The Joker was struggling to shrug the remaining piece of wood out of the back of his cuffs. The chair lay on the ground in a pile of splintered remains. It had taken some hopping and a significant amount of pain to lift himself, chair and all, and then fling it backwards to the concrete. His weight had splintered it, but it took three tries before he had crushed it. His back was certainly bruised and bloody from the effort. It didn't matter.

He stretched, popping his neck back and forth. It felt good to be up after weeks in that damn chair. He walked straight backward in the dark, finding the tub. He turned it on, stepping under the freezing cold water. His skin became slick quickly as he twisted his wrists back and forth, testing them. Almost. He managed to knock the open soap bottle on them, drenching them in the perfumed liquid. He wiggled, feeling the soap burn the cuts and blisters at his wrists, finally filling the metal shift and slide down toward his fingers. In a minute, they were off. He let the metal restraints drop to the tub bottom, rinsing his hands, face, hair and mouth.

He was almost free. He had meant to play the game a while more, but Tanya had thrown a wrench in his plan. He needed to get out, before she made his condition worse. He hated to feel.

He stepped out of the tub, drenched and shook himself dry. His bare feet left wet footsteps as he went toward the back corner he saw the Bat always disappear to. He felt along the wall, groping for any kind of switch. Instead, he found a handle. He jerked it open with a squeal of metal grinding on concrete. Instantly, a fire leapt up, betraying it as a furnace. The heat felt good on his cold skin and the flames gave off enough light for his purposes. He fed the pieces of the chair into hit, stoking the flame brighter. He saved one large, club-like piece.

He could see it now. He pushed the button, lowering the elevator to the floor. He climbed in, holding the chair leg like a weapon. Inside the shed, he swung it straight at the metal doors, barely hearing the metal bang as he fought his way out. Through the crack in the doors he made, he could see a flashlight's beam peering in. He hesitated, waiting until the doors were pulled open by security.

"Jesus man! How'd you get locked in there?" a security guard was inspecting him, his face one of horror. "You alright?" he reached for his radio, not knowing the identity of the man in front of him. He was cut off by the wooden piece of the chair as it connected solidly with his head.

The guard crumpled to the ground, bleeding from the wound on his head. The Joker pulled out the radio, fiddling with the controls until he got to channel 7.

"Hello?" he questioned through the white noise, pushing the body around with his foot. "hey-o?"

It was a moment before anyone answered.

"Hello?" the grainy voice of a woman answered. It sounded slightly breathless.

"Come and get me." it was a simple instruction, one he knew would be obeyed.

"Should I bring---"

"No, he'll blow the cover. Just come."

"Where should I--"

"5th and Jefferson." the guard at his feet stirred. The Joker didn't pause in his instruction, but smacked him again with the club, effectively silencing him.

"Alright, see you soon." the woman's words fell on deaf ears; the Joker had already switched it off and dropped it near the guard. He rustled through his belongings, retrieving a gun and the keys to the gate. Then the Joker set off to meet Harley Quinn.

She was at the meeting point by the time he had arrived. The streets had been empty and quiet, the citizens scared indoors by the last few month's events. He pulled himself into the car, a small, two-door.

"Who'd you get the car from?"

"Dent got it." the petite woman was smiling brightly at him, looking like Christmas had come early.

He shifted in his seat, adjusting the still damp and baggy sweat pants. "Let's go." The car disappeared into the dark streets of Gotham.

Hours later, Tanya was up in the late hours of the early morning, adjusting the pleat in her skirt. It had been weeks and weeks since she had last donned a suit, but her current errand called for it. Her rigorous workouts had caused her to lose weight, but luckily, Bruce kept a tailor on retainer. She spun around in the mirror again, inspecting herself thoroughly for the last time.

She was going to see Gordon. It wasn't a social visit, more of a visit to find out what in the world was going on with the investigation. But this would be the first time in many weeks that she would be back in public. She wanted to look good. It might hide her nerves.

She gathered her purse, checking its contents one more time before making her way out of the bathroom and into the hall. At the bottom of the stairs, Bruce was leaning on the banister, waiting for her. He looked rather dapper in his suit, like an advertisement in a men's fashion magazine.

"Ready?" he was dropping her off on his way to Wayne Enterprises.

"As ready as I'm going to be." she nervously smoothed her skirt again, and tweaked her jacket.

"You look fine, relax." he told her soothingly. "Here." he gestured to a device in his hands. "We'll be keeping an eye on you. And an ear."

Tanya nodded, pinning the combination mic and camera on the collar of her jacket, out of sight. Alfred walked in, car keys in hand.

"You both look ravishing," he complimented, "Shall we?"

Tanya was first to be dropped off, Alfred had taken her separately, trying to maintain the illusion that she and Bruce did not know each other. She had left minutes before Bruce's personal driver had arrived, as well as a small entourage of beautiful, boisterous and rather thin women with a taste for the "finer things" in life.

Tanya was quite glad that she didn't have to stick around to meet them. She was entering the Commissioner's building through the backdoor to avoid attracting too much attention. It was of little use. The occupants craned their necks around cubicles and desks to get a look at the former anchor who had been M.I.A. for so long. She did her best to ignore the glances as she rode the crowded elevator to the top floor and the office of Commissioner Jim Gordon.

Gordon was seated behind his desk, looking a little worn around the edges. He was massaging his temples, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose. He pushed them up as she came in the door.

"Well, Miss Heathrow. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she smiled at him. Gordon always had a soothing presence, instantly calming even her most intense panic attacks.

"It's nice to see you too, Commissioner."

"Are you here for an interview?" he sat up straight and adjusted his tie.

"No, I'm sure you noticed that I don't do that anymore." she smiled at him and sat down across the desk in a leather chair. She instantly sunk into the cushions, silently enjoying the warm smell the chair emitted.

"I have. You've been missing for some time. But if there's no interview…" he loosened his tie, shoved his mountain of paper away from him and leaned back. "How and where have you been?"

"I've been alright. And safe." she added pointedly, in lieu of a direct answer.

"Ah, I see." he smiled wryly. "You and the Batman and all of your secrets." Tanya just smiled in response.

"I was hoping," she began, leaning forward, "that you might have a lead on Dent."

"Are you looking for him?" he raised both of his brows.

"Not exactly."

"Well, we're looking for both Dent and the Joker. Neither of them has shown up. But strangely enough, the trail has gone totally cold on the Joker. Almost like someone already caught him." he looked intensely at Tanya. Gordon was no slouch; he knew she was in cahoots with Batman and he suspected she knew about the Joker.

"I wouldn't know." she evaded.

"Neither would I." Gordon clearly wasn't going to spill until she did.

"Well," Tanya wasn't upset. She knew Alfred was listening in and by now how told Bruce what he heard. The ball was in the Batman's court. "It was a pleasure to see you. Hopefully, I'll see you soon."

"Likewise," Gordon stood up and shook her hand. "And tell your friend to come by and see me. It's been a while."

"Will do." she smiled at him and left. As she stepped into the elevator, her purse began to vibrate. She fished out her phone, flipping it open to read a text from Alfred.

*Had to step out, Be back in 15 mins.*

No problem, she thought. She was hungry, she might stop by the bistro next door. Her heels clicked across the linoleum tile as she stepped into the lobby. She was walking with single minded purpose: a turkey sandwich. She barely heard her name echoing through the room.

"Tanya?" someone grabbed her arm lightly. She spun in a semi-panic, her bag colliding with a man's arm.

"Jim!" she exclaimed. It was Jim. His tall form was clad in business casual attire, and his chocolate hair was freshly cut. His eyes were bright and intelligent as ever, looking at her with a state of shock. The scar, the product of their collective first Joker attack, was still there, but healed now, the same color of his tan skin.

"Hey, how are you?" he was rubbing his arm where the bag had hit it.

"I'm fine." she stammered. She was suddenly nervous. Her skin prickled with a cold wave of perspiration.

"Oh, that's great." Jim sounded equally as uncomfortable. "I've been wondering how you've been. And where you were."

"I-- I've been safe." she repeated her answer to Gordon somewhat lamely.

"That's great." he ran his fingers through his hair, mussing his hair slightly. "Do you think we can talk, about…" he trailed off.

"Jim…" she looked around nervously, before gesturing outside. The two crossed quickly and silently to the back doors and out of the building. They stopped behind a large workmen's truck.

"What do you want to talk about?" she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

"I guess I just needed some closure." he had tucked his hands in his pockets.

"It's complicated…" she began.

"I know." he cut her off somewhat sharply. "You've said all that. I don't care."

"That's because you don't understand." he wouldn't hang around her if he did.

"Well help me understand then." Tanya didn't know how she could.

"Every second you're with me, you're in danger. And I'm not going to watch you die because of me."

"I've been in danger for months now." he protested.

"It's more than that. I wish I could tell you but I can't. Please, just trust me. You can't be around me anymore." she pleaded, her voice betraying her obvious distress.

"You're pushing me away to keep me safe?" he asked, his voice tired.

"Yes." she was biting back tears.

"Well, who's going to keep you safe?" he was pleading with her, his eyes bright.

"I am." she whispered. "Please, just-"

"Trust you." he finished. She nodded, her eyes were down turned. A worker jumped out of the truck, interrupting the moment. Jim looked at his watch. "I have an interview in a view minutes. It was good to see you." he leaned forward, then hesitated for the slightest of moments. He kissed her gently. Tanya could feel the fading scar on his mouth brush her cheek ever so slightly.

"I hope I see you again." she said quietly and honestly, taking in his still handsome appearance.

He smiled. "Thanks; me too." And then he was gone.

Tanya leaned on the wall near the building, recovering slightly. In her peripheral vision she could see the worker moving, his face masked by a hat pulled low. She wiped her eyes and straightened up. The worker was moving toward her, at in increasingly fast pace. Instantly her hackles went up. She turned, but not quickly enough because she was grabbed and thrown behind the truck.

"Who was that?" the voice was low and angry. She looked up. The workers hat had fallen off and those hazel eyes had lost all of their warmth.

"How did you get out?" she stammered, unbelieving that the Joker was standing before her. He grabbed her again, hauling her to her feet and against the side of the truck. He laughed, quietly but in that distinct way.

"I thought I said that I don't like sharing." The Joker had Tanya pinned to the truck, her back pressed hard into the metal. She kicked out with a high heel clad foot, connecting solidly with his thigh. He stumbled back, wincing. Tanya kicked the now broken pump off her foot and braced herself for another hit. She never got a chance to see it though. Something connected with her shoulder, knocking her forward and to the ground. She turned to see the same blonde woman from the D.A.'s office, poised to strike again with a briefcase. Tanya kicked her with her other foot, knocking the woman down. The briefcase landed at her feet. But the Joker was up again.

"Harley." he growled at the blonde woman. "Stick to the plan."

"But--" the corn color haired woman protested, but was silenced by a look of fury Tanya had never seen before. She nodded and got up, running to the back of the truck. Tanya was too distracted with watching her to stop the Joker from lifting her up again.

"Was that Jim?" he snarled.

"Was that her?" she shot right back. This time he had pinned her legs and arms. She settled for glaring daggers at him. He smiled.

"Jealous?"

"Are you?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Yes." He pushed her harder back into the truck and attacked her mouth with his. All trace of gentleness was gone. He grabbed her ass, forcing her skirt higher up until his hand was under it. She gasped at his roughness, struggling slightly against the pain.

"Stop it." she managed to command him when his mouth left hers.

To her surprise, he did. He let his hand slip slowly back down her leg, his fingernails raking her skin, surely leaving a mark. "If I ever see him again…" he began. He was interrupted by Jim's voice, loud and clear.

"Tanya?" his footsteps were rushing toward them.

"Don't." she pleaded with him. "I'll get him to go away. He's not a threat to you." the Joker dropped her roughly to the ground just as Jim came around the corner to face them. He took one look at her disheveled appearance, from her wrinkled suit, to her exposed legs and swollen lips and lunged forward. The Joker moved to meet him, but Tanya knocked him over, screaming at the top of her lungs as she did so. The blonde woman, Harley, rushed forward, grabbing the Joker and pushing him, with some difficulty, into the truck. She glared daggers at Tanya, her expression of unadulterated hatred. Tanya knew the woman had seen it all, and there would be hell to pay for it later. Quinzel climbed into the truck and peeled away, nearly running Jim and Tanya over. Behind the truck, Alfred's silver car came into view.

Tanya picked herself up from the ground and looked at Jim. He was staring at her with a look of horror.

"Now you understand why you can't be around me?" she pulled her skirt down, avoiding his eyes as she hurried toward her car. He nodded, opening his mouth as though to say something. Tanya couldn't hear it because she was already in the car, door slammed shut and locked, crying. Alfred asked no questions, but speed off. Through her tears, she could make out Jim bending down to pick up the briefcase that had been left amidst the scuffle. Tanya knew that the police would use it for evidence. Good. She hastily ducked down to avoid being seen and began explaining what had just happened to a very concerned Alfred.

They tore out of the back alley just as a force of law enforcement officers came out to question Jim.


A/N: A lot going on in that chapter I know. Here's a quick recap: Joker's out, he's jealous of Jim. Harley's jealous of Tanya, and Gordon is suspicious. Oh, and Jim is beginning to figure it out. Whew, thanks for the reviews folks, and there's more to come. Oh, and congrats to Heath Ledger on his Oscar win.