"Alright. I understand... Victor obviously was trying to protect her... accidental manslaughter perhaps, doubt he would be charged for it. Sounds almost familiar...", James whispered as Barbara knew he was thinking of Kel's first appearance in Gotham when she killed the mugger that put Thomas Wayne in the coma.
Barbara followed him, grabbing her purse, putting her phone in, replying, "He said they're in the upper side of Gotham Park.", and James nodded, "Hopefully, not too far with the traffic today.", as they locked up the place, and headed down to James' off-duty, unmarked police car in his garage, as these days, unlike in the '90s, officers can take their vehicles home.
They got in as Barbara prayed about Nora, "I hope Nora's alright...God, I don't know if it's bad, if something's broken during that bastard's hit on her...", knowing the ways of very visible marks from hitting, thanks to being a cop's daughter, and of course, being Batwoman on patrol.
"She might have some injuries, but I think I would worry more about Victor's mental health after that... even by accident, taking a life... it really haunts you.", James said.
"Like those two guys in that one shootout?", Barbara reminded as he nodded. One of James Gordon's first few years on the force and he ended up getting into a huge firefight with some drug dealers operating out of a rundown building when he was investigating a simple convenient store robbery. Gordon ended up putting down two men when returning fire.
James replied, "I know they were trying to hurt or kill me because they wanted those drugs, but it was still two lives, two lives where they had family, either related or created...".
Barbara sighed, nodding, having seen that on patrol, yet she can't always know that the bad guys had family or not, estranged or being alone essentially with their family ashamed of them or whatever.
They made it quickly by using James' sirens to cheat here and there, but otherwise, they made it to the park, driving to the upper side parking lot of the park, and gestured to Barbara, "Go, I'll follow you. I gotta make a call on the way.".
"Right.", Barbara nodded as she ran as fast as she could towards the area where she was confident that might be at, or at the very least see where they were. It only took about three minutes, but she finally found them and clearly, paramedics had already reached them as well. "Victor, Nora!", Barbara called out as she ran towards them.
Victor and Nora are wearing shock blankets around themselves, holding into each other, sitting on the curb end of the first ambulance and looked up in relief and desperation, "Barbara!", and she wrapped her arms around them, kissing them on their cheeks after they kissed her on the cheeks, "Oh, thank goodness you two are safe.", before rearing back slightly at a hiss of pain, and gasped, "Nora, oh, your eye and cheek...", taking a horrified yet concerned glance as she gently cradled Nora's chin, seeing Nora's other cheek and eye, clearly taking upon the beginnings of a awful bruising injury.
"Paramedic says it's just a bruise, that I should be alright with home treatments...", Nora sniffled. "I don't think he broke anything...".
"Maybe not physically... but emotionally, it's unforgivable!", Barbara growled. "Striking your own child like that just because of who she loves!".
Victor murmured, "You should have seen her when she stood up to him...She was bright and so beautiful like a star when she told him that she didn't care about his threats anymore because she knew she is loved by us, and she has a home with us, and that she loves us no matter what he said!", with an admiring, loving, and warm look as Nora blushed, a smile forming.
Barbara smiled, "I'm so proud of you, Nora...", before exhaling, looking at Victor, "Did that bastard hit you anywhere?", with concern as she didn't see visible bruises, but she knew with autumn now, he's wearing warm, long-sleeved clothes and all, like everybody else, and there would be bruises under them.
"Got a few body blows but I was better prepared for them... not like when he struck her.", Victor explained. "Everything... it happened so fast... and then when he fell and hit the rock...". Victor obviously looked sick to his stomach as he mentally replayed the moment in his head.
Barbara went to sit between her lovers, rubbing their backs as she comforted Victor, "Shh, Victor, you didn't mean anything wrong. It was accidental, and you were self-defending yourself and Nora, especially from an estranged father which is basically him rejecting Nora for who she is, and being a bigot towards you, and probably me as well, even if we hadn't met him before. I know it's sickening, but he wouldn't hurt Nora ever again, physically or emotionally because we got her, Victor, and she deserves to be loved.", as she also comforted Nora who practically buried herself into Barbara's side, wanting to be warm and safe.
Victor exhaled, "I know you're right...But I...Am I going to be charged for this, if he's alive with a busted head, or dead outright minutes after I called you? 911 was called by somebody else who saw it all happen...", as Nora whispered, "I don't know if he's still married to that bitch stepmother, or divorced her, if there's going to be a charge...Mom is definitely watching from up high, along with my grandparents on both sides...", with a sniffle.
Barbara was about to speak before James walked up, "I had to call for a patrol car at least so I could have some uniforms taking a statement. Victor, forgive me for asking, but I need you to explain to me every detail you can of what led up to the incident. You didn't instigate anything, correct? Her father was the one who started things?".
Victor took a deep breath as he felt Barbara's hand rubbing his back, and Nora's hand clenching into his hand upon Barbara's lap, "We were taking a stroll to digest some lunch from a cafe we were in earlier, talking and holding hands...It wasn't long after we came into this part of the park when we heard someone calling for Nora by her full name...Nora was tense yet calm, even if I can feel her fear a bit, and I was worried for her when he came up of nowhere...It was clear that there was familiarity between them, next to some features related as well...".
James nodded as he wrote it down on his trusty notepad, next to the recorder, and Victor exhaled, and Nora handed him a free top water bottle, and he smiled weakly in thanks, sipping it before taking another deep breath, "He was asking her, more like sort of demanding her to talk alone without me, calling me the first of disrespecting words and all, and I was about to stand up for Nora, not trusting him when Nora told me that she got it, that she'll be fine...I was hesitant, wanting to trust my gut about him, but I knew Nora can't be sheltered all the time from him when she was afraid of him, and something about Nora, like she needed to do it, told me to give her the chance...So, I comforted her lovingly as best as I could without being too PDA in front of him in case if he goes off like a grenade of a bigot, and stepped away, not far from her, but close enough to give them privacy, and in my gut, close enough for her to come to me if she gets uncomfortable or such...", recalling the best as he could, relieved that he has a brilliant mind, if occasionally broken by his ladies.
"So, I must ask, what exactly have you heard? Miss Mears, don't say a word or try to correct him right now. I need to know what he thinks he heard before we correlate to what actually was said.", James requested.
Nora was silent, nodding, not just because this is Barbara's father, but the commissioner of his precinct, even if she wanted to protest at the use of her name. Victor sipped his water bottle again, and spoke, "Their conversation was controlled, calm mostly, with loud words here and there from him, insulting me and Barbara in ways I don't want to repeat again in front of them, threatening Nora about disowning her and taking away her remaining college savings...Then Nora was loudly saying that she didn't want to be a Mears anymore like her mother, proud to be herself and she doesn't want him anymore in her life. That was when the shouting started by him, looking angry. He said that Nora's mother will be very disappointed in her, calling her a disgrace, and that she should be grateful that she had him paying for college she didn't even deserve to have.".
James kept writing in his notepad, nodding, and Victor then took a deep breath, "Nora shouted back that her mother would be proud of her, and ashamed of him, that Nora said that she's proud to be a disgrace because she wouldn't care about his threats anymore because she got me and Barbara behind her, supporting and loving her, and she got a home with us, not him, and she deserves to love us, to be who she is, no matter what he said. She even said that he can't stop her because she isn't a shriveling minor, but a strong woman who is proud to be bisexual. It felt like a moment passed for him to process that before he became enraged, calling her ungrateful and that 'b' word', and then hit her...That scream of pain and seeing her fall to the ground...It spurred me to run to her, to defend her, shouting at him to leave us alone.", trying to control his breath from being too upset.
James nodded by hearing that, "And so, then what exactly happened when you ran to her? Did you take a swing first or did he when you approached to defend her?".
"He swung first.", Victor sighed. "I... I only had first wanted to push him away so I could drop down to shield Nora from him, but when I got close, he took a swing... got me in my hip and then just... instinct, I guess. I tightened my fists and took some swings towards him. Just devolved into nasty street fight of sorts rather than some sort of boxing match.".
James nodded, "Right...", still noting down on his notepad as Victor exhaled, "I think I barely heard Nora calling for my name in fear and worry amongst sobs, pleading for us to stop but didn't hear her get up to stop us, realizing that her estranged father wasn't listening, just street fighting between calling me pathetic and other things, as I tried to stop, backing off, but he just kept coming, and just as he was swinging at me again, I pushed him away, not hard, but rough enough to put some distance, and he was like between being upset that I was stronger than he thought, and was seeming to think twice, like he wanted to charge at me again and taking a step back at the same time...He and I didn't see that scrawny log, and before I knew it, he fell backwards over it, and bashed his head into that rock...I didn't know what I can do, I barely knew I saw him breathing for a bit, but I didn't know if it was good or bad, I was just stunned, and I was afraid to make it worse...Nora went to check over me, and I immediately went to worry about her, and Nora then urged me to call Barbara. Someone else must have seen some of it happening, calling for 911 then...".
"So, you can confirm, if put to lie detectors and under oath, that those final steps that Mr. Mears took was him backing up under his own power rather than you pushing him back? That he himself stepped on that log rather than you pushing him, even if not intending for what happened next to happen?", James asked.
Victor nodded in response to that, "Yes... I... I blame myself though still... that I didn't just simply grab Nora and quickly take her away from him.".
Nora spoke softly, "But he would still choose to go after us.", with a sniffle, wincing, and Barbara picked up a water bottle, handing it to her, "Cool it down there on the bruise...", and Nora gave a small smile of gratitude, resting the water bottle on her bruise, exhaling in relief.
Barbara turned to Victor, "It was self-defense, Vic...I am sure the other uniforms will see that, and it's not your fault. And how can you know if he planned to confront Nora, or just appearing out of coincidence?", with a nod.
"We might know soon enough.", James said. "Either he'll make a recovery; or he might live but completely forget the events or permanently injured. In that case or if he dies, then perhaps his significant other might know how. Am I correct, Miss Mears, that he was married to your stepmother still?".
Nora replied, "As far as I knew, yes, but I tried to cut off all contact with him right after I got into university two years ago, so I don't honestly know if he's divorced from her...or still married to her...She betrayed my trust, and I was foolish and young...I don't want anything to do with her, or with him if he survives...My mother, bless her soul, was the only support in my younger years before she died in a pedestrian crash with a drunk driver. I think my grandparents on her side had clued in, but I guess, from up above, they and my grandparents on his side would support me if they knew...".
Barbara replied, "And we are your support now, Nora...Are we going to the hospital, after the other uniforms get their statements?", and James replied, "That's up to Miss Mears if she wants to confront her stepmother, and get the truth from the doctors about Mr. Mears, but honestly, I'd rather want to get Victor out of charges and such as soon as possible...All the same, I can't be too personal, considering that you two are in a relationship with my daughter, but I promise I'll do my best to help find the facts and all, next to my other comrades.".
"Thank you, sir...", Victor said before he blinked when he realized what James had said. "Wait... you mean...?".
"Yes, Barbara told me only minutes before you called.", James nodded. "And I'll admit... it's very unorthodox and will take a while to get used to the whole fact that my daughter's in a polygamous relationship rather than a monogamous one where I somewhat thought she would have, but... I do want you both to know that I'm alright with it because I see how you both make Barbara happy. As she said, if this works for all of you, then I'll be okay with it.".
"Thank you, Mr. Gordon.", Nora gave a small smile before wiping her face as she was tearing up. James smiled warmly, "No need, Nora, and you'll always have a place to visit for safety in my home, and oh, you two are invited for Thanksgiving, no argument about it.".
Victor and Nora cracked smiles bigger now, nodding, knowing that from Barbara's stories for Victor, and Nora, having visited Barbara's previous home during weekend breaks when Victor was busy, knew that James Gordon is a stubborn yet understanding man.
And so, James got Nora's account of the incident to compare with Victor, and went to talk with the witness that called 911, while the other uniforms came in to gather statements, and after that, the trio went to the hospital for Victor's sake, having been a bit more injured in a way unlike Nora, who wanted to stay with Victor and Barbara, needing to feel safe and unable to be away from them, though she knew she had to be brave and indifferent in case her stepmother came in, while hearing that her father lost too much blood as it was caused by his fault, and declared dead by the time his ambulance reached the surgery ward.
Obviously, all were worried about if Victor was going to find himself being charged with any sort of crime, even with what the police commissioner himself said. At worst, the older man said, Victor could be charged with accidental manslaughter, but no jury would ever convict in that scenario and there would never be a need to bring up that both him and Nora were dating Barbara. Just a crazed homophobic father striking his daughter before tripping on a log would easily get things dismissed.
Thankfully, it was all unnecessary; some more questions with the police but no charges were made. It was deemed as just a freak accident and that it was more Nora's father's fault than anything Victor had done. After all, he didn't slam the man's head against the rock himself which probably would've resulted in charges.