Thirsty 4 the Extraordinary

JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR NORRELL

Vinculus 

1. Written on his Skin

Chapters: 10 chapters

Pairing: Vinculus x Reader

Story Description: Y/N meets Vinculus in a not so prefect settings. But from angst comes love. This is slow burn fic.

Warnings: Smut in later chapters, reader being locked up, slight aggression, mentions of abuse, bulling.

Status: Complete

Chapter 1 | 

Chapter 2 |  

Chapter 3 | 

Chapter 4 | 

Chapter 5 | 

Chapter 6 | 

Chapter 7 | 

Chapter 8 | 

Chapter 9 | 

Chapter 10 |

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THE DARK KNIGHT (BATMAN- CHRISTOPHER NOLAN)

Heath Ledger Joker

1. Everything Burns

Chapters:  23 Chapters

Pairing: LedgerJoker x Female OC

Story Description: Inside of Scarlett a monster lurked, only once has she let it breath, but that was long time ago. Now she was normal just like anyone else, that is until The Joker smashes his way into her life. She must choose go with the Joker and live a life of anarchy and exhilaration or stay where she is living the life of everyone else, the choice seems simple to her.

Warnings: Extreme Violence, Smut, Adult Themes, Swearing, Murder.

Status: Complete

Chapter 1 - The Jester |

Chapter 2 - The Birth of the Jester | 

Chapter 3 - Happy Birthday | 

Chapter 4 - The Jester in his Head | 

Chapter 5 - The Jester Hat | 

Chapter 6 - The Addiction Begins | 

Chapter 7 - The Meeting | 

Chapter 8 - Cold Turkey | 

Chapter 9 - The Fundraiser | 

Chapter 10 - My Name is Jack *NSFW* | 

Chapter 11 - The Joker’s Girlfriend | 

Chapter 12 - Memorial Fun | 

Chapter 13 - Star-crossed Lovers | 

Chapter 14 - Climax *NSFW* | 

Chapter 15 - Better Class of Criminal | 

Chapter 16 - The Schemers | 

Chapter 17 - Bluffing | 

Chapter 18 - Social Experiment | 

Chapter 19 - On the Run | 

Chapter 20 - The Verdict | 

Chapter 21 - Welcome Home | 

Chapter 22 - We are Getting Out! | 

Chapter 23 - Goodbye Gotham 

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FALLOUT 4

John Hancock

*.ONE-SHOTS

Pairing: John Hancock x Female Sole Survivor

When they had first met, she had come strolling into Goodneighbour with Nick Valentine at her side. She was beautiful, and fresher-looking than any woman he had seen before. Like a poster of one of those pre-war movie stars. Of course, he was attracted, you would have to be blind not to be but he kept it to himself. And that vault suit hugged her curves aa though it were painted on.  

Once they started travelling together that’s when things had changed. Into something that he had never experienced before. She was kind, intelligent, cunning and not afraid to hurt those who needed hurting. He had had pre-existing ideas of what the Vault-dweller would be like in a fight and it was nothing like this. She had the reflexes of a trained killer, and as much as he had thought he would be the one protecting her, it was sometimes the other way around. He couldn’t count the number of times she had stimpak’d him mid-battle, just to turn and shoot his assailant in the face, as though it was nothing at all. 

The more they travelled together the more he fell for her. It wasn’t like him, John had always been a lone wolf, content with the occasional one nightstand. He had no problems finding lovers, even turning Ghoul hadn’t dampened his chances. The sexy King of the Zombies had no issues with the ladies. So why was he so hung up on the woman in a bright blue vault suit? 

It was one night, when they had stopped to make camp and he looked over at her sleeping form, that he fully understood, that what he felt wasn’t just simply lust, like usual. At first, it disturbed him, he wasn’t used to feeling like this, this intense feeling was scary. The womaniser in him denied these feeling of course and he told himself that the last thing she need was the love of a Ghoul. While he had never had trouble finding lovers, he knew that not all soft-skins were so inclined to his kind. He wasn’t sure he could take the rejection from her. He huffed to himself, she had turned him into a teenager again, nervous about asking out his first girl.  John Hancock was a confident flirt, never had he questioned himself before, but then never had he felt like this. She really was something else.  And yet he had never expected her to say what she did. 

He hadn’t expected the conversation to lead that way, he hadn’t even led it that way himself. He just simply wanted to let her know what a great friend she was, how impressed he was with her moral compass, deep down he wanted to be a little more like her. He felt it was only right that he shared, after all, she had been upfront since day one about her past, and what she was trying to do out here in the Commonwealth. But up until this point, he hadn’t really told her much about himself, only how he had become mayor and why he had wanted to leave. He had just wanted to share, to open up a bit. He hadn’t expected her to turn it on him like that. He had been telling her about what had happened at Diamond City. 

“I felt like I was the only one who saw how screwed up things truly were, who couldn’t just pretend things were fine. Still feel that way… or I did. Until I met you” He mentally scolded himself for that last part would she notice, question him. But she just kept listening politely, she hadn’t taken it for any more than just a declaration of admiration. No feelings attached. So with a smile, he continued. 

“I know I run my mouth, but having someone who sees the world for what it is and is willing to do something about it. It’s meant a lot to me. I feel damn lucky to have you as a friend.” 

“And that’s what we are? Friends?” the words had fallen from her mouth like they meant nothing, like she hadn’t just propositioned him. He couldn’t help the flutter that he felt in his stomach or that grin that spread across his face, he felt suddenly exposed, was she playing with him. But like aways, John use crude flirting and overconfidence to hide his nervousness. 

“Well, now that you mention it, I have been having slightly more impure thoughts than usual. Maybe we’ll get to…. act on those. Heh,” He had said to her. It wasn’t that he regretted saying it, after all, it was the truth. Watching her ass bounce in the vault suit, as she ran and few yards ahead of him as they travelled had undoubtedly been the inspiration for a few impure dreams. But did he want her to think that was all he had to offer? A few nights of passion on the road, just friends until they got into the bedroom. He wasn’t really sure what it was she wanted, maybe that was all she expected, after all, he did have a reputation. He told himself that with any other girl, especially one that looked like her, he would be happy. But as the days went past and he saw her save people who needed saving and take out those that threaten them, he knew he would never just been content with a sex only kinda deal. But it’s not like that had happened either since their talk nothing had happened. But it had been a tough few days, maybe she was simply worn out, he couldn’t blame. Or maybe it was all just meaningless flirting.  

“I’m off to bed, thanks for the drink Ben” she suddenly announced standing from her seat beside him, the settler nodded his head to her. She turned to John and bent down.

“Goodnight, Hancock,” she said sweetly before she placed a tender kiss to his cheek. He couldn’t help but turn his head and capture her lips. Just because she made him feel something new, didn’t mean he had forgotten all his moves. She squeaked with surprise at first but kissed him back nonetheless. He pulled away, shooting her his infamous grin. 

“You can call me John you know,” he told her and she smiled at him blushing pink. 

“Goodnight, John” she replied trying his name out and he smiled like a fool. No one called him that much anymore, but it sounded so sweet coming from her.

“Goodnight, Sunshine” he replied. His whole life he had been running but at that moment he knew, he could never run away from her.  

She stood fully and without another word headed off towards the small wooden shack that Ben had offered them for the night.  With his mind whirling he took off after her. He closed the door behind him and she looked up from where she was sat on one of the mattresses on the floor. She was going threw her pack, checking out ammo supplies and the like. 

“Hey, when you got time, I got something I still need you to hear,” he said as he perched himself in the rickety chair in the corner and pull the slightly smashed packet of cigarettes from his pocket. 

“Is everything alright?” she asked suddenly looking a little concerned. God, why did she have to look at him with those big beautiful eyes of hers? He took a breath.

“Oh yeah. Better than that. This is just… tricky” he began. Pushing the cigarette between his lips and lighting it. He offered her one silently and she took both the pack and lighter from him without a word, lighting the cigarette and taking a drag. 

He found himself opening up to her again, telling her things only he really knew. Things he hadn’t really told anyone.  How he felt inside, not about her but about himself. He needed to know she understood, that she saw him for who he really was. All his self-loathing out in the open, the real John Hancock on full display.  How he was just running away, with no real destination in mind. She hadn’t just listened to him spill his guts she had consoled him. 

“You may have run, but you always ran for a reason,” she told him with a nod of her head. Hearing her say something like that from her, was like a warm shower, washing away his insecurities, his worries. 

“Been trying to convince myself of that for a long time, but hearing that coming from someone like you…. I don’t know if you understand what that means to me,” he said with a smile which she returned. Again he took a breath.

“So, lemme get to the point. Throwing in with you has been the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s like I found a part of myself I never realised was missing…. Which happened sometimes when you’re a Ghoul” there he was joking again, protecting himself. 

“If I hadn’t taken up with you, I’d probably be in a gutter somewhere, getting gnawed on by Radroaches. You have been one hell of a friend” He had used that word strategically, he hadn’t forgotten the stolen kiss they had just had but he needed to test the waters. 

“Have you ever thought about us as maybe more than just friends?” she said her face serious. Was she testing him too? 

“Heh. It that obvious? But come on. You don’t want to wake up to this mug every morning. Never wish that on anyone I cared for.” it was honest, there were no sexual undertones, no joking. He was checking, he knew he could charm the pants off most girls in the Commonwealth but this was more than that, he wanted to check he hadn’t made a mistake. 

“Who I fall for is my decision. And I’ve fallen for you” she admitted with a smile and he swallowed hard. 

“Wouldn’t expect that kind of lapse in judgement from you. But I guess that works out for me then, doesn’t it?” he joked, mentally he scolded himself he should have told her how he felt. What she meant to him. But she giggled at his joke and he couldn’t help but smile. 

“Heh. Moments like this, I know all that karma stuff is bull. Because no one like me should be this lucky.“ he said looking down at the lit cigarette in his hand, the long line of ash waiting to be flicked off. 

Her hand entered his peripheral vision and he looked towards her. She had thrown her cigarette away and she was holding her hand out towards him. He threw his cigarette out the hole in the shack wall and took her hand. She pulled him to sit in front of her. Her beautiful eyes staring into his soul.  

“Look John, I know you joke to protect yourself. But I’m going to be honest now” she said and he blinked his heart beating out of his chest, she was going to tell him that he meant nothing to her. 

“When I said I fallen for you” she began, he knew what was coming”

“I really meant it” she breathed holding his hand a little tighter. He let out a breath he hadn’t know he was holding. She meant it?

“I love you, more than I’ve ever loved anyone before,” she said and he smiled so brightly it hurt his cheeks.

“I love you too, Sunshine,” he said and she smiled.

“But I want to check what that means to you. What I mean is, I don’t one-night stands or friends with benefits. I’m either in all the way or not at all.  So what do you say?” she said her voice far less confident than he was used to hearing from her. Had she been having all the same thoughts as him? God, he was a fool. 

“You don’t know how happy you make me, saying stuff like that. With you, I’ve found the person I was meant to be with. My missing piece. I don’t want to ever be without you. So you wanna make this thing official?” he asked and she smiled so brightly he could feel the warmth of it. 

He had told her nothing other than to sit as far away from the door as possible. So she sat her back against the back wall of her cell but when the hours passed by and still there was no sound Scarlett began to worry, but then just as she was about to give up hope.

"Working late, Doc?" came an all too familiar voice before a gun shot was heard and a signature cackle.

"La la la la la" sang Joker's voice and she swore she could hear him skipping.

"That one there, big man" said Joker's voice and then there was a strange, groaning sound as the door to Scarlett's cell visibly bent inwards until with a mighty crash and it was torn from the wall and landed with the door still in the frame, inches from her feet flat on the floor. An enormous man with muscles that looked as though they were about to burst out of his own skin, stood in the doorway. His head was mostly bald but there were a few strands that still persisted, though it looked as though he ripped at them with his enormous hands. The man stared at her for a moment before he roared at her so viciously that she felt the spit from his mouth hit her cheek.

"Now, now Aaron, what have we said, happy thoughts. This is a lady and we show ladies respect" cooed the Joker and finally, she could see him. Though he was still dressed in his grey tracksuit bottoms and a grey t-shirt, he was grinning again and she beamed at him. He looked like Joker again.

"Jester, this is Aaron he's helping with our escape," said Joker as he moved into the room and began to cut her straight jacket from her.

"Oh J," she laughed as he pulled her to her feet and he just grinned.

"I got you a gift," he said happily and she smiled before he handed her a handgun with a paper flower stuck onto the barrel.

"I love it," she said and he giggled before he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the cell.

Aaron the giant of a man was now breaking other patients out. Joker pulled her through the rabble as somewhere above them an alarm blared out. A few guards were on duty but didn't even see Joker and Jester coming as they tried to control the other patients and soon both guards had a bullet between the eyes. It all moved so quickly as Joker and Jester ran through the commotion of the Asylum riot, every guard they came across lay dead by the time they were through.

"I killed that Doctor lady for you," announced Joker as he rounded a corner with Jester in tow.

"Oh how romantic" she laughed and Jack cackled again, before he shot her a look that told he did indeed think his actions were very romantic and that only made her smile more.

They were heading straight for the main entrance, when the beast of the woman Heidi, who had taken pleasure in torturing Jester as best she could, rounded the corner blocking their escape. Her enormous chest was heaving as she stared angrily at the pair. Joker raised his gun towards the woman, but Scarlett held up her hand.

"No, I want to," said Jester in a voice similar to a child asking for a sweet.

"Oh of course, go ahead, princess," said Joker as he lowered his gun. Jester pulled out her own and pointed it at the enormous woman who was staring at her with venomous eyes.

"You weren't very nice to me," whined Jester, shaking her head at the woman.

"Are you going to say sorry?" asked Jester but the woman only sneered.

"SAY SORRY" Joker roared in a voice that was almost demonic.

But still Heidi stayed quiet and so without blinking Scarlett lowered her gun and in a swift movement, fired twice blowing out both of Heidi's knee caps. The gargantuan woman roared in pain and collapsed to the floor.

"I'm sorry" she sobbed lying at Jester's feet.

"Pardon, I didn't hear that" Jester cackled and the woman cried.

"I'm sorry, you psycho bitch!" Screamed Heidi tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, that was the wrong answer," joked Jester happily before she fired again catching Heidi in the throat. Joker allowed her to stay for a moment and watch the woman who had tormented her, choke on her own blood, her eyes desperate. Jester seemed to be filled with life and joy. Once the life had completely drained from her and hole in her neck had stopped squirting, Jester allowed Joker to pull her away and towards the large double doors that lead to the foyer.

Aaron the giant had caught up with them and was breaking through the doors that lead to foyer, behind Jester were hundreds of escapees just waiting to get out. With one enormous push the double door broke apart and opened with such force they ricocheted off the wall of the foyer and swung back inwards catching one inmate off guard and breaking his nose.

Joker somewhat dragged Jester to the front desk and pointed the gun at the guard that was sat there.

"Me and my lady would like to check out, so we will be wanted our things," said Joker as he draped an arm around Jester shoulder, and smiled with a sickly sweet smile. His gun still pointed at the guards head. The guard took a quick look around before deciding it was best not to argue with the hundreds of inmates and especially not with the psychopath pointing a gun at his head. The Guard unlocked the room where all the personal items were kept and Joker smiled.

"Much obliged," Joker laughed before he shot the man in the eye and headed for the room. Joker found all his things smiling at the note on bag which read.

"Name: Unknown

Alias: The Joker

Address: Unknown

Next Of Kin: Unknown"

He snatched up the clear plastic zip lock bag that held all his worldly goods and glanced over at the girl beside him who was holding her own equally large bag.

"Lets get out of her, gorgeous," he said and Scarlett laughed loudly.

He grabbed her hand again and pulled her through the rabble of inmates. The sound of the alarm filled the air still as they made it out into the fresh cool night air, at the bottom of the steps leading up to the asylum sat a lone black car and Joker laughed with triumphant as he led her towards it. The sound of police sirens was breaking through the sound of the Asylum alarm as Joker held the door to the back passenger seat of the car, with one final look behind him he jumped in beside her.

"Go Go," he said excitably jumping up and down in his seat slightly as the car shot off, the blue lights filled the rear view mirror as they headed away from the asylum. Just as Joker was about to lean out and fire at the cop a great lumbering form leaped at the police car and turned it over. Aaron roared at the police officer as he climbed out the wreckage of the car before Aaron lumbered over to him and literally pulled the police officer apart. Tearing his limbs from his body like he were made of wet paper.

Jack's cackles filled the car as it raced away from Asylum and Scarlett turned to him and with both hands she grabbed his face and brought her lips to his. He responded almost instantly as he wrapped his arms around her and brought her as close as possible. They crashed teeth in their sloppy and manic kiss but as they pulled away both were grinning.

Jack peered out there back window of the car and nodded to himself when he saw nothing but empty streets.

"Could we just stop here for a second" Jack called out.

"Sure boss," said the driver and slowly the car pulled to a halt at the side of the road.

Jack held up a finger motioning for her to wait as he got out the car and closed the door before climbed into the passenger seat.

"I've got a problem," said Joker to the driver who suddenly looked worried but made not motion to move.

"You see me and Jester are not going to get caught again. So the fewer people to know where we are going the better, so I'm afraid your services are no longer needed. It's nothing personal" said Jack before he raised the gun and fired.

It was horrific not only had the shot been such close quarters that the drivers head had essentially exploded but also the noise inside the car a reverberated causing Scarlett to become incredibly disorientated. By the time Jack had dragged the body out of the car and dumped it on the sidewalk before getting back into the driver seat, she had only just got her head to focus again, her ears still ringing and her eyes watering slightly.

"We are going to have to leave Gotham for a while," said Jack and he drove the car away from the curb.

"Okay" Scarlett said

"Come get in the front," he said and she nodded and with some difficultly, she pulled herself into the front passenger seat.

"Where are we going to go?" Jester asked as she looked out the window of the buildings rushing by.

"I don't know yet, just not Gotham" Jack didn't say much more after that and Jester watched at the passed by the sign that read. "Now leaving Gotham, Thank you for driving carefully" and she sighed Gotham sure had been a lot of fun.

"Don't worry Gorgeous, I'm not done with Gotham yet, we will be back before you know it." He said reaching across the car and squeezing her thigh slightly and with a grin Scarlet lay her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, Jack," she said and Joker glanced at her on his shoulder and smiled.

"Me, too Gorgeous"

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The End 

Thank you all for reading and I really hope you enjoyed this story. I may write a sequel or follow up oneshots but I currently have no inspiration or plans to do so. Please like and Reblog if you enjoyed.

It had been hours since she had last seen him, hours since she had heard his voice. She was losing what little was left of her mind and she screamed at the top of her lungs but no one seemed to hear her, or maybe they didn't care, she was sure they were used to such noises by now.

"Hush," said a soothing voice she knew all too well through an air vent high up in the wall.

"Joker?" she questioned.

"I'm right here, beautiful" he replied

"Though I doubt I'll be here long, I suspect these cells are somewhat temporary, due to the lack of other inmates," he said and she nodded though he could not see her. She pressed her face against the wall that separated them and hummed. She heard him chuckle and she smiled.

"Don't you worry Jester, I'll get us out," said Jack, his voice drifting through the vent separating their rooms.

"I love you" she whispered to him and again she heard him chuckle.

Jack had been right of course. No less than an hour later she was moved from her cell, more willingly than before she did not want to receive the 'intensive treatment' again so soon.

Jack did not see Scarlett again for another 6 months and when he did he did not recognise her. She was a shell of her former self, for good behaviour both had been granted outside time, they were placed in two large cages next to each other. The cage was bare, just a few wooden benches bolted to the concrete floor, trees surrounded the cage, but that was the only form of life as the people within the cage couldn't really be counted as alive.

If you weren't crazy when you came to Arkham you would be within a few months. He was pushed inside the cage with around 15 other men and he made his way to a bench to soak in a little of the sun. That was when he spotted her, she was sitting with her back to the cage wall separating them. Her black hair was split and wild, she was clean but her skin was grey and her eyes were so sad that it felt like Jack's heart broke just to look at her. She wasn't crying, though her face looked as though she were about to. She had aged and a few grey hairs could be seen. Her once perfect midnight hair was now a dull shade of dark grey. He knew it was her but as she looked up she did not seem to even recognise him. The lighting shaped burns on her arms testament to the regular 'intensive' treatment she was receiving.

He made his way to her and could feel the stare of the guards on his skin. He sat so his back was to hers slightly leaning against the cage, he turned his head to look at her and he saw a single tear roll down her face.

"I haven't told them anything," she said quietly, her chapped lips splitting open as she spoke. He could tell from the gruffness of her voice this was the first time she had spoken in a very long time.

"I never thought you would," he said just as quietly. She didn't look at him, simply nodded slightly, staring into her lap.

"I've missed you, I ..." she began but her voice cracked and she shut her mouth again.

"I've missed you too, gorgeous," he said slowly, he had never seen her like this and he never wanted to see her so broken again.

"I'll get us out of here, I'm working on it, just trust me," he said and again she nodded.

"I always have," she said so quietly the wind almost stole her words. Usually, he would have smiled at this. Usually, he would have laughed but not today her soul was dying and suddenly nothing seemed all that funny anymore.

"They keep giving me these drugs," she said after some time and Jack only nodded.

"Me too, I don't take them though," he replied and again she nodded.

"Me neither," she said.

"I don't like it here, they keep ..." again her voice cracked and a single tear split from her eye.

"I know, I know, but I promise I will get us out soon." he said though he had no idea how he would do so, he needed to save her. Never in his life had he needed anyone, never in his life had he wanted anyone until there was her.

Break time was over far too quickly and soon they were led away from each other again and into the asylum. They saw each other each day, at break and would sit against the fence with one another, but she never looked up at him. He was starting to wonder if she was hiding something. Every day that he saw her she seemed to deteriorate more, in a bid to cheer her up he would bring her gifts, paper flowers he had made in his cell or other pretty things he had found around the asylum. His plan of breaking them out was coming together; he had already found out a few weaknesses of at least 5 of the guards that would make bribing and or threatening them easy. But he needed more time though he wondered how long Scarlett had left, she seemed as though she would drop down dead at any minute.

It took him around a month to get everything in place for the breakout. It was not as easy as he thought, getting himself out was a piece of cake and he would not still be in this hell hole if it wasn't for her. He needed to take her with him, more than he needed to breath, but the organising of it had been hard. He could not tell her anything in fear of being overheard by the other patients or the guards, so she knew nothing. He had heard the doctors talking about her, saying they would have to up her treatment and he was not sure she would take much more. The electrocutions that they had the audacity to call 'treatment' was now twice daily for Scarlett and he was worried. Jack had never felt worried about anyone before, he didn’t even worried about himself. But Scarlett had given him a feeling that he had thought that he was incapable of long ago. He would get her out. If it was the last thing he ever did. She was his and he would keep her.

It was the day before, he knew his plan would get them out and he sat with her in the yard again.

"One more day gorgeous and we will be out of here." he said but she only nodded he feared she had lost her faith in him, or maybe just her will.

"I will get you out," he assured.

"I know" she whispered her hair covering her face as per usual.

"I need you." he said it so quietly, it was the nearest he had ever got to saying the three words she often told him and finally she looked at him. He smiled at her and she smiled back. He tried to control the horror he felt as he looked on at her once flawless face. He knew now why she had not looked at him.

The scar he had given her had split and was much wider and longer than it had been before. As though it had been forcibly torn open. It was more raised and looked more angry, much like the scars on his own face, but this had not been the feature to cause him such shock. Above her scar was her right eye, once it had been bright and shiny and so very beautiful, but now it was clouded white as though she had a severe cataract and the corners were bloodshot and raw. It covered her whole right eye and he wondered if she could see out of it at all, his face must have shown his horror as she turned her head away quickly staring into her lap again.

"Don't look at me." she said as tears splashed into her lap.

"Gorgeous?" he said, turning so he was on his knees, his hands pressed against the cage, his finger pushing through as though to try and touch her.

"Please don't call me that." she cried quietly.

"But you are gorgeous, you are so beautiful," he argued and she turned her body to him and looked him dead in the eye.

"How can you say that, look at me. Look what they have done to me. You can't say that!" she was almost screaming at him. Her face as close to his as possible through the cage.

"You said I was handsome." he said slowly and she seemed to falter.

"Even with my scars, you thought I was handsome. I think you are beautiful." he said simply and she let out a sob and placed her forehead to the cage, he did the same so they were almost touching she gripped the cage with her fingers and he pushed his through to hold her hand as best as he could.

"I love you." She sobbed and he smiled.

"I need you." He replied.

"We are going to get out, aren't we?" she asked.

Jester was then dressed in a straight jacket and a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms, though she protested having bitten the burly woman on the cheek in the process and spat in her face.

She was led through the grey halls of the asylum, she was walked passed around a hundred heavy metal doors leading to the cells of the inmates before they reached the end and she was led into a nice well-lit doctors office. A female doctor was waiting and the burly woman sat Jester in a chair heavily and shut the door. Jester could see the burly woman's shadow through the window in the door, she was waiting.

"Now Miss Jesterson, I'm Dr Frances today I shall be doing a medical check-up. I'm sure with your medical background you will be well aware of the procedure. After today I will be doing psychiatric work with you as well as administering you with any medication I see fit. Every 3 months you will have another medical evaluation. You will receive therapy every other day." said the Doctor as though she was reading from a transcript.

"You really shouldn't call me that," Jester warned quietly.

"Well I'm afraid we don't do aliases in here, Miss Jesterson or should I call you Scarlett"

Something in Jester snapped and she launched herself across the room at the doctor. But the burly woman was back in a flash and she had Jester pinned to the wall, her feet not even touching the ground.

"Thank you, Heidi," said the doctor straightening her lab coat.

"Now shall we continue" for the rest of the checkup Jester was held down roughly by 'Heidi', though that name seemed far too pretty for the beast it was given to.

"Now I think due to your behaviour, we will give you some intensive treatment now, which will hopefully calm you down a little" Dr Frances said.

Jester began to trash at that sentence, she kicked with both legs and Heidi dragged her from the room and into one just down the hall labelled, "Treatment room one".

Scarlett had heard of Electroshock therapy before, during her career but she had no idea they still used it. At least not while the patient was still awake. 

She was strapped to a chair by her head, wrists and ankles and they attached electrodes to the side of her forehead. Jester screamed and tried to free herself but it was of no use, the restraints were made for someone far stronger than herself. The doctor approached her, a large paddle held in each hand, a long thick wire connected the paddles to the machine. 

The machine whirred and hissed as it started up and Jester screamed as the doctor pressed the two paddles to either side of her head. The wave shot through her like a bullet and she screamed and screamed. Over and over it tore through her being, as her body began to convulse  she felt her mind go into shock and a feeling or wariness came over her as the last shock subsided, and her convulsion stopped.

She was dragged from the room, her body weak and broken and her legs sliding along the polished concrete floor. She looked up slightly when she heard a shout but her head was blurry and she looked back down again. Jester was thrown into a cell and she looked up at the enormous woman in the doorway.

"Welcome to your new home, Miss Jesterson," said Heidi with a loud laugh to Jester before the door to the cell was slammed shut.

"Put your hands above your head, lady!" shouted another the cop pointing their taser at Jester now. Joker stirred slightly at her feet but made no move to stand. The voice that would usually tell her to run was quiet as she looked down at Joker's figure. He hadn't left her behind when she was shot, he easily could have but he didn't. His voice was running through her head repeating over and over "We stay together".

She dropped her knife to the ground and raised her hands over her head. The cops rushed forward to handcuff her in an instant. For the second time in two days Scarlett and Jack were bundled into a police van.

"I'm sorry," Scarlett said softly as she watched Joker raise his head and look around. He was now handcuffed and sitting in the back of a police van with her.

"Don't," he muttered quietly. 

She waited patiently for him to spring them out, come up with another brilliant plan, to find their next escape, but it never came and he looked at her with a small smile as the van came to a halt and they were led into Gotham's MCU.

They were bundled into Gordon's cage rather unceremoniously. Jester looked around, it was still somewhat dishevelled from the explosion a few weeks ago and some of the walls were still broken down. One end of MCU was completely cordoned off, that had been the area the fat thug had been taken just before Joker set off the bomb inside of him, so Jester could only imagine what a state it was in.

James Gordon entered and looked over the two clowns in his MCU holding and sighed. He had no idea the Joker had already corrupted so many.

"I haven't got time for the clowns. I have Harvey Dent's memorial to organise and now that we are actively hunting Batman, I need to do a press conference. Turner, you interview the girl and don't even bother with the Joker, just take them to court with the evidence of what happened last time he was here." said Gordon, he pulled his glasses from his face and squeezed the bridge of his nose. He shook his head in dismay and disappeared from the room again.

The officer called Turner was a skinny man with a long face and scruffy ginger hair. He looked over at the two clowns in the cage and sighed.

"Open it up," Turner said to the guard, who unlocked the door and reached in to grab Jester by her handcuffs. Jester looked at Joker desperately as she was pulled from the cage but he just sat on the bench nonchalantly and winked at her.

"Play nice Jester," he said laughing. She laughed slightly and he grinned.

She was placed in the interrogation room alone and she waited for Turner, it was cold in there and the room echoed with every little noise.

Turner entered and took a deep breath, though he was glad he was not interviewing the Joker, he did not find this woman any less intimidating. She looked up at him and grinned widely, inwardly he shivered.

"What's your name" he began shakily and the clown laughed loudly.

"Really, that's your opening question?! You know my name otherwise, you wouldn't have come to my home." Jester said her eyebrows raised.

"Okay then Scarlett, I'd like to ask you what you have been up to recently," he began again.

"You dare say that NAME!" Jester screamed but quickly her face returned to a sweet smile and Turner swallowed hard.

"And recently, I've just been doing a bit of this, a bit of that. You, know the usual," she said nonchalantly.

"Your DNA has been linked to at least 3 separate murders," said Turner.

"Yes, I suppose it would have been. But you know those people weren't very nice…... Or something like that." Jester said laughing loudly again.

"So you and the Joker, what are you? Like boyfriend and girlfriend?" Turner asked and Jester went quiet and turned her head to the side slightly.

"You know, I've never liked to label things, but we have been known to spend the night together. But why would you ask something like that, are you envious Detective Turner?" Jester cooed.

"Who is the Joker?" Turner asked, shaking off her question.

"How would I know?" Jester replied holding her hands up and shrugging her shoulders.

"He must have told you something, anything at all about himself? You said you slept together, he must have said something!" Exclaimed Turner, he visibly jumped as she let out an ear-splitting cackle. For a moment Jester just cackled laughing and laughing at the officer, slowly she calmed herself somewhat to answer his question.

"Have you met him? You really think he is the type of guy to share" Jester said, still laughing.

"If you tell us something. We would be able to help you, with your own case, give a reduced sentence or at least a nicer cell because the way you are going I think Arkham is your best bet" Turner sighed. Jester didn't reply and again Turner sighed.

"I spoke to your old boss. She said you were nice, she said you were respectable. She didn't believe me when I told her what you had done" Turner said to her, shaking his head, but the girl in front of him simply smiled.

"You can't be all bad, there must be a real you still in there" he continued and again Jester cackled.

"I’m not bad, that is just your perception. This is the real me! You can't trust her description, you can never really know someone, not fully. You will never know what is really in their head. Deep down everyone has the capacity to be more, you just need to find the right motivation for them to find it. I mean how many of your friends turned out to really be working with the Joker?" Jester laughed.

"That's not the same, they were corrupted with money by the mob," growled Turner.

"There is no such thing as corruption, there is only motivation! Look at Gotham's white knight. Don't tell me he didn't kill those people because I know he did." said Jester grinning again.

It went on like that for another ten minutes until finally Turner gave up and left Jester in the interrogation room alone. She wasn't sure that they would go to court somehow. Arkham's padded cells seemed to be getting nearer and nearer and for the first time in a very long time, Scarlett was terrified and she did not like it. She did not want to go there. 

For around about six hours Joker and Jester were kept at the MCU until finally, a call came in, they would not be going to court. Their crimes had been judged as well as evidence given. It was decided by the Mayor and a governing body, this was a clear-cut case for Arkham Asylum. There would be no trial, no court case and no option to appeal.

When the 'men in white coats' came and the Joker and the Jester were dragged away the police station took a sigh of relief. The ride to the asylum was strange, Joker was laughing more than usual and Jester laughed along, though she didn't truly know why.

When they arrived they were separated from one another almost immediately. Jester was taken to a room where her weapons, boots and anything other than her clothes were taken from her before she was shut inside and left in the silence. A few moments later a large burly looking woman entered the room with a straight jacket in her hand. She dropped the straight jacket on the table and raised her eyebrows at the clown in front of her.

"Drop your pants and bend over." demanded the burly woman, a stern look on her face.

"I beg your pardon, you know I really don't swing that way," said Jester with a giggle.

"I've been ordered to give you a cavity search, so we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Jester began to cackle but the woman seemed undisturbed by the insanity and simply moved closer. Jester stopped laughing as she realised this woman was not kidding.

Jester thrashed and screamed but she was held face down on the table by the enormous woman, and as her hands began their search, a new kind of scream escaped Jester's lips. Somewhere across the Asylum, Joker heard and his insides turned.

--------------------------------------------------

"Have you got something to cover your face?" came his voice through the wall again and she laughed slightly.

"No," she replied, looking around for anything.

"Could you not just stick your head in your cleavage, they definitely look big enough?" he replied quickly and she could hear the grin in his voice.

"I'm offended," she said giggling slightly.

"I like them big, big is good" he exclaimed and again she laughed. 

She heard him shuffling around in his compartment then saw a white fabric push between the gap where the door frames of their cells met. It was hardly big enough for the fabric but she pulled and with a hard tug the fabric came free into her hand. A dirty looking handkerchief was not scrunched into her fist. 

"Cover your face with that," his voice said quietly, still in cuffs she moved and held the cloth to her face with both hands quickly.

She heard him shuffle around again and then she heard something heavy hit the floor before she heard him kick something and then the van began to fill with a thick green gas.

"Hold on Jester," he said his voice more muffled than before. 

There was a shout within the van, the police had noticed the gas, but it seemed there wasn’t much they could do as suddenly the Jester was jerked from her seat as the van swayed. The gas had clearly caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, “perhaps he has died” Jester thought to herself giddily. 

She was ratted around her metal cage as the vehicle lurched around the road, completely out of control. Suddenly the van crashed into something ahead with a metal crushing squealing bang before it turned over. It must have flipped at least twice and finally came to a rest on its side. Jester had managed to keep hold of her makeshift gas mask during the crash as she was shaken and smashed around her cell. As soon as the van had settled, she struggled to her hands and knees. With the van on its side she was unable to stand due to the width of the cell, the door was now above her head. 

"J?" she called out quietly.

"I'm coming princess, hold on" came his voice before there was a loud bang as the door to her cell was ripped open and she looked up at him. Joker was looking very proud of himself. He was stooping heavily but he held and hand out to her to pull her to her feet and help her climb out of the cell. 

He was free of his handcuffs and was now wielding a crowbar which he clearly had used to break himself and Jester out, she didn't want to know where he had been hiding that. 

He still held a cloth to his mouth with one hand, as he dropped the crowbar to fish a set of keys from his pocket. He un-cuffed her quickly and took her hand as he dragged her to the back door of the van. Using his discarded crowbar he busted the door open and grabbed her hand again, pulling her roughly from the van. They began to run, hand in hand, Jester’s head was still swimming from the crash but the had to move now, no doubt more police would be on their way. 

"Stop!" shouted a voice from behind them and Jester and Joker turned back, a police officer lay in the doorway of the beaten van, he looked like he was having trouble focusing and blood was dripping down his face and from his mouth, but he raised his gun at them nonetheless.

"I can't let you get away," he said and Joker laughed loudly before he turned and began to pull Jester with him.

The gunshot ripped through the air and Jester did not know she had been hit until she looked down at her calf. The blood was pooling around her fishnets and rushing down her leg. Joker had not noticed and continued to try and drag her away, his hand firmly in hers. As she collapsed as the pain surged through her leg and he finally turned to her. She was staring at her leg, cripping at the open wound and Joker looked around, any minute the cops would be here. For a moment he just stared at her, but then he quickly pulled his hand from hers and made off, away from the scene. 

Jester gripped at her bleeding leg and watched as Joker ran away, his purple coat tails flying behind him. The sirens of the cops were getting louder and she urged him to run faster. The officer in the van was laughing at her and she snarled at him. Quickly Jester reached out and snatched a gun that had fallen from the van in the crash, and without a second thought fired the gun back at him.

Joker stopped in his tracks, coming to a complete stop as he heard the rifle fire again, he could hear her soft whimpering. It was a kind of noise which would usually sicken him or entertain him. But not her, not his Jester. It wasn’t the same. 

She watched as Joker turned back and ran back towards her.

"Leave you, idiot! The cops will be here any minute," she shouted looking at him like he was crazy.

"Shut up," he seethed as he reached her. 

He bent down and looped one arm around under her legs and other on her back and with very little effort at all pulled her into his arms. She looped her free hand over his shoulder, the other keeping pressure on her wound. She looked at his face as he ran off again, carrying her in his arms. His face was set, a look of annoyance on his face and he did not look at her at all. 

"I love you, Jack," she said quietly as she looked away from his face.

"Me too" he replied with a laugh, she wasn't sure what that really meant but it pleased her nonetheless.

--------------------

Somehow they had ended up at her apartment and he sat her on the sofa heavily.

"What do you need?" he asked his famous smile nowhere to be seen.

"Under the sink, there is a first aid kit and in the cupboard above is a bottle of vodka. I need both," she said and Joker made his way off, he brought them back quickly and Jester grabbed them from him.

She pulled off her boot and threw the item to the ground before cutting off her stocking, over the wound. She took the top off the bottle of vodka and poured a large glug over her wound, she hissed at the contact. Joker was watching her the whole time. She opened the large first aid kit and pulled out a pair of long tweezers.

"Will you hold my leg down please?" she asked looking up at Joker, who did as she had asked without question, his expression completely blank. Jester took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from her face smearing her greasepaints in the process before she pushed the tweezers into her leg. She let out something close to a howl, and pulled her hand away, leaving the tweezers still in-bedded in her skin. She closed her eyes and took another breath and Jack just stared, still holding her leg steady.

She opened her eyes again and moved her hand back to the tweezers. She began to dig into her leg, her face grimaced and she hissed but she did not scream or even whimper. Though tears washed down her face like a waterfall, washing away her make-up somewhat and revealing her scar more prominently than before.

Jack just watched on, in silence his face unreadable as she finally pulled the bullet from her leg and threw the piece of metal to the ground in disgust. She then doused her leg in alcohol again before taking two large gulps from the bottle herself. She then wiped her leg a few times with a cloth before applying a pad and wrapping her wound with a bandage.

She lay back and he released his grip and looked at her as she sighed and shut her eyes.

"Why did you come back for me?" she asked without opening her eyes. Jack stayed silent, he wasn't sure he really had an answer to that question. He really didn’t know, his mind was usually so loud but there was nothing that answered her question. 

"I don't know," he said slowly and she let out a laugh not dissimilar to his iconic cackle.

"The feeling’s mutual," she muttered, opening one eye to look at him. Finally, he cracked and a smile took over his face as he laughed along with her.

"How long till they find us?" Jester asked as she pulled her boot back on her foot and stuffed her ruined stocking into her pocket.

"No idea, but it's more fun this way," grinned Joker laughing again, she looked at him with a strange smile on her face. Scarlett honestly couldn't think of a time she had been happier than right now. Sitting there with a hole in her leg, waiting for the cops to find them and watching him laugh, she was content.

She closed her eyes again and pushed herself back further into the sofa. Jack watched her and rubbed his face, most of his make-up was worn away now.

"You should sleep Jester," he muttered to her and she hummed a response, her eyes still shut.

He stood and she peeked an eye open to watch him walk down the hall.

"Are you coming to bed or not" he called and she opened her eyes again and turned her head to see him standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

Groggily she stood and hissed as she placed weight on her injured leg. He watched as she limped her way towards him. He let her go ahead of him, watching as she crawled onto the bed and somewhat collapsed. He shut the door behind him and made his way over to her. He sat down on her bed and swung his legs up. He reached out for her and pulled her close, she responded happily snuggling into his chest and closing her eyes again. He stared down at the woman in his arms and wondered how on earth he had got this far, how he had he for the first time in a very long time developed a human connection with someone.

She was in love with him and he could not deny the happiness she brought him and the urge to always keep her safe, by his side that he felt. He took a deep breath and she opened one eye and looked up at him, she gave him a small smile and he smirked. Before she snuggled back down and closed her eyes. He absent-mindedly stroked her tangled hair, and looked off into the middle distance. He felt her go heavy and her breathing turn light, he looked down at his sleeping beauty and chuckled. He placed a kiss to her forehead and wrapped his arms more tightly around her, before he too shut his eyes.

When Scarlett woke it was early morning and she was still wrapped in Jack's arms, they were both fully dressed and their make-up was equally smudged. She refused to move though she knew the cops would be baring down on them at any minute. But moments like this with Jack were so rare, so against her better judgement she snuggled back down into his chest and breathed in his scent.

"I'm not going anywhere, you don't have to squeeze so tight Jester," said his groggy voice and she smirked slightly as she looked up to his face.

"Should we leave today, go somewhere else?" Jester asked and Joker moved to sit up slightly still holding her to him.

"I suppose that's what being on the run is?" said Joker and Jester smirked again. She pulled herself from his grasp and stood stretching out her slightly sore muscles, her leg stinging sharply at the movement. She pushed her hair out of her face and turned to look at him.

"Where are we going to go, maybe we should split up. I mean they will have identified me by now, they will be coming for me. But you, they have nothing, they don't even know your name, who you are. If we split up they would never find you" explained Jester looking at the man sitting on her bed.

"No, we stay together," he said simply before he stood from his seat.

"But..." she began but he shot her a look that could freeze blood and she snapped her mouth shut. She simply watched as he turned and walked out the room.

She heard him switch on the TV as she moved to the living room, with some difficulty.

"The Breaking News today. The sad news that Harvey Dent has died. Early reports are saying that he was killed by Batman himself. Police Commissioner Gordon has yet to comment on this devastating news but a memorial service has been organised for next week. In other news..." said the voice of a news anchor, that Jester had not seen before.

Joker stood suddenly as there was a loud bang from outside, and Jester looked to him and then the door.

"Tonight, you're all gonna be a part of a social experiment, through the magic of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate I'm ready right now to blow you all sky-high." the Joker began as slight feedback came through the phone. He grinned at her as he continued.

"If anyone attempts to get off their boat, you all die. Each of you has a remote to blow up the other boat. At midnight, I blow you all up. If, however, one of you presses the button, I'll let that boat live." he looked out at the boats reading from the paper in his hands as he spoke.

"So who's it gonna be? Harvey Dent's most-wanted scum-bag collection or the sweet innocent civilians? You choose." he cheered like he was the host of some kind of twisted game show.

"Oh, and you might wanna decide quickly because the people on the other boat may not be quite so noble." with that last word he hung up and stuffed the phone back into his pocket. He turned to Jester and held his hand out to her, she took it and he pulled her to her feet roughly.

"Now we just gotta watch the show! We have 25 minutes to midnight, any bets on what time they will blow each other up?" laughed Joker as positioned himself behind her wrapping his strong around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I say they will leave it till about 5 minutes to midnight then the civilians will blow up the prisoners," said Jester as she snuggled back into him.

"Hmmm, well I hope it doesn't take that long, but then again I'm sure this won't be our only entertainment tonight," he said running one hand up and down her side.

He moved away from her and stared out the window. His movements turning to that of a caged lion. He continued to pace up and down the window slowly as she turned and made her way to the other side of the building. She looked down at the floor where a pair of binoculars had been left, she bent and picked them up and peered across at the building opposite. Just below her on the roof of the other building was a swat team of police officers and someone else that she assumed to be Gordon.

"There is a swat team assembling on the roof of the other building" she called out to Joker, but she was met with silence, she turned to see that he was still pacing. She wondered if he had heard her but decided not to bother repeating herself, she continued to watch the officers. Gordon picked up his own binocular and for a second she thought he was looking at her but of course, he wasn't, she was higher than his line of sight. He must have been looking at the floor where the boys and the hostages were. As she watched something on the corner of the roof caught her eye.

"The Bat's there too now" she called and Joker let out a loud cackle.

"Brilliant, now it really is a party," he said, still laughing.

"I'm sure Bats will be here any minute. Jester, I want you to go to the next floor up, keep watch and kill any cops you come across," he said as his pacing stopped and he turned to her.

"But I want to stay with you" she said simply as she dropped the binoculars to her feet and walked over to him, her boots clicking slightly on the floor.

"Go!" he said sternly and she cringed at his voice, his face softened but he did not speak simply turned his back to her and continued to stare out the window.

She moved slowly away heading towards the rickety ladders leading up to the floor above. She looked up at the boards and scaffolding above, the building was still under construction on the higher floors. 

Her mind did not even imagine such fears as falling, not since Jack had bulldozed his way into her life. She did not fear her own death as she once did. The only thing that scared her now was losing him, not being around him every day. She looked back at his purple-clad back as she climbed up the ladder until she lost sight of him. She pulled herself up onto the boarded floor and stood. The floor was simply scaffold boards around the edge of the room and across the middle, leaving large gaps so that she could see down onto Joker's level. She giggled as she heard a large thump on one of the floors below, no doubt the Bat was crashing the party, she skipped her way along the bouncy flooring to stare down at Jack below her.

She stood directly above him and laughed, he looked up and gave her a bemused looked.

"What's so funny Jester!" he asked and she laughed again.

"I was just thinking if you were a girl, I would have a perfect view down your top from here," she said bending over to look at him better.

"Really well I have a perfectly good view up your top right now," he said, smirking slightly and she mocked surprise and pursed her lips at him.

"By the way, I think Bats just crashed your party," she said as she moved away to look out into the open expanse in front of her. Only a few of the enormous windows had been fitted, leaving huge expanses open to the air. The urge to jump hummed in the back of her head as she looked over the edge.

"There's that voice, jump, just do it! Do IT!" she said to herself as she laughed madly.

"Not so much the urge to jump something more, something deeper" she whispered as she dangled a foot over the edge of the open window, the winds whipping her hair around her face. She heard him move on the floor below and she tore herself away from the open window and move along the board further.

She heard an enormous boom from below, and she pulled her chainsaw from its holder, holding it in front of her stiffly as she started the motor. It hummed gloriously.  She stood stock still as she watched a few swat team police officers repelling down the side of the building. One lost his footing on the open window and fell into her room. 

He didn't notice her as he unclipped his harness and began to stand. She lashed out, hitting him so hard in the shoulder his arm was sliced cleanly from his body and went flying back out the window he had just entered. The blood from the impact sprayed her in the face and the man screamed. If Jester hadn't been mad before she had now hit the point of no return, for a second she stared at the bleeding man, the place where his arm had been was spitting blood and she laughed. She laughed and laughed. The sound of a chainsaw so loud in her brain she could hear nothing else around her, the rest of the swat team continued down the building unaware of the peril their colleague was in.

Her mind was so loud and manic as she wielded the chainsaw over her head and bore it down upon the man over and over again. A few times it bounced off his body armour but soon he was nothing but a pile of blood and severed limbs. Her face was splattered with blood and she grinned like a madman at the sight, her mothers screams terrorising her mind. The screams so loud she could hear little else. 

She rushed over to the open window and looked down to where the swat team had just abseiled. She turned the chainsaw off and pushed it back onto her hip holder and made her way back towards where Joker was. He was still pacing up and down and she watched him from above. There was more noise coming from below as the remaining swat team entered the building. She stared down at him as the Rottweilers began to bark loudly.

"Ahh, you made it. I'm so thrilled," said Joker to the new person. Jester moved her position to see the person more clearly. The Bat was walking towards Joker slowly and Jester readied herself, as the dogs began to growl. The floor board below her creaked loudly but she ignored it as she continued to watch through the gap in the floor.

"Where's the detonator?" Batman demanded and Joker snarled silently.

"Go Get Him!" he said and the three dogs launched themselves at the Bat.

There was a very loud crack and suddenly Jester was falling through the middle of the building. The floorboard had collapsed under her and she was now falling down the unfinished elevator shaft that ran the entire height of the building. Desperately she grabbed onto the first thing she could find, a rope that was hanging down the center of the shaft. The enormous steel girder that rope was attached to moaned at her sudden weight but held firm. The wind was knocked out of her at the sudden stop she panted as she tried desperately to climb back up the rope, her arms were burning. Joker might need her. 

She stared as the three dogs flew past her and down into the darkness below, having been pushed from the floor above. She managed to throw her leg out as she began to slip down the rope, stopping herself on a board that was overhanging an edge. Quickly she moved her footing and pulled herself free of the pole and onto solid ground, her chainsaw slipped from her hip and she cursed as she heard it clang against the metal framework on its descent.

She was two floors below Jack now and badly beaten. She needed to get back up there and fast. She was pretty sure her ankle and ribs were broken but she cared little for the pain. She pulled her gun from her pocket and loaded it. Before she ran off through the building towards the stairs. The pain of her battered body far from her mind. She weaved her way through a few cops before one tried to stop her, she sidestepped him quickly.

"It's okay Miss, we know you are a hostage, we are here to save you," called the officer and she looked at him strangely. They must have worked out that the hostages were the clowns and now he thought she must be one.

She couldn't help the laugh that exploded from her and the officer stared at her strangely as she bent over in hysteria. Before her laughing stopped abruptly and she raised the gun and shot him in the eye. His face exploded, and she was moving again before his body hit the floor. 

She kept herself low as she moved quickly through the chaos around her. She reached the stairwell and began her ascent but was soon blocked off by a large pile of bricks and other building materials. Swearing she pushed herself through a gap and onto the floor below, now even further away from Jack than before. She heard a noise behind her and turned quickly and shot the officer in the face before turning back. She hurried around looking for anything to help her get up to him. There was nothing and she made her way to the open window. She peered out, hanging over the violent drop.

She turned her head peering up to where she knew he would be. She could see him a few floor ups standing above the Bat. The Bat was on the floor, a pole over his throat as Joker spoke to him with words she could not hear.

She looked up and down the window wondering if she had the ability to scale the building to get to him. She had the strength that was for sure, it was strange what love could do but right now she felt she would do anything to get to him. 

She looked back out to the water but both ferries were still intact, the wind was whipping around her face so she could hear nothing. She turned back to Joker who had pulled the detonator from his inside pocket as he held the bar down over Batman's throat with his arms. He said something to the Bat but then Jester's world fell apart. The Bat had grabbed Joker and thrown him from the building.

"NO!" Jester screamed as she watched him fall past her, laughing like the madman he was.

"NO!" she screamed again, her eyes filled with tears. Part of her felt the urge to dive after him but then her heart filled with rage, she would kill the Bat because he killed her Joker.

Joker’s descent came to a sudden stop. Jester looked up to see the Bat begin to pull the line that had saved the Joker's life. She shook the tears from her eye and looked on in disbelief, why would he save the Joker.

Slowly he pulled the Joker back up to his level. Jack winked at her as he passed by on his jerky ascent and she smiled warily. She heard Joker grunt as the Bat secured the line and stood to look at the upside down, grinning face of the Joker.

She strained her hearing but she could barely make out what Joker was saying over the wind that was wiping through her hair.

"This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object" Joker's voice drifted through the wind to her and she felt her fears loosen their grip somewhat, he wasn't dead. The wind was loud and she only caught small amounts of his words, playing like a broken CD on the wind.

"Until they get a good look at the real Harvey Dent and all the heroic things he's done" his words were louder now and she watched as he swayed somewhat in his suspended spot. His ankle was probably broken from the sudden stop when the Bat had caught him but he didn't seem to notice the pain or even care.

"You didn't think I'd risk losing the battle for Gotham's soul in a fistfight with you?" Joker asked loudly and Jester grinned, he had never told her his full plan but she had theorised along the way. The wind picked up again and she lost their conversation again.

"I took Gotham's white knight and I brought him down to our level. It wasn't hard. See, madness, as you know is like gravity. All it takes is a little push" she made out his voice again, though by now she was sure she could make out his voice in a crowd of shouting people. She watched as he swung himself backwards and laughed loudly. The Bat was on the move and within seconds a swat team had taken his place their guns trained on Joker.

Jester turned quickly to find her way to Joker, but came face to face with the barrel of a gun.

"Drop your weapon!" shouted the officer and she laughed.

"I said drop it!" he shouted at her again and for a split second she contemplated fighting it, but she would definitely be dead before anyone else and she wanted to see Joker again. So reluctantly she dropped her gun and raised her hands above her head. She didn't hear their words as they cuffed her and read her rights. They led her down and out of the building. The bodies of the goons filled the floor and she doubted if many had survived but she didn't care either way. She laughed as the officer restraining her shoved her into a caged van. He pushed her into a cell within the van and shut the door with a resounding bang.

Jester sighed as she stared around at the tiny cell she was locked in, it was no bigger than a toilet cubicle. She listened as the van door was opened again and she heard a familiar giggle, the cubicle next to hers was opened and shut behind someone.

"Is that you gorgeous?" asked his muffled voice through the wall.

"Sure is sexy" she replied happily. The relief of hearing his voice again was truly bliss.

-------------------------------

She burst out laughing and he frowned. Suddenly he had pushed her back into the bed covering her body with his own, he began to kiss and nibble at the sweet spot on her neck and she moaned at the sudden pleasure. He bit hard on her neck and she arched her back pushing herself against him again.

"Am I sexy now?" he asked and she nodded breathlessly as he kissed her again, his hands moving down her body and she moaned again. She couldn't believe he could actually get her wet even when he was in a nurses uniform. She moaned again as his hand caressed her inner thigh and began working it's way up.

"J" she moaned as he undid her waistcoat and pulled it from her roughly.

"That's Nurse J to you" he muttered as he began to nibble on her ear.

Around an hour later, Joker led Jester down the stairs to help him make another video for the news. She was pleased that after removing all of his clothes upstairs, he had redressed in his normal attire rather than his nurse costume. When she entered the room, Mike Engel was laying face down on the ground, his feet bound at the ankles with a rope that was connected to a pulley that led to a hook in the ceiling. She grinned at Joker as he came into the room behind her, he pulled off his coat and jacket and dumped them in the corner of the room.

Mike Engel groaned as Joker began to pull the free end of the rope, hoisting the news anchor into the air by his ankles. The Joker cackled as he looked at the hanging man strangely bending his neck so as to look at Mike in the eyes.

"Jester, here is going to do your makeup now, Mr Engel" said Joker as though he were the producer of the news channel. He handed Jester a pot of red grease paint and she took it and approached the news anchor.

She began to smear the red pain on the anchor's lips and he groaned angrily.

"Oh don't moan, I'm sure you're very used to wearing make-up for the camera" she laughed as she began to paint a smile that from her angle looked more like a frown. She applied more and took a step back to admire her work before she turned to Joker.

"Mr Engel is ready for his close up now, Mr Joker," she said smiling widely and he grinned at her before giggling wildly.

Joker pulled a sheet off of the table in the corner and handed Jester a spray can.

"This will be his backdrop" the Joker explained as he pulled the cap off the can. Jester nodded as she began to spray the words 'Breaking News' on to the sheet sloppily. There were already a few black spots on the sheet and so some of the letters were blurred, but the Joker looked pleased with her work. He took the can from her and sprayed a few 'Ha Ha's' on the sheet before he dragged it over to the wall behind Engel. She followed pushing Engel slightly so he spun around. Joker laughed as he held the sheet up to the wall, the paint running slightly. Before he frowned and looked at Jester and then Engel before he turned the sheet upside down and proceeded to hammer it into the wall.

"Give these to him, to read," said Joker and handed her a pile of cue cards. She flipped through them quickly while the Joker set up the camera, in front of Engel, flipping it upside down. He pulled the table in front of Engel before he bent so his elbows could rest on the table as he filmed.

"Read your lines," said the Joker as Jester handed Engel the cue cards. She laughed loudly as he took them from her. On the card right at the back was the word Hi Mom written and Joker shot her a grin from his awkward spot. She made herself comfortable on a chair behind Joker and watched.

"Ready Mike," shouted Joker nodding to Engel slowly, but the news anchor said nothing.

"Okay ACTION" said the Joker as he pressed the record button and the red light on the camera switched on. Mike looked down at his cue cards and then up again, as though he didn't believe he was really there. Engel looked over to Jester and she grinned madly, his gaze turned back to his cue cards again.

"I'm Mike Engel for Gotham Tonight" he said, his voice more confident than Jester had expected.

He looked back down at his cue card again. Jester began playing with her knife, twirling it in her hands and Engel swallowed hard.

"What does it take to make you people wanna join in?" he continued dropping the first cue card to the ground causing it to fly over his head.

He looked at the next card, his face sweating. 

"You failed to kill the lawyer. I've gotta get you off the bench... and into the game" Engel said.

"Bench. Game," said Joker quietly along with Engel. A little giggle fell from his lips as Engel dropped the next cue card and began to read from the third.

"Come nightfall, the city is mine," Engel continued.

"Mine," growled Joker quietly a little after Engel, his voice louder than before.

"And anyone left here plays by my rules," continued Engel.

"Rules." growled Joker.

"If you don't wanna be in the game, get out now." said Engel, dropping the penultimate cue card to the ground.

"Get out NOW!" the Joker laughed again.

"But the bridge and tunnel crowd are sure in for a surprise." Engel said after a short pause.

"Ha-ha, ha-ha," said Engel dryly and The Joker giggled wildly again. Before he turned the camera around and switched it off.

"That was very good Mr Engel. You were fabulous!" laughed Jester patronisingly as she spun him around again. Joker undid the tie holding Engel up and they both watched as he plummeted to the ground head first. He was knocked out cold by the time his feet hit the ground and Jester laughed loudly.

"Now, we need to send this off, but I'll wait for the boys to get back first" Joker said and Jester frowned.

"Where are they?" she asked.

"Running an errand, I had some ammonium nitrate left so I thought I'd put it to good use," said the Joker laughing madly, before he closed the gap between them and began to chew on her ear lobe sharply. She purred as her knees went weak and he chuckled before he pulled away. He led her back into the main room of the warehouse.

The Rottweilers had been locked inside an enormous metal crate and Jester went over and opened the door. The three large dogs padded out and she lay on the floor, allowing them to lick her face, the smallest laying in-between her legs and she laughed as she stoked them.

The Joker looked on frowning slightly, these were supposed to be attack dogs.

"You've made them soft" he shouted at her angrily and she looked up from the floor at him with wide eyes.

"These are supposed to be vicious, they are supposed to attack people not lick them" he shouted, approaching her, her eyes went wide and innocent and she sat up to look at him. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her, sighing he smiled.

"You sweetheart, I can't stay mad at you," he said, his grinning widening as she smiled at him. Jester went back to playing with the dogs.

After 3oclock the 'boys' got back, they pulled Engel back to the locked room. They confirmed that both ferries had been filled with explosives and that both had their 'presents' hidden. Their distress signals and phones disconnected.

They had also found an unfinished skyscraper that overlooked the bay and had secured it for Joker. Joker only nodded as they told him of their work before he went about explaining his ‘plan’, handing them all a doctors lab coat.

The boys told Joker that everything had gone well and that the commissioner was actually planning on filling one of the boats with prisoners, some of which were Harvey Dent's most wanted. This piece of news entertained the Joker greatly, and he thumped Grumpy on the back as he laughed.

The weapons table had been raided somewhat and Jester pulled a few items from the relatively small pile and looked them over. She poked at a pistol before picking up a handgun, swapping it for the one she had. Then she spotted something that made the monster insider her mind purr like nothing else. The chainsaw sat on the desk balance on top of other weapons. It was smaller than a standard chainsaw meaning she could probably wield it with just one hand if she wanted.   She snatched up the chainsaw and held it in both hands.

"This is mine!" she said loudly but no one replied and she continued to stare at the tool in her hands. There was a large clip connected to the handle to allow for the item to clip to the pants of the user. 

She had never used one and she suspected she would be slightly useless with one, but she loved it. Though she didn’t know why, she knew she needed this. She clipped it to her shorts so it hung against her hip uncomfortably but she didn’t care. 

There was nothing to do but wait till sundown and Jester sat on the stairs watching the boys playing Poker at the table, the Joker was in his office planning still. Jester sighed heavily and one of the goons looked up at her.

"Everything okay?" he asked kindly and the other goons shot him a strange look.

"I'm bored," Jester sighed her chin resting on her propped up arm.

"You can play with us if you want," he said and again his friends shot him a look, but it was too late as the psychotic clown girl was now bouncing down the stairs towards them.

She pulled a chair over to the table, the metal legs squealing angrily along the concrete floor, before she sat herself upon it at the table. The goon who had spoken to her dealt her some cards and she handed over $100 in cash in return for some chips.

A groan broke out amongst the men as Jester pulled her winnings towards her, her pile of chips was really starting to grow and she grinned happily. The cards were dealt again and again she won. This happened three more times before something hit her hard in the chest and she flew backwards off her chair, her chips flying up into the air. Before she could stand there was a goon known as Happy standing over her. Happy was the biggest of all the goons his shoulders were about double anyone else and he had a strong broad chest. He pushed his heavy booted foot down onto the middle of her chest and she struggled as the wind was pushed from her.

"You think you can cheat us of our money, you're not the boss you can't just do whatever you want." Happy shouted and Jester shook her head as tears began to surface as she struggled for breath.

"I wasn't cheating, it's called bluffing" she choked out.

Happy let out a roar of anger and with his other foot kicked her hard in a chest. For a split second his full weight was bearing down on her chest and as his foot collided, she heard something crack.

She looked up towards the stairs praying to see Jack come down as she struggled to get out from under this colossal man's weight.

"First you carve Shaun's arm and now this. What do you expect us to do? With you prancing around with your boobs out, we are men we are bound to notice. But you think you can do it coz your the boss, well you're not! You are just some pathetic girl who tries to dress like him and god knows why you would even wanna do that. I don't even get how someone like you can even want to be around someone like him! Something must be wrong in your head, you must be crazy or something." Happy shouted at her. As the rage of insulting both her and Jack in one foul swoop filled her, Jester found her strength. She wiggled out enough to bend so she could bite down hard on Happy's bare ankle.

He let out a yell and grabbed her quickly as she rushed up to him. He turned her and held her back against his enormous chest, his arms holding her own at her side's stiffly. She wiggled and he cursed.

"You think, he's gonna save you. You really think he cares about you? He doesn't care about anyone! I don't even think he cares about his own safety. But that's why you do it. Because you think he's gonna come and save you if you get into trouble. Because he once told you, you could play boss. Well you're not my boss, lady. He let you think that he cares, so he can fuck you when he wants. And who could blame him, you are mighty fine. Well now you know, you can't just do what you want cause no one is coming, let alone him." Happy said so close to her ear, she could feel his hot breath moving her hair. Jester continued to struggle, her back brushing against his solid chest.

"You know with you so close, and wiggling like that. I'm having a change of heart, maybe if you give me a good time. I'll forget all about our differences" he cooed quietly into her ear huskily and she felt his new found arousal pushing into her bum cheek. He was clearly suffering from some sort of bi-polar, with his mood shifting so dramatically. She gagged at the thought of him touching her and launched her foot backwards in-between his legs. It made a satisfying thud as her foot connected with his crotch. He let out a yell and his arms realised her, as he bent over in pain.

She backed away keeping her eyes on the enormous man as he reared his ugly head again. She fumbled for her knife as a laugh bubbled up from her manically. She took a step back, readying herself for a fight and collided with something solid. A soft arm wrapped itself loosely around her and began to play with the material of her waistcoat subconsciously. Happy looked up at the man behind Jester and he smiled warily.

"Boss, I was just teaching her not to cheat," said Happy confidently, a smile on his face. Joker let out a cackle which stopped abruptly. Joker moved away from Jester and towards Happy, his hand brushing her side as he passed her.

"Do you remember Melvin, Happy?" giggled Joker cheerfully. Happy shook his head.

"Ah, of course, you're too new to remember that. Well, let me tell you a story. You see Melvin liked Jester, a little too much. I don't really like to share. I guess that is a flaw of mine. Well when Melvin tried to play with Jester, I killed him. Do you understand?" laughed Joker standing very close to Happy, his knife in his hand, hanging loosely at his side.

Happy's face lost its colour and his smile faded as he nodded to his boss. Though Happy was at least twice the size of Joker, Joker was an intimidating man no matter how big his opponent, maybe it was his unpredictably or maybe that he did not care for his own well being, you could hit him as much as you wanted and he would just laugh.

"Good lad," said Joker laughing. "This shouldn't be a surprise then."

Joker launched himself at Happy, though Joker was not as large as Happy, Joker's strength was enough to hold him down as he knelt on the larger man chest and began to carve a smile into Happy's face.

"Why so serious?" Joker asked over Happy's screams to the other goons, who quickly dispersed.

When the large man had finally stopped breathing, Joker stood and wiped his bloody hands on Happy's shirt before moved over to Jester quickly. He took her hand and quickly dragged her up the stairs, shouting to one of the men to clear up the body.

He led her into the bedroom and stopped in the middle of the room and looked her over.

"Okay?" he asked seriously and she nodded.

"Thank you, Jack. It won't happen again" she assured him and he grinned.

"Any time gorgeous. I won't let anyone hurt you. Ever" he said taking her hands up in his and turning them over in grasp, not looking at her as he spoke.

She pulled her hand from his grasp and instead wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her body close to his. She closed her eyes and breathed in his intoxicating scent. It took a while but soon Jack wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her closer.

Once the sun began to set, they all headed off for the skyscraper the boys had found, along with the hostages. Jester helped as they taped unloaded guns into the hands of the hostages and forced them to stand as they placed clown masks to all of them. 

The boys were dressed in doctors and nurses uniforms and they sat on the floor in front of the biggest window in the skyscraper, making sure that the cops would have a perfect shot from the building opposite. Joker went up to the highest floor and Jester followed. He stopped himself by a window overlooking the water and stopped and turned back to her.

"Look down there, the last of the people are loading onto the ferries," he said pointing down to the two large boats docked up. She simply nodded and he began to laugh.

"Now all we gotta do is wait," giggled Joker and she nodded again. Her nerves were making her feel slightly sick and a feeling of dread had washed over her. Without a word she went back down a few floors to check the boys had secured the last of the hostages.

She approached slowly as they bound a blonde woman's hands and her blue eyes shot up to Jester.

"I know you!" she said looking Jester in the eye.

She was right, she was a trainee at the hospital, Scarlett had worked with her a number of times.

"You are a nurse! How could you do this?" the blonde she knew as Kate asked, her eyes wet with tears.

Jester couldn't help the laugh erupted from somewhere deep within her and once it had started she couldn't make it stop. Soon she was bent over in hysteria, shaking her head slightly at Kate.

"When the police come, I'll tell them your name!" said Kate boldly, and Jester pulled her gun out of her back pocket and raised it, pointing it towards Kate’s head. 

"You really think the police are coming? And if they do, you think they will realise you are the hostage before they put a bullet through your face." Jester asked, waving her gun at the woman.

"Because if you think so, then I'll just get a head start on them now." laughed Jester.

"Please Scarlett, we were friends," said Kate, her voice shaking, as her tears began to spill.

"No, we weren't friends. I didn't really have any friends, we were colleagues, nothing more. And really you shouldn't beg I have no compassion to appeal to" said Jester as she laughed again and pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped a path through Kate's skull and Scarlett frowned as she looked down at the dead body on the floor.

"Well that was not satisfying at all," moaned Jester as she pushed the gun back into her back pocket and turned on her heel to leave. Though the feeling of dread she had been experiencing seemed to float away as the bullet had left the gun, and she now felt rather good as she skipped back up the stairs to find Joker.

The Rottweilers had been brought up to him and were now roaming the top floor. Joker continued to stare out the window at the ferries which were still docked, Jester sighed and took a seat on the floor, the smallest Rottweiler curling up at her feet.

"Who got shot?" asked Joker without turning around.

"One of the hostages, she recognised me from the hospital," said Jester, not looking up as she scratched the chin of the dog in her lap. The Joker didn't say anything and simply shrugged.

After an hour the ferries finally moved off and the Joker moved back to the window again. He watched as they moved further away until slowly one stopped and then the other. They were completely stationary in the middle of the lake and Joker began to giggle to himself quietly.

--------

“One Voicemail received” read the message on the phone and she pressed the accept button and held it up to her ear as she watched the Joker, pulling on the unused nurses uniform over his head without undoing the buttons.

"Hi Scarlett, it's Lydia, I don't know if you are in the country or not but if you are we need you. Please come in we have a mass evacuation going on and we need all the staff we can get, don't bother calling just get in if you can" Said the panic-stricken voice of her boss through her phone, Jester shrugged and put her phone back in her pocket but she looked up at the Joker before she burst out laughing.

He stood there looking very proud of himself with her old uniform on, an oddly shaped red curly wig pulled on over his head, and a medical mask over his face. There was a Harvey Dent, promotion sticker on his chest and he wore his usual purple and green socks pulled right up with a pair of white sneakers on. He had the standard nurses watch on the pocket of his dress and a pen sticking out, on the other side was a name tag that read: Nurse Joe Kerr.

"I'm so hot for you right now" she teased and he pulled his mask off and shot her a yellow grin.

Once they had arrived Jester directed them around to the staff entrance and punched in the code to unlock the solid blue door. The goons stayed outside as Jester made her way to the nurses' station completely unseen as most of the hospital had now evacuated. Though a few stranglers were still around. She pulled out the notes and began to sort through them to find Harvey's room number.

"You should really get moving Miss." Said a voice from behind her, before the sound of a silencer enhanced gun firing cut his words. She turned to see the dead body of a cop on the floor with a bullet wound in his forehead, she turned back to the Joker and smiled in thanks before she led him to Harvey's room. The radio on the dead cop bleeped and a voice rang out but they were too far away to hear what the voice had said.

"Wait here, one of the boys will come to get you," the Joker said pushing her into the room next door to Harvey before he disappeared from view into Dent's room.

"Davis!" shouted a voice from in the hall and Jester peered out the window to see a cop approaching the room the Joker had just gone into.

"Ma'am, we're gonna have to move him now." said the cop as he entered the room before Jester heard the sound of a gun firing and then nothing. She pressed her ear to the wall that separated her from Harvey's room, but it was of no use so she climbed up onto the bed and peered through the air vent connecting the two rooms.

Dent was a train wretch, one side of his face was completely burnt away leaving the tendons and muscles in his face exposed. Parts of the cheek muscles were completely gone leaving a gaping hole, exposing his teeth. He had been strapped to the bed with restraints and his arms were tethered to the armrests.

The Joker began moving the bed up and Dent looked at him strangely. The Joker pulled off his mask and Dent began to try and break out of the bonds that were holding him to the bed. He growled angrily at the Joker as the clown sat on the chair next to his bed.

"Hi," said the Joker smiling slightly before he pulled off his wig and combed out his greasy hair with his hands.

"You know I don't want there to be any hard feelings between us, Harvey." the Joker began looking honestly sorry.

"When you and-" he began forgetting Harvey's girlfriend's name and pausing for a second.

"RACHEL" screamed Dent at him but the Joker seemed unfazed by the outburst but held his hand up in apology nonetheless.

"Rachel, were being abducted. I was sitting in Gordon's cage." explained the Joker.

"I didn't rig those charges"

"Your men, your plan." spat Dent gruffly.

"Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" asked the Joker.

"You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. You know? ... I just do things" he giggled talking with his hands somewhat.

"The mob has plans. The cops have plans. Gordon's got plans. You know, they're schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. I'm not a schemer. I try to show the schemers... how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. So when I say... Ah come here" said the Joker pulling Harvey's hand into his own.

"When I say that you and your girlfriend were nothing personal... you'll know that I'm telling the truth."

"It's the schemers that put you where you are." said the Joker standing and starting to remove the restraints from Dent's hands.

"You were a schemer, you had plans and look where that got you."

Dent tried to attack the Joker once his hands were free and the Joker caught the attack with ease.

"I just did what I do best," Joker said as he battled with Harvey's flailing arms.

"I took your little plan and I turned it on itself," sang the Joker holding down Harvey's arms and moving closer to the other man's face.

"Look what I did to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets," chimed the Joker

"Hm? You know what I noticed?" the Joker asked

"Miss Jester?!" called a quiet voice in the hall and she looked down from the bed as a goon entered the room.

"Time to go, Boss told me to come get you after 5 minutes. We got the bus, come on" said the goon.

"I wanna wait for the Joker," said Jester looking down at him from the bed that she was still standing on.

"He said you'd say that, but he said that you gotta go anyway," said the goon and Jester looked at him angrily.

"Fine, just gimme a minute," she said the goon went to argue but she held up a finger to him and he closed his mouth. 

"He told me to drag you out if you won't come easily," said the goon and she shot him a look as she turned back to her spy hole.

"Nobody panics when things go 'according to plan'. Even if the plan is horrifying. If tomorrow I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot or a truckload of soldiers will be blowing up... nobody panics" the Joker continued.

"Because it's all part of the plan. But when I say that one little old mayor will die... well, then, everyone loses their minds!" The Joker said, his voice going high and manic.

"Look I don't wanna hurt you, lady," said the goon as he approached a little further towards Jester, without looking she launched a side kick hitting the goon straight in the face, his nose exploded on impact and he let out a yell before stumbling to the floor.

"Introduce a little anarchy..." said the Joker before he placed a gun in Harvey's hand.

"...Upset the established order and everything becomes chaos" the Joker continued before he cocked the gun and pushed it to his own forehead, Dent's finger on the trigger. 

Jester was about to scream through the vent at him, as she was pushed off the bed, the goon had tackled her to the ground and was now pulling her from the room, she struggled against his strength but she had no chance against his hulking form.

The goon dragged her from the hospital. The further away from Jack she got the less she fought, soon being led like a reluctant child. Once outside she strained to hear waiting for the sound of a gunshot but there was nothing. The goon yanked her sharply and pushed her towards a bus that was waiting.

Five other armed goons were inside, as well as around 40 other people and all were looking at the goons with frightened eyes in stunned silence. She pushed herself inside reluctantly taking a seat at the back. Looking back at the hospital the whole time. There were two goons sitting at the front and one in the driver's seat and she smiled at them grimly as they looked at her expectantly.

Jester looked back out the window as an explosion was heard she watched as parts of the hospital began to explode. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it. She still couldn't see Joker, she pushed herself against the glass of the window as though she would be able to see better. She nearly cheered in happiness as she saw the Joker's lanky form exit the hospital.

People on the bus screamed and the news crew that had been filming outside made a beeline for their bus, the goon in the driver's seat gave them a strange look as they piled onto the bus before one of the goons, leaned out the bus and grabbed the anchor by his jacket and pulled him onto the bus. The goons shut the doors to the bus as the news team began to scream in panic, having realised their mistake.

"SHUT UP!" roared Jester from the back, and the anchor and his team looked up at her from where they had been thrown to the floor. 

"I'm trying to watch the show," she said laughing before she turned back to the window, the news team and everyone else went quiet.

She watched as Jack drew closer to the bus, not once did he look back at the explosions going on behind him, he just continued to walk his funny little walk with his arms swinging at his sides wildly. But then suddenly he stopped, just outside the back doors of the bus and turned back to look at the building as the explosions seemed to fade out. He turned around fully and looked at the building. He seemed to shrug, his arms moving out as he looked back at the building that was still standing. He looked down at the remote in his hand before he jabbed at the button multiple times, turning the remote over in his hand.

He visibly jumped as the explosion finally went off, and he turned back to the bus and he ran the few feet that separated him with the bus, before he leapt on board, and sat in the seat across the aisle from Jester as a goon pulled the door shut behind him and motioned for the driver to leave. The bus moved off and Jester turned and looked towards with the news anchor, she had seen on the TV so many times before, and now here he was staring back at the Joker in pure terror.

"You're Mike Engel," she said and he turned to look at her instead he merely nodded, he was visibly shaking in fear but seemed unable to look away, his sights returning to the Joker again.

The goon that had brought her in was sat in the aisle a gun in his lap as he tended to broken his nose.

"What happened to your face?" asked another goon.

"She kicked me in the face" the first one moaned and finally the Joker looked up.

"I thought I told you to play nice, Jester" he cackled.

The 50 people on the bus, didn't make a sound as they stared in terror as the bus began to leave the busy city roads and head for the warehouse. When they arrived they were shepherded into a back room by the goons at gunpoint and lock securely inside, along with the news team. Two goons stood guard at the door but there was no way the people were getting out, Jester wondered what the Joker had planned for these people as kidnapping was never really his thing.

She followed him upstairs to the bedroom they now shared and shut the door behind her. He looked up as he did and grinned madly at her.

"Today was fun," he said laughing. "Tired me out though"

She smiled as she watched him throw himself onto the bed and push his face into the pillow. She sat on the side of the bed and began to stroke his back absent-mindedly, he sighed loudly and turned over to look at her, but she was staring off into the middle distance her face blank.

"You okay Gorgeous?" he asked and she turned to him, her eyes coming back into focus.

"Yeah, was just thinking what would have happened if Harvey had shot you?" she said her voice almost to quiet to hear.

"Then I would be dead," he said simply.

"Yeah" she muttered before her eyes unfocused again.

"I'm not sure what would happen to me if you died" she admitted not really looking at anything.

"You'd be fine, you'd carry on what we are doing," he said bringing his arm up, behind his head. He looked so relaxed like they were talking about the weather.

"No," she said simply her voice dreamlike.

"NO?" he questioned.

"No, I think I would just lose my mind," she said nodding slightly, her voice eerily calm. Still, she did not look at him.

"Well we can't have that," he said reaching out a hand and patting her leg lightly, she turned to him and smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere today if that helps," he said and she nodded.

"Can't promise you tomorrow though" he said shrugging and again she nodded.

She lay down next to him and he stroked her face lightly and she shut her eyes at the touch. He hummed a strange little song to her and she smiled, her eyes still shut as she listened to Jack's song. He leant forwards and placed a kiss to her head, before he rolled over to his side more and lay still his eyes closed, causing the mattress to creek and bounce slightly. Jester was used to his sudden change in mood and knew he often had to move away when he got uncomfortable, she knew he questioned his feelings for her but she didn't mind as sometimes in the night, he would roll over and wrap an arm around her and not let go till morning. Jester sighed, she loved him.

---------

In the upper left corner of the screen was a video link to another man.

"He's a credible source, an M&A lawyer from a leading consultancy. He says he's waited as long as he can for Batman to do the right thing. Now he's taking matters into his own hands. We'll be live, at 5, with the true identity of the Batman. Call in at 5 to have your say." Said the News anchor and Jester quickly pulled on her other boot before running to tell Joker.

"So he knows who the Bat really is and he's going to broadcast it on TV," clarified Joker, looking up at her from behind his desk, she simply nodded. He burst out into hysterical laughter and she was a little taken aback. She had expected him to be pleased but not this happy, but then this was Jack and he didn't do things by half measures.

"Well you said there was a number do you remember it?" he asked and she nodded he held out a pen and scrap of paper and she wrote down the number that had come up on screen.

"Well done Jester!" he said laughing again before he pocketed the number and stood pulling on his coat.

At 3 thanks to the Joker's police 'connections,' they were told about Maroni going to see Gordon. They knew he had ratted them out, having told Gordon where The Joker was going to be. The 'boys' were sent on a small errand after that to fill the basement of Gotham General with a large amount of ammonium nitrate. They had it rigged up within the hour but were not back in time for the meeting so The Joker and Jester were left with just four goons. The hospital explosion would be the distraction they needed to get the cops off their backs while they paid Harvey a visit.

She was surprised how quickly the Joker could get things done, and it was somewhat of an honour to witness him at work.

He caught her staring at him when he got off the phone with one of the goons and shot her a quizzical look.

"What?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Nothing. It's just awe inspiring to watch your brain work. I mean less than an hour ago you were told about a police ambush and already you have a way out and a pretty spectacular one at that. I just forget sometimes that you are an absolute genius" she said and he chuckled.

"Come on, let's go check on our guest," he said, as he walked past her his hand ran along her side, it was some kind of a habit now.

After a night in the boot of a stolen cop car, Lau was surprisingly well, and Jester squeezed his cheek playfully when they opened the boot to make sure he wasn't dead, yet.

The meeting with the mob was on a container ship, the money was already there and waiting. At 4 they left for the meeting, knowing full well the police were planning their ambush.

They arrived at the docks just past 4 and The Joker jumped out the van before offering a hand to Jester which she gladly took. The goons followed behind with a bound and gagged Lau. The docks were empty apart from the enormous red coloured container ship. It was enormous and Jester looked around the ship curiously. There must have been thousands of shipping containers all stacked at least ten high. As a door to one creaked slightly, something snapped inside of Jester and she stopped in her tracks. She couldn't tell if she wanted to laugh or cry. Joker turned back to look at her, watching the turmoil going on inside her head. The sound of a chainsaw motor rumbled in her ears. 

"Come on Jester," he said and she seemed to come back to herself, a twisted grin spreading across her face. She skipped over to him laughing slightly to herself.

He led them down into a large room within the container ship, in the middle of the room was a huge pile of money. It must have been at least half a storey high and spread out across much of the room.

"Put him on the top" the Joker said to the goons motioning to Lau, and they dragged him up quickly. Either Lau was stupid or very clever as he did not struggle as the Joker climbed up the pile behind the goons with a chair. He placed it on the top and the goons pulled Lau into it before the Joker dismissed them and left them to go look out for the Chechen.

He began to tie Lau, who was now dressed in a straight jacket to the seat.

"He's here" shouted the voice of the goon no less than a few minutes later and the Joker looked up from his place, before ducking back down to continue tying Lau to the chair securely.

Jester stood back to lean on the wall as she heard footsteps approaching. The Chechen was a skinny man with a shallow face and sharp features and he smiled disgustingly at Jester as he entered the room.

"Not so crazy as you look." said the Chechen loudly to the Joker who began to stand up on top of the pile.

"I told you, I'm a man of my word," said Joker standing up fully, on top of the pile of money before he patted Lau on the head sarcastically and jumped down the pile, sliding down most of it to come to a standing stop in front of one of the goons. He looked back at the money as piles of it slid down in his wake.

"Where's the Italian?" the Joker asked though he knew full well that Maroni would not be coming.

"I don't know, but he's not here so he doesn't get a share. We go 50/50" said Chechen in his broken English. The Joker shrugged at this before picking up wads of money and beginning to launch them up at the Lau hitting him in that face a few times.

"Please" Lau begged and Jester laughed loudly as yet another wad of money hit him.

"Joker-man, what you do with all your money?" asked the Chechen pointing to the pile with his lit cigar.

"You see, I'm a guy of simple taste," said the Joker turning to the Chechen.

"I enjoy... dynamite … and gunpowder... and gasoline," he said the last one much louder than the rest. The Joker took a step back, as a goon with a gas can came in and began to soak the bottom layer of cash in petrol.

"What the...?" exclaimed the Chechen rushing towards the goon angrily.

"Ah, dah, dah. dah." sung the Joker pointing his gun at the Chechen who stopped dead in his tracks.

"And you know the thing that they all have in common?" the Joker asked the Chechen approaching him again.

"They're cheap," he said with a slight growl in his voice. Jester glanced down at her phone, checking the time, it was just past 5, and she shot the Joker a meaningful look.

"You said you were a man of your word," said the Chechen , the cigar in his mouth causing him to slur.

"Oh, I am." said the Joker before he pulled the cigar from the Chechen's mouth. He held the cigar up blowing on the end a few times.

"I'm only burning my half," he said before he turned and threw the cigar at the petrol-soaked pile of money. It was engulfed in flames in seconds and Lau began to wiggle in his restraints. The Chechen face went grey and he looked at the burning cash in horror.

"All you care about is money." spat the Joker to him.

"This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them." said the Joker, his face close to the Chechen's.

"Tell your men they work for me now." said the Joker poking the Chechen hard in the chest with his gun.

"This is my city," he said and the Chechen moved his face away.

"They won't work for a freak," the Chechen said.

"Freak." mimicked the Joker making fun of the Russian's accent.

"Why don't we cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches? Hm?" the Joker said as he brought his knife out and waved it in front of the Chechen's face.

"And then we'll see how loyal a hungry dog really is." shouted the Joker, as a tow of the Chechen men came up behind the Chechen and held a blade to the Russians throat, before pulling him away.

"It's not about money, it's about sending a message." muttered the Joker to himself, before he pulled his phone out his pocket and began to dial.

"Everything burns" he cried loudly as Jester began to laugh.

"I had a vision" began the Joker into the phone, after a few moments Jester moved over to him and began to play with the buttons of his waistcoat.

"Of a world without Batman. The mob ground out a little profit and the police tried to shut them down one block at a time. And it was so boring! I've had a change of heart. I don't want Mr Reese spoiling everything but why should I have all the fun? Let's give someone else a chance. If Coleman Reese isn't dead in 60 minutes then I’ll blow up a hospital" said the Joker before he hung up and pushed his phone back into his pocket. He looked down at the raven haired clown still playing with the buttons of his waistcoat.

He reached out and pulled her chin up so she was looking at him before his arms moved to encircle her waist, he leant in and kissed her hard and she let out a squeal of delight. He bit hard on her bottom lip, drawing blood and she grinned at him.

"Come on gorgeous," he said, taking her hand in his and leading her away from the flaming pile of cash.

The Joker really was a man of his word as before they left the ship, he did indeed chop the Chechen up into little pieces and feed him to his beloved Rottweilers.

"Can we keep them?" Jester cooed as she knelt down and stroked one's head as it ate lumps of its old master.

"You want to?" The Joker asked as she began to scratch the dog behind the ear, causing its back leg to kick strangely.

"Yes, please, they're so cute and they are trained as attack dogs, they could be useful," she whined looking up at him with big eyes.

"Sure, put the dogs in the van," the Joker said, turning to his new men, who without question led the three enormous dogs away.

"Thank you," she said getting up and moving closer to him.

"Anything for you" he purred against her ear as he brought her close to him again.

--------------------------------------------------------------

She sat herself on the table and looked at him hungrily.

"What could you possibly want?" he said chuckling and she grinned even wider and reached out to him, but he sidestepped her movements and she groaned angrily.

"Please, Jack" she moaned, fluttering her eyelashes at him. This only caused him to cackle as he looked at her, he was near falling into full in hysteria.

"You know, you really shouldn't beg" he told her as he regained his composure.

"Don't you want to?" she asked and he looked at her with big eyes.

"Of course I do, but it's fun to watch you squirm," he said and she wiggled in her seat slightly.

She groaned again her sexual frustrations building to such a point it was close to pain, as her body began to throb. He smirked at her, clearly loving the effect he had on her and Jester decided a little own back was in order. 

She pulled her boots off and threw them to the ground. He watched her carefully with a confused look on his face. Next, she pulled her hair down and shook it out, before slowly she began to unbutton her waistcoat. Both that and her vest top came off in one and were then discarded onto the floor, she heard him take a large intake of breath. 

She looked up slowly, he was no longer smirking, his eyes were even darker than usual as his pupils dilated in arousal. It was her turn to chuckle as she watched him rub his hands together slightly. Next to come off were her skin tight shorts as she pulled them down over her stockings and they landed on the floor with the rest.

"Are you sure, you don't want to play, Jack?" she purred, her voice light and sultry. A noise escaped him that was a mix between a groan and a scream and she smirked again. She pushed herself from the table. For a second she forgot how much taller he was than her, especially when she had no heels on and she padded towards him in nothing but her underwear and stockings. He growled again as she reached him pressing her body into him, it was as though he was holding himself back. 

She moved her hand up to stroke his face before she moved to bite lightly on his neck. Her arousal only grew stronger as he made an approving noise. She hummed into his skin and moved her hand down his body. She reached down in-between his legs and when her hand came into contact with him through his trousers, he was suddenly moving. His arms encircled her waist as he rushed them both back into the table, the garter on her stocking snapped at the impact and he pushed her up onto the table again.

"I wanted to see what you would do, and you didn't disappoint," he said as his face moved up to her neck and he began to nibble sharply.

"But I'm in control now, and I wanna hear you beg." He said as his hand began to move up. He unclipped her bra and the fabric fell away from her quickly. He let out a low rumble as he cupped one breast with his calloused hand. His assault on her neck continued all the while as he massaged her breast. She hummed but her arousal was at an all-time high and she had soaked through her panties, she desperately needed some kind of friction. She began to move her hips into the table below her, but his other hand came down and held her legs still. She moaned angrily and he chuckled again.

"Please Jack," she whined trying to move his hand towards her waistband but he moved it away again, and again she groaned.

"Not yet," he growled against her ear and she shivered. Her body quivered and he ran his hand up before he gently pushed her back, so she was laying on the table. He began to kiss down her stomach and her breath caught in her throat as his lips moved along her hip bone, but he moved his head away again quickly before he went any further.

"This is torture" she moaned as she reached out to him, but yet again he moved out of her grasp.

He pulled her stockings off the elastic of her garter belt snapping back at her as they were released. He pulled one of her legs up straight and kissed her ankle lightly. His kisses moved down her leg till he was kissing her inner thigh, so close to her heat. His other arm held her in place, stopping her moving but even his strength wasn't enough to hold her down as he placed a kiss on her core through her panties. She let out a scream of pleasure and her hips bucked up of their own accord. He growled and his face moved up towards her before he took one of her nipples into his mouth and bit it slightly.

"Harder" she whispered as her head shot back and her back arched, he said nothing only compiled as his bite began to get harder and she moaned again.

He hissed slightly as her arm moved down his body and her fingers slipped past his belt. She pushed her hand down past the restricting material until she felt something hot and hard. He hissed again as her fingers met him and he stood up and her hand was pulled out from his clothing.

"Shall we go upstairs?" he said though it didn't seem much like a question.

"What's wrong with right here on the table?" she questioned and that seemed like the right answer. Jack began to practically tear the remainder of her clothing from her body.

He pushed her back down onto the table not so gently this time as he rid himself of everything but his boxers in about 2 seconds flat. His hands began to roam her naked body and again she quivered, his eyes met her and he smirked. He bent low to kiss her and she leant up to meet him. Finally, after what seemed like hours he kissed her. Her hand came up to his face as she held him there. 

His kiss seemed to burn into her skin, as her want for him only intensified. She pushed her hand down and below his waistband as he kissed her. Her hand grasped around the shaft and a growl rumbled from deep within him. As she moved to begin to stroke him, he stood again taking her leg up again. She visibly shook as he kissed her ankle as he had before, he began kissing down her leg and soon he was nipping at her inner thigh. She let out something close to a sob and he turned his head and blew on her heat gently. Her back arched as she squirmed with pleasure. A heat came over her as a wave of pleasure shot through her body as his tongue flicked out and caught her.

It was hot and the sensation was enough to leave her head spinning but he wasn't done yet, he parted her legs further as his tongue flicked out again.

"Yes" she gasped and she felt him hum which only aided her pleasure.

His head moved completely and so his tongue was moving fully along her slit hitting her clit with every lick. She shrieked and moaned and gripped the side of the table with both hands. Her fingernails leaving marks in the varnish of the table. It wasn't long before she was seeing stars and she screamed his name as she climaxed hard her hips bucking up into his face slightly, but he only pushed her back down and continued with his assault. He brought her over the edge like this 3 more times until he stood. He looked down at her, her hands were still gripping the corner of the table and she had a thin layer of sweat covering her entire body. She trembled slightly as she looked up at him with lusty eyes.

He rid himself of the remainder of his clothes before he gripped her thighs tightly and pulled her towards him, so her arse was at the edge of the table. He pushed her legs as far apart as he could before he slowly pushed himself between them, she let low groan, as he pushed in, filling her up completely. They stayed like that for a moment, him standing, her laying on the table. Before he picked up a fast and violent pace. He began pounding into her and with each thrust she shrieked in pleasure and pain. He felt her tense around him as he gave her yet another orgasm and her eyes went slightly hazy. She really was a beautiful creature. And she was all his.

He kept his pace up, holding her as still as he could with his strong hold on her thighs. His fingers bruising her pale skin slightly with the intensity of his grip. She yelped slightly as he pushed harder but her expression showed no signs of pain so he continued. He didn't last as long when he went at this speed and soon he was nearing his end. She watched his face as she had before, as he fell over the edge of his orgasm and he moved away from her, his legs visibly wobbling.

He climbed onto the enormous table with her and lay down his long legs hanging over the edge, she moved onto her side and she looked at him. His eyes were closed but he was not sleeping.

"Yes?" he questioned, not opening his eyes, he could feel her stare burning into him.

"Nothing just admiring the view," she purred and he laughed his famous high laugh before he turned to her and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, you're serious. Well, I'm flattered" he replied, his voice went weak for a second.

"Come here," he said, his voice gruff and he held his arms out, she moved into his embrace laying her head on his chest.

"We should definitely do that again," she said and a laugh rumbled within him.

He bent his head and sniffed her hair slightly, he could smell the oil from the barrels on her and a little whiff of smoke and there right in the back was the smell she always had, it was sweet but not floral, more like fruits. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and she moved to look up at his face.

"You okay, handsome?" she asked and he simply grinned.

After a little while they both made their way up to bed gathering their clothes as they went, she pulled the covers up around her as Jack climbed in next to her pulling her close to him, his arms across her stomach as he spooned her.

"I love you," she said and he hummed into her hair as his hands ran up and down her side slightly

She smiled and closed her eyes slowly drifting off. He continued to stroke her side as he watched her slip into sleep.