AN: Ok, so here's the next chapter. Oh, and thanks to Ossiana DeLorme for reviewing previously! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always please take a few seconds to review..feedback is a wonderful thing :)

I awoke with a start and nearly fell out of my chair. Apparently, I had fallen asleep in front of my computer as the monitor's bright backlight came on. I squinted and blinked trying to adjust my eyes to the light in my face. I groaned as I shook my right arm trying to get it to wake up. Then I looked at the screen again as my eyes began to focus on it. I noticed that I had an instant message from my best friend, Samantha. I was wide-awake then as I feverishly typed a response to the typical Sam question: "meet any hot guys yet?"

"Not really, but like I don't start school until tomorrow," I responded.

"Aww…come on, you had to have gone out on the town by now!"

"Yeah, I went out yesterday," I said.

"So…"

"So what? I bumped into Bruce Wayne…" I stopped myself from telling her that I had also met The Joker. Before she could respond to that though I changed the subject, "So what's going on back home?" Finally, I could get some information about the real world!

"Oh, you know the usual. Been to the movies and the usual hangs, but not really same without you around."

"Yeah, that's sweet of you to say. Least I haven't been completely forgotten already."

"How could you think we'd forget you?! Good thing I know you well enough to know when you're just teasing."

"Haha. Yeah. Well, I gotta go, but keep in touch, ok?"

"Sure thing…be sure to let me know if you meet any cute guys "

That ended the conversation. I didn't bother to respond to her last comment. I signed off and headed off to the kitchen to find something for breakfast. As I ate my cereal (it's really about all we had in the house for breakfast), I turned on the news. And what I saw made my jaw practically hit the floor and I'm pretty sure I screamed.

The newscaster was talking about a scene of destruction down at the pier. Then it cut to live footage from there. Someone thought it would be "fun" to blow up the fleet of police boats that are kept down there. But he didn't simply blow them up. He made a huge scene of it. The explosions had ended, but there was still a fire raging nearly six feet into the air behind the reporter that was on scene. And then they said that two people had died, but their bodies were too badly burned to get an ID.

I'm not really sure why I screamed. I think it was because I knew it was the work of The Joker. I'm pretty sure everyone suspected him to be behind this act. That's when I remembered that I had to meet The Joker tonight. Crap! And I just know he's gonna say something about this. Hell, for all I know he did it for me. No, that's not right. He did it because he's a psycho and he just "does things, like a dog chasing cars." And I didn't love him. I was definitely not in love with a homicidal freak. I didn't finish my cereal though, and I didn't bother to watch the rest of the news. I ran to my bedroom and slammed the door shut before my dad would come and start questioning me. I hated it when he went all psychologist on me.

I sat in my room for most of the morning. I was trying to distract myself with music and arranging my bedroom. But my thoughts kept wandering on to other things. And yes most of it had to do with The Joker. I wondered if I should have told Sam about meeting him and his request. Then I wondered if I shouldn't mention it to my dad. Wait, Dad would probably be happy to have me befriend The Joker because that could give him a better chance of learning what's beneath the makeup. I shook my head at myself and how I was clearly overreacting to this whole situation. If you don't get a grip on yourself and reality you're gonna end up as crazy as The Joker.

It was almost 6:30 when I felt composed enough and in control of my emotions that I could get ready. I had one hour before I was to meet The Joker. I decided that I would eat something first. I wolfed down my cheeseburger and fries, barely saying anything to my dad. It wasn't until he asked, "So you're going to the movies tonight, right?" that I actually spoke.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, 7:30." I answered when my brain finally realized what he had asked.

"Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, it's great. Sorry, I'm just worried I'll be late because I don't really know my way around that well yet," I explained, trying to rationalize my jumpiness.

"Oh. Ok. So is this like a date with Jay?"

I nearly choked on my food. "What?! No!!" I cried.

"Ok, calm down, don't get so upset," my dad said, surveying me critically. "I just didn't expect you to be going to the movies with a guy like four days after we've lived here is all."

"Oh, it's just kinda a friendly thing he's doing. And I couldn't really say no, I didn't want to hurt his feelings," I said.

"Gotcha. Well, have fun and call me when you're heading home, ok, Mel?"

"Sure thing, Dad," I said as I rushed off to get dressed. And no I was not wearing that dress he had suggested. For one, I didn't have the kind of money to buy it; and for two, we were going to the freakin' movies, that did not require getting dressed up. So instead, I put on a new pair of jeans, my favorite boots, and a pretty green sweater my mom had given me for my birthday that always made my eyes seem a brighter green.

--

I was waiting in the shadows outside the movie theater. I knew who I was looking for, in a pretty purple dress. As it approached 7:30, I didn't see her. I frowned, or tried to given the scars. Then I noticed a girl in a green sweater standing and looking around as if trying to find someone. Must be her, I thought. So I walked up behind her and yelled, "Boo!" Boy, she turned around so fast she nearly fell over, but I grabbed her arm to catch her. "Scare pretty easy, don't you?" I asked.

"What the hell was that for? What do you want to kill me? I'm sure something like that would be the first case of someone being scared to death."

I burst out laughing. I just couldn't help myself. She glared at me so I turned away till I could regain control. Then I turned back to her, "So why didn't you get that dress I told you to?"

"I couldn't afford it. I'm no little rich kid, you know," she said. I just gave her a funny look. I wasn't buying that story for a minute. "Besides, we're going to the movies, why should I get dressed up for that?"

"Well, in that case, we'll skip the movies and you can come and help me with something. It'll be grand!" I said with a smile. Grabbing her arm, I half dragged her with me. "Come on, follow me, and don't be shy," I said with a wicked laugh.

--

He drove us to some abandoned warehouse not too far from a school. I didn't really know where I was, but I had enough sense to see where this was going. He climbed out and opened my door, holding out his hand to help me down. I didn't take it; I just jumped, I wasn't about to show him I needed help. From there he steered me toward the warehouse.

When we walked in, the place was full of explosives, mostly TNT. Oh shit, I thought. Two of The Joker's cronies were scattering old newspaper clippings and Joker playing cards all over the floor. Clearly he was trying to make a statement this time. Then he handed me a bottle. "Pour the gasoline," he said.

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"You heard me, pour the gasoline, just all around on the paper and cards will be fine," he said with his trademark twisted grin. Then he laughed, that high-pitched maniac laugh that made the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up.

"Are you out of your mind?! I'm not gonna pour the gasoline. You think I'm stupid? I know that once I pour it you'll just throw a lit match on it and BOOM!" I said, throwing my arms into the air for effect.

He smirked and said, "That's exactly my plan. And you will pour it, or else you'll have to die."

"You wouldn't kill me," I said definitely as I pasted my stubborn glare onto my face. Not a smart thing to say…really not a good idea.

He tilted his head to one side, eyeing me. "Oh, you'll pour it or you'll leave me no choice but to kill you."

"Go ahead and try it," I said a lot more confidently than I felt.

He stepped closer to me and drew his knife. Uh oh, I thought. He moved even closer. "You know what, Mels? I think rather than kill you, I'd just carve that pretty face of yours and send you home to Daddy and let him take a look at that," he said with an evil snicker as he took another step closer. I gulped, but didn't show my fear on my face. I didn't want him to see my weakness. "So, what's it gonna be?" He asked with that maniac grin as he flipped the knife's blade out and took yet another step closer to me.