A/N: this one is crazy, stay with me now, its a means to an end I promise. :)

~Red lips, a sinister tongue,

(I'll taste you until I can't)

Our trip has just begun,

(I'll fly with you til the end)

Psychedelic poison,

(you are in my veins now)

And there's no denying

(there's no denying)

As we both burst into flames~

~In This Moment~

Joker waited patiently, the anticipation was exciting. He never understood the excitement of New Year's Eve before today. Why the crowds would stand in the cold for so long to do what? Joker was getting a bit anxious, he would give Batman five more minutes before he blew up the first hostage.

He moved forward, getting ready to step into the 'center stage', when he saw the sparks fly. That was the signal from Red. The adrenaline move through him, Red saw Batman. Joker had done it. He had gotten the bat to show his face.

He scanned the sky, it was so hard to see him in the dark. He was looking in the direction of the sparks, almost letting his hand slip from the trigger on his detonator. Whoops that would have ended the night too soon. The reporter followed Joker's line of sight.

Joker smiled as the reporter gasped. She'd seen him too. Oh goody. Her voice grated on his nerves. "Gotham we have just spotted the Batman. He is here."

Joker watched Batman land himself behind a few of the hostages. No doubt looking for a way to rescue them. Joker turned abruptly to the reporter.

"Story's over scram!" he said.

"You wanted us here. You said…"

"I got what I wanted. Go away…or stay and die."

"The press has a right…"

He was so tired of this woman, Joker pulled his gun and shot the cameraman in the shoulder. The man screamed as the camera hit the ground.

Joker turned back to Batman as he heard the man crying and the woman hurrying away. The police were shouting orders and Joker shooed them away like flies. He had eyes only for Batman.

"Let them go."

Oh classic Batsy. Joker chuckled at the familiar banter. The deep growl was music to his ears.

"Not yet." He smiled. "Tell you what, If you play nice-ish, I'll set them free."

"Alive?" Joker laughed, Batman was getting smarter.

"That is up to you."

"What do you want? You forced me back out here. I showed. Just end this." He said.

"That is the type of talk that that gets people killed Batsy. I'd be more careful in future conversations."

Batman closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, then opened them again. "I am sick of the games." He said.

Joker frowned, "Too bad, I live for these moments with you."

Batman stepped forward. Joker held up the detonator. "Ah, Ah, no fast movements. I'd hate for my hands to slip. It's so hard to get brain matter out of your hair."

Batman was at a loss, He wanted to save these people. Joker had chosen younger and older. Men and women. The only type not there were children. That was only a small consolation.

"Lets say, Batsy, that since you have shown up, I will let one hostage go as a show of good faith. What do you say?"

Batman wondered what the catch was. There was always some kind of trick or ulterior motive. He just couldn't figure out what it was. He didn't know the Jokers endgame. He nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment.

Joker smiled. He looked round and decided on the old lady to his right. She didn't look like she could hold her trigger much longer anyway. He walked over to her shaking body.

Batman watched as Joker disarmed the woman's vest and whispered into her ear. Finally pulling the vest from her small shoulders and shoving her towards him. He caught her and ushered her to the police standing several feet away.

Joker waited for Batman to move back towards the crowd. He used all of his strength to throw the vest into the air and hit the button on his detonator. He needed to prove his point and get the adrenaline flowing a bit. The crowd screamed and the hostages cried as the vest exploded about 8 feet above their heads.

Joker could barely hear anything above the ringing in his ears. But he watched the chaos developing around him. The ringing got louder as he watched everyone's faces. Batman made his way back to him. Joker watched him. He noted a slight limp, his movements seemingly slower than before.

It seemed like the fight had truly been taken out of the Bat. This was disappointing. How did this man continually ruin his fun? Joker was past angry. He was livid. If Batman couldn't play, maybe he should put him down, like any sick wounded pet.

What to do? He hadn't thought about if Batman showed and poo-pooed his fun. Joker pulled out his phone and dialed Red's number.

"Yea boss?"

"Change of plans, pick me up at option," he paused to look around, "option 3."

"Got it, be there in 10."

Joker put the phone in his pocket. It would take Joker a few minutes to get to his ride. He needed to stall to be safe.

"So, Batsy, tell me a joke. Your favorite Joke. Hmm? The joke, that really makes you laugh."

"What?"

"Your best Joke. Make it a good one, you never know, it might save a life."

Batman was in a panic. Was Joker being serious? He wanted a joke? Batman wasn't sure he knew a joke. A stupid joke he heard as a kid popped into his head.

"Why can't your nose be 12 inches long?" he paused, "Because then it would be a foot." He cringed at his own joke.

Joker was…..speechless. That was Batman's best joke? No wonder he was miserable.

"Well, I gotta say, that was awful. Here, try this one?"

Joker stepped away slightly, a small sidestep to get where he needed to be. He needed to make his way so he could make his run for it. Batman waited.

"Why don't dinosaurs talk?" Joker waited, his thumb rubbing the detonator in his hand.

Batman had no idea. "Why?"

Joker shrugged his shoulders and said "Because they're dead."

Batman looked confused. Joker gave it a second then turned to run, pressing the button. The vests behind him let out a few beeps then exploded. The shock of it causing Joker to stumble slightly. He continued running.

He was about halfway to the car when he felt the unfortunately familiar burn rip through him. He staggered slightly as he felt the blood running down his back and leg. The December air cooling it quickly against his skin. He continued to the car.

He looked down his front, it was dry. That meant the bullet was still in him. Great. He caught sight of the car and hurried to get into the back.

"Go!" he said pulling the door closed. The man sped away without a word.

"Where to boss?"

"Take me home."

"Where's home?"

Joker pulled out his phone and dialed his wife's number.

"Joker is that you?"

"Yea, talk to Red, I might lose consciousness." He pushed the phone over the front seat.

He could hear Red talking, his voice started to sound tinny and far away. This wasn't good…

Peach had given Red directions and hung up to call Ace. She knew Ace, she trusted him. Before he could speak she blurted out. "Get here now, Joker's hurt and someone named Red is bringing him here."

"Woah, how hurt?"

"I don't know, he said Joker jumped in and told him to take him home. Joker called me and said talk to Red and he passed out apparently. Just get here please. I have plenty of supplies, but I can't help lift him and I don't know Red."

"I'm already in my car. I will be there soon. Just figure out where you want him and get things ready."

Peach hung up and started to do just that. She pulled out the large bag of medical supplies and put it in the kitchen. She grabbed a large sheet and pulled the table out from the kitchen nook. She covered it and then brought in towels. The dogs were bouncing all around in excitement. They had almost tripped her twice so she moved them into the garage.

She heard the front door open and in came Ace and a man she'd never seen before carrying in her husband. She panicked at the sight. He looked dead. She pointed the men to the kitchen and followed behind them. She moved to the other side of the island and opened the bag. She pulled out her large scissors.

She pulled the robe she was wearing off and moved to her husband's side. She cut his coat. He was going to be pissed, she pulled it from his body and looked him over. His front was untouched. She looked at the men. "Flip him."

They did. She pulled the clothing off the table and tried not to panic when she saw the bullet wound. It was in his lower back, far enough from the spine she decided to try to remove it. She moved to her bag and pulled out what she would need.

She moved back to his side with several things in hand. She set down the sharp needle, already threaded for panic filled situations like this. She rubbed him clean as the towel would let her. She grabbed the scalpel and took off the safety cap.

She poured alcohol on the tool and then the wound. He didn't make a move or sound. She looked over at Ace.

"Hold him still, just in case." She turned back to her husband. She took a deep breath in and released it.

The scalpel cut through the skin with ease. She made the small incisions to give herself room to work. She set the blade down and pushed her finger into the wound. She moved around searching for the metal. Her fingernail brushed against it. She reached for the tweezers she had. She pushed them into the opening, trying to grip the bullet, but the smooth edges wouldn't get a grip on the edge. She tossed them behind her.

"Get me the hemostats." She told whichever man was listening. "The small clamps with the red handle."

They handed her the clamp and she pushed it into the wound. The teeth on the clamp held as she pulled the bullet from his body with a wet sound that almost made her sick. She dropped the bullet and clamps onto the table and poured more rubbing alcohol on him. She used one of her towels to dry the wound off. She watched for any excessive bleeding.

The stitches were some of her best work. She put them in and tied them off individually. Her husband wasn't known for being mindful of his healing body. This way if one popped it wouldn't take the others out with it. She cleaned and bandaged the wound.

His skin felt clammy, she didn't have anything that could help him. He had lost quite a bit of blood. She didn't have things that he needed like blood or at least IV fluids. She tossed everything into the sink. She would clean it all later.

Ace's voice startled her. "You okay?"

She looked up at him. "A-OK" She looked at Red he was trying to help clean up a bit.

"There is beer in the fridge. Help yourselves." She said washing her hands.

Once her skin was clean of his blood, she was on a mission. She figured the guys wouldn't want to carry him up the stairs. She made her way to the bedroom and pulled the mattress from her bed. She pulled it along the floor and pushed it down the stairs. She moved to get pillows and the blankets, tossing them over the side.

She grabbed a pair of his pajama pants and headed back to the kitchen.

"Ace help me for a second."

"What do you need?"

"Remove his shoes please." Peach was busy, she was removing his pants. Once Ace had his shoes off, she tugged the material down and off of him. They seemed to weigh too much, the fabric soaked in blood. She tossed them into the sink, unsure if he would want to salvage them or not. She wet another towel and cleaned up his skin.

His skin was stained, but as clean as she could get him. She started to pull his pajamas onto his legs, inching them up his body. Once she got to his blood soaked boxers, she cut them, pulling them from his body. She pulled the pajamas up and over his hips.

She put the bloodied towel in the sink as well. She decided to get rid of it all, she would buy new everything later.

She walked into the living room. Ace was standing, typing on his phone and Red was on the couch drinking a beer. She walked over and got the bed ready. Once finished, she turned to Ace.

"Will you two bring him in here?"

They moved without speaking, Peach watched as they brought her husband into the living room, laying him on the bed. She shooed them away and tucked her husband into the blankets. Once he was there, she moved back to the kitchen and saw the two men cleaning up.

Ace stopped and walked over to her.

"You need to rest. You want me to stay tonight?" he asked.

"No, go home to your wife. Start the new year with her. I will be fine."

"Joker trusts Red, you want him to stay?"

"Yea he can stay, in case I need help moving Joker. I am going to put him in the guest house out back."

"You did good, kid."

"Thanks, now go home." She pushed him towards the door.

She moved back to the living room and sat on the couch, trying to keep her tears a bay.

Whew that was fun to write...see you next week