Four days. Four days since Dick and Jason had been kidnapped and four days since they last saw each other.
Dick moaned quietly as a sharp pain erupted in his side. The Joker had been kicking and punching him for what felt like hours now. "Again, Boy Blunder, where is she?!" Another kick to his side and Dick yelped in pain as he heard a rib crack. He glared at Joker and spat, "How many times do I have to say it before you finally get it through that thick skull of yours? I DON'T KNOW!"
Blood splattered across the stone walls as the villain punched the teenage boy in the face. Dick grunted, but didn't say anything else. Apparently, Harley had been missing since the day the Joker had kidnapped them and now he was looking for his queen (though he had been the one to leave her in the first place).
Dick smirked, blood running down the corner of his mouth. "And here I was, thinking you didn't care for her. Maybe she finally realized that you are just using her and moved on." A punch to his solar plexus left him gasped for air and coughing up blood. Again. This was really getting old.
He glared at the scarred face in front of him and pushed himself in a sitting position. The Joker put his boot on Dick's chest and forced him down again. The teen struggled, but couldn't get the Joker off of him, not in his weakened state. "I will ask you one more time," the villain threatened quietly, "Where is Harley?"
Dick kept silent. He had no idea where the hell Harley was, but the Joker didn't seem to believe him (which was stupid, 'cause he had been stuck here this whole time!)
"Where does the Young Justice keep their prisoners?" Dick snort, though it sounded somewhat painful. "We don't take prisoners. We are not like you." A punch to the side if his head. Dick groaned. Why was everything spinning? Man, did Joker's face look strange... why did he have two noses? Black dots danced in front of his eyes and he had trouble staying conscious. "If you don't give me answers-" snarled the cold voice of the Joker next to his ear and Dick shivered as his breath touched his skin, "Then I will just have to ask your brother."
It was like a cold hand squeezed Dick's heart as he heard those words. "No," he mumbled, but it was too late, the Jester of Genocide had already left the cell and a tear ran down Dick's cheek as he finally welcomed the darkness.
~
Jason wasn't sure weather he was conscious or not, every now and then, he heard voices somewhere outside his cell, but then darkness would claim him again and the next time Jason came to, the voices were gone. And the worst thing; he couldn't see. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn't able to see anything, not even his own hand. It was pitch-plack and Jason felt confined, like... like he was trapped, trapped in a small box six feet under.
He tired to calm his racing heart. Don't panic, he inwardly scolded himself. Bruce had thought him better. Concentrate on your other senses. He listened to any sounds in- and outside the cell, but was greeted with silence. Great, I can't see, nor hear anything. Just astrous. Oh God, now I sound like Dick. And I am talking to myself. I am going crazy!
The creak of a door pulled him out of his thoughts. Jason wasn't sure weather to be relieved or not, because he would have started to discuss the pros and cons of Wally's and Artemis' relationship if he was left by himself any longer, but the opening of the door normally meant pain, so... hard choice.
Jason tried to push himself off the ground, but he realized that he couldn't move. His breath hitched as he started to panic even harder. He tried to open his mouth, but he wasn't able to do that either. Well, that explains why I can't see anything. I have my eyes closed. Great observation skills, Jason. And I'm talking to myself again. Urgh! As the typical mad laugh hit his ears, Jason wanted to cover them, but his muscles wouldn't listen. What was happening? Why can't he move, damn it?!
"Is our little Jay Jay panicking?"
Jason inwardly spat, Yeah, you know. I just can't move, but I don't expect you to understand my dilemma, considering that your brain- oh wait, you don't have one.
Jason imagined the Joker smirking and pacing around him. "Let me guess, you think of the best way to kill me, don't you?"
Put a bullet in your head and splatter your brains across the walls.
"You know, I really wish I could leave you like this, not talking, not moving, just blessed silence, but I need some answers."
Jason felt a prick in this neck. At first, nothing happened, but then his limps started to tingle. He twitched his fingers and groaned at the burning sensation that raced through his arm.
"Oh, I forgot. This could hurt," laughed the Joker, staring in glee at the hurting boy.
After what felt like hours of pain, Jason was finally able to move again and the pain died down. "Bastard," he grumbled, pushing himself on his hands and knees to sit against the wall.
He glared at the maniac that still stood in front of him. Jason's eyes widened as he saw the blood staining his lilac suit and covered his mouth to stop himself from screaming in rage. He knew exactly whose blood that was. "You sick son of a bitch! What did you do?!"
The Joker laughed, his red lips twisted into a gruesome smirk and Jason felt sick. "What did you do?" mimicked the Joker Jason's question and laughed again. "Nothing much, really. But your brother is too stubborn for his own good."
Jason gritted his teeth. You think he is stubborn? You haven't met me yet, bitch. "You'll regret ever touching him," growled Jason, glaring at his tormentor. "Whatever you say. But I'm not here to talk about your brother, I want answers he wouldn't give me."
"I know little to nothing about the League or their sidekicks and I may be on thin ice with Batman, but I'll not betray him," spat Jason, glaring at the Clown Prince of Assholes.
The Joker narrowed his eyes and smirked. "You angry with old Batsy? What a twist! Ha, a bat angry with the Bat. That's a blast, wouldn't you agree, Hoodie? He, blast." He emphasized the last part and noticed with satisfaction the shudder that run through Jason's body.
The boy averted his eyes and glared at the ground. He still had nightmares about the whole dying, crawling out of his grave and taking a dip in the Lazarus Pit fiasco. He remembered how he'd laid on the blood stained ground that day, still having the hope that Bruce would save him in time, but with each blow from the crowbar and each tick from the bomb, his hope had dimmed like the light of a candle, until it fully died down with the last tick.
A hard kick to his side snapped him out of his thoughts. Jason bit his lip to stop a surprised yelp. "Pay attention, Red," scolded the Joker, shaking his head like a disappointed parent. "Tell me, where is Harley?" Jason just raised his eyebrows. "You've lost your girlfriend?" The Joker kneeled down next to him, an angry look in his eyes. He seemed almost... concerned? That's new. "I only want you to answer one little question, could you do that for me? Pretty please." Jason rolled his eyes. "I could, but I really am not interested in talking to psychopaths with hideous hair and a really bad fashion taste, so no, I won't answer your stupid question."
Another harsh kick to his side and Jason couldn't stop the quiet grunt from tearing through his lips. "You should learn some manners, young man."
"No thanks," wheezed Jason, trying to catch his breath. "I already went to school and I can tell you, it sucks." The Joker sighed in mock annoyance. "Well, then I'll just have to force you to learn. Maybe you'll answer my question after our lesson."
~
Harley groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. She rubbed her temples and tried to remember what had happened... Right, the Grayson boy, a tree, Joker- "Puddin'," she yelled, jumping to her feet. She looked around the room she was in wildly.
Harley frowned as she took in her surroundings. Everything looked so familiar, but at the same time... not. Like something she had not seen for years, but had known really well before.
Someone cleared their throat.
She spun around and gasped as she saw a boy sitting on the bed next to her. Dark blue hair, sky blue eyes and a crazy grin plastered on his face. Harley stumbled back in surprise.
"Don't worry, Joker is fine. I heard he has captured two of the Batboys. The bird and the Hood," he said, his voice cold like the night. Harley didn't reply, she kept her eyes on the boy, still not believing who sat in front of her. She knew him, she knew him so well, and not at all.
"You're back," she whispered, feeling sane for the first time in so long. The boy stood up and laid a hand on her cheek, his fingers comfortably cool. Harley leaned into the touch, afraid that he would vanish again. "Why are you here, Castor?" She asked, looking into those blue eyes that were so much like hers. "Because of you. You and dad."
Please read A/N:~
A/N: Ahhh! Please don't kill me! What do you think? What role will Castor play (though it's not that big of a role, so don't worry if you don't like OCs). What has happened to Jason during his lesson with the Joker? How is Dick? Will the team- and especially Batman- be there in time, or will it be just like the last time- too late?