Chapter 2: Welcome to the Madhouse

Hey guys, thanks so much for the (very unexpected and highly appreciated) feedback! It's great to know you like the story, you made my day! As you might notice at some point, my English is not perfect, and since this is my first English fic, please don't be too harsh with me if there are some grammatical errors.

Today, I finally got the Batman Arkham Asylum game, which contains the Joker, Crane, Harley Quinn AND the Riddler, so I might not be writing as much in the next couple of days. Just to warn you.

"Gee, they'd better arrive soon, Sharp's getting nervous." "I know. I am, too."

We had really been waiting for quite a while now, and somehow I started getting worried. Of course, I wasn't exactly looking forward to having an extremely dangerous new inmate here, but I'd definitely rather have him here than on the loose.

Additionally, like any good scientist, I had a natural desire to always understand as much as I could, making me insanely curious for the unknown, and the Joker just so happened to be part of that unknown.

Finally, I saw the main door opening, and from behind all the security guards I finally got to see the infamous criminal.

He was strolling along the corridor in the most casual way I had ever seen, walking like he had chosen to be here, except for the fact that he had handcuffs on. Wearing those typical, ridiculous looking dark purple dress pants, a light purple shirt and a green vest he walked up to the Warden, shielded by security guards.

As I got a better view of his face, I just had to stare at his famous scars. They were covered with red lipstick like his lips, which gave him the look of a permanent smile and contrasted strongly with the white clown-make-up he had plastered on the rest of his face. His scars were much more striking in reality than they were in the pictures, the smooth surface of his skin suddenly interrupted by the uneven, rough wound.

Other than his scars, his eyes - caramel brown coloured, flickering wildly from one side to the other - were probably his most prominent feature, thickly circled with black eye shadow. His green, greasy looking hair hung into his face and when he started to talk, I could see how yellow and unhealthy his teeth looked.

"Hey there, Sharpie, old boy!" he said in a deep voice and with a wide grin on his face which stretched his scars.

I didn't listen to Sharp's reaction, because someone else had captured my attention.

Batman had entered the room after the Joker, sticking to the shadows and walking slowly with his back to the wall. He looked stressed out - well, as stressed out as you can look with your face mostly covered in a rubber mask - and I could understand why.

The Joker really hadn't cut him any slack in the last weeks, and catching him must have been difficult enough, but now dealing with his stupid jokes all the way here? Batman must be eager to get home and get himself some rest.

"Get this animal into his cage!" called Sharp angrily, and a moment later, the guards were all over the Joker, tying him to some device with wheels that looked like an standing sickbed.

"Batman," said Sharp and waved Rob and me over to him. "These are Dr. Robert Boyles and Dr. Valentina Barker. They're here to supervise the transport."

Batman nodded at Rob quickly and then I caught his eye.

"You weren't here two months ago, were you?" he asked with an incredibly deep voice that made me jump a little.

"Do you know all the staff of Arkham Asylum?" I asked curious and he gave a little nonchalant grunt which I interpreted as a laugh.

"All that are important enough to be assigned with something like this." He stared down at me intently and I lowered my gaze to the ground, feeling very uncomfortable.

"I guess I quickly climbed the corporate ladder," I slowly mumbled and then followed the orderlies that pushed Joker through the hallway.

"He's extremely dangerous, I should go with you and ensure that nothing happens," the Bat announced, pushing through the door behind me. "I didn't mean to offend you," he added quietly.

"No offence taken," I immediately responded and shot a little, forced smile into his general direction although I really didn't like his intent looks.

Rob put a hand on my back, helping me inside the elevator and glanced at Batman suspiciously. "There's something wrong with this guy," he whispered in my ear.

"What, you mean other than the fact that he's dressed as a bat?" I whispered back, but unfortunately, it was a little too loud.

"I think she's talking about you, Bats!" laughed the Joker and looked at me directly for the first time. "Well, well, well, what have we here!" he cackled. "Aren't you a beauty?"

Staring at him a little taken aback, I could feel my cheeks get hot with a blush and it took me a second to check myself, only barely managing to bitterly retort: "I've heard better jokes."

Then I looked away from him, forcing my gaze away even though nothing else was even nearly as interesting as he was.

It was pretty hard, and it didn't seem to have the designated effect, either, since he still continued to gape at me with his head tilted to the side like someone studying an interesting sculpture.

"I think he's up to something. Catching him was way too easy this time, and with all these Blackgate prisoner being here..." said Batman, and the Warden looked up at him in surprise.

"Oh, don't you worry, Arkham has one of the best security systems in the whole world."

"Didn't stop me last time, though!" mocked the Joker and Sharp looked at him, clearly irritated.

Finally, we arrived at the Extreme Incarceration area, which was in Arkham West, separated from the regular Penitentiary and which was also where the most dangerous of our detainees were kept.

"Attention all Arkham personnel: We are currently at 'Code Red'. Shoot to kill permissions are granted. Hostile behaviour towards employees is highly likely. Be very careful in handling the patients and to be prepared for a body scan as part of our additional security measures."

The automatic announcement continued to give the workers several security tips, but I didn't listen anymore, since the Joker started to struggle in his sickbed, trying to wave to the inmates that were shouting his name.

"Stop that or I'll have you tranquillised!" threatened Sharp, but then carried on just ignoring him.

"Will you be the ones treating him?" asked Batman and looked at me.

"I don't know. I don't think that they'll give someone like him to a new worker, it would be tempting, though." I couldn't contain an smile at the thought of working on Joker's case. I couldn't imagine anything more interesting.

"Why that? I should think that someone as young as you would be scared at the prospect of that? Well, probably anyone with common sense would be scared..."

I laughed since it was the truth, but then I shrugged my shoulders.

"We're either scared of the unfamiliar, or else we're fascinated. And I guess you are not part of the scared either, are you?"

"Are you trying to analyse me, doctor?" he asked with a surprised voice and again I had to laugh. "Maybe."

We finally arrived at the Joker's cell and the guards brought him inside, untying him from his transport device and then locking him in.

"Cash, I want you to get him into his prison uniform and to wash of the paint of his face," said the Warden, gesturing to the Joker without really looking at him.

"Oh, no!" he protested. "Why don't you let the pretty doctor do that?"

"Shut your filthy mouth, clown!" shouted Sharp and then turned to us. "I suggest you go home and sleep, doctors, and I'm sure you could use some rest too, Batman."

Batman left us - not without making me shiver by one of his gazes once again - through a side door, and the Warden quickly headed back to his office.

"Do you want me to give you a ride?" Rob offered, but I just shook my head.

I knew that the nightmares would come back as soon as I closed my eyes, so why even bother trying to sleep. "No, it's okay, I think I'll check on my patients when I'm already here."

He gave me a worried look. "Why don't you take some time off once in a while, Val? A break wouldn't kill you, you know..."

I just laughed and patted him on his back. "I'll be all right, Rob."

We had a staff room in each facility, which was where I was headed now. I would get my own office soon enough, Sharp kept assuring me, as soon as they had cleaned up the empty rooms in the East facility that had been destroyed in Poison Ivy's last break out attempt, but right now, I had to share with the research team, the orderlies and some other doctors. At least I had my own locker, a shelf in the fridge and a computer account for myself.

My to-do-list was enormous. Protocols, office work, but only two choices really were attractive: I could visit Edward, but he usually went to sleep quite early and didn't like to be woken up; and there was also a patient that was about to be transferred to Rob who I could check on.

Jonathan Crane was the name on the notes that I grabbed before heading out the door again.

I wasn't the last person in the building, the security staff and some emergency doctors always were always here, even at night, but still the corridors of the Asylum were strangely lifeless.

I had to go up to the Extreme Incarceration area again, and this time that I came without Sharp and Batman, I had to endure the standard security scans by brainless guards that always made stupid jokes when I met them.

When I finally got past security, I suddenly noticed that I was pretty close to the Joker's cell again. Might as well check how he settled in, right?

As I got closer to him, I noticed that the light in his room was still on.

"Not in bed yet, are we?" I asked inquisitively and walked up to the unbreakable security glass through which I could see him.

The Joker laid on his bed, outstretched, grinning at the ceiling with a distant look on his eyes. He wore the typical light green Arkham prisoner uniform, but he still had his make-up on.

"Ah, doctor! Did you, eh, miss me already, huh?"

He smiled at me, not a bit surprised that I came to see him so soon.

"I thought Cash took off your make-up?" I asked curiously. "How did you manage to get it back on again?"

He laughed amused, stood up from his bed and then walked up to the glass.

"Ha ha ha ha hi hi hi hi... Magic!" He put his hands up like a magician and looked at me expectantly. "But I'll tell you my, my little trick if you, eh, do a little something for me."

He smacked his lips in anticipation.

"And what would that little something be?" I tilted my head, but just for the effect, because I wasn't really going to negotiate with a criminal like him. At least that's what I told myself.

"Oh, nothing really, just one little favour." He held up his index finger and grinned at me with the most innocent look that I've ever seen. "You have to tell me something about yourself."

I was a little startled by how unexpected his demand was. I had thought more in the lines of "Help-me-break-out" or "Get-me-a-gun", the usual requests from patients, but this was new to me.

Joker seemed to notice my surprise. "You see, I just really like to get inside of people."

He started to laugh.

"HA!" Suddenly he was up against the glass, just inches away from my face, and said with a much deeper, slower voice: "And now I wanna get inside you."

I jumped back in shock and immediately could have slapped myself for it. Never show them that your scared!

"You really are crazy, aren't you?" I shouted out furiously and took another step away from the cell. I knew it was unprofessional, but I didn't care.

"No, I'm not." He mumbled with a very serious face and angrily repeated it louder. "No. I'm not."

"Goodbye." I snapped, turned away from his chamber and left, even though he called after me.

I should have known better than to talk to him at all, I scolded myself.

Now I'd have even less time to check on Jonathan Crane. I hurried along the corridors, my mind still with the Joker.

When I arrived at Crane's room, I had to stop and catch my breath to calm myself down. I could not let a patient see me this distressed, it was bad enough that I had let the Joker upset me.

This had definitely ruined my chances of ever working with him.

"Doctor Crane?" I asked, stepping out into his sight. "My name is doctor Valentina Barker." - Jesus, this man was attractive!

Don't get me wrong, of course I believed that beauty was only skin deep, but still, I had never in my life seen such a good-looking criminal... although, the Joker was rather easy on the eyes too - oh, what was I thinking about!

Really, Valentina, a pair of pretty eyes and a nice set of wide set choppers and bye-bye seriousness!

Crane got up from the small desk in his cell, eyeing me with interest.

"Hello doctor, how may I help you?"

He had these perfect icy blue eyes which could make every woman weep, combined with that wonderful long dark brown hair - I've always had a thing for men with long hair; the bad-boy attitude, the adventurous look, you get my point.

Plus his face was downright divine, high cheekbones and a perfectly defined chin... oh, I was at it again.

Trying to control my thoughts, I stared at the ground and realised that I had completely forgotten what I wanted to ask him.

"I... I... I actually just wanted to see if you were all right..." I managed to stutter and blushed beyond recognition.

"Is that so, doctor. That's a little... strange, don't you think?" He raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. "Do you often feel the need to do things that are unconventional?"

With a smile I gathered back all of my wits and dismissed his question.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane, but we don't have time to talk about me. On another occasion perhaps, but for now I will ask the questions."

I pulled a chair over on which I could sit down and pulled out my notepad.

"How do you feel today?" I asked him casually and motioned him to sit down on his side as well. He seemed a little surprised at my sudden change of character, but he hid it quickly enough. "I feel fine, doctor, how are you?"

"I'm fine, too, thank you. How have the last few days been for you? Did you sleep well? Was your temper well-balanced?"

He smiled at me and dimples appeared in that damn beautiful face of his. I felt like he was mocking me. "I've never been better - well, at least not inside this Asylum."

"How do you like your current doctor," I looked for the name in my notes. "Dr. Schneider?"

"Oh, I'm being transferred, aren't I? How fun!" He answered, smiling his smug grin.

"I think that Dr. Schneider suffers from pathological lying. Deep down he knows that it's him who's insane, but still he denies it and continues to claim that he is actually the one treating me. Crazy, isn't it?"

I looked at him, trying to figure out whether he was serious and than quickly wrote it down. "And what have you done about this 'pathological lying'?" I asked, playing his game.

"Oh, there's really nothing I could do. I've tried confronting him with his fears, I really have, but he's very, very persistent about it, doctor, and I think that without medication, it'll be hopeless."

I wrote it down. "What medication do you mean exactly?"

"Oh doctor, please don't tell me you've never heard of the medicament that I invented?" Now Crane looked downright shocked.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," I said and a smile spread on my face. Pretty boy seemed upset.

"I have developed a drug that helps people to open up freely," he explained impatiently. "It really improved the work with my patients - that is until we accidentally dropped some waste products into the Gotham sewers."

„Ah, yes, I remember, it was all over the news. That was you?" Pah, help people open up! What a two-faced liar! It drove them crazy and made them have hallucinations!

He just nodded and looked at me with his peaceful, gorgeous face.

„So, tell me, Dr. Crane, it sounds like you quite miss your work as a psychiatrist. Is that so? Do you miss treating people?" A swift look to the clock told me that it was already eleven o'clock. It would be midnight until I was home, so it was definitely time to bring it to an end.

„Why should I miss my work, doctor?" Crane asked innocently. „I still have it!"

„How is that?" I inquired.

„I treat you, doctor," he said and started to laugh wildly, crazily and rocked on his chair like mad. I sighed quietly and stood up. „Thank you Dr. Crane. It was nice talking to you."

This discussion had only frustrated me more, first Joker, now Crane, I actually missed just having Edward as my patient. If only I wouldn't be so damn ambitious, I could have just gone home with Rob and enjoyed a free evening.

I passed by the Joker's cell once more as I headed out of the Asylum, and even though the light was off now, I could have sworn I heard a voice whisper: „Goodnight, doctor."

Maybe it was just wishful thinking. Maybe.