Mama Gotham

The Blood On My Hands Scares Me To Death

Visiting hours at Gotham General were from ten to three and for immediate family only; i.e parents, siblings, husbands/wives, and kids.

Kurt and Abigail had stayed out of their daughter's life since the drama over the court case. Jamie had been contacted about what had happened, but was still trying to get down to Gotham without getting into trouble with her college. Alyssa was not married, but she had over two hundred kids who came into the hospital insisting that she was their mother. Selina was the only one who was officially listed as Alyssa's daughter however, and therefore she had been the only one allowed in.

This resulted in constant calls and pestering from everyone she knew. The other kids loaded her up with gifts and cards to bring Alyssa everytime she went to visit, Oswald called everyday, Edward had been lending a hand at the flea, and Jim and Harvey kept calling to check in. Harvey Dent hadn't spoken to her much, but his efforts to keep mayor James from swooping in and taking the kids while Alyssa was in a coma was support enough. Hell even Lex had called and offered to pay to give Alyssa the best treatment money could buy. Selina had turned him down for the time being; every doctor was saying the same thing: they'd done all they could, now it was up to Alyssa if she woke up.

Selina couldn't say that she'd blame her if she didn't. But she really wanted her to...

"So...." she huffed and leaned her elbows on her knees. "The nurses say that people in comas can hear what's going on around them. Seems kinda stupid, but...." she swallowed. "I want you to know its okay. You've done more than enough. And, if you do wake up all you're gonna have to look forward to is the city going nuts, so....Its okay. You can –" her voice caught and she choked on a sob. "But honestly? I don't want you too. I know, that Jerome went off the rails, but...there's still me. You're still my mom." she chuckled slightly. "And you would not believe how much people have been bugging me for news about you – they won't let anyone else in to see you. Family only and all." she looked around the room full of balloons, cards, and flowers – most of them stolen. "Don't think that they didn't wanna come though. If you could just see this room....There's barely room for you and me in here with all the get well stuff. They love you, they really do. I don't think you know that – god knows people in Gotham don't say stuff like that out loud, but they do." she reached forward and took her hand, a tear escaping her eye at how cold it was. "And I love you. I-I never actually said that to you. I should've and I'm sorry...." she squeezed her hand. "I know that waking up probably isn't looking like a great option right now, but if you do I promise I will be there for you every step of the way in all the crap this city throws at us. No matter who else does a 180, you'll always have me okay?"

******

Selina was not the only one wishing for Alyssa to wake up. Edward had finally gotten the small children into their rooms at the Safe Haven hotel; they had all been asking for their mother. There were kids old enough to understand what was going on, but so many of them were too young and just knew that mama hadn't come to tuck them in.

"What's the matter? Didn't wanna tell them she's in the hospital all because you couldn't protect her?" his other half taunted.

"Be quiet."

"I could've. That little ginger would be the one with a bullet."

"She wouldn't like that." Edward argued. "No matter what he's become, Alyssa still sees Jerome as her son."

"True." the other nodded. "God, you can still feel her can't you? Her breath on our neck, her fingers running through our hair...."

"Be quiet..."

"You should've taken her when you had the chance." he sighed. "Now we may never get her."

"She's going to wake up."