NOTE: Well this is chapter 4. I wanted to write this so you feel like you are going insane along with Jack while reading it. If that makes sense haha. So If you're ever feeling confused it's probably a good thing :D. Well hope you like it! Ya this chapters kinda short, but I'm really busy with work and stuff. Read/REVIEW!

Chapter 4: Recovery

The gates to the backyard opened with a squeak, as little Jack looked curiously as to whom was coming through. His eyes grew. It can't be. A rusty looking man walked in with balloons. He messed with something in his lip, and then spit on the ground. Running his fingers through his thick hair, he seemed to be trying to look his best. The prickly mess on his face was a clue that he hadn't shaved for days, maybe weeks.

Jack's mom looked up and spotted him. She grabbed the knife she used to cut the cake with and hid it in the back of her pants. A heat of anger filled her eyes. Trying her best to remain calm, she walked up to the stranger.

"What are you doing here?" She said with an uneasy feeling.

He looked up with a grin. "What? Can I not come and wish my son a happy 10th?" He smelled of old booze and weed.

"Get out of here…" She said pressing her hand to her back.

"But I've already hired the clown…" Sharon looked behind him, an even rustier looking clown stood in his wake. No doubt it wasn't a professional clown, probably someone who owed Jack's Father a favor.

"I'm going to ask you one more time…get the FUCK out…" Sharon said gripping the knife handle.

Jack's father stood there as if thinking. He stuck out his hand to hand Sharon the balloons. "Let the clown stay, I've already paid for him."

Sharon looked into the face of the obviously drunken clown. He stared her directly in the eyes. His mouth slowly opened, but all that came out was, "Beep…Beep…Beep…"

Jack flew awake in an extraordinary amount of pain. Beep…Beep…Beep is the only sound he could hear. He looked around confused, not knowing where he was. The sound was coming from a heart monitor. He now realized he was in a hospital. Suddenly it all came back.

FLASHBACK

Masked men jumped out and grabbed Jack and Jordan…

Jack flipped and struggled as he saw a paddle one of them was holding…

They carried them to the back of the truck bed, and tried to put them in…

Suddenly he got one of his elbows free and accidently hit the masked man in the jaw…

BAM! The paddle pounded Jacks face hard…

END FLASHBACK

Jack felt his bottom lip and ran his finger over the stitches. He then realized how swelled his face was, he couldn't even see out of his left eye. To make things worse he could barely focus on anything and his head pounded with the biggest headache he could have ever imagined. Slowly his vision started focusing more and more, until he could make out the giant window in his room. Outside the window he could see his mom talking to one of the doctors.

"Well it's only a left cheek fracture, with some good healing time and elbow grease he should be fine. The swelling should go down in a couple of days, just make sure he doesn't hit the left side of his face and you can see me in a week." The doctor said to her as he looked at his clipboard.

She looked relieved and turned to face her son. When she saw that Jack was awake her face brightened.

"Oh Jack…" She ran towards him, opening the door and embraced him in a hug. They sat there in each others arms for a good while until his mom broke the moment. "I shouldn't have let you go! I shouldn't have let you go!"

"It's okay mom, I'm alright." Jack caressed her head. A noise came from the hallway and there stood Jordan. Jack looked at him surprised.

Sharon looked at what Jack was eyeing, and then turned back. "He said he wouldn't leave until he was sure you were alright…" Sharon got up and walked towards the door. "I'll leave you two to catch up."

Jordan slowly walked up to Jack's bedside. He smiled at his friend, who slightly smiled back. An awkward silence fell over them; they stared away from each other for a long time.

"Listen man, it was a stupid idea to even go. I'm sorry for trying to talk you into it…" The sincerity in Jordan's voice almost made the pain in Jack's head go away.

"No…it's not your fault at all. It was stupid for me to think this might actually change things." Jack turned over in his bed, facing the opposite direction of Jordan. A concerned look spread across Jordan's face.

"Well my mom's here, so I will see you at school in a couple of days?" He said knowing he wouldn't get an answer. Jordan slowly got up and left. Jack sat there, wondering if he should just take the final plunge and end his life. He couldn't let this take control of him, he wouldn't.

"Hey Jack…" The voice pierced his heart. It was Sarah. She was the cause of his suffering, the cause of his pain. If he would have never let her convince him to go he wouldn't be in this situation. He couldn't help but blame her for what happened. He moaned and adjusted. Maybe she'll think I'm asleep, maybe she'll just leave…

Sarah sat down on the chair next to Jack, thinking he was asleep. "Hey…well I don't know if you can hear me…but I am really sorry for what happened. I really just wanted you to open up. It was my mistake; I just couldn't help but like you. Every time I saw you I just liked you more and more. I wish you could forgive me, but you probably hate my guts right now, and I don't blame you. I shouldn't have ridden you so hard to do something that you didn't want to do in the first place. Again, I'm so sorry and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for the pain I have caused you." With that she got up and left.

Jack sat there wide eyed in utter shock. She…actually liked ME!? This was all too much. He was torn between the feeling of flattery and hate. Maybe it was all just another dream…another allusion of Jack's already disturbed mind. That's it, all a dream…it's all a dream.

Jack had to stay home the next couple of days to fully heal what was left of his injuries. Jordan would more than often come over and they would hang out for a while, talking about Sarah and Jack's fantasizing dream. To make matters worse, Jack's box that was slowly opening rapidly closed after the event. He couldn't trust anyone anymore. Only Jordan, which was testing his patience. He was also dreading his first day back at school, not looking forward to looking Sarah in the face. The dream had taken over his daily thought process. As much as he hated it, he wished it to be true. Was he falling for this girl he could never have? Was the beast falling in love with the beauty?

The beast. That's what he was now. No doubt the nasty injury on his lip would leave a nasty scar. Even if he wanted to be with Sarah now, he couldn't, he wouldn't. She didn't deserve him, she deserved better. As all this ran through Jack's mind he couldn't help but wonder if his injury was the only thing that needed recovery. What's left when someone can't even stand their own appearance in the mirror? How could anyone stand his company when even he couldn't?

This was only the start of Jack's spiral into darkness…

"This is Gotham Tonight and we have the update on the continuing story of Harley Quinn…"

Jack entered the living room where his mom was watching the television. The news reporter on the TV flashed pictures of a little girl.

"…the story has been progressing for some time, but we are pleased to report that Harley has fully recovered and fully sane. After her spree of mayhem at her local school, Harley was sent to Arkham Asylum, where she received several treatments and is now pronounced fully recovered." The TV flashed a picture of the little girl dressed in clown make-up, taken shortly after her stunt at her school. "It is said the little girl plans to become a psychiatrist now, after being inspired by one of the many that worked at Arkham…"

"Can you believe that Jack?" Jack's mother said startling Jack, he didn't even realize that his mom had seen him. "I mean how do you just stop being insane?"

Jack just shook his head. How do you stop being insane? How do you start? This girl had bigger balls that Jack, and he knew it…

Jack opened the door to the school with much hesitation and started down the hall. In a matter of seconds people were already staring at his stitched lip. He wasn't taking any of it. He gave an equal, if more menacing, stare right back at them. He continued to his math class, where Jordan was waiting.

"Hey man, looking great!" Jordan said sitting on the top of his desk. Jack just brushed past him and sat down. He pulled out his homework and started working. "You know dude, I think you're overreacting about your lip, it doesn't look that bad…"

"That's easy for you to say…"

Jordan looked at Jack, trying to figure his friend out. "Listen dude, do you wanna go to the cinema tonight? There's a pretty good…"

"Can you just leave me alone?" Jack said, not looking up from his homework. A confused looked spread across Jordan's face.

"Well fuck you then! I'm sorry I didn't leave you to drown in your own blood like you wanted!" Jordan yelled throwing his book on the desk. The teacher looked up for a second and then continued on his book. Jack sat there doing his homework, then suddenly jumped out of his seat and ran out. He kept running, down the hall, out the door, and to his house.

He flew through the doors to his empty house, not thinking twice. Running into his room, he slammed his door. He jumped on his bed and started crying. Tears poured down his face. What to do, what to do? Jack's mind raced a million miles per hour, thinking about everything. How his life turned out, what he could have done different. It wasn't his fault. IT WASN'T! As much as he told himself that he couldn't help but believe it was his fault, at least somewhat. Why couldn't he have stopped it when it happened?

I was 10, I could do nothing…

Weak! You're weak! You could have stopped it!

He couldn't come to any conclusion; all he could agree on is that it ruined his life. As much as he wanted to forget it, he couldn't.

There's only one way out…

Jack slowly got up from his bed and started towards his door, then something caught his eyes. It was a joker card lying on his desk. He picked it up and stared at it. It was grinning as usual, laughing. Anger flared in Jack. In a quick action he ripped up the Joker card, tossing the pieces in his trash can. He then continued going down the stairs, and eventually into the kitchen where he made himself a glass of orange juice.

When the last of the OJ slid down his throat, he searched the cabinets for his next move. He pulled out a giant cutting knife from the drawer. This was it, his ticket out. Next he went to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Slowly he stripped his clothes off and started filling the bath tub. When the tub was full he went in, enjoying the warm sensation. He took a deep breath in, and then looked at the knife intently.

You can't do it…you're weak…

Jack stared even harder.

Yes. Yes you can!

He quickly grabbed the knife and slid it across his wrists. Blood started pouring out of him, staining the water red. He sat there, nothing to do but bleed to death…

Well that was Chapter 4! Hope you liked it! There more to come :D.