AN: So here's the next chapter...I tried to make this one a bit longer since I'm not sure when I'll get the next one up. Hope you guys enjoy...please keep the awesome reviews coming! :) Oh, and the song I use in this chapter is "Scared" by Three Days Grace...I thought it was rather appropriate for Mel's situation.

I had a difficult time falling to sleep that night, my mind reeling from the past two nights and the decision I still needed to make. I don't know why I cared so much about that because either way I was going with him, so did it really matter if I agreed to it or not? I groaned in frustration as I rolled over, closing my eyes, and drifting to sleep…

I came running out of the woods, dropping the guns as I ran. When I saw him, I ran faster, dropping the bloody knife. I threw myself into his arms, laughing wildly. He pulled me into a tight embrace, smiling just a huge as I was. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He held me tighter and whispered "You've done very well, my sweet, I'm so proud of you."

I smiled even wider, saying, "Thanks! I enjoyed myself…a lot!" He laughed his high-pitched maniac laugh and I followed suit. Our laughs filled the night air. Finally, we were both nearly out of breath so we quit laughing. I looked at him and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, "I love you," I whispered in his ear.

He continued to hold me close to his body. "I love you too," he replied as he began to kiss me. It was an incredible feeling…I was immediately on Cloud 9 and wanted to stay in that moment forever. Sadly, he pulled away and the taste of his lips left me wanting more. I leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his head away so I couldn't reach his lips.

I woke with a start. I managed not to scream this time. I just looked around my room and sighed. It was just another stupid dream. I shook my head thinking at how ridiculous I was and how pathetic I was for constantly dreaming about The Joker, especially the way I kept dreaming about him. He was a freak, and crazy, and yet I couldn't stop thinking about him. And then I'd have these crazy dreams about loving him. I frowned. I knew it was wrong to love him, and I wasn't even sure I really did, but dreams supposedly were fulfillments of unconscious desires…clearly then he was one of my unconscious desires. Stupid psychology, I thought as I rolled over to go back to sleep.

The next morning, I passed my room for a few minutes trying to come up with a decent way to tell my dad that I thought it would be best if I willingly joined The Joker. I had come up with nothing, so I just went to face him. Of course, when I entered the kitchen he was waiting for me. I slid into my chair and began, "So looks like there is one more catch with The Joker."

"Now what?" he asked.

"Well, he's giving me the choice on if I want to join him or not. Apparently I was pretty impressive the other night," I said with a half smile. I was trying to make the situation seem a little less morbid.

"Tell me you told him no," Dad answered dully.

"Err…I kinda can't. He didn't really give me a choice. I either go willingly or he just takes me. Either way I'm his," I shrugged.

"Let him come and get you. I'm not giving you up to him without a fight. The man is a lunatic and needs more help than anybody can offer him. You're not going."

"But, Dad!" I cried. I couldn't believe he would do this to me, act like the over-protective father he never really was. Sure he prepared me for the worst situations, but he never went over the top with keeping me from doing certain things or hanging out with certain people; in that regard, he trusted me to use my better judgment.

"He's dangerous, Mel. You can't honestly expect me to let you join him and start murdering people, can you? You're smarter than that, Mel, you know he's dangerous and crazy and know you shouldn't befriend him."

"Dad, it's my decision and I'm going to choose to go willingly because it will probably be better for me in the long run. And he's really not that dangerous, I've seen what he does, helped him sometimes, not that willingly but still. He's never really hurt me and I don't think he ever would."

"You're too trusting, Mel. Always searching for the good in people…and some people are just too far gone to be saved, even by someone as pure as you."

"I'm not trying to save him!" I shouted. "You just don't get it, Dad! I knew you wouldn't understand."

"You love him, don't you?"

"What?" I asked, shocked by how Dad managed to make that jump.

"You love him. That's why you have become blind to how dangerous he is. And you have no idea if he returns that love or not. If he doesn't, he won't think twice about disposing of you when he sees fit. You have to think about that."

"I have thought about that, Dad. But I'm also looking to avoid pissing him off already so that he may not want to 'dispose of me' as quickly. I'm tough, Dad, I can handle myself against him if it comes down to that, I promise."

Dad sighed, knowing he was defeated. "You never answered my question though. Do you love him?"

It was my turn to sigh. I still had never made a clear decision on if I was in love with The Joker or not. A part of me was and a part of me knew it was very wrong to be and wanted to deny it. And then there were the stupid dreams. "I'm not completely certain yet if I could call it love, but I guess I do like him and that there is something there, a chemistry between us," I said, feeling that was the easiest and safest way to express myself to my dad.

Dad nodded, seeming to understand. "Just be careful, please," he said as he pulled me into a tight hug.

"I promise," I said as tears welled up in my eyes. This is definitely not how I planned to ever say goodbye to my dad, I thought.

"Guess you should go call him and tell him you've made your decision then, huh?" Dad asked, pulling out of the hug.

"Yeah, I guess…" I said, sadly.

"Mel, it's gonna be okay. You'll survive. I know you will. And hey, it'll make an interesting twist for a book later, right?" Dad said, trying to cheer me up.

"Sure. I'm sorry, Dad. Really, I didn't plan this at all."

"I know. It's not your fault. But really, go call him…better not piss him off, he is unstable you know."

I nodded and ran off to my room. I grabbed my phone of the floor and punched in his number for the second morning in a row.

Once again, he answered on the first ring, "Wha—"

I cut him off, "I've made a decision and I'll come willingly only because I figure that's better for me in the long run, otherwise, I'd be fighting this every step of the way. You can come pick me up at home."

"Smart choice, my sweet. And I'll see you in an hour," he said as he burst into a fit of maniac laughter. I hung up on him and shivered as I realized that I just signed myself over to him, completely. Well, not really completely, but he's got me where he wants me at least.

The Joker appeared an hour later, just like he promised. I grabbed my bag full of clothes and a couple sentimental items I packed to keep me sane….or attempt to. I threw my bag at The Joker as soon as he entered the house. I was shocked that he caught it, moments before it hit him square in the face though. "Ready then?" he asked with a sneer.

"Not really, but I don't have much of a choice now, do I?"

"That's true, sweets, you don't have a choice. Now go kiss Pops goodbye and meet me in the car," he said turning to head back outside.

I rushed over to my dad and gave him a really tight hug. "Bye, Dad. I love you and I'll hopefully get to see you sometime again."

He hugged me back just as tight, "I love you too. And be careful."

We just hugged for a moment, neither one of us wanting to let go. The car horn sounding made us both jump and pull away. The Joker was getting impatient. "Best to not keep him waiting," Dad said with a slight frown. I nodded and headed toward the door. As I exited, I waved back at Dad for what may very well be the last time. Then I turned and marched to the car, opened the door, and got in, letting the door slam shut.

The Joker leaned over in the seat and whispered, "Now you didn't have to be like that…why get mad at the car?"

"Shut up," I said as I crossed my arms over my chest, still refusing to look at him.

"Now, now, don't be like that, Mels, we've had great fun together and that's what this is going to be!!"

"Like hell it is," I said, finally turning to face him. He leaned in closer licking his lips. I pushed him back and inched as close to the door as I could. "Just drive, ok?" I snapped.

"Fine, fine. Have it your way," he said as he started the car.

We drove along in silence. I stared absent-mindedly out the window and he kept shooting glances of amusement at me. All of a sudden a very familiar song came on the radio, I started tapping my foot to the beat and to my great surprise, The Joker turned the radio up. When they began singing, I couldn't help but sing along, "At night I hear it creeping, at night I hear it move, I'll never sleep here anymore. I wish you never told me, I wish I never knew, I wake up screaming; It's all because of you!"

The Joker just looked at me amused. I continued to sing and he actually joined in, "So real these voices in my head; When it comes back you won't be scared and lonely." That's when I paused, I was totally surprised that he was singing these lines too, but he was actually getting rather into the words as he just stared at me. He continued to sing, "You won't be, you won't be, you won't be scared and lonely. You won't be scared. You won't be lonely."

I picked back up with singing, meaning all the words about waking up screaming and it was all because of him. Because in all honesty, it was because of him. He continued to sing with me and I was sure he meant most of the words too. Once the song ended, we both quickly glanced away from each other and silence took hold in the car again.

We remained silent the rest of the ride to his hideout. I mostly stared out the window not really seeing anything, too lost in my thoughts to really pay attention to what was going on around me. I could sense that he kept glancing at me every few minutes as if he may get some clue as to what I was thinking.

Finally, we reached out destination. He stopped the car and got out. I opened my door, grabbed my bag, and stepped out to look around me. There definitely wasn't much around here and the few other buildings around were clearly abandoned, and probably condemned based on the shape they were in. I sighed; it was obvious that no one would come around these parts so no one would disturb us and I probably wouldn't be found here. The Joker came up behind me, pushing me forward, "Welcome to your new home," he cackled.