A/N: I own nothing cept' Sally Hallows...and this idea. Ahah. I rule.
"Patient 307 please step forward."
Two scuffed shoes scraped against the old tiled floor of the jury room, patient three-oh-seven moved forward, his head bowed low, handcuffed hands falling simply in front of him, a look of almost submission. When he did look up his dark eyes locked onto those of the judge who feigned a look of confidence. Everyone in the room wore the same face but all were scared.
"Case presented. Jack Napier's stability please?" The judge looked over to the hired attorney of the criminally insane man, his bald head and chubby cheeks making her think it was just another man of Maroni's. He cleared his throat and waddled up to the front of her podium, slipping a file on top of the rest of the papers that rested there. She instantly flipped open the file and saw the man that stood before her in picture form.
"My client and I decline any inclination that he is mentally unstable, the treatment in Arkham fully healing any permanent damage that had been made." The man started off, pacing the front of the room, gesturing with his hands to alias Joker. Judge Hallows looked from him to the 'client' his eyes still cast down to his shoes. She returned her attention back to the attorney who was babbling off the set of drugs and therapy that was enlisted to Joker while he attended the mental institute. She inwardly winced at his bad word choice for several statements but dismissed them, rather focusing on the points.
"A full year he had been in Arkham's care, only refusing treatment for the first two months, only naturally for any strong willed man. Month three he had been treated for schizophrenia and APD, medication prescribed and therapy issued every Monday and Friday." He paused, swinging his hand to the man who was still standing at front. "He, as you can see now, has improved immensely."
Judge Hallows looked down at the file again, shifting through the papers, her eyes scanning the first few months diagnosis. Several facts breeched out to her and she saw he was on more than six medications to sustain himself. She arched an eyebrow at that and turned to them again, clearing her throat.
"Would the client please step forward for questioning."
Joker looked up to her then, the curly golden hair falling into his dark eyes which locked onto her own steely blues. She felt the breath leave her lungs as he stepped forward, his eyes still on hers. Breaking the gaze she faked a cough, restacking papers on her podium.
"Mister Napier, is it true that you did resist the first two months of your planned treatment." She looked down at him, seeing he was still gazing upon her and it suddenly made her very nervous. He smiled at her, almost warmly, before answering.
"Yes ma'am I did."
She swallowed hard and nodded.
"And why did you do so?"
"Why would I not? Any man that was of my stature would find himself fine." He gave a nonchalant shrug, twisting his lips into another grin. "I did find myself rather happy at that point in time, but I had been shown that there were other ways to spend my time than creating chaos."
"Such as?" She found herself leaning forward, wanting to hear more of his 'story'.
"I 'm putting myself forward to become an understudy of psychology. While in my cell I was able to read several books on the human mind and procreativity finding it rather intriguing."
Judge Hallows eyebrows shot up not expecting the answer from him. Psychology? Perhaps it was another one of Crane's prodigies. He had been one for psychology but turned the fear of others against him, sending him to the establishment he had once proudly ran. She read through his file again, trying to find any trace of the same inclination but found none. She didn't trust him, not that she should or anyone else should, but she found no fault at his statement. In fact it made quite a lot of sense that a man that had previously encountered several mental problems would only want to understand him. But she had that gut feeling something was wrong.
"And what do you plan to do if you are released?"
He almost looked like he was to laugh, his body tensing up, his chest puffing out while his stomach sank in. He bit his lower lip, his smile growing, the effect stretching his grotesque scars farther. His jaw clenched for several moments before answering in a low whisper. "Change the world."
Several murmurs were heard throughout the crowd that sat in the rows behind the scene, some even shifting in their seat uncomfortably. She knew exactly what they were thinking because she was thinking the same thing. He wasn't cured. He was still insane, and it proved in his answer there. He tried to change the world 'before', and that gave them death and destruction. Her hand inched toward the mallet, almost ready to grasp the wooden mallet and reach the verdict, but was stopped when he giggled, the rumbling echoing through the small room. She saw several guards make their way towards him but stopped when Hallows shook her head. He was about to say something else.
"What I mean is to change the world in its own benefit. I want to go to school and finish my passion for the mind and show that one man can indeed change the world," he paused, his eyes shifting side to side. "For good. I'm ready to 'turn over a new leaf', as one would say, and be an inspiration for those who want to be aided like I had."
Judge Hallows sighed, almost wanting to believe him but her judgment got in the better of her. But that wasn't her job. Her job was to take facts as they come, not façade them, and determine the proper choice on those facts. She couldn't let her 'feelings' ruin her actual judgment, even if that meant releasing him onto the streets of Gotham again.
For the whole sum of ten minutes Judge Hallows viewed and reviewed the case. Even though the questioning was short on 'Jokers' part, it had been meaningful. There were several other things she had wanted to ask him but flown out the window with the answer to what he was going to do after he was out. She wasn't expecting it. Giving a half hearted sigh she picked up her mallet, looking over the people who were waiting for the verdict, pleas of mercy in their eyes.
"Mister Jack Napier is here by free from Arkham until further incidents. Case dismissed."
She banged the wooden mallet harshly on the podium, groans and protests ringing throughout the room. Jack looked up to Sally Hallows, a wide smile adorning his face. Once his wrists were free he gave her a little wave and turned to walk out of the room, two guards flanking either side of him, pushing off by standers wanting to get a piece of action. Before her fully left the room he turned around and locked eyes with Sally, pursing his lips together, giving them a smack, blowing her a kiss. She nearly fainted.
