Apologies for this taking a while to get out, I've had things to deal with so I've not been as quick as usual, thank you for being patient. There's a little bit of Maddie/Joker here for you all and Joker's plan gets put into action...oo er. Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Let This Dark Night Be Done.

We can all go a little bit crazy some times; life gets on top of us and this is how we react. Sometimes your grip on reality can slip even for just a second and you get a glimpse of what life would be like if that could really happen. Some people are just so blind to what they could become; there's a stigma in being 'crazy', in this world it's not acceptable. Sometimes we reach the boiling point before we realize that the stove is on. Become aware of your feelings – keep your eye on the stove or get burnt.

"It's gonna be ok right, the Chief he does want me back right? I mean it's not like I killed somebody at the hospital so I should be allowed back yeah?"

Jane and me decided to meet up at the front of the hospital so I didn't have to walk in alone, I feel like a kid on its first day of school.

"Mad's you'll be fine, I talked to him today and he was in a good mood, ok so his wife is leaving him but he looks happy today, if you get what I mean..."

We step outside his office; he luckily has his back turned so I can still decide whether or not to run.

"I look good right? Nothing in my teeth, hair and outfit look good? I don't wanna look like I'm coming on to him though right?"

She gives me a once over and smiles, "Yeah you look good, remember you were always his favourite," I scoff, "Ok I was always his favourite but you're my best friend so if you think about it you're his favourite too."

He turns around and I almost duck; instead I settle for a smile and watch anxiously as he gets out from behind his desk.

"Maddie, it's good to finally see you here, I was hoping you'd be back soon," we embrace and I suddenly have the urge to cry; I'm still shaken from earlier.

"Should we go into my office? We can talk better in there, Jane I'll be down in a minute can you tell Doctor Clark if he doesn't sort out his interns, I have a mountain of paper work on my desk he can do instead."

He holds the door open for me and I feel like an intern again; stepping into this hospital for the first time was nerve wracking and yet so exhilarating. He pulls out the chair for me and I smile gratefully at him.

"You're looking good Maddie, I'm glad, I know it's been hard for you and I'm sorry you didn't deserve what happened to you. How you holding up?"

"I'm fine you know, Mat's doing good he's such a happy baby, I just miss work I need to you know get back into it, I'm seriously ready to get back to work and I know it's been almost a year since I was here but I swear to you, I'm ready" I can feel the lies stick to my tongue, looking at him even he knows it's all lies.

"Maddie, you got kidnapped by the Joker, your fiancé got killed, you've had a hard time lately. My wife is leaving me; she finally had enough of this job and me so she's packed her bags, gone to live with her sister, I am not fine, we are not fine so don't sit in my office and tell me everything is fine when it's not, don't you be the one to lie to me, not you Maddie."

"You're right it's not fine but it will be, I need to come back to this job Max."

He leans back contemplating his answer, "You're a great doctor, and you have a fantastic future ahead of you. But, you've gotta step up and start taking care of yourself. You've gotta calm down, I can't have you jumping in at the deep end and have you get hurt. You've gotta pace yourself and not stay on your feet all the time. We'll take it slow at first ok; any hours you want you can have them."

I'm instantly relieved, for a second I thought he wouldn't let me come back.

"Thank you Chief, I don't know how to...thank you. I have to show people that I'm not gonna freak out and go crazy on their asses. But I will if I sit alone in that manor for one more minute. Then I am gonna freak and go crazy or I'm gonna die of boredom. I am sorry about your wife by the way; maybe she'll come back to you? Maybe she just needs time."

He smiles, I've never seen him looking so defeated before, "Yeah maybe she will or maybe she feels like I've already chosen my career over her and our girls? How about you come in for your next shift in...shall we say two days time?"

"That'll be so great thank you Chief," I stand up and shake his hand, I get up to leave turning around when I reach the door, "My er dad was never really there when I was growing up, he died before I could learn what a father was; and then I met you and now I kind of get what it means to have a father, just because you're not there it doesn't mean your girls or wife think you don't love them."

I smile and walk off, my own life may be screwed up but that doesn't mean I can't help him.

Bruce's POV

As soon as he could he left the manor and went to meet with Gordon; he had to know if Maddie and the baby are in danger, if that is the case he has to get them out of town.

"Gordon I would have got here sooner, what has he left for us this time?"

Gordon looks up wearily, confusion evident on his face; "He left something at the presentation for James today he has something against that man and I want to know what. Here take a look see what you think."

He catches the envelope in his hands, easing the picture out; it's an x ray picture of someone's back injury, an object gorged in the back of it.

"So he sent someone a picture of someone he has killed or is going to kill?"

Gordon shrugs, "I don't think it's someone his killed, I actually don't think this is something to do with him, I think we need to go to the hospital and check this out, it's an old date about a couple of years back there's clearly no name we'll have to get them to check the patient number."

"Ok, I'll meet you there...What did he do to the Wayne girl?"

"See that's the funny thing if he wanted to hurt her he could easily have done, in fact he seemed insulted when we suggested he could hurt her, something doesn't sit right."

"He's a mad man, the things he does sometimes doesn't make sense."

"I'll call Jane Stevens, she can meet us at the hospital, and I'll see you there."

He knows that isn't right, there is something so much more beneath the surface than the Joker just screwing with them, this isn't one of his 'normal' games. He wants to prove James was a bad guy; what does he get out of it?

The drive to the hospital for him is quick; naturally he is there before Gordon.

He nods towards Jane and she seems to understand, not that she knows who he is, but she's assisted them before.

"Listen this isn't such a good time ok, I have back to back surgeries in half an hour and I need to prep for them ok? So whatever help you need let's make it quick." Jane is normally so...neat so to see her looking stressed is an entirely new thing.

"Joker gave something to Gordon, we need you to take a look at it for us," he passes the file to her; she frowns and tilts the picture.

"No name but I can enter the patient number into my computer for you and then you can see who this is. The Joker gave this to you?"

"To Gordon yes, he said he would start leaving clues around, he's messing with us. I just don't want this to be someone his hurt or something he's planning to do."

"Ok, I'll check for you, I may have to leave in a minute but when this is done it'll just flash up on the screen you don't need me here for it."

There's a knock on the door and Gordon appears, none too surprised he is here late.

"Hi Jane how are things?"

Her beeper sounds and she flips it out, "Great my patient is ready I need to go, I'll talk to you later Jim."

Gordon nods towards the computer, "I thought these were supposed to be fast? How long does it take?"

"Jane said it wouldn't be long, it's just checking the numbers properly."

They stand in silence for a while, both of them staring at the screen willing it to hurry; it beeps indicating it's done startling them both.

Gordon is the first to read it; his mouth dropping to form an 'o'.

"Gordon what is it, tell me what's wrong?"

Gordon flashes the results; he reads closely, careful not to show his shock, "its Madeline Wayne's spinal scan from when she hurt herself, I should have known this. What's the Joker doing with this?"

"He said he wanted to show us the Cop was a bad guy, maybe this is the first step."

Maddie's POV

It's dark and late and Bruce still isn't back; he usually does waltz in at all hours but this time I'm still concerned, Jack is up to god knows what and doesn't know that hurting Batman would hurt me. I frown at the baby monitor when I hear that sounds like a door opening; more than likely its Alfred checking on Mat. I wake up when someone shakes me awake for a second I think I see James, I go to push him away; but then Bruce's face comes through the blur and I throw my arms around him.

"Bruce how come you're back so late?"

His changed out of his 'bat gear' and is in regular clothes; "Sorry I had some things to deal with; everything's fine though, you don't need to worry."

"What happened with Gordon and the Joker?"

"Nothing, there was nothing really to see," normally I'd be able to tell when Bruce is lying but right now I'm so tired he could hit me round the head and I wouldn't blink.

"I'm going to bed now ok, you coming up?"

I nod and he helps me to stand; out of the blue he embraces me, I hold him back and for a moment everything feels like it should, but then of course we wake up.

I walk into Mat's room and check in on him; smiling down at him, I reach down and stroke his face, his blonde hair is longer now; darker than Jack's shade but he still has his eyes. I look closer into his cot, instead of just being covered in Jack's shirt he now has a forest green blanket covering him; I lift it off him; hoping he doesn't wake or fuss. I squint at the blanket in the dark lighting; it smells of Jack, of the aftershave he wears, just generally him. He was here I realise, looking around he's gone now, he probably didn't want to wait around on me. I'm pleased though; that he came to check in on his son, I just wanted to see him too. I gently lay the blanket back down, making sure he is covered. I switch the light on in my room; groaning when they don't turn on.

"Great," luckily it's my room so I can easily navigate my way around it; I sit down on the bed alarmed when I feel someone underneath me.

"Go away!" I punch down hard on the person beneath me; they yelp and I quickly realise it's not James but Jack.

"I've heard about being excited to see someone but that's taking it far," he sits up and rubs his chest where I hit him, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Jack what are you doing here? Wait how did you even get in?"

He smirks, "Easily I'm the Joker and you're brother isn't all that safety conscious as he seems, it was easy doll."

I reach out and grip his hand; bringing myself close to him, wanting to know he is real, this is real, that it's not one of my phases. "I've missed you so much Jack," he moves his hands up and down my back in a soothing manner; his gloves apparently are off.

"Me too doll, it's er not the same without ya, and the kid is doing good as well I see."

I nod into his chest; knowing that as soon as I let him go, he'll have to leave and right now I can't handle that.

"Stay," I demand, pulling myself away from him, he frowns and looks to the door unsure.

"They won't come in here and you can leave without getting seen, but please stay here tonight. Will you just hold me?"

Instead of questioning me, he nods, pushing me back down on the bed, laying me down; supporting himself with his elbow and hand he kisses me; as though to reassure me he won't be leaving me. I'm the first to pull away; slightly breathless, I look up at him and he has his head tilted slightly; the moonlight highlighting his paint and green-golden hair.

I trace his makeup, wiping some of it off with my finger tips; "Take it off," I order him and as always he answers with a smirk, holding his hand up for me to wait as he disappears to my bathroom, surprisingly doing as I say; coming out moments later minus his paint and clothes; clad only in his boxers. He has new injuries I note as I trace a fresh cut to his shoulder; kissing it softly; he inhales heavily and kisses my forehead.

"Get some sleep doll before little man wakes up, I've got er plans for you later, don't want you falling asleep on me."

I laugh, settling into his arms; this is what I've been missing out on, what I need and most importantly what my son needs.

I know it's quite short but hopefully the next one will be longer for you all, thanks for those who have continued to read my story/added me to their favourites list and to all those who have carried on reviewing. Thank you!