~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch. 9: They know…

There was a large black bruise on the inside of her arm. Those fucking doctors took so much blood that she was very lightheaded. Eve suffered through three withdrawals today and took more than the recommended pint known for donating…it felt more like a liter! So anytime a guard, nurse or doctor came near her, she snapped at them and threatened to bite them if they took more.

She wanted to rub the discolored skin so badly but it would probably make the bruising worse. Plus she was still tied down to her bed…and unfortunately listening to Joker cackling and mumbling to himself. She stare up at the ceiling and began counting the tiles out of boredom.

Joker had slowly recovered from the previous day's events. It wasn't as bad as the first wave of sickness had been. He was thinking about how he was going to get out of this mess. He couldn't kill the girl and she flaunted that fact. It pissed him off to high hell.

"I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for her!" he said to himself. "Well I suppose it is partially my fault…but if she had died when she was supposed to! Fuck! How the hell am I going to get out of this?" He glanced over to his right. The girl was staring at the ceiling, looking dazed. She did give quite a bit of blood last night. Still, he couldn't help but feel happy that she was as miserable as he was.

Eve wanted to roll over onto her side so badly; she knew the nut job was staring at her. There was no way she could take him out on her own except to deprive him of what he needed most. Being stuck in Arkham was a problem because the doctors would be withdrawing from her almost monthly for Joker's meds. Still, she needed to try.

Two hours later three orderlies released both of them from their beds. Eve promised to behave so she wouldn't have anyone restraining her on the way back to her cell. She was untied first and as the orderlies went to unbuckle the Joker, she wandered over to the door to wait. She would continue this act until she could figure out something.

The inmates were allowed into the recreational room for the next four hours. Eve continued her cover of the 'good girl' so she could get a little freedom. Her arm had been bandaged before she was let out of her cell and she spent the first hour watching television. The loonies around her were spending their time playing card games, chess, and reading books. It was strange how ordinary these people seemed for being in an asylum…or so she thought.

She was minding her own business sitting there on the couch when someone else joined her. Briefly she glanced at the person seated beside her and she instantly leapt from the couch.

"Ivy…"

"Hello darling. How have you been?" Ivy asked casually.

Steamed, Eve said, "Not so good. I feel like a pin cushion these days."

Ivy smiled, "So I've heard. Well then I should tell you that I'm being interrogated daily for a cure."

"I know that. Anyways, Joker won't kill me while we're stuck in this predicament." Eve sat back down, "Why are you approaching me all of a sudden?"

"I just wanted to warn you."

"Warn me? Of what?"

Ivy lay back against the couch cushion and leaned her head back, "I just thought you'd like to know that word has gone around about your situation."

"So?"

"Nobody has ever been able to kill the Joker because of his unique fighting capabilities and gases. He always slipped through his enemy's fingers. Now you have been brought into the picture and everyone knows that you are the only thing keeping the Joker alive."

"Okay and?"

Ivy smiled, "If I were you, I'd be on the lookout."

Eve swallowed hard, "I never thought of that. I gotta kill the Joker before I'm taken out," she whispered. She thought for a moment, "What about you?"

"What about me? I have no interest in killing you."

"Good to know."

Ivy sat up and got off the couch, "Be on your guard deary, you're surrounded by lunatics." She then walked away and seated herself with some other women for a game of cards.

It was true; Eve was the only link keeping Joker alive. That means people would go after her to get at him! She looked at all the people in the rec room, they seemed harmless enough but Ivy was right, she can't trust anyone. She no longer felt safe and decided she wanted to leave free time early. She was taken back to her cell.

For some strange reason she was perfectly happy in the safety of her cell. Only one person has been able to sneak in so far, nobody else seemed to know about the hole Joker put in the ceiling…which also struck her as odd. There was a little bit of debris in the cell, why hasn't anyone come by to clean it up? The orderlies must be denser than she thought.

She curled up on the floor, her head against the cushiony wall. Of course…as if on queue, she heard someone climbing above her and then a thump as they dropped.

"Hello Joker," she said without enthusiasm. She didn't bother rolling over to look at him.

There was no response, no cackling, or bad joke…

Confused by Joker's silence, she turned over to look at the clown, "What? No puns? No insults? Something's wrong with you." She sat up, "You know you're going to get in trouble again if you keep this up."

The clown said nothing. Instead he stomped his way over to her and harshly grabbed her by the hair, yanking her face upwards so he could see her eyes. "Don't push your luck girly. As soon as a cure is found, I'm going to finish the job." He pulled on her hair so hard that her hands flew up to grab at his wrist.

"Stop!" she begged, "Ow!"

He let go of her hair and she fell back to the floor, grimacing from pain.

"Girly, let's get one thing straight. For the time being, you will do as I say."

"Oh right, like I'm going to take orders from a scumbag like you!" she shouted at him.

"Listen albino runt!" he screeched back at her, "You aren't in a much safer predicament than I am! If you die, I die and I'm not about to let that happen to me!" He dropped to his knees next to her and grabbed her by the shirt, pulling her up, "If you want to last long, you do as I tell you to."

To be outside was a nice change. Eve had settled herself in the gardens. She half expected Ivy to be hanging around and she could use some company…

Eve stared at the little white bell flowers obviously grow by Ivy and she gently touched one. It was soft on her fingertips and she was tempted to pick one but her red headed friend would probably kill her for it. She had thought about what Joker said…perhaps she should have planned ahead for this.

The guards had called all of the inmates indoors and Eve left the garden to go back inside. She stepped in line with the other prisoners, at the very end and climbed the staircase that led indoors. However she was stopped when she reached the top by the single guard. She tried to go around him but he stopped her.

"Miss Eve, come with me please, Dr. Strange wants a word with you."

She rolled her eyes, "We've already had a session this morning."

"Don't argue," he said, "Now come."

Eve followed the brunette guard inside and to the offices of the asylum. Dr. Strange would probably be there already. But what could he want to talk about?

When they reached the office, the guard held the door open for her and she went inside. The room was empty…

"Where is Strange?" she asked.

The guard didn't say anything and stepped inside, followed by locking the door behind him.

In a panic she asked, "What are you doing?"

The guard turned around and sized her up, "You're the only one…"

"Um…what?" Eve put as much distance as she could between them, but the man was slowly walking around the desk and closing in on her.

"You're the only person who can kill the Joker," he said.

"I assure you sir, anyone could kill the Joker if they can get close enough."

The guard was only a few feet away from her "Nobody has ever been able to do it. Now an opportunity has been set before me to get rid of the Joker once ad for all."

She shook her head in disbelief, "You stay back…"

The guard stepped forward, dismissing her statement. Eve then made a mad rush for the door, but she felt a foot catch her at the ankle and she fell to the floor. Seconds afterwards an immense weight sat upon her, pinning her. A set of strong hands wrapped around her throat and began to squeeze tightly.

"Guh!...!!" she squealed, the pressure of the guards fingers cut off her air supply.

"I'm sorry my dear, but killing you would save us a whole lot of trouble," he said. His voice was completely calm as if killing her was no big deal! He pressed her skin harder and she gasped, trying to pull in large gulps of air. She kicked her feet and tried to pry off his fingers.

Her head was beginning to feel light and her eyes were losing their focus. Her hands were loosening and she stopped kicking altogether.

The guard kept squeezing, making sure to finish he job. He still held her as her arms fell away and the paleness of her skin became clammy. She stopped struggling and her chest didn't rise. She was well on her way to death's door. Her lips were turning a shade of purple…

He didn't get up right away; wanting to make sure she died. As he was growing satisfied with his work, there was a loud bang on the office door, followed by a crash. A foot had taken out the hinges out and the door came crashing down.

The guard saw that it was the insane clown himself and he panicked, "How did you get out of your cell?"

Joker's wandered to the guard and then to the floor where Eve still lay beneath the man. Her body was lifeless; eyes closed and hands sprawled out to her sides. Her hair was flayed about the linoleum. In a flash Joker leapt at the guard, taking him backwards. Joker returned the guard's favor by sitting on him; both hands encircling his throat. In absolute rage, Joker said, "Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

The guard sputtered, "Huh?"

"You're about to find out…" Joker said cruelly and he jerked his hands harshly.

There was loud snap and the guard lay on the floor, unmoving.

The clown released the guard's neck and he rolled off the corpse, quickly crawling over to Eve's body. Two of his fingers raced for a spot on her neck and he searched for signs of life. There was a pulse, but it was very weak and she wasn't breathing.

"You idiot!" Joker said angrily, "I told you to be wary of anyone!" He tapped her face, "May this be a lesson to you girly…" He adjusted her head, pushing her chin back, opening up her lips and the airway. He brought his head down to her face, covering her mouth with his and he filled her lungs with a deep breath. Her chest rose with the newly claimed air supply. He sent another puff of air and he backed off to quickly place his hands on her chest. He started compressions, counting to ten and he repeated the process. At first he didn't think it was going to work. After a minute or two, she started gasping and coughing as her lungs took in too much air all at once.

She was very weak from the ordeal and Joker didn't want to leave her alone in case the guard had an accomplice. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the office.

It was only moments before orderlies surrounded the two of them. Eve was only half awake and didn't realize where she was. She was ripped from the Joker's arms and carried away while he was tackled to the floor and restrained in a straight jacket.

That night…

Dr. Strange felt that Eve was okay enough to be released from the hospital wing and back into her cell. She wasn't alone though. Joker managed to escape his straight jacket…again, and he snuck back down into Eve's cell. In her weakened state, Eve just didn't feel like arguing. She let the clown settle himself in the darkest corner of the room.

He didn't take his eyes off of her. She was still plotting to take him out…

They sat kitty corner from each other. Joker had an enormous grin plastered across his face.

"So girly…what was it like having one foot in the grave?"

"How would I know? I don't remember it happening," she said softly. Her eyes felt heavy; she was tired and desperate for sleep but he insisted on keeping her awake.

"Did your life pass before your eyes?" he said and chuckled briefly.

She shot him an annoyed look, "Will you stop?"

"Did you have any regrets?"

"Joker!"

He laughed and crawled across the floor towards her. "They say when your seconds away from death, you have visions of hell…"

That did it…

Eve flung herself forward and slapped him hard across the face.

Stunned with disbelief and a stinging sensation in his cheek, Joker touched the reddened skin on his face. "Did you just bitch slap me?" he asked, sheer amusement in his voice. He rubbed the sore spot and let his hand fall away, balling it up into a fist. He then swung it at her; striking her in the same place she hit him moments ago. She flew back, her head striking the cushioned wall.

"That's my version of the bitch slap babe," he said carelessly, "Oh and you're lucky those walls are padded otherwise you probably would be in a coma." He quickly crawled on top of her, his waist lay against her lower belly; keeping her legs separated.

She didn't try to push him off. She was much too busy fussing with her swollen cheek.

"You're really a glutton for punishment. Do you enjoy pain?" he asked.

"No…I don't enjoy pain!" she said.

"I do!" he said cheerfully, "I enjoy inflicting it on others!"

"I'll bet that's all your capable of! It's all you know!" she shouted.

"No…that's not all," he said calmly, "I'm a raging lunatic and I'm quite capable of being a nice guy when I want to."

"I find that hard to believe," she replied, "Lunatic and nice guy don't go together very well." She began pushing against his chest, "Now will you please get off?"

Joker thought for a moment, "Nah, I don't think I will, I'm happy here…it's nice and warm."

She grit her teeth, ignoring the ache in her face, "You're not a nice guy, you're a pig."

"Sticks and stones babe."

She jerked herself to try and get him off but he moved with her, keeping her on her back, "Joker, I really don't-

"Hush now sweetness," he said, "I'm going to show you how much of a nice guy I can be."

Her eyes widened, "No…"

"Yes," he said and he lowered his face to her neck to leave a tiny kiss on her throat.

"Joker…" she started, a surge of adrenaline pumped its way through her nervous system. She wanted to escape from him.

"I love it when you same my name with fear…" he purred into her ear and he began nuzzling her face.

Eve brought her hands up to his shoulders to push him away but he captured her hands and pushed them to her sides. At this point her body was beginning to betray her. She could scream for help and someone would come, but she could not find her voice. A part of her wanted this and the other half of her conscience told her she would regret it.

"I'm glad you stopped struggling," he whispered, "I'll show you my tender side if you promise to behave." He gave out a lighthearted chuckle.

There was a tiny fire beginning to grow in her belly. Instead of his normal shrill and scratchy voice, his vocals sounded more velvety and fluid to her ears, adding to the eroticism. This wasn't like the first time in the compound. He sounded sincere…she worried that he may be 'joking' with her. Could he be?

"Relax," he said, "You're so tense!"

Of course, he should be telling himself to relax. He wanted so badly to rip off all of her clothes and sheath himself inside her to get rid of the desire. He despised feeling so overwhelmed by emotions but he was doing this for good reason. If he was able to make her become infatuated with him, then he could get one step closer to finding a cure and she would probably want to spend more time with him. In that case, he could also keep a closer eye on her to avoid another situation like this morning.

He dipped his face into her neck; his tongue slid out of his mouth and lapped at the soft flesh. This time he fully intended to take it slow…

To be continued…

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