***Sorry this took so long to upload. I had a lot of tests in school this week which is why it took so long.
Upon learning about her father's death, Natalie's never felt more liberated. She was no longer worried about being beaten every night and she wasn't worried about people seeing the residual bruises from her father's beatings. So, in a sense, she felt free. In fact, as she stared at his dead body she began to cry. But not in sadness, in gratitude. She found herself feeling grateful to who ever killed him. Though they could have gotten rid of the body, they helped her do what she wished she could have long ago, get her father out of her life. Granted there could have been better methods to do so besides murder, like how she was waiting until the day she was eighteen so he would no longer have custody over her, but she wasn't going to be picky.
Of course after her father's death there was also the suspicion that came with it, which made her feel less free. She had spent countless, needless hours being interrogated by investigators, all of them pointing their fingers at her. Although, it was all in vein due to the fact that they have come up with little to no evidence so far besides the fact that she was in the house. She was actually kind of impressed by how well who ever this is pulled it off, it was definitely someone with experience.
Any how, besides that, since her fathers death which was two weeks ago, she had gotten a lot closer to Jerome and Barbara. Barbara was becoming like a big sister to her and Jerome was quickly becoming someone more than a friend. Lately, he's been a lot more affectionate towards her, not that she minded much. She has slowly began to become more and more attracted to him, with his personality and appearance.
He was so wonderful and kind to her and she loved how often he laughed and the way he did it as if he didn't have a care in the world. His nicknames for her, like gorgeous and sweet cheeks, never failed to make her cheeks turn bright pink and he would always laugh for a second at how cute she was. The way he looked at her always made her feel a little self conscious though, as if she felt didn't deserve the way his eyes gazed at her so adoringly when he thought she wasn't looking. He never failed to make her feel like she was the most important thing in his world, even though it was true because he didn't really have anyone else. She felt so protected and cared for by him, and maybe she would even go as far as saying loved, which was something she has been lacking in her life for a very long time.
But the only thing that Natalie couldn't get out of her head was the dream she had before finding out about her father's death. Granted it was just a dream which meant it didn't mean anything, or so Natalie thought at the time, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. She had wondered why Jerome had killed her in her dream? Why did he have such a hate filled glare for the women and what did she do to cause it? She had had so many unanswered questions at the time, and she felt silly for dwelling so harshly on them. 'They were just dreams they don't mean anything,' she had thought to herself over and over again.
"You know sweet cheeks, people might just start thinking your crazy if you keep getting lost in your head like that," Jerome stated leaning close to Natalie face, snapping her back into reality. She was at the dinner she and Jerome had met at and he was sitting across from her. It was once again nearly empty considering it was nearing towards closing time.
"I'm done caring about what other people are thinking," she groaned before putting her head in her arms. It was true, it was becoming sickening to have to pretend to be the devastated daughter after her father's death.
"I know how you feel, you know," he stated leaning in closer to her. When Natalie looked up again, he was nearly touching noses with her.
Her eyebrows scrunched up, forming a look of confusion on her face. "What do you mean Jerome?"
He looked at her with a meaningful look, one that made her feel vulnerable, not in a bad way though. In a way that made her feel like he knew what was going on and what was bothering her, no matter how hard she was trying to hide it. "Did I ever tell you that before I lived in Gotham permanently, I was part of the circus? Not part of any of the acts, but my mother was a snake dancer." He took one of Natalie's hands and began to play with it, using both of his hands to gently caress it and glide over it. It was almost like he was trying to comfort her as he told the story. Which was working, she wasn't sure why but when ever she was in contact with Jerome she felt warm and safe. But, Natalie felt curious as well, he had never talked about his mother before and definitely not much about his past at all.
"During the Spring the circus went through Kansas City right around my ninth birthday," he stated looking down at her hand. "My mom met this guy there and they used to drink a lot together." He took her hand, holding it firmly in his, intertwining their fingers. "They had just finished round one of boozing, boning, and beating up Jerome and were deciding to take a little break," he said calmly, looking into Natalie's eyes. Natalie gasped in shock covering her mouth with her hand. Tears welled in her eyes slightly in anger, the idea of anyone hurting Jerome gave her a very bitter feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Jerome I wish I could tell you that I knew what you were going through, but," Natalie replied, trying to be reassuring, but she was cut off.
"Don't you though?" Jerome interjected. He tilted his head to the side and stared at her skeptically for a moment. "Since I met you, I've never seen you show any of your skin until more recently. Even your face would be covered in layers of makeup until a few days ago. You hardly even grieved your father's death for a day and the day we first met I remember how you seemed so afraid of being late just to get home. Not to mention how you refused to let me walk you home which might as well be the equivalent of a big, neon sign for all the criminals to come and get you. And you've still failed to explain why you would rather do that then let me walk you home," Jerome stated.
Natalie's eyes widened, she didn't realize that he paid so much attention to those details before. No one else really gave much thought to those things before, but then again Natalie guessed that other people just didn't really care. It was clear he knew at this point and it seemed pointless to even try to deny it at this point. "He was really angry at me after I came home," she whispered taking her hands from his and putting them in her lap and she downcast her eyes as well.
"He deserved what he got, just like my whore of a mother," Jerome stated. Natalie looked up, her dream flashing in the back of her mind. Then she remembered from a few months ago, Jerome was on the news. He had killed his mother with a hatchet and they actually sent him to the asylum because of it. She couldn't believe she didn't recognize him the day she met him.
"You killed my father didn't you?" she asked in realization her eyes widening ever so slightly and her voice cracking a little.
Jerome nodded his head silently across from her, a smile spreading across his face. "You're smart Natalie, that's one of the things I like about you," he stated.
Tears welled in Natalie's eyes as she began to cry. She moved to the side that Jerome was sitting on a wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Tears leaked from her eyes as she shoved her face into his shoulder and her voice was brittle as she mumbled quiet 'thank you's into him. Jerome just held onto her with a wide, wicked smile spread across his face.