"Mom!" Isabelle exclaimed when she saw her mother moving through the office side of the courthouse, her elbow being pushed along by a tall man as Jonathan stood behind his ex-wife, his arms folded against his chest as Lydia pushed the man away from her, not caring for being told what to do.
She gripped onto her daughter's hands, pulling her into a hug before wheezing from coughing, her eyes glaring into her daughter's as she noted Jonathan lurking in the background.
"Isabelle," she hissed at her daughter. "What the hell are you playing at? Why did you sneak out?"
"I had to," Isabelle whispered, hoping Jonathan couldn't hear them as Lydia shook her head quickly. "You needed medicine...I thought..."
"You thought he could get it?" Lydia demanded from her, her voice rising as she glared over at Jonathan and he sighed, removing his glasses and dropping them into his pocket as he walked over to them. "I would rather have died then seen you run here for help from him."
"You don't need to worry, Lydia," Jonathan assured her, standing close to Isabelle's side and he grinned lightly. "I can't help you. But...I thought this was what you wanted when I came to see you?" he checked and Isabelle looked at her mother, her face scrunched up with confusion as she wondered what her mom was talking about. "I said that I could look after her. You told me the Officer who she was with...you wanted me to protect her, didn't you?"
"John?" Isabelle snapped at her mother and Jonathan looked between the two women. "You told him about John?"
"I..." Lydia stammered. "I had to. You were with him...if they found you with him..."
"I totally agree," Jonathan nodded, his arm wrapping around Isabelle's waist as he pulled her to him, kissing the top of her head as she remained looking horrified at her mother. "If you were found with a cop then you'd have been dead. And you're on first term names with him?" Jonathan checked, his eyes glaring down into hers as she moved his arm from her.
"He's a friend," she snapped at Jonathan. "One of the few men left in Gotham trying to stop this bomb from going off."
"If you say so," Jonathan shrugged and he yawned loudly. The night was upon them and Jonathan had tired after his day in court. "Well, as much as I love this family catch up, I'm tiring slightly. Lydia, your room is just down there," Jonathan nodded his head to an open door and she looked back at him.
"I'll stay with my mom," Isabelle hurriedly said and Jonathan shook his head, his hand wrapping around her arm and stopping her from following her mother who was being dragged away by the tall man who had brought her.
"No, Isabelle," Jonathan said, his voice stern as he dragged her back into the office he had made his bedroom and he shut the door, turning the lock.
"She's dying, Jonathan," Isabelle complained. "She's worse at night...she needs me..."
"I need you," Jonathan said, his voice growling lowly as Isabelle took a deep breath, her cheeks tinged red as he pushed her down onto the floor and shrugged out of his jacket. "Your mother shall be fine."
Isabelle knew there was no point in arguing with him. Their arguments had always resulted in him winning and she knew that. She would have been more forceful, but, he had men at his will, ready to do as he asked.
"So, who is this Officer Blake?" Jonathan wondered, settling himself down on the mattress and moving his pillow, plumping it up as Isabelle sat against the wall, watching him as he worked.
"No one," she whispered. "He...we...he's been looking after me for the last few days...making sure we were safe."
"And you received special treatment, did you?" Jonathan wondered, taking his tie off along with his shoes. "There are other people in Gotham who deserve help, too."
"So what?" Isabelle snapped at him. "He decided to help me."
"He clearly fancies you in that case," Jonathan snorted once, taking a swig of the water which sat in the water bottle by his side as he looked at Isabelle, offering her the bottle and she remained silent, not caring what Jonathan thought as she eyed the bottle with scepticism before she took it, draining the water which tasted good to her after a long time of dehydration.
"He'll be dead within a few weeks," Jonathan assured her. "He's a cop in a cop free city."
"He's good," Isabelle defended John. "He's been hiding out for ages."
"Every fly gets caught by the spider." Jonathan said in a slight riddle. "You should know that."
"Whatever," Isabelle said, not bothering with playing his games. He chuckled to himself, yawning again before lowering himself to rest his head on the pillow and Isabelle took another swig of the water.
"Don't even think about running off," he muttered. "The key is in my pocket and the men outside in the hallway would kill you instantly."
"Fine." Isabelle said back to him.
"And it will get awfully cold in here. It is night and we don't have heating."
"I've suffered worse," she lied to him and he grinned, shutting his eyes as he did so.
"Suit yourself, Isabelle."
He didn't say anything more to her, knowing full well that she would move into the covers with him, craving the warmth which he could offer. She was just going to be stubborn. Which she was. Isabelle remained sat up against the wall, the cold finally getting to her as she remained in her flimsy jumper and leggings and she looked at Jonathan who was laid in the duvets, looking so warm.
She tried to be strong She tried to resist the urge to move, but, it was too much. She crawled over to where Jonathan lay, pushing the cover back before pulling it over herself, her head resting on the second pillow which he had. The floor was still slightly hard under the soft duvet. Jonathan grinned to himself, moving closer to her as he finally sensed her there. He moved closer, pushing his chest against her back as she tried to move away, taking the quilt with her. She had always been selfish when it came to cover hogging.
"Get off," Isabelle complained when he wrapped his arm around her waist, his face nestling into her neck as she tried to kick his shin.
"Stop struggling," he warned her, his voice low and dangerous, feeling crabby due to the lack of sleep he had been having recently. "Your mother is in the next room. Don't annoy me and make me do something which you'll regret."
"You wouldn't dare," Isabelle hissed back at him and he chuckled, his breath against her skin making her shiver.
"Don't you know me?" he snapped at her. "Don't push me."
Isabelle remained silent, laying still as Jonathan sighed once, nodding gently and feeling content as he moved his body against hers and took one last breath before falling to sleep.
...
The noise of gunshots rang out in the middle of the night, echoing through the hallway as Isabelle bolted awake. She'd turned her body towards Jonathan's, her head resting beneath his chin and against his chest, her fingers entwined into his as his other arm rested around her shoulders.
"Jonathan," she hissed his name, sitting upright and letting go of his hand as he stirred, trying to ignore her as she stood up, moving to the door as she heard men shout.
"What are you doing up?" Jonathan grumbled, sitting up and looking to the locked door as another gunshot rang out and Isabelle began to panic, wondering what the hell was happening. Jonathan stood up, pulling his tie up before he moved to the door, unlocking it and moving his arm around Isabelle's waist, pulling her against his body as he poked his head around the door.
"What is going on?" he snapped out, seeing a man stood in the hall, his gun in his hand as Jonathan noted the body on the floor and he glared at the man as Isabelle tried to move from Jonathan's hold.
"No!" she yelled out quickly when she saw it. She pushed Jonathan from her, running down the tiled floor and dropping to her knees as her hands hovered over the body and her sobs echoed through the hall as some other men gathered at the end of the hall. Jonathan felt something surge through his body as he pointed at them and then back to the man with the gun.
"She was trying to escape!" he yelled quickly and Jonathan shook his head. Lydia wouldn't try that. She wouldn't leave when her daughter had been there. Isabelle had said she was suffering from her illness in the night. She would have been searching for a bathroom to throw up in.
"No, she wasn't," Jonathan said calmly. "Apprehend him and leave him for trial in the morning!" Jonathan ordered and the men remained apprehensive as Jonathan looked at them with his narrowed eyes.
"Have you forgotten who I am?" he bellowed out. "I'm the Judge here! Now, if you'd like to argue my decision with Bane then be my guest!"
That gained a reaction. They all rushed forwards, grabbing onto the struggling man as Jonathan knelt beside Isabelle, looking down at Lydia's limp body as he snaked his arm around her waist. And this time, she allowed him to as she rested against him, sobbing gently.
...
One week had passed since her mother's death and Isabelle had managed to go a whole day without crying. Jonathan had been acting as Judge, leaving her in his room to cry and be alone. It was what she wanted. Little did he know. Isabelle had been planning. She'd been plotting to escape Jonathan's constant watch. She needed to try and get away from Gotham. It would have been what her mother would have wanted for her. It was what she wanted.
It was what she needed.
Being around Jonathan was evoking too many past emotions inside of her. They were emotions which she managed to bury deep down whilst they had been apart. But, they were now stirring, rearing their ugly head and threatening to become a nuisance. And then, there was Blake. She often found herself wondering about him. She wondered if he would be looking for her. She wondered if he was okay and safe. She hoped he was. She didn't want them to get to him.
"I need some air," Isabelle complained to Jonathan one evening as he entered the office, muttering under his breath about something or another as he looked at her suspiciously. "I've been holed up in here for a week, Jonathan. I need to go outside."
"Fine," Jonathan said; a shrug of his shoulders as he offered her his hand. She took it, knowing it was the only way for him to agree with her. His fingers moved into hers as he moved close to her side, escorting her through the crowds of people who were in City Hall. Once outside, she took a deep breath, the cold air feeling nice against her skin.
Jonathan had made sure she had a change of clothes as she stood in a new pair of jeans along with a thick blue cardigan over her blue vest top.
"Are you warm enough?" he checked with her and she nodded, looking straight ahead onto the quiet and empty street.
"I'm fine," she promised him. The streets were quiet. No one dared to move around and the only people out there were Bane's men.
"Okay," Jonathan whispered. "I am sorry for your mother."
"I know," Isabelle replied. And she did know that. She knew he was sorry as he had comforted her, holding her as she cried and realised what she had lost. He'd even exiled the man who had killed her. That was caring in Jonathan's strange way.
"Don't you wonder what it could be like?" Isabelle suddenly whispered to him, putting her plan into action as he walked with her down the streets, breathing in the air and feeling something stir inside of him. Walking with her down the street, no care in the world for the moment. It was something which he had longed for. Something he had come to dream about after the years he had spent in prison.
"What?" he asked her and they slowed down in the side street and Isabelle turned around to face him, taking hold of his other hand.
"Being free, Jonathan," she whispered and he chuckled, looking up to the sky as he did so.
"I've dreamt about for eight years, Isabelle." He assured her.
"I'm twenty nine," she crooned. "I don't want to die here."
Jonathan looked back down into her eyes, wondering what she was trying to do to him. He sighed once, pulling their entwined hands up so he could itch at his forehead.
"What are you suggesting?" he asked her, knowing what she wanted. He wasn't an idiot.
"We can find a way to leave," she informed him and he shook his head.
"There's no way," he snapped at her. "The bridges are cut off. The ferries aren't running. The planes have been grounded. What do you want me to do?"
"We need to try," Isabelle pleaded with him, looking into his blue orbs.
"And why would you want me to go with you?" Jonathan asked her, his voice low and dark. "You have told me that you can't stand me, Isabelle. Why would I go with you?"
Isabelle remained silent, not having an answer for him. She couldn't speak. Her throat tightened as she looked at him. She couldn't escape his watch to leave on her own. If she could escape with him...then she could lose him...she could lose him if they got off of the island and if they didn't...well...death was imminent.
"You're using me again, aren't you?" he checked with her, releasing her hands as he ran his own through his black hair, looking up to the night sky as she bit down on her bottom lip, unable to say anything to him. "Why do you do it, Isabelle?"
"Because I don't want to die here," she whispered.
"And you think I do?" Jonathan wondered aloud. "Do you think I am ready to die?"
"Then come with me," she begged him.
"And let you use me?"
"Jesus Christ. This goes beyond being used, Jonathan. Yes, I am using you...you can get us through Gotham...and you won't leave me...but yes...I'd love to live for longer than four months from this moment..."
"What have you done to me?" Jonathan asked her as his hand moved to caress her cheek. "Why am I considering this?"
"Because you know we have to," Isabelle replied, stepping closer to him, knowing that she was running out of time to make him go through with her will.
"No," Jonathan said, quickly shaking his head and letting her go. "No...it is not possible...Bane's men would kill us or we'd die trying...we need to hope for something to happen."
"What?" Isabelle wondered. "The Batman isn't saving Gotham, Jonathan."
"It still is not worth the risk," Jonathan told her, taking her hand back as he tried to drag her towards the City Hall. But, she refused to move. "Isabelle," he said; his voice warning and dangerous.
"I'm not going...Jonathan...I'd rather die then live holed up in there for another four months..." she informed him and he sighed loudly in annoyance, bending down to wrap both of his arms around her waist. She squealed in panic as he shifted her over his shoulder and began to move. She thumped against his back.
"Jonathan!" she yelled at him. "What the hell are you doing?"
"You're not getting yourself killed," he said in a growl. "I won't-"
He never managed to finish his sentence as he fell to the ground, Isabelle moving from his hold and smacking herself against the pavement, her body hitting it with extreme force as she groaned. She looked back at Jonathan who was on the floor, flat on his back with his eyes shut and she wondered what the hell had happened. And then she looked up and saw him stood there, a metal pipe in his hand before he chucked it to the floor, crouching down and offering her his hand.
"Are you alright?" he wondered as she rubbed her forehead and took hold of his warm hand, allowing him to haul her to her feet before he rested his hands onto her waist, looking into her eyes caringly. She gulped once at the look he was giving her. She'd never seen it before.
"What happened?" she enquired.
"I've been waiting here for the last hour, wondering when to go in and try to find you. You came out to me, lucky, huh?" he checked a grin forming on his face as she shrugged once.
"I suppose," she said, looking back down at Jonathan.
"I just knocked him out," he assured her. "Come on, we need to get out of here before someone sees us."
Isabelle remained stuck to the spot, looking down at Jonathan as he breathed deeply and Blake took hold of her hand, trying to pull her away from him.
"You need to let go," he said, his voice deep and low. But, he wasn't controlling. He was pleading with her. Begging for her to come with him. "If you stay with him then you're not getting off of this island, Isabelle. You'll be trapped here with him."
"I..." Isabelle stammered before Blake reached out, his hand gently pulling her chin so that he could look into her eyes.
"It's been eight years, Isabelle," he whispered, his voice soft. "He's not the man who you married. I know that you love him. I know that you still care for him regardless of what you want to feel. But, you need to know that he's no good for you. He can't give you what you want in the future."
"Who says that I'm going to have much of a future?" Isabelle wondered and Blake ran a hand along his temple, exasperated.
"I can't promise you that," he said simply. "I can try to help you out of here, but, I can't promise you it will happen. But...if you do have four months left...do you want to spend it holed up in a courthouse with a man who has done nothing but controlled you? Because, that is what he does, Isabelle."
...
John sighed once, watching as Isabelle sat up in his sleeping bag and remained silent, her body shaking as he brought the bottle of water over to her, handing it down as he knelt beside her outstretched legs.
"You came back," she stated after having a gulp of water. "You came back to find me."
"Well, I was annoyed at first," he told her with a nod. "I couldn't believe you'd run off, but, then I understood. Your mother was your main priority."
"Do you know?"
"I'd heard," John nodded at her. "I'm sorry about it."
"She...she thought you were...well...she approved of you," Isabelle informed John and he chuckled, running his hand up and down the back of his neck before he sent a toothy grin her way and she smiled back at him.
"Well," he shrugged. "What can I say? She wanted me to look after you."
"And I came," Isabelle nodded at him.
"I'm glad," he promised her.
"Jonathan won't be."
"He won't get to you again," he said and she looked away for a second as Blake studied her. "That bothers you, doesn't it?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "Everything which you said...you were right...John...he was possessive...but...even now...even now when I'm here...I still don't know how to feel about him."
"I can't say that I understand, because I don't," John said to her, his voice deep and quiet so he didn't wake anyone else up as he shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, seeing that she was slightly cold. "I don't know why you can't let go."
"It's like I said. I'm messed up."
"I don't believe that," he said, his voice stern with her. "You're not broken, Isabelle. But...you know that I'm here for you, don't you?"
"I gathered that due to the fact you'd stalked me down," she said, managing to smile at him and he nodded once.
"I'm serious," he promised her. "Just...try to get some sleep...we'll talk in the morning."
He began to stand, but Isabelle grabbed onto his hand, holding on tightly to him as he squatted slightly, looking down at her through her outstretched arm and she looked into his eyes.
"I...thank you..." she said quietly.
"Get some sleep," he repeated, squeezing her hand before letting go and walking off to do another night on watch. She watched him go and remained quiet, biting her lip as she lay down on the floor, thinking about everything which was going through her mind.
...
A/N: Thanks to ZabuzasGirl, AimzH21, bitemyt0ngue, Zeny, actressen, mahxie, Mingun, BaDWolF89 and LivinJgrl123 for reviewing. More to come tomorrow after I go and watch TDKR for the fourth time, slight obsession, I know. But, it was brilliant! Can't beat a bit of Death or Exile! Please do review, let me know what you think so far!