It was amazing how at ease Elizabeth felt surrounded by Rouges. Of course when Edward had his arm wrapped protectively around her waist it was hard not to; especially since he had already pointed a gun at several men for staring at her chest.
"You know you don't have to act so possessive," Elizabeth said into Edward's ear as she leaned across him reaching for her drink.
"Yes, I do," he whispered into her own ear; "I have a reputation to uphold."
"And that is that you point a gun at people who look down your date's dress?"
"No, it's that people don't touch my stuff without consequences."
Elizabeth smiled and took a small sip of her drink. "As sweet as that is, Edward, I'm thinking that the only reason you asked me to come with you is so you could show me off like some prize."
Edward shifted uncomfortably in the seat and took a sip of his own drink. He glanced over at her and saw that she was still looking at him expecting a response that she already knew an answer too. "Well who wouldn't want to?"
Elizabeth leaned in so that her breasts were brushing against his arm and kissed him on the cheek. "Good answer."
"Whoa-ho-ho! What do we have here?! Greeny is finally getting some action!" Elizabeth pulled away quickly and they both turned to look at the new arrival. They were greeted with the sight of Scarface and Arnold Wesker; the hideous puppet looked less threatening without his usual tommy gun but unfortunately that didn't make him any less dangerous. Edward's arm tightened around Elizabeth's waist and Elizabeth's toes curled as Scarface looked her up and down.
"Good, good," he said to himself as his eyes rolled eerily in his wooden skull. "Got fine taste, Greeny, fine taste indeed."
"Please Mister Scarface; it's rude to stare at a woman like that."
"Shut up dummy! Women are here for us to enjoy and I'm gonna watch da' show."
"Oh Mister Scarface," Arnold pleaded his eyes looking determinedly away from Elizabeth.
"Hey Toots, whateva' Greeny here is payin' ya for da' night I'll double." Elizabeth's eyes narrowed with anger and Edward finger's twitched itching to reach for his gun. The reason he didn't point his gun at Scarface was that he knew even without his tommy gun Scarface had a small pistol inside his mouth and the hunk of wood was a shoot first type of puppet.
"I'm afraid that I'm not for sale," Elizabeth said tersely, "So unless you can dazzle me with a couple of riddles I am not interested."
"A riddle eh? Uhh…What performer would do anything for a hand?"
"A puppet, I'm not dazzled."
Scarface growled. "Ah, let's go dummy, she's no fun." Wesker and Scarface moved away, Scarface leading like he was dragging his ventriloquist along. Edward and Elizabeth relaxed.
"Should we sit down?" Edward asked as he took another sip of his drink.
"Sure thing, Greeny." They left their position at the bar and sat at the table recently cleaned by the wait staff. An hour or so passed during which Scarface had gotten himself kicked out for harassing the waitresses. There was a knock on the door loud enough for several people to look around at it. The guard looked through the flap in the door and then opened it slowly. When it was halfway open the person on the other side pushed through with a crackling laugh.
"The fun has arrived!" Joker yelled spreading his arms wide. "Now where's Ozzy?!"
"Mr. Cobblepot is entertaining the press right now but he will be back here within the hour." A waitress said her voice hiding her nervousness well. Joker's face fell with dramatic disappointment but lit back up with the waitress next sentence. "If you would like to make yourself comfortable drinks are on the house for tonight."
"Oh goody! Come on, Harley! Let's get snockered!" Harley bounced through the door her usual wild movement though was restrained by a skin tight red dress and large high heels. With Joker's loud entrance out of the way the members of the backroom returned to their conversations and drinks. The few people sitting at the bar moved away giving Joker plenty of room for him and his Henchgirl to sit down and order. After a few minutes the hidden door to the backroom opened and Penguin stepped in. He had lost weight and cut his hair giving him the distinguished look he had always strived for.
"I am glad to see you are all taking advantage of the open bar."
"Ozzy!" Joker yelled raising his glass of straight vodka, "congratulations!"
"Congratulations!" The rest of the bar echoed raising their glasses as well.
"Thank you, thank you," Cobblepot squawked. "I am glad you all could make it. I want you to know that this lounge is always open for you to relax, kick up your feet, and if you need anything do not hesitate to ask." Cobblepot made his rounds through the room taking a few minutes to talk with each guest. He reached Edward and Elizabeth's table after talking with Joker.
"Edward a pleasure as always and who is…ah Miss Howard how delightful I did not know you would be joining us."
"Well when one is invited to the opening of what is sure to be Gotham's finest lounge one can't refuse, especially when that invite comes from a devilishly handsome Rogue." She glanced over at Edward and gave wink.
A bit of smugness entered his smile, "Oswald I know this is your big night but I was hoping to talk a little business."
"Of course, of course," Cobblepot cawed.
"Elizabeth if you'll excuse me." Elizabeth nodded and Edward left with Cobblepot to an empty corner of the room.
"Doesn't leave my side for two hours and then goes without a second thought, humph." Elizabeth muttered under her breath. Taking a sip of her drink Elizabeth listened into the conversations of the people around her.
"I'm gonna go talk to Red, alright Puddin'."
"Whatever Harley." Joker's voice was slightly slurred already. Elizabeth watched Harley slip off the bar stool and skip over to Poison Ivy who was sitting in a dark corner cradling a drink perhaps lamenting the fact she couldn't get drunk. Ivy face brightened though as Harley approached. They exchanged a few words before Harley turned around and gestured Elizabeth over. She raised an eyebrow and glanced over to Edward who seemed to have stepped into another room with Penguin Elizabeth mentally shrugged and went over to the two women.
"Hey Grey!" Harley said as she sat down.
"Grey?"
"Yeah, for ya' hair! Like Red is red, you're Grey! Oh Grey meet Red, Red meet Grey!"
Poison Ivy stretched her hand out across the table, "Poison Ivy but you can call me Ivy."
"Elizabeth," she took Ivy hand and shook it once.
"Just Elizabeth? I see, I thought you were one of us."
"One of you…oh I see, no, I suppose I'm not; though according to the press I am well on my way."
"Elizabeth…Elizabeth Howard." A smile crossed Ivy's face, "tearing apart those awful Wayne Industry scientists, I'm a fan." Elizabeth smiled awkwardly and muttered thanks. Harley who had been watching them squealed in delight.
"Yay we're all friends! Let's get drunk! Waiter! Three martinis! Whadda' girls want?"
"Harls I can't get drunk remember."
"Oh yeah, whadda' want Grey?"
"Sex on the Beach." She said choosing a random drink, she really shouldn't have too much more to drink she could already feel herself getting tipsy.
"Drinks not fantasies."
"That is a drink," a slight blush bloomed across Elizabeth cheeks as she imagined some real sex on the beach with Edward. Their drinks arrived quickly and Harley started on her first martini.
"So Grey, how's things with Eddie workin' out?"
"It's fine; I mean it's only been a few days so we'll see where things go."
"That's nice, he give you that necklace?" Elizabeth's fingers went up to the choker she was wearing. It was comprised of black silk with a delicate chain of diamonds hanging around the bottom with a large jewel in the center. Edward had given it to her before they left for the club jokingly saying that it was her new collar.
"Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?"
"Beautiful," Harley stared for a second and then glanced up at her face, "was it for the bruise?"
"What?!" Elizabeth's eyes went wide in shock.
"That's what Mr. J does when he's sorry."
"No, no," Elizabeth said slowly, "I got this bruise from Batman." She glanced over at Ivy whose mouth had tightened.
"Harls," Ivy said warningly.
"He loves me Red he does and I love my puddin'!" Harley and Ivy began arguing and feeling very uncomfortable Elizabeth slipped away. Edward still wasn't back so instead of trying to strike up a conversation with someone else Elizabeth decided she'd go to the bathroom. They had been told that the restrooms were outside the safety of the backroom, for whatever reason, not out in the lounge itself but in the corridor that led to it. She opened the door slowly and poked her head out but the hallway was empty. Elizabeth stepped out and snuck down the hall. 'One, two, three…ah here we go!' She pushed the door to the restroom open, it was empty. Taking advantage of her seclusion Elizabeth let out a long sigh and ran a hand through her hair. She didn't like this type of socializing, the drinks, the suits, the dresses, the lack of good conversation it reminded her too much of the inane military gatherings her father would drag the family too.
'It'd be even worse at Veronica's ball.' Elizabeth reminded herself. With a groan she leaned against the counter. Why did she have to suggest the ball to Edward?! She wasn't a thief she had no interest in confounding the "Dork Knight" the only reason she had for going now was having a chance to terrorize Veronica. Even though that would, in Veronica's mind, prove her better than Elizabeth. That was probably the only reason she had invited Elizabeth in the first place to talk behind her back with her society friends about the criminal, the murderer, she knows.
Elizabeth was pulled from her reverie by the door opening. It was Two-Face's girls, Angelica and Demonica they were chatting away to each other and didn't even notice Elizabeth as they went into the stalls. Deciding she better head back to the Rouge Lounge before Edward came back Elizabeth slipped out the door. She was heading back to the hidden door to the back room when she heard a soft whimper from up ahead. Peering around the corner she saw the Jervis leaning over a woman her eyes wide with terror as she pressed up against the wall.
"Jervis!" Elizabeth shouted and he straightened a furious and insane look in his eyes.
"Hatter." He said in a deadly quiet voice.
"Hatter then," Elizabeth said, "What are you doing?"
The mad look melted from his eyes as he smiled, "I think I found Alice. She was wandering around down here after she got lost down the rabbit hole. So scared, so lonely, but I am here now."
"Are you sure that's Alice?" Elizabeth asked cautiously. She had seen Hatter drinking some "Irish tea" throughout the night and his usually pale face was blotched with red. The girl didn't even have pure blonde hair like Jervis needed for Alice but an ugly bleach blonde style that needed to be touched up at the roots.
Hatter looked back at the woman. "Alice?" He moaned suddenly his hand flying up to cover his face as he let out a wail. Elizabeth hurried forward and wrapped an arm around the small man's shoulders and leading him away from the girl. She rubbed Jervis' back and shushing him as he muttered Alice's name more tears streaming from his eyes. Elizabeth turned her head back to the woman and jerked her head meaningfully to tell the fake blonde to get out of here. The woman wasted no time in running away. A passing thought told Elizabeth that she should keep the woman here in case she needed to be persuaded not to tell anyone of the Rouge in the Iceberg Lounge; but she was distracted from doing so by Hatter wailing again and burying his face against her chest.
"Come on, come on now, let's go sit down and have a nice cup of tea." Hatter sniffed and nodded. He held on to her arm allowing her to lead slightly as they re-entered the back room. Edward hadn't come back yet so Elizabeth sat Hatter down at an empty booth and waved a waitress over asking her for some plain tea. The pot came quickly and Elizabeth poured a cup for herself and Hatter.
"Here you go Hatter," Elizabeth said pushing the cup towards him.
He smiled and took a small sip, "Jervis."
"Jervis." Elizabeth smiled and took a sip of her own piping hot tea. It was a relief he was Jervis again, he passed so easily between his two realities it was hard to tell when he was in one or the other.
"You are very lucky you know," Jervis said forlornly looking into tea cup.
"You think?"
"Yes, yes, of course, Edward. He is a good man you should keep him."
"A good man?" Elizabeth laughed but soon fell silent at the partially hurt look on Jervis' face. "I suppose he is."
"Not like me." A couple more tears leaked from the corners of Jervis' eyes.
"No, no don't say that."
"Then where is my Alice, why can I not find my Alice?" Jervis' head was down so he couldn't see Elizabeth roll her eyes.
"Jervis the Mad Hatter never went looking for Alice, Alice came to him." Elizabeth crossed her fingers hoping that her memory of the story was correct.
Jervis sniffed and looked up at her his eyes bloodshot from crying and drunkenness. "What?"
"Remember, Carroll's story? Alice came across the Mad Hatter, March Hare, and the Dormouse during their tea party. The Hatter didn't go looking for Alice his Alice came to him."
"So are you implying that I should not look for my Alice?"
"Yes and no, I'm trying to say that Alice when come when you least expect it maybe you won't even recognize her at first but she'll come eventually." Jervis' face split into a large grin and he threw his arms around her.
"Thank you. That makes me feel so much better." Elizabeth hugged him gently back and as they pulled away she saw Riddler and Penguin re-enter the room.
"Pardon me real quick Jervis," she said sliding out of the booth.
"Good doing business with you, my good man." Oswald and Edward shook hands and Oswald waddled out the secret door to go and mingle with the press some more.
"So your talk went well?" Elizabeth asked stepping along Edward's side.
"Yes, sorry to leave you, didn't get into any trouble?"
"Not really, talked with Harley a bit, met Poison Ivy, then stopped a very drunk Jervis from taking a new Alice and just finished calming him down."
"You seem to have calmed him down too much," Edward said with a smile gesturing with his cane. Elizabeth glanced over to see Jervis had passed out at the table.
"Well…that's…nice." Edward smiled down at her and she smiled back.
He placed a hand on her lower back and whispered in her ear, "Say why don't we get out of here and go have some real fun?"
"Sounds good to me." They were nearly to the door when the hidden door burst open and an angry Penguin waddled in.
"Jervis Tetch." He squawked heatedly. Oswald spotted Tetch who jerked up from his stupor looking around wildly. "Out, out! How dare you attack a customer!?"
"Penguin, Oswald, calm down," several of the Rouges and wait-staff said jumping from their seats ready to restrain the man if need be.
"But I thought she might have been Alice," Jervis said cowering in his seat.
"Damn Alice! You risked everything I built here!"
"I just found her lost, why was she down here anyways?" Oswald fell silent with a scowl not willing to admit that a bleach blonde bimbo had gotten past his security. Elizabeth felt Edward's hand tighten on her back and she looked up at him. He jerked his head towards the door and Elizabeth nodded. Jervis could deal with this himself. Without anyone noticing they slipped outside ready to take advantage of each other's intoxicated states back home.