Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with the Dark Knight or the Joker (I wish I did) or anything to do with DC comics. I do own Casey and Cassie as they are the same person and Lexi and. LOL.

Chapter 4

LPOV

As we drove down the road in the pitch darkness, I had chance to reflect on what had just happened. Could it be possible that the fact that my father was alive and my assailant were connected? Or was that just a coincidence? Oh who am I kidding? I was reading too much into it.

I however was probably the sanest one in the car. My mom was taking to herself constantly the same words over and over again "why now? How does he know? How did he find us?" I decided not to press her on this point because; quite honestly she looked on the border of braking point. She also kept nervously checking the wind mirrors as if she thought someone was following her and every time a black car went past she either whimpered or jumped.

I was quite glad to get out the car when we arrived at Grandma Kelly's house. Mom had phoned ahead whilst I was getting a few clothes so Grandma was standing outside on the porch when we got there in her dressing gown and pink fluffy slippers. Her greying hair tied up in a bun.

So, I was relieved to see, was Carly. Mom and I got out the car and Mom ran straight for, not Grandma, but for Carly, who held on to her and escorted her into the house. Grandma took hold of my hand. The way she used to when I was little and led me inside as Granddad unloaded the few thing we had brought in our hurry.

"Let's get you to bed. We have your old room made up for you" comforted Grandma.

"What about Mom?" I asked

"There's a room for your mom too, but I doubt if she'll be doing much sleeping"

"What's going on Grandma? Mom said she'd explain when we'd got here"

"I think that will have to wait dear till the morning now" I now realized that we were out side my room. Grandma left me to get settled, wanting to see to her daughter. I entered the chilly room and turned the light on. It was decorated like a cottage bedroom with all the flowers on the blue, old fashioned wall paper.

I immediately identified why it was so cold. The window was wide open. I crossed the room and quickly shut it. There was a pair of Green pyjamas on the white double bed. I was thankful of that because I had forgotten my own in the rush.

There was a soft knock on the door and in came Granddad carrying my bag. I swiftly took it from him and thanked him. As he headed towards the door I asked "Is Mom ok?" He turned round with a look of sadness upon him. "Not really, Carly is doing everything she can to calm her down"

"Do you want me to try?" I asked suddenly feeling like I was the responsible adult.

"No" he responded "its best that you don't see her at this moment, she wouldn't want you to" and with that he left.

I got out my tooth brush and paste and with my pyjamas, padded off to the bathroom pausing to listen at the stairs. All I could hear was the sound of something smashing, a vase? And my mother's voice shouting at someone. I ran the remaining way tears prickling my eyes.

I got ready for bed and re-entered the room, suddenly feeling a lot less calm than I had been. I delved into my bag and found what I was looking for. It was an old, black, fluffy Cat was looking a bit worse for wear. I always cuddled this when ever I needed comforting. I've had it ever since I was born. Its orange eyes stared at me. I found that oddly consoling. I turned down the bed, got in it, lay down and sleep washed over me like the tide on a beach.

That night I had a nightmare. It was so vivid I thought it was real. My Mom, her face was unscarred; much like the pictures downstairs in my Grandparent's living room, was screaming and shouting at me whilst the man who had attacked me was holding me in place forcing me to listen to my Mom's rants.

I tried to scream but every time I opened my mouth my Mom screamed as the skin around her mouth split into her smile. I watched as a drop of blood trickled down from the open wounds and she smiled at my disgust. Then the guy who was holding me got out a knife and pressed it to my mouth. That's when my eyes shot open and I shot up in bed.

It was now morning; the sun was out again like yesterday. Was it really yesterday? It didn't feel like it. I looked at the clock on my bedside table. It was 10 o'clock. The tantalising smell of toast wafted through the door which made me get up and go downstairs.

In the kitchen were my Grandma and Grandpa who was reading the newspaper at the table. Carly was milling around the toaster when I walked in.

No sign of my Mom.

"Oh Lexi! I didn't expect you to be up yet! Come and sit and I'll get you some toast" my Grandma fussed.

I sat down and turned to Carly "Where's Mom?"

"Garden, taking a walk that's all she's been doing all night" answered Carly

"Carly!" warned Grandpa setting down the newspaper to eat his breakfast that had just been put in front of him by Grandma.

"No! I think she should know! She's sixteen"

"Cassie will explain in her own time"

"With the state that Cassie is in I think she should go back…."

"Carly!"

Suddenly Mom entered the kitchen and the whole room went quite. She looked bad and I mean bad. You could tell that she hadn't had any sleep. Her normally bright dark blue eyes were not bright anymore. There were stains where her mascara had run and she had not bothered to put any makeup on her scars so they stuck out worse that I'd ever seen them almost as if they were fresh. That reminded me of my dream so I quickly looked away.

"I want to talk to Lexi" she said in a very weak voice that didn't sound like her at all.

"Cassie, darling just let her eat something first"

"No, if she's anything like me she won't want anything"

It was true. Although the smell of toast was so strong, I wasn't hungry, not yet. So I got up and followed her into the lounge. Carly was close behind me. My Grandparents chose to stay behind. We sat down on the chairs and my Mom grabbed my hand. She felt so cold after she had been walking all night. I shivered to the touch. She managed a weak smile before she began.

"Now, do you remember when we where is the house and you asked what your father was like? Well I'm going to tell you" here she took a big breath "In an ideal world, I would say that your father was great and I wouldn't say a bad word against him. This isn't an ideal world Lexi as you probably know. Your father wasn't great and I would probably say such words about him that would make your Grandmother's hair curl. He wasn't at the birth; in fact he didn't even know that I was pregnant, heck even I didn't know! Until 3 months after."

"Your father is- is the Joker"