Disclaimer: By the goddess, I never expected this story to be followed by so many people in so short a time. It really made me smile knowing that people wanted to know of there was gonna be more. Please, feel free to review on the story. As usual, I don't own the Joker or any DC characters mentioned, or the song that Alaina sings in this chapter. I'm also gonna apologize for it all being clusterfucked, I'm using the document beta on the app. Enjoy.
Alaina went back to work, checking on J and his men every so often. J overheard her idly chatting with Johnny about what she did with her life. He learned that she was only working here to put herself through college and that cooking was her favorite part of the job. He ate his food in silence, listening in. This woman baffled him. She stood up to him... threatened him, even and she didn't even blink an eye at the thought that he could kill her without a second thought.
Around eleven, she came over and mentioned to him that it was time to start cleaning up but that he was fine where he was and that she would just clean around him. When all was done, J went to the back where Alaina was cleaning the dishes and watched her. "Having fun, Mr. J?" she asked, not looking up at him. "Well, I'm not bored." he said, sitting on the small step down. "We're about to head out. But we plan on coming back tomorrow." "Well, I'm off tomorrow." she said, drying her hands on her apron and taking a swig of her soda. "So you'll have Selene waiting on you. Fair warning, she's an incompetent bitch." He tilted his head, giving her his most deranged smile. "Trying to get me to kill her?" "Kill? No. I don't wish death on anyone. I do know, however, that she is scared of your laugh and everything you do." she said with a innocent shrug. J threw his head back and let out the laugh she was talking about, surprised when she laughed along with him. It was a gentle sound that took him by surprise. "It's getting late." he said, standing. "How are you getting home?" "Hmm? Oh, I walk home. But I stop off at a local bar after my shift...to decompress from the night and...well to relax." she said, shifting a bit. "Aren't you afraid to walk when it's dark out?" His question seemed innocent enough but she got a bit of an attitude. "Why should I be? I live here, I walk these streets all the time. That bar I stop in...all I have to do is say three to four variations of one sentance and I have a squad behind me." She leaned closer to him, her arms crossed over his chest. "So, tell me, Mr. J...whom do I have to fear?" He didn't like this attitude of hers and pulled his gun out, pressing the muzzle to her temple. "I don't know. You tell me."
The steel of the muzzle was cold against her temple and she knew she should be worried. This man was three seconds away from blowing her brains out. But she wasn't. She had learned long ago that she wasn't afraid to die. How could she be? By the time she entered high school she had lost her father's parents and then her mother and father. Dying only meant that she would see them again. But she lived. She wouldn't give those who doubted her the satisfaction of knowing they broke her. The only thing she feared was Logan and his wrath...and she had every right to fear that. She leaned into the gun, twisting herself so that she was bent backwards, digging the metal in deeper, it would leave an imprint but she didn't care. "Gonna shoot me, J?" She asked, dropping the 'Mr.' knowing how he would feel. Her smile was slightly manic as she watched his cool demeanor. "So that they can send the video to that vigilante in with the bat mask and he can add another murder to the list?" She twisted herself all the way around so that she was back in her starting position. "Do it." She felt his grip falter and the gun shake. "It's no fun when they're willing." he said, pulling the gun from her head. She let out a cackle and shut off the lights, making him stand and walk towards the front of the store. "Still," he said, nonchalantly, "Frost will be furious with me if I let you walk to this bar of yours alone. Besides, I could use a good drink." "Fine. I'm not in the mood to argue right now, Mr. J." she said she counted out the drawer and CJ, the elder cook took a swig of his beer. "Just hide your gun. It's a Marine bar and they won't take kindly to it. Even though it is a sweet 9mm." They all left together. "You can leave your car here, it's only about three blocks from here. No one will bother your car." Alaina said as she pulled her hair down. "You butchered this." he said, pulling apart the layers. She smirked at him. "My friend and I tried to dye it blue one night. Logan wanted to kill us." "Logan?" J asked. "Your boyfriend?" "Um yeah." she said, heading towards the bar. "We've been together for about a year now." She absently rubbed her wrist as she talked. "Do you love him?" he asked. "I don't hate him." she said. "I think I do. Did you love Harley?" She looked at him innocently. "I did." he said, looking down as he walked. "But in the end, she didn't love me." Alaina nodded. "I think Logan's the same." They entered the bar, Alaina signing to the bartender. "He's deaf. What's your drink?" "Whiskey on the rocks." He said, watching her sign to the bartender quickly. Some of the patrons came over and gave Alaina a kiss on the cheek and asked her how she was. One woman, Veronica, he noted, asked who he was. He told her his name and that he was new around town. She offered to show him around and kept at it until Alaina intervened. "Is she always like that?" he asked. "Unfortunately," she replied with a shake of her head. "Watch my drink, I'm gonna play the jukebox."
She came back a few minutes later and they sat in comfortable silence, sipping their drinks when someone called to the end of the bar, asking Alaina to sing. She began to shake her head 'no'. This wasn't the type of bar to showcase a singer.
"Yeah, Lain," a voice came from behind them. "You should sing 'Soon'."
"Logan!" she jumped at the sound of his voice. If J wasn't as batshit crazy as he was he would have been scared too. But not much scared him.
J glowered a bit at the man that was suddenly between them. Logan didn't look how J thought he would. He was a blonde haired, vertically challenged man with an athletic body; a tennis player, more than likely. He looked like he was born with the silver spoon shoved up his ass as opposed to having it in his mouth. Nothing like Alaina, who reminded him of a black rose; the type of girl who snuck out of the house in high school to go to concerts.
While he was lost in his thoughts the patrons of the bar began to call out again. Holding her hands up, she smiled as they calmed down.
"I know there's someone somewhere
Someone who's sure to find me
Soon.
After the rain goes there are rainbows,
I'll find my rainbow soon."
J sat frozen, his drink forgotten on the bar. Of all the sounds he expected out of her mouth, what he heard didn't do it justice. This girl was full of surprises.
She used Logan and J as leverage to lift herself onto the bar, getting into the song. J noticed how tight Logan gripped her hand and felt his scowl returning.
"Soon, it won't be just pretend
Soon, a happy ending.
Love,
If you're can you hear me?
If your're near me
Sing your song.
Sure and strong and soon."
Too soon the song came to and end and Alaina got down from the bar, Logan pressing her body to his in a possessive way, whispering something in her ear. She nodded and went away, starting a conversation with the bar tender. Which, to the Joker's dismay, left him alone to talk with Logan.
"Sorry, if my girl was bothering you." he said, taking a sip of his beer.
"Weak." J thought, swirling his drink. "She was hardly a bother...Logan, was it?"
"She mentioned me then?" he asked.
J nodded. "I was a patron at her job tonight and wanted to make sure she got here safely."
"Ugh, you went there?" he said, with a look of disgust. "She's a crap cook isn't she?"
"Maybe you just have crap taste?" J said with a sneer.
Logan was about to say something back when Johnny came in the bar and whispered something in J's ear. He nodded once and finished his drink, getting to his feet. "Business calls." he said, throwing some bills on the bar. "Alaina, we'll see you on Friday; Logan.." He turned and left, leaving Alaina stunned and Logan looking like he wanted to kill someone.
