Authors note: Jerome is slowly making the transition to the clown prince but far as him turning into the actual Joker people remember may not be. The reason being is that the show had it in mind to throw people for a loop and make it so the Joker to be Heath Ledger wouldn't be revealed during Gotham's time, or at least not till later. I am making Jerome into my own version of the twisted clown while trying to keep some of his core values intact. Jerome's mentality is a little different than most primarily for he is still a teenager and all that rage and coming from a broken home has him wondering where his place is. Eventually there will be a snap…everything coalescing into that perfect blood red diamond with its edges refined…ready to present to the world. In some sense it is difficult to say where Jerome's journey would go had it continued on Gotham…so hope you enjoy the ride and the many bumps along the way.

CH.4: Favor for a favor

Jerome had gotten himself into a jam after shooting Detective Gordon's girlfriend. After disposing of the body and being driven back to the hide out he was pondering his next move with the Police combing Gotham for him. News of his return would no doubt alert Theo of his coming and he would either bail or set his sister out on him. Fish said nothing to him the entire trip back to the base, he did not blame her…sometimes his theatrics could get a little out of hand.

The thing was he was still young and learning the ropes of villainy that had fallen into his miserably youth growing up in the circus. His mother the whore and the many men who came in and out of their traveling home as he was beaten for their amusement. Sometimes villains weren't made…they were created through broken backgrounds…in his case his parents. Where was home…that was a difficult question to answer as he heard the vehicle pull to a stop in front of the base. However…they weren't pulling in.

"Ah hello…why aren't we going in? Look Fish I know we see differently but that doesn't mean we can't get along-."

"I want you to get out of the car…now." Jerome blinks a few times not sure he is hearing this correctly before he figures he will humor her and get out.

"Ok I am out of the car…now care explaining what this is all about…cause it is freaking cold out here." He laughed a bit and saw her lean out with that stern expression of hers.

"Jerome you are unstable…you take too many chances when things should be simple. The bank, the Police Station…both solo missions and yet you botched them. I am through teaching you…I wish you the best of luck out there in your revenge but…as of now you aren't worthy to continue living here."

Jerome blinked a bit trying to see if he understood her correctly. "Now wait a second…you can't be kicking me out…I got no place to go…the cops are everywhere looking for me-."

"You should have thought of that before you shot the girlfriend of Jim Gordon…a line I never would have taken. You seem to prefer working on your own…so figure this out on your own. Use what I have taught you…you will survive-."

Jerome snarled as he walked up to the car and reached for her collar pulling her to him. "What does the man in shadows think of all this huh? He brought me to life to see me rise and exact my revenge…this place is all I know-."

"He is just a doctor who is blind to your stupidity, your screw ups, get your act together Jerome and maybe we'll see each other in the future. For now I suggest you'd better get moving if you want to beat the arrest warrant…or your impending death…whichever comes first." Fish punches him in the face and he falls flat on his back as she drives in with the metal gate closing behind her.

"Bitch!" He yells at the disappearing vehicle…running his hand along his mouth he licked at his blood and tilts his head to the side. "I don't need you…I don't need anybody! Me a screwup…ha…ha…ha. I killed my parents…I shot Jim Gordon's girl…I will have my revenge Gotham!"

Jerome sat there a bit longer but no one was coming out. For the first time in a long time he was actually by himself. The circus was no longer an option…they were long gone now. Arkham Asylum was still an option but once a person had a taste of freedom the lousy meals and company faded into the background. Theo had given him a home and a purpose…but it was always his shots, his rules. And now the last home he had known which gave him life…threw him out like he was garbage.

Finally after a bit of sitting and mulling over his situation he gets to his feet and wonders the streets of Gotham hearing the sirens pass by but he kept himself hidden, hat tilted down and his feet shuffling. All the money he had stolen…he hadn't even seen a dime of it. There was nothing to his name…he was a ghost of his former self. All this time it was just him…dammit all…he needed to get his act together.

"The man in purple…says a lot about his character…wouldn't you agree?" Jerome reached into his pocket fingering the gun that Fish hadn't removed from him. He had only used one bullet back at the station and he still had about five or so left.

"I don't know…I always thought it was his character itself that made the purple what it is, royal and head strong." Spinning around as he leveled his gun at the person he noted he was surrounded by several men with guns cocked.

"Your way of thinking intrigues me…and I've been watching you closely Jerome. I could use someone like you in my organization…a hired hand if you will to do the job no one else will do. Jim Gordon is out looking for you…it won't be safe for you out here. What do you say?" The man in the fine clothing looked like a penguin, he probably got that a lot though so he held his tongue.

"And what do I get?" Jerome didn't like the fact he would be working under someone again, but, right now he didn't have a lot of places to go that would accept a criminal.

"Well…you get a place to stay and all those luxury perks that come with it…such as protection from the Police. You died in quite a show…and if you want to keep the performance going you need a resume…I can help you."

Jerome considered it and as he held out his hand he noticed the limp the man had before clasping his hand over his. "I accept…so what do they call you?"

"I go by many names, Oswald, King of Gotham…though people seem to know me more as The Penguin." He flashed a smile and Jerome smiled back.

A week had passed but Jim Gordon pursued relentlessly regardless the fact some of the officers were giving up. Jerome gazed out the window of his new home with a smile. For some reason the green hair seemed to stick with him along with the clothes. Still he was no closer to getting to Theo than he had hoped. He had been helping Penguin about with his jobs and he had held true to their favor, that he did as he was told and he was kept from the Police's radar. It was all unsettling though.

"You stare out that window an awful lot…penny for your thoughts?" Jerome turns to see the man hobble over to him.

"I keep thinking…while I hide away…he is out there making himself known. I need to kill him and prove to Gotham he is not who he says he is…but…each time I get close there is a setback. You are successful…and I imagine you overcame someone holding you back, how did you do it?" Jerome saw the man place a hand on his shoulder and he leaned in.

"Jerome…the way to success is much like a ladder, climb it too fast and you will fall and break something. It is all about finesse, taking each step while seeing the next rung ahead of you…and every now and then you skip one to see the roof you aim for. There are steps to take and there is a way to go about reaching your goal…I'm not saying you should follow my example but you need to see in the long run where you want to end up. Once you kill this Theo what then? What do you want out of life?"

Jerome hadn't considered anything past Theo…honestly all he had thought about since coming back from the dead was exacting his revenge. So far it had proven to be one botched assignment after the next. There was no money…there was no power…there was simply him.

"Think it over…oh and I have a little errand that needs doing, nothing big just someone owes me money, holed themselves in some chemical plant…shouldn't be too long. And…maybe you should think about losing the name Jerome…doesn't fit the new you." Hobbling off Jerome watches him go and then looks back out the window lost in thought. As he finally goes to leave he ponders his future and where it goes from here.

Oswald watches Jerome leaves and makes a tsking sound. "Poor naïve boy…has no idea he is walking right into a trap. I really saw something in him…oh well…a favor for a favor right Jim?" Oswald turns to see the Detective step out of hiding…his face the most serious he had seen in a long while.

"Thank you…I know it must've been hard betraying him like that," Jim told him as he moved off to the door.

"Oh it wasn't hard really…Jerome hasn't reached his full potential yet…he would turn on me eventually seeking my title, I could see it in his eyes. I would have liked to have seen what he would become though…quite a monster in those eyes of his. Right now Jim he is still a kid…going it alone is never easy."

"Yeah well that kid shot my girlfriend…he will pay for what I have lost. I'm through letting the villains walk around this city doing as they please…Jerome is going to die…I will see to it he doesn't survive." Jim holds up his gun as he storms out of there.

"Oh Jim…always going in half-cocked without realizing he is going to let the monster loose…things in Gotham just got interesting." He sat back with a smile on his face.

Authors note: Sorry for taking a bit on this chapter debated a bit how this would go down. So, what did Jim lose…is Leslie dead? Jerome's transformation into the next stage of his career in villainy is afoot as the showdown between Jim Gordon and Jerome is about to explode. Hope you are still all here as the curtain is about to close on Jerome's life once more…but reveal all that has been kept back this entire time.