Again I'd like to thank JulieMcIntrye4 for the inspiration for this chapter and for helping me to write it. Warning ⚠️ spousal abuse is talked about in this chapter.

Jeremiah POV

"Jeremiah it's time to get down to business. You promised to tell me about your plan to rescue your baby sister from your abusive Uncle."

I sighed I had hoped that she'd forgotten about that. "My Uncle only really loves two things."

"Yeah, his Alcohol and money."

"The truth is Quinn, that your not going to like this plan one bit but it has already been placed in motion." I replied looking at her apologetically.

"What did you do Jeremiah?" Quinn asks warily.

"I sent him a letter with a five thousand dollar down payment, with a promise of another ten if he'd willingly give up his guardianship over the teenager in his care. I left a card with a number to call if he was interested. He agreed and we set up a delivery date..."

"Jeremiah that's illegal! She's not an animal she's a person! Did you ever once stop to think of how much this would hurt her?" Quinn demanded angrily.

I sighed "Yes. Believe me this is for the best. Quinn you can not fathom the amount of abuse he puts her through. What's worse, the GCPD doesn't seem the slightest bit interested in arresting him on charges of child abuse. Why? Because she refused to admit to being abused. Unfortunately, a few cuts and bruises are not enough to obtain a warrant."

"I can't believe you!" Quinn said standing up and throwing the glass of water in my face. "Here I thought that you might have changed by your still the same old Jeremiah. You only care about yourself. I don't ever want to hear from or see you again!"

Jeremiah POV

"Oh dear. What happened?" Molly asked in concern.

I sighed "She's just a little upset is all."

"Go after her." Molly encouraged.

"Excuse me?"

"Go after her. If you don't, you'll always regret it. Whatever it was that you said that upset her, apologies. You must not let this separate you. The two of you belong together. Trust me, I can spot true love when I see it. Give her a little time think things over she will eventually realize that your plan to save your sister is the right one." Molly said with a smile.

"Were you listening to our conversation?" I asked with a frown.

"No dear. I know you. I know what's in your heart Jeremiah. I know that you care for your sister and that you care just as much for Quinn."

"Who are you?"

"Let's just say I'm a guardian angel. I want what's best for the both of you. I always have always looked out for all of you. Now go after her and bring her back. You still haven't had dessert yet and no dinner is complete with out it." Molly replied with a wink. It was then that I spotted something shiny in Quinn's favorite dessert. A ring. Not just any ring but her mother's wedding ring.

"Where did you get that? Quinn said that her father refused gave it to her sister despite her mother's will stating it was for her."

"I know. He had no right to keep it from her. It belongs to her." Molly replied with a frown. "Please make sure she gets it, and Jeremiah, good luck."

"Who are you? I mean who are you really?"

"No one of importance." Molly replied with a smile. Just as she turned to leave I noticed she wore a necklace with the name Claire on it. The necklace looked very familiar.

"Excuse me Molly I don't mean to pry but where did you get that necklace?"

At this "Molly's gaze turned sad. "It belonged to someone very dear to me who passed away years ago in an unfortunate accident."

"Your Quinn's sister aren't you?."

"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone else."

"No I don't think I do. How else would you know our names and our past? Unless you were ease dropping on our entire conversation but then, how did you come by Quinn's mother's wedding ring?"

"Please Jeremiah let it drop." Molly pleaded.

"I'm afraid that I can't do that." I replied. If she was Quinn's mother or her sister Quinn had the right to know.

Molly sighed and nodded. "Yes I am Quinn's older sister."

"I thought Quinn said you moved to metropolis with your husband. What are you doing here in Gotham working as a waitress?"

"Marrying Jorden was the worse mistake of my life. I wish I had never met him. He's the reason our mother died. Jorden was both physically and verbally abusive. One day our mother caught him beating me and she tried to put a stop to it. In doing so she lost her own life in the process."

"Why weren't you at your mother's funeral?"

"Jordan refused to allow me to go. He insisted that my mother's death was her own fault. That I didn't deserve to mourn for her. I begged and pleaded with him to let me attend but it only served in making him angrier at me."

"The day of my mother's funeral he caught me looking at a picture of her and crying. He then proceeded to beat me with his belt until I blacked out from the pain. That night I tried telling him that I was missing my family and I needed time to mourn for my mother. He smiled and chuckled evilly."

Flashback
"Please Jorden let me go the funeral. I need time to mourn for my mother and I need to be with my family to help support them in this hard time."

"What makes you think that you'd be wanted you there? You are after all, the reason that you're father's wife is dead." Jorden replied cruelly. Besides I'm your family now. You will never talk to or see those freaks again. Is that clear?"

"Please Jorden, My father and sister need me now more then ever. Especially my sister."

"Why is that?"

"My father doesn't know how to relate to Quinn. I know that he won't give Quinn the love and attention that she needs. He will return to ignoring her and she will wind up having to raise herself."

"Fine. You can go to the funeral but you won't be returning alone. Your to bring your sister with you. She'll make a fine addition to my staff of girls." Jorden replied with a chuckle.

"No."

"What did you just say to me?"

"I said No."

"Looks like I'm going to have to remind you of your place woman!" Jorden replied taking off his belt moving closer to a now trembling Molly. "I'll give you one more chance to change your mind if you don't well, you won't be able to leave the house for a least two weeks by the time I'm done with you." Jorden replied with an evil chuckle.

End of flashback.

"Molly are you alright? You zoned out for a few minutes.

"Yes. Sorry. I was having a flashback of the day of my mother's funeral." Molly replied wiping away the tears from her eyes. "The next morning I awoke to a room filled with balloons and stuffed animals and chocolates. Jorden was standing in the doorway holding a bouquet of my favorite flowers. He apologized and swore that he'd never do anything like that again."

"Unfortunately, he couldn't keep his promise not to hurt me. Every time he'd get drunk he'd beat me. Then when he sobered up he's apologize and beg me to forgive him. Like a fool, I would always forgive him and believe that it would be the last time but it kept happening. It was when he caused a miscarriage that I couldn't take it anymore. I filed for divorce and packed my things and moved back here."

"Molly I am so sorry. Why didn't you ever try to contact your father or Quinn?"

"I wanted too, but I was afraid that he'd find out. I knew after how I treated Quinn when we were growing up that she'd never want to help me who could blame her. Please promise me that you won't tell her about me. I don't want her to forgive me because she feels sorry for me."

"Ok. I still think you should talk to her but it's your decision."

"Just promise me one thing, promise me that you will try and make things right with Quinn after everything she's been through she deserves to be happy."

"I will."

Quinn POV

I had to get some air. How could Jeremiah do something this stupid? He had always been the practical one. I could not believe what I had just heard. How could he even think that giving his Uncle money to release his sister from his custody was ok? to It was not only illegal but it was immoral. I was also troubled by what Jeremiah had said about Jerome.

Could he have been right? Had Jerome been fooling me all this time into thinking he was a good person when in reality he was cruel and manipulative? Did Jerome care about me or his sister at all? Or was it all part of his act?

Of course Jerome cares about us. If he didn't he wouldn't have cared if we died during his carnival of terror. It was clear that he did everything in his power to ensure that we didn't get hurt."

My conscience scolded me. Well there's only one way to find out. I had to go to Arkham and speak to Jerome in person.

Just as I was about to leave, I felt someone place a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see the supervisor Claire with a concerned look on her face. "What are you doing out here all alone in the cold without a jacket on? You'll catch your death of cold." Claire scolded me.

At this, I laughed slightly. "My mother use to tell me that all the time when I was younger. You remind me of her."

"Your Mother sounds like a wise woman."

"She was. I miss her. She always seemed to know the right thing to do."

"Could I give you some free advice? While I don't agree with withholding the information from the police Jeremiah does have the right idea."

"How did you know what we were talking about?"

"Because I know you Quinn. You only get upset over things that are not fair or seem immoral."

"You don't know anything about me!" I replied angrily.

"I know that your the kind of person who always put others first. If might make a suggestion, let Jeremiah go ahead with his plan to rescue his sister."

"I won't be a part of an illegal operation."

"Who says it has to be illegal?" Claire replied with a slight smile.

"The last time I was aware blackmailing someone and withholding evidence from the police is illegal. As is the concept of purchasing a child." I replied irritatedly.

Claire seemed to be slightly amused by my response and she shook her head and sighed. "As usual Your looking at it the wrong way."

"What do you mean?"

"What better way to trap that horrible man, then to have him get caught red handed trying to sell the Valeska girl?" Claire replied.

"I'll think about it right now I have something that I have to do."

"Your going to go visit Jerome." Claire replied sighing in what seemed to be disappointment.

"Yes."

"I understand. However, before you go please go back inside and have dessert."

"Actually I'm quite stuffed." I replied.

"We have your favorite red velvet cake and I think the young man inside may have a surprise for you."

"No thanks. If I'm going to do what needs to be done then I have to leave now."

"I understand. Just promise me one thing Quinn, give Jeremiah another chance. He really is a wonderful young man and his intentions are good." Claire replied and I nodded.

"I know. You remind me of my mother. If I didn't know better I'd say that you are my mother. You look just like her you could almost pass for her twin."

The woman sighed "I might very well be your mother."

"If this is a joke it's not the least bit funny. In fact, it's down right cruel."

"Please hear me out. You see, I awoke in a hospital several years ago with no memory of who I was or how I had gotten there. Eventually I started having flashbacks and I was able to remember that my name was Claire. I don't remember much else. Everything is still very fuzzy but I don't doubt that I could be your mother."

"You can't be my mother she died a long time ago."

"I don't mean to pry but was the funeral an open casket one?"

"No. My father said that he couldn't bear to see her lying there so it was a closed casket."

"So it could have been anyone in that casket or it could even have been empty and you would have never known." Clair replied.

I sighed. It frightened me that she could be right but that was impossible. I had seen my mother die in the hospital. Hadn't I?

WC 2235