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Chapter 27: My Romeo?

(Commissioner Gordon's POV – A Father, A Detective, and a Very Concerning Discovery)

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The Unexpected Call

James Gordon had been having a relatively calm morning—by Gotham standards, anyway.

No crime scene. No Joker incident. No masked lunatics blowing up half the city.

Just a hot cup of coffee and a stack of reports that needed his attention.

Then his phone rang.

The moment he answered, he knew his peace was over.

"Commissioner Gordon? This is Mrs. Reynolds, Barbara's literature teacher."

Gordon immediately sat up. Barbara's teacher?

This couldn't be good.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, already bracing himself.

The woman hesitated.

"Yes and no. Your daughter isn't in trouble, per se… but I thought you should be aware of something rather… peculiar."

That didn't ease his nerves at all.

"Go on."

Mrs. Reynolds cleared her throat. "It's about Joshua."

Joshua.

That name again.

The boy who had appeared out of nowhere.

The boy Barbara had been spending way too much time with.

"What about him?" Gordon asked, his tone a bit sharper now.

The teacher hesitated again before finally saying—

"Your daughter calls him 'My Romeo.'

Silence.

Gordon blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

---

The Teacher's Report

Mrs. Reynolds sighed.

"It started during a class discussion on Shakespeare. We were talking about Romeo and Juliet, and I asked the students if they thought modern relationships could be as dramatic."

Gordon was barely listening. His mind was still stuck on Barbara calling someone 'My Romeo.'

"And?" he managed.

"Barbara smirked and said—and I quote—'Oh, my sweet Romeo, when will you reveal your true heart to me?'"

The commissioner's brain stalled.

What?

What?

His daughter had said that?

About Joshua?

Mrs. Reynolds continued, oblivious to Gordon's rising headache.

"Naturally, the class erupted in laughter. Joshua—who, by the way, has quite the sharp wit—leaned back and simply replied, 'Whenever you catch me, Juliet.'

Gordon rubbed his temples.

"Wonderful."

"I wouldn't normally call about something like this, Commissioner," Mrs. Reynolds said. "But… Barbara has been rather fixated on Joshua lately. And he seems to be enjoying the attention."

Gordon sighed. "That's an understatement."

---

A Father's Worst Nightmare

By the time Gordon hung up, his coffee was cold, and his mood had soured completely.

This wasn't just curiosity anymore.

His daughter wasn't just investigating Joshua.

She was playing with him.

And worse?

He was playing back.

Gordon knew how these things started.

A teenage crush. A harmless flirtation. A bit of teasing in school.

But in Gotham?

Nothing stayed innocent.

And the fact that Barbara's "Romeo" had no past?

That made it a thousand times worse.

---

Barbara's Homecoming

That evening, Barbara walked through the front door like nothing was wrong.

Gordon was already in his chair, arms crossed.

"Sit."

Barbara froze.

Her detective instincts kicked in. She glanced at his posture, his expression—then sighed.

"Who snitched?" she asked, walking over to the couch.

Gordon didn't answer. He just said—

"My Romeo?"

Barbara visibly flinched.

Then she covered it up with an innocent smile. "Oh? You heard about that?"

Gordon's eyebrow twitched.

"You think this is funny?"

She shrugged. "A little."

"Barbara—"

"Dad, relax. It's just banter."

Gordon leaned forward.

"No. Banter is calling someone 'smartass' during class. Banter is joking about a math problem. You called a boy—whom you've been investigating—your 'Romeo.'

Barbara rolled her eyes. "You're overreacting."

"Am I?" Gordon shot back. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like my daughter is getting way too close to a kid I can't even find in the system!"

Barbara's lips pressed into a thin line.

"Joshua's not dangerous, Dad."

"You don't know that."

Her blue eyes flashed. "Neither do you."

That was the problem.

Gordon didn't know.

And that terrified him.

---

The Root of the Problem

Gordon took a slow breath, forcing himself to stay calm.

"Barbara… tell me the truth. Are you interested in him?"

She hesitated.

And that hesitation was an answer.

Gordon's stomach sank.

"It's not like that," she finally said. "Joshua is… different. He's smart, quick-witted, and honestly? Kind of fun to mess with."

Gordon ran a hand down his face. "You realize how bad that sounds?"

Barbara grinned. "It's harmless."

"Not in Gotham."

Her smile faded.

"Dad, I'm not stupid. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Gordon's tone was sharp. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like you're playing cat-and-mouse with a kid who doesn't exist!"

Barbara exhaled, shaking her head.

"You're acting like he's a criminal. He's not. He's just… someone I want to figure out."

Gordon's jaw tightened.

That's what he was afraid of.

Because once Barbara started digging, she never stopped.

And Joshua?

Joshua was a black hole of unanswered questions.

---

A Father's Final Warning

Gordon leaned back, sighing.

"Barbara. Listen to me."

She looked at him.

"I don't care how interesting Joshua is. I don't care how many games you play with him. You need to be careful."

Barbara nodded.

"I know."

"No." Gordon's voice was firm. "You think you know. But Gotham plays by different rules. And you're walking into something you don't understand."

She met his gaze, unwavering.

"Then I guess I'll just have to figure it out."

Gordon closed his eyes for a long moment.

This girl.

His stubborn, brilliant daughter.

She wasn't going to stop.

And Joshua knew that.

Which meant Gordon had only one option.

If Barbara was going to chase Joshua—

Then he would have to chase Joshua first.

Because if there was one thing James Gordon knew—

It was how to handle mysteries.

And Joshua?

Joshua was a mystery he needed to solve.

---

End of Chapter.

Chapter 28: A Visit to the Gordon Household

(Joshua's POV – A Game of Wit and Mystery)

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A Little Game of Cat and Mouse

Joshua had always enjoyed a good game.

It wasn't just about fighting. Sometimes, the best kind of battle was a battle of wits.

And right now?

Barbara Gordon was proving to be a very entertaining opponent.

She was clever, determined, and annoyingly persistent in her investigation.

But the best part?

She still didn't know what he really was.

She was digging, searching, trying to connect dots that led nowhere.

And Joshua?

Joshua was watching with amusement, waiting to see when—or if—she would catch him.

Tonight, he was going to speed things up a little.

---

Arriving at the Gordon Household

It was late evening when Joshua strolled up to the modest, well-kept home of Commissioner James Gordon.

Nothing fancy. No grand Wayne Manor estate.

Just a simple house belonging to a hardworking detective and his equally stubborn daughter.

Joshua smirked. This is going to be fun.

Instead of knocking like a normal person, he took a different approach.

He climbed up the side of the house, moving silently, before settling himself on a sturdy tree branch just outside Barbara's window.

She was inside, sitting at her desk, flipping through files and notes.

Notes about him.

Joshua leaned back against the tree trunk, completely at ease.

Then, in a loud, teasing voice, he said—

"So, Juliet… have you figured it out yet?"

Barbara jumped.

---

Barbara's Reaction

Barbara's chair nearly toppled over as she whirled toward the window, eyes wide with genuine shock.

Her instincts kicked in instantly—a hand reaching for something under her desk, probably a weapon.

Then she saw him.

Sitting there.

Casually lounging in a tree.

Like he hadn't just scared the hell out of her.

She narrowed her eyes. "What the hell, Joshua?"

Joshua chuckled. "Oh? No warm greeting for your Romeo?"

Barbara crossed her arms. "You do realize I could call my dad, right?"

Joshua tilted his head, smirking. "You could. But you won't."

Barbara's eyes flickered with frustration. "And why is that?"

Joshua leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on one hand.

"Because you're too curious."

Silence.

Barbara glared.

But she didn't deny it.

---

A Battle of Wits

Barbara exhaled, regaining her composure. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Joshua grinned. "A little."

Barbara rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

Joshua gestured at her desk. "I figured I'd check on my favorite detective. See if you've cracked the case yet."

Barbara scoffed. "What case?"

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "The case of 'Who the Hell is Joshua?'"

Barbara's lips pressed into a thin line.

She wasn't going to admit it, but Joshua knew he was right.

She had been digging, investigating, trying to find any real records on him.

And she had found nothing.

That had to be driving her crazy.

Joshua chuckled. "So? Have you figured it out?"

Barbara hesitated.

Then, her gaze sharpened. "You're not normal, are you?"

Joshua clapped his hands. "There it is! The first step to acceptance!"

Barbara scowled. "That wasn't a joke."

Joshua shrugged. "Neither was my answer."

The way she studied him now—it was different.

More serious.

More focused.

Like she was looking at a puzzle that had just revealed a hidden piece.

---

The Turning Point

Barbara took a slow breath. "Bruce Wayne adopted you."

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "That's what the papers say."

Barbara frowned. "But that's not the whole truth, is it?"

Joshua's smirk widened. "What do you think?"

Barbara's hands curled into fists. "I think you're toying with me."

Joshua leaned forward slightly. "And yet, you're still playing."

Barbara inhaled sharply, visibly annoyed. "What are you, Joshua?"

Now that was the question, wasn't it?

Joshua chuckled. "That, my dear Juliet… is for you to find out."

Barbara's eyes narrowed. "You think I won't?"

Joshua tilted his head. "Oh, I'm counting on it."

---

The Commissioner's Presence

Before Barbara could say anything else, there was a sound downstairs.

A door opening.

Footsteps.

A voice—Commissioner Gordon's voice.

"Barbara? You home?"

Joshua's smirk deepened. Perfect timing.

Barbara tensed. "Damn it."

Joshua stretched, completely unbothered. "Well, it's been fun, but I should probably leave before your dad comes up here and shoots me."

Barbara shot him a glare. "That's not funny."

Joshua winked. "I think it is."

Barbara looked toward the door, then back at him. "If I look away, you're going to disappear, aren't you?"

Joshua grinned. "You're learning."

Barbara groaned. "I hate you."

Joshua just chuckled. "No, you don't."

Then, with one smooth motion, he was gone.

---

Commissioner Gordon's Arrival

A few seconds later, Commissioner Gordon appeared in the doorway.

"Barbara?"

Barbara turned, her expression completely neutral. "Yeah?"

Gordon eyed her suspiciously. "Who were you talking to?"

Barbara shrugged. "Just myself."

Gordon narrowed his eyes.

Something was off.

Very off.

But Barbara gave him her best innocent expression.

After a moment, Gordon sighed. "Alright. Just… don't stay up too late."

Barbara nodded. "Got it."

As soon as Gordon left, Barbara turned back toward her window.

Joshua was already nowhere to be seen.

But in the back of her mind, she could still hear his last words—

"I'm counting on it."

Barbara clenched her fists.

This game wasn't over.

Not even close.

And now?

She was more determined than ever to win.

---

End of Chapter.