She had woken up that morning with a splitting headache and inside a dark metal room on top of a unfamiliar bed. It was freaky to say the least.
A glass of water and two Advil were stationed on the side table along with a small pile clothes. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
It wasn't till the afternoon that she had contact with Batman again.
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Andrea sighed happily as she took in the small table for two, which she noted was only set for one. "Real food!"
"I suppose the Joker isn't much of a romantic, "Batman muttered.
Andrea shook her head as she eagerly sat down to lift the silver plated cover off her plate. Hidden underneath was a dish of steaming pasta. She was starving.
"To be honest, I would say he's more of a Chris Brown kind of romantic. Or maybe tie you to the bed and burn the house with you in it kind of guy." Andrea smiled at her poorly made joke. "Err... are you going to join me?"
Batman shifted slightly and managed to crack a slight smile, "I see… and no I don't eat while I'm working, as a rule." He moved closer, his eyes examining the scars. "Do they hurt?"
Andrea flinched, fork halfway to her mouth. She had almost forgotten about the pale white lines etched into her face. "They sometimes do… but it's not real pain. Just in here. " She indicated to herself by tapping one finger against the side of her head.
"May I?"
Andrea apprehensively nodded, and he reached out to trace the scars that swirled from one eye all the way down her neck. She shivered at his touch.
"Sorry."
Batman's gruff voice made her glance up at him. "Whatever for? For the scars or for me being here?" She scoffed. "I can't even say it was by chance that lead the Joker to me. Milo Greene did. He gave the Joker my drawings. I'm not even supposed to be alive anymore. Did you know that? That I went to a party held by Bruce Wayne and I was abducted by the Joker even before I had the chance to enjoy myself? They blocked a side alley that I had taken since traffic seemed slow. He was waiting for me."
Andrea paused. "I'm not saying all this because I think I'm special. It's just I want you to know I didn't volunteer for this. For any of this. If I could, I would go back and never attend that party, never leave home. But I can't. No one seems to have invented a time machine yet." She commented dryly.
"So do I have to stay here forever?" Andrea had polished off the pasta quickly, and was now firing off questions of her own.
"I am releasing you."
Andrea started and stared at him, "Actually?"
"Yes." Batman's gravely voice was emotionless.
She frowned, "Why?"
"Because if I don't.. Joker had declared that he will start blowing up schools until you're returned to him."
A gasp escaped Andrea, and she held her hand over her mouth in horror. "He can't… he can't do that!"
"School's are being evacuated as we speak. Joker is adamant that his 'doll' is returned. "
And so Andrea was left in Gotham Central Park near dusk as per the instructions of the Joker.
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Shivering in the clothes that Batman had given to her, she waited for something to happen. For anyone to arrive. Andrea was feeling worn and her hair was a mess. She doubted anyone would recognise her at all in the park.
"Yo, you Andy?" She turned towards a young black man, who had called her name. "Uh… yes?"
"Good, cause the Joker's waiting."
She was then shuffled into a van and sandwiched between two men who reeked of pot.
They stopped outside her apartment complex and left her. Andrea looked around nervously; Joker wasn't going to be in a good mood. Seeing no one, she went in to take the elevator up. Of course he would be waiting for her.
What she wasn't expecting was the semi burnt micro-waved meals, or the lit candles. Joker was standing by the table, his shoe tapping against the floor repetitively. "Finallly-ah!"
He pulled the chair out with a scrapping noise and began shovelling the food into his mouth. Andrea was speechless. Taking the coat off, she draped it over the back of the couch and warily watched him.
"Aren't you going to sit and eat. I prepared this ya know." Cautiously she perched on the chair opposite Joker and took a small bite of the burnt steak. It tasted of charcoal and was tough as nails. "Sooo Deeedeee.. How was the Bat Cave… Assuming our dear flying rodent brought you there." He stared long and hard at her as she attempted to swallow the chunk of meat.
"I was left in a cargo hold." Andrea flatly told him after she forced the meat down. Pushing the container away she defiantly stared back at him. He looked darkly at her, "Well Andy Dandy.. I think I'm going to have to have a word with Batsy about manners."
Andrea rolled her eyes and got up to close the balcony doors. Joker had left them open and the air was getting colder. "Andy… For your sake, I hope he didn't touch you… or even look at you twice. He's got a thing for brunette's."
Andrea paused and turned to him, her hand against the wall. "Or what?"
"I'd have to kill-ah you."
"You can kill me.. When you catch me.." Andrea murmured.
He hurled a knife at her
..just as the lights went out.
Andrea had hit the switch and rolled away to the right and towards the open balcony doors. The night was moonless for once and she crept outside, flattening herself against the wall. Trying to keep her breathing hushed was hard, her heart sounded like a loud beating drum in her ears. An irrational thought said he would find her just by that simple thud thud of her racing heart.
Joker glared, He heard the thud of his knife hitting and digging into the plaster of the wall. It was a hollow sound in comparison to what it should have sounded like.
"Ready to play I see.. Andra-AH." He snarled into the blackness. The man could barely make out the furniture in the room and stubbed his foot against the couch as he attempted to move to where he thought she would head. "Bugger!" He swore, rashly kicking at the couch in anger.
Then silence.
"Anddd Raayyy Ahh" He lengthened the sound of her name and she winched. More and more her life was seeming like some terrible horror movie. The mass murder stalking through her house with a knife, ready to gut her at any time. This time she didn't hear him come up beside her.
"Gotcha." She screamed, and he clamped his hand over her mouth. "Shhhh… Shhh. It's okay, doll face." Joker stroked her face in a reassuring manner; this only made her panic more. Andrea clutched at him, grasping at labels as he pushed her against the wall. "My my.. We do seem to end up in this position a lot." He leaned in and breathed in her ear, "and what a nice position it is."
"Promise not to scream? I mean.. I wouldn't mind at all. But I do think that we should save it for the bedroom." Andrea was speechless. He was suggesting sex?
"WHAT?" Joker had finally removed his hand from her mouth. He frowned, tsking at her. "You don't like the idea? We could instead just cut your throat out and be done with all this…" He ran the cool blade of his knife against her skin, gently tracing out the patterned scar on her face. "So what did Batsy want-tah… with you."
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Author's Note: It's short again.. maybe a little rushed. But I wanted to put something out while I was thinking about it. PS This is a birthday gift from myself from my birthday :) i am also working on a Harry Potter fanfiction. Have about 10 chapters done, and will start publishing that soon for anyone wanting to check that out.