XIV.

Grace took the public phone and with her trembling hands she threw the coins, dialed the number and waited for her call to be taken. The phone ring did not stop and the answering machine entered.

"Arthur," she released. "I-I'm in the hospital and ..." She stopped and took for a big breath. "They just informed me about your mother ... I ... I'm going to your house. I won't be late."

The redhead hung up the call and left the place. By placing one foot outside the hospital, and taking the first steps on the pavement, Grace lifted her face and discovered something peculiar on the streets. People wore clown masks, posters in hand and their deafening cries of protest. The large number of people was ready for an immense demonstration and she experienced a chill running down her back. This was not a good sign. Concerned, Grace snuck out the crowd to be able to direct her steps to the subway and go to Arthur's house.

In what Grace arrived to the hospital to know about that fateful news, at home, Arthur had given birth to his deepest being; one that had long been asking to out. He dyed his hair green, painted his face with white retouching and, while thinking about the way he would give his new being, he looking for the rest of his makeup among the drawers and found an old photograph of his mother. Penny was a beautiful woman. It can't refuse, anyone would have fallen at her feet. He turned the picture and saw a description on it:

"I love your smile. T.W."

Arthur wrinkled the picture until his hand formed into a fist, his veins jumped and with immense anger he threw the picture to the ground. A few tears sprouted and his mother's face drew in his mind, regretting what he had done. Arthur undid his tears along with his makeup, he wasn't going to cry. No more. He continued to paint his face when the doorbell rang.

"I'm coming!" He exclaimed while taking scissors. He reached the door and looked at his former workmates; Randall and Gary. "Hello Arthur," greeted the dwarf. "We come to visit you."

"That's right, how are you my friend?" Randall continued. He stepped aside and they entered the home, feeling a great emptiness. "Where's your mother?"

"She died this morning," he replied like nothing. They both looked amazed. "Arthur, we're so sorry," Gary said. "Yes friend, anything you need ..."

"It's not necessary," he interrupted and leaned against the wall. "I am celebrating..."

"Arthur, friend, we brought you some things," Randall continued curiously as he extended a bag. "We don't know if you already have a job, but with what happened to your mother, this can help you." Arthur took it and set it at the table. "You know? The other day, Phil, saw you on the street accompanied by a woman, a redhead."

"She's my girlfriend," he responded as he turned around and lay his posterior at the table. Arthur took out a cigar and started smoking. "Well, well! We did not know it. So you already have someone?"

"Good, Arthur," Gary continued. "I'm glad for you," he confessed sincerely. "Thanks Gary."

"How is she…?"

"How is she about what?"

"You know ... How is she between the sheets?"

"It's not your concern, Randall."

"I'm curious, heh, I can't deny it. But that's true." Fleck watched Randall sternly and continued smoking. "By the way, Arthur, will you go to the protest?" Asked Gary curiously.

"Protest?"

"Yes, today there will be a huge protest. You will imagine. But I asking you this because the makeup you wear."

"No. I will not go to protest. Today I have a better date."

"Good, that's good, Arthur," Randall continued. "By the way, speaking about protests, a few days ago they were some policemen at work and talked to me and Hoyt." He moved away from the table and started walking towards the entrance. "They asked about you."

"The police went to the office?" Gary asked confused.

"Yes, they interrogated us about the gun and ..." Arthur looked up with him. Fear froze his blood. "And they just wanted to ask us about a gun and we told them you didn't have a gun ..."

"Don't lie Randall ..." he interrupted. The tone of his voice worried both of them. "I always knew it. I knew what you said to Hoyt, everything you lied to."

"Arthur ..."

He took one of his hands to his back pocket and Randall justified himself. Tired of Randall's lies and abuse, Arthur took out the scissors and fit them into his jugular. Blood gushed out like fountain, soaking Arthur's white face. He took out the scissors and the next section was to fit them in his eye. Gary shouted in horror at what he saw, he begged Arthur to stop but he didn't listen; the crimson adorned his pale skin and, at the end of his fit of rage, he carried Randall's head against the wall crashing it repeatedly, delighting at the cracking of the skull.

The adrenaline stopped, Arthur fell next to Randall's trembling body. His agitated breathing reminded him that Gary was still there. He looked at him and he avoided eye contact.

"I won't hurt you," he said. "You can go."

The dwarf ran to the door and when he opened it he discovered the safety on. Frightened he turned and asked Arthur to open the door. He obeyed, but not before frightening him, said goodbye to Gary with a kiss on his forehead and thanked him for being kind to him. The dwarf fled the apartment, what he had witnessed had left him speechless and ran without looking back.

Arthur turned around and watched the plump body, which stopped convulsing. A half smile landed on his face and approached him. With his index and middle fingers he took the scissors and took them out cautiously, letting himself be amazed by the blood that did not stop sprouting. And while he contemplated his new work, the telephone rang. He snorted bitterly and let the answering machine act, Grace's voice flooded her apartment and the news of her next arrival made Arthur hide Randall's body somewhere in his apartment and decided to enlist for his next visit.

Grace tried to get away from the crowd of people, unfortunately, several joined her on her subway ride. She watched scared all the people, a lot were men but among them there were some women. She read their posters and hate phrases towards the rich, Thomas Wayne and the entire system achieving some fear in her.

The redhead tried to look away but in every corner the image was the same. She was surprised at the fact that a killer clown had managed to arouse an entire city. She sighed in fear and appreciated how several of the protesters saw her. Those eyes were not stalkers, they were angry looks. A rage for not being part of their new ideal.

She trembled and her final decision was to take her eyes to the ground. She focus her vison on her wedge heels and wished the trip would end soon, but it was difficult. The song of the protesters covered her ears: "Death to the rich, death to Wayne!"

She brought her arms around her body, closed her eyes and breathed nervously, listening all the way to the ambition of seeing chaos born.

Her stop came, Grace found it difficult to get off and watched them as everyone analyzed her. Once the train car doors closed, the redhead saw the Protestants through the windows; it was surprised that their voices appreciated before the movement. She ran out from the station and, without paying attention to the rest of the city, ran to the apartments where Arthur lived.

Grace watched agitated those huge stairs, took the air she needed and looked up to appreciate more of those people. Feeling the air in her lungs, Grace armed herself with courage and climbed, ignoring all those people. She reached the building, took the elevator and felt a strange sensation in her. They were not the symptoms of her pregnancy, it was a bad feeling.

She knocked on the door, there was no immediate response, she insisted loudly and Arthur opened. Seeing him, the redhead was amazed, Arthur was wearing crimson pants and a turquoise shirt, his face was painted white with a big red smile. His hair was dyed green, one very dark but visible. He smiled and brought the redhead back to herself.

"A-Arthur?" She called nervously.

He approached her, took her from her waist and planted a kiss on her pink lips. Grace was shocked, put her hands on his chest and tried to push him away. His kiss felt shameless, it was not what she had like it.

"Arthur?" She insisted, at the end of that moment. "Grace, honey," he spoke as he held his hands over her reddish hair. "I'm glad you came. Come in."

Arthur led the redhead to the apartment, closed the door and she didn't look away from him. Again close to her, he took her from her waist; his wide and crazy smile made her nerves take hold of her. Grace felt their bodies attached and with some fear she kept seeing him.

"Art ..." He stopped her with another kiss. Both began to sway towards the living room, and in that instant, Grace noticed a large stain of blood on the wall. Horrified, she parted her lips and stared at that place. "Oh God!" Arthur took her chin and forced her to look at him, making his green eyes meet his gray eyes. "Calm down, just kill a rat. A huge rat," he emphasized.

"A rat?!" She asked tremblingly. He affirmed and she seemed to believe him. "Arthur, for God's sake, why didn't you tell me about your mother's death?!"

"Everything was sudden," he said with false sadness. Grace noticed how they both danced in the middle of the living room. "I think I never asked you this but ... do you like dancing?" She looked at his sides and then at him. "I love it."

"Arthur ... What happened?"

He moved a little away from her and stretched his arm to continue dancing. He made the redhead take a half turn, crossed her arms and stood behind him. Arthur reunited his body to her and lay his chin in her hair. Grace looked static at what happened. Both were swaying like a romantic dance and Fleck enjoyed the moment.

"Arthur," the redhead insisted, beside her ear she heard his slight response. "What's going on?" She questioned with a certain irritability. "I'll go to Murray's show tonight," he confessed happily. Her green gaze widened.

"To the Murray show?" She felt the affirmative movement of his head in hers. Grace frowned and remembered Franklin's words. "Joker?" She whispered. Arthur withdrew his chin a little and looked at his beloved. "My time has come, Grace. I will finally be with Murray. I did it! I will be in his show!"

She turned her head and analyzed him. A peculiar smile drew his face and the brightness of his eyes had changed. It was different. It didn't look like the glow she had fallen in love with.

"Arthur," she called melancholy, "will you really go? I mean, I don't want you to get me wrong, I'm glad they are given your chance, however, it's not the time. The death of your mother is recent and ..."

"My mother would have wanted it," he stopped dead. "She would love to see me on TV, more next to Murray." She swallowed hard, if that was one of Penny Fleck's illusions, she would respect it. She closed his eyes and sighed sadly. "Will you go like that?" She let go. "With the clown makeup? There will be a protest, it looks very disturbing. I don't want them to think that ..."

Arthur made her turn around and faced him. He gave her a new kiss, placed her hands on her chin and she tried to keep talking but that kiss managed to shut her up. They parted their lips, Arthur watched as those soft lips were colored in the red of his makeup while Grace breathed heavily. Everything that was happening confused Grace, she could not understand it no matter how hard she tried. She brought her hands over Arthur's, stared at him and got lost in his eyes. Something strange was happening, something that his gaze betrayed him. It was a lack of sanity.

"Arthur ..." she called sadly. "What's going on? Please, I beg you, tell me."

"Nothing happens, Grace. Absolutely nothing."

Once again he put his lips together and made sure Grace didn't get away from him. The redhead succumbed in temptation and was carried away for the moment; she did not insist again and Arthur led the way to the room, where they crossed the door and he closed it.

He laid the redhead on the bed and his kisses did not stop. Arthur put his hands on her calves and slowly raised them along with her skirt. Grace let out a low moan and put her hands on his pants, ready to strip him and as she lowered his zipper, he removed her undergarment. They parted their lips, Arthur continued kissing on the redhead's neck, perceiving her perfume. Grace hugged him, the snorting of her nose betrayed how excited she had been for the moment. Sometimes she thought this was wrong and wanted to stop, even so the passion was greater. She appreciated how Arthur unbuttoned her blouse and ran his hand over her belly, remembering the fact of her pregnancy and the fact she had not been able to say. She bit her lips and sought to relax, so that they could rejoice in that intimacy which they had fallen.

A/N:

Thanks so much for reading. I will be deeply grateful with any comments, constructive criticism, opinions and / or suggestions :3