Chapter Twelve:

Too late.

Again, they missed their window.

Again they lost Batman.

When were they going to find him?

Honestly it felt like they never were. First they lost him after the incident with Two Face and now this. They came across Two Face and his gang in the slums of Gotham. After some intense questioning they learned that Batman was indeed in the hands of his greatest enemy as rumor in Gotham underground spread.

Sometimes it really was better not to know.

Thunder crashed in the distance as lightning lit up the dark, cloud filled sky. No rain but it was dark, dreary and cold to the bone. Terrible weather of course, but that was nothing new in Gotham. Though it did little in make it easier on them to gather evidence or keep up a proper trail.

Nightwing couldn't help but think that perhaps he would feel more at ease if he was still on the fence about who the Dark Knight had been spending the last few weeks with. The idea that his adopted father was in the clutches of the insane master mind made his very core tighten with concern. Why couldn't he have just gone off on a weird adventure and just have forgotten to tell them? But the blood sample they found at the last recorded location of the Bat was proof enough that it was far from that. It looked as though he bled out, and if it wasn't for the lack of a body, he would have believed it.

The black clad acrobat scanned the area, it was obvious both Batman and the Clown Prince of Crime had been here. The bodies that littered the pavement attested to that. Upon closer inspection Nightwing quickly discovered that some were unconscious but the majority of them were dead. A few Batarangs littered the ground, fallen guns and blood soaked playing cards as their company.

Police lights lit up the area while sirens rang in the distance. It was a gruesome sight to see as the GCPD taped off the area for investigation.

"Any luck?"

Nightwing looked up from the crazed grin of one of the corpse when he heard Gordan behind him.

A solemn look from the younger man was answer enough for the commissioner who only dipped his head in disappointment.

"It's true then…Joker has him." Jim sighed, his breath misting in the frigid night air, "It's a miracle he's still alive…I would have thought the Joker would have…"

He trailed off as he realized his words were doing little to help the worry stricken young hero before him, "…Sorry, I'm sure…"

Nightwing silenced him with a raise of the hand and a shake of the head, "It's alright. I know what you mean." Suddenly the boy smiled, it was a sad smile but a smile none the less, "But he's Batman remember? He won't go down without one hell of a fight."

Gordan returned the smile with one of his own and was about to reply when he was suddenly called away by one of the detectives.

"Let me know when you find him…" Gordan said turning back to the ex-Robin, only to find that the boy was missing. Jim allowed himself a light chuckle before turning back to the crime scene at hand, "Just like him…"

Not far away a young man swung over to his predecessor who was now perched on the ledge of a rooftop overseeing the general area through binoculars.

"Any luck?" Robin sounded hopeful, but he knew that if there was any news Nightwing would have been on the com within seconds of finding out.

A shake of the head confirmed his suspicions and with a heavy sigh the teen dropped beside his elder.

"Did you tell Al?"

He was met with silence.

Batman's absence had been rough on all of them. The entire Bat family was suffering; even Catwoman had been visibly devastated by the Bat's absence and current company. But out of all of them it was the old butler that was hurting the most. Though he kept a strong front, it was obvious he was in emotional turmoil. They would find the elder man awake when he should very well be sleeping. In fact the man barely seemed to sleep at all since they first heard rumor that Joker had hidden Batman away from the world. They all not only worried for Bruce, but also for the man servant's health.

It was the sudden, soft voice of the man beside him that broke Robin out of his thought filled trance.

"Alfred?"

"Did you find him sir?" The hope in the old butler's voice sent waves of cold guilt through Nightwing's body. It took him a moment to work up the courage to be able to respond.

"I'm sorry…"

He was met with silence; the only sign that Alfred hadn't closed the link was the light static ringing almost painfully in his ear. That was all Alfred needed to hear to know they still hadn't a clue as to Bruce's whereabouts.

"I understand sir…Well I best be getting back to my own duties."

"We'll find him Al…" Nightwing promised, though how sure he could be about his ability to fulfill that promise was unknown to him.

"I know…Good luck Master Richard."

A light click and the line went dead.

Tim gave man beside him a gentle pat on the shoulder and a weak smile to which the other nodded to in response.

"We better get back to work…Let's not tell Barb yet…Or Jason."

"Definitely not Jason…" Tim shuttered at the thought as he nodded in agreement. Said man had become even more agitated with the knowledge that the Clown had taken his mentor from them. He was scarier than usual.

Nightwing let out a soft laugh before standing and stretching his limbs. Robin followed suit before observing the area below them. He let out a sad sigh then looked up at his predecessor.

"What if…Batman doesn't want to be found?"

Dick abruptly snapped his head to the younger boy, giving him a look as if to say the very idea was ludicrous "Why would you say that?"

"I dunno…" Robin muttered, running a hand through his hair in shame and embarrassment, "Nevermind…Lets just get searching. Maybe we can pick up some clues. It looks like Ivy was here; maybe we can find her and get her to spill some details."

"Good plan. Let's move." Nightwing agreed as they simultaneously shot their grapple guns.

As they swung through the chilled night air and Dick took in the streets smothered with lights of cars, buildings and signs he couldn't help but think that it was still too dark. Too cold and dangerous, without Batman Gotham just wasn't the same. Crime had increased since the Bat's absence even with the rest of the Bat family's attempt to contain it; they simply did not have the same effect as the Bat themed man.

But none of that was what really bothered the flying Grayson.

What was truly eating at his mind was the idea that maybe, just maybe, Tim was right.

As they swung up onto a gargoyle lined building, overseeing the city in all its vile glory he wondered if maybe Batman really didn't want to be found. Surely the man would have left some sort of clues to their location? But all they had found was remnants of the Jester and the Bat in both the locations they've come across. Small things to signal that yes, Batman was indeed alive, but where he was headed was a mystery.

Everything else was shrouded in a dark veil. Few even in the underworld of Gotham knew of the Joker's whereabouts, and those that did were not ones to divulge such information easily. Everyone knew the Dark Knight's gang would be out looking for their big boss, so those that knew kept ridiculously low. Worse yet, those that ratted the Joker out knew they were waking dead men. Between the two it powers it was simply better to disappear.

"Where are you Bruce?" Dick mumbled softly before racing after Robin to stop a gang fight that the two had just took notice of down below in the city's streets.

On the other side of town, well hidden in the basement of another of the Joker's hide outs, said Jester and his female partner in crime heaved the black clad man down the steps and into the Jokerfied room. Spray painted laughter and giant smiles covered the room in various neon colors while carnival themed items littered the oddly colored furniture in the surrounding area.

They lugged the large man through the room and dropped him down onto the fold out green couch. Harley let out an exaggerated breath before speaking, "Dang Mistah J, B-man sure is heavy! Looks like he's been eating too many Bat Burgers."

She grinned broadly and waited for the Clown to laugh; when none came she pouted and crossed her arms.

"That's cannibalism kiddo, I don't think he eats those." Joker replied, the disinterest obvious on his face as he began pulling up the Bat's shirt to reveal the bullet wound and a few other injuries he sustained from the earlier battle, "Now be a dear and go get me the first aid."

When it took Harley a moment to respond his gaze snapped to her and he snapped, "NOW."

The lady Jester let out a squeak and quickly darted into the other room, a small dimly lit room filled with all arrangements of things, many of which were medical supplies.

Ivy, who had been watching everything from a distance, followed her friend to the room. With eyebrow raised she let out an amused snort, "Even I have to agree that, that wasn't funny Harley."

"Oh shut up Red! Mistah J just looks so worried…I wanted to see him smile is all." The ex-doctor pouted and she gathered up the medications and first aid kits they would need.

Ivy shook her head and with a roll of the eyes assisted her good friend with the equipment, muttering under her breath as she went, "What do you see in him?"

Meanwhile said Clown was eyeing the wounds that covered the man before him. Once more that unpleasant feeling rose in his stomach.

He hated this feeling.

He looked up when the two ladies returned with their arms full of supplies, unsure of what exactly the Jester might have wanted, so they got nearly everything they could think of that could assist the crazed man to avoid his wrath. Ivy might not be scared of him, but she damn well wanted nothing to do with his annoying temper tantrums.

He grinned as they set the supplies down on the table he had dragged near him, "Well it seems the lesbian tendencies are useful after all, double the assistance!"

Harley gave the Jester a confused smile while Ivy immediately became infuriated, "What is that supposed to mean Clown?"

The Joker laughed, "Whatever your dirty little mind thinks it meant."

Ivy flared and gave Harley an exasperated look which was returned by an apologetic smile accompanied with a shrug. The Lady of Leaves would have lashed out at the clown, but her friendship with the female jester meant more to her then the feeling of satisfaction that revenge over the immature comment would have given her.

With a huff she rolled her eyes and flipped her hair back in an exasperated manner, "I'm leaving Harley." With that the woman stormed out, the soft sent of fresh roses trailing in her wake.

"Red!" Harley whined as she chased after her upset friend, "Puddin! Look what you did, you went and upset her!"

"Shut up Harley, Daddy is busy, seems I poisoned mommy a tad too much. Go play with your weedy friend upstairs." The Joker giggled at the ludicrous thought but simply continued to dig through the supplies, letting out a satisfied "Ah ha!" when he found the surgical tweezers and sutures.

Harley couldn't help a small quirk of the lips, as a giggle passed through her lips, "Alright pudding, you be nice to mommy now. Or I might have to call the Popo to lock you up!" At the end her voice became slightly seductive; giving the man she loved a look that screamed bedroom eyes.

Something that was completely unnoticed by said man. With a downcast glance and filled with regretful rejection, the clown princess went upstairs to join her friend Ivy in hopes of council and getting her to stay so she did not feel so alone while the Jester tended to the injured Knight.

The Joker glanced up just in time to see Harley retreat to ground level. A slightly frustrated expression crossed his face before he giggled to himself; Jealousy was such a funny thing. He would take care of it later, now there was a more pressing matter.

Finally having extracted the bullet that was previously lodged in the Dark Knight's side, one which had thankfully missed any major arteries and organs, he proceeded to clean the wound. He glanced up at the unconscious face of the Caped Crusader and found himself feeling an odd emotion.

Rage.

He was angry at the Knight. Damn him this wasn't how it was supposed to work! Sure it was entertaining to treat the Knight, get closer to him, slowly convince him to see his side of the world. Yet it was driving him mad!

Well…Madder.

The clown giggled wildly as brought out fresh swabs, his own joke momentarily ridding him of his sudden outrage.

But as quick as it left it returned, though his maniac smile remained, the feelings of anger stayed. Yes he wanted the Knight weak, he didn't want him to leave yet after all. He should just let him go, let him crawl his way back to his cave half dead; he had, after all, only just started to break the surface of the man's many walls of distrust. But the odd thing was that small crack, the tiny hole he had finally chipped away, it showed him something. The hope that maybe, just maybe, he could get the Dark Knight to see him in a new light; perhaps they could be more then arch enemies, maybe not all the time, after all the Joker did very much enjoy their dances, but on the down time. When the eyes of the police and evil doers in the city were turned away and there was the peace before the storm the two could be, dare he say it?

Friends.

Sure it would be an odd friendship, but he would finally, hell, they would both finally have someone that they could relate to; a brother in the world that they could connect with and share their thoughts and ideas. Someone who could share the madness fate had bestowed upon them, another who really understood.
The Joker knew that the Bat now saw the potential.

The Joker laughed, who was he kidding? The Bat always saw the potential! The man was as loony as he! Just far more in denial… It would have been sad if it hadn't been so funny.

Poor Bats really was bat shit crazy after all!

Oh damn he's up.

"What are you doing." A strong grip suddenly crushed the wrist that was currently cleaning the inside of the bullet wound.

The smile the Joker had only increased as his eyes met the fiery blue of his nemesis. A giggle passed his lips only causing the Knight's grip to tighten.

"You know…When someone's inside you it really is awkward when you're confused as to why the person in question is there in the first place." The Jester crackled and motioned down to his currently captured hand that was still holding the surgical tweezers and swabs in the wound of the Knight.

Batman's gaze lowered to the wound the Jester was currently gesturing to. He gave the Clown a disbelieving gaze which the taller man responded with an annoyed sigh.

"Really Bats? I've been taking care of you for nearly two weeks now and you think I'm going to do something devious now?" The Ace of Knaves laughed, but then his gaze became much more sinister, "But if you're not careful I might get a muscle spasm and stab something I really shouldn't if you don't let me go so I can finish."

Batman stared unblinkingly into the Clown's threatening gaze for a long moment before finally he released the Jester's hand without another word.

"Good boy!" The Joker howled with laughter and patted the man's stomach, "Who's the good bat? You are!"

The larger man's gaze would make even Grim himself run for cover, but the Joker wasn't scared of even death, so he only grinned broader.

It was silent as the Joker finished cleaning the bullet wound and moved on to cleaning the rest of the cuts, knife wounds and other open gashes that littered the body of the Batman. Watching the Clown carefully the Batman stayed on high alert, yet his mind wandered. The Joker had simply been too nice to him. There was something going on.

For a moment the Joker wondered if it was him that hired the hit on him in the first place, if it was a hit. But he doubted the Joker would have been so helpful if it had indeed been him who planned such a thing. Plus the Clown always prattled on about how he would be the one to finish the Dark Knight, that no one else had the honor or the privilege. Batman seriously doubted that the Joker would rid himself of that special "honor".

But still, the Bat couldn't shake the feeling that the Joker was planning something, that he had some part to play. He just couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"I think your brain is smoking." Joker said suddenly, a slight giggle escaping him as he began to stitch up the Dark.

"What?" Batman growled, snapping out of his thoughts.

"You're thinking so hard I'm surprised you haven't given yourself an aneurysm." Joker crackled as he finished up the final stitch and placed the instrument aside. He grabbed the bandages and helped the Bat sit up. The larger man winced ever so slight, only enough that Joker just noticed and had it been anyone else they would have missed it. The Jester chuckled lightly before beginning to bind the larger man's torso.

"That isn't funny. I wish you'd cut the bad jokes for five minutes." Batman slapped Joker away as soon as he was done and moved to get up only to stumble and fall to the ground.
Joker snorted in amusement but stayed quiet causing the Dark Knight to grit his teeth in aggravation. He quickly, and carefully, got himself up onto his feet and seated himself back on the couch, panting from exhaustion. He leaned back on the plush of the couch and let out a groan, resting his eyes briefly and allowing himself to relax in the comfortable seated position. A soft sigh of relief escaped his lips as his body sunk comfortably against the plush of the couch and he let his head fall back limply on the couch cushion. God, he was so tired...He could fall asleep right here.

A giggle caused the Bat to snap his eyes open as he took in the smug face of the Joker before him.

First confusion set it, and then a far more dreadful feeling took its place.

It took him a moment to realize what he did, and when he did devastation hit him like a ton of bricks. No wonder the Jester looked so pleased with himself.

He had let his guard down around the Joker. Completely let it go, something he had told himself he would never do completely around such a man, and something he did around only a handful of people.

Sure he had fallen asleep in the Jester's presence, but it had been a difficult feet and had taken much mental blocking to allow his body to relax enough for sleep to invade his body. But just now, for that brief moment, he allowed all his walls to fall; allowed them to crumble in the presence of his most hated nemesis.

Suddenly another thought hit him; one that was even more frightening then the last realization.

Did he really hate the Joker?

The man had caused him agony, suffering, hurt the ones he loved and caused constant chaos to the city he tried so very hard to protect each night. Yes, the man made him angry, so angry he would beat him to a bloody mess, and yes he had thought about killing the Clown. Yet he never did.

Indeed, the main reason was because he didn't want to fall into that dark place, he didn't want to prove the Joker right and he didn't want to become like the things he tried so hard to fight. He wasn't the judge on who lived and who died.

But if the Bat was truly honest, he didn't want the Joker to die. Deep inside him he knew that, though he would never admit it aloud. But why?

He must be as crazy as the Joker….

His eyes widened slightly as his blood ran cold.

What if the Joker was right…What if they were exactly the same…

A sudden squeak broke his mental horror.

"Mistah J!" Harley squealed as she shot down the stairs, Ivy hot on her trail, "We found out some great news Puddin!"

Batman thanked God at their sudden intrusion. It broke his thoughts before he fell too far into that pit of questioning.

"Oh…Hey B-man! Guess your awake now huh? That's great!"

Joker's pleased grin switched to one of slight annoyance. Damn the girl and her wretched timing. He could see it on the Bat's face. Right before the dumb blond and her thorny friend busted into the room he saw the slow realization dawning on Batman's face. He saw the cogs clicking into place as the pieces began to line up. For a brief moment he almost had Batman in his grasp, almost had the black clad man seeing their world from his point of view.

"What is it Harley." Joker snapped, the irritated smile faltering only slightly. The pleasure he got from knowing the Batman came close to understanding him was the only thing that kept him from truly lashing out at the woman.

Ivy flipped her hair and sat down beside the Dark Knight, giving him a pair of bedroom eyes. If it had been any other woman the Dark Knight might be tempted, but with Ivy he knew it was nothing but trouble so he stayed stony faced.

Ivy grinned, twirling a lock of red hair around her finger as she leaned against the arm rest, "We found out who put the hit out on you Batman and who the hit man was."

Batman's eyes widened as he looked over to Harley who was clinging to Joker, nodding excitedly in agreement.

"Guess who it was B-man!"

Thanks for reading guys! Finally we got to the Bat family! I know a lot of you were curious. They'll be showing up a lot more in future chapters!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed chapter 12, let me know what you think! Thanks for the fantastic reviews guys!