Behind the Scars
Clyde
The Joker pulled the hood over his face as he walked up the stone steps of an apartment complex. He had no make-up on his face, but the hood was doing a good job at hiding his scars. He knocked onto the door hard, and then stepped back waiting for his friend to open up. He heard a loud cough, and then the door opened. He starred deep into the green eyes of an elderly man named Clyde. The only man in Gotham who knew his real identity. Clyde smiled, and moved out of The Joker's way.
"How are you doing? You've been laying low the last few days." Clyde said.
"Complications."
Clyde had took the Joker in when he had runaway after the slicing of his cheeks. Clyde found Jack crying in the park after the incident. He took him home, stitched him up, gave him a place to stay, and fed him. Jack told him his story and Clyde offered to take care of him.
Of course, his father didn't report him missing. Who would report their child missing if they had just attempted to murder him? The cops just assumed he was dead like his mother, they didn't look for the body long. Clyde worked the streets, and lived a life of crime. He taught Jack everything he knew, and when Jack finally decided what he wanted to do with his life, Clyde was there to support him.
"How's your search going?" Clyde ask, walking over and sitting down on the couch. He picked up a cigarette and took a draw.
"Those are going to be the death of you." The Joker said, walking over to the recliner.
A low cough escaped Clyde's mouth, and he cackled. "Gotta die somehow, kid."
"I think he's in Gotham." The Joker said.
"Really? I thought you had it searched top to bottom."
"We did-- but Allie saw him at the store."
He watched as Clyde's eyebrows burrowed in the middle.
"Allie?" Clyde ask.
He had NEVER heard Jack mention a woman's name. He knew he wasn't homosexual, but he never knew he was interested in women.
"Yeah-- She's uhm. . ."
"Your girlfriend?"
Was she? Could she be considered Jack's girlfriend?
"I don't know what to consider her-- But I guess my girlfriend would fit." He said, "Anyways, she bumped into a older man who looked just like me."
Clyde nodded his head, "and how did you meet this girl?" He ask.
"The bar?" Jack joked.
Clyde laughed.
"It's actually a long story."
"Well. . . You might wanna tell me before I die." Clyde said pointing to the cigarette.
Jack laughed. Clyde was one of the reason's he had the sense of humor he did. He grinned, as he thought about Allie.
"She's actually Sal Maroni's daughter."
"And you're dating her?" Clyde ask confused.
"Let me finish." Jack chuckled, "She came to Gotham because she never knew her father. Her mom died, and finally let her know his identity. Anyways, she came here-- he wasn't too happy to see her. From what I recalled from their stories, she snapped at him, and he basically tried to have his guys rape and murder her."
Clyde knew that had to hit a button with Jack. He had always detested rape since his mother died. He listened as he finished the story.
"I saved her. . . and then she saved me," He laughed, "I told her to leave Gotham, she did, they went after her. I just so happen to show up and save her again." He said, "We went to her place and waited for them. They came, attacked, and I took care of them, and she came back to Gotham with me."
Clyde smiled, "Sounds like fate to me."
"Fate?" Jack ask.
"Why else would you always show up to save her."
Jack chuckled, remembering how she told him he was her GOOD guy.
"So, that's the story of Allie and I."
"And now you're after Sal." Clyde said.
"I've always hated him-- I just have a reason to kill him quicker now." The Joker said.
"So, what now?"
"I'm going to find my father, take care of him, then find Maroni, and take care of him."
"Then what?" Clyde ask.
"Then I'm quitting."
"Quitting?"
"I. . uhm, I. . think I. . ." He struggled with his words. "I'm in love with her."
Clyde smiled, and then allowed a smoker's cough to come up, "I knew that." He said, "Anyone who looks at you can tell that. You better put your poker face on though, or people will realize she's your weakness."
The Joker nodded his head.
"So, where are you gonna start your search?"
"I've got my men checking out the town-- but I'm going to make some phone calls." Jack said.
"I'll call a few of my friends. He may be using a different name." Clyde suggested.
"Possibly." Jack said.
He didn't stay long for his visit. He never did. He didn't want to put Clyde's life in danger. Clyde was the most important person to him besides Allie. He wasn't really a father figure, more like a big brother. He never tried to boss him around, or demand he do things. He just suggested things that he should do.
Jack dug in his pockets, and pulled out a large wad of one hundred dollar bills. They had a tan rubber band around them. He placed them on the coffee table and stood up.
"Try not to buy it up in Marlboro's." Jack laughed.
"I'll try not." Clyde said.
He knew not to refuse the money, Jack would make sure he took it one way or another. Jack left and headed back towards his hideout. He couldn't wait to see Allie.
"How are you doing? You've been laying low the last few days." Clyde said.
"Complications."
Clyde had took the Joker in when he had runaway after the slicing of his cheeks. Clyde found Jack crying in the park after the incident. He took him home, stitched him up, gave him a place to stay, and fed him. Jack told him his story and Clyde offered to take care of him.
Of course, his father didn't report him missing. Who would report their child missing if they had just attempted to murder him? The cops just assumed he was dead like his mother, they didn't look for the body long. Clyde worked the streets, and lived a life of crime. He taught Jack everything he knew, and when Jack finally decided what he wanted to do with his life, Clyde was there to support him.
"How's your search going?" Clyde ask, walking over and sitting down on the couch. He picked up a cigarette and took a draw.
"Those are going to be the death of you." The Joker said, walking over to the recliner.
A low cough escaped Clyde's mouth, and he cackled. "Gotta die somehow, kid."
"I think he's in Gotham." The Joker said.
"Really? I thought you had it searched top to bottom."
"We did-- but Allie saw him at the store."
He watched as Clyde's eyebrows burrowed in the middle.
"Allie?" Clyde ask.
He had NEVER heard Jack mention a woman's name. He knew he wasn't homosexual, but he never knew he was interested in women.
"Yeah-- She's uhm. . ."
"Your girlfriend?"
Was she? Could she be considered Jack's girlfriend?
"I don't know what to consider her-- But I guess my girlfriend would fit." He said, "Anyways, she bumped into a older man who looked just like me."
Clyde nodded his head, "and how did you meet this girl?" He ask.
"The bar?" Jack joked.
Clyde laughed.
"It's actually a long story."
"Well. . . You might wanna tell me before I die." Clyde said pointing to the cigarette.
Jack laughed. Clyde was one of the reason's he had the sense of humor he did. He grinned, as he thought about Allie.
"She's actually Sal Maroni's daughter."
"And you're dating her?" Clyde ask confused.
"Let me finish." Jack chuckled, "She came to Gotham because she never knew her father. Her mom died, and finally let her know his identity. Anyways, she came here-- he wasn't too happy to see her. From what I recalled from their stories, she snapped at him, and he basically tried to have his guys rape and murder her."
Clyde knew that had to hit a button with Jack. He had always detested rape since his mother died. He listened as he finished the story.
"I saved her. . . and then she saved me," He laughed, "I told her to leave Gotham, she did, they went after her. I just so happen to show up and save her again." He said, "We went to her place and waited for them. They came, attacked, and I took care of them, and she came back to Gotham with me."
Clyde smiled, "Sounds like fate to me."
"Fate?" Jack ask.
"Why else would you always show up to save her."
Jack chuckled, remembering how she told him he was her GOOD guy.
"So, that's the story of Allie and I."
"And now you're after Sal." Clyde said.
"I've always hated him-- I just have a reason to kill him quicker now." The Joker said.
"So, what now?"
"I'm going to find my father, take care of him, then find Maroni, and take care of him."
"Then what?" Clyde ask.
"Then I'm quitting."
"Quitting?"
"I. . uhm, I. . think I. . ." He struggled with his words. "I'm in love with her."
Clyde smiled, and then allowed a smoker's cough to come up, "I knew that." He said, "Anyone who looks at you can tell that. You better put your poker face on though, or people will realize she's your weakness."
The Joker nodded his head.
"So, where are you gonna start your search?"
"I've got my men checking out the town-- but I'm going to make some phone calls." Jack said.
"I'll call a few of my friends. He may be using a different name." Clyde suggested.
"Possibly." Jack said.
He didn't stay long for his visit. He never did. He didn't want to put Clyde's life in danger. Clyde was the most important person to him besides Allie. He wasn't really a father figure, more like a big brother. He never tried to boss him around, or demand he do things. He just suggested things that he should do.
Jack dug in his pockets, and pulled out a large wad of one hundred dollar bills. They had a tan rubber band around them. He placed them on the coffee table and stood up.
"Try not to buy it up in Marlboro's." Jack laughed.
"I'll try not." Clyde said.
He knew not to refuse the money, Jack would make sure he took it one way or another. Jack left and headed back towards his hideout. He couldn't wait to see Allie.
♠ ♠ ♠
