Hello! I should be going to bed right now but I just had to get this chapter posted lol. I hope you enjoy it!

**We're kicking it off with some lengthy NSFW content!**

Chapter Fifteen: An Alibi

Nora laid contented in the chilled grass, closing her eyes. She let her high take her over and soon all of her senses felt like they'd reached a heightened state. She could feel each green leafy blade tickle against her skin, hear the soft breeze blowing in her ears, smell the faint scent of smoke it carried with it. She could still taste him on her lips when she licked them.

She felt a warmth radiating from above her as Joker moved to prop himself up on his hands over top of her. Her eyes opened to see his gazing straight into them. His dark pupils pulled her in as she stared back. They were dark but not menacing, they were like the sky. Then his eyes traveled along her face, taking in all of the details. Her eyelashes, the freckles on her nose, the little creases left behind from her smile. He lingered at her lips, soft and pink, inviting, before trailing down her chin to her neck. He brushed her hair aside to put his lips to the soft skin. The warm, wet sensation sent a jolt of strong tingles down her back and she gasped, suddenly gripping his shoulders.

Joker lifted his head from the crook of her neck, a small smile pulling at his lips. It seemed like he knew exactly what she felt. The electricity that flowed through her body when he touched her. Was it the weed? Nora felt a euphoric mixture of head and body high that she had never experienced before.

"Did you like that?" he purred.

Nora smiled and softly bit her lip before answering, "Yeah. I did."

He nodded slowly and asked, "Do you want more?"

She gazed into his eyes again. She could see a wordless promise of more pleasurable sensations looking back at her. A flutter of anxiety suddenly rocked her stomach. Why was she scared? What her enhanced nerve endings might do gave her a sense like she'd lose control of herself.

This hesitation must have shown on her face as Joker said, "I'll take good care of you, doll. You're in good hands."

The sincerity in his expression was unmistakable. There was a softness that calmed her worries and was allowing her to enjoy her heightened senses again. Her eyes sparkled as she nodded at him. He nodded back and sat up to offer her his hand. She took it, it was warm and soft against her own as he lead her back into the warehouse. The noise inside was almost too much. But Joker kept her eyes locked with his, keeping her grounded while he walked backwards toward the stairs to his room. It was like they were invisible, no one seemed to notice them as they floated their way up the stairs. When he closed the door, the outside world was shut out, leaving just the two of them in their own little corner of the universe. He turned on the desk lamp, bathing the room in dim, pale yellow light before approaching her slowly.

Nora felt a little rush of nerves and excitement run through her, keeping her eyes on his. Then he untied his tie and slid it off from around his neck. He took her hand again and led her to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I'm gonna tie this over your eyes, don't be scared," he told her in a low voice.

She tilted her chin up and closed her eyes, inviting him to put the narrow strip of material over them. The fabric was cool and silky against her skin, blocking out all of what little light there was in the room. She took a deep, steadying breath, feeling her heart beat a little harder in her chest. Now that she couldn't see, she began to feel more attuned with her body. Blood running through tiny vessels, air filling all of the little spaces in her lungs.

"I'm gonna touch you now," she heard Joker's deep voice say and she nodded slowly.

He started slow, picking up her hand and running the pads of his fingers along her palm. She could feel the minuscule ridges in his skin moving against hers, leaving a trail of tingles behind. Then he ran his fingertips up her arm, bringing the tingles with him. Nora's lips parted as she took in the sensation. He moved his fingers from her arm to lightly grip the hem of her shirt, slowly pulling it up until it was over her head for her to feel the air on her bare skin. His hand made contact with her chest, feeling like it was both very heavy but also light and gentle, guiding her to lay on her back.

She welcomed the feeling of the sleek sheets beneath her, they felt like water without getting wet. He took her wrists in one hand and stretched her arms over her head, gently securing them together with her t-shirt but loose enough that she could break free if she wanted to. She continued to breathe, waiting for what was coming next. The mattress edge dipped under Joker's knees resting on either side of her legs before the skin on her abdomen came to life with a wonderful quivering feeling that rippled out from where he placed his mouth. Nora took in a breath and arched her back slightly while he gently gripped her sides. Then his hands dropped underneath her back to unfasten her bra before she felt his lips on her collar bone. He slid the strap off of her shoulder, leaving kisses in its place. Her breathing quickened. His mouth left small damp spots on her skin that cooled it when met with the air, leaving a kind of satisfying stinging sensation. The little stings distracted her while he continued to slide her bra off until he ran his tongue over her nipple and took it in his mouth.

A powerful gasp escaped Nora's mouth and she pushed her head back into the mattress. The slippery feeling of his lips and tongue on her nipple sent shivers through her body so violent she could barely breathe. Then he released it, giving her a moment to take heavy breaths while he ran his hands over her chest.

"You want more, doll?" he asked breathily.

Without hesitation she panted, "Yes. More."

She felt his hair tickle her skin before he began lightly licking at the space between her breasts and trailing down her abdomen. His tongue's path practically burned her while she breathed deeply. His weight on the edge of the mattress suddenly lifted and his hands gripped the waist of her pants to unbutton them. He tugged down on the fabric, removing them to gain access to more of Nora's skin. Kneeling on the floor in front of her, he gently parted her legs to make room for himself. He lifted each calf and draped her legs over his shoulders before running his mouth from her knee to her inner thigh, stopping within an inch from her panties. Her whole body stiffened as some kind of fantastic electric current ran through her while he kissed along the edge of the thin garment. She felt his hot breath warming the silky fabric as he hovered over her with his face between her legs. Her core ached terribly, begging for his mouth to make contact. She began to writhe slightly, almost unable to handle her need to feel him. Then his fingers slid beneath the waistband to slowly slip her panties down. Her wet folds were soon met with the cool air, her exposure only making her want it more. He pulled them over one bare foot, then the other, before placing his warm hands on her thighs. Goosebumps rose up over her whole body when his breath once again washed over her entrance for what felt like an eternity.

Then she suddenly felt the intense sensation of his tongue running along her slit before he swirled it over her clit. His lips made contact and he gently sucked as Nora moaned loudly. Pleasure seeped into every tissue and flooded her brain as her back arched and her muscles tightened. Each flick of his tongue pushed Nora higher and higher until she felt like she was floating above the bed, unable to control the sounds coming from her throat. A fervor burned and sparked between her legs, growing hotter and hotter until her core could no longer contain it and it exploded. Convulsions swelled from within her and she cried out as wave after wave of intense satisfaction rushed through her trembling body.

Soon she could feel the sheets beneath her once again and she drifted back into consciousness. Joker's bent knees rested on either side of her waist as he sat on top of her to release her hands and lift the tie from her eyes. She blinked them open to see his painted face looking down at her with a sort of admiration. He looked at her like she was some kind of goddess that had graced him with her presence. His hand reached up to move the hair out of her face before leaning in to kiss her. His lips were so soft and slick. Then she felt the rumpled skin making up the scars on his face and lower lip against her own. This time she really felt them. She reached up to touch them, running her fingers over every crease and crevice. Joker groaned into her mouth while he held her one of her hands to keep it at his face. She moved her mouth from his to kiss up his scars, causing him to shiver and his jaw to drop. Then from his face she kissed down his jaw, to his neck. A rumble came from his chest as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

Nora shifted to sit up and lead him onto his back while she continued to taste his skin. It was salty and a little sweet. Joker breathed heavily, laying back and taking in the sensation of Nora nipping gently at his neck. She continued kissing down to his chest, unbuttoning his shirt and vest as she went. After reaching the last button, she slipped her hands past the fabric to feel the lean muscle beneath her fingers. His breathing grew louder, keeping his eyes shut to focus on her touch. Her hands flowed over each smooth surface, little curve, and ridge that made up his torso, followed by her lips. Lower onto his abdomen, she ran her fingers down to the waist of his pants where she readily opened them to free his erection. She waited for a moment with her mouth over him to feel her breath, making him groan. Then she lightly ran her tongue up his length before taking him into her mouth. His back arched and he laced his fingers into her hair while he gasped. She continued up and down at a steady pace, lips and tongue pushing him closer to the edge until his need to be inside her was almost intolerable.

"Come 'ere," he managed to huff desperately, putting a hand at her cheek.

He lightly gripped her sides to guide her over his lap, then sat up and swiftly entered her. Nora gasped, feeling him fill her up, every bit of contact within her putting a magnificent pressure against her sensitive walls. She wrapped her legs around his waist and arms around his neck while he held her and began to thrust. The movement only intensified the pleasure, eliciting strong moans from them both. Joker buried his face against Nora's neck while she held onto his hair and sounds continued to escape their mouths as they drowned in each other. Still panting, he reached up to hold her face and reconnect their lips. The added sensation unraveled them both, white hot flashing over their eyes. Joker let out a immense moan and Nora nearly shouted while they rode out their simultaneous release.

Then their movements slowed and soon stopped. They sat still connected for a moment, catching their breath with foreheads together. Nora untangled her legs from around him and they tipped over onto their sides while they held each other. Joker shifted his eyes up to capture hers, bringing his hands to her face. They smiled and chuckled before bringing their lips together for another kiss.

While the rest of Gotham's disconcerted night carried on, fire burning, breeze blowing, people chattering, Joker and Nora laid together wrapped up in bliss, asleep skin to skin.

Sunlight filtered through the blinds over the windows in the room where they slept. It was quiet. Nora stirred awake when Joker pressed his lips against the skin under her jaw. She smiled and cracked her eyes open before he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest where she could feel his heart beating. Nora responded by running her fingers up and down his back, feeling goosebumps rise up as she went.

Joker took in a breath to sigh and said, "Good morning, doll."

"Morning, J," she replied sleepily.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, resting his chin on her head.

She chuckled and answered, "Better than I have in a long time."

"Ya knoww, I actually don't know if its morning anymore," he giggled, rolling over to look at the bedside clock. "It's eleven."

"Oh good, one hour of morning left," Nora yawned.

Joker chuckled and said, "Up and at 'em, doll face! A lot to, uh, accom-plish today."

He stood and lifted Nora by her arms to sit up, catching a glimpse of her unclothed with the sheets fallen down to her waist. She yawned once more and stretched with her arms over her head.

"Now this, I could get used to," he said in a deep voice with a smirk.

Nora returned the smirk before falling onto her back into the pillows. Joker chuckled and walked into the bathroom. Soon Nora heard the sound of the shower running and he came back into the room to scoop her out of the bed and sling her over his shoulder.

"Time to get up!" he said as she screamed with laughter while he carried her to the bathroom and into the shower.

Her giggles slowed as he positioned her under the water to wet her hair while he used a bar of soap to clean the paint from his face off of her body. She looked down and smiled at him, the water beginning to wash away streaks of paint from his face. Then she took the soap and lathered up her hands.

"Close your eyes," she told him before scrubbing his face with her hands and guiding him to the spray of water to wash it off.

He rubbed his eyes and opened them to ask her, "Did you bring your scrubs, doll?"

"Uh, yeah," she giggled. "Why?"

"Ohhh, just cur-ious," he answered.

Nora brushed her hair while she watched Joker lean toward the mirror, shaving the stubble from his face, more carefully around his scars. After he finished, he smeared a fresh coat of his signature paint on his face then proceeded to knot his tie. She eyed his attire with a little smile on her face, his vision eventually catching her staring.

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Like what you see, doll?"

"I do," she grinned. She wasn't certain, but Nora was pretty sure she was the only one to ever observe the Clown Prince's morning routine. Contrary to what she thought at first, it's not that he doesn't care about hygienics, its just a matter of if he took the time for it.

He ran his fingers through his hair before offering her his arm. She smiled and took it to accompany him into the warehouse. He opened the door and they trotted down the stairs toward the men waiting below.

"Alright! Let's get to it," Joker called out jovially.

They approached a table where Enigma, a young guy with red hair, and a couple of other somewhat familiar faces sat around a box of doughnuts. Joker pulled out a chair for Nora before plopping himself down next to her.

Enigma exhaled the smoke from his cigarette and said, "Mornin', boss. Mornin', doc. We got ourselves an update on Q."

"Ahh well that's, uh, lovely news," Joker replied, reaching for a pack of cigarettes on the table and helping himself to two of them.

Nora's eyes got wide and she did her best to ask calmly, "So? How is he then?" as Joker held out a smoke and a lit match for her.

"Thanks to you, doc, alive and well. Had surgery yesterday afternoon, now he's recoverin' with his room guarded by a cop. Supposed to be released tomorrow," answered Enigma.

Nora sighed with relief, blinking her eyes slowly. "I'm glad he's ok," she said.

"So that's the first hurdle. He's a-live, now we need him back here," said Joker. "I assume our friend will be arrested upon his discharge from the, uh, hospital?"

Enigma nodded. Nora looked down at the table and thought about it for a moment before suddenly looking to Joker.

"So that's why we need my scrubs, then?" she asked him. He responded with a mischievous grin and Nora laughed. "Ok well this will be interesting," she chuckled.

Joker picked up a doughnut from the box on the table and took a bite. "The fiery-haired kid here can, uh, procure us some I.D.s," he said through a mouthful of sweet bread.

The red head flinched to attention and his cheeks flushed. Nora figured he must be new around there since he was so jumpy around J.

"What's your name again?" Enigma asked him.

He swallowed and said, "Um. Its Adam," looking down at the table.

"Hmmm well you need a code name, uh, Adam," said Joker, tilting his head. "How a-bout Override?"

Adam looked up and smiled a little, "I like that, boss."

The newly named Override got to work on making hospital I.D.s for Joker and Nora at his laptop nearby while they prepared to discuss the specifics of a plan.

"So where did he come from?" Nora asked quietly.

Enigma shifted his eyes to Override briefly before answering, "Says he's getting' outta a bad home life. I think he's like nineteen or somethin'. Came around a spot where Nick recruits a few days ago offering his services as a hacker. Course I had to put him through the paces first ta make sure he 'aint no narc."

Nora nodded and said, "I hope the guys are going easy on him. By the way, Nick doesn't sound like a code name."

Enigma chuckled and said, "Psh, that 'aint his real name! It's short for Saint Nicholas cause when he come around, it's like Christmas!"

They burst into a fit of laughter together as Joker approached carrying two mugs of coffee. "And what's sooo funny?" he asked, handing a mug to Nora.

"Thanks, J. Enigma was just telling me how Nick got his name," Nora giggled.

Joker chuckled and said, "Ahhh yes, Saint Nicholas. He, uh, brings us presents," to which Nora and Enigma broke into another round giggles while he sipped his coffee.

"Hey, where's my coffee?" Enigma chuckled.

"Do I sleep with you? Hm? Get it yourself!" Joker answered, pointing toward the kitchen. Enigma sprang from his chair and headed across the room while Nora laughed so hard her sides ached.

She finally took a few deep breaths as her laughter died down, Joker looking at her with a smug expression.

"Mmmhm, that's what I though-t. I'm funnier," he stated, licking his lip.

They sat at the table for the next hour or so, putting together a strategy for getting in and out of Gotham General with Q, all while doing it unnoticed. Joker was good at blending in when he wanted to but that was a lot of people to fool. Their plan had to be just complex enough to work, but simple enough to go smoothly. They needed working I.D.s, a good excuse to be there, and a stealthy getaway.

Override approached Nora sitting alone at the table and asked her, "What do you want your names to be?"

She looked up from her medical book and replied, "Well, what do you think?"

"How about Laura Foster and Peter Willis? Average. Found the names in the hospital database, she's a cardiologist and he's a nurse. They both work at different hospitals now but left Gotham General recently," he answered.

Nora raised her eyebrows, blinked, and said, "Wow. Ok, yeah. Yeah that sounds great."

He nodded and walked back to his computer as she watched him, a bit dumbfounded. Then she saw Joker coming toward her from the side door, grinning at her.

"So, did you know that kid is kind of a genius?" she asked.

He chuckled and answered, "Well I think that's using the term loose-ly but, yes I did. Why else would I, uh, keep him around? Come 'ere, I got something to show ya."

She followed him out the door where he lead her toward the loading dock. Nora would be lying if she said she wasn't a little nervous about what he wanted to show her. Ironically, she could always expect him to be unpredictable. They rounded the corner where a black hearse was parked. On the side of the vehicle, Nick had just carefully finished stenciling, "Gordon Funeral Services" in white letters.

"Why not pay a little tribute to our dear comm-issioner while we're at it?" he chuckled.

Nora smirked at his antics and said, "So this is our getaway car? I like it."

"Ohhh I see the gears turning in that beautiful brain of yours, doll," he purred, wrapping his arms around her. She grinned at him and leaned into his embrace.

"I think I know our alibi," she said.

Nick stood at the table and buttoned up hit white shirt before attempting, with more than some difficulty, to knot a black tie around his neck. Joker came down the stairs drying his clean face with a towel, noticing Nick struggling with his tie. He rolled his eyes and approached him to move his hands out of the way before proceeding to tie it for him.

"Thanks, boss. I don't really wear ties ever," said Nick.

Joker scoffed a little and replied, "A completely useless, yet fashion-able article of clothing." Then he looked up toward the ceiling for a moment and grinned before adding, "Well it does have some, uh, alter-native uses."

Nick raised his eyebrows and said, "Ok, I don't need to know what those are."

Joker responded with a bark of a laugh before telling him, "Oh I'm sure you can come up with, uh, some of your own," then clicked his tongue and let go of the completed Windsor knot.

Override came up from behind him and stopped in his tracks when Joker turned around. He stood speechless and stared at his bare face, unable to look away. He was frozen in place as Joker slowly approached with his eyes locked on him, his height towering over Override's shorter stature.

"Well did you buy a ticke-t to the freak show? Hm?" Joker growled down at him.

His eyes went wide and he immediately shook his head. Joker nodded slowly as he scowled, before placing his hand on the top of Override's head and turning it to the side, breaking their gaze. Then Joker licked at his scars and walked away, leaving the young man trembling and trying to control his ragged breathing.

"Yeah, he doesn't like it when ya stare at 'im without his paint on," said Nick.

Override sat down in a nearby chair and took a deep breath, dropping his head into his hands. "Ok, I understand. I won't do it again," he said.

Nick sighed and sat next to him, lowering his voice to tell him, "Hey. It's ok, man. He 'aint gonna kill ya for that. Just scare ya a little. Just act normal, you'll be fine."

"Ok, ok. Yeah, I get it. I just feel like such an asshole a-and a coward," Override panted.

"Psh, you 'aint no coward. You took a job with the Joker dude. You'll get used to it, just relax," replied Nick.

Override nodded his head and took another deep breath to answer, "Ok, I'll try."

Nora came down the stairs dressed in her green scrubs and a clean white lab coat. She approached them with a concerned look on her face.

"Is he ok?" she asked, gesturing to Override.

"Oh yeah, he'll be fine. Just gettin' used to the boss is all," said Nick.

She smiled and nodded before telling him, "He's right, you'll be fine."

Override finally began to breathe normally and stood to retrieve something from his pocket. He held out two plastic cards with a magnetic strip down their side and the Gotham General Hospital logo on the front. One had the name "Dr. Laura Foster, Cardiology" and the other, "Peter Willis, RN" printed in black below the clip to hold them to their clothes.

"One for you and one for the boss, " he said. "They'll open any door in the hospital but they're encrypted so the scanner won't record it."

Nora took them from him to inspect the details. They were perfect.

"These are amazing," she told him with a smile and he grinned back at her.

"Lookin' good, doc!" Enigma's voice called from across the room.

She smoothed out the front of her white coat and replied, "Why, thank you. I thought it was a nice touch."

Enigma walked up to them and pulled out a chair to sit, putting his feet up on the table. "Are we ready to go do this?" he asked.

"We? You aren't going anywhere," Joker said from behind him.

The group looked up to see Joker dressed in one of Nora's larger pairs of navy blue scrubs. She liked them baggy, but on him the sleeves still hugged his biceps and broad shoulders fairly snugly. Nora's lips stretched into a little grin while she admired the way the uniform accentuated his frame and laid just loose enough at his waist.

"Youu stay here in case we need backup," he told Enigma.

Enigma raised his eyebrows and said, "Lookin' good, boss. I figured as much."

Joker shifted his gaze to Nora and said, "Mmm well hope-fully this won't take long," a smirk forming on his face as his eyes traveled her outfit. "I like it, doll," he said in a deep voice before approaching her to put his arms around her waist.

She took her lip between her teeth as she grinned back then said, "Are you ready, nurse Willis?" holding up the I.D.

He shivered while she attached it to the front pocket of his scrubs. "Ohhh doc, I'm ready for any-thing," he rumbled, taking her face in his hands.

He brought his lips to hers then said, "Let's go."

Nick climbed into the front seat of the hearse while Joker and Nora got in the back to sit on the empty casket platform where an old stretcher waited. He started the large car and pulled away from the warehouse. Nora crouched in place, going over the plan in her head when she heard Nick's voice from the front.

"I swear, if you two make out back there I am turning this hearse around," he said.

Nora smiled while Joker laughed loudly.

"Niiiick, do you have no respect for the dead? This is a used hearse," he giggled.

They smirked at each other and remained quiet for the rest of the ride to Gotham General. Nora appreciated Joker's relaxed demeanor when they were about to do something risky but she still couldn't keep her nerves away. Maybe that'll make her more careful. They carried only a few weapons to keep themselves lighter and less conspicuous. They were more likely to get caught if they left a body trail, after all. Nora had a small Glock tucked into her waistband and Joker carried another along with a trusty switchblade. Nick pulled the hearse up near the back entrance to the hospital and turned around to face them.

"Keep the engine running, alert us on the pager of any, uh, funny business," said Joker.

He nodded and replied, "This horror bus 'aint goin' nowhere."

Joker giggled and clicked his tongue, "Good man."

They waited for a moment until it was clear and swiftly got out of the hearse to walk toward the employee entrance to the hospital while Nick pulled into the spaces near the morgue. Nora kept her breathing steady and her view focused on the door. She felt a queasy feeling in her stomach just before Joker swiped his I.D. badge in the reader. The light turned green and it unlocked. It worked. He flung the door open and Nora promptly went down the hall for supplies while Joker slipped into a bathroom and locked the door.

Nora's eyes scanned carts and shelves in the hallway. Sheets, hospital gowns, blankets, gloves. Nope. She searched until she found what she was looking for. Ah! Surgical caps and masks. She quickly grabbed two of each and marched her way back to the bathroom where Joker waited. She whistled quietly just outside the door and it unlocked. Then she casually went in and locked it behind her.

"Good on ya, doll. That was fast," said Joker, putting the cap over his green hair and tying the back.

She nodded and said, "It's empty out there, for now," tying her own cap.

He paused before putting the mask on then suddenly backed Nora up against the wall to pin her there with his chest and feverishly brought his mouth to hers. She tensed up at first, then her body relaxed and she returned the kiss, holding on to his face. He took a deep breath and pulled away to lick his lips.

"Now I'm ready," he said, bringing the mask over his nose and mouth.

Nora suppressed a giggle and grinned at him as she exited the bathroom. Then she walked up the hall toward the main entrance hall of the hospital. Her heart sped up when a couple of radiology technicians passed her, but they were too busy with their own conversation to notice her. Meanwhile, Joker went the other direction to find an unoccupied computer where he plugged in a flash drive and took out his phone to dial it.

"Ok kid, you're on," he said, keeping the phone to his ear.

After a minute or so, Override's voice came over the speaker saying, "Ok, I found his file. He's in room 3014. Intermediate care, main hospital."

"Good," Joker said before hanging up.

Nora still stood in the hall near the elevators, getting anxious. She took a few breaths, trying to stay calm. Everything was going fine, she had to keep a cool head. Then she heard her name. She whipped her head around toward the sound to see the news on a television in the waiting room next to her.

"Thanks to an anonymous tip, the woman seen outside of Gotham General with the Joker yesterday morning has been identified as local resident, Nora Hawthorne," the Gotham Tonight anchor said. "Miss Hawthorne is presumed to have been taken hostage by the dangerous criminal and police are currently searching for her. If you see this woman, please notify Gotham PD immediately."

Goddammit, Jen.

Her hand began to shake as she pulled her surgical mask over her face, subtly looking around her. The sight of a security guard walking down the hall nearly sent her into a cold sweat until he exited through a door and she saw Joker coming toward her, rolling an ECG machine to blend in. She let go of the breath she was holding and tried to slow her racing heart.

He stopped next to her and said through his mask, "Room 3014."

"I was just on the news," she whispered quickly. "One of the people I work with recognized me and told the cops. They think you kidnapped me."

She could tell by Joker's narrowed eyes that he was scowling. Then he blinked, relaxing his brow and said, "Well isn't that in-ter-esting. We'll put a pin in tha-t."

She stared at him for a moment then nodded. There was nothing they could do about it now. They had to get Q and get out. Besides, she was unlikely to be recognized dressed like that. The two proceeded to the elevators where they boarded the next empty one. Or it was empty, until a woman in very brightly colored scrubs caught the doors before they closed and pushed her way through them.

"Six please," she said, not making eye contact.

Nora hit the button for six, staring straight ahead, focusing on not drawing the woman's attention and reading the directory in front of her. Third floor, Soft Tissue Surgery, Intermediate Care Rooms 3000-3050. She quickly slapped the button just in time and the doors opened to the third floor for them to rush past the woman as she huffed. Once they were off the elevator, Nora looked Joker in the eyes and he nodded slowly. She nodded back before walking with purpose toward the entrance to Intermediate Care and pushed the doors open.

The unit was buzzing with activity. Nurses going in and out of patient rooms from their station, patients being pushed in wheel chairs, doctors going over charts. If this was going to work, she had to be confident, blend in. You are a doctor, after all. She took a deep breath and stood up straight.

"There's our man," said Joker.

Nora looked to their left to see a police officer standing in front of a door to one of the patient rooms. 3014. Q was just past that door, they just had to go get him. She felt a surge of self-resolve welling up inside her as she watched the cop yawn and cross his arms. She'd already incapacitated a cop once before, what's another? She nodded with a small smile and walked toward the guarded room, keeping her eyes on the officer.

"Excuse me, officer?" she said as they approached. "I believe that my patient in there is due in the Cath lab."

"The what?" he asked.

She crossed her arms to mirror him and replied, "The Cath lab. My nurse and I are here to take him for his procedure in the Cath lab."

"No one ever told me about a procedure today," he said, shaking his head.

"Well you're not medical staff, are you?" she said coolly. "Unless you'd like to fix that post-op thrombus in his leg?"

He tsked at her through his teeth before answering, "Ok. But I gotta escort you."

"No problem, officer," she said, smiling behind her mask as he reached for his keys to unlock the door.

Song for this chapter: Strangeness and Charm by Florence + The Machine (again for the beginning, it's a good song!). Hearse Trip by OCD (for the rest)

Ahhhh a cliffhanger! Sorryyyy it was a great place for that cliff to hang from :)

This chapter was a bit longer, I hope you liked it. Let me know that you think, I'd love to hear from you!

As always, comments welcome and appreciated!