Chapter 35:

Part 1:

"So you and he," the Joker began to talk again after a long silence. "Good friends?"

"Yeah," Adrianna didn't want to go into detail.

"Since when?" the Joker asked.

"Since.." Adriana thought. "I've known him since the day after I discharged from the institution." The words flowed out before Adriana could think of how to explain. She looked at him and saw his brows frown in confusion then looked away quickly.

"What?" he asked, finally.

Adriana was quiet.

"So I suppose you're more than good friends, huh?" he let out an unsettling short laugh.

It was true. Adriana said nothing. He frowned again when he thought of something else.

"Why didn't you just run away? Aren't you a millionare?" he asked. "You could have covered your tracks."

"What?" Adriana wondered out loud.

"You had a check for $10 million," he reminded her. "How do you make that kind of money? From the police department?"

"Look, I don't want to get into all that-" Adriana protested.

"You might as well tell me. I don't care anymore," he spoke over her.

Adriana had to agree. He didn't care about anything, but it was different this time. He had never cared about anything before, even his own life, but he was enthusiatic and free in his carelessness. He seemes to appretiate it in dangerous ways. But now it seemed he didn't care that he was carefree. He didn't put an ounce of effort into his own comfort in this cold, crumbling building.

"The Batman gave me the check," Adriana sighed out.

"Why?" he asked in interest. "Come clean." He smiled.

"He wanted me to work for him," Adriana's voice was quiet and her face serious.

"Doing what?" the Joker wanted to laugh but then remembered her gifts. Adriana nodded. "Interesting," he said in his realization. Adriana prayed that he wouldn't pry any deeper, but he did.

"Did it have anything to do with me?" he asked about the job.

"Had everything to do with you. But I told him it was useless and that you couldn't be stopped whether or not he knew how you got those scars-" Adriana's voice paused when she saw his facial expression.

"Did you tell him?" he asked sounding both interested and bored at the same time.

"It took a long time, but yes."

"So he knows," the Joker looked at her. His eyes looked dead.

"Yes, he knows. Do you want to know?" Adriana asked, knowing that he didn't even remember how he had gotten the scars. The Joker rolled his eyes depressively then massaged the back of his neck with his right hand.

"No," he said seriously. "Is that how this started?"

Adriana sank into his mind. He was thinking of her as that dark angel that night in the city.

"No," Adriana's voice trailed off as she remembered. "I wanted you. That's how this started."

"Did you tell him before or after?" he was taking advantage of her ability to know what he was thinking.

"After..." she said carefully. His laughter erupted so quicly it frightened her.

"So you went back to him and told him everything about me after you had been with me, you sneaky woman," he stopped laughing quickly. "He knew all along."

"He didn't know anything until I after I was going to kill myself," Adriana felt the urge to cry as she remembered that night.

"I'm suprised he didn't kill you," he laughed again. "Or used you as some kind of bait for me."

"Would it have worked?" Adriana asked.

"Yes," his face was serious again. Adriana broke eye contact with him, willing herself to not be weak and run back to him. "So he accepted you. Just like that. Protected you and is taking care of you. Just like that."

"Yes," Adriana could never run away from a man so wonderful. The Joker's words made her realize how lucky she was. "I love him."

Part 2:

When Adriana arrrived back to Wayne Manor that night she immediately called Bruce. The phone rang three times but it felt like an eternity. Her heart beat loudly and she held the phone nervously.

"Why?" Adriana wondered why calling him left her in this condition. She missed him so much already.

"What what?" Bruce sounded like he was smiling on the other end of the line.

"Nothing," Adriana said quickly, smiling too. "How's Thailand?"

"I almost asked how you knew we were in Thailand," Bruce laughed. Adriana was glad he couldn't see her closing her eyes to savor his voice. "We've finished business here quicker than expected so we should be back in the morning."

"The doorbell just rang," Adriana said to Bruce.

"It's Lucius," Bruce said back. Adriana breathed a quiet sigh of relief that she had gotten back in time. She didn't want to explain going into the city. "Checking up on you." Adriana began to walk to the door, not wanting to hang up the phone after such a brief moment of talking to him. Bruce promised to call her again that evening.

"You look nice," Adriana said noticing that Lucius looked more polished than normal, which before now she wasn't sure was even possible.

"I have a meeting soon," he explained lightly. "You look ripe." They laughed.

Lucius and Adriana sat talked so long that Adriana was sure he had missed whatever meeting he had to attend.

"What time is the meeting?" Adriana finally asked.

"Whenever I want it to be," Lucius explained mysteriously.

"I want to ask you something serious," Adriana folded her hands to keep them from shaking. But Lucius seemed able to handle anything she threw at him so she relaxed.

"What is it?" he asked sipping his coffee.

"What would you say if I told you I want him there when his son is born?" Adriana looked down.

"He's the father," Lucius shrugged. "Suppose that's normal."

"What would you say if I told you I asked him to be there?" Adriana looked up again, then back down at her hands quickly. She saw Lucius sitting his cup off coffee down slowly in her peripheral vision.

"Did you?" he said calmly. Adriana nodded.

"He won't hurt us," Adriana cradled herself in both arms.

"So he's still alive, huh?" Lucius picked up the coffee again. Adriana wondered how he was taking this so lightly. "If you're so sure he has no intentions to hurt you then why do you seem so worried?"

"I'm worried about him," Adriana felt pathetic speaking about the man who had killed likely thousands of people. Lucius just sipped his coffee. "He's numb. I mean, he actually seemed relieved when I told him the Batman was protecting me and that I love him."

"He's done," Lucius understood.

"Done what?" Adriana didn't. She could read his thoughts but couldn't analyze them. She was no psychologist.

"He's welcome here when you give birth," Lucius said standing, apparently ready to leave.

"Done what?" Adriana asked again.

"Just focus on yourself and your little one for now, Adriana," Lucius said, squeezing Adriana's hand affectionately before leaving.