Hope's sessions went smoothly, for the most part. Oswald wanted to talk about Joker, and what Joker was saying. It wasn't a subject she really wanted to talk about.
Joker had been talking about when he breaks out, what he was planning on doing. The first thing was collecting her. She really didn't like that. She needed to speak with Batman about Joker, and soon. Hopefully, Bruce had been able to speak with him.
She was lost in thought, and was surprised, when someone spoke to her. She got to her feet, her heart racing.
"Doll face."
"Joker. What are you doing here? I'm not your doctor any longer." Hope said.
His eyes never left her. He was smirking at her. He moved closer to her.
"You threw me away doll face. I did what you wanted, and left Harley alone. I saved you from her, and you still gave me to someone else." Joker said.
His voice was dangerous.
"You went too far. You put your hands on me, I had to transfer you to another therapist. What are you doing here Joker?" She asked.
He smiled, as he got her backed up against the wall.
"Doll face, I will have you." He told her.
She frowned.
"No. You can get that out of your head right now. I am a doctor, you are a patient. What you want will never happen. Besides, I have someone in my life, that I am serious about." She told him.
His eyes flashed dangerously, and she realised that it was probably not a good idea to say that. To him, at least. He was right in front of her now, his body pressed up against hers.
"Who is the lucky guy doll face?" Joker asked.
Hope frowned.
"That's none of your business." She told him.
He gave a laugh.
"Tell me who it is, and don't lie to me." He told her.
She shook her head.
"No. You have no right to know anything about my personal life. I will not let you scare me into giving you what you want." She told him.
Joker trailed a finger down her face, to her neck. She didn't flinch, when his hand rested around her neck, but she held her breath.
"It's Bruce Wayne, isn't it?" Joker demanded.
She tried not giving anything away, but he knew. Somehow. He gave a laugh.
"Of course it's Brucey! He gets what he wants! Not this time dollface." He told her.
"Don't do anything crazy, or stupid! Bruce Wayne is well protected, and you're locked up in here." She said.
"It's easy to break out." He said.
"You'll be caught, and thrown back in here. If you do anything to Bruce, then I will quit, and never come back to this place again. Don't push your luck Joker." She threatened him.
He gave a moan, as he rubbed up against her. His body was reacting to her.
"You don't know how it affects me when you threaten me like that. I can't wait until I finally have you." He said.
She shook her head.
"No. I won't let you have me." She told him.
"That's what you say now, doll face. You'll change you mind. You'll forget all about Bruce Wayne, when I'm done with you." He said, his face inches from hers.
"I won't let you. Bruce won't let you, and Batman definately won't let you. I'm going to be the most protected person in this world. You won't be able to get to me." She said.
"Challenge accepted." He whispered to her.
He pressed his lips to hers. She tried to fight him, but it was useless. He was stronger than her. She bit him, hoping that it would distract him, enough to get away from him. It didn't work. It just turned him on even more.
He laughed, when he pulled out of the kiss.
"I never knew that you liked it rough. I'll remember it though. I'm going to have fun with you doll face." He told her.
She managed to push him off of her. He was watching her, smiling. Her phone began ringing.
"Stay right there Joker. It's time for this to be over." She told him.
He smiled wider.
"It's just beggining. You'll see." He said.
She frowned.
The phone stopped ringing. She kept her eyes on Joker, as she went to her desk.
"A guard will take you back to your cell." She said.
"It won't hold me for long. We will be seeing each other again." He said.
She shook her head. She called for a guard.
"Make sure that there is someone watching him at all times, he's made plans for escape known." She told the guard, when he got there.
The guard nodded, and dragged Joker out of her office. She sat down at her desk, and called Bruce. She was shaking after her run-in with Joker.
"Hello."
"Bruce, have you spoken to Batman yet?" She asked.
"Not yet, why?" Bruce asked.
"Bruce, please, I need to speak with him. It's important." She said.
"Hope, what happened?" Bruce asked.
She shook her head.
"I had a run-in with Joker. I'm worried now. Bruce, please, just have Batman come talk with me." She said.
"Okay, I'll speak to him. Please, tell me that you're okay." He said.
"He didn't hurt me. Bruce, I'm heading to my house. I'll talk to you later." She told him.
"Are you still coming here tonight?" He asked.
"Yeah, I am. I just need to grab my stuff. I might shower first though." She said.
"Okay. Just let me know when you're on your way to me." He said.
"I will." She said.
She hung up, and headed home. She showered, and gathered some stuff together, in a duffle.
"Dr. Lake, I'm told you wanted to speak with me."
Hope gasped, and spun around. She placed a hand over her heart, trying to slow it bback down.
"You can't be doing that! Sneaking up on people, who aren't criminals, isn't very nice! I think that I just had a minor heart attack!" She told him.
"I apologise. Bruce told me that you needed to speak with me, and that it sounded very important. What happened?" Batman asked.
Hope frowned, and ran a hand through her hair.
"I had originally wanted to know if you would teach me how to protectmyself." She told him.
"Why? What happened?" He asked.
He walked over to her. She exhaled loudly.
"Joker's therapist came to me, telling me that he was worried about my safety. The Joker is obsessed with me now, and he's worried that the Joker will hurt me. Bruce has offered me to stay with him for a while. Today, a patient informed me that Joker is very unhappy, and that Joker would be 'collecting' me. Then Joker paid me a visit. He told me that he was going to take me. He said that you would never take me away from him ever again, and that I would forget all about Bruce." She told him, her voice breaking, as she frowned.
Batman put a hand on her shoulder, slid it up her neck, and rested it on her cheek. His thumb caressed her cheek.
"That won't happen, I won't let him hurt you, ever. He will not get out of Arkham. I will talk to Gordon, and we will talk to the proper authorities about this. Staying with Bruce Wayne is probably a smart idea, for the time being." Batman said.
She nodded.
"Thank you." She whispered, closing her eyes.
She turned her face into his touch, and sighed.
"I'm sorry, but I must go." He said.
She gave a nod.
"Of course. Thank you." She said.
She turned, as Batman made his exit. She felt emotionally drained. She placed the duffle on the floor, and laid down on the bed. She needed a moment, to re-energise.
X*X*X
She had fallen asleep. It was midnight when she had woken up. She groaned, as she rubbed her eyes. She sat up, and reached for her phone. The ringing was what had woke her up. She cleared her throat, and answered it.
"Hello?" She rasped.
"Hope? Is everything okay? I've been trying to reach you!"
"Bruce? I'm so sorry! I fell asleep!" She told him.
"Thank God, I was worried when you hadn't shown up, and then I couldn't reach you." He said.
She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Bruce, I'm sorry for making you worry." She told him.
There was a knock at her front door. She frowned. Who could be at her door at this time of night?
"It's fine." He said.
Hope headed for the door.
"Bruce, hold on for a moment, there's someone at my door." She said.
She pulled the door open, and crossed her arms in front of her. She broke into a smile.
"You got that worried, you had to come check on me?" She asked.
Bruce smiled at her.
"I worry." He said.
She laughed.
"You're sweet." She told him.
She wrapped her arms around him. He held her close. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his. She let him inside, shutting the door behind them.
"I'm glad that you're okay." He told her, pulling her close again.
"I started a duffle, when I got home. Batman showed. He thinks that its a good idea that I stay with you too. I laid down, and fell asleep." She said.
He kissed the top of her head.
"Why don't we grab your duffle, and I will drive us back to the manor. Alfred told me to hurry back, he has a late dinner waiting for us." Bruce told her.
She smiled.
"We don't want to keep him waiting." She said.
Bruce laughed.
They grabbed her duffle, and Bruce drove her back to the manor. They ate, while Alfred brought Hope's duffle up to Bruce's room.
When they finished eating, Bruce led her upstairs.