His body leaped as Joker woke up with a start, his eyes immediately popping open to adjust to the darkness. He stared at the open closet directly in front of him, his eyebrows furrowed as he took a second to let the feeling of being awake catch up with him. All at once, however, memories of the night before came flooding back to him with such force he angrily threw the heavy blankets off of him and he sat up quickly, feeling lightheaded due to the rapid motion. He could recall everything, he felt as though he remembered the whole night perfectly. He didn't care about Joey's experience, and he did not care about the clown... all he could focus on is what had happened with Willow, and she had seen him do.
He moved his fingers into his hair and grabbed two large tufts, pulling hard as he leaned over, looking down at his feet. He had cried in front of her; he had broken down like some weak and pathetic , and over what? Over a clown? How in the fuck did that make sense?
He took in a deep, long breath through his nose as grabbed the edge of the bed, finally realizing Willow wasn't in bed next to him. With a loud, audible growl he stood up, positive that she had told Joey everything. And how could she not have? Nobody had ever witnessed Joker in such a human-like moment. 'Oh my God, Joey!' He pictured in his head what she instantly had said to Joey that morning. 'Joker's like, toootally afraid of clowns and he cried! He cried in front of me! But don't tell anyone, he'd kill me!'
He slammed his fist into the closet as anger surged through his body, his fist breaking through the wood. He pulled it out as he kept his fingers clenched, the pain helping somewhat with his anger and hatred over himself. He paced about the room, remembering how he had bawled in the shower with her as she held him, insisting to be called Jack rather than what his real name was. He recalled how she had to help into bed, and before that help get him dressed. It was absolutely ridiculous. He touched his hand to the right side of his face, running his finger over the jagged, dried blood that existed there.
He swallowed now as he thought in a panic. It seemed the only sensible thing to do was kill her, and perhaps even Joey. There was just no way this could get out to anyone, and he wasn't sure he could even live with Willow and Joey knowing.
But now, for the time being, how was he supposed to go downstairs and face them? It would be awkwardly quiet before Joey laughed at him, and he could picture Willow quickly sprinting over to him and making sure he was okay. No. He didn't want any of it. He didn't want her help or pity and if Joey said one wrong thing to him he'd kill him, hands down, no strings attached. He did not care at this point.
He turned around and snatched a pair of pants out of the closet, his knuckles bleeding slightly, but he ignored it and threw them on. He turned to head to the door, and he froze momentarily when he noticed the mirror by the door had been turned around. He narrowed his eyes on it, thinking, and he reached out to turn it around. When he stared at his reflection he saw only himself, his face bare, green hair thrown all over the place, and the dry blood on the side of his face. He stared at himself for a good long minute before he finally threw the guestroom door open to stomp onto the landing.
From the table Willow and Joey had heard the loud bang in the guestroom, and now they held their breaths as they listened to Joker make his way down the stairs. Joey was confused as to why Joker seemed to have woken up so angry, but Willow knew. Joey had been able to, quite embarrassingly, recall everything, and she knew Joker would be able to as well. Any minute he'd storm over to the table and kill her instantly and without warning, thus bringing what was apparently her worst fear to life.
Joker rounded the corner of the stairs and started towards the table. Willow sat adjacent to Joey, a mug of coffee in front of her that she held with both her hands as she stared down, her curly and wavy hair parted in just a way that he could make out the nervous frown she wore on her face. Joey, however, was watching him as he approached. He looked guilty, and mighty worried...
Joker kept his lips thinned once he approached them and he turned swiftly to head into the kitchen. Cue bad morning... aaaand, go.
"Man," Joey started with a grin as he shook his head. "Last night was... I mean... holy fuck."
Joker remained quiet as he opened the fridge, a bottle of ketchup falling from the door and landing on the floor, but he ignored it and instead grabbed out the orange juice, leaving the bottle on the ground. Willow had slowly turned around, and she watched as he unscrewed the lid to drink directly from the bottle. He brought the jug down, swallowing the large amount of tart liquid he held in his mouth as his eyes fell to Willow. He glared at her, and she instantly turned back around, her heart pounding. Joker raised an eyebrow at this. She seemed terrified.
"Yeah those spiders are pretty scary, huh?" Joker asked sourly as he went in for another sip of orange juice. Joey looked down as his face reddened.
"Whatever," he mumbled. "What the fuck were you freaking out about upstairs? Did you try the pills?"
Joker swallowed again, and he took a deep breath in through his nose. Willow could feel him glaring at the back of her head, and all she wanted to do was disintegrate away and not have to deal with this.
"Yeah," Joker answered. "Didn't Willow tell you?"
"Man she didn't tell me shit," Joey complained. "Been chillin' with her for fuckin' two and a half hours now and she barely said a word. What happened?"
Joker's eyebrows met in the middle as he continued to stare at Willow. She hadn't told Joey anything? "What did she say?" he asked, carrying on the conversation as if she wasn't there. She closed her eyes tight, recalling everything, remembering the promise she had made with herself the night before. Without warning she suddenly stood from the table, some of her coffee spilling over the edge of the mug, and she started towards the stairs with her head down. Joker watched her go before he turned back to Joey, a look of confusion on his face. If she really hadn't told him anything, then it would change everything.
"Nothing," Joey repeated as Joker set the orange juice down, and he made his way over to the table to sit down where Willow had been. "All she told me is that you made a mess in the bathroom. Thanks, by the way," he added sarcastically. "Anyway that doesn't tell me shit. So while you all know that yes, I'm terrified of spiders, I act like a little fucking girl in front of them, what did you see?"
Joker frowned as he looked at Joey, his mind going at a million miles a minute, unable to fathom that Willow hadn't told him a thing. She didn't even tell him what he had seen...
"Nothing," Joker said as he leaned back. "Don't worry about it."
"Man that's bullshit," Joey said as he laughed slightly, shaking his head. "Last night was supposed to be funny, and now your turning it into some serious thing."
It is serious, Joker thought as he recalled how scared he had been of practically himself. He thought back to Willow, and how she had done everything to keep him away from a mirror. She had taken what Joker had done with her and intensified it, giving her all to help him come down from the high. Here she was, the only girl in the entire world who had experienced him breaking down completely, and she hadn't said a word. Why would she do that? But at the same time what would have happened if she didn't help him? He thought back, wondering silently himself if he really would have ended up cutting his own face off...
"Man, you're no fun," Joey interrupted. "I can't know what you saw?"
"Nope," Joker said as he stood from the table now. Without another word he instantly headed towards the stairs, leaving Joey to watch him, feeling very disappointed.
Joker quickly sprinted up the stairs and started to the bathroom, and he stopped suddenly when he saw her. Willow was bent down on the floor, her hair in her face as she picked up everything that had been thrown on to the floor. Just as Willow stood up he barged into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. Willow jumped as Joker approached her, and he grabbed her upper arms, squeezing them as he spun her around to force her against the counter, the edge digging into her lower back. She stared up at him panic-stricken as he pointed a finger into her face.
"If you ever tell anybody about what happened last night...-" Joker started in a grave, frantic voice, but he couldn't bring himself to finish his hostile death threat. He stared at Willow's frightened face, her eyes wide, eyebrows raised and her lips sucked in as she most likely anticipated him to hurt her. He swallowed nervously, feeling less and less like himself as he absentmindedly loosened his grip on her arm, lowering his finger as he breathed in and out deeply and quickly through his nose. He felt Willow relax slightly, completely thrown off by his attitude that morning. Neither knew what to say as they looked into each other eyes in the silent bathroom. Joker glanced up to look at his reflection behind her, having a hard time believing all that had happened the night before was real. His eyes dropped back down to Willow's, his lips thinned as he angrily stared at her.
She bit down on her tongue, unsure of what to do or say. She knew Joker was embarrassed like no other about the drug experience, and she felt for him, but she wondered what she could do or say that wouldn't lead to him snapping her neck right here and then.
"I won't tell anyone," she finally mumbled in a small voice. "You can trust me on that, but..." she trailed off as she looked down.
"But what?" Joker growled.
"I wanna know what you saw..." she spoke up honestly. Joker let his hands fall from her body, letting them slap against his sides. He shook his head as he took a step back and he started towards the door.
"You know what I saw," he said. "Why even ask-"
"I wanna know why," she interrupted as she turned her head to look at him, continuing to lean against the counter. Joker stopped short as he stared at the knob of the door, barely knowing why himself. It seemed all along he known what his biggest fear was, but he still figured nothing would have happened. He was smarter than that, however, and he couldn't remember why he had even done it. But Willow hadn't even told Joey, the secret seemed to be truly safe with her. If she hadn't even told Joey then he was certain she wouldn't tell anyone else, not that she even had anyone else to tell in the first place. A part of him wanted to tell her why, but he just couldn't bear to come off as so weak, again. He was superior to her, he was stronger, and she was supposed to look up to him, not the other way around.
He turned around slowly, and Willow held her breath as he stepped back over to her. He stood in front of her, glaring down into her eyes as she looked up into his. "We're done talking about it," he said in a much calmer voice. "And you're done worrying about it. Obviously I'm fine. For some God awful reason I'm trusting you to keep this to nobody but yourself." He watched as she sadly looked down, and for some reason it slightly pained him to see her look so hurt. He took in a deep breath, realizing he really didn't have much more of a reason to be angry anymore. He had told her that she was more than a distraction to him, and unfortunately it was proving to be true more and more each day. He touched his finger to the bottom of her chin and gently brought her head back up, her green eyes vibrant as she looked at him, confused, slightly frightened, and sad. He touched his hand to the side of her face, and he parted her lips with his thumb before he leaned in, kissing her firmly. She gasped as she froze, a shiver running up her spine, but her body relaxed a short moment later.
Joker broke the kiss momentarily to lift her onto the counter next to the sink, and he leaned forward again in between her legs, Willow awkwardly leaning against the mirror, but her eyes slid shut as Joker kissed her again, his own eyes closed. She reached up and grabbed his arms, digging her nails into his skin while Joker squeezed hard on her hips, the pain they brought on each other only intensifying the passionate kiss.
Joker lingered on with the kiss a moment longer before he finally pulled away slowly. She opened her eyes and stared into his, her heart still pounding at a million miles a second. Joker continued to hold her hips firmly, staring at her, reading her, until he finally turned away to open the door and head into the guestroom.
Willow took in a deep breath as she tried to understand what had just happened. She figured that the kiss had maybe been Joker's way of thanking her, since she knew he'd never say those words out loud to her. She slid her body off of the counter, feeling dazed and dizzy as she stepped out of the bathroom herself. She glanced over to the closed guestroom door, and she hoped that maybe one day she'd understand why Joker's biggest fear was a clown.
–
After a shower and re-applying his face, which fortunately he could stand to look at without feeling anything towards it, Joker headed downstairs, wearing his normal purple attire, minus his vest. However he found the house to be completely empty, and he wondered vaguely where Willow and Joey had gotten to. He looked in the hallway that led to Joey's office, the room bare, and he headed back towards the living room. Looking outside at the deck he saw that it was down pouring rain, and he turned around to head back to the stairs, deciding to see if they were perhaps in the basement.
Sure enough he saw them both standing on the patio, shielded from the rain from the deck. Arlo was running around in the rain in a hyper manner while Willow smoked a cigarette, Joey a cigar. Willow's back was against the glass of the partly slid open door while Joey was on her right side, his back to the door as well. Joker silently crept up to the door, deciding it would be funny to pound on the glass and scare the hell out of them both. After all that had happened the night before and in the morning he knew he was in desperate need of a good laugh.
"...just don't get what his problem was," Joey was saying. Willow rolled her eyes as she took a long drag, and she tilted her head as she gently blew out the smoke passed her lips.
"He just doesn't want to talk about it, Joey," she said back as she watched Arlo chase his tail. Joey frowned heavily next to her.
"I don't want to talk about it, I want to know what he saw."
"That would require talking to him about it," Willow pointed out with a small grin. From behind them Joker raised an eyebrow. Now that he knew they were definitely talking about him, he decided to put his childish antics on hold and have a listen further.
"Then you tell me," Joey said. "What did he see?"
"I don't know," Willow said passively as she took another drag, and she turned her head to stare at the sky beyond the deck.
"Yes, you do," Joey said. "God those drugs are a joke! It's funny! Why can't you two just chill out about it?"
"Because we saw something that's a little deeper to us than spiders," Willow said in a mumble, and it took everything Joker had in him not to laugh. 'Atta girl, he thought with a smirk.
Willow placed her cigarette in the ash tray next to her before she turned around, deciding that she was done completely with the conversation, but she felt her heart stop and her body jumped when she saw Joker standing behind the door. She frowned at him as she let out a large breath, and she slid the door open, leaving Joey to put out his cigar.
"How long have you been there?" She asked quietly. Joker merely shrugged and he looked up when he noticed Joey stepping inside the house from the corner of his eye. He lingered out the door, calling for his dog, but Arlo stood in the middle of the yard, his ears perked and head tilted to the side. Finally Joey rolled his eyes and he slid the door shut.
"Better be careful, Joey," Joker said with a grin. "There's spiders down here."
Joey stared at his friend with a flat expression, wishing he could say something to get him back. But unfortunately it seemed he would never know what Joker had seen, so all he could do was shake his head and start towards the stairs, Joker and Willow behind him.
Once upstairs Joey immediately headed towards the kitchen while Willow started to the living room to watch TV. It seemed as though Joker was in a much better mood, and since he had obviously been listening in on their conversation, she hoped she had finally proven to him that his secret was one thousand percent safe with her.
Joker headed towards the table that was directly in the middle, separating the kitchen from the living room, about to speak up, but a sudden vibration in his pocket caused him to pause and stop short. He pulled out his phone and he stared motionless at the caller ID. He raised his eyebrows as he glanced up. Willow had already settled into a show, her face a blank stare as she gazed at the TV, while Joey was busy scanning his fridge for something to eat. Quickly Joker turned and sprinted up the stairs before he hit the green talk button to hold the black phone to his ear.
"Officer Elliot!" Joker boasted into the phone with a wide grin as he spun on his heel to face the window of the guestroom.
"Yeah Joker, how you doin'?" Officer Elliot asked. Drew Elliot had been a cop for two years, but had been friends with Joker for three, and with Joker being such the persuasive guy he was, he was able to strike a deal with Drew when he joined the force, giving Joker an inside advantage to Gotham's finest.
"I was doing good," Joker answered. "But now seeing as you're calling me..." he trailed off, recalling the strict instructions he had given Drew so many years ago. He was to only call Joker with important information that concerned him, and seeing as how he hadn't heard from Drew in over year, Joker was sure something serious was up.
"Yeah well, got some bad news," Officer Elliot said in more of a hushed tone. "The boys they uh... they think they know where you're at."
"Oh?" Joker asked as he raised his eyebrows, not feeling panicked at all. "And how's that?"
"You know a guy named Joseph Wallace?" Officer Elliot asked, but he didn't give Joker time to answer verbally. "They got a tip from a guy the other night, he called informing us of your location. Said you've been living with this dude... there's a meeting I'm on my way to, Gordon wants to plan out what our course of action will be."
Joker nodded at this as he rolled his eyes. "Who called?"
"Didn't say his name," Officer Elliot replied. "Wanted to be kept anonymous. Anyway all I know is the cops are showin' up at the house sometime between seven and eight tonight, so you need to get your shit and get out," Officer Elliot warned as he parked his police cruiser in front of the GPD Station, waiting for Joker to reply.
Joker walked up to the window, and he drew back the blanket that covered it, and he stared into the side of the backyard, Joey's stupid dog still running around in a very hyper manner. All of Joker's options ran through his mind at once, and he knew standing there on the phone with Officer Elliot wasn't going to help him come to the easiest and most logical one.
"You've been a wealth of information, Elliot," Joker said, and without another word he hung up the phone, instantly placing it back in his pocket. He slowly turned around, his eyes moving all around the room, making a mental list of what was his, only for his mind to trail off and start taking notice of Willow's clothes all over... Hmm.
He glanced at the clock; he had just under five hours to decide what the best course of action would be, as well as the easiest. Regardless, he knew he would be getting out of the drama with the police, so he reached under the bed for one of Willow's bags, and he started to empty the contents of his nightstand into it.
A good hour later Joker had just made his way back downstairs, quickly noticing that nothing had changed since receiving the random and urgent call. Willow was slouched down on the couch, her arm dangling off the arm of the it while she rested her feet on the coffee table. Joey was sitting at smaller edge of the table, his back to Joker as he finished his late lunch of left over chicken. The light reflecting off of Joey's shiny, bald head quickly encouraged what Joker considered to be a hilarious idea, and he silently started towards Joey, gently picking his sock-covered feet off the ground, his legs spread in a clown-like manner as to not let his pant legs rub.
From the corner of her eye Willow noticed Joker's movement, and he was quick to hold his finger up to his painted lips as he advanced towards Joey. Willow raised an eyebrow as she watched, wondering what Joker was going to do.
Holding back the giggling fit that was just begging to come out, Joker grabbed a strand of his hair and bent over behind Joey, holding his breath, and he reached out to gently touch the hair to Joey's head. With a sudden jump Joey reached back to smack at whatever it was on his head and he angrily turned around, a large scowl on his face.
"The fuck!" He yelled at Joker as he continued to double check and make sure there was nothing on his head. Joker laughed loudly while Willow couldn't help but grin at the commotion as she watched it unfold.
"Still paranoid about those spiders are we?" Joker asked with a grin as he reached for his keys on the breakfast bar. Joey grunted as he turned back around. Willow's grin faded and she turned around to look back at the TV.
"Learn to drop it, bro," Joey said as he rolled his eyes. He grabbed his empty plate and stood up from the table. "Where are you goin'?"
"Places," Joker said passively as he started towards the front door. Joey rolled his eyes, knowing he'd get no further with his questioning if he was to continue it. Once Joker had closed the door behind him, Joey started to his office while Willow was left on the couch, her eyes growing heavier and heavier.
–
The first thing Joker noticed upon getting home few hours later was how deathly quiet the house was yet again. This time, however, he noticed Willow's sleeping figure on the couch, her hair falling from the arm of the couch while her legs were stretched in front of her. Joker quietly walked further into the house and he peered around the corner down the small hallway. With Joey's office door shut, he figured this was the only opportunity he had. He quickly started upstairs, and after entering the guestroom he grabbed the last of Willow's duffel bags and he threw it on the bed.
He maneuvered all around the room, collecting all of Willow's clothes and he crammed them into the bag. From her nightstand table he grabbed her large collection of tip money, and he ran his thumb over the wad with a grin before he placed it into his inside coat pocket. With room still in her bag, he collected a few more items of his, such as hidden stray knifes and other weapons, clothes he had left in the closet and a few other random objects.
He started down the stairs, both bags in hand, and he stepped onto the porch through the already opened door, heading towards the Tahoe that he had parked at the side of the street against the sidewalk in front of Joey's house. After driving around Joey's neighborhood and the back streets of Gotham to plan out the best rout to take, Joker was sure he had come to a reasonable and satisfying decision. He opened the back door and threw the bags onto the floor before he closed it with a slam and he headed back into the house. He closed the front door behind him, and he glanced at the clock on the microwave in the kitchen once he had walked further into the house. The time read six forty six, leaving him just about under an hour most likely until the police showed up.
He casually turned around to head towards the couch, and he leaned over the back of it to stare down at Willow's sleeping figure. Her skin looked so soft and touchable, and she wore a small pout on her face as she slept with her head turned towards the TV, her flat stomach rising and falling gently. Finally Joker reached down to slap her repeatedly but gently on the exposed side of her face.
"Hey," he said. "Get up. I need you to help me with somethin' downstairs."
Willow groaned as she swatted his hand away, and she yawned heavily as she forced herself to sit up, deciding it best not to keep Joker waiting even though it was mighty tempting. He watched as she stretched her arms in front of her, arching her back as she did, until finally she stood up to follow Joker as he headed towards the stairs.
"What did you need help with?" Willow asked once Joker had reached the bottom step. Before she even reached the floor, Joker had already reached out and grabbed her, and he slammed her against the wall with a thud. Her eyes went wide as she gasped, her body going into defense mode, stiffening in fright, until suddenly Joker's lips came crashing down on hers. Her breath hitched in confusion over his act, but she recovered quickly, immediately kissing back as she slid her hands up his chest, under his coat.
He rested his hands on her hips, and he squeezed them roughly before he slid his hands up her body, resting them heavily on either side of her face. He opened his eyes as he pulled away, smirking when a look of confusion spread quickly onto Willow's face once she opened her eyes. She stared deeply into his, wondering vaguely what this was all about it, but she found herself not ready for it to end as she grabbed two fist fulls of his blue shirt. Joker licked his lips quickly as he stared back at her, her eyes seeming to glow. He tilted his head as he parted her lips with both his thumbs and he dove in hungrily for another kiss, this time slipping her his tongue hungrily.
Willow accepted it eagerly, and she pulled on his shirt as their tongues danced, desperate to be closer to him. Joker rested his body against hers as his hands slid back down her body. He skipped her hips, however, and gripped her thighs, and she squealed as he picked her up, forcing her against the wall further as she wrapped her legs around his waist, tightly pressing herself against him. She grinned at him before she m her lips with his again, and she placed her arms on his shoulders, crossing them at the wrist behind him. Joker kept his hands on her hips as he bit gently on her lip, and he chuckled deeply as Willow pulled away from him with a whimper only to quickly catch his lips again.
Joker pulled away a few minutes later, leaving Willow to pant gently as she opened her eyes to look at him. "What was that for?"
Joker shrugged as he looked away for a second before returning his eyes to hers; he wasn't sure exactly himself. All he knew is the urge had creeped up on him ever sense he decided that yes, he actually did want Willow to go with him on his journey away from the police. He wasn't sure why, and he especially wasn't sure why he had decided on this decision so quickly without any argument with himself, but for the time being it seemed like a good idea.
Willow slid her legs off of him as he pulled her away from the wall, and she stood on her tiptoes on the dirty concrete floor. "Do you have any cigarettes on you?" She wondered. Joker nodded, and she followed him towards the screen door, stepping outside into the cool air. It seemed Arlo finally had enough of the rain, and he sat under the deck, his tail wagging when he saw he had company. Joker ignored him and pulled out a cigarette before handing Willow the pack, and she took the lighter from Joker after his was lit. She took a large drag as she slid down the glass door to sit on the concrete, and she wondered what it was Joker had needed help with. But as she glanced up to his tall frame, she realized that maybe this was it.
Joker reached into his pocket to draw out his cell phone. With the time reading seven o' five, he knew at any minute now that police would be showing up. He put it back in his pocket and he took a hit from the cigarette, blowing the smoke from his nose as he glanced down to Willow, only to look back up at the raining sky beyond the underside of the deck.
"I know you said you didn't want to talk about it," Willow had started, and her breath hitched in her throat when Joker turned down to her. She had been fighting with herself over asking the question, but she felt desperate to know. Joker took another big drag from the cigarette, knowing what was coming. "But... why a... clown?"
"Why me trying to kill you?" Joker shot back at her with a shrug. Willow sadly looked down as she stared at her burning cigarette, and she flicked it, watching the ashes land next to her. Joker watched her before he rolled his eyes up toward the deck. "Willow when I said I didn't want to talk about it, I meant that."
Willow swallowed as she continued to stare at the ground. "I know but, I'm not going to tell anyone... I just want to know."
"Sorry," Joker said with a shrug as he threw his cigarette onto the ground, stepping on it a moment later to stain the clean concrete patio with a black spot.
Upstairs Joey had just emerged from his office, feeling tired and drained already, and he debated with himself whether or not he wanted to go to the club that night. But knowing it would be best for him to just go, he decided to spend the next few hours relaxing in front of the TV.
He glanced around the house quickly before he sat down on the couch to pick up the remote, deciding the absence of Joker and Willow wasn't important right now. He flipped through the channels with a bored expression, growing more and more dissatisfied with the shows that came onto the screen.
Downstairs, just as Willow had placed her cigarette in the ashtray, Joker glanced back down at his phone to check the time. His scars twitched as he scowled slightly. "Willow," he said her name sternly, and she immediately turned her head to look up at him. "I need you to listen to and do everything I tell you, when I tell you, we clear?"
Willow furrowed her eyebrows as her lips parted. What was he talking about? "Okay...?" She half asked. "Why? What's going on?"
"Don't worry about it," Joker said. "Just listen to everything I tell you. Stay right here."
Willow watched as Joker slid open the door, Arlo running in inside after him, and she stood up quickly. She pressed her head against the glass as she watched Joker head towards the stairs, only to stop in front of them and glance up. She watched his lips, wondering if he would be yelling something up to Joey, but instead he kept them closed as he waited.
Willow's heart started to pound as she wondered wildly what he had been talking about. It was obvious he knew something she didn't, and she wished he'd let her in on the secret. Was Joey already in on it? Most likely, she thought. She leaned away from the glass to turn around and sit back against it, and she watched as the Gotham rain down poured onto the grass in front of her with no sign of stopping.
Joker stayed at the bottom of the stairs, listening to the TV. He pulled out his phone to check the time, and he quickly put his phone back in his pocket. He turned away from the stairs and headed back outside where he found Willow in her same sitting position. Over the few minutes he had been standing at the stairs, he started to debate with himself over the plan he had created in his head. He had just opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped short when he heard cars out front screech to a halt. Clueless, Willow turned her head towards the side of the house, and her body jumped violently when Joker quickly grabbed her arm to hoist her up. She turned to him, her eyes wide, and she was just about to speak but she paused when she heard a ton of car doors slam shut.
An instant later the front door upstairs barged open, causing Willow to jump again with a slight scream, but Joker was quick to turn her around.
"Go," he barked at her as he started to force her towards the gate. But she stopped short however.
"Go where!" She shouted over the rain. "Joker I have no shoes!"
Joker growled to himself as he forced her onto the grass, and he reached into his pocket to bring out his keys.
Upstairs, six police officers had just made their way into the house, two heading upstairs, one starting downstairs while the other three started in towards Joey, their guns pointed at him. Confused and panic stricken Joey hopped off the couch, his heart racing at the sudden disturbance as he held his arms up. He opened his mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted.
"Joseph Michael Wallace you are being arrested for aiding and assisting a criminal-"
"What are you talking about!" Joey shouted at them as he was turned around, two officers forcing him into handcuffs while the other stepped back towards the front door. "What's going on! You can't do this!"
"Sargent, they're getting away! The Joker- he's-" the officer by the door"Stop or I will shoot!" A bullet hit the passenger side door just as Willow had closed it, other officers quickly joining his side to stop the Joker, but it seemed to late.
As the two officers hauled Joey towards the front door he watched as Joker's green Chevy sped away from the house in the pouring rain, the truck fishtailing as officers scrambled out the door to get in their cars to catch him. Joey's jaw fell open, he was unable to hear the officer as he told him his rights in a very rushed tone. All Joey could fathom was how Joker had just left him. He wasn't scared, rather he was blind sighted with anger, the rain drenching him as they stepped outside. The officer pushed him into the back of his car and slammed the door shut, leaving Joey to stare at his shoes as he leaned forward. Unable to control himself Joey leaned back and stomped his foot heavily on the ground, his mind and heart racing as he tried to make sense of it all.
The wheels of the Tahoe hydroplaned out of Joey's neighborhood as Joker turned swiftly onto a back road. Tears of confusion threatened to fall from Willow's eyes as she turned around in her seat to glance out the back at the bare road behind them with no signs of any cars following in the far distance.
"What the fuck just happened!" She screamed as she turned around. "What happened?"
Joker tried to remain patient as he swallowed the lump that had swelled in his throat as he tried not to think to deeply about what he had just done. All he wanted to think about was the future and what their next move would be. He took a deep breath, trying to remain patient. But it seemed Willow had already answered the question in her mind and was rambling on now.
"What about the snakes? And Arlo! And Joey! Joker he just got arrested!"
"I know-" Joker started to say, but Willow interrupted him.
"You knew this was coming!" She put it together. "And you let your best friend just get-"
"He's not my best friend, Willow," Joker snapped in a harsh and to-the-point tone as he turned to her, repulsed she would even use that word. "I'll drop you off right here on the side of the road if you don't calm yourself down. Got it?"
With a whimper Willow closed her mouth and turned away as tears spilled down her cheeks. Her heart continued to pound and she felt cold as she wondered where they were going. The car ride continued for a few more minutes, Willow looking out the window blankly while Joker continued down the road, holding the wheel steady with one hand. He reached into his pocket to draw out the large wad of money, and he tossed into the cup holder in front of the center console. The noise caught Willow's attention, and she widened her eyes when they fell on the money.
"You calm enough for me to tell you the plan?" Joker wondered as he looked over to her. Willow bit her lip and nodded. "We're going to Detroit," Joker said, recalling the plan he had come up with after Officer Elliot had called him. "We're going to stay there for a little bit. After we'll-"
"What about Joey, though?" Willow asked.
"We'll come back for him," Joker stressed as he switched hands on the wheel. Willow sucked in a breath as she looked down. How the hell would Joker pull that off? And when?
"Why couldn't he have just come with us?" She asked in a small voice, preparing herself for Joker to yell at her, or even worse, push her out of the speeding vehicle.
"Because, Willow, I had to focus ongetting us outta there. I know a guy on the force, Officer Elliot, he works for me you could say, and he called to inform me of the situation. You gotta understand, Willow, I've known Joey for a long time. The guy would have taken forever to prepare to leave, and I can guarantee he wouldn't of even wanted to leave Gotham in the first place." Joker glanced over to Willow again, who was hunched over as she stared at her lap, her face wet due to the tears, her hair dripping from the rain. "If we ever want Joey to be with us again this is how it has to happen. Trust me."
Willow swallowed as she tried hard to stop crying. She knew all she could do at this point was to just let loose and trust Joker. He obviously had a plan, and it made sense he would know how Joey operated. "What's in Detroit?" She asked in a small voice as she looked back over to Joker. He shrugged.
"A little bit of everything. I know some people there," he said. "It was time for a... change," he added in a mumble as he sped under a yellow light that was seconds away from turning red. Willow looked back out of the window. Her body continued to shake, and she tried desperately to force herself to calm down. Change, Willow thought in her mind. She wasn't ready for a change. Her life had always been a series of changes, and she wished for once she could live life in the safe lane. The fast lane just wasn't doing it for her.
"We're definitely going to come back for him?"
Joker glanced over to her, her eyes glazed over with tears. "Yes," he answered.
"When?"
"I don't know," Joker said, wishing she'd stop with the questions. Had he know she'd be so burdensome he probably would have left her too... maybe.
Willow glanced behind her seat again, and she noticed the two bags sitting behind her on the floor. "Did you bring my shoes?" She asked, hopeful, though she was sure she knew the answer.
"Nope," Joker said, and he grinned as he looked over to her. "Maybe this is the rude awakening you'll need to learn to always be prepared, girly. It's gonna be a long road trip without them," he added. Willow pouted with a sniffle as she turned her head away to look back out of the window. She wished desperately that things could be different, but for her sake and Joker's, she knew she had to be strong, and go with the flow. As long as she was with Joker change was to always be dealt with openly, and she had to learn to always expect the unexpected...
A.n: well subjects here is the very unexpected end of the 2nd part in the willow series. fear not, for i have plans for a 3rd part... in the future. for the time being i'm going to be re-doing my first joker fan fiction, so if you still wanna read a new story from me (i hope you do) you can look out for that one that will be posted very soon! thank you for all your feedback, favorites and alerts!
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