Sorry for the wait. The Joker is such a hard character to write. If you hadn't guessed the Joker is the main bad guy. The action happens kind of fast and vague I'm not very good at writing it.

Italics is flash back

'These things are Jason's and Evelyn's nonverbal communication'

So this is it Last Chapter, any feedback would be great. Thank you for reading.

I don't own Batman, only my own characters.


Chapter 6

The whispers were still there, everywhere she went. But this time they couldn't reach her. Evelyn was beyond such trivial matters.

"Do you know what happened?

Did you see those scars?

How do you think she got involved?

Who's paying for all this? …..Wayne"

Her condition was stable a few cuts and bruises here and there, a cracked rib but nothing life threatening. Evelyn lay perfectly still on her bed, Jason couldn't help but compare it to a fairy tale. If he kissed her would she wake up too?

All Jason could do was stare at her, yet another person he failed. She needed him and he couldn't deliver. Maybe that's all Jason was good for, letting people down.

"Doctors are estimating a full recovery, however with the extensive brain damage their not sure if she will wake up."

Jason wasn't even surprised that he was there. Batman always had an eye on everything in Gotham and you could always count on Batman to be direct, never sugar coating anything. As hard as Jason tried to hate him, he knew he couldn't. Batman had given him everything if it wasn't for that Joker thing Jason would have stayed at Batman's side as Robin the rest of his life. But that was another life and Jason had moved on from such delusional fantasies.

Jason didn't say a word; he recognized Batman's words all too clearly. It wasn't anything he hadn't heard before. Many of their missions involved such casualties; he just wasn't sure how to count her among them. He never really stuck around long enough to assess the damage but now it was all too real.

Batman did the only thing he could do; he placed a hand on Jason's shoulder for reassures and slipped out the window into the dead of night. Jason appreciated the gesture, if only slightly. Jason didn't move he didn't know how, all he could do was stand at the foot of her bed. Always watching over her but never being able to do anything to protect her. Some guardian angel he turned out to be.

Evelyn had told him her theory one night. As Jason was right in the middle of the story, flying through the sky…

'Like an angle?'

'….what?'

'Like an angel?'

'If you haven't noticed I don't have feathers.'

Jason also wanted to draw attention to the multiple guns on his person, which he was certain no angel would have but he decided the lack of wings would be enough to support his claim.

'No, no wings but you are my guardian angel.'

All Jason could do was stare at her. In what universe did he qualify as a guardian angle?

Evelyn was always saying such weird things it almost became second nature to expect them.

'Do you think aliens have to be green?'

Of all the things to ask it just had to be aliens and their color choices. He could say yes and be done with such a ridiculous conversation.

'It all depends on the style.'

'Style?'

'You can change your clothes, shoes, overall look right? Why can't they?'

'… Do you think they change their color with a spray on tan?'

Jason had to admit that Evelyn always had a knack for making him laugh. There was no end to her ridiculous speculations. Jason could give her a more scientific explanation but her assumptions were by far more entertaining.

That damn beeping was getting on his nerves Beep. Beep. Beep.

He supposed he should be grateful those annoying beeps were the only indication that she was still alive. But they felt so life less, nothing but empty noise. Evelyn was anything but lifeless or boring.

Random she was always bringing up such odd topics of conversation. From coco puffs resemblance to bunny poop to how chuck had anything to do with wood. Never in his life had Jason talked so casually so freely. For the first time his thoughts weren't plagued by the criminals of Gotham but by useless contemplations. Things only a five year old would think of.

'You act like your five.'

He had once told her that; she didn't mind it almost looked like she hadn't heard him at all. She continued her work at what Jason considered to be a laughable attempt at cookie making. The mess in the kitchen was one indication that Evelyn hadn't the slightest idea how to make cookies and far be it of Jason to show her how. He simply sat down on the couch and enjoyed the show. The pan drooping to the floor caught his attention, allowing Jason a better look at how hard she was trying.

A child that's the way she acted most of the time. But in that moment he couldn't help but see a bit of the adult in her somewhere. She should be in bed resting but no she was off at work all day and now making cooking just because he felt like having some. Jason could see Evelyn's checks were slightly red, her breathing labored and the slight amount of sweat on her forehead was not from the oven. All the indications that she was sick.

Jason lifted himself off the couch and walked over to Evelyn; taking her hand within his he guided her to the bed room.

'Get into bed.'

She stood next to the bed as if his words were of a foreign language. Without a second thought he pushed her in the bed and left. Evelyn hadn't complained she knew when she was beat. Climbing under the covers her eyes shut and she lost her self in sleep.

That next morning everything was silent, turning her head slightly Evelyn came face to face with Jason. It wasn't uncommon for them to fall asleep next to each other after a late night. She just didn't remember it was all. He was sound asleep not even the smell of freshly made cookies could wake him. Turning her head towards the smell Evelyn could see a clean kitchen and a fresh batch of cookies sitting on the kitchen counter.

Jason never mentioned it and neither did she.

Unspoken rules and all that but there were a few things they could ask.

'Do you have any fours?'

'Nope'

Jason couldn't remember how it started but if go fish was her idea of a card game he was never taking her to Vegas. Then again that ridiculous little girl disguise might work to their benefit, a good poker face came in a variety of different flavors. What the hell a little black jack never hurt anybody.

'How about 21?'

'I think the cards stop at 10.'

Yup the best damn poker face was the one you could tell was there.

Walking towards her bed he noticed her chart hanging on the bed. Lifting it up Jason could find all the information he needed. Nothing he didn't already know.

Blood Type: O-

Gender: Female

Age: 23

Name: Evelyn Miller

Jason had never paid much attention to names, names usually changed along with the case. Sometimes he was John, Daniel, Robert it didn't really matter. But with Evelyn he wanted her to know his real name. The name his parents had given him, the name his family had once accepted. He just didn't know how, it had never come up before. No questions asked sure did cover some important details.

He knew his target, all too well in fact. He had tried this before, revenge. It hadn't worked out the first time. He had done extensive planning, back up plans for his back up plans but in the end it seemed that his revenge would go unfulfilled. Maybe this would be different it wasn't his score to settle even if he did receive some satisfaction. This wasn't about him, this was about her and trying to ease her troubled mind.

If she could move on maybe he could too.

Planning that's what he should do but Jason was far too angry for that now. He needed that instant gratification, he needed to fix this. It was long overdue but he needed to make things right. He knew where to find him, hell there where only so many places the Joker could hide. That was if he wasn't in Arkham although the Joker never was in Arkham for very long anyway.

An abandoned factory, typical but it only added to Jason's advantage. Predictability was never one of the Jokers many traits. Sure there was the typical theft, arson, permanently scarring someone for life be it physically or emotional…typical. Just because it was typical didn't mean it wasn't dangerous. The Joker was the craziest of them all and with a nonexistent conscious, it just made for a bad combination.

Jason didn't bother with the low-level flunkies; he had only one goal in mind. Bag and tag. Oddly enough he found him quickly; it never failed to make Jason's blood boil at how casually how at ease the Joker could be with all he had done. But that's the way Jason found him fast asleep without a care in the world. No nightmare to interrupt his dreams.

Moving quickly Jason took aim, a sedative just in case he decided to wake up early. Moving rather quickly now in case one of the flunkies decided to be useful, Jason secured his target and left. Dragging the Joker across Gotham's roof tops was not the way he wanted to spend his Friday night. Hell Jason would rather be playing Old Made with Evelyn, anything but having to be anywhere near him.

Jason reached his destination faster then he expected. So he waited, predictable that was one thing Evelyn was. Her schedule ran like clockwork, any minute now she could some up those stairs…..

She never came. Maybe she wasn't so predictable; Jason didn't have the time to search the city for her. Checking to make sure the Joker was still out Jason went down stairs to check her apartment. Like always Jason came through her window but Evelyn was nowhere in sight, finally reaching her bedroom he spotted her. Facing away from him she sat on the floor, knife in hand. It didn't look like she was going to use it; she was simply staring at it. As if starting at it would give her some insight.

Jason moved around the bed, knelt down to her eye level and waited. Jason was never one for patience; the smallest action would light his spark. However this wasn't something he could rush into, if Evelyn needed him to Jason would wait.

Everything was quiet their breathing was slow almost calming and then he spoke.

"It's awfully rude of you to abandon your kidnapee. Do I ever neglect any of my hostages? No sir, it's called good manners."

That voice they hated that voice. It was enough to make their skin crawl, their hair stand on end and luckily enough to shock them back to reality. Jason's reaction was far quicker than hers, as Evelyn was still trying to lift herself off the floor Jason had already pushed the Joker back to the living room. Back and forth they went, Evelyn wasn't as skilled as Jason but she knew enough to make the fight two against one. Jason had to admit he was surprised, he half expected Evelyn to be scared stiff but he was happy and maybe a little proud to have her by his side.

Cuts, bruises and a few broken bones weren't going to stop them. Furniture was thrown in every direction with so little room to maneuver the fight eventually lead to the fire escape. If there was one thing the Joker was it was quick. As Jason's back was turned the Joker quickly lunged forward, ironically enough with Evelyn's knife in hand. The Joker was quick but Evelyn was just was quick. The knife plunged into her shoulder forcing her body to lean again the unstable railing.

Typical, was all Jason could think as the railing came loose when Evelyn's body came into contact with it. Evelyn reached forward and grabbed onto one thing, that pathetic pile of garbage in front of her. It all happened so fast; they were falling too quickly for Jason to keep up. Calling out her name Jason couldn't help the panic in his voice. Reaching the alley below Jason found her lying so still, looking around there was no sign of the Joker. Taking the opportunity to run, coward but Jason didn't care the only thing that matter was Evelyn.

Ironic would that be the proper phrase, Jason didn't really care what to call it all that mattered was that it happened. Evelyn had protected him from the very thing Jason wanted to protect her from. Holding her in his arms only one thing came to mind.

"My names Jason."

Holding onto her hand her index finger began to move ever so slightly. In a rhythm that Jason was all too familiar with, tap…tap…tap…tap…stop

'Thank you'

Placing the clipboard where it was, there was no doubt in Jason's mind that she would make it through this. Despite her better half she was a fighter. Evelyn had stood up against her demons that night and she wasn't the only one. Jason couldn't deny that it felt good to stand next to her and confronted their tormenter together. Whether deliberate or not they had taken a step forward, all they could do now was to keep taking those steps. Jason walked up to her bed side leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Don't keep me waiting too long."

The monitor beeped or rather it skipped a beep. Jason took it was an unspoken agreement, yet another way for her to speak without saying a word. Turing away Jason flew through the window into the cold Gotham night.