Title: Control

Fandom: The Dark Knight

Rating: M

Pairing: OC/Joker/Harley

Genre: Drama/Angst

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own the Joker or Batman.

A/N: Hope you enjoy and that this story isn't getting too predictable!

Chapter Seven

Alfred came into the living room, finding Bruce still watching GCN. It had been three days since the Joker escaped and neither Bruce nor the police were any closer to finding him. During that time he had blown up Lacy's old apartment building and the parking garage at Wayne Enterprises. His latest crime was robbing the First National Bank of Gotham this morning.

In three days he had managed to kill almost a hundred people and he knew that Bruce was taking it pretty hard. He blamed himself for the Joker's crime spree and not being able to stop him.

Knowing that he was having problems with guilt, he hated to bring up this subject but felt like he needed to. "Master Wayne, I hate to have to tell you this, but I'm afraid Lacy is missing."

Bruce's head turned quickly and he stared at Alfred. "What do you mean she's missing?"

"I called her house earlier to check in with her and she didn't answer. So I called her cell phone and she didn't answer that either. Then I called her office and they said she had left a voicemail on her boss' phone saying that she quit. No one has heard from her since."

"When was the voicemail?" Bruce asked, sighing.

"Two days ago, sir." Alfred replied.

"Damn it." Bruce whispered. "You don't think she's on her way here, do you?"

"I wouldn't put it past her." Alfred shook his head.

"But then why hasn't she contacted us?" Bruce wondered. "What if the Joker found her?"

"I think he would've let us know about that." Alfred pointed out. "He would want you to know exactly what he was doing to her."

Bruce sighed, knowing Alfred was right. The Joker wouldn't waste any time gloating about the fact that he had Lacy. Damn it! This was exactly what he didn't want her to do. Now he was going to have to worry about her.

He should have known that she wouldn't stay in L.A. and should have found a way to make her stay there. She was probably running around this city somewhere and it was only a matter of time before the Joker figured out she was alive—if he hadn't already.

"So what should we do?" Bruce asked.

"About what?" A feminine voice from behind them asked.

They both turned around to see Lacy standing there with her hands on her hips.

Alfred smiled and walked over to her, giving her a hug. "It sure is good to see you."

"Don't encourage her Alfred." Bruce shook his head and took a few steps towards her. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She laughed. "I travel across the country and don't even get a hello?"

"Sorry. Hello." Bruce greeted. "Now what the hell are you doing here?"

"I think you know why I'm here." She told him.

"I thought we agreed that you would stay in L.A. where you would be safe." Bruce reminded her.

"You thought I should stay there, but I disagreed. I just didn't want to tell you that over the phone. I didn't want you to worry." She explained. "Besides, I couldn't let you have all the fun of tracking down the Joker."

"Oh yeah." He rolled his eyes. "It's been lots of fun. You should have stayed in L.A."

"And you should stop treating me like a child!" She countered.

"Well maybe if you'd stop acting like one I wouldn't have to!" He started to yell.

"Oh you're really one to talk Bruce." She pointed out, her voice also rising. "You don't get exactly what you want and then you go moping around for months at a time!"

Alfred watched this scene play out in front of him with great interest. They had both started yelling at each other and he could no longer make out what each of them was saying. It was funny in a way; both of them were acting like little children.

He had suspected that Bruce's distracted nature was the result of something that happened when he visited Lacy in L.A., and although Bruce explained it to him a few days ago, he didn't think that was the whole story. But he didn't pry because it probably was none of his business.

Though now it seemed like the two of them weren't fighting about her coming to L.A. so much as whatever happened between them. He felt it would be best to intervene. "Excuse me!" He said loudly, getting both of their attentions. "Perhaps it would be best for everyone if you two had a nice, quiet discussion about whatever it is that is bothering the both of you. Preferably without the yelling."

"Sorry Alfred." Lacy apologized. "You're right."

"Come on." Bruce motioned to the balcony. "Let's talk out there."

She followed him without saying a word, walking to the railing and leaning up against it. "I have to say that I've missed the Gotham skyline. I forgot how beautiful it could be on a clear night with the buildings and the stars."

"How long have you been back?" He asked softly, standing only a few inches away from her.

"A couple of days" She replied.

"So you left pretty much right after we talked." He surmised.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Why did you come back here? Why couldn't you stay in L.A. like I asked?"

"Because that's not where I belong." She replied, turning her head to look at him.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you're going to end up getting yourself killed!" He pointed out. "As soon as he finds out you're alive, he's not going to stop until you're dead."

"I know that." She closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm aware that he won't stop until I'm dead, but I'm not going to stop until he's dead either. Look, I know you don't understand why I have to do this, but I have to go after him."

"You're right. I don't understand why you have to do this." He told her. "Why can't you trust me to take care of him? Why can't you just leave it to me?"

She didn't know how to say this without hurting him, or even if it was possible. "It's not that I don't trust you. Bruce, you and Alfred are the only two people in this world that I can trust. But I have to do this. I have to make him pay for everything he has done."

"Revenge isn't going to make you feel better." He pointed out.

"It's not revenge though." She shook her head. "It's not just about what he's done to me. It's about justice for everyone. He's done so many bad things to so many people. I feel like it's my mission, my destiny to make sure that justice and karma gets doled out to him."

She sighed. "I should have died that night in the water. I didn't want to but I was ready. And then you saved my life and for awhile I wondered why. Now I know that it was part of a grander scheme. Now I know it was because I need to stop him."


"Boss, we're on the roof. We have a clear view of Bruce Wayne's penthouse." Will spoke into the phone.

"Good." The Joker replied. "Can you see him?"

"Yes." Will answered. "Wayne's on the balcony right now with a woman."

"A woman?" The Joker's interest was piqued. Up until now he hadn't thought that Bruce was dating anyone, but if he had a woman on his balcony at this late of an hour, perhaps he was wrong. "Can you see her face? Do you know who she is?"

"No." Will replied. "Her back is to us. The most we've seen is one side of her face."

"Well this is interesting." He laughed. "Bruce Wayne has a new girlfriend."

"What do you want us to do?" Will asked. "Do you still want us to try and wait for the perfect shot to get his butler?"

"No." The Joker decided to make a last minute change to the plan. He was going to have Will and Dale take out Alfred, but now that there was a girl on the balcony with dear old Brucie the plans were going to change. "I want you to take out the girl."

"Ok. We will." Will assured him.

"Call me when it is done." The Joker then hung up.

"Change of plans." Will told Dale as he put the phone in his pocket. "We're supposed to kill the girl now."

"Ok." Dale replied. He had taken a look through the binoculars and had to admit that the girl looked kind of familiar to him, though he couldn't figure out where he had seen her before.


"What if that's not why you were saved?" Bruce asked. "What if you were saved so that you could have a second chance at life?"

She turned away from him, lightly tapping at the railing. "Please don't go there again."

"Why not?" He asked her, putting his hand over hers. "Why is it so hard to believe that you could be happy with me?"

"It's not." She whispered. "That's what's so scary. I like the way I feel when I'm around you but it would never work out in the end."

"We could make it work once I get rid of the Joker." Bruce pointed out.

"And then what?" She laughed softly. "Huh? Let's say you suspend your morality for a moment and end up killing the Joker. Then he's out of the way, but that's only half the battle."

"No matter what I do people will always be able to figure out that I am Lacy and they will always associate me with the Joker. I can color my hair and change my eye color all I want but people will still figure it out. The only way people will never recognize me is if I get a ton of plastic surgery on my face. And even then I'll still have these scars."

"I thought I told you that the scars don't matter to me." He interrupted.

"But they matter to me." She replied.


"I'm going to put together the gun." Will said, handing Dale the binoculars. "You keep an eye on them."

"Ok." Dale nodded, taking the binoculars and watching Bruce Wayne with his mystery guest. He was watching them, but wasn't paying much attention to them. He was still mourning the loss of Chip. He hated having to leave him in that building to die a fiery death but hadn't had much of a choice. He thought back to what happened after the Joker had left.

"Hey, Dale, untie me!" Chip pleaded. "He's gone, you can untie me now."

"No, I'm sorry." Dale apologized. "But I can't."

"Why not?" Chip asked. "Dale, untie me right now!"

"I can't." Dale insisted. "He will kill me if I try to help you."

"So you're just gonna let me die here?" Chip asked, astonished. "Man I thought we were friends!"

"We are!" Dale insisted. "But I can't…"

"No." Chip interrupted. "If we were really friends you would help me out of here instead of being a pussy that is afraid of the Joker."

"You would be doing the same thing if you were in my shoes!" Dale reminded him. "So don't go there with me."

"Oh fuck you Dale!" Chip yelled. "You're just doing this to save your own skin."

"I'm sorry Chip. I really am." Dale apologized.

"Forget you man." Chip laughed. "You suck for leaving me here. I hope you know that."

"I do." Dale nodded. He heard his phone go off and knew that meant the Joker had gotten out of the building. He didn't have much time to get out of the building alive. "I'm sorry about this. I wish it didn't have to be like this." He took out a match.

"No!" Chip objected. "Dale! Please don't."

"I'm sorry. I have no other choice." Dale apologized again, lighting the match and throwing it into the kitchen. "Please forgive me." He whispered as he ran out of the room, hearing Chip screaming.

The screaming would haunt him for the rest of his life and he was certain that he would never be able to get the image of Chip's face out of his head. Chip looked at him with utter hatred and contempt. It made Dale cringe every time he thought about it.

He sighed though and focused his attention back to the balcony. The girl had turned around so he could see her whole face now. She still looked so familiar but he couldn't figure it out. He zoomed in closer and did a double-take.

No. It couldn't be. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. Right?