Jim and Barbara Gordon moments, because there just aren't enough stories out there about the two of them! So, the inspiration for this came from watching Romeo is Bleeding, (any Gary Oldman fans out there who haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it. In fact, it's a great movie regardless of whether or not you're a particularly big fan of his), and the scene where Oldman's character is dancing in the yard with his wife. I intend to add chapters to this fic as and when scenes appear in my head. Rating will probably remain K+
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I'm making no money from this, I am but a poor student.
There was a chill growing in the night air, carried in by the wind that whistled across the rooftop and made Jim Gordon draw his jacket tighter around his body, hands stuffed deep into his pockets.
He stamped his feet on the concrete in an effort to get some feeling back in his toes and glanced up at the night sky. The bat logo was there, shining onto the clouds that threatened to break at any moment and soak him through. But it seemed the dark knight had other business to attend to tonight.
Gordon glanced down at his watch. He'd been waiting twenty minutes out in the cold, which wasn't unusual. He decided he'd wait another ten before switching off the floodlight and returning to his office to finish off the waiting mountain of paperwork.
His heart sank and he gave an involuntary groan of annoyance as he thought about the work waiting for him. He was supposed to be at a party tonight with his wife. It had been arranged for weeks and he'd had to back out at the last minute, which he knew had upset her though she'd not said anything. Jim had insisted she go and enjoy herself and she'd dropped the kids off at her mothers promising that she would go and have a good time rather than spending the evening sat on the sofa waiting for him to come home.
He smiled as he imagined her getting dressed up in their bedroom, applying her makeup in front of the mirror, picking out her jewellery. He imagined himself standing in the doorway in his suit, telling her how beautiful she looked.
The scene was dislodged from his mind as a siren rang out below him in the street and a squad car screamed away into the night. Gordon gave a sigh of frustration as he stared out over the city.
He'd not made it home in time for a single family meal this week, there'd simply been too much to do. But he regretted it all the same. He knew he should spend more time with his wife and with his children, he wanted to more than anything, but if he was to keep them and the rest of the city safe, then he had to keep working hard.
He removed his left hand from his pocket again to take another look at his watch. She'd given him the watch on the one year anniversary of the day they had met. He'd proposed a few weeks later.
Eight more minutes now.
Jim blew warm air into his palms and rubbed them together. Winter was very definitely drawing in over Gotham city.
A sound behind him almost made him jump in surprise and he turned away from the edge of the building to look towards the stairwell. Warm yellow light was spilling out across the concrete and framing the figure of a woman who approached with a smile and two steaming mugs of coffee.
"He must be busy tonight," Barbara said with a small smile as she made her way towards her husband.
She was dressed in a long overcoat that was buttoned up, her hair styled and her makeup perfect. Jim was still wearing a look of surprise as she leaned up and kissed him briefly, careful not to spill the coffee still held in her hands.
"Something to warm you up," she said as she drew back and handed him a mug. Jim accepted it with a grateful smile and wrapped one arm around her middle, drawing her against him.
"What would I do without you?" he asked quietly.
"Freeze, probably," she replied and Jim laughed.
He sipped at his coffee, enjoying the feeling as the liquid slid down his throat, warming him inside. Suddenly, standing out on the roof in the chill night air didn't seem quite so bad.
"Not that I'm not very grateful for this," Jim began carefully "but, shouldn't you be at a party?"
Barbara took a mouthful of coffee from her own mug. She moved closer against her husband, shivering as the wind picked up and there was a rumble of thunder in the distance. Jim rubbed his hand against her back in an effort to keep her warm.
"Well, as much as I enjoy listening to Richard James go on and on about stocks and Jenna Mulder moan about how difficult it is to find the perfect dance kit for her daughter, I decided that I'd rather spend the evening with my husband," Barbara replied. "Who I've barely seen all week," she added and Jim gave her an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled against her lips as he kissed her.
"I know."
There was no trace of anger or frustration in her voice, but Jim felt guilt twist at his heart all the same.
As much as he was enjoying the warming effects of the coffee, the mugs were currently preventing him from holding her properly. He moved back from Barbara momentarily to set his upon the ground beside the still lit floodlight before removing hers from her hands and placing it beside his own. He drew her back into his arms, sighing contentedly as she settled her head upon his shoulder, arms wrapped around his neck.
"I'll make it up to you, I promise," he said sincerely.
He was determined things wouldn't always be like this, that one day Gotham would be a better place that wouldn't require him to work around the clock, neglecting his duties to his family in favour of those to the city.
Barbara drew back and smiled up at him, brushing back his brown hair where the wind had blown it down across his forehead.
"You most certainly will, Jim Gordon," she replied in a gently teasing tone. "I was looking forward to an evening of drinking wine and dancing."
Jim looked thoughtful for a moment and Barbara recognised the smile tugging at his lips and the spark in his warm eyes. It was the same expression that he wore when he kissed her after a long day at work, when they lay in bed together at night.
"Well, unfortunately I don't have a bottle of wine laying around anywhere up here. However, dancing I can do."
Barbara laughed as her husband took one of her hands, the other remaining wrapped around her waist and began to hum a tune.
"Jim this is ridiculous -"
She was cut off with a brief kiss before he returned to humming and moving them both in time to the music in his head.
Barbara couldn't help but smile at the contented look upon her husband's face as he lead them dancing around the rooftop. He'd seemed exhausted all week but the energy had returned to his eyes and she was relieved to see him so happy again.
Jim twirled her on the spot, drawing her back into his arms and dipping her towards the ground, holding her steady for a moment before moving her upright again and holding her close, her fingers running through his hair gently.
Their dancing was interrupted by another ominous rumble of thunder and a faint patter of rain drops upon the ground. Jim gave a heavy sigh and finished the dance with a kiss.
"I think we're about to get soaked," he said. "I'd better get back to work."
"Come home, Jim," Barbara said quietly, ignoring the rain as they returned to the floodlight so Jim could shut it down and gather up their coffee mugs.
"There's a lot of paperwork -"
"The kids are at my mum's until morning," Barbara cut in. "We've got the house to ourselves," she added.
"You're tempting me," Jim replied and she raised her eyebrows, giving him an innocent look that was entirely unconvincing.
"Paperwork can wait until morning," she said.
Jim gave a defeated look and wrapped an arm around her middle.
"Alright, I give in," he said with a smile and they began to stroll towards the stairwell, ducking inside just in time as it began to rain in earnest.
Out in the rain, a dark figure moved out from behind the air conditioning stack where he had been crouched and stared with a small smile at the closed door of the stairwell. The Batman had arrived in time to see Lieutenant Gordon waltzing his way across the rooftop and had decided this was one night where talk of criminals and corruption could be put aside and a husband and wife could return home together.
Let me know what you thought, constructive criticism is always helpful. I struggle with my grammar sometimes, so if there are issues I'd appreciate people pointing it out. Cheers.
