Eva ran her fingers through her hair and gripped it at the roots, in the vanishing of her guilt the fear of Batman had set in. If she had killed someone, then surely Batman would come looking for her, hell, he could be looking for her this very minute. For any law abiding citizen, Batman was a hero and someone that could be approached for protection. Eva didn't have that luxury anymore, he wouldn't protect her. Hell, she'd probably need protection from Batman. For the first time in a while Eva felt herself laughing a good honest laugh as the tears welled up in her eyes. She continued to yank harder on her hair until small strands began to come loose between her fingers.

Slowly, she sat up from her hunched position. Glancing out the window, she realized that it had become pitch black outside. The fear welled up again, like blood rushing to a fresh gash. Suddenly, the door to her apartment creaked open. Shooting up, she snatched up the floor lamp and clutched it like a weapon, in the process she tore the cord from the jack in the wall. It threw the apartment into darkness. Eva couldn't see who had entered, terror hissed to her 'It's Batman, he's found you…'

Fearful tears rolled down her cheeks as a sob tore through her lips. The sound of footsteps gave away how close the intruder was "What do you want?"

The intruder said nothing, but she heard him draw closer. Gritting her teeth, Eva brought the lamp over her head, ready to strike. When she caught the outline of the intruder's head, she brought it down. Before it could be driven home, a pale hand shot out and caught it "Jumpier than usual sweetheart?"

Eva's eyes widened, and her grip slackened on the lamp. In the dim glow of the street lamps outside, she caught the telltale glint of Joker's silver capped teeth as he smiled at her. It was then that her knees buckled and she felt into a fit of shivering in front of him. With a well contained smirk, Joker placed the lamp upright and knelt down "Oh, shh, shhh doll…Shhhh, Daddy's here."

Much to his glee, Eva allowed him to hold her. There was no fighting on her part, if anything she relaxed into his embrace. She cried freely into his shoulder as his fingers laced into her hair "Now, what's got you all afraid sweetheart?"

Pushing her back, he gripped her chin and forced her to look him directly in the eyes. Her hazel hues were hooded and watered down. Running a thumb just below her eyes, he smiled at her "Common, you can tell ol' Mister J what's troubling you…"

Her arms wrapped around him as she fully and willingly embraced him. He barely caught her hurried whisper "I thought you were him… I thought you were Batman."

It seemed that she was starting to settle on the idea that she was isolated, not even Batman was safe. Chuckling, Joker pulled her back again "Oh Eva, my poor little Eva. It's alright…"

She relaxed in his embrace, a quiet sigh of relief whispered past her lips. He drew her closer until his mouth rested beside her ear "Now why would Batsy… wanna hurt you?"

He knew exactly why she was afraid, why the very thought of the Bat had turned her into a complete mess. Pulling back, he watched as she pursed her lips and then gritted her teeth. Oh, she had admitted to herself, but admitting it to him was another step down. The silenced stretched out from seconds into minutes "Admitting your sins, makes it better sweetheart."

Her eyes swiveled and finally settled on his. Smiling, he giggled "Common, I know you wanna say it…"

Eva's head dipped until Joker was looking at her forehead, she hissed "I'm a murderer."

Cocking his head a few inches, Joker laughed as he caught her eye "Wha, what was that, didn't catch that…?"

The hazel seemed to harden like stone for a second, a bit of the old Eva rearing as if ready to start rebelling. Joker raised a nonexistent eyebrow for the fraction of a second, but the submission returned and her eyes glazed over "I killed someone."

He leaned back with a theatrical sigh, bringing her with him "Ahhh, see, now doesn't that make you feel better?"

Sitting upright, he pressed his forehead to hers and watched as her tears snaked down her cheeks and settled into the nape of her neck. Eva grit her teeth and the hardness returned to her eyes. She glared at him and hissed "I hate you."

He smirked, pulling her closer to him to the point where the pressure on her forehead was reminiscent of the migraine from hours ago "I know."

Eva's fingers dug into her knees "That's some serious art you got on your door."

Her eyes stayed fixed on his, she caught the hint of anger at the threat she had sprayed on the front door "You gotta think… About this stuff…"

He knotted his fingers into her hair and touched his nose to hers "Cause what if the Bat saw it?"

Joker pecked her on the nose and then head butted her. It was hard enough to knock her back. Straddling her, Joker forced her arms up over her head "Now! I told ya!"

He aimed a blow to her stomach "I like it when you fight!"

Eva gritted her teeth in order to hold back the urge puke. He grabbed her chin and forced to look straight forward and at him "But you…"

He slapped her across the face "Do not!"

Another slap "Threaten me!"