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thirty-one ; the kids are coming


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chapter thirty-onethe kids are coming

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❝ for you ❞

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THERAPY WAS AN extremely uncomfortable and unsettling thing to go through. Especially when the one person reaching out is none other than the woman who broke apart your family. Perhaps Lee was being genuine, truly wanting to help them through the tragedy they lived through weeks ago. Skylar had moved on from the kidnapping portion, the murder of Theo Galavan the only thing lingering from the incident. Bruce had vanished, going off on some vacation to another country without so much as saying goodbye or giving a heads up. So both of them were doing perfectly fine, but it seemed as though Alfred was keen on getting Bruce to open up about the incident, which in turn caused Skylar to get involved since she had been there as well.

It was awkward, more for her than anyone else in the room. Her eyes focused on everything but Leslie Thompkins. The worst part was, there was a tenseness between herself and Bruce, the said boy continuously glancing her way, silently wishing they could talk privately. She could tell that is what he wanted, but from the looks of it, Lee was not leaving until she got some information out of them. The doctor sure as hell wasn't getting anything truthful out of her. And maybe she knew that because she stayed a distance away.

Skylar sat on the armrest on the couch that was across from where Bruce sat with Lee, the two engaging in a rather normal conversation, nothing interesting popping up or appearing, leaving her to listen awaiting her turn. For the most part, she tuned their talking out, dazing off, her thoughts trailing.

Arkham Asylum was already a terrifying place and sleeping there was even worse. She was lucky that the hospital wing Barbara was placed in was far away from the inmates, giving her peace and quiet besides the occasional doctor passing by the room or coming in to grab some supplies. But things had shifted, something was different. More people were coming in, checking up on her mom when they never had before. One woman, in particular, had become a familiar face. Ms. Peabody, Strange's assistant.

Never had she met the female before, seen her pass by before sure, but never had a conversation with her. Skylar got a bad feeling every single time she saw her walk in. Something was off about her. It was almost like she didn't trust her or was watching her. Suddenly Charlotte's offer was beginning to sound like a genuinely good idea. Because at least there she had fresh food, a clean shower, and a warm bed. Or at least, she hoped that's what it was like. Either way, whatever was occurring behind the walls of Arkham was starting to make her tense, wary.

"How about you Skylar?"

The brunette was yanked back to reality, her head-turning, realizing that Lee had been the one who spoke. She adjusted her position, moving to actually sit on the cushion of the brown leather couch, bringing her knees to her chest. She shrugged, not knowing what to say because she hadn't been paying attention to what they were talking about before she was addressed.

Lee said nothing for a few moments and then sighed, it clicking in her head what the problem was. So, she clarified, asking, "How are you feeling? Anything you'd like to discuss?"

Skylar snorted in amusement, the corner of her lips curving upwards. The smile was not friendly. If anything, it was mocking, taunting. "I'm fine thank you. And besides, if anything were going on in this little head of mine, I wouldn't tell you. Not to mention your a few weeks late. So let me settle this for you so you can be on your merry way." She leaned back, her hands taking place on either side of her waist, touching the cold leather. "Bruce is perfectly fine; in fact, he enjoyed being kidnapped. I'm great because the person who murdered my brother is dead. There, you can go now."

Her behavior did not sway Lee in the slightest. The doctor looked encouraged, ecstatic to have even gotten a response at all. She gave a gentle smile, tilting her head a bit to the side, that motherly warmth in her gaze.

"I understand that opening up can be a challenge. But believe me when I say that once you do, you'll feel much better like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders." She paused. "So tell me, how are you feeling?"

Bruce observed her, anticipating an honest answer. He was sitting up straight, his posture a little too flawless. He waited patiently, offering a tiny smile to Skylar, seeing the way her eyes flickered to him, clearly not comfortable with talking about her feelings. Her expression softened for a brief moment before she quickly refocused, going back to her stone-faced mask.

"I'm doing fantastic, Doctor Thompkins, tell me, how's the baby?"

Her tone was harsh, not afraid to show her utter disgust at the fact that Jim really had up and left them, getting himself a girlfriend, getting her pregnant. So, soon enough he'd have a fiancee and a kid, potentially a daughter, giving him a do-over. She could not believe it. How could he just move on and get himself a new family? How could he leave her and Barbara behind?

Lee's smile faded, shifting where she sat, clearing her throat. "The baby is doing well, thank you for asking."

Skylar's nose scrunched up, a scoff sounding through the room though she did not open her mouth to let the full volume of the noise come out. "Funny isn't it? Knowing your staring at Jim Gordon's adoptive daughter while you carry his biological one. He's replacing me and my mom from the looks of it. So you tell me, Doctor Thompkins, how am I feeling?"

"You have to understand, Jim didn't mean to-"

"Oh, so you didn't use protection?" Skylar laughed without humor. "So it wasn't even planned! And the two of you are fully grown adults, shouldn't you know better? Maybe you should have taken a pill or told him to pull out."

"Skylar!" Bruce exclaimed, getting her attention rather quickly, shaking his head. "I think you should stop."

She laughed again, fighting the angry tears, refusing to allow either of them to see her cry. It hurt, it really fucking hurt to feel like you were being replaced. No one understood that no one understood her. Maybe Selina would, but last she checked, she had zero contact with her birth parents. So she was alone in her dangerous mind, alone to fight against the negative thoughts and insecurities.

"Right, of course, my apologies." She did not feel sorry at all, no trace of remorse in her body. "If you can't handle the truth, don't talk to me then." She got up and left the room, storming down the brightly lit hallway. The very fact infuriated her. The sun was too happy. She went to the huge windows, pulling the curtains closed violently, making her way to the end of the hallway before stopping, taking deep breathes.

The floor creaked. Skylar looked up and saw Bruce making his way towards her, but had stopped once she made eye contact with him. She sighed, her shoulders slumping. He continued walking, his steps no longer quiet.

"I don't want a pep talk."

"I'm not here to give one," he told her honestly, stopping at least two feet away from her. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye first. It was rude of me."

She was both grateful and surprised by his sudden change of topic. It must have been easy for him to tell that she was not in the mood for discussing what occurred in the study. She was still trying to process it herself. Thankfully he acted as if it hadn't happened, though he had told her to stop before she could say anything else that could potentially cause more harm to not only herself but to Lee.

"Don't worry about it. You needed time away, it's fine."

Bruce saw through her lie, shaking his head. "Still, I should have told you. I know you like staying here if you don't have anywhere else to go." He kept looking at her, even if she continuously avoided making eye contact with him. "Where did you stay while I was gone?"

"At the hospital wing in Arkham," she told him truthfully, tucking her hair behind her ear, staring at the wall that held countless pieces of expensive art. "Wasn't ideal, but I managed." He seemed to appreciate her honesty, offering a small, genuine smile in return for it. She turned her head, looking at him with a sigh. "I don't like being alone, you know."

The confession was a big deal for her, considering that she was not used to opening up to people nowadays. Sure, she did confide in Selina, but that was it. Barbara was not afraid to help guide her through problems and tell her what she should and shouldn't do. Damon was not an option. Jim wasn't either. Ed probably wouldn't know what to do. Bruce was someone she was afraid of opening up to because she feared rejection from him. Why? She hadn't a clue.

And honestly, she really shouldn't feel that way about him.

"You aren't alone, not anymore," he replied, smiling softly at her. He walked forward and then hugged her, catching her completely off-guard.

Skylar was frozen, shocked by the action. Her eyes widened, lips parting and yet no words came out. She didn't know what to say. So, she slowly wrapped her arms around his tiny frame, embracing the affection.

It felt. . .nice. His grip gentle, his body fragile almost, like if she squeezed tightly she may break him in two. The very fact was strange. Growing up she was always a tiny, frail little thing due to lack of nutrients and love, her skin constantly pale, her lips chapped, her eyes dull. Bruce was nearly the opposite. He had a nice, natural tan, his lips were smooth looking, his eyes bright with eagerness to learn. He may be small, but his height made up for it.

Slowly but surely he was getting taller than her, versus when they first met and he was small, afraid of what he had witnessed. Now he was beginning to hit his growth spurt, a mere inch taller than herself which annoyed the hell out of her. He still did not hold much strength, or maybe he was fearful of crushing her if he held her too tightly. Sometimes she wanted to break, wanted to shatter into a million tiny pieces. She wondered who would be brave enough to put her back together.

The hug broke off too soon in her opinion. The warmth was something she missed. Barbara was the only one who could make her feel that way, make her feel loved and safe. Or so she thought. Here Bruce was, smiling down at her, smiling in a way that made her feel happy, truly happy. In those few, short seconds he made her feel something she's never felt before.

Bruce Wayne made her feel important.

---

Nora Fries, from what Skylar heard from eavesdropping on the cops that arrived at the Asylum later that day, was the wife of a ma named Victor Fries, apparently responsible for killing several cops in an interesting way. He froze them to death. His ultimate goal was to find a cure for his wife who was dying of cancer. She felt for him but none of the cops did. They were attached to their own so the second a cop drops dead, the whole police department crumbles and anger drives them. If it were a normal citizen, she doubted they would act as fast as they were.

She opted to stay out of the way, sitting next to her mom's bed, holding her hand. The room was silent as per usual, though she knew in due time there would be bullets flying. The GCPD was setting up a trap for Victor, luring him to the Asylum by using his wife which was unethical in her opinion. If she had the power to, she would have helped the heartbroken man and if she was being blunt, she hoped he put up quite a fight against the cops.

Heels clicked on the floor, telling Skylar that someone was coming. When the sound started overlapping, she realized that two people were coming. Sure enough, Peabody and Lee came waltzing into the room, the latter pushing a wheelchair that was holding Nora, the said female asleep from the looks of it.

The second she made eye-contact with the doctor slash therapist, she rolled her eyes, looking away. Peabody - out of all of the beds in the huge room - chose the bed right next to Barbara.

"I trust you won't mind sharing the wing with our dear Ms. Kean," the assistant spoke, using the same one-tone voice she always used. Though Skylar could not see Lee's expression, she could visualize her well enough. "Oh, do you know Sleeping Beauty? That's my name for her. So lovely, so still. Like an angel."

Even Skylar had to snort in amusement, the room going quiet for a moment, right before Peabody acknowledged her, making the teen turn around in her chair, looking up at the two older women.

"Is there a problem?"

"Not at all, Ms. Peabody. I had a tickle in my throat, that's all."

She didn't bother making a well-fabricated lie, smiling sweetly up at her. Peabody did not react, merely leaving the room as Lee got Nora onto the bed, hooking her up to the machines that were already set up on the table between each bed in the room. The brunette watched her do so, saying nothing. Lee finished and turned around, instantly meeting her eye.

"Don't," Skylar said before the woman could even think to speak.

And it wouldn't have mattered anyway, because right after she said that, Professor Strange entered the room, a thrilled smile on his face, his chilling voice saying, "Miss Valeska, a word please?"

Skylar did not put up a fight, standing up, and followed him out into the hallway. He closed the door behind her, giving them some privacy. Chills ran down her spine. She was not comfortable at all with being alone with him. Would anyone hear her scream? Lee would she guessed. Her stance displayed her tenseness, eyes narrowing a bit at the man.

"Did I do something wrong?" she questioned, not understanding why he would want to speak with her at such a sudden and inappropriate time. Her brain raced, attempting to figure out why he would want to talk to her. Was he kicking her out? Was he committing her to the Asylum?

"Not at all, Miss Valeska. I was merely wondering if there is anything I could do to make you feel more at home. I know you have been staying here for quite some time, despite not being an inmate. So if there is anything you need, please let me know."

She saw his hand reach out, making her take a step back, eyes wide with uncertainty. Strange did not appear to be bothered by her nonverbal response, that eerie smile still in place.

"I will, thanks."

He dipped his head a bit as if he were nodding. "Of course, it's my pleasure." Then he turned around and walked down the hallway, disappearing once he took a left.

She felt truly uneasy, wrapping her arms around herself unconsciously, clearing her throat to snap her out of her trance. Why would he say something now? She's been staying at the hospital wing for over a month, over two months actually. So why does he all of a sudden care about how she's doing? Her gut told her something was wrong, but she couldn't bring herself to think about it too much. There were bigger things going on.

Skylar sighed, unraveling her arms, grabbing onto the door handle, and walked into the room. When she did, Lee quickly stepped away from Barbara, letting go of her chin. Her blood instantly began to boil and she rushed over to her, shoving her away from her mother's bed, looking furious.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped. "Haven't you done enough? Stay the fuck away from my mother, you psychotic bitch."

Lee had no time to defend herself because Nora began to stir, waking up from her slumber. The doctor quickly went to her side, all trace of malicious intent gone, replaced by a kind, caring glow that would fool anyone.

Skylar unclenched her fists which she hadn't even realized clenched up in the first place. She took a deep breath, glancing down at her mom, placing a quick kiss to her forehead, and then walked over to talk to Nora, who was currently asking where she was. The woman was clearly confused, intending to sit up, only to slump back down due to little energy.

She forced herself to calm down, knowing Nora did not deserve to be on the receiving end of her anger. She pretended that Lee was not there, focusing entirely on the blonde whose face was a deathly mixture of purple and white, her lips blue in color.

"They're afraid of your husband, Mrs. Fries," she spoke, using a low tone, even though she was still fuming. Nora turned her head to look at her, looking drained, tired. "They think he's an evil man, but from what I heard, he's doing things bad things because he loves you. And though he is doing bad things, people fail to realize that some people do bad things because they love someone a lot. Your husband really does love you, Nora."

She sniffled. "He believes the good of saving me outweighs the bad of his actions. I could have saved him. I saw him going down this path. Becoming more and more obsessed."

"You reacted how any normal person would react. You loved him so you let yourself be blinded. Because at the end of the day, the fact that they still smile at you, still love you, means more than all the bad they've done."

Nora gave her a knowing look, extending a shaky hand towards her, the cold skin meeting her warm skin. "I've read about you, in the papers. Your brother did bad things because he loved you, didn't he?"

Skylar didn't know what to say for a moment, letting the woman hold her hand. She nodded slowly. "Yeah and even though our situations are different and they are different, they do have something in common: they come running when the one person they love is in danger. That's their weakness."

Lee had listened to the entire conversation and did not say a word. She had expected her to intrude yet she never did. Skylar continued holding Nora's hand, letting the woman close her eyes and rest. The coldness of her skin was terrifying, a looming reminder that she was dying. It made her feel sick to her stomach to know that they were using her as bait for Fries. They couldn't have found another way?

A cartoonish lightbulb went off in her head, making her relax. She had a plan.

---

Victor arrived at Arkham, about an hour later. Nora was awake, being tended to by Lee. Skylar still sat at her bedside, listening to the sirens going off. They weren't as loud as she originally anticipated, so she was rather calm, her anxiety taking a vacation. Lee, on the other hand, was rushing, trying to get the poor blonde onto a wheelchair.

Jim came into the room, gun in hand, just as she expected. "Fries is in the building. We have to go and we have to take her with us. Come on." He came over, helping get Nora situated. "Careful."

"Thank you."

Jim spun around, getting ready to shoot Victor, but the man was faster, blasting ice, knocking the gun onto the floor far away from them. They all froze, but Skylar glanced towards the gun that was close behind her, slowly stepping back before any of them could notice. None of them did.

"Victor. . .Victor, listen to me," Jim tried to reason, holding his hands up in surrender. "We're trying to help her."

"You're killing her."

"I understand why you're doing this. I know you are trying to save her, but how many people have died already because of what you've done?"

"Too many to turn back now," Victor answered with ease. He was unreasonably calm, extremely persistent. He wasn't going to back down without a fight, they all knew that. "Soon as I've done what I need to do, I'll give myself up. But now we have to leave."

And Jim, as she also expected, kept pressing, trying to coax Victor, convince him that they had to stay at the hospital. "If we move her now, she might-" Skylar hit him on the back of the head with his gun which rendered him unconscious, suddenly putting all of the attention on herself. She looked up at them and then at Lee.

"What?" she asked innocently. Lee was appalled, gaping. "Look, the longer we sit here and argue, the closer she is to dying." She gestured to Nora with the gun, lazily. "So why don't you be a good citizen, Thompkins, and do your fucking job?"

Lee swallowed thickly, shaking her head as if trying to scold the young girl. Still, she didn't argue, pushing the wheelchair towards the exit. Victor was taken aback by what she had done for him, lowering his freeze gun.

"Thank you."

Skylar nodded, placing the gun on Jim's chest. "Don't mention it, just take care of her yeah?" She smiled weakly, not at all scared of him. She could see Jerome in him, only a little though. The two males were determined to protect the one person they loved and Jerome died from it. If Victor kept on this path, he could too. "Time is precious."

He bowed his head. "That it is. Thank you again. . .?"

"Skylar."

"Skylar." He smiled at her before leaving the room. How he would manage to leave was beyond her, she just hoped he could pull it off somehow.

Sighing, she glanced down at Jim. It hit her that she could potentially get in trouble with the law for knocking him out, preventing him from arresting Fries. A heavier sigh passed through her lips, then an irritated groan. This is what she got for being nice.

---

Crashing at Bruce's was the best option after potentially getting a target on her head. Skylar hoped and prayed that Jim would keep quiet and not have her arrested. Because she was broke and had no lawyer, she'd be screwed. So she snuck out of the hospital wing, making a run for it. The second she was sure she was in the clear, she began to walk the rest of the way. The manor was merely a thirty-minute walk from the Asylum. She arrived just as the sun was setting, casting a warm glow on her skin.

The balcony window was open like it usually was and so she could vaguely see Bruce standing near the fireplace. She stepped towards the curtains that kept blowing in the wind, shoving them aside dramatically. He looked up and saw her, a smile instantly making its way onto his face.

"I have arrived and I. . ." She jumped onto the couch and laid down on her back. ". . .am crashing right here."

He moved to stand in front of the other couch across from her, a somber look replacing his smile. "You have amazing timing." Then he reached down, grabbing a file, extending it to her. "This is the man that Silver told us about. Alfred tracked him down."

Now that caught her attention. Skylar sat up when the file was in her hands, Bruce sitting across from her. They both leaned forward, pouring over the data. She observed silently, her eyes scanning each piece of information.

"That brat was telling the truth after all," she scoffed, her eyes stopping at the name. "Patrick Malone? He got a nickname because if I remember correctly, Silver said his name started with an M."

"The M stands for Matches."

She nodded, understanding now. Silver had been telling the truth but what she heard or was told was mismatched. "Makes sense. Alright, so if Alfred tracked him down, what do you need me for?" She looked up at him, seeing an unfamiliar look on his face.

"I need you to get me a gun." A laugh bubbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Skylar placed a hand over her mouth, chuckling. "What's so funny?"

"You? You're gonna kill someone?"

"Yes. Alfred thinks he's gonna be the one to kill him. That's why I'm asking you."

Bruce was as unnaturally calm as Fries had been when demanding Nora to be returned to him. It was strange coming from him though. After all, he was a goodie-goodie, a golden boy, the perfect child a parent could only dream of. And now he wanted to commit murder? It was absurd, hilarious, really.

Skylar calmed down when she realized how serious he was about this. "Bruce. . .you could barely stomach Selina pushing that guy out the window. I mean, have you ever shot a gun before? Have you even ever held one?"

"Please, you are the only person I can ask that will understand. You wanted Theo Galavan dead for killing Jerome, how is me, wanting to kill Malone after what he did to my parents any different?"

She fell silent, looking down at the file for a long moment. Her heart was breaking and she did not know why. Why did it matter to her whether he killed or not?

"You don't understand. . .I didn't kill Theo Galavan, you plan on killing Malone, it's different. But killing people, hurting people, it changes a person. Are you prepared for that? Are you prepared to be haunted at night by his face, knowing you pulled the trigger?"

Bruce stared at her for a long and hard moment. "I am. So will you get me a gun or will I have to go get the gun myself?"

Another moment of silence passed as she thought it over. Could he truly live with himself? Could he go through with it? So many questions seemed to appear in her head these days. At some point, she was bound to become overwhelmed, taken over by her thoughts. She ran a hand through her hair as she tried to reach a decision. After what felt like hours, she finally responded to him.

"I'll get the gun."

---

I just can't resist making Sky besties with all the villains, it is honestly too tempting. She has the perfect reason to befriend them, seeing as her brother was deemed a villain, causing her to now feel sympathy for those who are like him. And I could not resist making Skylar connect with Nora.

Also, Bruce and Skylar are kinda a thing, but neither will straight-up say they are lol, young love, am I right?

I hope you guys have a great day/night and don't forget to vote on this chapter, comment your thoughts, and follow me for updates!

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