Disclaimer: I don't own the Joker. Song lyrics are "Given Up" by Linkin Park.

A/N: 'Single' quotes is the Joker, "double" quotes are Jack.

'Wake up Jackie Boy.'

Waking in a sweat again. Another day's been laid to waste in my disgrace.

Jack woke up in a cold sweat, as he did every time that voice cut through his thoughts. A hand came down on his shoulder, which startled him.

"Are you okay, baby?" Jen questioned.

She had been his girlfriend now for several months he hated lying to her.

" I'm fine babe. Go back to sleep." he said while listening to that voice laugh at him.

"What do you want?" he questioned the voice.

'Only to turn that frown upside down Jackie.' The voice answered, before breaking out into laughter again.

There was no use in even trying to go back to sleep now. He knew that damn voice wouldn't let him. So walked into the bathroom to take a shower.

Stuck in my head again feels like I'll never leave this place. There's no escape. I'm my own worst enemy.

He hesitated to wipe the fog off the mirror. He knew he would see him staring back. As his hand made that all to familiar motion, the face of his enemy slowly appeared.

'Hi Jackie Boy. Been a long time hasn't it?'

"Yes." Jack answered.

He knew there was nothing else he could say to the voice. It would just end up mocking him anyway.

I've given up. I'm sick of feeling. Is there nothing you can say?

'Now Jackie we both know you weren't happy with that job anyway.'

"Shut the hell up!"

The fine line he had spent so long trying keep between his life outside and the one in his mind had finally broken today.

He lost it. And he lost it big time. He completely destroyed his office, cussed out his boss, and lost the company's biggest client all in twenty minutes.

What made it worse was the he enjoyed it.

At this last thought the voice just laughed.

All he wanted to do was go home to his haven.

Take this all away, I'm suffocating! Tell me what the heck is wrong with me?

He walked in expecting to be greeted by his loving girlfriend. Unfortunately he found her sitting at the kitchen table crying her eyes out.

"What's wrong babe?" he asked.

This earned him a hard slap across the face.

"This is what's wrong Jack." she yelled through her tears pointing at the table.

She'd found his stash of knives, guns, bombs, drugs, and porn. Jack just stared at the massive amount of things scattered on the table. Laughter echoed through his head.

I don't know what to take. Thought I was focused but I'm scared. I'm not prepared.

"Babe, I can explain."

"I don't want to hear it. It's just too much."

"But-"

"No buts Jack, I don't give a shit. If you're hiding this from me", she said while pointing at the table.

"I don't want to know what other secrets you've hidden form me."

With that last statement she walked out the door, ignoring his pleas.

I hyperventilate. Looking for hope somehow somewhere and no one cares. I'm my own worst enemy.

He had finally done it. Pushed the damn envelope to far.

I've given up. I'm sick of feeling. Is there nothing you can say?

He had totally wrecked the apartment. Everything that could be broken was.

Take this all away, I'm suffocating! Tell me what the heck is wrong with me? God!

With one last look in that damn mirror he succumbed to that damn voice, to that damn darkness lurking in his soul.

"You win."

'What was that Jackie?'

"You win, you sick fuck."

He got no reply only that sweetly sick laughter which filled and echoed through his mind as he slammed his fists into the mirror. Breaking it into a million pieces like his life.

He passed out in a crumpled bloody heap on the floor.

Put me out of my misery. Put me out of my misery. Put me out of my

fucking misery!

He woke up the next day, not as Jack but as the Joker.

I've given up. I'm sick of feeling. Is there nothing you can say?

With a flick of his wrist Jack's life went up in flames along with several other lives.

Take this all away, I'm suffocating! Tell me what the heck is wrong with

me?