On the eighth day of Christmas, the Joker gave to me...

Eight makeshift pipe bombs,

Seven scary switchblades,

Six burning hideouts,

Five hand grenades!

Four bank robberies,

Three bazooka rockets,

Two purple gloves,

And a clown mask under a tree!

The first bomb was unearthed at midnight, with a Joker card attached.

Within the next few minutes, a video was played over the air at the GCN, warning the citizens of Gotham that if the other seven bombs weren't uncovered before two o'clock AM, several important buildings - City Hall, the main courthouse, Arkham Asylum, Blackgate Penitentiary, two student residences at Gotham University, and two houses in the Palisades - would go up in smoke. The bomb that had already been found was at Arkham, which left the other seven targets in danger.

Batman, once he had been informed of the situation, decided that his main priority was the bomb at Blackgate - likely, if the bomb went off, an escape would ensue. He found the bomb within a half an hour of his arrival, at about 12:25. His next priority was City Hall, since the Palisades and Gotham University had been evacuated.

He had a bit more difficulty helping there. Many police officers, he gathered, had also decided that they should protect City Hall and the courthouse. It would be difficult to search the grounds with all the police swarming around, so Batman left to find the two at the university.

He found one of the bombs within ten minutes of his arrival there, but was sidetracked from his search for the next bomb by the sound of footsteps. Familiar, quick footsteps. He followed them around a building until they stopped.

"So you found me. I thought you'd come earlier, protect the kiddies and all that," came the mocking, nasally voice of the Joker.

"Where are the bombs, Joker?"

"Well, there's one at the courthouse, at the prison, City Hall- urk!" He was cut off by the Batman's hand around his throat.

"I know that. where exactly are they?"

The Joker laughed breathlessly. "How should I know? I mean, I couldn't possibly have planted them all myself. I'm kind of a, ah, big deal in this town. I may have been spotted."

Batman dropped the Joker, almost disgusted. "Couldn't even be bothered to get personal."

The Joker giggled a little. "I think I got pretty, ah, personal last night!" He called as the Batman left for the Palisades. He could tell that the clown wasn't worth his time.

With the police and the Batman out, the bombs were found and deactivated before anything blew up, despite the fact that Batman was distracted by the Joker's last statement. It was more personal last night... Could he know? No, there's no way... But the clown's pretty quick... He chased himself with these pointless conundrums all night, despite the reassurance that even if the Joker knew Batman's identity, no one else did... Yet.


A/N: I'm thinking the ending was better on this one. Tell me what you think, and suggestions for number eleven would be very welcome! Thanks!