Hello everyone,

So in this chapter, you'll get a few hints about the major plot of the story! I hope you all enjoy it!

Chapter 12..


Jonny, who had been sleeping peacefully at the bottom of the bed, suddenly jumped awake to the sound of Jade tossing and turning under the bed covers.

"Jade? What's wrong?" Rubbing his eyes, Jonny climbed to his feet and rushed over to her.

She was mumbling half words to herself, and her whole body started to shake uncontrollably.

"J-Jonny, get them off me." She gasped, with her eyes half closed. "Get them off.."

Frost cupped her face gently and tried to hold her head still. "Jade? What's wrong? Your not making any sense."

"Please-" Just as Jade was about to finish her sentence, she began to scratch violently at her skin. Pulling at the now red and raw flesh on her arms.

"Stop." Jonny said firmly. He grabbed both of her wrists lightly and pinned them above her head. "Just calm down."

"They won't stop crawling..." Jade's breathing became heavier as she began to whip her head from side to side.

Hair stuck to her face as sweat started to form on her brow, she was having a panic attack.

Jonny climbed up, getting further onto the bed. Still holding her wrists tightly, he began to speak softly to her, trying to calm her erratic state.

"Breathe, just breathe." He said, as he slowed his own breathing pattern down.

"No, I can't, they'll get in my mouth, they'll get-"

"No, don't focus on them, focus on me." He said firmly.

"Deep breath in." Jonny said as he sucked in a sharp breath, trying to convince her to copy him.

It took a few attempts but after a while, she did.

"And deep breath out."

He repeated these commands until her breathing calmed back to a normal rate.

Jade took some more shuddering breaths and eventually her body relaxed back into the mattress.

Taking this as a sign that she was calm enough to talk to, Jonny released her wrists.

"Now." He said. "Talk to me, what's going on?"

"I can still feel them Jonny, they're on my arms, my neck, my-"

"What is? What are they Jade? Tell me." He asked, trying to seek out answers.

"Spiders."

Jonny froze, he looked over her skin in confusion. He couldn't see a thing. Even in the poorly lit room, he knew that there weren't any spiders on her skin.

"Jade, there's nothing here."

"There is, I can feel them. Get rid of them Jonny, please." She begged.

Seeing her turning back into panic mode, Jonny placed both his hands on her shoulders and ran them gently down her arms, applying just enough pressure so she could feel it.

"Okay, it's okay, I'm brushing them off you now." Jonny said, as he kept rubbing her soft reddened skin. "It's Okay. They won't bother you anymore."

As Jonny brushed away the invisible creatures, he saw Jade's face relax. He thought at first that maybe she was just having a terrible nightmare, a nightmare that was so vivid that it was affecting her physically.

But it was more than that, it had to be. She was verbally communicating with him, and her movements were suggesting that this was more than just a horrific dream.

"All gone." He said, placing the back of his hand on her forehead to check her temperature. She was burning up rapidly, it felt like her skin was on fire.

Jade nodded weakly. "Will they come back?"

"No, no, they're gone now. The spiders don't want to bother you anymore." His hand trailed down from her forehead to stroked her cheek lightly.

He cleared his throat and pulled away suddenly. "Um, you've got a fever.. Have you taken anything? Apart from alcohol I mean?"

With her eyes remaining closed, she whispered to him. "I don't think so.. Mar- He gave me stuff, I didn't even check.. I should of checked."

"Shh.. Don't worry, you'll be fine, just sleep yeah?"

Jade turned her head towards him. "I can't, they might come back."

"They won't." Jonny grabbed either side of the bed sheets and covered up her tiny overheating body. "I'll make sure. Just get some rest now, and don't think about them anymore."

He rose from the bed and checked her over once more. Just as he was about to walk away, a small hand reached out and grabbed hold of his shirt.

"Stay." Jade mumbled. Her grip on his shirt slipped, and her fingers brushed over his knuckles.

Jonny wasn't quite sure what to do.. He couldn't leave her like this, not when he wanted her to stay.

"Okay." Was all he said and he sat back down beside her.

Jonny never got involved with stuff like this. He prided himself on being able to detach himself from these kind of situations.

He wasn't an 'unfeeling' man, he just found it hard to express himself.

Jonny had next to no idea what the hell he was doing here, apart from trying to comfort the young pretty barmaid who had been hallucinating about insects.

He needed to stay, just to make sure that the spider's wouldn't bother her anymore...


Meanwhile the Joker was pacing the club floor, snatching casual glances at Harley. She was dancing round the bar, serving drinks and chatting to the ever growing number of customers.

He was grinding his silver grill together as he watched Harley pay everyone else attention but him.

She knew what she was doing, she knew the effect that this was having on him.

Every time someone spoke to her, Harley would quickly snatch a look at him out of the corner of her eye, smiling to herself when she saw his face tense and his teeth bare like a dog.

The Joker continued to stare at her, watching Harley's every move as he clenched his fist around his golden embellished cane.

A man lent over the bar and began snapping his fingers at Harley, trying to get her attention. She was rushed off her feet and the last thing she needed was impatient customers clicking their fingers like she was their housemaid.

Joker narrowed his eyes on the scene unfolding before him.

Just as he was about to intervene his phone began to ring in his pocket.

He growled. Not taking his eyes off the man, he pulled out his phone.

Frost - Swipe to answer.

"What!?" The Joker snapped as he answered his phone.

"Boss, I think we have a problem." Jonny whispered down the line, trying not to wake the sleeping girl next to him.

"What kind of problem?" Joker asked, tapping his cane on the floor.

"It's Jade, I think she's having some sort of side effect.. I think she might of taken something." He explained, his voice getting quieter and quieter.

"Who the fuck is Jade?" Joker growled. Then it suddenly clicked, it was probably the stupid little girl who had gotten herself drunk with Mark.

"Jade? She's one of your girls Boss."

"Employee you mean? One girl is quite enough for me at the moment." Joker said, bringing his attention back over to Harley, who had finally spotted the man clicking his fingers at her. He smiled when he saw Harley mouth the words 'Fuck off' at the now embarrassed gentleman.

Joker threw his head back and laughed.

"Boss? You still there?" Jonny asked, hearing the eerie echo of the Joker's laughter rattle down the phone.

"Look Frost, I don't know why your bothering me about your little girlfriend. If she's OD'd just get rid of her quietly and don't let Harley see." Joker said, not really paying attention to his right hand man.

"She's not my-" Frost snapped. "Boss, I don't mean to involve you with this, but she was with Mark and you know he has a reputation for dealing with hard narcotics."

Mark was your typical spoil rich boy. Joker always referred to him as the 'Illegal Bruce Wayne'. He was living off his father's money, which of course was earnt through criminal activity.

Mark was supposed to inherit everything his Father had when he finally kicked the dust... The tremendous fortune and businesses that he had accumulated over the years would automatically pass over to him.

Which unfortunately included the Joker's trading agreement.

But there was no way in hell that the Joker was going to be conducting business deals and transactions with a drugged up little squirt.

The Joker had loosely planned on taking over the docks once dear old dad had dropped off the perch, but this man was stubborn and clung onto life like a child did to it's favorite toy.

"And why should I care?" J asked rolling his eyes.

"Well, I figure, if she's taken something then Mark must of brought some stuff into the Club, and we both know what a slimy little opportunist he can be."

Jonny was right, Mark had a reputation for being rather 'generous' with his substances.

"Right." The Joker said, twisting his cane around in his hand. "Go back to the booth that he was in. Call if you find anything. Bag it, if you do."

Jonny looked over at Jade, she was calm for now, but how long would that last? He dragged his left hand down his face and groaned. "Okay Boss, I'm on it."

"Make sure you are." Joker snapped, immediately hanging up the phone.

The Joker didn't have a direct problem with drugs, he'd even taken some himself from time to time. But what he did not appreciate was succumb like Mark waltzing into his club, messing with his girl and bringing in dirty pills.

His blood boiled at the thought that it could of been Harley who had been spiked and not Jade.

The King of Diamonds was a legitimate, clean business.. Well.. Apart from the odd murder. But you weren't in the right clubs in Gotham if there hadn't been a death or two.

If there were rumors of substance abuse and drug deals happening under his roof, it would completely destroy him.

The club was a good little earner and the Joker planned on leaving it to Harley if anything ever happened to him. An investment for her to take on so she could continue running his empire. If this place got shut down, it would ruin everything.

Not only had Mark tried to hurt his girl but he was now threatening his businesses. If The King of Diamonds ended up shutting down, then so would The Playhouse, thus putting the Joker back to square one again.

He'd be dammed before he let anyone, especially a scrawny little fuck take that away from him.

Giving Harley one last look, the Joker decided to go and check the booth out for himself. He swung his cane around in his right hand and stalked off into that direction.

Harley watched the Joker leave, her smile faded slightly. She was secretly hoping that he would stick around so she could tease him a little bit more.

He couldn't just leave, not when he had some major grovelling to do.

Harley growled and threw down the cloth she was using to mop up the split alcohol on the bar counter.

Ignoring the customers that were approaching, she stormed off into the same direction that he had walked off into.

There was no way in hell that she was letting him get away that easily.


Okay so that was Chapter 12!

I hope you all enjoyed it!

Wasn't Jonny cute though?

So by now you've probably all got the gist of where this story is going, (Unless my writing is really that terrible.) More is yet to come and the appearance of Mark and his infamous father is yet to happen.. And when it does.. Well.

I have noticed that quite a few of you lovely readers are wondering if I'll bring Poison Ivy back into my story. I will. After all, there's only one gal in Gotham that knows her way around poisons. Try and keep her away haha! (Well the Joker certainly will.)

I know this chapter was rather short, but good things come to those who wait and all that jazz.

Urgh fun fact- I have a severe fear of spiders.. And I have a shell tattoo on my ankle, I always forget it's there, and when I catch a glance of it out of the corner of my eye or in a reflection. I always flip out and think it's an eight legged demon. EVERY. DAMN. TIME.

I need help.

Thank you for reading and thank you for your encouraging reviews! You guys truly are incredible!

Love you lots and lots x

-Mabel Madness