16. Jade's Debut

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dark Knight—but I reference a scene from it in this chapter. Enjoy!! Another enormous thanks to my reviewers!! You are all fantastic!

I arrived back at my apartment building, but rather than go in the front door, I thought I'd try the fire escape, like the Joker and I had done when getting into his apartment. I giggled to myself as I jumped up and grabbed on to the metal escape and pulled myself up. I then walked all the way up to the top, kicked in my living room window and jumped into my apartment. I had such a rush of excitement going that I decided to clean my entire apartment. Clean? I know, right? Whatever gets you off, right? I blasted my iPod on the radio—Dude Looks like a Lady, to be exact and got to cleaning. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea after all—cleaning every surface, every utensil, glass, plate etc. There would be no guarantee that the GPD wouldn't search my apartment for finger prints—my connection to the Joker. All I had to do was clean every surface thoroughly so they wouldn't be able to find anything on me. Well, in any event, I cleaned—and I cleaned for hours; I needed to take my mind off the fact that I wasn't able to help the Joker. I decided I needed to put my feelings aside. I was now on his side—I decided to join him for the once last time. I had to now either go big or go home, AKA, join him 100 in whatever chaotic adventure he endures, or have him kill me. There was no longer any other option, so I might as well make the best of it!

Once I had finished cleaning, I went into the kitchen and searched through the cabinets for food. Now here's a way I can make the best of being with the Joker, I thought to myself as I pulled food out of their resting places, I'll make him dinner tonight. He'll surely be hungry when he comes back from blowing up those ferries! I ran into my room, grabbed one of my duffle bags, filled it with some personal belongings (clothes, makeup, underwear etc) and then filled the rest of the bag with food, spices and olive oil. Oh, and my sewing kit. I had an idea to fix the clothes he had given me. I then took one more look around my apartment for anything else I might need and then left through the window, down the fire escape. I took the back allies all the way back to downtown where he lived.

As I traveled the allies, I could hear car horns honking, as thousands of Gotham City citizens were stuck in traffic, no doubt trying to leave the city. The Joker no doubt made his public announcement. I glanced up at the sky and saw that it wouldn't be long before the sun was below the horizon.

Well, I was right. As I reached the Joker's building, it was already twilight. That walk from uptown to downtown took much longer than I had anticipated! I climbed up his fire escape and kicked in the window to his apartment. All was dark.

"Joker?!" I shouted, "Mr. J—you here?" I called as I let myself in. I lit the candles and searched the entire apartment. He was gone. He must be waiting somewhere for the Batman. I glanced at my watch. It was only 7:45. He had a while before he had to blow up those ferries. I wondered if he would come back before that. Oh well.

I took my duffle into the bedroom and set it down on the bed. I then noticed a Joker card with hand writing on it sitting atop the dresser with the face paints. I took the card and read it: Wear the face paint when you come. See you tomorrow – J.

What?! I had NO idea what any of that meant. What was even stranger was that he knew I would be coming back to his apartment. Freaky. He really did know me better than I did. I didn't know I was coming back here when I left him this afternoon.

"Wear the face paint when you come. See you tomorrow," I read aloud again. He must be planning something. No—the Joker doesn't plan. What the hell could this mean?! I shook my head and turned away from the dresser with the paints. Maybe I would begin to sew his clothes. I saw the clothing pile on the floor by his bed. I knelt down and took the clothes…there was something hard wrapped up inside the clothes. I unwrapped the clothing and found a gun with another Joker card attached: And don't forget to bring this – J. A gun. My heart began to pound inside my chest. He knew I had no other choice. I would have to bring this gun to wherever I was meeting him tomorrow. I was not enthused.

I put the gun down on the dresser next to the paints so I would not forget it tomorrow. I then turned back to the clothes and removed a few from my duffle.

Taking the pile out into the main living room, I sat down in a chair and began sewing my creation. It didn't take me long, but when I had finished, it was perfect: from the red button down shirt he had given me, I cut out diamonds in random placed and sewed the red diamond cut-outs onto my black corset. I then cut off the left sleeve of the shirt and the right leg of the black pants he had given me. I cut open the sleeve's seam and sewed it to where the right pant leg had been. Trying it on my leg, I pinned the sleeve to where it fit around my leg and left the rest open. I sewed up the sleeve that was now a red, half open pant leg. I cut off the cuff at the bottom and cut the sleeve ending into a diamond shape. The other pant leg, I left black, but cut it up to my mid-calf so I would match the length of the new pant leg. I then cut the black pant leg into a diamond shape at the bottom.

Finally, using the cut off black pant leg, I opened the seam and made it a narrower strip of material and sewed it onto the sleeveless side of the red shirt. My alternating sides would be black and red. I made the black pant into a hanging sleeve that attached at my shoulder to the red shirt, but hung off my arm in diamond cut strips. Then to the other red sleeve, I simply rolled it up to my elbow. I would wear the black and red diamond corset under the shirt with red puffy and lacy Moulin Rouge style shorts/underwear under the black and red pants. This would be what I would wear tomorrow when I would meet the Joker, wherever, with my face painted; oh yeah, and with the gun.

Well, I guess I would get to cooking. I was starving.

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While I was cooking, I was unaware of the Joker's location, but Batman was well aware, thanks to a sonar-based machine he had built using Lucius Fox's sonar concept by hacking into every cell phone in the city. Good thing I didn't use my cell phone at all that night, right?

While I was eating my dinner, I kept an eye on my watch. No doubt I would hear the explosion at midnight, and midnight was fast approaching. By now, the Joker had to be fighting Batman. Maybe he should have left me the detonator so that if he was still fighting at midnight, then I could just press the button. Oh well. His fault for not thinking of that one.

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"We really should stop fighting. We'll miss the fireworks!" the Joker said as he held Batman down.

"And here…we…go," he said, motioning his hands. There was nothing. No explosion. The Joker looked back at the clock, which clearly showed the hands at midnight.

"What are you trying to prove? That everyone's as crazy as you? You're alone," the Batman stated, as the Joker sat on top of him.

"You can't rely on anyone. Luckily, I came prepared. You know how I got these scars?"the Joker said as he took out the third detonator.

"No, but I know how you got these," and without warning, the Batman hoisted the Joker over his head and the Joker fell from the building. He laughed the whole way, until Batman shot down to him, which wrapped around the Joker's leg. As Batman hoisted the Joker back up to him, he laughed uncontrollably.

"You just couldn't let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets and immoveable object. You…truly are…incorruptible. You won't kill me…out…of…some misplaced sense of self righteousness. And I…won't kill you because…you're just too much fun. I think…you and I are destined to do this forever," The Joker said to Batman as he hung from the building.

"You'll be in a padded cell forever," the Batman replied.

"Maybe we can share one. They'll be doubling up, the rate this city's inhabitants are losing their minds," The Joker responded.

"This city has shown you that it's full of people ready to believe in good," Batman growled.

"Till their spirits break—till they get a good look at the real Harvey Dent, heh, and all the heroic things he's done," The Joker replied, "You think I'd risk losing the battle for Gotham's soul in a fist fight with you? No… you need an ace in the hole—and mine's Harvey,"

"What did you do?" The Batman asked, as the Joker continued to swing upside down from the building.

"I took Gotham's white knight, and brought him down to our level. It wasn't hard. You see, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little...push," The Joker laughed as Batman got up and left the Joker, dangling above the city by just his leg.

It was then that the GPD and SWAT teams found the Joker, hanging upside down. He just kept on laughing. The Batman had finally gotten the Joker, but he clearly was not phased by this. Maybe it was because he had turned Harvey Dent into another raging sociopath. Maybe it was because he knew he wouldn't be held in County for long. But whatever the reason that kept the Joker laughing as they pulled him back into the building, placed the handcuffs about his wrists and brought him out and into the police cars, he just kept on laughing. And he wouldn't be back in the apartment tonight.

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I turned on the news because I never heard the ferries explode. I wondered if his organized chaos had gone horribly wrong.

"Breaking news; The infamous mass murdering criminal, the Joker, has finally been caught tonight. We have Sherry live, down at the waterfront. Sherry," the news anchor stated.

"Thank you Rob. Tonight, Gotham Cities most wanted criminal, the Joker, has been caught. GPD and SWAT team officials have taken the Joker into protected custody at the County jail. It was discovered that he had these two ferry boats filled with people….rigged to blow. Some of the Joker's hostages have been taken away to Illinois State Hospital for mild injuries, but thankfully, no one was killed. I'm Sherry Donovan, signing off,"

I turned off the TV. Well, the Joker was caught. He must have known he would get caught, because I knew exactly what I needed to do. Walking into the bedroom, I stood before the dresser topped with face paint. I carefully picked up and gun and held it in my hand.

It was time for Jade to make her debut.