Madeline's POV

I sat criss-cross in front of my son's grave munching on a grilled cheese sandwich. I swallowed before speaking, "You know, kid... I want to be honest with you... I should never tell my kid this but reuniting with your father changed me slightly."

I stared at his name on his tombstone. I took in a deep breath and spoke up, "I am going to make sure your beloved uncle has a slow painful death. He deserves it for what he done to you."

I could feel excitement bubble up inside. A smile played on my lips, "Your father and I are going to have so much fun with him. I am going to make sure he has the same or possibly worse death."

Sudden sadness flooded my senses and I frowned, "I miss you, my child. Your father misses you. I can see that."

I reached over to his tombstone lightly tracing the letters, "I know he won't admit or show it to me... I just can see it. Not being prompt to make some half-assed story of his life... He brings up you a bunch. He talked about when you two went on that camping trip and had to go home when your father thought he lost you. You nearly scared him but you did stay in the same spot you were told so I don't blame you."

I let out a chuckle as I continued, "I blame your non-wilderness father who got lost when he went to get firewood."

That was a fun day. I nearly had a heart attack knowing my 4 year old son was by himself in the woods and then-Jack freaked out when he thought he lost our son.

I reached up at the ceiling fan with a duster. I never have time like this when Jack and Eric are here. Both males do like to make a mess at times or doesn't know how to do things on their own sometimes and ask for my help. The door burst open and I remembered that if anything like this were to happen while I'm home I go to the Beretta. I quickly hopped down the step stool and head to the night stand but a voice made me pause, "Madeline! Madeline!"

I turned around seeing Jack now at the door of our bedroom breathing heavy. I looked behind and around him. I asked, "Where's Eric? Jack... Where's my baby?"

Jack looked pale. His hands shot up to his hair and I saw him tug on the short strands. Jack answered, "That's the thing. I don't know! I went to get firewood and I told him to stay there and when I came back he was gone. I know I didn't get lost cause it was our stuff."

I pushed past my husband slipping on a pair of shoes, "Why did you leave him by himself? He is 4 years old, Jack! They're curious at that age."

Jack huffed as he followed right behind me, "They're curious at any age, Madeline."

I opened the front door and locked the house behind us, "They're especially curious at this age. You know how Eric is. He got your genes."

Jack mumbled, "Good point."

It luckily didn't take us long. Maybe 30 minutes to get to the forest at the edge of Gotham. It's a state park so it's protected and of course there are animals there that are also protected. The thought came to mind when we arrived the state park, "Jack... My baby is out there with wild animals. You..."

I turned to him and smacked him with my bag, "Left. My. Baby. Out. In. The. Wild. With. Animals!"

Jack tried to grab my bag after each hit to make it stop. After each pause he tried to explain himself, "I panicked! I rather have you here with me than just me alone trying to find our son."

I slammed the car door, "He could be scared for all we know."

Jack started to lead me into the forest, "We set up camp over here."

I ran a hand through my hair, "I swear to god, Jack if our baby is hurt... You're sleeping on the couch."

Jack moved some branches away and waited for me to walk beside him so he can let go. Jack mumbled, "It's not like I asked for this."

I stopped my walking to stare at him. I huffed, "I know you didn't ask for this but please be more careful. Toddlers wander and then you loose sight of them."

Jack turned to me pointing a finger at me, "Says the one who lost Eric in a foreign airport."

I felt my cheeks redden. I pushed through some branches. I didn't even wait for Jack to meet up with me when I let go of the branch. The leaves rustled and a HEY from Jack was heard. I looked around my surroundings focusing on finding my son. Jack caught up, "That was uncalled for."

I hissed, "I thought we would not speak of that incident again. I was buying some food for him and I turned around and he was gone."

Jack looked around while speaking, "I say you loosing him was worse than this."

I turned around to glare at my husband, "No matter what we both lost our child at one point. Both experiences are bad. None are worse than the other. Let's go find our son."

Jack sighed pushing through the forest till we are at the campsite. A young voice questioned, "Daddy?"

My eyes widened and I rushed forward and there he is... Our son sitting on a log twiddling with his thumbs. Eric tilted his head in confusion, "Mommy what are you doing here?"

I quickly went to our son knelt down hugging the poor child. I breathed out, "I'm so glad you're okay."

Jack slowly walked to the two of us. Jack couldn't help but ask, "Where'd you go, Eric?"

Eric wiggled his arm out of my hug and pointed in a direction, "Potty."

Jack let out a relieved sigh, "Boy... Tell me where you're going to be when I'm here. Don't ever leave this camp site unless I'm here so I know where you're at or can go with you."

Eric tried nodding with the best of his ability. I pulled away staring at our little boy, "I'm glad you're okay. Like your father said, don't ever do that again. Remember what happened in England."

Eric slowly nodded feeling guilty. I let out a sigh pulling my son back into a hug, "Don't scare us like that. Your father was so worried which made me so worried."

I kissed his temple, "I love you my baby."

Eric mumbled, "I love you too mommy."

Jack piped up, "I'll uh... take you home, Mads."

I pulled away from our son standing up, "I can walk back to the car. I wouldn't want you two have to pack up and walk me to the car then drive me home and come back to do this all over again."

Jack's face started to worry, "But it's getting dark. Stay here for the night and I'll take you in the morning."

I looked up at the sky, "Fine. I'll stay the night."

Eric's lips widened into a smile, "Mommy so you're staying with us?!"

I chuckled at his excitement, "Yes baby I am. Only for tonight though."

Eric hopped off of his log and hugged my legs, "That's just enough. Now we can have a family camping trip!"

Jack couldn't help but smile at the excitement his son is radiating. There are flaws in the family but he loves every single moment.

I finished up my grilled cheese, "I miss your father. I just wish he would break out already and come home. Our family home isn't the same especially when we have another couple living there. I'm sure you would remember Keith and his wife June. June used to baby sit you while your father and I used to work."

In the distance a figure is watching the woman sitting at the tombstone. The figure was in a safe distance where she wouldn't notice but he was able to hear her. He held up a hand fixing a glove. The squeak of the fabric rubbing together brought a shiver down the figure's spine. His brown eyes studied the woman taking in her features. Her soft brunette hair pulled into a messy bun. A smile, sad one, etched in her lips. The person could tell how much she misses the person of the tombstone. Another person came around the car and leaned against the body of the car like the gloved person. The man pointed to the woman, "Aren't you going to say hello?"

The first person glanced over at the brute, "I would but someone else caught my attention. My special attention."

The second person looked at the woman who was talking animatedly to the tombstone, "She won't forgive you."

The gloved person gave a big smile, "Oh I'm not going to kill him. Oh no. I don't want to see her bad side now she has access to her true self and weapons. No... I'm going to pay someone she knows a visit. It is way past over due. He can wait. I'll let him fester and actually meet with him with her. She is going to be in the behind the scenes though. How good is she with sniper rifles?"

The second man smirked, "Wonderfully."

A laugh started bubble up the gloved man's throat as he opened the car door, "Good. That's what I need."

The man went around the car to go into the driver seat. The man asked, "So who are we going to go to?"

Gloved man fixed his jacket in his seat, "I need to pay my sister-in-law a visit. Family reunion, ya know?"

The man started the car and started to drive. The Joker finally was able to let out a laugh. A chilling laugh that he is known for. He couldn't let his wife hear him and know he has escaped. Oh no, that would ruin the surprise.