Adelina's POV
I didn't sleep the rest of the night. I stayed in the room making sure his stitches didn't rip. He cried out in nightmares and I held him, I would walk away and it started all over. I stared out the window dreaming of a better life. I dreamt I was a princess and a prince had come and found me. He saved me from all these people desperate to hurt me. I also cried. I haven't cried since I was a kid, but to my credit, I have never had feelings like these before. I loved this man so much and he hurt me. How could he betray me? I swore he felt the same way. Confident even. I wrote my vows personally so I could announce that I loved him for the first time.
I was a fool to think I was special to Mr. J. He's the fucking Joker for christ's sake. I made him breakfast. I will be the good wife like I promised. I can only hope he keeps his promise. I have ibuprofen with his breakfast. I put on my emotionless face, wiping my eyes, as he wakes up. The puffiness will give me away but I don't care. What's there left to care about?
Everything seems to dawn on him and he searches my side of the bed, I stand up bringing him his tray with breakfast. He looks at me, his face full of pain and regret. "I can't do this, please stop playing me." I said it outloud without meaning to. I added "Look I am an honoring our arrangement, but please give me a break from the pain. I am not used to THIS kind of pain." I know the pain in my eyes are evident, he looks down ashamed and nods.
"I will see you at the altar." I tell him as I walk out.
Yesterday I felt like a princess when trying on my dress. Today, I just feel a terrible weight. It is totally uncomfortable and I can hardly breath. Not to mention I still feel sick from another morning of throwing up. Flu should be over soon at least. My dress has a corset that ties, a beaded bodice, and a big tulle skirt. I style my hair half up and put the veil on. I get into the car Johnny tells me to and he looks sorry for me. He looks like he wants to say something.
"He loves you, you know that, right?" Johnny says eventually.
"I thought I did. You know, I can handle the mood swings, I can even handle the violence. But sleeping with another girl, especially one that looks like his psychotic ex, is just something I can't handle." I tell him.
Johnny looks surprised. "Oh the passed out girl in his office." He said like a lightbulb just turned on. "He didn't sleep with her, he knocked her out for trying."
What? I try to take in this new knowledge. Why would he lie to me then? Why purposely to hurt me?
I get to the church, its old and pretty. Johnny escorts me in but leaves me to go down the aisle myself. I could run now. Just do it. You did it before, do it again. Memories of the past month I have shared with the Joker come popping back in and it hits me. He lied to hurt me. That's what he does when he is in his dark place. He didn't do it though. He could have and didn't. He loved me. He would have just slept with her if he didn't. He already owns me in every way possible, the bastard stole my heart. So I start down the aisle, and Mr. J looks surprised. That's when hope bursts in my chest, he told Johnny to leave me, to give me the chance to run.
There are not many people here. Just J's men and the priest. It doesn't matter, this is better than what I could have dreamed because there he is, the man I am hopelessly in love with and who loves me back. I get to him and he takes my hand. "What are you doing here still? You had your chance. Why stay?"
"We both know why I stayed." I tell him. He looks nervous at what I am about to say, I play with him "I'm yours, remember?" He looked disappointed. He wanted me to tell him I love him. I smiled. I decided then that I would save the vows I written for tonight when we are alone.
"I, Jack Napier, take you, Adelina Miliano, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." He says sincerely and my heart flutters when he says love but I remind myself that is just the standard. I am shocked when he reveals to me his real name. He could have used a fake but I just know. He just gave me another piece of him.
"I, Adelina Miliano, take you, Jack Napier, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."
He whispered " " before sealing our union with a kiss. I open my eyes and see someone in the balcony. I spin around and pull Mr. J down, my back exploding with pain and falling into his arms. Gunshots are heard everywhere. Mr. J has lost his color and I think he's hit.
"Did they get you?" I ask my voice doesn't come out very loud no matter how hard I try.
"No baby girl, I am so mad at you. I am supposed to protect you." Why does he looks so worried. I hear someone say that an ambulance is on its way, I wonder why, who got hurt.
"Is this all an elaborate way to get me to admit that I love you?" He has tears in his eyes but laughs.
"No Honey, I am sure I could have gotten that out of you easier than having you shot. Plus technically you just vowed it" He says and pain is in his voice. I want his pain to go away, I put my hand to his cheek and he squeezes his eyes in pain.
"I'm shot?" I ask in a daze.
"Johnny, she is delirious! What do I do?" His voice sounds desperate but his eyes never leave mine.
"J, keep pressure on it. She is going to make it. We need to take her to the house. We can't have the hospital see what she can do. I will make the arrangement to get trusted doctors and machines to the house." Johnny even sounds panicky.
"No, no, no, no! Get my disguise ready, I am going to the hospital with her. She looks really bad, worse than last time" He screams.
" She had the blocking drug in her system." Johnny tries to keep their conversation a whisper. "She should already be healing."
Everything gets fuzzy, "J, where are you? I can't see you." I start to worry.
"Johnny, I am going in the ambulance with her, we will go to the house but if I lose her, this is on you. She is fading." I hear movement fluttering closer. "Baby girl, I am right beside you. I am not leaving you. Remember in sickness and in health?" I feel him hold my hand twirling my wedding band.
"Of course silly, it just happened!" I tell him. I can't hear him anymore, I can't hear anyone. I am fading. I was shot. No, I just got married to a man I love. Please don't take me away, he is still in deep trouble with me! It isn't working. So I plead with the universe to let me say goodbye. My vision starts coming back and we are moving. I think I am in an ambulance. Jack?
"I'm here love, you scared me there. We thought you were gone." His voice is cracking, oh what have I done to this handsome and strong man, I think I broke him. I don't want to break the man I love. My back feels like it's on fire.
"I don't have much time. I begged to come back to tell you goodbye." I tell him sadly, my face felt wet.
"No, no, no. Baby, you fight this. You did not live a shitty life being imprisoned by shitty people to have it end like this!" I broke him...he is sobbing. "I promised you an exciting life, I promised to protect you."
"This past month have been the best time of my life and I have felt more alive and free than I ever have." I tell him. The pain is almost too much, no. I just want to hear him say it.
As if reading my mind. "No. I am not saying it." I am hurt and surprised, making me cry."I am not saying it because I am not giving you permission to die. You will have to fight and live if you want to hear it baby girl." No, he doesn't understand...I am slipping.
"I can't fight it." I tell him. His eyes squeeze again in pain.
"Yes, you can and will. It's already healing, just hang in there, because you want to know why I was trying to hurt you last night, you want to know why I lied about sleeping with someone else, you want to know why I really married you. I will answer all those if you fight and make it." He tells me. He's right, my heart soared at the confirmation that he lied about sleeping with someone else.
"Okay, I will fight my damnest, but please don't leave me." It was the first time I let him truly see my full on fear, he looked startled. I finally have something I want to live for.
"I will not leave your side, I promise." He says determine. They put a mask over my face. "You are going under baby, keep fighting. I will be here."
"I love you." I tell him before it is all dark.