The Perfect Smile

Maddy swiped her card which signified she was off work for the day and grabbed her purse so she could finally leave this place. After a nine our shift anyone would be wanting to get out of there. She walked down the hallway and knocked on her father's door and then went in when she heard him yell "come in" she walked in with a smile and told him she was leaving and she would see him when she got home.

Joe: Alright sweetie, be careful. I'm going to be working kind of late tonight.
Maddy: Why Dad, you get off in an hour?
Joe: Oh, I just want to catch up on some paperwork sweetie.

She only nodded her head and told her father that she'd leave some dinner in the stove for him. She walked out of the office and down the hallway and then out the exit and made her way to her car. On her way home she decided to stop off at the store and buy a few groceries, and as she was pulling in and finding a parking spot she noticed a costume store right next to the grocery one. She did promise she'd buy him some paint..

After buying the groceries and loading them into her car, she shut the trunk and walked over into the costume shop. She looked around for a few minutes at all the freaky mask and costumes and then ask a dark haired man behind the counter where she could find the face paint. He pointed towards the back of the store and Maddy made her way there. She looked down and picked up three containers, one of each color. She reached the counter and paid for her items, and made her way back to her car.

Once she was home she unloaded her groceries and made a pizza. Once she was finished she placed the rest of it inside the oven for her father and made her way up to her bedroom. She sit down at her computer desk and begin cheeking her computer. Then for some reason, her mind traveled to him. She quickly typed in "The Joker" into Google search. It brought up a lot of pages, but none seemed to intrigue her, then she came across something that shinned her in on him a bit. It was articles from The Gotham Police Department.

She read over some of the documents and realized he was dangerous. She was having a hard time believing that the man on these papers was the same man that she washed the face of earlier. Sure, he got angry with her and snapped, but he had yet to threaten her life.

After reading a bit more of useless information she decided she needed some rest. She walked over and changed into something a bit more comfortable for sleeping and got under the covers. Her only thoughts before she went to sleep was work tomorrow, and hoping it's a good day.
.......................................

Joe felt bad for lying to his daughter but it was something he had to do. He didn't have to work late, rather he had planned on meeting Eddie and exchanging information about The Joker with him. Once Joe reached Eddie's home he knocked hard on the door and waited for someone to open it. He gave Matt a kind smile when he opened the door.

Matt: Dad's in his office, Mr. Hudson.
Joe: Thank you, Matt.

Joe liked Matt a lot, however he didn't like him for his daughter. Matt dealt with the mob, and that was something that Joe didn't want his daughter involved in. He wished she would meet a nice man and just move away honestly, even though it would break his heart. At least he knew she would be safe.

He knocked on the door of Eddie's office, hearing ruffling of papers and then a "come in!". He opened the door and smiled over at the heavy set man behind the desk smoking a cigar.

Eddie: Come in, Come in!

Joe walked over and took a seat in front of Eddie's desk. He handed him a cigar and he started puffing getting ready to exchange knowledge.

Eddie: So tell me, no attempts to escape for any of them?
Joe: None of them have tried to escape yet.
Eddie: That's good. At least three of them are there. I just wished those damn police would hurry up and get the damn girls, and that human question mark.
Joe: Tell me Eddie, why do you want all these criminals behind bars? Don't they take the heat off you?
Eddie: They do take the focus off of the mob, but in the past year they've also each been screwing the mob over. Each one of them in their own little ways. The Joker being the fucking leader of them. Everyone is in hiding right now, besides that damn "Riddler" who broke into a mob bank earlier this morning.
Joe: Who is everyone else?
Eddie: Just the two females. I think they go by Poison Ivy and Catwoman.

Eddie continued to talk to Joe and ask him questions about the three criminals at Arkham (Joker, Penguin, and Two Face). He wanted Joe to make sure that they had high security on the three of them so they was no sign of escaping. Joe agreed and told him that Two Face and The Joker were both already in straight jackets and had guards outside their rooms at all times.

Eddie: I've got a lot of the police department working for me too. Tell me, how bad was that damn clown beaten when he arrived there?
Joe: He was bad.
Eddie: Good, I told them to beat him until he was on the verge of death.

After an hour or so more of chatting, Joe agreed that he would fill Eddie in on any new information about the guys. He said his goodbyes and made an exit from Eddie's Mansion. Getting inside his car, he wondered if he was risking his life by giving the mob inside information on patients at Arkham. He didn't care about his own really, he just cared about his little girls.

But what Joe didn't know was that there was a figure lingering in the shadows watching him leave Eddie's house. He was now a mark.

.......................................

Maddy walked downstairs in her uniform getting ready to leave when she saw her father sitting there on the couch sipping on some coffee.

Joe: Hey darling, how are you?
Maddy: Morning dad, just getting ready to go to work. You gonna go visit Grams today?
Joe: I guess so since I have today and tomorrow off, you'll be ok without me pumpkin?
Maddy: Of course, I'm a big girl.

Her father laughed. She walked over and hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, and then told him to tell her granny hello for her. She made her way out of the house and down to her car so she could go to work. Maddy's grandmother lived four ours outside Gotham and since Joe never got to see his mother much, when he got two days off in a row he would always go and stay the night at her house. Maddy only wished she had off work too, she missed her grandmother dearly.

Arriving at work she walked in happily and saw Cindy smiling at her behind the front desk. She swiped her card and looked at Cindy who was just smirking.

Cindy: Got something here for you, Miss Hudson.
Maddy: Oh?

Cindy then pointed to a dozen of red roses in a vase. Maddy's mouth dropped as she took the card off the roses and opened it.

"Hope you Enjoy the roses, I know their your favorite.

- Matt"

She sighed and placed the card back on the roses. She ask Cindy if she'd put them over in the corner and when she got off work today she'd pick them up. Once Cindy agreed Maddy made her way down the Children's unit so she could check on Amber, only to be greeted by Dr. Moore.

Moore: Oh Madeline hello, I can't do nothing with Amber. She's having a fit, could you maybe try to get her to take the medication.

Maddy only nodded and opened the door to see a very frustrated little girl tossing a doll around. It broke Maddy's heart seeing Amber like this, she just hoped she could help. Once Amber saw Maddy enter the room she smiled a bit, but only a bit. Maddy could tell it wasn't a good day for her. Soon she continued with her fit and two nurses ended up coming in to restrain the small little girl. Maddy couldn't help but tear up when she saw them jab a needle in the small girls arm.

She walked out of the room and sighed. She met Janette in the hall way who told her she needed to get The Joker to shower today. She nodded and then turned around making her way towards that part of the building. When she finally arrived the guards allowed her in. He was laying on his bed looking up at the ceiling when she walked in.

Maddy: You got to get a shower today.
Joker: Did you get me make up?
Maddy: Yeah, it's in my car. While you shower I'll go out and get it and have it here for you when you get done.

He only nodded. She just assumed he wasn't in the mood for chatting today. She walked out of the room and told the guards to escort him down to the showers. She walked out to her car to get the make-up that she had purchased yesterday. After she had brought in the make-up she got inside the closet and picked up some things to put on his cuts so they would heal up a bit better.

Soon he was brought back into the room, without a straight jacket. The guard was packing it behind him while another guard was watching him. He was now wearing a Arkham jumpsuit, the two guards escorted him in the room and he walked back over to the bed.

Guard: We need to put this back on him.
Maddy: Give him at least a few minutes of freedom, plus I need to clean the cuts on his arms.
Guard: Miss, He's --
Maddy: Miss nothing, I'm doing my job.

She walked over and winked at him. Knowing it must be awful to sit there days in a straight jacket. She couldn't help but feel sympathy towards him. It was her big heart though, she hated seeing anyone go through pain, no matter what their story. She reached down and cleaned the cuts on his arms and then proceeded to clean the one on his head.

Joker: Can we apply the make-up now, Miss Hudson?

He said her last name in a mocking tone which only caused her to raise an eyebrow towards him. She wondered how he knew her last name and then she remembered her father used it yesterday. She nodded and walked over and packed the containers back over to him.

Joker: You do black and white, I'll do red.

She only nodded reapplying his make-up for now the second time. When it came to the lips, he done the red. As soon as she applied his make-up the guard came over and looked at her and shook his head. He then roughly placed The Joker inside his straight jacket.

Maddy: You could be a little bit more gentle.

She said as she could see the visible pain on his face. She knew he had a broken rib and a sprang wrist, and here they was just being as rough as they could.

Guard: Listen sweetie, when this becomes your job you can tell someone how to do it.

Maddy only rolled her eyes. She really hated people who were mean for no reason. She just couldn't believe how mean everyone was to him. She knew he had murdered people, and robbed banks, not to mention threatened many other lives. But clearly this man needed help or else he wouldn't be here. Which lead to why she had so much sympathy for him and anyone else who was locked away in here.

She gave the Joker a light smile as she walked out of the door, watching as the guards locked it and then stood right in front of it looking like steel statues. She rolled her eyes and walked down the hallway to finish her job.

......................................

[A Hideout in Gotham]

A man in a green jumpsuit looked around at the two females that sit at the table, he cracked his neck from side to side and breathed in.

Riddler: We have a problem ladies.. You see, I've found out that a certain Mob Member is trying to take each and every one of us Criminals down. I'm here to propose a little deal. Why don't we all just join forces and take him down?
Ivy: Just the three of us?
Riddler: Well, There's a few more I was thinking about but they'll require a bit of breaking out.
Catwoman: Breaking out?

The riddler looked over at the dark colored woman in black, and then back to the pale woman in green. Both complete beauties in their own little way and then he let off a smirk.

Riddler: I say we break out Penguin , Two Face, and The Joker. They're in Arkham.. we'll give the mob a little something to be mad about.
Catwoman: That's your plan, just break out three criminals?
Riddler: Actually, I figured Ivy could handle the Arkham situation. I've got business to deal with, a certain doctor. Then you.. I just know Batman will get in the way.

So a plan was forming. The Riddler was going to go after Joe, since he saw him leaving Eddie's mansion. Ivy was going to break out The Joker, Penguin, and Two Face. While Catwoman kept batman busy. If the mob wanted a war, they was going to get a war.