Mama Gotham

Keeping What's Important

*Eight years ago*

"What's that?" a ten year old Jerome pointed to the shiny thing on his friend's wrist.

"Hmm? Oh this?" Alyssa held up her wrist. "The guys got it for me for my birthday. Each charm is something represents something special." she held it out to show it to him. "That one's Ed's charm, that's Ozzy's, that's Harvey's, and that one's your's." she pointed to the small sliver star.

"...I'm on it too?"

"Well of course! The whole point of a charm bracelet is to keep what's important close to you. And you're gone way to much." she pulled the boy into her side.

Jerome laid his head on her shoulder, taking comfort in the warm embrace. He shut his eyes and did his best to commit it to memory; it was so easy to forget over the eleven months his presence was only greeted with jeers and blows to the stomach.

"Why can't more people be like you?" he asked softly.

"Well..." Alyssa's voice took on the tone Jerome had always imagined a proper mother would use with their child. "A lot happens to people in their lives. And, depending on the thing, or the person, they all react to it differently. But its not really how they react to the thing, its how they they react to the people."

"What do you mean?" he opened his eyes to look up at her.

"People change people, J." she informed. "What we want and what we value can change based on the people that inspire us. Like you and me." she smiled at him. "You inspire me to work on my drawings, and I inspire you to work on your performances."

"I wanted to make you proud of me..." he looked down sheepishly. He used to try and show his mother his magic tricks and jokes, but she always shooed him away. Alyssa always laughed and cheered him on; she even worked with him on the tricks that were harder to understand.

"Aw sweetie, I'm proud of you every day." she kissed the top of his head.

******

After his re-admission to Arkham, Jerome took the time to actually listen to what the doctors had to say. It helped that they treated him better – but that was because Alyssa had threatened to make sure they'd 'never work in Gotham again if they hurt her boy.'

The idea of her being so protective of him, and hearing her call him 'her boy', was what helped him through his treatment. He'd changed therapists three times and had yet to meet one he felt he could trust with his secrets. It was hard telling a complete stranger things not even Alyssa knew. He'd never wanted to upset her, so he didn't tell her about the bad things; he only got her for a short time each year, so he preferred to focus on the good ones.

Of course, his 'issues' with therapy didn't get him very far. Sure, it was better than talking about murdering his mother, but it wasn't making any progress – whatever the hell that would be defined as.

But he was trying, really he was. If he didn't play nice in accordance with the new rules that had been set for him he didn't get visitation rights, and not being able to see Alyssa and Selina made his stomach turn.

Luckily his newest therapist, Dr. Francine Hardgrove, recognized Jerome's love for his family and wanted to build on it – several of his past doctors had wanted him as far away from them as possible, seeing the girls as an obsession.

Dr. Hardgrove was as stiff and conditioned as they came, but she actually believed in making the patients that came into her care better, something her predecessors lacked.