--

"Oh," Joker said, awkwardly.

Maddie quickly covered herself with the bedsheets, even though she knew that there was a towel wrapped around her naked body. She assumed Joker would look away when he realized what he'd walked in on, but he was still staring at her. Gawking was more like it. It didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. "How are you feeling?"

"It's, um, fine. It's fine. Barely feel a thing." He lied, watching as she crossed the room and grabbed a pile of clothes. His arm was actually killing him. Luckily, there were pills for that sort of thing. Nothing could slow him down, least of all a little pain.

She stopped, realizing that he was dressed to go out. "You do realize that you just got shot?"

"And?" Joker responded, taking a peek under his jacket at the dressed wound. Blood was already starting to seep through.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "And you should be resting, not going out doing... whatever it is that you do." Why did she say that? She knew what he did. There was no reason to play dumb.

"Don't need rest, but I could use a changing." Joker said, taking off his jacket. Now Maddie was the one staring. The white beater underneath revealed the distinct muscles in his arms. He was actually, dare she think it, quite attractive. "They need to stay. Lots to do tonight." Joker continued.

Maddie looked away and nodded, heading into the bathroom to change. She reached to close the door behind her but didn't. Curiosity got the best of her.

Joker looked up from the edge of the bed, and immidiately saw the small of her back. Look away. Just look away and it will be over. You'll stop feeling this way. She's just a woman. He thought to himself, calmly. But he didn't. He couldn't. She wasn't just any woman. She was a goddess. The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen up close. Instead, his eyes moved from her legs, to her ass, to her back, to her neck, to her wet mess of brunette locks... Taking in something as beautiful as her wasn't an easy task. There were too many things to examine closely. As her body shifted, he caught the still fading bruises on both hips. How he'd love to meet the person on the other end of those. Not to commend him, which is what he'd usually do, but to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Their eyes connected suddenly when she caught him staring. But she didn't move, didn't close the door. Didn't even say a word. She just finished dressing and came out like nothing had happened. "So, is this thing you have to do tonight at least important enough to jepordize your health?"

"It's important to me. That's all you need to know, Angel Face."

Maddie grabbed the bandages and tape she'd stashed under the bed and started unwrapping his bloody bandage. "Why didn't you wake me up? This thing looks like it's been seeping for hours."

Joker shrugged. "I came in... early this morning. I didn't want to disturb you. You look peaceful when you sleep. Anyone ever told you that?"

"No. I... how much gauze do you want on?" Maddie asked, awkwardly. She didn't wait for him to answer and just started wrapping continuously. "It's not infected. That's good. That's really good."

"Tell me something, what do you get out of this doctor thing?" Joker asked, genuinely wanting to know. "I thought for sure you'd let me die last night. I wouldn't have made them force you to help. You made the decision on your own. Why?"

Maddie smiled up at him. "Is this your way of saying 'thank you'?" He didn't answer. She guessed he didn't thank people much. "It's just who I am. I enjoy helping people. Maybe one day I'll actually be able to get paid for it."

Joker licked his lips, amazed by her belief in the human race. "You won't see the inside of the hospital for years, and even when you do, they'll just be numbers. You won't know any of them. Why does it matter how many of them live or die?"

"Maybe I want the satisfaction of saving lives instead of taking them randomly like you do." Maddie answered, angrily. How could someone be filled with so much hatred for people they didn't even know? "Not that it makes a difference, but I want to work with children anyway." He still had the same disgusted expression on his face. "There's nothing wrong with helping kids. They've never done anything to anyone. They're innocent."

Joker stood when she finished and grazed her cheek with his hand. "You're very good aren't you? I didn't think so at first, but now I see that you just might be." He laughed. "No, there's always a little darkness in everyone. Without it we're just... boring. And you're anything but boring."

And then he left without another word. She didn't know why she gave two shit's about how he saw her. But she did.

--

"Just bring in food when she wants it. Give her whatever else she needs. Otherwise, just leave her be." Joker told the three men he had chosen to stay behind with Maddie.

Joker noticed one of them look away, irritated, at the corner of his eye. That angered him a great deal. Things like that always did. He slammed him against the wall, arm pushing against his throat. "Is there a problem?" Before he could answer, Joker pressed harder, so that he was gasping for dear life. "If you can't handle babysitting, I can gladly throw you out with the trash, and let someone else give it a try."

The man shook his head, gurgling in response. Joker felt a twinge in his injured arm, which was the only reason he let the maggot go. He was itching to kill. May as well be something as pathetic as he was. But all good things to those who wait. He still had the entire Gotham police force to take on.

--