AN: Okay guys so, so far so good? Let me know what you think! What do you like so far? What don't you like so far? What would you like to see more or less of? Anything from the show in particular that you would like to see? Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gotham.

Playlist:

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-O Children

RED-Already Over

Dave Matthews Band-Out Of My Hands

Chapter 17

Jim was at his desk, sitting across from Bullock as they discussed, more like argued, about how to find Isabelle. They'd met up at Fish's place after Barbara told Jim that some men had taken her. Bullock set aside Jim's lying to him about killing Cobblepot in order to help him find his niece.

"Jim!"

He looked around before rising from his seat. Jim's brows furrowed and his heart sank as he recognized his niece in the arms of an officer and he ran to her. More officers were gathering around her and Edward Nigma was trying to get her conscious.

"Get out of my way!" Jim screamed, Bullock close behind him.

He took her in his arms from one of the officers. "Isabelle? Isabelle can you hear me? It's your uncle Jim." Tears started their descent down his cheeks as he carried her.

"I'll get a car and drive Jim," Bullock said quickly, his own heart breaking at the sight of the girl in Jim's arms. He'd seen a lot in his line of work but this was one of the worst.

Jim held her in the back seat, trying to get her to respond. He took her pulse noting how slow it was. "Hurry up Harvey!" he roared over the sirens.

"I'm tryin' Jim! You gotta' stay calm," he answered.

Finally they pulled up to the emergency room doors. Bullock had called ahead to the hospital so they were expecting them as they rushed through the sliding doors, ignoring the gasps of the people in the waiting room as they looked at Isabelle.

"I'm detective Bullock. I called…" the nurse interrupted. She barely blinked when she saw Isabelle, this was the Gotham hospital after all. She'd seen a lot.

"Right this way," she said calmly as she got up and let them past the desk. Another nurse was already there with two male nurses who had a gurney already. Jim set her down on it gently and followed them, Bullock staying behind to wait.

He had a chance to really take in his niece as a doctor came into the room and began looking over her. Her clothes had been torn in some places and she was covered in blood. He could tell something had been etched into her skin but he couldn't quite make out what. Some of the blood was already dry and crusty and he wondered how long she'd gone through this. It felt like he had fire in his veins he was so angry as the tears continued to flow.

~O.o~

Jim stopped as he was passing Isabelle's room. He peeked in to see his young niece crying.

"What's wrong Izzy?" he asked as he stepped into the room with its lavender walls and numerous teddy bears.

"You know the dove that always comes by?" she sniffed.

He sat on the bed with her. "Yeah?"

"Well it's been weeks and he hasn't shown up! What if something happened to him?"

Jim pulled her into his lap. "I'm sure he's alright."

"Are you sure? How do you know?"

"I don't know but it's good to be optimistic."

"Optimistic?" her little voice asked.

He chuckled. "It means thinking on the bright side, on the happy side, in a positive way instead of a negative one."

She nodded. "I guess I can do that," she said, wiping at her tears.

He hugged her close. "I know you can Izzy. If you're going to be optimistic then you can't give up hoping that he'll come back."

She nodded and hugged him back.

A week later he'd given her the dove bracelet. He remembered the look on her face, smiling brightly and wrapping her arms around his waist before begging him to put it on her wrist for her. She never took it off.

~O.o~

Jim focused on the bracelet now, the beeping of the machines and the doctor and nurses and any other noise muffled in the background as he stared at it. It had blood on it as well, the dove charm half red, half silver. His brows furrowed when he noticed the blue crystal heart on it and he guessed that it had to be from Oswald. It felt like everything was in slow motion as he heard a nurse say she'd been cut in seven places and he turned around and threw up.

One of the nurses came over to him and led him to the hall to sit in a chair, giving him a wastebasket. He didn't hear her tell him she'd be back to check up on him and when she had any news on Isabelle but that they were assessing the damage right now. He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

He should have killed Cobblepot when he had the chance. If he had this wouldn't be happening right now. But, he thought, if he had killed Oswald she might still be with Falcone or his men and Oswald wouldn't have been able to help her get away from them. It didn't matter. He was going to kill Cobblepot for sure the next time he saw him. He'd spared Cobblepot's life, Cobblepot saved Isabelle and he didn't owe that snitch anything as far as he was concerned.

"Jim Gordon?"

"Yes?" He turned to see the doctor that had been helping Isabelle walk towards him.

The doctor put his hand out and Jim shook it. "I'm Dr. Moor. Isabelle is stable," Jim closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as the doctor continued. "We've moved her to her own room. She lost a good amount of blood so we're giving her a transfusion right now. We're going to keep her overnight at the least. After the transfusion we'll set her up with a morphine drip and she's pretty bandaged up. The word penguin was cut into her skin in seven places. Does that mean anything to you?"

Jim's face was red with rage. He was definitely going to kill Cobblepot now. Isabelle would be scarred for life, and not just physically.

"Sir?" Dr. Moor said, trying to get Jim's attention. "You can see her if you like."

"Yes, please," Jim said.

He followed the doctor down a few hallways before coming to her room. "Isabelle," he said when he saw her.

"Hey Uncle Jim," she smiled, although it was weak.

"I love you Izzy," he said, carefully wrapping an arm around her. When she groaned he jerked his hand back.

He pulled a chair right up next to her bed and carefully took one of her hands in his. She smiled. "I love you too."

"How are feeling?" he asked.

"Like my skin has been carved into."

Jim shook his head. "How much pain are you in?"

"I told the nurse it was a nine."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm so sorry Isabelle. If I'd gotten to the apartment sooner…"

"No, don't do that. I'll be fine."

"Isabelle, you almost died. Your pulse on the way here…you were unconscious from probably a combination of the blood loss and the pain. You are not alright."

"I know that's I said I will be." He watched as her eyes suddenly grew wide. "Don't tell Oswald Uncle Jim! Please, you can't."

Jim nodded, "I won't. He won't be in your life anymore."

"What? Uncle Jim don't be ridiculous. I have to see Oswald, but after I'm out of here and healed."

"No," he said as a nurse came in and started to set up the bag for the morphine drip.

Jim excused himself and went out into the hallway, shutting the door.

Jim had to get Isabelle away from Oswald. He wouldn't allow her to see him, at least not before he killed him. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Hello, Alfred, I was hoping you could help me out."