Jim Gordon made his way through the wards at Gotham General, crossing two people in his path.

Joan. Aaron. Both with little more than 2 hours sleep. And it showed.

Joan's bloodshot eyes flickered as she saw the police badge on his coat- and she stopped- glancing over her shoulder with anxiety.

Aaron whispered something, wrapping his arm around her. He knew they couldn't interfere. It wasn't right.

With a sorrowful look, they left- without Jim even knowing they were there.

Jim continued on until he reached the Recovery Rooms.

The beds were squishy, weighted with several propped-up cushions over the wooden headboard.

Cassidy, covered in a hospital gown, was too sluggish to notice Jim standing there. But she made no attempt to hide her face- not from anyone who passed by.

Not anymore.

"Cassidy Price?"

She turned to him, wide-eyed.

"Sorry- I... Didn't mean to disturb-" Jim hesitated as he approached "- I'm Commissioner Gordon, I work for the GCPD. Call me Jim"

Cassidy smiled back at him, shaking his hand.

"Can-"

"Do y-"

Both interrupted at the same time, stammering.

"Sorry, go on," Jim said.

"No, it's, um. Do you want to sit down?"

"Thanks"

Jim let out a sheepish laugh as he took a seat in the adjoining chair.

Honey-scented flowers adorned the table across. Daisies, tulips, and dotted cards with 'Get well soon!' messages on the front. Some brought in recently- but all the visitors had been and gone.

He sighed, rubbing his wrist.

"I hate to ask... But I was wondering if, when you're feeling up to it, you'd be able to come down to the station? Don't worry, you're not in trouble"

Cassidy went blank.

"I understand if you don't want to, I mean-"

"No- uh, it's not that, I-"

Cassidy focused on the wall TV, where repeating news footage showed Arkham, from a bird's-eye view, burnt to ashes.

Joker's mugshot appeared. Grinning... As if he was in the room with them.

"Do you want me to change the channel?" Jim asked, his face grave.

Despite it all, Cassidy shook her head.

"It's fine... I... Watched it this morning"

Jim coughed.

"So... you and your dad... Will you be going back to Maitland, or?"

It wasn't the best topic to bring up, but Jim was desperate to change the subject- maybe even more than she was.

After a moment, Cassidy found herself smiling at his question- gazing out of the crystal-cut windows.

"... I'm staying here"

Jim sat up in surprise.

"Really? I mean, with everything that's happened, I just thought... You wouldn't want to"

Jim bumbled as her smile faded away. Shit. He shouldn't have said that.

"Sorry... I- I know it's none of my business"

"..."

Jim felt like leaving the room. He had already done enough damage.

But the silence between them didn't last.

"It's just... Some of the patients... They... Looked out for me and I..."

Cassidy looked up at him with sincerity.

"... I want to be there for them... Y'know?"

"CASS!"

Both turned as Henry raced back into the room, dropping his bag and coffee cup on the table.

"Cass! Are you alright?" Henry said, dropping down at her side. "What's going on?"

"Everything's fine- We just need to ask her a few questions-"

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Infuriated, Henry stood in defense, pointing at Jim.

"She's just come back from surgery and you want to-"

"Dad"

Henry faced her warm, reassuring smile.

"It's ok," Cassidy said, soothing, as she took his hand. "I'll go".

///

A lone sparrow flew over the hospital, flapping its wings far above the reporters queued at the entryway. Like starving tigers, they pushed their way to the front with cameras and tape recorders at the ready.

"This is Vicki Vale, reporting live outside Gotham General-"

Vicki, a stoic blonde dressed in a gray sweater and leather jacket, kept her spotlight in the center as she lifted the microphone.

"Today marks the end of a long nightmare- as hostages at Arkham Asylum were finally rescued after a fire broke out late last night..."

Her voice blurred into past footage of Joan, Aaron, and Alyce replayed, racing out of the burning asylum with the other hostages. The green vines behind them retreated into the smoke as if they were never there.

"The ordeal, which began on the 14th February, ended violently after IEDs detonated inside the building, in what has been confirmed by officials as 'Aggravated arson'...

... There are still no further details as to who is responsible"

The footage showed all surviving inmates, including Joker, taken into the back of SWAT vans and driven away. Not even the reporters were sure where they would end up, and likely, it wouldn't matter. Whether it was Blackgate or some other institution... They would no doubt escape again.

A photo of Pearl Crawford came on screen- confirmed as the youngest victim when she was murdered.

She was 19 years old.

"When asked for a statement-" Vicki continued "Prof. Hugo Strange, warden of Arkham Asylum- had this to say:

'Once again, we have fallen at the mercy of those in our care. Regrettably, this is no surprise. Our facility was an open wound...

... I doubt it will be able to recover'".

///

Cassidy, dressed again in her long-sleeve turtleneck and jeans, snuck through the side door of Gotham General.

Henry shielded her in his arms. She felt the urge to tell him she was fine, that she didn't mind the press. But she kept quiet. There was a lot that had been left unsaid.

And they needed each other. More than ever.

Jim led them to an unmarked police car: black, secretive.

He turned the ignition as the press ran to them, shouting, but they were too late.

The car sped off- cameras flashing behind.

Wayne Tower stood illuminated above the streets, shining an ocean blue onto the hood of the car.

Jim checked his rearview mirror. To see Cassidy and her father, her head resting on him as they held each other- something about it felt familiar.

Tears fell down Cassidy's face. Silent.

She wasn't okay, not in the slightest. But they were together...

... And above all- it mattered.

"Back there, what you said... At the hospital..." Jim began, his eyes darting to Cassidy. "... Did you mean it?"

Cassidy replied with a firm nod.

"What's he talking about?" Henry whispered.

She squeezed his hand.

"I'll tell you later"

Cassidy smiled, looking out at the morning sky.

~End~

A/N: And that's it, folks! This story was a passion project for me and I'm so glad I finished it! Thank you for joining me on this crazy journey- I hope you enjoyed it! 

Until next time~