AN: Sorry it's been a little time since I updated, but was slightly disillusioned by some messages about it from some not very nice people. Finally, I decided that that wasn't fair to the people that had been so kind to review and favourite my story. So hope you all enjoy this as I start to bring this story to an end.

Chapter 22: We are Getting out!

The cell she had been dumped in was exactly what she had expected, the walls, ceiling and floor were padded with a thick plastic covered foam. A small window was casting light from outside, it was barred up and far to high to reach even without the straight jacket she was dressed in. For hours Jester sat alone staring at the walls of her cell with only her madness for company and for the first time in a long time, she sobbed. Tears washed down her face as she stared out the small window in her cell door.

It had been hours since she had last seen him, hours since she had heard his voice. She was losing what little was left of her mind and she screamed at the top of her lungs but no one seemed to hear her, or maybe they didn't care, she was sure they were used to such noises by now.

"Hush," said a soothing voice she knew all too well through an air vent high up in the wall.

"Joker?" she question.

"I'm right here, beautiful" he replied

"Though I doubt I'll be here long, I suspect these cells are somewhat temporary, due to the lack of other inmates," he said and she nodded though he could not see her. She pressed her face against the wall that separated them and hummed. She heard him chuckle and she smiled.

"Don't you worry Jester, I'll get us out," said Jack his voice drifting through the vent separating their rooms.

"I love you" she whispered to him and again she heard him chuckle.

Jack had been right of course. No less than an hour later she was moved from her cell, more willingly than before she did not want to receive the 'intensive treatment' again so soon.

Jack did not see Scarlett again for another 6 months and when he did he did not recognise her. She was a shell of her former self, for good behaviour both had been granted outside time, they were placed in two large cages next to each other. The cage was bare, just a few wooden benches bolted to the concrete floor, trees surrounded the cage, but that was the only form of life as the people within the cage couldn't really be seen as alive.

If you weren't crazy when you came to Arkham you would be within a few months. He was pushed inside the cage with around 15 other men and he made his way to a bench to soak in a little of the sun. That was when he spotted her, she was sat with her back to the cage wall separating them. Her black hair was split and wild, she was clean but her skin was grey and her eyes were so sad that it felt like Jack's heart broke just to look at her. She wasn't crying, though her face looked as though she were about to. She had aged and a few grey hairs could be seen in the once midnight hair that was now a dull shade of dark grey. He knew it was her but as she looked up she did not seem to even recognise him. The lighting shaped burns on her arms testament to the regular 'intensive' treatment she was receiving.

He made his way to her and could feel the stare of the guards on his skin. He sat so his back was to hers slightly laying against the cage, he turned his head to look at her and he saw a single tear roll down her face.
"I haven't told them anything," she said quietly, her chapped lips splitting open as she spoke. He could tell from the gruffness of her voice this was the first time she had spoken in a very long time.
"I never thought you would," he said just as quietly. She didn't look at him simply nodded slightly, staring into her lap.
"I've missed you, I ..." she began but her voice cracked and she shut her mouth again.
"I've missed you too, gorgeous," he said slowly, he had never seen her like this and he never wanted to see her so broken again.

"I'll get us out of here, I'm working on it, just trust me," he said and again she nodded.
"I always have," she said so quietly the wind almost stole her words. Usually, he would have smiled at this. Usually, he would have laughed but not today her soul was dying and suddenly nothing seemed all that funny anymore.

"They keep giving me these drugs," she said after some time and Jack only nodded.
"Me too, I don't take them though," he replied and again she nodded.

"Me neither," she said.

"I don't like it here, they keep ..." again her voice cracked and tear spilt from her eye.

"I know, I know, but I promise I will get us out soon." he said though he had no idea how he would do so, he needed to save her. Never in his life had he needed anyone, never in his life had he wanted anyone until there was her.

Break time was over far to quickly and soon they were led away from each other again and into the asylum. They saw each other each day, at break and would sit against the fence with one another, but she never looked up at him. He was starting to wonder if she was hiding something. Every day that he saw her she seem to deteriorate more, in a bid to cheer her up he would bring her gifts, paper flowers he had made in his cell or other pretty things he had found around the asylum. His plan of breaking them out was coming together he had already found out a few weaknesses of at least 5 of the guards that would make bribing and or threatening them easy. But he needed more time though he wondered how long Scarlett had left, she seemed as though she would drop down dead at any minute.

It took him around a month to get everything in place for the breakout. It was not as easy as he thought, getting himself out was a piece of cake and he would not still be in this hell hole if it wasn't for her. He needed to take her with him, more than he needed to breath, but the organising of it had been hard. He could not tell her anything in fear of being overheard by the other patients or the guards, so she knew nothing. He had heard the doctors talking about her, saying they would have to up her treatment and he was not sure she would take much more. The electrocutions that they had the audacity to call 'treatment' was now twice daily for Scarlett and he was worried. Jack had never felt worried about anyone before, he hardly even worried about himself. But Scarlett had given him a feeling that he had thought that he was incapable of long ago. He would get her out. If it was the last thing he ever did. She was his and he would keep her.

It was the day before, he knew his plan would get them out and he sat with her in the yard again.
"One more day gorgeous and we will be out of here." he said but she only nodded he feared she had lost her faith in him, or maybe just her will.
"I will get you out." he assured.

"I know" she whispered her hair covering her face as per usual.

"I need you." he said it so quietly, it was the nearest he had ever got to saying the three words she often told him and finally she looked at him. He smiled at her and she smiled back. He tried to control the horror he felt as he looked on at her once flawless face. He knew now why she had not looked at him.

The scar he had given her had split and was wider in places now. It was more raised and looked more angry, much like the scar on his own face, but this had not been the featured to caused him such shock. Above her scar was her right eye, once it was bright and shiny and so very beautiful but now it was clouded white as though she had a severe cataract. It covered her whole right eye and he wondered if she could see out of it at all, his face must have shown his horror as she turned her head away quickly staring into her lap again.
"Don't look at me." she said as tears splashed into her lap.
"Gorgeous?" he said turning so he was on his knees his hands pressed against the cage, his finger pushing through as though to try and touch her.
"Please don't call me that." she cried quietly.
"But you are gorgeous, you are so beautiful," he argued and she turned her body to him and looked him dead in the eye.
"How can you say that, look at me. Look what they have done to me. You can't say that!" she was almost screaming at him. Her face as close to his as possible through the cage.
"You said I was handsome." he said slowly and she seemed to falter.

"Even with my scars, you thought I was handsome. I think you are beautiful." he said simply and she let out a sob and placed her forehead to the cage, he did the same so they were almost touching she gripped the cage with her fingers and he pushed his through to hold her hand as best as he could.

"I love you." She sobbed and he smiled.
"I need you." He replied.
"We are going to get out, aren't we?" she asked.

"Yes we are, just you be ready." he said and finally after all this time she grinned and Joker cackled.