A/N: Thanks to jaguarspot for reading through this chapter. Hope it doesn't disappoint. I'll post the last chapter of "The Dark Knight" first thing tomorrow... It's actually sort of sad. But anyway, please review!

All Part of the Plan

"Who are we going to visit?" Jenna inquired.

"It's a surpriiiiiiiiiise." Jenna rolled her eyes. She stared out of the window, thinking hard about how she could escape. The bus pulled up to an incomplete skyscraper and the Joker stood up. "Come on sweetheart, this is your stop." He pulled Jenna to her feet and escorted her out and into the building. The Joker pushed her into a room with no windows and only one door. "Now just stay here until I come back like a good girl, ok? Thanks, bye!" And he slammed the door and locked it behind himself.

Asshole, Jenna thought to herself, getting up off of the floor and brushing the dirt off of her clothes. If I had a weapon and Batman wasn't dead set against killing, he'd be in a little pool of his own blood by now. She looked around the room. There's gotta be another way out. She spotted the air vent. Maybe… She walked over to it and tried to pull the cover off but the cover was screwed in. She looked down and noticed the safety pin she'd used to secure the bandage. Unlatching it, she used it to unscrew the vent cover and, with great difficultly and a good deal of cursing, she managed to hoist herself inside. However, just as she thought she might actually escape this madness, she got stuck. Oh for god's sake, of all the times to get stuck in an air vent, it had to be now. Jenna wriggled a bit but stayed stuck. If the Joker comes back and sees me stuck in here, I might just lose it. She shook herself again, this time freeing herself, though only slightly. Over the course of the next hour, Jenna slowly but surely worked her way out, until she fell out of the vent entirely and landed on her backside, knocking her head against the opposite wall. Jenna groaned and shook her head, trying rid herself of the embarrassing memory. It always works in the movies, Jenna though disappointed. She looked around and realized that the door had keyhole on the inside. Cursing herself for her stupidity, Jenna got up, brought out the safety pin she'd used to open the air vent, and began to pick the lock. Around five minutes later, the lock clicked. "Yes." But Jenna's triumph was short lived, as the door opened and hit her right in the head. The Joker poked his head around it when he realized he'd hit something, and cackled when he saw Jenna on the floor, holding her head in pain. "Oh shut up."

"Now, now, that's not very nice." The Joker kneeled down and looked Jenna over.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking to see if you have a concussion."

"What are you some sort of Doctor?"

"Nurse, actually," the Joker replied, motioning to his disguise. Jenna looked at it and her jaw dropped. The Joker was wearing a white nurse's dress, complete with an I Believe in Harvey Dent voting sticker. "Well you don't seem to have a concussion. Which is good, seeing as how you're no fun when you're unconscious." Jenna looked the Joker straight in the eye, realizing why he was wearing the sticker.

"You saw my uncle."

"Now, he's technically no-t your uncle, sweetheart."

"He's as good as; he proposed, she said yes." Jenna took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from completely snapping in two from apprehension. "What did you do to him?" The Joker grinned and licked his lips.

"I simply… enlightened him a bi-t." Jenna's eyes widened.

"What did you do?"

"I already told you, it's a surpriiiiiiiiiise." Jenna grabbed the front of the Joker's dress and pulled him down, her face level with his.

"Listen to me you son a bitch, you just killed my aunt less than a year after I lost my mom. You are not in a position to withhold information from me about the only family I have left, so tell me, what did you do to him?" The Joker replied by grabbing Jenna's arm, forcing her to release her hold on him, and then grabbed her throat and slamming her head into the wall behind her.

"Listen sweetheart, only one person is allowed to play rough with me, and that's the Batman. I think it's time you remember who you're dealing with, cause I could snap your little neck in two."

"Why… don't you… then?" Jenna gasped. She knew that she was pushing her luck, but her curiosity got the better of her. The Joker grinned.

"You're too fun to kill." The Joker released her neck and Jenna gasped, coughing and gaging, rubbing her neck and trying to restore the air to her lungs. The Joker got up and turned to the door, plucking out the safety pin Jenna had tried to pick the lock with. The Joker looked at her and sighed, shaking his head. "See, this is why I took this away from you," he told her, taking her charm bracelet out of his pocket and twirling it around his finger. Jenna froze and it took every fiber of her self-control to keep from snatching it out of his grasp. The Joker then grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the closet and pushed her over to his men outside. "Watch her 'til I get dressed, ok?" He shut the door. Jenna turned and glared at the thugs.

"Why would you work for him?" They looked around, confused. "Yes I'm talking to you. You work for a maniac who doesn't even respect you. Why?"

"Kid, did you see what he did to Lau? If we don't, he kill us."

"He'll kill you anyway. Haven't you heard of the bank robbers he worked with? He had them kill each other off until he was the last one standing."

"You're gonna have to try harder than that if you want them to listen to you, sweethear-t." Jenna jumped at the sound of the Joker standing right next to her. "You wanna see what I've got in store for Gotham, I'll show you." He walked away and Jenna reluctantly followed. She followed him to another room full of people and only a small number seemed to be goons. The rest looked like normal people or doctors and nurses. Jenna looked at the Joker.

"More guests?"

"Nope. Hostages."

"What's the difference?"

"They're ex-pen-da-ble." At this, Jenna frowned and put herself in between him and them. The Joker raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to let you hurt these people."

"They'll be fine. I promise that neither myself nor any of my goons will harm them."

"And why should I believe you?"

"I already told you, I'm a man of my woooooooord." Jenna pursed her lips at him. "Now, time to send the people of Gotham a message." With that, the Joker walked over to a man in a suit, who Jenna vaguely recognized as Mike Engel from Gotham Tonight, and dragged him away. The Joker took some papers from one of his goons and pushed them at the news anchor. "You will read these exactly as they are written or I will paint my face with your blood, ok?" Engel nodded fearfully. "Good." The Joker frowned. "Something's missing." The Joker took a tube of lipstick from his jacket pocket and smeared it all over Engel's mouth and cheeks, mirroring his own gruesome grin. "That's better!" He pushed Engel into the other room, a thug dragging Jenna in with them. In the room were three colossal rotwilers, a crudely drawn banner that read Gotham Tonight hanging in the background. The dogs growled but were silenced with a quick bark from the Joker. "One last thing." The Joker nodded to the goon and he grabbed Engel, tried his feet, and hung Engel upside down. "Alright. Better get this done before you faint," the Joker said, pulling out a video camera. "Aaaaaaaaaaand… action!" The Joker pointed at Engel.

"I'm Mike Engel for Gotham Tonight. What does it take to get you people to join in? You failed to kill the lawyer. I need to get you off of the bench and into the game." The Joker muttered "bench" and "game" for emphasis. "Come nightfall, this city is mine (mine) and anyone left here plays by my rules. (Rules.) You don't want to play the game, get out now," Engle said at the same time as the Joker. "But the bridge and tunnel crowd are in for a surprise." The Joker started laughing and turned the camera off. He took the disc out of the camera and handed it to a thug.

"Cut him down and take this to GCN. Oh, and tell the boys it's time for plan R." The thug nodded, took out a knife, cut Engel down, and left, Jenna staring, slack jawed, at the Joker.

"You're actually turning Gotham into your own personal circus!"

"Yep." Jenna shook her head at him.

"You planned all this, killed all those people, almost made the Batman reveal himself, and made this city go into chaos that rivals the fucking Fright Night, just to play with Gotham like a toy?" The Joker shook his finger at her.

"No. I do no-t plan. I just do things." Jenna raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I've seen your bank robberies, your assassination attempts on my uncle and the Mayor, and you think you don't make plans?"

"Do you really think I look like a guy with a plan?"

"Looks can be deceiving." The Joker smiled at her.

"True, true. Still. I. Do. No-t. Plan."

"Why are you so against plans?"

"Because people make such a big deal out of them. People are always trying to do whatever they can to control their little worlds. Nobody panics whenever things go according to plan. I mean think about it; not just what I do, it's what people everywhere do. Suicide bombers, random shootings, assassinations of politicians. Those are the things that get remembered. What about all the normal people die? All the soldiers and firefighters and rescue workers and… cops?" Jenna winced at the thought of her mother. But she couldn't help but consider this. Other than her mother's family and friends, no one cared that she died. But then her uncle, the district attorney, is hospitalized and everyone's hysterical. "You probably understand; you just don't want to."

"Wait, how did you know about my mom?"

"Amazing all the things you can learn from a person's phone," the Joker said, bringing out Jenna's phone and waving it around a bit. Jenna's eyes widened. "Now, let's look at the contacts–"

"Give that back!" Jenna lunged for her phone, unable to contain herself. The Joker was expecting this though and just shoved her to the floor. He then took out some rope and tied her hands behind a pole.

"That's better. Now, where were we? Oh yes, contacts." He sat in a chair and scrolled through her contacts. "Bruce Wayne, Gordon, Harvey Dent. You're pretty well connected for a kid."

They're my family. What would you expect? She thought but she didn't say it. He's already targeted Rachel and Harvey, she didn't want him after Bruce (even though he was technically after him already) and the Gordons too.

"No Batman though."

"Do you actually think that the Batman would give his number to a teenage girl?"

"You have to contact him somehow sweethear-t. And something tells me the little light on top of MCU isn't it."

"He messages me with an encrypted cell phone and once we're through talking I erase his messages. He calls me, I don't call him," Jenna lied. The Joker looked her over, smiling smugly.

"You're a pretty good liar, Jenny. But I know." Jenna's blood froze. She could not let him know Bruce was Batman. That little secret could completely destroy him. "I saw you two fighting together on that rooftop. How else could he have found you so quickly?"

"That was you? I thought it was just one of your goons?" The Joker smiled.

"I rarely let others go on a job alone. They tend to screw me over if I don't." The Joker switched to her photos. "By the looks of things, you seem to attract an awful lot of trouble." He showed her the pictures of criminal dealings she'd spotted while wandering the city and sent to the Batman, as well as the pictures of some of his goons on heists and the most recent photograph of him behind in school bus. Jenna just shrugged casually.

"I guess have both really good and really bad luck."

"What makes you think that?"

"I get into a lot of dangerous situations but I always make it out alive."

The Joker looked out over the bay at the ferries full of people hoping to leave.

"People are tying to escape. And if the Mayor's as much of an idiot as expect, one of those will be carrying your uncle's convicts. But all of them should know I'm not gonna let them get away so easily," the Joker told Jenna. He brought out a roll of duct tape and taped her mouth shut, effectively silencing her, before taking a controller out of his pocket. He pressed a few buttons and a minute later, both ferries were at a stand still. He waited a few more minutes, probably to let the passengers panic, before he took out a phone and spoke into it, looking out at the two boats that were now sitting ducks. "Tonight you're all going to be part of a social experiment. Through the magic of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate, I'm ready right now to blow you all sky-high. If anyone attempts to get off of their boat, you all die. Each of you has a remote to blow up the other boat. At midnight I blow you all up. If, however, one of you presses that button, I'll let that boat live. So, who's is gonna be? Harvey Dent's most wanted scumbag collection, or the sweet and innocent civilians? You choose. Oh, and you might wanna choose quickly because the people on the other boat might not be quite. So. Noble." He turned the radio off, and kneeled down and pulled the tape off of Jenna's mouth.

"You can't kill those people."

"Why not?"

"Because they're innocent! They haven't done anything wrong!"

"So, you're implying that if they've done wrong things, like the prisoners, that they deserve that?" Jenna sighed, trying keep herself from kicking him.

"I accidentally implied that, however even the prisoners don't deserve to die."

"So, you think that even those murders, rapists, and overall criminals don't deserve to kick the bucket?"

"Of course not!"

"Even me?" Jenna faltered. This man had killed her aunt, done something unknown to her uncle, and was planning on turning Gotham into his personal play land and killing off its people just to make a point. If she could kill him… would she?

"No. You don't deserve to die."

"What makes you think tha-t?"

"There are things much worse than death. If I had my way, I'd make you human, and then make you feel remorse for everything that you've done to Gotham."

"You don't think I'm human?"

"No, I don't."

"I can die, sweethear-t."

"I'm aware. But that's being mortal, not human."

"What makes someone human?"

"What's with the game of twenty questions?"

"I'm curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"You won't kill me. So come on, humor a clown." Jenna rolled her eyes and looked out the window at the ferries.

The Batman'll come. He'll find the Joker and stop him, he just needs more time. If I can keep the Joker talking, he might lose focus, Jenna thought. It wasn't much of a plan but it was worth a shot. She breathed and thought a bit before answering.

"Humanity. Love, friendship, morality, kindness, compassion."

"All of which the people of Gotham la-ck."

"Have you ever actually taken the time to look, and I mean really look, at the people of Gotham? Have you ever been to the volunteer centers, the thrift stores, the charities, the children's hospitals, the community centers?" The Joker looked at her and motioned to his paint covered, scarred face.

"Need I say more?"

"Well, if you've really seen them, then you'd see the light in the dark."

"But there's still dar-k."

"There's always dark. They can't exist without each other, as much as we wish they could. But, that doesn't mean that there isn't light."

"Well, we'll see how much light there is. Gotham's my city now. And not even your precious Bat and Commissioner can stop me." Jenna frowned.

"Who's the Commissioner now?"

"Your dear friend Gordon." Jenna felt as though the world had stopped from under her feet.

"He's alive?"

"Yep. Thought he could pull one over on me. I'll admit, he's good. Not nearly as fun as Batsy, but good. Still, I think he'll enjoy the little surpriiiiiise I have for him." Jenna started hitting her head against the pole she was tied to in frustration.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

"They're what makes life fun sweethear-t. You should learn to enjoy them."

"Hard to enjoy them when they usually result in chaos and death."

"Oh Jenny, what's life without a few explosions?"

"Happy and safe."

"Safe is booooring and you know it. You enjoy the thrill of it just as much as I do."

"No I don't."

"Yes you dooooo."

"No I don't."

"Then why exactly are you so eager to help out the Batman?"

"He's a good man who's trying to help Gotham." The two of them turned when they heard gunshots and shouts from the floors below.

"Batman! Put the officer down!" shouted one man who was likely a SWAT.

"Well, doesn't sound like he's helping now," the Joker. "But it does sound like he's getting closer. So, better make sure everything's ready." The Joker duct taped Jenna's mouth shut again. "Can't have you helping him, can I? That'd give him an advantage." Jenna looked at the dogs and looked back at the Joker, an eyebrow raised. He set Jenna's phone on the table with her charm bracelet and picked up a pipe, before combing his fingers through his thick, greasy green hair. "How do I look?" Jenna looked over his purple suit, painted face, and green hair before raising an eyebrow as though to say, You really want me to answer that. The Joker chuckled at the look she gave him and turned back to watching the ferries. Minutes later, the gunfire and shouting had died down a bit and the Batman entered, the dogs barking at his appearance. The Joker turned, grinning.

"Ah, you made it. I'm so thrilled." The Batman looked briefly to Jenna, who calmly nodded then jerked her heard toward the Joker.

"Where's the detonator?" the Batman rasped.

"Go get him!" the Joker ordered, letting the dogs loose. The Batman knocked the first one away but the other two caught him and dragged him to the ground. The Joker jumped on the Batman and started beating him with a pipe. Jenna started to panic, until she noticed the Joker had left her bracelet on the table. With difficulty, Jenna dragged the table closer to her by grabbing it with her legs. She then tipped it over and used her foot to bring the bracelet into her hand. Once she'd done so, she started to saw at the ropes binding her, keeping one eye on the Joker and Batman. The Batman was eventually able to kick the Joker away and throw the dogs off of him. However, before he could attack the Joker, the Joker leaped on him again, causing the Batman to fall into some netting. The Joker continued to beat him, before bringing out his knife. "All the old familiar places." The Joker brought down the knife and the Batman threw the Joker off of him again. The Batman looked around, clearly unable to see, and the Joker charged at the Batman, hitting him across the face, sending the Batman crashing through a panel of glass to the ground. The Joker kicked a piece of wood holding a metal frame and the frame fell onto the Batman's neck, effectively trapping him. Jenna was frenzied now, sawing as at the ropes as fast as she could. "We really should stop this fighting, otherwise we'll miss the fireworks," he said, pinning the Batman down and looking at the ferries.

"There won't be any fireworks," the Batman rasped, trying to throw the Joker off of him.

"And here. We. Go." The Joker motioned with his hand as though cueing the explosion. But there was nothing. The Joker frowned and looked at the clock. 12:00.

"What were you trying to prove? That deep down, everyone is just as ugly as you are?" The Joker threw his bar away, disgusted with the people of Gotham. "You're alone."

"Can't rely on anyone these days. You gotta to do everything ourselves. Don't we?" The Joker grumbled, ruffling through his coat. "That's alright, I came prepared." He armed the detonator. "It's a funny world we live in. Speaking of which, you wanna know how I got these scars?"

"No, but I know how you got these." The Batman pressed his gauntlet and the scallops flew out, hitting the Joker. The Batman then grabbed his opponent and threw him over the edge of the building, the Joker laughing with glee as he fell. But the Batman would not be broken by the Joker and used his grappling gun to catch the crazed clown. With difficultly, the Batman hoisted him up, Jenna rushing over next to him, having finally freed herself.

"Oh, you. You just couldn't let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets and immovable object," the Joker stated, motioning between himself and the Batman, swinging wildly upside down with the wind. "You truly are incorruptible, aren't you? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness and I won't kill you, because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever."

"You'll be in a padded cell forever," the Batman gasped, clearly exhausted and in pain.

"Maybe we can share one? They'll be doubling up the rate this city's inhabitants are losing their minds," the Joker reported, making circles with his hands around his head. Jenna frowned. Something was wrong. She doubted even the Joker could be this ecstatic after losing.

"This city… just showed you… that it's full of people… ready to believe in good."

"Until their spirit breaks completely," the Joker added. "Until they get a good look at the real Harvey Dent and all of the heroic things he's done." Jenna's eyes widened in horror. "You didn't think I'd risk losing the battle for Gotham's soul in a fistfight with you? No, you need an ace in the hole. Mine's Harvey."

"What did you do?" the Batman murmured, and Jenna could tell, beneath the impassive, cold exterior, he was as worried as she was.

"I took Gotham's white knight and I… brought him down to our level," he explained, pulling down with his arms. "It wasn't hard, you see, madness, as you know, is… like gravity. All it takes is a little push." The Joker pushed with his arms which sent him swinging around wildly, causing him to cackle insanely. The Batman swept off, Jenna following close behind. As soon as they were far away from the eyes and ears of the GCPD, the Batman, turned to her.

"You're alive."

"We can be sentimental later. We need to find Harvey," Jenna snapped. She'd already lost one family member to the psychopath, she wasn't about to lose another. The Batman nodded and held a finger to his ear, which Jenna knew activated the earpiece.

"Lucius." He stood still for a moment, waiting for the information he needed. He nodded once he received it and turned to Jenna. "Stay here." He rushed toward the exit, Jenna following close at his heels.

"Not on your life Batboy! If Harvey's there maybe I can help him."

"And if you can't?" he grunted.

"Then I'll die trying."

"No you won't."

"Either take me with you or I'm stealing a cop car and following you. Take your pick." The Batman glared at her but kept on his way. Jenna followed him to the Batpod.

"Get on in front, you're less likely to fall off that way." Jenna jumped on and the Batman got on behind her, the two of them hoping they weren't too late.