LIFE IN GOTHAM

- Chapter 1 -

"Detective North." My head perks at my name being called, "Detective Bullock." The bearded man makes his way over to my desk at the top of the GCPD. The secluded area that barely has anyone up here, that's what I like about it, less people, less interaction, head down and do work. He perches on the edge of the metal desk and peers down at me.

"You might wanna see this." I put down a file and adjust my leather jacket and follow him. I thump down the stairs with my black combat boots, I cast my eyes over the room, "let me guess, Gordon?" The scruffy man chuckles, "Yeah. Some circus brawl or something." I raise my eyebrow, "something indeed." All different kinds of people with outrageous outfits and make up - that doesn't even look that good.

"And here I thought it was some prank." Bullock comments, I laugh a bit, "when is it ever that?" He grumbles a bit, "Well, gotta do some work, kid. I'll see you around." He pats my shoulder and leaves me on my own.

"Detective North." Ah, the man himself, "well, if it ain't James Gordon." He nods a bit and shakes my hand, "How are you doing, kid?" I shake my head a bit, "Not bad, not bad. I hate that nickname." He smiles a bit, "How was your date with Lee?" I hear they had went on a date, "It was great. All going smoothly until... Well, until this happened." He explains in his gruff voice, "That's good. Need any help?" I noticed how many people swamped the GCPD.

"This is why I prefer my desk at the top." Gordon chuckles, "Come on. I need to interrogate a boy, his mother was murdered." I raise my eyebrow at this, "and this is the product of such murder?" Gordon shrugs, I follow the well-dressed man to a small room.

"Hello Jerome. This is Detective North, she will be with me asking you questions, if you don't mind." The ginger boy looks up at me, "No. I don't mind." His voice sounds weak, filled with sadness. His eyes are puffy and red, his whole body language is slumped with grief.

I sit next to Gordon. "It's nice to meet you Jerome. I am very sorry for your loss." He sniffs a bit, "it's nice to meet you too." He nods. I notice that he doesn't respond to my last comment, maybe he's grieving greatly for his dead mother?

"Tell me about your mother, Jerome." The boys attention is diverted to Gordon, "She's my mother. What can I say? I love her." I notice how he looks away every-so-often, something tells me he's not being truthful. "She's perfect. Not a very good cook. Heh. Except for that." I give no reaction, I notice Gordon smiles a bit at that comment.

"Did she have any enemies? Someone with a grudge?" Jerome looks down a bit, "No." he looks up. "Boyfriends?" Which is met with a, "No."

"No?" Jerome moves his head slightly, "She had lovers. Sex partners, really. But not boyfriends." Oh. "She didn't want the commitment." Clearly, by the sound of this she had sex with a lot of people.

"Alphonse Grayson?"
"Yes, he was one of them."

"Owen Lloyd?"
"Yes."

"Any others?"
"Uh, not that I could put a name to."

I feel bad for the boy, well I say boy, we are probably the same age. I'm 18, that's why I get called 'kid' affectionately by all the members of the GCPD. I hate it, but over time it has grown on me.

"How do you feel about your mothers love life?" I'd hardly put it as love life, I give Gordon a side glance at the question. "I feel fine about it." He pauses a bit, "If not for my mother's love life, I wouldn't be here, would I?" Fair point.

"Sex is a healthy, human activity."

Well that was sudden and very blunt. I turn away a bit and cough, a creeping blush spreads on my ears and cheeks at the comment. This caught me off guard, by the looks of things it did the same with Gordon. "Yes, it is." That was the most awkward comment ever.