Author's notes: Without further ado, here is Chapter 1!
Disclaimer: I don't own The Dark Knight or its characters.
Chapter 1 – I Haven't Missed You
The expensive, bright magenta designer heels made their way through the crowds of the airport, their owner coughing impatiently whenever anyone stood in her way. Her piercing stare from her grey eyes caused the masses of holiday-makers and tourists to move, until eventually a clear aisle had been formed specifically for her to walk through. She then pushed her way to front of the queue, ignoring and silencing the cries of protest.
"Excuse me ma'am, but you can't-" began the nervous, timid-looking woman behind the desk.
"Well, it's a little bit too late for that, isn't it?" interrupted Mercury in her icy voice.
"Yes miss," replied the woman quietly.
Mercury loaded her suitcase onto the conveyor belt impatiently.
"I think you'll find that it's the right weight," she said, before making her way towards the Departure Lounge.
Two hours later, she was sitting comfortably in her first-class seat on the flight from LA to Gotham. Music was blaring loudly through the headphones into her ears, something she did on flights so that she wasn't bothered by other passengers. Unfortunately, it didn't work the other way around, and the man next to her angrily tapped her arm. She slid the headphones off, before turning to face him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, miss, but your music is far too loud for me to even think," he complained.
"Oh, I apologise, but I was under the impression that the music was playing through my headphones. How on earth could you hear my music?" she retorted.
"Like I just said, it is so loud that it is leaking out of your headphones and disturbing me!"
"Oh, I see," she replied. "Well, if it bothers you that much, then maybe you could just move seats? There are plenty free."
"You expect me to move seats!" he cried incredulously.
She glared at him. "Yes."
Under her stony glare he became uncomfortable, picking up his newspaper hurriedly and standing up.
"Have a good flight," he muttered, quickly moving across the aisle to the furthest available seat.
She slipped her headphones back on, then closing her tired eyes.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are reaching Gotham City. Please put your seats in the upright position and fasten your seatbelts, we hope you've had an enjoyable flight."
Mercury opened her eyes groggily and switched off her iPod. She picked up the newspaper off the tray table beside her as she closed it, looking half-mindedly at the front page. JOKER ESCAPES FROM ARKAM read the headline. She laughed quietly to herself.
"Oh Jack, did you hear I was coming?" she whispered.
The Joker sat in a swivel chair, his feet propped up on the desk in front of him. He tossed his pocket knife absently mindedly in his hands, watching as the light from his desk lamp reflected off its blade. The gleam reminded him of his cousin's eyes…for some reason, he wondered if he would ever see her again. Suddenly, the door opened, breaking his train of thoughts. He spun around lazily in his chair, wondering who could be interrupting him at this hour. The sight surprised him, however – for some reason, he recognised her, yet he couldn't trace it. She was at least six foot tall, and stood majestically with her shoulders back and her head up. She wore an expensive-looking charcoal-grey business suit, with an emerald green shirt and six-inch purple heels, clutching a suitcase in one pale hand. He vaguely recognised the heart-shaped silver pendant hanging around her neck, mixing with her milky skin. But not as much as he recognised her long, platinum hair and her cold, bright grey eyes.
"Mercury?" he asked. When she nodded, he laughed in delight, clapping his hands together. "Well, I'll be damned. It's been what, twenty-five years?"
"Exactly," she nodded. She sat down in front of him, perched delicately on the edge of the desk. "You know, I'm disappointed Jack. I was hoping for a bit of excitement, to break you out of Arkam myself. But I arrive to see you've done the job for me."
"Always the party pooper, aren't I? Bur you? Break me out of the best-guarded asylum in the United States of America?"
She smiled at him, but it was not a happy smile, more one that was cruel and mocking.
"You'd be surprised how useful I can be. And for the record, I wasn't expecting a break-out from you, what with your track-record."
"My track record?" he growled.
"Well, you've hardly been impressive have you? Poor little baby, who's always smiling," she smiling harshly when she saw his fists clench. "It's such a pity I couldn't have been there to see it. But, no use crying over spilt milk, something I'm sure you tell yourself after every screwed-up crime you commit."
"And I suppose you've been successful, hey princess?" he asked.
"Actually, I've done pretty well."
"So how many billionaires have you married?" he questioned, smacking his lips.
"None – I never married. But, I have created a rather good name for myself back in LA. Of course, it's rather infamous."
"Explain."
"I'm in charge of a few…operations, shall we say, involving banks and robberies. Of course, I don't rob the banks myself – that's one of the places where you're going wrong. But I completely plan them, therefore they are always successful. And that name I've established, it's not Mercury, even you're not so stupid as to use your real name. It's Glacialis."
He snorted.
"And I thought Batman was dumb."
"Shut it, Joker. It's Latin for icy."
"Well, that's something you certainly are. But I must know, why have you decided to visit your dear old cousin?"
"I thought you could do with some help. After all, getting carted off to an asylum is hardly what you'd call doing well. But, don't take it personally. So, what do you say?"
"Forget it, I fly solo."
"Alright then, that's what I figured. So, how about I plan the crimes, and you commit them?"
He paused.
"I'm interested. But how do I know I can trust you? After all, we're not on the best of terms."
"Oh, Jack; let's just put that all behind us, hmm?"
"Alright, since you're itching to do it."
She smiled once more, this time a truly happy smile that hadn't been seen since her child hood.
"It's a deal. No need to shake on it, though."
"Still not keen on human contact?"
"Not particularly. So, how'd you come up with the Joker, anyway?"
"I thought 'who would always smile, always laugh'? And that's just what I came up with."
"Don't you ever want to drop the mask?"
"You're forgetting Mercury, I can't. These babies are never going away," he replied, gesturing at his scars with a knife.
"Guess they kind of give away your identity," Mercury agreed. "So Jack, I'm dying to know – did you miss me?"
"Not in the slightest," he replied coolly.
"I'm flattered. So, what's your next plan of action?"
Author's notes: I'm still a little uncertain about a lot of things: so please tell me what you think of the plot, Mercury, her alter-ego's name, and just the story in general - any advice is welcome. If I get reviews, I will continue, so please tell me if you like it x