Chapter Seven:
Why was he so difficult?
Why couldn't he just understand and stop fighting it? Was it really that hard?
Then again, Batman always made everything hard. Everything had to be a battle, internal or external. He was either fighting some slum trash dealer or evil villain and he was always fighting with himself. Joker saw it; it wasn't hard to see if you knew where to look. For years he and Batman had been doing this dance. Sure he loved it, hell he lived for it, but he wanted something more.
He just wanted the kooky man in black to laugh with him.
He longed for understanding. But the Bat was just too stubborn to admit it, admit that they understood one another.
A laugh escaped Joker's lips as his eyes turned onto the sleeping form of the Dark Knight for the umpteenth time this past hour. He quieted himself before he went into hysterics, not wanting to wake the masked man. He knew Batman was starting to become comfortable with him. He knew it was only a matter of time before he started to actually trust Joker.
But the Joker wasn't stupid; he knew Batman would never admit to trusting the clown. So though the Joker might know, he was very perceptive after all, he would never get the confirmation he desired.
That was why Joker would make him say it. This situation wasn't exactly to his design, but it would have gone practically the same either way. He was just angry that someone else was messing around with his Bat; but once he found the culprit and settled the matter with them, he'd feel right as rain again.
And soon enough everything else would fall into place.
"Oh evil schemes are so fun!" The Joker whispered, his giggles coming out faint but constant. He swirled the vial in his hand, examining the purple hued content before taking up another smaller vial and adding a few drops of that liquid into his master concoction. It fizzed for a moment before settling and the Joker once more added another ingredient before taking up a glass stirrer and mixing the hellish toxin he had just created.
"Nothing like a strong glass of Joker Venom to start the day!" The Jester laughed happily, though sure to keep his voice at a low.
He was using a dropper to add the liquid laughter to his flower squirted when he heard a low groan followed by the creaking of the cot. Immediately the Joker's eyes moved to the corner expecting to see the Batman waking from his slumber. Strange, a prince hadn't come to kiss him yet.
Then again if this clown prince tried to kiss Batman, he might end up with a broken jaw, amongst other things.
The Clown couldn't help but laugh at the thought. He stopped though when he realized the Dark Knight wasn't awake after all. Apparently he was just dreaming.
"Aw I wonder what he's dreaming about." The Joker sighed, a grin pulling at his features, "Probably the two of us frolicking through a field of corpses."
Again Batman groaned as if responding to the Joker, who once again only laughed.
Joker returned to his work after that, filling his flowers and setting up his other gags for ready use. He was setting up his joy buzzer's electrical levels when in his frustration, threw it across the table after getting zapped for the umpteenth time. He was becoming increasingly more agitated after ten minutes of it.
"Dammit Batman, that is so distracting!" The Joker hissed, a frown pulling on his lips as he sent a glare at the Dark Knight, "I'm supposed to be the obnoxious one in this relationship!"
The Batman's groaning had increased in the span of those ten minutes, but not only that, it worsened when the man began thrashing about in the cot. Not enough to injure himself, but enough that the constant rustle of sheets was beginning to get on the Jester's nerves.
With a ridiculously exaggerated sigh, the clown stood from his wheeled chair and marched over to the one making the ruckus. He glared down at the man's sleeping form, whose face was contorted with agony as he gripped helplessly at the blankets. He groaned and gasped as though he were being hurt, so much so that the Joker actually lifted the blankets and the Bat's shirt to see if he had reopened his wounds.
Satisfied that they were still stitched beautifully, thanks to his own hand of course, he returned the blankets and simply watched Batman.
"You know you really are beautiful when you squirm in agony." The Joker crackled softly as he crossed his arms.
After a few minutes of debating on whether or not to wake the man before him, the bat dressed man spoke.
"Mother…Father…No…" Batman whined, it was a pathetic, childish whine.
The Joker's brows shot up in surprise when he heard it. Never in all his years of fighting this masked vigilante had he ever heard the man speak this way. Never had he looked nor sounded so vulnerable.
"So old Brucie is out to play tonight eh?" Joker muttered both curious at this new development and yet disappointed because it wasn't anything technically Batman related; more specifically related to the Joker himself.
Batman continued to groan and moan in his sleep, tossing and turning and speaking nonsense. Though Joker was pretty sure this anything but nonsense. He had done quite a bit of research before and after he had found out Batman's daytime mask. But then all one needed to do was watch a bit of news or read the paper to hear anything about the famed Bruce Wayne.
Back to the point at hand; The Clown Prince of Crime was pretty sure that the man sleeping before him was reliving the night of his parents death. Judging by the way he fought and moaned with pain that was anything but physical, that could be one of the only if not the only cause of the man's current state.
Joker squatted down beside the Batman, observing as his contorted with agony.
"Bats…"Joker resting long fingers on top of the man's cowl, his voice was soft as velvet as he spoke, "You really need a good laugh….Or a therapist."
He burst into soft laughter then, giggles eruptings from him for a good few minutes.
When Batman didn't respond the Jester lowered his hand to the man's chest, "Ah Bruce, it's a shame you won't come around to my side. You wouldn't feel so bad all the time. You could be as batty as you want and no one would think badly of you!" Joker crackled patting the Dark Knight's, though it was more a slap if anything.
He was about to stand and go back to his work when suddenly his wrist was caught in a grip of steel. Joker was sure that the man had woken, so a huge grin broke out on his face as he raised his eyes to meet the Crusaders.
Only they were still closed.
This perturbed the Joker. What on Earth was happening? The Jester attempted to jerk his hand away, but to no avail.
"Bats come on, I know you can't keep your hands off me but this is ridiculous." Joker half laughed half groaned as he tried to pry the fingers off with his other hand. Batman only groaned in response.
This was getting ridiculous.
"Someone….Help…" Bruce choked out, his grip tightening on the Clown's wrist then loosening, then repeating the process.
Joker sat there in shocked confusion. Never in his life had he heard Batman beg for help. Not from anyone. This was Batman for Pete's sake!
But right now he wasn't Batman, hell he wasn't even really Bruce Wayne right now.
He was just a helpless kid who had just seen his parents murdered before his eyes.
Joker nearly laughed at the thought. Nearly…
He cracked a smile as he sat on the floor and once again patted the Bat's chest. He paused, only for a moment, to sweep the room. He'd be damned if anyone caught him doing anything like this. Though he could just play it off as being crazy, should anyone think otherwise, really think that the Joker was going soft, his reputation would be finished.
Satisfied that there was no one around but the two of them, Joker returned his gaze to the whimpering man.
"It's okay Bruce…" Joker whispered softly as he continued to pat the man's chest. This time he was trying to be soothing, not just slapping the other man like before. Now he wanted to comfort him. He couldn't stand his nemesis in such a state, it was unnerving. This death defying, courageous, morally screwed up man should not be begging for anything, even in his sleep.
Bruce only groaned again, his head turning from side to side in what appeared to be a frantic attempt to find help.
Again Joker spoke, trying his best to sound kind and keep the laughter from his voice, "It's alright Bruce. Don't be scared….It's just a dream…It's not real."
Bruce's grip slowly loosened, but his thrashing continued; so the Joker simply carried on. He repeated the phrases over and over, attempting to coax the man into realizing that it really was just a dream, that there was no real reason to be scared anymore. And slowly, Bruce began to slip from his terrified state, slowly he began to calm. His breathing returned to normal and his thrashing had nearly ceased.
"I'm here Bruce, you're safe…" Joker had to grin at the irony of that statement, a soft giggle erupting from him before it turned into full on laughter.
"HAHA HEE HA HO HO!" The Joker howled doubling over in his fit, his head resting on the edge of the cot now as he gurgled with giggles.
This, of course, caused the Bat to snap awake. He shot straight up, his eyes darting around in startled confusion. The panic in his eyes was obvious before he realized where he was.
The ACE factory's Jokerfied lounge room. He felt relief to be awake again. He knew he was having a nightmare, a terrible one at that.
Until the end at least.
That was when he finally was finding peace. It was strange; he couldn't remember why his dream abruptly changed. Why he felt so at ease.
He closed his eyes and calmed his breathing until he was back to normal. He glanced over, seeing the Joker still doubled over laughing. Immediately his guard shot through the roof; what had he done while the Dark Knight was sleeping?
"What's so funny?" The Dark Knight growled, his eyes not leaving the clown as he waited for some sort of attack.
"WHAHO HO HAHA…Hehehe…Y-You..You are!" The Harlequin of Hate crackled, pointing to the Knight's hand.
Batman's brows creased as he looked down at his hand to see what the Jester was talking about. His lips thinned when he saw what he was holding.
He was holding the Joker's hand.
Well more like crushing his wrist, but same difference.
Immediately the larger man released it, a hiss of disgust escaping his throat. He opened his mouth to accuse the taller man only to be cut off before he could get a word at.
"Oh don't you start with me darling! You were the one crying for help and holding my hand. I just came over to see what was the matter." The jester giggled out wiping his eyes as they had begun to tear up with his fits.
Batman stiffened; was the Joker telling the truth? But then from experience he had, had this happen before when he was having a bad enough dream. Alfred had woken him on more than one occasion. Though if that was the case, then that means that the Joker had seen a part of Batman that no one else should see.
The thought made his blood boil.
He grabbed the Jester by his collar and yanked the crackling man to eye level, baring his teeth in rage. He slung his arm back before flinging his fist forward right into the Clown's face, sending said man across the floor.
This did nothing but increase the insane laughter coming from the man. He howled and laughed harden then before as he shakily got himself onto all fours. Slowly the laughter died down into a hysteric giggle while Batman moved his legs so his feet rested on the floor. The Dark Knight gripped his side and glared at the Jester, he had agitated his wounds sure, and though he hated to admit it, it felt so good to hit that damn clown after these past few days.
"Now, Now Batsy….I was just being helping you out." The Joker giggled, pushing himself onto his knees as he grinned wildly at the Bat, "That's what friends do after all."
"We are not friends." Batman snarled, slamming his fist onto the bed, "You can't help me."
The Joker sobered slightly, though his inhuman grin remained; "Really now? You certainly stopped begging for help and your parents when I came over."
Batman stopped, his eyes widened as fear flooded him. Quickly he regained composure and shook his head as though the thought was ludicrous, "You're crazy."
"Am I?" The Jester grinned, he was standing now rubbing the area where a bruise was sure to form, "Because the way I see it Bat-Babe, you're the one in need of some counseling. That or a good hug, after all you seemed to mellow out after I started whispering sweet nothings to you."
Batman opened his mouth to argue but stopped abruptly as a thought entered his mind. More than a thought really, suddenly the Bat remembered the ending to his dream.
He remembered a calm voice calling to him, reminding him that it was okay. That he was safe, secure and that none of it was real.
The gunshots rang out through the dark, his parent's forms falling to the ground as pears danced along the pavement that soon became stained with crimson. His family was dead. He was scared, alone…Truly alone. He had no one now; no one to save him.
He watched the mugger, no, the murderer point his gun again. He knew what was coming, it was the end. The man's finger closed around the trigger one last time, and he closed his eyes.
He waited, waited for the fire. Waited for the pain, he waited for death.
But none came.
There was calm suddenly, and through that calm was a voice.
"It's okay Bruce…" The nameless voice whispered. It sounded so close…Where was it? Who was it?
He opened his eyes and there was the Mugger, but he seemed frozen. As he watched, time began to speed up again; once again his nightmare appeared to be continuing. As if someone hit the reset button.
His parents were alive again, by his side. The mugger demanded the money, pointing his gun at his parents. His father moved, and again a shot rang out.
Bruce screamed and shut his eyes.
"It's alright Bruce…Don't be scared."
Once more Bruce opened his eyes, but what he saw was different now. Everything was frozen, the bullet, his parents, and the mugger. Everything frozen.
Everyone except for the man now at the front of the alley. The man began to make his way forward towards the scene, towards Bruce. He should be scared, what if this was an accomplice? What if he was just here to finish the Job the other man started?
But there was no fear anymore.
As the man moved closer, the scene began to fade and Bruce blinked.
Everything was dark; everything but a streetlight illuminating a chess table and pair of chairs. In one of these chairs was a man, the man from before in the alley.
But this was not just any man; it was a man with pale white skin, dark green hair and an inhuman smile.
It was the Joker.
He was sitting there calmly watching Bruce…No…Batman.
He was Batman…Bruce was the disguise here.
The Joker waved him over, motioning to the seat in front of him, a smile adorning his features as if he were greeting an old friend. Batman made his way over with no hesitation, no suspicion, no fear.
Just peace.
"Bats!" The Joker greeted him, and the Dark Knight simply nodded in reply as he took his seat across from the man. The Joker motioned to the chess set in front of them, announcing it was time to start the game.
So they began to play. It was a calm game, no anger, no frustration, no fighting; just a game between two good friends.
Suddenly Joker looked up and met the Dark Knight's eyes. "It's okay…I'm here Bruce." The Joker leaned back in his chair then and grinned, "You're safe."
Suddenly the clown burst into insane laughter. Batman was confused; he looked around frantically as the Joker before him nearly doubled over with insane giggles.
And that was when he woke up to the real thing.
So it had been real…Sort of. The Joker really had helped him. But why would he feel calm around the Joker? The Joker knew his name in the dream…But wait…What if he really knew?
What was wrong with him?! Why would such a dream ease his fears? He must be losing it…Must be spending too much time with the Clown.
"Everything okay in there Batsy?" Joker knocked on the man's cowl, his grin still plastered on his face, "Don't tell me you broke your brain, I warned you about thinking too much."
Batman slapped the Joker's hand away and glared at the other man, "Get away from me."
"Look I know that nightmare involving your parent's death is hard and all, but no need to take it out on those around you who love you!" The Joker howled with laughter again, resting his hand on the Bat's shoulder to stable himself, "I'm just here to help ya Brucie, don't get mad at me!"
Suddenly Batman's blood ran cold and he stared up at the laughing Jester, mouth agape and eyes wide.
Joker slowly began to sober and he sighed happily before he took in the face of the Dark Knight. He stared for a long moment before he suddenly grinned as realization dawned on him.
"Whoops! I guess the bats out of the bag now, huh?" The Joker broke into hysterics once again, his head flinging back at the intensity of the fit, "Get it? Bats? Batman? Do ya get it?"
But the Dark Knight wasn't listening anymore. All he could think right now was one thing.
The Joker knew.
Dun-dun-DUN! So what do you all think? Remember to review!
Here's chapter seven! Hope you all like it, and thanks for all the great review's guys!
Chapter 8 will be out soon, so keep an eye out.
