4 years later
I stumbled into my apartment, my purse falling off of my shoulder as I tried to close the door with my heeled foot. The phone was ringing wildly as I tripped over myself to get to the charging port. When the machine beeped for my voicemail, I snatched it up and answered it. I pressed the phone to my ear and spoke with exasperation.
"Veronica Wayne speaking." I say in a breathless tone, letting my bag drop to the floor as I shrugged off my coat.
"Veronica. How are you? It's Jim, Jim Gordon."
I stopped moving entirely for a moment, cracking a small smile.
"Hey, Jim. Hi, it's been a little while." I say and move towards my living area, picking up some unorganized magazines and placing them neatly on the table.
"I know, I'm sorry for not reaching out sooner. It's hectic over here. How's New York treating you?"
I sigh and walk to my bedroom, turning on the light and scanning my dresser filled with postcards from Alfred with a smile. I venture into my bathroom, turning on the water and letting the steam envelope the bathroom as I let my hair loose from its clip.
"It's been alright. I realized a month in that it's quite similar to home, so it wasn't so much of a culture shock. Though New Yorker's are a mix of happy and miserable. Gotham is just-"
"-miserable? Yeah, figures. I'm glad you've been getting on well."
"Thank you for calling, really. It's nice to hear from someone other than Alfred sometimes." I chuckle and Jim sighs heavily.
"Ronnie, I wanted to check up on you but also, I wanted to call just to see if...maybe you know, you'd think of coming back."
I shake my head lightly and sit on the edge of my bathtub, staring down at the white tile.
"I can't, Jim. I don't fit in at the GCPD. I was absolutely useless when I was there. You can say differently but I know I was. I can't do that to myself or you again."
"Veronica, listen. You were one of the greatest assists to the GCPD and you weren't even registered as an official officer yet. With all my unit mostly gone and Batman M.I.A for the past 4 years-"
"-wait, what? What did you say about Batman?" I ask quickly and stand, my world suddenly coming to a screeching halt.
"Oh, uh, Alfred didn't get to tell you? Batman, he hasn't...he hasn't been around since Harvey died."
"Harvey?" I gasp and slink back down onto the tub, the news shocking me.
"Wow, Veronica. I didn't know you were this out of the loop. I guess you left before everything really went south. Good for you."
I was void of words, of any phrases that could answer his statement. What did I need to say? I'm sorry for being such a selfish bitch and leaving when the going got tough?
"Jim, God. This is bad, really bad." I say lowly and hold my head in my hand.
"Yeah well, I've got another thing coming for you. There's a new madman on the loose and he's looking potentially worse than that Joker character we dealt with years ago."
I look at the clock by my mirror and swallow hard. I've left home for too long and I've left my city when it needed me most. How could I do it? I always told myself I wouldn't run, that I'd endure and do my best to help my fellow citizens. That's why I went into criminal justice reform and studied psychology in university; to help people and keep Gotham from collapsing in on itself.
"Hello, Ronnie? Still there?" Jim asks cautiously.
"Send me everything you have. I'll do some research." I say abruptly, turning off my almost overflowing tub and going into my closet; grabbing my suitcase.
"Really? Ronnie, this is going to be a while...are you sure you're ready to do this-"
"-then I guess you'd better start sending that info over, then. I'll talk to you sooner than you think."
*
I stood lax in front of my old home, my suitcases on either side of me. I didn't call or give a heads up that I'd be showing up, I just knew I had to come. I feel like I've been gone for more than 4 years, like I'm returning to finished some unfinished business after being gone for 20 years plus.
I begin to make my way towards the large marble steps, climbing them with ease with my suitcases clambering behind me. I ring the bell once and wait for a response but get none. I ring the bell two times and wait. I become frustrated when no one answers, so I begin to bang on the door with frustration-my closed fist doing more damaged than deemed necessary.
The door swings open a minute into my assault on the oak door, revealing a surprised Alfred. His face turns from annoyed to pure bliss when he sees me. My fist in the air, ready to slam once more on the door before it was opened; created a comical scene as I stood there in front of him.
"Well, I am so glad to see you."
I lowered my fist and cleared my throat.
"I've missed you too, Alfred." I say, walking into the open space after giving him a hug.
I ignored him when he asked to carry my suitcases, giving him a smirk and firm shake of my head.
"Where's the senior citizen?" I ask humorously and Alfred frowns.
"Now, Veronica. Your father is not in the best of mood or condition. Especially with tonight's affair." He speaks solemnly and I squint my eyes at him.
"He's been away for 4 years...what party is he having?" I ask, sarcasm laced in my slicing tone.
"It's for Harvey. A gathering in memory of Harvey Dent."
I quickly regret being sarcastic again as I look down at my twisting fingers. I let out a low "oh" and shift my weight from one foot to another.
"It seems you came at a perfect time. With that, what brings you back home, Miss.Wayne?"
I look at Alfred and sigh.
"Work. Jim called me."
Alfred begins to walk down the hall again and I follow him to the kitchen where I sit down at the table.
"He has requested your expertise, I presume?" He asks as he grabs a tea kettle and sets us up for some fresh tea.
"Kind of. He told me of Harvey's passing and how the Batman retired." I say casually, making Alfred stumble with the ceramic mugs he was placing on the tray. I fold my hands in front of me and look at him.
"Care to explain why I had to find this out by the Commissioner and not my own family?"
Alfred brings our tray over and the tea kettle, pouring the liquid into each of our cups.
"He is embarrassed, Ronnie. Your father is a symbol Gotham always needed. He feels in some way that he has not only let Gotham down but has hurt the people he loved because of Batman. In that, pushing you away."
"He didn't push me away." I retort strongly and close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose and mumbling a "sorry" at Alfred for my raised tone.
"He would be delighted to see you. He hasn't left the east wing for a long while."
I nod and stand, thanking him for the tea that I didn't touch and make my way to the east wing. It was eerily quiet and it made my skin crawl. I walked down the long hallway and to the ballroom area, opening the door as softly as I could. I poked my head out first and then followed suit with my body, closing the door behind me. I walked into the empty space, the area filled with sadness as dust and tarp covered the very few pieces of furniture left in the vast room.
I walked towards the piano centered in the middle of the room, lightly dusting the keys with the pads of my fingers. I smile at myself slightly as I lightly press one of the keys, then slowly begin to play my favorite song. Heart and Soul was the first song my father ever taught to me on piano and as I played, I felt the overwhelming feeling of isolation; of guilt for leaving him. I left everyone and everything behind when they probably needed me most. I finished the song, my finger remaining on the last key as the last note reverberated off the naked walls and then into defeating silence.
"I see you haven't lost your touch."
I freeze immediately, nervous of what my father would think of me now. My hair is no longer the natural reddish brown I inherited from my grandmother but, a rich dark brown. I snipped my hair to my shoulders, shedding my signature tresses along with my pent-up resentment. I needed more of a change after leaving Gotham. I thought it would fix how I felt- how I would interpret the differences I would be scheduled to go through with my new life ahead of me. I don't answer him as I continue to lightly trace my fingers over the keys, sometimes emitting the smallest of sounds from them.
"You must hate me." I state lowly and lightly chuckle, turning to face him finally.
My hopeful features turned grim as I took in my fathers state. He looked frail, weak. He looks like he hasn't shaven in what seemed like years and he wasn't wearing his signature suit. He was almost hunched over with a cane in his clutch; his eyes seemed dim in comparison to my memories of him. Tears immediately welled up in my eyes as I looked him over, my hand shooting up to my mouth in sadness. I let this happen.
"Dad-"
"-don't say anything. I know what you're thinking and it's not. This isn't your fault, Ronnie." He says, nearly wobbling over as he attempts to move closer to me.
I couldn't stop the sob that escaped my lips, the sound amplifying in the empty room as I embraced my father in a long overdue hug.
"I'm so happy to see you, sweetheart. You have no idea."
-
"This would mean so much to Harvey, he really bet the world on you." Jim said solemnly, swirling the scotch filled in his glass slowly.
"Yeah, Harvey would. I wish he would've went out as Harvey and not..." I say but trail off as Jim's hand grabs my shoulder, almost telling me "I know".
"At least he doesn't have to live with all that anger. It could kill you, change you." He states, sipping his drink as I scoff lowly.
"Tell me about it." I whisper, making him look at me curiously.
"I'm gonna head out. Barbara and the boys are waiting up." Jim says in finality, finishing off his drink in one gulp.
"Of course, give them my regards."
He smiles and nods, bidding me a farewell before disappearing into the sea of black clothed bodies. I cleared my throat and did my best to keep my head down, being that I didn't want to converse with anyone here. I turned to begin my walk back to the manor when I saw something very odd. A woman who was dressed as a waiter, cleanly stole a man's watch as he thanked her for giving him a glass of champagne.
Her smile never faltered as she slipped the gold watch into her apron pocket, turning swiftly and away from the large crowd. I followed her suit, walking casually behind her but far enough to not make it look suspicious. She turns and maneuvers her way through the crowd of people swiftly but I kept up with her quick moves just fine. After a minute or so of following her, she made her way into the east wing of the manor. It was extremely quiet here, so I removed my heels slowly, watching her as she climbed the stairs.
I placed them down and followed her silently, watching her as she discreetly opened the ballroom door and entered without a trace. She wasn't as smart as I thought, being she left the door open when she entered. I slipped through to see her behind a family portrait of my father and grandparents, opening the safe with ease. She pulled out a very sentimental object, my grandmothers pearls. I become enraged at her actions-a thief.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" I begin, my voice tipping in pitch from anger.
She turns casually with a smirk, the pearls hanging from her dainty hands.
"Cute. Well, honey, at least I had a mother." She smiles wide now, clasping the pearls around her neck.
"They're beautiful. Too bad they were locked up all this time-"
"-take them off." I say through gritted teeth.
She fakes a scared face, putting her hand out.
"Oh, don't be such a stickler. I was only trying them on. Ever heard of dress up, Miss. Wayne?" She almost purrs and I move closer to her, her eyes scanning me up and down.
"I said-" I begin before slamming the safe shut, creating a loud bang in the otherwise silent room.
"-take them off."
She inches close to my face, hums a little and whispers in my ear.
"Bite me."
I push her hard against the wall, causing her to then lunge at me. I fight her off by blocking her many attempts to punch me and scratch. She gets ahead by tripping me due to my stocking clad legs and feet on the polished wood floor. Still on the ground, I reach out and grasp her heeled foot, yanking it back as hard as I could. I then dodged away when she went to kick me in defense.
The door bursts open then, my father showing no surprise at the scene in front of him. I look at him as I heave for air, then back at the thief who slipped away with ease. She wears a smug smile, standing at the open window.
"You should give the watch back." My father says calmly as I do a double take at him. How did he know?
"Now, where's the fun in that?" She says and jumps out the window.
Still on the ground, I turn my head to my father with a very odd stare.
"Who the fuck was that?" I ask in an breathless manner, my chest still heaving.
"Well, I intend to find out."
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A/N:
Hello my babies. Hope everyone is having a great day. I know these updates are as long as usual but I'm excited for the next chapter so I'm going to double update, being I had ideas and just wrote them out. I like how it turned out so let's gooooo!
I also really really LOVE your feedback so , feel free to let me know your likes/dislikes so far! Much love ❤️