You know , if someone would have told me a week ago I'd be standing next to an escaped convict , watching him and his loonies try to blow up a bus full of my classmates I would have told them they were out of there minds.

Guess I was wrong.

Maybe I should start at the beginning... befor the bus incident. Let's go back a bit shall we.

I was the unwanted product of some strung out whore and an equally as terrible father. Neither cared for nor wanted me.( A fact that I was constantly reminded of my entire life at the orphanage.)

I was unceremoniously wrapped in a ratty blanket and left outside, next to a dumpster in a back alley in the Narrows not too long after I was born. It was later I was told someone found me not too long after and brought me to the rundown shit hole of an orphanage I was currently part of, but not for much longer.

I was one of those kids, you know the ones. The ones that never get chosen. The ones who especially in a facility like I live in sit and rot till we turn 18 and they aren't responsible for us anymore. Well we need to get educated too. So they send us to school. Dress us up and make is look presentable like we're actually productive members of society.

Honestly though horrible hand me downs and sub par living conditions does not make one many friends in school. It was because of just that reason that I wound up on that God forsaken bus in the first place. The reason I was on my way to some dumb, happy, peppy cheer leading rally. The reason I met HIM!

I had been suffering for a while between the living conditions at the orphanage and the people at school. I wasn't the model student. I was smart I'll give you that but as far as participation goes. It was non existent on my part and I rather liked it that way. I was the kid always on their own in the corner, quiet, standoffish, bullied.

It was for this reason the genius ( and I use that term very loosely) of a guidance counceler decided that "Perhaps if she were to join in an activity with her peers she would be a more productive member of society."

So with a lot of cajoling by the counselor the faculty and orphanage agreed to let me join the cheerleading squad. JOY! ( Can you hear the sarcasm dripping in my voice because trust me it is)

The orphanage was happy to let me go. More time I was someone else's problem the less time I was theirs. I mean I wasn't going to be their problem much longer anyway. A few weeks and I'd be 18 and no longer their problem. Hell, they probably had my bed already ready for the next poor sap that would become one of Gotham's finest dregs of society.

So that leads me to where I was currently. On a small bus full of superficial people I hated. Waiting to go to an activity I hated even more. So as always I sat in the back of the bus, up against the window waiting to get this ridiculous farce over with.

We were just getting ready to pull away for the trip when we suddenly heard horns blaring like crazy. I payed it no mind however. I mean come on it's Gotham, if this town was ever quiet it would be a small miracle.

It wasn't till I heard the crowd of panic go up from my class mates that I even bothered to glace up from my book there were men on the bus chaining up my classmates. Not that I cared but when my book was ripped out of my hand and tossed aside I started to pay attention.

I was unceremoniously handcuffed to the seat in front of me, needless to say I was a bit annoyed while listening to the cries and whimpers of my fellow classmates. To be honest it was really doing my head in.

That was when HE stepped on the bus. The Ginger lunatic with the Cheshire cat grin. I have to say the straitjacket suited him nicely.

He was down the center of the aisle gun waving about loosely in his hand. "I want you all to know this was a very difficult decision for us. It was between you and a senior citizen bingo party."

He put the barrel of the gun up to Shannons head as she whimpered and tugged on her chains. Eventually he began making his way further to the back of the bus towards me.

"In the end we decided to scew a little younger." He continued, the grin never leaving his face. He was almost right near me now. A few seats ahead we heard someone let out a strained sob of "why?" He turned to look over his shoulder at where it came from

I rolled my eyes and turned to the ginger. "Hey, do me a favor red."

Suddenly he was staring straight at me. I felt a small chill run down my spine. "If your gunna kill us either start with her..." I said trying to motion ahead of me with the chains on

"Now where would be the fun in that when dragging it out would be so much more fun!"

" You know that saying about all it takes is one bad day... Well this is my one bad day so if you don't intend on killing that bubble headed bleach blind Barbie then please just shoot me n just put me outta my misery so I don't have to hear their endless whining."

He smile that unsettling smile and gave a chuckle. " I like this one Greenwood ... she's got spunk!" He said shaking the gun nonchalantly in my direction.

He leaned on the seat in front of me hands crossed under his chin. "What's your name doll face?"

I tried to give the most unimpressed look I could but I have to admit as unsettling as this nut in the straightjacket was, there was a certain charm to him.

"It's Raven. What's yours funny man?" He put the gun down on the seat in front of me.

"Well since you asked so nicely pretty bird.." he pinched my cheeks "It's Jerome, doll."

Stupidly as we were having our little exchange the girl in front of me tried to reach for the gun. BIG mistake on her part. Quicker than a flash Jerome snatched up the gun, cocked it and had it pointing at her temple.

"Now why would you go and do something like that? I'm just trying to have a nice conversation with my little bird and honestly I'm feeling so attacked right now."

"Of course the psycho would talk to the psycho that's trying to kill us all."

"Oh shut it Chad" I snapped.

"Yah. . . Shut it Chad." Jerome mocked be for turning the gun upside down and whipping Chad across the face with it. I whispered out an almost inaudible thanks as Jerome started walking back up the aisle.

"Youth won the day...Sorry." Jerome said as he walked up to the door of the bus and took a hose from one of the escaped loonies.

Before he turned it on he made a motion to me and said something I couldn't quite make out. Next thing I knew one of the loonies were coming in my general direction and unlocked the chains from around my wrists.

I was then hauled up and shoved up the aisle toward a smiling Jerome. "Now you be a good little bird and stay here, maybe daddy will let you fly free when this is all over."

"Daddy?" I said arching an eyebrow. He shivered and smiled. "Oh I like that...say it again doll."

I looked at him like he's lost his mind. Grabbing me around the waist he pulles me close to him hips pressed tight against his. My hands automatically grabbed at his straitjacket he used one hand to brush some of my hair behind my ear before leaning in closer his lips just inches from my ear. "I said ... say it again."

"Daddy." The reply came out shaker than I expected it. Just as quick as his hands were on me they were gone.

"Give me an O!" Jerome shouted. Yet no one answered thet just kept on whining and crying. Jerome raised the pistol and let off a single shot causing me to duck and hold my ears and nearly stumble down the step.

"I said give me an O." Jerome repeated before the others weakly echoed him back with terror trembling in their voices.

"Give me an N." Again the letter was repeated back.

"Give me another O!" Again everyone responded.

"What does that spell?" He reached between me and one of the lunatics taking a hose handed to him.

"Oh no." Was the response I heard but couldn't tell if it had been Jerome or the loony next to me. The next thing I knew I was watching Jerome open the hose valve and douse the bus load of classmates with gas as the bus exploded into a chorus of sheer screams of terror. Next thing I know I was dragged rather roughly down the steps of the bus to the street outside.

When he had his fill of dousing the brats on the bus he walked out of the bus, hose slung over his shoulder before tossing it aside and reaching into his back pocket for a lighter.

"Ready...ok." Jerome shouted as he bent down next to the stairs and flick

The lighter a few times. It wouldn't light. He turned around looking to where the maniacs and I stood shook his head and shrugged a bit. "This is so embarassing."

"I guess it's true what they say. SOME people just want to watch the world burn." I said and let out a small chuckle. Jerome chuckled as well. "Oh, I really like you birdy." He said before hopping back onto the bus.

"Anyone got a light?" At that I broke into a fit of laughter. As the screams on the bus only grew louder.

"I do." One of the maniacs near me said as he walked to Jerome flicking the lighter a few times. The piercing sound of sirens suddenly filled the air as we all turned to look at the cars arriving on scene. I stood beside Jerome gripping a hand on his shoulder. He looked over at me before standing directly in front of me.

"Stand your ground boys. They won't shoot at a bus." I guess he was wrong because a shoot our commensed. Again I was holding my ears as shots rang out around me.

"Eric, Greenwood, get the truck started we're gonna blow this barbeque."

He spun around taking a few shots at a cop in a suit before the gun clicked indicating he was out of ammo. He spun the gun in his hand before letting it fall to the floor making a motioned with his hand he shouted out.

"Light em up!" He grabbed my hand and helped me onto the step of the truck. Once I was up he grabbed the hose and started spraying more fuel all around. He soon jumped up next to me and almost slipped. I reached out grabbing his jacket to stead him. Hose still in hand Jerome let out a whoop as the truck started to drive off.

I almost slipped at that point and wrapped my arms around Jeromes waist. He began laughing maniacally as we drove away from the scene. That's when I heard the boom and squeezed onto Jerome tighter. "If you wanted to touch me doll face all you had to do was ask."

He wanted to tease did he... Two can play this game. I don't know what was going on in my head but the next thing I knew I was nuzzling his neck putting my lips close to his ear. "If I wanted to touch you it wouldn't be to hold your waist."

I slid one hand down his waist to the strap between his legs and gave it a tug. He chuckled a bit as I fiddled with the buckle ( hey I was doing this with one hand after all) Once it was finally opened i let it drop from my hand. "It would be much more fun to touch you here. Wouldn't it ... Daddy?" I whispered against his ear as I let my hand absentmindedly ghost up and down over his pants before giving his earlobe a playful nip to emphasize my point.

Jerome let out a small growl and a chuckle. "Oh we are going to have so much fun together dollface."