The Joker sat in a dingy armchair with his feet on the coffee table in front of him. He twirled his blade between his fingers lost in thought. The Joker wasn't a thinker. He didn't plan ahead and he didn't mull over the past, however… he discovered something of interest recently.
"Boss?" a broad shouldered thug stood at the doorway requesting permission to bother him.
"What-uh?"
"Tim Faulder's here."
"Ah…" a weedy-looking fellow squeezed past the thug with great difficulty. He grinned weakly at the Joker, but when received a deadly glare in return cut to the chase.
"The woman you threatened is called Luna Dawes."
The Joker yawned with disinterest, Tim smiled out of fear again and then continued, "She is currently engaged to your friend district attorney Harvey Dent, not her sister Rachael Dawes as you mistook."
The Joker blinked, 'That explains why she defended her.' "Carry on-ah."
"She works in Gordon's office Joker sir…she lives in a dingy apartment near the port."
"Address-ah?"
"I d….don't kn…know sir."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?" the Joker roared. He was on his feet now, a tight grasp on his switchblade.
"I…I couldn't get that information. I thi…think that because sh…she's a police woman h…her p…personal information is protected." There was a deadly silence. The Joker stood staring at him with his brown shallow eyes.
"You are telling me… that I'm going to have to call to every door near the port to get access to this girl."
Tim nodded slowly grimacing slightly as he knew the reaction he'd receive.
"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I asked you for information and you can't even give me her address-ah. I'll have to go to someone else-ah to find out."
He briskly walked past and out of the door. Tim shuttered as he brushed his shoulder. "Dispose of this trash Bob."
"With pleasure," the enormous black thug replied. He lifted Tim off his feet and above his head. Tim squeaked with fear as he was sent flying across the room.
*****
A week had passed since Luna had 'disposed' of her father. She had never felt happier in her life. Her apartment had cleaned up nicely and she loved inviting Harvey back to 'her' place.
The Joker made no appearances since the week before so Luna's job consisted of helping Gordon organize files and getting to go home early as there was hardly anything to do.
After a relatively short and cheerful day she returned home. She kicked open her door 'I really ought to get that fixed' and received no complaints from noise. She looked around her cosy apartment and sighed compassionately. She grinned, "I love my home."
She scratched her exposed arm. Her recent cuts were quickly healing. There was no point hiding it from Harvey anymore. She had decided to stop and it took no effort to do so. She felt great that she could wear short-sleeved tops.
****
Harvey wished things were going as easily for him as they were for his fiancée. Things were looking up for her. Of course he recently found out that she had been self-harming, but as soon as she kicked her father out of her home she felt no need to. He had been right; her stress was all related to him. He was still worried about her so in his last visit he removed all the blades from her house; Sharp knives, scissors and the scalpel he found rooting through her purse. He wasn't being over-protective; he had to make it easier for her. Although she didn't need to self-harm at the moment, something triggering could pop up.
Harvey was still a prime target for the mobs and not to mention the Joker. It was no surprise to find out that the Joker had trashed the party Bruce Wayne had held for him. It didn't surprise him that he was trying to kill him. It did surprise him however, that Luna was pushed out of the window. He knew the scum of the city was desperate for his head, but he never even contemplated that Luna and/or her sister would be dragged into it as well. When informed he immediately sent protection to Rachael's home and attempted to do so with his beloved. Luna would not allow it. She was a police officer and if she couldn't look after herself, no one would do it for her.
He was under so much pressure trying to find out where the Joker was and what he was up to, never mind having to worry about Luna as well. So…he paid a man to keep watch on her, not a stalker mind you, just a man who lived close by and could keep an eye on her until she entered her home. Behind her door was her private life and Harvey wasn't stupid enough to try to interfere.
He had to turn down going to Luna's to watch movies, as he was up to his eyes in complaints from citizens regarding Batman. Most believe that he's in league with the Joker, not trying to capture him. Harvey trusted Batman, as Gordon trusted Batman. In a recent visit from the 'masked vigilante' he advised him to try to stay low, but it was obviously helpful if he came when the Joker was terrorizing.
*****
Bruce was under as much pressure. Alfred had to keep a close eye on him as he often took fits of rage (especially in his sleep) and would punish himself. It was difficult to understand what was happening in Bruce's mind at that current time. It was filled with worry, frustration, anger and angst.
The media took regular shots at Batman, attempting to make him out as a criminal. It succeeded in a sense. A lot of people didn't trust him anymore. Of course not. The Joker was still free and there was no information on his whereabouts.
*****
Luna padded across her hallway in her pyjamas and slippers humming merrily to herself. She had ordered Chinese and was planning on sitting in and watching DVDs. Harvey was supposed to have joined her, but Luna sympathised with how much work he had to do. She knew she shouldn't have Chinese food as it was high in salt and could slow her down in the amount of physical work involved in policing, but she had a soft spot for it.
Someone rapped the door. Luna looked through the peek hole and forcefully opened the door when seeing the deliveryman. "Yum!"
He laughed at her, "I know you enjoy Chinese food Luna."
"Oh God do I!" she couldn't help giggling. "Alright how much?"
"Eight forty-five." Luna handed the man his money and took the bag from him. "Cheerio!"
"Enjoy!" he saluted.
She kicked the door closed and danced her way to the counter. She set the bag down and searched for scissors to cut the bag open. She couldn't find any. "Ah well, I'll make do with my nails." She turned the bag round and prepared to dig her nails into the plastic, but stopped. Something was attached to the bag and it wasn't the paycheck.
She removed it curiously. It was a card. A joker. Just an ordinary joker card. "Weird…" she murmured flipping it over with her fingers. She gasped and dropped the card.
Staring up from her floor was a red smiley face. The Joker's trademark. 'Oh God, he knows where I live.' Panic gripped her heart. The Chinese deliveryman…?
She hastily picked it up and examined it closely. 'Is that blood?' She lightly touched the grin and sniffed her finger. No scent. She then tasted it, "Blech!!" It was blood all right.
"Shit."
