A/N - Thank you to everyone who has kept tabs on and is following in this, if I didn't mention before I've intended for this to be novella length so we have between 4-5 chapters to go before it's done. In the meantime feed the bunny cause reviews keep it alive and fed and me at the keyboard.~~~
Carnival of Scars - A Joker/Bruce Wayne, Jack Napier/Bruce Wayne fanfic freeform.
Chapter 21.
It came as an anomaly but not, Bruce concluded, a complete surprise.
He pursed his lips as Jack rested against his shoulder and Dick chatted animatedly with Alfred in the front seat of the car.
"You know Su-gar, you're gonna do yourself a mischief if those bubbles in your brain burst." Jack's voice was muffled as he snuggled in closer.
"Probably, how do you feel?"
"Headachy, what's your excuse?"
"One of the paramedics spoke Russian."
"Ah." Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out the small cloth badge and pushed it into Bruce's fist. "Came off the creep who sliced and diced my beautiful body."
Bruce smoothed it out on his knee and looked at the emblem of the Volgate Group. "Do you recognise it?"
"No-pe, but you do, don't-cha Batsy?" Knowing green eyes peered intently up at him.
"Unfortunately. The Volgate Group is a private fund for Bespolov and holds direct and indirect investments into core areas of petrochemicals, energy, transportation, consumer goods and real estate. It was widely speculated that Volgate were the funding body for Yuri Dimitrov."
"The Russian? I got implants and Looney tunes in my brain because of the fucking Russian?" Jack hissed and sat up too quickly as he rubbed a hand across his belly.
"Language." Alfred admonished from the front seat.
"Sorry Alfie. Bad word, bad Jack." He scowled. "They also have a sizeable fleet of planes, which would explain how Dimitrov managed his illicit activities for so long without bringing down the wrath of the Bat, Gotham PD and why you have so many bent cops."
"Mm?" Bruce was thoughtful and Jack rolled his eyes.
"Gambling debts Bat-sy."
"True it could explain a great deal more than that."
"Like why he went after Falcone and Maroni, he wanted them to suffer. That's why he didn't let Joker kill the bast..erm...blasted creeps." Pleased he controlled his language Jack grinned manically.
"There are still too many questions Jack, like why let Joker loose, if it was simple revenge he had other opportunities."
"Maybe you're looking in the wrong place." Alfred offered.
"Look at what else was going down whilst Joker was clown-on-the-town." Jack finished and curled back against the solid bulk of his Bat; unconsciously Bruce curled his arm around the recumbent man and planted a soft kiss to the bouncy curls.
"You cut your hair?" Bruce ran his fingers through the shorter strands.
"Alfie did, wanted to get rid of the green. Thought if you weren't reminded of me being the Joker all the – ah - time you might feel better about having me in the family. I know it's not really, really ever gonna work because of the scars but," he drew a deep breath and said softly, "thought I'd try."
Bruce let out a bark of laughter. "Green hair is the least of my concerns. But I appreciate the thought Jack, I really do."
"Ah Master Bruce, it seems Gotham's finest are still at the house." Alfred smoothly pulled the car into the garage as they arrived home.
~~`)))000(((~~
"Superman, a pleasure." Bruce extended his hand to shake as Gordon chewed on the end of his electronic cigarette.
"Mr Wayne, Batman asked me to keep an eye on things for him. With your permission of course I'd like to run a patrol around the property."
"Well we'd appreciate the help." Bruce, whose back was to Gordon, rolled his eyes and Clark barely controlled the fit of giggles as he followed Bruce through the house. "Commissioner."
"Sorry about the mess. The City of course will pick up the tab."
Bruce looked at the wreck that was his front library and shook his head. "I doubt it Commissioner, the Ming alone would send the City bankrupt."
"I shall alert the insurance company Sir, and have repairs made. Will your guests be staying for dinner?" Alfred already had the phone in hand and was placing the call.
"Yeah, it's roast chicken."Dick chimed in as he came back with a bag and dustpan and brush and Jack similarly armed.
"Thank you but I'd better return to the city, there are some things I need to run by Batman."
"Ah, you are welcome to stay Commissioner, I'm sure Batman will contact you at some reasonable hour." Bruce smirked as Clark dissolved into a fit of giggles; even the dour police commissioner curled his lips into a smile.
"Sorry to intrude, sir, but might one enquire if the police took crime scene photos?" Alfred cupped his hand over the phone.
"Yes, yes here." Gordon scribbled down a number on his card. "Have them contact my office and we will arrange for them to be sent to the insurance company. Give them that number for their report."
Alfred nodded. "Very good, sir." He left with Dick lugging a bag of broken furniture and glass as the room fell silent.
"Do you, ah know who?" Jack asked quietly, he had the chunks of shattered Ming in his hand as he stacked them carefully into a box.
"No son, we don't, not for sure. " Gordon smiled.
"Mmmm, do you know how they got in? Batsy had the place sewn up right?"
"They have some sophisticated equipment Mr Napier; we've boxed it and sent it to Batman for analysis. I'm sure he could tell you better than I." Superman folded his arms across his chest. Jack's eyes widened for a fraction and then returned to the box. "We have in the meantime recruited some associates to secure the premises."
"Or," Bruce saw the growing concern on Jack's face as he took the shards of porcelain from him and soothed the frantic fingers. "We could go and stay at the Penthouse, if you'd feel safer?"
Jack began to laugh, "If I'd feel safer? Really Bruce? What if you'd feel safer with your family? I'm sure good old Gordy over there would love to send me back to Arkham or Blackgate." Jack's voice rose in hysteria as tears streamed his face and he slowly crumpled to the ground. "And you know what? I'd go, just like that. You tell me and I'll go because you don't deserve this and Alfie and Dickybird don't either. You have a right to feel safe in your own home and not on edge with all this security because you've got me here. Think, it, through, su-gar." And with that eased himself down onto the Persian rug and rocked.
Gordon took off his coat and wrapped it around the still too thin shoulders, and try as he might to only see Joker, that vision was fading fast. The man-child before him was so far removed from the clown that it could have been a dream, mind you a very bad, very weird dream but a dream nevertheless. He didn't even think about his actions just slung his arm over the shoulders and spoke quietly.
"I will be the first to admit that I didn't want to see you as a person, but you're not Joker, and you need our protection, son. Arkham and Blackgate are not an option."
"What about the Penthouse?" Bruce had crouched down and ran his hand through the shorter blond curls.
Jack shook his head and rubbed desolately at his face to scrub away the outburst. "I'd rather stay here."
"Done. Now are you done with the box?"
Jack pushed it over to Bruce. "I think I got all of it. But the assessor will have to recheck just in case they want to put it back together."
"Put back a Ming vase?" Superman smiled.
"Yeah, you could use, um, superglue?" Jack looked up and the mood broke as he grinned.
"Ah-ha, superglue on a Ming vase. It's Ming Jack."
"Oooh you say that like its expensive." Jack lisped and the tension left the room. "Commissioner, the paramedic that spoke Russian, which, ah, one was it?"
"Mmm the one who drove the truck, why?"
"Did he um, did he knock on wood by any chance?" Jack accepted the hand up from the floor as he cocked his head to one side and pushed his hands deep into his pockets as he peered intently at the cop.
"Not that I recall," Gordon shook his head.
"Why?" Superman asked.
"Just a hunch Supes. Did-ah, any of the intruders survive?" the question was innocent, but the man was not. It was an easy mistake to make, in all fairness without the green hair and the chaotic makeup it was easy to see the man, but underneath, deep within the jade eyes the intelligence was working. Putting pieces together like a giant jigsaw in his mind, each piece remembered and moved into order with surprising accuracy.
"Yes a couple." Gordon wandered the Baroque halls of Wayne Manor into the kitchen.
"Will there be any charges?" Bruce asked, all the while keenly aware of the spiralling intellect that was caged beneath the tender visage of the man they now called Jack. The psychosis was gone, but not the formidable rage or skill set that saw the Joker become the most feared villain Gotham had ever known.
Jack licked his scars inside and mouth and popped his lips together. "How long to dinner Alfie?"
"A few moments only Master Jack."
"I really don't know Mr Wayne, there could be charges but I doubt it, the men clearly attacked your house and the occupants defended themselves against an army of unknown attackers. Self defence if nothing else. Mind you, we are yet to identify the individuals."
"No records?" Superman asked as he pulled a chair out at the table and picked at the muffins, as Jack watched intently. Bruce saw it, but under the circumstances he could say nothing. Superman's actions, his ease in the kitchen and almost intimate knowledge of the layout spoke volumes if you chose to listen to it. Luckily Gordon did not and Bruce was forever grateful.
"No none on record, no fingerprints in AFIS, nothing in Interpol, we will of course need to wait for dental but my guess is that they will be non-persons."
"Illegal immigrants?" Bruce opioned.
"Maybe, ah , if the 'Carpathian' came into dock this last week, see if all hands come back." Jack offered as he sat down, his hand reached to rub at his injured shoulder.
"Gotham Docks are owned by Sionis." Superman added as he devoured another muffin.
"And there's the joke right there." Jack giggled. "Old Mask-y is seriously scar-eeee but he doesn't have the clar-ity to be that well organised. Just sayin' if you look down at the docks you might find your crazy Russian homewreckers."
"Is your shoulder troubling you Master Jack?" Alfred came back in from setting the table and ushered them into the next room.
"Just a little."
Bruce watched Jack all through dinner he was distracted, he ate but sparingly. His colour drained several times and finally when it became too much he slouched in his chair and surreptiously propped his foot onto Bruce's calf for support. It was close to nine when Bruce shooed Dick to bed who dragged his feet with exhaustion. And closer to ten before Gordon left. Alfred cleared the table and deposited a pot of perfectly brewed tea and shortbread.
"You really should be more careful Clark." Jack said softly and watched as Superman became very still. "See I can see it because I've seen you out of the cape, and I know you know Bruce and Batsy as being the same person. But Alfred's muffins are legendary and not in a good way, no offense." Jack laid his head back against the chair and sagged.
"None taken." Alfred stirred honey into his tea and sipped, a knowing smile curved his lips as relaxed in the semi formal dining room. High vaulted dark timber lined every wall except for the panoramic view afforded by the ceiling to floor bay windows. Fairy lights twinkled strategically across the manicured lawns, and this far out from the city the sky was clear and millions of stars shone against the black.
"That and you are far too comfortable, not all uptight and formal like the Supe-y I know from past experiences. Ergo, you must be Clark and the twenty dollar specials from some bargain bin is clever but not flawless." Jack rested his elbows on the table and looked intently at Clark.
"I thought you hadn't remembered our interactions?" Clark wiped his mouth on the Irish linen napkin and waited.
"I don't remember all the times Joker met you, but on at least four occasions when we met it was me and the clown was silent."
Bruce remained calm but Jack was observant, very so it seemed, and to the detriment of most he was underestimated. Calm and composed or not, it would be prudent to keep that in mind as he dealt with Jack, who if he read the situation correctly was forming an idea as to what was happening and how. He'd ask him about it later, right now, he was curious to see how Clark would handle being outed.
"I can see the gears working in that skull of yours." Jack chortled. "Honestly if Mr-I'm-completely – paranoid over there is ok with me knowing he is tall, dark and broody, then I think you should be ok with me knowing you're that dorky reporter who is totally out of his league who hangs around with his best bud Brucie."
Clark weighed the options for a few more seconds and shrugged, it was as close that Jack would get but he didn't deny it either and that was fine either way.
"How did they bypass the security?" Clark asked.
"Some kind of electromagnetic weapon probably, the bats are circling the property, rather than flying directly to and from the habitat. I can see them flocking outside, so my guess is that they used an EMP device and knocked out the sensors on the cliff face of the property and scaled in from there."
"Intrepid lot." Superman smirked, "And it makes sense I found some new pinions in the rock face and nylon rope."
"Sure it's not mine?"
"No wait, just wait. You go rock climbing on the cliffs? For fun?" Jack's eyes were wide.
"Positive and yes he goes rock climbing for fun."
"He also goes rock falling for not so fun." Alfred added.
"Free falling is always fun, besides I told you before I was never in danger."
"Oh right, and you were never in danger because I was there to catch you."
"We've had this conversation before, response time."
"Ahuh, Alfie?"
"Yes Master Jack?"
"Are you sure, like absolutely sure they are not married?"
"Reasonably." Alfred intoned as Clark spit out his tea. "Reasonably."