"You were so quiet at dinner," Bruce said to Adriana as they got into bed.
Adriana didn't know what to say. She thought about how wonderfully the day had started, the amazing night before. And how it had gone downhill. Damien had called her to tell her about Brake's predicament. She thought about Bruce's future, his reputation if the truth got out.
"Hey..." Bruce said and touched her face, able to tell that she was upset.
She needed to tell him. Damien's idea that they should wait until finding out exactly what happened wasn't something that she was sure she could do.
"It's..." Adriana started to say sadly. "Not good.."
"Okay," Bruce said, taking a deep breath. "Just tell me. Just rip the bandage off."
Adriana nodded. "There's this man I used to know when-"
Adriana stopped talking when there was a knock at the door. Bruce touched her shoulder.
"Who is it?" Bruce called out.
"Arsenio Thomas Wayne," Bruce and Adriana heard Alfred call back.
"Come in," Bruce said and sat up as Alfred brought Arsenio into the room.
"He insisted," Alfred explained as Arsenio reached towards Adriana with both atms.
"No problem at all," Adriana said and took the baby from him.
"I could come back for him in 30 minutes," Alfred offered.
"Umm.." Adriana said as the baby began to pull on her shirt. "I'll take him back to bed. Thanks."
Alfred nodded and gave them a smile, wished them a good night and left. Adriana began to nurse Arsenio and Bruce looked into her eyes. Adriana suddenly began feeling very tired and leaned back onto the pillows as Arsenio fed. Before she knew it she had fallen asleep.
The sound of a vibration coming from her phone woke her up. The room was dark and Bruce was asleep beside her. She sat up and picked up her phone. It was 3 a.m. Damien had told her to wait for his message and she had fallen asleep. Fortunately, it was the first text.
Bruce opened his eyes and placed a hand on her thigh.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Yes.." she answered. "Where's Arsenio?"
"I put him back to bed hours ago," Bruce said. "You fell asleep."
"Oh..sorry," she said, still feeling exhausted. Her emotions were draining her. "I have to go out."
"Okay," Bruce said and kissed her hand. "Be safe."
"I will."
Adriana dressed quickly and went outside. She walked three and a half blocks until she found Damien's parked car.
"Nice shades," he said about her sunglasses as she got into the passenger side of his car.
"I never know when there are paparazzi around," she said.
"Ahh, can't risk being seen with a suspicious man in the middle of the night," Damien nodded.
"Yes," Adriana said and took off her glasses once she was inside, since his car had tinted windows.
"So what about Brucey boy?" Damien asked. "Did you have to sneak out without waking him?"
"Damien," Adriana said firmly. "What the hell are we doing here? You told me you had a plan. It's 3 in the morning-"
"We're going to the hospital," Damien said. "To visit your friend."
"Okay," Adriana said. "At 3 in the morning. I'm sure visiting hours haven't started."
"Don't worry," Damien said. "I have it set up. You know you don't have to worry about anything-"
"Can we just go then?" Adriana interrupted as she put on her seatbelt.
Adriana ignored Damien's small talk as he drove to the hospital. She felt herself dozing off again even though the ride was short. She felt his hand on her shoulder waking her up and when she opened her eyes they were in the parking lot of the hospital.
"Wakey wakey..." Damien said. "Eggs and bakey.."
"I'm up," she said and looked into his steel grey eyes.
"You fell asleep in three seconds flat," he laughed at her.
"So what now?" she asked and looked at the hospital. "We just go in?"
"Yes," Damien said as he sent a text from his phone. "Now."
They walked to the front door of the hospital and both the security guard and receptionists paid them no mind as they went to the elevator. Adriana adjusted her sunglasses once they were inside.
"I've got a friend from the force in there with him," Damien said. "He knows we're coming."
"Okay," Adriana nodded, feeling anxious and a bit dizzy. She didn't want to see Brake in pain or suffering.
They went to the hospital room and Damien knocked on the door.
"It's me," Damien said before whoever was inside could answer.
A tall officer came to the door and let them in. As soon as they were in, Adriana looked over at the hospital bed.
"The room, please," Damien said to the officer who left promptly. "Thanks Simms."
Adriana walked over the bed wordlessly. All she saw was tubes and monitors. Brake was unconscious. She reached for his hand and held it gently. He looked so weak. She blinked back tears as Damien went over to the other side of the bed.
"There's so many...tubes," she said weakly.
"Yes," Damien said and looked down at the man in the bed. "He's in a medically induced coma."
Adriana blinked and looked Damien in the eyes. "Oh.."
Any disappointment she had about not being able to ask him what happened, disappeared as soon as it arose. She only wanted him to rest and get better.
"But not to worry," Damien said and pulled a syringe out of his pocket.
"What is that?" Adriana asked.
"Something to get him to wake up," Damien said as though it was no big deal. "For about five minutes."
"Damien," Adriana said carefully. "Please put that away."
"We need information," Damien said. "For you sake."
"It's not that important," Adriana said and looked down at the state Brake was in. "It doesn't matter-"
She saw Damien injecting the syringe through the IV he had just detatched.
"Damien!" Adriana hissed.
"It's just adrenaline," Damien said. "It'll wear off in a few minutes."
"I can't believe you.." she said weakly. "If this hurts him I swear I will kill you-"
She felt Brake squeeze her hand for an instant.
"Brake?" she asked softly and he opened his eyes.
She heard him breathe and smile at her.
"Hi.." she said and gave him a smile and leaned forward to kiss his forehead.
Brake glanced over at Damien, who he could barely recognize. He then looked back at Adriana.
"H..." she heard Brake try to speak. "Hi."
"Hi," she said and touched his cheek.
"We have a few questions," Damien said firmly.
"Stop," Adriana said to Damien. At this point she didn't care. She didn't want to bother Brake for information.
"Wh..." Brake tried to talk but it was hard for him to use vowels and breathe. "Wht."
Damien and Adriana looked at each other for a few seconds before Damien spoke again.
"The guys that did this to you," Damien said. "Did you give them any information."
Brake frowned, confused.
"Did you tell them about Adriana? Your boss? Her kid?" Damien asked sharply.
Brake looked back at Adriana, questioning.
"Brake," she said softly. "You got hurt in prison...some terrible people attacked you...they stabbed you. The guards found you and brought you here. We're in the hospital."
Adriana watched as Brake blinked slowly, understanding.
"Do you remember that? Do you remember being attacked?" she asked him.
He closed his eyes as though trying to remember. He sighed weakly and opened his eyes and gave her a weak nod.
"Brake.." Adriana said. "Damien told me you were worried someone was after you because you worked for the Joker..and that you were afraid they were going to hurt you. Is that what happened?"
Brake nodded again and glanced at Damien again.
"Are they looking for the Joker? They believe he's still alive? Is that why they attacked you?" Damien asked.
"Ye..." Brake tried to speak but Adriana could see that he was in pain.
Adriana took his hand with both of hers.
"And did you tell them about Adriana," Damien asked.
Brake closed his eyes before looking back at Adriana.
"It's okay," she assured him. "If you did...I'm not angry. I promise. They were trying to kill you after all."
"Did you tell them?" Damien asked.
Adriana could see the struggle in Brake's eyes as they filled with tears. He looked back at Adriana with sorrow in his eyes.
"Heyyy..." she said soothingly, realizing what it meant. She kissed his forehead again. "Promise me something.."
He looked down, shamefully and she touched his cheek. Once she had eye contact again, she told him.
"I'm going to deal with this," she said to him, confidently. "But you...I don't want you to worry about this at all, because I'm going to take care of it. I don't want you to feel guilty. I only want you to focus on getting better. That's all I want right now, okay? I want you to survive this and be strong..."
A tear finally fell from Brake's eye and Adriana wiped it away lovingly. He gave her another nod. She could see him getting drowsy again. The Adrenaline was wearing off.
"Wait," Damien said before Brake could close his eyes again. "Who was it?"
Adriana looked at Damien, wishing he would stop.
"Who's the man behind this? Which enemy of the Joker?" Damien asked.
Brake looked like he was trying to talk.
"C..." Adriana heard the sound of the letter say and then Brake looked frustrated. He couldn't speak properly. "Guh..."
"Cammp.." Brake said weakly. "Poh."
"Camo?" Damien asked and Brake shook his head so weakly, Adriana wanted Damien to just leave him alone.
"Gamme," Brake said even more weakly. "Hoooh.."
"It's alright," Adriana said as she could see him losing consciousness. "Don't fret...just relax. I need you to get better. Just rest.."
Brake closed his eyes and Adriana and Damien could both see he was out.
"Camo? Camp?" Damien asked.
"He's not awake," Adriana stated the obvious and looked down at Brake's hand. "This is...why.."
"What?" Damien asked and looked at where she was looking. "He's a felon. He has to be cuffed to the bed at all times."
"He's in a coma!" Adriana hissed and then spoke softly to Brake. "I'm so sorry they're doing this to you. I'm going to find a way to help you..I promise.."
"Let's go," Damien said and walked over to the door.
Adriana squeezed Brake's hand and said goodbye before the left. As they walked down the empty hospital hall, she felt sick. She ducked into one of the stairwells. She thought of what she had just seen. She wanted to kill whoever had done this to Brake.
"Adriana," she heard Damien's voice exho off the walls of the stairwell. "We taking the stairs?"
She nodded weakly and began to walk down.
"Heyy..." she heard Damien say and take her by both arms. "You okay?"
"Yes," she said as they stopped walked. "I'm just really angry. Whoever did this..."
"They're all criminals," Damien laughed. "The Joker, the people who did this, and your friend back there. They chose this life. They chose to be thugs. These things happen."
Adriana snatched her arms away from Damien's.
"You need to be worried about yourself right now," Damien said. "Whoever it is, is ruthless. They know about you, your kid...that's where you need to be directing all this emotion-"
"My son will be fine," Adriana said. "I can take care of myself and my husband and I will protect him."
"Hahahaa," Damien began to laugh. "You two are rich, but not street smart. They can get to you."
Adriana wanted to retort but didn't. Damien didn't know she was Shade and that Bruce was the Batman.
"I can protect you though," Damien said. "I know how these people work."
"I don't need your protection," Adriana said and started to continue down the steps but Damien wrapped his arms around her waist and tried to pull her into a kiss. She yanked herself away from him. "Don't touch me."
"Sweetheart," he said and reached for her face.
She used her forearm to knock his hand out of the way and struck him hard enough in the face that he fell back onto the steps behind him.
"The fuck! Adriana!" Damien said and held his nose. "Shit-"
"I asked you not to touch me," she said. "I appreciate your help here but that's it. I'm not getting back with you. And I also think the fact that you moved down the street from where I live is creepy as hell. Damien! You have to get over me."
Damien held his nose and looked up at her.
"I can't," he said and lowered his hand. "I love you."
"I..I know," she said, trying to be gentle. "But I'm married and I'm happy. And you should try to move forward and..live your life.:
.
.
.
When Adriana returned to the hotel where she and Bruce lived in the penthouse, she went up to her front door but didn't want to go in yet. She went over the other elevator and went down one floor the medical facility. It was 4 a.m. and she knew the Joker would be asleep, so she felt foolish for going.
She went into the medical facility and heard water running. The sink in his bedroom. She walked over to the dark room and saw a bit of light coming out from his bathroom. He seemed to hear her, though she was quiet and came out of the bathroom with a floss pick in his mouth. She could see the outline of his figure, the broadness of his shoulders and his wavy hair.
"Adriana?" he asked in the dark and stepped closer.
Adriana couldn't answer. He wasn't wearing anything but a towel around his hips. The substantial protrusion below the waist almost made her lose her balance.
"I'm...sorry..." she said timidly. "You're busy.."
"I'm cleaning my porcelain teeth," he informed her. "I'm not that busy."
"They're...acrylic.." Adriana said, trying to keep her eyes at a polite level.
"What's up?" he asked her. "Something wrong?"
"I...I'll come back tomorrow," she said. "I mean later."
"Do you know how much I love prying things out of people?" he asked. "As much as I love flossing these acrylic teeth."
Adriana looked away as he gave her a bright smile, flashing all of his teeth. She tucked her hair behind her ears.
"Adriana," he asked, his voice dancing around like he was singing. "It's an odd hour. Something is clearly wrong."
"Yes," she said and nodded.
He placed his hands on her arms and held his floss pick in his front teeth.
"And that would be.." he began to ask but she had a hard time looking up at him. His manhood was distracting her and making her heart race all of a sudden.
Her willpower seemed to abandon her head and neck and she was staring at it. She placed a hand over her eyes.
"Are you crying?" he asked.
"No..." she said and he began to pull her hand down away from her covered eyes.
The Joker looked at her curiously. He could tell she was troubled. She shut her eyes and began to shake her head, as if trying to clear her mind. Once she opened them again, he noticed her eyes flicker and drift upwards. Up and up and up until she was looking at the ceiling and her eyes began to roll shut.
He caught her in his arms as she fell.
"Adriana?" he asked and picked her up and placed her on his bed. "Hey. Hey."
He could see she was breathing. He touched her face and she opened her eyes slowly.
"There ya are," he said.
Immediately she tried to sit and stand but he placed a hand on her stomach, stopping her.
"Not so fast," he ordered. "You just fainted."
"What..?" she asked. "Sorry.."
"Ehh..don't move," he told her.
"I'm fine," she insisted.
"At least wait a minute or two before you pop back up again," he said. "I'm getting water. Don't move."
Adriana obeyed and looked up at the ceiling. The stress what getting to her more than she knew. The Joker returned with a cold bottle and gave her a few sips of water.
"Why are you fainting?" he asked. "Low blood sugar?"
"No..no..." she said. "I don't have blood sugar issues. It's probably stress."
"Ahh," he said and allowed her to sit on the bed.
"Something bad happened," she managed to say.
He nodded. "And that would be?"
"Do you remember Brake?" she asked and he looked at her quietly.
"Used to work for you? He's black? He's about your height? He-" she asked.
"I know who he is," the Joker said with a sigh.
"Well..." Adriana said, feeling dizzy again. "I just went to see him in the hospital."
"Isn't he in prison?" the Joker asked. "I assumed."
"He's a prisoner," she said. "He was attacked. Stabbed many times and left for dead."
"Sorry to hear that," the Joker said. "He get into a prison fight?"
"Not exactly," Adriana said. "Apparently..and enemy of yours or someone with a vendetta did it. They're trying to find you. And...it seems that Brake probably told whoever this is about us. And about Arsenio."
"Eh, wait," the Joker said. "How would he know about your kid?"
"Because I told him," Adriana said. "I shouldn't have-"
"Ya," the Joker said, sounding a bit angry. "Why would you do that?"
"Because...he's my friend," Adriana said. "I trusted him.."
"And now look what that's gotten you," the Joker said. She couldn't argue.
She looked down and her knees. It felt like she was in trouble. She felt the Joker's fingertips gentle under her chin.
"Who is it?" he asked. "This person with a vendetta."
"He tried to tell us but we couldn't understand. It sounded like he said Camo...Camp..and then Game and then Hoe. He was in a coma, he couldn't speak very clearly."
"Typically people in a coma don't speak at all," the Joker said.
"Damien gave him adrenaline," Adriana said and shook her head.
"Damien? The cop?" the Joker remembered the cop who starved and beat him fondly. He hated the guy.
"Yes..he went with me," Adriana said. "Brake called him when he was in trouble but Damien didn't tell me in time."
"So that's who went with you to the hospital," the Joker said. "When you said 'we' and he told 'us' ".
"Yes," Adriana said.
"I assumed you were talking about Bruce Wayne," he said.
"No..Bruce doesn't know yet..I don't know how I'm going to tell him," Adriana said.
"Well you are going to have to," the Joker said.
"But what if...I can stop these people before they do anything?" she said.
"And what exactly do you think they will do?" the Joker asked.
"I don't know...go to the press?" she guessed.
"Haha," the Joker laughed. "Wrong."
"What then?" she asked.
"They weren't expecting what they heard from Brake," the Joker said. "My guess is they're still planning. If you hadn't married the Bruce Wayne they would have made a move by now. But you are essentially a celebrity now. They have to be careful. And chances are they have no proof that Arsenio is the result of us. They may believe he's Bruce Wayne's. The kid is too hot to handle as well, unless it would be for ransom, which it won't be. My guess is they'd abduct you, try to get you to confirm Arsenio came from..me. Then try to use you as bait to get me, or you and the kid. With the kid would be preferred."
"Good," Adriana said and sat up straighter.
"What's so good about that?"he asked.
"If they try to abduct me, I will just kick their asses," she said. "I'd never tell them about Arsenio. Easy."
"Ahh...confident as ever, Shade," the Joker said. "But sometimes things are not easy, even with skill and strength."
"They don't know who they're messing with," she said.
"Messing with a woman who just fainted out of the blue," the Joker said and Adriana shook her head. "Tell the Batman. You'll both need to know. I'm getting the feeling you think you could just handle them on your own if they approach. Not smart."
"Whatever," Adriana said and moved to stand. "I'm fine."
The Joker nodded. "Tell Bruce Wayne."
Adriana rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the water, and for not letting me hit my head on the floor. Goodnight."