A/N: Helloooo. How's everyone doing? I hope your all enjoying my story, and if you are, please let me know :] My mission is to make it to 100 reviews by the next chapter so make my dream come true :] Please Enjoy the next installmentttt

Disclaimer: Don't own Mistah J or Batsy or Jon Dillinger for that matter... wish i did..

The trouble with the future is, that it usually arrives when you least expect it.

- Arnold H. Glasgow

You know when you were a little kid, and you loved going to the carnival. There was always that one activity your parents would make you do, and reluctantly you would join them cause you knew it would get them off your back? And It always seemed to be the worst attraction at the park? I did, and with my parents, it was always the glass maze.

You would walk aimlessly for what seemed like eternity, trying to find your way out. And ever step you took you felt closer and closer to freedom. You could even see the exit, but of course you could. You were in a maze of glass, and that was its deceit.

Everything looked the same, and you never knew which way was the right way, and which way would leave you walking face first into a glass wall.

That's exactly what it felt like trying to find my way back into the center of Gotham City, minus the throbbing headache. Although if it took much longer, I'm sure one would arise.

The sun beat down on my small body, and I found myself struggling to continue. The open spaces beside me were empty and deserted, reminding me of an old western movie. This was a side of Gotham I had never seen before, and I started to wonder if this was even Gotham at all.

Then, as I felt I would collapse, I caught a glimpse of a parking lot, followed by buildings. Eventually, after pushing myself to the extreme, I managed to find myself within the city I had called my home.

Suddenly full of an unknown source of happiness, I pushed myself to the edge, running full speed into the center of the city, and over to Wayne Tower's. The streets were bustling with people talking on their cell phones and enjoying the sunny day, and non of them seemed to notice me frantically running towards the Buildings entrance.

I knew that unless I wanted to get caught, I had to act more calm and collected, but I couldn't help myself. I was finally going to be reunited with my best friend, the only person keeping me somewhat grounded in this macabre world.

I composed my self slightly as the doors came in sight, tucking a stray blond lock behind my ear before pushing through the revolving doors, and I was suddenly reminded of the first time I had stepped into the lobby, almost two and a half weeks ago.

Slipping silently to the elevator, I kept my eyes down onto the marble floors, still looking as clean and beautiful as ever, and pressed the button awaiting the long awaited ding of the doors to open. When it did, my face fell slightly as I was followed in by two other people, a man and a women.

I pressed my floor number first, and seeing the number pressed, and knowing exactly who resided at the top floor, they snuck curious glances my way. I tried to pay no attention to it, but found myself growing angrier by the second. These people just couldn't stay out of other peoples business could they?

The first to leave was the man, and at his stop, nobody boarded the elevator. This left an uncomfortable silence between myself, and I nosey women next to me.

I tried my best to find other things to concentrate on, like the image of Bruce's face as I entered his penthouse. How alive and happy it would look in contrast to his prior somber mood. I hoped he would be pleased.

We were mere floors away from my destination when the women beside my cleared her throat and spoke up, her voice low and shaky, but filled with untamed curiosity.

" So, what brings you to see Bruce Wayne?" She asked skeptically, her black rimmed glasses sliding down her nose. Her deep blue eyes bore into mine deeply, and in a flash, a flicker of recognition lightened her features.

" Oh my god. You're that girl who went missing!" She exclaimed, pushing her glasses up higher onto her nose, trying to get a better look, but I turned the other way. " No. I-I don't know what your talking about. I'm just meeting him to discuss business. I don't even know who you are referring to." I said wrapping my arms around myself and staring anxiously at the elevator doors.

" Are you sure? I could have sworn you look just like the girl on the news-" I interrupted her quickly. " Well your wrong." I snapped just in time. The elevator doors swung open and I stepped out graciously, never looking back as I stepped quietly down the hallway. The door's closed silently behind me and I let my arms drop to my sides, relieved.

The penthouse was quiet, and I wondered where everyone had gone. Alfred was usually busying himself with some form of cleaning, or he was helping Bruce out by doing research for Batman, but I hoped that today he would have been here. That way I could surprise them with my arrival. No matter the seemingly bad news that came with it.

I continued my search throughout the penthouse, and it was deserted. Everything was in perfect condition, as if nobody had been here in ages, and that left a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. If Bruce wasn't here, I didn't have a clue where else he would be.

My sneakers made little noise as they pattered against the floor, but they echoed loudly due to the deafening silence, and I was growing more and more upset by the second. After checking within all the guestrooms, I moved onto the last bedroom. Bruce's.

It was a rather plain room. Nothing significant design wise, and there was no need to. He spent very little time in it anyway, and when he did, his eyes were hidden behind the walls of his eyelids. Visual appeal was essentially unnecessary.

The room was relatively dark as I entered, the curtains pulled tightly across the windows allowing little light in, and I enjoyed the dark. Things made more sense when they were in darkness, nothing could catch you off guard. And everything seemed to fall in place. Or maybe it was that they made less sense and I was beginning to understand how much more sense that made.

I faintly heard what sounded like footsteps, but in seconds they disappeared, and I continued searching the room for any signs of my best friend.

His bed was neatly made, the sheets looking like they hadn't been slept in, in days. His dresser was free of any clothes or other items that usually cluttered the area, and his floor was spotless, not the normal disarray Bruce left behind. Something just didn't seem right.

I traced my hand over his freshly made bed as I made my way over to the window, pulling the drapes open loudly. The noise alerted me, along with someone else.

" Hold on Alfred, I heard something." I heard a familiar voice say from down the hallway, and in a second the door was open and I heard him walk in from behind.

" Who's there?" He questioned, his voice serious but weathered. A smiled in spite of myself and turned slowly, not saying a word.

His expression changed rapidly. First, it was furrowed in confusion, then a look of relief flashed across his face, and then finally happiness. I felt him grab me tightly, lifting me off the ground in a tight embrace, and I held him back, finally reunited with my best friend.

I felt hot tears falling onto my shoulder, and my eyes began welling up with tears in response.

" Bruce. Its so great to finally see you again." I told him, my voice cracking from tears. He squeezed me tightly once before settling me down onto my feet, his hands going to my cheeks. " You have no idea how much I've missed you Annabelle. But I need to know, did he hurt you? How did you get here? How did you get away?" His questions came fast and I chuckled once.

" Not so fast Bruce, one at a time."

" Sorry Belle. Lets talk over here." he said, walking me over to the bed and sitting us down on the edge. He turned his body to me and his eyes were full of vengeance, and I didn't want him to unleash it on who I knew he was prepared to release it on.

He placed his hand on my arm and spoke. " Did he hurt you?" His tone was full of worry and hate, and I moved my eyes from his, fixing them on the window.

" Define hurt." I managed to say and he misunderstood my avoidance of the question.

" Don't worry Annabelle. He won't be able to hurt you again, I'll make sure of it." he was confident in his words and my eyes snapped up to meet his. " You can't kill him Bruce." I told him, and his eyes widened in surprise before narrowing.

" That wasn't what I had meant. I could never stoop down to his level Annabelle but what are you trying to say?" He was confused, that much I could tell, and I was afraid to give him an answer. Sighing softly, I turned to him, holding his hands in mine.

" When I was with the Joker, things were… different-" I started but Bruce placed his finger over my mouth silencing me. " You don't have to explain anything B. I know it must have been awful, but you don't have to explain anything to me." He soothed, moving his finger to grab a piece of stray hair and tuck it behind my ear and I shook my head in exasperation.

He just wasn't getting it, and he wasn't even letting me explain!

" No that's not it Bruce!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands against the comforter loudly and pushing myself onto my feet. I began pacing when Alfred rushed in. " What's all the commotion ab-" He started but he stopped abruptly when he saw me. A smile spread across his face and he too ran to give me a hug. I was overjoyed to see him as well, and wrapped my arms around his aging figure.

" You're back." He said, releasing me, and I nodded, not quite able to speak.

Alfred made his way over to Bruce who had his eyes glued onto me. The bright blue filled with pain, curiosity, and other mixed emotions all rolled into one. I hated to be the one to break his newly happy spirit, but I had to.

" Bruce. The joker didn't hurt me." I said to him but he raised his eyebrows skeptically eyeing me up and down. " Well that's a lie. He did hurt me, but that isn't the point. What matter's now is you know I'm okay. You don't have to hold this burden on your shoulders that something terrible has happened to me and that its all your fault."

" What burden?" he asked, rising from the bed. " What has happened to you due to the Joker, or the fact that it was my fault that got you taken?" His voice was anxious ad I answered.

" Both." and I could easily tell he didn't understand my response. This was going to be harder than I thought.

" Don't feel to blame. There was nothing you could do to save me. And to tell you the truth, after those initial first days, there wasn't much to save me from." My voice was soft a pleading. Hoping he'd understand without me having to say the words I didn't want to hear myself say.

I'm not crazy. I know the way I feel is wrong. The Joker isn't anything close to good hearted or moral. He isn't nice or genuine or kind. He just is the way he is. He just does things and he doesn't give a damn who he upsets. He actually does things to get people upset. To hurt people. And I get that killing is wrong.

But there is something about it that is oh so right.

He's see's things in a different way. A way I now can see things too, but that doesn't make me brainwashed. I know the way he thinks is radical, different, and highly frowned upon but I fit in with that. No matter how hard I try not to.

I just had to embrace the darkness. And that's what I chose to do. It's nobody's fault but my own.

"You're making no sense B. It almost sounds like your trying to defend the freak. The Joker was holding you hostage and yet there was nothing to save you from? What does that mean?" His voice was borderline annoyed at this point, and I couldn't blame him.

" I mean," I said, using my hands to speak, a nervous habit I had picked up from you know who, " The Joker was not hurting me. We were actually beginning to get along. He's really not that bad once you get to know him, once you listen to what he has to say.." I trailed and in an instant Bruce's expression looked horrified.

Scoffing once, he spoke. " Why should I listen to what he has to say, when's he's blowing people up left and right. Nowhere is that okay Annabelle. He's playing you, don't fall for his games because that's exactly what this is to him. A game." His voice was anger, and he had every right to be. I was making a big mistake in his eyes, but my rational side wasn't exactly the one in charge at that point.

" I'm not saying you have to like it Bruce, but how dare you say that to me! I'm not some game. This isn't some joke to him. Life is a joke, and I finally get that now. He has shown me a different way of thinking and although it is hard to comprehend, I get it."

" Annabelle stop-"

" No you stop Bruce!" I exploded. " You can't control me Bruce. I'm not the same little girl I used to be. I'm a grown woman now, and just because you don't agree with how I am, that gives you no right to be angry with me. The decision has been made and it has nothing to do with you. You can't change me into something I don't want to be." I fimed, my anger getting the best of me, but once I had let it all out, I instantly regretted it. Bruce looked both devastated and hurt, and although anger still lingered in his eyes, he was done with the arguing.

" I'm not trying to control you B. You know that. I love you, always have always will, no matter what. I just know you, and I know the Joker. You love the idea of change, and this is new and exciting for you. You feel special and empowered but soon you'll regret it. You'll get bored and move on, if your lucky enough for that. The Joker is the same way. If your right about the Joker, about wanting you around, then soon he won't want you around. He'll want a change in scenery if you know what I mean, and he'll dispose of you in one way or another. I just don't want to see my best friends face on the news as the latest Joker victim."

His speech brought tears to my eyes because somewhere deep down, I knew he was right though I didn't want to admit it to myself.

" I can take care of myself." I mumbled looking down at my hands, and I felt Bruce's strong arms wrap themselves around me as I silently cried out the tears I had been holding in.

" I know you can B. You always have, but you can't expect to watch on the sidelines as he pushes you farther into madness, I love you too much. You can always do what you wan, but I'll be there waiting in the wings for him to slip up, because he will." His voice was confident as he held me tight. We shared this moment as minutes passed by and I eventually composed myself.

Wiping away one last tear, I cleared my throat and spoke.

" I'd like it if we kept this between us Bruce. I don't need a media frenzy at my door shoving a microphone down my throat." I said with a dry laugh and he shook his head, smiling.

" I won't say a word but they'll have to know eventually." He said as we walked out of the room and down the hall. Alfred had left during our silent moment and was busying himself with cleaning.

" They will. But when I'm ready. Right now though, I could really use some sleep." I said searching through my pockets for the keys I knew I didn't have. Bruce saw this and pulled a silver set of keys from his suit pocket.

" I kept a pair, just in case." he spoke, handing me the keys. I smiled and kissed him once on the cheek, letting myself out of his penthouse. Bruce walked me to the elevators and waited for me to get in.

" I'm glad your back Annabelle." He said, and I could hear the emotion behind it, I smiled, trying to make light of the situation.

" Even given the circumstances?" I asked with a laugh and he rolled his eyes at my joke. " Yes. Even given the circumstances." We both shared a look, a look filled with love and I was overcome with a memory from a classic movie.

There's no place like home.

And Dorothy was right, there's no place like home.

The elevator rang and opened up quickly a floor below, and I hurriedly made my way to the door of my old home, it felt like ages had gone by since I had been here. Opening it quickly, I was greeted by the chill of the air conditioner.

Shaking slightly, I raced to the bedroom, awaiting the comfort of the warm bed but as I opened the door, my breath hitched in my throat.

There, sprawled out on the bed was the clown himself. And I got same feeling of happiness flood through me, a bright and shiny air filled the room replacing the precios one felt upstairs, and my mind began to race, suddenly having an epiphany.

Many people don't know that the human eye has a blind spot in its field of vision. There is a part of the world that we are literally blind to. The problem is, sometimes our blind spots shield us from things that really shouldn't be ignored. Sometimes our blind spots keep our lives bright and shiny.

Before coming back to Bruce, i had been blind to the real problem, the one Bruce had helped me uncover. I was so ready to give in to the Joker, that I had looked over the most crucial of all his flaws. But as I watched him now, a smile making its way across my lips, I wasn't sure if this was a feeling really worth giving up, even if it meant losing myself.

But sooner or later we have to wake up. The world isn't bright and shiny, no matter how hard we try to make it that way. There's always an obstacle we have to overcome, and its those obstacles that make living worth while.

Hoped you enjoyed it, and please, review :] I love 'em and remember my goal? Well if you might have forgoten, its to reach 100 reviews :] So help the cause and add to my charity!!