Well, here it is. The continuing chapter.
Warnings: Mentions of torture, some bad words, and blood. Enjoy~
"You sure you okay?" A voice whispered to Dany as she panted raspily, each breath irritating her side.
"Y-yeah, I am, J-James." She responded in a her own whisper, voice tired and broken.
The boy frowned, knowing that Dany wasn't going to be able to hold up for much longer. After the transmission had cut off, the Joker had a few more swings at her, then left her with Jr. This time though, Dany wasn't afraid of him. He was friend, not foe. Or at least, friend of a friend.
"Where are you?" He asked, not able to pinpoint Dany in the darkness that shrouded their floor.
There was silence, because Dany was biting her lower lip to not scream out in pain, then she spoke. "Behind the giant Jack-in-the-box."
James walked over to where he remembered the weapon-turned-toy was, only to find Dany's silhouette. She was breathing heavily, her arm clinging to her chest, but other than that, James couldn't see any more wounds.
"Don't worry, Dany..." James whispered, lowering to his knees, clutching the first aid box ever tighter now. "The Bat's going to find you."
Dany turned away as James got to work on her wounds, while she let her sadness get the best of her. Jason hadn't told her the story, but she knew what had happened to him. He yelled enough in the night for her to put the pieces together. Would that also be her fate?
"Anything?" Jason asked impatiently as he paced back and forth in the computer room.
"Not yet, Jaybird." Nightwing answered, voice tired yet soothing.
Jason shook his head at his 'older brother', then turned to the doorway. He hadn't told anyone about the letter from Wally, and he was starting to worry and regret the decision. So many things could have happened to the ginger, so many horrible things that Jason didn't want to think about, yet found a way to worm into his thoughts. Jason was debating over smashing his head repeatedly into the wall when Nightwing spoke again.
"Got him."
Dany shivered at the cold that was hitting her now, all the while trying to keep her hope up. Jason was always there for her, her big brother, he was going to find her. And Wally would, too. Her family would find her, and she would be among friends once more. She would see Greg. Thinking of this made a smile slowly find its way onto her face, but it was at the wrong time.
Just then, the big double doors swung open, banging against the wall as the man that had caused her so much pain entered the room, smiling like a maniac. Dany glared up at him, all the while moving to lie on her injured side. Even though the pain was excruciating, what Joker would do to her would be more painful if he hit her bad side.
"How is my little potty mouth?" Joker asked in a fake baby voice.
Dany only glared up at him, not wanting to say anything. She knew that whatever came out of her mouth would only get her in more trouble. Damn Jason for letting her curse all the time.
Joker frowned at her silence, then sighed and turned around. "You know, this would be easier for you if you just talked a little." He informed, making Dany's eyes widen.
Could he be in the middle of something good?
"I mean, I love hearing the pain you all have whenever I break out my toys!" He exclaimed, turning back to Dany.
And there goes the moment of some kind of normal. Dany glared at him yet again, making the Joker shrug and grab the crowbar he had left on top of the Jack in the box. He smiled insanely as he inspected the crowbar, for what Dany will never know or want to know.
As the Joker walked over to her, there was a glint on the tip of the crowbar. Dany's eyes widened as she figured out what it was, and frantically started trying to get away. She gasped and screamed, trying to crawl away from the taller man, but he only continued walking forward, still smiling evilly, even more now that he saw the fear he had wanted to see. Dany's back with the far wall of the warehouse, making her gasp in pain. Those bruises would be there for a while.
"Now, now, no need to be scared, little ugly duckling." the Joker said cruelly, crouching to be able to look her in the eyes, to see the utter terror she had for pointy things.
Her mood quickly changed from terror to disgust, and she spit in the Joker's face. His smile quickly left, leaving him to frown as his left hand raised to his face. He wiped off the spit, all the while glaring down at Dany, who was looking up defiantly at him.
"Fuck you." She said, her voice strained and tired, but still letting her feelings show through.
"Oh, how much fun I'll have." Joker said in a dark voice, then before Dany could react, the knife attached to the crowbar was brought down onto her arm, making her yell in pain.
"Come on, come on, come on." Jason muttered while looking out the window of the Batmobile, impatient to get to Dany.
Apparently, the Joker was now stationed in a warehouse close to the outskirts of Kansas, which explains how he got Dany. Jason was riding with Batman, already in full Red Hood gear, while Nightwing and Robin went together on something else. Jason really couldn't care less about them at the moment, the only people in his mind now were Dany, Wally, and the Joker. And one of them was there because he was about to feel Jason's wrath.
"Jason." Bruce said, cutting into Jason's muttering.
The younger man looked at his adoptive 'father', wondering what he had to say now.
"I will let you deal with the Joker," Batman started; for now he wasn't Bruce, but the damned thing Jason had so much animosity towards. "But you have to let me take a look at Danielle."
Jason was surprised. What, no 'don't kill the Joker' speech? No telling him that killing was not the path he should take? Jason turned to Batman, but the older man only kept looking ahead at the road.
"This is your battle, Jason. Not mine. While I don't want you to do anything too drastic, I'll let you to decide yourself. All I'm asking for is that you let me take Dany back to the cave so she'll get tests on her. Who knows what could have happened to her." He said, even if it was meant to be a question, it sounded a lot more like a statement, which made Jason's anger flare even more.
"So, Joker's mine and Dany's yours?" Jason asked to make sure he had heard correctly.
Batman only gave a curt nod, then said, "We're here."
Jason didn't waste any time in jumping out of the car and running towards the front of the warehouse, letting his worry take over and making him run straight towards the back, where the door were opened and he could hear clear screams coming from inside.
He growled at the very thought of what the Joker could be doing to her, and he ran towards where he thought Dany was. It was all very dark, not one light on, but Jason didn't care. He was able to see somewhat with his mask's built in night-vision, but it was still somewhat dark. He decided to use the Bat approach and went to the top floor, slowly looking around to find Dany and the Joker. When he found them, they were underneath an oversized Jack in the Box, with the Joker doing something other than beating her. No, what he was doing was much worse. He was stabbing Dany.
"Joker!" Jason yells at the mad man in a gravely voice, already knowing that this was all he needed to do what he wanted. He was going to kill this son of a bitch even if it was the last thing he did.
The man looked up at him, an even bigger smile now in place because he had an audience.
"Give me the girl, and I won't kill you too slowly and painfully." Jason growled, jumping from the second floor down towards one of the boxes close to the two.
This was it. Batman had given him his blessing. He was going to kill the Joker today.
The Joker laughed crazily, then glared up at him, all while still smiling. "Aww, little impostow think he can beat me." He said in a mock baby voice, making Jason glare at him.
"I don't think so, you psycho. I know so." He announced, then before the Joker could react, Jason jumped and punched him in the jaw. "No one messes with my kids." He growled, then started to beat the Joker up, for lack of better words.
As the two of them started a dangerous dance with guns, knives, and insults, Batman, Nightwing, and Robin ran inside, following the sound of the scuffle, and found Dany, tied up and shivering. Batman closed his eyes and counted to ten, reminding himself that Jason was taking care of the Joker and him starting to beat up the insane man would not help Dany at all. So, he kneeled in front of her as she sobbed, blood seeping into her already tattered and damaged clothing, and got to work on wrapping her wounds.
Nightwing and Robin stayed with him, already having been ordered to not get in between the Joker and Jason. Batman undid the bonds that kept Dany's hands in place, all the while telling her who he was. She was not in a position that she would trust anyone that came in, and frankly, Batman didn't blame her. Just by seeing the superficial wounds, he already knew that they had to get her medical attention as fast as possible.
"How is she, Batman?" Nightwing asked uneasily, not wanting to be the one that broke the silence, but not also wanting to stay in this unhumanly silence.
Batman continued working on Dany, and said, "Not good. She's lost a lot of blood." His voice was tight and clipped.
Nightwing frowned, and asked, "You think the Doc will be able to get to the cave in time?"
Batman shook his head, finishing the dressing of her wounds, and said, "She won't be. And neither will we. Our safest bet is to take her to a hospital." He said, making Nightwing sigh. He really hated having to go to a hospital.
"SUFFER YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Jason yelled as loud as he could, makin Batman roll his eyes. Even if his son was now somewhat evil, his antics never did get tiring.
"Let's go." Batman said, picking Dany up and starting to walk away.
"But," Robin started, wondering why Batman was going to leave Jason alone with the Joker.
"Now, Robin. Jason will be all right." He said, voice commanding yet soothing, then he started walking towards the doors.
Nightwing and Robin shared a look, but still continued after their 'father'.
"You've killed thousands of people." Jason growled, giving the Joker a punch to the jaw. "You've caused millions of people pain and sorrow." He growled, now punching him in the stomach, making the Joker cough up blood. "You almost killed Carmen." He continued, now pushing him towards the stairs, making the Joker fall, "And now, I'm going to kill you." He finished, hefting the Joker up by one arm and climbing the stairs.
This was going to be the end. He was going to kill the Joker. Or, at the very least, cause him to be in a hospital bed for a very long time. The Joker continued chuckling quietly as Jason made him walk up the stairs, making Jason's anger slowly rise.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting this, Impostor." The Joker gasped out, spitting the word.
Jason just continued climbling the stairs. A fall from the third floor would most probably kill the man, and if it didn't, his wounds sure would.
"The bat never had the guts to do this. But you-" Que the fit of coughs. "You're like me. Strong." He continued, making Jason growl and smash him against the wall.
The Joker gasped at the pain that erupted from his back, cracks making their way into the wall. "I am nothing like you." He growled, his masked face close to the Joker's. "You're a psycho that kills for fun." He said, continuing his walk up the stairs, and opened the door to the roof.
The night was chilly, with no moon nor visible stars, perfect for a night of killing.
"Oh, but you can't tell me you don't feel it, Reddy." the Joker said, taunting the Red Hood.
Jason growled even more at the nickname. It was the first one Dany gave him, and now this psycho was using it. Jason continued dragging him towards the far side of the roof, away from the city, just to prolong somebody finding the Joker's body.
"The rush you get when you hold the gun in your hand. The power of being able to decide whether someone lives or dies." The Joker sighed, as if death was his lover.
Jason hated this, so he did what came to him first. He made an uppercut that hit the Joker with so much power that the man flew to the edge of the roof. As Jason stalked towards him, he heard that damned laugh. The laugh he heard before he died. Something bad was going to happen. But, he continued, he walked just until he was standing above the Joker, glaring down at the broken body of the man. Even if he looked weak and frail, Jason couldn't bring himself to get an ounce of pity. This would end tonight.
He was about to push him off with his foot when something stopped him. A raised white hand. "Can I say something before I die?" The Joker asked, voice hoarse and it was clear he was in pain.
Jason didn't answer, so Joker took it as a yes because he wasn't pushed off yet. "Gotcha." He finished, then drew a gun.
Jason's eyes widened, and before he could react, the Joker pulled the trigger and a gunshot broke the silent night, followed by a deranged laugh.
One more chapter and it will all be over with. Five reviews and I'll update tomorrow.