Whaaaat? Another update? Yep!

The song playing at the beginning of this chapter is Looking at Me, by Sabrina Carpenter. I DO NOT OWN THIS SONG, IT IS PURELY BEING USED FOR CREATIVE PURPOSES. ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE ARTIST.

Featuring everyone's favorite ginger maniac...

Don't just stand there staring, honey

Try to move your feet

If you think they're looking at you

They're lookin' at me

I can make it nice and easy,

Imma take the lead

They ain't even looking at you, baby

They lookin' at me

She wasn't drunk on alcohol, not the three drinks she'd already had. But Cassie was drunk on the atmosphere, the music pounding in her ears and thrumming through her body. Her curls bouncing up and down as she jumped and swayed to the music, the lights flashing around her. They disoriented her and thrilled her at the same time. A light sheen of sweat coated her skin the colored lights and looking at her from afar, it looked like she was glowing.

But Cas was being careful. She knew she couldn't lift her left arm too high, at risk of aggravating the laceration that was healing on her shoulder. Just shallow nough that the sutures had been removed early; enough that she could be on this trip with old high school friends.

It had been a month since that fateful day. A month since a mob war nearly killed her, her brother, and so many others. A month since Barbara Kean had tried to slit her throat with a piece of glass and given her a deep scar to her left shoulder.

She'd been eager to get back to normal after the incident; it wasn't that she wanted to ignore what had happened, but she did want to move on as quickly as possible. She wanted to get back to the manor, keep up with her meds, and move on with life. Barbara was locked up, Falcone was gone, Maroni dead, and Fish was- well, no one had seen her. But if Cas knew Penguin like she assumed she did, then the woman was as good as gone.

But upon calling Alfred, the blonde was surprised to hear him suggest she take a vacation.

"Probably for the best," he'd reassured her over the phone, "it's been a stressful time for you, and I do owe you some vacation time since you stayed behind when Master Bruce and I went. Go have fun, Cassandra. You're young, go see some friends, get into trouble. We'll be here when you get back."

But what really sold this trip, this random call to her best friends from high school and a plane ride across the country to Southern California, were the phone calls.

They often came at night. When she was sleeping. The first few times, she was so disoriented that she actually answered. It only took a few of them before she stopped answering. Now, the sound of her phone ringing made her jump, her heart jolting and her blood running cold.

Her brother noticed. Of course, he did. Jim noticed everything. When he asked what was wrong, she shrugged it off. Cassandra Gordon was determined to prove Barbara's words wrong. She wasn't too dependent on her older brother; she could handle herself just fine. And she was going to. So, she stopped answering the phone and blocked the number.

But they kept coming.

A different number every time. How? She wasn't sure. How many phones did the asylum even have? And more importantly, how many did he have access to?

After she stopped answering the phone, the voicemails came. She could only listen to the first few before she had to stop, now just deleting them the second they showed up. She was terrified of them, like hearing his voice would somehow give away her location.

"Hey beautiful. Are you missing me? I'm missing you. It gets so lonely in here, but when I go to sleep at night, I think of you and dream of you screaming and crying in that little crawl space-"

Message Deleted.

"I see you've stopped answering my calls. I'm surprised you haven't changed your number. But then again, Big Brother Jimmy would ask why, huh? Look at you, Cassie. Being a big girl. It's something I love about you-"

Message Deleted.

"I had a dream about you, Cassie. I dream about you a lot. I dream about you lying on the bed, all in white. I dream about you squirming, I dream about the handcuffs around your wrists and the bloody skin beneath it. I dream about your tears, your sobbing. I dream of all the blood around you. I dream about your brothers head, sitting right next to you as I put my hands on-"

Message Deleted.

It was torture. Torture wasn't even an appropriate word, but it was the closest damn thing she could think to describe this hell. So, she called up Alyssa and Ryan. The two were thrilled to have her come visit, and they took a trip to Cancun. After time in the sun, they flew back up to Cali and spent their time clubbing, drinking, just living life. Cas couldn't lie; she'd enjoyed it. Enjoyed the freedom, the carefree atmosphere. A part of her wanted to stay.

But she couldn't. She could forget that little voice in the back of her head that was reminding her how bad Gotham was getting. That Jim was alone, a beat cop, without her. That Bruce and Alfred were acting super weird and seemed to be avoiding her calls.

It was the call from Lee that finally brought her home.

She was sitting on the beach with friends, a cold glass of soda in her hand and her skin warm from the bonfire that flickered in front of them. They were entering a game of Truth or Dare when the call came, and her friends teased her as she stepped away to answer.

"Hello?" She greeted, still giggling, on a high from the fun night.

"Cas? It's Lee."

Her mood didn't dampen, but it did dim from the happy glow. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. Lee didn't normally call her on her own. "Hey. What's up?"

"I was just calling to check in. How's California? Your brother shows me the pictures you send all the time."

"It's beautiful out here." Cas told her warmly, staring out onto the water, the moon reflecting off the waves. A cool breeze swept over her hoodie and bare legs, making her shiver slightly. "It's not Gotham, though. It's so weird, how much I actually miss that city."

Lee was quiet, and Cassie's mood dimmed further. She felt her smile leave her face, and her chest clenched a little. "Lee? Why did you call me? Where's Jim?"

"He's fine, don't worry. Actually, he- he's more than fine." She paused, then, "He was reinstated. Essen was promoted to commissioner."

Without meaning to, Cas smiled brightly. "That's great! That's amazing, Lee." But she felt it. The catch. It was hovering between them, and the smile slid off her face when she realized something.

"What about Loeb?"

"He told everyone he was retiring, but… gosh, Cas, I'm worried about Jim. Ever since he got reinstated, he hasn't been acting right."

"What do you mean?" Her chest clenched a little more.

"He's been stuck on getting back into the force, getting his detective rank back. But when I asked him, he said he didn't have any legal moves left. I didn't know what it meant, I still don't, but I'm worried about him. I think…"

Her pause was longer, and Cas finished the sentence for her, her voice grim. "You think he did something bad to get back on the force."

"He wouldn't tell you. He refused to do anything that would bring you back to Gotham, and that's what worries me. You and I both know that if he feels like you're in danger, he'll keep you out of the city longer. So, I'm scared for him."

Cas nodded, the pressure on her chest making it hard to breath correctly, now. "You're right. Here, I can be on a flight tomorrow. You can tell him I'm coming, he can't-"

"Wait, Cas, wait."

Lee's voice was shaking now, and Cassie felt her heart fall when she heard it. She was afraid to ask, and she didn't have to. Lee answered her unspoken question.

"There's… there's another reason why Jim didn't want to call you. I wasn't sure if the news had reached that far, but I can't not tell you. You deserve to know."

Cassie nearly dropped the phone at the next sentence.

"Arkham- there was a huge security breach, Cassandra. There was gas and guards were killed…

"Jerome and Barbara escaped, with several others. No one's been able to find them. I'm so sorry, Cassie."

The traditional gray sky greeted her coldly, and yet, despite the thick smell of second-hand smoke mixed with fish and exhaust, Cas felt her chest swell a little.

No matter how much she claimed to hate it, Gotham was her home. And despite its toxicity, she still managed to find comfort in its presence.

Parking her car in the employee parking garage, Cassie jogged over to the back entrance and let herself in. She was met with the usual hustle and bustle of the GCPD, but with one problem. Jim wasn't at his desk.

She scowled; it was hard to let go of her anger and hurt. She'd been furious the entire flight to JFK, and then through most of the train ride into Gotham. The city only had one small airport, which was privately owned. Meaning train, bus, and personal vehicles were the main types of transportation in and out of the city. Her hair was still sun-streaked, and her skin still darkened from all the time she'd spent outside, showing off a tan-line from her bikini top as her large t-shirt shifted to one side of her neck.

Running a hand through her curls, Cas nearly turned back to go call Jim and figure out where the hell he was so she could go and figure out why he seemed to be avoiding her. But then, her eyes caught the next person she wanted to speak to.

"Commissioner Essen!"

The older woman looked over to see a familiar face bouncing up the steps, looking healthier than the last time she'd seen her. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Cassandra, what are you doing here? Jim said you'd be staying in California. Didn't he-"

"No, he didn't tell me about the breakout." Cas shook her head, frowning. "I got a call from someone else, I rushed straight home."

Essen sighed, shaking her head. "Miss Gordon, that was-"

"Very stupid, I'm aware. Commissioner," Cassie paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I really need to talk to you. It's about Jim. I know you're super busy, but is there someplace private we could speak?"

Essen hesitated, glancing at the small stack of files on her desk behind them before beckoning the girl with her head. "Sure. Come on in."

Smiling gratefully, Cas walked in behind her, closing the door and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wanted to say congratulations, Commissioner. I'm thrilled you got promoted."

"Well, thank you, Cassandra." Essen responded, eyebrows raising in surprise. "But is that really what you wanted to say?"

Cas sighed. "No. No, it isn't." she turned, looking around the GCPD. Just a few cops coming in from the entrance, probably from a patrol. "Do you know why Loeb resigned?"

"Well, he was older, Cassandra. I'd imagine he just wanted to enjoy a quiet retirement, especially with what happened between Maroni, Fish Mooney, and Falcone. After all, the boss he'd sided with is dead now."

"Yeah, I guess," Cassie responded, biting her lip. "Still, doesn't it strike you as odd that-"

"Yo, Commish."

Her words were cut short by a deep voice and a sharp rapping on the door. Sighing, she stepped to the side and began to turn around.

Things seemed to go in slow motion.

As she turned, her eyes caught sight of a policeman's uniform with a cap on. She narrowed her eyes, remembering Jim telling her that policemen normally removed their caps inside. Then, her eyes caught sight of brilliant red hair, and then the smile.

That sadistic, demonic grin.

Her eyes widened, and her lips opened to warn the commissioner, but it was too late. A pale hand grabbed onto the 9mm strapped to his belt and pointed it directly at Essen, pulling back the hammer. The soft click caused Cassie's muscles to freeze, and the sharp gasp behind her was a sign that Essen was now frozen, too.

"Heard you were lookin' for us." Jerome Valeska said cheerfully, a manic gleam in his eye.

And then the smoke grenade went off, and the gunshots deafened her.

Bodies were everywhere. Laying on the floor, sprawled over desks, slumped against the exit doors for the few that were quick enough to make it there. Blood soaked the floors and ran in thick rivers over the white marble, staining it. The inmates, having shed most of their disguises, were walking through it, leaving bloody footprints everywhere and shooting anybody that was still moving. Cas swallowed the lump in her throat when she thought about Lee and Eddie, both working that day. She sent up a silent prayer that they'd managed to hide; or at the very least, were playing dead.

She was unfortunate enough to be standing next to Jerome, her arm captured in an iron grip, as Essen was being tied to chair. Two desks had been pushed together, creating a sort of stand on the balcony that overlooked the precinct.

She stood rigidly, trying not to move or react. Jerome's hand on her arm was tight enough to leave bruises, but it was his fingers going through her hair that was freaking her out. It wasn't rough, or clumsy. It was gentle, deliberate, and that made it a million times worse. He was observing her with a sadistic, gleeful smirk, and she wanted so badly to smack it off his face.

"You look amazing, by the way." The redheaded sociopath told her, running his knuckle against her cheekbone. She shifted away, but his fingers caught her chin and turned her face towards his. He observed her, then raised his eyebrows. "You got some sun, too. You're darker than the last time I saw you." His eyes narrowed, and he moved to run his thumb over her bottom lip. "I love it."

That's it.

Surging forward, Cas tucked her body down and grabbed his shoulders, driving her right knee up. She felt it hit a soft mass and then Jerome shouted, grabbing between his legs where she'd gotten him. Stumbling, he fell to his knees as she sneered down at him. It didn't last long, though, before a hand tangle in her hair and yanked back.

She shouted, bending backwards to alleviate the pressure, and was met with a pair of beedy, brown eyes. The man half-snarled, half-grinned at her and began to lower his face closer to her neck, but then he was being throw off of her. His lack of support and her awkward position caused Cas to fall, landing hard on the desk.

Jerome grabbed the man's shirt, pulling his face closer to snarl possessively, "Hands. Off." Before he shoved the man away hard, glaring threateningly for a few seconds. The man didn't approach again, instead casting his eyes away reluctantly.

Satisfied, Jerome bent down and grabbed her arm again, this time yanking her to her feet and off the desks. Dragging her towards the railing, he pulled her hands in front of her and handcuffed them around the metal rail, baring his teeth at her.

"This should keep you in one spot while I talk to the nice commissioner, beautiful." He told her, his tone colored with warning. "Don't worry, once we're all done, I'll take you home."

She didn't respond, merely glaring at him instead. Truth be told, she was too afraid to talk. She was terrified, her heart pounding like a rabbit in her chest. It was so loud; she was positive he could hear it. But instead, he just turned and hopped back onto the desks, facing Essen as he whistled lowly.

"Hell of a first week you're having, Commissioner." He taunted, tossing his hat to the side and removing the uniform jacket. "I wish I could say things were gonna get better for you." He paused, then shook his head. "They're not."

The man that had grabbed Cassie came back, this time holding a camera. Her stomach turned. Jerome beckoned him onto the desks.

"Bring that up here so you can get a better angle." He instructed casually, leaning down at the waist and holding his hands up with his thumbs together like a camera lens.

"Why are you doing this?"

Cas wasn't sure why Essen even bothered asking; Jerome's mind was something she never wanted to understand. She was content with calling him sociopath and letting that be it. But the ginger didn't even react to her question, merely shrugging.

"To rule the world; blah, blah, blah. But we'll settle for some dead cops and some good PR." He grinned. "Kidding."

"Yeah, whatever, I get it." Essen snarled, her eyes blazing. "You're just crazy."

Something dangerous flashed in Jerome's eyes, and Cas felt her heart drop. His head tilted to one side, eyeing Essen like prey he was toying with. "Crazy?"

Dropping slowly and deliberately into a crouch, he leveled his face with hers, eyes dancing with a vicious light. "Look at me. You can see I'm not crazy." He whispered, face somber.

"Very soon, little man," Essen's voice was soaked in venom, "you will be dead. And the world will go on without you. No one will even remember your name."

Jerome's solemn expression broke into his trademark, sadistic grin, and he leaned closer. "No, see, that's where you're wrong old lady." He put his lips closer to Essen's head, right near her hair and ear. "We will leave a mark on this city; we will spread across it like a virus. And do you know why?"

The man holding the camera spoke, and Cas had nearly forgotten he was there. "There's nothing more contagious than laughter."

Without even hesitating, Jerome pulled out his gun and shot him. The bullet ripped clean through his skull, snapping his head back and sending him toppling off the desk. The camera clattered loudly at Cassie's feet.

Jerome turned back to Essen, still holding the gun. "My line. There's nothing more contagious than laughter."

Before he could start laughing, as Cas was sure he was going to, Essen shocked the hell out of both of them. She spat in the maniac's face, and he jumped in surprise. He paused, smacking his lips. "That was strangely pleasant." He turned back towards her, "Do it again."

But she didn't. Instead, the commissioner reared her head back and brought it forward with a shout. The crown of her head cracked against Jerome's nose with a satisfying crunch.

It was a small victory, miniscule, but it ended too soon. Because Jerome straightened again, blood gushing down his face. It ran into his mouth, and when he grinned, his teeth were stained red. Like an animal that had ripped into a carcass.

"My turn," he threatened lowly, stepping closer, and before Cas could think it through, she was shouting.

"Wait, Jerome, wait!"

The redhead stopped, slowly turning his head towards her. She pulled against the handcuffs, feeling desperate.

"Please, I- I'll make a deal with you."

"Cassandra, don't-"

"Shush, now, Commissioner," Jerome mocked, straightening up and walking towards Cassie. He hopped down, meeting her. "The lady would like to speak."

Cas didn't say anything, refusing to let him see her trembling as he got closer. Finally, he stopped directly in front of her. She was all to aware of the hand holding the gun, his fingers rubbing against the metal.

"Well?"

Her eyes flickered to Essen before moving back to him. "I'll go with you. Willingly. I'll walk out of this building right now by your side, no fighting, no escaping, nothing. I won't even try to escape when you take me to wherever it is we're going." She paused, searching his face, but it was strangely expressionless. Desperation and impatience bubbled in her chest, and she cursed. "Fuck, ok, I'll do anything! Just leave Essen alone and call all these guys off. Please."

At that last part, he closed his eyes and his face went slack. An expression she didn't want to read into played across his face, and he finally opened them to smile at her. "Oh, I love hearing you beg, Cassie." He reached up, stroking the side of her face. She wanted to flinch away but forced herself to stay still. She let him do what he wanted, let him stroke her cheek. He leaned in close, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. Finally, he leaned back and opened his eyes.

"But that's not the plan."

And he fired the gun three times into Essen's stomach.

Cassie's scream was drowned out by the bullets, but as Jerome turned back to her as Essen slumped over, blood gushing through her white blouse, her lips pulled back into a snarl. "You son of a bitch-!"

His hand came up faster than she could comprehend, clamping down on her throat and stopping her sentence cold. He squeezed, not hard enough to affect her breathing but enough to silence her. A warning.

"I've missed you, beautiful. But there's still one more thing we have to do. And then, you're all mine."

He yanked her closer and slammed his mouth over hers.

It was a quick kiss, but she yanked her head back in disgust. He cackled loudly, taking off down the stairs. "Enjoy the view, gorgeous! I'll be seeing you sooooon!"

It took ten minutes for a cop to find Cassie and Essen. It took five seconds for him to unlock the cuffs. It took twenty for Cas to yank off her t-shirt, exposing the camisole underneath, and press it against Essen's wound. It took another three minutes to get her down from the chair and lay her on the ground, and five more before Lee and Jim joined them up there, their faces dropping.

And in that time, Cassie and the ground around she and the commissioner were drenched in blood.

The blonde knew it was hopeless. Three bullets to the abdomen, dead center. It had been too long. The older woman was fighting to stay awake, but her skin was cold now. The blood was only seeping. Cas felt tears in her eyes as Jim crouched beside her. His face was bloodied and bruised, like he'd gone ten rounds with a brick wall. Was that where he'd been? Was that how they'd gotten him out of the precinct?

"Hang on, boss." He tried to reassure her, grabbing her hand. "Just hang on."

He looked to Cassie, but the girl shook her head at him, eyes filled with tears.

He felt Essen squeeze his hand, and he looked at her to see her eyes, slowly growing dimmer.

"It's a new day, Jim."

Next chapter is one you don't want to miss, I promise you! And if you're missing Victor, don't worry. This season is going to feature LOTS of him. I hope you guys like Cassandra and don't forget to fav, follow, and review!