Devil's Playground • Gotham Fanfiction •

III - Bad Pennies

"How mutable are our feelings, and how strange is that clinging love we have of life even in the excess of misery." - Mary Shelley

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"Bullock!" Bird called out as she sped up her pace on the side street running along the GCPD building that was lined with cars.

She watched as he came to a stop and his posture slouched after he let out a heavy sigh and turned to face her direction.

"What do you want, crazy eyes?" He questioned.

Holding up the expandable folder she was carrying, Bird explained, "I have some restraining orders again granted to women at a few of the shelters. They need to get into their houses to get some personal belongings-"

"I'm stopping you there." Bullock held up a hand and silenced her.

Before Bird had left Gotham a few months ago, she'd come to the station and talk to him about these situations and he'd dispatch some uniformed officers to go with the women so they could get things from their houses without fear of their abusive spouses.

Opening the door to the backseat of his car, he tossed in the briefcase he'd been carrying and reminded her, "I'm not acting captain anymore. Barnes is back, you know? You'll have to take it up with him."

"I don't want to." Bird's forehead lined, "I don't like Barnes."

"But you like me?" He nearly laughed, "Great...lucky me."

Bird opened her mouth to either argue with him or try and convince him to help her anyway -she wasn't entirely sure which way the conversation was going to go.

"Talk to Barnes." He repeated.
He'd been around her enough to know the expression her features took on before she was getting ready to pick a fight.

She didn't like being told no.

"Fine." Bird scoffed, spinning on her heels and starting to walk back the other way.

He watched her as she pulled her phone from her pocket and didn't even look back at him.

She'd given up a little too easily.

Bullock knew it was smarter to mind his own business.
So he reached into his pants pocket for his keys. His fingers brushing against the cool metal. Once sharp edges that were now dulled and familiar.

When he saw she didn't turn towards the building, he called out, "Wrong way."

"I'll handle this myself." She turned around with her face seemingly frozen in a stubborn expression.

Despite acting like she had no intention of any longer seeking his assistance, she walked closer to him, stepping around puddles of stale rain water as she did.

"I don't need GCPD's help." Bird shrugged.

"You- you're kidding right?" His eyebrows shot up his forehead, "What the hell you gonna do? Stroll up in there and put yourself between the angry husband and the battered wife?"

"Someone has to do something." Her jaw was tense.

"No. No way." Bullock shook his head back and forth, "Domestic violence is one situation you sure as hell don't want to get yourself involved in. They are some of the most dangerous and unpredictable situations you'll come across. I wouldn't send a seasoned detective on that run alone. We always send at least two officers-"

"Don't worry about it." She dropped her shoulders into another shrug.
Started slowly walking backwards away from him, "Do you want the list of names and addresses though? That way GCPD has somewhere to start if I don't come home one night?"