Warnings: This is a dark chapter, and it also has some cursing. Please heed the warning.

Disclaimer: I don't own DC or Batman

There were a few things I wanted to change up, grammar wise...but for the life of me, I can't find where I had spotted them...so, apologies if you come across them/notice them.

Rage; noun/ violent, uncontrollable anger.

Jeannie opened the door and entered her apartment.

She glumly walked into her kitchen and filled her tea kettle with water and busied herself getting the tea bags and a mug out of the cupboards.

This was the fifth night Jack had to work, leaving Jeannie all alone at the diner. Since he wasn't there to eat with her, she didn't stay for breakfast. It just wasn't the same without him.

She felt like a moody teenager. She frumped around her apartment when she wasn't at work, continuously picking up her cell to see if she missed a call or a text from Jack, something she hadn't done since the eleventh grade and she was dating Brent Martinez, a short lived high school romance. She was confused. Had she done something wrong? Did her crazy ass family scare him off?

She laughed at that thought. The man didn't seem like the scare-easy type.

Jeannie knew she was probably reading into it all wrong. He had sent a text to her the morning after her parents party, telling her he was going to be really busy until further notice. His texts were short, making Jeannie think she was coming off as needy when asking how he was doing or telling him that she was practicing her card tricks. His replies were usually either 'good." Or "cool."

She missed him and she had kept herself from calling him, even though she had been wanting to for the past few days. She just wanted to hear his voice…his smooth as silk voice that gave her goosebumps.

"Argh! Stop it Jeannie."

Sighing, she grabbed her phone from the pocket of her sweatshirt, disappointed, again that she hadn't missed a call or text from the man in question.

"Screw it." She mumbled and brought his contact information, her thumb hovering over the 'call' button. The worse that would happen is him clearing her call. She took a deep breath and pressed call and brought the phone to her ear, listening to the rings.

Mind numbing pain ripped through the back of head. What ever hit her, hit her hard enough to launch her into the kitchen counter, knocking the wind out of her and causing her to drop her phone.

She dropped to the floor like a stone in water, and before she could stand up, an even more powerful blow hit her in the center of her back, making her scream out in anguish. And just as quickly, she was grabbed by the back of the collar and whipped around so she was lying on her back.

Towering over her was the last person she'd think she'd see in her apartment.

Ryan Samson.

He stood, looking down upon her, the all too familiar look on his face before she was about to receive a particular nasty beating. Ryan squatted next to her, a cool smile on his lips.

"Hello Jeannette." He crooned, reaching for the long hair that was splayed across her face. She jerked away, trying to bat his hands away.

His smile melted into an angry frown. "I see you've forgotten your manners since you've left me." He reached up high and brought his fist down onto her face.

She screamed again as his fist connected with her cheek, the familiar feel of her cheek swelling instantly, and she knew she'd have an ugly bruise forming soon.

Using her stunned state to his advantage he pounced on top of her, pinning her legs down with his weight and her arms down with his hands. "Why'd you have to make me do this? All I wanted to do was talk. I shouldn't have known you'd make this difficult." With one hand he kept her hands pinned and with the other grabbed hold of her hair and yanked her upwards, making her stand up.

"Get the fuck off of me!" She screamed. "Get out of my apartment!"

"See!" He tsked, shaking his head, grabbing both her cheeks and causing her lips to pucker, shaking her head a few times. "I'll need to reteach you some manners." He slapped her face where he had punched her, making her whimper.

"Someone will hear you hear me!" She screamed. "Someone will call the cops!"

Ryan laughed. "This is the Narrows! Nobody is going to call the cops."

*&^%$&

Jack and Sammy sat in Jack's car. Ever since Jack had taken the car out of storage for he and Jeannie's dinner date, he'd been driving it more often. He had forgotten how much he loved his car and how much he enjoyed driving it.

The two of them had been tailing Falcone's lackies. While torturing information out of Willy, one of Falcone's men, Jack was able find out that Falcone was gathering intel on Cobblepot but Gambol and his operation too, which was mostly car boosting and drugs. But the why of it, well, Willy expired before Jack could get the info out of him.

Tonight they where tailing Jimmy, one of Falcone's right hand men. He was having dinner with a woman, leaving the two men waiting outside the restaurant, waiting and watching for him to do something that would give them answers. Cobblepot didn't want Jack to capture and question as of yet. He didn't want Falcone to get too suspicious if his men were disappearing.

Because of this new development, Jack hadn't been able to spend time with Jeannie like he usually did. The last time he saw her, it was the night they went to her parents Christmas party.

That was a night he'd never forget. but not because of her asshole parents and their run in with her jerk-off ex-boyfriend. What happened afterward was what made it so memorable.

She had starting laughing hysterically and then sobbing uncontrollably. So bad that he had parked the car to make sure she wouldn't choke on her own tears and hyperventilate.

He hadn't been in this kind of situation before or felt bad for somebody as he did at that moment. And, that being the case, he wasn't sure what to do… so he put the car back into gear and continued to drive as she bawled.

As they drove down the road he started to become angry. He knew it was because he was in unfamiliar territory and the feelings he was harboring for the girl confused him. The only way for him to process was to become annoyed and angry. But he kept silent, gripping the leather bound steering wheel and gritting his teeth as he sped through the streets of Gotham to get to Jeannie's apartment so he didn't have to listen to her cry.

Halfway to her apartment, she finally stopped, only hiccuping every once in a while and sniffling into her jacket sleeve.

"I'm sorry." She said, her voice quivering. "I shouldn't have let it get to me. I think Ryan's surprise appearance shook me more than I'd like to admit."

"Clearly." Jack mumbled.

They stayed silent for a while, the two going over the nights events in their heads until they arrived at Jeannie's place. She glanced over at him as she opened the door and smiled, even though he kept his eyes forward and not on her.

"Thank you, Jack." She gave him a grimaced smile. "I'm sorry I ruined the night. I'll make it up to you."

His answer was stalled, his eyes still glued to the windshield of the car. "No. You didn't ruin the evening." His head turned and his emerald eyes almost glowed in the dimly lit car. "Your shit-ass parents and that dick head ex-boyfriend did."

Jeannie nodded her head. "But I really shouldn't have let the whole thing get to me. I kind of asked for it going there."

Jack growled and then turned his head, his eyes glaring out the windshield again. "I meant what I said, Jeannie. They'll pay if they came at you again."

She frowned. His tone was deadly and his actions where confusing her. He was acting….strange. But then again, Jack was a strange, dark man.

"Thanks, Jack. For everything."

He nodded in acknowledgement and she shut the door.

That was the last time they saw each other, and even though he had missed her, he needed the time away from her to set some of the emotions and thoughts straight.

They had texted throughout the week, Jack only sending one syllable answers to her and she sending long winded ones, his one yes, no or maybe responses not deterring her.

"I'm freaking bored!" Sammy whined. "This guy has been here for fucking ever. Can't we just go in there and shoot him?"

Jack rolled his eyes. Sammy had been saying the same thing for the past week. Unlike his friend, Jack had a lot of patience. Sammy never had, even when they were kids.

"Sure. Why don't you go in there, wave your gun around and start an inevitable shootout, possibly killing yourself or surviving and then getting killed by Cobblepot because you were a dumbass."

Sammy grumbled and adjusted his flat cap and slumped into the passenger seat. "If I miss the birth of my first kid because this guy can't eat a meal in a decent amount of time, I may as well die. Gwen would kill me."

Jack stayed silent, keeping his eyes on the restaurant entrance. He was bored, but he had his own worries and thoughts to keep him at least a little occupied.

"So…who's the chick?"

He frowned and turned towards his friend. "What?"

Sammy smirked. "The chick, man! The boss mentioned you had taken some chick out to his restaurant for Thanksgiving and you've been acting different. I know you, Jack. There's a chick in your life."

He sighed heavily, shaking his head, refusing to answer.

Sammy only smiled at his long time friend, knowing it wasn't worth pressing the subject . But he knew. He saw the subtle changes.

The annoying chime of 'Pocket Full of Sunshine' broke through the silence of the car, making both men jerk in surprise.

Jack grabbed his phone out of his back pocket, annoyed. Somehow Jeannie had assigned the song to her contact information, as a joke, and for the life of Jack, he couldn't change it…Jeannie thought it was hilarious.

He groaned, not sure if he wanted to talk to her.

"For fuck sake dude, either clear the call or answer it. The fucking song is annoying as fuck."

Jack considered clearing the call, but at the last second, decided differently. "Jeannie." He drawled, ignoring the stupid 'I-knew-it' look Sammy was giving him.

From the other end, there was rustling and then the sound of a loud smack and what sounded like Jeannie's phone dropping to the floor. "Clumsy girl." He mumbled.

His eyes went wide when he heard a blood curdling scream.

"Jeannie?" He asked forcefully into the phone. Had she fallen and broken her arm or something?

'Hello, Jeannette, I see you've forgotten your manners since you've left me.'

He heard her scream again and another blow. 'Why'd you have to make me do this? All I wanted to do was talk. I shouldn't have known you'd make this difficult.'

"Get the fuck off of me!" She screamed. 'Get out of my apartment!'

He slammed his phone down, and turned the key in the ignition, making the beefy engine roar to life.

"That son of a bitch! I'm gonna kill him!"

"What's going on man?" Sammy asked, holding onto the handle above the passenger side window, keeping himself from being launched around the car from Jack's angry driving. "Who are we going to kill?"

Jack ground his teeth as he sped through red lights. He couldn't find the words to answer his friend. The only thing that was going through his mind was: Jeannie. Safe. Ryan. Kill. Kill. KILL!

Her vision was blurry, but she refused to succumb to the darkness. Bad things happened when she passed out with Ryan near here. Hell, bad things happened when she was awake around him.

She must have blacked out, because she was tied to one of her kitchen chairs, and now she was laying on her couch, her arms tied behind her and her ankles bound together.

Ryan stood over her, rubbing his left fist with a kitchen towel. His knuckles were bloodied from having a go at her. Her left eye was now completely swollen shut and she was certain her right arm was broken.

"Tell me Jeannette, how long did you wait to find another man after you left me? Or were you going behind my back with that asshole you brought to your parents house?" He itched his nose, telling Jeannie that he had done a few lines, probably while she had blacked out for a few moments. "You did it on purpose, didn't you, you slut! You knew I'd be there and you, being the whore that you are, paraded yourself and that lanky fucker around to rub it in my face."

He grabbed the collar of her shirt and jostled her, making her cry out in pain. The movement making it feel as if a million white hot pokers were being stabbed into her broken arm.

He squatted down, thrusting his face to hers. "Just admit it, and I'll stop. We can go home, together. We can pick up where we left off and forget that you're a cheating whore."

Jeannie's fear dissipated and turned into anger. She knew she was screwed. There was no way she was getting out of this one. She was battered and broken. One of two scenarios was going to play out. Either she was going to die, here in her apartment or she was going to be forced back to Ryan's apartment and she may as well die anyway.

She sneered at him. "Fuck you, you coked out ass." She then spat at him, and almost smiled at his reaction.

Spit and blood dripped off of his nose, making Jeannie feel triumphant.

"I will never go back with you. You may as well kill me now you coward."

Ryan gave out a loud and angry yelp as he wiped off the spittle and stood up. "You're going to regret that." He bared his teeth. "I'm not going to kill you, but I am going to teach you a lesson." He ripped his belt off, practically ripped open his jeans, and bent down to pull down the tops of her leggings.

"No!" She screamed again and again, trying to buck him off. But it was useless. She was bound and had one or possibly more broken bones. On top of that, she was sure she had a concussion, which had weakened her substantially. But she fought as hard as she possibly could. She couldn't bare the thought of being raped by Ryan again.

She screamed so loud and hard that she started to lose consciousness.

One moment, Ryan was fumbling with the top of her leggings, only able to get them down past her hip bones, and the other moment Ryan was on the floor.

Jeannie, now sobbing drunkenly, blinked hard, trying to fight the darkness engulfing her eyesight. Jack and another man were in front of her, both of them facing Ryan, pointing guns in the half-dressed man's direction.

She couldn't hear what was being said, it sounded like they were talking under water.

She blinked and Jack's face manifested in front of her. His mouth was moving and his beautiful green eyes glowed with concern…and rage.

But she couldn't hear him.

She tried to speak, but she couldn't make anything come out. She tried so hard to stay awake, but it was no use.

She felt good! And happy. Her body felt like she was floating and whatever she was lying in felt as soft as a cloud…more comfortable than the temperpedic bed she slept in while she lived with Ryan.

…Ryan.

Something in the back of her sleepy brain was telling her that the state she was in, albeit comfy and buzzing like crazy, Ryan was responsible.

She could hear beeping in the faint distance and snoring.

Where was she?

Where was Jack?

The same feeling hit her, making her think she had just seen Jack, but she just couldn't remember.

She willed her eyes to open, and thankfully the room she was in was dimly lit. She blinked slowly, as her eyes focused in the soft light, finding it hard to see out of one of her eyes.

It took her a few moments to realize she was in a hospital room and that the warm fuzzy feeling she was feeling was from an IV that was attached to the inner side of her left arm.

"Hey."

Jeannie drunkenly looked over to see Jack, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"How do you feel?" He whispered, pulling the chair he was sitting in closer to the bed she was in.

She shook her head. "What happened?"

He frowned at her. "Ryan beat the hell out of you. Sammy and I came in just in time before he raped you." He grit his teeth and gently grabbed hold of her hand, which was wrapped in a bulky white cast. "He had a go at you. Broke your arm, fractured your orbital on top of leaving more than half your body covered in some ugly looking bruises."

She closed her eyes trying to remember, and slowly the wretched memory started to come back. "Why do I feel like this?" She looked at Jack pitifully.

He sighed, and placed her wrapped hand back on the bed. "He also gave you a concussion. I tried waking you up during the ride to the hospital, but I couldn't keep you awake. Listen, Sugar. The nurse will be in here to check up on you, they are going to call the cops in once they see you're awake. I need for you to tell them someone broke into your home and beat the hell out of you."

She scrunched her brows together. "What? Why?"

"Because, Jean-nie. Ryan will be getting what comes to him soon enough."

She shook her head. Her sluggish brain wasn't processing what he was asking of her.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Just do what I say Jeannie, trust me."

She nodded. "Ok. I trust you, Jack."

He smiled and rubbed his thumb over her cheek, the one with the least amount of bruising. "Glad to hear, Sugar."

As promised, a nurse came into her room to check her vitals and to replace her IV bag with fresh fluids and medication. "You're awake!" She announced cheerfully, offering a smile at both Jeannie and Jack.

She checked Jeannie's vitals and replaced her IV bag and made sure the pain meds were at the right dosage.

"I'll let Dr. Mosely know you're awake, and the officers as well."

"Told you." Jack teased.

Jeannie rolled her eyes and rested her head back onto the pillows. "How long have I been out?"

"About five hours now. The doc said you would take you longer to come to, since they are feeding you the good stuff." He motioned towards her IV.

She nodded. That's why she was feeling all warm and fuzzy. "Mmm." She sighed. "I do feel pretty damn good."

Jack chuckled. "I'm sure you do, Sugar."

Dr. Mosely came in just moments after, head down, seemingly reading Jeannie's chart. He was followed by two officers, the two moving off to the side to let the Doctor do his job.

"Good afternoon Ms. Kerr. How are we feeling." He said in a bored tone.

Jeannie gingerly sat up. "I'm feeling pretty good, but I think it's because of what you guys have given me."

Dr. Mosely hummed. "Yes, well," He finally looked up from her chart and gave her a nod. "Good." He stepped over to the machine that monitored her fluids. "I'll write out a prescription for pain, you'll be in some discomfort for a while. What is your profession, Ms. Kerr?"

"I'm a bartender."

He nodded his head. "Well, you won't be tending bar for a while. You've sustained some impressive injuries. A broken arm, as you can see." He pointed her arm that was in a cast. "As well as a fractured orbital socket, which, from the x-rays that were taken, likely broke because it was fractured previously. You also have substantial bruising all over your body. You won't be moving very fast for a while." He frowned and looked at Jack in an almost accusing manner. "Sir, I am going to ask you to leave for a few moment."

Jack shot the doctor a knowing smile. "Sure thing, Doc." He stood and took Jeannie's casted hand. "I'll be right outside, Sugar." He then sauntered out, winking at one of the officers, Jeannie noticed, as he exited the room.

Once Jack closed the door, Dr. Mosely turned to Jeannie, a serious mask set on his face. "Ms. Kerr, as I said, when we x-rayed you, we noticed you have many healed broken bones, along with fractures and other healed injuries that coincide with abuse."

Jeannie stared at the doctor wide eyed.

"Erm." The doctor cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Does your boyfriend abuse you? If so, this is your chance to turn him in and start anew."

"Oh! Jack?" She pointed to the door. "You mean does Jack abuse me?"

He nodded.

"No! No!" She laughed nervously. "No." She repeated. "I…" She really didn't want to rehash her past to complete strangers…again. "I was in an abusive relationship a year ago. Jack has nothing to do with my past injuries."

"I see." He said, looking at her almost in disbelief. "Well then, now that that's out of the way, I will hand the questioning over to the police officers. In the mean time, I will write out a prescription and start your discharge papers, I don't see why you can't leave tonight."

She pushed air out of her lungs. "Thanks. Oh, um, can you send Jack back in, please?"

He nodded and left, and Jack came in not seconds later, taking his place against the wall closest to Jeannie.

"Ma'am, your boyfriend told us what happened, but we need to know what happened before he came and scared the perp away." The one officer, obviously older than his partner, took the lead. He adjusted his glasses and readied his pen.

So, Ryan got away…

She pushed the disturbing thought to the side and recounted the awful incident.

"…the last thing I remember is him trying to take my pants off, and Jack all the sudden appeared."

The officer scribbled furiously onto his notepad. "And you didn't get a good look at him?"

Jeannie shook her head. "I…I don't remember. He made sure to keep my back turned for the most part…" She lied, hoping he didn't see right through her.

The officer nodded. "I can understand, you had a pretty good concussion when you came here. It's normal for people with concussions to have memory issues. I wouldn't want to remember a violent encounter like that, either. And, uh…" He flipped through his notepad. "Mr…Rekoj… you didn't get a good look at him?"

Jack shook his head. "No, it was all a blur, and admittedly, I was more concerned about Jeannie's safety. Like I told you, I was coming home and heard her screaming, so I kicked the door open, all I saw was some guy with a shaved head go out the window."

The officer nodded, pressing his lips together. "Ok. I think you should know that we dusted for prints, but we were unable to lift any prints, so we really have nothing to go off of. Sir," He looked to Jack. "Do you live with Ms. Kerr?"

Jack shook his head. "No."

"Well, I advise she stays with you, or you stay with her, whichever works for you. She shouldn't be alone, especially if this lunatic is still at large."

Jack nodded. "Sure."

"Well, if that's all you both have for me, here's my card." He handed one to Jack and the other to Jeannie. "My name is Officer Gordon. If you remember anything, please, give me a call. Even if you think it's a piece of useless information."

Jeannie nodded at him. "Thanks, Officer Gordon. I'm sorry we couldn't help."

He shook his head, offering her a small smile. "Don't be sorry." He nodded to her and then to Jack and motioned for his partner to head out.

The silent officer nodded at Jeannie and then smirked at Jack before exiting with his partner.

"What was that all about?"

"Oh, Officer Larry?" He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "We have the same circle of friends." He shrugged nonchalantly.

She rolled her eyes, not wanting to know the finer details. "Um… so, how were they not able to lift a print? What happened to Ryan and why did I just lie to the police?"

"Ah!" Jack said pointing his index finger upwards. "The million dollar questions..." He sat down in the chair he was originally sitting in. "I had Sammy wipe your apartment down while I took you to the hospital."

"Why?" She was confused.

"This ties into question number two and three… I didn't want the cops to know Ryan was there, because I am going to take care of Ryan."

"How so?"

The evil smile crept up Jack's lips, the one she had seen only once before. "You just don't worry about the finer details, Sugar. But I will need some information from you."

"Like?"

"I'll need to know where he lives and where he works. I'm going to find out how he found you, and then I'm going to make him pay."

Jeannie stared at Jack, not really sure how she felt about this. She knew what Jack did for a living, and knew what Jack was really saying was, he was going to hunt him down and he was going to kill him like the pig he is.

…But did she really want him to die? He was a human being, even though he was horrible, piece of shit human being…

She looked down at her cast.

"Will you make him suffer?"

Jack laughed. "Of course I will."

Jeannie looked Jack dead in the eye. "I have never wished death upon somebody before I met Ryan Samson. I have wished it upon him…but knew that it would never happen. I knew I was too weak to do it. He overpowered me, always. And now, I have you…offering to kill him for me. Like a dark angel of death answering my prayers."

Jack hiked an eyebrow at her. "I'm not offering to kill him. I am going to kill him. I will find out where he lives and works with or without you. You'd just be making my life that much easier if you gave up the info."

Jeannie paused for a moment. In a way, his statement made her feel better. She wouldn't be able to stop Jack, even if she tried. That much she knew.

"Tell me why you are doing this for me."

He frowned at her and leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. His answer was hesitant. "Because he hurt the one thing that I actually…sort of…care about. He broke you and I want to break him back. Plus, a promise is a promise, Jean-nie."

She smiled. Was this his round-about way of telling her that he cares for her, maybe in the way she cared for him? "He lives in the penthouse at Gotham Plaza, suite 501. He works on the fifteenth floor at the trade center downtown, where my father works. His office is right next to his."

Jack smiled. "That a girl, Sugar. That a girl."

beta'd by Springandbysummerfall