed at the exits twenty-four/seven. It wouldn't take much effort to kill them, but that's without a useless leg. Killing the two of them with a bullet wound would prove to be difficult.

She could use a gun, but Galavan would never allow her to have one. She would have to steal one.

Whatever her plan might be, she's not gonna be trapped her for long. She's determined to escape and figure out what she's gonna do afterward.

And if she fails, she'll at least go down with a fight.

    1/27/19