"Shit!...What am I suppose to wear now?" Sakura panicked as the van stopped. Her dress was completely ruined now, bra and panties torn to shreds on the tarp . "What am I suppose to do with these?"

"Hahaha!" Hearing his laughter, she couldn't help smacking his hard chest in response, agitated at the way he was enjoying this.

"What am I going to do?! I don't want your guys seeing me like this!" That would be too humiliating... They probably had heard them, which was bad enough as it is, but to see her practically naked? No way...

A hand grabbed her jaw tightly, bringing the pinkette close enough to his face that his hot breaths washed over her cheeks.

"Do you really think after our little...discussion...that I would let any of them see you like this?! Hmm? That I'm that thoughtless?" His voice was barely over a growl, sending shivers down her spine.

"N-No... I guess not. I just thought you might have been too caught up in the moment... I know that I was." It was true...what would happen when they arrived wasn't on her mind throughout his "lesson".

It seemed that he liked the answer she provided, leaning forward to bite and nuzzle her neck. He enjoyed knowing that she was so into what he was doing to her that she hadn't been thinking straight.

"Ahhh... You have no idea what you do to me, dollface..." Joker kissed along the column of her throat before attacking her mouth again, letting himself get lost again.

A knock on the back door of the van made him abandon her lips, shouting out his irritation.

"Anyone who opens that door will get shot on the spot!"

Sakura moved closer to him, nervous someone might be foolish enough to try it anyway or might have not heard right. Large hands ran along her back as she curled into his chest, assuring her that everything was fine.

"Here, wear this..." Reaching over, Joker grabbed something off of the tarp, but the pinkette couldn't make out anything. It was already getting late when she ran into his men, there was no doubt that it had to be dark outside by now.

Guiding her with his hands to put her arms up, Sakura could feel a large dress shirt being pulled around her slim body. It smelled like smoke, gasoline and cigarettes... It was the one with hexagon patterns that he was always wore under his green waistcoat.

One by one the Clown Prince put each button together, smoothing it down and spending extra time on the chest area. It was far too big, reaching halfway down her thighs, but at least covering what was important. Putting her arms down as the heat in her cheeks intensified.

"Ah, ah, ah... We're not done. You're, uh, not going out there with those legs showin' like that..." Something heavy fell on her shoulders and it took a second to realize his purple coat was weighing her small frame down. Grabbing her arm, he guided it through the sleeve and she couldn't help internally sighing...

It was like having a parent dressing a child, though it wasn't lost on her that it was sweet of him to do this. Even though he did destroy the clothes she was wearing... Most likely on purpose. He must have intended on doing that and making her go out in front of his men wearing his clothes.

The coat was so thick and heavy, no wonder he was always slumping his shoulders. It felt nice having his scent all around like this. The fabric was comfortable to the touch and nicely made, probably crafted with expensive material from what she could tell when looking at it before.

Just like with the shirt, Joker was buttoning up the front of the coat, not leaving anything open. Smoothing it out, he leaned in towards her neck and breathed in deeply, taking in their combined scent.

"Now that's better! I always wanted to see you in this..." Grabbing the front of the coat, he pulled the pinkette against his chest. Attacking her mouth while his hands roamed under the purple fabric, he gripped her ass hard making her grind up against him.

Despite what just happened and still feeling sore, Sakura couldn't help the breathy sigh escaping her lips from his ministrations. It was an odd sensation having his clothes on and him insisting to put them on himself. What was this feeling? Was it because he wanted everyone here to see it? Maybe she liked the thought of being his? Enjoyed how he wanted to be so dominate?

"J-Joker..." She almost did it again. He wasn't "Jack" right now, but the Joker. It would have to take some time getting used to, but there was no doubt he would be angry if his men heard that.

"That's right, dollface. Don't forget it!" Moving away, there was shuffling around as he was probably putting what was left of his clothes on. This was a bit embarrassing... When they got out of the van, the men out there were going to all know what had been going on without saying anything.. Even the ones who weren't driving. It wasn't that she cared what they thought about her and Jack, it was just a bit of self consciousness and them knowing what happened. Like her privacy had been invaded, but if they were going to be together...she would have to get used to it...probably.

A gloved hand grabbed ahold of her wrist, guiding her to stand up. The coat was so long, going all the way onto the floor and some. It went passed his knees and he was almost a foot taller than her...

"I feel like a flasher..."

"HAHAHAHAAA!" The sudden laughter made her jump, almost tripping on the oversized purple coat if he hadn't had a tight grip on her. Whatever was in the pockets banged against her legs like small weights, making her brows raise. What the hell was in them? Almost afraid to ask, the pinkette shook her head figuring it was better not to know.

"Careful there... Don't want ya falling over and giving anyone a show. If ya do...I'm seriously gonna punish you." The growl at the end sent a shiver up her spine, not knowing if she actually wanted that or not.

"Trust me, that's the last thing I want. I mean, giving anyone a show."

"So...then does that mean you want the punishment part?" He snickered, letting go of her as he shuffled around. From the sounds she heard, he was most likely putting his belt on.

Going towards the noise, Sakura reached forward and feeling his chest. The muscles beneath the surface jumped at her soft touch as slim fingers grazed over his nipple and down the clown's abdomen. With as thick his coat was, you wouldn't even be able to tell what kind of body he really had.

"Of course...Whatever you want to give me." With a sly grin, she ran her hand down passed the belt he was buckling to grasp his package through the pinstriped purple pants he usually wore. A groan left his lips that turned into a full on growl as she stroked him. Pressing her lips against his chest, the sound reverberated against her mouth. It was exciting... So primal...

"Shit...Okay, dollface..." Grabbing her wrist gently, she sighed as he pulled her hand away. "As much as I really don't want you to stop, let's save it for when we're inside, 'kay? There's guys right outside those doors and as much as I could give two-shits what they hear from me, I don't want them hearing you.." His voice was quiet, strained. It was clear from the way he talked and moved her away how reluctant this was, but he was right. Just from a small touch, he was already at full mast and needed to calm down.

"Pheww... Dammit. You're too much...ya know that?" Chuckling, he shuffled around moving something, but she couldn't see what he was up to. Probably something to get his mind off of what could have happened.

Joker sighed as something hit the tarp and rolled against her foot. "Would you hand me that, sweetheart?" Bending down, Sakura scrunched her face up as her fingers felt along something hard and cold. A gasp left her lips, feeling whatever it was. Long, cold...metal? Grasping her hand around it, she quickly lifted it up. There was some weight to it.

"Here." Honestly...she didn't want to know. It was better that way.

A gloved hand wrapped around hers, taking whatever she was holding out from her fingers carefully. A bad feeling crept into her stomach, knowing it couldn't have been anything good... Especially knowing him.

"Ahhh.. Thanks. You're such a doll!" Instead of the deep gravely tone he had been using, this was lighthearted, happy sounding. It was always strange how his voice went up and down different octaves as he spoke or depending on the mood. Definitely different from when they had been growing up together. "Let's go, sugar lips. Got something I wanna show yaaaa..."

Grabbing Sakura by the hand, he guided her towards the end of the large van and kicked the door with his dress shoe. In seconds they opened and a few men were standing there, making the pinkette feel bashful all over again.

Joker jumped down easily, turning around and reaching out before freezing. Dark eyes wildly looked her up and down, lighting up as a smile pulled at the scars in the corners of his mouth. He must have really liked seeing her in his clothing. Her face turned red under his intense gaze and seeing him shirtless with only his bottom half clothed.

"What a sight for sore eyes..." Grabbing onto the purple fabric around her hips, he hoisted her out of the van effortlessly, putting her down onto the cement where his men had parked.

Looking around quickly, it was starting to get dark out, the sky shifting to a deep blue. There were blaring lights all over the place as they were right out front of a large old building. A warehouse? What was this place? A couple truck and vans were parked nearby and men were carrying some of the crates towards the side, where she couldn't see.

An arm wrapped around her shoulders, yanking her close as he planted a kiss on top of her head. She couldn't help feeling shy with the group of men watching them. Some looked confused or bewildered, a couple had an expression akin to pity, but most kept a straight face. What was wrong?

'I guess this is strange for them to see their boss doing something like this? That's good to know. At least it doesn't seem to be common...'

Looking down, green eyes widened as something tapped against her leg. What he had asked her for in the van... It was a lead pipe...

Pulling his arm back, a laugh left his mangled mouth, stepping away and striding forward. Something tightened in her gut watching him, what was it? Intuition? Maybe the way it came out?

The men stilled as the Joker walked along the line they had formed, arms behind his back as he tapped the pipe against his gloved hand. Not once after walking away did he look back as he eyed the henchmen carefully.

Sakura's fingers nervously pinched the thick fabric of the sleeves, watching him. This was the first time seeing Jack with his henchmen like this or in his "element". They were usually in the apartment, aside from that one time they went to the park, but the men had only open and closed the gates... This was completely different. The air around him had changed immediately, making her heart pound in her chest.

It wasn't like being with Jack... No, this was the Joker...

Biting her bottom lip, she held her breath, feeling out of her element around these people. It was uncomfortable. Despite growing up in The Narrows, this wasn't the same. These men were hardened criminals who did unspeakable things. Yes, so was Jack...but she knew him and he wouldn't hurt her.

Seeing the expressions on their faces, it just seemed odd to watch this. The person she grew up with had never been the type to want to be around people and avoided it whenever necessary, not wanting to bother with anything that didn't directly involve them. The boy who laid his head in her lap when she was busy reading a book and wanted attention... The one who broke into her room with any little cut so she would fuss over and bandage him up...

...That same person was making grown men cower in his presence as he twirled a lead pipe between his gloved fingers with a sneer across his painted face.

'This is so weird...Talk about Twilight Zone...'

The way he took big steps as he paced back and forth reminded her of the videos online of Hitler and the way his military marched. Only difference was his arms behind his back. Is that how these people viewed him? Like a dictator?

'What is he doing?'

Stopping suddenly in front of the bald headed man, Joker leaned in towards his face, cocking his head to the side. Without being able to see, she could almost imagine the expression he was making just from the reaction it brought out in those standing around.

Without warning, the pipe was smashed against his skull, making the man fall to his knees as he yelled out.

"Ahhh... Tommy-boy... Ya really need to watch that mouth of yours!" Pulling his arm over his head, he brought the pipe down again with a grunt, smacking him down to the ground.

Sakura's eyes bugged out, covering her mouth with a purple sleeve to stifle the scream trying to tear through her throat.

"B-Boss!" The man cried out, trying to cover his head with his large arms. That only seemed to make the Joker angrier as a snarl ripped through the night air. No one else moved a muscle or said a word, not wanting the be at the receiving end of his weapons. Even from where she stood, she could see his knuckles turning white from how hard he was gripping the heavy pipe in his hand.

It was the man who yanked her around earlier, but he couldn't have seen that...right? Or was this about something else?

"I see everything, dollface. Mhmmm. Yesss I do."

The pinkette watched in horror as blood started pouring from his face and head with every blow, not able to move an inch. She wanted to yell, to get him to stop...but couldn't. This wasn't the first or even second time he'd killed someone in front of her...but this.. It was just...so vicious...

He could have easily just shot the man, made it quick and simple. Nope...he was doing this to make him suffer, to send a clear message to the others

The pipe smashed against his face, teeth and blood falling out onto the cement, making bile rise in her throat. She was going to throw up... This was too much. Hot tears ran down her cheeks, trying to keep in whatever was attempting to come out.

'I'm going to be sick!'

"HAHAHAAA! Can't talk shit now, can ya?! That's right! I am a fucking freak and don't any of you pieces of shits forget it!" Blood splattered up onto his chest and face as he kept swinging, caving in the man's head. Things Sakura never wanted to see came out onto the concrete around Joker's dress shoes and flying up in different directions, hitting some of the men standing nearby. No one moved a muscle, even as drops of red hit their faces.

The blood completely drained from her face watching this horrible sight, but couldn't bring herself to look away. Was it shock? Disbelief? The small body wrapped in the oversized coat trembled so hard, feeling like her knees were going to give out any second. Her chest hurt...Watching him like this made it feel like in was going to collapse in on itself.

Laughing and breathing hard, Joker kept at it until there was barely a head there, body twitching against the cold ground. Why wouldn't he just stop already?! This was madness...

"Ha..ha..ha... Such a shame, Tommy-boy! Ya had potential!" Swinging the pipe off to the side to shake the pieces of the man's head still on it onto the ground, he panted as he started pacing wildly in front of the other men who were frozen in place.

"Anyone else have somethin' to say?! Hmm? No?! Come on! Balls to the walls boys!" Twisting the soaked pipe between his gloved fingers, Sakura shook watching him. She hadn't seen this side of him before...not since he killed his father... His dark eyes moved around quickly, turning his head from one side to the other, daring anyone to speak up.

"Let's get one thing VERY clear! Keep your mouths shut, I hear and see EVERYTHING! Another thing..." Without looking over, he pointed the bloody pipe in her direction, blood dripping onto the ground. "This woman...is mine. No one touches or talks to or about her. No one tries anything funny or goes into our room...And NO ONE sure as hell gets "seconds". Got it?! Anyone who does anything will end up like Tommy-boy here. Understood?!"

The men nodded furiously, too afraid to speak up. Sakura's jaw dropped even further, not sure how to take this "example" he was giving the group. Despite growing up in The Narrows, this was something she never experienced firsthand. She's heard the stories, noticed people missing or boasting about their exploits, but this was on a different scale.

"Goooooodddd! Now that we have an understanding... Make sure you spread the word to the others. She's not hard to miss or mix up with any of your little hookers, so I don't wanna hear any shit!" His voice alone was terrifying...the one he liked to use in those horrible videos he made, when you knew he was going to do something terrible. Sakura couldn't stop shaking and crying, trying hard to stifle them, wiping her face furiously with the sleeve of his coat.

Just this morning, they were laying in bed with him running his fingers through her hair, gently kissing everything he could get ahold of before she got up to make breakfast... And now he was standing over a puddle of blood and brains, threatening a group of criminals.

It was too much...to see the person you love do such terrible things.

It seemed like he wasn't done as he starting swinging the pipe around like a bat, his pacing agitated as he rolled his head along his bare shoulders. The paint was terribly smeared across his face, what was missing was more than likely rubbed off onto her skin. It made the scene all the worse as he cracked his neck, a picture of madness as he moved around erratically.

'Please God...please let him be done!'

"Rocco., Rocco, Rocco..." The man with the Misfits tattoo on his neck was where he stopped suddenly. His gray eyes widened, sweat running down the side of his face. "I'm sooo disappointed... You've been with me the longest! I never took you for a gossiping old ninny!... Ya know, it's not nice to talk behind people's backs!"

A hand lashed out, smacking the large man across the face. Blood from the glove smeared, leaving a messy red handprint.

"If I had feelings, they would be hurt right now!" Pointing the pipe towards Rocco's face, it paled turning as white as the paint on the clown's complexion. He knew what was going to happen, they all did.

Finding the courage to move, Sakura ran forward. Not knowing what could actually be done, she just knew she had to make it stop. If anyone could try to pull him out of the insanity and rage that fueled him, it could be her. Hopefully...

Desperately wrapping her sleeved arms around the Clown Prince's scarred waist, his muscles tensed up as he froze. The pinkette could feel how fast his heart was pounding as she pushed her face against his bare back.

"P-Please! Stop!" She didn't know if he was going to be completely furious at the move, trying to stop him from teaching his men a lesson. Without thinking, she just acted, not wanting to see him like this. What was going to happen now? Would he freak out? Would he be enraged thinking that she might have made him look bad in front of his henchmen? Or seen it as a betrayal? She almost forgot why she even did it in the first place as anxiety took over, trying to eat away at the courage she managed to muster.

"Sakura..." He growled out, but didn't move.

"Please don't kill him...I-I owe him!" What was she doing?

"You...owe HIM?!" Joker spun around incredulously, eyes wild and brows raised as high as they could possibly go. Seeing him like this made her feel impossibly small in comparison to high large stature. Despite everything that happened, she tried hard to fight the fear coursing through her body. Just telling him no, wouldn't be good enough of an answer.

"That's right. When I was in The Narrows, he made sure I wasn't harmed when someone was haggling me... And.." Green eyes shifted towards the corpse on the ground. "When THIS guy was yanking me around by my arm and made me lose my heels, Rocco hit him and was good to me..." It wasn't really a lie...she just didn't mention that it had been Rocco himself that had been the one doing the haggling.

Dark eyes stared down, giving the woman the feeling as if they could see through everything. It took every ounce of strength to not back down, trying to remember this was Jack standing over her. She needed to have a spine and have a voice, otherwise he was going to completely lose himself.

The greasepaint on his face was completely smeared, the black around his eyes circling out further than usual. Faded green and sweaty dark hair even more wild than usual from their time in the back of the van. The blood splattered on his chest and face made him look far crazier than usual. No wonder his men looked absolutely terrified. Who wouldn't be scared to see a mad shirtless clown covered in blood pacing in front of them with a lead pipe covered in someone's brains?

Sakura could see the wheels turning in his head as he picked apart her words, eyes narrowing slightly as if he was deciding what to do next. For all she knew, he'd already known about everything. It almost seemed like he really could see and hear everything like he always claimed.

The side of his scarred mouth twitched as the muscles in his face relaxed. Seeing the fire in those black orbs cool off even just a hair made the lump in her throat lessen slightly. Breathing in deeply, he closed his eyes as his head fell back, rolling his shoulders back and forth.

'Is he...trying to calm down?'

Pursing his lips as he looked back down at her, a sigh left his mouth, throwing the lead pipe over her head towards the vans. The pinkette could have cried in relief as a smile stretched across his face, not showing the same madness that was present just a minute ago.

"HAHAHAHA!" Wrapping his bare arm around her shoulders, he laughed as a droplet of blood fell from his chin and ran down his chest, making Sakura grimace. "Come on, dollface... I still have some things I, ah, wanna show ya!"

'Thank GOD!' The only thing she could hope for now, was that whatever he wanted to show her wasn't part of the "lessons" he was trying to teach her... Well, if it was anything like the one earlier, perhaps that wouldn't be so bad...

Joker yanked her closer as he started walking away, guiding her to go with him. The pinkette glanced towards the gray eyed man, who looked as if he couldn't believe what just happened. The expression he gave her said more than words ever could. A mix between gratefulness and desperation. They all knew the Clown Prince was about to bash his head in...but there he was, still breathing.

After a few steps, Joker stopped, halting her as well with the grip around her shoulders. Turning his head towards the men, a malicious smile pulled at the scarred corners of his mouth.

"Rocco..."

"Yes Boss!" The man stood ramrod straight, suddenly becoming nervous again now that the clown's attention wasn't completely on the woman next to him..

"Just so you know... This doesn't make you two even. Now you owe her one. Don't forget that! You know better than anyone else that I don't give second chances, so remember this: You, uh, owe this woman your life..." Dark eyes narrowed as he turned away, leaving the men to themselves to finish their jobs. Tugging on his purple coat wrapped around the pinkette, he trudged along, not loosening the grip on her shoulders.


"So, I take it Wayne is out on another date?" The blonde haired man stared out of the large window of the penthouse overlooking the lit up city. This was one of the best places to get a wonderful view of Gotham, especially at night.

"Seems so..." Rachel sighed, looking towards the television from the soft chair not to far off. Every news channel seemed to be playing the same segments over and over again. It couldn't be help, it wasn't like there was anything positive going on anymore.

Instead of casters talking about neighborhood programs that were being started up or schools receiving funding to renovate and purchase new materials for students or even laws that were being passed to try to clean up the streets, all that was ever on anymore were depressing updates. More deaths, more people missing, more crimes being committed. Buildings taking a hit, people being shot or robbed... It was insanity.

Gotham was devolving into a city worse than it had ever been and it was all thanks to the Joker... The man who added her name to the list of people he promised to kill. Harvey had said that one of his men who had been shot and captured during the attempted public execution of Mayor Garcia had a name tag on his honor guard uniform that bore her name...

It was terrifying... No one knew when or how the clown would strike. He had already ended multiple lives of even big names throughout the city using unpredictable means and if he could get to the rich and powerful, what chance did she really have? Even if Mayor Garcia had made it out of the incident alive, the Clown Prince hadn't left empty handed. No.. In the attempt, Jim Gordon had been shot dead protecting the politician.

That was a hard pill to swallow. Jim had become a good friend and confidant in the last year. Ever since Bruce started wearing the mask. Their efforts to bring down Falcone had brought them together and the attack on The Narrows with Crane's fear gas only made that stronger as they did their best to stop the mayhem.

That gas...it was like nothing she'd ever seen before. After Crane had shot her in the face with a concentrated dose of it after having issues with him intervening in trying to bring Falcone to justice, it seemed all but certain that life would never be the same. Left in a daze with horrifying illusions, death would have been a welcome reprieve compared to being lost in that nightmare... If Bruce hadn't given her the antidote, there was no doubt that she would have died back then.

That was a year ago... It felt like so much has happened since then. For a while, it really seemed that Bruce wearing the cape had really made a difference in the city. The mob had become more afraid of pulling their usual activities during the nights, not knowing when or if the Batman would show up. He worked closely with Jim to trap and arrest these men, who had been polluting Gotham for so long, but it seemed to never end. Even after Falcone was admitted to Arkham Asylum, he was just replaced with Maroni and the Chechen who were having turf wars with Gambol, who had recently had gone missing. They had made an alliance with the threat of Batman being on their heels and the possibility of losing everything.

It was Harvey, who she started a relationship with almost nine months ago, that was willing to take the crime organization head on, not being afraid of the repercussions. Unlike Jim who had a family and children, the District Attorney was on his own, not having to fear for the lives of loved ones. All it would take to stop most of the men who could stand up to crime is to have one of their children taken on the way home from school and everything would fall apart. No one was willing to give their lives up or their family's to stop what's been going on for decades.

That was one of the reasons Bruce insisted on having an alias...he didn't want to bring any harm to herself, Alfred, or even Lucius. It was a smart move, that way he could do what needed to be done without bringing danger to any of them. Barely anyone had a clue about the man behind the mask... Except for her and the two others he protected wholeheartedly.

'Bruce...'

The two of them had been friends for as long as she could remember. She had been there when he fell down the well on his family's estate, tried to comfort him when his parents had been shot dead, tried to take him away when the murderer had been gunned down himself after a court hearing fourteen years later...and when he returned after he'd gone missing for seven years. Their bond couldn't be explained or broken. They would always be in each other's lives no matter what, even if they couldn't be together... Not as long as he spent his nights fighting against the darkness that was plaguing the city.

"I haven't seen Alfred anywhere... Seems like we have the place to ourselves for the night." Harvey's voice drew her away from the screen she hadn't really been paying attention to. The smirk on his face as he eyed her from across the room made her flush, knowing what he was thinking.

"He probably wanted to give us some privacy. Not that we really needed it."

This man... He was such a good person. Determined, loyal, sweet, handsome, powerful... Everything a woman could want and some. Smart as a whip and as cunning as a fox. Some of the men who worked in his office were more dedicated to his cause than she'd ever seen before. They fully believe in him and what he stands for. He was the "White Knight" of Gotham... The man who had over 549 criminals arrested in one day using the information they obtained from Lau to clean up the streets. Everyday he showered her in his affections and with the love he felt towards her to the point it was overwhelming, treating her like she was the only woman in the world...

So why did she feel this way?

Why was it that she couldn't fully give herself to this wonderful man? Even when he asked her to marry him at the fundraiser Bruce had thrown for him...she just couldn't give him a straight answer.

It was because of Bruce...

No matter how much time went by or what happened, Rachel just couldn't forget that first taste of love they had together. She had promised him that they could be together once he was able to walk away from the Batman, but it always seemed like that day would never come.

Tomorrow morning, he said he would turn himself in at the press conference that Harvey had planned. There would be no way for them to be together after that... God knows how long he would be put away for acting as a vigilante and taking the law into his own hands. The thought was...unbearable.

"Oh? We don't? I would like to think otherwise..." Harvey grinned as he stepped away from the window. His long fingers twirled his father's lucky coin between them, something he always did when he was anxious or elated. It was the former... This press conference had him on edge and he was completely reluctant to have it at all. The blonde admired the Batman probably more than anyone else, not knowing who was really behind the mask.

Rachel stood as he walked closer to the chair, his dark eyes lighting up as they gazed down at her. Part of the brunette felt terrible about the way she secretly felt. How could someone love two people at the same time? It was mind boggling, but there wasn't anything that could be done about it. God knows how hard she tried to quell those emotions...those urges. It wasn't fair to Harvey who gave himself to her completely when she couldn't do the same. That's why she couldn't agree to his proposal.

Leaning down over her, his lips were warm against the cool skin of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. If anything, this would take their minds off of the tragedy that was unfolding in the coming morning... When Harvey would learn the identity of his hero and one of her greatest loves would be shackled and thrown away. Even now, Bruce was scouring the streets, desperate to find the Clown Prince and bring him to justice before it was too late. She could only hope to God that a miracle would happen before the sun rose.

"Let's go..." Taking his large hand into hers, Rachel led the way towards the guest bedroom, needing a reprieve from those thoughts plaguing her mind. His body could bring her the distraction that she so desperately needed...

To get away from what was about to happen...To stop her from thinking about those dark eyes that made her heart skip a beat...


"What is this place?" The pinkette looked around as the arm on her shoulders held her tighter, fingers rubbing into the material of the coat she was wearing.

"Just, ah...old building I set up shop in a whiiiiile ago..." The place looked like it hadn't been in use for a long time... If it wasn't for the lights shining down outside and the vehicles parked alongside of it, anyone would have thought it was just another abandoned building in the bad areas of the city. She knew they had to be near The Narrows from the looks of it, that much was certain.

The heat radiating off of his bare upper body and the hand rubbing her shoulder was reassuring, something that was needed after his little "episode" right before this. The pounding in her chest calmed down and muscles started to relax as they walked across the cracked lot, towards the old building.

"Hahaha..." Joker's laugh was low, not as hysterical as it had been just moments before. His eyes narrowed as a grin spread across his face, amusement dancing in his dark orbs. Following his gaze, there was a large semi truck parked along side the building. The cabin's color looked similar to rust and the trailer was even more curious as she squinted to get a better look at what was on it.

"Heh, wanna see?" Noticing the way she was staring at it, he gave a small nudge to her side with a chuckle. Pulling his arm from around her shoulders, Sakura bit her lip as she felt his warm fingers lacing themselves between hers. They were so rough against her skin as she felt his thumb rubbing against the back of her hand. Even when they were younger, it had always been like that.

A cough pulled Sakura out of her nostalgic thoughts, realizing she'd been looking down and staring at his hand.

"Whattcha thinkin' about, hmm?" His brows pumped up and down as a lecherous grin tugged at his scars. Seriously? The pinkette could feel her face heating up, finding it annoying how he always seemed to know what everyone was thinking or doing even when he shouldn't. Sometimes it was like he could read minds, but she knew it must be his keen observational skills. Always watching and reading people's body language and facial expressions. "Are ya thinking about my hand between your legs again? Oh Sakuraaa...you always were such a little minx. Can't get enough of me, can you?"

"I'd say you were always a dog, but that isn't true, is it?" Pursing her lips tightly as he chuckled, she pulled her hand out of his grasp before he tightened it, smacking his chest. It felt strange to see him so playful and energetic, considering he'd been practically frothing at the mouth smashing someone's head in just before this. If what teenage girls have is called mood swings, what is this?

"Oh, but it is!" His smile widened as he ran his tongue over his scarred bottom lip. Before she could even say a word, his hand snaked out and grasped hers, tugging the pinkette close enough that her face almost smacked against the blood still wet against his chest. A grimace twisted her features, craning her head back and away from it.

"Ya just never saw it through those rose colored glasses you're always looking at me through, hmm? I've always been this way, even if I didn't act on it. You just couldn't see it, could you?...My sweet innocent little blossom... Well, maybe not so innocent as you look. Not if you're with me.."

Sakura stared up at him with a deadpan expression. What the hell is he rambling about? He says he wants her to stay, but then goes on about how she can't see the real him and he was always this way. That isn't true, not at all. Did he forget the way he was as a child? Growing up? Perhaps it wasn't just her who forgot parts of the past...

Not saying anything lost in her thoughts, he motioned with his chin in the direction of the truck, yanking her along. Dark eyes watched her carefully with a side glance as she looked forward, running the words through a filter she subconsciously had to use more often than not.

"Why?" Joker snapped his head in her direction as she finally spoke, stopping on the spot.

"Why what?" His head cocked to the side, a curious expression on his smeared painted features. Brows furrowed as he watched her, waiting for a reply.

"Why do you always do that? Try to get me to think badly of you? Acting like you're trying to reveal some world shattering truth that I'm just far too stupid to see for myself. Well guess what? I'm not a fool and I don't wear glasses either, rose colored or not." Anger bubbled inside, threatening to spill out. "Hate to break it to you, but you're not the only one who sees more than they should... Are you trying to chase me off?"

Joker stared down at her, eyes wide and wild like they were before. The smile playing on his lips faded as the muscles beneath his skin shifted, seemingly agitated. Was he angry? Had she said too much? The tension was thick in the air, making it uncomfortable.

'Shit...'

"Hmm? Ha...Ha..." The stoic mask he plastered on himself cracked as the right side of his mouth twitched up, making the long scar move with it. "AHAHAHAHA!" Letting go of her hand, it smacked against his chest as if trying to keep the laughter contained somehow, doubling over.

The vein in her forehead throbbed watching the little spectacle he was putting on, trying to stop the contagious noise from affecting her. What was so damn funny? He rubbed under his eye, wiping away tears that never came.

"Hoo boy! And they say I'm a joker, haha! You're too much, ya know that?" Slapping his knee, he stood back up swaying a bit as he chuckled. The look in his eyes didn't match his actions at all. Standing tall with his shoulders hunched, he stepped closer. If the pinkette was anyone else, she would have taken a few steps back, not sure of what was to come next.

Hands reached out taking the sides of her face in his palms, running his thumbs along the soft skin of her cheeks. It was gentle...tender. The look in his eyes finally matched what he was doing, staring down with a grin, caressing her face.

"You never cease to amaze me, sweetheart... I never thought you were stupid. Foolish at times with the choices you make...but never stupid." Leaning forward, he pressed his jagged lips to her forehead. Sakura closed her eyes, reveling at the feel of the touch, trying not to be annoyed with him. Sometimes it just couldn't be helped. Sometimes...things really didn't change, not matter how much seemed to.

"I thought you wanted me to stay with you? Why do you try to do and say things to try to get me not to like you? You do one thing, then say another... It annoys the piss out of me. Are you trying to drive me off?" She knew what he was doing. It wasn't a secret.

"Why sooo serious, darlin'?" Smacking his lips, he moved her head from one side to the other as he rolled his heal along his shoulders. "Just, ah, making sure of somethin'. Aww, come on... Don't give me that look! I still have sooo much to show you. Let's not spoil the good mood, hmm?"

Stepping back, he grinned as his fingers trailed down her arm, taking her hand again. This man was too much sometimes... As soon as he started to walk away, he froze as if something just came to mind.

"Besides..." Turning around and tightening the hold he had, his eyes lit up in a mischievous way. Bringing himself down to her height, a finger tapped against the rhombus-shaped birthmark against her forehead. "There isn't anywhere you could go anyway...Even if you wanted to leave. No matter where you go, I'll always find you. Mhmm... No getting away from me now. Just remember that..."

The way his eyes darkened sent a shiver down Sakura's spine. He meant it... There was no chuckle at the end or even a hint of humor in his tone as he turned away. If she did try to leave...if this became too much for her...it wouldn't matter. He would just track her down and make it so she couldn't get away again. For some reason, the thought was comforting in a twisted way. They would always be together, she wouldn't have to be alone anymore. Even if this was an unorthodox relationship, there was more history and feelings between them than a lot of other couples she had met.

Letting go of her hand and running forward, the clown spread his arms out wide as they reached the truck, like it was some kind of special reveal that had been behind a curtain.

"Ta-da! What do ya think?" Green eyes moved back and forth, looking at the trailer of the semi-truck. HYAMS Amusement Parks was in the corner and a picture of a carnival in the center. Roller coaster, ferris wheel, tent and all. What caught her attention was next to the image. "Laughter is the best medicine", but there was a large "S" spray painted in red in front of it.

SLAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

"Ha..haha..hahaha..." The chuckle left her lips before even thinking of holding it back. Why did she find this so funny? It really wasn't, knowing this was going to be used for something terrible. When did she get such a twisted sense of humor.

'Maybe... I always had one...'

Joker's eyes lit up as he watched the pinkette cover her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to keep in the laughter. Completely enthralled with the view before him.

"You like it? It was just too good not to." Reaching out and grabbing her hand, he grinned as he twirled her around. Sakura couldn't help feeling lighthearted at his playfulness, seeming to thoroughly be enjoying himself. "You always did like puns." An arm wrapped around the purple coat she wore, long hair tickling his fingers as he dipped her backwards. Yes, he was definitely in a good mood.

"Ya see, I like to do my best...put my own personal touch on things, as you know very well... But there just seems to be a few, ah, dents I haven't been able to get out yet." The man hovering above her stared intently at her face, seeming to be searching for something as he held her over so she didn't fall. Brows furrowed as confusion painted across her features, mulling over his words.

"A few, ah, dents I haven't been able to get out yet."

Looking back towards the truck, it seemed to be perfectly fine. There weren't any indents in the trailer or any damage that she could see.

'No, this had to be some kind of joke or he wouldn't be looking at me like that...'

Joker's expression almost turned to disappointment as he smacked his lips together, looking off to the side quietly.

'Ah! Dents...Harvey...'

"So that's what you're up to..." His head snapped back as he studied her for a moment. "Harvey..." It seemed like that was the right answer as a manic laugh left his lips, face lighting up as he pulled her back up to her feet.

"That's my girl!" A hand ruffled the pink lock on her head, making her swat at him. Pushing his chest out, a satisfied look spread over his handsome features, smiling like a Cheshire Cat. "I knew you would get it. No one else has any appreciation for my jokes."

"Yeah...jokes..." Only someone like him would get a kick out of the future prospect of murdering a District Attorney... Despite how elated he seemed as his eyes gazed back at the semi-truck, the pinkette couldn't share the same feelings. Something in the pit of her stomach was brewing, giving off a bad vibe. It wasn't just the fact that he was going to kill someone, that was something he seemed to enjoy on a regular basis anymore. No, something just felt...wrong.

Sensing the change in her mood, he turned back, watching her curiously as she fiddled with the sleeve of the coat. "Sakura... What's the matter? Is this about my joke?"

"Not really..."

"Hahh... Come on, let's get you inside. Your feet are gonna get all dirty walking around like that." Grabbing her by the hand, Sakura looked down as he led her towards the building. She almost forgot that she had been barefoot and that her heels were still stuck in someone's sidewalk... They hurt to walk in anyway, so she wasn't upset about losing them.

The building really looked worn the closer they got to it. As soon at they reached a metal door, he twisted the handle and yanked it open, motioning for her to go in with his hand. Hesitantly, the pinkette stepped in unsure of what she was going to see. Part of her expected to see people strung up from the ceiling, maybe blood decorating the walls. Henchmen using bodies as furniture... Something grisly that couldn't be forgotten even with all the counseling in the world.

It wasn't like that.

There were crates against the walls and men standing around or walking back and forth, talking and laughing. Some of them were lounging with a beer or bottle in hand, while others were messing with small metal boxes. The large area was pretty empty aside from that. No bodies dangling down or blood splatters...

A few tables were here and there in random spots, littered with guns and bullets, making her chest tighten. Despite who she was with, the sight of them still made her nervous even if they weren't going to be used on her.

Green eyes widened as they noticed a couple women mixed in the group. Unlike the men, they weren't fiddling with boxes or weapons, nor did they have on the same kind of clothing that seemed to be a common sight around here.

'These chicks are...' It was clear what they were here for... Short skirts and dresses, legs going up for days, cleavage hanging out... Their makeup wasn't too far off from the clown faces that a lot of the group wore, but it didn't seem intentional.

"She's not hard to miss or mix up with any of your little hookers, so I don't wanna hear any shit!"

That was true. There wasn't a single one who had light pink hair like hers. If she were to walk through the throng of people, she would stick out like a sore thumb even among this...assortment.

A few of them weren't completely dressed, some of the women missing their tops or bottoms, a few men bare chested, like Joker.

A blonde was sitting on a crate with her shoulders back, proudly showing off her large assets. She was running her foot over a man's lap sitting in a chair below her, clown mask covering his face as he sharpened a knife. A large man who was shirtless was pointing a gun at a redhead. Instead of being afraid like any normal person would, the woman was running her tongue around the tip of it with a smile, taking the barrel into her mouth suggestively.

'Prostitutes? Gang bangers? Henchwomen?'

"What the hell...?" It didn't seem like anyone even realized they walked in yet... From the way the henchmen reacted outside, there was no doubt that they wouldn't seem to be working or enjoying themselves in such a relaxed way if they knew the Clown Prince was standing there. Or perhaps this was how things were around here when they were in one of their bases?

A noise drew Sakura's attention towards one of the walls, but a large hand covered her eyes, not allowing her to see what it was coming from.

"Let's go upstairs..." His words were low and angry as she breathed out harshly. The other hand went to her lower back to give her a nudge, pushing her in the direction away from the large space

What did he think she was an innocent child? Didn't know what was going on? It was clear he didn't want her to see this, either way.

Joker seemed agitated, a stark difference from just moments ago when they were outside. This fingers were still covering her eyes as he guided her across the smooth floor. Sakura padded along, the cold floor uncomfortable under her bare feet, making a shiver run through her body despite the heavy coat and the chest practically pressed up against her back emitting warmth.

The pinkette's ears perked up, hearing the muttering coming from behind her. Unable to make out what he was saying, she knew he really was pissed. There are a few times the clown does this, she noticed. It was usually when he was angry, thinking deeply about something, or going at it. Other than that, he didn't seem to do this too often...

Cursing, broken thoughts, deep sounds resonating through his chest.. It used to worry her at first, thinking that he was going mad at the time. Sometimes she could hear what he was saying, other times it was inaudible and couldn't make anything out. The unusual act seemed to be another one of his quirks, aside from biting his lip or running his tongue over the marred skin of his mouth. Whether it was a side effect of some form of insanity was another question entirely...

"We're going up stairs, dollface... Watch your step." As soon as the words left his mouth, her toes ran into something hard. A sigh left her lips as she lifted her foot up, carefully taking the steps since he didn't want to take his hand away from her face. The noises from the open space were getting lower as they ascended the flight, a hand on her lower back guiding her around a corner as they took another one.

"No one tries anything funny or goes into our room..." So this is where they were headed to? A room that was in the building?

'I wonder if this is where he was staying before coming to my apartment...' Joker mentioned something before about having a few warehouses and buildings where he came and went as he pleased. It was curious why he chose this one. Maybe because its location was further away from the center of the city? Some strategic reason only he knows about? He always took all small details into account with everything he did, though she doubted whether he would reveal that or not.

Joker might be gunning for Harvey Dent, but something...whether it was instinct or intuition...told her that wasn't all. He wouldn't be trying to get her out of the city otherwise...

The hand around her eyes dropped finally as they reached the top of the staircase. Looking around, her brows furrowed taking in the sight before them.

The walls were littered in erratic scribbles and splotches of something she didn't care to know. A small hallway with a worn door was all that was left now, sitting at the very end. The floors were as hard and cold as the ones downstairs, but there was random doodling in spray paint that ran up to the terrible handwriting that was all over the place. A bucket that had the bottom smashed out was pushed off to the side. It looked like it gave way under someone's weight who used it to reach up higher with their patchwork decorating.

'Did Jack do this? Or someone else?'

Turning back towards the man behind her, his eyes were aimed at the door, staring at it intensely as if he didn't realize she was looking at him.

"Go ahead.." His voice was low as he kept looking at the door, the only spot in the hall that hadn't been touched. A hand nudged her from behind as she slowly stepped forward, suddenly feeling nervous again.

Sakura didn't belong here, that was very clear to her as soon as she was lifted out of the van. These people weren't right in the head. The things they do, she wanted no part in. This building was run down and full of the crazy shit that made up the Joker's gang.

'It's only until the morning... I hope.'

If she knew where she was going to end up two weeks ago, she never wold have believed it. Not for a second...

The heaviness in her chest only worsened the closer she got to the door. None of this felt right, even with the man standing right up behind her, blood drying on his chest. It almost didn't feel real, like floating through a dream.

'Or a nightmare...'

Jack wouldn't have done any of this...He wouldn't have brought her here with these people. Told her that she was never allowed to leave and acting like she didn't have a choice in this anymore.

'He's doing it to keep you safe.. So far he's kept everything away from you until now, when you're in trouble.' A small voice whispered in the back of her mind, making her brows furrow.

'I'm only in trouble because of him...'

'Shut up. You're being annoying... It's Jack we're talking about.'

"Relax." A hand rubbed her shoulder, whispering softly in her ear. Taking a deep breath, Sakura tried to shake the thoughts off as he stepped around her to grab the handle of the door.

"Everything's going to be okay..." Despite the dim lighting, seeing his face as he looked down at her actually did help the nerves gnawing at her.

It was going to be okay, right? In the morning, she would be leaving the city then... Then what? What was going to happen? What was the Joker going to do? Even if he accomplishes his "mission", what then? Were they going to live in a little home together and act like everything was normal? Or was he just going to keep living like this? Where did she fit in this equation? What if he ended up dying or getting hurt?

"I promise..." Opening the door, he grabbed her wrist to pull her in. Holding her breath, the pinkette had no idea what to expect, especially from someone like him.

Stepping through the threshold, her eyes widened looking around the room. The door closing and locking behind her didn't even register as she stood rooted on the spot.

A mattress was on the floor, sheets strewn about as if someone had slept in it recently and couldn't care less about the way it looked. A small dresser sat against the wall, drawers half-hazardly closed with some sticking out slightly. A chair sat not too far some that, old and worn. A couple pieces of clothing folded in a pile were next to the bed on the wooden floor boards. Along one of the walls was an open door to a bathroom, the lights shut off.

'This...looks so familiar...'

"What do you think? Does it remind you of something?" Stepping from behind her, Joker had a smirk on his face as he watched her reactions shift from confusion to shock. He was enjoying this...

"I-Its...exactly like your old room..."

"HAHAHAHA!" The way his smile twisted into something completely different at her realization made her skin crawl...

'Jack... He's really lost it...'