I soon discovered that Jack didn't even recognize the word "brake". My fingers turned white as I clutched the dashboard, my throat raw from screaming. He, however, took delight in my panic, cackling while driving on the wrong side of the road.

He turned his head towards me, licking his lips, "What's wrong Puddin?"

"Truck…TRUCK!" I yelled, pointing at the big Mack truck heading straight towards us.

It's driver laid on his horn as we whizzed past him, narrowly missing his grill; another high pitched scream ripped through my throat. He suddenly twisted the wheel, sending us flying into a parking lot, and finally stomped on the brakes while keeping the wheel turned, making us skid sideways. We somehow landed perfectly into a parking spot and he once again smiled at me.

"Now…wasn't that fun?" he snickered.

I stared at him with my eyes wide. My blood was pumping hard through my veins and a cold sweat had developed on my forehead….but I had to admit…it was exciting. I felt invincible now, like I could do anything.

I bobbed my head up and down, "Yeah…yeah it was. Where are we?"

I looked out the window and saw a bright neon sign advertising cold beer and easy women.

"A bar I know…don't worry your pretty little head, it's just a little pitstop. I'll be back soon," he got out of the car and was about to close the door when he suddenly remembered something, "Oh, don't open the door…for anyone."

It wasn't a suggestion. It was a command meant for me to obey; after he slammed the door, I quickly locked myself inside the car and sunk low into my seat. We were still in the Narrows and anything could happen here, especially when a 17 year old girl was alone in a car in the parking lot of a bar. I looked up and noticed the dark red stains on the car's ceiling….was that blood?

"HEY girl! Let me in real quick!" A man suddenly pounced at my window making me jump.

With a quick glance, making sure that the door was locked I shook my head at him. Fear tingled throughout my body, the headline: Girl Get's Raped and Murdered in Bar Parking Lot flashed through my mind, sending me into a panic.

"Come on, just unlock the door, I aint gonna hurt ya!" he aggressively pulled at the door handle, trying to get in.

His eyes were blood shot and his hands twitched uncontrollably.

"G-go away!" I stuttered out.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, but my hands searched around me for some sort of weapon to help me. My fingers curled around a stick shaped object with a pointy end, giving me some comfort that I could at least defend myself.

"I said, let me in girl!" he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a gun.

"Jack!" I screamed as the man shakily pointed the gun at me.

"Unlock the door!" the man's eye twitched.

Tears streaming down my face, I slowly pulled up the lock on my door, my hands shaking almost as much as his. He ripped the door open and pulled me out, he was stronger than he looked. I fell on the sun baked asphalt hard, scraping the skin on my palms. I flipped over on my back to stare down the barrel of his quivering gun; my mouth hung open as my short life flashed before my eyes.

My thoughts quickly settled on Jack's face, I didn't want to leave him. I had to fight for him.

"Why are you doing this?" my voice shook.

"I don't have a choice! I owe money…too much money!" he yelled as his own tears began to spill over his eye lashes.

My mind flipped through the pages of my Psychology book.

"It's ok…you always have a choice. I can help you get the money," I tried to make my voice sound as calm as Jack's always was.

There are two people in this world; those would feel completely comfortable depending on people and those who would rather stand alone. This man, was an example of the first type.

"You…you can? How?" his gun slightly lowered and his red eyes twitched less.

"Well first, what's your name? I'm Harleen," I pulled on a smile as best I could.

Make it personal and they'll trust you more.

"Teddy," he relaxed some, pointing the gun down to the ground.

"Well Ted—"

Suddenly a pale arm wrapped around Teddy's neck while the other twisted the gun out of his hand. He didn't have time to react before Jack slammed him up against the side of the car.

"Hold this will ya, Harl," Jack hissed and tossed me the gun, never breaking eye contact with the guy.

It landed heavy on my lap and I curled my fingers around the warm handle. In one quick motion, I flung the black gun as far away from me as possible. It clattered to the ground some distance away.

"Now…tell me…what exactly were you trying to do?" he growled, his eyes showing his raw fury.

He reached slowly into his pocket and came back out with his switch blade. The man's eyes grew wide as it's blade flicked out and he struggled to get away, but Jack held fast.

"ANSWER ME!" Jack yelled in a gruff voice, pushing the sharp edge against the skin of Teddy's neck.

"I…I j-just needed some money," His voice shook as he sobbed.

Jack trailed the knife blade down Teddy's jawline, not cutting him..yet.

"Well, you messed with the wrong person's girl. Do you know who I am?" He licked his lips and Teddy's mouth hung open as he watched Jack's mouth twist into an eerie smile.

A spark of recognition jolted through Teddy's body and extreme panic flooded his eyes.

"You're….you're that guy. No…no but everyone says you don't exist, that you're like a myth or something!"

This amused Jack, causing chuckles to bubble from his smiling lips.

"Oh, I assure you," He said tapping Teddy's tear-soaked cheek with the flat of his knife, "I'm very real and, I believe they all have a name for me, don't they? Let's hear what it is."

"The J—J—J—" Teddy's voice sounded like a broken record.

"J-J-J," Jack said in a high voice, mocking him, "Spit. It. Out."

"The Joker! Please, don't kill me man. I got a little baby at home, please. I don't wanna die, ill do anything…anything!" He pleaded.

I remember just yesterday, when I first met Jack on the bus; before I left, he had introduced himself as Jack the Joker. But that name sounds so cheerful, not dangerous or scary.

"Now, now, I'm not going to kill you….I'm just going to leave you with a little something to remember me by, sound fair?"

Teddy had no choice but to nod; Jack's eyes lit up. He still held Teddy tight against the car while he slowly raked his knife along the skin of his neck, carving two dots. Teddy tried to scream out in pain, but Jack shushed him, pushing the bloody blade against his lips.

"Now, for my favorite part…the smile," Jack cackled.

He quickly sliced deep into Teddy's neck, carving out a wide smile under the two eyes. Dark red blood spilled out and covered the air in a thick, metallic stench. Jack stepped away as Teddy's limp body fell forward, his face smashing into the ground. His eyes were glossed over and stared into space, not really seeing anything. Teddy was dead. Jack killed him.

"Oops, I guess I cut a little too deep…I tend to do that apparently," He held his stomach and laughed until he wiped his eyes and straightened back up.

He crouched over the body, finding a piece of Teddy's shirt that wasn't covered in blood, and wiped the blade clean before sticking it back in his pocket. I gazed at him, speechless. My head spun and my thoughts jumbled together.

"Come on Darling, it's alright…the bad man's gone now," He said gently, holding out a hand to help me off of the asphalt.

I timidly took his hand, feeling his strength as he pulled me upwards. Somehow, he managed not to get a single drop of blood on him or his clothes. He gingerly cradled my face in his rough hands, lightly brushing his lips against mine.

"Did he hurt you?" he whispered and I shook my head.

There was something about it…about him being so close to me, about his lips touching mine, about the shear worry that creased his eyebrows as his eyes gazed into mine…that settled my thoughts and stilled my head. I waited for it to hit me, for the fact that I had just seen a guy die a few feet in front of me…but it never came.

I simply stepped over the body lying in the pool of blood and got back into the car. Jack got in the other side and started the car back up. He glanced down at my hand and busted out laughing. I looked at him with a puzzled expression before looking down. I still had my weapon clutched in my hand…and it turned out to be a pen from the Gotham National Bank.

"What were you going to do, Harls? Ink him to death?"

I smiled and joined in his laughter.

"Hey now! Don't underestimate me, Puddin, " I joked around, calling him the petname he called me earlier.

Puddin. The name fit him for me…I liked calling him that. He gave me a smile and whipped through the roads, holding the wheel loosely with his left hand. I grabbed his free hand and wrote 'Harl's Joker' in my bubbly lettering on top of his pale skin.

He glanced at what I was doing, but didn't pull away. I smirked as I seductively licked his finger. He growled with approval and slid his eyes up and down my figure. He suddenly drove into the parking lot of Gotham General and took the key out.

I tilted my head in mock confusion, "But, Puddin, this isn't my house."

He grabbed my body and threw me into the back seat; in a flash he was straddling my body, his shirt abandoned in the front seat. He leaned down over me and let my hands snake over his abs and torso. His wild hair dangled in his face as his hot breath fell on my lips. His tongue met with mine in the short space between our lips, causing my arousal to heighten.

"I know it isn't, Harls…but I didn't figure you'd be comfortable for me to screw you while your grandma sit in the other room, watching a soap opera while I make you scream," he snickered.

My giggles filled the little space between us.

As the car began to rock back and forth, part of my mind thought about everything that happened today. Something inside of me changed, I could feel it. I was no longer Harleen, the lone book nerd with the hooker's body…I was a part of something much bigger now. Everything was about to change….