She woke up in a panic as thunder cracked outside. She screamed as she felt her soul leaving her body and her heart beating in her ears. She took the time to look around as she hyperventilated, only to realize that she was alone in her room.

Finally, she let out a shaky breath and threw the blankets off of her. She ran a hand through her hair and headed for the kitchen to get a glass of water and a smoke.

"Three times in a row Raven. That's a new record" she spoke the words loudly, only to highlight the insanity those last few days caused her.

It had been almost a week since her night out and things were…things were bad. The longer she didn't hear from Tommas or the Joker, the more anxious she got. She couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, she jumped every time a customer came in the room without knocking and above all, she wasn't sure if she wanted this nightmare to end or not.

The idea of the Joker walking in the room right that second and planting a bullet between her eyes seemed like a very appealing escape plan from this nightmare.

She sat down at the table and lit her cigarette. She took the first puff and immediately felt her muscles relaxing. She closed her eyes and rubbed her neck as she tried to relax her body.

She heard a quiet knock on the door behind her and she whirled around, almost knocking the glass of water from the table.

"Jesus!" Lizzie said breathlessly obvious startled by Raven's reaction. "I don't know what to tell you. Sorry for scaring you or fuck you for scaring me?" she said breathlessly as she approached the table.

"I'm sorry" Raven gasped picking up her cigarette that had slipped for between her fingers.

"I heard you scream so I figured I would come and check up on you" Lizzie said grabbing one of Raven's cigarettes.

"Yeah um… The thunder"

"You're afraid of thunders?" Lizzie stared at her baffled.

Raven blinked for a moment "Yes. Of course"

"Since when?"

"Since now" Raven replied with wide angry eyes.

"I'm sorry" Lizzie laughed humorlessly "You do have to forgive me. I have an innate ability to piss people off when they are bullshiting me" she was staring at her with an ice-cold gaze now "What's going on?"

Raven sighed in defeat "It's nothing really I just-" she paused and blinked as she tried to figure out a good lie "It's just since the night I went out and saw how everyone was living…"

"-You can't stop thinking about going out there again" Lizzie finished her sentence. "Raven…we all have a choice here… nobody is forcing you"

"I can't" she replied quickly shaking her head. It was funny how her lie was turning out to be so believable. But a good lie is always better when it's half the truth. "I couldn't do that to Eliza. I owe her my life"

"Raven…"

"It's true" she cut her off quickly "Look I- Maybe it's easy for you and that's great. But I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. She could have looked away but instead gave me a home. I know she can be mean sometimes but I cannot just leave. She saved me. And that is a debt I will never be able to repay"

"And she sure reminds you of it" Lizzie said ironically and soon after her expression changed.

"What do you mean?"

She looked up at Raven and shook her head "Nothing. I mean- nothing. You figure out this one alright honey?" she said as she put out her cigarette and stood up "And go to bed it's almost morning. You have the nightshift tomorrow"

She left the room as Raven sat there dumbfounded. Finally, she put out her own cigarette and headed for her room, checking to see if the back door was locked one last time.

"Time is up! Come on buddy I ain't got all night you're not gonna marry her!" Eliza banged on Tatiana's door just as Raven's customer left the building. "What's the matter with you today? Put on some makeup" she snarled at Raven just as she came out the door. "Extra charge!" she shouted at the young man as she continued banging her fist on the door. Raven rolled her eyes and went back to her room to prepare for her next customer.

She combed her hair and fixed her black bra as she readjusted her tights. She sighed and stared at her reflection in the mirror for a moment.

Suddenly, her own gaze was too much to bear. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned away, unsure of what this new feeling building up inside of her was. She cleared her throat and shook the emotions away as she put on some makeup and heard the light knock on the door.

"Come in" she said calmly and the door creaked open. She turned towards the man that entered as he closed the door behind him.

She didn't know him. She assumed he was a new customer and judging by the way he was dressed, he hadn't done this many times before. The men visiting these kinds of places, were more breezy and relaxed. And even a little bit cocky.

This man was wearing a big coat and even a hat hiding his features. He clearly hadn't done this before.

"How much for the night?" he spoke in a deep masculine tone.

Or maybe he had.

"it's five hundred an hour"

"Too expensive" he said shaking his head. Raven was about to reply when she heard him giggling. And the blood froze in her veins. "Would you care to make an exception for a friend?" he said as he lifted his head.

The first thing her mind registered were his eyes. They were as piercing as the first time she had met him. Her gaze drifted down to his scarred lips and cheeks only for a brief second before her eyes met his again in disbelief.

"Well?" he said with a smirk.

Raven finally blinked as she got out of her trance. She frowned, her mind racing in a desperate attempt to figure out what to do. Finally, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and shook her head.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well a man has needs" he said mockingly as he took off his coat dismissively and threw it on the chair in front of him. Raven took a deep breath one last time shaking all the anxiety off of her as she exhaled. She grabbed her black robe from the hanger and threw it on.

"What is it?" she spoke calmly.

He didn't reply for a moment but she didn't dare to turn around. Instead, she pretended like she was tying the robe tightly around her waist.

"You locked the door" he replied, somewhat seriously.

"You could have sent a pigeon" she said harshly as she sat down at the edge of the bed. He laughed then and Raven's heart skipped and began pounding hard.

God he was terrifying. Even without makeup.

Not because of the scars. In fact, Raven had made a mental note to herself that he was quite a handsome man. Even though his eyes seemed black as the colour of the sky, without his makeup she could see a little green in them. He took off his hat even as she thought it, to reveal blonde long hair tied back into a low ponytail. He looked up at her amused and snickered to himself. He pulled back the chair in front of the mirror and sat down in front of her so close that his knees could trap her legs between them.

"You know" he started running a hand through his hair "What you did was not very polite"

She rolled her eyes and sighed irritated "The lying or the locking?"

"Uhh… Both. But since you mention it, you have some explaining to do"

Raven stared at him for a moment before raising her eyebrows "There is nothing to explain. He is a customer, he wanted me to escort him somewhere, then he lied, you were there and you knew the truth and that's the end of it" she said almost running out of air.

"Yeah well ok" he said quickly leaning forward. For some reason she felt as if he was disappointed. "First of all, could you please stop shaking like a fish? If I wanted to plant a bullet to your head I would have"

Raven frowned at the accuracy of his words but said nothing.

"After all, I owe you" he purred.

"You owe me?" she replied confused.

"Well of course! First, you gave me a way out when I was running from the cops and second, you double lied for me in front of every mob boss in the city. You're like a double agent or something"

A giggle escaped her mouth and she covered her lips fast. That was so stupid. She immediately dropped the smile and got up to avoid the Joker's curious eyes.

"Look, I don't think I want any part of this. If you really want it, you can repay me by leaving" she said sharply. She walked to the mirror and began fixing her makeup, trying desperately to avoid the figure behind her.

"Well, if this is what you wish doll, I have no reason to say no" he said as he stood up and put on his hat "I will just let Mr. Tommas know about this and we can uh, go our separate ways"

Raven's eyes finally drifted behind her through the mirror "I didn't think about that" she admitted calmly.

The Joker turned to her and crooked his head to the side "I know" he replied with a giggle "So, listen" he said approaching her from behind. Raven froze as he put his hands on her shoulders. His ebony black gaze pierced her face through the mirror "Since Mr. Tommas decided to play games with me, and uh, since he made you part of it, what would you say to a uh… collaboration?"

Raven felt his coarse skin through the fabric of her robe but didn't dare to move "What kind of collaboration?"

His fingers traveled down her arms as his face came closer to hers "Oh you know. You keep pretending you are on his payroll until I get what I want"

Raven gulped loudly "And what happens to me when you get what you want?"

He laughed then, but there was no humor in his laughter. It was a low dreadful sound that would haunt Raven in her dreams. She just didn't know yet. He squeezed her arms almost painfully as he spoke "You fear I will let the dogs have you?"

"I love dogs. I fear you will let Tommas kill me"

The Joker's eyes darkened as he laughed at her ironic comment "Okay doll" he said "I promise you, that if anyone is going to kill you, it's gonna be me"

"Oh Jeez thanks that makes me feel so much better" she said as she jerked away from his grip. She headed back at the kitchen and unlocked the door. "There. Feel free to leave whenever you want"

"Wha-"

"I don't think you understand" she cut him off, knowing that it would piss him off. "Don't think that just because I know who you are I am automatically afraid of you. Yes I know that you can kill me and I know that you can let Tommas kill me. But if you think that I will let you manipulate me into doing anything because I am afraid you are deeply mistaken"

"Nononono" he said grabbing her wrists just as she tried to move away from him "You are deeply mistaken" he almost barked. He was furious "You will do this. You will keep pretending you work for Tommas. And you will report back to me. Or believe me. The last thing you will fear in this world is me. That I can promise"

What kind of threat was that?

"What does that even mean?"

He towered over her pressing his body more firmly onto hers "If you're brave enough, find out" he said finally releasing her. He left her standing in the kitchen as he grabbed his coat from the chair and got out of the room hastily.

Raven kept staring at the door waiting for…. She didn't know what she was waiting for. Finally, Eliza walked in with huge eyes.

"What the hell did you do to him!?"

"What do you mean?" she replied as her legs finally started working again.

"He gave me 1000 dollars"

Raven blinked in shock, unable to find a way to explain this to her.

"I uh….guess… I did my job right"