Yay, I wrote more. I hope you guys like it. It's definitely not the best out there. Also some clarification. The Joker didn't kill the two guards because he wanted them to be able to tell Gordan and everyone about him. Yes, he'll be in here, too, eventually (I think). And guys please, please, please, leave a review. I really need them to write this story. I'll just drop it if no ones reading it, and I don't want to do that. Well, Enjoy.
They drove. To where, only he and God knew, and the latter wasn't going to be much help. They had taken the new woman's car, a red convertible, and put the top up. As much as the Joker wanted the city to know he was back, even he didn't want them to find their 'hide-out' by recognizing him. The car ride was quiet, all of the passengers lost in their minds, some in more sense than one. When the car hit a bump in the road, it would send a jolt through the small vehicle, and cause the frame to rattle. The sound did nothing to the three's state.
They rounded a corner, and Alice became suddenly aware that they were in the Narrows. Home, Sweet, Horrible, Home. They drove through the streets, the Joker knowing each and every turn by heart, it seemed. The car finally slowed to a stop in front of a large, old theater, it's cracked billboard still displaying it's last play. Love of the Dark it read. Alice had never heard of it, but the serendipity of the title made her smirk. The Joker had probably done that on purpose.
"Are you just going to leave it here?" the blonde woman, Harley, asked, staring indignantly at the Joker as they stepped out of the car headed for the theater.
The Joker paid her no mind. "Yep."
"It would only attract attention, and at the moment, we want everything, but." Alice explained to the girl. "Hopefully someone will drive off with it."
Harley gave a little whine of despair at this, and stared longly at the vehicle.
"Have you thought of a name yet?" Alice asked.
Harley looked over at her, and Alice briefly saw a flash of something she had only ever seen in the Joker's eyes. It was chaotic.
"Harlequin." she answered, smugly.
"Hm, interesting." Alice nodded her head and started after the Joker. Whatever that man wanted with the girl, she would go along with it. This was getting very intriguing.
"Um, what's your name?" the newly announced Harlequin asked, as she caught up with her.
Alice cocked her head to the side, gazing curiously at the younger woman. She seemed a bit flighty, definitely easily swayed, at least by the Joker, and her blue eyes gave off a very gullible look. If she was taken by the police and interrogated, she could be liable to tell them her name and the name of her accomplices. Including Alice. Well, she couldn't have that.
"Just call me the Red Queen for now."
They continued to follow the Joker. He stood in front of a backstage door at the side of the building, holding it open for the two ladies. Nodding his head when Harley passed, he caught Alice's eye. He was enjoying this. She could tell by the way his eyes flashed with mirth. He let the door swing shut behind him as he walked further into the room. He came up behind Alice and whispered in her ear.
"The Red Queen?" he hissed.
"I told you, I only give my name to certain people. She doesn't come across as my criteria of 'certain'."
"Well, your Majesty," He stopped her, grabbing her arm lightly. "I hope to always stay in that special place in your criteria." His hand slipped down to hers, and his eyes twinkled with mischief as he brought it to his mouth, planting a moist kiss. She felt his scars tickle her skin. He snickered, dropping her hand and zipping off into the dark. Her violated limb tingled as she reached it up to soothe her pounding heart. That man was, for lack of a better word, incorrigible.
There was an abrupt moment when bright lights came on, causing her to flinch. She glanced over in the direction that she had seen the Joker go and spotted him near a large light switch board. He grinned at her.
"What do your think of our new abode?" he asked waving widely.
Now, with the lights on, Alice could see that she was standing on a stage, it's pale wood gleaming into the stands. If any actor had been on the dais, there was no doubt that, instead of seeing the faces of the audience, they would have been met with the glaring floor and balcony lights. Almost as if the mechanisms were trying to block out the very thought of there being someone watching the performers.
The large arch above the stage was painted a faded golden color, that must have once shined as brightly as the floor. The archway was either molded or carved in an intricate pattern, some of the details being so minute, that they could barely be seen from the stage. Following along the outline of the ceiling, the strange design sustained it's twisting and curving, morphing into a few animal shapes along the way. However, it was the ceiling itself that attracted Alice's attention. It's wide, midnight blue cloth stretching from one end of the span to the other with numerous twinkling lights winking down at her. It was captivating.
"It's wonderful." she breathed craning her neck to get a better look. "Beautiful."
The Joker watched her, a small (compared to his previous) grin gracing his scarred lips. "Yes, it is." His tongue snaked out for a quick moment.
She glanced at him, her eyes betraying some unknown emotion. Before he could find out what it was, she looked away. "Where's Harley?"
"She's scoping out a suite. You'll have to find one, too, you know."
Finally meeting his eyes again, her blue lights impassive, Alice nodded her head. "Can you show me the way?"
His grin now fully faded, the Joker searched her face for that hidden feeling he had seen. Finding nothing, he grunted in response to her question, turning and heading off stage. Her soft footsteps could be heard behind him, having to walk faster to keep up with his long legs. Sometimes he forgot how small she was, how breakable she looked. She radiated so much self-control, never seeming afraid of him. To curious for that, he supposed. When she had first started visiting him in Arkham, she had asked so many questions, trying to figure out who the Joker really was. Though she would probably never understand him completely, hell, he didn't understand himself completely, she tried her best to. She was as close as anyone was going to get to understanding him.
He exited the wings of the stage and walked deeper into the backstage. It was dark back there, how Harley had managed to find her way without the lights was a mystery, and he heard Alice hesitate at the threshold. Now that was curious. He reached out and grabbed her hand, causing her to jump a little. The Joker raised his eyebrows and pulled her closer so that she was right next to him. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he showed her the way to the rooms, his feet knowing the way by heart. With his eyes adjusting to the darkness, he could just make out the top of her head, right below his chin. Her black hair blended in with the shadows. She smelled sweet, like raspberry or something.
They reached the personal quarters much too soon for his taste, and he considered the option of walking past them. Alice, unfortunately, pulled away from his arm and opened the first door. Following her in, the Joker growled under his breath, his eyes never leaving her small frame as she flicked on the lights. She wouldn't like this room, he knew. It was too bland, the walls being a pale beige. There was no character. The Joker didn't know why he hadn't given the whole room a make-over. She shook her head.
"Have any suggestions?" she asked as she turned back to him.
Mocking a thoughtful stance, after a moment he gave a short 'Ah ha!' and grabbed her arm. He dragged her past door after door, stopping directly in front of the last one in the row. The door was painted a deep purple. As he stepped forward and threw it open, he kept the tight hold on her arm. It hit her immediately that it was his room. The walls were purple, the trim green, the purple bed had green sheets. If she hadn't just been in that beige room, Alice might have thought that those two colors were the only ones left in the whole world.
"Whaddya think?" the Joker asked after pulling her into the room. He let go of her and went to shut the door.
"It's very colorful. Nice theme." She looked over at him. "But I'm not sharing a room with you."
"What, doesn't her Majesty want to spend time with her favorite jester?"
"Not in the same bed, she doesn't." He stared at her with black pits as he pushed himself off of the door.
"What about on the floor?" He loomed over. Staring intently as he walked around her, his eyes seemed to bore into her skull.
"That too." She rolled her eyes, but when she started for the door, he snatched her arm, pulling her to him. She felt her heart beat compete with his.
"Let me go, Jack."
"Now, didn't I say not to call me that?" He began to walk forwards, backing her into the wall. She just stared up at him, her eyes determined not to back down.
"You know," he drawled, dangerously. "I've, uh, note-iced recently, that you don't seem to fully understand who I am." He tilted his head. "Maybe I should remind you."
"I know exactly who you are, don't you dare try and bring that knife out."
"Aw, she just wants to say 'Hi', Bunny. Don't you, lovely?" he asked his knife, bringing it out of his pocket and flicking it open. His eyes snapped back to Alice. "She says yes."
"Why is it a she?"
"Oh, I didn't tell you how I got my lovely here?" She shook her head.
"Well, you see," He brought his knife close to her face, waving it lightly in the air. "it was my birthday. And mommy and daddy couldn't afford any presents. Mommy just wanted me to have a good birthday, so she went to the bank and got her savings to buy me a brand new pocket knife with silver and pretty things on it." His voice grew low. "Daddy found out. He didn't want Mommy spending all that on just some kid. He wanted her to spend it on him. So, Daddy got mad. And then, Daddy got drunk. Daddy wasn't very nice when he was drunk. When he got home he yelled for Mommy and she came running. He killed her with my knife. Then he saw me. The kid who started it all. He wanted me to always remember my birthday, so he placed the knife in my mouth and gave me a smile." Alice felt an involuntary shiver snake up her back. "And I've had it ever since!"
The Joker broke into to yelps of laughter at this, letting her go and bending over to hold his ribs. She waited for him to finish. As he stood back up, still chuckling and wiping a tear from his face, he twirled his knife in his hand.
"I decided it would be a nice gesture to name her after Mommy dearest."
Her blue eyes pierced him. "Do you even remember?"
The question took him by surprise and he looked at her quizzically. "Excuse me?"
"Do you even really remember how you got them?"
He understood that. She watched his face become impassive, never guessing the horrible things going through his mind. The horrible things he had experienced. Thoughts of red sped through his mind's eye. Suddenly, his face split into a wide grin.
"Nope."
Kind of a weird ending. Well, I didn't screw him up too much did I? He's so hard to write for me sometimes. Um, yeah, sorry to all those who hate Harley. I just felt the spur of the moment need to stick to the comic book a little (Not that I've ever actually read it, but...)I plan on making her more likable, but still including most of those annoying traits. Hopefully I'll be able to pull it off. Thanks for reading. Please R&R!