Chapter one

'Just wait for the punch line'

I had never in my life been to America. I found myself constantly repeating things and asking others to sound things out so I could understand, I had a few perverts crudely ask me if I wanted the 'real American experience' I doubt they'll be able to conceive a child in the near future.

Currently I'm working in Arkham Asylum as a assistant psychiatrist, turns out that in America, Oxford, although thought of as a high class institution in England, isn't quite the same, to become just an assistant I had to take half a years psychology training and then half a years worth of work experience. This is my work experience. I admit this is rather different to what I was doing in England, but my reasoning was that to help innocent people, it would be easier to understand a criminal mind, that and it was the only job going in this god forsaken city. Don't get me wrong the city is thriving with life, everywhere you look bright lights blind you but its what's behind the lights that gets me, behind the amazing theatres, the night clubs even the very rare shopping malls the money to fund them is raked in by vicious criminals. Sometimes I lay in bed wide awake listening to noisy street below me thrive

Of course my job is dangerous, working so closely to such evil people but I do enjoy my job regardless of the danger.

I only really work with a few patients at a time, recently one has been a rather tall man by the name of Jack Napier he was a mob enforcer praying on the weak and fearful around Gotham before he took an interest in Batman a masked vigilante crime fighter who only shows his face in the evenings anyway Jacks interest became an obsession the Gotham police department had been on his trail for a while until he suddenly disappeared, the next thing we know Jacks floating in a reservoir bruised and battered or so it seemed, when he was fished out and questioned, he told us the mobsters, to whom he had crossed, had severely tortured him in a disused chemical plant. Jack was able to kill several of his captors, but fell into an empty vat of chemical waste after being pursued by the Batman. His appearance was disfigured harshly, his nose had been broken from the torture and therefore was noticeably bent, although I can assure you that isn't the first thing you'd notice. The chemical waste altered his skin tone turning it a milky white, when I first met him I was unable to take my eyes off his misfortune, not only that but his hair was a dyed a lasting green clashing with his ghost white skin, he was also left with permanent scars either side of his mouth from where is captors sliced into his cheeks it was as though he was constantly smiling he painted is mouth a blood red, I could never tell whether it was lipstick or paint maybe it was another side effect from the chemical waste but as you can imagine he played the blame game with the wonderful Batman.

In court when asked questions by the prosecutor he just laughed manically like some crazy nut job so it was no surprise when he was admitted to us.

Jack Napier is a sociopath more to the point he has a dissocial personality he has a callous unconcern for the feelings of others and lacks the capacity for empathy, he can't understand the effect of his actions on others, he used to share a room but unfortunately his inmate had to be removed for his own safety. Jacks mind is quite unstable, since peering at his new appearance. It sent him into a crazed state so much so that he sees things, hears things, currently he tries to make Jokes but only really laughing at them himself, they're quite distasteful.

I'd been sat for around an hour with him, sometimes when I'm stressed with a patient I attempt to pace it out, not that he could stop me his restraints dealt with that.

"Why don't you take a seat Doc" he giggled to himself, you can imagine what I endure daily, mostly I'm able to just shrug it off but I sat down opposite him anyway ignoring his comment,

"Aww, not laughing?" he leant over as far as the restraints would allow smiling widely "just wait for the punch line"

"Jack, your forgetting it'll be me signing your release papers and so far, you aren't exactly showing any signs of becoming more stable than you are." I looked over at the guards, Jacks one of the high risk offenders and staff aren't allowed in a room unaccompanied by at least two,

"In less you stop making such ridiculous jokes, your going to be here for a while" I sighed "I think that'll do for today. Good night Jack"

"Good job I left my car in the long stay parking lot then, huh boys?" he looked at his guards as they took an arm each to transport him back to his cell, they didn't laugh. Jack threw his head back toward the ceiling and started to cackle uncontrollably his legs dragging behind him of him he didn't even attempt to cooperate with the guard's.

On his good days though he will speak to me like a human being, but that isn't often. I could still hear his giggles as I walked in the opposite direction down the halls of the asylum, pure white. Some patients get worked up by colours so they had been painted a neutral colour. My heels clinking on the marble floor, I really hated that sound it reminded me of my mother walking down the hall when she arrived home from work.

I'd settled into life in Gotham rather well I quickly learnt where I shouldn't venture, unfortunately Arkham Asylum is situated in the Narrows but I lock my car doors whenever I'm driving through. Gotham has had its fair share of crime one criminal happened work here, Dr Jonathan Crane probably a bit too interested in fear and phobias, creating a fear inducing toxin and became 'the scarecrow' this all happened last year, though Crane was stopped by Gotham's very own guardian; Batman. Or so he's called, I personally have never seen him in action but I am very interested as to who is under the dark exterior, I know he's helping people and saving lives every night but why wear a mask? Why not be open about doing the right thing?

'Dr Opalton?' Spinning around Dr Harleen Quinzel smiled wide at me her dark hair scraped back into a high ponytail and her glasses sliding slowly down her perfectly formed nose, she had one of them really round forever young faces, they type that people like me get jealous of easily.

"Mind if I walk with you? I need to speak about Jack Napier"

"Sure" Harleen was the head psychiatrist here and so was kind of my boss, she'd helped me gain my position here and whenever I needed help she was the first person to support me.

"I hope your well, I haven't really seen you recently, I understand Napier is in your care?" our heels were clinking in unison as we walked through the double doors into reception,

"Yes he is. He was admitted two months ago, yet he has made no progress," my strong English accent was always so prominent, it was rather embarrassing to be honest. Thankfully though Harleen was able to understand me just fine,

"Yes, I was thinking, if its ok with you, that I could take him on? Unfortunately he isn't making as much progress as we'd originally thought." we walked around the statue of Amadeus Arkham and through the revolving doors stopping just outside, the rain hammering down above us bouncing off the canopy we were under giving a dull and dark atmosphere it was my impression that all of America was hot or at least warm, all I've seen here is rain I may as well be in London. I began rummaging in my bag for my umbrella, likewise Harleen began to find her own,

"That's perfectly fine, I honestly have never heard of anything quite like him he changes his personality each and every day, I'll be glad to get rid of him, just be careful he dislikes women" she smiled at me,

"What man doesn't?" I laughed at her, Harleen was quite the joker when she wasn't at work.

"Good night Harleen"

"Good night Mer'"

Yes, Mer, it's a nickname that Americans seem to find fitting for me, personally I dislike it and I would much rather if people would stick to Meredith, not that I like that name either.

I passed Harleen as I exited the car park in my blue Volvo giving her a small wave, even when driving she was so straight backed, don't get me wrong she is a lovely person, she takes her job seriously which is a very good thing due to the circumstances and the people we deal with on a daily basis. She just never relaxes, or from what I know about her, she never relaxes. Always working. I guess as she's 'the head doctor' she has to be on top of things but everybody deserves a break.

My apartment is rather small, but its home, its only big enough for me and my 2 kittens but that's all I really need. The only problem is it is littered with work, papers and patient files dotted around. I have a study; I just never use it which is ridiculously stupid I know, but that's the way things go, I'd moan if I didn't have it but I don't use it even though I do. My apartment is just off from the main road leading in and out of Gotham, so its never exactly quiet except at night, although you still get the odd car driving past with its music blaring.

It must have been about 3am when the phone rang, for once I was asleep, usually I'm wide awake checking over a patients file trying to find a loophole something I missed the first time, but I figured a early night would be healthy, apparently not. It took me a while to even figure out it was the phone that was ringing before I was able to answer it, giving a very feeble 'hello'

"Mer its Harleen, I'm so sorry if I woke you but I need you to do me a favour, its huge"

She sounded rather urgent and in my sleep deprived state I agreed to everything she asked,

"I completely forgot about the charity auction. I can't go, but somebody has to considering that half the money that's raised goes toward new facilities. Now, I asked Hugo, he's going too, it would be really good if you could join him?" I could hear the desperation in her voice, that voice people put on when their asking you to do the impossible sort of goes high pitched towards the end of the sentence. Although I really didn't want to go I actually don't have a life outside of work (to which Harleen was using against me) and so I rather reluctantly agreed,

"When is it?" I rolled over to grab a pen and paper pulling the phone dangerously close to the edge of its night stand,

"Friday" I sat up in bed completely wide awake,

"Its Wednesday!"

"I knooow, I'm so sorry. I honestly was going to go but I have to much work now. I have a dress for you and everything just please help me out"

As if I'd fit in her tiny dress but I really have no choice, I sighed as loudly as I dared down the phone, she was still my boss after all.

"I'll go, you owe me though"

This charity event just so happens to be the most sort after event of the season, full of the most important people in Gotham who in all honesty sat in their mansions with pokers up there arses doing nothing for the city but feeding those who terrorise it daily.

And so in two days I'm going to Gotham City Charity Event Funded by Bruce Wayne.