Shattered Identities

by Kittryn

The Joker finally decides to crash one of Bruces parties and no one knows as well as Batman how to catch the madmans attention. Bruce just never thought he'd use it without the mask to save lives. Unfortunately for him once you've got the Clown's attention you never lose it and the last thing Batman needs is a madman whispering in his ear while a new villain is trying to out him.

6. Chapter 6 - Flashing Lights

Welcome back to another installment of "What the fuck is going on?!" Enjoy.

Okay just a chronological order type thing in my technical world. The Joker does stuff all the time but chronologically, Barbara is shot, Jason is killed, Nightwing leaves, Tim becomes Red Robin, Dark Knight, Arkham: Asylum, Arkham: City, present. Whew. I'm not saying everything that happened in the comics happened in this universe, because I've never read all of the comics so I can't incorporate any of them into this.

Shattered Identities

Chapter 6

Flashing Lights

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"Feeling at home Bats?" The Joker finally crooned, breaking the strange silence between them as they trudged through the foul smell sludge. The Dark Knight's flashlight the only source of light in the dark enclosed space. The walls were the same, dark brown to black muck covered the bricks, rusting pipes ran along the middle crisscrossing, disappearing and reappearing at random.

"Yeah, if I lived in a dumpster." Batman replied sourly, briefly wondering how long it would take to get the smell out of his suit. The madman tilted his head backward, taking in the vigilante's scowl. Dirty water soaked into his Arkham issued pants, every drop that splattered higher leaving a dark watery smudge. One hand slung behind him, hanging limply in the hand cuff.

"Really?! I thought you'd like it here." The maniac gestured at the grim colored walls enclosing them.

"I mean being a bat and all, I thought you'd be used to, guano." The Joker snickered a smile back on his face, splashing a little too forcefully through the disgusting water in his amusement. Batman scowled as it spattered his lower abdomen, some rare drops hitting his chest, soaking into his Kevlar.

"One: I don't live in shit. Two: I'm surprised you know what guano is." The Dark Knight muttered with a scowl, falling back a few more inches in an attempt to avoid the wretched water, the cuff biting into his Kevlar encased wrist. The Joker's smile immediately dropped from his face at Batman's words, replaced by a dry stare, a chuckle accompanying it.

"I'm crazy Bats!" The maniac exclaimed with a grin.

"Not dumb." The madman finished with a tight smirk, his eyes narrowing in annoyance giving their wrists a playful tug, Bruce fought the smile tugging at his lips. Batman shrugged his broad shoulders, breaking their eye contact, it was always strange that the Joker knew he was insane. Wasn't that the opposite of insanity, already knowing you're insane?

"Yeah? I wonder sometimes." The Detective shot back and the maniac rolled his eyes in reply, turning back around to stare into the darkness ahead. One hand coming up to trail along the mold covered walls, Bruce's lip curled in disgust as he collected sludge.

"My, well developed, dear." The Joker started giving the Dark Knight a leisurely once over.

"There is a, cavernous gap. Between delusional, egotistical dimwit and – " The Joker drawled out pausing to draw a smiley face into the gunk growing on the sewer walls, his own smile gracing his lips.

"Obsessed, psychotic sadist? Or, is it masochist. I'm never quite sure with you." Batman interjected sarcastically, pushing at the man's thin shoulder to get him walking again. The Joker barely budged an inch, only taking a steadying step back in the water, Bruce swung the flashlight onto the man. The maniac turned his vibrant green eyes to the vigilante, tutted and wagged his gunk covered finger at him.

"Brilliant!" The Joker added, poking the grimy finger into the Bat symbol on Batman's chest pointedly, leaving a diseased trail of moss and sewage waste down the center. The Dark Knight scowled in disgust, grabbing the other male's hand he ripped it away from his clothes.

"Obsessed, psychotic. Sadomasochist!" The madman corrected his palms opening flamboyantly in emphasis. Bruce narrowed his eyes on the man, his lips thinning in annoyance. The Joker made a disappointed click with the side of his mouth.

"Almost sweet pea. So close. Oh. So close." The Joker whispered, holding up his fingers, a tiny space in between them. The Dark Knight glared down at him, and the madman grinned back pushing away from the vigilante with a giggle. It was Bruce's turn to roll his eyes, but he was Batman, so he refrained from committing the action, letting the maniac slip out of his grip.

"You're impossible." Batman muttered, decidedly taking the lead, making the tight squeeze past the crime lord, hoping he didn't get any more grim on his suit.

"Oh ho ho." The madman held his hands up in surrender letting the vigilante slip past in peace. By Bruce's calculations it should be about a minute before they were underneath the bank, this tunnel the Joker spoke of should be close and if it wasn't... Bruce wasn't sure who to be more angry at. Himself or the maniac beside him.

"That's rich! Coming from the full grown. And boy! Do I mean full grown! Oh. But. Uh, not old sweethe..." The Joker trailed off a sour look on his face, like the words in his mouth tasted just as foul as the water they were trudging through.

" – ty? Sweety? Nope, ruined." The Joker whined pitifully, The Dark Knight turn to him and the madman held up a hand with a scowl, taking a deep breath. Batman raised an amused eyebrow at the action, not that the man could see it.

"Where was I? Oh yeah. Full grown, man. That dresses up as a Bat every night!" The Joker chuckled with amusement. Batman turned away at his words ready to continue on, they didn't have time for this, but the Clown refused to budge, the cuffs digging into their wrists. The Dark Knight turned around to glare at the clown, his jaw tight, the flash light almost blinding the madman as he leveled it on him. The Joker smiled sweetly closing the small distance between them, keeping their eyes locked. Bruce hated looking into those eyes, piercing deranged intelligence looking back at him, searching for nothing more than every last one of his dark secrets. He turned away again, they really didn't have time for this. He wasn't playing these games, his flashlight shown on the empty sewers ahead.

"Instead of leading a real life. Like a normal. Human. Being." The Joker whispered tilting his head, a knowing smirk on his lips. Bruce came to a stop turning around to face the madman, leveling his flashlight on the male. Batman's eyes narrowed on the pale maniac, sizing him up in all his deranged glory.

"Because you would know what's normal." The vigilante grunted out sardonically, his lips thin in irritation. Despite what the madman believed, he had no right to judge Bruce's lifestyle.

"Come on! Like talking to a brick wall." The Joker groaned in frustration, tilting his head back, he slapped a dirty palm to his head in disbelief, leaving smudges of moss if its place.

"Isn't that the point Bats! We aren't normal!" The maniac insisted frustration obvious in his stance, the way his hands tensed in their gesturing.

"We. Don't. Know. Normal!" He cried out, gesturing violently between Batman and himself. Bruce ground his teeth in annoyance, ready to get back to the task at hand, he didn't need to hear this, he had people to save.

"Hell we don't want normal!" The Dark Knight shifted to turn around.

"No! No, no, no, no. no." The Joker leapt forward his hands firmly on the vigilante's shoulders keeping him in place.

"I bet." The madman stated, holding on finger up in from of Batman's face, the flashlight cutting up between the two men, as if they were sharing ghost stories, secrets.

"Everyday. You look into the mirror, and wish you didn't have to walk into the sunlight." The Joker whispered slowly, a pleased smile gracing his lips when Batman's jaw muscles flexed. The madman stepped forward more, cutting out the little light streaming between their bodies.

"Is that what you do?" The Dark Knight growled out after a few moments of silence, refusing to back away or lash out, despite his desires to do so. The maniac grinned, raising an eyebrow he stepped back, a hand coming up to gesture at his scarred face.

"Uh, Sun?! On this skin?! Have you not seen! My complexion?! God no! That stuffs a killer." Suddenly the Joker's good humor slipped away.

"And I would know killers. Oh ho! Do I know the funniest ways to kill things!" The Joker cried out, a sharp edge to his voice. Batman scowled and the madman's smirk deepened with a twisted edge, cutting at the Dark Knights resolves.

"Not. Funny." The vigilante ground out stepping closer to the Clown to tower over him, daring him to continue with his morbid jokes.

"Alright, alright." The Joker held up his hands in surrender, letting his head fall forward with a pout.

"You're right." The maniac sighed dramatically, then a chuckle left his lips. His head jerked up, piercing eyes meet Batman's own.

"It's hilarious!" The madman exclaimed, leveling Batman with a biting gaze.

"You know what was more funny? Harvey Dent." The madman whispered taking a step forward again, the smirk back in place. Bruce scowled anger clawing at his insides, his fists clenched. His entire body tensing, begging him to smash the man's grinning face into the grim covered walls, just for uttering the name.

"Oh! Rachel Dawes? Huh?! That lovely! Woman you tried to save in his place." The man sneered with a twisted smile, standing on his toes to close the distance between them even farther, walking his free fingers up the vigilante's chest. Batman's breathing was harsh, his muscles rigid, ready to strike, begging for release. The Joker frowned in indifference for a quick second, breaking their eye contact, before his smirk was back in place, his eyes just as cutting.

"Barbara. Gordon?" The Joker giggled tilting his head to the side like an adorable child asking for candy, his index and middle finger tapping out the words. Batman didn't move, didn't back down, didn't thrash out, didn't breath as the Joker leaned to the side, his body pressed against the vigilante's, his blood splattered cheek brushing against Bruce's own. The cowl protecting him from most of the touch, from the breath that would surely be caressing his ear.

"Jason." The Joker whispered almost sensually. The world stood still, the madman closing his eyes ready for the pain. A deep breath was heaved, Batman's chest rising in his suit, the maniac's palm moving with it, the well trained body quivering with rage. Then the Dark Knight stepped away, turning his back on the Clown. The Joker froze in place at the sudden movement, his eyes wide, staring at that broad back. Any previous amusement or sick pleasure wiped from his features, stricken disbelief replacing it. The vigilante tugged calmly at the chain when he had finally walked as far away from the maniac as he could, not bothering to turn around to face him.

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" The madman exhaled shakily, Batman bowed his head staring at the water beneath them. He wanted to be angry, to hold on to that rage, but he couldn't, because that's what the man wanted. Joker wanted Bruce as angry as the madman felt and he wasn't going to allow it. He wasn't going to dredge up that pain just so he could momentarily feel better pounding the man's face in.

"Nothing?! Not a peep?! I just brought up your dead bird and you? You walk away?!" The Joker howled at him, giving their joined wrists a violent tug. The maniac lost his footing, almost falling into the murky waste when Batman refused to budge at his tantrum. The madman's hand slapped against the wall, his nails digging into the brick as he caught himself, water splashing up onto his shirt, into his face and hair. Silence reigned though the tunnel, only the soft drips of water and shallow pants could be heard. A feral growl ripped through the stale air, echoing ominously off the walls.

"Baaaats!" The water suddenly splashed, and Batman almost lost his balance as the smaller man threw his full weight onto the vigilante's back. The Dark Knight fell forward, arms flinging out to keep his balance, the flash light falling from his hands, swinging violently on its clip connected to his belt, the light danced swiftly across the walls and back again. The maniac wrapped his arms around the Caped Crusader's neck, throwing his entire weight backwards in an attempt to bring them both down. His thin legs wrapped around the Bat's waist, holding him tight, allowing him to apply pressure to the masked man's windpipe. After a few seconds of struggling to regain his footing, Batman finally got his balance back, the Clown still attached to his back howling in frustration, unable to move him any farther.

"Get. Off." The Dark Knight ground out, his breathing obstructed even through his Kevlar suit. The Joker threw his weight back again and Batman's hand shot up gripping the man's grungy green hair. The Joker let out a cry of pain as the vigilante got a fist full of it yanking the maniac violently over his shoulder. The Clown fell awkwardly into the water, splashing more grunge onto his clothing, drenching anything below his abdomen, one hand grabbing the rusted pipes the only thing saving him from plunging in entirely. Batman lifted him by his hair from the water, slamming his smaller form against the moss covered walls, the pipes digging into the madman's back.

The Dark Knight slammed a fist into the bricks beside the Joker's head, easily denting the wall, sending flecks of rock into the water, some landing on the maniac's shoulder, catching in his hair. Pale hands reached up, grasping at his own gloved one. They clawed desperately to remove his grip, the madman still growling like a feral animal, easily reminding Bruce of the inmates he had met in the asylum earlier that night. Batman leaned in, a sneer on his face, getting into the Joker's personal space. The Joker paused, his eyes flashing sharply in warning. Then nails swiped at his face, clawed at his Kevlar, trying to reach any flesh they could. The Dark Knight slammed his body against the Joker's, turning the undamaged side of his face away from the madman, crushing the man's lungs, his breath leaving in a forced gasp. Batman let out his own growl and another gloved hand was shoved under the maniac's chin, returning the favor of a crushed windpipe. The Joker painfully sucked in a breath, one arm pinned between them, the other clutching at his new grip, successfully subdued, for now, their faces merely inches apart. Bright absinthe green eyes pierced through dark stormy blue ones, easily seeing more than just color or emotions, the Joker's eyes always saw their souls.

"I know, what you want." Batman growled out, his hand tightening on the man's throat, shifting a little higher, a little closer. The Joker's head tilted up in accommodation, his face entirely dead, his body limp against the wall, completely void of emotion. His eyes however, in the depths, still held a raging beast.

"I know what you're doing. I know..." Bruce trailed off not quite sure what he was going to say, what he could say, if he had anything to complete that sentence other than repeating himself. He broke eye contact looking down, admiring how his black gloved hand contrasted so completely with the Joker's skin. Why was this so difficult? Why out of all of the criminals in Gotham was the Joker still around? Still alive? Still wreaking havoc on the city? Why was he here? Why was he, here. Now. Of all times.

"What I need." The Joker whispered and Batman's head snapped up, their eyes locking again.

"What?" The Dark Knight asked confusion apparent in his eyes, his grip loosening.

"You know. What. I. Need." The Joker said again leaning forward the small meters Bruce had let up, slowly this time, calmly, like he was talking a suicide bomber out of the job. It was true, and it was scary. The thought chilled Bruce to his bones, the fact that he knew crazy. The Joker scowled when he didn't say anything.

"I'm an addict Batsy. So sue me." The maniac admitted with a hiss, pressing his own Adam's apple against Batman's enclosed hand, his nose close, almost brushing the cowl. Bruce searched those intelligently mad eyes for a moment, wondering how someone could be so insane, yet completely sane in the same moment. Finally the vigilante stepped away, freeing the Joker's body from the wall.

"I don't have time for this." The Dark Knight grunted releasing the madman completely, he turned back towards their destination. The Joker let out a frustrated scream, tugging at his hair as Batman picked up the flashlight, it back forward to light up their path.

"Mark my words, Batsy Baby. I will kill. Every. Last. One of them." The Joker promised darkly, slipping past Batman's unmoving body to slink ahead. The vigilante followed behind him, making the silent promise that he would try to stop every single attempt the man made. They walked in silence again, this time tension hung between them, a vibrant knife's edge, waiting for the plunge into unsuspecting flesh.

"It's here." The Joker stated dully one finger pressing against the stones, he fixed Batman with a lazily cocked eyebrow. The vigilante's eyes narrowed at the brick wall, walking forward a few steps his broad form forcing the maniac out of the way, he knocked on the grimy stones, listening. The madman was right, there was something on the other side. Tapping a few more times, Bruce finally decided that his explosive gel could break through, all the while the Clown watched him intently, soaking in his every move. Bruce shifted uncomfortably under the madman's gaze, removing his gadget from his belt, he sprayed the wall with his signature bat.

"Awwww thats cute." The Joker muttered with a pout, glowering like he wanted to be mad at the vigilante but couldn't quite keep it up, his hair mussed from the man handling, his neck still red.

"Stand back." The Dark Knight grunted and the Clown lifted his hands stepping away a few feet, Batman lifted his gadget pressing the detonation button. The sewer shook, bits of brick flying around, but the bulk of it fell into the tunnel beyond them, leaving dust to settle slowly to the ground. Batman watched the Joker turn his face away, holding his hands up to protect his face. Their eyes met just before he turned back to survey the damage.

"Well that's nifty." The Joker stated, waltzing past Batman and into the tunnel. He stretched a little as he entered the larger space, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Welcome to the French tunnel of love! And by love I mean money smuggling." The Joker exclaimed with a snicker. The tunnel was definitely bigger than the sewer they arrived by. The best part, there was no foul smelling sewage they needed to tramp through. Not that the damage hadn't already been done to his suit. Batman could still smell it as they made their way into the empty tunnel. Looking back into the darkness of the new tunnel he wondered where it lead to. This was definitely something he was going to look into when this whole situation was dealt with. A running rail track was laid into the ground, the walls a fresher red brick then the sewers. Batman switched off his flashlight as The Joker's skipping form activated the lights.

"Come on tough guy. Apparently you're late for a date!" The Joker chuckled darkly, gesturing him along towards the door a several yards down, crates littering the way a lone cart attached to the tracks.

"It's not a date." Batman muttered, stalking past the Joker to peer into the empty cart. The Joker stopped turning around to pout at him.

"Is that what you always say when you're off to meet me?" The madman huffed, kicking said cart in annoyance. Batman glared at him as he walked around the other side of the cart, their connected wrists being forced over the top.

"I'm hurt Bats." He stated halting in his steps, to glare at the vigilante, he slumped down onto the edge of the cart, his head resting on his free hand. Bruce clenched his jaw in irritation, walking the rest of the way around the cart, half tempted to start another tug-a-war with the maniac if he didn't come along. The caped crusader turned a little giving the Joker a once over, taking in his shabby appearance, his scratched up arms and bruised skin. Mussed hair, and pale complexion showing off just how much blood he really had on him.

"Yeah I saw." The Dark Knight grunted walking forward again, remembering the litany of bruises on his stomach, tugging gently on the madman, who subconsciously stumbled around the cart, his face screwed up in confusion.

"Wha – No, no, not those! They're just scratches. To be honest I forgot they were there." The Joker chuckled and Batman sent him a scathing gaze as they approached the metal door, crates shoved up to the wall on one side. He could still feel his own ribs throbbing and they weren't even close to being as bruised as the Joker's were.

"I mean come on! You know I'm tougher than that! You should have seen me after you – ." The vigilante pivoted quickly his cape snapping along with him, effectively cutting off the madman's words. He didn't want to hear what damage he's done.

"Please. Stop talking." Batman leveled the maniac with a steady glare. Turning back around at the Joker's raised eyebrow he tried the closed door. It was locked of course. Shifting he got a little lower slamming his shoulder into the metal. Still nothing. If this was a dead end... He tried again with the same result.

"You wanna know the definition of insanity?" The Joker asked with amusement and Batman glowered at him.

"Its locked." The Dark Knight stated, both of the Joker's eyebrows rose, crossing his arms he sent Batman an scathingly amused look.

"Really?" He asked sarcastically, "I wasn't sure. I thought you just, liked, the feel of metal slamming into you." The maniac chuckled leaning against the door, crossing his legs at the ankles, licking his lips.

"I mean. That's why you do it to me, right? Foreplay and all that jazz?" The Joker smirked his eyes widening briefly to emphasize jazz, he lifted a finger, running it down the metal seductively his eyes never leaving the overgrown Bat. Batman growled, slamming a fist against the closed door, only inches from madman's head.

"Will. You. Stop. Already? We're stuck together for the night. No need to make it any more unpleasant, than it already is." Batman ground out shoving himself away from the door, the maniac's eyes trailed along after him a frown on his face.

"Says you." The Clown pouted grumpily, pushing away from the door as well, glaring at the vigilante as the Bat took a few more steps back the way they came, the cuffs tugging on their wrists when the Joker didn't follow. Blue eyes narrowed in on their entry point, and the Joker's head jerked around, eyebrow raised as he saw it as well.

"We'll go through the vent." Batman grunted pushing the madman out of the way as he moved forward again. He immediately stalked to a stack of crates, the Joker trailing along like a reluctant puppy, only moving when the cuffs required it.

"Oh! Sounds like an adventure!" The Dark Knight bent down, pulling the Joker with him to shove the stacked crates over, his bruised ribs and injured leg protesting angrily with the movement. Batman refused to show the pain though, swiftly pushing the boxes underneath the grate. He climbed onto the crates quickly, ripping the bars off of the opening with one hand, the other still connected to the madman's who stood below him with an unamused gaze, then his eyes lit up, a smile gracing his lips.

"You go first. I wouldn't mind some alone time with that – ." The Joker started standing a little behind the vigilante gazing at his ass, the cape fallen to the side. Batman dropped back down, his teeth gritted, jaw muscles tense. He turned on the maniac, grabbing the Joker by the shirt and hoisting him off the ground.

"Shut. Up. And get in there." Batman growled shoving him towards the boxes, the maniac slammed into them with open palms.

"Alright. Alright. Bossy. Bossy." The clown huffed scampering onto the crates, Batman's hand being pulled up after him.

"I'm going! You see me going? How you like the view?" The Joker asked as he reached the top, his torso bent over the corner, glancing smugly down at the Dark Knight.

"Just move." Batman ground out, his eyes narrowing up at the madman.

"You know. When you talk like that – ." The maniac started, resting his elbow on the crates, his head in on his hand, watching Batman's muscles flex in irritation.

"Joker." The vigilante growled in warning, stepping up onto the first crate. The Joker rolled his eyes dramatically with a sigh, crawling the rest of the way onto the crates and into the .

"Right, right. Crawling. Just how you like it." The Joker growled out creeping slowly through the vent.

"I'm serious." Batman almost sighed, hefting himself up onto the boxes as well. The Joker huffed in amusement, rolling his eyes.

"You're always serious love. Why so serious?" He drawled out, reminding the caped crusader of darker times.

"I mean really! Am I not enough clown for you?" The madman asked turning his head awkwardly to look back at the Dark Knight who was finally on top of the crates, his angry face just behind the clown.

"I hate clowns." The vigilante hissed, he wanted to shove the madman forward, but didn't want to touch the maniac's ass, he knew just how much the deranged man would enjoy that.

"Again. Ouch." The Joker stated, turning back around. They crawled awkwardly for a few more seconds, the maniac tugging at Bruce's hand every time he moved. They come to a turn that lead steadily upwards. The first great they came to was blocked off by boxes, and Batman didn't want to chance busting in on a group of armed guards, not with the Joker attached to him.

"How long are we going to crawl through this stuff?! Spiders aren't my favorite. And unlike you! I don't have a handy suit." The Joker finally complained as they reached a split in the vents, stopping to swat some webs out of his face. A tiny spider scuttled over his hand and the Joker panicked, slamming it against the vent wall, the sound echoing down the small path.

"Left. You'll get over it." Batman replied, it was true though, he didn't notice little things like spiders, webs, snow or light rain. The Joker shuffled in the vent enough to turn his head, licking his lips he glanced back giving the vigilante a dry incredulous stare. He clicked his tongue and turned ahead when Batman simply gazed back blankly.

"If I get bit. By a black widow. I'm coming. Back. To haunt you." The Joker warned crawling forward again. Batman shook his head, glad that for once the madman's haunting eyes weren't on him.

"Don't you always?" The Dark Knight muttered, inspecting the tiny insects he passed, just in case.

"Oooh, clever." The maniac giggled, his voice echoing through the vents, his ragged clothing jostling with his laughter.

"You know what's not clever?" Batman scoffed, crushing a little bug under his glove as he crawled behind the man.

"What?" The madman asked excitedly, stopping in his movement through the vent. Wait was that a black widow?

"Your face." The vigilante replied off handedly crushing a little black spider, then he realized what he had said and who he had said it to, he slowly tore his eyes from the dead insect as the madman stopped ahead of him.

"Really?" The Joker asked turning back once more, his brows furrowed in anger. Bruce hadn't really thought that statement through, but he wasn't taking it back.

"Not. Clever." He growled out incredulous when Batman's face didn't change, but he didn't want to deal with a sour maniac for the rest of the night.

"I enjoy disappointing you." The Dark Knight smirked swatting the madman's shoes, urging him to move on, hoping to distract the man.

"Everyone you mean?" The Joker smirked back sardonically, turning back to the task at hand. Bruce gritted his teeth at the jab, trying to ignore the pangs of regret his words brought up. The Joker chuckled darkly as they moved on, the uneasy quiet settling back over them.

"Quietly." Batman ground out as they neared an open grate, this one should be on the second floor at least. The vigilante tried to lean to the side, attempting to see past the Joker's thin frame. His broad shoulders didn't allow for much leeway however, a few inches at most.

"What do you see?" The Dark Knight finally asked, gritting his teeth ready for the Joker's probably sarcastic reply.

"Nothing." The madman said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders in boredom.

"Joker." Batman growled leaning forward in the grate, ready to wrestle the maniac out of the way.

"What? Hey!" The Joker exclaimed when the Bat started man handling his feet. The vigilante tore him backwards, his back sliding across the vent, his shirt riding up.

"I see an empty. Balcony. Overlooking some offices." The Joker ground out as Batman shimmied over him, just enough to see out the grate, not that the clown was complaining. The Dark Knight took a second to survey the area, one hand resting on the madman's hips for support as he peered out, finally backing up when the madman started squirming underneath him, making playful noises and tugging at his cape.

"The C.E.O.'s office should be beneath us." The Caped Crusader stated resting a fist against the vent, still hovering over the madman. Swatting one of the Joker's hands away from him he stared expectantly at the maniac who simply stared back at him, still laid out on the vent beneath him.

"What are you waiting for?" Batman grunted, his lips tightening in annoyance.

"What? Wait." The Joker tilted his head back to stare at the grate before leveling it back onto the vigilante.

"What am, I? Waiting for?! What do I look like, Tarzan?!" The Joker asked raising his hands in the air. Batman replied with a dry glower and the madman huffed in surrender, scrambling back around he took a crack at the grate, placing a muck covered shoe against the bars. It creaked under the pressure of his boots, but the man slid backwards. Batman moved forward letting the madman's back rest against his chest giving him the leverage he needed. Then it clattered to the ground painfully loud, the grate falling over the edge of the balcony, the railing completely missing.

"Oh look, maybe I am." The Joker laughed, the grate skittered across the ground below, a small beeping noise starting up.

"Quie – ." Batman tried, as the Joker jumped out of the vent and onto the floor, the cuffs pulling taunt on their wrists, Bruce refusing to give the menace any leeway.

"Hello bank!" The madman called out, his free arm thrown out in joy, his cuffed hand stuck to the wall just under the vent.

" – tly." Bruce trailed off in irritation, then his arm snapped up to cover his eyes as the room exploded. Joker was slammed against the wall below the vent covering his own face. When the vigilante's ears finished ringing he crept to the edge of the vent peering down. The Joker grinned up at him, ash now littering his clothes, coughing pathetically he wiped debris off his face.

"I'm going to gag you." Batman snarled down at the madman, who chuckled back at him with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Kinky." The Joker smirked, chuckling, and Batman finally rolled his eyes, dropping to the floor silently.

"It won't be." The Dark Knight stated dryly dropping to the floor quietly. The speakers overhead crackled on, The Joker's voice booming through the room almost as loud as the bomb.

"What? What is tha – Bats?! What are you. That's not fair! I set up so many presents for your way down from the roof! Meticulously planned out. So why?! do you always have to cheat?!"

"He has a point." The real Joker muttered from his place on the floor, "It takes so much effort to – ."

"Shut up." Batman grunted peering over the edge of the balcony to survey the room.

"That's alright! I've left you some more presents! These ones are just. Dying. For your attention! Careful though, they're excitement can be a bit. Explosive." The speakers emitted a cackling laugh then cut off, leaving an eerie silence in its place. The ground was obviously rigged with proximity mines, but why? What was this Joker's game?

"Well. Go on Bats!" The maniac cried out from behind him, something pressed against the small of his back and suddenly he was airborne. The Joker lowered his boot as Batman hit the ground painfully. His entire body tensed ready to escape from any mines, when nothing started beeping he pushed to his knees.

"JOKER!" Batman roared flipping around to stare angrily up at the madman's smirking face. The Joker put his hands in his pockets, his eyes creasing in amusement. He rocked onto his tip toes before falling back and repeating the action.

"It's been fun B-baby." The Joker stated bending over the edge to gaze down at the pissed off Bat.

"Maybe next time we can keep it between just us. Yeah?" The Joker asked as he gestured between them, chuckling he pivoted merrily.

"I'll catch ya around Batsy!" The clown called down to him waving a hand back at him in farewell as he waltzed away. The vent panging as the madman crawled back into it.

"Joker!" The Dark Knight shouted again, his hand instinctively going for his grappling gun, but it wasn't there. It was on the ground near the sewer entrance. Swearing Bruce surveyed his surroundings again easily spotting the mines. He'd have to deal with the escape artist later. Speaking of, he reached down easily tearing off the cuffs, no key needed. The room around him was a basic upscale office, the tile floor done in dark blue marble. The ceiling was a sky light, pots of plants sat merrily in the corners. Switching to heat sensors Batman realized that the random boxes he had seen placed throughout the room actually contained people. They were missing the Joker's unusual flair however. Something that the original Joker would never forget, would never let slid.

The proximity bomb Bruce had landed on was thankfully no longer active. The grate had set it off when that madman had kicked it off the edge. The area around the bomb was charred the offices closest to him a pile of rubble. This whole ordeal normally wouldn't have been that hard of a task, but his grappling hook was still laying on the pavement near the Bat mobile. This is why he should always pack replacements, but he had gotten cocky. They had never broken before, not for a long time at any rate, not since the upgrades. The walls dividing the offices were easily transversed, they looked sturdy enough to hold his weight, getting the hostages out however was going to be a different story. He still had the disarming gadget from Arkham City, but that only turned off two bombs at once and only for a limited amount of time. Bruce hoped this Joker wannabe was more patient than the real one, he had thought that too soon, the speakers crackling on.

"Awwww what's wrong Bats? I find it hard to believe this isn't something you can figure out. Oh, oh! I have an idea! How about you just leave them. Aaaand. Come see me instead?! What's a few lives in the long run anyway?! Come on Sweetheart! They aren't the only ones. Dying. To see you." The fake clown chuckled darkly the speakers switching off. Bruce felt his energy sap away a little, the last thing he wanted to do today was see another scarred grinning face. Except in the end, the absolute last thing he, needed, to see; was more dead bodies. Holding back a deep sigh Batman stood up from his crouched position. The offices closest to him were a disaster thanks to the explosion. Luckily none of the maniac's "presents" were near the damage. Listening carefully he crept forward and over the debris, easily keeping his balance on the shifting rubble. Batman hefted himself onto the the remaining wall, still connected to the rest of the room's offices. In the office over a beeping started, slow and steady. The vigilante crept forward slowly paying close attention to the speed of the beeps. He crept to the first stall holding a box, and took a deep irritated breath, a blinking light sat on top of the box, accompanied by the slow beeping. The speakers crackled on.

"Oh look! It's happy to see you! Give it up Sweetheart, they're a lost cause. Just come play with me!" The man whined sounding eerily close to the original, but the tone was off, higher pitch. Bruce wouldn't of noticed before, but he had spent enough time with the real Prince of Crime that night to know the difference. Batman disarmed the bomb with his gadget, examining the box thoroughly before ripping it open. A woman lay inside completely knocked out, breathing deeply, her blonde hair sticking wildly to the sides of the box. Bruce reached in gently pulling the woman out and tossing her light frame over his shoulder. His leg bit at him painfully, his abs tensing to balance out the added weight, his muscles pressing against the bruised ribs. Any other night he could easily carry two bodies. Any other night he wouldn't have to. Tonight just wasn't his fucking night.

Bruce was on the second hostage when the speakers crackled on once more, and this time, they didn't turn off, and The Joker was right. They did sound like broken records, that never shut up.

"Bats! Seriously! What?! Is taking so long? Are they as heavy as they look? I wouldn't know. If they caused me that much, trouble I'd normally just. You know." The Joker trailed off with a dark chuckle.

"Bang!"

"Just kidding."

"Hey Bats? How many pedestrians does it take to stop a train?"

"You're right, I don't know either. We should find out some time! Just drop them out there, we'll start with one. But we both know that won't work, right sweetheart. Then we can try two! Boom. Splat! Probably won't do much, I mean really. Its a train. Three? All at once. Just one big mess. Four..."

"I think around twenty we might start slowing it down, what do you think sweetheart? It'd be like a pile of flesh, right? Unless we dropped them off. One. By. One. We could just line them up! Oh, wait wait! I want to conduct the train! That would be a riot! One splat after another. Twenty one would just be another blip in the ride, right? Twenty two..."

"Eighty nine. Definitely some more impact than eighty eight. I mean we're one closer to ninety. You think they'd scream?" Batman had finally hefted the last victim onto the platform. Following the fat man's smelly body off the bomb littered floor below. Bruce stalked past the man's wide girth opening the door to the C.E.O.'s office. Turning back around he glared at the obese man before moving towards him, placing black gloved hands under the male's sweaty arm pits, he got low using his leg muscles to pull the man slowly back into the room. He let out a relieved sigh dropping the large male to the floor, not really caring how hard his head hit the carpet. He glided past not giving the room, or its unconscious occupants, a second glance slamming the door closed behind him. He was definitely tired of this night.

"Ninety – oh! Are we done now? What do you think sweetheart? You think ninety eight would stop a train? That's the number we reached, right? I'ma try it some time! It'll be our special number. Speaking of numbers! I'm counting some in the vault right now, why don't you come stop by! I've been dying to see you!" The Joker squealed happily, the speakers finally shutting off. Quiet reigned over the room and Bruce took a steadying breath, enjoying the moment. The speaker crackled on again.

"Seriously sweetheart. I know you don't care about them, but... Minions are people too." A gunshot echoed through the room, warped by the speakers. Bruce gritted his teeth in anger, pushing off of the balcony and gliding to the office cubicle walls.

"Now that's what I thought. I'd say one for every minute you make me wait, but I'm a little short handed today, so let's say you have, hmm, five minutes. Four. Three? Let's do three. See ya soon Bats." The Fake insisted cutting out again with a fit of giggles. Batman rushed across the cubicles, gliding right up to the door out. He slipped through, easily taking out the three men guarding the main entryway within six seconds. He rushed across the bank's empty foyer, hoping the fancy counters he slid to the floor rushing into the next room, the bank vault stood open light streaming from inside. Batman slowed down, stalking farther into the room, passing the edge of the vault, bringing its insides into view. The copy cat Joker stood at the back of the Vault a gun pressed to a civilian's head, his back to the vigilante. Batman raised his hands in surrender walking slowly into the room. The metal sorting table, situated in the middle, the only thing separating him from the madman. Money lay around in heaps, littering the floor, several safety deposit boxes torn open. A bullet hole dented one of the boxes, but there was no dead body on the floor.

"Shh shh sh sh sh shhhh. Quiet darling he'll be here any second. I don't want you whimpering through our little chat, it's annoying. How abo – wah, wait. He's – ." The Fake Joker, dressed in similar fashion to the original, almost down to the cuff links, flipped around suddenly his grip shifting in the woman's dark hair. Frail feminine hands clawed at his purple gloved ones, her eyes met Batman's in terror, her make-up smeared down her face. The Joker tightened his fingers yanking her farther off the ground as his eyes met Batman's.

"Hey there sweetheart! Took you long enough! I was actually starting to worry the cops would show up sooner than you did!" The madman laughed still gesturing with his hands, despite having a solid grip on the woman's hair, tugging her with him as he moved, a gun solidly held in his other hand. He gestured that one loosely around the place, aiming at everyone and everything absentmindedly.

"The games over Joker, give it up." The Fake Joker looked around in confusion, his scarred lips pursed. Then he tapped the woman on the head with the gun clicking his tongue.

"Not quite Batsy." The Joker giggled smoothing the woman's hair out of her frightened face with the tip of the gun. Batman fingered his remote batarang, but stopped, curiosity winning him over.

"What's the point, Joker? What's the point of all of this? What's your endgame?" He asked deeply, creeping a few more steps closer. The Fake Joker laughed shaking his head, but the laughter died out, his body tensing, jaw clenched and his brows creased, scratching his own head with the tip of the gun. Then he tipped it at the vigilante, shaking the barrel it at him with a tight smile.

"You Bats. It's always you. I just see you." The maniac scowled, the woman whimpered and the gloved hand reigned her closer to him, the gun returning to its place on the woman's skull. Batman simply nodded his head, stepping forward again, now in dashing range of the maniac.

"Then you can have me. Let her go. We'll switch. Me for her." The Joker's lips twitched, his eyes narrowing, a small biting laugh cutting through.

"I don't believe you, sweetheart. Not with that fancy belt of gags you carry around." They stared each other down for several seconds. Batman was the first to move voluntarily, his hands slowly reaching up for his belt. It didn't matter what kind of maniac this guy was, he was a better match against a gun any time he was suited up, that woman didn't stand a chance.

"Alright deal." Batman grunted, he unbuckled his belt, reluctantly tossing it out of the vault, batarang still in hand.

"No gags. On either side." Batman growled, his hands resting by his sides. The maniac cocked his head to the side, staring for several seconds, sizing him up. Then he tore the woman up from the ground almost holding her solely by her hair, her cry of pain echoing through the vault.

"Guess you're saved sweetheart." The madman hissed at the woman, his lips close enough to leave smudges of red lipstick on her cheeks. He let her hair go and she fell to the ground, her arms slapping against the floor. She scrambled up ready to dash out of the room, and the Joker tutted, pressing the gun against the back of her head, stopping her immediately.

"Not quite. Slowly, doll, slowly." The madman grinned his unarmed hand shot out a finger pointing towards Batman.

"And you. You stay right. Where you are." The Fake Joker suggested, watching the woman walk slowly to the exit. The gun was immediately trained on Batman when the woman cleared the edge of the vault, her high heels clicking across the tile as she ran.

"Well you've got me." Batman grunted taking another step forward, the maniac jerked back, an unfamiliar flash of fear in his eyes.

"What now, Joker? What is this really all about. What is it, that you want?" Batman asked slowly taking a step forward, making sure his shift in weight went unnoticed this time. The real Joker never had reason, he didn't need it. Didn't need people to see why he did things, because he didn't care about people. Didn't want to connect with them. This wasn't the Joker however, and Bruce wanted to see what their driving force was. It was close to the real madman of course, Batman had always played a part in his twisted games, but no one could match that madness.

"Really? I mean. It has always been about you!" The Joker said waving the gun around hazardously. The Fake was wrong, it hadn't always been about him. The real madman had always invited him to play, but he always had an end game, a favorable outcome to his crimes. Favorable for the Joker of course.

"What about me?" Batman pressed, wondering how far the madness stretched in these, clones or whatever.

"What about you?" The Fake replied with a sneer, glancing around the now empty room, his lips pursed as if he wasn't quite sure where to go from here. Then a light sparked in his eyes.

"Oh. I remember." The gun leveled on Bruce's face, the one open area on his entire suit. Batman lunged forward taking the bullet to the shoulder, his Kevlar suit easily stopping the bullet, but his skin would still be painfully bruised in the morning. He slammed into the madman, his hand tightening painfully on his armed wrist forcing the muscles to spasm releasing the gun. He immediately kicked the weapon under the steel table, while blocking the Fake Joker's right hook. He went in for another punch but the madman jumped him, latching his arms around the Dark Knight's neck pulling him in close. Batman's hand fisted green hair, tearing the man's head backwards, noticing that his Adam's apple wasn't as pronounced as the real one's. He also noticed the small surgical lines underneath his jaw, Bruce's eyes widened.

"Ah ah ah. Batsy." The madman reached down with a free hand, ripping open his vest. Batman's jaw clenched at the bombs laced around the maniac's torso. The purple glove came back with a remote control, a satisfied smile on his painted scarred lips.

"I hear you're tired of our games. Well I'm tired of seeing you. Every. Time. I close my eyes. So let's make a deal. Let's both go out w – ." Batman didn't let him finish, slamming a fist into his Adam's apple while breaking his thumb. He swiftly divested the madman of the detonator, chucking it across the table. The Fake Joker snarled punching Batman in the face, and leapt off him to scramble over the metal. The Dark Knight wasted no time latching onto the man's pristine boots and pulling him back across the table. The maniac's nails scraped across the surface as he lost ground in reaching his goal, flipping over instead, he tried to kick the vigilante in the face. Batman dodged the blow, using the Joker's momentary downed position to dash around the side of the table, ready to remove that detonator from the room, the area, completely. He was swooping down to get it when the Fake Joker jumped on his back, slamming them both into the lockers. One of the open doors jammed painfully into Bruce's already bruised ribs and he hissed in pain. The madman slipped off of him, and Batman turned just in time to see the maniac pluck the control off the floor with his uninjured hand. The Dark Knight froze watching the sadistic grin spread across the familiar dolled up scarred face.

"See you in hell Bats." The Fake Joker giggled darkly his thumb coming down on the detonator. Batman was already moving, he rolled to the side and out of the vault. Flipping around he placed both hands on the vault door, using all of his strength he made a last ditched effort to close it, falling sideways as it left his palms. The blast blew the door open, the metal hitting Bruce hard in the upper torso, he flew across the room, his back slamming through a decorative glass wall and sliding across the ground, glass grinding into his muscles through the Kevlar. Heat blasted out of the vault, his vision spotted with dancing lights, consumed by flames money fluttered to the floor in burning ashes. His entire body felt numb, his ears ringing painfully. The light died away and with it his vision, slowly darkness crept up on him. He tried to move, the ringing dying out to silence, his hand slapped against the glass, but made no sound. More glass shattered against the ground, raining to the floor just out of his reach. He spotted his belt several feet away in the cascade of sparkling shards. Two boots landed gracefully near the belt, a gloved hand reaching down plucked it from its glittering grave. Bruce willed his eyes higher, but the darkness had other plans, drowning out his sight completely, until there was only darkness.

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Cliffhanger?! Kinda. Lol. The usual Jazz. Blah blah. I'ma sleep now.