grace under pressure • jerome valeska

CHAP.34: Reunited

  Before me, alive and breathing, stood Jerome. 

  I wobbled in my stance and had to use the wall next to me for support. I blinked a few times, not believing my eyes. Once I had done that and realize who exactly was standing in the same room as me, I felt a rush of dizziness.

  Jerome looked at Dwight, a smile on his face. I then noticed his lips were pulled back. I then saw the ring of stables all around his face. He held a stabler in his hand and made a face at Dwight. He groaned. 

  "So...how's it look?" He said, his voice scratchy. 

  "It's good, i-it looks good." Dwight replied nervously. Jerome frowned and dropped his hands. He came closer to Dwight and tilted his head. 

  "You would't lie me right? Dwight." He asks lowly. Dwight shakes his head vigorously. 

  "No, it looks good." He whispers in fear. Jerome smiles then makes a little groaning noise before turning around. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. Jerome was breathing. Not only that he was talking, walking, and laughing. He did seem a little off but that didn't matter. I thought about showing myself but I couldn't seem to move my legs. 

  "Say, your not mad...right?" Dwight says slowly. Jerome looks up at him, knitting his brow. 

  "Mad?" Jerome says, moving from his place and coming over to Dwight. "What could I possibly be mad about?" Jerome then moved some sort of camera. 

  "The whole, um, cutting off your face." He stutters. Jerome turns to him. 

  "Oh, buddy." He says then hands him the camera. "You brought me back from the dead." He then put his hand on Dwight's neck. "What's a cut off face between friends?" Jerome then backs up and looks into a small case of what looked like camera equitment. 

  "I guess that's true." Dwight smiles.

  "Ya guessed right." Jerome remarks. I was still having my dizzy spell and I fought hard to not fall. But, I wasn't really paying attention and my gun dropped from my hands. 

  "Shit."  I think. Jerome's head snaps up and he turns in my direction. I duck behind the wall.

  "Hellooo." He groans and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I know your there. I think you should show yourself before things get ugly." I hear the click of a gun. 

  I guess it was time to finally say hi. I breathed in then came from around the corner, a small smile on my lips. Jerome was smiling evilly and had a gun out but once seeing me, the smile faded from his features and he lowered the gun. I smiled a little more but shifted. He stared at me for a moment before tilting his head. 

  "Grey?" He whispered. I lift up my hands. 

  "Hey gingy." I say. He takes a step forward towards me. I feel my eyes water. I did not know how long I had dreamed for this moment. To see him again. Jerome then starts to full on walk up to me and before I could say anything he cupped his hands around my face and kissed me hard on the lips. I was a bit taken back but then sunk into the kiss, some tears escaping my eyes and falling down my cheeks. 

  His hands gripped my waist and I ran a hand threw his red locks. I couldn't believe this was actually happening. He was back. He still smelled like cinnamon and his skin was still warm. His lips were soft despite his face and I pulled his closer.

  We finally pulled away and I had the widest smile across my face. He looked down at me, his green orbs dilated. He tucked a piece of my frizzy hair behind my ear and I smiled even more. I hands were around his neck. 

  "Is it possible you became even more beautiful then when I last saw you?" He growled. I chuckle.

  "Still know how to make me blush huh?" I joke. He smiles. I look at his face and trace a finger over the stables. "Does it hurt at all?" He laughs. 

  "You know me, Grey." He tells me. I nod and giggle. 

  "Yeah. I guess." I say. I smile at him again. He then suddenly smiles evilly. I knit my brow for a moment until my eyes widen. 

  "Uh oh" I say. He then wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me up and spins around. I laugh, my feet falling out from behind me. I clutched to his neck as he spun me around. I continued to laugh until he placed me down and I wobbled. He smirked at me and I gave his arm a little slap. 

  "Why do you always do that to me." I say in between giggles. 

  "Cause it's fun." He states with a raise of his eye brows. I smile at him then bring my lips to his again. I missed this so much it made my insides hurt. I had dreamed of this moment ever since being placed in Arkham, even when I was mind broken. In the back of my brain I knew I still remembered him. Just a little bit.

  He then snaps his fingers and lifts his head up. 

  "Ah. I almost forgot. Grey, I want to introduce ya to Dwighty here. He's the one who brought me back." He says and turns around, smiling sadistically towards Dwight. I snarl at Dwight. 

  "I know." I hiss and Dwight starts to shake. Jerome looks between us and points a finger at him.

  "Ya know him?" He asks. I say and cross my arms. 

  "Kinda." I reply. Dwight backs up a bit. 

  "Miss Sky." He says. "I was just doing what I thought was right..." I growl. 

  "You think planning to leave me in the prison to be shipped off to Arkham is right?" I hiss. He looks between me and Jerome and the nervous smile comes back. 

  "Yes..." He says. I tilt my head then throw my head back laughing. 

  "Now that is funny." I say, pointing a finger at him. He starts to breathe heavily. 

  "Okay. Let me catch up? What's going on?" Jerome says, putting up his hands. I sigh. 

  "I guess you heard of the cult?" I say, leaning my head towards him. He nods. 

  "Well, those guys broke me out of Arkham and gave me the title to direct them around and that shit because they worship us or something. When I made a plan to find out who my real family was and had gone to the police station to finally contact my long lost sister, Dwighty here told everyone to leave me there and not come get me like I told them to." 

  Jerome slowly turns his head to Dwight. 

  "Did he now?" He says, a smile rising on his lips. I nod. 

  "Yep. Almost didn't get out either." I explain. Jerome straightens then steps towards Dwight. 

  "Well, we're are gonna have to do something about that aren't we?"