James was not someone prone to fear. After facing various gang members, murderers, and his trainers which included his sensei he thought there were few things that could really put the fear of god into him.
He was wrong...
Standing outside a rundown apartment in the lower-income housing of Gotham he was hesitating on what he was about to do. He had come prepared, armed with the most effective weapon he could use in this situation. Yet he knew it would not be enough to protect him from the hell that would be unleashed on him.
'Maybe I should come back later... ya that's a good idea, I will go grab a bite to eat, maybe catch a movie... oh I should also probably get a haircut, and it would be good to go to the library to study for the GED test and...' before he could finish his thought the door to the apartment opened.
A shrill voice rang out, "JAMES!!!!!! YOU LITTLE BASTARD GET IN HERE THIS INSTANT!!!!" Multiple pairs of hands grabbed him by his suit jacket and yanked him into the apartment, slamming the door as he came through.
The residents of the apartment complex would always remember this day as one of the loudest screaming matches in Gotham's history. A one-sided screaming match that is.
Even though James had come armed with his weapon of choice, a bouquet of flowers, he never had a chance to begin his explanation and apology.
One voice began the tirade, "YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE F&^K, HOW DARE YOU NOT CALL US FOR THE LAST 3 WEEKS!"
Another different voice followed, "YOU HAD US WORRIED SICK! I SWEAR I AM ABOUT TO BOX YOU IN THE MOUTH FOR HOW DISRESPECTFUL YOU HAVE TREATED US!"
A third continued calmly, "We really are happy to see you and Jane will be thrilled when she comes home... BUT YOU NEARLY GAVE HER AND ALL OF US A HEART ATTACK AND I HAVE HALF A MIND TO WHOOP YOUR ASS WITH MY BELT BOY!"
James who had fought crews from Riddler, and Black Mask and had wrecked the Blackwater gang cowered in a chair with his flowers tucked into a corner of the small dining room. Three angry women in their 30s surrounded him on all sides preventing his escape.
Scantily dressed to accentuate their curves and other 'assets,' they would have made any teenager blush with embarrassment and perhaps excitement. But for James, these ladies held no attraction for him and they for him. After all, they had changed his diapers, fed him, and raised him since he was a baby.
No, while he could not imagine any sort of physical attraction despite their impressive 'physiques' these were ladies that held a special place in his heart. His surrogate family as it were.
And despite the current situation of them berating him and threatening his well-being, he could not help but smile slightly as his 'aunts.'
Aunt Sarah, a blonde Swede who had actually spent some time modeling before her current occupation did not find his smile at all amusing. "You think this is a laughing matter boy? I promise you right now if you do not wipe that grin off your face I will wipe it for you!" Sarah typically hid her Swedish accent, so the fact he could hear it now told him how mad she truly was.
And that did make James' grin leave his face.
Aunt Violet, an African American woman who was 6 foot 5 towered over everyone in their strange little family. And right now she was looming over him with a very pissed expression. "We know you have your own life and are living it as you will, but keeping us out of the loop and worrying this last month is unacceptable!"
"Well, I suppose I should start by apologizing..." James began.
"Oh you should apologize should you?!?" Aunt Crystal, the little 5 foot 2 Latina, known for her rather large assets, of the group snarled. "I think an apology is the least you can do!"
'How is it I am more scared of my aunts than my bona fide mob boss Penguin.' James thought.
With a sigh, James said, "Look, I know what I did was wrong." He looked down slightly with genuine shame, "I didn't think..."
Violet broke in, "No you did not." She glared at his bowed head, "It is one thing if we were just your babysitters, but we thought... we thought we were your family."
James hearing that looked up sharply at that. 'Shit this is worse than I thought.' He thought.
"We are..." he said quietly.
"You haven't acted like it for the last few months," Crystal said quietly. "At first we thought it was just some of your teenage angst, but now..." She looked at the others, "It feels as if you are embarrassed about us."
"No!" At that, James stood up with a start placing the flowers on the table, he approached his Latina aunt and hugged her tightly. "How could I ever be embarrassed when you taught me Spanish." He released her and looked into her eyes, "You who made sure I had plenty to eat, even when money was tight. I know you dipped into your own personal funds to give me a treat when I was down. You even took time to teach me to love your Peruvian cuisine and how to make something more than just microwaved ramen."
Crystal looked back at him and gave a smile, "You are still a terrible cook..." She had been taught by her Abuela who she had been very close to. Cooking with James had brought back some of those happy memories. James at first was a little unsure but grew to enjoy cooking and spending time listening to Crystal's stories about her Abuela and life in Peru. During that time she also taught him Spanish which maybe because of his heritage he really enjoyed. One day he swore he would make his way down to see her home country.
James laughed in response to her comment about his cooking skills, "I can cook rice at least and make pupusa."
He then looked at Aunt Violet. Despite his decent height he still had to look up to her. As he gave her a tight hug.
"You taught me how to play the piano," he smiled at the memories of their lessons. "You made me learn the value of hard work, and how diligence can always pay off."
Violet snorted a little at that, though her eyes showed the care she had for what he had said. Violet had always wanted to be a pianist, but life in Gotham as it did for so many had taken a turn for the worse leaving her desperate for work, and soon she abandoned her dream. Luckily, she found James to be an enthusiast for the instrument, and it became one of his favorite hobbies only behind movies and practicing his powers.
He released her and then gave Sarah a hug. Holding her he said, "You taught me math... and to never be ashamed of my shortcomings" He released her from the hug and looked down embarrassingly.
Math had proven to be something he could not wrap his head around. At a young age, he struggled with simple multiplication and division. It brought deep shame as well as anger which he knew would get out of hand.
Sarah had noticed based on his grades his struggles with math and spent day after day working with him on the memorization of formulas and taking time to explain the problems. She was by no means a genius when it came to school, but she worked with him to overcome the challenge and soon became his study partner in all things education related. She always was encouraging and so patient despite his initial slow progress.
Sarah blinked back tears at what he said. She knew how much that had bothered him when he was younger.
James then sat back down on the dining room chair, "You are all right to yell at me... I should of called you, I should not have taken for granted that you care for me... I am sorry." He looked at them slightly pleadingly for forgiveness.
A voice from the door spoke out, "Well, I think he has learned his lesson now hasn't he ladies?"
Standing there a woman stood, she had opened the door quietly based on the screaming she had heard from the outside. She looked like she was in her early 30s though, in reality, she was actually nearly 47, simple good genetics had made her practically ageless. She wore a tight but modest business dress, with minimal makeup on her pale skin. She had her red frizzy hair tied behind the back of her head in a simple bun, despite the simplicity of her look she would be considered a bombshell.
She walked into the dining room carrying a bag full of groceries. Setting them down on the dining room table she took a step back and return the stares being given to her by the 4 occupants.
James and the three other women looked in surprise at her.
"I didn't hear you come in," James said quietly.
The redhead woman simply smiled at him, "I would love to talk about how sneaky I can be when I want to but..." she indicated to the groceries, "We need to put some stuff away and get started on dinner... James, will you be joining us tonight?"
James stared back, before returning her smile, relief entering his eyes. "I would love to Aunt Jane."
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The night's simple dinner of pasta and salad seemed to settle any animosity the ladies felt towards the young man whom they had raised. For Crystal, Sarah, and Violet who had never had kids and planned to never have them, James was a surrogate son. And boy were they protective of him, like a pride of lions protecting their cub.
Jane laughed in her head, 'God have mercy on the first girl he introduces them to, for they will not.'
Jane served as the matriarch of their little group. Almost 16 years ago Oswald Cobblepot had approached her with a proposition. She would be paid a ridiculous amount and could take a break from the prostitution business if she would help watch some baby.
At first, she had refused stating that she knew nothing of raising kids, but then Oswald had revealed he knew about her toddlers. Two of them, ages 10 and 12 from previous business engagements that accidentally turned into pregnancies.
He offered her a bonus since she had kids, all she had to do was watch this little orphan. He also promised he would get additional helpers as time went on.
The allure of the big paycheck finally had her agree, and she became James' first caretaker.
The boy was certainly an easy baby. Rarely crying, he was easygoing. She occasionally would have her kids hold him while she cleaned or was cooking. By the time her kids were preparing for college, a fact she was incredibly proud of, especially considering her background, her kids treated James like a cousin. In fact, for the first few years, she simply referred to him as their cousin, it was easier to explain.
After James had turned 3 the Penguin finally hired Sarah to assist Jane with the duties of raising him. Then Violet came a year later, with Crystal coming a few months after. They began to take turns watching and caring for him, with Jane becoming the de-facto leader of the caretakers.
At first, working with the other ladies proved difficult. They all had come from different backgrounds and had strong opinions that did not always mingle well. Jane and Sarah had nearly come to blows after an argument erupted over who would watch James over a certain weekend and get the additional pay. But over time as they grew to care for James more the hostilities between the two faded and they became almost sisters in raising the young child.
Sarah was easily the smartest of the group, and her arrogance at first rubbed Jane the wrong way. But with time she grew to appreciate her suggestions and Sarah reciprocated.
Violet had a very strong outgoing personality that nearly drove the ladies to insanity, but her sincere efforts to help the others eventually won them all over.
Crystal was perhaps the easiest to like in the group. She just had a charming personality that made you like her immediately. Though she did lack experience in raising kids, the others were quick to help her learn.
It seemed fate decided to smile on putting them together to raise James.
James was a special kid after all. Jane had known that even before his powers developed. He was always mature for his age and seemed to understand the world around him in a way that eluded adults. Almost always polite and calm, he was nearly an ideal child.
Though she had also seen a darker side to him that did concern her. An occasional flash of anger, a look that promised pain, and just a feeling of unease at times when she was with him. The boy had rage growing up, a rage that worried her for when he would be an adult.
Though as she looked at him now gathering the dirty dishes from dinner and begin soaking them with soap and water in the sink, she remembered the time when she saw the good side of him.
It was very late at night years ago when she had heard his bedroom door open and small footsteps patter away on the tiled floors. She of course got up immediately and followed quietly behind the little 6-year-old James as he made his way to the rusted metal balcony. Standing outside he seemed to stop in his tracks as he looked up into the night sky and stared at the stars.
The look of joy and peace on the child's face had warmed her heart and assuaged her concerns about what she had seen.
He actually probably didn't remember, but he fell asleep on the balcony. She had then picked up him up, he was so small back then and tucked him back into bed.
He seemed much happier after that night, and growing up it became a habit of his to sneak out of his room to go stare at the stars. She would occasionally get up and watch him to make sure he was safe, but otherwise, she continued to let him stargaze.
Things improved further with his powers kicking in, training with his martial arts sensei, and even for a short time working with Penguin.
But this last year had left her worried.
The stories of the 'hound' of Penguin had begun to spread. A few of Penguin's men she had talked to had spoken of what he had been doing. And how he was dealing with Penguin's rivals.
Of course, they were all crooks, and James had not killed anyone or shown signs of wanting to take that step. But that look she had seen in his eyes as a child was returning, slowly and even stronger than before.
This past month with him going silent on them all had truly terrified her. She worried he had bitten off more than he could chew, or perhaps succumbed to that dark side of his.
But then he had shown up today. She wanted so badly to rip into him just like the other ladies had done, but truthfully she was so happy to see him that she ignored that urge and just sat down and had dinner with him.
Her two children had already graduated college and moved away from Gotham. They had even started their own families and were constantly encouraging her to move away from the city. The money she had made in the first few years of watching James had gotten her out of the prostitution business and had set her up to live a comfortable life in retirement away from Gotham. Somewhere nice that did not have such a rotten reputation and living conditions.
But she couldn't leave James, at least not until he was graduated and ready for adulthood. She cared as deeply as any mother would, though she knew he would never see her quite like that. He always carried his biological parents, though he never knew them, in a special place.
It sometimes hurt her to think about that fact, but as she looked at the young man washing dishes. She could not help but feel happy to of been part of his life, and that as long as he was happy she would be too.
At this point the night was late and the other ladies had gone to bed. James was finishing wiping the dishes clean, a neutral expression worn on his face.
After James put the last of the dishes on the drying rack and looked over to Jane who had been leaning against the kitchen countertop watching him work. "Thank you for dinner... and thank you for you know..." He said the next part quietly, "I really am sorry for what I put you all through."
Jane opened her arms, "Come here, James."
He walked over to her and embraced her. Her hands held him close, her warmth and her smell triggered memories of a young toddler James being held by the closest thing he had to a mother.
She stroked his hair while holding him, "You know I worry that this last job won't really be the last..."
She stopped a moment to organize her thoughts, "I know Penguin is forcing you out of the mob, and I know the plan looks to be that you will go to college." She felt her eyes become moist.
"But I also know you... that's what concerns me most." She pushed him from the embrace to look into his brown eyes.
Right now they were nice, happy, even peaceful. But she knew how quickly they could turn into something much darker and much more dangerous.
"Your potential is limitless... it always has been. You can live a fulfilling life... or go down a path with nothing but sorrow." She took a shuddering breath, "I know we are not your mothers but we all want the same thing for you... for you to be happy."
James stares back at her. A glint entered his eyes... is that a tear?
'No, James has only cried twice...but looking at him now... maybe' Jane thought.
"I know... you always knew I snuck out of my bedroom..." James said, surprising Jane.
"You always let me look at them... you let me..." he paused struggling to find the right words, "You let me feel peace..."
The glint in his eyes had changed to an actual tear rolling down his cheek. Jane felt her own tears form at seeing him like this.
"I love you all...so much... you helped make me who I am... taught me so much and gave me a childhood despite my past... but you... you gave me something I never thought I would ever have." He said with great emotion.
Jane meanwhile brought her child closer holding him tightly.
'My child,' she thought with quiet satisfaction.
His face was on her shoulder, she began to feel her shoulder become wet from tears.
"I am so sorry I never appreciated you as much as you deserve," he whispered.
"You gave me a mother..."