It was all a blur to Melissa. How on earth did she end up dangling above a chemical vat? All she could remember was cold, insane laughter and crying lots of crying. The Joker and Harley no doubt but where was Ivy? The smoke, the burning, the plants. Someone had set the plants on fire. She had to get out of here but she couldn't move. Her arms and legs were bound and she was gagged.

"HA HA! THIS WILL BE THE SECOND GREATEST JOKE EVER!"

Melissa couldn't see the Joker but he was there. Melissa started to struggle helplessly. The rope that held her above the vat was slashed in two and she fell.

SPLASH.

Right into the vat, she fell. She passed out convinced that she was going to drown but somehow she survived. Batman had pulled her out while she was unconscious. Harley looked on horrified as the paramedics loaded her sister into the ambulance. This was all her fault. Because of her, Melissa had gotten hurt.

Melissa had been bleached white just like the Joker. Her once brown hair was now a blue-ish color as well. All because of her.

…...

When Melissa awoke in the hospital and saw her reflection in a nearby window she screamed. It was a shrill ear-busting horrendous loud noise that busted the window. The doctors and nurses rushed in and had to tie her down. After that they fed her. Once they were finished they filed out of the room. Two nurses whispered horrible things as they left. Things that Melissa was terrified to hear them say.

"Someone call Arkham quickly,"

"Yeah, there's a female Joker in this hospital,"

Melissa cried bitterly. She, she was crazy as the Joker. She was no better than the Joker. Melissa felt no different than she had prior to her incident but she was terrified that could change. That could change at any moment and she would be powerless to do anything about it.

"I see you're awake,"

Melissa looked up startled to see the Joker step out of the shadows.

"Aren't you supposed to be locked up?"

"Aren't you?" the Joker laughed menacingly.

Melissa choked on bile that was rising in her throat.

"Lissa, Lissa, Lissa I'm the only one who will ever understand now,"

"Don't call me that," Melissa growled out.

"You know it's true. The doctors are calling Arkham right now to pick you up,"

"No,"

"Yes, but come with me and you'll be safe."

"I'm not going with you,"

"Harley wants to see you,"

They went back and forth and back and forth with each other before Melissa went reluctantly with the Joker. He brought her to a hideout near the docks in a rundown part of town. Stepping inside, Melissa saw the crates of weapons disguised as toys. Harley was nowhere to be seen. Melissa turned to Joker with a questioning glance.

"Wait here while I save Harley from Arkham in the meantime, she has some clothes you can borrow,"

Joker left Melissa alone in the warehouse. Melissa sat down and tried to withhold tears. Ivy had taught her long ago never to show weakness. Showing weakness in the backstreets and alleyways of Gotham could get you hurt or killed. At that moment, Melissa could care less. She struggled to get changed. She slipped into a diamond-printed tank top, black pajama pants and red slip-on shoes. She fell to the floor quietly reflecting on the events that had transpired. She was crazy. As insane as the Joker. She was dangerous, she was a monster.

All time was lost to Melissa who simply sat on the floor and stared at a crate filled with weapons. She didn't even move when Bud and Lou sniffed her out and plopped down across her lap. She didn't care that they were vying for her attention. She was far too disheartened to care. She didn't want to be crazy. She didn't want to slowly slip into insanity. Why all of this why her? What was she supposed to do about it? At first, she didn't even realize that Joker and Harley had returned until Harley wrapped her in a hug.

'Lissa I'm so, so sorry,"

Melissa cried harder.

…...

Life with the Joker was as unstable and unpredictable as one would expect it to be. Melissa stuck around for two reasons. One so he wouldn't hurt Harley. Two so she would be thrown into Arkham. Many, many sleepless nights were spent listening as Joker ranted about how he was going to kill Batman. Melissa eventually learned how to tune him out and get some sleep on the broken couch against the back wall. Every day was the same. Melissa would wake up, Harley would brush her hair whispering promises about how she was okay, how she was still sane before running off to get some food for Melissa. While Harley was gone Melissa was forced to 'learn a few things from "daddy". Melissa despised this time of day/. Loathed it with every fiber of her being. Yet. She had to sit through it or Harley would be hurt.

So, she sat through lessons on firearms and explosives. Much to her dismay.

Then there were the blessed times when Joker and Harley were gone. During these times Melissa often slipped away to visit her old home in the waste dump but what she didn't know was that she was being tailed by a certain boy wonder at every given chance. What had started out as a dead end case for Bruce had become Dick's hobby. The case of 'the female Joker' as the media was calling it intrigued him. This girl didn't appear insane at all but she clearly believed she was. Currently, Robin was perched on a roof overlooking the street that the girl was headed down. Too bad he didn't know her name. He felt bad for her. She always seemed on the verge of tears.

"I'm doomed," she muttered.

Robin wanted to help her. Save her. She seemed like she needed that.

…...

Melissa arrived in the dump and cautiously entered the broken-down house. She couldn't stay for very long but she couldn't keep herself from visiting. She looked around. Parts of the walls were charred but not much else had been done. Melissa was thankful if the blaze had gotten out of control then her home would be little more than ash. She went about collecting the notes and books Ivy had left her. Even Ivy knew that if Melissa were to leave Joker's watchful eye for long Harley would get it.

Melissa came and went but Robin didn't instead, he waited for Ivy's return just outside the dump. When Ivy did show she wasn't armed which was good so, Robin made his move catching Ivy off guard.

"In case you're unaware I've been declared sane," Ivy stated curtly.

"I've heard. I want to know about that girl,"

"What girl?"

"The Joker Girl. The one who's been visiting,"

"What do you want to know?"

"Her name,"

"I don't know her name,"

"Yeah right,"

"I don't know her name. Her birth name,"

"Fine then what do you call her?"

"What's it to you,"

"I want to know,"

"I call her Melissa. Why do you want to know? You've got a crush on her?"

"No,"

"Sure,"

…...

Melissa nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the shadow looming over her. She barely had time to process this before Robin jumped down and blocked her path.

Uh-oh.

Robin meant one thing.

Arkham.

She turned to run. She knew of more than one way to get there. However, Robin kept on her tail. She was so worried that she took a wrong turn and ended up in a dead-end alleyway.

"You finally stopped," Robin commented as he dropped in front of her.

Melissa stayed completely silent.

"I'm not going to hurt you if that's what you're thinking,"

Silence.

Robin was puzzled until it clicked.

"You think I'm going to take you to Arkham."

Then Melissa spotted the fire escape above her. She had to act quickly. She jumped up and grabbed the bars. Swinging and kicking she managed to knock Robin out. She scrambled up to the roof of the building. She ran so fast and so long she could feel her heart beating crazily against her chest. She slid into the warehouse and slammed the door shut behind her. With a relieved sigh, Melissa fell on the couch with a book in hand. Who knew how much time she had lost?

…...

When Robin woke he was back in the Bat cave and being patched up by Alfred. He knew Batman was there from the icy chill on his neck curtsy of a hard glare. He was in for it. He knew he had it coming when he had started doing this a month ago.

"Why?" Batman asked flatly as Robin sat up and turned to face his mentor.

"Because I wondered,"

"Wondered what?"

"About her,"

"And what did you find out?"

"Her name's Melissa,"

"And?"

"She doesn't appear to be insane at all,"

Batman seemed intrigued by this.

"Fine, keep tabs on her but don't confront her again,"

…...

Three weeks later, Batman burst in Joker ran leaving Harley and Melissa to face Robin. Harley hid Melissa before taking on Robin. Melissa listened from her hiding spot catching the occasional movement. Then it all went silent. Melissa held her breath. Maybe Harley had gotten lucky and bested the boy wonder? Sadly, for Melissa, this was not the case as Robin was the one who opened the door to her hiding place.

Melissa was screwed.

…...

The good news was she didn't end up in Arkham.

The bad news was she DID end up in a correctional dentition center.

She knew she would be here for long. If the Joker got out he'd come for her. What his plan was she honestly couldn't tell you but he had to have some type of plan

Everyone avoided her. Even the roughest, toughest kids were scared of the insane joker girl as they liked to call her. Thus, she was often times left alone. Melissa was usually all for solitude but after nearly two months with the joker, she wanted some sane company. Someone who didn't punctuate their sentences with insane laughter. So, in an effort to fit in she started covering her skin. Using body paints to give herself a normal skin color and not the bleached white skin she was stuck with.

Three weeks into her stay at the correctional facility and a new kid was brought in. although Melissa swore she had never seen him before this kid seemed familiar to her. Even though she was intrigued she stayed away. However, he seemed interested in her. One day during lunch he dropped into the seat across from her.

"So, what'd you do to wind up here?" he asked in the thickest southern accent Melissa had heard in her life.

"Rather not say," Melissa responded as she studied the boy before her. "You?"

"I'd also like to keep that to myself,"

"Then why did you ask me?" Melissa questioned.

"Just tryin' to make conversation,"

"Wouldn't it be easier to ask my name?"

"I suppose. So, what is your name?"

"Melissa,"

"Mine's Jake,"

Except 'Jake' wasn't really Jake.

He was Dick Grayson in disguise.

...

For this story:

It would be told in arcs.

A few I already decided on:

The Joker's Daughter.

Father's Death.

The Songbird.

Unusual Friends.