The Perfect Smile

Carol was packing her clothes with streams of tears coming out of her eyes. She couldn't believe that a man who supposedly loved her was going to hurt her child. He promised her years ago when she left with him that he would never touch her, that was their agreement and if he was going to break it then she was getting out.

She turned around when she heard her bedroom door open. She looked over and saw the man she was truly just now beginning to realize she hated. His eyes were burning through her.

Sal: What are you doing, Carol?
Carol: I'm leaving, Sal. I've had enough. YOU PROMISED you would never touch her.
Sal: I'm not touching her! They are.
Carol: By your orders. Same as you touching her.
Sal: You're not leaving me.
Carol: I am leaving you.

She said tossing another outfit into her suitcase. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew that she needed to get the hell out of here. Actually, she only knew one place to go. One place that she could feel safe, but she knew that even there she wouldn't be safe. She picked up her suitcase and pushed past Sal and down the hallway, knocking on her sons room. Zachary popped his head out with his own suitcase full of clothes. He was leaving with his mother.

Sal: So you think you can just up and leave?
Carol: I'll send you the divorce papers in the mail.
Sal: I'm not fucking Joe Hudson, Carol. I won't stand for this shit. I'll have you murdered.

She shot him a glare that stated she didn't care what he did. She wrapped her arm around her son's shoulder and the two of them walked out of The Maroni mansion together. Sal Maroni was more furious at the Joker now than ever. He had just lost his wife because of this crazed psycho. He couldn't believe that she betrayed him like this. He now wanted Madeline's blood on his hands. He wanted to show Carol just how much she would regret this decision.

Maddy laughed sitting on the bed talking with Penny who had came over and decided to visit her. Jack was out taking care of the gang, and decided that all of his men needed to go. So Penny had volunteered to come and stay with Maddy. She had to admit it was good seeing her friend, talking to her, and finally seeing someone other than Jack's henchmen.

Maddy: I swear, I'm going to go insane here. I love Jack, I do.. but some of his men really give me the goosebumps in a bad way, yanno? Kinda makes me scared to be here
Penny: They just tonk you're hot. They wouldn't double cross him, so don't be scared
Maddy: Yeah, I guess you're right about them not double crossing him.. anyways, How are you and Bruce?
Penny: Actually.. we're doing very well. He ask me to be his girlfriend last night, we're official now.
Maddy: That's great, Pen!
Penny: No.. it's not. Hello, I live a secret life at night!
Maddy: Well.. maybe.. it's time you give that up, yanno?
Penny: I don't know.. it seems to be working out in a weird way. He seems to always be off doing things at night too, so it's not like I can't be off doing it. I just wonder where he is sometimes.
Maddy: You don't think he's cheating on you.. do you?
Penny: I don't know..

Maddy could tell by Penny's voice that she didn't know what Bruce was doing at night, and it was tearing her apart. Maddy felt so sorry for her, she couldn't even begin to think what she would do if she was placed in that situation. Maddy scrunched up her face and bolted off the bed instantly feeling her stomach turn. She pushed the bathroom door open, and emptied her stomach into the toilet. Penny was soon at her side holding her hair back.

Penny: Mads, are you ok?
Maddy: I'm fine.. I just think I'm sick.
Penny: How long have you been sick, Maddy?
Maddy: It just started yesterday morning. I'm sure it'll pass soon.

Penny only nodded as Maddy brushed her teeth so they wouldn't smell of puke and walked back out and took a seat on the bed clutching onto her stomach. She thought that she probably had a flu that was more than liking going around Gotham. She and Penny talked a bit more until the bedroom door flung open. She looked over and saw Jack coming in, and a smile appeared on her face only to leave soon after she noticed he was bleeding.

Maddy: What happened?

She ask rushing to his side and removing his Jacket. She sighed seeing he had been cut from a blade of some sort. She walked into the bathroom and gathered a few things from the first aid kit and began cleaning his wound he had yet to say a word.

Maddy: What happened??
Joker: We blew up The Skins. But two lived, and damn it those little guys were fighters. They took out seven of my men, but we got them.

She only frowned a bit cleaning the rest of his wound, knowing that this was possibly there because of her. He had told her that the gang was after them too, but he didn't let her know that there was a 100,000 bond hanging over his head. He just didn't want her to worry, and he knew that if he let her in on that kind of information then she would worry herself sick. Penny soon said her goodbyes and gave Maddy a small hug as she left the house. Maddy stitched up Jack's wound and then looked at him. His make-up was worn in places and his scars were beginning to show. She thought he looked amazing.

Joker: So what have you been doing while I was away?
Maddy: I talked to Penny, and I got sick again.
Joker: Again? You've been sick for a few days now.
Maddy: I know. I'm sure it'll pass soon, probably just a flu.
Joker: I hope so, Princess. How about you get some rest.
Maddy: Are you joining me for this so called 'rest'?

He laughed as she crawled under the covers. He walked over and locked the door and then walked into the bathroom and removed the make-up from his face. He was glad that the gang was now out of his way, he could concentrate on the mob now. He wanted to take them down as soon as possible so he wouldn't have to worry about her safety anymore. He wanted to know that she could walk up and down the streets as she pleased without being scared.

Once he had removed his make-up he leaned against the door frame and looked at her. She was wrapped up in his satin covers and biting on her bottom lip. He wasn't aware if she knew that it drove her insane when she done that or not, but he figured that she probably knew that it did. He unbuttoned his pants, leaving himself in boxers and crawled in the bed beside her, pulling her body close to his almost smudging the two bodies into one.

Maddy: Jack?
Joker: What, Maddy?
Maddy: I love you.
Joker: I love you, too.

Carol got out of her car and looked up at the house she hadn't saw in so many years. It held so many memories of her on the inside, and she almost cried as she walked up the steps. She wanted so badly to turn around, to run away, but she knew that she couldn't. Zach was right behind her, watching as his mother pounded on the large wooden door as the rain began to fall.

Joe Hudson walked down the stairs at the sound of knocking on the door. Hoping and praying it was Maddy he rushed to open it, but to his complete shock he saw his Ex Wife, Carol standing there in the drizzling rain with a young boy behind her. She hadn't changed a bit besides a few wrinkles around her eyes and the shade of lipstick that she wore, everything else was the same. She looked as good as she did the day he saw her in college.

Joe: Carol?
Carol: Yes, Joe.. it's me.

He moved away from the door and welcomed her into his home, the home they once shared together with their daughter. He remembered back to those times and how they seemed to be so far away. He was now alone in the big house without a wife or a daughter. She took off her jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the door, clearly remembering where everything was. It was weird to her, how much at home she felt by just walking inside the house.

Joe: What are you doing here, Carol?
Carol: They're going after her, Joe.
Joe: I know.. She's out of town though, she said she was leaving with a friend for safety.
Zach: I bet she left with The Joker.

Joe turned his attention to the shaggy haired blond boy and scrunched his eyebrows up in confusion. Why would this kid think that Maddy left town with the joker? He ask what he meant by it, and Carol explained the entire story of how Maddy saved Zach's life and how she was with the Joker at the time.

Joe: So you're telling me our daughter was with him just a little while ago?
Carol: About a week ago. I met them at the docks where they returned Zach.
Zach: She made sure no one hurt me, she took care of me until I was back with my mom.
Joe: Why do they want her now, Carol? She is no help to them!
Carol: They think she's going to bring him in, they want to hurt everything that they think will affect him.
Joe: Well our daughter is not a toy that can just be played with. No wonder Matt was so angrily.
Carol: Matt?
Joe: His father's in the mob, all of this is my fault hough..

He told Carol how it all started when The Riddler and everyone else went after him. She understood though, and couldn't really be angry with him. She felt that they both put Maddy where she was today, in the danger she was in. After hearing what Carol had done earlier with Sal, Joe couldn't help but to offer her and her son a place to stay. Both of them knew that it would be the last place Sal Maroni would think of.

Maddy raised up off Jack's chest and let a small yawn escape her lips. She looked up and saw him sleeping quietly, she smiled as she managed to squeeze her way out of his strong arms. She tossed the covers off quickly and glanced up at the clock. It was a bit after 2 in the morning, and she was starving. Just encase any of the guys were awake she tossed Jack's hoodie on over her dress and walked downstairs. When she walked into the kitchen area she was surprised to only see two men sitting there. The two that had tried to save her at Bruce's party. She gave him a shy smile and walked into the room and fixed herself a peanut butter sandwich.

Jared: Boss coming down?
Maddy: He's sleeping.
Jared: Ah. I'm Jared, by the way. This chubby bastard is Jimmy.
Maddy: I'm Madeline but you can call me Maddy.
Jimmy: Did he get his cut cleaned up?
Maddy: Yeah, I stitched it up for him.
Jared: You stitched it? What are you a doctor or something.
Maddy: (taking a bite of her sandwich) No, I'm studying to be an RN.
Jimmy: Well, it'll be good to have you around here for when us boys get beat up.
Maddy: I guess so.

She said taking a seat opposite of the guys. They seemed to be fairly friendly and she remembered that Jack had mentioned that these two were the only ones he would trust with her. Once she finished her sandwich she waved goodbye to the guys and made her way back upstairs, just as she reached the top stair she met Jack.

Joker: Where was you? I was worried!
Maddy: I just went and got a sandwich.
Joker: You should have woke me up!
Maddy: Calm down, I'm fine.

He back off a bit and the two of them walked into their bedroom. He didn't mean to yell at her, but he ended up doing it anyways. He woke up and when she wasn't curled up beside him he freaked out thinking something bad was happening to her. He looked down and saw that her hoodie was over top of her dress, he smiled knowing that she didn't go downstairs flashing her cleavage to everyone.

Joker: Anyone say anything to you? Any strange looks?
Maddy: Jack, calm down. No one was there but Jimmy and Jared, and they were nice.
Joker: I was just worried about you.

She tip toed up and placed a small kiss on his lips.

Joker: Peanut butter?
Maddy: It was yummy.

He laughed as she ripped his hoodie off and got back under the covers. He walked into the bathroom and done his business before returning back to bed. He took her back in his arms so he could peacefully go back to sleep. Although it didn't come to him easily, all he could think about was how worried he was when she was just down stairs. What if something happened to her now? It was literally rip him apart. He had grown so attached to her, and loved her so dearly, he just didn't know if he could handle someone hurting her. He looked down and rubbed his hands through her hair which had become a habit of his and studied her freckles that appeared on her cheeks. He slowly drifted asleep with thoughts of her face flashing through his head.