The Joker sat alone in his cage. He had tried to make pleasant conversation with passing officers, but they had simply brushed him off and walked away – mumbling about riots and paperwork and such – so he would sigh and sit back against the bars of his prison and hum lightly to himself. Jim Gordon walked in then, haggard and tired looking, mumbling about riots and paperwork and such. The Joker tried to ask what was wrong, Commissioner Gordon brushed him off and stalked over to the lounge and got some coffee. The Joker sighed again and began to hum lightly to himself. Jim Gordon walked in again, dragging a chair behind him. He sighed and sat down next to the cage that contained the deranged maniac.
"Long night Commissioner?" the Joker asked. Jim Gordon looked at him and sighed.
"Long day, too" he mumbled. He looked at the black coffee in his hands and leaned back in his seat.
There was silence again as Jim Gordon drank his coffee and kept an eye on the Joker. The silence was suddenly broken when Robert Maxwell Webber trudged into room, haggard and tired looking. Jim Gordon stood up and nearly dropped his empty cup.
"How is she?" he asked. Robert Webber looked wearily at Jim Gordon and sighed.
"She hasn't said a word to anyone, not even the nurses," he grumbled, "and they see her more than I do!"
Jim Gordon sighed, set down his cup, and walked over to the lounge to get another chair. The Joker, meanwhile, sat staring at the pair wondering, 'What the hell are they talkin' about?' Jim Gordon came back and set the chair he had retrieved for poor Robert Webber in front of his own.
"You want coffee?" Jim asked.
"I do..." the Joker said.
"Shut up," Jim said. The Joker shrugged and went back to bobbing his head and humming to himself.
"I'll get it," Robert said. He trudged over to the lounge and got himself some coffee, sipping it as he sat down again.
Robert Maxwell Webber was a good man. He had been in the force for over seven years now, doing whatever Jim Gordon told him to do and listening to everyone complain about having the Joker in the station all the while. Robert was tall. About six feet, two inches tall and in good shape for a man his age – his age being 42 – and had thinning brown hair like his long dead fathers. His eyes were his mothers, a wonderful, enchanting shade of light blue. As Robert sat, he looked over at the Joker.
"When are you going to leave?" he asked. The Joker thought a moment and finally came to a conclusion.
"Just as soon as everyone else in here is as crazy as I am," he said with a toothy grin.
"Won't be to long now," Jim grumbled under his breath.
"Thats what I'm counting on," the Joker said, smiling again.
Jim Gordon shook his head and looked at Robert Webber again, "What happened?," he whispered,"You never gave me all the details. I wasn't there, I was to busy lookin' for him," Jim nodded towards the Joker, who gave them both a little wave.
"You know what happened," Robert mumbled. "They told you. I know they did."
"All I got out of it was that there was a school shooting," Jim said, "said it was just Columbine all over again," he paused, "They did everything execution style. Up against the wall and all that crap-"
"Where was I when this happened? It all sounds so exciting!" the Joker giggled.
"Shut up!" Jim and Robert said. The Joker shrugged again and leaned against the bars of his cell, listening intently to the suddenly interesting conversation.
"Is she alright though? Nancy I mean," Jim asked.
Robert shrugged and sipped his coffee, "Who knows, she won't talk to anyone..."
"Didja try Monica?" Jim suggested, "maybe she'll talk to her." Robert let out a harsh laugh and sat back in his chair.
"D'ya really think Monica'll talk to her right about now? I don't, and I should know, the woman's my sister for Christ sake," Robert paused and stared at his coffee for a moment. " No," he said finally. "No... I wish it were that simple but it isn't. Nancy is Monica's tool to gain a reputation so she can go to parties and balls and junk like that,"
Jim sighed, "It was worth a shot,"
"Now hold on just a second." the Joker said. Jim and Robert looked up at him, " your tellin' me- well, not really but... anyway. Your telling me that, uh, it's Monica right?" Jim and Robert nodded, "Kay'- that this Monica chick- who I'm only assuming is little, uh, Nancy's oh so loving mother won't talk to her because of some... reputation thing?" Jim and Robert nodded, "... that's fucked up,"
"For once I agree with you," Robert said. The Joker smiled and leaned against his cage again.
"See," he said, "I'm not so bad," Robert and Jim gave him a flat look and went back to drinking coffee. The Joker wasn't done asking questions however.
"So Robbie-" the Joker asked.
"Don't call me that," Robert mumbled.
" Okay then, Rob? Robert? Max? Maxwell? Mr. Webber?" he chuckled.
"Go home," Jim said, "get some rest, you need it Robbie- I mean Robert."
The Joker looked surprised for a moment, then proceeded to laugh his ass off until Commissioner Jim Gordon banged against the bars of his cell with his gun. The Joker just laughed harder as he watched Robert Maxwell Webber walk away, only after he had left did the Joker stop laughing.
"Oh boy," the Joker said, " I needed that."
"SHUT UP!" Robert shouted back.