It wasn't the bright sunlight that Willow woke up to the next morning, rather it was almost complete darkness. Her eyes opened when she heard the shower door shut, and the absence of light scared her momentarily. As she woke up more, however, she finally looked to the window, and a sleepy smile spread onto her face when she saw saw a large black and dark green blanket had been tacked onto the wall. Thin lines or orange flooded down the sides of the blanket, leaving orange lines of light across the foot of the bed and floor, but the issue was nothing compared to the tremendous amount of light that had previously found it's way inside. Feeling wide awake now she leaned up, stretching her arms before her as she arched her back.
She swung her legs off the bed and put on her pajama pants from the previous night. As she walked towards the door she heard a few items clanking around in the bathroom, and after she had stepped into the hall she noticed the bathroom door was slightly ajar, just enough so she could peek inside. Through the mirror she could see Joker, slightly hunched over as he looked at himself in the mirror with a slight scowl on his face, clad in nothing but a white towel, and she watched as he ran his fingers through his wet hair, slicking it back with Joey's gel. She stifled a laugh as she watched him, trying not breath heavily. She remembered their short lived conversation they had the previous night, and she smiled, wondering how many people in the word actually knew Joker's name.
She quickly proceeded passed the bathroom and started down the stairs. The house seemed empty and quiet, but Willow ignored it and headed straight into the kitchen to make some toast.
After she had found the bread in the freezer, of all places, and managed to break two pieces off from the rest, she had just popped them into the toaster when she heard a large yawn behind her. When she turned she noticed it was Dan, wearing plaid pajama pants and a large white shirt, his hair a mess, his eyes sunken back and slightly bloodshot.
"Good morning, Whitney."
"Morning," Willow answered back with a small smile. She watched as Dan made his way into the kitchen.
"What are you making?" He asked.
"Toast," Willow answered. Dan laughed to himself as he nodded his head forward.
"Figures," he said. "If you ask me, dear, you're a little on the skinny side. You could eat more, if you wanted."
Willow glared at him. "I'm not that hungry," she said in her defense.
"And that's always the excuse, isn't it?"
Her mouth fell open as her eyebrows met in the middle, but luckily Joey rounding the corner saved her and Dan from a terrible argument.
"Good morning, Joey," Dan said as he turned away from the cabinet he was going through.
"Morning. Morning, babe," he said easily as he started passed Willow, only to stop suddenly and quickly kiss her lips. A goofy grin slid onto her lips, and she noticed Dan was watching them. His back turned to his brother, Joey winked at Willow before he went on to the fridge. Dan finally turned away as he went back to searching in the cabinet.
"Joey where are your coffee filters?"
Joey sighed as he closed the fridge, and Willow noticed he was holding an orange.
"Second shelf," he said. "Right in front of your fucking face," he mumbled as he started out of the kitchen. Dan seemed to be in his own world and stepped backwards, blocking Joey's exit, and he turned to go further into the kitchen. Joey held in a sigh as he tried to side step Dan, only for him to take a step in the same direction. Finally Joey held still, waiting for Dan go around him before he proceeded to the dark wooden kitchen table. Willow had just turned her back to the house to butter her toast when Joker's voice suddenly filled the room.
"Good morning," he said, his voice clowny.
"Good morning," Dan said back, though Willow and Joey remained silent. Joker walked passed Dan and headed over to the fridge.
"What's for breakfast, dear," he asked as he looked over to what Willow was doing. She looked over to him and grinned slightly before she placed the buttered knife in the sink, and she moved passed him to the fridge to put the spreadable butter away.
"Toast," she answered with a small smile.
"Ah, toast," Joker said with a nod. He looked down to the plate Willow had just picked up and he snatched a piece while Willow whined in protest. He laughed at her before he took a large bite and he headed over to the counter to pull out a stool. With a huff Willow sat down next to Joey, and after grinning at Jack he picked up her second piece of toast and took a large bite.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Willow complained once he looked over to her with a sly grin. He took another bite, half the piece gone now, and he placed it back on the plate. Willow frowned down at it while Joey and Joker laughed at her slightly, and she finally picked it up, taking a small bite.
"Joey, where is your coffee?"
"The fridge," Joey said with a sigh as he finished chewing, Joker just finishing his piece of toast. With a small grunt Dan opened the fridge, and he fished out the coffee. He put it in the filter and turned the machine on and he made his way around the counter and sat across from Willow at the table just as she finished her toast. She stood up from the table and with a roll her eyes when she noticed Joker grinning at her she rinsed her plate off in the sink.
"Well my back is messed up from that couch, Joey," Dan started as he sat up straight.
"Really," Joey said flatly as he watched Arlo run around outside, just below the deck.
"Really," he said.
"Mines not," Joker said with a wide grin. "I slept like a baby."
Dan glared at him for a moment before he finally looked away. Willow sighed from in the kitchen. Why did Joker have to be such an instigator?
"Well that's good for you," Dan said as he stood from the table, and he walked back over to the coffee maker.
"Joey where are your mugs?"
Joey sighed as he turned in his seat and threw an annoyed look at Joker.
"The cabinet above the toaster," he groaned.
"Whitney won't you please get me one?" Dan asked as he looked over to Willow. She bit her tongue as she fetched him a mug, and he smiled at her once she handed it to him. She stepped behind him to put the coffee he had left out away, and she couldn't help but notice how he had only made enough coffee for himself.
"Joey where is-"
"Sugars in the same cabinet as the filters, and I'm sure you know where the creamer is."
Joker grinned widely as he stared at Joey, Joey staring back with his hands on his face. A second later he pulled them down, pulling the skin down from his eyes as he rolled them up and he let his hands drop to the table.
"So Joey I'd like to see the city today," Dan said as he took his spot at the table. Joey looked over to him.
"You've seen the city, Danny," he said. "You've lived here before, remember?"
"That was long ago, Joey," he said, his tone sour. "It's been a while. Is it really so much to ask for my little brother to give me a tour?"
"I guess not, Danny," Joey said as he stood up. Joker smirked at Joey as he followed his movements into the kitchen, and he came to face Joey.
"Whitney, won't you accompany us?" Dan asked after he had taken a sip of his coffee.
"Oh, I-"
"We have plans today," Joker suddenly spoke up, and Willow suddenly looked over to him, unsure if he meant that or it he was just being nice and saving her a trip around town. Dan raised an eyebrow as he looked from Joker to Willow, clearly thrown off.
"Oh?" He said. "And what might those be?"
Joker smiled at him slightly, noticing how Dan's eyes fell to his scars as he did so. "Well I promised Whitney here that we'd go to the pet store."
"Pet store?" Joey repeated between clenched teeth from behind Joker. He turned around to grin at him.
"Just to browse," he said. "Whitney wouldn't shut up about going."
"Well that's awful nice of you," Dan said, an eyebrow still raised. He looked to Willow before he looked back to Joker. "And, how did you two know each other again?"
"I've been a friend of Joey's for years," Joker said. "I knew him before Whitney did."
"Ah," Dan said as he slowly nodded. Joey nervously looked back at Dan before he started out of the kitchen.
"Well be ready soon, Danny," Joey said as he started towards his office.
"Will do, little brother," Dan said. Joey growled under his breath, a moment later everyone heard the door close behind him.
"Well, Dan, enjoy your trip around Gotham. It's a beautiful place," he said with a grin. He stood abruptly and started towards the stairs, and without another word Willow quickly followed him up the stairs, and she could feel Dan watching her the entire time.
About an hour later, just after Willow had gotten out of the shower, she heard Joey yelling something up to Joker, who sat in his room loading a gun, unknown to both Joey and Dan.
"Jack, we're leaving," Joey called as he stood at the foot of the stairs, Dan already heading out the door. "Don't... don't do anything stupid."
"Oh trust me, Joseph," Joker called back through his open door. "I won't!"
Joey nervously continued to glance up the stairs before he sighed and finally closed the front door behind him. Willow took the moment to step out of the bathroom and she entered the guest bedroom.
She looked over to Joker, jumping slightly when she noticed he had put his face-paint on and rinsed the gel from his hair, which now hung in stringy strands.
"Miss me?" Joker asked as he stood up. She noticed he was wearing his normal purple pants and green vest, only his shirt of choice behind it was black, his tie purple, and his gloves black.
"I think I was starting to like Jack better," Willow said with a grin. Joker watched as she turned her back to him to head over to the closet and she rummaged around in her clean pile of clothes for something to wear.
"You know... you're awfully smart mouthy to me lately," Joker said as he took a step over to her. She leaned up, holding items of clothing in her hands as she nervously looked up to him. "I just want to know, when did you get so, uh... confident?"
Willow swallowed as she continued to look at him. She had nearly forgotten how truly menacing he could be when he wanted. "I don't know," she said in a small voice. He grinned before he laughed, and he placed his hands on the top of her towel.
"That's better," he said in a low voice, and he gently slid the towel down, letting it fall to the floor. Her heart raced as she watched him look down before his eyes slowly slid back up. He smirked at her one last time before he turned and abruptly left the room, leaving her to nervously get dressed.
A few moments later, after she had thrown on a pair of tight jeans, and a black halter-top, she jogged down the stairs, finding Joker standing at the counter.
"Where are we going?" She asked once she approached him.
"Go get our pet," he answered with a sly grin.
"The snake?" She asked, and Joker nodded. He looked down the counter where he noticed Dan's brief case and bowlers hat, and he 'hmm-ed' to himself as he reached over, grabbing the hat. Willow watched him as he put it on, and she grinned stupidly. The hat actually didn't look half bad on him.
"They'll be gone for a while," he explained as he started towards the door, taking his keys out of his purple trench coat pocket. Willow followed quickly behind him, and she closed the wooden door behind her as they ventured out towards the detached garage to get into the Tahoe. A song immediately blared through the speakers, the bass vibrating the truck. Joker didn't turn it down, however, as he backed out down the driveway. He closed the garage door and turned to exit the neighborhood.
They drove through the back streets of Gotham, the scenery consisting of nothing but trees and barren fields, the grass frozen over due to the cold weather. Willow remained silent, just listening to the music as she stared out the window, occasionally sneaking glances at the Joker as he drove. He still had Dan's hat on his head, the tips of his hair poking through the bottom. His make-up was freshly done, and he held the steering wheel with one hand, loosely bent at the elbow and she noticed he was idly tapping his fingers to the beat of the song on his lap with his free hand. He stared dead ahead at the road, somewhat of a frown on his face. Willow couldn't help but stare at him; he looked good. And there was just something about those human qualities that always seemed to show through, like tapping his fingers to the beat and actually enjoying music. He didn't seem like the type to like rap, but as Willow thought about it, she figured he had grown up listening to it. It only made her more curious to find out who Jack Napier was before the Joker...
About forty-five minutes later they pulled up in front a small, abandoned shack in the middle of the woods. Joker took the keys out of the ignition, the song instantly stopping. Willow was busy looking out the window and at the random blue car that was parked just a few feet diagonally from them. Once the music stopped she instantly looked over to Joker.
"Stay quiet and do everything I tell you," he said simply as he glanced over at her. "Think you can handle that, sweets?"
Willow nodded, her heart pounding nervously. She followed Joker's actions by getting out of the car and she instantly got behind him to follow. She watched as Joker glanced inside the blue car, though she had no idea what for, and she took a deep breath as Joker knocked on the large door of the shack. A few short seconds later the door inched open. Willow didn't see who was behind it until it finally swung open all the way, and she stepped inside behind Joker.
"You must be Clint," Joker greeted with a grin as he stepped inside. The short man, who had light blond hair, thin lips and a big nose, nervously nodded at him as he instantly stepped back further into the room.
"Nice to meet you," he said as he held out his hand. Joker grabbed it firmly and shook it up and down quickly before he dropped his hand to the side. As Willow stepped into the dimly lit room she could hear what sounded like a baby's rattle, and her heart sank when she saw a gray rattlesnake in a tank on a table behind Clint.
"Ah, Mister Joker!" A louder, more booming voice filled the hair, and when Willow looked over to the left slightly she saw a tall, very skinny man making his way over. He looked sickly, with incredibly pale skin, short jet black hair and black, beady eyes. The word 'demon' came to Willow's mind, and she shuddered.
"Jimmy!" Joker greeted as 'Jimmy' made his way over. They shook hands, leaving Clint to nervously step back. His back hit the table that contained the snake, and as it shook its rattle more he quickly moved over, rubbing his arm. "I understand you've got something for me?"
"Of course," Jimmy said as he stepped back. Joker followed him, his hands locked behind his back. Willow, however, held her ground. "What we've got here is a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. He's already almost two feet."
Willow watched, her eyes growing wide, as he reached into the tank. Willow sucked in a nervous breath as she took a step back towards the door.
Jimmy handed Joker the snake, who instantly unhinged his hands and took it from Jimmy. The snake has seized rattling, and Willow watched with wonder as Joker handled the snake, placing his hand around the snakes throat, forcing it's mouth open. He glanced inside before he nodded his approval.
"Willow," he said, and Willow jumped upon hearing her name. She slowly made her way over. "Start bringing that pile to the truck," Joker said as he nodded to the table. Upon looking over Willow noticed the large, empty tank the snake had been in along with a few other items on the table. "Think you got the muscles to do so?" Joker asked as Willow went to grab the tank. She turned and glared at him, noticing in the corner of her eye Jimmy was watching her.
"Yes," she said as she picked up the tank. She didn't think it would be so heavy and her arms instantly dropped, but she forced herself through the pain and continued over to the door.
"Willow," Jimmy said her name slowly. "Is that the same girl that's been 'missing'?"
"Can you keep a secret?" Joker asked as he looked over at him with a grin. Jimmy nodded with a grin of his own.
"Of course," he said. Joker ignored him, not going on any further.
"W-Willow, Jim?" Clint asked in a small voice behind him. "Whose that?"
Jimmy rolled his eyes and sighed as he slumped over slightly, causing his black shirt to look even bigger on him as it hung down. "No one, Clint." Clint instantly quieted down.
Willow came back inside after she managed to open the trunk of the Tahoe and get the tank inside, and she instantly started for the tank necessities, fitting as much as she could into the smaller tank that was on the table. Joker, Jimmy and Clint silently watched, and she tried her best to ignore them as she picked up the heavy tank and she headed over to the truck.
"So the trade we've arranged is still in play here, yes?" Jimmy asked as he turned back to Joker, who went back to studying the snake, a small grin on his face.
"Of course, Jimbo," Joker said, not bothering to look over to him.
"One thousand and participation in your plans with the venom?" Jimmy confirmed.
"One thousand and participation," Joker repeated as he glanced over to him. "That is if you have my other snake." Willow had just come back inside, and she slowly stepped over to stand behind Joker.
Jimmy turned to Clint and nodded over to the table. Joker watched as Clint ducked behind it, and once he leaned back up Joker saw he had another, much smaller snake that was trying desperately to leave his grasp. Willow watched the snake with squinted eyes. Clint nervously handed the snake to Joker, who grabbed it with his free hand, and Willow jumped when he turned to her, the rattlesnake's throat still in his hand's clutch, the rest of its body tangled around his arm.
"Here," he said as he held out the smaller snake to Willow. She made a confused face and nervously took it from Joker. The snake instantly wrapped itself safely around her hand, her fingers spread, and upon studying it further she realized it was a Red-tailed Boa. A wide, goofy smile came to play on her lips as she looked up to Joker but he was already turning around. He had been listening, Willow thought as she recalled their conversation about snakes the previous day.
"Willow, go wait outside with your little friend," Joker commanded, and she instantly headed towards the door, never taking her eyes off of her snake.
"So," Jimmy started. "I trust everything is to your liking?"
"Of course, Jimbo," Joker said. "But you know," he paused as he took a step towards Jimmy. Clint nervously backed up, but Jimmy stayed his ground, grinning at Joker. "I've never actually seen what happens when a venomous snakes bites someone," he lied.
"It's interesting," Jimmy said as she shifted his weight, honestly feeling a bit nervous suddenly. But regardless he held his ground. "Rattlesnakes have hemotoxic venom, which means that the venom is—"
He was unable to finish, and a small yell erupted from him a short second later. The snake that Joker had thrown at him hit the floor and started over slowly towards Clint's direction. Joker quickly took his gun out from his coat pocket and pulled the trigger, Clint falling to the ground.
He turned to Jimmy, who was holding his neck as he stared at Joker, at a loss of words. Joker shrugged as he pointed the gun at Jimmy, Jimmy breathing deeply all the while. "I told you I've never seen what happens," Joker started, the wide grin on his face proving to Jimmy that he had been lying. "But, I really don't have time to watch and observe." He cocked the gun as he lowered his gaze. "And, to finish your thought... hemotoxic venom is toxic to the blood. But, I'm sure you know that." Without another word he pulled the trigger, laying a bullet right through his chest, and Jimmy fell to the ground like a ton of bricks. Joker sighed, shaking his head as we went to retrieve the snake. Too easy, he thought to himself. The rattlesnake paused, rattling its tail as it sensed Joker behind it. Joker quickly reached down, pinning the snakes head to the ground, and he squeezed its throat as he picked it up.
"I didn't think you'd actually bite him," Joker started as he turned the snake to face him, honestly impressed and satisfied his sudden urge had worked. He looked into the snakes beady, black eyes embedded in its thick, bulbous head. He grinned with a laugh, loving how mean the snake looked. "We'll call you... Rampage," he said, his grin widening. A final thought occurred to Joker as he started towards the door, and he turned around. With his foot he flipped over Jimmy's body, his neck already swelled, and patted around his body with his shoe, feeling for any weapons. He laughed to himself a second later, finding no weapons, and he finally turned to the door to leave the shack. Had Jimmy really thought everything would work out?
Willow's heart was racing and her eyes were wide as she watched Joker finally come out of the shack. "What happened?" She breathed. Joker merely shrugged as he started to the truck, and Willow quickly backed away from him, watching as he put the snake in the large tank.
"Oh, you know," Joker said as he went about putting the black, metal lid on the tank, Rampage rattling his tail all the while. As Willow watched him, waiting for him to go on, her snake had managed to wrap itself around her wrist, and she couldn't help but grin slightly, thinking how the snake was like her bracelet.
"Well?" Willow asked as Joker reached up and closed the back of the trunk. He turned to her with a shrug. "Did you really think we'd leave with two snakes that I'd actually pay for?" Willow was silent as she looked down slightly. "Exactly. Money's tight," Joker said with a wide grin, and Willow grinned back a second later, secretly rolling her eyes.
She climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door before she quickly turned back to her snake, which had comfortably rested it's head in the area between her thumb and index finger.
"Like it?" Joker asked as he put the keys in the ignition. Willow smiled widely and nodded at him as Joker grinned, shaking his head. He turned down the radio once the song came blaring on, and he reached up, taking Dan's hat off and he placed it on Willow's head, finally putting the truck in gear. She laughed as she adjusted the hat on her head.
"Why did you get him?" Willow asked as she looked back to her bracelet of a snake.
"Her," Joker corrected. "And don't ask stupid questions, Willow," he said with a sigh. Willow made a face, unsure what he meant by that. Joker, however, was in no mood to explain, or admit, now that he thought about it, that he had actually just done something nice for Willow. He growled to himself as he started back down the road, away from the shack.
"Well thank you," she said as she smiled over at him, but Joker kept his gaze on the road. "I'm gonna name her... Crystal."
Joker raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly, Rampage rattling his tail all the while.
–
Joey and Dan didn't get home until the evening. This gave Joker and Willow plenty of time to smuggle their snakes in, and get their tanks set up in the guest room.
"Isn't Joey going to be mad?" Willow asked as she watched Joker lower Rampage into the tank while she held Crystal, who was tightly wound up around her fingers.
"I'm positive," Joker said with a grin as he went about locking the tank, Rampage's rattle going at full speed now, the sound like an old sprinkler. Willow watched the snake nervously.
"H-he can't get out, right?" She asked as she looked up at him. He grinned as he turned around, and he lowered his head as he looked at her.
"I thought you liked snakes," Joker said as he crossed his arms.
"Not poisonous ones that could kill me," she stated back. Joker raised his eyebrows and nodded, and he looked away slightly as if in thought. Willow felt the room spin. "So he can't get out, right?"
"I'm counting on it," Joker growled, and he patted her head a second later as he started out of the room to remove his face-paint. Willow sighed as she threw Dan's hat onto the floor, telling herself that he had only been joking, and she lowered Crystal into her own small tank on a the long table next to the door before she locked the tank's lid and headed downstairs.
Once arriving home, Dan had instantly excused himself to take a shower while Joey was left to plop down on the couch with a loud, audible sigh. He rested his arms along the back of the couch, his legs stretched in front of him and separated, and he sighed again as he let his head fall back, his eyes closed. Willow smiled from behind him and she stood from the table, taking a sip from her can of Creme Soda as she stepped into the living room.
Joker was sitting on the smaller of the couches, staring idly at the TV. Willow sat down on the side opposite of him and she looked to Joey when he started talking.
"I love my job. I look forward to going to the club every night, I do okay? But I cannot stand to be in the same room, let alone same building as that fucking guy anymore." He was talking about his brother, and he closed his eyes tightly as he lifted his head up, shortly afterward leaning forward to place his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees. Willow frowned.
"That bad, huh?" Joker asked, not even bothering to look over at his friend.
"You have no idea," Joey grumbled as he leaned up now. "'Joey! Remember growing up in this house? Joey! Remember the time I beat you at that race going uphill, AND downhill? Joey! Remember the time you backed the car into the garage and I had to fix it because dad was too busy being furious at you? Joey! Remember how much trouble you got in when you snuck out that one night, and how mad you were when you realized I was the one that told on you?' FUCK!"
Willow jumped when he yelled, his voice echoing throughout the house, and she watched as he took another large breath, his chest rising then falling, trying to calm himself down. Joker finally looked over to him with a large grin.
"It sounds like your childhood was terrible, Joseph." He nodded as he crossed his legs, his ankle on his knee. "Mine certainly just can't compare!"
Joey looked over to his friend, his eyes narrowed on him. "Jack?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up!"
Joker laughed as he shook his head, looking away. Willow was left staring at Joker, wondering to herself what his childhood was like. Obviously Joker thought of his as being a lot harder than Joey's had been.
"Is your brother really that bad?" She asked as she looked to Joey, taking an other sip of her drink. Joey nodded.
"He is," he said. "All my life he's always had to prove himself better than me. Always. And all he's going to do is complain about how I run the club tonight," he sighed. Willow frowned.
"Why?" She asked. "The club is great!"
"I know!" Joey said back as he looked back to her. "See, he passed down that club to me when I was twenty two," he explained. "What he seems to always forget is that club was near being to an end. That's why he dumped it on me, and bam! I was in the family business, just like that."
Willow's jaw had dropped. "I didn't know it was your brother's club," she stated. Joker rolled his eyes.
"Where have you been," he mumbled. Willow ignored him, hoping Joey would go on with his story.
"He always knew that he ran that club better than me, but it had no business, until Jack rolled along," he added with a toss of his hand and he leaned back to stare at the TV. Willow glanced to Joker before she looked back to Joey. She felt left out, wanting to know everything she could about Joker and even Joey's history. She felt like all she wanted to do was sit in the living room and listen to them share stories. She had never been so interested in someone's history before. Her stomach dropped, however, when she realized she would probably never know more than she did now. She took a large sip of her soda and swallowed quickly, as if swallowing back her thoughts.
"Well, what time are we leaving?" She asked.
"Ten," Joey said blandly.
"Are you coming?" Willow asked as she turned to Joker. He laughed slightly before he turned to her.
"I can't, doll," he said. Willow frowned, and Joker laughed again when he noticed this. "I'll be recognized sweets. And I'm not about to there without my-"
"Pretty, pretty make-up," Joey said sourly and sarcastically as he stood up. Joker frowned at him before he grinned slightly.
"'Least I got a head full of hair!" Joker shot back. Joey turned around.
"I do have hair!" He said back loudly, Joker laughing all the while.
"I've never seen any," Joker shot back, and Willow couldn't help but grin as she looked to Joey. Joey paused, pointing at Joker, seeming as though he was going to say something, only a second later to wave his hand and start towards the stairs. Joker continued to laugh as he shook his head and he turned back to the TV.
"So you're really not going?" Willow asked with a pout.
"Nope," Joker said simply. Willow sighed, and without another word she leaned back on the couch, not exactly excited about having to be there without him.
Once ten rolled around, Joey, Dan and Willow all took Joey's car to the club.
"So, Whitney," Dan started as he turned to face Willow in the backseat, Joey speeding down the road angrily. "How did you get into dancing?"
"Um," she started. She wasn't sure what to say. Did she tell him the truth or come up with a story? Joker may have been good at it, but she sure wasn't. "I-I was sort of forced into it."
"Oh?" Dan asked with wide eyes. "Why? By who? It was Joey, right?" He asked as he tilted his head to the side, nodding slightly. Willow narrowed her eyes on him.
"No," she said. "By my un- my father. When I was nineteen."
"That's tragic," Dan said somewhat passively as he turned back around. "Our father was never one to force us to do anything, or, at least me," he went on to say. Willow narrowed her eyes on him again, and she glanced at Joey's angry face in the rear-view mirror. "My mother was a stripper," Dan went on to say as he looked back to Willow. "I guess it just runs in the family. It's only natural Joey would have gotten with one," he said with a wide smile. Willow raised an eyebrow. "Though I can't imagine why he'd get with such a low-"
"She is not low," Joey said. "She should have been working at Line the whole time," he defended. Willow softly smiled at this, knowing his defense was real.
"Well yes, but all I'm saying is Mother was a very classy stripper, very... clean. And you know how Dad was," he added. He turned back to Willow in his seat. "Father was the one who would be drinking wine at the club," he said with a laugh. "Wine! It doesn't get much more classy than that!"
Willow forced a fake smile, still trying to figure out if Dan had insulted her. She'd make him eat his words. She was good, and she knew it.
Once they had reached the club, Dan breathed in deeply that Gotham air as he looked up to the building. "Wow, Joey," he said. "This place hasn't changed at all! I mean look, it still needs a paint job. Maybe some new tint on those windows and doors."
Joey rolled his eyes as he growled, waiting for Willow to make her way around the car. He placed his hand on her lower back as they started towards the door, a few men outside wearing suits smoking cigarettes, glaring heavily at them. Joey opened the door, allowing Willow to step in front of him before he walked in, not bothering to hold the door for his brother. Dan's eyes widened once he stepped inside, and his jaw dropped before he quickly wiped the look of surprise off his face. Joey noticed and smirked at him as he crossed his arms, Willow standing nervously next to him.
"It's great, huh?" Joey asked as he nodded. "Full of people."
"The club was full when I owned it, Joey," Dan said somewhat quietly. "It's just..." he trailed off as he looked around, noticing all the dancers on the three stages, how busy the bar was, and how literally every table was full with men who thought of themselves as important. Dan had no idea the type's of people who went to Joey's club...
Joey sighed when he realized Dan was to stubborn to admit that Joey was doing a better job than he ever had with the place, and he placed his arm around Willow's waist, lightly gripping her hip as they started down the main isle towards the stages, Dan following quickly behind.
Willow noticed how all the other girls were scowling at her, most likely wondering why she was alone with Joey with no sight of Joker. She ignored them and continued to walk while Dan busied himself with glancing around.
"Joey where did the picture of Dad go?"
"It's in my office," Joey said flatly.
"Oh," Dan said in the same tone. "I'm sure you've changed it up in there, yes?"
"The furniture's all the same, Danny."
Dan scowled from behind his younger brother and he rolled his eyes. They stopped at the curtain as Joey slid his arm from Willow and turned to her just as a blond girl was coming out from the private room. She stopped by them and smiled up at Joey, quickly glancing at Dan before she looked back to Joey.
"Hi, Joey," she purred with a smile as she leaned closer to him. He ignored her and continued to look at Willow.
"Hurry and change quickly," Joey commanded as he looked to Willow. "I want you to go on with the next song."
"Well God, Joey," Dan said as he crossed his arms. "I know she works here but is that any way to talk to your girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend?" The blond asked as she leaned back, a shocked look on her face. She turned to Willow and raised an eyebrow as she frowned, and she looked her up and down, smirking at her appearance as Willow glared at her. "Since when?"
"Courtney, why don't you go find something to do?" Joey said quickly as he turned to her, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around, and he gently pushed her back towards the private room. She started towards the curtain, looking back for a split second to glare at them with a large frown before she finally disappeared behind the curtain. Willow nervously looked at Dan, who had his eyebrow raised and his arms crossed.
"So word hasn't really gotten around about you two yet, huh?" He asked skeptically. Joey nodded and was about to speak but Dan quickly interrupted. "Well I know Dad wasn't ashamed of his relationship."
"Danny I'm not ashamed," Joey started. He seemed at a loss of words, and he held out his hand towards the stage. "Just go change Wil- Whitney," he quickly corrected. Willow turned around and started towards the dressing room without another word.
"You act like it," Dan started as he followed Joey behind the curtain towards the private room. "I'm just saying that Dad-"
"Dan shut up about Dad, okay?" Joey said. Dan shut his mouth with a frown as he followed Joey up to his office.
After a short, stressful conversation about the office décor, Joey and Dan made their way back downstairs, stealing a table at the front. They sat at the table just a new song just started. From behind the stage Willow took a deep breath before she strutted out. The first thing she noticed as she took the pole was Dan leaned in towards Joey, telling him something over the loud bass-full music. Most likely a complaint, Willow thought.
"You play actual, lyrical music?" Dan asked through the music. Joey leaned away from him and nodded. Dan frowned and leaned back over. "Dad wouldn't ever play something you could hear on the radio, Joey. The music he played was custom."
"Times have changed, Dan," Joey said in a very annoyed tone as he rolled his eyes. He took a deep, steadying breath and looked to the stage, trying to desperately drown out the negative energy his brother brought on and focus all his attention on Willow.
Dan had totally stopped talking as he watched Willow through the whole song, never taking his eyes off of her. There was something majestic with how she moved her hips and the way her curly and wavy hair swayed. He noticed how she seemed so at ease, happy and confident in what she was doing, but most of all he noticed her talent. He fidgeted in his seat next to Joey as he continued to watch her.
"She is good," he said. Joey turned to him with a content grin on his face.
"I know," he said. "I only hire the best of the best, Danny."
Dan kept his mouth closed, watching as Willow finished her dance. He looked around when the club cheered, and smirked at Willow's poor attempt to somewhat cover herself up as she skipped off the stage. Joey stretched his arms out in front of him, a content, cocky grin on his face when he turned to his brother.
"Well?"
"Well what?" Dan asked as they stood from the table.
"You gonna take back all that you said?"
"No," Danny said smoothly. "Whitney is amazing, I'll give her and... you that, but there's much that needs improving."
Joey frowned, the room spinning as he looked at his brother, who was only slightly taller than him. "You've got to be kidding me."
"What?" Dan asked, truly confused and thrown off by what he considered to be his brother's pouting.
"You know this place is doing better than you ever ran it, Daniel!"
Dan flinched. "Joey, call me Dan! I don't know how many times I have to tell you that. You're acting like a child, Joseph!"
"Oh, okay," Joey said with a laugh as he backed away. "Who's the child now, huh? Mister 'I'm not gonna sink down to your level'," he mimicked. "You're impossible, Dan, you know? It's just never good enough." Joey shook his head and started to turn around. "Whatever, I'm done listening to you. Your opinion is shit to me. Fuck, even Jack's mean more than yours."
"That roommate of yours?" Dan asked as he quickly followed Joey. "What's his deal anyway? Why is he there? He spends a lot of time with Whitney you know..."
Joey stopped and turned around with a small smile. "What's it even matter, Dan?"
"He's creepy, bro! Those scars on his face? Yellow teeth? How could you be friends with someone who's so... disgusting!"
"He's fine, Danny. That's not the issue here."
"He's probably stealing money from you, Joey. He's after your girl."
"Shut the hell up, Dan!"
"Then what's the problem? Joey you're over-reacting over nothing!"
Joey ignored him as he rolled his eyes, and he continued on to his office, leaving his brother behind.
Willow made her rounds over the next few hours and danced on stage one last time before Joey was set to leave. She noticed a strong, awkward tension, more so than before, existed between the two brothers, and she noticed how they were no longer talking to each other at all. The car ride back to the house was as silent as could be, and she preoccupied herself with staring out the window, watching the occasional car go by in the dark scenery. She glanced at the clock; it was almost one in the morning. Joey had closed up early that night, and Willow knew he was too stressed to stay there any longer.
She felt relieved once they got to the house. A cold wind blew passed Willow as her and Dan exited the car, leaving Joey to pull into the garage. Willow was the first inside, and the first thing she heard was the TV. She continued through the entryway and spotted Joker on the couch. He was lying down, his legs crossed at the ankle in front of him, his head rested on the arm rest, his arms crossed on his chest. He tilted his head back when he heard the garage door slam shut, and he grinned when he saw Willow's upside down figure. His eyes traveled down, or upward in this case, and he could see the strings from her g-string poking out from the top of her tight fitted jeans.
"Well hello, Whitney," he hissed. Willow grinned slightly as she looked at him; he looked so goofy. "How was work? Give any good lap dances?"
"Yes," Willow said. "To some fat guy."
"Charming," Joker said as he now sat up, smoothing his hair back with his hands. "I bet he enjoyed it."
Dan had paused in the kitchen, his eyebrow raised as he looked at the profile of Joker. A shiver ran up his spine and he quickly turned towards the fridge. Joey soon appeared, and he stormed passed everyone and marched right into his office, closing the door behind him. From on the couch, Joker raised an eyebrow before he stood up, stretching his arms in front of him.
"What a baby," Dan said from behind them in the kitchen as he shook his head, his glass of water placed gently on his lips. Joker turned to him then looked to Willow, who merely shrugged.
"Come," Joker said stupidly in that low voice of his. "We must console the wild beast with in."
He walked passed Willow, and all she could do was stand there, her face reddening as she tried not to burst into laughter. She didn't looked behind her as she followed Joker to Joey's office. He didn't bother knocking or making his presence known. Rather he opened the unlocked door and walked inside, leaving Willow to close the door. Joey was seated at his desk across from them. He had his arms folded on the desk in front of him, his head resting in them. Willow frowned as she followed Joker further into the room, and he marched up to Joey's desk, placing his palms on the wood.
"Joseph?" Joker asked in a smooth voice. "Are you... crying?"
"No I'm not crying!" Joey snapped as he lifted his head up. "Man, if you're going to be annoying, get the fuck out."
Joker laughed as he leaned away from the desk, shaking his head. "No, really Joey. I came in to ask you... when is he leaving?"
Joey continued to look at his friend, his head lowered as Joker waited for an answer.
"I'm not kidding man," Joker went on. "I can't keep doing this. I look like an old fucking man, Joey. I don't feel like myself. What does freedom mean if you can't express yourself?"
Willow stifled a laugh and she instantly covered her mouth when Joker turned to her. He raised his eyebrows as he slowly started over to her.
"You think this is funny?" He asked. "It's not, Willow, or should I say Whitney. You got it easy, kiddo. All you had to do was change your name."
"Well it's not like we decided to dress up like a clown for the rest of our lives, Jack," Joey said with a smirk. Joker had finally reached Willow and he slowly circled behind her.
"Well Joey," he started. He stopped behind Willow and placed his hands on her hips, and he pulled her back towards him. "You're one to talk. Mister 'I'm so unique'." He smirked at him as his bare hands found the red strings of her underwear, and he pulled them up with his thumbs before he let them slap back down against her.
"Ow!" Willow cried as she started to turn around, but Joker held her in place as he continued to grin at Joey. Joey raised an eyebrow as he watched them before he finally shook his head, leaning back in his chair.
"And Jack I really appreciate you doing this for me. It's a great favor, bro."
Joker rolled his eyes, and he looked down over Willow's shoulder as he tucked the strings back into her pants. "Well," he started. He slapped his hands down on Willow's hips before he moved passed her again. "When is he leaving?"
"Tomorrow," Joey groaned.
"In the morning?" Joker pushed on.
"Man I don't know."
It was on the tip of Willow's tongue to ask why he didn't just kick Dan out, but she remained quiet, still slightly confused on Joker's random act of holding her against him.
"Well," Joker said again. "Let's hope so, hmm?"
Joey sighed as he looked away, glancing at the clock on the wall. He stood finally and started around the desk. "Let's go downstairs and start figuring out how we wanna do this," he said, referring to the remodeling. Without a word both men left to go downstairs, leaving Willow wondering what she should do.
The answer was obvious. She realized she hadn't smoked a cigarette in a quite a long time, so she ventured up to the guest room to retrieve Joker's pack, and after grabbing the lighter she started back downstairs, stepping out onto the deck. She sat down at the table, placing her legs on the wooden guardrail in front of her as she looked out to the somewhat thick forest below and ahead of her, just beyond Joey's spacious, fenced backyard. She saw Arlo running around the yard, and she rolled her eyes as she lit her cigarette. She had only taken one, delicious drag when she suddenly heard the screen door open, and upon turning around she noticed it was Dan.
"Hi," he said. He sat down next to her. "Do you have any more of those?"
Without a word Willow handed him the pack and lighter, and she heard him strike the lighter behind her before he exhaled the smoke loudly.
"So," he started as he set the items on the table. "You're a pretty good dancer."
"Thank you," Willow said as she continued to look out into the scenery. "So you really owned the club before Joey did?" Willow turned around to face him, and he grinned as he nodded.
"I did," he said. "Our father owned three clubs, and our mother danced in all three after they met. Dad passed down two of the clubs to me, and I later sold Line of Jewels to Joey. I had bigger and better things waiting for me in Europe."
Willow took another drag as she nodded slightly.
"Joey seemed to hate the family business, though."
"He doesn't to me," Willow said. "He really likes it there. He-"
"He's faking," Dan said, as if he actually knew this. "He took terrible care of the place. It had no guests. Barely any dancers, and the one's he hired were shit."
Willow raised an eyebrow. That wasn't how Joey thought of it...
"I don't know," Willow said. "I've been working there for a while. I know he likes it, and he tries hard with it. It's a damn successful club."
"Well I can see how'd you think that, seeing as how you've never been to one of my clubs."
Willow's eyebrows met in the middle as she looked at him, watching as he ashed his cigarette onto the deck floor rather than the ashtray directly in front of him. She continued to scowl at him before she finally turned away, and just barely she could hear Joey and Joker's voices from below them at the doorway of the patio.
"Joey, your... dog thing wants to come inside."
"Then let him in!"
"No."
Willow smiled as she rolled her eyes. Dan watched as she fought the urge to laugh, and he rolled his own eyes.
"He's headed down a bad road, as my father would say. He was always on a bad track. It's destiny that he ends up with nothing."
Willow turned back to him as Joker and Joey's voices faded away. Willow shook her head as she looked away again, nearly finished with her cigarette. Dan flicked his way, and Willow watched as it flew over the deck rail, landing in the backyard. She finally stood from her chair, and she ashed her cigarette in the ash tray.
"Nice talking with you," Dan said in a happy voice. Willow ignored him, anger rising in her, and left him sitting outside, closing the screen door with a slight slam. She marched over to the stairs and she descended down them. Joey and Joker were standing the hallway of the basement, discussing something, but she ignored them and continued on towards the screen door to the patio.
"See if we make it tan though it's gonna clash with the-"
"Joey listen to yourself. You sound like a fag," Joker commented easily. Joey was about ready to punch him when he noticed Willow storm by. They both gave each other a look and followed her to the screen door, stopping at it to watch as she marched into the dying grass of the backyard. She searched for something on the ground for a few short seconds, Arlo wagging his tail from behind her as he happily followed. She finally bent down, picked something up from the grass, and she started back towards the door.
"I hate your brother, Joey," she said simply as she dropped what they finally noticed was a cigarette butt in the large tin garbage just outside the door. Joker opened the screen door for her with a smirk, stepping aside to let her in.
"What was he saying now?" Joey asked as she turned around, her arms crossed. Joker scowled as Arlo came running inside, and he slid the screen door closed before he closed the glass door.
"A bunch of shit," she said as she cocked her hip to the side. "But he threw his cigarette over the deck instead of just putting it in the damn ashtray that was right in front of him!"
Joey raised an eyebrow, but Joker was quick to explain.
"Ah," he said. "One of her biggest pet peeves. Though you seemed to have no problem littering James' grave with them." He grinned at her as he tilted his head to the side.
"James' grave?" Joey asked as he turned towards Joker.
"H-he liked them," Willow said.
"Oh? And did he tell you that?" Joker asked with a smirk. Willow frowned.
"Yes he did."
"And they call me crazy," Joker said with a slight laugh as he walked passed Joey now, Arlo following him back towards the hall. Joey grinned as he shook his head.
–
Around two, sleepiness seemed to finally wash over the household. Joker had already gone upstairs, Joey was in his office, and Dan was in the kitchen, rinsing off the dishes he had used for his 'midnight snack'. Willow had just turned off the TV and she walked down to hall to Joey's office. She jumped slightly when his door suddenly opened, and her back hit the wall behind her. Joey grinned at her as he took a step forward.
"I just wanted to let you know I was gonna wait in your room 'till Dan went to bed," she said.
"Okay," Joey said. "Hey also the sink in the bathroom upstairs is fucking stained with red and black-"
"Joey?"
Willow's eyes widened at Dan's voice that seemed to be right next to them, and in a panic Joey quickly pushed Willow against the wall, his lips crashing down onto hers the second he had been interrupted. She recovered from the shock quickly and went with it, lightly resting her hands on his broad shoulders just as Dan rounded the corner.
"Joey I- oh."
Joey kissed Willow one final time before he pulled away, his hands still on Willow's upper arms, holding her against the wall, and he turned his head towards his brother. Willow swallowed as she nervously looked at him.
"Sorry," he said as he straightened up. "I didn't mean to... interrupt."
"It's cool," Joey said. He finally let go of Willow and started passed Dan, Willow quickly following behind him. "We were just going to bed."
"Me too," Dan said. Joey didn't give him a chance to continue on, for he had already started up the stairs. Dan was eying Willow skeptically and she quickly started up the stairs behind Joey, and she closed his bedroom door behind her.
"Sorry about that," Joey said as he pulled back the comforter on his bed. "I... panicked." He grinned slightly at her.
"It's fine," Willow said, a small grin on her face, glad to know that Joker had already gone in his room. She noticed the light had still been on when they came upstairs, and she wondered what he was doing.
She sat on the foot of Joey's bed watching TV, and five minutes later she finally stood, deciding it was a good time to go sneak back into the guest room. She said goodnight to Joey and started towards the door.
She opened it as quietly as she could, closing it just as gently. The house was dark, save for the moonlight that shone directly on the area of the guestroom door from the large window atop the front door. Willow was trying to be a quiet as she could as she tip toed to the door. She finally reached it, only to cringe and curse at herself when her hand accidentally hit the knob of the door, the knob making a small sound. She jumped a second later when she saw something move from the corner of her eye, and upon looking down the stairs, she found herself staring down at Dan, him staring back up at her. He had just quietly opened the front door, his clothes changed into more of a casual business suit. Her heart pounded so loud she could hear it, and the room seemed to wobble as they continued to stare at each other, her eyes wide, while Dan had an eyebrow raised.
What seemed like minutes, though what was only a few seconds, passed by as they continued to look at each other. Willow swallowed as she touched her hand to the knob again. Finally a nervous smile spread onto Dan's lips, and without a word he disappeared out the door, gently closing it behind him. With a deep breath, Willow finally pushed open the guest room door, trying to make sense of what had just happened...
Sorry about the long wait guys! Thank you for the reviews! PLEASE keep them coming!
ALSO! I created a website for all my Joker stories! It has pictures, biographies, and lots more. It's still a work in progress but it's totally functional. Follow the link on my profile to see pictures of Joker, Willow and Joey! You'll also find a biography on Joey (Willow's is still in progress). I'll be adding much more content to the site, so please check it out and I'll keep you updated! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Lemme see those reviews! :D