"Alfred! For the thousand time, I'm okay!" Bruce protested as he tried to leave his bed.

The billionaire honestly can't remember the last time he got sick, but all he knew was that he hated it. Sickness was weakness, and he despised that feeling the most. Yet what annoyed him even more was that it felt like he had lost to the Mad Hatter. And the fact the he was pretty much sure that the psychopath was not really planning on infecting him, made it even worse. It made him feel stupid.

"No, Sir, your not! Your temperature is almost a hundred and four degrees." Alfred scowled as he pushed the larger man back to his bed, "And if I may be blunt, how can an old man, such as I, force a healthy man back to his bed if he was 'O-kay'?"

"Fine. You've got a point." Bruce sighed grimly through labored breaths, admitting defeat.

"Well, I guess I would take that as a compliment, then." The old butler remarked with a quirk of an eyebrow.

"You do that." Bruce frowned juvenilely, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Now, now. There is no need to pout, Master Bruce." Alfred smirked triumphantly.

"You are clearly enjoying this, aren't you?" Bruce smirked back, relishing in the old man's fondness.

"Sir! That is simply an awful thing to say." Alfred exclaimed, slightly surprise on how well Bruce understood him.

"Is it now?" Bruce chuckled at the old man's shocked expression.

As much as the butler hated the circumstances that led to such a situation, he could never completely deny that he was enjoying it. To the old man, passing a unique chance of pampering his master would be an utter shame. Which ultimately meant that Bruce was right, he was the great detective after all.

"Ehm. Well then. I think it is about time to prepare dinner." Alfred stated as he took a quick peek at the clock, "Both Master Drake and Master Damian would be back shortly. And Master Grayson might join us as well."

"You didn't have to tell Dick." Bruce sighed. As much as he loved having his family under one roof, he didn't want to worry them with his health.

"You must focus on your self right now." Alfred argued, "The boys are old enough-"

"Honeeeeeeeeeeey~ I'm home!" An all-familiar voice echoed through the Wayne manor.

"You know, Alfred. I think you are absolutely right." Bruce mumbled, while pinching the bridge of his nose, "I can almost swear that I heard-"

"The Joker's voice?" Alfred finished Bruce's sentence, as the color of his face seemed to be seeping away.

"That's not funny." Bruce scowled.

"No, Sir, it is not. I would never make such a tasteless joke." Alfred retorted, but was still in shock, "Maybe I caught whatever is causing your fever. I'm most definitely hallucinating. Why else would we be both hearing the madman's voice?"

"Man this place is just huge! Over-compensating much, huh, Brucie?" The Joker voice echoed once again before turning into a menacing laughter.

"Most definitely a hallucination." Alfred insisted, "I think I should check my temperature."

"Alfred! Gather yourself, this not like you!" Bruce scolded, "I don't know what brought the Joker here, but you have to hide. Right away! I will deal with him."

"No, Master Bruce. I am most definitely not leaving you behind with this madman." Alfred retorted stubbornly, "Especially when your are in a rather unfavorable situation."

The butler was right, and his master couldn't argue with him anymore. Even though he was pretty energetic for a person with a hundred and four degree temperature earlier, but right now he felt like it was all oozing away. The shock of hearing the Joker's voice in his manor, in Bruce Wayne's manor, was making him light-headed.

"Dare I say that I prefer it when he laughs over this unnerving silence." Alfred remarked at the sudden quietness, and Bruce couldn't agree more.

"Oh, Jeeves, stop flattering me!" The Joker voice promptly squealed from behind the door, causing poor Alfred to jolt.

Consequently, the door was swung open, and the Joker, in his full purple glory, stepped in with wide-open arms following it by a dramatic bow.

"I might be sick, but I don't recall asking for a house-call clown." Bruce managed to mock before the Joker was able to rise from his bow, hoping to catch all of his attention, and distract him from Alfred.

The Joker slowly rose up, with his acidic, green eyes focusing on the bedridden billionaire. He blinked a few times before falling into another fit of laughter.

"I take back what I said earlier." Alfred scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, Brucie. That was a good one!" The Joker remarked while wiping a tear away, "But I come here as a house-call vet 'cuz I've heard that a bat of mine is in need of my expertise!"


A/N: Hope to see your reviews!