Chapter Ten

I woke up groggy the next morning with my mouth feeling like it was stuffed with cotton. I groaned and I rolled over on my side and started to cry in frustration and pain. I was prone to migraines ever since a severe concussion in my first year of college while playing a pick-up game of soccer. It seemed like the Joker's "special gas" was a trigger to the really bad migraines. I got up and walked over to the windows, closing the blinds and sending the room into darkness, I walked back to bed. I got back under my covers and snuggled deep.

Just as I got somewhat comfortable the door slammed open and I shot up in bed. I immediately fell back in bed and groaned when I saw it was the Joker, in all of his smiling glory.

"Rise and shine, Princess, you can't sleep all day." He said going over to the window and opening the blinds, letting the bright light in.

I gritted my teeth and tears went down my cheeks. The clown bastard, as I now like to refer to him as, didn't even notice as he pulled the covers up and yanked me out of bed. At that point with the quick movement and the yanking movement caused me to scream and get sick. I jerked away from his grip and ran to the bathroom and started to dry heave.

I leaned my back against my shower with my eyes closed and tried to calm my breathing with tears running down my face. I felt someone in front of me and I opened my eyes to see the Joker kneel in front of me with almost a concerned look on his face.

"How long have you suffered from migraines?" he asked softly.

"Why do you care, I'm a captive here anyway." I said getting up slightly swaying and walking back in my room. I noticed he shut the blinds and turned off the lights. "Just, please leave."

I went to my bed and crawled deep in the blankets and let out a little huff of air. I didn't hear him move from his position in my room. I then heard him walk over to the door and leaving. I thought back on the way he looked at me when I was in the bathroom, it almost seemed like he was worried and wanted to take care of me. I pushed that crazy thought from my mind and snuggled down. I wished my uncle was with me, he knew exactly what to do when the migraines were this bad.

I let go another puff of air and slowly drifted back off to sleep.

A few hours later I woke up feeling much better, but, with an annoying little throbbing at my temple. I rolled back on my side and saw that there was some juice with a bottle of pain reliever on the nightstand. I picked up the bottle and shook out two pills and drank some of the juice, I noticed a note along with the glass and bottle.

Princess,

I had to go out for some errands today so I may not be there when you wake up. I left two of my men there just to make sure you were safe and didn't try to leave. And don't worry I locked the door to your room so only I can get in with my key. I also threatened that if they made a sound they would have to face the wrath of my knife. I should be home by eight to let you out.

J

I scowled and tossed the letter in the trash. Crazy, obsessed clown bastard why did he think that I cared what time and if he even got home. I finally managed to get the headache to go away and it just returned my anger up several notches for a certain clown.

I went to my window seat and picked up the book I started to read the day before, my favorite "The Phantom of the Opera". The concept of a man so void of love and compassion loving a simple chorus girl and turn her into a star and having her betray him because of something as simple as his looks always confused me. I never personally cared for looks and just looked at the person and their actions before I passed judgement.

I couldn't help but think about the Joker. Yes, he kidnapped me and gave me that gas, but, besides for that and the gas incident, he was kind to me. He went out of the way to make sure that I was fed and protected. He even designed my room to look like the one I had at home.

I shook those thoughts out of my head, the image of him kneeling in front of me in the bathroom with such a look of compassion and worry coming quickly to the front of my mind. I groaned, he showed me a soft side this morning and now I can't get the man out of my head. As if summoned by my thoughts, I heard the locks to my door open and I smelled something that I haven't smelled since I was kidnapped, pizza.

"I figured I would pick you up food." He said coming in and putting the box on my desk. "However, if you want to eat, you have to eat with me and talk to me." He said sitting on my chair and tilting it back on two legs. He grabbed a slice and took a bite all the while staring at me.

"I'm fine." I said turning back to my book. I read a paragraph before the book was yanked out of my hands.

"No, princess, you ARE eating with me and you are going to like it." He said getting close to my face.

"And I said I was fine." I hissed back glaring at him.

We glared at each other until suddenly he came towards me and caught my lips with his and his hands went in my curly hair, trapping me to him. Before I could think to react he pulled back and I saw some of his makeup had come off and was probably on my face. He got off my seat and went to the door and slammed it open then slammed it on his way out.

I was still in shock and sitting on my window seat staring at my door. I finally snapped out of my stupor and put my hands against my face groaning. I couldn't believe it but, I actually somewhat enjoyed his kiss. Of all the kisses that I had received from the men in my life, that had to be the most passion filled kiss I had received. I got to the door and opened it slowly while looking in the hallway to see if anyone was around. It was silent.

I crept down the hall towards the window that I tried to escape from the day before, hoping it was still unlocked. I went down the hall and heard someone through a door, moaning. I heard my name being the main thing being moaned, it was the Joker. My eyes widened and I realized that he was pleasuring himself to the thought of me. I needed to get out of there.

I hastened my trip down the hall and saw that the window was shut, but, there was no lock to it. Maybe they figured that since it was a pretty far drop I wouldn't try to escape from it. I opened the window and saw that there was a tree branch about six or seven feet away from the window that looked like it could hold my weight.

I got out of the window and hung from the windowsill by my hands, preparing to push off with my legs. I took a deep breath and as hard as I could I pushed off against the wall and aimed for the tree. I turned and faced it in just enough time to grab the tip of the limb and hang facing the trunk. I pulled myself up and scooted to the trunk to quickly slide down it and run off into the darkness.

I was free.

****Joker's POV****

After the kiss that I shared with Misha Dent I had to go and calm myself down and take care of a problem. After I finished I sat on my bed in my boxers and thought about the green eyed beauty that lived only a few rooms down from me. I didn't mean to kiss her or show her any affection, but, she was just so infuriating and when she showed her frustration or anger, she was ravishing.

I felt horrible for causing her pain and I wanted to take care of her. I growled and got up to pace. The more I thought of her, the more it pissed me off and the faster and more I growled. What was she doing to me, I do NOT act like this, I do not care about other people. Why did I care?

I sighed, I knew why. I wasn't lying when I said some of my men knew her from school, I was included in on them. She wouldn't recognize me of course, her Gotham's princess, and me the lowly poor kid that blended into the background that was a couple years her senior. I was obsessed with her from the first time I saw her walking down the hallway with her group of friends. I didn't realize when I first saw her at the bank or when I followed her home that she was the same beautiful girl that I was obessed with in high school. She had changed a lot over the years, but, she was still breathtaking.

I pushed the memories away and got in my shower to quickly wash away the evidence of my weakness. I got dressed again and put on my makeup to storm in her room and demand that she talked to me.

I walked out of my room, feeling a draft come from the end of the hallway. I noticed the window was opened and I let out a low growl, I told those idiots not to keep the window opened and unlocked while Misha's door was unlocked. I went to her door and knocked before I opened the door. She wasn't in there and both doors leading to her closet and bathroom were wide open and dark. I looked in both and started to get concerned.

I went downstairs and asked my head goon, Happy, if he saw Misha. When he replied in the negative I growled and told the mall to check the manor and the surrounding area. They all rushed to comply, but, I knew what happened. She escaped.