A/N: moving along...


~The farther I fall I'm beside you

As lost as I get I will find you

The deeper the wound I'm inside you

For ever and ever I'm a part of

You and me~

~Nine Inch Nails~


Joker had been a busy, busy boy. Red had made it to Cliff's place. Joker left him there with his instructions. He had driven back to the hospital. He was about to head back to explain what was going to happen with Peach when Ace had called him.

"Yes?"

"Cliff just called, He said to tell you 'it's done', and he gave me a very large number."

Joker chuckled. "Good, Pay it. This is going to be fun."

"Do I want to know?" Ace asked.

"You will see for yourself soon enough." He smiled at the thought about it all.

"How's the girl?"

"Oh, perfect. I was just about to let her know what they will be doing once they leave later today." He said as he looked at his watch.

"She had the baby? It's early isn't it?" Joker could hear the concern that laced Ace's voice.

"Well, yea, but they are fine. It's a girl." He added as an afterthought.

"Congrats."

"Don't tell me, I didn't push it out. Tell her."

He could hear Ace laughing. "Sure boss, Plans still on?"

"Postponed It will happen on the 2nd. Have to make sure the wife and little bundle of Joy are home safe."

"Got it."

Joker hung up, he didn't have all day to gossip on the phone. He would see Ace later anyway they had a date this afternoon. When he got back to the room, she was feeding the baby again. He walked over and sat in the chair again.

"Will it be hungry all the time?" he asked.

"She will eat every few hours for a little while." She said as she reached for her phone. He watched as she put the now sleeping bundle on her thighs, propped up to face her, she snapped pictures like a mad woman.

"I need you and the kid ready to leave by 2:00 this afternoon." He said, pulling her attention away from the baby.

"They want us to stay 24 hours." She said.

He frowned, "I want you ready to go at two."

She continued to stare at him then finally nodded. He relaxed, happy that she wasn't going to fight him on this.

"Red will pick you up and you need to go to the apartment. Stay there until I let you know it's safe to head back to the house. Keep Red with you, I will explain his job to him later."

She did the mock salute towards him "You're the boss."

He rolled his eyes. "Let me hold the baby so you can get a few hours of sleep." He said taking the sleeping baby.

"Thank you." She said as she yawned.

Joker sat down and rocked the kid listening to his wife snore. He looked at his watch, it was almost 5:00 A.M. He would have to head out to get Red and explain his new job. Then meet with Ace to get today's fun going. No rest for the wicked.


Bruce had panicked when Lyra had run away. He knew it would be a matter of time before Joker came for him. He doubted the lunatic would let something like this slide. He knew Joker hated if someone messed with his hostages. This one in particular, seeing he had forced the poor girl to marry him.

He hopped onto the motorcycle he had in the cave, and sped his way to Gotham. He went to the penthouse and took a quick shower. Once clean, he shaved his face smooth. He didn't like that he had a bruise forming on his face. She hadn't broken his nose, but damn if it didn't hurt.

He dressed and decided he needed to be seen. He called a car service to drive him to the entertainment district. He picked the next showing of whatever movie was playing. He sat through the movie, not watching a minute of it. He couldn't believe that the girl had been pregnant.

He still had time to find her and try to help her. He knew for a fact that if she couldn't be helped passed her delusion that Joker had forced on her, Bruce could at least save the baby. His heart hurt, He would save that baby, raise it as his own. He would try to give it a normal life.

When the credits started, he got up, moving back into the lobby. He made sure to be noticed by the staff, asking to use the phone there to call for a driver. He waited, chatting with a few of the workers. The car finally arrived and Bruce left. He had the man take him to the nearest hotel.

He tipped the driver well, then moved out of the car and into the large lobby. He moved to the desk and booked one of the larger suites. The bellhop offering to escort him. He thanked him but declined.

Once in the large room, he stripped down and slid under the covers. He had hoped that he would have been able to get a few hours of sleep. He laid there relaying the evening in his head. Was there something else he could have done?

When the light from the sun peeked through the curtains, Bruce pulled himself out of bed and showered. He couldn't wash away the feeling of failure. He wanted to save her so badly. He got out of the water and dried off. His face looked slightly better than it had, the bruising he saw last night, was minimal this morning. He dressed and moved to order room service. The call was interrupted by a knock on the door. The sudden noise seemed so loud in the quiet suite. Bruce moved to the door, he took a deep breath then opened it.

"Mr. Wayne, I'm with The Gotham City Police Department, We need you to come with us. We have a few questions for you."

"What is this about?" he asked.

"We can discuss it all at the station."

"Am I under arrest?"

The officer looked surprised by the question. "Not at the moment, but I do have the authority to detain you and walk you through the front doors of the hotel in handcuffs. Or you can come down voluntarily to answer our questions and we will take the discrete side door, without cuffs."

Bruce was fairly certain that was close to blackmail, but he was 100% sure he didn't want to be seen in cuffs. So he decided to go with them. "Let me grab my wallet and shoes."

Once he was dressed, they walked down through the employee side door and into an unmarked police car. No one spoke during the trip to the Police station. He wasn't sure if it was a good or bad sign. They pulled into the outside parking lot, Bruce followed them into the dimly lit station.

The man he had spoken to at the hotel, led him into a large interrogation room. "Have a seat, the detective will be here in a minute. Did you want any coffee or water?"

"Water, thank you." He said.

The hum of the lights and the mirrored wall made a few memories come to his mind. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he had questioned the Joker in a room similar to this. Why could he not get away from that lunatic? He was pulled from his thoughts when the door opened.

"Mr. Wayne, my name is Detective Cortez, I have a few questions I need to ask you." He said as he handed Bruce a bottled water and sat across from him at the table.

Bruce opened the bottle and took a drink. He close it, setting it on the table. "Ask away." He said.

"Do you know a woman named Lyra Napier?"

Bruce had prepared for this. He decided to be as honest as he could. There was no telling what the poor girl had told the police, knowing the Joker had probably coached her. "I literally ran into her at the end of last year at Wayne Tower."

The detective made notes on a piece of paper. "Mr. Wayne, I have a report here, saying that you abducted Mrs. Napier from her residence, and held her captive." He set the closed folder on the table between them.

Bruce said nothing, trying to control his breathing as he waited for the rest.

"We took this report last night, at the hospital, the victim had some interesting things to say. Would you like to tell your side of the story?"

Bruce closed his eyes and said the words that most cops took as a sign of guilt. "I think I need my lawyer here, thank you."

The detective looked at Bruce for a few seconds longer. He pulled the file folder back grabbing his things and stood. "Suit yourself. Someone will be back to take you to the phones."

True to his word a woman came in a few minutes later, taking Bruce to a small office to call his lawyer. Once he had finished the call, he was escorted back to the room he had been in. He wasn't sure what Lyra had said, but it had to have been bad for all of this.

He sat there as he waited for his lawyer to get there. He let the entire time with her run through his head. He hadn't done anything wrong. He definitely hadn't hurt her. By the time his lawyer arrived, Bruce was sure he would be home by lunch time.


Joker sat in the same chair, he hadn't moved. The room was silent, save the snores of his wife. He looked at his watch, the baby was due to eat anytime now. He had been just looking at it for the entire time. It's skin so pink, the blood and white stuff it had been covered in, gone. He had been studying the small fragile creature he was holding.

Small hums and a few tiny gurgles the only sounds coming from the bundle of blankets. It seemed so strange to see this new, fresh human. He ran his finger over the small hand that had escaped the blankets. Reflexively the fingers moving to grab his calloused finger. The small fist barely able to wrap around it.

Joker had never considered he would ever reproduce. He never felt that biological urge to spread his DNA out into the world. He liked sex taking the edge off of his mood swings. He enjoyed the power the act gave him over his partner. When Peach told him she was keeping the creature growing inside her. He was pleased.

Now he had this fragile, helpless human. How would it effect his day to day? What impact would this have on his drive to end the thoughtlessness in the city? His mind was practically buzzing with all the thoughts running through it.

He pitiful cry pulled him back to the present. Peach woke in a panic. Joker stood, handing her the crying baby.

"Did you sleep?"

Joker looked at her, his face unreadable.

"No."

She was already pulling her gown aside to stop the screaming. Joker reached for the pillow at the foot of the bed, tucking it under her elbow for support. The baby had latched on making desperate whimpers as it ate. Joker chuckled at the need driven creature.

This whole thing felt so surreal. Maybe he should have tried to sleep.

"I've got to go, last minute plans to get finished. Red will be here at 2:00. Be ready." He started walking to the door to leave and stopped. He turned back around and walked to the bed, kissing his wife. When he broke the kiss, he looked down and on instinct kissed the top of the baby's head.

He turned and left before Peach could make something out of it. He left the double doors and jogged down the stairs, making his way to his parked car. It was just after seven, and he had a few last minute things to get taken care of.

He sped his way back to amusement mile.