Chapter Ten:
It was nearing a week now.
Little Batsy still wasn't getting any better.
Hahah…hehe…
Whoops, have to be quieter, wouldn't want to wake up the dear brute.
Blue eyes lit with an angry spark as they opened and met wild green.
Scary….Hehe…Oh well!
"What's so funny?" Batman growled suspiciously as he sat up. He had been sleeping a lot more than usual he noticed, but he simply put blame on his injuries. If he were honest he would also admit it had to do with the double life he led, it could become very taxing.
Joker smiled broadly and stared at the ceiling for a moment before giggling, "Oh nothing Bats…You know I'm well…loony!" He burst into a fit of laughter, one of which that was scoffed at by the Knight. Batman didn't even try to make sense of the man anymore. He often caught him giggling over nothing and decided it wasn't worth the stress of figuring out what exactly was going on inside the crazed man's head, even if he seemingly had a point to everything. He visualized the Joker's mind as a maze of excited insanity greater than even the things he would concoct in reality.
In short it was best not to tread there.
As soon as Batman shook his head and turned to face the wall away from the Jester, said Clown broke into an even wider grin.
Oh Bats should know! He should have figured it out by now…
The Joker always had a reason for everything. Oh but he was sure the Bat knew this, but obviously the extended companionship was causing the Bat to adjust to the, what others would call, insanity he spewed.
Of course he had a reason to giggle! Old Batsy still hadn't caught on…He was aware of the effects, sure, but it was apparent he didn't have a clue to what was really causing it.
Batman should start paying closer attention to his food…
Then again, the Joker was a master chemist. It was nearly impossible to notice the compounds he was using in the way he blended them.
But Batsy! He should know! He always knew…
This wasn't like him. He should have figured it out by now. He was almost angry he hadn't.
Yet he was also overjoyed.
Bats hadn't noticed yet and that meant that he could have more time with the brooding vigilante. He couldn't be all that mad at the Caped Crusader anyway; he had been pretty beaten up when he began to give the Bat his medicine!
"HAHAH….hehe…" The Joker slapped a hand over his mouth to somewhat stifle the giggles. He got an annoyed look from the one taking up his thoughts. The look would have sent any other person into instance silence, but not Joker. All it did was intensify the maddening grin.
"Oh lighten up sweet cheeks! You know what your problem is? You-"
"Need to laugh more?" The Batman deadpanned with a grimace. He could feel the anger sparking already.
The Jester beamed, "Oh look! Now we're finishing each other's sentences! We really are bffs!"
"No, you just have said that increasingly over the years." Batman grumbled while clutching the sheets until his knuckles turned white. He so badly just wanted to get better and beat the Jester within an inch from his life before taking him back into Arkham. It may not hold him for good but at least he'd be done with him for a while.
"Details, details!" Joker laughed and then reached out to pat the Bat's shoulder only to get his hand nearly crushed in a death grip, "Still touchy are we?"
Batman said nothing only gave the man's hand another sharp squeeze before releasing it and rotating his body to get out of bed. Joker frowned slightly with displeasure, but only for a moment.
Batman was infuriated, he felt so fatigued he could scream with the frustration. He had to get up, had to get away from the clown if even for just a moment. When he was being like this he couldn't help but want to get away. Yes, though he hated to admit it, they had had a few good moments. Especially lately, he noticed he had been finding the Jester's card tricks more entertaining, the conversation more intriguing and once or twice, dare he admit it, nearly cracked a smile at the clown's jokes.
This was getting dangerous.
He needed to get home, have things go back to normal. He was afraid, not for his safety and maybe not even for his sanity. The fear was from the thought that maybe, just maybe, what the Joker had been prattling on about all these years was true. What if they were more alike than he cared to admit?
But was it so bad?
Maybe it wouldn't be…It might be nice to have someone who understood things as he did; someone who really understood.
Batman shook his head. He could feel his blood boiling. He couldn't think this way!
He glared at the Joker, who only cocked a questioning brow in response, before he faced forward and pushed himself onto his feet. He took a few steps before he nearly lost his balance due to a dizzy spell.
"Put one foot in front of the other!" The Joker started as he broke into song.
Batman grit his teeth as he forced his legs to move him forward. It was ridiculous how much strain he was going through to simply walk. Something wasn't right.
"And soon you'll be walking 'cross the floor!" The Joker laughed as he spun around in the wheeled chair all the while watching the man in black.
By the time he made it to the small table he had to support himself on one of the chairs. He was nearly out of breath, his heart rate elevated, and his legs trembled slightly. Something was really wrong. He was always quick to heal so he shouldn't be this weakened. It didn't make sense.
"You put one foot in front of the other!"
Batman eyed Joker who rolled past him legs in the air as he circled across the room. He shook his head and forced himself to keep a strong act up. He straightened up even though his body was fighting to stay upright and he had to pat himself on the back, aside from his need to rest he was keeping up a pretty good act. But he knew he wasn't fooling anyone; Joker always seemed to know what the Bat was feeling or thinking.
He was at the door now, he lifted his hand and pushed it open just as the Joker zoomed by again, stopping only a few feet away before he stood and threw up his arms dramatically.
"And soon you'll be walking out the door!" The Joker motioned to Batman and as if on cue the man collapsed just as he stepped over the threshold.
Joker burst into laughter and skipped over to the Knight, leaping over him and squatting near his head. Pure glee was pasted on his face as he reached forward and patted the Crusader's cowl covered cheek.
"You never will get where you're going, if ya never get up on your feet." The Clown said darkly, an eerie smile overcoming his features, "Right Batsy?"
Batman snarled and pushed himself shakily onto his knees before grabbing the Jester by the throat, and though his grip was weaker than normal he still had the strength to show his point. Joker only grinned wider before beginning to laugh.
"Shut up, Clown." Batman hissed squeezing slightly on the man's airway which only encouraged the Harlequin. Joker gripped onto the man's wrist, the dark grin still adorning his features was beginning to concern the Knight. The Jester seemed to have no trouble as he pried off the man's hand and slapped it aside.
"Now Bat-babe we want you to get better! No need to use the little strength you have for such barbaric needs." Joker said with a tut, waving his finger as if Batman was a naughty child.
Joker almost didn't dodge the punch that would surely have broken his nose. Joker fell on his hindquarters laughing, "Missed me, missed me, now you gotta kiss me!"
Batman groaned in frustration before trying to stand again. He pushed himself back onto his feet using the door frame and regained his balance, "I'm leaving."
Immediately the laughter stopped, it almost surprised Batman, but he refused to pay further attention to the pale faced man as he slowly limped passed.
Joker's wild eyes followed the Bat. Anger and dare he admit concern sparked in his emerald orbs as he stood behind the Bat who had only made it a few feet ahead. His fists clenched at his sides unconsciously as he forced himself to not strike the weaker man.
"You can't."
"Watch me." Batman growled as his breath came out heavy but he continued to push himself. He refused to be weak, refuse to let his worst enemy take care of him and see him this way any longer. It was a shot to his pride like nothing else. He was the damn Batman for Christ's sake.
"You have to." Joker continued, following after Batman. He knew he wouldn't get far. Even if he did let him go, Joker knew he would only make it a block or two before being attacked, collapsing, or getting caught by some unfriendly force.
Joker had cut off his communication with the Bat family, the cave, his connections, everything. He had been sure to keep any and all tools that might be able to be repaired or create new means of communication. Though he had damaged the com beyond repair he knew and Batman only confirmed it later in their time together.
The Clown knew if he were to leave now, he'd be a dead man walking.
His blood boiled now. He couldn't allow the man to go, he'd be damned if he allowed anyone to kill Bats. That was his privilege should the time come, no one's but his; and he had no intention of ending this game anytime soon. If and when he decided it was time for Bats to go, the Joker would be going with him. Maybe not immediately, but he knew. He knew he wouldn't last, whether someone else ended him or he ended himself, he knew. Hell might as well devise something to take them both out at once.
But it wasn't just anger he was feeling, which only proved to make him even more furious. He felt concerned. What if Bats left for good? Decided he was done with the Jester completely. What would he do with himself? He would have no excitement! All thrill and challenge ripped from his life…Life would become so…
Boring.
What would happen if someone else did get to the Bat? Batman's name would be slandered and ridiculed for eternity and because of him, so would the Joker's. How tough could Batman's arch nemesis be if Batman himself was taken out by some nobody street thug or gang? Both their reputations would be in shambles.
It would be all the Joker's fault.
Well…Maybe not completely. There still was that secret admirer Bats had that left him in pieces for the Joker to find to begin with.
Joker broke out of his thoughts when Batman caught his eye as he stumbled and fell onto the wall. Batman cursed and slammed his fist against the concrete. He knew he wasn't going to make it far. This was going to end in disaster but his stubbornness wouldn't allow him to stop now. He only hoped that someone on his side would find him before someone who wanted him dead found him first. Unfortunately there were more people in this city that applied to the second option than the first. He'd most likely be dead if he miscalculated and ended up in an enemy's territory. Sadly there was barely any part of the city that wasn't someone's territory. It was sad to say, but the best place he could be now was with the Joker, but he refused to admit it.
"Oh Batsy…Your stubbornness is going to be your downfall." The Clown Prince of Crime smiled, but it was far from a happy sort of smile and Batman knew it, "If you leave you know what will happen."
"I need to leave, Joker. Why can't you understand?" Batman sighed exasperatedly as his frustration began to spike, "Whatever you're trying to accomplish isn't going to work. I need to get back. Gotham needs me. There are other criminals that are probably causing chaos and I need to stop them. "
Joker frowned, a deep angry frown as he stalked over to Batman. "How do you propose you take care of them when you're like this?" Joker grabbed the Bat before punching him square in the jaw, causing the man to fall over stunned and in pain. Joker stood over Batman and glared, a sinister grin growing on his face, "You should be worrying about me Bats. Not any of those nobodies. You know as well as I do that they have nothing on you." Joker laughed and slammed his foot onto Batman's chest making him gasp for air reflexively, "Unlike me."
The man laughed, but it was almost a bitter sounding laugh and Batman almost missed it, "Aside from my foot I mean." Joker leaned down and grinned, applying even more pressure to the black clad man's chest, "You see, I could…Hehe…Slip up and…That little secret of yours could be all over the city." Joker flicked Batman's cowl to clarify his point, though he was sure the man knew exactly what he meant, "Imagine! Riots starting, Wayne tower surrounded with swat and your little house on the hill ransacked by the GCPD!" Joker howled with glee and slapped his knee before raising his hands to paint the picture staring into the open as if he was seeing it before him, "You and your little birds on the run, that butler forced to leave, the Batcave destroyed! Flames of chaos licking at your heels as you flee!"
Then the Clown's gaze returned to the Bat, "The closing scene…You in dear old Arkham locked in a cell with yours truly sharing in the good laugh that was your life." Joker grinned wildly his eyes dancing with the chaos that he described as he laughed manically, "That would be quite the show wouldn't it?"
Once the Joker quieted there was silence. The opposites locked eyes and stared at one another, neither moving, neither saying anything the only sound was their soft breathing and even that was nearly silent. It was several minutes before finally the oddest thing happened. Something that surprised the Joker and it wasn't often that the Joker was surprised.
Batman smiled.
It was a small smile, but a smile none the less. It was almost eerie. Why on Earth would the Bat be smiling when the Joker just threatened to destroy everything in his life? For once the Joker was speechless and confused. The surprise continued when Batman laughed.
It wasn't a loud laugh; more like a soft chuckle so quiet Joker would have missed it if it hadn't been as quiet as it was. It lasted only a moment and the Joker just stared at the man before him in utter confusion. He began to wonder if the man had finally snapped when Bruce finally spoke.
"Now that was a joke…" Batman sighed and shook his head as if amused by the Joker's plot.
Joker only narrowed his eyes, annoyance playing on his features. What did that mean? There was no joke, no punch line, just a devious plot to end his rival.
Batman saw the confusion playing on the taller man, his features contorted with uncertainty; Batman could see the gears working in the man's head.
"You wouldn't tell anyone. If you were going to you would have." Batman's lips twitched upwards in a ghost of a smile as he continued, still neither of them moving, "It would ruin your fun. Our dance as you like to call it would be finished. Not only that but you would never give someone the upper hand on me. You want to reserve that secret for yourself, thinking it creates some bond between us because you know something no one else knows."
Joker listened, for once without a comment or witty response. He didn't know what to say all he knew was that Batman had a point…Hell he was right!
Damn him.
"You won't tell anyone simply because, I'm too much fun." Batman said now all humor gone as he regurgitated the Joker's words. He sat up and pushed the Joker away from him and moved to lean against the wall. Joker had nearly fallen on his rump when the Caped Crusader had shoved him but had caught himself. He stood then and stared at the Bat who simply stared back.
For a moment Batman thought the Jester was going to attack him with the intensity of the gaze. Immediately he braced himself, knowing it was going to take all his will power to subdue the Joker if he needed to.
His concern was quickly abolished when the Joker burst into a fit of laughter so intense he fell onto his rump. Batman just watched in mild suspicion until the man settled into a mild giggle.
"Well played Bats…Hehe…Haha...You got me!" The clown giggled out with a shake of the hand, "You're right…Why would I spoil so many good times?"
Batman said nothing only shook his head and let out a quiet sigh as he wondered how he got into this mess.
"Well Bats I say we…"
Suddenly he stopped, his eyes narrowed as his smile grew. Immediately Batman knew what had happened. He heard it too after all; the soft sound of footsteps and whispering on the floor below them.
"…Take this time to bid adieu to this place and find a new favorite hangout." Joker stood quickly and quickly ran back into the Jokerfied lounge. For a moment he thought that perhaps the man had left him, not that it would have surprised him he still felt a slight pang of betrayal.
The strangers were getting closer and as quick as he could the Bat stood up, supporting himself on the wall and was about to make his leave when the Joker returned to his side.
"Don't look so surprised. After everything we've been through you think I'd leave you like that? I'm hurt Batsy…Truly." The Joker grinned as he noticed the Bat's look of surprise before snapping Batman's utility belt around the larger man's waist.
Batman frowned but said nothing as he pushed himself from the wall and began heading down the grate floored hall, "Let's go."
Joker grinned in response and followed behind the man, keeping an open ear as he listened for the intruders. He knew news of him and Batman had probably spread through the Gotham's underground. Damn Harley and her big mouth.
He saw movement below them, looking to be perhaps Black Mask's men or maybe even Penguins. Hell for all he knew right now it could be both. There could be a few downfalls to being out of the loop after all. The Crime loop he meant.
Batman grimaced as he almost lost his footing, but quickly steadied himself on the railing, but he whispered a curse as his glove knocked the metal hard enough to ring.
"What was that?!"
"It came from up there!"
They were moving far too slow, Joker could hear the men coming quickly now, as could Batman who quickly recomposed himself and hurried down the catwalk that connected to the opposite side of the factory.
Joker shook his head realizing quickly that this wasn't going to work. He hurried forward and snatched the Bat's arm wrapping it around his should as he wrapped his own around the Dark Knight's waist. He supported much of the Knights weight but it ended up making it easier to run through the plant.
A few shots were fired and flew right past their heads and into the walls and metal tanks around them, ricocheting off of the catwalk and railing metal. "Well that doesn't sound like party poppers!" The Jester hooted as they ducked their heads quickly making their way across platforms.
They hurried past one of the large chemical tanks using it as cover to hide from the gang members when they realized they were getting too close. As they heard them approaching Batman knew if he didn't do something they would be caught. He quickly reached into his utility belt and grabbed one of the remaining sound bombs. He quickly launched it using what strength he had and it went off with a loud bang.
They heard the men shout at one another for cover before they ran towards the sound. The duo ducked down as a few men ran right past the spot they hid. When they vanished around the corner the pair stood straight, both thankful for the shadow cast by the large chemical container.
"This way!"
"It's over here, come on! I ain't going alone!"
"Oh, nice throw Bats!" Joker giggled quietly before pressing onward with the man. They stumbled their way quickly down a set of stairs, being as quiet as possible in the process until they made it to the ground floor. All that was left was to find an exit and leave and get as far away from this building as possible.
"It's a shame we can't use your Batmobile isn't it?" Joker crackled as he helped Batman through the building. They dodged many men using the piping, tanks and other mechanical devices in the building.
"I wonder whose fault that is." Batman ground out, he felt weaker and weaker. He was half concerned that Joker might end up having to drag him out of here at this rate. They needed to get to safety and fast.
The sad fact was the Joker knew this as well. The fact was it was his fault Batman was like this! Oh what terrible timing these men had. Seems the Joker needed to lower the dosage because frankly this was getting ridiculous. He might as well piggy back the man beside him to safety but he knew said man would rather be shot in the face than go through that. A crackle slipped past the Joker's lips at the idea of them piggy backing through the factory. Oh those men sure would have a funny story to tell.
Well maybe not…Joker already had plans to track these men down and end them for disrupting them in one of his many homes.
"Joker, there's the exit." Batman said pointing to the left where an emergency exit sat waiting. Joker grinned in response as they hurried their way across the room; ducking as low as possible without aggravating the Bat's wounds and straining him too much. They paused for a moment when they saw Black mask and a few of his goons walk by, guns in hand. He motioned for two to stay with him and the rest to spread out.
Batman yanked Joker to cover and forced him to duck down as low as possible in the shadow of a large pipe. Oh what he would do for an air duct at this point.
"No need to manhandle Bats…I know you're nervous but we can cuddle later." Joker whispered before covering his mouth to repress a giggle. Batman elbowed him sharply in the ribs as Sionis looked their way.
"Stay still." Batman ordered shoving Joker down lower as he himself ducked and used his cape to hide them both so they blended with the surrounding gloom.
Finally Black Mask looked away as a radio call came in. He listened to the call for a moment before he let out an angry snarl, "What do you mean you can't find them?! I want them alive, or at least mostly. So don't you dare let Penguin or that weed bitch find them before me or you're dead. You hear?! Dead!"
They heard a terrified whimper on the other end before the call was cut off. With a shake of his head Black Mask turned back towards the spot he previously swore he saw something. Gun at the ready he walked closer into the shadow.
Nothing was there.
Batman and Joker quickly and quietly crawled out from under a large pipe, Joker checking for cover before helping Batman out and to his feet.
"Oh Bats, it's hide and seek! Except….Well…We might die!" Joker giggled earning a sharp glare from the Cape clad man beside him.
Joker gave an amused shrug before helping Batman through the rest of the factory. Unfortunately by now their exit was blocked by Sionis' men. Apparently the man got wise to their plan and decided to take precaution. The men were too far apart to take down alone without high risk due to what they were packing and Batman was in no condition to do it. Joker may have been able, but better not to risk it with the guns they were carrying. Even at his full capabilities Batman would have been cautious.
"Guess there's no choice." Batman growled pushing himself away from Joker, "You take the one on the right."
Joker grinned from ear to ear, "Your wish is my command Bat-babe!"
Batman held back a sigh as he glanced towards the men devising a plan quickly. He turned back to the Jester to share it, only to discover he had vanished. Cursing he looked about trying to spot him and after a time he did. Somehow he had managed to make his way onto the thick electric wires above his man, but he didn't move from there. Obviously he was waiting and judging by the fact that the Clown was staring directly at him he could only assume it was him he was waiting on.
Batman quickly took action. Sneaking around to the other man, sticking close to the shadows and though he was slower and clumsier then usual he remained focused and mostly undetectable. Only a few times had the men looked up at a sudden poor footing the Bat had made. Though they had guns ready now, they had no idea that Batman was beside one and Joker above the other.
Again Batman looked up to the Joker who still had his eyes trained on the Bat, waiting for a signal.
Odd…The man never waited for anyone's orders but his own.
Though he hated to admit it, he assumed it was due to the fact that the Joker didn't want him dead and was probably checking in case he needed to handle the situation alone.
Batman quickly grabbed the man round the throat with one arm, using his other hand to cover his mouth and nose. The man panicked and flailed, gun shooting aimlessly for a minute due to the shock before clattering to the ground when the man lost his grip. It took only a moment before Batman hit the pressure point that quickly knocked the man out without further fuss.
Batman looked up and saw that the other man was also taken out, except he was dead. The large gash in his throat was proof of that as the man lay gurgling while blood poured from his wound.
"Joker!" Batman yelled and went for the man and grabbed his collar.
"Oh Bats let's do this later, I promise I'll let you beat me like a domestic abuse victim later but right now we should be going." Joker motioned to the figures in the distance running towards them then to Batman's side, "And that looks rather nasty."
Batman gave the man a questioning look before looking down. Blood was pouring from a wound in his side, one made by stray bullets. Batman cursed before the Joker jerked him through the door, grabbing a fallen crowbar as he went. He turned and slipped the bar between the handle's preventing the door from opening.
At least temporarily.
"Let's go." Joker said sternly, he motioned to cars in the distance and looked to Batman who could only agree.
They made their ways for the cars and were half there before spotting a group of armed men in the area. That along with the fact that the banging on the doors behind them was going to quickly grow attention led them to believe they were in a world of trouble.
"Well…Now this is a plot twist isn't it?" Joker grinned at Batman, a wild laugh escaping his throat as the men outside took notice of them.
It's been a while since my last update, sorry about that!
Here's chapter ten! Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the great reviews guys. Really keeps me going!
Also, big thanks to my new beta xcite for editing!