Disclaimer: well we are reaching the end of the rope here. But don't worry there will be at least one to two more chapters to come. The songs used in this chapter are Lifehouse's Whatever It Takes and two lines from Seether and Amy Lee's Broken. Two very good songs, sad songs yes, but good just the same. Anyway like I said before there is more on the way, even though it is a conclusion. Here it is.

It felt like an eternity past by time we parted. After that we were both very silent as he patched up my cheek as best as he could with what he had. Five butterfly holders and a long pack of gauze taped to my face. His eyes looked so sad as he made sure the gauze stayed in place. I could tell that he had tried his best to keep the Joker from surfacing. He tried his best and it was evident that it was eating him up inside. I just wish he would stop making that face every time he looks at me now. I knew that the kiss was the only way I could say it was ok and that I understood. Despite that though, I think he may have thought that the kiss was merely a way to make him be quiet. With a mind like his, who knows what his mind could interpret it as.

As he put the first aid things back in their case, he told me that I shouldn't strain my cheek for at least 24 hours. That meant no talking, eating, face movements of any kind and very limited drinking. This sucks when you have just swallowed at least half a pint of blood.

After making me sit still for half an hour making sure that I wasn't feeling light headed or anything, he gave me two aspirin. I only call them aspirin because all I could see on the bottle was "pain reliever" scrolled on the side under his pinky.

Out of nowhere he stood up from his stool and walked out of the room. I couldn't help but follow. He was in the front room by time I had caught up with him. He was standing in front of the dried puddle of blood holding something in his hand It didn't take me long to find out that it was my mp3 player and headphones. Before I could move he walked up to the locked door, pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked it. It swung open and I got my first glimpse of the invisible stairs that he had led me down that first day. I walked up to him and looked out the door before turning back to him. He handed the ear buds to me and with a confused look I stuck them in my ears as I watched him fiddle with it as he looked for the right song. Before long he stopped and looked up at me. I could hear the sad strum of a guitar and the mellow beat of drums flow from the miniature speakers.

"A strangled smile fell from your face,

It kills me that I hurt you this way

The worst part is that I didn't even know

Now there's a million reasons for you to go

But if you can find a reason to stay…"

I listened intently as the chorus of the song seemed to melt into his face, and I could almost hear him as if he were singing along with the song. His eyes begged me to forgive him and stay but they also said that 'if you can't then you can leave when you wish.' I couldn't talk so I handed him one of the buds as the next part of the song started up.

"She said "If we're gonna make this work

You gotta let me inside even though it hurts

Don't hide the broken parts that I need to see"

She said "Like it or not it's the way it's gotta be

You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me"

I have the feeling that I actually got my message across that time cause his eyes softened to the point that they actually were moist. I would have told him I loved him then if his alter-ego hadn't cut open my face, or to the fact that he got to it before me.

"I think I love you Sally…" and I would have smiled then had I been able to do more than a left sided grin. I nodded and pointed at myself as if to say "I love you too." Jack smiled at me. It was genuine, a genuine Jack smile.

It all happened so fast after that, I hardly had any time to register that Jack's home was being raided by the police. It was all a blur of blue uniforms as they held me back from Jack. I felt the bud pull out of my ear as they tackled him to the floor. I felt the sting of my cheek as a cry escaped my lips. "No!" was all that I could manage after the stinging took hold of my scenes.

Then I felt numb. I felt no pain. I think it was triggered by seeing that black figure come in and take over for the cops. Jack was fighting with the cops and starting to gain the upper hand but then Batman had to step in. I found the strength somewhere and tore out of the cops hands and ran toward Jack. I got there just as Batman knocked Jack off his feet. I knelt down beside him and covered him as best as I could in protection.

From somewhere behind me I heard someone say in a deep gruff voice, "Joker must have brainwashed her during the time she has been here" a hand touched my shoulder. I swung around as hard as I could and my hand met flesh. The sound it made was like a miniature sonic boom, and the sting that came with it was just as intense. I opened my eyes and saw that my hand had made contact with what little skin protruded from under that bat shaped cowl. I had just slapped Batman.

I didn't have time to even look back down at Jack before I was pulled forcefully toward the door. I saw briefly that the hands belonged to that corny cop that showed me around the station before it blew up. I think his name was something like Fredwards or something. For all I cared at that moment his name could have been Sue. All I knew was that I was being pulled away from the one that needed me most. I struggled as best as I could before seeing how Jack was just giving up. He just stood there and let them slap those cold steal cuffs around his already bruised and scared wrists. I took up what little strength I had left from all the struggling and set aside the pain that was shooting through my face and sang out.

"Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome,

And I don't feel right when you're gone away."

I saw his eyes shift to me just before the door frame cut him from my sight.

I sat quietly as the paramedics re-patched my face. My last glimpse of Jack was him being pushed forcefully into the back of an armored police car.

That's the end of this chapter. Like I said up top there will be about two more chapters to come. If you have any songs that sound like it would be a good song for Joker and Sally send me a messaged or leave your song name in a review. You never know, your song may be featured in a flash back. Well that's all for now. R&R!