Hey guys, Firstly I'm so grateful to all of my readers, thank you for sticking with me so far, and here I thought no one would like my story *laughs nervously* but looks like you guys are dying for more, so I'll continue with this story. Secondly, I have reached chapter 10 YAY! If you had told me that one of my stories would have 39 REVIEWS, 79 followers, and 60 favourites, I would have called you a liar. Anyway enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 10
Bruce readied himself to face the Joker. The footsteps got louder. Louder. Louder. Until Bruce saw a foot appear in the corner and then the whole figure came into view. Bruce let out a relieved sigh and closed his eyes briefly but he soon regretted ever opening his eyes again.
It was Jonathon Crane.
His condescending smile really put Bruce on an edge, what more was that he was wearing his usual suit and had a badge on his chest that said 'Dr. Crane'. Bruce, himself, was taken aback by the fact that Dr. Arkham had employed Crane A.K.A Scarecrow after Fright Night. As he came towards them he felt Precious (Alisa) stiffen in his arms. He looked down at her and saw that she was stoical; which really put him off as Precious was always beaming.
"Mr Wayne" Jonathan drew out his name "What would someone like you be doing in-" Jonathan froze when his eyes landed on Precious. Bruce could practically feel the tension become thick as Crane's censorious gaze swept upon Precious. Bruce observed Crane carefully and the more he observed him, the more his nerves heightened. Bruce watched with disquietude as he took note of the dilation of Crane's pupils. Was that a flash of recognition?
Crane blinked rapidly and Bruce watched as Crane gathered himself. Crane still ogled Precious as he started to enquire about her "And who have we here?" he slightly bent over to get a 'better' look.
Bruce answered begrudgingly "This, here, Mr. Crane is Precious"
Crane still did not avert his eyes to Bruce "Precious?" he raised his brows "Well I believe it's time for you and Precious to leave as we have a escaped patient… please do come again" Crane gestured to the door with his eyes still on Precious.
"I don't think-" Bruce was about to give him a piece of his mind but Crane had yet shocked him again when he quickly put in "Oh I wasn't talking to you Mr. Wayne"
Finally Crane's eyes now rested on Bruce but every now and then he would peek at Precious. He smiled sinisterly and quickly led them to the now closed entrance doors. He pulled his badge up to a scanner on the side and the doors groaned open "It was a pleasure to see you again" Crane sneered before the doors closed again; the building going on lockdown.
Bruce hastened to his car, plopped Precious in her seat, and sped off away from Arkham, never to return.
Crane's words replayed in his mind as he sped back to the Wayne estate "It was a pleasure to see you again". What had him distressed was that he didn't know who Crane had directed that to. To Bruce. Or to Precious. Bruce wasn't sure but now he knew he never wanted Precious to be anywhere near that man at all. Ever. There were so many emotions coursing through Crane's eyes when he noticed Precious. Bruce recognised most of them but the one that horrified him was the one emotion he had seen one too many times. Lust.
It arouse a deep feeling of protection in him for Precious and Bruce feared that Precious was in more danger than he had originally thought.
Speaking of Precious, she seemed to be quiet, too quiet. Something had happened between her and Joker but Bruce only knew this because of Joker's reaction otherwise Bruce would never be able to tell when looking at Precious' eyes. There was something about them that made her seem enigmatic. You could only read her eyes if she wanted you to, otherwise she was like a closed book, hidden.
Sometime Precious was a down right infant but deep down Bruce felt that Precious was precocious.
Joker hid behind the corner and listened intently, straining his ears for anything important. Originally, his plan was to snatch Alisa away from the low-life known as Bruce Wayne and flee Arkham but then when he saw Jonathan Crane he decided to use him as a diversion and sneak Alisa away from Mr. Play-boy over there. Unfortunately, it didn't go to plan. Why? Well, to put it simply Joker found something too crucial to dismiss and he wasn't all too happy about it. At all.
As Joker hid behind the corner and strained to hear every sound, he peeked around the corner to get a glimpse of his Alisa and felt his heart stop for a millisecond. That look on Alisa's face was all too familiar to him as he had seen that look in himself. To any ignoramus person she may have looked uninterested, bored, but if you looked deep into her eyes you could see the intent of malicious murder, the intent to inflict the intended person as much pain as possible. Joker wondered if Alisa knew Crane and his question was answered when he heard Crane halt mid-sentence.
Joker felt something clutch onto his heart as he heard nothing but silence "So, the Crow knows my little girl?"
"And who have we here?" Crane sounded too intrigued for Joker's liking.
Bruce answered "This, here, Mr. Crane is Precious"
"Precious?" Joker could sense the humour in his question "Well I believe it's time for you and Precious to leave as we have a escaped patient… please do come again"
"I don't think-" Bruce began but Crane quickly added "Oh I wasn't talking to you Mr. Wayne"
"What have we here? Fascination?" Joker cursed in his head.
Joker vaguely heard the doors open and heard Crane sneer "It was a pleasure to see you again".
Joker had no doubt that it was directed to his Alisa and Joker felt his anger boil. "Pleasure? You, Crane, are not allowed to feelpleasure when it comes to my Alisa"
Once the door closed securely Joker made his move and quietly sauntered behind Scarecrow "What have we, uh, here?"
Crane visibly tensed and turned around slowly "Joker"
"Crow. Y'know, I don't get it how-ah someone like you is able to work in a place like this" Joker spread his arms out to emphasise his meaning. Crane just stood there, scrutinizing him, like he had every right to.
Joker licked his lips "Say, just now, you seemed to know my Alisa, and you, uh, seemed to be really interested in her, too." Joker's voice became more and more threatening with each word.
"Alisa?" Crane's face scrunched in confusion before his face brighten and his pupils dilated significantly "Ah, you mean Precious"
Joker's eyes twitched in anger when Crane uttered the name 'Precious'. Joker licked his lips and shook his head slowly "No her name-ah is not Precious, it's Alisa and I, uh, wanted to ask you a few questions about her"
Crane smirked "And what would like to know about Miss V-" Crane froze and anticipated a receiving scowl from the Joker to which he did.
"What were you, uh, going to say?" Joker tilted his head downwards which cast a shadow on his eyes which made him look even more murderous.
Crane hastily retorted with "Are you concerned for her?"
"Concerned? Oh no, no, no, no. I merely wish to, uh, inform you that" Joker licked his lips "that I don't share my toys with anyone else"
Crane narrowed his eyes "Toy?"
"Yeah, she's my toy-ah. Get It. Mine. Must I really leave my mark on her to make you understand, to make everyone understand that she belongs. To. Me. And me only" Joker raised his hands to his chest.
"Do I sense a hint of possessiveness?" Crane mocked Joker.
Joker was on him on seconds, he gripped Crane's neck and shoved him behind a wall "See that thing is…" Joker nodded, licking his lips "I like to know every single thing about my toys and you, seem to know a lot more about my Alisa than I do and y'know what? I. Don't. Like. That."
Crane swallowed thickly.
Joker grinned ear to ear and lowered his head to his "Sooooo… You're gonna to tell me everything you know, 'kay?"
Crane's eyes dilated in ecstasy "Oh, I would love to talk about her for days on end but unfortunately we don't have the time"
Just then Joker heard heels clicking on the floor across him "Mistah J! Mistah J! We gotta go!" Harley scurried to them, once she was by his side she grabbed his left arm that wasn't gripping Crane's neck and squealed "Mistah J! Com' on"
Before Harley could utter another word, Joker hardened his hold on Crane's neck "I need a name!" he whispered with an animalistic growl.
Much to everyone's surprise Crane attempted to laugh and shook his head in a 'No' motion. This only infuriated Joker even more "A name!" he ordered but he could hear the nearing footsteps of the security.
Crane only shook his head again, when he looked at Joker straight in the eye, Joker made out so many emotions. One of them was madness.
"Mistah J!" Harley pulled on his arm, but Joker did not budge. Not even an inch. It was only when the footsteps were right around the corner did Joker swipe Crane's badge away and fled the Asylum.
Bruce carried Alisa into the manor and set her down in the living room. Alfred entered the room silently and folded his hands in front of him "Master Wayne, Precious" he bowed.
Alisa shook her head "I's name is Alisa, not Precious"
Alfred raised his brow whilst Bruce took a step back in surprise "You can speak again?" Bruce breathed out.
Alisa beamed, nodded, and then knocked her head slightly near her scar "Alisa remembered!"
Alfred glanced towards Bruce questionably before speaking to Alisa "Would this be, by any chance, related to the Joker, mame?"
Alisa being as oblivious as a child, nodded, smiled and closed her eyes "Uh huh"
"And did the Joker tell you that your name was Alisa?" Bruce nodded towards the window that gave a clear view of Gotham and Arkham.
Alisa nodded again.
"Precious, the Joker is a very dangerous man, he was most likely lying to you"
"Oh, Alisa know that Joker is dangerous man but Alisa know that Joker was no lying when he talked to Alisa"
Bruce winced every time she said 'Joker', and her high pitch voice wasn't helping him "Precious why don't you-"
Alisa pouted "I's Alisa"
Bruce blinked rapidly "Alisa~" he drew out, checking how it sounded against his tongue. "Very well, Alisa, I believe you should go and rest up, you've had a long day"
Alisa pulled off her scarf, placed it gently onto the side, and rested a hand on her chin in fake contemplation "Hmm, okay!"
She stood up, grabbed the scarf, and headed towards her towards the bedrooms. Once she was out of sight Bruce spoke quickly and silently "Keep an extra eye on her, Alfred. She's in deeper than I thought"
"I already was, Sir" Alfred bowed with a sly smile.
Bruce nodded before going to his room, he opened the door but froze. There in the middle of his own bedroom stood Alisa putting on her turtle neck pyjama top; worst part was she was not wearing a bra, and half of her scarred back was exposed to him. By the time she had put it on the whole door was open but Bruce had still gotten a glimpse of her scarred body.
What had really made Bruce ponder at night when he held Precious- (Sorry), Alisa was how she had received such scars. There were was a variation of scars on her body. There were scars of stitches, burn scars, scars of stabbings and even scars of electrocution. Yes, it would make one contemplate as to how someone so innocent had received them, how and by whom. It also made one muse on how she had not gone absolutely bonkers.
It was no wonder she hid every bit of skin.
She was disgusted by herself.
She had a sense of abhorrence for herself.
This made Bruce woeful as he had never seen anyone as strong as Alisa: and she looked down upon herself like she was a pile of maggots swarming a carcass. Bruce felt honoured to have met someone like Alisa. Every day he would see her smiling lie she had never learnt the meaning of pain but at night he could feel what life had given her and it sickened him yet made him admire her even more. Bruce thought he knew what misery was yet every time he would feel the raw skin underneath her clothes he would remember that Alisa had gone through hell and yet managed to keep her sanity at check and still be so kind-hearted, innocent, even childish.
Alisa turned around "Ah Brucey" she hoped in her spot like nothing had happened, like Bruce had not walked in on her while she was changing "Come on, sleep time!" she walked forward and grabbed his right forearm.
He looked down on her "What?
Alisa hurried over to the bed and jumped onto it "Goodnight Brucey!"
Bruce cringed, her voice was so high pitched it hurt his ears at times but, ironically, it suited her no matter how terrifying she looked. Bruce sighed as he headed to the bathroom to get changed and to join Alisa.
Tomorrow was going to be a long day. Bruce was hosting a fund raiser for the DA: William Jackman.
Oh and did I mention Alisa will be there too.
To be continued…
Thank you for reading. Here's a short update as I haven't update in like forever, so I hope you review and leave a small comment on how you might like a bit more Joker POV or if you don't want Joker's POV at all. Thank you for reading. Please leave a review. I will bring another update soon. Maybe a few day or a few weeks.
Suki