Well, here is the party night! Hope you like it
Kayla flipped off the television, it was the night of the fundraiser and everyone was buzzing about the dead Batman imposter, it somehow made her feel special, knowing what happened and being a part of it. She had spent most of the day mentally and physically preparing herself for her little mission. Her hair was already put in an elaborate braid, with little white ribbons woven through it. Her uniform was hanging on a hook in the bathroom, it was actually surprisingly modest and pretty for a uniform selected by a playboy. Her heart was hammering as it neared 7 o'clock, she would be there early to help with preparations and be shown her duties for the night. It was nearing 6 when she decided that she would go early, she never was the most patient, especially when her heart was keeping the time.
She entered the elevator at 6:25, a good deal earlier than she was supposed to be, but she hoped Alfred liked her enough to accept her unplanned arrival. With a deep breath, she took the plunge, ringing the door bell. It didn't take long before Alfred answered, he looked surprised, but pleased at her.
"Miss Layne, what are you doing here so early?" he moved aside to let her pass, taking her coat and purse.
"Well, I found I couldn't wait, so I figured I'd come a bit early to see if you need any extra help," she smiled as she regarded the people rushing around behind him, setting up lighting and tables, "and please, call me Kayla."
"That's very kind of you," Alfred looked thoughtful as he regarded the big room that was slowly transforming into the party space, "I believe we need someone to help set up the center pieces and table clothes, if you wouldn't mind."
Kayla giggled as she walked past, admiring how much the big living area changed already, before turning back to the man, "I came to help, why would I mind?"
Alfred couldn't help but look slightly impressed as the girl went behind the men and almost expertly set up the arrangements, before his attention was stolen by Bruce approaching, buttoning his cuffs, "I think your fundraiser will be a great success, sir."
"And why do you think I wanna hold a party for Harvey Dent?"
Alfred fought to keep off his knowing smile, "I assumed it was your usual reason for socializing beyond myself and the scum of Gotham's underbelly: to try and impress Miss Dawes."
"Very droll, but very wrong. Actually it's Dent," but Bruce was cut off by the television, it seemed the Joker struck again.
They're thoughts were interrupted by Kayla's approach, the girl was smiling as she all but bounced to them, her entire being radiating happiness and at the same time a politeness that gave her expression a more subdued look, "all done, does it look alright?"
The men looked behind her, the tables had stark white silk table clothes with tall center pieces of white, purple and yellow flowers and lighting.
"It looks lovely, great job Kayla," Alfred smiled as he glanced to Bruce, who still looked drawn from the television broadcast, "what do you think, Master Wayne?"
The man snapped out of his daze, looking around before attempting a smile, "it is a good job, thank you, Kayla Layne was it?"
Kayla smiled, though she was a bit annoyed by his impoliteness, "yes, call me Kayla, though. I never liked it when people got too stuffy with me." Poor guy doesn't know what's heading his way, she thought as she watched him give a somewhat genuine smile this time.
"Then you should do the same. I hear Wayne too much, I've always preferred Bruce," the girl was sweet, something about her seemed a tad off about her, the smiles didn't quite reach her eyes most of the time. Then again, the same could probably be said about himself.
"Thank you, Mr Bruce," Kayla chirped, before turning and helping some of the moving men put back their equipment.
"She's a very kind girl," Alfred smiled at Kayla's back, before turning to Bruce, who was now putting on a black tie with stripe graphics, "she could turn out to be a good friend to you, she is a nurse at the very same hospital your father put so much time into."
Bruce turned to his oldest friend, "oh? She seems quite interesting, but I'm not looking for any love interests."
Alfred shook his head as he watched his ward leave, "because you believe you already found one." He didn't notice Kayla approach again, looking a bit concerned.
"Are you okay, Alfred?" the girl looked up at the man, she had to admit, the man reminded her of her grandfather.
"I am fine, my dear. How would you like to help me roll napkins?"
"Of course," Kayla smiled, the two going off to finish the preparations with the other workers.
-Party time!-
Kayla smiled at the slightly tipsy woman as she offered another glass of champagne to her, 'she'll be glad she got so hammered when she wakes up.'
Everyone was glittering, between the lights, the sequined dresses, the drunken eyes, and the shit eating smiles it was almost too much for her to take in. But she did her job, well of course, and she was getting ready for her real reason to be there. Bruce had just made his speech, which was surprisingly comical and dramatic for someone who seemed so distant and serious. She checked the time for possibly the fourth time that night, before quietly making her way out to the back door of the building, it only opened with a pass, that she had sprung from Alfred when she was helping him earlier. With a big smile, she flung it open to come face to face with the Joker.
"Ah," he grinned as he regarded the girl's outfit, "it seems servitude suits you." He cackled at her fallen expression, before nodding to his gun toting henchmen, before pushing the girl forward.
"What are you going to do?" Kayla hoped it didn't involve Alfred or Bruce's deaths, both seemed like decent enough people.
"Kill Harvey Dent," Joker frowned to the girl, "you may want to rejoin the party, don't want to enter with us."
Kayla nodded before dashing away, if her involvement in this scheme was discovered she'd be out of luck, she needed to continue her mission and this stupid team up with the clown wasn't going to stop her end game. She went back to serving all of the people, her smile holding up despite her apprehension. The whole situation was a ticking time bomb, the fact she knew it was coming made it worse. Just when she was about to relax, the door burst open and the clown forced another man with a badge in first, tricking dear Alfred. Kayla stared in a mix of horror and awe as he tried to get the location of Dent out of the nearest people. She wasn't surprised when he went to her, grabbing her by the braid and pulling her back to him when she tried to scatter with the others.
"Hey, doll face," he grinned wickedly as he put his lips to her ears, as if he was sharing a secret, "where's Harvey?"
Kayla looked around frantically, not spotting him among the crowd, "I-I'm not sure, he was here a moment ago."
"We're not intimidated by thugs," an old man said. Kayla frowned as Joker let her go and neared him.
"You know," Joker looked at the old man in thought, "you remind me of my father. I hated my father." Joker violently grabbed his head, sticking a knife in his mouth. Kayla figured, if anyone here was going to die may as well be the fragile old man.
"Okay, stop," that Rachel woman from Bruce's speech stepped forward, Kayla internally perked up, this was getting interesting.
"Well, hello, beautiful," Joker pretended to freshen himself up as he approached her, "you must be Harvey's squeeze. Hm? And you are beautiful."
Kayla watched him circle Rachel much the same way he had earlier with her. She had to give the woman credit though; Rachel wasn't going to back down. She wondered if she'd be the person to die tonight.
"You look nervous. Is it the scars? You wanna know how I got them?" he grabbed for her head, but Rachel fought, "Come here. Hey. Look at me. So I had a wife. She was beautiful, like you… who tells me I worry too much… who tells me I ought to smile more… who gambles and gets in very deep with the sharks. Hey."
Kayla frowned, so far she heard two different stories, she hated to admit it, but she wanted to know how he got the scars now.
"One day they carve her face," the two look at each other dead in the eye, neither moving, "and we have no money for surgeries. She can't take it. I just want to see her smile again. Hm? I just want her to know I don't care about the scars. So… I stick a razor in my mouth and do this… to myself. And you know what? She can't stand the sight of me. She leaves. Now I see the funny side, now I'm always smiling!"
Rachel kneed him in the groin, causing him to double over laughing, before approaching her again, waving the knife like he was berating her, "you got a little fight in you, I like that."
"Then you're going to love me," the deep voice of Batman interrupted, and with that the fight started, Batman was actually doing great, the thugs were nothing against him. Joker saw this and shoved a goon at him, the two tag teaming against him. Joker kicked him with a concealed knife in his shoe, before getting thrown back. Kayla watched as he scrambled to the gun and grabbed Rachel.
"Drop the gun," Batman was facing off against him, the two standing off with the woman between them.
"Oh, sure. You just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are. Hm?" he broke the window behind him, taking the girl outside with him, holding her suspended over the ledge.
"Let her go."
"Very poor choice of words," Joker laughed wildly as he let her go, Rachel falling to her death if Batman hadn't leapt after her. Kayla found the whole ordeal exhausting, but she allowed Alfred to lead her to Rachel, who she tended to until the rescue workers arrived. Alfred insisted on driving Kayla home, telling her it was too dangerous to just take a cab, she had smiled to herself thinking back to Joker's cabbie and agreeing.
Pulling up to her building, she was nervous when she saw the hotdog truck she rode in the day before, "Alfred, I can make it from here, thank you." She smiled and thanked him, her warm expression disappearing after she shut the door to her lobby, Joker shouldn't be here, she needed inconspicuous, not the damned clown sneaking into her apartment again. This was not what she wanted, she was pissed.
And end! Hope you all liked it :) reviews are awesome… almost better than peeps or cookies.