I really like this chapter. Things are starting to escalate between Lay and J.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Batman series.

Chapter 7: Introductions are in Order

"Mmm.."

Layla's head was ringing with a pounding headache, made worse by the nausea inducing violent turns her driver made.

"Wake-y, wake-y, sunshine!" The Joker called out from his position at the steering wheel. He had on his full make-up and purple gloves, but also an officer's hat and blue coat under a standard uniform. They were in a police car with a mesh divider between himself and Layla in the back. She could feel tight metal on her wrists, slowly cutting into her skin.

"I'm going to feel that later" she mused.

Lightly trying to sit up straight from her once lying position, she attempted to pull against the cuffs. Without any success, she turned her attention the mad man controlling the car.

"W-what are you doing?"

The Joker just smirked, suddenly making another jerking turn that sent Layla flying to the other side of the seat.

"OW! God…"

The clown merely smirked at her frustration.

"Is this even necessary!?" annoyance in her voice.

The Joker glanced at her from the rear view mirror and lightly chuckled to himself at the disoriented girl's expression.

"Can't have you memorizing where we're headed, love. I'm not a man with a plan, but I'm no…idiot either."

How did this happen? The last thing Layla remembered was staring at the clown prince in her room.

.

.

.

The Joker turned around to face the quiet girl.

"Hello, beautiful. I think you have something that belongs to me."

Layla reached into her jeans and pulled out the purple tie. The Joker crept closer to reach for the garment, licking his lips as he neared closer.

Just as he was about to snatch the tie, Layla held it back, causing the Joker to let out an amused chuckle.

"You can have it…if you take me with you."

He seemed taken aback, but pleased by her unpredictable response.

"You drive a hard bargain kid, but I'll take it."

.

.

.

She vaguely remembered him getting closer to her and then everything going black. A sore spot on her head must have been the cause. Regardless, it didn't really matter how she got here. It was time to stick with the plan. Get abducted. Find out who he is. Press the dial on the watch.

The Watch!

She moved her wrists against each other trying to feel for the black band.

Nothing.

A brief panic settled into Layla's stomach, but she couldn't let the monster see her unsettled. She had to play it calm. Just as she began to mentally reassure herself, the police car came to a screeching halt causing her to shoot forward.

"UGH!"

More pain caused Layla to be further disoriented. She hardly felt the door open or the gloved hands wrap around her waist tugging her out of the car.

"Well, darling…"

The Joker said licking his lips with one arm wrapped around Layla and the other combing back his green greased hair.

"We're here! Home sweet home!" He chuckled and then flung the door open to an elaborate entrance. Something you'd find in luxury condos or…

"A…a penthouse?"

Layla could hardly stand up straight but immediately lost her balance gazing at the beautiful interior. This was a far cry off from the awful hide away she pictured in her nightmares. There was neither red door nor green hallway. There were no goons in clown masks. Actually, there wasn't anybody in the entrance except for one guard.

She felt the heat of breath tickle her ear.

"Not what you were expecting, kid?"

The Joker teased and then pushed her down towards the elevator. The guard near it nodded his head towards the pair and let them in without a hitch. He looked like a regular middle-aged guy. Not some mentally ill thug that Layla was expecting. The calm around this place was eerily unsettling.

The ride up was silent. Layla was still trying to take everything in. Was this a dream too? Had she made up the events from the last few nights? What was going on?

The ride took them to the top floor and immediately upon reaching their destination was a grand, white door, not a separate floor. The Joker winked at Layla and pulled out a key from his coat pocket.

When the beautiful doors opened, Layla found herself in a gorgeous penthouse with white sofas and a fireplace in the living room. The kitchen was fully furnished with marble counters. There was a breath-taking view of the Gotham skyline.

The skyline?

Though not sure of the specifics, she had a general idea of where she was…

"Downtown?" She looked up at him with a mixture of innocence and confusion.

The Joker clapped his hands and walked towards the giant wall length window, motioning for Layla to follow.

"No offense doll face, I know you think you're tough. This may be a bit more suitable for you though. Don't want my goons trying to paw at ya. Ha!"

Layla continued to take in the gorgeous view un-phased by his disturbing cackle.

"H-how did you get this place?" at this she turned to look at him.

Her question set the Joker into a fit of laughter.

"HaAHHAHAH HAhahaHAHAHA.

She took a few steps back as he grabbed his stomach and doubled over the seemingly simple question. After a few moments he regained his composure and looked directly at her. The dark specks in his eyes caused her to feel sick. Sick…and intrigued.

"This town deserves…a better class of criminal."

He walked slowly towards her, causing Layla to back-up with caution.

"Evidently…some of the other low lives around here couldn't agree more."

Her back had come into contact with the smooth white wall. The Joker brought his face an inch away from hers.

"It comes with…perks." A raised eyebrow shot in her direction.

She found herself wincing at the heat of his breath on her nose.

"Are you afraid of me? I haven't even given you a reason to scream…yet."

She kept her eyes tightly closed, not wanting to come in contact with the demonic orbs from her dreams.

"Hey…hey…look at me. LOOK. AT. ME."

He grabbed her face roughly and pressed his body firmly against hers. Her yes shot open as she trembled underneath his form. She couldn't help but trace his scars with her eyes. They were twisted and disfigured from a no doubt awful stitch job, but they had a fascinating imprint on his face. Almost…alluring, even.

The Joker noticed her take in his treasured trophies.

"You wanna know how I got these scars? Hmmm?"

Layla was silent, but tried to violently shake her face out of his grasp to no avail. He was stronger than her. She was paralyzed under the weight of his body and the cuffs were digging into her wrists.

"I bet you want to know how they taste? Hmmm? How about a kiss?"

Layla felt herself panic as the force of his lips collided upon her own. She tried to struggle at first, but he pulled her body in deeper causing her to give in. He tried to lick her bottom lip, begging for entrance and slowly eased off of her body.

.

THUD

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The freedom gave her enough space to kick him in the groin causing him to back off in laughter.

"HA! Got some fight in you. Oh, I like that!"

He came up to her again with his purple-gloved hand wrapped around her throat and threw her down to the floor.

"You know… I don't get ya , kid."

He circled around Layla's body as she coughed up from the pain of where his hand had been moments before.

"You ask me to take you."

He got on top of her, straddling her waist on the floor.

"STOP!"

She kept wriggling underneath him without any success of breaking free.

"But you don't want me to come on to you?! You've got to have a fetish or something to have been stalking me this whole time, detective. HAhAHAHA!"

"GET OFF OF ME!"

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RINGGGGGG.

.

Just then, he leapt off the struggling girl and reached for a phone in his policemen's coat pocket. He looked at the caller and sighed, silencing the phone.

"Daddy's got to go to work now."

Before Layla could get up he turned her around so her stomach was facing the mahogany wooden paneled floor.

"OW."

She felt him wrestle with the cuffs and then…relief from her agitated skin.

"I'll be back soon, love."

Layla slowly got on her knees and then her feet. She rubbed the sore spots of her wrists and looked up at him, her bang falling across one eye.

The Joker was heading for the door, but turned to face her before exiting.

"Check our room. "

"Our?" She mentally quipped.

"I took a few things from that quaint place you got for yourself. Tried to make your stay here a bit more…cozy."

He smirked, placing a hand on the door knob as he fiddled with the lock and key again.

"So only that key can open the door from the inside and out." Layla quietly thought to herself.

He paused.

"Oh, and don't try anything, uh...funny. The windows are one-way and shatter proof. The whole place is wired with cameras. I have my eye on you."

He winked, causing Layla to feel disgusted and blush at the same time.

"See you soon."

And with that, her captor was gone. Layla took in the sights around her and decided to check out the rest of the penthouse with caution.

There was a hallway to the left of the living room. She slowly treaded down the hall, finding a bathroom with a glass standing shower inside. There were towels, toothpaste, a toothbrush, shampoo…even a cabinet with a box of razors and shaving equipment, only it was locked.

"I guess he doesn't want me to have anything that might hurt him."

After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she exited the bathroom and made her way for the bedroom a few steps down. She opened the door slowly, taking a deep breath.

.

"MEOWWWWWWW"

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The door shoved open and the fat fur ball ran out of the room. Immediately, it wrapped itself around her legs.

"HARLEY?!"

Layla fell to the ground and coddled her precious baby.

"Are you ok? Oh, Harley…"

She nuzzled her face against the familiar fur, noting that aside from being spooked, the cat appeared unscathed.

After a few moments, Layla further entered the room and found a king sized bed with deep purple and black sheets. They looked clean, perhaps even new. There was a duffle bag she recognized from her own apartment placed upon the bed. After rummaging through the bag, she found some of her own clothes and an array of her sexiest lingerie.

"Nice." She sarcastically spat.

A side glass table next to the bed had a white digital clock on it.

The watch!

At that moment, fear took over Layla. Without the watch, she wouldn't be able to call for help or end the mission. She needed to find it and immediately began checking drawers at once. After opening the very first drawer of the massive dresser and mirror set on the other side of the bed, she froze.

"Jack…"

The drawer was completely empty, save for an old photograph. It was a familiar picture of herself with her best friend Jack when they were children. Her mother kept it in their old run-down apartment, but it had gone missing during the move after her mother's death.

"Oh…Jack…"

She felt something wet on her cheek. Crying was so foreign to Layla. After her mother's death, she became hardened. To be vulnerable…almost helpless in a place like this…it made her feel something she hadn't in so long. Like the control she always fought to maintain in her life was momentarily lifted. She felt, as odd as it may seem, free.

The tears were flowing at an alarming rate. She was clutching the photo tight to her chest, standing in front of the mirror of the dresser.

"Oh, Jack..Jack…"
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.

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"Yes, love?"

Her head shot up and she saw his reflection in the mirror. He was leaning in the doorway...a sad twisted smile on his face.