AN: So as I'm writing this I just watched the season premiere of Gotham and my word am I excited for this season! Thank you for the follows, favorites, and reviews. Hopefully this chapter and the next will clear up some things from the last. Enjoy and please review!

Warning: There may be a trigger in this chapter for those who have anxiety.

Playlist:

Fever Ray-Keep the Streets Empty

Johnny Hollow-Boogeyman

Chapter 33

Isabelle was hugging her knees to her chest in a corner of the dark underground place where she'd spent the night. After she'd been roughly shoved into the damp space two men came up to her and as soon as one guy moved even closer to her the man behind him jumped him. Isabelle had scrambled away, her heart pounding. She withheld her tears though, not wanting anyone to see her in such a vulnerable state.

She was looking around now, trying to take in more of her surroundings. She was desperately trying not to freak out when the sound of a familiar voice caused her to sharply turn her head towards the source of the sound.

"Who's first?"

"F-Fish?" Isabelle asked, looking into the semi-darkness. She slowly unfolded her legs and stood before walking slowly towards the silhouette of the woman.

Fish's eyes widened when Isabelle was near enough to be seen in the light. "Well, well, well. What are you doing here?"

"I…I decided to leave the city last night. On a boat. And-"

Fish held up a hand. "No need to elaborate further. Same thing happened to me. Now, I'm sure you know why I left, but why did you leave?"

"It was too much. Too much for me, for my Uncle Jim. For Oswald," Isabelle answered, avoiding making eye contact with Fish.

At the sound of the latter's name Fish's face produced a grimace.

"Is that all sweetheart? Sounds like you're just running away from your problems. Tell me all about them," Fish sat down and patted the ground next to her.

Isabelle hesitated.

"Come on, sweetheart. I'm not going to hurt you," Fish said with a smile.

Isabelle was unconvinced.

Fish's smile disappeared. "Isabelle Gordon you sit down. Now."

This time Isabelle sat.

"Good, now, continue," Fish looked at her expectantly.

"Oswald and I…had a disagreement. And I guess running away is what I'm good at. Goodness knows I ran away enough times when I grew up with Uncle Jim."

"Ah, I see. Paradise with your Penguin isn't all it's cracked up to be, which doesn't surprise me in the slightest. And now here we are."

"Do you know where here is?" Isabelle asked, looking around.

"I haven't the slightest. But I guarantee you I'll find out."

"Can I help, I don't know, get us out of wherever here is?"

"Why would I help you?" Fish's eyes narrowed as she asked the question.

Isabelle swallowed before answering, "Fish Mooney, you had me the minute your knife broke my skin and you know it."

Fish tilted her head. "Sure." She held up her finger. "But there's a condition."

"What condition?"

"You need to prove yourself to me first."

"How?"

"Eager, aren't we?" Fish smiled before continuing. "I'm not sure yet."

Fish wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep out the cold and Isabelle did the same.

"So…where are we? What is this place?" Fish inquired of the man sitting across from them who introduced himself as Kelly.

"Some people think it's a prison. Some think it's Hell. I just think it's cold, mostly."

All three of their heads turned when the gate creaked open and a man slid a pan onto the floor with the flick of his foot. "Breakfast."

Fish immediately rose up but Kelly stopped her. "No. Uh-uh."

They watched as everyone kept their distance from the pan of food and a man came up to it, grabbing his share. He reminded Isabelle of a Lion, leader of his pride, getting his share first. That's what they were, Isabelle realized, animals, at least to whoever it was that was keeping them here.

"You got to let the boss eat first. People call him Mace."

"He's the one in charge, hm."

Isabelle watched as Fish observed the man and she could practically see the gears turning rapidly in Fish's mind. Isabelle knew that this guy wouldn't be the one in charge for much longer.

"Okay. Okay," Kelly said, walking towards the pan.

Isabelle followed Kelly while Fish stayed behind. She stuck close to him and managed to grab two apple halves, taking one back to Fish.

Fish smiled, her head tilting as she took her half. "Thank you Isabelle."

Isabelle nodded as she bit into the juicy piece of apple, only now realizing how hungry and thirsty she actually was. Isabelle was happy to get the food for Fish if it meant proving her loyalty.

~O.o~

Isabelle trailed behind Fish as they went to see the man in charge. Two men stepped up when they approached, blocking their way.

"I just want a word. I mean no harm," Fish said.

The men looked to their boss who slightly moved his head, signaling that it was okay.

"That's close enough. No harm, huh?" the guy said.

"So, you're the boss in here?" Fish inquired.

"I am."

"Why you? I see a lot of tough guys around here."

"This is the only blade in the place," he explained, holding said blade aloft for Fish and Isabelle to see. "And I'm holding it."

"Fair enough." Fish stepped closer and Isabelle followed, sticking to her side and slightly behind. One of the guy's men also stepped up. "I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal?"

"Yeah. I think I might have skills that could be useful to you. As does this young lady beside me."

"Really? What skills exactly?"

Fish squatted down but Isabelle stayed standing. "All kinds," Fish answered. "You protect us from these animals and I'll show you."

He leaned up, getting in Fish's face. "You think you two are worth protecting?"

"You have no idea."

~O.o~

"You got this Isabelle," Fish reassured her. "Or at least you better, 'cause if you chicken out I'll leave you here, understood?"

Isabelle nodded and Fish smiled before patting Isabelle's cheek.

Isabelle followed Fish as they went back over to the boss, who had asked to see them.

"What's up, Doc?" Fish asked.

The guy motioned for his men to move and let them through.

Fish stepped forward and Isabelle followed.

"The name's Mace."

"That's cute, but I like to give my friend's nicknames. And yours is Doc." Isabelle stayed a bit away from Mace as Fish circled him." 'Cause you have such a wise look in your eyes for such a big man."

"A real little firecracker, huh?"

"Mm, a firecracker goes off once and just lies there. What you're looking at is the Fourth of July. And that one," Fish nodded to Isabelle. "Has the same potential."

"Come sit by me," Mace smiled. He eyes focused on Isabelle. "You too."

Isabelle only moved forward a bit, not wanting to touch him, and waited for Fish. "Does that mean we have a deal?" Fish asked.

"Sure, baby."

"Well, I have a couple of riders I would like to talk to you…"

Mace reached out for Fish, interrupting her and pulling her down to sit on his leg. "Hush, now, baby." He grabbed Isabelle's arm and pulled her to sit on his other leg, causing her to internally recoil and fight the desire to jump up and away from the man.

Fish chuckled as Mace continued, "You talk too much and you'll make me mad."

"Huh, let's see that's rider number one. Don't call me 'baby.' " Isabelle watched Fish's face intently, her hand following Fish's down Mace's vest. "And don't put your hands on my girl like that…Doc." Fish flashed her eyes to Isabelle's.

As 'Doc', their code word, left Fish's mouth for the third time, Isabelle reached into Mace's vest and pulled out his blade, quickly stabbing up into his jaw. When she jerked it back out and jumped off his lap he fell to the floor and she and Fish stood side by side. Fish took the knife from Isabelle's trembling hand and kissed Isabelle on the forehead before moving to address those that surrounded them.

"My name is Fish Mooney. I'm in charge now."

~O.o~

Isabelle stood next to Fish as Mace's body was taken away and the Kelly yelled, "All right, everyone. Gather round."

"Up until now, there's been no order in here. No…structure." Isabelle and the man trailed behind Fish as she spoke. "Things are gonna change."

They all looked as the gate opened and a sobbing woman was dropped heartlessly onto the ground.

Fish followed Isabelle as she walked up to the woman who was on her hands and knees. "My eyes. They took my eyes," she said.

Isabelle took an unconscious step back, horrified, as Fish stared at the poor woman. Isabelle couldn't wait to get out of this place and the sooner the better. Leaving the city, immaturely running away from her problems, had been a terrible mistake.

Over the next few days Fish succeeded in setting up the very order she talked about and besides helping and being Fish's second in command, all Isabelle could do was think. She knew Jim had to be looking for her. But what about Oswald? Did he even know? She worried about Bruce and how he was doing. Surely Alfred had given or shown the note she'd left to Jim? And surely after she was unable to call when she said she would he started looking for her? Isabelle felt a sudden flash of shame at doubting her Uncle. Of course he was looking for her, he always had, but she'd been here for several days now.

Now Fish stood on the back of one of her new henchman as Isabelle stood to her left. "Let's talk straight. Those people out there are using us as transplant donors. We are simply spare parts. Unless…unless we do something about it."

"How?" a male voice asked, drifting over the gathered crowd.

"I have a plan. But you must do exactly what I say. You do as I say, and I promise you, I will get some of us out of here alive. That's right. No, you heard me correctly. I said, some…of us. Because the truth of the matter is some will die. But we will die with dignity. We will die for a reason, and we will die next to family, and I tell you what-we are family. We are all we got. That's family! We have one simple choice: we die here alone on our knees or we stand up and we fight for our family."

The crowd started to cheer and Fish was pleased with their reaction at her impassioned speech. She was a true politician, riling up her followers. Fish was doing what Fish did best and she had no choice if she wanted to get out of this place.

About an hour later, after Fish had gone over what would go down when the men that worked at the place arrived at the gate, the men in mind arrived.

"They're coming," Fish said. "Are you ready?"

A unanimous: "Yes!" sounded through the place.

Fish and everyone else rose to their feet at once. "I said, are you ready?!"

"Yes!"

The men approached, most with weapons in hand. Fish pulled Isabelle to her side.

"Inmate 57A raise your hand," a man asked and when no one complied he asked again, "57A…raise your hand."

When '57A' raised his hand the man continued, "step forward."

Fish raised her hand. "One moment, please, sir. We need to talk."

"Back up, inmate. You're in violation. 57A, step forward!"

"Excuse me one moment, please," Fish tried again. "I'm the new 'shot caller' here. My name is Fish Mooney, and with all due respect, for you and I to have a good working relationship, there's some things that need to change."

"Is that right?"

"What's your name?" Fish asked.

"None of your damn business what my name is."

"Right. Okay, well…I know you have a job to do. And I am more than willing to give you 57A, in exchange for 60 crates of water, 30 blankets, 50 pounds of fresh fruit, and a few magazines."

"What if I refuse? What will you do?"

"Well, I'd be willing to give you 57A, just not alive."

"We need them alive."

"Exactly."

"I'm gonna count to three. You'll disappear or get a severe beating," the man warned.

"I'm gonna take that as a no."

"One…two."

Fish held her right hand open and up in the air above her head. She turned her hand and closed her fingers into a fist as she did so, giving the signal. Isabelle stood by her side, not watching as some of the men went to 57A and proceeded to beat him. When they were done the men stood behind Fish.

"It's simple economics. Our lives are worth something. 60 crates of water, 30 blankets…" Fish continued.

"You…you're coming with me. The manager is gonna be very unhappy with you."

Fish just chuckled and moved back to stand with the group. "I would think this manager wouldn't be too happy with you either. So if he wants to talk to me, I'll be right here."

"Manager doesn't come down here."

"Well, looks like we have a standoff. I'll tell you what. I can be flexible. So I'll go talk to this manager, but while I'm gone, you're going to stay right here, as our guest. How's that sound?"

"We'll be back."

After the men left the group began to cheer but Fish went to check on 57A. She bent down and kissed his forehead in a fake show of affection, knowing it would help her image. She didn't care about him, any of them, but she needed them to get off the island and so did Isabelle.

~O.o~

"The manager says you have a deal. You go up and see him, I stay here."

"What's your name?" Fish asked.

"Schmidt."

"Your first name."

"Thomas."

"Thomas. Welcome. Why don't you take off that heavy gear," Fish suggested, pulling his wooden baton out of its holster. "and relax?" She tapped him on the shoulder with the baton. "My family's gonna show you a good time." She turned around and nodded to Isabelle.

Isabelle stepped forward and Fish wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "My girl here, Isabelle, she'll take good care of you. And while I'm gone, she's in charge."

As Fish left Isabelle stood, arms crossed, as the group surrounded Thomas.

"So, Thomas," Isabelle started. "You know, if you want to really save yourself some trouble, and probably your job, you should just let us go, all of us. Fish too."

He snorted.

"I'm sure you could hustle up another batch of people in no time. But you see, my uncle's a detective in Gotham."

"Wow, that's something, huh? All that means is he'll take a nice bribe to get you out of here and not think about this place ever again."

Isabelle nodded, as if she were considering what he said. Then she let out a chuckle. "Well, Thomas, you see, my uncle's not your regular Gotham cop. He doesn't take bribes. He's trying to clean up the city actually. He tells me even the commissioner is corrupt and he wants to do something about it. And if I know my uncle, which I do since he pretty much raised me, he will. So not if, but when, he finds this place, no doubt backed by a team of officers-"

"We can handle your uncle and some officers."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But you see, you didn't let me finish. My boyfriend just so happens to work quite closely with a certain Don in the city. And I know he has men everywhere looking for me right now. And, as a matter of fact, he just moved up in rank. You see, my boyfriend, is the reason Fish Mooney left Gotham in the first place. And she," Isabelle held up her arm and touched the "P" that was scarred into her skin, "did this to me, in seven places; all because she found out I had been keeping some things from her."

Thomas' eyes widened a fraction and Isabelle saw it.

"Oh yes. I'm telling the truth. Ask Fish yourself. But all of the less than ten minutes you've seen her, conversed with her, you know she's a force NOT to be reckoned with, am I right?" She cocked her head to the side and slowly looked him up and down.

Thomas didn't say anything so she continued. "Imagine what kind of man my boyfriend must be to run Fish Mooney out of town? Imagine what he'd do to you and everyone in this place when he finds me? You'll wish you'd prayed for my uncle to find this place first."

~O.o~

"We have to give fish more time," Kelly explained as the group began to grow restless. "She'll get us out of here, she promised."

"Can't you see she abandoned us? Got herself out and left us here to rot," one of the men said.

"Kelly's right," Isabelle said. "Fish won't abandon us." As she said it she wasn't so sure herself, but Fish needed these people to get off the island. No way had she found a way out already.

"You're wrong," the man started again, facing Thomas whose hands were tied. "I say we kill this one, let them know we're serious."

"Fish said," Kelly started but Isabelle moved in front of him and Thomas, getting in between the protesting man and spoke, "We aren't touching him. Got it? Fish will be back."

"Fish, Fish, Fish. Where's Fish now?!"

"Yoo-hoo," Fish wagged her finger as she approached. "I'm disappointed. I told you I was coming back. What, you didn't believe me? Family is built on trust, and that's what we are. A family."

Kelly stepped forward. "Fish, I tried, I did. And so did Isabelle."

"I know you did." Fish patted Kelly and then Isabelle.

"So where's everything you promised?" the man asked. "When do we get out?"

Isabelle rolled her eyes. This guy was really starting to grate on her nerves. She honestly preferred Thomas.

"First things first. I spoke to the man upstairs about our demands for better conditions, better food. He asked for a show of good faith. We're gonna return his guard." She pointed to Thomas. "Let him go. Now."

The man went and cut him down and Thomas quickly left, although he spared a glance at Isabelle as he passed by.

"Next," Fish snapped her fingers and some men stepped forward, grabbing Kelly and another woman.

"What?" Kelly asked and Isabelle wanted to ask the same as the woman screamed. "What are they doing?"

"I'm sorry, honey. You're on the list. Doctor's orders," Fish explained.

"Fish…Fish!"

"I told you, didn't I? She's working for them now," the annoying man said.

Isabelle stepped forward and, remembering what Alfred had shown her, punched the man in the face.

She hit him hard enough that he stumbled back a bit. Angry, he meant to lunge for her but Fish stepped up. "You keep your hands off of her. I warned you not everyone would live. Their sacrifice means your survival! And my promise remains the same." She wrapped an arm around Isabelle and pulled her with her as she walked away from the group.

"You didn't have to do that," Fish said, checking out Isabelle's already bruising hand.

"He was starting to piss me off long before you came back," Isabelle said. "Besides, let him be an example. They're not to question you. At least not out loud."

Fish smirked. "Isabelle, you are surprising me after all. So," Fish sat down on the bench and patted the spot next to her. "You haven't said what exactly happened between you and Oswald."

Isabelle took a deep breath and then let it out before beginning. "I went to a charity ball of Bruce Wayne's with a guy friend. I didn't even think about telling Oswald, I mean it wasn't a big deal, you know? Just two friends. But Oswald didn't see it that way when he arrived to the event. He was very angry. I tried to talk to him, calm him down, but he wouldn't listen. He called me a whore and Edward, my guy friend, kind of, maybe fractured Oswald's nose. Believe me I was surprised. And then Oswald lunged at Edward. Jim and Bruce's guardian separated them, and I left with Edward. I was not going to deal with Oswald's bullshit anymore that night."

"So you and Oswald are done?"

"I don't know. I mean yes, I mean…that's why I left the city I guess. Ran away."

"This Edward sounds like a much nicer guy. Does he have, ambitions, like Oswald?"

"Well, not that I know of. He's not like that."

"Hmmm, perhaps when we get back to the city, you should try it out with him. You do want to go back to the city?"

"I can't keep running away." Isabelle said and she knew it was true. She wasn't a teenager anymore. She had to learn to face things.

"Good girl. You can't. When things get tough you have to deal with them. Believe me."

"But I don't know about Edward, I mean we're just friends. Although…"

"What?" Fish asked.

"He did kiss me, that night."

"And?"

"And…it was nice. Different than Oswald, but nice. I care about him, I do."

"Well, relationship troubles aside your uncle will be wanting to see you."

Isabelle nodded. Suddenly, Isabelle worried that they might not get out of this place and she was overcome with fear. She began to panic. She couldn't catch her breath and the sounds echoing off the walls around her grew faint. Her vision began to get dark and fuzzy around the edges as she fought for breath. She could see Fish's hands moving to her, Fish's eyes meeting hers, saying something, probably trying to coax her into calming down. A few tears escaped and rolled down her cheeks as her heart pounded and sweat coated her skin. Absently she realized she was trying to say something back to Fish but couldn't get the words out as she clutched onto Fish's arms. Finally her heart seemed to calm and she could feel air filling up her lungs. Sound returned and her sight cleared as well. The sweat was doing its job now as she felt the goosebumps form on her arms.

"Oh dear, if you're going to work for me you can't be falling apart like this. You have to be tough. And I want you to be the tough girl I know you can be. I've seen it," Fish traced the letters on Isabelle's arm. "Now when we get back to Gotham I want your undying loyalty and I want you to do something for me."

"What?" Isabelle asked.

"You'll tell your precious little flightless bird that you are, and will always be, loyal to me. And then I want you to kill Oswald Cobblepot."

~O.o~

"Kelly," Fish said, checking on him now that he was back and resting.

"Ow," he groaned.

"Shh, shh, shh. God," she reached a hand out to his wound. "Shh, shh. Still bad."

"What do you want?"

"I have a plan but I need your help."

"What plan?"

"We're going to escape. I'm getting off of this Hell of an island or I'm gonna die trying."

As Fish talked to the men she was setting up Isabelle sat with the group of people Fish was really going to get off the island.

~O.o~

Isabelle, sitting next to Kelly, watched Fish and the group of men she'd recruited leave. Once they were out of sight she stood and helped Kelly up. "Okay guys. At the gate. Now. Are you guys ready?"

When everyone said yes they headed to stand at the gate and wait for Fish's return. When Fish came back Doctor Dollmaker stepped out of where he was waiting to stop her. "You lied to me, Fish." He brandished a weapon. "I warned you what would happen if you lied to me. "Oh, what wonders I'm gonna make of your parts."

Isabelle pushed open the gate. The Doctor turned around as Kelly and the rest of them advanced on him and Fish smiled. When the Dollmaker went down they started hitting him, kicking him and Isabelle got in a few good kicks of her own.

"See you around, Doc. Leave him there. We don't have much time," Fish clapped, "Let's go."

They took off, leaving the Doctor on the ground. The alarm was still sounding as they followed Fish.

"Kelly, Isabelle, other side," Fish said and the two went around the chopper.

Isabelle climbed in and helped Kelly up.

"You told them you couldn't fly, didn't you?" Kelly asked Fish as she got in the pilot's seat.

"I lied."

"Fish!" Isabelle said, seeing armed guards round the corner and headed towards them.

"I see them. Hold on!" Fish yelled.

The chopper lifted into the air.

"Aah!"

"Fish!" Isabelle and Kelly yelled out as she leaned over in pain. She'd been shot. But as they rose higher Fish stilled herself. Isabelle pulled off the raggedy jacket she was wearing and rolled it up, then wrapped it around Fish's side and tied it, putting pressure on the wound.

"Thank you," Fish said.

"I don't know if that will help much."

"It'll have to do," Fish said as they flew out over the water.

~O.o~

Isabelle was glad to see Gotham again as the boat they were all in neared the shore. She stood back, watching Fish as she warmed her hands above the barrel where Cat was standing. "Good morning, child," Fish said.

"We ain't children, and…it ain't morning."

"Oh, it will be soon. A brand-new day."

"Hey Cat," Isabelle said, startling the young girl.

"Isabelle?"

"Yeah, do me a favor and don't tell anyone you saw me. Take care of yourself."

"Wait!" Cat called out as Isabelle walked off.