The Perfect Smile

Maddy looked over at and sighed taking a roller out of her hair. She couldn't believe that she had agreed to go to this fund raiser with her, but she'd never let a friend down. She looked over at Penny and smiled at how beautiful she looked. Jack wasn't too fond of her going, he actually wanted her to skip it but she had already promised Penny. He just had a bad feeling about it the whole thing. Maddy looked in the mirror and saw her hair was in loose curls all around her face, make up was perfect and the dress hugged her body and curves perfectly.


Penny: are you ready, Mads?

She ask adding a touch of perfume to touch off her look. Maddy nodded her head and slipped on a silver bracelet that gave a certain level of glam to her dress. Maddy walked out of the room and into the living room picking up her silver high heels and strapping them on her feet. She felt like a princess but only she didn't have her prince charming with her. She sighed as Penny walked out of the room with a smile plastered widely across her face. Maddy knew that tonight meant a lot of her. Soon the two girls left the house and were on their way to Bruce Wayne's big party.

The Joker sit there surrounded by his goons with a heavy conversation going. Although he couldn't concentrate, all he could think about was Maddy. He knew that right now she was probably heading over to Bruce Wayne's big party, and he knew that unless he crashed that party he couldn't protect her. He had a sour taste in his mouth all day about it, he had even ask her not to go. Although it was too late since she had already promised Penny she would tag along.

Joker: Jared, Jimmy, come here!

He bellowed throughout the hide out, soon his top guys came into the room and looked at him. They wondered what he wanted with them when he had 12 or so guys sitting around him itching to get into something.

Joker: I want you two to go to Bruce Wayne's fund raiser. I want you to follow a girl, and if something happens to her, I want you to come back and get me.
Jared: Who are we following, Boss?
Joker: Her name is Madeline Hudson. She's around 5'4'' with blond hair. She goes by Maddy a lot, she'll probably be around a colored woman with short hair. I want you to watch her closely. Don't let anything happen to her, alright?
Jared: Why would something happen, boss? She a target or something?
Joker: She very well could be. If something does happen.. and someone snatches her one of you follow and the other report back here immediately, got it?

The two loyal men shook their heads understand the plan. Even though they didn't understand the reasoning behind it, they went upstairs and got changed into a more suitable clothing to crash the party. Then walked down and got inside a van and took off in the location.

Jimmy: Didn't boss question Maroni about a Hudson?
Jared: But that was a Carol.
Jimmy: Wonder who this Maddy is.. I've heard her name before though.. wait, wasn't she the chick that Boss and Cat woman stole from The Riddler?
Jared: I think so.. Yeah, her name was Maddy.
Jimmy: Wonder why the boss wants us to watch her and make sure nothing happens to her. That's out of character for him.
Jimmy: I'm sure he has a reason for it, he has a reason for everything.

Maddy looked around the room as she sipped on some wine. This was probably one of the worse parties she had ever attended. It was just a bunch of rich people standing around flaunting their money. She sighed as she noticed two guys looking at her from a corner. She had noticed they really hadn't took their gaze from her the entire night and it kind of made her feel weird about being here, maybe Jack was right.. Maybe it was a bad idea.

Penny: Oh there he is, there he is!

She said quietly standing beside Maddy once Bruce entered. Maddy could swear Penny was glowing after seeing him. She on the other hand didn't know why. Sure he was rich, and good looking but that was probably all he had going for him. He probably didn't have a good personality, and he probably just played women. Therefore Maddy wasn't the least bit attracted to him one bit, and couldn't understand how every woman in the room couldn't take their eyes off him. Soon Bruce began to speak, explaining that tonight was a fund raiser to help raise some money for the Gotham City Police Department. Maddy looked up and saw Jim Gordon raising his glass to Bruce. After mingling with some of his people Bruce slowly started making his way over to Maddy and Penny who were still standing by the bar.

Bruce: Well you two ladies look amazing.
Penny: You look pretty good yourself.
Maddy: Thanks.

She just smiled and thanked him, leaving the conversation between the two of them short. Honestly, she thought she'd have a better chance at getting along with her wine glass than with Bruce Wayne. Something about him just made her think he was fake, like he was pretending to be something he wasn't.

Bruce: Penny, may I have this dance?

He ask as the band started playing a popular slow song. Penny placed her hand in Bruce's and smiled back at Maddy as they made their way through the crowd of couples to the center of the dance floor. Maddy sighed walking over and grabbed another drink. She once again glanced at the two gentlemen and noticed that the tall bulky one was still looking at her, while the shorter one had vanished somewhere.

"Madeline, correct?"

Maddy turned around and faced a man whom didn't look very familiar to her, although his voice sounded vaguely familiar.

Maddy: Yes.

" I'm Jonathan Crane. I worked with your father for a bit"

Maddy: Oh, Hello.
Crane: Bruce knows how to throw a party huh.

She looked over and just nodded her head towards him, after he had told her his name she remembered exactly who he was. He was the doctor who had caused so much mayhem in Gotham. Last she heard though was that he was locked away seeking help.. Apparently he was better now though since he was at Bruce Wayne's party.

Crane: I start working at Arkham again on Monday.

He stated as if Maddy was interested in the conversation. She wasn't.. actually far from it. The guy gave her the creeps and she pitied any patient that was his. She excused herself from the area and watched as a smile crossed his face, a evil smile almost. He pulled out his cell phone an walked out onto a balcony. Maddy found Penny over in the corner and walked over.

Penny: Hey, Where have you been?
Maddy: I was over there being bored to death by Jonathan Crane.
Penny: Scarecrow?
Maddy: Who?
Penny: Jonathan Crane, the doctor he goes by Scarecrow in the streets. I thought he was out of town though.
Maddy: He's back apparently.

Penny just shook her head not believing that he was back. She and Maddy continued to drink a bit more and then Bruce walked back over asking Penny for yet another dance. She went back to the center of the room with him and danced as Maddy stood miserably by the bar. Just as Maddy raised the glass to her lips she heard a gun shoot and looked towards the door. Her eyes got wide and her mouth dropped. There he was standing in all his glory, green suit with question marks everyone and red flaming hair. He was surrounded by guys who had large guns themselves. Maddy's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach as she saw him laugh loudly. Jack was right.

Jared and Jimmy both looked over and spotted Maddy towards the back bar. They began making their way towards the crowd knowing that this was exactly what the boss was talking about. Jared noticed a man standing behind her though, a man with glasses. He narrowed his vision and could had swore he had saw him before. Jimmy reached Maddy first and grabbed her by the arm causing her to look in his direction.

Jimmy: You've got to come with me!
Maddy: No! let me go! Let me go!

She yelled and then all of a sudden Jimmy released the grip on her and she watched as his eyes bulged out and he fell to the ground looking as if he had saw his worst nightmare. She looked up and saw her savior.. Jonathan Crane standing there with a needle in his hand. He reached over and grabbed her by the arm pulling her with him. She struggled to release herself but she couldn't. Jared stepped in front of the mad doctor just as he was trying to make a dash with Maddy for the stairs.

Chaos was breaking out through the entire fund raiser. The Riddler was now in a battle with Batman, Penny was trying to find Maddy and Jim Gordon had been hidden away in one of the rooms. Apparently they thought Gordon was the target but in reality it was Maddy. Crane held a needle to her throat and looked at the buff man in front of him and threatened.

Crane: I'll pump her full of this if you come closer, she won't survive!
Jared: Let her go or you'll be dealing with the Joker.
Crane: Oh, tell Jokie hi for me.

He said as Jared got hit in the back of his head with something hard. Maddy looked up with tears streaming down her face and saw the Riddler with a smirk on his face. She struggled more to get out of Crane's grip but it was doing no good. Crane and The Riddle swiftly moved down the stairs pulling a screaming Maddy with them. She kicked, scratched, and even attempted punching the men only to have them both let out a mad laughter. There was no escaping this. She just wondered how they knew she wasn't still with the Joker.. wait that guy knew the Joker.. Jack had sent someone.. to protect her?

Jared soon recollected himself and managed to raise to his feet. Everyone else was trying to regain their composure so he wasn't too noticed. He got up and walked over to Jimmy picking him up from the ground. He looked like he had been scared to death. He was mumbling things and shaking uncontrollably. He walked out of the hallway being stopped by another man in a tux. He ask if he was alright, and Jared said he was taking him to the hospital, which was a lie but at least it covered their ass. Jared packed Jimmy back to the van and loaded his shivering body into the passenger side. He knew that the boss was going to be very disappointed in them.

Jared packing Jimmy up and kicked the door open he saw the Boss sitting there surrounded by all the new goons. He raised an eyebrow though when Jared put Jimmy down on the ground with his eyes still looking out into space like he had seen a ghost.

Joker: What happened?
Jared: They got her boss. Riddler was there, along with some Crane guy.
Joker: Scarecrow's back in town?

He said with a devilish laugh slamming his fist down onto the counter. He couldn't believe that they had got her, got Maddy. He exhaled and then looked around the table.

Joker: Get ready, EVERYONE. We're heading out.

He walked over and picked up his coat that had knives hidden all through it. He also picked up two or three guns and placed them on himself. He was furious with the Riddler now. All he could think was them hurting her. He shook his head walking out of the house followed by all of his men. If they touched one hair on her head, he thought climbing up into the Van.

Penny looked around in search for Maddy and didn't see her nowhere. She rushed down the stairs and looked around again. Tears were building up in her eyes. She couldn't believe that she would allow this to happen! She was so caught up in dancing with Bruce that she had completely forgot to stay by and protect Maddy. Then when she saw The Riddler she looked around for Bruce scared of what was happening to him. She couldn't find him anywhere, and then she remembered Maddy.. but by the time she remembered her it was too late.

Maddy tried reaching up to rip the tape off her mouth but it done her no good. Her wrist were tied together. She was sitting in the back seat on a van with Dr. Crane. The Riddler was driving her somewhere. Probably somewhere to give her another beating of her life. She closed her eyes and thought back to Jack and how he didn't want her to come to this party. He begged her not to, but since she had promised Penny she told him she had to.. and now look at what a mess she was in. She was once again back in the clutches of The Riddler, only now he had an friend.