Rock took a step back, there was no denying it, Raven was really standing in front of him. His mind went blank, anger, happiness, fear, love, all of these things overwhelmed his brain as he felt a tear run down the side of his face, "Raven…"
Raven didn't normally run, but she closed the distance between them in an instant, embracing him and wrapping her arms around him, tears of her own falling, "Nicholas… it's really you!"
Raven could feel the way he was trembling as he hugged her back, trying to get a grip on his mind, "I… missed you, too, Raven"
Nightwing smiled behind her, "When I put out feelers for information, Raven saw your picture and insisted that she meet with you at once. We used to work together as part of a team, so I knew I could trust her"
Raven pulled herself away, feeling his arms, "Nicholas… these marks…"
Rock smiled gently, "Ones I bare with pride. I've been keeping my promise, too"
She couldn't help but return his smile, "I never doubted you"
Rock looked away, "Raven… I've changed a lot since the last time you saw me. I still believe, with all my heart, everything I said to you. But… I can't do that… not yet. There's something else I have to do first"
Raven's expression softened, "What's that?"
"Attonement… for what I did… then, it'll be alright, I know it will"
Raven took his hand and entwined it within her own, "Nicholas, you've done enough, the only person that you need forgiveness from is yourself"
Rock sighed, he knew she was right, deep down, he could see that she was speaking the truth, "… You're right. You deserve better, come on, let's go home. Lucy?"
The little girl skipped over to them, taking a good look at Raven, "Yeah, Daddy?"
"This is Raven, she's gonna live with us, okay?"
Lucy smiled, "Okay, Daddy! Hey, Ms. Raven, your eyes look very pretty"
Raven smiled, "Thanks, your hair is very pretty, too"
Rock smiled, "Hey, Lucy? Why don't you take Raven to our home while I talk with Bruce and Dick?"
Lucy smiled, "Okay, Daddy! C'mon, Ms. Raven! This way!", Lucy dragged Raven off as Rock laid his eyes on Nightwing.
Dick just smiled, "I've never seen Raven cry like that"
Rock frowned, "You expect me to explain everything to you, don't you? I can't imagine Raven told you everything"
"As her former partner, I respect her decision not to tell me. You, however, have little more to your name than a file that was completely blacked out and labelled 'ARCHANGEL'. So everything? No. But a small explanation would be very helpful"
Rock sighed, "Then sit down, I'll tell you… some of it"
Tim, Dick, and Bruce gathered around a table while Rock sat uncomfortably at the head of it, "Start with project archangel"
"Twenty-one years ago, a group of scientists were hellbent on pushing the capabilities of humans. They decided to go with a simple approach; enhance every aspect of a subject's DNA, and see what happens. There were two original subjects, Marie and Gabriel, nicknamed after biblical angels for effect. But something happened after Marie and Gabrial had been born, the left over cells from their parents that had been desposed of decided not to simply die off, as they were expected to.
No, those cells, in the harsh environment of a chemical disposal, created another life, one that bonded within the confides of the most extreme conditions. The adaptability of those cells to chemical reactions was miraculous, and the cells themselves became able to arrange molecules to create bonds and reactions that never could've been possible before. This child clawed his way out of the disposal, and emerged from it, with a mind and body unlike any other. It was a gift to the project that had been delivered, as if from God.
To this third child, they gave the name… Nicholas, like the saint. Although Marie and Gabriel turned out to be the prime examples of human capabilities, Nicholas was the exception. Gabriel could build muscles strong enough to flip cars without breaking a sweat, Marie could do it without compromising her amazing figure. But Nicholas… he could throw the car with one hand, and stop it with his mind before it hit the ground.
Nicholas was also a very trouble individual, he had spent nearly a year in the disposal before anyone even realized he was there. He saw how everyone looked at him: he was merely a freak accident, a subject to be tested, until he could be recreated and disposed of again. Deep down, he hated the project, and wanted nothing more than to burn the entire facility to the ground. But Nicholas wouldn't do it, he told himself that he had to do the right thing, even if it sucked.
He figured that death was unavoidable, so why bother? He would live out his life and be their test subject, it wasn't like he had better things to do. Eventually, he was able to get a trip outside of the facility, just a field trip to a frozen fish market, to see if he had enough control over his chemical reactions to keep himself alive in the brutal cold. He was doing wonderfully, his body temperature was at a normal level.
Then… he stumbled on something that changed his life. It was girl with dark hair, half-buried in the snow. He dug her out and took her back to the facility, saving her life. She had no home, no family, and nowhere to go, so, Nicholas convinced the project leaders to let her stay. He fell in love with her, and she returned his feelings, but that was where it all fell apart.
You see, she was a demon, and she was afraid he would hate her if he knew, so she hid it from him. He found out on his own, and he told her that he didn't care, that he would still love her, no matter what. It was beautiful, until she lost control and her powers ran rampant. She was capable of destroying the world, so Gabriel and Marie prepared to destroy her with their bare hands.
Nicholas stopped them, he was so desperate that he took Gabriel down, and he made sure Gabriel wouldn't get back up… ever. Marie was left to mourn Gabriel as Nicholas went to stop his lover. Nicholas then ripped her heart out, replacing it with his own, and taking her demonic one as his. It worked, his lover had been able to take back control, in fact, she was now in even better control then before.
But at what price? Nicholas alone felt the answer as his blood became tainted, lighting up all of his pain receptors at once, and expanding his capabilities to beyond human thought. With the small amount of willpower left in his body, Nicholas opened a portal that he pushed his lover through. He promised that he would live until the day he could see her again, and he would become the angel he was born to be.
Afterward, Nicholas didn't talk, he performed his tests, exceeded all expectations, then simply acted silently. Even Marie could pry nothing more than a plastered smile from his stone lips. His biological father went to check on him, when Nicholas thought he was alone, and found that Nicholas was bleeding himself dry over a balcony.
Nicholas was trying to relieve the pain by removing as much of his blood as possible. Miraculously, not only did Nicholas's father keep it a secret, he helped Nicholas train his mind to perform the functions of his heart, through his psychic ability. It was a… peaceful existance… until Nicholas found out about a new test subject.
This little girl, that was made from his DNA, Lucy. He wouldn't let someone else be forced to live a life like he had. So, he escaped the facility, with Lucy, some supplies,a some passports that had been made for him, and a jet he'd commandeered. And that's the story, or most of it, anyway"
Dick scratched his chin, "So that's why Raven appeared in Jump City out of nowhere"
"It wasn't intentional, I just needed her to have a new start, and she needed to be far away, at least far enough to escape the reach of the people behind the project"
Tim held his hand up, "If you don't mind my asking, who are your parents? Biologically"
"My father's name... I can't remember, my mother was Cathrine the Great"
"Like… the queen of Russia in the 1700's?!"
"The same. Her cells, and that of many other great rulers, we're used in the cesspool, I solely inherited her genes. Appearantly, all three of us had the same biological father, but I had a different mother than my syblings"
Bruce watched the computer screen, ignoring the conversation. Rock looked over at him, "Hey, Bruce, have I been open enough? Please, let me know if there's anything I can share with you that I haven't, because I'm just dying to tell you about the rest of my wonderful childhood"
Bruce continued to type, "You were hiding something from me, I had reason to be suspicious of you"
"What about after I told you that it didn't matter? Was I lying then? Or does my merry tale relate to a present day criminal? Perhaps the Riddler wants to ask you what crawled out of hell. Oh wait, that's right, he doesn't care about Batman anymore, I wonder who could've done that?", Rock stood up, making his building fury apparent, "What do I have to do to prove to you that I'm not an evil spy, sent to sabotage you?!"
Bruce didn't look away from the computer, his concentration making him look more like a statue than a human.
Rock shook his head, "Goodnight, Alfred", with that, he stormed off.
Bruce didn't turn around until he was sure that Rock had left, "Dick, do you remember Ra's al Ghual?"
Dick scoffed, "How could I forget?"
"The alert I placed for his transportation is going off. Ra's al Ghual is coming to Gotham"
Rock smiled as he looked across the table, Lucy had already gone to bed, so it was just him and Raven. Raven smiled back at him, "So, this is where you've been living?"
"Since last week. I moved here to become a therapist at Arkham"
"Arkham? Dick used to talk about that place like it was the den of all evil"
"It's just a mental institution for high-profile, criminal patients"
Raven laughed, "That's just like you, dismissing the danger"
Rock laughed, she was right, "Well, life is always dangerous. What about you? What have you been up to for the past five years?"
Raven's smile faded a little, "I joined a group of people that wanted to protect Jump City, and we called ourselves the 'Teen Titans'. Recently, we melded with the Justice League, but when Dick started looking for a file on you with your picture, I recognized you"
"So, you became a super hero"
Raven scoffed, "Yeah, I guess I did"
Rock smiled, "Ten bucks says you were the strongest part of the team"
"You'd be wasting ten bucks"
"I highly doubt that"
"No. I had my magic, but if it wasn't for Dick… there were so many times that he pulled us through, we were nothing without him"
"He was the team leader, wasn't he?"
"Yes"
"With his personality, I bet he was a laid-back leader, but his obsession with criminals ran deep"
"Mostly one; Slade Wilson"
"… Enough about the past. There's something I wanted to show you", Rock got up and pulled a book down from his shelf. He placed the black leather book on the table, "Just a normal bible, right?"
Raven observed it, but didn't touch it, "Knowing you, it probably isn't"
He placed his finger on the center, "The Lord is my shepard, let him lead his lamb through the slaughterhouse unharmed", as soon as he finished speaking, the cover of the book transformed into a book of solid gold, a sharp cross emblazed on the front.
Raven marveled at it, "What is it?"
"A paladin's bible, with all the spells for healing and holy aura you could ever ask for"
"Holy aura?"
"With this, and just a few words, we could make your powers even easier to control"
"Where did you get this?"
"My biological father gave me this, he told me to use it in case you tried to hurt me. But if we do this correctly, then you'll never have to worry about your father effecting you ever again"
Raven's eyes went wide, "Nicholas…" , she hugged him, "Thank you…"
Rock hugged her, "Don't mention it, I owe you a lot"
Raven was pulling herself away when she touched his arm, then rolled up his sleeve, "Nick, what are these?"
Instictively, he wanted to pull back, but Rock let Raven hold his arm, "… Sometimes, my mind just can't take up the duties of my heart. When I can't keep it going anymore…my heart starts beating"
Raven put her hand on his chest, "Nick… you lived with this?"
"For five years. But that doesn't bother me, I can take pain"
"Nick, this isn't okay"
"Yes it is", he grabbed her hand and pulled her in, "Because you make my heart stop", with a kiss, he ended their conversation and moved on to other activities.
Talia hesitated to open the door, her killer instincts being overloaded by her guilt. She shook it off and slowly opened the door finding Rock waiting in the doorway, "What are you doing here?"
Talia was surprised, but she kept her weapons holstered, "My father needs you. Without something to keep him stable, the Lazurus pit will consume him"
Rock looked back, to make sure Raven was still asleep, "Fine, but he'll have to wait until later today, after I get off from work"
"Work? You have a job?"
"I'm a therapist at Arkham, and before you start making comments, just remember, I've already made progress with multiple patients"
"You're blocking the doorway like you don't want me to come in"
"That's because I don't"
"No, this is like when you first started cutting yourself, what's inside?"
Rock used his arm to block her view, "Tell Ra's that he can expect my help, but I don't need his, nor do I want it"
"Nicholas… I wish you a good day at work"
He closed the door slowly, "A good day to you, too"
Once the door fully closed, Raven lifted her head and rubbed her eyes, "Who was that?"
Rock returned to the stove, where he finished fixing some eggs, "Talia, she came to tell me that her father needs to see me"
"Are you going to see him?"
"I can't ignore him, so I might as well. But I can't until after I get off from work today"
"That's right, Dick told me you got a job at Arkham, that must be interesting"
"It's not boring. Actually, you might be able to help me today, if you don't mind"
"What is it?"
"As much as I want to, I can't watch Lucy while I'm in session with my patients, and Tim can't keep up with her, so I need someone to watch her, think you can handle it?"
"Sure, I've watched kids before, even if they were super-powered ones"
"Oh, speaking of powers, you shouldn't walk into Arkham dressed like that, it'll put a target on your back", Rock speculated as she started to put her robe back on.
"Then what should I wear?"
"I've got some clothes you could wear in the back of the closet. They're some clothes I bought for a friend to use while she was on the run, don't worry, they've been washed since then"
Raven examined the red shirt with a black anarchy symbol on it, "Your friend a runaway?"
"Nope, I just bought her that shirt because I knew that she would like it and hate it at the same time"
"Why'd she hate it?"
"She's definitely a rebel, but red isn't a color she wears often"
"I see. Well, while the clothes are nice and all, I still look like a grey demon-spawn"
"If we're talking about your figure-", Raven playfully punched his shoulder, "-I was gonna say it's very seductive!"
She punched him again, "I know!"
They laughed it off as Rock grabbed a small vile of a clear liquid off of the table, "Here, it's just like what we used to sneak you into the facility, except it last longer and has no side effects"
Raven examined the liquid, "Does it still taste bad?"
"Can't get rid of everything you hate. Sorry, but at least I made breakfast to get the taste out of your mouth"
Raven looked at her cup of tea and took a small sip, "You still make good tea"
Rock smiled as he set her plate of eggs down, "C'mon, eat up, I've got a half hour to get ready for work and an hour to get to Arkham"
Raven shuddered as she swollowed the clear liquid, the taste made raw eggs taste like the food of god, and it was so cold she swore it nearly froze in her throat, but she managed to keep it down.
Lucy walked in, rubbing her little eyes sleepily as she saw Raven, "Good morning, Ms. Raven, I really like your hair that color"
Raven grabbed a mirror, she knew what she looked like, but she wanted to see anyway. Just as she thought; beautiful, peach-colored skin, and pink hair.
Harley held her chin as she looked at Rock, "Hm… you look a lot better than you did yesterday"
Rock smiled, "Life's been better to me recently, what about you, Harley? How's life been to you?"
"Not bad, last night, I was dreaming about Mr. J and me, it was great"
"Really? Tell me about it"
"Oh, me and Mr. J had just blown up half of Gotham, and he proposed by opening a box with the ring in it. I pushed my finger into the ring and it pressed a button that blew Batman into a million pieces…", she wiped a tear from her eye, "It was beautiful"
"Here", he handed her a tissue and she blew her nose, "So, you slept well?"
"Like a rock"
Rock looked at the chaotically graffitied walls, "Harley, do you like to paint?"
Harley thought about it, "A little, but I ain't much good at it"
"Okay, well, this is a part of your treatment, so I got the okay to get you some paint and brushes", he a box of art supplies on the floor and pulled out an easel, "Today, whenever you feel like it, I want you to paint whatever you want on the canvas, okay?"
Harley looked at the paint, "Whatever I want?"
"Yeah, anything you want, I promise that nobody but you and me will see it"
Harley looked at her paintbrush, "Okay, doc, I think I can do that"
"Oh, and Harley?"
"What's up, doc?"
"I'm sorry for what I did before, that was a horrible thing for me to do. I appreciate that you let me bandage you up today"
"So, I can meet my daughter?"
Rock paused, and he let the thought roll around his head, "I'll bring her by sometimes, if, and that's a big IF, you can keep the conversations away from Mr. J and things the two of you did"
"Really?!"
"You're trying very hard to work with me, she is your daughter, too. She's going to have to learn more about her mother one way or another, so this might be the best way"
Harley squeeled with delight, "Eeeee! Yay!"
"And remember, I'll be watching the entire time"
"Alright! Yes, yes, yes!", Harley smiled as she did a little dance.
Tim took another look at Raven, "You're Raven?"
Raven frowned, "Yes, this is a disguise that allows me to help you watch Lucy, is there a problem?"
Tim shook his head, "No, I just… had a different image of you in my head from Dick describing you"
Raven ignored him and sat down on the couch, it was more comfortable than she expected. Lucy swung her feet over the edge as she sat next to Raven, "Ms. Raven, do you like to read?"
Raven nodded, "Yes, I love reading"
Lucy grabbed a book off her father's desk, "Here! Daddy reads this book every day, so it must be good!"
Raven opened the book to the bookmarked page to find 'The Raven' by Edgar Allen Poe, with several words scribbled down the side. The scribbles turned out to be another poem, written by hand in the book, one that depicted the raven as a free, beautiful guardian of the night. Once she finished it, she placed it on Rock's desk, "You're right, Lucy, it is a really good book"
The moment was broken as alarms went off, and sirens broke out all around them. Tim rushed to the door, "Wait here!"
As he slammed it shut and took off, Raven took Lucy's hand, "Don't worry Lucy, I'll keep you safe"
Lucy smiled, "It's okay, I'm not scared"
Raven took a look down the hall, it was clear for now, but she knew all too well that the inmates of Arkham were determined to escape, and they didn't care who they killed to get out. She began to silently chant her spells, "Azarath metrione…"
Lucy tugged on her shirt, "You should stay away from the door, daddy says that it's safer"
Raven smiled, "Of course, here"
The two girls hid behind the couch as the sirens continued to blare. They had been hiding for five minutes when they heard the door get hit off of it's hinges. Raven took a quick look to see a large pile of mud and clay roaring. She focused her dark powers on his body, "Azarath metrione zinthos!"
As she shouted, the dark aura enveloped the monster, but it simply leaked through the holes in her barrier, and started roaring again. Raven cursed silently, "Lucy, c'mon, we need to go, now!"
Raven grabbed Lucy's arm, but she refused to budge, "No! Daddy said to wait here!"
Raven picked her up, "We don't-" her words were silenced as her vision went dark. For a few moments, she couldn't see anything, and she felt like she was standing on a single pillar, like a step in any direction would be her death. Once the moment passed, she could see the room, just as it had been, like the lights had gone off.
The only difference was that the large monster was nowhere to be seen, and the door was perfectly intact, where it should be. Raven was trying to take in all of this information when Rock walked in through the door, "How are you two doing in here?"
Lucy smiled, "We're good, daddy!"
"Raven, you alright? You look a little dazed"
She looked at the door, "The alarms were going off just now, weren't they?"
"Yeah, there was an attempted escape and a riot, but that's all taken care of"
"That flash, that was you?"
Rock smiled, "I can't leave you or my little angel there to Clayface, now can I?"
Lucy did a little pouting face, "I would've used Mr. Victors gadgets to freeze him"
"That's smart thinking, Lucy", he held up a small marble, "Maybe next time"
Raven looked at the marble, the inside of it wasn't clear, in fact, it looked lithe the face of a screaming monster, that was desperately trying to crawl out of Hell. She let the thought sit, in a moment's blackout, he had forced all of Arkham into submission. She needed a little more information, "Who tried to escape?"
"The Joker. He had Clayface start the riot as a diversion, so both of them are facing their punishments. Clayface is in solitary confinement, and as for the Joker, well, he and I are going to have a little chat"
With that, Rock turned to leave, while Raven tried to figure out just how powerful he really was.
The Joker was beaten fairly bad, many of his bones were fractured, his blood stained his purple suit in many places. Even when he had fought Batman, the vigilante had held back, defeating him, but leaving him intact. This opponent wasn't as kind, he had forced as much pain as possible in his body, making sure he was damaged, but not enough that he would be permanently so.
As his cell door opened, he could do little more than wince, as his attacker grinned, "You're awake, you must have a good tolerance for pain"
His voice was weak, but he spoke the best he could, "If you're in the comedy business, you learn the hard way that sometimes you take critical hits from people who just don't get the joke"
"Smile like yours, I can't imagine people not thinking you're funny-looking"
"Laugh all you want, chicks love a guy that can smile, even on his worst days"
"You're a real lady-killer, Jack"
The Joker looked up, "What did you just call me?"
"Jack. That's your name, isn't it? Before you became who you are now?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about"
"Jack, Jack, Jack… you were a sad, normal man, your job, your wife, all the abuse you took from everything every day. There wasn't a place on this Earth you had any form of release, until one day, you had the accident, and even though you had been so good to all those people, they turned their backs on you, like you were a monster. That was when you decided, that your life was nobody else's, and that you would live as you pleased, the consequences be damned"
"This is a good trick, so what am I thinking?"
"That there's no way in Hell I'd know this next part, that you respect someone other than Batman. You treat them like crap and drag their heart through the dirt, but only because you're impressed by the fact that they still have the strength to shake it off and come back for more. She loves you because you did what she thinks she never could, but you hate her, because no matter how hard you bend her, she'll never brake"
"Ha ha ha ha! That's funny!"
"You hate Harley, because she's stronger than you. She was a psychologist who hated boring patients, so she turned to the worst of the worst. She purposely threw her career, and her life, right into the fire, where you saw her as her weakest. You gave her the same freedom you craved as Jack, and let her be Harley Quinn, but she wouldn't kill. Not the way you would"
"Why don't we ask Harley who's stronger?"
"She'd lie, of her own free will, she denies her strength so that you'll see her as your little Harley. You know that she's stronger, and that's why you can't love her, she's just better than you. She can even transition from being insane to having a sound mind, just because the mood demands it"
"Listen, I'm fairly sure that I can beat Harley"
"Then let's bet on it"
"What would the stakes be?"
"If Harley wins, I get five minutes to reform you, a special treatment that I need you to sign off on"
"And if I win?"
"I'll give you a free-sign off. You'll be legally sane, able to walk out of here and into broad daylight with a smile, not even Batman could touch you until you decided to commit a crime"
He thought it over, "A free pass to torment the bat with my freedom, right in front of his face, and he can't even touch me? Get Harley in here"
Rock let a demonic smile grow over his lips, "With pleasure, Jack, just remember, you asked for this"
Joker was concerned slightly that Harley would have a hard time faking it well, since his body was beaten so badly, but as he stood up, he felt good as new, as if his injuries had never occurred.
Rock looked into the cell from the hallway, then he whispered into Harley's ear. Joker couldn't hear what was said, but she squealed with delight from the other side of the door. As it swung open, he caught a glimpse of Rock's face, and now, more so than before, it was twisted into an unholy and frightening smile.
But as soon as the cell door closed, he focused his attention back on Harley, and started whispering to her, "Harley, I need you to lose this fight"
Her face turned into a frown, "But, puddin', if I lose, Bud and Lou will be taken away"
"I'll get you new dogs!"
"Red'll have her plants burned down"
"She can grow new ones, she always does"
"Puddin'… he said I'd be put in a special program, where nobody could find me, and I'd never get out"
"Harley, would I leave you all alone?"
Joker was unaware of it, but Harley had been given a special gift, one she didn't ask for and she didn't want. It was an earring Rock had placed on her while she was squealing in the hallway, they were charmed, so that the wearer could hear the thoughts from anyone who spoke, "Puddin'… you don't mean that, do ya?"
"Mean what?"
"That you would abandon me, just to rub your freedom in the Bat's face?"
"I never said that!"
Harley's tears began to fall as his thoughts continued to enter her mind, "Take it back! Say you're kidding! This is a joke, right?! You hate the Bat, I'm the one you care about, right?!"
The Joker felt his nerve crack, but he kept up a big smile, "Of course I hate the Bat, you're the only one for me, pooh!"
Harley closed her eyes and took off her earring, throwing it against the ground, "Liar! You damned piece of crap! You hate me… because of who I am. I love you… but you can't love me… because I wouldn't kill you"
Joker held her arms, "Harley, he's filling your head with lies, don't let him get to you"
Harley looked up at him, her tears starting to dry, "Okay then, prove it to me. Lose this fight, and then we can get married, just like he said we could, if I won"
Joker felt a deep hatred growing in the back of his mind towards Rock. He still didn't believe any of this magic mumbo-jumbo, but this guy had successfully lured him into a trap that, in all honesty, the Joker should've expected, "Okay, Harley, you'll charge at me, then, when I saw now, you'll knock me off my feet, and you'll win, alright?"
Harley smiled, "Okay, Mr. J!"
The Joker stood up, pretending like he was ready to swing at her when she ran at him, and took a swing at his face. Her gentle swing was avoided and she was met with a sharp pain in her back. As she fell to the ground, Harley's tears pooled with her blood, and the Joker pointed his bloody finger at the door, "There, I win! Now let me out of here!"
On the other side of the glass, Rock's smile grew, until it was even bigger than the Joker's, "You haven't won... she's still alive"
The Joker groaned, "Oh, I can fix that"
He turned around to see that Harley had picked herself up, her tears having messed up her make-up and her blood stained her hair, the knife from her back now in her hand, "Oh, puddin'… you're such a tease…"
While his expression portrayed a smile, inside, he was trying not to panic. That knife was the only weapon Rock hadn't wrestled away from him, and now Harley had more than enough reason to want him dead, "Dang it, Harley! You were supposed to play dead so I could escape and break you out!"
Harley wiped a tear away, her bloody hand leaving a trail of blood to replace it, "Liar… you wanted to leave me… for dead… just like he said you would. If I wasn't wearin' this fake flesh vest, that knife would've gone all the way through to my heart"
Now he was making a checklist of things to do to that doctor when he got out, "C'mon, Harles, we don't need to do this. Just lay down and pretend to die, I'll be back as soon as I can, and then, you and me will have a night on the town, whaddya say?"
Harley frowned, her new tears washing away the make-up and blood, "No… I'm gonna break out, and then I'll come back for you. I love ya a lot, puddin', so I'll fight real hard, and be your private nurse later"
The Joker saw something in her eyes, a look that made him believe that she really would kill him, "That's what I love about ya, baby"
For the first time, Harley didn't smiled as she heard the way he tried to sweet talk her, in fact, she looked even more upset, "No…"
The cell door behind him opened, and Rock walked in, his eyes full of an arrogant pride, "Sorry, Jack, but the joke's on you"
"What joke?"
"You think you're a wild dog, and unpredictable whirlwind of chaos and destruction, it's one of the things that makes you such an amazing criminal"
"And…?"
"From the moment you woke up to the words you said to Harley just now, every motion, breath, and thought she heard was predicted by me"
Joker didn't care, he took the conversation as an opening to steal the knife back and place it against Harley's open neck, "I don't care for games, at least when I'm not the game master, so this is a new game, called 'Dont make me kill Harley'! First one to make me do it loses!"
Rock pressed a button he pulled out of his pocket, and Joker screamed in pain, dropping the knife to the floor, "As I said, predictable", Rock threw him up against the wall, his impact was so tremendous, it shattered every bone in his body and left him motionless.
As Joker fell to the floor, he felt a hand run itself through his hair, as a dark whisper drifted into his ear, "You lose… time for your treatment"
Rock's P.O.V.:
I smiled as I walked in the door, why wouldn't I? I knew Lucy was inside my office. Whenever I see her face, it reminds me that even in this really screwed up world, there's at least a little something that is still pure and good. Raven was sitting next to her.
Raven… she had no idea that by her nature, the disguise she wore now should've destroyed her. A holy aura being used on a demon spawn… it should've unraveled nature before it helped, yet, she had changed herself, to the very core, so that she would never have to fear the power of the light, but that she could fight along side it. I was so proud that, in a small way, I had been a part of it all.
Then there was Tim, over in the corner. A guy with the guts to take over, even after he saw what happened to the Robin before him. I liked the strength he displayed, in the face of any danger, but his slight naïvety, the black and white, right and wrong view, did piss me off a little bit. But to be fair, I counted him as an ally, not something I do often.
As I looked at the three of them, I felt a little excited, "Big news! Starting today, I have a new patient!"
Tim's eyebrow furrowed, "Who is it?"
"Jack Norman. He's had it rough recently, and he went over the edge. But, with a little encouragement, he's come back, taken a look, and decided he wants to stay away from it"
"You look really excited for having extended your work day"
"Don't be so sure! I've got one patient that's reformed themselves. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you", I motioned towards the door, "Dr. Harleen Quinzel!"
Tim stood at attention as Harley walked in. She was dressed in a white shirt and some blue jeans, "Hi, it's nice to meet you all"
Lucy ran over and hugged her, "Mommy! Daddy said you were reformed! Now you don't have to stay here! You can come visit!"
Tim hadn't relaxed at all, he was still on full alert, so I pulled him out into the hallway. Once there, he kept his eyes trained on the window into my office, "What the hell are trying to pull?"
I smiled, "Nothing, she'll never go back to the Joker. She's accepted reality and moved on from the fantasy that the Joker would ever show her anything other than abuse. Now, she's ready to step into society, and find her place in the world"
"If I wasn't trying to make sure Quinn couldn't get her hands on a hostage, I'd be staring at you like you were a maniac"
"Oh, and there's one more thing. Tonight, I need to speak with our mutual advisor… he needs to see something…", deep within the recesses of my mind, my paranoia made me worry that someone would read my thoughts, but I looked forward to the night ahead of me, "… something more important than his regularly scheduled programs"
Tim looked away from the window and back to me, his eyes full of questions, "He won't put them off tonight, you know that"
"Tell him that someone else has already got it covered… and that it'll be a quiet night", I felt an immense gratification as I finished that sentence. Tim wouldn't know what I meant, but I… I was tingling at the thought of it. I cursed myself for letting him catch a micro-expression of my pleasure.
"What is that supposed to mean?", he tried to press me for another look, but one was more than enough, I recomposed myself and spoke with a calm tone.
"It's taken care of. There isn't a criminal in Gotham he'll need to chase tonight. Not even the Joker would make a fuss tonight", I left with Lucy and Raven quietly after that. I wished Harley a goodnight, and drove us home.
Once Lucy was tucked in, me and Raven sat down and looked at the clock: ten minutes until eight o'clock. Raven let a sigh out, "I still can't believe you're going to see him"
"It's not like I can abandon him… he wouldn't abandon me"
"I find that hard to believe"
"The evidence is there… I can't deny it, if he didn't care about me, I wouldn't be here"
"That doesn't justify the fact that you're his fallout for survival"
"Nothing does, because I wasn't meant to be his fallout. I wasn't meant to be, period. This isn't something he condones, it's something he can't stop. Although, I will be doing a little stress relieving tonight"
"That… sounds ominous"
"I told Batman to take the night off, if he visits this room, tell him to check out room 66, that's where it's waiting for him. If he doesn't show up… well, he'll show up", I contained my urge to smile as I walked out. Raven didn't say a word, but I could tell she was worried about me… not that she had no reason to be.
As I stepped out into the street, I was met by the blade of a sword, a sharp, well-crafted one, held by the steady hand of an expert, "You will follow me to Ra's"
The voice was familiar, "Liliana? I thought you were converting to becoming a nun"
"My lord has called me to a different standing"
"He does work in mysterious ways, God"
"We are not to waste time, let's go"
"I know where he is. We can walk normally, I just have to do something first", I reached down and rubbed my thumb against the pavement, creating a small circle in the dirt. I drew a few symbols and spoke a few words, then looked back at her, "Much better"
"What is that?"
"Just don't think about harming an innocent bystander, and you'll be safe, tonight"
"You have changed much since last I saw you"
"If I had the choice… I would've stayed the same"
3rd Person P.O.V.
Bruce contemplated what Tim had told him, from the police reports, it had been holding true, not even so much as a teenager with a paint can was acting up. He had been scanning the streets for nearly an hour, and not so much as a peep had been uttered.
Something was wrong… horribly wrong. The adress was obviously a trap, but what other choice did he have? Bruce knocked on the door, it was answered by a groggy Raven, "Oh, it's you. Come in"
For the first time in a long time, Bruce casually walked in through the door, cape and all, "Where is he?"
"He's not here, he said you need to see room 66"
"Where did he go?"
"To see Ra's al Ghual"
His face became furious, "And you let him?!"
"There's nothing Ra's can do to Nicholas, and Nicholas would never hurt Ra's"
"There's something you're not telling me about this situation"
"Wait, he didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
Rock looked at Ra's, chained to the wall like a rabbid animal. His foaming at the mouth and ravings made it convincing, the thought that he was a monster. But Rock knew better, even as he looked into those deep, menacing eyes, he didn't feel any hatred.
He grabbed the sides of Ra's head, and Ra's began to scream violently. In that moment, Rock felt every fiber of his body roaring in agony for release, but he kept his hands on the sides of his head. Once the pain subsided, Rock let go, as Ra's faded out of consciousness.
Rock panted, trying to grab air he'd long denied himself, then he turned to Talia, who stood behind him, her posture reading defensive, but grateful, "Thank you"
"I don't give a damn about you", Rock's voice was heavy and forced, "Rot in hell for all I care, you're just another damn killer. You're lucky I'm in such a good mood, or I would've killed you already"
Talia took a step back, "… Goodnight, Nicholas"
As she turned to leave, she found a wall of resistance in a black, rubber suit, "Hello, Talia"
"Bruce!"
"How good of you to visit, detective…", Ra's had forced himself awake, but he was thouroughly exhausted, "What is it you want?"
Bruce looked down at Rock who was now unconscious, "He's coming with me"
"No, Bruce, leave him…", Ra's was weak, but he rattle the chains that bound him with all his might, "He cannot… leave yet"
"He isn't your property, Ra's"
"No… but he is my son"
"Son or not, he needs help"
"I want to help him…"
"Unless you have a state of the art detox room, I don't think you can help him"
"I do… but we must be quick, before he wakes"
When Rock awoke, he could feel it, his mind had been overloaded, ther was no stopping it; there was a rhythmic beating in his chest, and he wasn't making it purposely.
From the outside of the room, Ra's and Bruce looked on, through a glass window. Ra's sighed, "Another addition to my long list of regrets…"
Bruce watched as Rock picked up an AK-47 and unloaded it into several parts of his body, "This isn't your fault, he chose this for himself"
"After being taught the importance of being a strong character who acts on the path of good, there was little doubt he would do something… rash"
"Not even you could predict he would rip his own heart out", Bruce felt the need to look away, but for some reason, his eyes were locked steadily as he watched Rock reach for yet another knife to plung into his body.
"You've seen him more recently, detective, how has he been?"
"Not like this"
"That's good... it means he's been keeping himself in check"
"He's advanced past the Lazarus pit, hasn't he?"
Ra's hung his head, "It would appear so. It isn't surprising, he was born in the waste it creates, anything that crawls out of that deserves immortality and a life of luxury"
"He didn't portray his life that way"
"That is my fault... because I raised him to be a soldier. From the day he was released from the test tube, I taught him to rely on his instincts, and trust them above all else. He was given a hard life, frought with the anger and resentment of being forced into the shadows, when he so rightfully deseved the limelight", both of them averted their gaze as Rock took hold of a meat grinder, "It broke my heart, the day he came to me and told me he had accepted a quiet and peacefull existance. I was ready to send him out into the world, and he was content with just living in it"
"Most test subjects reject their position, try to rebel against the people running the project. He was ready to eliminate the entire facility for their cruelty, then his mind was changed as you showed him kindness. The first thing you ever taught him was not to judge too quickly, and he's manage to refrom some of my greatest enemies by seeing through their madness, and then settling them into normal people"
Ra's looked at Bruce with a concerned face, "He's been in company with psychopaths?"
"The worst of the worst, and he's returned sane"
Ra's shook his head, "No... nobody could certify him as sane. There has never been a human being that could get inside Nicholas's mind. Not I, nor any other hired gun I could find came close to finding even a hint of a trail leading to him. I even considered asking you for help, but then he contacted me, he had learned of my true identity, and my ideals. He told me that he believed in my cause, but not my methods, therefor, he would operate with the same end goal, but he and I would act as seperate powers, and it seems that his reach, be it smaller than mine, has been all the more powerful. But at the same time, he had changed... one cannot describe it easily, however, it can be seen with no effort on nights when he becomes ritualistic"
"Has he ever killed anyone, on a night like this?"
"Goodness, no, he wouldn't take a life, not even for his own", the two of them had now turned away from the window completely, gratefull that the windows were soundproof, so that they could avoid hearing the horrible sounds from inside, "He carries his burdens alone... that's one of many points where you and he are similar. Nicholas was the perfect heir, but in him, I saw the innocence of the world, so I kept him away from all of my endeavors"
"He seems to have lost it all the same"
"Quite the opposite, if he didn't believe in what he stood for, if he let the darkness swollow him, then the world would've perished long ago. The strength in Nicholas is only beaten by his will to control it... I cannot say I've ever met another man that would subject himself to even half of the horrors Nicholas has"
Bruce turned back to look through the glass, Rock was now little more than a bloody lump, having done more than enough to break himself quiet thoroughly. Over the course of a few minutes, he slowly got up, his bones mending themselves and his muscles rearranging themselves where they belonged. Rock looked up at Bruce, his white eye now stained red, as if this madness had tained it, and the green one remained pure, as his tears kept it pure from all that would seek to tain it. Bruce watched as he walked back to the various weapons, scattered out all over the floor, hesitating as he held up another knife. Ra's saw this and tackled Bruce to the ground, "Get down!"
Those were the last words Bruce heard before a the building was reduced to a pile of rubble. When he regained consciousness, he found himself staring into the eyes of a man he didn't recognize, who pulled him out of a small pile of rocks, "Are you okay?", his kind voice anchored Bruce's attention
"Where... Rock...", his lung was probably collapsed, but he tried hard to speak.
"Dr. Rock is gone, he took down the facility and turned that... whatever pit black. After that, he gave me this adress and told me to find you. He looked scared"
For the first time, Bruce got a good look at his rescuer, the man was about his height, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a faintly familiar face, "Who... are you?"
Bruce realized exactly who he was as his grin spread, "C'mon, Bats, I go one night on the straight and narrow, and you don't recognize your old friend?"
Bruce reached for his utility belt, "You... escaped..."
He laughed, but for once, it was a simple chuckle, without malice or killer instinct, "Batman, it's me, Jack Norman. I used to be the Joker"
