"Heyy.." Harri whispered to Adriana at 3 a.m. Adriana left Bruce's room and went to the guest room where Harri was staying and crawled into the bed with her.

"Hey sis," Adriana said. "You're still up."

"Yup," Harri said, looking at her phone in the dark. "I was thinking of ordering that spa from the list Bruce gave you. I want to get a Brazilian blowout. And a massage...and a facial..."

"The sounds fun," Adriana said sleepily and laid down on a pillow.

"What are you doing in here though?" Harri turned her head to Adriana.

"I can't sleep," Adriana said. "What are you looking at?"

"It's so weird," Harri said.

"What is?" Adriana asked her sister.

"You having to ask me things like that. I'm so used to you just knowing everything."

"Oh..." Adriana said.

"It's the news site," Harri laughed. "Gotham news. There's a lot of people talking about the missing Shade. One of Gotham's vigilantes. Have you heard of her?"

"Yeah..." Adriana said. "I have."

"There's news about the Joker trial," Harri said. "There's going to be a sentencing soon. Probably in a couple days."

"Mhm..." Adriana said, trying not to listen.

"Also," Harri said. "It's supposed to rain really bad tomorrow and the day after. Then the temperature drops so it will be icy."

"Good thing the spa can come to you then," Adriana said.

"Yup. You know I showed Antonio the ring on video chat and he thinks it's a fake," Harri said.

"Why?" Adriana asked.

"Because it's a blue diamond," Harri laughed.

"Mhmm.." Adriana said sleepily.

"What's that sound?" Harri asked hearing a door close. "Bruce?"

"Yeah..." Adriana said, now half asleep. "He probably has to go out for-"

"For..." Harri asked. "What?"

"Oh..um," Adriana said, now alert. She could have just let Harri think the door was closing for him to go to the kitchen or something. But her exhausted brain slipped. "Just..work stuff."

"He's a businessman, not an emergency surgeon," Harri said. "What does he have to do at 3 a.m.?"

"Harri..." Adriana said. "He's very busy."

"Ahhh..." Harri said. "I see. You know he's still a cheater but you're going to stay because of the baby. And the perks." Harri looked at her ring.

"You think I'm a gold digger?" Adriana sat up. "You think I'd stay with someone who cheats for money?"

"I heard the door shut," Harri said. "He's leaving at 3 a.m. and you don't even care. He knows you don't know his thoughts right now and he can tell you anything and you'd have no choice but to believe it. And sounds like he just left... didn't even come to find you to tell you he was going out. I'm just putting the pieces together. And it's not like you've never stayed with someone who's cheated. That's all you ever did. But this one...is rich. Not even just rich..wealthy. I'm just trying to see the silver lining that you must see...well in this case, the gold, platinum, diamond encrusted lining."

"Ugh," Adriana said. Bruce being the Batman and leaving in the middle of the night was not something Adriana was at liberty to explain. "Harri, he's not cheating on me."

"And how do you know that?" Harri said while crossing her arms.

"Well..." Adriana went on carefully. "Technically we're not even together."

"What?" Harri raised her eyebrows.

"I mean," Adriana began to explain quickly. "Not officially yet. He wants to be. He wants us to try...he said he can be serious and faithful and he wants a family..."

"And do you believe him?" Harri said.

"So...not yet. I mean...maybe in time he can prove himself to me," Adriana said and laid back, looking at the ceiling.

"He's already sneaking out. I mean...he doesn't seem too serious," Harri said.

"Harri," Adriana said. "He's not sneaking out. I know exactly what he's doing right now...I can't tell you what it is, but it's nothing to do with cheating or women. It's work."

"If you say so," Harri said.

"I know so," Adriana said.

"Are you in love with him?" Harri asked.

"I..." Adriana thought. "I care about him a lot. Do you think it's bad that I don't love him yet?"

"No," Harri said. "I only ask because..."

"Because what? Why?" Adriana asked.

"You seem like you're in love," Harri said.

"I do?" Adriana said.

"Yes," Harri said. "You just have a look in your eyes. This is just my intuition speaking...I'm no mind reader. But you're in love. It's just...a certain pain I see in you that only comes from love. It makes me sad. But now you tell me that you don't love him yet. Are you sure? Are you just telling yourself that you don't love him because you know he won't be faithful?"

"I'm not lying to myself..." Adriana said.

"Then are you in love with someone else?" Harri asked.

"Harri, no," Adriana said. Harri didn't look convinced.

"Right..." Harri said. "Maybe you should test him."

"Bruce?" Adriana asked.

"Yup, to make sure he doesn't want to cheat," Harri said.

"What? How?" Adriana laughed. "You're silly-"

"I don't know," Harri said. "Make a fake social media page with pics of a hot girl and see if he flirts back."

"Ugh...that's so...juvenile," Adriana said.

"Fine," Harri shrugged.

.

.

.

.

"He's being sent back to Arhkam," Adriana repeated the news reporter in disbelief. The Joker would be transferred from police custody to Arkham in a few more days. She knew that Bruce was not going to be happy. The sentencing had come much earlier than anticipated, and the punishment was one that no one wanted. Everyone wanted the Joker in isolation in a maximum security prison facility at the very least. But Adriana was sure a poll of the entire city's opinion would show the death penalty was preferred.

"Is it like prison?" Harri asked.

"Not really...more of an asylum..." Adriana answered. "He'll be there for a few years maybe? And then sent to the prison after treatment."

"Damn...sounds like they're letting him off easy," Harri said and flipped her silky hair over her shoulders. "At least for now. They did such a good job on my blowout."

"It's beautiful," Adriana said about Harri's hair.

Bruce was at work and Adriana could only imagine how he was feeling.

.

.

.

"You're so quiet," Adriana said to Bruce that night while getting ready for bed. She was brushing her hair and he was getting undressed.

"What is there to say?" Bruce said, sounding as if he was speaking through clenched teeth. He pulled his undershirt over his head and she gazed at his chiseled back.

"I don't know," she said and looked away.

"It's like we're back where we started," Bruce said.

"No..." Adriana said. "He's not likely to escape again. Things will be different now-"

"No," he said plainly. "They won't. He was so quiet and cooperative through the trial. It's unnerving. Maybe it's because he wanted to return to Arkham...and we all know he had a million ways out of that place."

"Bruce...you're thinking too much about this," she told him.

"Perhaps it is because I made a very special woman a promise," he said. "That I would not kill him."

"Heh," she laughed and pulled off her satin robe and put it on the chair beside the bed. "Just focus on the fact that he's in custody and cooperating and everything is okay for now."

"Mhmm.." he said distracted.

She looked down after noticing he was staring at her chest. The gown that was just purchased barely two weeks ago was very tight around her breasts now. She needed to size up again.

"I made you a promise," he said and walked up to her. "That I wouldn't kill him," he said while looking up at the ceiling for a moment, before looking into her eyes. "In exchange...you'll consider...possibly taking me back."

"You did," she said. "So, are you changing your mind?"

"Not at all," he said seriously. "I'll keep my word. I'll wait. As long as it takes."

"Bruce," she said and began to laugh. "Bruce..come on-"

"Don't laugh," he said seriously. "I mean it."

"No..." she said, trying to hold in the laughter. "Bruce...you love the ladies. Emphasis on..ladies plural. I'm pregnant and seven months or more is a long time to wait and..I'm pretty sure in a couple weeks you'll see it's probably not worth the wait."

"Well," he said looked at her from head to toe. "I don't mind the pregnancy."

Adriana laughed nervously. She knew she would not be sleeping with him while carrying the child of someone he hated so much.

"That said, if you want to wait," he said. "Then I will wait. As I said, as long as it takes."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"We'll take our time," Bruce said. "Which is something I've never done. I'll wait for you, and whatever you decide in then end I'm okay with it. I do not want to put any pressure on you at all."

He paused and touched her cheek.

"If you end up not wanting me," he continued. "It still would be worth the wait."

Adriana blinked. He meant it.

"I want to protect you, I want to provide for you," he said. "I want you make you happy. I don't want you to ever have to worry about anything. I know after everything that I've done, the words alone aren't going to be enough," he said.

"I believe you.." she said after a moment. "It's just..I don't see why you even want me so much Bruce. I'm not exactly that great. I make mistakes...major mistakes."

"If you could see yourself through my eyes," he would see. "You would know why. And we all mistakes. I don't care about your mistakes. I only know what what I want, and it's you."

.

.

.

"I hope you aren't too bored here with Miss Harri gone," Alfred said to Adriana as he served her breakfast. Harri had gone home a few days ago and Adriana had the place to herself again.

"I'm alright," Adriana said. "I dont mind filling my days with...swimming in an indoor pool..using a state-of-the-art gym...ordering massages...having an amazing chef prepare all my meals and exploring Bruce's library."

"Good," Alfred said.

"Oh.." she said and turned on the flat screen in the kitchen as Alfred left the room. "And watching TV. We can't forget that."

As soon as she turned on the TV, she saw the news. Several ambulances, police vehicles and news reporters surrounding a body of water. She could see the edge of a bridge above the news reporter, a woman with very thick, deep brown hair. The water behind her was shallow and full of jagged rocks.

"Absolutely shocking," the woman said. "But fortunately, none of the security for the transit team were injured-"

Adriana was distracted by her phone ringing. It was Lucius.

"Hello?" she said.

"Is that the news?" he said, hearing it in the background.

"Yeah," she said and picked up her orange juice.

"Turn it off," he said. It was an order. "Now."

"Why?" she asked.

"Now," he said firmly.

"Okay," she said and clicked off the TV. "What's up?"

"Are you alone?" he asked.

"Yes...Alfred just left the room," she said.

"I'm afraid I have some...news," he said. "I thought it would be best if you heard it from me rather than on television."

"Lucius," she said. "You're scaring me. Does this have to do with...you know who?"

The Joker. There was news. Adriana had a feeling, most likely he had escaped again. A fugitive on the run..and Bruce would never accept this. She began to worry.

"Yes," Lucius said and sounded like he was taking a deep breath. "From what we can gather, there was a transport team assembled to take him to Arhkam early this morning. All of the team was found unconscious in the vehicle..some type of an airborne non-lethal sedative gas is what they are saying."

Lucius paused. Adriana didn't see what the hold up was...she knew what had happened. He got away.

"He wasn't found in the van. The vehicle crashed after the gas was released and the driver most likely lost control-"Lucius said.

"Oh-" she started to say. "So he-"

"Allow me to finish, please," Lucius said gently. Adriana was quiet. "The vehicle was found within half a mile of Alacia bridge. They believe he walked there on foot and climbed the bridge. It's been determined that it wasn't an accident-"

"Lucius.." she said, her voice shaking.

"It was determined that he jumped. The water was very shallow, and he went down face first...it likely happened very quickly. He didn't suffer."

"No...no that doesn't make sense..." she said. "He would...he would never do something like this...ever-"

"They found a body," Lucius said.

"No..." Adriana said, more confused than sad because of denial. "I know him...I know him...he would never...no matter what he wouldn't...do this..."