Disclaimer: I dont own Batman

AN: I still have no clue just a burning need to type, thanks for reading anyway I appriciate it. And at some point i may be able to write a better summary.

Anqi, Thanks once again I went back and fixed chapter 2 so tell me what you think

Fireheart, thanks for the review and sorry about the time it took to update, work --

Miko, here's the new chapter you requested with thanks for your kind review


Three days passed without another threat to Marie's safety. Gordon visited her daily to let her know how the case was progressing but for the most part his news remained the same, no new leads and no clues as to she was still alive . The Joker himself was remaining strangely silent killing in random parts of the town and only people who got in his way, whatever way that was.

Gordon entered the holding cell with a grim look on his face, he didn't like letting the girl go out and face what ever waited for her out there, but a deal was a deal. "How are you feeling today Miss Gardner," he asked hoping for a reason to keep her there longer.

"I'd feel better if we actually knew what was going on," Marie laughed.

Gordon nodded empathetically, "If you want to stay a few more days your welcome."

"Not a chance," She argued, "Three days is long enough to be cooped up believe me."

"To be honest I'd feel better if we had some idea as to what Joker was up to, but as for now there seems to be nothing else we can do at this point."

"Not without releasing me into the wild and seeing what happens," Marie observed.

Gordon rubbed his temples, "Is there any way you could rephrase that?"

"Would it make it less true," She asked.

"I suppose not," Gordon admitted with a shrug, "But you putting it that way makes me feel a bit guilty."

"I don't mean to," Marie sighed, "I've just got a bad habit of saying things in the one way that makes it sound horrible."

"Give any thoughts as to where you are going to be staying with," Gordon asked trying to change the subject as he led her out of the cell.

"Actually I have," Marie answered, "My best friend has a spare room I'll be crashing at her place."

"Do you need to call her?"

Marie grinned impishly, "Of course not."

Marie pounded on her friend's door frantically earning her a strange look from the cop who had driven her across town. Noticing the look she was getting she smiled, "Don't worry we always do this."

In response the door slammed open to reveal Janet King with a look on her face that would have stopped a charging Rhino dead. "What, What do you want?"

"I'm taking over your apartment," Marie informed her friend as she barged into the hall and began to remove her jacket

"You giving it back when you're done?" Janet asked noticing the cop for the first time and eyeing him warily.

"Maybe, if I feel generous." Marie turned at that moment and noticed the cop still standing there. "I'm fine," she insisted, "Go tell Commissioner Gordon I made it all three miles to my friends place."

"Of course miss," the young man answered, "I just wanted to return your wallet."

"My wallet," Marie repeated in confusion.

"Yes it was found at the scene," He explained.

"Thank you," Marie said with a smile and the police man excused himself and left.

"'The scene' that sounds very official," Janet noted as she went into the kitchen, "So where did you go the past few days?"

"I was being held in police custody after a mass murdering psycho failed to kill me," Marie observed calmly.

Janet broke the glass she was holding, "YOU DID WHAT!?"

"I'm not repeating it," Marie stated as she leaned against the door frame, "Do you need a dustpan or something?"

"Are you screwing with me," Janet asked.

"About the dustpan?"

Janet glared, "You know what I meant."

"I'm prepared to swear on the Holy Bible," Marie said as she went to the hall closet in search of a dustpan. "Didn't my mom call and explain all this?"

"Must have slipped her mind," Janet mumbled as she hoisted herself onto the counter to avoid the broken glass.

"The police were willing to let me out with phone surveillance if I stayed with someone else," Marie said as she began to sweep.

Janet nodded then smiled, "You are crashing in the spare room and paying for food."

"Deal."

"So what's for dinner?" Janet asked as Marie finished sweeping the last bits of glass into the dustpan and depositing them in the garbage.

Marie frowned for a second then smiled a bit, "If I give you money will you go buy us Cheeseburgers?"

"You need to sit down for a bit huh?"

"PLEASE!"

"Give me the cash," Janet sighed in mock hurt.

"You are my favorite person in the whole history of ever," Marie told her friend certain she was not exaggerating the claim as she pulled a twenty out of her wallet.

"Back in twenty minutes," Janet called as she headed for the door.

Marie barely heard her friend as she was struck by a sudden thought. From the time she had left work her wallet had to the best of her knowledge stayed safely in her purse, and yet it had been found apparently outside her car shortly afterwards. She sat on the couch for a moment looking at the misplaced object then began to search through the pockets.

Credit cards, drivers license, cash, coupon for a free coffee, used movie tickets, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. This is insane, she told herself, you don't even know what you're looking for. Then something caught her eye, sandwiched between her library card and an auto dealers card, was a playing card. It was obviously from a old fashioned deck the kind you couldn't find anymore even if you tried, the Ace of Clubs.

Marie's hands shook as she pulled the card free and examined it. Gordon had explained to her a little bit about The Joker; everything was random. For him it was about the thrill of chaos and not much else, at least that's how it always appeared until the very last moment when everything fell into place. What did the maniac want with her?

She walked toward the spare room the card still in her hand and her still pondering it's significance if any. After all she'd had the wallet from tenth grade on and playing cards were always turning up in weird places. She'd found half of a deck she didn't even own behind her washer one day, with no explanation as to where it had come from or where the other half had gone. She collapsed onto the unfamiliar bed and stared at the card for a long time. Suddenly she stood leaving the ace on the comforter, worrying would do her no good and right now she needed some clean air.

Or as clean as Gotham would allow, she thought bitterly as she stepped onto her friends balcony and nearly choked on the early evening smog covering the city. She leaned against the railing heavily, at least tomorrow was Saturday and she could get her clothes from home and at last wear something clean.

Again she didn't notice the other person in the vicinity until he was practically next to her. Batman blocked the door when she turned around and she barely stifled a scream, wasn't this guy a cop killer or wasn't that what the papers had said. "I'm not going to hurt you," The shrouded figure practically growled at her.

"You're the second person to tell me that recently," She said inching away from her visitor.

"I know," Batman answered his voice still gruff, "Any idea as to why."

"No, but if you have any theories I'd love to hear them."

"Theories don't work with The Joker."

"Good to know," Marie said eyeing the door anxiously.

Batman looked her over, "You'll be safe don't worry."

"How do you know?"

"I know."

Janet burst through the door and Marie looked over to her for a moment and by the time that she turned back Batman had vanished. "Good talk," she told the space he had recently vacated.

Janet opened the sliding door and looked at her friend, "You ok?"

"Yeah, I guess," Marie sighed.

"Well get inside I don't want you getting sniped on my patio," Janet teased and re-entered the apartment.

Marie tossed one glance over her shoulder at the darkening sky before heading inside as well. I wish I knew what was going on here.