Okay so here is chapter 5. I enjoyed writing this a lot more I took my time. But anyways, hope its good! I have many good scenes for this story and if you guys ever want to give any ideas I'll gladly consider them!

Chapter Five

Batman Revealed

The Joker and a few of his clowns working for him were running past several buildings until they finally rested to catch a few breaths in an ally way. The Joker's heart beat rapidly in excitement, and his hands trembled as he tried to keep them still. Besides the Batman having speed and strength, there was one thing that the Joker possessed much more which he didn't: Intelligence.

"Can you tell us what we are doing exactly?" One of the clowns spoke breathlessly.

"We…are bringing the batman back out of his cave," The Joker licked his lips.

"How?"

"Let's just say…I think I know who the Bat. Man is."

From many encounters before with Batman, the Joker had noticed that each one ended the same way: Batman always trying to rescue poor little Rachel. Especially the night when Bruce had thrown a party for Harvey Dent. The Joker almost believed that Harvey was the Batman by just the way he threw himself at her. He assumed that they both had some type of relationship, and the roses were bait. The Joker planned everything out, knowing exactly what was going to happen, and he was always right. That's why he never calls it a 'plan' because everything always falls into place without lifting a finger. That was one of Joker's many gifts. He knew Rachel would phone Batman thinking it was him who sent the roses, and at some point or time be meeting some place just because they're such "good friends." Joker gagged at the thought. Waiting was just his next priority. Once he saw Rachel in her fancy dress in the parking lot, the Joker knew that she was going somewhere formal. So, pretending to leave, he watched Rachel get into her car and followed her in his van with a few of the clowns who worked for him. Once they arrived, the Joker killed one of the waiters and "borrowed" the outfit and name tag. A clown named Dopey changed into that and was used as a spy. The Joker knew the perfect way to get under Bruce's skin, and if Bruce Wayne was truly the Batman, he wouldn't dare hold in that much embarrassment without a fight. The Joker had purposely left the building so abruptly just so Bruce would have time in between to dress into his bat uniform. That is, of course, if he was in fact the Batman. The Joker also had some fun on the side with Rachel; taunting her with all his charms. He would get into that more later; his main concern right now was revealing the Batman.

"What if the plan backfires?" Dopey asks, thinking this was a waste of time.

"It won't! Just keep looking into the sky for any sign of a, uh, giant bat," The Joker licked the inside of his mouth.

Sirens started to ring out through the streets and the clowns were getting concerned.

"We've got to get out of here!" A clown named Happy yelled.

"Move and you die! You'll all die! Wait. For. Him," The Joker spat, still looking into the sky.

Suddenly a black figure glided behind a building, which caught the Joker's eye. "Theeerrreee'sss the Bat. Man. Brucey Brucey Brucey Wayne," The Joker laughed in excitement, "You've got nothing to hide."

The Joker slowly crept past the wall of a building towards the direction of the Batman. The clowns walked cautiously behind him. A swoop of air caught their attention, but suddenly came into silence once again. The Joker expected Batman to appear as if from no where, so he kept fully aware of his surroundings.

"Now where did ya go?" The Joker asked himself, "Where did the Ba-"

Unexpectedly a clown behind the rest of them screamed and a shuffle was heard, then quietness. The Joker and the rest of the crew looked behind them to the sound of the noise but there was nothing in site. The Joker laughed and danced around in amusement.

"Where the hell did he go?!" Happy yelled in distress.

Suddenly Batman dropped down in front of them, punching Happy in the face. His fist flew at him faster then a snake could strike. Happy hit the ground hard; his faced was bashed in. Dopey then tried a shot at grabbing him in a head lock but Batman dodged his hands, spun around, and kicked Dopey in the back, making him fly across the ground. A few more clowns pounced at him but the Batman just took out his blades from his wrists and sliced them down. They quickly got back up and limped off along with the rest of them. Batman looked up; all that was left was the Joker and his grin.

"Let me wipe off that grin for you," Batman said in anger.

"Why do that, Bruce?" The Joker's smile grew wider, proud of his discovery, and excited to see how Batman would react.

Batman snarled, "What? How did you know?!"

"How did I not know? Batman hasn't come out of his cage for twelve days since our last…little meeting. But when suddenly the Joker, me, gets Bruce's nerves tingling because he was embarrassed in front his 'lover' on the same day Batman comes out of his cave, well uh…I don't think that's just a weird, and might I add wonderful coincidence. Really, Bruce, do you think I'm. That. Thick? I'm insulted."

"No, you just won't be living to tell the tale," Bruce gritted his teeth.

"Well I've told you, and so far you strike me as someone whhooo isss…all talk but no kill," The Joker smacked his lips.

Batman bolted towards the Joker who was just waiting for him to use all his force upon him. He grabbed the Joker by the vest and pushed him up against the wall. Batman's ears were filled with the Joker's laughs.

"Besides, Batman has his one…simple rule that he cannot break."

"I don't think that rule matters now," Bruce spoke in his low voice, "Now that Batman has become the Dark Knight."

"Well in that case, neither is that voice that you put on," Bruce tightened his grip and slammed the Joker into the wall once again, only having a chuckle as a respond. The Joker cleared his throat. "Society sure put a toll on you…made you believe that you killed those five people. You can hide in the shadows all you want…in you're bat cave…but sooner or later it's just gunna come right back up to haunt you." The Joker bit his scars, and then licked his lips.

Batman sneered at the Joker with disgust and threw him hard on the ground. The clown laughed as he arched his back on the ground, his arms swung around and his fingers were stiff like claws. Tired of this act, Batman jumped on the Joker, blowing his face a few times until it bled ubiquitously. The Joker coughed while still chuckling under his breath. His tongue slid across his lower lip, wiping off any blood that could be settled on its surface.

"We're the same, you and me," The Joker spoke deeply in his throat and his gags, "And when you finally…realize that, I'll be having myself a uh, a very good day."

"That day will never come!" Batman shouted at the Jokers face.

The Joker lifted up his hand and wiped his index finger across his face, "You just…spat. On. Me."

Batman lifted him up once again from his collar, "And I can't wait until the day finally comes where you won't take everything as a joke."

The Joker smiled but was suddenly thrown across the ally way, meeting his head with a dumpster. He looked around and everything became fuzzy. The Joker looked up, and saw the black shadow of Batman disappear into the night, and then everything went to darkness.

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Rachel arrived home at around 8:25pm. She had not eaten yet, and her stomach growled like a lion. Rachel could not sit and eat at the restaurant after what happened, her worriment of Bruce wouldn't allow it. However, when she came home Rachel's stomach had instantly overpowered her mind, and all she needed now was food to satisfy her. The thought of what Joker would do to Bruce, or even what Bruce would do to the Joker kept coming back to her as she heated up some TV dinner. The thought of Bruce dead by the prince of crime made Rachel's stomach turn, and the thought of Bruce breaking his one rule also lurked in the back of her mind as well. At least that's what Rachel thought, anyway. Frankly, what Bruce did was very ill-advised of him, and Rachel did not like it. She was starting to believe that Bruce no longer needed Batman, and they could finally be together, but his act tonight did not convince her of that anymore. He would always need Batman just like she thought he would. The only thing that has changed was that Rachel was going to marry Harvey, but now that he is gone, what is her excuse now to not be with Bruce? Rachel wanted to be with him, but not when Bruce goes out every night in a costume and she would always be worrying about him all the time. Rachel sighed in annoyance as she took her TV dinner out of the microwave.

It didn't take long for Rachel to finish her dinner. Her stomach finally stopped upsetting her, and she lied down on her couch with a pillow on top of her. With her eyes slowly opening and closing continuously, Rachel found herself falling asleep. Suddenly she was fully awake by a knock on the door. 'Not again!' She thought. Unafraid this time, Rachel got up and walked towards the door. She placed her hand on the handle and opened it to a friendly face. Rachel sighed in relief.

"Bruce! Are you okay?" Rachel moved to the side to allow him to come in.

"Yes, I just had to take care of a few things." Bruce placed himself on Rachel's couch, and she sat down beside him.

"I know, you told me that at the restaurant. What happened?"

"I-uh…I caught up with the Joker. He knows."

"He knows?" Rachel's voice was displeased.

Bruce nodded, "He planned his whole appearance just so he could finally get his answer, and he got it. He now knows I'm the Batman. I beat him up, though. I left him lying in front of a dumpster in an ally."

"Why did you leave him there?!" Rachel yelled in frustration, "You could have brought him back to jail!"

"How, exactly? I've got the cops chasing after Batman, I can't just say 'here's the Joker, have a nice day!' and leave without getting arrested."

"Oh…I forgot about that…" Rachel's voice trailed off and she looked down towards the floor.

"I'm just satisfied that the Joker got what he deserved." Bruce continued, "For now anyway."

Rachel wasn't sure if she should mention the whole fact about Bruce never needing Batman anymore, but she kept to herself.

"I meant what I said though," Bruce spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"About what?" Rachel knew what he was getting at, and right now she didn't want to hear it. A part of her was exceedingly mad at him for doing what he did.

"That I love you, I always will."

Rachel sighed and looked straight into Bruce's eyes. For some reason she started comparing them with the Joker's. Bruce's eyes were warm but so predictable. The Joker's were dark and mysterious. Rachel wondered to herself why on Earth she started to compare them or even have the Joker in her mind right at the moment Bruce was telling her that he loved her. Rachel liked the Joker's sense of humour. He was a mystery man to her. Rachel cursed at herself for even thinking those things. She quickly erased the Joker's twisted face from her mind and came back to reality. Here was this good looking man, Bruce, telling her exactly how he felt, yet Rachel didn't feel right. Was it Harvey still eating away at her? She didn't know. All that Rachel knew right now was that she was being put on the spot and she didn't like it or know what to say, so all she could do was smile.

"I know how much you don't like getting put on the spot," Bruce spoke coincidentally after Rachel was just thinking of it, "I don't expect an answer or reply from you. I'd just like you to think about it."

Rachel was pleased at how well Bruce knew her. She spoke softly, "I will."

Bruce smiled and kissed her on the cheek. Rachel knew it was only a friendly gesture and it didn't mean anything, so she didn't freak out and have hundreds of thoughts moving through her tired brain at once. However, she did feel warmth when he kissed her. Bruce stood up and walked towards the door.

"Sorry about the dinner getting ruined, by the way." He said before he left.

"Don't worry about it," Rachel smiled with relief. At least now she wouldn't have to be so angry at him after he had apologized for leaving her at the restaurant.

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The next morning Rachel went straight to the TV to watch the morning news. Everything from 'The Joker is back!' to everything that happened the night before, and lastly, a picture of a black figure in the night sky.

"Is it possible that Batman is back, too? Gotham will have a hard time tracking these two criminals down…" The reporter spoke.

Rachel scoffed. If only she could get people to believe that Batman was not a villain and still have a good name for Harvey, but how? Rachel turned off the TV and bit her lip in thought.

The rest of her day was spent at her job, working hard as usual. Gordon had talked to her once in a while, confused at Batman's appearance. Gordon and his family are the only ones besides Rachel who actually know that Batman is innocent against the five deaths that Harvey had created.

"I'm sorry Rachel, but if we were to ever catch the Batman, I need you to know that I have to go by that, even when he isn't guilty. This is what needs to happen." Gordon explained to Rachel.

"I know…" Rachel replied.

There seemed to be no way around it, and Rachel knew Gordon would not be able to help her. If he only knew who Batman was, maybe then Gordon would help her? But Rachel knew she could never tell anyone and hopefully the Joker won't spill the beans either.

When Rachel got home from work the sky was completely dark. She reached to her door and took her keys from her purse. Once Rachel pulled them out, they slipped out of her hand onto the floor. She unexpectedly heard a laugh from behind her. Rachel spun around in fear only to see a man standing in front of his door. He was talking on the phone as he opened his apartment door and walked inside his home, leaving Rachel out in the hall in paranoia. Relief came over her as she sighed to try and pick up her keys off the floor once again. Rachel could not believe how distressed she was. It felt like the Joker was controlling her life because she now had to watch out for any sign of him to come out of nowhere to get her. Rachel placed her key into the lock until she heard a click. She opened the door and sighed once again. Suddenly some force pushed Rachel further into the apartment and she heard the door slam shut behind her. She screamed at the blow of strength that was put upon her. Almost falling over, Rachel turned around to see the Joker standing there, pulling his hair out of his face.

"Hiiii," The Joker gave a sly smile.