Linda made her way back to her room. She threw herself on her bed and starred at the ceiling. She had a lot of thinking to do. Bruce wasn't going to leave Gotham behind and she wasn't going back there. Their life together wasn't going to become a reality. The only question now was rather or not to take her son with her. She rubbed her eyes. All of a sudden she had a flood of memories flowing through her mind. Her and Jack laughing, kissing, in the shower, and fooling around. She thought about what he might had been doing at that very moment. About a hour later there was a knock on her door. She got up to open it.

"Hello Linda, may I come in?" It was Doctor Richardson.

"Of course." She sat on her bed and crossed her legs.

"Mr. Stanley told me you were having some doubts. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I was just expressing my concerns because if I hadn't he would have kept asking me questions."

"So you're perfectly fine?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what is going on with you Linda?" He took a seat and waited for her to speak about her thoughts.

"I don't know. The whole thing with me and The Joker has me freaked out. I believe I might be ready to leave here but I'm not ready for the outside yet. That's the part that's freaking me out. Bruce has proposed marriage."

"Well congrats on that. Did you accept?"

"Kind of. I want to marry him but I don't want to go back to Gotham. He doesn't want to leave it behind."

"So you are un sure of what to do?"

"Exactly. I mean would you think it was a good idea for me to go back there?"

"Honestly no. It would be a very bad idea. Bruce would be making a mistake if he took you back there."

"Exactly my point. He doesn't see it that way. He thinks I'm worried about falling in love with the Joker again."

"Well are you?"

"What? no of course not."

"Are you sure? I know it might be weird to think about but a lot of women in your position have to worry about things like that. Even though you think you might not feel that way again, some part inside you knows you better."

She had thought about it. She didn't want to admit it but she had worried about it. She never cared about anyone the way she cared about Jack. It would be very difficult not to fall for him again. "I guess you're right."

"Linda, lets talk more about your relationship with Joker. How was it? What made you fall for him?"

"I don't know. We started talking about his past and thats when I saw he was still human. He never really gave me a reason to love him and he never believed I actually cared about him."

"What do you think caused him to not believe you?"

"The way he is. He just didn't think anyone could love him. He's hard to live with, crazy, and a murderer. No woman in her right mind would. I was just different."

"Do you think you were always a little different or just when you met him?"

"I was always different. Not crazy just different."

"I know you used to cut yourself. Once you were with the Joker how often did you cut yourself?"

"Actually I didn't. For the first month he cut me enough so I didn't even think about doing it to myself. After that I just didn't want to."

"Can you compare your relationships to eachother? That of between you and the Joker then of you and Bruce."

"Right. I can't compare it, both relationships were completely different. Bruce was safe where the Joker was danger. The sex with Bruce was gentle but rough with the Joker. They are completely different."

"What attracted you to Bruce?"

"I wasn't at first. It was mostly because I was lonely. Jack wasn't paying attention to me. I would tell him I loved him and he laughed at me. So I just went for the next guy I knew. Once I got to know him I saw what a great guy he was. So kind and caring. I guess I had been so used to the oppisit that the change was really great you know?"

"I understand what you mean. But Linda what did you like more? The danger or safety?"

"Back then I couldn't stay away from the Joker. It had to be for a lot of reasons and not just the danger."

"Is that what you believe?"

"Well yeah. You can't fall in love with danger. I was in love with him. I knew he was dangerous and when I was first there I wasn't attracted to him. It was so many things on top of that."

"Do you think it has anything to do with him being your first?"

"Of course. Back then I didn't think it did but I know different now. I never had a serious boyfriend so being with him was something I had never experienced. Him taking my virginity got in the way of me thinking clearly. Or as clear as I could had been thinking at the time."

"Who was the first person you gave a hand job to?"

Linda was quite. She sat still not wanting to remember those days. She had runaway from all that and didn't want to go back. "I never talked about that in group or with you. What are you getting at?"

"We looked up all your information when you were admitted. We know about your parents and the people that adopted you."

"And you know what I went through?"

"A lot of it."

"Then why are you asking me?"

"We need to hear it from you. I want to help you as much as I can before you leave." He pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. "You need to trust us before we can help you."

"Thats my problem I do trust you. I always trust everyone and thats what usally gets me trouble."

"We're just here to help you Linda. Don't worry about Joker or Bruce or Venom. It's just us talking."

"Okay. Well my first 'dad' would touch me and make me touch him. I didn't know what I was doing but I knew something was not right."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"Not at first. He told me it was our little secret. All I know is that I didn't like what he was doing. I told his wife but she didn't believe me then I told someone at school."

"They took you out of that house and into another one right?"

"Right. That 'dad' only beat me which was bad but he didn't touch me the way the other one had."

"Then what happened?"

"I was placed in another home." She started crying. Remembering it all made her feel dirty and ashamed. "He was nice at first and I was happy. But then he started touching me and he would put things in me. He made me give him blow jobs and I hated it. He told me he'd kill me if I ever said anything. He knew no one would believe me. He broke my arm once and I had to lie and say I fell down a flight of stairs."

"Did you try to talk to anyone?"

"I didn't bother. They would just put me in another home. I just ranaway and it was ok for a while."

"That was better then living with them?"

"It was. I was free and I didn't care where I slept. I didn't have to do any of that anymore and no one was beating me."

"Would you ever hit Gabrial?"

"No never. I know what that feels like and I wouldn't put him through that."

"Do you think you'll be a good mother?"

"I don't know. I know I love him and I'm hoping to be the best I can for him."

"Thats a great answer Linda. Most women just answer yes or no or maybe. I have a lot of hope for you and I think you will be fine." He stood up from his seat and shook her head. "Don't worry so much just live in the moment. Don't think about your past or your future. I'll see you tomorrow." He left and closed the door behind him. Linda cheered up a bit knowing Dr. Richardson had faith in her.

The next day at breakfast she sat down with Maggie. They talked about what they wanted to do whenever they got out. "I can't wait to sleep in a normal bed."

Maggie laughed. "Girl I know what you are talking about. I would love a regualr bed too. But I'm never gonna get out. You know how long I've been in here doll?"

"Oh Maggie I know but you have to believe in yourself. Do you think you're getting better?"

"I don't know sometimes. I think I am but then I have these crazy thoughts. It's crazy how much can go on in someones mind you know?"

"Actually I do. I really do." She played with her scrambled eggs sitting on her plate. She wasn't hungry. Barely ever was. She had gotten too skinny since being there so she tried to eat more but it was no use. Her stomach just wouldn't expand.

"Linda I've been wanting to ask you something for a while and just didn't dare. This Joker guy you used to be with what is he like?"

Linda thought about the question. This country wasn't aware about the Joker. He had only really been known in Gotham. "Well he was crazy but swore he wasn't. He was funny and sometimes sweet which is weird because to anyone else, sweet was not something you could call him. He was a killer clown. Painted himself in white, black, and red make up. Also dyed his hair green and worn a purple suit."

"Defintely sounds crazy to me."

"I know but he didn't think he was. Just thought he was ahead of the curve."

"Why'd you fall for him? I mean if he was so weird and strange."

"Because after a while I didn't see the paint. I saw him underneath. Something no one else saw in him. I just fell and hard."

"Damn. So he's the reason you went crazy huh?"

"Yup. I completely went to like another world. I killed a lot of people and went through a lot of stuff. I'm just glad I have Bruce there for me."

The rest of breakfast they just talked about this and that. She went up to throw her tray away. Someone creped up behind her. She thought it might had been Maggie but instead she heard another all too familar voice. "Hello beautiful." She froze.

______________________________________________________________

HaHa wonder what well happen in the next chapter. Keep reading to find out.