The Perfect Smile

Maddy let her heels click against the concrete as she walked down the halls of Arkham Asylum. She had been at work for nearly four hours. She was finally getting a chance to visit Amber, after nearly a month of being away from the small child. She had to admit, she missed her dearly. She walked down the children's hallways with a smile on her face as she passed another CNA. It seemed like everyone was just giving her smiles of sympathy since they know what she must have endured while being in the clutches of some of Gotham's most dangerous.

She also found out earlier this morning from a gossip RN that the cops questioned most of the workers here, and assumed that since Ivy broke out three criminals from Arkham and Maddy worked at Arkham that was the link of her capture. Oh, they were so wrong though. However she just didn't have the heart to turn her father in, what good would it do?

She turned the knob when she arrived to Amber's room and walked inside, expecting to see a beautiful smiling little girl she was greeted with emptiness. Confused she walked out of the room and up to the Mrs. Chaney's door, and knocked. Mrs. Chaney was in charge of the children's unit. After hearing a "Come In" Maddy opened the door and walked inside seeing a very happy woman sitting behind a desk looking through random yellow folders.

Maddy: Mrs. Chaney.. I was just wondering where is Amber?
Mrs. Chaney: Call me Elizabeth dear, and we had to restrain Amber. She's now down in B12.
Maddy: Restrain her? What did she do to be restrained?
Mrs. Chaney: She was having fits, hitting herself and others around her, even hitting a child in the play room once. We had no other choice.

Maddy nodded her head and walked out of the room. She didn't believe her for one second though. That was so out of character for Amber. She was a sweet little girl, unless provoked then like anyone else with her illness she does become a little out of control. She walked down another hallway in hopes of seeing Amber's smiling face when she ran into someone she had been trying to avoid all day, her father.

Joe: Madeline, you're back at work already? I figured you would take some time off.
Maddy: Nope.

She said walking right past him. She had no time to have a conversation with him, plus she was still angry at him. Once she finally reached the door that Amber was in she stuck in her card and turned the knob. Walking in she saw the beautiful little girl laying on the bed restrained from the entire outside world. This was no way to live, especially for a child.

Maddy walked over closer and looked down at Amber. The small child's eyes lit up as she saw Maddy. Maddy wanted so badly to undo her and just hug her. However, she would get fired for that.

Maddy: How you doing, squirt?
Amber: Madeline! Where have you been? They've all been so mean to me.

That line was all it took to break Maddy's heart. She just couldn't see how people could be mean to such a beautiful child as Amber.

Amber: Are you leaving again?
Maddy: I don't know..

She answered honestly, not knowing if she would be kidnapped again by The Riddler or if Jack & Penny were going to take care of him. After she talked with Amber a little bit more she left the room and went to tend to the rest of her chores, as she liked to call them. Just as her shift was getting ready to end she watched two cops bring a guy in. He looked beaten and in misery. Her thoughts traveled back to Jack, and how the cops had beat him before bringing him it. She rolled her eyes as she walked past the cops giving them a huff of disapproval.

Soon she was clocked out and headed out to her car with a pleased smile spread across her face, only that smile soon turned into a frown of disappointment when she looked at her car. She saw Matt standing against it. Rolling her eyes she walked closer, not really wanting to discuss anything with him and also wondering how exactly he knew she was here of all places. As she got close he let a small smile form on his lips.

Matt: I see you're back in action.
Maddy: What do you want, make it quick.

She snapped back at him. She didn't like the fact that he had lied to her for years! She had shared everything with this man, and here he was lying to her about everything.

Matt: I know you probably hate me, but you at least want to hear my reasoning for everything, right?

She rolled her eyes and sighed a bit looking at him with aggravated expression on her face. She motioned for him to go on with whatever he was saying and he did.

Matt: I knew how much it'd hurt you.
Maddy: So you decide to lie to me for years?
Matt: I love you, Mads. I do, I was only trying to protect you.
Maddy: Well I'm sorry but it looks like neither you nor my father protected me.
Matt: I tried to - -
Maddy: You tried to what? What was you going to do? They are the fucking most dangerous people in Gotham. Now tell me what was you going to do?
Matt: I don't know, Maddy. I was going to get you out of there.. I was going to get us out of there. I wanna leave, You and I. Let's just go and get away from all of this. This city, this life. We'll start over.

She rolled her eyes once again and looked at him shocked by his offer. She couldn't believe that he was offering to take her away from this place, her home!

Maddy: You're insane.

She said as she started to get inside her car.

Matt: No, The Joker is insane! What did he do to you when he and that damned Catwoman took you? I feared more for you then than I did while you was with The Riddler. I know what that damn clown is capable of.

It took everything in her to just turn away from him and get inside her car. Not only was he bad mouthing her best friend, but the man who she was developing feelings for also! She hated that he called Jack a clown. It burnt her up. But she knew that if she showed any sort of emotion towards that then he would know something was up. Matt had learned to read her well, and she was now trying to avoid him as much as she could. He moved away from her car and she pulled out of the parking lot and down the road towards Penny's, hoping for a relaxing evening.

Walking inside she saw Penny sitting on the couch with a grin across her lips. She was in her coffee shop outfit, however it as nearly an hour before she had to work.

Maddy: What are you so damned happy about?
Penny: I got an invitation to Bruce Wayne's big party.
Maddy: Ohhhh. Mr. Wayne huh? Isn't that the man of your dreams.

Penny giggled at Maddy who flopped down on the couch beside her. Maddy was the only one who knew about Penny's little crush on Bruce and now she could understand why they could never be together. How could cat woman have a boyfriend? She felt sorry for her, sorry that she could more than likely never experience true love.

Maddy: Are you going to go?
Penny: I may.. it says bring a guest, wanna be my date?
Maddy: Oh I don't know.. I heard his last fund raiser party didn't turn out the way Gotham expected.
Penny: Yeah, because of that boyfriend of yours.
Maddy: He's not my boyfriend, Pen.
Penny: I know.. I was only kidding.. but on a more serious note, what is going on between the two of you?

The question Maddy dreaded and hoped to avoid was just asked. She didn't know the answer to it, nor did she want to know. Scared that it wouldn't be the one she wanted. She bit on her bottom lip and thought about it for a few minutes. Sure, he had saved her, and they had even gotten close but did that mean that they was together? No, how could they be? He was in the same position as Penny. Can a leading criminal really have a significant other, and if they did... wouldn't they just be a target?

Maddy: (long pause) I don't know, Pen.
Penny: Well, I happen to think that you two are cute together.
Maddy: You think I look cute with one of Gotham's most dangerous men?
Penny: Hey, I'm your best friend and considered one of Gotham's most dangerous women.

Maddy laughed as Penny made her point. Penny explained that if she didn't leave now she'd be late for work and was soon making her way out of the room, leaving her invitation from Bruce Wayne laying on the coffee table. Maddy couldn't help but to be nosy and pick it up.

" Penny,

Normally, I send a printed invitation, but I wanted yours to be special. Please come to my Fund Raiser which will be held on the 24th. It would mean a lot to me. Plus, I'd really like to see your smiling face without having to walk over for coffee.

Bruce Wayne"

Maddy smiled as she folded the letter and placed it back on the coffee table. She raised up so she could stretch and walked inside her bedroom digging through the dresser for something more comfortable to wear. After pulling out a Adema T-shirt and a pair of plaid sleeping pants she walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

Just as she was about to raise the glass to her lips so she could take a sip she heard a loud crash come from her bedroom. She reached down and grabbed the gun that Jack had gave her (which she now kept latched to her ankle) and walked slowly around the corner pointing the gun in front of her. She was prepared for anything and everything. She heard her bedroom door open and swallowed hard, not really wanting to face whoever was coming out of that room. Then he stepped out. She exhaled loudly and put the gun down on her side.

Joker: Gonna kill me, Princess?

He said with a small chuckle letting a smile form on his lips. She walked right into him and wrapped her arms tightly around him and took in his scent. He smelled of gasoline and gun power, but she could care less. His arms snaked around her which only made the hug more forceful. She looked up into his dark eyes and smiled.

Maddy: What have you been doing?
Joker: I haven't found them yet.

She bit her bottom lip in disappointment. That was something she didn't want to hear, but at least she was safe and so was he so she couldn't ask for much more.

Joker: I just wanted to make sure you were ok.

He said pulling away from the hug and started to walk towards the door. Although she wasn't going to allow him to just go like that. She walked up and grabbed his gloved hand, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. He licked his lips from side to side with his eyes closed his back faced her but he could just picture the smirk placed on her beautiful luscious lips. The lips he craved to have on his. He turned around and looked down at her, once again realizing how much of a height difference was between the two of them. She was standing there in a old band t-shirt and some plaid lounge pants, but she could never look more beautiful.

Maddy: So you're just gonna leave, not stay for coffee or anything?
Joker: I need to go, I need to look for them.
Maddy: It's not even dark out.
Joker: What does the time of day have to do with anything?

She just smiled walking over to him and tiptoed up and placed a small kiss on his ruby red lips. Even though he was decked out in his Joker suit and make-up he was still attractive to Maddy. Once she backed down from the kiss she stood back and looked up to him.

Maddy: Now, you can leave.. if you want.

She said with a seductive smile on her face. He couldn't leave though, not now. Not after that little kiss. It only fueled him, had him wanting more. He licked his lips from side to side once again and mumbled something that Maddy couldn't make out and aggressively made his way over to her pinning her against the wall. He raised his glove hand to her chin and tilted it up so he could place his lips down on hers. He didn't know what it was about her, but the feelings she made him feel was driving him insane. He didn't want to protect her, he needed to. He didn't want to have these feelings for her, but some how they had took over him. He just couldn't control himself around her. Part of him was angry that he let her get this close, and then the other part was relieved that she wanted to be this close. The kiss soon led to the bedroom where Maddy and Jack went under the covers for the evening.