Her Protector

Chapter 11

"I'm going to stay here while you go to the manor."

"But-"

"You'll be safe Rose." She didn't like hearing that from Jim. She looked back to Victor as he hurried her out to a car that would take her to Bruce's.

"What if-"

"He won't get to you." Rose stood a few feet away from the car with Zsasz. Her arms were hugging her stomach as she looked up to him. "Next time you see me, he'll be locked away and won't be able to escape."

She lowered her gaze, not believing anything he was saying at the moment. Suddenly she felt herself pressed against his body, able to inhale Zsasz's scent on his shirt.

"You'll be safe."

***

Rose honestly didn't like the idea. Being with Bruce and Alfred without much protection. That or it could've been the idea that Jerome was somewhere out there while she was utterly alone. She had no one beside her to ensure that she would make it through the night.

Victor was at the precinct with Jim and Harvey. It could be to make sure nothing was going to happen to her.

The ringing of a phone brought Rose from her thoughts. She watched as went to pick it up before it stopped ringing. Rose stood behind Bruce, breathing slowing picking up as Alfred brought a finger to his mouth.

She shrieked when something hit Alfred, knocking him to the ground. Familiar cackling filled her ears. Rose covered her ears, trying to mute them while squeezing her eyes shut. Her throat thickened was she fought the urge to cry.

That couldn't be him. He's dead. There is no way that Jerome could be alive.

"My, my," those were the first words she heard. "Look how bi-"

She was scared to open her eyes. She could feel him staring at her. "My beautiful flower."

"This isn't real," Rose continuously muttered to herself, wishing that this was all a horrible nightmare.

"Rose," she heard Bruce whisper to her. She only opened to see him ushering her to sit down near Alfred. She couldn't believe that he, in that moment, was more calm than her. Hardly mattered because Rose was willing to do whatever she could to keep herself somewhat safe.

While people started to trash the room, Bruce stayed near Rose and Alfred before looking to Jerome. He was the one who was going to face him that night.

"I remember those days," Jerome went on about being a teenager and remembering the various emotions he felt. "And you my flower," Jerome smiled down at Rose. "You were my first time."

Rose shivered, thinking to the night Jerome was talking about. The thought of it made her cringe and tear up. Not what she wanted for her first time, but not like she had much of a choice.

"I asked you what you want!" Bruce yelled at Jerome.

"Right. I want to kill you." Jerome blatantly stated.

"Why?" Rose croaked.

"Well, it's the last thing I remember wanting to do."

The answer sickened Rose. It also reminded her of the old Jerome. Before his death. He was dead set on killing Bruce. She thought he would runaway with her, give up a like of killing and maybe act like a normal teenager. Or at least get away from the psychotic tendencies.

Jerome looked close to killing Bruce when he interrupted him. Bruce mentioned how Jerome was a showman.

"Thank you,"

Rose looked between the two. She didn't understand what he was getting at. Did some alarm go off and Bruce was delaying time before they showed up? If so, she needed one on her at all times.

More talk continues, Bruce going on how killing him should mean something. Getting Jerome to the point that he needed an audience.

"A show," Rose's voice cracked as she spoke up. Both Jerome and Bruce looked to her. "It needs to be a show. After all, only you know how to put one on." She felt her body shake as she stood to her feet.

"Oh how brilliant you are my Rose," Jerome placed his hands on Rose's face. He was oblivious to the uncomfortableness that was being showed on her.

"Saddle up boys, were taking the show on the road!" Jerome called out, wrapping an arm around Rose's shoulder and keeping close to Bruce.

'This can't be happening,' Rose thought to herself while Jerome talked with Bruce and Alfred. She started to pinch herself, hoping to bring herself back to reality.

It wasn't working. This was all real. Jerome's alive and he's going to kill Bruce by the end of the night no doubt. She wasn't stupid enough to try and escape at that moment.

Instincts started to kick in. To keep herself alive, and hopeful Bruce, time needed to be delay. Long enough for someone to find them. Which meant playing along with Jerome's games, resorting back to the high school girl that he knew.

Rose closed her eyes, silently praying that some higher power would let her make it through the night. Would let things be normal for once, long enough for her to get out of the city for good.

"Oh my flower," Rose felt herself tense up as Jerome traced a finger along her cheek. "I didn't think how much I missed you until now."

"It was hard without you," Rose created some distance between them the moment she felt something touch her neck. "I didn't believe that this could be done, but here you are." She didn't dare look at him.

Jerome pulled her to a stop, letting his goons and Bruce go ahead of them. "Look at me."

Rose didn't want to. She could only stare at the white entire he was wearing. "Look. At. Me."

Rose could feel pain striking through her wrists and she immediately looked up to Jerome. His face looked like a masked with the staples around his eyes and across his mouth. A small part of her could've been fooled.

"Jerome wait," Rose quickly interjected when she saw him make a move to kiss her. "Just wait, we'll have all the time together." It wasn't good enough. She needed something to help it seem perfect. "It should be after you," she couldn't get the words out of her mouth.

"Kill Bruce?" Rose nodded at the question. A moment of silent before being followers by laughter. "Brilliant Rose! It'll add to the drama of just killing him. Gotham's elite is dead, and the innocent flower is all mine."

Jerome continued to laugh, pulling Rose along with him. She could only weakly laugh, thinking about endless possibilities of nightmare events that could follow.