A/N: Firstly off I want to say a big thank you to everyone who reviewed this story so far. And secondly I want to apologise for the massive wait I've put you though. I don't really have an excuse, just real life has overtaken my writing time of late! This isn't a full chapter yet, just a teaser. I should have the full finished chapter out by the weekend to replace this one, so if you want to wait then wait. I'm just posting this little bit as a peace offering :).

Just a small warning in advance this chapter will contain graphic violence and depictions of torture so if you're a sensitive soul this probably isn't for you :)

Reviews appreciated! xoxo

Chapter 4

"I know I've been ne-glecting you these past few days, but believe me you've been on my mind. And I've come to the conclusion I don't know nearly enough about you! I think if this relationship is going to continue you and I should take the chance to get to know each other." The Joker said in his usual cloying tone, crouching before me.

It was the first thing he had said since he entered the room some fifteen minutes ago. He had brought with him a camcorder and tripod, a sight that made my stomach drop in fear, and had begun to position it over to my right about 10 foot away. I'd seen his little recordings the GCN had shown months prior, and they never ended well for his co stars.

"We should both... open up to one another."

His make up had been reapplied, fresh and precise. He obviously wanted to look good for his audience. He pushed himself up from his crouched position and invaded my personal space, putting his cheek to mine so he could whisper into my ear.

"I wanna crack up that pretty head of yours and find out all those dirty little secrets you've got hidden away in there..." He breathed. I looked over his hunched shoulders to the right, to the blinking red light on the camcorder and decided things were most definitely not going to end well for me tonight. I couldn't repress the shudder of anxiety that ran through me, that in turn caused him to giggle joyfully in my ear. He pulled away from me then, stopping a few inches inches in front of my face.

"Won't that be... Nice hmm?" And I could do nothing but stare back at him mutely, having no idea how to answer. The incident with my little finger was still fresh in my mind and I didn't want to displease him again.

As it turned out, my silence was not what he desired at that moment. Fast as lightening his fingers were locking around my neck and he pushed me back into the chair. I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified.

"Open your eyes." He growled slowly and I complied immediately, too afraid not to.

"Ya know I really, really don't like to be ignored. Maybe..." He began and I felt the fingers of his free hand glide softly over my injured finger. "...lessons weren't learned yesterday. Your manners are atrocious." He sighed and rolled his eyes skyward, smacking his lips irritably.

Keeping my necked pinned back against the chair he reared his hand back, ready to back hand me. I flinched, anticipating his heavy blow and thinking of the many times in my life I'd been on the receiving end of one. But it never came. He smiled down at me viciously.

"Did an old boyfriend used to beat you hmm?" He spoke ever so lightly. I felt revulsion settle in stomach and my eyes widened in shock. Had he really just said that? "Oh yes I can see it in those big beautiful eyes of yours. Old scars run deep ya see... I should know that. It's all just right under the surface, for anyone to see, if you know what to look for. No matter though... I'm just gonna have to do much worse things to make an impression on you. I don't want you forgetting little old me."

He lowered his hand and cuffed me lightly on the cheek a few times before letting go of my neck and moving away from me completely. I hastily gulped oxygen through my bruised windpipe and let out a sigh of relief at the distance between us. He faced towards the desk and stuffed his hand into his deep pockets and began to rummage in them.

"You wanna know the best way I've found in getting people to share with me?" He began as he pulled out that evil looking knife he was so fond of, the one that looked like a potato peeler but a thousand times as deadly. He held it up it front of him, admiring it as it glinted in the light. "...Knives..." He put it down oh so gently on the the wooden desk top, as though it was the most precious thing to him in the world. "They have a way of showing you who people really are..." He reached in to his pocket again and pulled another equally horrifying knife. "...And the beau-ty of them is that they're a lot cheaper than therapy."

He erupted in suddenly in to laughter which jolted me in my seat. I could feel my brow was damp with sweat, and bile begin to burn the back of my throat. But I didn't dare open my mouth and interrupt him. He laid another down, this one more like a cleaver than a knife and it thudded heavily on the work surface. I was gonna die. I knew it without a shadow of a doubt. He was gonna carve me up into little pieces then send the recording to my father to watch. I wanted to scream and cry out but I was frozen in place.

"Of course, It doesn't always have to be knives, though they are my favourite..." He lay another one down. "Oh no. Not. At. All..." And another. "Ya see I find almost anything sharp works well enough..." And another. "The last time one of the bozos working for me lied to me, I made him swallow crushed glass..." And another. "He didn't die all at once..." And another. "It was hours before the screaming stopped..." And another. "I almost didn't get to sleep that night" And another.

I looked on the desk and saw the ten knives of various sizes lined neatly in a row and I felt a dampness on my cheeks as silent tears began to fall. The Joker took off his coat, throwing it haphazardly on the floor and rolled up his sleeves. He studied the knives carefully before finally plucking up a small one that looked like a screwdriver sharpened into a spike and advanced on me, twirling it in his hand.

"I need you to understand the gravity of the situation." He said as he brushed my hair gently from my moistened face. "And I really need to convey the importance of your truthfulness, understood?" He questioned in his deadly tone.

"Yes" I all but squeaked in my haste to answer him.

"Great!" He answered ecstatically, all trace of seriousness leaving his voice. "I hope you don't mind if I film our little session?"

"N-no." I answered slowly. His grinned spread further outwards, almost splitting his face in two.

"Goooood... Now, let's get this show on the road" He smiled, exposing yellow teeth.

To be continued...