Again, I am alive, and one kind reviewer got me writing again, they know who they are, thank you very much! Not much to say here, most is a vagueness of everyone's suffering, and a focus on Riddler at the end. Please review, hope you enjoy, no flames, and I own nothing. (If I did, Batman wouldn't be dead for one...) Enjoy!


Every morning, afternoon, and night, Joker had been making loud noises. The noises didn't die down as the days passed either, one would think that someone's throat wouldn't allow that much noise to be made, and for that long, but Joker could.

Joker screamed, and cried. He sang his pain, and he yelled out at the walls. He refused to eat. The workers had to hold him down, and force feed him, all while he screamed.

"Harley baby, come back to me! Baby come back to me, in my heart-"then he'd break down crying again, unable to finish his song, or any of his songs for that matter. Joker was a mess to put it simply. Since the doctors refused to talk to him, and since he couldn't talk to the other rogue's since he was on suicide watch, Joker was truly alone.

Joker continued his wailing and screaming, as everyone else in the asylum tried to drown out the noise.

Poison Ivy found that cramming her pillow into her ears did nothelp her at all. It barely managed to muffle the noise. Catwoman (who still couldn't figure out why she was here in the first place and not in the regular prison) discovered that while clawing at the cement walls was the best way to drown out Joker's screams, it also created a new source for her headaches, and it ruined her nails to a bloody mess. The other patients at Arkham simply suffered, they heard Joker's screams as mockery towards them; thinking that he was going to come after them and this was his way of preparing them. A few people contemplated hanging themselves from fright; a small number already did.

The doctors suffered in silence in the break room, clutching their coffee and tea, and hating their life. The Janitor seemed to be the luckiest, he simply turned on any of his large appliances and his music, and he was good; unless Joker hit a particularly high note of course. Arkham were at a record clean thanks to this method.

The front desk secretary, a bobble headed middle aged women seemed barely fazed by Joker's screamed. She simply put in her ear plugs, and called her friends to talk so while she suffered little, her friends on the other line were running out of aspirin from hearing Joker's scream through the phone.

In fact, it seemed the only person at Arkham who wasn't disrupted by Joker's screams was the Riddler. For some reason he seemed completely unaffected. Maybe it was because he was still working on a riddle, with the answer "Harley".

It couldn't be a simple riddle either. No, this had to be the greatest riddle of all times. Oh sure he had come up with a dozen before, but this one had to be unsolvable. That way, he could say the riddle to himself, even if his colleagues were around, and not be taunted for thinking of her. He couldn't help himself, yes she was Joker's girl, but he always had a soft spot for her.

Riddler's concentration was so great, he too had to be reminded to eat, and Joker's wailings seemed like a distant whisper. Riddler sighed as he thought of Harley once again. He kept reminded himself, that he wasn't the only one who had a thing for Harley, as if to justify that he was in love with one of his best friend's -a murderous best friend's- on and off again girlfriend. He wasn't the only one though! He kept telling himself, everyone had a soft spot for the blond clown.

Catwoman took care of her like a sister and Poison Ivy likewise. However, everyone knew that Poison Ivy didn't want to be justfriends. Scarecrow looked over her like a father. Penguin, well no one went near him to know how he felt. Harvey, well he seemed to show no emotions towards her. Come to think of it, Riddler couldn't ever really remember seeing them interact; unless Harley was strapped to Joker's arm, and Joker and Harvey were talking.

No one, well maybe Poison Ivy, understood the pain that Riddler felt when he saw those bruises on Harley's sweet face. He, if ever given the chance, would never, ever have treated Harley like that. She deserved so much better, but could never get it because Joker wouldn't let her. If she could have just gotten away before she…

Riddler sighed, and stopped himself from thinking anymore. That was his best friend he was thinking all of those rude thoughts about. Harley (thought) she loved him, and Joker, in his own twisted way, loved her back. Riddler sighed, and sat there in despair, clearing his mind of all thoughts of her.

Suddenly he heard Joker's loud wailings, and cringed in pain, along with the rest of the Asylum.


I admit to being guilty of a multi-shipper. I ship Harley with Riddler, and Joker (occasionally Harvey too). Sad I know, but please review!