New chapter! I've worked my fingers to the bone to get this out today; I said I would have it out so voila! The first Maddie's POV, is a flashback to how she was after the guy died who had the heart transplant...if that makes sense! Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 20: Sweet Surrender

Temptation; even the word itself sounds forbidden. It brings to mind Eve and the apple, we all want what we can't have. To us mere humans the word forbidden; makes it even more enticing; we want it more, we do what we can to claim it as our own. There's something thrilling about gaining something we can't have; we covert it, hide it from everyone, our little secret. Once we have it we can't let it go; it's in our system, we find ourselves wanting more, we didn't think we would, once you have a taste of it, it leaves you craving more. And you feel the pull of temptation over and over again.

Maddie's POV

I was alone for four days, I don't know where James went in that time, probably to Sophia or some other woman, I didn't know. I didn't care. All I knew was for the first time in a while I was hurting, really hurting and he wasn't there. He didn't care; not once had he picked up the phone to see how I was, secretly it made me glad that he wasn't here, that he finally meant it this time. The doorbell rings, my mind barely registers it, it rings again, the finger pressing down hard on it. I look to the door, if it was James he would have a key, I place my palms on the bedspread, using it to heave my tired legs up. I use the peephole and Stephen stares up and down the corridor; his finger rose again to press the button.

"Maddie I know you're in here, I won't leave until you open this door. Just please, if you won't talk to anyone else at least try talking to me."

I slid the lock along the door and turned the handle, he had his hand raised still, wet all over from the rain.

"Thank you, can I come in?" I nod, stepping to the side, opening the door wide.

"God the weather's bad out there, they said on the news this is the worst summer in forty years." I look at him, unimpressed, "I er guess you don't wanna talk about the weather then huh?"

I find my voice, I hadn't spoken to anyone for a while, my throat felt like it had closed up; "Why are you here?"

He steps forward, taking off his coat and looking for somewhere to put it, "I came to see if you were ok, James hasn't said much and I know his been sleeping in his office or round his mom's lately so I wanted to check in on you. Thought I'd cook you something too if you were up to it?"

I stare at him once again, idly looking at the puddle of water growing around him, "You should take a shower or a bath too Mads, it'll help you relax."

I raise an eyebrow, "Not to say you smell but it'll help you a lot, trust me on this one. I'll cook us dinner too if you like?"

My thoughts go to food; I actually hadn't even thought to have ate much lately, just whatever was nearest to me and didn't involve too much walking.

"Yeah sure, that'll be fine; I doubt there's much food in though."

He smiles, rolling up his shirtsleeves to reveal his arms, I swallow deeply and look away; "My mom could make a meal outta anything, trust me if there's anything edible in here I'll find it."

I laugh and he looks at me, as though he couldn't believe the noise came from me; "There's that smile, been waiting a while to see it."

He looks at me awkwardly, "Do you erm need any help with clothes or whatever? I'll put your dress in the wash and get you some sweats to wear, if that's what you want?"

I nod, then I remember James had to help me on with my dress, someone's gonna have to help me out of it, "My dress needs undoing at the back, it's a stiff zip."

His eyes seem to double in size as he gets my meaning; that I want him to touch me, but he steps to me regardless, his smooth hands graze my skin as he tugs the zipper down.

"Is...is that ok?"

His hands remain on my bare back, almost without realising his starts to caress my skin. I nod my head and turn to look at him, he looks at me for a moment before staring at his hands, still making circular movements on my back.

"Do you need me to do anything else?" I face him, his arms circle me now, "No, this is good."

I reach my hands up to his chest; he's still soaking wet; "Looks like I'm not the only one who could use a bath."

He laughs at my double meaning, before bending his head down closer to mine, "James is crazy to leave you here alone."

"You're here though," I kiss him first, it takes him no time at all to react, his lips move against mine as though they've been starved for months.

We break apart and I push his arms away from me, he frowns and reaches for me again, I shake my head and instead pull off my dress; he catches on and moves towards me again, I relish the cold air against my skin, the dress finally off. I grasp at his shirt, undoing his buttons one by one, he shrugs it off when I've finished, I push him towards the bedroom, towards James' bed. He gets the hint and grabs at my thigh, I wrap the other around him and he carries me in there, kicking the door open. He lays me down in the centre of the bed, staring at me all the while, his breathing heavy with lust and anticipation.

"Come here, Stephen," he closes his eyes when I purr his name; I reach up and pull him down to me, pulling at his belt.

He lays naked on top of me, his arousal obvious; I sit up slightly and undo my bra, he pulls it away from me and kisses my breasts, his fingers falling to my underwear.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nod, kissing him again; I need this I need to feel something other than revulsion for myself. He pushes into me and I grasp his shoulders, he waits for a second before moving, it's not sex for him, sex would be us both using each other, it would be wild and involve scratching and biting. This is different, it's like he's going as gentle as possible, putting my needs and care before his own. His eyes never leave mine, I close my eyes once and he kisses them gently urging me to open them.

"Look at me while we do this, I need to know you're here."

After he finished, I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him into another kiss; he kept whispering "oh god" over and over, like he couldn't believe what had happened. He started kissing alongside my neck, nibbling on my ear, he found my tender spot quickly and I moaned his name loudly as he sucked on it again. He doesn't fear leaving marks for James to see; it's almost as though he's warning him off, showing him what we just did. We stayed there for a few moments more before he pulled out from me, suggesting he cook us something while I showered, in the shower I scrub my skin until some of it started to bleed, until I felt the grim and dirt leave me. He stayed until the next morning, I woke to see him staring at me, his chin cradled in his hands, he urged me to go out that day, see Bruce and Alfred; visit Jane at home. The next day he took me to the hospital and that night I swore this would just be a two day thing. We went a day without seeing each other; in that time James had moved back in, pleading that he didn't mean what he had said, that work was catching up on him and didn't I understand he was going through a hard time as well?

I tried to stay away I really did, but they'd been a party at one of Bruce's hotels for cops and their families. James and many others had made their way through bottles of whiskey within hours, while I tried to stay away from Stephen, not look at his face, avoid staring at him. I went to go to my room, he followed me and grabbed me by the arm, silencing me with a kiss, we had stepped into the elevator, still kissing. I didn't dare bring him into mine and James' room, I needn't have worried, that bed wasn't slept in that night. Instead he caressed my skin and body all night, told me over and over how special I was, how beautiful I was, how much he had wanted me for so long. He held me while he slept and I had slipped out of his embrace and dressed, staring at him while he slept. He could have anyone, why had he picked me? I wasn't foolish enough the second time round to think that, that would be it. We saw each other whenever we could; the nights when James was working late, when he was conducting his own affair with Sophia. While Sophia meant nothing to James, the difference was that I was falling for Stephen, big time. I loved how he smiled, how he gestured when he spoke, how he got so animated, his passion for his work; the intensity in his eyes when he wanted to concentrate on something. He had already told me he loved me, that he would go wherever I wanted if it meant us being together. I wanted to, God knows I did, I was just so scared, scared of James, scared every month when I imagined my period was late, it never was of course but my mind was going into overdrive. For James; Sophia and the others were just sex, maybe that's what it should have been with me and Stephen, but it wasn't we talked, we laughed, we made plans. We only stopped when he asked me if I would ever leave James for him, that he was tired of being on the sidelines, that he couldn't stand the thought of James touching me, sharing my bed. I couldn't leave James outright so I tried to push him away, hoping he'd soon get sick of me, he never did, was too blind or too ignorant to care. We had sex once last time before he left; I woke up in the on call room at work alone, with only his shirt next to me. I understood then that he'd given up on me, on us, that I would never leave James for him, that he was sick of being the dirty 'mistress'. I thought what we had you couldn't top, until I met Jack, after that I knew what me and Stephen had was nothing; while we loved each other I wasn't in love with him enough, he loved me more than I did him. We were both caught up in the thrill of what we were doing, Stephen finally getting what he wanted and me having someone other than James to come home to. Despite this we moved on, became friends, never once did he touch me intimately again, nor did he ever try to. His eyes though held a different story; he was always watching not in a creepy, obsessed way but in a yearning manner. For a while my eyes reflected his own, I craved him desperately, dreamt of his touches, pictured I was with him and not James. It made me feel as bad as James at the start, I did something worse than James, I fell in love.

Joker's POV

He had to admit it worried him when Maddie had started asking questions about Sam; to be honest he thought she would have long forgotten about him. It's not like he was even anything special, yet he wanted revenge, he wanted him to pay for what he did to Dwayne, for bringing the cop to him and for ruining everything he had planned for him and Maddie. He scowls as he lifts up his shirt to reveal the shoe impression, Bats, or should he say Brucey had been in a particularly bad mood that night.

The kick had sent him sprawling to the ground; he didn't even have to look to see it was his favourite Bat. Instead of whipping out his favourite knife he merely grinned, knowing the mere sight of him was enough to piss the Bat off.

"Bats, come on now, can't a guy even take a walk without you getting up in his face?"

"You don't belong out here; you belong at Arkham with the rest of the monsters."

He had feigned shock and dismay, "What me Batty? Even after I've been so graciously helping you lately you still don't like me, I'm hurt Bat's really I am."

The Bat had picked him up off the floor and had held him close; "You don't know anything, this is a game to you, you don't want to help, you just want to see people burn."

He had thrown him at the wall when he had giggled at his little speech, he had lain there, spluttering for breath and clenching his side, shaking his head like a wild dog; "Oh Bat's we both know what I'm doing and who it's for. We both want her to be...in good hands should I say?"

The Bat had raised his hand before the recognition of who he was talking about finally got through to him, he had lowered his hand, "Why, why do this?"

He'd shrugged, ignoring the pain in his ribs before standing up fully, "Why not? You'll know more soon enough, just like I know."

Then the Bat left then, took off without a backward glance, "You're not going soft on me are you Batty?" He half expected the Bat to turn back around and knock him about some more, instead he ignored him, leaving one very pissed off, bruised Joker.

He was lucky he hadn't gone further, he couldn't have laid there like a dog all night just taking the Bat's hits. He knows he promised Maddie, but he also said he would fight back if things got serious; he was no use to her or the kid dead. Speaking of Maddie, he wanted to surprise her, turn up at the hospital and watch her do the operation, relax her a little, show her she still had what it takes. Speed was getting on good as well, the work Maddie had done was perfect, Speed had lain sullen in his bed for a while after Maddie had left, muttering 'tricked' under his breath before shaking his head in annoyance. Whatever Maddie had pumped him full of; it was certainly doing the job. The water drips everywhere as he rubs it into his face, ensuring the paint is completely off. The hospital scrubs are his size; according to Bozo at least, he pulls them on, cursing at the tightness of the top. He sneers at his reflection, complete with a mask he'll fit right in with the other doctors. If he could look at himself now, he'd laughed and kick his ass; disguising himself just so he can see someone. But she isn't just someone is she Jacky? You love her! Normally he would disagree with that niggling voice in his head, but it was true and as much as it annoyed him, how out of character it was for him, to love and care for her. Life, his mother use to say was full of surprises, he can't remember what his reply was, he was of the age where he probably just grunted in response. He often ignored her towards the end. He takes only Bozo with him; the others need not know what he's up to; he can't afford to kill more men. The dusk has brought the chill of darkness; he wears his gloves and trench boat only for the journey there.

"Get some more medication for Speed if you can, pain killers and whatever else you can get," Bozo nods, focusing more on the icy roads than his words.

He huffs, settling down in his seat, the chill of the outside air still hangs around them.

"One of the guys broke the heater in here boss, it's not been working since yesterday."

He bites his tongue to prevent him from moaning at Bozo, it's not his fault, his patience has of late been at its best, how long it will last even he doesn't know.

"I'll get some dressings as well Boss; Speed needs those old ones taking off soon' they're starting to smell."

He wrinkles his nose, he has a strong stomach but the smell of bloodied, ruined flesh is something he doesn't even want to know about, let alone be in the same room as. His nervous, without the feel of a knife in his hand; it's annoying him even more to feel Bozo stare at him.

"Spit it out Bozo, what's the matter?"

"TJ called earlier on when you were getting dressed, said the cop turned up at the old hideout, he was in there for a while, then he went to the manor to see Maddie."

His not troubled by the news; cops go rooting around all the time; though it still annoys him like hell that he keeps sniffing round Maddie, guys like a dog with a bone.

"You worry too much Bozo, everything's fine; Maddie can do her thing and I'll see if she wants to sneak out for a bit."

"You're right boss, gotta be more like you huh?" He laughs and slaps his thigh; Bozo letting out a rare smile.

Yet still his answer doesn't ease Bozo, instead he just nods his head and leaves it; Bozo usually does get withdrawn round this time of year; it's not long after the death of Dwayne. He doesn't usually like to dwell on these things; instead he refocuses his mind on Maddie. He knows deep down he knows that she would never cheat on him; but even a man like him can have insecurities, even though she chose him it's still hard for him to wrap his head around. He'd never doubt her love; he just can't see what she sees. The fear he has is that she'll soon come round to everyone else's way of thinking; that's something he could never handle or bare. Oh no, he doesn't let go of the things he possesses.

Maddie's POV

"Chris can you get me another set of scrubs please? Mine have gone again, probably the cleaner taking them."

He finishes pulling on his own scrub shirt; much to the joy of the surrounding nurses; "I'll be as fast as I can doc."

I roll my eyes at his little nickname for me, he's a good guy, he knows a lot more than he reveals. I smile at the memory of the note pinned to my desk, 'good luck', that's all it said but it was enough to know that Jack is looking out for me. I make my way to the OR, tying a mask around my head, slipping my feet into the overshoes I pull on my protective gown.

"Can someone tie this up for me please?"

Another doctor moves behind me and ties up the gown, I go to move away when they pull me back; I turn around and although his face is covered I know instantly by the eyes that it's Jack.

"Couldn't pass up on this opportunity could I doll?"

He winks at me and I thank God I have my mask on so no one can see me.

"Thank you for coming," the person who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can stand by us when we need them the most; when we're scared and needing reassurance; that is the person everyone needs in their lives.

"Doctor Wayne, we're ready for you in here."

I nod towards Chris and Jack squeezes my hand; noting my need for his ever calming presence.

"Can someone switch on the music for him please? Let's save a life ladies and gentlemen."

A chorus of claps echo through the room and Jack looks at me with pride; the music playing in the background makes me calmer as I begin the first cut, I work slowly, I need to ensure everything is perfect, this chance for a new heart only comes up like once in a blue moon; I can't screw this up.

'Maddie...Maddie."

I grunt in annoyance at the persistent voice; "can you wait a second please while I do this? I told you I don't want anyone talking at this point."

Chris looks around us, looking from one person to another, they mirror his confusion, his eyes holding Jack's for a second too long.

"Doctor Wayne, no one said anything."

I look up properly now; "Well someone must have said something..."

I look down at Mr Taylor; "Hi Goldilocks."

I wince at James' face, walking back sending medical equipment flying everywhere. I clench my eyes shut and hold my hands up to my ears as the radio starts skipping the music; sending the voice shrieking. Loud noise fills the run and I groan; trying to block out the sound.

"Doctor Wayne he's bleeding out!"

Jack is the first one by my side; he lowers my hands from my ears and nudges my chin to look at him.

"Maddie what's wrong, what happened? Come on Maddie don't do this."

I look past him to the Chief; he stands with his hands pressed against the glass in the room above us; staring down at me, when I don't move, he pushes himself away.

"Doctor Wayne I can't stem the flow!"

"Come on Maddie, whatever it is don't let it screw this up." I

look at Mr Taylor's face; it's back to normal, his life machine beeps as his heart rate drops. I push Chris out of the way, pumping the new heart in the chest myself.

"It needs to be give a kick start sometimes, so you have to massage it, don't grip it or it'll never work."

Chris nods, the calm coming back into the room, the Chief comes through the door, clearly expecting pandemonium; instead he sees the heart, the heart rate increases to a steady pace.

"Maddie, you ok to finish up in here?"

I nod, ensuring everything is in place before I can close him up; I make the last stitch in his closed chest and Jack breathes a sigh of relief beside me; his hand clenches my side.

"You can erm...take him back to his room ok Chris?"

"Sure thing Doctor Wayne," he tilts his hand in salute at me, clapping me on the back.

"Good job Doctor Wayne, glad to see you back," it's almost as though the last fifteen minutes didn't happen, like the slate has been wiped clean from everyone's memory.

The Chief meets me in the washroom; he nods at me, his arms folded as he waits for me to throw my bloodied gown and gloves away.

"Good job Maddie, you froze up there for a second but you went ahead and finished it. You earned this procedure and you made damn sure you didn't let me down."

"Thanks Chief, the lack of sleep must have caught up on me; I just wanted everything to be perfect."

He passes me a towel, acknowledging Jack when he enters the room; "just make sure you get enough sleep next time, I don't want any accidents in the future. Clean up and go home Doctor Wayne, I'll see you tomorrow."

I smile and turn to Jack; he slowly pulls off his mask, revealing his face, lined with worry; "Maddie what the hell happened in there? What got you spooked huh?"

"You won't believe me, I don't believe this is happening so why should you?"

He steps closer; looking around to make sure no one can see us. "I'd believe whatever you tell me."

"I still see James, I saw him just then and I see him pretty much all the time now. It's not right, it's not normal and I'm scared that something is seriously wrong with me but I'm too scared to ask for help incase they take Mat away from me. God Jack I can't even move out of the manor because I'm too scared to be really on my own with him incase I freak and anything happened to him."

He remained patient throughout my whole rant, his hands never lax on mine. "You haven't been taking anything have you doll? Been give anything weird?"

The thought that someone could be drugging me scared me even more; it never even crossed my mind.

"No, I don't think so, it's either me, Alfred or Bruce who cooks and they wouldn't do this to me."

He sucks on his cheek, "you're too trusting you know that? I'm not blaming either of them but it's true, you are."

I open my mouth to argue but he holds his fingers up to my lips; "you're too sweet and trusting, sure the world holds its doors open for you and you walk through smiling, thinking it will always be this way, that people will never have any other motive, but I'm here to tell you they do. "

"I don't know what to do anymore..."

He's staring at me and I can't meet his eyes, his right I let anyone in, I just can't pin point who I can't trust. He roots around in his pocket for a few seconds, pulling out a case of pills; "Take one of these a day, just trust me on this."

I look at the label...antipsychotics; so I'm crazy now huh? That's what people think of me, even Jack?

He holds me head in his hands, his breath cold on my face; "wipe that look of your face doll, I'm not trying to say anything, these are temporary until you can face going to your brother or one of these guys here and telling them whats wrong."

"I'm just scared Jack and it's getting harder not to see you..." he crushes me to him, I dissolve into him, not seeing the door open and then shut.

Bruce's POV

He wouldn't normally sneak back into the operating rooms; but he saw all of the others come out, asked the Chief how it had gone and where Maddie was and he couldn't wait to see her any longer. He heard just her voice; at first he thought she was singing, he was going to nudge the door open and join in; until he saw the blonde haired man.

His face was obstructed from view but he clearly heard Maddie's words; "I'm just scared Jack and it's getting harder not to see you..."

The man pulled her into an embrace; they melted together like old lovers, their bodies moulding together. He closed the door silently; not wanting to disturb the private moment, he was so sure Maddie and Stephen were...this now proves just how separated he is from his sister and in that instant he would have done anything to have held her hand again, anything at all, just once, just for a few seconds. Anything.

A/N: See I kept my promise to have it out tonight! I really hope this didn't disappoint and thank you for all the reviews and any new readers; welcome! I really hope to have the next one out soon and I hope people are still enjoying my story. Thanks for being so good to me even though I do go on a bit!

Take care,

Feels-Like-Paradise.