I found out what the year was which was 2008. I have been stuck as the mob's beating bag for 5 years. Vanessa told me what have happened in those 5 years. She got married and had a son. Her and Jack tried searching for my son and I in the first two years. She mentioned that Jack was starting to get testy with her and everyone around them. He left without a notice leaving her stumped in the search. I stayed in her house for a few months afraid to leave the safety of a home. I feel that the mobs have heard what happened to the mob that kidnapped me. I cannot not be afraid. I know the mobsters talk to each other especially if it is a good piece of meat hanging around. I don't want to get taken again and lose my chance in finding Jack. Charlie, the little boy who is my nephew, stared at me from his stool. I didn't look up from my laptop, "Charlie didn't your mother teach you it isn't polite to stare?"

Charlie's eyes went down to his food. His fork moving his eggs around. From what I gather is Charlie is the same age Eric was…. Before Eric moved on. It is hard being around the kid knowing that I once had a kid his age. I could hear chatter down the hall. Angry and frustrated chatter. I caught the last sentence, "She needs to get out now."

I took in slow breaths knowing Chad tried to be nice towards me seeing my situation. However, I never met him before the day he pulled his hand gun at me. I figure I am a person who all the sudden was dropped into his life and he doesn't like it. Not. One. Bit. My sister, oh, she was the all caring one. I was too till I had to grow a thick skin and not let things bother me and care as much. I could hear the light footsteps of my sister head towards me. A seat cushion sunk down as she took a seat. She spoke, "Mads… I… I think it is time to start a new. We should head to the bank and reopen your bank account. I think Jack suspended it or he may of used the money."

I paused in my typing side glancing at my little sister. I spoke, "I would hope he used the money and not let it rot in Gotham's bank."

Vanessa placed a hand ontop of my own giving it a squeeze, "I can give you a first month rent but you have to go find a job soon. Let's find an apartment first and then the bank."

I sighed closing the laptop, "I know he wants me out of here. I'm invading his home. I don't even know if Jack would of liked it if the roles were reversed."

Vanessa closed her eyes for a moment before took a deep breath. After a couple of days of spending my time here, she told me to let him go. I placed the laptop to the side standing up, "I know what you are going to say and I'm not going to listen to it. Jack is out there somewhere. I can feel it. I will find him. He's my husband, for God's sake."

Vanessa looked towards her son who was now finally minding his own business. Cannot say much for her husband though. I could see him in the shadows with his arms crossed over his chest. He is just waiting for me to leave. I looked between to the two adults. I raised my hands in the air, "You know what Ness, I'm just going to go. Don't worry about me. Just get back to your little happy family before you know I was finally freed from a mob. You know it's none of my business or anything to barge in here hoping to find some sort of salvation considering I have nothing left."

Vanessa's brows knitted together as she stood up. Her voice came out as accusing, "You know we mean nothing like that. You are always welcome here. It just been months since you got here."

I moved till I was infront of her. I was taller than her so I looked slightly down into her eyes. I spoke lowly, "I know when I am welcomed or not. I overstayed my welcome, obviously. You can forget about me. I'll be fine."

I headed to the door pulling on my shoes. I'll figure something out one way or another. I left her house without another word.

I grabbed a local classified ad booklet with what money I do have and start looking for what I can do in a job and a place to stay. I flipped around the newspaper skimming through. As I turned the page with my left hand, a glisten caught my eye. I paused looking at the wedding ring that Jack and I picked out. I swallowed a lump bringing my other hand up rubbing my forehead.

Jack and I walked hand in hand into the jewelers. He proposed a month back and it made me the happiest woman. Jack leaned against the jewelry glass case. His brown eyes watched me as I scanned the rings. His fingers laced with each other as a smirk grew on his face. Jack's voice ringed through my ears, "Pick anything you want, sweet cheeks."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the nickname, "Will you stop calling me sweet cheeks? It happened one time!"

Jack's smirk grew. He pushed himself off of the glass case. Looking down where I was browsing, he pointed to a ring, "What about that one?"

My smile grew, "I like that one. It is beautiful."

Jack looked up trying to see where the associate is. His eyes met with the associate and he snapped his fingers pointing to the ring, "We will take this one, ah."

I tugged on his tie, "Will you please come up with another nickname for me?"

Jack shook his head with his smirk still on. He watched as the associate pull out the ring. I huffed, "Fine be that way, Puddin' Head."

It is Jack's turn to frown. Jack replied to that remark, "What did I say about that name?"

I raised my eyebrows, "Oh is someone little butthurt that I am using his rightful name?"

Jack rolled his eyes and continued working on the paperwork for our rings, "Don't call me that again."

I chuckled, "Fine, okay. I'll just call you puddin'."

I saw Jack's eye do a light twitch. I kissed his cheek, "That's what you get, jerk. Calling me sweet cheeks. Like I said it happened one time."

Jack hooked his finger underneath my chin to make me look at him. He spoke huskily, "If it didn't happen then I wouldn't of come across you."

I caught him off guard by kissing his lips. His voice always gets me riled up when he talks that way. I pulled away laughing, "I can still taste the pudding that landed on your head."

For the rest of the way home, Jack grumbled about the name. that's what he gets for calling me sweet cheeks.

I fiddled with it with my thumb. I miss the name that I gave years of my life to. I miss our son who would show us his intelligent ideas. I felt tears well up again. My shoulders slowly start to shake. I didn't feel the eyes of those around me. Good or bad. I wish I had my old life back. It was perfect at the time. I need to find Jack soon and get my life back on track.

Hey sorry if this seemed so odd of a chapter. Joker won't appear till few chapters down. I want to make sure I have a good base of Madeline. She isn't completely stable and I know I make her as a crying little thing but I would be too if I was captive for years and finally let go to know that the one person you share a life with is gone completely... well not completely in this case but you get what I mean. I hope you guys enjoyed this. It's hard to put stuff from my mind to the internet pages. I don't own anything other than my Madeline and her family.