A/N: Hello my beloved readers! Do u liked the portrait last week? I´m aware of how tense this last week´s episode was and how worse will this next one be, and again we will have a hiatus...only to torture the shippers a bit more, no? With this in mind, I couldn´t disappoint you and had to update, or rather, produce medicine, this week. I know how everyone needs this. This theme wasn´t what I had planned originally for today but it was on my list and it came out in the random numbers generator when I had to pick one and it was approved by my dearest proofreader Aurora Borealia (thank you for your quick work sis, really) hehe, soo I hope this makes a strong dose for you stay strong until monday :) I put all the love I could here. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Jim´s Day Off
"Okay, Cory! Nothing can stop us today!" Iris smiled brightly getting her blue coat from the closet. Her usually quiet voice sounded determinated and cheerful.
Despite the winter still being on with its cold winds, there were no signs of snow or clouds, so it was a perfect day to go out and play with the blue warbler. His presence had made it way easier for her to cope with Ed and Oswald´s hours of absence. But she would go out without servants this time, since according to Iris, Steve was of no help last time anyway. And by the age of 8, she was pretty sure that many kids went wandering around the city by themselves without any issue. At least since her papa as the mayor had promised to make Gotham a clean and safe place. And she trusted him and his words wholeheartedly.
'Armed' with a simple long sleeved black dress, a navy blue coat, her trademark black pantyhose, blue boots, black earmuffs with ribbons and her equally blackish-blue bird friend, she left without a single worry.
"So, what do we do first? Buy some candy? Papa gave me money and taught me how to use it! But he said daddy can´t know about it!" she chuckled. Iris had no idea, but Ed had a pretty clear rule about pocket money and the appropriate age to start dealing with finances: only after 10 according to his books.
"Go to a museum? To the park where we met? Oh I know! The playground! We can play there! I´m not feeling like drawing today." it was true. Since the family portrait, despite Iris being bored by times while the artist was sketching it and trying to get up to get the plush bat back and having started yawning, went out fine, she had been thinking a lot about that photograph album Oswald showed her and about her grandparents. She wanted to play in a way that left her hands as free as her mind to meditate. With this decision made, they walked out happily.
Not far from there, in the police station, there were people in a totally different state of mind:
"That´s enough Jim! As your captain I´m giving you an order. Take a day off!"
"Why should I, Harv?" he sighed heavily.
"Because anyone here can see that you can´t work if you keep thinking about Lee´s engagement!"
"And if I go out will it change anything at all?" Gordon scoffed at the suggestion.
"Maybe not, but a few hours away will make you chill. This or you can go out to buy me coffee and donuts, Jimmy." Harvey ended up mocking him.
"I will take that day off if these are the options." he stood up to leave.
"Who knows? Maybe you will have a better day out there. Just remember: keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow! And see ya tomorrow." Harvey sent him off with a brotherly smile.
'The sunshine, huh? Wish it was that easy to find it.' James thought bitterly while walking to nowhere in particular. Shadows were a thing that he was seeing a lot lately in his life, both professional and personal. Nothing seemed to go the right way. What good would a day off do for him? It would be only another opportunity to find new lunatics running around committing crimes while he would be without a gun. Just great. If only he could have days as easy as the one when he and Harvey met…
"Hi Jim!"
"Iris?" he blinked several times to confirm that he was in fact seeing his little friend walking by herself right there.
"Yup, that´s me!" she giggled. Her day was already becoming good. "What are you doing here?"
"It seems like I have a day off from work today, kid."
"A what?" it was another word that she had never heard of.
"It means that I got out of work earlier today." he explained at the sight of her puzzled face.
"Oh, right. I wish papa and daddy did this too."
"You are referring to Mayor Cobblepot and the Chief of Staff Nygma, right?" Jim remembered her origins.
"Yes. We have little time together on weekdays." Iris lost the smile commenting on it.
"Iris, you know they work hard for this city. And I´m sure for you too. They would stay at home with you more if they could, I know it." despite not trusting Ed and Oswald, the detective wanted to cheer up the girl. Seeing that it wasn´t working so well, Gordon decided to change topics. "Anyway, where are you going?"
"Cory and I are heading to the playground! But..." Iris blushed in embarrassment. "We don´t know which directions to follow." she admitted to being lost.
"Is that so?" Jim couldn´t help but laugh. "Well, why don´t I take you two there then?" he offered. Jim had literally no idea of what to do with his free hours and Iris appeared when he was thinking about the day they met, maybe it was a good sign.
"Ooh, would you do that for me? I mean, for us?" she corrected herself and gave him the most adorable smile.
"Of course, we are the best friends ever, right?" he jokingly winked at her, receiving a 'blushing nod face' in response.
What the three of them did not know at the time was that a similar conversation was happening at the city hall:
"Ed?"
"Yes, Os? Do you need more coffee? Why don´t you call your assistant for it? I´m busy here reading contracts you know." Nygma was precipitated in his answer.
"What? No! I don´t want any stupid coffee! And stop reading this and look at me when I talk to you!" he demanded.
"What´s with this tone, Oswald? Is something wrong?"
"Firstly, we may be married, but here I´m still your boss. I´m the boss of everyone in this city! So, look at me." Oswald talked like Iris when they first met. "And secondly," he continued after getting Ed´s full attention. "I´m feeling bad." he completed.
"Bad for what, may I ask?" it was Ed´s job to make sure that the Mayor had everything he needed to work better, besides, he was his husband so his personal issues mattered to him.
"Bee-hummingbird." he said simply.
"What about her?" Ed wasn´t sure of what point Cobblepot was trying to make.
"It´s true we have only been a family for some months now, but I think we should spend more time together on weekdays, Ed."
"Os, we are working. And you are the Mayor!" Ed reminded him.
"I know! I´m not requesting a lazy schedule or anything, I just..." Oswald sighed. "Miss her in times like, now. What must she be doing?"
"Probably at home with the servants if she is an obedient child." then Nygma saw the problem with this sentence. The 'if'. "Oh no. Maybe it´s better if we go check on her."
"Yeah. We can come back in one hour or less." he agreed. "Ed, go get the car."
And back to the trio formed by a man, a little girl and a blue warbler:
"Can we get some ice cream on the way?" Iris pulled the sleeve of Jim´s coat.
"You know it´s freezing today, don´t you? Also, I don´t think your parents would be very pleased if you get a cold because of this. So I´m sorry, but I have to say no." in fact, it was 40 degrees out there, not that Iris cared for temperatures.
"You are no fun. Just like daddy." she crossed her arms and Cory chirped in protest.
"Someday you will understand why adults have to spoil the fun sometimes." he patted her head, only to have his hand pecked by the warbler. "Ouch! Possessive bird." James complained.
"Cory is my friend too." she giggled. "Okay, no ice cream… Then a soda?"
"Equally cold."
"Tea?"
"Will take us too long to finish."
"Hot chocolate?"
"Alright." he finally said yes. "That we can get. And we won´t be out of our route too. Stay by my side, Iris." Gordon warned her. If he let her get lost, it would create a huge problem with the Penguin and Nygma. And there was a small cafe a few blocks away.
"More marshmallow cream!" Iris exclaimed cheerfully pouring the sticky sweet cream into her cup. The sight was making the detective feel sick.
"Iris, don´t you think that´s enough?"
"I like it this way." she justified and finally released the bottle of cream. "But isn´t this thing you are drinking too sour?"
"Do you mean the macchiato? It´s another thing that you will learn to appreciate when you grow up. Coffee. And no sugar added." he took a long sip, sighing, feeling like he could finally relax. "Do you want to eat something, Iris?"
"Not now. I want to play first." she gave some marshmallow to Cory.
"Well, you are lucky then, the playground is very near here." Gordon smiled genuinely at her.
"Let´s go now then!" Iris stood up and was ready to run by herself.
"Don´t even think about it. Last time you abandoned that Steve guy." Jim did the only smart thing and took her hand to guide her, much to the girl´s silent surprise. "New rule, today you walk with me." he had more than one reason to make sure of her safety after all, since she was no ordinary child.
"O-Okay..." she timidly answered while they exited the store.
"Oh. My. Gawd." Oswald held his breath. He and Ed were inside the car, they parked as soon as they saw Iris in the street. The Mayor was more pale than his usual. "Ed… Tell me I´m not seeing this."
"If you think you saw James Gordon with our daughter, then I can´t lie. It´s reality." Nygma was as distressed as Oswald, but trying to hide it. It was so disturbing to them the sight of the detective with the lissome figure of their precious treasure, and still gripping her hand… It was enough for him to deserve a bullet.
"That… THAT BASTARD! WHAT DOES HE THINK HE IS DOING?!" Cobblepot suddenly raised his voice. "Is this a weird comeback to get to us?! Using our daughter?! This is so LOW!"
"Oswald, calm down. Let´s try to be rational here. Why would Gordon do it like this? He is one of the good guys… And it would be a very complicated revenge plan." Ed tried convincing Oswald and especially himself.
"I don´t know. But he must be up to something. Get out of here and let´s follow them!" he growled.
And so they did. From a good distance, both walked behind the trio up to the playground, and once there, they hid to see how far 'Gordon´s plan' would go.
"Stay on my head, Cory!" Iris instructed sitting in a swing. "Ready?" the bird nodded. She started moving, but her face made it clear that it wasn´t going high or fast enough in her opinion.
"Want me to push you?" Jim chuckled at her adorable frustrated expression.
"Yeah...If you want to..." she had no idea of how to respond. Everything was too embarrassing to someone her age already.
"As you wish. As long as the bird doesn´t attack me." he stood behind the swing.
"He won´t. Right, Cory?" she asked and the bird chirped twice, nodding. "See?"
"Wow. He is very smart. Now here we go!" because she was small and light it was easy to push her in a swing. And seeing her smiling while enjoying it was making the detective enjoy himself too. Why couldn´t everything be as easy as that? Adulthood had so many hardships and the people were so complicated. When did everyone forgot how to be sincere and to smile like children?
"Were you sad earlier?" Iris asked out of the blue.
"What? Where did that come from?"
"You just… Looked sad when Cory and I met you."
"Well, aren´t you observant? A smart cookie just like I said last time..." he sighed tired, not wanting to talk about his problems with a child. "It´s grown-up problems, nothing you need to worry about."
"Papa had the same look when talking about his parents."
"Ed, now do you think he is going too far?! A swing? Really?!"
"Be quiet, Os. I can´t hear what they are talking about!"
"So you know about Mayor Cobblepot´s parents?"
"Yes, my grandparents actually. I´m from the family now, remember?" she smiled sadly.
"Of course. Sorry. I´t just not fair that someone so young has to know about bad things that happen in this cruel world." Jim voiced his concern.
"It´s not the first time. I came from an orphanage, so I know that I had parents that passed away before. I just don´t remember them or what happened. But it´s fine. My papa and my daddy are everything to me." Iris did her best to put on a happy expression. She was speaking the truth, and it was her turn to cheer up Gordon.
"You know what? Don´t change this ever. Don´t let the reality when you grow up take this love you have for your family now, and definitely don´t lose this precious smile ever." at this point Jim understood what Harvey meant when he said for him to keep his face to the sunshine.
"I will try my best!" Iris promised. "Come here too!" she asked.
"Iris, please. I´m too tall and too old for the swing. My place is here pushing you."
"Aw, at least climb here a bit… You have to try this sensation. The wind is so good today!" she begged.
"Fine, just a bit." he jumped on the swing Iris was on and stood there moving it, rocking together with her. It was indeed a good feeling, good enough to make him want to erase the previous issues of his mind and live that present moment. That girl was without a doubt special.
"Hey Jim, let´s make a promise?" Iris questioned with her face slightly red.
"What for?" James looked at her still moving below his field of vision.
"Next time you feel sad, let´s come back here and play until you feel better." she proposed.
"Of course. I would love to." her purity and willingness to help were the best things ever.
"THAT´S IT! YOU ARE SO DEAD, GORDON!" Oswald left his hidden spot.
"STAY AWAY FROM OUR DAUGHTER!" Ed completed. Usually he wouldn´t shout, but this was too much for him to watch and bear.
"Papa? Daddy?" Iris wasn´t sure if she was happy to see them, given how wrathful they were.
"What´s the problem with you two?" Jim stopped the swing, got down and stopped in front of her parents. "What are you talking about?"
"If...If this is some revenge plan, don´t involve our hummingbird in this!"
"Revenge plan? Why? Are you guys plotting something lately that I should know?" he smirked.
"What? No! Us? Never!" Oswald laughed nervously. "Isn´t that hilarious, Ed?"
"Never mind." Ed sighed, not willing to discuss plots or the lack of them any further. "Gordon, she is our only child, we love her dearly and we won´t tolerate anything happening to her, especially because of you." Nygma said seriously.
"I don´t know why you are saying this to me, but I understand. And she loves you guys a lot too, you should know this." he added. "And she really looks like the Penguin with a bit of you, Nygma. Amazing. But you two need to chill out, we are just having fun here!"
"It won´t be fun when I send Victor after you!" Oswald wouldn´t calm down.
"Easy there, I was just being legitimately nice, okay? She and I are friends for real. And that blue bird too." Jim tried again.
"I will let you go this time." the Mayor completed.
"I was right about finding lunatics in my day off." the detective said to himself.
"So, honeybee, before going back to work papa and daddy can drop you at home, how does this sound?" Ed beamed at her as if nothing had happened. Nothing that she had understood at least.
"Aww, come on daddy! Let me play here with Jim a bit more! And I can walk home with him too! It´s still early!" she exposed her arguments with puppy eyes.
"Fine… Only this time." Nygma was sure that he was being too soft with her but couldn´t help it. "Os, let´s go back. See you at home, sweetie." he kissed her cheek.
"Leave her home before sunset. Do you understand me?" Oswald hissed at Gordon.
"Sure, Mister Mayor." he mocked, receiving a steady glare from Cobblepot before they left.
"I don´t know what just happened but… What do we do now?" Iris questioned while trying to fix her hair that became a mess thanks to Cory and to the wind.
"How does the slide sound to you?"
James Gordon was pretty sure that Harvey was right when he called that cute creature a sunshine. Despite her size and age she could send shadows away for anyone that befriended her.
