Joker is owned by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson. Joker movie story plot is owned Todd Phillips and Scott Silver. Lilith is my created character. Title of the story created by my beta.

Chapter 8

GOTHAM CITY BUS - GOTHAM

Lilith sat next to Arthur letting out a loud tired yawn after their eventful day her body was aching all over. She could feel her eyes getting heavy she knew she was going to sleep well tonight. She leaned to the side.

Arthur watched her as she rested her head on the window her eyes slowly opening and closing shut. The bus causing her head to wobble about she lowly mumbled to him,

"Wake me up when where there Arthur"

Worried about Lilith he answered her.

"That cannot be comfortable Lilith"

But she just muttered at him,

"I'm fine Arthur"

However, Arthur was not convinced as she kept frowning when she moved along with the bus. He wanted her to be comfortable for the journey home. A part of him wanted to reach around and gently pull her towards him.

But another did not want to push his boundaries and make her uncomfortable by doing so. Low snoring come from her she suddenly moved and rested on his shoulder. Letting out a happy sigh of contentment.

Arthur smiled sweetly as he looked at her rocking with the motion. His eyes widen in shock as he noticed the flowers from the shop in the pocket of her sweater. He grinned evilly at her actions for having done that.

The bus ride was quiet but he did not mind enjoying the connection between them. He could not stop looking at her the way she looked so peaceful and at ease. With being so close and comfortable next to him.

When he suddenly looked out the window and his eyes widen in shock. He gasped and quickly pressed the button altering the driver. He gently nudged Lilith on the leg repeatedly awakening her from her slumber.

Lilith snorted from the intrusion her eyes blinking open as the bus came to a halt. Arthur spoke to her,

"We are here"

Lilith smiled at him and they both made it off the bus 'thanking' the driver. They took the usual route walking home up the long stairs and to the lobby. Entering the elevator and making it to their floor Arthur walked Lilith to her door.

They stopped and she smiled sweetly at him,

"I had an amazing day today Arthur thank you"

Arthur smiled happily at her as he responded,

"Me too Lilith...I... I hope he can do it again?"

Lilith nodded in agreement as she reached for the keys in her pocket,

"Yes, I will defiantly be up for that. Maybe you come over for dinner sometime?"

She opened her front door and turned back to Arthur,

"Well see you again soon Arthur"

She leaned in and gently kissed him on the cheek leaving Arthur stunned by her action. She giggled at his silent response and waved goodbye,

"Good night Arthur"

Arthur just waved back as she closed her door still astonished that he had received his first kiss.

LILITH'S HOME

Lilith walked into her living room and once again her eyes were drawn to her blinking phone. She knew straight away who it would be and pressed the button,

"You have one message-"

Lilith crossed her arms frowning in anger just what are they going to say to ruin her day?

"Lilith! Answer your fucking phone right now! You are coming home whether you like it or not. You cannot avoid us forever. Stop being a nuisance like you always have been and respect our wishes!"

Lilith pressed the button covering her mouth with her hand to stop her whimpers. Her parents always knew how to hurt her with their words. It seems once again they could not accept her wishes of being left alone.

Lilith just wanted to live on her own and be free from them. Do her own things and just be happy doing what she wanted. Her parents never allowed that always throwing strict rules to follow at her since she was young.

Lilith sighed deeply in annoyance she did not want to think about them anymore. She had other things to get getting on with. She just wished she dared to unplug her phone but she could not cause a part of her liked hearing her parent's voices.

Lilith made her way to her room getting out of her clothes and into her pyjamas. She wiped off her make-up and walked to her kitchen making herself a quick sandwich with a packet of crisps. She ate them and went to the bedroom setting her alarm for work tomorrow.

Lilith sighed in disappointment not wanting to go to that horrid place. She was already missing her time with Arthur she had never had such an amazing, fun and exciting day before. She wanted another with him right now.

But she had an idea when that would possible as she worked five days a week at that place. Disappointment and sadness already filling her walked into her bed when a sharp stab shot through her foot.

Letting out a scream in pain she looked down at her jumper seeing the item that had caused her discomfort. Her eyes widen in shock as she remembered that they were the flowers from Arthur from the magic Zatara shop.

She bent down and picked them up holding them in her hands her heart pounding against her chest. Her body heated up with warmth a huge happy smile went across her face from remembering Arthur giving them to her.

She had never received a gift like this before and wanted to keep it forever they were beautiful. She lowly mumbled to herself in contentment,

"Arthur..."

Her eyes softened as she said his name, and she placed them on the cabinet beside her bed. Getting in she pulled the quilt cover over her looking at them a smile still on her face. She knew she was going to have sweet dreams tonight.

FLOOR 4 HALLWAY

Arthur walked back to his door in a daze his mind could not stop remembering the kiss he had received from Lilith. It was his first one from a woman although it was not on the lips it still counted right? He would never forget it and treasure it. He opened his door and entered his home.

ARTHUR'S HOME

Arthur did his usual routine like he always did hearing his Mother call out to him,

"Happy?! Did you check the mail before you came up?"

Arthur calls out to her as he looks over at the bedroom.

"Yes, Ma. Nothing. No letter."

The same old routine,

"You sure you looked? Sometimes I don't know where your head is."

She always said the same thing to him about that darn letter. He replied like always,

"Yes, I'm sure. And my head's right here. I'm gonna make you some dinner, okay?"

He got to work on making his Mother's food after a few minutes he brings the food to his mother. She sitting on the waiting for him the TV is on, playing the local news. Arthur sets the food down in front of his mother on a small little table in front of her.

He cuts it up into small pieces she starts talking about the local headlines like always. Arthur just listens and tells her to eat as he sits beside her. Watching whatever is on TV once she is done, he wishes her 'Good Night' as it gets late.

Arthur turns off the lights, tucks her in and removes her meal and table. His bed is in the living room on the sofa. He gets into his pyjama bottoms and places the plate in the sink sitting down he smokes a cigarette.

Arthur hardly slept and just sat thinking about his day with Lilith a smile across his face. Joy fills his body the more he remembers the butterflies in his stomach and the kiss. The kiss was one thing he still could not forget.

NEXT MORNING – LILITH'S ROOM

Lilith awoke to the sound of her alarm she got up and changed into her boring work uniform. Washing her face and brushing her teeth she made a small bowl of cereal. Returning to her bedroom she looked in the mirror.

She tried to fight the urge to not put on her mask and wig but knew that her work collages had never seen her without it. Lilith knew she was making an excuse to put it on but she missed the fun of trying a new look for work.

Every morning for work she put on a new mask of makeup. Lilith felt a rush of excitement as she slapped it all on her face covered in it. She put on her blonde wig she felt beautiful and strong with it on.

Smiling in accomplishment at the work on her face she left her room and reached for the door handle.

*ring ring*

She froze on the spot her heart pounding against her chest she knew right away who it was. It was most likely her parents but she did not have the time to answer it. But in reality, she just did not want to talk to them.

She was afraid of what to say to them after so long of silence from them. She would not even know where to begin or how to start a conversation. Most started nice but always ended in a fight at the end.

With about her lifestyle and why she was settled down yet. She would just have to listen to their message when she got back and see what awaited her. She closed her door just letting the phone ring out.

Lilith quickly darted down the hall and stairs and took the bus to work. Once she arrived at her location, she walked through the front door her boss looked at her. She fakes smiled at him and went to her locker.

She put in her lunch for her break and shuts her door sighing in frustration. She had no idea what awaited her today from her shitty manager. But she knew it would get her through her boring day and wanted it to already be over.

She put her key in her pocket her purse already in there she never trusted leaving it in her locker. Lilith returned to the shop floor and feign a smile at him although her insides hurt doing it. The boss returned it to her,

"Oh, Lilith good morning"

Lilith just stood and listened as he started and gave her the chores for today.

"I want you to dust the interments and stock check what is left"

Lilith walked off to get in items hoping that today was going to go fast.

HA'S HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM

Arthur had gotten up early and taken his usual route to work. Arthur takes off his shirt and grimaces in pain as he moves. His body's bruised from the beating he took chasing after his sign. He sits down on the wooden bench in the cramped locker room of a small talent booking agency.

This is where Arthur works. They "rent out" talent for parties and events. Clowns, magicians, and male strippers. Arthur had one of his clown shoes on his lap as he struggles to open it pulling the flaps apart, he finally manages it and looks up letting out a deep sigh of frustration.

Randall walks into the room and greets the other performers as he walks in with his dry-cleaned costume.

"What's up, ladies! Another Day in chuckle town"

Randall is in his mid-fifties with black hair he is balding on top with hair around the back. Brown eyes he stands at six foot one a big bear of a know-it-all. He's a party clown as well.

The other performers chuckle at him and return to their conversation again. He hangs his outfit up and slams his papers on the bench as he looks over at Arthur.

"You okay?"

Arthur does not reply keeping his back to him Randall tries to sympathise with Arthur about how "savages" are making it unsafe on the streets.

"I heard about the beatdown you took. Fucking savages."

Arthur sighs deeply and replies

"It was just a bunch of kids. I should have left it alone."

Randall opens his locker and takes off his thick woolly jacket,

"No, they take everything from you if you do that. All the crazy shit out there. They are animals..."

He looks over at Arthur as he struggles with his other shoe and reaches into his locker.

"You know what..."

He walks over and hands Joker a brown paper bag,

"Here..."

Arthur looks up at him confused,

"What is it?"

He continues with his task. Randal smirks at him,

"Take it"

Arthur looks at the bag that's handed out to him he puts his shoe beside him as Randal finishes.

"It's for you"

Arthur chuckles nervously as he looks inside it's a GUN, a .38 snub-nose revolver.

"You gotta protect yourself out there. Otherwise, you are gonna get fucked"

Arthur closes the bag and looks around the room. He whispered discreetly at him as he protests.

"Randall... You're. Not. Supposed. To. Have. A. Gun"

Randall looks around at the others and then back at Arthur who is looking up at him worried.

"Don't sweat it pal... no one has to know. You can pay me back some other time. You know you're my boy"

Randall smirks as he brushes it off like nothing Arthur looks away laughing nervously as he wraps up the gun.

Another clown pops his head into the locker room. It's a dwarf called Gary he is thirty. Black hair with a beard and average build. He calls out to Arthur,

"Arthur! Hoyt wants to see you in his office."

Randall walks away back to his locker talking to Gary,

"Hey, Gary. You know what I've always wondered..."

Gary sighed knowing what was coming up but replied,

"No, I don't"

Randall smirked as he continued

"Do you people call it miniature golf or is it just golf to you?"

Arthur gets up and puts the brown paper bag in his locker. Gary looked at him not amused by the joke but he was used to Randall always making cracks about height. Everyone in the room started laughing at him Arthur included as he gets a shirt from his locker and puts it on.

Everyone stares at Arthur crackle as he walks to Hoyt's office while buttoning up his shirt, but then abruptly stops when he turns the corner.

FRONT OFFICE, HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING

Arthur still half-dressed, walks into the cramped office. His boss, Hoyt Vaughn is sixty years old he is sitting behind a metal desk. The office is a complete mess, newspapers and files litter the desk. A giant ashtray filled with cigarette butts.

A calendar of bookings hangs on the wall. A scribbled, jumbled mess. Arthur speaks up and Hoyt puts out his cigarette,

"Hey, Hoyt. Gary said you wanted to see me?"

Hoyt without even looking up replies,

"How's the comedy career? Are you a famous stand-up yet?"

Arthur smiles at him,

"Not quite. Just been working on my material."

Now Hoyt looks up. Takes a drag from his cigarette. As Arthur goes to pull out the chair goes to sit down.

"No don't sit. This will be quick"

Arthur stops in his tracks and listens.

"Look, I like you, Arthur. A lot of the guys here, think you're a freak. But I like you. I don't even know why I like you. But I got another complaint and it's starting to piss me off. Kenny's Music err the guy says you disappeared. Never even returned his sign"

Unsure how to respond as he remembered the day very well. As the bruises started to ache once again Arthur takes a deep breath and answers his question.

"Because I got jumped. Didn't you hear?"

Hoyt not believing his story smirks and replies,

"For a sign? That's bullshit. It makes no sense, just give him his sign back. He's going out of business for god's sake Arthur"

Arthur feeling disheartened by the fact he did not believe him croaks back,

"Why would I keep his sign?"

Hoyt getting annoyed by Arthur's excuses replies,

"How the fuck do I know! Why does anybody do anything? If you don't return the sign I gotta take it out of your paycheck Are we clear?"

Arthur just stands and starts to tune him out a demented smile spreads across his face. Whilst Hoyt continued to abuse him by ranting,

"Listen I'm trying to help you okay? Now I'll tell you something else the other guys don't feel comfortable around you Arthur-"

After Hoyt was done, he lets Arthur go and Arthur goes outside of the building.

BACK ALLEY, OUTSIDE HA-HA'S - AMUSEMENT MILE -

At the far end of an alley, about halfway down Arthur was still half-dressed on the other side of a dumpster. He is furiously kicking and stomping on the trash bags and rubbish lying around. Violently beating down anything in front of him.

Arthur continues to unleash his rage stomping the piled-up garbage to vent his frustration. He slumps down on the pavement after missing judging a kick. Arthur sits on the damp pavement not giving a dam.

Looking towards the train going past and the fairest wheel behind rocking back and forth. He hugged his knees into his chest as cars and people just walked past ignoring the weeping man. Arthur stayed there till he was ready to return inside.

GOTHAM STREETS

Arthur is heading back home down the litter-covered streets like he does every night. Garbage was still piled along the sidewalks, the air was still thick with smog. He's carrying the paper bag that Randall gave him. Arthur checks his mailbox and it's empty like always.

ELEVATOR, APARTMENT BUILDING – GOTHAM

Arthur steps onto the wheezing elevator head hanging low and harshly presses the button repeatedly. As the door closes, he hears a woman shouting out.

"Wait!"

He puts his foot out with some panache to stop the closing door. Arthur's a romantic at heart as a young woman runs towards him with a little girl. She gets inside and presses a button floor her floor panting out.

"Thank you"

Arthur moves out of the way leaning against the wall by the buttons. Whilst the young woman's name was Sophie Dunmond in her late twenty's. She was an African-American with black hair wrapped up in a high beehive hairstyle.

With brown eyes, she was five foot six with a slender build and big gold hopped earrings. She had tired eyes, hands filled with grocery bags, and her daughter whose name was Gigi was five years old. She looked exactly like her mother but with giant twin bunches on her head.

Gigi stares intensely at Arthur who in turn looks at the floor trying to avoid the uncomfortable glare. There is an uncomfortable silence as the elevator dings for each floor it passes. The elevator slams and shake and continue upward.

Gigi giggles when the elevator suddenly abruptly halts Sophie sighs in annoyance. She speaks aloud,

"This building is so awful, isn't it?"

Arthur just looks at her and nods... he doesn't know what to say to her as Gigi repeats her Mother.

"This building is so awful right mummy?"

Sophie looks at her daughter,

"Yes, we can hear you, Gigi"

Sophie pretends to shoot herself in the head with her fingers while looking at Arthur, who gives her a knowing smile. As Gigi continues to repeat herself over,

"It's so awful mummy... right Mummy?"

She smiles back as the elevator shakes and dings for their floor. The doors open and Sophie walks out first answering her daughter's ranting. As Gigi did not stop, they both walk off in opposite directions in the hall.

Arthur stops and shouts out to her with a happy smile,

"Hey!"

It gets Sophie's attention she stops and turns around to look at him. Arthur then does a more violent version of the finger gun to himself. As he stares at her Sophie gives a half-smile at the action.

She looks at Gigi,

"Come on"

Then heads into her apartment Gigi complained she was hungry and wanted food. Leaving Arthur standing in the hallway alone. He walks to his room not sure what was waiting for him tonight with his Mother.

Chapter 9

I'm sorry for being away for YEARS life has gotten in the way but things have slowly begun to chill down. If people are still interested in this story I am happy to continue writing till the end just let me know if not I will leave it as it is. Hope to hear what you everyone thinks.