The Deck of Rogues: Fool's Valentine

By: Sky Lark Turner

(A continuation of The Deck of Rogues Series)

Summary: It's Valentine's Day! Vampyra, Joker, and Harley take the time to remember where it all began...

Rated: T

Genre: Suspense and Romance

Disclaimer: Joker: I hate Valentine's Day! Everyone is such saps...

Vampyra: Oh, shut up, you're not in charge here!

Joker: Hey! You don't own me!

Vampyra: No, but Warner Brothers and DC Comics does.

Joker: Darn, you're right...

Chapter 1: Jack Napier

It was the eve before Valentine's Day and all of Arkham was silent. The few high security inmates that currently inhabited the wing were all asleep, except one.

Vampyra was resting on her bunk, staring emptily out the iron barred window. Her black hair fell onto her straightjacketed shoulders. And her ivory skin was pale in the blue moonlight that flowed through the window. The new medication the doctors had given her had deadened her. She could barely fell her legs or her arms wrapped around her in the straightjacket. Her mind's power had disappeared, so she could not even loosen the buckles that bided her. All she could do was think, and remember where it all began…

So many years ago, in another life and on that same night, Victoria Star lounged in the living room of the Star Manor. At her side was an opened wine bottle with only a small amount of its contents left. Her French manicured finger traced the rim of a half-filled wine glass. Golden blonde hair ran down past her bare shoulders and onto a white silk evening slip, and bare feet dangled over the arm of the chair.

Victoria gazed at the ebony grandfather clock. In the darkness, it read two o'clock in the morning. She turned to look at the front door out in the foyer.

The doorknob turned and a man in a dark purple trench coat and hat entered. Quietly, he opened the coat closet on the far wall, next to the door, and hung up his coat. Vivid red hair, neatly combed back, was revealed when he removed his hat.

Victoria silently moved to the edge of the living room, leaning against the door jam. She gazed at the man who was fitting his coat into the closet and waved her hand slowly, as if pushing something out of the way.

A black, handgun and a silencer fell onto the wood floor with a loud bang. Next to it fell a switchblade with a clatter.

The man stiffly leaned down and picked up the gun and knife in one hand. His other was massaging his temple.

"Rough night?" Victoria asked softly.

The man spun to look at Victoria. He had a long tan face with a prominent nose. He looked like a serious businessman, showing little surprise or emotion in his face. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" he asked.

"Shouldn't you have come home for dinner, Jack?" Victoria retorted, folding her arms. And innocent look was plastered on her thin, doll face.

Jack Napier hung his head and said nothing. He had had prior engagements.

"Why do you do this to me?" Victoria sauntered over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. In her bare feet, she was only a few inches shorter than Jack's tall frame.

"You're drunk…" Jack put his hands on her hips.

"So are you…" Victoria gave him a sultry smile and waved a hand at the door, which locked on its own.

"And you haven't taken your medication…" Jack said in response to the locking door.

"I didn't bother to get a refill," she said off hand. "It's not all that bad…"

Jack gave a small smile and ran his hands down Victoria's tan arms. "Will you be my Valentine?"

Victoria leaned back, letting Jack hold her up, and searched the high foyer ceiling for answers. "So you do remember what day it is…" She said, straightening back up.

Jack nodded. "Well?"

Victoria thought about it for a minute. "No more late nights," she replied.

"V!" Jack looked shocked. "I can't just give something like that up! I'm doing this for us…" He stroked Victoria's hair behind her ears sadly.

Victoria's head hung and she placed her forehead on his pointed chin. "I know…"

Jack put two tan fingers under her chin and made Victoria look at him. "It'll be okay," he gave her a warm smile and reached down to pick her thin hourglass frame up into his arms. "Come on it's getting early…"

Victoria hugged his neck tightly, burring her face into his red hair. Deep inside, Victoria knew there was precious little time for the two of them. Perhaps it was the alcohol that prevented her from telling just what might happen. Without a word, she let him carry her upstairs.

Victoria awoke to the late morning sun shining onto her face. Drowsily, she sat up in her king size bed. Next to her, Jack lay sleeping, his bare chest gently rising up and down.

Her head felt as though someone had put it in an invisible vice and began to tighten it. She massaged her temples and squinted at the clock on her nightstand. It read eleven thirty in the morning.

Victoria jumped out of bed and began to pick up the clothes that littered the floor. "Jack! Wake up!"

Jack turned over to sit halfway up in bed. With a sleepy face, he stared at Victoria. "Wow, you look nice for five am…"

Victoria put her clothes filled fist on her hips. "It's eleven thirty. Now, get up or we'll be late!"

Jack ignored her and lay back down, putting a pillow over his head.

"Jack!" Victoria climbed on top of him and pelted him with the dirty clothed. "Up!"

"Alright! Alright!" Jack clambered out from under her fists. "Jeesh, I thought it was Saturday."

"It is but we have pictures today!" Victoria shoved the dirty clothes into Jack's arms and faced him towards the bathroom.

"Aren't people supposed to get their wedding pictures after the wedding?" he looked over his shoulder.

"I told you they're for the invitations!" Victoria smirked and kissed him on the cheek. "Darling…"

Jack rolled his eyes and went to get a shower.

Victoria watched him go, shaking her head. It was hard to believe that they were going to be married in just two weeks.

Jack Napier was sitting in a chair shuffling a deck of playing cards. Victoria was talking with the photographer about the lighting of the picture and how she and Jack would be standing. With a sigh, he randomly pulled a card put of the deck. A smiling jester face gazed back at him and Jack gave a faint smile. Joker, he always loved when he got that wild card in poker.

"Jack?" Victoria fiddled with her small white top hat.

Jack looked up at Victoria in her corseted wedding dress and his smile broadened. Far all her authority and status in society and science, she was still timid and innocent. "Ready?" He set the deck down and took his place next to his bride-to-be.

The photographer snapped the camera around five times and reappeared from behind the lens. "Perfect."

"Done?" Victoria asked from Jack's arm.

"Yup," The photographer pulled the film out of the camera and placed it into a canister.

Jack looked at Victoria. "You made me dress up and come all the way here to take five pictures?"

Victoria gave an innocently embarrassed smile, drawing her shoulders up in a child-like shrug.

Jack frowned and let out a sigh. "Alright… I forgive you…"

Victoria brightened and kissed him on the cheek.

Jack put an arm around her waist. "Let's go home."

Victoria drove back to the Star Manor. Jack lounged next to her in the passenger seat with the window down, letting the wind run through his well-combed hair.

"Nothing like a warm winter day, eh V?" Jack looked over at Victoria and his jaw dropped.

Victoria reclined in her seat, hands behind her head. The steering wheel was turning as if by magic. "Something wrong J?" she asked lightly.

Jack closed and opened his mouth dumbly. "No… Not really…" He went back to looking out the open window.