Gotham: From First To Last

"I remember that night like it was yesterday." Lieutenant Gordon said as he closed his eyes. He ran a rough hand through his short rust colored hair as he replayed the memory. "It was 1982 at the time. The call had come in at eleven o'clock that there had been a shooting behind the Ol' Gotham Theatre. It was a weird call, no one was saying much about it and there was a tense feeling in the air as I stepped out of the squad car." the older lieutenant said, taking a moment to sip his bitter and black cup of coffee. "That's when I saw him. You see protocol was that for any violent situation involving a child, protective services had to be called in. As anyone back then could have told you that meant two more hours of hell for this little guy. He was just sitting there, his arms wrapped around...well you get it. A whole lot of blood and no one around to help. The car that had responded before me was just sitting there. As you know this city takes it out of you hard. For a beat cop it was just another shooting, all be it a high profile one." Gordon shifted uncomfortably on his desk as he said it.

"This city changes people, and not for the better. But that kid. He was sitting there in his own hell that the city couldn't touch. So I broke protocol. I moved over to the kid and took off my coat. It was mid fall then and his breath was hanging in the air. When I wrapped my coat around his shoulders I stuttered out something of an apology. I then saw the look in his eyes. It wasn't sadness, not in the traditional sense. This eight year old kid looked at me with the eyes of a man. Those eyes told me that this was his burden. They told me that this city had made an enemy that night and it would regret it. Don't ask me how I know but I can imagine that if something ever happened like that to my kids..." He shuddered before taking another mouthful of coffee.

He looked at his new partner who seemed glued to his seat at the story. "Bruce Wayne. That little boy was the most terrified I had ever been as a cop. Not only for the soul of this city, but for the soul of a little boy who had his whole life ripped away. No crying, no screaming, just a over-whelming sense of cold sadness." He said as he looked down at the rookie cop. "So when you ask if the crazies scare me kid, hell no. I know better than that. They might be bizarre, insane, or otherwise super-powered, but one thing is for sure." He said as he placed his mug on his desk, nestling it into the old coffee stains. "If Bruce Wayne comes back out of that mansion on the hill. This city will know a whole new kind of fear from that young guy." He said as he stood up and rubbed his tired eyes under his glasses. "Well rookie, thats enough show and tell for tonight. Lets get down to the car and see what all the commotion is up at Wayne Manor." He said, sounding almost regretful.

The new detective nodded in slight enthusiasm. "Sure thing," He said as he stood up and regarded the aging senior detective. "Do you think he'll remember you after all this time?" The rookie asked a little uncertain where the line was with his partner.

Gordon looked at him and shook his head as he slipped his suit jacket over his chest rig. "Grayson, if he remembers me I would be surprised as hell." He said as he tossed the keys to the squad car at his partner. "Now shut up and drive." He said with a tone that let him know the conversation was finished.

"...After all these years...It had to be him again..."

When the police car finally arrived, it had started to rain. The early spring showers were heavier this year and Gordon felt a chill go through his lower back. "Damn rain.." He said as they opened the doors and made a hasty move to the front doors of the manor. Wayne Manor had always been an impressive sight, even when Jim Gordon was a kid. To this day it still felt impressive but more in the way one looks at a sad painting. The lights were off with only spartan lighting cascaded around the front door. The outside areas falling into disrepair and slow suburban decay. Once he depressed the doorbell he heard movement inside that was hushed but clumsy. He tried the door, finding it to be unlocked. "Gun out Dick, this could be trouble." Jim said as he pushed through the heavy front doors. He heard what sounded like a scuffle coming from the drawing room and moved from cover to cover.

"We have to get the hell out of here!" came a young mans voice that sounded pained.

"Fuck that! I'm not letting this rich asshole get the best of me!" Another older voice said before a thud silenced his yelling, replacing it with a muffled scream.

"You bas-" another hit silenced the younger voice.

Jim rounded the corner and saw two young men on the floor. "Freeze! Gotham police!" He yelled as he roamed the room with his pistol drawn. Aiming at the two on the floor, he looked around to see who had dropped them. He stopped cold in his tracks.

Bruce had changed much since the last time Jim had seen him. He was seventeen now, almost eighteen by his memory. His right hand was coated in blood from one of the prostrated men on the floor. He was a lean kid, muscled all the way through. His jet black hair was off set by his piercing blue eyes that looked strait through Jim. "Lieutenant, thank you for your response time." He said as he rubbed his knuckles on his right hand. "They might need medical attention." He said looking down at the two he had just incapacitated.

"You know how to fight kid." Detective Grayson said as he put on latex gloves before cuffing both of the burglars. "Jesus." he whispered under his breath. The two perps had a few broken bones and a lot of bruises. He radioed in a medical team "Fifteen minutes Lieutenant." he said as he heard footsteps behind him. At once he reached for his gun and turned to face the front door.

"Master Wayne is everything alright?" the man said as he held a shotgun in a downturned position.

"It's alright Alfred." Bruce said as he motioned for Detective Grayson to relax. "The detectives here were just helping us remove some unwanted guests." He said as he motioned to the two burglars who were moving in and out of consciousness.

Alfred placed the shotgun against the mantle. "Let me see to your hand." He said as he stepped past the detectives, taking hold of his hand and grabbing one of the dust covers from the chair and wrapping his knuckles.

The ambulance arrived to take the two would-be burglars to Gotham Central Hospital. "Damn Jim, these two got tuned up pretty bad. Your saying a seventeen year old did this?" The EMT said as he loaded up the second suspect into the ambulance. "A broken nose on both of them at least. Not to mention the bigger guy has a broken collarbone and possibly a busted eye socket." He said as he shook his head. "This Wayne kid sure can hit." He said as he closed the two doors.

Jim sighed and took out a pack of cigarettes he kept hidden in his vest pocket. Placing it in his mouth and lighting it, he sighed out deeply as the smoke filled his tired lungs.

"You know, Barbara would kill me if she found out I let you smoke on duty." Dick said as he motioned for the pack. He took his own cigarette from the pack and lit it. "Only one for both of us." He said with a smirk.

Gordon nodded and let a smirk roll over his face. "Fair enough." he said as they both looked to the door frame. "He is just as strong as I remember." He said as he regarded the boy. 'No' Gordon thought. 'Thats' wrong. He's a man now by the look of him.'

"This city does this to young boys Dick. Makes men out of boys."

"Damn this City."