Monday, January 15, 11:15 P.M.
Barnes stood outside the interrogation room he had expected things in Gotham to get worse as he was gone but he never imagined on his first day back he'd be returning to a mess like this. Barnes while keeping his file tucked under his arm opened the interrogation room with his remaining hand he sighed as he walked in "I can't say I'm happy to be here with you again. To be blunt I thought you'd done a good job running the GCPD while I was… not well." After saying his peace Barnes placed the file on the table and slid it over to Jim Gordon who was currently under arrest Barnes tone then changed as he let out his anger and disappointment "What is wrong with you Jim? I mean these charges are insane! We have you on multiple counts of abduction, illegal imprisonment, bribery, tampering with evidence, fraud, murder, grave robbery, and to be frank we're probably going to have to make up new laws just to charge you for the rest! Oh and then there's the damage to the Sirens club!"
"Okay that whole thing with the club was an honest to god accident!" Jim yelled trying to explain.
"Your kidding right how do you even…" Barnes stopped to take a breath "How do you even ram a cruise ship into a club that's not even near the ocean? Do not even get me started on what you did to Nygma! Jim I'm going to be honest when I was infected I thought you were the worst possible person who could possibly run the GCPD as Captain but when I finally got cured I… I thought for a brief second maybe just maybe you were what the GCPD needs now though that I've had time to reflect and now that I see what you've done since becoming captain I know it was just the drugs the doctors gave me. What I really want to know is how the hell did all this start?"
"Well…" Jim paused hesitating he had no idea what he should say he just knew he was screwed and just kept rubbing his wedding ring "I kind of fell in love with a woman I sort I mean I don't see it as lying to her… I just omitted certain truths and I guess shit just spiraled out of control from there."
"Yeah." Barnes nodded "I heard about your little Stockholm Syndrome romance do you have any idea how far off the reservation you've gone this time? I mean they'll probably lock you up in Arkham for this! Jim… how the fuck do, you explain all this madness?"
Jim took a deep breath and exhaled "What can I say… it's crazy stupid love and being in love can drive you insane. The then again love and madness are not exactly mutually exclusive."
"Yeah. The madness of love not an easy thing to avoid much less escape. Why her though? Is it a guilt thing? Do you feel guilty about…"
"Yes" Jim answered interrupting him "I felt guilty she made my feelings over what happened to Barbara and to Theo resurface she…" Jim hesitated to continue "she made me feel like I was worth something which I have not felt in a long time. She makes me feel like I'm still a good cop."
"Well I highly doubt she feels the same way about you. I mean you lied to her, or you at the least let her believe a lie given to her. I just don't think she's going to forgive you so easily."
"Yeah you are probably right Barnes. I doubt she even still forgives me for Theo's death. Even if by some miracle I get out of this I doubt she'll let me near our baby."
Barnes paused for a moment then in a moment of sympathy asked "Why don't you tell me how you fell in love with her. Tell me how you fell in love with Tabitha Galavan."
"Okay where do I begin?"
August, Monday 9:00 A.M.
There were three of them they went by Shark, Vulture, and Fox "So tell me Shark why did you think it was a good idea to abduct a patient at your freaking day job?" Fox asked crossing his arms he was far from happy truth be told. Shark took it upon himself to abduct a woman in the hospital saying they could make it good with Penguin if they brought Jim Gordon to him to well kill.
"Come on Fox!" Shark moaned "You really don't think Penguin won't be impressed if we bring him the guy who offed Fish? Who knows how he'll reward us man. We've been on the fringes of Gotham since his License thing started."
"Do you even know if she's the same Kean?" Vulture glared at Shark.
"Yes! Guys I'm not making this up. The Doctor's at Elliot Hospital where I work as a Janitor they said she was found washed up on the shore her head bashed in they said when asked her name all she could say was Barbara." Shark frantically explained.
"Did it ever occur to you she might have been too disoriented from I don't know… having her head bashed in and that she might not know her right hand from her left!" Vulture yelled.
"I've seen her around town Vulture!" Shark yelled "I've seen her in the Siren's club back when it was the Siren's Club anyway is it still the Siren's club? Anyway, I also used to see her come in and out of that gun store she owned. So, she must be Barbara Kean. Who else could she be? Also, I heard that Barbara Kean's Jim Gordon's fiancé like four years ago, so she has to be his wife by now."
"I don't know Shark her being his wife by now might be a bit of a stretch." Fox replied.
Vulture then added "Yeah I thought he arrested her and put her in Arkham or something. I heard he was banging some doctor then again I also heard he was banging Sofia Falcone."
"Look!" Shark interrupted Vulture "All we got to do is call Jim Gordon lure him in with a lie about how we have intel on Penguin he shows up we catch him if he's not in a cooperative mood we hurt his woman and then we call Penguin or whoever is running this hell hole of a city and it's all smooth sailing for the three of us."
"This had better work Shark!" Vulture teemed with rage as he looked back at their hostage who was dressed in a hospital gown and had a black hood over her head.
August, Monday 3:00 P.M.
Jim sat at his desk looking at the bill from Elliot Memorial Hospital "What the hell am I going to do if this doesn't work out?" Jim sighed life in Gotham was not easy especially when it came to being a cop. The bill was one of many he got for being treated for his injuries he sustained while on the job.
"Um Captain Gordon?" A lawyer asked knocking on Jim's office door "We spoke on the phone earlier regarding your Uncle's will."
"Oh yes of course come in. You said I was left an inheritance of some sort from him."
"Yes. It's rather complicated the Court of Owls had a large amount of assets and they willed it to go to any surviving members. I will skip the legal jargon essentially, they arranged it, so any surviving members would inherit everything via deceased Court members. However, there is a catch."
"What kind of catch?" Jim asked getting apprehensive.
"Again, skipping the legal jargon, the assets are frozen due to a type of morality clause. Your Uncle wanted to make sure he was leaving his assets which are now consequently the Court's assets to someone responsible and admittedly he's a bit old fashioned you must meet three criteria. First you must have a steady source of income from a respectable job, second you mustn't have a criminal record now normally your time in Blackgate would disqualify you but you were proven innocent of your crimes, which leaves us to the third and final one you must be married and or engaged to a woman descended from Gotham's elite and or founding families." The lawyer explained.
"Are you kidding me?" Jim's mouth practically dropped open "That's insane."
"Well it's what your Uncle's will states. I presume he wanted you to marry a respectable woman." The Lawyer replied and then asked Jim "Are you by chance engaged and do you know a woman who might match that criteria?"
Before Jim could answer he heard his desk phone ring he felt like he was saved by the bell at this point "Yes? What do you mean? I'm on my way." Jim immediately hung up the phone and grabbed his coat "I'm sorry about this there's something important I need to do."
The Narrows 7:00 P.M.
"Come on!" Vulture yelled while looking at his watch "When is this Gordon guy going to show?"
"Just calm down Vulture." Fox said while taking another look out of the door. The place the terrible trio set up shop was a closed down hanger. It was one of many business's that shut down. Fox was partly worried Gordon wouldn't find it.
"I'm starting to think this was a bad idea guys." A worried Shark said.
Vulture and Fox turned to look at Shark then both yelled "But it was your idea!"
The three then heard muffled screams and yells from the woman they abducted they each traded each other weird looks then walked over Fox who pulled off the hood and Vulture removed the gag "Who are you? What do you want with me?" Tabitha asked panicked.
"It's not you we want it's your husband or fiancé we want. You said your name well you said the name Barbara Kean at least when you were brought in to the hospital, so you must be Jim Gordon's fiancé!" Fox insisted.
"The doctor's said I was incoherent from having my head bashed in! I don't know who I am alright." Tabitha was filled with fear she didn't know what to do "I'll do whatever you want just please don't hurt me."
"Do you guys hear that?" The Trio rushed to the front door and saw Jim pulling up outside.
"Okay game time. Gag her and put the hood over her head." Fox ordered. As he turned his attention back to the front door. To his surprise Gordon disappeared "What the hell, where is he?"
"What are you talking about?" Vulture asked putting the hood on the woman's head.
"Gordon! He was outside now he's gone!" Fox screamed "He must have figured it out and left."
Just moments later Jim Gordon took showed up from behind them he came in from the back and used the darkness to hide "All three of you put your hands up."
"Are you freaking kidding me? We go through the trouble of kidnapping your woman and you still get the drop on us? No way in hell!" Fox pulled out his gun and before he could do get a shot off Gordon already shot him the same thing happened with Shark and Vulture.
Jim quickly walked over to the hostage "Hey everything is going to be alright. I'm taking the hood off okay?" The hostage nodded. Jim slowly took off the hood and couldn't believe his eyes the hostage was Tabitha Galavan.
"My husband?" Tabitha muffled through the gag.
"What?" Jim was confused he didn't understand what she was saying. He removed the gag covering Tabitha's mouth.
"Are you my husband or fiancé? Are you Jim Gordon?" Tabitha asked distraught and confused it was strange seeing her like this. Jim never thought he'd see her so vulnerable.
Jim just stared at her she wasn't making sense "Okay um just start from the beginning what happened to you how did you get here?"
Tabitha was breathing heavily she was on the verge of tears "I woke up in the hospital they said I suffered head trauma and that I was suffering from memory loss the Doctors said before passing out I gave them the name Barbara. That guy lying over there called Shark, he worked at the hospital as a janitor he said I was Barbara Kean and that I was married or engaged to Jim Gordon, to you." Tabitha started to cry "I have no idea what's going on. I just want the truth I want to know who I am." Tears began streaming from her eyes "Please tell me you know who I am."
Jim didn't know why he did what he did next maybe he saw an opportunity and decided to take it or maybe he just didn't want to hurt her anymore by telling her that she was wrong about her name and identity all Jim knew was that he just couldn't stand to see Tabitha cry "Your safe now that's all that matters no one is ever going to hurt you again Barbara." Jim hated himself for lying but he felt telling her the truth would devastate her.
"Answer my question. Are you my husband?" Tabitha's voice was hoarse, and it was clear that after experiencing the trauma of being kidnapped that Tabitha was barely holding it together.
"I'm sorry we're not married." As Jim answered there was more than a bit of sadness he couldn't help but feel bad for her. Tabitha seemed so lost and confused.
"Great." Tabitha sniffled as she cried "So I have no memories of who I am, and nobody gives a damn about me. I'm just alone."
"We were engaged." Jim interrupted her suddenly hoping to keep her from falling apart "We were engaged but you broke off the engagement. I-" Jim stopped trying to figure out what he was even doing but it was like everything he ever wanted to say to Barbara just kept pouring out "I was partly to blame for why things ended the way they did we both were at fault. You kept secrets and took insane risks and I did a lot of the same. You turned into someone I didn't recognize, and I thought I lost you. You broke my heart and I was too stubborn to forgive you. The truth is that all I want is too go back to that time because I never stopped loving you Barbara." Meanwhile all Jim could think to himself as he untied her was Stop! Just stop it! What are you saying you, colossal moron? Just stop before you dig yourself any deeper! You are screwing with someone who is fully capable of killing you!
Tabitha jumped out of the chair after he untied her and hugged Jim "Please don't leave me."
As she said these things Jim found himself thinking about how Barbara must have felt all those years ago with Falcone and the Ogre and he then found himself spilling out the words "Don't worry Barbara I'll keep you safe. I'm never going to leave you again."