(Hey guys! I know, I haven't been updating fast enough lately. I apologize. So, I hope you guys will accept this chapter as my apology! Thanks guys for all your love and reviews. Enjoy!)

Chapter 14

So…someone tell me what just happened? My boyfriend just beat the crap out of claiming I was the Joker. Seriously, what was going on today? As I ran from him, I couldn't help but feel the tears rolling down my cheek. How the hell could he do this to me? We've been dating for six months. He's that kind of guy who opens doors for me and buys me Arnold Palmers when he comes over to visit. Tim Drake used to be the sweetest boy in the world. What has gotten into him? I just felt so betrayed. Running. That seems to be what I always do when I'm REALLY upset with Tim. First time in Arkham City when I discovered who he really was, I ran away. Now this? God. Why can't one thing in my life be normal? My whole existence seemed like it was written by a psychotic maniac. My life would make a pretty decent book? Maybe even a movie! In a world….

Okay, back to business. I had to pull myself together. This was getting ridiculous! What would your father think of you running around crying like a five year old? I'm sure I was going to here some stupid joke about it in the near future. I tried to quiet my never ending sobs as I rubbed my black eye. It really stings! I froze dead in my tracks when I heard footsteps. I quickly pulled out my grappling gun and shot up into the rafters. Who was coming this way? I didn't have to wait long for my answer, because soon enough, I saw Mad Hatter skipping his way through the hall. Followed by eight men with rabbit masks on. They'd been hypnotized. Of course. Hatter looked so pleased with himself.

"Alice is just this way. Oh I know it!" He giggled to himself. He rubbed his greedy little hands together. He wanted Alice. And I'm pretty sure I was her. I bit my lip. Things were not going to go well. Mad Hatter took off his hat and pulled out a small remote control. "That mean old Jabberwocky told me to turn off my dear Alice. But that Jabberwock won't have the best of me!" He chortled in his joy.

Wait…..this means the mind control thingamajig was still in my head…not good. I saw Hatter press a few buttons when I saw myself loosening my grip. I was preparing to jump. No! I wasn't going to go down there! But I wanted to…..oh I so wanted to! Hold together Sarina! This is not what you want. Is it? No! No! NO! I closed my eyes tightly. Hoping the whole thing would just go away. When I opened my eyes…..it kind of did. Okay, I was tripping out or something. I was standing in a world of clocks. Spinning around on an endless vortex. Mad Hatter stood directly across from me.

"Alice my dear!" He giggled. "Come here!" He held his hands out wide open. As if I was supposed to run into his arms. Like hell! Hatter frowned at my reluctance. He growled. "Boys, help poor Alice over here? She's frozen in shock, poor child." All of a sudden, the eight rabbit men popped up around me. Encircling me in a ring of doom. God. Suddenly the men attacked me. "GENTLE!" Them? Gentle with me? Pssh! They'd be lucky if I was gentle with them! I kicked the first guy. Knocking him into his buddy. The Rabbit Men all lunged at me. At once! I fought and punched and kicked as hard as I could. Hatter looked so nervous. As if I was a fragile porcelain doll. In all actuality, I was nothing of the sort. So, the fight continued. Hatter shouted some demands. I broke some ribs. However, it seemed as if each time I knocked a guy down, another one stood up. That's when it hit me. I needed to take out Hatter in order to get out of here. I felt kinda bad. I mean, he didn't really stand a chance. But a girls gotta do, what a girls gotta do. I did a double takedown on the idiots in front of me and summersaulted towards Hatter. Kicking him across the face. He disappeared in a pile of smoke. Did I get him?

Nope.

In a puff of smoke Hatter appeared out of nowhere on the other side of the clock.

"Alice my sweet. Why would you do such a horrid thing?" He questioned. I lunged at him. Going for a solid punch. My fist connected with one of his henchmen instead. Stupid henchmen. Stepping in front of me. I took a few more of them out and finally delivered a punch to Hatter. He didn't like that. Not one bit. He looked hurt as he appeared in his new location. God why'd he have to look at me like that?

"What did I…..?" He mumbled. I kicked him right across the face. He held his jaw in pain. He gave me on last look. His eyes were watery. As if he were pleading with me. "Alice…please." I closed my eyes as I delivered one final blow. I felt his nose break as everything went silent. I slowly opened my eyes. A pile of unconscious men laid sprawled around me. Mad Hatter was one of them. His fist clenched around the remote. I ripped it out of this hand. Last time he'll control me. I tucked the remote in my utility belt and I continued forward.

"Batgirl…..can you hear me?" Oracle's voice buzzed over my communications. I pressed my finger against my ear.

"Loud and clear, Oracle." I replied.

"Are you okay?" She inquired.

"Kinda." I mumbled.

"Kinda?" Oracle inquired.

"Well, my homicidal clown father is a live and my boyfriend just beat the shit out of me." I explained.

"He what?" She snapped.

"Gave me a black eye….couple bruises." I mumbled. I REFUSED to cry again.

"When I get my hands on that boy-" Oracle murmured to herself.

"It's fine." I sighed. "Could you just tell me where Batman is?"

"Of course." Oracle said, regaining her composure. "He's in the cell blocks. I'll let him know you're coming."

"Thanks Barbara." I sighed.

"Hang in there kiddo." Oracle comforted. "Any sign of your father?" I'm glad she changed the subject. Even if it isn't a better one.

"Besides his voice taunting me over the P.A. system and on the TV? Not a one." I explained.

"You really know how to lighten the mood." Oracle chuckled.

"I'm here all week, Barb. Talk to ya later." I replied.

"Okay, bye." She said through giggles. I rolled my eyes as I made my way towards the cell block. Barbara was a barrel of laughs.

I reminisced about the last time I had been here. I was 15 years old. And I had no idea what I was doing. I was practically waving my arms and screaming as I sprinted across the island. Begging for Batman to save me. Now I was strutting around in a batsuit. Huh. Life's funny that way. I made my way across the island. Sometimes a couple Joker thugs would give me trouble. But I'd take them down easy. No problem. I started to think about the remote. How long had Hatter had it? Why hadn't he used it before? My thoughts were interrupted when I finally arrived at the cell block as I made my way into the building.

"BATGIRL!" Joker proclaimed. Arms spread out wide. He stood in front of the door backed up by dozens of his guards. I rolled my eyes at his evil smirk. "What a surprise."

"I know. I'm shocked." I grumbled.

"Arm yourselves boys." Joker commanded his troops. They all whipped out their guns and aimed them right at me. Yeah, like I was going to survive this. I quickly scanned the ceiling. Yeah, there was nothing to grapple up to. Super.

"What now Joker? Gonna have all your men shoot me until I'm nothing but a pile of little pieces?" I inquired.

"No No, that wouldn't be any fun." He chuckled. He walked towards me. Pushing me up against the wall. "You have something I want." He was trying to intimidate me. I could tell. He gave me that same look I gave people when I wanted things a certain way. The Joker put his hands up against the wall. Trapping me.

"Do I?" I inquired. His yellow teeth grinning like a fool. His green hair hung in front of my face. I couldn't get over his piercing green eyes. They were looking right at me. "What could it possible be?" I could tell the thugs were dumbfounded by my attitude. I wasn't cowering in fear at Joker's mere presence. I've been here before. Yes, I was scared. But Joker can smell fear. So I had to hide it. Joker glanced down at my belt. I saw him eyeing the remote. Shit. He quickly reached down trying to snatch it out. I tried to grab it out of his hand. We both held on to it as tight as we could. The thugs cheered in amusement. They assumed something ENTIRELY different was going on. Joker eventually yanked it out of my grasp.

"I'll take that." He chuckled. His boys hooted and hollered.

"Oh Shut up!" I snapped.

"Should we kill that bat brat boss?" A thug inquired.

"No, not yet." Joker replied. "I've got plans for her."

"So, what should we do with her?" Another one asked. Yeah. What were they going to do with me? With that, Joker pulled out a small gun and aimed it right at me.

He fired.

I quickly dodged whatever he fired at me. I eyed the strange object. A small dart was stuck in the wall. The concrete wall. Joker fired a few more shots. I continued to dodge them.

"Hold still!" Joker groaned. Joker got quicker with his shots. As I avoided another shot, I realized I was stuck. Joker's dart pinned my hair into the wall. Shit! I'm trapped. I eyed Joker nervously. He stepped closer to me. Smiling greedily. Gun in hand. He aimed carefully at my exposed neck. "Goodnight Princess."

BANG!

With that, I felt a sharp pain in my neck as I was knocked out.