Woden's Day Special! Thanks to all who reviewed/read, you are awesome people. I'm glad you're getting more intrigued. I definitely love Firetongue. He's a boss. This chapter is interesting…you might want to slap me after this, but if it makes you feel any better, I feel the pain, trust me.

The factory could be sold as a spook house. If you tilted your head –it looked like a sideways spook house.

The looming double doors seemed bigger since she returned. Josephine's worries were not over the scariness of the building. That was pathetic. She would be really losing it if that were the case. The fact of the matter was what to do with the squirt sitting in there probably sipping on his peppermint tinted hot chocolate. This kid was invading her thoughts all the time and she had only met him once. She wanted him out.

"'tongue, we're going in. Back me up should anything sour go down."

Firetongue shot her a confused stare. Of course, he didn't know about the little problem behind the walls. He would see soon enough.

The two enter through the doors as quietly as possible. As quietly meant hearing the loud screech that sounded. Josephine sighed. Was nothing going to go well? Tonight was a test of her patience. Fate may want to help her out.

The factory was still full of the instruments of mirth and terror. There had been no additions, to her happiness. There was a large amount of extra bins in the corner of the storage room, making the place feel much smaller than it actually was. It wasn't the cozy kind of small. It was something, uncomfortable, foreign. It was like a messy, established industry. Not like a home. Her heart pounded. She hoped that Jack hadn't decided to…move in. That was something she would not stand for. Sure, she was thinking about leaving her father, for a little while at least, but she couldn't stand her home being slimed up by that blue-haired punk. Her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Keep near the door, I'll go up and get my stuff. Maybe we might have something else to put those plants in," she whispered to Firetongue. "While I'm up there, is there anything you want me to get?"

He shook his head. She shrugged. At least it is polite to ask.

So far, the place seemed abandoned. No henchmen as of yet, no Joker…no Jack. She strayed into the family area, as it was called. There was a rug, a couch, a table, and a TV for Joker's viewings of his terror rose over Gotham. He liked to sit on the couch and point to the pictures of himself on the screen laughing it up and shooting some person or another. Her mother would sit and declare what a genius he was while Josephine would smile proudly. That was what she had to look forward to filling the shoes of. The Clown Prince of Crime. Her father. The memories streamed back, but she couldn't bring herself to reminisce. There were tasks at hand –"

" –evening Little Josie," Jack stood on the stairway, grinning in only an undershirt and dress pants. So, he was taking to looking the part now? After only meeting him a couple of hours ago, he made himself quite at home, to her disgust. She sneered.

"Sorry to see you here, Jack. These are after hours, you know. Best clear out while you can."

He half smiled and cocked his head, leering. "Oh, your father knows I'm here all right. He offered me a room. Now, we'll be roomies." His gaze followed her body.

She held back a bit a vomit. But she couldn't contain a shiver of contempt.

"Oh, are you cold? Might want to get back up to bed? Here, I can help you…" She smacked his hand away. "Whoa, down girl. Behave. I'm growing to be quite a favorite with your Dad. You and I are going to be," he quickly stepped up to her so that they were about half a foot apart, "very close."

She shoved him away, "Get off of me, you damn slime. I don't want anything to do with you. And touch me again, and you'll see what it feels like to be a servant of the Shang Dynasty. Has it occurred to you that my father only keeps you here because of your current usefulness?" She inclined her head an inch towards his. "What happens when your services are no longer needed, I wonder? Oh…I'll probably be asked to kill you!" She admitted happily, widening her eyes, and shaking her head wildly with joy and ridicule.

Jack only scoffed. "Do you really think the Clown Prince of Crime is going to give me up? When I can offer him all the guns and toys that he wants? Think about it, Josie. What can you do? What have you done?" He began circling her. "He only kept you around because you're his daughter. What, you've got a little flesh and blood, so what? You can do some knife tricks, so what? Nobody cares about that. You're going to be left in the dust with the rest of the men you've taken out. How do you feel you're going to be welcomed back on the streets after all you've done? No one's going to want you. You're going to be eaten alive by each person you burned. And it isn't the Joker who's going to be paying for it," he drove his finger into her heart, "it's you."

She stared him down. His finger remained at her chest. His gaze stared right back. Neither was going to look anywhere else. She breathed in, that scent of tar and ugliness. His arrogance overpowered him. Her breathing was loud in her nostrils, jaw clenched. His was too, until the hand pointing found its way to the back of her head. She barely had the time to look away but it was far too late. The damage was done. In a split second his lips were on hers. They were rough and unwelcomed. It was nothing as how she imagined. It was not from attraction or any kind of fondness, it was a power statement. The Jackass was kissing her, instead of anyone else in the city, not even her doctor. He inhaled deeply as his lips pursed against hers. She almost threw up in his mouth and wished she had. At least the taste of sick would cover up the cracked makeup and teeth fuzz that was lying on her taste buds.

After about five seconds of the abuse, she managed to shove him away and spat at him. Saliva flew through the air and onto his face, splayed out under the subdued lights. Lips found her sleeve and were abused by the rough cloth until sufficiently sanitized. She spat at him again, a trickle of spittle hung from the corner of her lip. She was a feral dog beat, eyes piercing her foe with such anger. This time was not going to bode well for him.

Before she had time to delve any threat, verbal or physical, Firetongue was on top of him, clenching his throat and holding him against the wall. A fixed, angered look spread across Firetongue's face whilst Jack just laughed.

"Aw, he's upset. Don't tell me you have another sugar, Josie." He whispered to Firetongue, "Did I do it before you?" Firetongue slammed him against the wall again. Jack sucked in the pain, showing off his mustard colored teeth. "Quite a hand you've got on you. Oh wait, are you the one who shoots the fire out his ass, because I think that's a real turnoff for the ladies –"

Fire tongue spewed a ball of flame in his hand. Josephine watched him with intensity. He would do it, too. She saw what happened to that man before. He was slaughtered worse than any person she'd seen. He would burn the coward to ash in mere minutes because he touched her. But if Joker found him like that, he would know. Her anger evaporated, replaced with intense worry. It was not that that occupied her thoughts. Joker would know it was Firetongue. At his next opportunity, he would capture and torture the fire breather. Firetongue would be at the mercy of her psychopathic father. She was almost too late when he nearly shoved it in his face before Josephine grabbed his arm and yanked it away. It was the thought that counts. "Stop! Don't you dare!" She held his arm, shooting him a menacing glare.

He…he touched you. He deserves it.

"I know he does, but when Joker finds out you did it, he'll only kill you."

It doesn't matter. I can still do it with a clean conscience.

"Don't do it," she sighed, "for me. Don't do it. For your own sake."

I'm not a coward. I'll take the punishment. As long as he gets what he deserves.

"What? Are you two having a psychic conversation or something?"

Against better judgment, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't. We're leaving anyway."

"Oh, where're you going?"

"Vacation," she snapped.

She shook him. "Let's go. You can have your chance another time." He didn't move, the blaze still flickered in his palm. "I promise. When he fails," she met Jack's gaze, "you can do whatever you like to him."

Firetongue released him. He did not stop staring at the man who was only a few years older than himself. He tensed when Josephine released him. She turned to him, "just go up and grab any of my clothes. I'll keep an eye on the son of a bitch."

He nodded but lit up the flame and smashed it into Jack's face, searing part of his Jaw. Josephine made no move to stop him that time. He screamed out as the flash melted under the intensity. Firetongue dropped his hand, sneering at him while doing so. He left for a couple minutes whilst Josephine flipped her knife out and watched Jack. He stared straight at her.

"So, is he your boyfriend?"

She was silent. Josephine got a closer glimpse at the mark on his face after Jack removed his hand long enough for him to look for blood on the palm. All Firetongue had done was lay three fingers on the jaw, searing a tattoo into the bastard's face. It was very hard to suppress a grin, but she managed it. Joker might even laugh at it. That's what happens when you don't listen to a member of the Clown family. You get burned.

She imagined how the conversation would happen if Joker cared to ask.

"What did you do to your face?"

"I tried to shove my tongue down your daughter's throat. Is there a problem with that?"

With luck, gunshot.

"Oh, I see the old silent treatment. I get it. Was it because you felt something?"

Slowly, deathly, she shook her head, eyes staring straight ahead. Murderous eyes.

Firetongue returned with a bag slung over his shoulder. He stopped and stared at Josephine then headed back towards the door. Josephine followed him then, turned back to look over Jack. "You follow us. I will kill you. And my father will know why."

Jack held up his hands. "Why would I go after you? But I will be watching you." He held his face. "Damn, was the really necessary? That really hurt."

The two began to leave, but Josephine remembered another member of their party she couldn't afford to forget. She whistled loudly. The hairs stood on end on Jack's head. Ruslting of paws rushed from an unknown source. A hyena bounded into her arms. Jack shook violently, edging from the animal and collapsed on the ground. "Get him away."

"Aw are you afraid of little ol' Chap?"

The Hyena growled at him. Jack scooted back from him, trying to be braver than he appeared. Chap snapped at him, growling lowly, abiding by his mistress's command. Jack shivered and covered his face. "Get him away from me. Ugly mutt." Chap snapped again, edging closer. Jack swat at him.

"Aw, look, he thinks you an ugly mutt, too." Josephine's voice lowered. "Call my hyena a mutt again, and I'll let him at you. Again, follow us, track us…touch me and I'll set him and never look back as you scream in terror." She relished the image. "I'll look forward to it."

Jack stared, fear remaining in them. Then, he did something. He started to laugh, louder than what she thought he would, he laughed and laughed and would not stop. "Aw Josie, you really think he's going to care about what I did? Really? He's not going to give a shit about you because you been replaced." Josephine held Chap's collar, curiously listening. Jack bared his teeth and raised his eyebrows. "That's right. I'm his new heir. Just think, Josephine, there's going to be a new Clown Prince of Crime around here one day. And it's going to be me." He dug his thumb into his heart. He looked her up and down. "Maybe now you'll reconsider my…advances." He licked his lower lip.

Josephine struggled with Chap. He was digging into the cement, trying to get to Jack, but not being able to. For a hyena, he could read people's meaning and intentions far better than any psychiatrist.

"I won't deny my father the joy of finding out you're incapability and lies, Jack. When he does know about you, and I suspect he will soon enough, you'll get yours. You were introduced to the happy dungeons, were you not?" She smiled so evilly and spoke so sincerely that Jack glared at her. "You may want to fear that the most, because it's much scarier than fear itself."

The doors opened. Josephine tugged Chap along, scratching the floor, trying to get at Jack. Firetongue followed her.

Her foe stood. "You're never going to come back here, Princess! He's not going to let you after what you've done. I'll make sure of it! I swear it!"

The two left.

Jack pulled out his phone and began dialing, while shaking his head, pulled his shirt away from his body for stress release.

"I have people to watch you, Josephine Quinzel. I'm going to find what makes you tick. Everyone has a secret. Yours is mine. You can count on that."

A/N: For those of you curious about why I named Joker's daughter Josephine, here's why: At one point, Joker used an alias known as Joseph Kerr. There you have it. I merely made it the feminine, and now you know. Just a bit of behind the writing action for you.

P.S. – Servants of the Shang Dynasty were eunuchs. Go figure.

P.P.S. – Yes, I named him Chaplin. How could I possibly resist?

P.P.P.S. – I love peppermint hot chocolate 'cause I'm too weak to drink coffee.