Alright, everyone; here's chapter 11. Apologies for the shortness and whatnot - but I've been rather busy with all the holiday madness. Now that Thanksgiving is gone, I have a few days to work on this, but along comes Christmas. BUT BEFORE THAT! THE DARK KNIGHT ON DVD! Woo! You can bet that'll boost my inspiration. Anyways, the next few chapters are going to be really action-packed, so watch out for 'em. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed!

Laurenmlbc: Ah, you're catching on! The previous chapter have been rather... close in contact, in both physical and psychological. Anyways, ending this thing once and for all? Maybe. Being with him? Bigger maybe. You'll just have to find out! ;) Thanks again for reading, watching, and everything. Plethora? Haha, I have tons of words like that. Thanks, though!

rikkuhurst: She definitely is battling her sanity, you've got that part right. However, no, she's not going to become Harley Quinn -- or at least, she doesn't want to. I don't think I'm going to turn her into that either, its not really her style, more or less, I don't think she's capable of it. BUT ANYWAY! You'll just have to wait and find out! Thanks so much for reading, watching, etc.

"What do you mean we're going to catch him? Michelle," Gordon said, baffled. He reached over, and pulled his cup of coffee closer, bringing it to his lips for a small gulp. "Its twelve in the morning - I don't think The Joker will be rendezvousing around at this hour."

I was so immersed in my thoughts, and all the previous revelations that I didn't realized that Gordon had spoken, and it took me a minute to reply. I diverted my eyes away from the swirling tendrils of steam that curled up from the cup and blinked, swallowing.

"He's always rendezvousing Gordon, he's crazy. Therefore, I sincerely doubt he has the same sleeping schedules as us."

I had proved a point, Gordon knew. He looked down and leaned back in the chair, debating. There was obviously the problem of just how we were going to get him at this hour - he could be plotting madness in wherever it was he stayed when he needed a break. I had gone over every possibility and still, my answers were weak. They needed more, more fueling, something else to get him to come out. Something big.

"Michelle, you don't look so good, are you--"

"I'm fine." I snapped, cutting him off. I didn't care if I didn't look as pristine as I always did - there was a more important, pertinent matter that needed to be dealt with.

"Alright, alright. So, you're serious about this, so I mind as well join in. How do you think you're -- excuse me, we are going to catch him?"

I mulled on that, chewing on my bottom lip nervously. Considering I was a woman, and with that, more powerless than a man like Gordon, or Bruce.

A light flicked on in my brain. Bruce Wayne… equaled Batman. Batman was the one person who, if possible, could take The Joker down. He was also the only person that the Joker was really interested in, and, the reason for all his chaos - or so it seemed. If there was another motive behind that, we didn't know about it - and probably wouldn't.

"Batman." I muttered..

Gordon looked at me, a lightly colored brow arching up from behind his glasses. As he stared and I did not answer, my plan continued to boil. I had it, I could see every aspect of it. Though it was crazy, I decided that was exactly what we needed to catch someone of his type.

"There will be a party, a large event… and Batman will be there," I paused, leaning forward. "You can get him, flash the Bat Signal and tell him about it. This weekend. Just like Harvey Dent's - the last event that the Joker crashed because why?"

"Because, there was rumor that Batman was going to be there."

"Exactly," I confirmed, nodding firmly. Gordon was catching onto my plan. His soft eyes showed a devious glint of understanding and I smiled, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest.

"So, it will actually be a party, but… a ploy in all."

"Right. Do-able?"

He nodded, taking another large sip of his coffee. It was considerably odd of me to call him at twelve in the morning, and demand that we meet at my office immediately. Gordon, being the Commissioner of Gotham Police department, could detect that tone - the urgent, professional one - in my voice and knew it was something important.

"I'll call you tomorrow with the details tomorrow then, I'll come up with a few more things and lock it in." I had to be careful around Gordon, considering he knew Batman as Batman and nothing else. Still, I'd call Bruce in the morning and talk about it.

"Sounds good - but before you go… tell me what happened with The Joker, would you?"

I leaned back, inhaling through my teeth. I imagined the topic would come up at one point, but truthfully, I was hoping that I could postpone it until a later date. Letting out that breath I had just inhaled, I looked at Gordon, biting my lip.

"It was nothing too severe, I mean, the situation obviously could have been a lot worse."

"Well, something happened - that's enough."

"He just… broke into my house and tormented me a little bit, something about him not being done with me, and vis-à-vis. I don't know how he got in, or what the hell he was talking about… but it won't happen again. There's nothing he can do now - we've got him."

"You sound like a little girl in a candy store." He chuckled.

"Hm, I suppose you could call me that." I joined in on his chuckling, glad that the mood had been lifted and was not directed on the previous subject. There was more to that event that I was letting Gordon know, obviously - but he didn't seem too interested, or thought that I was hiding something. All the better.

Internally, I was battling with myself, fighting off several influxes of thoughts and choices. I was traumatized by the Joker's words, because I knew - though I wasn't positive exactly what it was - something had indeed hit a nerve. I couldn't help but wonder what everyone would do, what Gordon would do if they knew everything that was going on.

"Alright, well… as long as you're safe. That is, after all, my job as commissioner of GCPD." Gordon gave me a small, timid smile and stood up, snatching his coffee cup and tossing it into the nearby trashcan. I mimicked his actions and lifted the coat off the back of my chair. He nodded and walked towards the exit.

"I'll call you in the morning. Oh, and Gordon?"

He turned, stopping in the doorway.

"Thank you." I muttered, giving him a genuine smile.

Sometimes, little words like that, honest words meant so much. Lifting his corners up into a smile, he nodded and shut the door behind him. For a moment, I stared at the door, unsure of what to do. My brain had come up with an excellent plan, though… I was still scared. These past few days had taken its toll on my body. I was not going to remain the hard-headed lawyer I had been - I couldn't.

I felt like a little girl, lost and alone in a thunderstorm. Despite the only real danger being the chance of catching a cold, everything else seemed worse. The rain, the lightning, the wind howling like a tormented ghost - everything seemed worse than it actually was. I wanted so badly… to just stop, and fall to the floor, crying out for help. Cry out and then wait for someone to do something, for a light in the darkness to come and save me.

I couldn't. I knew what I had to find within myself - I knew who I had to be if I wanted to survive this puzzling ordeal. I had to be the person I was when I was being threatened by someone, the person that wasn't afraid to take a challenge. The person, that could stop and think like the Joker.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, digging my nails into the fabric of my coat. After a minute or two of listening to nothing except myself breathing, I turned my body around, facing the large window of my office. I glanced down, scanning the expansive city below. There were so many people, so many places to hide. Not that any person in their right mind would covet the Joker willingly - but the point was that he was out there, somewhere. Doing whatever it was he wanted to do, or whatever amused him. I felt the putrid acid in my stomach, boiling, irritating the rest of my body.

Every time I thought of him, something went wrong within my body. I couldn't be sure what caused it… or maybe I was just avoiding the answer. What did the Joker want with me? What was he planning to do? Was he just saying all this completely illogical stuff to frighten me? Get me worried that he was going to torment me and take my life? Or was there actually a point?

There had to be. He was brilliant - but in the worst, most sadistic way possible. I shivered suddenly, and shook my head back and forth violently, hair flying around my shoulders as I did so. I spun on my heels, and stomped towards the door, already extending my hand for the light switch.

As the pad of my middle finger felt the cool plastic and pressed down, I could have sworn I heard a dark, hissing cackle.