Letters From Jack

Zoey rolled her eyes at the photographer. He had her wearing a skin tight black leather mini dress, and leaning against a concrete wall. She didn't know what was so sexy about the photo. He kept directing her to turn her head a different way, and look at him a different way. His eyes never looked away from her almost exposed chest. The dressed showed a lot of cleavage, and he seemed to be taking note of it more so than taking pictures of her.

"Oh, you're amazing!" He called out in some weird accent.

She rolled her eyes once again and continued to pose. She twirled her hair, and gave him a seductive face. She had never been so creeped out by a photographer in all her life. He was a major creeper. He finally said it's a wrap, and she had never been so happy in her entire life. She grabbed a baggy t-shirt from the chair across the room and tossed it over her head. She looked at a few of the pictures he had taken, and smiled. They looked pretty good. At least the photo shoot wasn't a total loss.

After chatting with a few of the people on the set, she finally got to leave. She tossed her hair back into a pony tail and slipped on her jeans and band tee she had wore in. She decided that she would just go through the drive-thru and get some food instead of cooking dinner. She was kind of wore out anyways.

After driving through Wendy's she decided to go straight home. She hopped out of her vehicle, and packed in her bag of food, and purse. She unlocked her door, and then walked inside. She picked up her phone from the kitchen counter. She had forgotten it this morning. As she buttered her baked potato, she flipped through her missed calls. She was pleased to see one from her parents. Even though her relationship with her mother was very strained at the moment, she still couldn't wait to hear from them. She nibbled on her dinner as she phoned her parents house.

It didn't take long for them to pick up. They probably saw her number blinking and rushed to the phone. Soon she was greeted by her mother's voice.

"Zoey! Baby, how are you? Are you okay? Are you safe in Gotham? Has anything happened? Are you coming home?" Her mother asked quickly.

She giggled softly, breathed in some air, and then spoke. "I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm safe here. Nothing has happened, and I might come home in two months."

"Two months!" Her mother screamed, "You cannot stay there for two months!"

"Mom, I've already booked the apartment for that long."

"Doesn't mean you need to stay there. Please come home sweetie."

"I haven't even found him yet."

"He might not live there anymore."

"He does."

"You don't know that!"

"Mom, please. I'm twenty one. If I want to live in Gotham, then I'll live here. You need to let me go. I'm not a little kid anymore. Stop trying to protect me from everything and everyone."

Her mother sighed on the other end of the phone, "I'm sorry. I just. . . you're my only daughter, and I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to know, Mom. I love you, okay?"

"I love you too, and I am sorry. I am so sorry I kept those memories from you."

"I know Mom, and I'm sorry for the way I reacted."

"I love you sweetie. Your dad wants to talk to you."

Zoey talked to her father for over an hour before hanging up. He was glad that she was in Gotham, despite his nervousness about the cities crime rate. He had wanted her to know of her past all along. He thought this trip would be an excellent way for her to discover who she was. She was thankful he wasn't as protective as her mother.

Once she was finished with the phone call, she put her cell on charge, and then emptied the dinner she didn't eat into the trash. Glancing over at the clock, she realized it was barely eight at night. She really didn't want to adventure off in the city at night. Especially without knowing anyone, and the crime rate, but she didn't have anything to do but stay cooped up in her apartment.

She felt alone for the first time in awhile. She wished she had a friend here in Gotham, or possibly even a pet to entertain her on these boring nights. She decided that since she was going to be cooped up in the apartment for the night, and she wasn't the least bit sleepy she could go out and rent some movies. She had saw a rental place on her way home. She grabbed her keys off the counter, and then walked out of her apartment, locking the door behind her. She figured she could rent a bunch of movies to keep her busy for the week ahead.

The Joker watched from across the street as she climbed inside her vehicle and drove off. He pulled the broken locket out of his pants pocket and starred at it. He wanted to return it to the rightful owner. It didn't belong to him. It never belonged to him. He looked both ways and then crossed the street. He wasn't dressed in his usual Joker attire. He was dressed in the same pair of jeans, and the hooded sweat shirt he was wearing when he saw Susie. He cursed loudly when he realized he didn't have anything to hang the locket on. He smiled when he saw the door knob. He slowly began tying the locket on the knob so it wouldn't fall, and also so she would see it when she came home.

"Can I help you?" A sweet voice called from behind him.

He recognized the voice immediately and froze where he stood. He swallowed hard, not knowing what to say or do. It was her. She was back already, standing just a foot away from him. She had also caught him red handed, placing the locket on her door knob.

He thought fast, and grabbed the locket and placed it back inside his pocket without being noticed. He couldn't help but to turn around and look at her. It was a bit dark, and the hood over his head, meant she probably couldn't see his scars, so he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to look at her face to face.

She stood in front of him wearing a black band t-shirt, and a pair of jeans. Her hair was tied back, and she was wearing a lot of make-up. It looked like it had been professionally done.

"Can I help you?" She asked yet again.

He just kept looking at her. Those big blue eyes, and dimples he had loved so many years ago. He only had one weakness in this world, and she was standing directly in front of him. She had gotten a bit taller over the years, but still not even close to his six foot four frame.

"Cat got your tongue?" She teased a bit.

He couldn't help but to half smile at her. He wanted to say so many things, but he thought back to what his grandmother had told him just this morning. It was dangerous for him to be around her. Dangerous for her to be around him. Dangerous for him to even be this close.

"Sorry, wrong apartment." He said, trying his best to recognize his voice, as he swiftly walked past her.

Zoey let herself back in her home, and grabbed her cash she had forgot. She couldn't help but to wonder about the mysterious stranger who had just been standing in front of her door. She didn't know him, but yet those eyes were so damn familiar.