Okay sorry I didn't update yesterday but I'm updating today. I can't promise it will be long because I have to go to work but here is what I got today. I promise to make tomorrows longer….if I remember….I'm high so yea! By now you should not expect this go how I say it does in the review but I would just like to point out that when I actually get to typing the story I come up with ideas that just sound better.

Flying-pencils: oh the joys of living!

SAm-I-am: my apologies for the name mistype

Chapter 4

They sat in silence. Artemis looked around the sewer as if she had just arrived then and not 20 minutes ago. She had finished her joint and it had grown quiet after the Joker closed the manhole. Artemis rocked herself back and forth. Her mother had to be so worried right now. It was close to nightfall now and she still wasn't home!

The Joker sat twitling (sp?) his thumbs in boredom. He didn't like being bored, he would normally go find something to do or kill but right now there was nothing. He could kill one of Artemis's friends, who was going to stop him. He could take the tall one with shorter hair and twist his arm until it broke. Maybe the bones would pop out. He wasn't a squealer though, the stoner was! He would take him to a warehouse and cut his toes off one by one. Maybe he would do the little piggy rhyme after cutting each toe off. Joker softly chuckled to himself.

Joey shivered at the soft laugh, maybe this was a bad idea. He rocked his foot anxiously, he forgot his stash, he brought everything but more weed. He should have prepared for something like this, now he would have to face the Joker sober! He damned himself for not thinking about that. They should have brought more fruit rollups to! Dammit the koolaid was gone now! That's right, cottonmouth….

Damian bounced his leg in worry. How was he going to tell Artemis that the Joker killed Jessica. This was bad, she had no idea that her mother was dead. He glanced over at the Joker and to Artemis, he could actually see the resemblance. Yes Artemis looked mostly like her mom but the Joker was definitely there. Her chocolate eyes and dirty blond hair and her nose. She had long legs like his to, not as long, but they would get their, she would probably be about his height. Damian was just happy that he was already a little taller then the Joker. At least she wouldn't be taller then him. She might be about Joey's height though. Joey already stunted his growth from all the partying he does. Alcohol especially, does weed stunt your growth? Probably. Poor Joey. Damian hated the feeling of being short, it's why it was so perfect that the other two where shorter.

Artemis couldn't take it anymore, she had to say something, no one else was going to. She said the only thing that came to mind. "Can we get out of here now," it came out more as a whine but at least it wasn't quiet anymore.

"Holy shit, dude, I was just thinking the same thing," said Joey.

"No way me to," said Damian in shock, "we must be, like, in sync right now."

"Man, shut up, your just high," said Artemis.

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black," laughed Damian.

"Dude, if pot's black I wont touch it, green for me, man," said Joey. Damian and Artemis busted out laughing.

"You're so fucking stupid man," said Artemis.

The Joker looked back and forth watching them talk. A smile crept up his face. Friends where weapons, and Artemis was loading him up for leverage. They where kind of dumb to, it would be fun to find out if they would act any different if they were in real danger.

"So when are we getting out of here," said Joey, "if your going to get away by van then let's go, get out of the sucky sewers, blow this popsicle stand."

"We aren't going anywhere until night fall," he said.

"I don't know what your thinking," said Artemis, "but I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm going with Damian and Joey." The Joker chuckled at her.

"Well then, how convenient that they are coming with me," he said with a wicked smile.

"Whoa, man, I don't want to go anywhere with you either," said Damian.

"Yea, I would really rather go home and not die," said Joey in a very relaxed fashion.

"Hahahaha sorry kids but you don't get a choice."

"Oh fuck, we are all going to get killed in that van and they are going to dump us into a river," said Joey now sitting up.

"Dude, Jimmy sleeps with the fishes, yo," said Damian growing very scared now that he was thinking about it.

"Who is Jimmy," asked Artemis, "who was the poor fool to actually go to sleep with fish?"

Then out of no where the Joker stood up and pulled out his knife. "Get up, get up, get up," he said motioning for them to stand as he walked toward the manhole. Everyone got up, they didn't really want that blade stuck in them. The Joker climbed up the seven rails and opened up the manhole and peered out. Standing by was the van and a henchman with a gun. The Joker jumped down and motioned for them all to go first. The three teens went up, then the Joker, then the two henchmen. The now three henchmen stood around them as they walked toward the van and got in the back.

The ride was a bit smoother but anxiety hung in the air stronger. Damian suddenly had a thought come to his head that had a year ago. He tapped Joey and then Artemis. They both turned their heads and leaned toward them. The Joker watched as the three spoke to each other.

"If you had one last question to ask before you died, what would it be," asked Damian.

"What," asked Joey.

"If you had one last question, what would it be, come on man we are about to die so we might as well ask."

"What are you talking about," asked Artemis.

"A year ago a teacher asked us if we where going to die and we had one last question to ask anyone in the world, what would it be and who would it be for." The three swung their heads in the Joker's direction. He eyed each of them with curiosity. Joey sat up strait and looked Joker dead in the eye. Joker's glaze hung on him. What was all this business about a question?

"Joker," said Joey, stammering a bit, "I-I gotta ask, a y-y-year ago when you started getting the news attention you, you, robbed a mob bank. The news said that it looked as if you had planned it down at every corner and got away, how did you do it man!?" He had regained his curage at the last sentence when the Joker started smiling at him. He knew exactly what Joey was talking about. Ah he remembered that day well but he wasn't going to just give the answer to him.

Joey was now getting excited and put motions to his words. "How did you plan that whole thing out and make sure everything goes exactly to plan?"

"Sorry kid, but, uh, a magician never reveals his tricks," replied the Joker, he might tell him later anyways but he wanted to jerk the kids chain a little.

"Come on man. There is one thing I want to know before I died and the only one who can answer it is you." The Joker just laughed a bit, the kid thought he was going to kill him. Artemis was not quiet as excited when she spoke.

"I have a question. Did you even plan any of it or did you just do?" The Joker pointed at her with a smile.

"I think you understand my thinking better then you let on, sweethear-t."

"So, like, non of it was planned," asked Damian leaning in.

"Well bits are parts where. Like finding out where the vault we needed to know first, after that, uh, it was just all last minute," he said.

"That's nuts," said Joey.

"I think he's a little nuts," mumbled Damian. Wrong thing to say. The Joker jumped up and got in Damian's face with a knife. His eyes were dark and dead.

"I'm not..I'm not crazy…I'm not crazy," he said. He breathed heavily on Damian's face. Damian tried to shrink away from his foul breath. He was seriously about to piss himself with fear.

"I-I'm sorry," he said with a shaky voice. He was about half way off the seat but the Joker was not letting him lean down any farther. The Joker stared at him for a long time.

"Do you want to know how I got my scars," he asked now having a hold of Damian's face with the knife a bit to close to Damian's mouth for comfort. "Oh, I know you're dying to find out." The Joker was getting excited now. "You see I had a friend, like you, who liked to run his mouth, a lot. One day he ran his mouth just a little to much to my father who was a drinker. Well when my friend left he put the blade to my mouth, like this, and told me that I should have friends who know how to respect him. And…." Damian squeezed his eyes shut. The blade was now in the corner of his mouth and he tried to ready himself for what was coming up. But nothing happened. He felt the Joker let go of him and take the knife out of his mouth. Damian opened his eyes and saw the Joker sit back down in his seat giving him a dark look. He gave a breath of relief. He watched as the Joker threw the knife from one hand to the other. Yup, the guy was nuts alright.

"Are you okay," asked Joey nervously.

"I think I just pissed myself," said Damian quietly. The Joker started laughing, these kids were to much. The van stopped. Joker licked his lips and stood up. The doors opened and he motioned for them to get out. Damian was the first to shoot out and get some space between him and the Joker. Then came Joey and Artemis. They jumped out and saw they were in the Narrows, they could tell because it was ghetto, really ghetto, was that homeless man pissing through someone's window?

"Um, I'm kinda leave you kids here by yourselves, I suggest you find somewhere to go because this neighbor hood is a little dangerous. I'll see you later if you leave," he said laughing furiously and shutting the door.

"That's a nice surprise," said Joey, "and look, we're in the ghetto, we got a place here didn't we. Plus someone's bound to be selling weed at this time of night here!"

"Hey, you're right," said Damian, "don't you still have that joint?"

"Yea man, but my weed is wearing off."

"Let's go see if we can find where we live now and then worry about weed," said Artemis, "It wont do us any good if we don't have a place to get off the streets." They walked to a cabman and had him drive them to their apartment. They paid the cabman and turned around to see their building. It was a big red brick building with three stories, at least they wont have to many neighbors. They walked in and called up the landlord.

"Hey, we need to move in tonight," said Damian, "shit went down and….yea…I imagine…alright man cool we'll wait right here." Damian hung up the phone and turned to the others. "Hey he said this kinda thing happens all the time and he is getting out of bed now to come open the door and let us in the new apartment."

"That's awful nice of him," said Artemis a little suspicious.

"Yea man, the chances, I'm going to go look for some weed," said Joey.

"Dude, right now in this place?" Joey pulled out a butterfly knife.

"Gotta be prepared," he said.

"You mean to tell me," said Damian, "that you have had that knife all night and you chose now to pull it out?! What about when we were prisoners for the Joker, you couldn't pull it out then!?"

"Dude, I wasn't going to get in a knife fight with the Joker," said Joey.

"Not to mention all the henchmen had guns," said Artemis.

"Oh yea, forgot," said Damian sitting down. He was in no condition to think right now. Joey pulled out another butterfly knife and threw it toward Artemis and a large red knife he gave to Damian. "You guys keep those, you never know when you will need it."

"I don't know how to use a knife," said Artemis.

"When the time comes you will know, trust me. Besides, you're the Joker's daughter, right? Live up to it hun," he said walking away.

"No I'm not," she shouted after him. She then plopped down next to Damian. She didn't want to admit it but he had all the proof right there. The only thing missing was a DNA test. Then again, he could still not be. Her mom was a bit of a slut after all. Damian shook his head, he felt bad for her for being so far in denial about it. Almost as if reader her mind he said, "you look a lot like him." Artemis punched him in the arm and turned her attention toward the street.

"How long can it take for him to open the stupid door," she snapped.

"I don't know," he said.

After two hours Joey came back with a big smile on his face. "Dude, our neighbor sells this shit! So does the guy down the street and this cute hippy chick just across the street over their. He hasn't opened the door yet?"

"No," grumbled Damian.

"Well, I'm smokin' this other joint. You guys joinin?"

"Sure," said Artemis.

"It's been that kind of night," said Damian.

………………………………..

The Joker sat in his chair coloring on batman's picture in the news paper. He wasn't planning on leaving them out in the middle of the Narrows but that Damian kid was about to get himself killed. The Joker had plans for them and they would not be very helpful dead. He stretched himself and got up, he had found out that they had already gotten an apartment in that neighborhood. If they were smart they went to find it. He would have to drop by tomorrow after they left.

…………………………………

Daybreak fell and the door opened. The three stood up to see the landlord. All gave him angry looks. "Well," said the landlord, "beggars can't be choosers." He was tall, had short light brown hair, bright blue eyes, a black shirt with a white elaborately drawn crow and black pajama bottoms. There was just no way this guy was the landlord, he was their age.

He saw their stare go from anger to disbelief. "Sorry about that, after my dad hung up the phone he fell back to sleep. He really meant to open the door but he had not slept well in the last few weeks and he worked pretty hard today. He wasn't being rude he is just really tired. H would have come out but he had to head out to one of his other buildings for a plumbing emergency."

"Well that's incredibly inconvenient," said Artemis now licking her lips.

"Come on inside." He showed them up the stairs to the apartment room. "It's already furnished, has three rooms, a kitchen with a breakfast bar, a livingroom/dining room, and two bathrooms. We had to get a little creative with the space so you don't actually have a dinning room but I'm sure you guys aren't interested in eating at the table."

"Not really," said Joey. He walked across the livingroom and opened the door next to the tv, it was a closet, a really small closet, but a closet. Artemis walked through the door in the kitchen and found a room with a bed, a dresser, a desk, and a small closet.

Damian found a room on the other end of the livingroom and Joey found one next to the closet. It was a really small space but it would do.

"Dad says you can hold off on rent until you guys get jobs out here. Um, you can have pets but you have to make sure they don't leave any smells when you move out. Please clean out the carpet and furniture. As you know it's all bills paid and we have food we can lend you guys and other stuff, you probably want to shower and sleep."

"Thanks," said Artemis, "we really appreciate it."

"Hey, we will pay you guys back," said Damian.

"Yea, man, oh and are you cool," asked the ever paranoid Joey. The landlord's son just laughed.

"Please, this is the Narrows, as long as you don't murder anyone or bring any bodies home it's fine. We aren't responsible for what happens in this room. I'm Jesse James by the way, and yes I was named after the cowboy."

"He read my mind," whispered Joey. Damian just laughed at him stupidly.

"I'm gonna go get you guys some food and towels and soap and all that. Ms. If you need anything from my mom just ask I'm sure she will help."

"Oh," said Artemis blushing, "th-thankyou." He laughed a bit nervously and left. He walked down the hall with his head up in the clouds. Never had he seen anything more beautiful. Sure there were pretty girls in the Narrows but most of them ended up being whores and what not. He wasn't all that keen on most of them, they scared him a little, but something about that girl, she was different.

He suddenly stopped, they were all his age, what where they going to do about school? He turned back around and headed back to their door. He knocked on it and the girl answered. "Hey," he said nervously, "I was wondering what you guys were going to do about school?"

"Uh, not sure," she said laughing nervously, "does your school do home schooling?"

"Yea but you will need a computer."

"We can save up for a computer," she said with a polite smile. "I'm Artemis by the way."

"Oh, I'm Jesse James," he said stupidly. She chuckled at him, something about that laugh sent chills down his spine in a delightful way.

"I know you told me. That's Joey by the way and Damian."

"Oh, well I have to go, I have stuff to do. You know." She nodded her head.

"Yea," she said, "stuff I know, I got stuff to do to."

"Yea, stuff, me to."

"You told me already," she said laughing a bit.

"Well it was nice to meet you guys, maybe we will see each other around."

"Yea definitely."

"I mean, we live in the same building right," he said fidgeting.

"I guess we do," she resonded.

"Like the laundry room, do you want me to show you the laundry room, I totally would."

"Another day, right now I'm kinda tired, all the drama that went down and all."

"What happened."

"Ugh, life, you know how it is."

"Kinda rough I know."

"You have no idea."

"Well, I gotta go do that stuff I was talking about."

"Me to, I'll see you around."

"Up, around the building." Artemis nodded and they stood their in silence for a bit.

"By," he said finally turning to leave, "it was nice to meet you Artemis."

"Arty," she said, "you can call me Arty."

"You can call me Jesse," he said, "everyone calls me Jesse." Artemis nodded and closed the door. He mentally kicked himself and called himself stupid walking away.

Artemis shook her head in confusion, what just happened? She looked up to see the boys looking at her funny.

"What," she asked. Damian and Joey started laughing stupidly at her.

"Dude, your in love," said Joey.

"I am not."

"You were so flirting with him. Telling him you wanted to see the laundry room another time then saying you had 'stuff' to do. Tell me, what 'stuff' do you have to do?"

"Uh, find a job," she said, rolling her eyes.

"And do some laundry," asked Damian mocking her.

"I don't have any laundry right now to do. We didn't pack anything and the only thing you stoners picked up was candy and juice. We need to get cloths to wear so we can take showers and get some sleep."

"Ooo, avoiding the fact that you don't want to do laundry, you just wanna do the nasty with the landlord's son." Artemis rolled her eyes and walked toward the coffee table grabbing the key to the room. Damian and Joey where doing obscene sex gestures behind her. When she turned around they stopped but she knew what they were doing.

………………………….

The Joker watched them all leave and crept out of the van. He had on a coat and a hat. He had his scars covered up so no one would know who he was. He walked up to the building and knocked on the door. Jesse James opened it and saw the Joker.

"Who are you," he asked.

"I'm Artemis Napier's father. I wanted to drop something off to her."

"Oh, sorry sir, I didn't know. I think they just left though."

"I know they know I am here." Jesse James let the Joker in and showed him to their room. He opened it with the spare key and let the Joker in. Joker walked in and turned around.

"Sir," said Jesse, "I think they went out to get something to wear, something happened last night and they ended up moving in faster then they planned."

"I, uh, wouldn't worry about them if I where The Joker watched them all leave and crept out of the van. He had on a coat and a hat. He had his scars covered up so no one would know who he was. He walked up to the building and knocked on the door. Jesse James opened it and saw the Joker.

"Who are you," he asked.

"I'm Artemis Napier's father. I wanted to drop something off to her."

"Oh, sorry sir, I didn't know. I think they just left though."

"I know they know I am here." Jesse James let the Joker in and showed him to their room. He opened it with the spare key and let the Joker in. Joker walked in and turned around.

"Sir," said Jesse, "I think they went out to get something to wear, something happened last night and they ended up moving in faster then they planned."

"I, uh, wouldn't worry about them if I where you."

"Sir?" The Joker spread his arms out dramatically.

"What can I say, life happens." Jesse gave a nervous chuckle. This guy gave him the creeps.

"Yea, that's what she said. I guess I will leave you." Jesse turned around and left. The Joker looked around the small apartment.

……………………

Damian, Joey, and Artemis left the cloths store with bags of cloths. "I don't understand why we don't just go home," said Damian.

"What would be the point," asked Artemis, "we go home the Joker will find us, we stay here the Joker will find us, besides we were going to move out here anyway."

"But we're only 16," said Joey.

"Yea, but as long as we have my grandmothers trust fund and are careful with it I'm sure we will be fine until we can get real jobs."

"It's not legal to live on your own when your 16," said Joey.

"Joey," said Damian, "I really don't want to here you talk about what is legal and what isn't. We are here now, we have no reason to go home, there is nothing there."

"Except my bitchy ass mother," said Artemis.

"Um, Arty, about that," said Damian.

"Hey, look, the pawn shop is hiring," said Artemis pointing at the sign, "oh, I'm sorry, where you saying something?"

"Nothing important," said Damian. He sighed and followed her. Joey shook his head, they had to tell her some time. They walked in and saw a man behind the counter.

"Hey, how old do you have to be to work here," asked Artemis.

"Ma'am, can you lift 10 pounds?"

"Yes," she said.

"Then your old enough for the job. Any job experience?"

"I worked at a feed store," said Damian.

"I worked for FedEx," said Artemis.

"I worked for a place that required me to lift stuff," said Joey.

"You kids have bullshit stories, your obviously under 18, and I'm in need of some new workers. You're hired."

"Wait, really," said Joey a bit shocked.

"Yea, really, you start tomorrow."

"But, wait, what," jabbered Artemis.

"Look, we get a lot of stolen merchandise here, most of the employees are paid under the table anyway. I'm offering you guys jobs, do you want it or what?"

"How do we know this isn't a trick," said Joey.

"Uh, Joey," said Artemis, "he is wearing a name tag."

"Yea, man," said Damian, "it says his name is George and he is the general manager."

"Oh."

……………………………………

They got back home after a busy and successful day and decided it was time to shower and sleep. When they walked in the door Jesse came up to them. "Hey guys," he said. They waved at him in response. "Artemis, your dad stopped by said he left something for you."

"Really," she asked suspiciously.

"Yea, I haven't been up their so I don't know if he is still there nor not."

"Thanks," said Damian walking ahead of the group. Artemis and Joey both followed. When they got to their door they all pulled their knives out. Damian kicked the door open and poked his head in. No one was their. The only thing in the room was a card taped to the TV. Artemis walked passed him and picked it up and read it. She rolled her eyes.

"It says 'Welcome home sweetheart, love daddy'."

"Wow, he found you quick," said Joey.

"Yes, yes he did," said Artemis, throwing it on the coffee table and walking off to the bathroom.

…………………………..

Okay I'm off wish me luck!