Thanks for Reviews! Well here's chapter eight. I'm not to sure about it but please let me know what you guys think. I sort of went through this one fast. Anyways, I'm looking forward to hear from you guys as always!

Chapter Eight

Can't See Straight Anymore

It had been a few days since the explosion and the Joker had not come around since then but he'd always be back. The location of where Wayne Enterprises used to be was being cleared away to start anew. Still, Rachel could not get the image out of her head of the Joker staring at her from across the street with that sinister side smirk on his red painted mouth. His head was down but his eyes shot forward. She shivered and her hair stood on end at the thought. Deep down in her gut, however, it was intense. If it was in a good or bad way she did not know. 'Bad way,' Rachel thought, trying to convince herself. 'Did I bump my head on something last night? God!' Rachel shook her head and took a sip of her morning coffee. Her eyes glanced across the kitchen until they fell upon the switch blade on the counter. Remembering about the Joker's act of generosity Rachel scoffed. Sure she was glad, but everything about that clown didn't seem right. Rachel quickly forgot about it and continued her day.

Rachel drove down the dark streets on here way home that where cold with newspapers blowing across the sidewalk. The occasional car horn beeped in the crowd of busy cars driving to their destinations, but you never knew where they were going. Each face was different with their own lives and Rachel couldn't help but wonder who they were. She stared at the red light in front of her. People are so wound up when the light turns red but really it saves our lives, it keeps us from getting into accidents. Rachel sighed. However, when a light lasts this long she could understand the complaints.

Suddenly she blinked out of her stare as she heard screams and gunshots up ahead. People were running around frantic. Rachel's eyes widened in alarm as she saw a few men in the crowd wearing clown masks. She glanced around from side to side through everybody as if she were looking for something. Shockingly she spotted out the Joker who stood in front of the hysterically scared, swarm of people. 'Please don't let him notice me,' Rachel kept repeating to herself, trying to hide her face. Curious, she looked up to only find him gone. Rachel heaved a sigh in relief.

Unexpectedly there was a knock on the passenger side window which made her fly out of her seat 10 feet high. Rachel slowly turned her head in fear towards the noise. There right at her window was the Joker, smirking at her. He pointed towards the lock of the car door, obviously wanting her to unlock it.

Rachel rolled down the window a few inches, "If you think I'm letting you in you're crazy."

The Joker spoke through the crack, "Hmm…remember when I gave you that second. Chance? I think you owe me one."

Hesitant at first, Rachel finally leaned over as much as her seatbelt would let her, and unlocked the door. She didn't know what possessed her to do so.

"What do you want?!" Rachel snapped as the Joker climbed into the vehicle. The light turned green, and she had no choice but to start driving.

"I. Want. You…to put on this mask," The Joker handed her a clown mask.

"And what makes you think I'll wear that thing?" Rachel sneered.

"Well you don't have to," The Joker smacked his lips while giving her an honest look, and blinked slowly as if he were drunk, "That is if you don't mind people seeing you in the same car as meee."

Rachel snatched the mask from her lap with one hand and placed it over her face. She could surprisingly see very well through the eye holes.

"Now what?" Rachel asked angrily, her voice was muffled under the small breathing space around her head.

"Now we'll be…going wherever you were going before, which I assume is you're apartment." The Joker replied.

Rachel became frustrated, "I'm not taking you to my apartment!"

The Joker kept his eyes facing the road a head of them, "Now now don't play hard," He laughed, "Things wont turn out so…well, you already used up your 'second chance,'" The Joker threatened.

Rachel stayed quiet and kept her eye on the road, afraid that he'd do anything that would hurt her.

"Hmm…let's see what's on the radio," The Joker leaned over to the radio and pressed the button to turn it on with his purple gloved finger. The song Love Games by Lady Gaga just started. The Joker slowly looked up at Rachel and lifted his brow. She rolled her eyes and looked down.

"Turn it off," Rachel retorted.

The Joker ignored her while listening to the song. It started to bother her, the whole time with him in the car did. Rachel grew annoyed as she shot a stare at the radio, then at the Joker. She quickly changed the station when the course came on, and the song I'd Lie by Taylor Swift came on.

"He looks around the room

Innocently overlooks the truthShouldn't a light go onDoesn't he know I've had him memorized for so long"

Rachel quickly switched the station again and the Joker just stared at what she was doing. The song I Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith played.

"I don't want to miss one smileI don't want to miss one kissI just want to be with youRight here with you, just like thisI just want to hold you closeFeel your heart so close to mineAnd just stay here in this momentFor all the rest of time"

Rachel grew frustrated and violently turned the radio off.

The Joker laughed, "Y'know…if you ever go on a road trip, remind me never to uh, come." He said licking his lips.

Rachel gave him a quick glance then looked back at the road. 'Helloooo! Does he not know why I kept changing the station?' Rachel thought. Probably just to piss her off because he knew exactly what she was going through.

"I think the first was the best," The Joker gave a know-it-all grin.

Rachel gagged knowing exactly what he meant. That's as classy as the Joker would get, if it's even classy at all. Rachel ignored his comment.

"Look, I just want to know, why are you in my car?"

The Joker faced the passenger window, "Because you're my new get away car."

"No, I'd never stoop that low. Seriously, why?" Rachel asked, annoyed.

The Joker looked at her, lifted his brow and laughed for only a few seconds, then died down quickly. "It's…un-der-stan-dble that you were just at the right place at the right time," He smirked.

"More like the wrong place at the wrong time," Rachel cursed under her breath, "I forgot to thank you by the way for keeping me hostage in a building that was about to blow up."

"No problem," The Joker laughed, "No hard feelings?"

"Yeah, sure," Rachel rolled her eyes.

The rest of the drive home they both remained quiet. Rachel had wondered exactly why the Joker had entered her car. He probably could have just been using her to help him get away. Being in the same car with the Joker was bloodcurdling. Rachel never knew what he would do next, or what would happen as soon as they got out of the car.

It was around 9:30pm when they arrived at Rachel's apartment. She got out of the car followed by the Joker. Rachel placed her keys into her purse and started walking towards the door. She took off the mask as well. The Joker sauntered behind her, and Rachel couldn't help but take a couple glances behind her back in case he was up to something. Thankfully no one was around to notice his presence.

Once they entered her apartment, Rachel turned around at the Joker.

"Okay, you're here. Now what?"

The Joker's eyes browsed around her apartment for a second, then at Rachel.

"I just came for my knife," He said while smacking his lips.

"I lost it…" Rachel lied, having no idea why she did.

"Hmm…" The Joker growled under his breath, "Well, I can always visit." He walked over to the kitchen table and sat down, and then he pulled another one out for his feet. The Joker lifted his hands over behind his head and sighed in relaxation.

Rachel followed the Joker and crossed her arms, watching the crazed clown at her kitchen table, "How long are you going to be here for?" She asked abruptly.

The Joker placed his hands on the table, "What's the hurry, Miss Dawes? Only a few days ago you wanted to uh, ask me a few questions, hmm?" Suddenly the Joker stood up from his chair and continues, swaying his arms in the air as he talked, "Didn't you want to know about the "man" behind the scars?"

Rachel stared speechlessly at the man in the purple suit who stood in front of her. She wasn't sure if he was angry or not, his tone was unreadable and so was his face. The Joker was right, however, she wanted to know all about him, what made him turn out the way he did.

The Joker laughed at Rachel's silence, and then walked up closer to her until they were only two feet from each other. "Poor beautiful Miss. Dawes…" The Joker slid his gloved hand through Rachel's hair, "Did I make you upset?" He pouted. His glove tickled her cheek.

Rachel harshly pushed his hand away, "No."

"Are you suurree?" The Joker stared at her with an angry smirk but then abruptly turned and walked away towards the living room.

"I just…" Rachel said slowly and he stopped to listen, "I just want you to know that whatever you went through in the past, I'm sorry. I don't even know why I'm saying this, but everybody needs someone to talk to, and I'd like to help."

The Joker laughed and mocked at her kindness as if to throw it away like garbage, "I don't need help Miss. Dawes," He lips smacked and he clenched his fists, "Sometimes you just have to, uh, let things slide and not let your feathers get ruffled."

"I expected as much," Rachel replied, "I'll never forgive you though of the lives you've taken," She paused for a couple seconds then continued, "And Harvey's."

The Joker cocked his head, and then suddenly bolted towards her. Rachel screamed as he pressed his body up against hers so she could not move. She breathed heavily from the sudden weight up against her chest. Without warning the Joker violently put his right hand down Rachel's pants pocket. She freaked out in panic of his sudden act of aggression and abuse. The Joker's chin lay on her shoulder while his hand dug through her pants, then rapidly he took it out, holding his knife in front of Rachel's face.

"Like I said, I only came for this," The Joker smiled and liked his lips, then walked away from her, leaving the apartment.

Rachel suddenly fell to her knees and burst into tears. So many feelings rushed over her and she couldn't explain it; anger, confusion, miserable, hurt, embarrassed, and most of all, fear. Mentioning Harvey's name and remembering what happened to him got her upset, and the fact of what the Joker just did to her. It wasn't abuse which was what Rachel thought it was at the time, but the way he acted she knew he enjoyed the torment. What would he think now? The knife was in her pocket the whole time and the Joker knew it. She hadn't the faintest idea why she had put it in her pocket in the first place and didn't give it to him when he asked for it. Rachel was so wound up that she totally forgot to convince the Joker not to tell everyone about Batman's identity. Now he was off again doing God knows what. Rachel was afraid that she had now got herself into something that she wouldn't be able to let go; she knew the Joker would keep coming back. She just couldn't see straight, she was seeing red.

Rachel took a few deep breaths to keep herself in order. Her face was puffy and red, and in some way she needed a good cry. Tears fell onto the floor and her mascara was out of place. Rachel cried black tears and wiped them away onto her hand. The most mixed up thing to her at the moment was the fact that she was unsure about what she wanted. Rachel hated seeing the Joker and his creepy messed up face, but deep down in the pit of her soul she felt sorry for him, his scars especially. Something felt so wrong. Rachel hated the fact that she was so caring for others. The Joker was probably to far off to help, but she also had strength to get what she wanted and never give up until she had it; in selfless situations of course.

After her crying Rachel decided to take a shower and then go to bed. She took off her clothes and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. So much she wanted to feel embrace, but instead she found torment seeking that embrace. Rachel stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water. The steam filled the room which then fogged up the mirror. Rachel faced the water and had her hands reached out to feel the warmth on her palms. She then slid her hands through her wet, dark brown hair.

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The Joker slammed Rachel's apartment door and placed his knife into his pocket. He laughed as he thought back to her screams of fear and he felt accomplished. Unexpectedly he started to hear sobbing through the door. The Joker's smile grew even bigger. To his surprise Rachel's sobs became louder and without knowing his smirk slowly started to disappear. The Joker leaned his back against Rachel's apartment door and listened. Suddenly he realized what he as doing and he became sick with disgust. At that moment he wanted to take the knife he had borrowed to Rachel and stick it in her heart. Instead the Joker angrily grabbed the knife out of his pocket and threw it on the wooden floor. The blade stabbed into the ground and the Joker walked fast in frustration down the hallway. A man had spotted him and threatened to call the cops. Without a care the Joker bashed the man's face as he walked by, knocking him out cold.

The Joker strode down an ally way, kicking rocks and garbage and whatever else was in his way. Little did anyone know that the Joker had lost his soul long ago. He ran from any emotions, good or bad, and hid them behind his face paint. Now people call him a freak, or a disgrace, but he didn't care, not anymore. The Joker began to laugh suddenly as he started to destroy the ally way, knocking over all the dumpsters and lighting things on fire. He threw a loose piece of cement through a window and then grabbed a stuffed bear from the dumpster and lit it on fire and then tossed that into the broken window too. The Joker made fun of the people inside who were yelling and screaming in shock as their house caught on fire. He dashed towards the end of the ally to another street, noticing a few homeless people surrounding a barrel of fire. The Joker smirked as he knew he was going to make his night fun.

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The next morning Rachel woke up with her eyes swollen from crying the night before. However, Rachel felt fresh and ready to start a new day. Plus Bruce would be coming over for lunch. She had invited him after she had got out of the shower last night. All she needed right now was some company. Rachel continued her daily chores, ignoring the TV as much as possible. She didn't want to see the morning news because most likely it would be about the Joker. That was something Rachel did not want to listen to at the moment. When she spotted the clown mask on the kitchen table that she had worn on her way home, Rachel hid it in one of her drawers in her bedroom. She definitely did not want Bruce to see it.

When the time lunch had come, Rachel waited patiently for her guest to arrive. She had made some beef shepherd's pie served up and ready to eat. When Rachel heard a knock on the door she became excited to finally have some company. Once she opened the door, she saw Bruce's welcoming face, although he seemed distraught.

"What? What's wrong?" Rachel's eyes scanned Bruce's face.

"Nothing, it's just, I found this knife in front of your door. It was jammed into the floor boards," Bruce showed the blade to Rachel, "It would have had to of been someone with a lot of strength to throw it that hard to go so deep."

Rachel looked at the knife in surprise and confusion. 'What the hell happened?' Rachel thought while looking at Bruce's baffled facial expressions.