Imagines'R'Us

"I was-I was just trying to shake them" the girl said through the sobs, "I-I didn't mean to drop it."

"It's okay, honey. I'm a doctor, I'll fix you right up."

Lee dampened a washcloth, wiping away the blood from the six-year-old's knee.

"You know" Lee started, "the best way to get rid of that stinging pain is actually by eating food."

The little girl sniffled. "Really?"

Lee tossed the cloth to the side, and placed a fresh band aide on the small cuts. "Mhm. And do you know what kind of food you're supposed to eat?"

Rubbing her eyes, she shook her head.

"Ice cream!"

In less than an instant, the tears went away, and the little girl nearly jumped off the counter. Lee caught her around the waist, setting her down easily.

Lee laughed at her excitement. "Careful, (Y/N), there's still glass."

"Can we really get ice cream? My favorite kind? Two whole scoops?" she talked quickly.

Chuckling, Lee said, "That's right. Two whole scoops, but only because I'm in a good moods today."

The girl ran to the door and began jumping up and down, in a rush to get out.

"Hang on" said Lee, "I still have to clean up the glass."

Getting a broom and dustpan, Lee quickly disposed of the shards.

"You're done, let's go!" she shouted.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! I'm just grabbing my keys."

"Hurry, mommy, let's go!"

Lee froze still. Looking at (Y/N), she wondered if she had heard her right.

"Mommy, come on!"

There was no denying it now. (Y/N) had called her mom. It had been for the first time since she began looking after her over a year ago. Mom. She was her mom now.

Finally, (Y/N) was done waiting, and she came and grabbed Lee by the arm, dragging her out of the house. And when they got to the ice cam parlor, she let her get three scoops.

Jim and Lee lingered at the table. (Y/N) was put to bed half and hour ago. The two of them stayed up, drinking wine and chatting. Finally, Lee found the time to tell Jim what had happened.

"(Y/N) called me 'mommy' today?"

Jim looked up from the file he was reading. "She what?"

Lee grinned, nodding. "She called me 'mommy'. Five times. Twice before we left for ice cream, one at the parlor, once in the car, and once before dinner."

Jim grinned. "Keeping score."

Lee smiled, "You bet I will be. James, she told me she loved me. Of course, it was after I bought her lots of ice cream, but...I-I want to make her mine now. Officially. I want to adopt her."

Jim's face suddenly darkened. He lost eye contact and looked to the table.

"She's basically yours already."

"I guess basically, but I want it to be official. I want to be able to take her to school without the other mom's whispering behind my back. I want to go to her partner-teacher meetings and have the teachers actually talk to me without them just dismissing me as 'the girlfriend'. They-They don't believe I love her, they just think I put up with her for you."

"Lee-"

"No! I do love her, and I don't want to lose her. Not even if we break up."

"We're not going to break up."

"Obviously we're never going to break up, but I'm just telling you what everyone else I'd thinking."

"I don't think this is the best time to become an official guardian" Jim told her.

"And why is that?"

"Because Barbara is awake!"

Lee stilled. "What?"

Jim sighed. "She's been waking up a few times a week before going back into her comatose state."

"And we weren't going to tell me this?" she demanded.

"I wasn't going to say anything until she was actually awake."

"What if she awoke while you were gone?" she yelled, "Jim! You should have told me! How would I have known to protect (Y/N) if I didn't even know Barbara was awake?"

"She's still locked in prison. She can't get here."

"She's escaped before!"

"All I'm saying is that if she woke up to see she wasn't (Y/N)'s mom anymore, she be angry" Jim defended.

"I don't care!" Lee shouted. "She's not her mom anymore. I am! She lost her parental privileges when she jumped off a building and tried to kill herself, leaving her daughter all alone."

"Alone? She still had me!" Jim yelled back.

"You were too obsessed with work to pay her any mind!" Lee accused. "I take her to school, I get take her to the park, I tuck her into bed every night. I deserve this, Jim! I-"

Lee suddenly stopped, watching as (Y/N) popped up from the other room. "H-Honey, what are you doing up?"

"We're talking, baby. Go ahead and go back to bed."

She nodded. "Goodnight, daddy. Goodnight, mommy."

(Y/N)'s feet were heard pattering away on the floor.

Lee looked at Jim. "Seven times."

Lee had done it. (Y/N) was finally and officially hers. It was easy after she convinced Jim to sign off on the papers. The judge had said they had one of the quickest ruling ever. After all, the real mother was a psychotic murderer in a coma.

It had been a whole month since it had happened, and Lee had hardly left her alone since. After school she would pick her up and bring her to work. There was a computer in the side of her office that would entertain her, and she never even looked at the bodies she was cutting open.

(Y/N) loved seeing her dad at work too. She swore she'd be a police officer when she grew up. Her and Lee continued to grow closer. Lee loved her, more than she could have ever though possible.

When she became pregnant with Jim's second child, it was (Y/N) who was most happy about it. Lee and her went out one day and bought two hundred dollars worth of baby name books and toys. (Y/N) was playing with them all. Lee found herself engrossed in the naming book.

The doorbell rang, disrupting her from her reading. She pulled herself out of the chair. Swinging the door open, she found the air suddenly stolen from her lungs.

"Hiya, Thompkins" Barbara giggled, "Is my daughter home?"

Lee tried to slam the door shut, but Barbara was too fast for her. She flung her arm out, propped open the door, and backhanded Lee. Lee fell flat on the ground. Barbara waltzed in, giving Lee a harsh kick to the mouth as she did. Lee folded in pain, but she covered her stomach protectively.  

"(Y/N)!" Barbara called out, "Where are you, dear?"

(Y/N) appeared from the living room. Taking in the sight, she screamed. "Mommy!"

Barbara knelt down. "I'm here, baby! I'm home!"

But (Y/N) ran right past her, she fell on her knees next to Lee. "Mommy, are you okay?"

Barbara felt her blood boiling. Calmly, she spoke, "(Y/N), it's me. I'm here."

"What did you do to my mommy?" the little girl accused.

Barbara snapped, matching towards Lee and grabbing her by the hair roughly. "What the fuck did you do to my (Y/N)?"

Lee suddenly kicked her legs out, catching Barbara by the back of the knees and sending her tumbling down. Lee turned over and pushed (Y/N) towards the door.

"Run!" she screamed.

"Mommy..." (Y/N) hiccuped. Sobs began taking over her, "I'm scared..."

"Go find your dad!" Lee screamed at her, "Find the police, they'll take you to him! Don't stop running until you find a police officer!"

"Mommy-"

"Go find a police officer!"

(Y/N) couldn't take it anymore. She bolted. She ran out the building, weaving in and out of people. Finally, as she reared a corner, she spotted the familiar light blue suit that signified a Gotham police officer. She ran to him like her life depended on it. Her mother's did.

"Help!" she yelled. She attached herself to the man's leg. "Help me!"

The man turned around, frowning at the child. "What the hell-"

"Take me to my daddy!" she yelled, "My mommy's in trouble!"

"Woah, woah, woah" the man said, "Slow down, little girl, tell me your name."

"(Y/N)! I need my daddy!"

"I might just help you" he said, "I like children. What is your daddy's name?"

"Jim Gordon."

The man's face lit up in a large smile. "Well, then I'll definitely help you. I actually know exactly where he is."

He picked the girl up, resting her on his hip as he carried her.

"I'm Jerome, by the way. And we're just gonna take a small detour before getting your father."

Ed took a stroll to Gordon's desk, carefully walking between groups of officers, making sure not to move too quickly. That would cause even more suspicion.

When he reached Gordon's desk, he spotted Kringle's file sitting on top. Her beautiful picture was exposed to him. He paused for a moment to admire it.

"Are you Detective Gordon?" he heard a feminine voice call.

He turned, startled. A beautiful women stood in front of him. She had full hair and a long green dress on. She held a small purse in her hands.

"Detective Gordon?" she asked again.

"No" Ed told her, "Detective Gordon isn't here right now. May I-May I take a message?"

The woman shook her head. "I was supposed to have a meeting with him. An interview?"

Ed asked, "Interview?"

The woman blushed, looking down to her feet. "My...fiancé...he ran off with another woman. Dectective Gordon needed my statement on a possible kidnapping."

"Your fiancé?"

She sighed. "Tom Dougherty."

Ed nearly choked on air. "T-Tom Dougherty? He's-He's engaged?"

"For almost two years now..." she stated, her voice trailing unsatisfactorily.

"I was not aware he...had a fiancé."

"I know he likes to keep his personal business out of his workplace because he likes to..." she clenched her jaw together tightly, "...talk to other women."

Talk...

"I can assure you, Ms. Kringle had no way of knowing Dougherty was in any kind of relationship" Ed told her.

She strained a smile. "Kringle. So that was her name. Doesn't matter now, he's already ran off. At least now I know who convinced him to run off. Although I have to admit, this is the longest he has been gone."

Ed asked, astonished, "He's run off often?"

She nodded, a frown forming on her face. "Every time he meets a women he thinks is more exciting than me."

"I don't understand why you would stay. You're-You're still wearing a ring."

Ed jesters to the small diamond on her finger. She played with the ring, twisting it around her finger a few times.

Shrugging, she said, "He's the only one I have. The only one who wants me."

Ed was surprised of how such a beautiful women could say such a thing. Taking a step closer, he watched as she flinched back from him. After doing so, she laughed awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, I have a nervous flinching habit. I must have watched too many horror movies growing up."

Ed doubted that excuse. He knew the kind of man Dougherty really was.

"He hurt Ms. Kringle" Ed spoke, "Your fiancé. He hurt her."

She didn't seem surprised by this information at all. "He's not a very gentle man."

Ed asked, "Did he hurt you?"

She looked away, simply saying, "Tell Mr. Gordon to give me a call when he gets back."

She turned to walk away. Ed was struck by a sudden feeling, one making him call out to her before she had a chance to leave.

"You shouldn't spend your time waiting around for him" he told her, "He's not coming back."

"He will eventually" she sighed, "When his others girl's become talk much of a hassle for him."

She turned again, and this time she didn't stop. As Ed watched the beautiful women walk away he realized that some part of him wanted to be caught. And if he ever was, he hoped the news of him murdering both her fiancé and his mistress would some how trace back to her.

And it seemed it did. He was already in Arkham asylum when it had. He had already been tried and locked up. Within a week he received it. His first letter.

The name 'Lucille Landon' was written across the envelope in beautiful letters. It would almost have to be calligraphy. Ed hated how the guards read his letters first. The envelope was torn open callously, ruining its perfect smoothness.

As he unfolded the letter, the smell of a soft perfume hit him. He looked at the words before him. In the same calligraphy writing, one casual word was sprawled across the entire page.