What Goes Around, Comes Around

Pairing: Joker/OC

Rating: K+

Warnings: Cursing.

A/N: As promised. Only three hours apart. I'm going to hit the beach now even though it's 12 degrees. I like cold water. Let me know what you think! Don't say I didn't warn you;)

Chapter Twenty One- Unexpected Surprise

"So where were you guys?" she asked her on the phone as she climbed the stairs to her apartment. Bruce had finally deemed it safe for her and Jack to move back into her apartment. The announcement was sudden but both Misha and Jack were happy about it. Only yesterday evening did they get a chance to see their apartment again. Even though Bruce had talked about a raid, nothing in her apartment had seemed out of place.

Of course, that could just be Bruce's team.

The home décor part of employee services were very good at their jobs. Misha was told that all her belongings would be transferred from Bruce's place in the morning. She hoped they had done a good job of putting her things in place as well. The last thing she wanted to do after a tiring, boring day at work was unpack.

"Security breach," Iona responded. "I'd tell you more but I don't think it's my place. Bruce'll let you know."

"Oh," Misha said, disappointed. She was hoping to get information out of Iona but her friend was clearly not buying it. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Ciao."

She hung up her phone and entered her apartment.

The smell of food told her that Jack was already home.

"I can't tell what you're making," she said on her way to the kitchen.

Jack smirked. "Good. Because it'll be a surprise then."

Misha frowned a little but said nothing as she quickly went to change. When she came out, Jack had already set dinner up in front of the telly.

"What's this?" she asked him.

He said nothing, only moving out of the way as he plopped onto one side of the couch.

"Dinner," he finally said.

Misha raised a brow. "Delivery pizza?" she asked, confused.

"And chocolates," he added, pointing at the little box of treats that sat at the corner of the coffee table.

"I am so confused right now," she admitted as she settled down beside him. "I thought you were making dinner."

"I was," Jack responded. "Until I realized that there's something better I'd be doing."

"Like what?"

"Well," he began as he produced a bottle of wine from his side of the couch and proceeded to open it. "I was coming home today and saw this shop-" He poured her a glass before doing so for himself. "-that sold chocolates and this good wine. And the salesperson asked me the strangest thing."

Misha spoke, worriedly, "About the Joker? People really need to get over that. It's been over a year!"

Jack grinned. "Exactly. She didn't do that though."

"So? What was the problem then?" Misha frowned, not quite sure where this was going.

"Well, she asked me what kind of chocolates you like," Jack informed her very seriously, "and I couldn't answer her."

Misha smiled coyly, immediately taking hint where this was going. "Oh. Why d'you think that is?"

He handed her the glass. "I think that's because we hardly ever talk about ourselves when we're alone," he told her, "it's always 'Iona' or 'Bruce' or 'Iona's ex-boyfriend' or the lady who lives across from us who- by the way, what happened to Carlisle? He was nice," he added at the end, diverging from the topic entirely.

Even though Misha realized what had happened, she grinned and answered, "He was cheating on her with this other girl."

"Yikes."

"I know, Iona's shit at finding a nice guy."

"Is that why she's interested in Wayne?"

"Oh no- Wayne's interested in her. She's always oblivious to the good guys and likes them ass holes. And then she comes crying to me."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. That's basically Iona's life in a nutshell."

"Woah- I mean see," Jack redirected himself, "this is what always happens! We end up talking about our friends."

"Relax," Misha said, "we're like a normal married couple talking about all our single friends. It's natural." Then, "Do you want to reinforce our married couple stereotype by trying to set them up?"

Jack blinked. "What?"

"Nothing."

"You have the weirdest ideas sometimes you know?"

Misha nodded as she took a sip from her glass. "It was totally wor-"

She stopped short as she felt a disgusting bile in her throat. Her eyes became watery and before she knew it, Misha had thrown up on their couch.

Jack reacted immediately and reached for the napkins.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"Are you sure?"

Again, she nodded.

Once the mess was cleaned, Jack tried his own glass. "Seems alright to me," he told her.

Misha shrugged. "Maybe I'm coming down with something."

"You've done this thrice this week alone," Jack said, "Shouldn't you go to the doctor?"

"I'll do that tomorrow," she agreed. "So, pizza?"

Jack looked uncertain. "You sure? You kind of just threw up."

"Yeah but it's probably the wine," she said, "I haven't had one in a while."

"Oh shit, I should've asked," he immediately apologized.

"Not your fault," she said, taking a slice of the pizza and eating it. A moment passed as she chewed and she noticed that Jack was looking at her, almost waiting for her to throw up.

"I'm not gonna throw up, you dork," she said and he laughed.

"Fine," he said, taking a bite of his slice as well. "Man, I missed pizza."

Misha stared at him strangely. "You only haven't had it in a week."

"I know."

She shook her head. Really, Jack could be so childish sometimes!

"So what's the occasion again?"

"To us," he said. "Anndd I wanna know what kind of chocolates you like. You know," he gestured to the box of treats with his chin, "in case I have to get some next time."

Misha laughed as she told him.

"And that's it?" Iona asked her. "No incredibly awesome sex afterwards?"

Misha choked on her juice. "Why would you say that?" she asked her upon recovery.

"I'm sorry," she replied, "I assumed something juicy would happen given how you told me about this."

Misha scrunched up her nose. "Even if anything happened why would I tell you?"

"Because I'm your best friend?" Iona reasoned.

"Yeah right," Misha muttered, rolling her eyes. She stood up from her seat in the cafeteria and Iona followed.

"You're not mad at me, are you?"

"No, I have a doctor's appointment," Misha informed her. "I'm just going to it earlier than I planned."

"So you are mad at me."

"Mad-ish," Misha admitted.

They were outside Wayne Enterprises now.

"I'll come with," Iona volunteered.

Misha looked heavenwards. "Oh c'mon, it's just a routine check up."

"How so?"

"I've been throwing up a lot lately whenever I have something I don't normally have," she told her, "Jack thinks I'm coming down with something."

Iona listened to her intently for a moment before her face broke into a grin.

Misha raised a brow. "What?"

"You don't need a doctor to tell you this you idiot," she said.

"How so?"

"Dude, don't you get it?" Iona asked her.

"Get what?"

"You're pregnant!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Misha's eyes widened in disbelief. "Whaat? No!"

"Of course!" Iona argued. "You said it yourself; you've been throwing up whenever you have stuff you don't normally eat. Classic pregnancy symptom!"

"That's classic TV pregnancy symptom," she argued, "I can't be pregnant..." Her voice trailled off as she began to think.

Misha shuddered. No, no- this could not be happening to her. This was literally the worst time. EVER.

"You're wrong," she told Iona, "it can't be."

Iona was grinning even widely now. "Oh no, it is."

"If it is, I'm going to kill you."

"Kill Jack, not me," she retorted raising her hands in surrender.

Misha narrowed her eyes but said nothing as she waited for a cab to arrive.

"I'll kill both of you," she informed her curtly.

Iona broke into laughter. "Done. Jack and then me. Will you guys make me the god mother? Pleeeeaaassse, make me the godmother!"

"I haven't thought of that yet," Misha said through gritted teeth.

"I don't see why you're so upset," Iona said.

"It's not that I'm upset it's just that- UGH! I had so much planned out," she admitted. "This is not how I was expecting my year to turn out."

"You know, Jack is ridiculously supportive," Iona pointed out.

"Fuck Jack," Misha's temper flared. "I hate this. I don't know how to cope!"

"Hey, it's fine. All pregnant women are emotional."

Misha gave her a death glare. "Oh c'mon. I am not pregnant. I can't be."

A cab arrived and Misha took.

"Don't say I didn't say so," Iona called to her as she waved good bye.

Misha growled at her but said nothing as the cab sped away, leaving her friend alone as she doubled over in laughter.\

She hoped it wasn't true.

Jack was distinctly aware of being followed but he kept going on as though nothing was the matter.

He did not like the fact that the men following him were wearing the very Joker masks he demanded his men to wear. That meant only one thing: Harley was regrouping his henchmen.

It seemed natural though, now that he thought of it. Without the Joker in town, it was only logical that Harley would take over his men. But who would take the role of Gotham's Clown Prince of Chaos?

Harley just wasn't long-sighted or experienced enough for the role.

He wondered if any of the other freaks had any ideas. Maybe Poison Ivy?

Jack sighed guiltily as he remembered the debt he owed her. He was sure Harley was the only reason she hadn't come to kill him yet.

Boy, had he screwed up big time.

But I am going to fix this, he told himself, clutching the grocery bags more tightly.

And he knew exactly how to do it.

He turned a sudden corner into a shady alley and walked until he reached the end of it where he set the bags in a corner.

"I know you're here for me," he informed the men, allowing the Joker to takeover.

He turned to face the men, pulling his favourite knife out as well.

"Well?" he asked. "Got anything to say for yourselves?"

The men stepped back a foot.

"So it's true," one of them gasped, "the rumours are true; you're back."

Jack rolled his eyes. "I was never gone."

Their eyes widened.

"You tricked the cops," the other said.

"Nope," he said, stepping closer and closer, "I just don't care about petty things anymore. Drugs, murder...it's too boring. Why're you here?"

"H-Harley wa-wanted to let you know that t-they want you b-back," the latter spoke once more. "W-we were supposed to get you."

"Well, what's stopping you?" Jack mocked them.

"Y-you're him."

"Duh." He rolled his eyes. "I love it when y'all are scared of me. Can you please send a message to your bosses? Tell 'em to leave me alone. I don' do this shit no more. I've retired. I'm done."

The men held their ground, taking out their guns.

Joker looked heavenwards. "Why do you have to make this more difficult?" he asked them before charging at them.

Surprisingly, he felt no guilt in killing these goons.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he'd recognised them.

He knew that Ian was a convicted sex offender and that Steven was a paedophile.

It disgusted him that he would associate with such people once upon a time.

And that's why it felt so good.

He didn't have Batman's one golden rule: And that's why only he could truly save Gotham.