Part One | Part Two | Part three
Reliance
Part Two
written by destinyawakened
“See, I told you, Alfred,” Bruce said as he looked over the newspaper headlines for the morning. There was something in there about the woman he left in his bed last night, a drunken claim that she and Bruce Wayne were dating and another article someone from the press reported on how skipped out on his own party with the police commissioner and wasn't seen for the rest of the night. The first article would be easily forgotten in a day or two and the second would definitely give way to the alliance recently formed with Wayne Enterprises and the GCPD. This put Gordon in the spotlight for a bit, giving him more attention than he was used to having. This would make things easier later on.
“Told me what, Master Wayne?” Alfred asked dully, cleaning up the breakfast dishes of barely eaten eggs and toast and placing them into the sink.
“That Jim Gordon would show. I told you.” Bruce said around a sip of his coffee, catching Alfred's eye roll.
“I still think this is a terrible idea. There is still time to pretend you were just being an arrogant ass and leave the poor man alone,” the butler scolded, but Bruce had stopped listening. Every day for the past week Alfred had brought this up and Bruce was really quite done.
“I don't believe it's really any of your business anymore, Alfred. When I want your opinion on something, I'll let you know.” Bruce said dryly, lowering his tone enough to assert his authority. Alfred huffed and Bruce raised an eyebrow. “Something to say about that?”
“No,” the older gentleman replied, glaring at Bruce one last time before headed down the hall to make up the master bedroom. Bruce watched after him, pulling out his cell phone and sending a text to the commissioner. Time to get the ball rolling.
-----
Step Four: Earn his Trust
Gordon stared at the newspaper in front of him a few days later. He and Bruce had gone to lunch and dinner since their midnight ditch from the costume party just days earlier. It was one thing for a reporter to note that the two had left and were then seen having coffee down the street; it was another when the same reporter starting writing articles on how Gordon's wife left him because he was out “gallivanting” around the city, chasing the Batman and ignoring his family. Rumors had come up about his divorce, how it was Gordon's fault and how he obviously didn't care about his family. One reporter for the the Gotham Gazette stuffed her opinion into an article on how Barbara Gordon and kids left Jim Gordon because he was cheating on her with none other than the Batman.
This was really the last straw from the commissioner, he had had about enough of all the blatant bullshit churning in the gossip columns. He threw the newspaper down on the desk, seeing the distant figure of Bruce Wayne headed for his open office door. The billionaire had one hand in his pocket, giving a nod to Gordon's secretary, a split second later tapping lightly on the glass of the door as he walked in without a word.
Gordon smoothed his hands down over the paper on his desk, almost wanting to hide the article. “Bruce,” he greeted in an fleeting tone, something that sounded forced, even to him. Wayne raised an eyebrow at Gordon, glancing down at the paper.
“Is that the Times or the Gazette?” Wayne asked with a smirk that left Gordon feeling a little unsettled.
“Both. I'm a little distraught over the fact that an article about us going to coffee has turned into articles about me cheating on my wife.” Gordon was trying to keep his cool, control the anger boiling in his veins. Wayne stepped forward and tapped the paper with his index finger, getting Gordon's attention.
“The Gazette is full of gossip. You can't take anything the reporters say in there seriously. Everyone that works for the Gazette weren't good enough for the Times.” Wayne mused as he took the papers off the desk, tossing them into the trash bin by the door. “I know I'm early, but I thought we could grab some coffee before the meeting.” Wayne started to yawn, covering his mouth with the back of hand and stretching with the other arm. Gordon thought it rather dramatic, but he also didn't want to deal with half asleep playboy at their meeting with the mayor.
Gordon pushed away from his desk, grabbing his coat off the back of his chair. “Sounds like a wonderful idea. I could use something to get my mind off all this anyway.” Meaning the issues at hand with newspapers and the rumor mills. Wayne smirked at him knowingly and Gordon could have sworn he saw something almost mischievous behind those light hazel eyes, but maybe it was just a trick of the lights.
-----
Bruce was more than amused and more than amazed that the reporters of the Gazette had gone as far to vaguely accuse Commissioner Gordon of cheating on his wife with Batman. Bruce knew it wasn't true. Gordon wasn't the kind of man who would cheat. Which was why he also called all the newspapers of Gotham and surrounding areas anonymously to meet just outside of City Hall; there were things that had to be resolved and Bruce knew for a fact that no one was going to believe Jim Gordon. No one believed the accused.
The commissioner stepped out of the building just shortly behind Bruce, a strangled groan escaping his lips almost inaudibility, if not for the whispered curse that Bruce heard straight after. Bruce put on his best surprised face, turning to face Gordon to show his reluctance to continue forward. Gordon mirrored Bruce's expression, but then set his mouth to a firm, grim line and walked up next to Bruce, giving him a nod that they should just get it over with.
Aware that if he let Gordon do his own talking things would likely turn out worse, Bruce stepped ahead of the commissioner to the reporters huddled around them in frenzy. Bruce raised his hand, palm out, to calm the voices. Gordon was tugging lightly on Bruce's jacket, trying to get his attention, to get him to let the older man speak, but Bruce pretended he didn't notice.
“I know a lot of you are digging and searching for a story – new dirt on our fair city's newest commissioner,” Bruce started to say and he heard Gordon groan in annoyance beside him, muttering Bruce's name and few choice words. Bruce put his hand on the older man's chest protectively. “The truth is though, there is nothing to dig up. With Jim Gordon what you see is what you get. A good natured man, dedicated to improving the city and protecting its inhabitants.”
“Where is his family? What about Batman? Didn't he have an alliance with the vigilante? What about now? How can we trust Jim Gordon when he was known to collaborate with a known murderer?” a female reporter asked, a few reporters echoing her concerns.
Gordon began to stir again beside Bruce, but the billionaire held him back with a firm hand on his shoulder. “His family is really none of your concern. Don't people separate everyday? Don't many married couples divorce without anyone noticing? Jim Gordon and his wife are no different. Stop assuming the worst of a man who put the Joker behind bars and has done his best to keep this city out of mayhem.
“And Batman? I'm sure we all wanted to believe that mad man was on our side for a long time. We wanted something greater than us to believe in. You can't blame the commissioner for having had those same hopes at one point. I think the commissioner has clearly proved himself with his efforts on trying to capture the vigilante known as Batman. I believe in Jim Gordon just as I believed in Harvey Dent.”
Bruce could feel Gordon's muscle ease under his tight hand. Gordon, like everyone else, had believed in Dent and everything he stood for – right down to his fall from grace, which no one but Batman and Gordon knew about. It was still something to the press junket to have Bruce Wayne openly say he supported the city official as much as he once supported Harvey Dent. Maybe Gordon would be their next Dent?
Dent was someone like everyone else; someone to they could believe in and count on. Bruce could see the hope rising in most of the eyes watching him.
There were few other questions and statements said between them, mostly along the lines of what business Bruce Wayne had with Commissioner Gordon, and of course both men were happy to announce their recent efforts to work together to bring the city back to better standards. By the time they had explained everything and Gordon finally found his voice next to Bruce's – explaining openly his situation with his family – the crowd had died down and the reporters disbanded.
A sigh from the commissioner as Bruce walked down the now empty steps of City Hall halted him. Bruce turned, one foot still on the step in front of him, the other below. He tipped his head at Gordon, who was cleaning his glasses with a handkerchief. He looked at Bruce, eyes a different color without the glasses; a shade that reminded Bruce of something between turquoise and the clearest blue ocean. The billionaire hadn't been aware he was gazing so deeply into the older man's eyes until Gordon spoke again, breaking Bruce of his trance.
“I, uh... I'm not sure how to thank you, Bruce. Not many people would have stood up for me; risk their own reputations to protect mine. That was very noble of you. I never thought you...” Gordon had lost his words, somewhere probably swimming around his head, but Bruce didn't need to hear anymore to know the plan had worked. Gordon was opening up to Bruce now, he could feel it.
“You never thought an arrogant asshole so wrapped up in himself could ever possibly think about someone else longer five minutes?” Bruce quipped playfully, watching the commissioner place his glassed back onto the bridge of his nose. Bruce smiled as Gordon could see him clearly again. “You'd be surprised how much this city means to me. You're a huge part of that now, as commissioner. I'd hate to see Gotham lose a man of your stature. She needs you.”
Gordon stepped down to Bruce's side, giving him a sheepish half grin, eying him carefully over the top of his glasses. “Keep talking like that and other people might start to believe you.”
“I'm counting on it.”
Step Four: Complete
------
“I dare say that feeding the press those rumors was quite low,” Alfred said with deadpan face that matched his not-too-impressed tone. Bruce could tell that his faithful butler was really starting grow annoyed with Bruce's actions, but what Alfred didn't understand was that in order for Gotham to start shaping up, certain actions were required. Bruce didn't regret anything he had done thus far, and doubted he would regret anything he would to do later.
“I could have done worse,” Bruce replied as he looked away from Alfred and back to his laptop, looking over the outline he started some months ago, putting a strike through the events he had successfully accomplished. He heard Alfred heave a less than gratuitous sigh next to him.
“I'm beginning to think Dent should have let you turn yourself in. The rate you're going, not even Arkham will be able to help you.” There was pause in the older man's voice, and hitching sound as if he was going to say more. Bruce almost looked up to see what was stopping him, but he kept his eyes down. Alfred gave “hmph” and walked out of the living room.
Bruce looked at his screen, rubbing his chin with his left hand as he tried to plot the way he would be able to pull this off in a sufficient amount of time. This would have all been easy if he had started back when he planned to, but certain details of Gordon's life stood in the way; there was even a limit to how far Batman or Bruce Wayne would go to get what he wanted. It was all luck that Barbara Gordon had finally had enough of her husband's increasing absence from their family life. Bruce couldn't feel bad for Gordon, not knowing or really remembering what it was like to have had a loving family – or parents for that matter – that were there for him. He'd have to help Gordon forget his wife.
Bruce had a feeling it might not be as hard as he thought it would in the beginning; Gordon was taking to Bruce a lot quicker than he had expected.
So why Bruce starting to feel he wanted to reciprocate?
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Step five: Be his Best Friend
Jim Gordon found himself having lunch with Bruce Wayne three days a week for the next month. He wasn't sure how it happened, or when his brain told him that it was okay to befriend the billionaire and put him on such friendly terms. Maybe Wayne was that piece he needed to get through this stage in his life; an experienced, well bred business partner who had more than proven himself useful in more than just how to spend money. Gordon figured he deserved these moments as small time-outs from the day to just not think about everything else around him – time with a friend.
A friend. He supposed that was what Wayne was to him now, a friend. But just how good a friend would Wayne prove to be in the end? When the collaboration with Wayne Tech and the Gotham City Police Department came to a close? Gordon couldn't be sure if Wayne was merely being chummy because it was part of being the owner of Wayne Enterprises, or if the billionaire truly meant every word that poured from his mouth. Gordon liked to think Wayne meant it all, mostly because the young man had never given him any reason not to trust him.
Gordon liked to be optimistic about his friends and colleagues; he put a lot of his faith into each person, expecting the best of them. He had a hard time seeing that any one of them could ever betray his trust. Of course, that was a fault of his – Harvey Dent had made sure Gordon had become well aware of that before the DA's untimely death. Gordon may have been wrong about Ramirez and Wuertz, but he had a overwhelmingly good feeling about Wayne. Maybe that was because Wayne showed Gordon sides of himself that the commissioner was positive not a lot of people ever had the pleasure of knowing.
Which was probably why he was sitting at a small glass table in the dining room of Wayne's Penthouse, hands folded in his lap. Wayne had yet to show and his butler, Alfred, assured him that from time-to-time Wayne got caught up at the office. Gordon opted to sip his wine and occupy his thoughts with the smells of garlic from the kitchen.
He heard the soft ding from the elevator shaft, Alfred murmuring something to Wayne and the playboy retorting back with something that Gordon didn't hear, but he was sure Alfred scoffed at him for it. Gordon turned his head to the hallway that lead to the living room. Wayne stood there in all his grace, looking just as clean pressed as if it were morning. He smiled one of those small lopsided smirked that Gordon had grown to find a heart warming, as it usually meant Wayne was glad to see him.
It was annoying, to Gordon, how he picked up on characteristics so quickly with Wayne, that maybe it was all too predictable. No, Wayne just very open with Gordon; that much was obvious. Wayne walked forward and Gordon started to stand to greet him, but the billionaire gestured for him to stay seated.
“Sorry I'm so late. Lucius had me going over some last minute details. Apparently it couldn't wait until Monday,” Wayne said with a sweet sincerity in his voice. Gordon tipped his head to the side just a bit, curiously.
“Important, then?” he found himself asking, as if he was any of his business. Wayne didn't seem to care if Gordon asked, he didn't show any feeling towards the subject at all as he took his seat across from the commissioner.
“Few overseas projects that need to be jump started next week. I'm not over seeing them personally, but as owner of Wayne Enterprises, my approval is needed.” There was a bit of annoyance in the playboy's voice, as if he felt put out by the processes, Gordon wondered what projects he did work on personally, aside from the one they had going together. Wayne sighed and took the goblet of wine from in front of his plate and held the bowl in the palm of his hands, stem between his fingers. He propped his elbow on back of his chair, sitting almost sideways. “Enough about all this boring business talk, Jim. How has your week been?”
They hadn't gotten together since Monday, talked a few times on the phone, but the other always had to run off for a meeting or in Gordon's case, run off to stop some criminal. Gotham never slept it seemed, and with Batman not being sighted since October – since he took the blame for everything Dent did – it was starting to get worse. Small time thugs were coming out of the woodwork left and right, and newer mob bosses were beginning to show their faces as they started to build their reputation back. Worst of all, more maniacs like the Joker were showing their faces. But Wayne wouldn't care to know about that, it wasn't his place to care and Gordon wouldn't even think of dropping the horrific details on him.
“It's been hectic,” Gordon answered calmly, fidgeting with the napkin in his lap. He felt Wayne's eyes on him then, a glare that felt chilling but familiar somehow. Gordon looked up and what he expected to see was gone, replaced with a more amused glimmer.
“I had heard about a bomb scare downtown at Gotham Ritz, yesterday. Anything to be worried about? I didn't catch the outcome of it.” Wayne said, putting a little less effort in sounding like he cared, but Gordon caught the tone in the middle that suggested Wayne was genuinely concerned. Why was it Wayne was always trying to cover up his emotions in his voice? Gordon was never fooled, being a cop for over fifteen years, he learned a few techniques on figuring out when someone wasn't telling the whole truth.
He didn't think Wayne was lying, but he was definitely trying to keep something to himself. Gordon didn't worry about that, whatever it was Wayne would tell him on his own time.
“We didn't catch the culprit, but we were able to deactivate the bomb,” Gordon explained, suddenly very aware of how alone he was in these cases without the help of Batman. Gordon knew that the vigilante was keeping a low key, but Gordon hadn't heard anything from him and was beginning to worry. He pinched the bridge of his nose, raising his glasses up a bit. He didn't need to be thinking about this right now.
“Something wrong, Jim?” Wayne asked just before a sip of his wine, eyes poised on Gordon in a very assessing manner.
Gordon smiled at Wayne warily, trying to hide his sudden change in mood. He couldn't tell Wayne the truth, as much as he found he trusted the billionaire, he had a feeling Wayne was not a Batman supporter. Then again, who was these days? Gordon looked passed Wayne out the window behind him and at the city lights that dotted the city below. Where was Batman? Was he even alive? Last Gordon had seen him, he'd been in pretty awful condition.
“Jim?” There was more concern in Wayne's tone this time, and Gordon found himself drifting back into the moment set before him, mentally shaking the thoughts from his mind. He needed to stop worrying about Batman – it just wasn't his place to worry.
“Sorry. It's difficult to shut down after work,” he gave Wayne an apologetic smile, bringing his gaze back to the younger man. “Always on.”
“Is it about Batman? I notice you tense up a lot when people talk about him,” Wayne gave Gordon a worried look, and continued. “You aren't still in alliance with him are you?” Gordon had told Wayne in one conversation how he used to trust Batman before the events in October. Not once did Gordon mention if he still had contact with the vigilante.
Gordon sighed. “Haven't seen or talked to him that day, Bruce.”
“But you are thinking about him,” Wayne accused, in almost a possessive, jealous fashion. Gordon frowned.
“Hard not to. I do wonder sometimes what... went wrong.”
“You trusted him, that's what went wrong. Look what he did to your family, Jim!” Wayne's voice was starting to raise an octave, something of an argument starting over this and Gordon could tell he needed to end it before they went that route. Batman was not a topic of conversation he wanted to have with Wayne.
“Can we please just not talk about this,” Gordon pleaded, and Wayne stopped the words that were ready to come tumbling out of his mouth next. Gordon watched as the younger man started to contemplate something, and then his expression lightened.
“You need a vacation,” Wayne suggested, a little gleam in his eyes that Gordon had learned meant that billionaire had already made plans of some sort.
“I don't think Garcia is going to –” Gordon began to say, knowing full well that of the mayor was very strict, and it was less than two month after the Joker disaster – there was just too much left to be done.
“– I'm sure Anthony will allow you some time to go for a business meeting in New York.” Wayne suggested smoothly, placing his wine goblet down on the table. His fingers lingered around the stem of the glass, moving in a slow up-and-down motion. Gordon became memorized by the action, his mind wandering in places he didn't think it belonged, especially with Bruce Wayne being the center of it.
“Uh, business meeting?” Gordon asked as he snapped his eyes away from Wayne altogether, fidgeting with the buttons on his sleeves.
Wayne sighed, moving forward in his chair and clasping his hands together on the table. “Look, Jim. I have a very nice penthouse suite reserved at the Ritz in New York for next weekend. You sound like you could use a vacation more than I could. I'd be more than happy to have a companion. We'll call it a business trip and the Mayor will never know any different.”
Gordon felt his lips screw up into one of those awful, unsure, thinking faces; he could feel his teeth against his bottom lip and his eyes squinting, as if to see something that wasn't really there. He honestly had to think about this – a trip away from Gotham with the city's billionaire prince – it was a decision that could change their friendship; for better or worse. But he really could use just a few days away from Gotham. A few days to sort out his own life and not have to worry about Gotham. There was another concern though...
“Wouldn't you rather take a prettier, feminine companion than some middle aged workaholic?” Gordon asked. It was a concern he had a right to have answered; Wayne was known for pretty women and scandalous nights, so why would he give that up for Gordon?
The seriousness in Wayne's eyes sudden dropped like a sheet and was replaced with something much friendlier, and more sympathetic towards Gordon. “I can get that whenever I want, Jim,” Wayne said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I want to share this time with someone who has more to talk about than how much her dress cost and where she gets her hair done.” Wayne reached out a hand, finger barely even touching the tips of Gordon's. “I'd rather bring my closest friend.”
Gordon opened his mouth to reply, not really expecting Wayne to be so forward in how their friendship has just exploded over the last month. Gordon wasn't going to deny that he felt closer to Wayne than he had anyone else, and that their friendship rocketing so soon seemed to hint at more destined things. Maybe Wayne was the friend Gordon needed, after all they had grown very close so quickly and could almost read the other without so much as a word being spoken... most of the time.
----
Bruce found himself feeling far more victorious than he should have been. Yes, he won the commissioner's approval to go on a weekend getaway with him, but what did that really mean? Bruce hoped that he was sending the right signals at the right pace; anything too soon or too strong would only sabotage what plans he had made for the trip. Gordon seemed to be getting along just fine, and Bruce could tell Gordon had learned to relax around him.
Bruce was not at all distraught by Gordon's lack of tact in shunning off the conversation about Batman. It only meant that even though Batman had not contacted Gordon or been seen in Gotham in over two months, that the commissioner still believed in him. Bruce would have to push a little harder and test a few more boundaries to see if the older man would crack. Bruce wasn't sure what the outcome would be, but with luck, it would work to his advantage.
Gordon had had a few glasses of scotch after dinner and was slowly nodding off to sleep in the middle of the off white sofa by the fire pit in the middle of the living room. Bruce had gone into the other room for a moment to take a phone call. He walked passed Gordon, sitting down the bricks surround the pit, facing Gordon. He placed both hands down on the either side of him, fingering the underside of the cool bricks,. He watched as Gordon slowly opened his eyes in a semi-drunk manor, trying to place where he was and probably why Bruce was staring at him.
“I can have Alfred make up the guest room if you like,” Bruce suggested, leaning forward just a little. Gordon sat up a little straighter, obviously testing his own balance. He then rubbed his eyes carelessly under his glasses and leaned forward on his elbows.
“What time is it now?” Gordon asked groggily, his eyes now focused a little more clearly on Bruce.
“Almost ten,” Bruce answered, bringing a hand up to his head to smooth back a few pieces of his hair that had fallen out of place through out the night. “I don't really mind if you stay. What's the point of a guest room if you don't have guests to use it?”
Gordon smiled, eyes starting to droop again. “That is a very good point,” he said with a few small nods. Bruce found it hard not to laugh; Gordon rarely drank and seeing him just slightly intoxicated was more than enough to make Bruce break out of his mold for a moment. Almost, anyway. He composed himself, standing in front of Gordon with a hand held out.
“I already asked Alfred to make the guest room up for you... just in case,” Bruce said as Gordon grasped hold of the offered hand and pulled himself to his feet. Bruce held the other hand to Gordon's back to steady the commissioner, leading Gordon to the guest room. He didn't bother with the lights, just helped Gordon onto the bed, took off the man's shoes and tie, leaving Gordon in his work shirt and slacks. Gordon took off his own glasses and tossed them haphazardly to the nightstand.
Bruce turned to leave when Gordon grabbed his hand, pulling Bruce down to the side of the bed. “Did you mean what you said?”
“About what, Jim?” Bruce asked quietly, listening to Gordon's breathing go into a steady rhythm, ready to fall asleep. Bruce found himself almost losing himself again, wanting to reach out and touch moonlit laugh lines around Gordon's mouth. Bruce closed his eyes for briefly, and push the thoughts out.
“Being close friends...” Gordon whispered, almost inaudibly, but Bruce heard it and almost smiled. Exactly where Bruce wanted him.
“Every word.”
Stage Five: Complete
Part One | Part Two | Part three