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New Recruit

Living the circus life, it was to be expected that there would be new members every once in awhile, who would need to be shown the ropes and a specific spot found for them where they fit in nice. Most new recruits never made it to the first tier (except for Snake) and so were dubbed second tier, the stagehands and back up performers.

Most of the first tiers didn't pay much attention to these forgettables, as Peter once called them. Joker tried to make a point of visiting the new recruits to say hello and welcome them if he wasn't the one to invite them in the first place. But Peter's cruel nickname was right most of the time. Sometimes Joker forgot about them entirely, at least individually.

As was bound to happen, one of the second tiers found herself pregnant and as per circus tradition, the baby born was immediately a part of the circus family, in the second tiers anyway. Joker hadn't even known about the baby until they passed through London again, during a particularly nasty epidemic, and several performers -including Beast and Dagger- were struck down. In the midst of worrying about them, one of the second tiers had raced up to Joker with the baby in her arms, "Joker sir, can you watch the babe a moment? Her mum's down and I don' want 'er to get sick too. An' I've got to help the others with tendin' to the sick. It won't be but for a few hours at least."

"Of course I can look after the wee little one! Give 'er 'ere," Joker held out his arms and the woman gratefully dropped the baby in them before rushing off. Joker was never one not to help out when he could, and as it so happened he had a moment of free time before relieving Doll of the task of caring for Beast, so he swung the babe in his arms so she giggled and he grinned.

"Forgot to ask for yer name! Never you mind, everyone gets a stage name." Joker pondered a moment as the baby giggled in his arms and he grinned widely, "Why Giggles! Sounds perfectly fittin' don't ya think?"

The baby only giggled, so he walked her around the big top tent, explaining everything as he went, even though he knew she didn't understand a word he was saying. Having practically raised the younger members of the first tier before they were all a circus, Joker did well with kids, but he'd never had to look after a baby before. Sometimes there'd be a little one in the crowd who would wail at the fire show, and Joker always made a point to give the child a sweet at the end to calm them down and apologize to the parents.

The tour of the tent didn't last long, and there was soon nothing to do. Joker bounced the babe on his hip, "Well now. What haven't ya seen? I know! Betty! Now don' you worry your little head, she's all locked and away so she can' getcha."

Betty was Beast's pride and joy, and the tiger opened one eye lazily as they approached. Joker was never Betty's favorite person, but at least she never tried to eat him. She yawned widely just to show her teeth and Joker knelt a safe way away, a good five feet.

"Hullo there Betty. This is Giggles. Thought I'd introduce you."

Betty flicked her tail as she regarded the baby in his arms, ears twitching and whiskers trembling. She gave a weak roar, not very loud and not very scary but it did the trick and Betty set her head down on her paws as the child teared up and then began wailing. Joker scowled at the tiger who paid him no mind.

"None of that now, little one, none of that," he soothed, moving away from the tiger and bouncing Giggles up and down to get her to stop crying. He never liked to see children cry either, that was why he made a living making them laugh.

"Joker! You were 'sposed to help me with Beast!" Doll skid to a stop, "Why've ya got a babe?"

"Whatchin' her cause her mum's sick," Joke replied, still trying to quiet the child. Doll stood on tiptoe to see better, "She gots brown hair like me. Hullo brown hair."

"Her stage name is Giggles," Joker muttered and Doll reached in her pocket and brought out one of the sweets she seemed to always have, "'Ere, 'ave this and quite yer cryin'."

Giggles took the candy, tears instantly subsiding as she gurgled happily and stuck the lollipop in her mouth, wrapper still on. Joker chuckled, "Thanks Doll."

Doll frowned crossly, "I on'y did it cause yer 'sposed to be lookin' after Beast now."

"Let's go then," Joker sighed, and handed Giggles to Doll before entering Beast's tent. The beast tamer was on her cot, a cold compress on her forehead in an attempt to bring down her fever and her breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

"Joker?" She asked and he grinned for her sake, "Hey there Beast. How're ya feelin'?"

"I've been better," she admitted and he chuckled, prompting her to join in. Her chuckles gave way to coughs and then she was hacking and coughing so forcefully she could hardly take a breath. Joker pat her back and tried to get her to drink some water and at some point Doll came in to help too, but it was over in a matter of minutes and Beast settled back down with a fresh compress. Joker and Doll left her to sleep and it was then Joker noticed something missing.

"Doll, where's Giggles?"

Doll gave him a blank look and he smacked his forehead, "The babe!"

Doll shrugged, "Jus' set 'er down cause I wanted to help ya. She's right…" Doll was pointing at an empty spot outside the tent and Joker groaned.

"Anyone seen a wee babe?"

"Why? Ya lose one?" Wendy asked as she swung overhead in the practice tent.

"Didn' know ya had one," Peter added as he too swung over Joker's head. Joker pressed his skeletal hand to his forehead in exasperation, "Not my wee babe! I'm watchin' 'er for one of the second tiers."

"Forgettables," Peter quipped and Joker sighed, "Nevermind that. Have you see a babe?"

"Per'aps," Wendy said as she jumped off and Peter grabbed her feet, "I saw a babe crawlin' 'round near Betty."

Oh God above.

Joker raced out without even a thank you, passing Doll on his way but not sparing even a one-word explanation. Sure enough, Giggles was not two feet from Betty's cage, gurgling and crawling along, happy as can be. Betty was watching her with glowing amber eyes and raised a big paw, swiping it through the bars, inches from Giggles face. Nearly having a heart attack as he ran, Joker scooped up the child seconds before Betty swiped the air Giggles had been occupying, vaulting backwards to land on his feet, the baby in his arms.

Heart still pounding from the close call, Joker held the child close, "Well that was a scare, wasn't it? Least we've learned a lesson. No tigers," he chided, pointing his skeletal finger at her and she giggled grabbing hold of it. Joker's face softened into a smile and he wiggled his fingers to her amusement.

"Ya found 'er!" Doll called and Joker nodded just as the second tier who had requested his help came around the corner and Joker motioned to Doll not to say a word.

"Thank ye again Joker," the young woman said as she collected Giggles, "Was she any trouble?"

Joker rubbed his neck sheepishly, "Not a bit, not a bit. Anytime."

Doll raised an eyebrow but said nothing until the woman was out of sight. Joker's shoulders slumped, "Nearly got the tyke eaten by a tiger."

Doll shrugged, "Not bad for a first day playin' daddy. Coulda happened to anyone. An' we learned a lesson."

Joker ruffled her hair, "Aye. I learned never to trust you with anythin'." Doll laughed.