The Perfect Smile

Maddy was sitting on the couch carrying on a conversation with Penny where the phone rung. Reaching over Penny answered it and smiled once the person said Hello. Maddy instantly knew that it was Bruce. Penny's smile soon faded though and said she'd call him back in a few minutes.

Maddy: Something wrong?
Penny: Bruce actually wants me to stay the night with him.
Maddy: That's great!
Penny: Noo! You're staying with me tonight.
Maddy: Oh go on, Pen. I'll be fine.
Penny: No, Maddy. I can't go, I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you.
Maddy: What's going to happen, Pen? I'll lock the doors and take a nap in the guest room.

After minutes of convincing Penny that she would be ok, Penny gave in calling Bruce back and telling him that she would be over in a matter of time. Maddy helped her pick out an outfit for him as she kissed her on the cheek goodbye, asking her one last time if she was sure she should go. Nodding her head she walked her to the door and out Penny went. Maddy had to admit that it did scare her being alone.

It was the first time she had real alone time since the whole ordeal with the mob wanting her, but she couldn't ruin Penny's night. She walked around making sure each and every door and window was locked and sit down on the couch, curled up with a blanket, and grabbed a book from Penny's shelf and decided she would get some reading in.

The Joker moved in the shadows behind the Maroni Mansion. He had a number of men with him armed and ready for anything. He wanted to not only take Maroni down but his two idiotic sons that were at the mob meeting as well. He just hoped that no one got in his way, such as Zach or Carol. He knew because of Maddy he couldn't touch them or she wouldn't have anything to do with him.

Jared: Boss, we found an unlocked window.

He nodded his way and his men begin entering through the window. The Joker looked around the room and raised his eyebrow seeing a boy's bedroom with posters of men plastered all over the room. Zach's room, he thought to himself as he quietly told the men to to start searching the house for the three Maroni's he wanted. He looked down at a picture frame on Zach's desk seeing it was himself and his mother. Rolling his eyes he walked out of the room and down the fancy hallway. He had to admit, he never would've thought that Maroni had such high taste as this. Although Carol probably done the decorating.

He focused his eyes on Jared and looked up at him when he was waving the Joker forward. Bringing one of his favorite knives from his pocket he walked toward where Jared was and listened as he heard a quite roar of conversation inside a room. It was Maroni's voice, and then some others although he wouldn't tell who they were, but he was making out bits of the conversation.

"Yes, I want her dead. I don't care that she's my wife! She left me, I want her dead. "

Deciding that this was the perfect opportunity to enter the room he prepared himself and kicked the door open. Maroni's face turned to sudden shock and he dropped the phone from his hand allowing it to fall to the floor and make a soft thump. The Joker let his evil smile shine as he walked into the room and noticed both sons sitting in the corner on a couch. Apparently they was listening to their father's phone conversation and waiting for him to direct them to do something. The Joker laughed at the thought of their minds just being molded to do as he said.

Joker: Well, looks like we meet again, and I must say what a nice place you have here Maroni. Although the windows. Eh, tight fit.

Maroni: What are you doing here?

Joker: I came to finish some of my job, as my numbers are adding up.. I only have a few mob members left after you.. am I right?

Maroni: Why are you taking us down? Don't you understand we're a distraction for you!

Maroni tried reasoning with The Joker, which may have worked for a price before. But now he had no price, the only thing that he wanted was them dead so she could once again be safe in this city. He got steamed thinking about her, and how they was threatening her life.

Joker: I'm a man of my word, Maroni.. and my word is you're a dead man.

He said licking his lips from side to side. Instantly his henchmen grabbed his two sons and placed guns to their temples as the Joker staggered over towards Maroni wanting to watch him squirm. He shoved him back down in his black large leather chair and placed his gloved hand tightly around his cheek and raised the blade to his face. He looked the man in the eyes and saw how much he had took from her. He demolished her family when she was just a little girl. He had threatened her life on more than one occasion, and the worse part was he just pissed him off. Raising the blade up he cut deep into one side of his cheek, letting the blood pour out of the fresh wound.

Maroni cried out in agony as his two sons tried to remove themselves from the grip but failed miserably. They had to watch as The Joker slammed their father up against a wall and scare him shit-less. The Joker finished telling him a story of a drunken father and then instantly jabbed the knife into Maroni's stomach. He winced in pain, trying to not scare his two sons that were held down by the goons. He thought that if maybe he was brave then The Joker would let his sons live. Oh how wrong he was.

Maroni: Take me but let them live!
Joker: Oh, you want a compromise? Okay! I'll comprise with you.

He turned his hand to the door and motioned for two of his men to come here. They done as he commanded and he ordered them to hold Maroni and make sure his eyes was open. If he wanted a compromise then he would give him one. He walked over and towered over the two boys and let the famous smile curve into his lips as he stabbed each one of them in the abdominal. Maroni yelled out as each of his sons were in agony. Walking over The Joker picked up golf club that was in the corner of Maroni's office and brought it over. Raising it high in the air he brought it down so it collided with his son's face. Once he hit him a few times he watched as the boy's eyes slowly closed as he was now bleeding from his mouth. Smiling he reached down and ran the blade across each of his cheeks, leaving him a smile.

He turned to the next son and repeated his beating, only this one lasted a few minutes longer than his brother. Though, both went down in under five minutes due to the constant pounding on the head. Once both boys lay there in the floor dead he turned around and faced Maroni who now had a look of pure hatred on his face. Blood dripping down onto his nice suit from his half smile carved into his flesh. Walking over The Joker grabbed him away from his goons and shoved him back up again the wall. Ordering each and every one of them to leave the room.

Joker: Now, I would say you back off of her. But No, I'm making it sure you never touch her again.

He growled against Maroni's cheek as he penetrated the blade into his chest causing another bloody wound. Maroni gasped for air as he was trying to hold back the cries of pain that was developing within him. He just didn't understand why this mad man was protecting this woman. Then it hit him.

Maroni: You love her.

He hissed out causing a grin to appear on The Joker's face.

Joker: Bingo!

He growled out before stabbing Maroni in the chest and stomach numerous times and then cutting the other half of his face so it matched his sons. Once he made sure that all three bodies no longer had a pulse he smiled and placed three Joker cards beside the three bodies. He began humming a happy tune as he walked out and reunited himself with his men. He cued his laughter as they walked down the hallway and out of the back door.

Matt punched the bag hard as he was training his body and mind for a battle with The Joker. He wanted nothing more than to make the clown man pay for everything he had taken from him. He was responsible for the death of his father and the reason why Maddy was no longer with him. He though, wanted to win her back and he thought that by killing The Joker would be the first step in doing so.

He had hired the best trainers in the country. He wanted to be able to kill. He didn't want to come back as a failed man, or even more in a body bag. He knew that if he was going to succeed then he was going to have to learn how to crack the mind of a mad man.

" Ok, enough "

His trainer said as he punched the bag one more time. His knuckles were bleeding and sore but he wasn't about to stop. He wanted to be strong, and wanted that damn clowns blood on his hands. He knew now that it wouldn't be much longer until he was prepared to take him down.

Maddy heard a knock at the door, placing her book down on the coffee table she stretched and walked towards the door. She looked through Penny's peek hole she had and smiled seeing Jack standing there looking around. She opened the door and in he walked.

Joker: Took you long enough.
Maddy: It took me two minutes!

He looked around the room and noticed Penny wasn't there. He thought it was weird not seeing her car when he pulled in, so he done a double check on the porch, but his vision didn't betray him Penny wasn't home.

Joker: Where is Penny?
Maddy: She went to Bruce's.
Joker: She left you alone!?
Maddy: I told her to. I'm fine.
Joker: You're not fine. Not until I get all of them.

Smiling she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and raised up placing a kiss on his red lips. He normally would have wanted nothing more than to stand than and kiss her but something disappointed him. He didn't like the fact that Penny left her alone, especially with her now being pregnant. He slowly backed away from the kiss and looked down at her. His dark brown eyes burning into her lighter ones.

Joker: I can't believe she left you.
Maddy: She needed to, Jack.
Joker: No.. she didn't. She fucking went to probably fuck Bruce Wayne while her best friend could have been abducted. What kind of fucking friend is she? I knew I couldn't trust her.

Maddy just looked down towards the floor biting on her bottom lip. She wasn't about to argue with him. She knew Penny was her friend and would do anything for her, and she also knew that trying to explain this to Jack would be pretty pointless considering how angry he is. She just wrapped her arms around his strong waist and hugged him. He wrapped his strong arms around her small frame and hugged back, even though he would rather strangle Penny for leaving her alone.

Joker: Let's get out of here.

Maddy only nodded her head as she followed him out to the van. He got inside and she jumped inside the front nearly falling. He looked over and caught his breathe once she was ok. He had to admit, with her being pregnant he was even more protective of her now. He didn't want her to have one scratch or bruise on her body. He backed out of Penny's drive way and started back towards the hideout.

Arriving there they both got out, he walked in first followed by her. She noticed a smile upon a lot of the men's face as they walked in. She figured they might have noticed what's going on between the two of them. How could they not? She was with him all the time, stayed in his bedroom, and he was doing everything in his power to protect her. Not to mention the walls were paper thin so she knew they must hear everything that went on under the covers.

She followed him upstairs and into their bedroom. He walked straight into the bathroom without saying a word as Maddy locked the door. Walking over to the dresser she changed into a pair of pajamas and then looked into the full length mirror she had brought from her moves. She held up her white tank top and looked at her stomach. She couldn't even tell a difference in it. She turned to the side and observed it some more and still nothing.

He leaned against the door frame and smiled as he watched her hold up her shirt and look down at her stomach. Even though no one could tell she was pregnant, it was just something about the moment of her looking down at her stomach knowing that a baby was there done something to him. It touched him in a way that nothing had ever touched him before. Smiling he walked over unnoticed and wrapped his arms around her from behind and left his two strong hands on her stomach. She smiled up at him and he just kissed her cheek.

Joker: You know.. we haven't even discussed names.
Maddy: Jack, we still have eight months.
Joker: Actually only 7 months and little over two weeks.
Maddy: You're counting down?
Joker: Every day.

She smiled as he released his arms from her and walked over and grabbed into the bed. Pulling her tank top down she walked over and crawled in and joined him. Getting comfortable in her usual spot which consisted of her head on his chest she sighed. She really would've never thought that she would be in the place she is today a year ago. Even when she was at his mansion with him and they was intimate for the first time, she wouldn't had expected that it turn into this, into a burning passionate love.