Authors Note:
I'm trying something new. I'm taking things a bit slower in this fanfic and am going to really build up character development while writing this story out. This story has been brewing in my brain for a couple of months now and I had to start putting it on paper. I have the main storyline being about Joker and an OC of mine. I have Johnny Frost and another OC that works for Joker. There are also going to be other characters that come into play. Batman, The Riddler, Jonathan Crane, Nightwing, and a few more… you'll have to read and see. =)
I hope you all enjoy this story! Please review, they encourage me to keep posting new chapters, I want to know if you all like it and what you like about it? Either way, if you don't like it, please be constructive. =)
(Chloe's POV)
Thunder rolled across the sky as lightning flashed which illuminated the downtown streets of Gotham. There's no Bat symbol in the sky tonight and I'm not sure if that is a comforting thought or not. I walk down the sidewalk of the Diamond District. There's a couple of different nightclubs in this area. I need a job and am hoping this would be my lucky night. I'm dressed to impress. I have my dark chestnut hair pinned up in an elegant bun and a form fitting red dress that didn't go past my knees. I was wearing my pearls tonight, a matching earing and necklace set. I'm a bit shorter than the average girl, only standing at 5'4", so I matched my black heels to up my height.
I had just moved to Gotham two nights ago. No one I knew in my past life knows where I am and I plan on keeping it that way. Not that I have many friends where I come from, they all dwindled off after High School. I had moved in with my High School sweetheart when I was 19 since my father wanted to start traveling around the world.
It was a dream come true – or so I thought. Thomas and I were best friends since we were Freshmen and he was always secretly my dream guy. I had always loved him and wanted nothing more than to make him happy. After High School, I confessed my feelings for him and he returned them, that was it, I was hooked. When we moved in together the dream slowly cracked and eventually shattered. He started to control my every move. He determined what I wore, who I hung out with, what I ate, and if I didn't listen there would be a consequence. He always tried to twist it to make it seem like it was for my own good, like he was doing me some sort of grand gesture of a favor. The hitting began when he would drink and it only got much worse from there. I began to plan my escape after he told me if I ever left him he would kill me. I saved up every penny I could for a year and ended up with $5,000. I bought a one-way plane ticket from Seattle to New York City and then took the 6-hour train ride to Gotham. I was determined to start over as far away as possible. I tried to remove the memories from my mind and focus on the now. I need a job before my savings dwindle too much.
I saw a couple of night club signs and decided on trying my luck at The Royal Flush. I walked in and was surrounded by a calming atmosphere with soft jazz music filling my ears. It was dimly lit, a bar stretched on the side wall, there were tables with white table clothes covering them, a candle in the center of each one. A curtain was drawn around a larger stage at the back of the room. The lounge seemed empty, only a couple of customers were at a few of the tables, then again it was only 7 at night.
"Excuse me, miss." I was greeted politely by one of the women that worked for this lounge, "Can I show you a table?" I surveyed her right away, she wore a black suit with her blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. She was definitely pretty but somewhat intimidating. I'm not sure if it was the suit or her blank almost mean expression.
"Oh, thank you, but I was actually wondering if this place is hiring anyone." She raised her eyebrows at my unexpecting question.
"Yes, actually we're looking for a couple of singers to entertain a few nights a week. Try out is tomorrow but since you're here you can try out now if you're ready." A lump gathered in my throat, I haven't sung for anyone since I was in High School and that was three years ago. An unpleasant memory flashed through my head.
"You're not even that good of a fucking singer, Chloe! Why do you have to pounce around the apartment and sing, to annoy me right?!" He yelled at me, I was shaking in fear, not wanting him to hit me again. He was drunk earlier than normal and if I would have known he was drinking earlier tonight I wouldn't have been singing. I flinched, he pushed me hard against the kitchen counter.
I shook the memory from my head quickly and focused, seeing that the woman was standing there staring, waiting for my reply.
"Yes, I'm ready now." I tried to sound confident, I already knew what I was going to sing. I had sung it for every audition I've done and nailed it.
She led me to a backroom where a large speaker was and she picked up an iPod. "Any song?"
"Do you have La Isla Bonita by Madonna?" I crossed my fingers.
"Yep. Go." She gave me little time to prepare and the room was filled with the familiar song. It was instrumental so I had to fill in the lyrics myself. I lost myself in the sound of the music as it ran through me. It was one of my only escapes that I had known. I finished the bridge of the song and the music cut, my eyes found hers and she had a stone face.
"You're good, you're hired." My heart sprang up gratefully, "You start tomorrow night. $200 a night and you work 4 nights a week, cash given only, don't wear anything slutty, stay classy and polite. We have a list of songs that are good for business but if you stick around for a bit you'll have a say in what you sing. Be here at 7:30 tomorrow night."
"Thank you so much, Miss…" I just realized I hadn't learned her name, "I'm sorry I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Chloe Patton." I hold my hand out and she takes it, giving it a firm shake.
"I'm Emma Frost, one of your bosses. It'll either be me or my brother here to get business done. Mr. J comes in here to do some big business deals or to let off steam from time to time, he's the one that owns this lounge. Don't mouth off and do your job, you'll be fine." She explains to me, I'm so excited I know I can't stop smiling.
"I won't disappoint, thank you for this!" I say again, grateful. I didn't have to continue to worry about dwindling money. My next step is to find an apartment, get enrolled in college, and start my life over. With 4 nights being a minimum work requirement a week I'll be bringing in at least $800 a week. I'll be on my feet in no time with this job and all I had to do was sing. Tonight really was my lucky night.
After thanking Miss Frost again, I made my way back to my hotel room. I showered and changed into comfier clothes, now laying down on the hard bed. This wasn't the best hotel but I didn't want to stay in a fancier place not knowing when I'd bring in more income. Now I could check out of here tomorrow and try to find an apartment or at the very least check into a better hotel that didn't have multiple cracks in the walls and questionable markings on the carpets.
(Emma's POV)
I made my way back to the warehouse after finishing up some paperwork at the lounge where Johnny had taken Mr. J. Last night Johnny had taken some of the henchmen and shot up Arkham, breaking out our boss. We had finally been able to recruit some inside men to help us with the job of getting him out. He had been in there for about three months this time after the Bat bashed his teeth in. Word was, boss wasn't too happy, and he came out of Arkham this time furious. Already killing three henchmen that couldn't keep their mouths shut. My phone vibrated in my pocket.
'He's red' – My brother texted me, code for don't piss him off he'll shoot to kill.
Johnny and I have been working for Mr. J since I we were teenagers. Our parents were shit head drug addicts and always had us working to support their habits. We arranged to have a one-time job with Mr. J, robbing a crate that was at the docks. We did the job quietly and the robbery was never traced back to us, that's when he offered us a sanctuary. He promised to provide us with what we needed and eventually a decent pay after proving ourselves. Since that day we never looked back, ten years of freedom away from our drugged-out parents that probably aren't even alive anymore.
I pulled up to the warehouse and walked inside. The warehouse had been turned into one of Jokers hideouts, it had a make shift living room area with a couple of couches, a table to eat at in a different area with a couple of refrigerators and a microwave. Boss man had his office and bedroom in the backroom.
"Sis, he wants to see you in the office." Johnny said quietly and I made my way to the back area, knocking on the office door twice before twisting the handle and walking in.
Three months away had dimmed his intimidating appearance in my mind of him but when I walked in I was quickly reminded of it and felt the weight of the room on my shoulders. Boss was sitting on his desk sharpening a knife, he looked up for a moment and I noticed it. The silver grill that had replaced his white teeth and the tattoo now on his forehead, 'damaged'. I stood there, waiting for his orders.
"How are my clubs doing?" He asked lowly, I could tell he was trying to keep his anger pulled back.
"Business is good boss, I actually just hired a new singer for The Royal Flush lounge and I have some more try outs tomorrow. Grin and Bare It is still bringing in good money and I'm hoping the new singers for the lounge up your business. Johnny has been working with your associates to keep the rest of the business running smoothly." I explained, he continued to sharpen his knife.
"Ha ha ha ha" He laughed, animatedly and I relaxed a little inside. When you make him laugh you're either about to die or get praised. There was a tiny difference in the laugh and I had known him long enough to know this one was a good one, "What would I do without my two most loyal guard dogs?"
"I try, boss." I smile inwardly at his approval. "Anything I can do for you?"
He puts his knife down and jumps off the desk, stretching out his arms and his muscles flex. He had been working out in Arkham, his body was still in the best shape. He ran his fingers through his green hair, slicking it backwards out of his face. He sauntered over to his liquor cabinet and pulled out his malt whiskey, pouring some in a glass.
"No, just go make sure no one fucks anything up." He takes a sip of his whiskey.
"It's nice to have you back, boss." I leave without another word, not wanting to overstay my welcome in his presence.
Johnny was waiting in the living room and I sat down next to him on the couch.
"Good job getting him out." I compliment him, the corner of his mouth twitches into a half smile. "What's with the damaged tattoo?"
"He said it's a message to Batman, he damaged his looks permanently." He shrugged, "You should get some sleep, it's going to be a quiet night and I'll make sure things are taken care of here."
I was tired and didn't want to argue the offer away, "Thank you." I go to the other couch and lay down quickly finding myself drifting off into darkness.
(Joker's POV)
I downed my whiskey and poured myself another glass. The warm burning sensation down my throat felt fantastic compared to the stale water Arkham offered. The Bat was going to get what was coming to him. He was just like me and I'm more than ever determined to prove it to that worthless rat. It would be a big show stopper and I needed to start planning it. I'll lay low for a while and then BANG, he'll never know what hit him. He's a joke, thinking the world so highly when it's filled with hypocrites, him being the biggest one of all.
The train in my mind changed tracks. An imagine of one of the female doctors at Arkham pops into my head, watching her walk away, her apple shaped rump got me stirring. Oh, a couple more weeks and she would have been sneaking into my cell at night for some quality doctor/patient time… I shook my head and downed the rest of my whiskey, I need to recoup.
"Taking some time to recoup and enjoy the finer things in life isn't a bad idea." I talk out loud to myself, being in Arkham for three months had taken a toll on my mind. Always being doped up on some type of drug or sedative. I'm eager for the meds to flush out of my system, wanting to see the world clearly again.
Tomorrow I'll go check out my clubs, especially the Royal Flush, a new singer starts tomorrow and I want to make sure they don't flop. I trust Emma's judgement but double checking inventory is never a bad idea when it comes to money.
I walk over to my bed and lay down, staring up at the ceiling. I try to sleep but my insomnia taunts me, so I close my eyes and allow my thoughts to roam free. Chaos filling my mind with various plot ideas, naughty ideas, and the best one, the Bat begging for his sanity back.