Penguin Returns
"Mommy!" Julia cried out, her eyes red and puffy as she looked around the apartment carrying her stuffed rabbit, Floppy, after waking up.
"In here, Julia!" Barbara called back, sitting down on the sofa as her adopted daughter came over.
At first, Barbara was smiling genuinely, but then she saw the tears dripping down Julia's pink cheeks and her red puffy eyes and frowned sadly.
"What's wrong sweetie?" Barbara asked the four year old, kneeling down in front of her.
"I had a bad dream," Julia sobbed trying to wipe her tears on the sleeves of her white nightgown. "A really bad dream."
"Oh, I'm sorry honey. Is there anything I can do to help?" Barbara asks gently
"Don't know," Julia whimpers.
"Can you tell me what it was?" Barbara asks.
"That mean lady from earlier came back and she took Daddy away from us," Julia told Barbara as fresh tears fell from her cheeks, "Me and Jamie tried to stop her but we couldn't move and we tried calling for you, but you didn't come, you weren't anywhere."
"Shh," Barbara shushes her daughter and scoops her up in her arms, "It's okay honey. You're okay. Nobody is going to take Daddy away from us and I'm not going anywhere. I will always be here for you two, even when I'm not."
Barbara cooed and rocked her daughter for a few minutes, but was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. When they went into the next room to see who it was, sitting down was Jim Gordon, looking tired. Barbara sighed in relief at the sight of her fiance as Julia wiggled in Barbara's arms to be put down and when she did Julia ran to Jim and hugged him.
"Daddy!" Julia cried happily wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Hi sweetheart," Jim said hugging his adopted daughter.
"You're okay," Barbara said, hugging him next, looking at him she asks, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Jim replied, "I fell, that's all. I'm fine."
The sound of a pair of soft footsteps was then heard. Jim, Barbara and Julia saw Jamie, who woke up from all of the sounds. walking into the room in his blue and white striped pajamas as he carried his dinosaur, Stompy.
"Papa!" Jamie said and he ran over to hug Jim too.
Jim then sits back down and Jamie and Julia climb up next to him sitting on either side of him while still holding onto their stuffed animals. Barbara then kneels down in front of Jim looking at his face.
"What's wrong?" Barbara asks putting her hands on Jim's lap. "I want you to know that you can tell me anything."
"And us!" Jamie and Julia both say.
"The city is sick," Jim responds, making Jamie frown and Julia cock her head in confusion. "Sick in a way I hadn't realized. When they were taking him away, this Balloonman killer I asked who his last target was. You know what he said? Doesn't matter."
The twins both look sad at hearing this.
"He meant the mayor, judges, anyone in a position of power," Jim continues, "They're all guilty."
"But that's not true," Barbara replies, making the twins nod.
"That's how he feels. That's how they all feel. Everyone. That's why the city embraced him," Jim said sadly, "Because we let them down. But if people take the law into their own hands then there is no law. And we're lost. There are cops who do it. Same thing he did."
Jamie and Julia hug their adoptive father in response. They weren't sure if it would help, but he looked like he needed it.
"But you never would," Barbara said.
"Do you think I could?" Jim asked giving Barbara a questionable look.
Barbara sighs before answering, "No. I know you, Jim Gordon. And I love you." Barbara gives Jim a loving smile. The twins also smile. Barbara then spoke again, "And now I'm gonna get you a drink."
Barbara kisses him and rubs his arm a little before getting up. Just then there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it," Barbara said going to the door.
Jim puts his head in his hands.
"Daddy?" Julia asks softly.
"Yes sweetheart?" Jim asked looking at his daughter while still holding his head.
"Can the lost be found?" Julia asks innocently
Before Jim could respond, Barbara opens the door and looks at the visitor. She then turns back to Jim.
"Jim?" Barbara questions her fiance.
Jim looks up and he sees who it is that's standing at the door, the very last person he wanted to see and the last who he expected to see again, Oswald Cobblepot aka Penguin.
"Hello James," Oswald greets, "Old friend."
Jim then stands up looking at Oswald in shock and disbelief. Oswald looks back at Jim with a smile on his face. Jamie and Julia both grab onto Jim's legs, remembering the man from Fish Mooney's nightclub.
Jamie's pajamas
Julia's nightgown
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