A/N: Welp, this is my first fanfic to be published, just a little drabble. The first part of the story takes place in Season 3 Episode 4 A New Day Rising in the TV show, Gotham. This is pretty bad, I know so reviews are welcome

A shudder ran through his body, and every other activity on his mind ceased until all that remained was the swinging pendulum and the nefarious ticking noise. Tetch's narration began, in sync with the rhythm of each stroke the pocket watch made.

Another shudder, and he wavered, the gun no longer held its locked position on his assailant. A small part of him, as always, wondered "What the hell Gordon?" but the rest of his mind followed the temptation presented by Tetch: "Let go, peace".

Tetch's speech of comforting words continued, words that Jim himself whispered in his mind at the dead of night when no one could hear. His life was the same cycle, no changing his identity could elevate him from the pit he'd dug himself into. Lee was right, as always. He was dissatisfied and regretful. Why not just give into those voices, add another to Gotham's death toll? He should accept his unhappy recompense and let go, right?

There was no love in his life, no warmth to turn to in the shadows that the city created. Barbara was, well, a maniac, who gave him serious trust issues. Lee wanted nothing to do with him. And Valerie Vale? No more than a one-night stand.

Despite Jervis Tetch no longer being in the picture, the question remained unanswered. He'd left his mark on Jim Gordon and did what he meant to do: make Jim confront his demons whose ever-growing existence he had ignored until now, until they had encroached his mind and capabilities. The strenuous couple of years that followed distracted Jim for the most part, until she came. An ethereal force whom he pledged his life to, promising to cherish her eternally, in sickness and in health.

Even so, she was gone. Surreal as it seemed, as soon as she came, she vanished, taking all but one belonging. The thing she left behind belonged to the both of them. She hadn't really put up a fight when he asked for her; the belonging's name was Barbara Gordon.

Barbara gave him a sense of purpose, the little redhead whom he was left with when she was barely one. Truth be told, he was terrified at the thought of raising her alone, but more terrified of the thought of her mother taking Barb away from him.

When she said her first words, he proudly announced them to Harvey while they were going through seemingly a mundane morning of nothing but low level petty theft," She called me Daddy, Harv." His grin remained unmatched by anyone he'd met the whole day.

"Crazy, the munchkin speaks?" his partner replied not looking up from his work. Jim didn't notice, attention perverted by recalling his daughter stumbling over each syllable, calling him "Da" at times. But when she toddled over and exclaimed "Daddy" a light was lit, illuminating his darkness.