Authors note: Hello people! Told you this one would be longer, hope you like it. More updates later, review or else !

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the DC Universe.

Chapter 27

3 months later.....

I pulled on your knee length black dress and slipped into some heels.

Twirling around, I grinned at Ace "Well?" I asked

"Very hot Miss. McKinley" She said clapping her hands.

It had been three months.

Three long months since the Joker and the gang had left Gotham on whatever business they were attending to.

In that time apart I had adjusted to what Bruce would call a normal life.

It was hard at first; the temptation of turning to crime tempted me. But now I and Ace were happy living with Bruce and going to work every day- Bruce had employed us as secretaries at Wayne Enterprise-

There was a feeling inside me though that never had gone away. I knew exactly what it was.

Somehow I missed him.

The Joker.

His laughter haunted my dreams at night, his face was all I saw when I slept.

Like a voice in the soft wind, Joker's voice taunted at me, "why so serious?"

But still he didn't not come back and after the second month had come and past, I had forgotten and moved on.

Life was too short to dream and hope of a psychopathic maniac coming back for an ex criminal whom he felt nothing for.

It hurt but that was life, one big joke.

I sighed, feeling that at long last that the punch line was far away from me. Only when I was in the presence of The Joker did I feel deaths breath on my neck and see the swishing of the scythe before my eyes, it was an exhilarating and exciting feeling. I had began to wonder if ever again would I feel like that.

Feel the adrenaline, the thrill and the love again. Jinx seemed so far away and now all I felt as though the adventure had gone with her.

Had the excitement gone?

This couldn't be the curtain call for Jinx and the beginning of another face amongst the many civilised people of Gotham could it?

Slamming my fist hard down onto the dressing table, a compact mirror smashed into thousands of glittering pieces.

"Ava are you ok?" Ace asked

"I'm fine" I snapped standing up, the chair tip up and fell onto its side.

"Your thinking about him again isn't you?" she asked gently.

"Yes" I whispered covering my face in shame with my hands.

Ace approached me, gently placing a soft pale hand on my shoulder; she smiled slightly "It's ok Ava. You're allowed to miss him"

I shook my head.

"No. No I'm not" I breathed.

"Come on. A night on the town will make you feel better" she said reassuringly.

I looked up and smiled "thank you Ace"

"No problem honey, come on! Bruce is waiting" She replied happily grabbing my hand and dragging me along.

My heels clicked on the dark marble flooring as I walked out of the penthouse and saw Bruce waiting outside smartly dressed in a black tux. Myself and Ace linked arms with him and Ace said " So Mr. Wayne where are you taking us fine ladies tonight's?"

He smiled and opened the door to his Lamborghini. "Just a small club called The Purple Rose. There doing an open mic night. I thought maybe Ava would like to sing" he said kindly.

"No way Bruce you know I hate singing in front of people" I complained, climbing into the backseat of the car.

Ace and Bruce got in and he started the engine before saying "Ava you have a beautiful voice. Come on you'll love it"

Rolling my eyes, I put on the seat belt and leant my head against the window.

I felt myself even missing the times when the Joker would bash my head against the window painfully cracking the glass.

I'll never know how they declared me sane.

I sighed, was it me that had changed? or like a puppet with someone else pulling the strings, had I been thrown into the civilized world and forced into a daily routine of life that I had never wanted, something that I never had whilst with the Joker.

Routine.

Rules.

Plans.

The backbone of Gotham, I knew the Jokers aim was to break that, crack and twist until Gotham's spirit was broken, all I ever wanted was to be apart of that. Even the times when I had questioned myself, part of me always knew, I would never return to the life I once had.

No more.

Would I still make the same choice?

To be who you once were?

To lie, steal and kill?

The truth was, I didn't know and that excited and frightened me at the same time. Like a mask now concealing my face, I felt like a puppet pretending to dance happily on the stage, no one ever knowing that I were wishing to be free of the bounds that held me down, from the ties that held me and from the emotions that kept me back.

"Ava, were here"

I jumped in surprise at Ace's voice. She stared at me through the car window with concerned eyes. Opening the door for me, Bruce smiled, I faked a smile back stepping out of the car. People stared at us, as we entered the club, Bruce nodding to the guy standing by the door.

The club was actually pretty nice, slightly dark with purple walls and a white tiled floor, bit small and crowded but nice all the same. People were up dancing and I watched as Bruce left to get us all drinks right away. Ace grabbed my hand and led me over to a table; we both seated next to each other and Ace shouting to me over the loud music "Its great isn't it?"

"Yeah it sure is" I called back.

Ace giggled and left to go dance to a song she loved. I laughed as she danced about on the dance floor, she wasn't a bad dancer it was just she kept banging into people and stepping on there feet. I laughed harder as she received many glares from a couple she just accidentally knocked. Bruce returns with our drinks. Thanking him, I gulped down the drink and motioned for the barman to bring another one over.

He brought drink after drink and after an hour, I felt myself becoming slightly drunk. Bruce was only on his second and Ace was off dancing drunkenly with a few random people she met. I smiled at her before looking longingly at the microphone up on the empty stage.

Bruce saw this and nudged you gently" I know why don't you go and sing. No ones up on stage go for it"

"Ok" I giggled

No one's on stage.

His words repeated over and over again in my mind.

Suddenly as if in a trance like state I stood and walked through the crowd and whispered a song to the DJ. He nodded and pointed to the stage, where there stood a mic on a tall stand.

I walked over and stood before it and lowered the mic as the music started.

The piano playing softly before the guitars kicked in.

I began to sing;

"You don't remember me but I remember you. I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you but who can decide what they dream? And dream I do...

I believe in you. I'll give up everything just to find you. I have to be with you to live to breathe. you're taking over me"

Suddenly as I sang I saw a figure standing at the door of the club. His smiling face bore into me. Sending shivers throughout my entire body. I blinked a few times, believing this to be another one of my dreams or hallucinations.

But no, there he stood, right across the room.

Same as ever.

He watched as I sang, staring right into his dark eyes.

"Have you forgotten all I know and all we had? You saw me mourning my love for you and touched my hand. I knew you loved me then. I believe in you. I'll give up everything just to find you. I have to be with you to live to breathe. you're taking over me

I look in the mirror and see your face. If I look deep enough so many things inside that are just like you are taking over"

The song ended and I ran off stage and into the women's bathroom, ignoring the loud applause from the audience. Tears clung to my eye lashes as I locked myself into a cubicle. I put my hand over my mouth in shock and cried hard.

It was him.

He was back.

The Joker!

-----

Jokers point of view:

I hadn't been back in Gotham long and Harley was driving me crazy…crazier with her constant complaints and whines. I fled the new hideout. It was nothing special just one of my new henchmen's homes. I would killed him eventually but right now I walked, hunched over along the dark empty street.

Suddenly I heard a beautiful familiar voice coming from inside a club. I saw there was no one outside only a guy standing guard at the door.

The club was called The Purple Rose.

Following the singing voice I walked towards the club. "Hey buddy you aint getting in here, were full" The guy said pushing me back.

Grinning I pulled out a knife and said "Oh but sir. I'm the life of the party!"

I laughed insanely as I slit his throat and carved a smile into his ugly face.

After dragging him into the alleyway, I went back to the club and leant against the door. That was when I laid eyes on her. The person I had thought non-stop about for the last three months. The person who caused me to feel emotion and feelings for the first time in years was standing just across the room. I smiled, Ava's voice was beautiful and I couldn't help but feel she was relating the song to me somehow. Her gorgeous eyes landed on me, only making me smile even more as I saw her eyes fill with shock and fear. She continued singing staring right at me.

I laughed slightly as I saw her blinked faster as if trying to work out if I was real.

It was time to take back what was rightfully mine.

I wouldn't ever let Ava get away from me again.

The song ended, the audience went crazy, clapping and cheering her. She ran from the stage and into the women's bathroom. Grinning I pushed through the crowd, keeping my head low and shoving random people out of the way.

Quickly I entered the bathroom and saw only one locked cubicle. I started clap, chuckling cruelly.

Ava's point of view:

Hearing clapping and The Joker's maniac laughing frightened me like never before. I had missed him so much and was shocked at how after being away from him for so long made me afraid of him.

" Unlock the door" he snarled.

I shakily unlocked the door and the second I did he pushed it open, entering the cubicle before locking the door again.

"Well hello beautiful, long time no see" The Joker grinned.

He reached out and forcefully grabbed me by my neck.

"I've been hearing a lot about you beautiful. They all think your one of them now. No! I know the truth. You're still the same old Jinxy"

He leaned and whispered "no matter how well you cover the scars"

I looked up at him through fearful eyes. I thought for certain he was going to hit me, but as his grip tightened around my neck, he didn't. With his other hand he grabbed a handful of my hair and presses it to his face, inhaling deeply.

"I've missed you Jinxy"

My heart beat stepped increasingly up. I longed to say something but could hardly speak through his tight grip on your throat. "Why did you leave?" I choked out.

His grip loosened and his eyes seemed to soften slightly.

"You will see soon enough" he said

" You cant do this" I whispered, tears rolling down my cheeks.

He smiled and cupped my cheek with his gloved hand, wiping away my tears.

"I'm a man of my word. I told you I would come back for you" The Joker spoke.

He kissed me lightly on the lips before pulling out his knife and pressing it against the inside of my mouth.

"Time to go home Jinxy" he snarled

He unlocked the bathroom door and dragged me out into the club. People turned and stared as I began to scream and try to pull away.

" Let me go!" I cried punching him in the chest.

Suddenly he slapped me across the face sending me crashing to the floor.

No one came to help me.

The Joker glared at me and pulled me up pressing the knife tightly against my throat before silently dragging me through the club. As I was pulled to the door I turned my head and saw Bruce making out with some woman, he seemed to have met.

"Bruce!" I screamed.

Bruce broke away from his kiss with the woman and turn to look at me in the Joker's clutches.

"Let her go!" he yelled.

But it was too late I had already been dragged outside thrown into a van.

The Joker burst out laughing hysterically as he drove away. I looked out the back window and saw Bruce staring back at the van, the woman came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. He shook his head and went back into the club.

Anger burned inside me, if he hadn't have been making out with that whore, I wouldn't have been kidnapped. He promised he wouldn't ever let The Joker hurt me again and this is what he goes and does!

The stolen van lurched forward sending me flying backwards. I hit my head hard on the side of the van, knocking me out.

The Joker's laughter still ringing out threw my ears.