What Happens In Gotham

What Happens In Gotham



By: TheDisasterousChibi



Last Time:



‘Why Gotham? Why there. Why not Fiji or Communist China? Anywhere but Gotham. Wasn’t it hard enough leaving after he left me!’



Taking a deep calming breath, hoping to keep the tears and the old sting of painful memories at bay, Katarina shifted her car to drive and focused on the most important thing in her life.



Her son.



Tomorrow she would worry about this so called Joker.



Chapter Two: Welcome To Gotham



After spending all night packing clothes and other essentials for her little ‘trip’ Katarina was not a happy person, dark circles surrounded her brown eyes. Her sluggish movements were a sure sign of a sleepless night.



Katarina sat in her living room, closing off the last box with duct tape, the clock on the wall mocked her with its ever moving hands; it was four in the morning. Katarina let her exhausted body fall back on the crème colored rug, arms loose at her side, her breathing was steady; the quiet of the early morning lulled her to sleep.



“Mom,” a small hand shook Katarina’s shoulder, “hey mom, wake up.”



The bright morning light softly cascaded into the living room through the kitchen window. And Kat opened her eyes to the most beautiful of sights, her baby boy bathed in golden light.



His curly blond hair hung messily around his shoulder, barely touching them, pale pink lips where forming words she couldn’t understand – sleep was still too near. His hazel-green eyes were clouded with sleep, the two things he had inherited from her were his tanned skin, the color of caramel, and the shape of his eyes.



Everything else was a contribution of his father’s genetics.



“Morning baby. Come here.” Grabbing her son and laying him flat on the floor, Kat began to tickle him mercilessly; his squeal of delight filling the small house they lived in.



“Mom, stop, stop!”



Squirming from underneath his mother J.C couldn’t contain his laughter, his mother’s fingers lightly digging into his sides. Finally she stopped and planted a kiss on his forehead, snuggling up to him, caging him in her arms, his head rested on her chest as she ran her fingers through his curly locks, calming his rapidly beating heart.



“Baby, we’re going on a trip.” His mother’s voice sounded in J.C’s ear



Looking up into his mother’s smiling face J.C posed his question, “Really? But school just started, mom.”



“We’re going to be living in Gotham for a little while. Mom got a new assignment.” Raising herself on her elbows, Katarina waited for her son’s reaction.



“Gotham? That’s where the Batman lives right? Oh man, that is so cool, when are we leaving?” The excited eight year old sat cross legged in front of his mother, eyes shining with glee and excitement; he looked like a cherub with his flushed pink cheeks



“We’re leaving later on today, after we go say good-bye to your Auntie B and Uncle Casey. Now what should we have for breakfast?”



Ruffling her son’s hair as she got up, Katarina made her way to the kitchen to prepare the morning meal.



“Uh, uh, pancakes, pancakes!” scrabbling to his feet J.C followed his mother into the sunlit kitchen.



--



After a breakfast of banana pancakes with chocolate sprinkles and a much needed shower Katarina was dressed in a ripped pair of jeans and a shirt that said Good Cop on the front and, when she turned, Bad Cop on the back. Her wet and wavy hair hung down her back, barely touching her jean clad behind.



“J.C did you pack the things you wanted to take?” Putting the last box into the trunk for a grand total of seven cardboard boxes, Katarina yelled to the open window of the second floor, her head in the trunk as she rearranged the boxes to make space for J.C’s.



“Hold on, Mom, I can’t find the album with dad’s picture! Have you seen it?” J.C’s head popped out of the window.



Closing her eyes, Katarina heaved a sigh and then quickly collected herself. She took a few steps away from the car to face the window.



“I packed it already; I knew you wouldn’t leave it behind.” Katarina told her son, “Now get your tushie down here, Mister. We still need to go to your Aunt’s house. God knows what she’d do if we left without saying goodbye.”



Kat heard her son‘s laughter growing louder by the second until he came out, his back pack slung over one shoulder and a semi-full box in his hand.



“I’m ready to go, Mom.” J.C said as he passed her, on his way to the car.



Taking her porch steps two at a time Katarina made it to the front door in record time.



She locked both the locks on the door, and shook the handle to double check. Turning around, she trotted down the steps and headed toward J.C, who was waiting by the passenger door



“Alright, lets go to Aunt B‘s.” Katarina opened the passenger’s seat for her son, seeing as his hands were occupied.



“Thanks, Mom.” J.C gave a mega watt smile.



“No worries, sweetie.” She smiled back and closed the car door.



Giving in to her childish side, Katarina braced her hand on the hood and hopped over to the driver’s side of the car. She opened the door, got in, and turned on the car.



“Wow, Mom, that was awesome. Can you teach me to do that?” J.C eyed his mother like a total new being. Sure his mom was really cool, cooler then the other moms, but that was something straight out off a Jet Li movie.



“Maybe when you’re older, J.C. Now put on your seat belt.”



As J.C clicked on his belt, Katarina backed out of her drive way, leaving the house she called home for eight years now.



Pulling up in front of a large ranch style house, Katarina turned of the engine and opened her car door, J.C followed her example.



J.C raced up the steps of the sage colored porch, racing to ring the door bell. His mother was less eager to tell her sister she was leaving town for an indefinite period of time, not to mention that she was going to the murder capital of the free world.



The large oak door opened to reveal what could have been Katarina’s twin, though the face was a few years younger, the hair much shorter, and the body not quite as tall, or voluptuous.



“Hey there J.C” The dark short haired woman said as she knelt to envelope the boy in a hug. As she hugged the boy she sent her sister a bright smile.



“Hey Kat, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Releasing the boy and standing up, the younger woman gave her sister a hug in greeting.



“We’re moving to Gotham Auntie B! Isn’t that great?” J.C exclaimed.



The younger woman stepped back, in shock, to see her sisters face, her hands still attached to her sister’s arm.



“Now Bianca, don’t you dare start a scene. Johnson wouldn’t let me get out of it. Or else there is no way in heaven or earth that I would go back to that place.” Katarina explained to her sister before she started throwing a tantrum.



“When are you leaving?” the smile was gone from Bianca’s face as she quickly sobered upon hearing such distressing news.



“Now. Johnson gave me yesterday to pack and today to leave. This is why I’m here. I need you to cut my electricity, water, gas, and to check on the house, water the plants every once in a while…”



Katarina was interrupted when her sister snarled out a question.



“How long will you be gone?” Bianca’s grip on Kat’s arm tightened.



“Indefinitely. Please B, don’t do this. I have to leave if I want to make it to Gotham before sunset. It’s an eight hour car ride.”



Bianca searched her sister’s eyes, so similar to her own, and sighed. She pulled the taller woman into another hug and buried her head into her chest, trying to contain her tears. She knew how hard this must be for Katarina right now.



“Ok sis, I’ll water your darn plants. God I’ll miss you Kat, who am I gonna have Sunday dinner with now, huh?” Wiping stray tears from her eyes Bianca gave her sister a small but genuine smile.



“Your husband maybe? Don’t worry B, I’ll be back as soon as I help the GPD catch this so called Joker.” Lightly punching her sister in the arm, Kat turned to her son, noticing how had been watching the older women converse.



Bianca once again knelt down to deliver a crushing hug to her blond nephew. “I’m gonna miss you J.C. Make sure you keep your mother safe. Promise me you will. Your mom is just a big softy no matter how tough she acts.”



“Hey! I heard that!” Katarina’s outraged voice cut into the heart warming good bye of the aunt and nephew who both giggled as Katarina started muttering under her breath.



“Don’t worry Auntie B. Now one will hurt Mom as long as I’m around!” J.C puffed out his little chest and faced his aunt with determined eyes.



“All right you two, we have to go now.” Katarina said as she fished inside her pocket for something.



“Here B. The keys to the house.” Unhooking silver keys from a custom key chain, Katarina handed them to her now standing sister, who took them hesitantly.



“Drive safe Kat. Remember Gotham isn’t anything like Metropolis.” Bianca advised.



“Don’t worry B, I remember.”



With two last quick hugs, Katarina and J.C got back into the car and began there trip to Gotham.



--



A knock on the door took Rachel’s attention way from cleaning out her two guest bed rooms.



“Hold on, I’m coming!” Rachel shouted to the general direction of the door. ‘That must be her. It’s almost six.’ Thought Rachel as she peeked through the looking circle of her door.



Standing in front of her door was someone she wasn’t expecting; Harvey Dent.



Opening the door, Rachel could barely keep the shock out of her voice when she said, “Harvey, what are you doing here?”



“We have dinner reservations for eight tonight Rachel. Don’t tell me you forgot?” The well dressed blond known as Harvey said with a face full of mock hurt.



“Oh no, was that today? Harvey the woman that the Commissioner wanted from Metropolis arrives today, she and her son are staying with me.” Rachel couldn’t believe she had forgotten a date with her white knight.



Just as Harvey opened his mouth to respond another voice was heard behind him.



“Excuse me, but does a Rachel Dawes by any chance live here?” A tall dark haired woman said. She had a young blond boy by her side whose skin tone matched her own.



“Yes, I’m Rachel. You must be Lieutenant Napier.” Stepping out of her door and reaching out a hand, Rachel greeted Katarina.



“Yes, I’m Katarina Napier and this is my son Jack.” Katarina shook hands with Rachel and motioned to J.C with her head.



“Mom!” The outraged cry from J.C made both women bite their lips to fight back giggles.



“I’m sorry. Miss Dawes, this is my son J.C.” With a bright smile Katarina gently shoved J.C forward to shake hands with Rachel.



“It’s nice to meet you, J.C. You can call me Rachel.” Said the assistant D.A as she shook hands with the young boy. A tap at her shoulder reminded her of Harvey’s presence.



“This is Gotham’s D.A and my boyfriend, Harvey Dent.” Rachel said as Harvey moved to greet her guests.



“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Napier – you too J.C. Welcome to Gotham.” Shaking hands with the beautiful woman in front of him, he noticed her equally beautiful young son. Harvey couldn’t help but note that she and the child only held a few similarities.



‘Must look like his father, though I think that may be a touchy subject considering his absence’ thought Harvey.



“I’m sorry if I ruined your plans with Miss Rachel, Mr. Dent.” Katarina apologized, looking embarrassed.



“Please call me Harvey. No, you haven’t ruined anything. In fact, why don’t you and your son join me and Rachel and we can get to know each other.” Harvey proposed with a large smile.



“Harvey that’s a great idea. What do you think, Katarina?” Rachel asked the black woman before her.



“Please I wouldn’t want to impose.” Katarina started to say.



“Nonsense, let’s get your stuff set up and then grab a bite to eat. Our reservation is for eight o’clock and it’s only six now, we have time. Now where did you park your car?” Rachel said with finality to her tone.



“If you both insist. I parked the car in the front of the building; it’s the blue mini cooper.” Katarina replied to the determined woman.



“Harvey do you mind helping us?” asked Rachel.



“No not at all.” replied Harvey as he took of his jacket and headed inside of Rachel’s apartment, returning a few minutes later.



“Miss Rachel, do you think I’ll get to meet Batman?” asked J.C who had been quiet since his introduction.



“Well this is his city, so you just might.” Giving J.C a smile Rachel headed down the hall with Harvey, Katarina and J.C on tow to go unload the boxes into her apartment.