What did matter that I had rescued the Joker from Batman after the meeting? He gave me the cold-shoulder treatment for days afterwards, clearly not happy that he hadn't been able to see his "best bud". I didn't understand why the Joker enjoyed having Batman around; I was annoyed by the fact that the Joker thought he was worthy of keeping alive, for the madman's own amusement.

Within those cold-shoulder days – there was four of them – the Joker left without telling me, taking the guys with him. I was stuck with the dogs, which I didn't mind that much because I loved dogs, especially Rottweilers. They were good dogs, and I loved them. I hadn't seen any of the Joker's men training them so I tried it, managing to discover that they were indeed trained, and I learned a number of signals they followed.

The Rottweilers and I were playing a game of ball – five days after the criminal meeting – when the Joker and his men returned in the black van. Buddy and Prince nearly went mad, barking at the van as Peter parked it, running to the passenger's side where the Joker was sitting, wagging their tails excitedly. Scout merely sat down on her haunches at my side, her tail wagging, but containing her excitement well.

The Joker bounded out of the van, crouching and rough wrestling the two Rottweilers, ignored by his men as they unloaded the vehicle. I scratched Scout's head, smiling with amusement as Buddy and Prince jumped on the Joker, bowling him over and knocking his head against the van. The clown simply laughed, shoving both dogs off him, trying to get to his feet before they attacked him again.

I put my lips together in a sharp, clear whistle.

Immediately, Buddy and Prince stopped and looked at me, perking their ears, before racing over to me. I crouched and patted them, almost being knocked over by Scout who became jealous for attention. I laughed as the three of them started licking my face at the same time, but stopped when I saw the Joker's expression.

I stood up, ignoring the Rottweilers' whines, meeting his stare.

The Joker merely shrugged and then headed for the metal stairs up to the second floor of the warehouse.

After four days of being ignored, I didn't take to that simple action very well. I looked for Dean, and saw him watching me and the Joker. I pointed to him and then to the dogs around me, a frown on my face. He whistled, calling the three toward him – I suppose he was the one who trained them – and once they were off me, I ran after the Joker.

He had just turned into the hallway when I caught up with him. Angered, I grabbed him and threw him at the wall, a hand pressing his face into it.

"I don't take well to this kind of treatment, Joker," I growled. "I can understand one day, but four, moving into five?" He tried to push away from the wall, but I activated my shadow state, becoming stronger than him with the combination of my shadow state and my anger. I jerked his arm up, painfully, behind his back.

At the same time, someone jumped me from behind, grabbing me in a neck-hold. I immediately released the Joker to deal with my own attacker. I pushed off the Joker with my feet, slamming my attacker against the opposite wall. Before the Joker could turn, I shadowed, bringing my attacker elsewhere, down in the basement, a small hidden room where the dogs were usually kept.

I struggled against my attacker, trying to break his hold on my neck. Once my feet touched the ground, I elbowed him hard in the ribs, stomping hard on his foot. His grip loosened enough for me to free myself. I turned and punched him, knocking him down to the ground. I gave myself enough time to recognize my attacker before shadowing away, appearing on the roof of the warehouse.

I sat down, angry and frustrated, my body shaking with the adrenaline rush. After a few minutes, I had calmed down and was listing reasons for my irrational actions. I was annoyed with the Joker. For the three weeks I had been with him, I was his main focus, and then suddenly, that attention has been diverted to Batman.

I should have just let the Joker be caught by Batman. He could have had his fun fulfilled, I would have rescued him from the MCU again, and then I wouldn't be ignored.

And because I've been ignored, I'm been moping, remaining indoors for several days, playing with the dogs. The fresh air helped the quick calming process, and it made me feel better, despite how the Joker would probably kill me the next time he saw him.

Maybe now was the best time to leave Gotham City, and simply disappear?

I stood up and watched the night sky, longing for something I didn't understand.

I don't know how long I had been standing there, but I realized that my legs were starting to hurt from remaining still. I hadn't decided to leave; I loved Gotham. I couldn't leave it. I headed inside, and it was only a minute later, outside the door to my shared bedroom with the Joker that I was grabbed from behind, turned around, and slammed into the door.

I blinked, grinding my teeth in pain, my eyes merely catching the sight of black, white, and red. It took me a moment to realize that it was the Joker, and even then, I was still confused.

"Where were you?" he asked, his tone hard, his eyes narrowed.

"On the roof," I answered, truthfully. I couldn't read his emotions, but I had the suspicion that he was on the verge of becoming angry. Lying would only push him in the wrong direction.

The Joker blinked, startled as he pulled his face away, enough so that I could see his face more clearly than just colors. "Why?" he asked, playing with his mouth.

I shrugged. "To clear my head. I acted out of anger, irritation…I really don't take well to being ignored after having all the attention."

"You're jealous of Batsy, aren't ya?" The Joker thought this was funny. I waited for him to regain his composure before I said, "I suppose I am."

"Well, keep being jealous, cause I still haven't seen him." The Joker pulled me away from the door, wrapping an arm around my waist as he turned the doorknob.

"So you're talking to me again…" I said, cautiously.

"I guess it was a mis-take on my part," he replied, casually leading me into the bedroom. "Ignoring you wasn't the smartest move." He looked at me and flashed a grin, right before he pushed me against the wall. He licked his lips slowly, his eyes focused on mine. "I hope you'll forgive me…eventually."

I smiled faintly. "Already have."

"Good." He grabbed my face with both hands and pressed his lips against mine. I was taken by surprise, dazed as he pulled away, giggling to himself as he turned and bounded over to the dresser – the bedroom had collected more pieces of furniture since we moved in.

I shook my head, trying to clear it, all too aware by the fact that my heart was beating rapidly, my breath caught in my throat. I tried to avoid looking at him, but the Joker returned, carrying a few things in his hands. Seeing how I couldn't look him in the eye, he chuckled.

I glared at him, but I felt my face heat up from a rising blush. The Joker laughed harder, dropping the items he was holding, and grabbed me, kissing me again. This time, I managed to slip my arms around his neck, kissing him back, and he pulled away, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Do you have a thing for me?" he asked, curiously.

"Yes," I replied, honestly, and he giggled, amused.

"I'll keep that in mind from now on." His tone was light, smiling. "But I might, ah, ruin that thing."

I gave him a confused look, and then he suddenly dipped me, tango-style. I nearly shrieked with surprise as he set me on the ground, moving over me. From fear of what he was going to do, I shadowed underneath the bed, hiding from him.

"You're still in the room, Sha-dow," he drawled, lightly. "You can't hide from me." I watched his feet as he moved about the room, searching for possible shadows that I might be hiding in. Using a trick I had discovered while I was "ignored", I sent out a shadow form of myself, placing it near the door.

The Joker turned, looking at my shadow, studying it. "A new trick of yours?" he asked, curiously. I let my shadow's mouth turn into a smile as it started tapping its foot, crossing its arms. The Joker grinned.

"I know I'm gonna win," he said confidently, licking his lips.

My shadow moved to the window, and he had to turn to face it. The Joker tilted his head, watching my shadow's every move. Again, it started tapping its foot.

Then, the Joker lunged at my shadow, and I called it back, startled by his sudden movement. Abruptly, the Joker dived onto the floor and reached under the bed. I screamed and tried to move away, but his hand clasped onto my wrist painfully.

Shadowing away would have done nothing at that point. The Joker proved his strength – for the umpteenth time – by easily pulling me out from underneath the bed with one heave. Once I was free from the bed, he bounced and sat on my chest.

"What a naughty little shadow," the Joker giggled as he grabbed my flailing hands, holding them with one hand as he grabbed something off to the side. It turned out to be a piece of rope, and he started to tie my hands, quickly. "All I want to do is make you a star, Shadow."

I fought to get my hands away from him, but he wouldn't let them go. "A star for what?" I rolled my eyes, sighing with exasperation. "What does it matter? I'm pretty sure that means something completely different from what you said."

The Joker smacked my cheek playfully. "C'mon, Shadow, I planned this for you. I've already sent my invitation to the Commissioner." I blinked in surprise, and he gave me an innocent puppy look. "Don't hurt my feelings about this, Shadow. I'm trying to makeup for ignoring you."

I continued to stare at him in shock. "You planned this?"

"It's to show the schemers that plans are useless. They always have something go wrong."

"And what do you think will be for this plan to go wrong?"

"It's meant to go wrong, dar-ling." The Joker grinned as I frowned at the usage of the hated petname. "Batman or the police will save you."

"I should have known," I groaned. "Tying me up and using me to get the attention of Batman. So much for making up for ignoring me." Then, I felt a sense of panic. "What if they don't?" The Joker paused in the tying of his knot to look at me. "Didn't think of that, did you?" The Joker only shrugged, resuming the tying and testing it to make sure I couldn't work it undone. "What if I happen to die during this particular prank?"

"You won't," he replied. He sounded so certain, so confident, but it didn't comfort me.

"But if I do…"

"If…'if' is the keyword in that statement, Shadow, but…if you do die, I'd be very upset." He patted my cheek, grinning. "Nothing to worry about, Sha-dow." He reached off to the side again, and when I turned my head, my eyes following his hand, he picked up a dart gun.

"Have you been having sleep problems lately, Shadow?" the Joker asked, placing the barrel to my wrist.

My eyes widened, "Oh no, Joker, don't-." I winced as I felt the stinging bite of the dart. "…If I wake up and find that you screwed me over-."

"I'm not that kind of guy, Shadow," the Joker growled, leaning close to my face. "I prefer that you're awake when we reach that point."

"You're sick," I said, my voice softening as I spoke. The sleeping drug was making its course through my body.

"That's why I go to Arkham, to get cured." The Joker laughed, his laughter ringing oddly as my eyelids grew heavy. "But I'm not that sick. I'm just a human being, a male for that matter."

"As if that explains everything," I murmured, my speech slurred with sleep.

"It should, to a woman like you," his voice echoed in response. My eyes closed, but I felt him place a tender kiss on my lips before sleep overcame me.

A harsh wind awoke me, the whistling combing with the blood pounding in my ears. Pressure resided in my head, behind my eyes. The breeze blew my hanging hair, and I found it difficult to concentrate through the pounding headache. With some effort, I opened my eyes, looking up – wouldn't I normally be looking down? – to find myself hanging upside down by a thick cord, wound tightly around my ankle.

"What the…" I winced; no wonder why my head hurt, with all the blood rushing through my head. I even had my hands tied behind my back, bound tight enough to slowly cut into my skin. I tried remembering how I had gotten into this situation, and gradually, it came back to me.

The Joker had tied me up beforehand, and had knocked me unconscious. Why he didn't just hit me with something, I don't know, but he was nice enough to use a sleeping drug. I felt groggy because of it, but my head would hurt lots more if he had hit me.

I couldn't even guess what the Joker was planning. I appeared to be hanging besides a tall building, a skyscraper, and I was directly in front of an open window. If I could just swing myself over, I could grab hold of the window and try to…wait, my ankle was still tied, same with my hands. I groaned in frustration, wishing I hadn't lost the dagger Raven had given me from my first night in Gotham.

Boy, don't I wish I had it right now…

I noticed something blinking in the window, and I located a blinking red light. I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what it was.

Two levels above, there was a loud thunk against the glass window. I looked up, using my neck muscles to hold my head. There was quiet, and then the thunk was repeated a number of times before the glass shattered. I shut my eyes, looking down to avoid getting pieces of glass in my face. The din of laughter reached my ears, the moment the glass broke. It wasn't hard to distinguish whose laughter it was.

It was only a few moments later, and the laughing man flew out the window, falling head-over-heels, laughing insanely like he was enjoying it.

"Joker!" I shrieked and reached out. I barely managed to grab his jacket around his shoulders, and he stopped, almost slipping right out of his purple coat in the process.

He sighed, heavily, clearly upset that I had saved him, and he looked up. "You had to ruin it, Shadow," he grumbled.

"You'd die if you hit the ground."

"It's only water below us."

My ears perked, and my mouth went dry, making it difficult to repeat the word. "Water?" The Joker nodded and then looked up at me, his scarred mouth dropping open. My eyes moved past him, and the sight of the water had my throat constricting.

The Joker swore as his hands reached up, grabbing onto the rope tied around my wrists. He had good enough timing as I had released his coat, my hands going numb.

"I'm sorry, Shadow!" the Joker said loudly, "I forgot!"

"Bastard, don't think I'll ever forgive you for this treatment." My retort was automatic, my mouth working on autopilot as my body started to register the unbearable burst of fear coursing through my body. "I'm not gonna survive…"

"Don't think like that, Shadow," the Joker told me sharply. "You'll be fine. See? I'm here."

"Not comforting…" My voice was starting to break and soon, I knew that I wouldn't be able to talk at all. "Just get me out of here…"

"Will do, Shadow. My fault you're in this situation. I'm gonna get you out."

I gave a dry laugh, only to start choking. "Didn't…think I'd…ever…hear you say…it's…your fault." I was short of breath, and I knew from experience that it was only going to get worse until I stopped breathing altogether.

The strain on my arms from the Joker's weight didn't register. The numbing sensation crept up from my hands, overtaking my arms and my shoulders as my body started trembling madly. Beads of perspiration ran down my face even though my head and neck felt chilly. My throat tightened making it troublesome to breath, worsening my condition. My heart raced rapidly, causing my chest to start hurting, like pressure was building up inside.

The Joker tightened his grip on the rope tied around my wrist, and he started kicking his legs out, swinging his body back and forth.

Even through my inability to comprehend what the Joker was doing, I knew what was happening to me. It had happened before…when my cursed father hung me over water.

I was having a panic attack!

The Joker called my names several times, having to particularly scream it for my eyes to dart from the water below to his face, even as he swung. "Look at me, Shadow!" he yelled. "Focus on me, nothing else. Nothing else exists!" My eyes moved back to the water, and I panicked, trying to breathe, but I couldn't. "SHADOW! LOOK AT ME!" I did, but my chest heaved, the lack of air burning inside me.

The Joker was swinging violently, dangerously. He was swinging so hard that he was becoming horizontal. I tried to tell him to stop, in case his hands gave out, but with no air, I couldn't speak.

Abruptly, the muscles in his arms tightened, and he heaved himself up one last time, releasing my rope. My eyes followed him as he flew up into the air over me, his arms reaching towards me, and came down, catching himself on me, wrapping his legs around mine to secure his position.

I couldn't breath. I struggled, my eyes fixed on the Joker as he slowly slid down my body, trying to bring his face to mine. I felt numbness in my lips, and I closed my eyes, realizing that this was it. I was gonna die because of a panic attack. The Joker had placed me in a situation that I had to face my worst fear, and it was going to kill me.

"Shadow!" he called my name. "Shadow? Open your eyes. It's okay." I shook my head slowly, keeping my eyes shut. I was suffocating, and it hurt. My lungs felt like they were going to burst, same with my racing heart. I was dying, and it was agony.

"Breathe, Shadow! Breathe!" Again I shook my head slowly. "No, Shadow! BREATHE!" Even the anger in his voice couldn't hide his immediate fear. My lips tingled slightly, and I felt pressure against them as I felt a hand behind my neck. Two fingers pinched my nose closed as a blast of air rushed into my mouth, down my throat, and into my lungs, filling them. It didn't matter; I couldn't breathe out.

I was paralyzed, unable to move anything. The panic attack had gotten the best of me quickly, and it was going to finish me off. I would die young, but I had no regrets, not anymore, not after meeting the Joker…

"Stay with me, Shadow!" He was pleading, begging me, but I couldn't. My body was shutting down. I lost all feeling, unable to figure out anything. Hanging upside down, I couldn't fight against the pull of gravity, and my eyelids fell open. I saw the Joker's painted face, but there was no comprehension. "SHADOW!" The agony in his cry, it wouldn't register, nothing would. I could just wait for my mind to shutdown forever.

"No…" There was no trace of submission in the Joker's tone. He couldn't give up, not on her.

Desperately, he twisted his upper body before swinging himself back and then up, using his abdomen to bring him up to the cord that was tied around Shadow's ankle.

The Joker grabbed the cord with one hand, grunting with his weight as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out his switchblade and clicked it open. "Forgive me, Shadow," he murmured as he pressed the sharp edge against the cord and started cutting it.

"Joker, stop!" The Joker ignored Batman's calls from overhead, working furiously against the stubborn cord. "You don't want to be doing this, Joker!" Batman yelled.

"Yes, I do!" the Joker screamed back, his voice cracking. "It's the only way!"

"Really, Joker, it's not!" He didn't understand the predicament. The Joker turned a cold-shoulder to him and renewed his efforts against the cord. Gradually, it started to break, and the Joker continued sawing it, his heart pounding desperately in his chest.

If he lost her…he'd never be able to forgive himself, for losing her because of his own stupidity.

The cord was beginning to yield, and the Joker's mouth stretched into a slight smile. It didn't matter, he was going to lose the battle…a battle he knew he could have won many times over but he had been too…afraid?…to tell her.

The cord snapped, and the sudden drop caught the Joker by surprise, even though he had been expecting it. His switchblade slipped out of his hand, but he snatched it, shoving it into his pant pocket before trying to locate Shadow. She was mere inches away from him, and the Joker reached, grabbing her limp arm and pulling her towards him, holding her tightly, protectively, as they plunged towards the water.

With a hard splash, the Joker hit the water first, Shadow after him. A shocking cold swept through him as water rushed into his nose, and numbness bite into his hands. He almost lost his grip on Shadow, but realizing before, he wrapped his arms around her and started kicking, working for the surface.

The Joker sputtered as he broke the surface with Shadow, nearly falling under as he gulped for air. He spat water out, jerked his wet hair out of his face, and then looked at Shadow, seeing that she was looking very pale. Desperately, he looked around for some place to bring her, finding a small port nearby.

He swam for it, pulling Shadow along with him. As he swam, his mind was whirling in several different directions at once, his thoughts running restlessly through his head. How could he have forgotten about Shadow's fear? How could he be so cruel? The whole thing wasn't even his idea!

He reached the port, and after taking a deep breath, he went underwater, swimming underneath Shadow and heaving her up onto the port. Breaking the surface, he shoved her up the rest of the way on and then heaved himself up. He took deep breaths before moving to where her still form lay, turning her over onto her back.

Her eyes were closed, and her chest wasn't moving. The Joker immediately went to work, bending over and covering her mouth with his, pinching her nose closed as he breathed for her. He pushed her chest a few numbers and came back to replenish the air in her lungs. Right in the middle of his breathing, she suddenly choked, and he moved away, turning her to her side as she coughed up water, taking loud ragged breaths.

As she started breathing on her own, her body started to tremble with the mixture of the coldness of the water and of the shock of her overwhelming fear. The Joker pulled off his wet jacket, wishing it wasn't, and placed it over her after trying his best to squeeze most of the water out of it. Luckily, it was leather so it didn't hold as much water as any other jacket would have.

Shadow started to hyperventilate, and the Joker moved quickly to her other side. "Shadow, I'm here. It's okay. It's over." She looked at him through unfocused eyes, and he placed a hand over her eyes. "Listen to my voice, Shadow," he said. "Breathe with me. Inhale…" He purposely breathed in loudly so she could hear him. She tried her best to copy him. "Good, now, exhale…"

For a few minutes, he calmly talked her through the process of breathing until the hyperventilation had stopped. He rubbed her shoulder, speaking softly, remembering a time he had to do this before…many years ago…with a friend he had known…

"B-Bastard," she mumbled, shakily terribly.

The Joker moved closer and gently picked her up, holding her to him. "I know, I'm truly sorry, Shadow…"

"I'll…kill…you." She was very short of breath.

"Later, Shadow," he said, using a hand to press her head to his shoulder. "You can kill me later, but not now."

"Yeah…later…" Her voice cracked, and she started to cry weakly, having no energy or breath to downright sob.

The Joker, a strange patience and care overcoming him, merely held her, rocking her back and forth like she was a child, stroking her hair and whispering, "It's okay now. Go ahead and cry. It's over."

It was only minutes later, when Shadow had subsided into silence, that the Joker looked around and chuckled softly.

"What?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"We're on Miller Harbor," he said, "I brought you here on our drive." He smiled, remembering it, and lowered his head, to see her reaction.

She simply shuddered, leaning into him. He watched her for a few moments before he could hear her deep breathing. The Joker was careful to avoid waking her as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a cell phone. Of course, it was wet, but he might be lucky.

He flipped it open and held the button to turn it on. Mercifully, it turned on; it still worked. He dialed a number and then placed the phone to his ear. It rung once before the person on the other line picked up.

"Boss? Is that you? Where are you?"

"Let me answer the first question, Bleak," the Joker growled. "Yes, it's me. Come pick me up on Miller Harbor."

"What happened to Shadow?"

"She's fine. We went for a swim." The Joker's mouth twitched as Shadow suddenly moved closer to him, moaning softly in her sleep. "Mind getting here?"

"I'll be there in two minutes."

"Good." The Joker hung up and then tossed the phone into the harbor. He wasn't going to need it, and when he needed another one, he could just send Bleak out for one. Note to self, he thought, Get a phone for Shadow…

Bleak was good, reaching the harbor in less than two minutes. The Joker waited for him, cradling Shadow's still form in his arms. Even before Bleak climbed out of the driver's seat, the Joker had the sidedoor open, and he was settling Shadow across the backseat.

"Looks like it was more than just a swim," Bleak remarked, arching an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"My own stupidity," the Joker grunted, running a hand through his wet locks. "That's the last time I'll listen to Peter's ideas."

"This was Peter's idea?" The Joker winced. "Are you that oblivious to how he feels about Shadow?"

The Joker spun, eyes wide. "What?"

"Peter hates Shadow." Bleak shook his head, heaving a sigh. "I'm gonna beat him next time I see him."

"Mind if I get him first?" the Joker asked, leaning out of the van.

Bleak gave him a confused look before grinning wickedly. "I'll just deal with the remains then."

The Joker laughed as Bleak moved around to the driver's seat again. "I think I'll have to rename you from Bleak to…Comical."

"Sorry, boss, but Bleak's grown on me." He settled himself in the front seat and then looked up at the sky.

Seeing this, the Joker grinned. "How's the weather?"

"Bleak," was the response, causing the Joker to laugh.

Lordlink13: This chapter had several things going on. I needed to pass the time in the story. I felt like the Joker needed to do something stupid and then save Shadow, make her feel more in debt with him. And I wanted to give a picture of how the Joker actually felt about having Bleak/Dean around. And I wanted to get someone in trouble with the Joker (aka. Peter)...and to give the Joker an excuse to perform CPR on Shadow. So I hope everything's okay. This was a very shaky chapter, and I promise to do better, if you didn't like this one. I needed to get the plot moving. Please review and let me know what you think. Until next time!