Ahh, I suppose I have nothing to say but this: the only romance taking place in this fic is that of the Joker/OC , and it's obviously the romance of the twisted, odd variety because I doubt a psychopathic murdering clown could really love someone without klling them. The idea is simply fun to play with . Bruce is simply Elise's friend who is just a flirt, of course. But yes, I just had to clarify. Alright, well on to chapter 11. Happy reading!
Chapter Eleven;
Elise had assumed correctly; Bruce's ride awaited outside in the form of a motorcyle, a Suzuki specifically. Outside, cops and pedestrians alike were running around like chickens with their heads cut off because of the gunshots and the death of Jim Gordon. The chaos around Elise frightened her; she hadn't been around sane people in over a week and the overwhelming sense of disorder unnerved Elise. She took the helmet that Bruce offered her and carefully sat on the back of the ride. When they hit the road, Bruce drove at overwhelming speeds, far beyond that of the road's limits. For a moment, Elise wondered what would happen if he were to get pulled over, but that thought was immediatley brushed aside by the knowledge that there most likely wouldn't be any cops on patrol. Or any that would care about the breaking of the rules of the road. The thought of police at all made Elise's already unstable eyes flood with more tears and behind the protective shield of Bruce's helmet, she let another roar of tears cascade down her pale, drained face.
Elise felt as if she were living in a dream. As she thought, she sat still and corrected her own thoughts: she felt as if she were living in a nightmare. 'This is the part where I should wake up,' she said to herself hopefully. Elise closed her eyes tight for a moment, squeezing the last tears out. When she opened them, she met a completely different sight. Bruce had reached his temporary residence, a luxurious penthouse in the center of Gotham. Elise smiled sadly as she remembered plenty of friendly childhood memories with Bruce, Rachel and their various other friends. Times had always been good to them when they were younger.
But that was the past. In front of her was her present and future, that was her captivity by the Joker and the death of her uncle.
Her Uncle Jim… his sudden, untimely demise made Elise sick to her stomach and she was hoping she'd hear a squad car come racing down the drive and out would jump her uncle, flying out of the car and yelling, "Elise, I had to! I'm sorry!"
Elise wanted to smack herself. Was she really going crazy? Had the Joker gotten to her head after a week of keeping her with him? A hand on her shoulder ripped Elise out of her internal fears and brought to life external ones. The gentle hand on her shoulder reminded Elise of the aggressive, flat out mean grasp the Joker seemed to enjoy using on her. The memory scared Elise so much to the point that she screamed and fell backwards off the parked bike in order to get away from the "assilant."
Bruce was shocked, to say the least, by what just a simple touch could do to the frightened, traumatized girl. He usually had a pretty good hand on situations, but this one was a different case. He went to Elise, got down on his knees as to be level with her and told her, "Elise! Elise, it's just me, okay? It's Bruce, look at me."
Still gasping for air, Elise turned a tear stained face to her old friend and slowly felt more foolish by the second. 'This is what the Joker wants,' she thought, 'he wants me to be afraid of anyone and everyone. My chaos is my fear.'
"It's going to be all right, Elise, I promise. You should never have seen that happen," Elise imagined the "that" was her uncle's death, "and that psychopath knew you would, I bet. But you are here now. I'm going to get Alfred to prepare a room for you and here, you will stay until everything is okay," Elise also imagined that Bruce's words didn't hold as much confidence as he hoped they would, but she knew she had to stay positive or else she was never going to get out of her upturned world alive.
Holding her shaking hands to her face for a few moments, Elise finally nodded her head in a stance of agreement and let Bruce pull her to her feet by her wrists. Alfred Pennyworth, the Wayne's trusted butler since Elise could remember, must have seen the two friends outside for before they were even to the door, the elderly man was jogging down the main staircase towards the entrance. He held the master key in his hand and swiftly unlocked the doors.
The look on the gentle man's face read genuine concern and shock, "Dear God, Miss Conway! You are alive! Thank heavens for this!" Alfred then put an arm around Elise's shoulders and informed his master, "I'll set up the guest bedroom right away, sir." Bruce nodded in absolute approval and turned to Elise.
"I'm going to call up Rachel immediately. But I need you to contact no one, Elise. No one can know you are here," Bruce started to walk away briskly and Elise heard him mutter disappointedly, "You don't know who you can trust around here."
Elise watched her friend walk away with sad, soggy eyes. The thing that depressed her the most about his quiet remark was that he was so right. In a town as corrupt as Gotham, there wasn't any telling what some people would do in order to get a few extra hundred dollars to lie, steal or keep their mouths shut. Elise turned her eyes to the kind man next her. Alfred nodded his head towards the stairs and questioned, "Ready to settle in?"
Uneasily, Elise smiled and nodded. She knew her response didn't seem very convincing but it had nothing to do with where she was at all. She knew it was because the last time she "settled in," she was forced to keep herself in the Joker's bed chamber.
The Joker's rooms… the thought of her capture made her shiver and Elise silently prayed she wouldn't have to go back. Along with that hope, Elise also realized that she was still in the clothes lended to her by the Joker. Elise suddenly stopped walking and turned to Alfred quickly.
With concern on his face, the butler asked politely, "What is the matter, Miss Conway? Is there anything I could do to make you any better?"
Before Elise spoke, she let out a breath she didn't know that she was holding and decided to ask what had been bothering her since she was captured, "Alfred… how much do you know about… everything? My being abducted, the story behind it, just… anything," she looked to him with pleading eyes.
Alfred's aged face seemed downcast as he looked at the girl in front of him, "I think that's another story for another time, Miss Conway. You have enough on your mind right now, considering what has just happened today. You will get the answers to all your questions in due time, this I promise. Right now, you need to worry about yourself as you are in your current state, not the state you were in a week ago or even yesterday."
Elise knew Alfred was right. For as long as she had known the man, right he had always been. Elise knew she would get her answers eventually. No soul in the world had the right to deny her the answers she was seeking. Elise nodded in acceptance and mouthed, "Okay," letting a small smile peek through.
Alfred bowed his head slightly and asked, "Is there anything else before I set up your quarters, miss?"
"Actually Alfred, there is," Elise responded, now anxious to get out of the surely smelly and unflattering clothes and shower, as she hadn't in days, "May I please shower and change into some different clothes that don't make me absolutely want to die?" she smiled weakly and shrugged.
Alfred nodded understandingly and said, "But of course, Miss Elise. I don't think I could reject that request even if my life depended on it," he wiggled two fingers, "Come this way, my dear."
Elise and Alfred walked side by side down the hall of the penthouse and stopped at the first bathroom. Alfred led the way and showed her where towels, shampoos, conditioners, soaps, body scrubs, wash cloths, robes and any other bathtime indulgence was kept. He also showed her how to work the shower itself and when he was finished instructing, he walked out the door and stopped when he was outside.
"I'll be in the kitchen preparing supper, Miss Elise. In the meantime, when you are done, there will be clean clothes in your chamber. Just come fetch me and I'll show you to it. You may take as long as you wish, Miss Elise," after the conclusion of her name, Alfred shut the bathroom door.
When Alfred was gone, Elise wasted no time in stripping out of the Joker's clothes. She made a note to herself to burn them later if Alfred and Bruce permitted her to do so. Following Alfred's instructions, Elise successfully turned on the shower and turned it up to its hottest potential. Carefully, she stepped in, first cringed at how hot it was but gradually, Elise grew used to it. And this time, there would be no deranged clowns knocking at the door, warning her that her bathing time was over. She would not scrub herself senseless either in order to get the dirt and guilt off of her. That would have to come with time. But she could just sit and wonder and think and pray. And cry. So that is was Elise did. With soapy, falling hair and skin that was slowly pruning away like a raisin the sun, Elise Abigail Conway let the tears fall that couldn't for a week.
Although she was out of the Joker's crazed captivity, she still felt his domination over her. Fear filled every pore of her body. She had lived her life not being afraid and studied for almost seven years on what to do to help others get rid of their fears. Now, she was a living product of her own fear.
Elise slowly slid down the wall and didn't stop until she was sitting on the bath tub ground. There, she remained until she couldn't take the heat of the water. After stepping out, Elise dried herself and looked in the mirror. Her bruises were almost faded, much to her happiness. Tightly, Elise wrapped a fluffly white robe around herself and proceeded out of the bathroom, turned right and let the steam follow her for a few feet.
As Elise walked down the hall to find the kitchen, she caught a glimpse of a bedroom. Being as nosy as she was, Elise walked into it, seeing as the door was open. There was a king sized bed in the center of the room with various sweat pants and female sized t-shirs spawled out on the bed. Elise didn't really want to know where the clothes had come from, but she assumed that it was
meant to be her guest chamber. Quickly, Elise changed into the clothes and sat on the bed when she was finished.
She didn't realize how tired she was until she fell onto her back and let her eyes shut. Within a few minutes, Elise was out. About ten minutes later, Alfred walked back that direction to see if Elise was done showering or not. He looked into the guest bedroom and saw that its intended guest had already found her place.
Alfred smiled to himself and shut the door quietly and prayed to himself that everything would turn out all right for the sleeping Elise.
I know, I know, it's a pretty boring chapter but I had to get it out of the way. You know, the false sense of protection and all. Our Joker will be back soon! Review, review, review!