"You know one of those guys asked for a picture with me before the police carted him away," Adriana laughed.
"Did you take it?" Bruce way in bed and Adriana was standing and brushing her hair.
"Of course," Adriana said with a smile.
"Hilarious," Bruce said as she crawled onto the bed and sat on her knees beside him.
"You're so serious," Adriana said and pinched his cheek. "Everything okay?"
"Sure," Bruce said. "I was just thinking about all the things I asked Lucius to get started on today."
"You mean..." Adriana said smiling. "With...Project Erase The Joker?"
"You look surprised," Bruce said.
"I mean," Adriana shrugged. "I was 75% sure you would change your mind."
Bruce raised his eyebrows.
"Okay...more like 99.9% sure," she said.
"Well...we are going ahead with it," Bruce said. "Have you told him yet?"
"You mean Jack?" Adriana said. "No...I haven't spoken to him."
"Well, you can tell him...we're working on a way for him to stay," Bruce said.
"This is awesome," Adriana said and threw one of her legs over Bruce and sat on his hips. "I'll tell him tomorrow."
"Mhm," Bruce said, still seeming deep in thought and distracted.
"I was also thinking," Adriana said. "He could see Arsenio...for maybe an hour or so?"
Bruce snapped out of his submersion in his thoughts at the mention of his son.
"Oh," Bruce said.
Adriana tucked some of her hair behind her ear and then rested her hands on Bruce's chest.
"Is that okay?" Adriana asked.
Bruce sighed. "I...suppose so."
Adriana kissed him. "Tomorrow?"
"How about this," Bruce said. "You call him in the morning, tell him about...Project whatever."
Adriana nodded. "Okay..."
"And I will take Arsenio to see him for an hour," Bruce said.
Adriana looked at Bruce. He wanted to be there the whole time.
"So you'll take him to Jack's place?" Adriana asked.
"Yes," Bruce replied.
"Okay," Adriana said.
It wasn't something Bruce was looking forward to doing but he could see that it made Adriana very happy. Bruce kept thinking about Sidi's vague predictions. An injury. He'd sustained countless injuries in the past. He wasn't worried. She told him again about the fate of Gotham and his struggles. He wasn't looking forward to any o fit but he felt strong, resilient and capable of handling whatever it was.
Sidi gave him no predictions about his marriage and that alone had worried him. She said that sending the Joker away would lead to even more regret than keeping him around. Bruce had no idea what to make of it all.
"Heyyy..." Adriana said and kissed him again. "It's going to be fine. He would never do anything to Arsenio. He loves him."
"I'm not worried about that," Bruce said.
"What is it then, sweetheart?" Adriana asked.
"I'm just thinking about the future," he said. "If anything happens..."
"Anything can happen in life," Adriana said. "There's no point in worrying about things like that..it just causes anxiety."
"That is true," Bruce said.
"I know we're in a good place right now," Adriana said. "So good it's almost hard to believe...so I guess we're both kind of wondering..what's the catch?"
Bruce laughed. "Yes...too good to be true."
"Mhm," Adriana said.
Bruce wanted to laugh it off, but he couldn't stop seeing Sidi's expressions when she was telling him his future. It was as though she felt sorry for him but that there was a hint of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. His suffering would be long. Did she see loneliness up ahead? He had no idea why he kept reaching that conclusion.
"You look like you need to relax," Adriana said and leaned forward onto his stomach.
"I do," he said and rubbed his forehead. He felt like he worrying so much and didn't even know exactly what he was worried about.. He closed his eyes and continued massaging his temples before he felt Adriana pulling down his boxers.
"I have something for that," she said with a smile and began to kiss his stomach.
He felt like angels were carrying him away from his worries as they faded away. He began to see the world, at least for the moment, very differently as she pleased him. He felt the anxious and worried state he had been in moments before was foolish.
.
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.
"Good morning," the Joker said to Adriana over the phone.
"Same to you," Adriana said. "I have some good news."
"Mmm," the Joker hummed for a second.
"I talked to Bruce and," Adriana said. "You can stay. In the city...in the country. We're going to have to do a lot of work to make it feasible but..it can be done. We'll basically have to erase everything that you've done...I'm not sure how yet but Bruce thinks it's possible."
"Erase everything," the Joker said. "Easy as pie."
"Okay it won't be easy but we can do it," Adriana said.
"And why would Bruce Wayne do such a thing for me?" the Joker asked.
"I asked him if he could," Adriana said. "Also...more good news."
"Okay then," the Joker said.
"He's bringing Arsenio to come and see you later today," Adriana said.
The Joker went quiet for a moment.
"Wow," he said, sounding surprised. "I admit I was not expecting that. At least not today."
"So...I hope you're free," Adriana said.
"I am," the Joker said.
.
.
.
"Blue shirt or green shirt?" Adriana asked Arsenio.
"Geem!" he said and pointed.
"Good choice, I like this one," Adriana said and handed Arsenio's shirt to Bruce who put it on him.
"I agree," Bruce said.
"You're going to see your friend Jack today," Adriana said to Arsenio.
"Dak,"Arsenio said right before Bruce pulled the collar of the shirt down from over his mouth. "Dak!"
"Dak," Bruce said and looked at Adriana. "So that's what he's been saying all those times you've said you didn't know what he was saying."
"Maybe," Adriana shrugged with a weak smile.
"Dak!" Arsenio said again with excitement.
"Yup," Bruce said and picked up the baby hair brush and began to smooth Arsenio's wavy hair which seemed to be getting thicker by the day.
.
.
.
The Joker opened the door as soon as Bruce knocked once. When he opened it he saw Arsenio was standing beside Bruce and had knocked on the door as well, much closer to the bottom. His tiny knocks barely audible. Adriana wasn't with them. She had decided it would be good for Bruce to go alone with the baby.
"Hi Dak!" Arsenio said and waved while looking up.
"Arsenio, hello," the Joker said to Arsenio and stepped aside. "Bruce. Come in."
Arsenio was holding Bruce's hand and they both came in. The Joker noticed how much better Arsenio was getting at walking. He was so tiny but was quick on his little feet. As soon as they were in Arsenio looked up at the Joker.
"Dak pay boh!" Arsenio exclaimed his question.
"Oh, I do have an exercise ball...I need to inflate it though," he explained. "I will be right back."
"Dak, Dak!" Arsenio said and Bruce watched him practically run over to grab the Joker's leg.
The Joker turned at looked down at Arsenio who was pointing at something on one of the higher tables. The Joker leaned down and picked him up and then turned to Bruce. He wasn't sure if Bruce was comfortable with him holding his son, and he had picked him up without thinking.
"Boh!" Arsenio said and pointed ahead, the Joker turned and broke eye contact with Bruce.
"Yes, those are small ones," the Joker explained.
Bruce watched the Joker holding Arsenio. They had the same face, Bruce realized. They looked exactly alike. The moment was difficult. Bruce watched the Joker take Arsenio over to what he had been pointing at. A Newton's cradle pendulum with 5 metal balls hanging down. The Joker showed him how it worked and Arsenio was fascinated. He watched the external ball swing downwards and hit the rest and the last ball at the other end swung upwards for a second to repeat the motion in the opposite direction.
After watching them for a minute or two, Bruce realized that he knew without a doubt that Arsenio was safe here. Bruce cleared his throat and the Joker looked over at him.
"I need to run a few errands," Bruce told him.
The Joker raised his eyebrows for a second, thinking the visit had been cut short. He was happy for the few moments that he had spent with Arsenio regardless.
"I'll be back in an hour," Bruce said and the Joker was entirely surprised. "Is that okay, Arsenio?"
"Okee, bye daddy!" Arsenio said very quickly and reached for Bruce to give him a kiss.
After kissing Arsenio's cheek, the baby went back to the mesmerizing meditation tool in front of them.
"See you soon..." Bruce said.
"Alright," the Joker said.
Bruce left the apartment and after shutting the door behind him, he leaned against it. There was no way this wasn't the most difficult moment of his life. Leaving his son alone with his worst enemy. But he knew that it was something he needed to do. He trusted him, with Arsenio at least. But it didn't make it any easier. Being a parent was something unlike anything he had every experienced. His son was everything to him.
Bruce collected himself, took a few deep breaths and left.
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.
.
"I should have the computers with all the capabilities you need available by tomorrow evening," Lucius said. "Three should be enough for the three of you."
Bruce nodded.
"Most of the hard work will be automated but it will be monitored and checked," Lucius said. "You three will be spending most of your time locating and replacing the files...images...video footage etc. As well as some work with hacking. I'm sure you and Adriana are capable, as well as Jack.:
Bruce nodded again.
"The work with...hacking in to the police..the news stations...various blogs and social media...as well as the CIA and FBI documentation...and Interpol...it will take weeks," Lucius said. "But that of course will not be all that needs to be done."
"Of course," Bruce said. "Tangible evidence will need to be dealt with as well."
"Yes," Lucius said. "Work in the field will also be necessary but not as urgent. Anything regarding facial recognition must be dealt with first."
"Alright," Bruce agreed.
Lucius looked at Bruce. What they were about to undertake was massive.
"Arsenio is with him now," Bruce said, changing the topic.
"Ah," Lucius said and smiled. "Well they have a good time together. I'm sure he and Adriana are completely safe."
"Adriana's not with him," Bruce said.
Lucius squinted.
"I left him," Bruce said, feeling guilty. He loved his son more than anything. "He's at his apartment."
"Ah, Bruce," Lucius smiled and placed a hand on Bruce's arm. "I assure you, he's perfectly fine."
.
.
.
"Snay!" Arsenio said to Bruce when he came to pick him up.
"He means, 'snake'," the Joker explained.
There was a strip of news paper that must have been 70 feet long in the Joker's living room. The strips had been taped together.
"Well...that's certainly the longest snake I've seen," Bruce said and lifted Arsenio in his arms.
Arsenio was holding the head of the snake which was impressively folded the resemble the head of a cobra.
"How was everything?" Bruce asked the Joker.
"Fun!" Arsenio said clearly. One of the words he was able to pronounce the sound of each letter.
"I'm glad," Bruce said and kissed Arsenio.
The Joker could see by the way that Bruce was holding and kissing the baby that he was relieved that Arsenio was okay.
"Are you ready to go and see mommy?" Bruce said.
Arsenio nodded.
"Alright," Bruce said. "Say goodbye to your friend."
"Bye Dak!" Arsenio said and held out the cobra's head for the Joker to take.
"Goodbye Arsenio," the Joker said.
Arsenio waved as Bruce took him to the door and they left.