AN: sorry I haven't updated. Been doing research for "Monster At My Window" and for this as well. Well, here it is, enjoy and let me know what you think :D
Bruce hissed in pain as he set his foot on the cold tile floor of the hospital hallway. His body-weight being held up by his hands on a walker. A nurse behind him, helping him keep steady. After laying in a hospital bed for a month the doctors felt he was ready to start walking again, fearing he may have (or get) muscle weakness from lack of movement and from the area the tumor was removed. They were all glad to find out it was just weakness from laying in bed for so long and boy did it hurt to move again.
The first time he stood up (or attempted to) he just tumbled back down. Had it not for Jack there to catch him. The nurses were nice and did a good job taking care of him but he doubted any of them could catch his 6'5 solid body of 200-pounds. All muscle by the way which is heavier then fat. But Jack, to the nurses shock (and his semi-shock) caught him, no problem, thou he nearly tumbled from the impact but not the weight. It shocked him a little every time Jack did something like that. He kept forgetting how much strength lay under his small 5'8 frame.
Bruce stopped for the moment,catching his breath. Jack was in front of him, with that cocky grin of his thou he could tell by the look in those green eyes it was laced every so delicately with concern. "Come'on Brucie, you can do this. If it helps to motivate you, you could think all the amazing wild sex were gonna have after this." He could tell Jack nearly busted into his manic giggles at seeing the nurses face but kept his cool, even under the glare of the blushing nurse. Bruce laugh lightly. The nurse spoke sternly. "Mr. Napier, could you please refrain from talking about such things? We are in a hospital." Jack sighed. "Your no fun. I thought nurses were like the ones you see on pay per view but I guess I was lead wrong." Bruce tried not to laugh, he knew it wasn't helping the nurse but it was quite funny to see her get so flustered. He just hoped he didn't take it too far.
Before the nurse could glare and lecture him again Bruce spoke. A slight smile on his face. "Jack, shut up for a little bit and let the nurse do her job." Jack just sighed once more and leaned against the wall. "Fine, only for you Brucie" The rest of the time went pretty smoothly. Only one or two jokes came from Jack instead of it being consent. Finally the walking was over and both he and Jack lay in the hospital bed, Jack snuggled close, his head resting just under his chin. Suddenly Jacks head shot up much like a dog when it hears something.
"Did you hear that?" His voice just above a whisper. A bit of paranoia lacing his voice. Bruce spoke, worried. "What is it?" Jack gently stood up and off the bed, walking out of the room, into the hallway. "A bird. I heard a bird." Bruce looked strangely him. "Jack, were in a hospital. There's no birds in here." But Jack didn't listen and he feared it was another horrific hallucination. Thou they were less often, it didn't stop him from having gone at least twice a month, or more. But that's better then every day.
Jack looked out into the hallway. He saw a few nurses and a patient and over it he could hear a faint cawing. It sounded sad, injured even. Jack turned to Bruce. "I'll be right back." He said as he started going down the hallway, following the sound. Bruce watched and slowly started to get out of bed. His walker right by his bedside. He stood up, shakily on his two feet, his hands supporting most of the weight on the walker, he followed Jack out into the hallway. Damn, Jack was already nearly at the end of the hall. As he walked he watched very closely. Jack stopped, listening. Some nurses and patients were staring, wondering what he's doing. Once he caught the sound again, he went out of his sight to the left. Dammit.
Jack made his way down the hallway. This was different. There was nobody in sight and it seemed a lot more quiet. The cawing became louder as he walked down what he now found out was a hallway that goes toward the morgue. These must be mostly cleaning and maintenance closest then, explains how quiet it is. He got closer the the morgue doors, ones he isn't allowed behind and looks in the window. The bird he heard is just behind the large doors. His wing injured rendering him unable to fly yet he tries so very hard to. Gently Jack went thru the door.
"Hello, nurse.." Bruce said to the nearest nurse he could find, he needed help getting jack. She smiled. "Hello Mr. Wayne, your looking much better." He smiled enough to thank her but got on to business. "I need your help."
Jack was surprised he was able to get this close to the bird but he was able to reach out a hesitant hand toward it. "Here birdie, it's ok." The bird just looked at his hand, then to him. After a few quiet seconds it opened it's beak wide and made a horrible, scratchy cawing sound. Jack jumped back,his back against the wall. Soon the whole ward he was in became swallowed in darkness. He breathed heavy, trying to stay calm, mumbling to himself that it was only his mind. "All in my head. All in my head. All in my head." But it didn't help as he saw a scarily familiar figure with a burlap sack on his head. Jack was shaking now, trying his best not to scream in terror. But the figure of scarecrow got closer and soon was inches from his face. He spoke in the deep, raspy, haunting voice that Jack knew all too well. "Whats the matter little clown? Not having fun?" The tears started falling down jacks face.
Scarecrow continued on. Bringing a scalpel to his face. He could feel the cold metal. He froze. He couldn't even scream for Bruce he was terrified. "How about we play a game? You like games don't you? I know you do. Lets see how many cuts it takes for you to bleed out. Lets begin." Scarecrow got one cut to his face before Jack started screaming, his green eyes wide and his body pined against the wall.
Bruce heard the scream and cursed at himself for not being able to help him. He and the nurse were almost there but it got worse before they could get to him. The nurse ran the rest of the way and entered the entrance of the morgue. He was just about to open the door when he heard Jack cry out. "Get away! I want Bruce! Where is he!" Bruce rushed much as he could and opened the door. He came to the familiar sight of Jack, huddled against the wall, knees up to his chest and arms tightly wound around them. Tears pouring and green eyes wide with fear. He spoke softly. "Jack. I'm here." He gave the nurse his walker, putting his weight on the wall. He could see the nurse was shocked but hadn't cared. All he cared about was huddled on the floor in fear, needing him.
He nearly fell but he made it into a sitting position on the floor. He put his arms around Jack who immediately wrapped himself around Bruce, crying into his chest. After a few minutes of calming jack down, the nurse helped Bruce back up to his walker. Once the three of them made it back to there hallway, they were met by Dr. Heart. He smiled thou there was a bit of worry in his eyes.
"Hello boys. See your out and about, Mr. Wayne. How are you feeling?"
Bruce smiled weakly. "Better." "That's good." He paused. "There is something I would like to talk to you about something. If you would like to you can come back to my office or in your room." "Your office would be great. I need to get out of that room and see some color."
Jack didn't like being in this room. It was becoming scarily familiar and each time they came in here there was bad news. This time he felt wouldn't be any different. "When we did the biopsy we found trace amounts of the same fear gas that Jack is suffering from. Crane was right when it stuck to the brain and would break away over time. But since your tumor had trace amounts of it in it, we think that the fear gas was contagious." Jacks eyes bugged out. "contagious?" "Yes. It seems it was the cause for the tumor to form, the tumor just, built up around it." Jack and Bruce were both speechless. Bruce was in eerie wonder. Jack 's hands were shaking from the amount of anger surging thru him. Crane nearly killed the only good thing he had. The only thing he has ever cared about or gave a damn about. Oh, he was gonna pay.
Once they were back in Bruce's hospital room, Jack started pacing. Bruce attempted to calm him down. "I cant calm down. He nearly killed you. I nearly killed you." Bruce sighed. Knowing Jack was feeling guilty. "Jack, this wasn't your fault." "No,it was Cranes fault! Damn deranged doctor! He probably knew it would be contagious to! Oh,he is going to pay." Jack growled out. "Jack, don't-" "Don't what? He deserves worse then death." Bruce was getting scared. He could tell the Joker inside of Jack was ebbing its way out. "I didn't say he didn't deserve it Jack.-" "But you didn't agree. I know somewhere in that heroic head of yours you think I'm wrong." Bruce snapped. His frustration getting the best of him. "Because you'll kill him!" Jack smiled, almost smirking, full of malice and it was so familiar. It was the same smile the Joker got when he got an idea.
"Oh Brucie, you know me too well." The sheets became gripped in Bruce's white knuckle grip from fear of his Jack being replaced with the Joker once again and the frustration of not being able to do anything to stop him. At least not yet. "Don't do it. Jack. You-" "I'll what? Regret it?" Jack laughed, that laugh scary that was far too familiar. Soon his face became serious and dark.
He walked closer to Bruce. "You know how many people I've killed. Tortured. Just for the hell of it. What in that little bat brain of yours thinks I would regret this?" His voice was barely above a whisper. Bruce snapped again. His eyes watering and his voice cracking. "Dammit, Jack come back. I don't want the Joker. I want jack." "Jack looked emotionless. Before he could retort Bruce grabbed his head, gripping dirty blonde curls in his hands, kissing him hard. He didn't stop the tears going down his face, wetting jacks face as well.
He felt Jack kiss back limply. He moved a hand to his shoulder and arm, holding him steady. He could feel him shaking. He gently broke the kiss to see tears in green orbs. His lip trembling. Jack spoke, his voice cracked, full of guilt. "I'm so sorry I did this to you." Bruce gently caressed his thumb to Jacks now wet cheek. He spoke softly, bringing there foreheads together. "shh, its ok. You didn't know. We both didn't." Jack let a sob escape his mouth before he spoke. "I love you."Bruce smiled sadly. "I love you to."